♫ starsapart has a plan ♫

[starsapart]

"but I've got a plan...

why don't you be the artist

and make me out of clay?

why don't you be the writer

and decide the words I say..."

 

 

I have to thank Hazard for this theme.  When I was flailing around, trying to think of a theme for my next challenge, I remembered a conversation that we had had some time ago and realized… I am an awkward flying girl.  In fact, I am an awkward flying girl who is trying to find a new place to live… and possibly attempting to be less awkward in the process.  I am literally Kiki.  Minus the magic (unfortunately) and the teenage angst (fortunately).  So here I am, flying unsteadily into another challenge - and if I can expand my comfort zone a bit as I work on lessening that awkwardness, so much the better.  Here we go!

 

MAIN QUEST:

In short: begin the process of merging sport and art.  I’ve been training in aerial for five months now, and my skills are improving, but I’m not doing my dance background credit when I’m up in the air, either.  I need to start moving with intention, adding beauty to the strength I am starting to display.  I picked this sport not only to be strong - I picked it because I have always loved to dance.  Time to remember my roots and begin, slowly, to create.

 

QUEST 1: fly through the wobbles - (+3 DEX, +3 STA, +2 CHA)

My biggest goal this time - and the one upon which all others will build - is to begin the creation of my very first choreographed piece on fabric.  I am so excited and simultaneously so nervous about this.  For one thing, it’s progress-based.  For another, I’m trying to kick Impostor Syndrome in the teeth as I do this.  In any case, I’ve picked my song (pssssssst it’s my challenge song) and my goal will be to create and learn at minimum two minutes of choreography by the end of six weeks.  If you are all very lucky, you may even get to see the results…

• A: two minutes complete, B: 1.5 minutes complete, C: 1 minute complete

 

QUEST 2: persevere in adversity - (+1 STR, +1 DEX, +1 WIS)

Because I’ll find reasons not to do it, otherwise, I am setting myself a goal to work on one thing I really hate/suck at for at least 15 minutes in every open gym.  This can include things like helicopter (ughhhh), single or double knee climbs, and anything else that I suck at.  The only way to suck less is to DO IT:

• A: 15 minutes, B: 10 minutes, C: 5 minutes

 

QUEST 3: up and away - (+3 STR)

Straight legs on straddle-ups - my archnemesis.  I try, I do, but I can’t do it yet - and I’d quite like to put them into my choreography... That said, I am in the air three days a week this challenge, so I will work on these every time I am on any apparatus, even if it’s just one or two at the beginning/end of class:

• A: 3 times a week, B: 2 times a week, C: 1 time a week

LIFE QUEST: finding my way home - (+1 WIS)

This is very amorphous, but stillskies and I are having First Time Home Buying Adventures, and my life goal is to basically do all I can to keep it running smoothly.... in a timely manner if at all possible.  I'm not sure the ultimate goal (find a new house, buy it, move in) will be complete this challenge, but it's going to be the honest effort that counts here.  The grading isn't SMART at all, but I'll know if I haven't done what needs to be done... and what "needs to be done" can even be giving up and settling back to wait until another time, if that is financially and logically the most reasonable thing to do in a given situation.  I'll play this by ear for now.

• A: did what I could, THERE IS NO TRY, SO THERE IS NO B OR C.

 

The points thus come out like this, assuming I mathed correctly:

 

STR : 4 (A=4, B=3, C=2)

DEX : 4 (A=4, B=3, C=2)

STA : 3 (A=3, B=2, C=1)

CON : 0

WIS : 2 (A=2, B=1, C=.5)

CHA : 2 (A=2, B=1, C=.5)

 

I'll be keeping track of daily accomplishments in a gdoc, publicly available HERE. The spreadsheet does all the fancy math for me (I love technology).

 

REWARDS: None this time… trying to save some cash for potential home ownership (if we ever, you know, find a house to buy).  If I ace the challenge, though, I am going to take one day COMPLETELY OFF OF HOUSEWORK.  There, I said it.  Let it be so.

 

Before pictures:

  

 

Measurements:

Neck:12.8"

Waist: 26.2"

Hips: 36.2"

Chest: 35"

Thigh: R: 21.5" L: 20.9"

Bicep: R: 10.8" L: 10.8"

Calf: R: 15.1"  L: 14.7"

 

Weight: 139.6lbs

BF%: 21

Dress/pants size: 2/4

[Urgan]

Following~ 

[blkhole24601]

YAY GHIBLI CHALLENGE!!!

 

[shaar]

YAAAAY KIKI <3

 

I'm loving the variability (is that a word?) of your LQ, good choice.  Give yourself the space you need to work with it!!

[starsapart]

Following~ 

 

Welcome back aboard the crazy train~

 

YAY GHIBLI CHALLENGE!!!

 

 

 

YAAAAY KIKI <3

 

I'm loving the variability (is that a word?) of your LQ, good choice.  Give yourself the space you need to work with it!!

 

If it's not a word, it ought to be.

 

And without flexibility in my LQ, I might lose my mind..... I don't have time for another LQ, so this has to be it, but I also have no idea what form it will eventually take.  WE WILL JUST HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

[blkhole24601]

 

[StoneMonkey]

Awesome challenge! I especially love your main quest. Strength by itself is cool, but strength applied to art? That's magic. I hope you get your straddle-up too! Press handstands are my bane. ^^

 

Best of luck! 

[raptron]

[starsapart]

Awesome challenge! I especially love your main quest. Strength by itself is cool, but strength applied to art? That's magic. I hope you get your straddle-up too! Press handstands are my bane. ^^

 

Best of luck! 

 

Thank you!  I am really happy to start working on choreography but also petrified..... I'm sure I'll still look like an awkward n00b, but the only way to improve that is to work on it, right?

 

And ha, straddle-ups...... they're quite solid for me now, but only the bent-arm/bent-leg variant.  Bent-arm/straight-leg is still kicking my butt. the teachers all seem to think I should be doing them by now - as they watch me prep for drops, they're calling at me, "Straight legs, Maaya!  Straight legs!"  And I'm just up there calling back, "I AM TRYING BUT I JUST CAN'T."

[mitch_dee]

**hangs his hammock and prepares for this thread to hit 30+ pages before the challenge starts**

[katniss]

Oh, starting with Studio Ghibli, love it. Applying art to strength, beautiful!

[BlackTezca]

 

MAIN QUEST:

In short: begin the process of merging sport and art.  I’ve been training in aerial for five months now, and my skills are improving, but I’m not doing my dance background credit when I’m up in the air, either.  I need to start moving with intention, adding beauty to the strength I am starting to display.  I picked this sport not only to be strong - I picked it because I have always loved to dance.  Time to remember my roots and begin, slowly, to create.

 

QUEST 1: fly through the wobbles - (+3 DEX, +3 STA, +2 CHA)

My biggest goal this time - and the one upon which all others will build - is to begin the creation of my very first choreographed piece on fabric.  I am so excited and simultaneously so nervous about this.  For one thing, it’s progress-based.  For another, I’m trying to kick Impostor Syndrome in the teeth as I do this.  In any case, I’ve picked my song (pssssssst it’s my challenge song) and my goal will be to create and learn at minimum two minutes of choreography by the end of six weeks.  If you are all very lucky, you may even get to see the results…

• A: two minutes complete, B: 1.5 minutes complete, C: 1 minute complete

 

QUEST 2: persevere in adversity - (+1 STR, +1 DEX, +1 WIS)

Because I’ll find reasons not to do it, otherwise, I am setting myself a goal to work on one thing I really hate/suck at for at least 15 minutes in every open gym.  This can include things like helicopter (ughhhh), single or double knee climbs, and anything else that I suck at.  The only way to suck less is to DO IT:

• A: 15 minutes, B: 10 minutes, C: 5 minutes

 

QUEST 3: up and away - (+3 STR)

Straight legs on straddle-ups - my archnemesis.  I try, I do, but I can’t do it yet - and I’d quite like to put them into my choreography... That said, I am in the air three days a week this challenge, so I will work on these every time I am on any apparatus, even if it’s just one or two at the beginning/end of class:

• A: 3 times a week, B: 2 times a week, C: 1 time a week

LIFE QUEST: finding my way home - (+1 WIS)

As those who have followed me before know, stillskies and I are really trying to buy a house right now.  The process has been awful, though - we offer above asking price and still get outbid.  I really don’t know if we’ll find a house in time, but this is also taking up all my spare time.  Because of this, this goal is going to stay vague for now: continuously do things (at least weekly) to further our progress of getting a new home and moving into it.  If/when we make an offer that is accepted (please, please, please let this happen soon), this goal will swap to a packing goal with specific timelines for rooms that need to be put into boxes… but I will not pack unless I know I have found a place to move!  Therefore:

• Grading will be subject to how the situation around this goal develops!

 

OH MY GOD!  That will be awesome to have your own choreographed aerial piece!  Of course I'll be watching this thread but I can't wait till its' done and we all get to see it (I hope)!  You've been doing so much awesome stuff with Aerial so it's really neat to be seeing all those moves put together into a fluid piece!

 

I'm also really impressed with the challenge to work on something you hate.  Ugh I know plenty of fitness (and life) things I hate so kudos on taking that on!  Speaking of challenging exercises, good luck on the straight legs for straddle up!  Those sound hella tough!

 

House buying is not an easy process sadly; the hard part for me and the hubs was similar to what you're going through now.  Except earlier in the process: even before we could THINK about seeing a house, any house we found on a link, or our realtor would mention, it would be pulled out from our feet.  I had to leave work once to dash to see a house and then instantly put an offer down (for full asking price) an half an hour after I left work.  So it's a bitch and a half.  However, with determination, patience (oh...oh the patience), you'll find the perfect home!  Good luck chica!!

 

REWARDS: None this time… trying to save some cash for potential home ownership (if we ever, you know, find a house to buy).  If I ace the challenge, though, I am going t take one day COMPLETELY OFF OF HOUSEWORK.  There, I said it.  Let it be so.

 

That sounds like an awesome reward.  You know what potential challenge I should do for next time?

Cleaning.  Ugh...hate cleaning.  So you taking a break from it is awesome in my book .

[starsapart]

**hangs his hammock and prepares for this thread to hit 30+ pages before the challenge starts**

 

It isn't impossible!

 

Though to my surprise,the last one slowed wayyyyyyyyyyy down and I ended up not quite hitting 50!

 

Oh, starting with Studio Ghibli, love it. Applying art to strength, beautiful!

 

I hope that my results come out even a little beautiful..... maybe not Ghibli-beautiful, but I have to start somewhere...

 

OH MY GOD!  That will be awesome to have your own choreographed aerial piece!  Of course I'll be watching this thread but I can't wait till its' done and we all get to see it (I hope)!  You've been doing so much awesome stuff with Aerial so it's really neat to be seeing all those moves put together into a fluid piece!

 

I'm also really impressed with the challenge to work on something you hate.  Ugh I know plenty of fitness (and life) things I hate so kudos on taking that on!  Speaking of challenging exercises, good luck on the straight legs for straddle up!  Those sound hella tough!

 

House buying is not an easy process sadly; the hard part for me and the hubs was similar to what you're going through now.  Except earlier in the process: even before we could THINK about seeing a house, any house we found on a link, or our realtor would mention, it would be pulled out from our feet.  I had to leave work once to dash to see a house and then instantly put an offer down (for full asking price) an half an hour after I left work.  So it's a bitch and a half.  However, with determination, patience (oh...oh the patience), you'll find the perfect home!  Good luck chica!!

 

 

That sounds like an awesome reward.  You know what potential challenge I should do for next time?

Cleaning.  Ugh...hate cleaning.  So you taking a break from it is awesome in my book .

 

Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh maybe I should try not to think about the house thing for the rest of today.  It is stressing me out.........

 

And ha, I also hate cleaning, but I hate living in a filthy space more.... basically I want to not have to make like Sophie in that gif of yours.  At that point, walking into my house would just make me cry.

 

I used to be a bit less diligent about daily cleaning and just do massive clean-ups less frequently, but I've found that my stress levels are directly proportionate to house messiness....... must keep down the latter to control the former...... alas.

 

Though if we DO move, I'll likely have a cleaning and unpacking challenge next time... so, you know, solidarity.

[lucky fire dragon]

wow, wow, WOW I love this so much!!!!!!!!!!

 

It will be b e a u tiful and you will have such fun (and the occasional frustration, but that's okay) in the progress

Whooooooeeeee

 

Exciting stuff

 

(settles in to watch from a cosy corner)

[BlackTezca]

Yeah I need to be more diligent with house cleaning.  So solidarity indeed!

[starsapart]

wow, wow, WOW I love this so much!!!!!!!!!!

 

It will be b e a u tiful and you will have such fun (and the occasional frustration, but that's okay) in the progress

Whooooooeeeee

 

Exciting stuff

 

(settles in to watch from a cosy corner)

 

SO excited to start!  I may give it a bit of thought (at least, the opener/ground-based portion) this week but I won't have open gym time until the 18th, so this works out pretty well!

 

Yeah I need to be more diligent with house cleaning.  So solidarity indeed!

 

My house may be a bit shabby on Wednesday because... well, you know.  House hunt + general life insanity + going out of town this weekend............. but I have 50 calorie macaroons from Trader Joe's so I'm sort of hoping you'll forgive me.

[Lightning]

Following!

I've asked for aerial yoga lessons for my birthday so I hope to give this a whirl for my third challenge. I lack both grace and strength but, I have the desire. 

[starsapart]

Following!

I've asked for aerial yoga lessons for my birthday so I hope to give this a whirl for my third challenge. I lack both grace and strength but, I have the desire. 

 

To start with, this is all you need!

[hybrid756]

This is all so full of wonderfulness! To be able to put to use all the moves you've learned in aerial and craft something out of it... I was getting intrigued about what your challenge was going to be, what a brilliant goal!

 

*pitches tent*

 

[starsapart]

This is all so full of wonderfulness! To be able to put to use all the moves you've learned in aerial and craft something out of it... I was getting intrigued about what your challenge was going to be, what a brilliant goal!

 

*pitches tent*

 

 

Oh man, I feel like you guys are all expecting this gorgeous work of art - you do know that my very first routine ever is bound to be a bit of a wreck, right?

[hybrid756]

Oh man, I feel like you guys are all expecting this gorgeous work of art - you do know that my very first routine ever is bound to be a bit of a wreck, right?

 

Eeeeek, not what I meant to do... I just think it's super cool the plan you've got to apply everything you've learned to something you created yourself. I don't care if you think you suck even remotely, because I don't! Already in awe of your aerial work, this is just a super-duper groovy application of it!

[astormofsparkle]

Silks and hoop work is GORGEOUS! You will be fabulous!

[Urgan]

Oh man, I feel like you guys are all expecting this gorgeous work of art - you do know that my very first routine ever is bound to be a bit of a wreck, right?

 

Considering your "flailing" is perfectly arresting, an actual routine will be both impressive and instructive for those of us with 0 hours of real aerial to our names. You are an aerial ambassador as well as an assassin ambassador, ya know.

[sylph]

In, of course. <3

 

 Bent-arm/straight-leg is still kicking my butt. the teachers all seem to think I should be doing them by now - as they watch me prep for drops, they're calling at me, "Straight legs, Maaya!  Straight legs!"  And I'm just up there calling back, "I AM TRYING BUT I JUST CAN'T."

Yeah, I get this from my coach for straight arm straight leg. :\ I'm just not strong enough yet, dammit.

 

Following!

I've asked for aerial yoga lessons for my birthday so I hope to give this a whirl for my third challenge. I lack both grace and strength but, I have the desire. 

Do eeeeeeet!!

[Achaedia]