September 2018

Guild Wars 2 and Kung Fu Tea

stargrace September 3, 2018 0Comment

Since a bunch of Combat Wombat friends have recently returned / started playing Guild Wars 2 there was no way I was going to be able to resist dipping my toes back in. The game has always been one I enjoy a fair amount, and not having to rely on a subscription means I can dip in and out easily without too much guilt if I take a break. My latest break came right after PoF released, I obtained my dino mount and then stopped playing (I forget the exact reason, it was probably just a lack of time). Since I’ve returned, I got my springer mount (the rabbit, who I’ve named Ribbit) and I’ve been working on some simple map completion. Nothing stressful.

It’s not as hands off as say, World of Warcraft, but it lets me connect a bit more and helps keep my sanity during the few brief moments I have here and there.

Anyway. They have a promotion going on right now with Kung Fu Tea, and there are items you can get in-game for signing up on the tea app, as well as other prizes if you live in the US (the DLC items are for anyone). I haven’t had any luck yet because their servers have been swamped, but a friend managed to get the codes working and that gives me some hope.

Two of my characters recently had their 6 year anniversaries, so I added a bunch of new goodies to my account, too. The birthday rewards have always been something I look forward to and I think ArenaNet has really done a fantastic job at keeping them interesting and relevant.

If you happen to be playing, you can find me there as stargrace.4917 – please feel free to add me to your friends list. My hours are pretty erratic, but I really do enjoy watching chat and participating when I can get a hand or two free.

As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Gaming

House Flipper

stargrace September 2, 2018 0Comment

Another game that had been on my wishlist for quite some time – but it ended up disappointing me once I actually dove in. The game is pretty, and decorating and redesigning homes reminds me of the Sims, which is a franchise I adore -but – it was too realistic.

Skills needed to be leveled up in order to make ordinary tasks like washing and painting go faster, and the entire ordeal of cleaning up a messy house so you could redesign it just took too much actual time and work. I wasn’t having any fun playing and I just wanted to slap a project together with the bare minimum and move on to the next one, giving very little thought about actual design.

I was horrible at maneuvering the window washing, I would miss floorboards that required cleaning, and in the end I decided to leave my house designing episodes where they belong (the Sims) and I asked steam for a refund. I am glad I at least gave the game a try, even if I found out it wasn’t for me. Not all games have to be created just for my specifications.

Did you happen to pick this one up? What do you think of it? Let me know in comments and as always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself.

Real Life

Pressure & Mommy guilt

stargrace September 1, 2018 0Comment

(Above – me and Nugette. Motherhood is not glamorous, it’s exhausting)

I’m 6 weeks postpartum with my 2nd child now, and we’re just starting to get into our new routine which of course changes pretty much daily. It’s a delicate balancing act of child care, self care, and care for my partner. Friends and family have fallen by the wayside during this time since I just can’t keep up with everything / everyone. The funny thing is I expect that I should.

There’s so much pressure on women and mothers to be as perfect as they possibly can during what is quite honestly the most difficult transition in my entire life. Having one child was pretty rough considering he was premature – but I had my husband by my side for 8 months of paternity leave. This time he was only off for 6 weeks, and then went back to work leaving me with two children under two. Add the terrible two tantrums that my oldest has been going through, the fact that he still isn’t talking, and a plethora of other “issues” and I’m feeling a TON of “mommy guilt” – those moments of “we should have gotten out more, I should have made a healthier meal, I should have paid more attention to xyz thing, I should have cleaned the house” etc. While I’m not a fan of the catch phrase, it’s a thing. We feel a lot of guilt. I’m told this guilt will last right up until I no longer exist. Figures.

One thing I’ve been trying to do for myself, is lose the baby weight I gained. I gained a whopping 70 pounds with baby number two. I decided very early on that I wasn’t going to pay too much attention to my weight so long as I was feeling well and baby was growing, because our first was so underweight and I had so many complications. I’ve lost 32lbs so far, but I’m also nursing, so I’m trying to eat healthy and eat enough to keep up energy levels chasing after the toddler and running the house and – eventually, something is probably going to give.

I’m trying to give myself some leeway, not be so hard, remind myself this is all a phase – but it’s hard. In fact that is how I sum up my days. Hard. I know they’ll get easier as the newest edition learns to sleep through the night, as the oldest learns to express himself and communicate via something other than screaming at the top of his lungs, and eventually we’ll find our routine. I’m thinking around Christmas things will be feeling better, so check back on me then.

Oh, combine this with living in a new remote location where I know no one and have no friends or family.. yup. We’re managing, but I wish I were handling it all better.

Guild Wars 2 and Kung Fu Tea

House Flipper

Pressure & Mommy guilt

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