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Hello kids and welcome to my 10th challenge! For those of you who know me (poor devils) this is mostly a re-hash. A little about me... I'm 41, live in Nova Scotia (east coast), Canada, unattached, no kids (one cat), have WAY too many books and proud of it. I'm a boiler and refrigeration operator by trade, though my dream is to have a "bricks & mortar" used bookstore. I currently, have a part-time one that I run out of my basement in my spare time and my whole inventory is science fiction & fantasy (my passion). Should be a link to my stores facebook page in my signature. I'm also a Freemason and quite active in my lodge, which has helped offset my normal "hermit" habits and given me a new confidence in myself and abilities. As well I'm an avid "Clash of Clans" & "Rival Kingdoms" player and the Nerd Fitness clans is always looking for new members no matter your level. Main Quest: In August 2013 I weighted 267 lbs, and something "clicked" in my head and I decided I needed a change. The pic on left was me on August 23, 2015, pic on right was me in August 23, 2013. So, I started trying to get healthy and since I'm a type "A" person I use www.loseit.com as my food log and calorie counter. I hit my goal weight of 180 lbs but have ranging closer to 185lbs. So my main quest is to continue my healthy lifestyle and improve my fitness level and get back down to 180 lbs. To do that... Side Quests: 1. Keep my daily food log and weigh-ins with my loseit.com account. 2. Do at least 3 Cardio workouts a week (min 20 minutes), even if its just walking around my sub-division or playing on recumbent bike. 3. Do the following Body Weight exercises during the week. 80 Push-ups 100 Squats 100 Leg Lunges (combined total of both legs) 150 Dumbbell Rows (combined total of both arms with 25 lb weight) 5 Planks (as long as I can hold it, usually 30 - 40 seconds) 150 Jumping Jacks 80 Bicep Curls (combined total of both arms with 25 lb weight) 40 Triceps drips 4. No eating or booze after 8pm. This worked pretty good last challenge. I broke the rule a couple times, but on the whole it worked. Late night eating is the WORST for me, and I need to figure out a way to modify it around my night shifts (7pm - 7am). Maybe no food or booze after 8pm EXCEPT for night shifts when I can extend it to midnight. Life Quest: My MAJOR life quest is to finish my basement and turn it into rec room/bookstore, though I'm going to add some minor life quests for this challenge for those days I need to do something else. mini life quest #1 Spend 1 hour a week working on Family History (Genealogy). This is a passion of mine, but always seems to get pushed back until I have more "free time". Now that I'm on "Winter hours" (shiftwork) I can do some of this when on night/weeks mini life quest #2 Spend 1 hour a week doing bookstore jobs. This could be updating ads, sorting books, doing quotes etc... mini life quest #3 Spend 1 hour a week doing Lodge projects. This could be memory work, sorting refundables for our "Bottles for Bursaries" program, draft a promotional booklet, help with lodge projects etc... mini life quest #4 Spend 1 hour a week writing. This could be drafting a new story, sorting the 8 million post-it note ideas I have, "fixing" a current story so I can submit it etc... To help keep me sane (ish), I also like to write. So I will be continuing the adventure of petefeet as he explores the world around him. I try and take parts from my real life and weave them into a story. So far.... (Check 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Adventure's for written story) Petefeet is a halfling who was kidnapped by raider's as a small child and taken to a large human city and sold as a slave to the people running the cities gladiator arena. For much of his young life he was used as a servant, used to fetch and carry for the Masters and the gladiators. After many years of this, petefeet starts to realize that he wants more out of life and starts to secretly steal better food meant for the Master's and starts trying to copy the exercises done by the gladiators. Just when the Master's start to realize that something is changing with their normally meek and cowardly Halfling slave, an outside (Maybe the "Lady in Flames"?) force intervenes. How and when it happens is still a blur to petefeet, but one day he finds himself waking up in the middle of a crater out in the middle of the wilderness wearing nothing but his slave robes, which are now tattered and singed. Found by a young human girl named Jan and her Grandfather, petefeet had his burned skin tended, feed and dressed in old work clothes. In an effort to repay them for their kindness, petefeet offered to rid them of an giant rat that had taken up residence in their work hut. With nothing to protect his hands, our little Halfling wrapped the burned and tattered remains of his slave robes around his hands (like boxing mitts) and went into battle. It was during the battle with the giant rat that petefeet realized that the old robes held some magic (or was the focus for an innate ability or a gift from "Lady in Flames"?), for when he became scared, tiny sparks formed on the old robes covering his hands and when he punched the giant rat burns were also left upon the beast though petefeet received no damage. The more is was able to control his fear, the better he was able to hurt the beast. Since that day, petefeet has wandered the land, helping out where he came, getting into the odd bit of trouble and making new friends. He isn't quite sure where he is going, though is sure he will know it when he finds it. petefeet spent the winter months in an abandoned manor house leaving the larger world for another day, but now that spring is here, he's doing a little exploring and has discovered the nearby village of Apple Valley. With summer upon him petefeet has been busy making improvements to his lean-too home within the abandoned Pryde family estate, foraging and growing food for the coming winter and exploring the world around him. Characters within the story petefeet = Me Giant Brown Bear/Were-bear = My friend Hal who I only get to see a couple times a year. "Lady in Flames" (figure in petefeet's dreams) = Friend who I realize I'm falling in love with, and the knife edge I'm walking wanting to be more without losing a important friendship. Lately my emotional state (both good and bad) seems tied into my relationship with her, so I've taken to writing about her more as a way to give voice to my feeling (as a way for me to process). Black Dog (figure in petefeet's dreams) = Depression & that insidious emotion called "Hope" Mickey the Cat (Mysterious Wizards Familiar?) = My cat named Mickey!

Hello kids and welcome to my seventh challenge! A little about me... I'm 41, live in Nova Scotia (east coast), Canada, unattached (ended a 7 year relationship last fall) no kids (one cat), have WAY too many books and proud of it. I'm a boiler and refrigeration operator by trade, though my dream is to have a "bricks & mortar" used bookstore. I currently, have a part-time one that I run out of my basement in my spare time and my whole inventory is science fiction & fantasy (my passion). Should be a link to my stores facebook page in my signature. I'm also a Freemason and quite active in my lodge, which has helped offset my normal "hermit" habits and given me a new confidence in myself and abilities. As well I'm an avid "Clash of Clans" player and the Nerd Fitness clan is always looking for new members no matter your level. Main Quest: In August 2013 I weighted 267 lbs and my doctor said I had to shut up about my sore knees or die (great guy, bedside manner of a doorknob). So, I started trying to get healthy and since I'm a type "A" person I use www.loseit.com as my food log and calorie counter. I hit my goal weight of 180 lbs but lost steam/motivation last challenge and am back up to 185 lbs So my main quest is to continue my healthy lifestyle and improve my fitness level and get back down to 180 lbs To do that... Side Quests: 1. Keep my daily food log and weigh-ins with my loseit.com account. 2. Do at least 3 Cardio workouts a week (min 20 minutes), even if its just walking around my sub-division or playing on recumbent bike. Finding this hard to do during the cold winter months. 3. Do the following BBWW during the week. 75 Push-ups 100 Squats 100 Leg Lunges 150 Dumbbell Rows 5 x 25 sec Planks 150 Jumping Jacks Life Quest: My long term life quest is to finish my basement (couple current pic's in my gallery) and turn it into a bookshop/rec-room. To help keep me sane (ish), I also like to write. So I will be continuing the adventure of petefeet as he explores the world around him. I try and take parts from my real life and weave them into a story. So far.... (Check 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th and 6th Adventure's for written story) Petefeet is a halfling who was kidnapped by raider's as a small child and taken to a large human city and sold as a slave to the people running the cities gladiator arena. For much of his young life he was used as a servant, used to fetch and carry for the Masters and the gladiators. After many years of this, petefeet starts to realize that he wants more out of life and starts to secretly steal better food meant for the Master's and starts trying to copy the exercises done by the gladiators. Just when the Master's start to realize that something is changing with their normally meek and cowardly Halfling slave, an outside (Maybe the "Lady in Flames"?) force intervenes. How and when it happens is still a blur to petefeet, but one day he finds himself waking up in the middle of a crater out in the middle of the wilderness wearing nothing but his slave robes, which are now tattered and singed. Found by a young human girl named Jan and her Grandfather, petefeet had his burned skin tended, feed and dressed in old work clothes. In an effort to repay them for their kindness, petefeet offered to rid them of an giant rat that had taken up residence in their work hut. With nothing to protect his hands, our little Halfling wrapped the burned and tattered remains of his slave robes around his hands (like boxing mitts) and went into battle. It was during the battle with the giant rat that petefeet realized that the old robes held some magic (or was the focus for an innate ability or a gift from "Lady in Flames"?), for when he became scared, tiny sparks formed on the old robes covering his hands and when he punched the giant rat burns were also left upon the beast though petefeet received no damage. The more is was able to control his fear, the better he was able to hurt the beast. Since that day, petefeet has wandered the land, helping out where he came, getting into the odd bit of trouble and making new friends. He isn't quite sure where he is going, though is sure he will know it when he finds it. Currently petefeet is holed up in an abandoned manor house for the winter months as he tries to deal with emotional issues and be happy on his own, leaving the larger world for another day. The never ending winter has worn petefeet's nerves pretty thin, but it appears that spring might finally been at hand and that brings a sense of renewed energy to the halfling. Characters within the story petefeet = Me Giant Brown Bear = My friend Hal who I only get to see a couple times a year "Lady in Flames" (figure in petefeet's dreams) = Friend who I realize I'm falling in love with, and the knife edge I'm walking wanting to be more without losing what I have with her. Black Dog (figure in petefeet's dreams) = Depression & that insidious emotion called "Hope" Mickey the Cat (Mysterious Wizards Familiar?) = My cat named Mickey!

(OOC: I realize that I'm coming in mid challenge and will likely have to enter into the next 6 week challenge in June. Honestly, I think that's best for me, it takes me longer than most to develop new habits.) The years since my capture seem to have blurred together, fetching and carrying countless meals for a endless number of faceless gladiators, repairing armour, polishing weapons and suffering the abuses of those who are themselves scared of the fate that awaits them on the sands. Memories of my old life only come in brief flashes, sometimes triggered by the scent of flowers tossed upon the sands, or a colourful garment wore by a gladiators owner as they come to inspect their property. While I carve these brief escapes from reality, I also hate them, for they make the choking dust, drab food and unending work crush my spirits when they flee. My only chance to see the sun comes upon those days when we are required to rake the sands before a match or drag a luckless body from the field of battle. It was on one of these days that the mists that have been clouding my mind all these years started to lift. Hurrying out onto the hot sands, instantly deafened by the roar of the crowd, my follow slaves and I quickly started dragging the latest luckless victim back down into the catacombs, alive or dead we couldn't tell. It was a chore I had performed hundreds of times, but for some reason I felt compelled to remove the gladiators helmet, only to have the sightless eyes of a young man look back at me. The injustice of it all, the complete waste of a life, rocked me back on my heels as if I had been struck, it wasn't until one of my fellow slaves shoved me that I came to my senses. Still reeling with a flood of emotions, I gathered up the fallen gladiators sword and shield. The hand that picked up the shield was aged and wrinkled, when did that happen? And as I bent down to pick up the sword, the face that was reflected in the blade was pale, bloated and worn. Is this who I had become? How long HAD I been here? For days after that event, I went about my tasks as normal, but my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. What life was I living? It was no life at all, doomed to end upon the rubbish pits outside the city walls, my body a meal for wandering dogs. My choices are limited, but I do have them. The life on the sand can be fleetly for those unskilled and unwary of the risks, my life as a slave has taught me how to be patient. So secretly, without announcing it to my fellow slaves, I started my transformation. Instead of the tasteless gruel that is our normal fare, I risked beatings and worse by stealing small amounts of fruit and nuts from the Masters tables and started echoing some of the simple combat movements that I've seen the gladiators perform over the years. The dim, dust filled corridors are a poor spot to train, though they do offer what I carve most, privacy. It is with mixed emotions that I am no longer able to hide my transformation. At first it was just my fellow slaves who started making the odd comment, but now I have noticed that the Masters have been looking at me more often of late. I am unsure where my transformation is taking me, THAT person it still very much a blur in my mind. Time will tell. (OCC: Hello all, while my little story is just a flight of fancy it DOES very closely mirror what I'm going through. In August 2013 I weighted 267 pounds (39 years old), my knees ached, my blood pressure was high and I was developing sleep apnea. That and the realization that it was the 10 year anniversary since I had come across a serious car crash, in which two teens (under 16) had stolen a vehicle and crashed it, leaving one dead, all combined together and flipped a switch in my head. I had tried to loose weight before with mixed results, but this time I looked to technology to give me some help. That help came in the form of Loseit.com. It's a calorie counting app, but more than that it helped me realize WHAT KIND of calories I had been consuming and steered me towards smarter choices. For a Type "A" person such as myself, it really made a difference. Unknowingly, I was steering myself towards a "paleo-like" lifestyle. (Close anyways) I hit my "Main" goal of 200 pounds in April 2014 (40 years old now), and have recently bumped my goal down another 10 pounds to 190. Diet changes can only do so much, which lead me on another search, which lead me to Nerd Fitness. I'll be honest, I LOVE the idea! I spent a couple months reading Steve's and other's blogs and only have just started becoming active in the forums.) Main Quest: Continue my recent weight loss program, as well as add more light cardio and body weight strength training. Sides Quests: 1. Continue keeping my daily food log and staying with my calorie budget. 2. Log some form of cardio (Walking, biking, recumbent stationary bike or aqua fitness class) at least twice a week 3. Perform my "boot camp" circuit training (body weight strength training) at least twice a week. Challenges: For 8 months of the year I work 12 hour shifts (nights and days), which honestly makes keeping a regular routine quite difficult. The other 4 months (summer) I'm a Monday-Friday guy, which makes things easier. Life Quest: In my spare time, I run a small business out of my basement. It's a used bookstore specializing in science fiction and fantasy (if anybody wants a link to my facebook store page, let me know). Right now, my "bookstore" is 60 ish cardboard boxes filled with books, not very inviting. So this week I started the process of finishing my basement (insulation, walls, flooring, shelves etc..). This isn't really my skill set, but I'm taking my time, doing a bunch of research and doing what I can when time and money are available. I have one wall partly up and am working on a parts list for the next section. It is slow going, since I'm only using income from the store to pay for it, but even seeing the little bit that I have done has encouraged me to keep going.

Hey kids, This will be my first "official challenge" since I did the last half of the Level 1 Rebels last month. So if you see that I'm missing something, please let me know, I want to do this right from the start. Since I like to write, I will be trying to mirroring my story posts to reflect issue/challenges/successes in my real life. If you want to read what I did last time (Last 3 weeks of Rebel 1 Challenge), I've copied it to the bottom of this post. Main Quest: Continue my recent weight loss program, as well as add more light cardio and body weight strength training. I was 267 lbs in Aug 2013 and am at 193 lbs as of this morning. For this 6-week challenge I'm going to aim for 190 lbs. I know this is only a small drop, but my weight loss has really showed down and I'm increasing my body weight workouts. Sides Quests: 1. Continue keeping my daily food log and staying with my calorie budget and weigh myself every day (I know my body fluctuates some, but doing it every day keep me honest). 2. Log some form of cardio (Walking, biking, recumbent stationary bike) at least twice a week 3. Log my Body Building Weight workouts at least twice a week. Life Quest: In my spare time, I run a small business out of my basement. Fictionfirst Used Books It's a used bookstore specializing in science fiction and fantasy. Right now, my "bookstore" is 60 ish cardboard boxes filled with books, not very inviting. So last month I started the process of finishing my basement (insulation, walls, flooring, shelves etc..). This isn't really my skill set, but I'm taking my time, doing a bunch of research and doing what I can when time and money are available. I have one wall up and am working on a parts list for the next section. It is slow going, since I'm only using income from the store to pay for it, but even seeing the little bit that I have done has encouraged me to keep going. Story line: The years since my capture seem to have blurred together, fetching and carrying countless meals for a endless number of faceless gladiators, repairing armour, polishing weapons and suffering the abuses of those who are themselves scared of the fate that awaits them on the sands. Memories of my old life only come in brief flashes, sometimes triggered by the scent of flowers tossed upon the sands, or a colourful garment wore by a gladiators owner as they come to inspect their property. While I carve these brief escapes from reality, I also hate them, for they make the choking dust, drab food and unending work crush my spirits when they flee. My only chance to see the sun comes upon those days when we are required to rake the sands before a match or drag a luckless body from the field of battle. It was on one of these days that the mists that have been clouding my mind all these years started to lift. Hurrying out onto the hot sands, instantly deafened by the roar of the crowd, my follow slaves and I quickly started dragging the latest luckless victim back down into the catacombs, alive or dead we couldn't tell. It was a chore I had performed hundreds of times, but for some reason I felt compelled to remove the gladiators helmet, only to have the sightless eyes of a young man look back at me. The injustice of it all, the complete waste of a life, rocked me back on my heels as if I had been struck, it wasn't until one of my fellow slaves shoved me that I came to my senses. Still reeling with a flood of emotions, I gathered up the fallen gladiators sword and shield. The hand that picked up the shield was aged and wrinkled, when did that happen? And as I bent down to pick up the sword, the face that was reflected in the blade was pale, bloated and worn. Is this who I had become? How long HAD I been here? For days after that event, I went about my tasks as normal, but my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. What life was I living? It was no life at all, doomed to end upon the rubbish pits outside the city walls, my body a meal for wandering dogs. My choices are limited, but I do have them. The life on the sand can be fleetly for those unskilled and unwary of the risks, my life as a slave has taught me how to be patient. So secretly, without announcing it to my fellow slaves, I started my transformation. Instead of the tasteless gruel that is our normal fare, I risked beatings and worse by stealing small amounts of fruit and nuts from the Masters tables and started echoing some of the simple combat movements that I've seen the gladiators perform over the years. The dim, dust filled corridors are a poor spot to train, though they do offer what I carve most, privacy. It is with mixed emotions that I am no longer able to hide my transformation. At first it was just my fellow slaves who started making the odd comment, but now I have noticed that the Masters have been looking at me more often of late. I am unsure where my transformation is taking me, THAT person it still very much a blur in my mind. Time will tell. With my days worth of mind numbing tasks done, I shuffle back to my bare cell and draw the tattered blanket across the portal in a gesture of privacy. Just as I'm about to lay down on my rough plank cot a voice outside my cell tell me that I'm wanted by one of the Masters in the Wheel room. Know that it is useless to complain and the very act of doing so WILL have repercussions, I drag myself up and hurry my way down the dusty corridor, my bare feet marking my passage. Upon entering the wheel room, I can't help myself but marvel at the engineering involved in creating this vast chamber and the machines within it, just below the sand filled floor of the Arena. My chance to stand in wonder is short lived as one of the white robed Master's snaps her fingers and points at the empty space before her. Going as fast as my short legs will carry me, I scurry over and stand before her awaiting her orders. I stand there bowing for several minutes, knowing that her eyes are boring into the top of my shaved head, before she speaks. "There!" That single word and a pointed finger direct me to one of the smaller wheels, which I quickly scramble into and start walking. In another time and another place I would look like a hamster in a ball, though this ball/wheel is connected to a series of ropes and pulleys designed to lift caged animals, large groups of troops and the like to floor of the arena where they can "magically" appear to those in the stands. Luckily, this time the platform connected to my wheel is empty and without too much effort I'm able to raise it to the surface where I assume a load awaits it. But the trap door fails to open and as I look to the Master she just stares at me a moment and then gestures for me to lower the platform. Confused by this request, I nevertheless do as I'm told and lower it to the floor once again. Looking the the Master for further instructions, I find that she has already left the wheel room, leaving me wondering what is going on. The catacombs are quiet, the days all seem to blend together, but I think today is one of the holy days celebrated in this place. As long as we slaves go about our duties, the Masters and Overseers leave us in peace. Perhaps I am weak, but other than my normal duties, I used this uncommon free time to rest my tired bones. Today I was given a rare taste of "freedom". One of the Overseers ordered me to assist him carrying packages from the shops within the city, normally these jobs are given to one of the larger slaves, but who was I to refuse?. At first the noise and smell overwhelmed my senses, so foreign to my life now in the catacombs as well as well as my life before. Luckily, the errands were light, nothing more than some fresh fruits and vegetables, though they did still tax my weak frame. Once our deliveries were made to the Arenas kitchens I was sent back to my normal duties with a nod from the Overseer rather than the blow I expected. Pleased with myself, and in the comfort of my own cell, I performed some of the strength exercises I had seen the gladiators do in the training grounds before going to sleep. Knowing that one of the Overseers required me throughout the night, I was allowed to sleep late, leaving my normal chores to the other slaves. This rare chance for extra sleep was ruined when one of the rats that infest the slave quarters made its way up on my cots and ran over my face. The sudden shock and instant disgust made going back to sleep almost impossible. Aware that if I left my cell, I would be given work to do, I quietly spent some time and tried to tidy up my little cell to reflect my growing scene of well-being. Some time later, realizing that I was pushing my luck, I left my cell and helped my fellow slaves at our chores until the meal bell rang. I was just able to gulp down a few mouthfuls of my own meager rations when one of the Overseers grabbed me by the shoulder and marched me to one of the workshops. Inside was a brute of a man dressed in the white robes of a Master in a room filled with glass vessels of different size and shape and who proceeded to show me how to fill these vessels with fine sand. I had seen these strange vessels before, they are used in someway to tell the passage of time, though how I don't know. I do know this, watching a Master add and remove tiny amount of sand from various vessels while I fetched and carried made a very long night. Why this needed to be done at night was something I didn't dare ask. My ruined chance for extra sleep plagued me through the whole night, until the Master sent me to my cell just as I could hear the sounds of the city awaken outside. Weary beyond measure, my restless mind won't allow me body to sleep, so it wasn't until the catacombs were fully alive with activity that I was able to fall asleep. My blessed taste of oblivion was short lived as a ruckus out in the corridor woke me. It was nothing more than barrels of pitch being rolled down the hallways, fuel for the torches, but the vibrations created by their passage had every rat in the area running for cover and that highway seemed to be through my cell. Knowing that trying to sleep anymore would be useless, I quickly dressed and went about my chores within the massive complex, even though I knew I had another long night ahead of me. Thankfully I was send to another Master, a kind old fool, who wished for somebody to talk too, rather than labour for him. I used this rare moment of freedom to perform some of the gladiators exercises in a quiet corner, while the old Master was deep in his cups. While my body was tired from lack of sleep, knowing that I did a "little" better this time than last, brought a tiny smile to my face. Today is a great day, one of my kinsmen is here! He is a slave to a Master who travels outside of the city looking for fighters to perform in the Arena. A couple times a year his Master comes to the arena unknown reasons, reasons that my kinsmen won't speak of. Since I toiled the night before, I was allowed to sleep late, giving my kinsmen and I some time to catch up on the affairs of the world. Most of what he says I don't understand but some of the images he paints in my mind stay with me for days. This time he also had something else for me, a full wineskin which he lifted from his Masters luggage before coming here. Alcohol of any kind is forbidden to us slaves, but many have found ways around that, though its not something I've tried often. But tonight was a special night, so my kinsmen and I hide within my cell and passed the wineskin between us as he told me of the many lands and peoples he has come across. I'm convinced that most of his stories are lie's, I mean who has ever heard of a giant with breathe of ice? But his stories lift me up and make me forget about my pitiful life in the catacombs beneath the arena. By the time the wineskin is empty, it is late and my kinsmen bids me farewell, hoping that we will meet again. If I had ever forgotten that i was slave, today I remembered it. Apparently my secret consumption of the contents of the wineskin from last added my sleep, since I failed to get up with the other slaves, causing an Overseer to seek me out. I was found snoring loudly atop my pallet with the wineskin on the bare stone floor beside me.I was roughly roused and taken before the Masters. I feared a whipping if not worse, but was "lucky" enough to just get punishment detail along with my other duties. So after my normal duties had been carried out I was ordered out onto the hot sands of the Arena to polish the copper fittings adoring the chariots used sometimes by the gladiators, then dragged to a nearby abandoned garden and put to work breaking up the ground so it could be used again. Once the sun started setting I was ordered back to the Arena and its familiar underground passageways, but any hope of a break, meal or even water were dashed when I was taken to the wheel room and ordered to power the machines allowing the chariots to be brought back down. Once done, with head and shoulders bowed I was escorted back to my tiny cell, where I promptly collapsed into an exhausted slumber. I was so stiff from my punishment detail yesterday that I dreaded the days toil ahead of me. Luckily, I was pulled aside and told that I would be acting as personal servant to two of the Masters at a feast. Could it be that somebody felt sorry for me and gave me this easy detail? I find that hard to believe. From my position far in the back I was able to see various city officials give speeches to the crowd, though they didn't seem to be saying much, but everybody nodded and clapped their hands. Other than fetching and carrying meals for the Masters, I was left alone and able to sneak a couple bits for myself. There were other slaves running to and fro, some looked to be better treated than myself, though many less with bruises in open display. Perhaps I'm luckier than I thought. Apparently today was some kind of holiday to the citizens of the city, best I could figure out that it might have something to do with one of their goddesses, though fertility or death I couldn't figure out. I was part of a detail tasked with cleaning up one of the cities cemeteries, the work was hard but the weather mild, so I was able to toil in peace. After our effort was done to the satisfaction of the Overseer, we were used as laborers to help deliver flowers and such to some of the older female citizens, perhaps as a thank you for some service or other? Like so many of my days, this one was just another of boring work and mind numbing routine. Doing tasks that will never be appreciated though noticed if missed, days like this give me the chance to escape mentally while my body goes through its paces. Mindless tasks fill my day. Overseers ordering us to do jobs that could be done easier if we were listened too, but a quick backhand would be the only thanks we would get so I try and keep my peace. And if the mindless running around wasn't bad enough, I was tasked with unclogging the Arena's public washrooms, a job done in the dark with glowing red eyes and the scamper of tiny feet my only company. Dirty and filthy, I was not fit to be around the Masters and was "allowed" the privilege of a cold bath. Tired and discouraged, I ate two portions of our unhealthy gruel before retiring to my hard wooden pallet. Berating myself for falling into a depression and thinking that the heavy tasteless gruel of the slave pens could fill the emptiness, I vowed to redouble my secret efforts to improve my lot in life and hopefully gain my freedom from these catacombs. So before heading out of my cell, I tried once again the strength building exercises I had seen the gladiators perform. The week in between my efforts was telling, since it was just as difficult if not worse than last time, but I was pleased with myself never the less. Once again I was sent out as part of a work party outside of the catacombs, something that I was never a part of before, though other slaves were. Perhaps the Overseers think I'm now strong effort for other chores? I doubt I'll ever know, though I do know that breathing in fresh air even while bent over planting crops is a blessing over the choking dust of the catacombs. After a long day planting seeds, I was looking forward to my pallet, hard as it may be, but sleep was not in my near future. I was ordered to assist preparing and serving a late night meal to a select group of older Masters who are all members of some kind on mysterious society. All I know was that once again I feel to temptation and stole a few choice bits of rich juicy meat, though I was careful not to get caught. While the poor food, unclean conditions and unhealthy atmosphere are constantly wearing down my soul, sometimes it's the faceless/voiceless part of my existence that depresses me the most. For example, I was told that I needed to be part of a group and receive instruction from the Masters about the proper way to assist them in their magical arts. I tried telling an Overseer, that I took part in this training months ago, but since they didn't remember, I had to do it again. If that wasn't bad enough, I was then ordered to perform chores throughout the night. I was little more than a walking shadow, when finally allowed to find my pallet. After a short sleep, my life as a walking shadow continued as most of them do, one mindless task to the next. The work keeps my body going, but leaves my mind to fall prey to all the possibilities that will never be. I can see why some of my fellow slaves steal drink or drugs from some of the Masters, maybe numbing yourself to reality works for some, but I can't help but see it as lying to oneself. These late night chores for the Masters leave me too much time to think, I see my thoughts turning morbid at these times. Thankfully, I was also free enough to slip away without being seen and performed some of the exercises the gladiators perform to strengthen their bodies. I can't seem to do any more than before, though I'm not as stiff from trying as I was. I think the Creator of all things was looking out for me today, at least the Overseer's and the like seemed to have forgotten about me, as I was allowed to sleep late after being on night duty. This being combined with a holy day, the Arena was closed and slaves, gladiator's and the like were largely left to fend for ourselves. Most of us did our necessary chores, but little other than that. Instead we retreated to the slave halls and quietly tried to make merry, allowing ourselves to forgot for a little while our dismal lives within the catacombs. My life has turned into a whirlwind of activity. With my fate tied to that of the Masters, I was sent all over the city on senseless errands, not given any refreshment when completed, my only reward being more errands. I was sent to help plant crops in an abandoned lot, and when only partly done, sent to fetch treats for a testy Master, after which being sent to the far side of the city to pick up a package that had already been delivered. I have been so busy lately, that if I wore sandals, I would have holes in them. One bit of good news though, I hope to be able to watch an new instructor train the Gladiators in a few days, if I can sneak away from my duties.

Samaiya finished feeding the baby and laid him down for his nap so that she might straighten up the house. As she worked, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She stopped working and faced it fully. She appraised herself with a mix of nostalgia and remorse as she realized that the last month of work had come to make hardly any difference. Granted the last week or so she hadn't been as vigilant in her training. "You are just not one of those lucky ladies who bounce right back, are you?" She whispered to herself. "Don't be so hard on yourself." Samaiya jumped as her husband suddenly popped up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked at her through the mirror. "You just had a baby six months ago and you've been doing great this past month." She hugged him back. "But I could do better." "I think you are beautiful the way you are, I still don't see why you are insisting on going on this quest of yours." "I told you before, I'm doing this for Vincent. I want him to grow up and with the right habits, unlike I did. And what better way than to teach him that you need to work hard for the best results." She looked at the paper she pinned to the top of her mirror for a daily reminder. Samaiya was definitely going to work harder to meet her goals. She was going to start her quest and soon, she just needed to work a little more to prepare. She eyed her stomach again. First things first, she needed to drop a dress size or two, or she was never going to fit into her questing gear. She remembered fondly the days when she was a size six, though that was very long ago indeed (even before she got pregnant). She hoped she would be that size again one day, but she knew that would be far in the future. "Then why not just go? Why take more time to prepare?" "Because I need to bring Vincent with me. They have you flying the Zeppelin for days at a time so I cannot leave him with you. And if I need to bring him on this quest, then I need to be sure that I am ready." With a sigh, she patted her husband's hands and went back to work. All the while, Samaiya's mind buzzed with all she would need to do. First she needed to focus on eating right while she was questing. She was starting a paleo diet here at home so she would know how to eat while on the road, and this time, if she was going to cheat it would be with healthier food at least. It was time to give up the sugary drinks and salty chips, That way when it was time to set out she wouldn't miss them as much when she wouldn't be able to cheat at all. She wanted to grow a garden to make the vegetables more accessible, but there was no time. Her quest starts in August, and that was hardly any time at all. Samaiya knew she also needed to work on building her strength, and what better place to start than her core? In town, she was part of motherhood group that had started doing a 30 day ab workout routine that built in reps with each day. She had already started it on the first of the month with everyone and she was determined to finish it. However she was planning on continuing it once everyone else had finished. She needed to push her workout into July if she was going to build her core muscles to where they needed to be. However, she probably wasn't going to keep increasing at the rate they planned to for the month. That might be too much too keep up with. Lastly, Samaiya knew she needed to work on her flexibility. She couldn't even touch her toes anymore and that was pitiful for an adventurer. So she decided that everyday she worked out, she would also do a full stretch routine. She didn't know exactly what yet, but she would do her research in town to find a good one. Maybe one of the ladies in her group might know where she might find some useful information. Pleased with her plan, she looked around the humble home that she would soon be leaving. It seemed like her cleaning never got very far before she was distracted by something. Even now, she was spending more time thinking about the future than actually straightening anything up. She supposed she should also work hard to make sure that her house got clean and stayed clean. Samaiya hated household chores, but when she left it needed to be spotless and what better qualities were there than organization for a quest? It was decided she would spend the day cleaning up and from there on she would keep it clean in here. With a smile, Samaiya got straight to work on her plan. Very soon her life was going to change, and Goddess help her, it was going to be one for the better. An embellished version of the truth, but is that not the definition of storytelling? To summarize: My main goal: To lose weight and be a size 6 (this is a very long term goal) My missions: Eat a Paleo Diet (with cheats being of a healthier variety) [Worth 1 CON]Finish my ab workout (as detailed here) and continue it through the challenge [Worth 1 STR]Establish a stretching routine to be completed on workout days [Worth 1 DEX] My side quest: To clean the house and keep it that way [Worth 1 STA] Why am I still in Level 1 Rebels? Because I not only started late last challenge, but I feel I could have done better. Starting Stats: Weight: 168.2lbsBMI: 27.99 (Overweight)Body Fat: 27.47% Waist: 31.5 inHip: 45 inSize: 12 My Embellished Truths: My husband is a reserve pilot for a commercial airline. He does leave for days at a time a lot of the time. I changed it to a Zeppelin in the style of WoW. My quest starts in August because that is when we are moving from Texas up to Wisconsin, but also because that is when I plan to move to a guild and really start working hard on the fitness aspect of health.I say I need to bring my son Vincent with on my quest because as a stay-at-home-mom while my husband is gone for days, he does affect the amount of time I have to dedicate to things like meal preparation and exercise.'Goddess' does not in anyway reflect my religious beliefs nor do I think they are pertinent to anything NerdFitness related so I will not be discussing religion with anyone. It was simply meant for the storytelling aspect it provided. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for checking out my challenge, I hope you gained at least a small amount of entertainment from it. Also I'm open to what stats others think my goals should be worth. Let me know what you think. ~Samaiya p.s. Sorry the pictures are so big, I tried to crop and resize them, but photobucket is being difficult.