Stigmas and Stereotypes

My husband - who I love dearly, we are newlyweds after all - thought all "gamers" particularly of the on-line variety get lost in their games - frequently putting game-life before real-life.  That they held mostly low-level jobs, had social issues and performed poorly at work because of gaming... the list goes on.  He knows better now - he's met my friends - but frequently I hear this sentiment, and for the most part I have not found it to be true.

People do get lost in things - I've known quite a few to get lost in drugs or alcohol when things went poorly in their lives.  I've known a few that focused on a game instead.  To be honest, I much prefer people chose the later over the first two choices, because sooner or later they will leave the game behind and move forward - alcohol and drugs aren't always easy to just drop and move on.  I won't say that there hasn't been times in my life when I logged in rather than go out into the 'real-world' just because I couldn't emotionally handle it.  My friends were on-line, I socialized in a way that was safe for me and I felt cared for and loved.  That didn't mean I didn't go out of my house or make it to work - it just meant that I hermited a bit by playing my favorite game - WoW.

I'm a social person, and WoW is one of the ways I socialize - just like I do when I go out and about with my friends.  Yes, I can get lost in the game for a day - but I can just as easily walk away from it for one without getting the shakes.

I know of a lot of people that play WoW and other games - of many ages, races, income and educational levels - yet still there is a stigma from the stereotype of being labeled a "gamer."  I'm still in shock that my husband when we were first dating worried about me when he found out I was a gamer.

Somehow it is ok to play Bejeweled or console games for hours on end in our society and to admit to it - but MMOs not so much.  Maybe this will change, 12 million people can't be completely wrong.

I think next week I will write about being a druid - hmmm - or my thoughts on the upcoming Cata release - or who knows.  I think I need some lightning up.  Life has been too serious lately.

DPS'ing... I didn't know I missed you

I blame it on Gariath...I was a happy healer.  Then he said, "why don't you grab Rio and we'll do a random."  I was a goner in just a few minutes - remembering the fun of not watching green bars and instead trying to figure out my rotation to up my dps.

Since then, I've been playing her every chance I get.  I'm remembering all the things I loved about being a warlock - she was my first toon, and I'm here to tell you that it is like riding a bicycle.  I'm playing her demo this time, and that is totally different than how I've played her in the past.  I've always been destruction, so it is a complete change - and I'm loving it.  I've already got her to 73.5 and I'm going to try for 74 after recording Leveling Azeroth tonight.

It's nice to rediscover the joys of leveling - even doing quests.  I've been working on her rep with the Walrus people so she can make the big herb bag for my herbalist and alchemist - not to mention, Rio is a fisher and wants that sexy fishing rod that they have at exalted.

Fun times... who knew, I would enjoy dps'ing again.  Now, if I can just figure out that tanking thing on my druid....

Reflections on WoW and RL

I didn't get a chance to talk about it much in Leveling Azeroth this week, but RL has been full of WoW blocking fun.  My fiancé is a wonderful man who actually supports me playing WoW, but I'm having trouble finding time to fit it in these days.  Getting married is one of those all encompassing events in your life - and it has taken over mine, even though I am having a fairly simple wedding.  There is always something to do - including rearranging and cleaning my house for my fiancé and I to make it our home.

That said, I am having a great time in WoW when I get the chance to hop on-line.  Tonight, I'm hoping to knock the weekly raid quest out of the park on two toons and maybe get a level on my druid.  On the other hand, I need to finish my pantry reorganization... lol.  Somehow I'll get it all done.

I just had a thought - I'm going to be gone twice this summer on 2-week study abroad programs.  Hmmm... I might need to line up some guest hosts for Gariath...

Leveling Azeroth

Gariath and I just finished recording our 3rd episode of Leveling Azeroth.  We're still working out the kinks -but it is getting better and easier.  I'm still not sure what the right mix of things are for us to talk about and include - but hopefully we'll get feed back or some natural progression will happen.

In game news, I ran with some old guildies last night from Blackwatch on Shadow Council.  We had a blast!  I'm hopeful that we can get them to run some raids with us.  We stepped into Black Temple again last night and downed one more boss.  I've got to do some reading about the next one - lots of dmg to the whole party - hard for one healer to keep up, but we're going back next Monday - and every Monday following - until we get it done!

My cat, Clover, is curled up on me and I'm feeling the need to nap - but need to go tweek the show notes from episode 3 first, then get started on episode four.  It's all about professions - and I'm thinking of picking up a new one...

Cheers!

14 months... the long journey to a new weapon

After FOURTEEN months, Fidelma finally has a new weapon.  KT's mace has been swinging at my side since we downed him for the second time on our 25-man multi-guild run.  I put the lower level spell power enchant on it - because at the time we didn't have enough mats for the upper one.  I thought I would only have it for a while... little did I know that I would have it for this long.  It served me well, but now it is in my bank.

I have a dagger now - and I like it!  The Pit gave it to me and I appreciate it.  I keep hoping for an even better weapon - but I'm happy for the upgrade.  Elune - just don't let it be 14 months again!

Raising a healer - or a third one at that

I have three healers, as if one wasn't enough.  Three.  I didn't mean to have three.  I meant to have one.  Then I got another, and now a third.

My main is a priest, Fidelma.  I love her.  She is by far my favorite healer.  The flexibility of a holy priest is amazing.  When the stuff hits the fan, 9 times out of 10 she can pull it out of the fire.  Group heals, dps heals or tank heals - or all of the above at the same time - a holy priest can get down to it.

Then came my Shaman.  I was burning up Outlands then Northrend with her Elemental ways.  Then there was dual spec and level 80.  I wanted to gear her and let's admit it - it's easier to go into a dungeon as an under geared healer than a sucking dps.  So, off I went pugging my way to gear - and before I knew it her elemental ways were gone and she was spending all her time in resto.

I pugged on Fidelma and I pugged on Nakkita, the Shaman.  I pugged and raided and got them gear (except for the elusive better weapon for Fidelma and the elusive shield for Nakkita), and suddenly there was nothing to go for after the nightly random pug on both of them.  So, I started playing my druid. The xp was good with heirloom gear and the random daily pug dungeon gave me a ton of experience - but I discovered something by the second run - I suck at melee dps.  I hate when mobs run off as I'm trying to pounce on them from behind and it showed in the numbers on the screen.

You can guess what happened next.  I dual spec'ed her - fearl kitty and resto tree.  I got brave a few nights ago and decided to try out my new tree form on some unsuspecting pugs.  I haven't left tree form or dungeons since then.  I'm not a great tree, but I'm getting a feel for my limbs.

Now, what to do with the level 60 Paladin.... LOL - I bet you can guess.

Gear upgrades

Tonight something special happened - I got four gear upgrades.  I sometimes go months between upgrades for my holy spec on my priest, so tonight was rather sexy.  A few weeks ago - I got about three upgrades, so Fidelma has seen a complete makeover and increase in gear score.

It's getting late, and I know I've got work and raiding to do tomorrow, but I had to share.  Check out Fi on the armory link to the right - I'm hoping to get her into some trouble to test out her new gear.

I'm off to the land of nod now to dream of a helm...