Comic Con, etc

[rachelmanija]

1. I've been given a membership to Comic Con, and will be there probably Friday and Saturday. Who wants to meet up?

2. Some people I know are signing up for a Japanese class. My Japanese could certainly use all the help it can get. However, the class is on Sunday afternoon, which is a good time for me to either write or relax, and which prevents me from taking a two-day weekend in Santa Barbara. I'd really like to get back into the Japanese groove, and that's a lot less inconvenient than another City College class. Hmmm.

3. I am taking time off from karate and have begun lifting weights three times per week in an attempt to not have my back hurt all the time. About two weeks in, I feel pretty good, my back is definitely improved, and I find lifting pleasantly meditative. Does anyone here lift weights seriously? How much improvement in strength can I reasonably expect if I persist?

I also walked three miles yesterday. Go me.

4. Today I finished and sent in revisions for Secret Project GW that I'm doing with Sherwood Smith. Go us. This makes me feel better about not having accomplished anything else this week.

5. DO NOT SPOIL ANYONE IN COMMENTS IF YOU CAN FOLLOW THIS but having recently hooked oyceter on Naruto and knowing that she was a fair way into the chuunin exams arc, I e-mailed her, "Have you gotten to [so-and-so]'s past yet?" She replied, "I think so, so-and-so mentioned such-and-such, which was interesting." I wrote, "Never mind, you're not there yet."

I knew exactly when she got there when I received an e-mail with the subject line: [so-and-so's spoiler-protected name]!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The flashback which completely changes your view of a character is an old and very frequently well-done device in manga, and one which Kishimoto uses to good effect in several places in the series, but [!!!!!!!!!] is the best take on it I've come across yet.

Order the series from Amazon: Naruto, Volume 1

Comments

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

With weightlifting, you will get out of it everything you put into it. In other words, you will become quite strong and build up a lot of muscle, if you wish to do that, by advancing to higher weights and more demanding exercise routines. As you have known back issues, though, you should look for a good trainer, in your case one with PT interests, training, or background, because it is possible to well and truly screw up the back lifting weights if it's not done correctly.

[matociquala.livejournal.com]

I lift weights semiseriously. And depending on your genetics and how seriously you push yourself, you will get *much* stronger. Noticeably, usefully stronger. Especially if you do free weights, and you lift enough that your reps-to-failure are between eight and twelve. (and do at least two sets, preferably three.)

I would also recommend stabilizing exercises--squats in a squat cage rather than on a press machine, for example, and squats on a wobble board. Also, pull ups on an assisted pull up machine. If you don't care about building popping muscles, exercise muscle systems rather than isolating.

Also, I will be helping man the Random House and Mysterious Galaxy booths. Come find me!

[cyberpilate.livejournal.com]

1. I've been given a membership to Comic Con, and will be there probably Friday and Saturday. Who wants to meet up?

I'd love to seeing if Cinderella can make it to the ball. =)

[octopedingenue]

[so-and-so's spoiler-protected name]!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HA HA riddering SENT ME ONE OF THOSE when she first read it too!!

The flashback which completely changes your view of a character is an old and very frequently well-done device in manga, and one which Kishimoto uses to good effect in several places in the series, but [!!!!!!!!!] is the best take on it I've come across yet.

It is my utter favorite manga device, and Naruto kicks ass it; every Naruto character who I hated passionately before their spoilery flashbacks, especially [Main Spoilery Character In Question], afterward became among my favorite characters of the series. (I have the LJ equivalent of [!!!!!!!!!] with old posts tracking my Naruto reading from [Spoiler] needs to DIE to OH MY GOD [SPOILER NAME] OH MY HEART.)

[Spoiler] gets the best [!!!!!!!!!] EVER IN HISTORY.

Also, I am going to do a massive Naruto fanart-recs post soon-ish; any requests? (Massive but by no means comprehensive, as the fandom attempts to make up for its lack of decent fanfic by having oceans of really kickass art.)

Comic Con eee! Go poke your head in on Matsuri Hino for me! Maybe someday there will be a decent manga track at Dragon Con for me.

[filmg33k.livejournal.com]

I'll be at ComicCon on Saturday, but we both live in LA, so that seems silly. :)

But let me know if you do want to meet up.

[sarge-5150.livejournal.com]

How much improvement in strength can I reasonably expect if I persist?

How do you define improvement? I would expect that, starting reasonably, you would be able to increase the amount of weight/resistance after two weeks of regular training. But functional strength follows a weakest link pattern: you're only as strong as the weakest muscle that you need to use. For example, massive quadriceps aren't as useful for kicking if the hip flexors are weak. I agree with matociquala about stabilization except the wobble board squats. Squats with one foot on a wobble board seem pretty advanced even though I am a bit nutty over wobble boards.

How do you define persistence? On the one hand there's the classic twice-a-day, three-on-one-off Schwarzeneggerian regime. On the other hand there's the half-dozen times a month plan come rain or shine but in addition to other training. To me it's less about the number of times per week and more about maintaining the plan for some time. I think three months of consistent, three-times-a-week training will show a noticeable improvement in strength. Eventually (I can't come up with a good estimate right now for some reason...brain...failing...) you will feel different if you train for functional strength. It's hard to explain but the closest I can come is that you feel more effective in interacting with your environment. A few percentage points increase seems to have a qualitative effect.

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I'd love to go to Comic-Con, but I can't afford it, time or money. Sigh.

Go you on the exercise, indeed. I'm glad your back is improving.

[seajules]

I was debating going to the con, because I don't do well with crowds, but now I may have to go at least one day to see folks what need to be seen. You need a place to stay Friday night? I have a couch, which may not work well with your back, but I figure I can offer.