Elden Ring has taught me to be a little less frugal

You might recall that not too long ago, I hit the Elden Ring exhaustion point. Pre-heating the oven and a rigorous badminton schedule didn’t mingle too well with an open world that demanded every ounce of my concentration. I went MIA from the Lands Between for three months, spending my time watching cushy reality TV like Below Deck Mediterranean and lying in my bed, hoping its springs would somehow channel electricity into my bones and recharge my weary mind.

Over the past few days I’ve returned to the Lands Between with renewed vigor. I’ve taken a dustpan and brush to the map, sweeping up optional bosses and forts and quests with the wild energy of a cleaner who mustn’t stop for even a second. In doing everything it takes to finish this game before I burn out again, I’ve learned the importance of investment and why spending is good, actually.