Ok, this is embarassing....So I am guilty of actually getting in on conversations in /2 in Orgimmar last night. Yeah, I added my two cents on chuck norris (ok, a few of em, felt like barrens chat from years past), laughed at a couple "anal" posts (I am sure you have heard them too, they cannot be server dependant) and basically just listening to what people were saying about Cataclysm.
It seems that there are a few powerleveling (with unmanned groups following to help clear mobs for questing, etc), a few are soloists, but alot of the info was pertaining to leveling up. So due to my interest, I chatted up a few. (my questions are in bold)
"Why are you going for realm first? I thought that blizz took out the achievement for that, thanks to the farmers dying playing for 72 hours straight, so why?"
"So I have a jump on everyone else, and I can make a TON of gold in the higher areas. lawlz"
"What do you mean?"
"Once I hit 85, I am gonna go back and farm the mobs to get loot, then sell them on AH. Why am I telling you this, I don't even know you"
"You are in Org, take the invite"
"Take this, for your time. I got another question"
In trade, I open up and toss him 100g.
"Dude, you are serious?"
"Sure, you get paid when you work, right? I need a few questions answered, this is for your time"
"So how are you gonna powerlevel? With a group? Solo? Loot? Not loot? Skin? Herb or Mine? Quest or Farm? Did you read a guide to do it?"
"Ok, not sure if 100g is worth me giving up my surfire way, but why not, I like competition"
"I am doing it solo, full quests, NO LOOTING, No, I am not a skinner, I am not a miner, I don't herb, I am a chanter and engineer, and yeah, I read blogs for info"
"Gotcha. Why would you not pick up any loot? How are you gonna gear up?"
"Well, I have full 264 gear, so I prob won't gear up till 83 or so, then what I didn't get questing, I will hit the AH"
"Hmmm. What about your professions, are you going to level those?"
"Yeah, after I do all the questing, since I have already hit the gold cap, 200K, and am going to powerlevel both up to speed after I hit 85"
"Can I get a loan? Haha, just kidding. Thanks again for your time, good luck in Cata."
After a few conversations back and forth with people, it seems that alot of them are planning on powerleveling their professions AFTER they hit 85. Now plans don't always work, and if they aren't gung ho about sitting in front of the 'puter for 40+ hours to level.
So what does this tell me? What does it tell you? Till next time Azeroth....