Smith mountain lake rentals

# Today In Phishstory - June 8th Brought to you by tiph-bot. Beep.
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Phish

Phish, Friday 06/08/2012 (11 years ago) DCU Center, Worcester, MA, USA
Gap Chart, Tour: 2012 Early Summer Tour
Set 1 : Free , Kill Devil Falls , Roses Are Free > Theme From the Bottom > Axilla > Julius , Bouncing Around the Room , Maze , Bathtub Gin
Set 2 : Down with Disease ¹ > Sand -> Nellie Kane , Mike's Song > Makisupa Policeman ² > Weekapaug Groove , Wading in the Velvet Sea , Also Sprach Zarathustra , Character Zero
Encore : The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg
1 Unfinished. 2 Keyword was "Sour Diesel."
Jamchart Notes:
Roses Are Free - A very nice melodic jam that turns dark develops as "Roses" proper is winding down.
Julius - Proving again that less is more (at least for "Julius"), Trey's nimble, amped-down playing provides interesting texture, and creates better suspension awaiting the inevitable re-build.
Bathtub Gin - In a bit of a nod to the old, pre-August '93 days, the jam begins with decelerating tempo and downward sloping melodies. At 7:30, the jam shifts into the more familiar, uptempo "modern" "Gin" jam. Cool version. Check out 11/16/91 if you doubt.
Also Sprach Zarathustra - Stellar 3.0 version. Trey's delicate soloing is inspired and fresh and Page fills in all the right gaps. Simply gorgeous.
Show Notes:
Mike teased Sundown in Bathtub Gin. Down with Disease was unfinished. Makisupa's keyword was "Sour Diesel." 2001 contained Sand teases from Fish and Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine and Mike's Song teases from Trey.
Listen now at Phish.in!
Phish, Wednesday 06/08/2011 (12 years ago) Darien Lake, Darien Center, NY, USA
Gap Chart, Tour: 2011 Early Summer Tour
Set 1 : Nellie Kane , Mellow Mood , Buffalo Bill , Kill Devil Falls , Wolfman's Brother , Rift , Undermind , Ride Captain Ride , It's Ice > Dog Faced Boy , Brian and Robert > 46 Days , Limb By Limb , Character Zero
Set 2 : Golden Age > Mike's Song > Fast Enough for You > Weekapaug Groove , What's the Use? > Theme From the Bottom > Backwards Down the Number Line > Also Sprach Zarathustra > Harry Hood
Encore : Good Times Bad Times
Jamchart Notes:
Weekapaug Groove - "Golden Age" teases are followed by a nice funky breakdown jam with great Page and Mike. At the end, Trey sustains a note which carries into "What's The Use."
Also Sprach Zarathustra - "Golden Age," "Happy Birthday," and "WTU?" teases worked in perfectly, along with a serious syncopated throwdown, make this one a must hear. Play this to impress others.
Harry Hood - A very solid jam, building from start to end, and thus in good company with 5/6/90, 11/30/95, 2/18/97, 8/8/98, and 11/27/09.
Show Notes:
Weekapaug contained Golden Age teases. Also Sprach Zarathustra contained Golden Age, Happy Birthday and What's the Use? teases. In the soundcheck (which was played on Kevin Shapiro's From the Archives #15(b) show on 7/1/11 from SBIX ), Funky Bitch contained alternate lyrics, Dream On contained a brief Stairway to Heaven tease and "Old Zealand" alternate lyrics, and The Pendulum had Two Princes quotes.
Listen now at Phish.in!
Phish, Thursday 06/08/1995 (28 years ago) The Delta Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Gap Chart, Tour: 1995 Summer Tour
Set 1 : Don't You Want To Go? , Ha Ha Ha > Runaway Jim > Guelah Papyrus , Mound , Fast Enough for You , Reba ¹ , Prince Caspian ² , Chalk Dust Torture
Set 2 : Simple > Rift > Free > Bouncing Around the Room > Tweezer -> Lifeboy > Poor Heart > Julius
Encore : Good Times Bad Times
1 No whistling. 2 Debut.
Jamchart Notes:
Runaway Jim - After some "Third Stone From The Sun" (Hendrix) teases from Trey, this one gets out beyond the norm.
Prince Caspian - Debut includes a short instrumental bridge. The ending jam section and closing chords were added in 1996.
Tweezer - Another wacky "type II" version that is worth hearing if you're an aficionado of Phish improv.
Show Notes:
Runaway Jim contained Third Stone from the Sun teases. Reba did not have the whistling ending. This show marked the debut of Prince Caspian. Page teased The Sabre Dance in Tweezer. This gig was originally scheduled for the outdoor Wolf Mountain Amphitheatre in Park City; due to a late spring snowstorm, the day before the show took place it was moved to the indoor Delta Center.
Listen now at Phish.in!
Phish, Friday 06/08/1990 (33 years ago) 23 East Cabaret, Ardmore, PA, USA
Gap Chart, Tour: 1990 Tour
Set 1 : Foam > Bouncing Around the Room > You Enjoy Myself > Divided Sky , Uncle Pen , The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony > Suzy Greenberg > Run Like an Antelope
Set 2 : Possum , My Sweet One > Bathtub Gin > Tweezer , I Didn't Know ¹ , Mike's Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove
1 Fish on trombone.
Show Notes:
I Didn't Know featured Fish on trombone.
Listen now at Phish.in!
Phish, 1989-06-08 The Quad, Hobart College, Geneva, NY, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/phish-june-08-1989-the-quad-hobart-college-geneva-ny-usa.html
Tour: 1989 Tour
Show Notes: Phish played an outdoor party, complete with a beer moat. One fan in attendance recalls hearing Peaches en Regalia, as well as a Zeppelin cover (possibly Good Times Bad Times).

Trey Anastasio

Trey Anastasio Band, 2003-06-08 Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, VT, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/trey-anastasio-june-08-2003-memorial-auditorium-burlington-vt-usa.html
Tour: TAB - The Dectet Summer 2003 Tour
Show Notes: This was a headlining performance of the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival. The Unknown Blues Band opened, with special guest Joey Sommerville.
Trey Anastasio Band, 2002-06-08 Deer Creek, Noblesville, IN, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/trey-anastasio-june-08-2002-deer-creek-music-center-noblesville-in-usa.html
Tour: TAB - The Dectet Summer 2002 Tour
Show Notes:
Vermont Jazz All-Stars, 1999-06-08 Higher Ground, Winooski, VT, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/trey-anastasio-june-08-1999-higher-ground-winooski-vt-usa.html
Tour: Not Part of a Tour
Show Notes:

John Fishman

Jazz Mandolin Project, 2004-06-08 The Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/jon-fishman-june-08-2004-the-fox-theatre-boulder-co-usa.html
Tour: Fish - Jazz Mandolin Project Summer 2004 Tour
Show Notes:

Page McConnell

Page McConnell, 2007-06-08 The Orange Peel, Asheville, NC, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/page-mcconnell-june-08-2007-the-orange-peel-asheville-nc-usa.html
Tour: Page McConnell Spring & Summer 2007 Tour
Show Notes: After "Maid Marian," Page gave a shout out to the people at the Moog Factory and then followed up with a short demonstration of his Moog.

Other

Anastasio, Gordon & Masefield, 1993-06-08 WVPS Studios, Burlington, VT, USA
Setlist: https://phish.net/setlists/guest-appearance-june-08-1993-wvps-studios-burlington-vt-usa.html
Tour: Not Part of a Tour
Show Notes: This performance for Vermont Public Radio featured Trey on guitar, Mike on bass and Jamie Masefield on mandolins. There is no known setlist or circulating recording.

I’ve got a Hawaiian vacation coming up in a couple months. This will very likely be the only nice trip I’ll ever take so I really want to go all out. I’ve got a GoPro hero 11 for all the videos and underwater stuff, but I’m looking for a camera to get all the landscapes and scenery. I’ve never used a nice camera tho. I have several days dedicated to just exploring and taking pictures.
I considered getting a camera that is $200 or less it then I kind of figured renting a nice one would be better. The big thing is I want to get all the mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and volcanoes and such.
It would be nice to get high res pictures of a few close up things as well like people and flowers but the higher priority is landscapes.
I’ve come up with a rental for a Nikon z7ii with an included Nikon z 14-24mm f/2.8 s and NiSi 112mm ND 1.8 filter (I have no idea what the filter is for). All for around $650 for 3 weeks.
I assume I can use it without the lens to take good high res close ups like portraits and flowers, and the 14-24mm would be for all the landscapes.
Is there anything else I should consider instead? Am I totally going the wrong direction? Any input at all is appreciated.

The Canadian Rockies, a majestic mountain range in western Canada, captivate with their awe-inspiring beauty and natural wonders. Known for their towering peaks, pristine lakes, and abundant wildlife, they attract talented individuals from around the world seeking inspiration and connection to nature. With their vast landscapes and diverse ecosystems, the Rockies serve as a global hub, bringing together people from various backgrounds and cultures. It is a place where creativity flourishes, ideas converge, and individuals form lasting bonds, making the Canadian Rockies a truly talented, connected, and worldwide destination.

There's a little residential pocket north of lougheed and below Broadway below the golf course. Does the neighborhood have a name?

Hey guys so the Adventures in Escann campaign is looking for more players to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. There are multiple DMs on the server running sessions at different times and days so we have plenty of seats at the table. If you're interested read below and click the link!
Our adventure takes place in a living world, a shared campaign setting with multiple DMs. Over time the world will change and develop in response to and in spite of the players actions. Sign up for sessions at times that fit your schedule, meeting new members of your party with each adventure. We're celebrating our 2-year anniversary and soft rebooting with a 25-year-timeskip. Everyone's making new 3rd level characters so now is the perfect time to join! Still in ruin from the Greentide invasion from the Serpentspine Mountains, then nearly overtaken by an skeleton horde and it's Undead Dragon. Escann has since been a land in recovery. Taranton, Escann’s most populous city and unrivaled multicultural hub, has almost found its footing in this reawakening frontier — but it will be the strength of this generation’s adventurers that decides whether the land will come into its own or fall back into chaos at the hands of insidious actors. Will Escann give up her mysteries? The ancient court capital of a once grand empire, long-thought sunk beneath the waves of lake Silvermere, has been found with its tallest spires stubbornly refusing to sink beneath the surface — and adventurers are needed to explore it. Will Escann survive her perils? Ambitious Orcish chiefs compete for power, and Escann’s fledgling settlements are under constant threat by roaming mindless undead. Only adventurers stand between prosperity and ruin. Explore the world of Halann created by writer Jay Bean. Enjoy a flexible schedule of sessions across different time zones, with Dungeon Masters in the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. Leave your permanent impact on this living, breathing world. Fill out this application to join: https://forms.gle/YhbTcc6BjaQUq8ta9

BACKGROUND
Long story short I spent 8 years on the West Coast holding increasingly important positions in the energy industry, but I hated it with every fiber of my being. I started taking nursing prerequisite courses in January of 2020. Family trauma happened. I moved home to Texas to be closer to my family, quit my job (was making ~$130k with bonus), and took the plunge and went to back to school for nursing at 31. I am half way done with an accelerated BSN program and I have a 4.0 GPA. I love it so much despite it being very difficult. I have externship currently and I have an ICU internship lined up for my final semester, which is basically a guaranteed new grad job.
I currently live with my mom and brother. We are remodeling our house so we are in an apartment for a bit. Very tight quarters but thankful to be with them. Boyfriend just successfully made a big career move and is now a superintendent for an important and well respected organization in town making $60k annually with a 8% bonus. Very proud of him and very excited for our future - we are talking about getting engaged in the next year. He is getting an apartment in the next couple months after living at home with his family due to some major family health issues he has been helping out with so you will see some of the apartment search start to happen in this diary!
Currently boyfriend and I split going out expenses pretty much down the line, but with this new job we had a discussion last week about how he will pay for the majority of our going out costs moving forward once he gets his first paycheck this month until I start working full time again in January!
Previous money diary from August 2022 here.
ASSETS (comparing last money diary to now):
​

	August 2022	June 2023	Difference
401k	$156,400	$158,600	$2,200
Roth IRA	$68,000	$68,500	(500)
Saving's account	$41,001.43	$26,572.63	($14,428.81)
Checking Account	$3,024.58	$915.41	($2,109)
HSA	$8,800	$7,100	($1,700)
Brokerage	$440	$444	$4
UGMA	$85,000	$84,000	($1,000)
Pension	forgot to include	$27,000	N/A

NET WORTH: $373k
**I don’t carry any credit card debt / no student loan debt / no equity in any kind of home. I was lucky enough to be in a position where I saved up over $40k cash to pay for living expenses when in school. My UGMA account will be used as part of a down payment for a house in the next couple years. My current BSN degree is being covered through family. Also, trying to figure out what to do with my pension - depending how finances go the next 8 months I am in school / if I have any emergencies (I have 2 senior pets) I could cash part of it out or completely roll it over into an IRA.
INCOME
Income Progression: I worked in the energy industry for 8 years; my starting salary was $35,000.
I worked in the Seattle area starting out at $35k in 2014. Moved to a new job in 2016 for $65k and then another new job in 2018 for $85k +12% bonus. Got up to $104k + 20% bonus before I quit. Also worked as a CNA on the weekends for about 6 months for $15 an hour during COVID to make sure I really wanted to go to nursing school.
Main Job Monthly Take Home: It varies but the average so far this year it is $535. I have an incredibly flexible externship at a hospital very close to where I live where my director literally just lets me show up whenever I want to work. I make $17 an hour. I met a couple incredible mentors but I think I am going to quit soon since it just won’t be feasible to work this semester and I already have my ICU internship lined up for September. Trying to be easier on myself and put myself first and I feel very lucky that I don’t need to work. Don’t get me wrong the extra money is SO NICE but I want to concentrate on school, myself, family, partner, and friends. Work on top of an accelerated nursing program is too much. I am actually the only one working in my cohort currently.
Any Other Monthly Income Here: I live with my mom right now and she pays for most of the groceries, utilities, etc. I feel incredibly privileged and lucky that I can live with her and that she is able to support me in this way while I transition careers. I do lots for her to support her such as chores, errands, paying for big Costco runs, etc. My boyfriend also helps out with pet expenses and other things I want / need.
MONTHLY EXPENSES

• Rent: $400 to my mom for a very discounted rate at our current apartment. I don’t pay rent when we are at the house. I will not be paying rent when I semi-move in with my boyfriend in the next couple months. Our goal is to get our own luxury apartment next year close to both of our places of employment after a year lease at a cheaper place. Between now and then I’ll split my time with him and my mom.
• Cellphone: $15 (on family plan & I just pay for additional data)
• Spotify: $5.40 (student plan)
• iCloud: $2.99
• Prime: $8.11
• Gym membership: $20
• Regular therapy: $5 a session and I go biweekly
• Health insurance: $122.54 monthly
• Costco: $60 annually

I allocate the following to my biggest expense categories monthly:

• Gas: $120
• Groceries: $300
• Eating out: $400
• Pet expenses: $200
• Other discretionary spending: $400

WEDNESDAY - DAY 1
8:45: I slept 10 hours last night and it was glorious. I worked a 12 hour shift at the hospital yesterday and our patient acuity was very high.
9:30: Make a coffee and walk and feed my pup. I walk over to the pool for a morning swim. I love a quiet morning swim so much.
11:30: I had a nice 500 yd swim, drank a Premier Protein shake & ate overnight oats with blueberries for breakfast, had a relaxing shower, and started some laundry. Feeling anxious about everything I have on my plate currently. Also I feel hungover from work yesterday. I was going to work another 12 hour shift tomorrow but now I don’t know if I can handle it with school also starting on Friday and a very busy social weekend coming up. Luckily, my director literally lets me show up whenever I want so I may do 7 or 8 hours tomorrow instead of a full 12. Try to table my feelings to discuss in therapy this afternoon.
11:40: Sit down to finish some online orientation for my internship that is coming up my final semester.
13:03: Orientation stuff only took about 20 minutes thank god. I ran to the grocery store and grab a 4 pack of watermelon Celsius, frozen veggies, Eggo waffles, tea bags, string cheese, coffee filters, Wheat Thins, and lean ground beef ($37.01). Head up to the rooftop lounge at the apartment complex to FaceTime a friend that lives across the country since there is zero privacy in the apartment.
14:15: Get off FaceTime, work on some more laundry, and head out to therapy.
16:15: Good, productive, fun, and validating therapy session and I make it over to my friend’s condo to check on her kitties. I had set up a reoccurring biweekly therapy appointment now that I know my school schedule for the upcoming semester too. We talked about money fixation and anxiety and trying to let that go. We agree that I should sleep in a bit tomorrow, walk my dog, go for a swim, and then go to work. I don’t ~need~ the money so working 12 hours vs 7 or 8 is not an issue. My mental health is more important. Also the work hangover from yesterday is real.
17:00: Boyfriend comes over after work and jumps in the shower while I’m a couch potato (Disclaimer: he’s friends with my friend too and she’s 100% comfortable with him hanging out too.) We relax and hang with the kitties and catch up on our days.
18:45: We head to dinner. We grab burritos at one of our favorite local spots and I pay ($25.88). We look at houses for fun on Zillow and discuss what apartments we want to tour in the next couple weeks.
20:00: I make it home and have a long talk with my mom about her friend who ended up in the hospital today with a compound fracture. Long story short I’ll need to stay up until midnight to hand off the house keys, garage door opener, etc. to a friend who is driving into town that can take care of her dog. Her dog is a pit bull that is vicious to strangers so no one else can go over to the house other than this friend who pet sits and knows the dog.
23:30: The friend makes it and we hand him the keys and everything he needs. I had spent the evening tidying up and meal prepping and looking at more apartments. It’s amazing to me how much time goes into keeping a clean and tidy home.
12:08: I spent a half hour setting up my June budget and then pass out.
TOTAL: $62.89
THURSDAY - DAY 2
9:05: I finally wake up to a bunch of texts from multiple different friends / friend groups. Ugh. I’m just feeling really anxious about school starting tomorrow, my mom being very distraught over her colleague / friend, working today, and a busy weekend coming up. I make some coffee and walk my pup.
9:33: I call my mom while feeding my pup breakfast and tell her how I’m feeling and we both agreed I ran around too much last semester and I told her I am setting firm boundaries with myself to basically not do anything social during the school week once clinical start (Monday - Thursday) unless it’s like a super casual dinner and I truly have the capacity for it. I burned myself out at the end of last semester and spent weeks putting the pieces back together.
9:55: I make another cup of coffee and take myself for a morning swim. It brings me so much joy and grounds me. I swim 500 yards and then jump into the shower, throw my scrubs on, kiss my pup goodbye and head to the hospital. I drink a chocolate Primer Protein shake and call my friend L on the way to hear how her trip has been going so far. It was nice to catch up even though we saw each other over the weekend lol.
10:54: Ate my overnight oats made with half and half and some blueberries, clocked in, and headed out to the floor. Immediately get asked to be a sitter which literally never happens. Thank you universe. Feeling a little less anxious now that I’m here and feeling thankful for the little bit of extra money I’m making and being here for my community.
14:04: Maybe not thank you universe - the patient slept for a while then got extremely combative and was trying to punch me. I switch off with a coworker and head to the break room to eat a bowl I made with frozen veggies + rotisserie chicken from Costco + cheddar cheese on top.
19:09: I finally clock out. I had a snack of 2 rice cakes and some almonds at one point. Rest of work was wild (i.e. a psychotic patient that pulled out his IV and was throwing things everywhere, someone screaming in pain for hours nonstop, etc.) and had me questioning what I am doing making this career change. I am tired.
19:49: I make it home after swinging by L’s to check on her kitties. Jump in the shower. My mom has dinner ready and I scarf down this gorgeous basil, mozzarella, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and olive salad + a couple Trader Joe’s dolmas + a couple pieces of fresh bread. Delicious. I force myself to get my food and my school bag ready for tomorrow and lay my scrubs out before I crawl into bed a little after 9.
TOTAL: $0
FRIDAY - DAY 3
06:22: Alarm goes off and I roll out of bed and take my pup for a nice walk. Give him breakfast / shower / throw on my scrubs / pack my lunch / give the pup a big kiss goodbye and I am out the door a little after 7:00.
07:47: I get to school and I am NOT feeling it lol. I stopped at Costco for gas on my way ($20.67) and I also swung by a very Texas niche store that sells all kinds of beef jerky my brother really likes to grab some for his birthday coming up ($17.98).
10:00: Class is boring - it’s tough getting back into it with an 8 hour cardiac lecture. It’s good to see my friends but struggle is real. I run into my favorite professor and she makes my morning. I tell her all about my upcoming internship and my boyfriend’s new job and she was stoked and told me to “lock him down” hahaha. I also make 2 phone calls to apartment complexes we are interested in cause my boyfriend doesn’t get great reception at work during business hours. One place doesn’t have any current availability but the lady was so nice and will be sending me a virtual tour later today. Schedule another tour on Monday afternoon.
11:30: We break for lunch and I eat the same thing as yesterday - rotisserie chicken + frozen veggies + cheddar cheese.
12:30: Spend the afternoon in class completely unable to concentrate. The professor is throwing ECG rhythms around left and right. 8 hours of ECG lecture is NOT a productive way to learn the material. I work on a couple study guides during class cause I cannot.
3:30: We get out a little early and I rush to meet my mom for a walk through of the house. I follow her back to her office because I sent a big Chewy order there. Pick up the box along with a Diet Coke, order us Cava for dinner, pick up Cava, check on my friends cats on my way home real quick, and then have a shower and relax. Mom pays for Cava and I thank her multiple times.
7:00: We eat dinner all together when everyone is eventually home (harissa avocado bowl for me!) and then my boyfriend calls right when I head out to walk my dog. Perfect. I miss him and have been having anxiety around our new schedules. We have a good 30 minute chat about our days before I spend the evening basically doing nothing. I chat with my family and mess around on my phone. Text boyfriend about different apartments.
22:44: Bed time after I brush and floss my teeth. I’m zonked from the week.
TOTAL: $38.65
SATURDAY - DAY 4
08:30: I’m awake! Did not sleep well at all cause thunderstorms. My pup is deathly afraid and will not stop shaking for hours so I end up sleeping on the couch on and off. We were up and down all night but somehow I feel okay. We go for a quick walk, feed him, and start a load of whites in the washer.
09:08: I have a shower, and then I head out to get my family coffee from one of our favorite spots.
10:45: Make it back home with 2 cold brews for my brother and I and a latte for mom. I also picked up 5 breakfast tacos and a German chocolate cake for Sunday dinner tomorrow ($56.24). I eat a bean and cheese taco and a potato and egg taco, start some laundry, and put air in my tires with my home compressor since my low air light has been on in my car for an embarrassing amount of time. Brother needs air in his tires too so turns into a production lol.
12:18: Spent a couple hours putzing around dealing with the tires and more laundry and packing a bag for tonight. We are headed to the lake for a friend’s bday party and I have no clue what I want to wear so I pack a lot of options and clothes for church tomorrow morning too. Now it’s time to drive around for a little bit and check out some potential apartments and do a small Target run.
14:02: I make it home from apartment cruising and my Target run. I bought a 3 subject notebook, tire pressure gauge with valve caps included, two bags of frozen veggies, mini coke zeros, and a bag of Lesser Evil popcorn ($21.50). I was so tempted to stop for lunch on my way home but lines were long everywhere so I made myself some cheesy eggs + 2 Eggo waffles when I got home. Put the valve cap on my tire that is missing one.
14:36: Make it to L’s condo and clean up after the cats and start the Roomba. Boyfriend texts that he is out of work and on his way over! He’s been up since 4 am this morning for work and I am feeling some type of way with everything on my plate / anxiety so we will see how long we make it tonight lol.
15:30: S is showered and we are out the door!
16:30: We make it to the rental, change into our bathing suits, and walk down to the river.
19:00: We hang out in the river for a good 2.5 hours. It was a good time - nice to chat with my school friends and their partners. Boyfriend and I head out before the real partying starts lol.
20:00: We eat dinner at this cute Tex Mex place. Boyfriend has some kind of alcoholic mixed drink and we share a fajita for 2 plate. Boyfriend pays - it was $70.56 with tip. I drive us back because he does not like to drive even after one drink which I am 100% here for. We are so tired lol.
21:15: Make it back to L’s condo and we take a hot shower and get into bed in the guest bedroom. It takes forever for us to both fall asleep.
TOTAL: $77.74
SUNDAY - DAY 5
6:50: Oh boy neither of us slept well. There was another thunderstorm. One of the cats was yowling nonstop outside our door. The ceiling fan was clanking on and off. The bed was way too soft. Up and down again all night for a second night in a row for me lol.
8:11: I’m showered and we are both dressed and we head out to one of our favorite taquerias for breakfast. I get 2 bean and cheese tacos and one machacado + egg taco. Boyfriend also gets 3 tacos and we both get coffee. We sit and chat for a while until it was time to go to church. I pay on the way out ($22.98 with tip).
11:40: After an hour of church and an hour meeting for a committee I’m on - I’m wiped out. Still have a house walk through to do with my family and boyfriend so I head over there and we are there for about an hour.
13:10: Finally made it home, walked my pup, and made myself a late lunch of Dave’s Killer bread toast + peanut butter + banana.
13:54: A girlfriend calls and asks if I want to get a pedicure this afternoon. We decide to get dinner together on Thursday instead. I’m actually very touched she called me because we are friends through another friend and normally don’t get together just the two of us. I’m really happy she reached out. I also invite one of my friends from school - I have been wanting them to meet for a while.
14:30: Nap timeeeee! I knock out for an hour then realize how thirsty I am and how badly I need to get out of the apartment. I get up, take the pup for a spin with my brother, and head to Sonic to get a large diet cherry limeade and then head to L’s condo to check on the kitties and chill ($3.34).
18:00: I spent a couple hours chilling on the internet - working on my google calendar, school organization, church emails, reviewing some apartments we may drive by tomorrow, and I download the remaining episodes of season 1 of Nurse Jackie to watch tonight. I had bought the complete first season over a month ago and still haven’t watched it all lol. That’s how little I watch tv.
20:00: We had bibimbap for dinner and German chocolate cake for dessert. Delicious. I clean up the dishes and do more laundry because that’s my life between school, work, working out, having 2 hairy pets, etc. Unpack my bags from the river day and sleepover last night too. Chat with my family.
22:00: Crawl into bed and watch some Nurse Jackie before passing out.
TOTAL: $26.32
MONDAY - DAY 6
7:33: I slept better but still tossed and turned. Still just anxious with everything going on, especially the start of another intense semester.
8:47: Pup is fed and walked. I open the windows because it is 68 degrees which is unheard of in June in south Texas.
10:06: I ended up doing a deep clean of my room hahah. Wiped down and vacuumed every surface. So much hair. My pup is shedding so bad. I change my bedding and toss my comforter in the wash. Thank goodness I have 2 sets of sheets now. I had only 1 for the longest time lol. I take a break and eat some Greek yogurt + pecans + banana + drizzle of honey.
11:03: I vacuumed the common areas in the apartment, took a long shower, and I’m dressed and ready for my boyfriend to pick me up. I felt like being cute today so I put on this new leather skirt from Alice + Olivia my boyfriend got me as a present that I haven’t worn yet + a white crop top + my cheetah old skool Vans. I’m so tired though lololol. This is one of the only Mondays we both have off for the foreseeable future so I am gonna rally and make the most of it!
11:15: Boyfriend is so tired too bahah. We go grab coffees at this cute little coffee shop I’ve been wanting to check out. I get a cortado. Boyfriend gets an iced caramel almond milk latte and I treat ($11.82 with tip). We sit and chill and map out what apartments we want to check out today.
12:30: Walk across the street to grab Tex Mex for lunch at a pretty famous place in town. I get the enchilada plate and boyfriend gets a chicken quesadilla plate. He pays and it is $27.89 with tip.
1:30: Go for our first apartment tour of the day and it is depressing. We drive around and check out the other apartments we are I interested in and then go on one more tour at a place that we are really impressed by. It’s $1.3k or so for a 500 sq ft one bedroom and that’s a stretch. Ideally he wants the base rent to be $1,000 or less which is quite doable. Yet again - south Texas prices for the win. He is looking at older buildings, but they are well kept up and in good neighborhoods. They are not in the hottest places to be in town, but definitely still nice.
16:00: We go back to L’s condo and chill and take care of the kitties. Discuss the apartments and ask my brother if he wants to get dinner with us and he agrees.
18:00: We head back to my apartment, pick up my brother, and head to dinner. We order a large caesar salad, an arugula and sausage pizza, and a mushroom and pepperoni pizza. This spot does $10 two topping pizzas on Monday and it slaps. I treat my boyfriend and brother to dinner ($48.01 with tip).
20:00: Home and boyfriend walks my pup with me. Brother makes us both tea and we have a nice cup of tea and chat until boyfriend heads home. I put together my breakfast and lunch tomorrow and then lay down to chill and have some quiet time.
22:30: Bed time! First day of critical care didactic is tomorrow and I am feeling mostly excited.
TOTAL: $59.82
TUESDAY - DAY 7
6:22: My alarm goes off and wakes me from a deep sleep. I finally slept a good 8 hours though!
7:10: I am showered and throw on some black Lululemon Align leggings and a swiftly tech tee. I was gonna wear real pants but screw that haha. I am really dragging this morning.
7:50: Make it to school and lecture starts at 8. Honestly - that lecture could have been given in 45 minutes but we spent the first 2 hours simply going over the schedule and clarifying assignments since everything is such a disorganized hot mess at the beginning of the semester.
10:05: We take a break and call a fellow church congregation member to see if we want to meet today to tour an organization that supports people immigrating. We are debating if we want to allocate church donation funds to them. We agree to meet at the location at 1:30.
12:41: We are done with class and I stayed a bit after to start making my study guide for our first test even though it isn’t for 5 weeks. I realize the time and quickly pack up and go heat up my lunch. Chat with an MSN student who I had met in orientation for my internship a couple weeks ago and he expressed his frustration about how the start of this semester is rough for him too.
2:38: We finish our tour and we are very impressed at the clean and organized operation. We agree to each write our own follow up email to the rest of the group before the end of the day supplying the church donating.
3:30: I make some jasmine tea and have some quiet time when I get home before starting on some dosage calculation problems that are due on Friday.
5:45: I end up spending almost 2.5 hours on homework - dosage calculations, an article summary, and start on a medication sheet. Ouch. I lay down for 20 minutes, take my pup out, and then head out to meet my friend for dinner at Cava.
6:30: I get the lemon chicken bowl and pita chips ($13.69) and we sit and chat for a 1.5 hours. We just saw each other a couple weeks ago, but so much to catch up on.
20:00: We agree to go on a double date in the next couple weeks and I head home. I walk my pup with my mom and brother, pack my gym bag and my food for tomorrow, write my follow up emails from today’s visit to the church committee, and relax in bed.
TOTAL: $13.69
TALLY OF DAILY EXPENSES:

• Food + Drink: $240.36
• Fun / Entertainment: $0
• Home + Health: $0
• Clothes + Beauty: $0
• Transport: $30.67
• Other: $17.98

TOTAL EXPENSES: $279.11
REFLECTION
I spent quite a bit on going out to eat this week with my boyfriend, family, and friends. It was the end of my school break and boyfriend is transitioning to a new job so we were a bit out of whack with spending on food. Usually we eat at home with our families more, but it was nice to go out and enjoy ourselves too. It was a super busy week for me too - which is the norm lately. I have a great community and social life here compared to the West Coast and I do not take that for granted. Trying to make myself more of a priority so I don’t burn out again, which is difficult for me.

Warning spoilers and The Wall of text below
Clocked in 113 hours, took my time with it, see what the hype is about and saw the credits. Completed at least 80% of its content, done most questlines, all areas cleared defeated Malenia and majority of the bosses and dungeons. The game slowly degrading of quality as I progress further into the game. Early game 1/3 is great, midgame 2/3 is decent to okay and the endgame 3/3 is awful. I'm poking at the hornet's nest, a fromsoftware one at that, it's gaming darling, I'll be stunk by a fuck ton of downvotes, disagreements and demeaning and of course I understand I'm in a minority, but please understand the concept of personal opinion and decency. Here's my opinion, critique and kinda rant of this whole rough shebang.
Combat is decent but got stale due to slog progression, and its systems, rules and mechanics are mediocrely compatible between the player and enemies. First the player mechanics are stuck on same foundation style since demon souls, kinda superior and inferior dark souls 3 combat system, I have reasons for it though. On the good side, they overhaul the improvement of weapon arts with the ashes of war, it's awesome and fun and can place a wide variety ash of wars onto any weapon, depending on the type outside unique weapons. A slight improvement on range magic system on allowing you cast spells while moving and improving the casting animation on using the same spell consecutively and continously without starting over again, feels better and more competent on using magic. On the bad side the input delay and buffering is worse than dark souls 3. I know that issue is in other fromsoft games but this game makes it worse by making it feeling more laggy and clunky and makes the combat kinda frustrating though I do get used to it at a point, some deaths are contributed by it constantly due to the input buffering. Build and weapon variety though impressive on paper, majority of them are useless, low damage thresholds and reskins that only a handful are actually useful.
Second is the enemies. The enemies are sekiro bloodborne-like, bottomless stamina, fast moving, having one shot/big damage attack in their moveset and multi hitting combos with delay attacks, laced with bullshit input reading. For context, my playstyle is the uchigatana and greatsword mainly quality bulid with a bit of magic converted to dex/bleed build for late game, majority of the game I avoid using summoning ashes; the times I ever used it was for the two cat statue boss(fucking assholes lol), Commander Niall(castle Sol), second phase of troll giant, and the final boss; radagon and elden beast(radagon would be decent if they were separated but together is just plain nonsense and tedious with each having their own bullshit to deal with especially majority of it from elden beast) For majority of the bosses either wait and dodgeroll till their ten hit combo is done to get a hit or two(especially for quick weapon like a katana) in safely(one of the many examples: Maliketh/Malenia) or spam reliable boring spells or L2-ing ash of War or summon spirit ash to take agro of you and stab at their backs (example: Troll giant/elden beast). Horse combat and mechanics half-assed, not much to say other than mostly there for moving and traversing abit faster on the world, though horse movement is clunky, height damage is inconstant and wonky and swallow depth in combat mechanics and it gets boring rather quickly, dexterity stat factor of not getting knocked off your horse does not work still to this day but overall gets its job done I guess.
Mediocre boss design, their like spectacles, looks awesome but bad interacting with them. Mid soundtrack imo, hate the open world ambient music, unmemorable boss music even the main bosses, only few that I can remember is godskin noble ost and radagon. Shit rewards system, most likely getting an item you'll not use, common ingredient disguised as rare loot, finding weapons sounds good till you know smiting stones are limited and rare until only late endgame you'll find enough bell bearings to buy smithing stones from them. Due to punishing leveling progression of stats and decentivising weapon variety only having enough two or maybe 3 normal weapons upgraded to 25+ if you're through and done certain quests committing to 2 skills or weapons far more practical.
Bloated open world, too big for it's own good, Wasting your time, copy pasted repetitive dungeons and caves and camps, end game is full of damage sponges and have high damage to even the pathetic small can kill you fast and takes awhile to kill. Shit quest design that only barely fits in their linear games not for open world and you'll miss majority of the content without using wiki due to most npcs being vague and cryptic for the sake of it, some leaving not giving clue to where they are, here's one of the many examples Millicent. Millicent’s quest is and the annoying need to “reload” areas sometimes to progress or get loot.
Here's a good example that I thought was just remarkably stupid, is having to kill the ulcerated tree spirit and for some reason that spawns a pair of summon signs for Millicent. First of all, I have no idea what a random ulcerated tree sprit has to do with her, and I just skipped past it since there is no value in killing this enemy for like the 12th time. Even after defeating it, it’s actually pretty easy to not notice the summon signs on the ground since they are off to the side in some flowers. In an area you really have zero reason to walk to. Then, if you assist Millicent she spawns nearby, and you cannot get the unalloyed gold needle from her unless you “reload the area", wtf? There are so many scenarios in this game where loot or quest progression requires you to literally reload the area by resting at a site of grace or closing and reopening the game… why? It’s insanely stupid. It’s archaic and extremely illogical. Millicent can just give you the needle or die on the spot and drop the needle. Just like Hyetta does after you get the frenzied flame and talk to her…. Quitting and reloading the game to reload an area is not a game mechanic, so certainly they expect you to leave and come back after resting at a site of grace…. Why? How does it make any sense? Honestly it just doesn’t. There’s no denying that the FromSoft quest system is super antiquated and frankly sucks.
Storytelling is bad, it's usually okay to even decent(especially for sekiro) from fromsoftware and thought the inclusion of George R. R. Martin and new ip would explore the more direct cohesive story (in the way of sekiro) but it's worse on this one.
At least in previous games it's less prominent and you can ignore it and continue till the end of the game and understood what you need to do and the game doesn't push story in your face and kept it simple, for instance Dark Souls 1, you are chosen undead, defeat the lords and gwyn to Kindle the first flame in order to keep it from dying. For Elden Ring you are tarnished from wherever, came here for some reason to get pieces of elden ring and claim the tltle of Elden Lord for... some reason. They don't motivate you the reason why you need to do it, why should you care about a world that's trying to kill you for some reason? Oh it's orders from godrick to kill tarnished but you see no one is chasing the elden ring except you and ofir but he's just mostly there at the roundtable not doing anything till the end and majority of npcs are just doing their own thing except looking for the elden ring and putting exposition in long boss cutscenes and the game is assuming you know the context but you most likely don't. Lore and storytelling are two different things, don't assume it's good lore just because you're watching vaati or whoever telling his interpretation of what's happening (not definite canon) of lore from reading the descriptions on items to tell the story and a crucial part information is randomly on a rock just to understand what the fuck is about, means it's a good story, don't kid yourself, it's not.
Elden ring is like a worse ubisoft open world game with little quality of life features and external quest log and instruction manual via wiki, reddit and youtube; off brand game of thrones/lord of the rings-like with dark souls skin on. It's a decent game, I kinda like it but it's way overrated and definitely not revolutionary in the slightest, telling people it's organic life changing and not generic, thinking elden ring is Fibonacci-like perfect game and formula in gaming and shitting on ubisoft and other Studios and their fans for making and enjoying the "same generic games" meanwhile pretenting they've not been suckered into playing the same game since demon souls for a decade is hilarious, literally for all modern fromsoftware games is very formulaic and with the same generic premise: you are x, in a dying world, your duty is x and defeat x to claim/reclaim x. It's hypocrital except to weebs, conformist gamers and the notorious zealous egotistical fromchud fanboys feeling superior and looking down to others, as long as the ubisoft brand is not there they'll defend the ubisoft-like aspects pretending it's "different".
But on a positive note I like majority of legacy dungeons except lake of rot Mohgwyn Palace and my favorites is leyndell and Raya lucaria, love the world visual design and kinda enjoyed the sense of exploring its vast tho bloated world and some bosses like Godfrey the aoe lord is one of my favorites and Elemer Of The Briar is interesting though a bit bullshit but is cool nevertheless and caves are cool as well.
In conclusion elden ring is not a bad game, 6/10 is actually decent, I'm not American, I actually use the entire 1-10 score system properly where 5 is just bang average not 7 or 8 in fact I rarely rate an 8 and above and have yet to find 9 let alone a 10 maybe one day, hopefully soon. One my favorite games on my list is a 6.5/10 is fallout 4 and watch dogs 1; and monster hunter freedom unite, farcry 4, Dark Souls 3, assassin's creed odyssey, Sekiro, nioh and the surge games watch dogs 2 which is a 7/10. Just because I love them and my favorite doesn't mean they need to be 10/10 and masterpieces. The games are flawed, far from perfect but I enjoy and love them despite of it. It's a shame that I think gamers forgot that.

Warning spoilers and The Wall of text below, are you patient enough to read them, are you punk
Clocked in 113 hours, took my time with it, see what the hype is about and saw the credits. Completed at least 80% of its content, done most questlines, all areas cleared defeated Malenia and majority of the bosses and dungeons. The game slowly degrading of quality as I progress further into the game. Early game 1/3 is great, midgame 2/3 is decent to okay and the endgame 3/3 is awful. I'm poking at the hornet's nest, a fromsoftware one at that, it's gaming darling, I'll be stunk by a fuck ton of downvotes, disagreements and demeaning and of course I understand I'm in a minority, but please understand the concept of personal opinion and decency. Here's my opinion, critique and kinda rant of this whole rough shebang.
Combat is decent but got stale due to slog progression, and its systems, rules and mechanics are mediocrely compatible between the player and enemies. First the player mechanics are stuck on same foundation style since demon souls, kinda superior and inferior dark souls 3 combat system, I have reasons for it though. On the good side, they overhaul the improvement of weapon arts with the ashes of war, it's awesome and fun and can place a wide variety ash of wars onto any weapon, depending on the type outside unique weapons. A slight improvement on range magic system on allowing you cast spells while moving and improving the casting animation on using the same spell consecutively and continously without starting over again, feels better and more competent on using magic. On the bad side the input delay and buffering is worse than dark souls 3. I know that issue is in other fromsoft games but this game makes it worse by making it feeling more laggy and clunky and makes the combat kinda frustrating though I do get used to it at a point, some deaths are contributed by it constantly due to the input buffering. Build and weapon variety though impressive on paper, majority of them are useless, low damage thresholds and reskins that only a handful are actually useful.
Second is the enemies. The enemies are sekiro bloodborne-like, bottomless stamina, fast moving, having one shot/big damage attack in their moveset and multi hitting combos with delay attacks, laced with bullshit input reading. For context, my playstyle is the uchigatana and greatsword mainly quality bulid with a bit of magic converted to dex/bleed build for late game, majority of the game I avoid using summoning ashes; the times I ever used it was for the two cat statue boss(fucking assholes lol), Commander Niall(castle Sol), second phase of troll giant, and the final boss; radagon and elden beast(radagon would be decent if they were separated but together is just plain nonsense and tedious with each having their own bullshit to deal with especially majority of it from elden beast) For majority of the bosses either wait and dodgeroll till their ten hit combo is done to get a hit or two(especially for quick weapon like a katana) in safely(one of the many examples: Maliketh/Malenia) or spam reliable boring spells or L2-ing ash of War or summon spirit ash to take agro of you and stab at their backs (example: Troll giant/elden beast). Horse combat and mechanics half-assed, not much to say other than mostly there for moving and traversing abit faster on the world, though horse movement is clunky, height damage is inconstant and wonky and swallow depth in combat mechanics and it gets boring rather quickly, dexterity stat factor of not getting knocked off your horse does not work still to this day but overall gets its job done I guess.
Mediocre boss design, their like spectacles, looks awesome but bad interacting with them. Mid soundtrack imo, hate the open world ambient music, unmemorable boss music even the main bosses, only few that I can remember is godskin noble ost and radagon. Shit rewards system, most likely getting an item you'll not use, common ingredient disguised as rare loot, finding weapons sounds good till you know smiting stones are limited and rare until only late endgame you'll find enough bell bearings to buy smithing stones from them. Due to punishing leveling progression of stats and decentivising weapon variety only having enough two or maybe 3 normal weapons upgraded to 25+ if you're through and done certain quests committing to 2 skills or weapons far more practical.
Bloated open world, too big for it's own good, Wasting your time, copy pasted repetitive dungeons and caves and camps, end game is full of damage sponges and have high damage to even the pathetic small can kill you fast and takes awhile to kill. Shit quest design that only barely fits in their linear games not for open world and you'll miss majority of the content without using wiki due to most npcs being vague and cryptic for the sake of it, some leaving not giving clue to where they are, here's one of the many examples Millicent. Millicent’s quest is and the annoying need to “reload” areas sometimes to progress or get loot.
Here's a good example that I thought was just remarkably stupid, is having to kill the ulcerated tree spirit and for some reason that spawns a pair of summon signs for Millicent. First of all, I have no idea what a random ulcerated tree sprit has to do with her, and I just skipped past it since there is no value in killing this enemy for like the 12th time. Even after defeating it, it’s actually pretty easy to not notice the summon signs on the ground since they are off to the side in some flowers. In an area you really have zero reason to walk to. Then, if you assist Millicent she spawns nearby, and you cannot get the unalloyed gold needle from her unless you “reload the area", wtf? There are so many scenarios in this game where loot or quest progression requires you to literally reload the area by resting at a site of grace or closing and reopening the game… why? It’s insanely stupid. It’s archaic and extremely illogical. Millicent can just give you the needle or die on the spot and drop the needle. Just like Hyetta does after you get the frenzied flame and talk to her…. Quitting and reloading the game to reload an area is not a game mechanic, so certainly they expect you to leave and come back after resting at a site of grace…. Why? How does it make any sense? Honestly it just doesn’t. There’s no denying that the FromSoft quest system is super antiquated and frankly sucks.
Storytelling is bad, it's usually okay to even decent(especially for sekiro) from fromsoftware and thought the inclusion of George R. R. Martin and new ip would explore the more direct cohesive story (in the way of sekiro) but it's worse on this one.
At least in previous games it's less prominent and you can ignore it and continue till the end of the game and understood what you need to do and the game doesn't push story in your face and kept it simple, for instance Dark Souls 1, you are chosen undead, defeat the lords and gwyn to Kindle the first flame in order to keep it from dying. For Elden Ring you are tarnished from wherever, came here for some reason to get pieces of elden ring and claim the tltle of Elden Lord for... some reason. They don't motivate you the reason why you need to do it, why should you care about a world that's trying to kill you for some reason? Oh it's orders from godrick to kill tarnished but you see no one is chasing the elden ring except you and ofir but he's just mostly there at the roundtable not doing anything till the end and majority of npcs are just doing their own thing except looking for the elden ring and putting exposition in long boss cutscenes and the game is assuming you know the context but you most likely don't. Lore and storytelling are two different things, don't assume it's good lore just because you're watching vaati or whoever telling his interpretation of what's happening (not definite canon) of lore from reading the descriptions on items to tell the story and a crucial part information is randomly on a rock just to understand what the fuck is about, means it's a good story, don't kid yourself, it's not.
Elden ring is like a worse ubisoft open world game with little quality of life features and external quest log and instruction manual via wiki, reddit and youtube; off brand game of thrones/lord of the rings-like with dark souls skin on. It's a decent game, I kinda like it but it's way overrated and definitely not revolutionary in the slightest, telling people it's organic life changing and not generic, thinking elden ring is Fibonacci-like perfect game and formula in gaming and shitting on ubisoft and other Studios and their fans for making and enjoying the "same generic games" meanwhile pretenting they've not been suckered into playing the same game since demon souls for a decade is hilarious, literally for all modern fromsoftware games is very formulaic and with the same generic premise: you are x, in a dying world, your duty is x and defeat x to claim/reclaim x. It's hypocrital except to weebs, conformist gamers and the notorious zealous egotistical fromchud fanboys feeling superior and looking down to others, as long as the ubisoft brand is not there they'll defend the ubisoft-like aspects pretending it's "different".
But on a positive note I like majority of legacy dungeons except lake of rot Mohgwyn Palace and my favorites is leyndell and Raya lucaria, love the world visual design and kinda enjoyed the sense of exploring its vast tho bloated world and some bosses like Godfrey the aoe lord is one of my favorites and Elemer Of The Briar is interesting though a bit bullshit but is cool nevertheless and caves are cool as well.
In conclusion elden ring is not a bad game, 6/10 is actually decent, I'm not American, I actually use the entire 1-10 score system properly where 5 is just bang average not 7 or 8 in fact I rarely rate an 8 and above and have yet to find 9 let alone a 10 maybe one day, hopefully soon. One my favorite games on my list is a 6.5/10 is fallout 4 and watch dogs 1; and monster hunter freedom unite, farcry 4, Dark Souls 3, assassin's creed odyssey, Sekiro, the nioh and surge games and watch dogs 2 which is a 7/10. Just because I love them and my favorite doesn't mean they need to be 10/10 and masterpieces. The games are flawed, far from perfect but I enjoy and love them despite of it. It's a shame that I think gamers forgot that.

I created an outline of some good information that was given during the 6 June live stream in case anyone missed it. It's mostly just paraphrased.
​
Is the game digital only?

• No, there are physical copies for consoles if you like to collect physical games. Including the collector additions.

Will the game be available on steam deck?

• We are working towards steam deck compatibility, although we have not received the official evaluation currently.

What type of improvements can we expect for the launch?

• The open beta already has some improvements over the closed beta that you will notice when you jump in. Even more improvements will come on launch day, although some things take time and may not be ready on day 1.
• Improvements have already been made for objects like benches and bins. AI improvements have been made from the closed beta to the open beta.
• We worked on some UI changes to improve the presentation of information; more is on the way.
• Lighting has been improved and will be even better on launch.
• The snapping feature while building is being improved and is already showing improvements since the closed beta.
• We are working hard to make as many improvements as we can for release and will continue post release.
• A lot of sound improvements. Including the annoying sound when riding a coaster in first person.
• Coaster smoothness has and is still improving.

Are there shortcuts to undo/redo?

• You can undo and redo actions in the UI. Shortcuts are currently not available for this; however, it is something that is being looked at for later down the road.

Can you toggle the white overlay when hovering over objects?

• No, if you did not have it then you may accidentally perform actions on unwanted objects. It also helps with visual clarity when modifying multiple objects. Will forward feedback to UI design team as there could be better solutions.

Can you disable the UI?

• Yes, you can click a hotkey to hide the UI. Perfect for content creators or taking nice screenshots of your park. We could possibly look at hiding the white overlay while the UI is hidden as well.

How many missions will there be on release?

• 8 missions on launch.
• 1st mission is coaster building tutorial.
• 2nd mission is park tutorial.
• Mission 3-8 will have milestones and goals. 5 milestones per mission.
• Each mission will be longer than the tutorial missions.
• Possibly extra surprise content after the 8th mission.

How many maps will there be at launch?

• There are multiple biomes (4) that have maps within them.
  • East Asia
    • Grand Lake map
  • Alpine Mountains
  • Desert
  • Mediterranean
• The Mediterranean will have different small islands that you can build coasters between.
• 26 maps on release.
• If you count the tutorial map, Exploration Park then this would be the 27th.
• 7 maps will come from the story missions. 19 will be separate new maps.
• The 7 maps that come from the story missions can be played on without requiring you to do the story missions.

Will there be any bigger maps?

• Most of the maps are the same size, just different environments.
• There is a flat one called Canvas of Creativity.

Will pathing auto create stairs when building the path up or down?

• No, the path will either slope up or down. You can add railings to the path if you want.

How many rides will there be on release?

• There will be 5 themes:
  • Alien planet – 2 rides
  • Candy Wheel – 2 rides
  • Da Vinci – 2 rides
  • Park Beyond – 3 rides
  • Western – 2 rides
• 14 flat rides without themes. 25 rides total.
• Pac-man DLC includes 2 rides. Zombie DLC includes 1 ride.
• 28 total rides with DLC.
• 3 roller coaster types with unlimited color customizations and customizable cars.
  • Standard coaster
  • Wild coaster
  • Wild mouse coaster
• 9 types of coaster prefabs.
• More free rides will come out throughout the year one roadmap. Also paid DLC expansions.

How many shops will there be at release?

• For the base game, there are 21 different shops. They each can use 5 different themes, or 7 with the DLC. For example, there are 11 different food shops. Each can have 5 different themes to make 55 different food shop prefabs. So, there are 100 different themed prefabs total and 122 products to sell.

Are there wooden roller coasters?

• Not for release. There are no plans for wooden coasters, but we often get feedback for wooden coasters. We will discuss internally.

Will the Steam workshop be available?

• No, we are partnering with mod.io. Starting in August(TBD), you will be able to share your own builds with other players. This includes cross platform. So, PC players can share with consoles and vice versa. Eventually you will be able to share your entire park, but it is slightly more complicated to implement.

Can I build a park with my friend?

• Not at the exact same time, but you can share back and forth on mod.io to build something together.

Will there be unlimited amazement for sandbox mode?

• We hear the current feedback being given from the closed beta, including this. This is being discussed internally. However, this will not be available on launch as we require more time.

Can you assign staff to certain zones?

• You can assign staff to different tasks. For example, you can assign your janitor to only focus on picking up litter and ignore puke and trash cans. However, you cannot assign them to specific zones within your park. We have seen this being requested.

Can you assign a staff member a specific task to do immediately i.e.. fix a certain ride?

• No.

How many different outfits are there for the entertainers?

• There is an outfit for the 5 different themes, 1 for the pac-man DLC, and 1 for the zombie DLC. Possibly more

Will there be more road textures on release?

• Yes, around 10 in total.

Can you change the texture on an existing road?

• Not currently. You would need to delete and replace it.

Are there any other Namco properties that we could see in future expansion packs?

• For pre-orders, on day 1 you can download pac-man themed scenery, rides, entertainers, and some extras.
• For future content, we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Can the guests play pac-man arcade machines?

• There will be scenery pac-man arcade machines. These can be scaled, but guests will not be able to play them.

Will there be any cheat codes?

• No.

Can you impossify toilets?

• No, that is... impossible. I hope some game designers are taking notes on your ideas to impossify toilets.

“Amai!!!!!!!” Satsujin leapt forward and grabbed Amai, hugging and kissing her fondly.
“Where have you been!? I haven’t seen you in days!” He said. “Oh, were you scared without me? Did you miss me? Did you miss big bro Satsu?” He said in a dumb voice as he held the cat in his arms.
“Meow.” Amai responded, staring at Satsujin with half of a metallic face.
“Aw~ Of course you did! But don’t worry, I’m here again and I won’t leave you again.”
While he embraced the cat, everyone else who was just getting off the tram looked at him weirdly.
“Hmm… I never imagined that he would be obsessed with feline creatures.” Youki said.
“Obsessed is putting it lightly.” Sumireko added. “Still, how did she get all the way up Youkai Mountain?”
“Well, cats are known to be mysterious.” Kosuzu said. “But can you tell me who Amai is and why she looks like that?”
“Well it’s a bit of a story, but basically-”
“Shanghai! Shanghai Shanghai!” Shanghai yelled loudly while pointing at Amai, getting the attention of everyone else. Ko was holding her while Gummy listened to what she was saying, confused with whatever she had spouted.
“Ribbit. Ribbit ribbit. Ribbit.” Gummy translated.
“What!?” Ko was surprised. “You’re saying that Amai tried to get us killed after luring us over to Misty Lake so she could nab PB away while they were still deactivated!?” She said.
Ko’s words caused everyone to look at her, then at Amai in shock, while those who weren’t around when Amai temporarily joined the group remained somewhat confused. Satsujin on the other hand was the opposite of everyone.
“What!? No way! Amai would never do something like that!” Satsujin said. “Isn’t that right, Amai?” He asked the cyborg cat.
“Meow.” Amai meowed.
“See? She would never. I bet Shanghai is just jealous because she gets more love than her.” Satsujin accused Shanghai.
“Shanghai!!!” The doll yelled, trying to squirm out of Ko's hands to approach him and the cat. While she yelled, Gummy continued to translate, as Ko translated again for everyone else to hear.
“She says that Amai is evil, that she is not who you think she is, but rather a being who is bound to lead all of us to our doom.” Ko said.
Satsujin was skeptical, but did have some doubts about Amai. Yet before he could say anything, Satsunyan spoke up as a pair of cat ears appeared on top of the spirit’s head.
“Hold on a moment, Satsu~” Satsunyan said. “I speak cat, so maybe I can tell if she’s telling the truth.”
Satsunyan listened to Amai’s meows, nodding along for a bit until finally got everything explained. They looked over at Ko and Shanghai, with a glare that seemed very cat-like.
“Well? What did the cat say?” Ko asked.
“Amai said that Shanghai is clearly jealous of her getting her beloved Satsujin’s attention, leaving none for herself. Amai also said that Shanghai is being rude to her only because she’s a dog person.” Satsunyan said. “How dare you Shanghai, and after everything we did together on our journey.”
“Shanghai!?” Shanghai was immensely shocked with what Amai had said. She noticed how Amai was giving her a look, which infuriated the doll even more as she attempted to jump out of Ko’s hands and attack the cyborg cat with her lance.
“Wah! Hey, no fighting Shanghai! Now’s not the time!” Ko said, trying to handle the raging doll.
“Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai!!!” Shanghai yelled, while Amai looked from where she was as Satsunyan protected her.
“Um… can we all head towards the shrine? I like to see if there’s at least something that could give us a hint on where Haru and the others went.” Kosuzu requested.
…
Moriya Shrine was quiet. The grounds were clean and free of anything but stone and concrete. Twin statues of Komainu stood facing each other, with the sacred building by their opposite shoulders. Large rope hung below the rooftop, with a large box that rested on the floor.
The large group looked around and at the building, seeing if there was something that seemed off or unusual; anything that could give them an idea on if Haru or anyone else they knew was here. All they found were the trees that had surrounded the shrine, nothing else was out of place outside the area.
“Did you find anything?” Satsujin asked.
“Nope.” Sumireko said.
“Nothing here.” Cirno said.
“Not that I know of.” Suika said. The rest were either still looking or nodded their heads no.
“Maybe something inside the building?” Satsujin suggested.
“I think Wakasagihime and Kagerou are inside right now looking.” Cirno pointed.
And indeed, inside Wakasagihime and Kagerou were looking around the living area of the shrine. They noticed all the furniture was intact, the walls were clean, and nothing seemed out of place. Save for a large aquarium tank that was cracked open with all the water drained from it.
Satsujin himself was a little wary, noticing how quiet the place was. He checked with Meiling for a moment to see if she could sense any signs of malice intent nearby.
“I don’t sense any qi that sounds harmful, it’s just us. But you’re right, it is weird how quiet it is.” Meiling said.
“It could be a trick, or even some kind of trap.” Satsujin assumed. “Maybe the Moral Gods had set up something knowing that we would be here.”
“You are too worried.” Youki said, stepping into the conversation. “It is fine for a warrior to be weary of their surroundings, but if it is all that one thinks, then they leave no room for other thoughts.” He spoke with wisdom.
Meiling looked at Youki strangely, which was understandable considering the mixed mindset she has regarding the swordsman.
“Hey! I think I found something!” Rumia shouted.
Satsujin, Mary, Sumireko, Cirno, and some of the others came over to Rumia’s position, except for Wakasagihime and Kagerou who were still inside the shrine, checking further down the available hall.
Rumia showed everyone a piece of paper, with a part of the bottom looking to have been torn off. Kosuzu grabbed the paper, quickly recognizing the near-impossible-to-read handwriting.
“This is Haru’s! It’s another entry.” Kosuzu said. “PB, can you-”
PB had already grabbed the paper before Kosuzu could finish, knowing what she was going to ask. A new paper was made as Kosuzu read what it had to say.
—
May 5th, Year 202X Hour of writing: 5 pm. Soft rain with strong winds. Incoming storm. We’re just back from the expedition. It went as I least expected; pretty fucking wrong.
Yesterday's meeting went well, for the most part. While everyone agreed on keeping everything under control, Aunn refused to come, because she didn't want to leave Akyuu alone after everything she's gone through recently, and that's perfectly understandable. Seiran did agree to come with me out of a desire to explore, so the next day, she and Ringo got everything sorted out on the comms side of things and we went our way into Youkai Mountain.
It took us roughly two hours to get into the base of the mountain, because of some youkai getting in our way, but we were able to go past them without major trouble. There, we found a ropeway, which saved us from the effort to climb the mountain. It was a pretty nice sight. After a while, we got to the peak of the mountain, and thus, arrived at Moriya Shrine.
Surprisingly, it was completely untouched. Both exterior and interior were in an immaculate state, save for a thick layer of dust that covered everything in there. We found a lot of useful things for the survivors, such as canned food, clothes, medicine, a handful of old weapons, and many other things.
At one point, we entered a big room with nothing but a giant water tank with a goldfish in there. We first assumed that this was someone's pet, having been abandoned due to the depraved incident. What we didn't expect, is that it started talking in perfect Japanese from nowhere. Yeah. A talking fish.
Before I could ask anything important, the fish started to insult me and Seiran. Apparently, It knew exactly who we were, and claimed to know a lot about us. It told me I was a drama queen, a liar, a psycho, a stubborn idiot, and many other things. It also said I was only useful because of my dragon heart, and that I would be nothing but a living floor mat without it.
It also told Seiran that she would fail to save Ringo, just how she failed before being sheltered by me, because it was bound to happen. I was shocked at what the fish said, and Seiran was about to explode in anger. She ran forward, trying to destroy the tank, but was sent back by a giant spectral snake that came out of nowhere. The fish laughed, and then called out a whole pack of those snakes to attack us. We tried our best to fight back, but after a tough fight, I realized there was no possible way to win, because of how powerful they were as a unit.
I ended up fleeing the shrine with Seiran in my back, as she carried all the loot we managed to get from it. I had to run for well over an hour until I got back to Eientei. She's doing well, though she seems to have been affected by the fish's words, now being notoriously under the weather with everyone including her partner. I will have to talk down with her about that later.
And as for the shrine, I'm never going back to that place. It was a terrible idea all along. What I was thinking?
…
I̷̤̓'̷͈̈m̶͙͝ ̴̝̀a̶̪͝n̷̛͉ ̸̪̔ỉ̴̩d̸̞͂i̶̩̽o̴̧͛t̴̡̓.̵̣̈́ ̴̩́Ị̴̅ ̸̛͍c̵͎̚a̵̻̿n̸̹̈́'̷̲̾ț̷͑ ̴̝͆h̶̪́e̶͔̋l̸͇͝p̸̛̯ ̶͈̂b̴̨͊u̶͍̅t̵̟́ ̴̼͠f̴̮̎e̷̝̕e̴͒͜ḷ̷̆ ̶͖́ţ̸̛h̶̓͜e̴̺͑ẏ̶̱ ̴̣̑w̵̹̿e̷̟̓r̵͚̓e̵̮͐ ̵̺̉r̷̟͑i̷̞̽g̸͖̈́h̵̩͆t̷̹̎ ̸̖̀a̵͖̍b̴̞͌o̴̬͒ụ̴̿ṫ̵̫ ̸̳͋m̶͕̈́ḙ̴̋.̴͖̾
—
Kosuzu looked at the last part of the entry, seeing the corrupted text once more. Her mind was once again worried like before, but her thoughts were interrupted by Suika.
“Wait, that’s it?” Suika asked, snatching the paper from Kosuzu. “No information on where they went? No signs of where to go?”
“It’s a journal entry, I don’t think it makes sense to write down directions on where exactly the author went.” Satsujin stated.
“I know that, but we’ve been running around in a circle across Gensokyo by now! The very least they could do is point us in the right direction!” Suika said.
“Maybe there’s something inside the shrine we haven’t checked.” Sumireko said. “I wonder if Kagerou and Wakasagihime found anything.”
The rest looked towards the shrine, with some noticing how they have been in there a bit longer than they should. Amai herself was sitting there, staring right at the shrine.
“Um… What’s taking them?” Suika asked. “Did they get lost or something?”
“I don’t think they would get lost. It’s not like Moriya Shrine is that big of a place.” Sumireko said. “It is strange how they haven’t come out yet. Maybe we should head in and check.”
Just as she said that, Amai darted to the left, running down and away from everyone else. Satsujin noticed her running off and called for her.
“Amai! Where are you going!?” He asked. “We need to go after her!”
Satsujin was just about to pursue the half-robotic feline, but stopped upon sensing something coming from inside the shrine itself. His body went to a halt, turning around to look back over.
Meiling and Youki also sensed something coming from inside the shrine. It wasn’t something that resembled corruption, but it wasn’t anything familiar either.
“Ah…A wolf, and a fish… A strange pair of friends, yet not unusual either.” A voice inside the shrine spoke. Footsteps could be heard, loud and clear, shaking the ground with each step that was taken.
“Oh…Dear.” PB said.
“Um…Guys…Something isn’t right.” Sumireko said, also getting a similar feeling like the others. Everyone readied themselves.
The doors of Moriya Shrine were wide open, as a figure walked out. Bare feet were shown, shining a golden yellow. Muscles were seen, big and toned from the calf of the legs to the pectorals of the chest. The shape of their body was almost godlike to the eyes of many.
They walked out of the building entirely, letting their face be revealed to all the others. Unlike the rest of his body though, his head resembled that of a goldfish. With a pair of big eyes on each side, big fish lips, and even scales which reflect on the sunlight.
In their hands, Kagerou and Wakasagihime were both being held; dragged out by their necks. They looked to have been beaten badly with bruises on their bodies and cuts on their clothes. Some of the members gasped as they saw who it was that seemed obviously to be the culprit of their wounds.
“What did you do to them!?” Meiling asked defensively.
“I just knocked them out. That’s all.” The figure said, dropping the two as he walked forward. “They intruded my resting quarters while I was napping, dreaming about glory and fame.”
“Who are you!?” Meiling asked again.
“And why do you have a fish head!?” Cirno said, asking the bigger questions.
Both her and Meiling rush at the figure with their weapons and their fists. They both striked the foe with might and fury for what happened to their friends. But as the smoke cleared, it was revealed that the figure, taking the full impact of Cirno’s Melon Blade and Meiling’s fist, remained standing perfectly fine.
Then during the small moment of confusion that the two bore towards their opponent, the fish-faced figure grabbed both Cirno and Meiling while also holding the previous two, and threw them both across the shrine grounds with great power! Meiling and Cirno crashed into the pavement, simultaneously being used as cushions for the wolf and the mermaid respectively.
“Meiling! Cirno!” Sumireko shouted. Mary and Satsujin both rush over to their friends, helping them up while checking to see if they sustained any major wounds.
Meanwhile, the figure hummed, looking around to see what he was presented with. He saw the majority looking human, but could tell that most of them were more than that. But upon laying eyes on PB, he smiled greatly.
“Ah, Peanut Butter. It’s been a while.” He spoke. “Last I saw you was back on Omnious, when my brother and I were this close to achieving our conquest.”
“...How?” PB asked carefully. “How did you return?”
“Wait, you know him?” Sumireko asked PB.
“I do.” PB answered. “He is a very powerful foe, known by his title as ‘The Omnipotent One’. A man who once tried to wipe out all three of the Mortal Realms after he and his brother agreed that the actions of the individual would lead to the downfall of all that is living.”
The Omnipotent One chuckled from PB’s statement about him. “That’s what mere mortals like to refer to me as. But for now, you may call me Simon.”
“Simon…Wait a second.” Sumireko thought for a moment. “Didn’t Sanae have a pet goldfish named Simon?”
“Correct naive child.” Simon said. “It is true, I once was kept as a mere pet fish by her and those two goddesses she claims are her ‘parents’.” He said while raising his hands to make quotation marks. “Before all of that though, I was a triumphant God; born and raised in the land of Omnious alongside many of my fellow deities.”
“But you were killed, we were there, Alena and I. You were supposed to be dead.” PB said in a more serious tone.
“Ah…But that’s the thing, Peanut Butter. I am a god, always have, always will.” Simon exclaimed. “I was reborn into the form of a man; grew up in a normal household and raised by two adults who believed in what was best for me. I was fortunate to have retained my memories and knowledge. In the following years I managed to position myself in a title of power and wealth, enjoying my days of careless wonder. Then one day, I was introduced to a man with both religious and political power, offering a unique kind of deal that anyone would accept in a heartbeat. There, I was engaged to a girl named Sanae Kochiya.”
“I could already tell that they were using her as an excuse to get more followers to their weakening cult, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a person who I could use to my liking. So I decide to torture her; bringing home various bugs and creatures and watch her squirm all over the room while begging for it to stop. It reminded me of back home when we would take mortal men and throw them into the colosseum with lions, tigers, and bears.”
“Oh my.” Suika spouted suddenly, covering her mouth afterwards with her hands.
“Oh my indeed.” Simon said. “But alas, the fun didn’t last forever. There came a day when one of the creatures I brought got too close to her, one that contained a deadly poison in its fangs, and bit her…I was disappointed to watch her be taken down like that, especially since it was clear she had the blood of a god residing in her. But what I didn’t know was that I had accidentally angered an ancient god in the process. Thus, my form was reverted to that of a fish. A goldfish to be more specific.”
“And for years I was treated with harsh verbal tongue from both the Goddess of Wind and Rain and the Goddess of Mountains. They even managed to bring back that girl Sanae using a forbidden soul transfer ritual, turning her from a sad girl with mental trauma into the most happy-go-lucky kid I ever seen…Heh…Hahaha…Hahahahahahaha!” Simon started to laugh all of a sudden, making everyone else all the more confused on the matter as his laughter turned hysterical.
“HAHAHAHAHA!!! And all those years I had waited! Waited for the day that I would return to my full strength! Waited for when the stars would align, the planets in their right positions, the time being exactly right. Waited I did, and a reward I had received. With the thanks of a bolt of corrupted lighting I regained my power, and learned how to control the mishaguji that the ancient goddess left behind; the very beings who had given me that weak body to begin with!” He said, as a flurry of white snake-like beings manifested around Simon, waving like flames behind his back while looking down at everyone.
Simon gripped his hands tightly, flexing his arms to show his strength. “And with this new body, granted to me with the help of the powers of Hakurei, I now have a form to match my immense strength!”
“Hakurei? What do you mean?” PB asked, right as Simon decided to approach them with a bit of an unhinged look in their eyes.
“Don’t you get it? This was all planned from the very beginning! All of it!!! From the moment you all stepped onto that tram to move up the mountain you were already destined to meet me. And now you shall face me!” Simon said.
That was when it finally hit them. Sumireko and PB were the first to realize the situation that was put upon them: This was a trap no doubt, a very serious trap.
“We need to leave!!!” PB said as they went and allowed Sumireko to equip them to provide her extra power to evacuate. She dashed the opposite direction of where Simon stood, with PB yelling at everyone else to follow their lead as they knew staying any longer would only bring impending doom.
They ran down the shrine grounds as quickly as they could, but only for a few seconds before they collided with a barrier.
“Owie…” Sumireko checked to see if her face was okay. “A barrier?”
She pressed on it, the air felt like a solid surface. The others stopped as they approached, noticing they were now sealed in. Satsujin tried to phase through, but alas the moment he tried to push his arms through he was pushed back with a jolt of electricity. Suika made an attempt to convert her body into mist, but even in that form she was not able to pass through.
“This is like when we were at Hakurei Shrine.” Sumireko thought. “Then that would mean…”
She looked out the brand-new barrier, and saw Yuzuki with her hands out, and Demise standing alongside her.
“Ah, we meet again.” Demise said to the group. “I see you all met Simon? He’s a great fellow, knows his stuff well.”
“YOU!!!” Mary screamed, attempting to pierce through the barrier with her daggers. “Why the fuck is it always you everytime we go anywhere!?”
“Aw, I missed you too dear… A shame this may be our last meeting together.” Demise said. “But to the rest of you, best of luck.”
“What the hell do you mean our last meeting together!?” Mary asked, but Demise did not answer, making her more furious. “Hey… Hey! Answer me you prick! Get over here and let me carve you into a hollow corpse!”
The group looked back, seeing Simon standing there with a big fish-lipped smile on his face. He didn’t approach the group yet, almost seemingly waiting for them to come to him first.
“Ah…It’s been a while since I have been able to fight someone. This will be a good warmup.” He said, rolling his arms around as a large pair of blades fell from nowhere whilst he pulled them out from the ground. “Now… Which of you will be the first of my victims?”

[←Chapter 61] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 63→]
Balae and Kieren managed to compose themselves before Aya had a chance to speak.
​
“Excuse us, excuse us,” said the older merchant, attempting to straigten his robes, “yes, yes, I certainly know that house symbol.”
​
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Aya said, terrified that she’d caused some great offense to this friendly man.
​
“Nothing’s wrong my dear, it’s just…” Balae began, his eyes trailing toward the device in her hands.
​
“You carry with you a personal sygil of a house, young lady,” cut in Kieren, “that’s synoptic bronze, and might very be centuries old. It’s priceless.”
​
“That’s why we were so shocked. It’s not something you simply give!” laughed Balae, although it had a nervous edge, “your mother must’ve been treasured by her family to receive something that precious.”
​
Aya’s hand retracted slightly, holding the bronze close to her breast, and thinking about the expression of her mother when she’d handed it to her. Had she known it was that precious, she would’ve been more careful with it. Thank the Lost that she’d not lost it in the river when she fell in under the earth.
​
“Well, my friend,” said Balae, “I think we can be of some aid. However, the city canals are blocked off in preparation for the festival. And I don’t doubt the house of your mother is up to the gills with work! It’d best be settled in the morning when everyone is fresh and rested. Have a good evening, and we can absolutely find them in the morning.”
​
“Of course,” Lillian said, “thank you so much. Aya, please, if you would.”
​
“Thank you,” she said, offering a little bow as she was carted away.
​
“Think nothing of it!” they called to her, as they were taken to another exit from the pyramid.
​
They were lead up a wooden stare case, into a series of apartments. It was a very strange building, with only a few solid central walls. The rest of the rooms were made of sliding panels of wood and paper. Every room had mats of interwoven reeds that softened the step and warmed the floor.
​
The place they were led was a partition of two separate rooms, one for the girls, the other for men. There was a large, covered bed that Lillian insisted that Sorore and Aya take, while the housekeeper promised to send for additional blankets for her. As soon as they were alone, the paladin took Aya by the hand and looked her sternly in the eye.
​
“It wasn’t wise to do that,” she said, “to present your family’s sigil.”
​
“Why not?” Aya asked, genuinely confused.
​
“We’re only planning to be in the town for a few days, nothing more,” Lillian said, “whatever reunion you might have would be short, and would likely only serve to complicate matters more.”
​
“What?” Aya said, holding Lillian’s gaze firmly, “what do you mean ‘complicate’ things? I want to see my mother’s family while I’m here. Why would it matter if it was only a few days?”
​
“I’ve said my piece,” Lillian said, letting go and turning away to strip her heavy plate.
​
“No you haven’t,” said Aya, grasping her firm shoulder and attempting to turn her around, “look at me. You’re not telling me something.”
​
“I have told you everything you need to know. Now, I suggest you get some rest,” Lillian said, removing one shoulder plate and setting it carefully down on the ground.
​
“Why are you avoiding the question?” she said.
​
The paladin said nothing, and Sorore stepped forward to sooth the girl.
​
“Come on,” she said, “let’s prepare for bed. We can talk more about it in the morning, when we’re all less tired.”
​
She and Aya washed and dried themselves, in basins provided by the housekeeper. She was careful to note that towels were made in Nieth, hand embroidered and used in their great baths. Sorore was first to crawl under the light covers and settle in, turning towards Aya.
​
“Come on,” she said, reaching out for her in a playful way, “sleep will make things better. It’s so nice having an actual bed.”
​
“I… don’t feel tired,” said Aya, “I think I’m going outside. Just to the balcony. Am I allowed to do that?”
​
She gave a sharp look at Lillian, who was in the middle of addressing a cut along her side that had opened.
​
“Am I going to have to run after you?” she said, returning the look.
​
“No. Unless the balconies are going to kill me,” retorted Aya.
​
“Then you may,” she said, turning back to dress her wound.
​
Aya pushed open one of the sliding panels, walked across the hallway, and opened one of the doors to the balcony. The air here was so delightfully warm, even in the middle of the night. The mountain air was chilly even in the height of summer. The balcony was large, running across the entire length of the floor that she was on, with a solid railing running across it.
​
She was glad for the railing as she slid her thin legs between the slates, looking out at the dense city before her. Her eyes carried her out towards a cloudless sky, where the moonlight glittered on the dark waters of the sea beyond. The only thing that broke it up was the thousands of vessels of various sizes, whose lamps cast a warm orange glow across the water.
​
She lay her head on the top of the railing, closing her eyes and letting the breeze flow over here. Even the salty smell of the waters beyond and below was comforting in a way the mountains had never been. There was something deep within her that called to this place - it made sense that her mother had come from this place, and had seemed so out of it in the mountain village.
​
She wondered what exactly her family was like here, and what they did. Her grandmother was a chief, or was - perhaps she was retired to happy family life now. She imagined a kindly woman in the recesses of advanced age, all wrinkles and grey hair, sitting back in a chair by the fire. She would tell stories of all the happenings of the city, and all the mischief that she’d gotten up to in her youth. Perhaps she’d even take the time, weary as she was, to cook with Aya, and share secrets that had taken a lifetime to accrue-
​
“Hi,” came a voice, as something sat with a thump besides her.
​
Her eyes flickered open at the interruption, and there was Frare, his red hair dark in the evening.
​
“What are you doing here?” she sighed, closing her eyes again and trying to get back to that dreamlike state.
​
“Got bored. Niche is boring,” he said with his now familiar bluntness, “besides, I don’t like being in those rooms. Too small. I always preferred being… out.”
​
“And why are you talking to me?”
​
“Because you’re not boring, most of the time.”
​
“Thanks,” she said, opening her eyes once more, knowing that the tranquil calm she’d felt was permanently shattered.
​
“You’re welcome,” he said, either oblivious to or ignoring the sarcasm.
​
There was a silence for a time, broken only by Frare kicking his feet against the balcony.
​
“So, why do you think they’re all lying?”
​
“What?” Aya said.
​
“The paladins, the trader, they’re all lying,” he said, with perfect confidence, “it’s obvious.”
​
“Lying about what?”
​
“You think they were surprised at the device? Nope. That was quick thinking by Kieren. They only reacted after they saw the sigil. So, they were terrified because of who your family is.”
​
“Oh,” said Aya, the doubts in her head falling into place with the words.
​
“You didn’t notice. Well here’s another thing,” Frare said, clearly pleased with himself, “Lillian was panicked as soon as you started asking about your family. It was written, all over her face, plain as day.”
​
“Really?” she said.
​
She’d known Lillian wasn’t telling the whole truth, but she’d not had the chance to look at her during the exchange with the merchant.
​
“Yup,” Frare said with a grin, “so she knows, or suspects, that your family is trouble.”
​
“Huh,” she said.
​
“Not the first time that she’s kept stuff from us,” Frare said, “I think she pretends to be stupider than she really is.”
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“Well, there’s no point to it,” Aya said, closing her eyes once more, “we’ll settle it in the morning.”
​
“You really think so?” Frare said, tapping his feet on the balcony struts.
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“You doubt the hosts?”
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“Oh, absolutely. Would you leave it to the morning if you were them?”
​
“So, you think that they’ve… what?”
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“Well, from the way they reacted, it sounds like your family’s cursed. Wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to kill us.”
​
“What?!” Aya said, her eyes snapping open to try and detect any sense of sarcasm from the boy.
​
She found him still grinning, but not in a way that suggested that it was humorous.
​
“That’s ridiculous,” she said, raising her head, “they’re our hosts.”
​
“And the paladin’s are supposed to be protectors. What kind of protectors lie to their wards?” Frare shrugged.
​
Aya found that she had no good argument to that, though she did try.
​
“Although, maybe I’m wrong,” he said, “perhaps tonight, perhaps tomorrow, we’ll see soon enough I suppose.”
​
“You seem to be making an awful effort to be careless,” she said, noting his dangling feet’s persistent effort to tap out a whole song on the struts.
​
“I don’t care,” Frare said, “it’s just the way things are.”
​
“Uh-huh,” she said, “if that’s so, then why did you not bring it up to the paladins, or your sister?”
​
“What good would it do? With the paladins, they’d just refuse. As for Sorore…”
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He looked down at his feet and kicked them harder, as if trying to drive off doubts.
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“She gets worried easily,” he said, “I wouldn’t want to make her upset.”
​
The insight, quite unannounced nor predicated on any physical sight, plopped right into Aya’s head.
​
“I don’t think you’re talking about your sister,” she said, looking at the boy with renewed interest.
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“What? Of course I am. I said ‘Sorore’,” he said.
​
There it was, the nervous flit of the eyes, subtle, but definite. How could she not have noticed before? It was plain as the nose on his face.
​
“Oh really?” she said, “then tell me, if things are just the way they are which you certainly don’t care about. Why are you trying to explain them to me? Why even bother, why not just go to bed, and skip the boring parts?”
​
Frare faltered, just for a moment, but it was enough to seize upon.
​
“Maybe it's because you’re afraid of the dreams?”
​
Right on target. His eyes fell, the kicking grew louder, and his fingers began to twitch ever so slightly.
​
“Well,” he said, “there’s also that.”
​
Aya blinked - she thought he would bluster, would deny, and yet here he was giving it all up without a fight. Her emotions melted from annoyance and jeering if playful conflict, to a sense of solidarity.
​
“Yeah, there is,” she said, running her fingers through her hair, “I had one this morning. It was like, an endless lake, mirroring the sky. And there was something big in the water, circling me. It almost… said something, I think.”
​
The boy was silent for a moment, trying to piece together something to say.
​
“I did too,” he finally spoke out to the world, as if it was some shameful secret.
​
“Do tell,” she said, yawning.
​
He looked at her, and she could see a genuine pang of fear.
​
“It was a tree, a big tree, bigger than this house, than this entire city,” he said, “its bark was… just… drenched. Red, red everywhere. Waterfalls across its whole length. There was the sound of weeping, from within the tree, so I went closer.”
​
His face was hidden in his hands.
​
“I tried to push into the tree, tried to find the voice,” he said, “I got covered, then I realized… it was all blood. The red.”
​
The boy was trying to choke back a sob at the word ‘blood’. Aya, unable to stop herself, reached over and pulled him into a hug. Quietly, terribly, he began to cry, his shoulders shaking in her arms. They stayed like that for a good few minutes, even after he’d managed to calm himself.
​
“I’m sorry,” he suddenly said, pushing her away, face burning with shame.
​
“No, it’s okay, I-” she said, reaching for him as he stood.
​
A hurried ‘good night’, and he vanished into the corridor before she could stop him. She sighed, and looked out once more to the moon and the silver sea. It was a moment before she realised that a pale light was bleeding through her arms. There was no pain, nor disorientating visions, only the steady pulse of thin lines, etched into her skin.
​
“Why are you doing this?” she said to the lines, hoping against hope that there might be a response.
​
There was nothing. Figures.
​
“I should go apologise to him,” she said, leaving ‘and check if he’s okay’ unsaid to the air.
​
“She be fine, she always is,” said a voice from behind her.
​
“Who said that?” she practically shouted.
​
She whirled, finding only Lillian there with a surprised expression.
​
“I didn’t say anything, my lady,” she said, looking around.
​
“I thought I heard… never mind, it was some errant wind I guess,” she said quickly.
​
Lillian shut the sliding door behind her as she came to sit beside the girl. She looked uncomfortable without her armour on, as if it was a second skin that had simply vanished into thin air. Still, she kept a short sword at her side, along with a significant knife. Aya had no doubt if they experienced any interruptions tonight, a threat would find her just as dangerous as with full plate.
​
“My lady,” she said, “I feel as if I owe you an apology.”
​
Her annoyance returned, hotter than before.
​
“Well? Get on with it,” she said.
​
“I feel… I feel as if we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot,” she said, her smile weak, “afterall, even I forget that we only meet… my word, less than a week ago. We hardly know each other, and I took you from your home, farther than you might’ve ever been.”
​
Aya waited for her to continue, her own feet beginning to drum on the struts.
​
“I know that I seem secretive and unresponsive at times,” she said, “I do withhold information that I think would be harmful to you. Things I don’t think you need to know, and might cause you grief. Others have done the same with me, and I can understand if you begrudge me that.”
​
​
“Well, if there’s to be a new spirit of honesty between us,” Aya cut in, with a little more searing sarcasm than she meant, “tell me two things. Just two.”
​
The paladin nodded.
​
“One, why did you panic when I talked about my family?”
​
Her face twisted as she tried to process the question.
​
“The commander… he warned me that you had a family in Karkos. A wealthy one,” she said, “I don’t know how he would know, but… that’s what he said. He advised me that it would be wise, to avoid complicated the situation further. I agreed with him. What if your family tried to keep you here?”
​
Aya felt her annoyance give way to astonished fury.
​
“You- The commander-” she said, “you tried to keep me from my family?”
​
“I recognize that- It sounds worse than-”
​
“It sounds worse than it is?!” she said, her voice rising, “You lied to me, tried to stop me from asking? Why? To make it easier on you?!”
​
The paladin was clearly regretting her attempt to make peace. She raised her hands, trying to placate the anger girl, but there was no stopping Aya as she shot to her feet.
​
“What about me?” she cried, “did you even think about what I wanted?”
​
“I-”
​
“And two!” she said, pointing an accusing finger at the paladin, “what’s the dirty secret you won’t even tell Niche about? The one about how you were sent to the far north with only a handful of soldiers.”
​
Lillian’s face went white with shock.
​
“How could you possibly-”
​
“You think we’re deaf? Do you think we’re stupid?” Aya practically screamed.
​
She could hear rustling inside the house, perhaps Sorore or Niche were rousing at the noise. She didn’t not care one whit about it.
​
Lillian’s face was cold, focused, steeling itself from the onslaught of words.
​
“What I do is to keep you safe,” she said, pulling herself straight, “it is my duty, and my honor.”
​
“Safe from what? Doubt?!” Aya said.
​
Anger. Anger was a catalyst. Anger was Emotion. She wanted Lillian to go away, to leave her alone to find her family. Something crackled in the air, something snaked around her shoulders, whispering in her ear. Aya was beyond using just words.
​
“My lady,” said Lillian, looking at the scars of pale light opening on her hands and forearms.
​
Before the power that was building up could be released, in what form Aya couldn’t guess, the door was thrust open. Distracted, the pair looked to the newcomers, and found a tall man in brass armour studded with pearls and seashells.
​
“Lady Aya?” he said, looking directly at her.
​
“Who are you?” she said, her rage momentarily forgotten.
​
“I am captain Hilario Dominata,” he said, with a small bow, “of the legion of sea and salt. I have come to retrieve and escort you to the Eisen estate, on orders of your grandmother matriarch Aysatra.”
[←Chapter 61] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 63→]

I am primary interested in getting Growing Up, available through the Pixel Pride bundle on Humble Bundle. And maybe also Super Lesbian Animal RPG while we're at it. I am however open to other offers.
Here is my IGSRep page
And a list of my available games:

• 198X
• 60 Seconds!
• 911 Operator
• A Story about my Uncle
• A Story Beside
• Aaero
• Absolver
• Acceleration of SUGURI 2
• Aegis Defenders
• AER Memories of Old
• Age of Wonders: Planetfall Deluxe Edition
• Ageless
• AI War 2
• Almost There: The Platformer
• American Truck Simulator
• Ancestor's Legacy
• Aven Colony
• Aviary Attorney
• Backbone
• Backbone
• Basingstoke
• Batman™: Arkham Origins
• Battle Chasers: Nightwar
• Battlestar Galactica Deadlock Season One
• Bear With Me: Collector's Edition
• Beat Hazard 2
• Beholder 2
• Beholder x3
• Bit Blaster XL
• Blade Assault
• Blade Assault
• BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend
• Bleed 2
• Bombshell
• Book of Demons
• Boomerang Fu
• Boreal Blade
• Capitalism 2
• Carmageddon: Max Damage (F)
• Chasm
• Chess Ultra
• Children of Morta
• Colt Canyon
• Company of Heroes 2 - Whale and Dolphin Conservation Charity Pattern Pack DLC
• Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
• Crazy Machines 3
• CROSSBOW: Bloodnight
• Crusader Kings II
• Crying Suns
• Cryofall
• Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)
• Cyber Hook
• Dandara
• Dark Future: Blood Red States
• Darksburg
• Darkside Detective
• Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition
• Darksiders Genesis
• Darksiders III
• Day of Infamy
• Dead In Vinland
• Dead Island Definitive Edition
• Death's Gambit
• Deep Rock Galactic
• Desert Child
• Desperados III
• Dirt Rally 2.0 + 3 DLCs - (included H2 RWD Double Pack, Opel Manta 400, The Porsche 911 RGT DLCs)
• Disciples: Liberation
• Distrust
• DLC Frostpunk: THE RIFTS
• Do Not Feed the Monkeys
• Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive
• Driftland: The Magic Revival
• Dungeon Rushers
• EARTHLOCK
• ELEX
• Eliza
• Endless Legend - Tempest DLC
• Endless Legend 2x
• Endless Space - Collection
• Epic Battle Fantasy 4
• Epic Chef
• Eterium
• Etherborn
• Evan's Remains
• Fallout 1
• Fallout 76
• Family Man
• Felix the Reaper
• Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark
• Figment
• Finding Paradise
• First Class Trouble
• First Class Trouble
• Five Dates
• Flat Heroes
• Fluffy Horde
• Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
• Forged Battalion
• Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard
• Frostpunk
• Full Metal Furies
• Fury Unleashed
• Galactic Civilizations I: Ultimate Edition
• Galactic Civilizations III
• Gloom
• Golf Gang
• GoNNER - Press Jump To Die Edition
• Gray Matter
• GRID 2
• GRID: Ultimate Edition
• GRIP + 1 DLC - (included Artifex Car Pack DLC)
• Guild of Dungeoneering
• Gunmetal Arcadia Zero
• HackyZack
• Hand of Fate
• Hard Reset Redux
• Heave Ho
• Hellpoint
• Highway Blossoms
• HIVESWAP: Act 1
• Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!
• Horace
• Horizon Chase Turbo
• Hotshot Racing
• HunieCam Studio
• Husk
• I Am Not a Monster
• Ice Lakes
• Immortal Redneck
• Imperator Rome
• In Other Waters
• Interplanetary
• Iris and the Giant
• Jalopy
• Just Cause 3 XXL Edition
• Kaichu - The Kaiju Dating Sim
• Kingdom Two Crowns
• Kingdom: New Lands Royal Edition
• Kona
• Kyle is Famous: Complete Edition
• Lara Croft GO
• Laser League
• Last Day of June
• Later Daters - Premium
• Lawn Mowing Simulator
• Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager
• Legion TD 2 - Multiplayer Tower Defense
• Levelhead
• LiEat
• Little Misfortune
• Little Nightmares
• Lost Castle
• Love is Dead
• Mafia III & DLC
• Mages of Mystralia
• Main Assembly
• Maize
• Medieval Kingdom Wars
• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• Men of War: Assault Squad 2 - Warchest Edition
• METAL GEAR SOLID V: Ground Zeroes
• Metal Unit
• Metrico+
• Metro Exodus
• Minit
• MO:Astray
• Molek_Syntez
• Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight
• Monstrum
• Moon Hunters
• Mordheim: City of the Damned (F)
• Morkredd
• Morphblade
• Moving Out
• Mr. Shifty
• NAIRI: Tower of Shirin
• NBA Playgrounds
• Nebuchadnezzar
• Necromunda: Hired Gun
• Neon Drive
• Neon Space
• NEOVERSE
• NeuroVoider
• Niche - a genetics survival game
• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
• Niffelheim
• Night Call
• Okhlos
• One Step From Eden
• Opus Magnum
• Orwell: Keeping an Eye On You x2
• Othercide
• Overgrowth
• Overload
• Paratopic
• Path of Giants
• Pathologic Classic HD
• Peaky Blinders: Mastermind
• Pesterquest
• Police Stories
• Pool Panic
• Popup Dungeon
• Project Warlock
• Punch Club
• Purrfect Date
• Raiden V: Director's Cut 雷電 V Director's Cut 雷電V:導演剪輯版
• Railroad Corporation
• Railway Empire
• Rapture Rejects
• Ratz Instagib
• Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered
• Red Faction: Armageddon Path to War DLC
• Red Solstice 2: Survivors
• Regular Human Basketball
• Relicta
• Remnants of Naezith
• Resident Evil Revelations
• Retimed
• Rise of Industry
• RIVE
• Road Redemption
• Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder
• Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break
• Rover Mechanic Simulator
• Running With Rifles
• Sakura Spirit
• Samorost 2
• Satellite Reign
• Savage Lands
• Scanner Sombre
• Screencheat
• Scribblenauts Unlimited
• Seasons After Fall
• Sega Bass Fishing and Eastside Hockey Manager
• Serial Cleaner
• Seven: The Days Long Gone
• Shady Part of Me
• She Remembered Caterpillars
• Shenmue III
• Shenzhen I/O
• Shiness: The_Lightning_Kingdom
• Shining Resonance Refrain
• Shoppe Keep 2
• Shoppe Keep
• SIMULACRA 2
• SIMULACRA
• Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity
• Size Matters
• Skully
• Sky Break
• Slash It 2
• Slime-san
• Smile for me
• Snake Pass
• Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts
• Spin Rush
• Splasher
• STARWHAL
• Steel Rats
• Still There
• Stories Untold
• STRAFE: Millennium Edition
• Struggling
• Subterrain
• Sudden Strike 4
• Super Blood Hockey
• Super Cloudbuilt
• Super Magbot
• Super Magbot
• Super Rude Bear Resurrection
• Supraland
• Survive in Space
• Sword Legacy Omen
• Swords and Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon
• Tabletop Playground
• Tempest: Pirate Action RPG
• The Adventure Pals
• The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut
• The Beast Inside
• The Division + Survival DLC
• The Dwarves
• The Haunted Island, a Frog Detective Game
• The Hex
• The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut
• The Invisible Hours
• The Journey Down: Chapter Three
• The King's Bird
• The Messenger
• The Norwood Suite
• The Sexy Brutale
• The Stillness of the Wind
• The Swords of Ditto: Mormo's Curse
• The Turing Test
• The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
• The Wild Eight
• Them's Fightin' Herds
• Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
• Tiny Echo
• TOEM
• TOEM
• Tokyo 42
• Tomb Raider
• Tower 57
• Townsmen: A Kingdom Rebuilt
• TrailMakers
• Train Station Renovation
• Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince
• Tropico 5
• Truberbrook / Trüberbrook
• TSIOQUE
• Tumblestone
• Turok 2: Seeds of Evil
• Turok
• Underhero
• Upside Down
• Valfaris
• ValiDate: Struggling Singles in your Area
• Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition
• Vane
• Verlet Swing
• Void Bastards
• Wandersong
• Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
• WARSAW
• Warstone TD
• We Were Here Together
• When The Past Was Around on Steam
• Where the Water Tastes Like Wine
• Wildfire
• Witcher 1
• Wurm Unlimited x2
• WWE 2K Battlegrounds
• X-Morph: Defense
• XCOM 2
• Yoku's Island Express
• Yooka-Laylee
• Youropa
• Yuppie Psycho
• Zwei: The Arges Adventure
• Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection

Let's talk about getting hitched.
One girl I know had a wedding ceremony in a meadow above a river. The attendees were sat in folding chairs on the grass. She walked down the aisle alone towards her waiting husband. There, standing face to face, they listened to her father, a minister, give a brief and beautiful sermon about love and marriage. After that they exchanged vows. The fatheminister declared them married and they smooched in front of us.
Another couple, dressed casually and at "the Organ Loft" in Salt Lake City, got married in front of a very different crowd with a very different ceremony. The atmosphere was a party, and there was dancing and drinking and wild organ music.
As a missionary, I was asked to hold a candle while standing behind a couple who were getting married. They felt that my being there with my nametag on maybe made it ok for the wedding to happen in front of an altar to idols as their parents wanted. This ceremony had literally ZERO words in common with the other ones I had participated in. But that's because it was in another language.
In all these and many other cases, the "ritual drama" of the wedding is altered. Yet the marriage itself is still put in place. How we choose to deliver the package may change, but the delivery still happens, and the package is received.
Similarly, the covenant of the endowment (and any other covenant) may be delivered differently depending on the understanding and needs of the recipients. Here are some examples:

• Abraham made his first big covenant by performing the ancient ritual of "I'll cut the cookie, you pick which half you want" except with livestock. This was a common "deal making" behavior for his day.
• His grandson, Jacob, demanded blessings for himself, and had to climb a ladder of covenants before getting his own version of the endowment.
• Alma the elder took a ritual washing in "living waters" typical for his culture and time period and formalized it into something called "baptism."
• Joseph Smith found meaning in the rites of the freemasons and borrowed them to teach eternal truths.

The changes to the ritual dramas we engage in are never ending, but the covenant is still eternal.
God is flexible with our imperfections. In speaking about the eternal covenant of marriage, the Lord said that marriage is eternal in duration and godlike in quality. There was no possibility of divorce. Yet, as President Oaks has taught:

In the temples of the Lord, couples are married for all eternity. But some marriages do not progress toward that ideal. Because “of the hardness of [our] hearts,” the Lord does not currently enforce the consequences of the celestial standard. He permits divorced persons to marry again without the stain of immorality specified in the higher law.

Thus, even the nature of the covenant itself can be changed if the Lord sees that we need it. The atonement allows him to give us space to be less than perfect, to make less than perfect promises, to receive versions of eternity that aren't our final lessons yet. Because of the atonement the consequences of change, of making mistakes, or "doing it wrong" are held back. And we move forward.
tl;dr: the covenant is still made, no matter how it is packaged. And even though there is a "perfect" ordinance and covenant, we can still get by with our less-than-perfect selves and our less-than-perfect rituals thanks to the atonement.
​
EDIT: it's worth noting that God even points out that our ordinances on earth aren't necessarily eternal, but that they are created to mirror and prepare for eternal things. For example, in D&C 128:12, it is revealed that Baptism for the Dead is the eternal ordinance, and that Baptism is just made to "accord" with baptism of the dead. "[Baptism] was instituted to form a relationship with the ordinance of baptism for the dead,"