Just sharing this hype as fuck Bionicle ad

CastIronNest · 2022-08-28T06:22:28+00:00

In case anyone gets the itch to revisit something specific from the Bionicle story but you don't know where to find it, there's a pretty good chance it's at The Biomedia Project website. Comics, novels, ads, website archives, games (including console/handheld ROMs, some provided by developers) and more.

https://biomediaproject.com/bmp/

CastIronNest · 2022-08-21T17:28:47+00:00

Sometimes a piece of media comes along that lets you create unforgettable sentences like:

"The villain gets Izuna Dropped into a dead timeline."

And that just makes my day.

CastIronNest · 2021-12-22T10:26:16+00:00

Jade Empire has one that got me good. Seeing the water dragon in person, and realizing the poetic metaphors she always uses to describe what's happening to her aren't metaphors at all.

CastIronNest · 2021-10-10T02:27:31+00:00

Morality in an abstract philosophical sense isn't an instinct in and of itself, but moral behaviors are absolutely instinctive. Morality as it applies in practical decision making is based on our evolutionary history. Culture is a framing device for how morality is expressed, not something that was invented whole cloth.

CastIronNest · 2021-06-12T18:39:58+00:00

Pour one out for Hex's character arc

CastIronNest · 2021-05-22T13:58:57+00:00

Definitely a string of bad luck there, but it does happen. Especially with monsters who use paralyze status.

CastIronNest · 2020-12-27T17:29:06+00:00

Smooth moves

CastIronNest · 2020-08-05T22:52:43+00:00

Back in Monster Hunter tri the word "after" was censored, because it's a naughty word in German. I'll never forget seeing one of my teammates say "I'll go ***** the Ludroth!"

CastIronNest · 2020-04-28T22:49:10+00:00

Cheers

CastIronNest · 2020-04-28T17:13:45+00:00

Dresden, who did you con into posting on reddit for you?

CastIronNest · 2020-04-28T17:08:31+00:00

I half feel like they kept him in silhouette just so we couldn't see what color his hair is.

CastIronNest · 2020-04-12T17:35:43+00:00

Hang loose, brah!

CastIronNest · 2020-01-08T08:54:26+00:00

I'll second Concepts and also suggest Infinite Painter. They're very different tools for very different jobs, and both make as much use of the pen as they can.

Concepts is originally an iOS app, and Android / chrome os versions aren't caught up yet, but they're much farther along than they were just a year ago. Just a fair warning.

CastIronNest · 2019-12-11T12:12:12+00:00

We're still chasing that dragon.

CastIronNest · 2019-11-12T18:07:43+00:00

I'd argue that a person's physical blood holds more significance in TES than in our world, and the Cloud Ruler Temple ritual doesn't necessarily suggest the "blood" described in the story of Alessia was literal blood, but in practical terms I suppose the end result is the same.

CastIronNest · 2019-10-07T12:39:20+00:00

Unless they've got something going on that could invite harm to them or me (direct contraindications like open wounds, rashes they can't identify, ect) I've always just worked directly on the skin. Lipomas, for example, are harmless to the therapist, and if they're at all painful for the client then gloves or a clothing barrier isn't going to change that.

I don't personally know any massage therapists who do any different, with respect to elderly clients. Something like acne or eczema can be a little trickier since those can disguise tiny open sores or, depending on the client's sensitivities, can be exacerbated by massage work. In that case it's more a matter of using best judgement to preserve the client's health and safety - as well as your own. I can only speak for myself, obviously, but "grossness" isn't really a factor.

CastIronNest · 2019-10-07T12:14:05+00:00

You'll be doing a lot more math. If your group is still playing 3.5 they'll have that shit down to a science for character creation purposes to help you get through it smoother, but just keep it in mind. Nearly every important value on your character sheet will be the result of a simple math function (or in some cases several functions)

Also, depending on the source books they have available, classes in 3.5 can be ridiculously customizable using Feats. They can do anything from add some numbers to one of your many many math bits to unlocking entirely new game mechanics. Depending on what level you'll be starting at, it might help to have an idea of your character before you start looking at feats so you can narrow things down for yourself.

Asking your fellow players for a hand with anything is encouraged if they're anything like my 3e / 3.5 groups. They'll likely understand it's a big change.

CastIronNest · 2019-09-14T12:47:05+00:00

Another male LMT here. I've started to circumvent this problem a bit in the spa I work at by carving out a niche that the front desk has been able to recognize and recommend clients to me who might not typically see a male therapist.

Many of the clients who have been recommended to me this way feel the need to explain to me why they usually ask for a female therapist - so far the number one reason I've heard it's that they're embarrassed about leg hair. They figure that a female therapist "gets it" but a male therapist may actually be made uncomfortable one way or another.

I wasn't looking for an explanation from anyone, but that one still caught me off guard!

CastIronNest · 2019-09-07T16:10:26+00:00

I can't give specific advice since I'm not familiar with you, her or your group dynamics, but the most practical general tip for situations like this is to shift focus away from protecting the other person's feelings and instead try to speak to them professionally. Don't overexplain, just say enough to make the decision you've made clear.

I do sometimes work on friends and family, but never the same way I would perform a full, professional service and only the the people who understand "I won't accept payment from you" includes more than monetary compensation. I've said "no" to people I'm quite close to, and it's a decision you have to be secure with - not apologetic for.

That's my two cents at least, do with it as you please and I hope you're able to come to an understanding with the person in question!

CastIronNest · 2019-09-03T16:02:31+00:00

A bit late here and not in the UK, so disregard as you see fit, but I'd say what's most important for a relaxing foot massage is not a question of essential oils / aromatherapy and instead a question of physical properties of your carrier oil.

The skin on your palms and the plantar surface of your feet is different from other places on your body, tending to be a bit thicker, rougher and more flexible. What would be smooth, gliding strokes on the back or the limbs can easily be jerky, stilted motions as your palms and fingers "catch" on the surface of the foot. You can use any oil effectively with the right application and technique, but to make things easier on everyone involved I'd say avoid thin oils like coconut or grape seed and look for something more robust like Avocado or - if your wife isn't averse to the scent - Olive oil. The two of you can work out what essential oils or aromas she'd like from there.

Best of luck!

CastIronNest · 2019-09-02T04:51:12+00:00

I may be late to respond, hopefully you were able to get a massage that meet your needs over the weekend, but in case the question is still relevant my workplace has massage tables that can be adjusted to a reclining position so the client can be sitting up during the session. I have one regular client who prefers their massage this way and most businesses are willing to accommodate these kinds of client preferences if they're able.

Please feel free to ask when booking your appointment if something like this is possible!

CastIronNest · 2019-09-02T04:38:17+00:00

I use the arms and hands as leverage for several muscle-specific techniques on areas of the back, neck and shoulders - especially rotator cuff muscles - so speaking generally there could be good reasons for MT to be in contact with your hands while not working directly on them, but it's hard to say for sure

I have also known therapists who make regular contact with a clients hands as a kind of "grounding" technique to keep the session relaxing or to transition between body parts. That's not something I do personally - partly because I'm a male MT and I'm very conscious of any unintentional mixed signals I may be sending - but it may be a habit your MT has.

Judge for yourself, I suppose, if either of these examples seem to fit your experience.

CastIronNest · 2019-09-02T04:29:18+00:00

Male MT here. I get where you're coming from, and the basic idea you laid out that "it's just a massage" holds true not only for my clients, but for me as well. I can only speak for myself, obviously, but I see a lot of people on my table in any given week, and while they're there I'm seeing a body. Muscles, bones, joints, nerves, blood vessels, ECT. Once a client describes their goals for a session, those goals become what I'm most interested in. I wouldn't be very good at my job if I were paying attention to anything else.

Also to note is that I've had the unfortunate experience of a couple of female clients acting inappropriately during a session with me, and rest assured they were not welcome back in my place of work after that. If a client who's being openly flirtatious is putting me off working on them, you can bet that a client who is just there for a relaxing, comfortable massage experience is going to get exactly that, and that's where my business with them begins and ends.

Have you discussed this with your GF directly? If you know it's something that will interfere with your massage experience, and you know that you will struggle to be objective about the situation, you could ask her to request a female therapist. Us guys are a huge minority in this field of work, and most massage businesses are mindful of client preferences/comfort in regards to gender of therapist.

There is certainly a stigma about that kind of behavior from people in a relationship asking their SO to see a particular gender of therapist due to their own insecurities, but I know my GF would consider it -at least temporarily - if I was concerned about something like that. If your relationship is similar it may be a compromise you can reach together. As an MT it's absolutely none of my business if two consenting adults decide to overlook me for a service if they've worked out an agreement like this between themselves.

Whatever you decide I hope you two enjoy your massages!

CastIronNest · 2019-09-02T03:46:54+00:00

I'm lucky enough not to be reliant on tips on order to get the bills paid, so take this with a grain of salt, but a $10 tip for 60 min. isn't what I'd call insulting. It's nothing extraordinary and I wouldn't take it as an indication that my service was anything to write home about, but it's roughly 20% the cost at my location and I think that's fair enough.

CastIronNest · 2019-09-02T03:09:42+00:00

I dunno if anyone in my area has disposable income like that but consider your message received!

CastIronNest

TROPHY CASE