In which this has been a week:

~ I rode my bike to work on New Year's Day, as there were no buses. I did not ride it all the way, and I could not ride it home (because gentle yet deceptive gradient, boo). So I had to walk with it almost all the way. Also it was raining.

~ I injured my right ring fingertip on some metalwork while cleaning on Friday evening, and it obviously hasn't healed properly yet because it's on a fingertip of my dominant hand, so I keep catching it on stuff and setting it off bleeding again. Fun times!

~ And then! It snowed on Saturday night. Which, again, meant no buses because although the main roads were clear, because of the diversions, nothing could get into town (or drivers, probably, depending on where they live).

I checked to see if I had messages from anyone else about whether they were going in. I did not. So foolishly, I set off walking. In three inches of snow. For three miles. While it was still snowing.

Anyway, tl;dr version: nobody else in my dept had come in, so it was open, but it was extremely bare bones because there was only me.

And then I had to walk home because there were still no buses, and I didn't know if taxis were running, and I couldn't be arsed to find out. Also it was raining. But I was going home, so I didn't mind so much.

It was so weird, though, because there were so few people/not a lot of traffic around, it felt like being in some strange, post-apocalyptic environment. Like, there were signs there'd been life here, but there wasn't much evidence of it. (Work was, well, work. Just with less people than usual - both coworkers and customers).

I'm glad I've got today and tomorrow off, though, because although I don't feel as shit as I was expecting to, I don't feel great, so at least I can just bimble around the house and not do too much.

#

In other news:

~ I rewatched all of Oxventure Wyrdwood, and now I want to rewatch it again, heh. It's given me a mighty craving for all things folk horror-y (I mean, it had already but now it's really intense). I am currently watching Golden Rodent play Balatro, however.

~ Me and Sarah hung out for a bit last week and got spooked by a goat just staring at us (I mean, of all the farm animals it could have been, and while I was telling her about Wyrdwood as well!)

~ I bought an air fryer instead of a new microwave. I figured I didn't use the micro that much, whereas I use my oven/stove more, and would like to cut down on my (frankly ludicrous) gas bill.

I have next to no idea what I can do with it (yet), but I am looking forward to maybe getting back into baking again, and also perhaps making slightly more complex dishes than I do currently.

~ I bought and started playing Persona 5 Tactica. I am about three hours in and have few thoughts beyond "art style is cool", "I like Erina (and her costume design)" and "Toshiro needs a good slap upside the head because he is, in part, a predictable Japanese male character".

#

I think that is everything for now. I can't be arsed doing a post summing up 2024. It was pretty shit for the most part. I'm glad to see the back of it. Hopefully 2025 might be better, but honestly who knows.
# Parts of town flooded the other day while I was at work, thanks to snow melt and a storm passing over. Thankfully, I was able to make it home okay, but I was worried for a good couple of hours that I wouldn't.

# I finally moved the futon upstairs! \o/ I have swapped it for the wicker chair that was up there and the other rando dining table chair I have (there are two; they do not match). This means there is now more space in the living room and the front bedroom, and I am very happy. All I have to do now is another tip run, and I will be even happier.

# I watched a stationery haul from a website I've never heard of (Journalsay), so of course I had to go and look at it. But I was very good! I didn't actually buy anything! I wanted to, I really did. But I have lots of stickers and stuff, I don't need more! (I do)

So now I think I'm probably going to fall down the journalling video rabbit hole for a while. Possibly.

# And then the other rabbit hole I'm going to get myself in is art dolls. I have wanted to make some for a few years now, but been put off because a lot of the tutorials have specific looks to them. Anyway, tl;dr version is I can make the dolls look however I like, right? That's what makes them mine.

I think also I've been put off because I've tried to make dolls in the past (I have abandoned crocheted ones) and it's not always gone very well. But. I am trying to do the thing of, well, if it doesn't work, I don't have to show anyone!

What kicked this off was seeing one made from scraps of fabric. And oh boy do I have a lot of scraps. So. I'm going to muck about and see where this gets me.

# Finally, I have been thinking about rebooting my ko-fi! I have made next to no effort with it recently and that's frankly quite rubbish! As you probably know, I was very mentally unwell last year while trying to run it, and I know I didn't do a good job, and I think I used starting my job as an excuse to stop updating, even if I didn't realise it at the time.

Well, now I have a handle on my job, and I reckon I could manage monthly updates there at least. And overhaul the shop. I don't know when I will actually do it, possibly in the new year, maybe as late as my birthday. I need to do some research, and relaunching over Xmas seems like a bit of a daft idea. So. Yeah.

# I think that's all I've got for now!
Five things make a post?

1. It was -7°C when I woke up this morning at 6am. Do not want!

2. I had to cave and buy a cheap pair of bluetooth headphones for my phone with the remainder of my xmas money, because I keep breaking 3.5mm jack to usb c converters (well, the first one was duff anyway, but the second one only lasted a month, and at five quid each I'm not doing this repeatedly).

They're okay, sound-wise (I will admit I am a headphones/speaker snob, although I can't afford the sort of stuff I'd really like). They'll do, anyway. I do like that I can wander round my entire house, though, and the bluetooth signal doesn't drop out at all.

3. Talking of my phone, a friend was asking on facebook for phone recs as they needed a new one, and almost every single comment on the post was "I've got a Pixel and I LOVE IT". I refrained from adding that I had one and I hated it, because maybe it's just me, IDK.

4. I have been deconstructing some clothes to reclaim the fabric. Some of them were ones my mum made, and it's fascinating seeing how she put them together, and how lazy she was feeling about finishing them off properly.

I feel a bit weird about it, but I wouldn't wear them anyway, and the majority would be too big for me even if I wanted to. I think mum would approve of me recycling them. I hope she would.

(It doesn't stop me wanting to buy more fabric though - I've been looking at batik fabric lately and omg it's gorgeous).

5. I have been thinking about doing the 100 day art challenge, but I don't know what I would do for it. I've seen various things, most recently quilting/applique, but also gel printing, and drawing. I also don't know that I can actually commit to 100 days of anything, given I used to get burnt out after fifteen on Inktober.

But there's no start or end date on it, so it's something I can just think about for the future maybe.
Small list post, because.

# There is snow outside! Only about 2cm of it at the deepest, but it is there!

Also it's been minus temps for a lot of the days recently (only peaking at +1°C during the day), so it's properly felt like winter recently. Which is nice, because it feels like the last several years have been wet and miserable.

# I am continuing with P5R! I am currently in the third semester, and I have Thoughts about it, but I will leave talking about them until I finish the game. Partly because I also have things I want to say about the game as a whole, so I might as well put it all in one post.

# I decided a little while ago that, as a treat, I would buy myself a tin of Polychromos coloured pencils for Xmas. Except then I watched this one video by someone, and they said an artist they follow said that when you're buying supplies you're unfamiliar with, it's generally better to get a few open stock in colours you like/will use as opposed to a set, as then you may not feel like you wasted money if you don't like them.

And I think this is actually a good idea! The problem I'm going to have is choosing a limited palette that is not all greens and blues. I like all colours, but they're the ones I gravitate towards the most.

I also thought what I would do is divide the money I would have spent between several things I want to try - e.g. get four Polychromos, and then get maybe a couple of Poscas (since I only have black and white), and possibly four Neocolor IIs*.

Well, that's what I've decided for now. Who knows what I'll think in a couple of weeks' time.

~

*I have three sets of the Neocolor Is that were my mum's, but I'd like to see what the IIs are like as several artists I follow seem to rate them.

(no subject)

Sep. 6th, 2023 10:52 am
muladhara: (koromaru)
I've got another Bluesky invite code if anyone needs or wants one!

Edit: it's gone, but I'm sure I'll have another one soon.

~

It is hellishly hot here again, blergh. The temp topped out at 28°C yesterday, and it's not likely to cool down again until the start of next week.

...I mean, I'm mostly mad because it had been feeling really autumnal and I loved it and now it just feels like gack again. I am not amused.

~

In other news, I am ~22ish hours into Persona 5 Royal!

Kasumi is not annoying me as much as she originally did, though I do roll my eyes at the way she's described as being special, and I get this "not like the other girls UwU " vibe from her, and that's kind of grating. But I find it funny how every time she shows up, I'm just like, "oh, okay," and yet every time Akechi is on screen, I hiss at him (I mean, I have valid reasons for doing so! I also just don't like him!)

Also I don't know if it's my imagination or not, but it feels really easy playing it? Like the vanilla version wasn't that difficult* (except for where it was - looking at you, third Palace), but there seem to be so many bells and whistles added (like the skills the Personae have to make things easier, for example), and especially with the Legacy DLC which basically has a bunch of gamebreaking items/Personae in it.

It feels easier to play, anyway.

I don't have much else to say about it at the moment, really. I'm just chugging along with it before I go to sleep each night.

~

Other than that, I've not really been up to much, aside from the usual to-ing and fro-ing and all the rest of it which, as noted before is really boring to talk about, so I won't.

~

*Certainly not by Atlus standards, anyway.
List post, because my brain is minimal rn:


# I was so tired last night that I went to bed early and, according to my activity tracker/watch, managed to then sleep for 10.5 hours. I do not dispute this. I shut my eyes around 8pm and didn't surface again until 6:45am. But I must have needed it!

# I have been put on a one day health and safety course for tomorrow, because everyone who "helping" me look for work is adamant that what I need is More Qualifications.

I am a fan of education, but ehhhhhhhh. I'm not sure a lack of qualifications is what's the problem here (I'm educated to almost degree level, but evidently not in anything "useful", lol).

Anyway, the point is that I have to leave the house at stupid o'clock to get where I'm going, and I don't wanna *stamps feet*

# It's been raining a lot more recently, which I'm extremely grateful for. Temps are now mid to high teens instead of mid to high twenties which, phew.

# I've finally finished all my sewing projects, including one that had been waiting for seven months for me to finish it, so now I don't know what to do with myself! Which is not strictly true, as I do have a couple of ideas, but one of them won't take very long at all (in comparison to, say, the mini quilt which seemed to take forever) and then I'm out of ideas again!

I have been looking through some textile books I got out of the library, and one of them has instructions for making 3D birds, so I thought I might have a go at making a couple of corvids :D (likely a crow and a jay)

I'm also going to go through some of my mum's old magazines again, as some of them gave me ideas when I looked at them originally, but at the time I wasn't really doing much textile work. Who knows what may come of it!

# I think I'm going to replay FFXIII-2, because I've been having a craving. I mean, it's either that or XII again and I'm p sure I don't need to play XII for the eleventh time. And it's been eight years since I last beat XIII-2, so it's about time I redid it. Especially because I keep saying it's my favourite of the three in that trilogy (which it is!)

# I think that's all I've got for now. Time to go and decide what to have for dinner.
Just a small post to say that I did not melt in the heat (thankfully), and that the worst of it has passed (for the time being, because it will come back, uuuuggggghhhhh).

(no subject)

Jun. 11th, 2023 10:53 am
muladhara: (Default)
It hit 28°C here yesterday.

In fucking June.

A reminder that I am in the middle of nowhere in the north west of England. The average summer temp is supposed to be 19°C at best.
Tags:
Okay, so the most exciting(?) thing that has happened since I last posted was that on Thursday night, it snowed really heavily. There must have been, like, a foot of snow in the deepest parts, I think.

Anyway, the roads were clear, but the buses weren't running on my route, presumably because the drivers couldn't get in (I live in a very hilly area, and when we get weather like this, the roads that aren't at the bottom on the valleys aren't gritted or cleared).

I was supposed to be working 9am to 1pm, because I had a Thing™ in the afternoon. The first thing that happened was that the Thing™ got cancelled because the person I was supposed to be seeing couldn't leave their house due to the aforementioned snow. The second one is that I didn't see a bus go past my house till midday. Also I didn't have a contact number for work, so I couldn't ring to let them know I couldn't get in, so I decided I'd catch that bus on the way back and work the afternoon.

Which is what I did.

And it was a good job I did, because it turned out there were only three other staff working the floor (not including my supervisor), as well as two people on the tills. There are usually way more people in than this.

Anyway, most of the snow has gone now, for which I am grateful, as I have to go to Halifax tomorrow, and I've been there in bad snow in the past, and it is unfun.

~

In other news, by a strange chain of events, I ended up listening to Natwest-Barclays-Midlands-Lloyds by the Manic Street Preachers the other day, and I really enjoyed it, and then I was like, "I should listen to all of Generation Terrorists some time soon!" Except that I put it off for a couple of weeks, and only ended up listening to it and Gold Against the Soul yesterday.

But I really enjoyed it! I forget how much I like their early stuff because, for whatever reason, Everything Must Go is the only album I have fully ripped. I mean, I don't like everything on the first four albums (and The Holy Bible is A Trial at the best of times), but I don't know why I don't have them ripped already. Presumably because I am fool who forgets what their favourite music is, IDK.

(Also yes, I am one of those jerks who barely likes anything past Everything Must Go. Fight me).

~

In other other news, I saw the end credits of World of Final Fantasy, though I don't feel like I beat the game.

I've slowly been chugging through it since I got it, and I think I enjoyed it? The plot is wholly an excuse up to a certain point (where then everything gets dumped upon you, and I mean everything), but that's okay? I think. I guess I don't mind FF characters getting dumped out of context, since I've already played some Kingdom Hearts, and everyone who's an FF character in that is completely contextless. So at least that didn't bug me.

SPOILERS UNDER HERE! )

I don't really think I have much else to say about it right now, but that's okay.

(no subject)

Aug. 17th, 2022 09:03 am
muladhara: (oracle and neo)
Not to complain about the weather again, but the top temp we hit last week was 31°C in town. That was around a week ago, and was the peak of it, but ughhhhhhh. I think prolonged heat is worse than a few days of abnormal heat. It's cooler now, and it did actually rain overnight last night (after two days of being promised rain and it not happening), so everything feels 900% better now.

~

In other news:

# I wrote and posted the first art supply review for my ko-fi!

I'm planning on putting two of these up a month, since they're not very long*, and there's plenty of things (for now) that I can talk about.

I'm also going to put together some posts that anyone can access without having to pay for, because I thought the topic of at least one might be interesting, and also I know how irritating it is to click a link you want to read, only to discover it is paywalled.

And I did some more print tests yesterday, so a shop update will be coming soon! I am also going to update my redbubble store with some stuff as well, but I'll link to that when I've done it.

# I tried my Redbush tea and...I did not like it. It was certainly nicer than the Tetley one, but it tasted, looked, and smelt too much like black tea for my liking.

I also had some Blackcurrant and Blueberry tea, which was okay (miles better than the Redbush), but tasted too much of blackcurrant. Like, if I wanted hot blackcurrant, I'd drink Ribena. I am now onto Cherry and Cinnamon, which I've had before, and is lovely.

# Got a spoilery theory for Ni no Kuni, which I'm going to post now before it gets disproven!

spoilers! )

Like I say, I don't know if any of this is right or not or if, as I often do, I am putting the clues together wrongly. Oh well, we'll see once I finish the game (if I do). Also if you have played it, or know the plot at all, DO NOT tell me if I'm right or not. I want to see this play out for myself, thank you very much.

~

*They were originally intended to be audio posts, but I kept putting it off because I feel self-conscious about recording myself. So now they're just short text posts.

(no subject)

Aug. 10th, 2022 10:40 am
muladhara: (lightning)
We're having another heatwave! The temps could get to 29°C!

I went out shopping yesterday thinking I'd go while it was cool, and it was 22° by the time I was waiting to come home at 10:30am. UGH.

I could have - and should have, really - gone shopping on Monday, but I didn't in part because I had to take the cat to the vet for her yearly boosters, and that drained me. I don't like putting her in the carrier, and I know she doesn't like being in there (she made some of the saddest MOWs while we were on the bus both going and coming back). But she went in probably the easiest she ever has, and I almost cried from the relief*.

We got seen early, which was nice! (I was legit the only person in the surgery who wasn't staff) And the vet weighed Jazz, and she has finally lost some weight! \o/ So now she's closer to 5.5kg than 6. Which is good news for my arms!

So because that stressed me out so much, I didn't think about going back into town in the afternoon to pick up food/library books. Which, as I say, I should have, because Monday was the coolest day of the week.

ANYWAY. It's done now. I ain't going out for the rest of the week if I can help it.

~

In Ni no Kuni, I am chugging along, although I was having difficulty with a boss, so now I've had to go back to an earlier save and do some grinding, ugh.

I was saving to one file only because I wasn't finding it that difficult, but then I read a post on the subreddit for the game, where someone had (somehow!) got further than me at way lower of a level, and was now stuck, unable to grind, and only had the one save file.

So I'm glad I did that. I think I could've still gone back from where the boss fight was, but it just felt better going back to the previous save, even though it lost me a few hours of gameplay and a forced stealth section.

(Turns out a lot of people have trouble with this boss on their first encounter, even if they've played the game before, so I'm glad it's not just me).

~

And finally, I got my first member on ko-fi! \o/ I got the email notif last night, just before I went to sleep, and assumed it was one pinging me to say someone I follow had uploaded something (because it usually is), but nope!

As with redbubble sales, I'm not going to post every time this happens, as I can imagine it's annoying, but my first ever member is something to be celebrated!

~

*I keep thinking my mood has levelled out, and then something like this happens. See also: me telling Oliver in Ni no Kuni not to cry or he'll set me off.

(no subject)

Jul. 20th, 2022 09:07 am
muladhara: (Default)
Ok, so. I live in the middle of nowheresville, UK. Yesterday, the temperature in my village peaked at 36°C (~97°F).

It started to drop off pretty swiftly after that (although it was mid to high twenties at 9PM, which is still ludicrous), thanks to a cold front making its way downtown across the country.

I dread to think what it would have been like had I been in a city, or even a big town.

I was able to keep at least the living room pretty cool - yesterday at max temps, it was ~12°* cooler in here thanks to keeping the curtains drawn for the majority of the day, which I had also done on the previous two days. I kept the front facing bedroom curtains drawn the entire time, and I don't know if that helped or not as I don't have a thermometer up there.

I was kind of more worried about Jazz than me. She seemed to be fine, but I gave her extra brushing, since she has really dense fur, and apparently it helps to keep cats cooler because it gets the loose undercoat fur out. I also put ice in all her water bowls, and stroked her with damp flannel from time to time (she let me do it, but I don't think she was into it). She's chirpier today, now it's cooler (a whopping 17°C as I write this!), which makes sense, and also you would be, especially if you had to live in a fur coat all the time.

Also: sleeping with a damp whatever on you is genius! I only wet a flannel, but omg it was amazing.

I have a fan that one of the volunteers from work gave me, but I haven't used it yet. I might do just to clear some of the fug upstairs because it feels horrible up there. I'm glad I'm in a house and not a flat**.

I mostly listened to music on my tablet, or watched Youtube, and did some work on future prints for my shop. This isn't much different from what I usually do, but it also meant I didn't have to move much, or have extra electrics on which would generate heat - my only permanently switched on things are the fridge/freezer and the router, and this is true all year round.

So I survived, but I wish I didn't have to word it like that, and I wish I hadn't had to experience it. Temps in the UK are only supposed to be mid twenties, max (although I'd argue with that, and say it should be low twenties). I want to say I hope it doesn't happen again, but I know it will. I've been watching videos from the weather forecasters saying this isn't going to be a one off. Which. Yeah. Great. Looking forward to that [/sarcasm]

I don't know how to end this part, but I thought y'all might at least like to know I'm okay (I wasn't sure I would be), and that I'm still here.

~

In happier news, Ellen from Outside Xtra streamed Stray, which is that cat game everyone's been going bananas about.

I really liked it, apart from the bits that upset me (but as I am feeling wonky rn, not really a surprise. Also it's a cat). SPOILERS! )

And she's going to stream more of it! \o/

~

*I don't know exactly, as what I have in the living room is a "weather station", but the weather predictions are never accurate, and it was a free gift my mum got with something nearly ten years ago, so it won't be amazing quality. But it was WAY cooler and less humid in than out, and that's really all that matters.

**My dad used to live in a third floor flat, and it was bad enough being in there in normal summers, never mind freak ones like this.

ugh

Jul. 17th, 2022 11:25 am
muladhara: (Default)
I'm going to start with the bad stuff, because then we can only go upwards from there, right?

So. As I mentioned previously, the UK is undergoing a heatwave. Now, as the temps have been, where I am (~17 miles NE of Manchester), it's not been too bad*. We hit 27°C last Monday, which is unusually hot. It's meant to get to 28° today.

Tomorrow, and Tuesday, we are due temps in the low to mid thirties.

I do not want because hot weather makes me ill (always has), but also I do not want because of all the environmental implications. I hate that we can see this happening, and the people who can fix it are sitting back on their hands going, "Nope, nowt we can do about it."

Fuckers.

I'm staying in, and trying to stay as cool and hydrated as possible.

~

In happier news, I bought some new paints!

I've been wanting to get some new acrylics since Xmas, but have been putting it off because I wasn't painting at all. But I've been inspired by some youtube videos I've been watching, and have been picking up the watercolours recently (well, when it's not been too hot to paint, that is). And one of the people I've been watching often uses acrylics like watercolours, which is a thing I like doing, and it's been inspiring me.

So I decided to buy myself some new ones as a reward for doing something I found difficult. I finished the thing yesterday, so now I get to play with the paints when it is cooler!

I went for student quality ones, which are better than the ones I had been buying. They cost the same price as the cheap ones, but you get less paint because they're better quality. But as it happens, I don't use a lot of acrylic paint when I do paint anyway (less so if I use it watered down), so I don't need 200ml tubes of paint. Also these ones come in a way nicer colour range!

I also got myself some more Uni Pin fineliners (as you can see in the linked tweet), though they're replacements for ones I already have, rather than treats.

~

I don't know how to end this post, as usual, except to say that it's weird sitting in my living room with the curtains shut (to keep the heat out) and being able to hear the world outside, but not being able to see any of it. Feels kind of creepy.

~

*It's been a lot worse in the South East of England - day temps have been around the high twenties for several weeks now, and it hasn't really dropped at night. Predictions are for the temp to hit FORTY down there, which is terrifying.
OKAY SO BIG NEWS!

I opened my ko-fi shop and activated memberships over the weekend! \o/

I had originally intended to do it on the first of the month, but circumstances lead me not to. Then I was dithering about the prices of the memberships/the rewards and then eventually I just went, you know what? FUCK IT. Being dithery about stuff has probably cost me a lot of opportunities in the past (it certainly cost me a Patreon back in 2012), so it was time to take the bull by the horns.

You can support me from as little as £1 per month, and still make random donations as well. Of course, nobody is obligated, just. It's there if you want to.

(Also please note I will have prints available soon in there, but the UK is currently in a heatwave, so I haven't done any tests as I don't want to be making the house warmer than it already is).

unrelated

Jun. 19th, 2022 08:44 am
muladhara: (grumpy)
I feel like a whiner saying the following, but dang it, this is my g dang journal, and I am going to whine!

On Tuesday, when I went for that lovely walk and recorded the birds, I then had a migraine for the rest of the day! (I suspected this would happen before I went out, as I sometimes get a weird feeling behind my left eye, although I don't always get the migraine the same day that happens). It wasn't as bad as sometimes, but it was still Not Great.

Then on Wednesday and Thursday, I somehow managed to have a food related problem with a type of food that does not usually cause me problems. I scoured the ingredients list several times, looking for something that could have caused it. There was nothing. The food was in date. My digestive system just decided to have a tantrum, I guess!

(And I know it was that, because I stopped eating it/put the remainder in the food recycling, and now I am fine).

Then Friday, one of my teeth decided to start hurting. It didn't interrupt my sleep too much, but combine that with it being a very hot night*, and the teenager up the street who likes to play loud music, and I did not have a good night's rest.

And then I wondered why going food shopping yesterday wore me out!

And you know what the worst part of this is? I HAD PLANS! I was going to be sociable! And work on my ko-fi! And my body essentially went, "LOL NOPE". Thanks, me, that was great.

I did manage to get an idea in motion for a set of two prints, though, and I bound a book, so it's not all bad? The prints were originally going to be the member only ones, but I thought considering the designs (mushrooms), they might sell well, so I will now have to think of something else!

Also my new favourite streamer started playing Deltarune, so obviously I watched that. I'm glad I finished it before he started playing it - though there was only about a week between my finishing and his starting, so that was a weird coincidence.

Other than that, it's mostly been me feeling sorry for myself!

~

*It didn't get quite as hot here as the forecast predicted (24°C actual temp versus 27° predicted), but it was still enough to make my house feel gross.

don't forget

Jun. 15th, 2022 10:05 am
muladhara: (lightning)
# The health check wasn't what I thought it was, but the good news is, according to the blood test I had, I am unlikely to have a stroke or heart attack within the next five years! \o/

And there can't be any other problems, or I assume they would have contacted me by now.

# I went for a walk yesterday morning. I've been trying to get out while I've been at home, because I can't stay in all the time, and I live in a place where there are lots of neat places to go for walks. Also I do need to exercise, and I like walking, even if my knees aren't happy about it.

I made a couple of videos of the birds singing while I was out, and was amazed by how clearly my phone picked them up. I have no idea what I was listening to, apart from two separate genus of corvid*. According to this video, I likely heard blackbirds and wrens, and possibly a robin, too, which fits with what birds I know live locally.

It reminded me that I haven't seen any jays recently, but I guess I've not been at home when they've been around.

# We are meant to be having a heatwave - temps around my area could get as high as 27°C on Friday. Do Not Want. Weirdly, it's been quite cold for June, although I've been relishing that because I hate hot weather. IDK if I've mentioned this before, but it always makes me ill, which doesn't endear it to me. The sooner it is over, the better.

# Finally, I want to ask: if you were going to subscribe to my ko-fi, what would you want as member rewards?

My ideas at the moment are extremely basic (partly to not stress myself) but two of them include shop discounts (from secondary tier up) and member only available items (available to every tier). As well as a monthly print for top tier members.

~

*Probably jackdaws and a crow, but I'm not 100% because I didn't see them.
It's currently very windy outside, and Do Not Want. I guess at least it's not raining as well, but ugh.

~

Anyway, in other news, I bought a new computer and external HD (4Tb)! I've been meaning to for some time, and I could afford a cheap one, so that's what I did!

I got a Dell Inspiron, which is a make I've had before (my first ever computer was Dell, so I know they're good/reliable). It's not the best Dell ever, but it will suffice for how/what I want to use it for.

It came with Windows 11, and I'm surprised to report that, at the moment, I don't hate it! It reminds me more of classic Windows than whatever the nonsense that was 8 did (screensavers are available, and that just threw me right back to 2002, y'all. Honestly surprised the maze and pipes ones aren't in there).

I have downloaded most of the things I think I will need thus far (I don't use my computer very much these days, except to do a bit of internet/image edit). I am about to download the Steam app, because eventually I want to buy Dorfromantik and probably Loop Hero (thanks, Johnny Chiodini!) and I am aware this is a terrible and dangerous thing and also they have a Lunar New Sale on right now oh my frogs.

But anyway, my question is this! What other things (not games) are good to download? I have a video editor/image editor/Libre Office/Firefox/Discord/VLC. What are your recs for antivirus programs? What are good add-ons for Firefox? I have an ad blocker and spell checker, and IDK what else I might need, since it's some time since I've done a fresh install like this (I haven't used Windows in EIGHT YEARS OMG. It will be so nice to see what I'm scanning as I'm scanning it, though).

I don't regret using Linux, but there were definitely a bunch of things I couldn't/didn't do because the means weren't available to me, or were too complicated for me to get my head around. It's great for some things, but not so much for others (imo). I am kind of sorry to see it go, but also I'd like to be able to know what I'm doing if someone asks me for help with their computer, heh.

~

Thanks to that bullet journalling video I linked the other day, I got out my Stabilo highlighters, and colour coded the days in my planner and...it's like a magic trick. Suddenly, everything stands out where it had all kind of blurred together before.

But because I only had six highlighters, and there are seven days in a week, I decided I needed more, so I went and bought six more, oops? Although now I have 12/14 of the current pastel range so yay? And I'll use them for other things besides highlighting, as that's the thing I use them for the least.

I also rearranged how the journal's laid out, as my current way wasn't cutting it, and it's nice to have a space to write any notes if I need to at the bottom right. Not that I write notes all that often, but it's nice to have the option?

I also sorted out all my stickers, in the hopes I will use them more. A lot of the videos about journalling/collaging I've been watching use stickers quite a lot, and ofc I want some of them (wouldn't be addicted to stationery if I didn't!), but I thought I should use up some of the ones I have. I thought it would be an absolute mission since there's a lot of stickers, but it only took around an hour to sort everything out into broad categories, so that wasn't so bad at all.

~

And that's everything I have for now! I'm still playing FXIII, but I might make a separate entry about that at a later date!

dag nab it!

Dec. 24th, 2021 10:58 am
muladhara: (koromaru)
# Most important news: I finally got my booster on the 22nd! And I had minimal side effects! \o/

And I was able to get it in my hometown - originally I had it booked elsewhere, but the opportunity to get it done at home came up, so I took it, and cancelled the other appointment.

# It is foggy outside as I write this, and I love it! It's been foggy for quite a few days recently and it makes me feel so happy. I think it is partly nostalgia linked to happy childhood experiences, but whatever, I will take that dopamine hit!

# I saw my friend Annette for the first time in over three years the other day! She randomly turned up at my work just before closing! We sort of fell out of touch somehow, so it was SO GOOD to see her again! I wish we'd had more time to talk, but as it always seems to be, we didn't :(

# I am still neck deep in Inscryption. I am just now finishing up watching a third playthrough of the game (not including Johnny's initial stream of it, which I've now watched twice, lol). I feel like I "get" it a bit better now I've watched it a couple more times - I think because the first LP I watched didn't have any commentary, I didn't really pay much attention, but after having now watched two with commentary, it's sunk in a bit better? (I still feel like most of the last third is repetitive, though).

Also, spoilers! )

# I thought I had other stuff to say, but apparently not, so I hope y'all are okay, and everything is good, and you have a good time, regardless of whether you celebrate Xmas or not.
This past weekend can get in the fucking bin.

I had planned to do a whole bunch of stuff on Saturday, that mostly involved my computer/the internet. The universe, it seems had other plans.

For whatever reason, I now get texts to tell me when there's been a power cut in the area. Sometimes that's hilarious, because I'm out of the house, and I get a text telling me it's been fixed ten minutes later. Sometimes, however, I get them during the night. As I did in the early hours of Saturday morning.

I eventually decided to be awake after the second one, as I was worried perhaps it was someone trying to get in touch with me for something urgent. Not that a power cut isn't important, but there's not much I can do, you know?

So there'd been a storm on Friday night/Saturday morning, and there was thunder, lightning, and whole shed load of snow overnight. And it had knocked the power out through various means. Okay fine.

The power hiccuped around six am, on and off, and then, dear reader, it was off till almost 4pm that day. Which meant I couldn't do anything I'd planned to do, and I had no heating, and it was not a warm day. My phone battery was running out, so I didn't dare use that more than I needed to (although I discovered my portable charger had some remaining charge in it, so I could have at least used that, if I'd needed to). All in all, it was a very stressful and tiring day.

And then Sunday was okay, to start with. I got the bus to work okay, except it was bloody freezing because it was minus temps (in °C) even at 9am.

And then it started snowing later in the morning, and it snowed quite heavily. Eventually I rang my area manager and told him I was going to have to go home because I didn't know how clear the roads were, and whether the buses would still be running come home time proper. He okayed it, but I felt (and still feel) really guilty about it.

There is about two inches of snow where I live, which I realise is not a lot by some countries' standards, but it's enough to mess up public transport in the UK.

I was supposed to do my food shop today, but I'm going to stay home instead, and I'm going to go Wednesday instead, when it will be warmer and the snow will have gone (allegedly).

~

In happier news! I've been watching other people playing video games instead of playing them myself.

For some reason I can't fathom, I am still watching Ian play Sekiro. I'm not even that interested any more. I said to [personal profile] lassarina in a comment on one of her posts that I now find From Soft games very samey when I watch them, and they are. Sure there's elements in Sekiro that aren't in Dark Souls, but the basic everything is the same, and it's a bit boring, tbh [/hot take]

I also watched Aoife play Unpacking - she played the whole game in two sessions, and this link is to the first one. It was interesting to see how she organised things versus how Jane did it in her stream.

And then, I haven't quite finished it, but I watched Johnny playing Let's Build A Zoo on their channel. It feels very Two Point Hospital, but with zoo elements instead. (I know it's a sim game, and there's only so much you can do with that, but certain things just feel exactly like TPH and it's a bit weird). But it's enjoyable to watch. I don't know if I would enjoy playing it because I find most sim games stressful.

~

And that is all I've got for now. Hopefully the coming week will be an improvement.

doink

Sep. 7th, 2021 11:25 am
muladhara: (shinji and koromaru)
The gas man finally came and checked my boiler and gas meter yesterday! \o/ Everything is fine, so now I don't have to worry about that again for another ten to twelve months!

~

Today it is supposed to get ridiculously hot (27°C), so I am glad the weather waited till I was not at work five days a week, so I can be sick as a dog at home instead. I'd rather not be sick at all, but better now while I'm on holiday than have to come home from work.

~

Here's another question from the Squeenix meme!

7. If asked for a single recommendation, which Square-Enix game would you recommend?

I mean, I am tempted to say FFXII, because that's my favourite of all time, but honestly I would I actually say NieR and/or The Last Remnant.

I mean, NieR will rip your heart out and stomp all over it, but that's also kind of why I'd rec it. And its soundtrack is an absolute banger. There isn't a track on there that I don't like, or that I got sick of hearing. Added plus is that you don't need to know anything about Drakengard to enjoy the game as, while it's a spin-off of one of the endings (E Ending), it doesn't have a lot of bearing on the actual story. I won't say any more about it, because I'd be tempted to talk spoilers and trust me: it is better to go into this game absolutely unspoilt.

I had a ball playing The Last Remnant (in spite of its flaws, of which there are a few), which is why I'd rec that one. And the soundtrack is awesome - and dynamic to the fights, so depending on your situation, depends on which track you'll hear. If you do decide to play it, get the PC version or the remaster, since they're improved over the original Xbox version, and make the game easier to some degree. Also you can recruit some of your enemies once you've beaten them, which you can't do in the Xbox version.

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