450 (Or Slightly Fewer) Ways to Celebrate the Times

Adopt a Weewoo

Unless you already happen to be there hiding from pirates or training with Cap’n Threelegs, you’re going to need to take a trip to Krawk Island, where these little Petpets are found. Active mostly at dusk, you can hear them singing their “Wee... woo...“ song throughout the island.

The first place to look would be Little Nippers, a noisy little shop on the island where other Petpets can be found too, such as the Deckball loving Pawkeet, or hungry Krawkadons. Weewoos can also be found near the Coloring Pages, on the lookout for fresh talent for the Times. Once you spot one, you’ll have to be quick - they are quick on their feet and great at hiding. They are also friendly and inquisitive, though, so you might not have too much trouble befriending one.

Once your new Weewoo has settled in with its Neopet, you have a variety of colors you can paint them, if their natural brown needs an upgrade. Maraquan is a good option, as they are already familiar with the ocean, they will enjoy being able to swim in it (great for finding any lost or hidden pirate treasure on the sea floor). Aside from a few other colors, you can’t go wrong with White. Your Weewoo will feel extra special, resembling the Neopian Times mascot.

Start a Pen Collection

How else are you going to jot your ideas down for your next story or article for the Times? An assortment of different kinds of pens can kick start any imagination into gear.

To begin with, a Basic Pen will get you going. Its blue ink might not last very long, but it’s reliable and a very cheap option to start off any collection. From there, an equally cheap Fancy Pen is somewhat of an upgrade. But we can be more adventurous than that, can’t we?

A favorite of the Times would be the Quill Pen, or a Neopian Times Quill. Both old-fashioned items, they actually use a feather which you dip in ink; perhaps the feathers of a Weewoo? Fun to use but also messy, they aren’t as messy as the following pens: Ketchup Bottle Pen, Berry Ink Pen, Snotty Pen (yuck!) and the Glitterpen collection. You may think the Glitterpens would make your writing pretty, but just try getting all that glitter off the floor, your clothes and out of your poor Neopet’s fur when you’re finished. You’ll be finding red and green specks around your Neohome for weeks.

If you’ve got a lot to write about, you could add the Neverending Fountain Pen to your collection. As its name states, it never runs out of ink. If you enjoy using this pen, you may also like Glass Dip Pen and Ink, which is somewhat of an upgrade of the previously mentioned Quill Pen.

A favorite of mine would have to be the Pink Kacheek Pen. Decorated with a smiling Kacheek head on the end, it produces pink ink when written with, and what could be better than that? If pink isn’t your color, the Blue Aisha Pen may be better for you.

For serious collectors, the Pirate Ship Float Pen is a very expensive addition, but writes beautifully and has a small pirate ship encased inside, which moves when you write. Other costly items include the White Aisha Wobbly Pen, Shenkuu Calligraphy Pen, with the most expensive being Ghostkerchief Pen.

Read

Because that’s what the Times is all about, right? Be it the Times itself or any Neopian book, reading increases your pet’s intelligence and can take you to all parts of Neopia without even having to leave your Neohome. If you’ve always dreamed of visiting Kreludor, you might like to read Kreludan Life, which actually tells about how boring living there actually is. Scenic Kreludor Views is a more promising read; the book is filled with photos of the most beautiful spots on Neopia’s moon.

You can learn new skills through reading, too. For example, if your dream has always been to create your very own Papyrus, Sutek’s Scrolls in the Lost Desert has two books on the subject, How to Make Papyrus for beginners and Advanced Papyrus Making for when you feel more confident. While you’re shopping at Sutek’s Scrolls, why not pick up a copy of 1001 Recipes for Sand Cake? If you’re thinking, no thank you... wait until you’re lost in the desert with nothing surrounding you but sand. With the knowledge of how to make it tasty and different every mealtime, you won’t be sorry.

Another helpful book is Writers Tips, great for beginners and experts alike. A collection of notes and experiences from Neopia’s top writers, this book is a must read for anyone serious about writing for the Times.

Learn to Draw

The Neopian Times offers more than just written articles and stories. It has a section devoted to a different kind of artist. Such people can show off their drawing skills through comics. True, you need the ability and a sense of humour, but it’s never too late to start or improve!

Jumping back to books very quickly, a copy of How to Draw Guide can be a helpful resource. Full of tutorials, this book builds confidence and isn’t very expensive.

Try drawing your Neopet in a funny pose, or a scene of something you imagine Dr. Sloth might do in his spare time. If you can think it, you can draw it.

Recycle

Recycle, you ask with a confused look on your face? What does that have to do with anything? Well, what else are you going to do once you’ve finished reading the latest Times? Sure, you can toss it into the trash, but that’s no fun.

We’ll start out with the obvious – a paper hat. If you’re unsure of how to make one, try buying and studying a Folded Paper Hat, or pick up a copy of 101 Uses For Paper (again with the books, I told you they were handy!), which should have instructions. If hats aren’t your thing, no problem; origami is another fun but challenging way to make something out of paper. There are (of course) books on the subject, or other items such as the Origami Spyder you can study to better understand the process. Start with an Origami Rock – quite possibly the easiest thing to make from paper.

Paper planes are great for annoying everyone else, although if you have a piece of string handy, you can make your own kite, which also flies but won’t get you in trouble. Try different shapes and sizes to see what flies best.

So there you have it! Five of my favorite things in relation to the Neopian Times. There are many more wonderful things about the Times and ways to celebrate it, and I hope you’ve found some of my ideas interesting. If not, off you go to write your 445!