darlene chanimaya postma
-
Echoes
I kicked off the New Year by rediscovering a handful of blogs I wrote circa 2009-2011. I was finishing high school and starting college then. I started blogs for special occasions. I’d post 3-6 times, then abandon it. Going back to those blogs and reading the posts was like meeting 17/19-year-old me again. I’ve changed Continue reading
-
Game of Thrones: The Finale for Me
Lately, I’ve been rewatching Naruto. Part 1 and Part 2 are comprised of hundreds of hours of television. Dattebayo! Is it good? You ask. Should I watch it? Well, I say, embarrassed. Of course not! So…. this post is actually about Game of Thrones, not Naruto. It’s been 5 years since the finale, and I Continue reading
-
How Do You Explain a Pocket Operator to a Caveman?
I collect gadgets. If it beeps or boops, I probably have one. Call it an overcorrection from a childhood where video games were forbidden. Over the years, I started to collect Pocket Operators: Pocket Operators are handheld synthesizers/drum machines, made by Teenage Engineering. They resemble calculators, if calculators beeped, booped, and lit up themed scenes Continue reading
-
embracing post-con blues.
How was your TwitchCon? Had you been before? Did you make new friends? Did you meet your favorite streamer/player/host/personality? Did you meet a fan? Now that you’re home… how are you? After a packed weekend of reunions, introductions, and networking it’s natural to feel a little down. Post-con blues are easily diagnosed, but not so Continue reading
-
Goodbye, Mr. Bitey
Meet Mr. Bitey, a cheap plastic T-Rex I can’t seem to throw away. Mr. Bitey moved with me across 14 states and 3 apartments. Once, you could squeeze his arms to open and close his jaws. Now, his arms are snapped off, and he can’t stand alone. He lays around my apartment, occasionally moved from Continue reading
-
goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
The Midwest goodbye is a celebrated tradition of taking forever to leave someplace you’ve been invited. The host does not wish for you to leave, and the guest does not wish to go. It starts in the living room. “Weeeeelp,” you drawl, slapping your knee. “It’s ’bout that time.” The conversation moves to the kitchen, Continue reading
-
I Wish We Were More Loosely Acquainted, like my Sonos Speaker System and Spotify App
We should all be less familiar with each other, like my $400 speaker and $11 music subscription. In our inescapable, interconnected age, I wish we spent more time more apart.. like my luxury speaker and the digital music service I use with it. I text you, you text me back. Boring! When I change a Continue reading
-
Relient K’s Cover of “Ammunition” by Switchoot Brings Me To Life
God, I miss Matt Thiessen. Christian Rock fans of a certain age will remember the old debate: Switchfoot, or Relient K? The wisest fans know you don’t* have to choose. For a chunk of my young adulthood, Switchfoot were my entire personality. I look back and marvel how I could have been so obsessed over, Continue reading
-
I Downloaded League of Legends Again
I fell off the wagon. I downloaded the client. I played a few times. I tried the new champ. I played some of my fave champs. I ended up going about 50/50. I had fun. Then I didn’t. After sacrificing a few hours at this altar, I do not feel enriched. I don’t need to Continue reading
-
Dear Saniboch: Do You Even Work Here?
I’m closing in on the last shards I need for the Golden Cape. One of the shard-get options includes training Slayer, a skill I haven’t touched since returning to Gielinor in 2023. As a result of years-long inactivity from RuneScape, I forget how to play this complex game. Returning to Slayer was puzzling: Is Mighty Continue reading
-
My Favorite Airline Safety Brochure
Some years ago, I took the below picture from an airline safety brochure. I’ve been chasing it ever since. A woman prepares to slide down the wing of a plane, demonstrating safe exit procedure in the rare case of an emergency. My irony-poisoned brain refuses to process this image as anything other than a shitpost. Continue reading
-
#1 Good Attitude Combat Training Dummy
I’ve been hanging out at World 60 GE, selling items to cut down on bank space. From a max of 1170 spaces, I’m down to less than 1000. Recently, I discovered >200 combat training dummies buried in some unused tab. The RS Wiki suggests they come from Treasure Trail, but who knows over what period Continue reading
-
My Return to Pelican Town
I stated playing Stardew Valley again in 2023. I played the crap out of this game when it came out, but only scratched the surface of this timeless farming sim. Missing out on the game was my own fault. Stardew Valley can be played a number of different ways. Back in the day, I went Continue reading
-
I Got 99 Woodcutting in 2023, Now I Never Have to Cut A Wood Again
Here’s a Simpson’s gif I associate with MMOs. You never really quit RuneScape. I started playing again recently this year. Learning an MMO takes time, but is easier than it used to be. Over the years, players pooled their knowledge into widely available resources. Using these resources, it’s possible to optimize everything in an MMO Continue reading
-
120 Bankstanding: why do i have 2081 buckets
but why tho This article is a strategy guide for defeating your bank. It is part of a series on Double XP Live (May 2023). Bossing is a core mechanic of many MMOs. Payers engage a significantly powerful enemy boss in hopes of securing a prize. Bossing can be done solo, or with a group. Continue reading
-
120 Bankstanding: Returning to RuneScape for Double XP Live May 2023
Gains. Everyone wants them. Are you gamer enough to get them? This article is part of a series on Double XP Live May 2023. Double XP Live is a semi-annual bonus XP event in the video game RuneScape. During the event, your sweet XP gains are, well, doubled. There’s no one right way to play Continue reading
-
10 Questions With the winter without.
Good Vibes in Trying Times available Friday May 12th anywhere that music can be found! A year ago, Anthony stood on stage with his former band, screaming words he co-wrote to the famous walls of the Stone Pony, a storied music venue in Asbury Park, NJ. Today, he’s releasing Good Vibes in Trying Times as Continue reading
-
A Shinobi Named Matt
Once up on a time, my good friend Matt told me his approach to naming his role-playing game characters. Across all RPGs, Matt uses his given name in character creation whenever possible. This results in a Dark Elf named Matt, a Tarnished named Matt, or… a shinobi named Matt. I admire Matt’s commitment to rejecting Continue reading
-
Skeleton’s First Day in the Mad Forest
An aspiring boss monster takes a minion horde gig. Since the day he was reanimated, Archer Skeleton dreamed of being a hated franchise boss monster. He studied bosscraft at the Booliard School for Performing Arts and Monsters, graduating with academic honors. Among his myriad achievements, his attack pattern work led the field in smashed keyboards among Continue reading
About Me
Darlene writes about esports, community, fandom, and microcultures.
Darlene ChaniMaya Postma 