mitch_dee

yum!!!!! I love doing quick simple skillet meals like this, they are so easy and so good with all the veggies!!!!! now I'm drooling at my desk..... this x1000!!!!! Wait, ya'll still do this?!?!?!?!? Great work on getting the night routine going, especially on a gaming night. Tracking calories has always been hard for me so well done being below your target and seeing the pitfall of Rumchata....(it could be a nice splurge on a low cal day 😁) Keep it up, hope you have a good weekend ahead.

Your butt got there; rather it was dragged, shuttled, ran or did a jig, it got there and that's all that matters!! The eternal night trend does get stale real fast, but once your back at it, it won't be so bad. Love the sketches and can't wait to see more!

Not allowed.... Sorry 'bout the gremlins and headache....a room full of old white guys can do that to you. Hope it gets better for you.

Woot, hooray for breathing!!! and for SLEEP!!!! See why we say non-lazy and overachiever....most people make like a 3 bean salad, or 5 bean soup, you come in dropping the hammer with a 10 bean soup!!! with veggies and other goodness no less, I'm not much into full veggie modes, but that sounds good enough that even I would try it. hope you and the little one keep feeling better.

Running behind, but here for the flippity stuffs and general Raptron craziness. CONGRATS on the new job by the way!! This is HUGE!!!! fighting one's fears is the hardest thing to do, so very proud of you for this and such quick progression. Anyway, I'll be hiding somewhere in the shadows, but look forward to seeing your progress...with more videos!!!!!!!!!

Good evening all, It's been a while, some of you may remember me, some may not know me.....it does not really matter at this point since I'm not even sure I know myself. A lot of stuff has gone down since the last time I was here, new jobs, bad jobs, loss of weight (though not much), the gain of weight (quite a bit), kid growing, and all the other fun of life. Truth be told I find myself lost any more, but there have been two things constant for the last year or two, I hate who ever I am, and can't find anything that really brings me any joy. Time for the standard disclaimer: this post/thread is not for attention or to be dramatic or a cry for help....I have returned to NF because it was one of the few places I always felt I could say anything and not be judged or have to make justifications, it's the only place I think I can say some of the things that go through my head. That being said, this thread might address some issues that some find uncomfortable (even myself) might get to personal at times, if anything I say offends anyone I apologize now, if anything is against the rules of the forums and I didn't catch it please tell me so I can correct it. I wish not to cause harm, just vent things I have nowhere else in my life to say them. Lets get to the point, this is a challenge thread, so my challenge is simple: Survive. No, I am not a direct danger to myself, but I have realized I stopped caring, stopped doing what needs to be done and at times revolted against all things that would make me a little better. I would not actively harm myself, but not sure if I would actively prevent it...so it's time to start just surviving it. I will focus on a simple goals in three categories, mind, body and spirit/soul/whatever-the-hell-you-want-to-call-it... Mind: (2 goals here) Take my meds every day....I was put on head meds about 6 months ago, I don't tell much difference but others said they have, problem is I forget to take it a few days at a time along with my blood pressure meds; so I need to make sure I take my pills everyday! learn to voice/vent my issues - this will be done on here when the moods hit. I have a ton of stuff that sits in my head and I never say or even let out and I think part of that is what weighs on me at times. I feel here I can type them and not feel judged (I have felt it easier to talk to friends made online that I have never met irl) Body: Stop eating food I should not: no this does not mean junk food and sweets, it means the foods I literally should not eat. A year ago I took a food intolerance test and tested issues with most foods I was eating. I eliminated 90% of them and for months I felt good - most my headaches stop happening, my body stopped aching, I lost weight and felt better all around. Problem is I stopped one day in a downward spiral and never got back at it. Now I'm back to daily headaches, my joints and muscles ache so bad I fight of tears some days while popping 5 Advil every 4 hours....and to top it all of I now weigh 403 lbs. So it's time to eliminate all the bad foods again. Spirit-thingy: Find one thing I enjoy; I don't care what it is. I lost BJJ a few years ago due to my abdominal hernia (that they won't work on till I'm below 300 lbs) and I really don't find joy in video games or books (can't find any that hold my interest) so time to find something. If I find something I'm hoping it will help me start to find some good points in my self to focus on. I used to enjoy drawing (but too super critical to even practice to get good) and writing (same issue), but maybe I will try again.....who knows. Bonus: complete challenge - I don't think even back in the day I even finished a challenge and the last ones I tried I abandoned and recoiled away from in a week It might get rocky, it might get incoherent or scattered at times, but again, trying to find away to vent some issues out in a place I used to enjoy and feel safe.

Thursday wrap up: Steps: 10050+, I literally walked laps around the living room to get the final 800 i needed tonight Cage: 1098 cal burn Food: all tracked, under cal target but macros were way off again... what i get for not food prepping ETK: through the intro and into ch 1 Im falling asleep as i type this so i will try to catch up on all my nerds tomorrow. Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Quick day 2 recap: Steps: 14484 Cage: 1149 cal burn Food: all tracked, macros were way off...damn food truck ETK: was too tired and fell asleep Weights and measurements taken Now off to work.... Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Koo, she's not so little any more...just turned six last thursday, finished kindergarten and her first year of Taekwondo...Here was my reenactment photo, left was an hour after birth, the right was last Thursday And a bonus photo Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

*pulls in couch and takes a seat to watch challenge goodness* Rewards no matter how big or small are always a great driving force, especially when determined early so the drive is fed by the results and the satisfaction of the reward you have been waiting for. Look forward to seeing your continued success.

KOO!!!!!!!! It's amazing how one can loose track of their health and wellness while trying to take care of others. I'm glad to hear you are starting to focus on you and look forward to seeing you crush these goals.

Hammi brings all the folks back to the yard. I like the fact of starting off with an ease in and look forward to seeing where you go from here. ((sidenote, thanks for posting about your return, I don't think I realized how much I missed it till I saw your comment))

wow, the return of so many OG's.....glad I saw the post from you guys on FB. Can't wait to see you kill another challenge like the old days

**Sneaks into thread to absorb spare awesomeness that emanates from The Raptron**

Well hello all, long time no see….. and I’m sorry for that fact. Quite a few things have changed over the time I have been gone but a few things have stayed the same (or gone further downhill); but one thing has made itself clear after spending the last 30 mins jumping around the forums, and that is that I have missed this place. I have spent so much time hating the world and most things in it that I have become lost, lost from my friends, lost from joy, lost from myself. There was once someone inside me that loved life, and found joy in helping others, thrived to see others achieve their goals and even had some hope and faith. It’s time to find that person and help him fight his way to the surface. NF has always been a place that I have seen the good in the world, witness others help each other, see people slay their demons, watch those who feel they are normal realize they are extraordinary!! So I start over, again, in a place of hope, to find who I am…and just how far I can go. (I will try to keep this one simple as to ease back into the challenge routine) Main Quest: 1) Track food intake and macros: I have a rather large weight issue and currently have an abdominal hernia that the doctors will not fix until I have lost 80 lbs. In order to do this I have to be realistic about my food intake and make sure I stick as close to my calorie and macro limit. Will be tracked in MFP Will focus on eliminating processed and refined foods (in prep for the next challenge) 2) Cage Fitness: Due to the abdominal hernia I’m not allowed to practice BJJ right now so I will continue to attend Cage Fitness 4-5 days a week for the HIIT/cardio. This one is kind of a gimme as I am already doing this, but I need a win right now to build the others on 3) Up my step game: 10,000 step goal daily. Should be no issue on days I have Cage but need to focus on getting at least half these steps while at work. 4) Read “Enter The Kettle bell” This will be done for preparation in the next challenge. I need to start focusing on strength again but need to cautious due to the hernia so KB are a good source to start, especially as they are a favorite for functional strength for many in the BJJ world. Side Quests: • Track measurements and weights weekly • Bed time: Target of 2200, no later than 2230 • Take ‘Before’ pics • Find one good thing in the day and post it on IG • Support my NFers I think that’s about it for now. Off to download Taptalk so I can start catching up on you all.

Wow, doing all the things!! I will echo Kishi on finding things that work for you. Just because it's done one way by others does not mean things can be adjusted to meet your needs. I think tailoring your workouts to a MA theme and making them functional is brilliant! Not only do you enjoy it more but you gain multiple benefits from it. Thanks for posting the workout as well, I'm always curious to see what others do so I can see what to steal..er, learn from them. look forward to seeing your progress during this challenge.

Having a lack of sleep is a huge pain, sorry to hear about you trouble. Have you had a sleep study done? I hated having to do mine but after spending days being exhausted like you are talking about I finally went and had one done. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea (to an extreme that my doc was surprised I had not had a stroke yet) and was given a cpap...I do not like it but will say there is a major difference the days after I use it to the times I don't. In any case I hope you can not only find a solution but also the cause so you can be over this issue for good. good luck, now go to bed.

You always have such well laid out goals. Great idea to breakdown your larger goals to the smaller steps needed. I can't wait to see you knock these all out.

The moment you come back to NF and see Raptron is still here and doing all the flippies and lifties: Guess I will stick around for a bit...I mean there is going to be pie for breakfast!!

Been busy sorry to wait so long. Roll for surprise: 14 (no clue if there are bonuses for surprise) Markas will try to identify what this entrance means ans try to remember what he was told in the passed of it: Roll for Knowledge: Religion: 14=9+5 Markas will then try to determine the woman motive: Sense Motive: 12=9+3 If at anytime there is an immediate threat that comes at the boy Markas will try to nock and fire at them - not sure what you would need for that.

Sorry I did not post sooner....just made a small post for for transition, will work conversation as posts continue Was not sure if you wanted damage for the 2 arrows that hit that you already wrote about, but I rolled if you want 5 and 4 to two separate targets Perception roll for silver in sky: 14+4=18 Markas will wait for the boy to be lowered from the horse and will apply First aid to the boy to examine and treat/stabilize him: Heal roll: 15+9=24 Once the boy is stable he will make sure there is no immediate threat to them or the boy and if able will make ranged attacks against the closest dread he has line of sight on: Rolls if needed (I did 2 cause I have no idea what all can be done in one round of a PbP): Hit: 12+6=18, Damage: 7 Hit: 10+6=16, Damage: 4 Let me know what I need to do, undo or what not

As he stared back into the city Markas found himself overwhelmed…so much mayhem and death. Standing with his hand still on his necklace he noticed a silver streak through the sky, the sight was enough to snap him out of his daze…just in time to notice the Charger rushing towards him, the large man on its saddle was saying something. Markas could only put the end of it together as the horse turned broadside as it slowed… “…the boy, he's... he's dying. Have you seen a healer! He does not have long but..." Looking at the slumped over young boy Markas nodded trying not to be overwhelmed by everything going on. “Is he yours?... Never mind that, take him down…gently, set him by hut wall over here” he said to the new arrival. “I am Markas” he said to the rider, “and I will do what I can, but I need to know what happened to give him the best chance”. Markas threw his bedroll down for the boy and reached into his pouches for his bandages and supplies waiting for the large man to bring the boy down.

I will try to post tonight but wifeDee is on comp right now.

I can't get the images to load...anyone else?

Markas crouched by an opening in the crumbled city wall, a small group of commoners huddled behind him cringing with each scream and movement of the shadows. He looked around as the chaos ensued….’how did this happen? Why the hell did I stay?’ he thought to himself as he looked out into the field leading to the forests tree line. He waved a man out of the small group over, “Take them and make your way to the hedges over there and wait”, Markas said as he made sure the line of sight was clear. “When I signal you make a break for the woods, don’t look back, just run…get them away from here.” The man nodded in agreement and gathered up the group. Markas watched as they worked their way to the hedges, he frowned as he recognized one of the old women; she had been with the group of farmers he escorted into town a few days before. Tales of trouble had been whispered as he was traveling through the area. He had come across the group of farmers on the road to the city a member had been stabbed by a roaming thief the night before. Markas had healed the man’s wounds and decided to escort the group to the city. ‘How many are alive?’ he wondered. He pushed the thought out of his mind and focused on the task at hand…’I must help those that live’…. Movement along the tree line caught his eye, he could not make out exactly what it was, friend or foe… the fighting seemed to be closer to the city, he hoped it was survivors that had already made it out of the city. Waiting to give the signal, he watched the group at the hedges but he realized the man in the lead was no longer looking at him, but down another street at something, something that caused a look of terror quickly take over the man’s face…the rest of the group followed his gaze and with one scream the panic set in as they bolted into the field towards the woods……’Not yet you fools!’ his thoughts screamed as he reached back to notch an arrow in his bow. Just then a gnome appeared in sight running from the direction that had caused the group panic…’By Erastil, they were panicked by a gnom…..’ his thought interrupt quickly when he saw the group of Dreads chasing them all down. Drawing the arrow back he whispered a short prayer to his god, whose symbol hung from his bracer. He released the arrow and then another and continued. He had given no thought to if they hit their targets, he only cared that it may confuse or distract the pursuers and allow the others to escape. The sound of thundering hoof beats mixed with yelling and commotion from the road behind him grabbed his attention. He turned to look back into the city, there were groups fighting in the open, bodies in the streets and people running anywhere they could just to escape the choas…his hand instinctively touching at the pendent under his armor “May the Hunter help us…..”