Diary of an (Ex?) WoW Addict

Watching the Big Bang Theory as a physics major

2012-01-27T03:45:00.001-05:00

Guest post written by Brent Turlington

I always think that it's funny when someone watches a show about essentially what their life or their job is about. My dad has always said that he doesn't like watching The Office because it reminds him way too much of the people that he actually works with. When I started watching the show The Big Bang Theory, I could kind of understand what he meant. But the thing is, I really love the show regardless of it reminding too much of my own life. I have a much more exciting social life than the characters on that show do, though.

Right before the new season of the show premiered, I went online to try and find some good spoilers for it. When I was online looking up those, I ran across some directv bundles. When I looked through them some, I showed them to my roommates and we decided to change over our service to one of them.

My friends in my program don't know that I watch the Big Bang Theory show, but I honestly don't know if they're even aware of it.

How one sticker drew me into nerdom and gaming.

2012-01-27T03:41:00.000-05:00

Oh how I adore anything by shepard fairey. I’ve talked about the artist before, but I have to say it again – their work is fabulous. If it wasn’t for this guy’s work, I would have never gotten fully into gaming.

Now, hear me out. It’s like a 5 degrees of separation thing.

See I’ve always liked games but never accepted that they and adulthood could coexist (this was before it was tres cool to like all things gaming). See, I was walking past a local strip mall, abouts 12. I saw that someone had posted a colorful sticker onto a nearby phone pole. Said sticker was in front the local comic book store. Said ticker distracted me long enough to have a store employee walk out asking me if I was there to look at some comics. I was like, ‘no’ but walked inside anyway.

That day I found out Sailormoon had its own manga series, that import consoles existed and that card games were expensive (I would discover how much fun Magic the Gathering would be years later). But that store also had adults, normal well-adjusted adults playing and not the crazy stereotypes you expect to find (Okay, those types go too, but the sane quotient trumps the truly off ones).

But if it wasn’t for me stopping to stare at that worn ‘OBEY’ sticker, I would have never bothered to go inside.

Lifting monitors....is a tedious process

2012-01-21T05:56:00.004-05:00

Man, sometimes I wish I had a pallet rack sometimes. When you realize the sheer amount of stuff you own requires pulley systems to move, much less your need to move them in rearranging stuff…yeah.

It’s worse when the stuff you have to move is not your own. The guy has so much old Commodore stuff that has to be moved every time one needs to access a closet, I just end up wishing we had a gravity conveyor lifting stuff. And when I say ‘stuff’ I mean many MANY C64 monitors.

Moving them around – at least 10 of them gets to be a pain. Then having to move them back IN the closet along with other items just kills my arms. Then again, the guy lifts CATIA monitors (spelling unsure!). These behemoths weigh a ton; they weigh so that they have built in handles to help two people lift them around. This also is a built in feature for the many servers he lifts up the many stairs of office buildings, ships and ridiculously tight spaces daily.

I think in hindsight, we need pellet racks everywhere. At home, in the car, at work. Also put chairs on them so we don’t have to walk. Those racks look strong enough to hold our combined weight.

Don’t judge me; I never said I was not lazy :P

Nomorerack and my deal hunting eye

2012-01-17T14:43:00.002-05:00

Over the holidays and through to this month, I have started to search out a few haunts hoping to find deals. Especially video game deals. As I hunted I found a blog article about a place called nomorerack. Nomorerack? Sounds kinky until you drag your mind out of the gutter and note it’s a play on words about not shopping clothing racks.

The site nomorerack.com actually is a neat idea. Instead of overwhelming you with millions of things you may never want they post a few items, different each day. Each item is the genuine article, marked down to low prices and available for only 24 hours (it’s in Eastern Standard Time too so I don’t have to estimate time or anything!) in which new never before seen items show up.

Now the negative Nancy in me wants to get mad that set items are not there but at the same time think about it. If you show up on day and see stuff you hate, you can come back once a day and bam see if anything worth it is there. I’ve seen watches appear there, random around the house tool, even a few accessories that I can see helping me maintain my army of game consoles like that nifty Skil Mini Carabiner Knife:

A tool kit that can latch onto my belt is always nifty. The only downside is stuff at these prices (the shipping is a measly $2 for each item. Dayyuam that’s cheap) tends to sell out quick so getting stuff you want while the getting’s good is smart.

The site also has a neat referral program. Nomorerack WANTS you to refer your friends to them. You can simply send friends a referral link to the site. They click through and bam you gain “friendrack” points. Your friends don’t have to even buy anything, you get rewarded. Every day they have these friendrack deals where instead of spending money, you can use friend points instead! And if that wasn’t great enough, there is always that one item that is basically free. Yes, they offer freebies for purchase.

This site may be a bit of luck on the draw, but mu most awesome purchases were luck on the draw finds. I know I’m gunna stalk this place and see how it shakes out.

I hate unplanned things.

2012-01-09T11:53:00.000-05:00

Well, after all that happened in the year changing its stripes, I find myself needing to plan a very harried trip overseas. A few days yes, but a few days to prepare is murder – you can't just up and tell hotel 'gimme a room!' especially when they're many countries away. You can't just tell a hotel to suddenly cave and give you last minute accommodation!

Ugh. A friend of mine who hand moved to Australia years ago with his cute little wife (is it wrong I totally expected that to not last a year?) and promptly dropped off the face of the earth has resurfaced. As much as I'm annoyed about that, he had good reason. So many people falling on hard times lately. So I'm now looking into a few cheap last minute hotels I can find out there before even touching the flights. Just ugh I hate doing this; hopefully I wont run into any snags.

Is it also wrong I hope he still has that crazy pc set up with his TV? Man I'm awful XD

Bedding rollcall.

2012-01-07T03:47:00.000-05:00

As I look up from jostling around solid bed skirts I am reminded on how annoying moving around my other lesser used game collections are. The bed skirts around my bed are a plain beige color; they go well with my stars bedsheets. Bed Skirts in such a random design is no small task. Considering I love stars both cause they remind me of serene skies (helping me relax) but of a certain video game villain, my bedskirts woefully do not match.

My mattress covers though, do. Mattress Covers and sheets are a lot easier to find. I switch out between various themed sheets and satin pillowcases all the time. Yes, you heard me. Satin Pillowcases. Don't question, I enjoy a fancy perk now and then :D

The Arts and Monitors

2012-01-06T11:43:00.000-05:00

The arbor. They, no matter where they are placed look elegant and whimsical. This is a fact. Now why the random talk about said arbors? Well, I saw an art exhibit not too long ago. My local alma mater tends to let the art kids go wild, doing what makes for thought provoking pieces.

Well this one was just as interesting. It featured old Commodore 64 monitors (certain friends of mine would've cried seeing this but I digress), pc monitors, TVs, and other electronic bric a brac stacked amongst garden arbors.

The exhibit was a mediation on us leaning farther and father away from nature into technology. Now picture this. Stacks upon stakes of old pc monitors interlaced with worn wooden arbors. Whoever came up with the idea is both awesome and a bit insane, but the overall junkyard meets zen feel was awesome.

Gurr, gimme my PSP, Mail!

2012-01-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

And so I leaf through my mail, the CBU Mailboxes crammed together. Apartment Mailboxes are okay, depending on where you live. The one that belongs to me was yet again a disappointment, nothing but junk mail. Arrgh where is my PSP?! Or at least the delivery slip for it?

See, I ordered one for a 'gift' to myself. A, 'hey you've been so conservative with your money all year, go on, get yourself something nice'. And so just cause I got myself one from ebay. And as I stare blankly at the Cluster Mailboxes in front of me, I frown. I frown deeply. It's been 2 weeks now and it isn't here.

Commercial Mailboxes, where are you hiding my PSP?

My teeth grit as I want what I brought. I had many a plan to finally play those Kingdom Hearts games they (as in Squeenix) shamefully made PSP only. Gurr I want to waste hours playing KH damnit!?

Moving on to the roulette wheel.

2012-01-01T07:17:00.000-05:00

And in my quest to try out more types of games, I'm still getting a bit into gambling. Nothing too hardcore or anything. A few posts ago I wrote about slot machines, but I've now moved onto to roulette games.

What you thought only slot machines where all there was to online casino games? Well nope. That spinning wheel you see in all casino type films? You can do that online too. I just toss in my bet and hope for the best! Sometimes a game based on pure luck can be exciting too. It's a 360 from the strategy rpgs I tend to play that's for sure.

New Year's Plans are a Go.

2011-12-30T06:59:00.002-05:00

As I softly close my locker at work, I ponder...it's days till the new year. What will I do to set this new year off with a bang? The office lockers that I pass by everyday gleam with dings and rust. This small part time job isn't much; a seasonal job at a local Gamestop. It was something short and sweet to earn more money and to get out of the house. And hey, I wanted to buy me a PS3, at least in a sardonic way a game system was to be paid with money that was earned well hawking systems. The place might as well be paying me in games.

But I stretched out along the aluminum bleachers ready to head home. The small nearly P.O. Box sized lockers didn't hold much but my purse and other small things were safe and that was all that mattered. I decided as I got my things that I would one, buy that new Saints Row game. I would then go by the nearby ABC store and get me some beer. Call some friends and cause some havoc. Yea, that'll do.

Online Slot Machines Actually Exist

2011-12-30T04:52:00.000-05:00

Online Slots is a type of gambling I never got fully into until recently. When you think of slots, you think of large looming, noisy machines. You sit in an often smoky, dingy casino and go at it for hours, at the mercy of the casino hours and your patience at being around such an often noisy atmosphere, and the fear that you lose a lot of money in trying to play what is essentially a game of chance.

But online casinos changed all that. Instead of having to to a physical casino where all the hardcore players go taking up casino seating, you can set at home on your own time ad with as little or much risk as you wish. Free play slots - I only thought free play slots were a coin ops machine's realm, but in online casinos you can chose to play on these letting yourself at your own pace get used to how the machine works.

This is great for me as I can not worry about wasting money on terrible attempts to learn a game. And what's also great about an online casino is that certain slot machines (like anything else tangible) can be rated and reviewed but other players. So if you find a slot that you aren't sure about, you can look over at online slot machine game reviews and get a gist on what the theme (old school, African Safari, Pirate, ect.), jackpot, symbol types, how it's played, and even the play style of each slot before you try it out.

Bulletin Boards that minimize space? Yes please.

2011-12-28T05:40:00.000-05:00

Now, I’ve made no secret of my home based activities. I in having to work from home, have to keep myself on task as there is no boss telling me ‘Hey, stop playing on your Wii or Plants verses Zombies right now. But in order to keep on task, I need visual reminders to do so. But (x2) I live in a small apartment. It’s rather hard to manage a visual schedule in such a small space.

I tried the ‘manage it on your pc thing’, I forget the reminders. So I’ve taken to using enclosed bulletin boards. These types of bulletin boards are not the huge ass things you see hanging around at schools and church functions.

The ones I’m eying (the enclosed cork bulletin boards and enclosed fabric bulletin boards types) fold inward when not in use, and fold out like a book to show off the latest in my itinerary. Considering my work space is the size of a cubicle, this could store all my stray notes neatly so my pc space is free for work, and for gaming.

Celebrity Gossip Blogs

2011-12-28T05:22:00.003-05:00

Thanks for the article from Jermaine Haynes

Ever since I got my home internet in Eau Claire I have been completely obsessed with celebrity gossip blogs. I know it’s kind of a lame hobby, but it’s fun for me to read all about how celebrities live, and escape my boring life for a little while. What else is there to do when I get home from a long day of work? My favorite blog, dlisted.com is just so hilarious I cannot get enough of it.

My husband says that he can tell when I read It because I have a specific sinister laugh that only comes out when I read it. I guess you can consider it a celebrity gossip blog, but it’s author, Michael K., has his own brand of humor. He makes fun of celebrities and their ridiculous lives, but he also takes a few jabs at himself most days. I can appreciate a person who can laugh at the absurdities in their own life, and not be ultra sensitive about things. I also love that he posts about people we might not hear about anymore on a more traditional gossip blog. He writes about 80s Stars and pretty much anyone that is crazy and ridiculous. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?

A Troll likes her small comforts

2011-12-27T05:19:00.000-05:00

Do Trolls need airblade hand dryers? I’d figure they’d need hair dryers what with all that hair they tend to have. In that magical land of Azeroth, sitting her comfortable retirement, Hotaruchan uses a goblin made dyson vacuum. She could simply use magic to clean, but the troll learned a long time ago that magic doesn't do as reliable a job at cleaning as her own tow hands do. Well unless by 'cleaning up' you mean 'utterly destroy'.

The small little company does things for the hands too. Dyson hand dryers are all the rage now in Orgimmar; she herself gets her hands wet often as she's been dabbling heavily into the frost tree. Doing so had her hands always freezing cold and if lucky dripping wet. Lucky because her only other option was to have her hands covered in ice. Ice even on a Troll's tough skin is not comfortable.

The Troll mage loves using the warming air from the dyson air blade hand dryer; it's less taxing to use than conjuring fire, and it's small size makes it easy to place in her small bathroom. Goblins make the best stuff!

The mystery behind the high price tag?

2011-12-26T06:22:00.001-05:00

I was reading that web hosting page again and stopped to look at the more higher end we host options. I wondered as most of the options looked and sounded the same, 'why is this place so much higher that the others? Do they offer extras? Do they give such awesome service to warrant that price hike?'

These thoughts were flowing through my mind when I looked at Media Temple web hosting. At $20 a month, I wondered if they were just all hype and wasted money. I went to my web hosting review page again but only saw web hosting reviews about other places by not Media Temple.

I wondered why that was. Are they a new start up? I expect usually a few user reviews by now, it isn't hard to let your voice be heard as for or against a place. But Media Temple had no reviews to vouch or discredit them. Hmm. I even went directly to Media Temple's page but found nothing to justify the silence, nor the price tag on what they offer towards webhosting. Their site looks pro and all, but between the price tag and the mum word on the street, I'm kind of leery jumping into the temple with these guys.

Hot Tubbing would be awesome right about now.

2011-12-24T07:28:00.000-05:00

Heheh I'd kill for a hot tub right about now. Why? Cause it's freezing cold in here! I can even woefully remember when I was last in a jetted hot tub. No, it was not the bow chicka wow wow kind of tub experience. It was amongst friends. One friend's Dad worked at an apartment complex as the maintenance man. This gave him a few perks like having the keys to all the complex's building including the private hot tub and sauna.

He let her have after hours access to it. He'd just make sure the hot tub filters were current and make sure the hot tub chemicals were good. We'd go in after hours, like late hours and hang out. Hang out, drink a bit, don't leave a mess, enjoy the warm water, leave. A simple thing.

Then one evening a heavy down pour happened while we three (myself, my guy, and my bff) were hanging out, probably talking about WoW. Through the blur of rain we looked out past the glass doors to where the pool was. A few random people were hopping into it diving bombing it. We snuck out and ran out not sure if we should say 'go home' or what. We ended up joining them, playing around in the pool like kids.

Then after getting all cold from the outside, we headed back inside leaving the trespassers to their own devices getting warmed from the hot tub. Ahh good times; too bad it's soo sooo cold right now!

Gaming PC Shopping

2011-12-22T05:59:00.000-05:00

Gaming means many things to many people. And many people tend to favor a particular flavor of gaming. I favor PC gaming as of late. But unlike say on a pre built console like a Wii, or an Xbox 360 or PS3, not all pcs are the same nor all are suitable for gaming. PC gaming tends be where to the newer the games are the more beefier the pc has to be to handle them. And if said game has a multiplayer mode or is say an MMO where clutch decisions are made with upwards of 40 people on your screen – a straight out the box ordered from Dell system isn't going to cut it.

Now I'll readily admit, I'm a hardcore advocate to putting together your own pc. There's something just fundamentally rewarding about knowing where all your parts came from, how they work together and knowing you wont be forced into replacing defective parts from one monoply...err manufacturer. But some people aren't that tech savvy or ready to dive into the process of building a pc.

For those people I suggest some reaching for reputable sites that sell Gaming Pcs. Many, many sites sell pre built gaming rig packages – some better than others. But just like you would when searching for pc parts, don't just price compare – look up the specs of each pc. Look up the manufacturer. Look up for reviews on both the pcs/laptop manufactures AND the sellers.

Don't get caught up in glitzy advertising – for example for all the hoopla surrounding Alienware, from close associates they aren't worth all the hype. Before purchasing: know what you need in a system, investigate, THEN price comparison. These steps will save you both time and money in the long run towards a decent gaming rig!

Screw Beenie Hats. I want blankets.

2011-12-22T05:03:00.000-05:00

Well, well. Remember that post about me getting some custom beenie hats? Well I found a place that goes one step further. Custom promotional blankets. Oh hells yes. See, apparently there are sites that custom make stuff with your logos on them. And not just mugs or tees. They can put your logo on bags, pin drives, water bottles – even on silly items like glow in the dark tags (which is great for raves UST UST UST).

Sites that sell promotional products do so that businesses can advertise almost anywhere and on almost anything. Crazy thing as unlike that last place, these guys have an even bigger section. They not only sell blankets but a crazy huge section of them. This isn't just some square of cloth from JoAnn's with your name emblazoned on there in hot glue. They have various sizes, materials – hell there's one that folds up into a small tote for park outings.

And the blankets can have your name either on the corner or emblazoned on the majority of the blanket like a boss. I could like, send in a pick of this troll (unintended internet humor) and have her silly mage face plastered onto blankets to mortify my friends AND catch the eyes of curious strangers. Hey, made them look and that the point of said items – to draw attention to myself and my business. Then again I just like the idea of a blanket with my troll mage's face on it with Troll Powa on the bottom. I don't care tht I don't play WoW anymore. I still dig the idea.

...sums up my thoughts exactly

2011-12-22T01:48:00.000-05:00

I want a beenie hat with my name on it.

2011-12-19T06:14:00.000-05:00

See, I've never really had the urge to brand items. I mean everyone who does that goes to Cafepress – make some mugs, some tees, a thong (huur) and that's it. Everyone's been there, and met with mixed results. Thing is, Cafepress required you to pimp your site to have people buy from you. Awesome cause they only make what is ordered but that's people see it.

Now, I found a place that sells custom beanies; not just a beanie with some redesigned logos, but beanies with my site logo onto them. I could literally have my name and logo plastered onto it and any other of the hordes of promotional items this site sells.

I could literally ask for a box of beanies to be made and hand them things out to friends. Cause beanies are awesome. I could even buy custom carrying cases for my consoles keeping the less used consoles clean. Do you realize how awesome that is? I could travel to cons or whatnot and if something gets misplaced, no one could say they lost the bags with my custom logos on it.

I also would just look pimp with all my stuff matching. Matching carrying cases, matching beenie hat on, all ready for say MAG Fest, plunking (softly) down my vintage systems going 'have at me bros but be gentle, that Amiga isn't a rock you know?' all advertising my name and wears. I'm rather digging this already. And the stuff isn't even all that expensive. I could get me mugs and even pin drives creating the perfect 'advertise me!' ensemble.

P v Z: That Game I totally Missed Out On

2011-12-17T05:59:00.001-05:00

Ironically I must not have been paying attention or something...but I missed out on the plants vs zombies craze. How? I prolly missed it under the piles of Facebook games I was my time with. And the premise of zombies wrecking your garden?

Man, I am so late to this party.

I mean seriously. Zombies are trying to get to your house to munch on your delicious warm brains – but hark! Your plants are all 'Nay! You shall not pass!' The puzzles in keeping them out are rather fun and the silly animations and art are visually fun to look at.

The sadder thing is I swear I had downloaded the trial before on my older pc set up. I simply forgot. Please forgive me Popcap games for one forgetting how you did me right with such greats as Bejeweled and Alchemy, and forgetting about this gem. I shall make up for lost time and start this download onto my new system. Then I'll probably ignore my phone calls for awhile.

BRB Busy getting my zombie repelling gardening on.

Did I finally choose?

2011-12-16T04:27:00.000-05:00

I was chatting up on a past blog about web site hosting, and -yes I'm again with the web hosting – was just looking over one specific place in full. I've seen a bunch of places so far, but this on is not only cheap, but also has a lot of decent reviews.

I'm talking about Web Hosting Pad, and how tempting it is for me to get it.

'This hosting company is the best I have ever been with.'

'It's almost been 2.5 years of my hosting experience with webhostingpad.com and I am very pleased with their support and QoS.'

'The support team is awesome and will not let you down anytime.'

The reviews are gushing and they go on for pages. I like knowing a place I use will back me up when something goes wrong (and with such things as domain maintenance, it will) and that will stay up when I expect it to.

Now I know some of those reviews could be shills (not all reviews are from real users now!) But with over 75 reviews, with 68 being good posts about them, I'm thinking these guys may be it. Now to get on the ball...lets hope this turns out well.

How to Beat Your Addiction to World of Warcraft

2011-12-16T01:04:00.003-05:00

I had a guest poster pitch me this rather epic topic. It sits near and dear to my heart as it doesn't throw out silly figures or go all clinical on you. It gives a few tips to those that are a little too tight to their favorite game ways to detach. Give this article a good read - you may find pulling away from WoW not as hard as you thought.

“What is with you and that game? You need to find something better to do.” Sound familiar? The first step in overcoming addiction is to realize you have a problem. Maybe you’ve finally come to the realization that you haven’t showered in weeks, you’ve gained weight, or you’ve missed work to troll around and dwarf it up. Whatever your reason is for wanting to snap out of it, here are some suggestions to help you beat the obsession:

1. Be Cynical

It might be difficult to think outside of your love for the game, but look for flaws! WoW is wrought with them. After hours and hours of game play, you will eventually come to the realization that the game can be really repetitive. Quest after quest, role-play after role-play, level after level, the game never changes. It’s always the same, just in a slightly different package. When you’re playing the game, look for all things that could be considered lame. And don’t hesitate to express how you feel aloud. When you come across a glitch, yell “lame!” It’s an important step in the healing process.

2. Baby Steps

Quitting cold turkey is tough. Start with something small. Try saying hello to your girlfriend or mother. If you have multiple toons, destroy all but one. Cut 13 hours of game play down to 10. Watch a TV show. Go for a walk. Play…another game. Don’t worry, it’s not cheating. Think of all the ways you can cut back or make changes, and start with the one you’re most comfortable with.

3. There Are Other Games Out There

WoW is the game in which you have the fondest memories, the game in which you fell in love with and never looked back. It may be hard to imagine yourself alone without WoW, but life goes on. There are other games. Better games. Games that will satisfy your gaming itch. There are even, gasp, board games! Who doesn’t enjoy a good game of chess or D&D? WoW has taught you many things, but now it’s time to say farewell.

You may love the game, but the game does not love you. When you come to terms with this, the healing process can begin.

Author’s Bio: Ryan is a guest blogger who loves saving money with an HP Coupon. He loves humor, gaming, and being part of the Blog Content Guild.

These parodies have a place in my VG clogged heart.

2011-12-13T01:54:00.000-05:00

Saving those boss youtube moments.

2011-12-13T00:29:00.000-05:00

Now, I'm not one to lie; I spend an inordinate amount of time on the Youtube. So many videos to watch: many amateur, some by media super stars, some helpful, some reveling in their pointlessness. Don't pretend to not know what I speak of. One word: Pingas.

Okay not one word. Two: Pingas. Ponies.

But Youtube is more than random clips of MLP and Robonik's ass. It has helped me fix that once broken papasan chair. It gave me tips on making a bad ass chocolate shake from scratch. It challenged me in displaying how other people from walks of life think. But overall it entertains.

But loading up Youtube every time to revisit a video could be tedious. What if I want to show friends without net access a cool clip? Or what if I'm in need for directions to build something but said item is no where near where I can drag my pc or laptop?

This is where the Youtube video down loader comes in. This (and might I add free) program allows you to download that same video direct from Youtube. You can store it on your hard drive for future watching, or burn it to a disk as is to show to someone else later on their pc. Mind you it's a direct 'rip' so if you'd want to watch it on say your iPhone or any other portable, you'll have to install another program to covert the files.