Hail, fellow Wizards!

Just some general thoughts on our class here... bear with me. I can't really speak for the higher levels in the game.. still a lowly 6th level here.. but I think it is more a matter of style of playing than any real inconsistencies in the game (with some exceptions of course!) when it comes to gaining experience.
If you play smart and attack only blues solo, you will keep gaining xp, slowly but surely. Its not a race although some people play it that way. Those people probably shouldnt be playing Wizards. It seems like Wizards were designed with a steady gaining of power through knowledge rather than brute force. ie knowing what you can handle at what level etc. Grouping is another viable option and also enhances the roleplaying experience...while lowering the total xp gained, but with lesser risk.
However, this is where the griping comes in. I think that the spell durations are all totally out of whack! The randomness which was discussed here earlier is I believe the biggest inconsistency in the Wizard class.
They did the Minor Shielding spell exactly right IMO. I have always thought of a Wizards spell as being something he/she has created, given a life to and something which he/she knows in exact detail. Take for example Minor Shielding. What happens when it starts to wear off. Icon starts blinking. Beautiful. Simple. Recast and boom! You keep the extra hp you gained from the previous casting and your ready to keep on trucking. Well done Verant! Now why cant you do the same with Root!?! It's OUR spell. We KNOW everything about it. How come we don't know when it is starting to fail? This would allow me to recast on the creature and keep nuking, or if I am OOM, then hightail it outta there, thereby saving my butt for the next time. Also, a minimum time for it to be effective would be nice, but at least if I know when it is failing, I KNOW if I can take that mob out, or if he is going to have me for supper! Same with Fade, and I assume Shadow Step, where is the minimum distance here folks? At least give Wizards some kind of running start when the MOB is too much for us. Not this using up of precious mana and then finding ourself 1 foot from where we started! I have been laughed at with that spell more than once. Also, lets lose O'Keil's Radiation! Replace with *Invisibility: Self* or some speed buffing spell. Lets face it do we really need a short duration damage shield that only does 2 hp of damage/hit no matter what level we are? I for one would rather have something that would allow me to travel (solo, anyway) at lower levels, seeing as how we are the "Damage and TRAVEL" spell "experts" in the game!
Wow. Sorry guys and girls. Lots of pent up anger here from getting killed by Rattlesnakes (a "monster" I am sure I could kill in RL without dying if I had a 6ft Oak staff, come on, they arent THAT poisonous or strong, are they? :-)

Alhassim, 6th Level Erudite Wizard, E'ci

P.S. PLEASSSE dont include this whole email if you reply, I dont want to be constantly challenged to a duel to the death for excessive typing! Remember, the <snip> is our friend. Please dont ignore him!