I haven't been playing World of Warcraft much at all the last couple of months. I log in every now and then to run my Ogre-killing route and gather items to trade in for a dagger I want, but that's about it. There have been a couple of interesting announcements recently in the WoW universe. First off, Blizzard has announced the next expansion, which will bump up the level cap another ten levels and introduce a new type of character class, as well as a bunch of other new additions to the game. I would be more excited about the expansion, but I am having a hard time wanting to play. I think it's because I don't really have the time or the skills to play all of the content and rise above a certain plateau. I don't even really have the time or resources to do many 5-man or 10-man dungeons, let alone raids and whatnot. Anyway, there is a new expansion coming out in the future (no release date has been announced yet) and for the first time I'm not sure if it's even worth getting.

The second announcement involves the WoW Trading Card Game. They've finally released a loot card that is useful in the game itself. Loot cards are basically a redemption card in the game packs that lets you enter a code online to receive a special item in the computer game itself. This particular card is an epic mount called the Spectral Tiger. Basically, it's a really fast ghostly Tiger that your character can ride. It must be pretty rare, though, because the card is fetching $500-800 on eBay at the moment. But it's cool that there is an actual useful loot card in the TCG now. The screenshot of the mount on the website is awesome. Probably the land-based equivalent to a Nether Drake. It's that awesome.

I intended to finish painting my Space Marines tonight as they just need a few details and some highlighting to be finished. But I haven't felt moved to pick up the brush yet.

I've been bothered recently by a tidbit I read on a website about the daily schedule of Space Marines. I forget what website it was, but it essentially went through every little detail of the Space Marine canon, with footnotes linking to specific GW documents and the whole shebang. Anyway, the first part I read was about all of the extra organs and implants a Space Marine gets as he's being raised up in the system. One of the organs filters out poisons and basically makes the Space Marine immune to drugs and venoms. A bunch of different implants basically give the Space Marine a super-healing factor, sort of like the Wolverine character in Marvel comic books. So that's one part of the canon. Next I read through the daily schedule, which is full of battle training, reflections on the greatness of the Emperor, weapons and armor cleaning, pretty much all the usual stuff you'd expect from the superhuman soldiers of an Inquisition-type regime. But in one portion of the schedule it mentions that they receive a little free time each day during which some Chapter Masters allow the use of alcohol. How do the Space Marines get the alcohol into their systems enough to make it worthwhile? In the comics it is pretty much impossible for Wolverine to get intoxicated as his mutant healing factor filters out and neutralizes the alcohol too quickly for it to affect him. The Space Marines have the same essential system set up in their bodies, so what exactly does the alcohol do for them? Probably nothing. I know it's an obscure little factoid in an entirely fictional universe, but it's been bothering me that Games Workshop's editors let that one get through. Now it's off my chest and I can sleep easier knowing that I've shared my concerns with the world.

I've begun putting my binder together with my artwork and checklists for each squad in the Chapter. I may have to get some index tabs so I can really get this thing organized. I know it's extremely nerdy, but I go crazy over office supplies. I can't have enough. I hate writing on legal pads, but I can't buy enough of them. I'm like a junkie every time Pentel comes out with a new pen design. I have to get my fix of the new stuff. If the pocket clip on a pen or pencil gets bent out or broken off I can't use it anymore. I have to actually remove it from my home and get a new one.