Teagarden. Book 2.

[Stonie]

You find a book, next to another book, on a shelf.

You open the first book.

It chronicles the journey of a creature coming from nothing, finding her way in this big world. It ends in rather an anti-climax, with the creature realising that without a specific, measurable way of knowing she was making progress, and no reason for her to want to be making progress, all she did was flit from one goal to the other mindlessly. 

 

You open the second book.  

The front page says, 

"The following pages are the continuation of the chronicles of just one of the billions of sentient creatures inhabiting this lump of space junk in a coincidentally perfect spot in the universe."

 

Just kidding. No it doesn't. Scrawled in writing that looks like it was done by a creature lacking opposable thumbs is,

"Teagarden. Book 2."

 

The pages are blank. 

 

Last challenge, my fourth, I learnt the hard way that without a plan, there was no motivation for me to want to succeed. Whilst working through some issues I have decided to start from scratch, with a plan, and hopefully continue on the path to a fulfilling life. 

 

What do I want to do to lead a fulfilling life? Well, that's what the plan is for. I literally have no idea what it is I want to be doing for the rest of my life, but I know that just piss-farting around is going to get me nowhere.

 

I've spent the better part of this week working on itemising my Epic Quest and creating steps I think will help me reach some goals, the achieving of which should help to boost my confidence and motivation through giving me a completionist's buzz. (Get all the trophies!) It is conveniently designed around surviving the apocalypse, because the real world just isn't life-or-death enough for me apparently. Also zombies. 

 

You're probably reading this going, Wait, who the hell are you? Well, I was wondering that too, so I rambled out a new introduction. For myself, or for you? I'm not 100% sure. 

 

Next 6 week challenge I'm going to start taking some (baby) steps towards some of the things. This new battle log will be for my daily chronicles as I attempt to work on some Apocalypse Survival Skills. I mean, real life skills. Oh shush. 

[Stonie]

Right. I have signed off from my latest 6WC, despite feeling like I'd flopped entirely, after a push from a friend I have calculated my points and not done too badly. Not to mention I did learn something about myself; I needed a damned plan! 

 

So I have my next challenge ready to go, more or less, bar some minor adjustments. All I have to do is stick to the plan. When is the next challenge anyway? One or two weeks away this time?

 

 

As for today, Saturday the 19th;

 

Day off from work. 

Slept in until 9:30am.

Internetting.

Couching.

Food shopping for things for dinner for this weekend and for lunch.

Normally I plan my week's worth of dinners but this last week I just, didn't. Although I seem to have spent less money on groceries this week as well. 

(That's not supposed to happen.)

Bacon, egg and salad rolls for lunch. 

Dragons: Defenders of Berk marathon on TV for 2ish hours.

Moar internetting. 

Watched the football.

Turned the compost garden bed, attacked some weeds. Attempted to remove the insidious mint plant attempting to take over the garden and put it into a pot. I bet it gets back into the garden, you watch. Don't put mint into a garden bed, guys. You'll have a bad time. 

Got a bag of oranges / mandarins off a friends tree days ago, so I started baking a chocolate orange cake, +1 for gluten free-ness.

Having issues with the orange skins being much too tough to whizz up, so I cooked them for longer and left 'em for a bit. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Dinner is going to be coconut chicken satay with stacks of vegetables. Frozen ones, but vegetables nonetheless. 

 

This day is such a long way off my ideal day, but there are obvious things I can change. I really need to limit the amount of time I spend wrapped around my laptop, and have something creative or productive in my hands if the TV is on. As good as "Dragons" is, it's not getting me anywhere in life. Also, I should garden more. 

[deepforest]

I have problems with internet use too! I haven't developed a strategy for fixing it yet, but I really need to...

[Stonie]

I have problems with internet use too! I haven't developed a strategy for fixing it yet, but I really need to...

 

Neither have I! I'm wondering about those apps / browser extensions that tally up how much time you spend on the internet, and whether that would provide the first step to cutting back. Then I guess slowly swapping out the time you spend on the internet for something more productive; that could work? That and being efficient while you're on the internet would also help. 

 

It's definitely something I need to address at some point. 

[deepforest]

I don't know the exact hours I spend on the internet, but I do know it's ridiculous. Probably two or three today, after having spent practically all day setting up at the day camp I volunteer at.

 

Though some sort of timing device would provide a good indicator of progress. I didn't actually know those existed; is there one you'd recommend?

 

I don't think I know how to be efficient on the internet. I open up my laptop with the intent to send an email, and an hour or two later I finally listen to the voice in my head telling me to shut it and go do something else, only to realize as soon as I do that I never sent the email. I don't know how to fix this other than spontaneous self discipline, which is not very reliable.

 

Personally, I have a shorter deadline than "at some point"--school starts again at the end of September.

 

Oh, and the next challenge starts July 28th, I believe.

[Stonie]

I don't know the exact hours I spend on the internet, but I do know it's ridiculous. Probably two or three today, after having spent practically all day setting up at the day camp I volunteer at.

 

Though some sort of timing device would provide a good indicator of progress. I didn't actually know those existed; is there one you'd recommend?

 

I don't think I know how to be efficient on the internet. I open up my laptop with the intent to send an email, and an hour or two later I finally listen to the voice in my head telling me to shut it and go do something else, only to realize as soon as I do that I never sent the email. I don't know how to fix this other than spontaneous self discipline, which is not very reliable.

 

Personally, I have a shorter deadline than "at some point"--school starts again at the end of September.

 

Oh, and the next challenge starts July 28th, I believe.

 

 

Oh, the 28th. Cool!

 

I have no deadlines, just an internal voice going "Get off the internet and do some dishes, damnit!"

Well, it's not always dishes, but there are things I could be doing, like being in the sun. While it's actually out. 

The efficiency thing is not just you, thats for sure. xD One of the downsides of having the world at our fingertips. 

I don't know any extensions of the top of my head, I'm having a look now... Well, I was. Hahaha. I've read / heard a few other people using them to limit their internet times and mulled over the idea of trying them out "One day when I use the internet too much".. until I realise that time is now.

I realised today that another problem I have is my laptop is always on hand to reach over and grab when my hands are bored. I may have to focus on tidying and setting up my office for good so I can leave my computer plugged in there during the day and only grab it in the evenings, away from my idle hands. I have two desks, I might as well use them.  

[Stonie]

Sunday the 20th of July

 

Up at 9am.

Went to the niece's birthday party at the beach. It was cold.

Ate cake and cheese.

Home.

Internetting and crochet; parent's came around for coffee. 

Repotted my lemon tree, planted lettuce and peas in the garden.

Lunch: Leftover chicken satay and rice.

Crochet and housework. 

Dinner: Slow cooked beef stroganoff and rice.

I can smell it wafting through the house now. 

[Quilly]

I really need to limit the amount of time I spend wrapped around my laptop, and have something creative or productive in my hands if the TV is on. As good as "Dragons" is, it's not getting me anywhere in life. Also, I should garden more. 

 

Dragons is great,ugh. 

What've you got growing in your garden? ;u; It's way too hot for plants in this heat over in Dubai...A lot of my garden has suffered, as a result. At least my rosemary shrubs are surviving. My banana and mango trees are flourishing in this heat,mind. 

[Stonie]

Dragons is great,ugh. 

What've you got growing in your garden? ;u; It's way too hot for plants in this heat over in Dubai...A lot of my garden has suffered, as a result. At least my rosemary shrubs are surviving. My banana and mango trees are flourishing in this heat,mind. 

 

Nothing, normally. xD It's mostly been composting things since my plants kept dying. I tried cultivating some potatoes and some onions from old vegetables but they were overrun with weeds when we went on holidays.

 

I'm pretty novice at gardening but I looked up a few easy to grow things that will grow during winter - it being the windy rainy season in this hemisphere, on the coast - so I've got some butter lettuce and some peas. As well as my lemon tree which has just recovered from a snail assault. We did have some beans growing successfully last year but the grass got into the garden beds. Oh, and an isidious mint plant which keeps getting into the garden bed I've moved to it's own pot. It was in the garden when we moved to the house and I moved it to another garden bed and now it keeps popping up even if I yank it out. Nyarrrgh. But that's okay. I'd love to grow a banana tree or a mango tree! Bananas are way more of my diet then they should be.  

[Quilly]

Hmmm, try cucumbers for your garden, and perhaps cherry tomatoes indoors, until it gets a bit warmer.

Also, you doing any lifting atm or any other strength training? If you fins yourself glued to the TV too much, maybe try do a few pushups when the commercials start?

[Stonie]

Hmmm, try cucumbers for your garden, and perhaps cherry tomatoes indoors, until it gets a bit warmer.

Also, you doing any lifting atm or any other strength training? If you fins yourself glued to the TV too much, maybe try do a few pushups when the commercials start?

 

Hmm, yeah cucumbers sound good. As do tomatoes. Actually, tomatoes go quite well in this climate, we have succeeded with them before. I didn't want to plant too many different things at once though because I'm a bad gardener. I can't trust myself with too many plants, bahahaha. If the weeds get too comfortable I get lazy and let them go. Then my plants die, and I'm back to square one. 

 

The weather was quite nice this weekend, so I'm holding out hope that the weather may start slowly improving. But the ants were also letting themselves in as well so it's more likely a thunderstorm looming. 

 

I've let myself get a bit slack with exercise lately (although I did play bodyweight solitaire this morning, hehe ) but working out in between commercials is not a bad idea! It's either a great idea to get me working out more, or a great way of getting me to watch less TV so I don't have to exercise. *lazy*

 

Anyway, today was Monday the 21st of July. 

 

Up at 6am. 

Played Bodyweight Solitaire;

3 sets of 4 different exercises. The type and amount determined by pure chance!

Today I totalled; 37 walking lunges with a kick, 8 burpees, 20 squats, and 23 knee push ups. I hate burpees. 

Breakfast was scrambled eggs and a piece of toast.

I recently learnt how to scramble eggs in the microwave. Now if only I had any clean bowls left to cook them in :/

Worked 7:30am - 4:30pm.

Second breakfast: Sticky date slice with butterscotch sauce. Yes, that's naughty. But it broke! *whine*

Actually, that's something I should really address. Eating un-sellable food at work. Or leftover chips. Or the garnish sprouts.  

Food waste makes Teagarden a sad panda. Also I have no self-control.

Lunch: Brie and eggplant relish toasted sandwich. 

I should also not eat toasties for every lunch. But eggplant relish, ugghhh. 

Dinner is going to be a ham, broccoli, sweet potato, baby spinach and feta frittata because vegetables. And chef made one at work today. 

 

The chef / owner of work asked me last week if I'd be interested in learning to cook the menu, so I gave it a crack one day and did 17 lunches. She was standing next to me supervising but I actually found it quite thrilling! I've always liked cooking but didn't think I'd be any good in a commercial kitchen. I guess working in hospitality / being a barista for 4 years now has numbed me to the stress of fulfilling orders quickly. I think I might take up her offer and at least learn how to be a short-order cook, and see if it's something I'd like to continue in the future. There's always demand for kitchen staff. Definitely more so then web developers. Who's stupid idea was that. xD

[Stonie]

Tuesday the 22nd of July.

 

DOMSing from yesterday's workout.

Up at 9:30am. Unintentional sleep in.

Breakfast: Cup of choc chip chai tea, leftover vegetable frittatas. 

Into town on a mission to find chef's slacks for work. Expensiiive. 

Food Shopping. 

Lunch: Half a chicken avocado cheese tomato foccacia and a brownie. 

Afternoon coffee and dog walk up one of the local "mountains" - FYI it's more of a mound. But it's a nice view of town.

Home; My Love's metal detector arrived in the mail.

Leisurely stroll down the beach at sunset looking for treasure; found only can lids and foil. Next time maybe!

Dinner will be Sweet potato soup and fresh baked bread. 

 

Tomorrow I get a hair cut; go to work. May do interval training or parkour practice in the morning for exercise if I'm still a bit achy; otherwise more bodyweight solitaire if I'm not  

[Quilly]

Yay, another person who does bodyweight solitaire! It's fun, isn't it?

If you like eggplants, try making an Arabic dish called Moutabal. It's the exact same ingredients as hummous, and same prep, only with roasted eggplant. It is fantastic on cold meat.

Also, that is super cool you're trying your hand at being a short order chef! The stuff you're cooking sounds divine - toasties were the hardest to ditch when I went paleo, grr.

Are you trying to make any changes to your eating, or have you already come a long way in terms of your diet?

[Stonie]

Yay, another person who does bodyweight solitaire! It's fun, isn't it?

If you like eggplants, try making an Arabic dish called Moutabal. It's the exact same ingredients as hummous, and same prep, only with roasted eggplant. It is fantastic on cold meat.

Also, that is super cool you're trying your hand at being a short order chef! The stuff you're cooking sounds divine - toasties were the hardest to ditch when I went paleo, grr.

Are you trying to make any changes to your eating, or have you already come a long way in terms of your diet?

 

 

Thaat Moutabal sounds really good! I was looking for an excuse to eat eggplant the other day (as my partner doesn't particularly like it) and that may be it.

 

We serve pretty basic food; burgers, fish, chips, salad, etc. mostly grilled. Still tasty But the chef is in the process of redesigning the menu for her own tastes so I'm pretty keen to see what things she comes up with. I've already heard suggestions of a grilled vegetable salad, something involving mango chutney... I'm pretty excited.

 

I haven't managed to change my diet much yet. We (My S.O and I) still rely a lot on bread and pastry for our diet, because when he asks for things like pie for dinner I feel bad denying him food I know he likes. We still eat fast food much too often and I often unintentionally line up meals that don't have any vegetables in them, just because I'm trying to keep a variation going. xD 

I've sort of been trying to change our diet via slowly introducing new recipes into our weekly meal rotation and seeing if my partner likes them. Hopefully I eventually come up with a list of healthy meals that I can constantly be picking and choosing from. Maybe I need to be more dedicated in my search for recipes. Or be more dedicated in general. xD

 

Oh right. So today was Wednesday the 23rd of July. 

 

I was up at 7:30am.

Showered.

Breakfast: Half a chicken foccacia. 

Got a hair cut. Photos tomorrow when I get a good one. 

Worked 10:30am - 4:30pm.

Lunch: Half a serve of bruschetta and half a hot chocolate.

Leisurely stroll down the beach while my Love searched for treasure. He found $2.09. 

Dinner: Take out. Yeah, I was lazy. 

Day off tomorrow. Dog walking and lunch and op shopping with a friend. 

[Quilly]

Bruschetta my god...<3

I was actually kinda forced into paleo by my many, many food intolerances. It was tough at the start, having to suddenly completely revamp my eating, but I've got a handle on it now and I frequently use sites like Paleo Nom Nom to keep my meals interesting. Give them a look!

[Stonie]

I have been on those sites, frequently. Problem is I have a very tolerant body (I can eat pretty much anything without too many side effects) So I have to try to focus on the more subtle feelings that I get when I eat well if I want to coax myself into a better eating habit. Like the feeling of being more awake, and less bogged down after a good meal, and not fading at 3pm if I eat well during the day. 

 

Yes, Bruscetta. Roasted tomato and english spinach, It was too. And just a little olive oil. It would probably make just as tasty a salad without the bread as well, now I think of it. 

 

Today was Thursday the 24th of July. 

 

Up at 8am. 

Breakfast: 1 mini ham & vegetable frittata from dinner the other night. 

Into town for a doc's appointment. 

Found some new work pants. 

Got myself to yoga class for the first time in ages; man it was good to be back there again! I paid for another 3 classes so I have no excuse not to go back again soon. 

Home to shower and have a snack; greek yoghurt. 

Back into town to lunch with my Mum and bestie.

Lunch: Pea-lafels (yep, that's not a typo) with grilled flatbread, turnips, spanish onion and a spicy sauce. It was delicious. 

Found a op-shop I'd never been to before, got a whole bag of clothes for $5!!

Home for relaxing for now.

Mr. Tea will be home soon and will undoubtedly want to take his metal detector out again; I wonder where we're going this time!

Dinner: Tea poached chicken with maybe some sweet potato hash and greens. 

[Stonie]

And and and, my new challenge is up! 

 

I hope you liek zombies.

[Basement Cat]

Hey, Tea!

 

Looking forward to see how it goes with the new plan! I'll check out your challenge too. I'm off to work now.

 

Be strong!

[Stonie]

Oh yeah, I promised pictures. 

 

 

Buahahahaha. I cut all my hair off. It's awesome. 

[SevenofSeven]

Really Tea...........you ROCK the short hair!!!

[Quilly]

Fuck yeah, short hair! I recently whacked off my shoulder length hair to above my ears and it really does feel great,doesn't it? You're so cute with short hair, Tea. ;u; NOW BACK TO BODYWEIGHT SOLITAIRE WITH YOU.

[Stonie]

Fuck yeah, short hair! I recently whacked off my shoulder length hair to above my ears and it really does feel great,doesn't it? You're so cute with short hair, Tea. ;u; NOW BACK TO BODYWEIGHT SOLITAIRE WITH YOU.

 

So much less maintenance! I got up and my hair was done. I keep thinking it's just tied up out of the way, like it used to be, but it's not. Buahaha. 

 

I think I got cocky in yoga yesterday (Yes I know I should just do it to the best I can but nuuh) so I'm a bit hurty today Work sure was fun with DOMS! 

 

 

Today, the 25th of July. 

 

Up at 8am.

DOMS from yoga-ing for a lot longer then I'm used to. If I didn't have to work I would have enjoyed the ache a bit more. 

Did a load of dishes. 

Didn't have breakfast because there were no clean bowls. (I have a lot of dishes to catch up on. Ugh.)

Worked 10:30am - 4:30pm.

Snacked throughout most of the day on chips with mayo and cake-ends. I should really not skip breakfast.

Lunch: Tomato and english spinach bruschetta and orange juice. 

Out to a friend's place for dinner for his birthday.

Massive feed of calamari, baked fish, chicken wings, fried rice, tomato salad, potato salad, vegetable curry. It was amazing. And very little bready badness in sight. And I only had one plate. And I didn't even drink any alcohol. 

 

Tomorrow we're going out to our old primary school (Mr. Tea and I, that is) to go treasure-hunting with his metal detector, seeing as the land has been inhabited for a good 100 years and there could be anything out there! I'm going to take my camera, because it's quite the pretty part of Australia and I've missed it.

[Quilly]

Oh! What part of Australia are you in? I've only been to Melbourne...Loved it,though. Never thought Australia could get so cold!

And congratulations for staying off the alcohol, hehe. 

 

Posted on yer challenge thread, I've got faith in you! 

[Stonie]

Oh! What part of Australia are you in? I've only been to Melbourne...Loved it,though. Never thought Australia could get so cold!

And congratulations for staying off the alcohol, hehe. 

 

Posted on yer challenge thread, I've got faith in you! 

 

I live in WA, down on the south coast. The climate is a lot like Melbourne I'm told (though I've never actually been there myself;) "4 seasons in a day." It's been a bit cold, but we're transitioning from cold to just raining constantly now, so I might be able to start running again because rain doesn't deter me quite so much as the cold does. I was never a big drinker, but the last few challenges where I was counting calories I realised how much of a calorie-sink alcohol was, and I have just as much fun without it so I just don't bother much anymore. I should have gotten a photo of my dinner last night, but half of it was gone before I thought about it! Haha.

 

Okay, today was Saturday the 26th of July. 

 

Slept in until 9:30am.

Still DOMsing. Bahaha.

Raining steadily when we woke up.

Plans to go to out of town were put off for a while to see if the rain stopped.

Checked my phone; Boss called to see if I could cover a shift for one of the girls who was sick. 

Worked 10:30am - 2pm.

Busy busy lunch shift.

Breakfast (at lunch time): Bacon, eggs, tomato and a coffee. 

Lunch: One pancake, half a ham and cheese toasted sandwich. 

Sat through a (really badly designed, executed, dodgily coded) food safety course for work - three times, because the website kept crashing. 1.5hr course took me nearly 4 and it didn't even say I'd completed it. Nyarrgh. 

Snack: Banana with greek yoghurt.

Dinner: Fish patties. 

[Stonie]

Sundaaay the 27th of July.

 

Up at 9:30am. Ish. 

Breakfast: Leftover fish patty.

Drove out of town (Not quite as far as we were going to go yesterday) and went treasure hunting around one of the old school halls and ovals.

Found lots of bottle tops and pull tabs. 

Stopped by my parent's place.

Lunch: The last of the fish patties and some of an apple and custard log.

Afternoon spent watching the Commonwealth games and chilling out. 

Dinner: Chicken meatballs and pasta roast eggplant and kale in tomato sauce.

 

Things I have to do tomorrow:

Do Bodyweight Solitaire, 3 sets, before work. It won't get done afterwards I can tell you now.

Work 7:30am - 4:30pm

Get a vegetable into Gnocchi with chorizo dish for dinner (No, the potatoes from the gnocchi do not count.) I've got a cauliflower, that might be it.