Scalyfreak slows down and simplifies things

[Scaly Freak]

Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out.

 

Everything hurts.

 

Swearing and cursing, Scalyfreak is relieved to discover that she has managed to outrun the large horde of monsters that ambushed her out of nowhere, and even better, she has found a comparatively safe place where she can take a breather. Damned stress demons. She can still hear them, and they are getting closer… their kind never gives up. They have proven that over and over.

 

Exhausted but refusing to give up, Scalyfreak continues to run from the demons. And run, and run. And run. The stress demons follow and eventually one of them catches up with her, the rest of the pack far behind the monster that suddenly finds itself all alone against its target. A target that has stopped, turned around, and has her shield raised and her sword ready for the approaching demon.

 

“Huh. It worked.”

 

 

So. In the immortal words of great warriors like Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee, battles are actually won before you even begin them. If you prepare to win, and you believe you will win, then that is what happens. So that is what will happen now. I will prepare by making the challenges realistic and set myself up for an easy victory. And I will believe I can do this, because I can.

 

My life is stressful right now. Work is throwing entirely new challenges with high stakes at me, while my life outside work is demanding a lot of attention and effort from me in dealing with a big life-changing event. I didn’t expect it to happen right now and that adds to the stress.

 

I’m not going to go into detail. This community is the one haven I have left that has not been infiltrated by the horde of stress demons, and I want to keep it that way. In case anyone was curious, I am safe and healthy and will stay that way. It’s not those types of changes.

 

So keeping it simple, here are my challenges for this period:

 

1.Walk to Mordor

Don’t just do the daily walks (with the Happy Loyal Sidekick), remember to log them in the PvP thread.

 

2. Continue to see the iron therapist three times a week

This one has become vital for sanity and mental health – there is no better de-stressor than the barbell. The knee injury is really screwing with the therapeutic benefits of lifting since I can’t do squats or deadlifts, which means Stronglifts have been put on hold. (Sad!) I have modified the SL workouts by incorporating my knee rehab, so it now looks like this:

 

Workout A:

Knee rehab exercises

Bench Press

Barbell Row

 

Workout B:

Knee rehab exercises

Overhead Press

Romanian Deadlifts (many thanks to @Grumble for suggesting this one!)

 

I have deloaded on the barbell lifts in both workouts so I can focus on improving form, but it’s boooooooring without seeing gains and weight increase. Hence the need for making them a challenge, to make sure I keep doing them.

 

3. Sleeping Beauty, the sequel

I made two dumb mistakes when setting this goal for myself during the previous challenge. The first mistake was to be too ambitious. After sleeping for 4-5 hour per night for years, trying to go straight to 7 hours per night was unwise. The second and even more epically dumb mistake was to not tell my husband about that particular goal and ask him to help me. New goal is 5 hours per night, every night. And the sexy man who sleeps next to me in our bed has agreed to help me remember both the goal and my self-assigned bed time.

 

4. Keep Unfucking Dragon Mountain

Because my home is more relaxing to be in now that it’s less cluttered.

 

Simple, easy to focus on, and that should make the goals easy to meet. That is exactly what I need right now. That, and a shoulder massage. *wanders off in search of the husband*

 

[RedStone]

Here's a fresh kill to kick off the killing of dem demons!

 

 

[Khuja, Dwarf Tank]

Here's a fresh kill to kick off the killing of dem demons!
 
 

[emoji178] Love Claymore!

[farflight]

 

You got this...following...we got this...

 

then the whole community shows up...

[Scaly Freak]

So with all the stress and lack of sleep going on in my life, my immune system decided to go on vacation, just as a nasty flu strain started making the rounds at work. My timing is spectacular.

 

Challenge can wait until it officially starts. I'm curling up with a book, a blanket, a hot toddy, and this, and taking the weekend off.

[Alanna]

So with all the stress and lack of sleep going on in my life, my immune system decided to go on vacation, just as a nasty flu strain started making the rounds at work. My timing is spectacular.
 
Challenge can wait until it officially starts. I'm curling up with a book, a blanket, a hot toddy, and this, and taking the weekend off.

Ugh, seems like everyone is getting sick... hope you feel better soon!


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[JustCallMeAmber]

Good call on your weekend plans. Take care of yourself and hope you get to feeling better soon!

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Sleep goals!!!

 

Weekend plan sounds good...

[Scaly Freak]

After the way I woke up this morning,I am officially sick. 

 

I tried to tell the husband how shitty I was feeling, but the only things that came out were faint croaking noises and horrible throat pain. I'm now reduced to communicating through gestures and text messages. Husband alternates between making lame jokes about how strangely quiet and peaceful it is, and fussing over me. I alternate between cough drops and hot tea with lots of honey.

 

I suspect I will have no difficulties meeting my sleep goals this weekend.

[Scaly Freak]

First-day update:

 

Looooots of sleep. Good news is that I don't have the flu. Bad news is the cold has expanded from my throat down to my chest... throat still sore and preventing conversation, and now I have chest cold symptom on top of that. Lovely green stuff comes up whenever I cough... awesome. For obvious reasons I'm staying home from work for the next few days.

 

All goals except sleeping are on hold until the cold goes away.

[farflight]

On 2/10/2018 at 1:13 PM, scalyfreak said:

Husband alternates between making lame jokes about how strangely quiet and peaceful it is,

I love that man already!!

 

Hope you start feeling better!

 

Mucinex has helped me in the past (also robotussin). Get that crap outta here

[Scaly Freak]

My Valentine present has arrived!

 

Spoilered because only True Followers (a.k.a rabid ones) will have enough insider knowledge to find it funny.

 

Spoiler

I of course think it's hilarious! 

 

 

 

 

Challenge update:

 

No major progress towards actual challenge goals today.  Felt recovered enough that I have prepared and eaten actual food, and will most likely be able to go to work again tomorrow. Definitely will not go to the gym for serious lifting anytime soon - putting away clean laundry took way too much effort.

 

Early to bed tonight for lots of extra sleep!

[Grumble]

I'm feeling so helpful lately.

[Laghail]

On 2/8/2018 at 9:53 PM, RedStone said:

Here's a fresh kill to kick off the killing of dem demons!

 

 

 

Claymore!!

[Mike Wazowski]

Great goals, you got this! Smart call on the sleep goals, I should be doing that instead of having my jump straight to 8 hours as a target.

[Scaly Freak]

My second day back at work. Coughing seems to be under control except at night. (Note to self: Be extra-super nice to Husband who is losing as much sleep due to my coughing as I am, even though he isn't sick.)

 

I failed to meet my sleep goal last night, which of course has given Husband plenty of opportunities to nag encourage me to remember that there is no point in setting a goal and asking for his help if I'm going to ignore everything he says. He makes a valid point, so I'm going to try harder tonight. In my defense, the Winter Olympics are happening and the hockey games are at ungodly hours in my time zone.

[Scaly Freak]

Challenge update:

 

I remain thoroughly distracted by the Winter Olympics (hockey!!!) and the lingering deep cough that keeps me from the gym. 

 

Dragon Mountain unfucking is still happening, albeit at a slower pace. I have yet to return to the gym, mainly because any form of physical exertion triggers dramatic coughing, and that would just be a rude thing to do to the others at the gym.

 

Unrelated to NF challenges: I found and joined a play-by-post D&D group in another forum, and this makes me ridiculously happy. I have missed doing this, and this in turn is telling me I need to make "find an in-person D&D group" a challenge goal at some point.  

[RedStone]

21 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

"find an in-person D&D group" a challenge goal at some point.  

 

IKR??? same. boat.

[Scaly Freak]

1 minute ago, RedStone said:

 

IKR??? same. boat.

 

It seems to get worse the older I get. I'm about to turn 40. So I'm looking for a group of people who are:

 

1. In their mid-30s or later.

2. Play D&D

3. Have enough social commitments that they understand that I have them

4. Have few enough social commitments that thy can make room or a regular D&D group

5. Play D&D in a way I enjoy (this one is deal breaker - better to have no game than to have a bad game!)

 

I am also looking for a pink unicorn to have for a pet, since that seems like it might be easier to find.

[Grumble]

13 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

 

It seems to get worse the older I get. I'm about to turn 40. So I'm looking for a group of people who are:

 

1. In their mid-30s or later.

2. Play D&D

3. Have enough social commitments that they understand that I have them

4. Have few enough social commitments that thy can make room or a regular D&D group

5. Play D&D in a way I enjoy (this one is deal breaker - better to have no game than to have a bad game!)

 

I am also looking for a pink unicorn to have for a pet, since that seems like it might be easier to find.

 

If you lived in So cal... Where the weather is great and dice never freeze.

[Scaly Freak]

3 hours ago, Grumble said:

 

If you lived in So cal... Where the weather is great and dice never freeze.

 

If we ever move there, I'd expect you to clear two spots at your table.

[Grumble]

7 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

 

If we ever move there, I'd expect you to clear two spots at your table.

 

 

[Jord]

On 2/19/2018 at 12:53 AM, scalyfreak said:

 

Unrelated to NF challenges: I found and joined a play-by-post D&D group in another forum, and this makes me ridiculously happy. I have missed doing this, and this in turn is telling me I need to make "find an in-person D&D group" a challenge goal at some point.  

 

On 2/19/2018 at 10:07 PM, RedStone said:

 

IKR??? same. boat.

 

I kind of have the same situation except that I'm also afraid ALL THE D&D SNACKS.

 

Mr. T is also considering starting a campaign at our place, but we also have a parking situation. I should talk to him about this. It's just that when summer hits SCA stuff becomes a major time suck. Which is a wee bit like living inside D&D... with the same level of snacks.

[Grumble]

3 hours ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

I kind of have the same situation except that I'm also afraid ALL THE D&D SNACKS.

So, we're playing a far east flavored campaign and we theme our snacks around them. But healthier. Do things like steamed turkey dumplings, coconut shrimp (no sauce), potstickers (They're different damnit!), steamed buns, etc. A little more effort, but everyone contributes and it's surprisingly healthy. Even binging on a whole day of food has kept my MPF under 2100 cals. Too easy to do.

[Scaly Freak]

On 2/21/2018 at 9:21 AM, Grumble said:

So, we're playing a far east flavored campaign 

 

Now I definitely demand seats if I ever move there.

 

To California. Not to the far east.