Just got back from seeing Harry Potter. It was quite good, possibly the best of series so far, overall. Have to process before I'll have anything more to say, I think.

I also finished the final battle in FFIV, then watched the ending movie, then started with the new game plus (or whatever it's called in this version). Are you not supposed to get the opening CGI movie with the new game plus, or did I make a mistake, or does it come later? Mysterious. Anyway, this I will also need to process, but I liked it too, overall.

Finally, I made good progress in the FFXII replay. Just now starting out for the Garif. This replay has been both more fun and more compelling than I expected. I'm having to resist running downstairs to play right now, in fact.

I'll probably end up writing full posts for all three of these things eventually, since anything useful I could say about any of them would be filled with spoilers. Watch this space.

I've probably done this before, but not in awhile, and I'm feeling like a distraction. So...

Post one of my fandoms and the number of any of these questions (as many or few as you like) and I'll tell you the answer!

Note #1: "All" is absolutely an option.
Note #2: Fandom choice is wide open. If you pick something I really don't know well enough, I'll let you know and you can pick a fall-back.

1. The first character I fell in love with:
2. The character I never expected to love as much as I do now:
3. The character everyone else loves that I don’t:
4. The character I love that everyone else hates:
5. The character I would shag anytime:
6. The character I'd want to be like:
7. The character I'd slap:
8. A pairing that I love:
9. A pairing that I despise:
10. Favorite character:
11. What are my five favorite things about the fandom.
12. What are my five least favorite things about the fandom.
13. Who are my five favorite characters.
14. Who are my five least favorite characters.
15. What are my five favorite pairings.
16. What are my five least favorite pairings.
17. Which character are you most like.
18. What is my deep, dark fandom secret.

Earlier today, I was walking down the hallway of my building when I heard some extremely familiar music coming from one of the classrooms. I stuck my head inside -- it was the room where new students are checking into housing -- and looked around, but I didn't see anyone playing any games. So I had to ask. "Is that the Final Fantasy X soundtrack?"

The students seemed very impressed that I recognized it. Either that, or afraid of my utter geekdom. Maybe a little bit of both.

Also, I have a FFIV question! ( 'Ware spoilers, I think I'm at or near the end of the game. )

Just got back into the Tower of Babil.

( So tell me... )

Weekends have been full of plans lately, so I was very happy to have a couple of days this weekend that were made mostly of slothfulness (except for dinner at R&S's new place last night). Especially today, when the fog came back in and rendered the thought of going outside much less appealing.

So I did a lot of reading -- finished Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, of which more in a separate post -- and gaming. I have two main ones going right now: Mario Kart Wii and of course Final Fantasy IV. Mario Kart is much more fun and compelling than I would have ever expected. I've never been much for driving games, mostly because I suck at them, but this one is fun, and I'm surprisingly not terrible. I've been stuck on one particular series of races for a good week now (Special Cup at 150ccs, if anyone knows what that means), but I finally pulled out a good performance today, and won. So as far as I can tell, that's all the medal events; now I just need to get good enough that I don't get completely wiped out in online play.

Then of course there's FFIV, which is good so far. Great characters, which helps make up for some of the predictability of the plot line (although I can't decide whether the story is actually predictable in and of itself or if I've just heard enough hints dropped by fandom people that I can make better guesses than usual). Also, I learned yesterday that, to my chagrin, I've been pronouncing Rydia's name wrong in my head all this time. I'd assumed that the 'y' was a long "i" sound, but it's not, it's short. Like "Lydia" with an R instead of an L. Which, given Japanese, makes a lot more sense than a name that sounds like the word "rider".

( Spoilers through the return to Baron after Mount Ordeals )

Hmm, I suppose I need a FFIV icon... any suggestions?

So I really didn't need another game right now, and I told myself I was going to be good and wait, that if nothing else I really ought to finish Phoenix Wright 3 before picking up anything else for the DS, but then one thing led to another and somehow I found myself in a game store on the way home from work today and... well. You know how that goes.

( Very very preliminary thoughts on FFIV )