♫ starsapart is a superhero ♫

[starsapart]

"'She's got lions in her heart,

A fire in her soul;

He's a got a beast in his belly

That's so hard to control,

'Cause they've taken too much hits

Taking blow by blow,

Now light a match, stand back, watch them explode.

When you've been fighting for it all your life,

You've been working every day and night,

That's a how a superhero learns to fly..."

 

MAIN QUEST:

Become the Queen of Heroes!

Or, in layman’s terms, keep moving toward my long-term goal of being the best acrobat I can be!  Not every quest directly ties back to this, but almost everything leads back to it in my mind, sooner or later.  That’s called being obsessed, I think.  Or maybe dedicated.  I’ll be lifting, flying, and dancing my way through my days as always, but there are a few things in my life that I need to polish, and this first summer challenge is the perfect time to do exactly that!  These things may not seem all that extravagant or super, but honestly?  I think a hero is made up of many little things.  So, here’s to the little things. Also, to the only time in my life I've found Comic Sans to be the appropriate font for... well... anything.

 

As for the pass/fail grading…. well, I thought I’d give it a go since a hero doesn’t do half measures!

 

Anyway, let’s get started!

 

QUEST 1: Sky High! And again, Sky High! - (+2 STR, +2 DEX, +1 CHA)

I got so much benefit out of this goal, that just like Sky High, I am repeating myself!  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 knee climbs, and anything else that I suck at.  The only way to suck less is to DO IT:

• A: I did the thing! THERE IS NO TRY, SO THERE IS NO B OR C.

 

QUEST 2: Chill out with Blue Rose - (+3 DEX, +1 WIS)

So, I miss yoga, mostly for the mental and emotional benefits I always derived from it.  And I keep making noises about doing some at home, since I am effectively unable to go back to classes.  And then I keep putting it off.  Well, no more!  At least once a week, I will do an at home yoga video.  It doesn’t matter if it’s short (though I will try for something at least moderately challenging), but I have to do it weekly.  Full stop.  This should also flow nicely into the stretches for the PVP I’m doing!

• A: I did the thing! THERE IS NO TRY, SO THERE IS NO B OR C.

 

QUEST 3: Shrimp fried rice with Wild Tiger - (+3 CON, +1 WIS)

Just like Kotetsu, I have my mainstay recipes.  But while Wild Tiger may be just fine eating shrimp fried rice (with mayo… naturally) seven days a week, I’m getting a bit bored with my tried-and-true mainstays.  Time to freshen up my recipe catalogue!  Especially now that I have my BIG, NEW, BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN.  And it’s summer.  And I have that lovely fruit CSA starting next week.  So, once a week at minimum, I will try a new SIMPLE AND HEALTHFUL recipe with the intention of adding it into the rotation if it suits me.

• A: I did the thing! THERE IS NO TRY, SO THERE IS NO B OR C.

 

LIFE QUEST: Family time with Kaede - (+2 WIS)

Kaede may actually be better at adulting than her father, which is simultaneously hilarious and sad.  Thankfully, her grandmother takes care of things like teaching her to be a civilized member of society.  And this includes eating meals at the table like a grown-up….. which both Kotetsu and I are TERRIBLE at doing.  Whoops.  This is really something that needs to be corrected before we have a bitty in the house.  Thus, over the course of the challenge, I will attempt to wrangle stillskies a minimum of 4 times a week into proper meals at the table.  NOT on the sectional.  With plates and silverware and no Hulu.  ADULTING, WE CAN DO THIS.

• A: 4 times, B: 3 times, C: 2 times

 

As always, I have my handy-dandy spreadsheet which you can view to see my progress!  The points thus come out like this, assuming I mathed correctly:

 

STR: 2

DEX: 5

STA: 0

CON: 3

WIS: 4

CHA: 1

 

REWARDS: My head is reeling from all of the money we've spent in the last month (yay being new homeowners.... only not; I am tearing my hair out), so once again, no big, expensive rewards. But, if I ace this challenge, I will treat myself to tea at the teahouse with a friend... whoever wants to come with me, really.

 

Before pictures: 
  

 

Measurements:

Neck: 12.8"

Waist: 26"

Hips: 36"

Shoulders: 41.3"

Thigh: R: 21" L: 20.3"

Calf: R: 14.8"  L: 14.5"

Bicep: R: 10.6" L: 10.6"

 

Weight: 132.0

BF%: 20.1%

Dress/pants size: 2

[shaar]

I will admit I had to do some Googling to find out what anime this was.  (I'm so behind the times.........)

 

 

The yoga thing, SO TRUE.  I really enjoy it and the happy non-feeling like a brick benefits it brings, but I just... can't... get up the effort to do it more at home.  I KNOW IT IS BENEFICIAL.  Yet, meh.

 

SUBBED FOR GREATNESS~

[raptron]

! THINGS!

[Urgan]

! THINGS!

 

And Stuff! Strapped in, locked, and ready to rock!

[BlackTezca]

There has not been a more apt title to a challenge  .  Really like you challenges so far, especially since most of them are pass and fail which is pretty neat!  I like the at home at the table idea too.  That would nice habit to set, especially once our clone is running around.  A nice sit down family time dinner.

 

Also: ME!!! MEEEEE!!!!! I LIKE TEA STUFF!!!!! I LIKE TEA HOUSE THINGS!!! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Urgan]

I think BlackTezca is trying to tell you something, Maaya. 

[imadork]

Here to follow! 

[imadork]

doh....

[Sam Ashen]

Here you go:

 

 

It was the first thing I thought of when you gave some of your goals an A or F grade.

[sylph]

! THINGS!

 

 

in, of course.

[starsapart]

I will admit I had to do some Googling to find out what anime this was.  (I'm so behind the times.........)

 

 

The yoga thing, SO TRUE.  I really enjoy it and the happy non-feeling like a brick benefits it brings, but I just... can't... get up the effort to do it more at home.  I KNOW IT IS BENEFICIAL.  Yet, meh.

 

SUBBED FOR GREATNESS~

 

PSA: WATCH TIGER & BUNNY.  Of the new anime that have come out in the last 5-ish years, it's one of very few that really caught my interest.  I laughed, I cried, I screamed at my TV.  It was amazing.  And I say this as someone who is very ambivalent toward the superhero genre.

 

! THINGS!

 

THERE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE THINGS!!!

 

And Stuff! Strapped in, locked, and ready to rock!

 

AND ALSO STUFF!

 

There has not been a more apt title to a challenge   .  Really like you challenges so far, especially since most of them are pass and fail which is pretty neat!  I like the at home at the table idea too.  That would nice habit to set, especially once our clone is running around.  A nice sit down family time dinner.

 

Also: ME!!! MEEEEE!!!!! I LIKE TEA STUFF!!!!! I LIKE TEA HOUSE THINGS!!! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, must elarn to eat at the table before kiddo.  Imagine a toddler eating on the couch, and the ensuing mess.  Yeah, no.

 

And oh.... did you say something about tea?

 

I think BlackTezca is trying to tell you something, Maaya. 

 

....You think?

 

Here to follow! 

 

Woot!

 

Here you go:

 

 

It was the first thing I thought of when you gave some of your goals an A or F grade.

 

Oh, he's the exact reason I phrased it like that, you get a gold star~

 

 

 

 

in, of course.

 

Yay!

 

In fact, I am about to go post a video of a new sequence I just learned in my battle log, doot doot.

[Nymeria]

I'm here!  I'm so glad you're trying yoga again, and that your not-very-supportive ex-teacher didn't completely sour you on the entire thing.  The home video approach can be very relaxing, and if you're good at making substitutions on the fly (like, I feel like doing bird of paradise here or side crow or whatever), it can end up being exactly what you want it to be.

 

The eat at the table goal is great, now that you have an entire house to keep clean.  It's best to confine the messes to one area.  

[starsapart]

I'm here!  I'm so glad you're trying yoga again, and that your not-very-supportive ex-teacher didn't completely sour you on the entire thing.  The home video approach can be very relaxing, and if you're good at making substitutions on the fly (like, I feel like doing bird of paradise here or side crow or whatever), it can end up being exactly what you want it to be.

 

The eat at the table goal is great, now that you have an entire house to keep clean.  It's best to confine the messes to one area.  

 

I'll take suggestions for good videos/channels.

 

I always intended to get back to it.... just needed a bit of time to heal the hurt.  I didn't expect to be as deeply wounded by that whole experience as I ended up being, but I'm ready to get back on the horse now.

 

I've always been pretty good at keeping things clean (blame the OCD), but I've been thinking a lot about family dinners when I was a kid, and what a comforting ritual that was.  Since stillskies and I are discussing having a kiddo, I want to get into those good habits before baby and toddler madness descends upon me.  Besides, I do like sitting down to eat and converse at the end of the day.  Hulu can wait.  I think it will be good for both of us.

[blkhole24601]

Eating at the table. Tyro and I fail so much at that, too. He points it out every so often when we settle on the couch to watch Netflix and eat, but then I give him the puppy eyes and say, "But... Netflix..." Someday we'll eat like civilized adults again!

 

As for yoga channels, I haven't explored Yoga With Adriene on YouTube in a lot of detail, but the couple of videos of hers I did I enjoyed, if you want to take a peek at it!

 

(And omg, I need to get out of the house and socialize more, so I'm also up for tea things. )

 

Following, but you knew that already~

[karinajean]

eating at the table is a huge deal! I admit, I'm really bossy about eating actual sit down family dinners (even just me and my partner, no kids) at a table. I also have a strict no phones at the table rule.

 

but! bonus is: when you eat dinners at the table all the time then having a tv picnic is a REALLY SPECIAL REWARD. it's amazing what you can get kids to do for that.

 

..... also can I have tea with you?

aw heck, I'm paying back my own house stuff and probs can't travel to denver in 6 weeks when you inevitably kill all your goals with proficiency and success.

sighs.

[BlackTezca]

I think BlackTezca is trying to tell you something, Maaya. 

 

....You think?

 

BlackTezca != subtle.

 

Subtlety is hard....

 

 

You know, I need to find more yoga videos myself.  I love Fitness Blender, but they are not that varied when it comes to yoga and stretching.  So "Yoga With Adriene" maybe a fun thing for me to look into too.

[EVEArgent]

I am here, of course, as well!

 

Overachievers unite!

 

Gif hilarious.

[Mrs Van]

Would like to follow you again, please. Missed all your air-acrobatics and enthusiasm. Eager to see you fly.

[karinajean]

.

 

 

 

You know, I need to find more yoga videos myself.  I love Fitness Blender, but they are not that varied when it comes to yoga and stretching.  So "Yoga With Adriene" maybe a fun thing for me to look into too.

 

 

OH YOGA VIDEOS.

 

there's lots of free yoga videos on https://www.doyogawithme.com/

 

you can sort by style or area of the body to focus on or length of video. I've done a few, they're good (note I am not a yoga master but.)

[starsapart]

Eating at the table. Tyro and I fail so much at that, too. He points it out every so often when we settle on the couch to watch Netflix and eat, but then I give him the puppy eyes and say, "But... Netflix..." Someday we'll eat like civilized adults again!

 

As for yoga channels, I haven't explored Yoga With Adriene on YouTube in a lot of detail, but the couple of videos of hers I did I enjoyed, if you want to take a peek at it!

 

(And omg, I need to get out of the house and socialize more, so I'm also up for tea things. )

 

Following, but you knew that already~

 

Netflix will still be there after dinner, I am just saying..............

 

Most of Adriene's videos have felt way too easy to me, but I'll explore and look for more advanced stuff in her library!

 

A big nerd tea after we all ace our challenges?  Sounds good to ME.

 

eating at the table is a huge deal! I admit, I'm really bossy about eating actual sit down family dinners (even just me and my partner, no kids) at a table. I also have a strict no phones at the table rule.

 

but! bonus is: when you eat dinners at the table all the time then having a tv picnic is a REALLY SPECIAL REWARD. it's amazing what you can get kids to do for that.

 

..... also can I have tea with you?

aw heck, I'm paying back my own house stuff and probs can't travel to denver in 6 weeks when you inevitably kill all your goals with proficiency and success.

sighs.

 

Ha!  TV picnic as a reward for kids, love it!  Will file away for future use.

 

You are welcome in the Denver area ANYTIME, girlfriend.  We have a guest room ready to welcome you AND of course we can go to tea anytime you like~

 

BlackTezca != subtle.

 

Subtlety is hard....

 

 

You know, I need to find more yoga videos myself.  I love Fitness Blender, but they are not that varied when it comes to yoga and stretching.  So "Yoga With Adriene" maybe a fun thing for me to look into too.

 

Let me know if you find any stuff that looks absurdly hard; those are probably the ones I'll love most.

 

I am here, of course, as well!

 

Overachievers unite!

 

Gif hilarious.

 

Woohoooooooooo welcome!  We are going to kick butt and take names.

 

Would like to follow you again, please. Missed all your air-acrobatics and enthusiasm. Eager to see you fly.

 

Welcome back!!!

 

I have a couple videos around.... I did a little routine last challenge if you want to dig through that archive.  And there's a new sequence on my battle log, too.  But there will most certainly be some stuff here once this challenge begins, too!

 

OH YOGA VIDEOS.

 

there's lots of free yoga videos on https://www.doyogawithme.com/

 

you can sort by style or area of the body to focus on or length of video. I've done a few, they're good (note I am not a yoga master but.)

 

Ahhhhhhhh this has levels!  SOLD!!!!!!!!

[Nymeria]

I feel bad about not giving yoga video recommendations, but honestly, I can't stand having someone talking at me while I'm trying to do yoga.  Just about every video out there annoys me to a point where I can't get into a good rhythm.  I instead use the yoga studio app, which has a very mellow, soothing voiced instructor, lets me just have the pose names instead of yammering, and lets me make my own workout programs.  

 

But now that it has been mentioned, I'm going to check out the doyogawithme site, too.  If you find any really good videos, let me know.  

[BoxingYogini]

I would also check out gaiamtv for a wide assortment of yoga videos. I've been impressed with most of the ones I have tried. 

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Following!

 

Because you are a dynamo of awesome. 

[Edigo]

Subbed! Look at you, 2 pages in 3 days again lol

[Achaedia]

REWARDS: My head is reeling from all of the money we've spent in the last month (yay being new homeowners.... only not; I am tearing my hair out), so once again, no big, expensive rewards. But, if I ace this challenge, I will treat myself to tea at the teahouse with a friend... whoever wants to come with me, really.

 

 

Also yay tiger and bunny! Also I expect pictures of food!