Video games in 2014 (Brainz)

This week we will take a little break from Magic: the Gathering and talk about some upcoming, and new, video games that will be coming out this year, or were recently released. There are probably hundreds of games, across multiple platforms, that will come out this year but I will just talk about a few that I feel a connection with. The titles I will talk about in this post will be: Watch Dogs; Destiny; Halo 5: Guardians; Diablo III: Reaper of Souls; Wolfenstein: The New Order; and Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire.

Let's start with Watch Dogs. I feel that this is going to be a great game because it is a new concept that incorporates elements that gamers love. It was released May 27th 2013. It is a somewhat open world game that is set in Chicago. The main character is a hacker that uses technology as his weapon to seek revenge for his family's death. The storyline kind of reminds me of "The Punisher" in that the main character seeks revenge for the same thing. I think this may have a similar feel to games like the Grand Theft Auto series but with a different story and overall feel to it, not that it is a bad thing. I feel that this will be extremely fun to play because each decision you make alters the entire game and leads to different paths or consequences. Watch Dogs is available on PS3, PS4, XBOX 360, XBOX One, and PC.

Next up is Destiny. I am pretty excited about Destiny because it is from the creators of the original Halo games. It is a sci-fi FPS and the characters that you get to choose from have abilities that you can use against your enemies. The abilities are like a magic or activated ability that you don't usually associate with FPS style games. It is an interesting twist. Overall I feel that Destiny will be a great experience to play with multiple players online. The game-play trailers show some really stunning multiplayer action and I am excited to try it out. Destiny releases September 9th 2014 and is available on the PS3, PS4, XBOX 360, and XBOX One.

Next is Halo 5: Guardians. I am particularly excited about this one. There is not a whole lot of information out there about Halo 5 but I have been a fan since the original Halo on the original XBOX. It is the second installment in the "Reclaimer" saga. It is also a sci-fi FPS. The release date is said to be late 2014 but there are also reports of the game being pushed into 2015. I hope that Halo 5 doesn't just release on the XBOX One but I have a feeling that the new XBOX will be the only platform it will be available on. I think this will be a great experience both single player and multiplayer. The Halo franchise has always, in my opinion, produced top notch story lines and I am sure this will be no exception. I hope that Cortana comes back somehow in the next couple of games if not Halo 5.

Next is the new Diablo III expansion Reaper of Souls. It will be an RPG format, like D III is. I was a gigantic fan of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction when it came out and I played it pretty regularly until the release of Diablo III. That is how good of a game it was, even though it was repetitive. I played Diablo III when it first came out and I thought it was a pretty awesome game. Then school started to get in the way and to be honest D III just didn't have the same luster as D II. I am hoping that this expansion will revive my excitement about D III and I will resume playing it. The Diablo franchise, and Blizzard in general, has always executed stellar story lines. I absolutely loved Diablo III's story and the cinematic trailers. I hope that the new expansion is no different, once I start playing it. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls for PC released on March 25 2014 and will release on PS4, XBOX 306 and XBOX One in August of 2014.

Next one is Wolfenstein: The New Order. This game is a FPS style of game. It released on May 20th 2014. There is a special place in my heart for Wolfenstein because I remember playing one of the most recognizable Wolfenstein games, that came out on Windows 95, called Wolfenstein 3D. I had to use a floppy disc because CD's weren't available for cheap and it only came out on floppy. It was similar to games like Doom and Quake. The New Order keeps with the tradition of Wolfenstein games and it is all about killing Nazis. This one seems a little more futuristic but still stays true to its history of being gory and all about Nazis. I hope this new installment has incorporates the secret door elements into it like I remember from Wolfenstein 3D. The New Order is available on PC, XBOX 360, XBOX One, PS3, and PS4.

Finally, there is Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. It is only on the 3DS and is slated to be released in November of 2014. I have loved Pokémon ever since the original Blue and Red versions were released on the big brick of a Game Boy. I know it is a remake of the generation III games with the same Ruby and Sapphire names but I hope they do something different with them. They usually add some content when they remake a game. I know it will be a huge improvement on the original because the 3DS is an excellent platform to work with.

I am excited to attempt to fit these games into my busy life of full time work and full time school. I hope that all of these titles aren't big disappointments based upon the hype they received. I am looking forward  to what new titles will be released in the later part of 2014 as well. Have fun gaming and if you have anything to add, feel free to comment.

Obstacle Racing (Brawn)

Obstacle races have become a huge thing lately. They are physically challenging and mentally stimulating. The best part about participating and completing an obstacle race is the confidence and self gratitude it gives you. Participating in even the smallest of these races is a great way to stay in shape or to gauge your level of fitness, as some of them are timed for a competitive aspect.

My goal for next year is to run all three of the races that Spartan Race has to offer, the Sprint, Super, and Beast, in order to earn the Trifecta medal. I have already completed one Tough Mudder and one Warrior Dash. They were fun and challenging. There was a very wide demographic of people that participated and varying exercise levels.

One thing I did to train for such a race was to grab a few very large tires from a local shop for free and I trained with them. I flipped them for training my legs similar to a squat. I stacked them and jumped onto them like box jumps. Along well as some calisthenics and other simple exercises, I ran about a mile, round trip, from my back yard in between sets. This helped to keep my heart rate up, incorporate cardio, and simulate the obstacle experience for as cheap as possible. I would also look at each of the obstacle race sites' WODs (or workout of the day) to mix my routine up and keep it fresh.

I encourage anyone at any fitness level to at least attempt one of these races to obtain that confidence that they give you upon completion. I also encourage you to set ambitious goals for yourself to achieve. I hope to achieve my goal of obtaining the Trifecta medal from Spartan Race and one day being invited to the Ultra Beast race!

Drafting into Nyx (Brainz)

This week I will be discussing how I draft MTG and what to look for while drafting Theros block. Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to draft Theros block with Journey into Nyx yet because I have been busy. I have done some virtual drafts using a free website called Bestiaire. It is a great way to simulate a ton of drafting for free before you go spend money to do the real thing at your local shop.

First thing you should do before drafting is to familiarize yourself with the cards from the sets you will be drafting. This can be easily accomplished via the official Card Image Gallery for a particular set. Another way to familiarize yourself with the cards and how someone else would draft them is to check out the many different set reviews. My favorite set reviewer is Conley Woods. Even thought our strategies or opinions on certain cards may differ, he provides a great review of the cards and how they affect draft. My strategy for drafting in general is the BREAD philosophy. This philosophy/strategy is not perfect but it will provide you with some very helpful guidelines. It stands for Bombs, Removal, Evasion, Aggro, and Duds. That is the order you should usually pick cards from packs.

For the first pack, I generally try to pick really good cards, in my opinion, without stressing too much about color. I still keep color choices in my mind of course. Then for the second and third pack I usually try to stick to the color(s) that I have chosen in the first pack. If I see something very strong that I am able to splash reasonably then I will take that over something more on color. If I see something that is super strong, or a bomb, in an off color and  there is nothing really good in the colors I am drafting then I will "hate draft" that card so I do not see it across the table from me when it is time to play.

There are other, more advanced, strategies that you should at least be aware of and eventually incorporate. These strategies include forcing, which is trying to force your picks into a color. Signaling is also a more advanced strategy which means that if you are getting passed a bunch of black cards then no one is probably in black and it is a good idea to start drafting that color. On the other hand if you start drafting one color and suddenly stop seeing any of that color it is a good idea to switch to a color that is more readily available. Hate drafting is when you take a really good card or bomb that is not in your color to prevent other drafters from including it in their decks. These strategies are more advanced and may be a topic for another post.

I hope to draft this block soon with my friends and in a more competitive environment at my local gaming store. Drafting is mostly about solid commons and creating a synergistic deck that is consistent. I'll leave you with some cards that I would be happy drafting. 

Sit up Straight! (Brawn)

This week's topic is all about posture and healthy snack options. Posture is an essential part of our health. We are usually sitting or standing for the majority of our day. Whether it is at your job, playing in a Magic: the Gathering tournament (or at home), exercising, playing video games, or watching television, having proper posture is needed to prevent future damage.

This article from clevlandclinic.org provides some really great tips on how to sit, stand, and lay with proper posture. They pulled their information from the American ChiropracticAssociation as well as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The link to the latter of the two organizations provides some easy exercises you can do to help strengthen the muscles around your spine to assist you in maintaining proper posture. Some basic tips, when sitting, are to keep your shoulders back without sticking your chest out and to keep your feet flat on the floor. Another good tip is to get up and walk around every so often as it is not advisable to sit for extended periods of time. This helps me to reset my posture so that I am not slowly slipping into a slouching posture. Poor posture can lead to many things like arthritis, backaches, and muscular pain. Proper posture can lead to prevention of those aches and pains as well as a confident appearance.

It is sometimes difficult for anyone to resist the urge to just grab a snack from the pantry or grocery store that may not be the best choice for them. I find it hard to resist the temptation of sticking to just one snack. The good news is that there are plenty of healthy snack options and many of them are portable. I feel that healthy snacks are a great way to keep hunger down so you can eat smaller, healthier portions for your main meals. Healthy snacks are also great for work, to keep your stamina and energy up, and other places where you may stay for an extended amount of time like a tournament at your local gaming store. I found this list of many healthy snack options on a blog about reducing dependency on processed foods. Some of my favorite snacks include bananas with peanut butter, or pretty much anything with peanut butter, in moderation of course, cucumbers, and cashews. Some healthy portable snacks that are easy to take wherever you may be for a long period of time are nuts and seeds, as well as whole grain crackers.

Posture is important for everyone to consider because we all sit, stand, and lay. Eating healthier can start with filling your pantry/cupboards or refrigerator with healthy options so you limit your ability to choose the bad things. As with anything in life, moderation is key as well as easing into a new process with confidence and small steps towards your goals.

Journey into Standard (Brainz)

This past weekend I attended the Journey into Nyx prerelease at my local nerd store Gamer's Gauntlet. I ended up choosing the Green prerelease pack (Forged in Pursuit) as Gamer's Gauntlet was limited on the White packs. I opened some great, and some not so great, cards. I formed a deck utilizing two of my deepest colors, Green and Blue. Some of the better cards I opened, in my colors, were Fleetfeather Cockatrice, Prophet of Kruphix, Thassa's Emissary, Kruphix, God of Horizons, Hubris, War-Wing Siren, Chariot of Victory, and of course the Green promo card Heroes' Bane. Those are the cards that really helped to make my decision to construct a Green/Blue deck. They were also instrumental in assisting in my victories.

Some other great cards that I opened, that were unfortunately not in my colors, were Temple of Silence, Nyx Weaver, and Iroas, God of Victory. It is almost as if the Gods of Nyx were teasing me by getting my hopes up of going Red/White. I did pilot my deck to a 10th place finish in the Limited tournament at Gamer's Gauntlet.

Some really good new card that showed up at my prerelease were Godsend (which was pretty much unbeatable unless you had artifact hate), Lagonna-Band Trailblazer (which is surprising but it locked down the early game then became a threat with its heroic trigger), of course Dawnbringer Charioteers (which is the White promo that I wanted to choose), Brain Maggot (which took away threats from your hand until you removed them), Master of the Feast (which, despite its drawback, is a really powerful card), Silence the Believers (great removal spell), Hydra Broodmaster (massive body that can run the battlefield over late game), and Pharika, God of Affliction (which was in a very synergistic, graveyard based strategy).

Overall I think that Journey into Nyx will provide a much needed shock to the Standard format. I am excited to see the new brews that Journey into Nyx will bring to Standard. I am also excited to see what Wizards has in store for the next few sets that will help to define Standard. This week I will be reading all of Conley Woods' set reviews on Journey into Nyx to see what his thoughts are about the changing face of Standard. The single card that I am most excited for is Athreos, God of Passage because I have a deck he would be perfect for. I will leave you all with some cards that I feel will be awesome in the upcoming standard season.

Easing into exercise (Brawn)

Welcome back to Brainz & Brawn. Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. I also hope, since we will be talking about wellness, that you didn't go overboard with eating junk this past weekend. This week we will kick off the first Brawn section of this blog. Talking with my family over this weekend, I have discovered that a few of them have started their own journey to seek the benefits of fitness and wellness. They have taken a big step in becoming well and fit, getting a gym membership.

As the title suggests, this post will be about easing into the exercise process. I'll start by outlining a few very basic things we all should do become more well and fit. The first easy thing we should do is park further away at the grocery store, or any store. This simple task of parking, and essentially walking, a greater distance to your destination will help you burn more calories. Another thing that we should do is to take the stairs more often. Taking the stairs is a great compound exercise that uses many different muscles. Using the stairs whenever possible is a great way to assist in achieving your fitness goals. If you work on the 25th floor of an office building, for instance, I am not suggesting that you climb all 25 flights of stairs. What I am suggesting is that you start by climbing a few levels then take the elevator either the rest of the way or most of the way for a break. Then, once you've taken a break say to the 22nd floor, you can climb the rest of the way on the stairs. This is a great way to start exercising without a gym membership. Another thing we should do, especially pet owners, is to walk our dogs. Not only is this a good way to build our cardiovascular endurance but it also helps us to both bond with our dogs and maintain our "pack leader" status. If you don't have a pet then walking for even 30 minutes or more will help to assist you in obtaining your fitness goals.

For those of us who want a little bit more, we can do simple calisthenics (exercises requiring no equipment) at home. These exercises can include push-ups, sit ups, burpees, and lunges (among others). There are many different variations of push-ups that you can do to train different areas of the chest and arms. I recommend starting with basic push-ups. This usually means that your feet and hands are shoulder width apart. Then, keeping your back straight, lower your body to the floor and just barely touch your chest to the floor. You should keep your elbows near your side. Sit ups are also a very basic and easy exercise. They can be done by yourself or with a partner holding your feet. I recommend putting something soft, but not too bulky, underneath your lower back for some support. To do a sit up you should have your feet shoulder width apart and start with your back and feet flat on the ground. Then, utilizing your core, lift your body up till your chest touches or comes near your knees. Some people cross their arms across their chest and touch their elbows to their knees at the top. This is fine as long as you are not extending your elbows to touch your knees. For burpees, or squat thrusts, I have inserted a video that explains how to do them visually. 

These exercises and tips that I have explained are all beneficial to your health and wellness if performed properly. Always remember to keep whatever muscle you are training engaged. What this means is that the muscle(s) should not rest during the duration of the exercise. One last thing to consider when thinking about exercising or encouraging someone else to exercise is that everyone learns at their own pace. Starting off fresh or getting back into exercising should be a slow process. I can tell you all about the benefits of fitness, wellness, and exercise but it is up to YOU to put these tips to good use. Exercising takes willpower and YOU have to be the one to stick with it. It is in your best interest to be fit and well.

First Post (Brainz)

Hello and welcome to my blog Brainz & Brawn. This is the first post of many to come. I intend this space to be a creative outlet for me to talk about and express my passion for both being a nerd and fitness/wellness. I will alternate each week between the Brainz section and the Brawn section, unless the readers (you) would like me to mix the two subjects. The topics for the Brainz portion will revolve around anything nerdy/geeky such as: video games, Magic: the Gathering, computers, technology, or anything else I can think of that fits my passion for being a nerd. The Brawn portion will be posts about how to keep fit while still expressing both mine and your passion for being a nerd. These Brawn posts will include topics such as: how to do basic and easy exercises at home, how to properly lift at the gym, how to make the most of your time at the gym, some eating tips, and anything else I can think of that relates to my passion of being fit. 

This week I will start off by talking about the new spoilers for Magic: the Gathering's newest set, Journey into Nyx. I have been into Magic: the Gathering (MTG) since around 2009, although I wish I had found it sooner. I absolutely love getting together with my friends and playing Magic. I also enjoy going to my local store (Gamer's Gauntlet) and competing to win prizes. Mythicspoiler.com is a site that contains the most comprehensive list, and images, of the newly spoiled cards. Keranos, God of Storms, Iroas, God of Victory, and Godsend are the three cards so far that I am excited about. I feel that these cards will see quite a bit of play in standard. I personally want to create a deck around both Keranos and Iroas.

I plan on going to the Journey into Nyx prerelease event on the weekend of April 26th. I am not sure yet which color I will choose for the event based on these promo cards. I am leaning towards either White or Green at the moment, although Black doesn't look that terrible either.

Thanks for reading and be sure to tune in the following weeks for more exciting information about how we can find balance between Brainz & Brawn. We don't have to choose just one. Also, be sure to check me out on Twitter and Facebook using the links in the About Me section, and leave constructive comments.