I went to the Dr today about my collapsing episodes and the results on my EEG and MRI are normal. So my Dr is looking at other things. She suggested narcolepsy, low B12, and a few other things they will test on. But in the meantime since I am still having problems she has taken me out of work for a month until the test results are back. So that is a bit scary since we are tight on money anyways. ^_^;

Once we got home we looked up narcolepsy and saw a type called Cataplexy that describes what is happening to me fairly well. Even though it hasn't been tested that that is what I do have, I feel better having an idea on what it could be.

Earlier I canceled my mules content IDs and today I canceled Prey. I felt more sad about that I was no longer part of the game then canceling the service. I just haven't had the urge to play anymore and no sense in paying for something I'm not playing.

After seeing the trailer for FF14 got me excited for the improved graphics, mithras, and more solo friendly gameplay. But still unsure if I will try it out. I'll be keeping my eye out for news on it and I hope it does well. I'm guessing if it stays on the 2010 deadline, it will be out at the earliest spring or latest winter. So, a good time for me to think if I do want to come back to it by then.

Updates for FF11 is that I am now at lvl 57 on samurai. One more lvl until I can wear my AF body piece. While that makes me happy, I just can't get excited about it. Over the past month I have not had the urge to play. I log on when my static party is scheduled and that is about it. Last week I canceled my mules and only have my main active until I decide what to do. I may end up leaving FF11 for a while. I sent an email to my party to see what they say since I am wondering if they may feel the same way. After their hiatus they haven't logged on nearly as much and the length of parties is the length of the exp rings. I'm suspecting they may be in the same boat I am in. Also somewhat separate, every time I have logged on to sell unneeded equipment and crafting supplies I am not using I am getting a lot of lag and dcing. This has also made it frustrating trying to do simple things. So I don't even want to think of what it would be like in parties. -_-

And so far not as a replacement, but more as a distraction, I have been trying out Sony's new MMO FreeRealms. Since FF11 was my first MMO, FR is refreshingly different. Two of the things that kept me interested in FF11 was exploring and storyline. But since I had to grind at lvls to be able to explore different areas and/or complete missions it became more and more of a hassle. In FR I can explore the vast majority of areas at lvl 1. There is no aggro from mobs, you choose your own battles. The graphics for the areas are a lot more simple than in FF11, but the colors are a lot nicer and easier on the eyes. The areas in FR seem more cheerful than well... FF11 more dated look. Another aspect of FR I enjoy is I can log out anywhere and at anytime. In FF11 you can do the same, but I always felt the need to check my inbox, sell on the AH, turn in any quest items for profit that I may have, etc before logging. Blah... Yeah FR is made for a younger generation and made to be easy, but it is so nice to not have to fret over my armor, wondering I have enough funds, lvl subjobs, etc. And besides FR's mining minigame in FR is addicting. ^_~

In RL since I have opened up a lot of free time recently, I have been reading again. I have started back to reading fanfics and RL books too! ^_~ Mom bought me some Agatha Christie books, so I have read those as well as the Scarlet Pimpernel to while away the time at work at lunch and before/after shift. I haven't read it before, but the Scarlet Pimpernel is not too bad of a book, but I felt not much happened overall. ^_^; I am now starting on Sherlock Holmes books, both canon and regular(?).

Also it seems my exhaustion took a bad turn and I passed out at work last Thursday. I luckily was able to get a dr appt the next day and he is concerned since I have had these episodes before (a year and a half ago) and that it took me near an hour after fainting to regain control of my body but I stayed completely awake in senses and mind throughout it all. So he is sending me to specialist to see if it is a type of seizure. A normal faint takes less than 5 minutes to get over. But what is really odd about it is that one of my friends/coworker passed out the same the way at work two weeks ago. It is surprising me though that management is taking this seriously and looking into it why it may have happened to both of us in case it is an environmental factor at in our dept.

Also, 18 more days until I can get my new Blackberry Storm! So excited! ^_^ I have been looking through my HDDs to see what videos I can convert and what games and apps are available for it.

I had a fun time bowling yesterday! ^_^ The night before the event some friends took me to my first time bowling. The very first time I bowled I got a strike! Woo! I ended up with a 68 on my first game and 65 my second.

Now during the event I totally sucked but had a lot of fun! ^_^ I kept either getting one pin or gutter balls and every now and again I'd hit 3, 5, or 9 pins. I was disappointed when I couldn't keep up my streak 0s or 1s. ^_~ I won a few prizes while I bowled my gutter balls. ^_~

Commercial for a drink for high blood pressure people

I am so excited about this game coming out! ^_^ Edgeworth was my fav chara in the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney games. I hope that this releases in Japan soon so the US can get this! Hopefully it won't be too long of a wait.

Best trailer I have seen for the game so far:

Not too much happening on the FF front lately, but I have done a few things.

Samurai is now up to lvl 54! Yay! I am now able to wear my AF boots and pants. ^_^ We are currently lvling in Sea Serpent's Grotto in a area I had no idea existed. ^_^; I have been having a lot of fun there! The drop rate has been better here than it has been in the other places were were lvling, so I am happy about that! Next is the AF hands and Limit Break 2!

Also kinda old news now, but I did get my blue chocobo! ^_^ I decided to raise him for Hot and Cold game/digging, so I worked on his discernment until it is now up to Impressive. He has the Treasure Finder ability, and I am trying to get the story of a Worrisome Chocobo so he can learn Burrow as well for the game. Unfortunately I end up meeting brutus more than the Zopago on my Long Walks. :P Also I was extremely happy that my chocobo found an orichalcum ore, which sold for 80k. ^_^

Besides this, I haven't really been doing much ingame. I just haven't had the urge to log in most days. I don't want to force myself either since I don't want to get burned out on the game like I did before. But I have enjoyed this easy pace lately. ^_^

And random pic from the Hot and Cold game, I wonder what is box number 1? ^_~

While doing my morning websurfing, I came across this amazing subbed jp vid of the cutting skill of Isao Machii. Although it sounds rather mundane, it is amazing to watch! Slicing though edamame/pea pod and cucumber lengthwise and even slicing through a BB that was shot at him!

Since playing Retro Game Challenge and watching Game Center CX, I have been seriously thinking about purchasing an old NES system. This is the system I grew up with and I am more familiar with NES games than the SNES games. I went to one of the local game stores to turn in some games and they had one for cheaper than what I was quoted before so I grabbed it! I was able to get the system, cables, two controllers, an original grey zapper gun, Super Mario Bros game, and Mario Paint for the SNES for $36 (with a bit of store credit)! So very happy! ^_^

We had some trouble getting it started but it turned out the system and the games I had were pretty dirty. So after a good cleaning everything is working well! ^_^

Unfortunately, I have yet to get to play any of the games. ^_^; Mom has been enjoying herself playing Hogan's Alley, Duck Hunt, and now Super Mario Bros. Hopefully I can sneak in some play time after she heads to bed. ^_~

I finally got lvl 50 on samurai! Woo! Shadow and Lady are back in the game, so we have been lvling the last couple of weeks. This week we may have a new member, a blm, added to our static. It will be interesting to see how things turn out. I will have another competitor for the mobs attention! Haha! Also, I got my Limit Break 1 done as well. In our LS, we have a member that had a hard time trying to get the papyrus to drop. It was either 2 or 3 weeks he was after it. I got mine to drop on the first kill. Shadow *had* to change the LS message to rub it in. ^_~ The area we have been lvling in is in the Yhoator Jungle (ugh :P ) right outside Ifrit's Cauldron. We get pretty good exp as well as a place to quickly zone if needed.



During the Doll Festival (I miss the cherry blossoms!), I created a new mule. A cute taru named Kuhn. The name is from .hack//GU, so he is breaking the pattern of all my charas being named after charas from ElfQuest. ^_~ After playing Kuhn I am rather jealous of how easy it is for new players first starting out. They have a guide that presents them with challenges and gives them rewards. Including a ticket for a free exp band, food (meat jerky),first crafting items, and a reraise earring! But I must say the tutorial for introducing the game is very helpful. I would have loved this when I first started playing.


I love the Bonbori Lamps! ^_^

I am also raising a new chocobo! I mated a black and a blue (Shadow and Lady's chocobos) in the hopes of getting my coveted blue chocobo! ^_^ StarStorm was hatched 28 Feb so not too long until I see if I do indeed get a blue one! I hope so! ;_; I am still undecided on if I want to try to raise a digging chocobo or try out racing. But I am working on raising discernment to help him learn new abilities for which ever path I do end up choosing.



The Moblin Mazes have been fun! ^_^ Last night I actually out lotted Enoga on a rune that *finally* dropped! I was kidding him saying it must have been a glitch in the game, since he *always* out lots me. ^_~ We have not had a rune drop since we first started doing the mazes and then we had three drop within out first 4-5 mazes. One interesting thing on the mazes, I was able to get the Elemental rune so all my mazes have random elemental since I hope for cluster drops for crafting/selling. But each night we do mazes, we always have ice. Whether it is my maze or his. ^_^;

The other day at work a customer asks another employee and myself which of us is the computer expert. With no response from my coworker, I spoke up asking the customer what needed help with. She wanted to be able to store pictures and wanted to know if she got the right thing.

She held up a box of CD-Rs and asked, "Are these the round... *things* that go into that tall thing?"

And this is coming from a late twenties/early thirties woman...

O_O

I can understand a bit people being new to computers, but to call a CD (to which music CDs have been around from a good while now) a "round... *thing*"?" Especially when it says *CD* on the box?

^_^;

A couple of weeks ago I bought the DS game Retro Game Challenge. I had read that it had mini games based on some of the old games I grew up with in the 1980s. The storyline is kinda weird, but I have enjoyed playing the games and completing the challenges presented to me. In the US version of the game you are sent back to the past to battle the "Game Master" as a kid since in the present time he can't hack playing the new gen games. ^_^; The cultural references are kinda neat though when you aren't playing the games (within the game). You have magazines to read to get hints and tips, you can chat with the kid with you who talks about gaming culture (having to blow into the game cartridge when the game won't load, when you get mad at the game do you throw your controller?, etc), as well as the games' manuals.

So far I have unlocked Cosmic Gate (a Galaga/Space Invaders type game) and Robot Ninja Haggleman. Once you complete the challenges the Game Master Arino presents to you, you unlock and are able to play the entire game. The next game up is Rally Racer. I am hoping to the the RPG game soon.

Also tonight I looked up the Japanese TV show that the game is based on, Game Center CX. The show is about a guy (this is Arino from the game, but he isn't a Game Master like he is portrayed in the US game version) who challenges himself by playing old NES/Famicom games. The majority of the eps I've seen so far off of YouTube have been pretty funny. ^_^

My fave so far has been the second half of ep 1. In the game you are given a treasure map (after completing a karaoke section where you actually sing ^_^; ) and the game guide says expose paper to sunlight for one hour. So he chooses the Expose to Sunlight option... and nothing happens. The paper just sits there on the screen. It turns out you have to wait one RL hour for the map to appear on the paper. ^_^; Also the ending game message is... Wow... ^_^; This game is so mean, but so funny to watch! ^_^ The eps are subbed so you know what is going on.


For more subbed eps, here is a playlist link

While catching up on some jp news I ran across this clip about strawberries that sell for around $370-545 for a box of 5! O_O It is amazing how HUGE they are!



Found at http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=8776

Yay! Found out that Chi will be having a second season this April! I totally loved this cute show, and was disappointed on how it had a fairly open ending. I wanted more! And now we will! Hurray! ^_^

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-02-05/chii-sweet-home-2nd-tv-anime-season-announced

FF11

* lvl 30 on whm with new gear finally! no more brown hoodie! Yay!

* finally capped healing and enhancing, but still behind on divine and emfeebling

* created new linkshell Eulalia

* helped out in Dunes party with Enoga and got a lvl on sam (now 46). It amused me that Enoga was teaching others in the party how to do macros when he fought so hard not to use them!

* Peeved though in same party he would get distracted watching TV while he was suppose to be tanking

* got the rest of the maws and the past tele crystals.

* thinking about doing some crafting again

* got the pinwheel belt from a Jugner chest, thinking it was like fireworks belt (like the summer festival fans, but pinwheels instead). It shocked me that pinwheels were actually a throwing ammo ^_^; No giving these out to the little kiddies!


Rest

* had vacation one week, sick for the next.

* Finished reading Rackety Tam and Lord Brocktree

* Watched all three Redwall series

* made another batch of inari. canned inari skins have some extra salt that made the batch a tad too salty

* also made some tamari almonds and walnuts. almonds weren't thoroughly cooked through, but still tasted good. walnuts were good as well, but the taste of almonds went well with the tamari

* SNOW!!!

Hurray! The internet has returned to me! ^_^ It feels strange when I don't go through my daily habit of checking different sites for news. But I did enjoy the time I had for reading and playing Animal Crossing DS!

After logging on, Enoga roped me into sync partying with him so he could get to lvl 12 on his thf to use as a sub for his warrior. I was pleased with the exp I was getting through my ring. In Saru it was just a tad bit lower than when I go to Jugner with my NPC. While Enoga gained lvls 11 and 12 I got lvl 27 with buffer x 2 on my whm. I was also able to get a Mist Silk Cape for him, but nearly died twice since he was busy with a bee while I was 2hr-ing, WSes, curing, etc trying to stay alive. >_> But at least he got it!

While getting my inv sorted before logging out I fell into the water in Windurst Waters. This is my second time falling off a bridge in Windurst. First time in Woods near the fountain, this time between the restaurant and hostel. I decided to explore some before placing my GM call. I was able to do a full lap around the northern part of Waters, but was unable to get to the glowing lotus flowers that are in southern Waters. It was interesting since the water was above my head, when I ran you could see the footfalls and splashes above my head. When I stayed still while standing it kinda looks like a halo over my head from the ripples. ^_^

After I did my lap I made my call. Text said there were 12 calls ahead of me, but I got a GM in about 5 minutes, who promptly set me back down on the dock. So now I will have 2 GM calls on my Adventurer Record, both for "being a klutz" and falling in the water! ^_~

While walking into the kitchen to grab some orange juice, I glanced out our window at the bird feeders and was amazed when I saw 8 finches feeding off of the thistle seed sock! O_O I have never seen that many there before. Usually it is just one, maybe two, and that is pretty random when they do come. Usually the other birds use it to grab onto while waiting their turn at the regular feeder. ^_^; But Wow! So many! I wish I could have taken a better pic, but I only had my phone on me at the time. :P

Hurray! I am *finally* caught up with One Piece! ^_^ It took me around a week to finish up 100+ chapters, but I am glad I got to read them! I finally got to see Robin being saved from Enies Lobby (which I knew she would, just didn't know how) and saw the Luffy finally has his ship's musician! Haha! Brook seems pretty cool! His looks are pretty strange, but I still like him. The somewhat current storyline where they were in the archipelagos was interesting. The story of who was on Roger's ship was very interesting, and it was the first time I have read that much storyline-wise on slave trade/auctioning. The most I read was the little bit we cover in American history class.

In the most current arc, I am wanting to see Luffy save Ace, and see more interaction with Buggy, but I really want to see how the other crew members are handling being on different islands and how they will get back together again and... back to the ship! It looks like it will be a while before they can though. I doubt anything will happen to their ship, but it seems strange to have it sitting idle like that too.

But Hurray! I can't wait for another chapter! Hurry up chapter 528! ^_^ And now I have to catch up on the anime! ^_^;

Anime News Network has a list of New Year Greetings from various studios and anime/manga creators. My fav so far is the greeting from Doraemon. It is flash with traditional jp music. Also when you shake the snowglobe, Doraemon gets dizzy! ^_^


Click here for Greeting