traaki coasts.

[traaki]

Let's get to it! 

 

1. Workout 3 x per week.

Fell behind pace while I was gone, but not too far--I'd like to get back on track this challenge.

 

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub.

Things I love in salads right now: Fresh mozzarella, salami, olives. Lettuce chopped into tiny bits instead of big bits. Provolone. Red wine vinegar. 

 

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. 

New strategy.  As I approach the end of something I frequently switch to a different backlog thing because why? I dunno. My brain is dumb. So this month the focus is on my last three kickstarter rewards (I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE BEEN REALLY PATIENT ON THESE.) I have a list of tasks I need to complete to get these done, listed behind this spoiler alert b/c they're super boring but it helps me keep it all straight:

Spoiler

* Research how to iron cross-stitch

* Find ironing materials

* Iron the cross-stitch

* Set up a table/work station for the handwritten poems

* Find the good paper

* Cut paper to size 

* Line the paper

* write the first draft

* Fill my pen up

* Write the ink final

* Erase the pencil 

* (2nd project) Buy appropriately sized paper

* Line the big paper

* Pencil draft

* Ink final

* Erase the pencil

* Mark rewards complete

* Blog the post-mortem of the project.

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

I've put some time on the calendar, and I'm *also* going to try to work on this in between those times as well. 

 

4. Go outside. 

I'd like to go outside at least once a day, five days a week. WORKING FROM HOME IS HARD OKAY.

 

Other fun stuff happening this month:

• I'm planning a local writing retreat.
• I'm going to try some new (or long forgotten) activities: Rock climbing, a sensory deprivation chamber, and a ninja gym. 
• Gonna buy an adjustable standing desk and new chair for my office -- any suggestions?

 

I feel like I should have more things on my list, but...I don't know. I feel okay about this. I'll add stuff in later as needed. 

[traaki]

ALSO I tried axe-throwing last week and totally loved it: 

It's not as assassin-y as, like, knife throwing, but I'll *take* it. 

[raptron]

I am team "every salad should be a chopped salad." Well, almost every. Let's goooo task list!

[Manarelle]

9 hours ago, traaki said:

ALSO I tried axe-throwing last week and totally loved it: 

 

It's not as assassin-y as, like, knife throwing, but I'll *take* it. 

 

There is so much to love about this picture.  For starters, hella grats on the bulls-eye, that's awesome. Also, dead is dead - the means of assassinating someone/ thing is secondary, so definitely counts as assassin-y. Lastly - but not leastly- the expression on your face is at least as awesome as your glasses and unicorn chain. Rock on with your assassin self. 

 

Alas, I have no suggestions on the standing desk, although it's something I'm interested in. My boss has one, and I will say that if you have two monitors hooked to one base/ stand, definitely go for a type that raises the whole desktop. He's got just a platform on the desk that lifts, and his monitors tend to wobble a lot while he's typing, standing up. Two monitors with individual stands seems more stable. 

[traaki]

TRACKING POST

 

Week 1

1. Workout 3 x per week (2/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (3/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (3/15)

4. Go outside. (3/5)

 

Week 2

1. Workout 3 x per week (2/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (2/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (0/15)

4. Go outside. (5/5)

 

Week 3

1. Workout 3 x per week (2/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (4/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (7/15)

4. Go outside. (3/5)

 

Week 4

1. Workout 3 x per week (3/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (4/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (8/15)

4. Go outside. (4/5)

[traaki]

Week 1

1. Workout 3 x per week (2/3) -- on track, may even get 4 in this week....but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I may swap out tomorrow's regular workout with some sleep, since I'm going rock climbing on Sunday.

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (3/4) -- yaaaas going pretty well, especially considering the state of our fridge is a little veggie-light.

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (3/15) -- The specific tasks on my backlog seem to be helping. So many of them are tiny but I am pretty sure that it's still helping. 

4. Go outside. (3/5) -- mostly this has been to run errands, which isn't exactly the transcendent nature experience one might imagine "going outside" would provide. But it's still fresh air, and it's wearing some grooves into my mind: I am a person who goes outside! I do not live only in my hidey-hole!

 

Super excited to try rock climbing--I used to do it in high school but uh....my body is not the same as it was. I have accidentally gathered almost my entire family to join me, which I'm trying to be cool about and not worry too much about how that will go. I feel like I've been working up to something more than my basic bodyweight workouts for a long time, and between axe throwing last week and rock climbing this week, I feel like progress is happening. I don't want to commit to any particular activity/gym just yet but I'm having fun with the explorations. 

 

I also got my lab reports back from the doctor, and the cholesterol/ldl/triglycerides were....not good. Not like, I'm gonna die soon bad, but higher than they should be.  Kind of a bummer given that I finally feel like I EAT SALADS ON THE REGULAR, but hey, so it goes. Just because I've mentally adjusted to being a person-who-eats-salads doesn't mean I'm eating them *all* that often.  But it does mean I am mentally prepared and it gives me motivation to keep focusing on nutrition improvements. 

[traaki]

On 2/11/2019 at 7:51 AM, raptron said:

I am team "every salad should be a chopped salad." Well, almost every. Let's goooo task list!

I am sorta relieved to figure this out about myself. Chopped salads 4 life!

 

On 2/11/2019 at 7:59 AM, Manarelle said:

 

There is so much to love about this picture.  For starters, hella grats on the bulls-eye, that's awesome. Also, dead is dead - the means of assassinating someone/ thing is secondary, so definitely counts as assassin-y. Lastly - but not leastly- the expression on your face is at least as awesome as your glasses and unicorn chain. Rock on with your assassin self. 

 

Alas, I have no suggestions on the standing desk, although it's something I'm interested in. My boss has one, and I will say that if you have two monitors hooked to one base/ stand, definitely go for a type that raises the whole desktop. He's got just a platform on the desk that lifts, and his monitors tend to wobble a lot while he's typing, standing up. Two monitors with individual stands seems more stable. 

Haha...thanks! I love the photo too. 

 

Thanks for the tips about the desk...I only have one monitor + laptop.  But I definitely don't want wobbly....too clumsy to be around wobbly electronics! 

[Manarelle]

14 hours ago, traaki said:

Super excited to try rock climbing--I used to do it in high school but uh....my body is not the same as it was. I have accidentally gathered almost my entire family to join me, which I'm trying to be cool about and not worry too much about how that will go. I feel like I've been working up to something more than my basic bodyweight workouts for a long time, and between axe throwing last week and rock climbing this week, I feel like progress is happening. I don't want to commit to any particular activity/gym just yet but I'm having fun with the explorations. 

 

There is much to be said for exploring things, even if you find they'e not what you want to commit to, because how else will you find what you DO want to commit to?  Good luck with the rock climbing, sounds like fun.

[raptron]

Oooh, yay! Climbing!! 

[traaki]

Climbing was scarier than I remembered, but also totally achievable and the fear wore off after a couple ascents.  My forearms are like...not familiar to me; the tightness & DOMS right now is unreal. I climbed five routes (all 5.8 but actually lower b/c cheating) and it was a bit weird--all the climbing I did back in the day was on, like, actual rock and it was much more of a like--me against this force of nature, will my foot stick on this part of the wall or no?  Whereas the gym was like "Hey is this a purple thing I'm going to step on? If I step on the blue thing will I be hosed on the route?" 

 

 

I did like it and all went well. I think I'll try it again sometime -- maybe sometime soon even? -- and in the meantime maybe I should get something to hang off of for my hands to get used to it.  But I don't think it's my forever activity. (I don't know that I have a forever activity.)

 

Aside from that, I have had a hell of a week. I'm in the midst of a semi-breakup situation. The result is I am spending a lot of time just kind of....feeling, thinking, listening to Kesha's Rainbow album, watching the Magicians and trying to keep the ball moving. Workouts are....minimal but still happening. Salads have been ignored. But today I will get back on the wagon. 

 

[Manarelle]

21 hours ago, traaki said:

Aside from that, I have had a hell of a week. I'm in the midst of a semi-breakup situation. The result is I am spending a lot of time just kind of....feeling, thinking, listening to Kesha's Rainbow album, watching the Magicians and trying to keep the ball moving. Workouts are....minimal but still happening. Salads have been ignored. But today I will get back on the wagon. 

 

/hugs. Hope the week improves for you. 

 

21 hours ago, traaki said:

I did like it and all went well. I think I'll try it again sometime -- maybe sometime soon even? -- and in the meantime maybe I should get something to hang off of for my hands to get used to it.  But I don't think it's my forever activity. (I don't know that I have a forever activity.)

 

Congrats on the successful climbs. Nothing wrong with not having a forever activity, just means that you get to try new things and be a well-rounded individual. I've had a couple years-long activities, but also have not found a forever thing. Just enjoying the process of exploration. 

[Happienumber]

22 hours ago, traaki said:

But I don't think it's my forever activity. (I don't know that I have a forever activity.)

 

 assassin's need a variety of skilz! It's totally fitting with the spirit of the thing to try out LOTS of different activities! Experimentation for the win! 

 

Also, um

Axe throwing?! Holy hannah

AWESOME.

[raptron]

22 hours ago, traaki said:

Climbing was scarier than I remembered, but also totally achievable and the fear wore off after a couple ascents.  My forearms are like...not familiar to me; the tightness & DOMS right now is unreal.

Oh yeah, man. The post-climbing forearm situation is insane. 

 

Quote

Aside from that, I have had a hell of a week. I'm in the midst of a semi-breakup situation. The result is I am spending a lot of time just kind of....feeling, thinking, listening to Kesha's Rainbow album, watching the Magicians and trying to keep the ball moving. Workouts are....minimal but still happening. Salads have been ignored. But today I will get back on the wagon. 

Hugs! Do what you need to do. <3 

[traaki]

On 2/21/2019 at 10:19 AM, raptron said:

Oh yeah, man. The post-climbing forearm situation is insane. 

 

It was so weird! They were so painful, and tight, but also there were actual muscles in there? Who knew?!

 

On 2/21/2019 at 9:40 AM, Happienumber said:

 assassin's need a variety of skilz! It's totally fitting with the spirit of the thing to try out LOTS of different activities! Experimentation for the win! 

2

That is a very good point!

 

On 2/21/2019 at 9:40 AM, Happienumber said:

Also, um

Axe throwing?! Holy hannah

AWESOME.

2

It *was* awesome, and way easier and less scary than it sounds!

 

On 2/21/2019 at 9:27 AM, Manarelle said:

Congrats on the successful climbs. Nothing wrong with not having a forever activity, just means that you get to try new things and be a well-rounded individual. I've had a couple years-long activities, but also have not found a forever thing. Just enjoying the process of exploration. 

 

Yeah, I think that's how it's gonna be for now.  Just exploring.  The nice thing about the climbing gym is I can basically go whenever I want, by myself or with other people, and it's not a big deal. I really did like karate but actually getting to classes stresses me out a lot. 

 

And thanks all for the hugs. It's been a weird week. 

[traaki]

Week 2 Report: 

1. Workout 3 x per week (2/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (2/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (7/15)

4. Go outside. (5/5)

 

Looking at the challenge goals was an awesome reminder of what I'm trying to get done. I'm not as far off the mark as I thought I was.   Things are still a bit rocky interpersonally. 

 

The writing retreat I mentioned at the start of the month was this past weekend, so I spent the Sat-Mon by myself working on a bunch of writing projects (mostly the business side of things) and I feel like I have no idea what day it is or who I am or anything.  Very disoriented by the re-entry into regular life. 

 

I also tried the sensory deprivation/float tank last week! It was fun! I don't feel like the results lasted much beyond the hour I was in there, but I did really enjoy having an entire hour to be in the dark, still, and just being in my body as much as possible. 

 

I'm feeling a little stressed about this week. I am submitting my first grant application as a writer, which is exciting, but holy moly it's a lot of work (both just actual work and also emotional work).  I'm also trying to launch a Patreon (idea is before the end of this month but.....that's the same as the grant deadline soooooo .. yeah, I think I need to rework some timing here). Basically lots of things are bumping up against each other. Trying to remember that staying up late and skipping workouts = the wrongest of choices. 

 

 

 

[Manarelle]

11 hours ago, traaki said:

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (7/15)

 

Woot, lots of progress here, congrats! Here's to a smooth week. Sounds like the grant application and the Patreon launch are asking to be staggered a bit, for your peace of mind. Good luck. 

[traaki]

Well, okay. 

 

I am feeling just kinda uninspired/blah about a lot of things. There's some household drama, the ongoing semi-breakup, a big conference coming up, I just applied for a massive grant, I'm working on launching a Patreon, work has been really stressful since about half the team is at training...everything just kinda feels hard and like I'm doing a bad job.  I won't go so far as to say it's depression brain, but I definitely feel like I'm dragging. I said I'd go grocery shopping on Wednesday and have failed to do it every day.  The laundry is sitting, cold and sad, in the dryer. You know.

 

I'm supposed to do a bunch of productive but boring shit this weekend (taxes, more kickstarter, etc) but honestly I feel like I might just need some downtime to curl up with a book or tv or something.

 

HAHAHAH I just remembered that although I did a writing retreat last weekend, I haven't had a day off in two weeks as a result.   And this retreat was a lot of business-y stuff that is super hard. I'M SURE THIS IS UNRELATED TO MY CURRENT MALAISE. 

 

The week so far....

1. Workout 3 x per week (2/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (4/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (7/15)

4. Go outside. (3/5)

 

I'm stuck on a kinda long step with the backlog task but hoping to get it done this weekend. Even if the rest of the weekend is me + book.

[Manarelle]

On 3/1/2019 at 8:04 PM, traaki said:

I'm supposed to do a bunch of productive but boring shit this weekend (taxes, more kickstarter, etc) but honestly I feel like I might just need some downtime to curl up with a book or tv or something.

 

HAHAHAH I just remembered that although I did a writing retreat last weekend, I haven't had a day off in two weeks as a result.   And this retreat was a lot of business-y stuff that is super hard. I'M SURE THIS IS UNRELATED TO MY CURRENT MALAISE. 

 

+10 to insightfulness.  Take a break, lady, you've definitely earned it. Self-care ftw!

[raptron]

On 3/1/2019 at 8:04 PM, traaki said:

HAHAHAH I just remembered that although I did a writing retreat last weekend, I haven't had a day off in two weeks as a result.   And this retreat was a lot of business-y stuff that is super hard. I'M SURE THIS IS UNRELATED TO MY CURRENT MALAISE. 

OOOOPS.

 

Hope you found some downtime.

[traaki]

Final checkin!

1. Workout 3 x per week (3/3)

2. Salad cluuuuuuuuuuub. (4/4)

3. I am like water and will erode my backlog into dust. (9/16)

4. Go outside. (4/5)

 

Overall, it went well. I caught up on my workouts and felt like I am generally doing good workouts that are making me stronger, not just placeholders that keep up the habit (I mean, I love placeholder workouts, but it's good to feel like I'm making progress). 

 

Salad club is feeling easier and easier, I chopped everything into bits and that helped. 

 

My backlog is still a medium size pebble and not actually dust, yet. Hoping to finish those last tasks before the next challenge starts. 

 

Going outside! I'm glad I did this, but I think next challenge I'll set some kind of minimum (e.g. stand outside and take deep breaths is way better than be outside from car to store and back).

 

Overall, I'm managing to keep my to-do lists short, getting a lot of sleep, eating vegetables, working out, drinking water.  I have two writing sessions a week that are going well, and generally feel good about things. 

[Manarelle]

16 hours ago, traaki said:

Going outside! I'm glad I did this, but I think next challenge I'll set some kind of minimum (e.g. stand outside and take deep breaths is way better than be outside from car to store and back).

 

Overall, I'm managing to keep my to-do lists short, getting a lot of sleep, eating vegetables, working out, drinking water.  I have two writing sessions a week that are going well, and generally feel good about things. 

 

Woot for significant progress! You definitely sound happier when you check in now, and it's cool to see those habits sticking and growing. See you in the next go-round.