Harnessing Hamingja

[Sciread77]

Hopefully, this one doesn't double post.

 

I joined the forums about 10-11 months ago. It's coming up on a year, and now's a good time to take stock of my progress.

 

Spoiler

Original stated goals:

 

1. Drop 30 lbs from my June 27th weight

2. Retain as much muscle as possible during the slim down

3. Complete the Alfredson Protocol calf/ankle rehabilitation program (runs through September 1st)

4. Complete a similar program aimed at improving my wrist and forearm strength and flexibility

5. Get plenty of rest

6. Learn and speak French as a family

 

1.  I'm 3.4 lbs down from that weight.  Not as far along as I'd like, but it's progress in the right direction 

2.  I'm much, much stronger than I was last year and have higher stamina, too

3.  Completed, and I've had no problems since with my maintenance plan

4.  Completed as well.  The 4-months off work with the baby helped.

5.  I only spent 2 months below my normal maintenance level of sleep, and I've largely been sleeping better and more this year

6.  While this one has been on hiatus the last few months, the kids now watch half their cartoons in French and we've made a lot of progress

 

Here's the character sheet goals I've reached in the last year:

-Built an outdoor bunny cage
-Fixed master bathroom faucet
-Fixed utensil drawer
-Read to the boys for 7 nights straight (now a daily/nightly habit)
-Teach the kids morning and nighttime French phrases
-Take care of my wife's needs until the baby comes
-Successfully emotionally support my wife for 7 straight days
-Find a financial advisor for MindsEye, the nonprofit I work with
-Read 26 Books in 2017
-Teach boys to ride a bike
-Finish training manuals at work
-Move stuff from storage into basement
-Move stuff from basement into storage
-Prepare nursery
-Trip to Disney World
-Complete the Alfredson Protocol
-Complete modified Alfred Protocol for wrist joints

 

I'm still working on:

-10 Pull ups in a row

-Promotion at work

-Pistol squat

-Complete Duolingo French Tree

-Gold Duolingo French Tree

-One-arm chin or Pull up

-Sell House

-Record Demo

-Upload Demo

 

In the last year, I've gone from feeling like I was effectively crippled to being fully capable again.  I was having trouble with completing enough basic walking to even make a run to Target or the grocery store without pain. Now, I can carry all three of my kids (~150 lbs) at once for the duration of such a trip. I've made reading a priority again.  I've made sleeping enough a priority again.  I've gotten ready for and welcomed a baby.  I've taught my little men a lot, and I've seen them grow!  I've eaten better, and I'm feeling better.

 

I still have a long way to go on some of my goals, and new things have become priorities or moved up the list.  I think I'm a lot better off for posting about my goals and giving updates, and I'm definitely better off for knowing the people I've met here.  Especially my fellow Adventurers.  Thank you all.

 

I think that 4-5 goals is a sweet spot for me.   Last time, my goals were:

 

1. Prep and sell house

A necessary job.  I think I'm doing well enough that this doesn't need to be a NF goal.

 

2. Eat more pulses.

This has been a pretty big success.  But I want to expand it to balanced macros with only one food/beverage choice a day that does not contribute to my health goals.

 

3. Do something at least lightly physical 7 days a week 

Given the nature of our situation, this will not be an issue.

 

4. Sleep 7+ hours a night

This should probably be a permanent goal.

 

Without further ado, this cycle's goals are:

 

1.  Plan and spend quality time with my lovely wife at least once a week.

 

          This whole process is really taking it out of her, and as I posted in my previous challenge I need to prioritize nourishing our relationship.  Plus, I want her to feel loved and planning quality time for us together (especially some without kids) is the best way to do this now.

 

2. Eat a balanced macro diet, with only one food/beverage choice a day that does not contribute to my health goals.

 

3. Sleep 7+ hours a night 

 

4. Harness our Hamingja. 

 

            This is familial luck and fortune, and is associated with a guardian angel of sort.  Beyond these goals, I want to do one thing each day that will put myself and/or my family in a better position to take advantage of the opportunities that arrive in life.

 

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

Congrats on all your weight loss and progress!

 

Following to watch you keep it up.

[Sciread77]

4 minutes ago, Brogo said:

Congrats on all your weight loss and progress!

 

Following to watch you keep it up.

 

Thanks! I’d honestly hoped I would be further along by now. But I’m glad it’s going in the right direction!

[Sciread77]

1.  Plan and spend quality time with my lovely wife at least once a week.

     I bought tickets to see the Book of Mormon at the Fabulous Fox.  A week from tomorrow!

 
2. Eat a balanced macro diet, with only one food/beverage choice a day that does not contribute to my health goals.

     So far, so good.  I had a cupcake (catered by my boss's boss) but otherwise everything I've eaten in the last 24 hours has taken me a step closer to my goal.  I'm feeling much, much better than I did 1-2 weeks ago.
 

3. Sleep 7+ hours a night 

     Beat it by an hour and 3 minutes!
 

4. Harness our Hamingja. 

      We completed an analysis on our house and have a plan to work a little each day to make it better.  I'm going to keep going until we get a contract.  We need to record our demos, and once we do I have a marketing plan for them to solicit voice over work.  BUT. Until I have a demo, the rest of it is stalled.

[Aquarii]

23 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

 

In the last year, I've gone from feeling like I was effectively crippled to being fully capable again.  I was having trouble with completing enough basic walking to even make a run to Target or the grocery store without pain. Now, I can carry all three of my kids (~150 lbs) at once for the duration of such a trip. I've made reading a priority again.  I've made sleeping enough a priority again.  I've gotten ready for and welcomed a baby.  I've taught my little men a lot, and I've seen them grow!  I've eaten better, and I'm feeling better.

 

 

First of all, congrats on the progress you have made so far! Also, I love your new goals. They seem really well-rounded and balanced.

[Sciread77]

25 minutes ago, StarlordPhoenix said:

 

First of all, congrats on the progress you have made so far! Also, I love your new goals. They seem really well-rounded and balanced.

 

Thanks! And that's what I'm going for.  Particularly, the stuff that's most important and that I'm having the greatest difficulties with.

 

I'm on a FitBit challenge so that and the moving/staging activity has kept my activity pretty high without thinking much about it.

[annyshay]

Looking good!

[Ann of Owlshire]

Following!

[Sciread77]

So I’m home from work with 2 sick kids and one very well, very energetic 8-month-old.  

 

The planets aligned and everyone fell asleep at once. Victory! So I thought I’d take advantage of this time to use the good microphone to record my demo and get that ball rolling. Unfortunately, all of my neighbors seems to have tagged this as the perfect time to mow their lawns, too! My AT-2020 is sensitive enough that it picks the mowers up-and it isn’t just quietly in the background, it’s almost overwhelming my voice!

 

So I’m left waiting for a few more planets to align. Note to self: in the next house, my sound-treated room is definitely going to be in the basement with a lesser-used room above it!

[Sciread77]

Ok. So.  I threw up a makeshift sound treatment in the playroom, and it since the playroom is in the basement the mowers don't come through.  Everything's fine as long as I unplug the deep freeze.  Of course, now that it's set up the boys are awake.  They love the microphone, but I don't trust them around it when they're sick.  So now we're watching the Angry Birds movie.  Baby girl is still asleep.

 

Still, it's progress in the right direction and I've got a couple of audio clips I can play with even if I don't have any of my demo material done.

[Teros]

On 5/21/2018 at 3:35 PM, Sciread77 said:

2. Eat more pulses.

Pulses?

 

 

[Sciread77]

3 minutes ago, Teros said:

Pulses?

 

 

 

Beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.  High in protein and fiber.  Filling and delicious.

[Sciread77]

The school shooting in Indiana was at the middle school my cousins attend, and the high school is on lockdown.  I hope everyone's OK.  One cousin is confirmed safe.  Also, I found out that one of my field people died yesterday.  

[Sciread77]

All cousins unharmed and accounted for. 

[Teros]

Good to hear.  How close were you to the field person?

[Sciread77]

1 hour ago, Teros said:

Good to hear.  How close were you to the field person?

 

Reasonably. We’ve been working together remotely for the last 4 years.  I she’s one of the few hundred under my supervision and the second to pass away. So far it’s unfortunate that both happened to be people I interact with all the time. 

[Sciread77]

So yesterday, we went out to breakfast and then spent the day at Grant’s Farm. For those that don’t know the St. Louis area, that’s a local wildlife preserve and petting zoo owned by the Busch family in South St. Louis. Free to go although parking and stuff like camel rides and food to feed the animals costs some, and lots of good family fun. Lots of walking. 

 

I was up all night fixing a floor problem in our living room that’s probably been putting people off from buying the house. The floating flooring pulled apart. I’d have done it earlier, but it’s a job that requires about 7 uninterrupted hours with the trim off the walls and that’s hard to find unless everyone else is sleeping. So I only got a few hours sleep Friday night, then slept from 5:30 pm yesterday to 7:30 am today to get rid of my migraine and sort of catch up. It was wonderful. 

 

Today, I’m smoking pork steaks and chicken, and we’re also bbqing burgers, brats, and hot dogs. I know it seems like we eat 90% meat around here, but we’re eating about half vegetarian. I just like smoking and bbqing so I post about it a lot lol. 

[WolfDreamer]

20 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

Today, I’m smoking pork steaks and chicken, and we’re also bbqing burgers, brats, and hot dogs.

 

I'd say I'm coming to your house, but you posted this 20 hours ago. 

 

Love the simplicity of your challenge. You are proof that small steps can lead to big changes because you have achieved a lot since joining NF. I'm glad you're part of the Adventurers, as well. Let me know if I can help in any way.

[Sciread77]

14 minutes ago, Wolfen said:

 

I'd say I'm coming to your house, but you posted this 20 hours ago. 

 

You would have been welcome. Your whole family would be welcome. We tend to make too much food, which is great for leftovers but even worse when a few friends get sick and can’t make it. Also, I’m excited to say that those were the best pork steaks I’ve ever eaten. I love experimental bbqing and smoking. 

 

18 minutes ago, Wolfen said:

Love the simplicity of your challenge. You are proof that small steps can lead to big changes because you have achieved a lot since joining NF. I'm glad you're part of the Adventurers, as well. Let me know if I can help in any way.

 

Thanks! I have ambitious goal but I need to break them down and focus or they fall by the wayside. I like to stick to SMART goals. 

 

Also, I plan physical and skill development using a tweaked D20 Modern character spreadsheet, which I’ve found helps me break down developmental planning pretty well. 

 

This is sort of thing was in some ways easier before I had a family to take care of too, although crushing loneliness and mental health issues got in the way more then. 

 

TBH, your support and interaction on the boards here has been tremendously helpful. I’m a bit isolated at work now, so the loneliness issue is still a factor sometimes during the day. 

[WolfDreamer]

26 minutes ago, Sciread77 said:

so the loneliness issue is still a factor sometimes during the day.

 

This, I think, is a real problem especially with men, and I don't think enough people are talking about it. I read this article last year about how loneliness is the biggest threat to middle-aged men (I know you're not middle-aged, but the point still applies).

 

Quote

Loneliness has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and the progression of Alzheimer’s. One study found that it can be as much of a long-term risk factor as smoking.

 

I'm a social person, and I talk a lot and to a lot of people. But if I honestly think deeply about it, I have friends, but I rarely talk to them, maybe once a week. My best friend just had a baby... four months ago, and I have yet to spend time with him or the baby. I've messaged him about it, sure, but it hasn't actually happened yet. I don't know why we suck at spending time with each other, why it's so hard to make plans to see our friends. Yeah, sure, sometimes it's because we're busy with work and our wife and kids, but sometimes we have no excuse. We just don't do it.

[Sciread77]

2 minutes ago, Wolfen said:

 

This, I think, is a real problem especially with men, and I don't think enough people are talking about it. I read this article last year about how loneliness is the biggest threat to middle-aged men (I know you're not middle-aged, but the point still applies).

 

 

I'm a social person, and I talk a lot and to a lot of people. But if I honestly think deeply about it, I have friends, but I rarely talk to them, maybe once a week. My best friend just had a baby... four months ago, and I have yet to spend time with him or the baby. I've messaged him about it, sure, but it hasn't actually happened yet. I don't know why we suck at spending time with each other, why it's so hard to make plans to see our friends. Yeah, sure, sometimes it's because we're busy with work and our wife and kids, but sometimes we have no excuse. We just don't do it.

 

Thats the truth. And a big part is that problem for me is that I had friends in person on my team at work until recently. So I’m getting 9 hours of social black hole and backstabbery in place of 9 hours that used to help. 

 

Moving will help. We’re far enough south of town that it’s hard to connect with most of our friends. And it’s also helpful having my wife on sunm break. We have a lot more flexibility now. 

 

But the loneliness isn’t a good thing. In my younger days I tried to drink it away and that doesn’t work even remotely well. I also tried to work it away and Church it away, and none of those things offered anything but a temporary distraction that did not solve my problem. The problem is that I need my people. Not all the time, not even a lot. 

 

Heck, spending time alone with my wife is hugely helpful. She’s awesome. And seeing our friends is too. We connected with several ovee the weekend and that’s been good. 

[Sylvaa]

Totally jumping on the loneliness train! *Choo choo*

 

Also, would you mind sharing your D20 spreadsheet?

[Sciread77]

3 minutes ago, Sylvaa said:

Totally jumping on the loneliness train! *Choo choo*

 

Also, would you mind sharing your D20 spreadsheet?

 

Sure! Hopefully it shares easily. 

[Sciread77]

So I’m not exactly sure how to share a spreadsheet on here since it’s now so customized that it’s about unrecognizable even if I found the link to the original online. 

 

Hmmm...

[Sylvaa]

3 minutes ago, Sciread77 said:

So I’m not exactly sure how to share a spreadsheet on here since it’s now so customized that it’s about unrecognizable even if I found the link to the original online. 

 

Hmmm...

 

100% me. Google docs? or too personal at this point?