from
from
@PetiteSheWolf Ah! Of course! Maybe I have you to thank for reminding me of a certain Star Wars parody!
@JCU No problem!
"What a waste," Dr. Kedrick said, shaking his head. His team was gathered in the observation area above the subject cells. A few nodded, sycophantic. In the too-small cell below them, Dr. Sung was gently tending to the ox, which laid in a corner, unresponsive. She was petting it, speaking to it, and trying to elicit some response on its part. For three days, the ox had not eaten anything, let alone roused itself. Due to the inert progress of their current project with this Chinese water ox, he had called a meeting to discuss their next steps. Not necessarily for how things would progress, but how to terminate the experiment, and consolidate their resources. The virtual consciousness headset could be used only infrequently, and would be wasted on a creature without the required mental acuity. "I don't need to remind you all that our initial accomplishments - the establishment of a human consciousness in an animal - have come to a grinding halt. Subsequent attempts to utilize the device have been a waste, as the ox refuses to engage with the technology. Suggestions?"
"We could return it to where it was found in Guangdong," Kedrick cut the suggestion off. "I'm not going to entertain the idea of shipping a creature halfway across the world. We don't have the budget or the time."
"We experiment on the ox while we have time, then keep it as a specimen to examine why it's unique, and responsive to the headset." Kedrick tapped his arm. "Better..."
"We discard the ox's appendages and superfluous organs, pare it down to its head, and use electroshock modifications to stimulate new responses." Kedrick listened closely to this idea. It was cold, diabolical, and entirely conducive to making more progress. "That's a splendid--"
"Have you all lost your minds?" Kedrick saw Dr. Sung enter the room. "I thought better of this team! The nerve you have, to treat a living creature like this." Kedrick rolled his eyes dismissively. "Some of us have important things to do, Sung, and we don't have any interest in treating a giant slab of beef like a person. It's not like it's got much time left, anyway." Sung ignored the insults.
"The experiment has ground to a halt because we achieved synchronicity - and never bothered to achieve it again! What we did had some sort of transformative effect on the ox - you saw the scans of its brain. And then we cruelly took that virtual life the ox had and abandoned it. The animal is not stubborn, or disabled - it is depressed! And if we had taken the time to figure out a mental health response, we could do something. But we can't, because it's dying."
If she expected Kedrick to be moved by this, she was mistaken. "You're brilliant," he said, snidely. "You're trying to move us - to get us to heal an animal that doesn't want to be healed. To move the experiment into more pointless directions. Well, I for one refuse to be swayed. The creature is now your problem, and whatever you decide to do, it's on your dime."
* * *
The ox lay in its cell, totally ignorant of the conversation that would determine its fate. It didn't matter to the Ox. Nothing much did, now. His life in Mid City had not been real. It had been a computer generated simulation to get him to become a human. And it had worked perfectly, until someone had callously pulled the plug and decided the charade wasn't worth continuing. Oh, but it was so real.
The door to the cell slid open. It was that scientist lady, the only one who had shown him any kindness and empathy, and was she wheeling in that familiar apparatus? A strange seed of hope was in his heart. But he was so weak, and tired. The scientist made her way over to him and scratched his ears affectionately, crouching down to speak to him. "Hey big guy. I know it's been hard these few days. But I want to try something different this time." She wheeled the machine over and carefully, almost tenderly, attached the headset to his head. Then she switched it on. The ox felt nothing, but the scientist wasn't deterred. "We don't have much time, so listen carefully. I want you to think back to your last memory of that life you'd had. I want you to remember the strongest emotion in that memory. And believe it's real - that you're not just an ox, but a living breathing creature that deserves as much compassion as us people. Whatever you saw that day - it will always be a part of you. Because that is your life, now." A single tear fell from the ox's eye. The machine had come to life, and printouts indicated something was taking place. But then the machine went silent again, and the ox closed its eyes, relieved, and took its last breath. Sung gave it a parting hug. "Goodbye, you gentle ox..."
* * *
"Hello? Ox? Did you see what the dog did?" He blinked. He was in his apartment, with a concerned Jill waving a hand in his face. Nobles' Game was paused on the tv, with an especially heinous looking chihuahua wearing a self-satisfied smirk on the screen. He felt his head - human. He looked down - human legs. Patted his tummy - there was a slight paunch he'd always had trouble with, but it was a very human belly. "Babe? You're acting funny..." Jilly made to fold her arms in worry when Ox hugged her, hard. Jill returned the hug, a bit bemused. "Babe! It's me," she said, rubbing his shoulder gently. "Yes, it is," he said, holding her face gently in his hands. They stood like that for a second, before Ox released her, a huge smile on his face. A boxy shape was in his right pocket.
"Jill, one more thing. There was something I wanted to ask you..."
Wow, that story (which is a part 2) kind of got away from me, but I'm glad I wrote it.
So I didn't get to the gym these past few days, but I managed to get in a workout today! I decided to give my pulling muscles a rest and treated today as a Push day.
Weighted Dips: Started with 45, then went up to 50 x 6. Note to self - warm up, next time. I tried doing 45 cold, and it was staggeringly tough.
Overhead Press: 75 x 5. Hmm, I'll take it.
Lying Dumbbell Extensions: 26 x 6. Pretty good!
Hammer Curls: 18 x 20.
Flat Curls: 14 x 20. I tried mixing the two exercises, but as you might expect, results were also mixed.
Forearm Curls: 16 x 12. Maybe it was just me, but these felt easier today.
We have another round of holidays. Yesterday was Labour Day, and Monday is Buddha's Birthday. The Chinese Golden Week has begun. Yikes! I was doing my usual cyberpunking and there were tons of people on the street. It was also 31ish degrees today, which I treat as a preview of what's to come.
No big meal tomorrow. I think we'll just have noodles, and go grocery shopping for more goodies.
Enjoy your weekend Bees! You've earned it.
Playing: More of The Division 2. I rage uninstalled Zero Sievert. I think it's because I have less patience for games in which I die all the time (I'm not as good a gamer as I used to be). I don't mind a challenge (a la Hades 2) but for ZS, where I die within a second (I kid you not), my patience is sorely tested. I've died a few times in The Division 2, but it's always because I played recklessly. Feeling the need to get back into Outlawed again (no word on any updates yet lol).
While I haven't been playing any of the Borderlands game, I'm excited to get eyes on the new Borderlands 4 footage! It doesn't look like a reinvention of the wheel, so much as a refinement, but it still looks like lots of fun. Squee!
Watching: Finished TLOU episode 3. It's almost like watching the aftermath is as difficult as the act itself, and so this episode had possibly even more resonance for me than ***** ***** in the last episode. Love the chemistry between Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsay. Resurrected late-night cinema, and started watching an Irish horror named Frewaka.
Also, because it's something I want to watch, as I've never seen it in full: Spaceballs! Another of those old 80s comedies that has occupied my subconscious for years. All hail Mel Brooks!
Funny: This moment has stayed in my memory for close to thirty years!
"That's my escape pod, who're you?!"
"I'm the Bearded Lady! Who're you, one of the freaks?!"
"Come back, you fat bearded bitch!"
And bonus funny. Seriously, it's such a brief gag, but it's made me LOL multiple times.
Listening to: The Spinners - Spaceballs. First Armed and Dangerous, now this! I love how 80s flicks have killer tunes written for them. This is an absolute banger.
"Going cruisin' in a spaceship, we're so good at being bad
We'll destroy your little planet if you ever get us mad
We're mothers of the galaxy you better scatter when you see
The Spaceballs! Watch out, we're the Spaceballs"
@JCU No problem!
"What a waste," Dr. Kedrick said, shaking his head. His team was gathered in the observation area above the subject cells. A few nodded, sycophantic. In the too-small cell below them, Dr. Sung was gently tending to the ox, which laid in a corner, unresponsive. She was petting it, speaking to it, and trying to elicit some response on its part. For three days, the ox had not eaten anything, let alone roused itself. Due to the inert progress of their current project with this Chinese water ox, he had called a meeting to discuss their next steps. Not necessarily for how things would progress, but how to terminate the experiment, and consolidate their resources. The virtual consciousness headset could be used only infrequently, and would be wasted on a creature without the required mental acuity. "I don't need to remind you all that our initial accomplishments - the establishment of a human consciousness in an animal - have come to a grinding halt. Subsequent attempts to utilize the device have been a waste, as the ox refuses to engage with the technology. Suggestions?"
"We could return it to where it was found in Guangdong," Kedrick cut the suggestion off. "I'm not going to entertain the idea of shipping a creature halfway across the world. We don't have the budget or the time."
"We experiment on the ox while we have time, then keep it as a specimen to examine why it's unique, and responsive to the headset." Kedrick tapped his arm. "Better..."
"We discard the ox's appendages and superfluous organs, pare it down to its head, and use electroshock modifications to stimulate new responses." Kedrick listened closely to this idea. It was cold, diabolical, and entirely conducive to making more progress. "That's a splendid--"
"Have you all lost your minds?" Kedrick saw Dr. Sung enter the room. "I thought better of this team! The nerve you have, to treat a living creature like this." Kedrick rolled his eyes dismissively. "Some of us have important things to do, Sung, and we don't have any interest in treating a giant slab of beef like a person. It's not like it's got much time left, anyway." Sung ignored the insults.
"The experiment has ground to a halt because we achieved synchronicity - and never bothered to achieve it again! What we did had some sort of transformative effect on the ox - you saw the scans of its brain. And then we cruelly took that virtual life the ox had and abandoned it. The animal is not stubborn, or disabled - it is depressed! And if we had taken the time to figure out a mental health response, we could do something. But we can't, because it's dying."
If she expected Kedrick to be moved by this, she was mistaken. "You're brilliant," he said, snidely. "You're trying to move us - to get us to heal an animal that doesn't want to be healed. To move the experiment into more pointless directions. Well, I for one refuse to be swayed. The creature is now your problem, and whatever you decide to do, it's on your dime."
* * *
The ox lay in its cell, totally ignorant of the conversation that would determine its fate. It didn't matter to the Ox. Nothing much did, now. His life in Mid City had not been real. It had been a computer generated simulation to get him to become a human. And it had worked perfectly, until someone had callously pulled the plug and decided the charade wasn't worth continuing. Oh, but it was so real.
The door to the cell slid open. It was that scientist lady, the only one who had shown him any kindness and empathy, and was she wheeling in that familiar apparatus? A strange seed of hope was in his heart. But he was so weak, and tired. The scientist made her way over to him and scratched his ears affectionately, crouching down to speak to him. "Hey big guy. I know it's been hard these few days. But I want to try something different this time." She wheeled the machine over and carefully, almost tenderly, attached the headset to his head. Then she switched it on. The ox felt nothing, but the scientist wasn't deterred. "We don't have much time, so listen carefully. I want you to think back to your last memory of that life you'd had. I want you to remember the strongest emotion in that memory. And believe it's real - that you're not just an ox, but a living breathing creature that deserves as much compassion as us people. Whatever you saw that day - it will always be a part of you. Because that is your life, now." A single tear fell from the ox's eye. The machine had come to life, and printouts indicated something was taking place. But then the machine went silent again, and the ox closed its eyes, relieved, and took its last breath. Sung gave it a parting hug. "Goodbye, you gentle ox..."
* * *
"Hello? Ox? Did you see what the dog did?" He blinked. He was in his apartment, with a concerned Jill waving a hand in his face. Nobles' Game was paused on the tv, with an especially heinous looking chihuahua wearing a self-satisfied smirk on the screen. He felt his head - human. He looked down - human legs. Patted his tummy - there was a slight paunch he'd always had trouble with, but it was a very human belly. "Babe? You're acting funny..." Jilly made to fold her arms in worry when Ox hugged her, hard. Jill returned the hug, a bit bemused. "Babe! It's me," she said, rubbing his shoulder gently. "Yes, it is," he said, holding her face gently in his hands. They stood like that for a second, before Ox released her, a huge smile on his face. A boxy shape was in his right pocket.
"Jill, one more thing. There was something I wanted to ask you..."
Wow, that story (which is a part 2) kind of got away from me, but I'm glad I wrote it.
So I didn't get to the gym these past few days, but I managed to get in a workout today! I decided to give my pulling muscles a rest and treated today as a Push day.
Weighted Dips: Started with 45, then went up to 50 x 6. Note to self - warm up, next time. I tried doing 45 cold, and it was staggeringly tough.
Overhead Press: 75 x 5. Hmm, I'll take it.
Lying Dumbbell Extensions: 26 x 6. Pretty good!
Hammer Curls: 18 x 20.
Flat Curls: 14 x 20. I tried mixing the two exercises, but as you might expect, results were also mixed.
Forearm Curls: 16 x 12. Maybe it was just me, but these felt easier today.
We have another round of holidays. Yesterday was Labour Day, and Monday is Buddha's Birthday. The Chinese Golden Week has begun. Yikes! I was doing my usual cyberpunking and there were tons of people on the street. It was also 31ish degrees today, which I treat as a preview of what's to come.
No big meal tomorrow. I think we'll just have noodles, and go grocery shopping for more goodies.
Enjoy your weekend Bees! You've earned it.
Playing: More of The Division 2. I rage uninstalled Zero Sievert. I think it's because I have less patience for games in which I die all the time (I'm not as good a gamer as I used to be). I don't mind a challenge (a la Hades 2) but for ZS, where I die within a second (I kid you not), my patience is sorely tested. I've died a few times in The Division 2, but it's always because I played recklessly. Feeling the need to get back into Outlawed again (no word on any updates yet lol).
While I haven't been playing any of the Borderlands game, I'm excited to get eyes on the new Borderlands 4 footage! It doesn't look like a reinvention of the wheel, so much as a refinement, but it still looks like lots of fun. Squee!
Watching: Finished TLOU episode 3. It's almost like watching the aftermath is as difficult as the act itself, and so this episode had possibly even more resonance for me than ***** ***** in the last episode. Love the chemistry between Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsay. Resurrected late-night cinema, and started watching an Irish horror named Frewaka.
Also, because it's something I want to watch, as I've never seen it in full: Spaceballs! Another of those old 80s comedies that has occupied my subconscious for years. All hail Mel Brooks!
Funny: This moment has stayed in my memory for close to thirty years!
"That's my escape pod, who're you?!"
"I'm the Bearded Lady! Who're you, one of the freaks?!"
"Come back, you fat bearded bitch!"
And bonus funny. Seriously, it's such a brief gag, but it's made me LOL multiple times.
Listening to: The Spinners - Spaceballs. First Armed and Dangerous, now this! I love how 80s flicks have killer tunes written for them. This is an absolute banger.
"Going cruisin' in a spaceship, we're so good at being bad
We'll destroy your little planet if you ever get us mad
We're mothers of the galaxy you better scatter when you see
The Spaceballs! Watch out, we're the Spaceballs"
Ox knelt behind the warehouse wall, taking pains not to make any sound. On the other side of the road was the logistics center - sure to be packed with all sorts of valuable goodies to loot like CPUs and graphics cards. Unfortunately, in the street between his current position and the treasure trove, perhaps fifteen meters away, were four mercenaries, armed to the teeth. Precious minutes had passed since he'd survived the sniper trap, and his pack was laden with all the items he had scavenged. Unfortunately, the time he had spent escaping the sniper meant that the "play area" had shrunk, forcing him and his fellow players into contact. Ox did not know if he had the supplies for another prolonged firefight, but at this moment, his attention was on the mercs in the street. Their backs were facing him, so if he was careful, he could creep his way past.
A step. Another. Then a few more. He dared not go prone - in case things popped off, it would take him too long to make a quick exit. Another few quiet, light steps. He was in the middle of the road, and he could closely see and hear what the men were doing. One of them took out a pack of cigarettes, smacking the bottom of the pack before lighting up a cig. Another was leaning on his rifle, the muzzle pushed against the ground. Sloppy. Another scratched his butt. Clearly, the syndicate's hiring practices were lacking. He couldn't help but tune in to what they were saying.
"Do you think we get paid overtime for this shit? I mean, it's already been four hours, and no sign of any players," that was the ass-man speaking. The smoker exhaled a thin cloud of smoke. "Beats me. The Syndicate pays better anyway, so what difference does it make?" Another man sighed, exaggeratedly, with an equally dramatic stretch of his arms. "Man, I could really use a roast beef sandwich. Tender and rare..." Ox could feel the blood rush to his head at the comment, but continued his sneaking. "Yeah! I'd kill for a steak. Sirloin, no less. Pepper that shit and add some gravy, mmm mmm mm..." Ox was nearly there. He just had to go a little farther and then these fools would be in his rearview mirror. "Yeah, did you hear that one of the players is a cow?" His friend pushed him, lightly. "I don't believe that shit. A cow?? Man, weird and weirder. If I see that shit, I'm taking it down for sure. And then we'll have all the beef!"
Goaded by their remarks, the ox stopped dead in his tracks, still in the road. "Moo! Moo moo!" That certainly got their attention. Their shock cost them a few seconds, allowing the ox to perform a crotch chop and an obscene gesture with his hooves. The sight of a humanoid ox taunting them clearly hadn't been the strangest thing they'd ever seen, and the men raised their guns.
Oops.
Hey again, Bees! I managed to make it to another Sunday workout, so I decided to get in another Push day (I'll work on my back later this coming week).
Bench Press: 132.5 x 6, oomph, the agony! The last rep was a supreme grind, and made my lower back sore! I may just stick with doing five reps next time, which I definitely can do.
Incline Press: 87.5 x 6. Nothing to see here.
Rope Pushdowns: 14 x 6.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Felt quite difficult today.
Tomorrow is a holiday, so I'm taking a brief break from the gym.
The job hunting may have turned up some new prospects, so I'm going to bide my time. I may not have to leave Hong Kong as soon as I'd thought, which I'm definitely okay with. I still really like it here.
Have yourselves a great week, Bees!
Playing: Umm, more of The Division 2. I finished the base game, those stupid mercs have taken over and undone all the locations I spent so much time liberating, and I may just move on to the DLC missions. We'll see.
Also a dash of Zero Sievert, but that one definitely tries my patience at times.
Watching: I keep planning to watch stuff, and constantly get too sleepy (my medication doing its work). Up on my list of "projects" is Kanepixel's Backrooms series, as well as underrated British vampire series Ultraviolet, which I haven't watched in a very long time.
Listening to: The Alarm - Sixty Eight Guns. In their prime, with their best songs, The Alarm could embarrass Big Country and match U2 evenly, I'm convinced. RIP Singer Mike Peters, who died recently from cancer.
"'The Guns Forever' that's our battle cry
It is the flag that we fly so high
For every day they'll try and drag us down
I cry with anger I have done no crime"
A step. Another. Then a few more. He dared not go prone - in case things popped off, it would take him too long to make a quick exit. Another few quiet, light steps. He was in the middle of the road, and he could closely see and hear what the men were doing. One of them took out a pack of cigarettes, smacking the bottom of the pack before lighting up a cig. Another was leaning on his rifle, the muzzle pushed against the ground. Sloppy. Another scratched his butt. Clearly, the syndicate's hiring practices were lacking. He couldn't help but tune in to what they were saying.
"Do you think we get paid overtime for this shit? I mean, it's already been four hours, and no sign of any players," that was the ass-man speaking. The smoker exhaled a thin cloud of smoke. "Beats me. The Syndicate pays better anyway, so what difference does it make?" Another man sighed, exaggeratedly, with an equally dramatic stretch of his arms. "Man, I could really use a roast beef sandwich. Tender and rare..." Ox could feel the blood rush to his head at the comment, but continued his sneaking. "Yeah! I'd kill for a steak. Sirloin, no less. Pepper that shit and add some gravy, mmm mmm mm..." Ox was nearly there. He just had to go a little farther and then these fools would be in his rearview mirror. "Yeah, did you hear that one of the players is a cow?" His friend pushed him, lightly. "I don't believe that shit. A cow?? Man, weird and weirder. If I see that shit, I'm taking it down for sure. And then we'll have all the beef!"
Goaded by their remarks, the ox stopped dead in his tracks, still in the road. "Moo! Moo moo!" That certainly got their attention. Their shock cost them a few seconds, allowing the ox to perform a crotch chop and an obscene gesture with his hooves. The sight of a humanoid ox taunting them clearly hadn't been the strangest thing they'd ever seen, and the men raised their guns.
Oops.
Hey again, Bees! I managed to make it to another Sunday workout, so I decided to get in another Push day (I'll work on my back later this coming week).
Bench Press: 132.5 x 6, oomph, the agony! The last rep was a supreme grind, and made my lower back sore! I may just stick with doing five reps next time, which I definitely can do.
Incline Press: 87.5 x 6. Nothing to see here.
Rope Pushdowns: 14 x 6.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Felt quite difficult today.
Tomorrow is a holiday, so I'm taking a brief break from the gym.
The job hunting may have turned up some new prospects, so I'm going to bide my time. I may not have to leave Hong Kong as soon as I'd thought, which I'm definitely okay with. I still really like it here.
Have yourselves a great week, Bees!
Playing: Umm, more of The Division 2. I finished the base game, those stupid mercs have taken over and undone all the locations I spent so much time liberating, and I may just move on to the DLC missions. We'll see.
Also a dash of Zero Sievert, but that one definitely tries my patience at times.
Watching: I keep planning to watch stuff, and constantly get too sleepy (my medication doing its work). Up on my list of "projects" is Kanepixel's Backrooms series, as well as underrated British vampire series Ultraviolet, which I haven't watched in a very long time.
Listening to: The Alarm - Sixty Eight Guns. In their prime, with their best songs, The Alarm could embarrass Big Country and match U2 evenly, I'm convinced. RIP Singer Mike Peters, who died recently from cancer.
"'The Guns Forever' that's our battle cry
It is the flag that we fly so high
For every day they'll try and drag us down
I cry with anger I have done no crime"
I hope something good works out for you!
PetiteSheWolf
Alchemist
from
France
from
France
Posts: 3,036
Crossing fingers for the job hunting. And laughs - I'm a vegetarian, don't shoot, mister Ox!
Good luck with the job hunting Ox!
I saw Mike Peters several times playing at Wales football matches. He was a fan of the national team and quite strongly associated with them, and recorded a fan song for them.
I have to be honest and say the music is not particulary my thing, but he was a good, genuine man from what I gather and I'm saddened by his early death. Thanks for the post for him. x
I saw Mike Peters several times playing at Wales football matches. He was a fan of the national team and quite strongly associated with them, and recorded a fan song for them.
I have to be honest and say the music is not particulary my thing, but he was a good, genuine man from what I gather and I'm saddened by his early death. Thanks for the post for him. x
@Mamatigerj @PetiteSheWolf @colin Thank you all of you.
@PetiteSheWolf Ox would agree with you! He's a herbivore.
@colin Fair enough. I'm not a big fan of most of their music, but I found several of their songs very powerful and worth noting. RIP, Mr. Peters.
You're tuned into to HKOX-101FM. That was The Alarm, with their perennial hit "Sixty-Eight Guns", and may band founder Mike Peters rest in peace.
This is bovine at large, Gentle Ox, giving you words of wisdom that will do you good! Did I say "will"? I'd better dispel those lingering accusations and say "probably won't mean squat." At least that what my pals say, or would, if they weren't in the clink.
One thing I *do* want you all to ponder for today: Cats. What even are they? Balls of cuddly fluff devoted to giving us good times with purrs, rubbs, and muffin-making? Or pitiless little ninjas that would shred us if they were big enough? Notice that there are no rats around HKOX headquarters - but that's only because station mascot Hench has taken care of them! Yikes! Viewers, call in to HKOX at 2466-6610 and share a piece of your mind, for your peace of mind.
Don't touch that dial, we've got lots wonderful, mind-bending, stellar, amazing, stupendous tunes coming your way. But now our vaults are empty, and what better way to restock them than to sell some stuff! From whom? Why, our sponsors and advertisers, of course. Grab their goods, and you'll throw a few bucks our way too. Buy your favourite Ox some tasty treats! We'll be back soon!
Hey again Bees! Another post-holiday workout is live, now. I did another Push day (yeah, I do a lot of those, but am planning to go back to my other muscles later).
Weighted Dips: 60 x 7. I was trying for 8, but couldn't hack it (maybe next time?). Nonetheless, I've never done this before, which makes it a PR!
Incline Press: 90 x 6.
Lying Dumbbell Extensions: 28 x 6. Getting pretty tough now.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20.
Forearm Curls: 18 x 10. Moving up in weight now.
Thursday is Back, and Friday is Legs, but I will have to see if I can squat without pain. I will more likely than not have to do the leg press.
Keep going, Bees! You've got this.
Playing: Eh, mostly been slugging my way through The Division 2. But starting to feel that ennui kick in, even before finishing the (non-DLC) endgame. Yikes. Better hang in there. Haven't played Outlawed in awhile, and though it's supremely unpolished next to The Division, I can still feel it compelling me back.
Watching: Finished another dependably excellent episode of Last of Us. Great performances all round. Also started watching Warfare, which I will post a review of when I'm finished.
I wanted to talk more about Ultraviolet, which is a British series from 1998 about vampires. Unlike most other vampire-related media, it has an unusual amount of gravitas and grit, in equal measure. A lot of the usual silly tropes you see in stuff like John Carpenter's Vampires is downplayed, and barring the sine qua non of vampire fiction, the whole venture (or is that VENTRUE? I kid, I kid) feels real. The writing is whip-smart, thanks to Joe Ahearne (he wrote another supernatural series I loved called Apparitions). Normally I drowse off at procedural dramas, but this one is pretty darn compelling; have already watched one episode, and will continue. It's free on youtube for anyone interested.
Listening to: Darling Violetta - Smaller God. I've been boning up on my vampire/goth music lately, not only tv shows. This song was memorably featured in the seminal PC RPG Vampire: Bloodlines. If you're a fan of vampires or RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play this one. Trust me! This one has killer atmosphere and vocals.
"Your presence is the morning
Your absence is the night
I'm searching your dark hallways
And I'm trying to find your light
I'm swimming your sad oceans
I'm drowning in your sea
This will all be over soon
And we'll learn to live again"
@PetiteSheWolf Ox would agree with you! He's a herbivore.
@colin Fair enough. I'm not a big fan of most of their music, but I found several of their songs very powerful and worth noting. RIP, Mr. Peters.
You're tuned into to HKOX-101FM. That was The Alarm, with their perennial hit "Sixty-Eight Guns", and may band founder Mike Peters rest in peace.
This is bovine at large, Gentle Ox, giving you words of wisdom that will do you good! Did I say "will"? I'd better dispel those lingering accusations and say "probably won't mean squat." At least that what my pals say, or would, if they weren't in the clink.
One thing I *do* want you all to ponder for today: Cats. What even are they? Balls of cuddly fluff devoted to giving us good times with purrs, rubbs, and muffin-making? Or pitiless little ninjas that would shred us if they were big enough? Notice that there are no rats around HKOX headquarters - but that's only because station mascot Hench has taken care of them! Yikes! Viewers, call in to HKOX at 2466-6610 and share a piece of your mind, for your peace of mind.
Don't touch that dial, we've got lots wonderful, mind-bending, stellar, amazing, stupendous tunes coming your way. But now our vaults are empty, and what better way to restock them than to sell some stuff! From whom? Why, our sponsors and advertisers, of course. Grab their goods, and you'll throw a few bucks our way too. Buy your favourite Ox some tasty treats! We'll be back soon!
Hey again Bees! Another post-holiday workout is live, now. I did another Push day (yeah, I do a lot of those, but am planning to go back to my other muscles later).
Weighted Dips: 60 x 7. I was trying for 8, but couldn't hack it (maybe next time?). Nonetheless, I've never done this before, which makes it a PR!
Incline Press: 90 x 6.
Lying Dumbbell Extensions: 28 x 6. Getting pretty tough now.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20.
Forearm Curls: 18 x 10. Moving up in weight now.
Thursday is Back, and Friday is Legs, but I will have to see if I can squat without pain. I will more likely than not have to do the leg press.
Keep going, Bees! You've got this.
Playing: Eh, mostly been slugging my way through The Division 2. But starting to feel that ennui kick in, even before finishing the (non-DLC) endgame. Yikes. Better hang in there. Haven't played Outlawed in awhile, and though it's supremely unpolished next to The Division, I can still feel it compelling me back.
Watching: Finished another dependably excellent episode of Last of Us. Great performances all round. Also started watching Warfare, which I will post a review of when I'm finished.
I wanted to talk more about Ultraviolet, which is a British series from 1998 about vampires. Unlike most other vampire-related media, it has an unusual amount of gravitas and grit, in equal measure. A lot of the usual silly tropes you see in stuff like John Carpenter's Vampires is downplayed, and barring the sine qua non of vampire fiction, the whole venture (or is that VENTRUE? I kid, I kid) feels real. The writing is whip-smart, thanks to Joe Ahearne (he wrote another supernatural series I loved called Apparitions). Normally I drowse off at procedural dramas, but this one is pretty darn compelling; have already watched one episode, and will continue. It's free on youtube for anyone interested.
Listening to: Darling Violetta - Smaller God. I've been boning up on my vampire/goth music lately, not only tv shows. This song was memorably featured in the seminal PC RPG Vampire: Bloodlines. If you're a fan of vampires or RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play this one. Trust me! This one has killer atmosphere and vocals.
"Your presence is the morning
Your absence is the night
I'm searching your dark hallways
And I'm trying to find your light
I'm swimming your sad oceans
I'm drowning in your sea
This will all be over soon
And we'll learn to live again"
Cheers!
Thank you so much @CODawn, @Fremen, @Mamatigerj, @JCU, and @TopNotch.
Stone never felt entirely comfortable in Chinatown. As the supposed headquarters of the quasi-mythical, definitely criminal Black Society, she felt like her presence there as a fair-haired policewoman was a gigantic billboard that said "Outsider". She had told the Ox to forget it, but while the reference wasn't lost on him, her reluctance was, and now they were in this strange little chunk of China away from China, which encapsulated a major road, dozens of side streets, and several neighborhoods. For now, it seemed like the whole of Chinatown had erupted in celebration; Stone had consulted her phone and realized that that day was the start of the Lunar New Year, which the denizens of Chinatown took quite seriously. Around her, people were in the streets shopping at the vendors taking advantage of the occasion to display their colourful wares. Others were watching a spirited Lion dance and acrobatic troupe that even Stone found quite impressive. Still others were taking pictures of the assorted sights. Stone couldn't help but wonder how many of them worked with, or benefited from the criminal ventures of the Black Society. Curiously, they were paying very little attention to the two detectives; perhaps the Ox had a certain cachet with the community.
While she was following the ox through the crowd, she felt a tug at her jacket. Stone turned to see a girl of perhaps 8-10 years old, presenting her with a red packet printed with gold Chinese characters. "Gung hei fat choi!" She chirped, and Stone took the red packet, more out of surprise than grace. The girl disappeared into the crowd, and the ox had stopped when he'd seen she wasn't following him. "Moo moo?" He asked, indicating the packet. Stone handed it to him, and watched as he opened it up. Instead of the traditional chocolate coins or money one would find in the packet, this one had a note, which the Ox read, quickly. When he was done, he crumpled it up, and tossed it into the gutter. Stone quirked an eyebrow. "Was that necessary?" The Ox had already turned away. "Moo," he said dismissively. Stone felt her gut tighten. This wasn't a coincidence.
After making their way through the burgeoning crowd, the Ox had led them down several side streets, and then finally into a small bookstore. Normally a voracious reader, Stone was put off by the fact that all the books that lined the walls and were arranged in neat piles were in Chinese script. The proprietor, an unassuming, middle-aged man in street clothing, stepped out from behind the counter.
"Ah Nau, hou loi mouh gin," said the man, and Stone didn't need to know Chinese to know that the men knew each other well.
"Tai sin Saang, gei noi mouh gin, mouh yisi," The Ox said, nodding to him. Stone's eyes widened. The Ox had spoken in human speech. She had never heard him do that.
"M'gan yu! Yihou duoh leih, duoh bongchan." The man turned to appraise Stone briefly. "Haih neih ge tungsi?"
"Dongyin. Daanhai, hou minghin keuih haih chai lou."
"Sai m'sai tau souh? Keiuh gei leng lui. Gamyat dim bong douh neihdei?" Stone coughed, feeling a touch annoyed and left out.
"Sorry gents, too bad I forgot my Cantonese phrasebook at home," she pointedly remarked.
The man smiled at her, as if meaning no offense. "And you will not need it," he replied in nigh-perfect English, with the slightest accent. The Ox rolled his eyes. The pleasantries seemingly out of the way, the man addressed them both, thankfully in English. "So, what can I help you with today?" The Ox folded his arms. "Moo moo moo moo." The man bowed his head briefly. "Officer Biggs was a friend of this community, and he will be missed. I assume you're looking for his murderer?" The Ox merely nodded, and Stone could feel the anger coming from him. "Well then, come with me," he said, waving for them to follow him. "Let us see what we know about this particular Ram..."
Another one that got away from me! The Cantonese conversation is not perfectly romanized (as I'm not very fluent with it), but I tried to get the feel of how it would sound.
Hey again, Bees! I managed to make it to the gym once more for my long awaited Pull day! I decided to reset my Deadlift progress after the hip jolt I experienced a week ago.
Deadlifts: 140 x 6. Tough, but not crazily so. Will increase this next time.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 7.
Meadows Rows: 40 x 5. Ack ack, will try to increase it a little next time.
Neutral Grip Pullups - 15! A new PR.
Narrow Grip Rows: 50 x 5.
Inverted Rows: Five sets of six reps.
Saturday is hot pot dinner! Yum yum.
And mom's birthday is coming up in less than three weeks.
It's almost Friday Bees! We've got this.
Playing: So it transpires that Outlawed is probably a cash grab. The company that made it has scrubbed their presence on Steam, and are totally silent on discord. A shame, as it had some potential.
Played Hades 2 last night and beat down the final boss again, though I only hung on by the skin of my teeth (one blow would've done me in). Still, a victory is a victory! And the final update is coming soon. Ish.
Didn't play Division 2 last night, but there are still some missions to get through, so I'll be on it.
Watching: Making my way, minute by minute, through Warfare. Even before reviewing it, it's definitely safe to say it's a grueling watch. I'll save more of my thoughts for later.
Listening to: Mammoth - Mammoth. I had no idea Eddie Van Halen's kid was making music - and with such aplomb and panache. It seems like Wolfgang favours listenable melodies and massive hooks. His music is deft and catchy alternative rock, and I'm amazed that he played all the instruments (NB Andrew WK has done this too).
Stone never felt entirely comfortable in Chinatown. As the supposed headquarters of the quasi-mythical, definitely criminal Black Society, she felt like her presence there as a fair-haired policewoman was a gigantic billboard that said "Outsider". She had told the Ox to forget it, but while the reference wasn't lost on him, her reluctance was, and now they were in this strange little chunk of China away from China, which encapsulated a major road, dozens of side streets, and several neighborhoods. For now, it seemed like the whole of Chinatown had erupted in celebration; Stone had consulted her phone and realized that that day was the start of the Lunar New Year, which the denizens of Chinatown took quite seriously. Around her, people were in the streets shopping at the vendors taking advantage of the occasion to display their colourful wares. Others were watching a spirited Lion dance and acrobatic troupe that even Stone found quite impressive. Still others were taking pictures of the assorted sights. Stone couldn't help but wonder how many of them worked with, or benefited from the criminal ventures of the Black Society. Curiously, they were paying very little attention to the two detectives; perhaps the Ox had a certain cachet with the community.
While she was following the ox through the crowd, she felt a tug at her jacket. Stone turned to see a girl of perhaps 8-10 years old, presenting her with a red packet printed with gold Chinese characters. "Gung hei fat choi!" She chirped, and Stone took the red packet, more out of surprise than grace. The girl disappeared into the crowd, and the ox had stopped when he'd seen she wasn't following him. "Moo moo?" He asked, indicating the packet. Stone handed it to him, and watched as he opened it up. Instead of the traditional chocolate coins or money one would find in the packet, this one had a note, which the Ox read, quickly. When he was done, he crumpled it up, and tossed it into the gutter. Stone quirked an eyebrow. "Was that necessary?" The Ox had already turned away. "Moo," he said dismissively. Stone felt her gut tighten. This wasn't a coincidence.
After making their way through the burgeoning crowd, the Ox had led them down several side streets, and then finally into a small bookstore. Normally a voracious reader, Stone was put off by the fact that all the books that lined the walls and were arranged in neat piles were in Chinese script. The proprietor, an unassuming, middle-aged man in street clothing, stepped out from behind the counter.
"Ah Nau, hou loi mouh gin," said the man, and Stone didn't need to know Chinese to know that the men knew each other well.
"Tai sin Saang, gei noi mouh gin, mouh yisi," The Ox said, nodding to him. Stone's eyes widened. The Ox had spoken in human speech. She had never heard him do that.
"M'gan yu! Yihou duoh leih, duoh bongchan." The man turned to appraise Stone briefly. "Haih neih ge tungsi?"
"Dongyin. Daanhai, hou minghin keuih haih chai lou."
"Sai m'sai tau souh? Keiuh gei leng lui. Gamyat dim bong douh neihdei?" Stone coughed, feeling a touch annoyed and left out.
"Sorry gents, too bad I forgot my Cantonese phrasebook at home," she pointedly remarked.
The man smiled at her, as if meaning no offense. "And you will not need it," he replied in nigh-perfect English, with the slightest accent. The Ox rolled his eyes. The pleasantries seemingly out of the way, the man addressed them both, thankfully in English. "So, what can I help you with today?" The Ox folded his arms. "Moo moo moo moo." The man bowed his head briefly. "Officer Biggs was a friend of this community, and he will be missed. I assume you're looking for his murderer?" The Ox merely nodded, and Stone could feel the anger coming from him. "Well then, come with me," he said, waving for them to follow him. "Let us see what we know about this particular Ram..."
Another one that got away from me! The Cantonese conversation is not perfectly romanized (as I'm not very fluent with it), but I tried to get the feel of how it would sound.
Hey again, Bees! I managed to make it to the gym once more for my long awaited Pull day! I decided to reset my Deadlift progress after the hip jolt I experienced a week ago.
Deadlifts: 140 x 6. Tough, but not crazily so. Will increase this next time.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 7.
Meadows Rows: 40 x 5. Ack ack, will try to increase it a little next time.
Neutral Grip Pullups - 15! A new PR.
Narrow Grip Rows: 50 x 5.
Inverted Rows: Five sets of six reps.
Saturday is hot pot dinner! Yum yum.
And mom's birthday is coming up in less than three weeks.
It's almost Friday Bees! We've got this.
Playing: So it transpires that Outlawed is probably a cash grab. The company that made it has scrubbed their presence on Steam, and are totally silent on discord. A shame, as it had some potential.
Played Hades 2 last night and beat down the final boss again, though I only hung on by the skin of my teeth (one blow would've done me in). Still, a victory is a victory! And the final update is coming soon. Ish.
Didn't play Division 2 last night, but there are still some missions to get through, so I'll be on it.
Watching: Making my way, minute by minute, through Warfare. Even before reviewing it, it's definitely safe to say it's a grueling watch. I'll save more of my thoughts for later.
Listening to: Mammoth - Mammoth. I had no idea Eddie Van Halen's kid was making music - and with such aplomb and panache. It seems like Wolfgang favours listenable melodies and massive hooks. His music is deft and catchy alternative rock, and I'm amazed that he played all the instruments (NB Andrew WK has done this too).
aku-chan
Mage
from
United Kingdom
Posts: 2,192
Congrats on a pair of PRs! 
PetiteSheWolf
Alchemist
from
France
from
France
Posts: 3,036
Briggs will be avenged!
Or / and will there be more big trouble in little China ?
Or / and will there be more big trouble in little China ?
More PR cheers! 
Thank you so much @CODawn, @JCU, @TopNotch, @Mamatigerj, @PetiteSheWolf, @aku-chan, and @Fremen. You're all going to hate me because I hit another PR today, haha.
Stone poked at her dumplings, floating in broth with a healthy helping of rice noodles. She'd tried Chinese food before, sure: if you considered PF Chang's cuisine authentic enough. These so-called "won ton" were something she'd never tried before, but that alone didn't explain her reluctance. Perhaps it was that even after visiting the intelligence agent moonlighting as a bookseller, they had remained in enemy territory, so to speak. The Ox looked up from his own noodles, which he was heartily consuming, took in her reluctance, and gave an encouraging "moo". Breaking apart her wooden chopsticks (which she had only recently learned how to use), Stone somewhat clumsily grasped one of the shrimp balls, brought it into her mouth, and chewed it slowly. It was good! The flavour of the shrimp and its flour wrapper made for an irresistible taste. "Moo," the Ox said with what could've been a smirk. His bowl was already empty, and he signaled a nearby waiter. "Duo yat wuhn coi gaau mihn, louh sai," he said. The waiter promptly wrote something on a notepad, tore it off, and planted it on the table, before disappearing into the kitchen.
The noodle shop was bustling. A small kitchen up front offered a curious look into the noodle making; the sifus were boiling noodles and combining them with broth, along with various dumplings and (ick) chunks of strange, savoury meat in pots (curiously, Ox being what he was, didn't take offense to that). While it was practically a hole in the wall, it seemed like every other Chinese resident and their friends were occupying a table. Seated on small stools, patrons often found themselves seated with people they didn't know; not that that diminished their appetite. While Stone appreciated the meal, she asked the Ox what they were to do next. His next bowl of noodles just arrived, as if to accentuate his response: "Moo". Stone was skeptical. "If we wait? How long are we going to wait? We should be digging up..." She was interrupted by the sound of stools scraping on the tile floor. A quick look around showed that patrons were flattening themselves against the walls, keeping away from her and The Ox. The Ox, unperturbed by this, and perhaps even a little expectant, nodded at something behind her shoulder. Stone turned to see four men in jackets and masks... with big meat cleavers. Their body language said they owned the joint, and even more. One of them raised his cleaver, pointing it menacingly at the Ox. "Seih Nauh, ham ga chaan! Dai Yeung seung fuhnying neih faanleih!" The rest of the patrons made a bee-line for the exit, and the Ox stood, making as if to dust off his coat.
Oh crap.
Hi again, Bees! Been a good few days since I hit the gym, so I decided to work on more Push strength. How did it go?
Weighted Dips: 60 x 8. 65 x 5. I captured it on video!
This was a bloody and gruesome set. I sacrificed a bit of technique for numbers. I also have never done this before, and it's a BIG PR! Wooooo!
Paused Shoulder Press: 65 x 5. After the slaughter of the first exercise, my subsequent sets were weaker. Eh.
Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extensions (I've conflated this exercise with another one, but from now on out will get it right): 16 x 8. Felt pretty good.
Incline Dumbbell Curls: 16 x 8
Dumbbell Forearms Curls: 16 x 16.
For Mother's day, mom and I went to have hot pot at our favourite joint to celebrate. Was very tasty. We went to Sunday mass and Mother's Day was celebrated there too!
Mom's birthday is coming up soon, too.
Happy Mother's day, Bees!
Playing: So I've hopped on the Borderlands 3 train once more, and after years of owning the DLC, completed the Guns Love and Tentacles story missions. After finally finding some OP weapons, the final boss never stood a chance. It was fun enough for me to decide to stick around!
May try to get back into Sulfur again, as I haven't played it in awhile.
Ooh, and have been playing some more Nuclear Throne as well, as it's an easy start up and play kind of game. Did I say easy? Well, maybe not.
Watching: I finished Warfare several days ago, so here's a trailer and a review.
A SEAL team operating in Iraq, 2006, takes over a house and sequesters its occupants so that they can use it as an observation post. Unfortunately, the mission goes belly-up; local insurgents relentlessly attack their location, and the group suffers several casualties. Their only hope is to stay calm, survive the repeated attacks, and call for assistance from command, and another SEAL team operating nearby.
Synopsis: A simply excellent and gut-wrenching story of Modern Warfare that is unusually devoted to the fine details.
There's not a lot of pretentiousness with this one - it's the bare bones story of how one SEAL team survived an absolute onslaught from the local rebels of Ramadhi. So those looking for an extended story will be disappointed - this one almost completely takes place in real time, and eschews character development for action development. There is no comedy except for a seemingly superfluous moment at the very start of the film. The acting is excellent, even if it is subordinate to authenticity; the actors come across as soldiers in their mannerisms and camaraderie, and it's obvious that a lot of attention was paid to detail. Technically, this is brilliantly filmed, and Alex Garland displays his chops as a filmmaker once more.
More importantly, you would expect that a film like this would be a gung-ho enlistment-ready propaganda film of how our elite SEALS gave the enemy hell et cetera. It's not. I found the film's later half to be a grueling watch, and the film is absolutely unsparing about how violent injuries can be, and how terrifying and stressful it is to be under attack like that. Remember Black Hawk Down? This film strips away the sentimentality and the speeches. We called it Warfare because that's exactly what it depicts, the filmmakers seem to say, repeatedly. The boredom, the mundanity, the moral ambiguity, the brotherhood; it's all there, and it's rendered with a punch to the gut that few other war films can match. If history is kind to Warfare, it will depict it as a landmark in the war genre of films. I would simply say it's a hell of a watch.
I won't give Warfare five bradleys out of five, but I feel like four and a half is a generous rating.
Listening to: Low - Dancing and Blood. This is the end credits song for Warfare. You can actually feel the grit and blood slough away as this song washes over you. Also NB that they chose not to end with the usual patriotic music a la Black Hawk Down or Lone Survivor.
Stone poked at her dumplings, floating in broth with a healthy helping of rice noodles. She'd tried Chinese food before, sure: if you considered PF Chang's cuisine authentic enough. These so-called "won ton" were something she'd never tried before, but that alone didn't explain her reluctance. Perhaps it was that even after visiting the intelligence agent moonlighting as a bookseller, they had remained in enemy territory, so to speak. The Ox looked up from his own noodles, which he was heartily consuming, took in her reluctance, and gave an encouraging "moo". Breaking apart her wooden chopsticks (which she had only recently learned how to use), Stone somewhat clumsily grasped one of the shrimp balls, brought it into her mouth, and chewed it slowly. It was good! The flavour of the shrimp and its flour wrapper made for an irresistible taste. "Moo," the Ox said with what could've been a smirk. His bowl was already empty, and he signaled a nearby waiter. "Duo yat wuhn coi gaau mihn, louh sai," he said. The waiter promptly wrote something on a notepad, tore it off, and planted it on the table, before disappearing into the kitchen.
The noodle shop was bustling. A small kitchen up front offered a curious look into the noodle making; the sifus were boiling noodles and combining them with broth, along with various dumplings and (ick) chunks of strange, savoury meat in pots (curiously, Ox being what he was, didn't take offense to that). While it was practically a hole in the wall, it seemed like every other Chinese resident and their friends were occupying a table. Seated on small stools, patrons often found themselves seated with people they didn't know; not that that diminished their appetite. While Stone appreciated the meal, she asked the Ox what they were to do next. His next bowl of noodles just arrived, as if to accentuate his response: "Moo". Stone was skeptical. "If we wait? How long are we going to wait? We should be digging up..." She was interrupted by the sound of stools scraping on the tile floor. A quick look around showed that patrons were flattening themselves against the walls, keeping away from her and The Ox. The Ox, unperturbed by this, and perhaps even a little expectant, nodded at something behind her shoulder. Stone turned to see four men in jackets and masks... with big meat cleavers. Their body language said they owned the joint, and even more. One of them raised his cleaver, pointing it menacingly at the Ox. "Seih Nauh, ham ga chaan! Dai Yeung seung fuhnying neih faanleih!" The rest of the patrons made a bee-line for the exit, and the Ox stood, making as if to dust off his coat.
Oh crap.
Hi again, Bees! Been a good few days since I hit the gym, so I decided to work on more Push strength. How did it go?
Weighted Dips: 60 x 8. 65 x 5. I captured it on video!
This was a bloody and gruesome set. I sacrificed a bit of technique for numbers. I also have never done this before, and it's a BIG PR! Wooooo!
Paused Shoulder Press: 65 x 5. After the slaughter of the first exercise, my subsequent sets were weaker. Eh.
Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extensions (I've conflated this exercise with another one, but from now on out will get it right): 16 x 8. Felt pretty good.
Incline Dumbbell Curls: 16 x 8
Dumbbell Forearms Curls: 16 x 16.
For Mother's day, mom and I went to have hot pot at our favourite joint to celebrate. Was very tasty. We went to Sunday mass and Mother's Day was celebrated there too!
Mom's birthday is coming up soon, too.
Happy Mother's day, Bees!
Playing: So I've hopped on the Borderlands 3 train once more, and after years of owning the DLC, completed the Guns Love and Tentacles story missions. After finally finding some OP weapons, the final boss never stood a chance. It was fun enough for me to decide to stick around!
May try to get back into Sulfur again, as I haven't played it in awhile.
Ooh, and have been playing some more Nuclear Throne as well, as it's an easy start up and play kind of game. Did I say easy? Well, maybe not.
Watching: I finished Warfare several days ago, so here's a trailer and a review.
A SEAL team operating in Iraq, 2006, takes over a house and sequesters its occupants so that they can use it as an observation post. Unfortunately, the mission goes belly-up; local insurgents relentlessly attack their location, and the group suffers several casualties. Their only hope is to stay calm, survive the repeated attacks, and call for assistance from command, and another SEAL team operating nearby.
Synopsis: A simply excellent and gut-wrenching story of Modern Warfare that is unusually devoted to the fine details.
There's not a lot of pretentiousness with this one - it's the bare bones story of how one SEAL team survived an absolute onslaught from the local rebels of Ramadhi. So those looking for an extended story will be disappointed - this one almost completely takes place in real time, and eschews character development for action development. There is no comedy except for a seemingly superfluous moment at the very start of the film. The acting is excellent, even if it is subordinate to authenticity; the actors come across as soldiers in their mannerisms and camaraderie, and it's obvious that a lot of attention was paid to detail. Technically, this is brilliantly filmed, and Alex Garland displays his chops as a filmmaker once more.
More importantly, you would expect that a film like this would be a gung-ho enlistment-ready propaganda film of how our elite SEALS gave the enemy hell et cetera. It's not. I found the film's later half to be a grueling watch, and the film is absolutely unsparing about how violent injuries can be, and how terrifying and stressful it is to be under attack like that. Remember Black Hawk Down? This film strips away the sentimentality and the speeches. We called it Warfare because that's exactly what it depicts, the filmmakers seem to say, repeatedly. The boredom, the mundanity, the moral ambiguity, the brotherhood; it's all there, and it's rendered with a punch to the gut that few other war films can match. If history is kind to Warfare, it will depict it as a landmark in the war genre of films. I would simply say it's a hell of a watch.
I won't give Warfare five bradleys out of five, but I feel like four and a half is a generous rating.
Listening to: Low - Dancing and Blood. This is the end credits song for Warfare. You can actually feel the grit and blood slough away as this song washes over you. Also NB that they chose not to end with the usual patriotic music a la Black Hawk Down or Lone Survivor.
aku-chan
Mage
from
United Kingdom
Posts: 2,192
Congrats again! 
Thank you kindly @Mamatigerj, @Fremen, @CODawn, and @aku-chan!
Stone stood as the men approached, and pushed her stool before her. Instinctively, she placed her hand on her belly and her other hand on her pistol grip; doubtless the Ox was doing the same. The leader of the men, who had threatened them, spoke again. "Gwaipoh, nigo sihching m'gwaan neih sih. Jauh hoi!" That seemed to be addressed to her. In response, Stone smoothly (slow is smooth, smooth is fast) drew her service pistol and pointed it at him. She could hear a metallic set of clicks as The Ox drew his service baton (?), though her eyes never left the thugs. "Drop your knives! Get down on the ground!" She shouted at them. Their response was to charge at the two policemen.
As they were less than 20 feet away, Stone kicked the stool across the floor, and watched with some satisfaction as one of the men tripped over it and stumbled to the ground. Two of them ran past her, presumably headed for the Ox, but Stone had her own problem: the last hatchetman was running straight at her. While a centre-mass shot would've been easy, something in Stone took over, and she fired a round not into his centre-mass, but his left knee. The pistol barked, and kicked in her hands, the thug fell to the ground with a howl, screaming and cursing in Cantonese. That left one more for her; the fool who had tripped over the stool, and was now getting to his feet. Stone stepped forward and slammed her knee into his stomach. The thug let out a breath in pain, and bent over. Stone crashed her pistol over his head and he went down like a ton of bricks. Stone busied herself with cuffing the two hoodlums, bandaged the one who had been kneecapped, and spared a moment to check on the Ox; having deftly disabled his opponents, he already had them cuffed, and was looking over at her with some amusement. "Thanks for the help, partner," Stone sarcastically remarked. Taking out her phone, she hit the speed dial for MCPD dispatch.
"This is Detective Stone. Currently at Lucky Congee in Chinatown. Shots fired; four suspects in need of pickup, one in need of medical services. Request officers at our position." "Copy," the dispatcher said, and Stone hung up. No sooner had she put the phone back in her coat pocket then several shapes manifested in front of the small eatery. Stone could make out the familiar, but nerve-racking shape of Kalashnikov rifles. "MOO!" The ox shouted at her, and then threw a table on its side. The two officers hunkered down and the onslaught began. It was a cacophony of firepower that chewed up and obliterated the small restaurant. Glass were shattered, the walls chewed to pieces, and the tables riddled with rounds. The fusillade was simply deafening. There was a brief lull in the firing, punctuated by several curses. Stone, not daring to expose her frame, lifted her pistol over the edge of the table and fired several rounds. The Ox returned fire as well, before another barrage of bullets came their way. Another pause; Stone could hear several shouted commands, doors slamming shut, and then a vehicle hastily driving away.
When it was all done, the two detectives stood up to survey the scene. There was no hope for the hitmen they had arrested; the Black Society was thorough in not allowing its members to be taken prisoner. Vicious Ram had anticipated rightly that his 49ers might not be able to finish the job, and had taken out insurance. He hadn't anticipated that the detectives would live through it: being as it was a vicious, but clumsy assault. As sirens rang in the distance, Stone leaned against the wall, more than a little shaken. She needed a cigarette, but took out a square of nicorette gum, popped it into her mouth, and chewed fervently, instead. The night was only going to get longer.
Hello once again, Bees! I wasn't able to hit the gym yesterday, but I did manage to make it today.
Today was another Pull workout. The deadlift space was occupied for awhile, so I did some other exercises first; hence my exercise order is a bit lopsided.
Neutral Pulldowns: 80 x 5.
Narrow Grip Rows: 65 x 8.
Neutral Chin Ups: Top set of Five today.
Deadlifts: 145 x 6. Went okay, will up the poundages again.
T-Bar Rows: 87.5 x 6.
Meadows Rows: 46.25 x 6.
+22000 steps. Super sleepy!
Sort of a comedown after the PR shenanigans of last time. But that's okay.
It was actually nice out today. Note to self: Spring weather is better than Summer's full boil.
Keep up the good work, Bees!
Playing: Still on my Borderlands 3 kick, but Nuclear Throne is a contender, for sure. I finished one run (which took a grand total of 11 minutes), and reaching the endgame has kinda damped by enthusiam for going through it again. Also, a dash of Division 2, which is fun in bursts.
Watching: Watching another ep of The Last of Us. Still consistently good.
For late night cinema, I'll try to resume Irish horror Frewaka.
Also, I found this clip of 2024's The Order (about white supremacist criminals), and it looks razor-sharp. May give it a watch.
Listening to: Mecha Maiko - NOT OK. A tougher sound for Mecha Maiko that still suits her nonetheless.
Stone stood as the men approached, and pushed her stool before her. Instinctively, she placed her hand on her belly and her other hand on her pistol grip; doubtless the Ox was doing the same. The leader of the men, who had threatened them, spoke again. "Gwaipoh, nigo sihching m'gwaan neih sih. Jauh hoi!" That seemed to be addressed to her. In response, Stone smoothly (slow is smooth, smooth is fast) drew her service pistol and pointed it at him. She could hear a metallic set of clicks as The Ox drew his service baton (?), though her eyes never left the thugs. "Drop your knives! Get down on the ground!" She shouted at them. Their response was to charge at the two policemen.
As they were less than 20 feet away, Stone kicked the stool across the floor, and watched with some satisfaction as one of the men tripped over it and stumbled to the ground. Two of them ran past her, presumably headed for the Ox, but Stone had her own problem: the last hatchetman was running straight at her. While a centre-mass shot would've been easy, something in Stone took over, and she fired a round not into his centre-mass, but his left knee. The pistol barked, and kicked in her hands, the thug fell to the ground with a howl, screaming and cursing in Cantonese. That left one more for her; the fool who had tripped over the stool, and was now getting to his feet. Stone stepped forward and slammed her knee into his stomach. The thug let out a breath in pain, and bent over. Stone crashed her pistol over his head and he went down like a ton of bricks. Stone busied herself with cuffing the two hoodlums, bandaged the one who had been kneecapped, and spared a moment to check on the Ox; having deftly disabled his opponents, he already had them cuffed, and was looking over at her with some amusement. "Thanks for the help, partner," Stone sarcastically remarked. Taking out her phone, she hit the speed dial for MCPD dispatch.
"This is Detective Stone. Currently at Lucky Congee in Chinatown. Shots fired; four suspects in need of pickup, one in need of medical services. Request officers at our position." "Copy," the dispatcher said, and Stone hung up. No sooner had she put the phone back in her coat pocket then several shapes manifested in front of the small eatery. Stone could make out the familiar, but nerve-racking shape of Kalashnikov rifles. "MOO!" The ox shouted at her, and then threw a table on its side. The two officers hunkered down and the onslaught began. It was a cacophony of firepower that chewed up and obliterated the small restaurant. Glass were shattered, the walls chewed to pieces, and the tables riddled with rounds. The fusillade was simply deafening. There was a brief lull in the firing, punctuated by several curses. Stone, not daring to expose her frame, lifted her pistol over the edge of the table and fired several rounds. The Ox returned fire as well, before another barrage of bullets came their way. Another pause; Stone could hear several shouted commands, doors slamming shut, and then a vehicle hastily driving away.
When it was all done, the two detectives stood up to survey the scene. There was no hope for the hitmen they had arrested; the Black Society was thorough in not allowing its members to be taken prisoner. Vicious Ram had anticipated rightly that his 49ers might not be able to finish the job, and had taken out insurance. He hadn't anticipated that the detectives would live through it: being as it was a vicious, but clumsy assault. As sirens rang in the distance, Stone leaned against the wall, more than a little shaken. She needed a cigarette, but took out a square of nicorette gum, popped it into her mouth, and chewed fervently, instead. The night was only going to get longer.
Hello once again, Bees! I wasn't able to hit the gym yesterday, but I did manage to make it today.
Today was another Pull workout. The deadlift space was occupied for awhile, so I did some other exercises first; hence my exercise order is a bit lopsided.
Neutral Pulldowns: 80 x 5.
Narrow Grip Rows: 65 x 8.
Neutral Chin Ups: Top set of Five today.
Deadlifts: 145 x 6. Went okay, will up the poundages again.
T-Bar Rows: 87.5 x 6.
Meadows Rows: 46.25 x 6.
+22000 steps. Super sleepy!
Sort of a comedown after the PR shenanigans of last time. But that's okay.
It was actually nice out today. Note to self: Spring weather is better than Summer's full boil.
Keep up the good work, Bees!
Playing: Still on my Borderlands 3 kick, but Nuclear Throne is a contender, for sure. I finished one run (which took a grand total of 11 minutes), and reaching the endgame has kinda damped by enthusiam for going through it again. Also, a dash of Division 2, which is fun in bursts.
Watching: Watching another ep of The Last of Us. Still consistently good.
For late night cinema, I'll try to resume Irish horror Frewaka.
Also, I found this clip of 2024's The Order (about white supremacist criminals), and it looks razor-sharp. May give it a watch.
Listening to: Mecha Maiko - NOT OK. A tougher sound for Mecha Maiko that still suits her nonetheless.
About the only good thing that had come out of the attack an hour previous was information. Had the Ox been counting on interrogating the young 49ers who had shown up? Or instead, counted on retrieving critical information from their possessions? Stone couldn't say, but it certainly was fortuitous that one of the thug's phones had pictures of a certain location, not to mention messages mentioning a "return 2 the Dragon". It seemed at first glance like a bad action movie revival, but there was a a certain conspicuously named location a few blocks down which the Ox swore would be the place they'd find their fleece. And so here they were, just across the street from The Dragon's Den, waiting. The club was buzzing; a long line of attractive and wannabe youngsters stood outside in the cold, waiting to enter. Bouncers that wouldn't be out of place in bodybuilding competitions conducted searches. The bright dazzling lights from inside shone through the front doors, and cut swathes of the night.0
Stone chewed more on her gum. The nicotine high had left a long time ago, and now she was working the gum, over and over again, her hand planted on her sidearm. The Ox sat in the driver's seat, tapping the dashboard with a hoof, seemingly unperturbed by the attack. Stone reminded herself that for him, it was personal on many levels. The Ox reached out and touched her shoulder, gently. "Moo. Moo moo moo." Then he did something unexpected. "No warrant," he grunted. "Outside of command. Just us and our guns. We bring the law, they run. But tonight, they won't get far. Thank you." Stone smiled a little at this. There was a sense of resolution in the car. The Ox passed her her plate carrier, which she struggled into. Extra mags. Zip ties. ASP baton. She knocked on the front of the vest. The plate was snug against her chest. She unholstered her pistol and checked the chamber. Loaded. The Ox unholstered his own sidearm - a S&W magnum - and loaded the cylinder. "Moo moo moo moo?" He was back to animal speech, but that was fine. "I understand. Let's do this." And together, they stepped out of the car and into the night.
Hey again, Bees!
Today was Push day, but no PRs today.
Bench Press: 135 x 5. Goodness gracious, these were tough. It feels like forever since I benched, so that didn't help. Next week I'm going to lower the sets and up the weight, to see how that works out.
Incline Press: 95 x 6.
Straight Bar Pushdowns: 16 x 6.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 16 x 16.
+23000 steps.
Tomorrow I will probably take a break, and let my muscles recover a little.
Keep at it, Bees! We're halfway there.
Playing: I made another successful Surface run in Hades 2 last night. Probably my most successful run yet, as I only lost one extra life. Just a case of stacking damage boons and mashing away at monsters - I know, you're not supposed to play the game as mindlessly as I do, but playing like a blind fool is too much fun! Contemplating another buy, as there are lots of gems out there, but I'll wait and see if my job prospects improve. Also, a dab of Nuclear Throne.
Watching: Didn't watch anything last night. Should resume a movie tonight!
Listening to: The Apex Theory - Apossibly. Here's a funky little throwback from the 00's. Catchy melody and great percussion. I first heard it in Minority Report, and it does sound somewhat familiar.
Stone chewed more on her gum. The nicotine high had left a long time ago, and now she was working the gum, over and over again, her hand planted on her sidearm. The Ox sat in the driver's seat, tapping the dashboard with a hoof, seemingly unperturbed by the attack. Stone reminded herself that for him, it was personal on many levels. The Ox reached out and touched her shoulder, gently. "Moo. Moo moo moo." Then he did something unexpected. "No warrant," he grunted. "Outside of command. Just us and our guns. We bring the law, they run. But tonight, they won't get far. Thank you." Stone smiled a little at this. There was a sense of resolution in the car. The Ox passed her her plate carrier, which she struggled into. Extra mags. Zip ties. ASP baton. She knocked on the front of the vest. The plate was snug against her chest. She unholstered her pistol and checked the chamber. Loaded. The Ox unholstered his own sidearm - a S&W magnum - and loaded the cylinder. "Moo moo moo moo?" He was back to animal speech, but that was fine. "I understand. Let's do this." And together, they stepped out of the car and into the night.
Hey again, Bees!
Today was Push day, but no PRs today.
Bench Press: 135 x 5. Goodness gracious, these were tough. It feels like forever since I benched, so that didn't help. Next week I'm going to lower the sets and up the weight, to see how that works out.
Incline Press: 95 x 6.
Straight Bar Pushdowns: 16 x 6.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 16 x 16.
+23000 steps.
Tomorrow I will probably take a break, and let my muscles recover a little.
Keep at it, Bees! We're halfway there.
Playing: I made another successful Surface run in Hades 2 last night. Probably my most successful run yet, as I only lost one extra life. Just a case of stacking damage boons and mashing away at monsters - I know, you're not supposed to play the game as mindlessly as I do, but playing like a blind fool is too much fun! Contemplating another buy, as there are lots of gems out there, but I'll wait and see if my job prospects improve. Also, a dab of Nuclear Throne.
Watching: Didn't watch anything last night. Should resume a movie tonight!
Listening to: The Apex Theory - Apossibly. Here's a funky little throwback from the 00's. Catchy melody and great percussion. I first heard it in Minority Report, and it does sound somewhat familiar.
They'd had two options. Go through the nightclub entrance, which would entail: attracting a lot of attention, engaging in a prolonged shootout or hand to hand fight, and potentially turning an already bad problem into an even worse one, like a hostage situation. Or they could go in the back. Stone stood guard on the alley outside the warehouse doors to the club's loading bay, and waited as the Ox jimmied open the padlocks. Before he finished, he held up a hand of caution to Stone. "Moo moo, moo moo." Stone nodded, a bit absentmindedly. "A trap, got it." It was still better than what they would encounter the front way, right? The Ox slid the steel shutter door open and the two detectives stepped inside the warehouse: only to see that they had company on the other side.
Five men stood before them in street clothes. Stone recognized several of them from her work in the Gang Response Unit. Had the Ox called for additional backup? But if he had, he would've told her - and why were they already inside? The reasons for their being here percolated in her mind, and Stone felt her blood run cold. They certainly didn't look like they were here to help them. The one in the center - that had to be Evans, a veteran narcotics detective - held up a hand and addressed them. "Okay, you want to have your fun, I get it. But this is as far as you go." Stone cast a worried glance at the Ox, trying to stop herself from reaching for her pistol. The Ox folded his arms, not looking too impressed. "Moo moo moo moo." Evans shrugged, somewhat. "I get it. You lost your partner and you want to get back at the Ram. But it's over. There are certain worried parties in that club that want an end to this." Something crystallized in Stone's mind, and she spoke up. "You were on the take?"
Evans raised an eyebrow.
"Some money goes missing from time to time, and if it lands in our pockets, what's the harm? I have two kids I need to put through college, and a detective salary doesn't cut it."
"You were working with the enemy," she said.
"Wake up, Stone! You, the cow, and Biggs are the only ones who weren't. By working with the Black Society, we could limit and control them."
Stone was dumbfounded. "You're out of your minds if you think you can control these people. What do you think's been happening these few years? A rise in addictions, murders, blackmail and gang wars."
"That would be worse if we weren't there to handle their business." He wasn't going to budge.
The Ox tapped his foot on the ground. "Moo." Was he holding something? Stone tensed her body. Evans and his men drew their pistols and pointed them at the two. "You're good cops, I'll give you that. If you turn around and walk away, we'll forgot this ever happened. If you don't... well..." He gestured loosely with his pistol, and the Ox took that moment of indecision to throw something at the men, before grabbing Stone and throwing them both to the ground. There was an enormous bang sound, and a flash that was beyond bright. Ringing still lingering in their ears, the Ox hauled her up and shook her gently. "Moo moo moo." For their part, the men were moaning and writhing on the ground, clutching their ears. Stone didn't envy them. The Ox poked the downed Evans with his hoof, much like you would a slimy fish. "Moo moo moo." The two rushed to ziptie the men and fully disable them. When it was done (ignoring the cursing and threats from hogtied detectives), they ventured further into the nightclub's interior.
The Black Society awaited them.
Hello and Greetings, Bees! I took today as an opportunity to do a Legs day, but I tried to train smart rather than super hard.
Paused Squats: 70 x 5. The paused squats have made a return, and I'm going to increase the weight gradually as time goes by. I'm kind of tired of smashing my head against the wall when it comes to squats, so the heavy weight will come in good time.
Front Squats: 60 x 6. Decent!
Hack Squast: 75 x 6.
Lying Leg Curls: 45 x 12.
Back Extensions: Four sets of ten reps.
I had an online interview after dinner last night. For days beforehand, I worked my butt off to prepare notes and get the information down to my memory, and it just didn't go well. It was for an accent coaching company, and I just couldn't make it through the sample exercise/simulation without feeling totally lost. It was like I prepared in the wrong way, or for the wrong thing. So I know that I totally fudged it.
The good news is that I checked my e-mail, and another company got back to me, and wants to do an interview with me next week. Better not screw this one up, but after all the energy I expended for the last one. Kinda not feeling the good news vibe though.
We made it to Friday, Bees! Take a load off.
Playing: I didn't play anything last night. Too dejected. Now that I'm feeling a little better, I'll resume my gaming.
In almost surreal news, the Epic games store released Dead Island 2 for free! I've had my eye on this one, so you'd better believe I claimed it at the speed of light. I'm installing it now, and will see if my ageing PC is up for running it. Assuming that it doesn't blow up my PC, I'll make a start on the campaign.
Watching: Uh, not much. I keep saying it, but I'll try to resume Frewaka, as I've already made a start on it.
Comedy: I uh, really am not sure how to describe this one.
Listening to: Gojira - Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!). Gojira played this at the Olympics, of all things. It's both beautiful and blistering. There's that traditional Gojira heavy-duty riffery, but the middle gives way to beautiful female vocals. I understand that this is based on a French revolutionary song; the original is surprisingly tough and rousing.
Five men stood before them in street clothes. Stone recognized several of them from her work in the Gang Response Unit. Had the Ox called for additional backup? But if he had, he would've told her - and why were they already inside? The reasons for their being here percolated in her mind, and Stone felt her blood run cold. They certainly didn't look like they were here to help them. The one in the center - that had to be Evans, a veteran narcotics detective - held up a hand and addressed them. "Okay, you want to have your fun, I get it. But this is as far as you go." Stone cast a worried glance at the Ox, trying to stop herself from reaching for her pistol. The Ox folded his arms, not looking too impressed. "Moo moo moo moo." Evans shrugged, somewhat. "I get it. You lost your partner and you want to get back at the Ram. But it's over. There are certain worried parties in that club that want an end to this." Something crystallized in Stone's mind, and she spoke up. "You were on the take?"
Evans raised an eyebrow.
"Some money goes missing from time to time, and if it lands in our pockets, what's the harm? I have two kids I need to put through college, and a detective salary doesn't cut it."
"You were working with the enemy," she said.
"Wake up, Stone! You, the cow, and Biggs are the only ones who weren't. By working with the Black Society, we could limit and control them."
Stone was dumbfounded. "You're out of your minds if you think you can control these people. What do you think's been happening these few years? A rise in addictions, murders, blackmail and gang wars."
"That would be worse if we weren't there to handle their business." He wasn't going to budge.
The Ox tapped his foot on the ground. "Moo." Was he holding something? Stone tensed her body. Evans and his men drew their pistols and pointed them at the two. "You're good cops, I'll give you that. If you turn around and walk away, we'll forgot this ever happened. If you don't... well..." He gestured loosely with his pistol, and the Ox took that moment of indecision to throw something at the men, before grabbing Stone and throwing them both to the ground. There was an enormous bang sound, and a flash that was beyond bright. Ringing still lingering in their ears, the Ox hauled her up and shook her gently. "Moo moo moo." For their part, the men were moaning and writhing on the ground, clutching their ears. Stone didn't envy them. The Ox poked the downed Evans with his hoof, much like you would a slimy fish. "Moo moo moo." The two rushed to ziptie the men and fully disable them. When it was done (ignoring the cursing and threats from hogtied detectives), they ventured further into the nightclub's interior.
The Black Society awaited them.
Hello and Greetings, Bees! I took today as an opportunity to do a Legs day, but I tried to train smart rather than super hard.
Paused Squats: 70 x 5. The paused squats have made a return, and I'm going to increase the weight gradually as time goes by. I'm kind of tired of smashing my head against the wall when it comes to squats, so the heavy weight will come in good time.
Front Squats: 60 x 6. Decent!
Hack Squast: 75 x 6.
Lying Leg Curls: 45 x 12.
Back Extensions: Four sets of ten reps.
I had an online interview after dinner last night. For days beforehand, I worked my butt off to prepare notes and get the information down to my memory, and it just didn't go well. It was for an accent coaching company, and I just couldn't make it through the sample exercise/simulation without feeling totally lost. It was like I prepared in the wrong way, or for the wrong thing. So I know that I totally fudged it.
The good news is that I checked my e-mail, and another company got back to me, and wants to do an interview with me next week. Better not screw this one up, but after all the energy I expended for the last one. Kinda not feeling the good news vibe though.
We made it to Friday, Bees! Take a load off.
Playing: I didn't play anything last night. Too dejected. Now that I'm feeling a little better, I'll resume my gaming.
In almost surreal news, the Epic games store released Dead Island 2 for free! I've had my eye on this one, so you'd better believe I claimed it at the speed of light. I'm installing it now, and will see if my ageing PC is up for running it. Assuming that it doesn't blow up my PC, I'll make a start on the campaign.
Watching: Uh, not much. I keep saying it, but I'll try to resume Frewaka, as I've already made a start on it.
Comedy: I uh, really am not sure how to describe this one.
Listening to: Gojira - Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!). Gojira played this at the Olympics, of all things. It's both beautiful and blistering. There's that traditional Gojira heavy-duty riffery, but the middle gives way to beautiful female vocals. I understand that this is based on a French revolutionary song; the original is surprisingly tough and rousing.
It had been no more than half an hour, but it was a bloody half hour. They had worked their way through the catacombs beneath the club, step by step, bullet by bullet. Many of the 49er line soldiers were dedicated, and unwilling to be caught alive. And now they were the private sanctum of Vicious Ram, former head enforcer and now acting head of the Black Society. They positioned themselves on either side of the iron door. On three, the Ox wrenched the door open and the two made their way inside, to be met with...
Vicious Ram. The enormous creature was calmly seated behind a wooden desk, in a plush office chair. A bank of monitors flickered in the background. Stone's stomach lurched when she saw that their approach had been totally anticipated and expected. But it didn't look like he was ready for a fight. In fact, it looked like something else. "Baa baa baa," the triad declared, clapping his hooves together sarcastically. Then he spoke! "You've done well, detectives. You found and caught the mastermind of it all," he said, in a smooth voice that was like a whetstone being slid down a blade. "Arrest me." Stone glanced at the Ox, whose pistol was leveled at the scheming Ram. Something was off. The Ox slowly holstered his pistol, then approached Vicious Ram. "Ox? Ox!" The ox ziptied Ram's hooves, as if he hadn't heard her. "This is what he wants!" The triad boss laughed an ugly laugh at this. "Of course not! You've dismantled my operation in this city and forced me to answer to the law! I'll be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Won't you read me my rights?!" He was entirely too smug. The Ox had already forced him to stand up, and was ready to lead him out of the room. "We can't arrest him! If we take him back to the station, this'll all be for nothing. He'll find his way out." The Ox gave her a guarded look. "Moo moo moo moo." This was the creature who had killed his partner, and he was just giving up the ghost? He led Ram out of the room, with Stone reluctantly following.
That feeling of odd dissatisfaction and disappointment rose to the surface as they stepped out into the cold night air where they had entered the rear of the club, with several squads of police cars waiting. The crooked cops they had left tied up were gone, bizarrely enough. In the middle of the dogpile of uniforms was Chief Hector. Upon seeing them, he let loose with a stream of furious invective that blotted out all other sound. The other police present winced at this. The Ox hadn't so much as twitched, and seemed distinctly unimpressed with the chief's profanities. "You two are in so much trouble! Release the captive!" Ox pushed Vicious Ram out onto the alley ground, and the chief rushed to his side. "We're cops, not thugs! You've arrested an upstanding citizen and gone outside the boundaries of our job!" Again, that smirk on the Ram's face. Stone finally spoke. "You son of a bitch! So it wasn't just Evans and the gang? Is this whole department on the take??" The Ram tauntingly said, "You would disparage your own profession? Surely you can do better--" There was an odd commotion at the end of the alley that cut him off.
Stepping into the streetlight was a new arrival; a humanoid crow, no less, decked out in a fine suit. A policeman was protesting at the two heavily armed and armored troopers accompanying the crow; one of them produced a badge, which shut the cop up. Chief Hector had wised up to the presence of the crow and his seeming colleagues. "Who the hell are you, mister? PPD has jurisdiction here. You'd better tell me..." His sputtering continued as the Crow appraised the chief, the Ram, and finally, the two detectives. Stone could feel its gaze bore into her. Then the Crow spoke. "Caw. Caw caw." That shut the chief up good. The Ram, for the first time since they'd seen him, looked distinctly worried. His hooves still tied, he frantically elbowed the chief. "Get me away from this Crow. Do anything! We had an agreement." Holy shit. The chief's mouth opened and shut, but no words came out. The Ox lit a cigarette, and Stone could feel the satisfaction emanating from him. "Baa, baa baa baa baa BAA!" The Ram bleated as the two troopers seized him and took him away. The Crow then turned to the Ox and Stone, the latter of whom wasn't totally aware of what was going on. Then it inclined its head, ever so slightly. The Ox inclined his own, considerably deeper, and the Crow left the scene along with his two troopers. Ox tapped Stone on the shoulder, and then jerked his head to one direction, away from the club. Stone was too glad to oblige, knowing that their efforts hadn't been wasted.
The two detectives strode off into the night, leaving the chief and his men in the dark.
Another one that got away from me! Perhaps this concludes the Ox crime saga? Who knows.
Today, Bees, I worked on my Push muscles. I was deliberately pushing the envelope for this one, and I felt it.
Weighted Dips: 70 x 5. HOLY SHIT! I did it. Sure, it was a touch sloppy and I sped through the set, but this is still an all-time PR! I cannot sell the difficulty of getting up onto a dip bar with all this weight strapped on to you and then having the guts to drop, and let your pecs do the work. Woohoo!
Incline Press: 97.5 x 6.
Rope Pushdowns: 15 x 8.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 20 x 20. Down the hatch.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 18 x 12. Use less weight next time.
It's gotten warm these few days, and soon summer will be here in all its glory. So humid! It's something I noticed every time I took a flight back home.
Lots of stuff going on next week, this week not so much. We tried to get tickets for Jimmy Yang's show in several weeks time, and it was impossible to get a ticket (even after waiting for them to be available). Ah well.
Happy Tuesday, Bees! Hope your week is going well.
Playing: So, Dead Island 2. Hmm. Ignoring the fact that it doesn't take place on an actual island, there's a lot it deviates from in regard to the usual Dead Island formula. It's safe to say I'm liking it so far, and I'll see if I play it to the end.
Also playing more of Sulfur - the latest patch bricked the game, but the creators have diligently fixed it, so I'm looking forward to doing more dungeon diving.
Watching: Uh, again, not much. Was planning on watching more LOU, but I've kinda fallen behind. In the meantime, watching more of Spaceballs (oh shit!).
Very much enjoying my watch of Spaceballs - more than I thought I would. The jokes fly fast and furious, and more of them land than not. Of course, will have a review ready later.
"Yes! The Schwartz!"
Listening to: Nevemore - We Disintegrate. I first listened to this speed-metal (I probably have the wrong exact genre, but whatever) gem from metal band Nevermore while playing Borderlands over ten years ago. My memories of the song are inextricable from playing through those levels - I remember a big garbage heap, or somesuch. Song itself is not Nevermore's most aggressive offering, and that's why I like it. It balances that thrash intensity with earnest melodies.
"I want to freeze the time
Disintegrate the light
Let the rain come down
Let the solitude surround"
Vicious Ram. The enormous creature was calmly seated behind a wooden desk, in a plush office chair. A bank of monitors flickered in the background. Stone's stomach lurched when she saw that their approach had been totally anticipated and expected. But it didn't look like he was ready for a fight. In fact, it looked like something else. "Baa baa baa," the triad declared, clapping his hooves together sarcastically. Then he spoke! "You've done well, detectives. You found and caught the mastermind of it all," he said, in a smooth voice that was like a whetstone being slid down a blade. "Arrest me." Stone glanced at the Ox, whose pistol was leveled at the scheming Ram. Something was off. The Ox slowly holstered his pistol, then approached Vicious Ram. "Ox? Ox!" The ox ziptied Ram's hooves, as if he hadn't heard her. "This is what he wants!" The triad boss laughed an ugly laugh at this. "Of course not! You've dismantled my operation in this city and forced me to answer to the law! I'll be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Won't you read me my rights?!" He was entirely too smug. The Ox had already forced him to stand up, and was ready to lead him out of the room. "We can't arrest him! If we take him back to the station, this'll all be for nothing. He'll find his way out." The Ox gave her a guarded look. "Moo moo moo moo." This was the creature who had killed his partner, and he was just giving up the ghost? He led Ram out of the room, with Stone reluctantly following.
That feeling of odd dissatisfaction and disappointment rose to the surface as they stepped out into the cold night air where they had entered the rear of the club, with several squads of police cars waiting. The crooked cops they had left tied up were gone, bizarrely enough. In the middle of the dogpile of uniforms was Chief Hector. Upon seeing them, he let loose with a stream of furious invective that blotted out all other sound. The other police present winced at this. The Ox hadn't so much as twitched, and seemed distinctly unimpressed with the chief's profanities. "You two are in so much trouble! Release the captive!" Ox pushed Vicious Ram out onto the alley ground, and the chief rushed to his side. "We're cops, not thugs! You've arrested an upstanding citizen and gone outside the boundaries of our job!" Again, that smirk on the Ram's face. Stone finally spoke. "You son of a bitch! So it wasn't just Evans and the gang? Is this whole department on the take??" The Ram tauntingly said, "You would disparage your own profession? Surely you can do better--" There was an odd commotion at the end of the alley that cut him off.
Stepping into the streetlight was a new arrival; a humanoid crow, no less, decked out in a fine suit. A policeman was protesting at the two heavily armed and armored troopers accompanying the crow; one of them produced a badge, which shut the cop up. Chief Hector had wised up to the presence of the crow and his seeming colleagues. "Who the hell are you, mister? PPD has jurisdiction here. You'd better tell me..." His sputtering continued as the Crow appraised the chief, the Ram, and finally, the two detectives. Stone could feel its gaze bore into her. Then the Crow spoke. "Caw. Caw caw." That shut the chief up good. The Ram, for the first time since they'd seen him, looked distinctly worried. His hooves still tied, he frantically elbowed the chief. "Get me away from this Crow. Do anything! We had an agreement." Holy shit. The chief's mouth opened and shut, but no words came out. The Ox lit a cigarette, and Stone could feel the satisfaction emanating from him. "Baa, baa baa baa baa BAA!" The Ram bleated as the two troopers seized him and took him away. The Crow then turned to the Ox and Stone, the latter of whom wasn't totally aware of what was going on. Then it inclined its head, ever so slightly. The Ox inclined his own, considerably deeper, and the Crow left the scene along with his two troopers. Ox tapped Stone on the shoulder, and then jerked his head to one direction, away from the club. Stone was too glad to oblige, knowing that their efforts hadn't been wasted.
The two detectives strode off into the night, leaving the chief and his men in the dark.
Another one that got away from me! Perhaps this concludes the Ox crime saga? Who knows.
Today, Bees, I worked on my Push muscles. I was deliberately pushing the envelope for this one, and I felt it.
Weighted Dips: 70 x 5. HOLY SHIT! I did it. Sure, it was a touch sloppy and I sped through the set, but this is still an all-time PR! I cannot sell the difficulty of getting up onto a dip bar with all this weight strapped on to you and then having the guts to drop, and let your pecs do the work. Woohoo!
Incline Press: 97.5 x 6.
Rope Pushdowns: 15 x 8.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 20 x 20. Down the hatch.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 18 x 12. Use less weight next time.
It's gotten warm these few days, and soon summer will be here in all its glory. So humid! It's something I noticed every time I took a flight back home.
Lots of stuff going on next week, this week not so much. We tried to get tickets for Jimmy Yang's show in several weeks time, and it was impossible to get a ticket (even after waiting for them to be available). Ah well.
Happy Tuesday, Bees! Hope your week is going well.
Playing: So, Dead Island 2. Hmm. Ignoring the fact that it doesn't take place on an actual island, there's a lot it deviates from in regard to the usual Dead Island formula. It's safe to say I'm liking it so far, and I'll see if I play it to the end.
Also playing more of Sulfur - the latest patch bricked the game, but the creators have diligently fixed it, so I'm looking forward to doing more dungeon diving.
Watching: Uh, again, not much. Was planning on watching more LOU, but I've kinda fallen behind. In the meantime, watching more of Spaceballs (oh shit!).
Very much enjoying my watch of Spaceballs - more than I thought I would. The jokes fly fast and furious, and more of them land than not. Of course, will have a review ready later.
"Yes! The Schwartz!"
Listening to: Nevemore - We Disintegrate. I first listened to this speed-metal (I probably have the wrong exact genre, but whatever) gem from metal band Nevermore while playing Borderlands over ten years ago. My memories of the song are inextricable from playing through those levels - I remember a big garbage heap, or somesuch. Song itself is not Nevermore's most aggressive offering, and that's why I like it. It balances that thrash intensity with earnest melodies.
"I want to freeze the time
Disintegrate the light
Let the rain come down
Let the solitude surround"
Cheers for another PR! 
Support for the job interview situation.
Support for the job interview situation.
aku-chan
Mage
from
United Kingdom
Posts: 2,192
Congrats on another PR!
Thank you so much @Fremen, @aku-chan, @CODawn, @JCU, and @Mamatigerj!
A short update this time, as I didn't go to the gym today, despite really jonesing for a good workout.
I think I tweaked something in my neck muscles. Moving my neck in certain directions is rather painful. Likely I overexerted them while doing those heavy dips yesterday.
So I took today off
Hopefully I'll be better tomorrow, or the coming few days.
Stay positive, Bees!
A short update this time, as I didn't go to the gym today, despite really jonesing for a good workout.
I think I tweaked something in my neck muscles. Moving my neck in certain directions is rather painful. Likely I overexerted them while doing those heavy dips yesterday.
So I took today off
Hopefully I'll be better tomorrow, or the coming few days.
Stay positive, Bees!
Healing vibes! 
Thank you so much @Antheia & Colossus, @Mamatigerj, @JCU, @Fremen, and @graoumia.
Hi again Bees! Another non-workout update.
Due to my lingering neck pain, I've opted to stay it safe and not head to the gym these few days. Even though I'm definitely better than I was on Wednesday, my pain still lightly flares up with different motions. So I may try to workout tomorrow, or on Sunday. Being sick and out of action sucks.
Went to the psychiatrist to get my meds, and do not need to check my blood yet. Meds have me stable these days, barring quite a few depressive thoughts and anxiety. Such as it is; I'll continue to march onward. I didn't get the job I interviewed for. Oh well, there are other things to worry about.
It's the weekend, Bees! Have a blast.
Playing: I haven't been much in the mood to play anything, but Sulfur has sufficed for now. Will get back on Dead Island 2 tonight.
Watching: I finally finished Spaceballs for the first time in my life; this harkens back to when I watched parts of it as a kid, a bit of the VHS version as a teen, and now I've completed my watch! Only took 25 years or so. Anyway, here's a synopsis, trailer and a review!
The greedy and villainous Spaceballs, led by the pipsqueak-sized commander Dark Helmet, have a cunning plan. Having frittered away all the breathable air in their planet, their goal is to force the peaceful planet of Druidia to give up their air by kidnapping their fiery Princess Vespa, who in the meantime absconds from her undesired wedding. Vespa is rescued from the clutches of the Spaceballs by the dashing mercenary Lonestar, and his lovable sidekick Barf. Altogether, they must find a way to stop the Spaceballs from enacting their plan, and will embark on a vast, galaxy-spanning journey unsurpassed in its stakes. Or not.
Synopsis: It's got more cheese on it than Pizza the Hut, but it's still absolutely hilarious and memorable.
In the event that you haven't heard of this movie, it's essentially a rip-off of Star Wars - and proud of it! Famed comedic filmmaker Mel Brooks copied the general aesthetic and ideas of the original Star Wars trilogy; and filtered them through a heavy dose of madcap gags and sci-fi satire. Some of the jokes don't land, but that's okay, because a dozen more take their place, and a lot of the puns are quite clever. Yeah, it's low-rent (and of course, unashamedly derivative) in comparison to Star Wars, but I think that's the whole point. I love how a lot of the humour is quite meta; there are a number of scenes where the film references itself as a film, complete with knowing winks at the camera, and movie merchandise (which sadly never panned out).
The cast is simply wonderful. Bill Pullman is solid as the roguish Lone Star, John Candy is a hoot, and Rick Moranis steals his scenes as the diminutive Darth Vader of the film, Dark Helmet. Brooks does double duty (triple, if you include his role as the director) as the wise Jewish mentor Yogurt, and of course, the poltroon and posturing President Skroob (gee that sounds kind of familiar)... Daphne Zuniga does her best Princess Leia impersonation and then some, and that's not all! Of course, the cast really makes the film sing, and even as they ape their roles, they give the film a solid heart. It's sad that we never got to see a Spaceballs 2, but the film shines on its own merits.
Because it's a cult comedy classic, I am proud to award Spaceballs five Rocky movies out of five... thousand.
Listening to: Hardy - Blurry. This is a cover of the Puddle of Mudd song (perhaps the only good song they ever released). The arrangement is pretty much the same, but I like it more than the original, and I find Hardy's rendition more sincere, if that makes any sense.
Hi again Bees! Another non-workout update.
Due to my lingering neck pain, I've opted to stay it safe and not head to the gym these few days. Even though I'm definitely better than I was on Wednesday, my pain still lightly flares up with different motions. So I may try to workout tomorrow, or on Sunday. Being sick and out of action sucks.
Went to the psychiatrist to get my meds, and do not need to check my blood yet. Meds have me stable these days, barring quite a few depressive thoughts and anxiety. Such as it is; I'll continue to march onward. I didn't get the job I interviewed for. Oh well, there are other things to worry about.
It's the weekend, Bees! Have a blast.
Playing: I haven't been much in the mood to play anything, but Sulfur has sufficed for now. Will get back on Dead Island 2 tonight.
Watching: I finally finished Spaceballs for the first time in my life; this harkens back to when I watched parts of it as a kid, a bit of the VHS version as a teen, and now I've completed my watch! Only took 25 years or so. Anyway, here's a synopsis, trailer and a review!
The greedy and villainous Spaceballs, led by the pipsqueak-sized commander Dark Helmet, have a cunning plan. Having frittered away all the breathable air in their planet, their goal is to force the peaceful planet of Druidia to give up their air by kidnapping their fiery Princess Vespa, who in the meantime absconds from her undesired wedding. Vespa is rescued from the clutches of the Spaceballs by the dashing mercenary Lonestar, and his lovable sidekick Barf. Altogether, they must find a way to stop the Spaceballs from enacting their plan, and will embark on a vast, galaxy-spanning journey unsurpassed in its stakes. Or not.
Synopsis: It's got more cheese on it than Pizza the Hut, but it's still absolutely hilarious and memorable.
In the event that you haven't heard of this movie, it's essentially a rip-off of Star Wars - and proud of it! Famed comedic filmmaker Mel Brooks copied the general aesthetic and ideas of the original Star Wars trilogy; and filtered them through a heavy dose of madcap gags and sci-fi satire. Some of the jokes don't land, but that's okay, because a dozen more take their place, and a lot of the puns are quite clever. Yeah, it's low-rent (and of course, unashamedly derivative) in comparison to Star Wars, but I think that's the whole point. I love how a lot of the humour is quite meta; there are a number of scenes where the film references itself as a film, complete with knowing winks at the camera, and movie merchandise (which sadly never panned out).
The cast is simply wonderful. Bill Pullman is solid as the roguish Lone Star, John Candy is a hoot, and Rick Moranis steals his scenes as the diminutive Darth Vader of the film, Dark Helmet. Brooks does double duty (triple, if you include his role as the director) as the wise Jewish mentor Yogurt, and of course, the poltroon and posturing President Skroob (gee that sounds kind of familiar)... Daphne Zuniga does her best Princess Leia impersonation and then some, and that's not all! Of course, the cast really makes the film sing, and even as they ape their roles, they give the film a solid heart. It's sad that we never got to see a Spaceballs 2, but the film shines on its own merits.
Because it's a cult comedy classic, I am proud to award Spaceballs five Rocky movies out of five... thousand.
Listening to: Hardy - Blurry. This is a cover of the Puddle of Mudd song (perhaps the only good song they ever released). The arrangement is pretty much the same, but I like it more than the original, and I find Hardy's rendition more sincere, if that makes any sense.
Continued healing thoughts and prayers for the right job.
and prayers for the right job.
AuntPolgara
Posts: 44
I hope you heal soon! Space balls was just quoted to me by son "You're always preparing! Just go!"
Thank you so much @AuntPolgara, @Mamatigerj, @JCU, and @graoumia!
Stone watched as raindrops fell upon the coffin. It was over. The Ox was gone - perished in a car accident that had left little of him behind. Stone didn't believe it was accidental; the Ox still had enemies all over, but the department, embarrassed by the scandal that had gone to the top (and then some), was eager to put the maverick in the ground. Done and dusted. Just a week ago, Stone had met up with the Ox for coffee at The Hound, but his mood seemed oddly upbeat, as if he had achieved closure. And in a sense, he had; he had avenged the death of his partner and taken down the Black Society - with a little help, of course.
The funeral was sparsely attended, made up of less than half a dozen former colleagues in the department who still respected The Ox. Stone did find it curious that nobody who'd known him closely had shown up, but then again, his background was a bit of a cipher. He had spoken at times of a farm he remembered fondly, but that was all. Stone sighed, and shook her umbrella a little. The last mourner had gone. It was just her. She took a breath and addressed the coffin.
"We did it. You, me, and Biggs. Say hi to him for me. You got what you wanted - not every day someone can say they took down a crime syndicate. Just wish you had stuck around longer to celebrate. Goodbye, Gent."
She didn't weep. Stone wasn't one for tears, but the loss broke her heart nonetheless. Turning away from the coffin, Stone strode through the cemetery and back to her car. There would be more battles to fight tomorrow, and she was going to have to face them without the Ox.
Hello again Bees! Been a good few days since I last had an update.
My neck/shoulder injury took me out of commission for what seemed like an eternity. I took a break from my gym workouts to recover, and did not enjoy it one bit. I tend to get antsy and frustrated when I go too long without a workout, so I'm glad I took a chance on my body today, after church.
Today was a low-volume Push day in which I took it relatively easy.
Bench Press: 135 x 3. No neck aggravation (which has in fact, never happened in the course of my benching), and I'll give it a few weeks for my strength to build up again.
Spoto Press: 110 x 3. Again, will up the weights next time.
Incline Press: 100 x 6.
Dumbbell Flat Curls: 18 x 20.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 18 x 12.
+24000 steps!
Super sleepy. A shame that quality sleep has eluded me these few days - it's like I burrow into my pillow to get my neck and head comfortable, only to find that lingering soreness again. Hopefully tonight will be better.
See you next week, Bees! Hope you had a great weekend.
Playing: Bah, even gaming hasn't been fun these days. I inadvertently paused my Dead Island 2 playthrough, which I'll try to revive (punny!). Tried Robo Quest, but it did nothing for me, really. Also a touch of Division 2 last night.
Watching: Uh, apart from TLOU, not much.
Funny:
"Look behind you, a three-headed monkey!"
"Ha! We're not going to fall for that old trick again! I guess we'll eat you now."
Listening to: Michael Land - The Secret of Monkey Island: The Scumm Bar. Another one that's lived in my memory for close to three decades, from one of the funniest games in history. I catch myself humming it from time to time because it's *that* catchy. Arrrrr... gh.
Stone watched as raindrops fell upon the coffin. It was over. The Ox was gone - perished in a car accident that had left little of him behind. Stone didn't believe it was accidental; the Ox still had enemies all over, but the department, embarrassed by the scandal that had gone to the top (and then some), was eager to put the maverick in the ground. Done and dusted. Just a week ago, Stone had met up with the Ox for coffee at The Hound, but his mood seemed oddly upbeat, as if he had achieved closure. And in a sense, he had; he had avenged the death of his partner and taken down the Black Society - with a little help, of course.
The funeral was sparsely attended, made up of less than half a dozen former colleagues in the department who still respected The Ox. Stone did find it curious that nobody who'd known him closely had shown up, but then again, his background was a bit of a cipher. He had spoken at times of a farm he remembered fondly, but that was all. Stone sighed, and shook her umbrella a little. The last mourner had gone. It was just her. She took a breath and addressed the coffin.
"We did it. You, me, and Biggs. Say hi to him for me. You got what you wanted - not every day someone can say they took down a crime syndicate. Just wish you had stuck around longer to celebrate. Goodbye, Gent."
She didn't weep. Stone wasn't one for tears, but the loss broke her heart nonetheless. Turning away from the coffin, Stone strode through the cemetery and back to her car. There would be more battles to fight tomorrow, and she was going to have to face them without the Ox.
Hello again Bees! Been a good few days since I last had an update.
My neck/shoulder injury took me out of commission for what seemed like an eternity. I took a break from my gym workouts to recover, and did not enjoy it one bit. I tend to get antsy and frustrated when I go too long without a workout, so I'm glad I took a chance on my body today, after church.
Today was a low-volume Push day in which I took it relatively easy.
Bench Press: 135 x 3. No neck aggravation (which has in fact, never happened in the course of my benching), and I'll give it a few weeks for my strength to build up again.
Spoto Press: 110 x 3. Again, will up the weights next time.
Incline Press: 100 x 6.
Dumbbell Flat Curls: 18 x 20.
Dumbbell Forearm Curls: 18 x 12.
+24000 steps!
Super sleepy. A shame that quality sleep has eluded me these few days - it's like I burrow into my pillow to get my neck and head comfortable, only to find that lingering soreness again. Hopefully tonight will be better.
See you next week, Bees! Hope you had a great weekend.
Playing: Bah, even gaming hasn't been fun these days. I inadvertently paused my Dead Island 2 playthrough, which I'll try to revive (punny!). Tried Robo Quest, but it did nothing for me, really. Also a touch of Division 2 last night.
Watching: Uh, apart from TLOU, not much.
Funny:
"Look behind you, a three-headed monkey!"
"Ha! We're not going to fall for that old trick again! I guess we'll eat you now."
Listening to: Michael Land - The Secret of Monkey Island: The Scumm Bar. Another one that's lived in my memory for close to three decades, from one of the funniest games in history. I catch myself humming it from time to time because it's *that* catchy. Arrrrr... gh.
Stone rested her palms against the balcony and took in a breath. The sea air was pleasant, a bracing change from the harsh alleyway and road smells of Polis City. Here in Santa Paz, life was much slower and patient. She surveyed the scene below: festive music, assorted restaurants, and, of course, the beach. Santa Paz was famous for the quality of its beaches, and she could see assorted strings of people enjoying their time away from the city by tanning, playing volleyball, taking romantic walks, and of course, going for a swim. She was sorely tempted to join them. She looked back into the hotel room she'd rented and realized that after the chaos of the past two weeks, perhaps a dip in the ocean was just what she needed. Stone walked over to the comfortable suite's living room, deciding that she needed to mix a drink. She opened up the fridge and reached inside, only for her fingers to brush something surprising. A small paper note. Stone withdrew it and studied it closely. Neat handwriting formed a small set of words in the middle: The noodles here are exquisite, too!
Stone's stood up, mildly puzzled. What did it mean? Only one person, or being had... Wonton noodles. She realized she had seen a Chinese restaurant on the road that wound around the beach. Stone rushed back to the balcony and her eyes fixed on the Chinese restaurant, which was equipped with small stools around its kiosk. And seated on one of those stools was the inescapably large frame of an ox. The ox caught her eye, and raised its glass of lemon tea in salute. In shock, Stone waved back. The Ox gestured her over. Feeling far better than she had in the last few days, Stone rushed down to meet him.
Hey again, Bees. Was another one of those "I really don't want to go to the gym today, I want to stay at home and lie in bed" kind of days. Still, dragged myself off to the gym to put myself through my paces. Glad that I went (I always am).
Deadlifts: 150 x 6. Ho hum. Will move up in weight.
Barbell Rows: 102.5 x 5.
Meadows Rows: 47.5 x 5. Glad my grip held.
Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Top set of five reps.
Inverted Rows: Five sets of ten.
Narrow Grip Rows: 65 x 5.
Neck muscles did not act up, thankfully. My back strength still largely held up.
Tomorrow is mom's birthday! We are going to one of the ritzier hotels in Hong Kong for a birthday buffet dinner! Super om nom nom!
I'm going to take a break from working out tomorrow. I'll hit another Chest day on Wednesday (think I'm going to give the weighted dips a break for the time being, as I don't want to injure myself again!).
Have a great week, Bees!
Playing: I am liking Dead Island 2 less and less the more I play it. It feels like it's taken the exceptional characteristics of its predecessor (cf open world, RPGishness) and straight-up removed them. The gore system is nice, but there's not that much there at the end of the day.
Watching: Am watching TLOU Season 2's finale. Haven't watched anything for late night cinema, though I may restart it.
Listening to: Drab Majesty - The Other Side. I love me some darkwave/synthpop, that's for sure! This is a catchy number with some great, icy melody - I would expect nothing less from Drab Majesty, who have released some other fantastic and gloomy songs. This one is like a cousin to the Cocteau Twins, and has a 4AD feel.
Stone's stood up, mildly puzzled. What did it mean? Only one person, or being had... Wonton noodles. She realized she had seen a Chinese restaurant on the road that wound around the beach. Stone rushed back to the balcony and her eyes fixed on the Chinese restaurant, which was equipped with small stools around its kiosk. And seated on one of those stools was the inescapably large frame of an ox. The ox caught her eye, and raised its glass of lemon tea in salute. In shock, Stone waved back. The Ox gestured her over. Feeling far better than she had in the last few days, Stone rushed down to meet him.
Hey again, Bees. Was another one of those "I really don't want to go to the gym today, I want to stay at home and lie in bed" kind of days. Still, dragged myself off to the gym to put myself through my paces. Glad that I went (I always am).
Deadlifts: 150 x 6. Ho hum. Will move up in weight.
Barbell Rows: 102.5 x 5.
Meadows Rows: 47.5 x 5. Glad my grip held.
Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Top set of five reps.
Inverted Rows: Five sets of ten.
Narrow Grip Rows: 65 x 5.
Neck muscles did not act up, thankfully. My back strength still largely held up.
Tomorrow is mom's birthday! We are going to one of the ritzier hotels in Hong Kong for a birthday buffet dinner! Super om nom nom!
I'm going to take a break from working out tomorrow. I'll hit another Chest day on Wednesday (think I'm going to give the weighted dips a break for the time being, as I don't want to injure myself again!).
Have a great week, Bees!
Playing: I am liking Dead Island 2 less and less the more I play it. It feels like it's taken the exceptional characteristics of its predecessor (cf open world, RPGishness) and straight-up removed them. The gore system is nice, but there's not that much there at the end of the day.
Watching: Am watching TLOU Season 2's finale. Haven't watched anything for late night cinema, though I may restart it.
Listening to: Drab Majesty - The Other Side. I love me some darkwave/synthpop, that's for sure! This is a catchy number with some great, icy melody - I would expect nothing less from Drab Majesty, who have released some other fantastic and gloomy songs. This one is like a cousin to the Cocteau Twins, and has a 4AD feel.
to your Mom! I hope you both enjoy the day! 
PetiteSheWolf
Alchemist
from
France
from
France
Posts: 3,036
We knew it was a ploy of the Ox to get his ennermies off his scent , ha! 