- The Legend of Will -

[- Will -]

THE LEGEND OF

- Will -

 

 

“Believe in your strengths...Believe...â€

- The Happy mask Salesman, Majora’s Mask

--

Key:

• Each Chapter is one Six Week Challenge.
  • It begins from the start of one challenge to the start of the next. If a challenge has started but hasn't been attempted, the current chapter continues until another challenge is started.
• Each Volume is roughly one year.

--

• Preface
  • Prologue
  • The Search
  • Letting go of the Immortal Childhood
  • Setting sail; Islands and Oceans
  • Embracing my dreams
• Volume 1: New Beginnings
  • Chapter 0: The night it all began
  • Chapter 1: Enter the Nerd Fitness Community
  • Chapter 2: Struggles and mistakes
  • Chapter 3: Newfound strength
  • Chapter 4: Return to the battlefield
  • Chapter 5: Finding courage
• Volume 2: What Makes a Hero
  • Chapter 6: The winds of change
  • Chapter 7:
  • Chapter 8:

--

 

Preface

 

Prologue

 

Music: Ocarina of Time Title Theme

 

This is the story of a boy, but this is no ordinary boy. In a time when the world still felt magical, a mother, father and their baby boy entered deep within the forests of Oregon. At the edge of the coast, with the waves crashing at the shore, the young boy was raised.

 

As he grew, he experienced stories of brave and courageous heroes. With every game played, a new tale was told. Friends were lost, and found; powerful foes defeated; challenges conquered; and lives lived to the fullest. To his eyes, filled with wonder, these games showed him what life could be.

 

Throughout his childhood, friends came and went. Growing up, he was a bit of an odd child, causing trouble at school when he was bored. He was of the mind to always embrace life; to explore, discover, learn, and have fun. Seeing a smile on other’s faces was a true joy to him. And through the rain and the shine, time passed, peacefully. Though every day might not have been the best, they were still enjoyed.

 

As the days went by, the boy, raised under the Cypress tree, began to wonder what all was out there to see. There must have to have been something more than just his home, right? Well, these thoughts did not trouble him for long, for he knew that the next day would be filled with new experiences, just as the last.

 

But one day, to escape the fires of a collapsing economy, his parents took him and his younger sister far, far away. One last year of school was lived in his home town; and a final birthday party was thrown for the boy. Surrounded by all of his closest friends, to him, he wouldn’t have minded if the day had lasted forever. And at summer’s end, together the family moved to Washington; a new start, a new beginning.

 

The boy looked to the back of the car, watching as his house receded into the distance, until no more of it could be seen. As the car drove through town, familiar locations zoomed by, and as the family reached the edge of their home, the boy caught one last glimpse of the town’s famous bridge. Underneath, the cool blue waters of the ocean glistened in the sunlight. And before all was obscured by the passing trees, the boy saw, one last time, the elementary school he grew up in. All the time he spent there, no longer felt like the past, but a far off memory, moving into the distance with the rest of his home. As tears rolled down his face, he said goodbye one last time.

 

“…Thank you, for all the great times… I love you, my home, my friends… always…â€

 

But as the familiar faded into the distance, the boy turned his head to look towards the future. As the family adjusted to their new home, everyone began to embrace the new. Everything was a brand new experience for the boy: new sights to see, new people to meet, new things to do. The family found a new paradise, and it was a paradise well enjoyed.

 

Unfortunately, it would not be there to stay.

 

As the years passed the boy grew older, but did not grow up. Stuck in the past, his memories changed from thoughts of happy times, to cold, harsh reminders of how much his life had changed for the worse. There became a dichotomy of the warm, happy, and loving past; and the friendless, lonely, and troubling present.

 

Fights began to become more frequent, anger was held onto, and resentment of past wrongdoing became present. Throughout the family, ire ran.

 

The boy began to loath his father, his school, and his life. And as time passed, he came upon the information that his parent’s relationship wasn’t what he thought it was. As he was told from his mother, the love that was there left long ago, and although she tried to get it back after that fateful move, the husband would not try. Slowly, this began to eat away at him: the one good thing he had left, his memories of better days, slowly became twisted. Was his childhood not what he thought it was? Could he no longer look back to a time when he truly felt he had a family?

 

Deep in despair, the boy trudged on. As the days turned to months, and months turned to years, he would fight on, as to not show his sadness inside. “What happened!?†he would think to himself, “why has everything become so bad… It feels like everyone’s mad at me, just because I’m horrible at school! Even I feel mad at myself… isn’t there something about me I can be proud of? Where did all the good days go…â€.

 

And though the boy wanted to give up many times, when all hope seemed lost, he could not bring himself to quit. He knew, deep down, there was still a chance that life could be enjoyed, and if he just kept fighting, he could see the day when that finally became true. And so, through all the horrible times; through all his mistakes, blunders, and stupid decisions; through it all he went.

 

Then, one day, he came across an article on a Zelda fan site: “How to work out, Zelda style.†His curiosity peeked, he decided to follow the link, and there he found himself, at a new site called Nerd Fitness. The article, “Fulfilling your fate of Fitness†was his first article read there. With the inspiration to try and make things better, he set off to try and improve himself. A spark, born long ago, finally had the fuel it needed to burn bright once again.

 

Days, months passed, and the boy slowly began to change. But it was not enough, he needed the extra push.

 

The end of his senior year of High School was quickly approaching, and the boy didn’t even have enough credits to pass as a sophomore. Depressed, and slowly accepting the fact that another year of school was ahead, the boy looked for any other path. Luckily, his school counselor suggested to his mother that he be transferred over to a different school, where the style of teaching varied greatly in comparison to his current school. Desperate to try anything new, rather than keep trying what he knew wouldn’t work, he agreed to transfer.

 

Quickly, he found the new school a huge positive change over what he had been in before. With only one class being focused on at a time, the boy could finally concentrate without feeling overwhelmed.

 

His mind cleared, he went back to his favorite site, Nerd Fitness, to see what was new. As he searched, he came across what was called a “Six Week Challenge.†Intrigued, he dug deeper to discover more. He found he was not of the age to join the community, but he didn’t let that stop him from participating: He would just go and do a Six Week Challenge on his own!

 

With the last remaining days of school moving by, the boy decided to give it a try. He did his first Challenge to the theme of A Link to the Past. Throughout the Challenge, the boy faced many hardships, wondering if he’d even be able to complete it at all. But from the pits of despair, he fought his way up, and finished his first challenge spectacularly!

 

Tired, aching, and covered in sweat, he laid his head to rest after the final day; Ganon had been defeated, the last workout was done. Peace was restored to the land, and the boy’s heart. Finally, he felt proud.

 

As the summer came to a close, the boy emerged stronger than ever. Although only one challenge was done to completion, he still worked out as hard as he could over the remaining time. Old enough to join the Community, he decided he was tired of being alone; he went out to find friends online.

 

With THE DAI-GURREN BRIGADE now at his side, he, along with his new friends, bravely faced challenge after challenge. As the months passed, many a challenge was themed to a Zelda game for him, for it was those games that where closest to his heart. Oracle of Seasons, and Oracle of Ages where attempted and conquered.

 

But now the boy finds himself at the end of the road: The way forward is no longer paved for him. And although he’s found many new and wonderful friends on Nerd Fitness, he finds himself with no friends to be by his side. Faced with the troubling prospect of being alone once more, and the frightening idea of drifting through life without reason or care, he finds he must stand up and brave the unknown, or die sitting still.

 

With courage in his heart, and friends from around the world from Nerd Fitness cheering him on, he lets the winds guide his sails towards a new life; one of adventure. Now finally, the day of destiny has come; for the little boy, who so desperately wanted to see the world with his own eyes, and become a hero, will finally have his dream come true.

 

And thus his legend begins.

 

 

The Search

 

This is a response/rewrite of this article here: A Secret and Personal Journey

 

I’ve written this with the examples used in the article to reflect what I’ve learned from reading it.

 

This is not necessarily 100% original. Most of what's written follows what the article said, but with my own twist added. I felt trying to write it myself, and saying what I want to learn from it, would help better cement the ideas in my mind, rather than just copy and pasting the article here.

• My goal is to follow what is written in here to become a better friend. I don’t know how to quantify that into points for a challenge, but I’ll make it a priority to try and talk to as many new people on my journey, and spend time with the friends I already have, in one way or another.

 

“Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow.†The words of the Happy Mask Salesman ring deeply true to me. As I’ve gone through life, I’ve found that my friends seem to come and go. As Rusl says to Link in the beginning of Twilight Princess “Tell me… Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls? They say it’s the only time when our world intersects with theirs… …The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight…â€

 

For the longest time, I’ve found myself lost in the melancholy of Twilight; going to bed at the end of each day, thinking of the things that could have been. The friends I could have made, the ones I could have talked to, but didn’t. But as The Happy Mask Salesman continues, “However, that parting need not last forever... Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time... That is up to you.†And as I’ve grown up, I’ve come to find this even more and more true! Life is only lived when you live it, and friends are only made when you open your heart to them.

 

I’ve pondered the reasons for why my past is the way it is for long enough, and as Rusl states in Twilight Princess “but enough talk of sadness.†It is time I stop wallowing in my own self-pity; I must release the anchors that hold me back, raise my sails, and let the wind carry me to destinations unknown.

 

--

 

In the Wind Waker, The wise old man on Outset Island, Sturgeon, instructs you to read through his ten “One-Point Lessons.†Lesson six, entitled “Improving Human Relations,†reads: “To improve one's relations with one's fellow beings, one must be outgoing and press [A] to speak to all people one meets. When one opens one's heart to others, others will open their hearts in return and offer wisdom on many important things. If the person's advice is strange or cannot be understood, one should not feel shy. One should simply ask the person to repeat the statement by pressing [A] again.†In the search for friends, I must first open my heart to them, to listen to what they have to say, what they feel. For only then will they open their heart to mine. But just as Link in Majora’s Mask learns, crossing the void to others is no easy task.

 

In order for Link to get the Lens of Truth, he must take a step of faith off a cliff in order to proceed. The owl, Kaepora Gaebora, warns Link that “without courage and determination†he will not advance any further. Yet if Link hesitates, Kaepora Gaebora offers Link words of encouragement to the boy, that “after retreat, courage returns.†In matters of friends, if I do not try, I shall not succeed; but if I hesitate, all is not lost, for I can return to try again.

 

After Link decides to take the leap of faith and cross the void, Kaepora Gaebora offers him more wise words: “Do not be daunted by appearances. Instead, let your feelings guide you, and the true path shall open before you.†As I reach out to others, I must look for what’s beneath the surface, to who they really are, by actively trying to invest in the friendship. But as Link tries to cross the void, jumping from one invisible platform to the next, if he missteps and falls into the void, Kaepora Gaebora rescues him and counsels the boy, saying “It seems things are not going well for you… Hoo-Hoot! Fear not, it never goes well at first for anyone. But by no means should you grow impatient. Impatience brings uneasiness and distracts the heart.†This reaffirms that not every attempt for friendship will be successful, but regardless I must preserve.

 

Not everyone will like me, and I won’t like everyone I meet, but that should not stop me from trying to find those I do. For as the owl in Link’s Awakening tells Link, “you cannot know if a chest holds treasure until you open it.†As he continues, he says to “Trust your feelings. Someday you will know for sure.†I must let my feelings guide me on my search, above all else. They must be the wind that pushes my sails. And as Sturgeon’s final “One-Point Lesson†tells us, we must continue on, for “no matter what happens… do not give up.â€

 

--

 

In matters of friendships, I must reach out to others in order to make new friends. But what is true friendship? True friendship, to me, is love. And I’m not just talking about the romantic kind. No I’m talking about the deep connection you feel with the closest of friends. But the word “love†is thrown around so much in today’s world, to the point of the word losing its meaning. So then, that begs the question: what is real love?

 

As Sheik from Ocarina of Time puts it, it is a gradual feeling, one that only grows and develops with time. Sheik, during one of your encounters with him (her) will tell you that “It is something that grows over time... a true friendship. A feeling in the heart that becomes stronger over time... The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power and through it, you will know which way to go...†Sheik then goes on to say at another encounter, “Time passes, people move.... Like a river's flow, it never ends... A childish mind will turn to noble ambition... Young love will become deep affection... The clear water's surface reflects growth...†With these words, Sheik asserts that love is time, and personal growth of character. The Happy Mask Salesman in Majora’s Mask tells Link that “time is not eternal. Please make the most of your time.†Together, all of this makes clear that love is time spent together with others. To share what time you have alive with another, is truly a precious gift.

 

So the greatest gift you can give is time? Yes, that is true, but true friendships go far beyond that. As Link leaves the forest in Ocarina of Time, Saria, his best friend meets him on the bridge before he leaves. As the two face each other, Saria say to Link "Oh, you're leaving... I knew... that you would leave the forest... someday, Link... Because you are different from me and my friends.... But that's OK, because we'll be friends forever... won't we? I want you to have this Ocarina... Please take good care of it. When you play my Ocarina, I hope you will think of me.†After Kaepora Gaebora teaches Link the Song of Soaring, he says to the boy “From the first time you play this song, we shall become eternal friends, transcending time and place!†With this, it is made clear what true friendship, love, is. It is a power that grows over time. It is the gift of shared time. And its power transcends time and space. For me to make true, lasting friendships, I must be willing to be involved with others, to listen to their feelings, share my time, and to not worry over partings, for as the Happy Mask Salesman said “[a] parting need not last forever.â€

 

--

 

On the road to friendship, there will be many a time when disputes occur. Be the matters large or small, no one in this world will think exactly like me. These petty little battles can become true monsters though, ruining even the greatest of friendships.

 

Conflict can become a threat to any friendship, and an obstacle to overcome when trying to make new ones, but as a riddle to open a door in Spirit Tracks reads: “Opening the Door of Friendship: Once upon a time, two men fell in love with a beautiful woman. One man was popular and always the center of attention. But all he cared about was the beautiful woman he had fallen in love with. Unfortunately for him, the woman only had eyes for the other man. The battle for the woman's love grew and sent sparks hot enough to melt stone. But eventually, friendship shone between the men like a light, uniting the pair. It was as if a door had been unlocked.†Through this, the game shows that even in the midst of conflict, one can find ways to connect with others.

 

To make new friends, I must accept that there will be differences between us, due to the fact that their history is different than mine. But what about when we disagree? What about when one has been wronged? Well, Majora’s Mask illustrates what happens when one lets these petty battles become more important than the friendship.

 

In Majora’s Mask, Link travels to the desolate ruins of the fallen Kingdom of Ikana, now known as Ikana Valley. All around him are the remains of a once prosperous kingdom, laid to waste by the horrors of war. As he travels through this land, he finds that he’s not alone, for the spirits of the dead roam the valley, crushed by their regret and despair. Once Link is victorious in his battle against King Igos du Ikana, his two henchmen, who assisted him in battle, begin to fight over which one of them was the better swordsman in Ikana. The King soon intervenes and roars: “Rrrrrr-Ah!!! Will you stop?!!? What fools! Haven't you begun to understand? The kingdom being ruined and us left in this state... Isn't it petty, little battles like this that have caused it? Believing in your friends and embracing that belief by forgiving failure... These feelings have vanished from our hearts.â€

 

Throughout the kingdom, petty conflicts are still being fought, even after death. Of the two composer brothers, Sharp and Flat, Sharp, tricked by the Skull Kid, sells his soul to imprison his brother Flat. Flat, sealed away, wishes nothing more than for his brother to find his path again. Once Link brings Sharp back to his senses, all he wishes for is his brother’s friendship once again.

 

Petty battles over greed and jealousy caused the destruction of both the Kingdom of Ikana and the Garo Nation, who fight from beyond the grave. The captain of Ikana’s army, Captain Skull Keeta, now wishes for nothing more than for the battles to end. He’s realized how pointless these battles are, for their lives had been wasted on fighting a petty war. For now that everyone is dead, all their warring was for naught; and their battles after death change nothing. When they should have embraced kindness and understanding, all they did was cultivate anger and hatred. In an effort to calm the restless sprits of the Valley, Captain Skull Keeta asks of Link to “Convey my words to my men, who, even in death, remain loyal to me. Tell them the war has ended...â€

 

All of this serves as an example of what can happen when one lets themselves get lost in the trivial conflicts. When one does not see the person as who they are, a friend, but rather an enemy with which you argue over meaningless disagreements, then it comes as no surprise that the relationship will be as desolate and empty as the Valley of Ikana.

 

Arguments will come up, that is not something I can run away from. And not talking about issues will not make them go away. I must never let small fights ruin the friendships I have and will make; and the way to do that is that I must be open, and trust in my friends. I must trust that they want to be my friends, regardless of differences, and that they too, at the end of the day, just want to end the fighting and have a friend by their side. The message of Ikana Valley is to let go anger, and forget the score of who wronged who; just embrace forgiveness, be honest and true to your friends, and believe in each other.

 

--

 

As Majora’s mask comes to a close, Link hands over Majora’s Mask, now drained of its evil power, to the Happy Mask Salesman. As the Happy Mask Salesman leaves, he turns to Link and says to him: “Well, both of us have gotten what we were after...†If one were to look at the surface, it’s easy to become puzzled by that statement; The Happy Mask Salesman got Majora’s Mask back, but Link still hasn’t found his friend Navi. So what’s he talking about then? To see, one must look deeper into what's gone on: throughout the game, what has Link been doing? Witnessing friendships torn apart by petty conflicts, and mending them back together. He’s been spreading happiness and hope all across the land. Through all of it, he was able to realize what friendship truly is. While on his search for Navi, his ideal of what a friend should be, he was able to slowly open his eyes and see all the new friends that now surrounded him. Because of his adventure throughout the land of Termina, he was able to develop a greater appreciation of the value of friendship; to let go of a focus on one ideal, and be open to embracing new relationships. Because of this, he was able to make new friends in every corner of the land. For as the Happy Mask Salesman continues: “But, my, you sure have managed to make quite a number of people happy. The masks you have are filled with happiness. This is truly a good happiness.â€

 

It’s just like the riddle in Sprit Tracks, where the two men learn that solely focusing one person can distract you from other potential friends.

 

Just looking for an ideal will blind me from everyone else around me. So while on the search, I must keep my eyes, and heart, open, for if I'm willing, I may find friendships in even the strangest of circumstances. Besides, no one is perfect, including me, so I should not be asking of perfection from others. All I should ask is for a friend.

 

As The Happy Mask Salesman begins to walk away into the distance, he leaves Link with some parting words: “Shouldn't you be returning home as well? Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow. However, that parting need not last forever... Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time... That is up to you.†In the beginning, Link felt alone and lost, but throughout his adventure, he realizes that he was never alone to begin with. Because of his travels, he’s come to appreciate the friends he’s already had, the ones he’s made, and the ones he’s had to leave behind, because friendship transcends time and space. The message Link learns is to never abandon your friends on the search, keep them close to your heart, and appreciate them for who they are.

 

So no matter where I go on my journey, I must make sure to not abandon my friends. Too many times I've felt alone, wishing for companionship, blinded to the fact that there were people around me who cared about me. So from now on, I'll make sure to always remember that I'm never truly alone.

 

The words of The Happy Mask Salesman harken back to the parting words of Princess Zelda to Link before his journey began: “You are already leaving this land of Hyrule, aren’t you? Even though it was only a short time, I feel like I’ve known you forever. I’ll never forget the days we spent together in Hyrule… And I believe in my heart that a day will come when I shall meet you again…Until that day comes, please . . . I am praying… I am praying that your journey be a safe one.†Zelda realizes and knows that partings need not last forever, and thus puts her faith in Link, believing that one day he’ll return to Hyrule. With this simple act of belief, the friendship between Zelda and Link is able to stay strong, because sometimes it doesn’t even take petty battles to destroy friendships, just a lack of appreciation until they’ve withered away to nothingness. True friendships are never truly lost, for they transcend time and space, all you need to do is hope that the parting is “merely for a short time.â€

 

So as said before, I must believe in my friends, and do all in my power to try and spend what time I can with them. Our time on earth is limited, so time shared with others is truly a precious thing. And when that meeting is inevitably followed with a parting, I must remember that as long as their memory is held close to my heart, the friendship will live on, to continue another day.

 

Just like how in Ocarina of Time, before Link leaves the forest, Saria tells him: “Oh, you're leaving... But that's OK, because we'll be friends forever... won't we?†She knows true friendship goes beyond circumstance, and that as long as they held each other in their hearts, their friendship would always be there. For no matter where life brings us, no matter where we go on the search, there will always be those waiting for us back home, just wanting to see us return safely once again.

 

So no matter where I go, no matter who I meet, I’ll always keep my friends close to my heart. For as long as I remember, and cherish the friends I have, no matter how far apart we may be, I'll always have them by my side.

 

Letting go of the Immortal Childhood

 

In progress...

 

Setting sail; Islands and Oceans

 

In progress...

 

Embracing my dreams

 

In progress...

 

Volume 1: New Beginnings

 

Chapter 0: The night it all began

 

Chapter 1: Enter the Nerd Fitness Community

The Legend of Will: The Quest of Awesome!

 

Chapter 2: Struggles and mistakes

Legend of Will 2: The Adventure of Me

 

Chapter 3: Newfound strength

The Legend of Will 3

 

Chapter 4: Return to the battlefield

The Legend of Will 4: A Journey Between Worlds

 

Chapter 5: Finding courage

The Legend of Will 5: Embracing my Dreams

 

Volume 2: What Makes a Hero

 

Chapter 6: The winds of change

The Legend of Will 6: A Will for the Future

 

 

 

 

 

EDIT: This is still in the works for anyone reading this. The chapters will have other stuff written too, along with the link's to the challenges. I just wanted to get a place to be able to write all this stuff down so it all feels connected, like a home base of sorts. Anyways, it shall be updated in the days to come

 

And this challenge marks the first one in Volume two! Woo! I've been working out for a year (well, a little more than that technically, and I've run all my life, but whatever)

 

Oh, and the reason there's a chapter 0 is because I did one Six Week Challenge on my own before I joined up with the NF community, so I wanted the chapters to match the challenges I did on here (you know, so chapter two isn't talking about challenge one on the community, and chapter three is talking about two, etc.). Less confusion that way, because then each chapter matches with the number of the challenges on here.

[AshPS]

Sub'd!!!! :triumphant: :triumphant:

 

Very cool my friend, very cool indeed.

[Swampling]

Awesome! Looking forward to the new chapter!

[- Will -]

Sub'd!!!! :triumphant: :triumphant:

 

Very cool my friend, very cool indeed.

 

Awesome! Looking forward to the new chapter!

 

Thanks you two

 

Alright, let's get this show on the road! New adventures await

[- Will -]

- The Legend of Will 6: A Will for the Future -

 

...Get it? it's a pun. kind of.

 

Anyways, I'm still thinking up my goals for this (and it's 11pm right now too, and I want to sleep), so this shall be updated tomorrow (along with the top thing in due time). Just wanted to get this part up so I could at least post a report of the past few days.

 

So, on to the report!

[- Will -]

:The Legend of Will 6:

= Week One - Two =

 

CHANGING WINDS

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• (Monday - Saturday -- 7/28/14 - 8/9/14) Day One through Thirteen: Getting started
  • So, this has been quite interesting. So, before I left for Massachusetts, I'd been coming off the waning end of a strange post-trip funk. I don't know what it was, but coming home after that last trip was really weird. Anyways, I got a few workouts in in that time, and come Tuesday the 5^th, my Dad, sister and I went out to the airport to head to Massachusetts to visit my Grandparents. After we got there, I spent the next two days hanging out with my cousin and his friend before he had to go. We went to the Portuguese Feast, and the Zoo! The Zoo was probably my favorite however; getting to see all the animals there up close was quite fun! But now with my cousin gone,the next few days I just spent in my room, messing around on my computer; I just wasn't quite sure what to do. With no firm goals in place, I felt lost, not sure what I should be working towards. I got in a few PLP's in (done them up to 58 as of right now), but hadn't done much else.
    
    That is, until one day, my Dad asked if I wanted to go on a walk, and on a whim I said yes. I figured that I needed to learn from the mistake I'd made last time I came here, where I didn't do anything but sit around, so I hopped into my clothes and went off. After that walk, I began to realize what I needed to do here: explore and adventure as much as possible! See, once I came back from my adventure, I didn't have the goal of "explore" because I was, well, back home. Without it, I felt lost, and like I was just wasting time. But it all came back! I need to keep working towards adventuring, with everything I do; and even when I don't know what my other goals are, I shouldn't let that stop me if I feel the urge to get up and explore (for a while, I didn't know what to direct my effort towards, so I just didn't do anything at all).
    
    Over the next few days, I kept heading out the door with my Dad to see new sights and meet new people! Over the course of this trip, I've also began to grow a bit closer to him, which I think is a very good thing. I haven't had the best of relations with my Dad in the past, but I want to live for the future, so connecting with him is a great thing in my book. Love you Dad
    
    Anyways, for the past two days, we've gone to the beach to swim, and man, did I swim. I got a cuts on my hands and right foot from rocks, a slight sunburn (doesn't hurt though, just slightly pinkish-red) because I thought that I was dark-skinned enough to go without sunscreen ("I'm half black, that's black enough to not get sun burnt, right?" no, no it's not, as I learned), and am sore all over; I'd say these past two days were a success! Woo!
    
    But that's what's gone on so far. More to come soon! Tomorrow I'm heading to a rowing class with my Dad and sister. Gona' set sail on the seas of ADVENTURE! Woo

[AshPS]

 

Hope you had fun with the rowing class!

 

I never tan...only burn.

[Swampling]

Hey, Will, how are you doing?

I thought I was too quiet this time around, but you beat me by far...

 

Hope all is well!

Please check in when you have a couple of minutes, let us know how you're doing...

[- Will -]

 

Hope you had fun with the rowing class!

 

I never tan...only burn.

 

 My bad this is so late, but yeah, I had a blast

 

Haha, yeah, I figured out the hard way that I can burn. Oh well, I got better

 

Hey, Will, how are you doing?

I thought I was too quiet this time around, but you beat me by far...

 

Hope all is well!

Please check in when you have a couple of minutes, let us know how you're doing...

 

I'm doing well, thanks for asking

 

Haha, yeah... oops. I knew coming into this challenge that things would be slow. I didn't know what I wanted to accomplish with it this time around, so I've just been trying to find some sort of goal I could strive towards by the time the next challenge rolled around. I guess the goal of this challenge was finding a goal.

 

Which led to a lot of me just sitting around, not knowing what to do. But now I've finally got around to joining the Nerd Fitness Academy, and that's helped me clear my mind. Finding a WHY for my journey has helped get me motivated again. And I feel that I've got a clearer goal to strive towards now 

 

Don't worry though, I'll still be on here, I just wanted to get NF Academy to help guide me down a better path. I don't think I'll be joining the forums there, 'cause I'm already at home here

 

But yeah, that's what's been going on for me these past few days.

 

I guess I won't be earning any points this challenge, but at least I got my motivation back, and I'm ready to take the next challenge head on! Let's do this!!!

[swaffe]

Glad to hear you've got your motivation back Will!

[- Will -]

Legend of Will 6: A Will for the Future

:END WRITE-UP:

 

Well, not much to say for this challenge. I'd been in a slump, and that carried through the challenge. I won't be gaining any points for it, but that's ok, because now I've learned what to do when I hit that mental wall: think nice and hard about what I'm fighting for. That's given me the clarity to continue on to...

[- Will -]

- Legend of Will 7: Unto Ocean's End -

 

(Music: The Great Sea)

 

I've got a dream I'm gona' catch! I've got a team I've got to lead! And for that, I need to be Strong, Courageous, and Wise! So this is what I will do over the course of these six weeks in order to grow.

 

I've got a lot of friends counting on me to help lead, and I know that from the bottom of their hearts that they want me to follow my dreams too, so I will continue to fight on forward!

 

Destiny doesn't control me! I will decide my OWN PATH!!!

 

There's a whole world out there for me to explore, with new adventures awaiting just beyond the horizon, so I'll keep running towards that goal!

 

And no matter what, I WILL BECOME A HERO!!!

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

• Main Quest: Get Stronger
  • Reason: To be able to explore the world, and become a hero, I’ll need to gain strength. Having the courage to stand up and follow my dreams is key, but I’ll need the strength to back it up if I hope to succeed. That’s why I will to continue to train. The stronger I am, the further I can go, the more I can fight, and the better I can help, so that’s why I’ll train. Plus, I just plain enjoy testing my strength, and getting stronger. Knowing that I’ve improved from who I was a day ago feels great! So that too!
    • PLP every other day
      • Starting with PLP 66, I will continue with it every other day until the challenge is over.
        • That amounts to 20 times, so I will end the six week challenge on PLP 86.
          • Complete completion amounts to…
    • Continue the workout program from my 4^th challenge three days a week
      • I start on Week 7 of the program I had made for my 4^th challenge, and go through with it for 3 weeks with 30 lbs., and come the last 2 weeks, I switch to 35 lbs.
        • Complete completion amounts to…
    • Stretch after every workout (includes PLP if that’s the only workout done that day)
      • Just that, I will to go through my whole stretching routine after every workout in order to be able to heal as fast as possible.
        • Complete completion amounts to…
    • Get to bed by 9:00pm every night
      • There will be 39 times to complete this goal throughout the challenge (because I wrote up these goals three days late)
        • Complete completion amounts to…
• Life Quest: Find a way to move forward!!!
  • Reason: As mentioned, I need the power to back up my courage, but in order for that whole thing to work out, I need courage in the first place. During these six weeks, I will step out of my comfort zone, and expand my horizons, and gain courage, along with wisdom.
    • Check out different places to learn skills
      • In order to be able to fund my travels, I’ll will gain skills of some sort that I can use to help myself out. Plus, I’d like to learn some new stuff anyways. I’d like to think of it like I’m obtaining new items, and gaining skill points in how to use them. I’m still in the beginning stages of this, so I’ll flesh this out as time goes on, but for now, I will research for a half hour a day until I find out what to learn.
        • Complete completion amounts to…
    • Find places to volunteer
      • Just because I’m not traveling yet doesn’t mean I can’t find ways to help others out. Again, just like with the goal above, I will research for a half hour a day on where I can volunteer until I find a place to help out. Then I will go help out, and rinse and repeat as necessary.
        • Complete completion amounts to…
• Diet/Fitness Quest: Cook breakfast
  • Reason: Knowing how to cook will prove to be a valuable skill out on the road, so during this challenge I will teach myself how to cook.
    • Make breakfast one more day each week than the last (starting with once on week one)
      • By slowly cooking more and more for myself, I’ll be able to learn how to cook without getting overwhelmed.
        • Complete completion amounts to…
• Motivation: TO BE A HERO!!!
  • I won’t let destiny control who I AM! I will decide my own fate! I will change for the better, and this is how I’m gona’ do it! I can find happiness! I CAN become a TRUE HERO, so I’ll stand up, and fight! I WILL CONTINUE ON!!! The winds of change are blowing at my back, so it’s high time I embrace my changing life, and start running forward!!! NEW ADVENTURES AWAIT!!!

[Carly Rae Jepsens Warlock]

- Legend of Will 7: Unto Ocean's End -

(Music:

)

I've got a dream I'm gona' catch! I've got a team I've got to lead! And for that, I need to be Strong, Courageous, and Wise! So this is what I will do over the course of these six weeks in order to grow.

I've got a lot of friends counting on me to help lead, and I know that from the bottom of their hearts that they want me to follow my dreams too, so I will continue to fight on forward!

Destiny doesn't control me! I will decide my OWN PATH!!!

There's a whole world out there for me to explore, with new adventures awaiting just beyond the horizon, so I'll keep running towards that goal!

And no matter what, I WILL BECOME A HERO!!!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Main Quest: Get Stronger
• Reason: To be able to explore the world, and become a hero, I’ll need to gain strength. Having the courage to stand up and follow my dreams is key, but I’ll need the strength to back it up if I hope to succeed. That’s why I will to continue to train. The stronger I am, the further I can go, the more I can fight, and the better I can help, so that’s why I’ll train. Plus, I just plain enjoy testing my strength, and getting stronger. Knowing that I’ve improved from who I was a day ago feels great! So that too!
• PLP every other day
• Starting with PLP 66, I will continue with it every other day until the challenge is over.
• That amounts to 20 times, so I will end the six week challenge on PLP 86.
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Continue the workout program from my 4^th challenge three days a week

• I start on Week 7 of the program I had made for my 4^th challenge, and go through with it for 3 weeks with 30 lbs., and come the last 2 weeks, I switch to 35 lbs.
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Stretch after every workout (includes PLP if that’s the only workout done that day)

• Just that, I will to go through my whole stretching routine after every workout in order to be able to heal as fast as possible.
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Get to bed by 9:00pm every night

• There will be 39 times to complete this goal throughout the challenge (because I wrote up these goals three days late)
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Life Quest: Find a way to move forward!!!

• Reason: As mentioned, I need the power to back up my courage, but in order for that whole thing to work out, I need courage in the first place. During these six weeks, I will step out of my comfort zone, and expand my horizons, and gain courage, along with wisdom.
• Check out different places to learn skills
• In order to be able to fund my travels, I’ll will gain skills of some sort that I can use to help myself out. Plus, I’d like to learn some new stuff anyways. I’d like to think of it like I’m obtaining new items, and gaining skill points in how to use them. I’m still in the beginning stages of this, so I’ll flesh this out as time goes on, but for now, I will research for a half hour a day until I find out what to learn.
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Find places to volunteer

• Just because I’m not traveling yet doesn’t mean I can’t find ways to help others out. Again, just like with the goal above, I will research for a half hour a day on where I can volunteer until I find a place to help out. Then I will go help out, and rinse and repeat as necessary.
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Diet/Fitness Quest: Cook breakfast

• Reason: Knowing how to cook will prove to be a valuable skill out on the road, so during this challenge I will teach myself how to cook.
• Make breakfast one more day each week than the last (starting with once on week one)
• By slowly cooking more and more for myself, I’ll be able to learn how to cook without getting overwhelmed.
• Complete completion amounts to…

[*]Motivation: TO BE A HERO!!!

• I won’t let destiny control who I AM! I will decide my own fate! I will change for the better, and this is how I’m gona’ do it! I can find happiness! I CAN become a TRUE HERO, so I’ll stand up, and fight! I WILL CONTINUE ON!!! The winds of change are blowing at my back, so it’s high time I embrace my changing life, and start running forward!!! NEW ADVENTURES AWAIT!!!

OH! I like it! Good luck~ :L

This message was brought to you by "my five fingers and co."backed up by, "the jolt of electrical signals from my brain speeding through a network of nerves and ganglia".

[AshPS]

Whooooo hoooooo Will! Kick butt challenge my friend!   

 

Now show this BRIGADE what a leader is all about!

 

 

FOR THE BRIGADE!!!!

[forkboy]

Alright Will!!! Sub'd.

[AshPS]

Will....Will.....Will...........

 

Hello.......Hello.......Hello...........

 

 

Your neglecting your poor thread Will.......granted you have been a busy little bee supporting all of the Brigade members,  buuuuutttt, you still need to keep us posted here on YOUR progress. After all WE want to harass support  (cough) our fearless co-leader! 

 

(and that is a completely innocent smile.)

 

HUGS!!!!!

[- Will -]

OH! I like it! Good luck~ :L

This message was brought to you by "my five fingers and co."backed up by, "the jolt of electrical signals from my brain speeding through a network of nerves and ganglia".

Thanks Hansjay

 

Whooooo hoooooo Will! Kick butt challenge my friend!  

 

Now show this BRIGADE what a leader is all about!

 

 

FOR THE BRIGADE!!!!

YEAH!!! FOR THE BRIGADE!!!

 

Alright Will!!! Sub'd.

Woo!

 

Will....Will.....Will...........

 

Hello.......Hello.......Hello...........

 

 

Your neglecting your poor thread Will.......granted you have been a busy little bee supporting all of the Brigade members,  buuuuutttt, you still need to keep us posted here on YOUR progress. After all WE want to harass support  (cough) our fearless co-leader! 

 

(and that is a completely innocent smile.)

 

HUGS!!!!!

Oops, my bad. Progress has been slow, but it's picking up speed these past two days

I'll get a full update, up to today, up right now. Just give me a sec., this might take a bit

Then you all can harass support me to your hearts content

 

Hugs back

[AshPS]

I'll be waiting.

[- Will -]

:The Legend of Will 7:

= Week One=

 

A ROCKY START

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

• (Monday - Wednesday  --  9/15/14 - 9/17/14) Day One through Three: Getting ready...
  
  • No goals where met, I was still figuring my goals out in the first place.
    
  
  
• (Thursday - 9/18/14) Day Four: LET'S GO!!!
  
  • No goals where met, but I finally got my new challenge up!
    
  
  
• (Friday - 9/19/14) Day Five: Getting going
  
  • PLP: 66 -- Complete
    
  • No other goals where complete.
    
  
  
• (Saturday - 9/20/14) Day Six: Resting
  
  • No goals where met
    
  
  
• (Sunday - 9/21/14) Day Seven: Getting back up
  
  • PLP: 67 -- Complete
    
    • No other goals where met, but doing the PLP was interesting. I didn't get to it until late, but it was sill kind of light out, so I went ahead and ran to the trails nearby to start the PLP. Once I got there, I found the trails to be significantly darker then everywhere else at the time (should have seen that one coming), so I turned around and went to the park. Once there, I saw some other people (couldn't make out who they where, it was too dark by then) sitting by one of the tables at the park. It seemed to be a group of teenagers from the sound of their voices. Despite feeling a little embarrassed to workout next to them, I went ahead and started anyways. It was nerve-wracking, but I got through it, and by the time I was done, I was glad they were there; just hearing the sound other people talking nearby made me feel a bit more safe, because it was so dark outside.
      
    
    
  
  

[- Will -]

:The Legend of Will 7:

= Week One=

=WRAP-UP=

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

• GOALS MET
  • MAIN QUEST
    • PLP
      • 2/2 -- Complete
    • Workouts
      • 0/0
        • Notes: wasn't planing on starting this until Week Two.
    • Stretch
      • 1/2 -- Ehh, so so.
    • Bed
      • 0/7 -- Incomplete
  • LIFE QUEST
    • Volunteer
      • 0/7 -- Incomplete
    • Skills
      • 0/7 -- Incomplete
  • DIET/FITNESS QUEST
    • Cook
      • 0/7 -- Incomplete

--

 

• NOTES
  • Ehh, could have done much better, but at least I got the working out thing started with the PLP. That's good at least. Anyways, no time to cry over spilled milk, onto Week Two!!!

[- Will -]

:The Legend of Will 7:

= Week Two=

 

SETTING COURSE

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

• (Monday - 9/22/14) Day Eight: Getting caught up
  • No goals accomplished, but I did get myself caught up with much of the Brigade, so that's a plus.
• (Tuesday - 9/23/14) Day Nine: Time to FIGHT!!!
  • Main Quest
    • PLP: 68 -- Complete
    • Workout: Complete
      • Goal: 2 sets, 8 reps, 30 lbs., (Planks: 1min. 30sec.)
        • Squats (60 lbs. [30 lbs. in each hand])
          • 8
          • 8
          • 8 (forgot how many I was supposed to do, so I did an extra one by mistake)
        • Dead Lifts (60 lbs. [30 lbs. in each hand])
          • 8
          • 8
        • Bench Press (30 lbs. in each hand)
          • 8
          • 8
        • Bent Over Row (30 lbs. in each hand)
          • 8
          • 8
        • Planks (body weight)
          • 1min. 30sec.
          • 1min. 30sec.
    • Stretch: Incomplete
    • Bed: Haha, nope! Incomplete
  • Life Quest
    • Volunteer: Complete
      • Notes: found a few places I could volunteer, but haven't made a decision yet as to where I'll go.
    • Skills: Incomplete
  • Diet/Fitness Quest
    • Cook: Incomplete
  • Notes:
    • Well, today's been a pretty good day, if I say so myself. Got my PLP and Workout in, looked around for volunteer opportunities, and talked to a lot of you here on NF today. I had fun! Plus, I also stumbled across this little gem on YouTube: The Legend of Zelda - This is War. It is friggin' AWESOME

[- Will -]

I'll be waiting.

...Aaaaaaaaand done! Got all the updates up

[Carly Rae Jepsens Warlock]

The colours kind of distracted me a bit, eh? Lol! BUT GOODNESS WILL NICE START IS A NICE START!

Here's to a great week two! Give your all~

This message was brought to you by "my five fingers and co."backed up by, "the jolt of electrical signals from my brain speeding through a network of nerves and ganglia".

[- Will -]

The colours kind of distracted me a bit, eh? Lol! BUT GOODNESS WILL NICE START IS A NICE START!

Here's to a great week two! Give your all~

This message was brought to you by "my five fingers and co."backed up by, "the jolt of electrical signals from my brain speeding through a network of nerves and ganglia".

Thanks

Yeah, I'll make it great, and fight with all I've got! Let's do this!!!

[- Will -]

 [ :The Legend of Will 7: ]

[ = Week Two= ]

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

• (Wednesday - 9/24/14) Day Ten: Rest day
  
• Main Quest
  
  • Bed: Incomplete
    
  
  
• Life Quest
  
  • Volunteer: Incomplete
    
  • Skills: Incomplete
    
  
  
• Diet/Fitness Quest
  
  • Cook: Incomplete
    
  
  
• Notes:
  
  • Not a very eventful day, just mostly resting from yesterday's workout. But I did help set up stuff for my Mom's birthday party. My sister went to the store with her friends and picked up some presents while I went over to a friend of my Mom's house and set up party streamers and whatnot. The party's in a few days, so hopefully she doesn't catch on that we've been planing it. Nobody tell her. Shhh...