Surviving the Quarantine: Post 3
Here is the third post in Surviving the Quarantine Series. As this is post 3, that means I only have to do this 20 more times before it becomes a habit. As this is the third installment (in case the number 3 didn’t give it away) be sure to check out parts one and two.
While my finances are looking even worse than last week, all of my normal troubles have been eclipsed by one massive crisis that dwarfs everything else. The same administrative fuckery I mentioned last week is still keeping my $800 tax return away. But that’s old news. Again, something much worse happened.
Tim Rumsey:
Before I continue on, I want to mention that I am saddened by a friend and mentor’s passing. Tim Rumsey was a master storyteller and the entire Central Florida Writer’s Community is missing him dearly. May he finally find peace after spending so much time making the world a better place.
Problematic Escalation:
I mentioned in my last post that I knew of three people who at least had symptoms. One of those three happens to be my mother. Her symptoms worsened and she is now in the hospital. While not in critical condition, fearing the worst for my mom does nothing to alleviate all my other stress.
Since the Coronavirus is no longer a threat only in words and is directly impacting my family, my tolerance for ignorance on the internet is at its end. I have been periodically unfollowing friends on social media who post conspiracy theories and other articles that seek to downplay this pandemic.
Social Media Cleaning:
You have the right to post whatever crap you want on the internet. And I also have the right to not have to see what your stupid ass believes. I won’t block people who mock those who are suffering. I still respect them as people. However, their beliefs on this specific topic I have no respect for at all. I will no longer put up with it.
One final thing before I move on. Remember, Spanish Flu, 1918, massive death. Repeat after me. Spanish Flu, 1918, massive death. Do not repeat what those idiots did. They paid the price. We have a textbook telling us how to not do the same.
Societal Issues:
Also, for those calling for sacrifices to restart the economy, I have an idea. Let’s get all the billionaires and beat them senseless till all their money falls out. We can solve the economic crisis of the entire world and minimize the number of dead. I mean, if we are gonna sacrifice people for the good of society, we might as well get rid of those responsible for all the hardship in the world.
Many articles are pointing out the privilege that one has that grants them the ability to kill an innocent person. I won’t talk about that issue since many articles are devoting every word on the page to it. Go check them out if you wanna learn more about a tumor that just won’t die in this country.
Final Fantasy 7:
Well, that’s all the negative for this week. Let’s talk the positives. Starting with Twitch. After all, that is what I have spent most of my time on. I’m taking a break from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. I’ll elaborate why next.
When I choose to play the remake, I was not playing for nostolgia. Not as much as others. Really, I am playing this remake for the Cosmic Horror. Thus when I finally reached the Jenova fight, added to this remake, I didn’t feel as compelled to finish the rest of the game. I’ll get to it in the near future. Probably when I run out of videos on Youtube to post.
Anyway, that Jenova fight was something special. Here is a link to it. Watch it. I elaborated on many posts the importance of this creature and how its first encounter in the original Final Fantasy 7 influenced my writing.
Pokemon:
Well, I said I still am streaming on Twitch. But if not Final Fantasy 7 Remake, what am I playing? Well, something equally nostalgic. Through my life, one video game has been a part of it from basically the start. That would be Pokemon of course.
Right now, I am trying to work my way through the older games. I have done this before. Years ago I attempted to raise money for Puerto Rico after the hurricanes. I learned the hard way how difficult it is to raise money when you are basically a nobody in the world.
Just like during that charity stream, I added a twist to my Pokemon Games. Playing them normally is far too easy for me at this point. I don’t mean to toot my horn, but I know what I am doing in Pokemon. So adding difficulty is par the course.
When I did the charity run, my self imposed challenge was to only use the Pokemon used by the evil teams: Rocket, Magma, Aqua, Galactic, and Plasma. This was quite fun since I was forced to survive with common Pokemon instead of many of the heavy hitters I depend on.
Nuzlocke:
Now, having survived that, I am doing a Nuzlocke in this same games. I won’t elaborate on the rules of that specific challenge variant. That’s what links are for. However, I will be documenting my adventure in these blog posts. Why you ask? Because I can.
Red Adventure Part 1:
I started my Kanto Adventure by selecting Spores, the Bulbasaur. On Route 1, I caught BirdJesus the Pidgey, Route 2, I got Run! the Weedle, and on Route 22 I caught Rip Europe the Rattata. Through some strange luck, I encountered Mascot the Pikachu in Veridian Forest.
Run! evolved all the way to a Beedril as bugs tend to in this game. Thanks to Spores having type advantage on Brock. He got crushed quite easily.
Red Adventure Part 2:
On Route 3, I caught a Jigglypuff who’s name currently eludes me. I’ll update that later. At the Pokemon Center, I bought PMS the Magikarp from a vendor. Meanwhile, in Mount Moon, I caught Sux the Zubat. Poor Sux was sacrificed to defeat a powerful Team Rocket Member who had an under leveled Raticate. On my way out, I praised the Helix Fossil and claimed it as my own.
Tragedies Pile On:
After that ordeal, Spores evolved into Ivysaur. On the Route 4 I caught a Spearow and the game wouldn’t let me nickname it. I’ll fix that when I reach Lavender Town. Unfortunately, I suffered another casualty when I encountered Rival Blue. Through a horrible misplay, BirdJesus met his end, one level before evolution. The unnamed Spearow rose to the occasion.
I caught Stinky the Oddish on Route 24. Next, I got ZZZ the Abra on Route 25. Since I cannot fully evolve this Pokemon, I had other plans for this one. I got the SS Ticket from Bill and hurried on my way. But not before I suffered another tragedy. I messed up and sent PMS into battle against a foe far too powerful for him. He met his end with a life cut far too short.
On Route 5, I met my next friend, Hai Yo! the Mankey. I went early to Vermillion City to try and get an old rod. Unfortunately, not all my friends survived the journey. Mascot was killed. Rest in peace sweet Pikachu.
I got my Old Rod and caught another Magikarp, named Fury on Route 6. I put him into the daycare while I trained my party in preparation for our next big challenge. Rip Europe became a Raticate, Spearow became Fearow, Fury became Gyarados. Misty was like a deer in the headlights. She didn’t stand a chance.
Red Adventure Part 3:
I returned to Vermillion City and took a couple detours. I caught Lumpz the Diglett in Diglett’s Cave, as well as Snek the Ekans on Route 11. After thrashing many trainers and trading ZZZ for a Mr Mime that was nicknamed by another Trainer, I cleared the SS Anne and got the Cut HM.
LT Surge was my next victim. Lumpz slaughtered his team with ease. The road to Lavender Town posed a large obstacle and I returned through Digilit’s Cave to get the Flash HM. I also picked up an Old Amber. One of my favorite Pokemon is inside that fossil.
Red Adventure Part 4:
Ready for the next journey, I traveled to Route 10 and Rock Tunnel that served as a major obstacle moving forward. I caught Megumin the Voltorb and quickly met Brock the Onix in Rock Tunnel. Yet, halfway through the cave something unthinkable happened. Poor Spores, my companion from the very start of journey met a cruel end. A Geodude exploded in his face, sending him to the grave.
Realizing that my only replacement for such a vital friend was Stinky, I prepared to train him in and transform into a monster to avenge the fallen. Never forget their names: Sux, BirdJesus, Mascot, and Spores.
Want to know what happens next? Gotta watch my Twitch Stream to see the next part of the story unfold.
Other Distractions:
As you can tell from the above, I have spent a lot of time playing Pokemon. But two other things have kept me sane too. Writing, and Town of Salem.
Town of Salem is my favorite murder mystery game and I have a few friends who periodically play it with me. This game is far too complicated for me to explain properly. Check out the links to learn about this wild game.
While I have not written nearly enough, I reached a major tipping point by completing a major section of my darkest novel of all, Messiah of Nightmares. 2000 words closer to being done with the first draft. I have slept on this story for some time. I’m ending that.
Well that’s the end of this blog post. No picture this time. Sometimes, you don’t need one. Look forward to my next week’s worth of commentary as like you all, I do what I can to make it through these trying times.