Articles
Can you believe it? I get to have a whole section dedicated to articles I've had published in the Neopian Times! How awesome is that?!?
Owner's Note: These articles are from before I revamped my pet's stories, removing myself as a character. So that's why she mentions me as her mom : )
Life as a JubJub- Locomotion
Hello! My name is Daphli. In case you didn't guess, I'm a JubJub. As a species we tend to get overlooked... literally, most of us are quite short. For the inexperienced user, we may not be the best choice. After all, when you're trying to steal extra free omelette it helps to have a pet with arms. Still, on a chilly winter night, most users would rather trade their Ruki for something warm and fuzzy. No offense to Rukis, of course.
In this article I'm gonna cover some of the good and bad, ups and downs of JubJub life. Because it's a large subject I'm gonna focus on one issue: locomotion, or getting from place to place. Who knows... maybe if people like this article, I'll get more in? I've got my fingers... err, toes crossed...
Getting around can be difficult for a JubJub. You may not think so, since we're all feet... well, about fifty percent or so at least, but it can be quite tough. Imagine picking up some groceries for your mom. You can't really use your feet to walk and carry something at the same time. I'm sure most JubJubs out there have done the "one foot hop". You know, with one foot you keep the groceries balanced on your head, with the other you bounce on towards home. Sure, sometimes it works, but it can be quite dangerous. If you live in the rough landscape of Terror Mountain, or the thick jungles of Mystery Island, you're gonna want two feet on the ground. Of course, some JubJubs balance the objects they're carrying just on their heads, but unless you tie it to your fur, it's very likely to fall... and if you DID tie it to your fur, I imagine it would be painful.
So we JubJubs have to be resourceful. Fortunately our large heads house large brains, and I like to think we're one of the smarter species out there. In the instance of taking groceries home, for example, I find a wagon useful. Put everything you need in there, then push it towards home! Of course, if you don't live in a relatively flat land, it can be rough. Living in the lowlands of Shenkuu I can usually get my groceries home with one push downhill, but some aren't so fortunate. And carrying things isn't the only hard part of getting around.
Now, we are a fast species when sprinting, but we can have trouble with long distances. While we can roll down hills, sometimes it can be hard to get traction on straight or uphill trips. One option, as undignified as it may be, is to have someone carry you. Of course, you won't always have your owner or siblings to carry you. And I wouldn't recommend asking a stranger. Even if they are kind enough to carry you, who knows where those hands have been? It's not worth getting an unidentifiable sticky substance in your luxurious fur. But it's also no fun staying home!
Some JubJubs opt for larger Petpets for this reason. A Gallion or Bika can certainly be of use if you find one the right size. Unfortunately this isn't always an option. They can be expensive or hard to care for. Personally, I prefer skateboards. You can get a Purple Skateboard, a Blue Skateboard, even a super stylish Sharky Skateboard! They make life a lot easier. Since we're quite low to the ground it's pretty easy for us to control them. We can see all the little pebbles or Petpetpets on the ground and avoid them. Just one push with our giant feet and off we go! Plus, if you find yourself having to carry a lot of stuff, you can just set it all on the skateboard and it works just like a wagon! Except, it has no sides, so you have to be a little more careful. Still, all in all, a skateboard is a very useful thing for a JubJub on the go.
For the more high-tech JubJub, a jet pack is ideal. While they're in short supply in Neopia, with the only ones I know of being available exclusively from the Neocash Mall, they are possible to make. Plus, you can pick up just about any gadget in Moltara for the right price. You can also usually find some in the Space Station, but you never really know where they've been. Though they're a little hard to get to used to, it is convenient to be able to fly around. I suppose you could also buy wings for this purpose, but they're not as cool in my opinion. Plus, let's face it, putting them on can be painful.
Another easy way for us to get around, though you can't get everywhere with it, is swimming. After all, most of swimming really is in the legs. Propel yourself forward with kicks and you can traverse water with ease! I've gotta say, out of my siblings, I'm one of the best swimmers. They'll tell you otherwise, but they're just too proud to admit I'm better than them.
Right now I bet all you non-JubJubs are really appreciating not being a JubJub. But, like all species, there are benefits to being one. We tend to rule in Cheeserolling competitions, being able to roll alongside our cheese. We can also run really fast for short distances. If you and I both want the last Neocola, there's no way you're gonna beat me to it! And, while our small size may make life harder in some situations, it sure can help getting into, and out of, tight spots. Since fur can be flattened, you'd be surprised the places we can get into. Though it may not always be easy, when we get around, we get around.
So. I hope this article helps better illustrate the joys and pitfalls of being a JubJub, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you'd like to know more about me and my life, feel free and contact my owner! Just don't flood her inbox. I've got a feeling a lot of people will enjoy my article! ...Right?
Life as a JubJub- Hygiene
Hello! It's Daphli again. Don't remember me? Well, I wrote the article "Life as a JubJub- Locomotion". If you haven't read it, please do! Anyway, since my last article got in, I decided to write another! I bet you're all super excited!
So, in keeping with my topic of Life as a JubJub, today I'm going to cover JubJub hygiene. Hygiene is EXTREMELY important for JubJubs. After all, we're essentially fur and feet... both of which can get pretty dirty. A lot of Neopets don't appreciate how much time and effort we JubJubs spend on keeping ourselves presentable. Hopefully, this article will help give you the idea. It will also come in handy if you know a smelly JubJub.
We'll start with some easy stuff. Dental care. Yes, we JubJubs have teeth. It's how we eat. So we need to keep them clean. You may wonder how we can brush our teeth with our feet, but most of us are quite dexterous. Still, the shape of the Zafara Toothbrush or the flexibility of the Squeezy Toothbrush make them very handy. I USED to have a really cool Invisible Toothbrush, until my brother lost it... But I digress... Besides the toothbrush, you also need some nice toothpaste. I generally prefer mint, maybe vanilla mint if I'm feeling crazy, but more adventurous folks may want to try strawberry or even mushroom toothpaste. They all clean the same. Plus, not a lot of pets are our height, so not a lot will be able to smell our breath.
Another important part of JubJub hygiene is foot care. After all, our feet are quite large, and can get quite smelly. I don't know about you, but after a healthy game of Yooyuball, mine are a little gross (a fact my Yooyu isn't all that fond of). So it's important to keep them properly washed and sanitized. My home is equipped with handy stools beside the sink, so I can get up there and wash my feet. I like to experiment with different soaps, but so far my favorite Gypsy Soap. It smells so cool! For little JubJubs, though, I recommend Meerca Toy Surprise Soap. It has a cute little toy inside, so when they use it all up they can keep it! Isn't that a cool idea? I used to love that soap when I was little... Now I've got a pile of those toys... Seriously, anyone want one?
Oh! Sorry, I guess I got a little off track... Well, now it's time for THE most important part of JubJub hygiene... hair care. This fabulous 'do doesn't just happen on it's own. It takes WORK. A lot of shampooing, conditioning, brushing, and drying go into this. Let me break it down. First, you need a good shampoo. In Neopia, there are so many to choose from! Cheaper JubJubs, or super busy JubJubs, may use the Two in One Hair Care. While it gets the job done, I find it doesn't clean as well as it could. I typically use Herbal Shampoo. Not only does it smell really good, my fur gets so silky! For special occasions (maybe like an autograph signing... ?), I use Superstar Shampoo or Super Shiny Shampoo. Both give my fur some extra shine and fluff, though they don't clean quite as well. If you're looking for an extra yummy smell, I suggest trying the Scented Hearts Flower Shampoo or Cucumber Melon Shampoo. The Scented Hearts Shampoo smells DELICIOUS, but doesn't clean as well. The Cucumber Melon smells great to some, but I find it a tad overbearing.
Once you're thoroughly shampooed and rinsed, you're going to need some conditioner. It may seem superfluous to a lot of pets, but it is VITAL for JubJubs. Fortunately, Neopia also has a wide selection of conditioners to choose from. I personally prefer Mane Conditioner. Yes, technically we don't have manes, but it's really the best for eliminating tangles and providing good body. Since our fur IS our body... that's important. Now, I highly recommend NOT using species specific conditioners, such as Xweetok or Peo. They may seem like a good idea, but they tend to not be properly suited for other species. Plus, the Peo Conditioner smells like seaweed... which is gross. Now, if you don't want too many conflicting scents, Neopia has handy sets of both Shampoo and conditioner. Cucumber Melon Shampoo has a matching conditioner, so does Chokato Shampoo, and Watermelon Shampoo, to name a few. If you're more adventurous, maybe opt for a Pebeanjay Flower Conditioner? Smells just like the real thing! Which may or may not be a good thing...
Now, once you're fully rinsed, it's time to dry. Towels are the generally preferred way. I have a very nice Fuzzy White Towel I use. Still, sometimes you're in a hurry. While the windswept look is nice, if you live in a particularly windy area, you can get a really funky look. I've met a few JubJubs who opt for a faster, but also more dangerous option. The Basic Dryer is a battledome weapon, but can also be used to dry hair. Just be careful to put it on the lowest setting. Also, DO NOT use the double dryer. I had a friend who did... It was not pretty. Seriously... I'd rather not talk about it...
Alright, now you're dry. Now it's time to brush. Make sure to get a good brush! Don't be cheap when it comes to brushes. After all, your brush provides the finishing touches for your look. Also, this is hopefully obvious, but make sure to get one for long hair. Unfortunately, most of the brushes in Neopia are designed for short hair. Long hair brushes are in short supply, and only available in a few colors: red, blue, and green. I like my blue one. It matches my eyes. Also, make sure to keep it clean. The amount of fur we shed is ridiculous. Seriously, I could build a second JubJub with the hair I get off in a week. I should mention, though, that a short hair brush can be good for quick touchups, and is much better suited for fake microphone duty... Err, I mean... never mind...
ANYWAY... I hope this article has helped you better understand the troubles we JubJubs have to go through to look so fabulous. Maybe it's even given a few JubJubs some new ideas! No matter what, I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you have any questions, feel free and send them to my mom. She'll make sure they get to me.
Life as a JubJub- Health
Hey there! Daphli here again. I hope you've been enjoying my series, Life as a JubJub! I've already covered locomotion and hygiene, today I'm going to cover another important aspect of life: health. Generally, JubJubs are a pretty healthy species. Our fuzzy bodies conceal a strong immune system. But, in order to remain healthy, here are some tips!
The first part of health is a healthy diet. Every Neopet needs to eat, and every species has different nutritional needs. JubJubs have pretty basic dietary needs. We're naturally vegetarians (did anyone really think we hunted?) and should try to keep our meat intake down. Not that a treat every now and then can't hurt! Personally, I LOVE hot dogs. He he… my doctor says I need to be careful with them, but they're so yummy! Especially with chili and nacho cheese and…
Whoops! Sorry. I guess I got off track. Anyway, back to diet. We should eat lots of vegetables and fruit. Bananas are especially good because they have Vitamin B. Vitamin B is very important for keeping our hair healthy. Given how much of our body consists of it, it's really important to keep it healthy. You can also find Vitamin B in grains, potatoes, even chili peppers have Vitamin B. If none of those appeal to you, you can purchase Vitamin B Tablets. They're orange flavored, and actually taste pretty good. I start every day by taking one with breakfast and washing it down with some orange juice.
While we're on the subject of diet, it's important to make brief mention of hygiene. Make sure to wash your feet before every meal! After all, we don't have hands to hold our food. We use our feet. They get decidedly more dirty than hands, so don't skimp on washing them. For more information on hygiene, check my article Life as a JubJub-Hygiene!
Exercise is also important. You need to keep in shape to stay healthy. Swimming or jogging are the easiest ways for JubJubs to exercise. Personally, I prefer swimming. It's much more relaxing and it's less likely you'll get overheated. Swimming is especially good if you're feeling sore. Unfortunately, it's not always possible or practical to swim. If you don't live near water, you'll have to invest in a pool for your Neohome. The expense, however, is definitely a drawback. Also, fire and magma JubJubs should really avoid water. For them, and for the financially strapped, jogging is easiest. Just make sure to stay properly hydrated and don't let yourself overheat. We tend to get hot faster than other species because of our thick fur.
While we're generally healthy, we are prone to foot problems. Mostly stubbed toes and blisters. Stubbed toes aren't very serious, but they can hurt a lot. If you're not paying attention you can accidentally bash your toe against things, thus stubbing it. There isn't a whole lot you can do to make it feel better. The pain will go away eventually. But, if it doesn't go away for awhile, it could be broken. Make sure to visit the hospital if that's the case. As for blisters, they happen when parts of your feet (well, any part of your body, but they're most common on feet) rub against something enough. They can hurt a lot and sometimes they pop and… well, it's gross. Just trust me on that. If you do get one, cover it with a bandage or something to keep it protected. It will eventually heal itself.
Along the lines of foot diseases, we have Bloaty Feet. Like it's name suggests, your feet will get really big. More than just normal JubJub big. The most reliable cure is Magic Smelly Socks. But be careful when trying to purchase them! Some unscrupulous Neopians will try to trick you by selling you their non-magic smelly socks. It can be hard to tell the difference. Just remember, magic smelly socks come in mismatched pairs. One is ALWAYS green and blue, the other is ALWAYS pink and orange. If the socks are any other color, don't even consider buying them. They're fake. Also, Magical Smelly Socks have a very distinct odor. A mix of garlic and asparagus. Now, I've heard rumors that the Brilliant Draik Flower can help cure Bloaty Feet. I'm not sure if this is true. Even if it is, I doubt it will work consistently. Otherwise it would be more well known. While afflicted with a case of Bloaty Feet, you can go about your normal activities until your feet get REALLY big. At that point you should stay in bed until someone gets you a cure.
Another bad disease is the Shock-A-Lots. It makes any Neopets fur very static and will shock those who try and touch them. Since we have so much fur, this is really bad. The best known cure is to wear a pair of Ultra Rubber Gloves until they go away. If you can't afford or find any, just make sure to wear some sort of rubber clothing. It can help keep the static down, but only Ultra Rubber Gloves can cure it. Your family may want to wear rubber, too, in case your case is severe.
And now… the most dreaded disease for JubJubs. Worse than NeoMonia and Ugga-Ugga, it's… Fuzzitus. A terrible allergy to fluff. You can clearly see how this could be bad for JubJubs. If around fuzz (not really an "if" for JubJubs) Neopets will get a sore throat, runny nose and eyes, terrible cough, and nearly constant sneezing. It can drain all your energy and make it so you can't even get out of bed! It's HORRID. I had it once when I was little. Fortunately, my mom got a hold of the cure pretty quick. In order to cure it you'll need some Fluff Be Gone. A word of warning: you WILL lose some fur. It's a side effect of the medicine. But, trust me, it'll grow back. Usually pretty quick. And it's totally worth it to cure such a miserable disease. If you REALLY want to keep your fur, you can try the Weak Fuzzitus Cream. It IS NOT guaranteed to work, however. But if you don't want you 'do disturbed, it's worth a shot.
Well, I think that about raps up this article. Mostly because I can't think of anything else to add… But I think I covered plenty. As always, if you have any questions or comments, be sure to Neomail my owner! She'll make sure all the letters get to me!
Nana Rae is my adoptive grandma. She's basically my mom, though, since she doesn't have any kids. But she's kinda too old to call my mom. She's still got lots of energy for her age, though! She and her sister are witches. Nana knows all sorts of spells, and uses them to make people happy. She also loves to cook and has a big garden where she grows really yummy vegetables. Normally I'm not a fan of veggies, but hers are AWESOME!
Auntie Laz is Nana Rae's sister who lives with us. I think she's older than Nana, but she doesn't like it when we point it out. She can be a bit grumpy at times and has a really short temper. And she's SUPER scary when she's mad! She can also be really nice and fun sometimes, though. It's weird. She spends most of her time in the basement, where Nana and her have their cauldrons. Auntie Laz loves to experiment with magic and stuff down there. I don't know what she's working on now, though. She won't tell us.
Tocksic's my big brother. He's a really great big brother, too. He likes to play Yooyuball and other games with me. Plus, he's really smart. And, yes, Grundos CAN be smart. You should know not to believe stereotypes by this part of my page! Anyway, he has a HUGE library of books he shares with everyone. There are some really good ones about the Altador Cup and its history in there. I've read them all several times, but they're still fun to reread. It's easy to forget parts.
Xorfino's another brother of mine. He's kind of a grump, though. He considers himself a scientist and is constantly messing around in his laboratory. And don't you dare interrupt him while he's in there! He gets super mad. Even when he's not in his lab, he's not the chattiest or most social pet. And he's always criticizing everyone else. Tocksic insists I need to give him a chance and that he's really sweet deep down, but I dunno.
Melli's one of my big sister's. She's a super awesome magician! Seriously, you should see her show. She's really good at magic, too. Her magic's definitely not fake, lemme tell you. She's also an awesome big sister! We hang out a lot. We like to go shopping, swimming, or even just for walks together. Though she's a lot of fun to hang out with, sometimes she can be a bit spacey. But I guess that just adds to her charm!
Aly's my little brother, even though he dresses like my little sister. He's super energetic and fun. But, seriously, when I say energetic I mean it. I can't even keep up with him! He's really sweet, too, but sometimes he can get a bit annoying. I mean, I love him and all, but every once in a while I need a break from all the hyperness, ya know? Don't tell him I said that, though! He's really sensitive. He doesn't seem like it… but he is. So don't be mean to him or anything, alright? Promise? Pinky- err… I mean toe promise?
Err… Krawdette's a family friend. She owns an inn nearby. She's… umm… not nice. Nana and Papa keep telling me to give her another chance, but every time I'm around her she seems to be in a bad mood. She's always yelling at me, telling me I'm shedding and leaving fur all over the place. But JubJubs don't even shed! And then she says Rosie's making a mess, and she never makes messes! Fortunately it's not too bad when we visit her. Her mansion is AMAZING. It's SOOO much fun to explore!
Merazel's a ghost who liv- err, stays, at Krawdette's. She's… weird. She just loves scaring people. It's really not cool! I don't use the bathroom there anymore 'cause she likes scaring Neopets in there. I'm not entirely sure why she stays at Krawdette's, she just kinda appeared one day. Sometimes she floats around the woods at night and scares people out there. That's when I prefer to visit the inn.
Eluniala is a zombie who sometimes visits the graveyard in our backyard. She may look scary, but she's super nice. She's kinda forgetful, more so than my Papa, so I'm constantly having to remind her of who I am and stuff. It's like she's lost her head! He he… Oh! I should mention, her head doesn't always stay on. Huh. Jokes don't work when you have to explain them, do they?
Mottlewing is a witch I occasionally run into. She's really mysterious, and more mysterious is that I think she knows my grandparents. Even though I don't know a lot about her, she's really nice when she visits. She often brings us all cool gifts. She's kinda like a kooky aunt I s'pose. I don't think she's a bad Neopet, but my curiosity is KILLING me!
