Through your UI – day 6 (15 days of screenshots)

This is Day 6 of Serenity Saz’s screenshot challenge.

Favorite Line of Poetry/Lyric

Most of us have a favorite poet or song. Give us an image that you think represents your favorite line, or what line inspires you most. You should probably include said line and *maybe* give some explanation/reasoning behind it, unless you’re feeling overly ambiguous.

I came to explore the wreck.
The words are purposes.
The words are maps.
I came to see the damage that was done
and the treasures that prevail.
I stroke the beam of my lamp
slowly along the flank
of something more permanent
than fish or weed

the thing I came for:
the wreck and not the story of the wreck
the thing itself and not the myth
the drowned face always staring
toward the sun
the evidence of damage
worn by salt and away into this threadbare beauty
the ribs of the disaster
curving their assertion
among the tentative haunters.

From Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich.

I read Literature at University and was introduced to Adrienne Rich’s writing through one of my honour courses. She had me from the first line I read. I’m not going to talk about why I love this poem so much as I’d rather people drew their own conclusions, especially if this is the first time they’ve read it.

Then because I’ve always loved poetry, I thought I’d throw in a second one for luck.

Fruits fail and love dies and time ranges;
Thou art fed with perpetual breath,
And alive after infinite changes,
And fresh from the kisses of death;
Of languors rekindled and rallied,
Of barren delights and unclean,
Things monstrous and fruitless, a pallid
And poisonous queen.

From Swinburne’s “Dolores“.

I can’t help thinking this sums up Sylvanas perfectly. Like Dolores, she is “fresh from the kisses of death;” and a gross corruption of the “Sacred Mother” figure. Given her colouring and fondness for poison gas, the last two lines quoted here could have been written for the Banshee Queen.

This poem also has a soft spot in my heart because whilst I was a student, reading it aloud whilst slightly intoxicated netted more than one date. Possibly they would have asked me out anyway, but I like to think Swinburne made them do it.

(The more observant amongst you may have noticed I went from day 4 to day 6. 5 will turn up at some point.)

Through your UI – day 4 (15 days of Screenshots)

This is Day 4 of Serenity Saz’s screenshot challenge.

Greatest Accomplishment
Proud of a boss kill? Excited about taming that rare? Over the moon about getting a title? Show us your greatest in game accomplishment(s)!

1. Killing C’thun back when he was still current content.

I don’t have a screenshot of the kill, so you’ll have to make do with us all in STV picking up the Zandalar buff. Note the number of Benedictions gleaming in the dusk. My old GM had a bit of a Priest fetish going on and we used to raid with a minimum of seven or eight at all times. One Naxx run we had 12 Priests bouncing about, of course this meant that Priest loot was as rare as hens teeth. In over a year of clearing Molten Core we had 3 of  the tier 2 legs drop and in a year of clearing Blackwing Lair we had 2 of the tier 2 chest drop. The first of which went to someone who promptly quit raiding for pvp. On the other hand, every hunter and warlock alt in the guild had a full set of their tier 2 which dropped liked clockwork (bitter who me? of course not).

I’m the Priest at the centre of the shot with her back turned and Mr Harpy’s hunter is at the left hand side of the picture (not wearing his full tier 2 because Aq40 gave us hunter loot every week too!).

2. Loremaster.

3. Killing Anub’arak hardmode (25) before Icecrown was released/getting Tribute to Insanity.

I don’t have a kill shot of this either, so instead have of one of us with the naked bug just before we engaged him. Strange how the only people unaffected seem to be  plate wearers.

I included this because of the way we got the kill. A try was going great, his health was working down nicely and then at around 11 percent we lost half our healers. The three of us left alive had to go into overdrive, trying to keep ourselves, the 2 tanks and as many of the dpsers as we could alive. I remember having a sort of ranking in my head of who I thought was expendable if it came to that. Somehow and watching his health tick down was painful, we did it. There were a few “eek” moments and I died about three seconds after he did, stopping healing yourself when you have penetrating cold because you’re so excited is bad.

The Tribute to Insanity came about two weeks later and I’ve added it here because I’m still amazed that we one shot all the bosses. It usually took us a try or two to get into the swing of doing things properly so for my raid group, this was a great achievement.

Writing this post has taught me one thing, I need to take less screenshots of random bits and bobs and more of the things which actually matter to me.

What’s not included:

Notice I haven’t included getting my Legendary, because I have no sense of accomplishment there. Yes, it’s gratifying that my raid group thought I deserved it but all I had to do was turn up to raids (which I was doing anyway) and loot the shards. It may come as no surprise to learn that I don’t have screenshots of that either.

Through your UI – day 3 (15 days of screenshots)

This is Day 3 of Serenity Saz’s screenshot challenge.

Representing You
Show us an image that represents who you are, either in Azeroth/Outland or in real life.

After much internal debate, I chose this image because I feel it represents certain things about me, the person behind the computer. First up, I work in a library hence the setting here, surrounded by books. Not only do I work with books, I have a house full of them. At the last count, there are 19 bookcases of varying sizes dotted around the place, all crammed with books. From plays in Germans, poetry in Russian (which was my grandfather’s and one day I’m going to be able to read it properly without the aid of a dictionary) and trashy novels in Spanish (try finding books in English in the rural areas of Mexico), through travel books, chick lit and horror, we have books on pretty much everything weighing the house down.

Next she’s drinking honeymint tea. Now my Mother is English and a firm believer in the best way to deal with a crisis, however big is to put the kettle on. From scrapped knees through broken hearts, she and the teapot were a constant whilst I was growing up. Even now, when I’m stressed or upset, the first thing I do is make myself a cup of tea.

Also I chose my Nightelf for the shot simply because I used to have hair like that and given how annoying it currently is, I wish it was that short at the moment. Unfortunately it’s never been that shade of green though.

Through your UI – Day 2

Things are a little slacky here at the moment, I’m besieged by presents that need wrapping, work stuff and a mountain of Christmas decorations none of which match each other.

Anyway, enough excuses from me. Back on topic, this is Day 2 of Serenity Saz’s screenshot challenge.

2. Player Housing
If you were to claim a place to call your own, where would it be and why?

Again, this is definitely character dependent. Sprout rather likes the simple life with lots of fresh air (after Gnomeregan, who can blame her).

So where the mountains of Dun Morogh meet the Wetlands is perfect. Before we could fly in Azeroth, I used to love flying over these little Dwarfen farms, wondering what it would be like to live there. It’s got everything she needs, a lake to swim in, a rather impressive waterfall and wonderful views.

Looking down to Menethil

My Paladin, before the Light found her, intended to be a sailor like her father before her. Even now, she still wants to live as close to water as possible. There is an empty ship moored at Theramore Harbour and it would be her perfect home. The creaking of the timbers at night as the sea shifts beneath her remind her of her childhood.

It’s cosy, warm and it’s location can change with the seasons.

Finally, my Warlock rents a room with this view:

The reasons why are probably best not delved into.

Through your UI challenge – Day 1

I’ve been skirting around Serenity Saz’s challenge over at World of Saz for a while now, looking at her entries and everyone else’s and thinking “ooh an opportunity for more screenshots” to myself. Finally I’ve allowed myself to give in to temptation and decided to join in.

1. Favorite hangout
Find yourself perching in a particular tree as a druid? Have a certain hovel you like to hang out in on your undead rogue? Show us where it is, and why your character hangs out there.

Each of my characters has their own favourite spot.

Teasel (Resto Druid) likes masquerading as an oversized house cat down at Daphne Stilwell’s little bit of Westfall heaven. She keeps the rats and mice away from the apple harvest as well as hunting any murlocs who stray too far from the shore line. In return, she gets a kennel of her own plus as many apples as she can eat.

Sprout loves her balcony in Stormwind, especially when the sunrises and sets over the canal district.

It’s high enough up to be away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city streets but not too far away from all of the action.

Last but not least, Briarrose (my feral druid) divides her time between a log she acquired from a Furbolg in Grizzly Hills and visiting those charming Dwarfs in the Twilight Highlands.

It’s compact but peaceful and makes a great hidey-hole for the days when you just want to curl up away from all the stresses of life.