There are so many things to do! Readings, discussions, panels, lectures   Book launches, movies, awards, Sciencefiction, fantasy,  Horror its all going to be there.  I think I shall be otherwise occupied long enough to be completely exhausted

Stuff to do includes,

Light saber making and training (Mmmm ok that’s tagged as for kids)

Building Lego Daleks (awe  kids again.  hang on..   there’s an adult session woot!)

and as for the panels..

Everything from Cyberpunk to Feminism, Technology and Gaming Narratives, Fantasy, World Building, Creating fictional wildlife, and Monarchs, history, science , Horror..  and so on,  my head is going to explode.

I know most people have holidays to have a holiday..  but I think this is going to be fun!

They have about 10 or so things on at the same time, and picking what to do is going to be hard sometimes.

This means there may be a period of silence from me, and no raids for a week. ( woot!)

It’s supposed to be a cosmic cross now according to my starsign,  and this is supposed to be a period  of significant change  – so I am hoping it will kick my butt into gear to motivate me to write other stuff.

I declined

I also reported the channel via GM. It’s ingame - it’s covered by Blizzards T’s & C’s.   If they don’t do anything about it,  well, at least I tried. Because I know if I got a channel named after me,  where people talked about c&ckslapping your forehead I would want someone to think it was inappropriate too.

Would I care less/more if it were about a guy or someone I didn’t know was a girl,  I still would have declined it,  maybe not have reported it – I guess it would have depended on how public they were making the humiliation,  and that was it was – humiliating someone by chat channel by mass invite.  Does reporting it make  me a dobber?-  I am sure there are many humiliations against people I don’t know about,  and nor shall I be a crusader and seek to end them all,  but inviting what seemed to be everyone in ICC to this channel, showed malicious intent -  and a very public ‘in’ joke.

Would it be so funny if she was in on it – or didn’t care,   my high horse so high I feel I have the right to feel insulted on  behalf of her because she is a girl? Righteously indignant when I should mind my own beeswax.  I should have just reported it, or perhaps not even done that,   not blog about it, not make a big deal out of it,  but it’s one of those things that makes playing with real people so distasteful sometimes.  Just because we have Wow in common doesn’t make you a decent human being.

I’m not suggesting that people treat each other any different in the real world,  but in the real world things are a little more defined with consequences.

When people in vent said ” hey did everyone just get an invite to this channel” I made an attempt at suggesting  they decline it out of respect,  but later in raid when they were pasting some of the channel conversations in raid chat – obviously some of them had accepted

It’s also kind of funny because I don’t even know the person it’s aimed at well enough to say that they also aren’t a nasty piece of work, and that this could be  just one side of a perpetual joke – well I don’t want to be in a ‘joke’ where it is ok to encourage people to talk  so publically  about c&ckslapping someones forehead – girl or not.  Because if I don’t say anything then we say it’s ok to treat people like that -   to think   – to type – to join ‘clubs’ were you can humiliate someone and vilify them sexually.

Image from www.graphicshunt.com

I was reading another blog that has nothing to do with Wow – it’s a personal blog so I won’t  link – but they said an interesting thing about writers  making their own drama -  effectively how we  milk it for our writing, and that thought leads to  maybe going out of our way to find Drama. 

When I am really happy  – Wow – raiding – life  I don’t feel the need to write.  Happiness is boring. 

Where’s the struggle,  the passion,  the elitism, the  finger pointing blame.

When I’m really upset at something I don’t feel the need to write about it either, sometimes because  I feel it’s an extreme idea, and voicing it would make it worse, or I don’t know the full story and I have learned that raging at things when you should go to the source and ask for clarity because chinese whispers distorts facts – as we learned in kindergarten.  ( ever do that.. sit in a circle whispering in each others ears a sentence to see how much it changes as it goes through each person)  so I need to wait untill the rage becomes less blinding or confusing, and look at it logically, and work out how to approach it, and what is a big issue gets a label, and place to in my head.

I  try to write the middle ground.  If it’s a rage,  so that the idea becomes presentable, and the argument is clear .  I write to clarify a thought to ask questions and clear things up so at least I know where I stand on an issue – but drama is much more entertaining to read ( I read every single bad pug story!)

 I have used experience in my creative writing  - each of my two tattoos got a story written about them – An inspired crime /mystery short story about my tattooist which got published in a street mag, and the  2nd one was more factual recount in narrative 3rd person.  A poem that paid my rent for a week as a poor uni student  was about a character I met on the train.  Bits of reality sneak into my fiction.  However not forgetting the standard disclaimer.

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental

 I hated one of my writing teachers for telling me to ‘write what you know’  I might not like the idea,  but I  do think write better, writing what I know.

But using drama as inspiration well I didn’t realise how heavily I relied on Drama to Blog.

I had never had to think about it much, untill I considered going out of my way,  to get in a GDKP on server that’s getting some criticism – just to see if they are really as big  A holes and jerks as everyone claims they were – I was going to count how many people they kick and replace ( apparently happens often)   So either way I was pretty much guaranted a drama and therefore an interesting story I could rave on about. But the observation about writers creating their own drama got me worried – had I really run out of things to write about that I had to go out if my way to find trouble – and reflecting on the last few posts on things that will no longer be relevant when cata is out – I fear I’m scrapping the barrel.

I don’t belive as a lunch companion said – “what is there to write about anymore?”  I dismissed that thought at the time because my own internal motivation is very much dependant on me thinking  that what I have to say is relevant and interesting

But It’s getting to the point where I don’t find ( some things) I write about interested and relevant – I think this post is very interesting and relevant  in my current state of feeling irrelevant and uninteresting.

So I shall try to write less drama.

Raging Warrior

And also  so I can show off a new banner he was willing to subject himself to my creative interpretation

Wow Model Viewer, Gimp, and InteractImage  for the text 

While we are on topic of Warriors

Because I didn’t always have a Warrior on tap for advise,   I found www.wowpopular.com  very handy.

It breaks down the most popular Talents, Glyphs, Gear, Enchants, and Gems by class and spec

I was unsure about picking up Glyph of Revenge for my warrior ( I had a slow weapon so wasn’t using heroic strike too often) but now I have a faster weapon, I’m generating rage quicker so really don’t care that my heroic strikes are free after a revenge.  So I picked up sunder armor instead.

Their Sister Site  www.epicenchants.com is also pretty awesome for finding the right enchants for your gear as well – the filters are simple to use, and you can do it by stats  (this was especially important when aiming for defence cap – and was /still am relying on chants and gems to get you there)

I don’t care anymore that you’re not the right class, or don’t have enough HP, or resilience, Kudos to you for picking the flag up while everyone else was fighting in the middle.  ( unless you took it when a  better class/person was right there. It’s not worth arguing with people if they pick up the flag and they shouldnt anymore. Telling you to drop it in the middle of a spectacular melee is just as dangerous as letting you carry it sometimes.  So the rest of the team works with what they have got.

But if you want to be a successful carrier there are things you must not do and  one of them is to run back at the opposing team.  You have healers trying to keep you up,  DPS trying to slow down the people chasing you so you can get free, and then what do you do. RUN BACK INTO THE MELEE  yelling “  STICK TOGETHER TEAM”

Getting the flag to the other end isn’t always just a matter of killing things.   It can be as simple as distracting everyone else so the flag carrier can get free.

I know this is not a new revelation, but carrying the flag does not make you a pvp tank with special abilities, you are as squishy as you were before, and you need to do as much to keep yourself alive , as everyone else is trying to.

Oh, and if your going to Bark your strat in EOS  – and the jump off the rock with half health. Stop, and heal yourself, missing the offensive wave you tried to send people on, and then scream that we are nubs because we can’t follow a strat.  Learn to Jump off the rock before you teach others battleplans.

My voice is on permi mute.  The one time I asked would it be easier if we had voice chat for the map we were doing, the channel got spammed with peoples music - and they all ended up muted.  ( reminds me of the old Yahoo Music channel chat rooms)  People with mikes can be tards – so that leaves you with  text Chat – where one line pops up in the middle of your screen, and disappears.

I’ve had some pleasant conversations with people in customs. Mainly about  what state in Australia is better – this weekend  there was  some  politics,  but most of the time in chat.  It’s usually people saying  GG or taunting in All that the other team are losers, or  that someone is afk - or Dcing or slowing the game down.

zzzzzzzz

You don’t need to talk to people most of the time, and the only time I have really had to was when people left a map as soon as it started, and we have had to work out a way to cover them if possible, to try to extend the game as much as possible.

People who ask for help or how to play in Custom maps usually get ignored, I try and help,  ( even if they are on the other team)  but trying to explain in laymens terms in a short period of time without knowing what point of reference to use on  them is difficult.

As for A$$hats.  It’s kind of reassuring that where there is people there will be a$$hats no matter the game you play.

Example one:  A player build two photon cannons behind his own nexus in Nexus wars custom map, and killed it, by commanding them to attack the friendly target.  He purposely lost the game for his team ( mine) because he could – not just by being lazy…   but by destroying what he was supposed to protect.

That’s so fracked up it’s funny.  They might argue they are having fun playing the game their way.  It’s like the tard that pulls and leaves group.  I do not understand where this mentality of destroying peoples sandcastles out of spite comes from.

Example two : A player in the FASTEST GAME POSSIBLE map ( somewhat original don’t you think? made a million of the same Zerg Unit  ( the floating bubbles)  and filled up an oppositions playing space with them, and didn’t attack anything,  just wave after wave of these ugly brown bubbles untill  that player lagged out and left the game in frustration. I had some air defence capable units, so was trying to shoot some down, but they had decent HP, and  I couldn’t make a big enough  dent in them.

I tried for a 10 man ICC on my Shadow Priest Main  – but was kicked from group and told ” your shit, and I hate you” before I even left Dalaran  – an inquiry into the person who made that comment turned up that  they had ebayed some months back so they had no idea who was actually playing them anymore.

Either way it sounded like I was saved a torturous ICC run as they were still in trade an hour later filling group, and then an hour after that trying to replace people who left.  A friend of our guild was in the raid and said that they couldn’t keep people in the group,  so am pretty happy I dodged that painful experience, but stuff like that wears you down, but I am sure that if I had of gone, I would have been more peeved off.  So I guess I still won.  

Because I was looking for something to do a 6/12 Gdkp was going with “inspections at eventide” I rock up on my Holy priest  – I lined up for inspection, and get asked what my GS is. ” lol – I say you’ve just inspected me and you want my GS – as if that’s going to tell you more than what my gear/spec/achieves will”  Group was slow to fill. I gave up – thinking I probably dodged another bullet.

and as for Guild raids,  We killed RS on normal, but when we got to Heroic LK attempts Peoples net was fried.   So it was an early raid night.

My shining, pride and Joy of a Warrior – Zahrana. Now with more pointy things.   She ‘feels’ densely geared, if that makes sence.  I mean a mage looks squishy. My Warrior doesn’t look squishy.  She is looking the part of a tank.

I have several things I need to replace, but she got some good pieces over the weekend.  I’ve greeded on some things from TOC5 ( and missed out)  I didn’t need because the drops were probably upgrades but more dps then tanking. I probably should have taken them anyway.  My GS is under 4k ( I know GS means twat, but I need at least 5k ( of the correct gear)  before anyone will take me seriously enough to try to sneak into some raids without achieves, and even then sneaking in as DPS will probably be easier, and cause less issues then a inexperienced/undergeared tank. (  I didn’t want to learn to dps on a warrior! I’m a tank damn it. )  I just want to try tank naxx/VOA though..    Promise I’m not even thinking about ICC  ( YET!)

She’s wandering around Guildless at the moment, and getting spam invites from random guilds. I ended up blocking one person because I would be in an instance, and suddenly ” Such and Such has invited you to *this* guild” more than once.  Not, hi or anything. So I responded with a  ” VERY RUDE” and /ignored them

She got Forge of Souls, and I didn’t move the boss away from the Orbs, on Boss one, and the healer was screaming gibberish,  I eventually worked out what they meant. ” Move boss from orb” would have been shorter and more to the point. Yes I knew that..  but still. Tanking Mentality is taking a little adjustment in some instances.

Not too long after she got Pit of Saron.  I was a little surprised, never  getting even normal POS – and I was thinking Oh crap, I don’t think I’m ready for this.  Well I died 3 times. Once on Ick,  Once on the ramp mobs after Ick, and then  on the skellys on the way to the tunnel  – I concede I was in over my head a little,   but I looked at what heals I was getting from the holy priest, and they didn’t seem to be trying, and what damage I was taking, and they should have been able to keep me up.  Shield, Renew POM  would have been a good start.  I was defence capped. I was using cool downs,  just not getting healed, and I have healed those pulls a lot.  They do require a little more concentration then normal, so while I guess I would have made their job harder. They could have tried more.    We only wiped once though, and the healer ‘dc’d'  one of the Dps went heals, and we had no problems after that.  The new healer told me  to get better gear before attempting it again.  It wasn’t my fault – It popped for me as a random – I’ve not padded my GS with pvp gear,  so blizz thought I was ready.

I do not want to touch HOR yet though so I’ve left the quest undone.

I failed at the Brann event in HOS twice.   The mobs killed Brann around the 3rd Phase.  I tried to keep them at the stairs,  but every time I got agro again, and tried to bring them back up, and keep the new mobs from getting the centre, I would lose agro and they would run at the dps, and  end up fighting them in the centre of the room.

So many things they could have been done to help me keep control,  I can only taunt so many things   and I was trying to charge, and collect as many of them as I could,  but they weren’t dying fast enough, and I couldn’t keep control.  Would like to try again  – I was fine on Normal and I did that several times,  Heroic, I guess is just harder.

I’ve not had  too many bad experiences so far as a 80 Tank.  Had  a group dissolve on me twice now  due to a wipe. I’ve gotten a couple of groups that are relived I am in tank gear ” because our last 2 tanks had none”  and I think I have done everything now at least on Normal ( besides HOR oh and HOL) pretty happy with her gearing pace.

I am scared when they want to do some of the harder achievements and am relived when someone says “ not possible with this group”  I guess I will need to try them at some point.  I care even less about an Alts achievement points then I do my mains, but for something different,  once I am more confident,  I guess I will be happy to try.

Wow.. that was quick.

Leveling is fun.  Well, leveling a character you like playing, that has many fun things to do is well FUN.

My  80 Mage looks at me forlornly  * sobs ” You only use me to pick flowers”

My 80 hunter says  at least log in every now and then so I can feed my pet!

My two priests get more love,  but both are suffering from lack of attention due to me and my Warrior, and playing SC  telling noobs’ DO NOT BUILD NEXT TO ME

There are so many ways to get gear now.  She was in heroics making nice with healers not long after dinging, with a badge boe,  crafted ilevel 200′s  and ICC Boes I got for reasonable prices. It’s kind of scary,  I am now on the same playing field as my main for randoms.  I could be dpsing, or healing a tank like me

Sure it took some cash and a little bit of leg work,  chasing down the BOA head, and shoulder chants,  making sure  she got a proper weapon enchant.   Waved goodbye to Heirloom stuff.

I’m not sure what i hoped to accomplish with my Do you think you can tank project – hey I got to 80 -  I find tanking is like managing people.  You can’t keep everyone happy all the time.  Sure some healers think I am awesome ( usually not the 1st time I run an instance as a tank though.  I need a little acclimatising)

She leveled at Prot all the way – had to do some respecing  to get into a cookie cutter spec, I had done ok with my choices,  but cookie cutter is awesome for someone who wouldn’t be able to argue with another warrior about warrior stuff yet.

She did it with my usual mix of Quests, BG’s and Instances.   It’s the only way to level for me now. The variety keeps me interested,  Quests, and killing  stuff on my own makes me confident in my keys/abilities,  BG’s forces me to react faster and try to survive ( and I get to charge  a lot )  and Instances I get to practise Tankage.

I had to leave my BOA Shoulders in my bags while tanking a while ago,  so its’s been 10% slower, but  I was easier to heal with properly stat’d shoulders.

I have some gear gaps,  and I hope I shall be able to sneak my way into some places that don’t normally take people without an achievement.

No I shall not lie.

Probably confirmed I am a bad tank by running with a friend and him getting smacked around more then he liked.  Running with people I want to impress makes me more nervous.

It takes me at least one run to get a feel for an instance

I had my first group dissolve on me last night in Oculus. OH HOW I HATE THEE.  I let the healer die on the 2nd whelp trash pack. Which was my fault for being unable to control all those casting whelps well enough.

On the 2nd boss -  Mage- Lord Urom we wiped 3 times, the raid  kept blowing up – because DPS was slow and we don’t have a lot of health, and no one  los his blast, or they time bombed each other.   BYE BYE healer again.

Of course it was my fault for making the DPS run cross the frost.  They wanted me to run to them,  they could have run in front of my kite path but nooo..  and I’ve never seen a tank run at the DPS.  I’ve always been a dps or healer running after the tank.

So I felt like a right Twat when I ran Oculus again on Heroic telling the raid ” Make sure you LOS of his blast:”  and making sure I was dragging him backwards to make the dps happy, and putting us in perfect position behind  the pillar for the blast,  Then the dps doesn’t  move,  only lost half their health, and he was dead before he could blast again

Every time I get the achievement spam for the 1st time I completed a dungeon,  on normal, or heroic – I feel a little smug.   They didn’t know it was my 1st time here as tank but I feel good that I have been able to play a completely different role, and I’m ok.  It will take some more work to become a good tank – and I’ll work on her.  Need those frostbadges.

That I hadn’t logged in for so long was testament to how much it had lapsed – and yes it needed people to keep paying for it to stay up, and I had paid for 2 months – but had forgotten how long ago that was, it’s no ones fault, just wasn’t being used enough for people to care – myself included.

The vent had been rented out to new people – and it was a tad upsetting to see all the channels gone.

My own private channel that I had named “The Charlatans”  gone…

I logged in  expecting to see remnants of in-guild jokes, and channels named after people, for people, private channels and the standard raiding & pvp channels . I ended up in a lobby. I always meant to screen shot our Vent channels, and write a post about it, because you can tell a lot about a guilds personality and structure by their vent channels.  Their interests, how social they are, what other games they play ect.

I had recently added Non Elitist Raiding Diary to my reading list, and read their post Voip Culture  and agree completely that how your vent is set up can affect guild interactions and how bonds are formed with people on there.  Topics she covers like ,  like how many channels there are,   how many are passworded and  people who use binds all add up to a Voip culture that can affect  “the way your Guild glues together’

In contrast to the guild I am in now – the old one was very chatty.  Or maybe it was me that was chatty, but every day before raid or in raid channel until raid started someone was always talking, and I miss the epic conversations.

I find it eerie now to be sitting in a raiding channel  waiting for the raid to start, and there be silence, or even when one person speaks something as simple as Hi Guys – be lucky to get one response, but different guilds have different cultures, and some work better different ways, and not everyone wants to talk to people.  I like talking. I like communicating. I am quiter now then I probably have ever been.

    I’ve been in guilds where people weren’t ‘allowed’ in vent unless it was raid time and ones where there was someone pretty much someone online 24/7  -where friends and raiders from other guilds were welcome 

But things that  None  Elitist Raider’s blog post  made me consider  about exclusivity was  that even in our chatty guild,  when Aion came out the people playing Aion sat in that channel as an exclusive club, probably making the people who weren’t playing  it feel a little excluded,  and I realise that even when I sat my own private channel talking to someone in my last raiding guild after raid, was probably not conductive to  keeping conversation open.