simonize120's Challenge: Insert Witty Title Here

[Latsu Swagneel]

He walks to the beach, smiles at the others and returns to the solitude of his rock. The others have already accepted him as one of their own, but now, he is ready to make his own path. He has already accumulated many skills over the course of work he has done, but still wishes to accumulate more knowledge and experience.

 

So, it's that time of year again. Passover starts Monday night on the 14th, and ends on Tuesday night on the 22nd. At the same time is Spring Break, specifically designed with that in mind.

 

So, what does this mean for my goals for this challenge?

 

It means, my friends, that I have to design my goals with Passover in mind.

As with my previous 2 challenges, I do not do the role playing, so there will be no stat point awards.

Goal 1: The Diet

 

One of the major rules of passover is simple. No Chametz. At all. Also, as an Ashkenazi Jew, we do not eat kitniyot.

So, you may be thinking, what do we eat?

Simple. Matza.

So, on to the actual goal, now that I've gotten some of the explanation out of the way.

For the week of Passover itself: I will not be keeping to any specific goal, only to be mindful of what I'm putting in my mouth.

For the remainder of the challenge: Whole30, from April 23rd to May 23rd. I will keep track of my food by taking pictures of everything I eat and posting resulting food porn here.

Grading is Pass/Fail.

Goal 2: The Mind

 

I do not have the most focused mind. I also do not have the calmest mind. Therefore, Goal #2 will be my attempt to unclutter/calm my mind.

This will be done by way of meditation.

I do not think I have the ability to go for as long as some people around here, so I'll be starting at 5 minutes a day.

Grading is simple. Each week will have a percentage, and the average percentage will be the final grade.

 

Edit: Adding a section here to change each day.

Week 1: OOOOOOO

Week 2: OOOOOOO

Week 3: OOOOOOO

Week 4: OOOOOOO

Week 5: OOOOOOO

Week 6: OOOOOOO

Lowercase = No

Uppercase = Yes

Goal 3: The Project

 

I have 2 projects to complete over the course of the challenge. I will finish them before they are due, making it easier to not have to worry about them at the end of the semester.

Like Goal 1, this is Pass/Fail, for 2 separate projects.

 

Well, anyway, lets begin!

Edited June 6, 2014 by Latsu Swagneel

[Nirvi]

Looking forward to the food porn!  Good luck!

[I am Eve]

Interesting challenge Simonize!

Simply structured, yet demanding. I think it's wise to start meditation at 5 minutes, or maybe even less, to build up. The mind gas a tendency to resist....

[Latsu Swagneel]

I thought I'd share my mother's Passover kitchen: http://imgur.com/a/04Mpr

I'd just like to point out that on my laptop while I was taking the pictures was NF...

[Nirvi]

Simonize: Do you have a kosher kitchen (I think I see two sinks)?  I watching HGTV (geek, I know) and was amazed at this couple who wanted two ovens, two refrigerators, etc etc... then I realized they were doing a Kosher kitchen and I've never heard of it before.  Pretty interesting!

[Latsu Swagneel]

Simonize: Do you have a kosher kitchen (I think I see two sinks)? I watching HGTV (geek, I know) and was amazed at this couple who wanted two ovens, two refrigerators, etc etc... then I realized they were doing a Kosher kitchen and I've never heard of it before. Pretty interesting!

Yes, we do have a kosher kitchen. We also have 3 ovens...

[I am Eve]

Hi Simonize, how is it going with whole 30?

[Latsu Swagneel]

Ok...I have an update for you all.

 

Diet: Failed the whole30, but have been mindful of what I've been putting in my mouth.

 

Meditation: Nailed it every night so far.

 

Projects: One has been cancelled, the other is almost completed.

 

In other news, I was able to find a new gym, so I've restarted my workouts again. On the same front, I started going to the Yoga classes offered by my gym.

I must say...it's more difficult than i had originally thought...I'm definitely going to keep at it, so as to not lose flexibility as I keep lifting and getting stronger.

[Nirvi]

Kudos on you meditating every night; I think that's a hell of a lot more challenging to do successfully!

 

Yoga IS challenging, it's something I really learned the hard way this challenge.  It's amazing to recognize your increasing flexibility, though!

[Latsu Swagneel]

Kudos on you meditating every night; I think that's a hell of a lot more challenging to do successfully!

 

Yoga IS challenging, it's something I really learned the hard way this challenge.  It's amazing to recognize your increasing flexibility, though!

Thanks!

With regards to the yoga, seeing as how I've only done one so far, I haven't really noticed any change just yet.

I will be looking forward to seeing that though.

So, update for today:

Lunch was shawarma from this really awesome place a few blocks from Bryant Park. The place is (literally) a hole in the wall, but their shawarma is pretty good. They are a vegetarian bar that also sells shawarma...I like to think that's rather humorous.

No workout for today, as I'm currently on a Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday schedule for my workouts. Just so happens that yoga classes at my gym are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I kinda treat the yoga as my post workout stretch.

Updated main post to reflect meditations.

 

Song of the day:

You're Coming With Me, by The Agonist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftve6Acwkec

[I am Eve]

Once you start yoga you never stop (at least I never have).....

[Latsu Swagneel]

Ok, the projects are done. One of the projects does not need to be done, therefore i get a pass on that one. The other was completed and presented already. This gives me a Pass on that goal.

 

Meditations, as can be seen from the Main Post, have been at 100% until now.

 

Once you start yoga you never stop (at least I never have).....

I can only hope I don't stop...I truly enjoy it.

 

For all those who wanted foodporn, sorry, but I haven't made anything foodporn worthy.

 

Song of the Day: Vicarious, by Tool

[I am Eve]

Still no foodporn ? 

[Latsu Swagneel]

Still no fooodporn ?

Nothing I made was foodporn worthy

[Latsu Swagneel]

Challenge update will come later.

For now, I'll leave you with the song of the day:

Avenged Sevenfold, This Means War:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-6oFknesbQ

[Latsu Swagneel]

Ok...I have procrastinated quite a bit on writing up my Post-Challenge Report.

Here we go.

 

Diet: Failure

I failed the Whole30, but was otherwise generally cognizant of what I was putting in my mouth. I will definitely have to try to do a full Whole30 when I am more able to do so.

 

Meditation: 42/42 --> A+

I added in yoga to this as well, but was unable to do too much yoga, as I have recently started a summer class and job.

 

Projects: 1 was cancelled, the other was completed on time, there fore I get a 1/1, meaning an A+

 

Overall, I have to give myself a D for this challenge.

 

Needless to say, I could have done better. But, given the way things worked out, I am rather pleased with how things worked out.