The heat has finally broken–somewhat. It’s 75 right now, which is still outside my comfort zone, but it’s way better than 107. My parents were shocked when I told them because it’s actually hotter than where they are–which almost never happens. They asked how I’ve been dealing with it. With AC, a fan blowing on high directly on me, iced water, and ice packs. Also, taking off my shirt when the sun goes down. I’m a less is more kind of gal in general when it comes to clothing in part because of hating clothing on my skin and partly because I hate being hot. Oh, also constrained. In my idea world, I would be naked all the time in a 50 degree world. That’s not gonna ever happen, though, because that’s not the world I live in.
My energy has been sapped even for the few minutes I’m outside when I’m taking a few puffs. It’s just so oppressive, especially when you’re not used to it. It’s similar to how the South deals with an inch of snow–it’s no big deal unless it only happens once every five years or so. We get over a hundred on occasion, but not for a solid week as we did this time. We’re supposed to get back up in the nineties this week, which is just not right. I mean, yes, it’s June and yes it’s summer. But this is Minnesota! We’re not built to deal with sustained 100 degrees.
Even though I’m inside most of the time, I’m still affected by the heat. My sleep has been worse than usual and my brain refuses to think. I’m grumpy, which, admittedly, is my normal state of mind, but it’s also extra with the heat. I feel like a dope for being so susceptible to heat, but it’s the way I am. I love the cold with all my heart and feel alive when the temperature is around zero. But anything over sixty is not fun for me and past seventy, I want to throat-punch somebody. Eighty? Grrrrr. Ninety is unfathomable and a hundo is personally hurtful.
I’m drinking iced water and iced coffee like they’re going out of style, which is helping a bit. But mostly, I’m just mad. I know it doesn’t help, but it’s how I feel.
In better news, my left thumb is roughly 92% right as rain. That steroid shot was a miracle worker, but I’m glad the doc clarified that it might take up to two weeks to work. I had been expecting it to be like magic and work instantly. Knowing that wasn’t the case meant I didn’t freak when it didn’t get better right away. It took a few days for it to improve at all and by the one week point, I was at roughly 60%. Now, I can bend it with very minimal pain and it’s only slightly sore when I touch it. To be honest, I’ll be happy if it stays like this and doesn’t get any better. I’m just so relieved I can use it again.
I’m adding the left side of weapons back into my repertoire and it’s going well. I’m making sure to not do too much. I really don’t want a setback and I saw that happening with my mother. Every time she got a steroid shot for her trigger finger, she would rush back to using it before it was fully healed. Then, it would hurt again and she’d have to get another shot a year or two later. I’m still exercising it, massaging it, splinting it, and icing it as well as taking it easy. I was skeptical of the steroid shot, but it did its job extremely well.
E3 is coming to a close today. I’ve watched some of the sessions and it’s mostly just filler and bullshit. There were a few games that intrigued me like Redfall, Replaced, and Atomic Heart, but I’ll have to see more of them before knowing for sure. Other-Ian (Ian Higton from Eurogamer) is streaming Tunic (demo) on his personal channel and it’s, as he calls it, ‘Cute Fox Meets Zelda in Dark Souls‘. It’s cute as fuck with a little fox protagonist who has a sword and has to kill things. There are Zelda-like secrets and the combat is hard-as-nails like Souls. The music is very chill and it’s utterly charming.
Honestly, all I care about is Elden Rings. Hah. I initially typed Elden Souls, which is funny, but also true. Many people have commented it’s Dark Souls IV, some in appreciation and some in disgust. I think it’s the combination of all their prior games, hopefully the best bits, with refinement and polish. It definitely has the Dark Souls stamp on it and I’m here for it. I am going to pre-order it and I’m going to play the shit out of it once it’s released. I am trying not to be too hyped, but it’s hard. The Dark Souls series are my absolute favorite games in the world and I have been waiting for this for so long. I trust Miyazaki that it’s going to be amazing because of his track record. Even though I did not love Sekiro, it was an incredible game that blended the best of the Souls series with new innovations.
Normally, when I know I’m going to be playing a game (like a FromSoft game), I ignore trailers and discussion about the game because I like to go in fresh. But, I’ve been so starved for anything about Elden Ring, I can’t help myself. I know there will reach a point when I cut myself off, but we are not at that point. Yet. I love everything about what I’ve seen so far and I want it in my face now. It’s hard to believe it was two years ago that it was announced, but I’m satisfied in knowing that it exists and has a release date. I anticipate that I’ll be obsessed with it for months if not years after it releases and I just so want it to be good.