Sim City Societies Crash Bug part 2

- That is still consistently the most searched for term to reach this blog, which just goes to show how many people are still encountering problems with the game. I’ve stopped playing it altogether. I’m really becoming more and more disillusioned with PC gaming (if the post below didn’t indicate it clearly enough), which seems to just cater to a small percentage of people with the high end equipment. Even my beloved Sims 2 has turned on me. Everything was running smoothly till I installed Bon Voyage, and now - even though I’ve uninstalled BV - I’m still having graphics issues. Maybe it’s the copy of FreeTime I just reviewed. It’s so frustrating.

Maybe the bitterness is just a sign that I need to upgrade. But then - there’s nothing really wrong with my computer, I can do everything else without any problems; it’s wireless, I can surf, write, manipulate photos, send and receive email, listen to music, watch movies… so why do I feel so dissatisfied with it these days?

Perhaps it’s symptomatic of the general state of consumerism these days. No, this isn’t meant to be a rant, but I really do find it hard to put the brakes on the endless, constant upgrading that seems to be expected of us, just to keep up with games, technology, our friends, what’s advertised on TV and the internet. I want to slow down my frenetic pace of buying, wanting. I don’t count myself as particularly materialistic, and yet at times some weird frenzy takes hold, and suddenly I’ve bought yet more books from Amazon, something from TradeMe - it’s all so fast, all you have to do it press a mouse button a couple of times and that’s it.

Lately, I’ve been considering getting a MacBook. In a way it would feel like starting over. No games. Just a clean, fresh start. But would it be, really? Or have I just deluded myself into thinking that spending more money is a way to start over again? Really, if you think about it, the best thing to buy would be a blank notebook. Clean white paper. No games. Now that would be a fresh start.

Speaking of fresh starts, I got up early this morning and went for a run around the park. Not a biggie by any stretch of the imagination, just 2kms, but it felt really good to be doing it. I wasn’t as tired as I thought I’d be either. Now it’s just a matter of staying enthused about it, I’m aiming for every morning for the rest of the week. If I can work up to a half hour run every morning during the week, plus some writing, I’ll be over the moon.

Wednesday

What is it with Wednesdays that just do not inspire confidence? It started this morning in bed, before I’d even got up: urgh, it’s Wednesday….. sorry to say I’m having one of those days where I’d rather be at home reading.

In other news (hurrah, there is some!) my Pendemonium ink order arrived yesterday. Four gorgeous J. Herbin inkpots, in Bleu Pervenche, Lierre Sauvage, Cafe des Iles and Ambre de Birmanie. Pens were immediately rinsed out (nearly empty ones I mean) and filled - the Parker with the Ambre de Birmanie, the Lamy with Lierre Sauvage. So far, so good, aside from my green-stained fingers.

Got a couple of text messages from James yesterday - he’s in Portland! What a coincidence that he’s there as well as Jeremy and Megumi. He was heading up to go see Mt. St. Helens and then was going to be driving down to L.A. - I hope Steve & I can make it back sometime soon (next year maybe). I miss James - I hope he comes over here once he’s finished his South America trip.

There’s also some really weird shit going on with the weather at the moment. I know - weather. Hardly the most scintillating topic, however there’s some serious winds hitting the south island at the moment while strangely, Wellington’s enjoying some pretty balmy weather, which is always going to be considered weird for the town that can out-blow Chicago.

Oh, and a week till NaNoWriMo starts - you can find me here.