Pokemon TCGO- Beating all the trainers

My newest "obsession" is Pokemon Trading Card Game Online.  I dabble in the DS Pokemon games and some of them I really like, but the card game appeals to the more straegic player.  I like some of the artwork on the cards and the online card game is free to play.  I just started playing a couple of weeks ago, prompted by a Nintendo email I got promoting  some free stuff in PTCGO and Pokemon XY on the 3DS.  I figured I'd try it and it's pretty fun.

So far I'm going through beating all of the NPC trainers and earning coins.  The coins can be spent to buy digital in-game cards, avatar outfits, and cosmetic deck upgrades.  There is also a daily log-in bonus that stacks awards for each day the player logs in.  A digital booster pack is awarded every fifth day. 

Pokemon Trading Card Game Online - Trainer Penelope.  One of the last trainers to beat.

 I don't have any physical Pokemon cards, but if I did, I could scan them with a webcam or enter their individual code and the cards would be usable in-game.  I don't know anyone else who plays, and really, most players are probably kids, but I will probably play for a while and at least finish beating the trainers before even attempting to play against a real player. I'm sure even kids could whoop my booty.

WoW- I'm baaaack!

Almost exactly a month ago I got back into the most addicting game, World of Warcraft.  I hadn't played since the 2012 release of the last expansion, Mists of Pandaria.

I really enjoyed it but since then we have moved out to the boonies where high speed internet is only available via AT&T 4G hotspot.  It's pretty pricey, but with the recent Apple iPhone 6 release, AT&T offered a new plan that doubled our data to 60GB/month for $100 less than what we were previously paying for 30GB.  I finally had the data to update the game and get back into WoW just in time for the November 13th release of the next expansion, Warlords of Draenor and WoW's 10th anniversary!

It's been a fun distraction from the stress I've been dealing with, sick kitty, sick piggie, house-hunting anxiety, daily aches & pains, and family issues.  The kit-kat and guinea pig are both fine now, thanks to a great new vet and extra TLC from Hubby.

It's also been nice to reconnect with a good Christian friend I used to play Star Wars The Old Republic (SWTOR) and The Elder Scrolls Online (TESO) with.  He introduced me to a great guild full of generous and active players.  Learning the ropes again has been pleasant and fun.  I made a new character and leveled her to 90. I've never gotten a character that high and there was lots of new things to see and do.

Now that I am re-established with the game play and have my character topped out, I will be settling back into a more regular daily schedule.

Have you ever used a hobby as a distraction from stress in your life?  Do you think it's healthy?

WoW- I was bored so I made a panda

I won't admit to being an Altoholic yet, but when I was done with my adventures for the day on my "main" character, Gaelgrimma, I made a panda, you know, just because.

Because I was laying in bed watching Community (I love it but I've seen the trampoline episode, like, 20 times) and I was reminded of a joke I came up with the other day,

What sound does an Oriental Doorbell make?

Ching-Chong!

Which made me want to immediately get up and make a panda character in The World of Warcraft...
and so I did.

I couldn't name her Chingchong-I guess it was already taken.

So I named her Jellybelle and she's a Monk for the Alliance!

I started her on her path to culinary greatness and got her to the first inn at about lvl 9.

I played a panda named Merrybelle waaay back in 2012 when The Mists of Pandaria expansion first released, so a lot of it was familiar, but fun all the same.

SPOILER ALERT
The Pandaren starting area, called The Wandering Isle, turns out to be on the back of a giant sea turtle called Shen-zin Su.  Jellybelle discovers this on a balloon ride and asks the great turtle why he is drifting into dangerous areas and causing problems for his residents.  No one has spoken to him in ages but he says he has a great thorn in his side.  Jellebelle agrees to help then sees that the "thorn" is in fact a ship that has crashed and lodged into his side. 

Shen-zin Su TOTALLY reminded me of Morla from The Neverending Story!

WoW - Happy Hallow's End!

Happy Hallow's End from Gaelgrimma and Lollykin!

The Halloween celebration in The World of Warcraft, called Hallow's End, is celebrated with Tricky Treating at all the major inns, doing quests to play tricks on the opposing force, and quests and a dungeon to fight the Headless Horseman!

I re-subbed and started a new character, a Balance Druid Worgen named Gaelgrimma, about two weeks ago.  I hadn't planned on leveling her quickly, but as Hallow's End nears to a close (It occurrs this year 10-18-2014 though 11-1-2014), I became more and more excited to do the Headless Horseman dungeon which is only available to Level 90 characters.

Gaelgrimma hit 60 Sunday night and got her Flying License (WOO!) but progress has slowed since.  There was an update Tuesday from 6am until 7pm which only left me about an hour in the morning and one at night to play.  She got to level 64 by the end of playtime yesterday, but I am doubting that she will hit level 90 by the first on November. 

Gaelgrimma was able to complete the Hallow's End Achievement The Masquerade yesterday.  

Her guild-mate, Draco(X), helped by casting most of the costumes on her last weekend, but the stealthy Ninja costume was still missing so she offered up some wand transformation casts of her own in Stormwind's /2Trade chat chennel and the human she helped out with 5 different transformations returned the favor by buying the Ninja wand and casting her with the last transformation needed for the achievement!  

Nice people do exist!...Even in /Trade! Who knew?!
(Thank you Hellwhisper from Arygos!)

The Hallow's End guide I used can be found on WowHead

Pokemon X - Dusting it off

I was prompted to pick Pokemon X back up after receiving an email from Nintendo a couple of weeks ago promoting the new Pokemon games, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.  The promo email said that I could pick up a code for a free Shiny Gengar at Gamestop until October 26, 2014.  There was also a code for a free Pumpkaboo available via Internet through Pokemon Network until October 31, 2014.

Sweet. 

Pokemon 2014 Halloween promotions

WoW (World of Warcraft) servers were down for maintenance almost all day today, so it was a good opportunity to pick up the Pokemon for a little refresh.

I had left myself in Geosenge Town, but I am quite sure I remember being well past that the last time I played in May.  I actually checked my 3DS photos to see the last Pokemon photo I had taken.  I wonder for a while why I was back in Geosenge the last time I played.  I give up and decide to continue questing through Geosenge and into the next area.  I hop on Marriland's Pokemon X/Y Walkthrough to see where I'm at and where I should be going. 

After visiting the Pokemon Center and getting my special new Shiny Gengar and Pumkaboo (Yay!) from the delivery girl and saving, I head to Reflection Cave...where I immediately get lost.  I make the loop, forgetting that it does in fact loop back to the beginning if you don't choose the right path. 

The wandering did net me a new RARE Pokemon, Sableye!  He was a tough bugger to catch!! It took 4 regular Pokeballs, 2 Great, 2 Ultra, 1 Premium, 1 Nest, and the ball to finally catch him was my 3rd (and last!) Dusk Ball!  I don't recall ever having to use so many balls to catch a Pokemon!  He was down to less than 5 health and wouldn't go to sleep via Roserade's Grass Whistle.  It's always fun to catch a new one, though, so a great start back for me.