Hello all, was just surfing the different forums and was sadly reminded of how much I miss FFXI. I miss the exp grinding. (when I actually got you know..... unlazy and actually did it :P) I miss the crafting, I miss the crazy times with friends and LS mates. *sighs* And if you're wondering why I miss it all, let me explain.
Very lengthy, just a warning.
Things were going good in my FFXI world, the Goldsmithing market was favourable, mining was great, fully loaded AH's over 6 characters. Life was grand! Then suddenly! ZOOP BZZZZZT BRRRRRMMMMM! My PS2 started making funny noises and my screen decided to go black. So I figure ok, whatever, I'll just restart it...... not a problem, till I actually tried turning it back on....
Ok so my PS2 decided to crap out on me. I can live with that, it was old anyways. I'll just take a break for a bit. We can all use a break from time to time right? So time goes on, work becomes tedious, foods lose their flavours, life seems dull and uninteresting without the chaos of a LS event with a pile of insane friends to go and do something wild and crazy/suicidal.
So I decided to end my forced vacation. I didn't want to spend the time tracking down an older model PS2, a network adapter, and another HDD, none of which are made anymore. So I decided to take the leap of faith and betray my roots and play on the PC :D I'm thinking yeah baby, lets let old 'n' dusty get a taste of FFXI!!! Hop in the car, zip down over to the mall and hit up the nearest EB games!!! .....wait a sec...whats this? The mall is closed? Bah! Humbug...tomorrow is a holiday too :( Ahh well, few more days won't kill me....I think....
Anyways, few days later, hit up the mall! Hit up EB games!
WEEEEEE found a copy in stock with all the expansions included, awesome! Pay for it, jump in the car and fly back home! Run to my room and tear open the case and with shaking hands insert the disc into my D*eye twitch* CD-ROM drive.
For those that play on PC's will note something in particular about whats wrong with that last sentence.
Imagine my surprise when my brand new disc doesn't read. So I flip the box that the game came in and read the system requirements. Ok processor, check, ram, check, blah blah blah check check check DVD ROM che....wtf??? DVD...oh no...No....NO..... NNNNNUUUUUOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!
Ok so I'm back at square one. Badly craving some FFXI, but can't play. Hmmm what to do what to do.....I figured why upgrade this old thing, buy a newer and better PC for nearly as much eh? Meh, time to do some shopping. So I spend a few days looking around for a good system, you know...something that won't lag the hell out of me every time the NM pops, or some mad BLM spell casting when things aren't looking so hot.
Woot! Found me a system that will do just fine! Quickly jump in the car and do some mad driving to the store in the ad. Clipping cars, squeezing through places that a car isn't supposed to fit in, running red lights, playing bumper cars, running over old ladies and small children, and three high speed chases later, I arrived at the store. Scoot inside take a quick peek around, and Joe Nobody with glasses so thick you can see clear across the planet comes up and asks if he can help me. Yes! You can help me! You can sell me this computer! And I showed him the ad. One moment sir! 10 minutes later my hands are shaking so bad I had to cross my arms. Where in the bloody nine hells did he go? 10 more minutes go by. I'm sorry sir, went on a fast break. *eye twitches* Fine, where's my computer? Oh right! Sorry sir, I'll go check. So another 10 minutes goes by.....Oh I'm sorry sir, the person who was ahead of you just now purchased the last one.
*veins in forehead pop* You mean.....the person who came in after me but was served by someone who DIDN'T GO ON A BREAK????! I wanted to throttle him. Several times.
Oh christ you've got to be kidding me!!! There's no way my luck is that bad! So now what? *brainstorm* How long will it take to come in if I order it? Not long sir, just a few days.
So a few weeks go by and I'm starting to really crave FFXI before I finally got the call. Yes!!!! I'm on my way! So repeat the last trip there with a trashed car by the time I arrived. Woot! Where's my compuuuuuttterrr??? Right on!
Finally! Yes! Time to pay? Not a problem, I'm so giddy I can hardly wait to get this bad boy home. Whip out the old CC and swipe her through, and stand there radiating utter peace. Then all of a sudden I see those cursed words flash across the screen of the ATM swipe thingy. Denied. Huh? Meh, I'll just do it again. Denied! oh for the love of GOD!!! Now what? Whip out the cell phone and call up the CC company. After being put on hold for 20 minutes a guy who barely spoke english came on the line, accessed my account and said. Ai doo beleef I haf found yoor problem seh! Right on I'm thinking (after taking a few seconds to understand wtf he just said) Ok...so whats the problem?
You reported your credit card stolen 6 weeks ago.
(O.O) I DID WHAT??!?!?! Eim sorrah seh but weh weel haf to mayo you a replahcment cahd! *eye twitch* BLOODY FUC.....SON OF A BI...FFFU... I'm so mad I can't even curse! The words just wouldn't do!
I was so pissed I was beyond words. Idiots at the CC company. They apparently made a mistake....So after answering the required security questions etc, they said it'd be in the mail in 7-10 business days. Fine *grumble* Not like I have much else of a choice in this matter! So I wait....and wait...and wait!
Finally an idea hits me! It was the day after payday. Pile of cash in the wallet, to the nine hells with a PC! I'll just get an xbox 360! Yeah! And the expansions! Awesome, I'm a genius. So I hit up EB games, dump all my old PS2 games off for 250 bucks credit, get the 360 with a second controller and FFXI (and Samurai Warriors 2 for entertainment while waiting for the replacement CC to arrive) etc for a grand total of about 700 bucks minus the credit. Play SW2 for a few hours, play some poker online, anything to distract me.
Finally! The day arrives :D The card is in the mailbox! Sweet! But bah! Its time to go to work :( Oh well, I'll do this all after work. So the day at work goes by slowly (naturally) but I'm a happy **** nonetheless. Flying home driving down the highway at about 200 km/h (jk but you get the picture). Make it home in one piece, whistle as I twirl the keys around my finger walking up the stairs to my room. Open up my door! So close!
And stop dead in my tracks.
Where the hell is my 360?
Knock on my brothers door (I let him stay with me after his old lady gave him the boot) No answer, open the door. Nothing, all his stuff was gone, just left the junk he didn't want to take with him. Just a bunch of grimy old VHS tapes and a broken alarm clock.
*eye twitch* BLOODY FUC.....SON OF A BI... FFFU...
He just had to steal it on the day when the CC came in, and I would have been able to play. :(
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I helped him out when he was down on his luck (and out on his ***) and this is how he repays my kindness. If I find that little son of a *pause* *evil thoughts* Yeah, I think when I find him, I'mma string a rope around his neck, tie him up to my car and do the Canadian Version of Tokyo Drift (think along the lines of the Dukes of Hazard movie with Johnny Knoxville riding the safe except much much much worse, and far more lethal/fast)
So after all of this I ask.
Why me?
Am I cursed not to play FFXI? Are the fates conspiring against me? Will I ever get to play my love(crack) addiction again?
Mark my words, ***** the fates! I *WILL* play again, no matter the cost.