So I got Red Dead Redemption a few days back.

Which means that most of my free time has been given to that.

Much to the chagrin of my ongoing search for better employment.

And to the chagrin of my attempt to keep writing.

AND to the chagrin of everything else.

It's a pretty fantastic game, however. As it turns out, marrying GTA and the West was an amazing idea, and I'm really enjoying the "anything goes" mentality the game possesses.

If there's one problem so far, it's that there's this cougar. And it hates me.

Which might not be a problem if it didn't also insist on mauling me to death (I can live with the cougar hating me yet passively harbors feelings of contempt and not gnawing on my leg). And he does it JUST as I skin and kill a few wolves so my master hunter rating will go up. Or when I collect another red sage to improve my flower collecting rating (or whatever it's called), meaning that all the stuff I had just done gets wiped out. Grr.

I can see if he's got some type of pact with the wolves where if any hostility is acted upon the wolves, he (and I'll just go ahead and assume it's a he) comes in and protects them. You know, going against the common enemy and stuff. But WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU ATTACKING ME WHEN I'M PICKING FLOWERS?

It doesn't make sense. I searched for "Cougars like flowers" in Google and no results were found. And even if it did hold a particular fondness for red sages, it's not like I'm picking the entire f'n patch. I'm doing it so people all around the area will know me for my intense flower picking capabilities. Also I'm helping some old guy out and grabbing some flowers so he can give them to his wife. Why would he be so opposed to a guy giving his wife a gift? Was he heartbroken by a dashing female cougar and now hates the very concept of love, thus ruining any opportunity where love might flourish?

It might just be because he thinks I'm weak for picking flowers. But this is silly. I'm a badass with huge scars on my face, and I tried taking you on with a knife. Which was stupid, yes... but weak? Well... if you consider stupidity and weakness pretty much the same, I suppose.

I'm trying to figure out a way to get back at the cougar, but as of right now I don't want to go anywhere near them. I'm kind of fearing that it's just going to roll into town one day while I'm playing horseshoes and beat the crap out of me. Obviously I'm not in the right state of mind for battle.

I've heard there are bears in the game too.

I hope they are cuddlier than the cougars are.