Currents of Time

JAMES ROBERTS IS GOING TO BE AT BOTCON



JAMES ROBERTS IS GOING TO BE AT BOTCON





hyperventilating

So does post-travel disease. I'm home sick today with vertigo, nausea, and a fever. Super exciting. I blame the small child I spent my Sunday night red eye sitting next to. The one who kept trying to sleep and slobber all over me. ... Well, that and the sleep deprivation.


Or maybe it was my relatives. Two thirds of them were sick, and I did spend a fair amount of time around them.


I need an icon of someone faceplanting for days when I am exhausted or unwell.


ANYWAY, I went to BotCon again this year! It was in California (again), but not Pasadena. It will almost assuredly be in Pasadena next year, though. Kinda sick of Pasadena, though I like the number of friends it brings in.

Before we really get typing, though, I promised to link to both the 2011 (pt2) and 2012 entries. There ya go!

( Trip write up, go! )

Oh, oh, right, one last thing before I go: I was given a copy of the Puggle Print for free (possibly for spending too much money?), but I do not want it. I did not realise they had given it to me until later because it was hidden in my bag. Does anyone want it? It looks like this. You'll just have to cover the shipping.

Also, I present to you the most bewildering comment thread on all of my Facebook. Cookies to anyone who can make sense of it.

As mentioned at the end of the previous post, following the closing down of BotCon, a few of us went on to do more things. So here they are!

This post is actually image-heavy, as opposed to links-to-images heavy.

( Post-Convention Adventure! )

AND SO ENDED MY DALLAS BOTCON ADVENTURE

My only regret is that I was entirely unable to meet up with Wyntir. :< Maybe next time there will be phone service enough that I can place phone calls and we can arrange something?

(Seriously, it was ridiculous. At one point, I tried to call my taxi and cancel my pick-up Sunday afternoon, and I couldn't do it! So I had to text someone all the information and have them do it.)


NEXT: REAL LIFE THINGS

I said "by Friday" and teeechnically it is not Friday yet in other places! Like California! Which was where I was when I said that. So, fair's fair, right? It's not late.


...A-anyway, if anyone wants larger copies, I have those. Also, if anyone wants their picture taken down, I will, of course, respect that.)

I survived the weekend! And the flights home! And then working immediately after flying a red-eye. I have not done much besides sleep and work the last two days, but I am actually feeling awake now, so let's try and tackle this massive trip post.

( SO MANY WORDS and also pictures )

Here's a link to 'em, instead.

I am a tremendous idiot sometimes. Today is the third time, now, that I have neglected to grab the travel suitcase from the attic at my parents' house! So I've just selected and set aside the stuff I need to pack, and tomorrow Mom will bring one by on her way to work. And then I will throw everything in it! And then go to work, myself. And then go to a concert after work! And then go to sleeeeep and wake up at 5 am and go to the airport why do I do this to myself whyyyy. AND THEN WEEKEND OF ROBOTS and then a red eye and oh, right, does anyone need/want anything from BotCon? ...And possibly then work again Monday afternoon! I hope not, I do not want to be a zombie.


I found more cutscenes in FFXIV (screenshots'll go up a bit later, in the usual place, for those interested. I'm gonna try for tomorrow, but no promises. It might have to wait until next week)! God, I wish this game could be less terrible, because I am so, so intrigued by the plot. And also it's pretty and I am shallow sometimes. AND NOW IT IS SUCH A HUGE AND BORING AND UUUUGH WHY level grind to 20, but, you know what? Woodsin's gone, first major plot arc's resolved, maybe I'll just call it a day/adventuring life. mmm, delicious retirement.


NOTHING ELSE EXCITING HAVE SOME VIDEOLINKS.

holy shit this guy has built really awesome scale models I am in awe these are just jaw-droppingly incredible South Sandy Victory Square and Windurst Walls! Supposedly he plans on doing a part of Bastok at some point, too...?

ALSO. THIS ONE IS SO PRETTY I LOVE MY FICTIONAL VIDEO GAME WORLD it is pretty spectacular.

... uh. AND SOME RANDOM OTHER ONES not that I'm procrastinating or anything:

Chains of Promathia: The Epic HELLS YES AWESOME

Everyone else has one so we should, too! (this is so stupid ...but, man, the thing is, considering the ToAU cast, this isn't even out of character. Hell, it's probably a requirement.) (hahaha, I love the doubletake the guy in the back does around 2:40.)

HEY LOOK THIS ONE IS Crisis Core. Uh. The song's kinda cliché, but IT IS SO AWESOME. And, uh, some spoilers, I guess, but it's not like most of it really has any context. Maybe I just like the full-circle thing that the game has and that is shown pretty well here, too.


Man, I should go to bed. But I need to unearth my Zen and charge it for the plane. And edit the playlists a little. raglrarafg preparing for trip

Hi! I haven't made a proper update in over a month, so here is a brief summary of my life since then:

( Snip :> )

Some other things are that - hey! They announced the BotCon theme! IT'S ANIMATED! They've posted Dead End (a Jazz repaint), and he is... so pretty. *_* Also, the people I was planning on going with have had to cancel on me. Does anyone want to go and need a room/mate (I currently have a double at the Sheraton, which is the hotel right next to the convention center)? I am not very loud or dirty!

(On the BotCon note, I am probably going to be selling the 2009 set figures, freebie, and Razorclaw. Is anyone interested in any of them, or should I just pawn the whole set off somewhere? I have the 2010 set, too, as well as Double Punch, but since I've never even removed them from the foam - or bag, in Double Punch's case - I'd prefer to sell that all together. These don't include the comics or pins, by the way. I KEEP THOSE.)

(Edit: minor clarification: the 2010 toys are going, that's a definite. I am still iffy on whether or not I'll be parting with all of the 2009 figures, but it's still a pretty decent chance.)


And, for those who are interested in that sort of thing - probably not many of you, but TOO BAD - rana_mehlota will now be posting pictures / videos of LIFE IN THE STILL-RATHER-SPARSE WORLD OF FFXIV. Probably not many or often, but there it is.


But! The biggest thing* is that I went and bought a Nintendo DS lite (with help from my mother - early birthday present, go)! It is not here yet, I ordered it from THE INTERNET. But, hey! I have never owned a Nintendo system before (though I did use my brother's Gameboy to play Pokémon when we were younger). Catch me up! What are the games to own for this thing? (I mean, I have my own list of potential titles to pick up, but hit me with recommendations, anyway, if you have any. Even if you think it may already be on the list! I LIKE RECS.) (The only thing worth noting is that I really don't like Mario - I know, I'm a bad person - so I'm pretty much discounting that entire series, unless there is one that I ABSOLUTELY MUST OWN OMG or something.)

Also, any accessories I should pick up? Screen protectors are already on the list.

* Not actually The Biggest Thing, but I don't feel like writing about that right now. (It's a good Thing, at least! :3)

FINALLY.

( BotCon and Sunday evening )

HOORAY WE ALL SURVIVED. NOW I CAN FINALLY GO TO BED. Because I was stupid and said NO FINISH THE ENTRY.

Though, I swear I keep hearing something moving around outside and it's really freaking me out, so maybe I won't be sleeping as much as I'd like. Boo.

If anyone has ever wondered (or, eh, noticed at all), most of my entries occur at strange hours of the night/early morning because the ones I write in the middle of the day are, my brain decides, stupid, and so I close the window without posting.



Anyway, so, it kinda seems like a bunch of people in my life (on and off LJ) are kinda in a... not excellent place? I dunno. Troubles. And I feel useless because these things always come in groups (what is up with that) and so I am also not necessarily in the best spot (mentally or financially, though I am coming out of the mental funk a bit, and at least physically I am mostly fine for now). BUT, if there is anything anyone thinks would help or cheer them up or whatever, and that I could do, I will totally try my best! (Things I have done in the past include sending letters, homemade cookies, and/or music, [attempting - not always succeeding at] short stories, and drawing random little doodle-things.)



Other stuff... BotCon schedule went up. (I'm in the 8 PM pick up, which, well... could be worse, but still, ugh, that line.) No MSTF - or anything - Friday night. I am sad. But! That means buying an After 4 pass for Disney was totally the right move. Yay! SO EXCITED. Kinda bummed that no one I know seems to be going, but I, uh. Maybe I will meet new people? That is hard and scary. Maybe I will hide in the corner. (Also the guest list makes me happy.)

...Also, ffff, I have totally destroyed my "not having original characters / that are me" trend. I think I mentioned this before, but now I finally have come up with a name, so I guess it's official. (Kinda surprised that there doesn't seem to already be a canon character with the name, but not complaining.) So weeeird. Not that much will be done with it (aside from occasional in-character chatting with mysticeden/'s character, who is the cause of all this, anyway, and probably letter-writing), but, you know, there it is. I OWN IT. I don't quite want to call it a self-insert, but it is kind of close. Bleh. Like I needed moar headcast.


My body (especially my spine) is really beginning to feel the affect of sleeping in the wrong bed... I'm using my mother's bed, since the guest room's a mess and since the dog gets all bent outta shape (he wants to sleep in a room with a person in it, but he wants to sleep in mom's room - or my old bedroom, which doesn't have a bed in it and so isn't an option at the moment). Her pillow is too thin and the mattress is too... something. Ugh. Achy. Also sleeping is a bit difficult when there's an emphysemic-(or maybe Darth Vader)-sounding dog who keeps choking on his own throat (and making the most alarming sounds) directly under your mattress. Also, my ankle is acting up, but, well. Business as usual, that. And the brace is helping. I think it's just the driving around I've been having to do that's aggravating it.

I've been overwhelmingly exhausted for the last week or so! And my eyes and the roof of my mouth have been really itchy! And maybe I've been a little sneezy, but I am not sure on that one. Last year, I did not figure out - oh! I have seasonal allergies now! CURSE YOU, LIVING IN TOWN! - until late May. Shortly before BotCon, actually. And they'd cleared up by the time I got back from that, because whatever sets me off evidently doesn't exist in that area of CA at that time of year.

So I thought, maybe I'm not sleeping well? Maybe I am getting a cold! But, no, I drugged myself last night and I've been feeling better since then. So. Allergies.

... It is totally not late May! So either I've picked up more allergies in the last eleven months, or things are coming out a little faster. I'm hoping it's just because spring's a little earlier this year, and that it'll pass quickly again (I only needed to use six pills last year, though I endured life without them for a while). Still. Not happy. At least I'm not having to fight the urge to nap all day quite as much? But it's still making a mess of my brain. Hopefully once I'm settled into DRUGGING MYSELF again, that'll start to ease off, as well, 'cause I'm kinda not digging the depressive state I seem to be sinking into again. I don't want to have to wait potentially weeks to stop feeling so drained (physically, mentally, emotionally... take your pick).



Since I've mentioned BotCon, anyway, I'm getting kind of annoyed that they don't have any information up for us yet ('cause, you know, speaking of when it isn't, it is now not early February, late February, or even early March! OR LATE MARCH). No, 1.5 figure previews does not count as information. I know I can approximate the costs based off previous years and all, but I'd like to just have it dealt with, already, and it cannot possibly be this hard to set something up.

Here are some things from the weekend I wanted to mention but forgot, in my sleep-deprived haze:

( Yes, more on this. )

Anyway, my new field placement started today! AT 8:30 AND BY THE WAY I HAD TO DRIVE FORTY MINUTES TO GET THERE so I had to crawl out of bed at 7 am and I'm still recovering from the flight home, but I made it. IT IS SO AWESOME.

We went out on a boat and drove around and I got to do stuff already! No standing around stupidly this time, they put me right to work putting things in the lake and taking them back out, and dropping them in the lake, and hauling them back out, and tossing things in the lake and heaving them out again and THROWING THEM IN THE LAKE AND THEN PULLING THEM UP AND TAKING THE SAMPLE AND we saw some great blue herons in their nests at the top of some dead trees, and a bunch of fish clearly not adapting well to living in the lake-proper instead of the hatchery they must have been from, and also there were spiders all over the boat augh, and oh man, I am so excited and grateful, but I am seriously going to have blisters the size of China growing on my hands in a week's time ow.

I GO BACK AT 9:30 TOMORROW. Not nearly as far, though. I had to go to Waterbury to do some paperwork and stuff, but they'll be picking me up from a much closer location from now on.

SOEXCITED. (Too excited for the space key, evidently.)



And, while we're on the subject, SQUEENIX I HATE YOU.


WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY


THE ONLY GOOD THING HERE IS THAT I DIDN'T SEE ANY TARUTARU IN THE TRAILER AND I COULD LIVE WITH NO TARUTARU BUT AAGERHJKTLGEMNH


(And that's all beyond that they're promoting XIV before XIII is out...)