Let the Games Begin!

I got a TV for Christmas.  Or, rather, my parents used my "wish list" as an excuse to buy themselves a present and then "gift" me with their old bedroom set.  Not that that TV is old or anything.  Quite the opposite.  My dad bought it new when he came out here two years ago, so it's only 2 years old, flat screen and just about the exact size I wanted.  They would not have bought themselves a newer, bigger TV if I had not wanted one the exact size of their old one for Christmas. 

I then locked myself in my bedroom with my PS3 and new TV, only coming out to make ice cream, eat dinner, talk to my Grandmother on the phone, and pop downstairs a handful of times to make sure no one was missing me too much.  And today, after getting back from the eye doctor, I did a repeat performance of that.  I made a concerted effort to spend time with Dad when he got home from work today so he couldn't repeat his comments about me hiding in my room.  I'm embarrassed by how much time I've spent playing that game, but I can't seem to stop!  Earlier today, I noticed that my game time was at 23 hours and such-and-such minutes, and I've only had the game for five days.  And that 23-something, I'm pretty sure that was at least close to an hour of game time ago.  I was up until 1:30 last night even though I knew I needed to get up to make an appointment for contacts (my other Christmas present).  I guess it's not too much of a surprise; I do tend to throw myself headfirst into things I enjoy...

First Post-Apocolyptic Entry

The world did not end.  Obviously.  But I enjoyed the countdown.  After I got home from work, I finally hooked up my PS2 and played FFXII until it was almost time.  Watched a few minutes of news to make sure there was no planet-altering event and then I fell into bed.

I've been playing my video games a lot lately, actually.  Well, since the whole end-of-the-world thing at least.  And not like, "gamer a lot" but like a "me a lot."  The next night after work, I logged another hour or so on the game and then yesterday, I met my friend Ashley for lunch/dinner and she gave me my Christmas gift: Final Fantasy XIII-2.  I'd been telling myself that that was going to be my reward for finishing XIII (which I'm having a hard time getting through on account of the lack of opportunities to grind/explore and the completely open map in my file on FFXII).  So I played that yesterday for almost two hours (which is a considerable amount since I won't play it when either parent is downstairs and they were both home all day yesterday), and then today, after Sunday dinner, I convinced both my parents to go upstairs and I played for another hour or two. 

So far, I really like my new game.  I've been avoiding finding out too much about it (in order to avoid temptation, avoid knowledge *wink*) but now that I have it... The more I learn about it, the more excited I get.  Unfortunately, one of the things I've learned about it is that my brothers bought the game for me as well.  Oops!  So I've been dropping heavy hints about how I'd really like to try out Persona 3 as well.  I think (hope?) they got the message.  I'll find out tomorrow when we open our one present after the Christmas Eve Service.

Bit of minor drama about that, too.  And while I'm not participating, I can't say I'm not at least a little annoyed with Jake.  My little brother agreed to do a musical offering at the 11pm service without talking to anyone else.  If Jake has to be there, well then Mom has to be there, too.  Heaven forbid she miss Jake playing his ukulele in the worship band.  But Dad (and I, although I'm not saying anything) was wanting to go to the "flashlight - candle lit" family service at 5:30.  If you can't have your own kids or grandkids to watch enjoy the holiday, other people's are the next best thing.  So then, my mom started talking about going to 2 services, which everyone but mom thinks is a bit excessive, even if Pastor did promise there was a different sermon for each service.  And all this happened because Jacob didn't think to TALK to anyone before committing himself to something as important as a Christmas Eve service.  We've only done the midnight service 2 or 3 times, so it's not like it's something we do every year and he should have called or texted someone because everyone else knew Dad wanted to go to the 5:30.  Enough family drama.

I have decided I really hate this whole mid-season break thing.  I finally have time to watch TV and, after catching up on the few weeks I missed, there's nothing to watch!  Does that make any sense?  And I'm really trying to reign in my spending, so no Smallville for now, either!

The End of the World

My life has been SO crazy lately.  First, there was the move that never ended.  We hauled all our crap from one town to the next over the course of the weekend and then settled in.  And then the weekend before exams, we accepted the rest of our household goods, which had been sitting in storage until we found a bigger house.  And then there was exams.  All in all, it was a month of absolute craziness.  I practically ignored ongoing series (except in the case of DwtS and that only because my Mom kept putting it on and has an unfortunate habit of erasing them out of habit).  Furthermore, I picked up the unfortunate habit of watching Smallville as a horrible procrastination technique.  And I really mean it.  I'm halfway through Season 8.

Now that schools out, I have been catching up on the series I've missed.  Arrow, Beauty and the Beast, Once Upon a Time, Castle.  And, of course, I've been continuing Smallville.  Jake sees my shows more so than anyone else and for some reason, he keeps confusing the shows.  I think it helps a bit that the same actress is in Smallville and Beauty and the Beast.  But now he's even confusing Castle and Once Upon A Time.  Really?  I think he's doing it just to annoy me, and I have to say, it's working.  He's driving me crazy! I'm almost at the point where I won't watch TV when anyone else is home, much like I won't play my video games (and for the same reason).

So, I've been watching TV like a woman possessed.  And I baked an entire store of Christmas cookies that I preceded to hand out with the Christmas gifts I bought for my friends.  And I watched The Hobbit and enjoyed it.  And today, after I finish Once Upon A Time, I get to go to work and continue my Doomsday Countdown there.  Eleven and a half hours until the end of the world and I spent my last few days watching TV shows.  If the world does end, I will regret making myself stop paying for Smallville and not finishing the show when I had the chance. And if you think that A) the world is going to end or B) that would really be my biggest regret (or even an actual regret) then it's because sarcasm doesn't work over the internet.