Gemma is satisfied with her care

[Gemma]

My arm hurts. It didn't hurt bad at all right after the surgery*, and I thought I had gotten off super easy. Now the nerves are starting to heal, which is GREAT, but also neuropathy = ow. Okay, moving on ... 

 

 

I am seriously recovering WAY faster and better than I had any right to expect. I was back in the gym 3 days post-op. Can't do anything with barbells yet, living on leg press and one-armed DB/KB stuff, but at least the habit remains intact. And if I keep progressing the leg press, theoretically I shouldn't lose too much on my squat. I hope. Anyhoo. 

 

2018 BIG GOALS

 

• Build a library (I have a bonus room in my house that has been designated "library" since we bought the place over a decade ago. But it has really always been just the junk room.)
• Finish the bloody novel! (Bad habit - start a book, get about 25% through it, get a "great idea," start a new book. Stop that. Finish one.)
• Pay off half of student loans (Self explanatory, right?)
• Lifting/fitness goals TBD - depending on my recovery rate and how far back I have to start over from. I would like to do my first competition this year.

 This challenge: 

1. Write every day - I'm trying the Julia Cameron "Morning Pages" thing again, but if I fail at that I will fall back on 4theWords (streak = 444 words/day)
2. Write down everything I want to buy that isn't clearly grocery or fuel, put it into Want or Need column, limit "want" spending to <20% of discretionary income (this should impose a mandatory cooling-off period of at least a few minutes actual thinking before I impulse buy just everything that Amazon/Etsy/et. al. shows me.)
3. Go to gym at least 2x/week, 3x is better, do whatever my coach sez because she has a lot of experience rehabbing injuries/surgeries like this
4. Participate fully in my gym's upcoming 3-month Transformation Challenge whenever it comes along

 

Re: 3-Month Transformation Challenge - the coach/nutritionist that owns my gym does this every year. It involves three months of sticking like glue to a personalized nutrition plan (customized for age, gender, goals, etc.) My gym-mates who have done it before say that it is not at all torturous, there are reasonable accommodations for cheat meals and eating food that actually tastes good, and it is super effective. They haven't released any details yet about this year - like, for example, the start date! - my coach says it usually starts around the second week of January to allow everyone who traveled for the holidays to get back into the groove. 

I need to do *something* about my food. I cut my calories back for the surgery/recovery period since I am not training hard and I didn't want the combination of reduced activity + holiday eating to result in too much BF gain, but a lot of those fewer calories came from cookies and truffles, and I am feeling a little bit like

 

 

 

 

 

* if you missed my ultra-whiny last challenge ... I had damage to my ulnar nerve at the elbow (funny bone) that was making my hand numb and tingly all the time. While my surgeon was in there anyways fixing that, she went ahead and did the carpal tunnel surgery that I also kind of needed but had been putting off. Surgery date was Dec 19. Recovery prognosis: 12-15 weeks, should be good as new. I'm really enjoying not feeling like my hand is always "asleep." 

[Scaly Freak]

Following mainly so I can seethe in jealousy over your library when you finish building it.  

[ValkyrieRising]

Here to follow. Stalking one of each thread in each of the guilds I cant make up my mind on and Baymax love wins it for me. That big floofy rubbery dude wins all the things for me. Also...library....drool. I have long debated selling this home and buying a 4 bedroom place to to have an extra room to turn into a library. Unfortunately I cant justify the cost since I already have one bedroom thats for all my gaming. So maybe I shall be jealous of yours for now.

[Mike Wazowski]

Following for libraries and nutrition cleanup moral support!!

 

Also, love the idea of needs vs wants budgeting!

[Gemma]

18 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

Following mainly so I can seethe in jealousy over your library when you finish building it.  

Buckle up, it's going to be a long ride before anything from my current state of chaos actually looks seethe-worthy. 
 

4 hours ago, ValkyrieRising said:

Here to follow. Stalking one of each thread in each of the guilds I cant make up my mind on and Baymax love wins it for me. That big floofy rubbery dude wins all the things for me. Also...library....drool. I have long debated selling this home and buying a 4 bedroom place to to have an extra room to turn into a library. Unfortunately I cant justify the cost since I already have one bedroom thats for all my gaming. So maybe I shall be jealous of yours for now.

Baymax may actually the best character ever, by my reckoning. And - see below - having more rooms *can* mean simply having more junk. In my life it is 100% true that "Hoarders"-level crap immediately expands to fill the available space. It might work better for more disciplined humans, but I wouldn't know  
 

3 hours ago, MikeWazowski said:

Following for libraries and nutrition cleanup moral support!!

 

Also, love the idea of needs vs wants budgeting!

 

Another library fan! Alrighty then, y'all asked for this. I feel like I should tag a trigger warning on this post because of the revulsion and disgust it might cause for humans who value and know how to create order and tidiness. (I envy those people soooo much, it is probably sinful.)

 

 

 

 

 

Also:

 

1. I did do morning pages today. For bonus points, I didn't wait until Jan 1 to start them, I started on Dec 30. So I actually have a three-day streak going already. 

 

2. I didn't leave the house today, so you would think it would be easy to not impulse shop, but noooooo, the internet is built specifically to make people like me impulse shop. I didn't, though. I very specifically and intentionally labeled this shirt as a WANT (c'mon, I have a billion tank tops) and did not order it (even though it is on sale and I reallyreallyreally want it). It will be designated as "loot" for a challenge or accomplishment still TBD. 

 

 

For those others among you already coveting, because I know someone will ask, it is Svaha. https://svahausa.com/products/8-bit-self-rescuing-princess-tank-top 

 

 

 

 

3. Gym was closed today, so I'm doing Tuesday and Friday this week. Back to M/W/F next week. Also back to work. 

 

4. No information yet about specifics of 3-Month Transformation Challenge. 

 

 

[Mike Wazowski]

That library is gonna make for an epic "after" picture! Just remember it's a marathon there!

 

That shirt is epic, as well!

[Scaly Freak]

That library room has SO MUCH potential! My inner teenager wants to put posters of star systems on the ceiling! Let the seeting begin...!

 

As for t-shirts, I'm going to go for this one, at some point in the future when The Story of Scalyfreak has progressed to the point I can legitimately say I've earned the title.

 

 

 

ThinkGeek.com carries them. 

[ValkyrieRising]

4 hours ago, Gemma said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add in tons of computer, tv and game consoles and thats my computer room. Sigh. It needs cleaning so badly. Im with you on this. 

[CourtnieMarie]

that's awesome that you are recovering so quickly!! also two-for-one surgeries. well done that.

 

love your budget goal and i should totally do that. i'm good about most purchases (waiting until i really really need them) except for clothes. i just love buying new clothes online. i justify it because i usually end up returning half of what i buy anyway...? seems legit.

 

annnd you're library isn't that bad! i completely envy people who keep they're houses in great order. with like complimentary decor and sh*t. i don't even know what that means but i'm sure i don't have the patience for it. good luck with the library rehab! just like Mike said, slow and steady progress.

 

also hi! subbed!

[Gemma]

2 hours ago, CourtnieMarie said:

 

love your budget goal and i should totally do that. i'm good about most purchases (waiting until i really really need them) except for clothes. i just love buying new clothes online. i justify it because i usually end up returning half of what i buy anyway...? seems legit.

 

LOL, CM, right now you are actually the source of my biggest obstacle temptation to said budget goal, 'coz I got caught up reading your challenge thread and of course immediately went internet-hunting for Runaways Vol 1. Bonus points because it fills a category in the 2018 Read Harder challenge (#8: a comic written or illustrated by a person of color).  I was a good girl, though, I just put in on my Amazon WishList and promised myself I'll wait until the end of this pay period to see what else I have found to blow my newly-limited mad money on before I click the "Add to Cart" button. Irrationally proud of myself for this. 

 

 

 

 

Updates: 

 

1. Morning Pages, check.

2. Spending impulse control - see above, so far so good. 

3. Gym, check, logged below

4. Talked to Gillian today, she said they are running late this year but she will hold the interest meeting for the Transformation Challenge on Jan 13th. I will be there for that. 

 

Gym Log:

 

• 10 min stationary bike
• 1-arm goblet squat, 12 kg: 3x8 (those are super awkward, btw)
• 1-arm KB RDL, 16kg: 3x10
• PVC shoulder dislocates: 3x10
• DB OHP (left arm only): 20# 3x10
• Leg press: 75# 3x10
• 1-arm lat pulldown: 30# 1x10; 45# 2x7

 

My inner badass may be hibernating but I know she's still in there, I can feel her when I OHP  

 

[CourtnieMarie]

oops! haha! but also really cool that'd you'd be able to check off a goal in your reading challenge!

 

doing successful OHP reps definitely feels badass. well done!

[JustCallMeAmber]

Following for all of the things and also BH6. (I watched it a couple of weeks ago and found out there's a Stan Lee cameo; Fred's dad. So awesome.)

[Blocky]

13 hours ago, Gemma said:

1-arm goblet squat, 12 kg: 3x8 (those are super awkward, btw)

 

Agreed... super awks... I occasionally do box squats with a sandbag on one shoulder and it's very similar - I do feel like I get some oblique work though (ie: trying not fall over sideways)

 

[Jord]

I also need to re-visit putting a serious check on my spending impulses. So I am here for the mutual moral support! 

 

 

[Mike Wazowski]

Killin’ it with the training!

[Grumble]

On 12/31/2017 at 7:18 AM, Gemma said:

I had damage to my ulnar nerve at the elbow (funny bone) that was making my hand numb and tingly all the time.

 

So it wasn't very humerus?

[Gemma]

3 hours ago, Grumble said:

 

So it wasn't very humerus?

 

Anatomy joke for the win! 

 

Morning Pages, still going. Also - and this is not part of the challenge, but this is huge for me - I am still maintaining the streaks I was tracking last challenge. Duolingo, Headspace, and YouVersion bible study all still going strong *despite* the fact that Morning Pages has bumped them out of the prime "first thing in the morning" slot where I am most likely to actually do stuff, so now I have to squeeze 'em all in later in the day when life is already happening. 

My impulse spending yesterday and today was limited to gifts for the grandmunchkins, so I'm not counting it against myself. Due to surgery and travel schedules, we are having Christmas with the kidlets this coming weekend, so I'm still finding stocking stuffers and not resisting them. Because grandkids. 

And this happened. 

 

 

[Scaly Freak]

I have never ever been able to get rid of books. Not even that kind of books.

 

I bow to your superior decluttering awesomeness.

 

[Mike Wazowski]

Woo, progress! I just recently set aside my first book into the donate pile (I hated it about 50 pages in, don't plan to read it again) - took more mental strength than it should have.

[farflight]

On 12/31/2017 at 9:18 AM, Gemma said:

cooling-off period of at least a few minutes actual thinking before I impulse buy just everything that Amazon/Etsy/et. al. shows me.)

 

To avoid this pitfall I ALWAYS utilize a "shopping basket" approach (instead of the 1-click buy options).

 

Find something I MUST HAVE

Put it in shopping cart

Go for a walk

Delete item

 

Works pretty well most of the time (also I'm just kind of a financial tight ass according to *cough* certain people...)

[JustCallMeAmber]

2 hours ago, farflight said:

Works pretty well most of the time (also I'm just kind of a financial tight ass wise steward of hard-won loot according to *cough* certain people...)

FTFY. (I also like to say "creatively thrifty", when I am in point of fact being cheap. It has a nicer ring to it..)

[Gemma]

On 1/4/2018 at 4:20 PM, MikeWazowski said:

Woo, progress! I just recently set aside my first book into the donate pile (I hated it about 50 pages in, don't plan to read it again) - took more mental strength than it should have.

 

Seriously, the hardest possessions in the world to let go of. What is up with that? 

 

3 hours ago, farflight said:

 

To avoid this pitfall I ALWAYS utilize a "shopping basket" approach (instead of the 1-click buy options).

 

Find something I MUST HAVE

Put it in shopping cart

Go for a walk

Delete item

 

Works pretty well most of the time (also I'm just kind of a financial tight ass according to *cough* certain people...)

 

It's a great plan. Unfortunately my approach is to put it in the shopping cart, leave it there 'til payday, pay all my bills, think "whoo hoo there's some left over," run straight to the now-full shopping cart and hit the "checkout" button without further review. Your way is better. 

And it's usually books. Even now that I have a library card to an amazing library and can read e-books and listen to audiobooks to my heart's content, books are still the easiest thing in the world to buy and justify buying. (Oh, I just know I'll want to read that one more than once!) Easiest thing to buy and hardest thing to discard, it's a double whammy. 

 

 

1 hour ago, JustCallMeAmber said:

FTFY. (I also like to say "creatively thrifty", when I am in point of fact being cheap. It has a nicer ring to it..)

 

Funny, I have a bit of that reputation in my family as well. I am incredibly fussy about large expenditures, I will save up for months or years if I have to in order to purchase a big ticket thing without using credit. It's the little things I have trouble with - five dollars here, ten there, eh, what's that gonna hurt? That's what I am working to get under control. 

 

 

 

My Big Win for today: for some reason I really struggle with working out at home. I have a workable but limited set-up (couple light kettlebells, a doorway pull-up bar with suspension trainer, some resistance bands) but I love both my gyms so I always work out at one or the other. I don't have a working out at home habit established. And it is so easy to procrastinate, because my computer and books and sofa are right there, so ... y'know ... I could work out later. After I check Instagram just one more time. And read one more chapter. And ...

 

For reason unknown, it is even harder for me to work out when the hubs is home. He doesn't come upstairs at all when I'm working out, so it's not like he bothers or distracts me, I think talking to him is just another excuse for procrastinating. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

But I did it today!  The roads are still pretty iced over so I didn't go to the gym this morning, and both the base and the gun range were closed again so we both had the day off work. And I went upstairs and worked out! It wasn't ideal, but I did everything I could think of to do with a little bit of equipment and one functional arm:

 

- One-arm KB swing intervals x 5 minutes; 25# KB, 40 sec work/20 rest (holy crap I am an aerobic hot mess this was way more tiring that it needed to be!!!)

- Air squats 3x10 (my knees are super creaky, they dislike cold weather, I'm turning into one of those old ladies)

- One-arm KB OHP 20# 3x10

- One-arm KB RDL 25# 3x10

- One-arm inverted rows 3x10 

 

Also morning pages, check.

No inappropriate/impulse spending except one 99 cent app purchase for my phone. 

 

So far so good. The kids and the grandmonkeys will be here tonight for the late Christmas family weekend. All I am worried about staying on top of through that is the writing thing, everything else is on hiatus until Monday.

 

[Scaly Freak]

27 minutes ago, Gemma said:

It's a great plan. Unfortunately my approach is to put it in the shopping cart, leave it there 'til payday, pay all my bills, think "whoo hoo there's some left over," run straight to the now-full shopping cart and hit the "checkout" button without further review. Your way is better. 

And it's usually books. Even now that I have a library card to an amazing library and can read e-books and listen to audiobooks to my heart's content, books are still the easiest thing in the world to buy and justify buying. (Oh, I just know I'll want to read that one more than once!) Easiest thing to buy and hardest thing to discard, it's a double whammy.

 

 

 

This is so familiar to me I sometime feel like I should seek professional help...

[RedStone]

So much win! I have the same exact thing with working out at home, which is kinda funny cause up until a few years ago I only worked out at home... and I think we even have the same set up lol Awesome!

 

And gurrrrl the library has a ton of potential! It's been Mr Red's lifelong goal to have a home library and it's worth the work. And it's one of the few instances I really love IKEA One black/brown billy bookcase became 2 became 3... and the whole thing matches and looks massively peaceful now  Cheers to a solid and fulfilling goal!

 

On 1/3/2018 at 2:31 PM, Grumble said:

So it wasn't very humerus?

 

Flat face emoji.

[Grumble]

4 hours ago, RedStone said:

Flat face emoji.