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topham

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Blog Entries posted by topham

  1. This week has been really weird for me. Theres been so much to do, no time to really get a lot of useful stuff done that I wanted to do. So on runescape I've been doing lots of slayer, yet again changing my goals. Woops. So I had a living rock monsters task, which was pretty easy, a gargoyles task which i destroyed, and then a hellhounds task. I'm now on a fire giants task and its going pretty good. I'm on a bit of a strength beasting. I really want to get 99 Strength before the combat update goes live, and everything changes, but I don't really know the time scale on all of that. After getting 80 prayer I'm looking to get more, but I don't have enough to invest into the skills right now, so slayer is going to have to be my main source of income for a while, which, unsurprisingly is ok with me.
    So I went down to Southampton this weekend to catch up with everyone and party. It was awesome and we enjoyed the Olympic opening ceremony.
    So I'm absolutely ruined right now, am totally knackered and kinda need a rest, but no rest for the wicked. Hectic week ahead, with no sight of any rest or relaxing time, as at work I have a million things to do all week at work as half the lab is on holiday.
    So one of the reasons I'm so tired is my workouts at the gym this weekend. I've been trying to figure out all my training weights for every conceivable exercise and my maximum reps that I'm able to do. Now having never lifted weights until only 2 weeks ago I've got no base to work on, so I've been trying to develop a worksheet of what I can do, with the only exercise I really know I can do being the deadlift, which I'm proud of. So I've been going for full body approach both yesterday and today, rather than targeting one area of the body, which has led to this massive fatigue. What I've been trying as well is working on kettlebells with a tabata approach to increase my cardio than really the weight that I'm lifting. I've been working on finding out how much I can bench press safely, and how much I reckon my absolute max is, and its a bit lower than I was expecting, but I think I was expecting too much of myself, given I know most of my power is in my legs. I've been trying to set reasonable goals as well, so my first main one I guess is be able to to 10 perfectly well controlled underhand gripped pull ups. My second is to deadlift double my body weight. My main problem with deadlifts and other exercises and bars is that I don't like using the weights areas when they're busy, so i can only really develop these at the weekends when the area is very quiet. I've also go some insane cardio goals as well. I plan to be on a spin bike for an hour tomorrow during a class and then hopefully going to run 2k in 10 mins. Thats my first aim. I also want to be doing more swimming as well. And on tuesday I plan on going to do some gymnastics, I'll see how that goes and make a decision on that as well this week.
    Right, enough of me babbling. I'm not even sure what sports to follow at the olympics this week. I'll probably post my views on the Hungarian Grand Prix on thursday.
    Peace -x-
  2. So now its on thursdays its a lot easier for me to write, and I've done more stuff.
    In runescape, i've changed all my goals now i've got 97 strength, and I'm aiming for more things to do, but I'm focussing on herblore. Today I got 80 prayer, which made me happy and helped me feel like I've actually achieved something. I'm slowly prioritizing my goals. Yesterday I began cleaning all my herbs, and by today I'd got all 6000 clean, and now I'm going to pot everything up except the avantoes, so that once I hit 88 i can make extreme attacks. Although I have a feeling it'll take forever to get there. I'm aiming for 84 herblore soon, and finishing of my slayer task, and really just aiming to get everything done that I've started. I've started and got to the boss fights in both Love Story and Nomads requiem but to no avail on those battles, so i'm going to attempt them again soon, i think i only made 2 attempts on the love story boss battle before i got distracted. I've also organised my bank to the point where I realised how much I've got of various raw materials for skilling, which was actually the precursor to all the herblore.
    I want to catch up with all the higher level quests, but the effort to put in to do them seems like too great for what i'll be able to manage for a while.
    So this week, on monday, I passed my practical assessment for my fitness instructors level 2 qualification, now I've only got the theory to do, and that shouldn't be too difficult.
    I've also had dinner out on Monday... and tuesday... and wednesday, and I've had enough of eating out for a while, except that I have to get take away tomorrow night because I'm visiting people in southampton, and am getting there too late for food.
    I also saw The Dark Knight Rises on monday, i thought it was great, and I love Bane as a villain, especially as well executed as it was. My friends opinions on it seem split, and while I thoroughly enjoyed it, I can't really understand where they're coming from when there is criticism, and I reckon it'll require another watch to really appreciate it. I also know the ideas behind the story and characters, and was really kicking myself at one point in the film, due to missing a big plot point, which I guess I have to give credit to how well the misconception was done, as it caught me out.
    So as I've not really done anything significant this week, all I've done is Tae Kwon Do tonight I have nothing of note to mention. I think that next week I'm going to check out a gymnastics club nearby and have a guitar lesson, probably on the same night. Next week should see a return to normalcy for my gym routine. Hopefully I can rework off the weight I've put on this week, due to all the meals out and no time to exercise. I plan to go saturday and absolutely beast myself.
    Feel free to add me on runescape, as I've only got one person in my friend list, and I he doesn't seem to play much at all at the moment, and herblore is mighty boring. My RSN is Punk Man666.
    Peace -x-

  3. Woo 97 Strength and my week

    · topham · 07/22/12 08:55 PM

    I got 97 Strength today!! This was after quite a bit of hard work. It really is the first significant level I've obtained since I started playing again. I've done a lot of slayer recently, but it is going to be forever until I'll get the next level there. So my next plan is to finish my task and do the clue scroll, then dungeoneer for a bit to get to about level 70 I think. Then I'll probably go for 99 strength, and hopefully get 94 slayer, and hopefully 99 Constitution.
     
    Tomorrow I have my fitness instructors level 2 assessment. I'm kinda looking forward to it, but am feeling a little nervous. This week is going to be weird. Recently I've been on an epic health kick, and have been really strict with my diet and my gym regime. This week I'll be out for a meal tomorrow, tuesday, wednesday, and I'm going to southampton to visit people on Friday, leaving no real time to either go to the gym, or eat decent/healthy food.
     
    I hope this week work goes alright, I'm can't really look past tomorrow so I have no idea what I'm going to be doing once I've done my assessment.
     
    I got Circus Maximus' Nine this weekend, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Its sort of a mix between Dream Theater and Kamelot in my opinion, and I think that it is very good. I've only listened to the full album once, but it was exciting and well structured as an album.
     
    My time in the gym this weekend involved me trying to find my limits to what I can do now, and setting myself goals for what I want to be able to do. My weight is now down to 66.5kg, which is great for me, but I feel that theres more to loose, but I think my weight will hit a plateau soon where I'll be putting on muscle at the rate the fat is burning off. I managed to Deadlift 120kg, once, and 6 rep maxed 80kg, although the 120 was first so I think I could probably 8 rep 80kg. Now that I've lost a lot of weight too I've been working on being able to do 10 unassisted pull ups and I think my training right now is accommodating that. For the cardio and strength side of things I've been combining tabata sets, and one of the 5 that I did this weekend were Pull Ups and Press Ups, so working antagonist muscle groups to so tabata style super sets. I also, foolishly, tried to find my 6 rep max Bicep Curl and Tricep Pulldown in the same session, and super stetted 4 sets of each, which ruined my arms.
     
    Spoilers for the German Grand Prix and UFC 149 ahead.
     
    I've been keeping up with the F1 this year and am really enjoying the racing. It has become clear to me that Alonso really is one hell of a driver, but only half way through the season its still hard to see where the teams are going and who is actually going to be on top at the end of the season, unlike last years total domination by Vettel. The driver I'm still hoping to pull through is Webber, I feel that he's doing the right things, but was slightly unlucky this weekend. I'm also rooting for Button to find more form like he did today throughout the rest of the season. I'd like to see the end of the season end more like it started and while not be wildly unpredictable, to be exciting and thrilling all the way to the last race. This year has been a phenomenal year for F1, and I hope it continues.
     
    As for UFC 149, I had a real concentration problem today. I didn't find many of the matches enjoyable and the commentary seemed a little lacklustre. Joe Rogan did make some excellent mentions of positioning, and the first fight on the card was probably the best one on the main card, although I feel the ending could have come earlier. Once I saw the main event start, I knew what was coming, despite wild head kick attempts from Barao at the beginning, Faber was moving well, a better strategy would have been to move quick, attack the legs from the outside, and once Faber had slowed sufficiently go for the head kick. That clearly is just my opinion, but hearing early in the fight that he'd be training with Aldo, its clear what tactics he would employ. Also there was one section of the grappling that irks me slightly, and it really is the lack of dedication of people going for submissions in dominant positions recently. Now there have been some mighty good submissions recently, but no real stunners from unexpected positions. While I absolutely adored the end of the first fight on the main card, that submission was fantastic, I want to see more of that. I saw a position during one of the fights that screamed out to me as a decent position for an arm bar set up, and the way the lower fighter was trying to sweep would lead to an easy set up.
    Anyway, I could rant about the UFC and the intricacies of ground fighting/Brazilian Jiu jitsu, but I don't want to get too technical or boring.
     
    This week in scape I'll be just trying to do my clue scroll then back to slaying for a while, hopefully getting on to dungeoneering by the end of the week. New blog schedule of thursday, as it both fits in better and allows me time to get things to write about.
     
    Thanks for reading.
    Peace -x-
  4. Next week I'll change my blog schedule so that I'm posting on thursdays and sundays, as wednesdays aren't the best for me, and not much happens monday-wednesday.
    Anyway, this week, I've started my Iron Dragon task, and so far have got a Dragon Plateskirt drop, and thats about it. Thats about all I've done. I found out I'm 465 days from getting the 10 year cape. Pretty unexcited about this weeks update, only really cosmetic updates, which don't excite me at all.
    I've been working hard on a script for my fitness instructor, which turns out its a lot of work.
    I'm kinda drained today, something seems wrong, but I'm alright. I think work has taken an epic toll on my energy this week.
    I'm pretty excited for the next few weeks, I'm getting the Muppets movie on Blu-Ray this week, as well as another album, Circus Maximus - Nine, which I'm very looking forward to listening. This weekend I'm gonna be spending a lot of time in the gym, and by monday next week I'm going to be wrecked. On monday, as a reward I should be going to see The Dark Knight Rises, which should be cool. Also, next weekend I'm visiting Southampton, for an epic party, and I get to see so many people I haven't seen for a long time.
    Right, I'm ruined today. This is all I can write.
    Peace -x-

  5. Hectic Fragments of my life

    · topham · 07/15/12 08:17 PM

    I've had an alright week, lots of stuff has happened, none of which seems related (apart from me being apart of them all). (warning: there is some whining)
    So after Wednesday passed, I was awaiting an order I'd placed. I've received everything I ordered (29 CDs), and things are great, kinda. I've had crap food all weekend and now I'm paying for it as I feel terrible and slow and tired, which I know is a consequence of my lack of strictness of my diet.
    Yesterday I went to the gym and absolutely beasted myself. I was working on 6 rep maxing out to try and find where I'm at now, and set some goals for where I want to be. I want to roughly be able to lift my bodyweight with most exercises that I do. It should be good target.
    I've finally found someone to go with me to my assessment a week on monday. This makes me feel good. Hopefully everything will be good.
    Work tomorrow and the rest of the week should be interesting, I have no real plan as to what I'll be doing but I've got to order a new part for a machine before I do anything else, and I kinda need to use it tomorrow morning.
    At taekwondo on thursday I got to work with a lot of the group and am starting to fit in and get along with everyone, which is cool.
    On Runescape, I've been slaying. Oh god, so much slaying. So I finished my gargoyles task and got an aquanites, did that, and then got a greater demons task, which was awesome, then got an Iron Dragons task, which I will be starting and doing this week. I'm hoping to get 97 Strength this week, and maybe get another Dungeoneering level. I don't know how much time I'll have to play this week as I've got gym time, 3 days, TKD 2 days, I'm supposed to have a guitar lesson this week, but my guitar teacher has just moved so I guess I won't have one this week. I've been working on speed on guitar, but it takes so much time, and theres so many different little things to change and do, it'll be a while before I see any significant progress.
    I've still done barely any theory for my fitness instructor qualification, and I've also had no time to record anything either. I'm getting frustrated with my apparent lack of time.
    This blog is moony and annoying and I apologise.
    Sorry.
    Peace -x-

  6. My Favourite Game...

    · topham · 07/11/12 09:06 PM

    ...is Dark Souls. Yes, I find the game incredible, well designed and have an insane amount of fun playing it, despite dying a lot because I'm terrible at it. The game drew me in with intrigue and after I got it, it got thoroughly under my skin. I've been recently experimenting with different builds, but I've only completed the game once and am currently working on getting that character through new game plus. I really haven't spend much time playing it recently as I've got so many other things going. Hectic I know. I completed the first run through after trying good strategies to defeat the bosses and using a ridiculous OP weapon and set up. I was using the Fire Man-Serpent Great Sword +9 and the Hornet Ring, and only took 3 counters to take out Great Lord Gwyn, which was some how incredibly difficult for me, but I think its because I didn't actually build the character right from the beginning. Hence trying out different builds and not getting too far through.
     
    I also love the online features, while being minimal, they are incredibly effective, and I think help a lot to the atmosphere of the game. I really enjoy in co-operating with people, and have no problem with people invading, but I don't enjoy as much as Jolly Co-Operation.
     
    I could completely talk for hours about the game, but I won't.
     
    So far this week I've been working hard, things at work are getting to a point where I'm learning a lot still, and am able to resolve most problems that arise with things in the lab. I'm enjoying it, but I feel I could still do more. I've been interacting with more customers this week, where as usually I just resolve any problems that come up and then hand a report to my manager to get in contact with the customer.
     
    At the gym I haven't spent enough time working out, and haven't put enough effort into my Fitness Instructor training, which is bugging me a lot. I also haven't managed to get a definite answer from any of the 10 people I've asked to help me with my assessment. I've somehow put on 1.5kg since last Friday, which I kind of understand, the cinema had something to do with that, but don't think it is actually that much, but I'd like to shift the weight again, probably will by being strict with my diet and shredding it at the gym by the end of next week.
     
    In Runescape I've been Slayering. Gargoyles are an alright task, I'm enjoying it, I've got a clue scroll to do, which I'll do next time I'm on as I've just had to bank on my trip. As it had been so long since I actually last played I had no idea what prices items were, or what was new. I've discovered theres something for the whip that makes it better, which I'll be getting, and then Godswords are ridiculously cheaper. Like the Bandos GS was 18m when I last played, and now its only 3-4mil. This is craziness in my world, kinda turns my whole idea of the RS economy upside down. I'll probably look into it more soon, as I've also got to re-organise my bank epically, its a total mess.
     
    I've got a physio appointment tomorrow, so should be told I'm ok, and then I'm at TKD tomorrow night, Boxing Friday, and meeting a friend on Saturday. Pretty excited for the next few days. I'm trying to record an albums worth of riffs and ideas, but it's a lot of effort and I don't seem to have grasped all the concepts of recording. Hopefully once I've completed my Fitness Instructors course I'll have a lot more free time to focus on record, as for the qualification I need to do a lot of theory, which takes up time. However I suspect that I won't have much extra time, as I'm trying to fit all my normal life in, and while I think I'm doing ok, in a few weeks I'm kinda expecting to fall apart.
     
    Peace -x-

  7. It was Amazing... Spiderman

    · topham · 07/08/12 10:14 PM

    Hey guys,
    Today I went to see The Amazing Spiderman. I annoyed my friends at the end by giving my rating in the form of the title of this blog, and the film. It was hilarious how mad they got at me... after the 4th time doing it.
    Anyway, the film was pretty good, I enjoyed it, and by no means was disappointed with it.
    So, I've been playing a lot of runescape, although I don't think it shows. I spent the last few days really trying to do a lot. I did most of the easier quests that I'd missed out, but never got round to doing any more difficult ones as I wanted to try out some slayer and have some fun doing about 6 clue scrolls. The quests seemed relatively easy and I didn't really have a problem with any of them. Was quite disappointed in Elemental Workshop 4 though. I thought that the first puzzle was far too simple, and the second puzzle was simple once I got the hang of it and came up with a decent strategy.
    This week I went to the second of the sessions for ITF style TKD and am definitely going to be carrying on with it, as I enjoy it. I'll still be keeping up with going to the gym, especially after all the crap food I've eaten this weekend.
    My plan for wednesday is to write about my current favourite game (hint: it's not runescape), and some other things that are going on.
    As for the actual real world, in sports, UFC 148 was interesting, probably the most hyped card ever, but I think they had no way but to oversell it. I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and was surprised and excited by the main event, however the rest of the card seemed lacklustre and none of the matches aside from the co-main event didn't help prove anything, apart from where people stand in their relevant divisions.
    The F1 was a good race, and I'm so glad that the weather was dry, and very happy that Webber won. From the beginning of this year I've been hoping of all the racers that he would do well, and hope that he continues with his form and maybe picks up the championship that he deserves. One persons views from yesterday on the news made me furious about how they didn't care about the fans and that it was all about the money, despite the news reporting that the people that didn't manage to make it for friday and saturday would get a refund.
    The tennis - Interesting eh? but I think Murray played well and don't like how negative people were being about him loosing.
    This is pretty much the story of my life. There's not much else going on, I'm running some trials on a moss killer I've developed, hope to get some promising results this week if it doesn't rain too much.
    No specific plans for this week, should have my first guitar lesson in 3 weeks, hopefully, but if I don't I won't feel too hard done by considering I've barely practised.
    This is a crap version of Bachs Prelude in C minor that i'm working on. It's currently too slow, there are a few missing notes, the levels are weird, the drums are too repetitive, but I'm re-recording it faster and in larger sections. http://soundcloud.com/destroytopham/bach-prelude-in-c-minor-1st
    Peace -x-
  8. Hey everyone,
     
    Thanks to you if you read my previous blog, the epic long post that it was.
     
    My plan for this blog are much like they were previously, updating twice a week, with both my real life stuff and runescape stuff updates.
    These will be Sunday and Wednesday.
     
    Here goes to my first standard blog. I recently started playing runescape again and I've been focussing on dungeoneering, went from 63 to 64 over the weekend, and have been enjoying it. I was going to today, but took a shot at the new quest, which was interesting and fun. While I was intrigued by the voice acting I feel that I've been without it this far, no point adding it in now, and so listened to some Uneven Structure and Visions while I was doing the quest. I enjoyed the quest, although its been so long since doing a quest it probably took twice as long as it should have. As I didn't realise there was so much stuff I missed I've been trying to understand all the new terms and things that people are using, and am still thoroughly lost. Fortunately I now know about the new royal dragon hide armour so bought a set of that and am happily using it for wandering around. If you're unfamiliar with me and my character, I have a level 131 (i think?) character with a 2124 total, so I'm fairly experienced in all areas, with dungeoneering being my lowest level by 11. I really want to focus on that until it is at least 75 to bring it into line with all my other skills. Also, my time in dungeoneering will be mostly looking for the shadow silk hood, and until then low amounts of xp will be gained. While my total might seem quite high, I've only got 2 level 99s, attack and fletching. Attack came first. I have no desires to intentionally grind to get my next 99, which I'm hoping will be constitution, which is 98 at the moment, I hope it comes naturally, and its low on my priorities.
     
    As for my real life, this week is my third week in a row where I haven't had any days rest, and it's mentally getting to me. I'm hoping that I get a decent rest this weekend and that I can recover well. My job is intellectually demanding so there isn't a break during the day, and I'm working on a fitness instructor qualification so my time outside of work is primarily spent doing that. I've also been playing a lot of guitar and recording recently. I hope this weekend to get my recording of Bachs Prelude in C minor completed at a faster pace. I've already got it recorded once, but I'm not happy with it at all.
     
    Last night I began ITF style Tae Kwon Do, which is interesting and is leading to some new approaches for me for training, and hopefully will help me develop better foot work for boxing class. Tonight I went to a boxercise class where someone I know turned up for the first time in month and we caught up and trained hard. I was also thinking about how I would run the class if I were given the opportunity.
     
    As for runescape, I should be playing tomorrow night, might do one or two dungeons, or hunt down Philipe for bonus xp if it isn't too time consuming, I think I can easily get to all the places he is.
     
    Lets hope Sundays blog is more coherent and has a much more fluid flow to it than this atrocity of a blog here.
     
    Peace -x- 7748

  9. It's been a while

    · topham · 07/02/12 11:59 AM

    Hi everyone,
     
    It has been over a year and a half since I last posted either a blog or on a thread, and I've actually neither been playing runescape nor have had time to keep up on here. So, here is a general summary of what I've been upto, and my reasons for returning.
     
    I'll start backwards with my reasons for returning. Having recently had a lot of spare time I decided to return to runescape after getting fed up with many many xbox 360 games that just have no depth to them and one that I absolutely adore (which will be addressed at a later date). I always wanted to get back to playing but was never in a position to, but now I've got a lot of things sorted out and I really wanted something that I'd been working on before to try and improve at, so I've got back into runescape, its changed quite a bit, but I'm mostly dungeoneering for now, so not much has changed there.
     
    The last time I blogged I was living in Singapore and was about to return back to the UK, having completed a placement out there at NTU. I returned and immediately started work on completing the dissertation that was due in for the placement, so my runescape goals were put on hold. Not to mention that once I returned I had a whole list of games to catch up with. So I returned, and had a lot of work to do with university and a lot of people to catch up with. Things went well in the first term and I'd moved in with some fantastic people on my course. I was working hard but also was keeping up with everything and was generally having a great time. Then when I was in the second term back it was the last section of my degree and everythign was hectic. I managed to pass my degree and complete my masters in Chemistry, and then from there I went looking for work.
     
    Once I'd left university I realised that I was not prepared for the real world, and while I left everyone in Southampton behind, they had all planned for things to do, where as I was just going to wing it, which took me on a real journey of how different things can be. I spent two months looking for jobs and spent a lot of time travelling around to interviews, when I eventually got a job, albeit the worst job I've ever had, working at Silverstone catering for the British Grand Prix. The job only lasted 3 days, but the experience was one I won't forget, and would never willingly rush into doing again. But from that job I was asked to work at a warehouse repacking phones for Orange, and I spent 4 months there where I met some fantastic people. However, clearly this job didn't satisfy me on an intellectual level, it was for the best that I got this job because it really showed me a lot about people in general.
    During that time I was constantly seeking for jobs that I'd be trained for but to no avail. I'd go to interviews but be rejected consistently, but never for similar reasons, which made me get incredibly demotivated about find a new job or even going for interviews.
     
    I remember one friday morning before going the the warehouse (my hours were 2-10pm so my social life suffered), I received a call from a temp agency saying that I'd got an assignment and could I start as soon as possible. I said yes, and carried out my last shift at the warehouse, and unfortunately had to say goodbye, but it was for the best as the warehouse staff were being relocated 3 months later. The new job was working as an admin/planner for a logistics company dealing with foodstuffs and beer. Mainly sugar and beer. This role was a real test for me but was intellectually demanding as there was a lot to remember and a lot to do, and gave me a begrudging respect for drivers out on the road. Only begrudginly I respect them as some of them were fantastic but others were incredibly whiny about what we were asking of them.
     
    I spent a month and a half there before getting a call about a chemistry job located not far from where I live, and went along for an interview that seem very strange. They initially only wanted a temporary member of staff, which was fine for me because I wanted the experience, and there was wide scope with what to do from the experience gained. I got a call the day after the interview and was elated to hear that they liked me and wanted me to work for them. I immediately accepted and left the job I was working at on the 23rd December last year. I had the whole week between christmas and new year off for what seemed like my first real break in half a year. During all this time I kept my activity up by playing football with my friends in their league, however I'm still unsure of many of the rules and don't really like football that much. I also spent a lot of time in the gym, working on getting back into the shape that I'd got to in Singapore, however that really didn't happen until this year.
     
    This year, I started the new job in January asa technical chemist working in a lab doing product development and quality control and analysis for outgoing products, in the Agriculture and
    amenity turf (football pitches, golf courses, etc.) markets. The job initially took up a lot of time as I was learning a lot, and getting to know all of the staff. During the second month, february one of the lab staff announced that he was leaving and the company asked if I'd like to stay on. I obliged them and have continued to work there permanently, doing a job that I enjoy.
     
    Also this year, I changed my diet, I completely cut out bread, stopped drinking, took a new approach to exercise and have tried to be as healthy as possible. Since the new year I've gone from 84kg to 70kg as of last week, but the initial 10kg went in about 2 months.
     
    I've recently been doing a lot of things, I've taken up guitar lessons, I plan on taking up Tae Kwon Do again, I've been doing a lot of boxing at the gym and I've been doing a fitness instructor course so that if cover is needed for a class I can cover the class and help people out.
    So, how has everyone been? Its been a while, but to be honest I've only just found free time to get back to somewhere I'm comfortable to play games and not feel bad about it eating in to the other aspects of my life.
     
    Thanks for reading, I plan to post a lot more, but hopefully no where near as long.
    Peace -x-

  10. All packed up

    · topham · 12/09/10 04:47 PM

    So tonight I packed all my stuff up, took my guitar apart and threw out a lot of crap. It's only a day and a half until my flight, and I cannot wait to get on that plane.
     
    I'm unsure what to do about this blog when I get home, as I'll be very busy for the next few weeks, but will try and write as and when I can. I'll try and update like usual, but that might not happen, but I can try.
     
    I've been doing no work, and I've finally collected all my data and got feedback on everything I've written and so I've really got nothing to do tomorrow but clean up in the lab.
     
    I'm kinda distracted right now. As I've still got stuff to do cleaning my room wise, and its nearly 1 am, and I need to sleep, and then tomorrow will be a little emotional I think. I'm not looking forward to saying bye to anyone at all. I'm not very good at it either as much as I just smile and don't look like I'm sad to be leaving them.
     
    I'm up to the addy defender now on scape, the update was released too early for my liking, given I'd only just started to get the defenders up to rune, but oh well. I hope to get the rune and dragon ones soon.
     
    Peace

  11. Lil bit excited

    · topham · 12/07/10 02:56 PM

    Over the last few days I've had a lot of fun. On sunday I went on the singapore flyer and had some awesome food, which was unfortunately followed by a rough headache, but the evening was a lot of fun (thats the reason for the missing blog). I've then been in work the last 2 days, completed my data collection, then went out to Din Tai Fung for dinner tonight, which is the best chinese/taiwanese food i've ever had, seriously incredible. I'm going out tomorrow night for potato wedges and beer, before saying good bye to my american friends that I met here, and might not see again, as well as a someone we met from the uk. I'm also going out on thursday night with the people from my lab for the last time.
     
    Yesterday I got 98 hp, and a Guthix Kite. It was pretty epic and I was very excited. I'm working on getting a rune defender. I'm amazed that I haven't had one before, but it gives me something to do.
     
    I only have 3 days left of work now, and I've nearly done everything I need to. Not finish all the work and make what I was supposed to but nevermind.
     
    I'm flying home on Saturday and I've done everything here in singapore that I wanted to do. I'm sad that I'm leaving but at the same time I cannot wait to get home.
     
    Also, its less than a week until my 22nd Birthday =) which I will be celebrating at home for the first time in 4 years I think, and I hope for the first time in 5 years that there will be cake. Also all my friends are coming over hopefully and then we will get drunkard.
     
    Wooooo!! Actually more than a lil bit excited.
     
    Peace

  12. A collection of thoughts

    · topham · 12/02/10 03:24 PM

    I cannot listen to mutiny within enough apparently. I'm listening to the first track - Awake - for the 24th time since I got the album about 2 months ago. Thats easily doubled in the last week as I've had the song stuck in my head. Its incredible as well so its not a bad thing.
     
    I've been trying to get a lot of work done this week in the lab but have accomplished very little really. I handed in a draft of my report, still haven't heard anything back about it, so I'm gonna ask some of the people in the lab to have a look over it.
     
    I've also been trying to prepare a presentation but it's not going well at all and I'm supposed to give the presentation next week sometime.
     
    I've been playing some runescape and its been fun, actually enjoying it right now.
     
    Don't really want to dwell on it.
     
    I've just caught up with the whole season of the ultimate fighter, which was good, looking forward to the fight on saturday, especially as the integration of the lighter weights seems to have already begun.
     
    I went out last night and had some beer. It was good, and tomorrow I will do the same. I'm continually surprised at my ever increasing tolerance of beer, which is exciting.
     
    Peace

  13. Cannot wait!!

    · topham · 11/30/10 03:58 PM

    A week on saturday I fly home. Right now, with all the work thats going on, and the stress that i'm feeling it cannot come soon enough.
     
    Right now I'm afking my slayer task, got 172 dark beasts. Got a dark bow. Will be easily able to kill all of them in 1 trip. One of the easiest tasks in my opinion. I'm less than 100k away from 98 HP now as well, so thats a level I'm working towards now as well.
     
    I'm feeling a little distracted right now. I'd forgotten to write until my friend reminded me.
     
    Its midnight here right now, but I haven't been out of the lab for 2 hours yet I was there for so long today. I'm demotivated to do my work however I have handed my first draft of my project report in and am waiting for feedback on it.
     
    Not got anything else interesting to say.
     
    Peace

  14. Success

    · topham · 11/28/10 03:59 PM

    Yeah!! I got 93 slayer today. It was awesome. I also had 2 clue scrolls, and sold a hexcrest. A pretty successful day. Made a lot of money.
     
    I've been out for dinner and had the most amazing time. Sure at times I was a little offensive, but it was excellent really. I'm pretty excited about the next few days, as I've not specifically got much to do but I'm hopefully going to be busy but also have an awesome time.
     
    I spent yesterday at the girls I'm here withs lab, and was rather productive and got a lot written. Hopefully can finish off writing this week and get the rest of the data collection that I need.
     
    Don't really want to write much more as I've had some pretty outstanding beer this evening and very much feel like sleeping.
     
    Peace.

  15. Plans

    · topham · 11/25/10 02:21 PM

    So right now, I have a plan for this week, and I'm so far off it its silly. I'm no where near where I want to be with my work, and with only 2 weeks left, I'm never gonna finish my work.
     
    I'm currently planning out my first week back in the UK, and really looking forward to doing it. After talking to someone today I got truly excited as I haven't seen her in about 9-12 months, which really makes me want to get home sooner than I am going. But oh well.
     
    I've not really got much to say tonight. I kinda overflowed with words in my last blog.
     
    I finished my fire giants task earlier in the week, then got daggs, which is the easiest task ever, was hitting 570s which was epic fun. Other stuff was also done.
     
    I had my last session of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu this evening. It was good fun, and at the end of the session I said gooodbye to everyone, and it was wicked. I did want to write a lot earlier, but after that session I really calmed and really lost the mood I had earlier in the day, but today has been good.
     
    Nothing else to say.
     
    Peace

  16. Definitions

    · topham · 11/23/10 02:59 PM

    Ok, so I think I have a lot to write, and I'll see how this goes.
     
    A man is more than the sum of his parts. A phrase that recently I either heard or caught somewhere, but something that seems so relevant to me right now. Now I'm a very active person, and enjoying trying to do everything I am able to and I really enjoy it. While I might not excel in one thing, I think that everything that I know together forms some sort of wide knowledge base that allows me to tackle many problems that I'd every come across.
     
    A more specific example is Runescape. My levels are all good, and fairly consistent, none of them are stellar, but none of them are poor. However, when looking at it, my total level is high, and my ranking because of it is high. However, look at each of the skills. Only Smithing, at level 86, and slayer at 92, rank higher than my total level. something that seems strange but thinking about it, is it really uncommon? Even with 2 99s at lower ranks than my total rank it still seems odd to me, but really exemplifies the phrase I'd recently encountered.
     
    Take a look at your own highscores and see whether you excel in one area or if you're a jack of all trades.
     
    Something I've thought about for a long time is that I'm interested in so many things and try anything that takes my fancy that in my life I am a jack of all trades, and really only excel in one thing.
     
    Today, the reason I'm writing this, having had it in my head for a long time is that I'm listening to the radio 1 masterpieces show from last night. In which they're playing the entirety of the Elephant by The White Stripes. An album that I've owned for a long time, and one that is by many peoples standards a truly exceptional album. This show, and the shows that are on all week are going to be very interesting and I'm going to try and listen to them all. Also, they played a clip from one of the White Stripes Peel Session, and realised how far I've strayed from what I always desired to do with my life, become a radio DJ, something that I'd still like to pursue, but something that doesn't really fit in with much. Given a chance ever I'd take it, but right now its not something I could do.
     
    I'm a music fanatic, and I'm constantly attempting to discover new music, and other things in life, but the music is always there, and there's so much more music than I might ever be able to find that I enjoy. I continually post here on the metal thread as I adore metal, but I'm really a music nerd and follow alot of styles, and today we were talking about albums at lunch, and I nearly spoke for a long time about the music I enjoy. I have so much to tell but right now I'm going to leave it here and enjoy the rest of the album that I really don't listen to enough.
     
    Thanks for reading.
     
    Peace

  17. Shoot...

    · topham · 11/18/10 02:08 PM

    I know I only wrote a blog yesterday and it was a crap one. I've been feeling up and down all day today, not really sure whats going on, but I'm up at the moment so I've decided to capitalise and write about what I've been doing.
     
    Today I learnt to shoot for a takedown. Its remarkably similar to tackling people in rugby, except theres no ball, and its more likely that your takedown will fail, and the opponent will sprawl. Its incredibly fun, and I had a really good time at jiu jitsu today, despite getting beaten in my first round, the other ones I think went to a draw, but everyone kept grabbing my arm for kimura, and my shoulders are starting to get ruined. I'm glad the last session is next week as then I'll be know more techniques but I'll finally get to rest up like I should have instead of training with injuries.
     
    Tomorrow will be my last session of Tae Kwon Do here, and I might not do it for a long time. I mean, I plan to train it again, especially as the clubs are quite common in the UK, but when I get back I know I'll have other things to train instead. The club has made me feel welcome, and introduced me to new ways of training, and most of all helped me make some awesome friends.
     
    I'm still working on my other blog about the effects of martial arts on my life, I'm not sure if I'll ever finish it properly, but its something for me to work on for a long time.
     
    My lab work is going ok, but I'm going very slowly. This week, as yesterday was a holiday, its been difficult to be productive, but I'm doing work on saturday so I should be getting more done, and as TKD is finishing tomorrow, I'll have my evenings free to work in the lab more and get more work done.
     
    I'm listening to Apocalyptica right now, the album is Inquisition Symphony, my favourite of their albums.
     
    Its only 3 weeks till I go home, but right now it can't get here soon enough.
     
    Peace
  18. Apples are yummy, I've said this before.
     
    However, this isn't going to be about apples. I think the title might be a little misleading.
     
    I'm currently trying to work on a big post about how martial arts have changed me, and how I cannot imagine my life without them, and how different my life could have been had I started martial arts earlier.
     
    It's kind of a bit difficult for me to write it fast so I'll write some other things. This was one of the reasons I didn't post a blog yesterday. I'm finding it difficult to really sum up what I'm thinking, and its becoming hard to write at the moment.
     
    I'll try to write tomorrow, and I should have lots to write. Today I've done nothing, a tiny bit of work, some running, and some kung fu, and some kick boxing, some scaping.
     
    I just watched the last episode of the first season of How I Met Your Mother, its kinda a sad episode upon repeat watches, with the secondary story being way way more important than the one thats really trying to grab your attention. It kinda made me a little sad right now, and I really could do with being home soon.
    Luckily I only have 3 weeks to go, and I'm sure it'll pass by quickly. I don't really want to leave here because of all the people I've met, and everything thats happened, but I miss home so much more than I desire to stay here its unbelievable.
     
    This blog to me seems incoherent and scattered. I'm not happy with it, but I'll put it up because otherwise I'll have wasted my time, and I'll not be able to remember what I was going through.
     
    Peace

  19. Lots of stuff

    · topham · 11/14/10 03:49 PM

    This weekend has been awesome for sports, specifically the ones I follow. Rugby result kicked ass, England are doing well again, the UFC event wasn't a complete bore, and the F1 was exciting. Well done Vettel. I also followed the boxing results, but don't usually pay interest, and wasn't surprised to hear that people were complaining about the quality of both the main fights that happened.
     
    I've been mainly following things and getting caught up on the world, rather than working on my report, but i'll definately be working on it properly this week. I found out that theres only 2 tae kwon do sessions left, so that'll reduce my distractions to report writing so I should be able to get lots done.
     
    I've played quite a lot of runescape this weekend. I've levelled dungeoneering twice since yesterday morning, and I'm having a lot of fun with it. I'm still doing c6 meds solo, which I'm enjoying, and I've only had one bad floor, where I died 7 times. Its the only time i've died at all recently doing it, and it was all due to a Mercenary Leader, which was infuriating.
    At the moment I'm really rating using a familiar to help win the boss fights, and nearly every floor they have been so incredibly useful, helping me feel confident in beating the floor boss then the final bits of exploration.
     
    Aside from that I absolutely destroyed my 200 dagganoth task, and from mtk I got an easy clue scroll, which landed me a 75k reward for 3 very simple clues, which made me happy. I mainly focused on dungeoneering this weekend as I'm warming to it... and I want it to be on par with my other skills.
     
    Hope everyone else is good.
    Peace

  20. Ewww!!

    · topham · 11/11/10 03:47 PM

    Tonight I had durian for the first time. It was horrible. It didn't taste good, it smells bad, and the texture isn't particularly delicious.
    Afterwards we had this other fruit, however we aren't really sure on its name but it was delightful.
     
    Today and yesterday my lab work has been going alright, but I've been trying different things with reactions I've tried before with varying results. Some have been good and some have been bad. I've been working hard at writing up, and wish I'd also been writing up along with this blog so that I'd have a lot written, however that's not the case. This blog already had more words than I think I'll ever write in this report and I don't really like writing that much, but am getting used to it for this blog, which I feel has helped me no end.
     
    Yesterday at Jiu Jitsu I had fun, and got beaten a few times and beat people a few times. Everything is fair and fun in training, and I really enjoy training. Tomorrow I'm probably gonna make a return to Tae Kwon Do as I've not been keeping up with it too much and not training nearly as much as I'd like. Saturday, I'm supposed to be circuit training with the american guys I know then writing during the day and then going to a concert style thing in the evening followed by yummy dinner at a very nice place.
     
    Today I went for beer and potato wedges with my friends and really enjoyed myself, and slowly started talking more and more about me, which I'm not really used to.
     
    I still really miss uk food, and my friends and really cannot wait to get home. But I've enjoyed this experience, however I'm not sure if I'd repeat it, but I'd definitely recommend it when I get back to those thinking about it for next year.
     
    Nothing to write about runescape except that I know when I play next I'm more than likely going to do some runecrafting and use all the essence that I've got sitting in the bank.
     
    Peace

  21. Counting down

    · topham · 11/09/10 01:43 PM

    Yeah, I'm counting down the days till I go home... and to be honest, right now I want to be home. I'm missing it a lot. I'm working hard to try and distract myself, and get more results that I actually need. The only thing I'm really looking forward to this week is tomorrows Jiu Jitsu session. I know it'll be good. One of the girls from the lab has gone away for the week to Australia, and although only 2 days have passed in the lab without her around its noticeable her not being there.
     
    I've been working on my synthesis, and I think i actually did something wrong today, but not really sure where, and hopefully I just misinterpreted the data. I'll be looking at it carefullly tomorrow, and seeing what comes out of my reaction.
     
    I've not played any runescape so I could try and get decent amounts of sleep, which has kind of helped. The hot water, although working last night for the first time in a week, is out again, and I hate cold showers.
     
    I have a big plan for this week, but have no hope for completing everything.
     
    This might sound a little strange but I hope I can work in the lab this weekend, as I should have lots of stuff to do, and it'd help me out so much.
     
    I miss my friends, family, xbox, cold weather, cooking my own food, cheese, and my car. Actually cannot wait to get home.

  22. 'Healing'/being lazy

    · topham · 11/07/10 03:41 PM

    I've had friday off as well so I've had a 3 day weekend, and I've done no exercise at all, not due to me really being that lazy, mainly due to the fact that I kept injuring my legs so thought I'd give them a week off, and really went for relaxation this weekend.
     
    The being lazy part mainly comes into the amount of runescape I've played in relation the amount of work I've done and should have done this weekend. Friday started off very well, I wrote up a lot of my project reports results sections, but yesterday I didn't do anything, at all. The same was kind of true of today, but I atleast attempted to work, which was sucky because I soon realised that today I couldn't type without huge errors in what I was doing.
     
    However, I'm slowly warming to dungeoneering, and luckily I've had no bad bosses today, and leveled from 58-60 solo med c6 dungeons. I also did some clue scrolls and set my herblore up so that when I do get round to it i'll get a nice lot of experience for it. From my clue scrolls I got a Sara Full helm, and some other nice things, like a full set of rune armour from one clue to another pair of Sara chaps. I'm being quite lucky at the moment with my clue scrolls, and hope my luck doesn't run out.
     
    Now, I don't know if this is bad or if this is what other people do but I got a blue dragons task today, and I really couldn't be bothered to make it into about 20 trips and bank all the bones and hides, or 10 trips and bank all the hides and bury the bones, so I made it into 2 trips and buried all the bones and didn't bother with the dhides. As it turned out I earnt more from a clue scroll that I got from the task than I would have if I collected all the hides and sold them, so it turned out well. I also had my desert strykes task to finish, and i had 2 clue scrolls from that, and then the blue dragons task, but in between did some herblore, levelled that up to 83, then got a desert strykes task, of which i've killed one, before realising that i really should do some more dungeoneering.
     
    Like I said, I'm slowly warming to the idea, and I'm beginning to enjoy it more and more, and killed 6 bosses today, did tears for an xp boost, which is more than i was getting for the floors i was doing and also went penguin spotting for another xp boost. As I got 60 I decided I'd go back to slayer for a bit, do some more of my task but completely forgot that I'd get another xp boost if i visited the resource dungeon, so I did, then went to set up for the Jungle Strykes, which are always a fun task for me.
     
    I feel I'm finally having fun in runescape again, however it might be due to the fact that I've got a lot of work to do, and its there as a distraction, a huge, awesome distraction.
     
    I'm just about to relax and follow the F1 race. Hope everyone had a good weekend.
     
    Peace

  23. frantic

    · topham · 11/04/10 05:00 PM

    So I forgot to blog on tuesday, and i felt pretty crappy about it.
    I realised at about 3am, and i'd got to sleep not long before, and woke up, wide awake, but at that point i realised that it would be incoherent and really wouldn't help anyone so I made a decision to leave it.
     
    This is currently my favourite song, and I'm learning the original version of it. Something about it is so captivating, and so drastic that it has had a profound effect on me during my time away, kinda leading me thinking of Singapore and what I've done here everytime I listen, and zombies.
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahyvWheMRkg
     
    So, this week I've started right from the beginning of my synthesis again, but this time I'm really going for it, and am gonna see how it unfolds next week as I have tomorrow off, as it is a public holiday. I'm having fun again with my project, but tomorrow I need to spend the day writing as much as I can on this project so that I have less work to do in the future.
     
    I went to jiu jitsu last night, and every single bout everyone went for my neck to choke me, even in disadvantageous positions, which was weird, but it was constant and tough every single bout. I'm still recovering from it now and I'm bruised all over, but I feel good.
     
    I am only 5 and a half weeks away from returning home, and I have the biggest list of Xbox 360 games, albums and DVDs that I want to get when I get home. I think right now the highest on my list is Need For Speed Hot Pursuit, as I loved the original one ages ago, and this one looks incredible. Also, Splatterhouse, which looks like a lot of fun. I came across it accidentally, when looking up info on 5 finger death punch, and seeing that they had a song chosen for the soundtrack, which made me intrigued and then explored further and now cannot wait to see what its like. I'm also excited about the big games that are coming out, and have come out, so really can't wait to get back.
     
    I went shopping with my friends this evening for a new backpack, which I got, then went out for some drinks, then managed to catch the second last train home, which was quite lucky, and had an awesome time talking about stuffs, and it was wicked.
     
    Supposed to be having a busy weekend, but not sure how things will transpire. Hope everyone is doing good.
     
    Peace

  24. 6 weeks

    · topham · 10/31/10 03:02 PM

    6 weeks today I will be spending my first day back in the UK, which I really cannot wait for.
    However, I still have 6 weeks of lab work to do, and I'm kinda looking forward to it, but I've also got a lot of work to write up.
     
    On the plus side, today I got 92 cooking, got 58 dungeoneering, yesterday I got a Zammy Dhide body, and completed my first elite treasure trail, raised my slayer xp, and had fun while playing, organised my bank, and am looking forward to playing runescape to relax, which I haven't felt like in a long time.
    Although that being said, I still don't like dungeoneering.
     
    I trained TKD on friday which was good fun, and landed a back tuck for the first time in about 2 months, admittedly it was my only attempt, but I can still do it. I ran about 6-7 miles yesterday, and it was good, but then today I wanted to run about 7 miles, but only managed 3 as my calves started to hurt bad enough for me to barely be able to stand right now.
     
    I'm looking forward to this week, I need to collect some results tomorrow morning, and it should tell me what I did at the end of last week. I'm still unsure of how my project is going, but hopefully it'll be good.
     
    Not really much else to write about.
     
    Peace

  25. 3rd place. not too bad

    · topham · 10/28/10 04:15 PM

    Last night I took part in a mini jiu jitsu tournament, which was a lot of fun, and in one of the bouts I pulled off a sweet set of moves with some awesome transitions that got the praise of the instructors, which was very encouraging. I ended up 3rd of 6 in the tournament and was very happy with that, as the one person that made me submit already had 2 years of training, rather than the 7 weeks that i've had, and the person that came in second, beat me by decision after time was called due to him having consistently better positions. I won my other three, 2 by armbar, and one by kimura. Those victories were good, one of the armbars was revenge as well as the guy I was against, although my friend, defeated my by RNC a while ago. Now I get to have an awesome rubber match with him at a training session soon.
     
    So my work is ruined. My project is over, and I'm not sure what will become of it for the next few weeks. I guess i'll find out my fate and the fate of my project tomorrow.
     
    No runescape news.
     
    I'm currently really enjoying training as its consistent and brilliant, but everything else seems to not be going so well. Oh well, things will start to look up soon, I'm running 12 miles at the weekend. Wooo.
     
    Peace

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