Dalivandrian

It really has been nice to have a dedicated spot. Now I have to figure out where it will go in the new house since I am moving on Monday.

I've been meaning to find a spot to create a reading nook for some time. I wanted a dedicated place that will encourage me to read and get me out of my office/gaming space. So..... I finally did it! It took a little while to find a small bookcase that fit well but it's great to have a place to keep the books I'm planning to read soon rather than having them in among the other bookshelves or piled on top of them *cough*. It's a little thing, but it's made me quite happy!

Recently finished Battle Ground by Jim Butcher and Dawnshard by Brandon Sanderson.

Current print (ebook) is Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson and audiobook is Deep Wizardry by Diane Duane.

Our library just consolidated their electronic offerings and pretty much everything is available via Libby (by Overdrive). I like the app layout and it syncs content between devices which is handy. It's a bit more aesthetically pleasing than the Overdrive app and the connect sync seems much more reliable.

I need to get back to some of the physical books I own and have stalled out on, but trying to finish RoW before the loan expires.

46 minutes ago, QuietlyExisting said:

 I feel like this whenever I find myself falling down the book lists rabbit hole >.< So many books so little time

 

What audiobook provider do you use? Audible?

I get audiobooks from the libary, mostly. Mine has them available via both Overdrive or RBdigital.

Just finished up Peace Talks by Jim Butcher and waiting for Battle Ground to come in from the library.

Also about half way through Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian Esslemont, which is set in the same Malazan universe as Steven Erikson's books.

My current audiobook is So You Want to be a Wizard by Diane Duane just for something a little lighter.

Non-fiction reading of the moment is Transcend: the New Science of Self-Actualization by Scott Barry Kaufman.

You are all giving me way too many things to add to my already too long backlog, by the way!

How is everyone doing? Thought I'd drop a little check-in post since it has been a while. I've been doing pretty well with sticking with it although there have been some weeks where I was not in a great place mentally and that I did let it slide too much. I've been using the Exos at home workouts since they are easy to just load up and get to work on. At this point I've been doing the 40 minute strength workouts a few days a week which are a good challenge level for me after moving up from the 30 minute bodyweight metabolic which started to be too easy. I still have to take a bit of extra rest during the finishers at times but no too bad and my HR is generally coming down pretty nicely from max.

I started jumping rope a couple weeks ago for my cardio days in preparation for winter but had to back off as I mildly pulled something in my calf. Having torn the other one before I'd rather not repeat that so it may be another week until I feel like I can get back to it. Luckily it has been nice here the last couple weeks so brisk walks and walking hills/stairs at the the nearby nature center have been working out instead. 

I also recently backed a fitness gaming app that is in alpha just because I thought it sounded like a fun idea. I've tried some augmented reality games before but I never really felt like I got much exercise with them since I was constantly stopping to do stuff. This one is different since you get xp for the workouts you log rather than doing stuff on your phone while you are doing so. It's called Alter Titan and we'll see how it does. It's in alpha right now so hard to tell what the end product will be.

Eating has been an issue at times but mostly I've managed not to overdo it. I've found it a challenge being at home so much. We've been really trying to just not buy things that might be too tempting and planning/cooking a lot which helps.

Hope you are all doing well!

So, I rolled a new character. And, it will be my new main. I like my loremaster, I really do. But, I just found out... why did no one tell me???... that if  I play a warrior-skald (dps) Minstrel that I can kill enemies with a bassoon!!!!!!!!! I'll probably never ever be welcome in a (non-RoH) group, but my goodness, I just cannot pass this up.

Togskravir, Warrior-Skald of the Lonely Mountain. His bassoon honks for thee! (apologies to actual bassoonists, it really is a perfectly lovely instrument in capable hands. He is using it in dissonant stance, after all!)

I am playing my loremaster on Landroval somewhat sporadically. I've been using lotro as a break from my other games but I would be up for doing some group events here as well. My character is fairly low level, though.

On 4/12/2020 at 7:06 PM, Koro said:

Anyone still playing lotro at all these days? Or have an interest in it, such as our original plan we started last year?

 

@Amrithir, I think I saw your character log in not too long ago, do you still play?

I'm up for it, I had fun with the couple of runs I was able to do with people last time. I really only have one character, though. Level 30 Loremaster.

Exos has a whole set of free workout programs on their site. They have a weekly livestream calendar and if you check out their youtube you can find playlists for low intensity, high intensity, strength training, yoga, etc workouts. I did one of the metabolic workouts and it tuckered me out pretty good. All free, no adverts that I have seen so far in the actual video programs.

https://www.exosathome.com/diy-weekly-plan

On 4/2/2020 at 2:02 AM, Eisen Wor'sha said:

Currently reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardens_of_the_Moon

 

I freaking love it so far.  About halfway through. 

If you like it that much already (and I did when I started the series as well) then you are in for a fantastic ride through the rest of the series. It's one of those "I wish I could read it again for the first time" kind of series for me. Enjoy!

Woohoo!

This book may be a good resource for those of you interested in setting up a workout routine at home while practicing social distancing. I really respect the trainer that put this out and own the book myself in hard copy. I don't get any sort of profit from sales of this book - I just think that it has very sound fundamental advice and routines. 

A couple of notes about it:

1. The exercises that he includes do sometimes use equipment. He almost always includes some sort of low-cost DIY alternative. Some examples: door frame pull-up bar, home-made ab roller (with lawnmower tires, I have actually made a set of these and they are very cheap and very effective!), resistance bands.

2. While he includes a beginner-friendly workout, it is not the primary focus of the book

I think it is a great resource for $1 if you keep those things in mind. You CAN put together an all bodyweight routine with this book, but it is really intended to help you set up a program at home with resources that make it more manageable and less costly than buying commercial equipement.

I'm now on book two of  The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone and I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying it so far. It's got a very interesting premise (or set of premises?) and setting and I really like his writing style.  Hard to describe, so here is some more information straight from the author himself if you are inclined to check them out: https://www.maxgladstone.com/2014/09/1364/

In non-fiction land, I just picked up The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers

I actually got myself 'back on' the bandwagon a month or two before the new year but I'll gladly join you all on this one going through 2020. I got serious about a fitness and health regimen about 10 years ago when I had a bit of a wake-up call at a doctor's visit. I did really well and got myself into pretty decent shape and was able to come back off the medications I was put on. I'm not anti-medication, I just realized that with some effort I could probably get myself in a situation where they were not yet necessary.

So, I got a bit complacent in the intervening time and have recently made a commitment to get back to it! I'm not a spring chicken anymore (more of a mid to late fall chicken at this point, I think) so I really want to keep this up to help my quality of life. I feel so much better already, physically and mentally.

I think finding something you like doing is a big part of the challenge. I'm currently working my way back through Mark Verstegen's Core Performance program. It was recommended to me years ago by a PT while I was getting rehab for one thing or another - I don't recall which particular thing it was. I had a number of issues on and off when I was playing racquetball seriously. Anyhow, I really like it as it trains a lot of different modalities: flexibility, balance, strength, aerobic and anaerobic capacity (He has this under Energy System Development). I modify it a bit as I prefer to work out at home so I do a lot of bodyweight, dumbell and resistance band training for some of the strength work.  I supplement with some yoga as well.

Once I'm done with that I plan to put some programs together with some books that I got from Ross Enamait. Never Gymless and Infinite Intensity are the books I have. He trains boxers but he has some really great no-nonsense fitness advice in his materials and I love his general philosopy. His books and site got me into jumping rope in the winter when it is crappy, cold (esp when below 0) and icy out for the ESD/aerobic part of my routine.

I think little things like taking the stairs, parking a little further and walking, getting up from the desk and stretching, can make a difference as well. Helps me think and see myself as 'active' even more than doing the workouts sometimes.

Great to have some company on the journey and glad to a part of the club!

I don't know that I'll be super active, although I do plan to keep playing and have the expansions through Rohan or so now. Swtor is still my main game and takes up a good chunk of my play time. I'd be happy to join a kinship and group up when I'm on,  though

I've fallen behind with this and while I'll try to catch up it may not been in the next couple of weeks. I'll be out of town a lot - especially weekends - through the remainder of August.

I've been busy with other things lately and so have fallen behind but getting to level 30 in the next week or so is probably manageable.

3 hours ago, Vorn said:

I think I have someone around there...I need to confirm what server we are on, please.

Landroval!

2 hours ago, Amrithir said:

I'd be up for even doing level 25ish stuff. I did the skirmish training last night, and have a quest that calls for 3x 3-person instances to complete.

Also, as a heads up, I go out of town mid July for a month, and I don't know how connected I will be during that time, although I can usually get on some.

I'd be up for it if you want to pick a time and see if we can coordinate.

Rashildhon is 24 now. I'll work on getting to 30 by the weekend.

Quick update: We're dog sitting for some friends and they will likely be picking up the pups tonight right around the event time so I may end up being late or having to step out for a bit.

I should be able to make 7 eastern work if that is a good time for the group in general.

Are we planning on this tomorrow? Deciding on some activities tomorrow and I can probably work around an event for lotro if I know before the end of the day today. 

My Loremaster is 20. I'll try to make it if the event is schedule for the 2nd.

Afternoon of the 2nd would probably be the next best time for me.