Before I vanished from the face of Neopia for years – or rather, I was kidnapped by that rogue called “real life” – my last publication in the Neopian Times was way back in issue 654. This means over two hundred issues of the Neopian Times separate my most recent publication from the last. After such a long period of time being away from the Times and finally escaping from the bondage of real life, I returned to a different Neopia than I remembered, having missed several plots, developments, milestones, Daily Dares, and seasons of the Altador Cup. I shook off so many cobwebs and Dust Motes that I could probably carpet an entire room of my Neohome with them.

When I'm working on a new customization for my pets, the most stressful part is determining which items I can easily obtain. There's nothing worse than falling in love with a wearable only to find that it's trading for an outrageous number of Gift Box Mystery Capsules--that is, if the owners of the item are willing to part with it at all! Occasionally, I come across a gorgeous item that I can't find a trading value for. Upon closer inspection, I realize it's because this isn't a Neocash item--it's a completely affordable Neopoint wearable! In order to share this joy with the rest of Neopia, I've compiled a list of the most aesthetically pleasing NP backgrounds.

Grey Day is upon us, and you know what that means. Iron-coloured skies obscured by wispy silver clouds dropping charcoal-coloured rain on the ashen streets of Neopia. A sombre mood descends upon us as we spend the day inside reading from Grey Tonu Tales, comforting ourselves with a Grey Pizza Slice. The day looms upon us all year, and its arrival is familiar and, in a way, comforting. But what should you do if you find yourself feeling all wrong this Grey Day? Instead of joining in the collective sombre melancholia, you find yourself feeling chipper, even joyful? You can’t put your finger on why you feel this way and you’re not sure how to react.