Ocelot Undercover in the Fortress of Strict Accountability

[Dianakdrury]

Glad to here your first week went so well.

[Nadoriel]

That bread came out awesome ahhaha xD well as long as it tastes nice, it doesn't matter the shape!

 

Nice work during this week

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

You are dong SO well on your first week!! Keep things up!

[Ocelot]

Day 7 - End of Week One!

 

PLANK: PASS. 90 seconds again. Easier. Much easier. Too easy!

BW TRAINING: PASS. Got to love a rest day. The recovery was very needed. My quads are actually still twinging from yesterday.

STRETCHING: PASS. I used a tree stump that I have in my room for a bedside table to hold my legs out so I could keep going further and further. Worked well.

GETTING UP: PASS. One hour nap in the late afternoon, other than that, I've been active all day!

 

ALL ELSE: Still a little down because I feel like the world has deserted me. I'm about to call my friend and DEMAND that he comes round. But I am delighted with my goal hitting and updating this week. I'm sure it won't last.

 

I ate pizzas today, and baked more bread that didn't come out a funny shape - and I also baked cookies....

 

Ocelot held up the spiced cookie, turning it so the sugar crystals that crusted the top caught the candlelight. She was going to enjoy eating this. Her reward for a week's hard work and a minute's easy assassination. She had taken it from the hand of a dead man, only twenty minutes before. From his other hand, she'd claimed a giant cleaver. She wasn't sure why she'd kept the cleaver. Well, it would probably come in handy.

 

The pastry chef had not turned his attention to the small, redheaded ragamuffin with the strange animal-like habits - no, he had ignored Ocelot. Instead, he'd picked on a woman who had been helping the disguised assassin learn how to wash dishes. In her servant guise, Ocelot could not say a word against the bullying man who taunted her acquaintance, only the last in his long line of victims, none of which survived.

 

All the staff wore long cloaks over their servants' uniforms, as the fortress was damp and chilly all hours of the day. She found it easy to conceal her all-black stealth gear beneath, and on the last day of the week, as her late shift finally ended, she had hidden the cloak and slipped into the shadows, black from head to toe, pulling her mask over her eyes.

 

She'd trailed him down the stony corridors - thirty two flights of stairs, she climbed - following the trail of thick white breadcrumbs. Eventually, she came to where he slept.

 

Ocelot opened the door without a sound and stepped inside. Beneath her mask, she was smiling.

[Elastigirl]

I wonder why the bread came out shaped like that? A sign from the universe about...er, not sure what exactly but something.  

 

Great first week.

[Mad Hatter]

You're a machine! Great first week. And awesome bread. Maybe all the yeast banded together and wanted to escape through the top.

[Evermist]

Bread got caught mid-cloning? XD Anyway, great Week 1, and wonderful progress! (+ I really love the story format of your quest!)

[Ocelot]

Thanks Elastigirl, Evermist and Mad Hatter. I honestly think that making it a goal to post here more and be accountable is what's causing the success. It hasn't been too easy a week, so I don't think I need to mke any goals harder, especially as the planks were really just warm up ones.

So its 6:40 and I've been up half an hour... Woke up at 6 and couldn't quite get my eyes open for 10 mins.. Hardest yet!

I'm still miserably lonely though as I haven't seen friends in several days, he still won't come round. I should go stay with others, its just always hard leaving the animals this time of year. I live/work in too isolated a place, and it doesn't help that I've got problems going to taekwondo later as it clashes with a tutorial. Aaargh

Anyway - morning rant over, the main thing s I'm up!!!

[Ocelot]

So that was Ocelot the Moaner and now I am MONA THE VAMPIRE. So much better.

[Ocelot]

Week 2 begins! (Update 1, 2 to go til accountability goal reached, also need to post pictures)

 

DAY 8

 

She was amused to hear the whispers around the castle the next day, but not surprised. She could have made it look as if he died naturally, but where was the fun in that? Instead she had left, let us just say... suggestive marks. By lunchtime, the rumour had grown into an almost-panic. A vampire had been in the night! A bloodsucking demon! Ocelot reassured the more hysterical kitchen people that there was no such thing. Nothing she said could persuade them, although they seemed to flock to her calming reassurances. She was getting a reputation as a good listener, which had begun to lead to the gathering of juicy information...

 

PLANK: PASS. Left it a little too late but got it done. Last 90 second one I think.

BW TRAINING: PASS. Strange twang in my left lats, so I didn't go above 3 pull ups in any one set. I did lots of squats, though my mobility was down on the pistols. I have a 50lb weight that I can use for some stuff, so I did Bulgarian split squats with that.

STRETCHING: PASS. I've been sneaking around in the guild of Monks and spied on this workout for hip stretching - link - liked it a lot

GETTING UP AT 6AM: PASS. URrrrgh. Nope. Still not easy. Could barely open my eyes until 6:10. It's 11pm now. Sigh.

 

ALL ELSE: Nothing much has happened today, I've been at home, it's been raining. I did Archers for the side quest while watching the Musketeers.

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Nice Day 8! I have a really difficult time getting up early...and I have to start getting up at 5am starting tomorrow... Best of luck to you!

[Claireloise]

 

Week 2 begins! (Update 1, 2 to go til accountability goal reached, also need to post pictures)

 

DAY 8

 

She was amused to hear the whispers around the castle the next day, but not surprised. She could have made it look as if he died naturally, but where was the fun in that? Instead she had left, let us just say... suggestive marks. By lunchtime, the rumour had grown into an almost-panic. A vampire had been in the night! A bloodsucking demon! Ocelot reassured the more hysterical kitchen people that there was no such thing. Nothing she said could persuade them, although they seemed to flock to her calming reassurances. She was getting a reputation as a good listener, which had begun to lead to the gathering of juicy information...

 

PLANK: PASS. Left it a little too late but got it done. Last 90 second one I think.

BW TRAINING: PASS. Strange twang in my left lats, so I didn't go above 3 pull ups in any one set. I did lots of squats, though my mobility was down on the pistols. I have a 50lb weight that I can use for some stuff, so I did Bulgarian split squats with that.

STRETCHING: PASS. I've been sneaking around in the guild of Monks and spied on this workout for hip stretching - link - liked it a lot

GETTING UP AT 6AM: PASS. URrrrgh. Nope. Still not easy. Could barely open my eyes until 6:10. It's 11pm now. Sigh.

 

ALL ELSE: Nothing much has happened today, I've been at home, it's been raining. I did Archers for the side quest while watching the Musketeers.

 

 

I love your story - mystery vampires in a castle, great stuff!  I'm glad that last week went so well, and this week looks like it's off to a good start.  Ant thanks for linking that hip stretching post - I've been really sore in that area for a couple of days, so I'm going to give this a go.  

[Ocelot]

I feel your pain Sin's Goddess. I too used to get up insanely early. 6am is just plai. early I think, nothing too unusual about it. Still not easy but today at least I didn't even feel tempted to go back to sleep. It was snowing!! So I went out and wandered around the garden watching the sun come up. I really do like early mornings.

Not really sure what I'm doing today except taekwondo later and the normal stretching.

[Nadoriel]

Ohh it never snows in here.. I never saw snow :/ We got ice a few weeks ago, everything was icy outside, but obviously it was sunny all days long.

[Ocelot]

Week 2 (Update 2, 1 to go til accountability goal reached, also need to post pictures)

 

DAY 9

 

PLANK: PASS. 2 minutes, way to start the week! Another promotion!

BW TRAINING: PASS. Rest day, in theory, though I did 200 archers for the guild, 3 30 second hollow holds and some leg raises.

STRETCHING: PASS. Try and STOP me stretching, these days. Included hip stretches.

GETTING UP AT 6AM: PASS.

 

ALL ELSE: Today included a 9 mile cycle according to my workout diary but I can't even remember where I went. Probably work and somewhere else like a nearby village.

 

DAY 10

 

PLANK: PASS. 2 minutes again. Still not too difficult. I am definitely feeling good about getting a few more minutes by the end of the challenge.

BW TRAINING: PASS. Taekwondo Master made us do a lot of push ups. A lot. Which made me sore for over 24 hours. I also managed to do a 30 second headstand. I'd love to try and get a handstand, if I can ever find somewhere to practice it with a wall.

STRETCHING: PASS. Taekwondo stretches today. Quite savage, but I am really, really improving.

GETTING UP AT 6AM: PASS.

 

ALL ELSE: 3 miles cycled home from training. 10,500 steps walked according to my pedometer app, so that's the mini-challenge for the guild complete too. (I wasn't wearing it during my 2 hours of taekwondo, either!)

[Ocelot]

Day 11 is today and it is going... erm... ok?

 

I didn't get up at 6!! I didn't! So I have failed this week. I don't know what happened. I'm so furious at myself. I must have turned the alarm off in my sleep. I woke up at 8:30am. I still managed to have a bit of a morning. But I bet I stay up late tonight and get all out of sync again. Well, I'm starting work at 6:30 next week so that should sort me out, I'll have to get up at 5! Ha! Serves me right.

 

I've been out most of the day in the pouring freezing rain, trying to stay dry. I feel very stiff now. Trying to keep moving and stretching.

[SymphonicDan]

You've broken your 10-day streak! Although to be fair maybe it was your body deciding it needed the rest more than you needed the streak. I'm amused that you went for a cycle without knowing where you actually went haha...

 

Doing well though you'll've levelled up IRL quite a lot by the end of these 6 weeks!

[Nadoriel]

Day 11 is today and it is going... erm... ok?

 

I didn't get up at 6!! I didn't! So I have failed this week. I don't know what happened. I'm so furious at myself. I must have turned the alarm off in my sleep. I woke up at 8:30am. I still managed to have a bit of a morning. But I bet I stay up late tonight and get all out of sync again. Well, I'm starting work at 6:30 next week so that should sort me out, I'll have to get up at 5! Ha! Serves me right.

 

I've been out most of the day in the pouring freezing rain, trying to stay dry. I feel very stiff now. Trying to keep moving and stretching.

I do that ever so often :/ that's why I have 2 alarm clocks ringing when I have to wake up early. I mean, when that happens I don't remember a thing, but I'm sure my mobile phone rings, because it always does. So I'm quite happy with fitbit flex for being my second and better alarm clock.

 

The weather has been terrible around here too. I mean, it's sunny around the morning, but when the sun goes down it's wind and rain and all for the last few days.

 

Hope you don't get sick!

[Ocelot]

Heheh I probably should be the one doing memory training. Days are like blanks to me unless I think very hard.

The rest of today wasn't toootally brilliant, but I did work on my main bodyweight moves and stretched. No archers as my friend (yes the one who never appeared last week) finally turned up. He did some complaining and then fell asleep on my sofa for a few hours then left. Siigh. This time of year! Seems to be getting to everyone! I do have some decent friends I swear... Most of them live in the city, or else scattered all over the country though

Anyway... Like Lottie, I'm not going to waste time thinking about the isolation or missing anyone, just gotta get on with life.

[Mad Hatter]

I see lots of green passes - awesome!

 

I can definitely relate to having your friends scattered all over the place. Sometimes it sucks but but like you said - it's not worth wasting time being sad about it. It is what it is. But to be fair, often it can be difficult to meet up with friends even if they live in the same city.

[Ocelot]

DAY 11 very short update today it's late I'm tired and there is nothing major to say This is update 2 of 3 necessary and I STILL have to post pics but I have taken some and will upload tomorrow.

 

PLANK: PASS. 150 seconds

BW TRAINING: PASS. Still can't do 4 pull ups. Where my 7 pull ups went I have no idea. I either gained weight, lost muscle or have just been too active and regularly tiring myself. Not sure which. Thankfully this challenge is all about regularity and accountability and I did my workout, included all necessary moves, and so I still pass!

STRETCHING: PASS. I'm hoping this habit does stick, its the last one from my week-one-high that is still feeling easy!

GETTING UP AT 6AM: Fail! See above. Very upsetting. But I'll be ok.

 

DAY 12

 

PLANK: PASS. Rest day

BW TRAINING: PASS. Rest day

STRETCHING: PASS. Mmmmm.

GETTING UP AT 6AM: Fail. So here is the flaw in my 'one strike and the week is out' plan. I miss one morning... and I immediately think, upon waking the next day, 'wait a minute, I already failed this week, I can go back to sleep!' Oh dear, oh dear oh dear. It wasn't TOO bad - I only dozed for half an hour then got up at 6:30 but that is NOT THE POINT.

 

ALL ELSE: I cycled to and from work - it was literally a tempest, I felt very intrepid. I am weatherproof.

 

DAY 13

 

PLANK: PASS. 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Felt really quite hard today. I'm not sure that the 30 day plank challenge is very well designed, but I'll keep going for now. I feel I should be doing more sets than one per day, and maybe not going up in such steep leaps. I can usually get to a 3 minute plank in less than 2 weeks but I don't think I'll make it this time... we'll see.

BW TRAINING: PASS. Better work today, came close to hitting all my planned sets, I was only one rep off two pull up sets. That's a big improvement on this time last week. I am also proud of how much accessory work I did on squats, and I got some archers done too.

STRETCHING: PASS. No problem again. I can't watch TV or read without stretching now. And I did the hip stretch routine while my leek and potato soup was cooking.

GETTING UP AT 6AM: Fail again! 7 today. Still not too late I suppose. Then again, I HAD to get up, so I don't know what would have happened if I'd been free to lie in. Worrying.

 

ALL ELSE: Quite a lot of woodland walking happened today.

[Ocelot]

DAY 14, end of week 2! This is update 3, so I have (just) passed my accountability goal!

 

PLANK: FAIL. I was supposed to go up to 3 minutes today but I almost collapsed at 2 minutes so I decided to stop for a 30 second break. I did finish the minute off, but it doesn't count. Next week, 3 minutes will be mine!

BW TRAINING: PASS. Rest day, but I did do a LOT of archers!

STRETCHING: PASS. I think I did 3 10 minute stretches today?! I can't seem to stop. Its so relaxing.

GETTING UP AT 6AM: Fail! OK. It's Sunday. I am starting early risings next week. It's dark and freezing. I didn't even look at the time this morning and I let myself laze around. Never mind! There's still four weeks to get this down.

 

ALL ELSE: Not a lot of activity today. Just a little hoovering. Next week is looking very intense though, so I think I can afford the day off. I did walk up the horse field to check the electric fence so I wasn't totally inactive. And just so there is a picture in my thread this week, here is me at the top of the field - yes its high up, the river below is where I start out!

Pic! Assassins always wear two hats, of course.

[SymphonicDan]

I think maybe you don't have sufficient motivation to get up at 6am every morning - if you make yourself remember why you prefer to get up earlier then maybe you'll have more success.

 

The plank challenge is pretty badly-designed - if you're finding it difficult at this stage then imagine how people without the preparation/fitness you have would find it! 2min30sec plank is pretty impressive, mainly for a mind-over-matter perspective.

 

You're doing very well - just keep it up when your schedule changes next week. And sleep early

[Ocelot]

Very good points. Now that I get this far into the plank challenge, I realise that the original one that I followed a couple of years ago was different! It had multiple sets and better arrangement of rest days. It was very effective, so I'll go hunting for it tomorrow.

[Ocelot]

Oh dear, I am a total buffoon and didn't set my alarm this morning. Luckily I woke up in time for work but not in time for NY challenge! Early mornings at work start on Wednesday... But I still won't pass this week well, I suppose the morning routine would be thrown out by working so early anyway. Sigh. I feel like this happens every time I try and get my life into a routine... Something changes!

At work now drinking a lot of coffee and eating millions of cookies, so life is not too bad XD