Sovellis | Finding the Path

[Sovellis]

Sovellis woke with a blinding headache, cursing the sun, festivals, wine, himself, and pretty much everything else. Now that the festival week was over, he felt he could use a holiday from his holiday. Perhaps he had gotten a little too carried away during the festivities. Heh, well his father was fond of reminding him that he never did anything half way, for good or ill. He should probably get up. Maybe. Eventually. Then there was the decision between throwing up, having breakfast, or both. 

 

He began a fresh round of cursing when he heard a sharp tapping sound at his window. What could be making such a racket? Grumbling incoherently he threw the first thing he could reach at the window. The book hit the wall a good ten feet from the window, utterly failing to deter the source of the torturous sound. With a low growl, the elf climbed out of bed, brushing his long black hair from his face. 

 

"Whoever you are, you'd better have a damn good reason for waking me!" he threatened, stumbling to the window and throwing it open, only to have a small bird fly in. He started swearing and swatting at it, but crumpled into a ball on the floor, holding his head. What the hell was he doing with his life? He used to fight monsters and start insurrections, now he was defeated by a songbird.

"Hey there long ears I hope this finds you well," the voice startled him and he jumped. "Noor?!" Trying to get to his feet, he only managed to trip on a pile of papers and fell hard, swearing again. Only then did he realize that it was the bird talking, and not his old friend. "Of course you sent an animal. Always with the animals."

 

The bird continued, "I am in a bit of a bind in the far north mountains above Soar Craig- you know the ones, where Ingy got that lovely curse and then we accidentally fell through a mountain to Intregoss. I took a job guarding a stupid fat merchant up into the old hall and something... fell on us.  Killed my battle boar outright.  I should really stick to dogs. tehy are somehow more durable. I am the only survivor, but I am... changed.  In order to get myself back, I have one doosy of a quest to go on, and I need my sharpshooter and resident bard to figure it all out. Besides, it's not been the same since the Path disbanded. I miss you Sov.  Just whisper  your answer to the bird and it will fly it to me. blessings of Jensa be upon us both. Solosu as well."

 

Shaking his head, he stared at the bird in disbelief, then leaned forward. "Noor, you crafty little shit, you scared the crap out of me! I'm not sure how much help I can be, but at least my injuries are healed now. I'm on my way. Can't wait to see you again, you curly tailed quarterling!" As the bird flew off to deliver his response, he leaned back against the wall. What good could he be to her? He was useless, nothing like he had been, but he had to try, right? Alright, that settled it, he had to get up and get dressed so he could prepare for his unexpected journey.

 

<------<<<

 

So! This is my first challenge as a ranger, and it's going to be a tough one! I realized a lot of things in my first challenge that are holding me back. It is time to set things right and get myself healthy, both physically and mentally. 

 

Main Goal: Feel better about myself. I suffer from anxiety and depression, as well as some serious self image and body issues. I want to learn to see the good in me, and not just my failures or inadequacies. I plan to attack this on multiple fronts.

 

Goal 1: Trail Rations! (CON) I am cutting all the junk out of my diet. No grains, no sugar (except a small bit of honey in my coffee). I plan to be eating pretty much only lean meat and vegetables. On one hand this shouldn't be too hard, since I don't have a sweet tooth or anything, but on the other hand, I do eat a lot of rice and potatoes and I'm a sucker for potato chips.

 

+3 CON 38 or more days +2 CON 28 days or more +1 CON 14 days or more

 

Goal 2: No taverns in the wild (CON) I am going to allow myself only one day each week when I can have any alcohol at all. I need to stop sabotaging myself with my love of beer.

 

+3 CON 6 or less drinking days +2 CON 12 or less +1 CON 15 or less

 

Goal 3: No jungle rot (CHA) Even in the wilds it is important to maintain a basic level of grooming, something I have been struggling with (yay depression!).  I have set up a scoring system for basic grooming tasks such as brushing my teeth, shaving, or showering. I will post that separately from this (this post is getting pretty long already).

 

Goal 4: Climbing through the mountains (STR/STA) I will continue my strength training and C25K (indoor bike if weather is uncooperative).

 

+3 STR/STA 38 or more days +2 STR/STA 28 days or days +1 STR/STA 14 points or days

(a completed day will constitute cardio plus either weight training or archery)

 

Life Goal: GRADUATE - I am working on getting my doctorate in clinical psychology. All I have left is internship and dissertation, and both of these have been rather epic quests in and of themselves.

 

Here is a link to my friend Noor's challenge thread!

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/63198-noor-stoneshod-journey/#entry1445491

[CyclingMimi]

So cool!! I hope you do really well, both physically & in your course. I'm sure you'll succeed. Way to go on being a Wood Elf Ranger!!

[petefeet]

Following along buddy, looking forward to your adventure!

[Jett]

Following because story quests are awesome, and collaborative ones seem like a great idea!

[Sovellis]

Following because story quests are awesome, and collaborative ones seem like a great idea!

 

I'm really excited to see how it works out, should be a lot of fun!

[rgbb]

I peeked in on your challenge last time around, and am looking forward to following the next chapter!  It's so important to see the good in ourselves - I always feel that others see all the good in me that I seem to miss.  You'll do great!    

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

I'll visit you here from time to time.

[Dusk]

Hey Sovellis, glad to see you! Welcome to the guild! Your goals look great. And wow, you're really close to your PhD! Good luck!!!

 

I love, love, love your storytelling, by the way. I love your newfound enthusiasm and look forward to seeing your progress!

[Moros]

Good Luck man!  Crush the challenge...

 

[petefeet]

Have a great challenge Sovellis!

[jaex]

 

Main Goal: Feel better about myself. I suffer from anxiety and depression, as well as some serious self image and body issues. I want to learn to see the good in me, and not just my failures or inadequacies. I plan to attack this on multiple fronts.

 

 

How can you not be amazed by yourself?  You do archery and that is soooo cool which makes you soooo cool.  But in all seriousness I'll be rooting for you!

 

Also, I've never tried honey in coffee.  Is it good?  I might have to do that one of these days.

[petefeet]

Also, I've never tried honey in coffee.  Is it good?  I might have to do that one of these days.

 

I co-worker of mine puts coconut oil (acts and looks a bit like wax) into their coffee (black), I was a bit dubious but it smelled good so I tried it, honestly it's not bad.

[Dusk]

How can you not be amazed by yourself?  You do archery and that is soooo cool which makes you soooo cool.  But in all seriousness I'll be rooting for you!

 

Also, I've never tried honey in coffee.  Is it good?  I might have to do that one of these days.

 

Archery is SUPER AWESOME! I really want to get into it myself. I used to be pretty good when I was younger, but it's been a long time since I had a bow that was big enough for my lanky arms.

 

jaex, I take honey in my coffee, myself, and it is delicious. It does take some getting used to, though, if you are a sugar-and-cream person. It's a new blend of tastes.

[jaex]

I guess I haven't been adventurous since I tried using molasses in coffee once and did not like it at all.  Also, while I love maple syrup, I wasn't a fan when I put into coffee.  Will definitely try the honey thing though

[Sovellis]

Oh my goodness! So much encouragement!

 

Hey Sovellis, glad to see you! Welcome to the guild! Your goals look great. And wow, you're really close to your PhD! Good luck!!!

 

I love, love, love your storytelling, by the way. I love your newfound enthusiasm and look forward to seeing your progress!

 

Thank you so much! I actually get really insecure about my writing at times, and wasn't sure about how the story would be received here. 

 

 

How can you not be amazed by yourself?  You do archery and that is soooo cool which makes you soooo cool.  But in all seriousness I'll be rooting for you!

 

Also, I've never tried honey in coffee.  Is it good?  I might have to do that one of these days.

 

I.... Wow. I don't know, I usually kinda just feel like I'm faking it and hoping no one will notice. I guess this is exactly the problem.    And as for honey in coffee, I think it's 100% better than normal cream and sugar.

 

Archery is SUPER AWESOME! I really want to get into it myself. I used to be pretty good when I was younger, but it's been a long time since I had a bow that was big enough for my lanky arms.

 

Archery rocks! I've got my next class on Tuesday and I can't wait!

[Dusk]

Oh my goodness! So much encouragement!

 

 

Thank you so much! I actually get really insecure about my writing at times, and wasn't sure about how the story would be received here. 

 

 

[...] as for honey in coffee, I think it's 100% better than normal cream and sugar.

 

What else are we here for but to encourage each other?

 

I totally understand - I'm insecure about my writing too. But yeah, I really like your voice and the way you characterize the speaker (it's based on your role playing character, isn't it?). It's very compelling to read!

 

Honey in coffee is amazing. I can actually appreciate the subtle variations in the taste of different coffees now. There's no way I could taste anything beyond "oh, it's coffee" when I used to drown it in sugar and creamer.

[Sovellis]

 

I totally understand - I'm insecure about my writing too. But yeah, I really like your voice and the way you characterize the speaker (it's based on your role playing character, isn't it?). It's very compelling to read!

 

Yup, he's a super fun character to play, lots of personality, lol. I'm sure Noor will attest to that.    I'm really happy you're liking the story so far!

[Sovellis]

It took Sovellis a couple days to gather the supplies he needed and put his affairs in order. Knowing that he wouldn't have access to such luxuries on the road, he allowed himself to indulge a bit, maybe more than a bit, his last night in the city. Now he wished he hadn't. His stomach only allowed him to pick at his breakfast before he headed out. Not the most auspicious beginning to his journey, but oh well. At least he couldn't do this to himself once he got out there. 

 

Standing at the city gate, Sovellis stops, a wave of fear and insecurity washing over him. This was real. He was actually going to do this. What was he thinking? It would be such a simple thing to just turn around now and go home. No. Noor was out there, and she had gone to some pretty extreme lengths to reach him. He had to try. "Well here goes nothing," he said in a hushed tone as he took his first step out the gate, finally moving beyond those formidable stone walls.

 

The terrain around the city was hardly difficult, low rolling hills and open fields interspersed with patches of forest. Despite this, Sovellis soon found himself sweating, no longer used to the weight of a pack on his back. His hangover simply intensified his discomfort, making him wonder occasionally if he might throw up the small bit of breakfast that refused to settle down. He pushed on, thinking of numerous clever curses to throw at Noor for making him do this. 

 

At last, the sun began its slow crawl beyond the horizon. Leaving the road a little ways he was able to find what appeared to be a commonly used camp site and unceremoniously dropped his pack in the dirt. Somehow, during the course of setting up camp for the night, he strained his wrist, resulting in stream of colorful language. At least his stomach seemed to have stopped its objection to performing its usual duties, so he thought he should be able to actually eat a meal. 

 

As he set about making his dinner, he took stock of his situation. His back hurt. His feet hurt. He was tired, sore, and hungry. He had already managed to injure himself, and it was just the first day. "Haha, Noor, I'm going to try to reach you, but at this rate it's not looking too good."

 

<------<<<

 

Alright! Day 1! Despite feeling less than great, I still got myself out of bed, went on a run and did my weight training. Two things about this: 1. three bites of cold leftovers and a 5 hour energy do not constitute an acceptable pre-run meal. 2. I don't know what I did, but my wrist is now angry with me. *waits for the inevitable flood of dirty jokes* Lol, not the best start to a challenge, but it's still a start! I even had to do some biking today on top of the run (had to drop my truck at the shop, not looking forward to what they have to say tomorrow).  Looking forward to chicken and avocados for dinner, which I will be preparing shortly. 

 

Aside from all that, I have to try to get myself to adjust some of the numbers in my goals (because I apparently cannot math) and update my signature tonight. Oh, and I should also post the specifics for my third goal. 

[Sovellis]

Here's what I have so far for the scoring system for goal 3:

 

1 point - brush teeth, take vitamins, deodorant, fragrance, moisturize face

2 points - shave, wash face, wear contacts, trim errant hairs

3 points - shower, moisturize shoulders/arms, trim/file nails, get dressed, braid hair

4 points - bath, dye hair, other luxury self care things

 

I am planning on having a minimum number of points to be achieved for each day to be counted as a success, but I'm not sure how many points I want to require just yet. This goal may need a little bit of work still, but it's driving me nuts and I need to step away from it for now.

[Sovellis]

In the gathering darkness, Sovellis tried to relax and settle in for the night, but he could not get comfortable. He shifted and squirmed, but it seemed that no matter where he lay there was a knotted root or sharp rock poking him in the back. "A good strong ale might help distract me from how hard this ground is," he grumbled, wondering how he was going to sleep.

 

A stick cracked loudly out amongst the trees. Sitting up sharply, Sovellis tried to spot the source of the sound. "Is someone there?" he called out into the darkness, which offered no response. He nervously reached for his bow, wondering if he had the skill yet to actually fend off an attack. Maybe he had been a fool thinking that he could do this. 

 

<------<<<

 

I was trying to set up my progress bars and get stuff set up, but I just couldn't seem to get any of it to work out. I realized that one of my goals is basically 2 goals combined, and they work on different scales, which meant a single progress bar wouldn't work. I don't know why, but I was getting caught up in this and confused and frustrated and it was really bothering me, more than it should. Noor offered a brilliant solution, just counting my archery practice as strength training, since the scales were different because any day I do archery, I don't lift. 

 

And then, I was getting very frustrated with trying to figure out how to quantify my third goal. This one for some reason was actually kinda raising my anxiety level and I got to a point where I kinda wanted to just scrap all of my goals and start over. Trying not to get too freaked out about all of this, and recognize that I actually did pretty good today. Depending on just how I grade goal 3, I will have met all my goals for the day, which is great. So why don't I feel good about it?

[petefeet]

 

 Depending on just how I grade goal 3, I will have met all my goals for the day, which is great. So why don't I feel good about it?

 

 

Maybe because you're trying to put everything in a box without enjoying the process of "getting there". Maybe a good time to set back, do some deep breathing and relax for 5 minutes?

[Surakha]

 Trying not to get too freaked out about all of this, and recognize that I actually did pretty good today. Depending on just how I grade goal 3, I will have met all my goals for the day, which is great. So why don't I feel good about it?

 

 

Sometimes the bad brain just has the loudest voice and  makes a nuisance of itself. I think you are doing really well.  Part of why we have these concrete graded goalsis so we can argue  with bad brain and ignore its  pokings and proddings about failure. As you develop a new  routine it will be easier. You can do this. 

[Sovellis]

Maybe because you're trying to put everything in a box without enjoying the process of "getting there". Maybe a good time to set back, do some deep breathing and relax for 5 minutes?

 

Heh, I tried to do this, but I am really bad at letting things go. I did manage to avoid poking at it again last night after my last post.

 

 

Sometimes the bad brain just has the loudest voice and  makes a nuisance of itself. I think you are doing really well.  Part of why we have these concrete graded goalsis so we can argue  with bad brain and ignore its  pokings and proddings about failure. As you develop a new  routine it will be easier. You can do this. 

 

Bad brain is bad. Stupid bad brain. Routine is good, just gotta keep doing it, the rest will sort itself out. *nod*

[Ithil]

 

Alright! Day 1! Despite feeling less than great, I still got myself out of bed, went on a run and did my weight training. Lol, not the best start to a challenge, but it's still a start! Aside from all that, I have to try to get myself to adjust some of the numbers in my goals (because I apparently cannot math) and update my signature tonight. Oh, and I should also post the specifics for my third goal. 

 

 

You did good! When feeling less than great you get points from actually leaving the bed and you did a lot on top of that: several kinds of exercise, you had a good dinner planned despite having some issues with it earlier in the day (but still remembering to eat something is a plus in itself and it was leftovers indicating that it had been made by you which is always a plus), fixing the progress bars and goals etc. It's way too easy to let the anxiety and depression to tell you that you only did fail and nothing was good, ask me how I know (both for last 11 years plus now some additional fun stuff from the burn out)..  This is all work towards a goal and it's good. So try to look at yourself bit more gently, it's easy for me to look at your work and list all the good stuff but if I look at my own work I get far too easily distracted by all the fails and see only them. So maybe it's just easier to cut yourself some slack and look at the things objectively when it's about somebody else and not yourself.

[Sovellis]

Bright sun greeted the elf as he woke. He had eventually nodded off, despite his fears, but his sleep had been plagued by unsettling dreams. "Well that was a pleasant first night," he grumbled to himself as he set about making a quick breakfast. Difficult sleep meant he had woken late, the sun already high in the sky, so there was no time for a leisurely meal before he got back on the road. He actually wasn't as sore as he was expecting to be, all things considered. Hopefully that was a good sign.

 

<------<<<

 

Didn't sleep great, but better than I anticipated. This whole waking up clear headed thing is kinda nice. Breakfast is scrambled eggs with green onions and spinach with hot sauce and a cup of coffee. No more 3 bites of leftovers and a 5 hour energy, lol. I also heard back from the mechanic, and so far the repairs will be significantly cheaper than I expected, though still not cheap. Oh well, it needs to get done.