Another Step Towards the Future

[Sciread77]

Well, here we are. Another challenge further. I’m still struggling with MH stuff but, we’ll, let’s see where I am in my goals since I started posting July 17, 2017. 

 

1.  Complete Alfredson Protocol through September. 

 

Check. Further, I’ve integrated a less-intensive version into my activity routine and it’s helped that ankle/calf freezing scourge from returning. 

 

2.  Lose 25 lbs while retaining as much muscle and strength as possible. 

 

Well, I’m 4.1 lbs down from my starting weight. It’s a journey but I’m slowly moving on the right direction.  

 

I’ve had a lot of goals about getting the right amount of sleep, staying active, pulse consumption, reading for me and for my kids, and actively supporting my wife in her endeavors. Others had to do with moving regularly. 

 

The voiceover business has been hard, mostly because I don’t have the ability to record unless everyone else is asleep. Going forward when I restart it I’m going to focus on shorter stuff. 

 

We've moved, which is awesome. 

 

We've weathered the hailstorm. It was rough. It’s changed a lot, as hailstorms do. 

 

We’ve spent more quality time together, but not enough. 

 

We’ve tried and said no thanks to Keto. 

 

We’ve worked to take a show to State, and we find out soon if they’re going to invite us to Nationals. 

 

And now we’re starting a bakery, which I’m excited about and really, really hope to replace our jobs with over time. (Hers in about a year and mine sometime afterwards). 

 

1. MH. Still gotta work on stuff. I need another therapy appointment. I didn’t realize that the office would shut down before the last appointment was over. Also, I need to find out how often I can/should go.  I’m good with systems. I’m bad at setting it out if I have to wait until later to do so. 

 

2.  Bakery Launch. It’s 12 days away and at our house. There’s a ton of work left to do including: 

-A thorough reorg for a professional-level gathering 

  -Laundry room

  -Laundry room closet

  -Put away last 3 tubs of kitchen stuff from

   moving 

  -Downstairs bathroom

-A big, old-fashioned thorough cleaning so we don’t have to do it right before the launch party

-Making the product 

-Photographing the product (I ordered a light box eta Wednesday and we already have a pretty nice camera)

-Launching the website and social media pages

-Touch up decorating

-Fix downstairs toilet seat that small child appears to have destroyed

-Put felt pad protectors on chairs on kitchen floor

-Put away massive amounts of tea into wet bar 

 

3.  Support my wife. She’s planning to stay at her other job for the next year. She’s the baker in the house. She’s good at decorating but doesn’t enjoy it; others in the family do enjoy it, are good at it, and want to be involved. I’m more inclined to take care of the business side of things and I’m not a half-bad baking assistant. And if we add a cafe section when we get a physical site, I can definitely be a cafe cook. 

 

4.  Keep reading, both for myself and the children.  

 

5. Sleep. 7+ hours a night. Because I gotta keep my sanity. 

 

I’d like to scale back my fairly high caffeine consumption as well, but I know for a fact that this is not the time. Maybe I’ll try doing so very slowly, but I’m not going to make it a goal this time. 

 

Obviously, I’m not alone and will have help with the big list. I won’t even be doing the vast majority of the work on the actual product production, which will likely be the most time-consuming element on the list. 

 

Here we go. 

[Sciread77]

*smh* Mod! @Sylvaa @Teros

 

 

[WolfDreamer]

12 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

but I know for a fact that this is not the time

 

Hehe, especially if you serve coffee at your future cafe. 

 

I'm here rooting for you, buddy.

[Ann of Owlshire]

A bakery! That sounds like a lot of fun, and tasty, too

[Sylvaa]

15 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

*smh* Mod! @Sylvaa @Teros

 

 

 

I hid your other post. Is it just a double post? Because if so, I'll delete, but I wanted to give you a chance to confirm!

[Sciread77]

3 hours ago, WolfDreamer said:

 

Hehe, especially if you serve coffee at your future cafe. 

 

I'm here rooting for you, buddy.

 

It definitely will serve coffee and tea. I made a business out of it at school in the entrepreneurship class at my school. Terribly enjoyable and therapeutic. 

 

29 minutes ago, Ann of Vries said:

A bakery! That sounds like a lot of fun, and tasty, too

 

That’s what we thought. My wife has always wanted to have a bakery. I’ve always wanted to have a family business (this is our second shot on one of those) and I enjoy cooking (as long as I don’t cook somewhere where everything is fried). 

14 minutes ago, Sylvaa said:

 

I hid your other post. Is it just a double post? Because if so, I'll delete, but I wanted to give you a chance to confirm!

 

It was the classic Sciread77 double-post. I’ll blame everything from reception to connection, but at this point it’s gotta be mostly or entirely user error. 

[Ann of Owlshire]

1 hour ago, Sciread77 said:

I’ve always wanted to have a family business

 

I keep trying to get Mr of Vries to run a B&B/event space in the countryside with me. XD 

[annyshay]

Big changes! Rooting for you.

[Sciread77]

All these goals and the kids brought home a horrid stomach bug from school last week. My wife and I both got it as well. I normally wouldn’t stay home from work with something like this but the one boy is getting hit at both ends and I’ve got a ton of cleaning to do if we’re going to use our beds tonight, and I’m the designs parent for these sorts of jobs. Also, I’ve probably not slept enough to use decent judgment. 

 

My wife got a new Fitbit and so we’ve been playing with that. My original... died? Or maybe my wife got me the Charge HR 2 before the old one died. I’ve been using it pretty consistently for over 2 years. She sort of hated how the original felt and stopped after a few months. I’m a little jealous that she can take hers swimming lol. But I’m really excited for her. I think it’ll be helpful. 

 

1.  MH. The morning was stressful. Less because the one was sick and more because the middle kid is hyperactive and on spring break. And not quite old enough to understand that his brother is too sick to play with him. So he drove me up the wall until Grandma showed up to get him. Normally, even when they’re sick they’ll play Legos or something in short spurts. So the middle one bounced off the walls and created several messes. I could have handled those better. I feel bad for the guy, especially because he’s been so excited to spend his whole spring break in the park with his big brother and now said brother is super sick. 

 

2.  I’ve not yet crossed anything off the list, but my wife got us more pans and decorating tips and I picked up more supplies. I was planning to reorganize the closet when the first real fatigued hit me. That said, I’m off work today and maybe I’ll be able to squeeze something besides cleaning up and caretakinf and resting in. 

 

3.  I’m on track here. I’m getting better at it and I think the key is to always strive. Anytime I feel like I’m doing well and have been I need to see if anything is wrong or if I can do things better. One of the drawbacks to relying on routines and systems is that they work a lot less effectively on real people than machines or corporations. 

 

4. Just knocked out 40 pages of an art of Disney book with my boy. Currently reading The Lost Continent by Terry Pratchett for me. I’m wondering if I just like Rincewind less than the Watch or the Witches or if tech saturation is harming my ability to read regular books. 

 

5.  Believe it or not, I logged 7 hours and 16 minutes of sleep in spite of spending about an hour and a half cleaning up and caretaking last night.  I still feel like over been hit by a truck. 

 

One of these times, I want to reflect on my values and how they guide me. Maybe as a whole challenge, maybe just as some rambling. 

 

One thing I don’t like is that my weight loss has been painfully slow. I’m glad it’s moving I’m the right direction, I’d really like to consistently move towards my goal a little faster. Half a pound a week and not adding it back would be a blistering pace compared to 4 lbs over a year and 9 months! 

 

Although, I am certainly much stronger and in better shape than before. I move better, although my shoulder has been giving me more and more trouble lately. I’m not sure if it’s tendonitis, bursitis, a rotator cuff injury, or what. But I’m planning to go the doctor about it soon. The right arm is pretty weak above my head now and the rom is surprisingly limited. It’s come on over a period of weeks or maybe months. 

[Sciread77]

1 hour ago, Ann of Vries said:

 

I keep trying to get Mr of Vries to run a B&B/event space in the countryside with me. XD 

 

That was one of the options we considered, but turns out she was more interested in running the attached bakery and cafe than the actual B&B. 

 

If we even inherit a house or have the capital to buy one at a good price, we’ll probably start running one of those too. I’m terribly interested in the idea. 

 

33 minutes ago, annyshay said:

Big changes! Rooting for you.

 

Thanks! We can use all the cheering we can get. And if you’re ever in the StL area let us know!

 

That goes for anyone here!

[Sciread77]

Day 2. I’m still sick and now the baby (she’s gonna be 18 months in a few days, so she’s more of a toddler now) is sick with the same bug. I’m on the upswing but she was miserable last night. 

 

And again, since my wife teaches and grandma can’t handle 2 rambunctious boys on top of terrible stomach sickness in the third, I’m home. I mean, the boys went to her house. Nobody should have to deal with multiples of that kind of sick alone, or one sick like that when the other two have terrible cases of cabin fever having just gotten over it! 

 

Hopefully, I stay on the mend. I ran a work meeting from my living room today because rescheduling those is a pain, and now I’m initiating work on Goal 2 items. And I’m going to take a nice fat nap when the toddler goes down for nap #2. 

 

A good author friend of mine went live on Patreon either late last night or early this morning. I’m really proud of her for doing so. I believe she does important work providing a different perspective we don’t usually see, and she tackles a lot of interesting questions and ideas as well. But one can only work with unstable income for so long unless really making it big. 

 

 

 

 

[Sciread77]

I actually got some stuff done today. I would have gotten more if I didn’t spend half the day looking for my 18V Dewall drill and my primary toolbox. Fortunately I found them about 40 minutes ago, thoughtfully placed in a tub usually filled with outdoor Christmas decorations but recently repurposed for hiding things from myself in the garage. 

 

Goal 2 task status:

-A thorough reorg for a professional-level gathering 40%

  -Laundry room 50%

  -Laundry room closet 30%

  -Put away last 3 tubs of kitchen stuff from

   moving 5%

  -Downstairs bathroom 0%

-A big, old-fashioned thorough cleaning so we don’t have to do it right before the launch party 50%

-Making the product 0%

-Photographing the product (I ordered a light box eta Wednesday and we already have a pretty nice camera) 0%

-Launching the website and social media pages 15%

-Touch up decorating 0%

-Fix downstairs toilet seat that small child appears to have destroyed 0%

-Put felt pad protectors on chairs on kitchen floor 20%

-Put away massive amounts of tea into wet bar 100%

 

Barring catastrophe I will be back to work tomorrow and quite glad of that. 

 

Tonight the puppy spent about 20 minutes digging in a cardboard box from Costco. It was adorable. He’s a Daschund so I’ve been waiting for that digging instinct to kick in!

[Sciread77]

1. Not so great today. Probably partly due to reduction in caffeine intake- cut to less than half while being sick the last two days. Coffee, soda, and other typical caffeinated beverages were intolerable. Tea was ok, as was water. But tea doesn’t have nearly as much and my levels are such that replacing coffee with tea would require an absurd amount of tea. I think I’m just gonna roll with it since I’m this far into the worst of the symptoms. 

 

5.  Missed by half an hour. But much better. I’m just tired of feeling tired all the time. Which I think my coffee consumption contributes a fair amount to. 

 

I did did a quick walk and stretch this morning and I feel a lot less frozen. I don’t like how much flexibility I’ve lost. It’s ridiculous. My wife did splits in class yesterday. Not that I’ve even been able to do those. But I’ve usually been able to touch my toes or better pretty easily. And I’m far off that right now. I especially feel it in the morning when I try to walk downstairs. 

[Sciread77]

I didn’t get to bed on time last night.

 

 

 

 

[Sciread77]

It wasn’t actually a shouting match. There was some decent dialogue. I’m frustrated by the current political climate. 

 

We’ve got a set build tonight. The kids are coming. I likely have to go buy some paint. I’m really, really hoping we can work in grabbing some fish fry. I’m not Catholic, or even supportive of the church, but fish fries are pretty hardwired into my culture. Plus it’s usually delicious. 

[Sciread77]

Surprise blood donation today! It was actually scheduled 58 days ago and promptly forgotten. I’m glad that I’ve had a few days to recover from being sick and I’m actually feeling pretty good in spite of reducing coffee consumption and going to bed late last night. 

 

The boys smuggled their keyblades blades into the car today because they want to play Kingdom Hearts at the park. Boogers. I’m pretty proud, but I knew something was up as soon as they got in the car, buckled themselves in, and waited quietly without being asked. Normally, loading a car is like herding cats here lol. 

 

 

[Sciread77]

I’m taking the afternoon off to read to my oldest kid’s class and really hammer some of the things on the Goal # 2 list. Because I’ve only made marginal progress since the last posted progress and it needs to be done Saturday. 

 

My wife has made great progress. But there are things she can’t lift since that platform fell on her leg; beyond the gigantic bruise it left I suspect it did something to aggravate her hip. Because she’s strong and could normally do it. 

[Waanie]

It's so cool that you are actually starting a bakery . I'm a bit late to the party, but follow from here on out. 

 

Believe it or not, I'm actually addicted to caffeine from only drinking tea. To be fair, I drink 1-2 litres of (weak) tea per day, but it still contains enough caffeine that I get a headache if I forget drinking it in the morning.

[Sciread77]

3 hours ago, Waanie said:

It's so cool that you are actually starting a bakery . I'm a bit late to the party, but follow from here on out. 

 

Thanks! The launch party went well yesterday. We’re all pretty tired, though! I’m really hoping on this one. We’ve had other businesses but none have panned out for the long term. At least as far as quitting the day jobs go. 

 

I was supposed to go to a board retreat in the morning for the nonprofit board I am on but right before I left y 3-year-old fell off a chair, hit his head, and bled a lot. Turned out to be mostly a surface deal, and scalp wounds bleed a lot, but we still had to keep an eye on him all day. Squirrelly little thing. 

 

 

3 hours ago, Waanie said:

Believe it or not, I'm actually addicted to caffeine from only drinking tea. To be fair, I drink 1-2 litres of (weak) tea per day, but it still contains enough caffeine that I get a headache if I forget drinking it in the morning.

 

I believe it. Caffeine headaches don’t require that much daily intake to start. I’m usually a 2-3 cups of coffee a day kinda guy who also substitutes out 1-2 of those for tea or soda, but every once in a while something happens that throws sleep off and I end up drinking 10+ cups of coffee so I can keep all the balls in the air. Then, of course, cutting back is a struggle without taking a few days off. Because stopping in time to go to sleep produces a caffeine headache before I wake up, and it’s a bad cycle to be in. That’s part of why I’m not pursuing the voice over at this time. Without a custom soundproofed studio nothing is quiet enough to record unless the rest of the world is asleep!

 

Now, to laundry!

[Waanie]

Bread-party!

[Sciread77]

I’m in the ER with my little toddler. She tossed and turned in misery last night, had balance issues yesterday, slept all day today, and has thrown up everything she’s had except a Zofran and a thimble of water. Flu test was negative so they sent us here for more tests and probably for a bag of IV fluid. My poor baby. She’s just miserable. 

 

 

She loves Mayapolarbear (as does our whole family) so I’ve been watching these videos over and over since 3:20 when we got to the drs office. Fortunately, she’s asleep now. 

[Sciread77]

Guys. 

 

Y’all. 

 

So we didn’t expect anything. We hoped for State. And when we got to perform there, that was huge. And we were supposed to hear about Nationals by March 30th, and assumed a no when we didn’t get an email over the weekend. 

 

They made a typo in the email address. 

 

My wife’s show has been invited to go to Nationals as one of the 5 main stage shows chosen in the US and Canada. 

 

We’re stunned and beside ourselves. This is incredible. She’s done so much work, the kids have done so much work, and they made it. They deserve it. And they’re performing She Kills Monsters, which is so unbelievably important a show in our current cultural and political atmosphere that it’s hard to underestate how much it means.  The show is all about LGBTQ issues and characters as people. And a huge chunk of the cast are personally affected by some of those issues. 

 

Of course, now we have to fundraise tens of thousands of dollars to go and we have to commit within two weeks. 

 

We’re still doing the bakery business, and it’ll take precedence in due time. But this is an opportunity too important to our kids and our society to not give our full attention to. 

 

*Note: this is NOT my accomplishment. I help design and build the sets and I’m a general minion. My wife is the mastermind and the kids do most of the heavy lifting. It’s their accomplishment. I say we for the same reason I feel pride in my friends’ novels when I alpha or beta read for them. They do the real work and deserve all the accolades. 

[Waanie]

I hope your toddler is okay! 

 

Also, good luck and have fun in the incredibly busy period that is ahead of you .

[Sciread77]

4 hours ago, Waanie said:

I hope your toddler is okay! 

 

Also, good luck and have fun in the incredibly busy period that is ahead of you .

 

Thanks, me too. They admitted her overnight. 

 

She is very busy and gets busier by the day! She’s pretty good at keeping up with her older brothers. And she’s definitely the ringleader. 

[WolfDreamer]

On 4/1/2019 at 9:48 PM, Sciread77 said:

My wife’s show has been invited to go to Nationals as one of the 5 main stage shows chosen in the US and Canada

 

Awesome news!