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My name is Wild Wolf and this is my Respawn challenge. With a new computer set-up, I’m able to get on the boards a little more often and wanted to get back to challenging myself physically and mentally. For the last 2 months it seems, I haven’t done much in the exercise/physical department. That includes going to Gaelic practice in over a month! Laziness? Maybe. Depression? Maybe. But either way, something needs to give. Depression you may ask? It’s a mild case, but I’ve let things get me down and throw off my normally positive mental state of mind. I attribute most of the way I feel towards my lack of physical training...so I know how to fix that part. But why is it so hard for me to find the time to train nowadays? I don’t need a solid 60 min to consider it a worthy WOD….15-min is enough time to blast myself and sweat out the bullshit...I’m just being lazy and prioritizing other things. I want to be more strict and disciplined...a stretch of things that is no stranger to me and all that starts NOW. Not next Monday or this weekend or whatever. Now. So who is Wild Wolf? Well, he’s a lot like your best friend. He’s got your back when times get sticky. He’s there to make you laugh when you’re feeling low. He’s even there to lend some worldly and Godly advice when wisdom is needed. But, he’s also: A closet pot head An anxious nail biter A hot-head A procrastinator Jealous Manipulative/Cheater a quitter I’m sharing this with you because my name is Ryan and I am Wild Wolf. No curtain. No mask or cowl. No secret identity. Just me. I feel like by being transparent with everyone that I can get back to being “myself” a lot sooner rather than later My inspiration changes all the time, so I’ve decided NOT to theme out my comeback challenge and just flood it with all the stuff I like. So expect music videos, obscene memes, inappropriate gifs and anything else I’m feeling at that point in time. It’ll be very Deadpool-esque if I can make a comparison haha. Goal #1: Train 3x a week. Nothing flashy-just get out and get some structured workouts in! Goal #2: Eat I want to put back on the muscle I’ve lost from being a lazy bastard. Protein, protein and PB&J! Track my protein intake daily. Goal #3: Recover Bum shoulder is feeling good these days but I’ve been slacking hardcore on my re/prehab. Time to bulletproof and get flexible! Re/Prehab daily with 1x a week for deep tissue work. Goal #4: Run Face my fears and daily struggles head on. Run TOWARDS my problems. Also, work 1-2x sprints a week. Bonus: Try for 1 day of speed drills/footwork Bonus: Try for a long trail run or ruck 1x a week Now, all I gotta do is keep up my end of the bargain and get back to my true form. Wolf

Hey Everyone! Since I’m in new and uncharted territory right now, I thought I would introduce myself. Names Wild Wolf but most people call me Wolfie I’ve been with the Rangers for the past 2 years now and it’s been a wonderful stint with even better people but now my workouts have shifted more to an iron heavy routine whereas normally, I’m more of a BW/Calisthenics enthusiast who plays around with kettlebells and parkour and other fun equipment. They call me the Werespartan because I went from “not a fan of running and never covering more than 5 miles at one time” to running the Spartan Beast with fellow NF Ranger, @EricMN and ended up covering 12+ miles that day and over 4 ½ hours on the course. Fuckin A, right? So, I like to dabble in a lot of things. Well, whilst “dabbling in things“ back at the end of January this year, I fell on my shoulder and caused a Type 2 AC joint separation. BUMMER!! ...I know. A type 2 AC separation is something I can live with, but it greatly effects my lifting game. Overhead press is basically out...clean and press, front squats...even backsquat’s. It’s been since last September/October since I’ve lifted real weights so I had NO idea what my shoulder would tolerate. Thankfully, I’ve gotten back into a lifting routine and I’m now on my second week of 3x a week. Last week was a little funky because I decided in the beginning that I wanted to do the Juggernaut 2.0 program and then mid-week decided I needed something a little more basic and decided to go with Starting Strength. So, Friday and Monday, the 24th marked the first 2 days of Starting Strength. My lifts are as followed: A Day Zercher Squat 3x5 Bench Press (partial reps stopping 2 blocks (6-8 inches) above chest) 3x5 Rack Pull 1x5 B Day Zercher Squat 3x5 Bent over row 3x5 Rack pull 1x5 This prolly looks a lot different than someone else’s Starting Strength big lifts but none of these lifts compromise my shoulder and that’s what’s important. I haven’t figured out what to do about the power clean/clean when I hit the next phase of SS but maybe I can employ the help of you fine, iron bending folks when the time comes. My #’s are not very impressive but I’ll shoot up in no time and I’m excited about adding some lean muscle back onto my already lean frame. My challenge will continue off my last 2 challenges over in the Ranger’s guild. It follows the story of Ryan, an up and coming hacker who is discovered by a hacktivist group called DedSec and one of its prodigy’s, Marcus Holloway. Marcus is grooming Ryan aka W0lf, to be a l337 hacker and help DedSec take down the evil spying corporation, Blume. All this is based off the upcoming video game, .Watch Dogs 2, which releases November 15th, the day after my birthday! If you would like to check out the last two challenges, I have them linked in my signature and down below in the profile post. The story and the theme are all related to me trying to get my A+ certification and move on from there. My 365-day challenge to myself is to complete A+, Security+, Network+ and then move onto Linux+ all by this time next year. I also want to get into some programming like Python. Right now, I work at a job I don’t really like but it pays me decent money. I want to work somewhere...doing something I’m actually interested in and hacking/IT stuff, especially the deeper level stuff REALLY interest me. And then working out again… I hope to get in the groove with Starting Strength because this past week has been wonderful. I missed working out and I missed lifting to be specific. The change of scenery should be fun because I already recognize a few familiar ugly mugs around here. *Cough* Rurik, Willes, and Volki *Cough* Here are my goals below: A+ Training- No more fucking around-shoot for 4-6 hours of trainings a week. FINISH the 801 Module and prep for the exam Starting Strength 3x a week-get to gym earlier to have more time for accessory work Focus on mobility and “limberness” on off days. Gaelic Football and/or Parkour on the weekends. Mass Gain-get back on your protein shake/post workout smoothie game to help with mass gain. Lots of water. Lots of sleep-take naps during the day if needed Cool things going on this Challenge: My birthday is November 14th! (W00t! 29!) Halloween-I'm going as Ace Ventura...lol. Thanksgiving-I usually attend 4-6 of these because of split families and in-laws. This means lots of leftovers but more importantly "bulk food". I could just load up on turkey, sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes w/ brown gravy and any choice of yummy veggie tray... Yep! I can't wait for Thanksgiving. Finally getting my hair trimmed/cut-got an appoint for the 5th. I know that sounds girly but whatev's I've been growing that shit for over 11 months now lol. I've discovered I have "locks" as my sister and wife call them lol and I think I inspired our very own @Volki to grow his out as well? It won't be a drastic cut but I need some shape bad. I almost have a mullet. Almost. Thanks for having me Warriors! W0lf

R153 0F 7H3 H4CK71V157 (Rise of the Hacktivist) CH4PT3R 1: EM41LS W0lf, You ever get the feeling you’re being watched? That light graze across the subconscious that lets you know someone has their eyes on you...Yeah, I get that feeling too. No matter what I say or do, I know someone is aware of my actions and reactions and honestly...that’s some scary shit, bro. Blume controls ctOS 2.0 and ctOS 2.0 controls everything, man. It’s a giant spider web of data at their disposal. They use our friends, online purchases and even shit we type in Nudle to track us...to ‘watch’ us. The injustices need to stop! What happened to our basic freedoms? I’ll tell you what happened...we’re being robbed of them right underneath our noses. And no one's doing a damn thing about it... but DedSec is. Oh yeah! We’re in it to win it playboy! I’ve heard about you. You’re new, which may seem weird I even know you exist, but see, DedSec is everywhere and we’re always looking for new recruits to train up. I heard you might be interested in joining the cause? Actually, I head you might even want to head up the Dallas division of DedSec. I can dig your drive, but you got lots of work to do if you wanna be Alpha W0lf in Dallas, bro. So, here I am, offering up my services along with my team of highly trained individuals. Periodically, we’ll all reach out to you and make sure you’re given the best opportunity to help us and DedSec succeed. Since you’re already working through A+ (yeah, I know), the best advice I can give starting out is to finish it and move onto some more advanced stuff. If you can’t hack...I hate to say it, bro, but if you can’t hack it...DedSec will find someone else. I bought you some time because I know potential when I see it. It’s gonna be grueling at first. I won’t lie to you, it may even be downright boring, something like where you want to punch a fuckin keyboard. But I promise it’ll go fast. I went through the gauntlet before.. I self taught myself ya know? And so can you. How bad do you want to help, W0lf? How bad do you want to join DedSec? Retr0 0ut! His blue eyes scanned the computer screen, bloodshot from the lack of sleep these last few days. The excitement of the email was enough to make the corner of his mouth twitch upwards into the slightest of smirks but he couldn’t hide the giant grin underneath any longer. Are you going to respond or just drool over it? “What do you think?” W0lf said outloud, answering his own question. With a brief moment to collect his thoughts, the would-be hacker began to fold his laptop screen down then flipped it back up in a flash, revealing the email staring back at him. He drew in a long, deep breath, filling his entire chest cavity and lungs with fresh oxygen then blew it out with a huff. “Fuck it. What’s the worse that could happen…” and with a small click, W0lf hit the reply button, forever changing his fate from that moment on… Hello and welcome to the first installment of a 3-part series I will be doing entitled R1S3 OF THE H4CKT1V1ST. It may even extend beyond the 3 challenges but for now I want to stick with the original 3 and not overwhelm myself. I’m so excited you’re here, btw! I don’t normally introduce myself because I feel like most of you already know me and my story but now I am starting a new chapter in my life and want to kinda start things off fresh, so here’s a new introduction to where things are at right now (and where they’re going): My name is Wild Wolf but the Rangers tend to prefer Wolfie I am going on 29 years old this November (SCORPIO!) and I am married to my best friend and love of my life, Heather. We have 3 handsome boys, Racer (6), Declan (3) and Orin, about to be 2 August 26th! I’m coming off a Type II AC Joint shoulder separation that happened at the end of January when I was playing Quidditch down in Austin. You heard that right, Quidditch, lol. Brutal sport. Sad I got hurt..but it introduced me to an awesome couple who then introduced me to Gaelic Football. I’m finally back to some normalcy and I’m able to workout and do things I love to do again (like working out or playing with my kids)-I get to be ME again. It’s been nice, lemme say. Plus, Pokemon Go... How many miles have I walked trying to catch Pokemon? A lot. MOVING ON! I am an avid learner in the ways of the world and like to try new and exciting things-Hold your tongue Sparrow -and these next 3 challenges (if not more) will be about putting some consistency in my life and learning something (a skill) I’ve always thought was awesome and intriguing: learning to be a hacker. Luckily I have some friends on here whom have done such things or trained/learned to be a hacker. I’m looking at you @Volki and if I remember correctly, @darkfoxx and @EricMN know coding and that’s hacker stuff right? Anyways, lots of people in the NF community know about this stuff so I think I’ll have some help on here :). Right now, I’m hacking my way through CompTIA A+. (Lol, like what I did there ←) I’m at 20% right now but after I’m finished I’ll get my certification and move onto the next stage of my training. I realize that hacking is something that can take YEARS and even DECADES to learn and get good at and that’s fine, I understand, but I still wanna get on the path TO learn, ya know? I’m a n00b if there ever was one, but you gotta start somewhere. Edit: I use the free website Cybrary.It for ALL my training needs. You can't beat free! I needed a good challenge theme and thought, what better theme than my current obsession, the upcoming Ubisoft title Watch Dogs 2. The story is about a brilliant young hacker named Marcus Holloway and his hacktivist group called DedSec whom take on an evil corporation among other swanky things. The game comes out the day after my birthday, November 15th, so it will be a nice birthday present to myself because I’m excited about playing! I’m thinking I want to pre-order the Collector's Edition that comes with some cool in-game goodies as well as some awesome extra vanity items like your own robot that you can control with a phone based app! No lie- Check it out. This series of challenges will be based off me training to be a hacker and helping out Marcus aka Retr0 and the hacktivist group, DedSec take down the bad guys: Blume Corp. as well as various other corporations like Blume. Ubisoft (the company that made the game) did a good job of creating these fictional companies that somewhat resembles our RL companies. Like instead of Google, there's Nudle. Haha. Anyways, I want to combine elements from my last 3-4 challenges because I think I can find a synergy in there somewhere and maybe not do ALL the things but at least do ALL the things I want to do. I will have story elements for your viewing pleasure as well as some fun co-op things that won’t be hard or anything. If your name is Mr.Willes (or Mr_w as I will call him) then your co-op task will always be cold shower related #KiddingNotKidding The way the challenges will work is they will be based off growing 3 skill trees that are from the game itself: The C0MB4T H4CK3R, GH0ST H4CK3R and TR1CKST3R H4CK3R skill trees as well as keeping a semi-tight schedule on getting my IT/hacker certs. I will give myself some leeway since I am a family man and work a full-time job but this is where some mad discipline skillz come into play. Getting up early and using my lunch hour to train/study will be crucial. Hell, using ANY free time I have not interfering with family time is crucial! I’ve made a Google Sheet that lists all my daily/weekly tasks that I can complete, how much each task will be worth (points wise) and what skill tree it coincides with. I’m going to be introducing Progress Bars for these three skill trees and as I grow my RP hacker, W0lf, the skill trees will grow as well. Example of how the points will work: +3 to CH (C0MB4T H4CK3R) for completing a KB workout, +5 to GH (GH0ST H4CK3R) for getting 6+ quality sleep cycles, etc., etc., Another thing I will be implementing from Watch Dogs 2, aka WD2, is what’s called, “The Follower System”. Basically, completing assignments each week will gain me followers and the more followers I have, the more damage I can eventually do to Blume and ctOS while adding to my RL skills. This system is a double standard too because it relates to me being a follower of threads. A good goal is to be able to check in with all my friends at least 1x a week. Catching up may be out of the question because of time, but at least let them know I’m still there supporting them. I know this isn’t required but it’ll make me feel better. I will start a Nail Biting Accountability thread Here is the link to the Nail Biting Accountability thread. Just like Rangerbrain, I will eventually conquer this mother. I’m really excited about getting my certs and learning this as a skill because I’m wanting to expand beyond my current job right now. I dunno where I’ll be at towards the end of 2016, but I want to have made a huge dent in my training and blazing a path towards a career I would actually enjoy. I’m thrilled y’all are along for the ride! W0lf

“The sheep generally do not like the Sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the Sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep. Still, the Sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn’t tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the Sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, “Baa”…Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely Sheepdog.” - Lt. Col Dave Grossman I like to think of myself as a sheepdog. Maybe not the most skilled or the most experienced-but a sheepdog nonetheless. I’m slowly but surely paying off my Mossberg MMR AR-15 and at the same time, upgrading my EDC (everyday carry) as well as solidifying my GHB (go-home bag) or Go-Bag. I’m becoming more aware of the world around me. It’s something I’ve always been good at doing, but concentrating on the wrong things up until this point. It’s time to put my paranoia to good use :). Mossberg MMR Tactical AR-15. Not mine. I’m back and recharged for this next 4WC!! My falloff was weird for me. I was so busy and when I had a little time for NF, I didn’t take advantage of it. Shame on me cuz I miss you guys and gals! I’ve been severely hooked on listening to The Remaining books on Audible and I’m currently on book #4. The series has been just plain kickass and edge of your seat goodness that it’s put some heavy inspiration on me. I want to give @WorldSparrow a big shout out for turning me onto these books! I’ve always been somewhat of a prepper, but reading these books has, in a weird way, opened up my eyes to more realer possibilities AND having 3 little boys and my lovely wife concretes it for me. I have to be aware to protect them. I also have to be able to protect myself. This challenge is about getting me back on track and building up a body and a mindset that can defend my family and the flock of sheep out there. I need some accountability right now... probably in the worst of ways lol. My shoulder is OK and I still need a visit to the specialist as I’ve tried to do my own thing and strengthen my shoulder… but it’s not working as well as I would have liked. I haven’t tried swimming yet, but I want to see if that puts too much rotation on my shoulder. Swimming is low impact and can be massaging and therapeutic, so I’m hoping I can get a little of that! I’m eating good though and getting ready to start some hardcore rucking :). Work is still busy as hell and we’re prepping for a move to another building on July 8th. PLUS, my own move to our new apartment the weekend of the 4th. Busy busy :). I’ve fallen off the writing game, but I’ve learned something. Actually, I learned it on my respawn Division themed challenge- Just fucking write. Don’t worry about making it perfect. Just write. This is some advice I’m taking from D.J. Molles, author extraordinaire of The Remaining series. In four years, he produced 6 books. That’s impressive! So, that is what I will do. Just write. No timelines, no rush, no worries :). First things first-let’s give you guys a little insight to my current EDC. I will also take you through a stroll of my Go-Bag (via video) and what I would like to add to that to upgrade it to “Survivor” status. And by “upgrading” my arsenal, I mean EARNING each and every item as rewards for completing various tasks throughout the day/week/challenge. Not my EDC-but I thought it looked cool with the pistol and Texas keychain ;). I will take a picture of my current EDC once I get my Skeletool and Bit extension in this week. Current EDC Winchester Parfive Drop Point Knife Leatherman Skeletool Leatherman 40-Bit set (attachments for Skeletool) Leatherman Bit Driver Extension ThruNite Ti3 EDC Cree XP Flashlight Bic Lighter x2 2007 Honda Pilot keys Leather bound notebook (from Target) Zebra Stainless Steel Ballpoint Retractable Pen Trident Mint Bliss gum Walgreen brand eye drops iPhone 6+ w/ FDE Magpul Case Recycled Firefighter Combat Boot "Seargant" money clip wallet-Desert Tan & Multicam (shoutout to Captain Lee Harden) 21-oz Hydro Flask-Classic Stainless 5.11 Recon hat (usually worn backwards) Current Go-Bag Change of clothes 1x extra socks and underwear 2x extra headbands 3x protein bar (Epic bars-Turkey, Chicken and Bison) 1x extra water bottler LifeStraw 50ft of 1-inch webbed tubing (from my slackline) Gerber Survival Knife Swimming gear-jammers and goggles Gorilla Tape 1x carabiner (basic-need sturdier ones) Go-Bag Wish List First Aid Utility Pouch MOLLE attachment Ever Ready First Aid Israeli Bandage First Aid Kit w/ Quick Clot SAM rolled splint Trauma shears Paint Respirator Gas/Liquid Siphon Mechanix Wear Tactical Glove-Coyote Nite Ize S-biner Extra Socks New Hydration Bladder Right now, I have a few of the weighted bean bags from my weight vest in my bag with all the gear listed and it’s probably sitting around 25-30#. As I add stuff, I’ll more than likely take out the bean bags because the extra gear should help weigh my bag down and I’ll need the pocket they are stored in lol. I haven’t added a hydration system in the back yet, so that will weigh a good amount as well. Goals this 4WC: Go see the shoulder specialist Ruck a total of 25 miles this challenge Sprints Sleep better Move better (via Uncaged Man workout program) Paintball Prep for both moves- Work and Home It’s good to be back everyone! Since I’m not overburdening myself with PvP’s and such, I will get back to being the supportive badass I usually am. Let’s rock this 4WC!!! Wolf

Hello and welcome back to another installment of Wolfie's Co-Op Adventures. If you missed the last one, well, that sucks for you. BUT, the good news is, is I still got signups going for this one and it's rumored to be as good if not better this time around! I'm adding in bad guys..PvP...and my challenge wouldn't be complete without some kickass writing involving gun fights, bravado and just plain badrangerassery stamped all over it! A little about me before we get into the nitty gritty. My name is Wild Wolf, but I prefer Wolf or Wolfie. I'm married to the love of my life and we have 3 little boys together, my oldest turning 6 today! Some have described me as the songbird of my generation...but that's neither here nor there. I love to laugh, live and have fun. Right now, I'm still nursing a shoulder injury but every day I strengthen it and slowly but surely I feel I'm getting to where I need to be. 2016 is my year of patience. With my shoulder, with my hair (cuz I'm growing it out #hairgame), with my job, with a new car...lots of things, really. I think the important thing, is that I recognize this is that year and I'm harnessing it instead of running from it. I'm also a people pleaser and last challenge...actually, my Deadpool challenge was where things changed for me. Mentally anyways. (Yeah, I went crazy, so sue me!) And I broke out of a funk within myself. I felt more comfortable here on NF then I ever have when I unleashed the vulgar swag of Wade Wilson, lol. Then, I stepped it up with my redeux challenge of The Division. That thing took an unexpected turn that I was not prepared for, but dammit if I didn't love the monster I'd created! The write-ups ending up being the smoothest, easiest writing I've done to date and I would love to continue this momentum. If you missed the epic finale, check it out on my previous challenge! This is where Wildlands comes in. It's another Tom Clancy game like The Division and I'm soooooooooo stoked for it (even though it'll prolly release around this time NEXT YEAR!) Here's the badass trailer for the game: Yeah, that trailer still turns me on.. The song is Friction by Imagine Dragons. I've been jamming to it a lot lately. Anyways, that it what this challenge will be based off of. I will be taking part of the role of Captain Wild Wolf and will be leading squadrons of Ghost (elite US Special Force team) against the Santa Blanca Mexican Drug Cartel. Along the way, I'll have to deal with the Unidad, a military force hired by the corrupted Bolivian government to protect it's dirty interest and also don't get along very well with the Cartel. I will also will be aided by the local Rebel's in my fight to disrupt the drug war going on. Bolivia, a few years from now: this beautiful South American country has become the largest cocaine producer in the world. The influential and vicious Santa Blanca drug cartel has turned the country into a narco-state, leading to lawlessness, fear, injustice, and violence. The cartel is on track to becoming a major underworld power and global threat. An all-out war is not the answer. A surgical, stealthy, lethal approach is the only way to stop the disease at its source. The Ghosts, an elite US Special Forces team, are sent behind enemy lines to wreak havoc, destabilize, and eventually break the alliance between the cartel and the corrupted government. Facing an almighty enemy in a massive and hostile environment, the Ghosts will need to make critical moral choices and engage in tough battles to complete their mission – their grittiest and most dangerous operation to date. Co-op is essential for survival, so here are the rules of the challenge: RULES & SIGN UP SHEET I will be giving out assignments 2x a week. Each faction will get their own assignment. This will be based off point total's with the completion of assignments adding points to that factions "point bucket". Whomever has the highest amount of points each week will essentially "win" that week, either by escaping with the drugs if you're the Cartel or thwarting the Cartel's plan and capturing them and the drugs if you're apart of Team Ghost Wolfpack...or something to that effect. What made the last challenge so fun for me is how organic things played out. I would like that trend to continue. *WARNING* If there is a tie, the teams will face off in a PvP WOD that will challenge everyone so we have a clear and determined winner. The assignments will range from daily WOD's to miles covered with a ruck to eating a clean meal that evening. Maybe even bring back 5 min cold showers, who knows how crazy things will get Teams will range from 3-6 depending on the match ups and the numbers, but they will work together to defeat their opponent using various battle techniques. As leader of the Ghost Wolfpack, I don't plan on taking it easy on you Drug Cartel pole smokers..and I expect the same in return! The MOST IMPORTANT RULE...HAVE FUN. PLEASE! For my sake and your own, lol. At the end of each week, I will take the weekend to work on the weekly write-up and post it (hopefully) before the weekend ends! Last challenge I didn't really have a challenge write-up. Besides my regular shoulder PT that I've been handling, I didn't really keep up with my goals. I stopped tracking The Perfect Agent as well. So, I want to be more organized going into this challenge and actually work on my goals. #1- Rucking I'm getting a rather sweet FDE color 5.11 Rush 24 bag in the mail very soon and this means it's time to get back into rucking! I also bought a nice yoga block for weight support and a swanky Texas flag patch to go my bag once I get it in. I would like to thank my lovely wife for getting me this. You're the best baby! I want to ruck at least 2x a week. I'll also be bringing my bag to work, weight and all, and start using that on my daily walks around the building. #2- Foraging Get back on this kick and find some stuff to forage. I started out good with this but then dropped the ball. I only managed to get out to the trails once I think during the last challenge and I want to change that. This is an essential survival skill IMO and I want to really work on setting up proper knowledge of plants and fruit that's good to forage. Study up on foraging 2x a week. Hit the trails 1x a week. #3- Agressive Shoulder Rehab Of all things...I hurt my shoulder playing Quidditch lol. I have a type 2 AC joint separation that's been bothering me for a couple months now. I have full ROM and really good mobility but it still hurts from time to time. It's nothing that requires surgery but I'm at the stage where the muscles around my shoulder need to be strengthened so that's what I'm doing. Spend 15 min on shoulder rehab and work Unbreakable Shoulders from GMB into your routine 2x a week. #4- Co-Op Beauty I seem to have started a wonderful trend with the co-op challenges going on this time around. I love it!! I want to be involved! So the goal is to keep up with everyone else's challenges as well as my own. Other News: My oldest turns 6 yrs old today!!! Damn they grow up way too fast My 6 yr anniversary is coming up May 14th and I'm getting some help from @T2sarahconnor to make that day one to remember! We're also going out to this restaurant called LAW. Yum, can't wait for that fine Texas cuisine! And, I found out Blink 182 will be here at the end of July, so I'm getting her tickets cuz that's her favorite band! WOOT WOOT! #EarningBrowniePoints Our lease is up at the beginning of July so we'll be doing some apartment/house shopping this month *BONUS GOAL* We have two gun ranges close to us and I want to visit each one at least once this challenge. Both are gun clubs as well, so depending on which one we like better, Heather and I can become members! I want to shoot an M1A if available and then mess around with any AR/AK platform they got. The Colt 6920 AR is another semi-auto rifle platform I'm looking to buy. And that pretty much sums things up, so let's get this party started! SIGNUP SHEET Wolf

Oh, hi there. You must be the group of friends that my buddy Wolfie here tells me about. I gotta tell ya, you guys are pretty fuckin cool. I mean, look at the beard growth in this community! And the broga (BTW, I’m going to steal that and if you have an issue with it, take it up with my unicorn!) Who am I? Well now, that’s a silly question. I'm Captain Deadpool! No wait..just Deadpool. I do lots of cool shit like this gif below of me from my movie. That's Ajax I'm fighting-he's a nice guy to work with. I’m here to tell you all that I’m not doing this for free, though as most of you would assume with the likeness of Ryan Reynolds and your very own Ryan aka Wolfie that I would, I am not. A man’s gotta get laid...I mean paid, ya know? Are you confused yet? Yeah, so was I until this shitstick of a Ranger named “Wild Wolf†approaches me with a grand scheme. A plan that’s worthy of some things...some personal things… Shut up and get to the point! Okay...okay… someone's a widdle angwee.. Wild Wolf has asked me to introduce his next challenge and be a personal icon or theme or cabana boy...I don’t remember the crazy shit he was talking about, but we both decided to never speak of that night again. (He took his pants off and vowed to mushroom tattoo the whole waiting staff at Taco Bell..or was that me..) All I know is that he wants me here for 4-weeks and now he has me. Kinda. I still gotta beat up the bad guys and bug the shit out of Spiderman and Wolverine...ya know, Wolvie... he’s really not as angry as people say. He’s a gentle soul that…†Sorry Logan..Love ya! BACK TO THE CHALLENGE! As I was saying. I’ll be here. More than likely I’ll be stalking most of you since Wolfie gave me his username and password, but I won't make promises that it will be in the friendly way..I have issues you know? Also...go see my movie! It’s Marvel’s biggest February opening EVER! Don’t take your kids though. I say lots of bad words, I have lots of sex, and I kill lots of people. Did I mention Ryan Reynolds plays me in the movie? Yeah, he’s a cool guy too. Not a great actor, but funny as hell. Speaking of ass... Well that's not very nice, TJ Miller. But it's true...I do like the inside of someone else's asshole... Am I ADHD or what?! Without further-fuckin-ado, I present to you Wild Wolf’s next 4-week challenge where he gives Maximum Effort and Expresses some Rage… Deadpool

Welcome back to another installment of Wild Wolf’s Adventuring Lupine Show. If you’re just now tuning in, please, let me recap you on the events that have transpired so far… Hey Everyone! Good to see y’all again! 2016 for me started with a HUGE change for me. I fell in love with Quidditch and, as a dream come true, went down to Austin to play in a Fantasy tournament for my very first time. My team lost in the semi-finals but it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had! The following day, I did something else that I’ve wanted to do since discovering Quidditch being an actual sport you can play. I tried out for a an actual team!! A club team down in Austin called the Lone Star Quidditch Club...and made the team! I’m proud of myself and stoked at the opportunity to be on a great team. 2 years now, they have lost in some BIG games, like the Quidditch Cup in 2015, to a Snitch grab from the opposing team's Seeker. They need the Seeker position filled quick..and that’s where I come in. These next 4-weeks will (somewhat) prepare me for Regionals. And, actually, Regionals is 02/20-02/21, so, realistically, I have 3 weeks, but my training to become the best Seeker started the weekend I was introduced to Quidditch and I’m going to be working very hard, EVERY day, to prove my worth on the team! I’ll be wearing jersey #99, for my long time love for Ricky “Wild Thing†Vaughn from one of my all-time favorite movies, Major League. And, hopefully, I’ll get some good action shots/vids during Regionals to share with everyone! Also, there’s Gaelic football. Drew and Nichole introduced Heather and I to Gaelic the weekend after Quidditch Tryouts and we both fell in love with this too! Gaelic is a crazy sport that combines elements of soccer, basketball, rugby and some volleyball thrown in. We will both be playing for a club team up here called Finn MacCool but really spelt Fionn MacCamhaill with Drew and Nichole and all our new Irish friends. Those guys are crazy cool and the heavy accents and sailors mouth makes for some fun practices! I want to get really good at Gaelic. Maybe just as bad as becoming the best Seeker Quidditch has seen. I’m all sorts of fired up and motivated right now! And the VERY BEST part about all this, is that Heather and I will be working together. Gaelic has her REALLY motivated to get back in shape and it’s exciting! This will be the first time we are training together and the feeling is just wonderful. We make a great team! In fact, Heather is so fired up, she’s gonna get back on the boards and do a challenge with the Rangers! (Her name is PrincessMononoke on NF-just in case anyone was curious or didn’t know.) I will also be heading up her training program to get her back into playing shape and I couldn’t be more excited to help her! The major draw about Gaelic for both Heather and I is that it’s that it’s located up here in the DFW area whereas Quidditch is all the way down in Austin. That’s the HUGE downside to Quidditch, unfortunately...So there is a lot more growth in Gaelic then Quidditch just based on location alone. However, with Regionals coming up so quick for Quidditch, there’s not much I can do except keep up with The Routine and make as many practices/skill sessions as possible. Also, train with Drew as often as possible. He’s a good Snitch and a bigger dude than I, so it’ll help hone my Seeker skills and get me ready for battle. #WarPaint. Gaelic has 2 practices a week, Wednesday and Saturday, so that is implemented in The Routine as well. It’ll be good cross training with all the running for when I get out and handle my Seeker business . Oh, and the fact that Drew loves Gaelic and is willing to practice with me to get me better. What a great dude and Heather and I are blessed to have met him and Nichole. Thank you Quidditch for bringing us new friends and fun, new sports!! Speaking of Quidditch.. I just got back from another tournament this past weekend. It was basically a showcase for all the elite community teams and things were starting out very good. I didn't play the first 2 games, which I expected because of my newness and lack of actually Quidditch experience. However, game 3 rolls around and they’re calling my name out to go in as Chaser!! Whaaaaaa?! I'm excited. I go in for a little bit and do fairly well. I had a fast break chance and made a hard pass off for the score, but I put a little too much zip on the pass and it bounced off her hands. After about 5 min playing Chaser, they sub me out and tell me to get ready to play Seeker. Wooooohoooooo! I'm so pumped! I go in strong and aggressive making reaches and running around to wear the Snitch out. Like any good wolf stalking his prey, I have to be patient. We battle it out a while longer and I try and make a dive reach move from the left side and get tossed to the ground. I get up and keep going but I'm running out of gas because Seeking takes it ALL out of you. I sub out with Stevie, and he goes in and catches the Snitch right after and we win! This is when I notice the uncomfortable feeling in my shoulder… I try and rotate it and it definitely doesn't feel good. I go over to the trainer/medic tent and they look at it, tell me I might need to go get x-rays to see exactly what's wrong because I know it's not a bone issue. Nichole looked at it too and had me run through various ROM drills and said it might be a slight muscle tear. So, I'm done for the day… And I'm soooo mad. This sucks! I just got started playing and kicking ass So, I ice it the rest of the afternoon and stay to support my team. Our last game turned into a forfeit because the other team didn't have enough people and I went home, in pain and barely able to drive lol. The next day wasn't much better and today is OK.. But I think I need to go have it looked at. So, I called a doctor and made an appointment for Wednesday morning. I'm crossing my fingers that everything will be good and my injury is minor. Until then, I can't move forward with my goals. I can't set out to do something when I don't know the outcome of my own health lol, but once I find out the state of my shoulder, the ass kickery will commence either way I am a Gaelic Warrior- and I will heal up in time for battle! Wolf "Let the Broomstick do the talking."

So, the last challenge started strong, and then petered out a bit. But I think it petered out a little less than many of my previous challenges, so I guess that's something? This challenge will be essentially the same, since my goals haven't really changed. But I do plan to tinker with my routine in the hopes that I find a better way of doing things so that I feel like I have an appropriate amount of me time. To that end, I'm giving up my habit of having some down-time/nap time directly after work. I'm ok with sitting for a little bit, my feet and legs are genuinely tired and sore when I get home, but I won't lie down, and I won't nod off, I'll just sit if I feel like I need to. I'm also moving my physio to the 'after work' time slot rather than the 'after dinner/before bed' time slot. And so! On to the goals! Goal #1 - Run Run 3x per week This will consist of 4k at least 2x per week, plus the shuttle run once per week. The regular runs can be on the treadmill or outside, but I really want to make a concerted effort to be outside at least once per week. The treadmill functioned as a good way to ease back into running regularly, but the benefits of running outside are greater (especially when you throw hills into the mix), so outside it is! Blizzards and ice storms notwithstanding... Note: I'll be doing practice session for my physical test every Monday through this challenge. Doing the shuttle run during this will count as one of my runs for the week. I don't think I'd be able to fit a third regular run in during the week, and I really don't want to anyway, but if I find I have the time, then I will (read: might). Goal #2 - Physio + Extras I still have fairly extensive physio to be doing daily (it hasn't changed from the last challenge). I found it to be too much to do all of it every day, so on run days, I will do 3 sets of 3 physio exercises (the Freddie Mercury, the Jazzercize, and the One I Don't Have a Clever Name For), plus 3 sets of elbow planks and butt thingys (a mix of an exercise my massage therapist gave me and a superman hold). On non-run days, I'll do 3 sets of my full physio, plus 3 sets of knee pushups and blugarian split squats. Goal #3 - Stretch Simply do it daily. I aim to do a full body stretch every day. That won't always happen, but as long as I stretch most of the things most of the time (and my shoulders always), then I'll be happy. Goal #4 - Eat Well Like last time, I aim to limit grainy or starchy things to one meal per day, and to generally make good choices otherwise. I also aim to plan ahead on weekends so I have something healthy for lunches during the week, to avoid the temptation of fast food when I know there's nothing quick at home. And that's that! Oh, also, Ranger Mini. I didn't realize there was a quiz thingy to give you a wand and patronus, I only did the house sorting quiz, so I made up my own, but I don't care, I'm keeping them: Character Name: obax Race: human Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw Wand description: acacia heartwood, with a core made from a flight feather from the left wing of Huginn, 10", smooth and slightly springy Patronus: red fox 1. History of Magic - read a damn book (this may go through the full length of the challenge, but I want to start it in the first week. Potential candidates: The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King; Gone Away World by Nick Harkaway; that book by China Meiville that I can't remember the name of but has been sitting on the shelf for too long) - started, but I might switch books, dunno if I'm in the mood for Meiville at the moment 2. Double History of Magic - print out all the necessary forms for police applications and start getting things prepared and filled out 3. Charms - go through my closet and dresser, eliminate things I don't really wear and give them to a charity or thrift store 4. Transfiguration - get out the paralettes and see how I feel about the crow pose

As you can see from the emblem under my pic, I've been with the Assassins for some time now (and really, I'm an Assassin at heart, I think). However, I thought I'd wander over here for the new year to see what the fuss is about (ie. my current goals are a little more Rangerly than Assassinly, even though my long-long term goals are definitely Assassinly). This challenge is going to be essentially the same as my last one, but the 4-week time frame will (hopefully) make it a little easier to stay consistent with my goals. The Back Story First, my epic quest involves me getting hired as a police officer. When I started here, I was getting in shape for the physical, which I have to redo every 6 months. One of the components (the one I have the hardest time with) is running a shuttle run test. I hate running with a passion, but it seems to me that the best way to get good at running is to run, so I don't really have a choice. The other thing I'm training for is pushups. They're part of a secondary physical held by some but not all of the police services in my area. A perfect score for my age group would be 37 knee pushups without stopping, so that's the long-term goal I'm aiming for. Second, last October, I separated my shoulder while playing hockey. My last challenge focused on the physio for that, which I'm progressing nicely with but still have a ways to go. Goal #1 - Physio+ Do my prescribed physio daily, as well as the extras that I've added in on my own. The physio alone takes about an hour or so to do, with the extras added in it takes about 15-20 minutes longer (assuming I buckle down and do it and don't take extended hockey-watching breaks between sets, which I have a habit of doing). I have a tendency to leave this 'til the end of the night, but with it taking that long I need to get to it a bit earlier in the evening so I have time to stretch after and wind down before bed. The extras consist of pushups and Bulgarian split squats one day, and butt exercises (given by my massage person) + superman hold and elbow planks the other day. For the record, my current 'extras' numbers are as follows: knee pushups - 3x14 (increase by 1/set each time I do them); BSS - 3x12; superman hold and plank - 3x45s Goal #2 - Stretch Them Things I hate stretching and can't figure out why, 'cuz I always feel better when I do it regularly. It often gets skipped when I do my physio late in favour of a reasonable bed time. Since I've already resolved to do my physio in a timely manner, I should have plenty of time to stretch. Do this daily. Goal #3 - Run Around the Block This goal is fairly simple, it's to run 3x/week. The distance of my new route is almost exactly 4k, and involves a couple of hills. For now I'm just focusing on getting out and going, but I'll eventually start timing myself to give an extra push of motivation. I was in the process of letting this slide when I injured my shoulder, and since then I've run very little. I absolutely need to get back to it if I'm going to pass the physical the next time I have to do it (April some time). To help with motivation with this, me, Starpuck and polgara19 have an Accountabilibuddies thread going (with Starpuck's brilliant idea to make it more fun), so part of this goal is to check in there regularly too. In really inclement weather, going for 15-20 minutes on the treadmill is a fine replacement, but I have to make the speed as fast as I can maintain, not just an easy jog. Related to this, I think a lot of my motivation issues around running is an attitude problem. I tend to think of myself as a person who does not run and hates running, but who is forced to run in order to achieve a goal. For the next four weeks, I'm going to try to adjust my thinking so that I'm a person who runs, which is convenient, since it will help me achieve a goal. I'm not certain I'm ready to try calling myself a runner yet, but maybe this'll be a step towards that. I have had a few good runs, after all. Maybe a new attitude will help more of them be at least not horrible... Goal #4 - Eat Better This December was not a good one for me. Other than my physio goal, all the others went right out the window. December is always very busy and exhausting for me, as I work in a post office. The first thing to go was the healthy eating goal, and my GI tract has informed me that my eating habits between the last challenge and now have only deteriorated. I'm not going to track things, I know how to eat healthy without tracking and I'm not overly concerned if I loose weight (though taking some fat off would be a nice side effect). Within this goal, I'd like prepare lunches ahead of time (mostly likely Sundays), so I can come home on my break and not have to think about what I'm going to eat, or be tempted to run to Wendy's instead. I love salad, so that'll be what I do most often, but soup/stew is also good (or a bit of both!). I'd also like to eat grainy or starchy things at only one meal/day. If I'm doing salads at lunch, that just means I have to decide oats or not oats at breakfast, then just not take rice/potatoes at dinner when appropriate. And that's that. Ps. Sorry for the slinking, I can't help it. I'll try to start, uh............ doing whatever it is that Rangers do to locomote their persons from one place to another from now on. No promises, though... (Edit: changed the challenge title to reflect the fact that I learned the Ranger HQ is The Fort, of which the Great Hall is only a part. Sorry, I'm new here, and apparently not very good at the intelligence gathering bit of infiltrating...)

â–² This is me trying to come up with a challenge format on a weekend!! Hello my peeps! It's been a while eh! Nevermind the assassin title there on my signature, I assure you, we are totally here as bonafide, genuine rangers. Yus. Absolutely. Did I say we? I meant I... We would suggest a small infiltration group, and I of course, am here, all alone... yes. As a ranger. Ok enough with the jokes! (Or maybe they're not jokes...) I ran my first 2 years here as a ranger. I can't believe I've been here since 2013! And as my training is really taking a shift back to a combination of many things, I felt a return to my first guild would be in order. I run, but nothing past a 5k. I strength train, but it's a combination of a lot of things at this point, and I hockey. The thing is; In early September I tried water skiing. (I totally got up and I love it.) BUT, I'd been nursing a 'chatty' shoulder since May. Nothing insanely painful, just certain motions (bench press and push ups) bothered it and I kept sleeping on it and mucking it up. Water skiing wasn't just a nail in the coffin, it was freaking LANCE THROUGH THE SHOULDER! Long story short, cortisone shot + 3 months of PT and ... no relief. Nothing is torn, there are no spurs, I just have hella inflammation and impingement. My original doc (not happy with him, trying other approaches) said that surgery is now the next option. I'm not fan of surgeries to fix things that aren't mechanically broken, so I am opting to give myself 3 months of self rehab. â–¼ What my shoulder felt like after water skiing. â–¼ What my last 3 months of fitness, diet and overall health looked like. So, while the shoulder has limited me away from the things I love doing (pull ups, cry. I was up to 7!! SEVEN IN ONE SET, and they are all gone now..) and has in general, been a royal pain in the ass, I have to decide: Let it control everything, or learn how to work around it and really really be consistent on fixing it. Without further ado. My challenge.... Goal #1 - Shoulder Rehab Traumeel rub 2x/day (After shower, before bed) Ice 3x/day (After bf at work, after lunch at work, after dinner at home) Stretches 2x/day, foam roll daily. Home rehab program daily, as written.I know that's like 4 goals in one, but they really all need to be worked on and two of them are just quick little things and the other two could technically be combined. This will act as the 'strength' portion of my fitness until I can add in other strengthy goodness. I may, after I get in a good groove on the shoulder stuff, split the shoulder moves between two days, and add in lower body/core work in so that every day is a light, but still full body circuit. Goal #2 - Running Run 2-3x /week. Simple. Work back up to running 5k at a shot. (Flexibility to allow for weeks there is much hockey.)Because some dumbass signed up for a triathalon in June. (Just a sprint distance, so 1/2 mile swim, 13 mile bike, 3.1 mile run.) **What. Dafuq. Was I thinking?** Goal #3 - Track Food Track food in MFP daily. Aim to eat 1500-1800 calories. (This is slight loss to maintenance level depending on my activity for the day.)I've done it before and succeeded with it. I already have hundreds of things built into MFP so this isn't a monumental thing to try and to with the rest of my goals. Try as I might to 'wing it'. Especially now with my usual activities having to change up, I need to know what I am putting into my gut. I also want to really try and mimic the anti-inflammation diet as much as I can without being zealous about it. Life Goal: Art something twice a week.I have a huge creative side that I do not nourish enough. I was gifted a drawing tablet and software for Christmas. I do not know how to use it at all. Like at all, at all. This is going to be a very good challenge for me to work through something I am not 'immediately good at' and learn how to put in hard work and time and effort. Since I'm torn on music and drawing, I've the challenge simply as art. It can be hand drawing, digital drawing/learning or playing the piano. But twice a week, slow my roll and do something creative. Prep work for tomorrow is: Take my home workout from my PT and separate the stretch moves from the rehab moves so I have quick visual markers for what is what when I do it. Take measurements as a new starting point. And possibly a before picture. (Anyone else have like seventeen different "befores" lol.) Make a grocery list for work food.Starting Measurements: Weight 152.2 Ugh! Bodyfat 33.3% Muscle 27.6% Alright! Let's do this!

"Influenced by the sounds of the 80s, it was 40% written by Carl Burnett, 40% by Franklin Enea and a sweet, sweet 20% by William J. Reagan. When I hear this song, anything is possible!!" ~ Cyborg, Teen Titans Go S3E10 Starpuck needs to become her own epic mix of 40-40-20! 40% MENTAL - The largest factor of my success (or failure) is mental. I need to control my own rationalizations and use them for good and not for evil! 40% PHYSICAL - A plan without execution accomplishes nothing. The physical side of the challenge will consist of proper eating and maintaining an active, fit lifestyle. 20% FLEXIBLE - The ability to handle bumps along the way without giving up on the destination. (Even if that means taking a detour, that still, eventually, gets me to point B.) MENTAL GOALS 1) 15 MINUTES ME TIME! Set aside 15 minutes per day for quiet "me-time". I can /do/ things during this time (preferably something calm like sketching, reading, writing, praying) but it must be done as an intentional stepping away from whatever to-do list, errand or project I might otherwise be distracted with. 2) OBSESS LESS! I am taking a 6 week break from tracking my food and exercise. I know that my at work meals are spot on. And my home-cooked dinners are appropriately portioned healthful meals. My hurdle is, and has always been, social game nights and weekends. As for exercise, that's part of what needs to be flexible for me right now, so I do what I can, when I can. PHYSICAL GOALS 1) Move from Point A to Point B 7x/week. Walking is good stuff. It can be done on just about any occasion, mood, energy level or schedule. If I can get outside to do it, even better - especially as winter hits and S.A.D. starts to settle into my bones. If I want to run to get from one place to another? Go for it. The point is. Move. With my legs. Make Lady Legasus proud. (Hah, funny. I had this set as 70,000 steps/week, then realized I had to change it because I am *NOT* number obsessing... geez. Tracking obsession Starpuck? Ya think?) 2) Shoulder rehab, into strength training as permitted, 3x/week. I am still in the midst of my Physical Therapy for my cranky shoulder. The cortisone shot did seem to take a large amount of pain out of the equation, but certain motions and stretches still cause issues so Moe is working with me. I've not been able to do pushes for months, and she told me to quit my pull ups too until she fixes me. I meet with her 3x/week - so until I am 'cleared' for more than that, PT will be my weekly goal. This means that this goal ties into the being flexible side of things too. 3) 2 Frak It Meals / Week max. I am not now, or ever, going to be 100% perfect. So, let's just plan that I am allowed to say frak it twice a week. This will work great if I consider it as such; one game night I can cut free a bit, and one weekend hurrah out. Since I am not counting anything this challenge, I will use this as my means of getting the extra fun tiem foods under control. FLEXIBILITY GOALS When I have the time or desire... do the following: Work on drawing things. Work on writing stuff. Work on next year's vacation plans. Get more involved in church stuff / find a group. Play some video games (or Pretty Pretty Pegasus) Catch up on anime and tv shows. Chill out and cut myself some slack. So, that's the plan. It's kind of vague, and hardly has any proper goals - but, there it is. I should also probably try to keep up more in NF proper. I always do better when I am actively part of the community. >.> Funny how that works.

I have a tendency to want to restart everything once I screw up, fall behind, or space out on it. I've certainly done that over the summer this year in regard to my challenges and overall health and fitness goals. It's about this point that I would usually want to pull the plug, find new gadgets and gizmos and start over. Not this time my friends. This time I am going to continue with the characters I have, at the level they are, and keep playing. The great thing about NF (okay one of the many great things about it) is that I can look back at past challenges to see where I had my most success and what I was doing to attain it! So I did that! And... I also wrote down all the stuff that's on my mind that I want to do. Then I plotted it out on a calendar. How do I know that my best bod history was basically between April and August of 2013? I found this pic of me. In a box. And I love it!!! As far as I can tell by past NF notes and updates, I was around 142 here. But that's a sharp looking 142. (I haven't weighed myself in a while, but I think I am around 147, so not far off number wise, but way different shape wise.) I was able to look back and figure out what I was doing at this point. Running 3x a week. Strength training 3x a week. Eating really, really clean. So now I know what pieces need to be in this puzzle, it was just a matter of arranging them. Ok, and adding in things like, hockey, yoga, drawing, gaming, and other things. I also can take past experience to know that, I will NOT get a strength workout in on the weekends. Just never happens. I DO tend to be otherwise active on the weekends though, so no worries. Hockey season is starting up again, so I will have hockey at least once a week, sometimes three times a week. Taking that all into consideration, the plan of attack is this: Strength Train M-W-F (3x/week) Run T-Th (2x/week) Yoga T-Sa (2x/week) Draw M-Sa (2x/week) Hockey W-F/Sa/Su (1-3x/week) Gaming Th-Su (2x/week) Bible Study W (1x/week) Yes, yes it seems like a lot! But the strength training and running is always done at work, on my lunch hour. So the drawing, yoga, hockey and gaming will be my evening activities. If I go into it just knowing that on certain days, I do certain things, it takes some of the brain work away. I am also going to track my food, especially as I may cut out some of the processed grains and breads again. Last time I did that, I lost a lot of weight, but I also think I was eating far too little. I have a vacation that starts on, and lasts through all of week four, so that is going to be really hard. I think I'll just do my best, enjoy the trip, and not worry about it. I also need to think up a way on how to organize and track, and ... oh snap! I forgot about the other goal, lol. Back to budgeting. And with the idea of putting $300/month, physically, into the savings account. Alright, the morning is getting away from me, but I wanted to get this posted before I lost track of my thoughts. TL;DR GOALS SUMMARY Strength Train 3x/week Run 2x/week Yoga 2x/week Draw 2x/week Eat Clean/Track 6x/week Budget $75/week into savings. I'll spew brain vomit on this thread more later. I need fooooooood.

Main Quest: Find balance with all the things I must do in this life. As life responsibilities increase I will learn to handle all that is on my plate now and then some. Hypothesis: If I balance out my daily routine to include smaller time slots of more things, then I will become more balanced and well rounded in life, therefore making myself more productive and building more discipline to accomplish my major goals in life Notes: I am really good at going 110% into something and neglecting other things in the process. I just got a second job, started rehabbing the SLAP tear in my left shoulder, getting more involved with some career based networking groups here in town, and starting a some new projects at home. I need balance, not all out with one thing while neglecting the rest Goals: Complete the tasks set forth below... Quest 1: Meditate Hypothesis: If I mediate for a short period once a day, over time I will ingrain the mindset of meditation and calm neurologically into my brain, and will be more peaceful and focused with less mind chatter. Goal: 7 minutes a day, 6 days a week (because every needs a day off here and there). Notes: This should be easy right? So far I have never hit this goal, tried twice. Third time is the charm. Quest 2: Read for the Commonplace Hypothesis: If I start to keep a commonplace book, then I will become way more badass and smarter and start to accumulate knowledge that I can then draw upon later. Goal #1: Finish 2 books by the end of the challenge. I'm almost done with Education of a BodyBuilder (amazing book!), then I will choose and finish one more book by the end. Goal #2: Have 50 notecards for the Commonplace book by the end of the challenge. Don't care what they are about or where they come from (book or quotes or nuggets of information from the interwebs), as long as they are there. Notes: Reading > Netflix (in most cases). when I do read, I will start to take notes on index cards that I keep in each book that I am reading so that I can begin to put together a commonplace book so that I can draw upon that knowledge later, instead of just having a hundred books with highlighting in them that I can never find the information when I want it, like I have now Quest 3: Shoulder Rehab Hypothesis: If I do what my physical therapist says, my shoulder will get better . Goals: Hit the gym 3 times a week while maintaining a routine that has my physical therapists stamp of approval. Notes: I've had this injury for a while, and while it hasn't got worse, it hasn't got any better either. So I went to a physical therapist and go a list of no-no's and yes's for my routine I can: do anything with my arms in front of me, ideally around the heart area. This includes: deadlift, rows, pushups, front squat, handstands, L-sits, ring supports I can not: Do involves my shoulders being stretched out of my arms behind me. This includes: dips, squats, muscle ups, back levers, and stretching with my arms behind me. New Gym Goals: 350 lb deadlift 160 lb bench 185 lb front squat 20 sec handstand 30 pullups Life Quest: Nutrition System Hypothesis: If I develop a system a nutrition system, with a schedule, recipes, grocery lists, and meal prepping times, then I will make my life so much easier it's ridiculous. Goal: Have a full blown "This is Brice's system for eating healthy in a efficient, non time consuming manner" complete with meal times, sample meal plans, recipes, grocery lists, the whole 9 yards that I can use as a blueprint for the next 6WC. Notes: The bane of my gains is my eating habits. I eat pretty healthy in terms of substance. I also miss meals, allocate too much time (work from home + not meal prep = too many hours in the kitchen), and make myself frustrated constantly. I need a system. I have no organization. I got to get this shit under control. The way I'm doing it isn't working for me so I need to create something better and more efficient or as my time with other things increases my nutrition will suffer immensely. I'm giving myself 6 weeks of research to come up with a plan, this should be sufficient. Motivation: Self-development is an essential skill in life. Being weak and complacent is not an option.

"Well well well, what do we have here, an AWOL ODST trooper returning back to Firebase Alpha." This is my quiet little re-entry back in to the world of Nerd Fitness, proper strength training, the Warriors Guild and finding an income. I'll try to stick by the challenge script. For a bit of a background, as of the 18th of Sept, I'll have been without employment for a whole 365, an achievement which hasn't appeared on my XBOX, gone through the drag of 6 months of failed job applications and interviews and of not having daily objectives to achieve, went back to university to start a Masters in Project Management and now I need to hit the streets again and get out of this (more on that later). Even without work life has been hectic: I've planted a church with some good friends in a close by city, have played my first season of soccer since I was 6, (Regular season Wins:2 Draws:2 Losses: 14) Go Citylife FC! Have limited my own training by bungling up my shoulder nicely. Have started training a younger guy in the Ways of the Warrior out of my garage. Challenge main quest: Back to basics 1. Regular garage strength training 3x a week, rehab permitting 2. Run 2x a week, LSD or sprint sessions, to be tracked and posted here. 3. Rugby skills every week. Challenge life quest: Get an Income 1. Find employment via the traditional methods regularly, apply for 5 jobs per week If any are available. 2. Cold call 10 companies, either phone, face to face or email. 3. Complete initial market research for start-up. Challenge side quest: Shoulder wellness Shoulder hasn't been fully functional in a long time. Exacerbated the problem about 6 months ago, went from impingement on any over hand vertical pull, pull ups, lat pull downs, to being unable to bench, OHP, hold my arm out horizontal. Finally sucked it up and went to the docs, initial assessment was an inflammation of the supraspinatus tendon. Ultrasound shows an impingement. Recovery: 10 days of anti inflammatory tables as provided by the doc. Steroid injection scheduled for this Thurs, 48 hours without any resistance after that. Build up shoulder from the ground up, rotator cuff health. More later Peace