31 August 2012
I've been wondering if I should skip words I already know. I've come upon several of them. But I think I'll keep writing for every one because it's good practice.
crucible \KROO-suh-buhl\, noun:
1. A severe, searching test or trial.
2. A container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures.
3. Metallurgy. A hollow area at the bottom of a furnace in which the metal collects.
2. A container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures.
3. Metallurgy. A hollow area at the bottom of a furnace in which the metal collects.
This was it. The crucible. This would separate the men from the boys. Jack eyed the obstacle course. The quintuple step. The rolling log. The salmon ladder. And ultimately, the warped wall. He knew he'd be the next American Ninja Warrior.
29 August 2012
I love pronunciation keys.
truncate \TRUHNG-keyt\, verb:
1. To shorten by cutting off a part; cut short: Truncate detailed explanations.
2. Mathematics, Computers. To shorten (a number) by dropping a digit or digits: The numbers 1.4142 and 1.4987 can both be truncated to 1.4.
2. Mathematics, Computers. To shorten (a number) by dropping a digit or digits: The numbers 1.4142 and 1.4987 can both be truncated to 1.4.
adjective:
1. Truncated.
2. Biology. A. Square or broad at the end, as if cut off transversely. B. Lacking the apex, as certain spiral shells.
1. Truncated.
2. Biology. A. Square or broad at the end, as if cut off transversely. B. Lacking the apex, as certain spiral shells.
In order for he to pass as male, her hair must be truncated. Not that men couldn't have long hair, but the combination of traits would surely give up her sabotage operation.
28 August 2012
bathetic \buh-THET-ik\, adjective:
Displaying or characterized by insincere emotions
Most men are stoic after a first battle. They stare, pondering the enormity of the event. The death. The men they killed. The captain noticed that Brant wasn't one of those. His bathetic show of bravado was ludicrous, the captain had seen him sobbing earlier.
27 August 2012
KOM-pair
compère \KOM-pair\, noun:
1. A host, master of ceremonies, or the like, especially of a stage revue or television program.
verb:
1. To act as compère for: to compère the new game show.
1. To act as compère for: to compère the new game show.
Like many in his profession the compère for the gladiatorial games was not the fun loud facade he showed the world. Inside, he was a quiet, caring man. He just did this for the money. Or so he liked to tell himself.
26 August 2012
Fabulist
fabulist \FAB-yuh-list\, noun:
1. A liar.
2. A person who invents or relates fables.
Every court needs a good fabulist, but the king never realized that the day would come when his was the only person he could actually trust.
1. A liar.
2. A person who invents or relates fables.
Every court needs a good fabulist, but the king never realized that the day would come when his was the only person he could actually trust.
25 August 2012
Antic
antic \an-tik\, adjective:
1. Ludicrous; funny.
2. Fantastic; odd; grotesque: an antic disposition.
2. Fantastic; odd; grotesque: an antic disposition.
noun:
1. Usually, antics. A. A playful trick or prank; caper. B. A grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.
2. Archaic. A. An actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation. B. A buffoon; clown.
3. Obsolete. A. A grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude. B. A grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.
1. Usually, antics. A. A playful trick or prank; caper. B. A grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.
2. Archaic. A. An actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation. B. A buffoon; clown.
3. Obsolete. A. A grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude. B. A grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.
The antics of the senior class are to be expected if not encouraged.
24 August 2012
Word
concertina \kon-ser-TEE-nuh\, verb:
1. To fold, crush together, or collapse in the manner of a concertina
2. To cause to fold or collapse in the manner of a concertina.
noun:
1. A musical instrument resembling an accordion but having buttonlike keys, hexagonal bellows and ends, and a more limited range.
2. Concertina wire.
1. A musical instrument resembling an accordion but having buttonlike keys, hexagonal bellows and ends, and a more limited range.
2. Concertina wire.
They concertinaed the body into the tiny trunk of the car before speeding off.
23 August 2012
Today's Word
bole \bohl\, noun:
the stem or trunk of a tree.
It wasn't until he was in the chair that he remembered where he'd left the wad of money; in the bole of that old oak. He wondered if it was still there, but by then it was too late. They always collect their debts.
22 August 2012
WotD
hieratic \hahy-uh-RAT-ik\, adjective:
1. Highly restrained or severe in emotional import: Some of the more hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved.
2. Also, hi·er·at·i·cal. of or pertaining to priests or the priesthood; sacerdotal; priestly.
3. Noting or pertaining to a form of ancient Egyptian writing consisting of abridged forms of hieroglyphics, used by the priests in their records.
4. Noting or pertaining to certain styles in art in which the representations or methods are fixed by or as if by religious tradition.
noun:
1. Ancient Egyptian hieratic writing.
The landing should have been unimaginably joyous, yet was somehow hieratic. The crew simply stared at the foreign landscape.
1. Highly restrained or severe in emotional import: Some of the more hieratic sculptures leave the viewer curiously unmoved.
2. Also, hi·er·at·i·cal. of or pertaining to priests or the priesthood; sacerdotal; priestly.
3. Noting or pertaining to a form of ancient Egyptian writing consisting of abridged forms of hieroglyphics, used by the priests in their records.
4. Noting or pertaining to certain styles in art in which the representations or methods are fixed by or as if by religious tradition.
noun:
1. Ancient Egyptian hieratic writing.
The landing should have been unimaginably joyous, yet was somehow hieratic. The crew simply stared at the foreign landscape.
Promotion
Every once in awhile I like to direct my limited readership towards other great blogs. One of the best (and very regularly updated) is a blog written by my friend Emmie. She has many engaging topics. Check her out.
http://emmiemears.com/
http://emmiemears.com/
21 August 2012
We Need to Talk about Kevin
I watched this movie some time ago and it's been on my mind off and on ever since. It was an extremely unsettling movie. Someone suggested I read the book before the movie was even made. I've decided that I will not be doing that ever.
Mostly, it just made me sad.
From IMDB: "Kevin's mother struggles to love her strange child, despite the increasingly vicious things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined."
Basically it follows Tilda Swinton's character as she deals with her son and his choices. All of the acting is amazing. It made me sad because I know that some of it is true. When young people do horrible things, often their parents are blamed. If not directly, at least socially. It happened after Columbine High School and I'm sure it's happening now for James Holmes' parents in California.
The film laid it out fairly well that Kevin was a bit off. Many people who commit atrocities do not show these signs. Most of their parents are actually unaware of anything, rather than unable to do anything.
Anyhow, I don't really suggest the film, but it was and still is something important to think about.
And it did end well, all in all.
Mostly, it just made me sad.
From IMDB: "Kevin's mother struggles to love her strange child, despite the increasingly vicious things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined."
Basically it follows Tilda Swinton's character as she deals with her son and his choices. All of the acting is amazing. It made me sad because I know that some of it is true. When young people do horrible things, often their parents are blamed. If not directly, at least socially. It happened after Columbine High School and I'm sure it's happening now for James Holmes' parents in California.
The film laid it out fairly well that Kevin was a bit off. Many people who commit atrocities do not show these signs. Most of their parents are actually unaware of anything, rather than unable to do anything.
Anyhow, I don't really suggest the film, but it was and still is something important to think about.
And it did end well, all in all.
Word of the Day
I am signed up to receive emails for dictonary.com for the word of the day of their choosing. Usually I recive these emails. Sometimes I don't. In an effort to be creative and force myself to write more, I'm going to write at least a sentence each day using dictionary.com's word of the day. Some may end up being paragraphs or even short stories, but each bit will contain the word. I'll also post the word and the definition so you can look for it.
Today's word:
velleity \vuh-LEE-i-tee\, noun:
1. Volition in its weakest form.
2. A mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it.
It was always his desire to walk on Mars, well, perhaps more a velleity. Some who wish to be astronauts actually strive to acchieve by being fit mentally and physically and pursuing a career in the field. Instead, he watched documentaries and ate potato chips.
Today's word:
velleity \vuh-LEE-i-tee\, noun:
1. Volition in its weakest form.
2. A mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it.
It was always his desire to walk on Mars, well, perhaps more a velleity. Some who wish to be astronauts actually strive to acchieve by being fit mentally and physically and pursuing a career in the field. Instead, he watched documentaries and ate potato chips.
17 August 2012
the fangs
Oof. I went to the dentist for a cleaning and exam. I haven't been in 5 or 6 years. This session was not bad at all, but I have cavities. Several. In fact, my mouth is rather full of them. So between parkour, the dentist and general health, I need to cut my sugar addiction. Until you have to actually pay for it, you never do realize the damage...
My dad said he'd help with 50% of the cost for fillings. I really like that he's willing to help me out so much. However, I need to get an exam with another dentist to make sure those fillings all need to be done and to compare prices. Good thing a lot of dentists have good deals for first time patients. So now I need to schedule another fun hour at the dentist.
My dad said he'd help with 50% of the cost for fillings. I really like that he's willing to help me out so much. However, I need to get an exam with another dentist to make sure those fillings all need to be done and to compare prices. Good thing a lot of dentists have good deals for first time patients. So now I need to schedule another fun hour at the dentist.
16 August 2012
ELIC
I finally watched Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I read the book years ago and I just really enjoy Jonathan Safran Foer's storytelling and writing style. However, my boyfriend didn't want to see this movie at all, ever, because it hinges on the attack on 9/11. So I had to find a time to watch it by myself.
Without giving away too much of this film, I'll say that it's about a young boys who lost his father on 9/11 and is on a search to try to feel close to him. The actor (Thomas Horn) narrated most of the film, as in the book, so the tone was often simple. However, it also was often very intense and profound.
All in all, the film followed the book quite well. However, like the film Everything is Illuminated (based off another Foer novel), it cut out most of the 'historical' parts. The parts about the main characters' grandparents in Europe during WWII. Those parts were the ones that I found most engaging in each of the books. But the movie worked anyhow, telling the more simple storyline of the main character. I do think that the movie tried to draw too much from 9/11 references. The book certainly had that element, but the story was much more about the boy finding himself and connecting with others than about the attacks.
I tried to get my mother to read the book shortly after I read it, but she couldn't get past the fact that the nine year old boy's mom let him run around New York alone.
I just wish she could have held out until the end. The story is very happily nuanced.
Without giving away too much of this film, I'll say that it's about a young boys who lost his father on 9/11 and is on a search to try to feel close to him. The actor (Thomas Horn) narrated most of the film, as in the book, so the tone was often simple. However, it also was often very intense and profound.
All in all, the film followed the book quite well. However, like the film Everything is Illuminated (based off another Foer novel), it cut out most of the 'historical' parts. The parts about the main characters' grandparents in Europe during WWII. Those parts were the ones that I found most engaging in each of the books. But the movie worked anyhow, telling the more simple storyline of the main character. I do think that the movie tried to draw too much from 9/11 references. The book certainly had that element, but the story was much more about the boy finding himself and connecting with others than about the attacks.
I tried to get my mother to read the book shortly after I read it, but she couldn't get past the fact that the nine year old boy's mom let him run around New York alone.
I just wish she could have held out until the end. The story is very happily nuanced.
Car Tale
I like my car. It's a Pathfinder, black. I named it Martin. There's a story about that. It starts with my previous Pathfinder.
Holmes was my first car. It was an 88 Pathfinder, 2 door, maroon. My dad brought it home. I was distressed. I hated driving and I didn't know how to drive a manual transmission. But once I got the feel for it, I began to enjoy it. I started going fourwheeling on the BLM land near the house. That was my favorite. Before long the sides were scratched from branches along the trails and I often neglected washing it because I like the look of mud spatters. I would teach my friends how to drive stick in Holmes. He was a good car for learning.
The summer between my Junior and Senior year in High School Finding Nemo came out. As we all know, this is a fantastic movie, so I saw it twice in the same week. I rarely go to the theater twice for the same movie. After I dropped my friend off at her house, I headed home along highway 6 & 24 which borders I-70. I was doing the speed limit pretty much exactly; 55. Ahead I saw another car approaching. It seemed to be going slowly and I saw the lights flicker. I thought it was due to the dips in the road. I slowed down a little as I approached, the lights were blinding me. Then, ahead I saw shadowy shapes. Big ones. I slammed on the brakes as I hit a herd of cattle at 50 miles per hour. Cows went flying. It was really rather like bowling. There was certainly some sickening crunching. After my car stopped moving I turned it off. Yes, I'd hit the clutch, not killing the engine after all of that. I did, however, kill three cows. I also wounded another. And I nearly got fined because Colorado is a free range state, but I escaped that one.
My brother rebuilt the front of Holmes and because he'd used junkyard pieces, Holmes needed to be repainted. I got to choose the color and of course I chose orange.
Holmes was very unique. I had the only orange Pathfinder I've ever seen. And I had this car until just last year. The age just started catching up to him and I couldn't afford to keep fixing things and taking the bus to work etc. So I asked my dad to help me find a replacement. Thus Martin.
Martin is an upgrade by 7 years and 2 doors. However, it's a downgrade by color. Black is a very hot color. But he's doing very well despite the broken odometer and speedometer and reverse lights.
Oh, the names. It's sort of convoluted, the connections. Holmes, like Sherlock. The new BBC series Sherlock stars Martin Freeman as John Watson. So there you have it.
Holmes was my first car. It was an 88 Pathfinder, 2 door, maroon. My dad brought it home. I was distressed. I hated driving and I didn't know how to drive a manual transmission. But once I got the feel for it, I began to enjoy it. I started going fourwheeling on the BLM land near the house. That was my favorite. Before long the sides were scratched from branches along the trails and I often neglected washing it because I like the look of mud spatters. I would teach my friends how to drive stick in Holmes. He was a good car for learning.
The summer between my Junior and Senior year in High School Finding Nemo came out. As we all know, this is a fantastic movie, so I saw it twice in the same week. I rarely go to the theater twice for the same movie. After I dropped my friend off at her house, I headed home along highway 6 & 24 which borders I-70. I was doing the speed limit pretty much exactly; 55. Ahead I saw another car approaching. It seemed to be going slowly and I saw the lights flicker. I thought it was due to the dips in the road. I slowed down a little as I approached, the lights were blinding me. Then, ahead I saw shadowy shapes. Big ones. I slammed on the brakes as I hit a herd of cattle at 50 miles per hour. Cows went flying. It was really rather like bowling. There was certainly some sickening crunching. After my car stopped moving I turned it off. Yes, I'd hit the clutch, not killing the engine after all of that. I did, however, kill three cows. I also wounded another. And I nearly got fined because Colorado is a free range state, but I escaped that one.
My brother rebuilt the front of Holmes and because he'd used junkyard pieces, Holmes needed to be repainted. I got to choose the color and of course I chose orange.
Holmes was very unique. I had the only orange Pathfinder I've ever seen. And I had this car until just last year. The age just started catching up to him and I couldn't afford to keep fixing things and taking the bus to work etc. So I asked my dad to help me find a replacement. Thus Martin.
Martin is an upgrade by 7 years and 2 doors. However, it's a downgrade by color. Black is a very hot color. But he's doing very well despite the broken odometer and speedometer and reverse lights.
Oh, the names. It's sort of convoluted, the connections. Holmes, like Sherlock. The new BBC series Sherlock stars Martin Freeman as John Watson. So there you have it.
15 August 2012
So I've just recently purchased a PS3. It's been in the works, but I got it now because it's really nice to have Netflix on the TV and not just the laptop. And also I found a backwards compatible one for a very decent price. And that was the only requirement because there are a few PS2 and even regular PlayStaion games that I still (must) play. However, this will mean I have to beat them again. No problem I guess, I'll have some free time in the evenings when my boyfriend is in class.
I will also be using those couple of hours practicing parkour, or at least conditioning. I am trying to work my way up to the level 2 requirements. I did 30 push ups today. Well, I did about 70 actually, but I did 30 in a row. I wonder if I can keep that up.
Another thing I need to be doing in the evenings is writing. And with that, reading. I read at work on my breaks, but that's really all. And it's not enough. I'm halfway through A Dance with Dragons, I began A Game of Thrones in January sometime. And yes, they're large books, but eight months is a long time for 5 books. I remember when I used to get prizes for summer reading. I'd read upwards of 7,000 pages in the three month span. And I bought a bunch of Ursula K. Leguin books at a used bookstore, so I need to read them.
So between gaming, parkour and reading, I've got my evenings planned. Oh, and hopefully some writing as well...
I will also be using those couple of hours practicing parkour, or at least conditioning. I am trying to work my way up to the level 2 requirements. I did 30 push ups today. Well, I did about 70 actually, but I did 30 in a row. I wonder if I can keep that up.
Another thing I need to be doing in the evenings is writing. And with that, reading. I read at work on my breaks, but that's really all. And it's not enough. I'm halfway through A Dance with Dragons, I began A Game of Thrones in January sometime. And yes, they're large books, but eight months is a long time for 5 books. I remember when I used to get prizes for summer reading. I'd read upwards of 7,000 pages in the three month span. And I bought a bunch of Ursula K. Leguin books at a used bookstore, so I need to read them.
So between gaming, parkour and reading, I've got my evenings planned. Oh, and hopefully some writing as well...
06 August 2012
I want to do level 2 parkour at Apex Movement. I'm sure I'd have no trouble getting into the class because I took the previous one, but I did have a look at their fitness requirements on the website and decided that I need to be able to do all of those. So I have some working to do until I figure out when the next class starts/ when I have the money to pay for the next class.
Here is the list:
LVL 2 Parkour/Freerunning Requirements
Air squats
25 perfect & consecutive (men & women)
Push ups (max reps in 1 min.)
30 (men)
15 (women)
Sit ups (max reps in 2 min.)
60 (men & women)
Kipping pull ups
8 (men)
4 (women)
Broad jump
7 ft. (men)
5 ft. (women)
Wall handstand hold
30 sec. (men & women)
QM
QM (basic)
QM (gallop)
Cat balance (along line on ground)
Landings
Landing to roll to sprint (off 24 in. box)
Landing to sprint (off 24 in. box)
Gymnastics
Punch jump
Tuck jump
Forward roll
Backward roll
Full turn in place
Kick to handstand (3 sec. hold)
Cartwheel
Jumps and balancing
Precision jump (between rails, ~50% of max broad jump distance, ~3-5 ft. apart)
Balance on rail (30 sec.)
1 full rail squat
3 consecutive 180 hop turns
2 consecutive 180 pivot turns
Cat leaps and climbing
Cat leap
Top out (From support, kick back to 2 footed plant on top of object)
Climb up (level one)
Climb down (from support position to full cat hang)
Vaults
2 hand safety vault (both sides)
1 hand safety vault (both sides)
Lazy vault (both sides)
Monkey plant (symmetrical)
Pop safety vault (over 4 ft. vault box)
Tic tacs and wall runs
Tic tac (1 step, over 2 ft. tall object)
Wall run (1 step)
30 in. wall run vertical (men)
18 in. wall run vertical (women)
Bar skills
Basic underbar
Shimmy along bar (20 ft .)
Go from a full hang to a support position on bar using any method
Most of these things I can do. The push ups and sit ups will probably be the worst. And I do have some difficulty with top outs and climb ups. Some things to work on. And all the balancing things. I'm lacking the places to train on that.
Here is the list:
LVL 2 Parkour/Freerunning Requirements
Air squats
Push ups (max reps in 1 min.)
Sit ups (max reps in 2 min.)
Kipping pull ups
Broad jump
Wall handstand hold
QM
Landings
Gymnastics
Jumps and balancing
Cat leaps and climbing
Vaults
Tic tacs and wall runs
Bar skills
Most of these things I can do. The push ups and sit ups will probably be the worst. And I do have some difficulty with top outs and climb ups. Some things to work on. And all the balancing things. I'm lacking the places to train on that.
02 August 2012
This weekend was spectacular. It was a lot of driving (I personally did only a couple of hours of it), but the experience was well worth it.
We left after I got off work on Thursday. I work until 6, so we didn't leave Denver until at least 8pm. I napped a bit, assuming that I'd be driving later that night or early in the morning. But we didn't get that far. It's quite hazardous to drive past Lusk, Wyoming after dusk. Way too many deer. Like whoah. So we slept in the car on a pullout of I-25 until dawn. Then drive pretty much solid up to Canada. By the way, Wyoming, Montana and Alberta are very flat and boring.
But the fun began as we entered Waterton Lakes National Park. We saw a lovely little friend.
We camped in Canada and then headed back across the border to check out Glacier National Park. As far as shared parks go, the US got the better end of this deal. The Logan Pass road it epic and the views are indescribable.
After spending ample time in Glacier, we headed southward toward Yellowstone and Tetons National Parks. We'd been to them last year, so we skipped all the tourist things at Yellowstone in order to more fully appreciate Tetons. I love the Tetons. They are amazingly pointy. That's all I can say.
So that's the trip. It was awesome. And now I've just moved in with Liam and I'm busy unpacking.
We left after I got off work on Thursday. I work until 6, so we didn't leave Denver until at least 8pm. I napped a bit, assuming that I'd be driving later that night or early in the morning. But we didn't get that far. It's quite hazardous to drive past Lusk, Wyoming after dusk. Way too many deer. Like whoah. So we slept in the car on a pullout of I-25 until dawn. Then drive pretty much solid up to Canada. By the way, Wyoming, Montana and Alberta are very flat and boring.
 |
| "What is that?!" |
We camped in Canada and then headed back across the border to check out Glacier National Park. As far as shared parks go, the US got the better end of this deal. The Logan Pass road it epic and the views are indescribable.
We camped and hiked in Glacier and it was awesome. We found a hiking buddy too.
 |
| Hello there Mr. Mountain Goat. |
 |
| I really dig the Tetons. |
 |
| Early morning mists over the Snake River. |
Unshoes: Pah Tempe
I ordered my Unshoes about 6 or 7 weeks ago. I had to supply tracings of my feet. I chose the Pah Tempe style because I detest anything between my toes and also because I love that the strap pattern was very similar to that of Chacos. And I love Chacos except that their rigidity now hurts me a lot.
Anyhow, I recieved my new minimal sandals on Thursday. I also left for a 5 day camping roadtrip on Thursday. I did not wear any other shoes on that trip. These shoes are really quite amazing. They are the (almost) perfect combo between Chacos and my Vivobarefoot shoes. Interstingly, the sole is actualy 2.5 times thicker than the Vivos at 10mm. This is mostly because if it were much thiner, the sole would likely flap around a bit due to the limitations of the straps. Thinner soles work for shoes, but I agree that for sandals, one can't get much thinner. However, 10mm is minimal enough. I have full flexibility in my feet and I can feel the ground well enough.
I put the shoes though quite a lot on their first weekend in my possesion. I went on hikes, waded in water, walked through snow, walked through sand, swam. They held up with almost no signs of wear. I'm a fan. I'll never go back.
So, who wants a pair Chacos in good condition?
Anyhow, I recieved my new minimal sandals on Thursday. I also left for a 5 day camping roadtrip on Thursday. I did not wear any other shoes on that trip. These shoes are really quite amazing. They are the (almost) perfect combo between Chacos and my Vivobarefoot shoes. Interstingly, the sole is actualy 2.5 times thicker than the Vivos at 10mm. This is mostly because if it were much thiner, the sole would likely flap around a bit due to the limitations of the straps. Thinner soles work for shoes, but I agree that for sandals, one can't get much thinner. However, 10mm is minimal enough. I have full flexibility in my feet and I can feel the ground well enough.
I put the shoes though quite a lot on their first weekend in my possesion. I went on hikes, waded in water, walked through snow, walked through sand, swam. They held up with almost no signs of wear. I'm a fan. I'll never go back.
So, who wants a pair Chacos in good condition?
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