CaptMillwood

Week 1, Day 5 (Wednesday): So Wednesday since I hadn’t made a proper plan yet I had a guideline for what I wanted to do that day. It ended up being more or less accurate, I woke up later than planned but made up the tasks as I went through the day. So, I get a point for planning. At the end of the day I sat down and made the rest of my weekly plan up, while listening to the new Fictional Podcast. Listening to the story of the Monkey’s Paw as I worked was fun. I made a chart to track my study and steps so I don’t have to figure it out every time that I sit down to write theses. Step wise I did very well. Most days I have been walking more than what I needed. Which is good as for my next challenge I intend to up the steps again as a prelude to running. That way my body is already used to more stress regularly, so a few times of running a week will be easy. Studying for the most part has been listening to podcasts and reading articles, which isn’t bad. But I want to keep ahead of the curve when it comes to class work, and I need to make sure that I finish my book club book in time. A ton of reading coming up! Body: 1. Mind: 2.5. Spirit: 2 Week 1, Day 6 (Thursday): After getting some feedback in the martial arts board I have begun a nice stretch routine in the morning. Since my Taiji routine is quick, I have been going through the form then doing one aikido stretch. Then rinse and repeat till I have done all the stretches. I started with the first three suggested today. This has been helping as I was a little less sore at the end of the day after walking. Studying was a bunch of podcasts as I ate breakfast and got ready for work, with more after work. Like I mentioned I need to focus more on reading in the future. Still I have caught up with a bunch of podcasts and rather keeping pace with new releases I am slowly making progress on back episodes. Which is nice. Body: 1. Mind: 3. Spirit: 1. Week 1, Day 7 (Friday): So today was more stretching in the morning with a ton of walking. I didn’t need my evening walk to hit my step goal, though I still took it. It was a very busy night which was awesome, and tomorrow looks to be more of the same. So fun fun! Studying was once again podcasts as I ate and got ready for work. Which on the one hand has been good but still I need more active study time as well. Plan for today went well, a little off as I got out of work later but that is beyond my control. Tomorrow’s plan had to be altered as I need to head to the bank early as well as head into work early to get a jump on prep. So, I have modified it, but hopefully it won’t be too terrible. Body: 1. Mind: 2.6. Spirit: 1 The Body: Week 1, 6.45/8 The Mind: Week 1, 17.56/14 The Spirit: Week 1, 7/8 A weekly review will come later.

First thing that came to mind is Red cooked pork. This was pretty close to the way I do it. It is utterly delightful and should be tried more often, I may grab some pork myself just to try it out again. https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/red-cooked-pork

So having too much pork butt is an area I am very well qualified to help in, if you are looking for ideas

All of you post is fantastic but this part in particular I love. I remember doing all of these, so doing between bits of tau chi is the plan. In addition carpel tunnel is a concern as I get older so doing this is just a good idea. Thank you for the great advice! Harrison is unfortunately the same distance away. I am in Auburn/Lewiston so it may be I have to commute a couple of days to practice, which is not ideal. Hopefully not though!

Week 1, Day 3 (Monday): so originally I was going to head back on later. Unfortunately well, my lady and I broke up that night. We weren't in a super long and committed relationship but still it sucked. I finished an episode of the Bruce Lee podcat (15m) and listened to an episode yo the Art of Manliness episode (44m). With an hour of studying I will call that good for the day. After the break up I went for a walk and got my 10,000 steps for the night. And otherwise the day went according to plan, minus making a weekly plan. Body, 1. Mind, 2. Spirit 1. Week 1, Day 4 (Tuesday): Today was hectic. Work plus errands kept me going almost all day with a few breaks to hang with friends. Between two episodes of the Bruce Lee podcast (81m), the most recent Welcome to Night vale (31m), and an hour of communications I am good for the mind. Steps just needed a small walk to finish at the end of the day. While I won't have my weekly plan done till tomorrow I did have a plan for the day and stuck to it. So good job me. Body, 1. Mind, 2.86. Spirit 1. The Body: Week 1, 3.45/4 The Mind: Week 1, 9.46/8 The Spirit: Week 1, 3/4

I wish it added to steps. It is a more modern setting and we are doing it at someone's house. So acting put things but not a ton of walking. But yeah it rocks.

Alright everybody! Week 1, Day 1 (Saturday): So, the first day and it started well. There was a small hitch of my headphones dying so I can’t use them for my walks. But in other good news my previous employer kept me on the payroll till after the annual vacation. So, two extra paychecks that I wasn’t expecting. I used part of it to pay for a custom framing job on a pirate map from The Pirate History Podcast. While going to the bank and doing some errands I listened to an episode of the Pirate History Podcast and the Bruce Lee Podcast. All together it only totaled an hour and thirty-five minutes but that is why I can earn extra on different days. After the third day at my new job, I took a nice long walk to get a total of 11,046 steps for the day. I did a late-night food run as a little treat for the end of my weekend workwise, but otherwise completely on schedule. The Body: 1. The Mind: 1.6. The Spirit: 1 Week 2, Day 2 (Sunday): So, I went a bit off schedule, deciding rather than my hike for the day I would take my lady for a trip to the animal farm (her favorite place). But very happy I did. After we were done I killed some time by listening to some podcasts before my LARP. So, two episodes of Bruce Lee (97m), Pirate History (37m), and Welcome to Nightvale (33m). In addition I listened to Food: A Culinary History on the high middle ages (32m). I did this in a coffee shop which with some altering of plans later that night did effect my steps goal. ☹ Tonight was the first meeting for my Changeling the Lost LARP. Originally it was going to be three hours, but that got eaten by character creation as many people were new to it. So we went on for another two hours, which was when I was going to take my nightly walk, only 4,512 steps. Still that is progress as on other days off I was only getting 2,000 steps. Unfortunately that means no point for either steps or schedule, but it was an absolute blast! The Body: .45. The Mind: 3.31(3). The Spirit: 0 I should be on later to report on today, but so far weekly totals are. The Body: Week 1, 1.45/2 The Mind: Week 1, 4.6/2 The Spirit: Week 1, 1/2

Yeah I don't want to get to end and see a bunch of failed days, more like a bunch of days I still moved a crap ton. And everything is edible, some of it is just only edible once. Yeah honestly without the podcasts I would be screwed. With them though travel time or cooking meals becomes study time as well, so it really wracks up the time. Plus with one of my classes I need to copy the vocab from the book, then provide my own answer. So I have been listening to the podcast as I do straight copying, then coming back later to reread after I have read the text for my own definitions. Knocks out a solid half an hour usually. And love Aikido. I was also interested in Hapkido but the closest place hasn't returned my calls and never seems to be open, such is life. And I am in Maine

Week 0, Day 3: Alright so really good progress! Walking continues to be going very well. I have found that an hour to an hour and a half walk has been taking care of my my walking goals pretty well, and that is without all the extra steps from work. Studying has been going very well especially with all of the traveling I have been doing to see people and things. And the fact that I am listening to podcasts when I do things around the house. Also plan has been working very well, I haven't been following it religiously but it has been a good way to know what I need to do throughout the day. So I might swap the time when I do things, but for the most part It stays true. I have been very productive. Week 0, Day 4: So this is the first off day. I slept in much later then intended and as a result lost a couple of ours of productivity. I still studied of course, but that combined with a call from a lady friend killed my walking goal. Considering that though I think I will alter the point system a bit, and allow fractions of steps to be put forward. So today I did 3,332 steps for a .3 for points. That way at the end I can compare the total number of steps versus a list of successes and failures. Perspective. Now hopefully the rest of the challenge will go fantastically.

So I am trying to get my finances in order a little bit and think more about the future, and would love some advice when it comes to long term planning. I am a professional cook so actually having extra income to think about the future is a new thing, and I am kinda unprepared for it. In terms of savings I am doing it for three purposes. Have money for classes. Right now I am in college earning a Restaurant Manger degree, as well as taking any outside classed that might help me with that.. I am paying for this out of my own pocket so making sure I have cash saved is important. Having a cushion in case of emergencies. For me I am defining this as having at least a month's worth of income in case something happens. Most people advise three months but since I am having to split things up, I think one is a more manageable goal. Start saving for a restaurant. I want to own one eventually, starting with a food truck to figure out what would be good for the area. Ideally this would be in around 12 years from now, when I turn forty as I will beginning to feel my age and not work the line as much as I used to. My questions is how much of my income should I be aiming to save for each? To provide context, right now all my rent and utilities are covered by 40% of my income. Any advice is really appreciated!

Alright let's get zero week started! Week 0, Day 1: I ended up traveling to Portland to attend a Victorian Fair. It was actually super interesting, and ended up with me finding out some food classes the University of Maine offers. Specifically I like the Master Food Preservation and Meat Cutting Class, both of which are intensive but would be well worth it. In terms of goals I measured my new walk to work. One way takes roughly fifteen minutes and 1,400 steps. So between the two I should be able to knock out half an hour and a third of my steps more of less. Considering a work shift usually gives me roughly 4,000 steps, I just need a short walk at the end of the night to get my step goal. Still I walked a good hour and a half for today's steps, all the traveling took care of my learning with a half hour reading to supplement. As for bujo, didn't happen today but will tomorrow. This is where my daily totals will go in the future. Week 0, Day 2: Alright so took another walk today after attending an art exhibit for a friend. She made a book of sea shanties, which shall be recreated so we all can have a copy for our outings. Studying was once again podcasts with travel, and listening to them as I write this. And bujo is made! Not super artsy but it definitely was fun to do, and a good way to chill a bit once a week. Plus I always wanted to work more on arty things. I would show it off but file size is too big unfortunately. Seriously points would go here. And this is where the Current Totals will Go!

This is the first of a four-challenge long trend to use the Defenders to inspire some goals. For the record, I will be using the Marvel TV universe versions of these heroes, not the comic versions. This is a way for me to build up to practicing again, so at the end I will be practicing a martial art again! Aikido is the first choice BUT there is only one dojo local, so if it isn’t in business anymore (I have run into this before) I will have to try a different style. But ideally it will be! First up is… Gifted with extra sense when blinded, trained to fight in a global war, lawyer by day, and fierce protector of Hell’s Kitchen. This guy has some remarkable things to focus on, and that is what I intend to do. The Body: This is my city (Walk 10,000 steps a day). Matt is connected to his city in a way few others can be. He knows it better because he has been there his entire life and walked its streets daily. I have been in my new place for a year, but have yet to wander due to my commute. That changes this challenge. Goal: For this challenge, I will aim to walk 10,000 steps a day, each day I do earning me 1 point. Because I also like walking I will build in a weekly point for taking a walk through nature, there is a bird preserve near me that fits the bill well. While the intent is to get to know my area more, I am not about to not count steps because they were in a separate city. Strategy: For the past challenge I had a step counter on my phone. On days I work I averaged around 5,000 steps, which means this goal is achievable. Given that I am no longer commuting 1.5 hours a day to work, I will have plenty of time to dedicate at least half an hour to a walk. In addition I intend to walk to and from work each day. Between these two I anticipate some good things happening. Scoring: Eight points per week, one a day and a bonus hike. Like my previous challenge the points will be tallied for a percentage score. So at the end I should have 31 points, last week is a day short. The Mind: I’m your attorney (Study 2 hours a day) Alright so Matt is also a lawyer, a profession that takes an ungodly amount of work both to become and be. I may not be going into law but learning is an important thing to me. So I am upping my game. Goal: I will study 2 hours a day. This is a pretty big amount but I do believe it is doable. Listening to podcasts at least one way when commuting and reading half an hour put me at an hour and fifteen minutes of learning. It will be a challenge but that is what I need. Strategy: So this will be working with my walking goal. Walking to and from work while listening to a podcast as well as a walk at night will cover a good percentage of my daily goal. I have a few podcasts that are more fiction and story oriented, but they are three out of forty. So I will count them as learning if they are on, after all literature counts. Otherwise sitting down and studying will be a thing. I need to sit down to study for school so no matter the circumstances I will have motivation, it a is a lot of money spent otherwise. But some ideas for studying. · German with Duolingo · Communications for Class · Pirate History · Culinary Texts I have (Art of Fermentation, Food Lab, Professional Chef, Food Bible, Etc) · RSS Feed (not the comics) which features a bunch of blogs that are academic. · Literally dozens of books I have on random subjects. So I have plenty of things to choose from. Scoring: Each day I will divide the number of minutes studied by one twenty for a point score (x=m/120). Seeing as I know there will be times I just won’t be able to study as much as I want, each day can have a total score value of three. So up to an extra hour of study to be graded. However not enough to make me thing I can get it all in with one marathon study session. All told 54 points total. The Spirit: Night time Hobby (make a schedule) So one thing I didn’t like is how much being Daredevil cost Matt. Massive amounts of pain were caused to those around him because he just took on too much to be effective. I have this problem as well so I am going to try and change that. Goal: I need to set down essential things for the day so I don’t get so lost while I am trying to do things. It is honestly a trial as I am either rushing around, or worried I forgot something. So at least some lists of things to do daily and weekly. Strategy: So a bujo seems to be the ticket. Not a terribly artistic person but maybe this will be a good mindfulness thing for me as well. Regardless the plan will be to sit down and plan what needs to be done for each week, then split it up according to the days. Not micro manage though. Scoring: One point per day scheduled, one for a sit down during the week to plan the next one. So a total of 31 points. I am wicked excited!

Well Fellow Monks time for an end of the month review. The Body: 93% The Body of all of them was the easiest. I like healthy food and as a long as I have the time I do eat well, so this was more of a make time thing. As I found out half way through the challenge however I do have to be careful of my diet. With mostly vegetables I ended up being exhausted most of the time, though adding more meat and grains to my diet solved this. The benefits were well worth as it I felt so much better without all the dairy in my system and I ended up losing some weight. What I learned? I learned that healthy eating is more about setting aside time for me rather than food choices. That said I need to keep it in mind. The Mind: 97% So, this was the one that was the biggest return to how I used to be. And the results speak for themselves. Near the beginning I too a reading comprehension test, scoring 377 words a minute with only 64% comprehension. I ended up taking the test a minute ago. The actual speed didn’t go up much with only 422 words but the comprehension went up to 100%. Damn fine improvement! What I learned is that I don’t always have the time to read, but I do make it up later in the week in most cases. This is for me a good note as it means that even if I don’t do it daily, I will catch up with reading if I prioritize it. It is also a good thing to note for my upcoming mind goal, which will be a little more intense. My reading skills I had aren’t gone, they just have rusted joints. What matters though is that I still enjoy the crap out of reading. As a note, technical reading, aka textbooks, is still hard. But I have more focus and willpower now. The Spirit: 70% Ouch. Literally by the skin of my teeth can I not consider this a failure. So, let’s think about why this happened. When energy levels were low this was the first thing to be skipped, which does not surprise me. Now that I have a little more control of my schedule it may be a better idea to do it in the morning or afternoon as opposed to the evenings. A real problem I don’t find it particularly interesting, which means I need to work on my mindset regarding it. It is a helpful thing, so improvements with how I regard it are in order. Considering it isn’t about me getting good at Taiji, but using the time to rest my mind and using principles in different arts. So, what did I learn? I learned that the end of the night is not good for physical stuff as I am just tired from the day. That may change after I am local more often now, but I can’t count on that. Thoughts on the Challenge It is good to be back and have goals that I am working for. I am moving forward and getting better again, rather than treading water. Rest is done, success is now.

Well! Crazy busy week! Week 4, Day 1 (Sunday): So this day was a sad one as it was my last day at my job. As a result a few people took me out late and we celebrated. As a result reading and Tai Chi did not happen as I didn't get in till late. Really hoping these "special" days stop. Week 4, Day 2 (Monday): So Monday was mostly about recovery. In addition to not feeling great from the night before I was sick, so cancelled some plans to help people move and spent the day recovering. I read some articles to make up for Monday's not reading and did some Taiji. Food went well except for a few crappy snacks to keep my spirits up. Week 4, Day 3 (Tuesday): On Tuesday I went to help my (now) former boss to help her move some things. Day had a few delays, biggest one was the driver starting off without making sure the back door was closed. Eating went well, I avoided anything bad and remembered both meals. Week 4, Day 4 (Wednesday): So in addition to class I had the first instance is a hopeful tradition. I don't get a lot of references as I haven't seen a bunch of movies, so we dedicated a few days to watch them. This evening included titles such as Big Trouble in Little China, It, The Shining, etc. Eating went well as I made sure there were good snacks. Reading suffered as I was watching movies all day, but I did manage some Taiji before bed. Week 4, Day 5 (Thursday): So the movies continued with Scarface and Diehard. Solid movies though I do not like Tony Montana at all. Eating went well, I finished up a vegan vegetable cobbler I had made the night before. Reading went well, I even made up for not reading the night before. Taiji also went well, I have switched to a slow motion version of the forms followed by a faster one. The first helps with the movements and the second is better for establishing the flow of it. Week 5, Day 6 (Friday): Friday was fun, I did my bi-monthly dinner party which has finally found it's legs now that I have others making desert and appetizers. Cheese was eaten as I didn't check on one dish first before I ate it. Kinda sucked. Taiji was different as I spent the time practicing one movement to add. It is difficult as it involves moving both arms and one leg in different ways. Hard to do but I will nail it. The Body: Week One, 22/22. Week Two, 21/22. Week Three, 18/22. Week Four, 18/19 The Mind: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 7/7. Week Three, 7/7. Week Four, 6/6 The Spirit: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 3/7. Week Three, 5/7. Week Four, 5/6

Week 3, Day 4 (Wednesday): So, while it was my birthday it didn’t have a good start. I stayed up all night reading, plus with low energy levels I overslept, and was late to work. They called someone else in and I ended up being given most of the day off, just came in to close. Not good. I upped my calories a lot after that and the issue was solved, so really need to work on making sure I am eating enough not just healthy. I did get a cool birthday gift of the Food Lab book. 1,000 pages on nerd level food stuff. Wicked good though I haven’t cracked it yet. Otherwise Taiji took a hit. I ended up chilling in a bar for the end of the day so people could see me. However, no one showed up that day, so I finished reading “How to Read Literature like a Professor”. Before you feel bad I got a ton of people asking me out the next day. Still got home very late and tired. Food wise I did well, besides birthday cake. My mother however is trying hard not to sabotage me and only got a small cake, but still snagged a piece. Week 3, Day 5 (Thursday): Food went well but unfortunately my other goals did not. A bunch of people asked me to come out as they hadn’t seen me the day before. All bought me a beer, and in addition a couple of the staff at my favorite bar. So yeah awesome. Was a very good day but when I came home I slept like the dead. Week 3, Day 6 (Friday): Friday was on track! It was the day of tacos as my mother took me out to lunch and I made some at work. Pork tacos with sautéed mushrooms and onions, cabbage, and pickled onions. Taiji as soon as I went home. To make up for not reading the night before I ended up sitting down with some articles, then finished reading “the Dunich Horror” by Lovecraft. Went over half an hour to finish it but well worth it. And got invited to a World of Darkness Changeling LARP. Week 3, Day 7 (Saturday): So, food wasn’t great today as I missed one meal. For my other one I made biscuits and gravy. I used some of the vegan biscuits we have at work and made some gravy on the fly with mushrooms and beef. Very good and all my coworkers enjoyed it as well, though not as much as my coworkers Shepard’s pie, though that had SO MUCH DAIRY in it. Reading I haven’t done but I am going to give myself the point as I will be doing it after this. Week 3 Review: Energy levels were my downfall here, as well as unique events. That seems to be the part that screws with my plans the most, so I will have to keep that in mind going forward. However, over all I have been reading more than intended, so there is a bonus here. Planning in addition is going off, definitely going to be using that as a goal for the next challenge. The Body: Week One, 22/22. Week Two, 21/22. Week Three, 6/22 The Mind: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 7/7. Week Three, 7/7. The Spirit: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 3/7. Week Three, 5/7.

Honestly as soon as I put more calories into my diet not only did I feel better physically but mentally as well. Definitely need to sit down and plan my meals a little better, at least having some protein and carbs ready to roll. On the really plus side after tomorrow I am on vacation! So plenty of time to get the house in order and plan some meals. And actually doing those overnight oats like I planned would be good. After vacation I am also knocking a 45 minute commute off with a new job, so meals and such will be much easier to do.

Another trick may be to change the format. I know you are doing a bujo, but you can take that to the next level. A dear friend of mine records memorable things that happened during the week. For her though she draws them, so it will be a page filled with little drawings all over.

Just popped onto this and I can appreciate sleep issues. I personally drink some jaamine pearl and valarian root tea to help steady the nerves.

I lnow what you mean. I have never been a fan of chia seeds but flax seeds on the other hand are great. I keep then around as alternative to eggs in baking, but they are also nutrient rich as well. Especially brain stuff apparently.

Perhaps a bit of structure to it? Make it so you have to write about three positive things and three negative things, that way you are limited and have some perspective. Part of the reason my challenge includes a written weekly review is so I can do over things. That way I can recognize patterns as well as realize what isn't useful in the long run. But keep it up! It doesn't matter if you rest, stumble, or fall. As long as you are trying to move forward you are doing well.

It has been a good way to separate them. My days off it has been less needed, but maybe making it a regular thing when I am home and done for the day would be a good time to do it.

Week 2, Day 7 (Saturday): Honestly I need to keep up on these as I don't remember Saturday terribly well. However I do know that I completed Taiji, though did terribly in terms of snacking, mainly as I was feeling really lacking in energy. So ended up grabbing a soda and some crappy stuff at work. In addition I spent some time reading articles to make up for not reading earlier in the week, which was nice as I am slowly catching up to more current things. Week 2 Review: So while I have noticed less aches and pains thanks the the Taiji, I have also noticed a general lack of energy over all. This could be a result of the fact that I had so many sleepless nights due to work stuff. At the same time it could be a symptom of the diet change. Over the last few weeks I have been eating primarily vegetables with not a whole lot of meat or grains. So less calories which was somewhat of the goal, but maybe too few. So this week I am going to try and eat more rice and such to see if it effects my energy levels. There is also the possibility that I am going into one of my bouts of melancholy. To explain, when there is a bunch of less positive things happening all at once I tend toward more gloomy thoughts. Moving took a lot of my social network, which was replaced with work network, which I am now losing. Plus some distance with the lady, and issues in my other social groups. So it is something to consider as I go forward. Week 3, Day 1 (Sunday): So Sunday I didn't read. I waited till the last minute to do it and was just too tired. Which wasn't good as it meant that I didn't finish my book club book in time. This is another symptom of lacking energy. Still I did complete my Taiji, even sitting down to add another form "Stork Spreads Wings" to the routine. As for eating I did well. Week 3, Day 2 (Monday): So today eating went quite well. I did end up waiting till later to eat as I started class for the first time and didn't really factor it into my schedule. On that note my next challenge is going to feature a part about planning my day. I hung out with friends dressing up a tad. Funnily enough while looking for a flower pin for it, part of the dress code, I found two other things I had lost. Luckily I had a less nice spare to use instead. The book club went well. Luckily half of us hadn't gotten to the last quarter of it so I was saved. Still great discussions. I ended up reading a bit of "How to read Literature like a Professor" that night. I will probably finish that off before I move to the next book. And you know, finish Heinlein. Taiji went well. I have been going through a faster version of it after watching some videos online. Idea being trying to improve my speed and force in it, so the moves and concepts can be incorporated into my martial style later. Week 3, Day 3 (Tuesday): So today eating was just not great. Lunch turned out the be Burger King with a snack of mostly coffee. Not good at all. I am going to give it till the end of the week to see if eating more calorie dense things helps with these cravings. Though again my mood has been pretty garbage, more data is needed I think. While smoking my hookah I knocked out most of my reading as my laptop died and I smoke outside. And considering I need to read for homework tonight, I think I am good to award the point now. However I also got caught up on my podcasts at work, knocking out four-ish hours and getting ahead of what came out this week. Progress! Now only five hundred episodes of my podcasts left before I am caught up! The Body: Week One, 22/22. Week Two, 21/22. Week Three, 6/22 The Mind: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 7/7. Week Three, 2/7. The Spirit: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 3/7. Week Three, 2/7.

So how goes it so far?

I agree wholeheartedly. However right around the end of this challenge I am starting school again (it has been about eight years) as well as starting a new job closer to home so I can go to school. This is in addition to my monthly book club, organizing two meet up groups, pirate festival planning, and bi monthly dinner party that I cook for. So in all honesty I want to make sure that I am well into the groove of school and new job before I add something else to the mix. I tend to do a few too many things. Especially considering my current job is 45 minutes drive from my house. BUT without that commute as well as scaling back hours (50 to make up for transportation costs) I think it will be doable/more manageable. There is a dojo advertised near here but otherwise the only other option is 45 minutes away Flexibility and Endurance are some things I was planning on working on, just for general health as well Aikido. I hadn't even considered my back in the equation, that and my core are pretty weak. So I will need to do something for that, thank you so much for the advice! For the above reasons I have to take it slow for the time being. But this is some damn fine advise.

Week 2, Day 4 (Wednesday): Wednesday was a pretty good day. I was utterly exhausted but go through work while still eating well. After that I had a little thing at my place that I cooked for. Everyone had a good time and I made Cozida a Portuguesa and Caldo Verde. Basically the Portuguese version of a boiled dinner and a kale potatoe soup. About a half dozen different kinds of meat in the Cozida, it was the much more popular choice. My book is nearing completion and Taiji is coming along nicely. I decided not to add a new move till next week however. Week 2, Day 5 (Thursday): So I am officially half sick. This is my term when I can feel that I am ill and my body is fighting something off, but not enough to really stop me. I ended up up reading articles again as I was feeling a bit more like sitting, however I was too exhausted for Taiji. Not happy about that. Otherwise all good. Week 2, Day 6 (Friday): So the day started out with ribs, aka I went out with my mother for lunch ( wake up late). And broccoli but this time without the butter now that I know not to ask for it. Dinner ended up being leftover soup as well as other veges and a Guinness. I maintain that Guinness is in fact liquid bread, and fun fact a popular breakfast choice in Africa. Also Africa is the second most popular place it is sold after Ireland. Since Taiji didn't happen as I was too tired, I decided to do it immediately after getting home. That seemed to work much better and get me in the right mindset to get things done tonight. Reading is happening after posting here and elsewhere in the forums. The Body: Week One, 22/22. Week Two, 18/22 The Mind: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 5/7 The Spirit: Week One, 6/7. Week Two, 3/7