Avitus' awakening

[Hratheceane]

I love Bethesda so freaking much. It was my love of that sandboxy realm that got me thinking "Why don't I do this in real life?" Look where that question led me XD It's funny that Blaidd tagged me assassin, that's my favorite build in any Elder Scrolls game. Sneaky little bastard who's lethal with bow and blade. Maybe you weren't cheating, maybe you were exploiting a Morrowindy spell creation system. Step 1: steal as much mazte and sujamma as you can carry. 2. Ride the stilt strider to vivec 3. Drink all your drugs 4. Smack down the ordinators in a methy frenzy 5. Ride back to balmora 6. Drop the ten zillion pounds of ordinator armor 7. Sell, level, repeat until acrobatics allows spidermanny boinging.

Ah, the first next gen...

My dad's Morrowind character used to look like a speeding celery stick in the sky. He had like 150 speed somehow, glass armor, and levitation. It was always ridiculous! And we both play as assassin types, he's a Dark Elf, I'm a Wood Elf. Bows and sneakiness. Now, I'm more of a thief than he is. I'll just wander around town and pickpocket all the rich, mean people. But my dream is to get this hoodie by this fall, maybe a different challenge reward or just something I get for myself: http://store.bethsoft.com/ladies-dark-brotherhood-angl-hoodie.html

 

Tonight's mission: finishing touches on the batcave.

Remove all ashtrays and any evidence that a smoker ever lived there. All lighters must go as well, if I want to light a candle I'll light a skewer on the stove.

Clean up the relics of drunken disorder.

Get rid of any food that has no business in my house.

Prepare the music/art room for use.

Generally clean and organize.

Thaw frozen meat for next two days.

Crap pants with excitement.

Wash pants.

Don't forget that last step, plz

[AvitusXenoi]

That hoodie is way kickass!

[AvitusXenoi]

Weighing in:

197.6 pounds with jeans, a tee and hiking boots on. I could potentially do something pretty awesome starting here...6 weeks done right, we'll see!

[AvitusXenoi]

Just got some last minute supplies. Fresh tomatoes, onions and salad mixes that were on sale. Also got some fried chicken legs (bad, but hear me out) to take the greased up naughty-oil skin off, shred the meat for salads n stir fry and use the bones to make bullion cubes..

It. Is. On.

[AvitusXenoi]

The Batcave is going nicely. The squalor in which I live is kind of nasty. Actually depending on your preferences it may be very very nasty. I actually like organized spaces and cleanliness, But there's just something about drinking a 12 pack four days a week that leads to a messy house. I didn't have to bother putting drinking less as a goal because not smoking requires not drinking in my case. When I was growing up I was raised in a family that did a lot of drinking and fighting. I was always really anti drinking when I was growing up. I never cared if other people did or did not it just wasn't for me. Then I met a girl, But that's another story. Ready to rock this challenge and I know I've said it a thousand times but I am so ready. I actually made a video of the before cleaning experience, Once the challenge is over I'm going to post a before and after of my apartment as well.

[AvitusXenoi]

Well I managed to finish the living room the reading room and the kitchen. The exercise room is already good to go the art room in the bathroom are all I have left. And doing all my laundry and washing every dish that I own. But I don't have that many clothes and I don't have that many dishes so we're pretty damn close.

[cepopaladin]

My credit is trashed so it's important to repair it. If only to feel a little more like a real live grown up. I may not like the capitalist setup, but it isn't going anywhere. Kinda like the chocobo racing minigame in FFX; you don't have to like it but if you want Caldbolg you gotta play the game.

I am totally with you here, except for me it's student loans (80k USD). I've got a shiny new job and after a long time being a student I really just want to treat myself to all the things I've skimped on over the years (travel, nice apartment). Unfortunately, doing this means lowering my monthly loans payments and ultimately increasing the duration of this hellish state, so being a "responsible adult" I'm giving them half my earnings every month and should have them paid off in 5 years (fingers crossed). 

It's hard to put yourself into savings mode, when everything around you tells you consumption is the norm, but getting the monkey off your back will be awesome. Good luck with it!

[AvitusXenoi]

Running my arse off this morning, (I stayed up a lil late cleaning) but I managed to be early for work as well as snatch a relatively healthy breakfast (3 hard boiled eggs, black coffee n a pear).

I still have some confusion about whether the challenge starts today or tomorrow. At the top of this page it says Monday July 27 in big red letters. If you go to the recruits forum it says the 26?

I'm just starting today.

Lunch will be a big salad with shredded chicken. I probably won't bother with any dressing today, I have apple cider vinegar at home i need to get a spritzer for.

Questwise I'm good for the day on a paleo breakfast, so finding 10 minutes to meditate is the next one. I think I may do so over my lunch break. That's when I usually cram something greasy down my throat as fast as I can so I have time to chainsmoke 2 cigs before clocking back in.

Not anymore >:}

[AvitusXenoi]

I am totally with you here, except for me it's student loans (80k USD). I've got a shiny new job and after a long time being a student I really just want to treat myself to all the things I've skimped on over the years (travel, nice apartment). Unfortunately, doing this means lowering my monthly loans payments and ultimately increasing the duration of this hellish state, so being a "responsible adult" I'm giving them half my earnings every month and should have them paid off in 5 years (fingers crossed). 

It's hard to put yourself into savings mode, when everything around you tells you consumption is the norm, but getting the monkey off your back will be awesome. Good luck with it!

it's awesome that you're paying so hard on your loans. Life goes way too fast to get stuck in that hamster wheel. keep the faith you can do it!

[AvitusXenoi]

Quitting smoking generates wicked fatigue, that was really my main battle today. i suppose after 11 years it can be expected to fry the motherboard a bit. just about to make some supper, a pork chop n some frozen broccoli with a fresh salad on the side with tomatoes n onions.

my poor guts have been so abused, I hope a change of diet improves their attitude .

so tomorrow begins the challenge offish; hopefully the circuits will pep me up I must be high on excess oxygen.

[Fatal]

Stay strong man. It will be so worth it to get rid of that addiction.

[AvitusXenoi]

Breakfast was nom, 3 eggs fried in 2 tbsp conut oil with pepper, cayenne pepper cinnamon and a dash of sea salt. then a huge pile of roasted veggies. Sad I overcooked the eggs but I'll get it. I'm taking a men's' multivitamin too because I have to rely on frozen veg for now. Hopefully not after payday but it's still a lot better than pizza-beer-repeat.

Plan to meditate early and then knock out my first circuit. after this breakfast vegetable bomb settles.

(Edit for the record the rest of my food today: 1 hard boiled egg, 1 can of tuna after workout, big salad with fresh tomatoes n onions n chicken for supper.)

[AvitusXenoi]

Meditation is a trip with nicotine withdrawal. I never had trouble with getting sleepy in the past, now it's a battle. Perhaps I will switch to a 10 minute walking meditation until the symptoms fade. Day 2 goin strong, they say the worst effects peak at day 3. Bring it on. My cold turkey is too powerful for your toxic love.

So far I'm on track for day 1, hiked 6 miles on the Mickelson trail with JadynRayne, she's slaying cigarettes too and getting the dizzy doofies like me. Figured a hike would pep us up and it did. I'm gonna listen to my body and nap for an hour before my strength circuits. After that supper, reading n bed. I'm callin day 1 rocked at this point.

[AvitusXenoi]

Day one indeed rocked, but my ass got kicked by the workout. I filmed it for later reference and cut the squat/lunge reps in half since the put me out for 4 days last time. had to drop to my knees to get a useful number of pushup reps after 1st set. going for a walk now to get rid of crampy feelings in legs.

[AvitusXenoi]

Day 2 breakfast: pan seared baked pork chop n 2 cups steamed broccoli w/cinnamon n red pepper. cup of hot black tea. I may be an oddball in the kitchen but it tastes so good.

Today is not a training day. My legs feel like I may have hit the mark yesterday. I'm definitely going for a good long walk at some point to keep the legs moving. other than that it's time to clean the art room and prep lunch for the work week.

wasn't really hungry for lunch after breakfast, had a hard boiled egg, 2 baby dill pickles and a tomato. Supper will be baked lemon peeper salmon with mushrooms and some green beans I need to use up.

making chicken stock to create some sort of oniony protein bomb outta chicken gizzards n hearts. Never made stock before but 2 hours in it's turning out awesome.

Dishes done, art room 50% and going...

Think I'll go rock my meditation goal in the hammock.

[Fatal]

Some great dishes start as some chef being an oddball in the kitchen. Cooking is like experimenting. Gotta be careful though, because your stomach will disapprove when you get it wrong.

[AvitusXenoi]

Some great dishes start as some chef being an oddball in the kitchen. Cooking is like experimenting. Gotta be careful though, because your stomach will disapprove when you get it wrong.

So far my stomach approves. I remember one time in college my friends and I didn't have hardly any food left in the house. We had one can of marinara some spaghetti and a tube of turkey breakfast sausage. Don't ever ever do that...

[AvitusXenoi]

Breakfast seemed truly paleolithic this morning; winter is almost over, most of the herbs and spices are gone, but the caveman stew is still nutritious and I know what's in it. My cupboards are pretty bare, that's why I chose to start with only breakfast paleo. Funny thing is I donated all my non paleo food except one jar of pickled jalepeños (anything but those!) so I've gone almost full paleo anyway. I don't mind the lack of variety in the short term. It simply requires me to be more mindful as I eat and appreciate nuanced flavors.

Also, I've been with this hotel I work at since before they opened. I carried the sofas up the stairs. Fourth day without a cigarette and I noticed for the first time how rich and aromatic our breakfast area is. I didn't even know that it had a smell and now I can smell it by the elevators a floor above and below the lobby.

Yey XD

lunch was 1 c. peas, my caveman stew and an apple.

Banana around 3

About 2 c. of AmAzInG popcorn on the walk home from work. I was having a crunchy/salty craving, no butter.

Ate the rest of the can of peas while supper cooked.

Steamed carrots, broccoli n cauliflower with a baked chicken leg n thigh. Ate the kidney for the first time in my life. I wouldn't eat a bowl fulla them but it wasn't bad.

My muscles feel ready for the show tomorrow, pleased with that I usually overdo it at the beginning.

Tonight I did some light activity other than my usual 40 minutes of walking. Just some active stretching and mobility warm ups from my tai chi book. Now it's time to read some Robert Jordan

Goodnight everyone

[AvitusXenoi]

Was able to calculate my body fat percentage at 23%. Whether that's a little low or a little high I dunno, but it gives me my reference point to track changes over time.

...CH-CH-CH-CHA! Time to face the strange CH-CH-CHANGES!

*zerziddlewhip!* (y'know, when someone yanks the record needle up)

I'm digging these early mornings. All this extra O2 makes me spazzy.

[AvitusXenoi]

Challenge day 4:

Up at 6, check.

Paleo breakfast (steamed carrots and leftover caveman stew). Check.

I added a bunch of cayenne pepper to the stew and it's much better. Bury the bland in heat, if ya must. Threw some cinnamon on the carrots, their sweetness makes em tast all breakfasty with cinnamon.

Today is BBWC day, woohoo!

had a banana and a peach at 11am.

fixed a pump at work that had been leering at me for a few weeks. take that, pumpass.

Lunch will be a baked (reheated) chicken leg n thigh with mixed veggies from last night.

supper will be much the same but with my last tomato chopped up into the last of my salad mix.

Had a hard boiled egg after workout and an organic tomato (jadynrayne gave me 3 n an onion ) before bed.

glad tonight is payday but I planned pretty well. Have a lot of bills to pay so the next two weeks will be a lil tricky. Not too tricky for me.

-Walked home fast enough to crack a sweat after work, figured I may as well get part of my warm up done and just dive in to my BBWC. It was cool. Today is the 3rd time I've done the circuit and the first time it didn't make me think I was cartman. Today when I was done I felt like I had worked hard but was invigorated. Added one rep to my squats (11), 2 to my alternating lunges (12) and 2 to my barbell rows (12@20#). Impressive numbers by no means but I'm just getting started so no sweat. Doing my pushups on my knees, would rather get my full reps in with good form than squeeze out less and struggle to maintain. I'll probably start alternating once I can do 10 clean regular ones. Also decided to alternate between tricep focus and chest focus on my pushups from one workout to the next.

(All quests upheld)

[AvitusXenoi]

LotR fans will understand why this video can bring goosebumps to my flesh and fire me up. To the rebellion.

[AvitusXenoi]

Challenge day 5:

Up at 6, desayunar paleo (3 eggs milklessly scrambled with diced onion and 1/2 diced tomato. other half of tomato chomped with 1 c. steamed carrots n cinnamon.

Hard boiled egg at 9:30am

banana at 10:45am

Lunch: chicken leg n thigh was undercooked 1 c. steamed carrots, 1.5 oz comfort cheddar, 1.25 oz cashews.

Peach at 2pm

Last night as I was meditating I noticed a new degree of stillness. It was at first a physical stillness that then created a sort of mental curiosity that was easy to focus on. I noticed that as I breathed in I tended to slowly ratchet my shoulders up and tense. Once I noticed, my belly breathing became much more whole and all the muscles from my shoulders up relaxed like I've never been so aware of before. It was an awesome stillness.

(Did most of my shopping for the week, still need more fresh veggies but the fridge n freezer are stocked. Treated myself to a subway sandwich, it was amazuhzing. Just trying to read a bit before meditation n bed.)

[AvitusXenoi]

Challenge day 6:

Breakfast was a concoction of browned ground turkey, eggs, peppers, onions and tomatoes with broccoli on the side. Lunch will be the same.

Avocado as a snack. Also bringing 5 strawberries to work.

Feel the beginning of a potential tooth ache this morning. Let's not.

Supper is an awesome salad with spinach, 3 leaf blend, jalepeños, tomato, radish, bella mushroom, black pepper, cashews, almonds and walnuts. And a kiwi on the side that was so good I cursed reflexively.

Did my BBWC after work and added another rep to my squats n lunges and another 2 to my rows. Still takin it slow as I try to walk that line between a good workout and DOM DUH DOM DOM DOOOOOMS.

Tomorrow will be the last day of week one. Do this 5 more times and I'll ace this biotch.

[jadynrayne]

I think it might be clarity! Your body free from toxins! Just a thought as I have been able to focus more clearly, since I quit smoking and drinking ! Yay😊 To freedom!

[Loveable_Bouncer]

Been keeping up with your reads, impressed by how well you got through the first 6 days. Hope your tooth isn't too bad.