I do attend church, if that seems shocking to anyone, and last weekend was our Sunday School’s man camping trip. The class was going to be girls’ only, and as such, the class director told everyone to bring any crafts they were working on and we would just work on our crafts and chit chat. Sounded like a modern version of quilting hour. So here’s the thing…I’m not artsy-craftsy at all. I don’t scrapbook, I don’t sew, I don’t knit, I don’t crochet, I don’t do any of those craftsy things so many other women enjoy doing. Earlier this year, I completed a cross-stitch of something from Portal 2, and while that was fun, it’s not something I see myself doing all the time. At least not often enough to actually own a crafts room or even a crafts closet.

So I went to Sunday School empty handed, and I felt so very alone amongst all of these women who brought stockings they were making, scarves they were knitting, and T-shirts they were during into fashionable necklaces (not lying). To be honest, I usually feel alone amongst my Sunday School classmates in thoughts, beliefs, hobbies, etc., but this was the first time I really felt left out. It wasn’t anyone’s fault; it’s just one part of typical woman hobbies that I’ve never really gotten into.

When my husband got home from working later that day, I told him how left out I felt, which was stupid to feel that way, but I felt like I was almost wasting space just sitting there and talking, since everyone else was doing something. He said, “Well, you can’t take your craft with you.” I asked him what he was talking about, and he said I was working on my craft right then. Didn’t I see that?

What was I doing? I was putting together section two of the Forward Unto Dawn Halo Mega Bloks set I got for Christmas (early gift).

I have a hard time calling it a craft, because to me, it seems like I’m just playing with toys. Although I suppose on one level, I am crafting because I am building it, sort of like building a model. He was right about one thing though; there is no way I could have taken this craft with me to church, for logistics reasons alone.

I’m about halfway done, and here is my progress so far. For the record, I have no idea where I’m going to keep it when it’s finished.

Sadly, I haven’t really been gaming very much thanks to a hectic return-from-Thanksgiving schedule. I’ve been playing the Spartan Ops episodes for Halo 4 when those release, but I haven’t been working on much else that, you know, NEEDS to be worked on. So Assassin’s Creed III will get some serious attention this week so I can hopefully start and finish Epic Mickey 2 by the end of the year.

It’s good to have goals.

Now back to finishing the Forward Unto Dawn…

I bought Journeyaround the same month it released, which was in March, and well, I was too busy playing lots of Mass Effect 3 at that time. And then I got distracted with several other things, which brings me to now, where I finally decided to give this game a go. I lovedFlower, so I expected to love Journey just as much.

I was right.

First of all, it’s ridiculous that I just now sat down to play this game. With some exploration–not nearly as much as I could have done–I finished the game in about 2 hours. Not sure how I couldn’t have found 2 hours back then to squeeze this game in, but I didn’t, and I’m so glad I made time for it now. I completely understand the appreciation for the game now, and I can confidently say that it deserves the Game of the Year nominations it has gotten. It’s still not my personal GOTY, but it’s in the top 3.

Like Flower, the game isn’t complex and doesn’t have this huge over-arching story to tell, not to mention that there is zero dialogue, but careening my little scarfed character down dunes of sand greatly moved me. On top of that, the wonderful string symphony that accompanies everything you do and the telling of the backstory via cave drawings only enhanced the feelings.

I was worried that I wouldn’t meet any other players in the game since I’m playing it so late, and I’ve heard how their presence really deepens the experience. I ran into a few people, but only one person stayed with me for a long time. We stayed together for about 2-3 levels, and we helped one another find glyphs, symbols, and get through some of the puzzles. We also were big on helping one another keep the powers in our scarves so we could fly, and even though we never spoke to one another, I felt this little connection with him/her. I lost him/her in the temple level, and I became incredibly sad. I waited and waited for my partner to figure out the soaring puzzle and join me, but he/she either got distracted exploring or I zoomed too far ahead for him/her to catch up. When I realized I had to go on, I did so with a heavy heart. I really, really missed my partner in that last level, and I never found anyone else during that harrowing part of the journey.

I’m not sure if I’ll play again or not, even though some of the Trophies do look tempting. It was an amazing experience, and I’m afraid that playing it again will remove some of that amazement and wonder. It’s one reason why I haven’t returned toFlowerat all, even though I really want to redo some of those levels I messed up.

Long story short, if you haven’t played Journey, do yourself a favor and take 2 hours out of your day to give it a go. Unless you’re like my dear friend MattG at Press the Buttons, it will move you as much as it has done to the countless others who have nominated it for a GOTY award.

After I wrap up my guide reviews for 2012, I do believe Unfinished Swanwill be next, followed by Batman: Arkham Aslym, as I’ve been told by countless others that one needs to leave my stack of shame as soon as humanly possible. Think I can get all 3 of these guide reviews done by the end of the year? Here’s hoping!

Fellow writer Chris Nitz is a talented toy photographer with an affinity for everything LEGOs. He’s constantly talking to me about new LEGO sets he’s looking at, new ideas he has for his photography, LEGOs, LEGOs, LEGOs. I really enjoy the LEGO games, and I’ve always liked the LEGO art I’ve seen at conventions, malls, exhibits, etc., but actually collecting and building with LEGOs hasn’t interested me since I was young.

That kind of changed when my son got interested in playing with LEGOs. He likes some of the sets, but his coordination skills aren’t there yet to build the fancy cars and models in the instruction booklets, so I’m the one who usually puts the sets together. A couple of weeks ago, we were shopping at Toys R Us for a LEGO table for him to keep all of his bazillion of pieces on and in, and I ran across a Halo Mega Bloks set (not exactly LEGOs, but eh, close enough) for the Warthog. Halo LEGOs? Really? Now that’s something I could play with!

The set stayed in its box until Gabe had a sick day. We spent a couple of hours poring over the instructions and wading through hundreds of teeny tiny pieces until we built the Warthog and the Forerunner Relic. When I came away from it…I realized it was a ton of fun. Not only that, but I wanted more. I want more than just the Warthog…I want my absolute favorite vehicle from the games–the Ghost. Oh and a Scorpion…those missions are always the most fun. Ooooh wait…I can build a Pelican dropship? And a Phantom? I NEED ALL OF THESE. Curse my collector/addictive personality!

Of course, I can’t buy more, because we’ve told Gabe that he can’t have any more LEGO sets until Christmas. If he can’t have any, then I can’t have any, because a four-year-old will NEVER understand why Mommy gets toys and he can’t. Oh sure, I have reasons like Mommy has a job and you don’t, but it’s easier to not buy myself these toys and avoid the whining temper tantrum I’m sure to get if he sees another toy block set that isn’t his. The joys of parenthood and all that.

Christmas can’t get here fast enough.

And for the record, if they ever release Mass Effect LEGOs or Mega Bloks…well, I think it goes without saying how screwed I am then.