Don't judge me. You do this too.

For many, the lull between the last raid of an expansion and the start of a new one is a very special time. Some relish the freedom from hardcore raiding and pursue other activities like sunlight and dating. Others love getting caught up in the development news fever and become excited with every blue post or datamined tooltip. Then there's me, and for the super serial no-lifers, the next few months are all about PEPCHECK...

Pre-Expansion Preparation CHECKlist.

Be a loser. Check. Be a loser. Check. Be a loser...

One never knows what Blizzard will remove from the game or what activities will become more difficult or impossible with a higher level cap and new spells, but one can guess and prepare beforehand. Though the item squish undoubtedly fixes the increasingly unbalanced scaling between levels that has occurred over many expansions, their assurance that players will still be able to solo old content suggests that once we are level 100, we'll be killing things from MoP with ease. That makes redoubling my camping efforts on the Timeless Isle number one on my to-do list. With Siege ilvls, there isn't even a point in calling out rares anymore unless you want Gen Chat to berate you for either two-shotting it before anyone gets there or not waiting half an hour for the entire Isle to arrive before you start attacking it.

Also, since only three BoA weapons have thus far dropped from Garrosh and our Ele Shaman has gotten two of them, I'll need to focus on trying to get some LFR and Flex kills on him before the leveling process begins. It's been a few weeks, so people have to know what they're doing by now, right? Right?

Though it might to too early to be shopping now, it's never too early to start making a list of required food and sundries for that first week of leveling and heroic dungeons. One needs plenty of microwave burritos, toaster pastries, chips, and caffeinated soda all placed in easy access of one hand. It might be a good idea to put the numbers of local restaurants on speed dial as well. The delivery guy can wait at the door until the boss is dead.

And there was something else... Something about... family? Or the holidays?

It's probably not important.

-Avia.

Camp camp camp camp.

Day 7

I have set up camp on a patch of grass on the banks of the Blood Pools. Already, it has been five days since I enticed an albatross to carry me up to this isolated lake, and I have spent every waking hour waiting for the red-stained water elements to coalesce into an angry spirit named Garnia. Plenty of other heroes have joined me, occasionally dropping down from the sky in a shared attempt to acquire a living droplet of the spirit. The constant sunset of the Timeless Isle makes the days run together, and I sometimes lose myself staring into the shallow water until the sound of battle rouses me. I have been living on grass and Imperial Silk sandwiches for two days.

Day 16

Though I have escaped the Blood Pools and rejoined the war against the Yaungol on the main isle, the great black serpent that circles the Blazing Way has been tempting me with the prospect of harnessing his power between my legs. I have seen many people try to subdue him, only to receive a breath of lightning to the face, forcefully sprayed from the mouth of the long sinewy beast. I must figure out how to coax the black dragon into letting me ride him. Hopefully, I can handle such a large and wild cloud serpent and do not end up bucked off or ripped in twain.

Day 27

I am on the hunt for a jade fire spirit. The Cave of Lost Spirits is damp, winding, and full of dangerous creatures. Everywhere I turn, there are mysterious magical fires, powerful living flames, and strange shambling lake creatures. The conditions in this cave are borderline unbearable, but I will not falter. I am ready to camp for weeks if that is what it takes to... OH CRAP THE DARKMOON FAIRE!

Day 27

There'sh a lot of wolvesh and a lot of boozezez.

-Avia.