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It is finally spring again. The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and nature is slowly coming back to life. There have already been multiple days where I could open up the windows around the apartment and turn off the heat. My last couple of challenges have been fairly strong, and my intent is to continue to build on that. I did struggle some with my INT goals last challenge, but a lot of that had to do with some time contraints that arose during the challenge. I made a valiant effort to catch them up before the end of the last challenge, but could not QUITE make it. That being said, I was able to do a lot of catching up, so I feel comfortable wrapping them into this challenge along with a new round of things to do. Challenge Goals: Body of a Agile Swordswoman - (STR) Strength and Agility: Bodyweight workouts 3x/week - (DEX) Balance and Coordination: Yoga and/or stretching 3x/week - (CON) Stamina: 20min+ walks 4x/week - (CON) Nutrition: Avoid processed sugar 6 days/week - (CON) Hydration: Drink 64 oz of water per day - (CON) Physique: Track macros daily Mind of a Scholar - (INT) Develop Breadth: Read 6.5 books (6 for present challenge + 0.5 from last challenge) - (INT/WIS) Develop Depth: Complete 7 modules of certification course (6 for current challenge +1 from last challenge) - (CHA) Career Knowledge: Complete Digital Marketing Course part 3 (15%) (roll over from last challenge) Weekend Warrior Side Quests - Spring Cleaning Edition - Inbox Zero - Declutter desk - Clean/clean out car - File Taxes

STARPUCK STARTS A BRAND NEW ADVENTURE Sometimes it's just really motivating to start a brand new character. To have a fresh new character sheet, and shiny new pencils and new dice to get you rolling. I had originally started this thread out with comments about how my last year had gone, and how it had finished up, but then I stopped and said, "Wait... that doesn't matter now. What matters are the choices I make going forward and the effort I put in today and tomorrow and then tomorrow's tomorrow and so on." So just like you might learn a new thing about your favored class or character archetype every time you roll up a new one, I will take what I've learned playing through this game previously, and become even better at it this year! Declarations and overall goals listed behind spoiler. Food must be a focus, as it is probably my weakest point. The old adage of you can't outrun your fork is so true; and while I do active things - their purpose must no longer be 'to lose weight'. I do those things because of the other awesome benefits they provide. I also know what I can do to help make the food a smaller obstacle, but it takes planning ahead, and some substitution. In the words of our beloved Pike... Easy days/meals: Mon-Fri breakfasts and lunches at work. No problem. Moderately challenging meals/times: Homecooked meals on M/W. I can't control the ingredients/prep. T after dinner snacks while gaming. Dangerously challenging times: Th / Su gaming nights, weekends, especially ones with hockey games. Other Challenges: No room in the fridge for anything that would be 'mine' creates issues in keeping good options on hand. Solutions - Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead. - Research and prepare healthier snack options. - Cook on Sundays, for dinners on Tue and Thur. Plan of Attack / Food Adventurers only carry so many rations, so track what you are carrying! (eating). - I am going to track calories loosely, not because I am aiming for a certain point (I am) but because if I focus only entirely on good foods, and try to be mindful of portions, I sometimes end up eating far too little! You have to know what your doing in order to make any future adjustments, but the calories are being watched in order to fuel ENOUGH - as opposed to eating LESS AND LESS to lose weight. Heroes Feasts are only for those big moments. - Sometimes you do need to go all out on feasting, but it's not every day, and not for every potential battle you might get into. Enjoy the feasts when it is appropriate, but otherwise save that gem-encrusted bowl worth at least 1,000 gp. Basically, allow indulgences when it is appropriate. Eating out with friends is NOT an indulgence moment, that's a routine thing that happens, so eat like a normal adventurer on those days. Plan of Attack / Exercise Adventurers are almost always on the move. - Either walking from one town to the next, or delving into a dungeon or worse, they're no slouches. I need to keep up the daily activity. I work in a small office, but I am going to slowly try to build up and see what is a feasible number of steps per hour. Well, without looking like a bear pacing in its enclosure at the zoo. That gets weird. Strength training to keep me strong, and sweat-inducing movement so that I am able to flee without passing out when the odds are not in my favor. Not everyone starts off as a real adventurer... - Confession time. I'm not sure how much I actually enjoy the act of -doing- exercise. Sure, I am always pleased with the results; and my mood is often better after having done it than if I hadn't. But it's hard to be motivated for rewards that aren't promised after every mission. So, I take a page out of Taryon Darrington's book. Fake it till I make it. He was a total poser when he met up with Vox Machina, but by the end of his time with them, he was an official member, and not just a real adventurer, but a proper hero too! So I need to go along with the motion, until it becomes something that I truly seek out time and time again. Plan of Attack / Other Stuff "Yes! The PLAN!" Art and D&D work and budget stuff. I have taken a break with art, but am anxious to get back to it. Must remember to be patient with myself, and to start focusing on learning some actual techniques and perhaps how to better use my program. D&D prep comes into this category now, because I am really enjoying being a DM and it does require creative thinking and story writing. So, I'd like to put about 5-6 hours in a week of "creativity". The budget is going to be simple: Figure out where I can save money, how much I can save, and save it. Stay strict with my allowances for eating out or buying snacks for gaming (which will also help the food goal) and don't get willy nilly with the money. I am going to keep a notepad or digital note on hand, and every time I get the urge I want or need something, I will write it down. At the end of each week, I'll re-evaluate my need or desire for it. Some things might be legit needs like: Man this toothpaste tastes so bad it makes me not want to brush my teeth, I need a new tube. Other things might be, "I could really use dry erase markers for my DM'ing, but do I NEEEED them right now." I'd like to put another $5000 into my savings account toward Puck's Manor. I also want to go on a couple of vacations because travel is important to my soul. So I need to figure out a budget that does both. Oookaaay, well this got longer than I had meant for it to! Let's break it down into simple terms. Track my Rations Daily (Total Lots) [MFP] Prepare for questing every Sunday. (Total 5) [Cook on Sundays] Limit Heroes Feast (Total 2) [Two or less indulgences] Chase dire wolves for sport. (Total 12) [Get my sweat on, run, dance, hockey] Train like Grog. (Total 10) [Strength Training] Brainstorm, plot, create. (Total 24) [Art, D&D, Reading, etc.]

How Do You Want to do This? One of the greatest things about roleplaying games, is that the end goal can be accomplished in a variety of ways. More so, the true joy of the game, comes not from the just succeeding in meeting that goal, but in the journey and adventure along the way. As I've spent the last year struggling and fussing and fighting with frustration, and not knowing what's working or not working, I've become so focused on the final result (or lack thereof) that I've forgotten to focus on and enjoy the path that leads me there. So, we're going to be largely focused on mindset this go around. A successful adventurer needs to be capable of traveling - a lot of traveling - and they also need to be hardy enough to carry the gear necessary for a variety of quests. Along with that, they need to be strong of mind, and have a good support team in their party. They must be clever, and hone their skills so that they bring their own unique talents to the party! So, with that said, here are the goals for Starpuck, and ... how she wants to do this. Goal #1 An adventurer must be combat ready! Training Tasks: Running, Walking, Lifting, Hockey, Boxing This goal is going to be simplified to allow for variety, flexibility and most importantly, the ability to enjoy nice weather whenever it makes an appearance! Activity, 6x Weekly - If my heart rate goes over 100, or I sweat, or get out of breath in any fashion, it's activity! Goal #2 An adventurer must hone their skills! Training Tasks: Art, BuJo, D&D prep work, Cosplay This goal is going to be more focused as I need to make sure I don't let anything slip or fade too much, in lieu of other things I also want to do. Art, 4x Weekly - Can be software, sketches, or doodles. D&D Prep, 1x Weekly - (or as needed) BuJo, Daily - Use the BuJo to keep myself sane with tracking and things on the to do list. Cosplay - Acen is coming up in a month, I'd like to put together something simple (Baccano / DRRR maybe.) Goal #3 An adventurer must be confident! Training Tasks: Shared affirmations, action pics, self care, mindset training. This goal is going to be sort of nebulous in nature. This is about changing how I think, and how I see myself. There will be a few things I mark as 'must do' each week, but it's largely going to be about seeing myself as GOOD the way I am NOW. Affirmations, written, Daily - Keep this up, Write MOAR nice things. Night Routine, Daily - I am hard on my body, and I should give it some better daily care. (wash face before bed, lotions, floss more <.<, etc.) Action Pic, 1x Weekly - Share one pic with my party members, of me being active, or bold, or confident, and OWN IT. Random Quests and Tasks - Get Acen Cosplay sorted out, plan the weekend. - Plan a long weekend bike ride with friends. - Clean up home computer files. - Participate in Ranger mini. - Start planning big August trip. - Work on Jedi uniform. - Find Con to take brother/nephew to this year. And with that ... I think we're good to get this going. I'm pretty excited about this challenge- at least right now I am, though I'm also a little wigged out that it's so loosey goosey in a lot of ways. I left out any of my food goals, and I am not sure if I will be adding them in, or just tracking/planning without having it as a goal. So there may be an adjustment coming. But for now...