Desperately Seeking Joy #7

 

Seeking "joy" is hard. I'm at the point with this one particular medication where I am feeling incredibly muddled and cloudy. You know how Hollywood depicts mental institutions? I get it now. Everyone just stare off or shuffle around aimlessly.

But I found if I ingest some caffeine it helps to take that muddled edge off. I just have to find the right source and the right amount. Too much causes the anxiety to flare up. Too little... well... is too little. 

I am trying to be activity driven. I make a list of the things that need to get done and I do one thing, then take a break and then do another. It worked really well when we were at my mom's house. She throws out tasks at breakneck speeds and I get them written down and then I slowly work to accomplish them. 

Today, though I started with some tasks to get the day rolling:

• Arranged a Zoom meeting for my mom with my brother.
• Made an appointment for my own blood draws for lab tests.
• Cooked breakfast for the family.
• Did the dishes from breakfast.
• Folded the bed sheets that were in the dryer.
• Ran a load of towels and blankets.
• Watched 40 minutes of Critical Role: Campaign 2 - Episode 58.
• Fed the dogs and let them out and other animal care needs.
• Got dressed in fresh clothes for the day.
• Helped with getting recycles out.
• Made a grocery list and scheduled our grocery contactless pickup.
• Ordered some cleaning supplies on Amazon.
• Finished my blog entry about part one of our Halloween One-Shot.
• Logged my fasting and my food intake. 
• Reviewed some nifty stickers for my calendar that are self-care oriented and a steps challenge to help myself get walking again.
• Printed out Christmas Countdown Tags for my Iggle 25 Days of Cheer Swap.

I shred this list with my husband and he said it's alright to take a break. But I didn't want to take a break. I wanted to feel motivated to do anything! So I drank a little more RockStar.

• Watched more Critical Role: Campaign 2 - Episode 58.
• Cut out and hole-punched all the tags for the swap gift.
• Looked for some nice little trinkets to add to the swap box.
• Prepared lunch for my daughter.
• Cleaned up lunch for my daughter. (Seriously kid.....)
• Discussed a Board Game Advent Calendar for 2020.
• Spent time browsing Critical Role Shop and bought their newly released pajamas before they went out of stock! 
• Worked on parsing down a list of over 60 board games to 31 for an Advent Calendar.
• Sorted 31 games into similar categories so the Advent Calendar will flow, then retyped the list on the computer.
• Got the mail.
• Returned the garbage and recycle bins to the garage.
• Tried on the two new pairs of pajama pants I got from Hot Topic (Luke's Diner & Ravenclaw).
• Wrote out a wedding card to some friends who got married during the pandemic. 
• Worked on gathering all the pictures to make the game-a-day Advent Calendar for my husband.
• Worked on revising my Christmas/Birthday list on Amazon.
• Connected with a friend who was checking in with me.
• Started work on the digital daily game-a-day calendar.
• Talked to my mom about the handyman we're trying to get ahold of.
• Made dinner.

I spent my evening relaxing and talking with my husband. We got in an episode of Bly Manor. Strangely, it was one of the episodes that really messes with your mind, but ends shockingly! Wasn't expecting that for our one episode to watch. 

So, I guess, today in its own way I found joy by keeping myself busy. I saved some tasks to work on tomorrow so I have a way out of staying in a funk.

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 12

 

Day 12: Pennywise (It)

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 11

 

Day 11: The Nun - Valak (The Conjuring Universe)

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 10

 

Day 10: Audrey II (Little Shop of Horrors)

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 9

 

Day 9: Annabelle (The Conjuring Universe)

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 8

 

Day 8: Beetlejuice

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 7

 

Day 7: Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 6

 

Day 6: Regan MacNeil (The Exorcist)

Dungeons & Dragons: One Shot - The Haunt (Part 1)

 

I wanted to do a fun little Halloween play with my family and our friend, so I looked around and found the #1 recommended Halloween One Shot: The Haunt. I know there are tons of options out there, but this one kept popping up and it's a haunted house, so I figured it'd be good to go. While I prepped for the One Shot, I wasn't disappointed with the interesting twists and turns of the content.

The characters were recommended to be at Level 4 or 5. I had my group make Level 5 characters. The only information I gave them was that it was a haunted house in the woods. What they created was up to what they thought they might need.

Bazhlissh - Yuan-ti Pureblood Druid/Circle of the Stars (Lawful Good)

Gretchen Whispermouse - Halfling Wizard/School of Divination (Chaotic Good)

StarShadow - Kobold Rogue/Arcane Trickster (Chaotic Good)

Stash - Halfling Rogue/Inquisitive (Neutral Good)

I also already anticipated the scenario taking at least two sessions and not one, because my daughter, who is the kobold, is only 10yo. So we couldn't plan on a day-long session of play, but instead I split it into two pieces. The split is perfect, but I also have to see how the adventure unfolds so see how my daughter is doing.

Since this is a One Shot, the group didn't have much of a backstory. So I started with one of the suggested adventure hooks and wove a small backstory around that. 

The group is known for their hunting of the supernatural in the area. They just finished a case dealing with werewolves and were wrapping up the case with they were approached by Mayor Thom. Mayor Thom explained that people had been going missing when traveling around the notorious Montarthas Manor. People suspect foul place, but have been unable to locate any beasts or other questionable creatures in the area that could be causing these people to disappear without a trace. It had been rumored that some sort of spirits might be attracting and attacking the people. 

I, as the DM, decided that the group takes the assignment and they are able to do some research in the village before heading to the manor (as a few had knowledge of history skills to use). I used the background to give the players some idea of what they're exploring and some history of the manor. I mostly focus on factual information, allowing for other speculation to come to light while they explore the manor. This would be the information about the night hag, Gertrude.

They start on the path to the front door of the mansion. Gretchen uses calk to create light and then they spend their time trying to get in. Gretchen is, of course, obsessed with the blue eyes that are staring out at them from a window nearby. I thought for sure that it would be difficult to get them to walk away from the door, which is part of the setup, but they finally decided to look for another way in and I was able to do the cool, creepy door opening. 

Their first encounter is in the Manor Entryway and really put the small band of investigators to the test. The gargoyles came to life and were only responsive to certain types of attacks. It rendered my rogue useless and I had to lend aide to the others as they tried to take them down. It was a rough first encounter and put my crew on high alert. We needed an immediate rest to recoup.

In the next room they finally met the doll. I used a picture of the Annabelle doll from the Conjuring Universe movies. We shrunk her, though, so she was a smaller version of the movie doll version. My friend became obsessed with her, wanting to "be friendly" with the doll. The rest of the group became interested in the portcullis that was blocking the stairs and the griffin statue. 

I didn't have much happen, because they weren't pulling on the griffin statue's paw and they moved on to the tea room where a chandelier fell on Bazhlissh, but he succeeded a dexterity save to get out of the way. 

With some guidance, they were able to find the secret passage and the rest of the first floor was investigation. The best part was when they encountered the Zombie Beholder in the pool area! My husband and my friend knew how horrible Beholders were and freaked. But I didn't roll the disintegration ray, so they lucked out. 

The final part, before going upstairs, was the basement and I had to essentially tell them to either go in the basement or skip it. I think that's one of the things that I don't like about the way this is planned out, but I guess it really is just a make a decision moment. And when they got down there, I thought it would take them a while to figure out the puzzle, but it took them hardly any time at all. 

And it was with the basement that we ended our first session.  My daughter was so upset, because she wanted to keep going. The flow of the first part was really great, but it was a school night and it was getting late, so we had to call it quits. Appropriate stopping points sometimes aren't at the time we want.

Funko 13 Day Spooky Countdown - Day 5

 

Day 5: David Powers (The Lost Boys)