Tuesday, March 31, 2009

For everything there is a season

The blog world took another big hit yesterday when BRK announced he is leaving or at least taking a break from the WOW world. First Phaelia a month ago, now BRK. When Phaelia announced that she was stepping away, I did a silly little post.

This time I'll get a bit more serious (whoa!). First, I think the title of my post and the four seasoned tree above (OMG how beautiful, huh?) reflects my view on this. For everything, there is a season... even for WOW. So which WOW season am I in? Anyways, I think its always good to do a check on where you are and how WOW plays into it. As with Phaelia, I wish BRK only the best.

Secondly Jess and I spoke a while ago when we were faced with some changes with friends in game. Jess (so eloquently... for a tank) mentioned that what was hard was the realization that our relationships and experience in game is not static. Our relationships or social structure in game and guild is transient. You will not see it in a measurable way every day, but things are always changing.

I think the lesson for me is to try to appreciate a good thing, whether that is great friends ingame or a positive guild structure/dynamic, when you are in it. Don't take it for granted because that exact social network will not last. That may sound kinda sad and negative, but I think it can be a good lesson. Try not to get bogged down by little things and keep an eye on appreciating the more important positive aspects.

Ok... /end schmoopy schmoopy blah blah blah
/resume sarcastic and silly K

Read More...

Monday, March 30, 2009

Tree Huggers - All Druid Run

I'm catching back up on blogging again by putting up some posts I have been meaning to do a while. So I had decided a month or so ago that when dual specs come out, I am going to take feral as my second spec. I think a lot of my guildies were very surprised and expected me to go boomkin.

But I'm intrigued with the whole notion of tanks typically not being female players. So maybe that's why I want to try tanking. In my real life I have been known to do a lot of things that gals typically don't do as much as guys... whether that is watching college basketball while hustling pool games while smoking cigars (Montecristos and Romeo y Julietas FTW).

So I decided I'd ease my way into it by trying kitteh first, where I couldn't totally wipe the raid. For my first heroic run as kitteh, I gathered some druidy friends to do an all druid run, which I've never done before. It was a fun time speaking all things druidy. I said that we needed a team name. I think Fonzy suggested something around herbing, but then Pan sheepishly admitted that he doesn't herb. What?!?! A druid that doesn't herb? You bring shame to all druids! Ok... just kidding Pan... we loves ya. Then the name Tree Huggers came up, which of course I love.

Let me just say, being kitteh was so different. What? I can't click boxes on grid? What? Target bosses? What? Skull before X before Orange? What? I have to be behind the boss? What? Where am I? So yeah... there was confusion.

Anyways, some pics.

Read More...

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Bleh

Work has been super crazy the last two weeks and is anticipated to continue for another two weeks or so. Bleh. This has limited my play time as well as blog time and thus subjects to blog about. I've had to sit out on raids to catch up on work or sleep. This has brought up conversations like:

Jess: Your hots were missed.
K: Boo. Just my hots were missed? Not my witty commentary?
Jess: Well yes, of course... as well as your gentle encouragement and emotional support.

Haha. Sarcasm... I loves it.

Read More...

Monday, March 23, 2009

Sending healz to Lawson and herb quiz answers

#1. Anyone who knows me knows that basketball is on my brain from mid March to hopefully early April. I actually caused a wipe on KT the other night in Naxx by not running into the middle circle fast enough due to cheering for Texas to beat Dook. Oops! Sorries guildies! Anyways, here's what's on my mind right now.

#2. Answers to the herb quiz from last week. Any surprises? Its funny how some of them look nothing like their icon.

Read More...

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Cheerin' tree

I've been meaning to do a number of posts on here, including the answers to the herb quiz and my foray into rawr kitteh. But work has been pretty crazy this week, and this tree is taking rest of her free time to watch college basketball. Go Heels!

Read More...

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

So you think you can herb, eh? A harder herb quiz

A couple weeks ago I posted here some pics of herbs from Northrend to see if people could identify them. Well apparently that was too easy. So how do you think you'd do with Azeroth herbs? While I was picking lower level herbs to level inscription up on an alt, I took a bunch of pics. I was surprised by how many I didn't even recognize or remotely remember. My favorites? Numbers 16, 20, and 28. Soooo purty!

Now if you can name these herbs from memory, props to you. If you need some more help, click here. **

**Meh, I thought I had figured out how to do expanded posts in blogger.... apparently not.

• Arthas Tears
• Black Lotus
• Blindweed
• Briarthorn
• Bruiseweed
• Dreamfoil
• Earthroot
• Fadeleaf
• Firebloom
• Ghost Mushroom
• Golden Sansam
• Goldthorn
• Gravemoss
• Gromsblood
• Icecap
• Khadgar’s Whisker
• Kingsblood
• Liferoot
• Mageroyal
• Mountain Silversage
• Peacebloom
• Plaguebloom
• Purple Lotus
• Silverleaf
• Stranglekelp
• Sungrass
• Wild Steelbloom
• Wintersbite

Read More...

Monday, March 16, 2009

Two years a claw

Do you know about this site that lets you look up a character's guild history? Well today marks two years since I first joined the Left Claw. A number of us (Jess, Ata, D, Adamas, and I) left the guild in April of '07 because of some guild stuff that I no longer remember. I remember Jess or D saying that we were leaving, and we left. But we came back soon after and pretty much took over the guild.

Jess notes that while we are a small guild, we are an old guild. Its crazy to think I've been in the same guild for two years now!

Read More...

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Followup to posts from this week


Part I: Macbook

I'm still getting used to playing WOW on a Macbook. The biggest change I've had to deal with so far is flying around and herbing... which if you know me at all, is definitely serious business. I spent the first night in Storm Peaks trying to get used to it. If you happened to come across a purple birdie in the area flying into mountain sides and crashing face first into snow, sadly it was moi. Not only did I end up with a faceful of snow, but I ended up with a strange cramp in my arms. But I think I'm getting better at it. I think. I hope.


Part II: 3.1 and Pie

I was amused with how many of y'all were pie fans. You guys must really be looking forward to this Saturday then... which is 3/14. Get it? Hahahaha /sigh.

Ok... let me see if I can coherently and semi-seriously put together some thoughts around my take on patch changes.

With my pie chart the other day, I was trying to say that its easy to think that your class is being singled out, since those changes affect you. I hate to admit this (because I love it)... but aren't us resto druids a little OP right now? A resto druid in 10 man gear healing neck and neck with other healers in 25 man gear makes this tree go hmmm.

The only concern I do have is that they are making changes along with the introduction of the harder Ulduar raid. Perhaps its not that we need nerfs... but that Naxx was too easy? Perhaps Ulduar will be the right difficulty level? Will nerfs + harder Ulduar = ouchies?

Now lets get a little philosophical here. As Heraclitus said, "The only thing that is constant is change". Things change. Guildies and friends come and go. We have to change how we play. If trees can grow on cliffs or in the middle of the desert with no real water source, I think we'll adapt and be just fine. :)

Read More...

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

K's pie chart

There. I've talked about patch 3.1 changes.

Read More...

Monday, March 9, 2009

Can you heal better on a MacBook?

My poor poor guildies have had to put up with a lot of crap from me the last 6-9 months. Ok, ok they put up with a lot of crap from me all the time... but I'm speaking specifically about computer troubles. I used to play on my personal laptop, an IBM Thinkpad I've had since 2003. It died about 6 months ago and I switched to playing on my work laptop, another IBM Thinkpad. I've had problems after problems, and basically hit the wall this past weekend. After having used Thinkpads for 9 years (due to required laptops for gradschools and then work), I have finally had it with Thinkpads. IBM, you are now dead to me! Dead, I say!!! (Well except for the fact my work laptop is still a Thinkpad...)

So now the tree sez hello, Mac!

This is going to be a huge change for me... though I think my guildies are amazed I have actually played and successfully healed them this entire time on a Thinkpad... with the trackpoint nonetheless. I've gotten so used to the trackpoint, its going to be really really weird not using it.

Ok so I have to share two amusing related conversations... that unfortunately for me just highlights my noobishness in most things technological. /sigh

Conversation #1: K and techy sales guy (TSG) in Apple store:
K: So I also want to get a headset thing for my iPhone so I can take calls in the car while I'm driving.
TSG: Um, ok... so you already have an iPhone?
K: Yeah, I got it like 9 months ago.
TSG: So... you want a bluetooth headset?
K: No, I don't need bluetooth, just something I can hook into the iPhone is fine.
TSG:Well here's the headphones it came with.
K: No, I already have those... I just need to be able to talk into something.
TSG: Um... Ms... the headphone that they come with will allow you to talk while driving.
K: Huh?
TSG: Yeah, see this little white rectangle here? Just click it and you can talk into it.
K: What in the?!?! I've had the ability this entire time and didn't know it?
TSG: Um... yeah (/thinks this girl is a total dope). What did you think this little rectangle was for?
K: I don't know... decoration?

Conversation #2: Email exchange between K and Jess:
K: Yay, I haz new macbook!
Jess: Woot! Happy installing WOW!
K: Well I've been playing WOW on my work laptop this entire time off an external harddrive so I can just copy and paste my entire WOW folder to the Macbook, right? That'll be easy!
Jess: Um, but you've been playing the Windows version this entire time, right?
K: Oh, F.

Seriously... my noobishness amuses and embarrasses me at the same time. /double facepalm

Read More...

Two new blogs in my feeder

I usually don't do an actual post calling out new blogs that I am reading, but usually just add them to my links. But on the heels of my post last week about making gold, plus a weekend after which I made a pretty penny because someone else on Drenden (thanks someone else!) decided to post a bunch of elixirs of deadly strikes for 14g each, I wanted to alert folks to two great blogs I've started reading. They're not new, so perhaps you already know of them.

Warcraft Econ also includes a lot of good general summary info. I especially love Greedy Goblin because there is talk around demand curves, tax curves, AH "etiquette" and other topics that amuse the geeky economist side of me.

Read More...

Thursday, March 5, 2009

More herbalism and alchemy talk

I mentioned a while back that I'd talk a little more about my crazy herbalism and alchemy habit, with which I have been able to buy Reins of the Traveler's Tundra Mammoth, Loop of the Kirin Tor, and most recently Je'Tze's Bell. I don't bother with doing dailies for the money because I find that the return on my time is greater with herbalism and alchemy.

So step #1, is to get the herbs.

I herb in three zones. Sholazar Basin mainly for Goldclover and Adder's Tongue, Storm Peaks for Icethorn and Lichbloom, and I've recently put Zul Drak more into the herbing rotation for Talandra's Rose. Now a quick note about Frost Lotus. To me, they seem to follow the philosophy, "When it rains it pours". I either get several in the same zone, nearly back to back, then none in the next zone. So if I'm out specifically looking for some, and I don't get any after several rounds in Sholazar Basin, I head over to Storm Peaks or vice versa. Just the other day, I got NINE, yes NINE frost lotuses in Storm Peaks in one night.

Ok so lets now go into why I am picking these specific herbs...

Step #2, the alchemy. I don't regularly end up selling a lot of flasks and instead use them for myself and guildies. But I do sell a ton of elixirs, though really I only make and sell three types:

Elixir of Accuracy. You can get Tiger Lily along lakes and rivers everywhere, but a great place to load up is also the lake NE of Warsong Hold in Borean Tundra. I am often the only seller of these elixirs on Drenden, and typically sell the elixirs for an average 7g each.

Elixir of Deadly Strikes. So here's what I make with all the herbs I get from Sholazar Basin. These elixirs are up on the AH a lot more often so I have more competition. But I would say I also sell these for an average of 6g each.

Spellpower Elixir. These go for a little less on Drenden, I would say an average of 5g each.

Finally.. #3, AH mechanics. I would say its important to consider when you are putting elixirs up on the AH. I shoot for when the hardcore guilds are raiding and put up a lot of stuff so they are on there for Tuesday and Wednesday nights. It may also have something to do with having less competition on these nights since perhaps with work and school less people are farming stuff for themselves or putting up stuff to sell on the AH? I don't know... but often I will just stock my elixirs in my bank to wait until these days. I don't sell as much on the weekends when the AH is often flooded with stuff and there is too much undercutting for my taste.

So by selling these elixirs, a very casual herbing run will make me at least 250g. Now if I want to work a little harder, that goes up to 500g. Don't forget that by herbing you will also be collecting a lot of Eternal Life that you can sell as well. Now if I've really bought something crazy expensive and want to make back some gold, I have been known to have some crazy herbing days where I make 1000-1500g+ in one day. Now this includes selling some mana/health potions and flasks as well.

I've joked around with Jess that you could consider my alt to be making money. But if you are an herbalist/alchemist and have no money... I cannot stress to you how easy it is to make!

Read More...

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Why guilds are like eggs

There's been some conversations lately around what kind of guild we are. I think being a casual raiding guild is hard because by falling in the middle of the spectrum, its easy to drift too far left or right. Its sometimes hard to balance our guild philosophy of real life coming first and having fun as a group with wanting to progress further and being appropriately challenged.

While I was trying to explain my thoughts around this to some folks, I came up with an analogy. I was trying to say that if being a hardcore guild is a hardboiled egg, we would be eggs over easy. That got the little wheels in my brain turning about other types of eggs. Here's why guilds can be characterized by types of eggs:

• Hard boiled - These are the most hardcore guilds. The yolk can be a little hard to take without something to drink. Salt is optional.
• Poached – Other end of the spectrum, the most casual guilds.
• Over-easy – Somewhere between hardboiled and poached. Like I said, I would say the Left Claw is over-easy. Sunny side up guilds are similar to over-easy guilds but they are a bit more optimistic. Hahaha /sigh
• Scrambled – These guilds aren't really sure what they are. Things are just sort of tossed together.
• Deviled eggs – This is the guild that looks pretty standard on the outside, but is unexpected on the inside with extra spices and ingredients.
• Coddled – Is similar to poached egg guilds, but this guild takes special care so that every single guild member is 100% happy... perhaps even too much so?
• Easter egg – A guild that looks all fancy shmancy on the outside, but is completely empty inside.

All of this egg talk is making me seriously crave eggs benedict with smoked salmon. Mmmm... I should grab some for brunch this weekend.

Read More...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Happy square root day

Ok to honor the geekiness in all of us WOW players, I'd like to wish everyone a happy square root day. 3/3/09... 3x3=9. Get it? Sites are suggesting we get some "root" vegetables and cut them into "squares".

Hahaha... /sigh

Read More...

Pet talk

So it looks like patch 3.1 is going to be bringing us a bunch of new pets, which is exciting news for folks like Vel and myself... as well as folks like Nkm who now may not have to fish to go for the 75 pets achievement.

- Spring Rabbit
- Plump Turkey
- Teldrassil Sproutling - Looks like a must for any resto druid
- Tirisfal Batling
- Dun Morogh Cub
- Durotar Scorpion
- Alarming Clockbot
- Elwynn Lamb
- Mulgore Hatchling
- Ammen Vale Lashling
- Strand Crawler
- Enchanted Broom
- Argent Squire
- Mechanopeep
- Argent Gruntling
- Curious Gorloc Hatchling
- Curious Wolvar Pup
- Gorloc Orphan
- Wolvar Orphan
- Murkimus the Gladiator
- Sen'jin Fetish

However we still have no pets of the canine variety. Seriously Blizz, what do you have against puppies? I also think it'd be neat if some of the bosses had a small chance of dropping a pet that is a mini version of them. Every time I see Anub'Rekhan I think about how cute he'd be as a mini pet.

How about Loatheb?

Or a mini Patchwerk pet? :)

Read More...

Monday, March 2, 2009

Left Claw finishes Naxx - That's it?

We were able to finish out Naxx this weekend. It was our first entry into the Frostwyrm wing. Sapph was pretty simple and one shot.

Now KT was a bit more difficult in that us healers had to figure out positioning and healing people up in time when they were frost blast. I found that Nourish worked as the best spell for me to cast when people were frost blast. It was a big and fast enough heal.

So now our DK Khayven is running around with a cute pink Hello Kitty axe aka Death's Bite and our Spriest Dest is going to be even deadlier with Wand of the Archlich. Seriously, Dest scares me with the amount of dps she does.

Now I had heard for a long time of course that Naxx was ezmode. Plus as a guild we finished up Naxx probably much later than we could have and we were all pretty well geared. But it was still sort of anti-climactic to finish it so quickly and easily. It definitely was not the same feeling we had when we downed Prince back in Kara. I don't know... maybe Malygos will give us a bit more of a challenge?

Read More...