Monday, July 1, 2013

The making of an action hero pt 12

Entry #11. I went on patrol for the first time with agents Squish and MX on Saturday. Squish used his iPad in conjunction with a program called Ingress to scan the area for signs of local X.M. portals and energy deposits. The iPad’s GPS works to locate portals that other agents have set over high-energy areas and important landmarks. We found our first portal at a graveyard that had been restored by a local historical group. It was hidden away behind a power tower on an out-of-the-way hilltop. Getting there entailed hiking across a stream, skirting the edge of a huge drop, and winding our way behind several apartment complexes. Agent MX suffered a minor injury in the process which I treated with the med-kit. We sat on the top of a hill in the shade of an early Saturday morning and hacked the portal after the Ingress program completed its cool down period. Fighting evil is hard work, but it has its perks. It’s been a while since I’ve gone outside for it’s own sake. There is something refreshing about sitting on a stone wall under a tree with friends near to hand, the world laid out beneath you, and a hard link into your enemy’s mainframe. After initiating two successful hacks, we trekked toward another marked portal. This required passing through a soccer field and wending our way to the local library. I’ll have to go back to that field and bring a picnic lunch some time. The bleachers seem perfectly placed to sprawl out and enjoy a summer afternoon. The second portal sported significant defenses which we weren’t able to crack. Squish, our resident decker, will have to up his hacking skills. Regardless, we located two portals, covered approximately 2k cross country, and spent an enjoyable two hours in the great outdoors. Note: Ingress is a real game that acts just as described. It’s basically geocashing with a twist. The constant sensor beeps, periodic announcements by the calm female voice, and need for a hand held device adds a measure of realism to the process. It’s not a game I’d want to play every day, but as an excuse to go outside and walk around randomly it’s pretty cool. I’m looking forward to seeding a few portals myself. I just have to remember to bring suntan lotion and a water bottle. Last week I averaged 306.44 pounds. I’m counting the days I get up for work at the same time and go through the same process. I still weigh in every morning, but for the numbers to be comparable, they have to be taken under as similar circumstances as possible. This morning I weighed 306.8. If this turns into something where I’m using the fact that I know I won’t have to report my weekend days as an excuse to cheat, then I’ll go back to adding them in. I’ve made some advances. Saturday I turned down both Pizza and a chance to order fast food at the drive through. I’m hoping my refusal doesn’t make other people uncomfortable…I just have to say no if I have the chance to make better choices. Saturday wasn’t a complete win, I had leftover Indian food for lunch and breakfast, but even that wasn’t terrible. I could have gobbled both servings in one gluttonous rampage, but opted to split the fun up over two different meals. Saturday also saw the arrival of my steel clubs. They look like a baseball bat that has been cut a third of the way up the barrel. Most of the weight is out in front of the grip. The resulting torque makes them feel considerably heavier than a dumb bell of the same mass. I can use the five pounders without much difficulty; but the ten pounders are going to take a while for me to work up. I have to get a training manual, light box, and adjust my sleep schedule before I start training in earnest. Even with those small hurdles remaining, I can’t put off exercise any more. I have the tools. I started today with good intentions. Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal with raspberries, a banana, and a glass of orange juice. Lunch was a ham and Swiss wrap, bag of mixed nuts, and an apple. Dinner was supposed to be chicken and mixed veggies over brown rice. Unfortunately I ended up burning my hand with melted plastic (another fire averted through paranoia.) After that there was no way I was using the stovetop for the rest of the day, So I had a small portion of left over mac-and-cheese and a second ham and Swiss wrap. I didn’t order anything. I didn’t order anything. I didn’t order anything. Must remember that.

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