Waiting for Wintergrasp

Here's a group of players waiting in Dalaran for the portal to open up for the next Wintergrasp match. You see players dressed as winter gnomes doing PvP for the required Winter Veil achievement.

The Winter Gnome

Here Atoz is dressed in the three piece red Winter Garb set. The hat was a drop from an instance in Northrend, The Nexus. The rest are crafted items by tailors and leatherworkers.

G4TV - Wrath of the Lich King Review

Magic Carpet Ride

Atoz relaxes on his Magnificent Flying Carpet above Icecrown, the home of the Lich King himself! Not wanting to temp fate at length, he turned tail and returned to his temporary home in Zul'Drak, vowing to return one day. Magnificent Flying Carpets are flying mounts that can only be created and operated by high-level Tailors and can only be used in Outland and Northrend.

Atoz is 80

Level 80 at last. Salty Atoz the Explorer hit the cap in Zul'Drak, shortly after beginning to quest there. The route I took from 70 to 80 was like this: Borean Tundra to Howling Fjord to Dragonblight to Grizzly Hills to Zul'Drak, doing every quest that applied to the zone questing acheivement for Loremaster. This leaves the rest of ZD, Sholazar Basin and the Storm Peaks as pure profit via questing. In addition to that, it's time to grind some rep, level Tailoring, Enchanting, First Aid and Cooking the rest of the way to 450 and do a million other things I couldn't do (both in game and IRL) while obsessing over getting to this level. Wrath of the Lich King FTW!

Wow-Pro.com Leveling Guides

Here's a shoutout to Jame's WoWPro.com leveling guides. These are the hands-down best leveling guides that you can use for World of Warcraft. And they are absolutely free! I used them for leveling Atoz from 70 to 80 and for my other characters in their treks from level 1 to 70. Check them out at http://www.wow-pro.com/. Jame's blog is at http://jamewowpro.blogspot.com/.

Merry Christmas!

Getting very close to 80, Atoz and Stinker wish you Merry Christmas from Grizzly Hills. Click for a closer look!

Mr. D Meets Mr. T: Round 2

Santa Sent Me a Letter

Have I been Naughty or Nice? Click on the letter to see what he had to say.

Tommy - The Who (1969)

The Who's Tommy is one of my favorite albums in the entire history of rock music for several reasons. I have been completely blown away by Pete Townshend's songwriting and guitar work on the album ever since the first listen back in the late '60's/early '70's. Personally, I think that Tommy is The Who's high water mark (not Who's Next, although that album is excellent and one of my favorites too). Pete Townshend's "rock opera" idea is fully realized here, after some flirting with the format in earlier Who albums. The cohesiveness of Tommy is astounding and I've always thought it had a pretty cool story to tell. I have listened to the entire album countless times and I always prefer to listen to it in its entirety. If I had to pick a handful of albums to that I HAD to have, Tommy would be top 5 on that list. This is the album that I keep coming back to time after time. And even after some 37 years after its initial release, I always seem to discover some new little detail each time I listen. Whenever life becomes a little too intense, Tommy is my go-to head adjustment. I put on the album and listen to it from beginning to end and things are always better after its over. Tommy also holds the distinction of being the very first music album I ever checked out of a library (The Cape May County Library did an ambitious experiment with dubbing cassettes for circulation in the early '70's and I wore out my copy of the Tommy cassette before I had to give it back).

Stinker

This is Stinker, the cutest skunk in the world. He is the reward for the achievement "Shop Smart, Shop Pet...Smart." He has a thing for black cats.

Lots of Pets!

The achievements keep on coming. This time it was "Shop Smart, Shop Pet...Smart," which has you collect 50 different non-combat pets. I gathered the final two by soloing Lower Blackrock Spire for the Smouldering Spider and Worg Pup. That was a lot of fun. The reward for the achievement is not a title, but another exclusive pet, Stinker the skunk. I'll have a screenshot of both of us together in Dalaran tomorrow.

Fishing in a Cavern

The Northrend Gourmet

Another step closer to the title "Chef."

Atoz the Explorer

After hitting level 77 and paying for Cold Weather Flying, my first order of business was to explore the rest of Northrend. In no time, I was Atoz the Explorer. I've been displaying the "Salty" title instead, it's way less common. In fact, I still have not seen another "Salty" on Khadgar. (Tip: Exploring the balance of Northrend netted me about two bars of experience!)

Fishing for Old Ironjaw

And so, the hunt for Old Ironjaw begins...or rather, continues, since I have been fishing for him for awhile. In the far left you can't see a level 80 Undead hiding out in Ironforge fishing for the achievement too! We left our fellow angler alone.

I Smell a Giant Rat

Yet another fishing achievement accomplished. I managed to fish up the Giant Sewer Rat in the Dalaran sewers today. This leaves only one more fishing achievement, Old Ironjaw, for Salty Atoz!

This Rig Would Rock For Years

After building a new PC with my cousin, I give the project a big thumbs up. Circa 2005 or so. Walmart T-shirt. Photo by Scotty T. Click the photo for a closer look.

The Guild: A Christmas Raid Carol

The Big Bang Theory

You should be watching this show, the best new comedy of the last two years! The Big Bang Theory, Monday nights at 8 on CBS.

Bettie Page 1923 - 2008

Spectacle: Elvis Costello with Elton John

Watch this show! Spectacle with host Elvis Costello, on the Sundance Channel.

Watchmen Video Journal #9 - Attention to Detail

Salty Atoz!

Yesterday's post proved to be prophetic. I read another tip on a good place to finish the One That Didn't Get Away achievement, so I went there. 90 casts later, I caught the rare fish, the Accomplished Angler achievement completed and Atoz got the Salty title! Click on the picture for a closer look at Atoz at the fishing spot in Shadowglen, Teldrassil right after catching the fish!

The Accomplished Angler

This screenshot was taken yesterday as Atoz was fishing in Valgarde, Howling Fjord. As you can see, I have all but one of the Fishing achievements done for the "Salty" title. Left to finish is One That Didn't Get Away, an extremely difficult acheivement in which you have to catch one of a list of rare fish that are scattered around the zones of Azeroth and Outland. I have had more than 2000 catches since the beginning of Wrath alone and have not landed the rare fish. Yesterday I tried moving to various spots where others have had success in landing the rare fish (including Teldrassil and Dun Morogh, without success. I'm regrouping now and reconsidering my strategy on the achievement. I have not seen another Salty on Khadgar yet. What would a rare title be without a challenge? I'm not giving up until is Atoz is Salty! Click on the picture for a closer look!

The Fishing Diplomat

A gnome in Orgrimmar? Yes! As part of the new World of Warcraft phasing technology, it is possible to to "instance" quests. When doing the quest Fate, Up Against Your Will, Alliance players journey to Orgrimmar, one of the main Horde cities, with Jaina Proudmore on a diplomatic mission to meet and talk with Thrall, the Orc leader. At the start of the quest, Jaina opens a portal in Stormwind which you and Jaina pass through, depositing you into Thrall's chamber in Orgrimmar. From there, you complete the quest and port back to Stormwind. However, while there you are neither attacked nor do go PvP, as you would normally do when entering another faction's city. I am taking advantage of this undisturbed presence in Orgimmar to finish a couple of achievements, The Fishing Diplomat and Old Crafty. These achievements would be extremely difficult to accomplish otherwise. Click on the picture for a closer look!

Mr. Pinchy At Last!

Mr. Pinchy, fished up at last after literally years of trying. I was passing by Lake Ere'Noru and decided to fish a node or two on a whim. I got the Magical Crawdad companion on the first wish and, thus, the achievement. One step closer to Salty. Click on the picture for a closer look.

Forrest J. Ackerman: RIP

I idolized Forrest J. Ackerman, who died today. When I was a kid in the 1960's, I wanted to be just like him when I grew up. I couldn't have been more than 4 or 5 when I read my first issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and I was irrevocably changed, forever. His magazine led me to see nearly every Universal monster movie and many from other companies. It was as a result of his efforts that I love monster, science fiction and horror movies so much to this day. I always wanted to live in the Ackermansion, although I had never been there...after all, according to legend, it was chock full of monster movie memorabilia found no where else! This is truly the end of an era. RIP 4e!

The Spirit Trailer #3

Powered by Wowhead!

I am happy to say that my blog is now powered by the best World of Warcraft database out there, Wowhead.com! I have added script to the blog which enables you to search the database from anywhere there is a link! Anytime I list a link to Wowhead.com, the links will pop up with a preview of the entry. You can then click through to the entry on Wowhead. Here are a couple of sample entries: Mastercraft Kalu'ak Fishing Pole and Mr. Pinchy. Enjoy!

Movie Quote of the Day: "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951)

Barnhardt: One thing, Mr. Klaatu: suppose this group should reject your proposals. What is the alternative?
Klaatu: I'm afraid there is no alternative. In such a case, the planet Earth would have to be... eliminated
Barnhardt: Such power exists?
Klaatu: I assure you, such power exists.

From The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) (Quote courtesy of Internet Movie Database)