Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Update
As I just mentioned in the WoW post, Mary and I will be headed to Chicago-land to celebrate our fifth anniversary. Our FIFTH! It's hard to believe that much time has passed. It feels like we've always been married, but, at the same time, it feels like our wedding was just a couple years ago.
We had to get completely rid of the other couch. We currently have NO seating in the living room. Sunday, we went out to Nebraska Furniture Mart and looked at living room seating. We ended up deciding on a sectional. It seemed to be the most cushion for our dollar.
We didn't get it on Sunday, we wanted to really think about what we wanted. After we left, we headed over to an Applebee's nearby to have some dinner. There was plenty left over for me, so I got it to go.
Celebration at the Station was being held in front of Union Station in downtown Kansas City, so that was our next destination. Another point at which I am SO pleased that I work downtown. There was NO parking to be had anywhere... EXCEPT, in my parking garage. :-)
Mary parked the car there and we headed over to the Liberty Memorial park lawn to listen to the orchestra. Mary called our friends Steven and Sarah so we could meet at the memorial. They arrived later and we sat together on the lawn.
The final piece that was played by the orchestra before the fireworks show was the 1812 overture. Complete with military cannons going off at just the right times. There was a small intermission, then the orchestra started up again as the fireworks blasted the sky with color and sound.
It was a beautiful show. Mary got a LOT of nice pictures of the fireworks. I'll post a link as soon as she gets them edited/posted.
Monday, we went back to Nebraska Furniture Mart and bought the sectional. Just as we were about to leave, I could hear roaring overhead. The building has a steel roof. It was rain. And it was coming down in buckets.
Geez! I wish it would stop raining for a day. Let the sun shine through so we can go to the pool! :-)
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Success! (WoW)
It's been a while since an update.
Zul'Farrak was a success. Arcticfreeze and Trolltrooper brought their 70s to walk us through. Kurathan now has his carrot!
I'll have to get as much gaming in as I can for the next few days. Thursday is a photo shoot in our apartment, so I'll be working tonight and tomorrow night cleaning up. Then, next Friday, Mary and I are off to Chicago-land and won't be back until the 18th. No gaming for 10 days.
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Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Show of Force
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Link of Utter Importance
Okay, so not of Utter Importance.
SickShooter is a friend of Mary's that is in a contest. She may receive one vote per computer per day. I have added a link to her contest page to the right, under Extra Links For You!
PLEASE send a vote her way as many times as you can. We're trying to push her closer to the top. As of this posting, she was only 221 votes from becoming 4th place!
If possible, please pass this link along. I would appreciate it very much.
Smashbox Model Search 2007: SickShooter
In the words of a recent campaign from our illustrious government, 'Your vote counts.'
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Saturday, May 19, 2007
Happy Birthday
This coming Monday is the 23rd birthday of the love of my life. My munkie. My wife. Mary.
Mary, happy birthday, sweetheart. I love you with all my heart and I endeavor to spend every living day I have with you.
Here are some pictures from our elaborate ceremony. First, the glorious cake. Second, Mary with her glorious cake. Finally, her blowing out the candles on her glorious cake. Enjoy.
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Expanding (WoW)
I finally pushed Kurathan to 49. At this level, I think he is ready for Zul'Farrak. I haven't done much of anything else with him.
Giladen is proudly sitting at 26 now. I've been questing with her quite a bit. Getting that quest XP is really pushing her fast.
Thursday, I had a great happening. I happened to be online (surpise, surprise) and perusing the wares being listed on eBay. I decided to see if I could find the Burning Crusade expansion for World of Warcraft for a decent price, since I REALLY didn't want to pay $40 for it. Luckily, I ran across this guy that happened upon a CompUSA closing its doors. He grabbed nine copies of the Burning Crusade and was selling them on eBay for $24 OBO.
I checked to see how much shipping would be to my house and found it to be $5.30. So, as an offer, I threw $19.70 at him to make it an even $25. He was also kind enough to email the CD Key to me beforehand, so I could enjoy my new purchase immediately. Before I left work Thursday, I had activated my account and was ready to play. Though, I didn't create an expansion character until Friday.
I have now advanced Illynis to level 12 and have already had him added to the honorable horde guild, Azeroth Crusaders. By the way, don't tell anyone I sent you, because that would be a lie. If I want you in the guild, I will add you. Caveat! You must prove yourself to be worthy of being in this guild. I really like all the officers and all the members I have met and played along side and you must also meet certain intangible criteria.
Back to gaming. Illynis is a Blood Elf mage. I have already fallen in love with him and am sure I will be keeping him around for a long time. He IS squishy, which is not normally my style, but Azeroth Crusaders has plenty squishies I can glean some advice from, I'm sure.
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Tuesday, May 15, 2007
CAT-astrophic
I just don't know what to do with Lily anymore. She's gone on another fit where she does not use the litter box.
At first, this morning, I thought it was odd to find kitty poo on a plastic bag, but I counted my blessings and picked up the bag to throw away. A little later in the morning, I looked down and she had this look -- cat owners KNOW the look. I rushed over there, but she was making a deposit on another plastic bag. I couldn't believe it. When she finished, I spanked her and took her to the litter box.
Again, I counted my blessings and picked up the bag to throw away. After I got to work, Mary called me to tell me that I had missed the devastating part; she had urinated on the couch. We've already had to get rid of one couch because of her urine, now we'll have to figure out something with this couch.
In talking with Steve, he said that when his cats did this his vet found out they had a urinary tract infection. They associate the pain with the litter box.
I'm taking a little time in the morning to take her to the vet just to make sure. If, in fact, there is an infection, we can get the medication and do whatever is necessary. If there is no infection... well, I honestly do not know what to do. I can't just give her to someone that will keep her outside. She's an indoor cat and the furthest she will go on her own is on the balcony. I can't conscienciously give her to someone that will keep her as a house cat, either. She has a history of veering from housebroken.
She has cost us $1200 in furniture already. This can not go on. I just don't know what to do.
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Blah / Alliance Guild (WoW)
I've slowed my blog updates quite a bit lately. For that, I am sorry. Well, for some of you, enjoy it while it lasts.
Kurathan is now about half way into 48. I haven't had a lot of time to level him. However, he now has five of the quests for Zul'Farrak.
I've had him running around for no apparent reason lately. Just running around killing stuff. Picking up low level quests and completing. I don't know why I'm dilly-dallying around with him. I should take him out Gadgetzan way and kill some desert stuff to the south. Something a little closer in level to him.
In alliance news, we have our guild charter. The group, six of us, will have signed it. Along with a tag-along and a paid signer, that makes eight. We need to bribe two more.
OH! The guild name is Blades of Azeroth!
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Friday, May 11, 2007
The Quest for Glory (WoW)
Last nice went well for Kurathan. Arcticfreeze (Cleos) and I teamed up to update our quest logs in preparation for Zul'Farrak.
We went into the Hinterlands to take care of most of it. It took two round trips from Tarren Mill to do what we needed to do. After that, we made our way back to Gadgetzan. Well, we started to. There was a lot of trading starting. Owodd was raising his tailoring skill and was making some 16-slot netherweave bags. I had already purchased Kurathan three some time ago, but I still had a bag slot left, so I asked for one for Kurathan.
It was time for me to log off.
By the end of my gaming session this morning, I had Kurathan at around 33% into level 48. If I keep this up, I'll be knocking on 50's door when I get to Zul'Farrak.
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Wednesday, May 09, 2007
WATCH OUT FOR THAT... sign...
Mary had quite a crappy week. Last Monday, on the way home, the check engine light came on in her car. I took a little time off in the morning to take her car to the shop on Tuesday.
It was the transmission. Covered by the 'warranty' (read 'insurance') with a $200 deductible. We went ahead and threw some other things on there; rear defrost not working, blower works on 2-4, but not on 1, rotate/balance tires.
Finally, we were able to pick up the car on Friday afternoon. Kareem had arrived late Thursday night, so he was with us. Saturday, we spent most of the time indoors, but set out on the town that evening.
Mary left her camera in the apartment. I had started taking some general 'life' pictures, but forgot my camera in the apartment. Kareem suggested we go back to get it. I brushed it off and we went on. (This will become important later.) First, we went to Gates for dinner. Then, we were planning on heading over to Mary's studio to pay the rent, come back into town to watch some of the fountains, then go to Westport and make fun of the drunks.
On the way to the studio, there was a road construction sign in the middle of the street which was promptly hit by Mary's car. It was after 10pm, it had been raining, and the sign was flat. We saw the sign too late. The studio was only a minute away. When we got out of the car, we could HEAR the tires hissing away their life. Within a few minutes, the rims were on the ground.
(Importance ahead.) We decided we would probably have some claim against the city to reimburse the cost of the tires, so we need pictures... :-|
Thankfully, Kareem has a camera phone. Also, Ben had five pictures left on his vacation camera. We got the necessary pictures then I called Geico for emergency roadside assistance. Towing is covered for five miles. Our apartment is about fifteen miles from where we were. It's cinco de Mayo, it's nearly midnight. I found a friend that came and picked us up and took us home.
The shop we dropped the car off at was not open Sunday, so I took the day off Monday to help take care of her car. Expensive tires on her car. The first thing I thought was to just replace all four tires. $372. Ouch. How about just two tires, then. $186. Much easier to swallow.
We finally picked up her car Monday afternoon. The past seven days, she's had her car in her possession for less than 48 hours.
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Upgrade Finale
The upgrade went well. Not without its problems, but well.
First, the motherboard back panel was different than the back panel that was in the case. Thankfully, the motherboard came with a replacement that ALMOST fit. I still have to make a couple modifications for it to fit well.
Motherboard goes in. I start hooking the power, front panel, internal peripheral, audio cables. The connector coming from the power supply is a 20-pin harness. The connector on the motherboard is a 24-pin harness. *sigh*
I called a local computer shop I trust and told them my situation. Immediately, he asks, "Is it a [insert name brand here]?" I check. It is. "We've had probably close to a hundred eMachines in here for repair with that SAME power supply. That power supply eats motherboards."
He goes on to tell me that the four extra pins on the harness are not necessary, and that the adapter for 20-to-24-pin harness ($12) is not needed.
The new power supply ALMOST fit. I had to use pliers to bend a portion of the metal case in order to make it fit.
After all that, everything else installed without an issue. Windows Vista took about an hour to install, but that was only because I wasn't completely devoted to getting it installed. I was playing WoW with Kareem. Firefox installed, Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9 installed, Microsoft Office 2007 installed, all drivers installed.
There was one weird issue, but it has not reared its ugly head again, so I will assume it is resolved or was a fluke.
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Waiting for the Push (WoW)
Haven't updated in a while. Last weekend brought Kareem and lots of WoW playtime. He finally decided to make a Horde toon so I invited him into the guild. Everyone was happy to have him and greeted him.
I have completed a LOT of quests for Kurathan in preparation for Zul'Farrak. Kurathan now has three quests for ZF and is on his way to picking up some more on Thursday.
With all the questing he's been completing, he's up to level 48. Mere steps away from opening up a whole slew of item and skill upgrades.
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Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Boring (WoW)
Not much work on Kurathan last night. Just a little running around to explore Tanaris. I started running him around the coastline to reveal map. The southeast area started having too high level mobs, so I ran him back to Gadgetzan.
A little auction house action earlier in Orgrimmar, but that was it. I'll see if Arcticfreeze has time to help me get quests, but tonight Mary and I also have to clean house, since Kareem will be here tomorrow night.
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Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Beginning Zul'Farrak (WoW)
We attempted the entrance to Zul'Farrak last night. It was a very eye-opening experience.
This instance is a lot tougher than I had thought. Almost all the mobs are in groups of three. We had four party members in the 43-45 range and an extra 54 with us.
We didn't go very far in, but we got to the first boss, Antu'sul. We had no deaths until we got there. Antu'sul wiped us clean, but we killed him.
Kurathan doesn't have the quests for Zul'Farrak, so the guild leader is going to work with me this week to get some. I'm especially excited about getting the Carrot on a Stick!
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