ValkyrieRising

Weekly update on progress. I went shooting at the gun range this week. I wanted to do some wall climbing but couldnt find a good time to get to the gym and get some time in. It was interesting. It wasn't bad but it wasn't...it didn't feel like exercise to me. It just didnt make me feel like archery and fencing did. Im thinking Ill do archery onc e or twice a month and fencing once a week. Good exercises to get back on the wagon and get me out of my rut. Munching on my prepped food for this week. Some chicken shwarma in a pita. Avocado toasts with mozz,tomatoes, balsamic and avo of course. Smoothie and sausage and goat chese for breakfast. All the usual suspects. Ive been working on rotating my food more. Takes more time Sunday to prep but keeps me from getting bored with my food while meal prepping so thats worth the extra time I think. As for classes. Well I took the plunge and signed up for a class called Archaeoastronomy. Its basically a class examining historical architecture in it's relation to astronomy. Examining why certain monuments and buildings were made to align with celestial bodies and such. Stonehenge. Chichen Itza. Etc. I think it'll be interesting to look at from a historical perspective plus combines my love of history and astronomy so Im all for it. It won't have the Doctor teaching, any Doctor would be cool, but I can settle for whatever super qualified professor there is to do the job instead. After all who wouldn't love a lecture from the guy who came up with this. Anyways, short update but wanted to keep up with things and keep the ball rolling. Looking forward to seeing myself rock out the last week hardcore and get this challenge. Finally!

Been a crazy few days lately. So last week I did....Archery. And ended up snapping my finger more often than not. My fingers were sore, shoulders sore and my fingertips hurt. I'm not good at this archery thing. Next time Ill try not to be so "I got this" and when they ask if everything is okay be like..."You know I dont think so..." Live and learn. That said I had fun and it's not like I was trying to load old fashioned longbows or something. I just couldnt get the hang. But thats what more lessons are for. Like fencing Im going to keep at this until I get better dang it. It's not something Ill ever use in my life Im sure but I'll be able to say Im a badass who can shoot a bow and swing a sword an...whatever else I come up with. Food front is going good. I continue to prep for work and force myself to eat at regular intervals to avoid the issues I had in previous challenges of not eating all day at work and then getting him and overeating. I had a minor bump this weekend where I was convinced by a friend to go out on a blind date (never again) to a restaurant to eat and the food choices weren't the healthiest of healthy. But I'm not eating Paleo or Clean again at the moment so it's okay. I'm just trying to make my own foods and stay within a good calories range as I begin to ramp up towards healthy again. Ive started working online asl and while what I'm learning is the equivalent of baby talk it's better than knowing nothing. I think maybe I'll pick an in class language to start at one of my local Uni's and stick to history stuff online for awhile until Im sure my memory issues have resolved. Now to pick the language. Dutch for my plan to eventually move to the land of my studies. Or Spanish to sort out the language of my ancestors that I have forgotten to speak. Maybe Cantonese or Arabic. All choices I have. Meh. So many choices. Anyways, I give myself a 95 for last week, the restaurant causing me one day of issues, and I can live with that. It's very good compared to the last two challenges where I had issues with not eating then overeating and then getting the flu. If I can keep things solid another few weeks Ill have finally, successfully completed a challenge. 1 out of 3 isn't a horrible start. Right?

Agreed on the foot. I have seen many a ballet dancers foot and I wonder how they live with it. Training I suppose. But then if you have ever laid in bed next to a runner and had them "grate" your leg with their feet moving against your flesh it's just as bad. Calluses suck on feet.

Just consider the dancing as a type of workout. You were moving and working those legs and getting some cardio in. I mean let's be honest, some dancers legs....

I randomly stumbled across your thread and the title drew me in. I was wondering Spain one random summer and managed to make my way to Alhambra and more specifically the Sacromonte where they do Gypsy/Roma Flamenco. Its truly something to see. Its gotten popular with tourists and even managed to get Anthony Bourdain by to showcase it in one of his episodes of food shows. But reading what you were saying about music and flamenco made me think about it and remember how much I really loved that night. I had never really seen flamenco before that but since then it's part of my rotation of music to indulge in and videos to watch. I've always though of it as something dark and dangerous and beautiful and...anyways, you said it better than I ever could. Just wanted to throw that out. Thanks!

The whole day is made by this! I am so stealing this and using it EVERYWHERE.

There is only one thing to be said about sausage.

Arguing is the last thing I want to do with the Rock. Im pretty sure he could crush my face just by bending his arm. Of course I would like pancakes with this gentleman. With lots and lots of syrup.....Im sorry, what was I saying. Got distracted thinking how luck Lisa Bonet is and wanting to eat some feelings.....off his stomach. Ahem. Apologies Lady Shello. I probably should not be posting pictures of things we can not eat and enjoy in your thread.

Im not brave enough to do a NSFW at Dragon Con. Not my body so much as OMG those costumes some people have. I saw an Ash from Evil Deadwith a real working hand chainsaw! Some Emperor's bodyguards from Star Wars. And AN AMAMZING, AMAZEBALLS, OMG League of Legends Sona with an actual working DJ table with music for the con and everything. My cosplay skills lack so Ill be using inspiration from a mix of pictures. But with a full on white t-shirt that covers all the bits. lol. Basically it lets me wander around in jeans and a tshirt but still feel cool. And motivation always strikes at work because work is the debil Bobby Boucher! Sorry, channeling some Waterboy there. This is actually a really good suggestion. You get to workout and avoid the alcohol. And I learned something new from your thread. I had no idea there was a DnD online. I must check this out! So the weekend wasnt perfect but it wasnt a dumpster fire mess either. Thats a good way to handle things so the goal inst totally cutting alcohol out forever but rather finding a way to have less and not feel the need for it all the time. So this weekend was a good start and you identified some key triggers. And living at home is rough since you cant control what comes into the house and what temptations are there. Makes things difficult.

Just a thought but your Agents are doing their own homework as well, yes? Can you do it as family homework time where you and they sit and everyone works on some homework. Or would they be asking for help and asking questions too much to really focus?

So this week....is ARCHERY! I shall shoot things and be all like.... Because we all know that this is the coolest Archer in the world. And not this one. Though I may be convinced about this one.

So weekend update (as Im trying to be more accountable in things.) Batch cooking is happening now. One pan Berry Chicken and vegetables is being made for potential dinner this week. I halved the recipe because I get burning out eating the same dinner all week. ( Got the recipe here. https://mindovermunch.com/recipe/one-pan-bbq-berry-chicken-with-roasted-veggies/ )And an enchilada casserole bake thing because if Im going through the trouble of homemade "refried" beans and enchilada sauce Im going to make something good. (Theyre not refried since it's all done in the crockpot but theyre tasty and the batch from last week was huge and had some frozen hanging around begging to be used.) I have some tasty shrimp stuff for making shrimp tacos at work for lunch and a nice curried veg soup to go with the tacos. Odd combo to be sure but tasty. Thursday. Fencing class. Omg, so much fun. I think I may like stabbing pointy things at people. Probably not a good thing to admit. But it was nice. Got my heart rate up a little but the instructor worked with my limitations, gave me frequent breaks and had me rest with some water every 20 minutes. And it was just so neat even though I sucked so bad. I want more. But I plan to keep trying new things while sorting fencing into my regular rotation. Pardon me, my inner fan girl needs a moment. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I got to play with swordsd! Ahem. That is all. Next week is archery I have decided. I have a whole middle ages feel to my extra classes but I am a history nerd who loves her Vikings and Knights so...why not. As for taking a new class to learn. My local universities are already in session. Imagine that in February. So nothing on offer Im interested in until a few months down the line. BUt I have decided to try and teach myself the very rudimentary basics of ASL online. So...working on that goal at least. Have to do some research, of which I am the Queen, and find the best site available for learning ASL. I want something I can try out, like a free trial or something, before I give in to paying 300 bucks or something. Still planning to do some history based classes, have to see how that goes. Need to get back on the wagon with that and I think Im avoiding it on purpose, trying to talk myself out of since even months after I have "chemo brain" where my memory is kind of meh. My oncologist says gradually I'll be like I was again but I need to use my brain just like any other muscle or it rots. Overall Im beginning the long process of putting myself back together again. Which is an odd feeling. Maybe it's me but I feel like I was this picture, this reality of me and cancer came along and smashed into it. And now I'm a jigsaw puzzle and I've struggling to find the edges so I can lay out the border then begin with the pieces. That sounds weird Im sure but there really are days I look at myself expecting to be all jagged and puzzle piecey. Maybe I really lost my mind but since I've been doing challenges and deliberately focusing on change and improvement its become more solid an idea in my brain as a way to view my life. Eh, maybe it'll resolve it's self. My mind likes to fixate on odd things. But Im giving myself a solid 90 for this weeks score. I took 10 points off because of avoiding the history classes research. Hopefully realizing and acknowledging it will let me change it next week.

As a "I wish I was a scientist but my brain doesnt work that way." I approve this message!

No difference. Just those silly Brits and what not insist this is a flapjack/pancake. When we all know that this is a flapjack/pancake. Though I do lub me some angry tea drinking Benedict

So maybe if you feel the need or craving for alcohol. Stop. Play videogames. When it passes back to the DnD and Cosplay (What Cosplay? I want to work on a Witchblade/Sara one. But no time at the moment in life.)Just keep bouncing between the work and videogames you may be able to do all the things and avoid the booze

Im sorry. While those flapjacks are no doubt delicious I must go with others have said. such as @Tanktimus the Encourager and @Plazmotic . Those are bars, not Pancakes. Pancakes are...

Isn't it amazing being able to sleep properly instead of waking up and being all like...wha...uh...no...or even worse waking up in the middle of the night multiple times because weird dreams and strange stuff from the booze. And the benefits of sleep are a hit straight off. English muffin instead of bagel, save a few hundred calories and begin the process back to eating more properly. (More properly is definitely a thing. Definitely definitely.)

Just look at it as a process. Off the alcohol and then you can go off the bagels and cheese. (Or cut down because cheese...nom nom nom.)By then youll be off the alcohol so much and too focused on the cheese and bagels to think about the alcohol.

First....theres an international pancake war? Second...What is the war? Real maple syrup versus fake stuff?

Totally late to the party of the thread but totally lurking here to see how things go because eating my feelings has pretty much been the last few years. Want to see how other people handle it cause Im pretty sure Im trying to grab a greasy rope with wet gloves concerning eating and feelings.

So think Geek has these in Ladies and Kids sizes and I may or may not have one that I wore alot during chemo. http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/iukl/ Not sure how old your Youngest Agent is but I can say it's an awesome shirt to have. Now I must sally forth and find a replica of yours for my very own. Hi Ho Silver Aw.....oh wait, Wednesday update. Tomorrow is fencing so no update on Goal 1 at the moment. That will come this weekend. Goal 2 is ongoing, trying to find something that interests and may have got sidetracked into debating a sign up to learn a new language versus online classes. I live near a university or 6 so theres always non credit classes going on and most common is foreign language. I can learn Arabic or Mandarin or Japanese or ASL or...so that Shiny has been distracting me with it's presence. Sunday before I even posted this I prepped my food for the week. Due to the weather around here it's white bean chicken chili, greek wraps to go with for lunch. Dinner is an amalgam of home made enchiladas with homemade refried beans and some love from the soup pot and chicken corn chowder. That kind of week. Extra Credit: Started re-reading some William Gibson I had beside the bed getting dusty and I have a half dozen or so Audible credits so not sure what to use those on. Debating on some biographies Ive wanted to catch up on but also some sci fi or fantasy or....too many choices. Im not sure why I always want to do all the things. My brain. It's not right. It's like ADHD meets Bouncy balls meets....squirrel!

Yes, it most definitely is. And omg. Where did you find a shirt that awesome. I have one that says "Im a self-saving princess" or something like that but yours sounds way way cooler.

I fully intend to...I hope. Or plan. Argh, its mine! Ahem. Thanks, I love the series. Its a great one full of dorky things a nerd like me can enjoy.

What’s this you say. A Nerd Fitness challenge about wanting to be a Librarian. Nonsense. But…ah ha! Not just any Librarian. I want to be a LIBRARIAN. See, one of those. Especially the axe wielding one. Okay well I’d like to have him and be him but that is neither here nor there. I want to be one of those Librarians. They kick ass, save the world and do it all with books and brains and bullets and fists. (Couldn’t find a B word for fists. Except big fists. I digress.) However I lack the skills necessary to be one. So while my aspirational goals are there my current goals do not meet with being a Librarian. But they will be. Oh yes they will be. Because a Librarian is my first step to Shield Maiden and from there to Valkyrie! (Girls got to have goals!) So my goals this challenge revolve around Librarian powah! Uhm. Working on gaining the skills to even be considered a Librarian some day. Yes, that’s what I meant and is much more eloquent. So Librarians focus for a bit as this will train my brain and body! And who better than Jacob to model myself after. (Eve was a close second but he’s pretty much Eve + Flynn is all I'm saying. And hot. And to be honest I’ve enjoyed the actor since the days of Angel in my much never discussed Buffy and Angel obsessed early teen years.) So how does one train to one day eventually be a Librarian? Body and mind? Its not just about reading books. Well to start I just got the okay from my cardiologist to start doing activities again. Ie exercise. Nothing too intense. (Crossfit is on hold at least another 6 months he said. Minimum. I go with the flow for now but will revisit this depending on how I feel in 3 months.) So goal 1 is to try out varying forms of exercise to get my body going again. This means I will try one new physical activity each week to try and decide which one works for me. To that end I have some fun stuff lined up. This week: Fencing class! Yes, I am going to learn how to use a sword. Or at least. Try the class and see what happens. Next week I’m debating archery or some rock climbing. After that some scuba class is a possibility or shooting classes. Nothing too strenuous. I’ve run it all by the doc and got his yes. So that’s my physical goals to becoming more like a Librarian. Goal 2 is to stretch the brain muscle to match the body muscles. This means learning new stuff. I had been prepared to head to Copenhagen to work on a PhD but that went to the wayside. So for now Ill just be taking Coursera courses online to stretch the brain in areas Im not used to. More than likely some art history to go in line with my history and maybe some astronomy or physics to go a new direction. My goal is to sign up and begin one new class and have a second as least signed up for by the end of this challenge. It’s not PhD level stuff but one of the side effects of treatment has been memory issues so trying to retrain my brain and stuff some more knowledge in there. I will also be re-reading all my old textbooks from classes to get back into the brain game. Can’t be a Librarian level expert if I forget my basic knowledge. Goal 3 isn’t really tied into Librarians (though I did try and stretch it into the theme believe me) This is simple. I will continue to prep my food for the week ahead at work on Sunday and meet my calorie goal of between 1650-1900 calories per day as recorded on MFP. A more personal goal is to just try and read some of the books that have been on my list for awhile. Not to learn new things but just to read to enjoy reading. Its not a hard and fast goal more an extra credit thing to keep in to and catch up on my reading. Ive been getting too much mental stimulation from Netflix. (Though let me tell you. Altered Carbon….Hell. Yeah.) So read some more books it is. Im looking at A Viking World edited by Stefan Brink and Neil Price. It’s a scholarly academic look at Viking Life and history but as a scholar and academic it’s my idea of fun. Seriously. It really is. For something full of information and not as scholarly and kind of heavy (I must admit) The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings by Lars Brownworth is a good one. Though it focuses on Vikings more war like aspects it’s a good place to start and jump in. Of course never fear. My list also includes some not so academically focused. I have some William Gibson, some Brandon Sanderson, some Glen Cook and some Genji Monogatari chilling by my bedside. Those will be read, again in many cases, this month as well. If I manage a B or better, or 80%, then I intend to reward myself. With this. So for people excited by Librarians and Level negative 10 shield maidens and wanna be Valkyr....here we go!

I can't help it with your thread. I just have this mental image of your butt (which I don't even know what it looks like except in my head making it up and being all weird probably) with a superhero cape attached to it! Because its Super Butt! Then I started thinking about it with a pen or pencil writing. And then it went back to capes and butts and bubbles and DOMs and.....Im not sure if it's cause Im weird or if your thread is.