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Give us your feedback and follow ups in this thread!!  We want to know what you think about the Podcast.

Since a lot of people choose "other" for what they are going to dress up as... What are you doing for Halloween? Are you dressing up? Are you staying home and handing out candy?

I stay home and hand out candy but no one trick or treats in my apartments. I still haven't figured out a costume yet but my husband will be dressing up as Jim Root mask and all. Maybe I will make him hand out the candy.

Looks like they party hard this past weekend. The Skeleton can't even stand up.

I am still trying to get caught up after being out for a few days... I wonder why.  But I cam across this Guide post and thought that I would share it.

"Yeah so during the recent "crisis" where I live, I was interviewed briefly by a local news channel. Let me give a little background.


About a week + a few days ago a propane plant exploded in the northern end of my city. 12,000 residents were evacuated to shelters and hospitals, and emergency services teams responded with amazing skill and enthusiasm. Included in the responding teams were: Paramedics, Fire fighters, Police, and Crisis workers (Including myself).

In an interview a few days ago myself and my team were asked what compelled us to leave our homes and other jobs and take over shifts for Paramedics, SPCA workers (looking to find lost pets), and bring constant supplies of food, water, and hygiene stuff (soap, razors, feminine products, etc) from home.

During that interview I was asked what I do with my free time that has me so committed to helping people. My response was:
"During my free time I don't do very much aside from play online video games including World of Warcraft, Counter Strike, and Everquest. I also spend a lot of time doing work with an online volunteer service for Everquest known as the "Guide Program", which spends its days helping players, and adding more fun to the game via events and what not."

I learned from this interview that the reporter interviewing me happens to play Everquest and is familiar with the guide program and what it does.

We ended the interview with a thank you from both my team and the reporter, as well as several thank yous from many people who had been living in a shelter at a nearby university.



It's nothing really special and I'm trying to locate a video (if there is one, which I'm sure there is) of the interview. I just thought you guys would find it nice that even news reporters know of Everquest and the guide program =)


Skyarryn the Furrball of Doom
Antonius Bayle"

So today I was wondering around Greater Faydark when I saw this little frog... I called him a name and told him that his mother ate flies... He responded with," Yes she does for lunch and dinner."

I giggled and read it aloud to my cubical dwellers. I had been looking around in Norrath because I had heard you could get shinnies for your house with the notes. I must have the shinnies. My lab at home looks a little sparse and always needs a bit of light and color in it.

After figuring out that my insults had no affect on the toad I wondered off just to hear his cries for help a bit later. So at that point the others around me taunted him telling him that metal in a storm is not what you want to hold. Being the nice little Gnome that I am I offered to help. Took me a bit to find him down on the Faydark floor under the city.

He had a crowd around him already, by the time I reached him, offering him help. The group quickly invited me and we set to dispatching the beasts back to where they came from. It was a lot of fun and my first Guide quest in EQII. Yes I help the Program and yes I tend to let the players get the quests. But today I wanted in on it.

After a few rounds I dropped the group to give others a try and to write my report. The other adventurers tried to get me to return o the fun but I just stood back and watched. Gnomes do like to record things ya know.

I must admit that Morian shout of "Tunare's panties that thing be ugly!!" gave me and Gnorbin a case of the giggles.

If you get a chance and see a poor Guide being chased by storm you may want to stop and help him or her out. I met new people and had a bit a fun doing it.

Hey guys!

I was just curious what game you guys are most curious to see at Fan Faire?

1 7 5 14 3 25

So... I just had to share this... Today I was the first student to arrive at my speech class. I ride my bike to school, so I though I could sneak in drop my books off, and then run to the restroom to clean up. Oh no. Not today. My teacher was laying in wait with a special speaker.

As soon as I entered the room he called me up to his desk. They wanted me to fill out a few online questionnaires. The DISC and PIAV assessments to be exact. While I filled in the questionnaire they started the lecture. Once I was done they talked another student into doing the questions. But they were done lecturing when she finished the questions so they started on her report right away.

They made me wait. She was a CS with Social and Theoretical values. Which was very fitting for a Pharmaceutical major. Very typical and average.

Finally they call me up to the front of the room. Since the students had experienced the system they ask them to guess my stats.  The room tortured me by telling me I was a happy little I. Obviously they didn't know that I was a Gnome. I smiled and played a long with it until they displayed my results.

The speaker oh so nicely called me a jerk. I am a CD. Oh no you aren't really a jerk but you may come off as one.

Robyn is alert and sensitive to her errors and mistakes. She constantly seeks to avoid errors in her work. To some people, Robyn may appear to be analytical. Once Robyn has started a project, she dislikes interruptions. When Robyn sees something that is wrong she wants to fix it. She is oriented toward achieving practical results. Robyn may be overly sensitive to criticism of her work. If you do comment on her work you had better be right, since she may not take criticism lightly. Her motto for work may well be the coined phrase, "quality is job number one." Getting the project or job done right is important to her. If forced to choose between producing quality work or quantities of work, quality will be the winner. She has a need to achieve in an environment in which the quality is controlled. She can become frustrated when put in a situation that is nothing more than a rambling discussion. She wants to make certain that detailed reports are accurately completed. This tendency can be reassuring to Robyn's supervisors. Because Robyn has such high standards, sometimes she feels that only she can perform a particular task. She prides herself on being incisive. She wants to get things done by proceeding with the facts that are at hand.

This went on for an hour. They had to explain me to the class because all of their guesses were so wrong. "I can fake being nice when I want something. So I fooled the class into thinking I was nice because I want a good grade in the class." Then they called me moody and constantly at war with myself. I see the goal that I want but I see all of the traps on the path. So I am always struggling to take that step.

Then they brought up my PIAV scores. I ranked so high in Aesthetic that they pretty much called me a freak. Well they were a little nicer then that, they said my score was "rare". And then they went into an hour discussion on that. Oh no. No one has ever heard on an Artistic Driven person before. The rest of the class they (the teacher and speaker) kept making jokes at my expense. "Don't worry Robyn. We know you need proof so just wait a minute and we will get it." ...

Fine I will take my Conscientious, Dominance, Aesthetic, Theoretical, moody self off and be me in that corner away from everyone. It's prettier over here away.

Sometimes I forget how big our community is. On the computer I can instantly contact people that I have been involved with for years now. I think of it in turns of a large family. I might not be close to all of them but we are connected.

There are all different kinds of roles that are filled just through a computer. Just like that grumpy cousin or uncle I can contact instantly even though they are in another state or country. It is kind of eye opening when something happens to remind you of how far apart you really are.

Here I sit in partly sunny San Diego and a member of our Guide family emailed in because she may be floating away soon. In the midst of her emergency she remembered to let her extended family know about her situation.  

My thoughts and prayers are with those struggling in the waters right now specially Graacie since she lets us know that she was in the middle of it.

This past weekend I committed an act most foul. It is almost too horrible to think about let alone share. I tried to stop them. I called out to each and every one begging and pleading with them to stop.

No matter my husbands nor my efforts worked. They kept throwing their little bodies against my car and I committed acts of genocide.

You would think that certain highways and interstates have been in place for years and that they would be able to adapt. But no. They refuse. Their great great great great great great great grandfather traveled this way and so must they. You would think that they just watched half of their immediate family get vaporized. That they might want to stop and go another way. Again no.

I tried not to think about it for a few days and to leave them be. But again traveling home the same suicidal group launched their little bodies against my car.

It became unbearable (couldn't see) so we made arrangements. Upon reaching a destination that would suit our needs I dared to look upon their last stand.

I could not believe it. I thought maybe a few but no it was beyond belief. I couldn't count the numbers of lives that were lost. If I had to make a guess it would be a million little flyers that lost their lives.

My husband took care of the water burial as I watch on in silent disbelief.

Yes I am slow at writing. I like to not feel stressed when I write, which is very difficult for me.

I am currently a full time student, work full time, have a husband, and try to pretend to be an artist. I can not decide what type of artist I want to be which I think stresses me out the most.

I am currently a student of Multimedia at San Diego Mesa Community College. Now one of the main requirements for this degree is Mult 112 Multimedia Authoring. ... ... ...

Now to me I interrupt this as creating all different types of multimedia. Nope. Not even close. It is an introduction to Flash. So why not name it Introduction to Flash. I have tried to take this class a few times. Each time I end up so frustrated that I can not think straight and my husband suffers for it.

I do not find the class to be very difficult but very tedious. It is all of the little tiny steps that you have to do and if you miss one some where yeah well have fun fixing it.

Yeah yeah I know you are saying hey wait a minute you are a Gnome and love tedious things. Flash does not count. I do not have the space currently available in my brain for remembering if I have the window selected and the right key frame picked to make the thing do the thing.

Brenlo likes to make fun of me. He says it is because I do not like to get involved with things unless I can do them right so I practice avoidance behavior. And I whine about the class but I currently have a 100% in the class.

This is my third time taking the class. I always get so caught up in the darn projects that I can not see past them. So if I can not do one of them I must drop the class. I know I am dumb.

So this was supposed to be the start of my summit review... Can't you tell? At least I didn't reference what every one else is talk/writing/singing about today. I won't say it you can not make me so do not ask. (Tries not to think about Coyotes blog.)

But anyways my new art obsession is glass beads. Troll Beads to be exact. My art teachers make me collect magazines as a way of cheap models and ideas. Well about two months ago I found Troll Beads. They are fantasy based big chunky glass beads.

What fantasy gamer geek girl wouldn't naturally love these? So of course my sister Heather naturally hates them. She has always played opposites with me. I played EverQuest she played that DAO something game. I played EverQuest II so she played that other game. So while I am trying to figure out on how to smuggle glass and a blow torch into my apartment she is thinking about moving to Oklahoma.

Yeah well we shall see who wins.

Ack has it really been that long since I posted? Geesh I think I will go hide now.

I think that this Gnome likes to stay too busy. I start this then I work on that and then this other thing just sort of happened and then you just know that it is the end of the week. I soon as I think that I have passed on the juggling of one ball I am then reminded that I forgot to get the debate on Guide of the Month started but then I get news that I am supposed to write an article for the magazine EQuinox.

At what point can I say that I want to take my balls and go home? What? I can't? Well oh darn. I missed the boat on the EQ Guide Festival of Love and well no one called me on it until I remembered it this morning. I am planning on reorganizing them to go along more with EQII's festivals but I hadn't started that yet. I guess I had better not miss the EQ Guide Festival of Time for next month.

I have a To Do List that I keep with this neat little tool we use but I always seam to be moving things to next week. I think that this Gnome needs to invent some kind of nagging bot. "You haven't updated the Vanguard Knight quests in awhile get to it" "You need to finish the wedding and Irongut additions to EQ"  "You need to not kill Gordo the next time he jokes that you do not work".

Last week they moved my desk. Which was kind of nice. I use to have a giant tv and ps2 set up with two other computers on my little desk. It did not leave me a lot of room. Recently Gordo moved out of the building to be nearer to his sub team and well they let me have his desk. He left behind kind of a older computer. The computer met the spects needed to be able to run my EQOA client on it so I no longer the tv/ps2 but I get a third computer.

See the little space on my new desk where my purse its? I am thinking about sticking a mac there. = p We will see. What Gnome doesn't want a wall of computers.

Do you see the little white plastic trash can in the lower right. This is the only thing I have manage to keep in the 9 years that I have worked here. I am mental about it. I have moved buildings, desks, chairs, computers, and team a lot but I have kept that stupid trash can. One day they were doing video in the area and well they didn't like it or something and it went missing. Three weeks later, two freak outs and collecting all of the white trash cans in the building I was able to find it again. Mine.

In the lower right corner you should see a small stool with a tee shirt on it. I have been saving that shirt for a bit to send it to an Old Elder Guide Shanta. One of these days it will be mailed to her.

And well yeah that is my desk. = p

Who got my old little itty bitty desk... hehehe Grimwell grabbed it. Shhh no one tell him that it is small.

(Posted for Ash.)

I am on my way to mee Brenlo for breakfast. I keep leaving my room the wrong way. Lol... This is the view from my deck. Gabi stole my coffee and ipod and is chilling with Lumpy... Off to see the hotel.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/queenl...bug/2248663096/

This Gnome is over whelmed. I wouldn't say that there is so much to do with so little time but stuff like that I like.

I have been regularly informed that I type like a Gnome. (Well duh I am a Gnome.) And that I need to talk/type more like a Human in Common Tongue. Unfortunately being a Gnome I find it very hard to slow down and talk like I am eating each word. Have you ever seen them do it?

The Humans or worse Ogres tend to open their mouth really wide and stretch out their lips like they have to say the word and then show you that they know how to say the word. Sometimes watching them can be scary. I know Humans do not really eat Gnomes but whenever an Ogre starts to make those faces we Gnomes tend to back off. You are never sure if they are going to grab you or give you the answer to world peace.

Recently there were a few shifts in the Guide Program that have had a few growing pains.

We gained Vanguard Knights! Yay! Welcome. But lost a lot of paper work on how to buff and get them going. It has taken us awhile but we now feel like we can move this program forward. The application to be a Knight is located at https://guide.vanguardsoh.com/guideapp/ but we have yet to get it working. So if anyone would like to join the Crimson Knights please feel free to emails us at guideadmin@soe.sony.com.

We also had a pretty big change in the leadership of the Program.

Retired

Jessla joined the Guide Program on January 8, 2000 as generation 51. She made Senior within the year and Elder within two years. She spent the next five years devoted to being an Elder Guide. She was very controversial but there was no doubt about her passion for the Program.  

Taesha joined the Guide Program on March 31, 2000 as generation 63. She made Senior within the year and the Policy Team Chair within three years. She wrangled control of the P&P for the next three years before taking on the Elder role for the next year. There was no one that knew the P&P better then her.

Parcy joined the Guide Program on February 25, 2005 as generation 319. He made Senior within the year and Elder within two years. He helped on our Tech Team, became our Application Grader Chair (his notes do not really list when this happened), and joined the Policy Team for a bit. Sometime during all of this he helped make us a tool to parse our daily reports and got married.

Newly Promoted

Ainure joined the Guide Program on January 26, 2001 as generation 106. She then spent the next few months getting in trouble for going above and beyond. She took on to much in mentoring Apprentices, gave out a few too many resurrections to the players, logged on to the excess of 30 hours a week. She even joined the Grading Team. They finally allowed her to become a Senior two years later. She then joined the Swat Team and NDCS. Four years later she took on the Personnel Team Chair for the next year until she was asked to take on the Elder role.

Noomecookie joined the Guide Program on August 26, 2004 as generation 294. He quickly joined the Swat Team and took over the Quests for his server. After two years be was promote to Senior. He was then awarded the Guide of the Year award for EverQuest in 2006 for his outstanding contributions. It was only one more year until he was promoted to Elder.

Misharu joined the Guide Program on May 5, 2001 as generation 121. As a resident of New York he still logged in to stay a part of the program while he helped rebuild his city. Two years later he was promoted to Senior, took on the Grading Team, added the Personnel Team, and helped train Guides in EQII for awhile. He and Kochanie took on the Personnel Team Chair, until he was promoted to Elder Guide this year, leaving Kochanie with the Personnel Team. 

There is more going on then just that. We have been working hard with EQII Dev to get us a few more things. (More to come soon(tm).) I have been helping out more with our Newsletters. All of them for now have been sent out except for MxO I am still awaiting approval on it. Raijinn keeps getting mad at me because I keep calling it the PlaneSide Newsletter. And and and a lot of stuff you do not want to hear. (Like I went to the Chiropractor yesterday and found out that my neck is inverting itself and I have a compressed L4.) And school started up again. At least I do not feel bad for ignoring Kander. He is in crunch until launch. = p

*This poor little report was in such a hurry that they forgot to sign the report.

This evening, this reporter was strolling around a quiet Qeynos Harbor, when who should I stumble across, but one of the wonderful Kithicor Guides!  I'd heard that they are always willing to take time out for "the people of Kithicor", and I suddenly had a brave moment!   

"Greetings Milady." /curtsey  (so as to not get the anonymous Guide in trouble for any secrets that she might share, I shall simply refer to her as "Milady"  

Before she can even open her mouth to reply to me, I quickly, almost tripping over my tongue put forth my brave and special request: Milady, I am a reporter for the Kithicor Gnome News; and I'm certain that our readers would just love to see just what a Guide does during her shift; and perhaps share some insights? 

I stood there, hopeful, with thoughts of a Gnomlitzer Prize...oops - that was my out loud thought!

The reply almost struck me dumb: she smiled at me and replied, "I am most honored that you have chosen me to shadow around.  I shall do my best to answer any questions, but please forgive me if I delay in replying to you."

Yes!  I was in!  Into this secret mysterious world of "The Guide Program"!  I struggled to organize my thoughts.

So Milady - my first question for you that I'm sure most of our readers wonder: What does a guide actually do?

Milady:  We Guides are volunteers (just like you!) who to our best to enhance the players' experiences in-game by role-playing with them, and even holding events and quests!  

Gnome Reporter:  Volunteers?  I thought you were just like GM's?

Milady: No GR, although I do suspect that some of the players out there think that.  The GM's are actually employees of the company; we're players just like any other out there, who have chosen to volunteer some of our time out there for the good of the community.

GR: So why did you volunteer, Milady?

I wait a moment, as a handsome young player Fae stopped to greet the Guide.  I observed them chat about the long trek from Faydark to Qeynos and the thrilling boat ride; and the adventures that he had planned for that day.  There was some talk of milk and cookies mmmm yummy!

Milady: Sorry for the delay GR; my first focus must always be the players!  I chose to volunteer for the program just to give something back to the community that I had played in so long.

GR: Oh! I see, so all of your friends are here on Kithicor then!

Milady: <laughs> No my little Gnome friend - Guides must be above all reproach and not have any sense of possible favoritism; so my player character is almost like a completely different person, on a completely different world and server.

GR: Ahh that makes sense - it could appear a little unfair otherwise.  So if there is someone causing trouble here, say, advertising "the unmentionable" - you can kick them off and make a whole lot of players happy?

Milady: Maybe you shouldn't publish this comment - but some days I wish we could! <laughs>  But seriously, our primary focus is to role-play around Norrath, meet and greet the people, and direct players to the appropriate ways to seek assistance from the Customer Support team. 

Milady: I'm going to head on over to look at Darklight Wood now to see some of the new players to the world...we're not normally supposed to do this, but since you're an official reporter, want to come with me?  

GR: Umm Darklight Wood is a long way from here!  *blinks* She disappeared.  /sigh So much for my....wait a minute, how can I be zoning to Darklight Wood from Qeynos!?

I think I'm going to have to recover from that shock, and collect my thoughts for Part II.

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I wanted to start this a little early to make sure that I had time to plan for it.

Ashlanne and a few of us are going to Dragon Con at the end of the week.
What type of candid camera action should I use on her? What picture do you want to see of her?

Happy  Late Monday!!

I am so sorry this is late. I forgot that Ashlanne was off this week.

I think that we have something for decorating peoples desks.
Gordo went away for a week and well someone did this....