Darwin's Demon, Curl Brogo, Vincent Van Bro, and Chris Tarly walk into a gym...

[Stronkey Kong]

Daily Scorecard for W1D1

 

Today I prepped lunch...and sighed.

Mindfulness:   1days missed. Strikes: 0

Stretching:     1 days missed. Strikes: 0

Workouts:     0/3 for this week. Strikes: 0

Writing:          1 days missed. Strikes: 0

Lunch Prep:  0 days missed. Strikes: 0

 

I have (all this shit)...

Clean Bedroom: Clean floor/organize under bed storage, Organize the piles of books, clear out storage bins

Clean Bathroom: The whole thing

Clean office: Organize art supplies in emptied out storage bins, organize more books, increase visible floor space

Clean kitchen: Yes, even behind the stove

Clean Living Room: Tidy Once, Tidy Twice, Tidy up storage shelf1, Tidy up storage shelf2

... left to do.

 

Total strikes: 0

 

I woke up late-ish and was not feeling motivated to crush goals like a boss <sigh>.

 

RE: Figuary... nah. I just don't have time for a daily drawing goal. If I make time, yoga and lunch prep are gonna be fucked. I'm gonna stick with my writing goal. However, since I'm world building like crazy, and as it turns out one of my characters has some artistic acumen, on the weekends I might post some digital drawings of things from the novel. How's that sound?

 

I'll do better tomorrow.

[Harriet]

6 hours ago, Chris Tarly said:

RE: Figuary... nah. I just don't have time for a daily drawing goal. If I make time, yoga and lunch prep are gonna be fucked. I'm gonna stick with my writing goal. However, since I'm world building like crazy, and as it turns out one of my characters has some artistic acumen, on the weekends I might post some digital drawings of things from the novel. How's that sound?

 

Makes sense. Do your writing. But we welcome any spare sketches  

[Stronkey Kong]

Daily Scorecard for W1D2

 

Today I prepped lunch, did yoga, and added 46 words to my novel.

Mindfulness:   0 days missed. Strikes: 0

Stretching:     0 days missed. Strikes: 0

Workouts:     1/3 for this week. Strikes: 0

Writing:          0 days missed. Strikes: 0

Lunch Prep:  0 days missed. Strikes: 0

01  0123

 

I have (all this shit)...

Clean Bedroom: Clean floor/organize under bed storage, Organize the piles of books, clear out storage bins

Clean Bathroom: The whole thing

Clean office: Organize art supplies in emptied out storage bins, organize more books, increase visible floor space

Clean kitchen: Yes, even behind the stove

Clean Living Room: Tidy Once, Tidy Twice, Tidy up storage shelf1, Tidy up storage shelf2

... left to do.

 

Total strikes: 0

 

I woke up late-ish again, but pulled through and did yoga while I prepped lunch.

 

<sigh> It's Girl Scout cookie season again, and I have a coworker with a daughter, and my order of 4 boxes (2 thin mints, 2 samoas) arrived over the weekend and I will be collecting them tonight. This will be a goal on it's own... not to eat them all  before the challenge finishes. I will ration them... promise. I will add a cookie count to my stats/report card for accountability on this.

 

In other news, I have cancelled my Netflix subscription due to excessive bingeing. So for now I'm done with that, and without that distraction it will be much easier to focus on writing, and drawing, and reading, and fitness, and keeping life out of the dumpster.

[Scaly Freak]

52 minutes ago, Chris Tarly said:

It's Girl Scout cookie season again,

 

IT IS??!?!

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

10 hours ago, Scalyfreak said:

 

IT IS??!?!

 

 

 

I will exercise discipline!

 

(starting tomorrow)

 

Girl Scout Cookies Left:

Samoas: 30 25

Thin Mints: 64

 

[Mad Hatter]

23 hours ago, Chris Tarly said:

RE: Figuary... nah. I just don't have time for a daily drawing goal. If I make time, yoga and lunch prep are gonna be fucked. I'm gonna stick with my writing goal. However, since I'm world building like crazy, and as it turns out one of my characters has some artistic acumen, on the weekends I might post some digital drawings of things from the novel. How's that sound?

Fair enough. 

 

I applaud your cookie resilience. I usually end up taking the strategy of the faster I eat them the faster they'll be gone from my house.  

[WolfDreamer]

20 hours ago, Chris Tarly said:

It's Girl Scout cookie season again

 

They raised the prices again, which was enough incentive for my wife and me both to say, "Well, no more Girl Scout cookies for us." 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

2 hours ago, WolfDreamer said:

 

They raised the prices again, which was enough incentive for my wife and me both to say, "Well, no more Girl Scout cookies for us." 

The quality has also gone down. 

[Scaly Freak]

1 hour ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

The quality has also gone down. 

 

That is criminal. Thin Mints should be above corruption and tampering!

[nianjufe]

19 hours ago, Scalyfreak said:

 

That is criminal. Thin Mints should be above corruption and tampering!

 

Samoas too. If they can't handle the production, they should stop their pushers.

[Scaly Freak]

4 minutes ago, nianjufe said:

 

Samoas too. If they can't handle the production, they should stop their pushers.

 

And Savannah Smiles!

 

Now I want to find girl scout cookies...

[Snarkyfishguts]

 

I AM HERE FOR COOKIE MONSTER GIFS

 

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

Hey guys! Great news. I managed to finish all the cookies before the weekend arrived!

 

Yay!

 

 

(Just play along)

 

Then for a couple days, I was extra sleepy and bummed out and didn't do anything goal related.

 

But today I at least got some things scratched off my to-do list.

 

And, so we pull out the power plug, count to 10, then plug it back in

 

Daily Scorecard for W1D6

 

Today cleaned some things aroung the apartment including 2 To-do list items.

Mindfulness:   1 days missed. Strikes: 0

Stretching:     1 days missed. Strikes: 0

Workouts:     0/3 for this week. Strikes: 0

Lunch Prep:  0 days missed. Strikes: 0

01  0123

 

I have (slightly less shit)...

Clean Bedroom: Clean floor/organize under bed storage, Organize the piles of books, clear out storage bins

Clean Bathroom: The whole thing

Clean office: Organize art supplies in emptied out storage bins, organize more books, increase visible floor space

Clean kitchen: Yes, even behind the stove

Clean Living Room: Tidy Once, Tidy Twice, Tidy up storage shelf1, Tidy up storage shelf2

... left to do.

 

Total strikes: 0

Outs: 1

 

Adding outs, because the inning isn't over until there are 3 outs.

 

 

 

[Snarkyfishguts]

Cleaning behind the stove is very important! 
 

I like that you added outs!

 

those cookies won’t be bothering anyone anymore! Hahahaha!

[Stronkey Kong]

Okay. I did yoga yesterday... which was Ash Wednesday...

 

For years now I've been saying I'm going to "Do Lent" for various reasons. Well, this year I'm "doing Lent." And I'm taking it a bit more serious than just giving up the occasional piece of chocolate so I can feel like a superior moral being (no offense meant to those who struggle with chocolate and sweets that may be giving those up as a real sacrifice). I was raised Catholic and for various reasons my family and I just drifted away from it, mostly just not finding the right church or community (not many options where I grew up), and I didn't practice it much. However, I've always had a sense of something deeper and spiritual lurking under the surface, and I've been wandering from faith, to faith, and philosophy searching for something. So I'm doing Lent this year to explore my Catholic/Christian faith or whatever's left of it and see if it rekindles something.

 

So I gotta revamp my goals a bit:

 

Lenten Goals:

Yoga: min 2x / week; cuz yoga is awesome and this is still doable.

 

Mindfulness/Meditation/Prayer: Devote some time daily and do something for God. Could be prayer, meditation, or some progress on my list of Lenten to-do's.

 

Sacrifice,

Fasting: I am trying my best to follow the old fasting rules: One normal meal a day, and the minimum required to sustain necessary work. Definitely no meat on Fridays, and I'm going to try to keep it pescatarian the rest of the time.

For Lent I am giving up:

Coffee and energy drinks -- for my health, to reduce anxiety and stress, improve sleep, and because it's addictive and both overindulgence and withdrawals remove me from a state of mindfulness and peace.

I am also giving up all video streaming services: Same deal. Netflix binges and the YouTube rabbit hole rob me of precious time spent being productive taking care of myself, distract me from my relationships to God and other people.

 

Reading: The bible... duh... I've actually started a yearlong reading schedule to get me through it cover to cover (3-4 chapters/day). But I want to jump out of order a bit for Lent and re-read the Gospels and the Acts. And I want to read through the whole Catechism of the Catholic Church. It's possible I can finish it with diligence.

So:

Exodus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts

The Catechism 136 / 756 pp. (That's where I left off)

 

To-do list:

Cleaning goals (cuz cleanliness is Godliness)

Clean Bedroom: Clean floor/organize under bed storage, Organize the piles of books, clear out storage bins

Clean Bathroom: The whole thing

Clean office: Organize art supplies in emptied out storage bins, organize more books, increase visible floor space

Clean kitchen: Yes, even behind the stove

Clean Living Room: Tidy Once, Tidy Twice, Tidy up storage shelf1, Tidy up storage shelf
Lenten Goals:

If I'm taking this seriously, I have to re-establish my state of grace and take communion.

Examination of the Conscience (It's been 28 years since my last confession, this could take all challenge)

Reconciliation (aka confession)

Penance

Attend Mass and receive the Eucharist

 

So yeah. How's that for an sharp left turn?

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

42 minutes ago, Chris Tarly said:

 

So yeah. How's that for an sharp left turn?

It warms my heart as you might imagine. My prayer for you is that as you explore this part of your faith again you find a home where you reside, retaining the best parts of all the things you learned in your journey there and back again.

[Stronkey Kong]

 

Just in case anybody is like "What? Tarly's gone off the deep end." or is worried I'm going to lose my sense of humor and put myth before reason and experience because I start practicing and re-connecting with the faith I was (sorta/kinda) raised with...

 

 

Anywho...

 

Lenten Goals:

Yoga:

I got one in last week. Since I started mid-week I'll let the second slide.

 

Mindfulness/Meditation/Prayer: 

I definitely did a bunch of prayers scattered throughout the days Wed-Fri. Then Sat. and Sun. I prayed the rosary (for the first time ever I think). I was following along with a pdf. I knew the "Our Father" and "Hail Mary", the "Glory Be" came back quickly, and the "Oh my Jesus" was easy enough to pick up. It's gonna be a while before I have the whole "Apostle's Creed" and "Hail Holy Queen" . So many prayers. No wonder so many Catholics give up.

 

Sacrifice,

Fasting: I am terrible at this. Well. I did pretty well Wed and Thu. Then friday at work the guys did kind of a half-assed potluck, and I wound up eating a little bit of chicken... Let me add some more context, this one guy brings in a rotisserie and cooks two whole chickens in the break room and damn that smelled good. I ate no meat (just fish) the rest of the weekend, and will be doing the same all week. Also, I baked bread this weekend and I ate too much of that. I'll just have to do better this week.

 

For Lent I am giving up:

Coffee and energy drinks -- I am rocking this. No coffee at all since Tuesday. I did drink 9 diet Dr. Thunders (Walmart knockoff of Dr. Pepper, heh Jesus and Walmart clearly have a thing going on) but I've been getting by with moderate green tea consumption since that night.

Video streaming services: I blocked amazon, netflix (which I no longer have a subscription for), facebook, youtube, and a few others using an website blocking add-on on my web browsers. It immediately redirects to a site with links to Catholic prayers. It's supposed to display a message saying "You are a sinner!" but that component hasn't been working.

 

Reading:

I got a lot of reading done. Two Gospels and a bit of Exodus and the Catechism

Exodus, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, The Acts

The Catechism 160 / 756 pp. (That's where I left off)

 

To-do list: I cleaned the kitchen including behind the stove, and under and behind other stuff, and the bathroom kinda. The tub is a beast. I have a lot of scummy built up hard water/soapscum stains. I attacked this with great courage, but ultimately surrendered in defeat. I am going to count it for the effort, but this will need to be revisited. I will swap out some lame tidying up, for another go at the bathroom tub.

Cleaning goals (cuz cleanliness is Godliness)

Clean Bedroom: Clean floor/organize under bed storage, Organize the piles of books, clear out storage bins

Clean Bathroom: The whole thing, but mostly that damn tub

Clean office: Organize art supplies in emptied out storage bins, organize more books, increase visible floor space

Clean kitchen: Yes, even behind the stove

Clean Living Room: Tidy Once,  Tidy up storage shelf1
Lenten Goals:

If I'm taking this seriously, I have to re-establish my state of grace and take communion.

Examination of the Conscience: I did a bit of this tonight. Will do more.

Reconciliation (aka confession): Schedule a meeting with the pastor, go to meeting with the pastor

Penance

Attend Mass and receive the Eucharist

[Snarkyfishguts]

On 2/27/2020 at 1:53 PM, Chris Tarly said:

So yeah. How's that for an sharp left turn?

 

I think that anything that brings you comfort and peace in your life is a good thing, and I admire your quest to find something to fulfill your spiritual need. 

 

[Scaly Freak]

9 hours ago, Chris Tarly said:

Just in case anybody is like "What? Tarly's gone off the deep end." or is worried I'm going to lose my sense of humor and put myth before reason and experience because I start practicing and re-connecting with the faith I was (sorta/kinda) raised with...

 

Not at all. As long as you are re-connecting with it for the right reasons, and not just because it's comfortable to return to something familiar, this is a good thing.

[Stronkey Kong]

11 hours ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

 

I think that anything that brings you comfort and peace in your life is a good thing, and I admire your quest to find something to fulfill your spiritual need. 

 

 

Thanks.

 

11 hours ago, Scalyfreak said:

 

Not at all. As long as you are re-connecting with it for the right reasons, and not just because it's comfortable to return to something familiar, this is a good thing.

 

I don't know. I don't think that's a terrible reason to "come home" so long as you're satisfied with the journey you've had. But, I'm definitely not doing this because I've given up on the rest of the world and want to bury my head in the sand... or maybe I do a little bit... but I've also got demons to face.

 

I called the Catholic church in my neighborhood to schedule a meeting with the Pastor, see the church, and probably give my confession and receive penance. I was almost as nervous as the first time I called a girl to ask her on a date. Anyway. I have until Friday at 3:00 pm to examine my conscience.

 

Other than that, it was a pretty normal Monday despite it being the first one without coffee in years thanks to Lent.

 

I'm gonna do some yoga tomorrow, then I have to go into work an hour early for a benefits information meeting.

 

[Stronkey Kong]

I was at work for 13 hours today. One hour early for the meeting. Then two more extra hours catching up from a fiasco.

 

Luckily, I decided after my last post to just do my yoga before bed last night. I slept very well after that, but woke up extra sore. But, now I know doing yoga before bed is possible.

 

I failed on lunch prep today and ordered (disappointing) Chinese food from the place near work. Szechuan bean curd, Shrimp and broccoli, and fried wontons (which I think have some pork stuffed in them). It was okay. The good thing is, that even after two breaks gobbling it up, I barely ate half of it. Which means: 1) I'm not a total pig, 2) I don'tl have to lunch prep tomorrow.

 

 

[Stronkey Kong]

 

I just paid off a credit card. One less bill each month.

 

Finished the chinese food at lunch tonight.

 

Gonna do yoga while I do laundry tomorrow.

 

I'm realizing... I need cardio tho. I'm downloading a tabata timer app so I can do some KB intervals tomorrow before yoga.

 

[nianjufe]

Great job keeping at your goals!

 

[Scaly Freak]

6 hours ago, Chris Tarly said:

I just paid off a credit card. One less bill each month.

 

+1,000 XP. Achievement Unlocked.

[Snarkyfishguts]

CONGRATS ON PAYING OFF THAT CARD! YEAAAAAAH