So, browsing around on GameSpot (mostly voting on their year end awards), I found that Final Fantasy 8 is coming to PSN. I never actually finished FF8. I was playing it during one of the most hectic times of my life aka early 2005. And I just never went back to it. I finished FF9, got to the end of FF7, and of course, have played through the newer ones, but for some reason... anytime I think of playing Final Fantasy 8, I decide not to. It isn't because I didn't like what I played of it... so, it really must be the memories attached to it. Not that all of those memories are bad, even. It makes me think of Christen too, but... that was such an upsetting time.

Anyways, I'm starting to think... it's coming on 5 years since I left school and all. Maybe, it's time to just start over. Maybe it would be theraputic.

I really wanted a way to make VHS tapes into DVD. I used to record all sorts of stuff... and now I have like a hundred or so tapes. No, seriously. I've labeled through 45, and I'm only, maybe, half done. But anyways, while I'm not planning on transferring all of those... in fact, probably not most of them, there are some I definitely want to save.

Anyways, my Mommy and StepFather found me a DVD/VHS recorder that let me do just that, and they got it for me for Christmas. YaY! It works great. It looked like it would be really complicated, but for what I wanted to do, it was pretty easy. I made two copies of my baby tapes. Haha. One is for my Daddy for Christmas. As for everything else, I'll have to sort things first.

I also just ordered an awesome little thing that will let me plug three things into my TV and flip between them. Seeing as I now have a DVD player, Wii, and PS3 that all need the same plugs, this will be very useful. The Xbox 360 has a different cable, so it's always plugged it. Switching between the PS3 and the Wii has been very annoying, though. So problem solved, hopefully.

So, yeah... haven't been posting. Sorry. I'm, at least, going to start up posting through old things from my real journal again soon. Hopefully.  

A story too cruel - too beautiful - to go untold...

Since I already kind of posted about it on Giant Bomb, I decided to go with this post first.

Once upon a time, Amazon.com put this game on my recommendations list. Reading about it, I was positive it was not my kind of game. Way too violent/scary for someone as sensitive as me. Fortunately-Unfortunately (depending on how you look at it... and I change my mind on a day-to-day basis), something got me hooked enough that I couldn't get it out of my mind. It sort of demented me cruelly. ~_~;

I figured it was one of those things where I couldn't forget about it, because I didn't know what happened. So, in order to free myself, I read the entire game script. And I was done...

For about a year and a half. Somehow, I began to think about the game again, and thought... oh, I was just blowing things out of proportion. It wasn't really all that scary... was it? And I thought maybe I could, at least, try watching it via YouTube.
 
However, in my researching of the game, I found an awesome website dedicated to figuring out the mysteries left behind in the game. And I found something in one of the blog posts that traumatized me so much that I had trouble being alone or at night for MONTHS.

Funny thing is, for me... watching the game (which I did do) is not nearly as scary as the mystery exploring that goes on at that site. There's some blood and creepy imps,*shivers*, yes, but what you actually see in the game is not nearly as bad as what you can see in your mind... if you really take the time to think about.

Anyways, I finally bought the game... and someday I will try to play it, but... it's probably not a good idea. Especially not alone. ~_~; But I do spend lots of time on that site. I've read every post I keep pretty up-to-date with what's being talked about. It really is awesome.

Hi, there. I've been busy lately. Truthfully, while it's weird for me to be busy, but not always a bad weird. *Shrugs*

I had a ton of company staying here for 5 days. I was so scared that I'd be going crazy with 8 people in our house, but it worked out surprisingly well. My Uncle John and Aunt Denise, cousins Brian and Andrea, and Andrea's almost 2-year-old son, Ethan. He's so sweet! ^_^ I spent as much time with him as I could. When just John, Denise, and Ethan visited in the Fall, it was lovely. But I was worried that so many people at once would overload me. Especially because last week, I seemed even more emotional than usual... which, wow. That's really saying something.

Anyways, it worked out great most of the time. Going out most nights to eat got a little crazy, but other than that it was fine... and fun. The whole Texas group hasn't been here all at once in many years, I think. And now they have Ethan. <3 Awww. Ethan. I love him so.

Even my sleep schedule behaved well. o.o; Until the last night, at least. Brian and I stayed up until 2:30. I really haven't seen him more than briefly in a great many years. It's hard being around a guy for me, though. ~_~; Not just embarrassing, but... stupid, Hachi-ness. It wasn't completely terrible, though. It was fun talking video games and tech stuff, going to game stores, messing with his new iPhone and such. ^///^; But really, Hachi. Stop that, please.

And speaking of video games... okay, I finally decided to break down and preorder The Sims 3 as my birthday gift. I totally hate myself for it, though. I was so, SO mad when I found of all the things they were changing. I like playing one house at a time. I like micromanaging things. ~_~; Apparently, I'm the minority. As per usual. I love The Sims 2. The formula has been done to perfection. I never wanted a Sims 3 to exist. I could live on happily with Sims 2 expansions forever.

However, there are some cool elements to it. You can choose from a bunch of different Personality Traits. I've heard there's a trait you can choose that's "vegan".  <3 <3 <3 And "Romantic". Hehe. So, it will be fun making myself and Morgan. <3 And making our little love story. *Sighs*

...*Cough* Um, anyways. I just have to think of it as a completely different game. As long as I think that way, I'll be fine. I don't have to stop playing The Sims 2 just because I'm getting The Sims 3. And I won't, believe me. I have thousands of Sims, with crazy, wonderful, interweaving stories. I'd never give them up. <3 But that doesn't mean I can't embrace some new Sims 3 Sims and stories. HeH.

My Mom told me to just think of it as the next Final Fantasy. I don't have to replace FF10 with FF12. I can love both! (And I do!) That was really surprisingly insightful of her... I mean, considering it was about video games. ^_^;

The simming formula really has been done to perfection for me. And I guess that's why they have to move in a different direction now.

It's finally E3 time. And after being extremely sick for the past 5 days, I was totally excited for the press conferences.  Now, I've never even touched a Microsoft console in my memory, but being someone who's interested in gaming issues and news across the board, I decided to watch their press conference anyways. And now I have a shocking announcement...

I am no longer buying a PS3.   o.O;

Yes, lazy people who aren't clicking the link. Final Fantasy 13, my only reason thus far for wanting a PS3, is now coming to the Xbox360. My gaming plans have totally been switched around! I hardly know what to do with myself. o.O; Now, logically... if you could could get a system for a lower price... wouldn't you? ^_^ And there are other games I would love to get for the 360. This is mind boggling... but exciting. I'm going to try to get over to GameCrazy this week and have a chat with the workers about 360 stuff. 

So, gaming friends... what do you guys think of this?

By the way, maybe go ahead and recommend me some 360 games? Nothing too violent, though... please. ~_~; I know there's lots of shooters for the 360, but I'm just not interested. I like RPGs... and pretty stuff. 

(PS: Recommend at the link, please. I can keep better track of recs there! Thank you! ^_^ )

PS (Again): Actually... I'm probably going to have to take this back after tomorrow's Sony press conference, aren't I? But oh, well... I want all three of them eventually. It's just... how on earth am I going to get enough money? *Dies* Enjoying lots of media is so expensive... or illegal. ~_~;