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Podcasts

- Spider is Recalculating – Episode 060
  November 8, 2020Podcasts / Words of JenIn this episode, I read a short story that I wrote in 2018 (and posted on Mastodon). It is a true story of what happened when a large and incredibly dumb spider decided to come in for a visit. I read “Spider is Recalculating” on Episode 060 of Words of Jen. #NaPodPoMo 2020 If you enjoyed this episode please consider supporting me on PayPal.me. Thank you! https://media.blubrry.com/bookofjen/p/ins.blubrry.com/bookofjen/woj060.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS...

Diablo

- Season 22: Nephalem Rift and Leveling Crafters
  November 24, 2020Diablo III / Diablo VideosFor Season 22, I decided to switch things up a bit and play a Softcore Barbarian (instead of my usual Hardcore Barbarian). My hope is that this decision would make it quicker for me to complete the Season Journey. Note: There are some flashing lights in this video. In this video, I ran a Nephalem Rift on Normal Difficulty and leveled the Crafters to Level 10. I started off by doing something I don’t normally do. I bought some armor and a shield from Squirt the Peddler before I started leveling up my Barbarian. Previously, I would start playing as is. I recommend buying armor before starting the leveling process on a new Seasonal character. It helped at lot! Immediately after doing that, my Barbarian ran through a Nephalem Rift on Normal difficulty. I attempted to prioritize going after the bigger monsters (packs of blue ones, or yellow ones with minions). I learned last Season that doing so makes it quicker to complete the Rift and get the Rift Guardian. I finished the Nephalem Rift at Level 5, and then finished leveling the Crafters to Level 10. Objectives completed: Begin Again: Complete a Nephalem Rift. Use the Nephalem Obelisk in town while in Adventure Mode to start a Nephalelm Rift.Life With Meaning: Raise the Blacksmith to level 10. Leveling up the Blacksmith unlocks access to higher weapon and armor recipes.Just a Hobby: Raise the Jeweler to level 10. Leveling up the Jeweler unlocks higher level gem recipes.Watch Yourself: Raise the Mystic to level 10. Leveling up the Mystic enables her to enchant more item types and unlocks new Transmogrify looks. #NaPodPoMo 2020 If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting me on PayPal.me. Thank you! https://media.blubrry.com/bookofjen/p/ins.blubrry.com/bookofjen/Season_22_Nephalem_Rift_and_Leveling_Crafters.mp4Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSS...

Book Reviews

- Where’d You Go, Bernadette – by Maria Semple
  September 13, 2019Book Reviews / fictionBernadette is a quirky, unbalanced, architect who hasn’t worked in a while. Her husband, Elgin, works for Microsoft. They live in Seattle with their wonderful daughter, Bee. Bee comes home from school with a stellar report card and asks her parents for a trip to Antarctica (a promised reward for good grades). Bernadette disappears shortly before the trip. This leaves her family wondering: “Where’d you go, Bernadette?” I am aware that this book has been made into a movie, but I haven’t watched it yet. Everything I put into this book review is from what I read. The thing I liked the most about this book is the format that the story was presented in. Almost everything is a letter, note, email, or other type of information written by one of the characters and sent to another. The rest comes to the reader from the viewpoint of Bee. My best guess is that there may be other books written this way. But, this one felt unique because it included such a wide variety of things that the reader gets to take a look it. The reader learns about the various characters – their personalities, motivations, desires – by “snooping” on things they wrote that were intended to be private. Another advantage of using this technique of storytelling is that the reader never had to guess which character’s head they were in, or who was speaking. Just look at the bottom of the note, where someone signed their name! The reader isn’t the only one reading things they weren’t meant to see. As the book goes on, it is revealed that the little pieces of writing that connect to either Bernadette or Elgin are a collection that Bee is pouring over. She wants to try and solve the mystery of where her mother went, in the hopes of finding her. Without giving away too much of the story, I can say that part of it is about Bernadette’s past as an architect. She was brilliant, and had an eclectic style that often incorporated salvaged pieces. But then, something happened that she never quite got over. Elgin is described as a “guru” at Microsoft. He’s a bit distant, and tends to focus a lot on his work. As such, he comes across as either oblivious or simply uninterested in socializing with coworkers. Put this together with Bernadette’s agoraphobia, and it kind of explains why the two of them have become disconnected from each other. There is a hysterically funny scene involving a mudslide (and I know that sounds terrible). No one is physically harmed, but there is plenty of property damage. It is the culmination of a “fight” between Bernadette and a character that I found to be unlikable. I believe the reader is supposed to have that reaction to that specific character. There are beautiful descriptions of Antarctica, as seen from a cruise ship. Maria Semple paints a vivid picture, and I felt like I could “see” the different colors of the snow, ice, and sky as I read through that part of the book. As I already mentions, I have not watched the movie that was based on this book. I cannot help but wonder what the visuals in the movie are like. In many ways, this book is about characters who are too wrapped up in themselves to properly form relationships with others. They all have their own reasons for being like that. There is an underlying theme of broken trust and an attempt to repair it. By the end of the book, the mystery of where Bernadette went, and why she went there, is revealed. I found it to be a satisfying ending. The book is funny, and strange, and is has the most delightful way of giving the reader little pieces of the mystery of Bernadette’s disappearance to stitch together. Some of the characters grow, and in doing so, are able to see where they have made mistakes. It leaves the reader with the reassurance that, despite what happened, relationships can sometimes be repaired if everyone involved chooses to work on them. Where’s You Go, Bernadette – by Maria Semple is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on PayPal.me. Thank you!...

World of Warcraft

- WoW Classic: Flight Plans
  January 27, 2020World of Warcraft / World of Warcraft ClassicVaca has acquired a weapon called Goblin Smasher, and is ready to put it to use! She was Level 12, and prepared to go finish some quests. These screenshots were taken on September 12, 2019. The day started with a flight over The Barrens. The goal for Vaca, and her friend Neverlast, was to turn in a quest at Thunder Bluff. Shortly after arriving, Vaca fell right off the ramp. She sat at the bottom, waiting for Neverlast to catch up with her. They turned in the Ride to Thunder Bluff quest to Ahana the Leather Armor Merchant. As you can see, Vaca and Neverlast had matching, fancy, purple cloaks. Ahanu: Ah, a new bundle of hides. I will get to work on these immediately! Thank you, sister. You have done me a great service. Here are some coins to pay for your time and travel costs. Ahanu quickly crafted some leather goods. He put them into a bag (one for each of us to carry) and sent us to to Tal the Wind Rider Master. Tal the Wind Rider Master: Greetings, warrior! What can I do for you? The answer to that question was obvious. Now leaving Thunder Bluff – destination Crossroads. Somewhere along the way, our Wind Riders synced up and became one. After landing on solid ground, Vaca and Neverlast spoke with Jahan Hawkwing at the Crossroads. He is the Leather & Mail Armor Merchant. We gave him Ahanu’s Leather Goods. Jahan Hawkwing: Vaca, you are back from Thunder Bluff? Did you deliver the hides to Ahanu? Eventually, the Tauren found their way to Ratchet. Neverlast and Vaca found the dock, and spoke with Wharfmaster Dizzywig. Wharfmaster Dizzywig: You seek passage on the next ship, or have some item you wish to send aboard it? I honestly cannot remember who we got this quest from, or where we obtained the Secure Crate that Wharfmaster Dizzywig wanted. It didn’t take long to walk from the dock to the Flight Master. Neverlast and Vaca discovered a new flight path! They immediately made use of it! It was easy to see why this place was called Thorn Hill. Neverlast and Vaca make a good team. But, sometimes Warriors get the idea that they can take on more than they actually are capable of fighting. Both of the Tauren ended up here. The Tauren needed to collect a few more body parts from plainstriders in order to finish a quest. Vaca was very close to hitting Level 13. Killing plainstriders for experience points will do! Vaca hit Level 13 after killing a plainstrider. Neverlast was already at Level 13, and had been for a little while. The Tauren spoke with Serga Darkthorn at the Crossroads. She was the one who sent Neverlast and Vaca out to obtain plainstrider parts. Serga Darkthorn: Have you collected the plainstrider beaks? The Tauren handed over the beaks, and completed the Plainstrider Menace quest. What was Serga Darkthorn doing with the plainstrider beaks? It was a mystery. Serga Darkthorn: How many zhevra have you slain? This was a quest that the Tauren hadn’t gotten around to working on yet. Serga Darkthorn wants Vaca and Neverlast to collect zhevra hooves. It wasn’t clear what Serga was going to do with those. The Tauren decided it was better not to ask her about it. Before leaving the Crossroads, Neverlast and Vaca stopped to talk with Thork. He was the one who gave them a quest called Disrupt the Attacks and sent them out to kill Razormane. Thork gave them a new quest called The Disruption Ends. Thork: One of my scouts witnessed an attack on a caravan from Durotar, Vaca. The culprits are indeed from the Razormane tribe of quilboars. One of the quilboars in particular is leading the raids: Kreenig Snarlsnout. He was seen northeast of here, just south of the road from Durotar. If the threat is to be ended, then Kreenig must die. To be sure the attacks cease, though, I say we add insult to injury. Kill Kreenig along with more of their tribe, and return to me when you have his tusk. Before slaughtering more Razormane, Neverlast and Vaca returned to Thunder Bluff. Hunter’s Rise had class trainers that could give them access to new and improved skills. The Hunter Trainer and the Warrior Trainer share this space. Vaca spent some time – and money – getting new skills and upgrading some of the skills she already had. She would have to return here again after leveling up some more and unlocking new skills. This seemed like a good place to stop and take a rest. Much progress was made, and Neverlast and Vaca needed to gather energy to fight the Razormane when next they set out. WoW Classic: Flight Plans is a post written by Jen Thorpe on Book of Jen and is not allowed to be copied to other sites. If you enjoyed this blog post please consider supporting me on PayPal.me. Thank you!...

Out of Spoons (Chronic Illness)