Adios Amigos!

I'm off for another Summer vacation (the second of three actually). This time I'll have a laptop with me, so who knows, maybe in between Margaritas I may throw in a post or two.

Oh and this is my view for next week. let the hating begin!




EDIT: You should be seeing the webcam from the resort I'm staying at. I realize it may not work for everyone. Perhaps that's for the best.

We're Back!

I plan to get back into blogging a bit more now. Our guild continues to grow and change. As Mark Twain said, "Write what you know." For now what I know is about guild management, raid leading, and the joys and perils they bring.

Hopefully I'll posts some thoughts on those topics this week.

I'm back from my vacation and it was every bit as enjoyable as I'd hoped. Beaches, snorkeling, rum punch, and lots and lots of sleep. But alas it's over now and I've traded in the swim trunks for khaki pants, the rum punch is now coffee, and the beach has become a windowless office.

I returned home Thursday evening so I was able to get in some raiding over the weekend.

Gluth decided not to play nice on one of our attempts and half the raid (myself included) died when he cast the first decimate. I didn't think that was supposed to happen. Bad doggie!

On Vacation!

We're going on vacation and leaving the the computer at home. No new posts for at least a week. You may rejoice.

I'll be staying at my place on the beautiful island of St. Thomas (pictured above).

When I get back I'll probably post a little bit about guild management, loot systems, being an officer and other drama llama goodness.

Be safe!

Training Week

The work gods have banished me to training this week (some sort of project management stuff).

Although you wouldn't think that this would interfere with my ability to blog, it does. On top of that my wife is going away again this weekend, so I need to help her get ready, as well as find time to raid, and of course watch the season finale of Lost.

Basically I won't be blogging much this week. Consider yourself spared.

In the meantime if you happen to be progressing through Ulduar and want some Hunter tips, head over to OutDPS, Euripides has written some nice Hunter guides on Ignis, XT-002 and Razorscale.

/adios

Thank You Mr. President!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I work as a computer programmer in Northern Virginia, just outside of our Nation's Capital.

Every now and then my job requires me to do some work, and at times it can be a great source of frustration (usually when I'm dealing with clients)

Yesterday happened to be one of those days. It was made worse when my hot lunch was turned cold thanks to our President.

I was on my way back to office with my lunch in hand (a usually yummy chicken cheese steak).

As I approached the intersection I noticed a couple of police cars pull-up and block the street.

Two officers got out and began holding both vehicular and Pedestrian traffic in-place. I mean in-place too, you couldn't even step off the sidewalk, nevermind cross the street.

Although the police weren't saying anything I had a pretty good idea of what was going on, and sure enough about 10-minutes later the motorcade started to arrive.

It was led off by about a dozen D.C. motorcycle cops and a patrol car. Next came the Secret Service SUV with the fancy antennas. Next came a small cadillac limo (probably the VP). This was followed by another Secret Service SUV. And then came the presidential limo. I'd only seen pictures of it, but this thing looks cool. It's like the Batmobile, but with bar service.

The President was then followed by another Secret Service SUV, which was followed by some sort of big high-tech equipment truck. The last vehicle in the procession was an ambulance.

So what important mission was our President going on this fine day? Burgers! That's right, he was in town for lunch at a place called Ray's Hell Burger.

I haven't actually been there myself. The owner also has a popular steak place that I've been to, and it's quite excellent.

While it was cool to catch a glimpse of the President and his posse, it delayed my lunch by about 15-minutes, and made an already frustrating day that much more unpleasant.

Home Alone

Well the grand weekend alone has come and gone, and I can say that it was delivered as promised. Lots of WoW and relaxation. The weather cooperated too. It was cool and rainy most of the weekend. Just perfect for sitting on one's butt.

Raiding was a real mixed bag. On Friday night our 25-man team had an excellent outing clearing two wings in Naxx. It was as smooth a run as I've been on with this group. On Sunday, with nearly the same people, the continuation run was an utter disaster. Two fresh wings and zero boss kills!? Some nights are just like that. I think a post here and on the guild site regarding teamwork might be incoming.

Our 10-man Ulduar team started to make progress. We still have only gotten Leviathan down, but Razorscale's days are numbered for certain.

That's it for this Monday. Enjoy the week folks.

We are Go for Launch

"With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour."

- Gene Kranz, Apollo 13

The trip is back on! Soon my wife will be on a plane with her friend, and I'll be home for three days with a pack-filled WoW agenda.

So what's the plan?

• My wife leaves on Thursday so that's pizza night.
• We have Friday off which means burgers at 5 Guys for lunch.
• Friday night is 25-man Naxx night one.
• Saturday afternoon raiding. I can't remember the last time I hopped in a raid during a Saturday afternoon. Even if it's just 10-man Naxx it's still nice.
• Saturday is steak and Longboard Lager night. I might even eat something green, who knows.
• Saturday night it's Ulduar 10-man. We did "loot" Leviathan last week, now it's time to delve in deeper.
• Sunday is Brinner followed by 25-man Naxx night two.

I love being married, but it sure is nice to have a few completely independent days every now and then. And yeah I'll start to miss her by Sunday, be excited to see her on Monday, and wonder when her next trip is by Tuesday. Thus is the circle of life.

We Definitely Didn't Get a Skill Point

If real-life cooking worked like WoW cooking then I would have gotten the message - "Missing reagent Water", before I tried to steam those veggies. We now owe the Mrs. a new pot.

That's all I have time for right now. We're getting a new dishwasher installed today. I don't know how those guys on Battlestar Galactica were so quick to give up their technology. I've been hand washing dishes for the past week and a half. Enough is enough.

Never Been Worn

Lt. Frank Drebin: "Hey! The missing evidence in the Kelner case! My God, he really was innocent!"

Capt. Ed Hocken: "He went to the chair two years ago, Frank."






I was summoned for jury duty this week, but the real-life RNG was kind to me and I wasn't actually called in for service.

If anyone out there is in the market for an Orc costume, let me know. It's never been worn.

The Facts of Life

Well now that I've gotten started I feel it's time for a quick post to reveal some brief facts about me.

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them all...




Ten Virtual Life Facts

1. I've been playing WoW since launch day.
2. I'm doing this blog to share my thoughts on WoW, but I'm here to learn too.
3. My first max level character was a Paladin. Two weeks after hitting 60 I rolled hunter. I haven't looked back.
4. I love my guild even though we seem to be suffering a slow death. Something must be done.
5. I'm love raiding and I hate PvP.
6. I'm happy with the way I play my hunter, but never satisfied.
7. I'm ambivalent about achievements except for the Brewmaster and Salty titles. I must have those.
8. I like fishing.
9. For me the Auction House is a vending machine, whereas for others it's an ATM.
10. I'm no longer brave enough to type /played.

Ten Real Life Facts

1. I'm an English major turned computer programmer.
2. I love my job and not because I get every other Friday off (that's just a bonus).
3. I'm married. I love my wife even though are relationship seems more like Sith Lord/Apprentice than partners (guess who is the apprentice).
4. Last month my wife's company gave her the option to telework one day a week. She chose Friday. Yes, this includes the same Friday that I have off. /sigh.
5. My wife refers to you as my imaginary friends.
6. I have no life but my wife does and she needs me to drive her to it.
7. I have three cats. They came with the wife. If 11 years of scooping cat turds doesn't say I love you, then I don't know what does.
8. When I die I want to come back as one of my wife's cats.
9. I own a place on the island of St. Thomas (this sounds waaaay better than it is. Trust me.)
10. Watching Lost while visiting my place on the island is fun.

...And there you have the facts of life.