Brute Digs in for Final Push

[BruteSquad]

Once again I debated participating in this challenge.  And here I am....but almost not.  I keep acting like it is some great effort to update here once a week or so.  Even though I check on everyone almost every day.

 

I say I am digging in for a final push, but the push will start at the end of this challenge.  The push is to finish my thesis and final class for my degree.  I have a few thesis meetings and a semester class that I will have to do in five weeks.  Then it is simply Thesis presentation.

 

So my goals this challenge are as follows:

 

1. Minimize Wheat.  Trace wheat is fine, but I want to limit my wheat intake to one day a week.  That is for five of the six weeks.  My birthday is a week from today, so for this week I am taking vacation from Wednesday through the following Tuesday.  During that time I have no illusions.  There will be cake and bread of some form.  Yes I will eat some of it.

 

2. Exercise two times per week.  Last challenge it was once a week.  I was able to maintain that and all but one week I did two or three workouts.  Now, I want to clarify this goal as I ran into something yesterday that I will probably see a few times over the next few weeks.  Yesterday I moved a great deal of stuff from one house to the other.  It was physically exhausting. Those days will count as a work out. 

 

3. Sleep 7.5 hours a night or more 5 days a week.

 

4.  Get all three life learning papers submitted.  These three papers have to be written outside of the Thesis and any other class to complete my degree.

 

That is it for now.  Go forth and ROCK ON!

[GingaNinja]

Hey Brute,good luck with the thesis and getting stuff done!

[Ba'sini'on]

Wow Brutesquad awesome challenge! I am subbed You can do it!

[Teros]

Hey Brute. Good to see you again.  I think it's the mental 'now I'm accountable' part of the challenge is what deters some people; not the actual writing up of anything.  Good luck and have fun this challenge. Kick this thesis in the face!

[BruteSquad]

Update.  Back from staycation/birthday week.

 

Gave myself a pass on the wheat for that week.  But now I am on the eliminate wheat (other than trace). So far so good....but that is one meal

 

Got a lot of exercise in with all the activity I did while I was on staycation. 

 

Fixed My Dryer.  Replaced the motor, which is mounted on a plate, that flexed beyond the ability of being able to keep a sensor switch in the proper place....bypassed the switch and we have a working dryer.

 

Had Navy Buddy in Friday night, another over on Saturday. The GF is great, because she sucked it up...moved into the new house on Sunday and the following weekend was entertaining....and not thrilled with the bachelor "mess" (as she calls it)...but made the best of it.

 

Shot a fight scene for a video contest, edited most of it. That was a blast.

 

Went to the Dayton philharmonic/opera/ballet combined performance.

Had a leisurely coffee with my sister and nephew. Cooked out with Mom and Dad that sister and nephew joined.

 

Was interviewed to represent the adult program at the oldest Historically Black college in the USA.  It was video taped and will be used with promotional materials for Wilberforce University.

 

Lots of sleep.

 

Just found out I may only have two life learning papers to do instead of three.  That is a win.

[BruteSquad]

Okay, the challenge......failing.

 

I don't think I have hit one goal.....

 

But I did make this

 

 

Now I am still working on the goals.  I just don't know how I am gonna hit them.

[BruteSquad]

It is Monday.

The only goal I may meet is my life learning papers goal.  I have sucked at wheat and sleeping has been difficult. 

 

I have started doing this thing where I am tired and go to bed.  I sleep very deeply and hard for about an hour.  Then I wake up and play hell trying to get back to sleep.  Last night I tried a different approach.  When I woke, I got up, took a Valerian root extract and read for 45 minutes.  Got back to sleep but really only had 6.5 - 7 hours of sleep.  Which is better than it has been.  I will be able to function on that amount of sleep.

 

I have not been exercising at all.  The plan is to get one in tonight.

 

On a positive note, other than wheat issues, I am eating fairly well.  So I will smile about that.  Otherwise, not doing so well this round.

[BruteSquad]

Flu shot .... no workout on Monday.  I went home and slept.  I had to get the flu shot; it is required for work.  I work in a hospital system.

 

So another failure....no inspiration this round folks.  I am just trying to get through the month.

 

BUT, all papers are done.  I need to submit them Thursday.

[BruteSquad]

Due to work, the papers are not submitted, but I will submit them tomorrow. 

 

Pretty much the rest is a wash.  I have done some heavy work that I can count for workouts, but not enough. 

 

Wheat has been at about 70%. But I keep finding myself eating something with at tortilla or a sandwich before I realize I am not meeting my goal.  This is harder than I had imagined.  Because even when I am eating "healthy" I don't focus on the details of each meal as I have so much going on.

 

Sleep.  Most nights I am getting at least 7.5.  But I think that I, being over extended, am just not get enough "rest" even if I get enough sleep.  I keep finding myself with more to do when I should be going to bed.  But this comes from a good place.

 

Here is the deal.

I am finishing up my degree.  October 28th is my presentation for my thesis.  This should be the end of my degree.  Honestly I do not have a ton of work left, mostly just getting the presentation together.  But I am working on that.

 

I am making a push to get my business going seriously in 2015.  As such I have scheduled a video shoot in January to create videos I need....but that means that, due to my work schedule, I have to set up auditions for November 8.  Which also means that I have to create a test script (done) and post the audition and schedule them (in progress, decent response), secure a conference room at a hotel for auditions (done), get legal papers set up for both audition and the actual shoot (in progress), as well as inventory equipment for auditions since I am between houses I need to get all my gear in one place and ensure that it is operating properly so that I can do a full day of auditions with it. 

 

I have writing dead lines in January, however, I will have most of December to work on that.

 

All of that on top of the school work, and my job which has required overtime lately.  So sleep alone may not be enough. 

 

I took Sunday and just did laundry.  That was about it.  I watched a few movies, partially to relax, but also to look at how they were shot.

 

Well, I will see what I can do to salvage the remaining time of this challenge.

[GingaNinja]

Wow sounds like you are busy, sorry haven't been good at keeping up.

It is hard to get a good challenge flow sometimes. When you are getting stuff together like that I think not sweating the small stuff is important.

You can do it, you are awesome.

[BruteSquad]

Wow sounds like you are busy, sorry haven't been good at keeping up.

It is hard to get a good challenge flow sometimes. When you are getting stuff together like that I think not sweating the small stuff is important.

You can do it, you are awesome.

Thank you for the faith.....

"You had to give it to him: he had a plan. And it started to make sense, in a Tyler sort of way. No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide."

 

Yes I am trying to Tyler Durden it at this point. 

 

Papers turned in, graduation application turned in, and all fees and senior dues paid.  I have to submit one more set of homework, do a 20 minute presentation, and I am done with the BS.....BS degree.

 

Audition schedule almost full.  Going to start the work on the house I want to sell this weekend.  The serious work.

 

This week sleep fail.  Been getting up at 5:30-5:45 am and not getting to bed until 11pm well, sometimes as early as 10:30pm....

 

Still attempting the no wheat...doing better, but not even 90%.  Lack of food prep is the real issue.  Going to get it straight over the weekend.  Having the GF in the house is great, but eats up time I had when I was living alone....not the big hang out time, but little things you never think of like waiting on the shower or the multitude of little conversations we have that I love, but they take away time I had.  So I have to adjust and adapt!

 

I know if you are reading this you are rocking on......as you should.

[Teros]

This is the first challenge that I haven't felt quite myself during. I feel like I let a lot of things slide that I shouldn't have (like keeping up with everyone.) I know I shouldn't beat myself up over it and that it's not like the world has ended- I can get myself back in gear. I wish you luck. 

 

Also, that was a good looking chair-shot.

 

And if you get a date with Natalie, for god's sake; mention me.

[BruteSquad]

So...massive fail.     Is a -ZZ lower than a -Z.

 

I have actually put on a good amount of fat weight in the last 6 months.  Not back to where I started and I have also built some serious muscle, but not thrilled with where I am.

 

However, Degree work finished.  4.0 gpa. (Got my nerd on)  This was the first week without homework!  Yet I still have most days full.

 

I have to focus on selling the house now.  Then on to develop my small business in 2015.  Looking at a lot of avenues for growth and revenue.

 

I am still having issues getting enough restful sleep, but I am still working on it. 

 

I, like so many, am really trying to find those habits that will actually make a difference in my life.  Often during a challenge, I find that the habit I list to attempt to develop or maintain doesn't do what I thought it would.  They have unintended consequences.  So I am still searching.