I’ve been sucked into Kingdom Hearts thoroughly and against my will, but, nevertheless, it’s happened.

I think it’s a combination of the familiar characters and my own problem-solving nature that requires me to finish puzzles at all costs. Regardless of the original cause, it’s got me in its grasp and I’m having a good time not trying to escape.

The only issue I’ve really found so far is that some of the puzzles you have to solve are a little on the obtuse side (as they tend to be in these games), so I’ve gone to GameFAQs and printed off a FAQ/walkthrough on it so I can get a little help when I get stuck.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, one of my least favorite holidays. Why do I hate it so? Well, let’s see… First (and foremost), I hate turkey. Hate it. And the turkey lovers out there are looking at me now like, “How could anyone hate turkey?” Well, look at it this way - there are foods that you don’t like, too, but nobody harasses you about them, so you can leave me the hell alone about it. I’m not a big ham person, either, so that’s not an adequate substitute. Second, now that Jenn’s around, I’ve got to try to split my rather limited and harried time between two families who love to plan things that occur at the same time. Finally, I’m not much for the “large family gathering.” Not that I don’t love my family, but when we get together in large groups, I get to repeat the same answers to the same questions over and over and over. I don’t have “anything new” to tell you, folks. If you want to know what’s going on, read this blog. That’s what I’m doing. I write it down so I don’t have to tell you.

“What,” you may ask, “do you mean by that?” Well, here’s the typical conversation between me and every single one of the family members attending Thanksgiving (I’ll put my internal thoughts in square brackets…):

Relative: Hey, what’s new with you?

Me: Nothing. I still have a job and I haven’t won the lottery. [Do you READ the blog? And if there was anything of real note, don’t you think I’d have called or something?]

Relative: How’s work? They keeping you busy over there?

Me: It’s a job, not much I can say beyond that. [My job is way too technical to explain to you. I can’t explain it to my boss, who knows generally what I do, so how could I even go about it here? Maybe when you finish those beginning Windows classes we’ll talk.]

Relative: So when are you getting married, eh?

Me: That hasn’t been discussed as yet but if and/or when it ever does, you’ll be on the list of “first people to know.” [Look, shitheimer, I don’t appreciate you belittling my feelings by patronizing me with the wink and the nudge. Besides which, the whole thing is none of your business and has nothing to do with you, so fuck off. If I was armed, you’d be shot full of holes by now.]

Relative: Okay.

Me: …

Relative: I’d better go check on that turkey.

Rinse and repeat. I’m not kidding - there could be three people, all sitting next to each other on the couch, and each one of them will strike this shit up with me in turn. Verbatim. Because God forbid I have the ability to answer questions once and call it a day.

“But they’re just interested in you and showing concern for your well being,” you might say. To that, I say, “Too fucking bad.”

This whole thing repeats itself at Christmas and Easter, too, so one would think people would learn.

Maybe I have holiday issues.

It’s just a big ball of stress and I don’t like it and I don’t want to have to deal with it. But I’m never given that choice, and I always have to concede to everyone else’s wishes, when I figure, it’s my holiday, too. Maybe people should concede to me every once in a while.

I’ll let you know when it happens.