JediNickD

154.0 lbs Crushing my abs this morning. They are burning. Karate last night we worked on form for a bit, application of techniques in the form, then take downs. I learned two take downs and did pretty well with them. I need to work on recognizing my own body movements and momentum to how it is used in the techniques. Understanding the application of the moves drives home their importance.

154.6 lbs Toastmasters last night was a fun meeting. I gave a speech and conducted Table Topics. We ended early enough for me to hop in the car and make it to Karate class, which I needed to keep my class count on track. We had an intense workout in class testing our leg muscles first, then the abs. The ab workout was a 5 minute HIIT workout. It was tough. The lead instructor challenged us to do it every day for a week, then he'd give us a new workout. I did it this morning after a good warm up and stretch, I did some of the leg exercises as well. My abs are going to be sore tomorrow for sure. Lastly, I had Toastmasters today. I gave my humorous speech again. It went a bit better, but not by much. It is a rough draft for next humorous speech contest in the fall of 2020. I've got the basics for the speech, but I need to write it out and develop better, more clever language and gestures for each part. I also need a secondary punch line after the climax of the story to keep the laughs rolling. I can get away with tightening up the stories as well.

154.2 lbs Karate practice this morning working on Keum Gang kata after a hearty warm up. Toastmasters Leadership meeting last night went well discussion member retention with Mentoring. Turning the presentation into a workshop at a club meeting would be amazing for developing the programs at the club level. Toastmasters meeting tonight and I am working on a humorous speech for it. Should go well.

155.6 lbs Spar class and senpia on Saturday. The spar instructors announced a change this weekend. They have actually modified the Red Stripe for spar to include countering or breaking the rhythm of a match. A lot of the lower rank matches go back and forth with one person throwing a combo, then relenting and allowing their opponent to combo. It's like they are just taking turns trying to hit, then trying not to get hit. They said my fight was one of the best for demonstrating what they want to see. My opponent brought in some heat with some great continuous combos to drive me back, but I was able to use my side step and circle her to get away with counters to score points. It was a really fun and challenging match, where she did really give me much opportunity to get my own combo work in until I broke her rhythm. Three holiday parties this past weekend... I'm stuffed, but each night was a blast. Made some new friends, too!

153.4 lbs Racquetball this morning. Really fun games, but I tweaked my back and hip or groin. Felt like a strain through the hip and groin muscles and a pop in my lower spine. I finished playing, but it definitely slowed me down. I hope I'm alright for the Karate Dojo holiday party tonight. I have three boards to break. Black Belt Spar class last night. It was a fun class. The dojo owner runs the classes and everything just goes so smooth. The regular spar instructors do not have the experience to run a tight ship like that. It'll come though. I got to spar a 2nd Degree who I had not fought before. It was a really fun match working through his techniques and finding what works. I'm still a bull in that I charge in, which can be predictive and present openings. Patience for the right opportunity to be a bull is tough. I did win, but the winning point I scored was close.

I used them specifically as a pause. If it were a speech, then those were the spots I would pause for a little longer than normal. Typically, a comma will do. Or just end the sentence.

I really appreciate the feedback! Thanks!

155.0 lbs I do a lot of stretching. I've been told be a wide variety of people that I am hurting my workout by stretching before. I kept telling them that I don't workout like them. Here's a great scientific article about muscles, joints, and stretching: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/ It is "science" to my ears. My stretching utilization lines up perfectly with the recommendations section: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/#__sec4title

Sore, but grateful for a great day Sunday. After five and a half hours, I suited up in black. Making it to Shodan has been a 3 year journey. In November of 2016, I stepped on to the dojo floor as a family activity. My wife and daughters wanted to do it. They saw a demo and thought it would be fun. I was still recovering from my re-injury of my back, so I was reluctant that I would be able to stick with it. I certainly had some downs were I was hurting, but between karate exercises and chiropractic care, my back has straighten up and become pretty limber. Sore today, but I can work with it. I couldn't have done it without my family supporting me, especially the last few months, where they had to take a step back from attending while I required a step forward to get there. I couldn't have done it without my classmates and instructors, who have carved a special place in my heart. Tonight, is my first black belt class. I'm excited and a little nervous, but I know they won't put me in over my head, or leave me without help, or give me a hard time when I ask for help or have a question. The dojo will add me to their leadership in the under-rank classes, just as I would sempia classes before, but with more responsibility for the lesson, safety of students, and enforcement of rules. Toastmasters meetings like mad over the next two weeks. Officers meeting and a Mentoring meeting today. Club meeting tomorrow. Another club's Officer meeting Wednesday. Area Leadership next Monday. Club meeting next Wednesday. Phew. I should knock out a speech or two.

Is it compelling? Inspiring? Is there anything you would personally change? Did you share it with anyone?

154.2 lbs Racquetball this morning was lit. We were both crushing the ball, playing smart, and hustling. Some really great shots. Happy with my wins too. Karate last night was rigorous. Advanced class was a review. I recited creeds while doing kata and combos to maximize my time. I caught a few others doing the same later. Pretty cool. After that hour, I took adult class. I worked on my breaks, but in a slow, exaggerated style to work on flowing, dynamic techniques, then "a medium pace", and lastly a fast, compact, and powerful style to apply the flowing, dynamic techniques into a break. Tonight we have nothing planned, so I am hoping to play some board or card games and just relax. Tomorrow morning, I am planning a haircut, maybe an oil change on one of the cars, fixing the outside lights and replacing a GFCI outlet, and karate class. Shodan test on SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! WOOT!

I wrote an article for Patch.com: https://patch.com/maryland/perryville/public-speaking-tips Check it out and let me know what you think!

Thanks! I just get a little tongue tied and blank on what to say next. Nerves of public speaking... I know how to get through it and that is practice and preparation. I have to rehearse it, saying the words out loud, writing it down, recording it and playing it back, seeing and hearing my mistakes, then making notes and correcting them. Writing and re-writing my notes with less and less detail is how I know I'm getting there. As a back up, I'll have that final note card tucked away, but if I work hard to get there, then I won't need it.

Through Giving Tuesday and a few key friend donations, I was able to break my fundraising goal for Extra Life! Made it to $1000 for the first time. I can't wait to get that gold medal in the mail. I have my two silver ones hanging in front of me at work to remind me of what I was working towards this year. I'm slowly getting over my issues talking on camera. That gold one is going to push me far next year. I'm planning to record more video throughout the year. That way I can practice my video editing skills putting together short highlight videos to post. I need to practice my creeds, combos, and katas on repeat until the test. We had a review and I blew it a couple times. Embarrassing. At least my kicks and effort are up. Some of the kids struggle staying focused and putting in good effort consistently. That drives the instructors bonkers. My gaffes became jokes for the instructors to chuckle about. In the class before, I sempia the intermediate ranks. We ran a drill which incorporated the ideas I plan to teach in my spotlight, which shows that the lead instructors recognize my idea and teaching points have merit. Made me feel real good about my spotlight. 🙂 I still have to execute it though [sigh].

Shopped yesterday and now have veggies and fruits for the week. I should be able to hit my diet goal for a while without any issue. I've got karate class everyday this week to hit my class and sempia requirements. And I am preparing for the test. I want to crush it, so I am going through all my forms and combos fine tuning everything. I need to review my spotlight with a few more participants and write down what I want to say and how I want to say it. After this test, I am going to finish my IJRS exam. It's been sitting too long on the back burner. My essay is going to take a bit longer, but I need to check a box on one of them soon. I am not procrastinating, but if I pick something else up before I finish one, then I certainly will be. The Blog project is itching to get started, but I need to finish these other things first.

NOTE: I'm starting today 12/2 and running through 1/5. No time off for this Jedi. Welcome back for another episode of The Exciting Adventures of JediNickD! It was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away that I joined this site and started my first challenge. World 1 was my first extended stay through 22 challenges. I took a hiatus from NF and came back with a new direction for my goals where I warped to World 2, which I defeated in a Boss Fight slaying some mighty big goals. In World 3, I continue to develop my fitness, getting my body in the best shape of my life, even with the Degenerative Disc Disease, Arthritis, Disc Fissures, and more. Through physical therapy exercises and karate, I have maintained my core and back muscles to ease the pressure off my spine, but in the end I defeated World 3 by transforming my life into a new form. With chiropractic care healing my spine, reaching the high ranks at karate, blazing through the new Toastmasters education program called Pathways, and working to complete Novice rank at IJRS, World 4 was something new everyday. I have moved over to the Monks to reach for more diversity in my workouts and culture as my focus has been more on my karate training in the recent months. As I actively take on more responsibility of coaching, mentoring, and teaching in all aspects of my life, I can see a different me forming on World 5. I just keep on L-I-V-I-N, fight the good fight lightin' it up, and level up my life!  Challenge Lesson: "We are what they grow beyond." I've been actively mentoring and coaching Toastmasters since I joined in 2012. The past two years, I have been working with kids in karate classes as a Sempia. Since 2008, I've been raising two kids of my own. In 2000, I picked up coaching youth and high school rugby. It is a joy of mine to help, teach, instruct, coach, mentor, and inspire others. I get a thrill from seeing others faces light up with excitement or pride. It warms my heart to see others succeed where they were previously struggling. When Yoda says, "we are what they grow beyond," he means that a protege will grow beyond the mentor using the mentor's mistakes and lessons learned to grow from in addition to their own. It is like an iterative function, where knowledge is accumulated in the protege to become a mentor and pass on knowledge to their protege, with the amount of knowledge growing in size each time. Our failures become their successes. Their failures become their proteges successes. As long as we learn and pass on, as long as we listen and observe, as long as we apply and succeed, we will continue to grow. My Main Quest and Mission: My mission is to be the best Jedi I can be. My main quest is always to enhance my overall health, fitness, and knowledge to be prepared for whatever challenges life could throw at me. As a Jedi, I need to be able to help people, whether that is a life threatening situation or just a charitable one. There is no boss level in Jedi training, there is only tomorrow. I'm using Habitica and Excel to track a ton of things, so I may make some changes below to better integrate them, but I'm sticking to the basics drawn to 5 Weeks. World 5 Level 3 Challenge: FITNESS: Cardio: Speed and Stamina - 500 min total, 100 weekly. Track time and distance. STA +1 Walking: Fortify the Spine - 1250 min total, 250 weekly. CON +1 Exercise: HIIT Lifting and Bodyweight - 300 min total, 60 weekly. STR +1, STA +1 Flexibility: Stretching and Physical Therapy - 700 min total, 140 weekly. DEX +1 Karate: Training and Practice - 1400 min total, 280 weekly. Track progress towards belt. Track improvement on all material. DEX +1, STR +1 DIET: Lean Body - Track weight. Complete measurements before or during Week 1 and again during or after Week 5. Looking to maintain 150 lbs or less while shrinking my waist and building muscle. CON +1 Keep on cutting out the crap - No CheezIts, limit snacking at work, cut down portion sizes. Drink more water. Track fruit and veggies for 5 cups a day. CON +1 LIFE: Get Stuff Done - Complete 115 Hours of various Chores and Maintenance, with at least 23 hours each week. Chores and Maintenance are the following areas (goal hours for challenge) Dishes (16), Laundry (10), Cooking/Cleaning/Dusting/Vacuuming/Trash/Other (32), Yard Work (2), Animal Care (24), Home Renovation and Auto Maintenance (10) WIS +1, CHA +1 Epic Quest - Complete something EPIC! I want to be able to look back at my four week challenge and say, "that was the challenge I did X". My challenges tend to be a lot of the same old. I've given myself plenty to improve in small steps, but I also want to see big strides in the things I've been working on. What box can I check? What have I been procrastinating? What am I focusing on? WIS +2, CHA +2 INCENTIVES! Working hard for CASH! ($866.10 carried over) REWARD: For each week in which I complete 25 or more hours of Chores and Maintenance, I will put aside $10 to spend how I see fit. CONSEQUENCE: For any week where I complete less than 23 hours, I will give up $10 of saved cash. REWARD: $5 for each Personal Project hour CONSEQUENCE : Lose $10 for each week without at least one hour for Personal Projects. REWARD: $5 for each HIIT workout. For a healthy heart among other things, HIIT is recommended by my health coach. I don't like them, but they are a necessary evil. CONSEQUENCE: Lose $5 for each week without a HIIT workout. REWARD: $5 for each day with weight below 154.0 lbs. CONSEQUENCE: Lose $5 each day with weight above 156.0 lbs. REWARD: $5 for 1 Sprint/Run/Bike workout (minimum 10 reps/30 min/10 min), $10 for second, $20 for third and up. CONSEQUENCE: Lose $10 for each week without one of these workouts. BONUSES: $1 for each hour working on Jedi Training (mentoring, reading/writing, charity, meditation, IJRS lessons). $2 for each hour working on Toastmasters including meetings. $2 for each Home Renovation or Auto Maintenance hour PENALTIES: Lose $10 for eating pizza, candy, popcorn, CheezIts, pretzels, potato chips. Lose $10 for more than 6 Dr Peppers a week or more than 6 meals with cheese a week. Lose $10 for less than 5 cups of fruits and vegetables in a day.

World 5 Level 2 Challenge GRADES: FITNESS: Cardio: Speed and Stamina - 500 min total, 100 weekly. Track time and distance. STA +1 A = 520 min, weekly met Walking: Fortify the Spine - 1250 min total, 250 weekly. CON +1 A = 1860 min, weekly met Exercise: HIIT Lifting and Bodyweight - 300 min total, 60 weekly. STR +1, STA +1 A = 380 min, weekly met Flexibility: Stretching and Physical Therapy - 700 min total, 140 weekly. DEX +1 A = 700 min, weekly met Karate: Training and Practice - 1500 min total, 300 weekly. Track progress towards belt. Track improvement on all material. DEX +1, STR +1 A = 1635 min, weekly missed once. Halloween and Extra Life week was difficult to get karate time in. I fell 70 min short, which would be the time lost those three days (Halloween night, 24-hour Game Day, and the Day After Game Day). I did workout those days, but I mismanaged my time into the wrong buckets on other days to get those 70 min. I had 60 min extra of lifting exercise. DIET: Lean Body - Track weight. Complete measurements before or during Week 1 and again during or after Week 5. Looking to maintain 150 lbs or less while shrinking my waist and building muscle. CON +1 A = weight tracked. My waist is doing well. Thanksgiving break was a wash though. I did well on Thanksgiving and the leftovers, but pizza, Chinese, and Roy Rogers were not great outside of that. Keep on cutting out the crap - No CheezIts, limit snacking at work, cut down portion sizes. Drink more water. CON +1 C = Cutting down. Water up. Fries and popcorn though. LIFE: Get Stuff Done - Complete 110 Hours of various Chores and Maintenance, with at least 22 hours each week. Chores and Maintenance are the following areas (goal hours for challenge) Dishes (16), Laundry (10), Cooking/Cleaning/Dusting/Vacuuming/Trash/Other (32), Yard Work (2), Animal Care (24), Home Renovation and Auto Maintenance (10) WIS +1, CHA +1 A = 116 hours, weekly met Epic Quest - Complete something EPIC! I want to be able to look back at my four week challenge and say, "that was the challenge I did X". My challenges tend to be a lot of the same old. I've given myself plenty to improve in small steps, but I also want to see big strides in the things I've been working on. What box can I check? What have I been procrastinating? What am I focusing on? WIS +2, CHA +2 A = Won Spookiest Trunk at Trunk-or-Treat. Extra-Life Game Day was an awesome success. Striped and ready for Black Belt test. Performed in my daughters' David and Goliath play. Birthday was fantastic. Thanksgiving trip to Massachusetts was therapeutic and fun. I've almost wrapped up two of my Toastmaster Paths. And I am coaching two amazing people in Toastmasters! What wasn't Epic about the last 5 weeks? INCENTIVES! Working hard for CASH! ($516.85 carried over) $349.25 earned! $866.10 to carry over. I have some expenditures to add, but I think I need to make this harder. REWARD: For each week in which I complete 25 or more hours of Chores and Maintenance, I will put aside $10 to spend how I see fit. CONSEQUENCE: For any week where I complete less than 22 hours, I will give up $10 of saved cash. REWARD: $5 for each Personal Project hour CONSEQUENCE : Lose $10 for each week without at least one hour for Personal Projects. REWARD: $5 for each HIIT workout. For a healthy heart among other things, HIIT is recommended by my health coach. I don't like them, but they are a necessary evil. CONSEQUENCE: Lose $5 for each week without a HIIT workout. REWARD: $5 for each day with weight below 154.0 lbs. CONSEQUENCE: Lose $5 each day with weight above 156.0 lbs. REWARD: $5 for 1 Sprint/Run/Bike workout (minimum 10 reps/30 min/10 min), $10 for second, $20 for third and up. CONSEQUENCE: Lose $10 for each week without one of these workouts. BONUSES: $1 for each hour working on Jedi Training (mentoring, reading/writing, charity, meditation, IJRS lessons). $2 for each hour working on Toastmasters including meetings. $2 for each Home Renovation or Auto Maintenance hour PENALTIES: Lose $10 for eating pizza, candy, popcorn, CheezIts, pretzels, potato chips. Lose $10 for more than 6 Dr Peppers a week or more than 6 meals with cheese a week.

152.4 lbs Karate class last night. Practice yesterday and this morning. Getting ready for my test has been fun and a ton of work. Last night, we worked on cleaning up kick techniques, then this morning I went back through those exercises. I needed the details for my snap and roundhouse kicks.

152.4 lbs Fun racquetball games this morning. Fun karate class last night. More fun on the way as it looks like we are headed to the theater for Frozen 2 tonight. Another birthday party for a nephew on Saturday. Sunday afternoon, I should be on the roof hanging lights. I also need to do some vehicle maintenance.

Yes, I love the way Steve writes. Fun and inclusive. I appreciate the advice. I'm not worried about writing something that has already been done. I'm more worried about doing it well so I don't look like a slacker. A slacker appearance would just undercut everything I write about. My posts here are casual, so I can be brief, informal, and a little carefree, but a blog I'd want to be professional.

Completed two more speeches in Toastmasters. I am planning to start a blog for another project which will wrap up my work for my Effective Coaching path. I expect to complete a second path soon after. I'll need to serve as a club coach to complete my second DTM though. The blog will probably be Jedi-centric as I have a ton written for it already. A Toastmasters blog will probably come second. A Life Coaching blog will have to come third. Any suggestions about starting a blog? I've written blogs at several sites before, but none were anything note-worthy. If any reading this has any advice, then I'm willing to listen. My personal critique is that I probably keep my writing too serious and focus on personal perspective when writing. I forget to ensure I include my target audience and have a little fun with it to keep it interesting for the readers.

154.8 lbs I had some cake for my birthday yesterday. Chocolate with peanut butter frosting and semi-sweet chocolate ganache. So rich. Pot Pie chocked full of vegetables. I certainly put in too many calories last night. I'll have to climb some stairs to burn extra calories today. Karate at the dojo tonight.

Spotlighted my spotlight at class yesterday. Went pretty well and not too long of a lesson. I got to work with two students for demonstrating the technique as I talked to explain the application of the drill. They did a great job. I explained the three benefits for using the drill, which are to avoiding retreating straight back, to practice readdressing your target as they attempt to move around you while throwing your combination technique, and to practice moving into your opponents space to strike. 154.0 lbs on my 39th birthday. Hooray for me! Ran 3.9 miles for 39 years. I don't plan on making that a habit, but I was up early enough and the weather was not too cold or wet. I need to get to the grocery store to replenish my healthy food at work. Won't be until Thursday though, which means Wednesday I will have ZERO vegetables and fruits at work unless I plan something at home tonight. My wife went shopping yesterday, but didn't tell me which is a bugger. She literally hates grocery shopping so I get why she doesn't use my grocery list or ask if I need anything. She just wants to get in and out as quick as possible. It's funny though that she enjoys planning meals and cooking for everyone, but the act of shopping just stresses her out. I'll just hit Subway for lunch and get plenty of veggies on my sub. It'll be tough to get all 5 cups worth of veggies on one sub though.

"Men do not mirror themselves in running water, they mirror themselves in still water. Only what is still can still the stillness of other things." -Zhuangzi

Calling it a combo side-step drill. 154.4 lbs Karate practice this morning drilling on my arms for quickness. Used the small 2 lb medicine ball to weight my shoulder rolls and punches, then I hit the bag after practicing my combos (jump turn backs need more work).