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I know the entire NF community--hell, the entire INTERNET--has anxiously been awaiting my return to challenging and here it is. You are all welcome. I started out this year with a lot of enthusiasm and grand plans to have each challenge consist of one goal in each category of gym, food, and home. I think that lasted for ... 2? challenges? then I dropped out of the whole deal for months. After some thought, I'm back and I'm giving myself permission to not feel guilty for not getting eleventy workouts per month or not eating "well" or not cleaning the bathroom 6.7 times per month. I tend to set a lot of what-sounds-like-reasonable goals for myself and then talk myself into not doing them. After 40+ years on the planet, I've also realized that I'm self-destructively stubborn. The quickest way to make me not want to do a thing is to have someone (even myself) tell me to do it. Because I want to do it because I was going to do it, NOT because someone else said something, so then I will specifically NOT do that thing to prove that no one can tell me what to do. Healthy, eh? So, how to reconcile that with the goal-oriented format of an NF challenge? Good question. I don't think that I do. Perhaps that makes this an un-challenge, or maybe the whole challenge is to not continue to set goals that I keep refusing to meet. So if there won't be goals, what will there be? (Ya'll are full of the good questions today) There will be gifs, clearly (feel free to add to the collection) There will be random rambling musings which I will likely immediately forget about even writing and insights that I won't remember having. Probably some kind of workouts--though I seem to not be making time for those currently Likely discussion (or perhaps even photos) of sewing projects, as that's a hobby I've recently picked back up after... 30+ years Mostly this will be an outlet for keeping connected in this community that I've been a part of for so long. To that, I will try to post here on the reg, and attempt to post more (not just lurk and hit the react button) in threads of my fellow rebels. If you've made it through all of that, you are amazing. Welcome to my brain dump space.

I was only going to lurk this challenge, after completely forgetting challenges were a thing I was checking on during the last cycle and then missing my Nerds. I successfully lurked for like 3 days. And then FOMO SHINY RACCOON BRAIN STARTED SCREAMING AT ME DURING BREAKFAST. Warning: Raccoon brain is still in full effect. I make no promise any sentences I’m about to type make any damn sense. Yo … Yo … Breakfast is nice, but …. We need a June sewing project. I should make a shirt. I hate shirts. I probably can’t have only dresses in my wardrobe. I have no more room for dresses. *Stage WhIsPeR* But … what if we make a mini capsule wardrobe for our upcoming vacation since we’ve been spinning our wheels and hate all shirts in existence that don’t either cost $400, exist only in Japan or the Ukraine, only exist in digital form, or are so damn simple we can just make it ourself? Like seriously. I’ve been all over the damn Internet and 3 malls and there are only like 20 shirt designs out there right now - 10 came straight from 2007, and the other 10 are dead simple shirred cottage core looks I’m either loving or hating depending on the moment. Raccoon brain would not let me treadmill at the gym post-breakfast. WE COULD MAKE LIKE ELEVENDY THINGS Raccoon brain needed to ensconce itself in a nest of electronic devices in the lounge to draw. (I’m off again in my favorite place on Earth - just a slightly different hotel with no Starbucks) Raccoon brain forgot I can’t draw a straight line for shit and get annoyed at my handwriting on screen. Raccoon brain cobbled a workable holiday wardrobe in like an hour. Or two. I barely know what damn time it is. Ooh. And then I finished the really cool online course I started this week on creating digital floral patterns for print on fabric or other goods. This came about because I suuuuuuuuuuuuper hate all the patterns that aren’t geometric I can find at the shops - or I hate the colors because they’re not black - and DH thinks I should try to create a houndstooth-but-make-it-dachshund print. Which is hurting my brain. So. I took a pattern making course to figure out how to even make a pattern for fabric, by the chick who has the free tutorials I’ve been using to learn how to draw on the iPad in the first place. Not sure if I’ll ever actually use these skills, but it’s a thought. And something I can practice toward. I also learned how to do mock-ups in Procreate, so if I ever did want to Etsy the cards and art shit I’ve been making, I could. Maybe. Not sure how I’d actually ship items, though. Anyways. A brief catch-up because I can’t remember when I ghosted last challenge. RHOD (Real Housewives Of Doha - aka my expats behaving badly drinking group) friends came in to town to celebrate one of the group’s 50th. Three of us shut the bar down on 3 separate occasions that week and hung out for dry breakfasts a couple times. A good time was had by all. I bailed on yoga every day I was either busy or hung over, which was most days last week. Or the week before since this is actually Monday. This last week, I’ve been in the Happiest Place On Earth - taking my course, hitting the gym for at least :30 on a scenic zippy walk program every day but the longer mall walk day, and crocheting - then destroying - a project I hated. And planning our next vacation - to Greece - where we aim to meet up with @DarK_RaideR Excited is an understatement. Hence the manic crafting plans. And I broadly sketched out like everything in a couple hours without the 2 months of intensive underpants collecting I normally go through. Thinking about AI taking my damn job potential still hurts my heart’s feelings, but I broke down and put an itinerary request into Google Bard - and it wasn’t terrible. I used like a tenth of it, but it was … interesting. I like my underpants, though. I then limited myself to 3 ‘this is the ultimate list of shit to do in Athens+’ and the suggestions a friend sent, and I was off. Remembering this is July and the entirety of the UK is like to descend upon Greece like a horde of sunburnt sausages, I preliminary booked tours for the biggie sites we wanted to see that involve small groups + waaaaaaaay too early for my liking times in the hopes to avoid said hordes for the nerdy parts. Of course, we are also in talks with a tattoo studio I’ve been Insta-stalking for years …. But this is about the patterns! Bummer. Freeform won’t easily export a good file. This is my chicken-scratch plan, and it even includes a COLOR and a PATTERN. *pats self on back* - let’s see if I can physically purchase fabric in a bright color and/or a pattern. Or, if I can even find such a thing. - Updates may be infrequent, but I’m aiming to lurk daily at least.

Short-term goals: Finish jeans. Be social at least 3 times a week (on NF, not going nuts with this one). Practice Russian once a week. Long-term goals: Purge: go through the house and get rid o' unused stuffs. Quality: replace failing things with quality items, as needed. Pike press as part of handstand. The quest to clean up the house is ongoing, and I aim to have it done by 2023. The kitchen and most of the dining room has been purged, plus it prompted us to get rid of crappy old pans and get new, quality ones. The exercise goal that I've had running for the past (forever) is off my list now, because it's an established thing. I have ordered a hula hoop as a birthday gift to myself and for silliness; it may find its way into the exercise routine. I also successfully held a handstand away from the wall for 5 seconds today, which means I can start working on pike presses as well,; I'm quite proud of that, but it's not gonna happen within a single challenge. What will happen? Jeans! I know how much you all (and @Red1263 in particular) love looking at a billion pictures of sewing projects on my butt, so I'll refrain from overposting. I made a mock-up of the jeans I've been wearing for years this past weekend, but did not take into account that the jeans material is stretchy, and my mock-up wasn't. It was tight enough that I didn't take pictures, but the pattern is correct and I started in on cutting the real denim. THAT SAID...!!! As further part of birthday gifts/ going for quality, I got a new pair of shears (yes, I know, I have a problem), and got my 15-year-old serger serviced. The shears are bent-handled, which means one blade lies flat against the cutting board as you cut, resulting in amazingly clean cutting lines. I very nearly cried tears of joy. The serger went from making a functional serge line but with lots of excess loops and not precise edges to beautifully balanced, clean edges. The servicer even sent samples home to show it was working, and I didn't realize I could do a folded, 3-string seam, so hey hey I learned a new trick! So yeah, I'm quite excited to get back to sewing. I'm also going to make an effort to get on here and be social at least 3 times a week, because I absolutely sucked at that on the last challenge, and there are a number of people whose thoughts, insights, and experiences here I quite enjoy. Lastly, I have let language practice go for a number of very good reasons, but it's time to bring it back. Russian practice of some sort shall be done at least once a week. I can do this.

Alternately titled, “Let’s Try This Again, Shall We?” Apparently, attempting to join a new community of cool fitness friends while also getting a master’s degree AND battling a pandemic is just doing one thing too many. So now I’m back again to see if I can make this nifty Forum thing work! First things first: hi! I’m Sparkle, a 24-year-old lady in the piney forests and concrete canyons of Seattle, WA. I spent the pandemic finishing my bachelor’s in graphic design, then earning my MBA (Fighting Irish, twice over!), driving cross-country back to the family home, and getting my first Real-Deal Adult Job as the Creative Director for a small engineering firm. Now I’m getting my mental feet back under me after the chaos of moving and readjusting, and this challenge has landed in my lap like a perfectly-timed kick in the pants. My goal for this challenge is simple: be brave. Enough of running scared and wishing for more courage, it’s time I made myself some courage of my own. Be brave at work, by daring to engage playfully with my grouchy-bear boss and proposing innovative designs that push his conventional envelope rather than just keeping my head down. Be brave in my workouts, by pushing myself to hit 80 lbs for all sets of my upper body lifts and adding rear deltoid rows to my existing routine. Be brave personally, daring to carve out time for myself and spending at least two concerted, focused hours on personal development/enjoyment each weekend. Charisma: +1 each weekday for engaging playfully and teasingly with my boss (possible total: 5 points per week) Strength: +1 each workout (goal of 4 per week) that I add in shoulder work, bonus point for each new lifting set I push to hit 80 lbs (possible total: 4 points per week, more with bonuses) Intelligence: +1 for each solid, focused hour spent working on sewing projects or learning to design mobile-first websites via my Skillcrush course (possible total: 2 points per week) I’m not gonna start my challenge until November 1, for tidy timekeeping reasons, so this weekend will be a good time to get some practice in. So, without further ado, let’s go! HUZZAH!

This Cycle may or may not see me home the entire time - I may end up following DH on a trip; we may end up taking an actual vacation - who knows? We may just be here the whole time. If I need to adjust, adjustment protocols will be enacted. Nutrition I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s time to shift some weight. I don’t want to buy a second round of new clothes. Cook paleo-ish meals (fake meats, soy and the occasional garbanzo bean are ok) with an emphasis on protein Go back to tracking macros. My scale had itself an electrical aneurysm and started muttering to itself all on its lonesome (it was seriously sad - poor little guy kept trying to weigh air, coming up with wildly different answers, until his batteries died). As it stands, I’m estimating my TDEE at 1541 based on my current weight and activity levels. I’ll start with reporting and tracking via MFP with an eye on coming in under calories and will strive to make protein a priority. We’ll see what that gets me re: fitting into some of my clothes again by the end of challenge and refocus from there. Movement Keep up with my 4x a week yoga with walks to and fro - hopefully in less than 115F temps, “windchill” of 125, and over 70% humidity. Fall, as it were, is coming - the news and the Ministry promised. As my schedule stands, and I hope it continues, I’ve got: Monday morning: Slow Flow (a mostly gentle class) Tuesday evening: Functional Flow (hella hard rehab style movements) Wednesday morning: Detox (a hard class with lots of twists and fun movements) Friday morning: Slow Flow (ha! I guess it’s slow? It’s usually hard and full of novel movement - same teacher as Wednesday’s class) With an 18-minute walk to and from. I also want to add more HIIT or Barre videos at home, but wasn’t quite meshing with that this past challenge. We shall see here and I’ll do what I can. I need to get on my ass about it a bit, but finding the balance between that and the don’t wannas has proven difficult without an actual tangible goal in sight. Enrichment I’m still playing both Stardew Valley and Cozy Grove and will pick Animal Crossing back up if they ever release an update. I’m currently working on an 18thc. shift & chemise set. After I finish that, I want to dye the rest of my medium weight linen with avocado pits, and jump to a modernized walking skirt/vest/petticoat project. I also have some crochet supplies on order - I want to do something with my hands again while watching tv at night. Sashiko sounded great, but is a bit fiddly for my hands at the moment. Hand sewing has been great, but I want to give crochet another go. It seems to hurt my hands less than knitting. I also want to keep up with my digital art practice, and still feel like I should be doing something actually useful instead of just killing time. It’ll ostensibly be cooler soon, so the pups would appreciate more evening enrichment. Although it’s going to suck mightily, walk practice and desensitization with Odin should go back on the docket. And that’s it. Nothing earth shattering, but without something big looming (like a mud run or series of 5ks), self-starting is not my strong suit.

Brains are interesting things, and the persistence of ones’ past experiences is super fascinating. Case in point: It’s February. I spent my early childhood in the Midwest USA, where we pretty much always had snow this time of year. I split my remaining childhood between the Midwest and Southeastern US, where it was always cold - but not usually cold enough to snow - and potentially rainy this time of year. I moved to the extreme Southeastern US, where winter meant the dry season and temps would dip down to jacket territory. I moved to the Northeast, where the biting wind and snow would occasionally cause the City to freeze, resembling a snow globe. I currently live in the Middle East, where it’s sunny every day with an average temp in the high 70s F. Winter here means the freedom to enjoy the outdoors and (usually) an increase in festivals and other cool things to do. What does my brain think about all this bouncing around? My brain takes the calendar month and the deep shade that is my balcony (my apartment doesn’t get direct sunlight at any time of the year) and translates that into: whelp, it must be cold. Probably with howling winds. Never mind that it’s 23C in the house; you want to hibernate with your gathered nuts. Cabbage & potatoes with kielbasa sounds great. I’m continually shocked that it’s warm outside. Shocked and disappointed that it’s too warm for a jacket (most days, and then the wind kicks up and I’m freezing to death). I’ve spoken about this disconnect to friends from other climates (mostly regarding holidays), and their feeling is the same: my Australian friends fare pretty well - and are more surprised when it’s 50C here in July - friends from snowy climes are confused in similar way to me. Friends that are less hiberatory (just go with it) see less of a disconnect because they deal more in actual reality - whereas I have theory and feeling to inform my brain. Super interesting stuff and has shitall to do with my goals this Cycle, but is a drop in the bucket to explain my seasonal need to pad my ass with fat (lol). More contextual stuff: There is also a rumor that we may imminently be going back into lockdown here. They’ve increased restrictions a bit again (with at least lip service being paid to mask enforcement), but cases are still rising (we are currently at 427 new daily cases). We are also in the midst of the FIFA World Cup 2020 (or something like that) tournament with a big tennis tournament later in the month set to start. And it’s winter - when things usually happen around here. Aaaaaand the blockade just lifted, and with it - a slight lift in travel restrictions (quarantine is still required and tourists aren’t allowed in - but citizens and residents can, at least at this moment, move with some amount of guarantee they can get back into the country if they leave. We’ve also got at least 1 travel bubble in place). So. That all is a conflicting pile of info and it’s unclear what that all will come to mean for day-to-day life. Whatever it is, I shall adjust accordingly. Updates coming if needed. Goal 1: Nutrition Staying the course on my more recent nutritional guidelines: Smaller portions, less meat, more veggies, nutrient dense food options, no GI issues. Drink enough water. Eat with an eye toward Base MFP goals for slow weight loss: 1,260 calories, 20% protein, 50% carbs, 30% fat but without judgement if I go over or under on calories. Basically, eat what I’m going to eat - but by the fact of tracking, that tends to be more reasonable. I’ll also be adding in some probiotics and digestive enzymes in an effort to help with gut issues. Goal 2: Fitness Staying my Druidy course of action (shocker) with 4-5 yoga classes per week - hoping to continue my M vinyasa /T functional/W detox/F handstands schedule, with a 20 minute walk to and from the studio. Goal 3: Fulfillment This goal encompasses a bunch of small things I have going on a daily basis already - with a couple tweaks. Some bloggy stuff, some creative stuff, some dog stuff. Checklisty Stuff Daily [ - ] Duolingo Arabic classes [ - ] Physical craft project (currently sashiko, lucet cord making & planning another quilt) [ - ] Digital art practice [ - ] Enrichment feeds for the pups [ - ] Training for the pups [ - ] Yoga class [ - ] Breakfast: [ - ] Probiotic & Enzymes Lunch: [ - ] Probiotic & Enzymes Dinner: [ - ] Probiotic & Enzymes Snacks: [ - ] Picture of the Day + Daily meal collage Weekly/Challenge [ - ] Finish W30 recipes e-Book [ - ] Post W30 recipes e-Book for sale [ - ] Work on Paleo recipes e-Book [ - ] Post weekly recipe [ - ] Create February/March Pins [ - ] Schedule & post February/March Pins [ - ] Schedule February/March ‘Grams [ - ] Review Q1 financial shit in prep for taxes send off [ - ] Stay connected with the world outside my little bubble - be it through keeping a regularly scheduled chat up (my local bestie is moving to North America next week - so my now-usual Tuesday coffee morning will likely be spotty at best as our remaining coffee friend has a newborn and spotty attendance) or attempting to forge new connections. Or, if restrictions go the other way, who knows? We may just see a return to forced scheduled socialization

As we slide into this next challenge cycle, the place I live is on the cusp of entering Phase 3 of reopening. According to the Ministry, Phase 3 will include: Medium-sized gatherings of less than 40 people allowed 54 mosques reopening for Friday prayers Low-risk inbound flights for returning residents Driving schools opened Playgrounds and skate parks opened Team trainings in groups of under 40, amateur sporting events with no spectators Hospitals operating at 80% capacity Nurseries and childcare facilities opened All malls open full hours; souqs and wholesale markets open with restrictions Restricted restaurants open with gradually increased capacity Gyms, health clubs, pools, beauty parlors, spas and hairdressers open at 50% capacity What I’m looking forward to is my yoga studio(s) opening back up, the probable return of IRL Tuesday coffee group, and maybe changing my haircut up eventually - when I find a new hairdresser I like. I was in the middle of finding one that I liked who was sticking around; aaaand who knows who is still here after months of being out of work. So we shall see. I most likely won’t actually get a haircut scheduled for the first month open; my salon is popular and I can imagine they will be packed to the rafters. What this means for me: A potential gradual rejoining of the flow of at least somewhat “normal” life (or whatever you call what I had Before Corona). We won’t be traveling for a bit yet and 2/3 of my friends have scattered to the winds, but it will be good to rebuild myself a new-new-new normal for a bit. I plan on hitting the yoga studio as much as I can fit into the schedule I’m liable to make happen (read: morning classes that aren’t too early), have a once-weekly scheduled social outing over breakfast, maaaaaaaaybe plan a wine by the pool day with a girlfriend, and maaaaaaaybe go out to dinner with DH. This will also mean a return to taking Ubers all over creation; yay, during the heat of the summer. Fingers crossed that I get better Ubers with adequately-powered air cons. As such, my goals are shifting a bit for this cycle as I find my footing for the umpteenth time. Goal 1: Nutrition. Always nutrition This goal is largely the same: don’t eat like an asshole, don’t eat things that I know are going to cause gastric distress, and eat moar veggies. Actually kind of happy that buffets aren’t returning and that a chunk of my ‘let’s go eat a ton of shit and drink all day’ friends have bounced. That will help re: not eating like an asshole. Goal 2: Physical Movement I need more of this in my life. Go do yoga as much as I can make work with my actual schedule (I have 1 set social thing I could actually be late to but hate being late so won’t), the schedule I tell myself I have (100% have to be home in the evenings because DH is), and the schedule I can commit to without anxiety paralysis (anything between 10am & 4pm except Tuesday, when even 4pm is a stretch but I make happen). Goal 3: Creativity Outlets I still need to keep this up because I like it and it’s good for me to actually accomplish things. Currently planned projects include: another bed gown, another quilt, finishing my peplum top, finishing more of my fake lace, a corset, fixing or remaking my walking skirt because the damn hook and eye closure came off (the last of it while I was walking around the mall - so I held my skirt shut behind my back while I continued shopping for half the afternoon. Don’t think I remembered to tell y’all about that hilarity), maybe another article of clothing - probably yet another dress - maybe pants instead. Depends. Also planning on continuing with Animal Crossing, just maybe not for hours every day; maybe quick check-ins on the days I leave the house + longer on days I don’t. Depends on how draining leaving the house turns out to be. Shoehorning in-person being social is going to be incredibly draining for a bit, I’m certain. I need to find ways to deal with that drain that isn’t just watching hours of true crime and historical documentaries on YouTube while semi-napping on the couch. Yoga, man. Yoga. Build some shit on my island. And that’s it. Not terribly different than the goals I’ve had for the last while, but some new challenges to navigate and minor course-corrections to help with that.

Do you have a creative quest among your challenge goals? Then join this ragtag, eccentric group of nerds to level up your health and fitness habits and your creativity. Sure, that's a lot of balls to juggle over the course of six weeks, but it's a lot easier and more fun when you've got buddies! YOU are invited to join The Renaissance Rebels for fitness, fun, creativity, and camaraderie! You can check out previous Renaissance Rebels challenge threads: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. If it looks like fun, signup on the Cross Guild page and post a reply below to introduce yourself. We're happy to have you!

Do you have a creative streak? Do you plan to have a creative life quest among your challenge goals once you graduate from Level One? Become an apprentice in the Renaissance Rebel Atelier and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow apprentices and the mentorship of experienced RenRebs! YOU are invited to join The Renaissance Rebel Apprentices for fitness, fun, creativity, and camaraderie! You can check out previous Renaissance Rebels challenge threads: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. If it looks like fun to you, sign up to be an apprentice on the Level One page and post a reply below to introduce yourself. We're happy to have you!

And since I just turned 45, let’s call it a mid-life crisis as well. The other day, I put on the Patagonia shorts that almost 2 years ago fit me like a sausage casing. They still fit the way they did 18 months ago – much better than when I joined the Rebellion, but still a tad snug. And I reviewed the weight stats from the last year and realize that I have made no progress at all. Granted, I have had a few injuries - the past couple of months I've been out with a tweaked back and stitches in my hand and has really set me back. I still feel that I should be further along than I am. I’m still in much better shape than I was 2 years ago, but I will get back to that point if I don't do something different. Life in general is good. I really like my life, but feel like I’ve gotten complacent and haven’t been working more on improving myself like I should. I have got to get out of this rut. I want to keep the 2014 goals, but must rethink my approach. 2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds Challenge Goal: It is not enough to aim towards getting in to the gym 3 times a week for weight lifting. This challenge, I will get up every morning at 5:30 and go get some exercise. I can stretch in my room when I get back, but I’ve got to get out of the house and work out. An early morning walk is acceptable a couple of times a week, but I’ll be in the gym at least 5 days a week. I’ll do some sort of weight workout 3 times a week. · Deadlift: January Start: 125 lbs; Challenge Start: 115 lbs · Squat: January Start: 105 lbs; Challenge Start: 95 lbs · Bench Press January Start: 75 lbs; Challenge Start: 70 lbs · Overhead press: January Start: 60 lbs; Challenge Start: 55 lbs Grading: A= 37-42 days (+2STR, +2CON); B= 31-36 days (+2STR, +1CON); C= 25-30 days (+1STR, +1CON); D= 19-24 days (+1STR) 2014 Goal 2: Make meditating a habit Take time to slow down and think daily. Meditating is fine, I guess. I don’t think I’ve been doing it long enough to see many benefits. I am rather captivated by James Altucher’s practice of coming up with and writing down 10 ideas daily. It makes sense to me that trying to come up with new thoughts (or at least getting old ones down in writing so I don’t have to keep coming up with them) has to be good for me. So, I think I’ll try it. On a sort of related note, I deleted Facebook and Twitter from my phone so I can get rid of those distractions when I’m not at a desk or laptop. Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Write down 10 ideas immediately following. Half a point if I do one without the other. Grading: A= 37-42 days (+2WIS, +2CHA); B= 31-36 (+2WIS, +1CHA); C= 25-30 (+1WIS, +1CHA); D= 19-24 (+1WIS) 2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted. This is going fairly well, all told. I haven’t made much progress the last couple of weeks because I’ve had to rip out and re-stitch the same bit 3 different times. Frustrating. Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day. Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2DEX, +2STA); B= 30-35 (+2DEX, +1STA); C= 24-29 (+1DEX, +1STA); D= 18-23 (+1DEX) 2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month. This is something else I want to keep up. June’s selection is Sister Wendy’s History of Painting, which I have yet to start. Pass/Fail Pass = +1WIS, +1STA, +1CHA Keeping up with the garden is still on my list – we’ve had a few hot days and the lettuce is starting to go bitter, but the sugar snaps are coming in, and there are a few tiny squash on the vines out there.

...*cheesy soap opera narrator voice* .....When we last tuned in, Wandern was recovering from a mild tweak to what she assumes is her quadratus lumborum. She made great progress in her garden, some progress on her quilt, and had been meditating every day for the last 2 weeks of the last challenge. ....*/cheesy soap opera narrator voice* The past week was very lazy for me - the girls were on spring break, so I let myself sleep in and skip gym. So, the QL feels great, and it's back to the gym for me. I only managed to meditate 3 times this week, and didn't sew very much either. In the garden, the sugar snap peas are 4 inches high in the garden, some chard, lettuce and squash are starting to sprout. 2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds Challenge Goal: do some sort of weight workout 3x/week. Since it's been a couple weeks, and since I seem to be injury-prone, I'm going back to body weight workouts for at least the first week of the challenge. I'm starting to think that maybe I should only lift heavy once a week, and focus on bodyweight workouts the other two times. The weather has settled in nicely, so I know I'll be walking just about every day, so getting in some exercise won't be a challenge. Getting in to the gym and lifting something will be. I'm assuming my lifting weight is about the same as the beginning of last challenge, since it's been a couple weeks: Deadlift: January Start: 125 lbs; Challenge Start: 125 lbs Squat: January Start: 105 lbs; Challenge Start: 105 lbs Bench Press January Start: 75 lbs; Challenge Start: 75 lbs Overhead press: January Start: 60 lbs; Challenge Start: 55 lbs (yes, I went backwards. sigh) Grading: A= 15-18 days (+2STR, +2CON); B= 12-14 days (+2STR, +1CON); C= 9-11 days (+1STR, +1CON); D= 6-8days (+1STR) 2014 Goal 2: Make meditating a habit Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2WIS, +2CHA); B= 30-35 (+2WIS, +1CHA); C= 24-29 (+1WIS, +1CHA); D= 18-23 (+1WIS) 2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted. Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day. Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2DEX, +2STA); B= 30-35 (+2DEX, +1STA); C= 24-29 (+1DEX, +1STA); D= 18-23 (+1DEX) 2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month. For April it's A Short History of Byzantium by John Julius Norwich. I'm about 40 pages into it right now. May is still TBD.

Heyo, fellow Nerds! Geek here, reporting for duty. Again. I've been out of the game for awhile, trying to get my life and everything else on track. I can't say for sure if I'm headed in a straight line yet, but I've got a job again and if all goes well, I'll be in school for a license to teach high school biology this summer. With that out of the way, I've been encouraged (read: poked by Stooshie) to rejoin the ranks of the NerdFitness challenge. I do sort of keep up with my Academy work, at least. Or I did until I started working Pods at work. Something about hauling 40-60 pound dogs around all day while they try to eat each other made me not want to do anything involving muscles when I came home. I know, naughty Geek. So here's the Mission! Quest….Thing Get back in shape, as defined by four things: 1. NOT getting out of breath when heading up the hill to the barn in a hurry. 2. Be comfortable with the idea and undertaking of hikes/walks that last over an hour. 3. Lose the extra pudge I've picked up over the past few months. This is an issue of body image and visual aesthetics rather than a true 'health' thing, but it is important to me. 4. NOT breaking into a panic when a family member insists that I 'go out and DO something'. With this quest in mind, and those criteria, my three goals for the challenge are as follows: 1. Exercise 5 days a week, with three of those days involving a walk of some kind lasting 30 minutes or more. The other two days can be anything exercise-y that lasts the minimum of 30 minutes. Right now I'm looking at time at the gym, Academy and Circus Yoga workouts, and the Jillian Michaels DVD a relative sent me. I'm going to be using The Walk on my phone to help track most, if not all, of my walking, since the incentive of making exercise a game really does help me. Completing this quest will net me +3 STA and +1 CON. 2. Practice yoga 3 times a week. This won't count as part of Goal 1, but as a supplement to it. Two of the three days will likely be the non-exercise days, and the third on a day off when I have the time to devote to a longer practice. The yoga will serve two purposes: first, to manage and expand my flexibility; and second, to remind me to take time out to breathe. Breathing is good, or so I've been told, and even more so at this altitude (nearly 8000 feet). Completing this quest will be worth +2 STR and +1 DEX 3. DO something 6 days a week. Especially on my days off, I'm very guilty of finding somewhere comfy to hide and just sit still most of the day. This is a baaaaaaaaad habit that I need to ditch. DOING something means doing something that requires my conscious attention and participation. Watching movies and television are out. So is reading. My one day of 'rest' will be on Fridays, when my family settles in to watch a movie together. Party Night has been an institution since long before I was born, and is one we've handed over to the extended family. You do NOT miss Party Night unless it's a dire emergency. End of story. Activities that are likely to take place include….quilting, sewing projects, learning to knit (a la Stooshie), cooking/baking, cleaning and organizing, and gardening. Completing this quest will be worth +2 WIS and +1 DEX. Exception: If Friday happens to fall on a day off work, I may DO something anyway and save my one day of couch potato-ness for a really bad day at work. Level Up Life SideQuest (Or, Leading the Ents to War, if we meander along in Stooshie's footsteps) Complete the patches for the wedding quilt I'm assembling for a wedding in July. It's a split rail, 5 colors, 56 patches with 3 patches already complete. Bonus: get 50% of the patches for Stooshie's LOTR-themed quilt assembled and ready for Stage 2. And there you have it! This Geek is going to try her damnedest to complete these goals and take a few steps towards the end of the Quest. Stay tuned for updates and a list of rewards (because holding something overhead while the victory theme plays should not be reserved only for video games).

Last Challenge was...challenging. And I did not rise to the occasion. Hopefully, the longer and warmer days will help me get out of my slump. That, and getting consistent with my "practice." Some things are best done every day. 2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds Challenge Goal: Exercise every day. Weights 3x/week, gym aerobics 2x/week, yoga or outside walking 2x/week. More than an hour of strenuous gardening can count as a weight work-out. Walking more than 1.5 hours can count as a gym aerobic work-out. Deadlift: January Start: 125 lbs; Challenge Start: 125 lbsSquat: January Start: 105 lbs; Challenge Start: 105 lbsBench Press January Start: 75 lbs; Challenge Start: 75 lbsOverhead press: January Start: 60 lbs; Challenge Start: 55 lbs (yes, I went backwards. sigh)Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2STR, +2CON); B= 30-35 days (+2STR, +1CON); C= 24-29 days (+1STR, +1CON); D= 18-23 days (+1STR) 2014 Goal 2: Make meditating a habit Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2WIS, +2CHA); B= 30-35 (+2WIS, +1CHA); C= 24-29 (+1WIS, +1CHA); D= 18-23 (+1WIS) 2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted. Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day. Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2DEX, +2STA); B= 30-35 (+2DEX, +1STA); C= 24-29 (+1DEX, +1STA); D= 18-23 (+1DEX) 2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month. Challenge Goal: Read a book. I still have to pick one. Grading: Pass (+1CHA, +1WIS, +1STA)