Bravery. Humility. Living in reality.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 6 Workout 2 Elements 11 Frogger, Crab, Transitions, & Superset 53 minutes

Prep: Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped shoulder circles, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into squat, Supine hip circles

Practice: Basic Frogger, Crab Walk R&L

Play: Frogger to Crab combination

Push: 3x Superset Circuit Basic Frogger & Crab F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, 3-pt bridge, Seated clasped hands extension, General kneeling lunge

[Emissary2Ornj]

Active recovery mobility session 1 23m8s

Wrist circles 30s
Wrists - palms up & down, fingers facing knees 1m e
Elbow rotations 
4ped shoulder rolls 1m
L-arm stretch 30s e
Prone bent arm chest stretch 30s e
Tall kneeling arm raises 1m
TKAR to side 30s e
Calf raises 3 ways 
3-pt bridge 30s e
Lunge rotations with kneeling hamstring stretch 3m
Sprinter toe ups 
Squat foot blades side to side 
On toes, lift heels, side to side 

On toes, lift heels ankle  rotations 
On heels, lift toes ankle rotations  

 

Did not walk. Mobility session felt good. I think shoulder stretches will feel comfortable quickly, but I am still learning them. Also picked some easy stretches for a daily bedtime practice. Started those today too. 

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 6 Workout 3 Elements 12 Twisting Bear & Monkey 42minutes

Prep 1min each: Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped shoulder circles, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat, Supine hip circles

Practice 5min each: Twisting Bear, Monkey

Play 5min: A-frame to Squat

Push: 2x Superset 1min each Circuit Basic Monkey & Circuit Backwards Bear, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

I think the movements I've learned are starting to feel familiar. Twisting Bear was interesting; need more time to figure out how far to set feet and hands apart in each step.

Project couch cover has been finished for a few days now.  20-21 (nonconsecutive days spent working on it. Definitely an improvement from the first one I made. Hopefully it will prove more durable.

New experiment is successful: Thrifted bedskirt flat material (not the pretty bits that drop off the sides) works perfectly fine as sew-in interfacing. The local big-brand fabric store's online price for cotton/poly blend 20" sew-in interfacing is $4.29/yard. I can't remember if I paid $1.50 or $2.00 per bedskirt, but not more than that, and they're all cotton blends. I now have at least 11 yards of interfacing stocked up (probably more). Wow! Plus, I can use the drop fabric to make odds and ends - pockets, accents, bias tape, pouches/bags. Given that store-bought interfacing is a luxury item right now as far as budgeting goes, I feel rich in this sewing staple.

Biggest win: I FINALLY got my one-step buttonhole foot to produce consistently decent buttonholes. I watched a couple good how-to videos, and a troubleshooting video, and of course re-read that section in my manual. I don't know what made the difference, but I had success with a stitch width of 5 and a stitch length of just under 1mm. Also, my buttonholer is finicky about feeding - the slightest difference in fabric height from under the front of the foot to the back will stop it feeding, it seems. Even though I seem to remember warnings about not pulling your fabric through the machine, a very little LIGHT tension in the same direction the fabric was going helped immensely. I just had to watch very carefully and release the fabric as soon as the buttonhole lever  released to reverse the feed direction. I love that with every project I learn more and gain more experience.

Biggest challenge: Struggled mightily with thread tension at one point early on. I admit to praying for help on this one. I think I got it. Got so frustrated that I had to leave the project for the day. Went back the next day after perusing a couple forum threads. It is really important to get the bobbin threaded correctly, and even on my easy-peasy machine, it's possible to miss a crucial hook. I think that was my issue. After that, whenever I sat down at the machine for the first time in a day, I rethreaded top and bottom spools whether I thought it needed it or not. Never had one problem from that point on.

Looking ahead: Next is finishing a crochet project for my husband. It's at least halfway finished, but I've only worked on it a few rows at a time. He's been so patient, and I really want to get it finished for him. Used a new technique here, too - carrying yarn! I'd really like to use this technique to make a gingham plaid patterned something-or-other someday.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 7 Workout 1 (yesterday) 15 minutes Elements 13 Low intensity version 

Prep: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4pdd twist, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat 

Play: 30 seconds each Bear, Monkey, Frogger, Crab (R&L)

Push: Wrist circles, General kneeling lunge, Standing straight leg hip circles 

 

Wow, the LI version is REALLY low intensity. I wasn't expecting it to be so short in duration. Good to know I have the option if I need it. I needed it yesterday; mentally I was all for a good workout but body wasn't on the same level. 

[Emissary2Ornj]

Double log:

Week 7 Workout 2 Elements 13 30 minutes Floating Tabletop to Frogger

 

Prep 1min each: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped twist, 4ped spinal circle, Walk into Squat

Practice 5min each: Floating Tabletop to Frogger, Crab walk R&L

Play 5min: Crab to Frogger combination

Push 1min each: 2x Superset Crab Walk F&B and Circuit Basic Frogger,  Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, General kneeling lunge, 3-pt bridge

 

Rushed this workout a bit. Didn't shorten it, but I didn't slow down movements much. Places to go! 

 

Week 7 Workout 3 Elements 14 30 minutes Twisting Bear & Monkey Toe Pull

 

Prep 1min each: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped twist, 4ped spinal circle, Walk into Squat

Practice 5min each: Twisting Bear, Monkey Toe Pull

Play 5min: Cross-step Bear

Push 1min each: 2x Superset Backwards Bear & Circuit Basic Monkey,  Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, General kneeling lunge, 3-pt bridge

 

Felt much stronger today. Did try to slow movements down this time. Monkey Toe pull: I can't do it very slowly yet. I can keep my toes on the ground all the way across (IIRC) but it has to be a little quick. Plastic bag footies, again! I like Twisting Bear but I haven't figured out consistent spacing for hands and feet so reps are evenly spaced. Cross-step Bear is fun.

Think maybe Monkey is getting smoother.

 

Mindset, in general: A bit unsure, a bit rushed. A bit unable to slow down. Mildly harried is accurate. I tend to react to structure this way (structure = giving myself a cleaning schedule, which is working out great as far as cleaning goes). Dunno what all that's tied to; in the past I coped by avoiding structure. Now I'm finding this structure really helpful, and I'm not tossing it just b/c brain is freaked by it. Sometimes the way to grow up (self-parent) is to lean into the thing, show yourself that hey, this isn't horrible. It's safe, and even likeable. *shrug* So I tell myself, anyway.

[Chesire]

Thank you for the thrifted sew-in interfacing idea!  That is brilliant. 

 

I fully agree that sometimes the fabric needs assistance, not actually pulling, but feed well.  You may also find success with a height compensation tool/hump jumper/ seam jack/ whatever other name to even out the height of your pressure foot to smooth feed.  But assisting it gently is my usual lazy way.

 

Happy new year

[Emissary2Ornj]

Ooh, new gadget to learn about and look for, cool! Maaaaybe I remember someone mentioning something like that in a YT video? Maaaybe Evelyn Wood? Thanks for the tip!

 

Week 8 Workout 1 Floating Tabletop & A-frame to Crab 45min version

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped wag tail, 4ped spinal circles, Frog stretch

I LOVE it when hip circles are in the line up.

Practice: 7.5min each Floating Tabletop Frogger, A-frame to Crab transition

My back doesn't stay as flat as it feels, per my form check vids. Interesting. A-frame to Crab felt good; need to tweak

Play: Bear to Frogger combination

The challenge here is knowing how far in front of me to plant my hands after the last Frogger, so that my beginning Bear stance (A-frame) isn't all squished up front to back. Have not figured this out yet.

Push: 3x Circuit Basic Frogger & Crab Walk F&B Superset, Seated clasped hands extension, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, General kneeling lunge, 3-pt bridge

If I'm not paying attention my feet want to move forward out of sync - first one then the other right behind it. I dunno why. Because a slow Toe Pull is hard? Because slowing it down reveals strength imbalance? I will keep watching.

[Emissary2Ornj]

WEEK 8 WORKOUT 2 Bear Leg Thread & Monkey Toe Pull 45min version

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrist - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped wag tail, 4ped spinal circles, Frog stretch

Practice:  Bear Leg Thread, Monkey Toe Pull

The hip stretch in Bear Leg Thread feels really good.  The movement is awkward at two points: Coordinating hand/foot spacing (something I experience with other movements), and pulling the bottom leg from back position and under body. I assume the awkwardness will resolve itself over practice. This is another movement where there's a lot going on to pay attention to and coordinate.

MTP is still difficult. I can not pull toes across slowly. Socks on carpet made it harder, of course. Looking at my form check vids, it looks like I'm ending up with feet very close together which adds instability to returning to squat.

Play: Twisting Bear Leg Thread to Squat Transition

Similar challenges here as in TBL practice.

Push: 3x Circuits Basic Bear & Basic Monkey, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

 

WEEK 8 WORKOUT 3 Frogger Stall Prep & Sumo Frogger 45min version

Prep: Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped shoulder circles, 4ped spinal circles, Standing straight leg hip circles, Walk into Squat, Supine hip circles

Added Standing hip circles b/c let hip felt particularly tight. Supine hip circles: experienced initial restriction in left hip counterclockwise circles, bringing leg from side floor back to chest. This was a similar sensation to the weird binding-up I felt in the back leg of Modified Pigeon Stretch. I kept working it, very slowly, and the sensation resolved. It feels like a weakness or a "not supposed to bend that way" sensation when it happens. Now I'm wondering if it was nervous system-initiated.

Practice: Frogger Stall Prep & Sumo Frogger

These were both fun! I was intimidated by the name, b/c I've seen Frogger Stalls before. This was challenging but definitely doable and exciting. First time I can remember being this excited about an exercise in Elements. Very fun to experience that again. Same with Sumo Frogger.

Play: Bear to Crab transition

Push: 3x Circuits Basic Frogger & Crab Walk F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, General kneeling lunge, 3-pt bridge

 

Did recovery day mobility sessions 2x this week, and walked with a minimally-packed backpack after. Current route is 1.4 miles, with two decent inclines.

 

Next project: Converting a button fly to zipper fly on a nice pair of jeans. R&D commenced, notes taken, donor zipper picked out. Possibly commencing tomorrow.

[Emissary2Ornj]

WEEK 9 WORKOUT 1 Elements 17 Bear Leg-Thread & Long-legged Monkey 45min version

 

Prep: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped twist, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat

Practice:

Bear Leg-thread: Re-watched tutorial. Movement was slightly smoother; felt more confident on form this time. (I cannot resist the pun when I'm wearing shorts and doing the Bear/Bare Leg-thread. Even if I'm the only one present to enjoy it.)

Long-legged Monkey: This really puts my back left leg in that position it doesn't want to be in. Did some supine hip circles during practice to loosen it then got back at it. This put my knees in unusual positions, too.

Play: Twisting Bear to Monkey Combination

Push: 3x Circuits Circuit Basic Bear & Circuit Basic Monkey, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

 

WEEK 9 WORKOUT 2 Elements 18 Frogger Stall & Swing Set 45min version

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped wag tail, 4ped spinal circles, Frog stretch

Practice: Frogger Stall

Nope, but did Stall Prep as best I can right now

Swing set

Interesting. Was surprised watching my form check vid how much range of motion I have in the shoulder joint when pushing hips up. That was cool to see. Still don't push very far away from floor. I think my elbows are a tad bit extra mobile. Not pathologically so, but something to be aware of.

Play: A-frame to Crab transition

Left hip limit twinge again. Right also but only once. Getting a little more control on lowering foot gently. Slight improvement there.

Push: 3x Circuits Cuicuit Sumo Frogger & Crab Walk F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

 

So far this week, 2x recovery day mobility, 2x recovery day pack walk.

 

Felt like I whiffed on some cleaning tasks earlier this week; did not whiff today. Didn't do 'em all, but I did the big ones.

Converting jeans button fly to zipper project completed! Made SO much easier because I had this excellent video to guide me. This was an intimidating DIY, for sure - but having a video was a big confidence boost. SO glad I didn't have to wing it on my own.

Notes: I did this on an entry-level home machine and did fine, though I'm sure a heavier-duty machine would have handled the 100% cotton denim better. But my home machine was more than adequate, and I wouldn't be afraid to tackle this again if I had to. This was a good lesson for constructing a pants fly, if I ever sew my own pants.

 

Biggest improvement (in my opinion) that I could make to interpersonal relations right now is cutting out the passive/aggressive communication pattern. Been thinking about this one for a while. It's a behavior I'm really not proud of, and would like to change. I think fear is at the very base of it (being afraid to say what I want/need?), with a weird resentment/bitter judgy-ness thrown in. Also there's deception; i.e., not being honest with myself or the other person about what is underlying the P/A-ness. Not a super pretty self-portrait. My aim here is authentic assertiveness. Concretely, I think that means speaking my actual needs, and maybe being slower to speak (mentally stepping back in the moment to figure out how to frame what I really want to say). Probably some other things, as I think of them. These are extremely lofty goals. I'm motivated enough, it's just figuring out what skills I can employ and raising the mental awareness to actually employ them in the moment. I think.

 

Communication might be the single most challenging thing about marriage so far. Spouse is precious, so worth it. Time together will end someday. I want it to be quality. I think I've really failed lately at being a positive uplifter.

 

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 9 Workout 3 Elements 19 Bent Arm A-frame & Long Leg Monkey

 

Prep: Wrists, Shoulder circles, Spinal circles, Walk into squat, Supine hip circles

Practice: Bent arm A-frame & Long Leg Monkey

I enjoyed this. Both surprised at my arm strength gains and appreciative of how challenging this is. Really like how GMB focuses on elbows tucked in, not flared. LLM improved somewhat over first time. Did some knee circles during practice to loosen up left knee twinge.  Unusual-to-me knee positions in this move. Was able to slow it down. Used hands to push up and legs to pull myself across. 

Play: Squat Leg Sweep

This was awkward at first but clicked relatively quickly. Able to use hands less for support, staying more upright during movement. More of a balance exercise that way. Left foot doesn't always make it to the 180 mark yet. 

Push: 3x circuits Twisting Bear & Circuit Basic Monkey, back flexion to back extension, clasped hands, 3-pt bridge, lunge

 

The post workout eval always asks for a favorite move. If I take every one into consideration including the stretches, General Kneeling Lunge is almost always my favorite. I think they really mean for you to choose one of the practice or play moves, but I often choose the lunge b/c it is, and to be silly. It feels so good to stretch the hip front! Especially after so much squatting. 

 

Added in some 90/90 stretching -or  modified pigeon- to my mobility yesterday. A couple times the left hip especially freaked out, but I was able to work through  the stretch and it soon calmed down. I don't know what the deal is - excessively tight muscle?  Just an unusual  ROM angle my brain doesn't know is safe yet? It's not pain, it's like a kind of cramp/seizing up,, accompanied by the "get me out of this position right now!" feeling. My analytical self  wants to know the exact anatomy & physiology of what's going on, but I don't really need that to work on it. Locomotion gives me plenty of opportunity to both strengthen and stretch the area, and I have a few other stretches that seem to focus on that area. 

[Emissary2Ornj]

WEEK 10 WORKOUT 1 Elements 20 Straight Arm Baby Frogger & Walking Monkey

Prep: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped twists, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat

Practice 7.5min each: Straight Arm Baby Frogger & A-Frame to Crab

SAFB was fun to play with. Felt it in knees and hips. A-frame to Crab feels incrementally smoother each time. I have varying amounts of control in lowering foot to floor. A relatively easy movement as far as strength goes. Control and coordination are less easy but getting better.

Play 10min: Walking Frogger

Also a fun, interesting movement. Played with loading hands more and using core/hip to bring legs forward instead of legs (this made sense when I was doing it). Also switching which foot moves first.

Push 3x circuits & stretch: Sumo Frogger & Crab Walk R&L, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

Sumo Frogger was challenging after all the other Frogger hip work. Doable but not pretty.

 

WEEK 10 WORKOUT 2 Elements 21 Bent Arm Bear & Monkey Stall

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped wag tail, Frog stretch

Practice 7.5min each:

Bent Arm Bear

BAB was challenging but I felt in control of it. With forward-shifted weight, arms are shaky and the movement is hard. Weight more centered between hands/feet is a workout but doable. Helps to practice just the A-frame w/bent arms frequently between locomotions to review the movements and get back to form check (focus on elbows).

Monkey Stall

I have faced and realized the truth of [my]  Monkey Stall. ..... What truth? ..... There is no stall.

Yep! No stall. Ain't happenin'. I have not gained the control yet to slow this movement down gracefully, let alone stalling it anywhere in the middle under tension/contraction. So I practiced on inverting my head lower than shoulders through the movement instead. That was fun. I think I'll be emailing GMB for tips on this - I'd like to know if this control is a strength thing, and if they have any tips for cues or other ways to think about the movement.

Play 10min: Twisting Bear to Monkey combination

I notice it's harder to get right arm in line (directly under) shoulder in TB. Partly it's finding the right hand placement, I think. Partly it maaaaay be coordination.

Push 3x Circuits & stretch: Circuit Basic Bear & Circuit Basic Monkey (1x), Circuit Basic Frogger (2x), Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

There was too much Monkey in today's session. I remedied with more Frogger.

 

Mindset: Taking on some stress with imminent next-step life decisions. Job search, campground search, etc. We're in that unsettled period of unknowns. Have been mentally preparing for this but brain still wants to freak out. Probably because the 2 things depend on each other: I can't commit to a job if we don't have a place to stay; there's no point committing to a place to stay long-term if I can't get a job in the area. So basically, pick one and go for it then let the other come out in the wash. Tasks are two-fold: job search-focused & prepping to leave-focus. I will do some of each today, plus hopefully normal routine tasks. This is another test of the house maintenance/cleaning schedule/habit. If it doesn't collapse, I will be very pleased.

Brain thinks we have to know everything to be safe. So untrue.

 

[Emissary2Ornj]

Placeholder for my reaction to @Chesire's puffer fish/brain watcher input. Until then: thank you for responding! It's so good to read of someone else's very familiar challenge and your ongoing resolution. Lots of thoughts zinging around about this. More later, hopefully.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Edited to remove double-paste mishap.

 

Week 10 Workout 3 Elements 22 Straight Arm Baby Frogger & Alternating Step Frogger 30min version

Prep: Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped shoulder circles, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat, Supine hip circles

Practice 5min each: Straight Arm Baby Frogger & Alternating Step Frogger

ASF is funny to me, b/c I noticed my feet doing this all on their own a few weeks ago. One would land ahead of the other. I was trying to "correct" it, ha! And now I'm supposed to do it on purpose.

Play 5min: Crab to Bear to Frogger combination

This was fun! I feel awkward in Crab to Bear, but it was fun.

Push 2x circuits + stretching: Circuit Basic Frogger & Crab Walk F&B, Seated clasped hands extension w/cloth, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

Email sent asking for help w/control in Monkey & Frogger. I want to be able to slow these movements down.

I love that there are shorter time options with this program. I had time for a 45-minute session yesterday. But sometimes I freak out a bit, worrying that I'm taking too long, and thinking about what I need to do the rest of the day. Choosing the 30-minute session was perfect. And once I'm working, those 15-minute sessions may be perfect for still getting intentional movement in.

Mindset: We have plans for leaving, I have resumes & a potential employers list printed out, and have applied to 2 places via online app. I am at  @Epsilonte's point of "We have done everything possible; now we lean back and drink tea and chill." I still have a to-do list of tidying up loose ends, but I am as prepared as I know how to be from hundreds of miles and a few days away. There is still uncertainty, of course - it's the future; uncertainty is built in - but I have taken steps to prepare. Now I do other things until the time comes to employ my preparations.  Wisdom nugget: "Patience" is actually an action word, many times. It's related to "consistent" and "boring".  It involves "inaction" less often than you might think.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 11 Workout 1 Elements Low Intensity version ~14 minutes 

Won't include the whole program, but this was quick & appreciated. 
 

Ack! Life is happening, in spades. I mean, it's good to be alive, and adventuring, but there's extra going on which isn't exactly comfortable.
Workouts may be suspended until I figure out a suitable place to do them. Outside on gravel is looking like the best option so far...

 

I have a miracle to report (all caps ahead): 

One truck & camper (double-axle), traveling our usual 55-60mph amongst busy interstate much-faster traffic. Looking in mirror, husband notices  unattached tire rolling down the road. It's weaving in front of semis, first in one lane then out of sight, presumably lane-changing. He pulls over. The tire reappears in the mirror, catches up to us, rolls alongside our camper, hits it, and stops.
It rests at an angle. Husband recognizes it as OUR TIRE. He investigates.
Where does he find it?
IN THE EXACT WHEEL WELL IT CAME OUT OF. 
 

Miracles: no other cars were hit by our tire. No accidents were caused by our tire. Our tire was rolling down the interstate but not in a straight line, and ended up getting to the exact spot where we were parked and stopping exactly at our fender. WHAT?!?

 

How many fun physics things had to happen perfectly to result in that?!?!!!!?

 

I'll take the miracle, with astounded thankfulness. 

 

(We got back on the road after driving slowly to the next nearby exit, finding a new wheel and hub, switching them out, tightening & airing everything up.

I do not recommend this experience.)

~~~~~~~

And other life things which I am not sharing. Plus job searching and job uncertainty are uncomfortable. 

 

But! I am in beautiful, old mountains and it feels like home. People are friendly and neighborly, and probably tough. I hope I never have to leave this region. In the middle of everything that's going on today, when my husband pointed out that there were mountains everywhere we looked, I discovered the biggest beaming smile on my face, the effortless one that only shows up for pure joy and nothing less.

 

Surely everything is solve-able? With time and knowledge? Hoping, hoping, hoping!

[Emissary2Ornj]

Ho-kay, the big immediate stressful situation got resolved, relatively quickly but not comfortably (it was cold & breezy w/snow flurries while hubby was working on the truck). Side quest: I pack-walked with my husband to town to the parts store and then to the mechanic's. It ended up being the same distance as my usual route, with probably about the same weight or slightly more. (I've never weighed my pack, I just leave some stuff in it and add my water bottle.)  I LOVE that our newest location (hopefully for long-term) is close to so many amenities. In our usual summer town, we're 30-50miles from parts stores and Walmart. That's a perk of being mountains East instead of mountains West.

 

Word from GMB re: Monkey Stall is, of course, "Just keep at it". I did learn a tip to play with next time: try pausing with one foot up off the ground during the movement. Other than that, it's patience and consistency. The people in the tutorials have a-MAZE-ing control, and I am definitely comparing myself to them. Even though I know better, I do it anyway. Perhaps I can adjust that from a comparison to a target. Instead of "I can't do what they're doing," switch it to, "That's what I'm aiming for, but this is what I can do now," and work from there. That feels a lot less frustrating.

Still haven't figured out where to work out. Don't want to miss too many more sessions. I could be going outside, but my motivation doesn't reach to crawling around on cold mud & sloppy grass/gravel. I will be revisiting old Elements sessions for a while since there's no internet here. My plan is to schedule library (or other WiFi-source) time once or twice a month, pre-watch 3-6 workouts, take copious notes, then do my workouts from my notes.

 

Still waiting on a job. As early as Monday, and maybe tomorrow, I will call to check my application status. I find I am even more old-fashioned than I realized: automated online applications just do not replace connecting with someone face-to-face.

[Emissary2Ornj]

WEEK 12 WORKOUT 1 Elements Custom workout Frogger Practice & Twisting Bear Play 30 minute version

Prep 1min e: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped shoulder circles, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat, Standing straight leg hip circles
Practice 5min e: Straight Arm Baby Frogger & Walking Frogger
Play 4min: Twisting Bear

Push: 3x circuits Basic Bear & Crab Walk F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, General kneeling lunge, 3-pt bridge

 

Husband left for a bit so I worked out here in the camper. It's too narrow for Monkey work, or right & left Crab Walks, but fine for Bear, Frogger, and Crab Walk F&B. Most transitions and combinations are out, too. I REALLY enjoyed not being tethered to the web app. Despite my bias against it, there are of course pluses to using it. For one: I can slow myself down on my own, but it's much easier when the app constantly reminds you to work at your level. But! I noticed when my form was choppy, and realized I needed to back off a bit. But I think I worked harder on my own. Jelly legs! and upper arms. Plan: ask RV park owner about floor space somewhere I can use 3x a week in inclement weather. (Also want to ask about possible sewing space I can use occasionally. These are maybe odd questions; but nothing ventured, nothing gained, I think.)

 

No answer to my phone calls this morning at two extensions. Not totally unexpected given it's not a business day. I will try again tomorrow and I'll be more persistent if I don't get responses.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Interview: complete! Supposedly, by verbal invitation, I have a job! Cue MUCH cautious relief! I am just waiting for the personnel manager to enter my info into the computer so the "official" job offer link will come through, or she will call me with it. My skeptical, cautious mistrustful self is holding off on full celebration until that happens. Ironically, I find myself waiting - again! Ha! This amuses me. Good for the patience "muscle." Reality check: I have been out of the formal workforce grind for so long - my last 2 jobs were EASY to get, which "spoiled" me a bit. Husband and I reminded each other that this process hasn't actually been unduly long; we are just unused to the corporate system.

Regular workouts are on hold pending further information from RV park owner. I did get out for a 30-minute pack walk one day this week. Weather is still soppy & cold. Fine for walking. I added some books and sundries and weighed my pack. 9.4lbs! That number seems laughably light, but it was more weight than I'd been using previously. I know myself - I'm apt to add more weight just because "9.4" seems low, and then overdo it. So I'll put a 12lb limit on it for now, until I'm sure I'm comfortable with the extra. It's funny - I've carried more than that in body weight over the years, but I guess your joints, gait, etc. adapt to the weight changes over time. So it's smart to take it slow (I tell myself).

I caught up on some house cleaning today. Self-coaching reminder: I'm okay with things not getting done every day or exactly on schedule in this slightly topsy-turvy phase. That's life, despite what anxious brain thinks/feels. Rigid adherence to a schedule/plan is not the goal. More things getting done more regularly than in the past, is. A 70% success rate is definitely acceptable.

 

I plan to do some computer/phone maintenance stuff next.

[Emissary2Ornj]

On 4/9/2022 at 8:06 PM, Gemma said:

I'd love to hear updates on how the bullet journaling is working for you.

 

Here you go! It's a long one, so I hid it. TL;DR: I review my first year in a "bullet" journal.

Spoiler

Planner 1 review:

(Note: I mark time by slightly-shorter lunar months, and start the year just after the spring equinox. I keep track of the Gregorian as well, b/c the world runs on it, but in the background. This is an experiment-in-progress I've been thinking about for a long time and finally implemented with Planner 1. So far, so good.)

My first planner fit a little over 11 months, from 13 February 2022 to 21 January 2023. I was pleasantly surprised. 

As long as the quality remains the same, I would buy the EXCEED brand again (carried by Walmart). I enjoyed the cream paper (versus white). The paper weight was excellent for my uses; I even used watercolors on it. (There was waviness/warping after, but it did not decrease functionality or durability.) It's plenty heavy enough for fountain pens, too. Very pleased. Glad I bought 2 to begin with.

I gravitated toward 2-page weekly spreads, divided into quadrants. 7 days plus a space for notes/whatever. I kept monthly spreads to 1 page, 5x4-space frames, vertical orientation (1st day of week begins at top of page). I had several collections. I used simple color palettes, usually 1 a month, occasionally with a simple line design such as sine waves or line art.

Monthlies: I tracked our location and the 7-day weather forecast, my work schedule, and paydays/periods.

Weeklies (w/day boxes): Planned task checklists, husband's events/tasks/memories, general journal notes, actual weather, notable events.

 

Collections that worked:1-page year-at-a-glance, opposite-page future log, workout planners, last purchased/ordered, life themes (a partial "core values" list), husband appreciation, food/meals lists, desire/needs lists, things we'd buy again, a mental tools/self-discovery and -parenting spread, paycheck/hours/earnings tracker, "Life Goals I Have Zero Control Over", various project pages, past travel record by year, scripture-praying list, whole-self check-in spread, master store list. Using the back pages for color swatches and spread-planning really worked out.

 

Thoughts:

I don't really adhere to the Bullet Journal "method". I do use a bullet system for checklists, but my preferred planning method is not as fluid as the "original" BuJo. I think the most accurate term for my system is a DIY planner-journal, even though it resembles what many YouTubers and Instagrammers call their "BuJo." Currently, I prefer the structure of pre-drawn weekly spreads, and I thoroughly enjoy setting them up. I really think this is closer to a DIY planner.

I found that looking back through the journal, it was hard to parse out information in each day box. It wasn't really separated or grouped by any system. This was frustrating, since one purpose of this is to keep a record of our daily lives to refer to in the future. I have to read every day to find significant info, because it's all jumbled in together. I think I've found a partial solution, but more could be done. Still thinking about this.
I got a little bored using the quadrant weeklies repeatedly. I alleviated this somewhat by changing up where the dividers and headers were from week to week, or in which direction the days flowed.

Big, massive habit tracker spread didn't work for me (lack of system; also it was a LOT to track).

Index method of entering pages & numbers as I filled them up is not as helpful in finding things quickly.

Planner 2 changes:

I increased my calendar frame size so monthlies are 2-page now. I now track actual weather, our location, mood events/trends, major events (past), and my top-2 or -3 priorities/focus for each week. I also track the top-2 or -3 distractions/challenges to those priorities at week's end. More information happening here, so more space needed.

I mixed up weeklies using either vertical or horizontal day boxes.

Day boxes are now divided into 3 sections: 1 for husband, 1 for my tasks, 1 for events/notes/journalling. Hopefully will make info easier to find.

I decreased my Sabbath day-box size (since tasks and planned events don't happen on rest day) to allow more room in the other 6 days.

I let myself go with setting up multiple months in advance. I REALLY enjoy this process and decided to gift myself the enjoyment. I've got 6 full months set up already.
This planner has a LOT of color in it. I had so much fun drawing patterns then mixing watercolors or choosing marker colors to fill them in. Some of them are dorky and make me laugh, and some are amazing and I love to look at them. I'm interested to find out if they will decrease the functionality when I start using them, or if I will love them.

I sectioned my index (the EXCEED comes pre-printed w/one) into subjects: monthlies, trackers, journals, lists, & projects. This isn't perfect; I have a hair-care tracker and a hair-care journal, and they ended up in 2 different sections. But! I have enough room to add more subjects, and even to make redundant, more-specific sections where I could include all the self-care pages, or all the workout pages, whether they are journals, planners, or trackers.

 

New collections:

I added a Snapshot of the Year on page 1. I am really excited about this. At the bottom of the page, a legend of icons for 6 different life-areas (husband, challenge, win, event, asking/praying about, mindset). The rest of the page is 12 equally-sized boxes in which I will write 3-4 highlights from each month, using an icon to denote which life area it involved. The only icon that's included in every month is the one for my husband: I want an event memory or a relationship win or an appreciation nugget relating to him in every month.

In a similar vein, I included a "then and now" page, to compare changes over time. There are both trivial and monumental things here: nicknames, vehicles, location, house, occupation, and debt, with space for more.

I included a housecleaning/-maintenance schedule. Woot woot!

In the back of the planner, I mixed every one of my watercolor pencils with each other and swatched the results. I also swatched all my markers beside every one of my other markers.

I actually made daily & weekly planning checklists to help me fill out my trackers routinely. (Note: designing systems has been a big help in accomplishing things lately. Systems seem to be the bridge between the desire for the result and the result. I needed a "how", not just a vague hope it will happen on its own.)

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 13 Workout 1

Elements Frogger Stall & Swing Set 39 minutes

Afternoon session, post-work

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped wag tail, 4ped spinal circles, Frog stretch

Practice 5min each: Frogger stall & Swing set

In floating table top, weight shifted slightly forward of wrists/hands, I lifted one foot at a time by pointing my toes back. I then brought both legs forward into Basic Frogger. I alternated which foot lifted first. This was challenging and interesting to feel the differences between left and right sides of bodies.

Play 5min: Cross step Bear

Push: 2x Circuit Frogger & Crab Walk F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, 3-pt bridge, General kneeling lunge

 

Job: learning ropes. Do not yet have clear understanding of what's expected of me. Looks to be learn as I go rather than being given clear-cut tasks & goals. I am only three days in so will exercise patience muscle during  this phase. 
 

General thoughts: fascinated by system. It's like an intricate steampunk clockwork and I'm trying to understand how all the gears and pulleys interact and affect each other.  Reminds me of the knot that Maniac Magee was challenged with untangling. Pretty sure there is a disconnect between designed systems/protocols and what actually happens. Also the various dynamics between management and hourly staff. I've never been a part of such a massive retail machine before.

 

Edited to add workout record and clean up post.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 14 Workout 1 Elements Walking Frogger & Crab Walk ~20min

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped shoulder circles, 4ped spinal circles

Practice 2.5 minutes: Walking Frogger

Push: 2x circuits Twisting Bear & Crab Walk F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, Lunge rotations with kneeling hamstring stretch

 

This workout was very quick. Done in the interest of choosing something over nothing. Feels good to move joints through various ranges of motion after work. There's some overhead lifting, bending and lifting, pushing, and reaching. Not as much lifting as previous jobs. The intensity is lower, and I am enjoying it. I am certainly tired after work, but I am not exhausted to the point of not being able to do anything else.

 

Other differences between this job and the past 2 summers: I am irritated much less often. The overall stress level is lower. I'm working by myself much more often, with a little team work thrown in. Today I actually got to make some baby steps toward more organization. Still learning, but maybe getting an idea of my parameters to improve the situation. I don't know yet, but it sounds like I may have some autonomy in the area I'm working in.

Mindset: A little concerned about whether we can both adapt to town-life (traffic noise, neighbor noise, dog noise, lack of privacy, disturbed sleep, etc.) for as long as we need to. I think we're still adjusting. I hope we're still adjusting. I also thing there are other options out there for us, if we explore. And I wonder what our capacity for adopting an attitude of "this is reality; it's time to do what we have to do now to get where we want to be" is, and whether that's going to be the ultimate deciding factor. I temper the worry/concern by remembering there are probably unthought-of possibilities we haven't explored yet, we are adjusting, states of mind are rarely permanent.....

[Chesire]

On 1/28/2023 at 2:48 PM, Emissary2Ornj said:

Word from GMB re: Monkey Stall is, of course, "Just keep at it". I did learn a tip to play with next time: try pausing with one foot up off the ground during the movement. Other than that, it's patience and consistency.

I had forgotten I was waiting to see if you got a reply on this.  Alas.  It is both what I didn't want and what I expected.   Thanks for asking and sharing, I was wondering myself if there was some 'trick' to it.

 

Welcome back to the Eastern half

 

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 15 = no workouts, but I did mini-mobility sessions on lunch break several times at work. Also I think I did some at home after work.

Week 16 Workout 1, Elements 23 Monkey Stall & Bent Arm Bear 15 minute version

Prep: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped twists, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into squat

Practice 1min e: Monkey Stall & Bent Arm Bear

I really just practiced Basic Monkey since it's been a while. Bent Arm Bear felt solid; I made sure I practiced a Bent Arm A-frame first.

Play 1min: Bear to Monkey combination

A little cramped for transition space but it worked.

Push 1min e: 1x Circuit Basic Bear & Circuit Basic Monkey, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, Kneeling back flex to prone lying back ext, General kneeling lunge, 3pt bridge

One minute does not seem long enough to dig into the movements. I really like 30 minutes, but I think 15 is what's doable after work.

 

New strategy! I think if I do 15-minute sessions I can work out every day. Also, if I Prep in the camper, then I can finish the  workout in the RV bathhouse prior to my after-work shower. (It's only got facilities for one person at a time, anyway. I'm only dding 9 or 10 minutes to my normal routine. I rationalize that this is acceptable, given there don't seem to be many other women here using it.) It's not the perfect space but it's wider than the camper floor space.

 

AM workouts won't work for the time being; hubby's already having sleep issues, and being up at 5:10 is as early as I'm willing to push it. I usually am awake earlier but I'm not ready to spend that time on working out yet. I can probably manage a stretch or three before I head out the door, though.

 

Job: There's not a lot of feedback on whether I'm spending my time as I should or not. The person over me has had a specific task or two most mornings we've both worked, and for the rest of the day I'm apparently left to fill it. There's plenty to do; I'm just not sure if I'm prioritizing what they also prioritize. There is a variety of work; I like that. I am becoming pretty good at not being stressed by reality and what I can't control: 1) the capacity of our backstock shelves versus the amount of freight we get every day or two (seemingly whether we need it or not). 2) What other people do/ how other people do things. 4) Whether or not my manager(s) are going to at some point blame me for the lack of organization and illogical ordering system.

 

I started keeping a record of what I do every day, just in case. I don't feel afraid or paranoid; I feel like I'm pro-actively self-advocating. Still like the job, still think it's a good fit for my skills. It bothers me that I let a lot go undone that I wouldn't have in my previous grocery job. I don't forward/face every single dingle thing in my department (it would take half the day or more, I think), I don't fix every facing I come across that's messed up. Self-coaching: I'm still learning. I'm still getting a feel for what needs done, when. I'm still figuring out the rhythm. So be patient, and plan it out. My experience with the house maintenance list will come in handy here.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 16 Workout 2

Elements 24 Swing Set & Single Arm Baby Frogger 15min version

Week 16 Workout 2

Elements 24 Swing Set & Single Arm Baby Frogger 15min version

Prep: Standing straight leg hip circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped wag tail, 4ped spinal circles, Frog stretch

Practice: Swing Set & Straight Arm Baby Frogger
Swing Set is always challenging but enjoyable. The stretch in my legs felt good. The new Frogger variation is fun, too. Didn't have time to explore it, really.

Play: Bear to Crab transition

Push: 1x Circuit Basic Frogger & Crab Walk F&B, Kneeling back flexion to prone lying back extension, Seated clasped hands extension, General kneeling lunge, 3pt bridge

 

The 15 minute version feels too short to get a good grasp of where I'm really at with the movements. I miss being able to spend time with them - even only 5 minutes with each gives me time to notice and evaluate. 1 minute feels really rushed - just a few repetitions and then it's over. I hope I'm able to somehow work 30 minutes into my day at some point. On the plus side, it feels GREAT to put my body through these movements after work. I feel more limber and less stiff overall, even though the job requires a lot of physical effort: lifting, up & down ladders, twisting, lots of walking. And 15 minutes is just enough for my brain to be satisfied that I'm doing something but not feel like it's eating up my off-hours.

The bathhouse has a rough concrete floor - good for stepping out of a wet shower, not so great pushing hands against in Crab or Bear or Swing Set.

My hands will probably adapt.

[Emissary2Ornj]

Week 17 Workout 1

Elements  25 Bent Arm Bear & Straight Leg Monkey 

Prep: Wrist circles, Wrists - palms down fingers facing knees, 4ped twists, 4ped spinal circles, Walk into Squat, Supine hip circles 

Practice 1.5min e: Bent Arm Bear, Straight Leg Monkey 

SLM is a new variation; I like but need to explore more. 

Play: 1.5 min Twisting Bear 

Push: 45s each Circuit Basic Bear, Circuit Basic Monkey, Circuit Basic Frogger, Crab Walk F&B 

Kneeling back flex to prone lying back ext, Seated clasped hands extension w/towel, General kneeling lunge, 3-pt bridge 

No workout yesterday; needed the time to decompress mentally. Cloud-watching after a hard rain storm worked perfectly. I was later able to get a mobility session in which felt great. I am sometimes sore after work; usually shoulders DOMS so far. Some back muscle fatigue. I apparently have not been training for some of the moves I make at work.
 

[Emissary2Ornj]

I think every day workouts, even mini ones, may not be the best use of my time after work. I'll see how it settles out, but 2-3 a week may be the most reasonable. A few factors: limited hours in a day, how much activity I'm already getting on the job, and maybe lower quality and amount of recovery sleep. 

 

Fuel: probably 70-80% great. I may not be getting quite enough? Because sometimes I'm hungry. Here's a typical day of food:

Breakfast, 6am: 2 eggs, a sausage patty, ~1/3 sweet potato + a vitamin powder (Better Body Foods) 

OR

2 eggs, a sausage patty, a tortilla wrap, (sometimes) 1/2 avocado 

9am  smoothie: 1:3-1/2 cup oat flour, 1-2 scoops protein powder, 1/2-3/4 C kale, 1/2-1 banana

Lunch: ~1/2C quinoa/rice, (my) fist-sized meat serving (usually chicken, sometimes pork or beef)

2pm break: 2-3 potstickers 

Supper: leftovers or whatever yumminess my husband has cooked up that day. 

 

Potstickers/dumplings are a quick-food indulgence. I figured they had enough fat and carbs to get me over the afternoon hump.  I also have a mix of raw almonds, pecans, and dark chocolate morsels to snack on. 

 

Food win: we got two beets in a food box recently. Really, really good! Haven't had them in years - not something I seek out. Husband can't stand them so I indulged. Long overdue discovery behind the spoiler (body humor, definitely TMI):

Spoiler

How did I go this long without realizing eating beets colors your, er,  outputs? Pink! Wow!