Starpuck Rolls With Advantage - Double 20's

[GoodDoug]

Solid!

[starpuck]

Thursday Recap (D4 I guess?)

 

• I tracked my food!  Even though a customer took me out for lunch.   Also made it within my calories for the day.
• Game night snacking?  Huzzah!   I measured out my 2 servings of Kodiak Cakes graham cracker bears and had a decaf coffee with a shot of rumchata.**won't be doing that again.  1oz of rumchata is 100 calories, um, no thanks!  I'll take my 35 calorie hazelnut creamer.
• No art, but that's never done on a Thursday.
• Surprisingly made it into bed lights out at 11:05.  While that's past my 11pm goal, it still counts as a mega win because D&D nights typically don't end until 11 or after, so I just know to go straight to bed once home.
• As we wrapped up a bit earlier, I also got face, brush, floss all done.
• No exercise since I was taken out at lunch, but if I get something in the rest of this week I still hit 5.
• And, I cooked a delicious thing that I can't wait to eat more of.  Which I will eat on Saturday and Sunday as left overs.

Zucchini (2) yellow squash (2) red bell pepper (1) bunch of asparagus, 1lb shrimp, 4 links of Al Fresco Andouille smoked chicken sausage, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp cajun season.   Add all to a bowl (I used a giant zip lock) toss to coat, skillet up.   Cals per 1.25 cup serving -~200!   We served with a side of rice.  So easy.  So yum.

[GoodDoug]

I think we need a Rangers Recipe Challenge... it would be a contest where everyone wins!

[mitch_dee]

2 hours ago, Starpuck said:

• And, I cooked a delicious thing that I can't wait to eat more of.  Which I will eat on Saturday and Sunday as left overs.

Zucchini (2) yellow squash (2) red bell pepper (1) bunch of asparagus, 1lb shrimp, 4 links of Al Fresco Andouille smoked chicken sausage, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp cajun season.   Add all to a bowl (I used a giant zip lock) toss to coat, skillet up.   Cals per 1.25 cup serving -~200!   We served with a side of rice.  So easy.  So yum.

yum!!!!! I love doing quick simple skillet meals like this, they are so easy and so good with all the veggies!!!!!  now I'm drooling at my desk.....

 

2 hours ago, GoodDoug said:

I think we need a Rangers Recipe Challenge... it would be a contest where everyone wins!

this x1000!!!!!

 

On 1/7/2020 at 8:52 PM, Starpuck said:

NF PBP D&D

Wait, ya'll still do this?!?!?!?!?

 

Great work on getting the night routine going, especially on a gaming night.  Tracking calories has always been hard for me so well done being below your target and seeing the pitfall of Rumchata....(it could be a nice splurge on a low cal day 😁)

 

Keep it up, hope you have a good weekend ahead.

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

5 hours ago, Starpuck said:

Thursday Recap (D4 I guess?)

 

• I tracked my food!  Even though a customer took me out for lunch.   Also made it within my calories for the day.
• Game night snacking?  Huzzah!   I measured out my 2 servings of Kodiak Cakes graham cracker bears and had a decaf coffee with a shot of rumchata.**won't be doing that again.  1oz of rumchata is 100 calories, um, no thanks!  I'll take my 35 calorie hazelnut creamer.
• No art, but that's never done on a Thursday.
• Surprisingly made it into bed lights out at 11:05.  While that's past my 11pm goal, it still counts as a mega win because D&D nights typically don't end until 11 or after, so I just know to go straight to bed once home.
• As we wrapped up a bit earlier, I also got face, brush, floss all done.
• No exercise since I was taken out at lunch, but if I get something in the rest of this week I still hit 5.
• And, I cooked a delicious thing that I can't wait to eat more of.  Which I will eat on Saturday and Sunday as left overs.

Zucchini (2) yellow squash (2) red bell pepper (1) bunch of asparagus, 1lb shrimp, 4 links of Al Fresco Andouille smoked chicken sausage, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp cajun season.   Add all to a bowl (I used a giant zip lock) toss to coat, skillet up.   Cals per 1.25 cup serving -~200!   We served with a side of rice.  So easy.  So yum.

Good thing I didn't read this challenge hungry.

[Red1263]

5 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Good thing I didn't read this challenge hungry.

 

Unfortunately, I did! That dish looks fantastic, Puck!

[starpuck]

11 hours ago, GoodDoug said:

I think we need a Rangers Recipe Challenge... it would be a contest where everyone wins!

This is accurate.   I think I like cooking.   I just wish I had a better atmosphere to do it.

 

8 hours ago, mitch_dee said:

yum!!!!! I love doing quick simple skillet meals like this, they are so easy and so good with all the veggies!!!!!  now I'm drooling at my desk.....

 

this x1000!!!!!

 

Wait, ya'll still do this?!?!?!?!?

 

Great work on getting the night routine going, especially on a gaming night.  Tracking calories has always been hard for me so well done being below your target and seeing the pitfall of Rumchata....(it could be a nice splurge on a low cal day 😁)

 

Keep it up, hope you have a good weekend ahead.

 

Good to see ya again Mitch!!     The PBP has had a few iterations.   As of late, Wolfie made a mention of never playing D&D.   Sooo like a bunch of us Rangers, all of whom also are DMs, were like ... OOOOH FRESH MEAT!   And @dark_raider is running us a thing!

 

6 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Good thing I didn't read this challenge hungry.

 

OMG - The highest compliment from Tank!!   O.O   I am .... floored.   Hehe, Thanks Tank!

 

46 minutes ago, Red1263 said:

 

Unfortunately, I did! That dish looks fantastic, Puck!

Haha, sorry Red.   I'd share if I could.

 

 

 

[starpuck]

Today's Final tally

 

Food tracked.   I was really hungry today (sharks coming) and so at dinner, I had a little extra and said, "I'd rather have this now, than a snack later."

But since I also got a slightly less baby lift in today, I had enough calories in my budget for 3 sheets of graham crackers and some tea.

No art, but I did get some work on my D&D prep.  Which is good, since I run it tomorrow, omg!

Work itself was a doozy, and so when I got home, I only had brain for reactive thinking (IE, video games.)   I didn't beat myself up over this.

Face washed, teeth brushed, flossed and clocking out here at 10:55.

 

Not a bad go of this week!

Tomorrow I am eating left over skillet for lunch, and making some chili for my gamers.   I want to get some Dance in the morning, but I probably won't get to as the rest of the house might not wake up early enough.   If not, then I will do some good old fashioned NF Yoga.

 

Then it's game time!

[Red1263]

5 minutes ago, Starpuck said:

Haha, sorry Red.   I'd share if I could.

It's ok, your friendship will have to suffice!

 

And great job knocking Week 1 out of the park!

[Cheetah]

Great work this week!  Keep it up!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

10 hours ago, Starpuck said:

OMG - The highest compliment from Tank!!   O.O   I am .... floored.   Hehe, Thanks Tank!

 

You put many awesome things in there. I want to challenge you to take this awesome dish to the next level:

https://imgur.com/gallery/7ib1EAt

[Jarric]

23 hours ago, Starpuck said:

Thursday Recap (D4 I guess?)

 

Correct. Also did you know that a d4 does a d4 of damage if you stand on it barefoot?

 

Have fun at your game today!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

4 hours ago, Jarric said:

Correct. Also did you know that a d4 does a d4 of damage if you stand on it barefoot?

 

Caltrops IRL.

[starpuck]

Saturday - DM Day.

 

These days are always hardest to keep behaved on, but I think I did pretty well all told.

 

Firstly, I actually tracked!   And while I ended up over MFP's goal, I didn't actually eat fully to "maintenance".

Breakfast and lunch being super on track helped, and then I made chili for my players since we were getting a snow and ice storm that ended up not all that meancing.

I indulged in a Wicked Ale and 2 Montbauk cookies and really, that was the extent of my over doing it.    So, mostly a win.

 

But, I did no exercise, not even simple yoga or stretching, because I was cramming to prep this morning, then had to get the ingredients, then get over and make the stuff then run the game.    I will make sure to get some move on tomorrow.  No art, but the prep work this morning falls under the 'create' category so no worries there.

 

We wrapped up early to allow safe trips home and stuff, and so I got in and did my night routine!  Bonus!      I'll also get to bed on time so woot woot.    Tomorrow will be a trick to keep on track as it's D&D again, but as a player.   I tend to snack more when that comes up so we need to combat that.  Maybe with sketching at the table instead of snacking!

 

Btw.   My gut instinct was right on the chili recipe.  I wish I had trusted it.   For a 1lb meat recipe, it was asking for 2 tbsp of cumin.   I KNEW that had to be wrong, but my co-preppers get really nervous when I dance off the recipe.   I said it'd be too much, that it was probably meant to be 2 tsp.     The end result was chili that was edible, but definitely too powerful of cumin.   The recipe also wanted me to add like 12 oz of beef broth, to a mix that specifically said 'petite diced tomatos - NOT drained'.     Only 2  Tbsp of tomato paste, and 16oz of sauce.    Seriously... what the hell recipe?  Chili should be HARDY!   (And also not have beans, but I added those too.)     I put my foot down and added only 4 oz of broth, and then tossed some extra paste and a tablespoon of cornstarch in to make it NOT a beef and bean soup.    Everyone ate it, even liked it, but it was not my type of chili at all. 

 

I chalk this up to my growing instincts as a cook.   Perhaps the power has always been latent inside me, and I just never had the confidence to try. 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

21 minutes ago, Starpuck said:

(And also not have beans, but I added those too.)

Texans will fight over this issue.

[Red1263]

31 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Texans will fight over this issue.

Mexicans too

[mitch_dee]

Soooooooo jealous of all the gaming!

As far as the snacking at the table, what if you limit the 'usual' snacks to a smaller amount and offset with veggies like celery, cucumbers, carrots etc?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[starpuck]

 

The weekend unraveled, and I lost my grip.

 

 

Disclaimer: [Sharks nearing the shoreline, makes for short wicks, irrational reactions, etc.]

 

I live with a hoarder.   At the best of times, I struggle to tolerate this because I am a naturally organized and tidy person.   When things pile up emotionally in addition to physically, I tend to derail fast.     That was how Sunday started.      A cased rifle kept behind my sister's bedroom door, tipped over, knocked HER jewelry off the wall, broke the holder, slipped behind the dresser and knocked the plug out of the wall.    That plug housed the power bar that holds the power for the modem, router, VOIP phones, etc etc.     So my sister and I, half dressed for church, had to move the dresser a foot off the wall, so I could reach back behind it, with my sis holding my hand so I  didn't fall all the way behind it, to plug the now very bent cord, back into the wall.      That set the mood for the day.    

 

At our next stop, our usual McD's pre church drive thru run, the girl on the headset kept screwing up the order while placed.   I kept my cool because I loathe people who go off on drive thru workers.  (Even though I really do think that if you're primary job is to communicate with customers, you should have an amazing grasp of the language being used, and that is often not the case.)   At the pay window - she repeats the order perfectly and we're feeling good.  But at the pick up window, we're shorted our bottle of water, to which I say, "We need our water please."   And that worker ho humly says, "You didn't pay for one."    I pull ahead and look at the receipt and see the $2.79 bottle of Dasani on there and slam the car into park and stride in there like a barbarian ready to tear the horns off the enemies prized ox.     I made sure it was the drive thru girl who got called over and said, "We DID pay for the water."    She handed it over without a word.     

 

I tell myself, hey, You're about to get your gospel on at church, so ditch the mood!    I take a sip of my iced coffee, ready for the caffeine to placate the raging hormone driven mood-spikes.    Hmm, needs more sweet.   I add some church supplied creamer and an extra packet of sugar and return to my seat.    First song starts.   Woot.   Yeah.   Soul food!    Take my second sip and something big and hard ends up in my mouth... at first I calmly assume it's some of the wadded sugar I added that got caught up.   I reach up to my mouth and fish the item out between fingers and thumb and see a pencil eraser sized lump of grey-black!!      And then the gagging started...

 

That was legit the first 45 minutes of my Sunday.    And there was no recovering that.     I had been planning to help my sis get the house all cleaned up as best we can with hoarder J, because my sis is having hand surgery the next day but... by the time we got home, J was home making dinner.   Which means the entire kitchen was blown up, and you couldn't even go in there to fetch a glass of water without being in the way of either him or all the clutter.      So my church-pal and I just left.       At this point, I had no rationale for good eating... because the options for where to eat had been taken away.   Not home - J was in hoard mode.   Not friends house because he said he caught the lingering cold again and wanted to rest.     So we went to a poke shop and I pigged out on poke bowls and mochi ice cream.        Later that night, when D&D started, I continued to eat whatever my feelings desired, and I even did a line.

 

 

So, we can chalk Sunday up to a 100% total fail.    *shrug*   I lost that battle.    There is nothing I can do about it now, other than reflect on it a bit, realize that I had some legit concerns and such that triggered the emotions, and then face the fact that the reaction to them really had no effect in changing the triggers, or improving the mood.     It's so hard to really break that beasts hold - because in that moment, they sure as hell do release those little chemicals that assure you 'There there, it's okay.  I'm here for you.'

 

But it brings us to week two, which has it's own challenges.

• Vendor is bringing Chipotle in today and I have already decided that since I pigged out yesterday, and since Chipotle isn't that much of an appeal to me, I will skip it and work out instead.   Eating my regular lunch after.
• On Wednesday, we're having our party for our purchasing agents retirement, her favorite pizza and champagne.  Because this even is in honor of her, I will partake of it.  (The pizza is amazing too.)  I will do my best to NOT over eat the pizza and use that day as an intuitive eating day since there's no way to really count the calories of a local place Chicago pizza.   I also will not be able to exercise Wed because I agreed to go to this anime movie which I am now really not wanting to go to *given mood, frustrations and the idea this movie will be sad.   But I can't back out of that.
• So the rest of my week needs to be spot on and given the nearby sharks, I feel so overwhelmed that I kind of want to just say frak it.   Ugh.

 

Monday - Lunch Lift.   Art at home after work.   1 Game of Northgard with viking pal.

Tuesday - Lunch run.   Art at home after work.  Greedfall after that.

Wednesday - Nothing, maybe some art after anime?  Or Greedfall if the movie has me in a rotten mood.

Thursday - Lunch Lift.   Warhammer night.   Cook something fast and easy for healthy dinner.

Friday - Lunch run.   Art and Greedfall after work.

Saturday - Hair appt day.  UGH!  So nerve-wracking.    Much needed 'no other plans' day.   Art, and video games should happen.  Dance for exercise.   Also room cleaning and D&D Prep.

Sunday - Church, chill, D&D night.   Yoga or stretching and a walk if weather works.

 

 

 

[GoodDoug]

Thnx for venting so honestly about your crappy day yesterday. Sorry it was so difficult. 

 

I was sitting here trying to figure out some good, upbeat advice and realized that you don't really need it. Yeah it is nice to hear again, but you don't need to hear that, "This too shall pass" and "Don't beat yourself up for stuff out of your control" and "Focus on what was positive without ignoring the negative." You know all those things, and you know that saying them doesn't make anything easier. 

 

As crazy as it all sounded, I think you handled it better than I would have. I would already be making excuses for the rest of the week, but you are planning it like a boss.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Sorry you had such a frustrating Sunday. Some days just stink.

[deftona]

Aw man that Sunday sucked balls. I'm glad you saw it as the learning opportunity it is though, don't be too hard on yourself because something was sent to test your patience that day! 

[Elastigirl]

Love how proactive you are for this week. 

[starpuck]

Monday - the first day of week 2.

 

Well, it started off with a similar feel to Sunday, but it turned around.   No doubt thanks to my one coworker asking if I needed help, and my answering, "Pray for me!  I am barely holding my biz together!"     In all seriousness, that's right when things miraculously turned around.

 

Work was pleasantly steady.   I maintained good worker bee mojo.   I also caught up on here, yay!

 

Chipotle was brought in, and I bypassed it.  Instead, having a rather strong feeling workout.  I'm still dozens of pounds below where I was lifting before, and I've been terrified to even attempt a pull up since it's been so long.  (And I get super depressed seeing how fast I lose them.)  But I felt GREAT while moving back there.   Had my sandwich with cucumbers and hummus for lunch instead of the tacos stuffs.

 

After work, I had some pot roast, and since I had eaten so mindfully at work, I could eat what I wanted without going over calories.   Sadly, I still have plenty of cals left so opted for a rare pb&j around 9pm... and holy crap it turned my stomach so damn sour.  I feel awful now.   Nothing some sleep won't fix, I hope.  But grr.

 

Played our first Extreme Mode Conquest mission and lost due to the time limit.   We stuck to our guns about playing just one game, and so after that I washed my face, and waxed my stash.  Hah.  Yay for being a grown ass woman.  >.<   LOL!    Teeth brushed and flossed as well.     In even more exciting news, I also set a 1 hour timer for playing Greedfall, then shut that down and have now switched over to doing some tablet art.    Which is currently testing my patience as I am trying to fix a very broken tool set without losing my settings from the previous program.     If it hasn't fixed it, I'll just sketch in bed for tonight and get to bed mega early.

 

[deftona]

5 hours ago, Starpuck said:

after that I washed my face, and waxed my stash. 

 

 

Nice work turning the day around, you superstar! 

[Jarric]

Sorry Sunday was rubbish, but glad you had a good day today! And hopefully you won't live with a hoarder for too much longer, and then things will be easier