Lalala

[sarea]

I hope all my fellow Americanos had a lovely 4th. I think it's my favorite holiday, because ... there's no pressure surrounding it. No presents to stress over (birthdays, Christmas), the weather is lovely, and there's barbecue. Nothing to do but relax, eat, drink, and hang out with people you want to be with; I love that. It's also one of those holidays that are very flexible; it can be a family event, or it can be one spent sinning with friends. Whereas I tend to feel that holidays like Thanksgiving are more family-oriented. *shrug*

After my foray into Hot Gimmick I checked out some other manga, but nothing really appealed to me. I think HG is one of a kind, for me. Even though we're only up to volume 8 in the US, I've gotten caught up on everything that's been released in Japan, through reading oceansportrait's translations of the most recent chapters. Live Journal communities/people rock.

Also, I've read Julia Quinn's new Bridgerton novel, It's In His Kiss. I was pretty disappointed, to tell you the truth. It's not even that I had high expectations (other than that I generally enjoy the Bridgerton novels); Hyacinth has never really interested me as a heroine, but I would have said the same of Francesca, and I really liked her book. However, I did find Hyacinth amusing from the bits and pieces we've seen of her in other books. I just wasn't sure how she'd take to being a romantic heroine -- and ... the weird thing is, I don't think we really got to see her as such.

The Hyacinth of IHHK is really ... bland. She doesn't resemble the Hyacinth we've seen in the other books. We're supposed to think she's spunky because JQ tells us she is, but she wasn't, really. Maybe a bit headstrong, but she wasn't nearly as witty as she was in even When He Was Wicked (which I reread this weekend). The love story was trite and almost mind-numbingly dull. At every turn I felt like JQ was just writing a romance novel by rote. Gareth/Hyacinth was barely believable, much less compelling. Elements of Gareth as hero have already been seen in JQ's other novels: The father who hates him (Simon), the talent for drawing (Benedict). I mean, seriously, come up with something new. Give him something that's wholly his. Yeah, so neither Gareth or Hyacinth were particularly memorable.

The "mystery" subplot was rather asinine. I mean ... I was into it while reading (in fact, it was ever so slightly more interesting than the romance), but the way it 'resolved' itself was just blah. I'm okay with Hyacinth never finding out about the jewels. That's not what I took issue with. I don't necessarily need things to be tied up in a neat little bow, but after being lead on for the whole story (with really stupid 'clues,' I might add), when the mystery was basically the extremely transparent plot device for getting Hyacinth and Gareth together in the first place, I wanted a better payoff than I got. I wanted it to be more than a plot device, and be good in its own right. Hyacinth was absolutely certain that they'd find the jewels, for the entirety of the novel, and then in one page she gives up? WTF? So not satisfying. I'm fine with her not finding them, but the payoff had to be better. In fact, the whole book just had to be better. In any case, there was no payoff. You just got to the end, and were grateful for it. I haven't felt that way about a Bridgerton novel, ever, I don't think. In fact, it was a chore to pick it up and a chore to finish.

IHHK read like your typical romance novel (i.e., not a very good one). It wasn't really deserving of being part of the Bridgerton series. That's about the long and the short of it. (Shar, I'd wait to pick it up discount or at the library.)

So I got The Sims 2 on eBay for like $21, and started Draco and Ginny sims. I've given Draco the Fortune aspiration, and Ginny the Family aspiration. They now have two daughters and a son (the younger daughter/son are twins). You know how in Sims 2, they now have "Wants" and "Fears"? After the birth of the twins, one of Ginny's wants was to have ten kids. TEN KIDS! I was like, no WAY. Kids are a lot more work in Sims 2 (not to mention the pregnant mom -- Ginny died twice while pregnant and I had to exit without saving the game. I don't care if this is cheating; Ginny can't bloody die, that would be lame!). And Draco's fears were cracking me up: "See roaches." "The repo man." His wants: "Woohoo with Ginny." "Buy a computer costing at least $2,000." At first he was on the athletic career track, but then he lost his job. Seeing him all dejected in his mascot uniform was so very amusing. What wasn't so amusing was how, when he was unemployed, he'd just randomly go outside and panhandle for Simoleons. I'm sure Ginny was embarrassed as well. But ... Ginny's now a general practitioner (medical track), and Draco is a senior manager (business track), so all is well. My goal is now to get them into the house/plot of land that I have deemed "Malfoy Manor."

The only thing I'd improve about the Sims is being able to name/select the Simworld characters, like neighbors and such. I don't want to have to play them (the hardest part is making/maintaining friends, imho), but I'd like them to be "familiar." It'd be nice if I could make Jade the mail person, or Robbie the cleaning lady (because the irony would be irresistible!), for instance.

I think I want to get additional fans for my computer. But there's no room for any more fans, that I can see. Does that mean it's not possible, or is there some way to add fans anyway?

Comments

[ropo.livejournal.com]

Dood, it'd rock if you could make Robbie the Worst Cleaning Lady Ever. Like, put my "clean" thing at zero then give me the cleaning job. It would be anarchy! Bwahahahaaaa!

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

LOL I wouldn't do that, because the whole point of the cleaning lady is to make my life easier!! It's too much work to have to make them clean, and do all the other crap they have to do to make them happy (see, it really does imitate real life). Thus, Robbie the Cleaning Lady would actually clean, which is where the irony comes in, see.

[ropo.livejournal.com]

I think it would be obvious by now that I wasn't put here to make your life easier, missy. Make me a non-cleaning cleaning lady! Wheeeeee!

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

This is all academic, anyway, as I can't actually do that. :)) I only wish I could.

[mynuet.livejournal.com]

I got a new fan for my computer. It's a box fan, and the installation consisted of opening the case and pointing the business end into the computer. It's working amazingly well, actually.

And I'll wait for the Bridgerton book. Maybe, since that one was disappointing, HBP will end up being really good to make up for it. *lives in delusions*

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

A box fan? Do you have a link to one, by any chance? I really need to cool down my computer, especially now when summer is approaching and my computer's getting a wee bit too warm.

HBP needs to be good to make up for OotP, imho.

I'm really hoping that Gregory Bridgerton's book will be good. I've always been curious about him, because he's the Bridgerton we know the least about.

[mynuet.livejournal.com]

Er, it looks like this, is normally used to cool off people, and I bought mine at Dollar General for $20. It's a very ghetto kind of workaround, but since it means my computer is still functioning in a house with the thermostat set at 80 and no time off, I'm happy with it.

And yeah, OotP is a lot to make up for. I'm trying to decide whether I feel up to reading it again before HBP.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

LJ is making me insane right now with its eating of my replies. GRRRR.

Anyway -- I've read of a number of people using your solution, actually, and I have considered it (I just wasn't sure if we were talking about the same thing). But I did some research on my CPU/case/motherboard, and it turns out that I can support at least three more case fans (which cost under $10 each). So I ordered them online, along with a better heatsink. Hopefully this will solve the heating issue.

As for OotP, I have thought about rereading it several times, but have never been able to bring myself to actually do it. But now that you bring it up, it probably would be a good idea to do so before reading HPB. Sigh.

[rainpuddle13.livejournal.com]

I bought the most recent Sims when it was all the rage and I ended up selling it on Ebay because I thought better of it. I didn't want to get addicted and just reading your post made me at least considering purchasing it again... Please tell me I don't need it.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Muah, you did the smart thing, since you probably got more for it than you'd have to pay now if you wanted to buy one.

No one needs the Sims. They're evil, and all your time will be sucked up playing it. But that doesn't mean it's not addictive and fun... :D

[juleet.livejournal.com]

Draco wanting "woohoo with Ginny" and "Panhandling for simoleons"

*ROTFL*

I need to get SIMS2 of my very own.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

You should, although at the same time you ought to warn your family and friends that they might not be hearing from you for awhile. All your free time will be taken up Simming!

[akscully.livejournal.com]

Start a house with me in it!

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I'm not sure there's a "socially adventurous" aspiration....

[akscully.livejournal.com]

Obviously you've never used the "romance" aspiration.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Hmm. That or popularity. No, I suppose romance is more fitting, what with the multiple lovers and jealous spats and what not. Do you have the Sims 2/a character named after me?? HMM?

Also, are you going to have Internet access ever again? Ever?

[akscully.livejournal.com]

I don't think I did. I don't have Sims installed on this computer. I'll get right on it. Too bad there's no "Anti-Social" aspiration. Or "Raging Bitca". I don't know how I'll adequately model you.

I came back home just now and my DSL is up! *weeps in happiness* Never leave me again, DSL. Never leave.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

:-l

You can do the anti-social and raging bitca stuff by putting my niceness to low and grumpiness to high. Then you'll see how hard it is to make me happy, YOU'LL SEE. It's tough being me.

OMG finally re: your DSL. Clearly you were being punished for thinking so ill of your friends.

[akscully.livejournal.com]

Haha, omg, I'm playing WoW and I feel like such a n00b. I'm so out of practice, I'm like, wait what does this do and oh, I can do that?

On the plus side, I think I have enough rested xp to get me all the way to 60.

[chillycoke.livejournal.com]

Haha I have Sims2 but I can't play it. My computer won't take it---even though no one uses that computer and it has tons of space--the game loads very slow. I was trying to create a Sims thing. I went to thesims.com and downloaded the burrow and hogwarts costume and got as far as to creating the Weasley family (though I couldn't make Bill and Charlie) but it was way tooo slow. I need to get a gaming chip or whatever it's called. Your Sims thing sounds hilarious.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Oh, a slow game isn't worth playing. Depending on your processor, you probably need either more RAM (most likely) and/or a better video card. There are times in the game when there are more than 5 Sims around, and it just lags insanely and makes me want to hurl my computer out the window. I don't think Sims 2 has the HP stuff yet, more's the pity. I had to create D&G on my own, with no Hogwarts clothes, and they live in your regular Muggle town. The real Draco would have a fit. :D

[chillycoke.livejournal.com]

Well it worked for me when I downloaded it off the website and i have sims2. It just was very slow. I think I should get a video card. thanks for the advice :D

[lissannej.livejournal.com]

Melissa's reading Hyacinth's book right now, too, and she said she's kinda disappointed as well. Woe. I'm not going to bother ordering it from Amazon, then (because of course, it isn't available here >_<) and wait until I'm there to pick it up. I didn't like Eloise's book much, either, but I loved Francesca's and I didn't think I would. Melissa said the best bits of IIHK is when the all the Bridgerton clan is there. Wonder if Gregory's will be any good?

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Glad to know it's not just me! I kept wondering if I was being too hard on it, and if so, why. But I think it's just not as strong as her other Bridgerton novels. I'd definitely wait until you're here rather than special ordering it. I had the same reactions as you all around -- I unexpectedly enjoyed Francesca's novel (I adore Michael), and Eloise's was just eh. But during reading, I actually enjoyed Eloise's more than Hyacinth's. Suffice it to say that neither of them are on my must-reread list.

There aren't that many bits where the whole clan is there, actually. In fact, they're never all there all at once, that I can remember. We never even see Colin, Benedict, Sophie, Simon, Francesca, Kate, Eloise, Phillip, or Michael. (I could be remembering wrong, but for sure you only get bits of the Bridgertons at a time.)

Anyway, I'm holding out great hope for Gregory, because it's the last of the series, and because I've tended to enjoy the male Bridgerton novels very much. It's also interesting because we don't know much about Gregory at all; which means his book could be a pleasant surprise like Francesca's (because I would say we didn't know much about her either), or it could be romance-by-numbers written, like Hyacinth's.

[lissannej.livejournal.com]

I adored Michael, too, much more than I thought I would. The last line of the book had me in tears, actually (although I was on the plane coming home, so that could have been a factor!). I'm disappointed both of you haven't liked the book as much as the others, so I'm with you -- I hope Gregory's rounds the series out with a bang! Given that like Francesca, we haven't seen a whole lot about him in previous books, we might get a great book! I hope so, anyway *g*

[kstanley.livejournal.com]

Heh! on the Sims. Although Sims2 was so annoyingly slow, I had to stop playing it after a month or so. Plus I got bored.

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Mine generally works okay now, except in some situations where there are tons of Sims around and then it slows to a crawl. It's sooo frustrating. I'm planning to install 2GB of RAM in the next few days, however, so that should clear up that problem. Not sure what kind of system you have, but it's definitely not worth playing if the game's slow ... and yeah, after a certain point, you just get done with them. Because you're basically doing the same things constantly. I think the enjoyment I get is from fashioning particular characters (like D&G), and being able to tell a 'story' through them. I have to experiment with the new Sims 2 story mode.

[seldon.livejournal.com]

1) When you need to add more fans, it's a sign that maybe you are going a little too far in your upgrading. =P

2) As you found out, yes, most cases support more than one fan, because companies taking care of getting rid of the heat of their own components is a thing of the past now that they can pass the buck to the consumer. *sigh* I can see myself in a few years... "In my days computers were much better, not like the pieces of trash you have today. Extra fans? In my days a good computer doubled as a desktop frying pan, and we liked it!"

3) Girls talking about fans and extra ram == HOT!

[sarea-okelani.livejournal.com]

1) LOL! This might still be true, but it's actually already too hot without me upgrading anything. The weather's just gotten really hot here, and where my motherboard monitor use to hover in the high 40s/low 50s, it's now gotten as high as 60C. The heat's just not dissipating as well as it should, and I think it's partially because when I built the system I went with a 'minimum requirement' heatsink, and I shouldn't have cut corners there.

2) Well that's sucky. :( But yeah, it's the plain truth that I've been having some performance issues with my machine lately, and everyone seems convinced it's a heat problem. Since buying more fans and a new heatsink cost me around $50, I figure it was a decent investment. And if heat's not the problem, well ... then I have way bigger issues. :-S

3) HAHA. (The extra RAM is actually for a new laptop I just got. But I thought that having extra RAM meant that I would be working my system less -- is that not true?? Will it get even hotter?? Oh, NO.)