Chris-Tien Jinn Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Recently, looking for ambient music and environment mixes, I stumbled across a number of Skyrim-inspired mixes, and I was inspired to start up an old copy of Elder Scrolls. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the game ... even as it frustrated me greatly at times. Being in a reflective mood, I realized that many of my struggles in the game have similar roots in my daily life. Long story short .... I'm back to focus on foundational basics: nutrition and movement. Some RPG fun. And dragons, trolls, and zombies .... oh my!! Longer Version A player can rush through Elder Scrolls and finish in 33 hours. Or you can take hundreds of hours if you explore the world, learn skills, make items, and do side quests. I always tended to be one of the players who are so focused on the main story-line quest that I end up at the end under-geared and under-prepared ... only to be frustrated that I can't finish. In the mundane world, I often have a similar problem in that I neglect planning and preparing for basic, foundational health in the rush to prepare lectures and labs and assessments. I sacrifice the good in favor of the urgent: the next batch of emails, the next meetings, the next thing that someone else "needs" (wants!!!) me to do. So ... this challenge is aimed at establishing a more productive cycle of preparing for monster encounters before going out to complete a quest. You need both to advance in the game and in life!! Drink Your Potions Between masking and days of back-to-back classes and meetings, I was often slightly dehydrated this fall, which contributed to sinus infections and the whole host of other symptoms: irritable, poor sleep, and increased DOMS. I don't want the spring semester to be a repeat of that. For Christmas, I was given a 32 oz water bottle with time/amount goals on the side. Going for 64 oz every day seems like too much, but I am willing to set a daily goal of 32+ oz. My course mentors may have to entertain the students while I run down the hallway for breaks .... Restore Health and Stamina In Skyrim, you can make mistakes with what you eat and drink. In fact, if you haven't played it before, you have to experiment with items and ingredients to find out what the results are, and some things are definite Frankenfoods ... with unexpected results. I've been eating a lot of less-than-nutritious stuff lately. In part because of the holidays and the hold-over attitude that cookies etc are a reward that I deserve etc. So, it's time to shift back to eating real, nutritious foods. I've set a goal that I will eat at least ONE serving of vegetables each day. Trust me when I say that this is a stretch goal. Train to Skill Up You develop skills in the game (and in life) by doing the activity. If you want to level up your skill with a bow ... you have to shoot at things. Shocking. I'll give myself props here because I didn't completely give up on exercise during the fall semester. I didn't do as much as I wanted, but I didn't stop either. In fact, until December 8th, my weight was holding at 158 (not quite the best weight of the year, but not shabby) because I was running and walking consistently. It was the strength training that I started really neglecting after Fall Break. This goal is multi-part, but I think I can manage: At least 20 minutes of exercise daily. Cardio, strength, yoga, staff spinning, whatever. Get to CrossFit class once per week. I am still often suffering from DOMS 3 days after class, despite water, protein, stretching and rolling. It's just going to take time to build up the muscles. 60 pounds on my lat pulldowns by the end of the month. When I can go to the gym with hubby, he can also help me manage the bands for assisted pullups. Prepare for Monsters!!! Truly, I spend enough time in the "tavern" that I can cook ahead and get ready for healthy food, drink, and activities of the following day. I am committing to taking Friday night and all day Saturday off of work (gasp!) so that I can cook ahead and have chicken and veggies prepped for lunches have a protein shake available for pre-workout have my devices charged and workout clothes ready for the week Long term goals for the YEAR of the Great Dragon Hunt Last year, I reduced from 168 to 156 (and bumped back up in the dumpster fire + train wreck of Fall Semester ....). This year, I want to get back into the "normal" weight category for my height, age, and gender: 150 (or less). And I want to do a pull up again, damnit. Those are the two measurable things that encapsulate a whole lot of life style changes along the way. 8 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Tanktimus the Encourager Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Glad you are here again. Those are good goals and I like how you integrated the theme into them. 1 Quote Current Challenge "By the Most-Righteous-and-Blessed Beard of Sir Tanktimus the Encourager!" - Jarl Rurik Harrgath Link to comment
Elastigirl Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 So glad to see you back! 1 Quote Wisdom 22.5 Dexterity 13 Charisma 15 Strength 21 Constitution-13 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind' Luke 10; 27 Link to comment
Jarric Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Good to see you here. Pullups are a great long-term goal, they're a really good way to encapsulate a load of life changes as you say. Interestingly I have the opposite problem with Skyrim - 33 hours in I've met 1 dragon, spent half a day hunting deer, and got sidetracked by 8 separate dungeons which are entirely incidental to the plot. And then I give up having only completed 2% of the game. 1 1 Quote Level 18 Wood Elf Ranger STR: 14 - CON: 11 - CHA: 3 - SAN: 9 - INT: 13 IAgreeWithTank™ "Shit is going down, but I am not." - iatetheyeti Don't say "I don't have enough time", say instead "that's not a priority right now" and see how that makes you feel. Current Challenge: Jarric's birthday party External: Epic Quest - Instagram - Strava Spoiler Previous Challenges: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Old Stuff: Battle Log - My Introduction - 2017 Road Map - 2018 Road Map - 2019 Road Map - 2021 Road Map - 2022 road map/wrap-up Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted December 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 17 hours ago, Jarric said: And then I give up having only completed 2% of the game. I hear ya there. I've spent way too much time in SecondLife and Minecraft just having fun and creating. I was really surprised to learn that there is a sort of "end game" in Minecraft. Yesterday was a good warmup! TWO servings of veggies, 40 oz of water, and 35 minutes of walking on the treadmill ... with a little running. Hubby even followed my example and went the the gym for the first time in 3+ months. I'm gearing up for the challenge and for the daily monster battles. Literally. I ordered a shake mixer bottle for the office and a new workout bra. I checked over running and my CrossFit shoes ... they are fine for at least the next month or two. And I prepared some enchantments (aka affirmations) today. I'm starting to think about some long-term changes in behavior and attitude. My birthday, for instance, has been a let down, especially during the pandemic. So I'm planning to do a fun 5K (at a local winery) that weekend instead of the usual "dinner out and cake without the rest of the fam" routine. Plus a Color Run sometime during the summer/fall (the date for the Twin Cities has not been released yet). Plans might get changed, of course. We are still hoping to get to go on our Alaskan cruise this summer (I got my renewed passport yesterday!!), but I'm beginning to work around to accepting that another year's big adventure might not happen. Adulting is hard. 5 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted December 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Finished off the Holiday Hustle with Run Across America!! I VERY CAREFULLY went to the gym (slipping and sliding on the glazed, icy sidewalks) and finished up a couple of miles on the treadmill before doing my lat pulldowns. Turns out, I had underestimated where my current capacity is and did 62.5 x 8 x 3. I met my January goal and surpassed it before the month and the challenge started!! 2 1 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
WolfDreamer Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Welcome back! Not sure if we've ever connected before, but I love your challenge. I'm here to cheer you on and support you in whatever way I can. Are you familiar with Two Steps from Hell? They've produced some of my favorite epic music, and I always get fired up while listening to them. 1 Quote Who am I? -- My NF Character Current Challenge: WolfDreamer Springs Forward Past Challenges: Spoiler Winter is Coming, Wolfen Strengthens His Heart, Body, Mind, and Spirit, Wolfen Becomes One of the People, Wolfen Strengthens His Chakras, Wolfen Welcomes Summer and Gets Primal, Soulcon and Spartan, Wolfen Develops Mental Toughness, Wolfen Joins the Wander Society, Soulcon, Spartan, School, and Stranger Things, Wolfen Becomes a Warrior Elite, Wolfen Goes Here and There and Back Again, Wolfen Becomes a Soulcon Warrior Elite, Wolfen Returns to His Roots, Wolfen Wanders in Soul, Spirit, and Body, Wolfen Owns the Day, Wolfen Searches for His Wild Heart, Wolfen Runs for His Life, Wolfen Hits the Trails, Wolfen Becomes an Explorer and Joins the Resistance, Wolfen Goes Back to the Source, Wolfen Begins the Hero's Journey, WolfDreamer Returns to the People, WolfDreamer Pushes Back, WolfDreamer Prioritizes, Burpees, Books, and Brainwork, Burpees, Books, Brainwork, and Bodywork, WolfDreamer Masters the Four Elements, WolfDreamer Continues to Master the Four Elements, WolfDreamer Returns to Sparta, WolfDreamer Returns to Middle Earth, WolfDreamer Continues His Middle Earth Adventure, WolfDreamer and the Fall, WolfDreamer Forges His Own Path, WolfDreamer Has Hope, WolfDreamer Returns to Middle Earth, WolfDreamer Reads Harder, Breathes Harder, and Journals More, WolfDreamer Embraces His Wild Poet, The Mad Poet Becomes Supernatural, WolfDreamer, The Mad Poet, Becomes Superhuman, WolfDreamer Elevates, WolfDreamer Becomes IronBorn, WolfDreamer Wakes the White Wolf, The Mad Poet Recovers by Keeping it Simple, WolfDreamer Clears His Mind to Find His Wild Heart, WolfDreamer Resets, WolfDreamer Strives to Become an Eminently Qualified Peaceful Warrior “I'd rather sing one wild song and burst my heart with it, than live a thousand years watching my digestion and being afraid of the wet.” -- Jack London “I wanted movement and not a calm course of existence. I wanted excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice myself for my love.” -- Leo Tolstoy "I feel love rising in my chest again Rising like a burning sun into the day..." -- Gungor, "Hurricane" "...wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17b Link to comment
Waanie Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 Long time no see, it's nice to see you! Congratulations on your lat pulldowns . 11 hours ago, WolfDreamer said: Are you familiar with Two Steps from Hell? They've produced some of my favorite epic music, and I always get fired up while listening to them. I haven't listened to them for ages, thanks for reminding me! 2 Quote Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 14 hours ago, WolfDreamer said: Are you familiar with Two Steps from Hell? Yeap. I have a few of their pieces in my workout mixes. They are awesome!! 3 hours ago, Waanie said: Long time no see, it's nice to see you! Congratulations on your lat pulldowns . Hi!! How are you? Do you have a current challenge for new year ... and HAPPY NEW YEAR! to everyone. 2 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Waanie Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 45 minutes ago, Chris-Tien Jinn said: Hi!! How are you? Do you have a current challenge for new year ... Hi, I'm good . I am actually doing a challenge here. Quote Link to comment
KB Girl Posted January 1, 2022 Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 Great challenge! May 2022 bring us all pullups and a ravenous appetite for veggies! 2 Quote KB Quest: becoming a decent kettlebell lifter and an excellent coach 2023 goals tracker; 591/5000km & reading to my kids 48/365 days (updated march-22) my instagram - my gym's instagram Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2022 🤣 All the veggies!!! Actually, for hubby's birthday on Thursday, we really enjoyed roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan cheese and a garlic aioli. It was delicious and more satisfying than I expected. Yesterday, I got a nice post-Christmas surprise: an Nintendo Switch and Ring Fit. I worked up a sweat in 20 minutes of the intro session!!! It won't replace the hard workouts, but it was a nice, fun thing to do indoors with the winter storm approaching. 6 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
KB Girl Posted January 2, 2022 Report Share Posted January 2, 2022 On 1/1/2022 at 7:34 PM, Chris-Tien Jinn said: 🤣 All the veggies!!! Actually, for hubby's birthday on Thursday, we really enjoyed roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan cheese and a garlic aioli. It was delicious and more satisfying than I expected. Yesterday, I got a nice post-Christmas surprise: an Nintendo Switch and Ring Fit. I worked up a sweat in 20 minutes of the intro session!!! It won't replace the hard workouts, but it was a nice, fun thing to do indoors with the winter storm approaching. Darnit now I want both of those things 😅 1 Quote KB Quest: becoming a decent kettlebell lifter and an excellent coach 2023 goals tracker; 591/5000km & reading to my kids 48/365 days (updated march-22) my instagram - my gym's instagram Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 3 hours ago, KB Girl said: Darnit now I want both of those things 😅 Yea!! I love Brussels Sprouts, but this is the only way hubby will eat them. We finally had a solid snow storm and are watching Frozen while drinking White Russians: 1 oz Vodka 0.75 oz Kahlua 1 oz Heavy Cream Over ice 2 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Tanktimus the Encourager Posted January 3, 2022 Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 29 minutes ago, Chris-Tien Jinn said: Yea!! I love Brussels Sprouts, but this is the only way hubby will eat them. We finally had a solid snow storm and are watching Frozen while drinking White Russians: 1 oz Vodka 0.75 oz Kahlua 1 oz Heavy Cream Over ice If you have a cocktail shaker, they are SOOOOO much better shaken with the ice rather than poured into a cup and stirred. Quote Current Challenge "By the Most-Righteous-and-Blessed Beard of Sir Tanktimus the Encourager!" - Jarl Rurik Harrgath Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 10 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said: If you have a cocktail shaker, they are SOOOOO much better shaken with the ice rather than poured into a cup and stirred. That's hard to imagine. It was a good way to finish off vacation time. Now .... back to work today. I signed up for CrossFit: deadlifts and back squats. 1 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 Every now and again, the media have something that relates to our goals. This is an interesting read from the New York Times: Diets Make You Feel Bad. Try Training Your Brain Instead. 1 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Tanktimus the Encourager Posted January 3, 2022 Report Share Posted January 3, 2022 1 hour ago, Chris-Tien Jinn said: That's hard to imagine. It was a good way to finish off vacation time. Now .... back to work today. I signed up for CrossFit: deadlifts and back squats. The first few I ever had were shaken by a friend who really liked using his shaker. The first time I ordered one and they just poured everything into a glass it seemed pedestrian by comparison. Couldn't read the article due to a paywall. 1 Quote Current Challenge "By the Most-Righteous-and-Blessed Beard of Sir Tanktimus the Encourager!" - Jarl Rurik Harrgath Link to comment
DarK_RaideR Posted January 4, 2022 Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 23 hours ago, Chris-Tien Jinn said: We finally had a solid snow storm and are watching Frozen while drinking White Russians Pretty sure the only movie you're legally allowed to watch with that drink is The Big Lebowski 3 Quote Lvl 52 Multitasker Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 4, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2022 Potions seem to be working!!! I've been managing between 40 and 48 oz of water daily. Started drinking some tumeric tea as well, and the DOMS dragon seems to be sleeping. At CrossFit, I managed 3 PRs. Well, PRs for the respawns of the recent decade: Back squat 50 lbs Deadlift 70 lbs (best ever was 85 lbs, but it's been a while) 2K row 12:07 4 2 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 Yesterday, I started developing a headache in the afternoon and realized that I had not been drinking my water!! Checked the boxes and played Pickleball for a good day. 4 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Jarric Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 That's good instant feedback from your body - shows you it know what it needs! 1 Quote Level 18 Wood Elf Ranger STR: 14 - CON: 11 - CHA: 3 - SAN: 9 - INT: 13 IAgreeWithTank™ "Shit is going down, but I am not." - iatetheyeti Don't say "I don't have enough time", say instead "that's not a priority right now" and see how that makes you feel. Current Challenge: Jarric's birthday party External: Epic Quest - Instagram - Strava Spoiler Previous Challenges: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Old Stuff: Battle Log - My Introduction - 2017 Road Map - 2018 Road Map - 2019 Road Map - 2021 Road Map - 2022 road map/wrap-up Link to comment
Waanie Posted January 5, 2022 Report Share Posted January 5, 2022 Congrats on your PRs! 1 Quote Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 8, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2022 Lat pulldowns --- weight increased to 67.5 lbs!! 2 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
Chris-Tien Jinn Posted January 9, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2022 Last week was quite a success: I maintained by new habits for 6 of the 7 days. I crushed my weight-loss goal for the month (160.8) I crushed my lat pulldown goal (67.5 lbs) I set new (respawned) personal records for back squat and deadlifts I am enjoying the RingFit Adventure game, but the Switch's joy-cons need to be recharged more frequently than expected. And if anyone has suggestions for more games to play on the platform, I'll be interested to add to the collection. 4 Quote Level 4 Human Ranger/Paladin "We are better than we know, if we can be made to see it, [then] for the rest of our lives, we'll be unwilling to settle for less." - Kurt Hahn STR: 9 | DEX: 10 | CON: 14 | INT: 13 | WIS: 14 | CHA: 13 Link to comment
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