I set some goals for July, but I honestly didn’t glance at them much during the month, so I’m not sure if I completed many. Let’s find out together!

• WHM to 45 (FFXIV) Check!
• Complete MSQ through level 45 (FFXIV) Check?

I definitely hit my goal of getting to 45! And I think I was in story quests that were level 45? I know that with the big patch earlier this week everything has changed with MSQ for base game, so I’ve yet to dip back in to check where I was.

• Complete How I Made $10K as a PSO (Reading/Business) Check!
• Complete Don’t Keep Your Day Job (Reading/Business)
• Get halfway through A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (Reading)
• Complete Sunstone Vol. 2 (Comics)

I had a lot of reading goals for July that I seem to mostly have accomplished in August. I completed the first goal in July, but I didn’t complete Sunstone Volume 2 and A Song of Wraiths and Ruin until earlier this month. In fact, I’ve already read four books this month, which is the most I’ve read this year so far. I’m still working my way through Don’t Keep Your Day Job, but I think it’s going to be a slower read as I thoughtfully work through the prompts in each chapter.

• Complete Warrior Nun (TV) Check! 
• Complete Season 7 of Star Wars: Clone Wars (TV)
• Complete Season 5 of Stargate Atlantis (TV)
• Start Season 1 of Stargate Universe (TV)

Unfortunately, I haven’t completed any of these except zooming through Warrior Nun. Not for lack of wanting to. More for lack of losing access to Stargate (it left Prime before I finished it) and Clone Wars (when we built my new rig, I lost access to Disney+ because I’m using Manthing’s login). I very much want to finish both, but I just got access to Manthing’s Hulu (which has Stargate), and I need access to Disney+ again.

Overall, not too shabby on goals, so let’s see what I can accomplish for the remaining 16 days of the month!

August Goals

These are a bit pared down compared to what I would normally choose as goals, mainly because I only have 16 days left in the month. Let’s do this!

• WHM to 50 (FFXIV)
• Complete updated base game MSQ (FFXIV)
• Complete three more books for the month (total: 7) (Reading)
• Complete Season 5 of Stargate Atlantis (TV)
• Start Season 1 of Stargate Universe (TV)

I set up some May goals that seemed like I would manage most of them. I didn’t manage many, however, due to changes in the world and my own changes in game interests.

• Inventory Management (ESO) Check!
• Pick up the last items I need for learning crafting traits (ESO)
• Do a few quests in Grahtwood (ESO)

I worked through my inventory management and tackled that, but I also realized that ESO really isn’t what I’m enjoying right now, as much as I may want to. So I’ll likely be putting ESO goals on the back burner for now, even if I do happen to log in and play some this month.

• Finish Phoenix Wright: Justice for All (Visual Novel)
• Play Muse Dash (Community Game-Along) Check!

I played quite a bit of Muse Dash, and have enjoyed myself greatly. However, I never did write about my thoughts on the game for the Community Game-Along. I’m not currently playing Muse Dash, but I do still have it installed because I will never say no to a game that works out well for depression days, or nights when I just need to unwind with mindless entertainment. I don’t think I’m going to participate in the Community Game-Along this month, as it’s JRPGJuly, and I don’t have the mental bandwidth to pick up an RPG right now (unless FFXIV counts!).

As for Phoenix Wright? Well, I saw that all of the games are available as a bundle on Steam, and well. I unfortunately missed the sale for the bundle. However, since I now know they’re on Steam, I’d rather play them there for ease-of-play, if I’m being honest. So I’m holding out for another sale on the series. For now, however, it’s coming off of my goals list.

• Complete Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 of Sunstone (Comics)
• Complete The Lesser Kindred (Reading) Check!
• Start Redeeming the Lost (Reading) Check!
• Complete one of the two books I am reading for my business (Reading)

I have yet to pick up anymore Sunstone, but I flew through both The Lesser Kindred and Redeeming the Lost. Business books got nowhere, but I think that’s partly because I didn’t call out which one I wanted to focus on, and partly due to the world environment making things feel pointless.

• Complete Season 5 of Star Wars: Clone Wars Check!
• Complete Season 10 of Stargate SG-1 Check!
• Complete Season 3 of Stargate Atlantis Check!

I finished both season 5 and 6 of Star Wars: Clone Wars, but I’ve yet to start season 7, which I addressed briefly in my last post. I also completed season 10 of Stargate SG-1, the two Stargate movies, as well as seasons 3 and 4 of Stargate Atlantis. I am looking forward to finishing Atlantis out, but I also don’t want it to end. Overall, I didn’t do too badly on my goals over the two months I worked on them.

July Goals

• WHM to 45 (FFXIV)
• Complete MSQ through level 45 (FFXIV)
• Complete How I Made $10K as a PSO (Reading/Business)
• Complete Don’t Keep Your Day Job (Reading/Business)
• Get halfway through A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (Reading)
• Complete Sunstone Vol. 2 (Comics)
• Complete Warrior Nun (TV)
• Complete Season 7 of Star Wars: Clone Wars (TV)
• Complete Season 5 of Stargate Atlantis (TV)
• Start Season 1 of Stargate Universe (TV)

It’s time again for Seriously Geeky Sundays, hosted by Heather of Just Geeking By! This week’s prompt is all about creativity and quirkiness in fandoms! Heather also has her May prompts already available, so be sure to check them out if you’re interested in joining. This one gets a bit existential and comic-heavy.

Freedom of the Press

What is your favorite fictional media outlet?

I honestly don’t know that I have a favorite fictional media outlet. To be honest, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Daily Bugle.

Who is your favorite fictional journalist?

Again, the only ones who come to mind are Clark Kent (he was actually a journalist, right? I’m not up on my DC as much as Marvel). And Peter Parker, but Spidey technically wasn’t a journalist. Okay, but question… what is it with comics and newspapers? Isn’t Supergirl also a journalist, or work at a news company or such? (I’ve only watched one episode of the TV series with Manthing, and I don’t remember much of it due to it being a bad depression day.)

Who is your favorite fictional photographer?

Okay, since all I can think of off the top of my head is Peter Parker, we’ll go with Peter Parker.

What is your favorite fictional interview?

Um? I don’t think I’ve ever run across one? And if I have, it obviously wasn’t very memorable.

If you could interview any fictional character, who would it be?

I’m going to be cheap and interview Ally and Lisa from Sunstone, because they come as a pair. And honestly, I’d just go for a sit-down hangout with them. They would be awesome folks to befriend. Their whole circle of friends would be awesome to befriend, really, let alone interview.

Which character would you like to see given an absolute grilling live on TV and why?

Oh heck. I’m not sure. I was trying to think of a character I see as fairly smarmy and unbearable, though not evil, and I’m not particularly thinking of any off the top of my head, except for one in an erotic comic I read. I mean, really, it’s just a porn comic.

In InCase’s Alfie (link obviously NSFW!!), there’s a character called Hana who is completely unbearable and very… old-fashioned in her view of the world. However, we’ve recently discovered how hypocritical she’s being (though she apparently doesn’t realize it). Every time I see Hana in a panel, all I can think to myself is “ugh”.

This is post 25/31 for Blapril. You can find out more and sign up at Belghast’s original post. You can view those participating on Twitter via the Twitter list I put together. Nogamara of Battlestance has put together an RSS feed of all Blapril participants.

I set myself what I thought were some pretty reasonable goals for April. How did I do? Fair to middling.

• Inventory Management (ESO)
• Pick up the last items I need for learning crafting traits (ESO)
• Figure out where I left off in questing (ESO)
• Complete current event quest (ESO)

I didn’t even touch ESO. I realized that I had missed my opportunity to get the boxes for the month, and I was so angry with myself that I’ve done nothing but make sure the game is updated. I’m going to give myself some time to get back into it this month outside of just logging in for daily rewards, so I’m going to copy these goals into May. Except I think I’m out of luck with the anniversary event quest, so I’ll be knocking that off the list. I did figure out I was in Grahtwood, though, so that’s something!

• Start and complete Ace Attorney (Community Game-Along/Visual Novel)
• Complete current route in Sweet Fuse (Otome)

I started Phoenix Wright, but I haven’t finished it yet. So that’s going to continue onto my goals for this month. I didn’t even touch my Vita this month. I think I am going to need to set myself to completing one game per month if it is not on the computer to give myself more time to experience things at my own pace. Stretch goal for May, however, if I finish Phoenix in decent time is to complete the route in Sweet Fuse, but I won’t be putting it on my goals list.

• Complete five of the six Sunstone Volumes currently available in book format (Comics)
• Complete Song in the Silence (Reading)
• Complete one of the two books I am reading for my business (Reading)

Reading was interesting this month. It felt good to get back to something that I’ve loved so much prior in my life. Towards the end of April I did fall off the bandwagon of reading every night, which did contribute some to only reading one Sunstone volume, so I’m going to try to get back to that. I found that on nights I read before bed, I slept better overall. I did complete Song in the Silence and I’m currently 39% though the second book in the series, The Lesser Kindred. Knowing that I’ve gobbled up a novel and a half this month (almost 600 pages!), I’m going to update my pleasure-reading goals, some for May.

I also have to note that I’m kind of excited to be reading a series that I both know, and don’t. I’ve finally hit a point in the second book where I’m not necessarily remembering everything that’s going on, which means I’m finally getting to a point in the series that I’ve never made it past before. (CW: ABUSE – My ex was jealous that my best friend (then male-identifying) purchased me the third book in the trilogy, so he’d be emotionally abusive about reading, which is one of the big reasons I, well, stopped.)

I have yet to finish either book I’m reading for business, but I’ve been trying to catch-up on some admin things with my business, and get ahead with other admin things, so I unfortunately put reading and professional development on the back burner. They’re also not necessarily books that are a good relax-before-bed option, as they’re very much geared towards, well, improving my business.

• Complete Season 9 of Stargate SG-1 Check!
• Complete Season 4 of Star Wars: Clone Wars Check!

I gobbled up a bunch of Stargate, and am tip-toeing into the next season of Clone Wars, so these will continue for goals in May as well! However, I’m going to need to carefully choose my Stargate goals, as I’ve hit a point in the chronology where I do a lot of jumping between series.

May Goals

• Inventory Management (ESO)
• Pick up the last items I need for learning crafting traits (ESO)
• Do a few quests in Grahtwood (ESO)
• Finish Phoenix Wright: Justice for All (Visual Novel)
• Play Muse Dash (Community Game-Along)
• Complete Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 of Sunstone (Comics)
• Complete The Lesser Kindred (Reading)
• Start Redeeming the Lost (Reading)
• Complete one of the two books I am reading for my business (Reading)
• Complete Season 5 of Star Wars: Clone Wars
• Complete Season 10 of Stargate SG-1
• Complete Season 3 of Stargate Atlantis

This is post 24/31 for Blapril. You can find out more and sign up at Belghast’s original post. You can view those participating on Twitter via the Twitter list I put together. Nogamara of Battlestance has put together an RSS feed of all Blapril participants.

Once again, I am behind on blogging awards. I was tagged by Solarayo of Ace Asunder for the Real Neat Blogger Award, and before I could get to answering it, Naithan of Time to Loot tagged me in his combination Real Neat Blogger/Versatile Blogger award. I am going to tackle all of the questions in this post. As I mentioned in my last award post, I’m not going to bother tagging anybody as most folks have already been tagged for this. If you haven’t, and you would like to complete this, please feel free to grab either of the question sets, or both!

The Rules

I’ve yoinked the rules from Naithin’s post.

1. Thank the person who tagged you for the award.
2. Answer the seven questions set out by your nominator.
3. Tell everyone seven things about yourself—you can spread them between answering the questions!
4. (Optional) Write another seven questions to ask the people you tag.
5. (Optional) Tag seven people to carry forward the Real Neat Versatile Blog Award and answer your questions while revealing seven facts about themselves.

I am going to opt out of the optional steps. Thank you both to Solarayo and Naithin for tagging me. I’m looking forward to answering all these questions! The facts are going to be difficult, though. Anyways, let’s get to it!

Solarayo’s Questions

Do you ever listen to video game soundtracks outside of gaming sessions? If so, which ones?

I do on occasion! Typically if I do, it’s the WildStar soundtrack (bless Jeff Kurtenacker). Though I’ve listened to a bit of League music of late which I’m enjoying, even if I will never play the game.

What’s a game that you loved growing up, but find it harder to enjoy now, whether due to a change in tastes or now-outdated mechanics/graphics?

Myst.

Which game console do you feel has the greatest library of titles to choose from?

I’m honestly not a huge console person because I’m very set in what type of games I like to play. And these games are typically only found on PC, Vita, and possibly Switch.

Name a video game character that has made a positive impact in your life?

Heck if I know, to be perfectly honest. While there’s games I love, and characters I enjoy, I don’t know that I’ve yet found one that has impacted me so profoundly. My measurement for this is my love of Wicked Lady, so there may need to be a grain of salt taken for this question.

If you could sit down to a conversation with any fictional character (book, movie, or game) who would it be and where would this conversation occur?

Again, I’m not quite sure. I’ve been so out of touch with media consumption for so long outside of a few things I’d binge (e.g.: West Wing) in my depression, that I don’t have a clear choice for this question.

If you could travel to any video game location for a hard-earned vacation, where would you go?

NEXUS!

Quarantine Question: What’s your go-to movie or tv show?

When in my deepest depression, it was most recently West Wing. As for quarantine, I’ve been trying to make my way through Stargate and Star Wars: Clone Wars.

True Facts

Naithan got creative and delved fairly deep into his facts, but I’m going to just give y’all a sentence or two. No paragraphs from me this time. I know, you’re devastated.

1. I adore Sailor Moon and caticorns.
2. I have plans for 33 more tattoos and counting.
3. My eyebrows are actually a semi-permanent cosmetic tattoo. Due to various health issues, I haven’t had eyebrows (except some sparse hairs on occasion) since I was about 12.
4. I don’t drink coffee. At all. Ever.
5. I hate flying. This pretty much sums up why.
6. I’m allergic to pet dander.
7. I have three cats and a dog, but if I had it my way, I’d have many more cats. Despite allergies.

Naithan’s Questions

If you were to start another blog, or branch off your current blog into a whole new direction, what would it be about?

I actually have another blog. Technically it’s the website for my adult content, but I also am ramping up some adult blogging over there. I’m looking forward to finally getting through some of my NSFW games and being able to write about them over there and upload any videos to PH.

What mix of mechanics or genres would form your absolute dream game?

I’m not sure how to answer this, as I’ve not thought much about it. As a whole, I very much enjoy otome/dating sims/visual novels as they are, so I’m not sure what would possibly make them better, or what I’d change to create a “dream game”, except maybe adding in Sailor Moon characters.

What thing (game, book, movie, anything) have you experienced recently, thinking it should be right up your alley—only to find it very much was not?

I hate sounding like a broken record, but I’ve only recently begun getting back into media of all sorts after going on antidepressants back in November, and I’ve yet to run into this scenario.

The opposite! Have you been convinced to try anything you thought you wouldn’t enjoy, only to discover you very much loved it after all? What was it?

See above answer.

What new thing do you most want to achieve with your blog this year?

I would like to get into an actual posting schedule, and start getting content ready ahead of time. To be fair, I’m trying to work on consistency and pre-planning all around so that I can help myself better weather the more difficult depression days (they still happen, even on meds, though not like they were), especially with the way the world is right now.

What’s on your wishlist that you most want to buy, but for whatever reason you haven’t yet pulled the trigger on purchasing yet?

Right now it’s Volume 3 of Mirka Andolfo’s Unnatural. I haven’t pulled the trigger on purchasing it yet, as I’ve yet to finish Volume 1 (I’ll probably need to restart it), and I haven’t even begun Volume 2 (a birthday present from Manthing last year… he knows me so well!). Maybe I’ll make that the next comic series I’ll read after I catch up on Sunstone (which I still need to purchase Volume 6, which is next on the wishlist). Yes, I know Sunstone is available on either Patreon/Deviantart, but I prefer to read the volumes when they come out.

When this whole lockdown thing is over; and the shops/services currently closed reopen, what is the first thing you’ll visit/do?

I NEED A PEDICURE SO BADLY OH MY GAWD.

This is post 9/31 for Blapril. You can find out more and sign up at Belghast’s original post. You can view those participating on Twitter via the Twitter list I put together. Nogamara of Battlestance has put together an RSS feed of all Blapril participants.

Like many games bloggers out there, I’ve been noting my gaming goals for a while (I was surprised to see it went as far back as when I started this blog… so much has changed but some things remain, it seems). Then in August of last year I changed up the format of how I’d be doing them.

Normally I’d be keen to come up with some gaming goals. However, I’m not at a place where I’ve been doing a lot of gaming. And it’s been that way for a while. Which puts me at a loss to what I even want to tackle outside of a few select gaming things to ease me back into gaming for both fun and content creation.

April Nerding Goals

I decided to change it up—again. I’m going to start calling them Nerding Goals, and include other various geeky and nerdy pursuits, like visual and written media consumption.

Some of these goals may seem simple to you, but some link back to what Roger over at Contains Moderate Peril has deemed as “gaming amnesia“. Not just that, but depression screws with one’s memory, and I am at a disadvantage for picking up content I was in the middle of ages ago. The bright side of this being my brain is having an easier time remembering current media, so it should make things going forward a lot easier to come back to, and to complete.

Anyways, without further ado, here’s my list for April in no particular order.

• Inventory Management (ESO)
• Pick up the last items I need for learning crafting traits (ESO)
• Figure out where I left off in questing (ESO)
• Complete current event quest (ESO)
• Start and complete Ace Attorney (Community Game-Along/Visual Novel)
• Complete five of the six Sunstone Volumes currently available in book format (Comics)
• Complete current route in Sweet Fuse (Otome)
• Complete Song in the Silence (Reading)
• Complete one of the two books I am reading for my business (Reading)
• Complete Season 9 of Stargate SG-1
• Complete Season 4 of Star Wars: Clone Wars

This is post 5/31 for Blapril. You can find out more and sign up at Belghast’s original post. You can view those participating on Twitter via the Twitter list I put together. Nogamara of Battlestance has put together an RSS feed of all Blapril participants.

Original image from Geek Fitness

#FitGeekFriday is something that Professor Beej has put together, once again, to share what he’s geeking out about regarding the “…fitnessy, mindful, hodge-podge of cool stuff I’ve found.” Way back when this was a linked initiative, I participated, so I figured I’d make it a thing on the blog again and participate that way, because I always write too much to make it viable for Twitter.

Pole Goals

Eda is one of the reasons I started pole.

I’ve mentioned it before (mainly on Twitter, but here as well), but pole dancing has consumed my life. I’ll get into the details of why doing it as exercise has been good for me on so many levels in another blog post, but something that I’m geeking out about this week is the pole goals my instructor and I finally set in stone, and some are even checked off! I saw this idea in one of the pole groups I’m a part of, and I thought it was a really cool idea to try out to track my progress in pole. She has a book from when she got certified with X-Pole, and we went through it today, and I’ve completed pretty much everything in Level 1 of pole minus three spins, and all the stuff regarding climbing. For now, we’re going to be working on the spins, and building up my core and upper body strength to start on the climbs. We figure, depending on when I can get a pole at home, that I’ll be able to “test out” (there’s no official test, though some places test your abilities to move into the next level of classes) of level 1 and into level 2 around August or September.

Quest Bars

Before I go to pole classes on Monday and Friday (which are late in the day), I’ve been eating a Quest bar for a protein boost and to have a snack because I won’t be eating dinner until close to 9 PM at night (I don’t like eating a full meal before exercise). I’ve had Quest Bars before, but never really got into them because I didn’t like the exercise I was doing, and didn’t care about nutrition and, well, I wasn’t in the best place to begin with. However, recently, I’ve really gotten into them, and I’ve been warily trying out flavors based on what the grocery store has. My overall favorite so far is Cookie Dough, but the grocery hasn’t had it, so I’ve tried Cookies and Cream, Double Chocolate Chip, and S’mores which have all been pretty tasty, too.

NCIS Binge

I cried so much… (Image from CBS)

I’ve been binging NCIS on Netflix because I needed a somewhat-mindless television show that, even when it had “IN THE FEELS” episodes, ended on a somewhat happy or bittersweet note. (My anxiety and depression have been in flux, and a majority of shows just don’t feel good.) NCIS fit that bill perfectly. I’m surprised that I made it through all 13 seasons available. I usually “jump the shark” between season 3 and season 5. While I did think some of Season 11 and 12 were draggy, and the writing wasn’t the best, and it was kind of annoying, it wasn’t to the point where I didn’t want to not watch anymore.

Epsom Salts

These are my new jam. Pole is fun, but it’s a full body workout, and it’s hard. And sometimes even two days later, a part of me is still sore, depending what I did in class. I’ve been loving soaking in these because I got a milk and honey one, and they smell amazing, and I hurt way less after soaking for a half hour or so. I’ve also been using these as a self-care thing when I’m not sore, and I love it.

Monstress

Image from Hypable

While I’ve been soaking in the tub, I’ve been enjoying catching up on my comic books. I’ve recently started Monstress, which my brother got me this past Christmas. I’m two chapters into the first volume, and I’ve found it enjoyable so far. I’m looking forward to finishing it, and putting together a more comprehensive blog post on my thoughts for the volume.

I’ve been dabbling some in Marvel Heroes, and Chaide and I have also been watching Netflix Daredevil. I was never a Daredevil fan, per se, but I’ve been enjoying the Netflix version.

This image is a club owned by King Pin. I don’t know if it’s cannon or not (I’m assuming not), but it’s a really neat looking club outside. I’ve never really gotten into many villains (except the X-Villains) because I’ve never felt that many were beyond the, “Here to destroy the city! Yeh heh heh!” stereotype. I like knowing the motivations behind the villains.

King Pin is definitely one of those villains who seemed kind of flat on paper (from what little I’ve read about him) that has come to life in the Netflix show. We just finished the episode that focuses on King Pin, and it was intense, but made King Pin feel like more of a character than someone we just kind of shrug about and hope that Daredevil takes care of. Based on that episode, I want King Pin and Matt to work something out. I want them to better Hell’s Kitchen together. To come to an agreement. And that’s pretty awesome storytelling.

Now, if only more comics worked to give supporting cast characters and villains more motivations and made them well-rounded characters. One can only hope, and try to find some that do.

I’m a bit more sold, now. To the point of at least opening it up more. I think overall it’ll be a game where I pick it up here and there if I have limited playtime, or I need an off night where I can just de-stress and do my own thing.

What finally got me interested was fiddling around a bit with Storm’s powers. Once I figured out her lightning aura mechanic, I was smiling and giggling as I smashed things without even having to touch them. I’m still not particularly fond of her as a main character to play, per-se, but I did have fun. I got her up to level 9, which means I can utilize any of the other heroes to try very soon. Braxwolf mentioned that if you use the “t” key (so long as it’s not rebound) you can choose any of the other heroes to start with.

Someone asked me what the current starter heroes were, and quite honestly, I didn’t pay that much attention to it. I think Rocket Racoon was on there, and maybe Spiderman. I’m honestly surprised there’s not a list of starters. Though I suppose it doesn’t matter too much, as you can try all of them up to ten, anyway?

I wonder, though, if you can pick one of the non-starters as the first hero to play without spending splinters…

So, since it’s free, I decided to give it a chance. I rolled in, and decided to play Storm for the first trial character. I’ve heard that you can try all of however many they have (like, all of the Heroes) for free up to level 10, but it doesn’t seem that way based on the information the game gave me. It looks like there’s only a select few to try up to ten to move on forward in the game.

I’ve always been a fan of the X-Men, so the characters that interest me the most are the X-Heroes (specifically the Ladies). Sadly, they seem to be lacking. I’d love for Kitty (Shadowcat, whatever) to be there, or hell, even Domino or Dazzler would be so much fun to play! You know you’re imagining it, even now.

So I played about an hour of the game, and so far it’s okay. It’s not bad, but the story isn’t particularly grabbing me yet. I’m going to try it to level ten and see if I’m interested enough in continuing. I kind of wish, though, that the graphics were more like the ones from the cutscenes. I honestly think I’d be more interested in the game if that were the case. Sort of like Borderlands or something!

And I really do feel like a Marvel Villains game would be interesting and lead for more fun storylines. Because honestly, most of the Marvel Villains really aren’t that bad. I mean, yeah, there are some that are really really bad, but a bunch of them are just kinda Chaotic-based characters.

So, while I’m enjoying the game, there are things I’d enjoy more about it, though I wonder how much of it is currently character choice, and how much is story development.