The lights are on
Veteran Member - Level 12
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life kicks you in the crotch..well, that's a different story.
You probably have noticed that I have not been posting blogs with very much regularity lately. While I used to blog daily (and believe me, I have enough stickies with blog topics on them sticking on my wall to make me look like one of those crazy hyper-obsessive people), I have been having trouble finding time to blog lately and this has been due to several factors:
1) The world is kicking my butt.
2) I have no IRL support network beyond a few stragglers who haven't yet moved away.
3) My (almost 3 year old) daughter is becoming more and more interactive and as the primary care provider in the evenings, I'm spending a lot of "learning" time with her in the evenings, helping her to develop her vocabulary and motor skills. Also cleaning up after her highly destructive toy explosion messes.
4) Household chore stuff that no one else does but me.
5) So little time to game that I end up spending my (tiny) blocks of time gaming instead of blogging.
As you can see, I'm stuck between a...well...I'm stuck...
Life is tough and I don't want to use my blog space to complain about this, that and the other unfair things that happen to me. However, I've been having quite a streak of terrible bad luck. Also, as you might possibly know (from experience or simply from watching your own parents), time becomes more and more of a precious commodity as you get older. As a kid, I had huge blocks of time where I was doing NOTHING and sitting here today I can't imagine having even a SECOND of "wasted" time simply sitting around staring at the ceiling or something. Times change- that's life.
Tetris: preparing you for real-world applications since 1980!
But it is one of the points of contention that I find myself struggling with. It's quite a lot like my experiences with Tetris. A lot of the time, I'll start playing the game on level 0 (in the Game Boy Version you can do this, you see), and just work my way up. Most of the time, I kind of "space out" for awhile, just focus on moving the blocks where they need to go, like some kind of exercise in Zen. But then, all of a sudden, I'll notice that I'm on level 50 and HOLY CRAP the blocks are zipping down at the speed of light. I'll do ok for awhile, even feel cool under the increased pressure, working faster and faster. But then I'll crash- I'll make one stupid mistake and it's all over (and it makes that funny digitized "ACCCCKGH" noise).
In real life, that "ACCCCKGH" noise comes out of your own mouth. Believe me, I know from experience, especially after seeing the bill for repairs on my car when it recently decided to die on me for no real discernable reason. I've been doing pretty well with the stress, but it's getting worse. Especially since the budget season is ramping up at my job and people are starting to talk about layoffs again. And even though it doesn't directly affect me, my poor husband is feeling like graveyard shift is slowly driving him insane, so that means that he snaps a lot at me because he's sleep-deprived.
Sleep deprivations makes you transform...and not always for the better....
So, needless to say, I really need a hug right now, and probably also a brain massage or something of similar ability to untie all the knots in my head.
But I guess that's why I'm blogging, because it's therapy for me. So let me talk a bit about games before I inspire you all bring out the world's smallest violin and play a sad Slavic tune.
So then, how about some GAMING?!
In my tiny, infinitely small moments of gaming, I've been playing my 3DS mostly with my Wii coming up secondly (because Skyward Sword is very frustrating and I don't have the hours upon hours to sit there dying over and over again). One thing that I like about my 3DS is that I can switch between games pretty intuitively. I have been enjoying friendly banter with Swapnote (especially 3D pics of the day with Koob and TurdFurgy, which is quite hilarious!), and sometimes that really helps me get through my day when I'm really stressed. Even drawing a funny reply can really help me out. Drawing is one of the things I tend to do when I'm dealing with "real world" stuff- it helps me to chili out. I've been doing a lot of stuff with my brony friends, drawing some fanart on my DevientArt account (which laid unused for years and years before I got a scanner of my own) and really getting involved in that as well.
Ponies are basically the closest thing to a brain massage out there right now...
Also, I've been playing Word Search 4 on my 3DS (mindlessly finding words is really enjoyable), and making a few levels on Pushmo Park (I am currently in the advanced picture levels in the game itself, so I have quite some way to go before finishing it). I am continuing in 999 for DS, but I've gotten stuck so I'm kind of taking a break for the moment. I really get frustrated when point-and-click adventures don't give you clear ideas about what your objectives are supposed to be, and at some points 999 falls into this trap. Although I love the writing and I feel that the puzzles are mostly enjoyable, these few snags really dissuade me from continuing with the game.
This is the aforementioned video-it looks way cooler in 3D....
I'll also come out and say it, I've been shamelessly enjoying the 3DS's recent 3D videos. The thing I'm most excited about is that they released an exclusive music video by Crystal Method (and you thought the 3DS was for kids!), and it's really cool. Plus, they have a new comedy video which made me laugh, and to top it all off, they have a couple of those "3Net" preview shorts which were ok, but mostly just showed off the 3D. I like watching things in 3D for short bursts of time, but I'm still not sold on full-length feature films or television shows. To me, this is like any gimmick, pleasant for a short diversion but then it's back to the serious stuff.
I love my handheld, just not in a perverted way. XD
My handheld is a godsend right now because I have very few moments of my time to myself. Most of my day is caught up in exercise, parenting, working or other imperative pursuits. While I hate to say that I "love" an inanimate object, I am immensely grateful for the 3DS's connectivity improvements, the friends from GIO and IRL who I have close to me (I do not have a smartphone as I cannot afford the data charges, so my 3DS is all I have when I'm out and about). My handheld tells me how active I have been, it makes going to the grocery store or visiting a new place an adventure- will I get some new Miis in my plaza? Will I get a message from a new person?- and I can use a free wi-fi spot to browse the internet or look something up while on-the-go. And, of course, there's the gaming- a small bout of Tetris (I downloaded the original game boy version so it's always with me) can really soothe my mind while I'm waiting in line to get my blood drawn or for my prescriptions to be filled.
My new hairstyle- I call it the "stress-fro"-do you like it?
So yes, I know that times will get better, and objectively in my mind, I know that at some point, I'm going to be able to start using all those stickies and bringing back my quality daily blog experience to this awesome gaming community. But I also know that in the meantime, I'm so lucky that many of the friends I have met here on this website are also my friends on my 3DS and I get a lot of opportunities to socialize and enjoy banter through that venue as well- it helps me feel less isolated and alone, which is better for my stress-filled head and keeps my sanity in check (always a good thing, right?).
I suppose Nintendo can pat themselves on the back right now, considering that my handheld is basically my all-in-one stress relieving device and if they could simply make the battery life a bit longer, I'd probably be even more happy with it. I don't drink, smoke or do any recreational drugs, and other than exercise (which does give me some of that "clear-my-head" feeling that helps me de-stress, but it only really feels complete when I get some time to problem-solve and focus on puzzles or problems in-game), my main outlet is through my gaming.
So yeah, if you also have a 3DS, please feel free to add me as a friend! Send me a PM and we can add one another's number and become friends, and who knows? Maybe someday, I'll be able to save you when the world is kicking YOUR butt!
....Or other horribly painful places....
So, what do YOU play when you are stressed out, or are you able to game at all?
Which is more useful for your gaming habits-handhelds or consoles?
If you have both console and handheld, do your gaming habits change when you've switched to handheld from a console or vice versa?
And finally, what is your mantra or words of wisdom that you use to keep yourself level-headed even when things are going wrong?
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I hope to hear from you soon! :)
Honestly I think that everyone can understand this sentiment. Heck I've gone through it quite a lot (contemplating a return, but due to my peculiar idiom I have to come back with a bang, and not a whisper).
For me though it's about finding the things that bring you joy and doing them. No need to feel like this is an obligation, because really it isn't. You should write for fun, and should write because you want to. And if you want to game some rather than writing then that is okay.
As far as what is useful to my gaming habits, I am dying to get a new PC. Like literally about to start starving myself to save up for it (just kidding FYI). This is for a lot of reasons, but that's for another time/place.
Now then, for words of wisdom, I unfortunately can not offer any. Really though it's just about seeing the joy that life brings you and holding that close. It's the little things, so to speak at least.
Best of luck to you regardless; hope that things turn around ASAP.
I actually envy your busy life....and I don't now why.
Oh well, Once I go to basic I'll have far less free time.
I don't really have any words of wisdom, if anything I just try to lose myself in the game.
First things first, I don't have a 3DS. If I did, I would try to add you, but alas, I do not have enough money. Gotta prepare for college and all that.
Second, I understand about the whole stress level thing. While it is not near as close to the amount that you feel, I have seen it in my parents, and felt it when that deadline for Odyssey of the Mind World Finals were drawing close and my team barely had stuff ready. We finished in the week before.
Third, I tend to switch gaming habits, yes. When I am more prone to playing my handheld, I get more done, because setting it up is as simple as flipping the switch on and off. Meaning that playing the handheld is not an hour long affair, and I can game in short bursts, which ultimately contributes to my overall productivity in a positive manner.
I also have a stress reliever game in the form of Dissidia Final Fantasy, or its sequel. I have gotten fairly good at those games, so being able to hop into the game and level up a bit or tear an AI to shreds is always helpful.
Anyway, good blog, and know that you have people hoping that things work out even better than they were before.
P.S. As long as you are publishing good and well written blogs, I don't care how often they come. They are good, and I enjoy reading them. That is all that matters.
First i do not have a 3DS, I understand beening stressed out alot, i do not really switch gaming habits and 4th "if i can get thu this i can get thu anything". Hope that helps and "just breathe"
You can have as many hugs from me as you need! I've heard they're quite therapeutic. I wouldn't be so gauche as to tell you this myself, but I do have written references!
If you need them. You could just take it on faith.
Anyway, sorry life's kicking your butt right now. I'm not having nearly the same problems you are, but I haven't been blogging either (I plan to rectify that this weekend, or at least hope to). For me, it's just a time and motivation issue.
But you are definitely well-loved around here, and we'll take whatever you have time to offer us! But life comes first, and especially now that you're spending more time in "interactive parent" mode as well as all of the other stuff going on.
I don't have a 3DS, or I'd friend you in a minute! But I am only a conversation away if you ever want to chat.
To everyone who commented- I really appreciate your concern and I thank you for leaving your thoughts and positive wishes! I know that even though my troubles are large and varied in scope, having this community here at GIO and the friends that I have made here is one of the pillars that keeps me sane. :)
when life kicks your butt you pull a gun out and say hay man what the heck i'm going to stainten you out by fixing my problems. i calm down with a nice bloody adventure in skyrim or solve the pulzzle in gost trick and then freak out after a huge plot reval
My xbox has been a great stress reliver, especialy when i had bad week in school. i will just come home turn on the xbox and play either L4D 2 or some call of duty, because nothing makes you release some stress better than shooting zombies and noobs online.
it has work wonders for me, because after a couple of hours after i would have forgoten about my troubles. And they say videogames cant help you,HA.
when i was stressed out i used to blog on here but then i lost the drive to blog...now the best way i relieve my stress is in drrrchat ^_^ its awesome made some great friends there
Life sometimes creeps up on us, but what is most important are our obligations to the things that matter most first. Wish you well.
Lets tha Pikachu gives you da hugs!!! Rofl, hope life gets better for you, I know my senior year is pretty much going to hell in a hand basket right now. Seeing as how my suggestion for relaxation probably wouldn't work, or be viable, for someone such as you that needs a clear head constantly ;P, my other suggestion would just be to try and find just a small amount of time, say 10-20 minutes and just sit somewhere and completely and utterly relax, don't do anything, just breathe. It works for me lol.