Dragoness

Fonzico & Darkfoxx - It's definitely really weird. Last trip, I broke my paleo pledge by drinking a soda - it was so gross! I couldn't believe it. Now what I end up craving most is plain coconut butter - completely paleo, raw to boot and better than cookies! It's crazy. Redtomato - I'm really excited to get a chance to focus so much on my book project! It's for younger children, so the illustrations are going to be half of the story. I might post a sneak preview of some concept art, once I have something worth showing... ;D

So, things are revving up for me. I'm going to be spending the next 3 weeks starting friday with my sister and boyfriend as my parents go on a business trip. During this time I'm gonna be giving myself some mini-challenges to keep me busy and productive: 1) sketch the rough draft art for both of the books I have outlined - at least storyboard and at best, colored full scale sketches of all pages, by the time I get home. 2) Pick 3 piano pieces and revive them. It's been over six months since I practiced, and there are practice rooms in the music building open to anyone during the day. At least one of them needs to be moderately performable (for friends and family) by the end of the 3 weeks. 3) Spruce up my LinkedIn page, do some research into movement therapy certification, and make a short list of part-time jobs and volunteer opportunities in my area to get back out and doing things. I just did sprints today; if my injured legs can handle that, it can handle wearing a shin guard to a job. 4) Keep working on my Avatar-themed workout XD right now it's a little boring, but kicked my ass today. As for my regular goals - I've got a perfect score on daily exercise, water is becoming my favorite beverage, and while I keep hitting paleo snags (My parents made gluten-free PUMPKIN CAKE this weekend. CAKE! Seriously are they tempting me off course on purpose???) I'm doing a lot better than I thought I would be at this point. And I can definitely feel the difference - the thought of some sugary drinks or candy just turns my stomach now, and although I've been a little depressed lately it could definitely be worse. Yay being motivated!

I'll have to check at the Speedway in town to see if they have something similar. I'm actually going to be traveling again for 2-3 weeks this time; so I'm going to have to really plan ahead this round. Last time I caved into eating out with friends, and ended up getting sick like I used to from gluten! Not this time.

OMG YUS *fist bump* right back atcha! Homestuck = awesome.

OOOOK. Hopefully I can get to posting semi daily like I was hoping now. Things I've been up to: Last night I MIGHT have used A: Last Airbender ep. 18 season 2 (The guru episode) as a guided meditation. Y'know, when Guru is talking Aang through his chakras and emotional blockage and whatnot. It was very relaxing, and kinda made me think over my current priorities and feel a little more confident about this challenge. So there's that. Today, I had a coconut milk and berrybanana smoothie with dehydrated egg white powder (paleo/vegetarian protein source!) for lunch, steamed veggies and olive oil for a late afternoon snack, and my mom's paleo chicken burgers and stir fry for dinner. I got hungry watching tv later so I had an apple and some coconut butter (I could eat that stuff raw and by the cup all day, erry day. not even kidding.) +1 Paleo! I went to a local playground today and actually worked out like I haven't for a while. I usually just walk, or do some task around the house like paint or clean for a certain amount of time, and it was really good to do something again. I was working on an Avatar-inspired drill set; I found these waist-height U poles that are supposed to be for bikes, but no one uses them for that. I kinda split it up like this: Air: That pose Aang does when he's riding the air ball - balancing on one foot's toes, other leg held up in front or across the lap. I took that pose and squatted up and down, 12 reps 2 sets using one hand to balance. I should/could have done more, but I was experimenting. ____: I did inverted rows underneath the U's. ____: I did inclined pushups/bent-over handstand combo balancing on top of the U's ____: I did a butterfly kick-style vault over the sides of the U's, tried to balance on them, etc. My core was sore after a few passes. Working on it. I want to see if I can spruce up the exercises by researching the elements/their real martial arts bases. Anyway, +1 Workout Last official goal: All the tea. All the time. (no sweeteners!) +1 water I have continued to nervously put off final drafting and illustrating of my children's books, but no more! I decided on a format, and I will come up with a manuscript for the simplest one by the end of this challenge. I have no idea what is a realistic time length for this, but I'm going to be staying with my boyfriend for about 3 weeks starting next weekend while my parents go to Disney World (not kidding. Business trip.) so I expect to get a lot done while I'm there. I'll need to stay busy somehow Le tally d'heure (somebody check my mathhhsss): Goal #1 ~ 10/42 Points, 10/12 attempts successful. 83.33% success rate (ouch). Highest possible score currently 95.2% Goal #2 ~ 12/42 points, 12/12 attempts successful (yeah not being able to keep still!) Highest possible score currently 100% (like a BOSS) Goal #3 ~ 10/42 points, 10/12 attempts successful. Ditto goal 1. Life Quest: 2.45/21 hours. I have logged much more than that looking into publishing advice and freelance work, but it wasn't all for the children's books so only get to keep some of that. Keep on keep'n on

Hey, I did say cheapest! They make better-smelling hair powder for 'dry showers' that work the same way, but they're harder to find unless you're willing to online order them. I've found that the smell of baby powder doesn't stick around long if I shake or brush the excess out, and what little is left smells better than I would otherwise ;D Also- Thanks so much! I was wondering what was up with that. Signature fixed!

Hello, Avatar Marikunin. Welcome to Nerd Fitness! I feel you on wintertime blues... I love all the colors of fall (and the pumpkin!) but the long cold is rough. Best of luck as you begin your training!

Cheapest solution I've found: baby powder. No blowers, no heaters, no water, no nothing; the cornstarch absorbs the oil, you muss it through your hair so that the excess falls out, and it looks great on everyone I've seen try it.

BACK. Sup everyone? - sounds like some serious ass kicking is being done, and I loved hearing more about everyone. We ARE the cool kids Sorry I was MIA, I got sick from something I ate on my trip (I caved and went out to eat with friends... no body else got sick, so I think it was just an celiac thing) but I've been keeping up this week and I'm ready to get back to beasting this challenge. @ Matt- oh god. I'm going to go sob too, that many pushups hurts just to think about. I'm late to the party, but I enjoyed everyone's backstory so much I wanted to join in - I'm 22, about 2 months away from being 23, fresh out of college. I spent the last four years in school out in the middle-of-nowhere Kentucky, and am back at home in the suburbs of Chicago. I spent 8 years training in Tae Kwon Do, and worked as an instructor at my dojang for the last three years before I left for college. Drama with the masters over a mystery illness (that turned out to just be asthma) means I probably won't go back now, but I sure miss being able to drop kick everyone in the room. I'm really energetic, a little moody, and very easily affected by the emotional climate around me (which is why super-positive Nerd Fitness is perfect to keep me motivated ) I love languages; especially ancient ones with dead alphabets like egyptian hieroglyphs, I love writing (thus working on some children's books!) and I love all things sciencey, artsy, geeky, etc. I always need to have some project going, or my whole life gets unfocused. Yay for challenges! TMI time/shameless plea for advice & inspiration if anyone's got opinions: the 'flesh wound' on my shin looks like its almost healed over. Now, it kinda looks like I was attacked by the fire nation... That might be what I tell people if anyone asks XD Anyway, I've recovered from sprains and strains before while training, and it's starting to feel like I can do more, but if anyone has advice for working out and healing from the many-stitches kind of injury, it'd be much appreciated. I like to be really active and acrobatic when I work out, so adjusting to bodyweight rep drills and walking as opposed to sprints, kicks and rolling is a little... boring. Hope the weekend goes well for everyone, and fellow first-time challengers remember we're only one week away from reaching Level 1 XD

JACKETS. like the wind breakers that you layer over hoodies and long sleeve shirts during fall. Because winter is coming. Also I second iron-on patches.

I did a little modern dance in college, and from that experience I would put myself in the Monk category if I were going to do a dance-based challenge. The discipline, drilling and... well, art of it felt very similar to practicing forms and taking tae kwon do classes. For music, I always felt meditative while practicing piano - kinda druid-y, because it takes concentration and refined movements as opposed to brute strength; and I always kinda thought of the druids as being sort of guru like, and traditional gurus do lots of endless memorization XD Not opposed to more classes, but if you're looking for communities of like-minded individuals, you just gotta look for the people who train the way you want to train

*drools* WANT. SO MUCH WANT. I can't wait to see where this goes!

K. Back, and after a long recoup this week, finally feeling back up to the Challenge (pun sooo intended). So, score: Thursday: 1/1/1 points Friday: 1/1/1 points (woo!) Saturday: 0/1/0 (paleo failure) Sunday: 1/1/1 (not two days in a row!) Monday: 0/1/1 (house was empty after the weekend away. it was pizza or starve - I caved.) Tuesday: 1/1/0 (water water water) Wednesday: 1/1/1 (woo!) Thursday: 1/1/1 (Back in business!)