Happily Ever After

I believe I have mentioned in the past that I am taking classes for Medical Coding and Billing. I am nearing the end of the program and had hoped to move into that job field by the end of the year.

Two weeks ago I started a temp job working in accounting for a local hospital.  It turns out, the hospital is in need of another coder and, when they found out I have some training in that area, they offered me a permanent job in the coding department!  This is an unbelievably good opportunity for me and I am still pinching myself.

Back when I was not working, I had all the time in the world to write both on my blog and on the forums and I could spend every night in game participating in raids, heroics, and RP fun.  While I am delighted over the turn of events, the one down side is that I simply do not have the time to devote to these activities that I used to.   I still enjoy raiding, I still enjoy RP, I still enjoy writing, but I am not able to participate nearly as much as I once did — and that is a source of regret.

I started this blog for me, as a place to express my thoughts and feelings about WoW and to indulge my love of creative writing.  It has been one of the best experiences of my life.  Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately as the case may be, it is time to move on to other things.   I know myself too well to say I am done blogging for good.  The love of writing is still there.  Perhaps in time I will find my way back here.  Perhaps I will turn my writing to other areas.  Who knows?  If there is one thing I have learned it is that life catches you by surprise.

To my fellow bloggers – you have been an inspiration and I thank you.  To everyone who  has stopped by my little corner of the internet and left a comment – I have appreciated it more than you know.

*hugs*

Aleathea/Reant

Kidnapped by Gnomes!

It was a dark and stormy night.

(You know this is going to be good with an opening like that!)

I was relaxing in my favorite chair  enjoying a mug of Captain Rumsey’s Lager.  The Filthy Animal Inn was deserted save for a couple of Trolls making out in the back corner.  I was happily contemplating my naval and the meaning of life when the tranquil atmosphere was shattered by the sound of mechanical whirring.  I looked down to see a drill appear out of the ground beside my table.  Out streamed a bevy of long haired, wild eyed, fang toothed gnomes.  Before I could recover from my shock, they were upon me.  I was bound and gagged, tossed in a feed grain sack and carried deep into the bowels of Gnomeregon.

I eventually managed to escape by hiding myself in a beer keg bound for  Khaz Mhodan.  Eleven hours in a beer keg, carried by a stumbling pack mule.  Words fail me to describe the horror.  Suffice it to say, it has taken some time to recover from the ordeal and I am only now returning to the land of the mostly living.   Please rest assured, I am safe and well and will resume my normal writing schedule in time.

***

So, I am not dead.  I have not quit the game.  I have not quit blogging!

I went on vacation early last month and have not yet recovered.  I made the phenomenal mistake of taking a week long vacation in a location that had no internet access.  I will never do that again.  I called my long-suffering husband twice a day, making him read (and re-read) to me every new post on the guild forum, give me updates and relay messages to in-game friends and even convinced him to do my Jewel Crafting and Sons of Hodir dailies.  *sighs happily*  I really do have a wonderful husband.

I believe I mentioned a few weeks back that I lost my job.  I was working for a state department that got outsourced.  I am using the time off to focus on the on-line Medical Coding and Billing program I am enrolled in.  I am hoping to finish within the next few weeks and move into that job field soon.

I have also been spending a lot of time with my parents who, after living here in my hometown for twenty-five years, decided to move away.  My husband and I moved back here from Florida only a year  ago and, somehow, I had always imagined they would be here.  They left this weekend. *cry*

As for my in-game activity, it has been a bit sparser than usual due to my necessary focus on real life recently.  Still, I’ll provide a brief update for those who, for some unaccountable reason, may be curious.

Reant, my prot warrior on the Cenarion Circle RP server, has developed a disturbing addiction to Savory Deviate Delight.  Her friends are concerned she may need professional help.  Despite her habit of yelling “yar!” at  inopportune moments, she is welcomed by the community at large and has found a happy home amongst the role players on this realm.

Aleathea, my prot paladin on the Draka server, is working her way through Ulduar.  I have the rare pleasure of raiding in company of players who are not only very talented, but are also my very old friends.  This group has been raiding together for nearly three years (and a few of them go back even farther) and, while we enjoy progressing through new encounters, the real enjoyment is in time spent with one another.

Though time spent in Real Life as well as my involvement in the RP world has taken me away  from Draka to some extent, my heart is still with this group of friends and it is with pride that I  zone in each week to stand beside this team of friends and meet the challenges of progression raiding in Ulduar.

Yogg Saran, we’re coming for you!

***

So, there you have it!  I survived my ordeal and am whole in body if not in mind.  I have several posts in the works and hope to get back to a more regular writing schedule soon; although, with crazed gnomes running loose, I can’t promise anything.

Until next time … I hope you are well and enjoying the game — and life — as much as I.

Ding!

Reant hit eighty last night amid a flood of congratulations from her friends and guildies.  The journey has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my WoW life to date and I am eager to join the “big kids” at play.

Some of you may know this, but my decisions to create Reant stemmed directly from a conversation I had with Arrens of Through the Eyes of Death.

I stumbled on his blog by accident one day last February.  Fascinated by his character stories and glimpse into the RP world, I posted a comment.  He posted back.  One thing led to another and … here I am 80 levels later and a proud member of his guild.  It’s been a wild ride and he has been there every step of the way as a friend and guide.  I can’t thank you enough, Arrens.  ❤

In real life news, I lost my job last week due to outsourcing, so I will have to devote some time in the near future to the lovely job hunting pursuit.  I know many of you  have had the same experience and can understand.

I’m trying not to think about that today, though.  Happier thoughts are here because – tomorrow I am leaving on a week long vacation! *cheer*

I am flying up to Wisconsin to visit my dear sister and her baby.  We will be staying with my grandfather who lives on a dairy farm that has been in the family for  over one hundred years.   We used to visit when I was a child and there is still no place on earth so magical as Grandfather’s farm. I will not have reliable internet access during this time, so it will be a true vacation from even the internet and a welcome get-away.

As you can probably tell, there is a lot going on for me right now, so please continue to forgive my slower rate of posting.  I promise, I am not losing interest or desire – I just have a lot of things in real life demanding attention right now.

Until we speak again – good luck to each of you with your endeavors and I hope you are having as much fun in the game right now as I am.  ❤

The Bunnies are Out to Get Me

By now most people are well aware that I hate achievements. Furthermore, I avoid most holiday events like the plague. Yeah, I know, I’m a real scrooge.

It’s been a rough week. The out of character guild chat channel is filled with a steady stream of discussion related to bunnies, laying eggs, and chocolate. Especially chocolate. I think I’ve gained five pounds just listening to them talk.

Half the guild is parked in Un’Goro Crater and poor Reant is terrified to show her face in a major city since she inevitably ends up with bunny ears. BUNNY EARS! Do you have any idea how ridiculous bunny ears look on a Forsaken warrior!?

All this cheerfulness and frivolity was getting to me. Needing a break, I logged onto Aleathea and joined a group of old friends for a night of raiding. We decided to pay Sartharion a visit on our way to Uduar. I think he owed Deadsong  money or something.

*happy sigh* There is nothing in the World of Warcraft that makes one feel quite so heroic as tanking a dragon. Especially on an island, in the middle of an ocean of lava, with molten waves crashing down on you periodically and lava falling from the sky.

This was my element, as far removed from bunnies, chocolate and eggs as wha-?

There on the ground, quite literally at my feet, was a brightly colored egg.

I stared. It stared back. I tried to back away. The pastel colors, the smooth round shape, the mystery of what lay hidden inside … I had not actually *seen* one of these eggs before.

I glanced around. My companions were dispatching the last of the elementals, no one was watching. My hand moved of its own accord. I could take this *one* egg, no one would ever know.

*Aleathea has earned the achivement, I found one!*

Bah! How was I supposed to know that simple act would earn me an achievement! A flood of cheerful congratulations descended upon me and I cried inside.

It’s a conspiracy. The Bunnies are out to get me.

Monday Update

Things are a little quiet on my blog right now, mostly due to a number of things going on in-game right now. Lest you think I have forgotten you, here is a brief update on my activities in both realms.

Aleathea: Draka realm

I am back to progression raiding as our ten man team works its way through Ulduar. The trash is more difficult than many of the bosses we have encountered so far in Wrath. This is as it should be. It feels like the old days when raiding was something you did with a skilled team, not random pugs.

Repair bills run 150+ gold per night and the epics are few and far between at this stage. This tends to weed out those who are just there for the free loot and it is a pleasure to spend time once more in the company of dedicated raiders who are there for the challenge. I had missed this more than I realized.

Reant: Cenarion Circle RP realm

I have discovered the pleasure of forum style RP and writing in collaboration with friends. It is like a drug. The high I get from participating in these RP stories is incredibly addicting and I spend a majority of my non-game free time working on them.

Despite everything else going on, I have gotten Reant to Outlands and she will likely arrive in Northrend this week. Leveling has been a bit slower than normal, due to the fact that I get distracted so easily by our in-character guild chat.

You would think me mad if you observed me, glued to my screen alternately laughing and holding my breath as I watch the stories unfold before me. I keep telling myself “Just ten more minutes, then I must log.” But, it’s like trying to leave in the middle of a good movie. Ten minutes later a new twist has developed and you just can’t leave until you find out what happens.

Be warned, fair readers. Do not tread lightly into this world of RP, especially if you have a keen imagination and addictive personality. You will get sucked in faster than you ever imagined. But, oh what fun you will have!

I imagine for the next few weeks my posts will be a little less frequent as I focus on my in-game activities and forum writing projects. I am sure you are busy as well and I hope you are enjoying the game as much as I am. Be well.

Patch Day: Going Shopping

Aleathea: Whatup Reant! Been a while since we last met.

Reant: Yea, verily, yea.

Aleathea: So, how you been?

Reant: Forsooth, I am right well.

Aleathea: Forsooth? Nobody says forsooth. What’s wrong with you?

Reant: I am a Role Player, this is how we speak.

Aleathea: Oh, I forgot you were one of them.

Reant: Of a truth.

Aleathea: Pretty exciting night last night, huh? So much to do now! Learn strategies for all the new raid encounters, tweak my specs for min/max efficiency, update my addons, rework my UI…

Reant: *nods absently* Won’t that be nice.

Aleathea: What did you do last night?

Reant: Went shopping in Undercity.

Aleathea: Shopping? On patch day? In Undercity??

Reant: Indeed.

Aleathea: Had some emblems left to spend, eh?

Reant: Emblems? Never touch the stuff.

Aleathea: Buying gems to re-socket for the new encounters then?

Reant: Gems? It is an affront to the Earthmother to disrupt the stones at rest in her bosom.

Aleathea: Earthmother’s bosom … How could I forget?

Reant: Seeing as you are not yet one of the initiated, I’ll let it slide.

Aleathea: You are too kind. So, then, what did you buy?

Reant: *produces a list* Of the Wolf cloaks in both short and long variations, of the Barbarian shield, of the Feathers headdress (for indoor use) and of the Physician helm (for outdoor use) – you can never have too many hats you know. Of the Spikes shoulders and, my favorite, an of the Whale chestpiece, purchased for the bargain price of 99 gold.

Aleathea: You … spent 99 gold on an of the Whale chestpiece?

Reant: *nods happily* The shoulders were a bit pricy at 89 gold, but they matched the outfit.

Aleathea: … I’m speechless.

Reant: My appearance often has that affect. You know, for a hardcore raider you’re not too bad. You should come visit my world sometime. I’ll take you shopping, fix you up a bit.

Aleathea: Fix…ME…up?

Reant: You’re living in the dark ages. Tier sets are so last year. These days, you just meander through the Auction House and buy what looks good on you. Give it a try, you’ll feel like a new woman!

Aleathea: I … think I feel ill.

Reant: It’s all that restricting plate armor. Try going with cloth. It’s better for your health and the environment.

Aleathea: Oh look, invites are going out for Ulduar. Hate to run but, duty calls, you understand.

Reant: Of course. May shadows brighten your path, Paladin.

Aleathea: …

***

Author’s Note: Lest you thought I was kidding …

Reant

Reant, 250 gold later

Diary of a Forsaken: The Last Dance

Reflections by Ailia Reant

Northern Kalimdor

The sounds of revelry filled the tavern as raucous laughter mingled with drunken shouts from the dance floor. Across the table, the priest glowered disapprovingly.

Ailia offered her a tankard, “Lighten up, Britta. The war is over; this is a night for celebration.”

At her friend’s urging, Britta relented and accepted the drink. “Alright, but don’t expect me to join in any drunken revelry.”

Grinning, Ailia rose from the table, “You don’t know what you’re missing, my friend.”

Vlod fixed her with a stern gaze, “The war may be over, but until tomorrow I’m still your commanding officer. Don’t make me escort you out again.”

The woman turned wide eyes on him. “You know the incident last night wasn’t my fault, right? The man attacked me. I was only defending myself.”

Britta laughed outright, “You deliberately provoked him, knowing full well the row that would ensue.”

A mischievous sparkle danced in the warrior’s brown eyes. “Damn it, Britta, I can’t get anything past you.”

She nodded to the paladin, “Alright, I promise. No fighting tonight.”

He watched her go with a hint of a smile. “It’s good to see her back to her old self.”

Britta grunted, “I spend more time healing her than the rest of the company combined. I swear that woman attracts trouble wherever she goes.”

His smile broadened to a grin, “She does indeed. Still, I’d rather see her brawling in the streets than lost in grief.”

Britta’s expression softened. “Aye, Muldov was the closest thing she had to family. For a while there I feared she would never recover from his death.” She lifted her tankard and took a long drink.

Vlod glanced around the crowded room. “It’s hard to believe tomorrow this place will be empty. Most of the company is going with Jaina to establish a new Alliance base off the southern coast.”

“Have you told Ailia of our plans?”

He grimaced, “No. I didn’t want to face that battle tonight.”

Britta nodded, her thoughts drifting to the night word arrived that the war was coming to an end. The camp had been a flurry of excitement as people shared stories of home and the life they were eager to return to. Through it all, Ailia had remained uncharacteristically silent.

When they questioned her privately about her plans, she shared her intention of returning to Lordaeron.  She spoke passionately of the desperate war waging in her homeland where the remaining survivors fought a losing battle against the Scourge. Britta and Vlod had not tried to dissuade her, but they had no intention of letting her go alone either.

If the horror stories told by the refugees fleeing that forsaken land were true, there wouldn’t be many opportunities to celebrate in the days ahead.

Shaking off a feeling of foreboding, she glanced across at Vlod and followed his gaze to their friend. She had set aside her armor for the evening and wore a simple dress of finely woven mageweave. Her long hair, usually concealed beneath her helm, fell in ebon waves across her shoulders and back. Her movements were more energetic than graceful as she danced to a rhythm all her own. Her face was flushed with pleasure, her eyes sparkled with merriment as she laughed and twirled, completely oblivious to the glances of amusement around her.

Free of inhibition, the woman displayed a passion for life that was infectious. She would balk at their decision, but in the end, she would have to accept it. For months they had fought through hell together.  They weren’t about to leave her now.  Whatever fate awaited them in Lordaeron, they would meet it together.

Sharing a smile, they rose and walked, arm in arm, onto the dance floor. 

Failure: The Key to Success

The Heigan Dance. The Ledge Boss. Void Zones. Flame Walls.

There are raiders in our midst for whom those words incite panic. Each week they screw up their courage and approach these encounters like a game of Russian roulette, hoping this time they will get lucky and survive. I know because  I’ve been there.  I wish I could reach through my computer, give you a big hug, and assure you that it doesn’t have to be this way.  Your failures can actually be the key to your success if you will take the following two steps.

Identify your Failure.

You cannot take steps to correct a problem you cannot identify.  One of your most powerful tools in identifying what happened to you is a properly configured combat log.  Take a moment to review my guide with step by step instructions on how to configure your combat log to show only incoming damage. This will allow you to track the damage you take as it happens, and enable you to tell at a glance what killed you.

Another tool I recommend is an addon called Failbot.  It reports in raid chat (or any channel of your choosing) the following failures.

Naxxramas

• Hit by an eruption on Heigan
• Dying to slimes after Patchwerk
• Missing the jump on Thaddius
• Crossing 3 or more opposite charges on Thaddius
• Hit by a frost breath on Sapphiron
• Hit by a void zone on Kel’Thuzad

Sartharion & Drakes:

• Hit by a void zone on any of Sartharion’s drakes
• Hit by a lava wave on Sartharion

The value of this addon is that it provides immediate feedback. Some people honestly don’t realize they are being hit by the eruptions, or  standing in the void zones, or  crossing the charges. They walk away from an encounter genuinely not knowing what they did wrong.

There are those who are uncomfortable with my reporting  failures in raid chat.  To them I offer the following thought for consideration.

Protecting people from the knowledge of their failures does not help them.

This is a mistake we make all too often. In the name of friendship or kindness, we withhold from people honest feedback about their performance. It is hard to be confronted with your failure, but it is the only way you learn.

Once you have identified your failure, it is important to take the next step.

Identify what steps you can take to prevent the same failure next time.

• If the Heigan dance is your problem, study this video from Tankspot.
  Quick tip: To focus exclusively on movement, skip to 5:11 and turn your sound off.
• If you fail at the Ledge Boss, read this post.  Quick tip: Stock up on Swiftness potions.
• If you disconnect on Thaddius, read this Elitist Jerks guide to fixing chain disconnects.
• If you die due to chained ice blocks on KT, read this post. Quick tip: Install DBM and set /range to 11.
• If you get hit by flame walls on Sartharion, check out this video from Tankspot.

Did you notice several of the posts I linked to were my own?  I wrote these after my own failures in an effort to avoid repeating them.  If you struggle with these things, don’t ever think you are alone. There are others out there dealing with the same thing. You can find help, if you will look for it.

Conclusion: After a failure, identify what happened and what steps you can take to prevent the same thing happening again.  If you cannot do those two things, you are doomed to repeat your failures. If you can, you are already on the road to success.

The Ledge Boss

Lurking deep in the Construct Quarter, the Ledge Boss represents a hurdle for many raiders. To conquer this Boss, one must jump from the add platform onto Thaddius’ platform without falling into the green goo beneath. This sounds simple enough, but in practice both new and veteran raiders alike find this surprisingly difficult.

To overcome this challenge, many guides recommend Levitate, Slow Fall or Aspect of the Pack be applied to the raid. These abilities are all well and good, but unless you play a Priest, Mage or Hunter they depend on someone else. Personally, I like to minimize my dependence on others as much as possible.

Fortunately, there is a secret weapon at your disposal. It’s called a Swiftness potion. Pop one of these little babies and sail across the chasm like Indiana Jones himself.  These can be purchased off the AH, or you can contact your local alchemist. Mats include Swiftthistle x1, Briarthorn x1 and Empty Vial x1.

Go forth and leap to victory!

/distance

Last week I showed you how to configure your combat log so you can give a quick answer when your raid leader asks what killed you.  Today, I’d like to show you a tool that may help you avoid the question altogether.

Have you noticed on the Kel’Thuzad fight how the ice blocks have a way of spreading?  I’ve seen an entire melee group taken out by chained ice blocks.  The good news is, this is completely preventable.  The ice block will only chain  if someone is standing within 10 yards of the person KT targets with Frost Blast. 

The raid spreads out at the start of the phase, but during the course of the fight people sometimes get out of position.  Whether it is the off-tank moving to pick up adds or someone dancing out of a shadow fissure, people sometimes drift into your space without realizing it. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were some way to know when someone is too close?  Well, there is!

If you use Deadly Boss Mods, (which I highly recommend) you need only type the command /distance or /range and the following box will pop up on your screen.

By default, the box displays all those players within 10 yards. You can adjust the range by simply right clicking on the box, as shown below.  Note: Set the range to 11 to give yourself a little extra warning when someone is getting too close. Special thanks to Veneretio for that tip!

I drag this box to a prominant location on my screen and keep one eye on it at all times.  It’s little things like this that can make the difference, especially when you are going for the Immortal or Undying achievements.   Be proactive and use every tool at your disposal to make sure it’s not your mistake that wipes the raid.