"What is Set VR XL Unleashed all about?" 

What, exactly is SetVR XL all about? What is its purpose and how does it relate to you in every day situations?  Good questions, all. And I hope to provide a few answers that not only make sense to you but it is my hope that you sincerely listen to what I have to say and to pay close attention. 

25 years ago I became very ill with a very rare disease in this part of the world. Called Entamoeba histolytica (EH), it made E Coli look like a walk in the park. This microscopic entity invaded my body from whatever source which was never accurately diagnosed; and in a matter of months I was dying due to my body being slowly consumed.  The little microbe devastated my body, causing extensive organ damage. It seemed that survival was a pipe dream, but I clung onto that dream and fought with every remaining cell of my body. 

The real horror was that I suffered even more damage due to some of the medications I was given that had severe life- changing consequences.  They left me with Multi-focal osteonecrosis, bones that are dying and requiring many surgeries to replace some of my joints. It seemed the drama would never end. But, I caught a break. That break was my husband, Rick, who, by the grace of God, and his own decisions since the age of 5,  and much devotion, became a master in martial arts, which I will abbreviate  for my article to  MA.  Almost through osmosis he passed his inner most credos and beliefs onto me. His support, guidance and beliefs  helped cause the following result:  I won.

Why? What caused me to dig in and cling to the shred of hope to continue my life that remained for me?  I just now gave you the answer and it is my husband. The first thing he gave me was a plaque that says "Never give up, do not quit." Together, we slowly started to rebuild my decimated body with training,  and from my wheelchair one day during a practice session, I threw him across the room with a technique he personally taught me. He said the grin on my face was priceless! And… I was hooked. 

I went on to study martial arts both under his teaching but also with two of the top sensei's in the world, Rick Wigginton and Professor Ronald Duncan, both of whom taught Rick. My favorite course was a course custom designed  for me and for people like me with severe limitations, by Sensei Duncan.  Fortunately, after a few years and several surgeries I graduated from the wheelchair to crutches to finally walking on my own. But, that did not come easily. 

I learned from the practice of MA that two things are necessary:  the will or drive to succeed, and to keep on keeping on no matter what, the refusal to give up. Yes, progress can be exceedingly slow but unless you pull the plug on it yourself, progress will continue however slowly. 

Over the years I have had the desire to pass along my learned information to others. One day, he and his doctor/friend/ fellow MA student, Dr. Reginald Lee, and I all sat down to discuss how we could do this. Each of us  in our own ways and with our own intent was hit with the firm desire and determination to create a virtual reality app that would encourage people to make better versions of themselves, to improve what they already are blessed with, so to speak. We do not teach MA in our amazing app, but what we do accomplish is to provide engaging and exciting scenarios by which a person can practice what they already know in the field of MA studies, or what they are trying to learn from accredited schools and institutions, etc.  

Set VR XL Unleashed is like having your own personal dojo at your command, ready to have you enter into the dojo and practice your moves. The thrilling part is that we have created history with our new app! Through the artistry and sheer magic of, in  our opinion, the best developers in the world, Suffescom Solutions, we are the first in the realm of VR to effectively use a special kind of new and exciting technology by allowing players to fight against real life people - across the country or the world  and to communicate with them as well. It is like having a buddy to work with, to discuss techniques with, and to practice with. All of this is very, very new and we are so proud to introduce this to the world of VR. Yes, other games out there are also multiplayer, but direct contact between players is not available in those games. That is what makes our VR app totally unique. Also, we are the first to use the "hands free" method of playing. That means you can either use the controllers or not, which frees up hand and arm movement. Still to come is the ability to use kicking, but that is not on us, it is on the manufacturers of the headsets. When that finally comes to be, we will be first in line to utilize it. 

As it is now, along with our dojo and castle fighting arena, we also have a wonderful shooting gallery, a meditation and yoga studio, a history portal, and some other neat surprises. So, you can use our app just for fun or relaxation if you wish. But the heart and soul of it, the core of it, is to allow you to improve yourself and your body through activity and practice,  in your own pace and in your own time. 

I can tell you it has done wonders for me - and today, I am enjoying my life as an active, energetic, and happy woman surrounded by those I love. It has been a heck of a ride! 

The advice I would like to give is above all, never give up. Do not quit. Let Set VR XL help keep you active and have some fun while you're at it. It may not be the best recipe for living, but it's a pretty darned good start! 

Wishing each and every one of you good health and much prosperity,

Marie Shanahan, Editor in chief