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Welcome, my fellow nerds, to my eighth step in a healthier direction! I've been keeping my focus on small habits to practice consistency since my history of falling out with exercise stems from losing momentum. I also want to avoid burnout, so I'm doing my best to make my goals fun. Apparently (based on the length of what I've composed here) more fun means more details? lol XD For context: I've been playing various iterations of Animal Crossing for 15+ years, and last fall Cid gave me the Switch version New Horizons. I anticipated the immediate obsessive reaction I would have to playing it, so I postponed until I finally started it a little over a week ago. One of the new features I like in this new version is the Nook Miles+ Rewards that give you a bonus reward for doing the first five tasks, and if you want to continue playing, more rewards without a bonus will spawn as you complete the tasks in hand. Ahead, I've got a list of the Nook Miles+ Reward challenge names from ACNH, a list of the exercises done in the plaza of ACNH, and all my numerous wordy thoughts on how I intend to adapt the challenges into my own goals so that if I put them all on Index cards and shuffle them into a deck I'll have a random draw of which five goals will get a double point bonus for getting done. XD I'm sharing the list of the tasks so that anyone can pick as they please. My picks are whichever I can pair with my personal goals. If you join me in this ACNH-themed 5-week challenge, you are neither limited to my selected tasks nor to my interpretations of what I do to accomplish them. Tbh, I am not entirely sure the list is complete despite being found online since I noticed a few missing, and tacked them on at the end. Even so it's pretty long. The first thing that made me consider this theme for my 5-week challenge was the stretching that can be done as a daily activity in game. I want to scale back my goals so that I have a daily goal to do that warm-up first thing in the morning, and/or last thing at night. I don't have the ability to do it in the video game because I don't have the joy cons, but I do have the ability to do the exercises without the game giving me credit for it. So I've compiled the list of stretches used in the little exercise. That being said, I already know I'm including the "Stretch to Refresh" challenge because it's already a goal I want to accomplish every day - even if I don't pull the index card. It can be a warm-up for other exercises, but I am going to consider just doing these warm-ups their own goal in attempt to promote motion. I will keep track of my daily streak in my attempt to do the stretches every day. My next thought is the fact that my coloring project I originally included as one of my crafty options for my Artificer goals *never* got touched in all of January. But I *do* want to color and draw. My solution is to disguise it in a less daunting facade. I'm using "Chop Down a Tree" as a goal to sharpen one pencil. That puts me in the place where I can use said pencils. In the same theme, "Plant a tree" would be a challenge to draw something, and "Plant a fruit tree" would be to color something. I could also include "Chop 10 Wood" as a journal prompt or letter-writing assignment. "Talk to 3 neighbors" immediately goes into the ranks with little creative thought needed. So long as I make contact with three friends by the end of the day, this goal will be met. To be honest, that's a very necessary goal at this time. I can try spreading it out to one per mealtime if reaching out to three at once seems daunting. I'll include the DIY project challenges, but strangely enough, not for my quilt. XD I'm thinking "Make 3 DIY projects" could be writing for 30 minutes (maybe in sprint mode), and "Customize 2 things" could be editing for 20 minutes (or contemplative writing). That way I get started on the second draft. It's not going to revise itself. XD I *do* want to include my quilt as a goal, though. I think it'd be a good match with "Pop a Balloon" (because needles and pins are sharp?), and the goal could be to get a thread's length of quilting done. "Sell 10 Seashells" fits with an activity I've already been spending some time doing: sifting through my phone's gallery, trying to delete the excessive hoards of saved images. I'll also apply "Sell 20 Weeds" to this task because I move files around while I sift through them. "Sell 20 weeds" is moving 20 images to trash or folders, and "Sell 10 shells" is moving 10 to trash. Another aspect of sifting through my folders of pictures is sharing them. "Sell 5 fruits" can be sharing 5 pictures with friends. "Sell a hot item" could be sharing a picture on Facebook. I feel like the goals for catching bugs and fish would be a funny way to get points for eating fruits and vegetables. The goal of catching 5 fish would be to have an abundance of vegetables at my meal. The goal of catching 1 fish could be to go and get an unusual veggie (we almost always have carrots, onions, or bell peppers, but we do like plenty of other veggies that a diverse array is viable... potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, celery, asparagus, salads, corn, etc.) Likewise, for fruit, catching 5 bugs would be to have an abundance of fruit, and catching 1 bug would be to get one that I don't usually have on hand (I love so many fruits, that it's basically anything except apples which I almost always grab for an addition to my lunches). "Water 8 flowers" should definitely be to use my enormous Hufflepuff cauldron mug for my water. XD That thing hydrates like magic. But I don't know what "Planting 3 flowers" would be in that sense, so it may not make it into the challenge. That fine - it wouldn't be the only challenge that I liked but didn't have a goal to align the challenge with. I haven't made any of my index cards yet. 18 things to do is a lot, but I wonder if I might just get standard points for each task until I have made the index cards? Can't get a x2 bonus until there's an index card to pull? I've already had a few days to make them, but maybe I'll get them made this week, or slowly as I go, or I'll never have them made to pull and still get ridiculous point counts despite having no bonus. XD I'm basically just trying to make something that sounds fun. It looks like I put a lot of effort into pairing my things with an existing list, but I really am just going with whatever sounds reasonable to me. I hope it doesn't come across as too zany or hard to follow. And to avoid the broken link emojis, I'll just be keeping track of the Nook Miles I earn? I'm hoping taking credit for a lot of small successes this month helps me keep doing things I like. Have a beautiful day! Sincerely, Maerad

As I write this - during Week 5 (barely) - the place I live is getting ready to relax some of its quarantine protocols. The government seems to be confident we are now out of peak (barely? Ish?), and that with the onslaught of Summer and the time when Western expats leave en masse to spend those months in more agreeable climes, things are relaxing a bit. We still have to wear masks outside when not exercising and to enter shops. Temperature checks at the door are still de rigeur, as is checking the tracker app everyone has to have on their phone - if you don’t have it or it’s not clear, no entry is supposed to be allowed to any shopping spaces. I don’t believe they are still doing police stops to check and see if the app has been downloaded, but I don’t actually know since I’ve been in a car twice since this all started. Kids and people over 60 are not allowed in any shopping spaces (as far as I’ve seen). Families of over 2 can now drive in the car together - some beaches and parks are opening (though it’s like 114F; who tf wants to go to the park?). The malls are partially opening - larger stores at 30% capacity, though how they will police that it’s hard to say. Restaurants and cafes are now allowed to offer curbside takeout (not just delivery). Restaurants will start the first openings July 1, with strict capacity rules and without the multitude of buffets that are so popular here. Pools are opening, but I think they are not supposed to be - at least not in my neighborhood. Still no real gatherings (that’s phase 2 for gatherings of under 10 I think and July - probably to coincide with the restaurant openings). Gyms open in August and are already starting to inform Zoom clients of plans. Watercraft are allowed from this week, just not personal watercraft (yachts: yes, SUP: no) - not sure what that will do to neighborhood traffic at the marina. This all means little for my bubble - I’m continuing to stay home, but will go with DH to IKEA this next weekend to grab some house supplies (some way to block off the lower quarter of the balcony so the pups can’t see the pool, a rug to keep bitchy downstairs neighbor appeased, a comfy place to sit on the patio despite the heat, maybe a nice nonstick large pan because I still frickin hate metal bottom pans, and maybe a Dutch oven for a different type of crusty bread. I’ll not be rushing out to dine, though we may try and schedule a date night out. I’ll not be meeting up with friends just yet - but may once the 10-person limit is enacted. Not sure what this means for my Tuesday coffee group; my Wednesday group is pretty much dead as 2 more are moving out of the country the second they get clearance COVID tests, 1 still isn’t back from her quarantine abroad, and 2 usually leave for the Summer - leaving me and 1 other person. So, effectively dead - and that means wine group is, too. Which is kinda fine? I’m also not rushing out to hit the mall alone - I’m enjoying my no Uber/no spend time. When gyms open, which is either phase 2 or probably 3, I’ll be heading back to in-person yoga. I may also go on a supply run to a craft supply store. Maybe. I’ll probably just finally break down and order stuff on Amazon, 2-3 week lead time be damned. Goals Nutrition as always. This challenge cycle finds me utterly tired of the amount of garbage I’ve let creep into my diet in an effort to be gentle to DH and his food ish. I’m sick of the salt, the junk, and the lack of actual nutrition. That stops. No more chip binges, no more fries as the default on weekend meals, no more big pizzas, no more batches and batches of noodles. No more 2 takeout meals in a day. I think I’ve been “fun” and indulgent enough over these last 3 months. Back to mean wife. I’m not to the point I’m ready to track macros, but I do need to bump up my ‘don’t eat like an asshole’ directive. More effort to eat proper veggies, even though I’m currently scared of them. I’ve not been doing terrible on quantity, but more work is needed here. More cognizance of limiting garbage, even on the weekends. Especially on the weekends. Yoga as always. Continuing on with my Monday Zoom class; trying to get off my ass for more actual yoga and less coloring or ACNH meditation. Not assigning judgement here quite yet, because my brain is a stubborn child, but it’s coming. Feeding my creativity - I’d like to pick a non-coloring non-ACNH craft and work toward getting the supplies and starting that this challenge. ACNH is a great creative outlet and it has given my hands a chance to (mostly) rest, but I miss hand sewing, be it seam finishing or needlework. And that’s about it. Another super simple challenge full of shit I’m already doing, but that’s what I have the bandwidth for at the moment. I feel like I’d just entered a space where I could submit to pushing myself before all this happened - and now my energy (and giving a fucks) level is back to square one. And that’s okay. For now. I just don’t want it to stretch another 3 winters. 4, really, if we’re being honest.

Topic Title: Snickie Builds a Solids Foundation Topics: Challenge requirements (Major and Minor Goals), Reward System, Commentary Spreadsheet CHALLENGE REQUIREMENTS Major Practice clarinet. Average 40 minutes a day every other day. Concentration on Cavallini Caprice 1 and Hommage a J. S. Bach by Bela Kovacs Scales to rebuild my finger prowess Clarinet in boat pose is always encouraged Follow a set study schedule for Solid Mechanics. For each chapter, in the following order: Jeff Hanson videos Pearson homework and book example problems Lecture videos Practice problems Get solid, using the 22-minute math alarm timer UTR Leg Day Bulgarian split squats with back foot on a footstool. Start 30. Goblet squats with 10 lb dumbbell. Start 30. MWF Triple P Day Pull: inverted rows on my dad's walker, straight legs. Math 1-6 Start 25 Push: diamond pushups on bathroom counter Math 7-12 Start 30 Planks: front and side, bonus for boat Math 13-18 Start 60 S Rest Day Brush my teeth every night sometime after dinner Minor Read my Bible Or otherwise do the homework for the Bible study sessions Finish Dune Start Dune Messiah Write for Flash Fiction Month (July only) Do some crochet (on an existing project only OR start and finish a project in one session) Do literally anything outside Other Eat three meals a day. Do meal planning (minimum 4 dinners and 2 lunches) so I know what to cook and how much to buy. Week 5 of the challenge, I will record myself (video and audio) playing Hommage a J.S. Bach and forward to my guy-I'm-dating-and-has-video-making-experience to edit into a parody Twosetviolin esque video full of memes. General adulting stuff. REWARD SYSTEM Daily Rewards: ~30 minutes of Animal Crossing in the morning For daily town maintenance only - digging up fossils/gyroids, watering flowers, hitting money rock, shaking fruit trees, accounting for visitors, visiting already-awake villagers For brushing and flossing my teeth the night before Animal Crossing in the afternoon/evening Everything I didn't do in the morning For clarinet daily minutes average over 20 For having practiced that day For being on schedule with Solid Mechanics coursework For making progress on at least two of the minor goals There will be no time travel. Midterm Reward Advance my campaign on Heroes of Might & Magic 3 For following the study schedule and earning an A on the next Solid Mechanics test, to be redeemed on the Friday immediately following. Test 3 falls during week zero of the next challenge cycle. This will apply to that as well. The order on the spreadsheet corresponds to how I would like to have my daily schedule set up using these element. Of course, the likelihood of me actually following it is pretty low, but it's a model. COMMENTARY I got a 76% on the first Solid Mechanics test and was literally told by my dad that that was below expectations, which in his mind is equivalent to unacceptable, like I didn't already know that. I'm not Asian and my work ethic definitely isn't (stereotypically) but my academic expectations are. The average was a 44%. The high was 92% and the low was 8%. I happen to know the professor will drop the lowest test grade and may also apply a generous curve. That said, I need this 76 to be the test that is dropped. I can't afford to not have straight A's anymore, and not because of what my dad said. The better I do in classes, the more money people will throw at me to help me finish the degree. Leg Day might get moved from Sunday to Saturday now that I'm working Saturdays again. Saturdays are slow so as long as patients don't bring their families I can do all the squats I want and just use stacks of charts instead of a dumbbell lol.

I fell off the wagon in the middle of last challenge. Honestly I'm not sure I was on the wagon to begin with, but I digress. TENTATIVE WEEKLY SCHEDULE: Monday - work 8h Tuesday - classes maybe, evening church group Wednesday - work 8h split Thursday - moar classes maybe, evening church group Friday - work 4h, maybe class Saturday - ???, church in evening (online ofc) Sunday - ??? probably housecleaning tbh TO-DO: Cooking Lunch duty M Dinner duty TWRF probably (dinner by 5 or 5:30 because that's when Mom gets off) Weekends are always up in the air Regain my gainzzz 100 Knee Pushups Challenge Split lunges and goblet squats (10 lb unless I can come up with something heavier. No, my cat doesn't count.) I guess inverted rows? 5-minute ab workout (crunches 1 min, plank 1 min, side plank 1 min/side, some kind of boat pose 1 min) Walk/bike with Mom when schedule allows (it mostly doesn't). Schooling Send in those forms so I can sign up for the stupid classes on May 7 Read Dune. Finish before Mom finishes Anne of Green Gables Pick up the alto clarinet at least 1x/wk for 40+ minutes (assembly and maintenance times not included) Bonus points for breathing exercises Bonus points for playing anything in boat pose. Don't waste all my free time on Animal Crossing. (Wild World - don't ask for my friend code.) 1 hour of gameplay per day, max. Spend some time outside in the sun! If I think of anything else I'll add it. Have a spreadsheet.