Lounge II (The Lounge Strikes Back)

[shatteredsmooth]

2 hours ago, Robinski said:

Hey! You'd be most welcome   Here's a picture to whet your appetite: the view from Ben Lomond south along Loch Lomond towards Glasgow. (Robinski not pictured).

 

That is beautiful! 

[Snakenaps she/her]

On 7/18/2020 at 7:34 AM, shatteredsmooth said:

And a snake. Whenever I see snakes now I think of @Snakenaps

Yay!!! I love snakes

On 7/18/2020 at 7:04 AM, TheDwarfyOne said:

I go for a 6 and a half mile jog/run most days, but it's only made bearable by Audible. I'd get hugely bored if I couldn't 'read' while doing it.

 

On 7/18/2020 at 10:44 AM, Robinski said:

I go for a 20 minute 'power' walk every morning, usually about 6am

 

On 7/18/2020 at 7:24 AM, shatteredsmooth said:

However, competing in a triathlon in on my bucket list. The local one is a 10 mile bike, 5k run, and 1 mile swim. I'm not sure why they put the run in kilometers and everything else in miles. I can bike 10 miles no problem (though I'm not fast because I don't bike often) and I can swim the mile. But I've never run a whole 5k. 

I only like running if it is for a short game of tag. I walk 4.2 miles (10,000 steps) almost every morning around my neighborhood. Although I'm going to have to find new places to walk soon, once the college students return and it becomes unsafe to walk alone. Spotted a nice set of beer pong on a lawn today...they're coming...

19 hours ago, Robinski said:

the view from Ben Lomond south along Loch Lomond towards Glasgow.

My family went to Loch Lomond in 2017! It was the only place outside of Edinburgh that we visited. My sister (to the left) and my curly haired self admired from a distance the evil swans that attempted earlier to bite some dumb tourists that were bothering them.

I've got to return to Scotland one day. I still can't believe I barely tolerated beer and hated scotch when I visited. I missed out on so much. Man, I miss haggis. 

[Robinski he/him]

6 minutes ago, Snakenaps said:

I've got to return to Scotland one day. I still can't believe I barely tolerated beer and hated scotch when I visited. I missed out on so much. Man, I miss haggis.

I think I'm going to have to charter an aircraft and fill it with RE personnel  

So, who knows what will happen between now and then, but I believe the Glasgow bid for WorldCon 2024 is still a thing... Just saying  

[shatteredsmooth]

2 minutes ago, Robinski said:

So, who knows what will happen between now and then, but I believe the Glasgow bid for WorldCon 2024 is still a thing... Just saying  

 WorldCon 2024 sounds far enough in the future that cons and international travel might be safe-ish again. Of course, I'd have to stay in Scotland long enough after the con to hike at least two or three of those Munros. 

[shatteredsmooth]

20 minutes ago, Snakenaps said:

My sister (to the left) and my curly haired self admired from a distance the evil swans that attempted earlier to bite some dumb tourists that were bothering them.

Swans can be vicious.

[Snakenaps she/her]

14 minutes ago, Robinski said:

I think I'm going to have to charter an aircraft and fill it with RE personnel  

So, who knows what will happen between now and then, but I believe the Glasgow bid for WorldCon 2024 is still a thing... Just saying  

 

6 minutes ago, shatteredsmooth said:

 WorldCon 2024 sounds far enough in the future that cons and international travel might be safe-ish again. Of course, I'd have to stay in Scotland long enough after the con to hike at least two or three of those Munros. 

I better start budgeting and saving then, eh? Wouldn't want to miss this.

Still hoping to hit WorldCon next year, but we'll see... 

[shatteredsmooth]

1 minute ago, Snakenaps said:

Still hoping to hit WorldCon next year, but we'll see... 

Me too, but I keeping thinking it's less and less likely. DC would be so easy to get to.

[Snakenaps she/her]

Just now, shatteredsmooth said:

Me too, but I keeping thinking it's less and less likely. DC would be so easy to get to.

I have relatives in Maryland that I could stay with, which would make it perfect for me. I would love to go sailboating and eat crabs again. That may just have to be in the future. 

Right now, it feels like trying to make any sort of firm plans just leads to disappointment. 

No matter what happens, I'm sure I'll meet you all in person one day. The group has lasted how many years, I'm sure it will last plenty more. 

[Robinski he/him]

3 hours ago, shatteredsmooth said:

WorldCon 2024 sounds far enough in the future that cons and international travel might be safe-ish again. Of course, I'd have to stay in Scotland long enough after the con to hike at least two or three of those Munros. 

We can but hope. And, there are numerous Munros with relatively easy reach of Glasgow such that it would not be a major exercise to do that

[aeromancer he/him]

Fingers crossed for 2022 in Chicago, though from my understanding it's going to take place in the summer and I prefer the American Midwest in the winter. (I'm kind of weird like that.) Though, if we're being honest, there isn't a very good chance that I'll be able to go even if it is in Chicago, and even less of a chance for 2021 Washington DC. Still, there is a slim chance.

[TheDwarfyOne]

Oh, Chicago? I'd not mind going there. I've read enough books set in it. Most recently the Dresden Files.

[shatteredsmooth]

1 minute ago, TheDwarfyOne said:

Oh, Chicago? I'd not mind going there. I've read enough books set in it. Most recently the Dresden Files.

I used to be a little obsessed with The Dresden Files. Right now, my TBR is so out of control that I haven't even bough the book that just came out after the series being paused for years.

My spouse goes to an engineering conference that seems to be in Chicago maybe every other year and keeps saying he wants to go back when it's not for work.   

[TheDwarfyOne]

TBR?

Part of what I appreciate about the Dresden Files is it shows Butcher's development as an author, very clearly.

I'll use an analogy which my father favours. Butcher is like an old-style mason's apprentice constructing a wall. The wall begins uneven and broken and haphazard, but as the apprentice gains experience he also gains ability. The wall straightens, evens. His apprenticeship is over when he finishes the wall.

Strangely, I'd never heard of WorldCon before you lot were talking about it, but that's hardly surprising considering I've never been to any con. Maybe I'll go to the Washington one if it's possible.

 

[shatteredsmooth]

28 minutes ago, TheDwarfyOne said:

TBR?

 

To Be Read. I probably should have said TBR pile or list. I may even be using the acronym wrong. I do that sometimes. 

41 minutes ago, TheDwarfyOne said:

I'll use an analogy which my father favours. Butcher is like an old-style mason's apprentice constructing a wall. The wall begins uneven and broken and haphazard, but as the apprentice gains experience he also gains ability. The wall straightens, evens. His apprenticeship is over when he finishes the wall.

 

That is a good way to look at it. I'm curious to see how the next book is after all the years he took off.

He had a huge influence on the first couple books I wrote. 

I don't know if you read his other searies, Codex Alera, but my dog (Tavi) is named after a character from it. 

[Robinski he/him]

I absolutely love the Dresden Files. I discovered them about 3 years ago, and have caught up the 15 volumes to date, and also the shorts too in the interim. I am bursting to read the new one.

Did you hear Jim Butcher on Writing Excuses a couple of weeks ago? It was an excellent episode about how to sustain interest over a long series. JB is the man to speak to about this!!! There was nothing earth-shattering in the episode, but he just spoke to well and sensibly about the process of writing, I thought, and how to approach things. Well worth a listen.

Not read any of his other stuff (Codex or Cinder Spires).

Hey, @TheDwarfyOne, I have only been to one con, which was WorldCon 2019 in Dublin and it blew my freakin' mind. @kais, @Mandamon, @Silk, @industrialistDragon and @Asmodemon being there in Eire, plus having about 15 of the Glasgow writing group I'm a member of there too made it the most amazing experience I've had in connection with writing. It's one of these, the more you put in things. I volunteered to go on panels as a complete newbie (to cons) and was put on one about the rule of the gumshoe in SFF. What do you know? First thing I mentioned was Harry Dresden. See, it's all connected.

Seriously though, a con can be can be an amazing experience, although I guess things will be way different now.

[TheDwarfyOne]

Gumshoe?

Dresden's great. I love the fluidity of his fight scenes. They feel like a rolling wave. I also enjoy the character. It's hard to make someone seem unique, but he managed it.

[aeromancer he/him]

As long as we're talking Dresden, I feel the need to point out that Peace Talks is actually out! It's been out for almost a week, actually. And I've read it (somehow), and it's very good. I will just give a quick heads up and point out that Peace Talks and the upcoming Battle Ground were originally supposed to be the same book, so this isn't quite as self-contained as the other books in the series, but Battle Ground is coming out in September, so it's not too long a wait. Especially considering how long it took between Skin Game and Peace Talks.

Rumor has it that the next Dresden book is going to be called Mirror, Mirror, but Jim Butcher said he's working on the second Cinder Spires, which is great, because Cinder Spires is good steampunk and I can never get enough good steampunk.

It kind of seems that everyone on this forum is Dresden Files fan, huh? It might be an interesting idea to try to start a forum RP using the Dresden Files tabletop. I know it's FATE based system and supposedly the FATE system is really flexible and narrative based.

[shatteredsmooth]

3 hours ago, aeromancer said:

As long as we're talking Dresden, I feel the need to point out that Peace Talks is actually out! It's been out for almost a week, actually.

I know.

I have so many other things on my to-read list that I think I am going to wait until after Battle Ground comes out so I can just read them straight through like they actually are one book.

[Robinski he/him]

Yeah, @aeromancer, I only read paperbacks, I don't do hardbacks or eBooks (unless no other format is available), and the PB doesn't hit the UK until April 2021.

Actually, I've also listened to all the Dresden audiobooks too, and I can pick that up now on Audible, which I have, but I'm in the middle of The Gutter Prayer by Gareth Hanrahan, so I need to finish that off first. The narration of the Dresden Files ABs is by James Masters of Buffy infamy! It is hands down the best narration I've ever heard, and I've listened to a lot of audiobooks in parallel with my reading. it's the only way I stand any chance of getting current after being lapsed for so long.

Did not know about Mirror Mirror, good tip!

RP? Hah! Interesting idea. I probably wouldn't myself due to being time poor, but then I've RP'd online. Then again, time difference makes it a btch participating in conversation sometimes, when all the buzz happens while you're asleep!

[TheDwarfyOne]

14 hours ago, Robinski said:

when all the buzz happens while you're asleep!

Don't worry, dude, you and I could make enough buzz to make these murricans envious.

 

As a complete tangent, I'm thinking of taking up a martial art when I go back to university. Options thus far - Tai-Jutsu, Taekwondo, Karate, Aikido, Judo, Jujitsu. But I have zero idea what the differences between them are. I'm thinking it'd be best to go to their stalls on open night and ask. If Covid allows such things. Which it won't.

Meaning it'd also be a bad time to be thinking of a martial art. Maybe... fencing? There's at least an implied distance there 

[Mandamon he/him]

3 hours ago, TheDwarfyOne said:

Options thus far - Tai-Jutsu, Taekwondo, Karate, Aikido, Judo, Jujitsu. But I have zero idea what the differences between them are. I'm thinking it'd be best to go to their stalls on open night and ask. If Covid allows such things. Which it won't.

*large inhale*

Soooo...I've been teaching Wado Ryu karate for about 11 years now, and practicing for about 17. I have opinions, but to boil it down:

Tai-Jutsu: seems to be a general term for Japanese martial arts, so I'm not sure what discipline that is. If it's a good school, it could be very good, or it could be people who are undecided as to what they should practice.

Taekwondo: Unless it's a very good instructor and you don't have other options, I personally wouldn't take this one. It's about 80% kicks, and a lot of the techniques are not practical (though people will probably shout at me about this). It's been watered down a lot to competition training over the years.

Karate: Again, this is a very general term, which means it's probably Shotokan style. Other styles are Shito-Ryu, Wado Ryu (like mine), Goju-Ryu... It's generally balanced between hand and feet techniques, and if you have a good instructor, you can learn a lot of practical application.

Aikido: This is my second choice for a discipline. Good Aikido is using your opponent's momentum against them. Has a lot of cool joint locks, but also easy to injure wrists. Has some mat work, and if you don't like rolling around on the floor with sweaty people, you might not like that part. It doesn't focus on punches or kicks.

Judo and Jujitsu: These two are similar in many ways. Both have some really good holding and grappling techniques, but it's largely mat work. No punches or kicks, though Judo has more throws. Even more rolling around than Aikido.

As to practicing in our new world here, most all places are shut down (I've been teaching on Zoom with my class) and that eliminates a lot of the good feedback you get from hitting bags or working hand to hand with others.

Overall, though, talk with the instructor! If you get the feeling at all that they are in it to show off their techniques or intimidate students, stay far away. Ask questions about practical application, and if they can't answer, that means they're following the moves of the discipline, but don't understand why it's used. Especially for Karate, Tai-Jutsu, and Taikwando, make sure they practice forms or kata. If they don't, they're missing a huge part of the discipline.

Anyway, that's my ten or twenty cents worth. I'm happy to answer other questions, especially if you want to run a particular instructor/school by me for whether you think if would be good.

[Robinski he/him]

5 hours ago, Mandamon said:

*large inhale*

 

[TheDwarfyOne]

@Mandamon

That's a great summary! Thanks. Looking into it, the karate one has a webpage. It's Wado-Ryu, taught by someone with 30 years' experience, apparently. Seems pretty close to what I'd wanted - namely something practical. Three training days a week, so fits in with whatever my schedule might be. There's a breakdown of kyu which lists kata, so that seems good.

Looks like I've narrowed it down.

[Mandamon he/him]

1 hour ago, TheDwarfyOne said:

@Mandamon

That's a great summary! Thanks. Looking into it, the karate one has a webpage. It's Wado-Ryu, taught by someone with 30 years' experience, apparently. Seems pretty close to what I'd wanted - namely something practical. Three training days a week, so fits in with whatever my schedule might be. There's a breakdown of kyu which lists kata, so that seems good.

Looks like I've narrowed it down.

Glad to help! Also, yay for Wado-Ryu! Out of curiosity, which school is it? Based from the Chelmsford branch? If you give me the website, I might be able to tell you where the instructor was taught and by who.

[shatteredsmooth]

The downstairs window unit air conditioner decided it was tired of being an an AC and instead, it was going to be a fog machine.