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Seriously, just realised now (4 May) is International Star Wars Day May the fourth be with you! (A trying to be funny tall tale, made up on the fly. Don't think too much if you read it, just go with the flow...) ... ... Moving to the Moon (This is the house I bought on the Moon in the House Flipper game) I have to work out a new routine for my responsibilities, old and new: My usual To Do's: Bible study/Pray/Quiet time; [every day] Weight (and measurements when I remember) (there is artificial gravity, I don't need extra weight ); [Monday weigh] Sleep (before 21h45, preferably 21h30); [every night] Cleaning (No vacuuming when Brandt has to talk online with colleagues - we have more of an idea of their schedule now) [vacuum Sunday - dust Monday]. New Moon Duties: Shooting (dry fire practice for security) [Monday] Chosen workout (modified from Darebee's Chosen One workout) [Tuesday] SpaceLann workout (modified from Darebee's Spaceman, and Lannister workouts) [Thursday] Gardening/DIY [Friday and Saturday] Chosen Workout (modified to suite me better): Jumping Jacks 10x High Knees Twist 10x Reverse Lunges 4x (each leg) Side-to-Side Lunges 2x (each leg) Side Leg Raises 5x (each leg) Reverse Lunges 4x (each leg) Calf Raises 4x Plank Rotations 4x (each side) Mountain Climbers 10x (each leg) (put foot down in front, no foot touch) Sit-Twist stretch Butterfly stretch Butterfly fold over stretch Rest 2min. after this set, before continuing on with the 2nd set. SpaceLann Workout (modified to suite me better): Jumping Jacks 10x High Knees Twist 10x Wide hands Push ups 5x Diamond hands Push ups 5x Shoulder taps (no push ups) 5x (each side) Jumping Jacks 10x Side-to-Side chops 10x (each arm) Straight Punches 10x Standing Band Row 10x Sit-Twist stretch On Knees in ball hold (5 count) Superman hold (5 count) Rest 2min. after this set, before continuing on with the 2nd set. Dry Fire Training (Shooting): Unholster/Holster firearm (f.a.) Practice Israeli grip and point Magazine load, unload from f.a. Garden/DIY: We are still not allowed to buy any DIY things if we are not a registered builder, plumber or electrician with a valid permit. We don't have a lot of things left to do DIY with (paint, varnish, seal...) but we'll go on with what we can. My main focus will be in the garden, pulling out weeds, cutting back, mowing (last month before winter). Things in that line. Welcome to my Moon Base!

This is the nostalgia challenge... I honestly thought it's been a lot more years than the threads make it out to be. I joined NF in January 2015, as a Recruit (obviously), then February 2015 I went over to the Assassins, and October 2015 joined the Rangers. I made friends in Recruit and Assassins which I'm still friends with today! (or they are still friends with me, good, patient people they are ). Along this epic 5 year journey I was blessed with many more friends, all of whom had a profound influence in my life. Thank you for making my life, my world, a better place! I started off as an Amazon-Mom, wanting to loose weight and get fit and strong to enjoy life with my boys (then 5and 8yrs old respectively), and I'm back at wanting to loose weight, but still enjoying life with my husband and boys (now 10 and 13 years respectively). I am back at being mostly unfit and not as strong as I was, but I am much more fit and strong than I was then. This level of 'unfit' or 'not strong' is miles above 'that then there level, you see'. Then I didn't know that I had very limited boundaries, some would say I was an open target. Over the years NF has meant more to me, has taught me more than just health and fitness. I think I'll take a chance and say that it has matured me some, definitely taught me safe, healthy boundaries, and has healed my spirit. I might take the odd challenge off, but there is no way I can live without NF in my life. And NF is synonymous with the people. It's the people that make it special. This is the one woman that I came back to, time and again. I've been adventurers in Lord of the Rings, in Hobbits, I've been Na'avi, I've been human, and I became a non-hero Elf-ranger, having to save humanity against grime, crime and crazy monkeys. I've ridden dinosaurs, brooms, foxes, gryphens (ok, it was a hippogriff)... You've inspired me to draw, to write, to try anything... ...and your encouragement is pushing me on to keep going, keep trying. Thank you lovely people of Nerd Fitness.

Everything that is worth it, is an uphill battle! (Landon Kyker) I'm standing on this plato. I've already climbed some steep hills the last couple of years, but there are more ahead of me. The last two months' battle was to get back to being strong and fit, as well as the emotional/personal battle which is ongoing. Now to continue on that trail yet improve in some other areas. Then it hit me, there is a huge area which I want to focus on: my personal image! I won a mother's day makeover prize last year and the change was shocking to say the least. I'm not a makeup, accessories, dress to impress kind of woman, but I can look better and not like a frumpy housewife who doesn't care about herself. Because I do care about myself and by caring about what I look like, I show respect not just to myself but also to God and the people closest to me. So I joined the "Frumpy Fighters". It was put together for moms of all ages, by a mom. I like that in her free 3-day course she places emphasis on spirituality, health and fitness, and then appearance. Your body is a resource - use it, embrace it, maintain it! I don't just want to build my body, I want to make it look good in clothes too, get some style going. What are the use of gainz if you can't show it off sometimes GOAL 1A: FIRST 15- I get up at 5am, put the coffee machine on, start exercising, and then later relax with a mug of coffee and bible study. Unfortunately I don't always get to finish my bible study, or sometimes just don't have time left to do it early morning, before I have to start with breakfast, packing hubby's lunch, clean the kitchen, make the beds, feed the pets, etc. etc. So after listening to pastor Landon Kyker's first sermon on Uphill battles, I decided that I will start my day with First 15: 5min. Bible reading -> 5min. Worship -> 5min. Prayer, and then I'll do my exercises. I'm aiming to start Monday to Friday this way. GOAL 1B: MORNING EXERCISES (Physical and Mental)- Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays will be BW exercises at 5am. I can't do it 4 or 5 mornings a week, that is just too much for me. I've tweaked the exercises a little bit from last challenge, and will list them in another post. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Bible study mornings after First 15, continuing with Joyce Meyer's Win the battle in your mind - 100 thoughts (loosely translated). GOAL 2: AFTERNOONS- Mondays: OFF (Rangers' mini exercises focus) Tuesdays: Self Defense with the boys - when possible Wednesdays: Walk long distance Thursdays: Walk with Adam Fridays: OFF (Rangers' mini exercises focus) or catch up on my exercises GOAL 3: FINANCES- Not just all play, some serious work too: January finances to update. GOAL 4: FRUMP TO STYLE- I have to "style it up" when I go out or stay in. I don't have to dress up, just look neat and hopefully a bit stylish, and NOT like a Frumpy Mama. Focus on the following: Basic makeup: mascara and lip gloss/lip stick (the rest will just melt off in this humidity and heat, I tried yesterday); No-frump clothes: neat top and pants/skirt/shorts, or dress. No track suite, oversize t-shirt, etc.; Aim for 3 days a week, so let's say 10-15 days this challenge. I'll also try to go through some of the style worksheets from Frumpy Fighters and Style for 40+ groups every week. PRIZE: Sunglasses... (my last pair just broke) GOAL 5: SLEEP- I have to go to bed earlier. 21h15 finish up whatever I'm doing and get everything ready for next morning (meat out to defrost, start dishwasher, shower, etc.) 21h45 in bed, lights out! PRIZE: IF I am in bed between 21h15-21h30, then I get a bonus point. For every 5 bonus points I can buy 1x accessory for style scarf bangles ballet flats uuhhhmmm help me think, please I'm not good with this or another scarf? GOAL 6: FUN, FUN, FUN The boys and I have this tradition when I buy them new sleeping t-shirts, I get plain ones and then draw a picture on the front of their choosing. Didn't do any last year, but this year there are some tall orders: Yoda with a seagull (because of this YouTube song), Halo's Masterchief, Intro scene from T.A.B.S. (Totally Acrobatic Battle Simulator), an anatomy drawing of the human body (for work we are doing this year). And I wanted a Wonder Woman t-shirt, but decided to make it look like her uniform, not have her face. Those dark lines, maybe some gold applique at the top and bottom... So this is for FUN! Try to finish one t-shirt a week. Serious fun! I have to practice E.D.C. and dry fire drills (drawing and holstering): 1x house drill with Brandt, clearing rooms, getting under cover, changing magazines; 3x morning draw and holster drills when I put my f.a. on And just to have it on, and not forget: Measurements, taken every Sunday morning. Will edit later with pics of stylish superheroes, have to start dinner and feed the pets...

No story this time. This is just for me. For the past few challenges, I would push myself to do something, and I would simply let it slide and fail at doing them due to Life/Excuses. Then at work, someone said something that resonated with me. "You're so boring, being so serious all of the time." And quite honestly, she was right. I had forgotten how to have fun in life and in NF and Rule #32 in Zombieland "Enjoy the little things." So I'm not going to hold my exercising in such a high priority that if I slip my entire progress is ruined. I'm simply going to move and train and push only when it feels right. And I'm going to (re-)learn how to enjoy my progress, and not worry to the point where as it was pointed out to me, I become so serious all of the time. My routine will still be the same. Push-ups, Planks, Side-to-side Lunges, Regular Lunges, BW Squats, and shadowboxing. But the goal this time is simply to Enjoy it.

It had been days since Red left Banon's home and set out towards the lair of a Boss who terrorized the old man. As he follows the road, He comes across a fork in the road. "OK now let's see, According to this, At the fork in the road, take the middle path'... What the? There's no middle path! That's gotta be the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Red sat next to a pond to ponder contemplate his next move. "OK, so there's two roads, but according to this note, there should be a third path around here somewhere." After searching all around the path for an hour, he finds nothing. He sits next to some frogs who decided to become his audience as he was searching. "Bah! These notes are useless! How could there be a third pathway at a Fork?! There are no other forks around here and Baram definitely came by this way!" Red yells in frustration. "I know the way, Ribbit!" A voice calls out. "HOLY FROGLEGS!! You can talk!?" A Frog stood up and presented itself before Red "...OK, Ribbit, that was a bit insensitive. But yes, I know the way, Ribbit!" "Can you tell me then?! I'll reward you with all of the bugs you can eat!" The Frog hesitated. "What? What's the matter? You don't like bugs?" The Frog sighed. "I'll help you, if you help me first Ribbit. Change me back." Red looked at the slimy creature puzzled. "Uhhh... Back into what? A tadpole? That's a bit beyond my power there, buddy." "No! Not into a Tadpole, you Ribbit Schmuck! Into a Human!! Ribbit I want to be a human again!" The Frog squeaked. "I was a Bard until a witch cursed me and transformed me into this creature Ribbit! 'to always be croaking along with the other pests' as she put it. Then I travelled along with these frogs and saw these bandits Ribbit! but I wouldn't ask them for help, they'd eat me or sell me to make a quick buck! Ribbit! I know you won't do that! Help me, please, and I'll tell you how to get into their lair! Ribbit!" Red looked at the frog's eyes, he was telling the truth. "OK, I'll help you. What do I have to do?" Water - You're going to need to store a lot of water into your body, trust me this is how it works, Obtain a half-gallon bottle of water, and make sure you finish it twice a week! Wake up/Going to sleep Earlier - The pathway opens up, at all odd hours of the day, You're going to need to go to sleep and wake up earlier, aim for 11PM and wake up at 8AM Practice Guitar - The bandits whistle a couple of bars to open up the door, my frog ears can't pinpoint the actual tune, but if you play some chords, I should be able to pinpoint the melody! Try learning the Chords on this conveniently placed guitar, by practicing for 15 mins every day. 3 Circuits - You'd better get stronger if you're planning on fighting these guys! Might want to try to add another circuit to your routine! My circuit will be as follows with a 30 sec break in between each exercise and a 1:30 sec break in between each circuit: Warm-up 15 Push-ups + 1-4 Punch Combo 20 BW Squats + Teep Kicks Pull-ups + Randomized Punch Combos and Spinning Elbows 20 Lunges + Grappled Knees 45 Sec Planks Stretching

As Red fights the dragonlord, he starts to become overwhelmed at the strength of the ancient beast. 'Gah... This isn't looking good.' He thinks to himself as he tries to dodge a barrage of fireballs that are hurdled towards him. "I know I can't beat him, but maybe If I can just get that crystal, I can pass this test." Bahamut continues to goad him, "Is that all you're capable of? I thought you would do better than this?" Red quickly thinks up a plan to get to the crystal. 'Aha! I know what to do! Now I just have to look for my opening!' The Dragon inhales for another attack 'There!' Red immediately charges forward, sword drawn while the dragon launches another barrage! 'I'm... almost... there!' And then... "Got it!" As Red touched the crystal, it began glowing with a strange light. It emitted a pulse that pushed him back. Even the Dragonlord was confused by this reaction as the crystal tore itself away from his claws and floated between them. 'I've got a bad feeling about this...' They both thought, as the crystal began to shine brighter and brighter. They both were paralyzed with awe as they were being engulfed by the crystal's light. ... ... "Uhhh... My head..." "Any body catch the number on that Chocobo?" Red mutters as he tries to open his eyes. "You've been asleep for some time." A voice calls out. "WAAAHHH!!! Who the--?? Old guy?! Where am I? What happened?! Why do I look... different?" Red spoke, startled by the voice "Wh-- I'm only 37! *AHEM* I mean, I found you lying on the ground some distance from here, there was rubble and you were in naught but your skivvies. So I brought you here and gave you some armor from my old days in the army. You've been passed out for some time. I am Baron and this is my h--" Suddenly there was a crashing sound shaking the whole house! "No... They're back early!" Baron immediately runs outside, naturally Red quickly follows. "Oi! Old man! We've come fer our payment!" A snarky voice shouts. "Again?! I'm only 3-" "Who are those guys?" Red asks. "These are Borras' men. They come and take whatever Borras demands. They're early today." Baron speaks to the group of henchmen. "I'm afraid you're early, I don't have enough. Please just give me more t--" "Oi! Wazz all dis about not enuff money?!" Shouted what seems like the head henchmen of the bunch. "Borras sayz ya got ta pay! Dat iz it den!" Red steps in, "Look buddy, the old guy clearly doesn't have enough, maybe you should--" "Oi! Who'z dis?!" "Baron found me and cared for my wounds, that's all, I'm about to leave and--" "Well well well, Looks like da old man haz got enuff ta house a stranger, but not enuff ta pay up? Tsk tsk tsk, old man." The leader then strikes Baron, knocking him to the ground. "Hey! That was uncalled for!" "Ohhh... I don't tink I like dat tone of voice. Looks like we needz ta teach ya a lesson!" Red fights back! Shadowboxing + Exercises! - I've got to get back my old strength, I've slacked so much! So now I've formulated a routine where I implement shadowboxing after each exercise, kinda like a modified HIIT. The number of combos I perform will be the same number of reps I do (I.E. 15 push-ups = 15 1-4 Punch combos, etc). I take a 1 min break between each set, and 2 mins between each exercise - STR +3 STA +3 3 x 15 Push-ups + 1-4 Punch Combo 3 x 20 Squats + Teap Kick (10 for each leg) 2 x 4 Pull-ups + Extended Punch combos (i.e. 1-1-2-3, 1-2-3-3-4, etc to make up for the low number of reps) 3 x 20 Lunges + Knees (Grappling knees, 10 for each knee) MT Sit-ups or Planks (I'm still up in the air about which one) Read! - This guy talks worse than he smells! I'm losing Intelligence points just listening to him! I know! I've obtained the classic book 1984 as a Christmas present, so I'm going to set aside time to read it everyday for at minimum 15 mins. WIS +2 Clean eating! - Now that the holidays are over, I need to clean up my food intake! Salads, veggies, and greens will be part of my normal lunches from now on. WIS +3 Red's Absence - OK, now this one is a doozy. I can't continue my Master's program because there wasn't enough financial aid to help me cover my tuition (I've even looked into loans and whatnot, and still no.). So I'm forced to take a Leave of Absence. Today, I'm going to talk to Student Services about how exactly this works, and how I can pay off my balance, as well as plan steps to build up enough financial aid to cover my tuition for when I go back. I'll be looking into Scholarships, grants, and most likely a second job (because my current one will start cutting my hours soon). If you guys have any additional advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. WIS +4

Last we left Red, He had just defeated the undead Samurai, and continues on his path towards the Temple of the Lich "Man, this pathway is taking forever! I shoulda made a left at Albuquerque! HA HA HA!" Looking around he noticed that there was no one to hear his joke, "... Oh right." As he pressed on, He heard something faint. He stopped to listen. "Huh, guess I imagined it." "Grrrggghh..." "There it is again! OK, there's something definitely out there!" Red looks around and sees a Zombie moving towards him, "Huh, that's odd." He quickly dispatched it, without a second thought. "Heh, is that the best you can do?!" He arrogantly shouts towards no one. Before he can take another step, another zombie rises from the dirt. Then another, and another, and another, and another! In a manner of minutes, an entire horde of Zombies are surrounding Red! Running out of space, he immediately comes up with a plan "OK, so Zombies are uhhh... slow! Slow swings, meaning openings! Openings in their attacks means I can attack back! Got it!" Sliprope Training: "Zombies always swing towards the head, so if I can learn to dodge that swing and attack afterwards I'll survive!" - Using one of my handwraps, I've managed to set up an interesting twist on the shadowboxing aspect of my workout. I will do 3 rounds of Sliprope training: Round 1: pure movement Round 2: Step-1-2 Punch combo, Step-1-2 Punch combo, Rinse and Repeat Round 3: Step-1-4 Punch Combo, Step-1-4 Punch combo, Basically, two swings with the same arm: one cross/jab, the other uppercut/stomach shot Side-to-Side Pushups: "I've gotta make some room before I get overtaken here!" - Keeping up with increasing the difficulty of my exercises, I'm now adding Side-to-side Push-ups to my routine. I only count 1 rep after going right to left, and left back to right. Less Xombox, More NF: "I can't let myself become a zombie! I have to fight that temptation to give in!" - I just recently bought myself an Xbox One Slim, and I REALLY like it, but I can't let it get in the way of my health and seeing you lovely nerds here! So only AFTER seeing all of the threads that I follow, and my exercises, will I allow myself time to play Xbox. 5 Minutes to Play: Another attempt to get myself to practice the guitar, except this time, starting small, 5 minutes of practice for 3 days (2 of the days will be on my days off, and the 3rd will be on a work day)

Red awakens with a start. He's lying on the floor, cold and shivering, his eyes refocus and he's sees the Red Knight standing before him, waiting for him. "Again." He says, his words direct yet hollow, like a winter wind. Red gets to his feet, and picks up his sword, "We've been at this for weeks now! What is it you're trying to teach me?" He gets into an attack stance. The Red Knight lunges forward, and strikes! "Gahh! Why are you doing this?" The Red Knight says nothing, as Red tries to get an answer from him. A barrage of attacks falls upon Red, nothing he couldn't defend against, but once the attack was over, the Knight disappeared. "What the?" Red pondered, he was just here. "You search with your eyes. That's wrong!" Winding up right behind Red, The Knight attacks with a series of strikes! "How... How did you do that? I was looking right at you." "That is the problem. You see when you should feel. Now get up, again!" The two swordsmen resume their battle, while Red ponders over the vague words of the Knight. 'I should feel and not see... I should feel? Feel what? I feel hungry and a bit pudgy... Hmmm, maybe I should really watch what I'm eating... What else do I feel? I feel like I've slipped on my training lately, I need to get back to it and work even harder!... OK what else do I feel?..." Hungry and Pudgy - I have a bit of a spare tire that I haven't been able to get rid of, and I've realized that it's from a lack of focus on what I should be eating vs what I've been actually eating. I've gotten water down pretty well, now it's time for me to focus on cleaning up on my eating habits. I'll try to take pictures of what I'm eating to show you guys (and to keep myself in check) what exactly I'm eating, as I could always use some pointers on what's healthy to eat and what isn't. Work even harder! - I have bought some Wrist/Ankle weights a while ago, and I haven't brought myself to use them yet, well now I will! I'll pick half of my exercises to have these weights integrated in them... or maybe just the ones that can utilize the weights Shadowboxing is a definite! What else do I feel? - I haven't been meditating and I feel like that was always a healthy habit to practice. I will make sure I meditate 3 times a week! No excuses! Seeing and not Feeling - I have a couple of books I've been meaning to finish! So I will spend 15 minutes every day reading as much as I can out of these books! Probably before I go to sleep or on my breaks at work.

Terinatum's New Groove Quest for the Balanced Life Mission Quests: Working Out -- 1 point STR, 2 points each DEX and STA -- ODD DAYS: BW and DB exercises and EVEN DAYS: Dancing (keep up my lung capacity work, since I'm not running much over the winter). A = 33/42 B = 29/42 C = 25/42 D = 21/42 Cooking More -- 3 points CON -- feel affection for my kitchen. Two meals per week. A = 10 B = 9 C = 8 D = 7 Eating Better -- 2 points CON -- keep focused on better foods. No sugar after 4 pm. A = 33/42 B = 29/42 C = 25/42 D = 21/42 My Life Quest: Working for Myself -- 3 points STA, 2 points WIS -- I'm going to do 10 minutes of a personal or household project every day. I will keep a daily log of the time and type of project(s). A = 33/42 B = 29/42 C = 25/42 D = 21/42 Side Quest: Do Ranger Mini Challenges BadAsses Accountabilibuddies Thread - Goal -- 5 Regular Push Ups before Jan 1st BATTLE ON