Quest for Muscle: The Return of the Pump

[GentleOx]

Hey gang! It's a Sunday, which means it's a Push day like any other.

Bench Press: 127.5 x 7. Reps were 6/10 in difficulty. I'll keep working at this weight until I can reach eight reps again.
Incline Press: 110 x 5. Haven't been able to do this in awhile! Not bad.
Decline Press: 115 x 5. Umph. Not feeling it today.
Barbell Curls: 35 x 6. Hm. Need to do more of these.

Tomorrow is my big lesson. I am very nervous; please wish me luck, Bees!

Playing: Have resisted buying new games, which is good. Acquiring games is probably an even more powerful addiction than playing them! Still into Ghost Recon and Skyrim, in the meantime.

Watching: Watched a bit of Invincible (onto the 2nd ep of the 2nd season) at the gym, and a little bit of Netflix's Avatar: TLA. The former is as rock solid as ever, but the latter feels... off. And I'm not even beyond the first episode, so it's hard to say where I'm getting that feeling.

Also finished watching Wicked City, a 1987 neo-noir erotic horror.

The plot takes place in a world which is constantly threatened by the depradations and intrigue of a world mirroring ours, home to demons and monsters. Taki Renzaburo is an agent of the Black Guard, an organization which polices the other side and thwarts their machinations. Things go wrong one night when he is seduced by a demon from the other side, and the next day is assigned to protect a VIP, during which he meets his beautiful counterpart, the demon Makie. Together they work to ensure that there will be peace between the two sides.

I previously described this one as gross -- because it is! While it may consider itself in erotic horror, it's basically bursting at the seams with hentai and graphic horror. That said, it's an entertaining ride of a film with plenty of action and noir-like cynicism. The visuals are a product of their time, but still acceptable. The characters are somewhat thinly written, and the final plot twist is a bit silly, but overall, I considered it a good watch. Do not go anywhere near this film if you're faint of heart, however.

I give it three and a half .454 Casull cartridges out of five.

Listening to: The Midnight - Vampires. An old synthwave favourite. I first found Wicked City by watching a music video for this song, coincidentally. It's probably The Midnight's best song and should be considered a synthwave classic.

 

[Calebear]

I wish you luck for your tomorrow workout !

 

[JCU]

Good luck!!

 

[Fremen]

Good luck

 

[Mianevem]

Good luck!!

 

[Deadoks]

Good luck!

 

[Mamatigerj]

Tomorrow is my big lesson. I am very nervous; please wish me luck, Bees!

You've got this, GentleOx!

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Adding to the Good Luck, and relax, you prepared as well as you could, you're good to go and teach'em!

 

[CODawn]

Good luck

 

[GentleOx]

Thanks a bunch @CODawn @PetiteSheWolf @Mamatigerj @Deadoks @Mianevem @Fremen @Calebear and @JCU. Your support means the world.

The class was a bit chaotic, and there was a lot of feeling out the energy of the 40 students and how to best manage them. I'd say it was a success, but there are certainly things I can do better in the future.

I relaxed today with another workout. Today was a Pull day.

Deadlifts: 155 x 6, 160 x 5. Ugh. My knees and my quads are wrecked from this. I absolutely dread deadlifts (even more than squats), just for the feeling of fatigue afterward. But I did get stronger, so there is that.
Barbell Rows: 102.5 x 6.
Neutral Grip Pulldown: 80 x 3. Cranked up the weight, hoped to make some gains, but fell a bit short.
T-Bar Rows: 80 x 7. Really wasn't feeling these today.
Cable One Arm Rows: 25 x 6. Man these suck. Now I remember why I don't really do them.

Walked around for a bit, to the tune of 20,000 steps, and am now relaxing at home. I'll start preparing for next week's lesson tomorrow.

Edit: Was unbelievably muggy and uncomfortable today; it's a preview of the summer to come.

Stay safe and sane, Bees!

Playing: Will play more Skyrim, though I've rapidly approached the point at which I can beat up everything on the map. Reinstalled FFVII: Remake. Maybe I'll try to make a real dent in it.

Watching: Uh, I didn't watch any late night cinema last night. But at the gym, I've been clocking more Invincible. I'm convinced that what sets it apart from the pack is the wit and depth of its characters, eg this exchange below:

(Supervillain Doc Seismic and Hero Invincible are having a confrontation over the Washington monument.)
Doc Seismic: "Do you know what this obscene phallus is constructed from?" he asked, expecting some idiotic answer.
Invincible: Uh...
Doc Seismic: Granite, stolen from the Earth. Iron, ripped from her loins. Bricks, made of the clay she bleeds from humanity's endless ruinations!
Invincible: Isn't that... most... buildings?
Doc Seismic: *pauses sheepishly*

I'm of half a mind to start watching Shogun; mom's already started on it. Netflix's Avatar: TLA feels like a chore to watch. I had an inkling that it was influenced by Game of Thrones, which is to its detriment.

Listening to: Kenji Kawai - Grey Lady. This is an obscure song from an equally obscure film - the Mamoru Oshii-directed Avalon. It's quite a peculiar and thinly-made film, but still ambitious for all that. The song itself conveys comfort and familiarity, which is why I like it.

 

[GentleOx]

Hey again everyone. Today was my second Push day of the week.

Bench Press: 122.5 x 7. So close! But I failed on the eighth rep. Slowly getting stronger.
Spoto Press: 130 x 3. Getting better.
Paused Incline Press: 112.5 x 3. Yeess!
Rope Pushdown: 13 x 8.

So overall, some small gains. Will keep trying with the 122.5.

Still working on containing my anxiety. I don't know if anyone else is familiar with this, but my hands shake very badly when I'm anxious. I really need to raise this with my psychiatrist.

Take care, Bees! I hope your week is going well.

Playing: More Skyrim, a little bit of Ghost Recon, and... Final Fantasy? I'm not so sure. FFVII runs like a dog on my system, and I'm not sure I have the patience to invest more time in it.

Watching: Finished watching the Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities episode: Dreams in the Witch House. Here's my review...

Walter Gilman is bereft; after having lost his twin sister Epperly as a child in bizarre incident, he searches for any means possible to bring her back. This eventually brings him to the eponymous Witch House, where he follows in the footsteps of a witch named Keziah Mason. This is very loosely adapted from the HP Lovecraft story of the same name.

I found this one exceedingly hard to watch. I ended up finishing it tonight in a fit of resignation (I'm trying not to give up on movies so easily). Erstwhile Harry Potter star Rupert Grint tries his hardest (sporting a questionable American accent), but even his presence isn't enough to save this one. Despite some serviceable creature prosthetics, there's very little here that's actually scary. I found most of it to be missed potential, especially considering its source material.

I give it one and a half vials of questionable liquid out of five.

Listening to: Battle Tapes - Valley People. I literally spent my entire workout fuelled on this song. Dense, electric riffs wrapped around a candy-sweet center.

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Pity for "dreams in the witch house" as it is an excellent novel...

 

[GentleOx]

@PetiteSheWolf I've heard it's an absolutely psychedelic work of fiction! Will have to read it myself sometime. This is the second time I've seen it adapted into a "movie" format (the first was part of an anthology titled Masters of Horror); the first time was... better? I dunno.

Hey Bees. Sleepy Ox here for another update! Today was Leg day.

Squats: 85 x 10. I have no idea how I managed 10 reps on my AMRAP set, because this felt absolutely terrible. Yuck.
Paused Squats: 80 x 3.
Dumbbell Front Squat: 20 x 6.
Lying Leg Curls: 50 x 10. Not bad!
Body Extensions: 4 sets of 12

My mind has been going nuts preparing for Monday's upcoming lesson. And added into the mix are additional lessons on Friday! Eeek. I'd better get busy. I have been spending time tinkering with the lesson plan, but I think there's only so much I can do. I spent most of my workout thinking about different exercises and materials and when I got home... it was like I was deflated and the air let out. I made some tinkering to my plan, but more minor than was intended in my muscle-building, blood-pumping exercise at the gym.

Tomorrow is hot pot day! We're trying out a new place with lots of yummy food!

Thank you everyone passing by this thread for your kind thoughts and reactions. It means a lot to hear from you.

Rest well, Bees! You've earned it.

Playing: I reinstalled Resident Evil: Village (I may have played this even before becoming a Darebee member) for auld lang syne, and it's still amazing. Also adding in some Skyrim, and a little bit of Ghost Recon.

Watching: So I started watching a comedy-"horror" anthology called The ABCs of Death 2. The idea is that it's a collection of short films from different directors around the world - each is around 4 minutes, and represents a certain letter of the alphabet; for eg, a short about a lousy hitman getting stuck in an airduct represents "A" for "Amateur". I'm liking it quite a bit so far, even though the quality of the shorts is uneven. Part of the fun is trying to guess what the title of each short is.

Also, here's a trailer for the Fallout TV series! It looks absolutely amazing, and as a long-time fan, I'm very excited. It's weird how a niche game I played as a teenager (the very first Fallout) has been adapted into a glossy, big-budget series. Jonathan Nolan, don't f*ck this up.

Listening to: Vast - You Should Have Known I Would Leave. Haven't listened to this one in years. The usual bombastic VAST elements have been pared back, making for a more intimate number.

 

[GentleOx]

Hey Bees. Still lifting, still sleepy. Went to the gym after church for another Push workout.

Bench Press: 127.5 x 6. I had a feeling today would be a bit off. Just a feeling... and it panned out given my abysmal performance today. I felt like I could've done 7 reps, but I chickened out. Yuck.
Larsen Press: 115 x 5. Equally yuck.
Incline Press: 95 x 5. Bah humbug.
Barbell Curls: 35 x 8. The only exercise that went well today.

I'll give it another short next week, but if my gains are regressing, it might be time to start a program, and give in to structure and patience.

Also, the hot pot restaurant was deelish! I swear it was built to siphon away business from our usual place, because all the amenities lacking were present here. I'm talking comfortable lighting, assorted desserts, a salad bar, and prawns (I don't eat them, but they were quite popular with the patrons), for example. All added up to om nom nom, and we'll definitely be eating there again.

Start the week well, Bees!

Playing: All RE: Village last night. I'd forgotten how fun it is; it's a short and perfectly crafted slice of quasi-supernatural horror. Also a dash of Wrath: AOR, and some Ghost Recon.

Watching: I started watching a Japanese flick called "Bad City" at the gym, which is supposedly chock-full of action. I kind of regret doing so, because so far, in the first thirty minutes, all I've seen is setup.

Also watching a bit of a Youtube surreal "short" horror from Kanepixels, the director of the influential Backrooms shorts. This one is called The Oldest View, and starts with a hole in the wilderness leading to an eerily long set of stairs.

Listening to: KFDDA & Kyle Brauch - On the Line. I'm glad to be in a universe where music like this exists! Smooth vocals matched with a smooth pop melody make for a winning combination.

 

[GentleOx]

Hi again, Bees! Today was a Pull day.

Unfortunately, the platform was occupied by some young guns for more than half an hour straight, so I gave up and used the power rack for my pull exercises. I'll deadlift again next week.

Barbell Rows: 107.5 x 5. Not bad!
Rack Pull: 160 x 5.
Dimell Deadlifts: 115 x 10. Wow. These demand respect! Probably the most responsible for kicking my butt today.
Neutral Pulldowns: 70 x 7.

Surprisingly, yesterday's class went better than I expected. I'm very glad, but this means I need to keep at it. I have several classes coming up, so I need to do more preparations.

Take care of yourselves, Bees! I hope your week is going well.

Playing: Again, mostly played RE: Village last night. I stumbled into a secret area (Otto's Mill) I'd never been to before and encountered a miniboss. Amazing how I've come across new things in this playthrough, and a testament to the hard work of the development team.

Will go back to Skyrim and a bit of Ghost Recon tonight, assuming I get my work done.

Watching: Still watching Bad City at the gym. My patience has borne fruit, and I've been rewarded with several excellent fight scenes as the plot heats up.

Otherwise, will continue late night cinema; still watching The ABCs of Death 2. Learned a new word watching it: "O" is for "Ochlocracy", or mob rule. Going to use this new word to flummox people every chance I get!

Listening to: Aerith Gainsborough - No Promises to Keep. I've been watching lots of FFVII Rebirth videos, mostly 'cuz I can't play it right now. This particular song marries the game's leitmotifs with popstar vocals to make an absolute winner.

 

[GentleOx]

Nei Hou, Bees! Today was another Push day, in which I wanted to improve on my performance last Sunday.

Bench Press: 127.5 x 7. I got that seventh rep again, but this whole process of pounding my head against the wall is getting tiring. So I'm going to start the Candito strength program again, as I'm in need of more measured periodization.
Spoto Press: 120 x 3. Pretty difficult today.
Paused Incline Press: 110 x 3. Not bad.
Hammer Curls: 20(!) x 20.

Always good to get in a workout. Tomorrow is supposed to be Leg Day, though I may take the day off. And Friday I'll be teaching the whole day.

I want to write a little something on Cantonese, the lingua franca of Hong Kong (the little greeting at the start of this post is Cantonese for "Hello"). Cantonese is notoriously difficult to learn - not only due to its numerous melodic tones, but also the fact that what you read/write and what you say are different (this is diglossia). I never picked it up as a kid despite going to school here, and having Cantonese-speaking parents. When I came back as a 21 year-old, I made it one of my goals to learn more, and be able to converse in the language. It amazes me that on Darebee, we have so many people for whom English is a second language, but they write posts that communicate themselves and their workouts so fluently. I envied that for the longest time, comparing myself to a population for who grew up speaking the language, and beating myself up when I frequently made mistakes. But it makes no sense to compare yourself.

Today, I may not speak perfectly, but I can communicate better than I ever had. And that is enough.

Keep chugging along Bees! We'll get there.

Playing: Reaching the end of Village again (this is my fourth time playing through); I'm reaching that point where the exploring and treasure-collecting give way to several boss fights: my least favourite part of the game. I may have to reinstall RE 4: Remake to get my Resident Evil action fix again. Also some Ghost Recon, which as a whole, despite having a giant island sandbox, is less satisfying than Village.

Watching: Still continuing with Bad City at the gym. For late night cinema, started watching an indie SciFi(?) Horror(?) called Monolith, about a podcaster who finds herself on the trail of an ominous mystery.

Grateful for: Eating crackers after dinner with mom.

Listening to: Beyond - The Glorious Years. Even though I can't understand the lyrics off-hand, I understand that this song was originally a kind of protest song, and is supportive of racial equality. Fun fact: My uncle, the late Peter Lam, is the keyboardist in the white lab coat in this video.

 

[GentleOx]

Hello everybody! Ox back again with another fresh, piping-hot workout.

Today was Leg day.

Squats: 90 x 11. On the road to 100 once again. The squats moved easily enough today.
Paused Squats: 90 x 3.
Dumbbell Front Squats: 24 x 6.
Leg Extensions: 150 x 10.
Lying Leg Curls: 50 x 5 (I probably made a mistake listing the weight of last week's workout).

I've realized that I can't go more than two days without working out, otherwise I go crazy.

Does anybody dream of their goals or intentions? Or is that something that happens when I'm near sleep? Hrrm, most interesting.

Mom had a medical procedure today; I'm glad that she was recovered enough for dinner. We had Korean BBQ: om nom nom. The streets are packed. I know that HK is in the midst of an economic recession, so I guess the more, the better.

Playing: Moving away from Skyrim. I've explored most of the map and maxed out several skills, so I'm kind of stuck on what to do next. Playing a bit of Ghost Recon too, but the lustre is fading. Eagerly looking forward to Dragon's Dogma 2 next week, but it's *really* expensive.

Did you want a trailer for the game narrated by inestimable actor Ian McShane? If the answer's "No", tough luck - I'm appending it anyway.

Watching: Apart from a bit of Invincible at the gym (it is still an excellent series), not much. Will try to engage in some late night cinema tonight.

Want to watch this ambitious flick by Alex Garland titled "Civil War" which posits - you guessed it - a civil war in the USA. As someone facetiously noted, the most exaggerated part of the premise is a military alliance between California and Texas.

Listening to: ZZ Top - Piece. It grooves well and hits like a sledgehammer. My new favourite ZZ Top song!

 

[Mamatigerj]

Healing thoughts and prayers for your mom.

 

[GentleOx]

Thank you so much @Mamatigerj. The procedure went alright, but more importantly, there are no polyps or signs of illness/cancer, so I'm doubly grateful.

Hey again Bees! It's been a hot minute. Today was Push day, and Week 1 of the Candito Strength program. Going light, but going consistent.

Bench Press: 115 x 6. Easy reps.
Incline Press: 90 x 5.
Decline Press: 115 x 5.
EZ Bar Pushdown: 12 x 10.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 14 x 22.

Feeling a *lot* of anxiety again over class tomorrow. I'm afraid that I'll underperform, and that they'll fire me from this gig. But I guess one way of looking at it is, if that's the worse they can do, so f*cking what? My professional reputation already sucks (thanks to losing my job in 2017), and I've already survived worse (MUCH worse) shit. Need to stop giving this rent space in my head.

Otherwise, having a great Sunday. It was pretty muggy out; perhaps this presages a hot summer.

Get ready for the week, Bees! We can do this.

Playing: Reinstalled RE: 4 Remake on a whim, and it's just as fun as I remember it being. I'm not playing as a completionist this time; rather, just going with the flow and enjoying the story and gameplay beats. Ghost Recon, on the other hand, is starting to feel a bit meh.

Five days until Dragon's Dogma 2!

Watching: Some Invincible at the gym.

Monolith wasn't exactly making for great late night cinema, so I finished it tonight on my PC instead. Here's a review.

An unnamed Australian journalist (Lily Sullivan) has retreated to her parent's home to start a new gig as a podcaster. It is evident from the start that she is more than a little dedicated and zealous with her job, and is recovering from a scandal (possibly her fault, but the movie is somewhat ambiguous on this) at her previous job. She then receives a tip as to the mystery of these "black bricks" believed to have anomalous properties, and sets out to unravel their secrets.

The first thing one is likely to notice is that the film is anchored by the presence of a single actor in a single location - Sullivan - and she does an outstanding job with the role. It requires her to range from journalist cajoling to paranoid angst over the course of the film. This is very much a slow burn that relies on atmosphere, handily provided by the numerous people contacted by the interviewer, and their accounts of what these black bricks. Fortunately, the "is she or isn't she" tension of most of the movie is satisfyingly resolved, and the film hits hard in its final minutes. Unfortunately, it takes awhile to get there, and it felt like some of the plot strands didn't cohere satisfyingly.

I therefore give it three black bricks (what else?) out of five.

Really need to finish The ABCs of Death 2; the last entry I watched was the letter P, for "P-P-P-P-Scary" (are you f*cking kidding me??) and featured Three Stooges knockoffs. It was as crappy as its title suggests.

Listening to: Perturbator - Miami Disco. This doesn't sound like the music from any disco that I've heard, but that's a good thing. There's the dark touch that Perturbator has, mixed in with bits of melody over a pounding beat.

 

[GentleOx]

Hey again Bees! I survived my Monday lesson and hit the gym again for another workout. Today was Back day.

Deadlifts: 160 x 5, 165 x 2. These just sucked today. I managed to hit five reps with each set, but my grip kept giving way. Need to strengthen my grip.
Barbell Rows: 105 x 5.
Shrugs: 100 x 8.
Machine One Arm Rows: 60 x 5.
Neutral Grip Pulldowns: 70 x 8.

Slog out of ten. Some of them are just crap, and there's no reason for it. Meanwhile, tomorrow is Push day! Looking forward to it.

Now back to lesson planning. Yuck.

Hope that you have a great day, Bees!

Playing: I booted up Starfield again and... uninstalled it half an hour later. It's just lost its appeal, and it's grating that the framerate on my PC sucks. Reinstalled Diablo 4, just for kicks, and I'll try it again tonight. Residen Evil 4 Remake is still as excellent as ever. Dragon's Dogma 2 in several days!

Watching: Some Bad City at the gym, and finally finished The ABCs of Death 2.

26 short films by 26 directors. All either within the horror genre, or horror adjacent. I would call this anthology a mixed bag, except a mixed bag would show more consistency - each film varies widely in terms of setting, budget, and most importantly, quality.

The punchline of every short is a title card (displayed at the end of each short) showing the name of the short, and how it corresponds to a the designated letter of the alphabet. This is an exercise in the blackest comedy. I mentioned before trying to guess the name of each segment is a game in and of itself, even though I only succeeded once.

Some of the shorts are abysmal, while I could see some possibly being extended to feature length. Part of the fun is not knowing what's coming up next, or what letter it represents. Many of them need to be seen to be believed. My favourites were the surreal stop-motion "D is for Deloused", the He-Man-inspired, hilariously subversive "W is for Wish", and the gross-out, but surprisingly moving "Z is for Zygote".

For the movie's ecletic appeal, I give it three letters of the alphabet out of five for quality, but would also rate it a must-watch for horror fans.

Grateful for: A day with pleasant weather. Sunshine and being out and about, with less of the muggy humidity.

Listening to: Nada Surf - The Way You Wear Your Head. How about some alternative rock? This slab of melody feels Foo Fighters inspired, but is excellent all the same. Is that a Cheap Trick reference in the lyrics?

 

[GentleOx]

Hey all! I took a break yesterday, but today was back in the gym.

Today was my second Push day of the week under the strength program.

Bench Press: 115 x 6. Harder than it should've been, I thought.
Shoulder Press: 70 x 5.
Paused Incline Press: 105 x 3. Blurgh. Need to spend more time on this one.
Barbell Curls: 35 x 10. Feel the pump!

Tomorrow I have a lesson with a shy student, so fingers crossed I can get her to open up. Saturday we're having a buffet lunch. Om nom nom.

Hope your week is going well, Bees!

Playing: I've given up on Dragon's Dogma 2 for the time being. It has very exacting system requirements that my PC can't keep up with, and it costs over 500 bones. I'm going to hold off for now and see if it gets patched into playability, though I'm skeptical.

Still playing through RE4: Remake, and a bit of Avadon: The Black Fortress (indie rpgs will NEVER die!).

Watching: Finished Bad City. Here's a review:

Taking place in the fictional, crime-ridden city of Kaiko, Japan, gang wars are fought for ownership of the city as the most infamous of gangsters announces his bid for Mayor. A small, off-the-books squad of policemen are tasked with taking him down by getting their hands dirty and uncovering incriminating evidence.

It's not going to win any awards for originality, that's for damn sure. Half of the film is squarely in the crime-thriller genre (I found this part to be most snooze-worthy), while the other half excites with its brutal, well-choreographed battles. I would rank the fight choreography as some of the best in the world - each blow, tackle, and hold is executed with amazing aplomb by the actors. Sadly, apart from the amazing action scenes, the film has little else to offer but cliches.

I give it three USB drives dangling on chains out of five.

Will finally start Stopmotion tonight, as late night cinema. Mom encouraged me to watch Zone of Interest, which is a very chilly and eerie film, she says.

Also watching this terrible, hilarious Motley Crue performance from 2015 (to be fair, most of the band is fine):

Listening to: Tokyo Rose x Yawdel x Francci - Dark Skies. This synth track has a very superhero-y feel to it, and the youtube video makes it look like something out of Gotham City.

 

[GentleOx]

Hello again Bees! It is I, with another workout done and dusted.

Today was Leg day.

Squats: 95 x 6. Uggh. These sucked, and I don't really know why. I've been doing sets of 10 with my previous weeks' AMRAP sets, but I could not handle that many reps today for the life of me.
Paused Squats: 80 x 5. Ditto.
Front Dumbbell Squat: 24 x 5.
Lying Leg Curls: 50 x 5.
Back Extensions: 12 reps.

This whole week has been replete with lousy performances during my workouts. Oh well, nothing much to do but keep going.

After hitting the gym, I had a student in another part of town, and had a bit of a wander around the local mall.



Be still my heart! I love bookstores! Most of the selection was in Chinese, but there was an English section too.



An indoor ice rink, for the kids, mostly.



How come I never see these promotions for games I'm interested in??

Tomorrow is buffet day. Yummy!

Enjoy your weekend, Bees! You deserve it.

Playing: I'm experiencing major FOMO with Dragon's Dogma 2. A part of me wants to buy it now, lousy performance be damned. I have, in the meantime been happily playing Avadon, though of course it's not quite the same. And RE4: Remake is still great, though I'm rapidly approaching the end.

Watching: Some Invincible at the gym, and watched a fair bit of Stopmotion last night. So far it's pretty creepy, and has a psychological bent to it too.

Listening to: Matte Blavk - Proxy. This isn't really the synthwave that I usually post, as it's got more of an industrial side. Dark, but melodic.

 

[GentleOx]

Hello again, Bees!

Today was W2D1 of my strength program; another Push day.

Bench Press: 120 x 8. Hmm. Not me at my best, but still acceptable.
Paused Bench Press: 125 x 3.
Incline Bench: 100 x 5.
Hammer Curls: 16 x 24.
Rope Pushdowns: 9 x 8.

That workout left me absolutely bushed!

Coming home after the gym was hard; it was like all my energy had been sapped by the workout. Didn't help that the temperature was muggy and unseasonably hot.

But I'm back home, and prepping for tomorrow's lessons.

Get ready for the week, Bees! You've got this.

Playing: Still got that Dragon's Dogma 2 FOMO going on.

Uninstalled Skyrim. For the time being, it's lost its appeal.

Reinstalled Days Gone, and will give it another whirl tonight.

Watching: I forgot about watching Invincible, and was stuck thinking of something to watch at the gym, so I started Streets of Fire (1984), which is kind of like a dystopian, rock n roll musical. The opening number really jazzed me up, and made my cardio on the treadmill easier. Annoyingly, the editing of the band's playing bugged me - as someone who plays the drums, I could tell that the editing was off, and the drummer's fills didn't sync with the music. Oh well.

Also finished Stopmotion. Here's a review.

Ella Blake is the protege and child of an esteemed stop-motion animator, and has followed in her mother's footsteps. Her mother's instruction is harsh and leaves Ella wanting to break free. After her mother suffers an accident, Ella finds herself with the desire to create, and camps out in a squalid apartment to make her own film. However, the direction of the film starts to mirror her own life in surreal ways, and Ella finds the (quite honestly, disgusting) world of stopmotion intruding into her own life.

And who's that creepy, curiously self-possessed kid who pops up from time to time to help Ella make her film?

Watching this is like being trapped in a nightmare. The dreamy feel is emphasized by the protagonist's gradual descent into psychosis, and her struggle to complete her stopmotion film. Aisling Francosi is excellent as the lead, and adds many shades to Ella: she's haunted, and clearly being crushed by her obsessions, and while a victim, she's not totally likeable either.

Of course, this is a horror movie, and with every one I watch, I ask "is it scary"? Gruesome, sure. Disgusting, definitely (stopmotion animator Lee Hardcastle, known for his bloody creations, shows more artistic finesse and colour than the stopmotion in this film).

But scary? Ehh. I found the film creepy and unsettling, but not really scary. It's the gloomy atmosphere that leaves the real impression. And the stopmotion you actually see in the film, while ugly, is still animated with aplomb.

I give it four primitive, half-formed dolls out of five.

Listening to: Ellen Aim and the Attackers - Nowhere Fast. So this was the inspiration for the Protomen? It's certainly epic, I guess, but not great.

 

[GentleOx]

Good _________, Bees!

It was Back day again. *shudder*

Deadlifts: 165 x 5, followed by sets of two and three reps. Ugh. Just... not even close to what I had hoped for. The bar basically stopped right off the ground as I struggled to lift it each time. I'm going to have to rethink my programming moving forward.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 6.
Meadows Row: 40 x 6.
Lat Pulldown: 70 x 5.

Initial problems with the deadlift aside, I could really feel the exertion in my lats from the subsequent exercises, so I'll count this as a learning experience.

Supposed to be working on my lesson plans, but too tired, and bored. Maybe tomorrow. Have a week's break from the big group class that I'm going to take advantage of.

Playing: I played nothing but a lil' bit of RE4make last night. Will try to play more Days Gone, Avadon, or Wrath. I like the analogy somebody had of treating your library like a buffet - sampling this game here, or playing a few minutes of another there, and try to treat my games accordingly - until along comes that addictive chocolate muffin or boba tea of a game that I play obsessively for weeks (Mortal Sin was the latest example).

Watching: Watched more Invincible, at the gym. Simply an excellent series, and categorically better than the last animated series I watched (Castlevania: the French edition). Also, no late night cinema last night. Will get started on The ABCs of Death (the first one), and see if it's any good.

Listening to: Deftones - Battleaxe. I listened to a lot of Deftones today, so it's only fair that I choose one as my song of the day. And if I could choose a Deftones song that encapsulates their sense of dynamics, melody, and crushing urgency, it would be Battleaxe.

 

[GentleOx]

Greetings, Bees! I come in peace, and with another workout behind me.

Today is a Push day, specifically W2D2 of my Strength Program.

Bench Press: 120 x 8. I set out with the goal of getting 9 reps for this weight, but after my warm up sets, it was pretty clear that it wasn't mean to be. I look forward to moving up in weight for next week's workout.
Paused Incline Press: 105 x 3.
Shoulder Press: 70 x 5.
Straight Bar Pushdowns: 8 x 8.

Edit: Adding an anecdote that happened today. I got to the lift which goes up to my gym (it's on the 5th floor). The doors opened and out walks a tall, beautiful girl who I've seen at my gym a few times. And she smiled at me! I was left a little stunned.

At least the weather was nice; it's cooled down a bit, likely for the last time this year. Be that as it may, I was so tired that I practically fell asleep on my way back home.

Now I'm back and back to lesson plan prepping. Urgh.

We're halfway through the week, Bees! You've got this.

Playing: Uninstalled RE4make. Was reaching the point of boss fight after boss fight, and kind of lost interest. Still playing that scrappy indie RPG, Avadon. Thinking about going back to Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. Or not. Reinstalled Ghost Recon Breakpoint, as I recognize that it has a place in my library (if it were food, it would be a Jawbreaker, which lasts for a long time, but gives you cavities).

Watching: More Invincible at the gym. At this rate, going to be starting Seal Team Season 3 real soon. Also started watching Haze last night, which is basically a claustrophobe's (and everyone else's) nightmare; a man awakes trapped in a totally confined space allowing him almost no movement. It's a short watch, so I'll get through more of it tonight and see where it "goes". Hehe.

Listening to: Queens of the Stone Age - Obscenery. This is off of QOTSA's most recent album, and has a punch to it that the previous album was lacking. It took me a few listens to get used to the melody, which I would describe as devil may care, wild, and acidic.

 

[GentleOx]

Hi again, Bees. This time it's a non-exercise update.

I woke up with stomach pains and had that experience of rolling around in bed, with pain tickling me no matter where I slept.

Because this seems to be a stomach flu of sorts, I've taken the day off (in more ways than one), pushed back my lesson tomorrow, and focused on getting some rest. But what I've really been doing is loafing around, spending time on Instagram and Reddit. Oh well.

I also went out, just for the experience of getting out and about for a bit. Got a haircut for the low, low price of 60 HKD (there seems to be a trend of these places popping up here and there), drank some grape soda, and bought a muffin. So, not taking my fitness obligations seriously today.

If you're in a country that honours it, I hope you have a happy Good Friday holiday and some time off (mom and I will be attending mass on Sunday only). If not, then keep going, you're almost past Friday!

Playing: I grudgingly reinstalled RE4make, and may give this New Game Plus business a try - if I can get past the last few bosses *grumble*. The fact of the matter is that I couldn't find a game in my library that replicates this game's superb shooting mechanics and treasure hogging gameplay (I'm open to suggestions), apart from the original. That's some damn fine praise indeed. Reinstalled Ghost Recon and it's as fun as it ever was, even if it leans into the Ubisoft formula a bit heavily.

Watching: I'm kind of running out of steam with Haze - it's a minimalist film that's basically Cube, ramped up to incredibly uncomfortable and invasive levels, but is very one note. Not sure what else to watch...

Oh yeah! The Three Stooges! I'd forgotten about their particular shorts and brand of slapstick. Here's some Hitler-lampooning from "I'll Never Heil Again!".

Reading: Comics! I've taken a break from the transgressive nightmarish-fodder of the Crossed series, and read something a little more idyllic and uplifting today. This was "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?", written by my favourite writer, Alan Moore. Probably the first time I've ever deliberately read a comic with Superman in it, and it was simply sublime.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superman:_Whatever_Happened_to_the_Man_of_Tomorrow?

Listening to: Super Mario RPG - Battle Theme. I don't know how this popped into my head, but here it is. Haven't played the game in more than a decade, I think.

 

[Fremen]

Healing vibes

 

[Mamatigerj]

 

[JCU]

 

[MadamMeow]

I hope you feel better soon!

That first Super Mario RPG was my favorite for a very long time when that came out. They made a remake of it on the Switch and I had a great time going through that again.

There were some new features, but nothing revolutionary. Was just nice for the nostalgia, but also left me wondering about how I used to have much more time.

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Get better soon!

 

[CODawn]

Get well soon!

 

[GentleOx]

Thank you so much @Fremen, @Mamatigerj, @JCU, @CODawn, @PetiteSheWolf, and @MadamMeow.

@MadamMeow I remember the first time I played it, it was in Japanese (there was no local translation at the time, and we got the Japanese versions of games). It was great fun, and glad to see that the Switch version has given it new life.

Hey Bees! I'm back, after being sick for several days.

Before I pass out from fatigue, I'd better get an update in. Today was Push day, namely W3D1 of the Strength Program I've been using.

Bench Press: 122.5 x 6, at an RPE of 10. Unimpressive. I'm going to chalk this up the results of being ill, as I was performing just fine last week (120 for 8 reps).
Paused Bench Press: 120 x 3.
Incline Press: 100 x 5.
Hammer Curls: 18 x 26. These felt good.

I've been sick since Thursday, and am still not totally well. I hadn't forgotten what having the flu was like, and it was just as miserable this time around. The "highlight" had to be tossing and turning in bed on the first night, unable to find a comfortable position; this went on for what must've been hours. It reminded me a little of going through alcoholic withdrawal, though definitely not as miserable. Woke up drenched in sweat.

Have been slowly getting better in the days since then. On Saturday evening went well enough to go out and eat hot pot - which was a mistake. My stomach felt it pretty badly!

Today I felt well enough today to hit the gym, albeit still a little fatigued. But I made it back, and I always welcome a good workout. My strength will come back with time and stimulation. So yay!

Today is a holiday, so I have a break from my classes and a chance to chill.

Hope you had a good weekend, Bees!

Playing: A hodge-podge of things. Uninstalled RE4make, and perhaps I'll go back to it again. Installed an oldie and a goodie: Doom 1, albeit modded with RPG style progression and gonzo weapons! Getting back into Far Cry 6, which I've given short shrift in the past. It's satisfying my tiny, pea-brained loot-and-shoot lizard brain!

Watching: Started up watching Invincible again. Watched a bit of Hell House LLC as horror comfort food last night, and enjoying it more than I thought I would.

Looking forward to watching the Fallout tv series, and Civil War will be showing next week.

Listening to: Death Selektor - Time Fracture. Despite its themes of otherworldly outer-space transhumanism, there's nothing spacey or progressive about this album. I find it to be ambitious, hard-hitting synth that could loosely be categorized as "darksynth".

 

[GentleOx]

Hello. It me, Ox.

Today was Back day - I'm going to implement something called Daily Undulating Periodization (DUP) on my deadlifts, as they've been stagnating. So watch this space, as it'll take time for any new programming to bear fruit.

Deadlifts: 140 x 5. Will do these again later in the week as part of DUP... but I haven't settled on a rep range yet. Actually managed to groove with this pretty well (may be because it's light weight), by concentrating on using my lower body, and less on my arms.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 7.
Meadows Rows: 41.25 x 6.
Neutral Grip Pulldowns: 70 x 5.
Machine Lat Pulldowns: 65 x 6.

Once again, nearly fell asleep on the way home, though today's workout wasn't particularly taxing. I blame the heat! Counted almost 20000 steps today.

Want to lay around and do nothing/play Doom, but I have to work on my accursed lesson plans. Thankfully, they're not due until the end of the week.

Thursday is Ching Ming festival (this week has been chockful of holidays), so mom and I are making the "trek" to the cemetery to tend to Grandfather Lam's grave. It feels like it's been awhile. Thankfully, we live only a ten minute walk away.

Have yourselves a good Tuesday, Bees!

Playing: Played a bit more of Far Cry 6 yesterday, and a bit of Doom as well, which has taken over as my podcast game. Kind of have a hankering to revisit Wolfenstein: The New Order.

Watching: Continuing with the latter half of Invincible Season 2, and it's still as solid as ever. Enjoying rewatching Hell House LLC more than I thought I would. It doesn't subvert any of the found-footage cliches, but it packs some solid scares.

Really want to watch Late Night With the Devil: a shame it's not playing in Hong Kong (go figure).

Also bingeing these (intentionally?) hilarious AI 1950's trailers of different movies. Here's the one for Harry Potter, in all its uncanny glory.

Listening to: DRYVE - Driving Alone. I know I've posted this one before. Eh, whatever. It's a fantastic song that I'm vibing with, given my tired evening mood.

"It's not the same world that it used to be
All my dreams are not so dead to me
The internet has tangled my identity
It's easier then ever to feel lonely"

 

[GentleOx]

Hello again everyone! Tired, but still chugging.

This is the first time I've worked out three days in a row for some time. I got impatient and decided to do a Push day two days after my last session, making this W3D2.

So how did it go?

Bench Press: 125 x 4, 5, 6, and 127.5 x 4. Glad to have some of my strength back after being sick; knew going in that I would be stronger than last time.
Paused Incline Press: 107.5 x 3.
Decline Press: 120 x 5, and no more.
Rope Pushdowns: 11 x 8.

Not bad! Feeling stronger every day... Tons of people working out today, owing to tomorrow being a holiday.

I felt like I had more energy at the gym, but I felt as tired as I usually do afterward. Still, 20000 steps today!

Tomorrow is Ching Ming. After visiting the cemetery, we might have dim sum for lunch (I'm hoping for it!).

Hope your week is going well, Bees!

Playing: The sleeping game, mostly. While I'm still awake, I've been playing some more modded Doom, and Far Cry 6. Purchased an indie twin-stick/bullet hell shooter called Minishoot. I tried the demo a few years back and liked it a great deal; glad to see it's out of early access!

Watching: Invincible at the gym. Watching chunks of Hell House LLC for late night cinema.

Listening to: Mark Morgan - Metallic Monks. This is from the very first Fallout game, whose mostly ambient soundtrack fits the post-apocalyptic vibe of the game perfectly. It has an amazing, otherwordly feel to it, with an additional martial touch.

 

[GentleOx]

Hey Bees! It's been awhile (like, two days), so here's another workout. Today was a more experimental Lower Body day.

Squats: 85 x 5. Read below... Also, I might start doing this twice a week.
Deadlifts: 100 x 8. As part of the DUP, this is the second day of my deadlifts.
Romanian Deadlifts: 70 x 6. Just for practice.
Zercher Squats: 67.5 x 5. Good to let this one rip! Absolutely numbs the forearms, though.
Lying Leg Curls: 50 x 4.
Back Extensions: Three sets of ten reps.

There's this big lump on the back of my neck that's the result of the way I squat; I apparently place the bar directly onto my spine, or something like that. I tried futzing around with different bar positions while squatting, like high up on my traps (the way it's supposed to be), a little lower, and where I'm used to putting it (close to the base of my traps). No use. I stuck with the "usual", base of my neck position because it just grooved the best and seemed to make the most sense. This needs further investigation!

Ching Ming was great. People were constantly arriving at the cemetery, perhaps more than I've ever seen. Grandfather Lam's grave is still in good shape, albeit tucked away in the upper part of the cemetery; I've never been able to find it on my own. We wiped down the grave and added some lovely yellow flowers.

We had dim sum afterward (I forgot to take pictures). The place seemed expensive (40hkd for four siu mai??), but the portions were generous, and we had a great meal.

The Rugby 7s are going on until tomorrow, so there's been a steady flow of people to the stadium (which is right next to my gym) in spite of the rain. I'll stay high and dry inside, thank you.

21,000 steps today!

Hope you have a good weekend, Bees!

Playing: Mooostly modded Doom, and Minishoot. I keep telling myself I'll get into other stuff, and never make the time.

Watching: Invincible at the gym, and finished Hell House LLC. Here's a review.

The film is primarily a recounting of the disastrous events at the Abaddon Hotel on Halloween night, and a journalist who sets out to find out what transpired, exactly. Several years before, four young entrepreneurs set themselves up at the abandoned Abaddon hotel in preparation for the Halloween season; their goal was to "flip" the property into a haunted attraction, which they'd done before. What they hadn't anticipated were the ramifications of being in a real haunted house.

So this one is found footage; skip it if you're not a fan of that genre. All the sins of found footage movies aren't really avoided here: there's no reason for everyone to film everything, but they do; characterization is paper-thin, and the members of the crew not really compelling; the camera is as unstable and wobbly as you'd expect; and perhaps most damning, it's kind of predictable.

Which means it's a surprise to see that the film is genuinely creepy. The film makes expert use of its creepy location and lobs in several scares that have become legendary in the found footage genre. There's a specific one involving a clown mannequin that remains in my mind, rent free. So I do recommend watching it if you want to see clever, escalating horror that transcends its predictable trappings.

I give it three and a half crappy paper cobwebs out of five.

Fallout is dropping next week! Looking forward to it.

Listening to: Dokken - Dream Warriors. How about some hard rock? Hell Yeah! Do away with that kitschy ballad nonsense and lay on those fat riffs! Fun fact: I've never watched any of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies.

 

[Sharoumane]

Reaaaally enjoy you posting the music you listen to!

 

[NancyTree]

There's this big lump on the back of my neck that's the result of the way I squat; I apparently place the bar directly onto my spine, or something like that. I tried futzing around with different bar positions while squatting, like high up on my traps (the way it's supposed to be), a little lower, and where I'm used to putting it (close to the base of my traps). No use. I stuck with the "usual", base of my neck position because it just grooved the best and seemed to make the most sense. This needs further investigation!

Hm, doesn't sound very pleasant.. maybe use some pad or cloth or towel to distribute the weight point?

 

[CODawn]

I Dokken! In My Dreams is my favorite by them. In still remember the first time I saw the video.

 

[GentleOx]

@CODawn Dokken has won me over over time. Their songs pack quite a melodic punch, and I love how they dip into Heavy Metal.
@Sharoumane I'm glad you like it! It's something I started doing with my first Darebee thread, and since music is a good barometer of my mood, it adds shading to my posts, I feel.
@NancyTree The simplest solution would be to change the position of the bar (which I don't really want to do, as it feels unnatural), but your idea may be better.

Hello again Bees! Still here, still tired, but still kicking.

Today was W4D1 of my strength program - that means another Push day.

Bench Press: 135 x 3. I was not feeling it today. The weight did not groove at all, and the movements were clunky and hesitant. Still, I'm glad I managed to hit this relatively minor weight, as it's something I can build on in the coming months.
Weighted Dips: 35 x 5. Starting small. These were tougher than I remember them being. Next time I'll use 40 kg.
Incline Press: 100 x 5. Did some cluster sets with these, for the very first time in my lifting career. I like the feel of them, and will use them again.
Barbell Curls: 35 x 12. Progress! Yay!

Had a wander through Causeway Bay afterwards. It seems like the Rugby Sevens were a success, as some of the tourists who watched the games have lingered in the city.

It's supposed to be only 28 degrees today, but the walk home felt like a total slog. Still, I padded my way through 20000+ steps in total.

Start your week strong, Bees!

Playing: I can't get enough of Minishoot Adventures. It's truly a polished diamond in the rough(?). The one caveat to playing it is that I can tell already it's rather short. Oh well.

Also playing more modded Doom, which seems to have squeezed out Far Cry 4 as my game du jour.

Watching: Some more of Invincible at the gym (this episode is very much a meta wink-wink, nudge-nudge). Haven't found another spooky movie for late night cinema yet. Going to watch Civil War on Thursday. Though there are a plethora of horror releases this month, only The First Omen (I disliked the first Omen) is showing in cinemas .

Rewatching some AVGN, and the below clip is one of my favourite episodes.

Warning: Foul language and copious violence inflicted on a certain famous rabbit abound.

Listening to: Bobby Prince (Doom Soundtrack) - At Doom's Gate. I don't remember my exact age when I played this (I would guess nine or ten), but hearing this song kick in really set the tone for the whole experience.

 

[GentleOx]

Hello again, Bees! After a day of not doing much, I'm back for another update.

Today was Pull day, in which I implemented some leg work alongside my usual deadlifts.

Deadlifts: 142.5 x 5. Not what I was hoping for. The weights felt like a ton, even though I lifted them easily enough.
Barbell Rows: 102.5 x 5.
Squats: 67.5 x 8. In contrast to the deadlifts, these felt pretty good (the light weight has something to do with it). I gave up on all the fidgeting around with the bar position, as it felt comfortable the way I did it today (base of traps).
Machine One Arm Row: 57.5 x 5.
Pull Ups: Top set of 5, grr.

This is the first week in which I'm truly implementing DUP programming, so let's see how it goes in the weeks ahead. Here's a current physique photo (I've seen better days, but I've seen worse).



Meeting up with an old friend tomorrow; need to remember to take pictures.

Got me a new phone! Mom was generous enough to get me a replacement for my hoary old C7 Pro. She was shopping for a new laptop (she told me her old one is at risk of exploding, yikes), and the phone she saw was a good enough deal. Thanks mom!



Keep having a good week, Bees!

Playing: To my surprise, I finished the campaign for Doom 2! Here's a review.

Plot: A Space Marine kills lots of demons, on Earth and in Hell. That's about it.

This is one of the most venerated (and rightfully so) FPS of all time, though it never quite eclipsed its predecessor in terms of influence. Perhaps this is understandable in that Doom 2 doesn't offer very much new substance over Doom - there are perhaps several new enemies, and most frustratingly, only one new weapon. But the star of the game is not just the demonic foes, or the meaty action; it's the 30 or so levels that are dazzlingly vast and well-designed. Is it always fun trudging through a maze-like levels searching for a lost keycard? No, but that may be a necessary evil. I'm still awestruck at the design of some of the arenas, which are standouts even for today's games.

As Doom 2 is well-deserving of its status as one of the best FPS of all time, I give it five ludicrous gibs out of five.

Still playing Minishoot Adventures and inching closer to the end. Truly an excellent indie game. I got an upgrade that lets my little ship hover above water (why your ship - which hovers above the ground - sinks in water is never addressed).

Watching: More Invincible. Almost at the end of season 2. Looking forward to Fallout tomorrow. May watch Ti West's Pearl tonight, or try to finish Haze (which is an appropriately exhausting watch).

Listening to: Ultrawave - Oceandrive. Still stumbling across synthwave gems; this one has the same name as the Miami Nights 1984 classic, and sounds amazing.

 

[TopNotch]

Looking good, Ox-man!

 

[GentleOx]

@TopNotch Thank you sir!

Hey Bees. Absolutely tiring day, but I made it through. First up was my workout: W4D2 of my Push program. How did it go?

Bench Press: 135 x 3. Not very well, apparently. I'll see how my 2rm pans out next week.
Larsen Press: 115 x 5. Yuck.
Paused Incline Press: 102.5 x 3.
Rope Pushdowns: 13 x 8.
Hammer Curls: 14 x 20. These did not feel good. It was like my muscles were stiff.

Finished at the gym, got dressed, headed to another part of town for my lessons... It was like my whole body rebelled against me. My walking measured 24,500 steps today; that's close to an all-time record for me.



Meet Ewha, my friend's adorable Maltese rescue! We had a great time sitting down for tea and catching up after all these years.

Have a fantastic weekend, Bees! You deserve it.

Watch: So, the Fallout tv series dropped this week and... what can I say. It's absolutely amazing. As a gamer who started playing the games back in 1997, I'm gobsmacked at how much love and care was poured into this series. There's a lot of tribute to the games in the fidelity of the props and costumes, but the general bleak, dog-eat-dog feel of the wasteland is perfectly captured. Will post a fuller review when I'm done (I'm about six episodes in).

Playing: The Fallout hype got to me. And it didn't help that they developed more content for it - so I'm reinstalling Fallout 4. I know, I know, I've played through it many times (to the tune of 400+ hours), but nothing else scratches the same RPG FPS itch. Now I have to deal with installing god knows how many mods, and preventing CTDs. Oh well.

Listening to: Inon Zur - Doc Mitchell theme. In honour of the Fallout tv series - my favourite song in all the games. I find Zur's works on Fallout 3 and 4 to be more than a little bombastic, but here, the bombast is reined in for a more heartfelt feel.

 

[PetiteSheWolf]

Ewha is so cute! Keep up the good work.

 

[GentleOx]

@PetiteSheWolf Thank you! She's adorable, if a little feisty.

Hi Bees! It's Ox, back from exploring the Hong Kong Wasteland (that would be very interesting, actually) once more.

Today was a terrible lifting day. I did something to my neck last week that's been causing it pain every time I try to turn it a certain way; it even impacted my lifting. Speaking of which, today was W5D1 of my lifting program. Did not go well...

Bench Press: 140 x 1, 137.5 x 2. I was banking on hitting 2 reps with 140, but I just couldn't do it. Too many things... hadn't slept well, neck was hurting, but most crucially, I seem to have made little progress under the lifting regimen this time.
Incline Press: 100 x 5, 100 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2. Cluster sets are fun, hehe. Will try to do five mini sets next time.
Shoulder Press: 60 x 5.
Hammer Curls: 16 x 24.

So all in all, no progress. I think I'll try to hit 140 x 2 next time, but if I don't, it's not the end of the world.

But you know what? At the end of the day, a day with a workout is better than one without. Strength gains can wait.

I'm going to take a break from the programming next week and try something different.

Take care, Bees! Have yourselves a good Monday!

Playing: So I've booted up Fallout 4 once more, and it's back into the breach. However, there is a content update on the 25th that may clash with my mods, so I'll have to wait and see what happens. Hopefully, everything with my mods plays nice (yeah right, look what happened with Skyrim: Special Edition).

Otherwise, a little bit of Minishoot Adventures, and going to pick up Mortal Sin once more.

Watching. Some Invincible at the gym, am watching the season finale. I finished watching the Fallout tv series in the span of two days, so here's what I think.

The series portrays the stories of three different characters: Lucy Maclean, a privileged vault dweller who's blissfully unaware of the depravities of the irradiated surface wasteland; Maximus, an "aspirant" of the knightly Brotherhood of Steel; and "the Ghoul", whose name gives away his wasted flesh - a cynical but deadly bounty hunter. All three find themselves in each other's path while searching for a morbid artifact in the Californian wasteland.

A bit of a digression before I write my thoughts.

I think I mentioned that I've been playing the Fallout games since the very first one. As a faithful fan of the first two 2D instalments, I was actually shocked at the series move to First Person 3D with Fallout 3. But over time the appeal of exploring the wasteland in third person won me over. Needless to say, I was worried that the series would as janky and underdeveloped as the games often were. I wasn't worried about the look of the series - it's obvious that Jonathan Nolan et al put a lot of effort into getting the visual look of the series down pat. More the storylines and the use of the setting.

To my surprise, the series is absolutely sublime. I occasionally use the phrase "embarrassment of riches" to describe lavish products with attention to detail, and watching these 8 episodes makes the phrase come to mind once more. The attention to Fallout detail in the props and costumes is simply astounding - seeing the power armor suits is particularly satisfying. So the look of the series, to no surprise, shows great fidelity to the games. But what about the story?

The characters are great; the three leads absolutely nail their portrayals with sharp, incisive writing overall (Walton Goggins, to nobody's surprise, steals the show in his scenes), and there are clever twists and turns throughout. There's also numerous hilarious instances of black humour (a power-armored knight frantically trying to fight off a bear while cursing a blue streak is one of them). I laughed out loud a number of times, which is rare for me. There is a continuity snag that has garnered attention online, but it didn't interrupt my enjoyment.

So overall, a joy to watch. And there is going to be a Season 2, with a very obvious hint at where it'll take place.

With all its accolades, Fallout, the tv series, earns five Pip Boys out of five.

Listening to: Nat King Cole - I Don't Want to See Tomorrow. This subtly epic classic was never featured in the games. Huh. It's put to excellent use in the series, and like the other songs featured in the game (like the Ink Spots' "Maybe"), fits the setting perfectly.

 

[JCU]

My sister sent me a rambling message after watching the first episode of Fall Out and is loving it, too! I'm so glad it's living up to everyone's hopes!

Regarding your neck: it sounds like something may be out of alignment. Are there any chiropractors near you who could check?

 

[Mamatigerj]

for your neck.

 

[MadamMeow]

Hope your neck starts behaving again soon.

 

[CODawn]

I hope your neck feels better soon.

 

[GentleOx]

Thank you @CODawn, @MadamMeow, @Mamatigerj, and @JCU.

@JCU I certainly hope it isn't a bone issue. It feels more like my muscles are sore. Thankfully, it's gotten better over time!

Hey everyone. Ox here; I took yesterday off to get some work done, and then took today to get to the gym and get real work done. That sounds kind of dirty.

Anyway, today was Back (and a bit of Legs day). Annoyingly, when I got to the gym, the Deadlift platform was being used, and wasn't available until half an hour after I got there. But if they zig, you zag, so my workout order was a little different today.

Squats: 75 x 8. Mmmhmm.
Lat Pulldowns: 60 x 6.
Deadlifts: 145 x 5. Finally got to do them, after most of the gym had emptied out. They felt alright.
One Armed Cable Rows: 30 x 6.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 5. Oof. Did not feel good today.
Bicep Curls: 12 x 20. Felt good to do these with lighter weight.

A good workout, I do say! Walked 21,000 steps today. In this heat, I swear it's murder.

There's a $30 movie special for movies on Sunday (AND ONLY SUNDAY, annoyingly), so I'm torn between watching Civil War, or Abigail. Decisions, decisions.

Edit: Mom and I decided to watch Abigail! Yay! Gimme that bloody horror action!

Already thinking about work on Monday. Oh well.

Hope your week is going great, Bees!

Playing: Fallout 4, of course, but reinstalled Resonance of Fate again on a whim, and am... enjoying it. I don't usually take to JRPGs, but I made an exception for this one. Must be all the gun fu. Minishoot Adventures is kind of losing its lustre, as I'm closing in on the end of a replay-unfriendly experience. Great while it lasted, though.

Watching: Finished watching Invincible, Season 2 at the gym, but I'll post my review next time. Finished watching Haze, a Japanese sci-fi horror, so here's my review.

A man awakens to find himself stuck in an enclosed tunnel, with barely any space to move. As he gets to grips with his situation (literally even), he struggles to find out where he is, and most importantly, how to get out. And that's about it.

This was a gruelling watch, honestly. And it's only 40-ish minutes long. As an experiment in discomfort, it succeeds with flying colours - the movie is almost totally about the man's life and death struggle to get out of his predicament (by wiggling and inching his way along) and seeing that it's locked into one location, is pretty isolating.

I see this one as really divisive - most people who sit through it won't enjoy it, while others will find themselves rewarded. In some ways this is the ultimate minimalist horror flick, and out-Cubes Cube, which was already a tough watch. The ending is also fairly cryptic, as you might expect.

All in all, I give it two and a half out of five. There were almost no objects in this film, so I did away with my usual rating joke.

Listening to: Cadenti - Touch. I love discovering new synthwave (and synthpop)! Here's a fresh offering from Cadenti.