[Rhovaniel]

Rhovaniel stared into the mirror and pulled a face at the strange woman staring back at her, who mimicked her perfectly. Her gaze lingered on the smart black trousers and polished shoes, the shirt that felt soft yet alien against her skin. Gone were the comfortable leggings and zip up hoodie, the muddy boots banished to the wardrobe. Even her hair had been tamed, no longer able to be shoved into a messy bun and covered up on bad hair days but neatly brushed and set into a simple braid. The eyes were the same though, a steady blue-green gaze that somehow brought her back to herself. She was still Rho. Still the same ranger who roamed the hills and forests and delighted in adventure. This, too, was an adventure. It just required a little adjustment. She turned away and picked up the smart leather satchel she had to carry now, glancing almost guiltily at her weather-worn pack tucked into the corner. It didn’t exactly have a use amongst the elegant stone walls and hushed study halls she now found herself in. “It will be worth it,” she whispered to herself. “You can do so much good in the world with what they have to teach.”

 

 

This challenge sees a LOT of change for me. I will hopefully transition fully to my new job in Pharmacy fully (the admin and the hiccups have been so anxiety inducing I’ve had to re-teach myself all my calming methods so I don’t have a meltdown) so there is that. I will be learning on the job, 1 day a week at college, the rest hands on learning in the Pharmacy and the free time that I typically had tons of at work where I could do uni stuff? GONE.

 

My Masters, however, is not quite as dire a situation as it first appeared. My deadline is actually August 1^st, not March as I assumed. My supervisors understandably want me to keep on the pace so I don’t fall behind, but mentally it is a weight off. I am currently struggling with it, but I think it’s just that I’ve had so much going on, and editing can be a frustrating task.

 

On top of the new job, studying for the assessment so I actually pass the course at the end of the year to become a dispenser and also making time for my Masters, I am ambitiously hoping to keep up the things that bring balance to my life: the gym, for a start. I am feeling so much happier now that I’m getting back to it, but the habit of getting up and going is a hard one to relearn. Work is needed in this regard. Dungeons and Dragons is still a huge part of my week, and almost all of my out of work social life, so that needs to be protected time. 

 

With the extra demands on my time for study, and it being slightly less about the outdoor adventuring, I figured it would be the ideal time for a little mini-narrative. The theme is studying, but if I must study, why not be a ranger studying under the tutelage of the wise rangers before me? I'm seeing this as a half Hogwarts/half Rangerly Rivendell or Gondorian archives kinda deal. Hey, it's my challenge. It doesn't have to make sense if it doesn't want to!  

 

My goals for this challenge, reflect the three big things that I think will help everything else fall into place:

 

A Ranger Rises: To get to the gym when it is quiet, I must go early, and it must be quiet because then my anxiety stays quiet. Therefore, I must rise at 5.15am every weekday. The every day thing is what I am trialing, because it is so easy to turn over and doze for an hour and miss my window of opportunity, and I do it too often. I want to build back to 4/week in the gym, and getting up in time to go is the hard part of that. Also, with help from my coaching, I am hoping to slowly, slowly, give running another shot. Because that damned Spartan re-woke the stupid damn passion for OCR and gave me a stupid itch to try again….
 So, early rising means I can run before work on non-gym days too. 

 

Learn from the wise: Before being allowed to roam the wilds, I must spend time in the great library, studying ancient tomes and modern medicinal manuals alike. The medical manuals should take care of themselves, I hope, being that I can study on my study day and in the quiet times in the Pharmacy, I can do the course work. For now (I expect this to change around exams/assessments). The ancient tomes require more discipline and therefore, I must complete all my pharmacy work on schedule and I must devote two evenings a week to my Masters study.

 

Into the guildhall: This is a heavy workload I am taking on, and I am very aware of the need to maintain good self-care, particularly with my brain and it’s tendency to overthink and perfectionist anxiety. The guildhall, with its warming fires, friendly faces and attentive barkeep, is needed to help me recharge. In real world terms, this means that I will play D&D once a week and DM once a week. Additionally, I will spend one hour doing a relaxing, fun or otherwise de-stressing activity each and every day. It could reading a book, knitting (I started a cardigan for myself), guided meditation, heck even watching TV so long as it’s not mindless, and is a programme or film I want to actively unwind to. D&D as a player will count, D&D as a DM will not. Other DMs on here can probably attest that DMing is a lot more work than running a character and I am still green enough to it to find it somewhat intimidating and less relaxing, even if I do enjoy it.

 

 

Excellence Rewarded: 80 – 100% success is no small achievement. Your tutor has noticed and the next day, a package is delivered to your chamber. Upon opening it, you see a note in his elegant hand. Excellence will be rewarded. Inside the parcel lie a perfect pair of new boots, supple leather, strong yet flexible sole. Perfect for the journeys ahead. (I get to buy a new pair of trainers one new item of clothing for work OR trainers in real world terms). Conversing with other apprentices, it appears that the tutors are generous enough to provide small gifts as these to the most dedicated and hardworking at the start of their journey, and that over time the gifts become less frequent, but always given where needed. They warn however, that poor performance is likewise addressed.

 

Failings Reprimanded: Less than 20% success is no success at all. Your tutor is displeased with your efforts and decided a sterner approach is necessary. Your access to the guildhall is suspended and you are sent to help the servants with their work. Taking advantage, they have you working from dawn to dusk whilst they sit, drink tea and create more mess for you to clean (No beer alcohol or fizzy drink allowance for the coming week and I have to clean the house top to bottom on a weekend instead of my current method of little bits at a time)

 

To save myself much confusion and trying to work out what days I've updated on when, I will try to update on here throughout the week, but I will tally up completion of goals at the end of each week. 

 

 

 

Like I am physically able to set up a challenge without at least one LOTR gif... 😊

[Sovalis]

Wow, big changes for you! I think you have laid out a sensible way forward - here to cheer you on!  

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Me when I see a Rho challenge: 

[Elastigirl]

Here to cheer you on!

[Salinger]

Morning Rho, got some similar busyness going on!!!

 

Here to support you always xx

[Jarric]

14 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

Because that damned Spartan re-woke the stupid damn passion for OCR and gave me a stupid itch to try again….

 

Very excited to see you going back down the rabbit hole

 

I'll be lurking.

 

 

[WhiteGhost]

Wow, that's a busy schedule, good luck on keeping up with everything  

[Rhovaniel]

On 10/18/2022 at 10:49 PM, Sovalis said:

Wow, big changes for you! I think you have laid out a sensible way forward - here to cheer you on!  

Thank you! I'm excited, I'm a little daunted. I'm ready!

 

On 10/19/2022 at 3:15 AM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Me when I see a Rho challenge: 

Glad to have you along, Tank. 

 

 

 

On 10/19/2022 at 3:28 AM, Elastigirl said:

Here to cheer you on!

EG! Thank you

 

On 10/19/2022 at 8:08 AM, Salinger said:

Morning Rho, got some similar busyness going on!!!

 

Here to support you always xx

Thanks Sal. We can do this!

 

22 hours ago, Jarric said:

 

Very excited to see you going back down the rabbit hole

 

I'll be lurking.

 

 

Glad to have you lurking Jarric! Rangers gonna ranger!

 

3 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

Wow, that's a busy schedule, good luck on keeping up with everything  

Thanks! I'm early days, but hopefully my plan works!

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 10/18/2022 at 10:02 PM, Rhovaniel said:

Excellence Rewarded: 80 – 100% success is no small achievement. Your tutor has noticed and the next day, a package is delivered to your chamber. Upon opening it, you see a note in his elegant hand. Excellence will be rewarded. Inside the parcel lie a perfect pair of new boots, supple leather, strong yet flexible sole. Perfect for the journeys ahead. (I get to buy a new pair of trainers one new item of clothing for work OR trainers in real world terms). Conversing with other apprentices, it appears that the tutors are generous enough to provide small gifts as these to the most dedicated and hardworking at the start of their journey, and that over time the gifts become less frequent, but always given where needed. They warn however, that poor performance is likewise addressed.

 

Failings Reprimanded: Less than 20% success is no success at all. Your tutor is displeased with your efforts and decided a sterner approach is necessary. Your access to the guildhall is suspended and you are sent to help the servants with their work. Taking advantage, they have you working from dawn to dusk whilst they sit, drink tea and create more mess for you to clean (No beer alcohol or fizzy drink allowance for the coming week and I have to clean the house top to bottom on a weekend instead of my current method of little bits at a time)

 

To save myself much confusion and trying to work out what days I've updated on when, I will try to update on here throughout the week, but I will tally up completion of goals at the end of each week. 

I have decided to adjust these a little. Firstly, I have gone through my wardrobe, pulling out long forgotten black trousers and rifling through my very small collection of button down shirts. It is - adequate. For now.  But  most of those were bought quite a few years ago, some are quite tight across the chest, others... well, another reason to drop the extra kilos I've accumulated. Yes, I also really need a new pair of trainers, but I would like to spruce up my wardrobe in this regard. So, it's going to be a weekly goal (my rewards will not always be so extravagant, but hey, it does have something of a purpose, and it is actually kinda needed!) Therefore, I can buy some item of work wear OR a pair of trainers every week that I hit the 80 - 100% goal. This week I am counting minus the wake up goal*

 

Updated the forfeit goal to be a little harsher. If I'm honest, I don't drink beer all that often, so no alcohol will exclude me drinking the delicious gin my co-worker bought me as a New Job congratulations present (she's awesome) and also hit me in the coke zero habit and force me to drink water. The tap water here is so hard I avoid it. Better avoid failure then!

 

 

*It is minus the wake up goal because I was up late last night fretting and I have no desire to penalise that. My Dad called me just as I was about to go online to DM my Dragons of Icespire Peak game. He's not been well for ages, and has been putting off seeing anyone. He FINALLY went and well... it's bad. It's serious enough that he called me pretty much as soon as he could after he got a diagnosis, and this is a man who didn't bother to tell me about a hernia he had, or the time a taxi knocked him off his motorbike and injured his ankle. He has to go for more blood tests on Monday to see how fast this thing is progressing, and there is still the very real chance he could end up in hospital urgently.  Safe to say it's a blow. But my brain is hella good in moments of crisis. I can freak out over the smallest thing, have a panic attack if a shirt has too high a neckline, but this - I don't know. My brain just kinda dealt with it, and has this really nice ability to stay calm. I will process it at some point, and it was churning away in my mind last night, but I can function. Heck, with a bit of a delay, I started the session and DM'd my party through an orc ambush. They are now dealing with the anchorites at the Circle of Thunder.

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Sorry about your dad, that's really rough.

[Sovalis]

I understand the strange calm. I've lived in that space too at times. I hope it helps you navigate what is likely to be a difficult time. I'm sorry your father isn't well. 

[Salinger]

Really sorry to hear about your dad Rho. Also understand that calmness (for me it was defo a numb feeling when i first heard about his illness)

 

Sending love and support, always here to chat xx

[Rhovaniel]

6 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Sorry about your dad, that's really rough.

 

2 hours ago, Sovalis said:

I understand the strange calm. I've lived in that space too at times. I hope it helps you navigate what is likely to be a difficult time. I'm sorry your father isn't well. 

 

1 hour ago, Salinger said:

Really sorry to hear about your dad Rho. Also understand that calmness (for me it was defo a numb feeling when i first heard about his illness)

 

Sending love and support, always here to chat xx

 

Thank you so much guys. I'm not numb, thankfully, just sad, a little worried, but calm. There is literally nothing I can do in this situation (apart from canvas the hospital I work at for anyone who can tell me more than my google searching about it, and honestly, what good is that? None. So, I'll just be here to support and hope that the medications and treatment plans his doctors prescribe work. I am also immensely thankful that my Dad has taken this as the wake-up call needed, and in his own words, is 'not messing about anymore'. He understands it is dire, and he's already talking about diet and lifestyle changes. This is good. This is positive.  He has to give up work, which is hurting him because it's his own business and hurting him because the manual labour is literally exacerbating his condition. I've volunteered to help him finish what jobs he's committed to. Not that I have ever put up a fence before, but I can at least do the heavy lifting. Strength training FTW!

 

 

[Rhovaniel]

A little update:

 

Up at 5.15am: Not counting this week, though it needs to happen to get into the routine

Pharmacy Work Complete:  N/A, N/A, 👩‍🔬 👩‍🔬 

2x evenings MRes Study: N/A, N/A 📚 

1 hour de-stress time:  N/A, N/A🍻🍻  

 

*The N/A, N/A are Monday/Tuesday when this challenge was not yet operational 

 

Doing okay! I actually went for two walks today, because I had the itch and walking is a really big help for me, mentally. I'm counting it as de-stress time because it is, but it is 8pm and I intend to read some of my book before bed also. I did the homework for my pharmacy course, so that's ticked for today. I am actually a little concerned at the typos and such in the activity they set, but hey. Early days.... 

 

Today, I worked on my chapter for the Masters. It is getting there, slowly, surely, it is getting there. Not during the evening, but I'm not begrudging myself the work done!

[sarakingdom]

Good luck for your dad. I'm glad it's the sort of thing where there's a "winding down work" sort of prognosis, however tough it is for him to be forced into it.

[Ranger Hal]

3 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

*The N/A, N/A are Monday/Tuesday when this challenge was not yet operational 

I'm imagining you on Wednesday: Now witness the power of this fully armed and operational challenge!

[Rhovaniel]

12 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

Good luck for your dad. I'm glad it's the sort of thing where there's a "winding down work" sort of prognosis, however tough it is for him to be forced into it.

Thanks. His doctor has told him to stop now, but he can't and won't let down clients he already has jobs on for. The good news is that he DOES have someone who works for him, so that guy is doing the physical work for now. 

 

9 hours ago, Ranger Hal said:

I'm imagining you on Wednesday: Now witness the power of this fully armed and operational challenge!

Less fully armed and operational, more... 

 

[Salinger]

Hey Rho how has your morning been? 

 

Hoping you are feeling well today ❤️ xx

[Jarric]

Sorry to hear about your dad. Sending positive thoughts and I hope the doctors are able to sort him out.

 

16 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

N/A, N/A

 

16 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

N/A, N/A

 

16 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

N/A, N/A

 

16 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

N/A, N/A

 

 

16 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

I am actually a little concerned at the typos and such in the activity they set, but hey. Early days.... 

 

You would think a pharmacy would be quite hot on typos, given the potential consequences of making a mistake like giving someone with hypertension medication to treat hypotension.

[Rhovaniel]

5 hours ago, Salinger said:

Hey Rho how has your morning been? 

 

Hoping you are feeling well today ❤️ xx

I'm doing okay, thanks Sal 

 

5 hours ago, Jarric said:

Sorry to hear about your dad. Sending positive thoughts and I hope the doctors are able to sort him out.

 

 

 

 

 

Running away from that early start like this...

 

 

5 hours ago, Jarric said:

You would think a pharmacy would be quite hot on typos, given the potential consequences of making a mistake like giving someone with hypertension medication to treat hypotension.

This is a Pharmacy-centered college as opposed to a pharmacy, but that kinda makes it worse, somehow. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Novaurora]

Hey Rho, sorry to hear about your dad!  Good luck with your challenge!!

[Maggie-Miau]

Sending all the hugs, Rho! ❤️

[Cheetah]

On 10/20/2022 at 3:08 PM, Rhovaniel said:

work done

 

Keep up the good work!

[Rhovaniel]

On 10/23/2022 at 2:36 AM, Novaurora said:

Hey Rho, sorry to hear about your dad!  Good luck with your challenge!!

Thank you. All we can do now is wait, so I'm trying to stay positive and focus on what I need to do.

 

14 hours ago, Maggie-Miau said:

Sending all the hugs, Rho! ❤️

Thank you Mia!

 

5 hours ago, Cheetah said:

 

Keep up the good work!

I'll do my best!

 

 

My weekend got sucked into a black hole known as gaming  I came *this close* to making myself uninstall the Sims 4 today, because I spend far, far too long playing it. I'm inclined to be very mad at myself for it. Very inclined. BUT, I did finish 90% of my thesis edits done, largely today, and there was no pharmacy work to be done... so, I sort of avoid the forfeits? Idk. Under 20% seems too lenient.

 

 

Anyway, today was the start of the week (yeah, I'm starting Monday this time around...) so here's my tracking:

 

  

(it's a snip of my table as it doesn't like tables lifted from Excel apparently!)

 

[SkyGirl]

Rho!!! You have SO! MUCH! on your plate this challenge and I'm so proud of you!! Here to follow and cheer you on!  ❤️  (And I definitely know how a tired brain can zone out in games for much longer than meant - remember you're working your brain really hard right now and it WILL crash sometimes!  ❤️  Don't be too hard on yourself!)

[Sovalis]

How has the week been, Rho? Thinking of you!