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Jackdaw gets fit Ok, so finally I am gonna focus on what this forum was designed for: fitness! My main goal is pain relief, getting back in shape after injury and working on my posture. Exercise three times a day (15 min) I am gonna do Liebscher Bracht routine. It is focused on pain relief and improving mobility, but actually it is quite strengthening too, my core was super sore after the first few workouts. Stretch throughout a day Bracht has lots of one-two minutes exercises while standing, so I wanna implement it into my day. Besides I am gonna report about other fun things I am into recently. These days I am totally hardcore about learning Morse Code. I am already fluent with the alphabet. I am excellent at sending, but not so great at receiving. It’s very hard. My brain just doesn’t catch up with noting the sounds. I am working on it every day. I am practising with an Indian soldier (My life is interesting, huh?) I met on an app for learning Morse. Many people all over the world message there in Morse. It’s really cool. For quite some time, I’ve been fascinated about making electronic gadgets and had thought about trying it myself, but I never had time for it. I don’t need to learn German anymore, so I think it’s time for developing some new hobbies. I’ve got my eye on a an electronics course (together with tool kit) for beginners, so that’s what I am gonna do after we move - learn basic electronics and learn how to make the most primitive circuits. I am totally excited about it. It’s my dream to make a simple robot (one day) and a toy car. I am also searching for a new job. It hate the idea of working again. I’d like to stay home and learn stuff I am interested in forever. But on the other hand, if I work, it gives me lots of satisfaction I can feed myself. So quite conflicted here. In the last four months I moved four times. We’re just about to move again. We’re both jobless and the euro currency is bleeding our pocket quickly. I am having a job interview in a field I have no idea about (logistics) but they want someone who speaks Polish, English, Chinese and German fluently, so they invited me over. Life has been like standing on the edge of a precipice with one idea what is down there when I jump. Because of my anxiety disorder, I hate that situation, but in some perverse way, I love it too. I love life to be like an action movie. My new morning routine: 1. Get up early 2. Coffee & morning reading/writing diary in Chinese 3. A walk in a park 4. Job search/interview preparation 5. Morse Code practise

It should be obvious what the theme is this challenge. I'll be working on four goals, plus writing story. The story portions will have their own posts. I'm planning on six parts, one at the end of each week, plus the opening. This time I'm starting the challenge at the beginning of zero week. AKA, today! Goal #1: Poké Chef! Cook one *new* family meal a week. Goal #2: Catch that pokémon! Work on job hunt four times each week. If I get the job I interviewed for last week, replace job hunt with study. Goal #3: Walk, walk, and walk some more! Walk 25 miles (40 km) each week. Goal #4: Wake-up Slap! Follow the morning routine five times a week. Meditate -> Daily Dare -> Bullet Journal -> Nerd Fitness

For almost a year now, I’ve been on the quest to travel to foreign lands and find the healing herb that can save my husband. For the last half of that journey, I’ve been sitting in a horse-drawn carriage, eating my way through the enchanted cotton candy forest. I can see daylight break through the pink clouds of sugary hell, so it’s time I prepare myself for the rest of the journey - I’ll be no use whatsoever in my current state once I get out of here and actually have to walk and possibly even fight monsters. Oh the horror! [My husband got really sick last year. He’s had three surgeries and is taking medication, but so far it’s not gotten any better. My apprenticeship ended in December last year, and I’ve not been able to work since then, in parts because I had to stay home and take care of him/be his translator at local doctors’ offices and hospitals, and because I haven’t been able to find a job. I tend to embrace laziness in times like these instead of using my time to better myself. Aka eat my way through cotton candy forest while letting the carriage do the moving for me. That needs to stop now.] Main Goal: Get ready to leave cotton candy forest [stop being lazy and get back into the habit of actually doing things] Life Goal: Find a good side quest line to replenish the funds for my journey. All that sitting and eating hasn’t exactly helped replenish my little chest of gold, and my benefactor has forgotten about me! It’s time I help someone herd their kittens or farm some crab meat to fill up my chest again. [Check job adverts. Send out applications. Ideally, find a job. But mostly, don’t give up hope and keep putting myself out there.] Diet Goal: Cleanse my body with the orange potion of gut health All the cotton candy has wreaked total havoc on my body and the wizard I’ve met along the way has given me a big cauldron full of orange potion. It looks quite vile, and I need to gulp down a lot of it at a time or it won’t work. But I gotta be strong clear out all the remnants of sugary webs the cotton candy spiders have spun in my body. [Drink fiber at least twice a day, ideally three times. Before meals. Add laxatives to one drink per day. I started that to help out my husband, since he has to do it and that’s one small way I can support him, and noticed that it makes me feel a lot better, so I want to stick with it.] Fitness Goal: Shake out those stiff bones and get out of the carriage! I’ve been sitting for so long, I don’t even remember what standing up feels like. Or walking. And dear god, don’t even get me started on running or pushing the carriage out of the sticky cotton candy puddle it’s currently glued to. I’m going to have to start moving if I want to make it out of those forest - especially if I want to continue with my quest! [I’ve been lazy. I haven’t exercised properly in forever. Rather than setting myself two different fitness goal, my goal is to move. Every day. In whatever way feels good that day. I’d rather have a five minute dance party with myself and make that count than getting frustrated with myself for not doing a certain workout on a certain day and giving up because of it. Any movement counts, but I want to focus on the following especially!] Train like a warrior! [strength training at the gym] Run circles around the carriage! [go for a walk/run/any combination of the two] Dance among the stars! [have a dance party with myself - e.g. dance a couple songs on Just Dance or turn up the music and dance around the house while doing the laundry] Stretch like a cat! [Do yoga or any other stretchy thing that looks good to me, like floor ballet] Seek guidance from my coachmen and -women! [Attend a class at the gym] There is no one way for me to start moving again and fight my way out of this darned forest. The only way I can continue instead of returning home without the cure is to just start moving and not stop, and to take tiny steps on days where the big ones seem like too much. TL;DR: Life goal: Actively try my best to find a job Diet goal: Drink fiber drinks Fitness goal: Move every day I am still tweaking my workout. I am aiming for a full body workout rather than split workouts at this point, because chances are I’m not going to be going to the gym every day all of a sudden, so I want to make the most of it when I do. I would appreciate any advice you have on how to improve that workout! Right now, I’m going for lower weights/more reps so I can get used to the movements and learn to do them correctly with lower chance of injury. I’m planning to change that up once I’m more comfortable with the exercises. Gym workout plan: Warm up on bike/run a couple laps 3x10 shoulder press (machine) 3x10 chest press (machine, the one that’s sorta like a bench press but without having to have someone spot you) 3x10 butterfly (machine) 3x10 triceps pushdown (cable machine) 3x10 wide-grip lat pulldown (cable machine) 3x10 1-arm bent-over rows (each arm) 3x10 (decline) crunches 3x10 deadlift 3x10 glute bridge variations (add weight, incline or lift a leg - or all of it!) 3x10 dumb bell lunges 3x10 inner & outer thighs machine If any of you have suggestions, recommendations or advise regarding that routine, please feel very free to let me know. I would appreciate it! I'm going to the gym with a friend today and will do each of those exercises so he can check my form and give me advice and help where I need it before I just try it all on my own and screw up my back. I'll add my starting weights to it afterwards. Time to channel my inner Xena and escape this sweet, sticky forest!

I suppose you could say I'm here as a mentor? (If that doesn't sound too pretentious or anything...) I've done a good number of challenges, not always successful, not always at my best, and rarely in one guild for too long. A bit of an introduction would probably be good... (It's spoilered because it's long and a bit of a brain dump, and some people already know a lot of it.) So I've narrowed it down to four goals to focus on this time around. I'm also grading this challenge, which I haven't done in awhile. Hydrate Drink at least two liters of fluid five times a week. Engage Post at least once on this thread and on someone else's thread five times a week. Hunt Work on job hunting stuff at least four times a week. Explore Go outside and explore at least once a week. Grading Each success will count as 1 point. So, if I 100% this, that makes 15 points a week, for a total of 60 points. Bonus points are also possible. Rewards are to be determined. I have to be creative since I can't really buy much. A+ = 65 or higher A = 60 - 64 B = 50 - 59 C = 40 - 49 D = 30 - 39 F = 29 or lower

Hey yall. So I'm working on a complete and total reboot. I lost my job about a week ago due to company restructuring. *sigh* I've been in mourning/lazy mode for the last week, and that ends today! My most pressing physical challenge is getting my routine back and fixing my insomnia. I haven't really been able to sleep for the past few weeks. My brain doesn't want to shut up enough to allow me to sleep. I haven't been able to fall asleep before 1-2 am and not getting up before 9am. I'm getting rather tired of it. I do have Ambien, but I've been wanting to get off of it for quite some time. So, therefore I have a plan to help me get some sleep! 1. Re-establish my routine by: getting into bed and getting up at a reasonable time - meaning in bed and electronics off by 10pm. I have a couple of playlists that I sometimes play, but they don't always work. I'm going to do some more experimenting to see if anything helps. 2. Try to shut my brain up - finally using that Headspace membership I have and meditating every day. 3. Cut the caffeine - no coffee or anything but water after 12pm. So... yeah.

You know that screen after you get a GAME OVER, where it says press START to continue? That's where I am now. I've more or less fully recovered from the accident. I'm ready to start exercising again, and I'm ready to start stepping away from the comfort foods. But I've lost a bit of progress, so it feels like I've been thrown back to the last checkpoint. I don't have my notes on me, but here's the basic plan: --> Workout 2/week. I was originally thinking 3/week, but I don't want to ramp things up too fast. It likely won't the the same days every week, cause my schedule depends on when events are. Mondays are my normal off day, so that and some other day (not Tuesday). The weather was getting nicer when I started planning this challenge so I was going to resume my playground workout. This will be a weather permitting why is winter two months late kind of thing. Indoor routines I'll pick from Darebee. Because doing the same routine quickly bores me. --> Morning routine. Doing the daily dare every morning has worked out well. And I've seen other people have success with morning routines, so I'm going to come up with something. I'm pretty sure this part of my notes is filled with giant question marks. --> Adulting. The approach I used last time worked out really well, so I'm going to continue with that. For this challenge the goal will be to get all of the dishes washed. --> Job search. I moved this over from my previous challenge. With the caveat that I approach this with a game plan. I had to work really hard to limit this to four goals. I wanted to include nutrition and hydration stuff, but nope. I cut it out, cause I don't want to get burnt out. More details later. When I'm not waiting for my therapy appointment.

Last challenge: I lost about 4 pounds, finished recovering from an issue that put me in the hospital in July, and fitness wise worked my way back up to where I was at the beginning of July. I also had a car accident with no injuries during that last challenge that totaled my car. It's been a stressful summer, and I'm hoping that will be 100% behind me by next week (I thought it was, but now I'm getting bills that should have been covered by insurance). So I've been very, very stressed over bills, insurance, and events. I want that to all stop. The single biggest accomplishment of last challenge was running a 5k. I did it in a little over 38 minutes with a mix of walking and running, but mostly running. That was on 4 weeks of run practice. I'm now on week 7 of Zombies Run 5K, so I'm looking for another race, which I want to run 100% of. This challenge: 1) Diet: I've lost 18 pounds so far since the end of June, with 20 or 30 to go. I'm 5 pounds away from a non-overweight BMI, which is my first major milestone. I've also been at this weight now for 2 weeks, and I only had PMS for one of those weeks, so I need to get more consistent about eating at a deficit. - Write down what I eat. - Eat at a deficit. - Bonus: write down my meals for the day in the morning, and stick to them. 2) Exercise: I'm continuing with two kettlebell strength and conditioning classes a week, which I've been doing since February (except in July/August when I was recovering from a medical problem). - 2x a week: Strength and conditioning classes. - 2x-3x a week: Zombies Run 5K! (I'm on week 7) - Find another 5K to run after I finish Zombies Run 5k, and run the full distance. Bonus: Beat a time of 36 minutes. 3) Career: I've been unhappy with my job lately, and the person who I shared a lot of workload with just left. I need a change. The possibilities are: new job, grad school for a slight shift in career focus, or get a promotion at my current job. - Set up a daily job search task (update linked in, search for jobs, apply for jobs, reach out to contacts). I'll be posting these here. - Ask about a promotion. - Find 3-5 ecology programs to apply for. The question here is do I want to stay in New England, or move someplace warmer. From past experience, shorter winters lead to less depression, but I don't get to see my family as often. It's a serious tradeoff.

Arrowan’s Seventh Challenge: Yeah, a little too Raph Tough times never last. Tough people do. Themes: Self-sufficiency, Bravery, Determination Starting Attributes: STR 10/DEX 7/STA 16/CON 10/WIS 20/CHA 9 Starting point Weight: 161 lbs Height: 5’6” Introduction: This challenge for me is supposed to be a kick in the pants. I’ve gone through a difficult period lately, but it’s time to be getting on with life. So for the next four weeks I’m channeling the mentors I’ve known who have preferred the “tough love” method to fuel my inner monologue. I won’t be mean to myself, but I’m not going to coddle myself. I’m not going to listen to my own excuses. This is going to be a put-on-you-hard-hat-and-just-do-it kind of challenge. The general themes are self-sufficiency, bravery, and determination. Challenge Goals: 1. Strength training routine 3x/week 2. Interval running 3x/week 3. Get a job 4. Auto mechanics – study basics and maintenance (30 minutes 3x/week) Side Quest: Check in with YNAB daily; create savings account for vehicle Strategies: 1. Strength Training: I read it again and again on the NF blog—a strong body is a healthy body. I want to be strong. I want the confidence, weight-loss benefits, and general improved fitness that come with strength training. I’ve long since incorporated the NF beginner body-weight circuit into my usual routine, but I think it’s time to step it up. Free weights and the people who use them have always intimidated me, but I’m ready to take the plunge and try new things. My new routine will likely be a combination of body-weight exercises and free weights—I still have to do some research to determine the specific plan, so more to come on that later. What I know now is that I am setting the goal of three sessions a week, increasing difficulty or reps steadily throughout the four-week challenge. I already have a gym membership, so equipment isn’t a problem, and I’ll print out charts to log every workout. 2. Running: I often include running as a challenge goal. This time I’m going to try interval running, three times a week. I’m going to do a little research to come up with a specific plan of attack, but my main focus is getting the sessions in—not achieving specific speed or distance goals. I’m eager to see how interval running compares to steady pace running as far as the mental game goes—will it be easier or more difficult? And I want to see how it challenges my muscles and endurance. 3. Get a job: Been working on this goal for a while now. I have a job, but I’m looking to level up this part of my life. Even just getting another part-time job to make more money would be an improvement, but ideally I’ll find something I like, that’s suited to my field of study. I’m tired of playing around with this, though. I need to just get it done. There are jobs out there, I just have to want them badly enough, and go after them. Last challenge I fell a little short of my goal of 2 job applications a week, largely because I had a couple of interviews and I really thought they would amount to something. They didn’t, and I felt sorry for myself for a while. That’s over, though. I am again shooting for 2 applications a week, with renewed determination. Getting a new job, is my new job. 4. Auto mechanics: This may seem out of left field, but it’s something practical that would help level up my life in general. I’m not too savvy with car mechanics. My dad’s great with them, and he’s tried to teach me things over the years, but a lot of it hasn’t really stayed in my head (I think because in my heart of hearts I wish we could all just ride bicycles and horses). I don’t need to know every faucet of how a car works, but I really want to learn (or re-learn) some basics, especially those that pertain to general maintenance (checking and changing/replenishing fluid levels, changing tires, windshield wipers, dealing with rust, etc). So this goal is to study up, for at least 30 minutes at a time, 3 times a week, on auto mechanics and care, and to apply this knowledge to my current vehicle where applicable. And this includes everything, even putting the updated proof of insurance in the glove compartment, renewing the registration that expired a few days ago, and just cleaning out trash and junk. By the end of the challenge, I should have a tuned-up vehicle, tidy and reliable, legal, and supplied with a kit of emergency equipment/supplies/tools that would make my dad proud. I’ll feel confident and capable that I can handle any minor issues that crop up, and communicate effectively with a mechanic about any bigger ones that (knock on wood) might come up in the future. This goal goes with the self-sufficiency theme in this challenge—it’s another step to gaining independence and taking control of my life. Side Quest: Also going with the self-sufficiency theme, my side quest this time is to check in with my YNAB account daily, to make sure I’m on track with my budget, and to create a savings account for a new vehicle. The one I use now is a hand-me-down—a loaner, really—and I’m tired of feeling like a charity case. Saving for a vehicle that’s my own will be at least a step towards independence. Grading: A=100% B=75% C=50% D=25% F=0% 1. Strength training: A=12 out of 12 days; B=9-11; C=6-8; D=3-5; F≤2 2. Interval running: A=12 out of 12 days; B=9-11; C=6-8; D=3-5; F≤2 3. Get a job: A=Got a job! B=8 applications submitted; C=6-7 apps; D=4-5 apps; F≤3 apps submitted 4. Auto mechanics study: A=12 out of 12 sessions; B=9-11; C=6-8; D=3-5; F≤2 (I will subjectively adjust this grade based on how much I accomplish in applying what I learn to my own vehicle) Attribute point allocation: 1. Strength training +3STR +2DEX 2. Interval running +2STR +2STA 3. Get a job +2WIS +1CHA 4. Auto mechanics +2WIS +1CHA Side Quest: +2WIS +1CHA

Arrowan’s Sixth Challenge: Whistles and Bells Mistakes are the portals to discovery Name: Arrowan Race: Human Class: Adventurer Level: 5 Starting Attributes: STR 9/DEX 6/STA 15/CON 8/WIS 16/CHA 7 Starting metrics: 5'6", 163 lbs Introduction: I’m back at home base after having done my last challenge (January) with the Monks. They are a great group and if you have any interest in martial arts I highly recommend going to these folks for advice—they are extremely knowledgeable and supportive. I made friends there and still check in on them. Still, in my heart I feel like I am an Adventurer, so here I am for my sixth NF challenge. It’s an odd transition period in my life and I have a TON of goals I’d like to achieve, but in the interest of being smart and realistic, I’ve narrowed it down to four for this challenge. Challenge Goals: 1. Physical training: Running 3x/week, workout routine 3x/week 2. Track all caloric intake, every day 3. Herp ID and frog calls: learn to ID all state herps by sight and all anurans by sound 4. Continue the job search: submit at least 2 applications/week Side Quest: Create 1 power point lesson per week on any topic, 5-10 min talk Strategies: 1. Physical Training: Running makes me happy. Well, first it makes me tired and out of breath, but then it makes me happy. For me, running is as important to mental health as it is to physical health, if not more so. Maybe diet is 80% of the battle, but without the bolster of confidence and satisfaction I get from running, I have no will power to maintain a healthy relationship with food. So. Running 3x a week. I’ll do 1-3 miles at a time, logging time and distance for each run on a chart on my wall. No goals for speed or distance, but I’ll report my bests for the month at the end of the challenge. In between running, I’ll do a workout routine based on body-weight exercises and martial arts movements. It’s a routine I’ve used before, though I haven’t done it in full in a while. I’ll increase difficulty as the challenge goes on. 2. Overeating and poor food choices are big issues for me. I need to make a lot of changes but for now my goal is to track every morsel with MyFitnessPal. I’ve used the program before with some success. The consistent tracking will make me accountable for my caloric intake, even though I’m not setting specific food restrictions. For further accountability, I will even post how far off I am from my daily calorie goals. I know quality of food is at least as important as quality, but for now my focus is on tracking. 3. I’m trying to get back into wildlife research after taking some time away for personal reasons. To brush up on my skills, my goal is to be able to ID all Maine herp species (reptiles and amphibians) by sight by the end of the month. Also, I will memorize the calls for all the frog and toad species in the state. At the end of the month I’ll devise a test. I’ll focus on a subset of species each week, spending at least 15 minutes a day reviewing. It doesn’t sound like much, but it will add up. 4. I’m searching for a new job—something related to what I studied in school. Or at least closer to it than what I’m doing now. I’ll check the job boards every day and get out at least 2 applications each week. I already have a call back for one job, so in the event I get it, this goal will morph into preparation for that job, which will involve studying up on the target species and related topics. Side Quest: Knowledge, discovery, and curiosity are my themes for this challenge. The true test of knowledge is the ability to teach it to someone else. I got a lot out of making presentations in graduate school in order to teach undergrads and give information to the public. This goal involves picking a topic—anything at all that catches my fancy—and creating a short PowerPoint presentation that I could give to an interested audience. I’ll give myself a week to make each presentation, and when it’s done I have to practice it through at least twice for it to count. I may not have an audience at the moment, but the process itself will be very informative for me, and I can file away the knowledge and the presentation in case I get the opportunity to deliver them later. Grading: A=100% B=75% C=50% D=25% F=0% 1. Physical training: A=24 out of 24 days; B=18-23; C=12-17; D=6-11; F≤5 2. Calorie tracking: A=28 out of 28 days; B=21-27; C=14-20; D=7-13; F≤6 3. Herp ID and anuran call test: A=100% B=75-99% C=50-74% D=25-49% F<25% 4. Job search: A=8 out of 8 applications submitted; B=6-7; C=4-5; D=2-3; F=0-1 Reward for all A’s/B’sà Get my bike tuned up

Goals for Challenge #39: Do StrongLifts at least 2x per week (14/14) I'm really shooting for 3, but life. I've been doing Stronglifts 5x5 for about a year and a half now, simply because I keep stopping and starting, so I'm really trying to get through to the point of failure -> 3x5 this time around. Track my eating on MyFitnessPal 5 out of 7 days per week (30/30) While ultimately I want to be hitting my calorie and goal requirements, the more important thing is just the tracking - I will naturally adjust as I watch the tracking anyway, but when I don't track I definitely eat too much! Two break days each week because there's some things you just can't track. Meet Fitbit goals daily-ish (36/36) 10,000 steps, 7+ hours of sleep, and 64 oz of "water" per day. May be kinda cheating as this covers several things, but they're all kinda routine things that I look for anyway. Ideally I'd actually hit 15,000 steps and 8-9 hours of sleep, but this is more likely to be acheivable! Giving myself 7 unscheduled days to not meet my goals, because life. Life goal: Submit two job applications per week (or until a new job happens) I need to move on like whoa, and am awful about the process of doing so. Bonuses - Not measured or tracked, but things that will bring me joy to do: Keep up with Lenten disciplines - no alcohol and daily reflection on Instagram Do something with "real" photography every week Host a dinner party (go easier this time tho kthanks) Try a new recipe every week Read real books Reward for successful completion of challenge(>90%): cool workout tank NF shirt + new sports bra bike shorts Partial completion of challenge (>50%): new sports bra bike shorts Insufficient completion of challenge: sad trombone + donate $100 to the agency I work for

As with my first challenge, my overall life goal is to do good--all the time, as much of it as possible, everywhere I go, and in every possible situation. To be that person, I need in both their mental/psychological meanings and their physical/literal ones, strength, endurance, and adaptability ...like, a lot. So, with that level-50 endpoint in mind, over the next 6 (okay, I'm a little late, so it's more like 4.5) weeks I've got some baby-step goals to help me move in the right direction. GOALS: 1. Get up and moving with purpose for at least an hour every day. I read and research most of the day which means I'm sitting most of the day. I have the time and the flexibility (since most of the week I work from home) to get up and do something. I should take advantage of that, and I think that having something I have to do every day will keep me from falling back into old habits. +1 DEX, 4 or more days a week (avg) +2 DEX, everyday...like a boss 2. Eat more leafy greens. Right now romaine lettuce is my main squeeze, and while it has some pretty impressive nutritional stats, I need to start seeing other greens. To accomplish this goal I need to incorporate any of the following into at least 3 meals every week: kale, collard greens, swiss chard, bok choy, and spinach. +1 CON, three meals each week (avg) +1 CON and +1 WIS , all servings accounted for, and each veggie from that list gets a turn 3. Build strength and track my progress. My weekend job requires a lot of lifting and standing for long periods of time, so building strength would be immediately applicable to my overall goal. I'll have to workout 3x / week and track my workouts to accomplish this goal. +1 STR, 3 workouts, accounted for, each week (avg) +2 STR, 50 squats and/or 50 push ups (I'm at 30 right now with both of these, so I think I can make it if I stay on track) *. LIFE GOAL: Find and volunteer with 3 community organizations. My husband and I moved in November, and I still feel a little out of touch with our community. I'd like to spend some time during this challenge getting to know how I can help around here, and then, you know, actually putting in the time. +1 WIS, finding and reading up on services/shelters/charities in my new city +1 WIS and +1 CHA, at least 3 hours of actual volunteer/service time Actually writing this out has gotten me very excited for the next few weeks! This is my first quest with a particular guild (second quest overall), so I hope I make you proud Rangers!

So last challenge...did not go well. The stress that started with my dad getting injured three days into it came on late and held me back from actually putting the effort to stick with it. I'm not even going to give myself points for it, honestly. I'm going to find myself an accountibilibuddy (or a dozen) and come back better than ever, though! Start-scumming is a terrible habit for players of some roguelikes and similar games; you basically restart over and over until the random number generator gives you a good starting situation. Since I tend to restart "being healthy/finding a job" over and over, I figure I need to break this cycle too. Kawa: L1 Spriggan Assassin STR 1 | DEX 2 | STA 3 | CON 3 | WIS 3 | CHA 3 GOALS: 1. Do thirty or more knee pushups fifteen or more incline push ups a day, at least 30 out of the 42 days. +2 STR +2 STA GRADING: 75 pushups is 1/3 STR 1/3 STA. This allows for bonus points. Push ups can be broken up as much as I want during the day, just gotta do at least 15. EXTRA CHALLENGE: Do ten proper pushups. +1 STR 2. Eat 1400kcal or less for at least 30 of the 42 days. +3 CON GRADING: 1/2 point for every 5 days on target. This allows for bonus points. 3. Do my morning and evening skincare and dental routine every day. +1 CON +1 CHA GRADING: 1/3 point each for every 14 days on target. 4. Spend at least 60 hours out of the 42 days studying for the actuarial Financial Math exam. (That's two hours a day five days a week.) +3 WIS GRADING: 1/2 point for every ten hours. This allows for bonus points. 5. Have 30 "contact points" in the job search by the end of the 42 day period. +1.5 WIS +1.5 CHA Contact points can be won by contacting either someone in HR or someone actually doing the work I want to do (operations research or math education), doing an online application, or attending an appropriate event (career fair, job interview, interview prep training session, etc). The ideal will be at least ten contact points each in my three geographic job markets (New York metro area, Tampa/St. Pete metro area, and Melbourne/Palm Bay FL). GRADING: 0.25 WIS 0.25 CHA for every 5 points. This allows for bonus points. SPEEDRUN TRICK: if actually hired with health insurance offered, all points are earned regardless of how many contact points have been earned.

This is a NEW squad for people with a money-related goal: are you saving money? Paying off loans? Looking to improve your current job situation? Starting or maintaining your own business? Then this is the squad for you! Officially we can be a group of seven people, but of course more followers are welcome. Post your name, your relevant goal, your challenge thread, and perhaps one form of contact (e-mail, Twitter, etc). Maybe we can do regular e-mails keeping each other motivated and on target! Members: kawatan: kawatan Ends the Start-Scumming Cycle; job search goal (30 "contact points" in 42 days) OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN

(Backstory shamelessly stolen/expanded from Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup. If you haven't played DCSS, you should. Edited March 3, 2013 after my father's accident on February 27, 2013.) Spriggans were supposed to be weak, delicate things, more knowledgeable about magic than combat. Their tiny size and aptitude for charming magics did not lend themselves to physical combat; they were weaker than humans and even elves. But that didn't stop Kawa from her quest: to supplement her mystical knowledge with physical prowess, and become one truly without weaknesses. She, and she alone, would eventually grasp the Orb of Zot and bring it home; but to do so, she would need to be prepared for anything, and test both her strength and her will. She would test her strength and conquer her weakness, with only her body and the ground beneath her feet to train her. She would fast, purging the excess from her body, to make her more able to withstand the coming storm. She would practice her speed and agility, a skillset she honed in childhood but abandoned, but hopes to use again. She would calm her mind regularly to better cope with the difficulties she would undoubtedly face. And she would not let her original training with her clan go to waste; she would use her intelligence and skill to gain the materials she needed for the journey. Once she had all these things, she would be ready to enter the Lair of Beasts, the first stop on her journey to obtain the runes and then the Orb of Zot. ********************************************* Kawa: L1 Spriggan Assassin STR 1 | DEX 2 | STA 3 | CON 3 | WIS 3 | CHA 3 GOALS: 1. Do one hundred knee pushups and two hundred situps. +2 STR +2 STA GRADING: 1/2 point in each for every 25 pushups/50 situps I'm capable of by April 8. No bonus points, but EXTRA CHALLENGE: Do twenty proper pushups. +1 STR 2. Eat 1400kcal or less for at least 30 of the 42 days. +3 CON GRADING: 1/2 point for every 5 days on target. This allows for bonus points. 3. Get a passing grade on a ten foot Dance Dance Revolution song. +2 DEX All or nothing on this one. EXTRA CHALLENGE: +1 DEX for getting a full combo on a ten foot DDR song. Get a total of at least 250 minutes of meditation by April 8. +2 WIS GRADING: 0.2 WIS for every 25 minutes. This allows for bonus points. 4. Have 30 "contact points" in the job search by the end of the 42 day period. +3 WIS +2 CHA Contact points can be won by contacting either someone in HR or someone actually doing the work I want to do (operations research or math education), doing an online application, or attending an appropriate event (career fair, job interview, interview prep training session, etc). The ideal will be at least ten contact points each in my three geographic job markets (New York metro area, Tampa/St. Pete metro area, and Melbourne/Palm Bay FL). GRADING: 1/3 WIS 1/2 CHA for every 5 points. This allows for bonus points. SPEEDRUN TRICK: if actually hired with health insurance offered, all points are earned regardless of how many contact points have been earned. ******************************************************* MINICHALLENGES AND EXTRAS I've joined the Morning Routine challenge! Spreadsheet here. Gotta take care of my teeth and my skin/eczema every morning!