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#Blood & Bones: Rev
bhillson · 3 years
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Blood & Bones: Rev by Jeanne St. James
Blood & Bones: Rev by Jeanne St. James
Title: Blood & Bones: Rev Series: Blood Fury MC #8 Author: Jeanne St. James Genre: Contemporary/MC Romance Release Date: July 3, 2021   Goodreads Review – “Hot chemistry, witty banter and all the feels as Rev and Reilly spend time together and learn each others secrets their journey into the past might just give them both the future they deserve.” Domestic_godess_reads – “…hauntingly…
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am-i-right-marines · 4 years
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Prompt: Charge
The planet of Duran.
A UEG Inner Coloney.
Now under attack by the Covenant.
Osowiec fortress, a UNSC stronghold in the eastern hemisphere of the planet had been captured by the aliens.
Delta Company, 12th Marines was assigned take it back.
And they would.
Not that they’d live to see it.
——————
Staff Sergeant Elliot Reynolds walked along the trench line with his rifle in hand, eyes scanning the muddy ground of no man’s land between the Marine trench and Osowiec fortress controlled by the Covenant.
He sighed.
They’d been at this for a week. Every stealth team has been detected. The Company Commander had decided a blunter approach was needed. That’s exactly why the two hundred and fifty Marines of Delta Company were lining up at the edge of the trench, checking weapons and gear.
They were going to charge in an attempt to overwhelm Covenant defenses.
Turmoil at the front
And the order should be coming in any minute now. He was surprised no Covvie hunter-killer teams had been sent out.
Wilhelm’s forces on the hunt
Crouching down slightly with his platoon, Elliot waited.
There’s a thunder in the east
And as the time came....
......the whistle didn’t.
Everyone looked around in confusion, and then he heard the Company Commander screaming. “This was a terrible idea, are you all mad?!”
No one moved.
“What are you all waiting for? Stand down at once!”
No one moved. Their orders were to take this fortress. And they would.
A tank Commander revved his engine, and then charged over the trench, barreling forward into No Man’s Land as dozens of heavy plasma cannons opened fire.
Elliot saw his opening. “He’s taking all the fire! Let’s go! Let’s go!”
The Staff Sergeant shouted, climbing out of the trench and sprinting after the tank.
It’s an attack of the deceased
The whole company followed him, shouting a battle cry.
As they charged, something emerged from the fortress. A cloud of purplish gas.
They’ve been facing poison gas
“Gas! Gas! Quick lads!” Elliot roared, pulling his gas mask from his belt and clipping it to his helmet, and hearing it air seal.
All around him, men frantically reached for masks. Some didn’t react in time, inhaling the purple toxin and collapsing in the mud as their skin melted from the inside out.
7,000 charge en-masse
“Do. Not. Stop! Keep moving!”
Turn the tide of the attack
“We can do th— Gah!”
“Corpsman!”
And force the enemy to turn back
“Taking fire!”
And that’s when the dead men are marching again
Osowiec fortress looming over the field, the Marines ran like men possessed towards the damaged walls.
Osowiec,
then and again.
“Give em all you’ve got!” Someone shouted, and the rifle fire amped up in response.
Attack of the Dead,
Hundred men.
They’d lost a hundred and fifty men in the charge alone.
Facing the lead,
Once again.
“Over the top! Move it! Go go go!”
The one tank with them charged up the rubble of the western wall that the Covenant had put a breach in during their attack on the fortress.
And immediately it detonated into a fireball, flying up into the sky as a twisted and charred husk. Only for it to slam down in the middle of the Marine formation, crushing eighteen men.
“Holy shit!”
“Go go go!” Elliot shouted again, climbing over the rubble. “Over the top!”
Hundred men,
Out in the field, fallen Marines rose shakily to their feet.
Charge again,
And began marching towards the fortress.
Die again.
The Marines charging through the breach in the wall were being utterly slaughtered. “Find cover, move!”
Elliot dove desperately into a muddy and wet crater as a Fuel Rod blast flew overhead.
Osowiec,
then and again.
And then he heard the Elites and the rest of the Covvies start roaring and screaming, frantically firing in another direction.
Attack of the Dead,
Hundred men.
Peaking his head out, he saw a hundred Marines that he had watched fall charging through the breach. Some were coughing out blood, others bleeding from their eyes.
Others still were missing pieces of skin on their faces and arms, muscle and in some cases bone visible. Some weren’t affected by the gas at all, and had simply been shot.
Facing the lead,
once again.
The seemingly undead Marines charged with absolutely reckless abandon, firing rifles like madmen and mowing down Covenant fighters.
Hundred men,
The uninjured Marines looked on in awe as the fallen charged. Only for another burst of plasma to cut down a dozen or so dumbstruck Marines.
Charge again,
The Fallen had lost dozens, but they had chased the Covenant from the fortress.
Die again.
And slowly, the Fallen fell once more. They’d found another burst of energy to help save their comrades, but they were done for.
Osowiec Fortress had been returned to UNSC hands.
But Delta Company, 12th Marines, was no more.
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slouchyslouch · 4 years
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A reflection of My Bloody Valentine’s mbv
I discovered My Bloody Valentine at the tail end of my high school years in 2011 — a kid just getting into the genre of shoegaze and music for the introverted. I dove deep into bands that were completely blissed out on that wall of sound that Kevin Shields created with his guitar technique: amplified guitar feedback that could be sculpted to his liking, and tonally the most arresting chord progressions that allow you to look into your mind and reflect. It had been twenty years since My Bloody Valentine’s last record came out and I was intrigued that they were still engaged in putting out a new record. As an ignorant teenager, I could not conceive of people in bands in their 40’s — let alone their 50’s — making any good and relatable music, or at least music that still made sense to me as a teenager. Two years after constantly listening to Loveless and as soon as I found out that they released the record for free on their website, I was completely floored. I dove right into the beast. The music felt totally aligned with how I perceived the world — a dreary and almost apocalyptic state of hedonistic decay. It was my perception of the world anyway. I felt jaded with what I wanted to do in school and consumed as much as music as I could. That year was a time of brooding for me so consuming as much music as I could gave me a distraction from my depressed state. mbv provided me that cave that I could hibernate in for the rest of that winter.
mbv is a three-part feast; a story to to tell in three parts despite Shields admitting that earlier on during the recording process that he was “purposefully not trying to write songs with a beginning, middle and end.” The record just happened to be written and recorded multiple times during its 15 year construction. On first listen, mbv’s first three tracks reveal a kind of vitality to them. There’s a grandiosity in them that’s found on old tracks like “Come In Alone” and “I Only Said” where I feel a constant shiver on every bent guitar chord. Those opening chords on “She Found Now” immediately makes me melt in my body. It’s one of the more profound introductions on an album I’ve ever heard. The ghostly vocals of Shields evaporate like mist as each strum of his guitar wallow in despair. That shiver reverbeates in my bones as his signature tremolo effect demonstrates his aptitude for texture and atmosphere. On “Only Tomorrow” and “Who Sees You,” amps are turned up to 10 and feature those guitars pushing the limit of distortion that only Shields knows how to manipulate into piercing thunder. It also might be the loudest guitars on a record that can put anyone to sleep because of how serene the atmosphere sounds. Not to mention Bilinda Butcher’s whispered vocals; it’s easy to daydream as you feel the softness of her breath veiled in the mix.
My Bloody Valentine change the mood on the 2nd coda as tracks float lightly just a few inches off the ground. On “Is This and Yes,” hollow organs are played hauntingly while Butcher croons in languor. It’s a respite that calls for tranquility before Colm Ó Cíosóig’s mechanical drum beat kicks in on “If I Am,” a sultry dream pop track designed to make butterflies flutter. It recalls Loveless’s penchant for love songs and candied riffs. Butcher repeats the phrase “be my lover,” as if staring into your soul, eyes fully locked. “New You” then feels disco-influenced, a more slow-burnt dance under the moonlight. This second part of the record encapsulates My Bloody Valentine’s taste in pop music. A lot of their tracks from Loveless and even on their first album Isn’t Anything had those same inclinations yet were always wrapped in cacophony. It feels as if My Bloody Valentine decide to sweeten up their sound with more modern production chops 20 years later, but then veers back into sheer volume in the record’s final act.
The third part of mbv revs the engine back up to prepare for an onslaught to your ears. Its drums trudge in militaristic fashion through its first two tracks and slowly evolve into something out of this world. “In Another Way” is a kind of assessment in engaging in radical cacophony. It returns to those heavily distorted guitars somewhat churning out what’s left of its pop energy. The track then devolves to “Nothing Is” to clear a path for destruction. It feels post-apocalyptic in the way that Mad Max: Fury Road exhibits the fatalistic pursuit of Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa by Immortan Joe and his blood-thirsty War Boys. I can just imagine Shields or bassist Debbie Googe strapped to one of the war vehicles to hype up the hunt. Finally, ender “Wonder 2” fully draws you into its gravity. Drums are fully rendered into artificial Burial-esque jungle. It’s a strange fusion of electronic music, shoegaze and novelty that make this final stretch of mbv to be somewhat of a new direction of their sound.
I often wonder what it would have been like if I was in my teen years or even in my early twenties when Loveless came out. Music fans back then must have had felt lucky to be living in a year that broke through the glass ceiling of rock and hip-hop as albums such as Spiderland, The Low End Theory, Nevermind, and Loveless came out. In some ways mbv turned out to be my Loveless in the sense that its music has been drilled into my consciousness the way Loveless might have been something so captivating to fans back then. In 2018 there was news of two new My Bloody Valentine records coming out in 2019. It’s the last day of 2019 as I write this, and no records have come out to no one’s surprise. It’s okay. If it took them 22 years to release something as beautiful as mbv, and it takes another 22 years, it looks like I’ll have a good year of listening to music in my 40’s.
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8-bit-dreamland · 5 years
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July 2019 Album of the Month: Sum 41 “Order in Decline“
Review By Graham Kervin Slant Magazine
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With their seventh album, Order in Decline, Sum 41 has wisely ditched the snotty, smart-aleck pop-punk that launched their career in the late 1990s and reset their equalizer to the full-throated, gravel-meets-bone howl of hardcore rock. Invigorated by the metal cred they gained on 2016’s 13 Voices, and emboldened by the permanent addition of Dave Baksh on guitar, Sum 41 leans into their new hard edge with an album that absorbs all the bravado of guzzling a case of Monster before leaping on stage.
From start to finish, Order in Decline exudes all the studded-jacket braggadocio of a band in total control. With frontman Deryck Whibley himself taking the helm of production, engineering, and mixing, every one of the album’s 10 tracks explode the full-bore rev of an engine. Gone is their stubborn dependence on fuzzy distortion and speedy tempos from the pop-punk playbook. In their place, the band has tightened the screws to extract a darker, burlier sound worthy of Bullet for My Valentine or Rise Against. Such metalcore references are deeply embedded into the structure and pacing of “The People Vs…” and the roaring breakdowns of the album’s first single, “Out for Blood.”
For all of its hat-tipping, however, the album’s crisp execution belongs not to Sum 41’s myriad musical influences, but to incredibly tight arrangements and well-designed movements that showcase the individual contributions of every band member. The meticulous attention to details and fine-tuned aggression brings a hard-won confidence and swagger to each track.
For all its newfound muscularity, the band doesn’t bother with any cocky posturing. As a primer for everything to come, the album’s opening track “Turning Away” gets right to the point, presenting a band that’s mastered the art of bottling its restraint and knowing when to smash it against the wall. Following a swell of reverb, Frank Zummo’s punishing drum work and Jason McCaslin’s pulsing bass set a foot-stomping rhythm for an ominously calm Whibley to slide into. Once Tom Thacker’s driving guitar breaks in, the song’s battery of teasing crescendos and high-octane build-ups finds pent-up relief in Baksh’s blistering guitar solo.
To keep up with the musical onslaught, Whibley’s vocals bite down harder and reach further than ever. “A Death in the Family” reels from his guttural screams, only to see him pivot into the soaring vulnerability of “Never There,” the album’s wistful, orchestra-backed letter to an estranged father. Whibley has stated that Order in Decline is the most personal of Sum 41’s albums, and “Catching Fire” poignantly expresses his attempt to deal with his shortcomings. But however personal this album may be for Whibley, it’s also Sum 41’s most unabashedly political. The band’s frustrations with the Trump administration, namely the sociocultural impact of its offenses, undergird almost every song here. In particular, “The New Sensation” and “A Death in the Family” are fist-pumping calls to arms, and “45 (A Matter of Time)” bristles with fury at the president whose name Whibley can’t even bring himself to say.
Clocking in at just over 35 minutes (not including two bonus acoustic tracks), Order in Decline mercifully sheds the filler that bogged down the band’s previous releases. Ten amped-up tracks provide just the right amount of time to savor but not tire of its focused intensity. And even if “The New Sensation” gallops along like a B-side from Muse’s Black Holes and Revelations, and “Catching Fire” comes off a bit too much like Green Day singing Yellowcard, the album’s pitch-perfect production and riotous bombast make for a hell of a fun ride.
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calorieworkouts · 6 years
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30 Convincing Reasons to Start Running Now
What assures a much healthier body, a sunnier expectation, and the perfect opportunity to catch up? This is no commercial. Running is just one of the most effective butt-kicking, calorie-blasting exercises around. Still not persuaded? Below are 30 majorly factors to hit the ground running.
The Run-Down-- Your Action Plan
1. Do it anywhere
Run, that is. Whether on the treadmill or in the park, it's very easy to rack up miles. Even better: Attempt lacing up the sneakers on that particular following holiday to check out a brand-new place.
2. Make new friends
Tired of meeting duds at bench? Take a look at neighborhood running teams or internet sites like meetup.com to hit the trail with other health-minded individuals. "Twenty concerns" is equally as great over a run (boozy brunches optional).
3. Save some cash
Forget fancy tools or a costly fitness center membership. When it comes to running, all you have to get begun is the ideal shoes. (Don't stress, running spandex is optional.)
4. Visit the doctor less
It's not only apples that could maintain the doctor away. Energetic people are much less most likely to develop colon cancer. And also girls, females who regularly participate in extreme exercises like running can reduce their risk of breast cancer by as much as 30 percent.
5. Eat more carbs
Who doesn't enjoy a pasta dinner? Currently there's a reason to drink up a lot more pastas. During intense training like preparing for a race (sorry, stations searching doesn't matter) boosting carb consumption may help running performance and boost mood during harder runs Higher dietary carbohydrate material during escalated running training lead to better upkeep of efficiency and state of mind state. Achten, J, Halson, SL, Moseley, L, et al. Human Perfromance Laboratory, School of Sport and Workout Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT Birmingham, United Kingdom. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2004 Apr,96(4):1331 -40. Epub 2003 Dec 5. .
6. Keep it interesting
Forget boring laps around a track. Interval training assists increase metabolic rate as well as rev cardiovascular physical fitness. Incentive: Studio reveals runners that do intervals have more enjoyable while running (actually!) and might be more most likely to keep it up High-intensity period running is viewed to be more enjoyable compared to moderate-intensity continuous exercise: effects for exercise adherence. Bartlett, JD, Close, GL, MacLaren, DP, et al. Studio Institute for Sport and also Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores College, Liverpool, UK. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011 Mar,29(6):547 -53. .
7. Live longer
Who doesn't wish to live forever? Not only do runners have fewer specials needs and also remain energetic longer compared to their sedentary equivalents, they in fact live longer. Or even as weekly running times lower with age, the healthy benefits continue ticking Reduced impairment and also death among aging runners: a 21-year longitudinal research study. Chakravarty, EF, Hubert, HB, Lingala, VB, et al. Department of Immunology and also Rheumatology, Stanford College School of Medication, Stanford, California, UNITED STATE. Archives of Inner Medicine, 2008 Aug 11,168(15):1638 -46. .
8. Get primal
Turns out Bruce Springsteen was right besides: Child, we were birthed to run. It's what transformed us from apes to human beings and also was used by our forefathers to outrun prey over long distances.
9. Slip into skinny jeans
Running is among the most effective calorie heating elements around. For a 160-lb person it could burn even more than 850 calories a hr. Not like we're counting or anything.
10. Bring sexy back
Not only can having a rockin' jogger's bod boost confidence in bed, routine workout will aid adaptability in between the sheets-- and also obtain you in the state of mind much more often.
11. Boost memory
Exercise has actually been revealed to aid keep the mind sharp as well as could possibly even lower signs and symptoms of dementia. Striking the track might likewise secure the brain against Alzheimer's, even amongst those with a household history of it Physical workout protects against Alzheimer's condition in 3xTg-AD computer mice. García-Mesa, Y, López-Ramos, JC, Giménez-Llort, L, et al. Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona (IIBB), CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain. Journal of Alzheimer's Illness, 2011,24(3):421 -54. Cognitive feature in elderly marathon runners: cross-sectional data from the marathon trial (APSOEM). Winker, R, Lukas, I, Perkmann, T, et al. Unit of Occupational Medication, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Wien Klin Wochenschr, 2010 Dec,122(23-24):704 -16. Epub 2010 Nov 15. .
12. See the sunny side
Active people see the glass as fifty percent full not just while they work out, yet for around twice as long after disconnecting their kicks than their less mobile counterparts Long-term results of cardio workout on emotional outcomes. DiLorenzo, TM, Bargman, EP, Stucky-Ropp, R, et al. Department of Psychology, College of Missouri-Columbia. Columbia, MO. Preventive Medicine, 1999 Jan,28(1):75 -85. Exercisers achieve greater intense exercise-induced mood enhancement than nonexercisers. Hoffman, MD, Hoffman, DR. Department of Physical Medication & Recovery, Sacramento VA Medical Facility, Mather, CA. Archives of Physical Medicine and also Recovery, 2008 Feb,89(2):358 -63. . Discuss "Pleased Feet!"
13. Get a natural glow
Believe it or otherwise, functioning up a sweat can free the face of substances that obstructs pores and leads to outbreaks. A solid sweat session can also improve all-natural oils, keeping things fresh and also healthy and balanced. (Simply remember to remove makeup pre-workout and also clean delicately subsequently to avoid outbreaks.)
14. Improve self-esteem
Need another reason to go green? Joggers that ran outdoors and got an excellent view of nature showed enhanced self-confidence post-workout than those that had just undesirable scenes to gaze at The psychological and bodily wellness results of environment-friendly workout. Pretty, J, Peacock, J, Sellens, M, et al. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK. International Journal of Environmental Health and wellness Research study, 2005 Oct,15(5):319 -37. .
15. Stay steady
Older runners could maintain their equilibrium far better compared to non-runners, securing their knees as well as ligaments at the same time. Take that, yoga! Take care not to overdo it, though: Also much workout can result in anxiety injuries and also bone loss Age-related deterioration in leg-extensor muscle-tendon systems reduces recovery performance after a forward fall: settlement with running encounter. Karamanidis, K, Arampatzis, A. Institute of Biomechanics as well as Orthopaedics, German Sporting activity University of Cologne, Carl-Diem-Weg 6, 50933 Fragrance, Germany. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2007 Jan,99(1):73 -85. Epub 2006 Oct 25. .
16. Turn down the pressure
Running is an all-natural means to keep hypertension away-- as well as quick. Amping up exercises can assist lower blood stress in just a few weeks.
17. Build stronger bones
Resistance training is awesome, but word on the road is that running might aid create also more powerful bones compared to cranking out reps. As an impact workout, running assists develop the muscular tissue that lower-impact exercises neglect, keeping bones healthier also as they age.
18. Get an energy boost
Feeling slow? Try going for a run instead. Simply one running sesh could increase power and also try fatigue Exercisers attain better severe exercise-induced state of mind improvement than nonexercisers. Hoffman, MD, Hoffman, DR. Division of Physical Medication & Rehabilitation, Sacramento VA Medical Center, Mather, CA. Archives of Bodily Medication and also Rehabilitation, 2008 Feb,89(2):358 -63. .
19. Bring the furry friends
Dogs are man's friend for a reason-- but they can likewise be man's finest workout partner, also. When it's time to take off, grab a chain to offer your family pet a brand-new type of treat.
20. Carve that core
A solid core improves stance, enhances arm or legs, as well as assists make daily activities a wind. As well as whether we feel it or not, running engages that stomach, enhancing those critical muscles. Bonus offer: A solid core in runners could boost efficiency, too.
21. Sleep better
Runners have the tendency to adapt to set sleeping programs in order to maintain running efficiency high. Even a lot better: Operating additionally motivates greater quality sleep, which translates into far better Zzz's all evening long.
22. Do it year-round
Rack up those miles no matter exactly what the weatherman says (dress suitably, though!). Temperatures still not just right? Jazz up the ol' treadmill run to obtain the same health benefits inside.
23. Jam out, speed up
Pop in headsets when running to enhance speed and get a little music boost. We won't judge your playlist.
24. Check off those goals
Studies suggest that individuals who establish and also fulfill (or surpass) long-term physical fitness objectives (like registering for a half-marathon!) are a lot more dedicated as well as completely satisfied with their workout routines than those who trudge along aimlessly Dose relationships between personal goal setting, theory-based correlates of setting goal and also increases in exercise throughout a workplace trial. Dishman, RK, Vandenber, RJ, Moti, RW, et al. Department of Kinesiology, Ramsey Student Facility, The College of Georgia, Athens, GA. Wellness Education Study, 2010 Aug,25(4):620 -31. Epub 2009 Aug 4. . As well as who doesn't feel great regarding crossing products off their pail list?
25. Show your heart some loving
Running for merely a hr a week can decrease the danger of heart disease by almost half compared to non-runners Exercise kind as well as strength in connection with coronary heart condition in men. Tanasescu, M, Leitzmann, MF, Rimm, EB, et al. Division of Nourishment, Harvard School of Public Health, U.S.A. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Organization, 2002 Oct 23-30,288(16):1994 -2000. Reductions in occurrence coronary heart condition risk above guideline exercising levels in guys. Williams, PT. Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Donner Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Atherosclerosis, 2010 Apr,209(2):524 -7. Epub 2009 Sep 16. . And for those already striking the advised exercise standards, an added surge of exercise could decrease the dangers of cardiovascular disease much more. (Just be mindful not to exaggerate it and also trigger more damage than great.)
26. Run stress away
Ready to pull your hair out? Rather than tuning into a truth TV marathon, attempt running an actual one. Not just does running boost the mind's serotonin levels, routine exercise could in fact redesign the brain, making it calmer and even more anxiety resistant The Tranquility Computer mouse: An Animal Design of Anxiety Reduction. Gurfein, BT, Stamm, AW, Bacchetti, P, et al. Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, UNITED STATE Department of Speculative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Molecular Medicine, 2012 Feb 29. doi: 10.2119/ molmed.2012.00053. .
27. Be one with nature
Want to really feel the lawn please your toes? Try minimalist sneakers or nothing at all! Just make sure to ease right into this kind of running to stay clear of injuries.
28. Increase stamina
Running consistently will boost endurance, making workouts more enjoyable as well as productive. And allow's not forget that long lasting longer isn't really restricted to the track-- it works in ... other locations as well.
29. Get there faster
Instead of a leisurely night stroll, try a jog around the community rather. It'll shed more calories in the very same amount of time.
30. Sound like a pro
We've got the running terminology to get you in the understand. Ready, established, go!
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kbstories · 6 years
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I tried my hand at some Mass Effect fic!
Summary: A mission confronts Shepard with his worst nightmare. Garrus and Wrex realize that even Shepard has his limits. (Chapter 1 of 2)
Set in Mass Effect 1 during the mission on Elodus. Warning for PTSD and one brief mention of past suicidal thoughts.
Read on AO3!
Shepard should have known.
The Mako's engine revved up as its wheels hit heavy silt, the rocky hills of Elodus giving way to the smooth desert-like expanse of a plateau, devoid of any living being and Shepard should have known.
He'd been listening to Garrus and Wrex bicker over their choice weaponry in the back, letting the now-familiar chatter on the com link wash over him as he focused on getting them to the structure on the distant horizon in one piece. Questionable driving skills aside, the Mako was still a handful to handle but he was getting better at it.
At least that's what Joker had assured him, with minimal smirking. Shepard'd take what he could get.
A dot on the radar marked their goal, blinking, getting steadily closer. Shepard kept glancing at it, trusting the device over the bland landscape around them, something about it setting his teeth on edge. There was no movement to be seen.
“– am I right, Shepard?”
“Oh now you're playing dirty.”
Shepard turned his head with a highly eloquent “Huh?” – judging by his squadmate's deadpan expressions, they'd both been counting on his opinion to win whatever argument they're having.
Wrex stepped forward, a grin tugging at his scarred face. “Just say biotics are superior. Nothing like bursting into battle head-first.”
Before Shepard could go beyond raising an eyebrow, Garrus shook his head sharply, clicking his tongue. “And get yourself killed, you mean? Be my guest – I can shoot well enough for the two of us.”
“See, that's the problem with you Turians. Always relying on tech to get the job done.”
Wrex laughed, Garrus bristled, Shepard prepared himself to interrupt–
And the Mako went flying, ripped off the ground as if it weighed nothing at all. Warning lights flashed, equipment shook loose, clanking, metal on metal – all the air in Shepard's lungs left him in a rush of gravity and vertigo; the belts keeping him in his seat dug into him hard enough to bruise but that was the furthest thing on his mind as they came down with a heavy crunch.
Finally the pressure on his chest lessened, a weak “Fuck” making it past Shepard's lips as the world settled around him, upside-down. Trembling hands searched and found the clasp holding everything together and once it was gone, he spilled on the roof like a box of tools turned on its head.
“Garrus!”, he coughed, picking himself up, straining his eyes to see in the sudden darkness around him. “Wrex!”
Someone groaned to his right, “Present. You alive, Krogan?”, and further away: “'m here. I thought you're getting better at this shit, Shepard.”
Ignoring the jab, Shepard's first instinct was to hail the Normandy. Static. Figures. Only local access, then. He readjusted the fit of his helmet before following the nearby wall with glove-covered hands until he hit the door, then started pushing against it. It didn't budge. Behind him: shuffling steps and the distinct sound of a new magazine sliding into place.
Garrus huffed. “Looks like we'll get to test that theory of yours sooner rather than later.”
The ground rumbled, swallowing Wrex's answering quip and shaking the downed Mako enough that Shepard practically felt every bone in his body rattle with it – and a dawning realization made his pulse spike, blood running cold with the instant panic rising within him.
Because he recognized this feeling. It's the same that haunted him in his dreams, the same that had announced the beginning of the end all those years ago.
Shepard should have known.
Power gathered at the palm of his hands and before Shepard could think about it, the door exploded with a blast of biotic energy. “Move!”, he yelled over his shoulder, barely waiting long enough for his squad to make it outside; Shepard turned and threw up a shield just in time to hold off the worst of the debris bursting around them.
“What is that?”, he heard Garrus growl, saw him and Wrex pointing their guns at the phantom hidden in sand and dust out of the corner of his eye–
Shepard didn't need to look. He reached out, grabbed and jerked Garrus' rifle down, “We gotta get out of here”, he said hoarsely, darkness dancing at the edge of his vision, drained from his biotics or fear or both yet adrenaline still sang in his blood, kept him going.
There's no time to check the look in Garrus' eyes, the flash of confusion and indignation enough for Shepard to know retreat was the last thought on the Turian's mind, no time for careful strategy, for second-guessing.
“We have to run”, Shepard repeated, louder over Wrex's angry “What?!” – and Garrus yielded, just as a high-pitched shriek pierced the very air around them–
And for the first time since Akuze, Shepard stares into the opened jaws of a Thresher Maw.
It all goes to hell faster than Garrus can blink.
Suddenly, they're running. Garrus is dimly aware of the insistant tug of Shepard's hand clamped around his arm, of the blurred blue of biotic shields building and falling around them, of Shepard's strained pants over the com link. Wrex is only a few paces behind them, a mass of reds and browns and seething rage, cursing under his breath so colorfully Garrus' translator chip simply gives up.
Their boots sink into loose sand with every step, burning the energy they could put into standing their ground and fighting instead. Garrus chances a glance at Shepard, wishing he could see his face beyond his helmet but the glimpse he gets makes his gut drop.
Whatever that thing is: It made Shepard, vanguard fighting machine Shepard, bail instantly. That alone makes the soldier in Garrus swallow his doubts and follow his lead.
It seems to have the opposite effect on Wrex. They bypass a formation of jagged rocks – perfect for cover, Garrus can't help but think sullenly – and the Krogan's patience snaps. “What the hell, Shepard?!”, he bellows, breaking a path through the sand like it's the front line of a hostile army. Shepard says nothing.
A few paces are spent in silence, alerting Garrus to the sudden lull around them; looking back, he sees the worm... creature is gone, the horizon once again plain, unassuming dust. Garrus feels Shepard's grip on him tighten. He noticed it too.
“Not yet”, he hears him mumble, almost to himself, “not yet.”
Then the very desert under their feet trembles, shifts, breaks apart–
“Wrex, shields!”
–and Shepard's words start making a lot more sense. Even with two people fueling it, the biotic field around them shudders visibly, flickering out after a second or two – enough to get them out of the immediate blast zone, if just so.
Gaze turned skywards, Garrus's heart almost stops as the creature towers over them. He's never seen anything like it on Palaven. Does it even have eyes? All he can make out is it's huge jaws, gaping and empty and dripping with–
Garrus acts on pure instinct. Diving for his squadmates, he tackles Shepard to the ground and makes Wrex stumble, too; a spurt of clear liquid flies over their heads, close enough that a few droplets land on Garrus' back.
He doesn't pay attention to the burning sensation running up his spine, doesn't stop to worry about the dazed way Shepard's crawling back on his feet – Garrus grabs his Commander, throws him over his shoulder and runs, trusting Wrex to follow.
No matter his previous grievances with Krogans: they can take more hits than anyone in a brawl. Even if that brawl includes a hundred-foot monster in the middle of the desert.
The enraged screeches of it only spur Garrus on. He can feel Shepard struggle in his tight grip, hissing at him to “calm down, Commander” as respectfully as he can; “there”, Shepard snaps back, gloved hand pointing past Garrus' head to the left where the slopes of a mountain range meet sand.
“The mountains, huh?”, he hears Wrex's gruff voice behind them. “Keep going, I'll keep that acid shit off of you!”
Protest is halfway out Garrus' mouth yet it's Shepard who goes ballistic, biotics running hot enough that Garrus can feel it through his armor.
“No! Wrex–“
Wrex bares his teeth, “Shepard”, full of warning.
“Do not engage. That's an order!”
A glob of acid splashes on the ground. Garrus side-steps it in the last moment. “Can we save our asses first and then talk about details?”
“Just trust me”, Shepard growls. Wrex doesn't reply.
They don't stop until their boots hit rock.
Shepard slides off Garrus' shoulder the moment they do, all kinds of dizzy and disoriented, waving away Garrus' attempts to steady him. What he needs right now is solid ground under his feet and some space to think.
His hands are trembling.
The panic he's been holding back since the Mako is a tight coil in his chest, slowly spreading out. Not yet. He can feel the others' eyes on him, painfully aware how weak he must seem to them: This is not the Commander Shepard we know, he can almost hear them think.
The memory of his therapist is blurry, one vague face among many by now but he still remembers her calming tone of voice. Breathe. Shepard does. Forces his back straight, balls his hands to fists.
His amp port is numb with pain. He'll deal with that later.
“Shepard.”
He closes his eyes in the privacy of his helmet. “Wrex”, he sighs, turns around to face him.
Wrex looks like he's doing some holding back of his own, cracking his neck, shifting weight, crossing his arms. “Care to explain?”, is what he comes up with, jaws tight.
Shepard rarely sees him so... fidgety. It's clear he's furious – having to back down from a fight does that to a Krogan – yet Wrex listened to his orders when it counted the most, and Shepard knows he owes him for that.
So he nods, “Yeah”, calls Garrus' over from his silent watch over the horizon. A sudden chill runs down Shepard's back as he's reminded why that might be necessary. Threshers rarely hunt outside their territory, however, and Shepard counts on that fact now just as he did during their rushed escape.
They make themselves comfortable on a nearby slab of rock; Shepard sits down heavily while Wrex paces. Garrus stands to his right, a steady presence in the corner of his vision. He's tinkering with something – his com link, Shepard recognizes with a quick glance.
No more distractions. His squad deserves to know the truth.
“Six years ago I lead my first mission for the Alliance.”
His words are hesitant, and Shepard hates himself for it, hates the fact that what should've been a cornerstone of his career is the reason he can't wear the title of Commander with pride. He stares ahead and sees the arid planes of Akuze, hears the hushed conversations of his marines around him.
“We'd lost contact to one of our colonies and my unit was sent to investigate. Found the settlement empty, colonists gone yet no bodies, no sign of violence... So I told 'em to set up camp in the dunes. No point in searching at night, right?”
A mirthless chuckle catches in Shepard's throat. Wrex's gaze is on him. Shepard holds it for a long moment.
“That's when those things attacked. Woke up to complete chaos around me, made it out in time to see them just... tearing the camp apart.” Wringing his hands, the dry noise of plating on fabric distracts Shepard from the memories that bubble up like bile. He looks down, swallows heavily around the lump in his throat.
“The smell, the– the screaming, I'll never forget it. Went through a unit of fifty marines like it's nothin' and we didn't even know what hit us. Never encountered Thresher Maws before so we didn't know about the acid and, well.”
Others might've been forgotten but Shepard remembers every name, every face of the squad that set foot on Akuze with him. Writing the condolence letters had taken weeks. It was the only way to honor them for their sacrifice.
Shepard exhales slowly.
“Turns out they don't follow you forever. Dragged myself to the LZ and got the hell out of there... I was the only one who made it back.”
Wrex has stopped pacing and even Garrus is motionless. There's more he could tell them: of the months and years he spent wishing he'd died with them, how much he hated it to be hailed as a hero for his biggest failure.
In the end, Shepard settles for: “Doesn't matter if we could've taken that thing on. I won't let it happen again.”
Then he falls silent, out of words to say. The silence stretches on, lingers – follows them persistent as a shadow as they board the Normandy hours later. Shepard goes through his post-mission duties on autopilot: skips the med bay by pointing Dr. Chakwas towards Garrus, writes up his report, takes heat from the Alliance brass for losing the Mako. The three migrane pills he's dry-swallowed knock him out eventually.
Hours later he gasps awake with the afterimage of melting flesh and torn limbs burned into his eyes. He spends the rest of the night puking his guts out, the bathroom door firmly locked behind him.
To be continued
[AO3 Link]
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njawaidofficial · 6 years
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2018’s Oscar-Nominated Composers Dazzle at L.A. Philharmonic Concert
https://styleveryday.com/2018/03/02/2018s-oscar-nominated-composers-dazzle-at-l-a-philharmonic-concert/
2018’s Oscar-Nominated Composers Dazzle at L.A. Philharmonic Concert
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the L.A. Philharmonic presented the Oscar Concert, a stirring and lively celebration of film music — and this year’s five nominated scores — on Feb. 28 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The concert hall has always had a love/hate relationship with film music. Unlike the classical repertory, film scores always have one definitive performance to model: What’s heard in the film, either through repeated viewings or album listening, becomes the example to emulate for any subsequent performance, making interpretation a potential minefield — especially for devotees who, through repeated viewings or album listening, have this music committed to memory.
But hearing this often iconic music performed live has its own thrills, and Wednesday’s lavish multi-media celebration of Oscar-nominated scores (and the emotions film music can inspire) at Los Angeles’ Walt Disney Concert Hall delivered those in spades.
In a surprisingly star-studded evening (Paul Thomas Anderson! John Williams! Michelle Rodriguez?), the Motion Picture Academy and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by conductor Thomas Wilkins, presented ensembles of movie score moments performed under montages by editors Scott Draper, Kellie Cunningham and Mark DelForte, all organized by curators and music Academy branch luminaries Michael Giacchino, Laura Karpman and Charles Bernstein. By matching scores to specific concepts and movie shots to the music, the concert made a strong argument for the universality of this idiom while striking themes of inclusion and uplift.
Composer Michael Giacchino and Wilkins opened the concert with an effective and instructive comedy routine that had Giacchino demanding Wilkins make changes on the fly to his finale music from Pixar’s Up, and Wilkins presenting three different versions for Giacchino’s approval.
The program proper then began by mixing Rachel Portman’s gentle evocation of Victorian England in her Nicholas Nicklebyscore, Nino Rota’s breezy, nostalgic Amarcord score and A.R. Rahman’s propulsive world music from Slumdog Millionaire as “The Sound of Home,” demonstrating that home could be any place or any culture on earth. For “The Sound of Love,” Wilkins presented Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s hushed, trembling romantic music from The Adventures of Robin Hood (a concert detour from Korngold’s more familiar Golden Age fanfares), Luis Bacalov’s wistful accordion from Il Postino and the soulful, yearning erhu from Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with a montage presenting every possible cinematic coupling from Bogie and Bergman to the cowboys from Brokeback Mountain.
Composers Charles Bernstein and Michael Abels (Get Out) presented “The Sound of Fear,” beginning with the pitch-bending strings of Mica Levi’s Jackie (although why not Levi’s even creepier Under the Skin?). That was followed by a bone-rattling, bravura treatment of Quincy Jones’ grim, harrowing In Cold Blood score, an acoustic treatment of John Carpenter’s minimalist Halloween theme on piano and finally John Williams’ wicked dance from The Witches of Eastwick (just slightly lethargic compared to Williams’ original film performance).
Michelle Rodriguez was the surprising but appropriate choice to introduce “The Sound of the Chase,” which opened with Dave Grusin’s quirky piano score for The Firm before a bravura take on Lalo Schifrin’s classic car-chase-buildup music fromBullitt. With trombones revving and Schifrin himself in attendance, the sublime Bullitt music proved every bit as cool playing under Rodriguez’s car chases from The Fast and the Furious as it did underscoring Steve McQueen’s iconic, muscle-car cat-and-mouse game on the streets of San Francisco. Propelling the chase montage’s finale was a rare treat: Jerry Goldsmith’s buoyant and witty end title from The Great Train Robbery, as rousing playing under scenes of the truck chase footage from Raiders of the Lost Ark as it was to Victorian locomotives.
Composer and trumpet impresario Terence Blanchard arrived to perform a piercingly expressive solo to open his Malcolm Xscore for “The Sound of Courage.” Both Malcolm X and Alex North’s Spartacus (with the humble nobility of its slave theme rising as if out of the dust left by its opening, clashing Roman fanfares) relied on a low, martial pulse of tubas to conjure the idea of political struggle for freedom and human rights; meanwhile, Joe Hisaishi’s lyrical piano-into-strings melody for the animated Spirited Away spoke to a more innocent, child-like bravery in the face of the unknown. 
The second half of the program dropped the montages but amped the star power with directors of the Oscar-nominated scores from 2017 introducing their composers (live in most cases) to conduct excerpts from their works. Martin McDonagh introduced Carter Burwell via video, and Burwell conducted his music for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri — which, like much of his distinctive music for the Coen Bros. films, makes a kind of majesty out of a molehill, opening with a feeling of quiet regret before spaghetti western-like chimes and Liv Redpath’s eerie soprano performance add an epic quality.
Guillermo del Toro (cheekily introducing himself as Michael Moore) welcomed Alexandre Desplat, whose The Shape of Water music conjured up a romantic French atmosphere with accordion, Nick Orlando’s organ performance, whistling harmonies that hinted at sci-fi theremins and droplet-like flute notes. All the elements gathered into a rhapsodic yet melancholy dance melody.
After an introduction from Paul Thomas Anderson explaining how he asked composer Jonny Greenwood to write music in the vein of Nelson Riddle for Phantom Thread, Thomas Wilkins conducted the result. The piece played a bit like the underpinnings for a romantic ballad that Sinatra never performed, with a sinuous piano line moving like a seamstress’ needle over strings until, taken up by the strings themselves, it becomes the music’s fabric itself, with just the hint ofVertigo-like obsession.
The evening ended with two rock stars who straddled both film music’s roots (for everyone who believes film music began with Star Wars) and its current direction. Rian Johnson struggled to introduce John Williams without gushing, and Williams smoothly conducted his “The Rebellion Is Reborn” music from The Last Jedi, effortlessly earning a standing ovation from the Disney Concert Hall audience.
Then Hans Zimmer and fellow keyboardist Benjamin Walfisch entered after Christopher Nolan’s video introduction to perform Zimmer’s enveloping and unnerving music from Dunkirk. Unveiling a giant computer control panel that looked like it had been hijacked from the Jupiter 2, Zimmer added his alarm claxon-like, blaring synthesizer figure to trembling orchestral performances conducted by Wilkins. The approach built to a soothing, Elgar-like sense of accomplishment by way of Emerson, Lake & Palmer—and earned Zimmer his own standing O. 
Now all that remains is for the Academy to pick a winner.
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imnotsofit-blog · 7 years
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What promises a healthier body, a sunnier outlook, and the perfect opportunity to catch up? This is no infomercial. Running is one of the best butt-kicking, calorie-blasting workouts around. Still not convinced? Here are 30 reasons to hit the ground running.
1. Do it anywhere.
Run, that is. Whether on the treadmill or in the park, it’s easy to rack up miles. Even better: Lace up your sneakers on your next vacation to explore a new place.
2. Make new friends.
Tired of meeting duds at the bar? Check out local running groups or websites like Meetup and hit the road with other health-minded folks. Twenty questions is just as good during a run (boozy brunches afterward are optional).
3. Save some cash.
Forget fancy equipment or a pricey gym membership. When it comes to running, all you need is the right footwear.
4. Visit the doctor less.
Apples aren’t the only things that keep the doctor away. Active people are less likely to develop colon cancer. And ladies, women who regularly engage in intense workouts like running can reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 30 percent.
5. Eat more carbs.
Here’s an excuse to slurp up more spaghetti: During intense training (like preparing for a race), increasing carb intake can help your performance and boost your mood during harder runs.
6. Keep it interesting.
Forget boring laps around a track. Interval training helps boost metabolism and rev cardiovascular fitness. Bonus: Research shows people who do intervals have more fun while running (really!) and might be more likely to keep it up.
7. Live longer.
Not only do runners have fewer disabilities and remain active longer than their sedentary counterparts, but they actually live longer too. And even as weekly running times decrease with age, the healthy benefits keep on ticking.
8. Get primal.
Turns out Bruce Springsteen was right: We were born to run. Running turned us from apes to humans and was used by our ancestors to elude prey.
9. Feel the burn.
For a 160-pound person, running can burn more than 850 calories an hour.
10. Bring sexy back.
Not only does having a rockin’ runner’s bod boost confidence in bed, but regular exercise can also help flexibility between the sheets—and get you in the mood more often.
11. Boost memory.
Exercise has been shown to help keep the mind sharp. Hitting the track might also reduce symptoms of dementia and protect the brain against Alzheimer’s, even for those with a family history of it.
12. See the sunny side.
Active folks see the glass as half full, even after they’re done sweating.
13. Get a natural glow.
Believe it or not, working up a sweat can rid your pores of the gunk that clogs them and leads to breakouts. A solid sweat session can also boost natural oils, keeping things fresh and healthy. (Just remember to remove makeup preworkout and wash gently afterward to avoid breakouts.)
14. Improve self-esteem.
Need another excuse to go green? Runners who ran outside and snagged a good view of nature showed increased self-esteem post-workout than those who had only unpleasant scenes to gaze at. Ahem, dreadmill.
15. Stay steady.
Older runners keep their balance better than nonrunners, protecting their knees and tendons in the process. Be careful not to overdo it, though: Too much exercise can lead to stress injuries and bone loss.
16. Turn down the pressure.
Running is a natural way to keep high blood pressure at bay—and fast. Amping up workouts can help lower blood pressure in just a few weeks.
17. Build stronger bones.
Resistance training is awesome, but word on the street is running might help produce even stronger bones than cranking out reps. Running helps build the muscle that lower-impact workouts ignore, keeping bones healthier even as they age.
18. Get an energy boost.
Feeling sluggish? Try going for a jog instead of lounging on the couch. Just one run can increase energy and decrease fatigue.
19. Take your furry friends.
Dogs are man’s best friend for a reason, and they can be man’s best workout buddy too. Grab a leash and give your pet a new kind of treat.
20. Strengthen that core.
A strong core improves posture, strengthens limbs, and helps make everyday activities a breeze. And whether you feel it or not, running engages your midsection, strengthening those all-important muscles. Bonus: A solid core can improve performance.
21. Sleep better.
Runners tend to adapt to set sleeping routines in order to keep performance high. Even better: Running encourages higher quality sleep, which translates into better zzzs all night long.
22. Do it year-round.
You can rack up the miles no matter what the weatherman says (just dress appropriately!). Temperatures still not just right? Jazz up the ol’ treadmill run to get the same health benefits indoors.
23. Jam out to speed up.
Pop in headphones when running to increase speed and get a little energy boost. We won’t even judge your playlist.
24. Check off those goals
Studies suggest people who set and meet (or exceed) long-term fitness goals (like signing up for a half-marathon!) are more committed and satisfied with their exercise routines than those who trudge along aimlessly. Who doesn’t feel good about crossing items off their bucket list?
25. Show your heart some loving.
People who run for just an hour a week can reduce their risk of heart disease by almost half compared to nonrunners. And for those already hitting the recommended physical activity guidelines (that’s 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week), an extra spurt of exercise can lower your risk of heart disease even more. (Just be mindful not to overdo it and cause more damage than good.)
26. Run stress away.
Ready to pull your hair out? Instead of tuning in to a brainless reality TV marathon, try running an actual marathon. Not only does running boost the brain’s serotonin levels, regular exercise might actually remodel the brain, making it calmer and more stress resistant.
27. Be one with nature.
Want to feel the grass tickle your toes? Try minimalist sneakers or nothing at all. Just be sure to ease into this type of running to avoid injuries.
28. Increase stamina.
Running regularly will improve stamina, making workouts more enjoyable and productive. And let’s not forget that lasting longer isn’t restricted to the track—it’s useful in, uh, other areas as well.
29. Get there faster.
Instead of a leisurely evening stroll, try a jog around the neighborhood instead. It’ll burn more calories in the same amount of time.
30. Sound like a pro.
Get in the know with our list of running lingo. Ready, set, run!
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intofitness-blog1 · 7 years
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What promises a healthier body, a sunnier outlook, and the perfect opportunity to catch up? This is no infomercial. Running is one of the best butt-kicking, calorie-blasting workouts around. Still not convinced? Here are 30 reasons to hit the ground running.
1. Do it anywhere.
Run, that is. Whether on the treadmill or in the park, it’s easy to rack up miles. Even better: Lace up your sneakers on your next vacation to explore a new place.
2. Make new friends.
Tired of meeting duds at the bar? Check out local running groups or websites like Meetup and hit the road with other health-minded folks. Twenty questions is just as good during a run (boozy brunches afterward are optional).
3. Save some cash.
Forget fancy equipment or a pricey gym membership. When it comes to running, all you need is the right footwear.
4. Visit the doctor less.
Apples aren't the only things that keep the doctor away. Active people are less likely to develop colon cancer. And ladies, women who regularly engage in intense workouts like running can reduce their risk of breast cancer by up to 30 percent.
5. Eat more carbs.
Here's an excuse to slurp up more spaghetti: During intense training (like preparing for a race), increasing carb intake can help your performance and boost your mood during harder runs.
6. Keep it interesting.
Forget boring laps around a track. Interval training helps boost metabolism and rev cardiovascular fitness. Bonus: Research shows people who do intervals have more fun while running (really!) and might be more likely to keep it up.
7. Live longer.
Not only do runners have fewer disabilities and remain active longer than their sedentary counterparts, but they actually live longer too. And even as weekly running times decrease with age, the healthy benefits keep on ticking.
8. Get primal.
Turns out Bruce Springsteen was right: We were born to run. Running turned us from apes to humans and was used by our ancestors to elude prey.
9. Feel the burn.
For a 160-pound person, running can burn more than 850 calories an hour.
10. Bring sexy back.
Not only does having a rockin’ runner’s bod boost confidence in bed, but regular exercise can also help flexibility between the sheets—and get you in the mood more often.
11. Boost memory.
Exercise has been shown to help keep the mind sharp. Hitting the track might also reduce symptoms of dementia and protect the brain against Alzheimer’s, even for those with a family history of it.
12. See the sunny side.
Active folks see the glass as half full, even after they're done sweating.
13. Get a natural glow.
Believe it or not, working up a sweat can rid your pores of the gunk that clogs them and leads to breakouts. A solid sweat session can also boost natural oils, keeping things fresh and healthy. (Just remember to remove makeup preworkout and wash gently afterward to avoid breakouts.)
14. Improve self-esteem.
Need another excuse to go green? Runners who ran outside and snagged a good view of nature showed increased self-esteem post-workout than those who had only unpleasant scenes to gaze at. Ahem, dreadmill.
15. Stay steady.
Older runners keep their balance better than nonrunners, protecting their knees and tendons in the process. Be careful not to overdo it, though: Too much exercise can lead to stress injuries and bone loss.
16. Turn down the pressure.
Running is a natural way to keep high blood pressure at bay—and fast. Amping up workouts can help lower blood pressure in just a few weeks.
17. Build stronger bones.
Resistance training is awesome, but word on the street is running might help produce even stronger bones than cranking out reps. Running helps build the muscle that lower-impact workouts ignore, keeping bones healthier even as they age.
18. Get an energy boost.
Feeling sluggish? Try going for a jog instead of lounging on the couch. Just one run can increase energy and decrease fatigue.
19. Take your furry friends.
Dogs are man’s best friend for a reason, and they can be man’s best workout buddy too. Grab a leash and give your pet a new kind of treat.
20. Strengthen that core.
A strong core improves posture, strengthens limbs, and helps make everyday activities a breeze. And whether you feel it or not, running engages your midsection, strengthening those all-important muscles. Bonus: A solid core can improve performance.
21. Sleep better.
Runners tend to adapt to set sleeping routines in order to keep performance high. Even better: Running encourages higher quality sleep, which translates into better zzzs all night long.
22. Do it year-round.
You can rack up the miles no matter what the weatherman says (just dress appropriately!). Temperatures still not just right? Jazz up the ol’ treadmill run to get the same health benefits indoors.
23. Jam out to speed up.
Pop in headphones when running to increase speed and get a little energy boost. We won’t even judge your playlist.
24. Check off those goals
Studies suggest people who set and meet (or exceed) long-term fitness goals (like signing up for a half-marathon!) are more committed and satisfied with their exercise routines than those who trudge along aimlessly. Who doesn’t feel good about crossing items off their bucket list?
25. Show your heart some loving.
People who run for just an hour a week can reduce their risk of heart disease by almost half compared to nonrunners. And for those already hitting the recommended physical activity guidelines (that's 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week), an extra spurt of exercise can lower your risk of heart disease even more. (Just be mindful not to overdo it and cause more damage than good.)
26. Run stress away.
Ready to pull your hair out? Instead of tuning in to a brainless reality TV marathon, try running an actual marathon. Not only does running boost the brain’s serotonin levels, regular exercise might actually remodel the brain, making it calmer and more stress resistant.
27. Be one with nature.
Want to feel the grass tickle your toes? Try minimalist sneakers or nothing at all. Just be sure to ease into this type of running to avoid injuries.
28. Increase stamina.
Running regularly will improve stamina, making workouts more enjoyable and productive. And let’s not forget that lasting longer isn’t restricted to the track—it’s useful in, uh, other areas as well.
29. Get there faster.
Instead of a leisurely evening stroll, try a jog around the neighborhood instead. It’ll burn more calories in the same amount of time.
30. Sound like a pro.
Get in the know with our list of running lingo. Ready, set, run!
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bhillson · 3 years
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Blood & Bones: Rev by Jeanne St. James
Blood & Bones: Rev by Jeanne St. James
Title: Blood & Bones: Rev Series: Blood Fury MC #8 Author: Jeanne St. James Genre: Contemporary/MC Romance Release Date: July 3, 2021   Goodreads Review – “Hot chemistry, witty banter and all the feels as Rev and Reilly spend time together and learn each others secrets their journey into the past might just give them both the future they deserve.” Domestic_godess_reads – “…hauntingly…
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bhillson · 3 years
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Pre-Order ~ Blood & Bones: Rev by Jeanne St. James
Pre-Order ~ Blood & Bones: Rev by Jeanne St. James
Title: Blood & Bones: Rev Series: Blood Fury MC #8 Author: Jeanne St. James Genre: Contemporary/MC Romance Release Date: July 3, 2021       From a past of righteousness to a future of anything but… Rev rarely does what’s expected of him. The Blood Fury member’s rebellious nature tends to lead him on the road less traveled. In his youth, he fought the chains meant to restrain him, meant to…
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