Quest for Muscle: The Return of the Pump
- Thread starter GentleOx
- Start date
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Thank you @JCU and @Laura Rainbow Dragon and @Fremen.
@Laura_Rainbow_Dragon Haha, I admit that I've had a preference for less than mainstream films these days. I know that there are quite a few good mainstream movies, I just can't be bothered to watch them when there are tons of quirky movies around.
Ahoy, Bees! I'm super tired, but I made it home safe and sound and am ready for another update. Today was the second Push day of the week.
Paused Bench Press: 125 x 5, 127.5 x 5, 130 x 5. I was not expecting to get 130. Eventually I'll move on to 132.5, but that may take awhile.
Paused Overhead Press: 60 x 5.
Incline Dumbbell Flys: 26 x 6.
Rope Pushdowns: 12 x 8.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Up to 20 next time, I'm sure I could get it.
The date went well: she was very friendly and kind. I just didn't detect that spark or chemistry between us, so... I may have to keep at it. Also, I'm surprised that I used Chinese through most of it, though that she was so forgiving of my terrible pronunciation. Flaggle Claggle.
Off to another lesson tomorrow. Oh well. I'll see if I can squeeze in another workout before class, but we'll see.
Playing: A bit of Vampire Hunters, a bit of the Sulfur demo (you know they've made a good demo when you want to replay it, even after beating it!). Silent Hill 2 (the remake) looks amazing, but it would kill my PC, sadly. Callisto Protocol is still sitting on my hard drive...
Watching: Mostly V/H/S Beyond, which is a fun, breezy found-footage watch. Maybe I'll write a review tomorrow...
Listening to: Betrayer - Credits/Trailer music (I don't know the details for this one, and there's close to no music in the game itself). Today's Halloween song is from a stealth/supernatural horror/action game released a decade ago. Ignore the sound effects and listen to that theme. It perfectly captures the eerie feel of the game and the mystery of that time period, and I honestly wish that they had composed a longer version. The game itself was quite good - one of the few sneakers that also doubled as a very deliberate shooter, as you might expect from the period weaponry. A shame more people didn't play it.
@Laura_Rainbow_Dragon Haha, I admit that I've had a preference for less than mainstream films these days. I know that there are quite a few good mainstream movies, I just can't be bothered to watch them when there are tons of quirky movies around.
Ahoy, Bees! I'm super tired, but I made it home safe and sound and am ready for another update. Today was the second Push day of the week.
Paused Bench Press: 125 x 5, 127.5 x 5, 130 x 5. I was not expecting to get 130. Eventually I'll move on to 132.5, but that may take awhile.
Paused Overhead Press: 60 x 5.
Incline Dumbbell Flys: 26 x 6.
Rope Pushdowns: 12 x 8.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Up to 20 next time, I'm sure I could get it.
The date went well: she was very friendly and kind. I just didn't detect that spark or chemistry between us, so... I may have to keep at it. Also, I'm surprised that I used Chinese through most of it, though that she was so forgiving of my terrible pronunciation. Flaggle Claggle.
Off to another lesson tomorrow. Oh well. I'll see if I can squeeze in another workout before class, but we'll see.
Playing: A bit of Vampire Hunters, a bit of the Sulfur demo (you know they've made a good demo when you want to replay it, even after beating it!). Silent Hill 2 (the remake) looks amazing, but it would kill my PC, sadly. Callisto Protocol is still sitting on my hard drive...
Watching: Mostly V/H/S Beyond, which is a fun, breezy found-footage watch. Maybe I'll write a review tomorrow...
Listening to: Betrayer - Credits/Trailer music (I don't know the details for this one, and there's close to no music in the game itself). Today's Halloween song is from a stealth/supernatural horror/action game released a decade ago. Ignore the sound effects and listen to that theme. It perfectly captures the eerie feel of the game and the mystery of that time period, and I honestly wish that they had composed a longer version. The game itself was quite good - one of the few sneakers that also doubled as a very deliberate shooter, as you might expect from the period weaponry. A shame more people didn't play it.
Hi, I'm Ox, and I'm back with another workout! As you may or may not know, two days without a workout is way too long for me, so I made up for it with a PR attempt during Leg day. Could I do it?
Squats: 125 x 12. Dear God, that was an almighty hell of a set. This is a new PR, as I've never done 125 this many times before. I stopped two thirds of the way through before powering through the rest, as it was just *that* taxing. Sometimes you have sets that totally tear through your body and beat you to a pulp, and this was one of those.
Paused Squats: 70 x 3. A token effort, as I really didn't have the mojo at this point to go for more.
Leg Extensions: 70 x 10.
Lying Leg Curls: 45 x 4. Meh.
Back Extensions: Sets of 10.
That set of squats beat me up so badly that I'm thinking of taking a break tomorrow. I'll see how things turn out.
Hope you're having a great Sunday, Bees!
Playing: I've been playing Sulfur, mostly - just stocking up on my arsenal and crafting new kinds of foods (!) has been time-consuming, but good fun. Cannot wait for the end of this month (even DAV is coming out)!
Watching: I finally finished watching VHS Beyond (I refuse to add those stupid backslashes!). Basically, this is an anthology of found-footage horror short films loosely unified by the theme of science fiction, and in several of those, aliens. As this is an anthology flick, I'm going to take the unusual step of delivering a description and review of each segment - call it a writing exercise.
Abduction/Adduction: The wraparound story: A set of tapes upon which are various horrific stories (the ones we're watching) are found in a house with a troubled history. A capper on the end where we purportedly see a visitor from outer space is... okay I guess? It doesn't provide a fitting conclusion after we've already seen such bloody and zaney madness in the tapes. A serviceable two and a half tapes out of five, as there's not much to say about it.
Stork: A crew of hardened police officers arm themselves to the teeth to investigate a house which may be the center of child abductions. This one was solid, unambitious, gory fun, and the most well-served by the found footage format. I give it four shotgun blasts out of five.
Dream Girl: In India, a novice tabloid photographer seeks to get prime candid footage of pop star Tara. He gets his wish, but stumbles upon much more than that... More gory fun, though I thought this one struggled to create its message on stardom (I may be giving it too much credit). I give it three Bollywood dance sequences (I'm surprised they included one in the flick!) out of five.
Live and Let Dive: A group of people are on a plane celebrating Zach's birthday by getting ready to skydive. However, the appearance of a UFO throws their plans for a loop (perhaps literally). This one was thrilling and fun, and it's always great to see youtubers get their just desserts, even if the cg was a touch spotty. I give it three and a half parachute cords out five.
Fur Babies: An obnoxious group of animal rights activists seek to investigate and expose a woman who provides doggie day care services. But they're in for much more than they bargained for... This one was twisted fun, and though the twist was easy to guess, it was still fun to watch the chaos unfold (interestingly, it borrows from a certain Kevin Smith film that was panned). I give it four and a half doggie treats out of five.
Stowaway: A young women investigating UFO appearances and lights in the sky finds herself hitching a ride on a UFO, while discovering its unusual properties. Probably the most ambitious one of the bunch. In its own way, the most heartfelt and tragic story. I give it four cute plushie toys out of five.
Seeing a pattern here?
As a complete movie, I give VHS Beyond three and a half UFOs out of five. It doesn't do anything particularly new with the franchise (we can safely say that it's been blasted into space by this point), and none of the portions are particularly scary, but the films are surprisingly creative and fun to watch.
Listening to: Michael Giacchino - Roar! Tonight's Halloween song is from the first Cloverfield movie (apropos of VHS Beyond, this one is also a found footager), and punctuates the film's sense of ominousness and terror well.
Bonus: I don't associate it with gym music, but I was repeatedly listening to The Coup's Guillotine repeatedly at the gym. In fact, that song carried me through my massive 12 rep set!
Squats: 125 x 12. Dear God, that was an almighty hell of a set. This is a new PR, as I've never done 125 this many times before. I stopped two thirds of the way through before powering through the rest, as it was just *that* taxing. Sometimes you have sets that totally tear through your body and beat you to a pulp, and this was one of those.
Paused Squats: 70 x 3. A token effort, as I really didn't have the mojo at this point to go for more.
Leg Extensions: 70 x 10.
Lying Leg Curls: 45 x 4. Meh.
Back Extensions: Sets of 10.
That set of squats beat me up so badly that I'm thinking of taking a break tomorrow. I'll see how things turn out.
Hope you're having a great Sunday, Bees!
Playing: I've been playing Sulfur, mostly - just stocking up on my arsenal and crafting new kinds of foods (!) has been time-consuming, but good fun. Cannot wait for the end of this month (even DAV is coming out)!
Watching: I finally finished watching VHS Beyond (I refuse to add those stupid backslashes!). Basically, this is an anthology of found-footage horror short films loosely unified by the theme of science fiction, and in several of those, aliens. As this is an anthology flick, I'm going to take the unusual step of delivering a description and review of each segment - call it a writing exercise.
Abduction/Adduction: The wraparound story: A set of tapes upon which are various horrific stories (the ones we're watching) are found in a house with a troubled history. A capper on the end where we purportedly see a visitor from outer space is... okay I guess? It doesn't provide a fitting conclusion after we've already seen such bloody and zaney madness in the tapes. A serviceable two and a half tapes out of five, as there's not much to say about it.
Stork: A crew of hardened police officers arm themselves to the teeth to investigate a house which may be the center of child abductions. This one was solid, unambitious, gory fun, and the most well-served by the found footage format. I give it four shotgun blasts out of five.
Dream Girl: In India, a novice tabloid photographer seeks to get prime candid footage of pop star Tara. He gets his wish, but stumbles upon much more than that... More gory fun, though I thought this one struggled to create its message on stardom (I may be giving it too much credit). I give it three Bollywood dance sequences (I'm surprised they included one in the flick!) out of five.
Live and Let Dive: A group of people are on a plane celebrating Zach's birthday by getting ready to skydive. However, the appearance of a UFO throws their plans for a loop (perhaps literally). This one was thrilling and fun, and it's always great to see youtubers get their just desserts, even if the cg was a touch spotty. I give it three and a half parachute cords out five.
Fur Babies: An obnoxious group of animal rights activists seek to investigate and expose a woman who provides doggie day care services. But they're in for much more than they bargained for... This one was twisted fun, and though the twist was easy to guess, it was still fun to watch the chaos unfold (interestingly, it borrows from a certain Kevin Smith film that was panned). I give it four and a half doggie treats out of five.
Stowaway: A young women investigating UFO appearances and lights in the sky finds herself hitching a ride on a UFO, while discovering its unusual properties. Probably the most ambitious one of the bunch. In its own way, the most heartfelt and tragic story. I give it four cute plushie toys out of five.
Seeing a pattern here?
As a complete movie, I give VHS Beyond three and a half UFOs out of five. It doesn't do anything particularly new with the franchise (we can safely say that it's been blasted into space by this point), and none of the portions are particularly scary, but the films are surprisingly creative and fun to watch.
Listening to: Michael Giacchino - Roar! Tonight's Halloween song is from the first Cloverfield movie (apropos of VHS Beyond, this one is also a found footager), and punctuates the film's sense of ominousness and terror well.
Bonus: I don't associate it with gym music, but I was repeatedly listening to The Coup's Guillotine repeatedly at the gym. In fact, that song carried me through my massive 12 rep set!
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MadamMeow
Well-known member
Fae
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
"I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time, but Im too young to worry..."
Very impressive PR! 
That's a hefty PR there, Ox. Well done!
aku-chan
Well-known member
Congrats on another PR! 
Thanks a bunch @aku-chan, @Laura Rainbow Dragon, @MadamMeow, @JCU, @Fremen and @TopNotch! I couldn't do it without all of your support!
Hello, all! I certainly hope you're having a spooky week - or at least a good one.
Today was a "fast" Push day.
Bench Press: 130 x 7. Moving on up! I haven't hit 6+ reps with this weight in awhile. I was aiming for 8, but I'll take it.
Overhead Press: 62.5 x 5. Ugh. Felt harder than it was.
Cable Flys: 6 x 8. I haven't done these in years! Usually the cable apparati are used for all sorts of tomfoolery, and I guess I'm no exception.
EZ Bar Pushdown: 13 x 8.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 20 x 22. I haven't done this much in ages. Stronger bis, maybe?
So... there may be another date on the cards (same person). We'll see... Last time around, I picked a venue in which, unbeknownst to me, there were live performances, so we weren't able to communicate over the amateurish cacophony. It's on Tuesday. I'd better hit the treadmill, shave and get a haircut!
Which is all well and good, because for the time being, I'm super pooped and could use some sleep, and gaming.
Keep chugging, Bees! We'll make it through the week.
Playing: Still making my way through Sulfur - perhaps not to extract every secret I can from this limited (this is relatively speaking, because it's actually very generous in replayability) demo, but at least ready myself for the full deal. Played a bit of Vampire Hunters too.
And... Shantae and the Pirate's Curse? What sorcery is this?? In my defense, it was pretty late at night and I wanted to play something with a controller. It's bouncy (uh... no perverted pun intended) and easily digestible platforming fun, though I'm a touch disappointed to note that it's not a metroidvania like previous entries in the series.
Watching: Back on the Seal Team train, ignoring the whiney dialogue and soap-opera nonsense of it all. I am also, God help me, going to try to watch Fateful Findings, by amateur auteur Neil Breen. If you haven't heard of it... don't bother watching the trailer. That's 2 minutes of your life you could've spent trimming your nails, watering your plants, or watching paint dry.
So why am I watching it? Morbid fascination, and to continue my trend of watching really bad movies. Hopefully I'll make it through the other side!!
Edit: It is unbelievably bad, and I mean this almost literally. There is so much fail on display. I'll write a review if I manage to endure the full movie (fifteen minutes in, it's pretty mediocre).
Listening to: Brocas Helm - Cry of the Banshee. Tonight's spooky Halloween song is a razor-sharp speed-metal treat by Brocas Helm. I first heard this song in Brutal Legend, where it accompanied a boss fight (with a giant metallic spider, no less!) perfectly. That bass line is to die for.
Hello, all! I certainly hope you're having a spooky week - or at least a good one.
Today was a "fast" Push day.
Bench Press: 130 x 7. Moving on up! I haven't hit 6+ reps with this weight in awhile. I was aiming for 8, but I'll take it.
Overhead Press: 62.5 x 5. Ugh. Felt harder than it was.
Cable Flys: 6 x 8. I haven't done these in years! Usually the cable apparati are used for all sorts of tomfoolery, and I guess I'm no exception.
EZ Bar Pushdown: 13 x 8.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 20 x 22. I haven't done this much in ages. Stronger bis, maybe?
So... there may be another date on the cards (same person). We'll see... Last time around, I picked a venue in which, unbeknownst to me, there were live performances, so we weren't able to communicate over the amateurish cacophony. It's on Tuesday. I'd better hit the treadmill, shave and get a haircut!
Which is all well and good, because for the time being, I'm super pooped and could use some sleep, and gaming.
Keep chugging, Bees! We'll make it through the week.
Playing: Still making my way through Sulfur - perhaps not to extract every secret I can from this limited (this is relatively speaking, because it's actually very generous in replayability) demo, but at least ready myself for the full deal. Played a bit of Vampire Hunters too.
And... Shantae and the Pirate's Curse? What sorcery is this?? In my defense, it was pretty late at night and I wanted to play something with a controller. It's bouncy (uh... no perverted pun intended) and easily digestible platforming fun, though I'm a touch disappointed to note that it's not a metroidvania like previous entries in the series.
Watching: Back on the Seal Team train, ignoring the whiney dialogue and soap-opera nonsense of it all. I am also, God help me, going to try to watch Fateful Findings, by amateur auteur Neil Breen. If you haven't heard of it... don't bother watching the trailer. That's 2 minutes of your life you could've spent trimming your nails, watering your plants, or watching paint dry.
So why am I watching it? Morbid fascination, and to continue my trend of watching really bad movies. Hopefully I'll make it through the other side!!
Edit: It is unbelievably bad, and I mean this almost literally. There is so much fail on display. I'll write a review if I manage to endure the full movie (fifteen minutes in, it's pretty mediocre).
Listening to: Brocas Helm - Cry of the Banshee. Tonight's spooky Halloween song is a razor-sharp speed-metal treat by Brocas Helm. I first heard this song in Brutal Legend, where it accompanied a boss fight (with a giant metallic spider, no less!) perfectly. That bass line is to die for.
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NancyTree
Well-known member
I'm a bit late to the party, but congrats on the medal! 
And I hope your second date will be fun
And I hope your second date will be fun
@NancyTree Thanks a bunch! I hope it'll be great too.
Hey Bees.
I didn't go to the gym today, as I needed to rest up a bit more. Just a short walk outside was today's exercise.
But tomorrow, I'll hit the weights with a vengeance. I also finished watching a terrible movie, and couldn't resist writing up a review for it.
See you again tomorrow, Bees!
Watching: So I watched Fateful Findings, a film you've hopefully never heard of and will hopefully never watch. It's a 2012 film by notorious indie filmmaker Neil Breen, and he bears the brunt of responsibility for this cinematic turd. Here's a review...
Two children play and grow close together, eventually being separated when one moves away. The boy, Dylan, grows up to become a writer, and eventually a hacker, whose goal is to expose the villainy of the world's governing bodies and financial institutions. Will he succeed in his goal? Will he reunite with his childhood friend? And will Neil Breen actually become a competent filmmaker? Stay tuned.
Look. I constantly crack jokes about the bad movies I watch, and enduring them and writing up zany reviews is a literary exercise and dare I say, even enjoyable. After all, they can be so bad that they're entertaining. This film's sole point of redemption, despite being a shining example of mediocrity, is that it fits squarely into the bargain bin of shitty, yet entertaining movies. But let's be clear: this is one bad movie. The written word can't quite convey the guns out, unashamed crappiness of this one. Pick any scene to watch, and you'll be "rewarded" with incompetence. I kid you not, my face hurt from all the cringeing I did (at almost every scene in this movie). So let's quickly break it down.
Not a single aspect of this movie is competently made.
The plot is absolutely clown-car bonkers, throwing together a bunch of crap in the hopes that a good plot it makes. Pill addiction, alcohol addiction, suicide, a mystic tome of secrets, psychiatry, domestic problems, and even more pointless dreck are featured here, and not a single one has any bearing on the real plot (blah blah blah expose the conspiracy blah). And even the real plot doesn't make any sense. How did Dylan get his hacking abilities? When did he start? What kind of books does he write? Why does he want to expose the gov't et al? None of it's explained - but you get the sense that in a film like this, it's not really worth explaining. I'm going to gloss over the next points, which contribute to the horrible quality, but aren't at its epicenter. The editing is crap (so many pointless shots), and the minimal budget (I would guess five thousand bucks ) is apparent in every frame, prop, and setting. The score is kinda nice. I guess.
But the crowning source of hilarity are the writing and acting combined. A good thing to watch out for in a bad movie is whether or not they state the obvious. Good writing is subtle, and you have to read between the lines to see what characters are thinking or feeling. This is not the case here. The dialogue is hilariously lacking in nuance. Characters almost always state the obvious, and even repeat themselves! There's are a lot of different situations and conversations, but they're all so ham-fisted in execution and lacking in subtlety. Example? One character stumbles into the aftermath of what looks like a suicide.
Dylan: "X! You committed suicide. How could you do it. How could you do this to yourself?"
That leads us to the acting. "Stilted" and "wooden" are commonly thrown around for performances like these. None of them are convincing at all, but for the most part, they're simply very bad. In contrast, and standing at the top of the pantheon of crappy performances is Neil Breen, the very director and writer of this dung heap. Guy deserves some credit for making a movie practically by himself, but ambition does not make up for a crushing lack of acting talent. It's possible that he's even worse of an actor than Tommy Wiseau - if such is even possible. Here're a few examples:
What we're left with is a bizarre fantasy fulfillment that relied on one man's vision - unfortunately! With everything considered, I justly give Fateful Findings zero plates of salad out of five. May it be remembered as everything you should avoid doing in filmmaking. Unless you want your legacy to be hilarity and derision, of course.
Listening to: Carpenter Brut - Beware the Beast. Tonight's Halloween song is a spooky synthwave thrasher from Carpenter Brut. I'm surprised I've never posted the song until now, but as it's spooky season, the time is right!
Hey Bees.
I didn't go to the gym today, as I needed to rest up a bit more. Just a short walk outside was today's exercise.
But tomorrow, I'll hit the weights with a vengeance. I also finished watching a terrible movie, and couldn't resist writing up a review for it.
See you again tomorrow, Bees!
Watching: So I watched Fateful Findings, a film you've hopefully never heard of and will hopefully never watch. It's a 2012 film by notorious indie filmmaker Neil Breen, and he bears the brunt of responsibility for this cinematic turd. Here's a review...
Two children play and grow close together, eventually being separated when one moves away. The boy, Dylan, grows up to become a writer, and eventually a hacker, whose goal is to expose the villainy of the world's governing bodies and financial institutions. Will he succeed in his goal? Will he reunite with his childhood friend? And will Neil Breen actually become a competent filmmaker? Stay tuned.
Look. I constantly crack jokes about the bad movies I watch, and enduring them and writing up zany reviews is a literary exercise and dare I say, even enjoyable. After all, they can be so bad that they're entertaining. This film's sole point of redemption, despite being a shining example of mediocrity, is that it fits squarely into the bargain bin of shitty, yet entertaining movies. But let's be clear: this is one bad movie. The written word can't quite convey the guns out, unashamed crappiness of this one. Pick any scene to watch, and you'll be "rewarded" with incompetence. I kid you not, my face hurt from all the cringeing I did (at almost every scene in this movie). So let's quickly break it down.
Not a single aspect of this movie is competently made.
The plot is absolutely clown-car bonkers, throwing together a bunch of crap in the hopes that a good plot it makes. Pill addiction, alcohol addiction, suicide, a mystic tome of secrets, psychiatry, domestic problems, and even more pointless dreck are featured here, and not a single one has any bearing on the real plot (blah blah blah expose the conspiracy blah). And even the real plot doesn't make any sense. How did Dylan get his hacking abilities? When did he start? What kind of books does he write? Why does he want to expose the gov't et al? None of it's explained - but you get the sense that in a film like this, it's not really worth explaining. I'm going to gloss over the next points, which contribute to the horrible quality, but aren't at its epicenter. The editing is crap (so many pointless shots), and the minimal budget (I would guess five thousand bucks ) is apparent in every frame, prop, and setting. The score is kinda nice. I guess.
But the crowning source of hilarity are the writing and acting combined. A good thing to watch out for in a bad movie is whether or not they state the obvious. Good writing is subtle, and you have to read between the lines to see what characters are thinking or feeling. This is not the case here. The dialogue is hilariously lacking in nuance. Characters almost always state the obvious, and even repeat themselves! There's are a lot of different situations and conversations, but they're all so ham-fisted in execution and lacking in subtlety. Example? One character stumbles into the aftermath of what looks like a suicide.
Dylan: "X! You committed suicide. How could you do it. How could you do this to yourself?"
That leads us to the acting. "Stilted" and "wooden" are commonly thrown around for performances like these. None of them are convincing at all, but for the most part, they're simply very bad. In contrast, and standing at the top of the pantheon of crappy performances is Neil Breen, the very director and writer of this dung heap. Guy deserves some credit for making a movie practically by himself, but ambition does not make up for a crushing lack of acting talent. It's possible that he's even worse of an actor than Tommy Wiseau - if such is even possible. Here're a few examples:
What we're left with is a bizarre fantasy fulfillment that relied on one man's vision - unfortunately! With everything considered, I justly give Fateful Findings zero plates of salad out of five. May it be remembered as everything you should avoid doing in filmmaking. Unless you want your legacy to be hilarity and derision, of course.
Listening to: Carpenter Brut - Beware the Beast. Tonight's Halloween song is a spooky synthwave thrasher from Carpenter Brut. I'm surprised I've never posted the song until now, but as it's spooky season, the time is right!
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@JCU Thank you kindly, fellow reviewer. Yeah, that clip always gets me lol.
Hey everyone, I'm back, and I'm a sleepy Ox, but miles to go before we sleep etc...
Today was an alternate Push day (I really should squeeze in Back day sometime this week, perhaps tomorrow).
Paused Bench Press: 132.5 x 5. So... this was pretty hard, but it's a step in the right direction. My gut instinct tells me I'm unlikely to get 132.5 so quickly, so while I'll increase the weight, I'll work up the reps gradually.
Paused Shoulder Press: 62.5 x 5. They were alright.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 12 x 8.
Incline Cable Flys: 6 x 8.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 45 x 7. Ugh. A lot of cheating to get this many reps, but that's okay.
Not much cyberpunk-ing around today, as my workout left me pretty bushed. Maybe tomorrow?
Stay safe and sane, Bees!
Playing: Hades just dropped a new, meaty update that adds an entire series of levels (taking place in Olympus)! What a treat! I dusted off my copy and played the surface levels and... got my ass handed to me. Either my months-long hiatus has left my playing rusty, or the enemies have gotten some serious rebalancing (it's very likely the latter). I'll play a bit more tonight, and see if I get to the new boss (who's even more austere and menacing than the game's original villain, Chronos). Huzzah! Not sure if I'm going to be playing anything else tonight, as it seems like the expansion to Hades 2 will take up my free time...
Watching: Back firmly on the Seal Team train, in all its unsubtle cheesiness. There are a lot of enticing new watches to be had, like Alien: Romulus, and Caddo Lake, but I'm going to stick with a found-footager called Dagr first, and see how that one is.
Listening to: Binding of Isaac: Rebirth OST - Diptera Sonata. Tonight's Halloween song is from the frightening, foreboding, and funny(!) roguelite Binding of Isaac (the Rebirth edition). If you haven't heard of BoI, it's basically a roguelite with the darkest premise in the genre, or any other for that matter, with dollops of equally black comedy mixed in. It also happens to be possibly the best roguelite game in existence, and is one of the founders of the genre. While the original iteration's soundtrack is amazing in its own right, Diptera Sonata happens to be my favourite theme from the series. Grim and dire it may be, but it's also captivating.
Hey everyone, I'm back, and I'm a sleepy Ox, but miles to go before we sleep etc...
Today was an alternate Push day (I really should squeeze in Back day sometime this week, perhaps tomorrow).
Paused Bench Press: 132.5 x 5. So... this was pretty hard, but it's a step in the right direction. My gut instinct tells me I'm unlikely to get 132.5 so quickly, so while I'll increase the weight, I'll work up the reps gradually.
Paused Shoulder Press: 62.5 x 5. They were alright.
Straight Bar Pushdown: 12 x 8.
Incline Cable Flys: 6 x 8.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 45 x 7. Ugh. A lot of cheating to get this many reps, but that's okay.
Not much cyberpunk-ing around today, as my workout left me pretty bushed. Maybe tomorrow?
Stay safe and sane, Bees!
Playing: Hades just dropped a new, meaty update that adds an entire series of levels (taking place in Olympus)! What a treat! I dusted off my copy and played the surface levels and... got my ass handed to me. Either my months-long hiatus has left my playing rusty, or the enemies have gotten some serious rebalancing (it's very likely the latter). I'll play a bit more tonight, and see if I get to the new boss (who's even more austere and menacing than the game's original villain, Chronos). Huzzah! Not sure if I'm going to be playing anything else tonight, as it seems like the expansion to Hades 2 will take up my free time...
Watching: Back firmly on the Seal Team train, in all its unsubtle cheesiness. There are a lot of enticing new watches to be had, like Alien: Romulus, and Caddo Lake, but I'm going to stick with a found-footager called Dagr first, and see how that one is.
Listening to: Binding of Isaac: Rebirth OST - Diptera Sonata. Tonight's Halloween song is from the frightening, foreboding, and funny(!) roguelite Binding of Isaac (the Rebirth edition). If you haven't heard of BoI, it's basically a roguelite with the darkest premise in the genre, or any other for that matter, with dollops of equally black comedy mixed in. It also happens to be possibly the best roguelite game in existence, and is one of the founders of the genre. While the original iteration's soundtrack is amazing in its own right, Diptera Sonata happens to be my favourite theme from the series. Grim and dire it may be, but it's also captivating.
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Hey again, Bees! Two days is too long without a workout, so I hit the gym for a Pull day (because I haven't done one in two weeks!).
Deadlift and Row: 115 x 5.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 6.
T-Bar Rows: 90 x 5.
Meadows Row: 42.5 x 6. Not bad!
Pull Ups: Top set of Seven.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 6.
Did some urban commando-ing around my side of town for a little bit before dinner. The streets were absolutely packed!
So this was some kind of dance performance by the young ladies (showing my age) and gentlemen in the center of the picture. They'd gathered a crowd, but the police had yet to be called: I'm not sure if live performances like this have ever been allowed in public spaces. Not that it stops anyone.
We took a break from the hot pot and had some Korean BBQ for a change. Not the most authentic, but clearly packed and very popular with the crowds. The beef was pretty good, I must say.
Have yourselves a great Sunday, Bees!
Playing: Still getting my butt royally kicked in Hades 2. I made it to the new boss several times, but got my ass handed to me. However, I am a patient man, and the game is afoot (Trebek!). Also playing more of the Sulfur demo and eagerly looking forward to full thing, which comes out Monday after next.
Watching: Still watching Seal Team, which features some courtroom scenes, as a not unwelcome change of pace. I also finally got around to watching Rebel Ridge (it's not a spooky flick, but it's so good that it doesn't matter). Here's a review!
In a small Louisiana town, Terry Richmond is pedalling to the metal to make it to the courthouse in time. Carrying a load of cash for paying his cousin's bail, he is knocked off his bike and has his money (legally) seized by heavy-handed police officers. Attempting to report this misconduct, he is rebuffed by the shady chief of police and no help is found at the courthouse (save by a sympathetic employee, Summer). Out of options, Terry makes a deal to rustle up another $10,000 for bail; however, the chief reneges on the deal. Unfortunately for him, it turns out that Terry is a former Marine, and an expert and instructor in hand to hand combat. This is the beginning of his retaliation against the police force that starts with his stolen money, but later spreads to combatting the force's crooked dealings.
I don't really need to say a lot about this one, but to sum it up in one sentence, it's an intelligent thriller that doesn't skimp on the action. There are obvious comparisons to be made to Jack Reacher and Rambo (both featuring vets taking matters into their own hands and working against corrupt law enforcement), but Aaron Pierre lends not only a calm, imposing power, but also a surprising depth to the protagonist that is further solidified by his impeccable American accent. The supporting cast is solid, with Don Johnson's slimy police chief and Annasophia Robb's heartfelt court clerk leading strong performances. The film is lean and mean; but that said, a lot of the plot shows technical nuance, and it's clear that the film references real life controversies. What with Terry being black, and the police (mostly) being white, there's racial tension in the film, though it's subtler than most. This is Jeremy Saulnier at his best, even if it isn't quite as grisly (which may be by design) as Green Room.
Because it has so much to recommend it, I give Rebel Ridge four and a half pickup trucks out of five.
Listening to: Jordan F - Abandoned Streets. Tonight's Halloween song is from synth DJ Jordan F. I know that it's not really a "scary" song, but it creates this menacing and oppressive walk-the-streets feel that I couldn't ignore. The music video I attached makes excellent use of the song's desolate leanings.
Deadlift and Row: 115 x 5.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 6.
T-Bar Rows: 90 x 5.
Meadows Row: 42.5 x 6. Not bad!
Pull Ups: Top set of Seven.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 6.
Did some urban commando-ing around my side of town for a little bit before dinner. The streets were absolutely packed!
So this was some kind of dance performance by the young ladies (showing my age) and gentlemen in the center of the picture. They'd gathered a crowd, but the police had yet to be called: I'm not sure if live performances like this have ever been allowed in public spaces. Not that it stops anyone.
We took a break from the hot pot and had some Korean BBQ for a change. Not the most authentic, but clearly packed and very popular with the crowds. The beef was pretty good, I must say.
Have yourselves a great Sunday, Bees!
Playing: Still getting my butt royally kicked in Hades 2. I made it to the new boss several times, but got my ass handed to me. However, I am a patient man, and the game is afoot (Trebek!). Also playing more of the Sulfur demo and eagerly looking forward to full thing, which comes out Monday after next.
Watching: Still watching Seal Team, which features some courtroom scenes, as a not unwelcome change of pace. I also finally got around to watching Rebel Ridge (it's not a spooky flick, but it's so good that it doesn't matter). Here's a review!
In a small Louisiana town, Terry Richmond is pedalling to the metal to make it to the courthouse in time. Carrying a load of cash for paying his cousin's bail, he is knocked off his bike and has his money (legally) seized by heavy-handed police officers. Attempting to report this misconduct, he is rebuffed by the shady chief of police and no help is found at the courthouse (save by a sympathetic employee, Summer). Out of options, Terry makes a deal to rustle up another $10,000 for bail; however, the chief reneges on the deal. Unfortunately for him, it turns out that Terry is a former Marine, and an expert and instructor in hand to hand combat. This is the beginning of his retaliation against the police force that starts with his stolen money, but later spreads to combatting the force's crooked dealings.
I don't really need to say a lot about this one, but to sum it up in one sentence, it's an intelligent thriller that doesn't skimp on the action. There are obvious comparisons to be made to Jack Reacher and Rambo (both featuring vets taking matters into their own hands and working against corrupt law enforcement), but Aaron Pierre lends not only a calm, imposing power, but also a surprising depth to the protagonist that is further solidified by his impeccable American accent. The supporting cast is solid, with Don Johnson's slimy police chief and Annasophia Robb's heartfelt court clerk leading strong performances. The film is lean and mean; but that said, a lot of the plot shows technical nuance, and it's clear that the film references real life controversies. What with Terry being black, and the police (mostly) being white, there's racial tension in the film, though it's subtler than most. This is Jeremy Saulnier at his best, even if it isn't quite as grisly (which may be by design) as Green Room.
Because it has so much to recommend it, I give Rebel Ridge four and a half pickup trucks out of five.
Listening to: Jordan F - Abandoned Streets. Tonight's Halloween song is from synth DJ Jordan F. I know that it's not really a "scary" song, but it creates this menacing and oppressive walk-the-streets feel that I couldn't ignore. The music video I attached makes excellent use of the song's desolate leanings.
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Greetings, Bees! I come with another workout: today was a Push day.
Bench Press: 132.5 x 7. Very surprised that I pulled this off! As I haven't been able to lift this much in a long time, I'll call it a recent PR.
Overhead Press: 65 x 5.
EZ Bar Pushdowns: 14 x 8.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 24 x 22.
Did some cyberpunk-ing around the streets, when I spotted, once again... CHARITY DOGGOS!
This time they had brought out two goldens. I hope the samoyed and the great pyrenees from past years are doing okay.
I've seen this golden before with the charity; today it had the lion's share of attention for some reason. The girl on the right was amazed that its paws were so big.
This happy puppy was getting less attention, so I gave it some cuddles and pets.
I love doggos, they are furry and friend-shaped and deserve our love and cuddles
Happy Tuesday, Bees!
Playing: I didn't play anything last night?? What's up with that? I'm definitely going to make up for it tonight with a bit of Hades 2 (eager to get served once again lol), a little bit of Sulfur, and... maybe a bit of Okami (the PC edition)? Let's see!
Watching: Seal Team continues. I really need to continue late night cinema - perhaps Dagr? Or Alien Romulus? It's a toss-up.
Listening to: Iron Maiden - Murders in the Rue Morgue. Tonight's Halloween song is from Iron Maiden's early album "Killers". I chose it in remembrance of Maiden's first singer Paul Di'Anno, who passed away very recently. Di'Anno's powerful vocals anchor a grisly tale of horror, sanity, and running from the law.
Bench Press: 132.5 x 7. Very surprised that I pulled this off! As I haven't been able to lift this much in a long time, I'll call it a recent PR.
Overhead Press: 65 x 5.
EZ Bar Pushdowns: 14 x 8.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 24 x 22.
Did some cyberpunk-ing around the streets, when I spotted, once again... CHARITY DOGGOS!
This time they had brought out two goldens. I hope the samoyed and the great pyrenees from past years are doing okay.
I've seen this golden before with the charity; today it had the lion's share of attention for some reason. The girl on the right was amazed that its paws were so big.
This happy puppy was getting less attention, so I gave it some cuddles and pets.
I love doggos, they are furry and friend-shaped and deserve our love and cuddles
Happy Tuesday, Bees!
Playing: I didn't play anything last night?? What's up with that? I'm definitely going to make up for it tonight with a bit of Hades 2 (eager to get served once again lol), a little bit of Sulfur, and... maybe a bit of Okami (the PC edition)? Let's see!
Watching: Seal Team continues. I really need to continue late night cinema - perhaps Dagr? Or Alien Romulus? It's a toss-up.
Listening to: Iron Maiden - Murders in the Rue Morgue. Tonight's Halloween song is from Iron Maiden's early album "Killers". I chose it in remembrance of Maiden's first singer Paul Di'Anno, who passed away very recently. Di'Anno's powerful vocals anchor a grisly tale of horror, sanity, and running from the law.
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Great work on that bench!
Cheers for showing the neglected pup some love. (Though a dog like that out in public I cannot imagine went without attention for long.)
Cheers for showing the neglected pup some love. (Though a dog like that out in public I cannot imagine went without attention for long.)
Obsinosterous
Well-known member
Well done! 
Thank you so much @Obsinosterous @JCU @Laura Rainbow Dragon @TopNotch and @Fremen!
@Laura Rainbow Dragon I saw the maple golden again, and it got more cuddles today, thankfully!
Ahoy! A Gentle Ox!
Today was a controlled Push day. I really wasn't feeling it, having walked about 9000 steps beforehand, but I did it anyway.
Paused Bench Press: 135 x 4. It was a tough set, but all things considered, it's good that I can pull of 135 x 4 on a day when I'm not feeling right. I'll stay with this weight next week and try to squeeze out another rep.
Paused Overhead Press: 65 x 5. Eh.
Cable Flys: 6 x 8. Liking these more!
Hammer Curls: 26 x 22. I swear, I felt like a strongman when I lifted these. One hell of a set! (Shh... this is also a minor PR!)
Saw the doctor and got my assorted meds restocked.
I have been craving cigarettes for the past few days, despite having quit since the beginning of the pandemic. I used to smoke menthol cigarettes exclusively, and the hell of it is that smoking caused me more anxiety than it alleviated. I found it was easier to quit the cigarettess than alcohol (which involved heavy withdrawals), so I should consider myself lucky.
But in good news, I paid the charity doggos another visit, and they brought a friend with them! If my images seem off-kilter, it's because the pooches never stopped moving. They made up for it in cuteness though!
The sammy was back! It would, however, not stay still for the life of me.
Derp!
The maple golden got a little more attention today. There was a boy who gave it lots of cuddles!
I love the fluffy fluffy doggies, you are all too cute, and make our days brighter
Keep going, Bees! It's almost Friday.
Playing: Installed Just Cause 3, but it didn't really click with me, so I had it refunded. After going back and forth for a bit, I bought an immersive sim called Sonar Shock (bah, seems anyone can add "shock" to their game title), which almost directly lifts the interface for the original System Shock, though not the premise: file this one under "Soviet-core", as it takes a sci-fi revisionist approach to submarine life in the Cold War. Also, you can't save at will; I found this out the hard way after dying and having to restart the intro. Ah well, c'est la vie. Zero Sievert just dropped its 1.0 update, so I'll give that old warhorse another go.
Watching: In a rare cinema watch, I went to see Smile 2 with a good friend of mine. Review below...
After a traumatic car crash fueled by cocaine and alcohol that took the life of her boyfriend, pop star Skye Riley seeks to mend her career by staging a comeback. Seeking to assuage the doubts of her staff, her fans, and naysayers, Skye finds that it's not so easy to shake off the trauma and addictions that have dogged her career. A fateful decision to acquire vicodin from a dealer she knows ends with her being haunted by a mysterious demon: it preys on victims by inducing hallucinations marked with toothy, ear-to-ear smiles. With seven days before her death, Skye races to cope with these horrific visions while dealing with the pressures of being a pop star.
I would say that Smile 2 is not a sophisticated horror movie, but I feel that's a bit of a misdirection. Nothing was spared in the film's production. We're treated to sumptious dance sequences, costumes, music, and set pieces that you would associate with a world class pop star. Let's be clear that Naomi Scott feels entirely believable in this role, thanks to her own performing talents (more on her later). Smile 2 takes the premise of the first one and goes nuts, basically wreaking havoc over a pop star's life - as I guessed, it's like the first movie times five.
What I mean is that the scares and the plot are as boilerplate horror as you can get. The film's arsenal includes liberal, but not inventive use of jump scares (no surprise, seeing how they were liberally peppered through the first movie), and a surprising level of gore and violence that almost rivals Terrifier (while being more "classy). The sound is my most disliked part of the movie; while there's that signature droooone, the overbearing sound design punctuates the scares every time, which I just find annoying (interestingly, much of the jump scares rely on sound). So you go in expecting a horror movie, and that's... pretty much all that you'll get. Even the twists that come with the territory (they were a huge part of the first instalment, after all) are... I dunno, a touch predictable. Not coincidentally, I put the pieces together based on a review I read and had the ending spoiled; though I'm sure someone could easily have come to the same conclusion I did with some forethought.
Make no mistake, the film is pretty intense: it's just not very inventive or as elevated, as, say, Talk to Me (I maintain that film is a modern horror classic). Scott is put through the wringer in this performance, but the film is kind of light on providing her with nuance, I feel - she's smashed with the stigma of being an addict (and believe you me, I know what that's like) and with the stress of being a pop star, and that subsumes her character. The film is kind of light on humour too, though I admit that that's something of a calling card for this franchise (is that what it's becoming??) So in the end, scares trump character development: as you do.
All in all, this film earns three and a half smiles (what else?) out of five.
Listening to: Skye Riley - Grieved You. Tonight's Halloween song is a bit of a departure for me. Taken from the movie I watched, I felt that the original songs (performed by Naomi Scott) deserve some attention. Irresistible pop hooks aside, they have an eerie and fatalistic vibein their sound that's quite right for the season (to say nothing of the movie's plot).
@Laura Rainbow Dragon I saw the maple golden again, and it got more cuddles today, thankfully!
Ahoy! A Gentle Ox!
Today was a controlled Push day. I really wasn't feeling it, having walked about 9000 steps beforehand, but I did it anyway.
Paused Bench Press: 135 x 4. It was a tough set, but all things considered, it's good that I can pull of 135 x 4 on a day when I'm not feeling right. I'll stay with this weight next week and try to squeeze out another rep.
Paused Overhead Press: 65 x 5. Eh.
Cable Flys: 6 x 8. Liking these more!
Hammer Curls: 26 x 22. I swear, I felt like a strongman when I lifted these. One hell of a set! (Shh... this is also a minor PR!)
Saw the doctor and got my assorted meds restocked.
I have been craving cigarettes for the past few days, despite having quit since the beginning of the pandemic. I used to smoke menthol cigarettes exclusively, and the hell of it is that smoking caused me more anxiety than it alleviated. I found it was easier to quit the cigarettess than alcohol (which involved heavy withdrawals), so I should consider myself lucky.
But in good news, I paid the charity doggos another visit, and they brought a friend with them! If my images seem off-kilter, it's because the pooches never stopped moving. They made up for it in cuteness though!
The sammy was back! It would, however, not stay still for the life of me.
Derp!
The maple golden got a little more attention today. There was a boy who gave it lots of cuddles!
I love the fluffy fluffy doggies, you are all too cute, and make our days brighter
Keep going, Bees! It's almost Friday.
Playing: Installed Just Cause 3, but it didn't really click with me, so I had it refunded. After going back and forth for a bit, I bought an immersive sim called Sonar Shock (bah, seems anyone can add "shock" to their game title), which almost directly lifts the interface for the original System Shock, though not the premise: file this one under "Soviet-core", as it takes a sci-fi revisionist approach to submarine life in the Cold War. Also, you can't save at will; I found this out the hard way after dying and having to restart the intro. Ah well, c'est la vie. Zero Sievert just dropped its 1.0 update, so I'll give that old warhorse another go.
Watching: In a rare cinema watch, I went to see Smile 2 with a good friend of mine. Review below...
After a traumatic car crash fueled by cocaine and alcohol that took the life of her boyfriend, pop star Skye Riley seeks to mend her career by staging a comeback. Seeking to assuage the doubts of her staff, her fans, and naysayers, Skye finds that it's not so easy to shake off the trauma and addictions that have dogged her career. A fateful decision to acquire vicodin from a dealer she knows ends with her being haunted by a mysterious demon: it preys on victims by inducing hallucinations marked with toothy, ear-to-ear smiles. With seven days before her death, Skye races to cope with these horrific visions while dealing with the pressures of being a pop star.
I would say that Smile 2 is not a sophisticated horror movie, but I feel that's a bit of a misdirection. Nothing was spared in the film's production. We're treated to sumptious dance sequences, costumes, music, and set pieces that you would associate with a world class pop star. Let's be clear that Naomi Scott feels entirely believable in this role, thanks to her own performing talents (more on her later). Smile 2 takes the premise of the first one and goes nuts, basically wreaking havoc over a pop star's life - as I guessed, it's like the first movie times five.
What I mean is that the scares and the plot are as boilerplate horror as you can get. The film's arsenal includes liberal, but not inventive use of jump scares (no surprise, seeing how they were liberally peppered through the first movie), and a surprising level of gore and violence that almost rivals Terrifier (while being more "classy). The sound is my most disliked part of the movie; while there's that signature droooone, the overbearing sound design punctuates the scares every time, which I just find annoying (interestingly, much of the jump scares rely on sound). So you go in expecting a horror movie, and that's... pretty much all that you'll get. Even the twists that come with the territory (they were a huge part of the first instalment, after all) are... I dunno, a touch predictable. Not coincidentally, I put the pieces together based on a review I read and had the ending spoiled; though I'm sure someone could easily have come to the same conclusion I did with some forethought.
Make no mistake, the film is pretty intense: it's just not very inventive or as elevated, as, say, Talk to Me (I maintain that film is a modern horror classic). Scott is put through the wringer in this performance, but the film is kind of light on providing her with nuance, I feel - she's smashed with the stigma of being an addict (and believe you me, I know what that's like) and with the stress of being a pop star, and that subsumes her character. The film is kind of light on humour too, though I admit that that's something of a calling card for this franchise (is that what it's becoming??) So in the end, scares trump character development: as you do.
All in all, this film earns three and a half smiles (what else?) out of five.
Listening to: Skye Riley - Grieved You. Tonight's Halloween song is a bit of a departure for me. Taken from the movie I watched, I felt that the original songs (performed by Naomi Scott) deserve some attention. Irresistible pop hooks aside, they have an eerie and fatalistic vibein their sound that's quite right for the season (to say nothing of the movie's plot).
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PetiteSheWolf
Well-known member
Quite liked "talk to me" - but I think autralian horror movies are specially good at dealing with "life as horror" - Babadook and talk to me regarding grief / mourning, another one using the image of a decaying house for senile madness (can't recall the title, but it was quite good).
Can't remember if you watched "Abigail" ? If you did not, I may post a review, LOL.
Can't remember if you watched "Abigail" ? If you did not, I may post a review, LOL.
JohnStrong
Well-known member
This immediately made me think of Muriels Wedding. Comedic but with a huge heart.
Congrats on yet another PR!
Big
s for all the puppy loving!
Big
s for all the puppy loving!
MadamMeow
Well-known member
Fae
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
"I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time, but Im too young to worry..."
Congrats again!
And thank you for those sweet doggies!
And thank you for those sweet doggies!
@Laura_Rainbow_Dragon @MadamMeow My number one rule for doggos and cattos is ABC. Always Be Cuddling!
@PetiteSheWolf Funny that you mention Babadook, as it's one of my favourite movies of recent years. There are a few trashier Aussie movies that I've watched like Wolf Creek (ugh), and Daybreakers, but TTM and Babadook prove that Australia can produce entertaining and cogent horror. I did watch and review Abigail! Liked it.
Thank you @MadamMeow, @Laura Rainbow Dragon, @VacTom, @Fremen, and @JCU. You're all going to hate me, because I had another PR today.
Today was Leg day. I set out for the gym with one question - could I squat 140 enough times for a PR?
Squats: 140 x 6. Holy crap, Bees. Holy crap! I've never done this weight this many times before. There came a point during the set where I thought I would fail on the weight and dump the bar, but I pulled through. The last time I lifted 140, I only did it 3 times, so this represents huge progress!
Front Squats: 65 x 5. Ugh. My hips felt weird after doing the squats, so I lessened the weight and just focused on form.
Leg Extensions: 80 x 10. A micro PR.
Lying Leg Curls: 50 x 8. Also a micro PR!
Back Extensions: Sets of 12 reps.
Trudged my way home on legs that felt like sticks.
The trick'r'treaters were out in force. It's a bit early, given that Halloween falls on a Thursday, but then again, tonight and tomorrow night are more suitable. Good to see people keeping the tradition alive; even the stores allowed people inside to grab candy. An interesting variety of costumes... lots of Joker/Harley Quinn, a few Marvel costumes, Harry Potter, and *lots* of those obnoxious inflatable ones.
In a sentence I hope I'll write again, I stumbled upon three labrador retrievers and a golden inside a 7-11! One of them had a halloween costume on, to boot. Forgot to take pics, however.
Have a great weekend, Bees!
Playing: After playing a bit more of Hades 2, I soundly beat the boss of the Olympus levels. Guess who schooled your roody-poo, candy ass, Prometheus! Now I need to focus on the underworld part of the game, which I haven't checked out since the update. Playing a bit more of Sonar Shock - it's hard, and the save system (you can only save when you find a certain item, which is found in the world sparingly) is prohibitive and punishing. Good thing I like the game. Dragon Age: Veilguard drops on a Friday! Woohoo! I'm going to spend the entire day gaming!
Watching: Apart from Seal Team (snoozeeee...) at the gym, haven't started anything for late night cinema. Have some ideas, though.
Scary Clip: This is one of my favourite sequences from The Babadook.
"I'll WAGER with you
I'll MAKE you a BET
The MORE you DENY
The STRONGER I get"
Listening to: Rob Zombie - Dragula. Tonight's Halloweeny song is Rob Zombie's tonally perfect tribute to the Munsters. It deserves to be remembered as a glorious slab of hellish riffs, razor-sharp vocals, horror, and is an all-round classic of 90s metal.
@PetiteSheWolf Funny that you mention Babadook, as it's one of my favourite movies of recent years. There are a few trashier Aussie movies that I've watched like Wolf Creek (ugh), and Daybreakers, but TTM and Babadook prove that Australia can produce entertaining and cogent horror. I did watch and review Abigail! Liked it.
Thank you @MadamMeow, @Laura Rainbow Dragon, @VacTom, @Fremen, and @JCU. You're all going to hate me, because I had another PR today.
Today was Leg day. I set out for the gym with one question - could I squat 140 enough times for a PR?
Squats: 140 x 6. Holy crap, Bees. Holy crap! I've never done this weight this many times before. There came a point during the set where I thought I would fail on the weight and dump the bar, but I pulled through. The last time I lifted 140, I only did it 3 times, so this represents huge progress!
Front Squats: 65 x 5. Ugh. My hips felt weird after doing the squats, so I lessened the weight and just focused on form.
Leg Extensions: 80 x 10. A micro PR.
Lying Leg Curls: 50 x 8. Also a micro PR!
Back Extensions: Sets of 12 reps.
Trudged my way home on legs that felt like sticks.
The trick'r'treaters were out in force. It's a bit early, given that Halloween falls on a Thursday, but then again, tonight and tomorrow night are more suitable. Good to see people keeping the tradition alive; even the stores allowed people inside to grab candy. An interesting variety of costumes... lots of Joker/Harley Quinn, a few Marvel costumes, Harry Potter, and *lots* of those obnoxious inflatable ones.
In a sentence I hope I'll write again, I stumbled upon three labrador retrievers and a golden inside a 7-11! One of them had a halloween costume on, to boot. Forgot to take pics, however.
Have a great weekend, Bees!
Playing: After playing a bit more of Hades 2, I soundly beat the boss of the Olympus levels. Guess who schooled your roody-poo, candy ass, Prometheus! Now I need to focus on the underworld part of the game, which I haven't checked out since the update. Playing a bit more of Sonar Shock - it's hard, and the save system (you can only save when you find a certain item, which is found in the world sparingly) is prohibitive and punishing. Good thing I like the game. Dragon Age: Veilguard drops on a Friday! Woohoo! I'm going to spend the entire day gaming!
Watching: Apart from Seal Team (snoozeeee...) at the gym, haven't started anything for late night cinema. Have some ideas, though.
Scary Clip: This is one of my favourite sequences from The Babadook.
"I'll WAGER with you
I'll MAKE you a BET
The MORE you DENY
The STRONGER I get"
Listening to: Rob Zombie - Dragula. Tonight's Halloweeny song is Rob Zombie's tonally perfect tribute to the Munsters. It deserves to be remembered as a glorious slab of hellish riffs, razor-sharp vocals, horror, and is an all-round classic of 90s metal.
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All the love for all the PRs. Great work, Ox! Keep 'em coming.
Obsinosterous
Well-known member
PR after PR! Well Done!
I'm going to sit here and watch all the fireworks.
MadamMeow
Well-known member
Fae
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
"I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time, but Im too young to worry..."
We could never hate you! Congrats again!
aku-chan
Well-known member
Congrats on all your recent PRs!
Thanks a ton @aku-chan, @MadamMeow, @Fremen, @Obsinosterous, @Laura Rainbow Dragon, @JCU and @TopNotch! You're the best!
Super sleepy Ox today. Not sure what happened, but I gassed out during the workout, and was lucky to make it through cardio. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Today was another Push day.
Bench Press: 135 x 5. 142.5 x 3. Ugh, not what I'd hoped for (was aiming for six reps). It looked like it would be an easy set, but I couldn't hit the requisite reps.
Overhead Press: 67.5 x 5.
Incline Dumbbell Flys: 24 x 6.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 50 x 5. Ummmph.
Got me some yummy egg waffles! If you haven't tried them yet, I strongly encourage it! They're like pancake lumps, or something like that. And... just like that, the egg waffles are finished. Yummy!
Hope your week is going well, Bees!
Playing: So... Sulfur just dropped into Early Access. That's the great news! The bad news is that all the progress I had on the demo (amounting to 30-40 hours of gameplay) has been wiped, and my precious cache of items equally wiped clean. Not that that's stopped me from having fun with the "full" game, as there are more weapons and items to tinker around with. I've made it into one of the new areas, which is pretty challenging.
Clearing my hard drive for Dragon Age Veilguard, which drops on Friday (my time).
Watching: Some Seal Team, but haven't picked anything for late night cinema yet.
Edit: If you're a horror fan, or have heard of The Evil Dead (1981), the seminal indie horror hit, strongly recommend listening to this podcast. Amazing how strenous and even dangerous the shoot of this one was!
Listening to: Charlie Clouser - Zepp Overture + Hello Zepp. Tonight's Halloween song may be familiar to you if you've seen any of the Saw movies; it is memorably played every time the main twist unspools, or the protagonists realize they're in even deeper shit! One can fault the Saw movies for many things (logic etc), but bland music isn't among them. Dun dun dun!
Super sleepy Ox today. Not sure what happened, but I gassed out during the workout, and was lucky to make it through cardio. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Today was another Push day.
Bench Press: 135 x 5. 142.5 x 3. Ugh, not what I'd hoped for (was aiming for six reps). It looked like it would be an easy set, but I couldn't hit the requisite reps.
Overhead Press: 67.5 x 5.
Incline Dumbbell Flys: 24 x 6.
EZ Bar Preacher Curls: 50 x 5. Ummmph.
Got me some yummy egg waffles! If you haven't tried them yet, I strongly encourage it! They're like pancake lumps, or something like that. And... just like that, the egg waffles are finished. Yummy!
Hope your week is going well, Bees!
Playing: So... Sulfur just dropped into Early Access. That's the great news! The bad news is that all the progress I had on the demo (amounting to 30-40 hours of gameplay) has been wiped, and my precious cache of items equally wiped clean. Not that that's stopped me from having fun with the "full" game, as there are more weapons and items to tinker around with. I've made it into one of the new areas, which is pretty challenging.
Clearing my hard drive for Dragon Age Veilguard, which drops on Friday (my time).
Watching: Some Seal Team, but haven't picked anything for late night cinema yet.
Edit: If you're a horror fan, or have heard of The Evil Dead (1981), the seminal indie horror hit, strongly recommend listening to this podcast. Amazing how strenous and even dangerous the shoot of this one was!
Listening to: Charlie Clouser - Zepp Overture + Hello Zepp. Tonight's Halloween song may be familiar to you if you've seen any of the Saw movies; it is memorably played every time the main twist unspools, or the protagonists realize they're in even deeper shit! One can fault the Saw movies for many things (logic etc), but bland music isn't among them. Dun dun dun!
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WolfDreamer
Well-known member
I think I remember reading that Sam Raimi put the cast through a lot of stress. My favorite bit of trivia that I read was that during the final scene when something seems to be running at Ash and he responds in horror, it was Sam Raimi on a moped scooter riding directly at him while holding a camera.
NancyTree
Well-known member
Yay for another PR!
@WolfDreamer I read that he used that method (on the final shot, perhaps?). Also, having two people run through the woods holding a wooden plank with the camera attached!
@NancyTree Thank you!
The Sleepy Ox returns! Today was a Back workout, though I left out the deadlifts. How did it go?
Barbell Rows: 105 x 6. Not bad! This was a PR!
T-Bar Rows: 95 x 6. The narrow grip handle I usually use had gone missing, so I just gripped the barbell with both hands, like a baseball bat. Also a PR!
Meadows Rows: 45 x 5. Another PR!
Neutral Grip Pulldowns: 80 x 6.
Chin Ups: 12 reps! A recent PR, though not of all time.
Behind the Neck Pulldowns: 60 x 6.
The gods of the gym, to whom I sometimes devote dank offerings (to say nothing of memes), have blessed me today. Naturally, I celebrated by getting something to eat.
Om nom nom.
I spotted the store cat again!
Though not especially warm, kitty was open to some head scratches and rubs. I'm impressed that over all these years, it's seemingly well-fed and in good condition.
Cats are furry and cuddly and cute and adorable and I want to cuddle them all
It's the day before Halloween, but the kids have already gone out trick 'r treating. Halloween day in Hong Kong is more (in)famous for partying in Lan Kwai Fong. I'm going to celebrate as I usually do, by watching spooky flicks.
After working out, I tried to do some cardio on the machines, and... just couldn't. It's like I'd totally crashed. So I cut my losses short and left a touch early. At home, having eaten dinner and rested up, I do feel better.
Take care of yourselves, Bees!
Playing: I played Sulfur for over three hours straight last night. Still haven't "met" the boss of the newest area, as I keep getting cut down by the long-range gunmen that the stage is rife with. Apart from Sulfur, there are all sorts of updated gaming treats that demand my attention: Devilated, Zero Sievert, and of course, Hades 2. I'll get to them eventually!
Watching: A bit of Seal Team at the gym. I've decided to watch Cuckoo as a late night movie, and haven't read any of the twists, so I'm looking forward to it.
Listening to: Queens of the Stone Age - Burn the Witch. Tonight's Halloween song is a real folksy and groovy number from Queens of the Stone Age off of their Lullabies to Paralyze album (I had that CD once; great album). The bass guitar in this one is out of this world, and the music video, while a bit cheesy, is appropriately dark and spooky.
@NancyTree Thank you!
The Sleepy Ox returns! Today was a Back workout, though I left out the deadlifts. How did it go?
Barbell Rows: 105 x 6. Not bad! This was a PR!
T-Bar Rows: 95 x 6. The narrow grip handle I usually use had gone missing, so I just gripped the barbell with both hands, like a baseball bat. Also a PR!
Meadows Rows: 45 x 5. Another PR!
Neutral Grip Pulldowns: 80 x 6.
Chin Ups: 12 reps! A recent PR, though not of all time.
Behind the Neck Pulldowns: 60 x 6.
The gods of the gym, to whom I sometimes devote dank offerings (to say nothing of memes), have blessed me today. Naturally, I celebrated by getting something to eat.
Om nom nom.
I spotted the store cat again!
Though not especially warm, kitty was open to some head scratches and rubs. I'm impressed that over all these years, it's seemingly well-fed and in good condition.
Cats are furry and cuddly and cute and adorable and I want to cuddle them all
It's the day before Halloween, but the kids have already gone out trick 'r treating. Halloween day in Hong Kong is more (in)famous for partying in Lan Kwai Fong. I'm going to celebrate as I usually do, by watching spooky flicks.
After working out, I tried to do some cardio on the machines, and... just couldn't. It's like I'd totally crashed. So I cut my losses short and left a touch early. At home, having eaten dinner and rested up, I do feel better.
Take care of yourselves, Bees!
Playing: I played Sulfur for over three hours straight last night. Still haven't "met" the boss of the newest area, as I keep getting cut down by the long-range gunmen that the stage is rife with. Apart from Sulfur, there are all sorts of updated gaming treats that demand my attention: Devilated, Zero Sievert, and of course, Hades 2. I'll get to them eventually!
Watching: A bit of Seal Team at the gym. I've decided to watch Cuckoo as a late night movie, and haven't read any of the twists, so I'm looking forward to it.
Listening to: Queens of the Stone Age - Burn the Witch. Tonight's Halloween song is a real folksy and groovy number from Queens of the Stone Age off of their Lullabies to Paralyze album (I had that CD once; great album). The bass guitar in this one is out of this world, and the music video, while a bit cheesy, is appropriately dark and spooky.
WolfDreamer
Well-known member
I mean, it turned out pretty well for a low budget indie horror film. I love that the sequel is basically a remake of the first one. It's better and funnier but still a nightmare shoot for Bruce Campbell. I also remember reading that after one of the takes of the scene where blood just pours all over him, he took his shirt off because the "blood" had hardened, and the shirt just broke. Not ripped, but literally broke.
PetiteSheWolf
Well-known member
What's that delicious-looking noom-nooomie? 
Looks like some kind of stuffed waffle ?
Looks like some kind of stuffed waffle ?
aku-chan
Well-known member
Yay for more PR's! 
Obsinosterous
Well-known member
PRs!
Rocking the PRs once again! Way to go, Ox!
MadamMeow
Well-known member
Fae
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
from
Central NJ
Posts: 1,458
"I see my vision burn, I feel my memories fade with time, but Im too young to worry..."
Congrats for your PR!