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		<title>zercie</title>
		<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/feed.php</link>
		<description>Grannie Z</description>
		<language>en-US</language>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:26 -0500</pubDate>
		<item>
			<title><![CDATA[Thanksgiving 2009]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[On Thanksgiving day 2003 I was working as a clerk on a nursing unit at a nearby hospital.  I had been a clerk for 25 years reading patient heart monitors and scribing doctors orders.  My health was taking an unexpected turn and I hadn’t felt good for about a year.  The phone which I answered for work became a personal call when I found myself being told of a family tragedy.  My favorite uncle had-had cancer for several years.  He was very sad and lonely, missing my aunt who had died years before.  They found the note that my uncle left for us all at her grave telling us goodbye.  I know that he must be sorry even now for hurting us that way, but we have had to understand the pain he went through daily until he could no longer bear it.  
Soon afterwards I found myself as a patient with my arch enemy asthma giving me pneumonia many times over and over.  I fell down and hurt my knee to where I will never be able to run, ride a bicycle or jog up stairs again.  For 2 and ½ years I was destitute and survived only because my elderly parents took me in.
In that time I began to gain a lot of weight until I am now bigger (thought much shorter) than Santa Clause.
I also became a mother-in-law and a grandmother.  Time made me stop and look around at the blessings that I have.  If you ever want to be someone special in life then there is a simple secret to it.  Hug your blessings every day.  If possible hug them several times a day.  They don’t have to be family members or even people.  Our blessings are anyone or anything that belongs in our hearts.  They are our treasures because we hold them dear.  If it ends up that what you hold dear is not your treasure it will let you know.
Things that do not belong to us can not live with us.  They always move on because they crowd the things that belong in our hearts.  There’s no room for second best for any of us.  
I look back over the year 2009 and see a beautiful collage` of pictures.  Although poor, no one eats better than those in my family.  
My father was always a skilled fisherman.  He would bring home a very big catch any time he’d go out in his boat and then share with everyone what he’d caught.  Family, friends, neighbors and strangers would benefit from his net and cane poles.  His health became too bad to get in and out of boats so he turned to gardening.  Working in the hot sun over his gardens is very good for him.  It helps his arthritis and increases the circulation of his blood.  (It does the opposite for me, so I cook.)  Now my father shares the bounty of his garden with people instead.  It helps keep his pride and he feels very useful (which he is).  Instead of fishing for fish he now fishes for men.  He is a preacher or ‘minister’ of God in the Christian faith.  His ‘gift’ is in being able to provide scripture references without needing to look them up.  He can literally quote the Bible as needed for his sermons.  His sermons are only at home to 1 or 2 people at a time now for that is all that his health allows.
Besides my father I have a spry mother and many other family members.  I’ve 2 brothers with 4 nephews &amp; nieces.  1 daughter &amp; son-in-law with grand daughter and grand son.  (Also a great niece and very large assortment of older family members, friends and neighbors.)  THEN I count my internet friends but their number is not countable (as I am really bad with math).
Today my 9 year old grand-daughter fixed a cherry pie for tomorrows big meal.  She also helped start the blueberry cheesecake dessert.  My mother made a home-made pumpkin pie which we will top with real whipped topping (cream).
The menu I must put together starting early in the morning is a 20 lb turkey to roast, roasting pan filled with cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, yeast rolls (my daughter purchased &amp; is bringing the rolls), corn on the cob (from ‘Green Giant’), early peas, drinks of tea or soft-drinks, several pies to choose from (pecan &amp; apple purchased to cook).  As I cook I will watch the Macy's Day parade on an NBC channel.
We will tidy up and set everything buffet style on our little kitchen table.  Some family members will call from far away…others will drop by for a bite before heading to work but my daughter and her family will feast with my parents and I until our bellies pooch and we find ourselves searching for naps.
Before the meal we always hold hands in a circle.  We bow our heads and give thanks to God, 1st for his son Jesus Christ our savior, then for each other and all of the blessings bestowed upon us.  We believe that even the ‘not so good’ times are important as they teach us lessons or guide us where we belong in this life.  
I believe that there will be angels watching over us, listening…even a few family members from heaven may be looking in on us.  I hope that they smile and that we are blessings to them.  Just as I hope that somehow this little blog is a blessing to one of you who read it.
God bless and keep you in all things.
Grandmother Zercie
Aka Stephanie]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:03:38 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=140833</guid>
			<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=140833</link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Slideshow by Z]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[I am hoping that this Windows Media Maker video (aka slideshow set to music) holds information others will appreciate about the newest upcoming IGG adventure.  
Dreamland Online
 
vids.myspace.com/index.cfm
 
 
 ]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:33:25 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=26074</guid>
			<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=26074</link>
		</item><item>
			<title><![CDATA[WLO Bursting*]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[Bursting is a mysterious understanding of how to get the game to give you maximum experience in battles with the least damage.  From what I have been able to find searching WL forums the formulae changes depending on what element you are.
There’s not much out there for Earth and Water based from what I have been able to find, so I will give you what I have figured out that works for me (Earth).
I am currently level 65 and for quite a while have had a hard time finding somewhere I can train for all of the hard quests in order to level up.  Training tickets are cool if you are able to buy them for 1 = 8 hrs of battling.  Anyone who is passed say…level 50 understands that this is less than a snails pace.  
I got bored, took off all of my equipment and donned a simple outfit that gave me very little support, (no pun intended).  Then I bought (with game gold) stones that subtracted 40 from my HIGH speed stat.  
Next I took one of my favorite FIRE element pets and equipped them the best and fastest.  I purchased the IM remote and set my attacks to all defensive moves only for leveling up my (defense) skill.  For me that is shielding my partner(s) and myself or healing…no attacks (or very few with my fists).  My (fire) pet was put on attack-attack-ATTACK all the way.
This put me back in the chicken ranch OR pine forest with exp much better.  I’m guessing an IM weight would be even better, but I like to spend my money on other goodies.
It has also helped me level up the pets I get really fast.  (Not to mention their skills.)  The one down-fall was that when I came back 8 hours later my ‘Louis’ pet (who was still alive &amp; fighting) had no weapon.  His gun was broken.  BUT he was still kicking booty.  He shot up to level 30 in what seemed like no time at all,  compared to how long it took me to get there myself.
I am not saying that this method works for newbies-day 1- level 1.  I don’t think there is much of a short cut there past the chicken ranch,  pine forest, etc.  Those days for me were filled with the between times of increasing my other skills such as alchemy and quest solving ( along with a really sweet tent).
If anyone else would like to respond to this short blog with more/better information, please do so! ]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:54:26 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=23821</guid>
			<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=23821</link>
		</item><item>
			<title><![CDATA[WLO]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[     Wonderland On Line (WL or WLO) is a great MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game).  It is for all ages and can be a family game as well.  This is my page of advice for beginners to the game (newbies, noobs) to help understand it better.  It is not a walkthrough as that is already available at its’ game site.wl.igg.com/main.php
     In the beginning players find themselves on a cruise ship with limited interaction and an ultimate goal.  That would be getting ship wrecked with the infamous Robinson Crusoe.  This initial island should be taken advantage of by the player, in picking every coconut you can along with any other available goodies in chests along the way (before you leave on your raft- provided by Crusoe).  These items will be stored in your inventory.  To the best of my knowledge you can not go back to this point.
     On arriving at ‘Starter Island’ you may find it filled with other players fishing, fighting or sitting around looking like they are doing nothing.  Play the game as you would like to without me or anyone else telling you what to do.  On the other hand also don’t ask other players to do everything for you and ruin their play time by working just for you.  Do what I call ‘nib’.  Look around, check it out and get the feel of it.  If you make mistakes, so what?  That’s part of learning in all things.  It is a big world and it grows from time to time.
     Quests are an integral part of the game and found in each township as well as along the trails between them.  I suggest that you don’t go below ground into any trap doors until you have built yourself up to at least level 20 and then only with some team members (excluding the Wine-makers quest in Welling).  This is the quest guide provided by the game.  wl.igg.com/guide/guide.php?acid=78
You can click on each location listed at the top &amp; it will open a page with in-depth descriptions of all available quests here- wl.igg.com/guide/regions.php
     You will also need game gold and here is an excellent guide in getting some along with experience.  (Both of these are more easily obtained after completing the quests which give you the remote and open the skills more.)  forum.wl.igg.com/viewthread.php?tid=7787&amp;page=1
     STARS are a rare item you receive in quests.  You need to hang on to them and decide which is the best way to spend them.  Keep in mind that it takes 5 stars to make your tent/home larger and 5 stars to do the quest for GS (God Status) which gives you the skill uniquely for your element.  This is a link for locating stars.  forum.wl.igg.com/viewthread.php?tid=12875&amp;page=1
     Building equipment and tools is explained here by the game http://wl.igg.com/guide/guide.php?acid=106
There are threads in the forums which give more detail including materials needed for each tool or item.
     Compounding (which is my favorite part of the game) comes in 3 sections and takes just a little to understand.  You get this skill from a quest in Welling, so don’t try compounding until that time.  Afterwards you can build your skill from items you get in battles that you don’t need or desire to sell.  I use to compound grass + grass, wood + wood or ore + wood while battling.  Then I would sell what was created depending on the market value I noticed in other shops.  I try to sell cheaper as I desire a quicker sale…but I have been known to hang on to certain items until they are sold at a high price because that is almost the amount I put in to obtaining it in the 1st place.  My favorite compounding guide is this one which is sectioned off very nicely… http://forum.wl.igg.com/viewthread.php?tid=28847&amp;page=1
Wikipedia also has a large article on compounding and other game facts.
     PETS.  The game provides a LOT of different people that can join your party.  Pets tend to become body shields (meaning they are attacked unmercifully) and you really need to be careful with this…keep them from dying a lot.  What is a lot?  Anything that lowers their ‘Amity’ to about 25 or lower.  NEVER buy a pet that has a low Amity.  It’s a waste of time and your gold.  A low Amity means that the pet will loose their loyalty to you (can you blame them?) and they will run away from you.  The ‘people’ pets you gain from quests can be found again (at least those from Kelan can) until they meet their final quest…and then I don’t want to be a spoiler by telling you anything else about them.  It’s best to work their amity up as much as you are able so that their personal quests will open.  The Item Mall sells something you can purchase with a credit card to bring the Amity back…but why waste your money when you can be more careful from the start?  (Unless you didn’t know better;)  There are much more valuable items to spend your money on imo (in my opinion) which I will list later.
     This doesn’t cover everything in the game and I am positive that there are others who know waaay more than I do about WLO.  I will try to post more tonight for help if I am able. ;)
Thanks for reading! 
Z]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:14:56 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=23350</guid>
			<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=23350</link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Signatures for clan or personal use*]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[I've been working on creating an album so that people can get an idea of what I have available for making forum or clan signatures.  So far the animation does not show up in the blog section...which is probably just as well.  When I add the animation that I have it skyrockets the weight count to where even though they look good, no one can use them. :/
It seems that as long as the pic doesn't have movement in it (twinkly stars, flames, etc) then I am able to manage the size just fine.
I am able to use just about any font/word style a person would like.  Just let me know specifics such as colors, any desire for metalic, wood, ice, flame or other elemental setting...frilly stuff?  Bold, lacey, simple, dark, bright... I will do my best.  I also don't mind being told, "That's not what I had in mind...could you try something else?"  I am more than happy to edit or re-create anything within my abilities.  Just ask.  I really don't bite. :)
 
Z]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:27:07 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=17317</guid>
			<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=17317</link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Learning]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[
It seems that I have much more to learn as a new moderator for DO of igg's forums.&nbsp; I thought I was already forum savvy until witnessing Puchisana weave his skills and I must admit...I can learn a LOT more from him.


He is currently holding a contest for forum signatures.&nbsp; I'm betting the ones I have made are way to big or heavy, but will wait to see what the verdict is before I panic.


As soon as I have a free moment from my grandchildren then I will put some in here to keep.&nbsp; This is nothing like the other web sites I've worked with before.&nbsp; I'm looking forward to learning all that Puchy and the others can teach me.&nbsp; For now...it's grannie's night-night time.&nbsp; I'll dream a little dream or two till next posting.


&nbsp;


Z 
]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:15:58 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=6119</guid>
			<link>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=6119</link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Grandmothers play games too!]]></title>
			<description>
			<![CDATA[I've never been shy in telling anyone my age (almost 54), or that I am a grandmother.  Role playing games (rpg's) are not really new at all.  My experience began with them about 15 years ago with Dungeon's &amp; Dragons (which had been on the scene a lot longer).  My 1st computer game was from the Forgotten Realms series which I played in my closet because there was no space in my room for a computer.
I still have my old D&amp;D books and I refer to them on rare occasions to get idea's for games.  (Yes, I have have been a dungeon master, lol!)  I've held D&amp;D parties for my grand-daughter and other children along with an adult friend.  I love to tell stories and to me that is what it is all about.  
I'm not always able to chit-chat and am afk (away from my keyboard) a great deal.  My responsibilities are demanding in that I not only care for children but have elderly parents that I live with because I am disabled.  The number one problem I have is very bad lungs (no I don't smoke) and my health just goes down from there...so enough of that.  I go online to play, not complain.  
I will have to say that I'm a great big weenie.  I generally play a cowardly thief but there is a history with that which includes summoning the queen of all thieves and obliterating all of my friends D&amp;D characters in one stupid move...so you probably don't want me in charge of any quests (LOL!)  I can write them a LOT better than I can DO them ;)
I currently moderate in the forums for the newest upcoming IGG game, Dreamland Online.  It is a great community with tons of excitement awaiting the release of this newest game sometime July or August of this year.  Ceci is our admin and we have some really cool mods (Puchy, JD, Laceaboy) and are visited frequently by mods of other IGG games.  There are loads of screen-shots to show what can be expected in the game, which may have some familiar looking themes but will be nothing like IGG has done so far.
I look forward to meeting many of my forum friends within the game when it opens up, as I have enjoyed their company so much so far.  Till then...keep the peace &amp; hang cool.  Times ah wastin! :D
Z]]>
			</description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:13:38 -0500</pubDate>
			<guid>http://zercie.blog.igg.com/article.php?id=6118</guid>
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