Ogres' blood spawns new progeny relatively quickly. Mat worked long and hard to earn the most exalted trust of the Broken, and earned her talbuk mounts...
...and they are just as beautiful as she imagined.
Sugar & Blood Key word search of the century: "squirrel nuts stirring up drama"
Earned it.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Muddy boots.
 |
| The Mayor is concerned over the disappearance of Sara Bellum... |
Took my new landslide-enchanted weapon into a heroic today.
You know what would rock? (No pun intended.) If the day isn't quite all it should be, that, when the world is entered, your human failings would fall away.
And for the most part they do. Eh, just feeling a bit sensitive today, I guess. Today, I bore witness to those rare occasions (hahahaha!) when my job doesn't work. Should have left it across the return threshold.
Thanks, Isa, for going into the dungeon today, and for your perspective. Women tend to think it's all about them, that they have superpowers that supersede all pixels and pendejos*, and if we do anything less than perfection, we are less ourselves. I know plenty of men who are perfectionists, too, and it can be a bit debilitating. But you...
...you took this screen shot for me:
Now, that was a highlight, that Corla fight. No one made me stand in beams. (I offered, and did a fine beamy-job last time.) No one sassed me. The rest of the dungeon consisted of the warrior sending out brown-colored tells of recount. He and another mate spoke Spanish, but my ambassadorial charms did not seem to work on them. They were cowboys. Now Isa's (optimistic) perspective is that the warrior was throwing out recount data because he wanted us to see that he was one bad hombre. I took it more personally.
What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?
LEBOWSKI
Funny–I can look back on a life of achievement, on challenges met, competitors bested, obstacles overcome. I’ve accomplished more than most men, and without the use of my legs. What?What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?
Funny–I can look back on a life of achievement, on challenges met, competitors bested, obstacles overcome. I’ve accomplished more than most men, and without the use of my legs. What?What makes a man, Mr. Lebowski?
DUDEDude.
LEBOWSKIHuh?
DUDEUh, I, I don’t know, sir.
LEBOWSKIIs it being prepared to do the right thing? Whatever the cost? Isn’t that that makes a man?
DUDEUmmm..sure. That and a pair of testicles.
LEBOWSKIYou’re joking. But perhaps you’re right.
Left the game, and looked at my brass plaques on the wall.
Was politely asked why I wasn't an elemental spec. Had a lot of reasons, and a longer back story than my friend wanted to listen to, however, the upshot is, I just don't like it.
And, perhaps it's just a curve on the universe, but Bubbles wrote this post, too: http://forthebubbles.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/your-optimal-isnt-mine/
*Sorry, mis amigos. I learned that word in The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao novel, other choice Spanish words. You both tried to keep me ignorant of that type of language, but cuss words cross all cultural barriers.
Hesitate.
Gracias senor por el encanto. Tu amistad me hace muy feliz.
It took me a few hours before I was brave enough to actually enchant my off-hand purple weapon, but it is full of earthy-deadly goodness now.
Thank you, senor.
It took me a few hours before I was brave enough to actually enchant my off-hand purple weapon, but it is full of earthy-deadly goodness now.
Thank you, senor.
Dear Matty...
If anyone ever acted like this in most guilds, I know what the Guildmasters would do:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/officers-quarters-when-raiders-hold-your-guild-hostage/
I'm going to go out on a termite-infested limb here, but I suspect one of these players may be female. That may be sexist of me...no, it is sexist. I'll call it. If 40% of players in WoW are female, and there are a few lonely bachelors out there, and the potential for "fan boy meets geek girl" is fairly high. Sharing common interests, insights, and conversation is indeed a heady aphrodisiac. Most of the time, or least I hope, time spent in WoW results in good friendships, a chance to break away from the responsibilities of the real world, and the personified ogres, trolls, and goblins that stand ready to bait and pinch us when we hit the harsh pavement each day. Geek girls have power. And most of the time, they use it for good, and not evil.
The first comment from Khoonda says: "There's plenty of Good DPS that aren't jerks out there just waiting for a raid slot don't give these people any more power if they leave yea it'll hurt the raid for a bit but it'll remove some fatal poison from your guild. Give them an inch they'll take a mile."
Love hurts. Unrequited love sucks. But just as there are a lot of good DPS players out there who are vying for a raid slot, there are great and good potential mates out there, too. Sometimes love is like the club that doesn't want you for a member, and when it does, you don't want to join.
Dear Matty:
I am crazy about this Blood Elf girl, but she has solidly put me in the 'friend zone." I can't take it anymore, and it's driving me to drink. What should I do?
Lonely-nights Night Elf
Dear Lonely:
If someone has put you in the 'friend zone,' you know what? That's not such a bad thing. I am still friends with elves with whom I had to put in the friend zone. The chemistry just wasn't there. We've all moved on, and enjoy each others' Christmas cards. However--this caveat: don't languish in the friend zone. Move on.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I'd be happy to offer advice and insight on matters of the heart, but be warned: you may not like what I have to say. The cliche of 'life is too short' is true, and there are plenty of good dps out there who aren't jerks. Find one for your own raid slot and don't waste your time on divas, male or female.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/05/09/officers-quarters-when-raiders-hold-your-guild-hostage/
I'm going to go out on a termite-infested limb here, but I suspect one of these players may be female. That may be sexist of me...no, it is sexist. I'll call it. If 40% of players in WoW are female, and there are a few lonely bachelors out there, and the potential for "fan boy meets geek girl" is fairly high. Sharing common interests, insights, and conversation is indeed a heady aphrodisiac. Most of the time, or least I hope, time spent in WoW results in good friendships, a chance to break away from the responsibilities of the real world, and the personified ogres, trolls, and goblins that stand ready to bait and pinch us when we hit the harsh pavement each day. Geek girls have power. And most of the time, they use it for good, and not evil.
The first comment from Khoonda says: "There's plenty of Good DPS that aren't jerks out there just waiting for a raid slot don't give these people any more power if they leave yea it'll hurt the raid for a bit but it'll remove some fatal poison from your guild. Give them an inch they'll take a mile."
Love hurts. Unrequited love sucks. But just as there are a lot of good DPS players out there who are vying for a raid slot, there are great and good potential mates out there, too. Sometimes love is like the club that doesn't want you for a member, and when it does, you don't want to join.
Dear Matty:
I am crazy about this Blood Elf girl, but she has solidly put me in the 'friend zone." I can't take it anymore, and it's driving me to drink. What should I do?
Lonely-nights Night Elf
Dear Lonely:
If someone has put you in the 'friend zone,' you know what? That's not such a bad thing. I am still friends with elves with whom I had to put in the friend zone. The chemistry just wasn't there. We've all moved on, and enjoy each others' Christmas cards. However--this caveat: don't languish in the friend zone. Move on.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I'd be happy to offer advice and insight on matters of the heart, but be warned: you may not like what I have to say. The cliche of 'life is too short' is true, and there are plenty of good dps out there who aren't jerks. Find one for your own raid slot and don't waste your time on divas, male or female.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Lore noob.
Back before I used to read quest logs and WoW Insider, I read books. Lots and lots of books. People who tell me they hate to read have only revealed to me that they don't really know how. Deep understanding of a good writer's craft doesn't come easily for most folks, and they tend to blame their boredom on what is really confusion*. Oh well. Perhaps this will help. This is a short list, an incredibly short list, of some books that I think a WoW gamer might like:
The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons, and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe
I read this years ago, and it reminded me of the boy in the high school D&D club who was confused by me, simply because I was a female. There are two types of boys, perhaps: those who hide their Playboys and Penthouses behind their math books, and those who hide their math books with their porn. The writer has been criticized for being overly lamentable of his D&D obsession, but overall, think his coming of age thesis is something we can all relate to.
I am currently reading: The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Books like these just make me say, "Damn, I wish I could write like that." I am only in the beginning, and so far, the exposition of the main character is thoroughly heartbreaking and wonderful.
And: anything by Neil Gaiman. I went on a Neil Gaiman bender a few years ago, and his exploration of the "unseen worlds" theme never fails to satisfy. Start off with the painful fairy tale, The Dream Hunters, and read "Chivalry" out of the Smoke and Mirrors collection. Work your way up to American Gods, and be sure to gather some mythology background knowledge with Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Bulfinch's Mythology, (especially those illustrated by Giovanni Caselli) and Norse mythology. When you're feeling fairly Tier 12 in your reading, look to the writings of Joseph Campbell.
On my list: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Never heard of these before the HBO series came out, but I suspect, and according to guild chat, that the books are better than the series, which is often the case.
For you more gritty souls, perhaps novels and short stories by Chuck Palahniuk. Some of his writing makes me wish I had brain soap, but you might like it. Because you know, the first rule of...
Now, any self-respecting WoW gamer has read Tolkien, Rowling, Homer, and Stan Lee. The scene from The Hobbit where the dwarfs invade the cupboard is worth the price of admission right there. You can't help but think of this scene when pounding down a few with the Wildhammers.
My love of books and reading is only as good as I can share it: please--if you have a book recommendation or comment, please add your ideas to this. No one need know who you are, comments can be anonymous.
*Consider getting a Kindle or Nook. There is no shame in clicking on a word as you read it to look up its meaning.
The Elfish Gene: Dungeons, Dragons, and Growing Up Strange by Mark Barrowcliffe
I read this years ago, and it reminded me of the boy in the high school D&D club who was confused by me, simply because I was a female. There are two types of boys, perhaps: those who hide their Playboys and Penthouses behind their math books, and those who hide their math books with their porn. The writer has been criticized for being overly lamentable of his D&D obsession, but overall, think his coming of age thesis is something we can all relate to.
I am currently reading: The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Books like these just make me say, "Damn, I wish I could write like that." I am only in the beginning, and so far, the exposition of the main character is thoroughly heartbreaking and wonderful.
And: anything by Neil Gaiman. I went on a Neil Gaiman bender a few years ago, and his exploration of the "unseen worlds" theme never fails to satisfy. Start off with the painful fairy tale, The Dream Hunters, and read "Chivalry" out of the Smoke and Mirrors collection. Work your way up to American Gods, and be sure to gather some mythology background knowledge with Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Bulfinch's Mythology, (especially those illustrated by Giovanni Caselli) and Norse mythology. When you're feeling fairly Tier 12 in your reading, look to the writings of Joseph Campbell.
On my list: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Never heard of these before the HBO series came out, but I suspect, and according to guild chat, that the books are better than the series, which is often the case.
For you more gritty souls, perhaps novels and short stories by Chuck Palahniuk. Some of his writing makes me wish I had brain soap, but you might like it. Because you know, the first rule of...
Now, any self-respecting WoW gamer has read Tolkien, Rowling, Homer, and Stan Lee. The scene from The Hobbit where the dwarfs invade the cupboard is worth the price of admission right there. You can't help but think of this scene when pounding down a few with the Wildhammers.
My love of books and reading is only as good as I can share it: please--if you have a book recommendation or comment, please add your ideas to this. No one need know who you are, comments can be anonymous.
*Consider getting a Kindle or Nook. There is no shame in clicking on a word as you read it to look up its meaning.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Careful, man, I got a beverage here...
Senor Patron, you win this round. You were indeed the boss of me last night. There is a foil-mark on my forehead in the shape of a “T” for tequila. And, I'm pretty sure that's how those white platform shoes and red bow-tie got in my bags.
As some of you know, perhaps because of my Irish ancestry, (with a bit of Native American, German, Scottish thrown in for good measure), I have enjoyed a cocktail or two in my time. I largely gave up most of it, except for those glasses of champagne, until last night. Having a shot, or four, of Silver Patron tequila seemed like a good idea. Guildmaster-approved and fully endorsed, my DPS did go up! Cheers! Kind of a drunken-master Jackie Chan sort of thing, but hey, blowing breath into the Recount DUI meter showed, yes, the cactus juice may have unlocked some uptight-y-ness. (And yes, I have the screen shot to prove it, but in order to protect the innocent, you'll just have to trust me.)
And although I woke up next to a turtle, my orphan ran away, and pieces of my chest gear are missing, I do remember quite a bit:
*My friend: I think I hit the Healing Rain spell a lot on you. I hope it didn't tarnish your armor. It must have been because my turtle was parched.
*I really enjoyed our literary analysis conversation, what I remember anyway. Agree with you on the denouement of that particular epic we discussed. It does seem a bit heavy-handed.
*The hedgehog story is a true story, and I didn’t provide half of the details. The owner of the shop may have had Monkey Pox, too. She had a rash, and a prairie dog on premises. Draw your own conclusions. And, in addition to being a purveyor of hedgehogs, it was a cat rescue pet shop, with a wall of glass enclosures full of nasty, feral street cats, most missing an eye or ear. Like a room full of feline pirates. (Shudder.)
Visions from the fish tank dungeon:
*The dwarf did indeed, say he was ‘flaccid.’ Ruby-Red and Matty-White worked all the buttons, and success! Thank goodness he didn't drop trou to show us. We took him at his word.
Stick has been successfully dislodged from posterior, and the prognosis looks good.
I think I wrote this post just as an excuse to use a Ska Cubano tune as the theme song. Ska Cubano es el mejor! (No Me Desesperes)
Postscript: Congrats, too, Isa, on the successful completion of your Strange Trip. That drake is magnificent! When it opens its mouth, it does look like a black-light. Only wish I had a Jimi Hendrix poster handy to get the full effect.
On second thought, after my purple haze, we're in a rebuilding phase of our trust, aren't we?
Here's the screen shot of one fight:
Friday, May 6, 2011
Purple haze...
I'm a loser, baby...so why don't you kill me?
Yesterday, when I was about to run an important errand, with many people depending upon me, I realized that I had locked my keys in my truck. Now, you may be asking, how could this possibly happen in the days of remote locks, etc.? Well, the locks on my truck haven't worked in years. It's very expensive to fix them, and just hasn't been worth it when I can manually lock the doors. I think something may have been whacked when someone tried to break into the truck years ago, that, and the combined goofy electrical system (my truck doesn't like rain, which is definitely a problem where I live), the locks don't work. And I dropped my keys in the console, locked the door, and away I went.
That may have been foreshadowing to the next hours' events.
Because everything was a bit locked up, and out.
It must be tough being right all the time, eh, Isa, because your prediction seemed to be coming true yesterday for random heroics. Any player with a set of semi-qualified tank gear was PUG'ing. I tried Blackrock, Blackrock, and Deadmines, and all three had us challenged. One tank had on DPS gear. And to be fair, the Corla beam encounter was off- man that sucked. We all commented on the buggy-ness. All I wanted to do was one simple heroic, one success for the day's play, and move on. It was less than satisfying, assuredly.
So, went into Zul. I thought it was my second time there, but I think it was actually my third. Why these details slip my mind I don't know. But I am not feeling good about things this morning --having a failure hangover. Aside from a lackluster DPS (a lot of figuring out who to kill what when, running, dying, self-healing, laggy cool-downs, you name it --I really tried the patience of my group, not to mention one of our tanks, SuperJew. Next came a derivation of "Jesus." (This is the moment where I push the red-button on my utility belt that activates "Don't Say A Word" editorial superpowers.)
Now, this is where I really need a stern lecture: my understandings of the need/greed/pass/disenchant on loot needs a lesson. I understand it fairly well, or at least I thought, but my quick-thinking skills were burnt up, and caused mental friction. Did you see the smoke? Smell the pollution? Yes. I needed on BOE loot I didn't need. Oh my gosh. Now, I did offer them up for rolls, I did apologize, but I am sure there is now a lack of trust regarding my character and integrity. There must have been an impulsive cost/benefit analysis in the id of my lizard brain. All I saw was purple...purple...purple...
Now, in my defense, (and there is little, I know: probably don't need Johnny Cochran level on this one, but perhaps one of his subordinates), upon reflection this morning I was thinking that I know two players whom I consider my moral compasses. These two players trust me, believe in me, and know that at heart, I'm not a bad person. If I need a character witness, I may call on one of them to come testify on my behalf.
Never did get through Zul. Maybe it was the love-sick tank, perhaps everyone was having an off-day too, but I can only control or speak for myself. It doesn't matter that many players are finding those new dungeons challenging: I know that I need to get a coat hanger and get those keys out of the truck, drive myself to the training dummies, and re-inspect my bars, add-ons, glyphs, and DPS skills.
On the upside, I did, fairly and squarely, win a healing cloak, which is equipped on my restoration spec gear now. My trusted friend is going to make an enchant for it, and perhaps, through my work as a healer, I will find some redemption, Old Testament style.
Theme song: Loser/Beck
Yesterday, when I was about to run an important errand, with many people depending upon me, I realized that I had locked my keys in my truck. Now, you may be asking, how could this possibly happen in the days of remote locks, etc.? Well, the locks on my truck haven't worked in years. It's very expensive to fix them, and just hasn't been worth it when I can manually lock the doors. I think something may have been whacked when someone tried to break into the truck years ago, that, and the combined goofy electrical system (my truck doesn't like rain, which is definitely a problem where I live), the locks don't work. And I dropped my keys in the console, locked the door, and away I went.
That may have been foreshadowing to the next hours' events.
Because everything was a bit locked up, and out.
It must be tough being right all the time, eh, Isa, because your prediction seemed to be coming true yesterday for random heroics. Any player with a set of semi-qualified tank gear was PUG'ing. I tried Blackrock, Blackrock, and Deadmines, and all three had us challenged. One tank had on DPS gear. And to be fair, the Corla beam encounter was off- man that sucked. We all commented on the buggy-ness. All I wanted to do was one simple heroic, one success for the day's play, and move on. It was less than satisfying, assuredly.
So, went into Zul. I thought it was my second time there, but I think it was actually my third. Why these details slip my mind I don't know. But I am not feeling good about things this morning --having a failure hangover. Aside from a lackluster DPS (a lot of figuring out who to kill what when, running, dying, self-healing, laggy cool-downs, you name it --I really tried the patience of my group, not to mention one of our tanks, SuperJew. Next came a derivation of "Jesus." (This is the moment where I push the red-button on my utility belt that activates "Don't Say A Word" editorial superpowers.)
Now, this is where I really need a stern lecture: my understandings of the need/greed/pass/disenchant on loot needs a lesson. I understand it fairly well, or at least I thought, but my quick-thinking skills were burnt up, and caused mental friction. Did you see the smoke? Smell the pollution? Yes. I needed on BOE loot I didn't need. Oh my gosh. Now, I did offer them up for rolls, I did apologize, but I am sure there is now a lack of trust regarding my character and integrity. There must have been an impulsive cost/benefit analysis in the id of my lizard brain. All I saw was purple...purple...purple...
Now, in my defense, (and there is little, I know: probably don't need Johnny Cochran level on this one, but perhaps one of his subordinates), upon reflection this morning I was thinking that I know two players whom I consider my moral compasses. These two players trust me, believe in me, and know that at heart, I'm not a bad person. If I need a character witness, I may call on one of them to come testify on my behalf.
Never did get through Zul. Maybe it was the love-sick tank, perhaps everyone was having an off-day too, but I can only control or speak for myself. It doesn't matter that many players are finding those new dungeons challenging: I know that I need to get a coat hanger and get those keys out of the truck, drive myself to the training dummies, and re-inspect my bars, add-ons, glyphs, and DPS skills.
On the upside, I did, fairly and squarely, win a healing cloak, which is equipped on my restoration spec gear now. My trusted friend is going to make an enchant for it, and perhaps, through my work as a healer, I will find some redemption, Old Testament style.
Theme song: Loser/Beck
Thursday, May 5, 2011
I dub thee...
Kay and Mat tossed their blood-crusted weapons to the well-trodden wooden floor of the inn on the Dwarf side of town, ready to share an ale (or two, or three) and tales of recent victorious runs, aiding orphaned children, and boosting their own status in the world.
"I'm really going to enjoy putting my new saddle on that violent drake..." Kay mused.
"And I'm hoping I have some more purple gear to match it, when the day comes..." said Mat wistfully, and a touch vainly. She continued: "I know I shouldn't complain, but...(negating her weak attempt at justification)...it's a shame that the gods don't bestow upon us a title to go along with all of our hard work, too..."
"Oh, you're right! That would be so wonderful!" Kay exclaimed. "But, what would it be?" Mat shrugged, but Kay further inspired by saying, "Oh, Mat...we should come up with titles!"*
Kay and Mat's friendship began as a common passion, and borderline obsession for achievements. Their solid friendship is characterized by their support for each other's pursuits of excellence and skill, and they share tactics, strategies, and means and ways of achieving these goals...they have their cookbook of family-secret favorites which they readily share, and support each other thoroughly. And although the For the Children is the penultimate meta-achievement for both of them in the Strange Trip It's Been (they each have several tasks for the Midsummer festivities), it seemed to be the most challenging and emotional one to date. Kay longed for a night elf child, perhaps a daughter of Gwennyth Bly'Leggonde, whose beautiful and courageous life was cut short by the coward of pain, Deathwing.
But tonight, this was no time to stew in grief, but to celebrate, to laugh. In their drunken silliness, these are some of their "lesser known" titles of distinction:
the Loquacious: bestowed upon those who drown while talking too much in chat...(cough)
Killer Queen: given to (predominately) female players who tend to be a bit bossy
the Carried: awarded to those whose DPS is the fourth place of a dungeon group 50% of the time, only one level above the healer's. (Credit to Ferl on that one) And yes, this is me while I am running, RUNNING towards piles of poison, fire, and poisonous fire.
Little Lebowski Urban Achievers (come on, it's better than Achievement Sl*t)
the Curious: given to those who often find themselves wedged in pixels even their hearthstones can't jam them out of...(I'm looking at you, buttercup...)
And the best title, better than even Kingslayer:
Knight of the Red Shirt: achieved by those who politely, but persistently, correct everyone's lore knowledge. This is the highest achievement, one up from "the Pwner."
*If anyone has any suggestions for titles, monikers or epithets you think should be in the game, please, feel free to comment away!
"I'm really going to enjoy putting my new saddle on that violent drake..." Kay mused.
"And I'm hoping I have some more purple gear to match it, when the day comes..." said Mat wistfully, and a touch vainly. She continued: "I know I shouldn't complain, but...(negating her weak attempt at justification)...it's a shame that the gods don't bestow upon us a title to go along with all of our hard work, too..."
"Oh, you're right! That would be so wonderful!" Kay exclaimed. "But, what would it be?" Mat shrugged, but Kay further inspired by saying, "Oh, Mat...we should come up with titles!"*
Kay and Mat's friendship began as a common passion, and borderline obsession for achievements. Their solid friendship is characterized by their support for each other's pursuits of excellence and skill, and they share tactics, strategies, and means and ways of achieving these goals...they have their cookbook of family-secret favorites which they readily share, and support each other thoroughly. And although the For the Children is the penultimate meta-achievement for both of them in the Strange Trip It's Been (they each have several tasks for the Midsummer festivities), it seemed to be the most challenging and emotional one to date. Kay longed for a night elf child, perhaps a daughter of Gwennyth Bly'Leggonde, whose beautiful and courageous life was cut short by the coward of pain, Deathwing.
But tonight, this was no time to stew in grief, but to celebrate, to laugh. In their drunken silliness, these are some of their "lesser known" titles of distinction:
the Loquacious: bestowed upon those who drown while talking too much in chat...(cough)
Killer Queen: given to (predominately) female players who tend to be a bit bossy
the Carried: awarded to those whose DPS is the fourth place of a dungeon group 50% of the time, only one level above the healer's. (Credit to Ferl on that one) And yes, this is me while I am running, RUNNING towards piles of poison, fire, and poisonous fire.
Little Lebowski Urban Achievers (come on, it's better than Achievement Sl*t)
the Curious: given to those who often find themselves wedged in pixels even their hearthstones can't jam them out of...(I'm looking at you, buttercup...)
And the best title, better than even Kingslayer:
Knight of the Red Shirt: achieved by those who politely, but persistently, correct everyone's lore knowledge. This is the highest achievement, one up from "the Pwner."
*If anyone has any suggestions for titles, monikers or epithets you think should be in the game, please, feel free to comment away!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Listen, kitten...
What a weird day. Chalk it up to tummy aches and allergies, I guess, but the world was just as laggy as I was feeling. Even got disconnected while doing Baradin Hold --that did wonders for my DPS. Ugh. But got through it. A lot of "getting through" lately. And decided, what the heck, haven't done a random heroic in awhile, why not? Almost hit "healer" by mistake again, and begrudgingly saw the "sack of most awesomeness because you're a healer or tank, you worthless DPS'er" which quickly vanished when I hit the DPS button. NO MURGLESNOUT SOUP FOR YOU!
But perhaps, due to the lag, and the hours spent in PvP mode, I was going about it all wrong. Of course, it was Stonecore. But you know, aside from a few mistypes, all was well. The big giant rock worm-thing which looks like a parasitic nightmare didn't kill me. The dragon who poops fire and shards didn't kill me. IN FACT: I was the last shammy standing. IN FACT: I am the one who killed it when it still had considerable health. Yes, I had to run around a bit, and yes, wait for my wolves to return from their astral kennel or wherever the heck they go during those LONG two minutes, but down the dragon did I.
(Now, this whole time, two of the players from the same guild were playing footsie under the table with Leaps of Faith --yes, just "Hey, you're hot, let me use my LoF to pull you closer, babe..." stuff. Golly gee. Hope that wasn't on cool down during the dragon encounter! I only say this because I had to do a lot of self-healing, also hard on DPS when stopping to apply band-aids.)
Now - you know who comes next. Ozruk. Admitted to group that he was not one of my favorite bosses.
Mage (whose name has something to do with Snow and Kittens) asks why. And that she's never had an issue.
Well, good on ya, mate.
I respond something to the effect: "He's hard on melee."
I know this fight, I know it well. But damn, the lag was getting to me, and also, having spent hours doing PvP, may have not run or moved as fast as I should. But I didn't die. Got to the edge, perhaps once, but not bad. Hits that should have protected me from the paralyze weren't making their mark, something was off, but, again, I didn't die. Tank didn't put him up against a wall, but simply danced him around the ring. No biggie. Ozruk was defeated. Let's move on. The dungeon run seemed like a sprint compared to the marathon of the new Zuls.
Now, for some reason, Miss Mage decides to type a lengthy explanation of everything I did wrong.
Okay.
I respond, thank you very much, I know this fight, guess just made a few errors. Kill 'em with kindness, right?
Apparently, I was not kind enough, because the next comment was something like "Well, if you know this fight then blah blah blah blah."
Okay. Thanks for the tips.
Thank goodness I didn't let my shammy rage blind me for the final boss, because dying during that fight would have been mortifying. I did fine. And when I looked at recount, my DPS was only slightly less than Miss Mage's.
There's a scene from '40 Year Old Virgin' which is one of my favorites. Just was reminded of it. That's all.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405422/quotes
But perhaps, due to the lag, and the hours spent in PvP mode, I was going about it all wrong. Of course, it was Stonecore. But you know, aside from a few mistypes, all was well. The big giant rock worm-thing which looks like a parasitic nightmare didn't kill me. The dragon who poops fire and shards didn't kill me. IN FACT: I was the last shammy standing. IN FACT: I am the one who killed it when it still had considerable health. Yes, I had to run around a bit, and yes, wait for my wolves to return from their astral kennel or wherever the heck they go during those LONG two minutes, but down the dragon did I.
(Now, this whole time, two of the players from the same guild were playing footsie under the table with Leaps of Faith --yes, just "Hey, you're hot, let me use my LoF to pull you closer, babe..." stuff. Golly gee. Hope that wasn't on cool down during the dragon encounter! I only say this because I had to do a lot of self-healing, also hard on DPS when stopping to apply band-aids.)
Now - you know who comes next. Ozruk. Admitted to group that he was not one of my favorite bosses.
Mage (whose name has something to do with Snow and Kittens) asks why. And that she's never had an issue.
Well, good on ya, mate.
I respond something to the effect: "He's hard on melee."
I know this fight, I know it well. But damn, the lag was getting to me, and also, having spent hours doing PvP, may have not run or moved as fast as I should. But I didn't die. Got to the edge, perhaps once, but not bad. Hits that should have protected me from the paralyze weren't making their mark, something was off, but, again, I didn't die. Tank didn't put him up against a wall, but simply danced him around the ring. No biggie. Ozruk was defeated. Let's move on. The dungeon run seemed like a sprint compared to the marathon of the new Zuls.
Now, for some reason, Miss Mage decides to type a lengthy explanation of everything I did wrong.
Okay.
I respond, thank you very much, I know this fight, guess just made a few errors. Kill 'em with kindness, right?
Apparently, I was not kind enough, because the next comment was something like "Well, if you know this fight then blah blah blah blah."
Okay. Thanks for the tips.
Thank goodness I didn't let my shammy rage blind me for the final boss, because dying during that fight would have been mortifying. I did fine. And when I looked at recount, my DPS was only slightly less than Miss Mage's.
There's a scene from '40 Year Old Virgin' which is one of my favorites. Just was reminded of it. That's all.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405422/quotes
Baby girl.
Writer's Note:
Most of the Children's Week fan fiction writings take on a sarcastic, funny tone: that is totally appreciated and understandable. The I Like Bubbles post below is brilliant, with just the right amount of edge and care. But my (creative) reaction has been a bit different over the week. Guess my own maternal instincts outmaneuvered my own snark factor. You have been warned:
 |
| Baking chocolate cookies...one of Mat's specialties |
Her skin, gritty and scabby with dried blood and wounds, felt dry and tired. Hot tears did nothing to wash away the sense of defeat and anger. The tears burned like gasoline, igniting hot rage in her heart. She breathed revenge. She considered going to other worlds and eviscerating Horde who had laughed while they cowardly butchered her. This part of the world was too violent, too brutal: this was not some monster whose sole purpose was to fight a group of united comrades, with its strings being pulled by pre-designed machinations: these other human players seemed to take too much pleasure in killing. And that was too raw for Mat to taste. There is no mercy for children sometimes, and there was little for Mat, as well. For one who prides herself with being able to understand the good and hope in others, when she senses the evil in others, the effects are conversely horrifying. She could not speak their language, she could not motion or translate. Frozen in dirty ice: a hug, a white flag of peace, a diplomatic dispel did nothing but provoke and enrage them. She had no tools, no charms, for this. They were completely "other." There will be a permanent scar under her chin, along her neck, forever reminding her of her failings in battle. These repeated battles, when only out of sheer luck, determination, cooperation, and timing did she complete them, did not provide her a sense of accomplishment or victory. The blades of battle tarnished and dulled. Cranking up the field communication lines, she reported the progress, or lack thereof, to her commanding officer: reinforcements would be sent in if need be. This heartened her so much that perhaps it was just the blessing she needed to go into the next battle at Warsong, and complete the archipelago of battles required.
At first, when given the mission of showing an orphan around the world, the task was at best irksome. Mat could barely take care of herself, let alone a small child, one who violently had lost his or her parents. But, most of the quests were not difficult, in fact, a bit fun: sugary treats, toys, visits to dragons. The human boy found his own way back to the orphanage, so Mat decided perhaps it was time to waltz a little Draenei girl around. She, Dornaa, was far braver than Mat: her innocence and loss paradoxically enveloped and protected the child. She would follow Mat everywhere, keeping up the pace of battles and quests with no exertion or complaint. Her manners were impeccable: Dornaa's parents must have been loving, firm parents, to have given her such a strong foothold in the world before they were taken out.
Matty is reluctant now to give the child back. In fact, one may even go as far as to say she is a bit heartbroken. She wishes she could raise Dornaa as her own, (replacing the argent squire, who serves no purpose other than to trail behind, tripping over his feet). Dornaa is as sharp as an axe, as intelligent as a mage, and as beautiful as any Draenei female should be. But children have their own minds, and own paths. Mat knows logically that Dornaa couldn't, wouldn't, be the daughter she would never have, a small replacement, a facsimile of her own destiny. Dornaa smells like chocolate and soap, with a bit of puppy-dog fur mixed in for grit. She hugs as tight as a gift, and is an old soul, with the patience of a Kurenai elder. She will miss this little warm shadow until next year, because although Mat completed the goals of the achievement, when next year rolls around, she'll go back to the Shattrath orphanage, and see if she can find Dornaa again, just to see how much she's grown.
*Writer's Notes, Part II:
- There is another perspective, from Dornaa's. Wonder what she'd have to say?
And yet another, where Dornaa is like one of those "Village of the Damned" kids.- It won't be long until I'm back doing PvP again, but on my terms. Trying to do these achievements while playing PvP was really tough on me. I don't know why. I know I'm a dork. I have liked PvP in the past for many reasons: the strategy, the gear is kind of fun, and it's challenging. And when something fails, it's over fast, and no harm, no foul, really. And when it works, it feels really engaging. However, this particular set of *achievements* was not only difficult, but--not sure how to say this--it was just awful to watch other players really, really enjoying killing my character. I know I shouldn't take it personally, but I have found in this world we tend NOT to take stuff personally, and end up hurting each other a bit too much.
Okay. That's enough finger-wagging for one day.
"Learn something new everyday section:"
- ficlet: http://fanlore.org/wiki/Ficlet: I knew what a 'drabble' was and write those constantly, almost as much as haikus
- /roll -- Jahrl, don't out me please (laughs) I guess I just kind of assumed some things myself--is there such thing as a stupid question? Yes. Is it more stupid not to ask? Yes. The great paradox of learning.
- 4.2 Dungeon Journal: Cool! http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2456449381
- One of the best: http://forthebubbles.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/childrens-week-ficlet/
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