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Friday, November 18, 2011
I wish I could do this to people's words.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
"What is ki?" From Dragonball Canada to Sparking Turtle!
This article originally appeared on a website called Dragonball Canada. This website contained an article on ki that I really liked back when it was online. It was probably the best ki article from a Dragonball site that comes to memory! As the website no longer exists, I'm gonna go ahead and host the article right here on Sparking Turtle!
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" 'Ki', or 'Chi, is the vital force believed in Taoism and other Chinese, thought to be inherent in (born into) all things. The never-ending circulation of chi and a balance of its negative and positive forms in the body are essential in health, healing and strength, both mentally and physically. "
What's Ki?
----That is the defined meaning of the word(s) 'Ki', or 'Chi'. For the sake of this page, I'm going to refer to it as 'Ki'. To put it simply, Ki is your life force, the energy that engulfs your body and flows within it. It changes with your moods and surroundings as much as it affects them. In Dragonball, the usage of Ki is taken to the level where it is both visible and in such a physical state that it can cause great damage (as seen in many occasions). All living creatures possess this energy, even if it can not be seen (keep in mind that the idea of 'Ki' is a belief and it is up to the individual to believe in it's existence or not).
How is Ki used?
----Ki is used in real life as much as it's used in fantasy worlds such as Dragonball (and many other anime/manga due to the strong belief in Ki among the Japanese). Because of the strong affects it is said to have on a person's body, it is harnessed/controlled and used for things such as a increased strength, mental and emotional balance and even in techniques used to predict incoming dangers or stop the body from feeling pain. Of course, the use of Ki is greatly tied into the use and learning of martial arts. Bringing it out deals greatly with self-discipline and the proper mental and physical training.
----Because this is a Dragonball page, I will now begin focusing more on the aspect of Ki in Dragonball itself. Besides, I know most who bothered to read this far through the ki definition are probably starting to get bored ^_~ Here's a big colorful picture to at least brighten things up a bit :p
----In Dragonball, Ki becomes practically the main aspect of the series. It's usage ranges from all those flashy, destructive attacks and flying to the energy Goku collects to use his Genki Dama.
----Near the end of the Great Saiyaman saga, Gohan is presented with the task of teaching Videl to fly (or should I say forced with...). Because Videl doesn't know about Ki or how she is to use it, Gohan must first teach her how. This is the first time in the series that the method of bringing one's Ki out is directly addressed. The dubbed version of this episode wasn't far of from the original so I'm going to use that as my reference since most are more familiar with it.
"First you need to make yourself completely calm. Then, listen to the center of your body, reach into it...until you feel a pull; then...bring it out."
----Then watch in awe and frustration how easy Gohan makes it look! Ahem, all envy aside, thus is Gohan's explanation on bringing your ki out. This method, if done correctly, can actually have an affect on you in real life, either as a calming meditation or even to re-energize yourself. Does this necessarily mean Ki exists? Once again, this is opinion and belief... As an extra fact, Gohan also states that to fly using your Ki you must focus it throughout your body but concentrate it in your stomach. Once you get the off the ground bit down, it's the balance that needs the most work :p
----One of the biggest forms of Ki usage we see in Dragonball is powering up. The act of bringing forth the energy inside you that's not being used so you can...well...use it. Because of the great power levels we've got surfacing in the series, this can lead to come pretty fancy light shows. However, bringing forth this energy also requires the concentration to keep it out. It's not something that you just collect then don't need to hold onto. Later however, we are presented with the state of Super Saiyan-jin, a new form of ki usage and state. Below is a little diagram that will hopefully clear up some of the things I just said:
----For future reference I am aware I didn't put SSJ2 on there*... SSJ3 is just easier to distinguish in a small pic ^_^;; What I wanted to show in the picture is the thing I tried explaining above. The level of Super Saiyan is a new level of Ki, a state in which you don't need to have the same amount of focus as when you've merely powered up. It's kind of like putting a lock on the power to hold it in place ;p It's this that allowed Goku and Gohan to stay Super Saiyan so easily (well, minus the broken furniture...) during their days off in the Cell saga. While SSJ, you are able to continue powering up to greater strengths although all power above that of the regular SSJ form does require the extra focus and concentration to maintain.
----There is also the state that comes before reaching the level of Super Saiyan 2, achieved by Trunks, Goku and Vegeta in the Cell saga. It's pretty much just a state that's below the line of SSJ2, at the border but not yet crossing the line. As most should know, although my diagram accidentally may tell otherwise, Saiyans are able to instantly transform into Super Saiyan and don't need to power up until reaching that form.
----As you know, Ki is used in a variety of ways, focusing mostly on big, fancy, 'blow 'em up' blasts. These energy attacks range from the classic focused blast and changes of shape such as the Kienzan or even more creatively, Kamikaze Ghost Attack. Ki is also used defensively as both a shield from other attacks and as in moves such as Taiyoken (Solar Flare). There's also flight, as I mentioned a few paragraphs up. Controlling one's Ki also makes simple physical attacks such as punching and kicking much more powerful and devastating when making contact.
----Ki blasts can be fired from any part of the body because a person's Ki travels all through it. The hands are preferably used because of ease and better coordination. In the series, Ki blasts have also been seen being fired out of the eyes, mouth and even the feet (Goku fired a kamehameha with this method in Dragonball).
How is Ki detected/sensed and measured?
----The main way we see that Ki is detected in DB/Z/GT is the simple method of sensing it. People who have control over their own Ki are able to sense others. Know that feeling you get of being watched? Or knowing when somebody's in the room with you but you can't see or hear them? It works kinda like that, only more detailed and in-depth of course. Unlike the scouters, which I'll mention next, you can't give power levels an exact number just by sensing them, although it's a strong Ki from a weak Ki is very distinguishable. A massive Ki emanating from a person can even cause pain to those who're able to sense it.
----Aside from being able to determine the strength of the warrior, people are also able to tell whether or not the Ki belongs to someone who is evil or good. Because Ki changes with emotion, one can tell a person being 'evil' or 'good' by the feeling their Ki gives out by the emotions that dominate their being, such as hate, anger and envy as opposed to happiness and caring (and so forth and so forth). I could go more into the whole Ying & Yang concept but I think you get the point...
----The ability to sense Ki only becomes easier and more specific the stronger you get. In the early parts of DBZ, the fighters could sense a great power was coming but not be able to tell who it was. Near the end of Dragonball Z, people were able to not only sense power levels from all over the world but in most cases be able to tell who it is, even if the person's level has changed dramatically. Goku can even pick out people's Ki from around the universe, although finds it easier when in the other world. He uses this for purpose of his teleportation technique.
----Another well known method of Ki detection is the use of scouters. These were developed by the people who inhabited Planet Vegeta before the Saiyans took over. These devices are used by Frieza's men and the Saiyan. They are the small devices that attached to the side of a person's head. By pressing a button they are able to determine a numbered reading of the power level and how far it is, including which way it's heading. The flaw in the scouters however is the fact that it will short out, and usually explode, if the Ki it is detecting becomes too great. Due to this, the scouter technology becomes useless by the end of the Namek saga.
----In the Androids/Cell saga, the Androids also have the ability to sense Ki, although this does not seem to include Androids 17 & 18. This is probably the most detailed of the techniques because the Androids with this Ki sensing ability can also tell which fighter it is, including a database on their fighting techniques and levels. Unlike the scouters, despite this form of detection also works with machinery, it doesn't seem to malfunction when the power reading becomes too great.
----Lastly, in the Buu saga, another form of Ki detection is introduced, although only for a while. This system works kind of like a scale, having small 'devices' which measure a person's energy level when pointed at them. Babidi, Supopovitch and Yamu use these devices. Babidi also uses one to measure Buu's level to determine the length of time it will take him to fully re-awaken. This form of measuring Ki is also not in Earth measurements so for anyone other then the aliens who use it, it's rather useless.
And so ends my page on Ki...turned out much longer then I had thought. I hope it wasn't too confusing for you ^_^;;
* Image being referenced in original article unavailable.
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" 'Ki', or 'Chi, is the vital force believed in Taoism and other Chinese, thought to be inherent in (born into) all things. The never-ending circulation of chi and a balance of its negative and positive forms in the body are essential in health, healing and strength, both mentally and physically. "
What's Ki?
----That is the defined meaning of the word(s) 'Ki', or 'Chi'. For the sake of this page, I'm going to refer to it as 'Ki'. To put it simply, Ki is your life force, the energy that engulfs your body and flows within it. It changes with your moods and surroundings as much as it affects them. In Dragonball, the usage of Ki is taken to the level where it is both visible and in such a physical state that it can cause great damage (as seen in many occasions). All living creatures possess this energy, even if it can not be seen (keep in mind that the idea of 'Ki' is a belief and it is up to the individual to believe in it's existence or not).How is Ki used?
----Ki is used in real life as much as it's used in fantasy worlds such as Dragonball (and many other anime/manga due to the strong belief in Ki among the Japanese). Because of the strong affects it is said to have on a person's body, it is harnessed/controlled and used for things such as a increased strength, mental and emotional balance and even in techniques used to predict incoming dangers or stop the body from feeling pain. Of course, the use of Ki is greatly tied into the use and learning of martial arts. Bringing it out deals greatly with self-discipline and the proper mental and physical training.
----Because this is a Dragonball page, I will now begin focusing more on the aspect of Ki in Dragonball itself. Besides, I know most who bothered to read this far through the ki definition are probably starting to get bored ^_~ Here's a big colorful picture to at least brighten things up a bit :p
----In Dragonball, Ki becomes practically the main aspect of the series. It's usage ranges from all those flashy, destructive attacks and flying to the energy Goku collects to use his Genki Dama.
----Near the end of the Great Saiyaman saga, Gohan is presented with the task of teaching Videl to fly (or should I say forced with...). Because Videl doesn't know about Ki or how she is to use it, Gohan must first teach her how. This is the first time in the series that the method of bringing one's Ki out is directly addressed. The dubbed version of this episode wasn't far of from the original so I'm going to use that as my reference since most are more familiar with it.
"First you need to make yourself completely calm. Then, listen to the center of your body, reach into it...until you feel a pull; then...bring it out."
----Then watch in awe and frustration how easy Gohan makes it look! Ahem, all envy aside, thus is Gohan's explanation on bringing your ki out. This method, if done correctly, can actually have an affect on you in real life, either as a calming meditation or even to re-energize yourself. Does this necessarily mean Ki exists? Once again, this is opinion and belief... As an extra fact, Gohan also states that to fly using your Ki you must focus it throughout your body but concentrate it in your stomach. Once you get the off the ground bit down, it's the balance that needs the most work :p
----One of the biggest forms of Ki usage we see in Dragonball is powering up. The act of bringing forth the energy inside you that's not being used so you can...well...use it. Because of the great power levels we've got surfacing in the series, this can lead to come pretty fancy light shows. However, bringing forth this energy also requires the concentration to keep it out. It's not something that you just collect then don't need to hold onto. Later however, we are presented with the state of Super Saiyan-jin, a new form of ki usage and state. Below is a little diagram that will hopefully clear up some of the things I just said:----For future reference I am aware I didn't put SSJ2 on there*... SSJ3 is just easier to distinguish in a small pic ^_^;; What I wanted to show in the picture is the thing I tried explaining above. The level of Super Saiyan is a new level of Ki, a state in which you don't need to have the same amount of focus as when you've merely powered up. It's kind of like putting a lock on the power to hold it in place ;p It's this that allowed Goku and Gohan to stay Super Saiyan so easily (well, minus the broken furniture...) during their days off in the Cell saga. While SSJ, you are able to continue powering up to greater strengths although all power above that of the regular SSJ form does require the extra focus and concentration to maintain.
----There is also the state that comes before reaching the level of Super Saiyan 2, achieved by Trunks, Goku and Vegeta in the Cell saga. It's pretty much just a state that's below the line of SSJ2, at the border but not yet crossing the line. As most should know, although my diagram accidentally may tell otherwise, Saiyans are able to instantly transform into Super Saiyan and don't need to power up until reaching that form.
----As you know, Ki is used in a variety of ways, focusing mostly on big, fancy, 'blow 'em up' blasts. These energy attacks range from the classic focused blast and changes of shape such as the Kienzan or even more creatively, Kamikaze Ghost Attack. Ki is also used defensively as both a shield from other attacks and as in moves such as Taiyoken (Solar Flare). There's also flight, as I mentioned a few paragraphs up. Controlling one's Ki also makes simple physical attacks such as punching and kicking much more powerful and devastating when making contact.
----Ki blasts can be fired from any part of the body because a person's Ki travels all through it. The hands are preferably used because of ease and better coordination. In the series, Ki blasts have also been seen being fired out of the eyes, mouth and even the feet (Goku fired a kamehameha with this method in Dragonball).
How is Ki detected/sensed and measured?
----The main way we see that Ki is detected in DB/Z/GT is the simple method of sensing it. People who have control over their own Ki are able to sense others. Know that feeling you get of being watched? Or knowing when somebody's in the room with you but you can't see or hear them? It works kinda like that, only more detailed and in-depth of course. Unlike the scouters, which I'll mention next, you can't give power levels an exact number just by sensing them, although it's a strong Ki from a weak Ki is very distinguishable. A massive Ki emanating from a person can even cause pain to those who're able to sense it.
----Aside from being able to determine the strength of the warrior, people are also able to tell whether or not the Ki belongs to someone who is evil or good. Because Ki changes with emotion, one can tell a person being 'evil' or 'good' by the feeling their Ki gives out by the emotions that dominate their being, such as hate, anger and envy as opposed to happiness and caring (and so forth and so forth). I could go more into the whole Ying & Yang concept but I think you get the point...
----The ability to sense Ki only becomes easier and more specific the stronger you get. In the early parts of DBZ, the fighters could sense a great power was coming but not be able to tell who it was. Near the end of Dragonball Z, people were able to not only sense power levels from all over the world but in most cases be able to tell who it is, even if the person's level has changed dramatically. Goku can even pick out people's Ki from around the universe, although finds it easier when in the other world. He uses this for purpose of his teleportation technique.
----Another well known method of Ki detection is the use of scouters. These were developed by the people who inhabited Planet Vegeta before the Saiyans took over. These devices are used by Frieza's men and the Saiyan. They are the small devices that attached to the side of a person's head. By pressing a button they are able to determine a numbered reading of the power level and how far it is, including which way it's heading. The flaw in the scouters however is the fact that it will short out, and usually explode, if the Ki it is detecting becomes too great. Due to this, the scouter technology becomes useless by the end of the Namek saga.----In the Androids/Cell saga, the Androids also have the ability to sense Ki, although this does not seem to include Androids 17 & 18. This is probably the most detailed of the techniques because the Androids with this Ki sensing ability can also tell which fighter it is, including a database on their fighting techniques and levels. Unlike the scouters, despite this form of detection also works with machinery, it doesn't seem to malfunction when the power reading becomes too great.
----Lastly, in the Buu saga, another form of Ki detection is introduced, although only for a while. This system works kind of like a scale, having small 'devices' which measure a person's energy level when pointed at them. Babidi, Supopovitch and Yamu use these devices. Babidi also uses one to measure Buu's level to determine the length of time it will take him to fully re-awaken. This form of measuring Ki is also not in Earth measurements so for anyone other then the aliens who use it, it's rather useless.
And so ends my page on Ki...turned out much longer then I had thought. I hope it wasn't too confusing for you ^_^;;
* Image being referenced in original article unavailable.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Journey to the West (Part 3)
After an evening of MMA matches and pizza as well as a good night of sleep, the world looked great and I felt like a new man! It did everyone an entire universe of good of good to get the rest and relaxation we had after all that anxiety over packing and cleaning from the day before. Now that we were all rested up and ready to take on the next part of our trip, it was time to say farewell to Wichita and get moving toward toward our next goal: New Mexico!
Even as early as this far into our trip, the green farmland I was used to seeing on either side of the road was starting to slowly change into a more natural green landscape and even further into a flat brown landscape. Almost like the deserts in the Dragonball universe, except without all the cool mushroom stones and random plateaus that don't seem to exist where roads do. It was pretty neat when I first started noticing it. Too bad it was pretty much all I was going to see all the way from Oklahoma until we just about reached California.
The only thing that really slowed us down during our second day was an amazingly brutal car wreck that had slowed down traffic due to the clean-up process. After sitting around for about maybe half an hour (it felt a lot longer than that), we did get a peek at the car itself. Honestly, it was such a mangled ball of twisted metal that was only recognizable as a car because you could still sort of see the seats. We were pretty sure that whoever was in there didn't live through the accident. Especially considering that the even the semi it ran into was pretty much turned completely sideways. We all felt at that point we needed to stop and rest for a few to make sure we didn't get unfocused from too much driving and see the same happen to us.
When we did stop, it was at a gas station that didn't have tacos (sorry, Connor!). We had asked about the wreck to the attendant and she had said that the wreck we had passed by actually happened about six hours before we passed it and they were still cleaning it up! News did get to her, though, that the people in the mangled car (or truck... not sure by that point) did happen to survive! I don't know what kind of condition they were in when taken from the scene, but it was good to know that at least nobody was killed.
From that point onward during the day the landscape became pretty predictable and nothing really stopped us from getting through Oklahoma's panhandle a small corner of Texas (where we stopped at a Dairy Queen), and finally into New Mexico. After not taking a left turn at Albuquerque, We had gotten through to some small city (I don't remember the name of) and managed to get a hotel room for the night. Again, it was time for a bit more sleep so we would be ready for the final stretch of the trip to Costa Mesa, California!
The next morning came around, and we were finally ready to make the final stretch of the trip. After a boring day of flat brown landscape on all sides, we were finally ready to see something we didn't have in Indiana: mountains! Now, mountains may not be too exciting for some people, but in Indiana we don't have anything like that sticking up from the horizon and we don't have anything like that to look at while driving. So, for us, it was actually pretty neat to finally make our way through the mountains.
The day wasn't really all fun and games, though. We had a very strict schedule to adhere to. Not only did we have to stop as little as possible, but we had to hope for no distractions, no dangers, and no technological failures. The car we took to drive to California wasn't really in the best condition for going over 2,000 miles in three days and it was starting to show. All we could do was hope that nothing bad would happen on the last day of our trip.
Aside from that, my phone was the only one capable of keeping track of where we currently were and it was the only phone that, out of mine and Heather's, wasn't dead halfway through the day. We'd have used a car charger for the phones, but the fuses are messed up and the car charger would've blown out the air conditioner's fuse if it was used. Heather didn't want the windows down with the cats in the car, either. So, I was very cautiously trying to conserve energy while keeping track of everything and letting our landlord know where we were so that we'd have a way to get into our new place once we got there.
After several uneventful hours that were tense only due to making sure we were in the right place and keeping on schedule, we'd finally made it through the mountains, to the coastal town we were moving to, and to our apartment building! We made it with only a few minutes to spare before the office closed, too! After parking, I made my way to the front desk, pulled out my debit card that I had all the money we needed to get into our apartment (and a super high limit so I could pay it all at once), and was ready to move in.
"Sorry, we only take cashier's checks."
Wait. What?! No! It can't be!
To be continued.
Even as early as this far into our trip, the green farmland I was used to seeing on either side of the road was starting to slowly change into a more natural green landscape and even further into a flat brown landscape. Almost like the deserts in the Dragonball universe, except without all the cool mushroom stones and random plateaus that don't seem to exist where roads do. It was pretty neat when I first started noticing it. Too bad it was pretty much all I was going to see all the way from Oklahoma until we just about reached California.The only thing that really slowed us down during our second day was an amazingly brutal car wreck that had slowed down traffic due to the clean-up process. After sitting around for about maybe half an hour (it felt a lot longer than that), we did get a peek at the car itself. Honestly, it was such a mangled ball of twisted metal that was only recognizable as a car because you could still sort of see the seats. We were pretty sure that whoever was in there didn't live through the accident. Especially considering that the even the semi it ran into was pretty much turned completely sideways. We all felt at that point we needed to stop and rest for a few to make sure we didn't get unfocused from too much driving and see the same happen to us.
When we did stop, it was at a gas station that didn't have tacos (sorry, Connor!). We had asked about the wreck to the attendant and she had said that the wreck we had passed by actually happened about six hours before we passed it and they were still cleaning it up! News did get to her, though, that the people in the mangled car (or truck... not sure by that point) did happen to survive! I don't know what kind of condition they were in when taken from the scene, but it was good to know that at least nobody was killed.
From that point onward during the day the landscape became pretty predictable and nothing really stopped us from getting through Oklahoma's panhandle a small corner of Texas (where we stopped at a Dairy Queen), and finally into New Mexico. After not taking a left turn at Albuquerque, We had gotten through to some small city (I don't remember the name of) and managed to get a hotel room for the night. Again, it was time for a bit more sleep so we would be ready for the final stretch of the trip to Costa Mesa, California!
The day wasn't really all fun and games, though. We had a very strict schedule to adhere to. Not only did we have to stop as little as possible, but we had to hope for no distractions, no dangers, and no technological failures. The car we took to drive to California wasn't really in the best condition for going over 2,000 miles in three days and it was starting to show. All we could do was hope that nothing bad would happen on the last day of our trip.
Aside from that, my phone was the only one capable of keeping track of where we currently were and it was the only phone that, out of mine and Heather's, wasn't dead halfway through the day. We'd have used a car charger for the phones, but the fuses are messed up and the car charger would've blown out the air conditioner's fuse if it was used. Heather didn't want the windows down with the cats in the car, either. So, I was very cautiously trying to conserve energy while keeping track of everything and letting our landlord know where we were so that we'd have a way to get into our new place once we got there.After several uneventful hours that were tense only due to making sure we were in the right place and keeping on schedule, we'd finally made it through the mountains, to the coastal town we were moving to, and to our apartment building! We made it with only a few minutes to spare before the office closed, too! After parking, I made my way to the front desk, pulled out my debit card that I had all the money we needed to get into our apartment (and a super high limit so I could pay it all at once), and was ready to move in.
"Sorry, we only take cashier's checks."
Wait. What?! No! It can't be!
To be continued.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Journey to the West (Part 2)!
After one last sparring session with Oompa and getting our new furniture, it was finally time to leave Indiana!
In the original Journey to the West, the group consisted of a monkey man, a priest, a demon, and a bandit. In Dragonball, the group consisted of Goku, Bulma, Oolong, Yamcha, and Puerh. In Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, the group consisted of Monkey, Trip, and Pigsy. You can see similarities in all three groups of characters. In my case, my group was a bit different:
Luckily for me, I was able to have all of these people with me from the beginning of the trip rather than picking them up as I went along. This is great because, even though I gave away a lot of my unnecessary collectibles and junk to my friend Bill, there was still Heather's stuff, the cats, and the furniture. This left us with Heather, Frank, myself, and the cats in the car with Chris and Connor in the moving truck.
The first day of our trip had to be the most hectic and stressful. The characters of Journey to the West, Dragonball, or Enslaved weren't exactly the best of friends at the beginning of their trip. Due to us being so tired from packing, I sort of felt the same way toward everyone around me despite the fact that we were already close friends and family. Frank is like a brother and Heather's family members have loved me since before Heather and I were even officially dating! However, lack-of-sleep and preparing for such a long journey can really have its toll on you.
On top of the stress of packing, one of Heather's classmates from her Taijiquan (Tai Chi) group is the owner of this awesome cupcake shop and she had made Heather and I some especially special awesome cupcakes that would normally be super expensive (for cupcakes, anyway). We were saving them until we got on the road as sort of a marker that our trip had started on a good note. However, in the cleaning of things, they were knocked onto the floor into the only remaining dirty spot in such a way that the "Five Second Rule" could never apply to. Needless to say, the stress combined with our good luck charm of a snack being destroyed just before the start of the trip made Heather and I pretty furious. By that point, we were more reluctantly working for a greater goal together than being the friends and family we should've been.
On the flip side, though, the moving truck we had paid for wasn't in so the truck rental company we went with was nice enough to give us the next size up in their line of trucks for the same price as the one we had originally intended to rent. We needed it, too, because Heather isn't so easy to give up her possessions as I am and our new furniture was a little bigger than we had initially expected. So, that really turned out a lot better than we expected it to.
After finally getting everything packed into the truck and getting everyone on the road, I finally started to calm down a bit. Even without my Good Omen Cupcakes, it was really nice finally saying goodbye to Terre Haute, Indiana and setting off on my long-awaited Journey to the West (some of which I Tweeted about back when it happened). While the first day's trip to Wichita, Kansas wasn't super exciting in itself. We did go over a river in Missouri that had dangerously high water level but I didn't even know about how dangerous it was until I was told about it on Twitter by Hujio of the Dragonball site Kanzentai. There weren't any bandits, demons, or anything like that. There was Connor wanting Taco Bell every time we passed through a town and our cats sort of flipping out over being in a car for around ten hours, but that's hardly adventurous.
When we did get to Wichita, there was pizza waiting for me. Connor didn't get his tacos, but I got one of my favorite things ever and that was a big help in turning a crappy morning and a long, taxing car ride into an awesome evening of well-deserved relaxation with pizza and MMA matches on TV before some welcome sleep.
In the next installment, I'll tell you about the rest of the trip.
In the original Journey to the West, the group consisted of a monkey man, a priest, a demon, and a bandit. In Dragonball, the group consisted of Goku, Bulma, Oolong, Yamcha, and Puerh. In Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, the group consisted of Monkey, Trip, and Pigsy. You can see similarities in all three groups of characters. In my case, my group was a bit different:
- Josh -- Myself, a martial artist and a geek with a spirit for adventure (the reason for this trip).
- Heather -- The girlfriend, a Tai Chi student, geek, and anthropologist.
- Frank -- An old friend (and geek) from my High School, we trained together as rivals at the same gym.
- Chris -- Heather's mom. She bought me a Wii back in 2006.
- Connor -- Heather's teenage brother. He's obsessed with tacos.
Luckily for me, I was able to have all of these people with me from the beginning of the trip rather than picking them up as I went along. This is great because, even though I gave away a lot of my unnecessary collectibles and junk to my friend Bill, there was still Heather's stuff, the cats, and the furniture. This left us with Heather, Frank, myself, and the cats in the car with Chris and Connor in the moving truck.
 |
| The morning got off to a rough start. |
On top of the stress of packing, one of Heather's classmates from her Taijiquan (Tai Chi) group is the owner of this awesome cupcake shop and she had made Heather and I some especially special awesome cupcakes that would normally be super expensive (for cupcakes, anyway). We were saving them until we got on the road as sort of a marker that our trip had started on a good note. However, in the cleaning of things, they were knocked onto the floor into the only remaining dirty spot in such a way that the "Five Second Rule" could never apply to. Needless to say, the stress combined with our good luck charm of a snack being destroyed just before the start of the trip made Heather and I pretty furious. By that point, we were more reluctantly working for a greater goal together than being the friends and family we should've been.
 |
| Finally underway! |
After finally getting everything packed into the truck and getting everyone on the road, I finally started to calm down a bit. Even without my Good Omen Cupcakes, it was really nice finally saying goodbye to Terre Haute, Indiana and setting off on my long-awaited Journey to the West (some of which I Tweeted about back when it happened). While the first day's trip to Wichita, Kansas wasn't super exciting in itself. We did go over a river in Missouri that had dangerously high water level but I didn't even know about how dangerous it was until I was told about it on Twitter by Hujio of the Dragonball site Kanzentai. There weren't any bandits, demons, or anything like that. There was Connor wanting Taco Bell every time we passed through a town and our cats sort of flipping out over being in a car for around ten hours, but that's hardly adventurous.
When we did get to Wichita, there was pizza waiting for me. Connor didn't get his tacos, but I got one of my favorite things ever and that was a big help in turning a crappy morning and a long, taxing car ride into an awesome evening of well-deserved relaxation with pizza and MMA matches on TV before some welcome sleep.
In the next installment, I'll tell you about the rest of the trip.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Journey to the West (Part 1)
It's certainly been awhile, hasn't it? About a month and a half, I think!
Since I last wrote anything, a whole lot has gone on! So much, in fact, that it really hasn't been all that difficult living that more simple life I was talking about in my previous series. More simple foods, more simple ways to pass the time, and more simple ways to generally enjoy life! I still haven't gotten those Dragonbox DVDs put away yet, though. More on that later. Really, I should be starting at the beginning.
How about I start with my preparing to leave Indiana?
Not long after I had started trying to simplify my life to see Dragon World through my own eyes, I had gotten an offer from my friend, Oompa, to grab some of his furniture he wasn't using to take with us to California. Oompa, for those of you who aren't personal friends of mine, is a good friend of mine that, after I kicked the crap out of him one day (in the friendliest way possible), had decided that we needed to hang out more so I could teach him how to fight. While he was already starting to get into the swing of making working out his main hobby, he figured learning martial arts would also help get him in shape and also make him a bit tougher. Plus, he found it to be really fun. Essentially, I befriended him the same way people become friend in Dragonball: by punching each other in the face! The only difference being that he wasn't a total jerk beforehand. In all reality, he has a ton of friends and is one of the most agreeable, likeable, and funny guys ever.
Enough about that, though. The dude had free furniture and our current loveseat at the time was super tiny and falling apart! So, we made a trip about 65 miles Northeast to a large town outside of Indianapolis called Avon. It was sort of backtracking, but Oompa had planned on moving to a smaller place on the South side of Indianapolis and didn't need the furniture anymore. Plus, the $40 in gas was nothing compared to how much a new loveseat and chair would've cost us. Besides, there was one more really important reason that we needed to go there.
The real important reason behind going to Avon was an impromptu sparring session with Oompa, who had just got done sparring with our mutual friend Frank. It wasn't anything too hardcore. We probably only really went at about 30%. We both had plenty of time to parry and counter each other, use proper technique, and hold a bit of a conversation about whatever while we punched, kicked, and grappled. Honestly, it was a really nice break from the general stress that comes with packing up for a big move.
After packing up the furniture and having the sparring session, Heather and I said our goodbyes to Oompa and left. As he had been busy with work, he wasn't able to go on the trip with me, but he certainly does have plans to come visit me one day. The greatest part about it was, about 15 minutes into the trip back to Terre Haute, I had gotten a text from him that went kind of like this:
"Our sparring session reminded me of the end of GT where Goku and Krillin were sparring for one last time! LOL!"I never really was a fan of GT in general, but that was a pretty cool sentiment considering that we're both Dragonball fans, we started hanging out in a very Dragonball-like way, we both trained together in martial arts, and I was getting ready to go on my own Dragonball-inspired Journey to the West.
Thanks, Oompa!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
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