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"'There's a story in my veins, with scars at every page, It's written on my face, I'm a proud survivor. Staring in the mirror, I'm not holding back the tears, All the hurt that brought me here only takes me higher. I'm gonna let you know I'm not ready to fall, When my back's against the wall I'm gonna come out fighting." MAIN QUEST: Get the hell out of the SSIA. That's it, boys and girls. If you thought my last challenge was basic, this is even more stripped down. (In other words, I'm insanely overworked and can't think of a theme.) QUEST 1: SQUAT (+3 STR) Hey, I finally have access to a squat rack! And my hamstring is getting stronger! And my butt is still flat as a pancake! That bodyweight squat won't do itself, so I'd better get on that. Simplest goal in the books: barbell squats twice a week, pile on weight as appropriate. QUEST 2: STRETCH (+3 DEX) My splits suck post-injury. Also, working on them terrifies me. So yeah, time to get the hell over that with exposure therapy. 6 days a week of hamstring stretches, at least 5 minutes each day. 2 of those 6 days must be >10 minutes and involve DOING THE DAMN SPLITS STARS. QUEST 3: CLIMB (+3 STA) At least I still love the silks, even if I shy away from anything involving double footlock for now. I'm doing well at conditioning to be even more of a beast, so let's continue this trend: every open gym, drill 3 climbs, all the way up (both sides if applicable) and back down WITHOUT TOUCHING DOWN IF POSSIBLE. At least one climb should be something I suck at. If I suck so badly that I can't get to the top (looking at you, hands-only climb), an honest effort counts. LIFE QUEST: SING (+1 CHA) I had a goal around warming up before rehearsal/performance. Then I moved on from the goal and stopped doing the thing, because stars is dumb. NO MORE. Warm up before every call. Warming up in the car only counts if pressed for time between work and rehearsal (pressed for time is not a viable excuse if I just don't want to wake up early before morning call). That's all she wrote.

"'Oh, something's gotta happen, Something's gotta give and something's got to break,I know: someday it's gonna happen,Someday it's gonna give, can't always be this way.And if the riptide comes to get meAnd pulls me under, it won't upset me, I'll go down.I'll throw the white flag of surrender,Knock me down, not forever, just for now.Not forever, just for now,Not forever, just for now,Not forever, not forever, not forever,Won't stay down." MAIN QUEST: Hey, I'm a member of the SSIA again! *crickets* Okay, that wasn't worthy of applause, I suppose. But what else can I do, starting out the new year injured, but go back to the basics and rebuild myself stronger than ever? It isn't exciting or fancy, but it's necessary. Time for some basic grinding with stars. So basic that there's not even a theme. Just cats. Lots and lots of cats. What? They land on their feet. I intend to do the same. After some consideration, I've decided to keep the "paper RPG" stats system going for my own sake. I like it/find it motivating. Quest 1: Every Day Is Leg Day (+1 STR, +2 STA) So, hamstring, you're feeling weak and cranky? Well, time to make you strong and cranky. This is about as simple as it gets: 5 days a week, 100 ATG BW squats. The PT says they're good for me. I get a bye on days I take a group exercise class with a legs focus OR on days I squat weight (assuming those actually come to pass this month). A: 5 days, B: 4 days, C: 3 days Quest 2: Back on the Horse (+2 STR, +1 DEX) Time to get back in the air AT LAST. I'm not sure how many times per week my body will be able to handle silks, but I do know one thing: I was on the verge of a straddle-up breakthrough before I got hurt, and this basic building block of aerial skill won't aggravate my leg. Thus, I'll commit to 5 GOOD FORM straddle-ups per side every time I go to open gym, and as many as I can fit in when in class (sometimes, depending on the day's tricks, I may not get to 5). Good form may involve bent legs in the first week or two as I get back into things, as long as the développé is tidy. This is all about working towards my year-end straight/straight straddle goal.... and getting me back to aerial with something that ISN'T going to cause me anxiety. PASS: I did 5 per side, FAIL: I am lazy Quest 3: Chase Triple Digits (+2 STR) Did I mention yet that my goals are extremely basic? If I want to get that 100lb bench press before the end of the year, I need to increase my sad, sad bench volume. For the duration of the challenge, bench press twice a week. A: 2 times, B: 1 time Life Quest: Fight the Dry (+2 CHA) Another basic-as-hell challenge! You know how dry it is in Colorado? Hint: very. You know how often I remember to put on lotion, despite that fact? Hint: just north of NEVER. So, from now until the end of the challenge, I'm going to fight dry winter air and resolve to put on lotion after every shower at home. I may not always make it at the gym (sometimes, time before my next meeting is tight) but it's a START. Bonus: remember to put on hand lotion after washing my hands. PASS: I did the thing, FAIL: I decided to be a crocodile Boring? Maybe. But I'll try to liven it up with cat memes and my usual brand of ridiculousness. Ready, set, let's go be...

Hellooooooooooooo Assassins! I think I am going to try something a little different for this challenge. I am someone who thrives on variety and being able to switch things up, and I have a LOT of different stuff I am working on, so Instead of trying to do a regimented two days of this per week, one day of this per week, blah blah blah, I want to go a little more freeform, with the exception of my primary goal of CORE DAY EVERY DAY WOOOOO! My inspiration for my core goal is: I am still rehabbing my left tricep. It is SO CLOSE to back to normal. During my month of injury and not being able to do ANY upper body work I started working on core a lot because it was something I could do. I went to open studio at my aerial gym yesterday for the first time since my injury and I realized that my improved core strength from focusing on core has done some really awesome things for my body. My aerial skills are smoother and more controlled, and I feel my flexibility has even improved even though I wasn't focusing on that! Without further delay, MY GOALS: 1. Every day is core day!!!!!!! I want to work on my core every day. Some days a little. Some days a lot. Whatever my body feels like just as long as I do some every day! 2. All the other things! I have a lot of other things I work on. Most of these I tend to do every other day or so or at least 2-3 times per week. My goal is to do things from this list at least three times a week. I am not going to be specific about which happens when and how much, and some overlap with my core goal anyway but whatever. All the things! Here are all my mini goals in a list-tastic list: Bodyweight strength training (specifically pull ups and push ups)Lifting! (I want to start doing powerlifting. This goal is pending total healing of my arm!)Dance! (fun dance, formal dance classes, working on technique, choreography, whatever!)Sing! (I am the singer for a band now so I should be doing this anyway, YAAAY)DeclutterKeep running! (I can run a whole 3 miles at once now! I'd like to keep slowly building this up.)Hike!Stretch!Perform more! (This is really always on my list and requires finding performance opportunities. Crossing fingers)Find job in Bay area! (Long term goal I am still working on. It'll happen!I will probably add to the list for number 2 as I think of more things! I know that includes both health and life goals and I am OK with that. I expect I will be doing a lot more than 3 a week with so many things to pick from!