level250geek

Sorry I haven't been active on the forums here lately. I've been insanely busy using my summer break to get some house cleaning done, and I've been exhausted at the end of each day (we've been married for over a year, and haven't really done anything to the house in that whole time). Unfortunately, that has also impacted my regular workout, though there has been much physical exertion getting the house in order. Here's my final rundown. Goal #1: Avoid sugary snacks. For the most part, I succeeded. I had many special occasions come up during this challenge, and being on break from working at school kicked me out of my daily habit, which caused some emotional upset and resulted in some comfort eating. However, I never went overboard like I used to--having tons of sugar with every meal in the form of desserts and regular soda, with lots of bad-for-me snacks during the day. I earned a C for this goal and CON +2. Goal #2: Lift 20# weights for workout. Done. Can now lift 20# weights without appropriate resistance. I earned an A for this goal and STR +3, STA +2 Goal #3: Stand 30 seconds on each foot. The first time I accomplished it was in week 3, but even after that there were times when I didn't make it, but for the most part I did. I even managed 40 seconds on each foot before losing my balance at one point! I earned a B for this goal and DEX +2.25. Goal #4: Buy a new outfit. Sadly, didn't get a new outfit. But, I can fit into some of my older clothes better! Lots of my t-shirts aren't as tight as they used to be, and my wife bought me a t-shirt that was 2X that I can comfortably wear (after stretching it a bit, because it was clingy material). So, I say that earns me a B at least, and CHA +2.25. Overall, I'd say I did a B+. Not bad for the first challenge! Looking forward to the next one and getting back into the game!

I prefer strong game play to strong story when it comes to games, so I tend to prefer WRPGS. With JRPGS, I feel like I'm reading a book. The story is planned out from beginning to end and I have little chance to influence it. With WRPGS, that's still the case for the most part, but you have more opportunity to have greater control over your characters' personality and their exact narrative; you main play the same main quest regardless of the type of character you create, but all the different side quests, factions that you ally or compete with, and down to the skills and gear you specialize in all make up your character's story. By contrast, I don't feel that way with JRPGS. I feel like I'm just along for the ride.

Thanks, guys. Great advice, especially on the matrix set-ups, I-Jo. Today was not a good day. I didn't want to get out of bed. This happens from time to time. It's just a day when my depression hits really bad and I don't feel like doing anything. It's getting easier to get up and do stuff, and I know that I have to just keep on going, but it's something I struggle with. Thanks for all the support!

I think nerd and geek is a distinction without a difference. I've been called both. I call myself both. The closest I ever got to a working definition between the two is that, in college, it seemed like all the arts and humanities people were called nerds and all the science, math, and IT people were called geeks--but we often got together and talked about the same video games, comics, TV shows, movies, etc. etc. etc.; we even talked cross-academic discipline, because we all shared a love of learning about stuff from experts in their field.

Okay guys, I've hit a slump. I have a really busy and stressful day Friday, and didn't get a workout in. I went to the beach with some friends on Saturday, specifically our state aquarium, and had a great time. Got some great walking in (took an hour-long nature trail, yay) and got to see otters frolic and play during their feeding time program. Sunday: I did absolutely nothing worth anything. Today, I was on the road quite a bit and didn't get to do my usual Monday workout. I did do some body weight stuff. However, I'm slipping on my diet and I just have no desire to do weight-lifting. I figured I'd take it day by day; I have been doing alot of heavy lifiting (of the house-cleaning and moving nature) that's leaving me sore in the past week (though not as sore as before I started exercising regularly), so I think that has a lot to do with why I'm so worn out on weights. I mean, when you spend all morning moving refrigerators and book cases, ya know? I'm still doing some exercises, however, and I'm going to whip myself back on track with my diet. In other news, I got a bow today! Shot it for over an hour--great upper body workout.

I have a love-hate relationship with the Elder Scrolls series. I've played Morrowind and Oblivion, was caught up for like, two weeks, and then just lost interest. There's just TOO MUCH to do explore. But Skyrim? Oh, Skyrim. Think about this way: Morrowind was like alternative rock--a weird setting, trippy NPCs, a storyline based in mysticism and stuff; Oblivion: classic rock--it's a standard fantasy RPG with some unique spin put on it by virtue of who created, but nothing spectacular; Skyrim is straight up f$!ing metal. You're in a hostile land where everything want to kill you. Your closest allies are viking warriors. You slay dragons and EAT THEIR SOULS to gain power. Yeah, it's that badass. It also has the cleanest design and most beautiful scenery of all the most recent Elder Scrolls games, plus I love the fact that you don't choose a class; you literally craft your character from the ground up. It's a lot of fun. Give it a go. The Legendary Edition, with all the DLC on the disc, is out right now. The base game (with improvements) plus all the DLC for $60. Not a bad deal.

I have an idea. It's kind of complex, so grab a beer and a sandwich and settle in for a long read, okay? Ready? Okay, here we go. *ahem* Leave everything just how it is. There. Hope that didn't take up too much of your time.

Coming along well. The wife and I went out of town today and didn't get back until late, so I was going to skip my workout completely but decided that simply wouldn't do. I did some basic body weight stuff (wall push-ups, squats, lunges, toe touches) and did some balance exercises. I'm doing well on avoiding sweets, especially after a string of special occasions where cake was involved, and I've managed to stand on both feet for thirty seconds once and can make 20-25 seconds consistently. Haven't looked at the new outfit yet, but my wife has agreed to help me shop.

If you've played World of Warcraft and walked away with a lot of problems and frustrations, then you'll love this game. Basically, everything that made WoW a huge time sink is fixed in this game. You get XP for EVERYTHING--even crafting gives you XP toward your overall level progression. When you die, you enter a "fight to survive" state where you're prone and scrambling to stay alive. Other players can revive you, or if you last long enough you get back up and get back into the mix. Any players can assist any other players at any time, even if you're not in the party, and when you assist with a kill EVERYBODY gets equal XP. As you travel across zones, your stats are constantly being adjusted so that you're at max level for the current zone, but the XP you earn goes to your next actual level (so you're level 14 and go into a level 8 zone, your stats will be adjusted to level 8, but if you ding your and go back to a level 15 zone, you'll be level 15--you also keep any skills and perks that come with your actual level when your stats are adjusted). There's no subscription fee. You just buy the disc. There are some cosmetic items and services you can buy with real money; this is done through an online gem shop. You buy gems with real money, then spend the gems on stuff like weapon and armor skins, temporary buffs, special items, and such. You will never have to spend money past buying the disc, however, as all of the gem shop items are for fun and/or convenience. Also, you can exchange gems for currency for your character (handy if you spend gems and find yourself with not enough to buy something useful). Oh, and if you go PVP, you're automatically jacked to level 80 (your gear and skills are unchanged, however). I would highly recommend it. We're on Isle of Janthir if you decide to give it a go; I'm a Norn Ranger named Faoriskirne and she's a Norn Mesmer named Thecreide. We'll glad to show you the ropes.

I kind of see your point, but I would say that nobody is worth the trouble that punching them in the face can cause YOU. They can have you arrested for assault, take you to court, get financially compensated, and basically end up winning the fight and all they had to do was take one punch from you. Yeah, some people might say you did the right thing. Yeah, you might feel better right after. But then they take you to the cleaners and you're only more pissed off and stressed. But yeah, there have been times where I was like, "You know what, why don't I just punch the f#@^er and be done with it?" Then I took a split-second to think about everything that would happen to me as a result and I just walked away. In theory, I agree with you. In practice--not so much.

All good advice, but I'd like to add this: once you level off, you won't know you're not in a bus (unless you look out the window). Really. My first flight was a non-stop from Raleigh, NC to London. Take off was kind of nerve-cringing; I had a really cool flight attendant who knew it was my first flight, and during take off he shook the back of my chair. I spooked, turned around, saw it was him, and we both busted out laughing. Brave dude. I could have whirled around and decked him. Guess he could tell I was the type who appreciated a good joke. Anyway, once we were in the air, I was all like...this is it? It was the smoothest, calmest trip I ever took. Ofcourse, we were on a big jet with lots of room...I've been on a few puddle jumpers that is NO FUN. It's all cramped, but it doesn't feel any less safe. More leg room would be nice, that's all. For landing, just don't look out the window. I've flown several times and I still get knots in my stomach during landing. I just don't learned to not look. Just close your eyes, or (if you're reading a book) keep reading, or whatever. It's more of the visual shock of watching the ground come up to you than anything; I've never actually felt unsafe, it's just a really weird feeling. I guarantee you'll love it. It has its disadvantages, just like all forms of travel, but I still feel safer as a passenger on a plane than I do as the driver of a car any day of the week. Have a couple of drinks, talk to your flight attendant, find a good book to read--you'll be fine.

Either I'll work out, or I'll go shooting, or I play a video game where I can just let it all out and not face social consequences. Exercises tires me out, so I'm quite literally too tired to care. It also refocuses me. A walk or a hike gives me time to get my thoughts together, and usually I see that there's really nothing worth getting that mad over. If I've been stressed/mad for an extended period of time, I load up my guns and some ammo and head to the range, or I'll go outside in the backyard with the airsoft rifle, blowgun, or (when I get one) bow and fire off a few rounds. The thing is, even with my live firearms I don't just set up a target and go all late-'80s-Arnold-film on it. I shoot with proper technique, focusing on my target, making sure my form is right, and using nice, even trigger pulls (ditto with the non-firearm weapons, but with proper technique for them). Doing so clears my head. Playing the video games are just a safe way to let loose and cause mayhem. Nothing more to it than that.

The wife and I have been playing Guild Wars 2 like mad. Our first day, we played for 7 hours. We started playing at 9:00 PM and at 4:00 AM we were like, "Ya know, maybe we should pretend to get some sleep at least." I'm going to be putting BioShock Infinite and The Last of Us on my wishlist for birthday and Christmas. My family always wants gift ideas, so I'm buying less games and banking more gift requests. Since I work for a public school, I've got a nice two month break. I plan to get caught on my gaming and reading. Right now, I'm working on GW2, Skyrim, System Shock 2 and Crysis 2 (plus the million other games I duck in and out of all the time). Also on deck is Uncharted 2 and 3, Brutal Legend (yeah, never played it despite absolutely loving the concept), and Saints Row The Third.

Every sports fan is a nerd. Every. Single. One. Either sports is just one of the many thinks they're passionate about, or they're so into sports that talking to them about their favorite sport(s), player(s), and team(s) is akin to a housewife who has never read anything but Harlequin romances talking about comics to a comic book geek.

Look up An Ideal of Hope by Hans Zimmer on YouTube. I'm not sure if you can legitimately buy the track, but if you can rip the audio somehow (or, even better, find the MP3 for sale), this makes a great pre-workout psyche-up. It's the music that played during the second full-length Man of Steel trailer.