Monthly HapPENings: July

Welp. It's somehow August already. Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this year has been going above time's normal speed limit.

What did I do last month? Well, I came back from holidays on July 1st and had to get used to normal life. You know how it is, I'm sure. It can sometimes take a little while for reality to kick in, and you have to come off that vacation high.

We celebrated my dad's birthday, and Tracey flew to Realm Makers (I did a lot of hanging out with Chloe and Kaitlyn in that time, doing stuff like going for drives getting ice cream and cool drinks, watching TV episodes with them, etc.). I voice chatted with Preston and Megan, my New Zealand friends, a couple of evenings; we always have a fun time. They're some of the best friends a guy could ask for.

A few days ago, as a spur-of-the-moment thing, my sisters and I celebrated Chloe's birthday--even though it was a few months ago--by going out for lunch, riding a surrey bike together, and getting milkshakes. If you've never ridden a surrey bike before, put it on your bucket list. It's very enjoyable! Just don't almost tip it over like I did.

Bookish HapPENings

source

Yes, I only read one book this month. Shame on me. But it was a very good one! That might be a given, though, considering John Flanagan is one of my favorite authors. After having a continuous plot for the first three books in this series, Slaves of Socorro changes gears. I have a feeling that the plot is confined to just the one installment this time, but that's fine. It was brimming with action, lovable characters, and witty humor. Honestly, if you haven't read any of Flanagan's novels, you need to get on it ASAP.

HapPENings on the Screen

I'm getting so close to episode 15, "Out of Time." That's where the plot adds in a super-cool element to the show and really takes everything up a notch. And while I'm anticipating S2 a lot, I can't forget that S1 is an excellent start to an amazing show, despite the occasional cheesy line or moment of acting that could've been done a little better. I'm also convinced that no one else can play the Flash as good as Grant Gustin does. He's just the perfect casting choice.

Finally finished rewatching this season. While there were some aspects of S4 that I liked more, I still hold to my opinion that each season is better than the last. It had a darker plot with music that fit absolutely perfectly, it introduced Ronin (an anti-hero who happens to be one of my favorite characters in the show), Nya and Cole got some good character arcs, Morro was an interesting villain . . . it was a great season all-around!

source

I watched the extended edition of The Fellowship of the Ring, and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. Such well-crafted characters! Such memorable music! While there are a couple instances of exposition that doesn't come off as completely natural, and a certain type of shot that I really don't care for (I have no idea what it's called; it's like slow motion, but the frame rate is lower, and it ends up looking strange), I loved everything else about the movie. I'm looking forward to watching the other five movies.

Gaming HapPENings

This game continues to surprise me. I recently faced off with the Dark Lord, and now the plot has taken a drastic turn. The plot I thought I'd spoiled for myself played out differently than I thought it would, and now I must seek the help of other adventurers in order to achieve my goal. Miitopia has now taken the fantasy game trope of side quests and made it part of the main storyline, which I find quite clever. I look forward to seeing how this all ends.

Oh, how I'd missed Breath of the Wild! Such a pleasant change from The Game That Shall Not Be Named. I'd forgotten the simple joy of running through the wilderness, hunting wildlife, attacking enemy camps, and taking on side quests. I finally completed the Xenoblade crossover mission, which I unlocked the instant I left the Great Plateau. I was surprised that it rewarded me with an outfit that wasn't just for cosmetic purposes; it actually has some good value to it with its increased swim speed.

But the craziest thing happened the other day when I was playing. I'd wanted to go to the Exchange Ruins, so I teleported to the tower in Hyrule Field. The instant I glide off, I've got Guardian beams targeting me. I wasn't too concerned, because they were stationary. But when I land, I've got a Guardian right on my heels. As I'm weaving back and forth, trying to avoid it, a Yiga archer suddenly appears. (I'd defeated the leader of the Yiga Clan, so now they ambush me a lot more.) So I grab the Master Sword and start hacking off the Guardian's legs so it doesn't keep following me, while avoiding a constant barrage of arrows. That's when some Keese, a Yiga Blademaster (as in, one of the big dudes), and a few Stalmoblins (or some kind of Stalfos, anyway) all joined in the skirmish. It was absolutely nuts, but I managed to defeat them all and score a bunch of loot.

Writerly HapPENings

I totally forgot that I was supposed to assess my writing goals last month . . . which probably isn't a good sign. So let's review now. I've decided to leave A Totally Epic Pirate Story for now, as I've lost the inspiration for that due to the fact that I'm no longer surrounded by my former college classmates as I once was. And seeing that we're over halfway through the year, I've decided to just keep focusing on The Tournament of Convicts for now. What happens afterward? I'll make that choice later.

I will admit, I didn't get as much of my current project done as I'd hoped. But this is a new month, so it's time for new things and habits. I'm working on adding some into my life, and one on that list is what I promised in my blogoversary vlog. Here's to hoping for a successful August!

What was your July like? Did you do anything fun or exciting? Anything you'd do differently if you could? Got some goals for this month?