Kawa's Challenge: Enter the Lair of Beasts

[kawatan]

(Backstory shamelessly stolen/expanded from Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup. If you haven't played DCSS, you should. Edited March 3, 2013 after my father's accident on February 27, 2013.)

 

Spriggans were supposed to be weak, delicate things, more knowledgeable about magic than combat. Their tiny size and aptitude for charming magics did not lend themselves to physical combat; they were weaker than humans and even elves. 

 

But that didn't stop Kawa from her quest: to supplement her mystical knowledge with physical prowess, and become one truly without weaknesses. She, and she alone, would eventually grasp the Orb of Zot and bring it home; but to do so, she would need to be prepared for anything, and test both her strength and her will.

 

She would test her strength and conquer her weakness, with only her body and the ground beneath her feet to train her. She would fast, purging the excess from her body, to make her more able to withstand the coming storm. She would practice her speed and agility, a skillset she honed in childhood but abandoned, but hopes to use again. She would calm her mind regularly to better cope with the difficulties she would undoubtedly face. And she would not let her original training with her clan go to waste; she would use her intelligence and skill to gain the materials she needed for the journey. Once she had all these things, she would be ready to enter the Lair of Beasts, the first stop on her journey to obtain the runes and then the Orb of Zot.

 

*********************************************

 

Kawa: L1 Spriggan Assassin
STR 1 | DEX 2 | STA 3 | CON 3 | WIS 3 | CHA 3

 

GOALS:

1. Do one hundred knee pushups and two hundred situps. +2 STR +2 STA
GRADING: 1/2 point in each for every 25 pushups/50 situps I'm capable of by April 8. No bonus points, but
EXTRA CHALLENGE: Do twenty proper pushups. +1 STR


2. Eat 1400kcal or less for at least 30 of the 42 days. +3 CON
GRADING: 1/2 point for every 5 days on target. This allows for bonus points.
 

3. Get a passing grade on a ten foot Dance Dance Revolution song. +2 DEX
All or nothing on this one.
EXTRA CHALLENGE: +1 DEX for getting a full combo on a ten foot DDR song.

 

Get a total of at least 250 minutes of meditation by April 8. +2 WIS
GRADING: 0.2 WIS for every 25 minutes. This allows for bonus points.

 

4. Have 30 "contact points" in the job search by the end of the 42 day period. +3 WIS +2 CHA

Contact points can be won by contacting either someone in HR or someone actually doing the work I want to do (operations research or math education), doing an online application, or attending an appropriate event (career fair, job interview, interview prep training session, etc). The ideal will be at least ten contact points each in my three geographic job markets (New York metro area, Tampa/St. Pete metro area, and Melbourne/Palm Bay FL).
GRADING: 1/3 WIS 1/2 CHA for every 5 points. This allows for bonus points.
SPEEDRUN TRICK: if actually hired with health insurance offered, all points are earned regardless of how many contact points have been earned.

 

*******************************************************

 

MINICHALLENGES AND EXTRAS

 

I've joined the Morning Routine challenge! Spreadsheet here. Gotta take care of my teeth and my skin/eczema every morning!

[Wolverine]

100 knee push-ups in one set?  Or spread out?  Where are you with your push-ups/sit-ups now?

 

I like the contact points idea!

 

Welcome!

[kawatan]

One set for each, though I realize that's a lot to work on! I've been working on these challenges, and am at Week 4 for both (set 1 for the pushups, set 3 for the situps). Does it sound reasonable? Should I spread things out better?

 

The "contact points" idea was the only way I could think of to make a job search goal happen in a measurable, achievable way. I can't predict other people, but I can put myself out there concretely as many times as possible!

 

Today's progress so far: 730 calories so far (haven't had dinner yet), one contact point (applied for a job at Catalina Marketing in St. Pete including resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn message to the director of HR), and did my morning routine, however late. Gotta do the pushups and situps, have a reasonable dinner, and work on some actuarial stuff!

[kawatan]

Today's progress, continued: a total of 1250 calories, 12/14/11/11/18 pushups, 32/38/32/32/55 situps.

[kawatan]

Another day, another 1275 calories, another contact point (a charter school here in NY). Rest day on pushups and situps. 

[Wolverine]

One set for each, though I realize that's a lot to work on! I've been working on these challenges, and am at Week 4 for both (set 1 for the pushups, set 3 for the situps). Does it sound reasonable? Should I spread things out better?

Those are actually really decent programs but I've watched many people try them and it seems like it's never as easy going as the websites want you to believe. I'd stick with them but go easy on yourself if you're unable to proceed as quickly as you'd like. I did the pull-ups version and had to repeat a week here and there until I could meet the progression standard.

Great start to your challenge!

[kawatan]

Well, crap.

I woke up this morning to find out my father was the victim of a hit and run accident. He fractured both legs and lost a lot of blood. Thankfully he is fine and coherent after surgery, but I spent today in a hospital without Internet or any real private time, and physical therapy will take months. I fully expect to spend much of this time as basically a full time caretaker.

I am still on track with calories, but no progression on the pushups and situps and no contact points. I have been up for 21 hours now. I may have to rethink my goals - certainly I don't see myself frequenting the arcade any time soon.

Dad will definitely be in the hospital for about a week. What do you think I should do?

[Wolverine]

First off.  I'm so sorry to hear about your father!  Sending you positive thoughts!

 

As for your goals... I wouldn't give them up, I would just modify those that need to be modified once you know what you're life is going to be like.

 

Goal 1: I have a feeling once things calm down, that you'll be able to make time for push-ups and sit-ups.  If nothing else, you can do them at every commercial break while you're watching TV with your dad or every time you get a snack or every time you go to the bathroom or whatever.  You get the idea.

 

Goal 2: Definitely stick with this one as is.  You'll be super tempted to do some emotional eating and this will help keep you on track.

 

Goal 3: I'm assuming you'll have some downtime, but you may not want to use it on DDR.  This one you'll have to decide for yourself.  Since it's more of a fun goal, this would probably be okay to let go if you feel like you need to do so.

 

Goal 4: Since this isn't a pass/fail goal I'd keep it the way it is.  If you have time to make contact points, you make 'em, otherwise you don't.  It'll encourage you to get out, but you won't lose anything if you don't have time.

 

Just my two cents!

[kawatan]

Yeah, you're probably right. The worst - ie the surgery - seems to be over and I do have some time to myself every evening. It will take a LOT of discipline to do anything with my precious free time other than mindlessly play video games but that discipline is exactly what I need right now.

Yesterday I was okay in terms of calories but not the other stuff.

I'll drop the DDR goal but keep the rest. Maybe I'll try to start meditating regularly or be more diligent about keeping a journal. It's tough, because DDR is the one physical activity I can say I honestly enjoy, and I really wanted to encourage myself to be active, but arcades are just not where I need to be right now.

[kawatan]

Quick contact point (a fellowship at a charter school management firm), 14/16/12 pushups so far, 38/45/38 situps (week 4 day 2), 160 calories so far. I'll do the rest when I get home, maybe grab a bite to eat on my way to the hospital.

 

The contact points are more important than ever, really; my dad had a pretty physical job (he's an electrician) so it's not like he'll be able to work from home or something. Frankly, he may never work again, depending on how healing goes; and my mom might have to cut her hours or even quit to care for him. So I need to get over this point and become self sufficient so he won't worry about me. 

[kawatan]

Finished with 12/20 pushups, 38/54 situps .1350 calories.

[lyranedara]

I'm so sorry to hear about your father! Meditating and journaling are both great ways to help you stay relaxed and focused. If you want to try to move more as well, you could always turn on music at home and dance your heart out.

[kawatan]

Thank you both for your support!

 

Switching goals: out goes the DDR goal in exchange for a total of at least 250 minutes of meditation by April 8. +2 WIS

 

This is 10 minutes a day, five days a week - or longer sessions less often, if my schedule changes and I'm up to it. I sort of do a variant of anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing). Basically, I want some time on a regular basis to focus on nothing but emptying my noisy brain and listening only to my breath.

 

GRADING: 125 minutes = 1 WIS. This allows for bonus points.

 

Today so far: ten minutes of meditation, 160 calories. 

[kawatan]

I was on target with calories yesterday, but not today. (Interestingly, eating more than my new "usual" - which was fairly close to my old "usual" - has made me feel mildly unwell. I now dislike feeling full like this. I think that's a good sign.) I also got in ten minutes of meditation, one contact point (a research analyst in Tampa) 16/18/13/13/20 pushups, and 45/50/45/45/60 situps (Week 4 Day 3).

 

Tomorrow morning after my morning routine I will do my next fitness test (one set each of pushups and situps, as many as I can without losing form) and maybe try to quickly pick up a contact point, depending on how early I wake up. After that, I am meeting with a friend for lunch. I will go to a gym to check it out and maybe log something for the next minichallenge (depending on what it is). After that, I'll head to the hospital. 

 

I will be staying at the hospital Monday night and possibly also Tuesday night depending on what happens. The chapel there is always open and often empty. That's where I meditated today and probably will do so again tomorrow and Tuesday (or just meditate in the chair while he's napping). If I do stay Tuesday night, I guess I'll be doing pushups and situps on the floor - first time doing it on linoleum instead of carpet and I'm weirdly nervous. Any thoughts on that? 

 

PROGRESS SO FAR:

Calories: 6/30; contact points: 4/30 (2 NY/2 Tampa/0 Brevard); meditation: 20/250. Considering what's happened, I think I'm doing really well.

 

Gotta find some jobs in Brevard County. LinkedIn isn't giving much but I need to look at company sites directly and possibly also county government. I am slacking on being prompt with the morning routine extra challenge and that needs to change. 

[kawatan]

Today's test: 26 pushups, 65 situps. This means this week I am in fact repeating Week 4 for pushups - but this time at level 3! Considering I started out at Week 1 Level 1 (barely able to do four knee pushups) at the start of the year I am really really impressed with my progress. I'm on track for the situps, Week 5 Level 3. This will be the first week I have 8 sets to do for that instead of the usual 5; I'll probably break it up into 4 in the morning and 4 in the evening. 

 

This week in Assassin Minichallenges is the Week of the Butt. I'll figure out what I'm capable of soon - I do a lot (A LOT) of walking so I think my glutes are stronger than the average fitness newbie, but who knows? 

[kawatan]

Yesterday, I got in seven minutes of meditation and stayed on target with calories. 

 

Today, my father went to the rehab ward much closer to home.

 

I went over on my calorie count today. I blame my fiance's homemade rice pudding. 

 

Today's workout was a doozy: 10/12/8/8/15 reverse hyperextensions*, 21/25/16/16/25 pushups**, 54/60/45/36/62 situps.

 

* Shamelessly stolen from week 1 day 2 level 3 of the hundred pushup plan. I'm not very inventive. 

** Okay, I admit it: I wimped out after the second set and moved to level 2 of Week 4. I think it's safer this way. 

[kawatan]

300 calories so far, one contact point in New York, and now I'm off to donate blood for the first time, tutor a kid in precalc for the first time since the accident, then visit my dad in rehab.

[Elastigirl]

Sorry about your dad. I'm impressed by the fact that even when life smacked you in the face you didn't give up. Great job on making the contacts too.

[kawatan]

Thanks for the support.

I am in the refreshment room after giving blood. I feel pretty great! It didn't hurt at all. Had another 310 calories just sitting here with cranberry juice and cookies. A small dinner and lots of water should make up for it.

[kawatan]

I was on target calorie wise yesterday. No exercise due to the blood donation and it being my pushup/situp rest day, though now that I think about it I should have added to the minichallenge before leaving to the donor center.

 

I've included a multivitamin with iron into my morning routine, again due to the blood donation.

 

400 calories, one contact point (my first Brevard County one too!), ten minutes of meditation, and 30/30/36/36 situps so far.

 

I think one of my goals next challenge will be to work on hamstring/hip mobility and stretching; I'd love to eventually meditate in full lotus and do a full split!

 

ALSO: My first interview since the start of the challenge, at a charter school here in New York! It's a group interview on the 23rd. I'm excited!

[Elastigirl]

Congrats on the interview! Hope it goes well. Seems like a charter school would be a great place to teach.

[kawatan]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to it.

 

I did complete pushups and situps last night, but I was too exhausted to post. I don't know if it's just because the emotional impact of the accident is finally hitting me, if it's because I had to schlep around the city all day to tutor, if it's my form slipping, or if it's just the challenge upping the difficulty - whatever it was, it was bruuuuuuutal to do last night. It was hard to stay motivated to do the next set, and the pushup sets themselves were really really challenging. I think I was on target for calories yesterday, though, so there's that.

 

150 calories so far today.

 

And now it's snowing and I'm going to be doing the majority of the shoveling (my mom will help too, but her hand is injured so there's only so much she can do). Blaaaaaaaaaaargh. I hate cold weather. Gonna try to meditate before I head out, though, and I guess I'll see the snow shoveling as an exercise opportunity. Still, blaaaaaaargh.

[kawatan]

Was on target yesterday with meditation and calories. Today so far: the first four sets of situps, the first set of pushups, 600 calories. Hopefully I'll get to meditate and get a contact point when I get home.

[kawatan]

BLERGH. Was on target with calories, but otherwise was completely unproductive yesterday. I think all my stress just hit me at once.

Making up the pushups today. Fiance's visiting and we're getting Filipino food; my dad is actually asking for food for the first time (he's had appetite issues since the accident) so that's a good sign.

[Elastigirl]

BLERGH. Was on target with calories, but otherwise was completely unproductive yesterday. I think all my stress just hit me at once.

Making up the pushups today. Fiance's visiting and we're getting Filipino food; my dad is actually asking for food for the first time (he's had appetite issues since the accident) so that's a good sign.

Stress will do that to you. And sometimes the best thing for you is to just take it easy and let your body and mind rest. Glad to hear your dad is improving