Aug. 14th, 2009

dragonfare: (Default)
I've been away for a while, haven't I? I apologize. (Assuming you missed me, that is!)

I've been doing what I call "turtling". It's when I withdraw into my shell, avoiding contact with people of any but the most necessary (job) or most trivial (shop clerk) kind. It happens when I'm feeling pressured and stressed. Lately my job has been very stressful (but still nothing like it was under Dede! Just a LOT to do), and we've had big-time money woes, and my arthritis hurts a lot, so... I turtled.

The bad thing about turtling is that I then neglect, and miss, the people I care about most. I've barely emailed anyone; I've skipped a chat; I haven't done several horoscopes I've promised; I haven't sent some Sher stories back with comments; I haven't posted any promised AL pages from the archive; I haven't finished the Prelude chapter sitting on my desktop. And, of course, I haven't posted here.

I have, however, been doing some things. Watching Death Note, of course. (And, obviously, making L icons.) I just got the last volume, which I'll be watching tomorrow afternoon. I've also been playing Final Fantasy X-2, which has been fun. In fact, that's what I've mostly been doing, because it's relatively simple and mindless. At least, it is with a strategy guide! There are way too many choices in battle array, even more than FFX or FFXII, and many many more than I need. I'm pretty much what we used to call in Dungeons & Dragons the "Big Dumb Warrior" type. Forget about clever puzzles, mazes, and tricks - I just want to grab a sword and start swinging, or, if I'm feeling really ambitious, steal something and cast a few spells in addition to the fiend-bashing.

Best thing to happen to me this month - [livejournal.com profile] zora113 sent me a Care Package. Not the standard "care package", but a package for no special occasion, just because she cares. I love it when I get these, because she is truly excellent at picking out just what I would love. In this package, I have the (full) soundtracks for the last two Lord of the Rings films, the film August Rush (which I haven't yet seen, but sounds great), and the coolest. dragon card. ever. I plan to scan the latter for y'all, later. When I get out of my shell.

Another nice thing is that I am already starting to flesh out and pre-outline my next Nano novel. Like the Redhand story, this one springs from a single image. Lets hope it works as well.