After a busy stretch at the office, and with both my newly-improved paycheck and Wendi’s double-gig-weekend payday coming, we decided that tomorrow should be a day off. We’re going to run errands, then we’re going to take the rugrats down to the Family Fun Center in Wilsonville. We checked it out on Sunday (we played minigolf, actually) and enjoyed it enough to want to go back during the week when it might be just a smidge less crowded.

I still have to show up for the department heads meeting at 8:00, and at 10:00 the Spring book Maximiser data gets released. *sigh* So I can’t leave until after that’s installed. Then we run to Future Dreams for the comics, and to the bank to set up my account. (I get my own debit card so that I can’t possibly screw up the family finances whenever I go out to lunch or something. This way I can pay my Future Dreams and Northwest Link monthly bills on my own, yay!)

In other news, I just finished burning and labelling the six CD-ROMs of anime music videos I promised my sister as a wedding present. I’ll package them up for mailing tomorrow morning while I wait for the Maximiser data to be released.

At least I’ll get most of a day off, dammit.

I’ve been playing more Diablo II again lately. I cannot resist the temptation to reach that “one more” level or waypoint or completed quest.

My current focus is on Barak, my werebear Druid. As of this weekend, he’s one of the only characters with which I’ve killed Diablo in solo play. (Yes, I’m a great big wuss. Quell surprise.)

We invited the Bourgos over last night for gaming and general family chaos. Amy and Michael and Wendi and I tried to remember what our “group-game” Diablo II characters were, then tried to remember how to play D2 effectively as a foursome. We made a lot of progress into Act 3 Normal, but Michael and I are chafing at the long wait ahead of us before we can use our best skills. (A werewolf Druid and a Javezon are both nearly useless until at least level 30, when Fury and Lightning Fury become available respectively.)

I suggested that we should get our best-of-the-best-of-the-best-sir characters from our respective homes for a superstar romp through Act V or maybe the Cow level. We’ll see what happens with that, as well as Michael’s idea to bring over his wheel for some head-to-head Need For Speed V competition. (Some challenge that will be. His wheel versus my gamepad should be no contest at all!)

Ah, I love multiplayer gaming. Who says that computer games cut us off from social interaction? “Hey, I wanted that amulet, you @#$%!” “Geez, stop hogging all the (gold, gems, runes)!” “Argh, I’m *#^%ing dying over here, help!” “Where are you guys?” “Would someone throw me a Town Portal please?”

Sure, tomorrow is Independence Day. Whoop-dee-doo. Today is my sister’s birthday!

Happy birthday to you
Dressed in Navy blue
Quarter-century old now
And we’re so proud of you!

Send Christine Ball your best birthday wishes at birthdaygirl@greyduck.net. (Note: This email alias will disappear in a couple of days to foil spambots.)

If you can read this (which may be one of the more inane phrases in the entire English language) then I’m happily back online and on my new server. There are still a few little quirks to work out, but for the most part things are under my control once again.

Yay!