RiotInferno

Here we go. It's definitely not a passing grade, but I'm very happy with what I did get accomplished. The Wrap-Up: I failed miserably at my fitness-related goals, but rocked the others. Here we go: Roll-overs from the last challenge ( quit smoking / schedule physical )A - Done! +2 Con, +2 Wis - Currently 11 days smoke freeKeep on working out. Specifically, work on my L-Sits. At the end of the challenge, I'd like to be able to at least do a full one, even if it's only for 5 seconds. I'll settle for being able to hold a tuck for 20s though.F - I had bronchitis for 2 weeks, worked out maybe 4 times, then clutter took over my basement work-out space )Couch to 5k. Run 3 times a week, preferably with my wife. For this to be successful, I'll have completed 5 weeks of the 9-week course by the end of this challenge.​F - I got to day 2, and then our summer humidity hit and I got lazy )​Read More Books! I will read 3 books by the end of the challenge.​A - +1 Wis, +1 Cha - Ender's Game / Speaker for the Dead / Xenocide. I really enjoyed the last two.

The Wrap-Up: I failed miserably at my fitness-related goals, but rocked the others. Here we go: Roll-overs from the last challenge A - Done! +2 Con, +2 Wis - Currently 11 days smoke freeKeep on working out. Specifically, work on my L-Sits. At the end of the challenge, I'd like to be able to at least do a full one, even if it's only for 5 seconds. I'll settle for being able to hold a tuck for 20s though.F - I had bronchitis for 2 weeks, worked out maybe 4 times, then clutter took over my basement work-out space )Couch to 5k. Run 3 times a week, preferably with my wife. For this to be successful, I'll have completed 5 weeks of the 9-week course by the end of this challenge.​F - I got to day 2, and then our summer humidity hit and I got lazy )​Read More Books! I will read 3 books by the end of the challenge. ​A - +1 Wis, +1 Cha - Ender's Game / Speaker for the Dead / Xenocide. I really enjoyed the last two.

I don't know if I'm in the minority here or not, but for as much as I enjoy Ender's Game, I really enjoyed Speaker and Xenocide more. They seem more philosophical, and that appeals to me more. That being said, there's no real way they can make it into a movie, so we'll just have to enjoy Ender's Game on the big screen.

It's been a few weeks, sorry about that guys, life has been crazy! Here's a small update: Quit Smoking - Done! I'm 4 days in, and starting to feel great! Schedule my Check-ups - Done! The Doc says I'm super-healthy, and I'm waiting on the results from my X-Rays. Read More - Doing! I finally finished the first 3 books in the Ender's Saga (Xenocide took forever) My workouts / running have definitely suffered from being busy, but I hope to end this week strongly. I had a mini-vacation over the weekend, and was very active (walking, etc), and can definitely tell that it's easier to do that. I tire less easily, and I'm not nearly as winded. I'm still not that great at meeting all my challenge goals, but I'm definitely getting better.

Conan has always floated around near my list. Robert E. Howard was a contemporary of Lovecraft (if I remember correctly), and I tend to enjoy writing from that time period. The synopsis of Rivers of London seems genre-similar to The Dresden Files, which has also been recommended. I'll look into them!

Okay! Workout report. It occurred to me after my workout that this was the first workout I'd had in three weeks. One week off between challenges, and then 2 weeks out being sick. So, I hit it back hard: Pistol Squats: 8/8/8 - I don't have full range of motion, but I work at going deeper each time. L-Sits: 5 sec x10 - I'm not doing full L-Sits. I'm lifting myself up on my rings, and bringing my legs into a tuck position. I'm working towards full L-Sits. Diamond Push-ups: 8/8/8 Pull-Ups: 5/5/4 Hollow-Body Hold: 10 sec x 6 - I still can't get a full extensions, but I've found that if I close my eyes and just extend until "I can feel it", I worry less about how far I'm extended. After all that, and a brief cool-down, TyrannosaurusRae and I went and did day 1 of Couch to 5k. So a 5 minute warm up, then alternating 90 sec walk / 60 sec jog for 20 minutes, and 5 minute cool down. The C25k totally kicked my rear though, in a good way.

Don't forget about Step-up 2: The Streets, or Step-Up 3D.

Thanks guys! I was really excited to transition into pull-ups, but I miss doing the ring rows. They're fun. So maybe I'll do Pull ups + Pike PUs, and push-ups + ring rows.

Sorry to hear you got locked out! You should buy a set of lockpicks. That's a skill that's awesome to have

A question on your Pull ups / Ring Rows / Push-ups / Diamond Push-ups. I transitioned from Ring Rows to Pull-ups, and Push-ups to Diamonds, and was going to add Ring Rows back into my routine once I could start dips. ( keeping the pushing and pulling equal ). I didn't think about two different forms of push-ups. How is that working for you, and would you recommend it?

Thanks! 4 weeks IS better than no weeks. Reading is one of the goals I was able to work on while I was sick. I've been reading some classic Sci-Fi. I tore through Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead, and am working through Xenocide right now. I'm partial to Lovecraft, Sci-Fi, cyberpunk, urban fantasy and some classic fantasy. Although I've had the latest Game of Thrones book for a year and a half and still haven't finished it. I also really like JD Salinger, but classic general fiction isn't something I read a lot of. Most of it is genre-specific fiction.

I'm back! Sorry for the disappearance, things have been crazy. I'm healthy again, which means I only lost 2 weeks of work-outs. Time to get back on the horse and destroy the rest of the this challenge. I don't know how much exercise it qualifies for, but I spent Sat. afternoon walking the fence line of a pasture, fixing and modifying the electric fence as necessary. It was really just like a 3-hour hike.

I didn't know chainsaws were that involved for juggling. That broke the magic a little bit

Started feeling worse last night, so I went to the doctor this morning. Apparently I have bronchitis. My doctor thinks I should be clear by Monday. I want to work out, not be sick!

Congrats on the new little one, and good luck with this challenge.

Yeah, pull-ups! I can do this!

This week has been a bit of a slow start. I got a cold on Sunday, and have been dragging feet since then. I was back to work today, so I'm on the upswing. I hope to kick it tomorrow, so I can exercise Thursday and go jogging on Friday.

Good luck this challenge. I know you'll EXTERMINATE! it.

Also, I'm super excited that my wife joined NF for this challenge! She joined the Adventurers, so we're half-way there! If you'd like, head over to her challenge page and say Hi! to Tyrannosaurus Rae

Looking forward to another great challenge. 2 days in and already at 4 pages?! I'll have to go back and re-read this after a bit.

Good luck Kibcy!

As always, looking forward to your posts. Best of luck this challenge.

Good luck! I'm not to hand-stands yet, but hopefully that'll be coming up soon! As for juggling, what about chain-saws?

Wolf! Checking-in for greatness. Let's do this!

Challenge Time! In the last challenge, I became self-aware. I learned a lot about myself, and so I'm working on some of my blind spots. I have 2 roll-overs from the last challenge. Quit Smoking. Seriously.Schedule my check-ups with the various guys I listed last time.This has real consequences. If I don't get my yearly physical by the end of June, I won't qualify for my work's reduced health-care premiums.( +2 Con, +2 Wis )And the new stuff: Keep on working out. Specifically, work on my L-Sits. At the end of the challenge, I'd like to be able to at least do a full one, even if it's only for 5 seconds. I'll settle for being able to hold a tuck for 20s though.( +2 Str, +2 Dex, +1 Sta )Couch to 5k. Run 3 times a week, preferably with my wife. For this to be successful, I'll have completed 5 weeks of the 9-week course by the end of this challenge.( +2 Sta, +1 Dex )​Read More Books! I will read 3 books by the end of the challenge. 300-500 pages, preferably. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to let me know!( +1 Wis, +1 Cha )