all made up with nowhere to go

I have finally moved the tumble dryer from the front bedroom to outside! Now I just have to contact the council to pick it (and some other stuff) up.

I happened to run into my friend Jackie between Xmas and New Year and was all, "Could you do me a favour?" and she said yes, so I rang her the other day, and she came over that afternoon. It's not even that the tumble dryer is heavy, it's just awkward. But there's no way I could have got it down the stairs by myself.

So now I've moved some stuff around - primarily all my boxes of fabric are together and against a wall, as opposed to being in a stack with air all around them. I also managed to reclaim another box, so most of it is in boxes now, which pleases me as it's easier to store. I think I need to sort through the fabric again. I kept some stuff that should probably go as I'll never use it, and I still have the material I don't want from last time (because brains, tiredness, etc).

Now I need to work on sorting through stuff and throwing away/recycling/donating anything I don't want or need.

Jackie said we should both work on making ourselves a functional workroom this year and me, knowing what my energy levels (and migraines) are like, was all, "Ha, like that's going to happen!" and Jackie said she would actually do it. But I'm actually invested in doing it. It's what I've wanted to do with the front bedroom for literal years, but I've been delayed(?) in doing it by not having easy access to get rid of things. And I still don't really now, but just doing this is starting to make things seem a bit more manageable.

~

Yesterday I sorted through a bunch of tapestry wool that I didn't think I had a use for - except that now I do! I can use it for needle felting! Among other things. And because it's 100% wool, it will felt really well. I don't know why mum had it, or even where it came from, but it never got used while she was alive, so I might as well do something with it.

~

Finally, I am still trucking along in FFXII. I did a grinding for money/hunts run, and somehow ended up with 50K gil purely from vendor trash (I got lost in the Ogir-Yensa, nobody is surprised). But this meant I could buy the weapons and armour I wanted before I did the Stilshrine. Which I just finished last night.

I'm still doing pretty well. I still haven't had a game over, and I've beaten every boss on the first try so far, so I must be doing something right (or I'm getting better at video games, ha ha).

I meant to say thanks to everyone who left a comment on the "what do I add to Windows/Firefox" post. It was super useful, and I appreciate your help.

~

lassarina linked to this interview with Hitoshi Sakimoto, where he talks about composing the soundtrack for FFXII. It isn't very in-depth, but it is interesting all the same.

~

Some FFXIII thoughts:

I'm currently in Oerba and I hate the boss at the end of this section. Even more so than the one at end of the Palamecia, even though I one-shotted them without even trying a few weeks ago! This isn't even a humblebrag, this is my amazement that it even happened.

I can't believe it's taken me less than 35 hours to get here, because when I've played it before, it's felt like a much longer game than this. But since I've been playing it fairly consistently, that's likely why.

I am still using the Whistlewind Scarf + Axis Blade combo for Lightning, though I have upgraded neither thing since I got them on the Palamecia, because I still don't really understand how upgrading works (I'm never sure if you want overspill EXP or not). Maybe I should look a video up on youtube? I'm sure one exists. I ought to, as one thing the upcoming boss fight relies on is you having upgraded your weapons, in my experience.

I haven't really done any grinding, as I haven't felt the need to. I think I did a little bit to get Hope and Vanille necessary cure spells, but past that, nothing (though it might be a plan to get Vanille Curaja before this boss fight). It's felt easier playing than it has on past occasions, and I don't know if that's me being better at games than I used to be, or what it is. But I'm happy. I'm glad certain games don't feel like a battle to play, because I want to have fun when I'm playing games! That's why I play them!

I think that's all I really wanted to say; I thought I had something more in depth than this, but apparently not!

~

In other news, I finally downloaded chapters 1 and 2 of Deltarune, so I can get to that at some point in the future! Or I might just forget I've got it, and it will collect dust on my harddrive!

Shout out to the Gas Check Audit guy who came early enough (8:45am!!) to leave the rest of my day unimpeded today! \o/

I don't know why they've started doing audits as well as the gas check. It kind of made sense last year, because Gas Check Guy had been out of work for a while (I overheard one of his phone calls while he was in the house), but this year ????

I guess the housing association wants to make sure we're all safe. Which is good!

~

I went to the library on Wednesday, for the first time in almost two years! I am pleased to report it is pretty much how I left it!

I got some books out, including one that is on my to read list that I apparently read five years ago, but have absolutely no memory of! (Our library software tells you if you've had a book before, which is how I know how long ago it was).

Anyway, I'm glad the library's open, and I'm glad I can use it again, even if it is a pain in the arse and I have to plan to go there because I no longer work locally. I did legit think about joining the library in the town I work in, but I haven't yet.

I also went in Aldi to do my food shop, and came away with two craft kits I absolutely do not need, and in spite of resisting buying others and also sets of cotton fabric fat quarters. One is a sashiko kit, which has actual sashiko needles in*, and the other is an embroidery of some mushrooms, which I totally could have designed myself.

I will probably make them up next, but right now I am working on a daft idea I had the other day, which tickles me. Although that could probably describe most of the stuff I make, let's be honest.

~

I found out when I first played FFXII! It was early November 2007! Which is about what I thought, but I wasn't 100% sure since the copy I have is a platinum one, and I didn't think that version would have been released so soon after the original release. But evidently what do I know!

(I no longer have my LJ, but I do have a massive PDF backup of it, which is a pain in the arse to look through, since it's so big. There's ten years or so of entries in there).

I'm glad I did go and look, because my memory is not great, and I wanted to check to make sure I was right.

~

Anyway, I think that's everything for now, so I'm going to end this entry here!

~

*I know this because I already own some that I bought a few years ago.

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.

I don't want to talk about the shit show that was the election.

So instead I'm going to talk about video games because it is what I do best?

I am playing The Zodiac Age, and I have just got to Raithwall's Tomb, which amuses me no end, because that's where I picked up the liveblog this time last year.

( Read more... )

Anyway, I think that's all I have to say for now, but I'm sure I'll think of something else at a later date.

~

While you're here, how about we do that January Post Once A Day meme, which I still have an unanswered question from this year?

Rules:

- You don't have to be following me or ever have commented to request a topic.
- If you're doing the meme, I'll leave topics for you, too! Feel free to link me at any time if you want one.
- Feel free to just leave a topic and no date. I'll fill it in.

( the days! )

Okay, time for another FFXII entry!

I must admit I've been avoiding these a little bit, because I find transcribing stuff tedious and, although not a lot goes on in my life, sometimes lately I've just felt too gosh danged tired to write one out (the last month or so has not been fun energy or pain levels wise; I feel a bit better now, though).

It goes without saying that there are spoilers within!

~

So! Old Archades! I was stuck here forever because of Jules! I don't know about you guys, but I find his colour scheme camouflages him against the colour scheme of the area and when you have to talk to him the second time, I find he blends in too well.

( Read more... )

I think this is as good a place as any to leave this, so hopefully it won't be almost two months before what may well be the final update! (The final update! It's only taken me five years to get here...)

<--- Mosphoran Highwaste to Sochen Cave Palace | The Pharos to the End --->

So in Final Fantasy XII, onward to the Stilshrine!

( Read more... )

And then, off to Archades we go!

<--- Tiamat to Bur-Omisace | Mosphoran Highwaste to Sochen Cave Palace --->

~

*The FFX-2 PS2 disc I have has a massive scratch on it, so while you can complete the game, it won't let you do something in order to be able to make the new game save. I can't remember, because it's a Very Long Time since I played it.

Some things:

1. Thanks to everyone who recced me The Last of Us. I know it is a good game, and it has Ashley Johnson in it, but:

a. I like survival horror in principle. I don't play it because I am a big scaredy cat.
b. I have a feeling that game will break me, and I don't want that right now.
c. Cordyceps are terrifying enough in real life without them being used as the basis for a zombie infestation (see also why I will probably never read The Girl With All the Gifts, despite owning a copy).

2. I have finally managed to get a wheely trolly thinger for less than the one I was going to get originally! With next day delivery, it came to less than the previous one. Sadly, I could not choose the colour, and it is bright lime green. I was hoping for blue, but I suppose there might be some way to redye it.

I mean, the storage part does feel kind of cheap, but if it only lasts me a year, I'll be happy (it better last me longer, though). The frame and wheels are nice and sturdy, though, so that's good. Going to try it out tomorrow when I do the weekly shopping!

(also it's good because it means I can use it for transporting stuff to post AND stuff to and from (small) cons, if I start exhibiting).

3. Thanks to Pokemon Go, I have done two ~two mile walks in two days! I would do another today to hit up the local Pokestops, but that I am working this afternoon, and will be on my feet, and I'd rather not be an ow made flesh, thanks.

(Talking of ow made flesh, it turns out there's THREE pokestops in my village. Except the third is Up A Big Hill, and I don't know if my knees are up for that at the moment. Although then again, it's not far from where I used to walk to sometimes, so I might check it out over the weekend, I don't know).

Anyway, I caught a Pikachu on my second day, so I am kind of smug about that. It's a really crappy Pikachu, but it's a Pikachu nonetheless (my nephew will be excited to see it, I bet. Pikachu is his favourite).

I'm creeped out that Google Fit knows exactly where I went walking, though. I have it on for the Adventure Synch, otherwise I'd rarely hatch eggs or get candies from walking. But it's still creepy. TALKING OF WHICH. I hatched two eggs yesterday and got two p good Kricketots out of them.

4. I tried to play some FFXII yesterday, in order to get to the end (I know I know how it ends, etc, but I'm trying to make myself finish games instead of abandoning them. And I am SO CLOSE now to the end). And I've promised myself that if I do, then I can play Infinite Undiscovery on the 360. Or I might change my mind and play something else.

Anyway, the point of this was that not only did I keep getting mashed by the enemies in Giruvegan (fucking Behemoth types), but I then ran headfirst into an entite. I don't know what it is about this particular time I'm playing, but I don't think there's anywhere except the Estersand(?) where I haven't encountered an entite.

I feel sorry for people who play this game, not knowing about those arseholes. Especially because they can seem to be randomly generated.

(When I got the inevitable game over, because Behemoths, the next run into Giruvegan didn't have one at all. Yet surely the weather conditions are the same? Unless they reset on reload for the most part - except for Giza, where it's on a timer. I don't know, and I don't know if I really want to).

5. I didn't think I had much to say, hahahaha. Apologies. I'm going to go and read stuff now.

My whole house smells like cinnamon, it's awesome.

Also I keep forgetting to link this, because I'm an idiot, but here is an interview with Alexander O. Smith about translating Final Fantasy XII. I found it really interesting, and I'm going to have to reread it, I think, but I thought some of you might also find it interesting.

~

So, as you already know, I have been having a bad week. This was further compounded by Xmas cards from several of mum's friends who didn't know she'd died. So I've got a couple of horrible letters to write, and I really don't want to do it (but it has to be done; it's unfair to chicken out of it).

Also I gave myself food poisoning! From milk which was neither out of date nor off-smelling. But it was definitely the milk, because I had a brew at work and was fine, and then I got some fresh milk yesterday, and I've been fine ever since, thank frogs.

Anyway, Friday was the work Xmas do, which I didn't really want to go to, because I haven't been there very long, and I don't know most of the other staff and socialising is not really my thing. Added to which I went into work feeling like crap because of the milk thing, but started feeling better as the day went on.

I didn't stay very long, only a couple of hours, but I really wasn't very happy being there for a whole bunch of reasons. But at least I went, and I got my secret santa present, so yay?

Am hoping this coming week will be better! (If not, I'm just going to curl up in a ball and watch youtube tutorials all day).

Me: *wonders why the add me comms I follow are so busy all of a sudden*

Me: *remembers tumblr is imploding*

Me: ohhhhhhhhhh

~

I can't even be arsed to check if any of my posts on tumblr got flagged. If they did, so be it. I was done with that site over three years ago, and I only check one tumblr these days, and I haven't reblogged anything in...over a year omg.

I can't even remember the last time I logged in.

(Although OMG YOU GUYS I'VE HAD A WORDPRESS BLOG FOR THREE YEARS!!!! I don't think the first attempt even lasted three months)

~

In other news, I picked up a second hand copy of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time yesterday, so I will have that to watch while I am arting/whatnot.

I don't know anything about it, so don't know what to expect. Maybe it's better that way.

~

I am at Raithwall's Tomb in FFXII. I made it through the Ogir-Yensa/Nam-Yensa Sandsea without getting pasted by Alraunes (unusual in my experience). However, I almost ran head first into not one, but TWO Salmand Entites on the oil rigs! That never usually happens. I know there's one route you shouldn't take because there's always an Entite on it, but there's not usually two. So I had to take the long way round, and I didn't find the map, and I got utterly lost.

They were very pretty, though.

Deadly as heck, but pretty.

I don't know if anyone is interested, but I am thinking of carrying on my liveblog of FFXII from four years ago. It bugs me that I never finished it, yet I have notes right up to the end game sitting around doing nothing. So I can use my notes in conjunction with whatever I'm feeling right now as I play. And also any points I want to make as regards the German LP I am watching. They'll mostly be translation notes - I'll cover stuff I've already discovered in the next entry I make.

~

Other than all that, I've been faffing about with some art stuff, none of which is what I'd said I do, or had been thinking of doing.

I swatched all my watercolour pencils the other night, because I've wanted to use them for years, but always been slightly afraid of them? I think maybe if mum had showed me how to use them as a kid, I might not be as weird about them? IDK. (She gave me a set when I was about ten, but I always just used them as normal coloured pencils, rather than for their intended purpose. I still have some stubs left, so maybe I should dig those out of the pencil case they're in). And it's not like I don't have enough watercolour paper to work on right now.

Can I just say that the Derwent Inktense ones really live up to their name? They're amazingly well pigmented. I can't wait to use those for something.

I'm going to post the swatches on my instagram, so I'll link here once it's gone up if you're at all interested in that kind of thing.