Accomplishments of 2015

Sometimes as I fight back all the negativity in my life, I have to look back and see what things I did manage to accomplish this year.  Like with my last post, I will do this in a list format.

Completely (re)wrote The End of Utopia, the first of many novels in the Search for Eden Series.

Completed Masters of all Terrain with a Ruck Sack

Completed T3 (a harder Tough Mudder) with a Ruck Sack, becoming a Regiment Elite

Set myself on the path to make a Ted Stage future appearance

Placed Second  in my first Hearthstone Tournament

Managed to read more than 30 books.

Escaped from working a worthless and menial job.

Returned to School and passed my classes.

Created a Blog that is active.

Helped Create a Startup Company

Went on Birthright and saw Israel

And most importantly of all I am much closer to the path of success than I have been for the last 10 years of my life.

I don't know what 2016 will bring, but here is to hoping its better than 2015.  Happy New Year everyone.

Bucket List

What follows is a list of goals I have before I die that have not been met.

Climb the tallest mountain on each continent.
Marry a Jewish Woman
Run a marathon in all 50 states in the USA
Visit Romania
Go to the haunted Island in Italy
See all of Europe
Explore Japan, South Korea, China, India
Visit Russia
Hike across Israel
Bike across the United States
Become an accomplished writer and entertainer
Meet: Laura Baily, George RR Martin RA Salvatore, JK Rowling, Christopher Paolini, and Brandon Sanderson
Meet Louis C. K. Louis Black, and Bill Maher
Study at a Yeshiva in Israel
Study Kabbalah in Tzvat
Visit Auschwitz and other Prison Camps
Go to the haunted castles throughout Europe
Explore Antarctica
Drive down ever major Interstate Highway in the United States
Go spelunking deep in the earth
Go to Blizzcon and Dragoncon
Go to a music Festival
Explore New York City
Explore Mexico City
Visit the Sahara
Learn to Surf
Train myself in Poison Resistance
Master multiple martial arts styles
Gain a concealed carry gun license
Gain enough Ethos to make a difference in the world
Help Create a better a world for Autistics, Schizophrenics, Jews, Muslims, Romani, Gays, Trans-gendered, and any minority that wants to live its life in peace but cannot due to racism and fear.


I'm sure there are more but this is my list.

Merry Christmas from this Jew, to you

I'll keep this brief as most of you are with your families.  I wish you a happy holiday and new year.  And if you do not celebrate Christmas, I hope whatever you may be doing on this day is going well. (or at least as well as everything being closed can.)

As for me, unlike many of my fellow Jews, I will not be eating Chinese as I am a very picky eater who can count the number of foods I eat on two hands.  Still, I have spent most of this day writing and to be honest acting as life as usual.

This of course should not detract from the rest of you enjoying the relative peace of the day.  It just happens that for me, this is just another day.  A day where everything happens to be closed.

Happy Holidays all and may 2016 be even better than 2015 :)

Hunter x Hunter Review (Spoiler Free)

I actually finished this Anime about a week ago, but I finally have found time to write the review.  As usual, with these reviews I will do the best I can to avoid spoilers.

Hunter x Hunter is a slightly longer Anime than the others that I watched leading up to it, and I had not seen an anime of this length since Dragon Ball Z. (which is much longer)  The ability to have multiple story arcs within the world created is the obvious benefit.  anyway, here we go.

Hunter x Hunter follows the story of young Gon (an obvious Goku Expy) on a search to find his father.  This journey will lead him to take the hunters trial, rescue his new friend, learn about the power of Nen (functional magic) deal with a world spanning mafia, fend off attacks from an incredibly dangerous band of thieves, survive an incredibly dangerous game, fight against an incredibly dangerous species, and then help decide the fate of the Hunters Association.

Along the way Gon finds allies in Kilua, a "former" assassin (hes my favorite of the good guys) Kuripika, a man (yes a man) out to avenge his now dead people, and Leorio a man who seems to do everything for money and power (or does he?)

With hours of nonstop tears and laughs right alongside, it is understating just how great of an Anime this has been to watch.  The show did a fantastic job of getting me attached to many of the characters, including the villains.

In fact it really is the villains that drive this anime.  Even more so than in other animes.  For the obstacles needed to be overcome is the central theme of Hunter x Hunter.  And to that end, the show delivers.

I have already written blog posts about Chrollo Lucillfer and Hisoka, really showcasing how much I enjoyed them.  However, the verdict is out and out of all the villains in the anime, my favorite has to be this person:

Pitou notably has just about every single power I could possibly want in a fictional setting.  Pitou also has an ambigious gender.  Pitou has lots of things and I will be writing a future blog post about them.  For now, just understand that out of the villains, this creepy feline is my favorite.

I already wrote a blog post on the Chimera Ant Arc which to me is the best part of the series as well as where the above character appears.

One of the best life lessons I learend growing up is reinforced at the end of the anime and it is the perfect way to end the series (for now) as well as the post:
"You should enjoy the little detours.  To the fullest.  Because that's where you'll find the things more important than what you want."

This has certainly been true for me this year, and really the way I see it, this is the best way to live life.

My next detour has me watching Naruto and since its a very very long Anime, it will be quite a while before I will be writing a review on it.

Back on Track

Its been a while since I was able to write properly.  I have been overwhelmed with my job and other issues in my life that have been over shadowing my life.  Things that have been preventing me from doing what matters in my life.

But that changed this week.  Due to an opportunity presented by my computer having a slight malfunction, I had the ability to escape from the trappings imposed by my room.  My room had after all become my newest prison.

I had fooled myself into thinking that since my life was more open that I had more freedom.  Instead, I trapped myself.  But after reminding myself that writing is what is most important to me, I am back to how I should be.

I feel myself again for the first time in a long time.

Star Wars (Not Spoilers)

Its been a very very long time since a Star Wars movie has come out.  It has also been a while since I have written anything on Star Wars.

I am certainly not the biggest Star Wars buff on earth.  While I do know a fair amount about the lore, a true fanatic on the series will crush me.

What does matter is that I to some degree do live my life according to the Sith Creed (minus the force as I do not seem to be force sensitive)  And that in reality, the Jedi are the real villains of this entire universe.

If you don't want to take my word for it, do some of your own research.  After all, the desire for more power and knowledge is a Sith idea is it not?

Anyway, lets talk about my childhood for a moment.

At first, I encountered Star Wars and quickly loved Han Solo.  To this day, I have never been  fan of the Hero unless he is the Anti-Hero and it is very likely that Star Wars began pushing me towards this.  (Likely though Final Fantasy IV's Kain Highwind was the real culprit) But I always understood that Luke was a whiny and annoying character.  I certainly was not a fan of him.  As a kid I kept hoping that Han would suddenly become a Jedi and high-jack the plot.  It never happened.

But as I watched through Episode 5, I came in contact with my actual favorite character in the Star Wars movies.  Though it would take till episode 6 for me to realize it.  I speak of course, of this guy:


And its the above action in the 6th movie that made me wonder if the Jedi were really the coolest thing to be.  Jedi don't shoot lightning at people after all my much younger self thought. (I learned about Dark and Grey Jedi later.  Stick with me for now) Also, as I said earlier, he got bonus points for beating the crap out of the annoying hero that I had come to despise by this point in the movie.

Even better, although I did not realize I felt this way till years later, I always enjoyed that Star Wars was all about Luke confronting Darth Vader and defeating him.  But the fact that Darth Sidious is many magnitudes of power beyond Vader was what made this scene in Return of the Jedi so great.

I mean sure, Sidious dies because in most movies the good guy has to win (I know, its boring. Its why I don't always follow this rule in my own books) but still, his display of power was unlike anything I had seen in the movies.

And then the prequels were made, and the only true redeeming quality of the first two piles of garbage  were that Darth Sidious was in them.

I managed to enjoy the third much more purely because the entire movie is just Darth Sidious crushing the entire Jedi Order.

As I explored the Extended Universe (you will always be canon to me EU) and learned more about the Force and stuff like Darth Bane, I really became a true Sith Lord Wannabe.  I even have proclaimed that I would rather go to Korribon than Hogwarts.

But, today, I get to go back to a Galaxy so very far far away.  I return to a part of my childhood that I do miss.  I hope that Star Wars has done more good in your life than ill.  It sure has in mine.

Let the Sith Flow Through You.

Hunter x Hunter Chimera Arc (spoiler free)

I normally don't write a review for an Anime until I have finished it in its entirety (or in what is currently its entirety if the anime is still technically ongoing) but I feel the need to do a review on the Chimera Arc for Hunter x Hunter on its own.

While this is by no means a lighthearted Anime, this arc showed that no punches would be pulled.  Children have their heads eaten.  Characters begin dropping dead like flies.  Many of the heroes suffer from a loss of innocence on a profound level.  There are shocking betrayals and multiple bouts of death by despair.  It comes topped off by an ending that brought me to tears and I am not ashamed.

This arc gets a whole lot of criticism from the fan base due to its massively dark departure from Hunter x Hunter as well as the Shonen Genre in general.  Others don't enjoy its incredible darkness and the themes that are far more advanced in my opinion than the rest of the Anime.

Of course, to me, the deconstruction of Shonen alongside the overwhelming darkness and loss of innocence are exactly why I love this part of the story so much.

The whole arc to me is a play on the ideas of war as well as what it means to be human.  themes that I grapple with myself.  And I assure to any of you who have not yet watched the Anime, that the final couple episodes will be among the most unforgettable experiences in Anime.

I will be sure to write a full review of the Anime when I complete the last arc.

8th Night of Hanukkah

For the first time in many years, my expectations for an event has been exceeded.  As I outlined in another post, I despise this time of the year.

The holidays are a time for people to visit their pasts, go back to where they once were.  My past is fraught with weakness and regret.  I wish to never revisit that place.

As a result, I am left all alone for many months at a time.  Left to stew in hatred and loneliness.  This in turn makes me a more bitter individual.

But that was not the tale these last 8 nights.  With the help of new and old friends, I have found light that last for all 8 nights.  and not once during this time period did the darkness creep back in.

It has been many years indeed since I have felt included during the holidays.  i time where for a very long time, I have felt nothing but loneliness and despair.   But to feel included this year.  Now that was exceptional.

I cannot adequately put into words, how thankful I am for the friends that took time out of their week to spend it with me.  This Hanukkah has been one of the best I have had in years.  Thank you to all who had a part to play in it.

Running Again with Team Regiment

After I finished T3, I hit a slump partially caused by a string of horrible jobs and partially due to apathy and neglected to keep my body in shape.  I started struggling with depression, a mindset that I had thought long defeated and buried. The lack of Dopamine influx was having quite a number on my mental stability.

Still I was offered a way out a few months ago, and escaped the vicious cycle of working jobs that keep you poor. Having freed myself from this very dark place, I finally returned to my passion.  Working out, especially the grueling Spartan  Races that have become a beacon of pride for me.

As a Regiment Elite I am held to a higher standard to my workouts and the races I run.  While I may not always be on the podium, I find that it is my duty to help ensure that the next group of recruits can help bring themselves to an apex of physical ability.

And to that end, I will be testing myself tomorrow at Masters of All Terrain.  It is the first long distance event I have participated in since T3.  And since, for me, running a half marathon is too easy, I will be bringing a ruck to the race.  While it will slow me down considerably, the extra weight will give me the challenge I now crave as a Regiment Elite.

To cheer on my teammates who are running the even harder 50 mile race, or to see what events we have, or even better, how you can become part of the team, check out http://www.regimentrunning.com/

One Sentence Blurb

One sentence blurbs, or the one sentence description of a novel is something I have always had trouble talking about adequately.  Still I have been working tirelessly for The End of Utopia as the Kickstarter begins this week if not next week.

I have tried again and again to properly give this novel that has been my flesh, blood, and soul for the last few years.

So here as follows is the one sentence that reflects my heart and soul.  It is also a reflection of the work I have spent over these years:

"A man's search for a missing brother finds him trapped on an alien world with an ancient evil stalking him."

It was not easy to pick the words as this is an expansive novel, but I hope that it will suffice as well as perk your interest in this novel.

With luck, things will be rolling on the 12th but if not then, soon after, the ball will be rolling, and I ask that those who want to have a chance to bring this project to the world help if able.

Pearl Harbor Rememberance

Today is December 7th.  In America, it is a day that has and always will live in infamy. Pearl Harbor came as a surprise to America.  Up until, and through World War I, America felt invincible.  There were plenty of problems in the world, but they were across oceans, or far to the south in the other America, but Japan ended that feeling of safety.

And to this day, during and after World War II, we remind ourselves each year that we will not forget.  Many veterans and active soldiers make a pilgrimage of sorts to Pearl Harbor to remember what was lost, both American feelings of safety as well as the lives lost.

This is a pilgrimage I intend to make.  Though I am not a soldier, I feel an obligation to see this place that drastically changed the course for American History.

Martin O'Malley: The other Democrat Running for President

With the news so abuzz with the names Clinton, Sanders, Trump, Carson, and Rubio.  You rarely get to hear about anything else in the political world in America (for now)

But today I am gonna talk about the other Democrat. The one you don't hear about in the media.

Most people recognize him as that other person on the stage with Hillary and Bernie.  But hes a bit more than that.

O'Malley is the former governor of Maryland and former Mayor of Baltimore.  Some will make the claim that he made the police in the state more brutal.  others will say he stemmed the tide of an impossible problem (temporarily at least) While many in media have attempted to blame the riots in Baltimore on him, the data goes in circles trying to prove the point.

The main reason he is not getting the same exposure has nothing to do with how he presents himself.  the guy can speak.  Hes a very talented orator.  I think hes far more charismatic than Hillary, but that's just me.

The reason you do not hear about him is that he has not been around as long.  Hes young relatively speaking, but this also means he has plenty of time to make a difference in America.  O'Malley is a candidate I will be watching closely over the next few years or so.  He is likely making a bid for Vice President.  He knows he won't beat out the other two, but he is doing a good job as far as exposure is concerned by staying in the race.

And I have most recently become pleased with some of his statements.  After doing research on O'Malley, I was convinced his focus is purely on domestic issues.  But around September, he gave a press conference on foreign policy, namely dealing with Isis and Boko Haram, and he had an unexpectedly well thought out series of plans.

I am eagerly awaiting to see what the next few years hold for O'Malley, and hopefully you the reader will be interested enough to do some research of your own.

Chrollo Lucilfer

As promised in my prior blog post, I will spend today giving tribute to my other favorite character in Hunter x Hunter. Chrollo Lucilfer, leader of the Phantom Troupe, better known as the Spiders.

If Hisoka is more of a flamboyant psychopath as his killer clown archetype tends to be, then Chrollo far better fits in with the idea of stereotypical sociopath.  Charming and manipulative, hes a master of trickery which plays in perfect with his Nen Power (if you want to know what it is, watch the Anime)

Hes also a warrior poet which goes hand in hand with his sociopathic personality.  His charisma commands the anime when he is present.  While he is not nearly as visible as Hisoka, Chrollo does incredible things with the little screen time he is given by himself.  Normally, he appears just to give commands to the other Spiders.

Near the end of the arc that I have at the time of this writing completed, Chrollo is shown to have a greater importance to the Spiders than he thought of himself.  Sadly, the results of this revelation have left a sour taste in my mouth, I am not happy with how the arc was resolved (watch the anime if you want to know what I am talking about.)

Still his power with his limited screen time, his eloquent speeches and his philosophies and deep topics that are mentioned whenever he appears ensure that he is up there with Hisoka as one of my favorite Anime Characters.

Hisoka

There will be a follow up blog post in 2 days to this one, where I give justice to another character from Hunter x Hunter, but for this one, I'm gonna focus on everyone's favorite killer clown who may or may not be a pedophile depending on who you ask.

As I am a huge fan of Kefka, Joker, and Dimentio it was a no brainer that I would also greatly enjoy Hisoka in Hunter x Hunter.  He has quickly risen to one of my favorite characters in Anime (Thats right, ranked up there with Pride, Lelouch, and Vegeta)  I may only be 1/3 of the way through the 2011 version of the Anime, but I have quite a bit of confidence that I will like this character at the (very distant) end of this Anime.

But what separates this guy from the G-d of Magic, the Agent of Chaos, and the only villain that has ever managed to kill Mario, Bowser, and Peach without breaking a sweat?

I would say part of it is that he fits in the world of Hunter x Hunter so well.  Not that the world of FF6 is any less of a crapsack world but Kefka fits his own world, while Hisoka fits this one perfectly.  The world of Hunter x Hunter is one where the strong are able to prey on the weak.  And this killer clown is certainly strong.  Strong in a world that considers A Family of Assassins,  Charles Manson Style Serial Killers,  A Relatively More Competent Mafia than in the real world, and Eldritch Abominations that live on more than 3/4ths of the planet.  And through it all, this guy not only survives, but thrives.

Hes also a creepy guy, forget the clown makeup even.  He makes pedophile like stabs at the heroes of the anime almost every time he confronts them, and then proceeds to beat the absolute shit out them.  I remember in the earliest parts of the Anime, this guy was the dreaded.  At the current place as of this writing, hes more of a wild card (not that this wasn't obvious from the get go)

I also love how the Anime keeps drilling into my head that this guy is vastly more powerful than the Heroes.  To me that is what drives a story.  Without deadly antagonists, protagonists have no purpose.

Expect a followup post on my other favorite Hunter x Hunter Character: Chrollo Lucilfer