Switcheroo

 

I’m back, everyone!  I’ve been out of the blog game for most of the year, but I finally found the time to take a breather and take stock in what the f*** has been happening recently.  To be honest, a whole lot has happened since my last post (where, if you might recall, I observed that not much had changed from last year), personally and publicly.  A full list of everything could be a little time-consuming/Russian novel-length/TMI, so I’ll stick to the big picture.

One major shift (which provided me inspiration for the post title) is that after months of hesitation and Wii U gaming, I caved and bought a Nintendo Switch during President’s Day sales, purchasing half a dozen games to go with it.

 

I expect quarantine (or what’s left of it) should be at least a little more entertaining.  I’ve already put some of these games to good use (while still experimenting with computer modding and mobile gaming at various intervals), and I plan to get back into gaming as I try to restructure my schedule going forward.  In a way, this whole experience is getting me to get back to my gaming roots; most of the games I got are remakes from my youth, including one special virtual download: Star Wars: Episode I: Racer, the very first video game I ever played (which I downloaded onto my Switch on Star Wars Day).  The circle is now complete, and I am now born again as a gamer.  Once more, I shall collect stars, hunt bounties, catch them all, and become King of Mario Kart!

 

Whether it's the Tillamook County Jail or the Oovo IV Detention Center, I frequently find myself conducting business behind bars

(For those that don’t know, I once won a Mario Kart 8 tournament in college.  Wins can sometimes go to my head).

However, the biggest switch to my life by far in recent months is one for the books: I am now fully vaccinated from COVID-19!  It took a while for me to find the opportunity, but thanks to my constant working at the county jail, I was able to get on the list of people prioritized to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  After 2 shots and 2 weeks, I’m fully vaccinated and able to move around more than I have in months.  Case in point: I’ve been hitting up my favorite local restaurants and I even made it down to Salem to see Cthulhu a few times!  After over a year de facto confined to Tillamook (specifically, home and workplace-centered), being able to travel, even for a little, feels like a massive relief.

Shot 1

Shot 2

Denny's, I missed you

                                                  

Tora Sushi Lounge, it's good to be back

                                                                                   

The familiar Golden Man greets me in Salem

 

With the ability to go outside, and a strong incentive to stay inside, 2021 is shaping up to be better than last year.  I’m still ironing out a fair amount of kinks: I’ve got to clean my room, I’ve got various appointments to catch up on, and I’m still working remotely on most days.  With any luck, life will return to normal (or some semblance of normal) soon enough, I’ll be able to enjoy my hobbies in peace, I’ll be able to continue my journey as a growing attorney, and I won’t wait 5 months to post my next blog entry.  Fingers crossed!