Mordechaj

Go to a HEMA club, you can't throw a punch without hitting a nerd or a geek

I was quite impressed with the very short biography of Mordechaj Anielewicz in my high school history book, so I decided to take up his first name as an online identity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordechai_Anielewicz If you have to go, don't go quietly. An all around sound guy, socialist for equal Israeli-Palestinian rights.

reading the start and middle of your post (falling out with the instructor) - I just hoped "let this guy discover HEMA, where there is skill instead great authority"

I agree with the don't worry part, but rather suggest to be one of the old farts. It's much more liberating approach. http://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences2/locker_room

What they said above + if self defense is a factor - at some point in time get classes in MMA.

Fill PVC pipes with water, weight will move around when you try lifting/squatting, etc.

No no no, you've got it all wrong! Sticking fingers in your ears is for the person next to the whistler!

I could never stomach the preachyness of Art of Manlyness. Can somebody tell me a single character trait that they perceive as a manly characteristic, that they wouldn't like to see in their daughter?

I use every business travel opportunity to check up local HEMA clubs and crash in (announced) on their training. It's great fun to see other club's practices and quirks.

Can't go much longer bearded than this or I enter hobo territory.

No useful help from me, just hopping on the wagon - it's a great book!

Lidl and Aldi are your friends in this situation. Plan your meals for a week ahead, and you can get it

I'm on a primal scheme. Before I regularly drank fresh milk, now only (home made) kefir. Can't drink milk any more - I immediately feel bloated and sluggish. It's not that I didn't feel the same thing before, I was just used to it. Yogurt doesn't seem to bother me, but kefir has much more health benefits!

Since we are owned by three ( <3 ) cats and any beard balm *will* be transferred on them when cuddling (essential oils can be extremely poisonous to them) wife and I tried to research what essential oils would be cat-safe. In the end she'll make the next batch with no essential oils at all I think.

I had an epiphany while playing The Walking Dead. Every moment that I've spent on grinding my character (not in this game) is time that I could have used to better my real self. Every moment that I've spent looking after a virtual child in this game is time that could have been spent on living beings that I live with. That's not to say that I regret playing this game, because I enjoyed thinking about game-design that went into it, and I used that experience of forced choices to know myself a bit better. There's also a lot of benefit that came from playing Total War series (to name one), in time and resource management skills. Not all game time is wasteful, but one should be conscious if it's pure escapism or something that actually improves you. So there - my inspiration to game less came from a game.

Another history (and sociology) major here. Nothing gets the party started as chiming in when someone says something and you are all "you know, it the roots of that go back to ...."

I've just been to my first HEMA class (hand-and-half swords for start).

Agreed, and I feel lost without the bug in the first pic.

I don't remember the last time that I needed a bigger knife in an urbane environment, and frankly on most of my hikes too. I need the swiss knife for an occasional eyeglasses repair, wine bottle or to cut plug tobacco for a pipe, but I mostly leave it at home.

a b it of a necro, i know, but this is too good to miss:

Something that might work for you: clasp the chest strap normally, but get the waist straps longer and clasp them over the chest straps, so you achieve a somewhat x shape with them. It often makes it easier to breathe properly and it still tightens the lower part of the pack to the back.

OMG my Sparrow is Snowball's long lost evil twin brother! And he's in eternal catlove with his little Satan friend The 200l is in another incarnation now but I don't have the newest pics:

that seems like an interesting story Taijibum, care to share it?

or the cat may be miffed with you. the black satan from pics above pees on my bed when he thinks I deserve it.