Quest for Muscle: The Return of the Pump

[GentleOx]

The first shot rang out through the camp. The target - a hasty picture of an NFTA trooper - received a hole through its midsection. Two more shots rang out, again hitting center mass. Ox removed his headphones and flashed the thumbs up sign at Howie, who ebulliently pumped his fist, all the while carefully keeping the rifle pointed downrange. Ever since Ox and Simmi had installed a makeshift firearms range, most of the camp's dwellers and stalkers had grown used to the sound of gunfire, and many had partaken in practice themselves.

It was a team effort from Ox and Simmi; the latter had developed the idea, while Ox had worked with different builders and engineers to bring it into reality. Naturally, it wasn't located so close to the camp as to cause a noisy inconvenience, while still being close by enough for ease of use, and the distant sound of gunshots. Simmi had brought to Ox's attention the small, nearby port, which had already been used for the plinking of soda cans and wine bottles.

Howie carefully ejected the PK-52's magazine, and pulled back the charging handle, ejecting the round in the chamber. Ox was proud of his charge, noting that there was less of the brash, cocksure street thug he had appeared to be, and more... well, that would reveal itself in time.

"Good shots, Howie."
"I'm getting better, right Ox?"
"Sure thing, kid. That means that now, I'm going to time you. Low ready, then one shot, then safety on. You have three seconds."

Howie's face read, "Oh crap!"

Happy Advent season, Bees! I, the Ox, am back once more for an update.

Today was a blood and guts Push day.

Bench Press: 127.5 x 6. Ugh. To be expected, but not really great. Kind of making me rethink the whole Bullmastiff program, but I might as well see it to its conclusion.
Incline Press: 100 x 7. Got impatient, so I went from 92.5 to 100. A bit hasty, I know.
Paused Overhead Press: 67.5 x 6.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 10 x 8.
Barbell Curls: 40 for 7, 7, 6 and 7.

I will note that my best Push/Chest results have been with Candito's strength program, which I may go back to after Bullmastiff runs its long, long course.

The weather is nice and cool; a contrast to what waits when we go to the Philippines.

Hope your week is starting strong, Bees!

Playing: Finished Sulfur's full campaign for the first time ever! Here are some thoughts.

A priest in a car is swiftly pursuing a witch, cackling as she flies away. His congregation and church having been burned to cinders by the malevolent sorceress, he seeks vengeance. Entering a strange cave, he finds a mysterious talking amulet discarded from the witch that offers him a path towards revenge. Further and further the priest descends into the land of "Sulfur" to find the witch, aided by several ertswhile members of his congregation in this strange, fantastic undead land. What will happen when he finally confronts the witch, and exacts retribution?

So I've been playing this one ever since it dropped into early access last October (I thought it was before that!). Sulfur was one of those games that solidified and legitimized the concept of a podcast game for me; it's one of those games that you can play while vibing to music or a podcast at the same time. The presentation is as a visually-charming rogue-lite shooter that's easy to pickup, but offers enormous amounts of customization and depth. Thankfully, however, that customization is limited to your guns and the cooking system; I feel like a full on survival-mechanic would've hamstrung the developers. I've sunk about 300 hours and have frequently mentioned the game here, and it's still updating.
I didn't like the ending, but I suppose there has to be a reason for that roguelite format (this is a story issue that a lot of games, like Hades 2, struggle with).

Sulfur is an easy five sentient medallions out of five.

Still struggling to make progress in V Rising. Beat a boss, but have to harvest more whetstones, of all things. The saga continues!

Watching: Tonight, I shall finally resume Man Finds Tapes (he said, unconvincingly).

Listening to: Thought Beings - Yuppie.

"Do you have a reservation at Dorsia? What am I saying, of course you don't..."

 

[GentleOx]

A midnight thought:

The Steam Sale for this period lead me to remembering some unpleasant memories. I know, I know, may be I'm a bit too sensitive. But anyway.

The theme is the "Sports Fest", and it reminded me of growing up and being told to participate in different athletic activities as a kid, like volleyball, football, basketball, baseball, tennis, and swimming. To this day, most sports don't appeal to me, though I'm old enough now to appreciate that if they do to other people, that's fine.

It may be the team-based nature; as a shy introvert, being told to work with a team is a nightmare, and I remember in PE being told to group together with other kids, but never being chosen. I didn't run fast, couldn't catch balls, and couldn't propel them. There was a degree of fear involved in these, like I would let other people down if I didn't perform well. I remember that being the biggest concern on my mind.

Cut to today, and I have a larger, stockier build, and ironically, people usually assume I'm a sportsperson. Powerlifting is as far as it goes for me, and it's not hard to see why! It's very much a practice where I'm only accountable to myself, and where I've seen benefits come to my physique over time. I often wonder how different things would be if I'd been introduced to it before I was 15, but that's all by the by, I guess.

So, how about it, Bees. Did you have fun in Phys Ed classes as kids? Or not so much? I'm all ears.

 

[MangoTux]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I felt the same way growing up, for sure. I was out of shape, was forced into joining sports because my siblings were, and always thought of PE as a waste of time. Solo things were physical anguish, and group activities were mental anguish for similar reasons that you described.

It wasn't until I graduated high school that I started to get into running, since my friend-at-the-time-now-wife was involved with cross country. At university, I was able to be more conscious of food choices, ran more often, walked to classes, and I was able to see the results of those changes. My only real goal at the time was to lose weight, so I only focused on cardio and eating less - and, truthfully, didn't really know how to do much else.

I've since learned a lot more, and thanks to places like DAREBEE I've been able to cultivate resources to feel more confident in self-guided progression. I still think high-collaboration sports are just a bit too overwhelming, but I have been thriving off of the progress I've made on myself in other areas.

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

At school I really didn't like physical education - poor aim, poor balance (despite doing some ballet)... There was this fear you've well highlighted to be a drag to a team. In primary (junior ?) school I was the penultimate picked in teams - because the last one had some severe behavioral issues and was likely to do something else, or strike against his team. The only time I enjoyed it was a few months in Junior High when we had a substitute teacher who has decided that, as I was tiny, I was a good candidate for gymnastics and pushes me positively during that time.

 

[JCU]

Undiagnosed introvert with social anxiety led to me being very unhappy with phys ed. I also learned of my chlorine allergy while swimming which was as unhappy as dangerous. Very glad it's been many years since those days!

 

[TopNotch]

I was an archer as a kid (from 7 - 13), both parents certified national coaches, was on the state team for the Junior National Championships when I was 11. So imagine the respect I had for my PE teacher when we did archery at school and I was told I was doing it wrong! I loathed team sports because you had to rely on some other tossers. I excelled at solo events, like hurdles (being tall didn't hurt there), but we didn't do stuff like that much because it's easier to get all kids together and do team sports. We didn't have any sort of gym, but if you continued through the oval, you ended up in the dunes of the beach. It wasn't really a swimming beach - too much sea weed - but it was a good place to sneak off to when the teachers weren't looking.

 

[aku-chan]

Nope, not a big fan of PE growing up.
I absolutely loved the couple of months my school did gymnastics, I wasn't any good but it was fun, but I think it must have been too much work for the teachers, because after that we were stuck with either badminton and football (Soccer to the rest of the world) and I was too unfit and uncoordinated for either.
I had a friend with adult-ish handwriting and he wrote me a sick note for every PE lesson, I'm pretty sure the teachers quickly caught on but they never said anything!

 

[Mamatigerj]

So, how about it, Bees. Did you have fun in Phys Ed classes as kids? Or not so much? I'm all ears.

I hated, loathed, despised, and abominated PE!

Undiagnosed introvert with social anxiety led to me being very unhappy with phys ed.

Yes, this!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

I loved gym in primary school (Kindergarten-grade 5) because we mostly did fun stuff!

My school had a big trampoline. (Which they'd gotten rid of by the time I was in 5th grade, because someone decided it was a safety concern. But we had it for most of the time I was at that school, and I loved jumping on that thing.)

A couple of times we had a parachute. This was a visiting parachute that travelled around from school to school. So when my school had it, that's what we did in gym class that week. The different panels were made out of different bright primary colours, which I loved. And we played fun games with it.

In the spring we'd have track & field day outside. Yeah running! And, as @TopNotch mentioned: with individual sports one does not need to worry about the tossers who know they're better than everyone else and so don't share the ball, or the slackers who fuck your team over by refusing to even try.

We had balls that were similar in functionality to basket balls, although I think not as hard. And there were small-sized ones for the little kids. Ball days were fun because everyone got their own ball. Warm up would be dribbling your own ball around the gymnasium. If you were good at it and could dribble the ball for the whole time, yeah you! If you were bad at it and kept losing the ball, no big deal. You just run after it and pick it up again. Then we had different stations set up around the gym, where you did different things with the balls. We had basketball hoops. So one of the stations was shooting hoops. But it was just one station. At the next station you might be bouncing your ball off the wall and catching it again, or maybe dribbling around pylons, or playing catch with a partner. We played dodgeball with those balls too.

I did not love floor hockey days. (One absolutely can be a real Canadian and not enjoy playing or watching hockey one single bit! Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.) But these were blessedly few and far between. And we very rarely were required to actually play floor hockey. (This was a few decades back for me. But I'm thinking we likely weren't expected to play the actual game until grade 5.) Most of the time hockey days were like basketball days: you got your own ball and you basically just messed around with it.

Sometimes we went to a local ice rink for skating. This was free skating. You did what you wanted.
A couple of times they bussed us to a roller rink. Same deal there.

In grade 3 (I think it was) everyone got to do swimming. My school did not have a pool, but they bussed us to one elsewhere. This involved actual swimming lessons. But they didn't bother to ask the kids if we were already doing swimming lessons through the town programs (which many of us obviously were). So, at the end of the session they awarded me the same badge I'd just earned the month before through the town program! I was frustrated by that. But I enjoy swimming. So the actual sessions themselves were fine.

In grades 4 and 5 we did dancing. In grade 4 it was square dancing. I've always loved dancing. But the problem with square dancing is that one needs a partner, my school insisted on heterosexual couples, and most grade 4 boys are icky dance partners. Fortunately, my teacher's method of pairing kids up was starting every class with a warm up dance which was: everyone dances around the gymnasium freestyle to some song, and when the teacher stops the music, your partner is the kid of the opposite sex who's closest to you. It wasn't difficult to pretend I was moving around the gym randomly while actually keeping my eye on the one boy in my class who was actually a good dancer and sticking close enough to him to easily position myself as the closest girl when the music stopped.

In grade 5 we learned various folk dances. Or whatever dances our teacher knew and liked, I suppose. We learned the Virginia Reel, the Bossa Nova, the Hand Jive, a bunch more that I've long forgotten. A lot of the dances were not partner dances. And for the few that were, the teacher did not insist on boy-girl couples. So it was fun.

The most fun in primary school, however, was the climbing apparatus. This was modular metal frames that they would set up around the gymnasium in various configurations. Climbing apparatus days basically meant playing on a huge gymnasium-sized jungle gym for an hour. I loved it! The climbing ropes were also down on climbing apparatus days. I was very proud that I was able to climb to the very top of the rope.

By middle school (grades 6-8) we were expected to play actual sports. Which was okay if it was a sport I enjoyed (track and field, soccer, basketball) but boring if it was a sport I didn't like (volleyball, baseball). The girls' gym teacher at my middle school was hands down the worst teacher I have ever had in my life. She blatantly played favourites worse than any other teacher I have ever known, and was pretty much single-handedly responsible for creating cliques amongst the girls in that school. If you were athletic but not one of her favourites (i.e.: me!), especially if you were better at certain sports than her precious pets, she would actively work to keep you down. She deliberately conspired to keep me off of the track and field team my senior year in that school--even though I was the fastest girl in the school on the distance events, and she knew it. I outsmarted her and forced her to enter me in one race. Then other girls she had entered in place of me in other events had to drop out day of for various reasons. So I ended up representing my school at the regional meet in three different races. I beat the other girl from my school in every one. (Even the 400 metre event, which I did not consider myself to be very good at.) And I won my best event. Literally every person from my school--the other kids, the parents, the boys' coach--congratulated me on my win, except for that bitch girls' gym teacher. Mostly gym in middle school sucked because I hated the teacher passionately. (But for some activities we were not separated from the boys. Those weeks were better because it meant we also had the boys' teacher, who was a good teacher.)

Gym in high school was like middle school, except I did not hate the teachers. It was only mandatory in grade 9, and I only took it in grades 9 and 13.

In grade 9, most weeks we got to choose what we wanted to do between 2 different options. Nice in theory. But in practice: they paired dance and basketball--two activities which I enjoyed--against one another, and also soccer and track & field--two more activities which I both enjoyed--and the only activities they forced everyone to do were volleyball and baseball--which were the only things on the entire curriculum I disliked.

Grade 13 was mostly kinesiology, although we did have six weeks of playing actual sports. Two of the weeks were squash, which I enjoyed. Two were volleyball (meh). I forget what the third sport was. Something I was happy enough with (so not baseball or hockey).

I was a serious competitive runner thoughout middle school and high school. The boys' gym teacher was the cross country coach at my middle school. He respected any kid who showed up to practices and worked hard. So he liked me, and I him. The running coach at my high school was very good and very dedicated (to an extent that his wife didn't like us kids much). I showed up at a time when they already had three excellent female runners and needed a fourth to round out the team. So I got a lot of attention. That coach pushed me hard, and I improved heaps! We won almost every race we entered--including the largest high school invitational meet in the United States and, four years out of five, the Ontario high school championships. Those were good times!

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Fascinating to see our different PEs memories, from different countries / cultures and aptitudes / likes! And lookie, now we are all bees trying to move every day! Exercise matters, but finding how to make it work for you isn't always simple, both physically and mentally. Thanks to the hive for providing this space!

 

[GentleOx]

/ He had fired his final shot, and the final bullet casing bounced onto the floor. The fallen bodies of his enemies lay splayed around on the ground, pools of crimson welling up around them. He finally let out the breath he'd been holding, which he felt like he'd been holding for an eternity. They had all fallen to his amazing skill, discipline, valor, and courage. Behind the door was the sexy moll the gangsters held captive, and she would surely fall for his rugged good /

"Babe!" Came Simmi's voice from the entrance to the Observatory. Oh crap, he thought. He turned to the computer, then back, and Simmi was already coming up behind him. "I got you those minty cigarettes you always like, hey, what're you doing?" She took in his form, conspicuously covering the monitor. Ox bowed his head a little and tried his best puppy-eyed look. "You love me so much that you're not going to ask?" Simmi raised an eyebrow. "Bud, I love you, this we know, but don't push it. You'd better not have deleted my files..." "They're safe!" He interjected. At this point, he was reaching back, and spreading his fingers, anything to cover up the monitor.

"Babe..." her tone was dangerous now. Ox heaved a sigh, got up, and moved his chair out of the way. Simmi strode to the monitor and spent a few seconds reading his prose. She barely reacted, her eyes simply moving up and down, scanning the text. When she was done, she turned to Ox and folded her arms. "And what's the moll's name?" "Simmi," he weakly offered. The eponymous woman looked him dead in the eye, and he couldn't tell if she was upset, disgusted, or worse.

Finally, she threw back her head, and let out a laugh: a rich one with humour and amusement combined.

"Damn right," she stated, turning around, practically strutting away.

Hey gang, the Ox is back and in motion again, and well I ought to be, after taking three days off from the gym.

Serves me right.

Anyway, here was an epic, thirty set Pull day (minus the deadlifts, as I'm still giving my lower back some time off). Totally kicked my butt. Lots of PRs, too!

Underhand Grip Barbell Rows: 102.5 x 6. PR #1.
T-Bar Rows: 115 x 5. PR #2. Ugh, a real sticking point.
Meadows Rows: 62.5 x 5. PR #3. These were probably the single best exercise tonight. Heavily recommended.
Narrow Grip Cable Rows: 70 x 7. PR#4.
Lat Pulldowns: 70 x 6. I find it too hard to get any PRs in this one, so it's the odd one out.
Neutral Grip Chinups: 29 reps in total over five sets.

Maybe I should take more breaks, so that I can ready myself for these epic comebacks!

@aku-chan @Mamatigerj @TopNotch @Laura Rainbow Dragon @MangoTux @PetiteSheWolf @JCU I didn't expect to receive all these responses; it's fascinating to hear about all the nuances, and even the commonalities. Each one of us takes to sport/physical classes in different ways, and the wolf has it right. These days, it's valuable to have even that minimum of physical activity, though on my workout days, I usually go overboard. At least I found a physical pursuit to latch onto. Thank you for your responses.

And now I'm jamming away to some classic rock. Mom has been working very hard these past few days, but I'm happy that she's able to take some time off tonight.

Oh, and busy watching the first episode of Fallout Season 2. As a Fallout fan from age 15, it's an absolute treat to see the world realized in live action - by people who clearly care about the series and its feel!

Next week we're having our big family vacation in the Philippines. *sigh*. Just hoping that there'll be less drama this year.

Enjoy your weekend, Bees!

Playing: A hodgepodge of stuff. In V Rising, I razed the plateau my building site is on (and the trees and rocks grow back every time I log on), then constructed a modest keep, but I'm stuck with the progression system at the moment. As Project Silverfish has just gotten updating, I'm re-exploring the world and getting to grips with everything again in a new save.

The Steam Sale (SALE) is on full-bore at the moment, and I might pick out a modest purchase for my system. I'm fixing on Oneirism, which is a cutesy 3D platform shoot em up (oxymoron?).

Watching: Fallout, Season 2, Episode 1, of course. Also, on a whim, revisited Blood of Zeus Season 3, though I may or may not stick with it.

Listening to: Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street. The original. Accept no other substitutes, for when you want to gaze out into those city lights with big dramatic energy. This song is handily one of the best ever recorded, I'm convinced.

Trivia: I first heard this at a birthday party during a magic act. Only found out what song it was a lot later. I used to live by the lyrics in this song pretty closely, and it's interesting to see how that feeling of alienation and disillusionment can be so common for some of us.

"Winding your way down on Baker Street
Light in your head and dead on your feet
Well, another crazy day, you'll drink the night away
And forget about everything

This city desert makes you feel so cold
It's got so many people, but it's got no soul
And it's taken you so long to find out you were wrong
When you thought it held everything"

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Rocking the PRs, Ox! Great work!

 

[JCU]

Congratulations!!

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[aku-chan]

Congrats on a big PR day!

I found Blood of Zeus meandered a bit too much for me (It did not need to be 3 seasons), but I liked the ending even if it didn't make a lot of sense.
And today is the day I learn there's more to Baker Street than the saxophone solo (I've always assumed it was an instrumental piece).

 

[TopNotch]

Congrats on the PRs!
When I heard Baker Street, I wanted to learn the saxaphone, but we only had a piano so... Not quite the same though.

 

[Princess Fancy]

Congrats!

 

[GentleOx]

"So how's Howie doing?" Ox reclined a little, seated at their favourite spot on the observatory pathway. His legs dangling down, he brought the cigarette to his mouth, inhaled another breathful of mentholated smoke, and blew it out in a stream. Mmm... menthol smokes. Simmi was used to his long-standing habit, and didn't fault him, though he had the subtle impression that she'd be happier if he quit. Eventually, he would have to. He pondered the question for a moment, gazing at the moon in its place up above. The burning cigarette was a miniscule light in the blackness. "I'm pleased with his progress. He's not a natural at most of the things I've been teaching him, like weapons handling, patrolling, and other survival skills, but he has a willingness to learn that I haven't seen before. Given enough time and effort, he can overcome these shortcomings." He stopped to raise his cigarette again, but glanced at Simmi first. "Would you concur?"

Simmi elbowed him lightly, and when he looked at her in surprise, she gestured at the cigarette. He passed it to her and she took in a puff of her own, before placing it back in Ox's fingers. Her smoking was seldom seen, but not unknown for her. At least she wasn't cutting through a pack a day like he was. On a good day. "To the question, he certainly is productive. I'm happy to see him pulling his weight, rather than spending his off hours and cash gambling away his savings. Of course, whether he'll stay and contribute more to our cause, that's another question. But yeah, for now, I'm welcoming the change." She comically looked left, and then right. It was a little past midnight, and few were around or awake to hear them.

"I hear he's sweet on Weasel." Ox's eyes widened, then narrowed in thought.
"Wasn't he trying to get with Morgan, awhile back?" Simmi let out a laugh.
"He tried, but after teasing and taking, she blew him off. I think he's interested in a more earnest romance this time."
"Shock, horror. Maybe we've paved the way for a summer of love."

"Don't count on it, tough guy."

Hey again, Bees.

Took a break Saturday to have some yummy munchies, but today I was back at the gym. It didn't go too while, but some days are better than others. Anyway...

Today was an off-schedule Push day.

Larsen Press: 132.5 x 3, 2. Definitely not one of my better days. This totally kicked my butt.
Spoto Press: 115 x 5.
Incline Press: 102.5 x 5. Oooommph.
Rope Pushdowns: 12 x 8.
Barbell Curls: Four sets of seven. The only exercise in which I made progress today!

And then cyberpunked around to the tune of 30000 steps! Egads.

I'll resume a program when I've come back from vacationing.

Thank you very much @Princess_Fancy, @TopNotch, @aku-chan, @Fremen, @JCU and @Laura Rainbow Dragon. I love the appreciation of Baker Street, which is just a fantastic song.

@aku-chan My review of Season 2 is somewhere on the Hive. As you pointed out, there's a lot of padding, and the series probably needed to be two seasons at maximum. And I'd say it stands in the enormous shadow cast by the Hades games, which do a better job (how couldn't they?) of giving these Grecian characters... character.

See you next time, Bees! Hope your Sunday is going great!

Playing: So I bought Onirism (it was only 5 usd) on a whim, and I'm liking it a great deal. It's kind of cutesy, silly, and unfinished (eg sometimes what the subtitles say, and what the actors say doesn't match), but I'm liking its charm, and the spunky heroine is growing on me. Bun Bun, here I come!

Didn't play anything else. Maybe some V Rising? Eh, I'm not sure.

Watching: Finished Fallout Season 2, episode 1. Liking it a lot, particularly the early look at Robert House. Looking forward to getting more episodes as time passes.

Listening to: Iggy Pop - Fall in Love with Me. Bees, I tried my hardest, searched through my considerable library/rolodex of songs, and this is what I came back to, again and again. The lyrics are rambling, the guitars sloppy, and the synths oddly cheery. And yet it just makes sense; it captures that intense and often ephemeral desire for love we can have. (It's also off of one of the best rock/pop albums of all time).

"And when you're standing
In the street and it's cold
And it snows on you
And you look younger
Than you really are"

 

[NightWolf714]

Congrats on your recent PRs!

I'm definitely curious about Fallout Season 2, though waiting to binge it. I haven't actually played the games, but I've seen bits and pieces and know a decent bit for that. But the show was really fun! May get around to actually playing it at some point.

And honestly, that's how I feel about most of the steam sale events. I feel like they are so frequent now that it's hard to get as excited about them. It doesn't help that I have a giant list of games to play too. ^_^;;;

 

[Mamatigerj]

Belated Cheers!

 

[GentleOx]

Thank you kindly @Mamatigerj and @NightWolf714.

Hey Bees.

I took a break today, and will head back into the gym tomorrow.
So today is a bit of self-care day. Just doing a bit of gaming, some packing, and dyeing my hair. Fighting that encroaching white hair, baby!

The air is cool out, and it's as cozy as it ever gets in the city. In the Philippines, it'll be much warmer...

Keep yourselves warm and safe, Bees!

Playing: Some assorted gaming thoughts, which I have to get out of my head. If you're not into games, feel free to ignore these mini rants.

1. I've almost completely lost interest in the RogueLite genre. I'm not sure why. I'd chalk it up to the repetition, except that I generally do the same kinds of shit in every game... run around and slay things. I dislike that there's no way to break the formula or play your own way; most RLs have you function within their carefully crafted progression without allowing for variety (which is ironic, because the whole point of a RL is to offer variety). I know that you can choose how you play, and some (like Hades) allow for strategy, but I feel like I keep bumping up against the limits of the genre. The proc-gen stages, the powerups you choose, the bosses you have to beat... I no longer care for the genre.
2. To @NightWolf714's point about having too many games in your library of games to play, I definitely understand that fear. I borrowed my perspective on this problem from a games writer, who says that we should look at our libraries as a buffet of games. We have the privilege of sampling from this, or that, or trying out something we put down from awhile ago... they are more opportunities than obligations...
3. ...In theory, at least. In reality, I certainly do play games for a certain period of time, and then get bored of them and look for that next new experience/stimuli. If we were so easily sated by the backlog of games we have, we'd never buy new ones.
4. Almost every game I play has some sticking point, by which I lose interest. Some people get tired of doing the same thing in a game all the time, and that repetition drives them to quit. For me, it's getting stuck. I'm not as talented a gamer as when I was as a kid, and I no longer have the patience for grinding my way to the end of the game (Elden Ring is possibly the sole exception for this; after hundreds of deaths, I finally got to the end). If I get stuck in a game, I'll check a walkthrough. If it turns out I have to go through more repetition, than I tune out, and eventually uninstall the game in question. Have never figured out a way around this.

Watching: Grr grr arf will try to watch something tonight. If I don't conk out first. Late night cinema, here I come!

Listening to: Lacuna Coil - Swamped. I firmly remember this one for its inclusion in Vampire: Bloodlines, but it's an all round great little goth/metal gem.

 

[CODawn]

I'm late....congratulations on your PR. Right Down the Line is another great song by Gerry Rafferty.

 

[NightWolf714]

I like that way of thinking about gaming backlogs (and other backlogs)

 

[GentleOx]

A light snow fell all throughout the Carcosa, and a sharp chill was felt in the air.

A tree nearly three times the size of a person had been planted in the middle of the camp. Through means unknown (but likely involving bribes and favours), Simmi had convinced the construction staff to follow through on the redoubtable task of chopping down one of those outside the camp, lugging it inside, and through construction work, affixing it onto the ground. Now the camp had an Xmas tree of its own for the holiday season. Almost all of the Freelancers had left their friends and families behind, and Simmi felt that this gesture might bring them together and usher in a little holiday cheer. Ox had to say, the results spoke for themselves.

Many of the camp's dwellers not only expressed their appreciation, but also their admiration for the new decoration. While it was de rigeur for the holiday, Ox was still surprised to see many leaving packages underneath the tree's span, some more decoratively decked out than others. The shopkeep, ever eager to make a fast buck, had added decorative materials and Xmas-themed goodies to their inventory for this very reason. One item that had proved popular was eggnog, which had been smuggled into the camp and provided at extravagant cost. As a communal gesture, Simmi had bought several cartons for everyone's consumption, and now, several stalkers had taken to starting their day with the milky treat (some with spirits added!).

Ox found Simmi in the her usual place inside the observatory, managing several dossiers and logistics. "Hey." She turned her head to acknowledge him as he approached. "Hey hon. What's going on?" "We holding a big Christmas shindig, like with Hallo-uh, All Hallowmas?" There was a pause in the air, and they were likely thinking about the same thing. "I've taken extra measures this time," she said, seeming pensive, perhaps even mournful. "I can lead extra patrols," Ox said, "hopefully that'll send a message." "I appreciate it, but I've already put some precautions into place. Besides, all chatter indicates that the NFTA and the Redditors are going to lie low on the night of the holiday." Ox shrugged. "You're the boss, and I defer to your wisdom."

"We deserve to have a good time, anyway..."

Hello again, Bees! It's Christmas eve, and we're busily packing away at Chez Ox, getting ready for our flight to the Philippines.

I made a little time for a Push day, though I wasn't expecting much.

Bench Press: 132.5 x 2, 2, and 2. The reps felt impossible today. I think I need a break, and then I'll go back to following a more gradual program, rather than continuously trying to smash out reps. It hasn't been doing me any good lately.
Incline Press: 105 x 6. Better than last time!
Lateral Dumbbell Raises: 16 x 6. Did these as a treat, and to give all the pushing a rest.
Rope Pushdowns: 13 x 8.
Barbell Curls: 40 x 8, 8, 7 and 7.

I am looking forward to seeing the rest of my family, who are all flying in to Manila. Hopefully, we can get along better than we did last time.

@CODawn Mucho gracias! Right Down the Line is a fantastic song, thank you for reminding me of it!

@NightWolf714 Indeed! Better to have an excess of things to sample from, and a crisis of choice, when we're waiting for those next big releases and experiences.

Happy Holidays, Bees! I'll see you after Xmas.

As is Christmas tradition.

Playing: So I caved in and bought Pigface, that grimy and gory shooter that melds Hotline Miami's mechanics with a first person perspective, and some of the most corrupt and decayed locales this side of Manhunt. I'm only on the second stage, but I like what I see so far.

Also playing a bit more of Onirism. Recently unlocked a rideable pony, of all things. Finally found my way out of that annoying volcanic lair, and the gameplay is opening itself up steadily.

Watching: Bits and pieces of Man Finds Tape.

Listening to: Swervedriver - Mars. Its borrowing of Bernie Taupin's Rocket Man lyric is very apropos for a song that just feels tired and worn-down, like an astronaut tiredly going about their work, barely hanging on to the love they've found in space. The riffs are gorgeous and sparkling, as you would expect from one of the best shoegaze bands in the world, but there's a weariness to this one.

"Engines whirr
Memphis blurred
Sunset deep

Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids
In fact it's cold as hell"

 

[TopNotch]

Have a good time and Happy Christmas!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

Best wishes for the best possible family gathering this year, Ox.

 

[JCU]

Fingers crossed for a happy gathering! Or at least easy resolutions!

 

[agc]

Hope your Christmas trip is going well.

Listening to: Iggy Pop - Fall in Love with Me

Best track on the album!

 

[GentleOx]

Hi Bees. Kind of a non update.

Firstly, Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate.

Secondly, I have been having an enjoyable time, and it's always great to eat good food and see my family together.

Thirdly, there's been a lot of drama, plus two toddlers running around, and my anxieties are going nuts. It's like I'm praying for our return day to come around ASAP.

I'm very tired, Bees. My family wants to go on diving excursions and beach trips, but I just want to veg out and watch movies and be small and by myself.

If I don't write again, have a wonderful New Year (I may check in again on the eve).

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Hugs for your anxiety and tiredness, hoping still the family memories will be nice

 

[JCU]

I hope you get a little bit of time to yourself

 

[GentleOx]

@JCU @PetiteSheWolf Thank you both for your kind thoughts.

Hi Bees!

We were supposed to fly back at 6 pm, but we were at the airport at 10.30 to see off my sister's family. Amazingly, the staff asked if we wanted to get on an earlier, 12.45 flight, and we definitely went for it. Also, the first time I've enjoyed business class in years.

So the vacation is over, and while I do miss my family members, I'm glad that things have settled down upon coming to Hong Kong.

Or have they??

At around 5 pm last night, I felt this terrible, frozen feeling from the cold weather, and my shivering increased. My stomach muscles were in turmoil, churning away. Quickly went to the bathroom and heaved up all the contents of my stomach. Absolutely dreadful!

I guess I should be grateful that the flu hit me after coming back, rather than in the airport. I got barely any sleep last night, and hoping I can rest more today.

Was planning on working out today after church, but it's definitely not to be. My muscles are sore all over and I definitely feel out of sorts.

I will share more pics and anecdotes of our time there when I feel better and have an actual workout update.

Hope you had a great holiday, Bees!

 

[Laura Rainbow Dragon]

 

[JCU]

 

[Fremen]

 

[GentleOx]

"Huff... 7... nngh... 8... pff... 9..." Ox grunted as he lowered the bar up and down, to his chest and then to full extension, each rep taxing him more than the last. As he lowered the bar for the final repetition, Simmi's face hovered into view, staring directly into his eyes. Out of sheer surprise, Ox's momentum bottomed out and the bar and the 80 kg attached to it was stuck on his chest. "Help..." he gasped pathetically. Simmi mock-rolled her eyes. "Loser..." But she reached down and gripped the bar, and the added support was enough for him to force the bar upward and onto the metal rack, with her help. Ox sat up, slowly. There was nothing like a failed rep to absolutely take it out of you, though in his defense...

Annoyed, he turned to look back at his tormentor and saviour. "Don't you have somewhere else to be, or some stack of documents to get buried under?" Simmi ignored the gibes. He noticed that she was wearing a plate carrier, and a submachine gun was slung around her neck. "I'm leaving that for Howie to take care of." Ox groaned. "I don't know if that kid can even read, let a lone conduct simple arithmetic. What did you assign to him?" "Oh, just a bunch of manifests and inventory lists, nothing he can't handle. Which leaves me an afternoon to get out there." Wait what? Ox snagged a rag on a bench nearby and wiped the sweat off of his face. "Since when do you 'get out there'?" He remarked, casting a side-eye at her. Simmi looked almost offended. "I'll have you know that I have credentials to uphold, and that I was exploring the zone long before you were, you... hunky slab of beef." Ox flexed his pecs in rhythm, and Simmi had to laugh.

"So you need to make sure the blade is sharp, huh."
"That's the idea. I'm going to the beach, work on my tan a little." He could suss out what that meant. The Skeleton Coast, on the west coast of Carcosa. It had a foreboding reputation.
He stood. "I'm going with." He did not expect the reluctance in her face.
"I know this must be important to you... the rare chance to get out there and explore for yourself. God knows you've been cooped up in the observatory for so long. But I won't let you leave without me."
"You're right, this is important to me. And I can handle myself. I don't need any second-guessing on this one." He held up his palms in acknowledgement.
"Look... if we go out there together, you call the shots. You decide where to go, what to loot, and when to engage. I'm just backup. But you know how dangerous it is out there."
Their eyes met. Simmi looked away first.

"Fine," she sighed. "Be ready in 15."

Hey again Bees! Surprise workout and surprise post! After my absolutely lousy Saturday coming back to Hong Kong, and a yesterday in which I felt substantially better, I felt well enough to hit the gym again.

I'm restarting Candito's 6 week program with a Push day.

Bench Press: 115 x 6. Starting slow.
Incline Press: 85 x 5.
Overhead Press: 60 x 5.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 11 x 8.
Hammer Curls: Up to 20 with 20.
Wrist Curls: 12 reps with 20.

Thank you @Laura Rainbow Dragon @JCU @Fremen and everyone else for your support. Feeling stronger every day...

Even though I was well enough to hit the gym, I still felt a little sick, so I'm definitely going to rest well tonight.

It's post New Years, Bees. What are your resolutions?

Playing: Progressing through Pigface in drips and drabs. A little bit of Project Silverfish, and I reinstalled Final Fantasy 7 remake and Binding of Isaac.

Watching: I finished watching indie found-footage horror flick Man Finds Tape while on vacation, so here's a trailer, summary and review.

Documentary filmmaker Lynn Page returns to the Texas town in which she grew up in to investigate a strange series of phenomena. Her investigation leads her cross paths with her brother, Lucas, who created a viral web series called "Man Finds Tape". The discovery of several tapes with disturbing content makes the siblings realize that something is terribly wrong with their town, and the seemingly benign preacher, the Reverend Endicott Carr, who presides over it.

The concept behind this film is that it's a documentary that portrays the disturbing secret preying on the residents of the town. It does this by utilizing found-footage style camera angles and crisp, well-made interviews. I found it to be smart and well-filmed, and intriguing enough to bring me from the start to the end. When the final secrets are out (with one left maddeningly ambiguous), I was a touch disappointed, but happy that the film incorporated elements of cosmic horror. It deserves credit for creativity and polish, for certain. It's not especially scary, but there were a few moments that definitely stick out in my mind.

I give Man Finds Tape three tapes (what else?) out of five.

Listening to: Elton John - The Ballad of Danny Bailey. I remembering buying Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on an impulse, and definitely did not regret it. This song (alongside Bennie and the Jets) always stood out to me. It paints a beautiful picture of that "running gunning youngster" days of the Great Depression with nostalgia and compassion, and that melody/chorus is absolutely amazing.

"Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead, oh
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in"

 

[JCU]

I don't make resolution, personally. I usually set goals at the beginning of every month, not yearly.

 

[Polkadotsandsuperglue]

Still thinking about PE class. In the 1980s California jr high and high school, we were graded on ability for various sports. In retrospect, how can you grade skills of high jump, long jump, hurdles, a balance beam or footwork in soccer or batting skills in softball? Or how fast one can run a mile? Competency and effort maybe but definitely not how skilled a 12-17 yr old is. I wouldn’t say PE was traumatic but what irks me was the unfairness of the grading. The assumption that all students are athletic or naturally adept to sports and grading them was ridiculous. I was very short and can remember banging my knees on hurdles. Thankfully as an adult I began playing rec sports like soccer and softball and got into running. No grading, no performance metrics, just having fun being active.

 

[GentleOx]

What had started off as a drizzle was now a steadily insistent downpour several inches short of a rainstorm. The gloomy grey of the clouds blanketed the sky, threatening to progress into worse. Ox guiltily had the occasional regret that he had insisted on tagging along with Simmi on their expedition, but he reminded himself that this was bonding of a sort. If said bonding left him wet and shivery, of course. This was also his chance to observe Simmi in the field. He hadn't heard many stories about her competence or skill, but then again, he hadn't asked. And so now they trudged along, side by side, the wet glop of their boots mixed in with the watery patter.

"I've never been to the Skeleton Coast," Ox said, the rain mostly drowning out his voice. To be inside, with a shot of whiskey, and a menthol ciggie. He turned his head to look at her. Rain poncho notwithstanding, she didn't seem terribly bothered by the inclement weather. "I would say you're not missing much, but that would be a lie... place hasn't been fully mapped out yet, and it hasn't been picked clean like most other places." Ox whistled. "But there's a catch." There always is, he thought, glumly. Simmi continued. "The coast is festooned with all sorts of anomalous creatures, transhumans, and roving faction patrols." "Sounds like a good time." He could almost hear the smile in her voice. "I could use a good time." Ox tugged the sling hanging on his shoulder, and wet droplets slid off like crystals.

"Was there something in particular that sparked your desire to get out there and risk your life, and the competent management of the Freelancer camp together?" A laugh from her. "Surprisingly, no. I simply woke up today and felt well out of practice, and I'm not going to lie, seeing everyone else go out there regularly kind of sealed the deal." "I'm not going to grudge you your need to scratch that itch, but you are... y'know, kind of important to us." "Important to us, or to you?" A flush went up his face, which he was glad that his bulky poncho concealed.

"Both."

Hello again, Bees! Not totally well, but screw it, I headed in to the gym today to workout.

I repeated the Push day I did on Monday, and indeed, felt a bit stronger.

Bench Press: 115 x 6.
Incline Press: 85 x 5.
Overhead Press: 60 x 5.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 11 x 6. Going to up the weight.
Hammer Curls: 22 x 20.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 22 x 10.

@JCU Yeah I'm not one to make them myself. It helps that my obligation to workout is continuous, and has never fizzled out in all the years I've done it.

@Polkadotsandsuperglue I'm glad to hear that you found exercising rewarding on its own terms. I think that for me, the most damaging part of PE was not only the imposing of standards, but also team mechanics. I did not do very well at socializing with anyone at that age, even (maybe even particularly) other students.

I haven't done a Creature Feature in awhile, so here are some fuzzy cuties.

The cattos in the Philippines were friendlier to me than their Hong Kong counterparts. I'm guessing they're used to tourists arriving and feeding them.

This sad-looking fella was at a restaurant in Puerto Galero. I think he just wanted affection, and was quite docile.

Another friendly kitty!

Bonus: The triumphant return of the charity doggos! OMG! I saw them on the street after buying some roast duck for dinner, and I was wondering why the doggos were so sweet around me until it was pointed out that they were trying to nab my food. Silly doggos! I'm very pleased that they seemed to be getting positive feedback from the other pedestrians, who stopped to take pictures and get in some cuddles. Retriever dog is still as cuddly as before.

Doggos are friends for life, they are soft and furry and share their love



I taught my classes today, and one of my students got a new dog too! It looked kind of like a mix between a Shib and something else. Cute dog.

It's chilly here. Well, relatively speaking. It doesn't get as brutally cold as in Europe or the USA, but I had to don my hoodie for the first time in ages.

Hope your week is going well, Bees!

Playing: A few things concurrently. Exploring Project Silverfish's brave new world, while getting in some quick rounds of Binding of Isaac (one of the ultimate coffee break games), and more frustrating fun with Onirism. Will also get in some Pigface tonight (I'm only on the third level).

Watching: I am watching something at the moment! I'm watching Strange Harvest, which is a horror flick stylized as a documentary. It's great so far!

Listening to: Dark Sarah - Melancholia. In a bit of a heavy metal mood at the moment, so here's one of my recent favourites that blends operatic vocals with a thrilling, heartfelt chorus.

"Talk to me and speak to me
I don't know you, if I call for you,
I want to talk to you
For here we are to set the world
in flames for good
I truly feel I'm in a different time"

 

[JCU]

Adorable critters!

 

[GentleOx]

"Move!" He heard Simmi cry in response, "Moving!" Ox raised his rifle, peered down the sight at the patrol in the distance, and fired several bursts. The automatic rifle's fusillade thundered and rocked his ear drums. The sharp, metallic smell of the weapon's discharge cut through the muddy concrete odours he had been concerned with moments earlier. At that time, they had been trudging through the tunnel between the Skeleton Coast and the Flood Plains, itself littered with derelict automobiles, boxes, and other detritus. Before they had come across the patrol.

The tight confines of the tunnel allowed little room for maneuver, but still they made do. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Simmi plant herself behind a wrecked car, shoulder her submachine gun, and shout to Ox. "Move!" There was little rust on her to shake off. Ox shouted "Moving!" and retreated several meters, slid across the bonnet of another car, whirled around, and shouldered his own rifle. Simmi continued to fire back at the enemy, the crisp, percussive bursts of the submachine gun a testament to her skill. And it was not as if the enemy were sitting on their hands, either. Wild rounds whizzed by him and Simmi, burying themselves all over. Their foes were evidently less well-trained than they were, but any fool with a gun was dangerous. "Move!" He shouted.

Ox loosed another set of rounds at the patrol, and with some satisfaction, saw a figure drop. Simmi had not moved, or responded to him. "MOVE!" He shouted again, more insistently. Then, in a split second, it become obvious: he hadn't seen when it had happened. Turning his attention over to her, he saw: the blood, the crumpled posture, the weapon on the ground. His heart hammered at him. Never had he wanted more than to turn around and run. They wouldn't hold it against him if he had. They were handily outnumbered, and there was no way he could've fought them off.

Someone else would be able to replace her...

(Author's note: This one started with a simple idea - Ox and Simmi are ambushed - and just wrote itself. The scene is also a very obvious homage to a famous action movie; do you know which one?)

Greetings, Bees! The Ox is back, and ready with another piping-hot workout to share.

I haven't done a Pull day in awhile, so I shook off my desire to stay in bed all day, got out there, and got it done.

Deadlifts and Rows: 100 x 5. I'm not going back to regular deadlifts for now. I want to try these instead, and see if I can set a PR in some weeks.
Underhand Rows: 100 x 5.
Meadows Rows: Worked up to 60 x 6, I think.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 55 x 6. Going to double progression these.
Neutral Grip Chinups: Just five sets of five.

@JCU I love critters! I'm tempted to save up money and go to a cat cafe (yes, on my own) just to spend time with more fuzzy animals.

Weather is as chilly as it'll get for this year.

I'm the lightest I've been in years. Normally I'm between 80-81 kg, and I weighed myself yesterday: 78.7. I think part of that is down to being sick, and part of it is down to eating less.

I'm still a little sick, too. Normally, you don't go to the gym three times a week when this is the case, but for me, them's the breaks.

I'm going to take a break tomorrow, maybe get some boba tea, and a haircut.

We're almost at the weekend, Bees! Keep going.

Playing: Umm, I forgot to play Pigface last night. Was too busy playing Project Silverfish and Binding of Isaac, of corpse of corpse (oops) of course.

Watching: Too schleepy to resume Strange Harvest, but I'll try to do it tonight.

Listening to: A Wilhelm Scream - Midnight Ghost. Time for some melo-Hardcore! Love the melodies on this one, and that tight, concise sound.

 

[JCU]

I'm so jealous of anyone with easy access to a cat cafe. You should go! You'd have such a good time!

 

[GentleOx]

Pictures flashed through his mind, and the bullets whizzing around him seemed to do so with agonizing frequency. Simmi, crumpled over, blood staining her uniform, and breathing heavily, looked up at him from her position several meters away. "Urgh... get out of here..." She weakly called out to him. Sooner or later, they would ease up on the fire, only to advance on their position. Then it would be over for both of them. He would reflect later, more than a little guiltily, that his first thought was to leave her, followed by assorted stabs of panic, nausea, and fear.

With an effort that he could feel suffused his body with strength, he forced his mind back to clarity. This is the woman I love, he said, in his mind. I'm not going to leave her to die. He unclipped the grenades hanging from the loops on his plate carrier. He had never expected to need them, but if there were one time they were needed, it was now. Removing the pin from one of them, he waited. Hopefully their foes would think he had been suppressed and was hunkering down, and were making their way towards them. He waited a second or two, then stood up and swiftly tossed the grenade forward. He quickly noted several men in BDUs and camo advancing, before he ducked down again. So they weren't Scavs. Maybe an NFTA kill squad. But more likely Insurgents...

He heard the telltale PING of the grenade as it bounced onto the pavement, followed by invective that was music to his ears: "Oh shit!" "F****CK!" "Get the hell away..." And then a colossal blast seemed to rock the whole tunnel. He waited, hearing the squad's rustling as they got up and collected themselves. "That son of a bitch got..." And that was when Ox pulled the pin of the second grenade and tossed it in their direction. "WHAT THE --" was all he heard before another colossal BOOOOOM. The explosion ringing through his ears, Ox once more readied his assault rifle, stood, and fired on the surviving squad members. Another of them fell, before what few remained made a run for it in the opposite direction, completely broken.

Ox scanned the area in front on him, the muzzle of the rifle sweeping left, then right. Nobody in sight. And with that, he made his way over to Simmi and bent down to examine her. She was sat down, leaning against a husk of a car, applying a bandage to her midsection: her right bicep already sported one stained red. She slowly looked up as he approached. "You got 'em... well done, babe." Her voice was shaky, and her breaths deep and labored. "They got me good. And they'll be back. Leave me, before I slow you down."

Like hell he would.

Hello again, Bees!

Today was another Push day, though I started Week 2 of the Candito program. So the challenge level went up again. How did I do?

Bench Press: 105 x 10, 115 x 8, 120 x 6. Because of annoying lbs to kg conversion, I had to hike up the weights a little. I still made my targets, though.
Incline Press: 87.5 x 5. Moving on upward!
Overhead Press: 62.5 x 5. Ditto.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 12 x 6.
Incline Dumbbell Curls: 24 x 14. Augh, these felt heavier than they had any right to be.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 22 x 12.

@JCU You're right! I really need to go sometime, as there are several in the city. Cuddly kittos...

Still waiting for CNY. Mom and I are going to stay put to conserve money, and I'm perfectly happy with that.

Also still trying to keep off that post-vacation weight. Doing well so far... I think?

Enjoy your Sunday, Bees!

Playing: I've just been playing Project Silverfish as of lately. Again, there'll come to a point at which all the new content will run out, and I'll crustily and impatiently wait for more. Really should get back on Pigface. However, it too suffers from the curse of limited content! Oy vey...

Watching: Uh, not much. Maybe tonight? Want to get back on Strange Harvest.

Listening to: 3Force - Celestial Squad. Nothing subtle here, just a well-crafted and very catchy synthpop sound that dares to dream intergalactic.

 

[GentleOx]

Ox sat forlorn on the plastic chair affixed to the wall. His hands trembled, and he would periodically shake them, unfolding and clenching his fingers in the hopes that the trembling would stop. But to no avail. The bright lights of the RG East lab shone down brightly and irritated his gaze, casting a sterile glow on the surroundings. It was quiet, nothing to be heard but the soft-spoken chatter of the revolutionaries posted in the antechamber outside on guard duty. He could not hear anything from behind the door on the wall opposite him. Simmi... Someone approached and sat down on the plastic chair next to him. It was Rozga. He inclined his head at the revolutionary, who spoke. "Any news?"

Ox let out a breath. "None, they've been working there for the last two and a half hours. At least. She lost a lot of blood." Rozga nodded. "My thoughts are with you both, hermano." He reached into the jacket pocket of his red and black uniform and fished out a blood red packet of cigarettes, offering one to Ox. Ox eyed the cigarettes tiredly. "I prefer the menthol ones." Nonetheless, he reached out to take one, but his shaky hands betrayed him. Rozga adroitly removed one from the pack himself, gently placed it in Ox's mouth, and then lit it with a lighter from the same pocket of his uniform. Ox sucked in a breath of tobacco, the end of the cigarette a tiny flame. The taste was disgusting and harsh, but it calmed him nonetheless, and after a few smokes, his hands ceased their tremors. He muttered thanks to Rozga, who acknowledged the gesture and removed a cigarette of his own to smoke. Lighting up, he regarded Ox.

"I hope she's okay, but you need to prepare yourself, my friend." Ox was too tired to get angry at this. Still, a stab of heat pierced his chest. "What does that mean?" Rozga blew out a stream of smoke. "I've lost lots of close friends in this war, and a lover. I didn't want to believe it was happening either. And then it did." Ox struggled to control his feelings. "I don't know what I'd do without her." "I understand your confusion. Just know that if things get worse, you have to ask yourself: 'What am I without them'?" They sat together, smoking their cigarettes for several minutes. Finally, Rozga dropped his stub of a cigarette on the ground and ground it out with his boot. "Have to get back to my post. Stay safe, hermano." Ox was left to brood in silence for a few minutes, until the door finally opened, and Dr Mosby appeared.

"I have news."

I'm back, Bees.

Today was the second Push day workout of the week.

Bench Press: 120 x 6. Easier than it was before.
Incline Press: 87.5 x 5.
Overhead Press: 62.5 x 5.
Dumbbell Overhead Extensions: 20 x 6. These are back! I haven't done them in a year or two.
Hammer Curls: 24 x 16. Grr. Arf arf!
Wrist Curls: 22 x 12.

I spent the past few days away from the gym before finally having the interest to go again today. It's like waking up again after a long torpor. Most days I found it easier to sleep in and shut out the world than to engage, which is what I did. But even a short cycle can be broken, like I did today.

Side chest pose, though my blocky rib cage gets in the way.

On Saturday we're having dim sum at our favourite place and getting haircuts! OMG!

See you again next time, Bees!

Playing: Oh no. I'm reaching that stage where my existing games are giving me less satisfaction, and am hunting for new ones. That said, I'm still trying to squeeze out mileage from Project Silverfish (my build is pretty op now), and am making my way through Pigface, which is giving me a run for my money. What to play...

Watching: So I finished watching Strange Harvest, the true-crime mockumentary. Here's a trailer, synopsis, and review

In the 90s, San Bernardino county was rocked by brutal murders that were meticulously planned and executed. Then the murders stopped, until years later when a new spate of killings occurred, which meant that the original killer, Mr. Shiny, was back, and with a mysterious and violent agenda. Detectives Kirby and Taylor recount their investigation of the killings, as the violent murders built to a crescendo...

So this one is in the style of a true-crime mockumentary with a few supernatural elements. This means that it's made with all the elements you would expect, like interviews, crime scene exhibits, evidence, and archival footage. And it works very well. While some of the imagery is too violent and explicit to include in any real documentary, and Mr. Shiny a cunning serial killer whose adroitness you'd only see in fiction, a lot of the film is nightmarishly plausible. You could air this for someone cold, and they might actually believe that it was real. The film sprinkles in a dash of the surreal later on, but it only serves to heighten, rather than diminish Mr. Shiny's aims.

I particularly liked the performances of the two detectives who recount the investigation. I thought they captured that jaded feeling of world-weariness very well, and the supporting interviews were very detailed and well done as well. The horror beats punctuate each murder with deftness, though a little too much sensationalism (which is among the most obvious giveaways that this is fiction). Overall, I thought this one was an indie gem, and that anybody with a passing interest in found-footage/mockumentaries and true crime should give it a shot.

I give it four and a half ominous calling card symbols out of five.

Also watching Fallout Season 2, and liking it the more it goes on.

Listening to: Pierce the Veil - Kiss Me Now. Heart on its sleeve, one of the most earnest songs I've listened to in awhile. And the music video is surprisingly evocative and heartbreaking.

"And you take
away the misery
of crushing doubt"

 

[TopNotch]

Looking buff!

 

[GentleOx]

"All my life, I've lived different lives, met different people, grown close to some, kept away from others." A steady beep. Her pulse was steady, and her breathing regular: her chest gently rose and fell as she slept. Ox rubbed his eyes with his hands, and then continued. "I've killed, stolen, and deceived in order to stay alive. I've done... questionable things. I've wondered if there's some divine judgement waiting for me for all these sins across all these lives. Maybe there isn't one. Maybe I'll find out when I die." Beep. Beep. Beep. He was fortunate that the lab had a small room devoted to occasions such as these; barring numerous pieces of medical equipment (some hooked up to Simmi), it was spartan and unadorned. Ox sighed and watched Simmi's steady breaths.

"I don't know what I did to deserve you. I probably don't. Across all these lives and all these places, I haven't met anyone quite like you. No one else has come close. Some folks wonder what they're doing in this zone - I'm still not sure, but I've found someone who completes me." He tapped his cheek thoughtfully. "Soulmate sounds like some cheesy shit from a romance novel, but I guess it's closest to what you are for me. You know, when this is all over -- assuming it ever ends..." He stood up and turned away, deep in thought. "Maybe I could take you back to Guangdong province with me, show you the farm, and we could start a new life together-" Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap. He whirled around, to see Simmi's hands raised, slowly applauding. The woman herself opened her eyes slowly, a grin on her face. Ox groaned. "How much of that did you hear..." Simmi stretched her arms out, then reached down and pushed herself to a sitting position using the supports of the hospital bed.

"Oh, most of it. But you can continue. Where's the part where you talk about what you name our children?" She asked, innocently. Ox glared at her. "Forget everything I said, I take it all back. Spill your guts out to some people, and this is what I get in response." Simmi snickered. "You deserve an award. I'm sure I have some back at the Obs--oh shit."

She looked at him in alarm. "Howie!"

Greetings, Bees. I'm tired and beat, but I got in a good workout today, both in the gym, and on the streets.

Today was a Pull day, in which I netted some PRs!

Deadlift and Row: 105 x 5. But not with these... I can't believe i used to find them easy. Groan.
Underhand Barbell Rows: 105 x 5. PR #1.
Meadows Rows: 65 x 5, 67.5 x 3. PR #2. Could feel my lats giving way with the heavier set!
Neutral Grip Rows: 60 x 7. PR # 3.
Neutral Grip Chins: 27 reps in total.

These are admittedly tiny PRs, but I'm not going to disregard progress.

Really want to take in a movie next week, and it's a toss-up between 28 Years Later and the Silent Hill movie. I'm actually more excited for the latter, even though I know it's going to be the inferior movie.

Apparently, they're developing a Fallout reality show. What on earth is Amazon doing to my beloved franchise??

https://deadline.com/2026/01/fallout-reality-series-amazon-1236683771/

Have a great weekend, Bees! You deserve it!

Playing: Uh, I can't believe it, but I only played Pigface last night. And got my ass handed to me. I'll go at it again, and play something else as well (Project Silverfish, of course). Maybe some Witchfire as well, I haven't checked out the new update yet.

Watching: Started watching The Bad Guys 2. Unsurprisingly entertaining and zesty!

Listening to: Bear Hands - High Society. I don't usually go the pop route, but Bear Hands have some great songs. This one is dangerously catchy!

"But whatever I say
And whatever I do
Like every single day
You know he's coming through"

 

[JCU]

Congratulations x3!

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[CODawn]

Congratulations!

 

[TopNotch]

3 PRs! Way to go!!