"I find penguins at present the only comfort in life. One feels everything in the world so sympathetically ridiculous; one can't be angry when one looks at a penguin." – John Ruskin
Had a better day today. Had diet cola to give me a bit of a boost and it helped massively with getting rid of zombie brain mode. I like caffeine, just don’t want to get to the point where I’m dependent on it as I already have a bad enough headache without adding another.
Someone from the opticians came out with some purple frames for me to try and I was able to find ones I liked for both my normal glasses and sunglasses, so that is good. I should get them in a week or two. I’m looking forward to being able to see properly again!
There were workers outside finishing off deholing the hole. We think they’re done as there are no longer barriers, though the new pavement surface was still steaming when Johan took the photo. I managed to get my headphones on and listened to some music so the noise didn’t affect me too badly (yay for being well enough to listen to music!).
Spoke to Sammie on and off after she finished school. She is much happier than she was yesterday which I’m glad of. For the past few weeks she’s been working on some trans flag based skins for Minecraft and today she finished them! I promised I’d share them with the world as I think they’re awesome. (Sammie isn’t trans, she’s just very supportive of her trans friends and family.) There are boy, girl and non binary options with different skin tones and for both 3 and 4 pixel models. I’m really proud of her 🙂
Screenshots of various different skins in Minecraft. There are different skin colour, hair length and outfit options, all with a pink, white and blue theme.
It seems I really needed that sleep. Once I woke up this morning (from a nightmare which wasn’t ideal) I was feeling much more like myself. Still full of cold but otherwise mostly at my normal level of functioning.
Since I was awake and kinda with it for once, I decided to go on my computer while Johan was at his volunteering. First was finishing reinstalling all the programs after the reformat last time I was on, and then I went into World of Warcraft.
In WoW at the moment there’s a 15th anniversary event going on. There’s some fun things included like revisiting old raids and fireworks, but most importantly for me is a 15% buff to reputation until January. To be able to fly in the newer areas you need to get revered (second highest) reputation with several factions, including two newer ones. I’d done all the older ones, but still had those two to do. I was able to get one of them to revered today so I’ve only got the last one now. Unfortunately my Rustbolt Resistance rep is only at friendly even after doing all the dailies I could today, so as I need to get through honoured as well it’s probably going to take a while until I’m able to fly. I did have fun with a jet pack in the Mechagon zone though.
The other advantage of being on my computer is that it’s so much easier to sort things out. I was able to get my emails sorted, buy various items that were in my baskets, and finish moving over from Chrome to Firefox. I was also able to go on video chat with Sammie for a while, which was awesome.
There was a lot of noise from the flat upstairs this morning. Banging, drilling and loud voices mostly, though at one point my lightshade was moving so whatever they were doing was vibrating the ceiling. I’m not sure if it was the council, their contractors or a new tenant moving in. Johan checked outside but the only van out there was a stairlift one, and they weren’t fitting a stairlift. I’m glad I had my noise cancelling headphones or there’s no way I’d have coped, and going on puter wouldn’t have happened.
I also changed my top today. I got a new one last week, so I’m wearing that. It says “Protect Earth – Penguins Live Here” and has a very cute penguin picture on it. I had to tell Johan not to pinch it until I’d worn it as he likes it as well 🙂
Tomorrow I think I’m having my flu jab. No idea when that’ll be, but I’m hoping it’s a nice nurse. I know it’s not going to be the awesome practice nurse that did Johan’s as she couldn’t come on a Tuesday 🙁 I’m a bit nervous but since flu was what triggered my ME I really don’t want to get it again. Having a cold is bad enough.
Video gaming is one of my favourite activities, and it’s very unusual for me to go a day without playing at least one for a few minutes. Because my hands are a bit silly I don’t currently play any console games, but I do have a selection I play on my tablet, plus one I play on my desktop computer.
This is the ultimate game for people who don’t have much time to play games. If you want, you can even let it play itself. The idea is that you’re a god or goddess, and you oversee the activities of the hero (or heroine) that worships you in a role playing game. You can’t directly control their actions, but you can influence them and that impacts their personality. You can also tell them to do things via godvoice, but there’s no guarantee they’ll listen to you. Like most RPGs, your hero goes on quests to gain experience and level up, collects loot and equipment, fights monsters and has various goals they’re working on. They can decide to keep pets, make friends (the heroes of other players) and join a guild. If you actively play the game then your hero makes more progress, but they’ll continue even if you don’t, and there’s even an option to turn off all direct interaction with zero player mode. I really enjoy reading my heroine’s antics, and even if I only have a couple of minutes I try to send a bit of encouragement and maybe see what the guild is up to.
I’ve been playing this for a few years now, and it’s another game that is suitable for those who can only check in for a short while and don’t want too much pressure. The aim is to collect cats by putting out food and items for them to play with. They don’t come immediately, but after a bit they’ll turn up and you can take photos. Afterwards they leave fish that you can use to buy more food and items. There are rare cats that will only appear with certain items or food, so it takes a while to get them all. I try to get in at least once a day, as there’s a daily password that if entered for five days gives free food.
This is Android only, but is the best solitaire app I’ve found. There are no ads or in game purchases, it’s open source, and it has 15 different games. One of my favourite features is that you can have different card appearances for each game, and you can have the suits be different colours so it’s easier to tell them apart in games where that’s important. You’re also able to cheat by showing hints, automatically moving or mixing the cards, which is great for reducing my frustration when I’m not doing well. I mostly play patience/klondlike, spider solitaire, grandfather’s clock and mod3 on the easiest settings as part of my settling down routine or when I need something easy but engaging to distract myself.
This is my current obsession. The idea is simple: connect the coloured dots without crossing the lines. It starts off very easy but gradually gets harder. There are in app purchases for extra hints, different colours and extra level packs, and buying a level pack also removes the ads. I really like that you can label the different dots so it’s easier to see them. There are different versions that include bridges or walls, but my favourite is just the standard game. My only problem is I’ve only got four packs to go before I’ve done them all, and I’m not sure what I’ll do then.
I really like digital colouring, but find having to choose the colours myself anxiety provoking. Colour by number is much better for me. I originally was using a cross-stitch app but Sammie introduced me to this one and I much prefer it. There’s a one off in app purchase to remove ads and get unlimited hints, and once pack that costs, but there are thousands of free pictures and more are added every day. I like to colour in while listening to podcasts as it keeps my hands busy so I can concentrate better.
This game is really relaxing so long as you have good colour perception. The aim is to move the pieces so that they are arranged by their hue in as few moves as possible. The music is very gentle, and though it starts pretty easily it does get more difficult in the later levels. You get 15 prisms (currency) or 5 games free for logging in each day, and more can be bought using in app purchases or earned by watching ads. I’ve previously run out of levels so now I try and ration myself so I still have some to play when I need to relax.
When I’m able to concentrate more, I like playing games with more of a storyline. Whispers of a Machine is a point and click (point and tap?) sci-fi game where you play as Vera, a technologically augmented detective trying to solve murders in a small town in a post AI world. I really like this kind of setting, and as the game isn’t timed it doesn’t stress me out too much. The different dialogue options affect what powers you get as you progress through the game and I like that you can’t really lose. There’s been a couple of times I’ve had to look up the walk through as I’ve forgotten what certain abilities are needed, but overall I’m enjoying it. I got it on sale but I think I’d be happy having paid full price for it, though maybe I’ll change my mind once I’ve finished.
My character’s profile for World of Warcraft (since I’m not on my computer to take a proper screenshot)
When I am well enough to go on my computer, World of Warcraft is the game I play. It’s a massive multiplayer online role playing game involving two factions in a fantasy setting and a ton of story and content. I’ve been playing it for over a decade now, and the majority of that has been on my night elf priestess Danni. Unlike a lot of other people, I’ve been really enjoying the latest expansion and am mostly frustrated by not being able to play as much as I’d like. I’m lucky to be in a really friendly guild who are understanding about my frequent absences and don’t kick me out. It’s the only complicated game I can manage because I’ve been playing it so long. I kinda wish I’d taken the pumpkin off her head before last logging off so you could see her face though 😛
I’m hoping to do a proper catch up post this month (mostly for future Danni’s benefit) but this week has been a bit of a rollercoaster.
The Good – This week was half term for Sammie, and she was able to come over on Tuesday which was awesome. I wasn’t up to getting out of bed, but it was awesome seeing her. We mostly just chatted and had a takeaway. I’m really happy she likes spending time with me, and that she appreciates my silliness. She’s awesome.
Also on Tuesday the physiotherapist came out to try and help with my left leg, which has decided it doesn’t want to be straight. The appointment went about as well as it could, and they gave me some exercises to try and coax it into behaving. They understood that I have to be careful about energy use so have reduced the amount I’m to do and I’m to use my own judgement about how often and when to increase them. They also said they’d ask someone about finger splints which I’m hoping will make my hands more reliable (as half my problems using them is my fingers bending backwards).
On Thursday I managed to go on my computer. It was freezing a lot when I was trying to use it, so I spent most of my time doing a reformat. It seems to have helped, though I’ve yet to reinstall everything I need. I also went into World of Warcraft and though I didn’t get the Headless Horseman’s mount this year (it’s only been 10 years of trying) I did manage to collect enough treats to get one of the Hallows End pets before having to come off.
The not so good – My digestive system really isn’t happy with me at the moment. I’m back to bringing up food a day after eating it, it’s being really crampy and generally slow, and my usual methods of sorting it out aren’t as effective as normal. When it has been moving it’s been when I’m alone so I’ve been having to ask Johan to come home which isn’t ideal. I’m hoping it sorts itself out soon.
I’ve had a cold for the past few weeks and it’s not shifting. It’s frustrating as it means I’m less able to do stuff. The worst part is my nose getting blocked when I’m asleep, and instead of just swapping to breathing through my mouth I’m woken up feeling like I’m suffocating. I can’t wait for this cold to go so I can sleep my normal level of terribleness.
I’m a bit sad I’m not well enough to go watch the local fireworks display tonight. I’ve got payback from the physio coming out and Sammie being here, so even going into the living room would be too much, nevermind outside. I really enjoyed it last year. There’s another display on Tuesday evening that’s close enough that I’d be able to go if I’m over this payback and get over this cold, but I’m probably being a tad too optimistic. Johan has gone out to the pub he usually gets breakfast from after Parkrun as the landlord is leaving, so I’m home alone tonight. I’m glad I have my earplugs.
Overall I’m still really happy, especially from seeing Sammie. Just wish my body would behave better and that chronically ill peoples were exempt from normal people illnesses like colds. I like being able to breathe.
So doing monthly reviews didn’t happen, and I’ve still not even finished all my end of year posts. Mostly because although I was doing better with physical stuff and things like watching telly and listening to podcasts, actually posting things (here and in places like Twitter and Facebook) was really hard for some reason.
My new wheelchair continues to be awesome. I went on an adventure in February, which included rejoining the library so I could access ebooks, getting my head shaved at the barbers again, and trying out a new restaurant with Johan. I technically was well enough to go out again in March, but Johan had planned to go running three nights in a row in the middle of nowhere so I had to save my energy for going into respite.
Respite went about as well as it could. A couple of issues but they were sorted quickly and we’ve got some ideas for improving it next time. The main issue was the noise, which unfortunately there isn’t much that can be done. I wore ear plugs continuously and occasionally added my ear defenders as well, but I could still hear all the call buttons and yelling (as most of the residents are deaf, not because anyone was angry) even with my door shut. The problem with it being a good care home is there aren’t exactly many spare rooms so they have to put me where they can, and the nursing floor has the call buzzers going off for all floors (and I’m down for nursing care for some reason :P). I also had a bath while there which was awesome 🙂
The first weekend while I was in respite Johan did the Dark Skies Kielder Triple, where he came fourth (and in the double). That was a 10 mile race the first night, a 26.5 mile “marathon” the second night, and a 14 mile “half marathon” the third night. The triple is doing all of them, the double is dropping the 10 mile race. He really enjoyed it and luckily on the last night it was clear enough for him to see the stars, which he said was amazing as Kielder has very little light pollution. I’m really proud of him for managing it all and doing so well.
When he got home he visited me (and enjoyed not having to be carer for a bit) and also rode on trains to various places in northern England, including Carlisle and visiting his parents in Leeds. The weekend after he was in London for QuickCade, a speedrunning marathon. I managed to watch his run of Chiki Chiki boys, but wasn’t really well enough to watch more. I had hoped to catch up on some TV shows and such while in respite, but the noise and changes to my usual routine meant I wasn’t coping as well as I hoped.
Coming home was fun, especially as I wasn’t really well enough to travel, but being back in my own, quiet bed was amazing. Johan says that pushing me up the hill from the care home to our flat is harder work than doing the Kielder triple 😛
Since then I’ve mostly been resting. I gave up mindlessly browsing Reddit for Lent, which has been a little hard at times but meant I have had time for other stuff, mostly reading TV Tropes. I’ve managed reading a few books which I’m happy about. Yesterday was the first day I felt kinda with it again since getting home, and today I’ve been well enough to go on my computer where I’ve sorted some stuff out and managed to play a bit of World of Warcraft.
Sammie introduced me to Happy Colour, which is a colouring app where you don’t need to choose the colours so great for me when I’m not doing so well. It’s pretty much replaced the cross stitch app for now. I’ve also stopped playing Animal Crossing Pocket Camp as the constant events meant I felt overwhelmed, and they introduced new features that pushed the fortune cookies (loot boxes) even harder. I’m still playing Godville and Neko Atsume, and I’ve started Lost Island and restarted Gardenscapes as well.
I’m hoping that now I’m over the worst of the payback from going into the care home I’ll be able to do more again. I was well enough to get out of bed today but Johan had other plans already so I’ve gone on my desktop computer instead. The next respite will be the end of June when Johan runs the St Cuthbert’s 45 mile ultramarathon, so plenty of time to do things before then 🙂
