all made up with nowhere to go

I went to the dentist yesterday. I hate going at the best of times, but this just felt straight up weird, and the entire time I was there, I kept apologising in my head for breathing on him.

And then I went food shopping and a) bought too much and b) as a consequence, spent too much. Although it's two weeks (exactly!) since I did a Big Shop, so I shouldn't feel too guilty, but I do, wheeeee! I also regretted it, as I didn't take my trolley with me (because dentist), so I had to carry everything and now I have very sore shoulders, as well as a bruise on my left shoulder. I could've got a taxi, I guess, but I already had a day bus ticket, and a taxi home would've cost as much as the bus ticket did. So I am sore instead. I spent a lot of yesterday once I got home not doing a lot because it was too much effort.

The reason I went a bit loopy with food shopping is because I think I have a wheat or gluten intolerance (I'm not going to say it's coeliac, because I don't think it is). I've thought for several years now that things with flour in make me bloated and, the other night, I realised that it may also be contributing to my migraines. Which started getting worse around a year ago. When we went into first lockdown, and I started baking more, didn't I. So yesterday, I was buying what gluten-free stuff I could find to try out (the answer is woefully little. Especially since there aren't gluten-free alternatives to a lot of things I like). Also gluten-free stuff is expensive! Which I kind of knew anyway, but now I have bought some, I know for definite.

So I'm going to try to eat less gluten-y stuff and see how it goes.

~

In other news, my pens came on Monday, as did a lamp I'd ordered from Ikea. All three things are great, however I will not be ordering from Ikea again ever. I booked my order to be delivered on Sunday, and they didn't even process it till that day! I mean, it at least did get delivered on Monday, but that wasn't the day I asked for, nor that I was offered! It is a good lamp - it's very energy efficient for starters - and it didn't cost much (because Ikea), but that whole palaver with the delivery has put me right off.

Anyway, my pens are amazing, and they both write really nicely, and feel nice to use. I don't think either nib is a fine point, as claimed, but I don't think that matters, really? I'm not that fussed. As long as they work, which they do, then I'm happy. Also they both came with converters, which I'm pleased about (basically I can put any colour or type of ink in*/it's better for the environment because I'm then not throwing small bits of plastic away).

Other than that, I rewatched Zoe and Aoife playing Dark Souls II. Because I suck at Dark Souls and wanted some tips (I did not get them, because they're doing a Let's Play, not a walkthrough).

And then I went back and am currently rewatching Aoife and Johnny playing Dark Souls III, which I could swear I remember nothing about, but I've kept going, "OH I REMEMBER THIS!" quite a lot. So evidently I remember more than I thought I did.

I've come to the conclusion that DS3 is the lovechild of Bloodborne and Demon's Souls. It feels very Bloodborne like, and the enemies remind me of the enemies in that, but also like, the Firelink Shrine is very like the Nexus in Demon's Souls. And there's a reference to Yuria, who's a character in that (which means absolutely nothing, really, it's just From referencing their older work). But you know me, I'll look for connections where there are none!

Also Resident Evil is TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD THIS YEAR HOLY HECKINS. I wish I could pretend I wasn't aware of that, but I actually am. It's 23 years since I first played through RE2 with my BFF.

Talking of game anniversaries, FFXII was FIFTEEN not so long ago! It only feels like two minutes since I was saying I should've done something for the tenth anniversary and now...blimey. I was unprepared for that one.

And on that note, I think I'm done now!

~

*Except India ink. Don't ever put that in your fountain pen, because you will heck it up. Possibly for good.

So for a while now, I have needed to buy a new landline because the display on the old one is...not great now. I can't remember how long I've had this one, maybe five years or so? (It's a really old model, and I got it for mum from a discount store, so it were probably discontinued when we had it new anyway).

I know I could use it as phone without a display - it still functions like it's meant to - but I've got used to having caller display. I also have two corded handsets (this one is cordless), but again, they don't have displays, so I'd feel like I was going backwards technologically.

Anyway, long story short, I wiffled for a while about buying a new one, as obviously it costs money, and I am not rich. But I've bought one this morning, that is just a single handset - the old one is a pair, but I really don't need two handsets as I'm rarely upstairs anyway. I got it from Argos, and it was £20, and that's not too bad! (I did look in the same discount store a while back, but they seem to have stopped selling phones). And then I thought I'd look to see what cheap 3DS games they were selling, just for giggles, and now I have a copy of Yo-Kai Watch coming as well??? In my defence, it was only £1.50, I've thought about buying it before, and my nephew might like it even if I don't?

(I was going to buy one of the sequels as well for £3.50, but they were out of stock. Which in a way is good, because what if I didn't like the first one?? And I could have had one of the Monster Hunter 3DS games for cheap, except that was also out of stock, which again, probably a good thing, since I think Monster Hunter is like Dark Souls in that I would not enjoy it one bit).

And then, the best part is, it's all getting delivered this afternoon! Which is nice.

~

I've been watching Aoife and Johnny from Eurogamer play Bloodborne because reasons I am not entirely sure of. I don't even like Bloodborne! Aoife/the comments mentioned some of the lore, and I still have no idea W T F is going on!

Anyway, I also watched some of their Late to the Party videos (in which one of them plays a game they don't know), and I thought you also might be interested in some of them?

Aoife and Ian play Resident Evil 2 (original)

Ian and Johnny play Silent Hill

Aoife and Ian play Bloodborne

Aoife and Johnny play Final Fantasy VII

Aoife and Johnny play Final Fantasy X

~

I don't know what else to say, though no doubt I will remember stuff once I've switched the computer off, and I need to make some dinner, so I'm going to go and do that.

Resident Evil 2 is FINALLY getting a remake????

(using my Silent Hill icon because I can't currently get at my RE one...*sigh*)

I...appreciate it, and think it's overdue, but I'm not sure I want it. I love the original, and I've loved it for twenty(!!) years now. I will probably still check it out once it arrives, because Resident Evil.

(I want there to be the alternate scenarios like there were in the original because hello guess where my love of Rashomon style storytelling came from*. And I'd like Claire's original VA. I'm sure Ali Hillis does a good job, but Alyson Court just is Claire for me. Which, I realise, makes me sound like a whiny five year old, but I'm very tired and feel like stamping my feet, so I guess I am a whiny five year old).

Talking of which, I was in CEX today, and considered picking up 5, 6, and Operation Raccoon City, even though I won't play them at all because I'm a massive scaredy cat (why I like this series at all is BEYOND me). Maybe next time I'm in there. I want them just to have them, if that makes sense?

(which reminds me: I still need to pick up the films I'm missing, and that includes Damnation).


*Though I suppose the alternate A/B scenarios aren't Rashomon style in the strictest sense, but I do like the differences that occur depending on which way you play the game.

~

In other games news, I've been keeping up with E3 even less than usual but new Halo game??? That is not Halo 6, but will apparently continue Master Chief's Adventures IN SPACE!™ (I get the feeling 343 are trying to eke out the story as much as possible at this point, as 6 should, rightfully, be the finisher, but who honestly knows).

ALSO KH3 FINALLY! (not that I have a PS4 to play it on, but whatever, right? People have been wanting this since I got into the games a good decade ago. I am happy for them).

~

In non-game news, I went to the dentist on Monday, and he was actually nice to me this time! Well, nice for a dentist, anyway. I didn't exactly mention the sore teeth, as they'd calmed down, but he had a look, and said it was probably a nerve or gum flare-up, which sounds likely. I was dreading him saying I'd have to have a tooth out (or worse). Thankfully, that didn't happen.

I've also started working on paying off the Other Debt, and it is less than I thought, so hopefully it will take me less time to pay off! \o/

Woke up from a dream this morning that seemed to be Critical Role and Resident Evil intertwined (not really surprised, given Matt Mercer is Leon's current voice, and that I've been thinking about both things all week*). The zombies were a constant threat, though never visible (which obvs made things nine hundred percent worse). The CR parts of the dream were nicer, though. (Although sometimes I wish I would stop dreaming about it, because I don't count it as a thing I'm particularly fannish about. Even though I possibly am more so than I think? IDK). I kept almost falling asleep in the dream, which is a thing I've dreamt about before, and can only think it happens when I'm super tired in actual life.

Anyway. That was a thing.

~

In other news, I finished watching aaaaaall the way through RE2! I'm glad I decided to watch the Leon A/Claire B longplay too.

I'm fairly certain now that me and my BFF at the time played all four scenarios, but never managed to beat the final boss on either Leon or Claire B (so we didn't beat the game as such, which I never thought we did anyway). I can't ask her if we did anyway, because I don't see her often any more, and I doubt she remembers now as it is.

So I guess next up is RE1 (the original, not the remake), and then Nemesis because that's the order I experienced them in. Then I'll probably do chronological(ish) order from there on in. Maybe. Depending on my mood and how stable my internet is (it drops out all the time, even when I'm practically on top of the router, and is one of the reasons I'm behind on Critical Role. I suspect we need a new router but uuuughhh how do I know what is a good one to get???? I am not good with technology!)

~

*I keep considering dunking the old campaign and just starting afresh with the new one, which I am now two weeks behind on! However, while I know most spoilers for the old one, I'd like to see the rest of it. I guess I will just be forever behind!

Since mentioning Wesker in my post last night, I actually started thinking about his story as it unfolds through Resident Evils 1 -5 and...really it's fucking ridiculous and so is he.

(I know it's down to Capcom retconning here, there, and everywhere, but it doesn't make it any less ridiculous when you put it all together).

THIS ICONNNNNNNNN. I've missed this icon.

(Uh, hi new people, I have a crush on Wesker. Although unlike nine tenths(?) of the internet who also have a crush on him, the first thing I will do is tell you that he is a HUGE DICK and I will make no attempt to excuse his villainous behaviour because WHAT. What is that even about. I honestly DO NOT understand it, and I don't think I ever will).

(Also what you may or may not know about me is that the Resident Evil games are my comfort blanket. Yeah. Leon was one of my first video game crushes ♥ ).

Uh, also this part of the post has no point, really.

~*~

Playing FFIX. On the second disc already! (I thoroughly surprised myself).

It's weird playing it, really, because most of it I don't remember, but then there's certain locations or scenes that I do remember, but I could be sure that they happened later on? Mind you, 2009 (when I played it the first time) was a prime year for holes in my memory (and also a supremely shitty year for various reasons), so I'm not surprised my memories of it are wonked.

Also GAH SHIPPING FREYA AND FRATLEY SO HARD. Want to do a fanart (got an idea) but a) need references and b) be able to draw both of them competently what with them both being rats (humans I can do, anthro rats not so much). I've already drawn a Hippaul (no, really), so it can't be that hard, right????

~*~

I should do some more writing. I haven't touched my story for at least a month (even back before I asked for boss fight tracks) and I only have six months left IF I'm going to stick to this deadline like I said I would.

(I think about it a lot. Mainly because I'm so pleased with myself for pulling an idea out and constructing something I'm happy with, and characters I'm happy with (even if one is an ass and the other is a douchebag and makes me mad when I write him). I'd like to do some art for it, maybe. But first I'll concentrate on getting the damn thing written).

(Although I guess that means I'll have to read some of it back, in spite of having the basic idea in my head. It is FAWFUL at the moment. I'm saving rewrites for typing up, which obviously hasn't happened yet, as I haven't got the entire story out yet).

Some things:

1. I watched Resident Evil: Damnation, and honestly I don't know why I bothered. I mean, yay Leon being all snarky, and Leon, and so on ♥ (he was one of my first video game crushes and...look, it's been going on for fourteen years now *ahem*).

The CGI were/was (????) awesome - I really love how far computer animation has come, even in the last ten years - but honestly I didn't really like it. It felt, by the end of the game, like an extended trailer for RE6, although you wouldn't guess that if you don't know that it's supposed to be set between RE5 and 6. Also there was a trailer for 6 playing over the credits and what the fuck was that all about?

(Also I didn't have an RE tag??? WTF??? THESE GAMES ARE MY LIFE!)

In short, nah bro.

2. Since we're talking films, the last one I saw before this was Hans Christian Andersen, which is a musical where Danny Kaye plays the titular character and...it's not exactly true to Andersen's really story, but it's not so removed from reality as I understand it. Anyway, it's fun, and I enjoyed it, although a warning: you probably will be ear-wormed with every single song for days afterwards.

3. I reeeeeeeeeally want to make origami (someone who followed me on tumblr does origami, and it started me off on wanting to do some again). The only problem I have with it is that I never know what to do with it once I've made it.

I made so much as a teenager, but threw a lot of it away because of the above reasons (I think we've got three surviving things which are two huge flies (don't ask), and a maple leaf). I've got some instructions for making some paper boxes upstairs, and I'm going to have a crack at them, but I don't know where to go from there. We will see, I guess.

(Hmm, I better dig out that Steve and Megumi Biddle book, I guess!)