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Life has been crazy. Life will continue to be crazy. Crazy is my new norm, but I don't have to let it get to me. For 2023 I have some major goals that have moved from that "nice to have" category to the "my health depends on this goal" category. I am working to come back from surgeries the last two years, with a new diagnosis (today) that will need another couple of minor surgeries to resolve. My body is moving into menapause and becoming more stable, but it is also approaching the age in which my mother and grandmother started having other health issues. And to top it off my blood work shows me to be borderline Type 2 diabetic. My health must be my priority!!! It doesn't hurt that I turn 50 this summer and my vanity won't let me look and feel like I do now at that major milestone. The plan is nothing I haven't tried before, but now I have more medical oversight and help. Accountability is a good thing for me! Food - I must go low carb, doctors' orders. Exercise - my strength and cardio need to improve continue BJJ 3 times a week strength/core classes twice a week get on the bike twice a week (it can be while I read as a reward!) Stretching to regain my flexibility and mobility Self Care - stress management, taking time for me, saying no and more!!! I have been playing with tarot cards (I got a deck for the hoidays) and I'm asking questions for myself. Its been fun and informative. My daughter did a reading for me a few months ago it struck a chord with me. So I plan on playing with the cards over this year and might even make that my divine theme...

After years away from this place, i am back. This used to work so well for me years ago, i feel like it will again this time. I have a lot going on... New job since january. That i adore! And now we are missing some staff so it's a bit hard and stressfull. Time management is important and it's not my strenght. I just finished my 5 year cegep classes last week in building mechanics. Still waiting for my last exam grade to celebrate. Graduation ceremony is may 21st. I want to steadily build my doterra business. Very slowly, but consistently. As a side huslte, to gain more leadership. The goal is not to replace my job sonce i love it. Just to build something i love that uses other strenghts i have. I have 2 boys, 12&7 and an awesome partner i don't want to neglect. And this week i am starting an online 200h yoga teacher training until august. This has been a dream of mine for years. And it will take a lot more time and commitment than i initially expected. But i am all in. So, balancing all that, with my level of energy and my chronic illness (cystic fibrosis) is the current challenge. My main quest: - do all my treatments daily in the morning - sleep enough (~8h) - move a little every day: yoga for YTT in the morning; walk during lunch - meditate daily to unwind and destress (being mindfull, do some cardiac coherence breath between quotes at work, mindfull knitting a project at night) - date night weekly, quality couple time - spend quality time daily with the kids, 100% present. Doesn't have to be long. Side quests : - ytt: do all required reading, practices and study for the week - make lunches, no take out - 2 contacts/follow ups a day with doterra, caring for existing clients

Last challenge–while the Empress and I were strategizing our path to world domination over tea and crumpets– we decided that I needed to focus on some very specific things to be my truest self in 2019. Definition: (1) (adjective) ruthless in competition; ( 2) (adjective) violently agitated and turbulent; (3) (adjective) marked by extreme and violent energy; (4) (adjective) marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid; "FIERCE" is the acronym designed to support this quest, which I am intensely committed to achieving, in ruthless competition with myself, through the following means: FOCUS - Attend to one thing at a time, the most important thing. IMPACT - Choose the most important thing on the basis of its impact, and where its effects will accumulate and compound over time. ENERGY - Trust the Universe and my intuition. Follow the path of positive energy. Invite feedback. RESILIENCE - Proactively seek to become stronger and more resilient by regularly going outside my comfort zone. Balance stretching my limits with adequate rest, recovery and social support. CREATIVITY - Fuel the fire. Nurture my creative spirit. Make cool stuff that energizes me and helps others. EXECUTION - The time for planning and strategizing is done. Execute the plan! 12/31/2018 - My accountability partner and I are meeting later today, New Year's Eve, to wrap up our respective end of year retreats and have a focused work session on our plans for the coming year. I'll report back here with the results and my challenge goals, on New Year's day. The results of the New Year's Eve Accountability Buddy session: We didn't get as far on concrete goal setting as we had planned. We realized in our initial checkin that we were both still a bit scattered and conflicted on some of our goals. We shifted gears after discussing possible solutions, and ended up doing a "Draw Your Future" exercise. and worked with our respective Tarot cards for the day. Mine, of course, was the Empress. I used this particular version, chosen intuitively from a page image search results: Once we had more clarity on our "whys", we adjourned to do some individual work on goal setting and prioritizing during the week, with the agreement to have a followup accountability session next Saturday after our hike. We had planned a hike as part of our session, but it was cold (46 degrees Fahrenheit! ) and rainy yesterday in Phoenix and we were wimps. (Had not prepared adequately.) We made a pact that there would be no more bailing for weather in the future–beyond adapting time or location based on actual hazards like lightning or flash flooding–as we are going to be FIERCE in our training. To be continued. I am getting ready to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm interspersing writing this update with household chores.

Shadowlion haS TEA and CruMpetS with the Empress Yes, it is another Shadowlion ACRONYM Challenge… Tarot challenge... and a Fire Fit challenge... with Truck Porn, Tai Chi, Tuxedo Cats, a little alliteration, and all lot of other stuff I threw into my tags As per usual, I am a little bit late getting my challenge together. It was a bit of a hectic zero week that included much craziness at work, stitches to my left index finger, and a cold. Typing is still a bit slow, so in lieu of a lot of words, so I will leave you with several pictures that I will weave together into a challenge over the next few days. https://www.wired.com/story/sanfrancisco-smaller-firetrucks/

I'm improving... Only about a week and a half late this challenge. I had an elaborate, old style Shadowlion challenge nearly ready to post at the end of the zero week, then realized that it just didn't fit the current reality. The work crazy hit and, well, here we are. This challenge is focused on continuing what was working from the last one, and adding just a little bit more. I will also do some theming, as I have time. That should help fill in some of the gaps in my challenge history over the past few months, as a way to gain some perspective for myself and in the hope that there might be something of value in it for others. Some of you might remember the series of challenges I did last year that were Tarot themed. I am picking that back up where I left off, at the High Priestess. Why will become clear later. The High Priestess is an archetypal image of a wise woman and spiritual guide. Whether she is seen as the traditional figure of a woman in blue, seated between two pillars and holding a scroll: Or in her wilder shamanic form Or in a multitude of other artists' concepts She offers the seeker a glimpse through the veil that hangs between this life and the mysteries, and acts as a conductor of souls into and out of the depths of the unconscious. Not a bad energy to have on your side when you're working your way out of a depression, shuffling your way out of the Underworld! With the aim of applying a little wisdom in my life, here are my goals for this challenge: Food shakeup - Try one new recipe per week. Bonus if it uses a new or unusual fruit or vegetable, or uses an old favorite in a new or unexpected way. Move that body - Take active breaks at work, stretch, move around hourly. Take a daily walk, preferably for at least 15 minutes. Leave the cave - Spend at least 15 minutes daily outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. Get out of the dark cave that is my workplace. Get stronger - 3 or more bodyweight strength sessions per week, consisting of at least wall or counter pushups, ring rows, and triceps extensions; 2 or more sets each basic exercise, 8 - 10 reps. Explore how to modify BW squats without irritating right knee. Try some kettlebell exercises? Dream, explore, observe - Take time to read, journal, do art or music. Minimum of 10 minutes daily.

When I have some time, I’ll make a separate, more detailed post about the naming of this challenge. In short I dabble with tarot cards a bit. I find it relaxing, meditative and creative. I decided to do a reading for what I might expect or aim for in this challenge. There are many ways to do a reading. I decided to lay out three cards and to designate them as “body, mind and soul” (which is also open to interpretation, but my intention that the first card would tell me about potential physical gains, things to work on, or possible difficulties, the second would be more intellectual…things I might learn about for example, and the third would be somehow spiritual). In the third position I got the card for “the world” inverted. So my world was upside-down. There are many interpretations, but very very briefly, “the world” is a very good card…full of opportunity, but for me something is in the way of progress (it’s upside-down). I want to think about what that could be. So the tarot cards won’t really tell me that…but it’s an opportunity for me to think about my own life and what might be standing in my way to progress. I’ll think about it more and interpret the cards more fully. I’ll probably put it under spoilers because I know not everyone is particularly interested in tarot! A wise NF member @ShadowLion often says you need to be careful what you name your challenge. Maybe this is one of those. It is (or will be a little upsidedown) but hopefully won't stay that way. (Incidentally, SL is the one who inspired me to try tarot in the first place) Ok, so here’s the more “normal” part of my challenge: 1. Run 120 miles: I have a half marathon at the end of zero week and then an ultra run at the end of week 1. Another ultra run at the end of the next zero week. With these big events, I’m going to have to play my training a little by ear, seeing how much body recovers. If I complete the first ultra, it will count as a lot of distance toward the challenge, so I should have plenty of space for recovery. 2. [9 week challenge!] Run 50 hills: I’m making this one a double challenge and starting on week 1 (March 20 for me). 50 hill repeats total…typically a set of 6 once per week, but I can imagine a lot of variations. The rules are: (1) I have three specific hills in mind that “count”…but other hills could be used if they are at least as difficult, (2) I have to run the hill at least 3 times in a row to count it. 3. 50 (chin-up) negatives: I like this goal because it serves as an umbrella. To do the negatives I have to go to the gym, which means I also lift. My lifting this challenge is going to include regular “batwings” to work on my rhomboids. For the first couple weeks, I also have a medicine ball workout that I’ll throw into the mix. 4. [Starting in Zero Week] Where’s the beef? I’m not really sure how much protein I consistently get, and I think a little more might help recovery. 0.55-0.7 g/lb would be something like 77-98 g [I know some people aim higher, but this is consistent with most things I’ve read regarding nutrition for endurance athletes]. I’m going to aim for consistently getting 85-90 g. Goal is to track it 3 times per week for at least 4 weeks. If I finish early, I can count it as a win, or keep going. 5. [Starting in Zero Week] Daily Dare PvP. My actual personal goals are (1) to try the dare every day and (2) to hit “titanium” by earning 60/70 points. Because life sometimes interferes and because I can’t control the difficulty of the dares, I’ll count this for “full credit” if I at least try 30/35 dares.

So I exist in this wasteland, reduced to one instinct: survive. When the going gets tough, who survives better than Max Rockatansky? It's no secret I love Mad Max, this will actually be my second Mad Max themed challenge HECK YEAH! 2016 has been the literal worst. While peppered with some really great stuff and achievements and personal I-am-a-rad-human moments, the tail end of this year is hitting me like a battering ram, mainly in my personal life, and right now in the interest of self-preservation I need to take my foot off the gas and just hold on. While not my favorite thing to do, I am mindful enough to realize that right now this is a very necessary tactic. This challenge will focus wholly on self-care. I will, of course, keep fitnessing in the background - Zero week will be a deload week (that seriously couldn't have come at a better time) and following that I will still be lifting three days, throwing in something extra for the fourth, and working on my mobility drills. My quests this go around will keep me from losing my everloving shit and not collapsing into a useless pile at any given moment, because I'm going to enjoy the holiday season, darn it!! (YES HI I did put up all the decorations today bahahaha~) So in the interest of keeping it real, my quests: 1. Stay Yeah I can't do that disappearing thing again. Very very bad for my overall everything. Keep posting here regularly, should be simple, right? 2. Daily Draw I've been futzing about with tarot again and grabbed myself a really killer deck recently, with some amazing dark digital artwork. I'd like to do a card draw most mornings - not all - just to give myself that time of mindfulness and check in with myself, and see how I can fit the energy and meaning of what I draw into my daily life. This ties gently into my third quest as well~ 3. Viewfinder I'm really working on using my Instagram more, and in more varied ways than just 500 FFXIV screens. (BUT those are cool too~ <3) Since I've mostly backed away from Facebook and its idiocy IG is really my main social media point now, and it works for me because I've always loved photography. While I don't have the oomph currently to pick up my DSLR and go shoot out in the wild, I really want to utilize photography more as a creative outlet and self-care tool. Here's one I took this morning: I will, of course, share my shots here. A big motivator for me to complete this challenge is that my next NF level will put me at level 20 (!!!!!!!!!) and that's pretty rad to think about, I've successfully completed 20 challenges as of 2017?!? That's pretty heckin' cool!!! So yes, let's go and finish 2016 in one piece, so when 2017 comes it won't even know what hit it. <3

Ready to Hack... On the surface, this won't look that much different than my last challenge. (Don't let appearances fool you.) This challenge, I will still be stretching... Swimming... Getting enough Zzzzzz... Eating my vegetables... Coding... Meditating... Keeping my journal... and taroting. However, some major family dysfunction that went down last challenge has caused me to look far more deeply into my current life situation. This challenge will be about hacking my depression through the above methods and setting up a better system to get me through the rough times. There are some life events that are also be factored into this challenge. We have a new addition to the family - an injured stray tuxedo cat who is a delight and quite the character - but is causing some disruptions to life as we have known it. (Pictures soon!) And, I am studying for an exam to certify in a particular data visualization software the first part of November. It is going to be a real stretch to get ready in time, but I have a plan... Next couple of challenges - Some of the changes I have chosen to make will take a couple of challenges to put into place. Between now and the end of the year, I will: Revamp my Epic Quest Move my challenges back to my more gamified, storified, and creative model of yore Move to a more visual model of challenge tracking. My budding skills as a data analyst/engineer have bumped into to my previous nerdy, rangery desire to create the perfect spreadsheet. The result is a goal to "Viz All the Things!" That should keep me busy. I will be continuing to use an adaptive change model over the course of this challenge. It was a bit bumpy last time, but I think I have worked out a better tracking model and have learned where things went off the rails. More musings on that later...

It's been sort of a whirlwind lately... And I've felt the need to tame the clutter and focus more narrowly. So, I will be concentrating on the Magician's Path this challenge, Instead of running in circles trying to do ALL THE THINGS! (ALL THE PATHS!) The Four Paths The Four Paths - as used in the epic fantasy novel that I have been writing, lo, these many years - is a system of training used by the members of a mysterious order. The paths are: Warrior Scholar Magician Healer Hmmm, sounds kind of like an RPG... I am continuing to use cards from the Tarot for focus and as visual aids and inspiration for my challenges. (Toga Party!) As established last challenge, I am working with the transforming the Fool's energy into that of the Magician. That overlaps nicely with the system of the Four Paths and thus, my challenge title. I like using the Tarot for my challenge themes so far. It helps me focus and to approach things in a more fun and intuitive way. That works well for me, especially since I simply haven't had the time to do the more imaginative gamified things I've wanted to do. I have come up with a multi-challenge sequence that should address all of the major areas I want to improve over the course of the year. It also provides a good framework for gamification and a storyline if I can make the time for that. We shall see. I am also continuing my years theme of "planting my stake in the ground" - commitment and persistence being qualities that I see as needed in my life right now. My Main Goal is to put more MAGIC and FUN into my life 1. MAINTAIN average sleep amount of 7 hours per night. IMPROVE the quality of my sleep through a wiser bedtime routine 2. AUTOMATE more of my systems: a revised set of daily routines, a system of modular "kits" for my more mobile lifestyle to help me organize the stuff I need to cart around for work, lessons, working out, and traveling. 3. GROW my creativity, making more time for fun in my life, things like juggling, drawing, Digital Storytellers group, fiddle. 45 minutes minimum per day. 4. INCREASE my physical fitness - Continue walking, stretching, working on posture. Move more at work - utilize standing desk, do quick bursts of exercise in small breaks to counteract the effects of so much sitting. Add in more bodyweight strength training and increase walking pace. 5. CONTINUE my cyber security training - 2+ half-day visits to the AZCWR (Arizona Cyber Warfare Range) for training; At least six hours of security study and training exercises the other two weeks. The above are a little vague on specific amounts. I plan is to make a spreadsheet with my current baselines and then just aim for hitting the goal numbers for #1 & #3; establish at the beginning of each week what kit I am going to make for #2, go for ~3% increases in mileage, reps, pace as appropriate for #4. #5 is already fairly specific. A few other goals that I am tracking: I will lose at least three pounds this challenge. I will continue my cleaning habits to keep clutter and home chaos at bay. And of course, cats...

ShadowLion keeps her stake planted in the ground... Shadow Lion Walks the Circle (Whaddya expect when you've tied your foot to a rope attached to a stake in the ground?) Transforming from the Fool... To the Magician... (This card I chose, rather than drew, to use as a meditation device in the coming weeks.) Last challenge - when I drew The Fool for my theme - was definitely an adventure, full of fresh starts, false starts, exploration, new ideas, taking chances and chasing dreams. A leap of faith. Now, it's time to focus that energy and balance it. To utilize will and discipline to become the Magician, specifically a Technomancer. This continues my year theme of "planting my stake in the ground" - focus, commitment, determination - in a general way. It is also directly linked to what I perceive as a great need to balance out the various "elemental energies" in my life, the very things that the Magician has mastered. I have have been out of balance with too much work and stress lately and need to correct that. From there, I am using the element of chance and drawing cards to guide my "walk around the circle" and determine my challenge goals. I thought it was pretty cool how there are circles in every card I drew, especially Wheel of Fortune, given the challenge title I chose a week ago! I used my Druidcraft Tarot deck to draw from, but used the internet for digital versions. Time is at a premium, these days. VII The Chariot Queen of Cups Oddly enough, I drew all female cards, though the deck is evenly balanced. And I am struggling as to how to fit a couple of these with my challenge goals. Challenge Focus & Schedule This is a transitional challenge, where the Fool begins to transform into the Magician. I want to keep and continue to enhance the positive qualities of the Fool - the creativity, joy, fresh outlook, and positivity - but mitigate some of the more chaotic ones with the discipline and focus of the Magician. I learned a lot from last challenge, where the Fool showed me that I have been over-emphasizing work at the expense of fun and just about everything else in life. I found out just how much I need more balance. It has taken me the first week of the challenge to get my act together enough to get my goals lined out, even with having the zero week this time. I expect to use the remaining 3 weeks, plus the next zero week, as transition time and pick up with a full-fledged Magician challenge in May. My focus will be in balancing out the various activities in my life as I clear some long-standing projects and create a (somewhat) less hectic schedule for myself. I have been over-working, under-playing, and neglecting relationships and personal growth in favor of getting my business off the ground. That only works for a short time and I have pushed it pretty far. This is the month where I get balance back, as symbolized by the circle motif in my challenge title, avatar, and mirrored in the cards. I am applying the cards to the weeks of the challenge: Week 1 is Two of Pentacles - I have been shifting my focus to the things I can control and where I can make a difference, rather than dwelling on those things that stress me out. Making plans as to how to better address the stressors and take concrete action over the next few weeks to make those more manageable. And, I have actually taken up juggling... It's a good break at work, works my hands and eyes and gets me away from the computer with something completely different. Staying foolish. Week 2 is The Chariot - Here is where I get down to earnest on the plans made in Week 1. Schedule changes. Drawing clearer boundaries on time and energy use. Adding new exercises. Dynamic balance. Week 3 is The Wheel of Fortune - Even more balancing and adjustment. More about internal balance, reflection on cycles of life, getting my inner house in order. Week 4 is the Queen of Cups - This is another card of internal adjustment, and of tapping into emotions and the unconscious. I expect that it will start to set the tone of the next challenge. A card with strong associations with nurturing home life, relationships and creativity. Goals 1. Ward Off the EVIL EYE My posture and my eyes are suffering from constantly being under the gaze of the EVIL EYE (being in front of a computer for so many hours of the day). Stretching, using my adjustable/standing desk, breaks, eye yoga are my defenses. The sedentary nature of my work is another concern. Daily stretch/squat/stand sessions and eye yoga. No more than 45 minutes without getting up and walking around or switching to at least 15 minutes of standing work. Eyes - 20 sec breaks every 20 minutes, a longer eye yoga session (5 mins) for every four hours on the computer. Specific checks of my posture, and especially head and neck positions on the same schedule as eyes and do a few quick stretches as needed at the same time. Hand/wrist stretches included, too. Daily (or more frequent) walks of at least 1K, to break up the sitting. 2. Create Sacred Space My minimalism progress from the fall has not held up to the chaos of the last few months. The Fool does not seem to do well with the structure required with home maintenance! Clear the clutter. The 15 minutes a day clutter patrol returns. I also have several short projects of: Rearranging furniture Office spring cleaning Work on a better setup for my drawing area, so I can sit down and do short sessions easily, without taking a bunch of time to set up each time 3. Make Time for Foolishness Last challenge's fun/relaxation/creativity goal helped me see how little time I was myself for play and recreation. It was a struggle most days to carve out 30 minutes for that. I am continuing that goal, but with upgrades this time. More art and writing, less reading and internet in that time. And more time overall. 45 minutes. 4. Sleep I need more sleep and a better sleep schedule. (And a lot of other things that aren't going to make it into this challenge.) I will start with sleep. 6 hours bare minimum, 7 hours goal. Log it, and see how I can make this work better. Once I have that in better shape, I plan to re-introduce lucid dreaming experiments again. 5. Whole Brain Balance I am experimenting with physical activities that will help me increase physical and mental balance in my life. Juggling on breaks at work, non-dominant hand mirror writing, using my non-dominant hand for everyday tasks, bi-lateral strength and agility training to increase muscle symmetry and help with Goal 1. I am using the parts of "Whole Brain Power" by Michael Lavery that make sense to me and ignoring what doesn't. I have a lot of other goals that I wanted to add, but I am restricting myself to the above to establish a stronger base to my balancing. I am leaving room for adjustments and possible additions upon each week's finish, as needed. Let the intuition and the cats (and the circles!) begin...

The journey continues as ShadowLion decides to keep her theme the same and her stake planted in the ground. Shadow Lion Keeps on Shufflin' She decides to draw again... (And gets a very interesting result.) The Fool In the Single-Card Draw position A card in this position illuminates the present moment or the question at hand. Meaning: This first Major Arcana card is an excellent illustration of someone who is following their bliss. This card often materializes in a reading when the querent is trying something new and completely different. They may be just beginning their spiritual journey or are exploring a new magickal tradition or path. Perhaps they are taking on a brand-new job or are considering an innovative business opportunity. The Fool encourages us to dare, be more open minded, and enjoy the ride. Do not let yourself be dragged down by worries. The Fool laughingly persuades you to trust and take a chance, and not fret too much about the future—instead, just enjoy the trip and take things one day at a time. This card is all about the proverbial leap of faith. Sure, it is possible that you might make a mistake or fall down, but hey! You can always get right back up, brush yourself off, and try again. Sometimes that is the best way to learn—by daring to do. At the end of the day, the Fool encourages you to be open to new prospects and ideas. Live on the edge; think outside of the box. Be confident and bold! There is a big, wide, magickal world out there...go explore it! Keywords: Follow your bliss. Adventure, fresh starts, exploration, a journey. New ideas; take a chance and chase your dreams. The beginning of a spiritual quest; exploring a new magickal path or tradition. A leap of faith. (Who knew there was an X-Men Tarot?) Cue Twilight Zone Theme Song... I have had some big challenges the last week and a half and spent considerable time considering how to best move forward. I have asked myself some tough questions and looked at what needs to change. I've been taking all of that into meditation on a regular basis and the image I kept getting was of "The Fool" card in the Tarot. I kept dismissing it as not relevant, too simplistic, etc. I really wanted to keep doing the "Queen of Swords/Strength/Justice" thing, as that is familiar and I can do that pretty well. (Maybe too well?) I decided Monday that, yes, I was going to do a challenge this time, and yes, I was going to continue my theme from last challenge, but I wasn't sure whether I was going to focus on one card for the challenge, one per week, or one per day. Tonight, when I finally made the time to write up my post, I decided to just draw one card for this challenge's theme. (I hadn't drawn any cards since the start of last challenge when I constructed the last one's theme.) I focused my mind on "What do I most need to focus on this challenge?" And quite against the odds, I drew the same card that had been popping into my meditation for days, the one I had been avoiding for days: This may be a rather interesting challenge... I haven't fully processed the implications of what just happened - and how I should respond to it - beyond acknowledging that there are some very powerful forces at work in my life and I need to pay attention. For now, I am reposting the same goals that I had last challenge. I expect to make changes, but am not sure yet exactly what. I have no idea how all this will fit in with the standard challenge format. I just know that I am here and I am still shufflin'! 1. Move Forward Increase my total walking distance by 3 to 5 % each week over the course of the challenge. Starting distance is 12.5 miles per week. 2. Find Equilibrium Squat for of 5 mins per day, every day of the challenge. Stand for a minimum 10 minutes of every hour I work at GP. 3. Rebuild My Strength There are many types of strength I could choose to work on - physical, mental, emotional, social, soul (intuition, imagination), and spiritual. I am choosing soul and spirit as being the most in need of restoration I will take a minimum of 30 minutes every single day of the challenge to tend to my spiritual and soul needs through meditation, relaxation, play, creativity and/or spending time out-of-doors. 4. CodeWarrior Learn - Complete the Git and DevOps courses I am taking. Practice - Participate in at least one exercise through the AZCWR (Arizona Cyber Warfare Range). Let the intuition (and the cats!) begin...

Shadow Lion Shuffles the Cards... and Decides to Stack the Deck (for success) I have been on a strange and unexpected journey this past weekend as I pondered what to do for my challenge. I found myself wandering down paths I have not traveled in some time, and I realized that my life feels wildly out of balance. I am in need of the Queen of Swords decisiveness and discipline, while also bringing my inner and outer worlds into better alignment through intuition and quiet contemplation. This challenge is a continuation of the last one in many ways - of my year theme of planting my stake in the ground - but it also promises to add some new twists to that. I feel that in many ways I have come full circle (or perhaps it is a spiral?), back to face the very things that once led me away from software development. Now, however, I have the opportunity to deal with those in a different, healthier way, and I can enlist a wealth of life experience from the intervening years to become the ruler of my own well-being. In keeping with the lessons of challenges past - surprise, surprise - I need to further simplify and focus. My year theme of planting my stake in the ground continues. Commitment, discipline, perseverance. This past weekend I took stock of where I was and it wasn't pretty. Depression was creeping in around the edges; I felt exhausted physically, mentally, spiritually. I just wanted to sit down and cry. I'd been working so hard and such long hours that I was totally drained, battling a cold, and wondering how I was going to dredge up the energy to put a challenge together - something that I normally find very enjoyable. I tried to think up some grand idea (always a good plan, right?) and came up with nothing. Then I remembered the conversation on last challenge's thread with Xena about tarot cards. I had planned to save that for later in the year, but I needed an idea... Hmmm. Maybe the answers to my other dilemmas were similarly staring me in the face? It has been many years since I really surveyed what was out there in terms of decks. Between Google, Pinterest, and other sites, I was amazed at all the new decks there are. Traditional tarot, non-tarot "oracle" decks ranging from fairies to vikings to manga to angels, pop culture influenced decks...you name it. I spent several hours marveling at the artwork and imagination behind it all and getting inspired to do a very unusual challenge. Harry Potter... LOTR... (LOL! It's Rurik Harrgarth!) So, I decided to take the hint from the Universe and draw a card using the cosmic code of random electrons and got... And laughed. The lady and the lion, 8, and a sideways 8 - infinity... That is my card. Has been for years. My totem, my number. I drew several more cards, too, which will be revealed over the course of this challenge. Suffice to say, they painted a very interesting picture of what I need to do to resolve my dilemmas and reach my goals. They may look similar on the surface, but make no mistake, things are very, very different now. 1. Move Forward Increase my total walking distance by 3 to 5 % each week over the course of the challenge. Starting distance is 12.35 miles per week. 2. Find Equilibrium Squat for of 5 mins per day, every day of the challenge. Stand for a minimum 10 minutes of every hour I work at GP. 3. Rebuild My Strength There are many types of strength I could choose to work on - physical, mental, emotional, social, soul (intuition, imagination), and spiritual. I am choosing soul and spirit as being the most in need of restoration I will take a minimum of 30 minutes every single day of the challenge to tend to my spiritual and soul needs through meditation, relaxation, play, creativity and/or spending time out-of-doors. 4. CodeWarrior Learn - Complete the Git and DevOps courses I am taking. Practice - Participate in at least one exercise through the AZCWR (Arizona Cyber Warfare Range). Learn, Practice, Share - Participate in a "Mob Programming" workshop Let the intuition (and the cats!) begin...

For this challenge, I will be working on conquering the aspects of Wands, the second tarot suit I am exploring. Wands are, depending on the deck, connected to Fire, and so to things like action, passion, love or lust, light and knowledge (through mythologies like that of Prometheus and other fire bringers), etc. Wands are often conflict cards in a reading, as well, and so there is that aspect, of opposition and difficulty. As far as action is concerned, one can have all the potential in the world, but it takes the actual activity or energy of taking the first step to unleash and realize that potential. Without energy, potential can stagnate and rot. So, I think with this challenge, I will get back to doing what works, which is mostly the actual doing part. Fire is an element that is tough for me (being a naturally Earth-oriented person), so I think that played in to my difficulty last challenge. Because the two decks I have actually look at Wands differently (the Sorcerer's deck connects Wands with Air, not Fire), I'm only looking at one deck for this challenge. The Queen of Wands here is depicted on a throne, bearing a torch-like wand and accompanied by a lioness. Lionesses are the hunters of the pride, the providers and the nurturers; the maternal instincts of a lioness are legendary. I think these are also qualities of the Queen of Wands - a provider, but a fierce one. Outsiders dare not test her, and her love is more focused on protection than nurturing. Note, too, that although a lioness is an untamed animal, in the card she is chained. I think this points to the unbridled passion of the Queen being, well, bridled. Energy without control can be destructive - think of lightning or a forest fire. Yet controlled fire brings us technology, warmth, and light. Be sure that one's passion has a direction or a purpose or it will simply burn itself out haphazardly. Finally, the Queen is alone here, with no sign of civilization - the Queen of Pentacles was accompanied by both herd animals and crops. I think this speaks again to a more wild, untamed nature, but also to the isolation and independence or self-reliance of this archetype. To start this part of the journey, it is important to look at the Ace of Wands, the beginning and end of the journey. On this card, the character (Medea's father? Greek god?) is clearly a ruler. Not only is he crowned, but he also holds the globe in his hand. This particular depiction shows that he is master of his kingdom, whether it be Olympus or simply an earthly kingdom. He bears the golden fleece, which is also a symbol of kingship, as well as a powerful magical item (especially healing). He is in a lofty area, at the top of mountains (fitting for Olympus), which again stresses that independence or self-reliance of the Queen of Wands. It is strange to be the master of one's domain already at the start of the journey, but perhaps that has to do with conquering the domains found within oneself, or conversely, of looking outside of one's past experiences or familiar territory to something grander. For me, I think this has more to do with being more self-reflective and looking at my goals maybe more long-term - see the big picture, so to speak. So, to become the Queen of Pentacles, I must: Take action and energize my goals by Exercising 5 days/week - Belly dancing, walking, and weight training. I will do at least 30 minutes, but up to an hour when I can. (30 parts) Tracking my caloric intake every day and keep within the limit set with my doctor (1,800 cal/day) - Alcoholic intake only permitted socially. Snacking only permitted between lunch and dinner. Per my doctor, I'm also watching cholesterol. I get a pass on game nights. (30 parts) Limiting TV watching to 2 hours on weekday nights, no later than 10pm (and no FB after 10pm) - TV watching makes me less inclined to actually *do* anything. (30 parts) Taking my meds - Take morning pill, and evening pill (84 parts) Be self-reflective by Meditating 5 times per week - Meditation allows me to clear my mind so that I can reflect with an unclouded perspective. (30 parts) Getting to bed by 11pm on weekday nights - Being over-tired also affects my ability to reflect on my internal state and govern myself thoughtfully. (24 parts) Committing to spiritual study 2 hours per week - Spiritual study allows me to look at some big picture questions, including what kind of person I want to be and where I want my life to go. (12 parts) Be self-reliant by Planning my expenses and tracking free money for each pay period - Budgeting like this prevents me from spending foolishly and being unable to take care of needs. I need to also start budgeting for eating out when I know my schedule will keep me on the road, in combination with those times I am able to take food from home. (3 parts) Plan for trip to CT in October. Need to budget for airfare, hotel, and other miscellaneous items. Removed - I'm getting the money from family, so no longer part of the challenge. Bridle my passion by Balancing my commitment to myself and my decision to start dating - Filling up my schedule with going out, etc., really hindered my commitment last challenge. Alone time is really important to me or I feel over-committed and resistant to doing planned items. As much as I like the people I'm meeting, my health and wellness should be the priority in my life. point values, etc. Action - 174 parts; +2 Dex, +2 Sta, +1 Con +2 Str Introspection - 66 parts; +2 Wis, +1 Cha, +1 Sta Independence - 4 parts; +2 Wis Balance - 1 part; +2 Wis I may be adding some stuff about passion and dating on this. And I'll get photos of the cards, too. But I'm back - time to get back on track! Another one of those fun "coincidences": the face cards in the Tarot - King, Queen, Knight, etc. - are often representative of real people, and can even depict how they look. The Queen of Wands is often a red-headed woman with a fiery personality. I am naturally a brunette, but just colored my hair a shade of brown that looks red in the right light, which is actually pretty close to the color of red that is on the Queen depicted in this deck. I unintentionally, and literally, just made myself physically the Queen of Wands. I got this.

For this challenge, I will be working on conquering the aspects of Wands, the second tarot suit I am exploring. Wands are, depending on the deck, connected to Fire, and so to things like action, passion, love or lust, light and knowledge (through mythologies like that of Prometheus and other fire bringers), etc. Wands are often conflict cards in a reading, as well, and so there is that aspect, of opposition and difficulty. As far as action is concerned, one can have all the potential in the world, but it takes the actual activity or energy of taking the first step to unleash and realize that potential. Without energy, potential can stagnate and rot. So, I think with this challenge, I will continue the energy and momentum of my last challenge by doing, by taking the actions necessary to maintain my goals. Because the two decks I have actually look at Wands differently (the Sorcerer's deck connects Wands with Air, not Fire), I'm only looking at one deck for this challenge. The Queen of Wands here is depicted on a throne, bearing a torch-like wand and accompanied by a lioness. Lionesses are the hunters of the pride, the providers and the nurturers; the maternal instincts of a lioness are legendary. I think these are also qualities of the Queen of Wands - a provider, but a fierce one. Outsiders dare not test her, and her love is more focused on protection than nurturing. Note, too, that although a lioness is an untamed animal, in the card she is chained. I think this points to the unbridled passion of the Queen being, well, bridled. Energy without control can be destructive - think of lightning or a forest fire. Yet controlled fire brings us technology, warmth, and light. Be sure that one's passion has a direction or a purpose or it will simply burn itself out haphazardly. Finally, the Queen is alone here, with no sign of civilization - the Queen of Pentacles was accompanied by both herd animals and crops. I think this speaks again to a more wild, untamed nature, but also to the isolation and independence or self-reliance of this archetype. To start this part of the journey, it is important to look at the Ace of Wands, the beginning and end of the journey. On this card, the character (Medea's father? Greek god?) is clearly a ruler. Not only is he crowned, but he also holds the globe in his hand. This particular depiction shows that he is master of his kingdom, whether it be Olympus or simply an earthly kingdom. He bears the golden fleece, which is also a symbol of kingship, as well as a powerful magical item (especially healing). He is in a lofty area, at the top of mountains (fitting for Olympus), which again stresses that independence or self-reliance of the Queen of Wands. It is strange to be the master of one's domain already at the start of the journey, but perhaps that has to do with conquering the domains found within oneself, or conversely, of looking outside of one's past experiences or familiar territory to something grander. For me, I think this has more to do with being more self-reflective and looking at my goals maybe more long-term - see the big picture, so to speak. So, to become the Queen of Pentacles, I must: Take action and energize my goals by Exercising 5 days/week - Belly dancing, walking, and weight training. I will do at least 30 minutes, but up to an hour when I can. EDIT: I decided that I really want to increase my strength stat, so I'm going to do weight training 3/week, in combination with another exercise when appropriate. (30 parts)Tracking my caloric intake every day and keep within the limit set with my doctor (1,800 cal/day) - I learned last challenge that there are not so many calories in wine or liquor (except in the mixers), but I'm still going to minimize intake, though not as strictly as last challenge. I'm also going to continue to limit snacking, but doing the calorie counting seems to be taking care of that on its own. Per my doctor, I'm also watching cholesterol. (36 parts)Limiting TV watching to 2 hours on weekday nights - TV watching makes me less inclined to actually *do* anything. (30 parts)Be self-reflective by Meditating 5 times per week - Meditation allows me to clear my mind so that I can reflect with an unclouded perspective. (30 parts)Getting to bed by 11pm on weekday nights - Being over-tired also affects my ability to reflect on my internal state and govern myself thoughtfully. (24 parts)Committing to spiritual study 2 hours per week - Spiritual study allows me to look at some big picture questions, including what kind of person I want to be and where I want my life to go. (12 parts)Be self-reliant by Planning my expenses and tracking free money for each pay period - Budgeting like this prevents me from spending foolishly and being unable to take care of needs. I need to also start budgeting for eating out when I know my schedule will keep me on the road, in combination with those times I am able to take food from home. (3 parts)Planning a long-term budget, to include paying off credit card debt and saving for a down payment on a home (long-term), as well as paying for desired items/services like belly dancing, clothing, and home furnishings (short-term). point values, etc. Action - 96 parts; +2 Dex, +2 Sta, +1 Con +3 Str Introspection - 66 parts; +2 Wis, +1 Cha, +1 Con, +1 Sta Independence - 4 parts; +2 Wis This may still have some revisions, but this is it to start.

At the encouragement of RDNottingham, I have decided to go with a theme for this (and at least three other) challenges. I am going to use the Tarot suits as guides for my challenges. This challenge is the suit of Pentacles or Coins. Pentacles are symbolically tied to the element of Earth, whose aspects are strength, steadfastness, firmness, and determination (to name a few). I think this is pretty much in line with the characteristics I want to demonstrate this challenge. Pentacles are also connected to money (hence the second name for the suit, Coins, and a major part of this challenge for me), home (I will be moving before the end of the challenge), and fertility or creativity. To further help focus my mindset, I have pulled out my Tarot decks and studied the Ace of Pentacles. The Ace is the beginning, but like everything in nature, every beginning is also an end, so it is both my starting point and goal. I have the Sorcerer's deck (left) and Mythic deck (right - based on Greek mythology). When I look at the Mythic Ace of Pentacles, I see that this suit is transformative - not something I normally associate with Earth - but since Poseidon is the Ace here, that makes sense. When Earth changes, it usually requires things to get "shaken up" (Poseidon is the god of earthquakes, after all), so change isn't necessarily easy - it can feel like an upheaval. I can say I am not necessarily looking forward to that, but I do have to shake up some of my beliefs and get over some hangups (especially since I do tend to like just comfortably plodding along), and I am looking forward to a transformation. Additionally, the Mythic Ace shows that the end result is fruitful (grapevines) and rewarding. As for the Sorcerer's Ace of Pentacles, this card is what I call the Gandalf card (I hope someone else sees it, too). The Ouroboros (snake eating its tail) is a symbol of eternity, and also immortality. I have no idea how that ties in to my challenge, tbh, but it gives me sense that this is the turning of the wheel, a step in a longer journey. Because I see this as Gandalf, this is a card of mastery (even if it is a card of beginnings as an ace), or more accurately maybe, the journey to mastery (Gandalf started out in a different place than he ended up, of course), or to mentorship; Gandalf is the great mentor in LOTR, after all. For my challenge, I think it means I need to be ready to learn and to teach in turns, and this is definitely part of a longer journey for me. Alright, this post is starting to feel a bit tl;dr, so I will speak about what the Queen of Pentacles, specifically, means to me and how I intend to become one in another post.

Hi all! last challenge I felt so motivated at the end! even though I didn't accomplish all my goals, it helped me further on my path to super mum. I'll fill in my measurement details on Monday when I have my husband here to help me out with photos (eek! stretch marks!) and the measuring tape. Starting weight -Chest (under bust) 88 cm -Bicep 27 cm -Waist 92.5 cm -Hips 101.5 cm -Thigh 54.5 My fitness goal is based on the fact that I FAILED at yoga last time. I went too big, which goes against my goal changing rule number one - small wins are more important than big dreams. 1. One yoga pose a day - I plan on repeating the exercises at some point to see improvement. I want to see how many I can do a day, but one is still a win. Small wins and baby steps and all that. After chatting with mindytx99, I've decided to work on my backwards walkover skills. So my yoga stretches will focus on this! + 3 STR + 3 DEX The cleanse went awesome last 6 weeks, but I did cheat with chocolate. way too much than I'd like to admit. At least breastfeeding helped with the weight loss, so I justified a bit every other day. Not this challenge! 2. Paleo 6 days a week, 1 day a week cheat day with NO GLUTEN FOREVER MORE. I've done this during my week off. well not strictly paleo - no dairy but I did have buckwheat flour in my pancakes. +2 CON I've been so thirsty lately. I've noticed that if I don't drink enough, my milk supply drops. 3. Drink a whole lot of water. I'm aiming for before and/or after every feed, with a minimum of 10 glasses a day. My daughter feeds about 7 times a day, sometimes more! She's a very very hungry baby (and doubled in size in her first three months of life… crazy!) + 2 CON 4. Learn tarot again I was getting good at this… then I stopped practicing. I want to get better at it again. I plan on studying one card a day, and do a reading when I can. If you would like me to do a reading, I would be glad to! +1 WIS +1 CHA 5. Work on blog regularly 2 posts a week - Which means I'll be sewing some new items too yay! +2 CHA +1 WIS I know it's 5 instead of 4, but I think I got the paleo thing down. I had my first cheat day today. It was amazing and terrible. I actually want some vegetables right now. I had chocolate icecream, lollies, chocolate, a banana and some bacon. I will make pancakes for dinner and have some vegetables with it - I also took a multivitamin so at least I have those. haha.