7GrandDad

If you kept an eye on the status updates earlier today, you have likely seen my dismay that someone had beaten me to writing the Super Mario Bros as a mafia story. I was indeed rather disappointed, I was eager to portray the world of the Mushroom Kingdom in a much, much different light with different portrayals of characters (especially Mario, who is pretty much a blank slate to begin with outside of his canon heroism and bravery). You might be asking, "But Grand Dad, if you wanted to write a Mafia Mario fanfiction, why don't you do it anyways?" I have a particular need for some kind of spin in my stories. Even in my planned Miitopia retelling that I mentioned last blog post, I plan to do things that doesn't exactly occur in the actual game, including world-building and lore, in addition to filling out those random levels that occur between major story events, mini-bosses, and bosses with some events, character development, and drama between party members and other characters. Heck, there may even be a deviation or two. But knowing there already exists a mafia take on the Super Mario Bros? Who is to say it hasn't been done before that or again since? And if I write my take on such a thing, will I be able to offer a fresh spin on it? I believe it may be best to go back to the drawing board for a potential Mario fanfiction, shelving elements that I liked in the scrapped mafia story for later use.

Spends two weeks brainstorming on a retelling of Miitopia. Me: "Right then. I believe I may have figured out how to remain faithful to the game's events while allowing room for the main characters to develop, interact, and play off of each other. I also have a few ideas for jokes up my sleeves. I just need to begin writing it out." My brain: "You're being a complete imbecile. No one will like your retelling for Miitopia, all you will get is flames and demands for you to delete the story and end your life. This is the kind of thing that's better off staying in your head than wasting your time to only get insults. And even if the writing is well-liked, you'll just get burned out like last time by trying to keep up with your readers' demands for new chapters." Me: "Thanks for the encouragement." I do not know why, but every time I fully flesh out an idea I get the feeling people will dislike it. I usually have a bad habit of abandoning fanfiction when I get constructive criticism due to fear of it becoming the next My Immortal. I completely realize that the person offering criticism is only trying to help, but I become reluctant to continue a clearly flawed story when I have to face that it is indeed flawed. And even worse, I fear getting flamed, as I have seen many writers and artists receive insults instead of constructive criticism. This fear may have something to do with my past of emotional abuse where my mother's ex-boyfriend will insult my works and imply that I will never become a good artist, behind the thin veil of calling it "criticism". And when I show reluctance with doing art he would simply accuse me of being unable to take criticism. Maybe I am unable to handle being criticized. I don't know. I might type out the story in a Google Doc but I will have to debate over posting it online.

I enjoy Coca-Cola, though I'm fine with potential soda substitutes. Pepsi, Sam's Cola, RC Cola, whatever.

I have several. Playing video games help me feel relaxed or perk me up. Believe it or not, the higher the stakes in a certain game, the better I feel, most particularly after I beat them. I remember fighting Dark Bowser in Bowser's Inside Story when I was younger. Nowadays, such fights I will do to relax include: The Pokemon League in Pokemon Moon, the Dark Sun (the boss of the 8th District in New Lumos) in Miitopia--I'm not insane enough to do the Tower of Dread casually, and I plan to add the final boss fight of Paper Jam to my list when I get there. I also randomly lurk on YouTube. A good YouTube Poop or meme will be enough to bring my mood up. For YouTube Poops, I recommend the Chowder YTP collab and a two-part Frozen YTP called "Cold", and for a quick short meme I suggest the first Collective Poetry and most Protegent videos. Or just binge on the Seth MacFarlane shows such as the early seasons of Family Guy. Later seasons are very hit or miss for me.

I currently have a craving for chicken ramen noodle soup. Though it's considered a cheap food, I actually prefer the one with the dried noodles and packaged flavoring, where you fill up a bowl of water and add the flavoring to it, before throwing in the dried noodles and leaving it in the microwave for five minutes.

I have been told by my psychiatrists that I had experienced anxiety, though not as a disorder such as social anxiety but rather a symptom of another problem. Though in my personal opinion I would probably compare it more to stress due to the feeling of slowly driven to madness, the cause of which most often happens to be other students from my high school, possibly not helped by my high-functioning autism and schizoaffective disorder. I believe the closest thing to true anxiety I have experienced was my frequent panic attacks from when I was nine to twelve years old, during a period where I was gravely bullied and harassed in a school before I moved to my current one in the middle of sixth grade. After that the panic attacks seemed to have stopped.

Frustrated. Flight Rising keeps throwing 400 Errors (Bad Requests), leaving me unable to access the site without "HURR DURR BAD REQUEST NOW HAVE A PICTURE OF A CONFUSED GREEN DRAGON". The worst part is that I'm gifting an XXY Tundra to a user but this site keeps going "lolnope". I probably should have seen this coming considering it kept logging me out for no reason but I can't even access the bugs forum to report the issue on my school Chromebook. I'll probably have to do it on my phone at home.

"I do indeed sell concoctions, yes," Elixir responded. Thanks to the alchemists of previous generations pursuing the discovery of alkahest, the universal solvent, they have produced very strong solvents even if they do not match the power of the fabled alkahest. "I may have what you are looking for, though it will be fairly strong." "As for the potions you request? I have several sleeping potions, though I need to know how exactly strong you want it. Finding a headache-curing potion shouldn't a trouble either," she continued. The unicorn decided to wait for the dragon's answer in regards to how strong of a sleeping potion the customer wanted. @Blitz Boom

Elixir finishes organizing her papers. With nothing else to do--she had already memorized the lecture she was going to give today--the unicorn could look at her notes regarding her own research to find the alicorn potion. As she didn't have much interaction with the alicorns here so far, Elixir couldn't make any notes on her search for such a potion.

Good remix of a good song.

Elixir had watched this all go on in silence. She didn't seem to disgusted by the actions of Nature Tune's former foster parent, and she didn't bat an eye at Trixie adopting the filly. Speaking of, wasn't the blue unicorn a stage magician? It probably doesn't matter. Bubbling Elixir organized the papers on the desk, glad for the peace and quiet that had swept over the now-empty classroom.

Elixir had decided to review what students will be attending her class. As expected, most of the students that will come to her class are foals. Though she probably shouldn't have expected otherwise. At least she will be able to teach a subject she actually cares about. The grey pony looked up when a blue unicorn had entered the classroom, asking about the whereabouts of her son. "Sorry ma'am," Elixir replied, putting up a polite facade, "but I have not seen your son. He is likely outside in the halls or in class." @Twilight Witch

"If it is more convenient, I can search for the potion you require." Fortunately, the dragon didn't seem too riled up over the fact that the unicorn had fallen asleep thanks to the potion spill. The way Elixir is conducting business matters here might be helping. Though this description of the purple pony with the eyepatch was rather unfamiliar to her. @Blitz Boom

Pepperoni pizza served from the school cafeteria.

Fossil Fighters Frontier for the 3DS. Fossil Fighters Freaking Frontier. I had enjoyed Fossil Fighters Champions and only had heard good things about the original Fossil Fighters. So I had high expectations when I bought Frontier last year and I completely regret it. I was met with the world's corniest song at the beginning and I think the worst part is that's actually the highlight of the game. The story is fine, even if it's clearly aimed at children. But the battles are boring, and traveling through the areas in your vehicle is tedious at best. The controls for the vehicle are wonky (though that might just be my ineptitude at driving in-game vehicles speaking) and there are dinosaurs roaming around in the overworld which makes it even more tedious as they want to fight you. They can even initiate a battle with you even when you are digging up fossils and make you completely lose that attempt. Sorry, but I would rather have random people fight me for my fossils back at Champions because at least I can take my fossils back to the lab after that, where there are no dinosaurs trolling you while you're cleaning the fossil. If you're looking to play a Fossil Fighters game, I recommend the original and Champions and for you to stay away from this trash.

"No, I hadn't been on a trip. Apparently there has been a sleeping potion spill, whether it be caused by a clumsy customer or...whatever had happened here," the alchemist responded, looking around at the buildings again. She considered herself lucky nopony tried to loot her apothecary while she had been out cold. "Who told you I was taking a trip?" "Anyways, yes, the apothecary is indeed open for business," Elixir continued, hoping not to lose the irritated dragon as a customer--she could always use the bits for her own research even with the steady revenue the mare already has. "I have cleaned up the mess inside, so no fumes should be lingering." @Blitz Boom

Bubbling Elixir initially had thought about ignoring the prospect of teaching at a school. As she already been self-employed with her apothecary in Ponyville, she saw little need to have a teaching job. And besides, she found foals to be quite annoying with their antics and messiness. What had caused her to change her mind was the fact she could potentially hold a teaching job at a rather prestigious school known as Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Ponies, which she only had the privilege of looking at from the outside when Elixir was a filly herself. Being near not one but three alicorns in the same building for extended periods of time could prove useful, as if observing them could somehow aid in discovering the alicorn potion. And the best of part of it all, was one of the schools opened in Ponyville, meaning she didn't had to relocate all the way back to Canterlot. The hours for her apothecary will be tighter and more limited, of course, but it will be well worth it. The light grey unicorn had already set up everything in her classroom. There were about ten, long tables in the classroom, which all had beginners' tools for alchemy tucked away in their shelves, ready to be pulled out for in-class assignments when they come. At the front of the classroom is her desk with the chalkboard behind it. If Elixir wasn't mistaken, she still has time before the students inevitably go into her classroom at some point, which will give her a bit of free time. She didn't have any assignments for today--that will come tomorrow. All she has to do is explain the class in some detail and give them their syllabuses. Though there's very likely going to be that one foal that will not bother with giving the rules and list of needed materials a glance.

Bubbling Elixir slowly began waking up in her apothecary. The grey unicorn found herself in a rather uncomfortable position, with her entire front part of her body draped over a table and her back legs on the wooden floor. She had no collection of how she ended up in such a state. Out of the corner of her eye, Elixir saw a spilled potion. That must be it. Elixir could identify the type of potion just by glancing from it. It was one of the stronger sleeping potions she had crafted. The fumes must have knocked her out when it was spilled, possibly by a careless pony. At that moment, anger flared up in her chest. Elixir had dealt with her fair share of poor customers, but this one takes the cake. Especially one who caused a mess that made her fall asleep. But she'll hunt down whoever caused this and make them pay for the damages later, she had a mess to clean up. The fumes had their effects mostly wear off, causing the unicorn to only feel slightly drowsy, which made cleaning up the spill rather easy to deal with. Disposing of the rag with which she used to clean, she only just noticed the noise outside. This prompted Elixir to open the front door of the apothecary to see what the ruckus was about. She was met with the sight of buildings that seemed to have suffered some damage recently. Could whatever damage had happened to her shop caused the spill? It looked relatively unharmed, but then again, damage at the scale it had occurred here could cause tremors. Which left the question of how long she was slumbering.

Replying to a roleplay offsite while playing some memes on the side.

I had only sought out this video because of Markiplier's most recent Try Not To Laugh challenge. I have no regrets doing so.