blkhole24601 Joins the Inquisition

[blkhole24601]

INTRO: Hello! My name is blkhole24601, or Vicki if you prefer, and I'm a recent transfer from the Scouts Guild! One of my biggest lessons learned from last challenge is that I don't have the time or energy to do everything in the world, which is what it felt like I was trying to do, and I was feeling like it was time to consolidate my acting goals with my fitness goals since outside of work and loved ones, acting is my top priority in life. And an actress aspiring to be in musical theatre productions cannot get away with just knowing how to act and sing, she has to know how to dance, too, and I........... do not. Ahahaha. Plus, there are other physical skills that's always good for an actress to know, and it's in the realm of gymnastics, so really, the Assassins is the place I need to be, I think. So without further ado!

 

 

MAIN QUEST: Become a physically adept actress!

 

 

QUEST 1: Inspiration: Josephine - Mastering the Game [+3 DEX, +1 CHA]

As I mentioned above, dancing is my ultimate weakness as an actress. I need to work to fix this. And so, I will be sure to spend a minimum of 30 min a session towards dancing 3x/week. Ideally, it will be closer to 60 min a session since I plan on taking classes, but in case schedules don't work out the way I want them to (because in the Denver area, adult dance classes that will be most helpful for me tend to be on Mondays and I have my acting class on Mondays), plus it never hurts to spend time at home towards this and I don't want to risk burning out, this will suffice for this challenge. I'll be taking a ballet class on Wednesdays, but I want to spend time outside of class working on this, too, for at least 30 minutes. The total time will include ballet plus anything I do outside of it.

• A = 120+ min/week | B = 90+ min/week | C = 60+ min/week | D = 5+ min/week | F = 0 min/week

 

QUEST 2: Inspiration: Cullen - Hit the Training Grounds [+3 STR, +2 DEX, +1 CHA]

Part One: Pure Brute Strength, or, Stronglifts 2x/week. (+2 STR) While lifting is not a thing I'm too terribly interested in, I know what it can do for me in my pursuit for everything else I want to do in my life, and I kind of let this go all together over the past few weeks. Time to get back into it!

• A = 2x/week | C = 1x/week | F = 0x/week

Part Two: Learning New Tricks, or, spend a little bit of time working on a pull-up progression, handstands progression, and splits progression 5x/week. (+1 STR, +2 DEX, +1 CHA because pull-ups and handstands and splits are cool) [EDIT 1/8: Handstands and splits will be 5x/week; pull-ups will be 3x/week] These tie into my 2015 Ultimate Fitness Goals of being able to do pull-ups, a handstand, and the splits. I'm not banking on being able to do any of these (especially not the splits) by the end of the challenge, but all the more reason to be sure to dedicate some time to them!

• A = 5x/week | B = 4x/week | C = 3x/week | D = 1-2x/week | F = 0x/week

 

QUEST 3: Inspiration: Scout Harding - Tracking [+3 CON]

I've fallen off the MFP wagon really hard. So, I'll be tracking my food 6x/week. Simple as that.

• A = 6x/week | B = 4-5x/week | C = 2-3x/week | D = 1x/week | F = 0x/week

 

LIFE QUEST: Inspiration: Leliana - Bard Training [+1 WIS, +1 CHA]

In order to keep this habit up, it's very clear that it needs to be a challenge quest. So, singing 6x/week. For consistency's sake.

• A = 6x/week | B = 4-5x/week | C = 2-3x/week | D = 1x/week | F = 0x/week

 

SIDEQUEST: Inspiration: The Inquisitor - Explore Ferelden/Orlais

No rewards for this since the reward is something that I'll get at work via my health fund if I do this. I will log at least 7,000 steps a day through my FitBit. This will help me get up and away from my computer during the work week for my mental breaks and out of my apartment on weekends when all I want to do is stay inside where it's warm.

 

 

So, to summarize:

1. Dance 3x/week for at least 30 minutes a session (ideally Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays)
2. Stronglifts 2x/week (ideally Tuesdays, Thursdays)
3. Skills 5x/week (ideally Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays -- bold is when I'll also do pull-ups)
4. Food tracking 6x/week (ideally every day)
5. Singing 6x/week (ideally every day)

STR: 3 | DEX: 5 | STA: 0 | CON: 3 | WIS: 1 | CHA: 3

 

This plan basically gives me Mondays and Saturdays as rest days!

 

 

Excited to be here with all you fine people!! 

 

Weekly Recaps: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Challenge Complete!

 

Mini-Challenges:

Week 1: +1 STA earned

Week 2: +1 DEX earned

Week 3: +1 CHA earned

Week 4: +1 STR earned

Week 5: +1 CON earned

Week 6: +1 WIS earned

[Anaticula]

Looking forward to following your challenge this go round.  I agree with you that we often take on way more than we should, and sometimes things don't work out.  I'm glad to see you have some very realistic goals this time round.  I have to make sure mine are realistic too when I set them up! Here's to the New Year and a new challenge!

[starpuck]

Ha!  I saw the Inquisition title and head to check it out.    (My last challenge was inquisition themed hee)   This is a fantastic set up for your challenge, I love love love it!    (No spoilers on the game, I'm like 140 hours in but doing eeeevvveerrything hehe.)

 

Love the goals.  Perfect outline.   Sensible, achievable.   Way to go!

[starsapart]

Yayyyyyyyyyy!  Welcome to the most amazing guild ever!!!!!!

 

Okay, maybe I'm biased, but.

 

So happy to see you here!

[Amdhiel]

I second starts yay!!! Glad to see you join the assassins and your quests look pretty awesome. Can't wait to see how you do!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[blkhole24601]

Looking forward to following your challenge this go round.  I agree with you that we often take on way more than we should, and sometimes things don't work out.  I'm glad to see you have some very realistic goals this time round.  I have to make sure mine are realistic too when I set them up! Here's to the New Year and a new challenge!

Thanks! I'll be following your challenge too~ And I agree, it's a hard lesson for ambitious people to learn: there is such a thing as being TOO ambitious! But I guess it's better than not having any ambition at all. As long as you know what your priorities are, and I think I finally have mine figured out -- for now. Best of luck to you in the challenge and the New Year!

 

Ha!  I saw the Inquisition title and head to check it out.    (My last challenge was inquisition themed hee)   This is a fantastic set up for your challenge, I love love love it!    (No spoilers on the game, I'm like 140 hours in but doing eeeevvveerrything hehe.)

 

Love the goals.  Perfect outline.   Sensible, achievable.   Way to go!

Thank you!

I actually finished the game a couple of weeks ago or so, now I'm watching my boyfriend power through it, so I get to relive the game vicariously through him. He plays his game a lot less snarkier than I do. XD But I'll always put spoilers under a cut, so no worries here! Where are you in the plot currently?

 

Yayyyyyyyyyy!  Welcome to the most amazing guild ever!!!!!!

 

Okay, maybe I'm biased, but.

 

So happy to see you here!

YAAAAAAAAY I'm glad to be here!! Looks like a lot of fun around here. Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

I second starts yay!!! Glad to see you join the assassins and your quests look pretty awesome. Can't wait to see how you do!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks! Excited and nervous; I'm not used to this regimen of training but these are skills I desire! Can't wait to work with all of you!

[Ocelot]

Aha, an ex-scout... I like it!

 

I love how focused your challenge is. You have a very defined outcome- acting improvement!

 

Of course, assassins have to be fantastic actors - we are always needing to play characters and blend into situations... You'll fit in great

 

Good luck with your challenge!

[SymphonicDan]

Nice goals How close to pull-ups, handstands and splits do you think you currently are? (e.g. can you kick into a handstand at all? wall handstand for 30 seconds? can you tense up your shoulders properly to begin a pull-up? if you force yourself up to the top of a pull-up position can you hold that for 5 seconds?)

 

There are lots of us here doing a combination of random skills, weightlifting and random hobbies in this guild, so you're in good company. Good luck!

[starpuck]

Oooh weeks ago!  Man.   That's hard core.   I'm sitting at like >.>  145 hours of gameplay?   *doop doop*

 

I am tidying up all the last things I think.   I have the final mission on the table, and just want to clear all the other table missions and kill that last dragon.   Bit of an OCD thing lends me toward being semi completionist.

 

I am gonna be so sad when I finish!

[blkhole24601]

Aha, an ex-scout... I like it!

 

I love how focused your challenge is. You have a very defined outcome- acting improvement!

 

Of course, assassins have to be fantastic actors - we are always needing to play characters and blend into situations... You'll fit in great

 

Good luck with your challenge!

Thanks! I don't know if I'll call myself an ex-scout quite yet though; I have a half marathon in mid-May I'll need to get my endurance back up for, but once that's done I'll probably be right back to focusing on all the acting things 100% So maybe a more assassin/scout hybrid???

 

Nice goals How close to pull-ups, handstands and splits do you think you currently are? (e.g. can you kick into a handstand at all? wall handstand for 30 seconds? can you tense up your shoulders properly to begin a pull-up? if you force yourself up to the top of a pull-up position can you hold that for 5 seconds?)

 

There are lots of us here doing a combination of random skills, weightlifting and random hobbies in this guild, so you're in good company. Good luck!

I think I'm a lot closer to a pull-up than anything else, though I've been working towards the splits for a few weeks. So for handstands I'll be starting with wall planks (by going with this progression: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/10/24/how-to-handstand-better-than-luke-skywalker/), if I follow this progression (http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/04/25/do-a-pull-up/) I can probably do assisted pull-ups but I'll likely spend a week on body weight rows to be sure, and splits I'll just continue the program starsapart concocted for me a few months ago. Of course, I'm always open to suggestion and tips! I haven't done a handstand since I was 11 or 12, and the splits and pull-ups never happened for me in my life ;;;;;

And thank you!

 

Oooh weeks ago!  Man.   That's hard core.   I'm sitting at like >.>  145 hours of gameplay?   *doop doop*

 

I am tidying up all the last things I think.   I have the final mission on the table, and just want to clear all the other table missions and kill that last dragon.   Bit of an OCD thing lends me toward being semi completionist.

 

I am gonna be so sad when I finish!

I was around 110 hours of gameplay when I got sick of side quests and finished the game. Once my boyfriend finished his game I'll dive back in to finish since you can finish up everything but companion quests once in the endgame. Usually I'm super particular about finishing everything but omg, so many side quests so little time!

But hey, once you do finish, you can play again! New choices, new romance options, etc! ;D

[Ocelot]

Fair enough Assassins often run too of course... but multi-classing is definitely a good way to cover lots of ground - I'd do it too if I could decide between warriors, scouts, druids and monks XD (Maybe I can penta-class??!) Good luck in your half marathon! Where will it be?

[blkhole24601]

Fair enough Assassins often run too of course... but multi-classing is definitely a good way to cover lots of ground - I'd do it too if I could decide between warriors, scouts, druids and monks XD (Maybe I can penta-class??!) Good luck in your half marathon! Where will it be?

True enough! If I had all the time in the world, I think I'd even get into some monk-y things too, but I don't have enough hours in my day, or days in my week, or something.

And thanks! It's going to be here in Denver, actually. It's the Colfax race, and the half goes right though the zoo which I'm excited about.

[stillskies]

Oh hai. >D

[Claireloise]

Ooh, another dancer! I think this is a very fine goal to be aiming towards, but I may be biased

 

Best of luck

[blkhole24601]

Oh hai. >D

 

... go 'way.

 

 

Ooh, another dancer! I think this is a very fine goal to be aiming towards, but I may be biased

 

Best of luck

 

I'm more like an aspiring dancer. Right now flailing through the tutorial sessions of my Zumba game is reducing me to near tears. ;;;;;;;;;;; BUT I WILL PREVAIL! I refuse to be told, "We would have called you back/cast you if you had any dance experience" ever again.

 

Thanks!!

[blkhole24601]

So, this pre-Day One post would have come last night had I not wasted time on YouTube and/or continued my marathon of Friends on Netflix. Ah, well. I can only access NF through my iPad right now since for some reason the site doesn't like my actual computers, so doing this at work will be easier.

 

Things I have done to prepare for the coming 6 weeks:

• I bought two Zumba games for the Xbox Kinect. I also have three Dance Central games. For the first couple of weeks or so (or longer), when I turn on the game(s) I'll be focusing primarily on the tutorials instead of the actual classes. The point is to learn how to dance, not just use it as a cardio session. This will be how I workout on Fridays.
   
• That said, the tutorial sessions are enough to reduce me to near tears, especially in the Zumba games, so I signed up for 10 weeks' worth of basic ballet classes at a dance studio a former cast-mate recommended to me. These will be my Wednesday nights. I've adjusted my challenge accordingly since getting to 60 minutes of dance will be fairly simple as long as I get my ass to class, which weather/work permitting, I always will.
   
• I do have two DVDs for ballet conditioning and barre conditioning, and from prior experience with these two DVDs, it's very much BW strength training, so to give myself a cushion, this will be my Sunday dance workout.
   
• Stronglifts may be more dumbbell workouts for the things I'll definitely need a spotter for since I don't have a workout buddy and am too shy/self-conscious to ask anyone for help. I may also use dumbbells if I wind up at the gym during the high traffic times and can't afford to wait around for a barbell to become available to me. Again, Stronglifts are Tuesdays and Thursdays for my workout.
   
• To help with calorie counting and going back to my pre-holidays diet, I went grocery shopping yesterday! I only bought breakfast and lunch and snack items, but I'm going to be very adamant on sticking to this during the work day since it's at work where my eating fell apart the worst. Away from work, I can be better, true, but it's also far less of a problem. I'll endeavor to cook dinner more again, that's a certainty.
   
• And this isn't something I'm going to track for the challenge, but since I get more money in my health fund for it, I will make sure I walk at least 7,000 steps a day. This is especially important on my rest days, which will be Mondays (because starting next week, I'll have class on Mondays) and Saturdays (because I tend to have stuff to do on Saturdays and would rather not stress about trying to squeeze in a workout if I can).
   
• My updates will most likely come first thing in the morning for the day previous so I can also report on my food logging. Also see above on only being able to get on the site via iPad. I swear, I'll get this issue fixed sooner rather than later.

Let's get these next 6 weeks started!

[raptron]

Very excited for your quest 2.

[blkhole24601]

Very excited for your quest 2.

 

Thanks! I'm excited and scared, but mostly excited! 

[starpuck]

Ooooh, I had quite a lot of fun playing Dance Central 2 on my Kinect!     As an old DDR fan, it took me some time to ya know, make with the real moves, and I never got 'loose and stylish' but I was able to learn the moves and hit them enough to score well - which kept me going back for more!     I think that's a great plan to help with your dancing related goals!

 

I may be busting mine out again too now that you've reminded me.  

.~~ Those apple bottom jeans... jeans! Boots with the fur... fur!  ..~~~ lol,love that one.

 

 

[blkhole24601]

Ooooh, I had quite a lot of fun playing Dance Central 2 on my Kinect!     As an old DDR fan, it took me some time to ya know, make with the real moves, and I never got 'loose and stylish' but I was able to learn the moves and hit them enough to score well - which kept me going back for more!     I think that's a great plan to help with your dancing related goals!

 

I may be busting mine out again too now that you've reminded me.  

.~~ Those apple bottom jeans... jeans! Boots with the fur... fur!  ..~~~ lol,love that one.

 

 

 

Yes good do eeet. I actually find Dance Central more fun than Zumba, which means if Zumba continues to make me cry because I can't figure out even the most basic of steps (though I'm faulting the game's tutorial system more for that, tbh; Dance Central's tutorial system is a lot easier to follow and gives me more control, I feel -- or I could just be too much of a perfectionist, idk), I may just focus on DC until I build up my confidence.

[starsapart]

Yes good do eeet. I actually find Dance Central more fun than Zumba, which means if Zumba continues to make me cry because I can't figure out even the most basic of steps (though I'm faulting the game's tutorial system more for that, tbh; Dance Central's tutorial system is a lot easier to follow and gives me more control, I feel -- or I could just be too much of a perfectionist, idk), I may just focus on DC until I build up my confidence.

 

Fortunately, those games have different focus areas!  Zumba is much better cardio, but for pure dance moves, I'd say DC is the superior game.  So you'll do awesome!

[blkhole24601]

Fortunately, those games have different focus areas!  Zumba is much better cardio, but for pure dance moves, I'd say DC is the superior game.  So you'll do awesome!

 

Good to know! Now I feel less guilty about choosing DC over Zumba! I'll still play with the Zumba game because the benefits and gains are still more advantageous than not, of course, but I'm relieved to hear that the funner game is better for learning dance moves. Maybe I'll let myself flail around in Zumba for a little bit with only some care for technique instead of EVERYTHING MUST BE PERFECT care for it?

[starpuck]

Once you learn the moves in DC, and get up to playing on hard or higher?   Totes good for cardio too!    Especially if you pick the 'workout option' that strings several songs together.  *pant pant pant*. 

 

I soooo wanna play this tonight now lol.  (But I also want to finally finish DA:I too...)

[blkhole24601]

Once you learn the moves in DC, and get up to playing on hard or higher?   Totes good for cardio too!    Especially if you pick the 'workout option' that strings several songs together.  *pant pant pant*. 

 

I soooo wanna play this tonight now lol.  (But I also want to finally finish DA:I too...)

 

I really want to play it now, too, and would say "screw it" to the rest day today if the bf wasn't coming over and would likely want to play more of DA:I and I'm not one to stop him because it's basically like a second playthrough for me because he's making different choices and such. Oh, Inquisition, why so good and addicting even for those of us just watching???

[SymphonicDan]

I know what you mean about finding it hard asking other people for help - it feels like you're interrupting someone else's time unnecessarily, but most people you ask will be happy to help, and pleased that you found them approachable enough to ask Just make sure that you give people an easy escape route (just like anytime you ask people a favour) (e.g. "Hey, can you please spot my bench set? if you're too busy, don't worry!" or whatever) and don't pick the person on the treadmill or the person who's listening to music and looks like they've planned out every second of their weights sesh lol.

 

in fact, I challenge you to ask a gym stranger to spot you for something sometime this challenge. I'd give you a bonus +1 CHA, except that'd be breaking the NF rules.

 

Glad to see you've put in some good preparation already for your dancing