Update! RPG/Achievement-style

Instead of the usual long paragraph form or video dispatch, I figure I'd try something new.

Skill Stats:
Archivist: 4.5/36

In other words, I am halfway through one semester of 9 credit hours with 36 hours required to graduate. 9 credits to level up.)

Bicyclist: 5/20

I more or less try to practice bike safety, but have not quite yet mastered navigation of this city.

Knitter: 8/20

I am currently working on more complicated projects that require piecework and circular needles.

Attribute Stats:

Charisma: 5/20

I have a couple of social engagement this All Hallow's Eve weekend, so this may increase at some point. I have also developed a rapport with other classmates based on mutual kvetching. I have yet to develop the ability to talk to plants or communicate with the dead.

Intelligence: 10/20

While I am not as precocious as I used to be, I am developing mastery of bullshytt.

Health: -3/20

I do not bike as much as I ought to and have fallen back into bad eating habits. I have also not gotten my flu shot, either seasonal or H1N1) My sleep schedule is also peevish and erratic.

Strength: 5/20

My tactical bag carries a good deal of things at any given point in time. I either have to walk a mile to the T station and stand/sit (usually stand) for another 30 minutes to get to class or bike 5 miles with it on. I also still walk from the grocery store with the bag filled to the brim.

Appearance: 10/20

I've fallen back into my habit of wearing the same things every week and my hair is getting shaggy again. Other than that, I am still fabulous and my jeans still fit despite my scary turn of eating habits.

Sanity: -3/20

Tons of work to do, not a lot of time left in the semester. I will be spending a lot of time trying to make my 60 hour internship at MIT. Not to mention I have various research/group projects to consider. My crazy inconsistent sleep schedule probably isn't helping either. Saying "ffffffffffuuuuuuuu---" every morning is not the best of portents.

Dexterity: 10/20

Not bad, considering lack of sleep. I have enough presence of mind to dodge traffic with my bike or avoid falling over when the T lurches on the tracks.

Luck: 15/20

I'd have to say my luck has been pretty damn good considering I haven't been killed yet while bike commuting. There's also the fact that I've managed to trick my instructors into thinking I'm somewhat competent.

Maps Unlocked

Supersecret (ok, not really) bike route to work/school that won't get me hopelessly lost or killed. Hint: side streets and cut through MIT.

Location: Patsy's Pastry Shop Hell to the yes. Cannolis, macaroons, and my personal favorite: Greek Wedding Cookies. Setting foot through the glass doors and inhaling=this is what heaven must smell like.

Massachusetts Avenue between Central Square and Kendall Square/MIT: Another hint, a technological campus with a large Asian population will attract awesome restaurants. I found a place to get dosas along with a cute Asian food store where I got my new teacup (less than sparkling reviews on Yelp though).

Porter Square: The Honk Festival. I am so glad Arika invited me to this because it was everything I loved about band in high school without the insane band director or playing bullshit jock jams type music. Also, the Rude Mechanical Orchestra. Just listen. I don't think I can say anything else.

Location: Windsor Button: After getting off the T, I had such a hard time finding this place that I actually whipped out my new ASUS Eee to bootleg some wireless from somewhere around Boston Common and Google map it. It turns out that a bunch of construction scaffolding was obscuring its storefront. It is pretty much a craft person's heaven. I found yarn in colors I didn't even know existed and at a nice price for something like a wool/alpaca blend. They also have more buttons (naturally) than the mind can conceive without going mad.

Achievements

Bike4Dead Survival Mode: Managed to not become red asphalt under the tires of some asshole in an SUV or an absent-minded bus/cab driver.

Hermit Granny Award: Spent most of free time not studying/working knitting large projects.

Lardass Award: Ate two cannolis and three macaroons in one day. Mostly living off a diet of canned soup and quesadillas/grilled cheese sammiches.

Night Owl Award: Consistently stayed up until 2:00 a.m. or later FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHATSOEVER.

Procrasterbator: Playing Farmville/checking Facebook or knitting (or in this case, silly blogging) instead of doing research for my analytical paper or my Wikipedia assignment.

Cut a Fool/Shank a Bitch: Scaring the shit out of my roommates when I got pissed at the idea of someone attempting to steal my bike by breaking the banister on the first floor where it was locked to. Ok, granted, for all I know it was just accidental or repeated wear from my heavy lock and bike straining against it. Still, and I repeat, if I find out someone had tried to steal my bike, I will hunt them down and not only torture and murder them, but I will track down their family and make the thief watch as I disembowel their parents, steal their little sister's favorite dolly/teddy bear/light it on fire, and kick their dog/drown their cat. This is how attached I am to my bicycle.

So, that's pretty much it for now.