Wandern has a mid-year crisis

[Wandern]

And since I just turned 45, let’s call it a mid-life crisis as well.

 

The other day, I put on the Patagonia shorts that almost 2 years ago fit me like a sausage casing. They still fit the way they did 18 months ago – much better than when I joined the Rebellion, but still a tad snug. And I reviewed the weight stats from the last year and realize that I have made no progress at all. Granted, I have had a few injuries - the past couple of months I've been out with a tweaked back and stitches in my hand and has really set me back. I still feel that I should be further along than I am.  I’m still in much better shape than I was 2 years ago, but I will get back to that point if I don't do something different.

 

Life in general is good. I really like my life, but feel like I’ve gotten complacent and haven’t been working more on improving myself like I should.

 

I have got to get out of this rut. I want to keep the 2014 goals, but must rethink my approach.

 

2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds

Challenge Goal: It is not enough to aim towards getting in to the gym 3 times a week for weight lifting. This challenge, I will get up every morning at 5:30 and go get some exercise. I can stretch in my room when I get back, but I’ve got to get out of the house and work out. An early morning walk is acceptable a couple of times a week, but I’ll be in the gym at least 5 days a week. I’ll do some sort of weight workout 3 times a week.

·       Deadlift: January Start: 125 lbs; Challenge Start: 115 lbs

·       Squat: January Start: 105 lbs; Challenge Start: 95 lbs

·       Bench Press January Start: 75 lbs; Challenge Start: 70 lbs

·       Overhead press: January Start: 60 lbs; Challenge Start: 55 lbs 

Grading: A= 37-42 days (+2STR, +2CON); B= 31-36 days (+2STR, +1CON); C= 25-30 days (+1STR, +1CON); D= 19-24 days (+1STR)

 

2014 Goal 2: Make meditating a habit Take time to slow down and think daily.

Meditating is fine, I guess. I don’t think I’ve been doing it long enough to see many benefits. I am rather captivated by James Altucher’s practice of coming up with and writing down 10 ideas daily. It makes sense to me that trying to come up with new thoughts (or at least getting old ones down in writing so I don’t have to keep coming up with them) has to be good for me. So, I think I’ll try it. On a sort of related note, I deleted Facebook and Twitter from my phone so I can get rid of those distractions when I’m not at a desk or laptop.

Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Write down 10 ideas immediately following. Half a point if I do one without the other.

Grading: A= 37-42 days (+2WIS, +2CHA); B= 31-36 (+2WIS, +1CHA); C= 25-30 (+1WIS, +1CHA); D= 19-24 (+1WIS)

 

2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted.

This is going fairly well, all told. I haven’t made much progress the last couple of weeks because I’ve had to rip out and re-stitch the same bit 3 different times. Frustrating.

Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day.

Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2DEX, +2STA); B= 30-35 (+2DEX, +1STA); C= 24-29 (+1DEX, +1STA); D= 18-23 (+1DEX)

 

2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month. This is something else I want to keep up. June’s selection is Sister Wendy’s History of Painting, which I have yet to start. Pass/Fail Pass = +1WIS, +1STA, +1CHA

 

Keeping up with the garden is still on my list – we’ve had a few hot days and the lettuce is starting to go bitter, but the sugar snaps are coming in, and there are a few tiny squash on the vines out there. 

[Heidi]

Hi! I love your approach to making progress.

I turned 45 in April, and I think T2sarahconnor is also our age.

You are rocking the deadlift! (Part if my epic quest is to one day be able to deadlift the weight of my ex husband.)

Looking forward to cheering you on.

[jedi_mind]

I want to deadlift my bodyweight, but it's a lot more weight than yours

[I am Eve]

I want to deadlift my bodyweight, but it's a lot more weight than yours

 

I almost spat on the screen there Tod, good one!

[I am Eve]

Aaaah , yes. You are so painfully right.

It's all good but how should we make it even better?

 

One of my favorite (and OLD) movie quotes is this;

 

 Right here is where you start paying           0:58 

 

I think it is inspiring......and you made me think of it so that makes you inspiring too.

 

Also, I went to my garden today....it was amazing. I start going about my business there and time and space disappear.

 

Let's have a great challenge!

[Wandern]

Aaaah , yes. You are so painfully right.

It's all good but how should we make it even better?

 

One of my favorite (and OLD) movie quotes is this;

 

 Right here is where you start paying           0:58 

 

I think it is inspiring......and you made me think of it so that makes you inspiring too.

 

Also, I went to my garden today....it was amazing. I start going about my business there and time and space disappear.

 

Let's have a great challenge!

 

Yes! I loved Fame, too! I always wanted to be the dance teacher .

[Wandern]

Week 0 Check-in

 

Because I could not go 2 whole weeks without a challenge.

 

We did not go to the Farmer's Market this past weekend because I think I have enough coming in the garden to meet most of our veggie needs for this week.   . I'm making creamed chard and sauteed squash blossoms for dinner tonight! 

 

2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds

Challenge Goal: This challenge, I will get up every morning at 5:30 and go get some exercise.

• Week 0: I got up at 5:30 6 days, 6:30 one. And I got out and exercised all 7 days - counting carrying water for the garden as exercise one day (it's light, but it takes me an hour). I only lifted twice, but one of those days I overdid it and was too sore to go for 3. I feel much better now, and should lift again tomorrow.

2014 Goal 2:  Take time to slow down and think daily.

Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Write down 10 ideas immediately following. Half a point if I do one without the other.

• Week 0 - I didn't meditate every day, but I did write ideas. I'm using the Day One app and publishing them to stay honest:

1. Ideas for bug-based business
2. Ideas for blogs
3. Ideas for a mid-life crisis
4. Features for a green house
5. Ways to save money
6. Ideas for rewarding myself for meeting NF goals
7. Ideas for week-long vacation with kids that doesn't cost too much

So far, I really like the ideas practice. I can do it waiting for kids, and if I get interrupted, it's no problem to get back to it. Unfortunately, I find my mind drifting towards what I want my next ideas to be during meditation. It's way more fun to think of something than nothing.

 

2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted.

Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day.

Week 0: I missed a couple days this week, progress has been very slow lately - even for hand piecing. 

 

2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month.  June’s selection is Sister Wendy’s History of Painting, of which I have read 80 pages so far. I finally understand what they mean by "Gothic."

[jedi_mind]

I use an mp3 to guide my meditation because I can't just sit with silence, at least not yet. I start drifting towards planning like you do.

[Lammis]

I use the Omvana app, which is free.  There are basically a bunch of guided meditations, a bunch of sounds, and you mix them together.  It works really well for me and it's meaning I'm actually meditating regularly now, which I haven't done in a very long time.

 

I'm pretty jealous you're getting veg from your garden!  That's awesome.

 

When I come back from Canada in the late summer I'm planning on doing some balcony gardening.  So I'm def going to need help on that one, as I'm a shitty, shitty gardener.

[Wandern]

I use an mp3 to guide my meditation because I can't just sit with silence, at least not yet. I start drifting towards planning like you do.

 

 

I use the Omvana app, which is free.  There are basically a bunch of guided meditations, a bunch of sounds, and you mix them together.  It works really well for me and it's meaning I'm actually meditating regularly now, which I haven't done in a very long time.

 

I'm pretty jealous you're getting veg from your garden!  That's awesome.

 

When I come back from Canada in the late summer I'm planning on doing some balcony gardening.  So I'm def going to need help on that one, as I'm a shitty, shitty gardener.

I'll have to look into both those apps - right now, I'm using Insight Timer, which is basically a timer. I find that I can let things go easier when a cat decides to join me.

 

I'm not much of a gardner, myself. Last year's harvest was basil. That's it. I put a lot of work into raising beds this spring, and it seems that the vole population crashed, so I've already harvested way more this year than I did all of last.

[Wandern]

Week 1.5 Check-in - 11 days in

 

Life, she does take time, doesn't she? I thought I had this summer all figured out. All we had time for was a week-long getaway, and planning that wouldn't be too time-consuming, once we figured out what we wanted to do. Well, turns out, we can take 2 weeks, which opens up all kinds of options. All my "free time" that would go to sewing, reading, thinking, or posting on NF has been taken up with trip planning. We decided to spend several days canoe-camping in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario - a park of which we know nothing, and we have to try and reserve entry/camping permits before we get there, so we have to figure out a route that wouldn't be too difficult for two middle-aged people who have only canoe-camped once 17 years ago and their teenaged daughters (the oldest just turned 16 - coincidence?) who are true novices at backcountry camping and kinda wimpy to boot, and it's late to be making these reservations, so we have to have some backup plans, and it's just taking a lot of time to figure this all out. But once we do get it figured, it should be a really good trip. 

 

 

2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds

Challenge Goal: This challenge, I will get up every morning at 5:30 and go get some exercise.

• Week 1.5: I've missed 3 days so far.  I only lifted twice last week and once so far this week. +8

Getting up at 5:30 on the weekends may be more than I can take. Maybe I should change this to "exercise before breakfast, every day." 

 

2014 Goal 2:  Take time to slow down and think daily.

Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Write down 10 ideas immediately following. Half a point if I do one without the other.

• Week 1.5 - I've missed 2 here:

1. 6/9 - Ideas for quilts
2. 6/10 - Ideas to research
3. 6/12 - Ideas for small, part-time businesses
4. 6/13 - Books
5. 6/14 - Retirement
6. 6/15 - Give it 100 ideas
7. 6/16 - Staying motivated at the gym
8. 6/17 - Meals while canoe-camping

 

2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted.

Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day.

Week 1.5: I missed 4 days this week.

 

2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month.  June’s selection is Sister Wendy’s History of Painting, of which I have read 120 pages so far. I'm up to the "High Renaissance."

 

 

[jedi_mind]

Hey glad you're checking in. Back when I could do a pull up it came from doing hangs and negatives as well

[Wandern]

Week 2 Check-in -

 

Umm - Can we just forget this week ever happened? Nothing bad, but I didn't get a thing challenge-related done. Not. one. thing. Distractions abound. I'm trying to do better this week...

[I am Eve]

AAAH, distractions. So you have them too.....

Yep, forgotten and we all start again     

[LittleTurtle]

Week 2 Check-in -

 

Umm - Can we just forget this week ever happened? Nothing bad, but I didn't get a thing challenge-related done. Not. one. thing. Distractions abound. I'm trying to do better this week...

That's my favorite part about these challenges - every week is a chance to be better than the previous!  How is Week 3 starting out for you?

[jedi_mind]

You got this, the challenge isn't even half over.

[Wandern]

No, unfortunately, I don't have this. *whine warning* - so, this week was going well - I've been to the gym or out for a walk every day and then yesterday the in-laws showed up right at thinking time, so no meditation or ideas or sewing and today I can't find my good thimble. Which really hurts but not as much as my back.

 

So, the knee was feeling a little tweaky when I went in to the gym this am and the back felt a little out of whack from lifting Tuesday, but nothing unusual, so I decided to go ahead and lift weights. Squats, bench press, front squats, planks were on the list. Because things were just a tad grumbly, I did a really thorough warm-up, and made sure to start with an empty bar on squats, added weight slowly, was extra careful with form and did my working sets with about 10 lbs less than last time, just to be on the safe side. Everything was fine - the knee held up well, back actually felt pretty good once I got going. I followed the same procedure with presses - again, everything felt fine. I started the same process with the front squats, but - even just holding the empty bar in the front squat position hurt. Ouchy ouch in the left middle back. I bailed on the rest of the workout, but I am miserable. It feels like the same sort of injury as I did last year, except it doesn't hurt to breathe, just sit and move and especially twist, so it's not quite the same but argh. And crawling around on the floor looking for my dad-gum thimble does not help matters.

 

So, cancel my first goal. No more barbells for me, so the idea that I'll ever deadlift my own weight is out of the cards. It's back to body-weight only for the foreseeable future - once I can move again, that is. Crappity-crap-crap-crap.

[jedi_mind]

Do you really think it's out forever or just for now

[Wandern]

Do you really think it's out forever or just for now

 

I don't know. I've been beating against this plateau for over a year and just keep hurting myself when I try to go beyond it. Today is better than yesterday, so maybe things aren't as bad as I thought. Definitely out for the rest of this challenge, though. I can't be injured when we go canoe-camping in a month. 

[Heidi]

Good for you for stepping back from it. I jury is never good - we're here to make life better, not worse.

[Wandern]

Well three days of gentle stretching, walking and naproxen sodium, and my back seems to be back to "normal." The in-laws are gone and I found my thimble, so all is once again right with my world. The mid-challenge melt down seems to have been a bit overdramatic. Sorry about that.   

 

Week 3 check-in:

 

Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight  I'm gonna have to rethink this one. For now: get some exercise every day, preferably before breakfast. Which I did all 7 days this week.

 

Goal 2: Meditate/come up with ideas every day. I think it was 6 days this week. 

 

Goal 3: Make a king-sized quilt/ sew daily. I didn't get much stitching in this week. 4 days, maybe?

 

Goal 4: Read a non-fiction book that's out of my comfort zone. Sister Wendy's History of Painting has been supplanted by Crash-Proof your Kids. I need to learn to teach my 16-year-old to drive more than I need to fill in the gap of art history. And it's definitely out of my comfort zone! Maybe in July, Wendy.

 

I have no idea how to grade myself at this point. I've been pretty slack with keeping track of what I did when. Ah, well. I'll see how I feel at the end of it, I guess. 

 

On to week 4!

[LittleTurtle]

Despite your setbacks, you are still here!  That is the only thing that matters.  Keep your chin up, I think you are doing great!!  

[I am Eve]

No, unfortunately, I don't have this. *whine warning* - so, this week was going well - I've been to the gym or out for a walk every day and then yesterday the in-laws showed up right at thinking time, so no meditation or ideas or sewing and today I can't find my good thimble. Which really hurts but not as much as my back.

So, the knee was feeling a little tweaky when I went in to the gym this am and the back felt a little out of whack from lifting Tuesday, but nothing unusual, so I decided to go ahead and lift weights. Squats, bench press, front squats, planks were on the list. Because things were just a tad grumbly, I did a really thorough warm-up, and made sure to start with an empty bar on squats, added weight slowly, was extra careful with form and did my working sets with about 10 lbs less than last time, just to be on the safe side. Everything was fine - the knee held up well, back actually felt pretty good once I got going. I followed the same procedure with presses - again, everything felt fine. I started the same process with the front squats, but - even just holding the empty bar in the front squat position hurt. Ouchy ouch in the left middle back. I bailed on the rest of the workout, but I am miserable. It feels like the same sort of injury as I did last year, except it doesn't hurt to breathe, just sit and move and especially twist, so it's not quite the same but argh. And crawling around on the floor looking for my dad-gum thimble does not help matters.

So, cancel my first goal. No more barbells for me, so the idea that I'll ever deadlift my own weight is out of the cards. It's back to body-weight only for the foreseeable future - once I can move again, that is. Crappity-crap-crap-crap.

So so sorry to read this Wandern - but I know that of anyone can regroup and recharge it's you!

[Wandern]

What the heck week is it? 6? Thank goodness. Maybe I'll do better next challenge. Can't seem to get my feet under me this one. I've let this summer's minor physical setback and overall busyness get in the way of my goals and everything else. We've had houseguests, weekend travel, major work projects, and both I and my DH feel so far behind that the idea of going away on vacation and coming back even more behind was too stressful so we cancelled vacation this year. Which is sacrilege for us, but probably for the best. Once we pulled the plug and cancelled reservations, a little bit of that stress went away. Little getaways scattered over the rest of the summer and this fall seem much more manageable than one big trip this year. We really couldn't put the energy into properly planning for it - makes me realize why some people do the same vacation year after year.  

 

I've been using my workout time to try and catch up in the garden, which was starting to resemble a weed pit. Meditation and idea generation has happened during the week, but not at all on weekends. It seems I do better when I have a definite schedule and no houseguests or travel. I need to work on fitting in the goals around all the other stuff. Reading  - I've reverted to escapist novels, I'm afraid. Though I did read Think Like a Freak, which I found neither surprising nor terribly insightful, but honestly probably wasn't paying a great deal of attention to it. Right now, at the end of the day, I don't want to think or focus, just be entertained - which is something I was trying to work away from. 

 

Anyway, I'm bowing out for what's left of this challenge and going to do some planning to figure out how to make the next one work for me. See ya'll in August. Mid-year crisis, indeed. Hopefully, I'll get my head back in the game for next time.

[LittleTurtle]

Take care and I look forward to seeing you in August!