Musashi

Like I want to restart contruction on the Tower of Babel....so I can climb it and punch god in the face.

Who here plays D&D? I used to, but haven't in a long time. Haven't been able to find a good group that wants to take the time (I so would) What version(s) do you play and why? Haven't played since 2nd edition. But I would play whatever. Back in those old days, rules would be changed/omitted/added to fit the story and what we were doing. Sometimes the epic scale of the story and who/what the characters were would demand changes. The books IMO are guidelines. Nothing is set in stone and the limit is whatever you want it to be. What version(s) do you refuse to play and why? Don't refuse to play any version specifically. Just don't know much about 3+ What style(s) of game do you like best (hack & slash, Monty Hall, intrigue, romantic, adventure, exploration, political, etc.) and why? I like a mixture of everything. Things have to be kept fresh. Good action is a must. My old DM (DGN's own Darkmatter) would play out fight scenes based on our rolls even. Roll a 20 and get a neat looking (in the imagination of course) sweet move you just pulled off that saved your (characters) life. All elements of a good story are needed I think. And it needs to be flexible with the ability to change depending on the characters and where the story takes you. What style(s) aren't you too fond of and why? As long as a DM doesn't try too hard to stick to a "style" by sacrificing the quality of the campaign, whatever is great. Are you more into story and character development or rules lawyering, min-maxing, etc. or a bit of everything, and how do you slide on the scale? If I had to choose, I would saystory and character development. But you can't neglect the things that make it an "RPG". I may love that my favorite character was a half-insane dark elf with limited powers over creation, but man it felt good to get a new awesome weapon with some crazy stats or quirk to it. Group cohesiveness working together, constant infighting, or something in between? Again, whatever to fit the story. I remember having to kill a friends character permanently (I was another player, not a DM) because he was a chaotic evil psychopath and the only way to stop the things he was doing was to kill him. We had worked together when we needed to, but eventually someone had to die. That's just the way the story went. And it was cool (plus he had started growing tired of his character, as cool as it was, so he wasn't too heartbroken). So sometimes working together works for whatever reason the characters are doing so. Sometimes you just gotta kill an old friend who lost his way. It's all about the game and distractions should be kept to a minimum? It's all about the socialization and hanging out with friends and the game is secondary? A bit of both? Both for sure. Sometimes everyone is in the gaming zone and are their character for the night. Sometimes the game gets played some but mostly everyone's just hanging out. Either way, fun is fun. What races and classes do you prefer and why? I usually end up playing an elf of some sort. But Human's aren't too bad either. I like the agile fighter, or some sort of badass martial artist/fighter. I don't like it to be too confined by a rule or boxed sets theme. Too many rules on a class limit potential for development. I do also like playing some kind of cool mage class. The favorite character I ever had was a chaotic neutral dark elf fighter/thief/mage. He was more about who he was rather than what he was though (like any good character should be). He later had a 2nd incarnation where he was just a fighter. Lacked his thieving and magic at the beginning of the campaign, but was still the same person. The races I really wont ever play though are things like dwarves, or gnomes, or halflings. Any of the peck races. Just couldn't take em seriously. Anything else I forgot to ask that you'd like to share. May have been covered in styles, but as far as campaign settings go, sticking to one can limit things. Like some people will stay in spelljammer, or ravenloft, or (ugh) Dragon Lance. That's why I loved Planescape. It allowed for a more epic scale (unlimited really) of story, It allowed the setting to completely change without really changing (planescape officially covers any and all D&D campaign setting and is it's own as well), and it gave both the DM and players more things to think about in general. We might be mountain climbing one day in Forgotten Realms, then get sucked into the lower layers of Hell the next. Or stuck in Ravenloft. Y'never know!

I really want to get mine done....I'm afraid of moving around with a shirt on though...how much did/does it hurt?

Couple Jet Li movies I saw recently: Tai Chi Masters (by torrent. actually titled :Twin Warriors" I believe) Once upon a time in China. Just saw part 1 (of 6) so far, but it's a great martial arts movie with a really cool story based in the mid to late 1800's and has a lot to do with the westernization of China. Recently got The Devil's Backbone, but haven't had a chance to watch it yet. I hear it's neato. I'm a huge horror fan. Also been into a lot of the freaky Japanese horror stuff for a while too. If you're into crazy over-the-top gore/action campy stuff, check out "The Machine Girl" (actually a really good movie in spite of the campy insane gore), and "Tokyo Gore Police" (yes it is as ridiculous as it sounds, but awesome). These aren't horror, just fun.

Today I did: 30 inclined sit-ups @ a 60 degree incline 10 sit-ups at a vertical incline 20 "good-mornings" 20 hindu push-ups 20 diamond push-ups 2 sets of about 30 forearm curls on both top and bottom 1 minute of jump rope ran a half mile in about 4 minutes (not great, but meh. shin splints suck.) 20 lunges 50 regular crunches 1 minute side-plank each side did a pyramid punching drill on the heavy bag with 6.5lb dumbbells (started at 1 each hand to 10 each hand then back down to one i.e.: 1 left, 1 right, 2 left, 2 right, etc up to 10 and back), man that drill is hard! 15 minutes of meditation (yes meditation counts! it is the foundation of all true martial arts!) 15 minutes of tai chi then about 30 minutes on the heavy bag with random punch/kick/sidestepping drills. All in all not a terrible day. I think my abs and arms are starting to tone up. And I'm starting to be able to throw some decent side and hook kicks finally (almost no power still, but the technique is coming along. gimme a break I'm only a month in!). I have tai chi followed by kung-fu class tomorrow, and this week I'll be starting brazilian jiu jutsu classes! Yay! Need to stop smoking cigarettes again so I can actually get some real endurance training started. I'm really noticing the difference between not smoking at all and even smoking a little bit has on my overall energy. Been doing ok on the food thing. Mostly stir-fry (cooked w/o oil) and subway subs w/o cheese. I cheat some and will have a donut, burger, or candy a couple times a week, but I" justify it with persistence in training and excersise. Lots of chicken, fruit and veggies though. My only lament here is that I don't have access to proper weight training equipment so I'm still missing a vital component of the full regimen. But it's ok. That will all come in time as long as I stick with the martial arts. Here's to perseverance!

"Darksiders" for 360 is a very blatant zelda/god of war ripoff. Still really cool and fun to play. Especially if you're looking fir a zeldaish kind of game. Nothin better on 360. I myself am currently playing Alpha Protocol on ps3. Just before that I finished Metal Gear Solid 4. Holy crap was that game amazing. I literally cried multiple tears at 2 specific points during the ending. Such a great story. Even better than Final Fantasy 13. Which is saying a lot (only cried a single tear during the end of that one).

Awesome! 5 miles is no small thing. Hell I wanna die after 2 still. Now that you're running, though, you'll start to see some major results as far as weight loss goes. Congrats!

Very cool. Also, I want that shirt he's wearing. Simple, but very cool.

Relationships in this day and age = financial investment.....I would like that new TV, but just can't afford it right now. Ha. Plus girls don't like me for some reason. I blame Cosmo.

I would be happy to travel a bit on my days off if anyone wants to make an evening out of it or something. My class is all the way out @ 12 and woodward so after class would be perfect. But hey just throwin' it out there.

Looking for anyone with at least a little bit of martial arts experience to do some "out of class" practicing. Yes, class is great, but anyone who really wants to excel in a martial art needs to practice a LOT. I am by no means experienced enough to be an instructor, but I would love the chance to share what I learn in class and learn from other practitioners. This would be practice for the sake of learning, growth and physical fitness. Not a couple people just willy-nilly fighting each other. There would be specific moves, and situations practiced. Again for the sake of learning and growth, NOT just horsing around like children who just watched their first Jet Li movie. I really, REALLY want to get good at the martial arts and I am very serious about wanting people to practice with. I am currently practicing Kung-Fu (zen martial arts as it's called at my school Zen Martial Arts I go to the one on 12 and Woodward), but I also have some training (was purple belt even though I felt I hadn't quite earned it yet) in Phung Hua Do. It's very similar to Tae Kwon Do but leans more heavily toward mixed martial arts (I don't like MMA. I think it spits on thousands of years of tradition and is the new WWF. Not ragging on the fighters necessarily, just the industry). I plan on making the chinese style my main focus but welcome any opportunity to learn anything anyone has to share. I also practice with a samurai sword and to a lesser extent the sai swords. I'm even getting to the point where I don't look like a complete fool when practicing with weapons. I am located in Waterford, and I work at a bar, generally at night. My Kung-fu classes are in the evenings during the week (when I'm not at work), at noon on Saturday, and 11am on Sunday. I probably won't get up that early to make that drive on sundays so practice in the early afternoon on sundays may also work for me. If anyone is into martial arts and is looking for a good way to get practice between classes, I'm your man. Again this is for serious practice. I want to get good at it and maybe even make some friends with similar interests. Sorry for being so long-winded! Thanks for your time!

Oh god for that price I sooooo want in on this.......if only it weren't so far away and in conflict with my kung-fu classes I've been curious about what the actual ninjutsu style training incorporates. I hear it's very different from most Japanese styles. If the classes were only much earlier in the day. Maybe I can find a way to swing it. Seriously anyone interested in martial arts, anyone offering this kind of training for that kind of price from a master that has those kinds of credentials shold really get into this. Would be well worth it. I'm really trying to get seriously into martial arts (I'm not really good at anything else and I'm told I have a lot of potential).

Ok then, cool article. I guess I need to get a set of calipers then. Thanks for the tip!

My BF% and muscle mass I checked with this digital scale that is supposed to measure weight, body water content, muscle mass and BF%. I was/am also skeptical about that measurement. All I know is that the last time I checked it, I was at 33% (of whatever that reading is if not bf%?) and yesterday I was at 11%. I was pretty stunned myself, but was told it didn't seem out of the realm of possibility given the amount of work and diet I've been putting into it. I would like to do the pincher test, just don't have one available at the moment. But she (my mom, a nurse and well versed in at least nutrition if not fitness) assured me that it was accurate. You do have to enter in your age and height for it to get a reading. As for being overweight, the first time I checked was at 153 with clothes on but no shoes, and yesterday was 145 with just a towel. So maybe not a full 8lb. loss, but close at least. But you're right, not overweight. I was just really flabby. Even at my fattest I was only about 165-170. I did/do plan on adding at least somewhat of a lifting routine to all this, but I'm almost afraid I may be biting off more than I can chew. Still gonna do it, but phew, that's a lot more work to add in. Also, Invictus, thanks for those links, I'll be looking into those for sure. I'm already watching the Bruce Lee documentary (he's easily one of my biggest heroes). That man was something else to say the least.

I think girls w/ glasses are way sexy. C'mon baby, lets get you a lab coat and do some genetic engineering....

Not suprising they don't want to shell out money for an extra night. This is the owner that used scotch tape and aluminum foil to "spruce up" the Lab.....wonder if anyone else remembers that.

Well, had my first kung-fu class. It kicked my ass, but I learned a few neat tricks. I am loving the chinese style a lot more than the korean styles so far. Seems a bit more difficult, but more fitting to my body and attitude. On a related note, I finally checked my weight and fat% to muscle% today.....I must be doing something right, cuz in about 2-2.5 weeks, I maye have only lost 8lbs, but I've trimmed off about 20% body fat and gained about 10-15% muscle mass. I was seriously not expecting those kinds of results that fast. My muscles over my entire body are even starting to get visible definition. I just need to get that gym membership to add weight training to my week. I may be looking better, but really I'm still not very strong. Potentially very fast, yes. But not very strong yet. Anyone got tips on strength training aside from lifting weights? Anything regarding reflex training might be a help as well.

Sweet. I missed them last time they were here. Maybe I'll make it!

My room in the dark with the world far, far away. And the beach near my house. Private, tiny, sandy beach. Very zen in the sun with the dandelions covering the lake. On the dance floor with a beautiful woman.

I've recently upped the intensity of my workout routine, and man it is awesome! By awesome I mean "Ow my body is pissed at me!" Ha. For the last 4 days (Friday will be the 5th consecutive) I start at my house with some good hard warm ups i.e. 100 jumping jacks, push-up squat thrusts, stretches etc. Then it's a half-mile run and a fence jump to my subdivisions beach (oh yeah! private, sandy, and great!). After that it's swimming! Swimming is such a great workout even just by itself, but I've added a couple things that make it even better. The sandy part of the beach itself is on a slightly steep incline, so one thing I do is I'll swim out a ways (like a standard pool length), then swim back to the shore. When I get to the shallows where my hands will touch the bottom, I start bear crawling (on hands and feet not hands and knees) up the hill a ways, then stand up and run back in the water for more swimming. If I want to push myself I'll do like 10 push-up squat thrusts when I stand up (really could do anything at that point). Man just one trip out then back up the beach like that is INTENSE on both the cardio and working to tone muscles. I've been out at the lake about 1 to 1.5 hours every day. Add to that about an hour and a half of kendo practice total for the week with the mile run (half mile to the beach, half mile back) and my ass had been thoroughly kicked. For Friday my friend Michelle and I are gonna be out at the lake for about 3 hours and I'm also gonna be adding a pretty brutal set of core excersises (about 15 minutes worth) to it. Rawr! It's getting serious now! I've also done much better with my diet. I've stopped drinking soda (I'll have one a week maybe as a treat) and I've been eating good quality healthy stuff (being a cook has at least one perk I guess). I've also started using protein shakes...... I can now see the very very beginnings of a six pack starting to appear and my arms, chest and legs are all looking noticeably better too. And the thing I'm most excited about: I'm starting kung-fu classes next week! (if all goes as planned anyway) I think if I take those classes 2-3 times per week, keep up on the diet, swimming and at-home martial arts practice, and add a full body weight lifting regimen once per week (found a super cheap gym for that) I might be able to get that Bruce Lee body I've always wanted. I'm so excited! Yay! As far as how much I weigh? Not really paying too much attention. I'm not a real big dude anyway, so it's all about the looks and the power. Rawr!

Hey nice! I always work nights on the weekends and Tuesday is a usual night off! Huzzahs all around!

BTW, where's the/an after party?

Am there. Think I have a date too! I also think I saw the horsemen riding through the sky. Nah..couldn't be....

While not exactly mindfucks, two really great and really clever anime do come to mind; Speed Grapher and Death Note. Oo! Make that 3: Sorceror Hunters. While a lot of sorceror hunters may be silly and not so psychologically stimulating, it hits real deep on an emotional level with one of the best endings in all of anime history and one of the most awesome main characters ever (EVAR!).