End of 2010

As the end of this year approaches, it's time for me to review the results of my resolutions:

1. Resolution: Weigh 165-170lbs by 2011.

When I initially stated my weight was 195lbs, I found out a short while later my scale was broken. I was actually about 210. While I didn't hit the goals I initially set out to hit (165-170lbs, lose 30lbs), I came close. I'm checking in between 185-190 now, which means I lost 20-25lbs over the course of this year.

Admittedly, my weight loss wasn't at the forefront of my thoughts throughout most of the year and I lost a good chunk of that before March. The good news here is that I made enough minor changes to know I can maintain the weight loss it would seem. If 2011 works out the same as 2010 did, I'll hit my goal of 165-170lbs.

2. Resolution: Database Programming. Learn it. Love it.

Yeah this one didn't go as easily as I thought. Buying and reading books on this subject just put me to sleep most of the time. I wouldn't call myself an expert on the subject at hand just yet, but I made some in-rows.

Learning it: Yes.
Loving it: No.

3. Resolution: Debt under control enough to re-establish my own independence.

This resolution revolved mostly around trimming 3 people off my debtors list. I succeeded in doing this and then some. Now I have just one debtor and that one will take a few more years to pay off.

4. Resolution: Girlfriend moved to KY by the end of July 2010.

Didn't work out. She insists on finding a job before she moves and I'm insisting she won't find one until she's actually here. She's got some other legit concerns as well like medical insurance, etc.

She's actually self-imposed a deadline of July 2011 to move down here now.

5. Resolution: Improve my credit score by 50-100 points.

Great how fast credit can get destroyed but how long it takes to build. Despite having 0 new negative entries and clearing off a few others in 2010, my credit score went up a whole 12 points.

The whole goddamn system is a sham.

6. Resolution: Level at least 2 more jobs to 75 in 2010.

I stated BLM would be my next job to 75. I also wrote that blog post before SE announced they would be lifting the level cap to 99 and before they released Abyssea.

Abyssea changed the way jobs are leveled and pretty much everything about FFXI. While I did get bard up to end-game level (currently sits at 87), I didn't level BLM. However, I don't fret that too much given I can take BLM from 40-90 in a matter of 2-3 XP parties in Abyssea.

Anyway, I got to most of my goals for 2010 or a good chunk of the way there. I would expect to have similar goals for 2011, but I haven't given much thought to it. Eventually, I'll make a 2011 resolutions entry.

In the mean time, hope everyone had a great 2010 and can look forward to an even better 2011.

New DRG Stuff from Dec. Update

Got DRG to 90 last night and had a chance to fiddle around with the new stuff SE gave us. Didn't do any in depth testing, but...

Breath Commands

- Both of the breath moves are actual pet commands and not stances as some had speculated.

- Neither breath appears to be gimped. All of the same factors apply that would normally apply when triggering these breaths normally.

- This basically means I have to start carrying around my Wyvern HP+ set even when I'm subbing SAM.

- They do not share a timer.

- You cannot target other players with Restoring Breath.

These additions are huge for DRG and a bit of a god-send for mages who hate that DRGs are such MP sponges. Being able to cure myself for a huge amount once every minute will likely help ease up MP consumption rates and make DRG a lot more effective from a soloing/duoing standpoint. Smiting Breath is useful not only just for damage output potential, but for manually hitting up magic bursts if the wyvern is smart enough to use the correct breath.

Dragon Breaker

Admittedly, I only used this once last night on Cuelebre. However, the reductions it caused were very noticeable. Looked like the effect lasted approximately 3 minutes as well. Again though, I was just eyeballing that and didn't pay super close attention to it.

AF3 Body + Hands

Shit those things are smexy. The full set is probably one of the best sets of armor I've seen in this game. I was impressed with the original pictures that were shown on the Heroes of Abyssea microsite, but those were on a Hume. On an Elvaan, there's a lot more to see. Screenshots soon to follow hopefully...

And...hopefully getting the +1 or +2 versions of it aren't all that difficult.

Lv.90 Gungnir

So after reducing the relic trials to basically nothing...(really? 80% reductions?), I learned what the requirements were for getting the Lv.90 version of my relic.

For the record, I went into acquiring this particular piece of knowledge with a little bit of hope given how much they had reduced the previous trials, but part of me also had a sense of dread considering just how much time I actually wasted trying to get to this point anyway.

The trial is....

Kill Dagourmarche 5 times.

Don't remember him?

Yeah he would be this guy.


So...after enduring the bullshit that was:

1500 Geirskogul uses on Amorphs.
2000 Geirskogul killshots on Lizards.
2000 Geirskogul killshots on Arcana
2000 Geirskogul killshots on Vermin.
2000 Geirskogul killshots on Aquans.

Then getting no-lube sodomized by their 80% reductions on the trials...

Now I have to trudge into Dynamis-Beaucedine a minimum of 5 times, run all the way up to Nue's tower (anyone who's ever popped attestation NMs know what a bitch this actually is), then kill said NM 5 times.

Nevermind the 500k entry fee (x 5).

Or the 72 hour cool down...

At least it's not 2000 killshots again.

The part about this that bothers me isn't really the trial itself, it's just what the pattern seems to establish. If I have to go kill this NM 5 times, I suspect Lv.95 Gungnir will require me to go kill Gungnir itself 5 times.

Which leaves killing DL or something else Dynamis-related 5 times for the Lv.99 version.

Obviously, SE could throw a curve ball and just change it to something different, but I somewhat doubt it. SE hasn't been very creative in the trials for relics (or mythics for that matter).

Good thing is, it means Rustnarok will be completed and I'll have a buddy to take these down with.

...

I will fkn punch babies.

Hate you sometimes SE.

(Especially if that applies to 2H relics.)

Level 90 DRG...Some Other Random Sh*t Too.

We interrupt this long, blog writing hiatus to shoot out a few quick blurbs on the new JAs they've announced for the Dec. update.

Most notably...DRG.

Dragon Breaker (DRG Lv.87 Ability Delay: 10 min. Effect Duration: 3 min.)
Lowers accuracy, evasion, magic accuracy, magic evasion, and TP gain for dragons.

Smiting Breath (DRG Lv.90 Ability Delay: 1 min.)
Orders the wyvern to attack with its breath.

Restoring Breath (DRG Lv.90 Ability Delay: 1 min.)
Orders the wyvern to heal with its breath.

My first reaction to seeing these was FUCK YES!~

You see, I've been wanting a way to manually control the wyvern in the same way a SMN or BST or PUP could control their pets. As it stands right now, the only thing I can do as far as pet commands go are Call, Dismiss and Spirit Link. Obviously I can trigger other things the wyvern does depending which sub I have, but a way to send a wyvern in to attack or to call it back ("pet pulling") would be awesome. I've never understood why SE didn't implement this.

After the initial euphoria wore off, the questions started coming to mind about those breath abilities, namely Restoring Breath. Smiting Breath is blatantly obvious. There's not much you can do with it aside from potentially telling your wyvern to go nuke a target you're not currently engaged to.

Can Restoring Breath be used on other party members in the same manner a cure spell or a waltz would?

Is Restoring Breath influenced in the same manner as Healing Breath? Meaning, load up on Wyvern HP+ gear and boost it?

Will Deep Breathing work with it as well?

All of that will be answered when I hit 90 obviously, but it's at least fun to think about for now. So many possibilities, but, as is the case with any pet...

...the pet has to be alive.

Lv.85 Gungnir

It's getting harder and harder for me to find my way through these trials that SE puts in for relic holders. I knocked out about 250 of the objectives a couple weeks after Scars came out, but then I just had zero motivation to take it further.

With the previous 4 trials, I basically had to piss myself off completely before I was motivated to do them. Then I'd just hunker down for a week or so and pray I didn't Whiffskogul too much.

This particular trial was easier than the rest (except the first one, where I didn't have to land killshots, just use the WS itself). I just couldn't find the motivation at first, then I couldn't find the time. The trip up to Girlfriend's parents afforded me some time to work on this.

It actually afforded me more time than I thought it would.

I now have Lv.85 Gungnir just in time to be slapped with the next trial that will probably consist of 2500 kill shots on plantoids.

"Sh*t My Dad Says"

For the drive to Maine for Thanksgiving, I picked this book up on CD. Some seriously funny shit in there that damn near caused me to wreck a couple times from laughing. It's $10. Go to B&N or Borders or Amazon and get it.

Paraphrasing some of the more memorable quotes:

"Son, you're 4 years old. It's time to shit in the toilet. This isn't one of those negotiation things where we go back and forth. This ends with you shitting in the toilet."

"First thing about driving is that a car has 5 gears. What's that smell? Ok, first thing before that first thing: if you fart in a parked car, that makes you an asshole."

For those of you that don't know, this book basically started cause of a twitter account. Said twitter account can be found here:

http://twitter.com/shitmydadsays

It's been spun off into a TV show I have yet to watch as well.

One Ring To Ru...Yeah No.

"Engagement rings are pointless. Indians gave cows...Oh sorry, congrats on proposing. We good now? Can I finish my indian story?"

I figure another quote from "Sh* My Dad Says" is appropriate for this section...

I got Girlfriend the engagement ring she and her family have hounded me about since they initially met me.

Now I need to figure out how to stall the wedding for nearly 3 years like I did the ring...

Anyway...back to my hiatus...