Daily Update, May 3, 2024

    On Friday, a moral dilemma came up while I was playing on City of Heroes: Homecoming. Dr. Faustus insisted on sitting out the story arc the supergroup we belong to was supposed to do, because the contact we were supposed to help was a Nazi, and he's against helping them even in a game, and he felt his character would be, too. The gal who's the other person I'm more comfortable calling a friend, not just an acquaintance left about then... One of the others suggested we run something we could all do. I seconded that, but Dr. Faustus insisted we play on "for completion's sake." That's when I found myself with a serious dilemma. I play this game to spend time with my friends, and both of my real friends had left. Worse, at least one was sitting out as a conscientious objector, as far as I could figure. As I thought about it, I realized that my family has been fighting for civil rights in assorted movements for well over a century, if not longer. I don't mean just lip service. We've put our reputations on the line for civil rights. We've put our jobs on the line, too. Also, our freedom, and possibly our lives. It's a heritage I am proud of, and I am not going back on that heritage "for completion's sake" in a game. Not when a friend has decided it's worth sitting it out, even if he tries to decide for me that it's more important for me to support the group. If he hadn't done that, I probably would have played, too. I wouldn't be the first time I'd have chosen spending time with a friend over in-game ethics, but this time I actually got more time with my friend by sitting it out. {smile}

Also, our housekeeper came on Friday. Our house is definitely better for her attentions. {Smile}

   I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner with Mom and read to her before dinner. I got there right after my bath, and I'm fairly sure I was late at that. Mom needed to be woken up; the nurse helped with that, speaking louder than I'd gotten to yet. She did look at the pictures while I read, though she closed her eyes to rest when she'd seen enough. First, I started my reading with scripture and thoughts about it. Then I read a Christmas card from her nice, a birthday card from one of her sisters, and a Valentine's card from her other sister. After that, I read the next few pages from _1960's Memory Lane_. Next, I read "The Emperor's New Clothes" from _Five Minute Fairy Tales_. I finished with the 3rd of May's poem from _366 Stories for Bedtime_, "The Wood Sprite." {Smile}

   I did my walking exercises after teaming for the evening - all fourteen in one go. Then, with only brief pauses in between, I did my five head exercises, my two arm-resistance exercises, and my fourteen arm-swinging exercises. Then, after a longer break, I did my salsa dancing warmup set. Then, after another longer break, I did the first piece of my second salsa dancing set. I realized as I started that I was tired but tried to stick it out for that piece. I did, but as I finished, I realized that a second piece - even a shorter one - would probably not be the best choice. So, I stopped at almost 15 minutes of salsa dancing. I realized I was tired even for the simpler exercises, so I stopped for the night. {smile}

   Over breakfast, I played Cross Stitch World, and continued to do that through most of the morning. then I wrote up Thursday's daily update late in my morning, before lunch. After lunch, hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. There, I found Div, and we teamed up. Pierogies said hi but wanted to check with his family before committing. Also, Dr. Faustus let me know the villain group he got me into had a meeting in a couple of hours. Not worried about that, Div and I started doing a mission of mine. Pierogies came back and joined us, and we ran a few more of my missions. Then Div left, and Pierogies left too, admitting he was tired. Finding myself free, I checked with Dr. Faustus. The meeting was going. I went, we were still chatting, but soon we adjourned to do a story arc. That's the story arc Dr. Faustus and I sat out, and another friend left before it started. In any case, I left early to squeeze in a bath before reading to Mom and managed to be later to start that than I hoped. {smile}

   After supper I went back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Dennis and we teamed up. We ran the last couple of missions in one of my character's story arcs, ending just when he hoped to leave because of an early morning. Then Dennis left, and I did a little paperwork, the looked around. I spotted someone asking for a team who was a bit lower level, so I asked if he'd found a team. He said no, but he'd hoped not to lead one, so I switched to a character closer to his level, and advertised, getting a few more characters on the team. We finished one of my story arcs, and all but one left. I advertised again, got a couple more, and we started another story arc. We did a few missions, and everyone left just about when I was hoping to start my exercises. So, I did my exercises, interspersed with writing this, reading comics, and playing Cross Stitch World. After the exercises, I made notes in this to write from the next day, then headed to bed. {Smile}