Jamais Jochim
Bio
I'm the guy who knows every last fact about Spider-man and if I don't I'll track it down. I love bad movies, enjoy table-top gaming, and probably would drive you crazy if you weren't ready for it.
Stories (269)
Filter by community
Safe Jogging Basics
Jogging is a great way to build up endurance and enhance strength training. Throw some good music, and you have a good half hour of exercise. However, there are numerous dangers to be worried about, from robbers to rapists, waiting behind every blind corner and tree. Just like any other environment, you need to figure out the potential issues with that environment and prepare for as many contingencies as possible; luckily, this is easy to do and implement.
By Jamais Jochim5 months ago in Lifehack
Good Weapons Worth Considering
Part of defending yourself sometimes requires a weapon. Fortunately, there are a number of decent weapons that should be considered for your personal self-defense. For our purposes, we’re looking at the ones that are small, light, and can be carried with little to no problem. In some cases, they are even recommended by local authorities. The key is to figure out which one works best for you and carry it with you at all times.
By Jamais Jochim5 months ago in Lifehack
Forcing Other to Deal With Their Horrible Directives
Managers are not perfect. However, some are, putting it less than diplomatically, idiots. These are managers who are more interested in their careers than actually managing; they come in with the need to make major changes to prove their value to the company. Some just want to prove that they are the alphas and that their word is law. Others are more worried about covering their butts than actually managing. These are all great examples of bad management.
By Jamais Jochim5 months ago in Lifehack
Unbound Spellbooks
Anyone can have a leather-bound book to carry around their spells. There’s a reason it’s the default, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t explore other options; there are a lot of different cultural reasons to explore different concepts of spellbooks. Other rulebooks have even suggested different concepts, such as card-like ofuda or even pearls; one module even has a sorcerer who uses an army of slaves as his spellbook. Once you start playing around with the idea, there are plenty of different “spellbooks” you can employ for storing your spells.
By Jamais Jochim5 months ago in Gamers
Using The Environment to Your Advantage
Defending yourself can be helped or hindered by your environment. The environment defines the encounter on numerous levels, ranging from where you can hide, what tactical options you have, and what offensive options present themselves. Your goal should be to be aware of these options whenever you enter a new environment so that you can take better advantage of those options should danger present itself.
By Jamais Jochim5 months ago in Lifehack
Making Money at Conventions
The biggest problem authors have when it comes to making money at conventions is the lack of preparation. There’s a lot of preparation that goes into a successful convention foray, and most authors have no idea how much preparation it takes; most figure they just need the books, some way to deal with credit cards, and then show up and sell books. Yeah, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Authors need to realize that a lot of planning goes into a successful convention table, and this article should help with that planning process. Just be prepared for a lot of research and paperwork, but that’s just part of the business.
By Jamais Jochim6 months ago in Writers
Using The Environment to Your Advantage
Defending yourself can be helped or hindered by your environment. The environment defines the encounter on numerous levels, ranging from where you can hide, what tactical options you have, and what offensive options present themselves. Your goal should be to be aware of these options whenever you enter a new environment so that you can take better advantage of those options should danger present itself.
By Jamais Jochim6 months ago in Lifehack
Unbound Spellbooks
Anyone can have a leather-bound book to carry around their spells. There’s a reason it’s the default, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t explore other options; there are a lot of different cultural reasons to explore different concepts of spellbooks. Other rulebooks have even suggested different concepts, such as card-like ofuda or even pearls; one module even has a sorcerer who uses an army of slaves as his spellbook. Once you start playing around with the idea, there are plenty of different “spellbooks” you can employ for storing your spells.
By Jamais Jochim6 months ago in Gamers
The Avavatar Crew Is a Lousy Five-Man Band
A lot of those who offer writing advice like to use Avatar: The Last Airbender crew as an example of the Five-Man Band. The Five-Man Band is the center of most teams, with its leader, the lance (the rebellious hothead with issues), the girl (who is usually the source of conflict but is the heart of the group), the brain (the guy with all of the technical knowledge), and the tank (the combat specialist with the biggest weapon). However, it's entirely possible that they have picked the wrong group, figuring that its iconic status and five leads should be the best example of a standard team set-up.
By Jamais Jochim12 months ago in Writers
Prepping For Different Environments
Different preppers take different approaches to prepping. One of the more interesting variables is the environment in which preppers find themselves; these environments can help define the limitations and advantages that an individual prepper has to deal with. In some cases, the very environment may present specific challenges that need to be overcome for successful prepping, but it may also come with some inherent advantages. By recognizing those pluses and minuses, a prepper can make their job easier.
By Jamais Jochim12 months ago in Lifehack
Do You Show, Tell, or Both?
One of the biggest problems writers have is the show vs. tell problem. The problem is that it's too easy to just tell the story, especially as we're used to thinking that we're, well, telling a story. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it does mean that there are a lot of places to slog through; this practice encourages plenty of exposition and exploring characters' thoughts and emotions, as well as adding commentary. While some of this is needed, the problem is the delivery system.
By Jamais Jochim12 months ago in Writers
The Difference Between Critics and Fans
I absolutely love "Battle Beyond The Stars" (1980). However, as a reviewer there are quite a few problems with the movie. Due to that dichotomy, I thought it would be interesting to look at the movie, from the viewpoints of both a fan and a critic to show how different those viewpoints can be when it comes to reviewing movies, showing that reviewers are fans but with a different perspective.
By Jamais Jochim12 months ago in Writers
