I’m drunk on The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. Not exactly what expected to type, honestly.

I’ve spent a big chunk of the weekend building out my base, making sure I have all the armor and weapons before I keep mining toward reclaiming the Mines of Moria. The loop just clicks with me. Mine, haul, build, upgrade, take the next tunnel. The game isn’t perfect by any means, but I’m not bothered right now. It’s been a genuinely relaxing weekend, and that’s been long overdue.

Getting in the mood to enjoy something has been hard for me lately. Not impossible, but not easy either. It’s like I can’t allow myself to have fun without feeling guilty about the recreational time, the hobby time. Like it needs to be earned somehow. Life’s short and I keep giving myself unnecessary migraines over it.

The rest of the weekend was amazing too. I finally drove to my hometown for the first time in ages, something I haven’t managed since I injured my lower back. The recovery took forever, to the point that I think I’m a little traumatized by the whole process. The nerve pain was insane. I had to get steroid injections for a full year just to be barely back in shape. I can’t imagine going through that again.

Recovery aside: I’ve been getting into The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman’s cozy mystery about retirees in a retirement village who form a murder-solving club. It’s not the most conventional novel, but it’s entertaining enough. I don’t care much about the plot or the pacing. I went in with zero expectations, so if any surprises or plot twists show up, they’re a bonus.

Other than that, it’s been a bumpy three to six months. The amusing part is that I was all ramped up working on my projects, then had to take a long break because as they matured, I realized I needed to unplug before I worked myself to death.

All in all, it’s been bumpy. But right now I’m enjoying myself more than ever, and that’s worth a lot.