I learned this morning that Ribbit passed away Sunday night. I'm heartbroken, and I can't imagine how his parents are feeling. Please join me in sending love and prayers to his family. Ribbit, I hope you have that island in the sky for real now!

Click on the image to view the screenshots I took of Ribbit's decorating extravaganza on Guk back on March 10.

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Mom isn't very technically-minded, although she has the hang of Solitaire, email, and Facebook (much to my chagrin! LOL). Dad, however, has always been pretty geeky and open to — even excited about — new technologies, so I realized today that I should ask him to start a blog. He wouldn't necessarily write about current events…I'm more interested in him putting down in his own words the stories of his life, and transcribing those seemingly random vignettes of memory that we all have from time to time when our brain isn't focused on anything in particular.

I suppose it would be a good habit to get into myself, actually; when my mind wanders, I recall the damnedest things — moments that, for one reason or another, are indelibly pressed into my brain.

For instance, the other day I was walking Lola in the bright sunshine, and I thought about getting sunburned. Then I remembered this time when I was a kid, maybe 8 or 9 years old…

It was a hot Southern summer, and I was out of school. I took this picnic-blanket-thing that was soft on one side and plastic on the other, and I laid it out on the grass in the backyard. It was so bright out that I folded up one corner and laid it over my face as I lay there looking at the clouds. Then, stupid me, I got so relaxed I fell asleep. I couldn't have been out for that long, since Mom hadn't come looking for me yet, but it was long enough. I looked like a boiled lobster, and just on one side! In the days after came the blistering and peeling — oh, the joys of being a fair-skinned redhead. That lesson was learned, needless to say!

Of course, as a kid, I was always upset that I didn't tan like the rest of my friends, so I tried whatever I could. My childhood felt like one failed tanning experiment after another, even including self-tanning lotion. I was probably in high school before I finally gave up and resigned myself to the fact that all I'd ever get were freckles or blisters. Typically, now, I love my skin.

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She was a shining example of guinea pig-dom. She was the original Guinea Goddess. While it breaks our hearts to finally have to say goodbye to her, we know that she's no longer in pain or distress. I always used to call her my "angel pig," and now she finally is one.

She grew to be a stubborn, moody thing as the years went by, and I think she overcame her various health issues by sheer will alone: it was her way or the highway! I used to joke that the Rainbow Bridge didn't want her, and Hell was afraid she'd take over. Through all her bossiness, cage-chewing, and demands for MORE FOOD!!, she always loved to cuddle with me and was as content as could be in my arms. She loved to give kisses, stretching out her nose to touch someone as soon as she was close enough.

I'm going to miss her very, very much. The sun is a little dimmer now that she's gone.

We gave Mimi and Mona a chance to say goodbye. Mona wasn't quite sure what to do, but Mimi laid down next to Isis and tried to wake her up. It was heartbreaking, but I'm glad that she passed at home and they were able to see her one last time.

I'm not sure when I'll stop crying — probably not for a long while yet. It grieves me to let her go, but it's my firm belief that she's found herself a big carrot patch somewhere over the Rainbow Bridge and is furiously chomping away at them.

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There are a few potion "strengths" available for purchase, differing in the amount of time each one lasts as well as the percentage bonus given when you consume it. The one I went with gave me a 55% XP bonus for 2 hours, and it cost 2500 Station Cash — the equivalent of $25.00.

Spending so much on a potion made me not want to waste a single drop of it. As long as my main was logged in, she was going to be chained to that crafting station! This sounds like exactly what I was hoping for, except for one thing: Vitality.

At those levels, 100% vitality will only last a couple of levels. With my vitality bonus and the XP potion, I burned through them within about 30 minutes. Oh hey, look! I have this, which will refill my vitality once a week! That's another couple of levels down, woohoo! Wow, I still have a whole HOUR left on my potion!

…But the vitality is gone, with no way to refill it except to not play that character for a few days. Continuing to try and level with no vitality — XP potion or no — isn't exactly my idea of a good time.

And that's how I spent the last few weeks. I spent almost the entire time on my secondary characters (a Tailor and a Carpenter), running the daily tradeskill missions for fun and profit.

Here comes the best part:

Not only have those two alts gained just as many tradeskill levels as my main, but they've earned a boatload of plat AND earned max faction with their respective crafting groups. Buying that potion and doing my best to take full advantage of its benefits has left my main WEEKS behind in faction and coin — not to mention $25.00 lighter.

My advice? Don't purchase the Marketplace potions unless you have money — and time — to burn.

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I guess you could say I enjoy things that stimulate my senses; when shopping, I'm always touching things, loving the textures of fabrics and materials. I love eating good food…it's hard to stop because I enjoy the flavor so much. I like looking at shiny, colorful, or bright things that catch and hold my eye. I almost always have scented candles or incense burning because I love the different aromas.

All this makes it easy to overindulge when I should be thinking about the bigger picture. I want a second helping of pasta because it turned out so well. I want to order another box full of beads because they're new and shiny or have such pretty colors. It's not that I need to stop enjoying these things; I just need to know when to stop.

I have more than enough materials to make countless bits of jewelry…all I have to do is sit down and commit some of my ideas to the materials I have on-hand. I don't need to cook less-tasty food…I need to learn to listen to my stomach when it tells me I'm sated rather than listen to my tongue and get another helping.

There's more to be said, but that's for another post at another time. Suffice to say that this year will be a year of moderation!

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