Keladris the Bard

[Keladris]

It had been a long road, longer than one might expect of her short years, and filled with peril. At times it had taken all the resources she had just to camp out through the night, to wait out the storms without sinking forever into the mud. But Keladris had resources aplenty; a spark and grim determination that saw her through the path's dark turns. Rounding a bend, the thick hedgerow gave way to wide open sky, rolling hills and a river threading its way among them. In the far distance, something glinted brilliant white in the noon sun. The snow-capped peak of a mountain? It was too far off to tell. Perhaps she would never get there, but its glimmer lifted her spirits. The road ahead was perhaps even longer than the one she had travelled, but there was only one way forward: one step at a time.

-----------------------------------

 

Hello! I'm Keladris (at least online ), bard, ranger, adventurer. As my shoddy attempt at an intro might suggest, life's been a bit tough. I'm 26 and recently recovered from a chronic illness, as well as having come from the other side of multiple traumas. I moved from the UK to Canada a year ago, and I'm living with my lovely partner in Montreal. I work as a  freelance radio/podcast producer, love music, writing, films, books, fantasy (duh!), tabletop roleplay and dabble in videogames (i.e. I suck at them but enjoy nonetheless). I see myself primarily as a storyteller, hence the bard title, and I've recently taken up acting and dance classes.

 

Having recovered from being unwell, it's SUCH a pleasure to move my body again. It also means I'm ready to focus on whatever adventures I want to go on next. I love trying new things, hence the ranger tag, and see myself as a jack of all trades really. 

 

I figured I would put together a list of my epic quests, and then use the thread to post my workout tracking and most importantly, GIFs of me dancing! (They are fun to make and I hope fun to look at too). Without further ado...

 

⭐Epic quests ⭐

Get strong, fit, flexible!

-          Reduce weight to 74kg  ✅

-          Reduce waist to under 28inches ✅

-          Reduce hips to under 40inches ✅

-          Do a handstand

-          Do a pull up

-          Do a dip

-          Do a push up

-          Get into next level of ballet classes ✅

-          Do a proper pirouette (without stumbling out of it...) ✅

-          Get back to horse riding when things open up again

-          Take ice-skating lessons when things open up again
 

Progress audio career
-          Have a piece played on radio ✅

-          Get a CBC commission

-          Launch new podcast

 

Make a radio play

-          Write script ✅

-          Reach out to production company ✅

-          Consider producing myself ✅

-          Practice sound design on friends’ shows 
- Produce it!

 

Do post-grad diploma and/or go to acting school

-          Get residency

-          Apply for programs

- Save $1,000

- Save $10,000

-          Save $25,000 (no idea how to do this one...)

 

Write a novel

-          Do diploma 

-          Make radio play 

-          Read more books

- Write screen play
 

Be in a show (acting/dance/music)

-          Keep learning ballet, jazz, other types of dance

-          Keep going with acting classes

-          Practice bass and violin

[last updated 28th Dec 2021]

 

I've tried to add the stops along the way of each quest, I'll probably update them as I go. Some of them aren't exactly tick-offable but they point me in the right direction. I'm sure I'll add more as my whims take me!

 

Thanks for reading

[Keladris]

My current strength training (outside of dance) is based on the NF beginner bodyweight circuit. When I first started this year, I couldn't do all the lunges, I could only plank for 20 seconds. Since then, I've progressed quite a lot! See here my latest workout here:

 

 

I've added resistance bands, and extra arm exercises (notably the inverted bodyweight rows). Because I reallyyy want to get those push ups and pull ups one day... 

 

And, as promised, here is a dance GIF:

 

 

This week makes the last set of classes focused on turns and jumps. I'm still at super-beginner level (they call it 'debutant de base' in French), so lots of conditioning and learning the basic steps. One day I'll leap through the air like a beautiful bird! I'm actually upping the number of classes I'm taking, so expect more GIFs...

[Keladris]

I injured myself stretching! So took a week off from strength training. Dancing has continued though.

 

At the weekend I return to my bodyweight circuit. Took it slightly easier because of the break and the injury (overstretching hamstrings/glutes) but it actually felt really good. Focused on form and it felt good to be moving again.

 

 

I'm getting closer and closer to my target weight, although it's anything but linear progress at the moment. It's also becoming increasingly difficult to maintain my good diet habits and motivation to keep the deficit in order to keep losing fat. I think I'm just about managing it, but results take time and it is easy to slip up.

Ballet is going great, turns out jumps are my forte! 

 

Actually looking at this is reminding me how much my legs are changing shape. I'm also starting to see muscle in my arms which is exciting. I'm now doing 2 classes a week plus jazz, and I'm soon to start an intro to contemporary class on Saturdays.

[Keladris]

I've been dreaming a lot lately, and I thought I'd make a list of epic side-quests... Basically a bucket list of things I'd love to do one day...
 

• Learn fencing and a variety of sword combat
• Go stunt-driving
• Fly a plane
• Horseback archery

I'm sure there'll be more to add with time, but this is a start!

[Keladris]

Thought I'd check back on epic quest progress seeing as it is the end of the year!

I am pleasantly surprised that I can tick off a bunch of stuff  Here is that pirouette

I met my weight goal and then some! Which is interesting to look back on it because recently I have been pondering if I would like to lose a bit more, so it is nice to remind myself how far I have come. Weight is a strange thing because I have always seen myself as bigger than average, and now that I have lost the weight Is till see myself that way. It is surprisingly hard to change your perception of yourself!


I have levelled up in ballet, even to the pointe of being allowed to start prepointes! Will be on my tippy toes in no time.

I have made some progress towards radio things, started a club with a couple of friends and we have been setting ourselves sound design challenges. 

This year, I want to focus on:

• Acting - I am getting increasingly obsessed and am considering doing a diploma in acting rather than more academic studies...
• Writing - I have a screenplay I want to write, I also still want to produce my audio drama
• Strength - I really want this to be the year I get my push up at the very least. Ideally also pull up and some handstand progress.
• Dance - want to just keep going with it, and maybe get on pointe properly by the end of the year
• Music - return to my violin and singing
• Languages - I've levelled up my French, but need to keep it ticking over. Will keep on with my Spanish lessons so I can really speak to my partner's fam!
• Extra skills - still want to get back to horse riding, and keep practicing my skating

[Keladris]

Updating my side quest list! Although actually they are quite epic side quests...

• Learn fencing and a variety of sword combat
• Go stunt-driving
• Fly a plane
• Horseback archery
• Travel the Americas (some of it by horseback!)
• Take survivalist training, both for temperate regions and up North for winter survival training
• Take a ship across the Atlantic

[ReturnOfTheDad]

11 hours ago, Keladris said:

• Learn fencing and a variety of sword combat
• Go stunt-driving
• Fly a plane
• Horseback archery
• Travel the Americas (some of it by horseback!)
• Take survivalist training, both for temperature regions and up North for winter survival training
• Take a ship across the Atlantic

Awesome!

[Keladris]

Exciting dance update!

I now have pointe shoes! This is a big level-up. My teacher gave me the go ahead before Christmas and my shoes have now arrived. Unfortunately, we are currently in lock down and I can't actually dance in them until I'm in the studio with a teacher, but I'm still super stoked to have them!

And yes, that is Agents of Shield in the background haha.