OmHawk is looking for the corn

[OmHawk]

This is my first 6 week challenge, and I'm pretty excited.

 

About me- I'm 30 and being sidelined from the military on a medical basis. After years of being a functional grown-up with a steady income and the ability to manage myself most of the time, I'm having to restart a lot of things. Luckily I have some assets- the love of my life, a wicked awesome sidekick in the form of my Service Dog Hawkeye, most of an anthropology degree, a supportive family, most of my health. Because of my injury (back, within control now but a pain) I put on SO MUCH WEIGHT and am now rather disgusted by my 212 pound self.  It's like I'm trapped in lard, and between all the fun mental stuff you  deal with after a couple of deployments and the pain from my injury I've let myself go.

 

But. Now I found this. I'm a huge geek. HUGE, and I don't mean on account of all the flab I'm hauling around lately. I go to comic book and open source and gaming conventions, I run panels at conventions (a new hobby; I had my first panel at PenguiCon this year), and I see movies at midnight wearing costumes because Fun. I love geekery. Working out every day without ten of my closest friends (platoon mates) sounds like a horrible slog, but geeking out over something- now that I can do. So, here I am at Nerd Fitness, and hopefully I can harness my inner geek to find my old body, or what of it is still there. 

 

Enough whining. Here are my goals for this challenge:

 

1) Work out a minimum of five times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes a workout. I figure maybe the first week I'll get lazy, but I bet having to catch up by doing two workouts in the same day will motivate me to spread them out a bit. For this I'm saying an actual structured plan of exercises or sport- daily walks don't count. +3 STA, +3 STR

 

2) Cook dinner at home at least four times a week. Cooking at home will help me control my caloric intake, and it's calming and relaxing.  +2 CON

 

3) Spend at least one hour of every day out of my house. This might sound easy, but if you've ever dealt with depression or its asshole cousins you might get that this is hard for me. I can have a pass if I'm so sick I have to be hospitalized, which is unlikely. +4 WIS

 

4) Finish preparing my card game and get it online for sale.  I've been dragging my feet about putting it out there, but no more. It gets out before this challenge is over. That means I need to tighten up the art, finalize the format, and publish. +3 CHA

 

Here goes. Fingers crossed for me, guys... or not. No pressure. 

 

Oh, and if you are curious about the title of this post you can check out Hyperbole and a Half's awesome description of being depressed. It's the best I've seen anywhere, really. http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2013/05/depression-part-two.html

[Jolltzzz]

We have some similar goals and this is also my first 6 week challenge too.  I think your getting outside goal is fantastic and agree about the associated difficulty having dealt with depression and its asshole cousins myself (geez, I love that line).  

[OmHawk]

Jolltzzz, it's good to have the first comment be yours. I was worried about putting my goals there cause I know they're pretty far from where I once was... but hey, I'm not gonna sweat my starting zone. 

[OmHawk]

Okay, so I'm popping in to report. I'm doing really well on working out (I only have two more to do this week) and sort of okay at getting outside. I did have to have a night time walk to get an hour in before midnight yesterday, but it got done. I've done nothing on my card game, but that's because my arms are sore from working out. Drawing more than wrist-based sketches is unlikely until my muscles stop being so sore. How did I not think of that?

 

Overall I think I'm at a B right now. 

[sozzielou]

Keep it up OmHawk, you are doing great. Going out for that night time walk is awesome. Well done.

[Jolltzzz]

I bet a nighttime walk was refreshing.  It is not always a bad thing to be masked in darkness.  Keep it up!

[Ryuu1011]

Your goals seem very solid, and I am sure once you've been working out for a week or so it will be easier to draw, plus you may even find that you have more energy to draw because of the workouts! If you don't mind you should totally post some more about your card game, I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who would be interested in seeing/ hearing more about it Keep up the good work!!

 

P.S. Just wondering did your dog get its name from Riza Hawkeye from Full Metal Alchemist? 

[Seleas]

OmHawk, you can do this.  You have some great starting goals, and I know you can do this.  I don't even think a furbeast could stop you.  ^_^v

[OmHawk]

Your goals seem very solid, and I am sure once you've been working out for a week or so it will be easier to draw, plus you may even find that you have more energy to draw because of the workouts! If you don't mind you should totally post some more about your card game, I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who would be interested in seeing/ hearing more about it Keep up the good work!!

 

P.S. Just wondering did your dog get its name from Riza Hawkeye from Full Metal Alchemist? 

Hawkeye is in general an awesome name. He's my service dog and general lifesaver, but I didn't name him. I just got lucky. The dog they trained for me was named Bitsy, but the Hawk saw me first and laid claim. I'm glad; I would have accidentally called Bitsy something else quite a bit.

[OmHawk]

I bet a nighttime walk was refreshing.  It is not always a bad thing to be masked in darkness.  Keep it up!

The walk was great. I'm finding it a little tricky to keep up the motivation to get out of the house, but lo and behold here were other rangers helping me out. :)For some reason I assumed no one would comment and I'd just lose steam and get stuck in my rut again. That's what has happened in other workout forums.  I think this is actually going to work.

 

 

You guys are great.

[OmHawk]

So I ran into a problem today. Apparently I overdid it yesterday and I've woken up with a pulled neck muscle. It hurts to move. I'm doing the normal care thing- heat, gentle movement- but it is awful. Necks are the worst. If they hurt everything hurts. i'm going to need to switch today's workout to a quiet and careful walk just to get outside.

[level250geek]

So I ran into a problem today. Apparently I overdid it yesterday and I've woken up with a pulled neck muscle. It hurts to move. I'm doing the normal care thing- heat, gentle movement- but it is awful. Necks are the worst. If they hurt everything hurts. i'm going to need to switch today's workout to a quiet and careful walk just to get outside.

Nothing wrong with that. Take it easy today, be extra careful about your eating choices (it's easy to eat poorly on off-days), and get back to it when you're feeling better.

 

If the pain persists, go see a doctor! You can never be too careful. Whenever I have something wrong, I wait to see if it's going to hang around for more than a day, but after that I go to a doctor. Case-in-point: I woke up on Memorial Day, got out of bed, and promptly fell. I was light-headed and dizzy, needed a cane to walk and even then could barely stand, and it was a struggle just to take two steps. I got plenty of rest and fluids and good food, and the next day it was still just as bad. So, I went to the doctor, found out I had an ear infection, took a round of antibiotics, and felt 100% by this Monday. Catch it when it's minor before it gets major.

[faille]

Hawkeye is in general an awesome name. He's my service dog and general lifesaver, but I didn't name him. I just got lucky. The dog they trained for me was named Bitsy, but the Hawk saw me first and laid claim. I'm glad; I would have accidentally called Bitsy something else quite a bit.

 

So the dog chose you... awesome!

 

Recognized your title immediately.. I've been a reader of hers for a couple years and that post especially was just great.  Having an "asshole cousin" myself, your goal for getting out of the house is a great one.

 

Plus, She-Ra is just amazing.

 

Keep on keepin' on!

[OmHawk]

Faille, I do adore her. I'm glad she's come out enough to be able to post again, and I'm rooting for her. 

My neck is somewhat better today. At least, I'm not hissing in pain when I move. I saw 250's reminder about not eating badly on sickie days just in time-I had some leftover greens and sweet potatoes instead of the burger I was going to have last night. While i"m not a hundred percent yet, I feel like I'm going to go for a walk and get in a few sets of push-ups, cause if you're doing those right your neck shouldn't move that much. 

 

The bright side? I did work on my art for my card game, so that was good. What else was I gonna do, propped up in bed with my neck all surrounded by pillows?

[Jolltzzz]

Faille, I do adore her. I'm glad she's come out enough to be able to post again, and I'm rooting for her. 

My neck is somewhat better today. At least, I'm not hissing in pain when I move. I saw 250's reminder about not eating badly on sickie days just in time-I had some leftover greens and sweet potatoes instead of the burger I was going to have last night. While i"m not a hundred percent yet, I feel like I'm going to go for a walk and get in a few sets of push-ups, cause if you're doing those right your neck shouldn't move that much. 

 

The bright side? I did work on my art for my card game, so that was good. What else was I gonna do, propped up in bed with my neck all surrounded by pillows?

 

Faille, I do adore her. I'm glad she's come out enough to be able to post again, and I'm rooting for her. 

My neck is somewhat better today. At least, I'm not hissing in pain when I move. I saw 250's reminder about not eating badly on sickie days just in time-I had some leftover greens and sweet potatoes instead of the burger I was going to have last night. While i"m not a hundred percent yet, I feel like I'm going to go for a walk and get in a few sets of push-ups, cause if you're doing those right your neck shouldn't move that much. 

 

The bright side? I did work on my art for my card game, so that was good. What else was I gonna do, propped up in bed with my neck all surrounded by pillows?

 

I'm sorry that I have been missing this week.  It has been hectic, but I am still around.  I hope that your neck is continuing to improve.  I'm very intrigued by your card game and I will check in again soon.  Keep it up!

[OmHawk]

So, didn't check in for five days. I had a 24 hour comic thing, then I was recovering with massive bouts of insomnia and sleep. Bright side? Finished my badly drawn comic. Dark side? Worked out precisely twice, and both were dance workouts. I did cook almost every night, so that's a thing, but I really slacked on the workouts. I got outside for every day, but I'm not sure whether to count one because my other half had to drag me out- almost literally, because he was holding my hand.

 

I'm buying a bike trailer today so that I may go on bike rides. The back is complaining hardcore about my attempts to get back into running, and my doctor is starting to make noises about how he told me not to, so low-impact cardio here I come.

[level250geek]

So, didn't check in for five days. I had a 24 hour comic thing, then I was recovering with massive bouts of insomnia and sleep. Bright side? Finished my badly drawn comic. Dark side? Worked out precisely twice, and both were dance workouts. I did cook almost every night, so that's a thing, but I really slacked on the workouts. I got outside for every day, but I'm not sure whether to count one because my other half had to drag me out- almost literally, because he was holding my hand.

 

I'm buying a bike trailer today so that I may go on bike rides. The back is complaining hardcore about my attempts to get back into running, and my doctor is starting to make noises about how he told me not to, so low-impact cardio here I come.

Do what you can, when you can. That's always been my rule when it comes to all things.

 

Go ahead and count the day your other half had to drag you outside. The point is that you got outside. You could have planted your weight and not done a damn thing, but you didn't. You went outside. Kicking and screaming, but you went.

[Jolltzzz]

Bikes offer great cardio.  I think it is much more difficult to bike up a hill than to run up it.  You are rocking this!

[OmHawk]

Thanks, you guys. I took my second ride with the bike trailer today- really, the first real ride since I didn't leave the complex last time. There are HILLS in North Carolina. SO MANY HILLS. My calves want to kill me and I only went about five miles.  

 

Wait, I'm redoing that.

 

I went five miles! Yes! Even though I stopped for water. Hawkeye (service dog) was not super thrilled about riding in the trailer but is getting used to it.

 

So, I think this is going to work. I feel a lot better, even though I had to turn around because they started firing artillery on base (love that, by the way). Back on track!

[level250geek]

Thanks, you guys. I took my second ride with the bike trailer today- really, the first real ride since I didn't leave the complex last time. There are HILLS in North Carolina. SO MANY HILLS. My calves want to kill me and I only went about five miles.  

 

Wait, I'm redoing that.

 

I went five miles! Yes! Even though I stopped for water. Hawkeye (service dog) was not super thrilled about riding in the trailer but is getting used to it.

 

So, I think this is going to work. I feel a lot better, even though I had to turn around because they started firing artillery on base (love that, by the way). Back on track!

This is for you.

[OmHawk]

Ha. Thanks, man. Maybe I'll watch that again while I nurse this wicked sunburn I now have.

I actually am sort of proud. I do not recall the last time I was outside long enough to get a sunburn.

[sozzielou]

You have made so many positive steps. It feels great, doesn't it? Remember that feeling next time you feel lazy. You can overcome anything, keep it up!

[Lil_Red_Devil]

Hey OmHawk, sorry it's taken me so long to make an appearance on your challenge but I promise I've been sending you good JooJoo   I do love the title of your challenge, and I too have battled with the asshole cousins (still do from time to time).  But you can do this, and we are all going to help you.  Know why?  Because nerds stick together!  Most of the ultimately geeky learned long ago that there is power in numbers and a loyal friend is the most valuable asset in the world.  So whatever your challenge is, we're here for you Battle Buddy

 

P.S.  My geek-senses are all tingling with curiosity about this card game, can't wait to get some details

[OmHawk]

LRD, I love how you put all the subtle clues in your reply to let me know you're one of me (and I'm one of you guys). Heh. This is why I think this site is gonna work better for me than other sites. Geeks totally get the "Yeah, I got the new season of Supernatural on DVD and just watched eleven straight hours, so I missed my workout and now I feel schlubly" thing, and we can empathize while also poking. It doesn't feel smug coming from another geek. They just say, "Come on, Man, do ten push-ups every time Sam uses puppy dog eyes and ten sit-ups when Dean drinks." (Speaking of which, new workout.)

 

The game is called Andover End. To describe it without getting all pimpy (I'm saving that for the product site), it's about orphan children at the Victorian Andover workhouse who are trying to get adopted by a dim and philanthropic couple. They're fairly savage. The whole game can be played without a table, with just your two hands and two pockets. I got the idea from waiting in lines at ComicCon, where you move every so often and having a table is unlikely. I'm calling the concept Hip Pocket Gaming. Anyhow, my goal for this challenge is to get all the art done and the cards scanned in and ready for production. I already have the mechanical deck done (so the game works), I'm just fine-tuning my flavor text.

[Seleas]

Looking forward to the game going live.  Let us know when we can pick up a copy.  And apply some aloe to that burn.