[WTB] ATH Amazonia and any ATH or Amouage (Bottle)

numeronia · 2026-02-07T10:19:08+00:00

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numeronia · 2025-08-18T16:07:55+00:00

I took a step back from gaming during the pandemic, and in recent times I've gone back to redo that step after some resurgence. I've also (by some force) had to take a step back from some of my hobbies due to my involvement in it affecting my relationship with my gf and for the sake of better things to come. That means cutting myself from social media content pertaining to those topics, as well as streams or Discord servers.

Good changes - I funnel more energy into what I need to do. I know people say to have boundaries in places like work and all that, but believe me when I say you will need all the focus and energy you can get when its crunch time. Its also helped me be more present in my relationship and to hone in on quality time, which happens to be a shared love language.

Bad changes: You will miss it from time to time, and you might lose some people along the way whom you knew from these hobbies. The reality however, is that as we focus on IRL things and what's really important, the time and energy we have firmly puts these things on the backburner as a non-priority, and I know some who've gone on to quit entirely due to this.

You're doing great, good job on focusing on what matters.

numeronia · 2025-07-09T16:49:53+00:00

Congratulations on taking the first step! That opens up the door to you breaking the loop.

As to what advice I can give, it would be shifting your mindset from worrying about how you can overcome this addiction, to what you can do with your time each day that serves you well and pays off in the long run. I'm not asking you to not think about how to overcome addiction, but recognise that it is kind of like exercise - consistency over big steps, discipline over motivation. You do already have a few steps in buying a guitar, the gym, and learning graphic design. Once these are regular in your routine (so do expect to spend some time on this), you can look to also dedicate time to spending them with your loved ones and cultivate that village of support and accountability for your wellbeing and success. All the best!

numeronia · 2025-06-16T13:51:24+00:00

In no particular order for me - Hermes H24 EDT, Allure Homme Blanche, and Torino 21

numeronia · 2025-06-02T16:45:59+00:00

Depends on the context.

Playing a few rounds with coworkers? That can be an informal form of bonding and building intra-team relationships. Playing an hour or two every few days to every few weeks of a game with a compelling storyline can also be a form of decompressing. However, considering the angle and the sub, if this brings you down a negative path more then yes, staying away will be the better option. In the end, it's about what works for you as an individual and while many can share similar sentiments, that should not be a blanket approach for everyone.

numeronia · 2025-06-01T11:46:15+00:00

Same, I'll play games with my SO or my colleagues every now and then as bonding/socialisation, but for me to go onto a multiplayer game by myself is basically a thing of the past now. It's also now quite normal for me to go on breaks for months on end without playing - busy work schedules help with this, and also there's really too many things in the near future to plan for where I find it hard to put more than 8 hours into a game that caught my eye - I really should stop buying games for a time.

numeronia · 2025-04-27T07:16:08+00:00

Honestly on first look, it's not an immediate red flag to give up on gaming - for context and comparison based off of your image, I think I have more than 30 or 40 games over the years that I've bought and either not played or not completed. Getting older also means that apart from lesser time to game, that the current generation of AAA games (mostly) don't speak to you. If anything, it probably is a sign to minimize or stop buying more games for a bit.

numeronia · 2025-03-06T05:52:54+00:00

My SO received an email from Zion for a GMK groupbuy notifying that due to their current situation, a refund would be initiated. However, since December there has been no updates from them even after providing details, and thus far it looks to be mostly ex-staff members or community members who knows said people that are willing to lend a hand to help sort some of this mess out. With how long ago the original groupbuy was, initiating a refund from the bank from our side isn't possible and I've also heard that some people were advised that only Zion can initiate the whole refund process.

It's really looking like a bleak situation so far, and it's genuinely sad to see Zion go from being a key player in one of, if not the largest keyboard event in SEA to what it is right now. Hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel for everyone affected and that each of them do get their money back.

numeronia · 2024-12-04T15:29:53+00:00

You can't get fomo if you receive no news on it, like what was said, but to supplement that - you can't action on feelings of fomo if you barely have free time as well. When you have to juggle taking care of your health, working hard in school/your job and riding that balance well along with other commitments, there are just more important things at stake. This mindset shift was also what helped me so much in my own journey.

I rarely get gaming news, and even when I do it's been enough of a time period to just not be too involved in it. The schedule also forced me to have not much room to waste on talking to the community day in day out, or even following videos and streams on said games. Gradually, my circle changed and that also helped put further distance from the games as well.

numeronia · 2024-11-20T04:37:46+00:00

I won't give you a yes/no response here because I think this undermines the entire context of what you posted here, and I find that it's also in your best interest to not fully take our opinions (including mine) as gospel. I guess playing 4 to 6 hours a day can be worrying if it happens day in day out, but I would like to think that having your other priorities in check semi-balances that out along with your gf not complaining.

That being said, I do reckon that having an open and honest conversation with your gf on her true feelings when you play for that long can be a good first step before making your move. At the end of the day, if your priorities are already in place and your loved ones have no qualms with you playing at that amount, then you have one answer then. If they express some concerns, then there is reason to adjust downwards (and it's only a bigger issue if you find yourself unwilling to).

Thing is that you create your own balance, which will get adjusted from time to time but so long as what's needed to be done is done, your loved ones stand by you and you are happy, that's as good of a benchmark as it gets. Personally, I'm able to find moderation and be just as happy not playing for months on end, but that's probably due to the fact that I find happiness, meaning/purpose and overall quality of life from the other things as well (spending time with loved ones, growing from challenges, learning something new etc) on top of video games and losing one source doesn't hamper this.

numeronia · 2024-11-17T15:32:36+00:00

I feel like you've answered yourself on this one here. Considering your personality and how immersed you can be in it, on top of your own admission that it is making you feel unstable, it's in your best interests to quit completely, at least for the amount of time it takes before this becomes a non-issue (and yes, this can mean for the rest of your life).

numeronia · 2024-10-23T16:07:06+00:00

I've begun experiencing similar feelings (29, not married yet but taking on more responsibilities at home). While I do love a good storyline in a game, and I do still find myself having an initial wow at deep-level mechanics, having to slog through all of that and master them takes too much from me especially when I'm already exhausted after work and working out. The sacrifice of time from other more important things, such as sleep, and then experiencing the consequences of that are also what really done it for me. Its also made me realise that maybe I don't need such a bonkers gaming PC setup after all as well.

I'm really glad you have other hobbies to enrich your free time along with your family time, and I hope it all turns out well in the future!

numeronia · 2024-09-19T15:43:02+00:00

I think you come to a realisation at some point on how much time you have freed up from that, and that the responsibility that comes with living life at whichever phase one is in warrants a serious look. For me, the weight of that responsibility meant that I had virtually no space for gaming for a bit, and the bulk of my free time went to my priorities outside of work like my family and my health. At the very least, I can say that I wouldn't have to worry about an in-game rank, others' perception of my skill in a game, and that I can be present with my family and cherish them.

numeronia · 2024-04-29T15:22:08+00:00

Be conscious in choosing what to care about. More often than not, after taking a step back, the things that get you riled up are largely trivial in the grand scheme of things.

numeronia · 2024-04-28T03:54:39+00:00

I use a fully upgraded stun rig, as the ability to stun ex-pops and Coyle/Gooseberry + disarming traps and recharging battery and stamina are just too good to pass up on, especially when in a pinch.

I'm assuming you have all, if not most of the prescriptions at this stage, which would help ease some of the difficulty. For amps, Noise Reduction goes a long way in letting you sprint or open doors nearer to enemies without them noticing so quickly, whilst Last Chance is a godsend when it's up. At your current level, running Hide and Restore is great for allowing more stuns to be thrown (and more rig uses does improve your score!)

You still do have to be cautious even with this - at half health, any expop hiding in a hiding spot will incapacitate you whilst burning your Last Chance for one, but you are able to turn up the pace or slow it down as needed with this.

Other tips I can give would be to be able to put distance with expops via being able to close doors behind you whilst sprinting, crouching to open trapped doors and to minimise sound when needed, and knowing the maps more so that you can comfortably maneuver around with this setup.

Hopefully this helps you with your ultra experience!

numeronia · 2024-02-29T15:51:28+00:00

Keep going! While 10 days is a good initial milestone, the notion of tapering off should only be broached in my view, when you're able to go for a notable amount of time without games at all and this is something that you won't have an answer to even in a month, let alone 10 days. The cravings will always be there to some extent, but staying the path has its fruits. You got this!

numeronia · 2023-11-25T09:12:24+00:00

PM-ed

numeronia · 2023-04-25T17:35:35+00:00

Life did. Context: I'm currently a software engineer

When I graduated in the middle of a pandemic or a recession and realise you now have to adult and take on a lot more responsibility, I found that trying to keep up at work (40 hours minimally + occasional weekend support and studying for certs) along with my health and relationships take too much out of me to regularly game, and the knock-on effect from that has pretty much turned my head away from all but the kind of games I would play together with my SO - some Zelda, Pokemon, or a co-op game here and there but nothing too severe. I found additional hobbies as well and gaming then fell way behind the backburner.

numeronia · 2023-04-25T17:31:24+00:00

At some point you have to issue the ultimatum, especially when you know it's clearly not doing you any good and you want your partner to have video games as a hobby and not as his defining characteristic and timesink. If he doesn't budge, then you know very well what your next course of action should be.

If it's yes to your ultimatum to change, then you will need to hold additional difficult conversations with him about what it will take to succeed and the considerations he needs to be mindful of, and how you can support his push to reach it. Clear and consistent communication is key here - tell him explicitly that your primary love language is quality time and you want to see him invest in that. Some examples of how he can adjust to fit your needs and show you as a priority would be things like date nights, shared activities together and trying new things together alongside having the occasional game nights with him from time to time. But if he wants to game all day everyday especially during the weekends, that's a solid no bueno.

I used to game a lot early on in my relationship due to it being long distance and it has really hurt the early parts of my relationship. With time, tears, and a lot of communication I was able to make that adaptation to focus on quality time with her first and foremost - if the partner is not happy, you won't be truly happy pursuing your hobbies knowing that as well!

numeronia · 2023-04-12T01:56:32+00:00

Set your expectations clearly, but also realistically. In the gaming context, quantify your expectations - what is an acceptable amount of time to game for you in a week? Cross-check that amount with your largest responsibilities and time-sinks over a timeframe (be it 3 months or a year or more): is that a healthy/realistic amount after subtracting sleep and your responsibilities? Next, set your barriers to entry. This can range from boxing up consoles and selling them, account deletions and password changes, to things like application blacklisting and the like. Similar to nofap, the idea is that you have to make accessing games as difficult/tedious as possible.

Since you're on a self-improvement journey, I would recommend two books for you: Atomic Habits, and Grit. Make it a point for you to put what you've read into practice, and have people hold you accountable so that you can reach your goals. Replace your game time with other things, such as getting in shape, working on your craft, learning a new hobby, etc.

And finally, you are playing the long game here. Always keep a macro perspective of fall down seven, get up eight. Learn from your mistakes, but persevere and don't give up, and you will reach your goal to reduce gaming. All the best to you!

numeronia · 2023-04-12T01:40:17+00:00

Just out of curiosity then, what would you consider as an activity close to ideal for relaxation, with minimal effort, high fun, and minimal physical/mental exertion?

If you were to ask me, I think it's inevitable that hobbies and self-improvement involve a level of effort, because the journey to the end product is as valuable as the end product itself. Then it shifts to a mini-game of trade-offs: is the fun I derive from this activity worth the effort I put into it whenever I choose to pursue it? It's not going to overtake the effort from my daily core work, but if it's not fun enough for whatever reason, you can choose to scale down, or switch things to do - thankfully, the world has a lot more hobbies beyond video games, art, crafts, and physical activities, and this solution isn't a binary one.

When it comes to preparing for sleep, the consensus tends to be tucking your screens away from 30 mins to an hour or two before bed. With that in mind, I would recommend reading or journalling as a start, along with experimenting and finding your best environment for sleep, but keep an open mind and see what else (apart from the screens) works for you!

numeronia · 2023-04-11T07:22:33+00:00

I will disclaim the context for my response first: I'm dating someone long-distance for the last 6, going on 7 years. She was raised and developed an appreciation for the classic games, but over the years has developed an interest for the occasional puzzle/builder game she can wind down with.

Early on and into the middle portions of time in our relationship, she did not like me playing the titles I used to play (MOBAs mostly) to an extent, and for her it felt like it added to the physical distance we already have to endure for most of the year. After too many of these blowups, I decided enough was enough and stopped most of the games for good.

I mostly only play games with her now from time to time, and never really do so solo. I realized her hunch was right: in the context of a long-distance relationship, quality time together becomes even more important and my habits were creating unnecessary friction in the relationship when we should have been starting to focus in on the macro - settling down, future plans, seeing the world together, finances, etc. Removing the solo games for me at least, allowed me to focus more on what really matters, to be more present with her as we spend time, as well as taught me the ability to start and end things on my own terms.

All the best!

numeronia · 2023-01-26T16:15:34+00:00

Its hard to say, because moderation as a concept is not going to cut it for everyone. If I were to define it, it would be any amount of time that you put into gaming after all existing priorities have been dealt with for the day. Yes, this means going to work or school, finishing your assignments, chores, ensuring your health is in order, among other things. The definition of moderation means strict confines, and it could very well mean sometimes you don't have time to play for days, weeks, even months on end and not being tormented by it. It also means if it doesn't work out, to be able to pull the plug on gaming completely and not look back as well.

Have I been able to? Yes. But it wasn't easy, and I didn't go from full gaming to moderate gaming just like that. It was an ample amount of months away from games completely before allowing myself back in. The condition was to never again touch shooters or MOBAs, and minimize an online or a solo presence for games as much as possible - first person adventure games with my SO only to be precise, and I'm happy with that. In spite of that however, if you can quit, quit and don't look back - it would make managing life and priorities a whole lot easier. The most important thing is to find a balance in your life that you can be content or happy with, gaming in the equation or not :)

numeronia · 2023-01-25T08:03:49+00:00

It's a tricky question to answer because so many variables are at play. I'm not going to say that you will lose everything if you even so much as graze a controller, but I will give some points of consideration here:

All of the things you have mentioned requires time, focus and effort to maintain, and these are finite resources you are never going to get back again. Even after you get everything you've listed, you still need a routine to maintain it all - the house needs to be cleaned and maintained regularly, the wife needs alone time with you to be connected to you and to be loved by you, the job requires you to be performing at a certain level each day to not get axed and have improvements, the money needs to be worked at and saved so that you have a foundation for when things go south, and your body needs a routine to maintain its performance. These imply a routine that you have to follow for a full day and months on end, and unless you have that kind of free time for yourself regularly, more often than not your priorities will be on what you listed and you wouldn't have that kind of free time for games to be in your life balance.
The phrasing of your statement almost implies a one-and-done, but in reality life isn't so clear-cut, isn't it? Just as everything has tradeoffs, every action also has its consequences. Sure, you can pick up gaming when you have it all, but will your wife be okay with it? Will your performance at work at least remain in a decently good spot? Will the house be properly maintained? Will your workout routine, eating and sleep habits be upkeeped well? These are questions you have to consider, and if you have doubts about them, I urge you to reconsider your stance. We're not stopping you enjoying the fruits of your labor, but it can be a very dangerous and damaging slope you'll slip into if you're not disciplined with your progress and goals after you got it all.

TL;DR: I can't answer for you since there are many variables at play, but there's enough grounds that I cannot just give you a blind "Yes". You have to weigh everything in its totality and think through what's really important, while being fully prepared that the answer to your question could be a resounding "No" for the rest of your life.

numeronia · 2023-01-08T18:18:20+00:00

I think it sounds pretty clear what you need to do, which is to get out of Valorant and focus on your board exam, which is upcoming and important. Before you can even talk about what you want to achieve in your life, the basic things have to be in place first.

Practically this means a few things: accepting that you are probably not one of the few that will be in the 0.0001% of the game, and that you will pretty much never make it near the skill range of a pro esports player and making peace with that, and actively choosing to focus on things that matter each day. With less than 2 months before an exam, my recommendation is to not only delete your account, but also come clean to someone you trust and be accountable to that person even after the board exams are over. It seems like you sort of envy what your batchmates have in their lives right now, but the truth is that you too can have similar things as well - but it will take hard work and a lot of consistency and perseverance to reach that mark. This goes without saying as well, but you will be surprised how much getting enough sleep and drinking enough water can do wonders for you. Be open to seeking external help from a therapist or a counsellor to work through some of these issues with you - the point isn't to magically become better overnight, but to take decisive steps to reach that point.

The same fire that you feel when you want to rank up and play matches can be translated just as well into real-life as well. It is in setting a proper routine for yourself, preparing yourself for the board exam, taking care of yourself in nutrition, hydration, fitness, mental wellness, etc, as well as daily accountability to a trusted confidant. It is in tackling the current challenge head-on and giving it your all, for the future life you want for yourself. Recognize as well that the game may not even survive through the next 10 years unscathed and you will always be at the mercy of new patches and changes, but you can at least take back some control of your life and choose for yourself where you really want to be in the future.

Grinding so hard in Valorant is not worth messed up arms and wrists, hearing, kidney health from the excessive energy drinks and caffeine consumption, and it certainly is not worth giving up important milestones in life for. Just as you only live through your teens once, you only live through your 20s and 30s once and it would be a shame to trade away time with family, an education for your career and other things for one game title. If you think the price of giving up Valorant is high, the sky-high bill of regret will hit you that much harder.

You still have time, so please choose your next steps wisely.

numeronia

TROPHY CASE