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First name: Julie
Screen name: WhisperingSage
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am a widow living in the north west part of the Mojave Desert with my little mutt, 100 miles from the nearest city. Basically, I live next door to Death Valley, it’s just one mountain range over, but I have a view of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains and I can see the top of Mt. Whitney. I am currently a member of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Services Unit, and I love every moment of it.
State, Province or Country? I live in California in the Mojave Desert, also known as the High Desert. It’s much dryer than the lower Sonora Desert that covers the very south east of California, Arizona and northern Mexico.
Astrological sign? Cancer
How long have you been playing on Pogo? Since June 2001
What was your first memory of Pogo? The fun games and trying hard to get the ranks in my favorite games.
How did you come across Pogo for the first time? It’s been so long I don’t remember. I think I saw an ad for games, perhaps on Google?
What was the first game you remember playing on Pogo? Probable Canasta.
What is your favorite Pogo game and why? I have several, but I have to say Canasta. To me it’s a fun game that’s been around for a long time.
What is your least favorite Pogo game and why? Chess. The bots make it really hard for me to try to win, even though I can play real chess with a person and have a chance to win a game now and then.
Pogo has lots of features – Games, Chat, Friends, Tokens, Minis etc. … which is your favorite? Games, but I’m so ranked out I’m losing interest in my favorites. We need more ranks. It makes the games a lot more fun, looking forward to the next rank.
What makes Pogo unique for you? The Forums Fun area.
Do you have a favorite room? If so, which is it and in what game? Sage, in Jungle Gin. I also like room names like Spiritual.
We know Pogo’s has been around for 15 years! How has your life changed since 1999? I became disabled in 1999 and was in depression for two years, I think joining Pogo in 2001 helped me get rid of depression. I became a widow five years ago, and Pogo helped me through some tough moments there too.
Who’s your favorite Pogo character? Spike
What goes on in your mind when you’re deciding how to dress your Mini? I first think of the season we’re in, and try to dress for the season. I would like to see more desert backgrounds, since the Mojave is so unique with the Joshua trees, this is the only place they grow in the world.
Do you have a favorite Pogo memory? Yes, finally reaching the top rank in Canasta.
Have you made any long-term friends on Pogo? I have, but they have come and gone through the years.
Do you do the daily Challenges? I do the one I enjoy.
Are you a Club Pogo member? Why or why not? If you are Club Pogo member, what about Club Pogo enticed you to join? Yes, I am a Club Pogo Member and I think I joined when it first came out. I think the benefits enticed me.
Have you ever forgotten to do something important because you lost track of time on Pogo? Yes!
What makes you a unique Pogo fan? I enjoy helping people in the Games Forum, and I enjoy the Forums Fun Community Games. Plus I still love playing my favorite games.
Do you ever eat while you play? If so, what’s a favorite “Pogo” food? I don’t eat while I play, but I’m always sipping on either coffee in the morning or lemonade the rest of the day.
Do you read the Pogo News? If so, what do you like most about it? I don’t read it as often as I should.
Popping balloons, swapping candy, or playing cards? Playing cards. Popping balloons is hard for me to see, the balloons are small, swapping candy gets boring but I love several card games. Currently trying to rank out on Rainy Day Solitaire.
Do you attend Amazing Mini shows? Why or why not? No, it always seems I miss the judges.
Puzzle Games, Board Games, Word Games, Card Games or Solitaire? I like puzzle games, especially Penguin Blocks; I like word games for a little while; card games I like also such as Canasta and Jungle Gin; and I like Solitaire like Rainy Day. First class is too difficult for me to see and I’m ranked out on World Class. Also like Pogo Addiction.
Do you have any additional thoughts or anything else you’d like to tell us? Yes, please add more ranks to the games. It makes the game more challenging and fun to work towards that next rank.
Hi Julie, you sound a lot like me. I’m glad you enjoy POGO, it seems to be my life now. Have a great time playing and good luck.
Thanks, Donna. Pogo is a great outlet for me, but I’m getting to the point that all my favorite games are ranked out and I’m starting to be on Pogo less and less. The forums keep me going.
I strongly agree with u sage lost my mom in 07 and dad in 11 then my babyboy age31 july 8th 14 so it has been very hard on me but when i sign in to pogo and chat with ppl it does help alot. and im also dissabled. so yes pogo is a blessing.
WhisperingSage..I am VERY impressed with your bio.. and I certainly agree that Pogo is becoming less enjoyable due to being ranked out on most of the games.. Maybe if enough gamers leave the same messages on these forums… I hope that this site gets our message..hears our pleas.. otherwise I’m outta here too.. I used to love being on this site.. now..not so much.. I do thank you for putting that message in writing so that I might ‘second that motion’.. once again.. POGO..PLEASE ADD RANKS AND BADGES TO OUR FAVORITE GAMES!! .. WhispteringSage.. take care and stay safe too.. many smiles EARTHMAMA
i would like it if pogo could make the card games & pick& find’s bigger so us with poor eye sight could enjoy them….
I agree, some of the games are hard to see. If they had an “expand” feature like they do in the games where you search for items, then it would make it easier for us “blind” people to see easier….especially in games like poppit! where the balloons are small and you can’t see the gifts on them, or in Majong where it’s hard to see the pictures on the tiles. I’m sure there are other games I can’t think of right now, but to have a feature for the “hard of seeing” would be awesome!
I also agreee. I have poor vision (up close), I have macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts, and I wish the cards especially would be easier to read. A bigger playing area would also help. I have a 26 inch screen, but Pogo makes the playing area only about 3 1/2 inches wide at the most. I think it’s First Class Solitaire where it’s even hard to see the suit. A looks like 4. You know what I mean! LOL I change the background in Poppit, and that helps a little, but it would be better if the balloons would be bigger too and better contrast against the background. Hopefully as Pogo designers get older they’ll know what we mean. LOL
I agree Donna, I also can not see to play 1st class. To me the cards are fuzzy. I do wish POGO would do something about it. I also do not like a dark background in Word Search, as I can not see the words very easy. I also wish they would make more ranks in the games as I also am ranked out in lots of the games. I love Fortune Bingo but being ranked out makes me sad. Oh well. Good luck to you.
den objects games are too dark…hard to find your items.
I so agree with topekadebbie, First Class Solitare cards are terrible, too hard to see cards…please Pogo, make them bigger like World Class… Thank You !!!
Debbie,
You can make the images larger. I did.. I can’t remember how I did it. but look around.
You, for sure, can.
Not sure at all about this, but do you think it has to do with changing the screen resolution? Not the zoom level, but the resolution. Maybe someone who knows more can add to this!
There is also the magnifier glass in Windows, but that can be a pain to use in some situations. It is great for the HOGs.
Payday Freecell is the game where I can’t see the cards very well, but at least they have that “show card” feature if you click (or right click, I forget) option.
Good Luck!
I was wondering if was just me! YES I agree..the first class solitare cards are very hard to read!
Hi Julie, Nice to read about you and good luck in the games.
Hello Julie! I found your interview very interesting! I am a recent widow, also struggling with a disability, and I just want to tell you that I admire your strength and tenacity. I live in Canada, but my husband was a trucker and I went with him once to California and we drove through the Mojave…it was HOT! LOL But it was a memorable experience. I also have a dog, but he’s getting a tad old (like me). And I also play Rainy Day Solitaire and Addiction and World Class (though I DO wish World Class would add some new cities for a change! LOL). Rainy Day is my fave. I don’t know what room you normally play in, but maybe we’ll run into one another one of these days! Take care and thank you for sharing a part of yourself with us. :) Melanie
Yes, it gets hot here, tops out at about 104, but it’s a very dry heat, humidity is usually 3 or 4%. But it always cools off during the night, in the high 60’s. Winter, we can get down to the teens, but during the day it’s 60’s and 70’s. Where I’m at, we’re at 2500 feet high in elevation. I love it here, lived in San Jose for 25 years, but grew up in downriver Detroit. We had a family farm 150 miles east of Detroit in southern Ontario. I’m also sorry for your recent loss, just give yourself time. Hope to run into you in one of the rooms!
I can sorely relate. I lost my hubby recently too. It is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. H U G S.. I know you need one.. or save it until you do.
DD
Enjoyed your interview! You’re name seems familiar, I think we may have met before, but hearing your story I will definitely remember you now if I run in to you in the games we both enjoy! Good Luck!
Thank you all for your comments! Good luck with the games!
Thanks about more ranks! Maybe it will help lol.
Anything for more. I don’t even care what games
they add ranks to! They’ll never make ev1 happy
anyways. Nice Spotlight!
Hi Julie: Loved reading your story; sooo interesting. How do you survive 100 miles from town?
Do you have family nearby? Best of luck
Our little “secret town” has everything we need, a couple of grocery stores, gas stations, great hospital, Kamrt, Walmart, lots of motels and restuarants because everyone goes through here to get to Death Valley. It’s quite and safe, no place for criminals to run and hide! Then again, we have China Lake Naval Air Weapons next door, so this is all restricted air space, and we all feel very protected with those F/A18’s and Apache helicopters. But they are quiet, as they fly around the town, not over it. I have no family but do have great friends.
Congrats on being in the spotlight…very nice!
I know what you mean about ranking out of a favorite game. Have you ever tried to reset your stats and do it again? That’s what I do with my most favorite games and I have several. My goal then becomes how many times can I rank out? Thank you for sharing.
As soon as I reset in Hog Heaven, they upped the ranks….lol Almost back to 50 now and on to the (new) top. :)
congrats and cocntinue to enjoy good games good people gin and world class my fav wish they would add ranks and many of the card games need to have the option of enlarging the cards or game board..hopefully they will do that in the near future..look foward to seeing you soon at game site.. be well…
I too wish pogo would add more ranks…the one thing I do to help is to start over…I have ranked out in hog heaven about 20 times …. but still wish they would add more ranks .
Congratz on making it to the spotlight Julie…..great interview
Thanks Droagie! I’m still shocked.
I am blind as a bat, hunting those objects are hard even with the screen blown up. LOL. Yes, they do need to make the games for us blind people or with bad eyesight, can see them, it would be nice, if pogo also could give a discount to senior citizens. That would be nice. I am on limited funds and disabled. I had to save up to get on pogo this year. There is one thing, with all these identity thieves out there, I wish pogo would let us pay on the day of the subscription, i dont like my card on here for 24 hours, much less a week. I automatically as soon as pogo debits my card, I verify it on my account, i remove it immediately. There is no place safe to leave your personal information and especially your bank card. Did you see where all those millions of people, even in a secured place. Their stuff was stolen. I have order directly from oritron, where a live person takes your order and send it as a gift to myself. But you don’t receive the gems, with getting the gems, the price is still great.
If you drink coke products you can sign up for MyCokeRewards.com and get a pogo membership by using the codes that are in the lids or printed on the 12 and 24 boxes – think it is up to 400 points for 6 months but I have not pa id for a membership for over 6 years – my son gave me 2 years as my mother’s day gift to get me started when I was recovering from the death of my husband and several heart attacks – best gift he could have given me at that time. I also have issues with eye sight – the games where you have to find items in the pictures drive me nuts, I usually have to have my 11 year old granddaughter who lives with me help me out since I can not find things that are hidden. Nice reading everyone’s comments – and now on to canasta!
Love the screen name how pretty! Congrats on the player spotlight. Have a wonderful week, Heather
Nice to read about you, Especially about where you live, I can’t imagine. I live on the east coast the mountans and desert sound so beautiful. I agree about adding ranks, the first one noticed wanted a new rank in was Hog slots. I enjoy games very much also. I have been around a long time, joined Club Pogo near the time you did. (forgot the date) Then I took a break for a few years in the 2000’s , now I’m back on Club Pogo. I like Canasta and Jungle Gin. I used to love playing Gin and Qwerty but since Ive been back I don’t play wth many people but I’m slowng getting back to it. There are just so many games!! I look forward to adding friends to my list. You sound like a very nice person. Have a great week and enjoy the spotlight! (smle) Kelly (krszbc)
Well now we know what you look like. I think you’re pretty, but I wish you were nicer to me.