vovat | From Pennsylvania folks are travelling to Dixie's sunny shore (Reply)

On Thursday night, when I thought I was going to go to bed, my family ended up exchanging gifts. I got a stocking cap from my mom, a Queen guitar book from my brother (maybe I'll actually be able to play something from it in ten years or so {g}), and a Simpsons trivia calendar from my sister.

The next morning, all of us except my sister headed down to Virginia to visit our grandmother (well, my grandmother, and my siblings' grandmother, but my mom's mother). It was my first time driving down there, and it was the longest distance I've ever driven. It wasn't so bad, especially with mom giving me tips on the various roads, but I-95 in Maryland made me kind of nervous, and my foot started hurting towards the end. I think that might have been because I tied my shoe too tightly, though.

Anyway, the extended family (my grandmother, uncle, and aunts) exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve. I got a sweater, a Bible, a visual dictionary, and some money. After that, I started playing Final Fantasy II, which

bethje had given me. I had been interested in playing the game for some time now. It wasn't released in the United States the first time around, with a translation of the Japanese Final Fantasy IV being called "Final Fantasy II" over here instead. The ACTUAL FF2 has some interesting aspects to its gameplay. Instead of gaining levels through experience points, as is the usual fashion, the characters build up different skills (fighting, magic, hit points, intelligence, etc.) individually, usually through practice. This kind of makes more sense than the usual system, but it apparently never really caught on, since later FF games continue with the usual level-building method. I seem to recall seeing reviews by people who had played the Japanese version of the game mentioning that they didn't like the skill-building system, but I don't really think it's all that difficult, at least so far. In the game, I've made it to Kashuan Keep. The game has a little more story than the original FF. It does leave some things to the imagination that would probably have been explained through cut scenes in more recent games, like the giant airship Dreadnought's attacks on various towns. One of my favorite parts of the game so far was discovering a cave inhabited by giant beavers, and finding out that Guy (the strong, ungrammatical party member) speaks Beaver.

On Christmas Day, we didn't see three ships come sailing in, but we DID have dinner at Nara of Japan. That's one of those pseudo-Japanese steakhouses where they cook the food at your table. I always enjoy it there, and it's become somewhat of a Christmas tradition. It's always really crowded on Christmas, but that makes sense, since most other restaurants aren't open that day. I seem to recall it not being as crowded on Christmas Day a few years ago, so I guess word has spread since then, or something. Anyway, I had the hibachi chicken and shrimp. Nara is actually one of the few places where I'll eat rice. I'm not sure whether it's the eggs and peas in it or the way it's prepared, but it tastes pretty good there. I'm usually not a rice fan.

This morning, we woke up to find out it was snowing. We left during the snow, which wasn't particularly fun. I hate driving on snow, and I really haven't had much experience with it. Skidding scares me. I think, because it was Sunday morning, and the area usually doesn't get that much snow, they hadn't brought the snowplows and salt trucks out yet. Oddly enough, it actually got LESS snowy as we drove north, meaning the driving got much easier. I really hope it doesn't snow much more this winter, but it probably will, because winter is a hateful season.

After dropping my mom and brother off at home, I left for Beth's house, and that's where I am now. She's taking a nap, but after she gets up, we have some more presents to open.