Fondest Memories? November 11, 2009

I’ve been working on a series of posts, that have grown hugely lengthy, trekking down memory lane, as we approach the 5 year anniversary of WoW.  I realize as I go through them that they are probably only interesting to me, but I am enjoying drafting them, and I will post them in all of the wordy glory nonetheless.

But as I go through them, I realized that they chronicle the decisions that I made and why, but some of my fondest memories don’t seem to have a place there.  I could go back and re-write them, but instead I’ve decided I’d just make a separate post for them!  Here are some of my fondest memories in WoW:

• Getting my hunter’s epic bow.  I was one of the first on the server, I was so proud of myself for having completed it.
• Finishing the Benediction quest on my priest.  The story line for that quest was absolutely amazing, and it’s a shame that very few people actually got to be immersed in that lore.
• Getting Beru’s AQ40 staff.  I still have it in my bank!
• Killing Nefarian.  What a rush, they just don’t make fights that epic anymore in my opinion.
• Killing C’Thun.  This is actually one of my proudest moments in WoW.  There were not many guilds at all that accomplished this task and we were the only horde guild to get the job done.
• Getting griefed…and then griefing in kind on the outdoor dragons   A lil’ world PvP never killed nobody!
• Graveyard zerging Auzuregos, you know you did it at least once too!
• PvPing with Krush, Lal and Cootie.  I miss Cootie, he was a breath of fresh air every day.
• Killing Illidan.  After our guild split nobody expected us to survive, more or less actually be successful.  This kill was a big fuck you to everyone that wanted us to fail, and validated every last ounce of hard work I had put into helping us rebuild.  Not only that, we had gotten a glaive on our first kill…what were the odds?  We had also killed Vashj and Kel’Thas and Archimonde all pre-sunwell, but it was this first Illidan kill that really felt like we had hammered in that final nail and it felt good.  We were back and here to stay.
• Crafting Val’anyr.  I wasn’t sure we would get it done, little did I know we wouldn’t only get mine done but Bill’s as well!

I’m sure I could come up with 100 more!  I’ve been playing this game for 5 years, after all   How about all of you?  What are some of your fondest memories?

Getting it Right. November 9, 2009

Running a guild is more than just recruiting (oh god), leading raids and dealing with bullshit.  One of the most important things that comes with running a progression raiding guild is making decisions on prioritizing content.  Now, if you are in a cutting edge guild, it’s pretty easy, because you just have to push to the next thing available.  However, not all guilds can be cutting edge, and not all decisions can be so black and white.  For those of us still trucking along with Ulduar when ToC came along, we had a decision to make: Keep at what remains in Ulduar or can Ulduar and focus solely on ToC.

There are plenty of guilds that opted to never step foot in Ulduar again, and just focus on the ToC content, and that is fine, if that is what worked for them.  We decided, however, to take Monolith in a different direction, and it’s this decision that I’m proud of, and think that we “got right”.

Circle of Tanks…wha? November 5, 2009

Just to be clear…the healers were the cool kids! We did it first! Oh yea, that’s right, I said it! But, the truth is, it was an awesome idea, and I learned a lot reading through all* of the responses (*and by all, I mean the majority…I think, there are so many to keep up with now!). Koriel apparently thought so as well, and modified the original questionnaire for tanks.

“But Beru…you don’t tank!”.  Yes, yes I know.  But I do have access to someone who has as many tanks as I do healers!  I also happen to be in a position to nudge him (and by nudge…I mean fill out the survey or sleep on the couch buster! ).  Alright, I didn’t have to threaten to make him sleep on the couch (but it sounded good, right?), all I had to do was email it over to him and ask him to fill it out

I don’t read a lot of tanking blogs, but I would like to nudge a few people to add their two pennies to the discussion as well.  I can only imagine that it will be just as helpful for tanks as it was for healers!  So, Tarsus, Spinks and Chastity (if you have time!) I’d love to get your responses, and hopefully you read more tanking blogs than I do (and I can only imagine more tanks read your blogs than mine), and can share your knowledge/experiences!  I’d also encourage any of the healers that pop by to rest under my wings to nudge a tank or two to fill out the modified survey

Without further ado, here are Brade’s replies:

Why You Should Purchase a Monk. November 4, 2009

The Pet Store has just been announced and introduced.  It permits folks to buy some unique non-combat pets via blizzard for in game use.  The pets are very reasonably priced ($10/pet), and super cute!  I, for one, will be purchasing both available…for both of my accounts!

The two pets currently available are the Pandarian Monk and Mini-KT pet.  Even if you think it’s silly to pay ten bucks for a pet, I would strongly encourage everyone to consider purchasing at least the monk for your account.  Why, you ask?  Because blizzard will be donating 50% of the cost of each pet (or $5/purchase) to The Make-A-Wish Foundation for all purchases made prior to 12/31/2009.

If you are not familiar with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, it is an orginization that I cannot say enough good things about.  What they do is grant wishes for terminally ill children.  They make dreams come true and give the gift of enjoying life for children that have very little time left to dream.  You all may remember Blizzard’s prior involvement with Make-A-Wish and granting Ezra Chatterton’s wish.  Memories of which can still be found in game today.

Even if you don’t give two hoots about the pets, if you have the extra 10 bucks to spare, please consider giving yourself an in-game friend for a good cause.

What Keeps You Here? November 4, 2009

Tarsus posted the other day about the things that have kept him playing wow for going on 5 years.  The post got me to thinking.  Damn…I, too, have been playing WoW for almost 5 years!  I tried to quit back at the start of TBC, but failed miserably.  So, what is it that keeps me coming back?

• Much like Tarsus, probably the number one thing that WoW has going for it is that my significant other also plays.  It’s generally a lot of fun to get to play with Brade, and it gives us a lot to do and talk about.  Sure, we both have other hobbies and things that we enjoy, but WoW can be a lot of fun with your SO!
• I love raiding.  Generally I think Blizzard does a very good job with the raid content.  I usually love the atmosphere that I am immersed in, and for the most part enjoy the challenges.  I like the concept of having to work together as a team to accomplish a common goal. 
• My guild.  Even with all the complaining that I do on my blog, I couldn’t imagine WoW sans Monolith.  If my guild were ever to fall apart I’m not sure what I’d do, honestly.  Would I look for another?  Would I take it as a sign it’s time to move on?  I’m just not sure!
• The social aspect of the game.  I am somewhat anti-social in life.  Hate parties, hate bars, hate strangers.  If I didn’t play wow, I’d probably be that lady with the cat that does nothing but sit by the fireplace, enveloping myself in novel after novel…but never really talking to anyone outside of work (well, at least that is largely what I did before I picked up WoW!).  WoW provides me with some socialization, and this is most definitely one of the reasons I am still playing.  I consider the vast majority of my guildmates friends, and I feel their triumphs and pains just the same as I would anyone else.
• I love the lore.  There are certain story lines that I like much more than others, but the stories are fantastic and I think they certainly play a part in why I’m still playing the game.  I have become invested in what happens!
• My Alts.  I enjoy the process of trying to master something new and different.  I enjoy the variety that they bring in the game.  I enjoy that they give me some entertainment outside of raiding.  I love finding new, and often humourous, tidbits that I missed on my main.  And most of all I enjoy that I can pick them up and leave them at any point that I want!  I really do think that Alts keep the game fresh.
• I suppose if I’m being entirely honest, part of what keeps me coming back is that I just haven’t found anything else that fills my free time as effectively.  Even when I just take a night or two off, I find myself getting bored.  I can go out, I can read, I can cook, I can watch some telly or play a different game…but I always end up twiddling my thumbs a bit bored after a while.  WoW is still fun, cheap entertainment for me, and to date nothing else has come in to fill its place!

How about you?  How long have you been playing?  What is it about WoW that keeps you coming back? 

On Respect November 3, 2009

One of our fellow trees in the forest made what turned out to be a somewhat controversial post regarding the issue of exclusion from a guild based on gender after coming across a recruitment thread that had done just that.  In her post she used a certain guild that practices this exclusion as an example.  The actual portion of her post that dwells on this is only about two paragraphs long, and she fairly respectfully states something along the lines of “wtf, I can’t believe people do this, I just don’t get it”.

The post in and of itself was fine…and was K, in her own amusing way, addressing an issue she felt was a problem.  What was not fine, under any stretch of the imagination were some of the commentaries, many from the guild in question, that did nothing but be flat-out mean for no reason other than to be mean.  As I read through them I grew more and more incensed at the audacity of these people to begrudge K for expressing her opinions ON HER OWN BLOG.  She was respectful enough to respond to every one of you, no matter how nasty you were to her.  Had it been me I would have told you to go fuck yourselves.  You know *insert cartman voice* “it’s my blog, I do what I want!”.

Sorry…I digress.  *takes a deep breath*

Now, people have every right to dissent when they disagree with something, but for fuck’s sake be respectful about it.  There is absolutely NO excuse to EVER:

• Name Call
• Make Sexual innuendos
• Make Racial Slurs
• Make references about personal appearances

Seriously, what do ANY of those things have to do with telling K that she is wrong?  What, because she’s an attractive female she must have fluff between her ears and looses the right to form an opinion?  Christ.

Do you not realize that all you did was bolster K’s assessment for the majority of her reader base?  Quite the opposite effect that I think you wanted to have, no?

Because my small, albeit highly educated, female mind tries to be constructive on occasion, I would like to give people a crash course on how to properly and respectfully construct a dissent.  In doing so, keep the following advice from Eleanor Roosevelt in mind:  “Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people”.  The goal in making your dissent should always be in the category of “great minds”, no matter how mad someone makes you if you respond poorly it is unlikely what you have to say is going to be heard.

1. Develop a constructive  counter-argument to what your opponent is offering.  In said argument, provide examples and facts that lend weight to your point of view.  Present your thoughts in a way that is worth a listener’s effort to hear you.
2. Remember that personally attacking someone will always turn your audience off.  You need to provide a well thought out argument that relies on facts and experiences, not on the person on the other side of the spectrum from you.
3. The best way to dissent is to get your audience to second guess themselves.  If they are agreeing with the original presenter’s point of view, you want to stand up your facts in a way that will make them consider what you are saying as an alternative.  You want to get them scratching their heads, because even if they don’t leave having changed their minds, if you can plant a seed for thought it is more likely that they will may be more willing to accept your point of view.
4. Remember that there is rarely a “right” or “wrong” way to look at things.  There are just “different” ways to view them.  It is OK.  If we all thought the same all the time we’d be a horribly boring race of individuals.  It’s important to accept that people may have a different view-point from your own, and that doesn’t make them bad people.  It just means they think differently.
5. Understand and respect your opponent’s argument.  The single best way to knock down someone else’s argument is to think like them and understand where they are coming from.  Being so obtuse that you fail to recognize that there are many ways to skin a cat will mean that you will always have hugely one-sided arguments that will never meet their full potential.

When dissenting, be a great mind.  Discuss ideas.  If that is too much to ask, at least show a little bit of respect.  I know that this is the internet and all, and you are anonymous, but I still harbor the false belief that people should be accountable for how they behave.

Laser Bubbles – Adventures in Priesting November 3, 2009

As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been leveling my priest up to level 80.  Having stepped down from leading the optional 10 man raids on our off nights, I now have all this free time again!  In this free time, I’ve pulled Earenn out of her hiatus and perma-position in Dalaran as my enchanter.  I’ve had some interesting experiences with her so far, so I thought that I’d share!

My current state in priesthood has me at level 76.  For 76 levels I have been shadow, and for 76 levels I have remained a terrible shadow priest.  No, seriously!  I’m not making this up!  It makes leveling a snap, sure, but I just cannot get the grip of shadow priesting.  I’m so terribly horrid at it that I’ve thought about completely dropping the spec altogether on her once I reach 80.

On things that make me mad, and things that make me happy. November 2, 2009

Grrrrrrrr

Attempting to teach forum decorum on the WoW forums is an act in futility.  I know this.  Yet there are certain things that are so damn tacky, that I can’t help myself.  I reach out my hand, filled with cookies for the trolls, and open my mouth (or keyboard, as it were!).  There was an incident that warranted exactly this response on our realm forums the other day.

Like most realm forums, ours has a “progression” thread that is updated with varying regularity to inform others of the progression of the various raiding guilds on the server.  People tend to post their accomplishments in the thread so that the owner of the thread can update their progress.  Personally, I think it’s kinda neat to keep track of what people on the realm are doing, so we participate in adding our progress to the thread.

One of the more progressed alliance guilds on the server recently was able to add Hard Mode Twins to their list of achievements.  Like all of the other guilds, they went to the forums, posted their accomplishments, and moved on.  But here comes the part that pisses me off…some asshole, on a level 1 alt comes along behind them, quotes their post and then adds his own commentary of “i hear door strategy is hard lulz”.  Grrrrrrrrrr.

Healing of What Flavour?! – Questions and Answers! October 30, 2009

It’s been an incredibly busy week for me this week, and I’ve had the good fortune to catch the office bug and have been quite ill (hence my lack of posts ).  I actually had a fun post planned for today about the adventures my priest is having, but much to my delight Tam has asked me to chime in on a questionnaire that Ms. Medincina posted about, to get a feel for why we heal, how we heal, and well just healing in general!

So, I thought I’d graciously take Tam’s light nudge, and give the questionnaire a spin!  One thing that I’d like to do that is a bit different though, is I am going to answer the questionnaire from the perspective of all three of my healing 80s with raid experience: Druid (Beru), Paladin (Dannie), Shaman (Mynn).  I will refrain from the priest, since I haven’t priest healed since BWL and while I am quite enjoying healing with lasers beams of light, she’s only level 73   I am also going to post my answers, and then go back and read what everyone else has written…so I don’t get outside influence on my replies!

Before I get going, I’d like to offer my own gentle nudge to the following bloggers who I’d love to see respond: Lath over at Hots and Dots (*grumble about being days behind and seeing Lath already tagged!*); Lissana (if she hasn’t been tagged yet) from Restokin; and The folks over at Divine Aegis.  I’d also like to invite anyone who reads this, wasn’t tagged, but IS interested in participating!

Beru Theatre Review: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. October 26, 2009

Sometimes a rare thing happens.  I get up from my computer and *gasp* leave my house!  Ok…that is probably a bit of an exaggeration, as, you know, I do things like go to work every day, but you get my drift!  This past weekend we partook in one of my favorite activities…going to the theatre!

Now, I know that Seattle can’t compare to New York’s Broadway or London’s West End, but it does have quite a strong, thriving arts community.  This past weekend, I was somehow able to strong arm Brade into taking me to the 5th Avenue Theatre’s rendition of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Let me be honest here, I am highly biased when it comes to this musical, having seen it a number of times on any number of national tours (nobody will ever touch Donny Osmond as Joseph!).  Knowing that, the 5th Avenue had very big shoes to fill.

On the Cast 

Their production had some guy from some season of American Idol as Joseph, who did a formidable job with the role, and had pecs and abs that must have cost him hours in the gym!  However, there were some very stand out performers in this rendition that I was much more impressed with.  

Jennifer Paz, as the narrator was probably one of the best performers that I have seen in this role.  I believe her bio stated that she was in the first national tour of Ms. Saigon, in the lead role, so she definitely has some musical/acting chops, and that stood out here.  She was just fantastic and had a gorgeous voice.

They also had some local rock musician cast in the role of Pharaoh, and he was perfectly cast.  The best part was that he played some of his own music for his scenes.  I was pleasantly surprised.

A much lesser role, Pontifer, was also fantastic (even though I can’t recall his name >.<).  Additionally, all of the brothers did fantastic jobs in their roles.

On the Show in General

Joseph is one of Andrew Llyod Weber’s first musicals (years before smashes like Cats! and Phantom).  He actually paired with Tim Rice (you probably know him as that Disney lyricist that worked with Alan Menkin on things like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast).  Joseph is quite literally one of my favorite musicals of all time.  Not only is it a journey through a biblical parable, it’s a journey through the world’s music.  The range of music from in the show goes from go-go, to elvis, to country, to Bernstein (if you can’t catch the West Side Story reference, shame on you!).  It’s just all over.  And it’s flat out FUN.  Hell, the show itself is so filled with energy, that even Brade couldn’t doze off as he tends to do when I drag him to “culture”.

You honestly cannot see Joseph and not tap your foot as the show goes on, and not leave humming one of the many catchy toons in the show!  It is a huge ensemble production with dance numbers that you just don’t see in that many shows anymore (probably largely due to the cost of having to hire all those dancers).  The show is a bright, loud, colorful experience.

One of the other things that I love so much about this show is huge children’s choir.  I like that it introduces children to the world of the theatre and arts.  Not only the children that are in the show, but their siblings and friends that come to see them perform.  It opens a whole new set of doors to many youngsters who may become future performers, or patrons, of the arts.  And to me this is a hugely valuable asset.

So, all in all I would wholeheartedly recommend taking in this show, should you ever have the opportunity to do so!  I do not think you will be disapointed!