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So after failing the last couple of questing months, I've decided it's time to get back to basics. To not only work hard, but work smart, and adapt to my daily life, rather than make a plan that I know won't work. For those of you who don't know, My name is Bob, and I am a Barbarian To me, a barbarian isn't about being a shirtless guy, with an ax and an anger problem. No, there are several tenets to being a barbarian, and I have created quests for each one. I feel these tenants can be applied to any path, though I prefer the path of the assassin. I will earn my place in the assassin's through blood, sweat, and tears. Let us begin. #1. A Barbarian is Strong A barbarian is strong. Whenever you see an image of a typical barbarian (i.e. Arnold), he's usually wielding a large weapon. Large enough that it almost looks impossible to be wielded by any normal human. And yet, he carries a large ax/sword/tree trunk wherever he goes, and you know it's more than just for show. Let the puny weaklings wield their rapiers, daggers, and staves. Your ax is all you need. But beyond that, a barbarian is strong in a functional sense as well. A barbarian climbs, jumps, runs, and swims just as well as any assassin. When a barbarian seeks out a target, nothing stands in his way from getting to it. Quest #1: Complete Daily Training My time has been extremely limited since I started working in my job 2 years ago. An 8 hours day, with a 3 hour commute, along with 8 hours a sleep per night, Means I only have 3 hours to myself. Now while I know that's more than enough time to get in a workout, that's if conditions were exact, and they aren't. Life is chaotic enough as it is, and I can't keep kidding myself in thinking I can get up every day at 5:00 AM to go workout. So, I'll be completing small workouts throughout my day. 3 workouts, each 10 minutes long, combined with a good amount of walking. Each workout will consist of calisthenic exercises, either focusing on the legs, chest, or back. #2. A Barbarian is Tough I've found that whenever I've played Pathfinder or D&D, it's the barbarian class that's usually left standing when the fight is over. Wizards & sorcerers cast spells, paladins and clerics provide healing, and warriors and rogues deal out plenty of damage. But the class that's left standing, the class that's always there to pull your ass out of the fire, is the barbarian. And why not? Barbarians aren't trained or forged, they're born out of harsh environments, from the hottest deserts, the darkest swamps, and the coldest mountain tops. A barbarian is tough, both mentally and physically. Their bodies are designed to take pain, take discomfort, and keep right on pushing, and if you're going toe-to-toe with one, you'd better make sure you're weapons are sharp (and that you brought a few friends). Quest #2: No Chips or Candy This will be a quest to develop my mental toughness (although there could be a physical toughness quest lurking somewhere in this post). Chips and candy are my Kryptonite, mostly chips. Although I've given up drive-thru food, as well as soda, these 2 are major hurdles I'll need to clear. Will I eat chips after this challenge is over? Probably, but for now, I will develop my mental toughness, and switch to veggies and nuts. This certainly is going to be challenging. #3. A Barbarian Controls his Fear It's pretty difficult to scare a barbarian. Their methods may be primal (i.e. smashing thing until said thing stops moving), but in a barbarians world, it's kill or be killed. With a strong body, and a vigilant constitution, a barbarian is near ready for anything that comes his way. And even if his target is stronger, faster, or scarier than he is, a barbarian controls his fear, rather than letting his fear control him. Fighting is the first option in the barbarians choices for conflict. Running, should be the last. Which is why if you ever see a barbarian, running in a random direction, you run with that barbarian. Because there is something scary coming the other way. Quest #3: Walk barefoot on broken glass "Bob you're crazy." You'd better believe it. Walking on broken glass has been one of those sideshow feats I've always wanted to do, but never had the balls to actually try. I've eaten fire, breathed fire, pounded nails into my nose, put pins through my skin, chains through my sinuses, and have even eaten broken glass. DO NOT TRY ANY OF THIS AT HOME. I'm gonna say it twice, because it probably hasn't sunk into your head yet. DO NOT TRY ANY OF THIS AT HOME. When it comes to sideshow feats, it's not a matter of if you'll get hurt. It's a matter of when. With walking barefoot on broken glass, there's no guarantee I won't be cut. All I can do is take all the necessary precautions, and give it a go. 20 seconds of courage right? #4. A Barbarian Bares his Emotions When most people think of barbarians, they probably think of terms like "Rage", or "Anger", or "F#%$ing pissed the f$#% off you f@#$ing f%&*". It's pretty standard for a lot of a barbarian's power to come from his anger. Meditation, and subtle contemplation on the meaning of life, aren't usually part of a barbarian's schedule. He's far more interested in finding the guy that accidentally bumped into him at the pub, chopping off his head, hollowing out his skull into a soup bowl, and adding it to his collection. But rather than focus on just pure anger, I dug a little deeper, and noticed that a barbarian embraces their other emotions as well. When he's happy, he smiles and laughs. When he's sad, he cries. When he's angry, he makes soup bowls. This is something that we could all strive for. I remember when I was in college, my family would occasionally call me up, and ask me how I was doing. I'd usually reply with "I'm fine", when in reality my brain would be screaming "DUDE! NO! YOU ARE NOT FINE!!! YOU ARE TIRED, YOU ARE BROKE, YOU ARE LONELY, AND ALL YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO FALL INTO A COMA FOR 3 MONTHS!!! YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT F#%&ING FINE!!!!!" To be honest with others, you must first be honest with yourself. Be true to yourself, and true to others. Quest #4: Finish 2nd Tier of Homeless Kits, and be 50% done with 3rd Tier I've been creating kits for the homeless for the past few months. Each kit contains some basic toiletries (toothbrush, comb, razor, q-tips, etc.), some cough drops, a pair of socks, lip balm, and a paper containing contact information for all the homeless shelters where I live. Helping others has brought me a lot of joy and satisfaction; so much in fact that I'm switching careers to become more of a social worker. For this quest, I'll need to finish my 2nd tier in number of kits handed out (50 total) and at least 50% in the 3rd tier of kits handed out (80 kits, so at least 40 more kits total). #5. A Barbarian Embraces Nature Most often you'll find barbarians in a pub, mingling with the other socialites. After a spot of tea, they'll then wisp themselves down to the local clothing shop, and find a pretty pink dress to wear to her majesty's ball that night. Oh wait... No you don't! You're more likely to find a barbarian in the woods, killing something, and then probably eating it. A barbarian is at home in the woods, where he was born and raised. Like the barbarian, nature is wild, unpredictable, brutal, and yet beautiful. While I enjoy hiking and camping, I know that I should be embracing the natural side of things more. I need to be real. Be authentic. Be natural. As much as I can. Embrace the outdoors as much as I can. Quest #5: Cook 1 meal per week Since I've been eating better, convenience has been sacrificed for quality. I'm okay with that, but if I'm going to continue to improve myself, I need to eat better. Therefore, I need to cook more. So, I will be cooking one healthy dish per week. I'll post it online when I do. Side Quest 1: Donate all possessions not needed. If I'm getting rid of bad habits and influences in my life, I need to cut out material possessions that are cluttering up my apartment as well. This shouldn't be too hard, as I don't have a whole lot of things I don't necessarily need. Side Quest 2: Watch a new movie every week. One thing I realized is that I'm not taking enough time for myself. I have a Netflix account, and yet I hardly use it. Well, it's time to take some time for me, and watch some flix. Horror and Kung Fu movies, here I come. Side Quest 3: Walk at least 25,000 steps in one day. Could this be that physical toughness challenge that was spoken of before? Hmmm...... LET THE QUESTS BEGIN!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZg_ALxEz0 Blunt, brutally honest viewpoint of how to succeed. ABC AIDA Time to kick ass!

*poof! Check out my new challenge