Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" -- otherwise known as: WRUP. Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!

Welcome to 2011, everybody! It's another weekend, which means more gaming. Though Cataclysm does still have an icy grip on our staff, what we're doing with our spare time has returned to being a little more varied thanks to our new treasures from Christmas and the even more important holiday: the Steam sale.

In addition to asking what the staff is playing, I took a moment to ask them how they feel about the little bits of patch 4.1 information we received recently from Alex Afrasiabi, and the earlier information from BlizzCon. Are we looking forward to the patch or are we still perfectly okay with the current content of the expansion?

Alex Ziebart (AlexZiebart): I'm still having tons of fun with current Cataclysm content. Leveling from 80-85 with rested XP is incredibly fast, so half of my level 80s are already 85! Only one of them is heroic capable, but still. That's pretty fast leveling. As far as patch 4.1, I most definitely want to hear more about what's coming up. "Man, Alex. Cataclysm has only been out for a month. You already ran out of things to do?" Nope! I have plenty to do still, I just like to hear about what's incoming!

Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert): I'll be hitting a raid or two with the guildies and continuing to help gear up some stragglers to 85 in the guild. Baradin Hold has resolutely failed to cough up any remotely usable gear for anyone, so we'll try our luck with elites elsewhere. As for patch 4.1, it's not even on the mental horizon yet -- there's too much to do now.

Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): Most of this weekend will be spent cleaning and reorganizing the house in preparation for overhauling my bedroom. This will be done while trying to patently ignore the fact that I still can't get out of my driveway. ... I hate snow. I was really excited to hear about the Hyjal revamp however -- the addition of dailies is nice, but what's more important is that this seems to indicate Cataclysm is going to be an expansion where zones aren't going to remain static. It just gets me even more excited about seeing where this expansion is going to go!

Basil Berntsen (@outdps): This weekend, I'll be continuing my never ending slog through rep grinds and profession leveling. I'm okay with the patch the way it is now, but mostly because SV hunters are over powered and I'm perfectly okay with that.

Chase Christian (@madsushi): Going to be running as many heroics as possible this weekend, which will hopefully have everyone in my guild ready for our first raid next week.

Colby Moore (@TheArenaGuy): I'm playing lots of arena and rated battlegrounds. I transferred to Kel'Thuzad Alliance and have been having a wonderful time. I'm also going to be avoiding the booze and working on my clean and jerk (olympic lifts). My 85 warlock is up to 2910 resilience, hopefully I'll be breaking the 3k mark soon enough now that Tol Barad is ... what's the word ... cooperatively mischievious? I'm not even remotely closed to bored yet, hopefully 4.1 is a while off. Right after an expansion is the best time to let things chill for a bit.

Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb): I am ready for raiding, and I have the achievement from heroic Deadmines to prove it! Seriously tho, my gear's shaping up pretty nicely. I'm hoping to get exalted with Ramkahen to grab the neck, and exalted with Tol Barad to grab the trinket. That and a couple more heroic drops, and I should be pretty good to take on some raid bosses. I'm cautiously optimistic about patch 4.1. I'm hoping that first, they fix Tol Barad, and second, they advance the Horde vs. Alliance lore in a meaningful fashion. Preferably without retreating to the old "put aside your prejudices and fight the REAL threat" chestnut.

Dan O'Halloran: I powerleveled inscription and have been enjoying the auction house game when I don't want to run a random instance. I'll continue to level my enhancement shaman alt and push further into Cataclysm with my druid main. 4.1 sounds great, but I still have a long ways to go with what the game currently has to offer.

Dawn Moore (@dawnwow): Going to grind heroics 'til it kills me. The phasing seems cool, reminds me of Zelda games on the N64. Also when did we start calling Valnoth by his real name? I liked his mystique.

Elizabeth Wachowski (@leeatwaterlives): My fiance and I will be celebrating our engagement and fighting over who gets to use the Xbox this weekend, after which I will relent and go level my shammy and druid some more. Give me a shout at gamertag: Gonzo Wiz!

Joe Perez (@Lodurzj): Super Meat Boy! Now that I've started raiding with Lodur, and my hunter Abigail is almost at 85, I'm trying to work some more games into my weekend rotations. Super Meat Boy is so amazingly awesome that I have to find time to play more of it. I mean ... he's a boy ... made out of meat ... and he's super ... what is not to love?! As far as new content already being discussed? While it sounds cool, personally I'd be happier if they focused more on fixing the things that are broken rather than talking about adding the new content quite yet. I'm looking at you evil blue bar loading boss!

Josh Myers (@Elamqt): We'll have four bosses down in Blackwing Descent by Monday night, hoping to move from there to work on Bastion of Twilight. Other than that, trying to decide on leveling my shadow/disc priest, affliction warlock, or holy paladin to 85. Oh, and playing through the campaign on some awesome StarCraft 2 my boyfriend got me for Christmas. As for patch 4.1, heck no! I don't think I've even discovered half of what Cataclysm has to offer yet.

Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra): Spending some time nursing my wounded pride and my wallet, as I just lost the job I've had for the last three years. In-game, I'm slowly going through the Twilight Highlands with a fine-toothed comb. Already have Hyjal, Vash'jir and Deepholm finished, so I'm enjoying that. As for new stuff? Sure, but not right now. There's still so much to do and enjoy in-game as is.

Lisa Poisso (@emused): A sleepover for girlies, much running of instances, blessed sleep, good food and wine, and a whole lot of work compiling an update on what everyone from 15 Minutes of Fame in 2010 has been up to since their articles ran ...

Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo): Yay New Years and all that jazz. Going out for New Years, then writing and bumming around all weekend. It feels good. We started raiding a few weeks ago and I'm loving it. We're taking it nice and slow, and I'm loving every minute of the expansion. It's awesome.

Matt Low (@matticus): Two bosses down in Bastion of Twilight 25, three down in Blackwing Descent 25, and one down in Throne of the Four Winds on 10. Still lots more work to do. Weekend will be used for more preparation. Actually, I might just play the RNG game that is archaeology or work on my alts. I have the only night elf mage alt in the guild. Can't wait for 4.1! I'm always burning for new things to go through and explore.

Michael Sacco (@mikesacco): Playing through my holiday games backlog! Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, RDR: Undead Nightmare, Back to the Future, Vanquish ... An embarrassment of riches.

Sarah Nichol (@mentalshaman): I'll be playing 'Where are my painkillers'. Be careful of your back, it's a real pain when it hurts. Wait. Um. In game news, I'm content with the current content of the expansion, but that 4.1 news has piqued my interest considerably. Bring it on.

Zach Yonzon (@battlemasters): I failed, spectacularly, in my attempt to get to 85. I had a good run from 80 to 83 in one sitting and again to 84 in another, but family and work obligations have put a cap on Azerothian XP gains until, conceivably, the 7th of January. Instead, I sneak in some Infinity Blade, Angry Birds, and Cut the Rope on the iPhone 4 my awesome wife gave me for Christmas. As for 4.1, I can't even manage to get my actual main to 85, much less begin to get bored.

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The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!

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Tags: patch-4.1, what-are-you-playing, wow-patch-4.1, wrup