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Hi Nurds. Since we have an all-guild mashup, I'm going to go ahead a re-re-introduce myself. I'm Chris Tarly. Up until the beginning of last challenge, I was known as Curl Brogo (among other names, check my sig). I joined NF 6 friggin years ago as an overweight grad student. Over those six years there have been many trials and tribulations over weight loss, becoming a massive beefcake, then anxiety and depression, and getting through days with jobs I hate and family members who annoy me (I did the move back home thing a few years ago, it was not fun). I've spent a lot of my time with the warriors, but now I challenge mostly with the adventurers. Now I work as a machinist and I'm writing a Fantasy novel, while trying to not turn into some kind of obese potato shaped slug. Onto the challenge. Here's the big deal... I'm switching to night shift! On day shift, which is scheduled (loosely) for 5 am to 5 pm, I tried to get extra hours by going in early, then burning out because I'm not a morning person at all. And right now I need 45 hours just to make ends meet. I'd prefer to be getting 50+ so I can have a savings again. Now I'll be scheduled to come in at 3pm. I have to get 10 hours normally, but I'll have Fri, Sat, Sun evening off unless I want overtime on Friday. I'm optimistic. I used my long weekend to push my sleep schedule back. I like it. I might never again need an alarm clock. But this is a time to build awesome new habits. Goal 1: Exercise 3 days a week -- kettlebell and barbell complexes Weather permitting: go on coffee walks around the neighborhood. 1 pt. per workout +1/2 bonus point for coffee walking 15 total points. Goal 2: Stick to macros 2376 calories, 201 g Protein, 60 g Fat, 258 g Carbs Always bring a lunch (dinner haha) to work. 1 point days on target (within error of +/- 200 calories, 20g for Pro/CHO, 10g for Fat) 1 point for bringing dinner to work. 33-36 total points. (depends on how many days I actually work) Goal 3: Keep Writing I stepped up and tried NaNoWriMo this year. I kept at it but didn't make it to 50,000 words. But I started a fantasy novel that I'm keen to see through to the end at my own pace. I don't see myself getting to the end of this book until I hit nearly 150,000. Add 300 words minimum to word count everyday... no matter what* Add 6300 words minimum to pass (2100 / week) Add 12600 words -- awesome! (casual congratulatory) Add 18900 words -- excellence! Reach double the current word count [78,194] -- awesome! (formal literary) Word Count: 39,097 excludes plagues, family emergencies, and apocalyptic phenomena I feel like I should have one more goal, but I think that's because I usually have a sleep goal, and now I don't need one. Ha ha!

(It's been forever since I did a themed challenge, but I always had fun writing them, and the story aspect gave me an extra motivation to get things to go in the right direction. So, here goes nothin') NightWatcher woke up and looked around. The area seemed quiet, which was strange - the last thing she remembered was a loud clatter, a screaming hollow, and a sudden dull pain in her chest. She glanced over at the fire, then down at the mark branded into her skin, and groaned as the memories flooded her mind - the undead asylum, the flight, and the warning that if she didn't restore her humanity, she would eventually lose her mind. Looking at her shriveling hands, she pulled a soul from her inventory and inhaled as life flooded her limbs again. Slowly, NightWatcher pulled her feet back under herself and forced her body back to standing. Weary, but not done, she started from the fire to find the last place she had died, and reclaim what she had lost there. This challenge is basically the same as the last one, structurally speaking - in large part because I wound up getting bronchitis early on in the last one and not getting as much done as I'd wanted last time. I still have a bit of a cough, but hopefully when I go in for my follow up appointment on Wednesday the doc will be able to get a better idea as to why I'm still coughing and I can kick this stupid thing to the curb. For now, while trying to get some extra rest in, I'm also going to try to get my next steps on this goal done. And for anyone who hasn't played Dark Souls, the entire premise of the game is try, try again. And again. And again... Main Quest: Grasping the sword (getting up and fighting back against my mental and physical issues - when I set this for the year, I didn't expect it to be **quite** this on the nose) Sidequest 1 - Rekindling the Flames (exercise) : Daily yoga practice; I have my practices scheduled at 11am, but due to my bizarre schedule and the fact that I've been sleeping extra due to illness I've wound up doing them after work at 12:30/1am a lot of the time. The tracking aspect of this is just getting the yoga in for now, with a possible bonus point if I get a run in - for now, runs are 100% a bonus though, the yoga is the main goal. Tracking - 1 point/session of yoga, aiming for 7 points/week. 1 bonus/grace point for a run Sidequest 2 - Fighting off the Hollows (food tracking) : Working on slowly getting some of the extra weight I've gained back off - which at least for now, means tracking calories so I can get enough of a deficit to be losing weight, while making sure I'm eating enough and also gives me a record to look back on and see both good and bad habits. Tracking - 1 point/day of food tracking 2 points for getting food prepared ahead for the week for work -1 point for each weekday trip through a drive through Aiming for 7 points/week Sidequest 3 - Linking the Fires(community) : No one succeeds completely alone, and we all need to spend time around bonfires swapping stories with the other folks around. Both for my own accountability and to help others in this community, I want to make sure I'm getting out in there and encouraging others <3 so I want to make sure I comment on at least 10 threads per week besides my own. I think I'm actually going to try to schedule specific time for this, since otherwise I tend to slip into "I'll-do-it-later"-itis. Tracking - 1 point/thread, aiming for 10/week Lifequest - Know your Armory (organization) : going through the game and getting all the shiny new armors (or 50 broken swords and about 20 copies of Baldor knight shields... tomato, tomahto)is all well and good, but it's not super useful unless you know which weapon will deal enough damage to that annoying knight in the way, or which suit of armor will protect you from the fire that witch casts & let you roll out of the way before you die. Again. All that random flavor text to say I need to organize my house & schedule a bit better. Since this is week 0, I'm going for schedule this week, then more physical organization starting on week 1. Tracking - This isn't a scaled thing; either the thing I pick at the beginning of the week gets done, or it doesn't. This one is tracked out of 5 points. Point scale - 29+ points: A+ - estus flask boost 25-28 points: A- - not terrible, but could be better. At least you're still human though. 20-24 points: B - ok, we need to work on this a bit, you're starting to go hollow. 15-20 points: C - are you alright? You're starting to look a bit... Vacant. Here, have a soul, you kinda need it. >15 points: OK, I need to step back and look and see if there are some factors I need to reign in in my environment or schedule. This is not how progress is made I'm also going to try to update this at least every other day, if not daily, so feel free to poke me with a stick if I go too quiet without giving some form of reason beforehand

Woo! Let's try this again, eh? After a very stressful end to 2016 both personally and professionally, I'm trying to get back into the fitness habit. My circus gym has been closed for over a year, but is reopening this week and I'll be back in the air on the day this challenge officially starts. Seems like a sign, or something, so I'm going to take another stab at challenges. Why not? Note: if you've been here before, some of these goals are going to look very familiar. I keep not-quite-succeeding, and so keep making the same goals over and over again. 1. Circus, Circus, Circus I've been grounded for too long and with it went much of my motivation to stay fit. Through a combination of open gym sessions and some aerial boot camp classes, my goal is to be airborne at least once per week. I am VERY curious to see where I currently stand. I know I've lost a lot of strength; I hope it comes back quickly. Staying motivated and managing expectations will be big components of this goal. 2. Muggle Fitness Once/week isn't much overall for exercise. Two other workouts per week, whether that's an additional aerial class, time with the weights or even just 30 mins on the treadmill. 3. What Goes In More water/less Coke. Less alcohol. Track food (not necessarily calories). Most carbonated beverages that I drink are Diet, Caffeine-Free Coke, so not terrible, but water would be a better choice. Limits: 2 cans Coke/day No alcohol on school nights Write down all food. 4. Procrastination via Organization @karinajean's thread made me aware of what a bullet journal is. I have an extra notebook lying around, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I'm not going to focus on exercise this challenge, except for half hour wake up every morning, but no points, just an idea to keep me going: Monday: J.Jacks 40x | Bridge 2x8 | Knee Push-Ups 2x10Tuesday: Skip Rope 40x | WalkingWednesday: Steps Run 5x | Core Wheel 2x8 | Seal Motion 2x15secThursday: Skip Rope 40x | WalkingFriday: J.Jacks 40x | Bear Walk 2x passage | Monkey Walk 2x passageOtherwise I'm getting in a lot of step-ups (70cm+), paint up/paint down/paint left/paint right (with both arms), while fixing the back room, which also became finishing up the boys' room as well as the bathroom, etc. (BW strength and dexterity) End of Challenge 5 I drew up a list of projects to finish: New List of Projects: Sunflower & Lavender patch outside - growing nicely! Keep it alive! STARTING TO FLOWERBoys' Bedroom - finish off ceiling skirting. DONEBack/Storage room - Part 1 prepare and paint. DONEBathroom - finish off ceiling skirting and corners. DONEMain Bedroom - planning. DONEMain Bedroom - main wall painted. DONEBack/Storage room - Part 2 prepare and paint. DONEBELOW THIS POINT COUNT FOR THE CHALLENGE GOAL 1: SORT OUT THE HOUSE - move everything away, sort out, scrub, fill and repair, paint, put back, finish off. It's going to be a stretch finishing this off in 6 weeks, and even more if I want this done within 5 weeks before mom-in-law comes to visit/cycle. I can't have books and stuff lying around then. Edit - had to delete main bedroom project and add painting bookshelves-frames. Back/Storage room - Part 3 prepare and paint. (1DEX + 1STA) DONEBack/Storage room Part B - help hubby finish the shelves by painting the frames! (1DEX + 1STA) DONEBack/Storage room - Part 4 a place for everything, a lot of books that need to be carried around! (1STR) Edit: DONEBack/Storage room - Part 5 my sewing corner finished.(1/2 STR) Edit: DONEBack/Storage room - Part 6 boys' armory corner finished.(1/2 STR) DONEPassage - prepare and paint. (1DEX) DONEPassage - decorated, frames painted, finished.(1STA) Edit: DONEHelp worker with retaining wall (1STR) Edit: DONEGOAL 2 - LOOSE WEIGHT - Currently at 84kg! 33.3% per 1Kg lost = 1CHA (3CHA max) For the next part of the challenge - Sunday is my rest day, I'll try to stay in line, but I won't count for the challenge. 2 off days for Shark Week. Calculating everything on 34 days. (2.94%/day) SUB 2.1 - WATER: a bottle a day (+-750ml) and/or TEA herbal/rooibos80% (27days) = 1/2CON 90% (30+days) = 1CON SUB 2.2 - SLEEP: try for 7+hrs/night80% (27days) = 1/2WIS 90% (30+days) = 1WIS SUB 2.3 - CARBS<75g/day: Eat wisely - more healthy fats, protein, less sugar, and sub fat for cravings.80% (27days) = 1/2CON 90% (30+days) = 1CON