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Challenges (Updated with Zack Fair theme): 1. Mako showers for peak performance! - Stretch every day - Take iron and magnesium supplements daily (not at the same time) 2. Be fit like a SOLDIER! - Swim as much as possible (get in the pool 5 days out of 7) - Do squats if you feel like it (Zack style because swinging your arms like a maniac is fun times) (except ATG because we don't half-ass our squats around here, unlike those idiots in Midgar) 3. Get in the kitchen with Angeal! (Drink tea with Cid? Lololol) - Re-learn what it's like to cook (force my way into the kitchen at least once a week) 4. Control your emotions like Sephiroth! (But not batshit Sephiroth. Pre-Nibelheim Sephiroth. Obviously.) - Take deep breaths. Figure out a thing for calming and refocusing. You got this. - Meditate after stretching. Things that are happening this challenge one way or another: Rebel Mini Draft (before the challenge starts) Crisis Core 10th anniversary (Aug 13) -- Apparently I'm participating in CC week?? How does this keep happening?? Also I'm going to replay the game and produce a complete and accurate script. Yes. *nodnod* That's definitely going to happen. (PFFFFFF) Total solar eclipse! (Aug 21) Replace car speakers Finish TEFL (Aug 30) Court testimony about crazy suicidal ex-neighbor-cum-stalker (Aug 31) Possibly also Sept 1? Prepare giftfic for the bride (wedding Sept 23, 10 chapters + a oneshot to go) Organize flight, hotel, and rental car for wedding Review budget and pick something from the wedding registry Finish minimizing bedroom (from last challenge) Ship books Papers Miscellany Sentimental items New forum leadership??? Get car washed I was going to theme this challenge but the internet is being recalcitrant about providing gifs of Korra stretching or Goku swimming and I don't want to do another Pokemon one so I give up. Next time. Fuck it, it's Crisis Core's 10th anniversary, I'm doing a Zack Fair challenge. This is happening. Thanks to everyone who's stopped by and encouraged me so far!

“Welcome, chummer. If you’re viewing this, it means I’m either dead or finally out of the running business. Either way, I’m out of the picture so the information contained within can do no harm to myself or those I might care about. I’ve tried to keep any dangerous references to a minimum and even use different names for added protection. For example, you can call me Cloud. Let me introduce you to the rest of my crew. Yeah I know, we use aliases from some video game of ages past, but hey it just clicked once we realized our skills as a team so save me the irony and bear with me, a'ight?” Final Fantasy 7 was the first and probably only RPG where I identified so much with the main protagonist. Mind you, I have played several before and after that, plus I never liked anime, manga, J-RPGs or anything of that ilk, so that’s a big achievement for FF7. It seems to come at a right time for this challenge and not just because a remake was announced. Cloud begins the game distant, indifferent and demotivated, as I have been recently. By the end of it, he has gone through hardships, romance, loss and the burden of leadership. Revelations concerning his identity and his past are not pleasant, but he refuses to accept what appears to be his nature. Cloud transcends it all and even later on (for anyone who’s watched FF7:Advent Children) he struggles with self doubt before crushing it and blazing through his own self-imposed barriers. That’s where I’m at right now, aiming to achieve things that after a year of NF progress my mind has accepted I cannot do. Well guess what: I can. So where does Shadowrun come in? Besides being one of my favourite RPG settings, of course. Well, FF7 might fit into the general groove of the challenge but it’s hard to relate with my actual goals. Shadowrun, on the other hand, competed for theme of this challenge (and several others before) but had no “bigger picture” to inspire me. Until I saw the above image, which made everything fall into place. FF7 has it all: An urban sprawl (Midgar), a megacorporation (Shinra) making profit by destroying the environment (draining the planet’s life force to produce electricity), eco-terrorism (AVALANCHE), cybernetic limbs (Barret’s arm), magic (Materia), dragons (Bahamut), you name it. Heck, even Cloud begins as a Shadowrunner, a mercenary infiltrating and blowing up megacorp property. It totally makes sense to combine them into a single challenge theme. Besides, it’s the Ranger way: when faced with dilemmas, say “why not both?” So this is the fictional tale of my Shadowrunning self and his team, inspired by characters of FF7. Also, thanks to continued inspiration by the mighty, mighty ShadowLion, I will be expanding beyond the 6 Week Challenge format like never before. My goals are not achievable within such a short timeframe, so the challenge will continue and evolve until I nail every single one of them. Just for the sake of S.M.A.R.T. goals, I’m setting a deadline for myself until the end of the year. Keeping it simple with 3 goals, plus whatever is added down the road via guild mini-challenges, accountabillibuddy groups and any other insane stunts you crazy people might drag me into. The Team Tifa Lockheart “Tifa is a physical adept. That means she’s Awakened (the Sixth World term for “Magically Active”) but her magic only affects herself. She uses it to enhance her physical, athletics and martial arts skills, allowing her to perform stunts you would only see in a trideo film. Let me tell you, seeing her fight is mesmerizing. Too bad when that happens, I’m usually busy dodging bullets or worse. When not on a mission, Tifa follows a strict eating, training and recovery regime. I assume it’s got something to do with her powers as well, because I’ve never seen her do the fancy casting show that mages and shamans normally put up. Despite her cheerful personality, that lifestyle comes out at times and she’s my harshest judge when I’m not at the peak of my performance. She never cuts me any slack and I love the way that pushes me to get better and better.” Goal: Get under my lowest weight ever (75,8 kg) How: Weigh myself at the box after every workout. Get the weekly average of that (thanks deftona!) and use calculator to determine my macros, set to Faster Weight loss and 50/50-75/25 carb/fat ratios. Buy groceries and batch cook during the weekend. Track macros on MyFitnessPal. Repeat until goal is met. Rewards: Upon reaching my weight loss goal, I shall reward myself with a proper post-workout supplement and begin the next step of this journey towards lean gains. Vincent Valentine “Nobody really knows the deal with Vincent. The only thing that’s certain is that he’s undead. Not in the zombie or vampire sense of the word, but rather because of the fact that he doesn’t seem to age. From what I’ve been able to piece together on him, he’s spent time as a lab rat, presumably under some super-soldier enhancement program. That would also explain the claw on his one hand, bet there’s probably some scar, burn or mutation he’s hiding underneath because he never removes it. I’m not certain if the experience left him thin and frail or if there’s a bit of elven blood in him, because he’s agile as a cat and a deadshot with firearms. Actually, he has it all. He’s the real deal, the complete package. He’s got strength, agility, brains, skills and an eternity to perfect them.” Goal: Achieve the final Crossfit moves I have been lacking. Muscle Up. Handstand Walk. Strict Handstand Pushups and proper, consecutive Double Unders. How: On training days, spend extra time at the box working on pull ups, dips, muscle up attempts and double unders. On active rest days at home, work on handstands and pushups (regular and handstand pushups) along with NF Yoga. Rewards: A piece of workout gear upon achieving either of the four moves. A Yoga mat after 6 consistent weeks of NF Yoga on rest days Cid Highwind “Cid fills our gap in the Matrix and drone area, but he’s first and foremost a wheelman. If it can be built, repaired, pulled apart, upgraded, driven, walked or flown, Cid’s your man. His weapon of choice is a lance, back from his motorcycle gang days but even that is a last resort compared to various weapons he’s got mounted on vehicles. Apparently Cid has undergone high profile pilot training and saves the nuyen he makes from runs for some super secret project of his. When it comes to spending money, I always check with him to make sure I’m not throwing it away.” Goal: Get a grip on finances and hit 200.000 Nyuen in pure savings How: Put up a balance sheet and track income and expenses, both current and expected in the near future. Update daily. Rewards: Flight tickets and accommodation for the Orte 2016 Spartan, once the plan shows I can afford them without upsetting my financial viability. If things go extremely well, I might throw buying a new motorcycle into the mix.