Another excellent Ox introduction, I'd say!
Humphrey Bogart Baby GIF by Warner Archive
or
jack nicholson smoking GIF
,
I wonder...
though sad for the Black Dahlia's mother... (unless she aien't the mother, but trying to frame our dear Ox for said murder!)
 
Thank you so much @aku-chan, and @CODawn! Oops, I left out a few names. Thanks also to @Mamatigerj, @Fremen, @PetiteSheWolf, @Maegaranthelas!

The noir Ox was one of my favourites to write (it's so much fun to go all out with the ridiculous metaphors and similes), I may revisit it.

Gentle Ox turned to face all around him, puzzled. He was in an open field - that much was obvious, but it wasn't the pasture that he was used to. There were no roads nearby, no pens, and most importantly, no other signs of life. An endless field of evenly spaced white doors were planted on the ground, all closed. The sun was warm, but even that felt strange. He wasn't sure how he had gotten to this strange field of fields; one minute he had been happily poking a ball through his pen, with the sounds of livestock a buzz in his ears. Then he raised his head, and everything he knew was gone. He sat for a second, forlorn and increasingly scared. Again noticing the doors before him, he summoned up his courage and walked over to the nearest one. The door stood before him, beautiful and pristine. Slowly he nosed the door open to reveal...

Another pasture - only, totally upside down.

Ox closed the door, liking the orientation of his world as it was. Over time, he made his way to multiple doors, investigating where they led. Among many others...

A farm, but populated with creatures without skin (Ox shut the door quickly on that one).
A black void, without anything visible.
A fiery world which seemed to perpetually burn its blackened earth.
A strange world in which the animals stood on two legs and the humans walked on four.

Dejected, the Ox wandered over to another nondescript door, standing in the seemingly endless field of doors. Which one held home? He knew that sitting on his haunches would get him nowhere. Nosing this door open, he braced himself.

It was a paddy field. Somewhere in Asia, clearly. In the hot sun, farmers planted their crops, and other oxen could be seen tilling the earth. Clearly, this was more promising and less alien than the other worlds, even if it was unlike the farms he was used to. Intrigued, Ox walked through. The door shut behind him.

Hi again, Bees! The weekend is over and I'm back in the gym again. Today was a Controlled Push day.

Paused Bench Press: 137.5 x 3. Waaaht. This felt like a ton! I'll work with it some more in the coming weeks.
Incline Paused Bench: 112.5 x 6. A PR! Whoop Whoop!
Straight Bar Pushdown: 15 x 8. Also a PR, apparently.
Hammer Curls: 22 x 20.
Seated Forearm Curls: 14 x 20. Gotta get these right before moving on.

It was quite cold yesterday, but now it's back to being pleasantly cool. The last gasps of winter, as it were.

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I love the cheeky movie quotes in the photos, and the treats look awful tasty... a pity that they're so expensive. WTH happened to affordable street food?? Been awhile since I had some good hawker food, so I'll have to investigate other places.

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As promised, we had dimsum at our favourite place. Food was good, as always (I loved the char siu baos on the left), and reminds me that I need to grab some more pou leih tea (my all time fave).

So Friday is Ching Ming, so mom and I are making our way to the local cemetery to pay our respects at grandfather's grave, as we usually do. Another one of those Chinese traditions we hew to, despite being Westernized family. As per traditions, we'll sweep and wipe down the grave and add some nice flowers, of course.

Sunday we're meeting up with our great aunt, who is advancing in years, for some Korean food.

Hope your week is off to a great start, Bees.

Playing: I'm still making my way through Outlawed (I have no interest in playing online with other people), and it's safe to say it's a lot of fun; the gunplay is tight and intuitive, and the looting is as addictive as always. Again, time will tell if it's a continuing experience and not just an expensive scam. I haven't unlocked all the weapons and mods yet, nor have I slain any of the hero characters (they need some heavy nerfing IMO). Have been playing a bit of Sulfur as well, as there's been another timely update.

Watching: Uhh... not much, to be honest. Will try to get late night cinema up and running again.

Listening to: Dreamhour - Shadows. Uh, I couldn't think of anything. So how 'bout some more synthwave? Here's something for those lost-love evenings alone in the dark.

 
Thank you again @JCU, @TopNotch, and @Fremen.

Ox nervously took cover against the wall. He was standing before the door of a seemingly generic, suburban house, one of many such buildings that dotted this residential area. His pack was heavy with the assorted items he'd looted from houses nearby. There were no sounds of gunfire nearby, but even so, only a fool took chances. The G3 rifle was heavy in his hooves, and sometimes got in the way. With that in mind, he slung the rifle over his back and drew his P226 sidearm, before performing a press check - good, a round was chambered. Reaching out, he opened the door slowly, and stepped inside.

Ox methodically cleared each room of the house; it was a bungalow, with a large living room and kitchenette, leading to two bedrooms down the hall. He wouldn't stop to pick up any of the items that were tantalizingly littered around the rooms until he was sure it was secure.

With no one else inside the house, he relaxed a little, gathering up the assorted valuables that he would later sell: bottles of water, laptops and ipads, and... was that a gold bar in the kid's bedroom? From the doorway of the room, Ox peered down at the shiny treat. Why was something so valuable placed here? Of course, the syndicate running the games randomly distributed loot in non-sequitor fashion, and you could find things like vintage magazines in garden sheds, of all places. The lure of the loot being too great to resist, Ox reached a hoof out to snag it.

There was a deafening CRRACCK and a bullet shattered the nearby window, whizzing by Ox's arm. He threw himself to the floor and cradled his G3. A trap. Of course. Ox chided himself for his complacency. Dumb luck that he had survived. Crawling to the window, he peered out, wary of the next shot.

I imagine the Gentle Ox in this story looks something like this:

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Hey again, Bees! Back for another workout in a row - a Pull day.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 105 x 6. Waugh. These sucked majorly. It's more of a grip issue than a strength one, I feel. May have to invest in some straps.
Barbell Rows: 100 x 5. Ugh. Should've done something different, but oh well.
Machine One Arm Rows: 75 x 6.
Neutral Grip Cable Rows (I've never consistently named these, but if you saw them in motion, you'd know 'em): 60 x 5.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 6. These felt somewhat difficult today.
+22000 steps!

John Wick 5? For real? Not an April Fool's gag? Hrm.

Two days until Ching Ming. I will try to head to the gym tomorrow, but I may give it a rest.

Keep chugging along, Bees! You've got this.

Playing: My two mainstays, Sulfur and Outlawed, are still in circulation. Checked my gaming feed for updates only to find the usual April Fool's day nonsense going around.

Watching: So schlock won the day, and I'm rewatching Frankenstein's Army. It's as good fun as I remember, and of course, will have a review ready when I'm done.

Listening to: Robert Berry, Leif Sorbye (Wheel of Time game) - Trouble. First heard this playing the game back in the day (I really should snag it, now that it's on GOG), and it's stuck with me ever since. Great combination of modern, and Celtic (?) sounds. Absolutely great atmosphere, with dashes of comfort, menace, and resolution. I don't know if it makes any sense to describe a song that way, but that's what the song gives out to me.

 
Thank you kindly @CODawn, @Mamatigerj. @PetiteSheWolf I never found the secret cow level. I could've sworn it was a myth?
@TopNotch Eh, it's the closest I've seen of a game providing an ox avatar. Or I haven't been paying much attention.

"Gumshoe, get any closer and the brat gets a bullet! Lose the piece."

Rickard Kane's usually handsome face with its megawatt, magazine-ready smile was nowhere to be seen; instead, rage was all over it, and his bared teeth lent him the look of a cornered animal. I took my 1911 from where it usually hung next to my chest and tossed it behind me.

Rickard's threat was said while he held a nickel-plated .38 to the side of his five year-old's head, both standing with their backs to a waist-high ledge. The angelic looking girl, with features that lightly resembled those of her bombshell mother, was sobbing and hysterical. Darkness shaded the scene: we were on the rooftop of the Kane skyscraper, and the bustling traffic and scattered yells of the city put me even more on edge than I already was, not to mention the task before me. I was in over my head on this one.

"Moo..." I started, appeasingly. Rickard was having none of my mollifying. "Shut up, you cud-chewing moron! I thought you'd figured everything out?" Not everything, but most of it. Kane had been planning to run for Mayor of Polis city, and figured that the overcoming of a personal tragedy was exactly what would convince the voters. Working with his contacts in The Black Society, he'd faked a kidnapping of his own daughter, Ella, with the plan of effecting her rescue when the time was right, milking as much sympathy as he could out of the affair, only then to start his new campaign as mayor with a vendetta against crime. Except, he would be in cahoots with his Black Society friends, and run the office the way they saw fit. After all, they had proposed the plan to him. All was going to plan until Rickard's wife came to a certain ox-shaped PI, who had proved to be a real spanner in the works. See, Dahlia had seemed to be a temptress and honey trap, but she actually had a heart of gold.

"Ella!" A scream brought me back to reality. Dahlia had found her way on to the roof, and was running towards our fracas. Dammit, I'd told the broad to stay in the car. I intercepted her before she could get too close and soothed her. Ella screamed for her mama and tried to break free, causing Rickard to grasp her even more tightly. Seeing his soon-to-be estranged and frantic wife seemed to cause a further slip in Rickard's sanity. "You crazy slattern! You ruined everything by bringing this chunky slab of farm meat into it. I told you I had things under control!" Dahlia cried, "Stop it, Rickard! I was trying to help us! Look what you've done to your daughter!"

I was going to have to do some talking.

"Moo. Moo moo moo moo. Moo moo. Moo..." I thought for a second. "Moo moo moo moo moo?" That was all I had. Rickard lowered the gun for a second. It worked? Only to raise and point it at me. BLAAM.

I caught the .38 round only in my left shoulder, and it still hurt like a sonuvabitch. There was only a hammer blow to my shoulder a second, before pain emitted in angry, red waves. I was thinking about the kid and Ms. Kane. I'd let them down so badly. The next minute or so was a bit of a blur and I had to piece it together afterward. Kane had embarked on a monologue of all things - the way Dahlia told it, he was planning to finish the job on me and plug her and her daughter, before turning the aftermath to his advantage. A crazed ox had offed his family, and this was the evidence he needed to really mop up the city. Too lost in his villainous nonsense, he hadn't paid that much attention to his quick-thinking wife.

Seeing me go down, Dahlia had bode her time, and when Rickard was lost in his ranting, grabbed my 1911. "Ella! Get down!" Despite being panicked and eaten up by fear, Ella, bless her heart, had bitten her father's hand, hard, causing his grip to loosen. She then ran safely to her mother. Without his hostage, Kane had stared at his wife, pistol pointed squarely at him, more in shock than any sense of betrayal. "You don't have the stones, you sl--" Dahlia cut him off, emptying the clip into him. With each round, Kane stumbled backward, until the final round knocked him off the ledge. He must've fallen for a long time, 'cause his scream was long and drawn out. I managed to get to my feet, after which Dahlia helped to bandage my wounds. The walk down was a long one, and by the time we got to the bottom, Rickard's body had summoned the cops. About time they'd shown up.

With the testimony of Dahlia and her daughter, Rickard's shady dealings were brought out into the light. The city had lost a man of industry and a "luminary", but trust me, we were better off without him. His relationship with The Black Society made public was the impetus for the city to quell their growing power, and last I heard, their leadership was in hiding. The courts ruled that Dahlia was entitled to a portion of Rickard's estate, from which she gratefully paid me a hefty sum. Thanking me for my work, Dahlia promised to take her daughter and raise her away from the debauchery and grime of Polis city.

And as for this Ox? I think I've earned some downtime at the family pasture.

Case closed.

Whew!

Hey again Bees, I've been absent since Friday's holiday.

So I took the opportunity to do another Push workout, which will mark the first time in awhile I've done a Sunday workout, after church.

Bench Press: 140 x 3. These are slowly getting better. In the future I may aim for four reps.
Incline Press: 112.5 x 7. A PR! I may attempt 115 in the future.
Paused Shoulder Press: 65 x 5. Just for fun.
Rope Pushdowns: 15 x 8. Another PR!
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20.
Dumbbell Wrist Curls: 16 x 12. Just trying them out.

Our trip to the cemetery went fine. Grandfather Lam's resting place has been spruced up a bit, though it's hard to scrape all the moss off (we did our best).

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The cemetery was... well, I wouldn't say packed, but a lot of people picked Ching Ming day to do the ceremonial grave sweepings. I understand that in Kowloon, it was much more crowded.

Also had some yummy Korean bbq tonight, but I'll write about that next time, as I am super bushed from cyberpunking around today.

Be ready for the week, Bees!

Playing: Um, more Outlawed, and little bits of Sulfur here and there.

Watching: Have been inching my way through Frankenstein's Army. At the gym, watched a bit of Castlevania: Nocturne S2.

Listening to: The Bad Dreamers - Hit Me Harder. This one has the unique distinction of being the only noir-influenced synth song - oh wait, I can think of another. But for tonight, Hit Me Harder will do. It may be a touch dark lyrically, but the melody is great once it picks up. The lyrics are also a bit apropos to the story I wrote above.

"They say you never see it coming
And like the Devil he was cunning
She hates the monster he’s become
She hates the victim she’s becoming"

 
Thank you for your encouragement @TopNotch, @aku-chan, @PetiteSheWolf, @CODawn, @Maegaranthelas, @Mamatigerj, @Fremen, @JCU. @JCU I hadn't really spotted the resemblance, but I think you have a point. In looks I resemble my mother's side of the family, it seems.

Gentle Ox warily padded his way through the dead and decrepit corn field. Once again, he had chosen a door to step into, and the view from afar had seemed innocuous enough: another farm and field. Only after he had stepped through the door, and it shut behind him had he realized his mistake; something was terribly wrong with this world. The crops were all dead and withered. And there were no sounds of any wildlife nearby, as if the very creatures had fled this land. Was this some new apocalypse?

There were some sounds coming from the barn; it sounded as if a group of people were there, singing a song, or chanting? Ever the curious one, Ox made his way over to the large, red-painted barn to investigate the hubbub. There was no equipment or hay in the barn. Most of the space was taken up by a group of people in ragged clothing surrounding a fire; the welcome heat appealed to the Ox, who stepped past the threshold. All the people were bowed in supplication, hands clasped and heads lowered. One of them, an elderly woman with greying hair, was in the midst of giving a sermon. Clearly they hadn't seen him yet. Ox stopped awhile to listen to her words.

"Great One, this is a dark time you have visited upon us, and though we love you, we cannot help but question. The ones above hath taken all our sustenance, and may they be cursed a hundred times over! But Great One, you always provide! Have faith, my flock, for there will always be a solution before us! Amen." With a collective "amen", the people stood up again and raised their heads, only to notice Ox in barn among them. There were gasps and mutters. Their noticing of the ox caused the elder to start her preaching again.

"We have been saved, brothers and sisters! A most generous sign of life has made itself known to us." Ox, a little confused, couldn't help but stand there, and his blood chilled when the assorted members of the congregation produced sharpened blades and axes from beneath their clothing, their eyes naked with hunger. For her part, the elder continued. "Behold its plump, delicious flesh, brothers and sisters! Soon, we shall feast upon its fattened carcass, and there will be plenty remaining for Gratitude Day and Oester!"

Ox did not like the sound of that.

He beat a hasty retreat, chased by the most vicious of predators; those grown desperate from hunger.

Hey Bees. I barely got any sleep (see below), but went to the gym anyway to get myself back into the routine. Another controlled Push day.

Paused Bench Press: 135 x 4. I've been seeing diminishing returns, so I may move on to another program.
Larsen Press: 125 x 5. On the other hand, I hit a small PR with this today.
Overhead Press: 65 x 5. Zzzz, just for fun and kicks.
EZ Bar Pushdown: 18 x 6. Another PR, for fun! A really tough one though.
Hammer Curls: 20 x 20, I think.
Forearm Dumbbell Curls: 16 x 12. Zzz...

Yesterday was one of those days that I just wanted to forget about. Just lots of small things adding up to bad vibes, and I wanted to curl myself into my bed and end the day as quickly as possible.

Mood Night GIF by Loof and Timmy


However, even sleep didn't offer a reprieve - I drifted in and out of it for hours. I had so much trouble that at 4.30 am I booted up my PC and played a game to try to tire myself out. The results were spotty, and I went into the gym today feeling drowsy and grumpy. It does say something about my strength that I'm able to match my recent PRs, even tired and out of sorts.

On the (minimally) positive side, I had some intriguing sets of dreams. I don't remember the first few. The last set delved into the realm of sci-fi, and involved going to school amid flying cars, dojos, and holographic view screens. I even had a date with a hot future girl on a carousel ride! And then I woke up and knew I had to get to the gym, to sort myself out again.

Well, it seems to have worked. I got all my chores done and ran some errands, and generally feel better than I did yesterday.

Here's hoping you have positive results too, Bees.

Playing: I booted up my old copy of Fallout: New Vegas and installed some mods, giving it a fresh coat of paint. The engine is still very dated, but the gameplay experience is awfully solid. I'm not sure what it means that I'm playing to to explore and hunt rather than interact with NPCs (FNV is renowned for this)... there's just something about indulging my inner scavver that's very appealing.

Also playing a touch of Sulfur, and oddly enough, haven't picked up Outlawed for a few days.

Watching: Uhh, not much. Lots of intriguing things to watch, but I always conk out (with the exception of yesterday) before I can watch them.

Listening to: ? - Marathon Untitled Track. This absolutely sublime piece can be heard on a website promoting Bungie's long in development PvP Extraction shooter. It's not unlike what Zamilska came up with on the Ruiner soundtrack, but is beautiful in its own way.

Music aside, I really hope they add a PvE mode, but I'm not counting on it, and the whole project sounds like a colossal gamble. While the art style for the game is absolutely amazing, I'm not happy that they've strayed from the franchise's FPS roots (I grew up with the original games). The gameplay reveal is coming, so we'll see if it has anything to offer in a crowded genre.

 
Congrats on more PRs! :gotthis:

I'm sorry you had a day like that. Very glad you were able to get to the gym!

Dad's family all share distinct looks, but if you were to put my sister or brother next to Mom, you'd see definite resemblance. Genetics are cool!
 
Thanks again @CODawn, @Mamatigerj, @JCU, @Fremen and @TopNotch!

"Jill! I'm back!" Ox stepped through the door and into his comfy Mid City apartment, only stopping to kick his work shoes off. His girlfriend Jill greeted him with a big smile on her face. Ox had a feeling as to why.

"How was business, babe?"
He shrugged. "Same old shit, but the firm is assigning me an assistant."
"Oh, is she young and nubile?"
"...Babe, it's a guy."
"Is he rugged and clean-cut?"
"I'll tell you more about it. What about you?" Jill's face broke into a big grin.
"You got the promotion?"
"You bet I did!" Ox rushed forward to sweep her up in a big hug. He kissed the top her forehead and held her face gently.
"Of course, you were best for the position, and at least you're not ugly--" Jill chucked him teasingly.
"Don't you want dinner, wiseass?" Ox smiled. "Om nom nom. What's on tap?"
"Vegetable Lasagna! What say you?"
"Woman, you know the way to my heart.

They broke their embrace, and Jill turned to head for the kitchen. It smelt rich and pungent with the aroma of different veggies. Ox followed her, only to stop at the mirror in the hallway and take a glance at himself. His entrance into middle-age seemed graceful to him, and his hair was a healthy brown, despite a few silvery streaks. A steady regimen of gym time ensured that he fit his clothes well. Jill always characterized his features as strong, and well-meaning. She also noted that he had handsome brown eyes. After dinner they were curled up on the sofa, watching an episode of Nobles' Games, and chowing down on Burt and Sammy's ice cream. Mmm... brownie caramel chunks... Ox knew the time was right.

"Babe, I've got to use the can, don't pause it, just keep it going."
"But you'll miss the dog poisoning the-oops."
"Spoilers!" He laughed.

He went to retrieve the small jewelry box from where he'd hid it in the closet. When Ox got back to the living room, Jill was acting a bit oddly. "Babe? You alright?" It wasn't what she was doing; she was still leaning back on the couch, seemingly relaxed, as he had left her. In fact, she wasn't doing anything at all, or even moving. Ox forced himself to remain calm, sat down on the couch beside her, and waved his hand over her open face. No reaction. He snapped his fingers. "Jill! Talk to me." She remained silent. Ox reached out to grab her shoulders and do something, anything, to shake her out of her trance, but his fingers simply... passed through her. As if she were an image. Ox turned around, increasingly panicked, and noticed that the TV was frozen as well, and the whole room was taking on an increasingly blurry quality, as if the colours were seeping out and folding in on each other, and then --

"Test successful!" He was no longer in the apartment. In fact, he was knelt on the ground in a small, sterile, brightly lit room. A pile of hay was in the corner, and a sweet-smelling crate. He could feel something attached to his head, which he shook in an effort to get his bearings. That voice that had remarked on some test was continuing, seemingly through a loudspeaker overhead. "This simulation is the proof we need to show that it is possible to facilitate an inter-species cognitive and behavioural adaptation." What the hell was he talking about? A seamless door to the room slid open and a man in white coveralls entered. Ox needed to get some answers.

"Moo? Moo moo moo moo?" Wait. What? He tried again. "Moo moo moo." The man chuckled, approached and began to remove whatever it was that was around his head. What stuck out to Ox was its strange shape - almost like its intended wearer weren't human. He turned his head to the left and the right, only to see the flanks of a... bull? Or ox?? F*ck it. "MOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed.

The man seemed unbothered by his distress. "Easy now, big guy. Don't you want a treat?"

He didn't want a treat. He wanted to go home. He wanted to have vegetable lasagna again. He wanted to watch another episode of that shitty BOH series. He wanted to see Jill again. Tell her what he'd been planning to tell her for months. He wanted to desperately believe that this dream would end soon and he'd go back to living his life.

At this point in time, there were many things he wanted. And he wasn't going to get any of them back.

(I based this intro on a videogame that was published back in the 80s. I remember reading the short story introduction in the manual and feeling so utterly heartbroken by protagonist's plight. So this might be my tiny tribute.)

Hello, Bees! Did not want to go to the gym today, but I guess that's part and parcel of going to the gym.

Today was Back day, in which I slightly upped the poundages a little.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 110 x 6. These went well! I went back to using a more severely knurled bar, which helped my grip.
T-Bar Rows: 90 x 5.
Meadows Rows: 45 x 5.
Wide Grip Pulldowns: 60 x 5.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 5.

There were absolutely no people in the gym when I came in, which is a welcome relief. While I don't exactly mind seeing other people in the gym, when it gets crowded, it's unbearable. More people showed up at the tail end of my workout, but I made my exit about then.

Interestingly enough, one of the actors behind The Room - one of the most entertaining worst movies of all time - is coming to Hong Kong on a publicity tour. They're doing a showing of the movie as well as a Q and A session (I think). To go, or not to go. I'm a huge fan of The Room (which I would describe as satisfyingly crappy), so I may have to shell out for the showing fee...

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"Of course I'm a professional! Dummy."

Tomorrow I'm running more errands and seeing a friend, so I won't be able to go to the gym.

Hope your week is going well, Bees! We're midway through!

Playing: Uh, more FNV. Didn't play Sulfur last night. On the hunt for more cheap games, as always (though ironically, the ones I already own may provide plenty of replay value).

Watching: Uh (pt 2) I didn't watch anything last night. I stayed up too late playing FNV. Will try to get back into Frankenstein's Army.

Listening to: The New Division - Opium. Yeah, I know it's about hard drugs (the song namedrops the exact substance), but I still think about my addiction and struggles with alcohol when I listen to it (it helps that I listened to this one a lot back when my drinking was at its worst). It's also a beautiful pop song, and well worth the replay.

"It just comes in handy for a bad day
All I wanna do is get a little hazed
This just comes in handy for a bad day"

 
Awwwwww, poor oxie torn away from his so-sweet imagined home life! Snif!
And cute kitty pic ;)
By the way, my parents made me laugh : they were "surfing" on TV trying to find a movie, and dad reads a small summary about a little girl kidnapped who gets her revenge. Yes, you see where it leads ;) They thought they'd watch some remake of "home alone", and ended up watching "Abigail" !

:bigsmile:
And they had a fun time! I think this may be the first horror movie they ever watched, LOL! Anyhow, I thought of you with this story.
 
@PetiteSheWolf My take on the whole Matrix-shtick was kind of clumsy, but I'm still fond of it. Kitties are awesome. Haha, I'm glad that they got to watch Abigail for their first horror movie! It's like the perfect first horror flick.

The doorbell to their home rang, and Joanne eagerly rushed to get it. "Honey, wait for me," Samuel said from his study, where he was watching footage from the night before. The video, slowed down, showed their bedroom door in the act of closing - seemingly on its own. He made his way downstairs to where his wife was waiting at the door. With him present, Joanne opened the door to reveal a young man in his 20s, dressed in street clothing, and standing next to him - if you please - a real live ox, with a strangely jeweled necklace around its massive neck. "What the..." Samuel muttered, before Joanne cut his exclamation short. "We're so glad you came, Mr. Ox," she said to the young man. Instead of reciprocating, the young man raised his hand and pointed his thumb at the ox, who mooed, loudly. "He says thank you for inviting us, and that people make that mistake all the time." Strangely enough, Joanne could feel herself turning a little red.

"So, uhmm..., Mr. Ox" - she said, and made sure to address the animal in question this time - "why don't you come in, and..." "Hon, can we talk for a second?" Samuel took her by the elbow and they retreated back into the house a little. The sound of glass shattering came from somewhere upstairs, but they had gotten used to it over the last few weeks. Sam was upset, saying "It's a goddamn farm animal for crissakes. We asked the church for an expert, and some wet-behind-the-ears kid and a walking poop factory is what they referred to us?" A seemingly offended moo. Joanne said, sotto voce, "Babe, let's just give it a shot. I don't want this haunting stuff to continue anymore. If the cow and the kid aren't the real deal, we can go online and find someone who is. But what if they are?" Samuel held up his hands in surrender. There was a moo from the threshold, followed by the voice of the kid. "He can feel it, even standing outside. He wants to come in and speak to it." Joanne sighed, turning to the two. "Yes, please, come in."

I may or may not continue this one. Not totally satisfied with it.

Hey again, Bees! I'm slowly resurrecting my Sunday practice of going to the gym after church. Today I pushed the rest button on my Push day, as I had noted earlier, I've kind of hit a brick wall. So I dropped the weight significantly, and will work my way back up.

Bench Press: 122.5 x 5. This felt way heavier than it should, but over time, I'll get used to the weight again.
Spoto Press: 105 x 5.
Rope Pushdowns: 16 x 8.
Alternating Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20.
Forearm Dumbbell Curls: 16 x 12.

Let's see how this pans out over the next few weeks. I was due for a deload.

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The two on the edges look like they have something going on...

Start the week strong, Bees!

Playing: I think my Fallout: New Vegas playthrough has hit a brick wall - the perils of getting too powerful, too soon. A dash of Outlawed, and may try to resume Sulfur again.

Well, it looks like my anticipated Marathon remake is going multiplayer only, which makes me sad. But anyway, that art style is truly to die for. Here's a short film that also functions as a trailer.


Watching: Uhh... not much. Let's see if I get enough time to watch something tonight.

Listening to: Ed Harrison - Tin Soldiers. Marathon's look and feel put me in the mind of Ed Harrison's score for Neo-Tokyo, which is one of the most amazing scores for a game I've ever heard (a shame Neo Tokyo wasn't more popular). Love that expansive cyberpunk feel!

 
"We moved out here a few months ago, just the three of us. Jimmy died in the accident..." Joanne said, tears welling up in her eyes. Tomas, the young man who had come in with the ox, and acted as its interpreter, nodded grimly. Since being formally introduced, and now that they were waiting on the ox to finish its investigation, he had been more personable, and shared more of their practice (which they called "Ox-orcism"). Joanne composed herself, and continued. "A week after his death, we kept getting these strange occurrences which we couldn't explain. It was like Jimmy was reaching out." "Sometimes spirits do so. Some of them have a bit of an agenda," Tomas said, a little absently. He was watching as the ox seemingly wandered around the house, nosing around different objects, and pausing at certain spots, seemingly in communion with some unseen force. Samuel, arms folded, was following the ox around. He didn't seem convinced. When it was done, the two made their way back to the foyer where Joanne and Tomas stood.

"Moo. Moo moo," the ox said to his apprentice. Tomas nodded, took his phone out of his pants, and fiddled with it for a second, before putting it back. Must've been part of their investigation. "This is a bunch of bullshit. I don't have time for quacks, or "moos" to blow smoke up our asses. Our son died tragically, and we need to help him move on." Samuel said, still suspicious. The ox turned its massive head to him. "Moo?" Tomas didn't translate that, oddly. He simply furrowed his brow. "What?" Samuel asked, defensive. The ox mooed again, patiently. "Where did you hide the body?" Tomas translated. Joanne felt her throat dry up, and she looked at Samuel, who had turned white. "I... I have no idea what you mean," he blustered. Samuel had many things he was good at, but a poker face wasn't one of them. The ox mooed a few times, Tomas dutifully continuing. "You murdered him. I'll spare your wife the details. Jimmy misses his mother - that's why he's been reaching out." Joanne gasped. "Samuel?? He's lying, right?"

I'm not terribly happy with this one. I'm not against ripping off other works, but I just couldn't make the story end in a satisfying manner. The ox is the main character for these stories, and I feel like I kind of strayed from that principal. So I'm leaving this one in the rear view mirror.

Hey again Bees!

Did not want to go to the gym, but I was feeling pretty antsy yesterday, so it's good to head in and hit the weights once more. Today was another Pull day.

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 115 x 5. Ugh. These were as difficult as they usually were, but my grip kept giving way for the final sets. I may move onto another deadlift variation, just to mix things up.
Wide Grip Rows: 85 x 6. These were fun! Will see if they have any improvements on my wingspan. However, the ROM is quite short.
Machine One Armed Rows: 70 x 5.
Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Pyramid; 5 reps on the final set (wasn't feeling like pushing it today).
Behind the Neck Pulldowns: 52.5 x 6.

Easter is coming up. Mom and I will be attending Easter mass, and then eat at a nice buffet. Om nom nom, sounds most excellent.

The weather is muggy and uncomfortable, and is a preview of summer to come. Hopefully the rains this week will bring a welcome cool.

More updates before Easter to come. Have a good week, Bees!

Playing: Kind of moving away from F:NV. Played my daily dose of Outlawed. A game I played years ago, (colourfully) titled Viscerafest, got a full release, so I may give it another go.

Also tried to play Destiny 2 last night, but got stuck in its lousy mission/hub structure and didn't play anything. I don't know if it's de rigeur for MMOs, but that game's menu and interface structure is so arrogantly pompous. Like, folks, I don't want to spend fifteen minutes of waiting and futzing around before I'm allowed to go on a mission. I should be able to jump into the action ASAP, which is something that Bungie seems to have forgotten over all these years.

Watching: Finally, new updates to this section! I've gotten started on TLOU Season 2's first episode. I never played the games at length, but it's still lots of fun to see things unfold.

Listening to: Dryve - Synth on Fire. Time to unwind with my favourite (of the moment) genre. I did my usual bargain-bin diving of rummaging through my favourite synthwave channel and I didn't find much, but this absolute winner stuck out to me. So here it is.

 
Ox had just entered the station, Biggie in tow when he heard the chief summoning them. “Attention to Officers Ox and Biggs, please see the chief--” came from the PA, after which came an ugly rustle, with someone muttering “Give me that”, followed by the heavy rasp of their beloved, ever-inspiring Chief Hector. "Get your rule-breaking, insubordinate, monkey-asses here on the double!" All the other cops pretended to go about their business, but their eyes were on Ox and his partner. Ox mooed balefully at them, and they went back to work. Hastily, they made their way to the chief's head office.

Upon entering and shutting the door, they were greeted with the sight of Chief Hector with a cigar in one hand, and his favorite stress ball with the other. He was fervently squeezing it as if wishing it were Ox's massive neck. "I'd offer you a seat, but I don't want your smarmy tushes staining my fine leather." So they remained standing. "Chief, let us explain..." Biggie said. It wouldn't work, but it was worth a try... but what do you know, the chief wasn't placated. "Explain nothing. You're in my office. On my time. And like it or not, you two are under my command, until death, or a much needed transfer, do us part. So you two wiseasses have to listen to what I say." They'd heard it before, and the chief was just going to go through the motions, so no backtalk. Ox mooed a resigned moo.

"Let's go through it together, shall we? In one week of beginning your war against crime, you've blown up a petrol station, hijacked several pedestrian cars to continue a chase, conducted said chase down the freeway BACKWARD, engaged in a shootout on the freeway during rush hour, sneaked into the Laverian embassy uninvited, stolen valuable documents from said embassy, traded fire with the embassy's guards, hired strippers that you charged to this department, crashed a drug deal our undercover detectives were facilitating and blew up 150 million dollars worth of white crystal in the process, broken and entered into several properties - " the chief checked his notes. "- Without a warrant, engaged in fraud to acquire extra weapons from lockup, gotten into FIVE different fistfights, arrested two priests and a grocery clerk, and crashed a car into an orphanage. Am I missing anything?

Ox mooed sarcastically. "That's right, you literally stole candy from a baby!" The chief's mouth had begun to foam at this point. "A baby that was being a dick," Biggie interjected. "I don't want to hear it!" The chief pounded his fist on the desk, ashes from his cigar flying this way and that. "What were you idiots thinking?" Dramatic effect pause. "Oh right! You don't think!" Biggie looked like he wanted to defend himself, but if there was one thing Ox had learned from his divorce proceedings, sometimes it's better to shut your mouth and take your lumps.

"For breaking the very law - let me remind you - you are sworn to uphold, for damaging the trust this community has in this department," Ox chuffed, and the chief turned to him. "I heard that! Destroying the trust common citizens have in us, and worst of all..." Breaking the rules with complete disregard for them. "Breaking the rules with complete disregard for them! I have no choice but to put you two on traffic duty!"

Biggie stood up in outrage, but Ox simply rolled his eyes. Yep, it was one of those days. And with more of them, the carnage on the streets would worsen. Unless...

I had a surprising amount of fun writing this one!

Hey Bees!

Easter is this weekend (tomorrow is the day we commemorate Good Friday), and it's a holiday on Friday and Monday. Of course, that gives me more time to get in some good workouts, hehe.

Today was a Push day. I upped the poundages slightly.

Bench Press: 125 x 6.
Incline Press: 80 x 5. Just going for form, for now.
Dumbbell Overhead Extension: 16 x 6.
Hammer Curls: 18 x 20.
Forearm Curls: 16 x 12.
+23000 steps!

We will be attending Easter mass on Sunday, and then enjoy a yummy buffet. Om nom nom.

I may or may not watch Warfare this weekend. I might just wait until next week, when there are fewer crowds.

It's almost the weekend, Bees! You've got this.

Playing: A hodgepodge of stuff. Mostly lots of Outlawed, and a little bit of Sulfur. Maybe Everspace 2? I never gave that one a fair shake.

Oh, and found out concrete proof that they're making a remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion! It looks absolutely jazzy and spruced-up! However, given that it's souped up, I probably won't be able to play it on this PC. It's just like when I played Oblivion back in 2006 - my PC at the time couldn't handle it. Some things don't change...

Watching: Finished the first episode of TLOU Season 2. Pretty good, but I'd like to watch the whole season before I render a review. Looks promising, though.

Listening to: Big Black Delta - Huggin and Kissin. I love stumbling across new finds on youtube. I found some absolute winners on NewRetroWave again, but this one was a random algorithm suggestion. And boy, is it a banger!

 
@TopNotch Ahem, they would say they were "engaging in behaviours conducive to the increase of morale, and the enrichment of local contractors" :imp:
@PetiteSheWolf I was thinking of the way it was parodied in The Last Action Hero, but yes, that cop-boss dynamic is definitely in mind, too.

Picture the Ox, defeated and downbeat, standing beside the guillotine that would surely be his end. Alongside him The crowd that had gathered was solemn and quiet, only alive in the sorrow of their eyes. Flanked by assorted guardsmen, a hooded executioner, and a captain of the guard, the famed bovine revolutionary had no way out - was this to be his ignominious end?

The captain unrolled a scroll and cleared his throat. "Gentle Ox, you stand accused of crimes against royalty, subversion, sedition, resisting arrest, the theft of livestock, and treason. What say you?" The ox stayed silent. Why bother? The captain motioned to the guards and the executioner, who roughly hauled the ox into the guillotine lunette, before securing it over the ox's large head with the harsh sound of wood falling on wood. The crowd had begun to murmur now. "Have you any last words?" asked the captain, out of formality's sake.

It was now or never. His head was hung. His skin was covered with marks, evidencing the heavy beatings he had endured in captivity. His ribs showed from the starvation his captors had imposed on him. But his spirit would never break. The ox raised his head, and lowed heavily. It was more than the final cry of a soon-to-be put down animal. It was a call to action and its wording unmistakable.

'The revolution will not be fed to you! If you want it, you must stand and take it! I won't let them take away my will; will you?'

This seemed to galvanize the crowd, who made various entreaties to the guards on the stage. "He's done no wrong!" shouted one, while another cried, "the ox is innocent!" A guardsman winced when a rotten apple bounced off of his tabard, leaving a slimy trail. By this point, the crowd had become alive, like some swarming entity - it seemed like the whole of the lower city had come to protest. Someone had started to shout "Let him go! Let him go!" The whole crowd took up the chant, and things were getting out of order. The captain turned to the executioner and drew his finger across his throat. The executioner pulled the rope, and to the horror of those watching, the blade dropped...

Hello, Bees! I wasn't planning on going to the gym today, but with nothing going on, it made sense.

So today was another long-awaited Leg day. Ugh.

Squats: 110 x 5. Hey, I made 110! Maybe try to hit 115 next time?
Front Squats: 60 x 5.
Hack Squats: 70 x 6. Always fun.
Back Extensions: 5 sets of 10.
Lying Leg Curls: Uhh, I forgot. Something not very heavy, though.

Really need to hit legs regularly. I'm typing this while experiencing soreness in my quads (to be expected), and hips (not so much, not so good). My legs are going to be on fire tomorrow!

Edit: Oops, I forgot to include this recent progress pic. Even though I trained legs today, there's always time for upper body flexing!

20250419_161857.jpg

Tomorrow is Easter Mass, after which we're heading out for lots of noms. Lots!

Since I likely won't update tomorrow, have a Happy Easter holiday, Bees!

easter bunny GIF by AFV Babies


Playing: Eh, been playing a little bit of Outlawed, and some Zero Sievert. I have a love/hate relationship with the latter, as while it's a fun extraction shooter, it plays a murderous early game.

Watching: Out of puerile interest, I rewatched bits of Species, which was one of those EXTREME movies my big sister used to go on about all the time back in the 90s. After accruing lots of horror knowledge and watches, the film is just... quaint! That's the word. There are a few gory kills, but it's mostly an excuse to show off (admittedly gorgeous) Natasha Henstridge, and even these two qualities can't overcome a lacklustre script and story (the star talent is wasted). I'm not even going to review it lol.

I need some fresh horror to clean the taste of silliness out of my mouth. May watch Samurai Cop, as I'm due a worst movie of all time watch.

Looking forward to Last of Us Season 2 eps, and Andor is coming out soon!

Listening to: Michael Gibbs - Hard Boiled Soundtrack (with some standing in by Chow Yun Fat et al). The intro song for one of my favourite action movies. Underlines the spike of crime that had hit Hong Kong in the 90s (but is absent today).

 
Biggs banged on the metal door with his fist. "Open up!" There was no answer. The gent was leaning against the alley wall nearby, a cigarette in his hoof. He had taken the revocation of their badges especially hard. It was like he was an entirely different Ox. Biggs banged on the door again. "We really need your help, Skinny!" There was no answer from beyond the door. The gent took a drag of his cigarette. "Moo?" Biggs shook his head. "No, I've got this." He glanced at the dome-shaped camera mounted above the door. "We know you can see us! Get your little rat ass out here and let us in!" Skinny was known for being difficult, but this was going too far. True, maybe Biggs had made a few comments at his expense, but surely he knew they were in a sore spot. The gent shouldered him aside. Looking squarely at the camera, he said, "Mooo... moo moo moo." A pause, as if the person on the other end of the security system was considering, and then a loudly audible click. The gent swung open the door and the two stepped inside.

"I told you both I didn't want to see you again," Skinny Ramone said, sitting at his desk. After making their way past a seemingly nondescript entry hall, they had found Skinny in his study. While he was indeed slight of build, there was something about the young man's manner that unnerved Biggs."...Particularly him." The young man pointed his ballpoint at Biggs as if Biggs were an insect. "Moo," the gent said in acknowledgement. "Moo moo moo." Skinny stared at them with those unfazed eyes of his. "So why do you need my help? It sounds like the police need to do their job, and... well, police." Biggs sighed. "The ox is right. We have to do this on our own. We need all the firepower we can get if we're to take on the Black Society, The Pit Vipers, and all the other assholes coming out to play tomorrow night." Skinny pondered this. "I presume you gentlemen know that I have relationships with said society, among others. Why jeopardize those ties?" The gent put his hooves on the desk and leaned forward. "Moo moo." A pause from Skinny. Biggs knew he wasn't afraid of the gent, but was busy calculating variables, costs, and risks. "Alright," he finally said. "But you'll owe me. Both of you! And when I call on you to fulfill your obligations, you'd better be there." Biggs hesitated, but the gent simply nodded his large head. "Moo." Skinny reached beneath his desk. There was a click, and a part of the wall behind him slid to the side, revealing another passage. Standing up, he beckoned the two towards the passageway. "Let's get you armed."

Thank you so much @Mamatigerj, @TopNotch, and @JCU!

Hey again Bees! After Leg day, I experienced soreness and pain to my hip that hasn't abated totally. It made sleeping and moving in certain positions rather painful, and put me out of action from going to the gym for a few days. But I'm back in business, with another Push day.

Bench Press: 127.5 x 6. Five sets. Gah.
Spoto Press: 107.5 x 5.
Incline Press: 82.5 x 5.
Lying Dumbbell Extensions: 22 x 6. I heard that these are useful for making it past bench press sticking points, so I'll stick with these.
Flat Dumbbell Curls: 18 x 20. Ugh, these felt impossible today.

With all these movements I'm slowly increasing the weight as the weeks go by, so there should be some changes. Tomorrow, I'm probably not going to do deadlifts, so as to give my hip some time to recover. So I'll just do pulling movements like rows and pullups instead.

Getting warmer here. I think today, it reach 30 degrees, so it's a good preview of what summer will be like.

Hope your week is going well, Bees!

Playing: Hmm, a lot of Zero Sievert recently. No big reason why. It's still as frustrating as it ever was, but potentially fun. Didn't play any Outlawed last night.

Oh, and I was watching the Oblivion Remastered live stream last night. Even though I can't play the game myself, I'm quite hyped that it still resonates with modern players. Now how about that Fallout 3 remaster?

Watching: Last of Us, season 2, episode 2. It was impactful, I guess? I was a touch underwhelmed. Not entirely sure why. Now to get started on Andor season 2! There's also an exciting action blockbuster coming out in a few days that I'm looking forward to. Here's the trailer:


Listening to: Smashing Pumpkins - Bodies. Sometimes you've just got to crank up the wattage and rock out. Probably one of the Pumpkins' hardest hitting songs.

"The crumbled cities stand as known
Of the sights you have been shown
Of the hurt you call your own
You know, you know"

 
"Holy..." Biggs uttered. The short underground passage Skinny had led them through opened into a large warehouse, stocked from floor to ceiling with firearms. Firearms of all description and size, from concealable pistols to enormous rifles that were huge enough to defy common sense. Presumably for ease of access, the guns were sorted by usage on racks alongside their magazines. Crates with ammunition were neatly stored below the racks, and was that a howitzer in the corner? Biggs was overawed. Usually, Skinny had supplied them from the back of a vehicle (an inconspicuous SUV usually sufficed) - this was the first time Biggs had seen his private collection. For his part, the gent seemed less impressed, but then again, he was the more gun-savvy of the two of them.

"Now to business," Skinny said, arms folded. "Where are they meeting up, and what will suffice?" The gent appraised the bonanza of firearms. "Moo. Moo moo." Skinny nodded. "At the docks? You'll both need something that can make an impression. Let's start with something for shorter engagements." He paused for a second, then walked over to the pistols on the racks and took down two of them. Not wanting to appear a fool, Biggs took the small black pistol, pulled the slide back, checked the chamber, and released the slide, which went back into battery with a satisfying CHUNCK. Sure that the chamber was empty, Biggs pulled the trigger, and marveled at its smooth feel as the hammer hit the pin. "P226," Commented Skinny. "Combines outstanding ergonomics with dual single/double action, and double-stack 9mm magazines that ensure you're ready for every target." Biggs could tell it was superior to the department-issue G17s.

For his part, the gent had already holstered his pistol, and mimed holding a rifle and tracking a target. "Ah! Something for outdoor sport as well," Skinny dryly said. He walked to where the rifles were, and pulled down two rifles, handing them to the officers. Biggs hefted the rifle gingerly; he'd never seen one of its kind before, though its design seemed vaguely familiar. It was a sleek rifle with a metallic finish, and a forearm that had what seemed to be holes, or gaps punched into it. The stock was thin enough to make Biggs question its durability. The gent took his without comment and expertly handled it, pulling back the charging handle and aiming the rifle at an imaginary target. Biggs turned to Skinny, a touch skeptical. "Why this piece?" Skinny raised an eyebrow. "That 'piece' is a marvel of firearms engineering. You hold in your hands the MCX Spear LT rifle, designed for special forces use. Based on the venerated AR design by Mare industries, this is a robust, accurate, and lightweight piece of machining that ensures you'll hit your targets." He chuckled. "Assuming you shoot straight." Biggs ignored the dig, and aimed down the rifle's sights. It was a good enough gun, he decided.

Skinny seemed lost in thought, and held up a finger in exclamation. "And I'm sure you'll need a way to start the party." Heading over to yet another rack, this one equipped with numerous cylindrical and spherical devices. Biggs, somewhat alarmed, could recognize a grenade when he saw one. The gent for his part was unperturbed, waiting for Skinny to make his recommendation. "M67 fragmentation grenades," Skinny reached for another one, "and M84 stun grenades." Biggs let the gent handle the grenades, standing a healthy distance away. "For when you need to make an entrance or an impression, count on these," Skinny said. The gent set down the devices and bowed his head a little at Skinny. "Moo, moo, moo." Skinny smiled wryly.

"Assuming you make it back alive."

Thank you kindly @JCU. I do feel a bit better today.

That said, my hip hasn't totally recovered, so I took a break from lower body exercises to do an Upper Body only Pull day.

Pull ups: Pyramid up to 6 reps.
Machine One Armed Row: 70 x 6.
Neutral Grip Pulldowns: 80 x 6.
Cable One Arm Rows: 30 x 6. Yuck. Could do better.
Behind the Neck Machine Pulldowns: 65 x 5.

Japanese buffet on Saturday. Om nom nom in my tum.

The weather is too hot. And it's going to rain tomorrow. That is the weather report for today.

Take care, Bees! It's almost the end of the week.

Playing: More futzing around with Zero Sievert. Played more Outlawed, of course, and got my rear totally served to me in Sulfur. Never get complacent, kids, particularly in gaming.

Really want to play Oblivion: Remastered.

Watching: I've consolidated my horror list and am ready for some fresh watching. Haven't picked a particular flick yet, but watch this space. Haven't started Andor, and kind of don't want to until I watch some of the flicks on my backlog.

The Funnies: I first saw this video years ago on Ebaumsworld (remember that?). It's a compilation of some of the most hilarious and majestically dreadful scenes in cinema (curiously, whoever made this list left out The Room). It's a testament to the comedy packed into this clip that it's hard to tell which is the funniest.


Listening to: Iggy Pop - I Got Nothing. If you needed proof that Iggy Pop was more than an unchecked Id on two legs (and shredded abs), then you have the amazing songs off of the Kill City album. Kill City is an amazing album that lacks the primitive ferocity of The Stooges' albums, but more than makes up for it with lots of soul-baring honesty. I love this particular track, which is sleazy as hell, but still honest.

"Man I feel, I feel so used inside,
broken hearts, and leather,
and empty pride"

 
Gentle "The Gent" Ox lowered his rifle. It was over, and the docks lay quiet in the aftermath of the gun fight. Just minutes ago, the air had been rent with the sound of gunfire, numerous rounds tearing their way through assorted henchmen. The explosion of the cargo ship the Black Society had used to haul white crystal had lit up the night, and its fires still burned. But for now, all was quiet. His hooves sore and weary, Ox ejected his rifle's magazine, which fell to the ground with a clatter. He reached for another mag on the front of his plate carrier, and then to its sides - nothing: he had expended all of his ammo during the battle. Biggs' voice came in from his ear piece. "We got 'em good, Gent! The Black Society can't make a comeback after -" There was the sound of a wet thud, and the radio went silent. Alarmed, Ox spoke into his mic. "Moo? Moo??" Slinging his rifle, he drew his pistol and rushed to Biggs' position.

He had stationed Biggs to the side of the warehouse, flanking the criminal gathering. Upon rushing there, Ox saw Biggs lying supine on the ground, his eyes wide open in surprise. An enormous shape from the shadows stepped out, revealing itself to be Vicious Ram, the chief Red Pole for the Black Society. "Baa... Baa baa..." He uttered, scornfully. Ox's nostrils flared, and he leveled his pistol at the hulking shape. "Moo, moo moo!!!!" Ram raised his hooves in surrender... only to back away into the shadows and disappear. "Baa..." His lingering taunt haunted the Ox. But Ox couldn't afford to chase him down, not with his best friend injured. Ox bent down and checked Biggs, but it was clearly too late. Biggs was dead.

Ox gripped Biggs' body in his hooves, tears pouring down his face, and screamed to the sky. "MOOOOO!!!!"

Hey Bees! One of those patented Ox days where I really did not want to go to the gym, but forced myself to go. I'd say it worked out!

Today was another Push day.

Weighted Dips: 40 x 6, 42.5 x 6. So I resurrected these, just to see if there are any tertiary benefits. They were hard at first (I'm rather sore from Wednesday), but got easier as time went on. Perhaps I should've warmed up first...
Shoulder Press: 70 x 6. Bleh. Merely okay, methinks.
Lying Dumbbell Extensions: 24 x 6.
Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 22 x 22. A change from 20 x 20.
Forearm Curls: 16 x 12. Felt good today.

Tomorrow we're having big noms, so I'm taking a break from working out. This week is something of a milestone, as I very rarely go to the gym three days in a row (also, my hip injury didn't help).

Said hip is slowly recovering, but to my chagrin, I'm likely going to have to do some mobility work if I want to fully lift again. Eh, such is growing old.

Happy Friday, Bees! Have a great weekend.

Playing: Still on Zero Sievert. Also playing a bit of Outlawed as well, and zooming around Steam looking for stuff to purchase, natch. Oh yeah! I forgot that today I'd reinstalled Zombie Open Worlder Days Gone (the title and premise are kind of a Last of Us copy), so I'll try to give it a fair shake tonight.

Watching: I resumed my watch of Frankenstein's Army last night. Otherwise, haven't watched anything new yet.

Listening to: Voyage - Hyper. Like I've said before, few things are better than stumbling across absolute gems; considering how much dreck is out there, this is vanishingly rare. This one starts sedately, but has a great, driving melody.

 
Sir Ox of the Gentle House pulled his steaming blade from the belly of the dragon and gazed up. All was quiet, and he lifted the visor of his helm and mopped his brow with a hoof. He was near the top floor of the tower, a large circular space taken up by the body of his massive foe. Surely the princess awaited, eager to welcome her saviour. Stepping over the beast's tail, the knight wearily made his way to the princess's chambers. Upon reaching the stout, locked door, Sir Ox produced the key given to him by the wise one and slipped the key into the unassuming keyhole. With a click, he opened the door to reveal the Princess Rowena in the middle of her chambers, standing to face him. Her lush, ebony locks tumbled down a dress that gave shape to a svelte, elegant frame. She stood with strength and grace, all the better with which to withstand her captivity. But of all the feminine features that had caught his eye, Sir Ox was most besotted over her face: delicate, womanly, and with two bright green eyes. Those gorgeous, luscious lips parted and the princess said,

"What took you so long!" Sir Ox blinked at this, caught as he was in his fantasy. "I've been waiting here for three days to be rescued! Do you know how boring it is having to wait for my father to send another lackey to save me?" Sir Ox fiddled with the pommel of his sword. He would not call himself a lackey, exactly. The princess had her hands on her hips by this point, and a scowl had marred her normally heavenly features. "Were you expecting a kiss, or to bed me, or to have my hand in marriage?" Sir Ox couldn't help but snort at this. "I heard that! So out with it! What did you expect, you fool." Sir Ox bristled. He pointed at himself. "Moo moo moo moo. Moo." "Not only lumbering, but naive! He fashions himself a true knight in shining armour." Something beyond the princess, affixed to the windowsill at the end of the chamber caught his eye, and he strode over to the window. "I have not given you permission to-" he ignored her. Upon inspection, there was a sturdy rope ladder attached to the windowsill - and it extended all the way down to the ground. The knight looked back at her in disbelief. "Moo??"

The princess was unrepentant, and said, "Yes, I could've escaped at any time, but that's missing the point! The captivity of someone as important as myself demands a response." So that was how it was going to be. The ox sighed, and his armour clanked uncomfortably. He was thinking about how much time he'd sunk into this useless enterprise. The princess continued as if she'd never stopped, saying, "well, what are you waiting for? Is it not your duty to escort me home? Where are you going, you giant manure factory? My father will hear of this! Maybe he'll send a real man next time!"

Sir Ox, already quit of the princess, stood outside the chambers. He faced her one last time (he hoped) and said, "Mooo mooooooooo moo, moo!"

jessica jones page GIF


@Mamatigerj Thank you!
@PetiteSheWolf Nooooooo indeed!

Hello once more, Bees!

Today was another Push day, in which I dutifully upped the poundages on my lifts.

Bench Press: 130 x 6. Not bad, not bad. Will thus go up to 132.5.
Spoto Press: 110 x 5. Ugh, these felt impossible today.
Incline Press: 85 x 6.
Dumbbell Flat Curls: 20 x 20. Ho ho ho! Not merely 18.

Our refrigerator died today, so all the potentially yummy foods within have been lost. We did manage to go appliance shopping in Times Square and buy a new one. A touch pricey, but such is modern living. All the stuff in our apartment is at least 20 years old, so it's par for the course that some things have given way.

Beep beep! Have a great Tuesday, Bees!

Playing: So I found The Division 2 dlc on sale, and took the opportunity to dive back into this shooter. It's still as fun as it ever was - maybe moreso now that I'm not playing totally drunk (the last time was in 2019, before I got sober). Haven't been playing anything else, though I should keep up my play time with Zero Sievert, methinks.

Watching: I finally finished watching another movie! I completed the Tom Hardy crime flick Havoc, which was released just last week. Here's a trailer and a review.


Grubby, morally questionable detective Patrick Walker is not having the best week. While attempting to patch up relations with his estranged wife and daughter, he and new partner Ellie investigate a mysterious set of killings at nightclub: seemingly a drug deal gone bad. Surveillance catches footage of the assumed perp - it turns out to be the son of influential politician Lawrence Beaumont, who unfortunately has dirt on Walker. To make things worse, one of the victims is the child of a feared Asian drug lord, who comes to the city to enact her revenge on everyone involved. Stuck without a choice, Walker burrows into the city's dirty underbelly to see if he can rescue Beaumont's son, and get to him - before others do.

Verdict: It's bloody and chaotic alright, but not very memorable, and doesn't cohere into a story worth telling.

To preface this, I'm a huge fan of The Raid director Gareth Evans. He has combined martial arts with amazing choreography and incisive gangland portrayals to make some amazing movies. So I'm really sad to say that this is not one of them. If you want to skip this and get a TLDR, it's ultimately that the movie is not memorable enough. The fight scenes/set pieces have that memorable Evans pop and crunch, but they're missing the limber and adroit martial arts choreography that defined The Raid, and thus come across as majestic canvasses with drab imagery. There are two big set pieces that take place halfway through the movie, and while there's blood and bones breaking everywhere, you kind of struggle to care about the stakes.

This is in no small part due to an uninspiring story that traffics in cliches and little else. Yeah, Walker is an almost completely unsympathetic policeman and a dirty cop. This has been done before, and done better, and while Hardy immerses himself in the character (as we know he always does), he struggles to make Walker someone worth watching. I love seeing rising star Jessie Mei Li, and she brings her usual bright-eyed appeal, but again: lack of depth. Forrest Whitaker is ferociously committed, as is the Malaysian actor portraying the Triad boss. Timothy Olyphant in a villainous role is... okay, I guess? Again, not much to work with. Perhaps Evans should've left the writing duties to someone more seasoned?

So in the end, it's maybe half an hour of entertainment stuffed into a 90-minute film. I hope Evans brings his A-game and creative spark to his next project.

(Addendum: I do want to point out that the Chinese mobsters in the flick speak Cantonese, my second language, and I delight in hearing it in Hollywood productions. As usual, some of the players know it better than others, but considering Cantonese has faded in prominence, I always welcome its presence. I even learned a few new words.)

I give it three shotgun blasts out of five.

Besides that, another TLOU episode is out, and I'm eager to watch another spooky flick tonight.

Listening to: Procol Harum - The Idol. I used to have a huge progressive rock fixation in my twenties (until heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden and Motorhead elbowed it out of the way). Procol Harum, while not strictly a prog rock group, wrote such beautiful, classy music, and it's a shame that they're renowned for only one song (A Brighter Shade of Pale). So here's something off of the Exotic Birds and Fruit album: a metaphor for falsity, deception, and failure in the face of hope and expectation.

"They knew the monster's every trick
They knew his secrets every stitch
All of it had been a game
Nothing but a charlatan"

 
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