The Cautionary Tale of Zero

Hey Jammers! I've been having around 4 hours of homework every night, so it's really hard to be awake enough after finishing it to post here. Thankfully, I managed to finish all my weekend homework on Friday so I don't have to worry about that anymore! Yay!

It's just really hard to post every day over the school year, even during vacation. This may come as a surprise, but I don't like being on the computer every single day. I like reading and drawing and stuff.

Still, I'm trying to post at least four days a week, minimum. I just get so tired of sitting at a computer that it's hard to reach that goal...

ALRIGHT! ANIMAL JAM TIME!

Here are some new items:

I dunno... not too wild about these items. The grocery bags change style if you change the colors, though, which is sort of fun.

Remember to use reusable grocery bags. It's that simple to help keep plastic bags out of landfills.

And now onto the bulk of this post. I'm going to do my best to explain.

From Julian2AJ's video

How it looks today.

You may already be aware of this, as it's gained some popularity because some well-known blogs and Youtube channels have brought it to light. 

For once, this is an Animal Jam thing that appeared more interesting than some random hacker, although some hacking or cheats were thought to be involved.

It goes like this:

A lot of seemingly random one-word usernames have the same koala look. A few have Head Feathers and one has a silver ring. Animal names vary.

These are all the ones I've found. There may be more. Some Jammers thought the usernames put together in a certain order may have made a kind of code. 

As you can see, all of these user's dens are unlocked. Within almost every den is a den portal. Those portals lead to a den owned by someone by the name of Zero. 

The idea of cheating and hacking came in when Jammers tried to search for Zero. Nothing will come up. In their den, you can't click their name at the top right corner of the screen. You can't view their player card.

The "Zero puzzle" was popularized in a recent YouTube video by a Jammer named Julian2AJ. In the video, Zero's den looked like this:

A normal den, but a pretty one. Beautiful nature-y items made it look like a sweet Spring day every day. But that koala plushie by the grave stone... It looks like a memorial. 

At first, someone on social media came forward and said that Zero was a friend's friend who passed away, so this den turned into a memorial. It seemed like a good explanation at the time.

However, multiple people in the YouTube comments of Julian2AJ's video came forward and said that Zero was a YouTuber currently named Legendary AJ. They had the account "Zero" which got banned forever, explaining why you can't search Zero or view their player card. However, since the video was made, the den has been edited:

The edit implies that this Zero is still active, not banned forever, but most likely Zero was Legendary AJ. They made a video about it explaining that they got banned because they made a bad decision and one of their "friends" messed around on their account.

The koala on the grave stone was a way of saying goodbye to that account's friends and items before they got banned. 

In light of the Zero fiasco, Legendary AJ was not pleased:

"I am so exhausted and stressed because of the rumors I've heard. Please do not believe them." – Legendary AJ

I'm of the firm belief that Zero was indeed Legendary AJ. If she was trying to fake it, she'd want attention. She has given evidence and is telling us straight up that she doesn't want people dwelling on this.

I still don't know how Zero's den got edited if it's banned forever, but I'm sure it isn't as spooky as some people think. Nothing scary is going on!

I guess I just want to ask of you to respect Legendary AJ's wishes and don't try to spook-ify her unfortunate story anymore. 

This whole thing came about because someone Legendary thought was her "friend" lied to her to gain access to her account. Legendary AJ and one of her buddies were really into glitches, and her buddy said that he wanted to teach her a new one. It involved giving away personal information. She didn't know the dangers of it, and followed through, which cost her her whole account.

In the end, this is a cautionary tale about trust. If there's a situation on AJ that involves you giving away just a bit of personal information, be it Skype or password or anything, abort mission! Jump off the wagon! It isn't worth it.

Moral of the story: Never underestimate how far people will go to get items, even if they're on your buddy list.

That's all for now, Jammers. Stay safe!

The Forgotten Item

Hey Jammers! 

You know, there are so many items in Jamaa. Have you ever stopped to think about it?

There's always at least one new item a day, sometimes more. That means there are easily over 2,000 different items existing in the game. That's a lot to keep track of.

What sometimes happens if an item is forgotten is that no one buys any because it isn't very eye-catching. Someday when there's only one left, it becomes high-demand and rare. This was what probably happened with the once-rare Train Set: people ignored it and recycled it so much until there was only one left, and then it became highly sought after. A while later, it came back to Jam Mart Furniture and that was the end of that.

Still, sometimes items just go unseen. They might be so unassuming that people just recycle them without a second thought, or don't even buy them in the first place. Sometimes items blend in so much that they just become lost to the sands of time. 

Yes, friends. Maybe you know this item, maybe you don't, but I'm talking about the mysterious Freedom Banner.

Well, at least right now it's called the Freedom Banner. What makes this item stand out is that it used to have a more mysterious name:

It came out on July 1, so many people thought that "council day" was just another name for July 1st or 4th. However, there really is no such thing as Council Day. I wonder if Council Day was a kind of inside joke or small event that took place with AJHQ. 

Another thing that could be related to this banner is the French flag. The banner may just be displaying the main colors of the American flag, but it is also exactly how the French flag looks right-side-up. Hmm... the plot thickens.

I have yet to see a single Freedom Banner in Jamaa since 2012. I'm not saying it was deleted, of course, if you look up "animal jam freedom banner" you can see a couple of YouTube giveaways for one. However, I think that's just because Jammers these days tend to think that every item not in stores is rare somehow, and worthy of a giveaway. I'm not trying to be mean, I'm just saying that that misconception is common. 

I guess it comes down to this: if an item is ignored to the "brink of extinction", does that guarantee that one day Jammers will fight over it, just because there's only one or two left? 

Or is it possible for something to just disappear with no one noticing or caring, just because it's not that eye-catching?

This is starting to be about both endangered animals and items, but what do you think? What will be the fate of these forgotten items?

See you in Jamaa~

Gabby Wild's Animal Hospital

Ooooh boy, it's been eight whole days since I posted last! I haven't been feeling very well lately, school is just taking so much out of my life. I wish it didn't. I wish I could be stronger about it instead of being too exhausted to do anything outside of school except sleep and homework.

School's pretty bad, as you can probably tell. I don't see anyone I know all day other than one person. No one's really talking to each other or interested in being friends. It's pretty depressing and hard to have to sit through every day. Blah. Blah blah blah.

ANYWAYS, on a cheerier AJ-related note, have you seen the nice renovations at the Medical Center?

Yes, friends, Gabby Wild's Animal Hospital is open! It's like the medical center, except more beautiful and educational. 

But who is this Gabby Wild? Judging by that framed photo, it looks like she's the new field expert on AJ, following Brady Barr and Tierney Thys. 

She is both a traveling veterinarian and an environmental conservationist! That means that she helps animals and protects their homes, two very important things! What I like best about her videos is that she goes into details rather than talking down to us like "Hey Jammers The Sky Is Blue Cool Fact Right?" She explains things pretty clearly, and it's very interesting.

If you click around the hospital, you can find videos of her explaining certain things. I watched one about how to use a stethoscope, and it was much more detailed and cool than I expected. Did you know that there are different kinds of stethoscopes to monitor different things within a creature's body to keep them healthy? 

That's only scratching the surface! You should click the stethoscope on the top level of the Animal Hospital/Medical Center to learn more. :D

A while back there was a post about Gabby Wild on the Daily Explorer. I can't seem to find the full post as the DE's search bar isn't working right now, but here's an image from it:

As you also might be able to tell from the photo, she's into sustainable fashion as well as preserving habitats!

From what I'm guessing from the caption, that outfit is themed around elephants! So pretty. :)

Still, even on the most populated AJ server I didn't find anyone in the Animal Hospital. C'mon guys, check it out!!! AJ is about more than items, it's also about the wonderful people who enrich it with their knowledge. :D

Because the update was two days ago, I'm not going to rephrase what you already know with the whole Jamaa Journal  Lemurs have arrived, and they are cool indeed. You can now "like" masterpieces, which I really hope won't turn making masterpieces into a fight for attention like social media is. Pets now have adoption certificates. A pretty large update, if you ask me.

I'm going to definitely post tomorrow and try to do so for the rest of the week.

(Sorry that the text is so small all of a sudden, this is an annoying glitch that happens)

See you in Jamaa! :)

Happy 6th Birthday to Animal Jam!

Well... It's been six years. Six years of Animal Jam. 

One of my favorite older Jam-a-Grams

A little bit more than six years, actually. Whereas Animal Jam went public six years ago today, beta testing went on for a little more than a month before then. AJ has been so rewarding that a few beta testers have even hung on 'til today! That's practically growing up with Animal Jam. 

I joined in early 2012 so I haven't been playing this game as long as others, but it's still a big part of my life. That can sound a little sad to a lot of people, "It's just a game!" would be the response I'd imagine. That's true, it is just a game. It's true that internet games can get unhealthy if you play them too long, mentally and physically. Moderation is important, even if you're having fun! 

Personally, I don't think I've wasted any time. For me, Animal Jam is like walking through art that people created. People did draw the snowy peaks of Mt. Shiveer, the shady trees of Sarepia Forest, and the animal characters you create and play as. When I think of Animal Jam, I think of how beautiful it is. 

Jamaa makes me so incredibly happy, I just have to share that joy with you on this lil' blog. 

Anyway, you're probably aware of the AJHQ tradition of the annual AJ BDAY cake. For example, in 2016 if you use the code AJBDAY6 then you will receive a unique cake item! 

Many people haven't been around since AJ's 1st birthday, and even if you have, you might be happy to remember how all the cakes looked and how they've changed over the years.

1st Birthday

If you clicked the top candle, the whole thing would burst into flames. Yay! 

2nd Birthday

If you click one of the little dollops of frosting on the bottom layer, the whole cake would burst into FLAMES and CONFETTI!!! YAY!

3rd Birthday

I believe if you clicked the tent, a little penguin would slide down Mt. Shiveer. Wheee!

4th Birthday

This cake had many different forms. If you double click the right phantom, they eat the cake!

5th Birthday

This was also a cake that appeared small and boring, but once clicked enough it turned into a beautiful chocolate Mira! This cake told a story: when you first started clicking, the cake was toxic purple and covered in phantoms, but in the end Mira vanquished them. 

Fun fact: did you know in the AJ myths, the phantoms were created by Mira's tears? 

And last but not least, the 6th birthday cake:

It seems a bit chunky and mismatched, but that's not always bad. It has a glowing Mira at the top, kinda like the 5th cake.

Which cake is your favorite so far? I like the 1st cake because it's simple but it has a nice color scheme that reminds me of the forest. Also, flames. 

Thank you so much for 6 wonderful years, Animal Jam! We all can't thank you enough! :D

I've missed the Animal Jam Birthday Party tonight, so I'll go online and check it out tomorrow. 

To close off this post, I'll do what I did during the first AJ BDAY I experienced back in 2012, which really wasn't all that long ago. And even when it does technically become "long ago", the things from then–– any time you look back on, really ––are right where you left them. Time is just a concept. So, the good times never really leave you. :)

Sorry for being corny. ^_^;

Happy Birthday, Animal Jam!

Obsessed With Magenta

Hey Jammers! Today was my first day of school, and let me tell you I was too exhausted to do anything other than sleep for five hours after I did my homework. It wasn't even a full day, but just the idea of school makes me feel too weak to stay awake. Uuuuuggggghhhh....

I'm really worried that I won't be able to balance out what I actually want to do and The Torture That Is Public Education without sacrificing either my grades or my soul. Still, I'm going to try everything until it comes to that. I think I may just need time to adjust.

Alright, Animal Jam time. Not much is going on right now aside from the ongoing AJ bday celebrations, which I've yet to participate in. Animal Jam's real birthday is actually on the 9th, so I got some time. B)

Yesterday's Rare Item Monday caused quite a hoot, as so wonderfully described to you guys by Sky. 

It's certainly a special item, by the looks of it. It was created partially in response to that little item glitch that turned a Top Hat magenta-colored that freaked so many people out. It's a bit of an acknowledgement from AJHQ that they are indeed aware of our wacky obsession with unreleased magenta-colored stuff.

Now, the title is a little misleading as it seems to imply that you can customize the appearance of it while you cannot. As Sky told y'all, it was called "custom" because it was apparently made just for us by AJHQ, kinda like a second AJ BDAY gift. C:

I'm not sure if that means it was specially requested to be made by people who don't normally have that ability, or just made as an inside joke or something with us rather than just for the sake of making an item. Hmm... It may be the latter.

As AJ gets more and more connected with its users through social media, I wonder if we'll be seeing more of these kinds of special items. 

That's all for now, Jammers. See you in Jamaa! <3

~ DoomyPanda

Return of the Backpack

Hey Jammers! It is I, DoomyPanda, here to tell you all about today's much-awaited daily item: THE BACKPACK!!!

They come in a selection of colors and cost about 400 gems. Cheap for today's standards, but as you can see I still can't afford them. XD

Last in shops four whole years ago, the backpack has made a surprising return to Jam Mart Clothing's small collection of surprisingly-nice nonmember items. And unlike four years ago, nonmembers can finally pick and choose the special color they want! Yay!

However, despite how cool it is that this item has returned, it signifies the sad beginning of school for many Jammers, including myself. This year, I SWEAR that I'll be more organized and take notes and participate and do my homework first thing when I get home so I can have time to post and go to sleep early so I can get up again and be on time and repeat all of that over again for 180 more days until I can finally–

You get the point. I am not looking forward to school.

...But you know something I am looking forward to? AUTUMN!!!

The equinox (a term meaning "equal night" that signifies change between seasons) isn't due in the until September 22nd, but boy am I excited. I just love fall colors.

Alrighty, back to Animal Jam. Remember that invisibility glitch that happened to me a while back? Well, friends, it happened again:

At some point I'll add this glitch (along with others) to AJ Stream's glitch page.

That's all for now, Jammers. See you in Jamaa! <3

Lemurs + New JAGs + Rhinos for Gems?

Hey Jammers! It is I, DoomyPanda, returned from my journeys to post for you. 

It is the first of September. School has already begun for quite a few of you, but not yet for me. I still have a few more days to be lazy, thank goodness... :')

As it is Thursday, the biweekly Animal Jam update has arrived to Jamaa. However, before that I'd like to present you with the winners of the Jam-a-Gram contest that I had entered. Try out these new Jam-a-Grams!:

Out of these three, my absolute favorite is the one with the tiger.

This is what I entered in the contest:

I'm a little sad that I didn't get in, but the ones that did get in were still very wonderful! 

Alright, here is this update's Jamaa Journal:

Sir Gilbert's Palace has some nice serene places in it.

Rhinos are back!

Wait a minute...

"They are available for members for the low price of 1,000 GEMS!"

Rhinos are available for Gems, not Diamonds! Could this perhaps be a sign? A sign that animals will no longer need to be sold at the Diamond Shop? DOES THIS SIGNIFY THE DIAMOND SHOP WILL FINALLY FLIPPIN CLOSE?!?!?

Most likely not. Still, I wonder why they decided to sell rhinos for gems.

Whoa, six years of Animal Jam! Let's take a look at this year's cake:

This years cake seems to have a Mira-theme like last years. It's very elegant, but pretty chunky and made out of some interesting materials. 

If you click somewhere around the flying Mira topper, the whole cake will burst into flames, just like the old 1st birthday cake!

If you move forward through the years, AJBDAY birthday cakes look less and less edible, but more and more complex. 

I TOLD YA LEMURS WOULD COME TO JAMAA!!!!!

It seems that every update, an animal temporarily goes traveling. I wonder what would happen if wolves went traveling...

As Summer draws to a close and the winds of Autumn begin to blow, the Summer Carnival begins to wrap up as well. 

That's all for now, Jammers! See you in Jamaa~ :)