The Peter Pan approach

I’m feeling really guilty about something. I should be spending my time doing the Midsummer festival this week. After all I wrote about it last week – all excited and enthusiastic about defiling bonfires. But ….I hate it. I’m finding it so boring it’s in danger of turning me off WoW for good.

I have tried. Honest I have. I’ve killed Lord Ahune. That was ok. Nothing special but satisfying enough (like every meal I eat on this goddamn low carb diet). I then started doing the torch series. Currently struggling to throw & catch four on the trot so that’s not looking too good. But it’s the bonfires themselves that’s the problem. I’ve honoured & desecrated a few in the Eastern kingdoms but after only 4 or so I’m finding it tedious beyond belief. And when I can’t immediately find one I’m instantly in a rage.  It’s really bringing out the worst in me. I mean what a stupid place to put it in Duskwood. And to find out that the Horde one in Swamp of Sorrows is in Bogpaddle not Stonard as I thought. Aaargh. It’s making my stomach all tense! I hate it hate it hate it.

So what should I do then? Just grit my teeth & get on with it? But I can’t!!! (I’m saying this in the whiniest tone imaginable by the way.) Surely gritting my teeth is not what this game is about? Surely that’s not what I pay good money for?

Is it the game or me? Do I lack some fundamental trait that I need to be a good and worthy WoW player?  I’m starting to realise that the only thing in WoW I don’t end up seeing  as a chore is the one thing that when I first started playing I was eager to be rid of – and that’s levelling itself. I really enjoy levelling more than anything else in the game. And what’s worse- I enjoy levelling in PuGs. God what does that make me? I’m like some sick masochist. Why do I take such pleasure out of what is sometimes so such pain?

I used to think levelling was all about getting to the end goal. With my first character Terema – a Ret Pally-  I can remember working so hard to get to 70 (it was BC times). When she got there I took a screenshot and everything (did it wrong so never got to see it  but that’s another story of despair). The whole levelling experience always had  that end goal in mind – the wonderful finishing line that wasn’t really a finishing line but a doorway into the adult world. But I hit 70 just days before Wrath so I didn’t spend too long in the experience bar free zone before I was off levelling again & the same was pretty much true of 80- I think I stopped playing for awhile, and then it was Cata time so Terema was always on the go.

It is only with Seashell (& now Luxmi & finally Terema- my  Trinity of 85s) that I’m starting to  spend a significant amount of time in the  post levelling zone & I’m just not enjoying it – so I’m playing them less & less. At least with Seashell I was doing LFR and HoT dungeons regularly to get my valor gear  but even that feels like torture now so I’m not doing it. And I’ve not done a guild raid since I started training for my rowing marathon- I just can’t guarantee I’ll have the time or the energy so I’m not signing up. But I thought I’d still at least do LFR & the HoT dungeons – but I’m not.

I’m particularly disappointed I’m feeling this way with Seashell as I invested a lot of time getting all her professions up  so she could fish and cook herself all the buffs she needed. What was it all for? With Luxmi I’ve not even done that. She’s also not geared enough for LFR and can only do the older Cata heroics. The same is true of Terema. They’ve basically got to 85 and I’ve become bored of them & cast them aside – it’s like some sort of marital 7 year itch & I’m the cad in all this.

So what do I find myself doing instead? Well taking the  7 year itch metaphor further I suppose you could say I’ve cast my eye elsewhere for distraction and excitement (this is reading bad isn’t it?). I’ve basically thrown myself into the immoral debauchery of levelling a ton of alts. I have no shame.

The main focus of my attentions are:-

1. Styleesh –  my Discipline Priest. I’ve discovered I love healing as a discipline priest. She’s probably the one I want to play most often now. She’s also levelling inscription which is fun but fruitless – nothing sells on the AH.

2.  Seally – my new Night Elf Druid. Currently feral DPS which I’ve never really done- enjoying being a cat but still not that into melee

3. Frip- my Tauren Balance Druid (just got Moonkin form today as it happens – how do you play in that form- it totally blocks everything?) Might end up going Resto since I seem to love healing more than anything.

4.  Salno -my Blood Elf  Demonology Warlock – currently hellfiring everything in sight and getting reacquainted with her minion after a long time apart.

5. Androse – Blood Elf Holy Pally – just looks so cool as a plate healer – have neglected her for far too long.

The latter three haven’t been played for months & months so I’m giving them a spring clean i.e. clearing out their bags (auctioning what I can & vendoring the rest); checking their professions and dumping what I’m no longer interested in (why did I pick skinning for every bloody character?); going to Icy Veins to find out best spec and rotation and then redoing my talents and tidying up my task bars. Then when I feel all cleaned up & spick and span I’m going in LFD and doing dungeon after dungeon until I go from rested experience to purple. Then I log that character off & log in one of the others and start again

And it’s been great fun. I’ve really enjoyed it – particularly the variation. But  what does it say about me? Do I  have no staying power? Why can’t I commit to raid gear levelling  or  the achievement grind at 85? I get bored of it all that’s clear – but should I be pushing past the boredom? But I just can’t. I really don’t want to do that in a game that’s meant to be fun. But does this in turn mean I’m like some weird WoW Peter Pan – an eternal adolescent refusing to  grow up and join the big world? Even worse am I like some ghost of  WoW – refusing to let go & move on,  permanently stuck visiting the old haunts and doing the same thing over & over again?

I hope not. I really do. I’m consoling myself with the thought that it might all mean I am wise beyond belief  (say yes  say yes) and that I’ve reached some great metaphysical truth – some wonderful enlightenment – that it’s all about the journey itself and not the end goal. That the goal is there to keep us on the road, but it’s the road itself that brings the  satisfaction. Say it’s true please…

I seem to love this road that’s for sure. In fact when I see the end in sight I’m now taking sharp detours off it to try a different road. Perhaps these detours mean I’m truly enlightened and my alts are actually a sign I’ve reached nirvana.

Maybe. But it still means I can’t look Seashell in the eye 😦

Wait till you see what I do to your fire

As you might know back in May Seashell was beside herself with joy (and I was a tad pleased with myself too it must be said) after completing the School of Hard Knocks and then getting the  Matron title.

The first festival since that happy time is now upon us – the Midsummer Festival –  & I have the taste of What A Long Strange Trip it’s Been in my mouth  (although actually I can’t complete it until next year’s Love festival so the taste is going to be with me for quite some time –  I might need a mint).

So it’s time for me to become a Flame Warden – the days of Matron Seashell (you can almost see the grey hair and woolly stockings can’t you) are finally over.

I’m not that familiar with the festival. Apart from having the odd buff for doing some interesting things around a pole (not the first time that’s happened) I’ve never really done anything with this festival. So I’ve been doing a bit of research (thank you  WoW Insider ) to see what I might expect.

1. Ok first up I have to kill Lord Ahune. Did some research on him since I like to know who I’m killing (if I’m feeling kind – otherwise it’s blind cold hearted slaughter). Apparently he is a Frost elemental in the Slave Pens up to no good with the Twilight’s Hammer. That’s all I need to know. Let me at him. (Oh god – I’m now channelling Scrappy Doo – that’s not good.)

Once a day I will get the Satchel of Chilled Goods from him. I love that  – the Satchel of Chilled Goods.  That could be a very effective branding approach for frozen goods in the supermarket  – “Come here to buy the  Satchel of Frozen Peas”, “Look here- Satchel of Frozen Broccoli cheap at half the price.” I’d buy them & I hate veg. Anyway apparently a non-combat pet might drop out of the satchel (gasping for air no doubt – this game is harsh), or some cool looking Frostscythe, but in my case it’ll always be one of the level 353 cloaks I don’t need & won’t wear.

Ahune will also drop an item that will start a quest culminating later in a choice of pretty tabard and 20 Burning blossoms. These latter will be important so I must remember not to trash them.

2. The Fires of Azeroth

Next up is the joyous task of visiting all the flames in all the places in order to get  the Fires of Azeroth achievement & the Desecration achievement – basically honouring fires (bowing down before them??) and desecrating them. Now I don’t know about you but I associate desecration with certain bodily expulsions &  the whole thing is very distasteful. I mean just imagine it- squatting over those flames expelling god knows what…..But well- it’s for the Alliance isn’t it so Seashell will just have to pick up her robe and get on with it. Now…. hmmm….  what emote to use? I’m on a PvP server too so I doubt this bit will be pleasant but I did the School of Hard Knocks so I’m used to doing the impossible (& at least this time there is no annoying orphan tagging along  – and I know I know – I don’t deserve to wear the Matron title).

3. King of the Fire Festival

You get this for theft – no point dressing it up any other way. And so I disapprove. I’ll do it of course though as I sold my soul to Varian a long time ago (although he never calls or texts – bastard).You steal the flame from the 4 enemy capitals. I’m likely to die several times doing it but frankly I deserve to.

4. Burning Hot Pole Dance

I need to get  400 Burning Blossoms for this. I have none – Seashell wasn’t even a twinkle in my eye when this festival last rolled around so I will need to do this from scratch. Obviously this will mean dailies galore including regular slaughter of Lord Ahune.  I will then be able to buy the Mantle of the Fire Festival, the Sandals of Summer & the Vestment of Summer – and then its beach party baby, all the way.

5. Torch Juggler

Dreading this. I know it sounds stupid but I seem to struggle with all the tasks that involve setting X number of things off in X number of seconds. Convinced my account is glitched. I mean how incompetent can I be (don’t answer that). In the  Elders Festival I tried so many times to do the fireworks one. I know for a fact that I set off 10 fireworks quickly one after the other (my index finger was raw to the bone) but the achievement tracker said I’d only done one. How can that be??? So god knows how I’ll do here.

And I think that’s it. In fairness sounds like fun – though not sure if I’ll still think that several days into it when I’m being beaten up galore by every Horde that crosses my path. But I will just keep repeating my mantra Violet Proto Drake, Violet Proto Drake, Violet Proto Drake. Who needs dignity when that’s on offer?

Who Wants Chocolate Cake?

I have the most amazing unbelievable stupendous good news. Yesterday was my birthday as some of you know (that’s not the stupendous good news though – I turned 40 after all). Despite it being my birthday I popped onto WoW to do the Dalaran cooking daily such is my dedication. Note I only say Dalaran. I have totally given up on the Rokk dailies because if he says “Glad I could help” one more time after giving me a crateful of crap I will kill him & end up spending the rest of my days in the Stockades – I refuse to do time with Hogger for him).

By the way on my way to do the daily I opened my mailbox to find lots of birthday treats from the guild. I couldn’t believe it. How kind is that. If anyone is on Defias Brotherhood EU then do please check out Death Dealers of War – you will find there the nicest collection of people you can ever hope to meet. I mean- they gave me lots of pressies including 3 companions, cake & raid food. I was over the moon!

But it didn’t end there. I still had to do the daily. Now in the depths of my mind (not that deep admittedly – think shallow end of a children’s paddling pool) I wondered if maybe – just maybe – Blizzard would know it was my birthday & would reward my dedication to the cause. But it was a similar type of wondering to when you wonder if you’ll win the lottery this week or whether they will invent an immortality pill by the time you’re 60. That sort of thing. Basically a sort of “Wouldn’t it be amazing if….” type of wondering. But guess what???? Miracles do happen. You can have crazy wonders and they can come true (so my order for the immortality pill is in). Because guess what dropped on my birthday???!!!!!

THE DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

How can that be? Did Blizzard do it for my birthday? Do all birthday daily cooking questers who have not already had that recipe always get it? What kind of complex algorithm could do that? What are your theories? Is this evidence of a higher power at work in WoW? In the world even? Is this something quantum physicists need to know about? Does it blow all sorts of holes in everything Stephen Hawkings has written? All I know is it makes me feel all good about things. I mean if I can get the chocolate cake recipe on my birthday there is a wonderful benevolent power at work – one that is totally supportive of chocolate. Can you ask for anything more?

Immediately ran off to buy the ingredients to make it. Took screenshot today of my achievements to show the date I got The Cake is not a Lie Achievement. May the Fourth. Star Wars Day. My Day. Chocolate Cake Day.

Finally the quest for that recipe is over.

Two other things to mention today. It’s been totally remiss of me not to have to have talked about these in previous posts but I’ve been crazily obsessed with the School of Hard Knocks as you know.

The first is Danslate’s second audio book style blog post reading of a post I did a few weeks ago – Bravetank’s guide to the Holy Light. It can be found here. His brilliant voice makes my words sound good & the music he uses provides a great background atmosphere. I’m amazed he has put all that time and effort to do something like that for one of my posts and I’m also totally chuffed too 🙂

The second is the guild Swords for Everyone on Wyrmrest Accord US – link here. Martin spoke about this in one of his comments & said the following- “WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Anyone who has social anxiety (or a similar social disorder) who wants an understanding community to play video games with. If you’re someone who:

is terrified of public chat channels, including Vent (Mumble, Teamspeak, etc.)
starts hyperventilating when a dungeon or BG queue pops
has avoided large chunks of game content because of other players
immediately logs off for the rest of the day (or week) after a wipe because you fear that it was your fault
is nervous and sweaty just thinking about applying to this guild
experiences any other irrational (but entirely understandable) anxiety because of interactions with other players”

Sounds fantastic for people like myself & others out there who really do feel anxious about all the people related parts of the game (tried Teamspeak this week- will write about it in my next blog post – still presently getting over the horror & shame of it all and too scared to speak anywhere near my computer at the moment). Anyway the guild offers a great opportunity for people to play the game amongst other people who really understand this anxiety because they’re feeling it themselves. So do please check it out if you are on a US server & think this could be the guild for you.

That’s it from me today. I have a dreadful cold so I’m all sick and shivery. Still managed to do a bit of PvP though & won in AB – I’m a total trooper for the Alliance it has to be said 🙂

Carry on Matron

I am a gibbering wreck. My neighbours have been around with concerned faces having heard such screaming they feared the house had been invaded by thugs. They were  one step away from calling the police (or priest given the language they heard through the walls – they  feared some sort of Exorcist crisis). I cry every night. Last night the futility of it all hit me and I wrapped myself up in a blankie and cried out to be in Africa again (never actually been- but I like the line …from a film with Meryl Streep – “Out of somewhere” – I forget where.)

Anyway you’ve probably guessed why I’m in such a state. The clue is in the title but just in case think orphan, inappropriate day trips for said orphan, think a Matron title that I never knew I wanted so badly (husband has offered to use it but not in quite the same context) and you have the cause of my despair. School of Hard Knocks.

What a hard soul destroying achievement. I actually howled in pain with it last night. Howled!

I have finally done it though. About 5 mins ago in fact. I can barely type for the euphoria. And relief. It’s finally over. Child, get thee back to the orphanage. Never darken my door again.

I did AB first – a few days ago. It was ok – won’t say easy but definitely the easiest of the 4. I think it is a BG I will enjoy (up until this week I’d only been in WSG  under the mistaken impression that it’s the best BG for beginners – it so isn’t –  I will say more on this in a sec – just getting my soapbox out of the cupboard where husband has hidden it).

Next up was AV. Well my journey into full blown insanity began here. It turned out to be basically a race against your own side to one of the towers. Everytime I heard that  orphan whistle as we waited my heart sunk a little more until it was saying hello to my toes.  Geewhizz – how many orphans are they in Azeroth? And why are they all little psychopaths who want to visit battlegrounds.  Can’t they just occupy themselves begging or something. Then we’d start & I’d do my usual crazy nervous things (forget to mount, interrupt my own mounting to do something else like walk off a cliff,  run back into the tunnel – everything but get to the head of the pack as Cynwise’s (he is a god I tell you) brilliant guide tells you quite clearly to do. What felt like one hundred attempts later I was finally able to start AV like a pro – on a mount riding in  roughly the same direction as the others.  I tried to head  for the last two towers assuming everyone else would impatiently go for one of the first two, but I don’t know- I think everyone had the same idea – we all bottlenecked at the end  several times & it got rather nasty. But then- 50th or so attempt (by now husband was giving me a wide berth as I snarled and growled at anyone & everything that came near) I found myself alone in the 2nd tower. I could not believe it. I could barely click I was so excited/nervous. But I finally did it & my whole street celebrated. Two down 🙂

Then EotS. Again sort of enjoyed that one & it didn’t take too long. But the eye of the storm was just the calm before the storm (yes I know – that sentence construction is almost Shakesperean in its profundity) –  next up was WSG.

Ok soapbox is out.  Leaving aside the achievement for a sec- just generally why do people say start in WSG if you’re a PVP beginner? I think it’s a tricky one to get your head around to begin with. This leads to newcomers doing it all wrong (I was one of  those of course – thinking I was uber for killing the odd horde in the middle as flags sailed past me either side). And then when you do know what to do you quickly start to despise everyone who doesn’t. In this morning’s BG I was so frustrated everytime I was on my own trying to kill the efc and everyone else was out in the middle that I actually typed some stuff in chat…not abusive  (although of course I did that verbally) …but asking for some support (just one person …one). Never thought I’d ever be so brave.  I even ended up grabbing the Horde flag at one point (even though I was trying to get the achievement) because I was so fed up of no one else doing it (they were all on a killing spree in the middle of the field). I then ran on my own across the field – no back up – until 5 or 6  Hordies killed me & made some gestures 😦  I then ressed, ran back in & found the efc & tried my best to down him – taking out the healer  first. But the efc was well defended and there was no one else around me & so again I failed again. And my bloody freeloading orphan was no use – just stood around playing marbles or something. I tried to sell him to the Horde to use in the lumber mills but they weren’t having it.

I really think this achievement should be changed. Let it be pick up an enemy flag with your orphan out at least (much easier), or win a WSG with orphan out. In fact perhaps all four of the BG ones  should be the latter because at least that would encourage the right BG behaviours and team spirit (I think) as opposed to an often selfish achievement focused dog eat dog (and cat tickle cat?) affair.

But I will say my pvp skills have improved through doing so many of these BGs. I respecced frost yesterday, reglyphed, gemmed etc. My resilience is up to 2400 which isn’t brilliant I know but is  heading in the right direction. I have fine tuned my action bar. And I’m doing all sorts of snazzy  things like freezing, ice lancing, cold coning, deep freezing, ice cubing, refrigerating & thawing (when I’m unplugged). Eat your heart out Mr Frosty. My reactions are definitely  getting quicker. Had a bit of a nightmare earlier though- was trying to bring a healer down & was throwing everything at him but to no avail. Then I ran a bit further on & saw another healer hidden behind the wall healing him. The bloody swines. What’s that all about? Just not cricket. Froze them both  & run away in a relatively dignified manner (hands flailing a bit I admit).

But what of the WSG orphan achievement? Well I have finally done it – but it was all down to a lovely Hordie who let himself be killed repeatedly while a group of us queued up to return the flag. And we all helped each other until everyone had it (aside from the 1st person who returned the flag & then promptly left without saying a word). It was a lovely display of kindness and generosity. Then once we all had the achievement normal battleground resumed & – guess what- I bloody returned the flag again! BG after BG I’ve failed to do it with my orphan out – then afterwards I do it with relative (ish) ease. I even found myself calling out strats by the end of that BG- confidence reaching ridiculous heights. And  we won!!! And I gained lots of honor. What a day 🙂  And finally finally you can all call me Matron 🙂

The levelling arc

I’m feeling a little all over the place in WoW at the moment. I’m officially at “end game” I think but what does that really mean? You know when X Files used to have monster of the week episodes and then other more absorbing (in my opinion) arc episodes involving Mulder’s sister, black oil and a man smoking some cigarettes. Well that’s what it’s like.  I’m on a constant treadmill of monster of the week  stories but the cohesive absorbing nature of the arc- the levelling arc- has gone now that I’m 85.

I miss the excitement of it all – the goals, the discoveries, the newness. I’m aware I sound like a bored partner at a counselling session but at least I’m not sniping about toilet seat transgressions.  What can I do to get the thrill back? It’s the  7 day itch here – 7 days since hitting 85 (totally not –  much longer- but I’m going with the 7 year itch theme regardless).

Help me. Please. Below is my daily WoW routine. How can I insert some magic into it to stop me waltzing  off and having a thing on the side with the Sims?

1. Log on & drag my sorry ass over to Rokk for my day’s work. Grit my teeth as I make him yet another bowl of spiritual soup  and blindly hit my  keys looking for the “kill Rokk” button I know is hidden there somewhere when he once again fails to give me the chocolate cake recipe.

2. Portal over to Dalaran in the hope that Katherine Lee will give me something instead – certainly something more than bloody spices (Columbus could only dream of having the spices I now have). But no of course not. She never does. Nevertheless I run around Dalaran collecting half full glasses of wine for her without even a minimum wage as consolation. She & Rokk ring each other up & laugh heartily over it all and wonder how long they can keep it up.

3. Hearthstone to Hyjal and fly to Sanctuary of Malorne for my Mark of the World Tree dailies. Start with the Sethia’s Roost bit and hope as usual I can find enough  Behemoths to kill so I don’t have to fight the Pyrelords who always seem harder (annoying bloody Seethers making me have to turn around to kill them). Finally destroy the 6 I  need taking more damage than I would have thought possible at my level with such “able” assistants & go back for my measly marks.

4. Do the other dailies both sides of the portal. Enjoy in a way that will take several sessions with my  therapist to work through the mindless act of kicking tortoises into the water & moan when I’ve got to fly “all that way” to the shrine of Aesinna  to rescue some bears and then remember how much running I had to do before I got my mount at 40 and cluck about how easy the kids have it these days. At Molten Front I heal some victims  while creating lots of my own by killing charred combatants and muse philosophically about how futile it all is while eating a chocolate.

5.Queue for a HC on my own or with guild  – clenching my little hands together to pray that it’s not End Time (I hate that globe thingy at the end because when I’m asked to do it I get really nervous and flustered that I’ll do it at the wrong time). Cheer when I get Well of Eternity which is now my favourite and allows me to claim that Tyrande and Illidan are my BFFs forever.

6. Open my bag and look at the gold I don’t have. Browse the AH to see what certain cloth items are going for. Look at my tailoring recipes to see if I can make anything that will make me a millionaire. Work out that everything costs too much to make  so resignedly  sell off all my Embersilk cloth with a bitterness that only a skilled tailor  who once dreamed of making her fortune with cloth can feel.

7. Think about fishing for a rat in Dalaran. Read up on how to do it, realise it sounds like a rather  long and boring process (plus won’t the rat have drowned?) so decide that there have to be better things to do with my time like…

8. … go and find some critters to love …

9. …and then stop when they start reminding me of the  restraining orders they’ve  issued.

10. And finally end up in Stormwind Old Town haggling with the valor gear seller because I’ve not got enough points to buy anything good and in any case what I really want I can only get with tokens from raids I’m not confident enough to go in and then slumping to the floor as the futility of it all overwhelms me.

This is my life now. And it’s driving me  a little bit more insane each day.  What can I do? I have levelled all my skills except Archaeology & the only thing that can do is fast track me to full blown madness (10 steps for green, 20 steps for yellow, count the steps, gibber gibber, give me my precious sparklies etc. – I’ve seen it in action with my husband). I’ve ventured a little into Tol Barad and quite enjoyed that but not sure my blood pressure can take it (nor the neighbours judging by the way I screamed in joy yesterday when I killed my arch nemesis horde Thom – arch nemesis since Sunday when he killed me several times in Tol Barad and laughed at me a lot).

But there is something out there for me. I feel it. Something elusive I can’t quite put my finger on – something that if I find it will transform it  all for me and give me the  arc that  I and Seashell both need- an arc of meaning. But where can I find it?

Rokk’s Little Game

I hate Rokk. I hate him with a passion. I’m also starting to hate Katherine Lee but I’ve got lower expectations of her anyway (she’s obviously got a ridiculous amount of northern spices she needs to get rid of).

Any of you who chase Profession achievements and Titles will know why I feel this way. I never knew Chocolate Cake could cause me such pain – well yes I admit weighing scales pain yes, and “oh my god this dress looked ok last week” pain yes, but not WoW pain. Never WoW pain. And I think Rokk is doing it on purpose. There’s definitely a smirkiness there. He knows what I’m after. He knows what makes me come crawling to him every day. What do you want me to do Rokk? Make some Mok’Nathal Ribs and Crunchy Serpent stuff and cook it over the corpse of an Abyssal Flame Bringer? Jeez what kind of sicko are you Rokk? No no just kidding yes of course I’ll do it. Oh what are you giving me for this abhorrent act?  Barrel of fish or crate of meat. Hmm I think I’ll go for the meat (drop rate for recipe 2% according to my rather extensive research). What have I got… oh 😦   Raptor Ribs (bet the smell in that sealed crate was delightful) & a big old chunk o’ basilisk (so faux olde world  it has to have an apostrophe rather than an F – sort of thing you’d see in one of Gordon Ramsay’s Gastropubs). Oh Rokk I think you overlooked something…dessert..maybe…something chocolately perhaps? No not today is it? Ok I’ll be back tomorrow Rokk, and the day after Rokk, and the day after that ROKK like the pathetic Chef wannabe I am. Aaaagh.

Any tips anyone? Is there anyway to get this bloody recipe to drop or at the very least aggro Rokk, kill him & ransack his broken and bloody corpse? He ‘s got it on him somewhere I know. I’ve been doing the Outland and Northrend cooking dailies for so long. I read the forums and draw little comfort from the despair I see out there in my fellow title hunters. I agree with those who are saying a title shouldn’t be this reliant on luck, there should be something built in to recognise all the hard work you’re doing. Otherwise it’s basically telling us the universe is random, chaotic and often unfair. And hard work will not necessarily get you anywhere. But I KNOW this! I see this daily! Do I  really need it from the game’s own “Achievement” system as well?? When did WoW get so bleak?

Other more positive observations – aww isn’t the love between Aggra & Thrall a beautiful thing? I did the 85 Thrall quest line to get my snazzy cloak and really loved their scenes. First time in ages I properly paid attention to all the stuff that was being said  (I hung on every word anyone said between levels 1-5 of course, but then I got cocky). And during the scene at the end I ran up to Jaina to see if there was sadness on her face – and indeed there was. Oh maybe she was just irritated by the fact some random weird mage  in a fishing hat was standing an inch from her nose looking  right into her eyes and saying “Ahh there there, don’t cry.”

Had my faith in humanity again destroyed at the end of the quest line though. During the run up I noticed a horde player also doing the quest line. We left each other alone, concentrated on our tasks and, I thought, developed a mutual grudging respect. Plus we were helping Thrall- Alliance and Horde lines were irrelevant right? No. At the very end- after the cut scene – I gave him a little wave. I meant to communicate much in that wave. I respect you. We did it. We have helped Azeroth. You – YOU- are my brother. I..I…love you…. That sort of thing. However, he appears to have misinterpreted my wave because he promptly came over and killed me. I was so stunned I didn’t even fight back (I like to think that it was my sense of loyalty that prevented me from casting even one spell but to be honest the real reason was that  I was just sat there pointing at the screen and  shouting to my husband to come and see what was happening). Total betrayal of the highest order. Never realised a wave could be so dangerous and provocative.

Finally I already have ilevel gear over 329 so can technically go in Heroics, but my DPS is only around 8.5K so I’m going to try and get a little higher first before I venture in. I want to be doing over 10K. I think that’s the expectation isn’t it? But I did just complete  my first raid – Black Temple admittedly!!!! It was fun and I nearly got an extremely cool looking cowl for transmogrifying but just missed out.

And one final last  weird observation – I’ve had two in-game declarations of love from two different people! What do you say to that apart from “Umm Thanks”? Or maybe I should go all Hans Solo and just say,  “I know.” Actually I’d have throttled him if I was Leia and that was his response to my declaration of love.  He wouldn’t have said that again.

I Hate Bombing

Some of you who have stumbled on this site looking for an important and perhaps even thought provoking anti-war tirade are going to be disappointed by the frivolity of this post. Or a little angry. Or maybe so genuinely puzzled and bemused you end up stumbling to the fridge looking for some solace and sanity in  a Kit Kat. Unless of course you are my until now undiscovered soul mate who knows exactly what bombing I’m referring to without me having to spell it out because it’s so obvious, because you’ve been there, felt it and endured it. In which case I hope your therapist laughed less than mine when you told him/her about it. I’m referring of course to the bombing of Skettis – that awful daily that I’m currently putting myself through daily (clue is in the name I know) to get a flying jellyfish – or nether ray – whatever the hell they’re called.

What a dreadful dreadful quest. It’s hell. Sheer hell. Shall I list what’s wrong with it? Please can I? The therapist is insisting on charging me double if I continue to waste her time with this crap. Ok…

1. The big birds that attack you just when you’re about to bomb their eggs. I mean how unreasonable is that. I am just trying to destroy their young, their precious next generation, and they have the gall to get all tetchy about it and come swooping down on me, hamstringing me and my mount and making me fall to the ground- dying in the undignified way of one too panicky to click slowfall properly.

2.Trees – there are trees and leaves everywhere. They get in the way and make me feel all smothered and claustrophobic when I fly around. Also they make it more difficult to find those eggs. It’s making me a total supporter of deforestation. You wouldn’t get this hassle if it was a concrete jungle filled with high rise flats with the eggs neatly lined up on top. Blizzard and nature take note – we need more concrete.

3.That annoying guy who daily needs to be released from the prison in one of the trees. He never moves once I release him. He says something like “Let’s get out here” but then stands there, like he’s expecting me to carry him or something. I end up running off a bit and then stopping and looking back at him encouragingly (yes my WoW character has all sorts of facial expressions – hasn’t yours – how odd). Eventually he comes – sauntering along like one not that keen on escaping a prison in which he was kept relatively well fed and watered. Actually now I think about it that’s probably why he ends up back there each day- after we get to the foot of the stairs and he says “Great thanks!” he probably waits until I’m not looking and runs back up to lock himself in. Total time waster.

4. For this daily hell I get the pleasure of seeing my rep bar with the Shatari Skyguard creep up millimetre by millimetre. They are never that impressed with me unless I bring back a load of shadow dust as well- the thought of which makes my hands all itchy.

5. It’s nowhere near Ogrila – the other place I apparently need to go if I am to sufficiently win the Shatari over to my cause -enough anyway for them to be willing to sell me (sell me mind- not give me – they have to like me enough to let me spend my money with them – the world is mad) a nether ray. And they know I’ll do it. Because I’m that desperate to add another mount I’ll never use to my collection. This game is both a dream and nightmare for any “completionists” like me (i.e. neurotic, OCDish and obsessed).

Compare this daily with the lovely Wintersaber one. I get the little cub out each day. He either wants some meat or a toy. Aww bless. I fly a few feet away, one shot a couple of owlkins, yetis, bears or winterfall shamans (who killed me enough times when I was levelling for me to enjoy every single one I bring down) and then turn in the quest. He yawns in a very satisfied manner. I store away yet another whisker and we’re all happy. One day nearer to the mount. It’s clear, definable, enjoyable and most important of all really really EASY!

Yes I want these dailies to be easy. I don’t want to be attacked by birds or blinded by leaves. In  fact come on Arrakoa – just lay up all your eggs in a row just outside the camp and let me come along and blast them with arcane barrage. You’ll have less squawking mouths to feed (and bloody hell they grow up aggressive) & I’ll get my flying jellyfish. We’ll all be happy. And throw a bit of concrete down while you’re at it.

Defying Gravity

My excitement knows no bounds. Not only have I had my swift lovebird (see last post) but I’ve also now got the companion Peddlefeet and a flying carpet.  And what’s more – I’ve finally plucked up the courage to make and WEAR the black mageweave set.

I think husband slightly disapproves of the outfit. I told him that she has a cool yellow cloak and he said, “No one will be looking at her cloak.” He then said he hoped I hadn’t spent too much on the cloth since there didn’t actually seem to be alot of material in the outfit. His attitude isn’t helped by the fact some young man (I think- but who knows in this game) was so enamoured by my name the other day that he told me he loved me and offered to get me lots of cloth for my tailoring. Husband thinks I’m attracting the wrong types. I think anything that speeds up my tailoring is worth considering.

Anyway in regard to the outfit – is there such a thing as dressing inappropriately in the game? Can you show too much thigh and buttock? I wrote about this over on the F Word site in the “You’ll Catch Your Death in That” article. I’m still battling with some of the same issues now as then.But I like the outfit so I’ve taken the plunge. She’s embracing her right to wear what she wants to wear – no matter how chilly it gets or how her thighs chafe.

In other Seashell news- she is nearly topping the dps charts in most dungeons apart from the one I ran around equipped with a fishing rod…! It’s so nice to be effortlessly powerful as opposed to all my other characters who are strenuously weak. Also everytime I put focus magic on someone I feel great and magnanimous – you’d swear I’d just done a five hour stint in a soup kitchen. “There you go- have some extra critical hit from me. No don’t thank me please. Oh you weren’t going to. What a surprise.”

To be fair I’ve actually had some good groups of late. There have been a few new tanks (Seashell is 63 so running with the Death Knight crew). The ones I’ve met have been quick to confess their inexperience and courteous to all. How long before the brutality of the dungeon world beats that out of them? One even fairly won a need roll then offered it up to the other person who’d lost saying “You need it more than me.” Amazing. I’ve stayed with a couple of groups for 2 or 3 dungeons which for me is a sign of commitment on a par with getting engaged.

Had an addon fest this morning. When I had to reinstall the game a few weeks back I lost my add ons and I hadn’t got round to re-downloading them until today. Went for Auctioneer, Tidy Plates, Decursive, Mage Nuggets (which makes me whisper something like, “Thank you for Innervating me” – which sounds slightly obscene I think), something on Achievements (the Overachiever?) which is helping me /love all the critters I need to, and Atlas Loot which I adore. It has made me very focussed in dungeons – since I actually know what items might drop I can “enjoy” that lovely tense moment just after the boss dies and we wait to see what’s dropped. Husband has been a tad shocked at the vulgarity of my language when something stupid in plate inevitably appears.

Fishing and cooking continue – I’m on a quest for Enormous Barbed Gill trout so if anyone knows the best spot for them let me know. Wowhead has sent me to all sorts of places but so far I’ve only caught one (and been killed several times – can’t believe fishing is so dangerous – I’m clearly doing it wrong). I’m getting all excited at what I’m hearing about Dalaran cooking and fishing dailies – is it really the promised land? I want to make Delicious Chocolate Cake. I can’t believe I’ve reached the dizzy heights of the 350s in all my professions (Archaeology doesn’t count of course  – it’s still on something like minus 7 ).

So it’s been a good couple of WoW days. I seem to be making real progress, actually enjoying the dungeons and meeting some really nice people who have been a pleasure to run with. Now who’d have ever thought I’d say something like that!!

All Grown Up

Aaargh total pressure. This might be a blog post actually read by Blog Azeroth people. I was selected Blog of the Week on Sunday and it’s only now occurred to me (Tuesday) that I actually need to post something (I’m a bit slow on the uptake).

It’s a good time to post though because this week I feel I’ve finally reached a milestone. I’m a real WoW player. I’m doing dailies. Properly. You know – making sure I do them regularly (one might even say daily).

When I first started reading online about WoW and listening to podcasts everyone would talk about doing dailies. It sounded really important. I wondered what it would be like to have dailies to do. How did you get them? Was there a quest line that led to them? They had a total mystique about them. I imagined telling my mother importantly on the phone, “Can’t talk sorry I’m doing dailies,!” and her being suitably impressed by her daughter.

It’s similar to when I was younger – I heard someone say they “owed” their sister 50p. I was awestruck. What did owing mean? I couldn’t conceptualise it at all.All I knew was I equated growing up with being able to owe something. Sadly how right I was.

Of course it’s not that I’ve only recently done my first daily. I have done some previously – in an ad hoc fashion. I never stuck it out for long – a bit of Knights of the Ebon Blade stuff for Terema until I tired of Icecrown (day 2), the Winterspring Frostsaber for Luxmi (I am proud of that one I have to admit!) and..well … that was it. But now it’s a very different story.

With Seashell my level 48 mage I have become quite obsessed with dailies. Every day she does her fishing & cooking ones- both because I want to level them & because I want to get the achievements you get when you do all the fishing dailies in one area, all the cooking ones in one area etc. And I’m actually sticking with it and even enjoying it. I like getting my little green bag after the fishing one & the chef award after the cooking. It is strangely satisfying. And on top of that right now she is also doing the Darkmoon Faire ones (even the annoying games – I’ve become quite the tonk expert) and then the Love is in the Air ones – running around delivering bracelets to the Alliance lords and masters like a deranged suitor.

On top of the dailies thing I’m also finding myself very Achievements focused with her. I’m actually looking at the 100 Mounts achievement and thinking yes I could do that (I’m totally deluding myself of course but that’s beside the point – I have aspirations). The What a Long Strange Trip It’s Been is turning into one of my top priorities in life. What’s happening to me? Seashell’s WoW journey seems so different from any of my other characters. She is doing professions, fishing & cooking, getting reps up, trying to collect mounts and companions and now trying to get some mega achievement. Levelling is turning out to be rather incidental to her journey. It happens while I’m doing other things like finding an area offering me skill up for skinning, exploring new areas in which to fish, running dungeons in tabards to build rep. It’s a much more holistic journey and feels a more well rounded experience. She’s even got her own style courtesy of transmogging.

And the whole thing has reminded me just how great a game this is – it can offer so much variety, so many ways in which to play your character and spend your time online. I know other people feel differently but I personally really do still love playing this game and I’m still finding fresh ways to enjoy it. They say to try to find things in life that get you in the zone – a state of total absorption. It is said to be a good state to be in because it usually means your mind has stopped wandering off to the past or future and is instead in the present. My mind needs that – very much so – and WoW offers it to me. That’s a good thing.