Charisma 2 Magazine Winter 2015 by Yvonna Lynn

YOGA FOR NOOBS YVONNA’S UNIQUE LOOK INTO YOGA FOR FIRST-TIMERS

TIS THE SEASON FOR GAMES

20.00 USD 18.00 EUR

GHOST IN THE SHELL: FIRST ASSAULT PRIMAL CARNAGE: EXTINCTION STARWARS BATTLEFRONT BLADE & SOUL TRIAD WARS FALLOUT 4 AMIIBO

WINTER

PERFECT TIME FOR FOOD, GAMES, AND FAMILY

Editor-in-Chief Yvonna Lynn Publication Design Shane Pool Cover Photography Burnt Umber Photography Cover Model Erika © charisma Plus 2, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the editor-in-chief, except in the case of brief quotations and other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the editor at mag@CharismaPlus2.com with the subject “Permission Request”.

Charisma +2 Magazine

Food

11 14

Unicorn Poop Cookies Sera Open Fire Cooking Adelle

Games

Health

16 24 46

Take This Star Trek Yoga For Noobs Yvonna Lynn Yvonnaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nirvana Yvonna Lynn

8 12 18 34 44 51 52

Starwars Battlefront Beta Lily Lu Primal Carnage: Extinction Adam Creighton Amiibo Ashi Ketchum Blade & Soul Jackie Triad Wars Lisa Richards Fallout 4 Aubrey Young Ghost In The Shell: First Assault Ash Ririe

22 36 54

Advice No One is Perfect, We Are All Beautiful Heather Pike 10 Things I Learned From Working With Worbla Yvonna Lynn Con Masters

Calendars

Recognition

20 58 59

KittenTheHut Talks Streams KittenTheHut WGLNA Kingston Player Gathering The Changeling

56 57

November December

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

I love discovering things that initially seem negative and finding an aspect incredibly positive about it. Take, for instance, the name of this fish: the Mangrove Killfish. Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sound like a course in optimism does it? Guess what! This little fish can live in the most extreme of pollutant conditions, can live out of water and hibernate for up to 66 days without going into an altered metabolic state, and can actually mate with itself to reproduce. It also turns out that they often donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care for each other and are aggressive to one another except in hibernation periods when they cram into anything from old logs to beer cans and snuggle tightly together. What a fascinating teacher nature is. Imagine what this little one could do in clean, healthy, water and living conditions! Winter itself is sometimes viewed negatively and resented but a change in perspective makes it an incredible time to have a point of your own conception. You can give yourself the acceptance, love, snuggling, self-talk, and celebration needed to birth a new you without the distractions associated with warm weather activities. Under the thick, overcast, pillowing, blanket in the sky, you may find that being alone with your own inner being can seem a bit daunting. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be frightened, feel relieved that you found

yourself because some people never do. From there, begin to take inventory of the activities in your body, mind, and soul that have become habits. Consciously throw out those things that no longer work for you and replace them with new behaviors that allow your dreams, realities, and in-themoment inner self to radiate warmth and love. Feed yourself like you are feeding a loved one who is starving because all too often, we have been malnourished and deprived of love for years, often with ourselves being the biggest neglector. Sometimes it is not easy to accept and love yourself. This inner house cleaning is a good start. If you still find it too difficult, winter is also the very best chance to find great charities. Focusing on others can surprisingly take your mind off your own woes allowing you the occasion to look inward without so much self-disappointment. This will make the hibernation of winter change you from a dismal, bleak coldness of self-doubt to a warm fireplace for sharing with others that could use some love too. Wishing you the most wonderful of holidays!

CONTRIBUTORS

ADELLE ASHI

ASHLEN AUBREY

ERIKA HEATHER

JACKIE LILY

NINJA MUFFIN

Game Review

By C+2 Lily Lu

Star Wars™ Battlefront™ Beta (PlayStation 4)

It’s an amazing year for Star Wars fans! Not only do we get the most anticipated movie of the decade, we also finally get a reimagining of Star Wars™ Battlefront™. Why a reimagining? For the traditional Battlefront enthusiast, *waves hand* this is not the game you are looking for. Instead, this is an immersive FPS or 3rd person shooter set in the beautiful landscapes of the Star Wars universe. I received the privilege to play the beta before anyone else and decided to play drop zone mode on PS4. Of course, being a Sith Lord somewhere in the universe, I had to play as Darth Vader. Stalking around as Vader gave me a thrill simply because you get to force choke rebels, throw your light saber, and basically walk around like a boss. Having my awesome 8

troopers as backup really made me feel like my favorite Dark Lord of the Sith as they were blasting the rebels while I stalk each and every one and have some up close and personal deaths. Admittedly, the gameplay isn’t anything new or even interesting, but the visuals on the game are stunning. Even as a beta, Star Wars™ Battlefront™ is the best looking game on PS4 I’ve gotten to game or watch. The visuals are top notch and really feels like you are experiencing Star Wars all over again. I’ve gotten the chance to play walker assault on Hoth and co-op on Tattooine and they both felt like you are plopped in one of the movies. Tattooine, especially, felt like you were exploring the caverns of the desert planet and it even starts with the two suns. Star Wars™ Battlefront™ feels like you are in the Star Wars Universe and isn’t that all that matters?

SHANE ANTHONY POOL

GRAPHIC DESIGN 路 PHOTOGRAPHY 路 ILLUSTRATION

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND PRINT DESIGN SERVICES CONTACT ME TODAY FOR A QUOTE SHANEANTHONYPOOL@GMAIL.COM 254-415-7069

O P O C P O N O R K O C IES! I N U

By C+2 Sera

To make these disgustingly delicious cookies you will first need to make some basic sugar cookie dough. In case you don’t already have a favorite go to recipe for sugar cookies you can use the simple one below. Make sure to have all your ingredients on hand as well as all the decorating supplies before starting.

Ingredients: · · · · · · · · ·

1/4 cup Shortening 1/2 cup Butter 1 cup Sugar 2 Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 1/2 cups Flour 1 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt Food Coloring (standard and/or neon)

Decorating Supplies: · · · ·

White Sparkle Cake Decorating Gel Star Sprinkles Sugar Pearl Sprinkles (optional) Cake Decorating Paint Brush

Directions: Step 1:

Mix the Shortening, Butter, Sugar, Eggs, and Extract together in a large bowl until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together the Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt. Add the dry mixture of ingredients to the large bowl and stir. Next, divide the dough into 6 equal parts and add your Food Coloring. I like to make them rainbow colors. Then, place each colored portion of dough into a separate sandwich baggie and refrigerate for one hour.

Step 2: Once the dough has chilled, take small bits of each color and roll them out separately into long strands. Then, twist the six strands together to make one large multi-colored roll. Next, break off a small portion of that and roll it gently just a bit more to thin it out. Now take that strand and spiral it into the shape that you prefer your unicorn poop to look like. Repeat, until all dough is used up. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size of your unicorn poop. The bottom of the cookies should be slightly darkened.

Step 3: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven either, carefully press the Sugar Pearls into the tops of the cookies while they are still soft and hot, or if you are skipping that step, place the cookies onto a cooling rack. Once the cookies have cooled take your White Sparkle Gel and your Paint Brush and brush the gel all over the tops of the cookies. Finally, while the gel is still fairly wet, place your Star Sprinkles on top of the cookies and coat the tops of them with the gel to help fix them in place. The cookies will remain pretty tacky for about a day after which they will be just slightly tacky. Enjoy your edible unicorn poop!

Game Review

Primal Carnage: Extinction Came to PS4 on Oct 20th and it is

SO MUCH FUN!

It was 10 months ago, when I met Circle 5’s studio director, Aaron Pollack. In fact, he personally picked me up from the airport in Vegas. We scurried off to Skillcon and within that short drive, I knew I had met someone quite special. He had such a fertile mind just bursting with innovative and exciting ideas. In all the hustle and bustle that is the essence of a con, I had not had the chance to play his game Primal Carnage, which was then only on PC. Last night, I finally had a chance to DL is on the PS4 and play. The animation and dinosaurs were surprisingly spectacular and the gameplay was just plain fun. In addition, they incorporated some nice balancing measures that will keep the game fresh for you. Since this magazine is going to the printer tomorrow, I am going to quote Panic Button’s Adam Creighton in his press release for Playstation. Posted by Adam Creighton on Oct 02, 2015 // Director of Development, Panic Button Heya, PlayStation folks. My name is Adam from Austin-based independent studio Panic Button. 12

In celebration of International Dinosaur Month (it’s really a thing), we’re bringing Circle 5 Studio’s dinoversus-people, first-person frag fest Primal Carnage: Extinction to PS4 on October 20th! In a nutshell, Primal Carnage: Extinction is a classbased biter/shooter in which you play as your favorite dinosaur or mercenary to bite/claw/douse-withpoisonous-spit members of the opposing team in a variety of gameplay types. The game is no-frills, jump-in-and-have-fun PS4 multiplayer mayhem with up to 16 players in playerhosted online and offline (single-screen LAN) modes. It makes great use of DualShock 4 and even has a custom control scheme for PS Vita Remote Play. 1. Team Deathmatch — (un)Traditional dinoversus-human team-based multiplayer in unique battle arenas. 2. Get to the Chopper — Control key parts of the map in this objective-based game mode, ultimately unlocking the escape helicopter and the Tyrant dinosaur that will try to stop it.

3. Survival — Play solo or co-op through wave after wave of AI dinos. 4. Free Roam — For those who want to strut their dino-might without the pressure of timers or kill counts. Playing as dinosaurs, spit, pounce, chomp, and tailswing your way to the top of the food chain. Not exactly your typical FPS. 1. Dilophosaurus — Ambush and blind your enemies from a distance or put your poisonous fangs to use, which will blind and slow the bipedal meat sacks. 2. Novaraptor — Fast and scary is your namesake. Mercilessly slash your enemies or pounce and maul them into the ground. Watch out for the counterattack, though! 3. Pteranodon — Reconnoiter from the sky and hone your swoop-down-and-carry-off skills or practice juggling your prey with a Pteranodon friend. 4. Carnotaurus — You’re a two-legged cross between a bull and a T-Rex that charges your victims to death and can also heal by taking a bite out of them. 5. Tyrannosaurus Rex — As the King of Lizards, be a high-health fearsome tank of an adversary. As far as the human team, use weapons unique among first-person shooters to tranq, net, snipe, shoot, flame, or rocket your way to homo sapien superiority.

1. The Scientist — Snipe from afar, or slow down opponents with your unique-to-class tranquilizers, but don’t let the beasts get in your personal space (You can say goodbye if they do). 2. The Commando— On the other end of the spectrum, humble those legendary beasts with your assault rifle or rocket launcher. Remember you may be strong, but you’re not quick. Good thing you can take a beating. 3. The Pathfinder — Get up close and personal with your powerful short-ranged shotgun and leverage your agility to reload without getting eaten. 4. The Trapper — Net smaller dinos and lock the jaws of the larger ones to make them more susceptible to damage — a great tactic to slow them down for your team mates. 5. The Pyro — Because fire. Whether you’re comfy in your human skin or dinoLARPing is more your thing (we don’t judge), we hope you enjoy this modified take on the class-based first-person shooter genre.

Thanks, Adam! In my short time with the game last night, I found myself drawn to being a dino, but also loved the netting capabilities of the trapper and going balls out bonkers with the commando. I look forward to playing all the dinos and humans!

By C+2 Adelle Cooking outside over an open fire might seem intimidating but with a little practice it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hard at all! It might take a little trial and error to figure out what works best but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid!

So lets talk about roasting meat! I am often cooking for many people at once so I prefer to roast large portions. To roast a whole chicken you will need to get a spit roaster. You can now buy them with electric motors but since us Vikings like to do things old school we will stick to the basics. Chickens can be a little tricky as the weight is not evenly distributed so do the best you can to get your chicken on the spit. As you can see in the pictures I eventually used some bamboo sticks to keep the chicken more balanced. Once you get the chicken on there and over the fire you want to keep those coals hot! Try to keep the flames to a medium size. I try to always have a log to the side burning so I can keep pushing more coals under the chicken as I go. You will want to turn the chicken a quarter turn every ten minutes or so. Every time you turn the chicken be sure to baste it! I prefer an herb butter but you can use whatever you want! Try to use something with a lower sugar content as sugar blackens quickly. Whole chicken seems to take about an hour per pound (its not a science). Fire cooking always seems to take a little longer then I expect it to so leave your self some extra time just in case! Another favorite around camp is roasted pork loin! The one in the picture was just over 20 pounds. This took about 5 hours to cook all the way through and came out so tasty! Keep those coals HOT and rotate every ten to 15 minutes. Although we basted this one in two kids of sauce the one we liked the most was teriyaki sauce! Cooking on the fire does take time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great way to spend an afternoon with friends! So gather some friends together, pit something on the spit, then sit back and relax! In no time you will be making a feast fit for Kings! Chicken roasting pictures by Erica Holcomb

OPEN FIRE COOKING

What is Take This? Well have you ever wanted a bit of a break from the craziness at a convention? Thousands and thousands of people at a ramped up energy over 9000 can be a bit overwhelming. No worries! Take This creates tranquil rooms at the major cons for you to escape the mad fun for a moment of peace! Perhaps you just want to talk to someone who gets you and the types of issues with which you may be dealing? Take 16

This has experts to listen and/or help. While you are planning for your favorite con this year, go to their site (TakeThis.org) to find out where they will be located because Take This will be there! You are not the only one to feel the way you do... even at a convention that is designed to be sensory overload and gobs of fun. Take This returned to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PAX Prime in Seattle, WA this last August 28th to August 31st at the Washington State Convention Center and provided

ABOUT TAKE THIS

a safe, soothing sanctuary for both convention attendees and employees. Take This also premiered its film, “It’s Dangerous to Go Alone” on Friday night. Take This is founded on the principle of educating and advocating about mental health issues. In addition to this year’s AFK (Away From Keyboard) Room you can find Take This members on various panels, an information and merchandise booth in the Diversity Hub Lounge. Co-Founder, Russ Pitts, stated, “Take This was started in response to a tragic loss. And the AFK Room was started as a simple idea for how we might prevent further tragedies, and help people regain their calm at busy conventions. This year we’re working with hundreds of volunteers to bring an AFK Room to every PAX event worldwide, plus QuakeCon and others. It’s catching on, and we couldn’t be prouder. With the help of PAX and other organizations we’re truly eradicating the stigma of mental health issues, and proving it’s dangerous to go alone.”

Take This is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity founded in 2013 by veteran journalists Russ Pitts and Susan Arendt and clinical psychologist Dr. Mark Kline, Psy.D. in response to the tragic suicide of a colleague. TakeThis, Inc. seeks to inform our community about mental health issues, to provide education about mental disorders and mental illness prevention, and to reduce the stigma of mental illness. We do not provide mental health services or professional consultations. For information on when to seek dedicated clinical help and how to find it, please visit “When to Seek Help”. If you or someone you know is in crisis and in need of immediate intervention, please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-2738255. Take This helps those who suffer by letting them know that they are not alone and providing information on treatment options and how to find help. Take This provides friends, family and coworkers of those suffering from emotional distress with options for intervention and education about mental wellness. Take This educates greater institutions about effective methods of helping employees who suffer from emotional issues in order to promote healthier and more productive work environments.

By C+2 Ashi “I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore”, I muttered only half-jokingly at GameStop’s checkout. Spotting Animal Crossing Amiibo cards trickling into my Twitter feed around 12:30am. It was enough to prompt racing out the door, knowing if I didn’t go now, I’ll likely be disappointed in the morning when ‘sold out’ signs begin popping up. Amiibos, are essentially Nintendo’s answer to Skylanders and Disney Infinity; individual NFC figures (and now, also cards) that offer DLC-type advantages in various 3DS and Wii U games. I spotted these little figures displayed at various events (and in Nintendo World) over the course of a year, and I was definitely looking forward to them myself… keyword: ‘myself’. I falsely presumed the NFC figures would be yet another Nintendo collectable that doesn’t catch on, adding to my unintentional (and expanding) Nintendo museum. The dusty binder of Animal Crossing e-reader cards from 2002 and similarly dusty shelf of Pokemon Rumble U NFC figures from 2013 were proof enough of Nintendo’s failed ventures into this territory before. Yet, it seems no one - not even Nintendo themselves - could have ever anticipated how successful these would be. These toys aren’t lacking in their merits, at least not for myself. I personally liked the concept behind the technology, but never managed to get into either of the two aforementioned ‘toys-to-life’ games. Similarly, I fall into the category who ordinarily shies away from DLC purchases, but I could rationalize these as “practical” with their dual-purposes. The price point is both low enough to justify purchasing, what is essentially a frivolous trinket, while also seeming entirely justifiable based on the quality and detailing 18

of the figures. Being relatively decent quality also means they look like collectibles or display pieces more so than your standard toys. Their quality can be coupled with the fact that they’re free standing, fairly durable, and relatively small (meaning they can essentially be displayed anywhere) . Though my main interest was based on the fact I could have figures of characters typically unrepresented elsewhere. Olimar? Villager? King Dedede? If you hadn’t guessed, I was sold long ago. Still, my rationale sounded strikingly similar to that of a drug addict at their intervention. Their functionality (at this point) is minimal enough that I typically don’t bother utilizing them for their DLC benefits. However, their in-game abilities mean I’d at least prefer them accessible (i.e., within arm’s length) of my games, just in case. Display-wise, means staggered between old consoles on relatively concealed low shelves, and that’s just the treatment for the favorite characters. The rest sleep soundly in cases allegedly made for Amiibos, though you’d never know based on their impractical design choices. And, of course, as a shopping enthusiast, I could easily rationalize why I ‘absolutely need’ anything. For most, these will inevitably end up in some storage bin next to Beanie Babies and Tamagotchis (or, you know, their modern day equivalents). Apart from being inexpensive, my own personal justification sheds little insight as to why the average consumer has such a heavy interest in these. The extensive effort involved to track down what little stock is to be had is entirely maddening, and yet, almost becoming routine. Routine enough, that even after all of that, I still have no idea why I’m actually doing this anymore.

KITTENTHEHUT TALKS STREAMS!

By C+2 KittenTheHut Out there in the vast and far reaches of the interwebs is an enormous fan base that wakes up and goes to sleep everyday with their favorite gamer guy or gamer girl! Twitch has given us gamers an immense and easy to use, ever-growing platform to connect with likeminded people under one common cause: Gaming! From major establishments like MLG, St. Judes, ExtraLife and more Streaming games has become much more than a past-time, it has become a lifestyle.

There are so many people out there that ask me every day “Kitten, what do you recommend to a first time streamer?” and every day I tell them the same thing: Go out there, be yourself and have fun! Nobody will ever be able to take that away from you, by just being yourself and having fun you’ll be surprised at the amount of positive, beautiful people you’ll meet just by playing your favorite games! Kitten’s top pick for this month goes out to one of the kindest warm hearted streamers I have ever had the 20

pleasure of speaking with: Bajheera! Bajheera is a Twitch veteran mainly known for his epic PVP skills in the dangerous world of Azeroth, maining a Warrior Bajheera has made Gladiator numerous times proving to the Esports community that he is the best of the best. But don’t get it twisted, Bajheera is as humble as he was before he became a World of Warcraft household name. The cool thing about Bajheera is that he doesn’t separate himself or elevates his ego with his growing fame and status which from a viewer standpoint is beyond refreshing and welcoming! Bajheera loves his fans just as much as he loves his gains, Winning 3rd place at his first ever Male Physique Competition, Bajheera has shown us that you can be a nerd and still care about the most important thing: your health. Sponsored by one of the biggest fitness companies in the nation, Cellucor, Bajheera teams up with their array of bulking, leaning and performance products to make sure he is fit as a fiddle.

“Games and Gains”

With his tagline Bajheera has inspired thousands of men and women gamers alike to balance gaming and fitness creating a whole new lifestyle with life changing results for the better! Paws up to you Bajheera keep doing what you love with a heart of gold and gains for days! We here at Charisma +2 love what you do and can’t wait to see what’s in store for you! You guys at home can catch Bajheera on his Twitch

Twitch.tv/ Bajheera or catch his epic Youtube videos here Youtube.com/BajheeraWoW Channel everyday 2-7PM PST here

Product Review

No One is Perfect, We Are All Beautiful! By C+2 Heather No one is perfect. Photo retouching, corsets and excellent makeup skills might make one appear perfect, but without these materials, we all have flaws. And that is more than okay! In fact, our flaws are one of the traits that make us the wonderfully unique beings that we are. That being said, one of the biggest flaws that I have had in my life has been treatment resistant acne. Acne is no stranger to teens going through puberty, but only some unlucky people continue to get stubborn acne as they continue into adulthood. I was one of these people. My acne was considered medically severe. Countless different over the counter products and techniques showed no progress. This included applying standard acne medications, egg masks, light therapy, toothpaste, special facial brushes, different acids, and even urine. Yes, I was that desperate. My skin was so irritated that a prescription medication actually burned my skin. As a new treatment to try, I started seeing an esthetician at my local Ulta store. While receiving weekly facials, she kept raving about a product line called Juice Beauty. I finally bought the starter kit for acne and have never looked back. Juice Beauty products calmed my skin while using chemical exfoliants instead of physical beads that can tear your skin, leaving you with more chance for infection. From my skin just being treated with care, my acne went away. Now, I only get a few small pimples here and there, and they go away easily. 22

For those of you who may have acne or who just want to use a product they can believe in, here is my simple routine. Twice a day, I cleanse my face with the Blemish Clearing Cleanser (this removes makeup like no oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business!) Twice a week, I use the Green Apple Blemish Clearing Peel then the Blemish Clearing Mask for excellent chemical exfoliation, leaving my skin extra soft. After washing my face or using these masks, I finish up with the Blemish Clearing Serum. One important product I should really use more of is their SPF 30 Oil-Free Moisturizer which slides perfectly under my make up! This combo has worked amazingly for me! Although the price to get started may be steep, they last for a very long time. What is also amazing about Juice Beauty is there commitment to quality and the planet. Most of their ingredients are organic and they source all of their ingredients from the Western United States; that means no palm oil is being used (palm oil is the main reason for the deaths of endangered tigers and orangutans as well as the destruction of rain forests they live in). They also are advanced enough to not test their ingredients and products on animals. From how your skin feels after using their products to how they conduct a caring business, there is no reason to not feel good about Juice Beauty!

STAR TREK YOGA FOR NOOBS In Yvonna’s Nirvana · YouTube.com/TheYvonnaLynn · This is part of F3G (Fitness For Fierce Gamers) series

00-1

RED SHIRT POSE Lay on your back, completely die to anything and everything that is causing your stress. Breathe out any points of tension and breathe in a new, light, life.

00-2

PICARD PALM

Working your way towards the top of you head, rest your palm on your forehead, bringing your other hand to rest on your chest. Again breathe out the negativity and breathe in a fresh new slate for the day. Look away from what seems like surrounding stupidity and refocus to see possibilities.

DOUBLE PICARD PALM/ GEORDI LA FORGE

00-3

The Double Picard Palm or Geordi La Forge enables you to block out everything else around you, fully relaxing your eyes back, and resting in an inner calmness.

FERENGI EAR RUB

00-4

With your forefingers, rub the face at the front base of the earlobes, then rub the base behind the ears, following with massaging the lobes between your thumbs and curled index finger and massaging around the ears themselves.

STAR TREK YOGA FOR NOOBS 00-5

VULCAN DEATH GRIP The Vulcan Death Grip is a favorite way to kill off longterm stressors that have made residence in your neck and shoulders. Because you are doing it on yourself, take your four fingers and rub them in circles across the rubber bands in the back of your neck and work your way down to massage the shoulders.

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CAPTAIN’S CHAIR TURBULENCE Captain’s Chair Turbulence is a fabulous way to give your lower back a massage all by yourself! Simply grab your feet like a happy baby and rock back and forth in a side-to-side motion.

CETI EEL POSE Having a foundation of peace, you are now ready to start equipping yourself to face the world as a strong being. The Ceti Eels were burrowing dessert animals capable of surviving extremes in its environment. The Ceti eel was the only known indigenous creature that survived the orbital shift of the Ceti Alpha V following

the explosion of Ceti Alpha VI. As far as this day goes? You got this!

TARG SEHLAT POSE Spockâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faithful friend I-chaya and the fabulous Klingon Targ pets are the namesakes for this series of poses in which you match your inhaling and exhaling as you move from pose to pose. Some of the benefits include improving your posture, strengthening and stretching your spine and neck, stretching the hips, abdomen, and back, increasing co-ordination, massaging and

00-7

00-8

stimulating the organs in the belly, and creating emotional balance, as well as relieving stress and calming the mind. 27

STAR TREK YOGA FOR NOOBS 00-9

COMMANDER DATA SITTING POSE At this point your body has started going gently from sleeping to being awake, you have had some gentle massaging and stretching and this pose gives you great body awareness. Have you ever seen such wonderful posture as Data?! Well sitting in this pose helps nourish the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resistance to back and hip injuries. Great posture is not only good for you, it is also downright attractive! You will need to be cautious to maintain the curvature of your back so as to not cause harm.

ORION SLAVE GIRL POSE

00-10

JUDGE Q POSE

00-11

The lovely Marta is showing how to do the modified Orion Slave Girl pose for those who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite yet get fully into the regular pose.

One of the best parts of Judge Q pose is that you can do it anywhere, even sitting in your chair at work, which could be great because it produces heightened productivity, makes you feel more energetic, increases circulation, lowers heart rate, improves digestion, and naturally encourages you to have a more positive state of mindâ&#x20AC;Ś and we

know how important Q values the mind!

STAR TREK YOGA FOR NOOBS 00-12

WORFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BAT-LETH POSE Few people know that this pose was something Worf considered an integral part of his training and fighting. He knew that this pose stretched the spine, hips, and neck all in one go plus it stimulates a digestive fire in the belly!

00-13

TRIBBLES POSE Tribbles Pose is a gentle stretch for your lower back, hips, thighs, knees, and ankles while relaxing your spine, shoulders, and neck. Also because this pose increases blood circulation to your head, it can also reduce headaches. Aside from massaging your internal organs, perhaps the biggest benefit to getting in this adorable pose is that it calms your mind and central nervous system without you even trying. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hear it for auto pilot stress and tension relief. You may find you want to just stay

in this pose for a bit longer at some times than others, if so? Go ahead. A few more minutes can do wonders. When you are ready to get to the approaching of the day, stand up and head into the final poses.

STARFLEET INSIGNIA POSE

00-14

KIRKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DOUBLE CHOP POSE

00-15

When you are ready, get up on all fours and then raise your hips, stretching your entire body including your hammies, arms, and feeling the stretch in your lower back to arrive at Starfleet Insignia Pose. Like having made it through the Academy and earning your badge, you will find yourself with a sense of accomplishment, calm, and readiness to start your day.

You know that Captain Kirk was completely on top of his game with his Chop, but the Double Chop was the killer! Well JT made sure he started every day with this bending pose to stretch out and lengthen his entire spine, invigorate his nervous system, and increase blood flow to the brain. It is your turn now to get in his secret!

STAR TREK YOGA FOR NOOBS 00-16

TROI/ CRUSHER POSE Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get those sides stretching and who better than Deanna Troi and Dr. Crusher to help inspire us to be amazing today! The increased movement in your body and the disappearance of stiffness caused by being still all night should now leave you feeling prepared to embrace the day beautifully as you conclude this session with a completely composed balance of your body, mind, and soul. Your body is prepared, your mind is

00-17

SPOCK POSE Close your session with our favorite half Vulcan, half Human First Officer Spock Pose.

now free to be intuitive yet wise and logical, and your emotions are not at war inside you because you are filled with positivity and warmth.

Thank you for joining me for the Star Trek Yoga for Noobs. Please go to my youtube channel TheYvonnaLynn and do a search for this and other F3G videos on ideas of how to incorporate yourself into being fit without losing any of your geek street cred and possibly find fitness more understandable and fun than ever before. Live Long and Propser

Game Review

By C+2 Jackie Blade and Soul. A game that I have been waiting

for since the 2010 anticipated release followed by the long and overbearing delay. I have finally had my chance to play this amazing game that I have been waiting for what seems like forever. So, since Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the pleasure of playing the Alpha and Closed Beta stages let me take you into the world of Blade and Soul, and give you a glimpse of what you anticipate on its release in 2016. Starting with the most obvious of points is the character customization. One of the most important aspects of a great MMO in my opinion. If the customization is very small it leads the game in a direction where everyone pretty much looks the same and it makes the cut scenes seem less appealing. The customization is extensive, being a game from NC Soft, you can imagine the system to be similar to that of Aion, very detailed and the options are endless. A fun little highlight to the randomization tabs, if you play around with the facial feature randomization it gets a little crazy; actually; hilariously crazy. There are four different races, these being the Gon, Lyn, Jin and Yun, with the Yun race being comprised on ONLY female. Which is kind of awesome to finally see a game that has an all-female race for once. The classes are pretty spread out with 34

some races having specialized choices, the system is really smart with giving the player a video description of each class in the selection phase to make deciding what you want to play easier. The Blade Master, Force Master and Kung Fu Master can be used with almost every race, the classes that are more race dependent is the Destroyer, Summoner, Assassin and Blade Dancer. With the option of having seven different classes it is easy to say that this game will be easily one that will

not get boring for the players who like to explore other classes once they get their first choice to the level cap. The storyline is the same for every race that I have played, so it is safe to assume everyone will start with the same storyline and trail off based on their class choices, when you do start you will not see a bunch of new characters like most games in a starting zone, your area is specifically for you, so it saves you from having to see a cluttered mess of names and characters while you learn the controls of the game. My personal favorite has been the Destroyer class, however I have played the Summoner, and Force Master Classâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as well. With most games I have played, specifically Aion since we are in the realm of NC Soft, their storylines are really interesting and get the player engaged. I love the fact that they have made it so your character looks the same as you created in the cut scenes, unlike other games where you either never see your character or your character becomes generic, making the experiences a little less personal. With any games like this the personalization aspect is key in getting the gamer engaged and wanting to actually see the story play out instead of hitting the ESC key and skipping every cut scene. Gameplay is pretty unique with Blade and Soul. You can use what they call the Blade and Soul version where your mouse controls the camera and your abilities are keys surrounding your typical W,A,S,D movement, or you can customize the controls to your liking. They are also pretty smart in adding a gamepad option for those who play games with a gamepad like myself at times. I have tried all three methods for playing the game but find the original Blade and Soul option to be the best fit, however I really did enjoy using the gamepad for a little bit, but some of the functions of using the menus to access things like your inventory, quest log or special icons became very difficult to use and in the end I ended up using my mouse and keyboard to utilize those functions anyway. With gameplay options like this it leads to a more flexible environment for everyone, making each gamer a happy gamer. When it comes to graphics and the look of the game itself, I must say I am very impressed. The overall look of the game is just as appealing as everything else I just described. It is a beautiful landscape and my favorite part has to be even if you are on the same map, each section can have a different lighting and it changes as you move from section to section. You could be in a dark graveyard one minute, and then step over into a sunny field the next. I must say I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been this impressed in graphics in a long time. But being an Aion player I knew that NC Soft would knock that part out of the park. Being a person who had high expectations from the initial idea of a release back in 2010 I was

skeptical at the ability of NC Soft to produce a game that was going to be that which I imagined, something that was like Aion, but not an exact copy or replica. Well I must say this game is one to anticipate for the coming year of game releases. I have been thoroughly impressed with the work that NC Soft has done to carry out this game and make it a reality for those who have been waiting years on its release. This has to be one of my top games of the year so far and I am looking forward to the actual release of it. But until that day I will just have to enjoy my weekends of playing the Closed Beta and learn all the tips and tricks before the actual release. Who knows, I might actually find a new favorite class to play! Happy gaming everyone!

TOP 10 THINGS I LEARNED FROM WORKING WITH WORBLA *fo r th e fi

By C+2 Yvonna

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I had an incredibly ambitious cosplay in mind for my first Worbla experience. As usual, I likely should have experimented with something simpler, but desperately wanted to make a Call of Duty Exosuit since I would be commentating on a CoD:AW 36 tournament in the next month.

HAVE FUN! If this is your first time with Worbla or almost first cosplay, the most important thing to know is that everyone you see in a cosplay outfit that they made has been in your shoes. Most started by altering a pre-made outfit and going from there. Cosplayers are some of the most accepting and fun people you’ll meet so have fun and don’t be too hard on yourself! No one starts out a master of anything. So doing your first Worbla cosplay, you’ve invested a chunk of change, make sure you have fun doing what you are doing!

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)Enjoy finding reference materials online of making a cosplay that you personally love… Whether it is a well known beloved character or not. While it is true, you may not get be recognized by as many people if you choose something obscure, it is super satisfying to have the outfit you’ll enjoy. Point is: choose what you love.

You may not want to start out with a ridiculously complex part of the costume like I did. One vertebra of the exosuit skeleton was comprised of 7 components. Although it did work out, looking back, I would have preferred some of that time delegated to other things.

Make a pattern, even if you have too little time to make one. Sacrifice something else that is time consuming! I am really good at eyeballing things. Oddly, I usually get better results just looking at the leveling for a picture frame than I am actually getting out the measuring tape. This awesome gift does not apply to my cosplay skills. You can see in the photo the size of the original â&#x20AC;&#x153;right engineâ&#x20AC;? nestled inside the newer, larger one. Turns out I should have stuck with the original. It just seemed small but was actually much better. Even better still, I should have made a dang pattern!

Get yourself a comfortable work space! By that, I mean comfy for your tush too! I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about you, but I work on the floor most of the time when making cosplays. Hours on end on the floor simply hurt! I found this amazing gel/fluid filled seat cushion that was a huge back saver! I found mine at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. They range from $20-80 depending on what type works best for you and your budget. I believe you will be relieved. Your back will thank you!

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Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe the hype about Worbla smoothness. I saw a lot of videos and articles on various ways to smooth out your worbla. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say half of them were bogus and the other half were not doable in my time frame. I tried the gesso/sanding method layering more gesso after each sanding. I must have done something wrong because it was NOT smooth to me and the gesso (and other similar products) just peeled off. If I am going to spend that much time I want it like glass. I did not get that with that method, though I understand some people do. I did something unconventional, hard to believe I know, but I got a smoother surface faster by just putting a few pieces of card stock on top of my foam cut out of the armour piece and putting the worbla on that. That is what that reddish brown is on the left image. Then at least when the worbla was on top of that, the foundation was smooth and flat and I could directly sand the worbla lightly. The left of that image is the after and though I would have liked it even smoother, unless you are entering contests, no one will notice. *speaking of which, cosplay contestants put an extraordinary amount of time into their costumes and if you have that inclination, youtube has some great videos. This is definitely for the layman.

Hot Glue Gun/ Heat gun finger protectors! Mod Podge makes these handy finger caps. It may take some getting used to but putting one on your thumb, forefinger, and pinky can save you from a lot of pain. I said hot glue and heat gun, but please bewareâ&#x20AC;Ś some heat guns are extremely hot and these will not help. Be super cautious.

Unless you are a seamstress, you may not realize that you will need to make allowances for pieces to meet together smoothly. It may mean cutting a 45* angle on the edges of your EVA foam so they line up smoothly together when meeting their neighboring pieces. I draw a line at the same distance all along the edge so that when I do make the 45* angled cut with the cutting knife, It is super easy to just follow the line. Or it could mean making cuts so that when you pull a piece around the outside edge, there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be clumpy overlaps.

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Recycle old PC or console parts in your cosplay! I love to recycle old gaming items because it just feels snazzy and like I am getting a geekery bonus. In this case, I glued the power connectors together and then used that set with the wires already attached. It was rather nifty because they were also already a nice olive drab color!

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get too caught up on the perfection of it. Often the decorating with the thin foam will cover up some of your flaws, unless again you are competing in which case, you likely have an entire website or youtube channel dedicated to cosplay. This is for complete beginners. After a few years of judging cosplay contests, I can say that there is almost surely some form of heat involved in cosplay making.

My #1 suggestion is to have an Aloe Vera plant at your work stationâ&#x20AC;Ś even if you use finger caps. Too many times, you will want to use your bare fingers or some accident will happen and you will be so happy to slice off a piece of that Aloe. My foot touched my heating gun and Bam! I put Aloe on it asap and by the next morning- it was already starting to heal and by the following morning was perfectly back to normal.

Gaming News

By C+2 Ninja Muffin Triad Wars is an online open-world action adventure game offering Hong Kong-style cinematic combat. Developed and published by United Front Games and Square Enix, Triad Wars is a precursor of sorts to Sleeping Dogs, taking place before Wei Shen’s— Sleeping Dog’s protagonist—story begins. Unlike Sleeping Dogs, Triad Wars is light on storyline: the game opens with your mob uncle getting arrested, leaving you to rebuild your turf. This requires you to start bringing in money to help fund these efforts by creating rackets, such as money laundering, sweatshops, or collecting “protection money” from local businesses. These rackets are set up like Farmville: you set up the racket operation to get

money and then you harvest that money into your bank. The twist on this game mechanic is that your turf can be raided by enemy players from rival factions, so at any time after you reach a certain level, enemy players can swoop in and try to take any money or goods not secured in your bank. Of course, you are also able to raid other players’ turfs! When raiding, you must be quick to hit up the various rackets they have, and you have the option of killing the enemy player’s NPC ‘enforcer’ for extra bonuses. Why be quick, you may ask? There’s a timer that starts at the beginning of the raid which drives you to quickly take out each area; failure to leave or complete everything before the timer runs out results in the cops showing up to ruin your party.

To tip the odds in your favor during raids, there is the aptly-named Favor system. Favors are card-like boosts that can be obtained through completing missions, as bonuses from your turf, or by purchasing them in packs through the in-game store. Favors range from additional weapons, bonuses to damage, insurance for your rackets, and the all-important additional time on your Raid Timer.

you’re unlikely to notice it—and even then, adding and chatting with friends seemed to have some issues. Hopefully the update fixes the UI to create a better user experience.

triadwars.com

According to United Front Games, Triad Wars will eventually be bringing in co-op raids for you and a friend to go hit up some enemy turfs, which will be a great feature once it’s rolled out. For me, the lack activity with friends makes the game stale. Sure, hitting someone in the face with a meat cleaver is fun, but it could mean so much more if you could bond with a friend while doing it! At the time of this writing, Triad Wars is currently in Closed Beta, and they are currently working a massive new update which will include UI changes, additional levels, loot, exports and a lot more. I’m really looking forward to the new UI, I personally feel that the current UI is too clunky, and lacks a natural ‘flow’ for the user. United Front’s website layout suffers from the same cluttered design, but in-game the way you interact with menus can be confusing, even frustrating. As an example, something important to all social games, the Friends List, is tucked away in a corner of the UI where

YVONNA’S 46

Twitch.tv/Cplus2

Yvonna’s Nirvana is a compilation of various exercises discovered over the years of research on numerous exercise programs. This program works toning without building muscle mass. The small precision movements work very deep muscles that support the more superficial ones and have a focus on soothing back pain. As with all exercise programs, please consult your physician.*

Start out with a series of thorough stretches before beginning this program. I am unable to do an entire workout while gaming online like I did with Cardiablo because I do need to be able to hold the controller, so be smart! This is just part of what one can do while gaming.

2. The Professor Xavier

Stretching both your feet, legs straight out in front of you, go to just the point of exertion and make teeny tiny movements up and down. TINY movements, like 1/4 “. Work your way up to 100 count.

3. The Chun Li

Sitting with one knee bent the other stretched out. You’ll need to put your knee down, still bent, half Indian style sitting, on the floor once you get flexible enough that it gets in the way. Get to that point of stretch where you can feel it start to burn, then just make teeny movements up and down. Do this alternating legs at a count to 100 for each leg.

4. The Jean Claude Van Damme Now it is not likely that everyone reading this, myself included can currently do a full splits like this iconic hero, but he did have to start somewhere, like you will need to today. So after sitting on the floor and not over-stretching, lean forward and make again, those tiny movements up and down. Work up to 100

5. Cammy Thigh Squeeze An all time favorite character of all gamers would have to be the fabulous Cammy! Strong, sassy, and 100% incredible legs! No loose jiggly thighs there! Sadly, we likely don’t have a Charlie or a Cammy in our room to practice with, so grab a chair, stool, or whatever works and put your arches around the legs of the stool and squueze! Work your way up to a count of 100.

6. Assassins Creed Shackles Who could ever forget seeing Anne and Mary as they came before their hearing in shackles. Fear not, that was only to strengthen their triceps! Putting your arms outstretched to the sides, palms up, holding your controller in one hand, turn your palms over as much as you can 360*, then while keeping your shoulders relaxed pull your hands behind you grabbing your controller with both hands, and lifting it as high as you can making little bitty movements up and down. Work your way up t the count of 100.

7. Guile’s One Leg Up Street Fighter’s Guiles did not just put on a shirt stuffed with a foam 6 pack! No way, he built those with hard work, and anti-gravity hair. However, even if your hair is just normal, you can still keep one leg bent, knee in the air with the other leg pointed to the ceiling, lifting your head, neck, and shoulders into a crunched position until you begin to feel the burn, then again, make small, precise movements up and down at that exertion point just 1/4” lifts. Work your way up to 100. Alternate legs and repeat.

8. Deadpool’s Double Boot Our beloved smartass, Mexican food mariachi, hyper violent Deadpool doesn’t just astound us with his non sequitur jokes, he mesmerizes us with his mind and body abilities. Taking a tip from his double boot kick to Crossbones face, lift both legs up, lower them slightly until you get to the burn state if you already have some nice abs going for ya, then lift your head, neck, and shoulders in the hull position and tighten upward and back in tiny movements working your way up to 100.

9. Xiaoqiao’s bent leg You may think of Xiaoqiao as Dynasty Warrior’s lil girl with an infant’s voice, but man does she have some strong, tone thighs! Not too muscular, just perfectly smooth. As you can see her getting into the starting pose for the exercise, you will sit, bending one leg into the Indian Style sitting position, and facing the other leg in the same direction with the foot aiming towards your seat. Put the extended thigh to be even with your torso in alignment. Your foot will now be behind you. One leg sitting Indian style, One leg bent, thigh even with the hips and torso, with the foot behind you. You will need to lean over to help balance. You can use the back of a couch or a chair for balance if need be. If you have lower back pain, lean over even more. Then lift the knee of the leg off to the side up and swing the leg front and back 1/4” movements. Work your way up to 100.

10. River Tam’s Stright Leg Ever watched Firefly? Well of course you have! Every person I know has! Surely you have noticed Summer Glau’s phenomenal fight sequences! Before she can gracefully drop into a pos like this so effortlessly, she did similar exercises to the one you are about to do now! Simply, repeat the entire #9 except you will extend the bent leg out straight to the side, making sure that the leg is in alignment with the hips and torso- all one staright line. Go to the count of 100 on both legs, taking breaks when necessary. 49

Closing Stretch: LeeLoo’s Arrest

Laying down on your back with your arms up, elbows even with your armpits and fingers pointing upwards. Lift one knee towards your torso. Slowly tilt the lifted knee to the opposite side of the body, leaving the shoulders on the mat. If your knee doesn’t touch the floor yet, no worries. Just move the knee slowly towards the floor and back up 1/4” to the count of 100 and then switch sides.

* Please consult your physician before beginning this or any exercise program. This is especially important for persons over age 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Yvonna Lynn and any affiliates of Charisma+2 assume no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained by or through the use of this program The advice given on Cplus2magazine.com/CharismaPlus2.com, or Yvonnalynn.com is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Discontinue any exercise that causes you pain, severe discomfort, nausea, dizziness, or shortness of breath and consult a medical expert. Start slowly and at the level that is appropriate for you. Not all exercise plans are suitable for everyone.

Game Hype

By C+2 Aubrey I am beyond excited for Fallout 4 to come out! I have played 3 and New Vegas and have been devoted to the series ever since. With the launch of 4 coming out soon, I’ve been doing some research about what to expect and what to look forward to that’ll be different than the last games. This time around it’s set in Boston (the last two were set in DC and Las Vegas, respectively) and I’m excited to see the new creatures that’ll come out of that area. Super mutants and Death claws have already been confirmed as returning enemies but the unknown ones are what I’m looking forward to the most. They have also brought back Dogmeat, the furry pup companion that is the staple of every Fallout game, which makes me eager to know who else will be a companion in this one, also how many companions you can have at one time. The other big thing I’m looking forward to is the new traits and abilities that’ll be placed in the game. Bethesda has been doing a great job not announcing and new skills and abilities so it’ll be a nice surprise to find out what havoc I can do in the wasteland this time around. I’m also hoping for some great DLC for this game, since the last two games had pretty high quality additions to it. Whatever happens, I won’t be leaving my house when this game comes out and I am more than ok with that.

Game Review

By C+2 Ash Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Online, also know known as First Assault, recently finished it’s first phase of beta. The closed beta was only 4 days long, but rumor has it we will be in for a second phase pretty soon. You can sign up for the next closed beta test and the eventual open beta test on Nexon’s website. Nexon developed this game which takes after it’s extremely popular manga and anime series. The beta had just enough content to get you hooked and waiting for the next phase to come out. It includes all of your favorite characters like the infamous Major Motoko Kusanagi. Like most of the characters in the anime series, they all have their awesome cybernetic abilities in game for you to take advantage of. Including these abilities in game makes this FPS one that could be considered a cross between Call of Duty and Halo, but with super tactical features. To use each characters unique ability, all of which contribute to being an integral part of your team, you have to gain intel. To gain intel, you need to kill members of the other team, and once you gain enough intel you can share your ability with team members near by. This is awesome, because it means you can use more than one skill at once while taking down the cyber terrorists. The abilities you can play with range from thermoptic camo, enemy heat sensing, placing sentries, and more. All in all the ability portion of this game is great and is something you were able to get the full experience of in the beta. Now for the good part, the guns! The way upgrades work in game is pretty standard. The more you play with a gun, the more upgrades you get for it. That includes anything from better scopes, barrels, stands, and laser sights. When you go into a match you have 3 customizable weapon presets you can choose before and while you’re respawning in game. All you have to do is hit F1, F2, or F3 to switch it up. This also makes it way easier to test out what kind of guns you like best in game. Unfortunately only one melee was available in the beta. Now of course when you use some of the weapons mixed with special abilities, it makes them totally OP. For example, heat sensing and the sniper together makes for someone who can camp out and destroy the other team from afar easily. Lastly, I want to talk about game play modes. The ones that were available in the beta can basically 52

be compared very easily to Counter-Strike. There is your standard death-match, which is in almost every FPS. In death-match there are two playable maps, basically one that was really big and on that was very similar to COD’s Nuketown map. Depending on the map, the respawns can be random or predetermined. The second game mode is Demolition, which pretty identical to Counter-Strike’s. The only difference is your special abilities that can give your team a lot of extra strategic opportunities. They can be something like using your invisible thematic camo to defuse or place the bomb, or using heat seeking missile to find that last player standing from the enemy team on the map. At the end of the weekend beta, I can say I was pretty addicted to this game and left wanting more. I wanted more time to play, but I also wanted to experience a few more facets of the game such as skin changing, extra maps, and unlockable melee weapons. All of these things will hopefully be opened up and presented to us in one of the upcoming closed or open betas! Although this game was basically another FPS with an anime theme and sweet abilities giving you more tactical opportunities I was still hooked. I would definitely recommend signing up and giving it a try, and you can’t resist the free beta unlock. Everyone who plays in the beta gets a permanent unlockable weapon called First Assault, plus you get to keep you IGN forever. I hope the rest of the development of this First Assault is kicked out into full swing and turns out as even more amazing than it already is!

CON MASTERS In the last several years over 500 Charisma+2 models have attended thousands of conventions around the world. Here is some advice on what to do before, during, and after to help you get the most out of your convention experience!

BEFORE

DURING

extension cord especially if you are going to be rooming with a bunch of friends. I keep them in my bag even when it is packed away. There are never enough outlets in a room. If there are all girls, consider having a friend bring another.

before you fly. The target brand generic is my life. Drink a ton of water, and fistbumps are the safest greeting! Also, stretch regularly. God knows I’ve been to enough of these lol.

Yvonna Pack a power squid and

Sera Chapstick, cough drops if you

are working (my throat got so sore, lol), and I took lots of zinc, vitamin c, echinacea, and oil of oregano before, during, and after. Oh and Hand sanitizer by the gallon.

Leah Take a multi like emergen-c starting 3 days

Heather “I was taking homeopathic immune boosters every three hours and didn’t get sick!”

C.J. Bringing a lunch is key. No one wants to

spend their time and money in those lunch lines, especially if you’re working and only have a half hour lunch break.

Sidenote: In all the years of Charisma+2 the only time 54

we have had to let go of models from our agency was over alcohol related reasons. If you drink, do the old drink a glass of water between each drink trick. There is something about

Matt drink some Advocare SLAM during the day. Erika Chapstick Oh oh oh and advil or tylenol for soreness and headaches!

Mary Shower everyday, have a water bottle

with you to stay hydrated, take time during the day to wash your hands in the restroom (followed by a sanitizer), don’t drink alcohol, (especially if you’ll be on your feet for hours), and get no less than 6-8 hours of sleep.

AFTER

Kat If you are not working the

event, make sure you have Good food and water during (it is easy to be tempted otherwise - but you will be thankful later) and time set aside to rest after (no returning to work the next day). A small backpack can be your best friend; you’re going to accumulate items one way or another, and carrying thm around all day needs to be easy. Hand washing whenever possible is always smart too (duh)!

Jordan The day after I came

home from Pax I felt the onset of the Plague. Tripled my Vitamin D intake, and have been religiously taking Zinc + Vitamin C throughout the day. I’m feeling great! I BEAT IT!

conventions (voice of experience) that makes us throw all of our sanity and reasonability out the window but if you want to work another one or just enjoy the next day a lot more, hold off on the booze. You will be so happy you did!

WO W! WO W! WO W! 59