User blog:The Ancient Pult Ancestor/The Great Lesson

Level 114 of Dead Man's Booty...It was like any I faced...pathetic, full of stupid zombies that can't even enter the lawn without losing their heads. As usual, I start by placing mines in front of the earliest zombies, & feed them with Sun Beans if they are strong enough, while I feed plant food to a Twin Sunflower (or a sun bean if I see a Buckethead). Like always, the lanes with planks slowly get occupied either by an army of Laser Beans, an combined army of Laser Beans & Winter Melons, &, if I have enough sun, conquer everything with nothing more but Winter Melons. As for plankless rows, they are covered with Twin Sunflowers, & the only thing protecting them is a well-timed Blover (unless there are Imp Cannons, which I blast twice with a Magnifying Grass in the leftmost tile).

I remember how I got stuck, not because of zombies, but because of a glitch. In level 70, my Winter Melons are still lobbing s***, as if there was an enemy I could not see beyond the lawn. I prayed that I would get out of there, but I am not willing to die (I prefer to be stuck than to die). Fortunately, an update fixed the f*** up! Anyway, I took my progress for granted. I was careless. Up until that time, I never fought a Garg Pirate, which I knew can end my career, & that is why I keep a close eye on the zombies while selecting seed packets, & I also made sure that of all the plants I could miss, Blover would not be that plant, because Blover is life, & without him, life is hell until you die. I didn't need any boosts. But I need everything else... But after level 114, I forgot to check the zombies. The next thing I knew, I was facing four flags, four planked rows, & nine Gargs that have come to crush me! It wasn't even the first flag yet, & my mowers were all taken! What was I afraid of? I've got 380,000 at that time. When in a tight situation, I'd power up a Twin Sun, A Laser Bean, or a Winter Melon. Or perhaps I'll use a free power-up (most preferably Power Toss)! But guess what? I was so preoccupied with the Gargs that I forgot my strengths. I blasted them with Laser Beans, but many more took their place! I was determined to fight 'til the end (even though 12 Gargs were barreling down on me). The inevitable end. Before I could pwn one, he crushed the Laser Bean! As the raiding party came, my reflexes had me plant a Blover.And there it was. The screen went black. The brain on the plate appeared! I wish I wasn't stupid to not notice the Garg there. That's how I really died. The lesson here is, you cannot take your progress for granted. It must be earned & cared for, as if the next day, the game will disappear, as if the next day, all your gemiums, coins, & powerups will be gone. And on the bright side, I shall try to rebuild my life in Dead Man's Booty again. Besides, I still have a Terror from Tomorrow 76 to play.