epic quest SkiBlue - Ultimate Adventure

[SkiBlue]

Get a helmet and strap yourself in. This will be a long and, hopefully, exciting journey, and I’m glad that you’re here along for the ride. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Below is a living list of my goals in life; they are constantly adapting and evolving as I level up my life, complete these goals, discover more concrete steps for each, and find new goals to work toward.

Fitness Goals

• reach 30% body fat
• live without added sugar
• do a full, dead-hang pull-up
• reverse my anterior pelvic tilt
• deadlift 250lb/bench press 200lb/row 150lb

Hobby/Skill Goals

• re-learn and become fluent in Russian
• complete writing my (fictional) stories
• complete costumes (list in process)
• join the 501st Legion/Rebel Legion/Mandalorian Mercs
• re-learn and become proficient in Physics/concepts
• learn and become proficient in Electronics
• get involved in the local Makerspace
• learn to align and use my telescope

Capoeira Goals

• attend first ten classes
• achieve first cord level

Life Goals

• get married (currently engaged, need plan of action)
• live off last month’s income (budget goal)
• live without social media (except the Rebellion)
• minimalize clutter (physical and digital)
• host weekly/bi-weekly game nights with friends
• train the huskamute

Travel Goals

• Camp Ranger Fitness 2017
• take the husband to Otakon
• take the husband to GenCon

Feel free to join me in my daily grind to reach these goals. However, you will know when significant progress has been made along these goals and when they have been completed.

[SkiBlue]

Straight from my most recent challenge, here is a list of the things I'll be working toward in 2016.

Goals for 2016:

• improve upon my eating habits
• get closer to 30% body fat
• improve my motor control (strength, flexibility, and capoeira skills)
• finish my Mandalorian armor
• test out the capoeira classes in my town
• apply myself more at my current job
• budget and stick to it
• formulate a wedding plan

I'm currently using my Battle Log to keep with the foundation of healthy habits, which will, in turn, lead to progress on my body composition goal. I've been considering my increase strength goal and I'm not entirely sure yet whether or not I want to add a pull-up to that goal. I'd like to, but I'll wait to see how January goes.

 

While not on the goal list for this year specifically, completing my current list of sewing projects should be. I built up quite a few during the challenge, and since hobby priorities shifted midway through, I'd still like to spend time getting these done. So here are my sewing goals for this year:

Sewing Project List 2016:

• Husband black and silver vest
• Husband green and gold vest
• Husband white undershirt
• Repair Husband linen shirt
• Repair Husband sports jackets
• Mandalorian kit Flight Suit
• Mandalorian kit Vest
• Mandalorian kit soft pieces
• Friend skirt
• Capoeira pants hem

I'll cross them out and post photos as they get completed.

[SkiBlue]

My poor calves.

 

I attended my first capoeira class last night. The warm-up really worked out my calves; I can't stand on my toes without it feeling like they're cramping up. 

 

BUT IT WAS FANTASTIC! I plan on using up the ten classes as part of the coupon that I found online. I can definitely see myself continuing on that journey.

[Kes]

Sounds like fun, and always cool to start something new Everybody I know who's done capoeira loved it.

[SkiBlue]

After my second class, I am hooked on this capoeira thing.

 

In light of the information presented to me during the last class, I believe it's time to separate and elaborate on some capoeira goals.

[SkiBlue]

All right! More capoeira goal updates!

 

It's official; I'm going to try testing for my first cord during the batizado (first belt ceremony/capoeira initiation) in February. I've already taken most of my saving money from this month and put it aside so I can afford to do it (I'll need to sign up for a contract for the gym itself and then register for the event, and I need the spiffy white capoeira school pants). 

 

For the first cord (green, I believe), I'll need to learn the first three Mestre Bimba sequences, as well as learn one capoeira song and learn to play one of the instruments, on top of giving a little speech about what capoeira is in my own words. I'm planning on attending both weekly beginner classes to practice and learn, but I'm also going to be going to open gym night on Fridays, where you're allowed to practice (almost anything). Last Wednesday, I was instructed in the first sequence (which happens to be a bit different than what I linked above), I just need (a lot) more practice with it, and last Friday, I got a basic instruction on how to play the atabaque and the pandeiro. I think I'm going to stick with the pandeiro, even though the hand that holds it tends to get cramped up after a while. I can't quite get the atabaque to resonate as well. 

 

My instructor believes that it'll be easy and can be done in the timeframe. I just need to find time to practice more so I feel better about it. 

 

Capoeira has seemingly taken up a good deal of my time lately, so after the batizado, I'm hoping to cool it down a bit (and have a better handle on my schedule) so I can work on my sewing projects and other 2016 goals. I have a friend (currently living in Japan) who asked me to make her a skirt, since she trusts my abilities a bit more than a few sketchy looking websites. And here I didn't think I'd be adding to that list. >.<

[SkiBlue]

Registered for the Winter Games and the batizado, and brought home official school pants! 

 

 

Yeah, I know I've posted this photo three times; I'm kind of excited!

 

They need hemming though. >.< Added to the sewing list! Good thing it's only January.

[Kes]

Congrats!  That capoeira bar is really cooking

[SkiBlue]

 

The gears, they have slowly begun to crank...

[Terra]

Started reading yet???

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[SkiBlue]

Started reading yet???

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Actually just finished it last night. It was a fantastic read; I'll probably work my way through it again to revise this list a bit.

[SkiBlue]

I've decided to start tracking my goals for 2016 here instead of in my signature, via progress bars. I'm hoping to (finally) spend time this weekend reviewing this list, with the help of LUYL.

[SkiBlue]

OH! And in case you didn't notice, I got some color on the 20th.
 

 
My first cord is in the bag! I'm so happy that I've found something to focus on that should allow me to improve upon different areas of fitness. I'm slowly chugging away at the goal list for this year, gradually incorporating those things back into my regular challenges. With this next challenge, I'll have the freedom to pick up anything to work on, so that I might be able to choose a focus to knock some of these things out within the next few months. I can hear my Mando armor calling to me...
 
The wedding goal has changed; the husband (technically finance) and I definitely need to work a few things out (we're not separating or anything, just need more love and better communication), but also the finances this year (and it's only FEBRUARY?!) have made saving for it kinda rocky. I think I'm going to focus on SAVING the money and formulating a plan this year for it and a honeymoon trip, aiming for the wedding in 2017. YNAB has definitely been helping in this area. I'm not ready to call the budgeting goal complete just yet, but I'm definitely making progress with it.

If you've been following my Battle Log at all, you know that I'm struggling through some emotional swings and mindset problems. I'm gonna be participating in a coaching program starting on March 14th. Coach Prime specializes in figuring out mental roadblocks and building a new mindset in order to make new habits stick. After a good deal of research, I think she could definitely help me with what's holding me back. I'm also looking into holistic health clinics to get my hormone levels checked; I have a suspicion that after ten+ years of hormonal birth control, I might have some issues, which might also be causing my emotional ups and downs.

 

Aaaaand I think that's about it for this update.

[SkiBlue]

Sewing Projects Update:

 

The Husband's black and silver vest is mostly complete. The collar just needs to be pressed again, and the buttons need to be shifted down a little ways to make the opposite panel shift in order to make the collar part sit flusher with his chest. Since it only took be about three 4 to 5 hour sessions, getting this shirt and second vest finished shouldn't take me very long.

 

I'm super anxious to get started on my Mando soft pieces. There's a female member of the Mandalorian Mercs that moved to my area last year and wants to get regular armor parties together (since there's A LOT more members in my area/town than I realized). She does work with metal and also does amazing work with tailoring. She's even already offered to help me with my kit, so I REALLY NEED TO GET ON THAT!! I'm so excited, I don't really have any words or gifs to properly express it. My desire to become a member/complete my kit by the end of the year has been rekindled. 

[SkiBlue]

 

I'm about to burst with excitement.

 

Halfway through this challenge is going to be an Armor Party with the Mercs in town, possibly at my house. MANDO KIT PROGRESS COMMENCE!!

[SkiBlue]

The Armor Party was a great learning experience. 

 

We made friends with the local people (by that, I mean they live 20 minutes away from us). Jessi passed along her first kit's first plates, which was a real treat. They're metal and need to get a bit reshaped and repainted, but I'm SUPER APPRECIATIVE that she wanted them to have a new home.

 

 

With armor plates and spare plastic, I've been on a "build all the weapons" kick, even though I've never done it before (though the process is pretty straightforward). Here is the beginnings of a vibrodagger:

 

 

With Jessi and Mark so close, between us, we should have a functioning Mando shop, so that all of us (the Husband, Jessi, her husband James [YES I KNOW OMG], Mark, and I) should be able to get complete, awesome kits done. Jessi and I do sewing, Jessi does metalwork (with the Husband catching up as he learns), and Mark does amazing leatherwork.