Biweekly Bundate 5-4-25
Howdy, gonna try to fire one of these off every other week for now. Just to get me writing and tracking my own progress on stuff more, I guess. I often feel like I don't do enough, just generally. We'll see how well I stick with this.
Highlights and Positive Notes
- not having to rush through the morning; I work in the city and live in the suburbs, so normally, I have to rush to the train to make sure I have adequate time when I get to work. This last weekend, I stayed in my friend's condo, house and cat sitting, so on Monday, I didn't have to rush to work. Felt amazing to have time in the morning when the sun is up as opposed to puttering around before the sun is up feeling bleary-eyed. Also, I got to walk to the L on a gorgeous day.
- Tried this new idea for an extra credit assignment, college show and tell. Initial results, while small, are pretty good.
- Mint introduced us to Baggage, which may be one of the most unhinged tv shows ever, perhaps only rivaled by Black. White. in terms of being just fucking insane. It's a wild show hosted by Jerry Springer and I only caught an episode of the several they were watching last night, but it was hilarious.
What I've been Playing
- Final Fantasy Tactics - I've tried to start this like a half dozen times and always, for one reason or another, end up not getting very far. This time, it's different. I've unlocked some classes, so I feel like I'm actually playing the game. I forgot how much this game is like build theory freak shit (based on my exp with the GBA Tactics game). I feel like I'm way under-leveled, but I'm having a good time!
- Also started Tactics Advance up cause I think that's just where I'm at right now--my brain craves tactics games. I forgot how charming and fun this game is. Also makes for a killer pocket game given that even if i don't complete an encounter, i can at least make a few moves in a short amount of time.
- Like a Dragon: Like a Pirate - getting back into this so I can finish it and justify Clair Obscur, which given how it has consumed all my friends is gonna be a hell of a game.
What I've been Watching
- rewatching Better Call Saul cause my brain is bad and there was too much time between when I watched the whole thing and when the final season hit netflix. Really good, not that you needed me to tell you that.
- rewatching Scrubs for some comfort. It's still a funny show, overall and it will always hold a special place in my heart. But man, a lot of the humor relies on what feels to me like outdated ideas of masculinity and heterosexuality. Like, the running gag that Dr. Cox, as a form of both teasing and maintaining emotional distance from J.D., largely refers to him by girls' names. There's a lot of examples of the show doing things like this, but again, it's sort of a formative show for me, so I mostly forgive it.
What I've been reading
- This section probably won't get updated often, unless I decide to include academic stuff in it. Generally I just don't make enough time to read, so I don't go through books as fast as I'd like.
- That said, I finished reading The Underground Railroad by Coulson Whitehead. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, at first because it is largely a slave narrative, which I've read plenty of. But, given that it's written from a modern perspective, the language is easier to read and there are some observations or asides that are much more hard-hitting or poignant, I think, than most slave narratives from the antebellum period. It is also one of the most descriptive, I guess? Like, much of one of the most famous slave narratives sort of weirdly glosses over the barbarism of Southern chattel slavery. Whitehead does not. And that makes it a bit of a difficult read. But it's good as hell. Highly recommend.
Other general thoughts, etc.
- the semester is winding down and I'm sick. I feel like I often get sick around this time of the semester and it's a real pain. This semester's been rough for me, in general. Ended up in the ER twice for gallstones, which was miserable both times. I've known I need to get better about taking care of myself and I've been trying, but clearly I need to redouble my efforts.
Think that's it from me. Catch ya later!