Biker Chic...

Imagination is a powerful thing.

Navi is wishing for some better fishing togs: meanwhile, I'm dreaming up ways to get my leather on. No, not fifty shades of leather, you dorks, (keep that junk in the spam folder, will you?) but Roxi Ramrocket and Heartichoke had a plan. (Yes, before you say anything: I do know that there is a 10% discount when you buy through a large guild. I get that. But Roxi and I, well, we started this journey together, and she's all alone out there in K-3, single working girl, in the cold, without a jacket, with only her love of her twin-engine plane to keep her warm.) Heartichoke got the idea last August to get the key to that chopper, but then, like I said, the pandas happened, real life happened, and it was months before she picked back up the reputation work for the Alliance Vanguard. Admittedly, "daunted" was the word: she read that she had to have not one but two of the factions to exalted. Imagine her delighted surprise when she found out that, no--she became exalted overall, and the schematics were hers! Hooray! Granted, she did have to grab Haanta for a few runs in the Halls of This and the Halls of That, but it was all in good fun.

Haanta drinks some potion, so they could see eye-to-eye

April 7th Status Update

The cost of the materials and time would mean emptying out every piggy bank, farming for titanium for hours, buying the rest, and looking under couch cushions and coat pockets. She scrounged up enough. It did involve stealing from the guild bank, and selling off everything in a huge garage sale. (Thanks, Zeptepi!)

The cobalt bolts: easy. The Titansteel: kind of easy. The Arctic Fur: super easy (thanks again, Haanta!). The Salvaged Iron Golem Parts: 3500 gold. The Elementium-Plated Exhaust Pipe: 1500 gold. The eight Goblin-Machined Pistons: 1000 each, for 8000 gold total. So, just for Roxi's parts, 13000. Heartichoke hoped, but would not ask, that none of the proceeds go to Garrosh's military junta. She saw one for sale on the auction house for 15,000 gold, but then --no. Better to make it myself.

April 9th: All parts, ready for assembly!

So in just two days' time, Heartichoke was ready to put it all together:

She had to make some minor adjustments to the carburetor, but other than that, she is ready to roll:

Living the dream...

I realize this is old, old news for most of you. You've had your chopper for years, and have moved on to bigger and better achievements, gear, and professions. But I'll share this with you: I was at the sleep doctor's yesterday, and she asked me about stress. I must have gotten "that look" on my face, because she quickly wound back and grabbed the box of Kleenex. To say I am burnt out on a few things in real life is an understatement. The joy is gone in Mudville right now for me, though I do have a lot of other great and happy things (permit me to say 'blessings'). I know myself well, though. When I dip down in one of these valleys, I sit and cry a little bit, and then pick myself back up. I'm just not to the pick up part yet. I'll get there. In the meantime, I can imagine a little green-haired gnome steering clear of arctic hares and shattering some of the peace of Storm Peaks with her exhaust pipes.