I could regale you with all the things I've been up to lately, but I suspect that's a little boring and not what I want to write about at the moment.
So I started playing Zombies, Run! a couple of months back to encourage me to run more often. I love it. I knew I would. From the moment I heard about it, I thought it was one of the best ideas for gamifying your life I've ever heard. I actually run with my 7" tablet because I want to play it and I don't have a smart phone. It is amazing. I won't hear anyone say different, it's helped my training in marvellous ways. However, it's not PERFECT, and I have a few thoughts on how it could be improved that will probably never be realised, but would be so cool if they could. I'm hoping this whole area is an expanding market that is only just being tapped, so I'm hoping Zombies, Run! is only the first in a long stream of amazing gaming/fitness cross overs.
Great things:
- The characters and voice acting; I don't know if it was the endorphins from the running but I was nearly in tears on my last run. I'm getting to be very fond of Sam (mission 9 did that), and I think they've cast the voice actors excellently. Oh, and I actually love Jack and Eugene from the radio bit; I expected it to be naff and annoying but I think it's brilliant.
- The story; it's keeping me interested to see it develop. I feel like I'm just getting to where the story's really building up - it's felt a bit like introduction to the environment so far.
- Building the town - I like that I need to run to get supplies to build the town. It makes me want to run more often because I'm always thinking "damn, I need another spanner to expand!"
- Zombie link - I love seeing my runs, the stats, how fast I ran to a certain song, my achievements, etc. It's a nice little addition. I also want to unlock the achievements, which was a major pull of Fitocracy. The issue comes when you've achieved them all (or all the ones that are easy to achieve!) as the next jump tends to be big and if that's your only pull it's hard to maintain. Fortunately Zombies Run! has a lot of other pulls.
- Zombie chases. Dear god I hate interval training. As much as I hear it's good for speed and CV fitness and everything else, I cannot convince myself that the feeling I get after sprinting is worth it when I'm just running along. I cannot keep it up for as long as I should. It hurts and it sucks and surely jogging along is all right? However, tell me there's a horde of zombies about to get me and play zombie moans over my music and I will sprint like nobody's business. I LOVE this element and whoever thought this up was genius.
Things that could be better:
- I will emphasise, these are NOT criticisms. I have nothing but love for the game. This really just one thing; a fairly major thing, but something I can live without. I just think it would make the game better. And that is personalisation and choice making.
While I was playing mission 9, which is a fairly intimate mission where it's just the radio operative Sam Yao talking to you, willing you to come home and talking about his life before the zombie outbreak, Sam says something like "I know we've never spent time together, but it's always felt like we're on the same wavelength". I wanted to spend time with him. I wanted to decide to develop that friendship. And actually, as I thought about it, I thought about how great this game could be if it behaved like proper major computer games. Think Mass Effect or Dragon Age. Where it wasn't just a series of missions that carried on in a linear fashion; it wasn't just a story where you're taken along for the ride. Where you are an actual CHARACTER who makes decisions that affect the story. Where, perhaps, at the end of the run you could decide whether to help New Canton or leave them to be overtaken by zombies. Where you could choose to spend time with your favourite characters and learn more about their lives during the next run. Basically so that your character has a voice and a personality and that your decisions affect the course of the lives you encounter.
This would obviously make the game more expensive and would be much harder work for everyone involved. But I'm damned if that wouldn't make it considerably better. And maybe, some day, a game will be developed along this vein. Hell, if anyone has programming experience and ambition, and fancies teaming up with me I'm game!
Anyway.
Next Saturday I run the Spartan Race. I haven't trained nearly enough. I will die. But I will have fun doing it.
Sunday 15 September 2013
Saturday 2 March 2013
Ding! Level up!
Apologies for the long delay in updating the blog, it's been a tough couple of months but things are now looking quite seriously up.
First of all, I've signed up for the Spartan Race I mentioned and so have been training (though intermittently for the last few weeks - I have a good reason I promise) for that by running, jumping, climbing and generally having fun.
Secondly, and more importantly, two cool things happened. I got a car, and I got a job in OT! Hooray! Starting Monday I'll be working as an actual proper occupational therapist in a real job and everything. I'm having to relocate and have all the headache going along with that, so that's why my training of late has been suspect. It'll get better again. As a result of this prodigious achieving of goals over the past fortnight I am at level 2! Hooray!
Having recently bought myself Skyrim on Steam as a little present to me (playing it a lot, don't regret buying it; I'm a wood elf archer using light armour and sneaking around everywhere if you're interested) I'm counting that as my level one gift. A little late I know, but it's tricky when you have no money. The question is what to do with my level 2 gift. I'm sort of wondering if I could use to get a guitar (and thus bag another 20%) or whether I should use my gift to get Rocksmith instead, and just get a guitar as it's an aim. Decisions decisions.
I'll try to post more from now on!
First of all, I've signed up for the Spartan Race I mentioned and so have been training (though intermittently for the last few weeks - I have a good reason I promise) for that by running, jumping, climbing and generally having fun.
Secondly, and more importantly, two cool things happened. I got a car, and I got a job in OT! Hooray! Starting Monday I'll be working as an actual proper occupational therapist in a real job and everything. I'm having to relocate and have all the headache going along with that, so that's why my training of late has been suspect. It'll get better again. As a result of this prodigious achieving of goals over the past fortnight I am at level 2! Hooray!
Having recently bought myself Skyrim on Steam as a little present to me (playing it a lot, don't regret buying it; I'm a wood elf archer using light armour and sneaking around everywhere if you're interested) I'm counting that as my level one gift. A little late I know, but it's tricky when you have no money. The question is what to do with my level 2 gift. I'm sort of wondering if I could use to get a guitar (and thus bag another 20%) or whether I should use my gift to get Rocksmith instead, and just get a guitar as it's an aim. Decisions decisions.
I'll try to post more from now on!
Monday 28 January 2013
Managing unemployment
So I've been finding unemployment pretty stressful and depressing. The inability to do anything fun/meaningful/that requires even a little bit of money is horrible and limits what I can get up to on this list. I've decided to try and get through this by learning. I love learning. It's one thing I'm pretty good at. So at the moment I'm trying to learn a couple of things.
Firstly, I'm learning Italian using the website "Memrise". Essentially this is a flashcard website so pretty good for learning vocab, but also has the neat trick of visualising learning as growing a flower - so first you "plant the seed" and try and memorise the words. 4 hours later it has you come back and "harvest" it and see if you can remember the words - if you can't it makes you practice again. Then every so often it has you "water" the flower, so continually topping up your knowledge. It's working pretty well. You can also "overwater" and practice more in between times. Perhaps once I know enough Italian to string a sentence together I'll write some here... I've also had busuu.com and lang-8 suggested to me to improve my Italian, so I'll probably head over there once I can actually express myself a little in Italian.
Whilst on Memrise I discovered they have a lot of other things you can learn, but mostly really poorly done. I had a look at anatomy and physiology and Alzheimer's, but it seems they're not really flash card learning stuff, with some deeper knowledge required. The one thing that does seem to work for it is geography. Now, when I was about 3 or 4 I knew all the countries, rivers and seas in the world. I was an odd kid. As I grew up I forgot this, but I kind of want to get that knowledge back, so I've been practising that. So far I have all of Europe learned, with only a few of the Eastern European countries still giving me trouble. Incidentally, I thought Estonia was way further south than it is.
ALSO, I found out a little while back that MIT (a fairly prestigious American University) is offering their degree courses for free over the internet. So I've started learning from their brain and cognitive sciences course. Naturally I won't get a degree at the end, but that knowledge may end up being very useful in my career.
So those are my plans for staying sane whilst unemployed - my attempt at a meaningful occupation. The only one of those things on my list of goals is to learn Italian, and I don't think I'll change that. For now anyway.
Onwards and Upwards!
Firstly, I'm learning Italian using the website "Memrise". Essentially this is a flashcard website so pretty good for learning vocab, but also has the neat trick of visualising learning as growing a flower - so first you "plant the seed" and try and memorise the words. 4 hours later it has you come back and "harvest" it and see if you can remember the words - if you can't it makes you practice again. Then every so often it has you "water" the flower, so continually topping up your knowledge. It's working pretty well. You can also "overwater" and practice more in between times. Perhaps once I know enough Italian to string a sentence together I'll write some here... I've also had busuu.com and lang-8 suggested to me to improve my Italian, so I'll probably head over there once I can actually express myself a little in Italian.
Whilst on Memrise I discovered they have a lot of other things you can learn, but mostly really poorly done. I had a look at anatomy and physiology and Alzheimer's, but it seems they're not really flash card learning stuff, with some deeper knowledge required. The one thing that does seem to work for it is geography. Now, when I was about 3 or 4 I knew all the countries, rivers and seas in the world. I was an odd kid. As I grew up I forgot this, but I kind of want to get that knowledge back, so I've been practising that. So far I have all of Europe learned, with only a few of the Eastern European countries still giving me trouble. Incidentally, I thought Estonia was way further south than it is.
ALSO, I found out a little while back that MIT (a fairly prestigious American University) is offering their degree courses for free over the internet. So I've started learning from their brain and cognitive sciences course. Naturally I won't get a degree at the end, but that knowledge may end up being very useful in my career.
So those are my plans for staying sane whilst unemployed - my attempt at a meaningful occupation. The only one of those things on my list of goals is to learn Italian, and I don't think I'll change that. For now anyway.
Onwards and Upwards!
Saturday 12 January 2013
Good news
So I had a pretty good week. Firstly, my whole "do your to-do list and get 1%" seems to be working; having small goals to achieve every day working towards my bigger goals is meaning that I'm making small progress constantly. I'm actually really pleased with the way this whole concept is working out and I wish I'd come up with it sooner. Whenever I'm bored I can just look at my goals list for inspiration as to what to do, and use my to-do list to give myself some immediate positive feedback for doing it. To-do list may become a long term part of the plan.
Secondly, I finally have an interview! At the moment at lot of my day is filled with preparation (they want a presentation) but I'm pretty excited because it's exactly where I want to be, and also in my home town so I'm still close to my family and friends. I just hope I get it now. Don't want to talk about it too much as I don't want to jinx it!
I've also been running pretty consistently (it helps to put it on my to-do list the night before so I don't get lazy on the day and just not bother) and my diet's still not bad and alcohol-free. Admittedly there aren't really any diet goals on my list (apart from much stricter goals like paleo and clean which I can't achieve as I've been eating small amounts of processed foods), but I'm pleased with my control anyway. So hopefully fitness will be following in its footsteps. I'm trying to do at least one strength related thing a day (50 squats, 50 let-me-ins, 1 minute plank) to build up to my bodyweight goals. It makes sense to work for those at the moment as I don't have access to any kind of weights equipment.
Anyway, things are looking good for my goals, and therefore my life!
Secondly, I finally have an interview! At the moment at lot of my day is filled with preparation (they want a presentation) but I'm pretty excited because it's exactly where I want to be, and also in my home town so I'm still close to my family and friends. I just hope I get it now. Don't want to talk about it too much as I don't want to jinx it!
I've also been running pretty consistently (it helps to put it on my to-do list the night before so I don't get lazy on the day and just not bother) and my diet's still not bad and alcohol-free. Admittedly there aren't really any diet goals on my list (apart from much stricter goals like paleo and clean which I can't achieve as I've been eating small amounts of processed foods), but I'm pleased with my control anyway. So hopefully fitness will be following in its footsteps. I'm trying to do at least one strength related thing a day (50 squats, 50 let-me-ins, 1 minute plank) to build up to my bodyweight goals. It makes sense to work for those at the moment as I don't have access to any kind of weights equipment.
Anyway, things are looking good for my goals, and therefore my life!
Wednesday 9 January 2013
Unemployed
So being unemployed is sort of sucking my resolve. I was pretty sure I'd have a job sooner rather than later, but that's not happening. A lot of my goals require at least some money
So I've introduced a couple of very short term goals to help motivate me (and make sure I don't just spend my days playing Assassin's Creed 3). Firstly, my daily to-do list. You'll never get to see it on here, but I've been writing myself a to-do list every day and often not doing them. So I've cut down the number of things on it to make it more realistic (and so I can just get them done pretty quickly), and upped the reward from "you can play AC3 all day once you're done" to "you can play AC3 all day once you're done, AND you get 1% experience!" We'll see if it works. Today my list consists of
The second short term goal is to run 3 times per week, which I think I'll set at 5% per week completed.
I've also added a couple of other (easier) strength goals - well, they're not easy, just I can do them without equipment. They are: 100 body weight squats in one set; and a 5 minute plank. Obviously it's all about working up to them.
On the plus side, I've been pretty good in terms of diet at the moment. I'm focusing on more fruit & veg, no cakes/biscuits/desserts or alcohol. I haven't really struggled so far to be honest. Nor am I worried too much if I don't stick to it all the time - I went out with my friends last weekend and ate half a pizza, but also loaded up on salad. I don't need to be perfect, just better.
I need more very short term goals I think. These big goals are all well and good, but I quite like my pull up breakdown as a way to aim for something bigger. Hmm, I shall have a think and come back to you.
So I've introduced a couple of very short term goals to help motivate me (and make sure I don't just spend my days playing Assassin's Creed 3). Firstly, my daily to-do list. You'll never get to see it on here, but I've been writing myself a to-do list every day and often not doing them. So I've cut down the number of things on it to make it more realistic (and so I can just get them done pretty quickly), and upped the reward from "you can play AC3 all day once you're done" to "you can play AC3 all day once you're done, AND you get 1% experience!" We'll see if it works. Today my list consists of
- Go for a run
- Do 50 let-me-ins (might as well make a start on the pull up aim!)
- Tidy room
The second short term goal is to run 3 times per week, which I think I'll set at 5% per week completed.
I've also added a couple of other (easier) strength goals - well, they're not easy, just I can do them without equipment. They are: 100 body weight squats in one set; and a 5 minute plank. Obviously it's all about working up to them.
On the plus side, I've been pretty good in terms of diet at the moment. I'm focusing on more fruit & veg, no cakes/biscuits/desserts or alcohol. I haven't really struggled so far to be honest. Nor am I worried too much if I don't stick to it all the time - I went out with my friends last weekend and ate half a pizza, but also loaded up on salad. I don't need to be perfect, just better.
I need more very short term goals I think. These big goals are all well and good, but I quite like my pull up breakdown as a way to aim for something bigger. Hmm, I shall have a think and come back to you.
Tuesday 1 January 2013
New Year, new determination
So I'll admit both my goal progress and my blogging has been poor recently. After finishing my course and then Christmas I was lacking a bit of motivation for this and also getting fat with lots of food. However, today is the 1st of January 2013, and as a result it is time for a fresh start and fresh determination.
My immediate priorities are mostly WIS goals now, with a few important INT goals (like finding a job...) thrown in there. I also want to get working on STR/DEX stats, as I have made zero progress with either and it's annoying me now. Also I'm getting soft and not battle ready. As my Christmas presents were based around how to survive a zombie apocalypse, it is clear that I am physically not ready. I'M NOT READY!!! CHA is making slow but steady progress, but I'd like to ramp it up with "making new friends" and "visiting people"; the latter requiring money of course.
I think now a major section of my life is finished (that being my degree) I may need some new goals. If any of my readers (and stats on here say I have at least a couple) can think of any I'd appreciate some input! One that I think I'm going to add to my CHA stat is updating this blog every week. That way at least I'm keeping my goals in mind.
I'm being fairly flexible in my goals; for example selling my clothes didn't happen in December, but I did sort a load to get rid of and I'll give myself 20% when I do. They are sitting in my room looking at me accusingly, so it'll happen pretty soon, I'm sure.
Speaking of which, I still haven't gifted myself with anything for reaching level 2. Not sure what I'm going to go with, but it may have to wait until I get a job so I can afford it...so I may get a double gift as I'll probably have reached level 3 by then. I'm currently 75% towards level 3, so it's going well.
Another blog this weekend I promise!
My immediate priorities are mostly WIS goals now, with a few important INT goals (like finding a job...) thrown in there. I also want to get working on STR/DEX stats, as I have made zero progress with either and it's annoying me now. Also I'm getting soft and not battle ready. As my Christmas presents were based around how to survive a zombie apocalypse, it is clear that I am physically not ready. I'M NOT READY!!! CHA is making slow but steady progress, but I'd like to ramp it up with "making new friends" and "visiting people"; the latter requiring money of course.
 |
| Someone who is ready for a zombie apocalypse. Who has an awesome beard |
I'm being fairly flexible in my goals; for example selling my clothes didn't happen in December, but I did sort a load to get rid of and I'll give myself 20% when I do. They are sitting in my room looking at me accusingly, so it'll happen pretty soon, I'm sure.
Speaking of which, I still haven't gifted myself with anything for reaching level 2. Not sure what I'm going to go with, but it may have to wait until I get a job so I can afford it...so I may get a double gift as I'll probably have reached level 3 by then. I'm currently 75% towards level 3, so it's going well.
Another blog this weekend I promise!
Wednesday 19 December 2012
Level up!
So it's been a little while since I posted here... the last time was back when I was working on my OES essay and then with elective placement things got a bit hectic so I hadn't posted...
I came to the conclusion that I'm going to need to prioritise goals based on their importance at the time. So most of my other goals apart from the intelligence goals (and charisma to an extent) have fallen by the wayside. I failed to finish even the first 4 weeks of Jamie Eason's trainer, so I cannot cross that off. In fact, fitness wise I haven't done anything since the start of November. I've decided January is the best time to get on that particular horse (fitness wise I mean). I won't have gym membership until I get a job now though, and the crappy gym down the road from me does not do the job as it lacks basic equipment like a barbell... so fitness may be more outdoors based and looking at using the Spartan training plan.
In better news, I've been able to cross of a load of my intelligence goals due to the fact that I finished my course with a distinction!! As a result I've levelled up! I'm now level 2 - and have a qualification to prove it. Well, not to prove that, but to prove something! Goals for now are going to remain INT and WIS focussed, but with a few more STR and DEX stats completed. I also managed to do pretty well in CHA - not amazing, but I said yes to going out when I REALLY didn't want to. Still not entirely sure I was glad I did (got very drunk, had to be in Uni the next day), but it's a start.
I came to the conclusion that I'm going to need to prioritise goals based on their importance at the time. So most of my other goals apart from the intelligence goals (and charisma to an extent) have fallen by the wayside. I failed to finish even the first 4 weeks of Jamie Eason's trainer, so I cannot cross that off. In fact, fitness wise I haven't done anything since the start of November. I've decided January is the best time to get on that particular horse (fitness wise I mean). I won't have gym membership until I get a job now though, and the crappy gym down the road from me does not do the job as it lacks basic equipment like a barbell... so fitness may be more outdoors based and looking at using the Spartan training plan.
In better news, I've been able to cross of a load of my intelligence goals due to the fact that I finished my course with a distinction!! As a result I've levelled up! I'm now level 2 - and have a qualification to prove it. Well, not to prove that, but to prove something! Goals for now are going to remain INT and WIS focussed, but with a few more STR and DEX stats completed. I also managed to do pretty well in CHA - not amazing, but I said yes to going out when I REALLY didn't want to. Still not entirely sure I was glad I did (got very drunk, had to be in Uni the next day), but it's a start.
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