My frist tournament.

Exciting news, for me anyway.

My frist tournament and my second time playing warhammer 40k os coming up this Saturday.

I’m very nervous as i just submitted my army list so I’m locked in to what i can take and what i have to get ready.

So all models need to be painted with at least three colours, have no grey unpainted parts and need to be based ie sand or fake grass etc.

I currently have one complete unit unpainted, several models missing heads and several needing weapons or other details to be painted. And my whole army isn’t based yet.

Not only that but i need to build six objective markers which can be anything but i want to tie them into my self made lore of the tournament.

So thats a lot to do. Thankfully i have 3 days off work before the tournament so i should be fine if i get my act together and crack on with it.

My only other problem is my lack of skill with the game. I’m not going in to win but i don’t want to be so bad it’s not enjoyable for myself or who I’m playing against.

So to combat that I’m reading and watching tutorials and guide for Warhammer 40k. And i must say it is a level of complexity higher than Age of Sigmar. Not necessarily bad complex or better complex. But different enough to be a new challenge.

Mobile app

Wow i forgot about this place but oh well.

Now im on mobile it’ll be easier for me to quickly put short rambles down  and hopefully this will remind me to crwate longer posts when im on a pc. 

One thing i have been interested in is audio logs. I have very poor speach alongside my troubles with spelling so i feel it would be good practice to record myself talking. 

We shall see what thw future brings. 

My Fitness Journey Week 15 + 16 +17

My Fitness Journey Week 15 + 16 +17

It has been time to get serious. And So I mostly have, in a sense.

I spent some time getting a plan in my head and have actually started to act it out.

To start I took it very simple and gradually increased everything. I did 5 push ups, sit ups, triceps dips, squats and plank for 5 sec. Then through out the next two weeks I increased it from 5 of everything to 10 of everything then doing it twice a day to doing 15 of everything twice a day.

I had intended to get to 20 of everything twice a day but unfortunately I had family matters to go to (a funeral and all the fun that involves) so that interrupted stuff for a bit.

After that phase. (phase 0 I’m thinking of it) I have begun the running phase. Today I did my first 5k non-stop run ever in a not brilliant but not too shabby 11min per mile. For my first attempt I going to count that as a win.

From here though I will work up to a 10 min mile and from there move onto a 10k run by the end of June/early July as I have been invited to a do a 10K charity event.

As for my run today I feel pretty good and still had energy left for more.

All in all I plan to do more running and much more updating of the blog.

Animation Round up Week 15

Animation round up is here now as it’s the first one some of the airing dates may be a ,little spread out and not be a proper week but we can sort the out when I catch up and speed up production of these.

Edit I half finished this before going away for holiday and only after I got back managed to finish this so its way later then it was meant to be.

Lets start with the shows this week:

Guardians of the Galaxy season 1 episode 16 We Are the World Tree March 27th.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles season 4 episode 10 Trans-Dimensional Turtles. March 27th

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic season 6 Episodes 1+2 “The Crystalling” parts one and two. March 26^th

So that’s what were working with so far and I know a lot of people will have just said sod it I’m not hanging around for any Pony crap and while I understand please try to not let any preconceptions scare you off.

So to go easy on you lets begin with Guardians of the Galaxy or GoG for short.

It’s a mixed series which I have usually enjoyed but often seems to lose it self and wanders down annoying cartoon stereo-type filler crap. (baseball and cowboy episodes urgh) But this week it continues and possible ends the second arc of the series so far.

The first arc being the breadcrumb trail for the Cosmic Seed which was dragged on too long hence the annoying filler crap. And the second arc in the Spartax arc where the group s based in the Spartax empire with Peter being part of the royal family.

The episode is focused on the group (minis Peter) being banished from Spartax and a heist to enter Asgard and steal the Cosmic Seed. This is a nice pay off to Peter’s and the crews interactions with Emperor J’son (Peters father) and the over all politics between the galaxies superpowers namely Thor’s distrust of Spartax.

If this is the end of the second arc I am hopeful that the producers have learnt when to not drag something on too long and are ready to keep a meaningful pace to the overall story and are building up to a good ending for the season.

Next is The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Tmnt for short.

Ah pure fan service of the best kind. While technically a filler or breather episode it’s going to be high up on people best episode of the season list and it’s easy to see why.

Like a fair number of the fanbase my first experience of Tmnt was the 80’s cartoon and films. And this brought back all the memories of that series and how different it was.

Like Turtles Forever a 25^th anniversary film this episode features three different incarnations of the Turtles the 2012 version the 1987 cartoon and very briefly the 1984 mirage Comic version.

Sadly no 2003 turtles but I believe there is some legal issues with syndication which prevented them from joining in. And honestly I feel it was for the best, as much as seeing all the Turtles together would be great in a single episode there is just not enough time. I mean the original 1984 comic turtles are hardly in it at all and most of the focus is on the interaction of the 1987 and 2012 versions.

This works as they have the most in common and the 1987 Turtles are given equal amounts of mockery for their childish antics and moments of badassness.

The episode also features some great character interactions between the 2012 turtles and Master Splinter (who is currently dead in the Turtles timeline but not in the current one due to time travel and oh look I’ve gone cross eyed.) Which had been build and hinted at with Leo’s obsession/coping mechanic of visiting hologram splinter too much. And the very quick flash of Leo imagining Shredder stabbing Splinter again really well done.

The only question this episode leaves me with is this.

Are the 1987 turtles dead now? Did Tiger-claw kill them on his way back from their dimension?

And finally the pony discussion.

I was very mixed with the ending of the last session. Mostly over Starlight Glimmer. The session opening deals with part of my original problem with her. Mainly that she was so infrequent and by now the role of Anti Twilight Sparkle/ Evil Twilight Sparkle is over used. ( with The Great and Powerful Trixie and sunset Shimmer both already for fill that role and having a redemption arc.) That she would just be mostly forgotten after her redemption.

This is not so as she has almost become a 6^th ranger to the main cast or so it seems with how much screen time and development she got these two episodes.

That said I still dislike how she was somehow powerful and smart enough to counter everything Twilight could throw at her. Yet now seems weaker then when she was first shown.

I am coming around to her but she still feels like a poor man’s Sunset Shimmer.

Everything else worked great. Spike being a mentor and confidant to Starlight was wonderful, showing his own growth. Using the Crystal Empire was a great choice as that is where he shines the most. And helps Starlight not be too involved in the mane 6’s interactions but still in the core cast.

The Alicorn baby was predictable but fun non the less and the babies having uncontrollable powers idea was planted with the Cupcake twins so it worked well.

No song was an interesting choice as most session openings have some but it feel any songs would have just gotten in the way and eaten up time and development that was better served as it was.

The reunion between Starlight and Sunburst was again predictable but again nice and the flash backs showing that Sunburst had the knowledge but Starlight actually had much more power and once shown what to do could easily do much more then Sunburst could. This showed why sunburst went to unicorn school and not starlight. It also worked well in explaining some of how Starlight could do half the stuff she did last session. (with her modifying an already existing spell meaning she can’t or doesn’t have the confidence to do something new but can take what is already there and add to it)

More of that and I will warm up to Starlight more.

The other characters were given enough to do to be interesting but not enough to be epically note worthy. They all got a moment to shine so I don’t feel they were wasted but it really was a Starlight episode.

If the rest of the session plays out like I hope it should be a great one. The only problems I can see is if they either over play Starlight which detracts from the rest of the mane 6. Or they underutilise Starlight and she is only involved in the beginning and end like last session which as I said is a waste and makes the character cheap.

My Fitness Journey Week 14

So my first week back after getting of my sorry arse? Sadly it’s the week before I go away on holiday and I still have a painful tooth so I am hoping to get some exercise in but nothing too stressful as I’m hoping to just get back into the swing of things. Lets see how I do.

4^th Did 3sets of 10 reps of bi-curl, over head press and bent over row.

5^th rest day

6^th Did some more weights same reps as the 4^th

Over all I had a slow start to getting back into the swing of things. My tooth pain being an annoying factor. Next week is holiday so I won’t have any real exercise chance then sadly.

What’s been happing?

Weeks 6-13

I am back after a dreadful break due to several issues. Namely a sickness that took me out of work for a little while and strangely resulted in the inability to consume dairy. (Which has now gone) Driving tests and lesions (which I failed partly due to still being unwell) and planning a major holiday which is a lot more involved then I was expecting. This is also coupled with my work still after 4-5 months being under staffed has meant that I have worked quite a bit extra. (also to make up for my sickness which I won’t get paid) and lastly I have tooth and gum pains which have caused me to be very irritable and have effected my appetite which again due to illness had been wonky anyway.

In early February I had done a few runs and some weights but all my work was competently undone to possibly the worst sickness I had had since childhood. I won’t go into details as they are unpleasant but afterwards I was just weak and it took all my effect to just go to work.

Now things have settled down a bit I will start up doing posts again. How ever next week 11th-17^th I will be away on holiday and will therefore not be doing much traditional exercise. (I will be doing a lot of walking) After the holiday I will be having a tooth canal which may take me out of some exercise days as well.

I am about to start my first animation round up. Which I am excited to do and nervous but we shall see how it goes.

My Fitness Journey 01/02/16-05/02/16

1^st . Today was meant to be sets of different body weight exercises. But due to quite a lot of washing up and cooking that needed to be done I decided to focus on my household duties and instead do some much quicker weights exercises.

I did 20 reps of three sets biceps curls. And then 15 reps of 3 sets of militantly press (which I had to do kneeling due to my height).

2^nd Again I failed to do the Body weight exercise as I forgot to set the alarm and didn’t have enough time. SO again I did 20 reps of 4 sets biceps curls. And then 10 reps of 4 sets of militantly press

3^rd Rest day as I was too busy again.

4^th I did more weights today and diced to increase them from 12 ½ kg plus bar to 18kg plus bar.

I did 10 reps of 4 sets of bi-curl and 10 rep of 4 set military press.

5^th Rest day. I had intended to go running but my running partner wasn’t able to come and ~I had had some poor news so wasn’t in the mood to go out again.

After an incident at work I decided to focus more on strength building and I’ve been tempted to join a run at some point in the year. Probably in October so I have enough time to train properly.

I feel like I went a bit wobbly to the end of the week and hope that I get back into a better frame of mind for the up coming week.

My Fitness Journey 25/01/16-29/01/16

My Fitness Journey 25/01/16-29/01/16

25th While feeling unwell I was coming down with a cold I was persuaded to go on another run. Running with someone else is very different then alone. You get extra motivation to carry on but also can end up going at someone else’s pace which isn’t always the best.
This run was also the longest I’ve done at over three miles. We ran a new route I hadn’t even walked down before and ended up on the return half of the ran taking several walking breaks. (where we stopped running and instead walked for a section). I reckon I could have carried on and done the whole thing but my partner wasn’t feeling up-to it.

26th Rest day after feeling unwell and still doing exercise the day before I felt like I needed it.

27th My Birthday, so I spent the day doing birthday stuff and did no exercises which turns out to have been a bad idea.

28th “Rest day” again I didn’t get to do anything as I had a funny work day.

29th. Another Lazy day. Well I wasn’t actually that lazy, I cycled about 2 miles to go spend some bday vouchers on my bike. Getting a new saddle which had broken and new lights etc. then cycle 2 miles back. After that I spent the rest of the day doing house work which is actually fairly physical. But I don’t count as training.

So this week was fairly poor to be honest. I wasn’t feeling great and had a few other obligations but I do feel like I was bad. Next week things should be simpler with working lates so I can sleep in and still have time to work out. Should be doing sets so we shall see how that goes.

My Fitness Journey 18/01/16 – 24/01/16

My Fitness journey 18/01/16 – 24/01/16

Monday Running 2.5miles at 10mintues per mile. Two sets 10 rep standing push ups.

A very enjoyable run again with the added bonus of discovering that at the half way point there is a hand handrail (I didn’t do that on purpose) which I can do some push ups and dips on. So next run we shall add some more of them into it.

Tuesday rest. Partly because I went round a mates house and played video games .

Wednesday, I had fully intended to go running but on coming home I found the path I would run frosted over. So stuck in doors with no real aim I decided to do some weight work.

20 reps of 4 sets of bi-curls with a barbell.

Then 10 reps of 4 sets of military press. (Which I have to do while kneeling as otherwise I would be hitting the ceiling)

While I was sad to not go for the run (well I hate running but I is very good for me to go running) I did enjoy the weights as I have always loved lifting heavy stuff. My body build is designed for building mass but as I said before I have been very lazy in looking after myself.

While I want to build my arms a lot and have the potential to do that eventually for now I am happy to just build the foundation for that growth. Over all Fitness is more important to me for now.

Thursday Rest

Friday I went for the run again as it was only slightly raining. I failed to time myself but I made a few minor changes. Firstly at the midway point which is a n incline to a bridge. I started to increase my pace from my standard plodding along to a proper running pace and a sprint uphill to jump up and touch the roof of the bridge. That killed me and I was majorly out of breath.

At this halfway point instead of stopping completely I paced along the bridge until I got m,y breath back. Then I did 10 push ups on the hand rail, walked to the other end of the bridge and did 10 more. After doing this a few times I went to do dips and good lord I hate dips. I could only do one set of 10 and then and second set of 5 before my arms started to buckle.

Then it was back on the run, plodding along and again when I neared the end I picked up to a full run. I felt very good about the run again and once I figure out exactly what to do at the midway point it will get even better.

Noticing my speed as I “ran”. Well run feels like a lie as I am jogging. Just plodding along step by step. Although I have to remind myself that that’s how it works, one leg in front of the other just keep moving. What I want to get to is a point when I can do the whole route at a proper running pace.

In a non fitness note.

As I was doing the walking warm up to the start of the route I went past a large 6-9 group of hooded youths hanging around the train bridge I cross over. Now this naturally made me nervous but I’m a 6’4 male. When I went past them in the dark they didn’t say a thing to me. Now how differently would it have been if I wasn’t a fairly intimidating figure? If I was female? I don’t have anything to really say but it’s worth thinking about.

My Fitness Journey 11/01/16-17/01/16

My Fitness Journey 11/01/16-17/01/16

My first week of my new exercise plan.

Monday. Weights 20lbs , biceps curls curls 20 reps 4 sets.

Weights 20lbs knelling military press 10 reps 3 sets

Tuesday Weights 20lbs , biceps curls 20 reps 4 sets.

Weights 20lbs knelling military press 10 reps 3 sets

Wednesday 2mile walk mixed hills

40min run light pace

Currently writing this with my legs burning and an annoying case of joggers nipple. (this a real thing look it up, also Vaseline is a god send) before when I’ve tried running/jogging I’ve used apps like C25K (couch to 5k) while running with others. Sadly me and tech doesn’t seem to get on well and the apps keep dying on me. Thankfully these experiences did teach me how to jog at a sustainable pace and control my speed. So today I decided to just do a short walk for the warm up and then just jog half the normal distance along a river to a bridge and then take a 5 min walk to get my breath back and jog the way back. I honestly wasn’t sure I could do it as before I did interval training so I ruin for a little then walked for a bit etc. I was also very surprised I actually went out in the rain in the dark to do it and that as I was alone I didn’t wimp out and walk more. Over all feeling very good but slightly painful in my knees. (will google that later)

Thursday Rest day

Friday Rest day

Saturday rest day (spent the day cooking, literally the whole day cooking as I was planning on doing weights but failed

Sunday Another day of cooking so I was unable to go for another run which is very disappointing. How ever I was able to get in some free weight exercises such as push ups 10 reps 3 sets. Wall climbers 10 reps 3 sets. Sit ups 10 reps 3 sets. Leg raises 10 reps of 3 sets and squats 10 reps of 3 sets.

So I got in a little bit of a work out in. Not much but better then nothing.

Over all this week has been mixed. I was very surprised with myself on Wednesday, able to do much more then I thought of myself. Sadly the rest of the time life took over and prevented me for doing what I wanted.

Next week will be a tough week for me as I have seven days of early starts 5.30 and work every single day. But dispute that I am to get 3 runs in. hopefully Monday Wednesday and Friday

So wish we luck.