BigBen

Thanks, Hiraedd. Sounds like you have fantastic taste in canceled TV shows! Kyliewyotie, I find that if I don't involve my family, my goals are competing with them for my time, and the goals lose. So I figured I'd combine the two and not have to split my time. Win!

Getting stronger? Check. Copilot training on track? Double check. Coordination plans with copilot and gunner? On target. Keeping on the run? Affirmative. Week one went great. On previous challenges, I usually set goals that I measured by putting in time, such as do X 3 times per week. Last challenge I noticed I wasn't very motivated to do goals when the reward was just to have gotten them done. So I set end goals this time and trusted myself to work throughout the week to stay on track. Well so far I am right on track. I ran twice this week with TornadoAllie to get ready for running a 5k. And I know the other two of the crew (NoMoreBull and TombRayder) ran this week as well. I did week 3 of the 100 pushup challenge. I didn't think I could make it all the way through, but I did. My crew and I selected Iris as our first song to learn and I have been practicing the bass line. I also completed week one of the Marriage Enrichment program I made. Basically, every day you make sure you spend at least 15 minutes with your spouse. No kids or others, just the two of you. Also, every day you do one specific act of love toward your spouse. Each week it is in a different "love language" so this week I tried to be more specific with words of love. Next week it could be acts of service or physical touch or one of the other (there are 5 according to Chapman's book on the subject). The third part is a weekly challenge. This week it was to learn a new skill together. So we got some tennis racquets and hit some fuzzy balls around on Tuesday during my lunch break. We also practiced learning Iris on our guitars. So there are those three parts, and each day you record in a little notebook what you did together, how you showed love, and how your spouse showed love, as well as anything new you learned about your spouse. This last part is to build awareness of your daily actions in your marriage. So week one went well. Next week the weekly challenge is go somewhere new/out of the ordinary, so that should be a fun adventure. Time for some thrilling heroics.

You are level 2 now, so the attribute points are still the same as before (15 divided between you goals). It is different for those just starting and on their first challenge, but that isn't you.

We all die alone. But we don’t have to live that way. Space is lonely enough, and without the support of a good crew, you may just end up crazy as the gorram Reavers. But even they don’t go it alone. For the next six weeks, I will be revamping and revitalizing my relationships with my crew members. I have four specific missions to get me to that point (technically, to follow the new guidelines, 3 goals and a side mission). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mission 1: Become a “stronger†captain. Do the 100 Pushup challenge Right now I can do 30 at a time, although I can do more if I rest in between sets of 10. I want to be able to do 100 all at a time. This is my solo goal. (3 STR, 1 STA) Mission 2: “Refresher†flight training with co-pilot. Complete the Marriage Fitness Program I have a good marriage, but you know the saying, good is the enemy of great. I want to be more intentional in my marriage, so I will be doing a 6-week marriage enrichment program I designed. This goal will be done with TornadoAllie. (3 CHA, 1 WIS) Mission 3: “Coordinate†actions plans with co-pilot and gunner. Learn 3 songs on bass guitar. I have taken a few lessons, but want to do more with it. My wife is in the dame boat with her guitar. My dad just got an electronic drum set and wants to learn to play. So we will be picking three beginner songs and working on them individually so we can al play together in six weeks. This goal will be done with TornadoAllie and NoMoreBull. (3 DEX) Mission 4: Keep “on the run†with my whole crew: copilot, gunner, and mechanic. Run 5K under 30min. We all have different goals for time, but we all will be working on running a 5k by the end of the challenge. I will be training with TornadoAllie, but this goal is also with NoMoreBull and TombRayder. (3 STA, 1 STR) “When you can't run, you crawl. And when you can't crawl, you find someone to carry you."

These goals look good! Is 3x Body Pump and 5x walking going to be a lot all at once for you? I know Body Pump works the legs out pretty hard. Also, do you have any attribute points riding on these goals? This looks like a lot of strength and stamina you could gain. Good luck!

Looks like you had a great six weeks! It sounds like you should get a 75% for goal 4 though, rather than a 50%.

@ Bull and Tomb: I think I didn't have a clear vision of what I wanted from my goals, so when things got tough or distractions came up, there was no vision to keep me striving. Our group as a whole kinda fell apart the past couple weeks, so none of us really had the group check-ins and accontability. I think that helped all of us the first 3-4 weeks.

Great job! Any ideas for next time?

Well, the numbers are in and it doesn't look good. 1. Wake up at 6:30 on weekdays Out of a total possible 30 days, I got 11. D = CON +.5, WIS +.25, CHA +.25 2: Eat breakfast at least 6 times per week. Out of a possible 36 breakfasts, I ate 35. A = CON +2, STA +1 3: Do a bodyweight exercise workout at least 3 times per week. Out of a total possible 18 workouts, I did 10. C = STR +1, STA +.5, DEX +.5 4: Write six letters or emails to individuals who have inspired me. Despite my best intentions, I only wrote two letters. D = WIS +.5, CHA +.5 Some of these I just didn't do. I had opportunity and didn't rise to the occasion. Particularly with waking up, though, I think I failed because I had no good reason. I was doing this because I thought it was a good idea, but I had no plan for things to do the mornings I did wake up and no one else was awake, and there was no inherrant rewards system- such as the endophins of exercise or the losing of waist inches- and I failed to build in a rewards loop to enable it to beecome a habit. I guess I have another week or two to think of how to better choose and execute my goals for next time.

How did this past week do? How are you feeling health-wise with the Paleo diet changes?

You are really embracing this nerd thing. Nice reference, and without mixing metaphors. I just hope none of us have our fingers bitten off once we achieve our goals...

The past two weeks have been a mixed bag. As for the positive, I have been doing great with breakfast. I got my 6 out of 6 last week, and this past week I ate 5 out of 6 mornings. On the other hand, I only got up at 6:30 2 out of 5 mornings last week, and 0 out of 5 this pat week. Not waking up meant I had to try to do my workouts sometime throughout the day, which led to only 2 out of 3 last week and 1 out of 3 this past week. So I have to have a pretty stellar next two weeks to improve my goal grades. I did write another gratitude letter this week. This time it was to a man named Kyle Sumpter, who is police commander in a small town in Washington state. I do not know Kyle, but he was a contestant on a TV show I watch called Top Shot. It is a marksmen competition on the History channel. Kyle competed last season and came in third or fourth and then was invited back for this season's All Stars and [spoiler alert] just was eliminated two weeks ago. You may wonder why I wrote to Kyle. It is because he conducted himself is such an outstanding way, always the perfect sportsman. In a culture (reality tv) that encourages sore losers and ungracious winners, as well as the idea that "I'm not here to make friends," Kyle stood at as an incredible example of outgoing friendliness. He won and lost with grace and dignity and never had a disparaging or even critical word to say about his competitors. Kyle is also a fellow alum of my alma mater (albeit 25 years or so earlier). I have praised him to others, but in the spirit of this goal to thank others for their good examples, I figured the time was right to praise him directly. So I did. This coming week I will try to get up on time, and regardless of when I get up, I will do my bodyweight workout right away. Bring it.

How is it going, with you taking the Paleo plunge?

Week Two report: I did awesome with breakfast. All seven days. I did pretty well with waking up at 6:30am. I only slept in on Wednesday, because I didn't have to go in to work. I did not do so hot with bodyweight exercises. I did just two days instead of my goal of three. I also did not write my letter on Sunday like I planned. So I have two letters to write this week. This week is shaping up nicely. I have already worked out both today and yesterday, so I feel good about making that more of a priority. I will post again when I have written my appreciation letters.

How did you do this week? Did you get all the boxes organized like you planned?