BUY ALL THE THINGS!

Um, not to brag or anything (but I'm so gonna brag...) I'm freakin' awesome...kind of...

This week you've probably heard that the latest Grand Theft Auto V released. The Fiance has been super excited, and like the freakin' awesome gal I am, I offered to trek over to Game Stop to buy him a copy since I'm about to jump back to traveling regularly and this way he could play all weekend long without a care in the world. Yup, awesome. 

Being the anti-social semi-hermit that I am, I do not frequent Game Stop. I'm quite content with Steam and Amazon, thankyouverymuch. But I ventured forth! The closest location for me is in one of those strip-malls that is a pain in the butt to visit, but even that didn't deter me. I navigated my way over to find that half of the complex (the Game Stop half, of course) is completely packed with not a spot to be found. And oddly all the spots are just about wide enough for a Vespa, so all the cars are wonky and taking up a space and a half, leaving those other spots that are so small that if you did manage to get in, you'd be leaving your car through the trunk. Not good. But again, I pressed on, and ultimately parked by myself about the equivalent of a couple blocks away.

I find out on my hiking trip to the store that a gym has moved in to the complex is to blame for the madness. As you've probably noticed, I have some serious mixed feelings about working out. So, I was pretty bummed to realize that all these cars belongs to people whose first task after work was to exercise, while I'm bitching about walking a block or two to go buy a game and sit on my butt all evening... Eh, to each their own I suppose...

Anywho, I get to my destination and waltz in -- yes, waltz -- gamer girls know what I'm talking about. There is something magical about being a lady in a video game store. It's like the opposite of a bull in a china shop...You and any other ladies in the store are automatically and simultaneously the hottest, coolest person in the room (well, at least that's how it feels...I was a sweats-wearing, frizzy-haired mess. But no matter. I was a girl buying video games.) I point to the game, and ask the dude behind the counter if he's still got copies. He does -- success!

And then the unthinkable happens... I fall for all the crap that Game Stop is known for selling. I had already decided to renew/upgrade my membership before I walked in the door, so you'd think that'd be enough of a sell for the kid -- he didn't even have to ask on that one! But no...

How about a protection plan for GTA?
Oy. "How about no," I think to myself and unfortunately do not say. (Where did my will go?! Re-roll dammit!) Yes, I even agreed to the stupid protection plan. And alas, my only rationale was "well the game is already damn expensive, what's a few more bucks?" which I've decided is exactly what they want you to think! Bastards. I admit this diminishes my awesomeness by a couple points. But this story is only one part how awesome I am, one part how ridiculous it is to visit this store sometimes...

As if this wasn't enough for the kit to make his quota for the day in one, frankly easy, sale...

Have I pre-ordered a game recently?

Ugh, no. What's the point. Most games are sufficiently stocked that I don't feel the need to be on a wait list for something I can just waltz in and pick up on the off chance "I just have to have it!" (which is just about never). And I don't do midnight releases. I did that once - drove and hour and a half with pre-fiance dude who wasn't smart enough to pre-order at the store in our college town. Then another hour and half back, only to find that there was no way in hell that guy (affectionately now known as "butthead") had any intention of passing over the controller to let me try my hand at COD... I often wonder how our friendship lasted after that, but I assure you it wasn't for too much longer...So NO. I do not pre-order. 

But then, the Sales Dude all cool-hand-Luke slides the list of pre-orders in front of me. I scan the list, and words like "Lego" jump out at me, reaffirming that whatever they're selling, I'm not buying...and definitely not as a pre-order..."Do you like Assassin's Creed?" Sales Dude asks ever-so innocently, pointing to the top of the list. Gah, of course I like it. I love it, truth be told. Albeit, I skipped the first one, and am only about half way through II. But I can't stop playing it right now, and I've already bought Brotherhood and III. So yeah, I know about Black Flag. Dang it... "It's only a $5 deposit" he adds to the jumble of thoughts rolling around at this point. C'mon man! *sigh* "Alright, fine."

[At this point, I decide to get it in Xbox 360, but for reasons I can't begin to describe other than panic. I won't go into the details about whether this was a smart choice or not; I'm sure you'll make up your mind well enough without my additional ramblings about next-gen. I've got a story to tell!]

Goodness. So what's left? I've bought the latest and greatest game release of the moment, got suckered into the warranty for said game, upgraded my membership, and pre-ordered. There was literally nothing left to sell. It was ridiculous. There should be a hotline for (awesome) fools like me, or a way to self-impose a ban on visiting gaming stores...What a mess! Sales Dude obviously loved it, proceeding to tell me about other limited edition gizmos people could order (thankfully he acknowledged that he was not trying to sell them to me, but just showing me as a fellow fan...although I think it's sad a sales guy actually had to tell me that, as if without the disclaimer I would have put it all on my tab...pitiful). Fortunately with nothing left, it was pretty easy to make my escape...you know, after I'd voluntarily been robbed of all my money and pride; and I hobbled back to my car. Which I actually struggled to find because it was so far away from everything. I'm sure the reverse-window-shoppers in the gym were getting a kick of watching me parade back and forth trying to leave with a smidge of dignity intact.

But then...despite all of this, just hearing my fiance's excitement when I called to tell him I successfully picked up the game combined with my own excitement from knowing that I will eventually be ready to play Black Flag, and at that point will be prepared with my own copy...yup, I'd say it was all worth it...

Maybe.

Harder to Say than it is to Play

Man, I'm on a roll! 3 or 4 posts in how many days? ...I guess I really am back for now!

I realized today that I haven't been very thorough in my discussion of gaming. I've managed to talk about D&D, and video games. The end.

Or is it??

Board games! How could I forget?! I totally grew up playing board games (rather than video games, honestly), but I'm ashamed to admit I've neglected them in the last few years. Fortunately my ol' college advisor (old college, not old advisor; although he did have a birthday yesterday...so maybe old. Haha!) reminded me the joy of board games last weekend. 'twas awesome. He and his lady have always had an impression collection of offbeat board games, and I've been inspired to share two of the best:

Car-casserole-oni?

This was the game we played last weekend that reminded me that board games rock. The rules were totally overwhelming at the start, but really it's super simplistic and awesome. Tile-based, board-buildin', turn-takin' goodness. Despite our complete clueless-ness, the Fiance and I managed to get first and second place (respectively), proving that anyone has a chance of success. Although I do have a theory that beginner's luck is just due to the veterans spending more time focused on teaching the noobs correctly than they are focused on winning.

Emphasis on "Stab Your Buddy"

Some of the wildest and craziest nights of my college experience were a direct result of playing this game. Particularly a victory with the Divine Intervention card that allows victor to mock his opponents relentlessly, and was carried out in such a way as to provide nightmare fuel for weeks...nay, years. Anywho, this is a card game that really has three components - fighting monsters, looting rooms, and stabbing your buddy. What's not to like? There is a board game version, which albeit not as good as the card game, it's better than no Munchkin. And there are like a dozen different versions and expansion packs, so it just keeps getting better. The artwork (see above) is super great, and the cards are all hilarious (including a pair of Boots of Butt-Kicking, complete with spikes affixed to the toes).

I'll think of more, and there are certainly plenty of others- including some classics. But for now that should be sufficient.

Game on!

Weekend Update

Three day weekends are my favorite. You get all the same days for mayhem as with regular weekends but it has a built in recovery/lazy day. Win!

Yesterday was all sorts of mayhem, so today was dedicated for R&R-- played some video games and caught up on some Doctor Who. We finally met River Song today which was very exciting. I swear learning about this show via pinterest and seeing all the spoilers without any context kind of makes River super relateable. I like her!

In other news, yesterday's mayhem included my first invitation to an academic party. Its been two years since I left so it was quite a surprise and compliment to be included. I mean, my department had always been very friendly but to actually qualify as a (social, not necessarily intellectual) peer was awesome. The timing made it even better- last night I also had plans to go to a 90s themed party...so naturally I ended up going to the academic party dressed in grunge. I can't begin to tell you how much I felt like a walking cliche-- the philosophy graduate at a party with her professors dressed in flannel and doc martens. Honestly it was awesome.

Even better, the party was actually to watch a puppet show. (I swear. I couldn't make this stuff up.) The host's friend is a professional puppeteer and performed for us a classic Italian puppet show, "Puncinello." You know, the one with the wooden puppets that hit each other with sticks? That one. So there I was dressed "in costume" (although I would wear that attire all the time if I could), surrounded by professors watching puppets beat each other up (it was hilarious by the way)...my life is ridiculous sometimes but I love it.