Skirler

Ick!! Sounds like pure hell. Glad you were able to do it. Thanks for the cheering on - and the gif was great!

My Challenge wrap up: QUIT SMOKING - +4 CON, +1 WIS. DONE and DONE and DONE. For this alone, I feel pretty awesome. I freakin' quit smoking. So my grade: A INCREASE PRACTICE - 5 Sun Salutations per day, 6x week - +1 STA, +1 DEX, +1 STR <--- Got this one - Yay me Grade - A. 30 - 60 minute session, 2x week - +2 STR, +1 DEX <--- failed - F. Restorative 3x week - +1 CON, +1 CHA <--- failed - F. SEWING (to try and maintain some semblance of my sanity) - Sew one dress - even if it is only a fitting muslin. +1 STA if it is only a muslin; +2 STA if wearable dress. I did the muslin ... I don't care for the style, so no wearable dress. Grade - D I did, however, start running again for some reason - and that has felt great. Overall grade - C+ But dudes - I am a non-smoker!

My Challenge wrap up: QUIT SMOKING - +4 CON, +1 WIS. DONE and DONE and DONE. For this alone, I feel pretty awesome. I freakin' quit smoking. So my grade: A INCREASE PRACTICE - 5 Sun Salutations per day, 6x week - +1 STA, +1 DEX, +1 STR <--- Got this one - Yay me Grade - A. 30 - 60 minute session, 2x week - +2 STR, +1 DEX <--- failed - F. Restorative 3x week - +1 CON, +1 CHA <--- failed - F. SEWING (to try and maintain some semblance of my sanity) - Sew one dress - even if it is only a fitting muslin. +1 STA if it is only a muslin; +2 STA if wearable dress. I did the muslin ... I don't care for the style, so no wearable dress. Grade - D I did, however, start running again for some reason - and that has felt great. Overall grade - C+ But dudes - I am a non-smoker!

Believe it or not - I am still alive. Still completely smoke free ... Still doin' my daily sun salutations ... Still dealing with my mom and her health issues: a hospital admission or two, some very uncomfortable parenting of my parent, etc, but she only has 1 more chemo session, two more weeks of radiation, and then she gets a month off before surgery. Haven't sewn a lick since week 1. Just too mentally drained. I have been maintaining some of my practice, but since it is catch-as-catch can, I haven't been diligent with tracking it. But smoke free and sun salutationed I am!

Can I just say - it is absolutely mesmerizing to see everyone's last poster as Sunmage ... and see that avatar line after line after line. That is all ....

I'm back after a rough coupla days with my mom. Mom had chemo all day today, so I am wiped out from just sitting in the exact same spot for 7 hours. I will do some restorative later tonight, after I get some food in me. I haven't been keeping up with my practice this past week. I haven't been keeping up with the restorativw work either. I have been doing my sun salutations every day though .... they are helping me maintain some level of sanity. I hope to get some sewing done tomorrow - as long as I don't have another emergency run to the hospital. I have decided though - that I'm not going to beat the pisss out of myself if my practice or restorative works falls by the wayside while dealing with my mom's illness. I can't possibly do everything and be everything to everyone - and that will be the thing to go to the side for now. But dudes .... I am still 100% smoke free. Last night, I wanted one really, really bad - and thought it would sure be a shame to blow almost 30 days - and the feeling went away. I rewarded myself for almost 30 days by an AWESOME trip to the zoo - and a 8.7 mile hike. Sunmage - I'm not sure my story is even remotely interesting to anyone! But it made me feel good just to have you say that - so thank you

Congratulations on the job and the much needed upcoming "re-charge" Sometimes the best decisions are the hardest to make and most difficult to implement. And sometimes just making the decision can be exhausting/draining. Slowing down and giving yourself a break, in whatever form that may take, can be hard to do - so you should be proud of yourself for recognizing the need and making sure it happens.

Update for 26 June: No smoking: CHECK Sun salutations: CHECK Practice: No Restorative: No Sewing: No Did 2 miles of brisk walking though during morning break and lunch - but the heat! Sheesh it kicked my arse and all I could muster last night was my sun salutations. I have begun using Zombie Run and am having so much fun with it. I like the idea of working on the habit of running, Evenewbie. I think that is a great way for me to think of it. Thanks for that!

Update for 25 June: No smoking: CHECK Sun salutations: CHECK Practice: No Restorative: CHECK - 15 minutes Sewing: No 1.something mile power walk; 2 mile zombie run My mother's chemo has hit her - and there's a part of me that thinks she is somehow wallowing in being sick. She is not being proactive at all throughout this and it is starting to get to me. It is not typical behavior for her. But then again, she's never dealt with this before either. So I don't know whether to call her on it or try and snap her out of it. ARGH.

Heh - I'm adopted. I run outside. I did 2 miles today for my lunch! And the zombies didn't get me this time. ::: whew ::: I've done a little over a mile walking, and a 2 mile zombie run. We need to consider me a complete novice runner. I ran when I was on active duty - a very, very long time ago. And military running is not, um, efficient. But I'm chugging along.

Are you physically, mentally or emotionally tired? Or perhaps all of the above? Can you figure out what kind of tired you might be and then determine what it is that has made you tired? After that - step back from what is making you so tired? I'm finding I am having to do that very thing - my tired is emotional - which is maybe why the universe decided I need to run lately. Maybe take one thing in your day that is NOT a struggle ... and take 15 minutes with that - whatever that may be, and just let that happen with much more purpose. I think I sound whackadoodle ..... hopefully it makes sense though.

Update .... No smoking: CHECK. I'm now 3 weeks smokefree Sun salutations: CHECK. I have been doing them every evening in an effort to quiet my head.. Practice: No for last week - yes for last evening though - 30 minutes flexibility and strength Restorative: Only 10 minutes last night Sewing: None - but lots of knitting got done in countless waiting rooms and hospital rooms. I failed to post last week, and I certainly failed on increasing my practice, I did go for 3 runs last week, including a 3k (but the damn zombies got me - I was laughing and it slowed my pace down). Everyone in my family thinks I have lost my mind but I will admit this here: DAMN but it feels good to run. I felt so strong. I'm not, really, but I felt that way. I'm stronger than I was a month ago. That counts for something. Doesn't it?

I would love to be adopted by you As a matter of fact, for whatever reason, the universe has decided that I need to start adding running to my life! I haven't run since I was in the military, some mumbletymumblety years ago. And if I remember correctly, you are also a runner, no?

Your focus is something to which I aspire. You seem to have an awful lot going on in your life - yet your focus seems so strong. I'm envious. As I've aged (I'm 45) - I have often thought that my head can no longer wrap itself around complicated texts as well, so I know that fear well. I can tell you though, based on your content as well as the manner of presentation of your updates - you have most definitely NOT lost that ability. Go, you

June 17 activity: No smoking: CHECK. I've passed the two week mark! Sun salutations: No. Practice: No Restorative: No Sewing: No For some g-d forsaken reason, I felt like a morning run. So I ran. Also took 2 quickie (10 minute) and one longer (35) minute walks during work. I walk at a pace where I would find it difficult to converse. Things with my mother are not going well, and it is taking its toll on me. I am struggling to find the balance between being her caregiver and cheerleader, and making sure my own self is taken care of, as well as my kids, work, my own house, etc. Since I now have all this extra stuff to do, something is going to have to give, but as of right this minute, I can't think of what that should be, so I'm trying to be everything to everyone - and in the end, I know I will be the one to deal with the consequences. ::: le sigh ::: I'm tryin' ...

Go, you!!!!

June 15 activity: No smoking: CHECK. Sun salutations: CHECK Practice: No Restorative: No Sewing: No June 16 activity: No smoking: CHECK. Sun salutations: CHECK Practice: No Restorative: No Sewing: No Hopefully I can get my act together this week.

Thank you WhiteRook and Evenewbie. The encouragement here at NF is just amazing. June 14 activity: No smoking: CHECK. Sun salutations: No Practice: No Restorative: No Sewing: No - unless picking up all the pins my stupid cats removed from my pin cushions counts. They pulled out over 100 silk pins and threw them on the floor. Assholes. Spent all day at the hospital with Mom, so apart from pacing, nothing. Her brand, spankin new chem port was horribly infected, so surgeon, while he had her out, cleaned and re-dressed it. Did her ultrasound EGD and then we received really good news - she didn't need a feeding tube He gave her an esophagael shunt instead! He told us that within 3-5 days, she should be eating hamburgers and french fries. Considering she hasn't been able to even drink broth in 3 weeks and has lost 32 pounds in 6 weeks, that was incredible news. When I got her home last night, she drank her first cup of tea and she could actually drink it normally, rather than having to take incredibly small sips and wait to see if it goes down. I did try about 30 minutes of racquetball with SontheYounger, but it was all I could muster at 7:30 last night. So fail day for me for everything except the smoking - but a good day for Mom. I'd rather have it like that than the reverse.

Happy birthday, you awesome woman you!

Oh wow - thanks everyone I really appreciate the support and encouragement. I am feeling, um, worn thin. But there youhave it. Updates might be a bit sporadic as my mom's treatments will begin soon. June 13 activity: No smoking: CHECK. But wow I wanted one late last night after i got home. I had some gum instead. Sun salutations: CHECK - but will admit to them feeling like a chore last night. Practice: No Restorative: 10 minutes of shavasana was all I could muster until the rest of the family insisted on my attention. Sewing: No. Since I had 3 hours to kill during my mom's port insertion, I paced. A lot. Mom got her chem port yesterday. I continued to throw my fit and today, she finally indeed gets her feeding tube. Probably no work out/practice tonight since I have to head up to the hospital straight from work, but I will try. I feel like I have set myself up to fail this challenge because there is so much of my schedule over which I seem to have zero control

June 12 activity: No smoking: CHECK. Sun salutations: CHECK Practice: No Restorative: No Sewing: No. Yesterday was a really rough day, and other than not smoking and my sun salutations, I accomplished nothing toward my goals. However, after throwing a pretty decent fit, I finally got one of my mother's doctors to HEAR me when I said "She has lost 30 pounds in 6 weeks. It is not that she is having trouble swallowing - it is that she CANNOT swallow. Not even water most of the time." So hopefully they will be inserting a PEG tube Friday or Saturday. I'll take my victories where I can get them.

June 11 activity: No smoking: CHECK. Sun salutations: No. Practice: CHECK- 6 Moon Salutations Restorative: CHECK 15 minutes legs up the wall; 10 minutes shavasana Sewing: No. 1 mile walk during morning break; 2 mile walk during lunch hour.

Your studio stroll sounds fabulous! Congrtulations on being guild champion, by the way! Go YOU I really like your language goal. I need to find something to push myself out of my comfort zone on these challenges .... you've made me think now.

Woman you haz some great legs! I think tonight I may try those two poses. Back scale definitely looks like a good warm up into dancer. It's funny that maintenance "doesn't translate into talking much about it." So true - but sadly, I think it's maintenance that probably SHOULD be talked about. So many of us yo-yo, with weight, or crappy habits, etc. I know for me, maintaining and sustaining are often the most difficult. Maybe we just need to figure out a way to talk about it.

I'm in, too ETA: Did 6 sun salutations last night, 10 June.