Corpsegrinding Blizzard.

There has been so much hype and freak out about pandas, that I did not even notice this problem until I read some blog posts, first from Manalicious and then from Piercing Shots. Considering I was actually there (at Blizzcon) I was incredibly shocked because I hadn't even thought about what had happened. This may make me seem intolerant or dense to the situation around, but I think you can't just jump to conclusions about something. 

The Problem
During the Level 90 Tauren Chieftain (whatever they're called) performance, they invite George Fisher, aka. Corpsegrinder on stage. They were about to play their huge Horde song, and they were pumping the crowd up for a big Horde sing along. I guess Corpsegrinder is a huge Horde fan, and they showed a video of him bashing the Alliance and praising the Horde. It should be noted that, from a Blizzcon stand point, it looked like he was just cussing a lot, cuz pretty much everything he said was bleeped out. All I heard was "bleep Alliance, bleep never play Alliance....bleep for the Horde..."
So of course, all the Horde was laughing and cheering.
Why it's more of a problem.
So I guess the words bleeped out weren't just fuck. It was also fag. And homo. Or something. Which, I find pretty deplorable. And I don't agree with. But at the same time, I can honestly say I had no idea.
Manalicious says her friend said:

"So, when I see people like Blizzard putting an asshole like George Fisher up there on stage and an audience cheering at his filthy, homophobic language, it makes me very sad—but it doesn’t surprise me, and I don’t think they’re necessarily evil: They’re just playing out the cultural template that we’re given."

First off, I was cheering. I am a huge Horde fan. But I don't think its fair to say I was particularly cheering for his homophobic language. Again, didn't even hear the homophobic language. I am naive enough to think the only words he had bleeped out were "fuck". Even at the end, I guess he said "cocksucker," but I didn't hear that because a lot of people were cheering. I don't think its fair to just accuse everyone at Blizzcon for being sad and "playing out the cultural template that we're given." It's a much different story when you're caught in a group of people, with loud cheers and this video where all you really here is "bleep bleep bleep".
Now that I know what has been said, I feel pretty awful. My best friends from high school were gay, and I have several others who I all love. I want them so badly to be treated fairly and kindly (ie. marriage for all). And I can't imagine how the LGBT community within WoW may have felt after this all went down.
Blizzard's move from here.
I do believe Blizzard needs to issue a serious apology. Once I saw what he really had said, I was pretty shocked Blizzard would allow this on stage. I mean they obviously knew what he was going to say pre-bleeping. And even then, it's so easy to find the unedited version out there. This tarnishes their image. From a PR standpoint, I'm surprised they didn't issue an apology sooner, considering the LGBT community they have.
Sure they may have thought it was funny and didn't mean anything by it- I can understand that. People freaking out because "how could they put someone up there like that," need to realize that Blizzard probably didn't have the intention of representing themselves with this hateful man, and sincerely believed people would see this as a joke.
That being said, in this aftermath, a heartfelt apology would've been nice. The longer they wait, the worse they look.
Alliance vs. Horde
A lot of bloggers (and commenters) seem upset because when this happened, people rushed to the forums...to complain about Blizz's partiality to the Horde.
Piercing shots' wrote:

"Let's all be clear about this: there is nothing inherently Horde or Alliance about any of us. We're all human beings that may or may not have a preference to play one faction or another for any of a zillion reasons. If you're insulted by Mr. Fisher's diatribe because you play Alliance, you are honestly being kind of silly." 

I find this a bit harsh. There is nothing inherently Lakers or Angels in us either, yet there are still very huge fans, who I am sure would have very hateful words about other teams. It's unfortunate, but not every single person out there is sensitive to hate speech. Most of us wish we were, but we are not.
So where is this apology...
No seriously, I cannot believe Blizzard hasn't issued something sooner. The ETC did, but it wasn't very satisfying. I cannot fathom what Blizzard is doing, just kinda ignoring this. They need better PR people.

Ironically

I've been smacked down from my nerd high from Blizzcon pretty fast. Needless to say, I am extremely unhappy in game right now. I don't want to go into too much detail but I feel pretty f'd up.
I might need a break, specifically from raiding, to see where I want to go WoW wise. Losing my guild, and also not playing Horde has started to really affect me.
There are a lot of factors to figure out, especially since I want to continue playing the game through Mists of Pandaria. But honestly, I have no idea where I'll go. Trying to play with people you want to, but pushing yourself to be in a place you don't want to be, or act a way you aren't used to, really isn't fair or fun. Sometimes, the hardest part is deciding whether it is worth it.
I've always been about responsibly within the game. My biggest belief is that I am taking up someone else's time (when I raid) so I am respectful. I show up on time, I run back to my corpse, I do not dilly dally and go gem/chant new drops. But it's hard when that respect is not reciprocated, in more ways than one.
I am very close to my breaking point tonight. We shall see.

/eyeroll at Jaina Speculation

Now wait. I like Jaina. Back in my Warchief Thrall days, I wanted her to get together with my beloved Warchief. To me, probably one of the most well-developed relationships in the vast world of WoW lore.
But unfortunately, that "like" is also plagued by constant disappointments. Disappointed on how Blizzard portrays her. 
Of course, the usual: this is all speculation. But to be honest, more than not, I find Blizz to be kind of predictable.
The rumor is that Theramore is gonna go BOOM thanks to the Horde. Supposedly this will be the big catalyst that draws passive Jaina into the Horde/Alliance War.
I would think that Blizz would have better plans for her. She has always been a huge advocate of peace and has been working on this for years. To watch her drop all of that because of Theramore's destruction may seem logical, but it also brings about a little inconsistency. The reason I'm kind of up in arms with the idea of seeing Jaina join the war just because Theramore goes boom goes back to a blog I read about female representation in WoW.
From r4healingtouch.wordpress.com:

• Strength of Female Leaders – You can’t expect them to have an equal number of male or female lead story-board characters because ultimately the writers have been working with the same plot line for a while now. What you can comment on is the attitude of the major female roles. Jaina is powerful but she seems to succumb much more to emotions than other major characters. I still can’t shake the sound of her crying in the RP after Deathbringer Saurfang is killed, saying “she’s so proud of her king, <sniffle>”. Sylvanas is strong willed but she is also conniving and deceitful. Even Maiev Shadowsong’s only purpose in the story is to chase after Illidan.

If Jaina's reaction to Theramore being leveled is taking up arms to war, that is on par with an emotional outburst. Which to me, is kind of sexist. To be honest, I always imagined Jaina to be much stronger than that. I also feel that other assholes like Varian and Garrosh have more reason to jump at being fighters than Jaina does. She's always been about peace, and watching her become so emotional that she drops all she believes in just makes her full of estrogen.
Is watching her become so emotional she makes out of character decisions supposed to make her badass?
My favorite speculation is this comment.

• fudge writes: Garrosh, pleased with himself after a hard day of relentlessly murdering, pillaging and god-knows-what in Theramore, comes back to his quarters in Orgrimmar. He's at ease, maybe he's whistling, a Goblin servant pours him a nice horn of wine, then leaves him alone.
  Garrosh relaxes his sour muscles and is about to put down his giant, phallic axe, when he hears a faint, whizzing sound, almost like one of these mage portal spells.
  He turns around, slowly, something cold creeping up his gut.
  A female human with golden hair stands before him, radiating power, as she raises her hand, from which silvery threads of magic erupt, enveloping Garrosh, lifting him off his feet, mercilessly crushing his windpipe.
  "I am Jaina Proudmoore. You destroyed my city. And now you die," the human says, as everything around Garrosh fades to black.

On one hand, we have a cool idea of Jaina killing the one orc everyone hates. On the other, Jaina is basically acting as an assassin to the leader of the Horde, which would, no doubt cause a war. (Perhaps this is what Blizzard wants?) I mean, even though the player base in general hates Garrosh, the orcs do love him, and they would no doubt call for war. Can I just say that also, this person has a complete lack of understanding of what kind of orc Garrosh is (must be an Ally who wrote this).
Reading the description of Jaina on wowpedia.org leads us to think she should be independent and have a "strength of spirit". But unless you've read the comics, all you really do is see Jaina cry.

I'm interested to see what Mists of Pandaria will do with Horde vs. Alliance. Since The Shattering, Baine and Andiun have become the new Thrall and Jaina. Jaina was also key in helping Baine regain Thunder Bluff. I just have a hard time seeing someone whose done all that turn against it because of one event. Something really spectacular must happen. I still think the Jaina we are supposed to see wouldn't jump to Varian's side so quickly. Yes, she would be heartbroken, but I would like to think she has more sense then just being a woman.

And by the way, that Sylvanas lady. She is absolutely bonkers. But it's okay cuz she's hot.

BlizzCon Day Uno: Pandas!

So, I don't know if you guys heard, but China stereotypes the Pandarens are coming to WoW!
It was a pretty exciting first day here at the convention. A lot of new announcements and plans for the fourth expansion. I'm not going to go over every single one, cuz all you need to do is go to wow.joystiq.com and you can get all the information there. I'm also lazy cuz I've only had 7 hours of sleep the last few days.
Mists of Pandaria. It's a risky chance they're taking, but I think at this point, Blizzard has to take that chance to continue holding the attention of its gamers.
Pandas and China Pandaria
The biggest news was obviously the new expansion. Pandarens (those Kung Fu Panda looking pandas) will be the new race and the Monk class will be the new class. Monk class is NOT a hero class, and will start at level 1. Yep, when you are leveling your Panda, I can bet you'll be in dungeon qs full of Pandas. Or maybe not...
The response has been largely mixed, which is no surprise, since when they trademarked the title, the speculation of pandas was also received with mixed feelings. You either love the idea, are freaking SO EXCITED to be a panda, or you freaking hate the idea, think its stupid and wtf pandas!
I understand the skepticism. I think they look outrageously cartoony, especially compared to other races. The idea of Pandarens besides Taurens and Orcs, or Night Elves and Humans, is really odd (hey don't they belong in a zoo?). And it's really hard not to look at them and think, Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda). So I get it.
But at the same time, I think you should give it a chance. The content and videos you see are actually really pretty. I loved the geography and concepts so far, and they really make the world feel like almost ancient China. Rice Paddies, mist surrounded rock pillars. It's a beautiful world. It's also massive, and we will get to explore every inch of it.
The Pandas are a risky race to choose, but it would be difficult to pick up another race. The idea of how the Horde and Alliance come across Pandaria isn't so far fetched that it's bad plot device. Blizzard is extremely lucky to have The Sundering and Deathwing to hide and shake things up.  Nice, convenient lore devices there. I think the oriental feel of Pandaria is great for the artists. The buildings and new creatures have a distinct look to them, and while it sometimes screams stereotypes, I think it breathes a lot of beauty into WoW that has been missing. Seriously, you should see this Giant Turtle island you start on as a Pandaren. Awesome!
The Monk
If you really hate the idea of pandas, well fear not because you don't have to play them at all to play monk. Monk will be available to all races except Goblins and Worgens. There could be many reasons for it. I created a lore theory behind it. The starting areas (which you would be at because Monks start at level 1) are phased areas that deal with the Shattering, and it's aftermath. Having Pandarens magically appear to teach the two races how to be Monks would make no logical lore sense whatsoever.
Anyways, the Monks feel on the little demo I played is hard to describe. You have three power resources, a Chi bar, which is your main power source, then two orb bars that are like runes or something. You get dark and light orbs and a certain amount allows you to use certain moves. Considering I only got to level...er...4? I didn't get to do much with them. The neatest thing about Monks, feel wise, is that they do not auto attack (OH NOES). This allows for more martial arts like play style, which I think is really neat. Also, Monks get Roll...we roll. A lot. Just running around, and then you ROLL. ROLL!
War
 Back to the story. Instead of pulling out Dragonball Z a new super villain on us, like the last expansions, the main villain will be, "war". Basically, red vs. blue. Horde vs. Alliance. It all makes sense now, Garrosh being Warchief. It was the right move to make him Warchief, because let's be honest. If Thrall was in charge, we'd be making cake for Varian. By having two hot blooded, war hungry leaders to take us to war, there isn't a "good" or "bad" side.
Although, in essence, we are all bad. We are basically disturbing a beautiful, rarely touched world that has lived in peace for years. We even bring about evil spirit creatures, that are created by the negativity of our actions. This concept of "war", the villain, makes us all seem like villains.
Talents!
The talent system as a whole is completely different. There are core abilities, which are abilities that all specs should have. Then there are specialization abilities, which are the abilities that pertain specifically to your specialization. Then the talent system, which consists of tiers. At every 15 levels, you choose between three talents, which all have a similar function (Crowd control, Healing, Damage Mitigation, Movement), but do it in a different way. For example: Crowd Control: One move may stun, the other may be an AOE fear that has a CD, and no specific control, and the last will be a single fear that you have more control over.
This is Blizzard's attempt to kick the min/max cookie cutter spec out, and allow for more customization.
They are implementing this system pretty well so far. They went through every. single. talent. tree (how does GC not lose his voice)for. every. single. class. and we got a good look at what they are hoping. I like it a lot! I think it's a good system and is in the right direction.
Do I think it'll actually work? I'm not sure it's enough. I feel like it will be very difficult to balance each talent so that it is an actual personal decision instead of a cookie-cutter one. But it is definitely still way too early, so we have plenty of time to watch it unfold.
Also, talents can be changed like glyphs can, which is great for me! I can simply swap some things so I can have a PvP build and a PvE build without a 3rd spec. I accept :D
Druid Changes
Hey! Cha-cha-changes!
We are now a 4 spec class. Feral has been split up into two specs. Feral (Cat) and Guardian (Tank). It makes sense, and I think its a fair change. Druids are specifically a hybrid class, and our greatest feature is our flexibility. That being said, will being a hybrid player be viable in a raid or dungeon environment, where we each specifically play a role? The last (uber) talent tier involves being a hybrid.
Note: (This is what they have so far, and can of course, be subject to change)
From Sunfyre's Nest: 

• Heart of the Wild (6 min cooldown):  Dramatically improves the Druid’s ability to serve combat roles outside of normal specialization for 45 sec.  Balance:  Healing spells generate Lunar or Solar Energy and benefit from Lunar and Solar Eclipse.  In addition, 50% of Intellect as Agility, 100% of hit rating as expertise rating, and increases armor by 95% while in Bear Form.
• Master Shapeshifter:  Improves the Druid’s effectiveness at briefly switching between forms.  Your melee abilities increase your spell damage by 10% and your non-instant spellcasts increase your attack power by 10%.  Both effects stack up to 3 times and last 15 sec.  Each ability used which benefits from one of these effects consumes one application of that effect.
• Disentanglement: Shapeshifting now removes roots.  In addition, shifting into a form heals the Druid for 20% of maximum health.  This heal cannot be received more often than once every 30 sec.

Will this be okay for raids? Will we be wanted? I'm not sure.
Also, Shamans can spec into a totem talent that basically does what Tranquility does. :( Rawr!
 Anyways, on a positive note.
We did get a new cooldown.

• Cenarion Ward (30 sec cooldown): Protects a friendly target, causing any damage taken to heal the target for 2660 every 2 sec for 6 sec. Gaining the healing effect consumes the Cenarion Ward.  Useable in all shapeshift forms.  Lasts 30 sec.

And Nature's Swiftness finally buffed.

• Nature’s Swiftness (3 min cooldown): When activated, your next Cyclone, Entangling Roots, Healing Touch, Hibernate, Nourish, Rebirth or Regrowth becomes instant, free and castable in all forms.  The healing and duration of this spell is increased by 50%.

Finally! That was a change we really needed.
Oh, and I can choose to summon healing Treants....I can be a treant with more treants. :O
As a restoration druid, I feel weird. With the 4.3 changes and now these, I feel constantly jipped as a druid healer. We never get new spells, we get our form taken away, and we get buffed, then nerfed in an endless cycle under the disguise of "balance". I see the new changes for other classes and I'm excited for them. But I don't feel that excitement as a restoration druid.
And I can't imagine rerolling. But sometimes I feel like I should. Druid is what I am in this game though. I just don't know.
Other Changes
No more ranged slot. No more Relics! Mages, Warlocks, and Priests can be Harry Po'er. No more minimum range for hunters. Eee gads!
PvE Battlegrounds? Yes please! Scenarios? Even more! Challenge Dungeons? YEAHHHHH!!! Transmog items! So pumped!
GOTTA CATCH EM ALL!
No I did not spend BlizzCon playing my Nintendo handheld. Blizzard is implementing Companion Battles, which are essentially Pokemon battles with your cute collectible pets. It's kind of ridiculous. There are some you find in the wild, others you obtain normally. They have a Pokedex Journal that keeps track of them, and where you can find them. You can eventually trade them off as well. You'll get to name them. It's super effective everything, but without the balls.
I personally think this is neat. I love Pokemon. Why not tap into a franchise that is beloved and has transcended generations time and time again.  
Blizzard's Future
We've got SWTOR on the horizon, Rift purchasing bus advertisements outside of the Anaheim Convention Center this weekend, and FTP games everywhere we look. Blizzard's got it tough, and Mists of Pandaria is risky. A comical looking race, a NEUTRAL comical looking race. Pokemon. A newly revamped talent system. Again. It's a lot. But at this point, Blizzard has got to take the chances. If they played it safe, they wouldn't make it. It's what makes them a great company. It's how they pave the way in their industry. I thnk Mists of Pandaria has a lot of new stuff to look forward to, and we're just getting started! I am looking forward to seeing their future.

PS. I'm not sure if I loved or hated the Contests. I'll get back to you.

WTB more dailies

Hallow's End
I am really happy to see Blizzard try and add more incentive to participate in World Events, post hot pink Violet Proto Drake. It's a nice move to keep gamers doing some of these "traditions". Saving a town from fire, trick or treating around Azeroth. It's all tedious and time consuming. Towns are harder to save because no one helps out anymore, even during high activity times. I mean, why would someone do a bunch of mindless tasks that are time consuming, if there is no reward except some candy or Rickety Broom mount. 
Easy..add pets. Pets that can be purchased by a currency only earned by trick or treating, saving towns, doing mindless, time consuming tasks.
Because heavens know that I will be running around, doing Hallow's End crap to get the two pets they added. Yes please! I want my Celestial Dragon!
Traditions get old
I'm sure some people might find nostalgia from doing the same tasks (desecrating flames, saving towns from fires). There are little traditions I enjoy too. Flying on a broom, opening presents on Christmas morning. But some things, specifically bosses, get old. Although Direbrew boss is tolerable, fights like Ahune and the Headless Horseman are just damn well annoying. But alas, I must do them if I want a mount. I don't really expect them to change the fights completely, and considering there's nothing else to do in that mini dungeon-fight, I can't complain too much for doing a 3 minute fight. At least they've been updating the loot over the years.
Dailies
For the first time in...forever, I have been maxing out on dailies, and still have tons more to do. This is the result of a couple of things.
1. Molten Front dailies are like.....15-17 dailies depending on how many vendors you have opened. I have just one vendor to open before I am free from the obligation of doing them daily.
2. I am working on BC rep. I have been doing a couple dailies for Netherwing, although I am mostly focusing on just searching for Netherwing eggs, simply out of laziness. However, during my normal route, I pick up a few dailies to get the added rep.
3. Hallow's End now takes up about 5 dailies as well. And considering they added incentive, by adding currency and more fun items (pets, a wickerman, Flying Broom), I must complete them!
4. The other dailies. Cooking (trying to get the achievement), and Jewelcrafting are a must each day (gotta save for epic patterns)
5. Argent Tournament. As a result of the faction change, my druid lost ALL of her titles and standings with the Argent Tournament. While I was initially upset, this will force me to earn some more crusader tokens so I can buy mounts, which I need.
This is well over 25 dailies and I am usually doing dailies and then realizing I cannot turn them in. I don't like feeling like I need to pick and choose. Once I finish Molten Front next week, I won't feel so constrained. I might just do the few that get me to objectives I need for achievements. Also on the home stretch for Netherwing, and then I can focus on Sha'tari Skyguard or Argent Tournament.
Mount Goals
I am officially attempting to reach the 100 mount goal. I am currently at 76 mounts, with a bunch of mounts heading my way thanks to Netherwing. Once I finish that, I will focus on Argent Tournament so I can buy the racial mounts.
Tonight
Tonight, it's back to Firelands. I am going to a pseudo LAN party at our GM's house. It's one of the perks of playing with people you know, and our in the area. :)
Tomorrow
BLIZZCON! Omg! I am so excited! I have no idea what to expect, but I think it's going to be a blast! :D

the past is depressing, but at least the future looks bright.

Is it Friday yet?
It's been a rough week and a half. A week ago from last Saturday, my grandma fell and broke her hip. It really isn't that bad at first glance, but being that she is 88 years old, and already full of old people problems, it was a horrific domino effect in her health. To be honest, I'm surprised that my grandma has lasted this long. She has always been very frail, specifically mentally. My uncle passed away a little over 2 years ago, and it has been rough on everyone, but I think mostly for her. Ever since then, her health has rapidly deteriorated, and her mental state has been the biggest fall.
Being in the hospital caused a lot of problems for her. Her anxiety has been erratic, and, while she's lashing out at people, her heart rate spikes. But that wasn't the first problem.
Before she could have surgery, they had to get the blood thinner medication she is on, out of her system. Then, they had to get her heart under control, since the extra stress was making it even weaker. Finally, her kidneys decided to start failing, so they had to put her on dialysis. Eventually, her kidneys began to function properly, but her constant anxiety, for being stuck in the hospital for so long, bedridden, kept keeping her heart rate spiked, keeping her from surgery.
It was an endless circle of problems. With some help from anxiety meds, we were able to get her into an incredibly calm state, and on Thursday, 5 days after she was admitted, she finally was able to have surgery.
The surgery went smoothly, but it was a 20 min surgery that ended up taking an hour and a half long.
It's Tuesday now. My grandma will hopefully be moved to a physical therapy facility by tomorrow, however, her anxiety is a constant problem. Health wise, she is considered a miracle case. Her kidneys are working without dialysis, and her heart rate is under control. She is no longer taking pain medication, and she is starting to take medication by pill form which is crucial to her getting out.
My grandma aside, the toughest thing is seeing my mom come home every night and start crying. She is the sole guardian of my grandparents, and although they are living in a great assisted living home, she still has to take them to every doctor's appointment and make all the tough decisions. My brother is currently in Florida, so I've been trying to be as supportive as possible. Unfortunately, this all  happened last week, during midterms. I completely failed one, and did so-so on another. I am extremely tired, and have been in and out of work.
The good news is that my failed test will not result in a failed grade because I've done well on other big projects. I am hoping to at least grab a C in this class. No high expectations here.  
On the bright side...
I am going to my first Blizzcon this weekend ! :D yay!
I'm really excited, even though I have no idea what to expect. I haven't gone to a convention in over a year (usually I pull off a Comic Con every year) so I am ready for this one. I was pretty sad I missed out on Comic Con this year. A lot of my favorite TV shows and actors were there, but I was not. :(
I'm interested to see what a convention based solely around one company will be like. i have gone to Anime Expo and Comic Con a lot, but there was always soooooo much to do. My boyfriend was wondering if I'd go to any lore or class panels, but I'm afraid it might involve me just being angry and fed up.
I am surprised that Blizzard has not commented on the Wild Growth nerf freak out by the community druids, and as patch notes get updated and changed, Resto druids have seen nothing. It's a very sad and painful thing to watch. I really don't feel like rerolling again.
I am really excited to see the Foo Fighters in concert! Yay! Blizzcon!
:D
In Game Shenanigans 
I've been leveling a rogue on the Horde side...for some reason. I'm not sure. The goblin starting area has Thrall in it, in all his new model glory. Unfortunately, his new model was bugged during the fight against Trade Prince. Epic, tiny (he had that shrinking debuff the whole time) fail. Glad I could do all the work. Aggra was also yelling at me to help Thrall, and I just wanted to punch her, like I normally do. :)
I never, in my life thought I would hate Thrall so much.
Although, I am still a huge Horde fan. I really want a Horde lanyard from Blizzcon. Before, I wouldn't even think of showing any WoW out of game pride. But now all I can think about is, man I want that lanyard. The more I play Alliance, the more I want to play Horde. For the Horde!!!!!
We haven't raided much this week because of real life problems. I'm okay with that. Although school is my main focus, the back of my mind is constantly the thought of what will happen when SWTOR comes out. Will I jump ship? Can I afford to have two subs going on? Will I even want to? Will SWTOR hold my attention longer than Rift? God I hope so. Since I am buying the Limited Edition. ><
Is it December yet?
 
 

WTB Transmog

 

Yeah, pretty unfortunate looking. Luckily my tabard covers most of it. But wtf is with that ugly dagger. I need a new weapon.

I've been going through raids the past few months not getting a single drop, and then tonight, I felt like Firelands shit loot on me. I also won the trinket (I usually don't win stuff...ever.)

So it was kind of exciting. Between my Rep belt, buying my tier 12 chestpiece, and two drops, I was a happy camper. 

It's nice actually getting pieces that are itemized for with Haste now. None of this tier chest piece with crit and mastery but no spirit on it. WTF is with that anyways . IDK...

I got my T6 chest piece tonight. I just need the helm to have a complete set. IDK if I will use it. I have a feeling a lot of people will use the tier 6. It's a popular set, and if I was a tauren, I would wear it. But I'm a night elf. So I'm going for pretty. :)

 

Rift between Us part 6 (?...5?)

Wait...whatt?!?!11!
Did I just title my blog WoW's mortal enemy? Well, if I ever wanted my Rift fix (IDK why I would though), I can just enjoy some free play time to see what I'm missing.
This happened to me before, when there was a free day. And do you know what happened when I came back to Rift?
I logged into a ghost town. Because apparently, my old Shard (Realm) was turned into a trial Shard and no one really plays there. Did I feel like transferring (for free but still) my level 50 to another shard. Nah....so here my toons sit, in an empty Shard, waiting for free play, but nothing to do. Noone to play with. :(
Good thing I have WoW.

Final Custom Outfit

I found an awesome belt, so here's the final product.

It's mogging time!

Not quite. But hey, a girl can dream. I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited for Transmogrification in 4.3 It's probably the only thing I'm really looking forward to. Well, that and by extension, Void Storage, since I can't fit anything else in my bank/bags. It's getting kind of stuffy in there.

Tier Choice
My top tier choice is the tier 5, Nordrassil set. My favorite part about this tier is the color scheme. The dark browns and greens, encircling purple gems. This is my choice "druid" outfit. The Pillar of Ferocity also perfectly matches.

Custom Set 
My all time favorite piece is the Passive Resistor Shoulders. Nothing beats those gorgeous blue feathers, gently falling down, the electric pulse they randomly give off. Unfortunately, this is part of one ugly colored set, with bright blues and ...orange? Peach-ish orange? Not sure. So here is my custom outfit, which I will probably use when 4.3 comes out. I've decided on the T9 chestpeice, since it not only has subtle blue feathers outlining the back and arms, but some nice greens as well. I've paired it up with the T8 headpiece, which matches the crescent shapes on the robe, as well as matches my usual title, Starcaller. Finally I have chosen the Staff of the Redeemed, a blue quest staff that is very similar to Velen's staff. I might use the Pillar, since it matches the belt, which I borrowed from the Tier 5 set. I am looking for a belt with some subtle blues in it, but so far no luck :(.

This is what I've got for now. I don't think I've ever spent so much time on Atlas loot. I hoped you enjoyed my attempts. I will definitely be checking out more leather outfits but for now, these are my choice pieces. I'm hoping that through our Black Temple runs, I can pick up the leather blindfold off Illidan. Then will definitely be creating a set around that.
I love transmog!

TV Shows: What I'm watching?

It's been a few years since I've been excited for fall season. Grey's Anatomy took a tumble, and a variety of my favorite shows were either canceled or ended. None of the new shows usually grabbed my attention. This was not the case this year. A ton of new shows, which moved away from the Reality Show trend, were being shoved in my face. And there are definitely some gems in them.
Ringer
No I am not a closet Buffy fan. But this show, the highly anticipated return of Sarah Michelle Gellar, was definitely worth checking out. It's one of those shows where I can't wait to see what will happen next. The odd thing is that, at times, it's also predictable, but in an odd way. You knew it was coming, just not so soon. There's enough intrigue for a season, but I question the longevity of this show. I mean how long can she keep pretending if a huge reveal has already happened. I mean it's only episode three. Grade: B+

Revenge
I love Emily VanCamp. Her return to the series has us following her quest for revenge against the snooty rich people of the Hamptons. The plotting and social ruining of pretty people is entertaining, but it's hard to feel sorry for VanCamp's character, also named Emily. However, the story telling device used, showing the murder of Emily's fiance, who happens to be the son of the woman she's out to ruin, before hopping back into the past to show how it all went down, has left enough mystery to keep me coming back. Madeleine Stowe as the "Queen of the Hamptons," Victoria Grayson, is icy, conniving, and vulnerable. Grade: B+
 

The Secret Circle
la LALALA la. la LALALA la. laLa. La. laLa. That little soundbite is stuck in my head all the time. I loved Britt Robertson in Life Unexpected, and I love her as Cassie Blake in The Secret Circle. This TV show, from the creators of the Vampire Diaries, is about a secret circle of teenage witches. When Cassie Blake returns to town after her mother's "accidental" death, she sets off explosive magic with 5 other students who pretty much just don't hang out. Out of all of the cast, the most intriguing, besides Cassie, has to be Faye, whose character is the perfect Blair (Waldorf)-Witch (pun intended?). Meanwhile, the parents have an agenda of their own and the dark history is intriguing enough to keep watching. Definitely a fun watch after The Vampire Diaries. Grade: A-


Returning Favorites
Gossip Girl
Oh Blair Waldorf. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
This season is all about Blair. I pretty much forgot about the rest of the cast. I've even grown tired of Chuck. Sure Louis's accent is horrible, and most of the time, I just want Blair and Dan to get together. Elizabeth Hurley's guest arch doesn't really cut it for me, especially since she's paired up with boring, pretty Nate. Serena is suddenly a hard working intern getting stomped all over and has mended fences fast with the creepy/silly Charlie/Ivy. But nothing beats the quips between Blair and Darota, watching Blair scramble to hide her big secret, and fight but still please Louis's family. Totally worth an hour of my life. Grade: B-

Grey's Anatomy
Grey's is back to it's old self. There are still ridiculous soap opera melodrama cases; April is still far too annoying for me to care about her, and the less of Lexi and Mark I see the better. But the drama between Derek and Meredith has captured me right back into the show. The choice to focus on the originals, specifically Mer, Cristina, and Alex, was a smart move too, making the show funny (Cristina stabbing Alex...priceless), but still touching. Their friendship has gone through so many things (thanks to Shonda Rhimes) it's hard not to enjoy their chemistry and be reminded why we love them. Now if only Zola was given back and Derek stopped being a douchebag. Grade: B+

The Vampire Diaries
 Despite loving Damon as a character on this show, I am a huge Stefan/Elena fan. So watching them deal with the Originals, has been heartbreaking at best. But it's a good heartbreat. The writer's have done a great job making the story of Stefan and the Originals interesting. Claus is pretty messed up, but he's oddly relate-able, and the intrigue of him running away from something begs to wonder who could possibly be stronger then a vampire-werewolf hybrid. I can't wait to find out. Grade: A-

Brewfest can suck it!

Another year gone, three in total counting, with no Brewfest mount for my main druid. But it's okay. I got 5 Tremendous Tankards of Terror to make up for it. Yeah...I'm serious. 5 freaken Tankards. And a Shanker. :(
Sadness...

Let Down...Again.

Since I've finally done a good amount of raiding on my druid, having a lot of fun, I can now be truly upset with the patch 4.3 changes.  And while, as my boyfriend has pointed out, it is still very early in the PTR and a lot could change, I can't help but feel extremely pessimistic about the whole ordeal.
I R NOT AMUSED
It might be because I finally got a chance to heal with my fellow members. One night, I remember making a remark about how one of our healers complained a lot about damage. While I can understand that sometimes the raid is not doing what they can to minimize damage done, his complaints were excessive, and in my opinion, an excuse to his poor healing. Yeah, if you can't tell, I am not impressed with this guy. Especially after last night.  
We also took a still fairly poorly geared shaman healer, and he did almost, if not more than the pally, whose in decent gear. Better than mine I think. And while, the number show that yes, druids have much better throughput then other healing classes (because face it-it's all we have), I can't imagine the gap being that high.
Perhaps I was wrong because in the second night of raiding, I healed with our priest and the pally. My heals would start lower, but I would eventually overtake everyone by 150%. I lost to her only once, and it was because I was having a hard time gaining the buffs from Baleroc. Still, the gap was immensely large, to the point that even I have to think...okay I'm probably OP...
I R NOT A FAN
Speaking of throughput, I can now honestly be concerned about the 4.3 changes. The most frustrating of all is Ghostcrawler's flippant response to why they're doing what they're doing. I can't imagine someone like Ghostcrawler having such a limited memory, or knowledge of what is available to druids. That is why I am completely surprised when he believes we are too powerful and need to be balanced. Weren't we given that extra power to counteract not having any utility or unique damage mitigation?
Okay okay, he said he just felt that we were too powerful with a one button heal aoe. I understand that. Wild Growth is too easy  to use, heals for far too much. But. It. Is. All. We. Have. Tranquility is awesome, but it's only so much. We have no real way to combat AOE damage without Rejuvenating the hell out of everyone. Efflorescence only heals three people, and although stronger, perhaps not strong enough. We're HoT healers, yet we're expected to use a casted heal to make use of our really great mastery. Lifebloom is hard to use sometimes, especially if you want to switch tanks. We are, in general, really clunky as healers. Wild Growth is not the only problem, but it's the only one they're looking at.
I can take the Wild Growth nerf. I can even swallow the glyph's nerf. But only if these are not the only changes. Druids need another healing tool to counteract raid damage. We need more glyphs to replace the Wild Growth glyph because face it, we have nothing better. We need an overhaul.
It's just frustrating because, it feels like we're going in a stupid circle.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Way the F Back. 
At the beginning of Cataclysm, druids suffered from poor utility and the inabilty to deal with raid damage. We were given a weak excuse of a fix in the Wild Growth buff. Now we're getting thrown back into the same position of where we once were. In fact, even a few steps back. We now are probably gonna drop the glyph in 10 mans, to take...what....uh....um...Barkskin?....Fuck...
I'm an elitist jerk.
Progression raiding. It involves wiping a lot. It involves a lot of time. It involves less complaining, talking about food and mroe on strategy, fixing our mistakes. It's actually a sometimes serious atmosphere and it's not always fun. But the reward is worth it; and finally getting there with a group of people you are friends with is rewarding.
This may not be the case for my current guild. It might be my fault entirely. I am a complete elitist jerk-who comes from a string of progression guilds that were much more disciplined and focused. They did not start conversations about food and as a result wipe 5 times from the same mob because they were not paying attention. We did not, after two wipes, proclaim the boss too hard and start whining about going to the easier boss over there. I did not have to handhold a healer, tell them what to do with one of their abilities that they SHOULD know how to use already. I was not mocked for making an incredibly small mistake, that resulted in NO wipes, NO damage to anyone else, and only affected Efflorescence.
It makes me really wonder what I'm doing here. I don't feel welcomed by most of the guild. I hate feeling like I'm carrying the guy whose getting all the gear (which won't help him at all because his gear is not the problem). I hate that no one shows up on time.
AND I really hate the Valor Point cap. After a night of annoying raiding, I don't get a single drop, nor a drop of VP either. It makes me want to smash my face in. Is there no reward? Since there apparently isn't, I will write this blog with an elitist perspective and complain my ass off. OMG RAGE!
Transmogrification 
I decided to go with the T5. The shoulders have flowers sprout from them, and they match my choice staff, Staff of Ferocity from Mt Hyjal. This is all Burning Crusade stuff which, in my opinion is the pinnacle of Blizz weapon and armor design. 
Something Positive
I am STILL working on my I <3 Garrosh Hellscream entry, but on this note, thanks to WoWinsider, I discovered this blog, a roleplaying of Garrosh Hellscream. It's hilarious, mostly because it plays on how people see Garrosh, Warriors, and Orcs in general. ME SMASH RAWR!
I admit, my biggest draw to Garrosh is his weaknesses, and the fact he's Blizzard's scapegoat. I have this odd love/hate relationship with Blizzard (and Ghostcrawler and Metzen) that involves me thinking they are idiots for the direction they take the game I oh-so-love. So to see a part of him that I love a lot, played out, is incredibly entertaining to me. Check it out yeah!
The Warchief's Command Board