Roundup

[jaggedwolf]

Apparently in current times, what calls to me isn't fic but linux. (AKA: I gave into the urge to delete an exchange sign-up and have spent most of the weekend fiddling with a Pi.)

The Adventure Zone: Balance

Finished The Suffering Game arc. Sure approaching things I have vague spoilers on.

A fun dark setup. The deadbeat dad beach dwarf cleric that is Merle is still my surprising fave, but I loved Taako in this one, between his spell choices and picking forsake with no regrets. I don't think I'm actually ever going to warm up to Magnus. For playstyle reasons if for nothing else. Frickin loved how the reveal of Barry Bluejeans was done, and I was even spoiled on the guy coming back.

My feelings are mixed on the "Lucretia lost twenty physical years to Wonderland" thing. On one hand, very hardcore, am super down for what it says about Lucretia that she'd give them up, especially along with leaving Cam behind. On the other hand, I'm kinda bummed out that she's not actually middle-aged in terms of life lived.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Reached Daytower. Things have escalated so much.

The very early game does a good job of making you only care about the things Aloy does, or at least I had no thoughts about non-Nora tribes until Aloy runs into them at the first time at The Proving. The heart/brain/fist choices were unexpected, since the player makes no story choices even in side-quests. Aloy is set in her opinions on outcasts, Nora traditions, etc. But we get to pick the way Aloy frames those. I've been going mostly with brain. Seems to fit well enough, especially when Aloy's being sardonic about people blaming/crediting their gods for things. (I love Aloy being nonplussed. E.g. Her going okay, I guess the leaders being whoever has the most generations of progeny is one way to do things, and she clearly isn't into the idea at all)

I am sad that Rost and Vala died in the Proving. Yes, it makes sense, but :(

Looking forward to Meridian and unlimited fast travel, but I've got a number of side-quests and the revenge quest to deal with first.

Homestuck^2

:D

1. I want to see Candy!Karkat when do I get to see Candy!Karkat.
2. Jade! Got her body back via peanut-allergy threats! I'm glad we finally got to see Jade's perspective here.
3. John is so happy to have a terrible plot to be all friendleadery about, I wonder what his plan is
4. Harry Anderson is a theatre kid why does that make sense

Television

I've been slowly making my ways through Thirteen's Doctor Who episodes, with only osmosis-ed knowledge on prior Doctors. It's been a pretty good time. I'm craving a crossover with this crew and the Legends of Tomorrow crew, for maximal cracky time-travel shenanigans. I've also been keeping up with the new ODAAT season. Funny as ever, haven't really noticed a difference with the shorter episodes.

Film

Watched The Prince of Egypt for what I thought was going to be a second time, but may have been the first time. For one thing, I didn't remember that there was singing. (And yet I have vague memories of watching some animated Moses movie as a kid, and if it wasn't this one, which one was it?) Regardless, I liked it a lot. Good animation, good songs.

Other Links

America's Other Epidemic - A new approach to fighting the opioid crisis as it quietly rages on

Red, White, and Black: The Lives of African Singaporeans and PRs

Cal Newport on Surviving Screens and Social Media in Isolation