It is May. A lot has taken place, especially in the last couple weeks or so. Frankly, I typed this out in late April already, but never got around to editing it until tonight. I’ve been busy in the afternoons, because I’m finally getting around to some much-needed spring cleaning. I planned to get some done, but all of a sudden I came down with a scratchy throat that turned out to be the start of COVID, further delaying my spring-cleaning plans that hadn’t been done since CNY. And then, I still agreed to host a streamer friend from overseas, who is snoozing right now as I edit this. So I spent the whole of the past week scrambling to clean my room to a more presentable level.
Anyway, on to the updates…
First of all, I am changing jobs! I unfortunately still have some quick errands to settle so I’m not entirely free, but I am now just waiting for my new job to start in early May. It’s a teaching job, and my schedule is about to become quite a bit more irregular. I’ll share more details at a later date, once things settle down as I get a feel of how things are like.
Next thing is the COVID experience that I briefly mentioned earlier.
Virgin COVID experience
After somehow evading the virus for 3 years, it finally caught up to me. Frankly, I don’t know how I evaded it for so long considering I’ve been going out regularly to the office as well as many other events as the places opened up (and the caseload soared). Thankfully I got my vaccinations and all, so it was a mild illness. Heck, I even resumed streaming after I think just one or two days off.
It started with a somewhat irritated throat at night, and then the next morning I woke up feeling like garbage. But I still had some work, so I told myself to just power through the morning, clock out early, and then buy a couple test kits plus some paracetamol on my way back home just to make sure. I got home, used a test kit, and the second line appeared almost immediately. Thus commencing my 1-week-and counting seclusion in my own room.
The symptoms are largely gone, save for the occasional scratchy throat (and consequent coughing), and a complete lack of taste and smell. They fizzled out on the second day, and it has been strange. Things that should have strong flavours, like pickled vegetables, are completely tasteless. However, I can still pick up sensations of discomfort. For instance, I can feel the stinging burn of chilli, but not the taste of the sauce itself. Same with foods that are very acidic, like pickled vegetables. Not to mention the complete inability to smell the copious amounts of disinfectant I am spraying whenever I use the toilet.
At the earliest possible opportunity after testing negative, I went back to the office to retrieve my monitor and keyboard, which I had brough there because I couldn’t stand the office laptop’s screen and keyboard.
I just hope the remaining symptoms clear up soon. I did a singing stream last Sunday, but the virus has not been nice to my throat. I only barely got through that.
Game Roundup
This is something new that I’m trying out. Just to quickly sum up my thoughts in the games I’ve played this month, and what I plan to play for the next.
Ni no Kuni
I beat Shadar! With the bad guy gone, no one will be brokenhearted anymore…
…is what Oliver would like to say, but suddenly ash starts falling all over the land, and this ash turns everyone into zombies. Just as the zombies are about to overrun us, we are rescued by Marcassin, who has arrived on Kublai’s airship with other familiar faces onboard. From there, we mount a counterattack. Now, only one particularly Herculean task awaits us.
“Defeat the White Witch.”
Shiraga has elected to beat a tactical retreat and gear up by doing the last of the sidequests, to work towards getting the merit card buffs.
Phasmophobia
I hadn’t played horror in a while. Mainly because I can get a little, um, noisy in those. But for April Fools’ I decided to go and walk into the haunted house.
I am really, really bad with the controls. At one point I swapped in a torchlight that was turned on, while the ghost was hunting. I heard its footsteps get louder as it started stomping through the hallways, all the way into the bathroom I was hiding in. Goodnight.
Another one, I got a very early hunting demon. Easiest 70 bucks ever. But I did swap in the torchlight again, as well. Thankfully I lucked out and this one didn’t get me.
Genshin Impact
New region, new world quest series, and new sussy baka(s) to deal with. I’m starting to see a pattern here. No wonder the traveller has trust issues.
On a side note, our teammate’s skills are sometimes leaving us wanting as well. With friends like this, who needs enemies?
The boss fight theme in Apep’s domain is really good too. This time, you aren’t facing off against a Fatui – or someone that is the embodiment of the nation she rules. Instead, you are fighting against an epic, a force of nature, in its majestic glory.
I have also been playing with my luck for Nilou – got myself constellation 6 Jean instead. I played the weapon banner for a bit, hoping to get Xiphos, but somehow landed myself the Key of Khaj-Nisut. After that, my friend mounted a very persuasive case for me to get Nilou…
Atelier Escha & Logy
I recently started this! I think the Atelier series is quite slept on for no good reason. The way they write the characters means you’ll constantly find yourself rooting for even your less-liked characters.
This isn’t my first time playing this. I picked Escha, so I could get the vicarious experience of hitting on my in-game colleague. I tried this game a little bit a long time ago before I started streaming – picked Logy back then, but only got to play it a little bit. I wiped the save to re-experience this anew.
I’ll definitely try to make more time for it to see what the world has to offer, and what we can concoct this time around. Because only in the Atelier series, can you make bean soup from what is basically laundry detergent.
Look at that bottle. “Cleansing liquid”. That’s detergent, please. For all intents and purposes.
Pokémon SV
This will be a short subsection. I rematched all the gym leaders at La Primera’s behest, and then defeated her in a final fight, thus opening up all the raid nests available.
I’m just waiting for Pokemon Home to be ready now, so I can transfer my pokemon in and begin the online battle shenanigans.
If you see me streaming Pokémon, feel free to ask for a fight!
Honkai Star Rail
Saving the best for last. I got to see Dan Heng in the virtual flesh, and somehow a short clip of me thirsting for him has turned out to be the most viewed clip on my Instagram. Fellow Dan Heng simps unite.
May’s Schedule.
I’m not sure how my schedule will be. First of all, I will try not to play too much Honkai Star Rail. In between I’ll continue with Ni no Kuni, to complete my fight with the White Witch. As well as continue our tasks Atelier Escha & Logy. Or if I’m feeling kinda drained, there’s always mahjong.
For any further updates, check my Discord! I think that’s all from me for now, this has been a VERY long post. See you all on a future stream and onward to the future.
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