Nakoruru Memory

This is Nakoruru, a character from the SNK NeoGeo game Samurai Showdown. She means something special to me, as she is my favorite fighting game character and inspired an archetype for notable female characters in my stories.

Before all that, when I was a teenager, when I did not have to work, I would go to a video store in my hometown to play the arcade version of SS. I have never seen a NeoGeo and never could find the PS port of the original SS game. Now that I am unemployed and have no money, I cannot get it.

I always picked Nakoruru because she is fast. She is liquid grace and uses a short sword which I like. I was a master with her and could beat any challenger fool that intruded on my game playing time in less than 10 seconds.

But thinking of Nakoruru, I remember my teenage days. I never thought life would be like this. I used to think that things would be cool, I could do what I want and live where I want.

I can't do anything now. It's misery. I developed anxiety disorder in my 30's. I developed chronic prostatitis in my mid 30's. Of course, I am 35 now.

I had a job when I was a teen. I worked at Winn-Dixie. A picture of me in our yearbook showed me there. I was there for 7 years. I used to think I'd always be there. Then it closed. I went on to another store, then the debacle of Y2k, after which I worked at my favorite job. Until it was outsourced to Penang in Malaysia. The company I worked for is no more now.

When I was a teenager, I was addicted to soda, music, and I wrote a lot, the foundation of my story world. I have written an ongoing epic space opera since I was 18. My writing helps me chill. I try to craft better stories now, but it takes some effort not to blah blah blah the story into left field.

I wish I could still play SS. It would remind me of simpler days. I posted a picture of her, the shrine maiden from Hokkaido.

I wonder if Hokkaido was damaged in the earthquake/tsunami. I hope not.

How silly that a video game character affected me so. There's not a lot to my life.