Quinceanera.

I remember a chemistry teacher from high school who probably saved me from myself. He passed me, and was kind to me, when I needed it. So much in school came easily for me, but not chemistry. I knew the beauty of the bonds were sublime, and were the basis for life itself, but I just couldn't get past the esoteric skills needed to respond, synthesize, and learn it. (My inability to conquer high school chemistry has given me much: it is our mistakes when faced with an obstacle that helps us more than our easy successes.)

There was a punk in class who constantly berated me. My best friend was too busy getting A's and keeping  me awake to be of much help. (True: we sat in the front row, right next to the teacher, and this didn't help me from passing out cold on occasion. Molecular bonds and Periodic Charts have a somnolent effect on me to this day.) My teacher put him in his place, all right, by explaining to him that the reason it was called the 'sophomore' year (I was a junior at this point) was because sophomoric meant foolish, and he was a fool. Oh, no you DID-n't! Smack-downs for smart-asses look a little different when one is a gifted student in an advanced class: a teacher is wise to use Latin/Greek word play, and not send a student to the Principal's office. My tank, Luperci, is in her metaphorical sophomore year, too.

Yesterday, not one, but three wonderful player friends noticed Luperci's progression as a protection paladin. First friend said, in his easy, country-boy style, "Hey, let's get you in a dungeon; that's the only way you'll ever learn!" Second friend says, in his pragmatic and calm way, "I have time to help you through a dungeon," (with subtext of 'no time like the present'), and third friend, with our time zone differences, and in his gentlemanly, crisp, polished manner, just admired the progress, and cheered me on. He always offers to help, and is true to his word, but he is on Kalimdor time. (Besides, it's more fun to talk about books and movies anyway, because he is, as I called him, a rare spawn in Azeroth.*)

Now, leveling is easier these days, to be sure. Third friend noticed she didn't have any purples at level 80, and that is because she moved up a grade, skipping, most if not all, of WTLK content and dungeons. Between the heirlooms and decent rested experience bars, she moved to level 80 fairly quickly. And, with the quest gear and crafted plate items, kind of figured she'd get herself together before going into Cata dungeons. Because, as we all know, things look very different depending on which side of the shield you're on.  But since priest healer friend offered to see her through, she chose her dungeon quest of Blackrock Caverns, and off they went. It was a squirrel-ly group indeed, and Lupe, who has a lot to learn about staying calm, did say, (oh, how fast we go to the dark side), a swear word or two when a player literally ran, RAN into Rom'Ogg and a full mob, like they were old school chums. It was only due to the skills of my healer friend, his gear, and abilities that saved us all. I am ashamed of my less-than-champion moment: and as the player said and apologized, it won't happen again from me, either. (Better write myself a sticky note: be patient with rogues, shamans, druid cubs, mages, and warlocks at all times. Although, this vow may prove to prevent boredom: "I solemnly swear I am up to no good.")

BRC was only a tiny smidgen of a taste of a Cata dungeon from a tank's point of view. Luperci barely got it out of second gear.

Sacred Duty's Theck interview is worth a read: I will be studying his notes like a studying for a chemistry test. Because right about now, that's what it feels like. Bonds, hands, hammers, and aggro.

Spoiler alert: Do not read if you haven't seen the last HP movie.

*My friend: The more I thought about it, my repressed reaction to the brutal scene was not as repressed as I thought: it was very aggressive and perhaps, gratuitous? I still see it in my mind's eye. Snape didn't deserve that, but it gave the story the gravitas it needed, since the director didn't honor the final climax as he should.

And, why didn't Neville grab Luna and kiss the hell out of her? That girl needs kissing.

Not a ninja, a "brigand."

Think the use of the word 'brigand' instead of 'ninja' will catch on? No? Don't think so?


Clothes Make the Man Word of the Day: brigandine

One way to remember this word is that it's what a brigand wears -- or probably should wear. A brigand makes his living by robbery and plunder. Brigandine is body armor of scales or plates, which should come in most handy for one who is typically on the wrong side of the law.

Visit the following URL to look up the word of the day in the Visual Thesaurus:

http://www.visualthesaurus.com?word=brigandine




Today, Matty grabbed Corefire Legplates off of an elemental in Twilight Highlands today. What this poor rock spectre was doing with plate pants, she'll never know. Even floaty rock thingies need pants, don't they? Or was it No-Pants Wonder Day? (But the police just call it Monday...*)

Matty held the pants in her hands, thrilled that she had something worthwhile to give to Luperci! She showed them to Guarf, but he said, "Bah, not quite right for a tank, you know lassie..." Disappointed her good fortune was blemished, she decided to sell them on the open market, and perhaps the gold would help Luperci more anyway. She had received a letter from Lupe recently, through Guarf, that her training was going well. Soon she would be rivaling Mat for time, resources, and attention. "And how is this any different than from when we were children?" was the quick green thought that sent a viperous, vaporous monster in her heart, but it dissappated just as quickly. Well, if the pants sold, she would treat herself to a new pet. Lupe was still running around with that flea-bitten worg pup (although Mat admitted to herself he was adorable).  She looked through her bags, and found the Orc s'more mix she was saving for the occasion if she ever saw, no, when she saw, her paladin friend again. Wondering what he was doing, and how he was fairing, she went to a self-satisfied sleep. Wouldn't Luperci be happy with all that gold?

*thank you, Simpsons, for my cultural references.

Haikus for bedtime

Beautiful, joyous

The sun is a star, you know?

Night and day, embraced

True championship

Is in the voice of the heart

Insightful, speak truth

And she went to sleep

Knowing she was loved dearly

Seven dwarfs bowed

Now that's what I'm talking about!

This is the creative emergent behavior that should be rewarded with accolades. In other words, watch:

The Craft of War: Blind

Click on embedded video in the widget column, too. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWgW3ogaV84

Thanks for the link, Guarf.

Story Time: Fireside Chat

For breakfast, a mushroom-clouded soupy sky morning was served, with brittle harp-string garnish on the side. Lupe woke to the sound of simpering raindrops. Normally she would find these soothing, but this morning, each weak drip felt irritating. She rolled her head on her shoulders, but tightness held her shoulder blades in a cutting vice. The scratchy Dwarven carpet soothed her sleep no more than it had her sister’s. And her sister: where was she? She had promised assistance and expertise this day, and once again, that temperamental shaman was nowhere to be found. For someone in control of the elements, earth-bound ties where by far her weakest. “She has rocks in her brain,” thought Lupe. “She washes away like the tide, that moody sod.” Eyes closed. Just be still. Think. Think. Her father was right: she was in a dangerous place now. She felt abandoned and immense: her waking dream displayed animated falls, herself slipping down, among the dream-arrows, burning ember stars, and ash. She rummaged in the corners of her heart and soul for some sun, any light. Just because it was raining here didn’t mean there wasn’t sun somewhere else?

Or fire?

And she knew where Matty was.

Jarod Shadowsong, Commander Shadowsong now, had been spotted in Malfurion’s Breach. Gods, she was a stupid, impulsive witch! Luperci could not follow Mataoka into the fire, not for courage, not for gold, and most certainly not for love. Little sisters know the game of catch-up all too well, what the rules say, and how big sisters make up their own, at their convenience. Matty had the earth, the obsidian, and the gold Luperci needed to move forward, and once again, she was hidden somewhere, on the other side of the world, possibly chasing the bravest night elf in all of Azeroth. As if.

Smirking, and then softening, Lupe felt a bit sad for her sister. The dual-wielding axes of fickleness and loyalty must pull her in so many directions at once. 

And as well as she knew her sister's heart, she did not know that Matty was not interested in Jarod, but only sought him out to speak with him, and to provide assistance. 

Luperci had her own flames to fan. She needed oxygen. 

Room to breathe.

http://www.loregy.com/world-of-warcraft/jarod-shadowsong-you-should-know/

http://www.wowwiki.com/Night_elf

Shadowboxing.

Was watching stupid television, flipping the remote, and the recent royal wedding came on 'the' OWN - yes, the Oprah Winfrey Network. I am not an Oprah devotee, but this isn't a about her. A commentator was discussing the details of the ceremony and the dress, commenting that the bride's dress was, "...something that won't scare the horses." The dress rumored dress was $400,000. Good thing the horses don't carry a lot of cash.

I spent some gold recently on my own beautiful dress, an avatarial* dress. And this may be an experiment gone horribly wrong, but am going to try double-boxing for awhile: squeezing the most out of Mataoka is at crossroads right now. I am planning on relearning how to play, not just with her character, but with my alts, too, (but those in a more relaxed way). "Matty" has switched up her UI, action bar, and more. I am not convinced that working more on her, the game, and WoW in general is a good idea; starting a new account and sequestering this shaman in this ivory tower may be, indeed, a really bad idea. Just seems like it's worth a trial, to see what it's like on the other side.

But I am not sure. 

Keep sending her croc meat, Senor. Haanta is going to learn to cook, too, though. And she's been wanting to bring Sweater and get some baddies with you.

*I thought I may have created a new word, but the adjectival form of avatar of course, already existed. 

umadbro?

There was a recent debacle with the Season 9 versus Season 10 PvP gear, in the way that you save and work for that "perfect" pair of Jimmy Choo shoes and the next day they're out of style. Okay, I've never spent more than $125 on  pair of shoes, but I can imagine (and witnessed) the anger and frustration many of my PvP player buddies felt when that injury to insult happened: imagine grinding all weekend for the Call of Duty Alterac Valley Season 9 honor points, and then not 48 hours later, having it all be 10% "less" for the Season 10 gear. The nerd rage was most unattractive, let me assure you. Apparently, the new Season 10 gear was called exactly the same names, and had a 10% improvement factor. It was like a clearance sale that was a bit of a bait-and-switch: great vicious gear for honor points, not conquest points, and the Season 10 went for the same cost as the Season 9 gear. So, players busted their a**es for ostensibly worse gear. PvP players could have hung onto their points, worked on something they would have liked to grind through, and get Season 10 gear.

Perhaps I am not explaining this well; suffice it to say, it pissed a lot of players off.

(Although, when I asked Senor if it upset him I could hear him laughing in the message back, as in no, whatever...another reason why I value his friendship--keeps things fun.)

Well, from what I understand, (and I am planning on trying to verify this as soon as my PvP player friends return from the front lines), is that Blizzard actually had a rare mea culpa moment, and they are giving 4000 honor points to players who ground their way through the Season 9 gear. This may just be a rumor, but I will verify it as soon as the communication lines are back up. These 4000 points will be above the cap, and will happen Tuesday.

I won't hold my breath. But I might for the next wish:

My next mission is to get Blizzard to give me more closet space for my shoes. Think about it: after four versions, from Vanilla to Cataclysm, and all the patches in between, many players not only have multiple sets of gear for different needs, but the sentimental factor cannot be ignored. I personally have a DPS set, a PvP DPS set, PvE heal set, and PvP heal set. And my letters. And my tarnished crown. I have pared down as much as I can, and am resentful of the time I have to go back and forth with alts for bank space, etc.

Does anyone have the name of a good contractor in Azeroth who can build this addition for me?

Postcript: He is the architect of PvP excellence: Need more answers? Look here, please: http://cynwise.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/ilvl-365-vicious-gear-and-the-phantom-tier/


Some links: http://www.arenajunkies.com/
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/topic/184245/pvp-season-10-begins

Aroma therapy.

Matty will always make a point of spraying Topper with some perfume if this is her jewel-crafting daily...he's been on the streets for awhile, and needs some freshening up.

Writing challenge: 


Yes, I know this may sound weird.


What would the characters of Azeroth smell like? 


I put this challenge forth to a writing buddy, and his description was very creative. Guarf said, "She would smell of leather, neatsfoot oil, sulfur, (a leftover from her fire totems), and undertones of lilac."


Lilac!? Inspired, Guarf. 


You win.


Here are some thoughts I sniffed out:


I think dwarfs would smell like whisky, barley fields, tweed, and pipe smoke. 
Goblins would smell like the undersides of sewer rats dipped in bubble baths. 
Gnomes would smell like blueberries and snowflakes.
Draenei girls would smell like warm fluorescence, vanilla, clover, and honey.
Night elves would smell a little sweaty, but not bad: cotton, sandalwood, and patchouli, those damned hippies?
Orcs' sweat would be a gamy, like someone hung an automobile pine air freshener around a wet dog's neck.
Worgens: British butcher shops and flea bath?
Trolls: do I detect a hint of hemp?
Undead: Ew. See goblins sans bubble bath.
Tauren: hayfields and barnyards, of course.


What's that smell?
Death Knight didn't change his socks again.

No hacks.

"It was a dark and stormy night..."

Today is Harry Potter's birthday: a fictional character, in a fictional world, but when I go to see the last installment of this young hero on the big screen, I know I will cry as if he is someone I know, and the other characters, too. In many ways, I do know Harry.

One resonating reason I became so enamored with playing World of Warcraft is the narrative. Bringing up my little sweet shaman has been so...fun is not the word. She is crafted, cared for, and considered. Her character is rich, and although her narrative and my own run many parallels, Matty's voice and strength, and weaknesses, are unique to her. She is ready for some new adventures, and will be seeking those. Not sure where her journey will take her, but she is not done yet, not yet a master of two worlds. 

So, if you're feeling a bit in a creative gaming slump, take some time out and be creative in other ways. It is my faithful belief that we are all creative people. 

This wonderful blog took a small character and created an emotional vignette: http://wowhats.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/raiding-fatigue/ Go to any fan-fiction site, read and research writings by others, too, be they Warcraft related, or of any genre. If you need a break from gaming/fantasy, I strongly recommend you check out Keri Smith's blog and books: http://www.kerismith.com/blog/

My friends in the World are few, but cherished. You all range from people whose human faces I know to those I will probably never see, and you are as real to me as anyone. If you ever recognize a little bit of yourself in anything I write, it's a gift I don't take for granted. 

Take some creative control of your World and your world. It's your story, and you should stick to it.

Postscript: Partial spoiler alert: It was Severus' story that brought the most tears, and it's tough to cry while wearing 3-D glass. Tears kind of pooled up like a fish tank.

Theme song: Paperback Writer/The Beatles

Dear Matty: Nietzsche Edition

From Alternate History: (Text is written in Ye Olde Butcherede Russian; translations courtesy of Professor Larry Feinberg)

Star Wars TOP: And here is Luke Skywalker. He is on a flying saucer (1), and a smart samovar (2) helps propel him along. LEFT: Luke spent a long time looking for his father, and once he found him, slew him with a fiery sword (3), which brought on grief and sorrow. CENTER Here I might have had some vodka to ease my grief, but my father cut off my hand. I can't pick up a glass; looks like I'll be living sober from now on. RIGHT: And here is his friend Chewbacca, something between a monkey and a dog. He speaks no words, but roars and howls. Evil men took him captive and turned him into ice. [Writing on samovar in lower left-hand corner: R2D2]

Dear Matty:
I have worked long and hard on my main character in WoW, and have achieved some level of success and acclamations for my performance. Of late, however, I have lost all patience with underlings and "stupid" or rude players. Normally, if some poor little druid cub is in Stormwind, asking for a few pieces of silver for training costs, I'd toss them a few gold. Now I just feel like everyone is hustling me, everyone has a dark side. The Force, well, just feels more force-fed right now than all Zen-ny. A few weeks ago, I lost my hand in a bad accident, sort of an "atonement with the father" moment, and am starting to transform into the sort of monster I have sworn to fight. In the past, I used to run with my sister, this rogue, a few droids, and a tall walking carpet, but lately the taller droid is starting to get on my last nerve,  and I feel like every minute I spend not doing something heroic and superbly executed is wasted, that they are dragging me down. How do I get back to my original vows of truth and justice, when all I feel are annoyance and irritation?


Please help,
Robotic Reflections


Postscript: Here's that autographed picture of me you wanted.

Yours, LS

Dear Robot:
 "Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster." -Friedrich Nietzsche ... 


There is a moment, sometimes more than one, when we do not always make great decisions. We use the best of our upbringing, resources, and information at hand (sorry, no pun intended), to go metaphorically left or right, or get run over if we sit in the middle. I think the first thing you've done is admirable, just recognizing that you're questioning your character and trying to recalibrate your moral compass. You are only human, after all, and keeping your humanity and humility is what will keep you sane and happy. In every story, sometimes we have to fight fire with fire, or get in the mind of the 'monster' we're trying to conquer. It's the getting out, having an escape plan or exit strategy when we falter that defines us, not that we made a mistake in the first place. 

Now, my advice is, go hug a warm Wookie, and you'll feel right as rain. And don't be an jerk. Your friends come first. It's only a game.
Matty

PS Repeat: It's only a game. The pixels are not going to remember you, but your friends will. There's an old saying, people don't remember what you do, but how you made them feel.

Theme song: Reflection/Mulan Soundtrack (no, not above playing the Disney card once in awhile)



Other "Dear Matty" Columns: 
Love Hurts Edition: http://wowsugar.blogspot.com/2011/05/little-self-respect-please.html
Significant Other Edition: http://wowsugar.blogspot.com/2011/06/dear-matty-significant-other-and.html