@Damian Knight man, I wish. I’ve had so many bachelor parties and wedding this summer that it’s gonna be hard to get away from the office. I’ll let you know if I get any luck on that front.

@ncimmarusti can't thank you enough for that, brother. Definetely something I'll be need to check out!

@Kelly Weber All great advice (especially the OnX tip), many thanks. I humbly accept that planning and prep is the biggest part of the journey, so I guess knowing how to plan and prep and knowing what to look for would be key. One issue I will inevitably run into is access to firearms. IL regulations are strict and I haven't been able to get my firearms permit for 4 years now. A friend of mine suggested starting off with bow hunting but this seemed like trying to sprint before I can crawl. Any thoughts?

Rockstars, I was thinking of getting a few threads started here to keep this group active between retreats and meet ups. A couple threads that may be fun would be -Influences: Which musicians fire you up, which ones do you try to emulate? What styles do you dislike or try to avoid? (collectively hating on Nickelback is a morale booster) -Best Practice Tools/Tips Some of you mentioned UGT (which I've used in the past). I like Marty Music on youtube and also have some success with the FenderPlay app (which was a paid subscription). Also, if there are warm ups or routines you felt really advanced your playing, share! -Equipment/rig rundowns Your pedal board may not be a total babe-magnet, but that doesn't mean I dont want to know all about it! I'd love to know what kind of gear you guys are enjoying lately. -Progress Updates What are you guys practicing right now? Anyone have shows coming up? Obviously team work makes the dream work so I'd love to encourage you guys for whatever goals you have on the horizon. My current mission is learning Dark Side of the Moon front to back (two songs down and a ways to go). Anyways, let me know what you guys think. Who all is planning on making the retreat as of now?

@ncimmarusti Thanks for the input! Is there any future potential for group training events for PB members in Chicago to meet up and train/roll? This may be a good kickstart for individuals like myself.

@Katherine Primary sources located within the family archives is every historians dream! I totally agree with the value in examining history from the "ground level" through accounts of regular soldiering. Fortunately, this seems to be a trend that is also supported by the current historiography (compared to past scholars who focused primarily on the decision-makers). I really look forward to your take on the Somme. There is so much to dig into leading up to that fateful first day, but so much more occurred in the weeks and months following that is too often overlooked. I think your great grandfather's journal will really shed light on this phase of the battle. Thanks for sharing!

@ncimmarusti I’m in Logan Square, about a 5 min walk from Carlson Gracie’s gym… so I’m really lacking on excuses for not training lol! I‘m still trying to figure out my availability to train in regards to time, commitment, budget, etc. so just wanted to throw out an intro to get myself plugged in. all the support is much appreciated, many thanks.

@Damian Knight Looks like everyone else is lame and doesn't want to be rock stars like us. I really appreciate you putting a bit of your story out there. It is actually really encouraging to hear- I am also diving into music a bit later in life so hearing about your success gives me some hope. I played bass in a couple bands in high school and college, but was always the weakest link by far. My closest friends I play with are extremely talented, so I never gave my musical interest much focus due to a weird inferiority complex. At an older age I have gotten over my personal bullshit and have started going full steam ahead on guitar. I'm really enjoying the consistency and growth and would love to talk with other progressing musicians. This hobby can be frustrating so I'd love to get a community of support going via PB Abbate

@Katherine I just came across this post and am so excited to check out your podcast! WWI is perhaps my favorite subject so I love seeing others take up this period as well. Is there any particular event you are looking forward to covering the most? Also, echoing @Jared Wolfrum's post- I have been a Dan Carlin addict for some time and I totally agree that watching his evolution is pretty mindblowing. I regularly find myself switching back between new and old material. Do you listen to Common Sense as well?

Hey all- Chris Barr here, I'm new to PB Abbate and just wanted to check in. I received my bachelor's from DePaul University in History with an emphasis on Military History- so battlefield tours of any kind are straight up my alley. That being said, I primarily specialize in WWI/WWII tactics and evolutions, so anything stateside will be outside my wheelhouse, which means I am all the more excited to dive into to any trips you may plan. Anyone here specialize in Civil/Revolutionary War studies that would have good insights on battle sites that are typically overlooked?

Hey everyone, Chris Barr here. I posted on the Hunting Club page as well with more-or-less the same message. I am completely new to hunting and fishing but have a strong desire to learn. Any advice on good beginner equipment, techniques, practices, locations, etc would all be helpful. I'm currently living in Chicago but don't mind traveling for camping/fishing at all. Looking forward to whatever advice you all have to offer!

Hey everyone, Chris Barr here. So I am reaching out here in hopes to kick-start my interest in hunting. This has always been a past time I have wanted to enjoy, but have never had the opportunity. My family didn't grow up hunting and I have found that unless its something you have been shown how to do, harvesting an animal for your table is really difficult! (I have no doubt that it is hard even with the best instruction, but I am borderline clueless). So I am basically as 'boot' as one can be in the hunting world, but am passionate to learn. I'm looking forward to any takeaways offered via this club. Thanks!

I am currently wrapping up Attacks by Erwin Rommel. WWI tactics fascinate me because I feel like you can almost watch military doctrine evolve into a modern sense in real-time. A couple of notes: WWI was just plain bonkers. The early battles of the Frontier were very haphazard and read very much like two large groups of people with guns running into each other in open field. Rommel's summaries continue this haphazard feel throughout the book. However, you get a great impression of what personal initiative and leadership looks like at the junior officer level, and Rommel is an inspiring example. Anyone wanting to chat more on WWI (or Rommel specifically) please feel free to comment!

Hey all, I realize this thread hasn't been touched in a while, however, I am new to PB Abbate and want to make my presence known in this club... so better late than never. Chris Barr here- I was an 0311 with 3/1 from 2013-2017 and deployed twice during that time on MEU's and UDP's. I began training martial arts through a childhood friend whose family has a long tradition of JKD. I quickly switched to a boxing gym because I was interested in the tradition and timelessness of the sport and I continued to train through high school. While at college, I fell into a serious love affair with Muay Thai, and this continues to be my favorite style to train. I have a few stripes on my BJJ white belt but and self-admittingly poor on the ground, so I would love using this club as an opportunity to improve. While I don't train much JKD anymore, I enjoy the philosophy it brings as well as the techniques that apply to real-life situations. I currently live in Chicago, IL and am long overdue to get back in a gym and start training again. Seems like Nick Cimmarusti is a man I need to reach out to. Great meeting you all, and I hope we get to punch each other in the face at some point in the future.