When Cyberpunk 2077 came out last holiday season, our months of anticipation was shattered by reports of bugs and glitches at launch that ultimately led us to wait until after emancipating Tsushima from Mongol invaders before finally diving into V’s adventure. It has been some time since I played a first-person shooter, and the mind-boggling array of cyberware, quickhacks, and braindances felt foreign and confusing. The garish and gritty world felt unnecessarily brutal at times, but Night City was like a living, breathing organism that beckoned exploration, with a well-built GPS system that made navigation a breeze. Despite the engaging characters and storylines, it took us some time to acclimate as my game time was limited by the multiple NEI grant reviews and ARVO presentations I had to prepare. Engrossing Blackpink music videos and Netflix’s new Shadow & Bone fantasy series helped ease my anxiety about Westley’s cardiology consult and dwindling applicant pool for lab personnel. With COVID restrictions easing and my in-laws vaccinated and able to help with childcare, we also took the opportunity to try pho and bun rieu at Pho Tasty, gyro and lamb tajine from Casablanca, banh mi at Fusion Boba, citrusy crab ramen at Kodaiko Ramen, spicy hot pot from Spicy Dragon, and biryani thalis at Kaveri Madras. For Melody’s birthday, we celebrated with Korean fare at YD Tofu House, followed by cake slices from KP International Market, and a massive chocolate cream pie from Ikeda’s. With my parents visiting soon, we are accruing a list of restaurants for us to enjoy some family outings together.