Surviving the Quarantine: Post 1
This Coronavirus Quarantine has taken a toll on the entire world. So much has been completely stopped by its deadly presence. Realizing just how significant this time in history will become, I have decided to blog about my personal experiences.
I am lucky enough to have not transmitted the virus. While I am by no means financially secure, I have enough money to eat still. Also, even though my hours are low, I am fortunate enough to have a job even during this crisis.
Anyway, that’s out of the way. I want to talk about what I have been doing to combat depression, anxiety, and most importantly of all, mania. Yes mania is the part of my mind that is most dangerous right now. The urge to go out and do something despite being in quarantine for the sake of the population at large is something I need to fight every day.
So what am I doing to combat this? Lucky for me, a few blockbuster video games launched a couple weeks ago. Not only have I eagerly awaited these games, just like countless people around the world, but both have a sizable length.
Persona 5 Royal:
The first of the two, which I already finished, is Persona 5 Royal. This game managed to distract me for over 100 hours the last few weeks. In that time, I put my Twitch Channel to work. I may only be a Twitch Affiliate, but I still care about my channel and the viewers who take time out of their stressful days to spend it with me.
Persona 5 is a difficult game to describe. It is over 100 hours in length after all. Equal parts friendship/dating simulator and dungeon crawling, the game managed to join the ranks of my favorites when I played the original. But the Royal Version added so much more to the game that even playing the experience all the way through yet another time was well worth it.
Though my time spent with that game has come to a close (for now) I can’t thank Atlus, the company that developed it enough. Countless people around the world found a connection with the rich cast of Persona 5 while being cut off from their real friends.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake:
However, I mentioned that two games launched. I am only roughly 8 hours into this second game. That game of course is Final Fantasy 7 Remake. If Persona 5 was massively awaited, then I don’t even know how to describe people’s feelings on this game finally being released.
Final Fantasy 7 is a magical experience that to many in the United States, was the first Role Playing Game they ever played. Nostalgia combined with a very well written story and world create an experience that countless people around the world yearned to explore again.
Now, I know, people who know me well are waiting for me to bash Final Fantasy 7. I am after all, in the Cult of Final Fantasy 6. These two games have fandoms that continue to be at odds, but despite my issues with the original game, I am here to say that I do not dislike Final Fantasy 7.
In fact, only a bit less than 6, this game had a profound effect on my life. Exploring Midgard and seeing The Shinra Company is ultimately what lead me away from embracing Libertarian Ideology. This game helped me realize just how dangerous to society ruled by unfettered Capitalism would be.
Jenova:
Even more important to my development as a person, notably in the sphere of writing is an encounter in Final Fantasy 7 that to this day I’ll never forget. No, that character was not Sephiroth. In fact, he’s one of my least favorite characters in the game. I’m talking about Jenova.
When I was younger and swept up in fantasy and science fiction I, like many around the same age as me, played Final Fantasy 7. And when I did, I eventually came face to face with a nightmarish creature: Jenova. I didn’t know what that thing was. I couldn’t explain rationally what it was. And as I tried to research just what Jenova was based off of, (The Thing) I discovered a proper noun that would change my writing career: Eldritch Abomination.
Back to the present, I get to experience Final Fantasy 7 all over again. With the new graphics engine, I get to experience some heavy nostalgia of my childhood. And while I still think Final Fantasy 6 is the better game, I cannot deny the importance of my journey back to Midgard as an adult.
If the Coronavirus has taught me anything, its that Final Fantasy 7 was right on the money when it comes to venture capitalists. When I was young, I thought it absurd that wealthy CEOs would gladly slaughter tons of innocent people just to line their pockets. Jump to the present day, and I have come to the horrific realization that the Shinra Executives are not exaggerated at all. Save Hojo of course. Luckily most people are not at his level of Sociopathy.
Dungeons & Dragons:
Of course, I’m doing even more than that. I’m running either three or four Dungeons & Dragons Campaigns depending on whether everybody is able to commit. Two of those campaigns have been ongoing for years.
I reached a major milestone with one of them. The players started at level 1. This last week, they reached level 20. That is under normal circumstances, the max level. However, the story is far from over. This campaign is gonna go into epic campaign mode and go beyond 20. This is appropriate given the setting. The players are fighting Archdemons, Archangels, Powerful Undead, Powerful Cults, and most importantly the Gods all these groups serve.
One of my other campaigns is starting to get into the story stride as well. Those players are approaching level 10. I have hinted to them that a major story event that will shake the campaign to its core will happen at that point. Given my flair for theatrics, they have no idea what to expect. Oh, I should mention that the players are currently serving a Witch Cult that using Time Magic to drain the life from mortals.
If you want to know what the hell is happening in either of the campaigns I mentioned above, you’re in luck. Both of those epics are being transformed into book series. Cycle of Millennia already has three published stories in fact. That’s the first I mentioned. The second is called Centrum Glacies and I am hard at work finishing the first draft of the first novel in that one.
Other Distractions:
I could spend quite some time listing everything I am up to. But if I did, there would be no reason to write more of these. Other notable activities in my life include: Playing Civilization 5 with friends, Playing Bloodborne with the same friends playing Civ, Using Zoom to see family and friends, using Discord to talk to friends and family,
Don’t worry about my Travel Blog. As soon as the Quarantine comes to an end, I’ll be back to exploring. Jacksonville is new territory for me. So much to see and do once its safe again.
I’ll be writing more of these. Stay tuned for more. Here is a picture of my cat.