Welcome New Players!

People like to share hobbies with friends and paintball is no different. One friend brings another along for a game and suddenly a new player is hooked. But let’s admit it, paintball is an obscure sport. Unlike more traditional activities like basketball, baseball, or soccer, most people don’t get much, if any, exposure to paintball as they grow up. So unlike more traditional sports you probably will be starting from scratch in learning this game. You may not know what questions to ask about this game or where to get answers. It’s to these new players, and perhaps some veterans who have forgotten a few things themselves, that I direct this article. I don’t claim to have all the answers but I can at least share a few things I’ve picked up over the last nine years. Over the next week or two I’ll share a few things to help you out.  Whether you’ve hit a few games already or are interested in trying the great sport of paintball for the first time, here is what I wish I’d known when I started playing.

Just What Is It?

In essence, paintball is a game of tag. Basically Player A shoots gelatin pellets at Player B in an attempt to tag Player B out.Yes, it’s played with guns. Yes, you shoot at other players. Yes, some people dress up in camouflage. Yes, some players modify their paintball guns to look like real firearms. But regardless of what popular media may portray, it’s not a violent or war-glorifying game. It is not a warfare simulation game, though it can and has been used for training purposed by military and law enforcement agencies. In all, I’ve been injured less in paintball than I have been in recreational basketball, football, or soccer games. I’ve also seen sportsmanship on the paintball field to be at least on par with, or in some instances better than, some church athletics games. All together, it’s a great hobby not much different than golf, bowling, or skiing. And like those other fine activities, paintball requires specialized equipment. So unless you want to stick with rental equipment you’ll need to get your own gear. Let’s start with a few points about what you’ll need.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The first thing you need to understand is that paintball doesn’t have any “official size and weight” standards for the most part. As such there really is no “best” gear available. Think instead of what works best for you, your play style, and your budget. That means you need to do some research of your own on gear, fields, play styles, and other aspects of the sport.

Where do you start with this? You’ve made one step in visiting this site. Talk to any friends or family you have that may play. Find the local pro shops and fields then talk with the employees and players there. Everyone started somewhere and any respectable player can understand your position so they won’t snub your questions. Go online to search for equipment reviews and browse through paintball forums. Ignore recommendations that say, “Get this, it ROCKS!” or that just state what’s already listed on the packaging. Pay attention to reviews that give detailed information on a product as well as why it works so well. Find out what you can but take everything with a grain of salt. Everyone will have their own opinions and biases and it’s very difficult to be completely objective when giving a review.

A Good Mask is THE Priority

Safety should be your number one concern in any sport. The most important piece of equipment you will need is a good mask, period. I’m continually amazed at people who drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars on everything else but settle for the cheapest mask they see. You’ve only got one head, one face, and one set of eyes so protect them well.

When shopping for a mask, it’s usually best to go to a store where you can try it on. You will wear it for hours at a time so it needs to be comfortable. Some masks are made with soft, flexible material, some are more rigid. Generally softer material is more comfortable since it can flex around your head easier. Next make sure the mask fits securely as it’s usually a bad thing to have it fall off in the middle of a game. Tighten the strap, shake your head around, and try to slap it off. Make sure it won’t come off unless deliberately pulled.

Lenses are an important part of any mask as they not only protect your eyes but also determine how well you can see. Some masks restrict peripheral vision more than others; this may or may not be a big deal to you. A big problem with most lenses comes from fogging. Water vapor from your breath, humidity in the air, and even sweat evaporating off your face can condensate on the inside of a lens making it difficult to see. Double pane lenses, thermal lenses, or special anti-fog coatings will resist this. Other masks have small fans to better vent the air around the inside of the lens. You can buy a small bottle of anti-fog treatment for under $10 to help with this. To test a lens, simply exhale directly on the inside of it to see how well it resists fogging.

If you’re satisfied with the fit and lens, check how well the mask covers your face. Some masks are designed for fuller coverage while some are meant to be smaller and sleeker. Depending on the size of your head, you may have a limited selection. The latest trend in paintball has been has led to slimmer, smaller masks so it’s especially important to try on masks if you’ve got a bigger noggin. Which one feels right to you is simply personal preference. Just because a mask is more expensive doesn’t always mean its better.

After finding a mask that satisfies you, don’t think about the price, just get it. Can you really put a price tag on proper safety? You can get that $10 Wally World special, but are you willing to stake your vision for the rest of your life on it? A good mask is a one-time purchase that will last for years with proper care. If you’re on a tight budget cruise some online stores or check used gear sales from other players to find the best deals. Don’t sacrifice proper protection to save a couple bucks now.

What’s to come?

In part two I’ll cover some basics on about other equipment, primarily the gun (marker,) hopper, and gas source.

Chef Don Fullmer Wins Award for Culinary Excellence

Don Fullmer, the executive chef at Pali Mountain Retreat & Conference Center was just given an award from Los Angeles Family magazine. The award is for the “Best Family Location” category and recognizes the innovative and nutritious cuisine offered at Pali Mountain. Congratulations to our chef!

Chef Fullmer has more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry, and previously owned the Munching Bear Restaurant located in Big Bear, CA. He has trained with expert sushi chefs in Hawaii and worked with Asian, Mexican, American, Hawaiian and Italian styles of cooking. This diverse background is reflected in the cuisine options at Pali Mountain where guests are given a variety of choices.

Fun facts:

• Kitchen goes through at least 1,000 eggs a week
• On a recent weekend, 120 pounds of salmon and 180 pounds of tri-tip were served
• Chef Fullmer has experience with many styles of cuisine and says “If you can think of it, I can cook it.”
• Pali Mountain can feed three meals a day to up to 520 people
• Meals are included in pricing at Pali – $139 for a weekend includes 5 meals

The challenge with providing that volume of food is to ensure the quality and taste are not secondary to producing quick meals. Chef Fullmer and his staff work hard to make sure every bite of food is memorable and filling. Given the number of optional activities offered at Pali, such as the zip line through the trees and paintball, Chef Fullmer knows that guests need to have enough energy to get through their busy day.

Freshness is the main adjective used to describe the food at Pali Mountain. With many items made from scratch, including the sauces, gravies and soups, guests are treated to real home-cooked meals. The food appeals to those that want simple comfort food and diners that want different fare such as tofu, artichoke hearts, and select olives. Got a special dietary request?  It’s no problem at Pali, where the staff can easily create meals for any need and vegetarian meals are always available.

Chef Fullmer is always looking to improve the dining experience at Pali and says, “I’d like to start serving freshly baked breads, such as garlic bread, hamburger buns, and dinner rolls.” It seems like more awards will be forthcoming for the chef and Pali Mountain.

Check out Pali Mountain’s website to learn more about our other amenities beyond the award-winning cuisine.

„Nehmen Sie schon mal Platz, ich bin dann auch gleich bei Ihnen.“ Es war das Letzte, was ich von ihm hörte; die Vormittagsstunden über saß ich ganz allein im Büro des Staatssekretärs, er hatte mich wohl schlicht vergessen. Schon senkte sich die Herbstsonne. Aufmerksam las ich die langen Reihen der Buchrücken entlang, denn mir knurrte der Magen. Und es war schon fast Teezeit.

Da wurde die Tür aufgerissen. „Was machen Sie hier?“ „Ich gehöre inzwischen zum Inventar“, entgegnete ich lakonisch. „Hat er Sie einfach hier sitzen lassen? So eine Gedankenlosigkeit – es wird noch böse enden.“ Der Referent legte die Mappe mit dem Referentenentwurf auf den Schreibtisch. „Irgendwann wird mal einer der Besucher über Nacht hier sitzen und das ganze Innenministerium zusammenschnarchen – und am nächsten Morgen wird in den Zeitungen stehen, dass wir uns die Schläfer selbst ins Haus holen!“ Er war deutlich verärgert. „Und dann auch noch diese unsinnigen Gesetzesvorhaben! Der Mist von Bosbach war ja schon schwer erträglich, aber das hier?“ Wortlos schob er mir den Entwurf herüber.

„Paintball?“ Ich riss die Augen auf. „Sie wollen allen Ernstes Paintball verbieten? Als Bedrohung der nationalen Sicherheit?“ „Beschweren Sie sich nicht bei mir“, seufzte er, „das kommt aus dem Familienministerium. Frau von der Leyen musste mal wieder einen Entwurf ausgeben, weil sie seit Wochen nicht in den Schlagzeilen stand.“ Mit dem Finger tippt ich auf den Aktendeckel. „Seit dem letzten Killerspielverbotsantrag sind Sie nicht viel weiter gekommen?“ „Eigentlich gar nicht“, gestand der Ministerialbeamte. „Aber wir stehen unter Druck. Es muss ein Verbot her, ganz egal, gegen was.“ Er blätterte geistesabwesend die Papiere durch. „Wir wollten schon die Schützenvereine ins Visier nehmen, aber das können Sie vergessen.“ „Es gab Probleme?“ Er nickte. „Kann man so nennen. Die Lobbyisten haben der Familienministerin klargemacht, wenn sie die Sportschützen nicht zu sanftmütigen, gutherzigen Musterdemokraten erklärte, würden sie dem Bundeskabinett die Birnen wegballern.“ Ich zog eine Braue hoch. „So viel demütige Liebe ist ja kaum erträglich.“

Er hatte auf dem Sessel des Staatssekretärs Platz genommen und spielte mit dem Briefdolch in der Federschale. „Wir hätten ja gerne etwas mit Medien gemacht.“ „Das wollen die meisten“, entgegnete ich, „sie verstehen bloß nichts davon.“ „Nein, anders – ich meine die Gewaltdarstellung in den Medien. Da könnte man doch prima populistische Gesetze machen! Haben Sie die letzten Filme von James Bond gesehen?“ „Sinnlose Gewaltexzesse als Patentrezept zur Konfliktlösung“, nickte ich. „Und was das Beste ist: freigegeben für Kinder ab zwölf!“ Ich dämpfte seine Erwartungen. „Leider werden Sie damit nichts erreichen. Früher haben die Jungs mit Zinnsoldaten gespielt und sich mit Knallplätzchen-Revolvern als Cowboy und Indianer erschossen – Gewalt ist in unser zivilisatorisches Handlungsrepertoire fest eingebunden. Sie gilt in diesem Fall als Kultur.“ „Für Schützenvereine hat man das akzeptiert“, antwortete er bissig, „nur beim Schießen mit Farbkugeln gibt es noch Probleme.“

„Lassen Sie mich mal überlegen“, grübelte ich, „was man so alles braucht dafür. Es ist ein Taktikspiel, ein Mannschaftssport, und man muss schon ziemlich fit sein, um an einem Turnier teilzunehmen. Inzwischen gibt es ja sogar Werksmannschaften.“ „Sie reden von Paintball?“ „Das auch. Aber als wirklichen Einbruch der gesellschaftlichen Wirklichkeit in unsere nationalen Sicherheitsbestrebungen rede ich natürlich in erster Linie von Fußball.“ „Fußball? Was hat Fußball mit nationaler Sicherheit zu tun?“ „So, wie Sie das definieren, eine Menge. Was wissen Sie eigentlich darüber?“ Er zuckte nur die Schultern. Ich setzte mich auf die Schreibtischkante. „Wie Paintball war es zuerst die sportliche Betätigung einer jungen, elitären, rücksichtslosen Schicht – hier britische Bankster, dort preußische Parvenüs. Und natürlich nichts fürs Prekariat, das müssen wir raushalten.“ „Also bitte, Fußball ist doch ein Volkssport wie…“ „Pah! Das waren vereinzelte Spieler, die nicht in die akademischen Burschenschafts-Teams passten, Arminia, Borussia, Teutonia. Ernst Kuzorra, Fritz Szepan, Proleten, die die Wehrertüchtigung zu einer Mannschaftssportart umfunktionierten – eine Gefährdung der nationalen Sicherheit!“ Er rümpfte die Nase. „Seit wann gefährdet Fußball die nationale Sicherheit?“ Ich blickte ihn über den Rand meiner Brille hinweg an. „Sie haben noch nie das freundliche Einvernehmen der Fans nach einem Länderspiel beobachtet?“ Er schwieg betroffen.

„Sie müssen aber bedenken, dass Killerspiele wie Gewaltfilme die Aggression kaum beeinflussen – alles wissenschaftlich erwiesen. Nach wenigen Minuten ist die Wirkung verflogen.“ „Umso besser“, frohlockte ich, „dass es beim Fußball derart viele Prügeleien auf und neben und hinter dem Platz gibt. Eine wunderbare, schlimme Gefahr!“ „So gesehen…“ Er brütete. „Aber ob wir das Gesetz durchbringen, wenn ich den Entwurf jetzt noch etwas anpasse?“ „Was sollte da passieren?“ „Möglicherweise wird er vor der Verabschiedung gelesen.“ Ich legte ihm beruhigend den Arm um die Schultern. „Wir wollen jetzt mal nicht gleich vom Schlimmsten ausgehen.“

„Was machen Sie denn hier?“ Der Staatssekretär zog die Tür ins Schloss und knipste die Leuchten an. „Ach nichts“, sprach ich und erhob mich aus dem Sessel. „Es hat sich wohl schon erledigt.“

Unter dem Motto verbrachte ich gestern meinen Abend

Wir starteten nämlich mit einer Gruppe von 15 Leutchen zum Paintball spielen – und da bleibt ein kleines Aua nicht aus, was man aber bei dem Fun-Faktor gerne freiwillig in Kauf nimmt

Wir trafen uns nach der Arbeit und dann ging es kurz in den MacD’s um die nötige Energie anzufuttern

Nach ein bischen Durcheinander und Verfahren hatten wir dann aber bald die Paintballfarm erreicht und machten uns auf einen 4-stündigen Abeng gefasst Mein letzter Paintball-Abend ist schon ein wenig her, aber ich muss eindeutig sagen, dass mir diese Location vieeeeeel besser gefallen hat.

Nach einer Einführung, dem Umziehen und letzten Erläuterungen ging es los. Das Gebäude ist viel besser, hat 3 Etagen, auf denen gespielt werden kann, coole Kellergänge und ein Aussengelände, das auch mit benutzt werden kann.

Dann gab es während der Spiele die ganze Zeit einen Instructor, der nicht nur “einfach so” spielen ließ, sondern verschiedene Varianten bot….. Mit lauter Musik, mit Nebenmaschine, mit Discolicht/Dunkelheit usw. Es gab das “Fahnenspiel”, das Präsidentenspiele und einfach vieles Coooooles mit Rundumbetreuung.

Vielleicht ist das ja inzwischen Standart, aber die andere Paintball-Location hatte das alles nicht.

Wir hatten viel Spass, spielten etwa 2.5 Stunden und hatten ganz ausgeglichene Teams, die beide mal gewannen

Keiner wurde schwer verletzt, aber ich hab doch einige Blessuren davon getragen. An den “Treffstellen” sind schon gestern direkt nach dem Treffer vollfarbige blaue Flecken entstanden, die sich heute weiter ausgeweitet und verfärbt haben Ein paar Wunden vom Herumkriechen auf dem Boden oder  vom Ausrutschen auf dem öligen Untergrund sind mit dabei…. aber es wird wirklich alles durch den Spass wieder wett gemacht

Ich bin beim nächsten gerne wieder dabei

Bei Inventgeek.com und AlgaeGeek.com finden sich jede Menge interessante Ideen zum Basteln.

dear you…yes, you. the unknown person readin’ this.

there are plenty of things in my head. i dunno where to start but there are so many unhappy things that i need to write bout before it explodes in my head and well, let’s just say it won’t be pretty when that happens.

1. i know i’ve always been different. it’s always been me against the world. even when i was young, i would be the tomboy pickin’ fights at the playground. ok…i wasn’t really pickin’ fights but i sure as hell would not let anyone bully me. i remember fightin’ with a boy at the top of a slide. i can’t remember what it was bout but i’m very damn sure he was auntie aruno’s son.

so anyways…growin’ up, i’ve always been different from the normal girl next door. in loyang valley, i was the only girl in the group of boys who loved to play police&thief and the many hours of risk and monopoly. I would be playin’ rounders with the boys and i was a violent player; people had to made sure they didn’t stand near me as i was battin’. i remember i was the only girl who showed up to join the softball team. i felt shy for some damn reason and trotted off to join the netball team instead. blah. i should have stood my grounds and just joined them.

and what made me different from everyone else? and this, is somethin’ that has always been a problem for everyone else, but me….the way i speak. an accent they say i have. angmoh wannabe they said. i do not understand why i should be shunned upon just coz’ i didn’t speak like they do and that i grew up with people from all over the world that their different accents rubbed off on me. i didn’t purposely decided to pick up an accent. i can’t turn on or off the accent as and when i feel like it. it just comes. but this has also been the talk of the different schools i attended. it was only in university that i felt accepted. that i was complimented for the way i speak coz’ to the westerners, us singaporeans CANNOT speak good english.

not only that…i was picked on coz i wasn’t like them. i didn’t like the same music or speak their lingo. i was labelled as the weirdo. i was called all sorts of names. i remember one time, i was even called a mamasan. i dunno how that came about and when i went to a teacher about it, i was just brushed aside. and people wonder why i hated school in singapore and totally enjoyed my time in aussie.

2. a lot of the times, i feel like i’m a disappointment to her. nothin’ i do seems to be right. the choices i have made always seem wrong in her eyes. at least that’s what i get from her. i may be sensitive and paranoid coz this is me we’re talkin’ bout but i am very certain my insecurities are not 100% uncalled for. my biggest accomplishment seems like nothin’ coz i’m constantly reminded of others who have triumphed in their respective fields. what she don’t realise is that i was there all on my own tryin’ to find myself. i was there when resources were scarce. i was there strugglin’ to stay alive. i was there when i needed people the most. with recent developments in the career department, i can’t but feel that she is even more disappointed. that i am not like the rest. that my past, present and future have been dodgy, shady and shaky.

3. i don’t wanna care bout this group of peeps. i have enough nonsense on my plate as it is. but coz’ this group of peeps are very dear to him, that i, in turn, become bothered. what is up with them? what is goin’ on in their heads? there are plenty i have to say bout them but don’t think i should now. i am angry. and anger don’t bring about nice words. but this i will say, “you will regret your actions, one day. at least i hope you will. coz’ when you do, you will realise what is right and what is wrong.”

4. i wanna go paintballin’! i hate it that the boy has gotten me interested so much that i feel jealous that he’s goin’ for trainin’ this sunday and i’m stuck here coz i have not renewed my passport. boo!need to renew passport. need to get nice picture taken. need to edit that photo somehow. need to do lots of things first before can renew passport. ok, not a lot of things but sorta. xtreme estrogen may take part in a tourney in december, in jb. that will be interestin’. to see how we fare as a team. God willin’, we’ll have enough girls to play that the boy can take a seat and just coach us. it’s not that we don’t want him but really, it defeats the purpose of an all girls’ team, yeah? but he will always be a part of the xtreme estrogen. honourary member. hehe i hope i can be a good paintballer. i wanna be good. i haven’t been good at somethin’ for a long time now. i wanna be a respected paintballer. not some wanna-be. and i wanna make my baby proud of me coz’ he’s the one who got me started.

5. i miss my perth family. i miss ali shariff, ken kyumbu, maria zenetti-milo, vishali mohan, dheeraj daswani, dennis langat, tony kirui and most importantly…i miss the perth-me. i miss bowling on whoever’s birthday. i miss the chix kebab from the tav and the chips from alto’s. i miss sittin’ by the foreshore eatin’ ice cream in the night of winter. i miss walkin’ into curtin grounds. i miss bakin’ to kill time. i miss runnin’ at nights and the many random dinners. i miss margeuax, mustang and champions bar. i miss bein’ a student and i even miss woolies and coles. i miss the impromtu roadtrips and the crazy ideas we come up with as we sit around, bored. i miss aussie.

6. the boy is snorin’. poor baby must be super exhausted. it is rainin’ outside and i wish he didn’t have to go to work in a couple of hours. i wanna snuggle in bed with him. but i’m thankful that he’s stuck around. i’m thankful that what i thought was a casual catch up/get-to-know session was actually a date. coz now, i belong to him and he has saved my life. i love you baby…so much. more than you can ever imagine.

With the upcoming 2010 season coming, the Tippinators have decided for the very first time, to open our doors to the community to find new players for the formation of the Tippinators sister team The “HFX Cyclones” xball team.

This is an exciting opportunity for any new players who want to try their hand at xball while being involved with the best known and most professionally run paintball team in Eastern Canada. Only professional teams are as organized as, and have as many sponsors as the Tippinators. NOW is your chance to be part of this ‘one of a kind’ organization.

Previous speedball experience is not required. All players will receive extensive dry land and speedball training / coaching conducted by P90X grad / team captain Bruce Johnston and CXBL & AXBL All Star Dan Lapham and the rest of the Tippinators AXBL squad.

If you are selected and you complete all the training, come to all practices, by the end of the season, you will become a better paintballer then you every thought you could be. You will be stronger, faster and all around better player.

The Cyclones will hit the ground running, providing all new members access to the full package of benefits from the Tippinators supporting companies.

We are the Canadian Factory Team for Tippmann Sports, and under our team banner we represent many major companies within the industry, including PBL Action Sports, TechT Paintball, Draxxus, VForce, ProCaps, Hammerhead, APE Electronics, CP, NXe, Flurry Industries and more.

Our home field, is of course Mersey Road Paintball – home of Atlantic Canada’s only turfed XBall field and the largest woodsball field east of Montreal.

We are looking for those who are interested in competing alongside experienced AXBL and CXBL players in a format that is on the forefront of the paintball world, as well as in some of the biggest scenario events in Canada and the US.

Recruited players would be expected to practice, fund-raise and adhere to our team’s policies and regulations.

Interested? Check out our website and send us an email, we will be in touch.

It’s amazing!

For some reason I can’t embed it into the blog, so you’ll have to just follow the link. A bunch of dudes with paintball guns made a giant painting of Marilyn Monroe on a huge canvas in a matter of seconds. Very cool!

You might be surprised to know that I absolutely love paintball shooting and snow diving. I looked at the paintball fields, you can eliminate my best friends. Last week, I let friends talk me into going to shoot balls of paint with them.
The important point is that paintball guns and markers should be very good. But where can you find paintball guns and markers as??? tippmann provides packages of quality paintball gun. There are several types of paintball gun packages and accessories are available on this site. Markers, the marker packet, markers and pieces of updates, skins, chargers and accessories, tanks and accessories, barrels, play clothes, protective clothing, much of the equipment, apparel and casual records are available in one place. tippmann 98 custom parts is the best part of this stuff and it really works and its very much to fun and stress relieving .

Monika Wołos

Miłośniczka fantastyki i pasjonatka folkloru. Jej sposobem na nudę jest paintball.

TechT Optimus 360 ASA Gauge Adapter

Ah, the monthly money cycle continues. Two weeks before pay day and I’m down to £21 plus a few coins in me wallet. But I do have a good reason; my mate Quick’s stag do at the weekend, in Cardiff. I went to Bristol on Friday to stay round my sister’s tiny flat. Getting there was a bit of a headache, the underground was grinding to a halt cus of signal failure, the buses were slow as ever, got to Paddington only to find that my Annual Railcard 30% off thing doesn’t cover Bristol/Cardiff and so I would have to pay £60 for the journey. Fuck that. I thought about going down to Guildford and seeing if I could cadge a lift off of John Twin on Saturday and miss out on seeing me sis. Then I remembered the couch station at Victoria so I leapt back on the Circle line (which was very late and slow) and cursed myself for not thinking about it sooner cus I could have bought a mega-bus ticket for next to nowt online. Ah well, £16.50 on the more comfy National Express is ok – and they have lavees onboard. Got there at 4 and bought a ticket for the 5.30 couch so I bought a standard and a few pints in the pub opposite the station.

The 5.30 couch came and the 5.30 couch left with me not on it. They said that there were two 5.30 couches – ours was a few minutes later. 50 minutes later it turned up after the 6.00 one had already left (we weren’t allowed to board that one for boring, target-related issues. So I didn’t get to Bristol till after 9.00 pm. Bah.

My sister’s place is pretty small, especially seeing as it’s both her and her boyfriend’s place. It’s a flat built above a single car sized garage but I think that it eats into the actual house by another 4 or 5 feet. It also seems smaller because of the large amount of Nintendo related crap that they fill it with. I counted over 12 models of Link from Zelda… still it’s a nice modern flat and cheap too, for Bristol.

I left the next day, after tea, bacon sarnies and a wash, to discover that I would be late if I caught the next train to Cardiff because of a black hole in the timetable that meant that trains run every half hour except between 9.50 and 10.50 on a Saturday morning for some reason. I called up John & Paul Twin and caught them while they were on the M4 and they thankfully made a detour to come pick me up from Temple Meads – thanks J&P! We got to Paintball (near Cowbridge) just before the rest of em.

Paintball is awesome sweet. I’ve never been before and I really enjoyed it even though I was out after 20 seconds in two of the games. I used to be a pacifist but I’ve totally seen how much fun it is being in the army. OK, so if this was real life we would all have been dead after 5 minutes of combat but no-one mentions that – it’s like the computer games were you never really die – great adverts for signing up and giving your life for Queen & Country. Yes please. Anyway, Quick got covered in bruises, as is the custom for the stag and looks like he may give birth to a clan of Gremlins any minute now such is the frequency of the round bumps all over his back.

I forgot to bring smart shoes with me so I quickly picked some up from NEXT in Cardiff before tidying meself up at the Hotel before a curry at Spice Quarter – very expensive but very nice. Quick was dressed in a pink shirt and WPC pink hat cus he’s becoming a CPO soon – his brothers and made various references questioning his sexuality across the back of the shirt… After that it was on to the pub then a strip club and then to Creation, a kind of cool club that wasn’t too big, had a good selection of rooms, gave us free drinks vouchers, and was packed with beautiful Cardiff girls. Not bad. I’ve not been to a club for bloody years (except indie nights out in Camden) probly since I was 21 and went to the Opera House in Bournemouth – but it was great fun, possibly because of the large amount of booze consumed. Quick was putting them away and we had to keep an eye on him as he has a penchant for throwing drinks over people; friends or strangers alike. Best tune of the night was an awesome-o D’nB remix of Voodoo People that had me and Fox dancing land jumping like eejits.

Back to the hotel and then drinking till 5.30 am at the bar. Bed for 4 hours and awake to discover that I’d avoided any kind of hangover! Can’t say the same for the rest… Managed a couple of lunchtime pints with Delyth, who hadn’t seen in 4/5 years – had to remember her mobile number of the top of my head and hit it on the nail first go – really good to see her again and we chatted about approaching 30 (argh!) boring jobs (check) and leaving the country as soon as funds allow (i.e. never).

Fox drove back to London – good work because he got 5 hours kip and before was up for 48 hours straight while coming back from holiday – cheers matey! Back home, hot bath, and sleep sleep sleep. And then check the old bank balance to discover I am brassic again. Ho hum.

Oh – and I now have a mobile phone. Finally. Hooray!

so i had left the old place. and i am lucky…i just got affered a position at another place. as much as i should feel excited and go YAY!..i’m not. i dunno what it is that is holdin’ me back. but there is somethin’. but i need a job. and i need to get paid. so yeah…i guess i should give it a go.

we were in kl over the weekend for the grand finale of my-npl 2009. karma did well. they got a podium finish. though they got fourth, the team did fantastically well as abg halim was there to manage them and give them stratigic tips and advice.

i was the only crew member there. well there was supposed to be one more crew member but well…yeah. not tryin’ to be snobbish or anythin’ but seriously….some people just don’t think of consequences. they only think of…what’s cool and what’ll be fun. blah!

my-npl 2010 will also be the platform for xtreme estrogen. we decided it would just be easier for the boy and most importantly for abg halim, should we want him to be around. and i reckon we should pay for him to be there. there’ll be a lot of difference…i know there will be. but first, i wanna have the team do more specific paintball trainin’ sessios…

i wanna shoot at peeps. i need to get some aggression out. i’m so stressed out..its not funny.

righto…gotta go shower.

Oh great, another person who thinks what they have to say is so worthwhile and so important that everyone should be falling over every word. Well, not so much. Not to say I don’t talk and write a great deal, or at least will try to here, but I’m more than well aware that anything I put to print you may completely discard or disagree with. But I think that’s perfectly normal and, in many cases, desirable because it might show you’re thinking and analyzing my words and not simply mindlessly following along.

And if you’re one of those people, you will have noticed I’ve taken a fair amount of space to really say nothing at all. So let me amend that by giving you a brief introduction of myself and what this space is even for. I’m Eric “Jaron” Vander Linden and I have three passions in life. The first involves anything with a good story. Books, movies, even good video games, I love a well thought out and well presented story. Second, I love to create things. anything. Sometimes it ties into creating my own stories. More often it comes from amateur programming and semi-professional digital imaging, such as graphic design/art, illustration,or photography. While both of these things are doubtless important to those involved in them in a professional capacity, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have much to add that you couldn’t from better organized and more prestigious sources. So that leaves my last passion in life.

I love outdoor activities, particularly the sport of paintball, and that will be the primary focus of this space. I love paintball for many reasons I can’t put well into words. I love the adrenaline rush from a game that punishes you for making the wrong mistake ( hey, it hurts to get shot! ) I love the trust that comes from working as a team to work a field. It’s just . . . fun! You can read my paintball bio if you want, but I’m not typing it here because I’m lazy.

But it’s late, and the muse seems to be leaving me. I’ve got a few things in the works that will hopefully be up shortly.  But, if I haven’t scared you off by now, I’ll also open it up to the readers. I love getting questions from others and I’d like to know what questions you’d have for me. What do you want to see me write about? What do you want to hear from me? I know my pages look like crap right now because I’m still working on them, but I promise I will get them properly decorated and organized in the coming days.

Eric “Jaron” Vander Linden

AIRSOFT GUN P 618-1 PISTOL PAINTBALL AIR SOFT Review

Feature

• SHOOTS 6MM PAINTBALL OR PLASTIC PELLETS / BBS
• SPRING LOADED COCK AND SHOOT
• HAVE A 9 ROUND CLIP THAT LOADS IN BUTT OF GUN
• START UP PLASTIC PELLETS / BB’S

Overview
2- P.618 Airsoft Handguns With Plastic Padded Carry Case. These Guns Are A 1/1 Replica Of the Real Gun. Each Gun Comes With Its Own 9 Round Clip. You Will Receive 1 Silver & 1 Black Model, Each Has Mandatory Orange Tip To Comply With State & Federal Regulations. These Guns Are Powerful For Their Size, Rated At 140 FPS. Other Seller Misrepresent This Gun At 200+ FPS. We Believe In Honest Descriptions So You Know Exactly What You Are Receiving. This Gun Shoots 6mm Bbs. Each Gun Weighs Almost 6oz And Has A Nice Feel In The Hand

Nov 07, 2009 10:03:03

Con un grupo de amigos en mi trabajo conocimos el paintball oyendo comentarios por aquí y por allá, y tuvimos ganas de probar qué tal era (también consideramos karting entre otras cosas).

Uno de mis colegas se hizo cargo de la organización y logramos  ir a jugar a un lugar a las afueras de Santiago.

Fue una experiencia realmente entretenida, de camaradería, diversión, que valió la pena completamente.

Pero de lo que quiero hablar es del aspecto “Seguridad“.   El operador que nos brindó el servicio tenía bastante experiencia como para lograr transmitir lo importante de las medidas de seguridad que había que tomar para poder jugar sin riesgos.      No nos libramos de algunos moretones (algunos más que otros), producidos porque avanzada la sesión de juego quisimos probar qué se sentía dispararnos de más cerca que la distancia de seguridad.    En realidad duele, el golpe de las paintball (esferas de gelatina rellenas de pintura) a corta distancia impactaba con bastante fuerza en el cuerpo, y obviamente dejaba moretones.   Pero después de unos 3 a 5 días desaparecen y a pesar de ello uno tiene todas las ganas de volver a jugar.

Ahora, referente a esto, me entero que una mujer puso una denuncia en el Sernac y ha plantado post en varios blogs chilenos a propósito de que dejó a su hijo junto a un grupo de amigos en el Parque Mahuida para que jugaran Paintball (celebrando el cumpleaños del niño).

Los pequeños no pasaban de los 14 años (el festejado cumplía 12).

Según lo que cuenta la mamá en este post del sitio chileno atinachile (de orden político) dejó a los niños solos con el operador (un par de personas supervisoras más una secretaria) toda la hora que duraba la sesión (lo cual en mi opinión fue un error, sobre todo tratándose de una primera vez en el juego).

Los reclamos de la mamá son justamente que los niños quedaron con moretones (en particular el hijo de la señora protagonista de la historia), y también que los pequeños reclamaban que los supervisores les dispararon a corta distancia a la cabeza (normalmente el casco protege efectivamente la cara y orejas, pero deja desprotegida la parte superior y trasera de la cabeza).

Lo malo del asunto, es que el post ha dejado una huella bien sucia para la reputación de este deporte (de echo una prima me hizo el comentario luego de invitarla a jugar este mes de noviembre).

Exactamente lo que sucedió aquí fue 50% responsabilidad del operador, por el mal servicio prestado, y 50% responsabilidad de la madre por no informarse respecto a las características de este deporte (a pesar de los moretones, que no ocurren siempre, hay muchos niños, en su mayoría de más de 10 años, que juegan paintball).

Es muy importante utilizar todas las herramientas que como padre tenemos (google, redes sociales, contactos) para informarnos acerca de las condiciones de este deporte y en general de cualquier actividad en la que queramos involucrar a nuestros hijos.

The View from the Turret:
Is 40 Old? Not if You’re a Paintball Player
By: Dawn Allcot

Full Article Posted to Shooting Hot Magazine November 2009 Issue
Excerpt below

Working Out in Your 40’s .. and Beyond
Bruce Johnston, captain of the Nova Scotia, Canada based Tippinators, is another so-called older player who works hard to play up front. “During dry land training I’m usually leading the team,” he says. “As the leader, I have to be in front.”

He draws inspiration and motivation from the younger players. “The guys are constantly pushing me to be better. They are always encouraging me to dig deeper.”

Playing competitive Xball in Canada’s AXBL, Johnston discovered, required a whole new level of physical fitness. He started the exercise program P90X and has had great success with it.

“After only the first two weeks of P90X the guys noticed a huge difference in my strength and cardio conditioning,” he tells Shooting Hot Magazine. “Thanks to my off-field conditioning my bumps to the secondary are faster, time in the lane is reduced, and I can play point after point without effort.”

That’s not to say it’s easy. “The biggest difference now that I am older is the amount of effort it takes to get results when working out,” Johnston says. “Part of the issue is the time it takes for my body to recover from the pulls and strains of working out. As you get older the body slows down so I need to work twice as hard to get the same results.”

Finally! The new Hello Kitty Online Adventure 2 has just been released!

For King and Country!!