May Be a Good Month! + Kaffre talks Candy #39

Greetings journal readers! The reason for my happy-go-lucky introduction today is that, for the first time since last September, I am writing this journal on my very own computer! I managed to acquire a previously used Compaq Mini which seems to suffice for my needs - the batter's shot, the screen is a little small, and the internet might not be quite as good when I get it home, but at the very least I can type and download which is mostly all I really need at this point.

Beyond that, May has been pretty quiet for me. I went to my dentist appointment and will be discussing a treatment plan next month. My brother's birthday was on the 19th and we celebrated by going to Boston Pizza (a Canadian chain that, like 'New York Fries' and 'Swiss Chalet' has no connection to the location in its name). Today's Victoria Day (a holiday I only recently learned isn't celebrated in other Commonwealth countries) apart from fireworks, there really isn't anything special to do, but a day off is a day off! One minor setback is that, because, I was late talking to the vet, Parker won't be able to be spayed until next month, but this might not be so bad either as it means the surgery will happen around the time we were planning to apply flea medicine to all the animals anyway.

This month's topic of conversation is: Fists of Furry - Martial Arts in a Furry World.

My own interest in the martial arts is almost entirely related to their history and development rather than the physical aspects so hopefully nothing here is too technical. As I mentioned in the entry on Furry Warfare a few months back, I believe that furries having access to claws, fangs, hooves, and antlers would not have developed weapons to quite the same extent as humans did thus increasing the social importance of the martial arts.

In our world, martial arts can be split into three rather broad categories and overlapping categories:

Combat Sports are things like boxing, wrestling or muay thai where practitioners compete against each other in sterile 'fair' conditions under an agreed upon set of rules and using regulation protective equipment. Many animals engage in mock combat for social status, territory, or to attract mates which could easily develop into sports of this kind whether it be ungulates butting heads, degus slap-fighting, or even baby wolves tousling.

Traditional Martial Arts are things like jujitsu, kung fu, or kempo that emphasize self-improvement and self-defence. These styles I believe would develop out of predatory behaviour - there's no way to turn clawing eyes, biting throats, or snapping necks into a sport so such methods need to be abstracted to train them at all. I personally feel that most feline martial arts would fall into this category as would those of other ambush predators like foxes and mustelids.

Military Martials Arts are things like Tae Kwon Do, Krav Maga, or SAMBO where the main goal is to promote physical fitness and instill confidence while achieving a moderate level of proficiency with minimal practice. As in our world most of these would be relatively new as over time, they'd tend to develop into one of the other two styles. Also, since modern furry armed forces would include furs of all different sizes and species, I believe these styles would emphasize natural weaponry like horns or talons far less than the other two categories mentioned and so more closely resemble human martial arts than the other two categories.

What do you think? What sort of martial arts do you imagine your fursona's species practicing?

Well, that's it for this month. I may be going to a rock and precious stones show next weekend, however. If so, look for the details in next months journal! *thanks-for-reading hugs*

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Kaffre talks Candy #39:

Name: Coconut Patties
Manufacturer: Anastasia Confections
Size: 70 grams in two patties
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Coconut Patties consists of two square patties in which the four edges (and one of the faces), have been coated in dark chocolate.
Opinion: An American product I've never bought before. The coconut patties were soft and chewy, but not overly sweet. The dark chocolate seemed to be of decent quality as well. At the very least, it wasn't too bitter and complimented the coconut well. Overall, I liked this product and will probably purchase it again at some point.

Name: Kit Kat (Tiramasu)
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 170 gram bar
Where Purchased: Shoppers Drug Mart
Description: Kit Kat (Tiramasu) consists of 11 wafer cookies joined together with milk chocolate. The tops of the pieces alternate between white and brown giving the bar a striped appearance.
Opinion: Tiramasu is, apparently, a classic Italian dessert made from marscapone and expresso. Unsurprisingly then, this bar exhibited a very strong coffee smell and if eaten alone, the 'brown' pieces do have a fairly intense coffee flavour, but if eaten together with a 'white' piece as recommended on the package, the cream cheese mellows and compliments it rather considerably. Unfortunately, I can't really find the worlds to describe marscapone, but it too way rather pleasant. Overall, I liked this bar and would probably buy it again if I have someone to share with, but the large size does constitute a minor impediment in this regard.

Name: Pepsi Lime
Manufacturer: Pepsico
Size: 591mL bottle
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Pepsi Lime consists of a dark coloured carbonated beverage.
Opinion: A product I tried and enjoyed many years ago. The citrus flavour seems a bit stronger than I remember, but it wasn't overpowering and seemed like this would be a very refreshing choice of beverage on a hot summer day. Overall, I liked this product and would probably buy it again as I like it quite a bit better than the standard pepsi.

Name: Pringles Tikka Masala
Manufacturer: Pringles Manufacturing Company
Size: 156 gram tube
Where Purchased: Dollar Tree
Description: Pringles consist of special potato chips made from a potato-based flour and baked in a very specific and consistent shape that lends itself well to 'stacking'.
Opinion: I've not had pringles in a while, but a new flavour tempted me. I was a little confused by the name which apparently translates as something akin to 'cutlet spice blend', but decided to give them a try anyway. At first they tasted a bit like a standard 'barbecue' flavour, but the peppery-taste continued to grow until it was quite hot while an odd, almost floral taste appeared further distinguishing the two. Overall, I thought this was an interesting flavour, but am not sure whether I'd purchase it again for myself or not as it's not really my thing per se...

Name: XXX Mints (Peppermint)
Manufacturer: Big Bear Confectionery
Size: 41 gram tube
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: XXX Mints consist of white mint flavoured candies shaped like short cylinders.
Opinion: A British product I'd not tried before. As promised, these mints are very strong, but not unmanageable so long as they remain intact. Unfortunately, they become more fragile as they dissolve and upon breaking, they unleash a very intense peppermint flavour. Overall, I found these candies to have a very strong mint flavour, but not a good mint flavour being slightly bitter and actively painful if chewed. I might buy this product again if I want something really strong for whatever reason.