starsapart revisits the basics

[starsapart]

 

Another challenge! Those who followed me last time know that my anxiety combined with the new normal really dragged me down last challenge. I've been taking a few days off of trying to be "productive" to figure out where I go from here. I don't want to let momentum take me into couch potato land, but setting strict goals for myself just isn't working while in isolation with a one-year-old. I've noticed the last week that I'm feeling emotionally better than I have in a long while, so I'm hoping I've gotten over the "crisis point" and started to become accustomed to the new normal, even if I still don't like it. I think my main focus right now needs to be keeping my mind healthy so I can function in the areas that need it most (namely parenting and work). With that in mind, I am scaling it way back this challenge, trying to take it easy, and focusing on basic things that should make me feel good.

 

GOAL 1: FIX MY SLEEP SCHEDULE. I've been going to bed later and later these days, and it is NOT helpful to be sleep-deprived on top of everything else. I'm still working full-time and the baby gets up at 7am whatever I feel like doing, so I'm going to do my best to get myself to bed by 10:30pm on non D&D nights.

 

GOAL 2: HYDRATE. Last challenge, I discovered a trick that works to curb mindless snacking: drink a tall glass of water before eating, wait 10 minutes, then eat. I'm going to really commit to that one and let the other nutrition goals go. I'm still going to try to stick to IF and make good food choices, but I'm not going to force it right now. I know I'm going to have to undo the damage someday, but today is not that day.

 

GOAL 3: MOVE. This needs to stay laughably simple: just do something. Aerial and lifting would sure be nice, but taking the baby on a walk is fine. Even doing a lot of housework in one day counts - that's a lot of stairs and I usually exceed my Fitbit step goal on days I clean and do laundry. No hard and fast rule here, but five days a week is good, six days is great, seven is amazing.

 

I'm not adding a life goal, but unofficially, I'll keep trying to focus on getting fresh air and also on doing the things that make me happy, which currently seems to consist of spending time outside and playing a whole lot of D&D, so look for more session recaps here.

[sylph]

❤️

 

will be supporting you on this as best I can, though may not be posting much. Just know I'm quietly cheering you on.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Following 

[miss_marissa]

I like these goals for you  Here for mutual support and DND shenanigans

[Scaly Freak]

6 hours ago, starsapart said:

I think my main focus right now needs to be keeping my mind healthy so I can function in the areas that need it most (namely parenting and work). With that in mind, I am scaling it way back this challenge, trying to take it easy, and focusing on basic things that should make me feel good.

 

I'm trying to do the exact same thing (not the parenting, of course), so I'll be following along in the hopes of seeing regular reminders here.  

[PaulG]

Following for inspiration on the sleep front!

[WhiteGhost]

Here of course!  Full support for my D&D comrade in arms   

[KB Girl]

Here! Also at the risk of sounding lame;

really proud of you for scaling back the goals and the reframing work that went into that. 

[Mad Hatter]

 

21 hours ago, starsapart said:

I think my main focus right now needs to be keeping my mind healthy so I can function in the areas that need it most (namely parenting and work). With that in mind, I am scaling it way back this challenge, trying to take it easy, and focusing on basic things that should make me feel good.

Perfect!

[starsapart]

23 hours ago, sylph said:

❤️

 

will be supporting you on this as best I can, though may not be posting much. Just know I'm quietly cheering you on.

 

I appreciate the silent support! You've got a lot going on.

 

23 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Following 

 

Team Parent stays together! Yeah!!

 

21 hours ago, miss_marissa said:

I like these goals for you  Here for mutual support and DND shenanigans

 

Thanks! I feel sheepish that it's so little but I also feel relieved that I can just relax for a bit. And yay DnD shenanigans! Looking forward to chatting tonight.

 

17 hours ago, Scalyfreak said:

 

I'm trying to do the exact same thing (not the parenting, of course), so I'll be following along in the hopes of seeing regular reminders here.  

 

Good to have you again! We are battling the same demon anxiety boss, so I'm always really grateful for your support and input!

 

15 hours ago, PaulG said:

Following for inspiration on the sleep front!

 

We'll see how I do on that. 😅 It's going to be the hardest one.

 

11 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

Here of course!  Full support for my D&D comrade in arms   

 

Heck yeah! Looking forward to seeing what goes down in tonight's session. Can we stay stealthy or are the knives coming out? 😏

 

4 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Here! Also at the risk of sounding lame;

really proud of you for scaling back the goals and the reframing work that went into that. 

 

Thank you! I am fighting the urge to apologize for how easy I am taking it on myself, but I also feel better than I have in a few days since I stopped putting so much pressure on myself, so I know this is the right path.

 

2 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

Perfect!

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not really doing goals during zero week, but I've done a few useful things the last few days! On Sunday, we cleaned the whole house top to bottom, and then my parents came over for dinner and brought starlet back from her visit at their place. It was a nice dinner and family time (for those joining my thread for the first time, my parents are in our "quarantine bubble" and we did spend a month in isolation before we began seeing each other again, but now we meet up on the weekends and they help give us a little baby-free time as well). Yesterday, I got out on a walk with the baby, and while I didn't go to bed at 10:30, I was IN bed by 10:30 and I turned off the light around 11:05, so, progress. This morning, I had to get up at 6 to pick up a grocery order. We scheduled the earliest possible window on Tuesday (I hear rumors this is double restocking day) in hopes of getting some of the items we can never seem to get and indeed! I got a whole chicken that I'll roast later in the week AND even paper towels!

 

I've been drinking plenty of water but I've not even been trying for the IF because the break from worrying about food has helped relax my overtaxed brain. Did I eat a bunch of chocolate yesterday after 9pm as I read my book? Yes, I did. It's a work in progress; eventually, the chocolate will run out......

 

I may try to lift during starlet's nap today if work allows, but no pressure.

 

In D&D news, I finished my character build for the Fraxaria campaign that starts this weekend and confirmed backstory stuff with the DM, so that's set to go. I also had some nice character interaction/chatter in the Saltmarsh text channel, and we're heisting under @raptron's direction tonight, I think!

[KB Girl]

Yay for getting all the groceries!  

 

51 minutes ago, starsapart said:

and we're heisting under @raptron's direction tonight, I think!

So cool.

[starsapart]

Work did not allow for lifting, but I did take a 30 minute catnap on the office daybed near the end of starlets naptime, so I call that a major win. Naps for adults are an extremely rare commodity around here. We did take a family walk before I made dinner, and then I had D&D time with the heist crew!

 

While preparing for our heist, three of us got jumped by some thugs in an alley, and I got beat up pretty bad since two of the four were right on me. We killed three and shook down the fourth one for information, though I managed to roll a hilarious crit fail when I was trying to pick him up (he was a gnome, in my defense) and with my -1 modifier to strength I not only failed to pick him up, but my character sprained her wrist from the effort. 😂 Three of us did secure jobs with the caterers (apparently, my character is a damn artist at carrying trays of glasses, who knew?). I think poor @raptron expected us to just find a way into the mansion and go, and instead, we're gathering every shred of information we can find on our marks and so the "one shot" continues for at least one more week. Whoops.  SORRY, DM. WE ARE OVER-PREPARERS.

 

In the Saltmarsh campaign, our cleric got called out for creeping, but our rogue showed admirable restraint and did not punch or stab him. We've also received confirmation that we've killed the captain of our ship with inaction, oops. We probably need to go check out the damage but I'm not sure if we're waiting until the next live session to move past the long rest.

[Scaly Freak]

43 minutes ago, starsapart said:

In the Saltmarsh campaign, our cleric got called out for creeping, but our rogue showed admirable restraint and did not punch or stab him. We've also received confirmation that we've killed the captain of our ship with inaction, oops. We probably need to go check out the damage but I'm not sure if we're waiting until the next live session to move past the long rest.

 

I hope we are waiting for the next live session before moving past the long rest period and advancing the plot. The live sessions have been a blast and I'm also really enjoying the low-key, slow tempo of character interactions outside the main plot.  

[starsapart]

9 minutes ago, Scalyfreak said:

 

I hope we are waiting for the next live session before moving past the long rest period and advancing the plot. The live sessions have been a blast and I'm also really enjoying the low-key, slow tempo of character interactions outside the main plot.  

 

Yeah, totally fine with that, just not sure what is happening. 😉 I'd also prefer action in live sessions for sure; it's s much more satisfying than wrangling timezones and schedules for text-based pbp.

 

If I can figure out a way to have some character interaction outside of what we've already done, though, I'd be into that. ☺️

[bigm141414]

47 minutes ago, starsapart said:

expected us to just find a way into the mansion and go, and instead, we're gathering every shred of information we can find on our marks and so the "one shot" continues for at least one more week. Whoops.  SORRY, DM. WE ARE OVER-PREPARERS

 

If we didn't take our jobs as thieves seriously, we would never have been graced with the presence of Sandy Slipbottom. And that would have just been tragic.

[starsapart]

Just now, bigm141414 said:

 

If we didn't take our jobs as thieves seriously, we would never have been graced with the presence of Sandy Slipbottom. And that would have just been tragic.

 

Fully agreed, she was 300% worth it.

[dancezwithkittehz]

1 hour ago, starsapart said:

 I think poor @raptron expected us to just find a way into the mansion and go, and instead, we're gathering every shred of information we can find on our marks and so the "one shot" continues for at least one more week. Whoops.  SORRY, DM. WE ARE OVER-PREPARERS.

 

Give me 6 leads and I will follow all 6 leads!!!  PREPARE ALL THE THINGS.

 

Also uh, punching stupid guy in the face was pretty satisfying! Death by Queso!

 

1 hour ago, bigm141414 said:

 

If we didn't take our jobs as thieves seriously, we would never have been graced with the presence of Sandy Slipbottom. And that would have just been tragic.

 

So here for the Sandy Slipbottom fan club!

[raptron]

1 hour ago, starsapart said:

While preparing for our heist, three of us got jumped by some thugs in an alley, and I got beat up pretty bad since two of the four were right on me. We killed three and shook down the fourth one for information, though I managed to roll a hilarious crit fail when I was trying to pick him up (he was a gnome, in my defense) and with my -1 modifier to strength I not only failed to pick him up, but my character sprained her wrist from the effort. 😂 Three of us did secure jobs with the caterers (apparently, my character is a damn artist at carrying trays of glasses, who knew?). I think poor @raptron expected us to just find a way into the mansion and go, and instead, we're gathering every shred of information we can find on our marks and so the "one shot" continues for at least one more week. Whoops.  SORRY, DM. WE ARE OVER-PREPARERS.

I AM VERY OKAY WITH IT!

 

I did actually plan for about 8 hours of in-game time for this campaign and I think you guys may not overshoot that by too, too much. We're at like 4.5 at this point of active play. I failed to take into account ramp up and wind-down time for the live, online sessions.  

[starsapart]

41 minutes ago, dancezwithkittehz said:

Give me 6 leads and I will follow all 6 leads!!!  PREPARE ALL THE THINGS.

 

This is me as well.

 

42 minutes ago, dancezwithkittehz said:

Also uh, punching stupid guy in the face was pretty satisfying! Death by Queso!

I love how a third of the characters' names have already changed...

 

5 minutes ago, raptron said:

I AM VERY OKAY WITH IT!

 

I did actually plan for about 8 hours of in-game time for this campaign and I think you guys may not overshoot that by too, too much. We're at like 4.5 at this point of active play. I failed to take into account ramp up and wind-down time for the live, online sessions.

 

I AM GLAD WE'RE NOT IRRITATING YOU.

 

You're really fun to play with and your NPCs give me life; I will miss it once this heist is over.

[starpuck]

On 5/4/2020 at 9:37 AM, starsapart said:

get myself to bed by 10:30pm on non D&D nights.

I do this too!    It's great!   Except for when you end up with 4 D&D nights a week and then you're like ...

 

 

Solid plan of attack on things.   Focus on what is priority, and add little things in as you feel like you can.   I have had some of my best feeling challenges when I drop the activity goal to "Just move" - I think this will help a bunch.

 

Cheering you on!  

 

 

 

[bigm141414]

7 hours ago, dancezwithkittehz said:

Give me 6 leads and I will follow all 6 leads!!!  PREPARE ALL THE THINGS.

 

Video games ruined me. I now have a compulsion to complete ALL side quests before moving on, because I might miss some story or some lore. Is there a FOMO version for fictional world storylines? Because I have it

 

6 hours ago, starsapart said:

You're really fun to play with and your NPCs give me life; I will miss it once this heist is over.

 

Does it have to be? Could the true heist be that we're stealing DM time from raptron without getting caught? Did I just solve the game?!?

[Scaly Freak]

4 minutes ago, bigm141414 said:

Is there a FOMO version for fictional world storylines? Because I have it

 

Completionism.

[starsapart]

20 hours ago, Starpuck said:

I do this too!    It's great!   Except for when you end up with 4 D&D nights a week and then you're like ...

 

 

That's sort of where I'm at now though at least it's only two nights a week?????

 

Happy to have you here for support!

 

14 hours ago, bigm141414 said:

 

Video games ruined me. I now have a compulsion to complete ALL side quests before moving on, because I might miss some story or some lore. Is there a FOMO version for fictional world storylines? Because I have it

 

14 hours ago, Scalyfreak said:

 

Completionism.

 

I definitely have this.

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was pretty decent. I took starlet for a walk while stillskies made dinner, then after the baby was in bed I tooled around for a bit, then talked myself into doing some chin-ups (five very bad singles) and an abs video. Apparently this video has kind of a cult online following. Granted, anything that promises you abs in two weeks is lying to you, but that said, it was a pretty decent ab workout in the sense that I felt it, more or less. Honestly, the hardest thing was the up down planks with my sprained wrist (I basically just did all the weight bearing on my right hand, so I didn't alternate sides, ah well). I also ended up in a brief video chat on discord with @WhiteGhost and I think @juliebarkley (???) demoing some aerialist ab exercises. I was in bed with the lights off by 10:33pm.

 

Unfortunately, I slept poorly (this has become par for the course lately even with melatonin) and then this morning was just a lot of drama - starlet managed to somehow overturn a decorative table (HOW?????) and get a glancing scrape on her head which bled profusely, which of course scared the life out of us. We calmed her and got the bleeding to stop and called the doctor who said she probably should be fine but to monitor her for behavior changes in case she has a concussion. Work is exploding and I realized I'd ordered a shirt last week that I was really excited about in the wrong size but they won't let me swap it even though the order hasn't processed yet. Sigh.

[juliebarkley]

On 5/4/2020 at 11:21 PM, WhiteGhost said:

Here of course!  Full support for my D&D comrade in arms   

What he said.

 

1 hour ago, starsapart said:

aerialist ab exercises.

I'm gonna try these outside today! Hardwood floors make indoors an unattractive option when you don't have a yoga mat. Thanks again for showing us!

 

1 hour ago, starsapart said:

Starlet managed to somehow overturn a decorative table (HOW?????) and get a glancing scrape on her head which bled profusely, which of course scared the life out of us. We calmed her and got the bleeding to stop and called the doctor who said she probably should be fine but to monitor her for behavior changes in case she has a concussion.

My brother did something similar once - it's astonishing how much blood you get from a tiny cut on the head. I hope Starlet is all better now and has had her fill of terrifying her parents.

[Scaly Freak]

6 minutes ago, juliebarkley said:

 

My brother did something similar once - it's astonishing how much blood you get from a tiny cut on the head. I hope Starlet is all better now and has had her fill of terrifying her parents.

 

Heads and faces are like fingertips. They have lots and lots of tiny blood vessels close to each other and close to the surface. That's why wounds to the head or face always look so horrifying and/or dramatic, depending on the context. My nurse sibling claims that chanting "it looks worse than it is" over and over when this happens with their children actually helps. If you remember to do it, that is.  

 

I hope Starlet feels better and avoided a concussion!