In which Sarah Barr tries to be more accountable (Challenge 15)

[Sarah Barr]

This challenge, I'll be doing what I usually do, but with a few important tweaks to help it run more smoothly. 

 

 

Goal 1: Intermittent Fasting

• One fresh fruit smoothie or juice, up to 400kcal, around lunchtime

• One meal, up to 1000kcal, in the evenings. Half-hour evening eating window.

The idea being that it'll give me less room for error (i.e going over 1400kcal, which is my tried and tested weight loss Magic Number) than my usual 23hr weekday fasts and 16hr weekend fasts, but will also give me a bit more energy during the afternoons when I tend to find myself flagging. 

 

+3 CON (I can't get my head round the new XP rules today, may switch next challenge!)

 

 

 

Goal 2: 5 Freggies a Day.

 

Enabled in part by the fruit in my smoothie tweak Goal 1. Ideally, make sure the rest of the day's freggies are vegetables.

Key to this one for me is always budgeting. I rarely manage a full 35-freggie complement in the week before pay day. The +1 WIS is meant to reflect having successfully budgeted if I pass this goal. 

 

+2 CON, +1 WIS

 

 

 

Goal 3: Self-Care

 

- Face: Apply day cream in the morning, night cream at night. Face scrub every two or three days.

- Creaky bits: Yoga, as needed, when needed. By which I mean 20 mins, every day I don't want to do yoga. And then as much yoga as I like every day I do want to do yoga.

- Squishy bits: One pint of water when I wake up, and one pint of water at 6pm. That's the minimum. Extra fluids encouraged, but every day must see a litre of unadulterated water going down my gullet.

 

+2 DEX, + 1 CHA

 

 

Bonus Goal 4: Acting Waffle Chief-ery

 

JC's taking a break from being Chief Waffle in the Doodlie PvP for this challenge, so I'm keeping his seat warm. (And also making sure I'm more accountable by being responsible.)

- Check up on every Waffle every two days without fail.

- Ensure that by Sunday night all Waffle scores are calculated and entered.

- Pure beast every PvP challenge you can take part in, and make sure that you officially sit out the ones you know you won't get done so that your zero score doesn't drag the team average down.

- Avoid going mad with power.

 

+1 WIS, +1 CHA,  +1 STA, +1 STR upon successful completion of all PvP challenges only. Otherwise, nil points. 

 

 

Life Goal: Weekly Scavenger Hunt

 

I liked the cultural scavenger hunt I did last month as my adventurer class qualifier, but there was a whole load of stuff that I regret not having included, and I'd included too many repetitions of things. Happier with the variety in this one. 

 

Complete 50%+ to pass.

 

- 1 hour of vocal practice

- See one new play

- See one new film

- See one new episode of a decent TV show

- Cook one new healthy recipe from a different country

- Read and contemplate one new poem

- Complete 1 unit of the Khan Academy course "Crash Course in World History" that the Doodlies are working through together.

- Pick up litter from the beach.

- Find something beautiful and photograph it.

- Finish one unfinished craft project.

- Complete 1 unit of another online course.

- Read one new poem

- Read 1+ new chapters of a novel, or one short story.

- Read 1+ new chapters of a non-fiction book.

- Write one new thing - a poem, a song, a short story.

- 1 hour of guitar scales (Just scales. Any extra playing is encouraged but will not count towards total.)

 

+1 WIS, +2 CHA

 

 

Prep:

- House is clean. 

- Kitchen has protein and vegetables in it

- Clothes are ready

- Misc. courses and books selected. They include a free course on theropods and birds on Coursera if you're interested in playing along. 

- Not much to prep this time. Which is quite nice, really. 

 

Just need to set aside an hour or so tomorrow, to prep the Waffle sheet and sub to everyone's threads, and do whatever prep I need to do for the first Doodlie PvP week, and that's it!

[Sarah Barr]

Week 1 Tracking:

 

(Chart to be added after week over)

 

Scavenger Hunt:

 

- 1 hour of vocal practice

- See one new play

- See one new film

- See one new episode of a decent TV show

- Cook one new healthy recipe from a different country

- Complete 1 unit of the Khan Academy course "Crash Course in World History" that the Doodlies are working through together.

- Pick up litter from the beach.

- Find something beautiful and photograph it.                - Calton Hill at sunrise. 

- Finish one unfinished craft project.

- Complete 1 unit of another online course.                  - Week 1, Film Production, Futurelearn. 

- Read one new poem                                                - Ulysses, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. 

- Read 1+ new chapters of a novel, or one short story.  - The Haunted House, by Charles Dickens

- Read 1+ new chapters of a non-fiction book.                 - The Malay Archipelago, by Alfred Russel Wallace

- Write one new thing - a poem, a song, a short story.     - The lyrics for a song 

- 1 hour of guitar scales (Just scales. Any extra playing is encouraged but will not count towards total.)

[Sarah Barr]

Week 2 Tracking

 

Scavenger Hunt:

 

- 1 hour of vocal practice

- See one new play                 - The Tempest

- See one new film                  - Deadpool

- See one new episode of a decent TV show       - Still Game

- Cook one new healthy recipe from a different country

- Complete 1 unit of the Khan Academy course "Crash Course in World History" that the Doodlies are working through together.

- Pick up litter from the beach.

- Find something beautiful and photograph it.                - 

- Finish one unfinished craft project.

- Complete 1 unit of another online course.                  - 

- Read one new poem                                                - 

- Read 1+ new chapters of a novel, or one short story.  - The legend of Llyn y Fan Fach

- Read 1+ new chapters of a non-fiction book.                 - 

- Write one new thing - a poem, a song, a short story.     - Plot for a play

- 1 hour of guitar scales (Just scales. Any extra playing is encouraged but will not count towards total.)

[Sarah Barr]

Week 3 Tracking

 

 

Scavenger Hunt:

 

- 1 hour of vocal practice

- See one new play

- See one new film

- See one new episode of a decent TV show

- Cook one new healthy recipe from a different country

- Complete 1 unit of the Khan Academy course "Crash Course in World History" that the Doodlies are working through together.

- Pick up litter from the beach.

- Find something beautiful and photograph it.

- Finish one unfinished craft project.

- Complete 1 unit of another online course.

- Read one new poem                                                         - Favourite Place, Liz Lochhead

- Read 1+ new chapters of a novel, or one short story.

- Read 1+ new chapters of a non-fiction book.

- Write one new thing - a poem, a song, a short story.     - A five minute play. 

- 1 hour of guitar scales (Just scales. Any extra playing is encouraged but will not count towards total.)

[Sarah Barr]

Week 4 Tracking

 

Scavenger Hunt:

 

- 1 hour of vocal practice

- See one new play

- See one new film

- See one new episode of a decent TV show

- Cook one new healthy recipe from a different country

- Read and contemplate one new poem

- Complete 1 unit of the Khan Academy course "Crash Course in World History" that the Doodlies are working through together.

- Pick up litter from the beach.

- Find something beautiful and photograph it.

- Finish one unfinished craft project.

- Complete 1 unit of another online course.

- Read 1+ new chapters of a novel, or one short story.

- Read 1+ new chapters of a non-fiction book.

- Write one new thing - a poem, a song, a short story.

- 1 hour of guitar scales (Just scales. Any extra playing is encouraged but will not count towards total.)

[Terah]

Avoid going mad with power.

Good luck with that

 

And off course stalking along  

Good luck this challenge!

[deftona]

Stalking as usual! 

 

Bonus points for the use of Father Ted pics. You can never have too much Father Ted. 

 

[spooky]

stalking youuu

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

I had my seat warmed once.

Best night of my life.

[MichiruSedai]

Great goals -- you got this!

[Leigh]

A thought that might help with the 35 freggies/week: If you have the time on a Sunday or something, pop open the fridge/freezer and take out said freggies, cut them up into serving size amounts, and then put them in containers right in the front of which ever shelf/drawer you prefer, then when it comes to making your smoothie in the morning, you've got all that stuff ready and you don't have to portion it all out each time. We do this with almost all of our meats when we get a large pack at the grocery store. I know it helps me a hell of a lot when I don't have to thaw out the entire kilo of steak to make a bit of dinner for just two people.

 

I figure if it works for me with meats, it should work for you with freggies Could also be helpful for portioning out how much fruit you want to put in your smoothies each day

 

[Sarah Barr]

Calculated my scores for last challenge, finally. Just scraped a pass, but I flunked yoga and my culture goal. I'm happy enough that I got something out of both of those goals even if my DEX stat is still at 1, but I really need to push for it this time. I can make it in a mad dash for one month to the next weekend 0, surely. 

[LadyWitch]

I'm giving fasting a try this challenge... Although giving up chocolate is more than I can manage! Good luck

[Sarah Barr]

Hey LadyWitch! Good luck with the fasting, hope it works well for you!

 

On track so far. I might draw up a physical tracking sheet this time. Maybe not a fancy wall chart, something I can keep in my handbag. 

Got up early to take those photographs I'd missed over the weekend, and am going to just try and make that my regular waking time. I can squeeze in yoga then, maybe, but I reckon it would work a little better if I left the house first and then found a way to spend the extra time. 

[DrFeelgood]

I'm not making it a challenge goal, but I also want to play my guitars more often. I definitely need to work on my scales, too.

[Shello]

Stalking as usual! 

 

Bonus points for the use of Father Ted pics. You can never have too much Father Ted. 

 

 

Like this?

 I've never heard of this show but it looks like something I would enjoy watching.  

 

Following along Sarah.  Your changes this time around look pretty solid.  Watch our for that mad waffle power though.  

[Archon]

Awesome challenge Sarah!

 

Will be here... watching

[Sarah Barr]

Like this?

 I've never heard of this show but it looks like something I would enjoy watching.  

 

Following along Sarah.  Your changes this time around look pretty solid.  Watch our for that mad waffle power though.  

 

Father Ted is just about my favourite sitcom. It's one of those shows that manages to be extremely silly and cringe-inducing but still very cosy and comforting. Like lots of good sitcoms from the UK and Ireland, there's only about 20 episodes or so, so it never had the chance to go downhill like longer-running shows can. If you can find it online, I highly recommend it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've been thinking a lot about the Robert Browning quote in my signature. I chose it because it was carved on the headstone of Ernest Shackleton. It speaks to many people, especially in the context of the explorer who went with willing men to frozen hell and brought them back alive, and knew that glory was only secondary to the people who depended upon him. 

 

My life's set prize is currently undetermined. We all need our own Pole to drag ourselves towards, and I resolve to find mine even if it kills me. 

 

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

- from Ulysses (Alfred, Lord Tennyson )

 

I have no idea where I'm going, and I will find that place regardless. 

[LadyWitch]

My life's set prize is currently undetermined. We all need our own Pole to drag ourselves towards, and I resolve to find mine even if it kills me. 

 

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

- from Ulysses (Alfred, Lord Tennyson )

 

I have no idea where I'm going, and I will find that place regardless. 

What a beautiful poem! I don't think any of us really know where we're going, and the journey can at times be painful, but as long as we find the right travelling companions then there is also joy and love

[Sarah Barr]

as long as we find the right travelling companions then there is also joy and love

 

That's very true. I'm glad we're all here together. 

[Einar]

I like a lot of Tennyson poems. The Charge of the Light Brigade is probably my favorite.

[Einar]

Of course re-reading Charge of the Light Brigade makes me go and re-read Last of the Light Brigade by Kipling.

[ExpectJade]

*stalking*

[Sarah Barr]

Some sick monster ordered pizza on my floor of the office building. I can tell because the whole floor has smelled like Pizza Hut for the past six hours. Six. The temptation to set off the fire alarm so I can go rummage through the vacated offices for scraps of crust comes and goes. 

 

Going to make a magical chilli tonight, though. All will be well. 

[ExpectJade]

Some sick monster ordered pizza on my floor of the office building. I can tell because the whole floor has smelled like Pizza Hut for the past six hours. Six. The temptation to set off the fire alarm so I can go rummage through the vacated offices for scraps of crust comes and goes. 

 

Going to make a magical chilli tonight, though. All will be well. 

Magical chilli sounds great!