Sideshow & Syrana

This is going to be a bit different than last year’s goal list.  Last year I focused heavily on World of Warcraft goals with a smattering of Rock Band goals mixed in.  This year, I’ve broken down my goals into a few different categories: WoW, Aion, Dragons Age, Sims 3, Blogging, and Assorted.  And my, I look gamerbitious, don’tcha think? (continue reading…)

I’m sure you’ve seen this baby making it’s way across the blogosphere.  It’s sort of memeish but also a Blog Azeroth shared topic, which was proposed by Bible of Dreams.  I decided it would be appropriate to take a look at my answers on the very last day of 2009.

No, I wasn’t procrastinating.  Why do you ask?

Also, before we get into my answers here… I’m going to incorporate bloggish related things along with in game things.  Since, well, for the past year, blogging about WoW and gaming is another aspect of playing the game to me. (continue reading…)

This week’s Blog Azeroth Shared Topic is brought to you by Relevart of Druid Reliquary.

Relevart starts the topic off with posing this:

“I know a few other bloggers have shown interest in the idea of player motivation and I absolutely love the idea of examining the concept of what makes us want to/need to/desire to play.

I thought a neat springboard for such a discussion would be that of the penalty system (or lack thereof, as you might see it) in WoW as well as the recent claims that Blizzard is caving to the casual players’ feeling of entitlement to see and subsequently conquer any and all content, regardless of capability or time.”

I’m not really saying anything for or against, but would like to put forth some different things to consider regarding this topic. (continue reading…)

This Blog Azeroth Shared Topic has been brought to you by Gnomeaggedon, who has asked for others to share their thoughts on “<insertclasshere>tards.”  This topic is fun, amusing, sad, scary, and educational all at the same time.  We’ve all either been there or have seen others that just don’t know how to play their class.  However, the class tard label tends to go beyond the newbie stage.

from blog.esaba.com/projects/catphotos/catphotos.php

It has been my experience that Locktards are not as easily noticed as say, a Huntard or a Deathtard.  But when one is spotted, it can melt your eyes.  We, as players, tend to be the harshest critics of others that play the same class (and even spec) as ourselves.  Why? Because we know when someone is messin’ up.  Others might not since they aren’t experienced with the class.

Before (or after) you read my list, I think it’d be wise to also check out Saresa’s list over at Destructive Reach.  I tried not to duplicate items she had in an effort to expand upon the list the best I could.

(Signs, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment after the cut!) (continue reading…)

(Psst! Remember that multi-blog project I was talking about? It started on April 8th, and this is my part in it’s continuation.  But, you really gotta start from the beginning!)

Continuing Create Your Own Azeroth: Go East Young Man from Me and My Ghoul.

If you’re just joining in, please start at Create Your Own Azeroth: Prelude from Hardcore Casual. (continue reading…)

(Psst! Remember that multi-blog project I was talking about? It started on April 8th, and this is my part in it’s continuation.  But, you really gotta start from the beginning!)

Continuing Create Your Own Azeroth: Prelude from Hardcore Casual.

If you’re just joining in, please start at Create Your Own Azeroth: Prelude from Hardcore Casual.

(continue reading…)

So, Syrana is making me do all of this work coming up with name inspiration and 10 things about myself. What is this, school? I jest. It’s about time I post something on here, right?

What’s in a Name?

Sideshow – I’m not 100% sure how I got this name. I usually ended up getting nicknames based around the letter “Z” due to my last name, like Z-Dog or Z. I like ‘em, but they’re kinda boring. For some reason, while playing an FPS with some friends, they started calling me Sideshow, so I starting using it in that game. When I created my first WoW character, I decided to use that name and designed him with that in mind. This is why Sideshow has crazy, circus-freak hair.

Zideshow – No inspiration there, really. Created originally to be a bank alt, but I had fun playing the mage, so it stuck. It also happens to be my Xbox Live gamertag since Sideshow was taken and Zideshow is a nice “Z”-based version of it. See what I did there?

Zod – Completely and shamelessly stolen from Superman II’s own General Zod. I was really hoping to PvP a bunch in the beginning to unlock the “General” tag on the Horde side, but alas, I couldn’t farm PvP like you needed to back then. Now, KNEEL BEFORE ME!

Gertbee – My dwarf hunter. I was looking for a not-so-serious, jolly kind of name. I remember finding the name that Christopher Walken’s character in Joe Dirt chose to go by at the end of the movie hilarious, so it stuck. Turns out that it was really Gert B. Frobe, instead of Gertbee. But, mine is funnier.

The rest, I think, have been random name generator names or taken from books, history or fantasy to try to at least capture the feel of the type of character it was. Like: Luminthia (Priest), Gudrott (Orc DK), Heks (DK), and Archiluras (Warlock).

All About Meeee..

10 things..hmm.

1. Huge Metallica fan (and most metal, in general) They were the first band that I really attached to growing up and they will always be at the top of my list. As cool as it is to hate them for most people, I will always enjoy what they release and what they’ve done. I had the opportunity to meet James Hetfield, the singer and Jason Newsted, the ex-bassist in 1997.
2. When I was in sixth grade I was playing basketball with my friend J.R. and slam dunking the ball off of a crate. I slammed it and hung on too long and fell off backwards and busted my left wrist out-of-place, it was shaped like an “S”. Then 4-weeks later on the second-last day of school at the roller-skating rink with my class and I fell backward and busted my right wrist. So, two broken arms for the summer.
3. I really got into Genealogy when my Grandpa died in 1999. I thought I’d work on it before any more people who had the information were no longer around. My grandpa’s family is still one the elusive lines that I’m stuck on. Figures, huh? It’s really cool to unravel the mystery of where you came from and without the Internet I definitely wouldn’t be as far as I am. I regularly blog about it on my genealogy site, Zalewski Family Genealogy.
4. I can be really outgoing. It depends on my mood and where I am/who I’m with. But, usually I’m pretty quiet. People always think I’m mad or bored. But, I’m rarely mad (but maybe bored.) I found this t-shirt that says, “I’m really excited to be here” on it, which usually works pretty well.
5. Born and raised in Wisconsin and against popular belief, I don’t only consume cheese, brats, beer, and milk. Well, not all the time or all at once.
6. Syrana and I originally met online, Yahoo Personals if I remember right. My grandma once asked if we met in the “Same Birthday” chatroom.
7. I have a short attention span for a lot of things, including gaming. I’ll jump around to different games. I’ve figured out how to jump around enough to not get really burned-out from a game, like WoW. Currently, jumping around to WoW, Eve Online, Guitar Hero: Metallica and Left 4 Dead.
8. I bought and played WoW the first time without even trying it. My friends at work always talked about it. One day I just perused the website and decided to get it on my way home. The guy at the counter said, “Nice knowing you” when he gave it to me. What did he mean by that? Silly cashier.
9. I’ve been developing and *cough*designing*cough* websites since somewhere around 1996-97. It started with my days using the BBSes and then the good ‘ol text-only Lynx browser. (Are we Lynx-friendly?) Now, get off my lawn!
10. Ten is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2 and 5. Ten is the smallest noncototient, a number that can not be expressed as the difference between any integer and the total number of coprimes below it. It’s also how many fingers I have.

Davlin has tagged us again to answer some questions in character. The rules are pretty simple: answer the questions, add one, and tag others!

Sideshow in character, huh? Interesting..

1. What is your name, and where did it come from?

Back when I was human, I traveled with the Darkmoon Faire. I was orphaned at a young age and grew up with the freaks and weirdos. They nicknamed me Sideshow. I have since forgotten my birth name.

2. How old are you, and what is your birthday?

As far as I can remember from before the plague, I should be somewhere in my late 30s or early 40s by now. By the looks of me, you’d think I was 100.

3. Are you in love, and with whom?

I’ve had my eye (sockets) on that Syrana, but alas, nobody loves a rotting, old pile of bones like me. I do well enough on my own..me and my pet skull, Skippy McSkullface.

4. What is your favorite mount, and why?

I love rollin’ up on my Purple Skeletal Warhorse (and no, that’s not a euphemism.)

5. Do you prefer a certian type of Azerothonian meal, and where do you get it from? Take out, or dine in?

Fresh, dead gnomes are pretty tasty if I can find (or kill) one. I do enjoy Ogre sometimes, but I usually need to pack some to take home. For a cooked meal, I do enjoy a good helping of Last Week’s Mammoth.

6. You know those giant mushrooms in Zangarmarsh? What is your theory on how they came to be, and why they are so huge?

There’s something in the water, I tell ya. I don’t feel so alone with all those freaks out there.

7. If you saw the Lich King walking towards you, what would you do?

Truthfully, I respect the guy, hell, I used to work for him. I did find a better job with a much cuter boss, though. But, as much as I respect him, I wouldn’t want to meet him face to face alone. I’d probably vanish and quietly step away. Maybe give him a quick tap on the shoulder for good measure.

8. (Dav added this one) Be honest, how many times have you used the Grizzly Hills outhouse without any real reason?

Never been. But, I can’t even crap, so what’s the big deal? One good thing about not having internal organs.

9. (Sideshow and Syrana’s) Would you steal ice cream from a Human child?

Ice cream? Possibly. Depends on how ugly the child is. Frozen custard? The little guy wouldn’t know what hit him.

Syrana tagged enough people for both of us.

Ok, so this isn’t an evil post nor an evil challenge.  But we’ve been double-tagged by Byaghro and Davlin for this screenshot meme!  Thankfully there’s a Sideshow and a Syrana to double the fun! … or something.

So this meme was blasted into the WoW blogosphere by Maiara.  It’s been spreadin’ like wildfire, which is cool and certainly fun!  We’ve learned some things about our fellow bloggers like: Can they take good pictures? Can they take ‘em at all? Do they keep them? Do they organize them?

The challenege has now made its way here, and as you can see, Sideshow posted his up first.

So the rules are to select your sixth screenshot from your sixth subfolder, post it up, write something about it, and then tag six more bloggers.

Well, Syrana is going to take you for a little bit of a ride and use one of Byaghro’s tricks since I don’t have subfolders within my screenshot folder.  I’m going to post #6 and #36 from my main screenshot folder (post-Wrath) AND #6 and #36 from my backed up screenshot folder (pre-Wrath, since I had to do a complete reinstall for Wrath).  Of course, I’ve moved some things around and renamed shots, but let’s see what we get!  (But since I took a slew of screenies recently with having guild events, I’m going to have it sort by date with oldest on top.  Well, I always take a lot of screenshots…like…A LOT.)

Post-Wrath #6

Well, this one is Syrana after reaching Vengence Landing in Howling Fjord.  She was showing off her Wrath Collector’s Edition pet, Frosty.

Post-Wrath #36

Here is Syrana and Sideshow, helping out the Tuskarr.  And, of course, this was a Blizzard WoWiversary as evidenced by the two cute bears!

Pre-Wrath #6

A scenic shot of Thunder Bluff as I was coming in to land.  I am almost positive this was when I was playing my second character ever created, Inawen.  She was a Tauren Hunter on Eitrigg.

Pre-Wrath #36

And here is my hunter, Aly, but back in the days when she sported the RP story namesake of Aerissa.  The way she is dressed indicates I was awaiting RP, since she is in her first set of RP clothes!  Aerissa loved to ponder and daydream near the fountains in Silvermoon.

And the challenges go to…. *drum roll*  Killing ‘em Slowly, Fear.Win, Deekow, Antics in Azeroth, InspiredOgre, Shock and Paw!  Have at it!