Stick 'Em With The Pointy End - Battle Tome!

[ixaera]

I've been going at half-mast myself Trying to just pick up the pieces and carry them to the finish line at least, but you know. That is okay! Even failure is a kind of progress. The next one we will have a much better idea what kind of steps we can reasonably make! We can do it! Life leveling-up ahead!

[Calanthia Cobbin]

I feel the holiday slump so hard with you all believe me. I got that email from Steve about the Holiday Watch and felt so motivated!!! And then I found out I have pneumonia :/ I'm on my last day of antibiotics today and I'm on an inhaler/steroids/STRONG cough medicine combo until tomorrow... and then I'm hoping to pick up the broken pieces of this 6-week challenge and just do whatever I can to finish. Just finish. Since I've been sleeping for basically the past two weeks, I don't think I've hit my mark on any of my goals since before Thanksgiving, maybe even earlier. I haven't been tracking any food or walks, haven't been reading, drinking NEARLY enough water, and I haven't been writing for NaNo. Better luck next time I guess?

 

I'm so glad you all have been here to listen to me rant and I know that we can all pull through and finish strong!

[Calanthia Cobbin]

Main Quest Goal Related!!!

 

The first step in my main quest has always been to hit 145 pounds so I could be "overweight" instead of "obese." Today I measured myself at 143.5 lbs! It could be due to being sick, so I'll keep an eye on fluctuations, but it's something! Next step: Hit 124 pounds so that I can get into that healthy category! I do expect to gain some muscle by then as well, so I'll probably adjust this goal to be body fat related instead of BMI later on

 

​

[ixaera]

Wow, congrats, Mrs_Cobb!!! Doesn't it feel fantastic?? I remember when I hit that goal, I'd forgotten to pay attention to it for a while and one day stuck my numbers in the calculator and was pleasantly surprised that I was well into overweight and out of obese. Of course, the best part is shopping for new clothes haha

[Solunaria]

Super congrats! Well done!

[Laurenji]

Congratulations! That's really exciting.

[Calanthia Cobbin]

Thanks I'm hoping that it will stick through the holidays, but at least now I know it's possible! I'm excited to ask for new clothes as a present for Christmas that will be another size down oh and the best part for me was that I managed to slip my wedding ring off for the first time in a year! I don't ever want to take it off, but not being able to was really a big concern for me.

[Solunaria]

THAT IS SO EXCITING WELL DONE

[Calanthia Cobbin]

Hello! I wanted to share this with you all. My alter-ego is a hobbit named Calanthia Cobbin, and she is the embodiment of the future me. I've always kind of had a general idea of who she is in my mind, but I've never really hashed it out, until now. Everyone, please meet Calanthia (aka future me ​). It's a bit long so don't feel pressured to read it all if you don't want to!

 

Calanthia Cobbin of Overhill

 

As a hobbit, Calanthia Cobbin was born with a natural enjoyment of all things comfortable and cozy. As she grew however, she developed a longing for adventure, and began to make small changes in her life.

 

Calanthia is physically strong despite her size. Although she still considers herself a food connoisseur, she understands that her naturally short and wide hobbit stature makes her more prone to obesity, which would act as a hindrance to her adventures, and uses her healthy relationship with food and her constant adventuring as a means of staying fit, energized, and prepared for any situation. She can push herself further than even she realizes, and can recover from illness and injury quickly.

 

She is also emotionally strong. She is of stout heart and strong determination, with the courage and boldness of a person twice her size. As with most other hobbits, she enjoys simple pleasures in life and has a generally positive outlook on life. She views challenges and setbacks as an opportunity for growth rather than allowing them to hold her back.

 

Calanthia is mentally strong as well. She regularly completes mental exercises to keep her mind sharp and alert for any situation. She prefers to keep her home and work spaces tidy to help promote organization, but not so tidy as to become stifling of her creativity and general enjoyment of life. She has an excellent memory and is able to solve puzzles and recall information in record time.

 

Finally, Calanthia has strong social bonds. As is typical of hobbits, she excels when it comes to small talk with both friends and strangers. She also has the capacity for deeper connections with others and tends to those bonds often. She knows that she can trust and rely on others, and others often come to her for support as well. She gains strength from her friends and family, and her resilience provides strength for them in return.

​

[Solunaria]

Hey guys!

 

So, this six-week challenge is drawing to a close. Despite my seeming absence, I'm still here. And I'm damn proud of still being here. Even if the road has been... well, a rocky one.

 

Things will always come up. Problems will always arise. But I've kept moving FORWARD, despite the detours. 

 

I don't know how your journeys - as a total - have went. And I'm curious to know! Most of what I've been doing these last six weeks - as for most of this phase of my life - has been learning.

 

I am not Level 2 yet. I'm not even Level 1. But I'm going to keep pushing these next few weeks while everyone else waits for Jan. 4th, and make it to Level 1 by the time the opening 2016 season starts.

 

Will you be joining me? Which of the colors will be continuing in January?

 

There are ten things that immediately come to mind that I've learned this Challenge. Number three is super relevant to you guys, and number seven is a question I'd love your opinion on.

 

1. It's time to re-vamp my "Level 50". In that, I'm going to break it down to Level 40, 30, 20, and 10, with 10 being getting my habits set in place. It's time to decide what that means, and let the rest be vague, open to change as I journey forward.

 

2. I need a narrative. I've begun one in another thread, about a sailor, but I need to make it more mobile, more driven, more plot-centric. The more fantasy narrative I can cling to, the easier it is to act as if I am strong, and believe in myself, and my new habits. It was something that worked well for me this Challenge, and can be even better.

 

3. Linking up with others is important, but it's easy to slide away if there's no bond there, only acquaintanceship . I'm going to try and foster more of a bond and relationship with my team.

 

4. The outdoors is MAGIC for me. If I'm feeling depressed, just a step out into fresh air can change everything on a dime. Wind is my element for a reason - I need air in motion. One of my new goals for 2016 might very well end up being stepping outdoors for five minutes first thing in the morning before crawling back into bed.

 

5. SIGNS. SIGNS EVERYWHERE. I have ADHD, and am a few months away from being reliably diagnosed and medicated again (first I have to get back into the USA so I can even start pursuing it!) I've been stubbornly refusing to be medicated ever since I was twelve and allowed to make the decision for myself - but it affects my life in HUGE ways I never would have noticed if not for the journey of self-awareness I've walked through these last six weeks. Writing things on paper (in colored marker, preferably) and taping them where I can see them does WONDERS. Scheduling things on google calendar does nothing. 

 

6. Dancing to show tunes is an EXCELLENT way to remove myself from the temptation of old habits, even if I don't realize it until the music (and my dance slippers) are on. It's a godsend. And stamping my feet or jumping up and down raises my mood whole LEVELS, in just an instant. 

 

7. I want to be a Parkour Assassin, but I hate the name Assassin it's so VIOLENT. The name itself turns me off rather than revving me up. I need to find a way to marry my affinity for heart-filled rainbow sparkle inspiration magic type identities and my hunger for all the world to be my playground. This will make a big difference.

 

8. Singing is the best way to relieve stress or remove myself from a situation. I open my mouth, and bad feelings are (temporarily) gone. This is an opportunity to be a fantastic weapon.

 

9. The introduction of tactile, physical things that remind me of my power (possible fantasy weapons, perhaps?) make a big difference on my psychology.

 

10. Getting to sleep on time is my toughest challenge, and the hinge upon which everything else subtly relies. This should be placed in utmost importance. Don't forget about this.

 

This has been a crazy beginning. And I'm sure as heck keeping on going. 

 

So - how did everything go? How is everyone feeling? What have YOU learned, these past 6-weeks? Are you still here?

 

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being my team. We're going to ROCK this party. Remember, sometimes learning a thousand ways NOT to do something, is the only way to truly find the right one. <3

 

Much love

~ Solunaria

[Laurenji]

Hi Solunaria!

I definitely want to still be on your team in January, if you'll have me.

I agree with you that the name "assassin" sounds super violent, and also that while I agree with all of the goals of the assassin guild (bodyweight strength, fluidity and dexterity of movement, climbing All The Things, etc) the murder connotations never really floated my boat.

So what are we then? Acrobats? Faeries? ("Parkour faerie" sounds kind of cool, I think). I don't know. But I'd love to help come up with more ideas!

[Calanthia Cobbin]

I would totally be down for continuing on your team I'll be joining the adventurers until I can really get my habits and food-addiction under control, but I still plan to be a full-fledged assassin (or parkour faerie) in the near future!

[Koaladle]

I'm still around, but I think I will step back from this group. I've broken out of my Comfortable Box since starting, and I think it would be wise to make space for someone who needs a built-in support system. I haven't done the best job of participating here during the challenge and it would be awfully selfish to keep my spot if I'm not making the most of it.

 

That said, thank you so much for including me while I got on my feet. <3 I'll be an Assassin, and I'm sure we'll all run into each other on the forums.

[ixaera]

Hello, friends! I've been busy and semi-away from forums (besides reading digests when I can) since the end of the challenge. I'll be joining Assassins next round. I'm also in Koaladle's boat--I don't think I have participated as much as y'all deserve, so I'm going to let someone else have purple in the future. But thank you for having me and it's been wonderful! I will be sure to follow your next challenges, and see you around the forums.

[Calanthia Cobbin]

For those of us that choose to remain in a group, would we continue to post in here or will we make another accountabilibuddies group?

[Calanthia Cobbin]

Also Koaladle and Ixaera, we will certainly miss you dearly!

[Solunaria]

I like the idea of us staying here for now - I'm nice and bookmarked and we're all in one place.

 

But if it's, for now, just going to be our Orange, Blue, and Pink, it might be a good idea to start somewhere new as a Trio.

 

And I think that's possible! We haven't heard from Breebles since November, Rainra hasn't really been involved much. LuxCharizard and Tamaska - despite being the originals I started this party with (crying) - we haven't heard from Tamaska since their introduction to the party on November 4th (seven weeks ago) and haven't heard from LuxCharizard since THEIR introduction post on October 30th! My instinct is to say that the two didn't make it. I hope they climb back up on ship soon! :3

 

Koaladle and Ixaera have been WONDERFUL to have around, and I'll be very sad to see them go, but it seems they do not wish to continue in an adventuring party. In which case - I love you both and wish you the best! We will be here if you wish to return - do whatever it is that works best for YOU.

 

Let me know what you guys think. I'll start the new page or edit this one depending how we want to start our new chapter. In either case, I have a great new idea for our team - something called Special Powers, which I'm pretty excited to start our new Challenge together with, as the super-team that we are, if you guys are into it!

 

Keep going forward everyone! STICK 'EM WITH THE POINTY END!

 

~ Sol

[Calanthia Cobbin]

I agree with all that you say wholeheartedly. I don't have a preference for staying or going to a new page, so I'll leave that decision up to you all

[Solunaria]

I agree with all that you say wholeheartedly. I don't have a preference for staying or going to a new page, so I'll leave that decision up to you all

 

 

Cool! I'll wait to hear from Laurenji.

[Laurenji]

Hey! Just saw the update. I think staying here for now would be fine. As you say, it's nice and bookmarked. I'm also intrigued by the "super powers" thing . . . Well, onwards and upwards, everyone!

[Solunaria]

Hey Laurenji! Nice to hear from you. Super Powers coming very soon! I'm currently having a worry-fit over the changes arriving. What are your thoughts on the matter?

 

Also, I notice you haven't changed your signature to Level 1. Will you be attempting your Level 1 this next challenge?

[Calanthia Cobbin]

I'm just really curious about what the changes are going to be. I'm hoping they give us enough of a heads up before the challenge starts that we can adjust goals if they are affected. I'm really excited for the super powers too!

[Solunaria]

Hello my dear friends! This is Solunaria speaking!

 

It is the new challenge. And only four of us remain after the terrors fought from our first battles.

 

So, the fact that you're still here? That you're still going?

 

That alone is AWESOME.

 

There are a few things I'd like to introduce as possibilities to our newest chapter! And some elements I'd like to make a group discussion.

 

 

1. The situation with the open spots. As you may or may not have seen (I'm not sure if edits notify folks) I've edited the first page of this battle log to better describe the situation, and to open our ranks for others who might wish to join us.

 

My thoughts are that we in no way need to recruit anyone new! We are AMAZING just in our awesome, parkour-dreaming-selves. But also, that if someone else wishes to join us, I see no reason not to let them pick up a fallen hilt.

 

But what are YOUR thoughts? Do you think this is a good idea? Is there another situation you would like better?

 

 

2. The hilts. Also briefly covered in the newly-edited front page, I'd like to shift our "Team Colors" to our "Power Colors", and the representative color of the hilts of our weapons. Your weapon can be anything, and can change twelve times a day if you desire. It's merely a visualized symbol of the fight in you. Of the will in you to succeed and change and grow. And I feel that everyone is motivated by some weapon visual or another - for one, holding a Jedi's lightsaber, for another, holding Alanna the Lioness's sword.

 

The purpose is for you to decide a weapon that you can imagine holding, when faced with the powerful and haunting enemies of your past habits. And I'd also feel like I knew a little more about each of you if I knew the weapon you imagine yourself holding!

 

 

3. Team Role / Special Powers. I'm not going to lie - this comes from an extremely self-motivated desire. Something I realized in myself this past challenge, was how much it affected me to perceive that I could be of help to others. That I could do something that could mean something. 

 

I also really like the idea of having us play different roles in our imaginary party - it makes this group seem more like a real thing, something present and powerful, and will help me to understand who each of you are on a more personal level!

 

So here's my request: I would like to be the Team Bard.

 

I realized that I have a Special Power - though it's not one I brought to the party much at all this past challenge. I am a champion of Team Spirit. I can pep and enthuse like crazy. So I want to feel like it's my duty and party role to post something inspirational every day, to reach out and pep up anyone here who might be feeling low on morale. To live and fight with enthusiasm and forum-presence, because Inspiration is my party role. Team Spirit is my Special Power.

 

A Team Role might be the Rogue - someone who figures out creative solutions to tricky problems other teammates might have. I might go to the Rogue if I'm going to be traveling all day and I can't think of how to still achieve my goals at the same time, and they might tell me to pack icepacks in a lunchbox with my spinach, and do my workout on my layover! Problem solved!

 

Another role might be the Healer - someone who heals party members who are getting low on Hit Points. I might go to the Healer if some unanticipated life shifts have lefts me low on will or strength or positivity, and I don't feel like I can keep going and fighting my goals. Perhaps they'll listen and empathize, and give me the encouragement to pick up my staff and keep going.

 

It can be whatever you wish, and it can MEAN whatever you wish. But it's a way for all of us to be interconnected, for all of our weaknesses to feel like simple places whereupon we lean on our friends, and our strengths to be shown to us in the vital aid we give others. And suddenly, in this battle to change our lives, we are not alone.

 

4. Team Name. We areeeeee STICK 'EM WITH THE POINTY END! And I LOVE it!

 

But also, right now, all four of us (though we are taking very different routes) have our eyes on the glittering vision of parkour.

 

Given that, do we want to make that part of what our group is about? That we're a parkour-bound group? Or keep it completely open? This also ties in with the situation with the open slots.

 

 

That's it! No more text-wall!

 

The only other question I have is for Laurenji - I know you weren't 100% thrilled with your Color when you first had your options. But now there are so MANY options! Feel free to shift - Rainra has already shifted her Black to the open color of Red.

 

I can't wait to hear all of your thoughts on these things. I'm so, so excited for this challenge, and I can't wait to celebrate victory with all three of you.

 

Keep up the good fight! Keep your weapon up! And as always, remember to

 

Stick 'Em With The Pointy End!

 

 

~ Solunaria

[Laurenji]

Oo, ooo, purple please! It can match my hair!

 

 

[Solunaria]

Oo, ooo, purple please! It can match my hair!

 

Switching it as we speak!