aku-chan
Well-known member
Hope you still have a good holiday despite the family issues!
Quest for Muscle: The Return of the Pump
- Thread starter GentleOx
- Start date
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
I'm sorry for the family drama, Ox.
It's great that you found that gym! Hopefully it will give you a bit of a break and let you find some headspace away from all of the tension.
It's great that you found that gym! Hopefully it will give you a bit of a break and let you find some headspace away from all of the tension.
Maegaranthelas
Well-known member
from
Lifting heavy really helps with frustration!
I had a memorable day where I walked into my gym with a face like thunder and the trainer just went "this is a day for flipping a tyre and telling me what's wrong"
She was right, it helped a lot
I had a memorable day where I walked into my gym with a face like thunder and the trainer just went "this is a day for flipping a tyre and telling me what's wrong"
She was right, it helped a lot
from
Thank you for your warm thoughts @NancyTree @JCU @Maegaranthelas @TopNotch @aku-chan @Laura Rainbow Dragon. It's been awkward and frustrating, but Christmas is still a time worth having together.
I spent the day at the gym, naturally. Today was a Pull day - but tough to manage with a crowded gym.
Let's see if I remember the routine that i made up on the spot. Six sets for each exercise.
True T Bar Rows: 55 x six.
Lat Pulldowns: 80 x 6
Moving Machine Lat Pulldown (I don't know the exact name): 80 x 6.
Suspension rows: 6 reps.
Pull ups: Max set of 3.
Barbell Forearm Curls: 30 x 10.
My sister's family has set out treats for old Saint Nick, and the kiddies are in for wonderful surprises tomorrow.
No matter what happens, keep your loved ones close this season, Bees.
Liquid skies...
Kitty spotting! It visited our villa during dinner. I tried to pspsps it closer, but it was a bit wary.
Kitty spotting pt 2. Cadging for scraps at the restaurant.
Playing: Still not much.
Watching: Contrary to my last post, have been doing some quality watching. But I'll wait until I'm back on a desktop to write a review.
Listening to: Miami Nights 1984 - This Christmas. Perhaps the only Christmas themed song I can tolerate (Jingle Balls may be on that rather short list). A wonderful pop confection.
I spent the day at the gym, naturally. Today was a Pull day - but tough to manage with a crowded gym.
Let's see if I remember the routine that i made up on the spot. Six sets for each exercise.
True T Bar Rows: 55 x six.
Lat Pulldowns: 80 x 6
Moving Machine Lat Pulldown (I don't know the exact name): 80 x 6.
Suspension rows: 6 reps.
Pull ups: Max set of 3.
Barbell Forearm Curls: 30 x 10.
My sister's family has set out treats for old Saint Nick, and the kiddies are in for wonderful surprises tomorrow.
No matter what happens, keep your loved ones close this season, Bees.
Liquid skies...
Kitty spotting! It visited our villa during dinner. I tried to pspsps it closer, but it was a bit wary.
Kitty spotting pt 2. Cadging for scraps at the restaurant.
Playing: Still not much.
Watching: Contrary to my last post, have been doing some quality watching. But I'll wait until I'm back on a desktop to write a review.
Listening to: Miami Nights 1984 - This Christmas. Perhaps the only Christmas themed song I can tolerate (Jingle Balls may be on that rather short list). A wonderful pop confection.
Last edited:
PetiteSheWolf
Well-known member
Merry Christmas, and wishing Christmas's peace spreads over those quarreling family members!
Thank you for the well wishes @PetiteSheWolf. There was another quarrel, but no screaming or shouting, thankfully.
Of all the treasures unearthed in our recent expedition across the Gentle lands, who would've thought that among the finds would be... an Ox?
Hey again Bees. Back again with another vacation workout update. Today I did Arms because hey, it's fun, and why not.
Close Grip Bench Press: 105 x 5. Not one of my best efforts, but whatever.
EZ Bar Curls: 40 x 6.
Dual Dumbbell Overhead Extensions: 18 x 6.
Hammer Curls: 18 x 24.
Rope Pushdowns: 55 x 6.
Preacher Single Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 10.
Barbell Wrist Curls: 35 x 8.
My vacation is almost done. Just four more days until I can go home and unwind. While I appreciate seeing them again, it's been rather trying.
Tomorrow we're changing AirBNBs agaaaaaiin, which will make it the third place we've stayed in on this trip.
I've been away from Hong Kong too long.
Pooped poochie perhaps prefers polished pampering.
Kitty on the edge!
Across evening skies I gaze.
See you on the other side, Bees.
Playing: Guess. When I get home, I'm going to play so many games that my fingers will fall off!
Watching: I finished Seal Team s5. May or may nooooot write some thoughts. Made a good start on Heretic, and I have to say, it's been worth the wait.
Listening to: Sacred Skin - Runaway. I don't know where I first heard this 80s inspired group, but their sound is a credit to the genre.
Of all the treasures unearthed in our recent expedition across the Gentle lands, who would've thought that among the finds would be... an Ox?
Hey again Bees. Back again with another vacation workout update. Today I did Arms because hey, it's fun, and why not.
Close Grip Bench Press: 105 x 5. Not one of my best efforts, but whatever.
EZ Bar Curls: 40 x 6.
Dual Dumbbell Overhead Extensions: 18 x 6.
Hammer Curls: 18 x 24.
Rope Pushdowns: 55 x 6.
Preacher Single Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 10.
Barbell Wrist Curls: 35 x 8.
My vacation is almost done. Just four more days until I can go home and unwind. While I appreciate seeing them again, it's been rather trying.
Tomorrow we're changing AirBNBs agaaaaaiin, which will make it the third place we've stayed in on this trip.
I've been away from Hong Kong too long.
Pooped poochie perhaps prefers polished pampering.
Kitty on the edge!
Across evening skies I gaze.
See you on the other side, Bees.
Playing: Guess. When I get home, I'm going to play so many games that my fingers will fall off!
Watching: I finished Seal Team s5. May or may nooooot write some thoughts. Made a good start on Heretic, and I have to say, it's been worth the wait.
Listening to: Sacred Skin - Runaway. I don't know where I first heard this 80s inspired group, but their sound is a credit to the genre.
Daptomycin
Active member
Posts: 37
Those pictures are lovely!
Thank you so much @Daptomycin !
Can you feel it? The Revolution has started! Take to the streets, seize the printing presses, arm yourselves, empower the proletariat, and remember the sacrifice of our founder... Ox!
Hey Bees. My vacation is winding down (thankfully) and it's almost time to go home, but I worked out today, so it's time for one final update.
I found a new gym nearby, so I used some of the spiffy equipment for a Push day.
Dumbbell Bench Press: 50kg dumbbells for five reps. I haven't done this exercise in years. I haven't found many gyms with dumbbells heavy enough, but I did today. Was not easy, I'll tell you that much.
Pardon the chest puffing.
Incline Barbell Bench: 100 x 6.
Overhead Shoulder Press: 65 x 3. Bleh.
Incline Cable Flys: 4 x 10.
Fancy Curl Machine: 20 x 8. This was tougher than it looked.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 40 x 6.
Here's the gym.
Spiffy! It was like something out of a music video, what with the hot, sweaty guys and girls in their sexy outfits. Not that I know any music videos set in the gym...
Tons of fun equipment. The cost of entry was 17ish USD, so pretty pricey. Worth it for a single visit, though.
It was a great workout.
But now, hear me out on the tribulations of this airbnb we're in. Ostensibly, it's a villa in a bustling district. I can't dispute the bustling part, but it's the worst place we've ever rented.
- One of the showers doesn't work
- The kitchen is woefully underequipped, and you need a lighter (!) to get the stove running
- I've spotted numerous ants and roaches
- Everything is poorly maintained, and a little decrepit
- The sheets are stained. *shudder*
- There're no toiletries (shampoo etc) provided, and the towels are threadbare and ill-kept.
But the kicker is this: the living room is an open area design with no doors, and the owners feed the neighborhood cats. Put the two together, and you have kitties invading the house, looking for food. They like to announce their presence with insistent yowling. I've scared them away a few times, but they keep coming back (presumably they're playing the waiting game). Of course, this hasn't dampened my lifelong love of cats. But my family is nonplussed.
Critter watch!
Serial killer kitty awaits you.
Handsome fruit store catto.
Don't look so sad, puppy eyes poochy!
Anyway, the next time I post will be after coming back to Hong Kong, so I'm coming home soon, with more posts coming.
Because we're taking a midnight flight, and won't hear from you all until after it's done...
HAPPY NEW YEAR BEES!
Playing: Bleh.
Watching: A little bit of Kill at the gym, and some of Brawl in Cell Block 99.
Listening to: The O'Jays - Buddy's Business. Handle your business, grease those skids, uncross your wires and light your fires, 'cause this number is badass!
Can you feel it? The Revolution has started! Take to the streets, seize the printing presses, arm yourselves, empower the proletariat, and remember the sacrifice of our founder... Ox!
Hey Bees. My vacation is winding down (thankfully) and it's almost time to go home, but I worked out today, so it's time for one final update.
I found a new gym nearby, so I used some of the spiffy equipment for a Push day.
Dumbbell Bench Press: 50kg dumbbells for five reps. I haven't done this exercise in years. I haven't found many gyms with dumbbells heavy enough, but I did today. Was not easy, I'll tell you that much.
Pardon the chest puffing.
Incline Barbell Bench: 100 x 6.
Overhead Shoulder Press: 65 x 3. Bleh.
Incline Cable Flys: 4 x 10.
Fancy Curl Machine: 20 x 8. This was tougher than it looked.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 40 x 6.
Here's the gym.
Spiffy! It was like something out of a music video, what with the hot, sweaty guys and girls in their sexy outfits. Not that I know any music videos set in the gym...
Tons of fun equipment. The cost of entry was 17ish USD, so pretty pricey. Worth it for a single visit, though.
It was a great workout.
But now, hear me out on the tribulations of this airbnb we're in. Ostensibly, it's a villa in a bustling district. I can't dispute the bustling part, but it's the worst place we've ever rented.
- One of the showers doesn't work
- The kitchen is woefully underequipped, and you need a lighter (!) to get the stove running
- I've spotted numerous ants and roaches
- Everything is poorly maintained, and a little decrepit
- The sheets are stained. *shudder*
- There're no toiletries (shampoo etc) provided, and the towels are threadbare and ill-kept.
But the kicker is this: the living room is an open area design with no doors, and the owners feed the neighborhood cats. Put the two together, and you have kitties invading the house, looking for food. They like to announce their presence with insistent yowling. I've scared them away a few times, but they keep coming back (presumably they're playing the waiting game). Of course, this hasn't dampened my lifelong love of cats. But my family is nonplussed.
Critter watch!
Serial killer kitty awaits you.
Handsome fruit store catto.
Don't look so sad, puppy eyes poochy!
Anyway, the next time I post will be after coming back to Hong Kong, so I'm coming home soon, with more posts coming.
Because we're taking a midnight flight, and won't hear from you all until after it's done...
HAPPY NEW YEAR BEES!
Playing: Bleh.
Watching: A little bit of Kill at the gym, and some of Brawl in Cell Block 99.
Listening to: The O'Jays - Buddy's Business. Handle your business, grease those skids, uncross your wires and light your fires, 'cause this number is badass!
Last edited:
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
Happy 2025, Ox!
(Also, i'm not able to view your critter photos.)
(Also, i'm not able to view your critter photos.)
Maegaranthelas
Well-known member
I've got your back
OMG that guitar!I've got your back
Oh Germany, thank you for the weird music. (Video might not be entirely SFW. There are some close-ups of butts in aerobics gear. )
Thank you for bringing that to my attention @JCU, and @Mamatigerj. I have added the photos so that the cuddlies have a chance to shine.
@Maegaranthelas that video is both a joke, and seriously awesome at the same time. Thanks!
Also, I don't think this surreal number counts, because there's no actual music. At least it's pretty dumb.
@Maegaranthelas that video is both a joke, and seriously awesome at the same time. Thanks!
Also, I don't think this surreal number counts, because there's no actual music. At least it's pretty dumb.
Last edited:
This is going to sound disappointing @JCU, but with one exception, I didn't. I generally don't pet strays because I don't know how they'll react.
If they come up to me and show interest, maybe. But when they're resting or chilling out, I generally just leave them be. Don't know if they'll bite or claw. I tried to pet two golden retrievers years ago and they (not seriously) bit me.
One exception was the adorable, friendly corgi mix who belongs to the owner of the airbnb, named Alfy. A sweet pupper for sure, but I don't have any pictures of him.
If they come up to me and show interest, maybe. But when they're resting or chilling out, I generally just leave them be. Don't know if they'll bite or claw. I tried to pet two golden retrievers years ago and they (not seriously) bit me.
One exception was the adorable, friendly corgi mix who belongs to the owner of the airbnb, named Alfy. A sweet pupper for sure, but I don't have any pictures of him.
Last edited:
PetiteSheWolf
Well-known member
Thanks for the pics 
But yeah, the setting of your last airB&B sounds noth dangerous and non-hygienic, agh... Good luck for the red-eye flight!
But yeah, the setting of your last airB&B sounds noth dangerous and non-hygienic, agh... Good luck for the red-eye flight!
Maegaranthelas
Well-known member
Yeah, Electric Callboy is such an interesting band. Their genre isn't usually my thing, but they are so fun I enjoy it anyway ^^
Plus the boys seem to have a big heart and are very happy to make fun of themselves.
I saw them live a few years ago and there was an interlude for singing romantic pop hits at each other. Including someone with a saxophone playing Careless Whispers
Thank you for the cute critter pictures
And I wish you good luck and safe travels for your return journey.
Plus the boys seem to have a big heart and are very happy to make fun of themselves.
I saw them live a few years ago and there was an interlude for singing romantic pop hits at each other. Including someone with a saxophone playing Careless Whispers
Thank you for the cute critter pictures
And I wish you good luck and safe travels for your return journey.
@Maegaranthelas Thank you! Now I have a new, humorous band to listen to!
@JCU Speaking of petting doggos, on the final night in Bali, we went to a Thai restaurant. Upon opening the door, was greeting by two mastiffs who were quite friendly and well-behaved, so I got lots of cuddles with them (I forgot to take pictures). They rested by the side of our table during the meal and didn't beg or cadge for scraps.
Greetings from the first entry of 2025, Bees! I'm back home, and I hit the gym (despite having a cold) for a Push workout.
Bench Press: 125 x 5. I'm not sure how I got even weaker, but this tends to happen during vacations. I'll keep working with this weight.
Incline Press: 100 x 6. Will try for 7 reps next time.
Lying Dumbbell Extension (I just made up this name, not sure what it's actually called): 22 x 6.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 14 x 8.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 20 x 8.
+24000 steps.
We arrived at the airport six hours early, and witnessed the countdown and fireworks from within. Our flight was delayed an hour and a half, and they shunted us from one end of the airport to the other with gate changes. But we made it back, and I'm really happy to be back home again, as I feel like two weeks is a really long time to be on vacation.
The gym was packed full of people. New Year's resolutions, perhaps? I lost about 4 kg over vacation, so I'm going to keep working to keep the pounds off. I had a load of energy today, so that helped a great deal.
Cyberpunked around the streets a bit, then bought a shiny new mouse (that's click sensitive, but that's okay).
Enjoy your New Years, Bees!
Playing: Gaming again, woohoo! I played some Sulfur last night, and a bit of PO'ed. Not feeling PO'ed, to be honest. Even though it's been remastered and all, it was a weird, difficult, and hard to like game, so all the improvements can't add that much. Maybe Killing Time is better? Will also return to DA:V tonight, if I can stomach the shitty framerate.
Watching: Seeing that I'm back on a keyboard, and infinitely more capable of entering text, I'll start my reviews of the films I watched on vacation. The first up is Dragged Across Concrete, with Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn. Here's a trailer:
In an unnamed American city, two detectives, whose heavy-handed methods have been exposed while on a raid, find themselves suspended. Desperate for funds, they work together again to exploit the gains of a heist by a group of brutal bank robbers. Meanwhile, caught up with the bank robbers is a skilled, but well-meaning criminal who finds himself having doubts. Their paths will cross, and who gets the prize in the end is up in the air.
Summation: A hard-bitten and tough movie absent of sentimental cliches, replete with shocking violence and great dialogue.
This is the second S. Craig Zahler film I've watched (Bone Tomahawk being the first), and I've got to say, Zahler has a penchant for making violent crime films with snappy action and cutting dialogue. It's not Tarantino-esque; Zahler puts his own spin on dialogue that is oblique, but not obfuscating and indirect. His characters have depth too; the cops are understandable in their actions (mostly), and Kittles' honourable robber (?) is very sympathetically written and portrayed. Shades of grey abound, with a few patches of black.
You watch movies like this for the wordplay and the great delivery, but this is partially an action movie. Amidst crackling tension and life-threatening situations, when the moment comes, it strikes hard. The violence is blunt, primarily showcasing the ruthlessness of the bank-robbing trio, and comes out in the final act. If I had my way, I would trim about 15 minutes out, as some slice-of-life scenes are superfluous and the final confrontation runs too long. But otherwise, there's little fact, and all hard sinew.
This flick thus steals four bars of gold out of five.
Listening to: JJ - Habitat (Cosmic Sand Remix). The synth shall never die! I'm going through NRW's archive's (for the third or fourth time) now that my synth tastes have broadened, and I'm finding some absolutely gems that I missed the first few times around.
@JCU Speaking of petting doggos, on the final night in Bali, we went to a Thai restaurant. Upon opening the door, was greeting by two mastiffs who were quite friendly and well-behaved, so I got lots of cuddles with them (I forgot to take pictures). They rested by the side of our table during the meal and didn't beg or cadge for scraps.
Greetings from the first entry of 2025, Bees! I'm back home, and I hit the gym (despite having a cold) for a Push workout.
Bench Press: 125 x 5. I'm not sure how I got even weaker, but this tends to happen during vacations. I'll keep working with this weight.
Incline Press: 100 x 6. Will try for 7 reps next time.
Lying Dumbbell Extension (I just made up this name, not sure what it's actually called): 22 x 6.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 14 x 8.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 20 x 8.
+24000 steps.
We arrived at the airport six hours early, and witnessed the countdown and fireworks from within. Our flight was delayed an hour and a half, and they shunted us from one end of the airport to the other with gate changes. But we made it back, and I'm really happy to be back home again, as I feel like two weeks is a really long time to be on vacation.
The gym was packed full of people. New Year's resolutions, perhaps? I lost about 4 kg over vacation, so I'm going to keep working to keep the pounds off. I had a load of energy today, so that helped a great deal.
Cyberpunked around the streets a bit, then bought a shiny new mouse (that's click sensitive, but that's okay).
Enjoy your New Years, Bees!
Playing: Gaming again, woohoo! I played some Sulfur last night, and a bit of PO'ed. Not feeling PO'ed, to be honest. Even though it's been remastered and all, it was a weird, difficult, and hard to like game, so all the improvements can't add that much. Maybe Killing Time is better? Will also return to DA:V tonight, if I can stomach the shitty framerate.
Watching: Seeing that I'm back on a keyboard, and infinitely more capable of entering text, I'll start my reviews of the films I watched on vacation. The first up is Dragged Across Concrete, with Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn. Here's a trailer:
In an unnamed American city, two detectives, whose heavy-handed methods have been exposed while on a raid, find themselves suspended. Desperate for funds, they work together again to exploit the gains of a heist by a group of brutal bank robbers. Meanwhile, caught up with the bank robbers is a skilled, but well-meaning criminal who finds himself having doubts. Their paths will cross, and who gets the prize in the end is up in the air.
Summation: A hard-bitten and tough movie absent of sentimental cliches, replete with shocking violence and great dialogue.
This is the second S. Craig Zahler film I've watched (Bone Tomahawk being the first), and I've got to say, Zahler has a penchant for making violent crime films with snappy action and cutting dialogue. It's not Tarantino-esque; Zahler puts his own spin on dialogue that is oblique, but not obfuscating and indirect. His characters have depth too; the cops are understandable in their actions (mostly), and Kittles' honourable robber (?) is very sympathetically written and portrayed. Shades of grey abound, with a few patches of black.
You watch movies like this for the wordplay and the great delivery, but this is partially an action movie. Amidst crackling tension and life-threatening situations, when the moment comes, it strikes hard. The violence is blunt, primarily showcasing the ruthlessness of the bank-robbing trio, and comes out in the final act. If I had my way, I would trim about 15 minutes out, as some slice-of-life scenes are superfluous and the final confrontation runs too long. But otherwise, there's little fact, and all hard sinew.
This flick thus steals four bars of gold out of five.
Listening to: JJ - Habitat (Cosmic Sand Remix). The synth shall never die! I'm going through NRW's archive's (for the third or fourth time) now that my synth tastes have broadened, and I'm finding some absolutely gems that I missed the first few times around.
Last edited:
Ugh. Super tired today, Bees, but I did my workout, got in my steps, and made it home in one piece.
Today was Leg day. Every exercise had six sets, so this one was a real grinder.
Squats: 105 x 5. Started with 80 and worked my way up. A little pleased that my squats haven't dramatically suffered, though they aren't as great as they were three months ago.
Front Squats: 60 x 6.
Lying Leg Curls: 35 x 10.
Back Extensions: 10 reps a set.
+28000 steps. Augh, the agony.
Left me in a state of complete fatigue, but I still managed to cyberpunk around for a bit after the gym.
Normally I love doggos and cattos on the streets, but this one was odd. I gathered that they're therapy dogs (the sign says there's a cat, but I didn't see one), and that they're raising funds, but why not let the pooches stay on the ground, and interact with people?
Had dim sum with a friend at a place staffed by brusque, but not unfriendly staff. It was surprisingly affordable too, the food came quickly, and was quite yummy!
Tomorrow is hot pot night! Om nom nom for the win!
Have a great weekend, Bees!
Watching: I didn't do any extra cardio at the gym, and will watch more of Frogman (an indie found footager) tonight. Here's another review of a film I watched on vacation, the religious horror flick Heretic. First, a trailer:
Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are feeling dispirited, and why not? They've faced rejection, mockery, and inclement weather as they go about their rounds. These insightful and sharp young women trudge to their next destination - the home of one Mr Reed, who has expressed interest in learning about the church. Upon reaching his remote mountain home, they are warmly greeted and invited inside; after some trepidation and a promise, they accept. Mr Reed is nothing less than hospitable and avuncular, making the young woman feel at ease. However, the tone of their easy conversation turns to religious challenges and pontificating, and it's clear that seemingly affable Mr Reed has an agenda. Barred from leaving, they realize that they only way out is engage with this professorial madman, and go deeper into his labyrinthine house...
Summary: Well-executed and engaging piece that features an astounding against-type role for Hugh Grant. While it stumbles in the third act, it still delivers as intelligent and thrilling horror.
This one will forever be known as the one in which Hugh Grant turned to horror and portrayed a genuinely frightening villain. His Mr Reed is disarming, bumbling and genial. He pushes his guests this way and that, using his extensive knowledge of religion (of course, this includes the Book of Mormon) to his advantage, and both challenges and seeks to "convert" his guests to his point of view: even so, it's obvious that his motivates are more than a little diabolical. Not to be outdone, the two actors portraying Sisters Barnes and Paxton do an excellent job, and rise to the challenge of portraying obviously frightened, but still razor-sharp and incisive counterparts to Mr Reed.
But what does he want? This leads to the film's only "downfall". The first half of the movie, in which Reed engages the two in conversation and pokes holes in their beliefs is stronger that the second. I won't give away the trajectory of that second half, except to say that it kind of panders to the base, and that there was no way it could live up to the anticipation generated early on. That said, when the film changes gears, it still thrills and horrifies, and incorporates interesting twists nonetheless.
If you have even a casual interest in horror, watch this one without spoiling any of it for yourself.
Heretic prepares four and a half yummy blueberry pies out of five.
Listening to: Slo-Mo - Boy From the City. Ah! Here's an urban pop classic from years past. Story of my life, albeit with a healthy dose of crime and more than a little sleaze.
"And then a day later something ugly turns up,
And I see two grizzly bears on my door they wanna break me
Into the street I race in my y-fronts,
I'm so scared I leave a trail on the pavement"
Today was Leg day. Every exercise had six sets, so this one was a real grinder.
Squats: 105 x 5. Started with 80 and worked my way up. A little pleased that my squats haven't dramatically suffered, though they aren't as great as they were three months ago.
Front Squats: 60 x 6.
Lying Leg Curls: 35 x 10.
Back Extensions: 10 reps a set.
+28000 steps. Augh, the agony.
Left me in a state of complete fatigue, but I still managed to cyberpunk around for a bit after the gym.
Normally I love doggos and cattos on the streets, but this one was odd. I gathered that they're therapy dogs (the sign says there's a cat, but I didn't see one), and that they're raising funds, but why not let the pooches stay on the ground, and interact with people?
Had dim sum with a friend at a place staffed by brusque, but not unfriendly staff. It was surprisingly affordable too, the food came quickly, and was quite yummy!
Tomorrow is hot pot night! Om nom nom for the win!
Have a great weekend, Bees!
Watching: I didn't do any extra cardio at the gym, and will watch more of Frogman (an indie found footager) tonight. Here's another review of a film I watched on vacation, the religious horror flick Heretic. First, a trailer:
Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are feeling dispirited, and why not? They've faced rejection, mockery, and inclement weather as they go about their rounds. These insightful and sharp young women trudge to their next destination - the home of one Mr Reed, who has expressed interest in learning about the church. Upon reaching his remote mountain home, they are warmly greeted and invited inside; after some trepidation and a promise, they accept. Mr Reed is nothing less than hospitable and avuncular, making the young woman feel at ease. However, the tone of their easy conversation turns to religious challenges and pontificating, and it's clear that seemingly affable Mr Reed has an agenda. Barred from leaving, they realize that they only way out is engage with this professorial madman, and go deeper into his labyrinthine house...
Summary: Well-executed and engaging piece that features an astounding against-type role for Hugh Grant. While it stumbles in the third act, it still delivers as intelligent and thrilling horror.
This one will forever be known as the one in which Hugh Grant turned to horror and portrayed a genuinely frightening villain. His Mr Reed is disarming, bumbling and genial. He pushes his guests this way and that, using his extensive knowledge of religion (of course, this includes the Book of Mormon) to his advantage, and both challenges and seeks to "convert" his guests to his point of view: even so, it's obvious that his motivates are more than a little diabolical. Not to be outdone, the two actors portraying Sisters Barnes and Paxton do an excellent job, and rise to the challenge of portraying obviously frightened, but still razor-sharp and incisive counterparts to Mr Reed.
But what does he want? This leads to the film's only "downfall". The first half of the movie, in which Reed engages the two in conversation and pokes holes in their beliefs is stronger that the second. I won't give away the trajectory of that second half, except to say that it kind of panders to the base, and that there was no way it could live up to the anticipation generated early on. That said, when the film changes gears, it still thrills and horrifies, and incorporates interesting twists nonetheless.
If you have even a casual interest in horror, watch this one without spoiling any of it for yourself.
Heretic prepares four and a half yummy blueberry pies out of five.
Listening to: Slo-Mo - Boy From the City. Ah! Here's an urban pop classic from years past. Story of my life, albeit with a healthy dose of crime and more than a little sleaze.
"And then a day later something ugly turns up,
And I see two grizzly bears on my door they wanna break me
Into the street I race in my y-fronts,
I'm so scared I leave a trail on the pavement"
Last edited:
Dim sum looks so yummy!
I agree re: the dogs. They look scared to be up on that table!
(My dogs have always hated it when vets have put them up on tables. Just crouch down and examine them on the floor where they're comfortable!)
I agree re: the dogs. They look scared to be up on that table!
(My dogs have always hated it when vets have put them up on tables. Just crouch down and examine them on the floor where they're comfortable!)
TopNotch
Well-known member
They weren't scared - they were embarrassed! What's with the...wings?
@JCU No problem! It's worth the watch!
@TopNotch @Laura Rainbow Dragon Poor doggos. I understand the need to promote your cause, but not in such a ham-fisted way.
The Ox is back in action!
This was after a heavy bout of the flu on Saturday night. I was tossing and turning while feeling nauseous and ill, and even snagged an extra blanket. I sweat it out that night, but wasn't feeling well enough for a Sunday workout, so I waited until today.
Today was W2D1 of my Push workouts.
Bench Press: 125 x 6, 127.5 x 5. I always welcome post-vacation gains! I will stick with 127.5 next week and see if I can get any increases.
Incline Press: 102.5 x 8. Was not expecting this! A pleasant surprise.
Overhead Press: 70 x 5.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20. 28 x 6 just for goofy fun.
Barbell Wrist Curls: 35 x 10.
Hot pot was absolutely yummy, but left my tummy rumbling, once more.
I'm doing very well with this new 2025 fitness kick. I've minimized my eating of treats, and am keeping very active. But it's mostly the lack of treats that's doing it. I want to see if I can get down to 76-77 kg, which I haven't done since before the pandemic. It's interesting that it took a bout of involuntary weight loss to get me going; it's like now that I have it, I don't want to lose it.
2025 awaits us, Bees.
Playing: Got in a bit more gaming these few days. Got my butt kicked in Sulfur several times, leading me to go on several tentative runs to replenish my reserves of pizza and chocolate mud cake (no I didn't make those up!). Played Hades 2 last night and beat Prometheus' ass schoolyard style again (he got me good with several special attacks, however). Still haven't resumed DA: V.
Watching: As I finished watching Brawl in Cell Block 99, which is a grindhouse-throwback thriller. Here's a trailer, and a review:
Summary: A sharp, violent and witty thriller with a healthy dose of retro.
Bradley is in a fix. Being a drug runner and mule has brought him real benefits, like a beautiful house, and a rekindled relationship with his now-pregnant wife. However, a drug run goes heavily awry, leaving him in prison, and at the mercy of the drug lord overseeing the deal. Now, Bradley must battle his way through prison with nothing but his fists, in order to save his wife and satisfy his debt.
This one is a gritty, down and dirty, and punchy (no pun intended) thriller that features the crackerjack, witty dialogue that S. Craig Zahler is known for. While the title references the climactic brawl in Cell Block 99, it's awhile before we get there, as the film takes its time examining the character of Bradley (an against-type Vince Vaughn), and how he makes his way through each shitty situation (only sometimes with violence). It's quite talky, and very quotable; one memorable line has Bradley tell some prison toughs to "get the f*ck out of my crazy way". The violence is (like I noted with Dragged Across Concrete) brutal and almost surreal. Towards the end, Bradley punches his way through thug after thug to get his revenge, and the fighting is not at all the stylized choreography you'd get from most other action films. It just goes to show that in a grimy world like this one, violence is the only language that the protagonist speaks, and he wields it to lethal effect.
Brawl in Cell Block 99 earns four haymakers to the gut out of five.
Listening to: Road to Arcadia - Born to Kill. Here's an absolute slow-burn banger featuring footage from The Killer, which is one of the more influential movies from Hong Kong, and maestro of action John Woo.
@TopNotch @Laura Rainbow Dragon Poor doggos. I understand the need to promote your cause, but not in such a ham-fisted way.
The Ox is back in action!
This was after a heavy bout of the flu on Saturday night. I was tossing and turning while feeling nauseous and ill, and even snagged an extra blanket. I sweat it out that night, but wasn't feeling well enough for a Sunday workout, so I waited until today.
Today was W2D1 of my Push workouts.
Bench Press: 125 x 6, 127.5 x 5. I always welcome post-vacation gains! I will stick with 127.5 next week and see if I can get any increases.
Incline Press: 102.5 x 8. Was not expecting this! A pleasant surprise.
Overhead Press: 70 x 5.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20. 28 x 6 just for goofy fun.
Barbell Wrist Curls: 35 x 10.
Hot pot was absolutely yummy, but left my tummy rumbling, once more.
I'm doing very well with this new 2025 fitness kick. I've minimized my eating of treats, and am keeping very active. But it's mostly the lack of treats that's doing it. I want to see if I can get down to 76-77 kg, which I haven't done since before the pandemic. It's interesting that it took a bout of involuntary weight loss to get me going; it's like now that I have it, I don't want to lose it.
2025 awaits us, Bees.
Playing: Got in a bit more gaming these few days. Got my butt kicked in Sulfur several times, leading me to go on several tentative runs to replenish my reserves of pizza and chocolate mud cake (no I didn't make those up!). Played Hades 2 last night and beat Prometheus' ass schoolyard style again (he got me good with several special attacks, however). Still haven't resumed DA: V.
Watching: As I finished watching Brawl in Cell Block 99, which is a grindhouse-throwback thriller. Here's a trailer, and a review:
Summary: A sharp, violent and witty thriller with a healthy dose of retro.
Bradley is in a fix. Being a drug runner and mule has brought him real benefits, like a beautiful house, and a rekindled relationship with his now-pregnant wife. However, a drug run goes heavily awry, leaving him in prison, and at the mercy of the drug lord overseeing the deal. Now, Bradley must battle his way through prison with nothing but his fists, in order to save his wife and satisfy his debt.
This one is a gritty, down and dirty, and punchy (no pun intended) thriller that features the crackerjack, witty dialogue that S. Craig Zahler is known for. While the title references the climactic brawl in Cell Block 99, it's awhile before we get there, as the film takes its time examining the character of Bradley (an against-type Vince Vaughn), and how he makes his way through each shitty situation (only sometimes with violence). It's quite talky, and very quotable; one memorable line has Bradley tell some prison toughs to "get the f*ck out of my crazy way". The violence is (like I noted with Dragged Across Concrete) brutal and almost surreal. Towards the end, Bradley punches his way through thug after thug to get his revenge, and the fighting is not at all the stylized choreography you'd get from most other action films. It just goes to show that in a grimy world like this one, violence is the only language that the protagonist speaks, and he wields it to lethal effect.
Brawl in Cell Block 99 earns four haymakers to the gut out of five.
Listening to: Road to Arcadia - Born to Kill. Here's an absolute slow-burn banger featuring footage from The Killer, which is one of the more influential movies from Hong Kong, and maestro of action John Woo.
Attention, class is in session! Instructor Ox is here with our lesson for the day: Pumping Iron 101.
Greetings, everyone! Super sleepy, which is the mark of another exacting, and successful workout. Today was a Pull day. I haven't done deadlifts for awhile, so they were today's priority.
Deadlifts: 140 x 6. All about getting the wheels turning once again, and getting used to the motion. Will increase it next week.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 7.
Meadows Rows: 45 x 6.
Wide Grip Pulldowns: 70 x 5. Wasn't really feeling these today.
Neutral Grip Chin Ups: Max set of 6. These are easier now that I weigh less.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 6.
Afterwards, walked around a little; it was relatively frosty today.
A lost photo of Saturday's hot pot. So yummy!
The charity doggos were back in fine form!
D'aww!
Cuddly doggos are big balls of fluff and love, they are national treasures
Have you watched Squid Game 2? I watched the first series, but can't be bothered with the second.
See you next time, Bees!
Playing: Still getting my butt kicked in Sulfur, but am slowly gathering supplies and building my reserves of pizza and chocolate mud cake (given that for the most part the components are random, this is going to take awhile). Still haven't played more of DA:V.
Watching: Uhh... not much. I haven't been doing cardio at the gym, so not much there. Should try to continue with Frogman, that indie found-footager, even though it's a rough watch.
Listening to: Blue Oyster Cult - Veteran of the Psychic Wars. Have I seriously gone these two and a half years without posting a BOC song? I'm rectifying that now, as they're one of my favourite classic rock groups. This one is a tom tom-heavy piece with tasty guitar work (is there a BOC that doesn't qualify?) that was featured in the Heavy Metal (1981) film. I love its sweeping, epic feel.
"You ask me why I'm weary
Why I can't speak to you
You blame me for my silence
Say it's time I changed and grew
But the war's still going on, dear
And there's no end that I know"
Greetings, everyone! Super sleepy, which is the mark of another exacting, and successful workout. Today was a Pull day. I haven't done deadlifts for awhile, so they were today's priority.
Deadlifts: 140 x 6. All about getting the wheels turning once again, and getting used to the motion. Will increase it next week.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 7.
Meadows Rows: 45 x 6.
Wide Grip Pulldowns: 70 x 5. Wasn't really feeling these today.
Neutral Grip Chin Ups: Max set of 6. These are easier now that I weigh less.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 6.
Afterwards, walked around a little; it was relatively frosty today.
A lost photo of Saturday's hot pot. So yummy!
The charity doggos were back in fine form!
D'aww!
Cuddly doggos are big balls of fluff and love, they are national treasures
Have you watched Squid Game 2? I watched the first series, but can't be bothered with the second.
See you next time, Bees!
Playing: Still getting my butt kicked in Sulfur, but am slowly gathering supplies and building my reserves of pizza and chocolate mud cake (given that for the most part the components are random, this is going to take awhile). Still haven't played more of DA:V.
Watching: Uhh... not much. I haven't been doing cardio at the gym, so not much there. Should try to continue with Frogman, that indie found-footager, even though it's a rough watch.
Listening to: Blue Oyster Cult - Veteran of the Psychic Wars. Have I seriously gone these two and a half years without posting a BOC song? I'm rectifying that now, as they're one of my favourite classic rock groups. This one is a tom tom-heavy piece with tasty guitar work (is there a BOC that doesn't qualify?) that was featured in the Heavy Metal (1981) film. I love its sweeping, epic feel.
"You ask me why I'm weary
Why I can't speak to you
You blame me for my silence
Say it's time I changed and grew
But the war's still going on, dear
And there's no end that I know"
Only once in a generation can we catch a glimpse of the terror of the seas, the massive and redoubtable Ox! Ready the cannons, hoist the sails, and prepare yourselves!
Today is the third day in a row that I've exercised, which is something that I don't do very much. This was my second Push day of the week.
Paused Bench Press: 120 x 5, 125 x 3. Ugh. Not sure what I expected. In the future, I'll give it an additional day's rest ahead of time.
Paused Incline Bench: 100 x 5.
EZ Bar Pushdown: 15(?) x 6.
Preacher Curls: 40 x 10! Not bad.
Forearm Dumbbell Curls: 16 x 12.
I'm feeling like I'm running on empty after three days of intense exercise, so tomorrow I'm going to take a break (for a day!), get some boba tea, and watch a movie. My DOMS has absolutely beaten my muscles to a pulp, and I'm feeling it.
Keep having a great week, Bees!
Playing: Uh... only played Sulfur last night. I'm going to give Starfield another go today, if the crappy fps on my rig doesn't bum me out and prompt a rage uninstall.
Watching: Watched a touch of Frogman last night. The weirdness has yet to begin, methinks. As I haven't been doing much cardio at the gym, I haven't resumed Seal Team.
Listening to: Be'lakor - Much More Was Lost. Here's another behemoth composition from Australian melodic death metal band Be'lakor. I don't know how I feel about songs that regularly push 10 minutes and longer, but the band does pack their songs with lots of memorable melodies.
Today is the third day in a row that I've exercised, which is something that I don't do very much. This was my second Push day of the week.
Paused Bench Press: 120 x 5, 125 x 3. Ugh. Not sure what I expected. In the future, I'll give it an additional day's rest ahead of time.
Paused Incline Bench: 100 x 5.
EZ Bar Pushdown: 15(?) x 6.
Preacher Curls: 40 x 10! Not bad.
Forearm Dumbbell Curls: 16 x 12.
I'm feeling like I'm running on empty after three days of intense exercise, so tomorrow I'm going to take a break (for a day!), get some boba tea, and watch a movie. My DOMS has absolutely beaten my muscles to a pulp, and I'm feeling it.
Keep having a great week, Bees!
Playing: Uh... only played Sulfur last night. I'm going to give Starfield another go today, if the crappy fps on my rig doesn't bum me out and prompt a rage uninstall.
Watching: Watched a touch of Frogman last night. The weirdness has yet to begin, methinks. As I haven't been doing much cardio at the gym, I haven't resumed Seal Team.
Listening to: Be'lakor - Much More Was Lost. Here's another behemoth composition from Australian melodic death metal band Be'lakor. I don't know how I feel about songs that regularly push 10 minutes and longer, but the band does pack their songs with lots of memorable melodies.
And stay tuned for a message from our sponsor, Ox! Ox...?
Zzzzz...
I did not want to go to the gym today. Was looking for any reason to cop out and munch on chocolate snacks, but I managed to drag myself over for the wonderful, the long-awaited, you know it and we all hate it, LEG DAY.
Squats: 110 x 6. These felt like shit. Could not groove at all like I usually do, and every rep was a struggle. Still, this is an improvement on next week. Note to self: Warm up for longer if this is the case.
Paused Squats: 80 x 5. They're back!
Lying Leg Curls: 35 x 13.
Back Extensions: Five sets of ten reps.
+23000 steps!
Managed to hit the gym and make my way back home, albeit feeling more tired than usual. I know I'm going to be feeling it in my quads and glutes the next few days, and that walking is going to be a chore. It was colder than usual today, but I've experienced far worse. Everyone's all bundled up! Cute.
Tomorrow is Japanese buffet day, om nom nom nom... Going to load up on yummy sushi and tempura and all sorts of other goodies!
We made it to the weekend, Bees! Treat yourself!
Playing: A little bit of Beyond Citadel, which is like some bizarre FPS cross waifu murder simulator whose gory imagery hides a solid game (the designer clearly, but clearly has some sort of questionable anime fixation). Also more of the more copacetic Sulfur. I rage uninstalled Starfield because I couldn't be bothered to put up with the crappy framerate. C'est la vie.
Watching: I keep finding myself too tuckered out for late night cinema. Will try to watch more tonight, or pick another worst movie of all time for the daytime watch.
Listening to: Dlina Volny - Do It. Said it before, and it must be said again: there are all sorts of gems to be found on youtube; it's all about finding the right channels and investing a little time. This is breathy, seductive Eurosynth that is perfect for these winter months. (Did I previously forget about this song? It sounds so familiar.)
Zzzzz...
I did not want to go to the gym today. Was looking for any reason to cop out and munch on chocolate snacks, but I managed to drag myself over for the wonderful, the long-awaited, you know it and we all hate it, LEG DAY.
Squats: 110 x 6. These felt like shit. Could not groove at all like I usually do, and every rep was a struggle. Still, this is an improvement on next week. Note to self: Warm up for longer if this is the case.
Paused Squats: 80 x 5. They're back!
Lying Leg Curls: 35 x 13.
Back Extensions: Five sets of ten reps.
+23000 steps!
Managed to hit the gym and make my way back home, albeit feeling more tired than usual. I know I'm going to be feeling it in my quads and glutes the next few days, and that walking is going to be a chore. It was colder than usual today, but I've experienced far worse. Everyone's all bundled up! Cute.
Tomorrow is Japanese buffet day, om nom nom nom... Going to load up on yummy sushi and tempura and all sorts of other goodies!
We made it to the weekend, Bees! Treat yourself!
Playing: A little bit of Beyond Citadel, which is like some bizarre FPS cross waifu murder simulator whose gory imagery hides a solid game (the designer clearly, but clearly has some sort of questionable anime fixation). Also more of the more copacetic Sulfur. I rage uninstalled Starfield because I couldn't be bothered to put up with the crappy framerate. C'est la vie.
Watching: I keep finding myself too tuckered out for late night cinema. Will try to watch more tonight, or pick another worst movie of all time for the daytime watch.
Listening to: Dlina Volny - Do It. Said it before, and it must be said again: there are all sorts of gems to be found on youtube; it's all about finding the right channels and investing a little time. This is breathy, seductive Eurosynth that is perfect for these winter months. (Did I previously forget about this song? It sounds so familiar.)
@CODawn I used to do it all the time, as it's really easy to give up on the workouts and just pig out. Good thing I have this blog to hold me accountable!
Good morning, Bees! I'm Instructor Ox, and today's lesson will be about getting swole!
Or something like that. Today I started applying DDP (Dynamic Double Progression) to my Push workout. It did not look promising at first; my last Push workout was kinda disastrous (120 x 5 *shudder*), and my warmups today felt like crap, which they very rarely do. Anyway, how did it go?
Bench Press: 130 x 5. Signed, sealed, delivered: was expecting 2 or 3 reps, so it's a surprise that I had 5 in me. Amazed that I managed to pull this off; it means that I can increase the weight for this set, while subsequent working sets (which topped out at 3 reps) will remain the same.
Incline Press: 105 x 6. My maxing out of the Incline Press continues, though I'm still relatively weak with these.
Straight Bar Pushdowns: 17 x 5, super grindy and laborious.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 14 x 24. Just keeping it light today.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 16 x 12.
+23000 steps.
Super sleepy; did some cyberpunking around, but headed home in the cold, eventually. Even during a time when fewer tourists are coming to Hong Kong, there are still tons of people on the street.
Kitty on the tram! This is the first time ever I've seen someone carrying a cat on public transport. Pspspsps...
The bowling centre had some sort of competition going, and they even hired a lion dancing troupe. Pretty neat!
CNY is coming up soon (which means the whole city will go quiet and empty).
Enjoy your Sunday, Bees!
Playing: Alternating between Beyond Citadel, with its violent anime imagery and precise gunplay (there are three separate buttons to press when you reload a weapon, for pete's sake!), and a little bit of Sulfur, where I'm still collecting resources.
Watching: Finishing up Frogman, finally. I'm not sure what I expected, but it's... what you'd expect from an indie found-footage film. Edit: Here's a trailer, followed by a review.
As a child, Dallas sighted the quasi-mythical "Frogman", a strange creature which seemingly exists only in folklore. Now a grown-up layabout good-for-nothing, he entices his friends Scotty and Amy to return to the town in which he spotted the Frogman to get proof this time. Unfortunately, they're going to get a lot more than that.
Summary: A mostly unremarkable and uneventful offering that's poorly served by its low budget, and a final act that comes far too late.
This one faces the same hurdles that every other found-footager I've watched has, and succumbs to them handily. We don't really care about the characters, the scares are unoriginal (it would be very difficult to pull them off at this point in the game), characters film even when they would've tossed the cameras aside, the acting is amateurish, but above all... not much really happens until the third act. The characters spend their time driving around, interviewing locals, and engaging in (unconvincing and ineffective) banter.
I laud the film for shifting gears and tapping into heretofore unused ambition and scares (which it could've used much sooner)... but, it's not enough, and it's been done better by other films (cf Willow Creek and Digging the Marrow), and while I'm usually forgiving of the quirks of the found footage genre, this one didn't bring enough to the table.
I give it one and a half frogman hoodies out of five.
Listening to: John Carpenter - Night. Not the first of his songs that I've listened to, but listening to his new works is captivating. A master of suspense in his films, and a master of setting the mood in his songs. When he leaves us, I will grieve our loss.
Good morning, Bees! I'm Instructor Ox, and today's lesson will be about getting swole!
Or something like that. Today I started applying DDP (Dynamic Double Progression) to my Push workout. It did not look promising at first; my last Push workout was kinda disastrous (120 x 5 *shudder*), and my warmups today felt like crap, which they very rarely do. Anyway, how did it go?
Bench Press: 130 x 5. Signed, sealed, delivered: was expecting 2 or 3 reps, so it's a surprise that I had 5 in me. Amazed that I managed to pull this off; it means that I can increase the weight for this set, while subsequent working sets (which topped out at 3 reps) will remain the same.
Incline Press: 105 x 6. My maxing out of the Incline Press continues, though I'm still relatively weak with these.
Straight Bar Pushdowns: 17 x 5, super grindy and laborious.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 14 x 24. Just keeping it light today.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 16 x 12.
+23000 steps.
Super sleepy; did some cyberpunking around, but headed home in the cold, eventually. Even during a time when fewer tourists are coming to Hong Kong, there are still tons of people on the street.
Kitty on the tram! This is the first time ever I've seen someone carrying a cat on public transport. Pspspsps...
The bowling centre had some sort of competition going, and they even hired a lion dancing troupe. Pretty neat!
CNY is coming up soon (which means the whole city will go quiet and empty).
Enjoy your Sunday, Bees!
Playing: Alternating between Beyond Citadel, with its violent anime imagery and precise gunplay (there are three separate buttons to press when you reload a weapon, for pete's sake!), and a little bit of Sulfur, where I'm still collecting resources.
Watching: Finishing up Frogman, finally. I'm not sure what I expected, but it's... what you'd expect from an indie found-footage film. Edit: Here's a trailer, followed by a review.
As a child, Dallas sighted the quasi-mythical "Frogman", a strange creature which seemingly exists only in folklore. Now a grown-up layabout good-for-nothing, he entices his friends Scotty and Amy to return to the town in which he spotted the Frogman to get proof this time. Unfortunately, they're going to get a lot more than that.
Summary: A mostly unremarkable and uneventful offering that's poorly served by its low budget, and a final act that comes far too late.
This one faces the same hurdles that every other found-footager I've watched has, and succumbs to them handily. We don't really care about the characters, the scares are unoriginal (it would be very difficult to pull them off at this point in the game), characters film even when they would've tossed the cameras aside, the acting is amateurish, but above all... not much really happens until the third act. The characters spend their time driving around, interviewing locals, and engaging in (unconvincing and ineffective) banter.
I laud the film for shifting gears and tapping into heretofore unused ambition and scares (which it could've used much sooner)... but, it's not enough, and it's been done better by other films (cf Willow Creek and Digging the Marrow), and while I'm usually forgiving of the quirks of the found footage genre, this one didn't bring enough to the table.
I give it one and a half frogman hoodies out of five.
Listening to: John Carpenter - Night. Not the first of his songs that I've listened to, but listening to his new works is captivating. A master of suspense in his films, and a master of setting the mood in his songs. When he leaves us, I will grieve our loss.
Last edited:
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
Kitty does not look thrilled!
@CODawn @Mamatigerj Kitty was actually pretty well behaved, considering it was outside in the city in front of tons of strangers. After peeking around for a bit, it went back into its bag for some peace and quiet.
Hey Bees, the Ox is in the house!
I didn't do much yesterday apart from teach and eat chocolate. Still relearning the gentle art of dietary self-restraint, which I used to have years ago.
Anyway, today was a Pull day.
Lat Pulldowns: 70 x 6. Progress is progress.
Narrow Grip Cable Rows: 60 x 6.
Deadlifts: 145 x 6. No big problems, so I'll go up to 150 next week.
Underhand Barbell Rows: 100 x 6.
Meadows Rows: 42.5 x 5. Felt like crap. Need to buy a pair of straps to make this easier.
Behind the Neck Pulldowns: 65 x 6.
+23000 steps.
Super sleepy once more, but it's been a good day.
See you tomorrow, Bees!
Playing: A bit more of Sulfur. I'm still on Steam, looking for that next killer app... it feels sometimes like I've exhausted all the games I would've liked, and need to wait for new releases to get my novelty fix (one of the bugbears of buying things in Early Access).
Watching: So, after the disastrous (I kid!) Frogman, I found myself craving more found-footage - only done well, this time. Have already watched Blair Witch Project many times, so settled on Willow Creek, which is Bobcat Goldthwaite's excellent tribute to found footage flicks, and accomplished horror in its own right.
Hey, it looks like Castlevania's new season is coming soon, and it looks pretty epic! I may have something to watch at the gym again.
Listening to: Bjorn Lynne - Valley of the Clouds. How about something different? This is some retro-tinged, fantasy-flavoured stuff from composing wunderkind Bjorn Lynne. The next time I go off on an epic journey, I'll have this playing in the background.
Hey Bees, the Ox is in the house!
I didn't do much yesterday apart from teach and eat chocolate. Still relearning the gentle art of dietary self-restraint, which I used to have years ago.
Anyway, today was a Pull day.
Lat Pulldowns: 70 x 6. Progress is progress.
Narrow Grip Cable Rows: 60 x 6.
Deadlifts: 145 x 6. No big problems, so I'll go up to 150 next week.
Underhand Barbell Rows: 100 x 6.
Meadows Rows: 42.5 x 5. Felt like crap. Need to buy a pair of straps to make this easier.
Behind the Neck Pulldowns: 65 x 6.
+23000 steps.
Super sleepy once more, but it's been a good day.
See you tomorrow, Bees!
Playing: A bit more of Sulfur. I'm still on Steam, looking for that next killer app... it feels sometimes like I've exhausted all the games I would've liked, and need to wait for new releases to get my novelty fix (one of the bugbears of buying things in Early Access).
Watching: So, after the disastrous (I kid!) Frogman, I found myself craving more found-footage - only done well, this time. Have already watched Blair Witch Project many times, so settled on Willow Creek, which is Bobcat Goldthwaite's excellent tribute to found footage flicks, and accomplished horror in its own right.
Hey, it looks like Castlevania's new season is coming soon, and it looks pretty epic! I may have something to watch at the gym again.
Listening to: Bjorn Lynne - Valley of the Clouds. How about something different? This is some retro-tinged, fantasy-flavoured stuff from composing wunderkind Bjorn Lynne. The next time I go off on an epic journey, I'll have this playing in the background.
OX:\
OX:\cd failsafe
OX:\failsafe\
OX:\failsafe\reboot.exe
< PROGRAM STARTED... PLEASE WAIT >
Hi again Bees. Been a hot minute since I posted. This last week has been a nightmarish mish-mash, between my dental extraction, and passing the days through sleep. Why? Sometimes it happens, likely as a result of my pre-existing depression. It's easier to be dead asleep then awake and alive. Sometimes Sleepy Ox is not quite a good thing.
But today I figuratively "woke up", and hit the gym after days of inactivity. I used today to work out the kinks of my Push program, and get in some more benching.
Paused Bench Press: 122.5 x 6, 125 x 5. Progress! I was definitely quite surprised by this. I guess that sometimes, time away from the bench can result in gains.
Paused Incline Bench Press: 102.5 x 6. Now to move on to 105.
EZ Bar Pushdowns: 16 x 6.
Dumbbell Flat Curls: 16 x 22, nothing much to say, they felt pretty good.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 16 x 12.
I cyberpunk-ed around a little bit searching for baked snacks and chocolate, but it was pretty crowded around CWB, so I'll return another day. I was definitely jonesing for some egg waffles, but the crowds around that place are ludicrous.
Here's hoping that the week ahead will be more productive.
Catch you on the flipside, Bees.
Playing: Sulfur, to no one's surprise. I haven't been able to muster up the energy to play anything else, but maybe tonight'll be different.
Watching: So... Castlevania Season 2 is out, which I'll get around to in due time. Still watching Willow Creek for late night cinema.
RIP - David Lynch. I haven't seen very many of his films, with the exception of Rabbits, Dune, and The Elephant Man. His works were challenging, and sometimes a little lacking in cohesion (remember when I watched Rabbits?), but never, never less than remarkable. He blessed us with a body of work that will go down in history. When I'm done watching Willow Creek, I'll watch Eraserhead for the first time. Godspeed, David Lynch.
Listening to: Queens of the Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu (Virgin Magnetic Material remix). Goodness me, I like posting me some QOTSA. I admit that I didn't like the original version of this song very much, but this sluggish, minimalistic and soporific remix has been in my playlist a lot recently. I can't put my finger on why, maybe I just like how the melody takes its time.
"Sometimes the same is different
But mostly it's the same
These mysteries of life
That just ain't my thing
If I told you that I knew about the sun and the moon
I'd be untrue
The only thing I know for sure
Is what I wanna do"
OX:\cd failsafe
OX:\failsafe\
OX:\failsafe\reboot.exe
< PROGRAM STARTED... PLEASE WAIT >
Hi again Bees. Been a hot minute since I posted. This last week has been a nightmarish mish-mash, between my dental extraction, and passing the days through sleep. Why? Sometimes it happens, likely as a result of my pre-existing depression. It's easier to be dead asleep then awake and alive. Sometimes Sleepy Ox is not quite a good thing.
But today I figuratively "woke up", and hit the gym after days of inactivity. I used today to work out the kinks of my Push program, and get in some more benching.
Paused Bench Press: 122.5 x 6, 125 x 5. Progress! I was definitely quite surprised by this. I guess that sometimes, time away from the bench can result in gains.
Paused Incline Bench Press: 102.5 x 6. Now to move on to 105.
EZ Bar Pushdowns: 16 x 6.
Dumbbell Flat Curls: 16 x 22, nothing much to say, they felt pretty good.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 16 x 12.
I cyberpunk-ed around a little bit searching for baked snacks and chocolate, but it was pretty crowded around CWB, so I'll return another day. I was definitely jonesing for some egg waffles, but the crowds around that place are ludicrous.
Here's hoping that the week ahead will be more productive.
Catch you on the flipside, Bees.
Playing: Sulfur, to no one's surprise. I haven't been able to muster up the energy to play anything else, but maybe tonight'll be different.
Watching: So... Castlevania Season 2 is out, which I'll get around to in due time. Still watching Willow Creek for late night cinema.
RIP - David Lynch. I haven't seen very many of his films, with the exception of Rabbits, Dune, and The Elephant Man. His works were challenging, and sometimes a little lacking in cohesion (remember when I watched Rabbits?), but never, never less than remarkable. He blessed us with a body of work that will go down in history. When I'm done watching Willow Creek, I'll watch Eraserhead for the first time. Godspeed, David Lynch.
Listening to: Queens of the Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu (Virgin Magnetic Material remix). Goodness me, I like posting me some QOTSA. I admit that I didn't like the original version of this song very much, but this sluggish, minimalistic and soporific remix has been in my playlist a lot recently. I can't put my finger on why, maybe I just like how the melody takes its time.
"Sometimes the same is different
But mostly it's the same
These mysteries of life
That just ain't my thing
If I told you that I knew about the sun and the moon
I'd be untrue
The only thing I know for sure
Is what I wanna do"
PetiteSheWolf
Well-known member
Eek for dental extraction, and grats for "waking up", thats good. We wish for a gentle, awaken ox!
Thank you warmly @PetiteSheWolf. I wish the same thing!
YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST!
THE HOTTEST ARTIST IN THE LAND,
GENTLE OX!
Hi again, Bees. I didn't go to the gym yesterday, but that wasn't so bad. Today I hit the gym again for a Pull day, which I really didn't want to do (snacks and sleep were calling), but I headed over and smashed my workout.
Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Top set of 5. Should've gone for 6 or 7, but will save it for next week.
Deadlifts: 150 x 6. Smooth as silk, ergo will go up to 155 next week.
T-Bar Rows (sans a T-Bar, so I did it with my hands on the bar): 85 x 5. Meh.
Meadows Rows: 45 x 6.
Cable Rows: 60 x 7.
Despite the relative paucity of exercise, my back feels absolutely smashed. Good times.
The gym was absolutely packed! Some young guns, old ones, and the inbetweeners like me. Good to see people getting into the spirit of fitness.
I had a small Ox-ident today. I was doing my usual cyberpunk-ing around CWB, when my foot caught on something in the road. I found myself windmilling and lurching forward until gravity won and I hit the ground: fortunately, no one was struck on my journey to the ground, and I managed to stick my palms out and didn't hit my face. There was that universal, embarassing span of two seconds where I lay flat on the ground, and then uttered "Ow." I then managed to push myself up, dust myself off, and continue on my way home. However... I felt some pain in my hands and knee. The latter I had scraped, and is still red. One of my fingers was bleeding profusely and I washed it clean before heading home. They're both still a bit sore.
And now, sleepy once again.
Hope your week is going well, Bees!
Playing: Still stockpiling supplies in Sulfur. Would buy something new, but my capricious purchasing whims haven't settled on anything. I am very, very tempted to buy Neverwinter Nights 2 on GOG, but I'll give it some thought.
Watching: I haven't watched much lately, apart from some weird stop motion films (but aren't they all?). I've kept meaning to watch Willow Creek, and I got around to it today! Here's a trailer, and a review.
Couple Jim and Kelly are driving through northern California to the town of Willow Creek, the home of Bigfoot fandom. They plan to fulfill Jim's dream of filming a Bigfoot documentary by visiting the town, interviewing the locals, and eventually, visiting the woods in which the fabled Patterson-Gimli footage was shot. However, their camping in the woods is disturbed by strange occurrences that terrify them and lend credence to the Bigfoot tales.
Synopsis: It meanders for a bit in its first half, but this only leads to a frightful and taut second half that makes for one of the better found footage experiences.
As my synposis suggests, Willow Creek is a film of two halves. In the first, our protagonists explore, conduct interviews, and film their documentary. These are slice-of-life segments that add colour to the Bigfoot mythos, and paint a picture of life in eccentric Willow Creek. Viewers will be frustrated that this chunk of the film does little to propel the action forward, and that the film only seems to truly begin when the two go to camp in the woods.
I'm not so sure. I find that the first half lends a uniqueness and eccentricity of its own that gives the film some of its character. Fortunately, the horror, while minimalistic and true to the boundaries of the found footage genre, is still present, and results in several very potent scares. There's a 15 minute, one-take set piece that's a masterpiece of staging and acting that should've been the film's calling card. And as the film draws closer to its conclusion, what little we see is horrifying in its implications, even if a little ambiguous.
There's also the saqu-err, elephant in the room. This film liberally borrows from The Blair Witch project - young people venture out to a local town to investigate folklore and end up getting more than they bargained for. Is it a rip-off? Again, I don't think so. It comes across more as a tribute to the Blair Witch Project with slightly more refined scares. The two leads don't have the depth or the character of Heather, Mike, and Josh, but it's still possible to empathize with them as things increasingly go south. As such, the improvisational and experimental nature of the film is quite compelling.
For its competent execution and scares, I bestow upon Willow Creek four Bigfoot Burgers out of five.
Humour: Let's face it. When this weird novelty game (it's called "Spreadcheat" har dee har) comes out, it's going to try and coast on 90s culture, but will be a flash in the pan, thanks to lacklustre and limited gameplay. However, that trailer is absolute gold. The song is a bop, and I confess that I love the 90s imagery. I've been shaking my tail to the beat the whole day!
Listening to: Erasure - Always. Have I seriously not posted this one yet? Absolute gem. I love how the mv borrows from Asian imagery.
YOU WANTED THE BEST, YOU GOT THE BEST!
THE HOTTEST ARTIST IN THE LAND,
GENTLE OX!
Hi again, Bees. I didn't go to the gym yesterday, but that wasn't so bad. Today I hit the gym again for a Pull day, which I really didn't want to do (snacks and sleep were calling), but I headed over and smashed my workout.
Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Top set of 5. Should've gone for 6 or 7, but will save it for next week.
Deadlifts: 150 x 6. Smooth as silk, ergo will go up to 155 next week.
T-Bar Rows (sans a T-Bar, so I did it with my hands on the bar): 85 x 5. Meh.
Meadows Rows: 45 x 6.
Cable Rows: 60 x 7.
Despite the relative paucity of exercise, my back feels absolutely smashed. Good times.
The gym was absolutely packed! Some young guns, old ones, and the inbetweeners like me. Good to see people getting into the spirit of fitness.
I had a small Ox-ident today. I was doing my usual cyberpunk-ing around CWB, when my foot caught on something in the road. I found myself windmilling and lurching forward until gravity won and I hit the ground: fortunately, no one was struck on my journey to the ground, and I managed to stick my palms out and didn't hit my face. There was that universal, embarassing span of two seconds where I lay flat on the ground, and then uttered "Ow." I then managed to push myself up, dust myself off, and continue on my way home. However... I felt some pain in my hands and knee. The latter I had scraped, and is still red. One of my fingers was bleeding profusely and I washed it clean before heading home. They're both still a bit sore.
And now, sleepy once again.
Hope your week is going well, Bees!
Playing: Still stockpiling supplies in Sulfur. Would buy something new, but my capricious purchasing whims haven't settled on anything. I am very, very tempted to buy Neverwinter Nights 2 on GOG, but I'll give it some thought.
Watching: I haven't watched much lately, apart from some weird stop motion films (but aren't they all?). I've kept meaning to watch Willow Creek, and I got around to it today! Here's a trailer, and a review.
Couple Jim and Kelly are driving through northern California to the town of Willow Creek, the home of Bigfoot fandom. They plan to fulfill Jim's dream of filming a Bigfoot documentary by visiting the town, interviewing the locals, and eventually, visiting the woods in which the fabled Patterson-Gimli footage was shot. However, their camping in the woods is disturbed by strange occurrences that terrify them and lend credence to the Bigfoot tales.
Synopsis: It meanders for a bit in its first half, but this only leads to a frightful and taut second half that makes for one of the better found footage experiences.
As my synposis suggests, Willow Creek is a film of two halves. In the first, our protagonists explore, conduct interviews, and film their documentary. These are slice-of-life segments that add colour to the Bigfoot mythos, and paint a picture of life in eccentric Willow Creek. Viewers will be frustrated that this chunk of the film does little to propel the action forward, and that the film only seems to truly begin when the two go to camp in the woods.
I'm not so sure. I find that the first half lends a uniqueness and eccentricity of its own that gives the film some of its character. Fortunately, the horror, while minimalistic and true to the boundaries of the found footage genre, is still present, and results in several very potent scares. There's a 15 minute, one-take set piece that's a masterpiece of staging and acting that should've been the film's calling card. And as the film draws closer to its conclusion, what little we see is horrifying in its implications, even if a little ambiguous.
There's also the saqu-err, elephant in the room. This film liberally borrows from The Blair Witch project - young people venture out to a local town to investigate folklore and end up getting more than they bargained for. Is it a rip-off? Again, I don't think so. It comes across more as a tribute to the Blair Witch Project with slightly more refined scares. The two leads don't have the depth or the character of Heather, Mike, and Josh, but it's still possible to empathize with them as things increasingly go south. As such, the improvisational and experimental nature of the film is quite compelling.
For its competent execution and scares, I bestow upon Willow Creek four Bigfoot Burgers out of five.
Humour: Let's face it. When this weird novelty game (it's called "Spreadcheat" har dee har) comes out, it's going to try and coast on 90s culture, but will be a flash in the pan, thanks to lacklustre and limited gameplay. However, that trailer is absolute gold. The song is a bop, and I confess that I love the 90s imagery. I've been shaking my tail to the beat the whole day!
Listening to: Erasure - Always. Have I seriously not posted this one yet? Absolute gem. I love how the mv borrows from Asian imagery.
MadamMeow
Well-known member
Fae
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,735
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,735
"I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time, but Im too young to worry..."
Hope you heal up fast! 
Hope you heal up quickly from your Ox-ident!
LOL at Spreadcheat.
Do your gyms there see an uptick in usage in January? That is a very noticeable phenomenon here. But here it is due to New Year's resolutions and our celebrating the start of a new year on January 1.
LOL at Spreadcheat.
Do your gyms there see an uptick in usage in January? That is a very noticeable phenomenon here. But here it is due to New Year's resolutions and our celebrating the start of a new year on January 1.
Mamatigerj
Well-known member
Healing thoughts and prayers, dear Ox
Edit: Thank you @Mamatigerj, @Laura Rainbow Dragon, @JCU, @MadamMeow, and @TopNotch.
@Laura_Rainbow_Dragon I think it's a very real phenomenon. The regulars in my gym are there more frequently than usual, and working just as hard.
Behold! In its natural habitat, the elusive, famed Gentle Ox. It can be spotted at the gym, in which it engages in physical endeavours; at home, indulging in electronic entertainment; and sleeping, as one does.
Hey again Bees. I decided not to take the day off, despite some lingering pains (more on those later), and headed to the gym for my second Push day this week.
Bench Press: 130 x 5. I had a good feeling about this, and it panned out. My program dictates that I add more weight next week, but it's unlikely that I'll hit five reps again so quickly.
Incline Press: 107.5 x 6. Hnnnng. A toughie!
Rope Pushdowns: 13 x 6.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Ugh. Difficult, but very satisfying when you get them right.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 18 x 12.
+23000 steps.
My pinkie is bruised and in a bit of pain, my middle knuckle scratched, and most telling is my scraped knee. Still, these are typical injuries in a fall, and I managed to make it through my workout in one piece. Tired, but in good spirits.
Homemade hamburgers for dinner. Om nom nom!
I can feel the Lunar New Year coming...
We're halfway through the week, Bees! Keep going!
Playing: I can't survive on Sulfur forever (even though another juicy update came out!), so I dug up some games from my Steam library in lieu of forking out more cold, hard, digital cash. It worked! I found Precursors, which is a proto-Starfield, and reinstalled Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel as well, as that one has the least playtime of my Borderlands collection.
Watching: So, I finally, finally, at long last started watching Eraserhead (which is something I've intended to do for years). So far, it's very strange, but it's safe to say I'm engaged. A bit tentative, but I'll have more to say when I finish watching it. Still haven't started Castlevania.
Listening to: UNKLE - Restless (w/ Josh Homme). I haven't listened to this one in years. It seems like the song goes through a multitude of explosive, pressured changes, presided over by Homme's usual drawl.
@Laura_Rainbow_Dragon I think it's a very real phenomenon. The regulars in my gym are there more frequently than usual, and working just as hard.
Behold! In its natural habitat, the elusive, famed Gentle Ox. It can be spotted at the gym, in which it engages in physical endeavours; at home, indulging in electronic entertainment; and sleeping, as one does.
Hey again Bees. I decided not to take the day off, despite some lingering pains (more on those later), and headed to the gym for my second Push day this week.
Bench Press: 130 x 5. I had a good feeling about this, and it panned out. My program dictates that I add more weight next week, but it's unlikely that I'll hit five reps again so quickly.
Incline Press: 107.5 x 6. Hnnnng. A toughie!
Rope Pushdowns: 13 x 6.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Ugh. Difficult, but very satisfying when you get them right.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 18 x 12.
+23000 steps.
My pinkie is bruised and in a bit of pain, my middle knuckle scratched, and most telling is my scraped knee. Still, these are typical injuries in a fall, and I managed to make it through my workout in one piece. Tired, but in good spirits.
Homemade hamburgers for dinner. Om nom nom!
I can feel the Lunar New Year coming...
We're halfway through the week, Bees! Keep going!
Playing: I can't survive on Sulfur forever (even though another juicy update came out!), so I dug up some games from my Steam library in lieu of forking out more cold, hard, digital cash. It worked! I found Precursors, which is a proto-Starfield, and reinstalled Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel as well, as that one has the least playtime of my Borderlands collection.
Watching: So, I finally, finally, at long last started watching Eraserhead (which is something I've intended to do for years). So far, it's very strange, but it's safe to say I'm engaged. A bit tentative, but I'll have more to say when I finish watching it. Still haven't started Castlevania.
Listening to: UNKLE - Restless (w/ Josh Homme). I haven't listened to this one in years. It seems like the song goes through a multitude of explosive, pressured changes, presided over by Homme's usual drawl.
Last edited: