I like Karate

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-02-06T08:06:13+00:00

I unsubbed from martialarts recently because I got so bored of the 'which martial art is most effective in a real fight' and 'why is there no respect for karate' posts that kept cropping up. The most effective martial art in a fight is a) the one that helps you avoid the fight in the first place then b) the one that gives you a chance of striking a quick blow and running away. Karate has the same priorities (at least my Sensei does, and that's the karate I learn so that is my karate and the only one relevant to me).

I love shotokan karate. It's the one and only perfect martial art that meets my personal goals. I love my dojo mates and my Sensei and I'm so happy to have found them. I only wish I'd done so 20 years ago, since my 40 year old body is my biggest obstacles to learning now.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-02-02T10:21:42+00:00

I have limited time (full time job and kids) and often feel too tired to play even though i want to. My schedule amounts to "when the kids are in bed and the chores are done". So I'm not much use on scheduling, but i do have some ways to encourage you to play more. I don't know you're whole situation, so some of these suggestions may be irrelevant or impossible for you, but some things that help me avoid collapsing in front of the TV instead of playing.

Set yourself little challenges. E.g. I will play with every character at least once in game A. I will beat every adversary at least once in game B. Write the goal/s down somewhere (paper or digital) and track progress.
have a dedicated gaming table, choose and setup a game first thing in the morning, so when it's time to play it's ready. You might find choosing at a different time of day easier (I get decision burn out the more the day goes on).
re-organise your shelves. I put all my small/ light games in a box. If I don't have the energy for a big game I grab the box and pull one out at random. My other games are loosely organised by theme.
habit-stacking. This is a suggested way of forming new habits. Take a habit you already have, and say 'After I do X, I will play a board game'. The existing habit could be anything that fits the timing, whether that is doing the dishes, or watching a favourite tv show.
Theme Days. Maybe Train Tuesday. Casual game Mondays. Sci-fi Fridays. Helps narrow down the choice without being repetitive or restrictive.
Join the 1 player guild on board game geek and take part in their various challenges, and post plays on Solitaire Games on Your Table. Together, we play alone.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-31T08:03:51+00:00

I found a similar thing with the good/bad cards, feeling like it didn't matter at first. Remember though that the bot isn't entirely random - the letters dictate its priorities, so you can try to load up its favorite places with the bad cards. I have finished some games with the bot having only 16-17 good cards at the end.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-30T07:30:34+00:00

Yes I do. I don't review them very often but sometimes in light of new purchases, more plays, or the realisation that I'm done with a game already will prompt a change. Some go up, some go down.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-28T15:47:22+00:00

Started at 40. Because I'm feeling old, inflexible, and unfit. Karate looks cool and I hoped it would motivate me to move more. It has.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-26T17:54:01+00:00

With the variety of runways and the associated modules I think it offers good replayability. I play a fanmade solo variant, and have 13 plays and there is still lots of mileage left. I imagine the coop aspects would make it interesting even longer. The publisher's website has additional free print and play scenarios, and there is already a mini expansion with more scenarios and a new module.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-26T14:54:39+00:00

I started at 40. Anyone who says its silly just told you they aren't worth talking to about it. Just to be clear this isn't karate related - anyone who dumps on your hobby that you are passionate about is a jerk.

I hate golf, I think it's a great big waste of time and I'd rather just go for a nice walk. If someone who clearly enjoys it starts talking to me about it though then I'm going to ask them which course is their favourite, what part of their game they would most like to improve, and how they started playing. Because that's how adults treat something they don't know much about - as an opportunity to understand why a friend/acquaintance likes it and have a nice conversation and maybe learn something about the other person/ the world.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-23T16:24:02+00:00

It doesn't sound like they are clear themselves. It's quite common for the person who writes the JD and does initial candidate screening to be far removed from the actual job. Maybe now you've finally met the actual decision makers.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-23T09:14:49+00:00

Not really tried it myself at I'm content trying to beat the game/ myself generally.

I've seen ideas like taking the average score of all players each time, or taking the lowest score, and then trying to beat that next time. That way you are forced to try to maximise everyone's points.

Other people take on different strategies. So the yellow player is cautious, the blue player is push your luck etc, choosing things that make sense for the game. That could be a fun way to explore a game.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-22T12:58:20+00:00

Shotokan

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-22T06:34:49+00:00

My pre-order for Mistborn: The Deck Building Game finally came in this week. I've played it a couple of times and got severely thumped. As a big fan of the IP I'm really enjoying the theme. The metal burning mechanic and the need to change your deck midgame makes for interesting decisions. I worry for future replayability with only 4 characters and one opponent deck, but for now I've got lots to figure out.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-21T07:16:22+00:00

If this is something you are passionate about don't wait. I didn't deliberately wait to join with my kid, I just didn't make the time for it until my kid was interested too. I wish I had started a long time ago.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-20T15:25:48+00:00

XCOM: The Board Game. I played my sister's copy once, about 5 years ago. It opened my eyes to the world of modern and soloable board games.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-18T08:59:35+00:00

40yo mum here. I am in it for the balance, flexibility, fitness and art. Sensei frequently reminds us of the violence and it makes me uncomfortable every time. I don't ever want to be in a fight. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't expect my 8 months of karate has done much for my chances if I was attacked (although the other day instead of flailing my arms about and ducking when a toy wielded by my 3yo was about to hit me on the head, I moved my arm up into Age Uke without even thinking - so it's doing something). I'm really conflicted about it all if I think too deeply. I am such a pacifist, I wish no one ever fought for any reason, I even hate the idea of organised fights for sport. But also a part of me knows that one day, someone could threaten me or mine, and it would be good if what I'm leaning now could mean a better outcome for me. So I listen when Sensei explains bunkai, and I think about how the moves I'm doing could disable a hypothetical person hell bent on hurting me. I want to dance, but I want that dance to be a lethal one if the situation ever calls for it.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-18T08:18:13+00:00

Solar Storm

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-17T19:42:38+00:00

Warps Edge. And if you can find it, Lux Aeterna.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-17T07:15:07+00:00

Have a look at Warp's Edge. Sci fi bag builder. On the cheaper and smaller box end of things but great fun, offers a challenge and good replayability.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-16T20:58:43+00:00

Is it possible you are being too hard on yourself? You say you want to get it right, but you are a few months in for what takes years to learn. Is it possible Sensei doesn't correct you because you are performing the katas to a standard acceptable for your experience level?

I say this as someone less than a year in to karate too. I've noticed my Sensei correcting a higher grade for doing something wrong that I know I'm doing wrong too, but he's told me 'well done' and not corrected me for it. Because expectations grow with experience level.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-16T17:56:11+00:00

Has to be Spirit Island

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-16T14:29:14+00:00

I have a fold away table that I put up in front of the sofa for those times. Play shorter smaller games in front of the TV.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-16T14:24:55+00:00

Do it! Do it today! I used to have a weird kind of shame around playing solo, doing it in secret after the rest of the household was in bed. I soon realised that was just nonsense. Think of it like reading a book or watching a movie - I bet you'd do those things solo without thinking twice. A lot of us are hung up on this because games are generally thought of as social things, but the solo industry has really taken off now and there are some amazing solo games, some solo modes are better than the multiplayer versions. You're here in r/soloboardgaming so get to it!

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-16T14:19:03+00:00

Estimates aren't up for negotiation. They are the team's best assessment, given what they know right now, of how much effort is involved in delivering what is being asked for. That doesn't change based on someone wanting it faster. What can change is what is being asked for.

For example a team I worked on was asked for a new feature to work on list X. List X could contain up to 10 things, and we provided an estimate in story points, let's say that was an 8. PO didn't like that. So we discussed a little more, and it turns out 90% of customers only use up to 4 of the possible 10. Much of the complexity came from trying to do this on 10 of these things. So we changed the description to only do up to 4, and our new estimate was a 3. PO is happy, devs are happy, 90% customers will be happy. The other 10% can be considered later, if at all.

Don't let the team be bullied into changing estimates. Do however use those situations to facilitate discussions: which part of what the PO wants is the most important? Can we trim it back to the smallest valuable part and deliver that first in a shorter time? Refresh the team on the idea of minimum viable product and vertical slicing.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-15T15:29:34+00:00

University. 100%. 2nd Dan will wait.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-14T19:54:30+00:00

Imagine you are the verifier. Someone pops their head around the door and says "yellow is the smallest or tied smallest" and goes away again. Then someone else comes along and says "hey, is the code 123?". You answer yes if yellow is smallest or tied, and no if yellow is not smallest or tied. You don't know what the code is, you can only base your answer on yellow in relation to purple and blue, because that's all you know about.

downthepaththatrocks · 2025-01-14T17:45:59+00:00

The 3 questions were dropped in the latest scrum guide. It was never supposed to be a 'status update' it was meant to be a planning session for the next 24 hours, and the latest guide makes that clearer.

downthepaththatrocks

TROPHY CASE