Chris-Tien's Quest for the Mal Ravenne

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

"Mal Ravenne" is Elvish for Golden Lioness ..... It seemed to embody the story arc for this coming year's quest to turn around my life, get brave, and return to pursuing my dreams.  When I went to St. Olaf College (the crest is a golden lion ... mane-less, btw ......) I had certainly not intended to live a small life as an administrator.  As I recall, I wanted to go into the Peace Corps and then study archeology. 

 

So, this is a ROUGH plan for improving in 4 areas of my life this coming year.  Fitness, nutrition, regaining self-confidence, and taking responsibility for my habits and environment.  The NEXT post will include the EPIC things I want to do or accomplish .....

 

Challenge 1 - Escape the Maze of Illusions

1. Finish C25K training
2. Eliminate alcohol (& other liquid calories) and high protein breakfast: Levels 1 & 2 NF Diet
3. Listen to the Self-Esteem CDs (Jack Canfield)
4. Cook one healthy meal daily

Challenge 2 - Recover in the House of Healing (<= 36.62% BF)

1. Finish NF BWW 3
2. Cut out chips, fries, and chocolate (other than very good, very dark chocolate)
3. Apprentice in HOORAY
4. Groom dog (life side quest)
5. Reduce body fat to 36%

Challenge 3 - Equip for the Journey (BF 35%)

1. Body weight workouts (NFA BWW 4)
2. Level 3 NF Diet - replace processed carbs with vegetables at lunch and dinner
3. Wear contacts again
4.  Find or create a job
5. Finish 100 geocaches found

Summer A - Shanghaied!! Aboard the Northern Girl (BF 34%)

We interrupt this previously scheduled program with an adventure on the high seas!!  (Part A)

1. 10K steps per day
2. Sturgeon Tank FitDeck
3. Nutrition points
4. Summer Activities
5. Practice web programming

Summer B - Not my idea of a Caribbean Cruise! (BF 33%)

Following the clues up the river to the Burned City

1. Diet - stick to <= 1550 net calories (add for exercise) and protein >= 66 grams
2. Do a chin up or pullup with <= 30 pounds of assistance
3. Deadlift 80 pounds
4. Walk/run 10K
5. Decipher the clues (i.e. move)

Post-Summer Reorientation

 

Challenge 6 - Not Waiting to be Rescued

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I borrowed a lot from Steve's list .... I'll keep editing and changing this one as I reconnect with my hopes and dreams .....

 

North America

• Visit all National Parks
• Visit Mount Rushmore in South Dakota
• Watch daughter perform at Carnegie Hall
• Be an extra in a Hollywood movie or a TV show
• Tour the Mall in Washington, D.C.
• Canoe in the boundary waters
• Tour the Smithsonian
• Be in a commercial
• See the Northern Lights
• Cruise to Alaska
• Cruise to Hawaii
• Cruise in the Bahamas
• Hike the Appalachian Trail
• Climb Pike's Peak
• See Mardi Gras in New Orleans
• Buy a pure bred collie

Central/South America

• Visit the Galapagos Islands
• Visit Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Visit Tikal in Guatemala
• Visit Chichen Itza in Mexico
• Visit Teotihuacan in Mexico
• Go through the Panama Canal
• Visit Machu Picchu in Peru

Europe

• Visit Loch Ness in Scotland 
• Visit Stonehenge in England
• Kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland
• Visit Hadrian's Wall
• Spend a night in a castle
• Climb the Eiffel Tower
• Visit Mont St. Michel in France
• Tour the Louvre
• Vist the Notre Dame Cathedral
• Go to Oktoberfest
• Visit Neuschwanstein Castle
• Visit the Coliseum, Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilisca, in Rome, Italy
• Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy
• Visit the Parthenon in Greece
• Visit the Statue of Leonidas in Thermopylae, Greece
• Visit the Globe Theater in London
• Buy a book in London

Africa

• Visit the Pyramids in Egypt
• Go to the Cape of Good Hope
• Visit the Strait of Gibraltar
• Visit Madagascar

Far East

• Visit the Great Wall of China
• Visit the Forbidden Palace
• See the Taj Mahal in India
• Ride the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Russia
• Visit the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey
• Temple tour

South Pacific

• Visit Ayer's Rock
• Visit Borobudur Temple in Java, Indonesia
• Visit the Palace of Brunei

Antarctica 

• Set foot on land
• Find a geocache

Personal Level Up Goals

• Pilot an Airplane
• Perform on stage with a professional company
• Visit all 7 continents (2/7 complete)
• Complete my doctorate
• Help write and test an educational game
• 100 geocaches found
• 250 geocaches found
• Find a geocache on every continent
• Volunteer overseas
• Teach a college course
• MDiv
• MS in Computer Science

Business Goals

• Be first author on a journal article
• Start my own company
• Create an educational game
• Be solo author on a journal article

Black Widow Goals

• Become conversational in a 2nd language (German)
• Become conversational in a third language
• Become conversational in a fourth language
• Obtain dual citizenship
• Create and keep a WTSHTF bag ready
• Black belt in a martial art
• Pass a civilian firearms training course
• Learn how to become a proficient locksmith

General Fitness Goals

• Deadlift my body weight
• Bench press my body weight
• Do 5 dips
• Do 5 pull-ups
• Do a headstand
• Do a handstand
• Run a 5 K
• Run a half-marathon
• Zombie Run
• Color Run
• Light Run
• Bubble Run
• Tough Mudder
• Spartan Race

Master Quests - automatic level up

• Get photographed walking down the red carpet at some epic event
• Be a guest on a prime time talk show
• Go into outer space
• Get in the Guinness Book of World Records for something
• Be a guest lecturer at Google HQ
• Be a guest lecturer at Facebook HQ
• Lecture at TED
• Give a keynote address 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Blerg.  Ok, checking in on weight and measurements. 

 

I hate to do it.  I don't recognize the person in the mirror.  Like, when did I turn into my mom???

 

Weight: 172lbs.  (I have lost 4 pounds this year ....)

 

Neck: 14"

Upper arm: 12.5"

Bust: 41.5"

Waist: 34"

Hips: 42.25"

Thigh: 24"

Calves: 14.25

 

Body fat estimate:  37.33% (http://www.linear-software.com/online.html) --- no surprise that I am in the "obese" category. 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

2/16/2014 Weekly Measurements check in ....

 

Weight 172 lbs (4 pounds lost)

Neck: 14"

Upper Arm: 12.5"

Bust: 41.5"

Waist:35.5"

Hips: 42.5"

Thigh: 23.25"

Calf: 14.25"

 

Body fat estimate: 39.30%

 

After a week of successful running, lifting, and pretty good eating ... the jump up in measurements is pretty discouraging. 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

For the next challenge (starting Feb 24th)

1. Fitness: Finish BW 3 (STR +3,  STA +2)
2. Nutrition goal: cut out chips, fries, and chocolate (other than very good, very dark chocolate) (CON +3)
3. Self confidence/esteem: Apprentice in HOORAY  (WIS +1, CHA +1)
4. Groom Dog daily (life side quest)
5. Fitness side quest: Reduce body fat % by 1%  .... so < 38.3%  (CON +3,  STR +2)

Finishing BBWW 3 should not be too hard in 6 weeks.  I'm well into BBWW 1 already - but I want to have a really good base before I start doing weighted workouts.  So -- strength training 2 - 3 times per week using the NF BBWW routines.

 

I did well with levels 1 & 2 of NF diet.  Level 3 might be a challenge, however.  I'm going to cut out the obvious problems with heavily processed carbs.  But I may have to allow for pasta at dinner.  I'll work on swapping out all processed carbs, but leave myself flexibility when eating with a carb addict.  And most sweets and snacks are also off the table.  Gradual change for the next 6 weeks.

 

I'm apprenticing in the PvS group - working on positive self-talk.  So I will post something positive about myself every day!!!!

 

I will groom the dog daily.  Life side quest, aiming for taking more responsibility for my life.  It's my job to keep her teeth brushed, coat groomed, and nails trimmed.  I've been very lax in this while feeling sorry for myself.  Gotta stop.  She deserves to be cared for.

 

Body fat.  I know that measurements are only an estimate.  Maybe I'll get a proper reading later.  But for now, it will do.  It's an obvious problem - and any change is welcome .... so long as it shows that I am increasing muscle and decreasing body fat.  I will work on increasing strength and eating less junk.  And I will focus on walking rather than running for cardio.  I know that medium pace running has a bad rap right now.  I don't know if it is deserved .... since I USED to be slim and a runner back in the day.  But I'm willing to make changes and see what happens.  It's about a mile to work.  If I walk to work with my backpack full of computer etc, I'll get in a decent workout. 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Measurements the day of the new challenge .....

 

Weight 172 lbs

Neck: 14"

Upper Arm: 13.25"

Bust: 40"

Waist:34.5"

Hips: 42"

Thigh: 23.5"

Calf: 14"

 

Body fat estimate: 37.62%

 

Had to change my goals a bit since I'm already seeing a body composition change.  Strength training .... nice.

[moomin]

I just found this! To have the year planned in advance -- how awesome!

And you'll be tackling a half marathon (that's 21.3k!!) by the end of the year. That's a LOT of progress!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I just found this! To have the year planned in advance -- how awesome!

And you'll be tackling a half marathon (that's 21.3k!!) by the end of the year. That's a LOT of progress!

 

Some of it will change during the year, but I had to plan it out lest I succumb to the temptation to try to make all of the changes in the first challenge!!  I've run a half marathon before.  Lots of training!!!  So I'll have to see how I progress over the summer ... and what my job is.  Last half I ran was a mistake.  I was ill and severely anemic, but I finished ... and not last. 

 

Weight: 170 - I reached my mental goal of 2 pounds lost this challenge!  I was planning to double the weight loss - geometric progression - as diet changed.  But I'll let it settle where it does so long as I don't go OVER 170 this time.

 

Weight 170 lbs

Neck: 14"

Upper Arm: 13.25"

Bust: 40.75

Waist:34"

Hips: 42 1/8"

Thigh: 23.5"

Calf: 13.75"

 

Body fat estimate: 37.19%

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Weight 170 lbs

Neck: 14"

Upper Arm: 13.25"

Bust: 40.5

Waist:34"

Hips: 42"

Thigh: 23.5"

Calf: 13.75"

 

Body fat estimate: 37.05%

Lean body mass: 107.02 lbs

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I just found this! To have the year planned in advance -- how awesome!

And you'll be tackling a half marathon (that's 21.3k!!) by the end of the year. That's a LOT of progress!

 

I put the half marathon in there as a stretch goal.  I've run one before and enjoyed it .... well, I enjoyed the accomplishment .....  we'll see how life and training balance out this year!

[moomin]

wow, you've ran one before! I've never did more than 10k, and that was with a time I was not satisfied with. Half marathon is on my bucket list of things I want to do -- maybe in two years after much more training...

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

wow, you've ran one before! I've never did more than 10k, and that was with a time I was not satisfied with. Half marathon is on my bucket list of things I want to do -- maybe in two years after much more training...

 

You definitely want to work up to it.  The quick training programs that are available will let you to the point where you can cover the distance ... but you won't enjoy it. 

 

In reality, you want to increase distance no more than 10% per week TOTAL.  You should have one long run each week and work up to 10 miles gradually using the 10% rule.  A year is a reasonable time frame. 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Weekly weight and measurements check in:

 

Weight: 169 lbs (-7 pounds)

 

Neck: 14" (unchanged)

Upper arm: 12.75" (+0.25")

Bust: 40.5 (-1")

Waist: 33.75" (-0.25")

Hips: 41.25" (-1")

Thigh: 23.5" (-0.5")

Calves: ?? forgot to measure

 

Body fat estimate:  35.90% (-1.43%)

 

This is finally really clicking for me. 

[moomin]

Wooot!!! Great progress! You're down another 1%BF in a week?

Woot Woot! Obviously you have your food and exercise down right!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Wooot!!! Great progress! You're down another 1%BF in a week?

Woot Woot! Obviously you have your food and exercise down right!

 

Well, I'm in the zone of rapid progress.  It won't be linear, and at times it won't be forward change either.  But I am doing things I didn't think I could do.  Knee tucks .... I looked at the videos and figured I could do one or two.  I did 3 x 10 sets - captain's chair rather than hanging.  But still .... BAM!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Another week bites the dust!!

 

Weight: 169.5 lbs.  (I have lost 6.5 pounds this year ....)

 

Neck: 14" (no change)

Upper arm: 13" (+0.5") - muscle definition!!

Bust: 40" (-1.5")

Waist: 33.5" (-0.5")

Hips: 41.25" (-1.0")

Thigh: 23.5" (-0.5")

Calves: 14" (-0.25")

 

Body fat estimate:  35.6% (-1.73%)

Lean body mass: 109.15 lbs

 

Generally, I'm doing well with goals. 

I'm working on BBWW 3 and making good progress. 

Eating is pretty good - cutting out chips, fries and chocolate most days. 

Grooming the dog ... eh.  About 50%, although with her infection, I'm being much better lately.

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Week 5 Report

 

Weight: 170lbs.  (I have lost 6 pounds this year ....)

 

Neck: 14"

Upper arm: 13" (+0.5")

Bust: 40.5" (-1.0")

Waist: 33.5" (-0.5")

Hips: 41.75 (-0.5")

Thigh: 23.5" (-0.5")

Calves: 14" (-0.25")

 

Body fat estimate:  36.19% (- 1.44%)

 

I had thought that I had a good week, but the numbers show that I actually slipped quite a lot during Spring Break.  Too much bad food.  My workouts couldn't compensate. 

 

So, this week, eating as clean as I can and doing my usual workouts.  I'm already steadily pushing myself to gradually improve each workout .... just keep on following the plan and hope that I'll be under 36% BF by Sunday. 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I'm planning for the transition between challenges, especially since I'll be at a conference for 4 days - and traveling with a friend who is quite overweight.    The city we'll be in doesn't have an Anytime Fitness, although I can hope that there will be some equipment at the hotel.

 

But I'm not counting on hope!!  I wrote down the hotel training workout that Steve published.  When I have access to my gym, I'll do BWW 4.

 

Nutrition-wise, I'm starting to work on increasing the number of fruits and vegetables ("freggies") I eat daily.  I'd rather focus on increasing the amount of freggies I eat rather than focus on the processed carbs I'm working to decrease.  On the road, I'll focus on salads and protein.  

 

I need to work on increasing awareness of my surroundings - I'm going to start wearing contacts a few hours per day and meditating again.  Both inward and outward perception needs work.

 

Finally, I need to work on cleaning out stuff.  We want to move home, and I don't want to move some of this stuff again. 

 

And there is some prep work to be done for the next challenge.  It will be a busy week.

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

This coming challenge (starting April 14th), I'm switching to the Assassin's Guild after having been a Ranger for nearly two years.  Being in NF and a member of the Ranger's Guild kept me more or less sane during some rough years.  I didn't lose a lot of weight, but I never gave up.  And once I started getting serious about bodyweight training, I've started making some major improvements!

 

Some reading and soul-searching has prompted me to switch guilds. 

 

I'd initially started with bodyweight training with the idea that I'd start to lift free weights or dumbbells once I got a solid base in squats, pushups, and lunges.  Then, looking over new free weight programs, I realized that I wanted to keep going with more challenging body weight routines!!  I totally salute people who do CrossFit, but I don't want to join them right now.  It looks like work and not fun.  I need fun.

 

When I accidentally found the old article on parkour (http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/08/12/the-definitive-guide-to-parkour-for-beginners/), I felt like I'd come home.  As a kid, we used to pretend that the ground was lava, and you had to find a way to cross from one point to another without touching it.  We did the same game with my daughter while she was small.  Wow!!  I'd been associating parkour with the flashy moves that you see in YouTube videos.  To find out that there is much more to the sport - and the philosophy - was eye-opening.  

 

To this day, I practice flowing and efficiency.  I'll walk through a crowd going the "wrong" way to see if I can do it without bumping anyone (and I usually can).  I am constantly surprising people who don't see or hear me come into a room.  Instead of viewing that as a problem with my lack of charisma and "presence" --- let's turn it into an example of why I really am good at going where ever I need or want to go - and why I often don't follow the beaten path - both literally and figuratively.

 

So,  here I am.

 

My goal for the YEAR is to reduce body fat percentage down to the "normal" or "acceptable" range of 31%.  I'd like to get it lower in subsequent years.  But one step at a time .... 

 

I'm calling this the Quest for the Mal Ravenne.  The golden lioness is the ideal me, something to be uncovered through dedication and search.  

For this challenge, my goals lead me further to this ultimate goal.  This challenge is Equipping for the Journey.  

 

Fitness Goals
1) Deaddrop Drills (+1 STA, +1 DEX, +1 WIS)
Spies often leave things for contacts ... or have to find drops from compatriots.  I'm going to geocache!  I introduced my brother and nephews to geocaching, and we had a gentle competition going to be the first to find 100 geocaches.  My brother died before either one of us claimed the prize - so I'm going to finish it in his honor.  That's only 13 caches left to find - so a couple per week is feasible.  (My geocaching handle is grinningcollie if anyone wants to friend me.)

 

2) 35% Body Fat (+1 STA, +1 CON, +2 STR, +1 DEX)
That's a drop of 1% this challenge, which should be very reasonable.

 
To do it, I'm continuing with body weight workouts M, W, F and cleaning up my diet.

 

I'm doing the Academy body weight workout 4 starting Sunday.  That's challenging enough that, following progressions, I'll be hard pressed to do exercises well.  And I'm using the assisted pull up and dips machine. My goal is to keep reducing the amount of assistance weight by 10 pounds per week.  I'm currently at 95 pounds.  By the end of the challenge, that would be down to 35 pounds!!

 

I'm following the NF diet and am at stage 3: substituting freggies (fruits/vegetables) for processed carbs.  I'd rather focus less on what I'm "giving up" and more on what I'm adding.  So, I will increase daily freggie intake by one each week of the challenge.  Currently, I do a very poor job in this and eat 1 freggie per day.  So week 1 = 2 freggies, week 2 = 3 freggies, etc.

 

 

3) Be Perceptive (+2 WIS, +1 DEX)

Rangers are never off their guard - neither are assassins.  The two guilds are much alike in many ways.  

I will increase inner and outer perception by:

• wearing my contact lenses (increasing time 1 hour per week from starting point of 2 hours per day) so I have better peripheral vision and hence dexterity
• meditating (increasing from 7 up to 20 minutes per day)

Life Quest (+2 CHA)

Hubby and I are - again - both job hunting.  My goal is to get - or make - a job this challenge.  If necessary, I will start a company again, taking a page from Arrow.  The best way to avoid chair checking managers is to be the CEO.  

 

Fitness Side Quest (+2 DEX)
Take a fitness class.  I am thinking yoga or martial arts, depending upon the results of job searching.  At the moment, there are NO martial arts studios closer than 40 minutes away - that's feasible in the summer but not the winter (small town - bad roads to everywhere).  But there is a new yoga studio in town.  If their class schedule works for me, I'd like to get in there and redevelop some body awareness.

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

[This RP story fragment takes place between episode 1 and 2 of the RPG Fanatics storyline.  Subject to change since I don't want to mess up the main line or other people's side stories.]

 

Chris frowned at the last sewer outlet leading from city as if it had personally swallowed up Mel_lissa Earth Mover and was keeping her prisoner just to delay the old wizard - a mistake that blue eyes promised would be costly.  She had deviated from her mission at word that the demon Sodamas was loose in the area, and now that the monster was laid to rest in a pool of sticky sweet slime, it was high time for that mission to resume.  

 

And yet, the dark-clad figure stood regarding the ground around the opening to the tunnel system that their party had entered at the beginning of the hunt.  She had been a Ranger for most of her life and was an accomplished tracker from her childhood.  The signs in front of her told a tale she did not want to see: no one had come this way since they had entered.  At least, no one human.  There were signs of rats and other vermin, including some goblin footprints.  They had been running.  Given the monster loosed by a treacherous goblin and the activities of their rather large and well-armed party, Chris was not surprised that a few goblins had tried to flee.  She'd put paid to a few of those cowards herself.  But none of those who fled had carried anything as heavy as a solidly built warrior ... even a female.  

 

No, all that this morning had accomplished was to increase the sense of dread in her stomach. She'd bribed a city official for a map of the system and had checked every known egress.  Unless Mel_lissa had found another crack and ladder out of the sewers, she was still in their myriad turns and twists.  Since Chris couldn't think of a reason anyone with brains and a sense of smell would stay down there willingly, she had to conclude that Mel_lissa had been taken prisoner or tricked into taking a wrong turn, getting her hopelessly lost in the labyrinth.

 

Sighing, Chris looked around.  It was a discordantly lovely day for these dark thoughts.  Her flea-bitten grey gelding munched happily a few paces away.  Thankfully, he seemed to be part goat and not at all disturbed by the miasma emanating from the sewer system.  It had taken several baths to get the smell out her golden hair and freckled skin, and Chris-Tien Jinn had been grateful for the new weight in her purse.  The spoils of the battle meant that she would not need to sing for her supper for some time to come, although she mentally reminded herself that she needed to continue to practice, especially with the guitar stashed at the room she'd rented in the tavern.  Playing, singing, and telling tales was more of a hobby with her than a profession, but it opened doors that would have remained closed to a ranger .... and bolted against an unknown wizard.

 

Frowning once more at the opening, Chris considered.  She'd been a prisoner once.  While she'd gone to the Tower of the Wizards willingly enough, she'd not been allowed to leave once there.  Chained to a desk for years, she'd done their bidding and learned vast amounts of information.  That part of captivity had proven useful.  She understood many things, including the religions of her recent compatriots and the skills of the sorceress Sarah.  She had learned to make magical artifacts such as the staff she sometimes wielded and the leg brace she had made for the grand lady Wildross.  But that knowledge had come at the heavy price of her health - both mental and physical.

 

Absently, she rubbed her shoulder, reminded of the horrors she had faced when she'd decided to leave the Tower.  Lost in the surrounding Maze of Illusions, she had faced tests and trials and magical beasts.  She was still not sure how many of the things she had seen and fought were actually real, and which had been mirages thrown up in front of her like distorted images at the faire.  Sometimes she had even though that she was something else, an ogre traveling through a cursed swamp or a great ice dragon trapped underground.  The cunning of the wizards had proven great and vicious once their will was thwarted.

 

One thing that the golden-haired women knew for sure was that the time phage that attacked her had been real.  The physical scar was gone, but given the odd episodes of deja vu she'd continued to experience, she was sure that there were lingering effects from that battle.  

 

She fingered the necklace around her throat thoughtfully.  It seemed to suppress the time slippage, and when removed - as when they'd used it to heal Red, she became untethered from time until it was returned.  Could she control it and move back in time to find out what had happened to Mel?  Probably not, but the thought was inviting.  Afterall, what good was a tale about their exploits when one of the heroes was missing??  

 

As Chris picked up the reins and swing into Tucker's saddle, she was beginning to craft the outline of the saga.  The Earth Mover, the Goblin Ganker, and their leader Teros .... and probably the lycan too.  People were always asking for stories about werewolves and the like.  Too bad that no one had been a vampire - that would have kept her in lodgings, food, and mead all the way to the Great Inland Sea.

 

Kicking her horse into a canter, she turned toward the center of town.  She didn't have anything useful out of the morning's exertions.  It was time to refresh the spells in her gear and think about what else she needed to prepare.  Chris-Tien hated the idea of going back down into the tunnels, but she hated more the idea that someone might have been left behind after they had - remarkably - beaten a powerful demon. 

 
Mentally shaking her head at the unlikely turn of events, Chris organized a plan for the rest of the day.  If their leaders were still working out a strategy, perhaps she would have time to make a few contacts and carefully check on some items she had needed to locate  the mysterious Mal Ravenne.  She couldn't afford to get distracted and spend too much time on side projects.  If she didn't succeed in finding that item, her fate would be worse than anything a bunch of goblins could do.

[T2sarahconnor]

***bows***

[ChristArtist]

I am so honored to"know"you!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

*Smile*

 

Glad you like it.  I'm going to keep a list and make sure everyone gets mentioned at least a few times during the quest, if not during the week.  We'll see how it shapes up.

 

Today, I pushed myself out the door and ran outside!!  We had 60 degrees and a breeze.  Lovely, lovely day for getting outside finally.  It was a declaration of spring and a sign of hope that the weather will hold for a bit.

[Teros]

Wow, I didn't even know this was an actual sub-forum for this. Cool stuff. I like it.  Time travel can get a bit tricky though.  I'm not sure what Mel_Isa is planning.  She's sent me a cool little piece of story about her being captured by the goblins. How that plays out though- I have no idea.

[Raevn]

I enjoyed your writing and your story, looking forward to reading more.