One of the most addicting games in the history of gaming is World of Warcraft. I say this because I have definitely become addicted. While I freely admit I’m not as addicted as others (as in I don’t have to play all day every day) I really do like my 2-6 hours of game play. Most of my characters aren’t in guilds because I don’t play well with others and they aren’t at a level where I have to learn to play well with others yet. Here is the thing I’ve noticed. Just about any time I go into a semi populated area I get hit up to join a guild. If I say no politely people will ask me why and then about half the time get grumpy because I said no. Like I’m personally rejecting them. Which I’m not, I don’t care about them (ok in the grand scheme of things I care about all human beings but dude…shove off while I’m playing). I appreciate the offer (I guess) but once I say no, do you really need to push the issue?

On a side note, how cool is your guild if you want me to join. By me, I mean generically any twit who happens to be walking in your vicinity. I don’t even want to belong to a guild that just says hey you…yeah you over there walking….I want you. Thanks, I’ll pass. Stop with the harassment already.

Anyone else with me on hating the constant guild bombardment?

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I know some of the more hardcore World of Warcraft gamers out there are going to laugh when they see this but here it is: I just found out about Quest Helper. Why isn’t this a built in feature dang it. Do you know how hard it is to find something out in the Barrens? Do you? Especially if you are alone and have never played before. Yeah. It is horrible. So I was complaining about this to a friend who has several level 80 characters and he laughed at me. Then he told me about Quest Helper and I couldn’t decide whether to hug him or kill him. Seriously this information should be handed out when someone signs up for World of Warcraft.

I know this is one of the most addicting games online, and I know that the people who play 20 hours a day already know about Quest Helper but what about the noobs? Hmmm? So here is my plan, all of you hard core gamers out there need to start spreading the word instead of making fun of those of us who are low level and not decked out in all the blue and purple stuff we can get our grubby little hands on. If you see a low level with normal gear on, they probably don’t know about Quest Helper and you should share your info. While you’re sharing info are there any other add-ons I should definitely be using?

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Oh my gosh, I am so excited. This past week Blizzard finally put out the much anticipated patch for one of my favorite games, World of Warcraft, that gave players all sorts of cool new toys. Being me, and yes I’m really this superficial, I was super excited about the new Druid skins. Now instead of everyone looking the same the look of the bear and cat form are based on hair color (for Night Elves) and skin color for Taurens. Oh yeah. So excited. There were lots of other interesting things that were functional that came out like Shamans being able to drop all of their totems at once (it’s a new spell if you are having trouble finding it) or being able to get a mount at level 20. That mount was my second favorite thing because most of my characters are kind of low level.

The Death Knights had so many talent changes their trees were completely reset, which is nice I guess. But back to me. I was so excited about getting a mount I bought one in each color. Does anyone else buy mounts to match their potential outfits or is that just a me thing? I know a few of my guy friends that it was hilarious.

So what was your favorite aspect of the new patch?

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I love to cook and I love to play video and computer games. Is it any wonder that I love cooking games? I have a few for my Wii, but I also really love the free online cooking games. I mean after all…would you rather work or virtually cook something, make customers happy, and earn money? Yeah, me too. Bring on the cooking games!

I love love love all of the games that have Flo in the starring role. The most popular one is probably Cooking Dash but there is also Diner Dash along with a few other similar themes. I don’t know why running around like a crazy person preparing meals and cleaning up after other people is so much fun when I do it virtually, but it really is. It’s like work…but not. I don’t know.

Then there are the desert making games like Cake Factory, My Little Bakery, and Cookie Maker. Virtual deserts have all the fun and none of the calories. Not a bad deal. Some of these games have a fee if you want the full versions but there are lots of free trials available that go through plenty of levels to keep me sidetracked while I should be working.

What are your favorite cooking games?

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I’ve recently gotten back into gaming quite a bit due to a long stretch of insomnia and now I’m really enjoying it again. World of Warcraft is currently my vice (as some of you loyal readers know) but I’m super excited about some games that are supposed to be coming out this year.

• Stargate Worlds – I’m such a Stargate nerd it  isn’t even funny. The chance to go through the gate on missions…sign me UP. Dude, I’d do it in real life you know I’m all about it in game life.
• DC Universe Online – Quick (and true) story. The first Halloween I remember and was able to pick my own costume, I dressed up as Superman…and yeah I’m a chick. Does that tell you how deep my love is? Does it? OMG I totally cannot wait to be in that world. I can’t imagine it sucking but if it does (like the last Superman move do not even get me started) there will probably be therapy involved.
• Star Trek Online- Really? Star Trek? OMG. I own all seasons of all the branches and completely love ST. Yes, this is the year of the geek and I am one happy little geek.

All of the above should have been read in a happy manic fast crazy girl voice, because I get way too excited about all three of those. What are you looking forward to?

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First, let me start by saying my character isn’t a Warlock or a Paladin so she doesn’t have one of those cool options. Now on the unfairness that is the chicken horse. I know it isn’t actually a horse, but when you hear the word mount don’t you think of a horse? I certainly did and I was super excited about having my own horsey in game. Yes, it’s a girly thing to be excited about, but I’m a girl.

Instead, I found out after I made my little priestess (who I adore) that she was going to get stuck riding a chicken. Sure, they fancy up the name and call it a hawkstrider. But let’s face facts folks, it’s a chicken. And not really a cute chicken either. My husband, who has been playing WoW longer, tried to make me feel better by telling me I could ride one of the other WoW mounts once my status was high enough with them and that there was a horse available. The big liar. There is a dead horse. Yeah, and a wolf, and a rhino, and a dino. At least on the hoard side. The Alliance gets a horse, a big cat, and an elephant, which in my opinion look better and are way cooler.

What is it with WoW refusing to give pretty stuff to the Horde? I’m starting a new movement. Chicks for cute Horde stuff. Who’s with me?

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I’ve been away from World of Warcraft for about a year now because I took some time off once the baby got more demanding. Now he is sleeping through the night and taking naps and I have all of this free time so of course I picked up the addiction again. How is this different? Well previously I only played with my husband who is really good at finding things and I just set to follow and killed and/or healed as needed. This time, however, I have more free time than he does so I’ve started making my own characters. I figured that it would be fun to do some on my own. I’d actually done this with a few Alliance characters but he mostly plays Horde so that’s what I’m doing this time.

So I made an Orc. Of all of the freaking races I have played she (my Shaman) has to be the most difficult to level ever. I mean really, what were they thinking? The quests I get are for multiple levels above where I am, they are a bajillion miles away from each other, and there are no real town with access to the profession I want until you get to O. Yeah…at like level ten if you did it by quest (I skipped to it so I could get some festival love in).

I ranted about it to hubby and he said it was because it was one of the first races and if Blizzard tried to revamp it now, old players who had leveling down would get pissed. Oh yeah? Listen up World of Warcraft….the new players are pissed. Revamp already.

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First, I must tell you that this is my definition of the best computer games. Okay? Not yours. Not the techno gamer guys out there, and not some gamer magazine. Mine. So don’t make fun of me.

Alrighty, I’ll start with something easy that most people will agree with. World of Warcraft totally makes my list. Why? Because it is so much freaking fun, duh. You can interact with as many or as few people as you want. You can solve puzzles or you can beat the stuffing out of critters. What’s not to like? Only down side with WoW is the patches and upgrades (geesh could they do it any more often?) It’s like they are on a mission to fragment my hard drive, but I have a defrag dagger so it’s all good.

Now for something that shows how much of a girl I am: SIMs. Ohh yeah baby. I love running other people’s lives. It’s so much easier and somehow soothing to decorate a house or tell your boss to bite you when it isn’t really you saying it, ya know?

Civilizations and Age of Empires are also highly ranked on the Birdie list. I love playing against my husband. Crazy addictive way to spend an entire weekend… mostly losing for me, but fun nonetheless.

Finally, the computer game that started it all: Diablo. Oh, how much do I love this game. AND there is a new one coming out. I’ll stop with that because I could gush for hours on how much I can’t wait and how excited I am and how I might need to buy a gaming machine just to celebrate

What are your favorite computer games?

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I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking it is impossible to get a hard core gaming machine for less than a couple grand. Right? Nope. It can be done. How? Well the cheapest way to get a great gaming machine is to build one. Yeah, I know. I can’t do it either. But it is the most cost efficient way to get your game on.

Next up? This hurts me to say because I dearly love my laptop. But if you want power that doesn’t cost a ton, you need a desktop. I know, I know. You can’t take it to bed with you and you can’t pretend to watch television with the family while you are really gaming, but we’re talking about money people! Who cares about fitting in?

Finally…sales, coupons, and rebates. If the company is making gaming machines somewhere you can find one of those three things. Wait for it. Don’t jump in and buy the first sexy machine you find. Wait, till you can get it for less, and I promise you, you will be able to get it for less. If you just can’t wait find a customer service number and call them…talk them into it. You can do it!

Now once you have your crazy cool new machine you need to keep it in optimum condition for patches and upgrades and of course, new games. Defrag that hard drive. Fragmentation equals sluggishness and that would be a total waste with a new machine.

What have you done to save money on a gaming machine in the past?

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Let’s say you’ve been playing a game online for awhile…a few years even. That means you have installed dozens of patches and probably several upgrades, right? Well let me ask you a question. When was the last time you defragged your computer? If it has been awhile then you probably have some defragmentation building up. The slow growth has inched its way along until you didn’t even notice your computer slow down.

Now you probably don’t even give it a second thought when there is a slight lag or when the downloads take longer than they used to. Do yourself a favor and clean up your game by cleaning up that fragmentation. I mean it. Finishing reading this and go defrag your machine. When it is all nice and clean restart it and then play. Better yet, find a patch or an upgrade to download and you’ll really be able to see the difference.

When you’ve done one or all of those come back and tell me how right I was, and how as a show of your undying gratitude you are going to send me a tricked out gaming machine to feed my addiction Just kidding, but seriously, let me know how it works for you.

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