Set Up For A Mike Drop

[Kilo]

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Ready for the next challenge to start tomorrow. The theme this time is one of my personal heroes: Eminem. The dude is super inspiring to be because he succeeded in an arena he shouldn't have, but he decided that is what he wanted so he made it happen. While he isn't necessarily a good person or a grade A role model, I love how he had a vision of his future and gave everything he had to make it come true.

 

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I recently finished reading Steve's Level Up Your Life book, and absolutely loved it. I have gone ahead and written down everything. So these next several challenges will have several of the same aspects simply because they are some of my long quests. That being said, I will have a few more then normal quests on this page, because several of them will be to do one thing once a week, and that could get boring.

So without further delay:

 

Quest 1: Write a blog post once a week for More Than Survival

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One of the quests I gave myself was to blog once a week for six months. I recently started a blog called More Than Survival. It is sort of my version of NF, but through my experience. It is directed towards people who are currently depressed with where they are in life and want to reengineer their brains for a better life. I am currently on blog three, and am just going through the basic steps of how to start the reengineering process. It would be super awesome if you guys checked it out and gave me feed back on what you think about it. The link is in my signature. I realize I am not the best writer, but I also feel like I have knowledge that could be useful to others so I am going to try. (Completion: 50xp)

Attr: +1 Wis; +2 Cha

 

 

Quest 2: Practice parkour once a week.

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Another challenge I gave myself was to train in parkour once a week for six months. I finally found the group in my area that does it and they have agreed to train me. Unfortunately, most of them will graduate in May, so I have a lot to learn in the short time span, so I can train what I know after that. I love the idea of moving my body and vaulting obstacles so I am excited about this challenge. (Completion: 50xp)

Attr: +2 Str; +2 End

 

Quest 3: Speak Spanish in a Spanish speaking country

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I took a Spanish course when I was sixteen or so, but never used it. Well now I am set up to work in a Spanish speaking country for the summer, and while I am told they all speak English, I don't want to be that asshole tourist type who doesn't even attempt to learn, particularly since I will be there for three months. So the current goal is to use Duolingo five times a week until I complete that and then moving a book I have heard about. I normally would say every day, but I realize that is unrealistic. So while I will try to do it every day, I will not penalize myself for missing two a week. (Completion: 50xp)

Attr: +2 Wis

 

Quest 4: Study for five hours a day

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I am currently in my sophomore year of Chemical Engineering, and the classes are starting to pick up in intensity. So far I have been able to slide by on minimal work, but that needs to come to an end. I know I can be making better grades, I just don't put the time into it. So my goal is to study for five hours every day. I will try different time patterns and motivations, but at the end, I want to make my studies a priority

Attr: +3 Wis

 

Quest 5: Bench 200 lbs./ Deadlift 300 lbs.

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The final long term goal I am currently working on is to be able to bench and deadlift those amounts. I currently can bench 105lbs. and deadlift 135lbs. Those are not maxing out, but just the weights I am comfortable with doing a 5x5. The goal is to go to the gym three times a week, going through the Stronglifts 5x5 program.

 

Attr: +3 Str

 

As he says in his song: "Success is my only option, failure's not."

Let's do this!

[Sea Level]

Good goals!

 

Do you have strategies on how to get the studying in? 

¡buena suerte!

[Volki]

Que paso Kilo?! I really like your Eminem inspired goals. What is the blog site called and I will definitely check it out. Also good luck with the Spanish, I know Nymeria is doing Duolingo Spanish this time too and I spent some time studying Spanish myself. So feel free to PM me if you want to practice some(I need the practice as well) also with Spanish find some music that you like in Spanish and I can recommend some Spanish speaking movies to check out. It helps to not get burned out on grammar rules. Anyway good luck and I'm sub'd

[Wild Wolf]

Awesome stuff Kilo! I'll be following this time as Eminem is also an inspiration to me as well. I can still go back and listen to his old shit and laugh my ass off and enjoy myself immensely

Good stuff man- and chemical engineering- intense brotha!

Wolf & Deadpool

"Daddy needs to express some Rage."

[Kilo]

Good goals!

 

Do you have strategies on how to get the studying in? 

¡buena suerte!

I am going to try a few different ones. On T/TR, I have classes all freaking day, but on MW I only have one, so there is a little inconsistency with hours of the day available. I will start by not using any of my fun sites on line until I have completed the hours required. I may try others but I think that will work best for me.

Gracias mi amigo.​

 

 

Que paso Kilo?! I really like your Eminem inspired goals. What is the blog site called and I will definitely check it out. Also good luck with the Spanish, I know Nymeria is doing Duolingo Spanish this time too and I spent some time studying Spanish myself. So feel free to PM me if you want to practice some(I need the practice as well) also with Spanish find some music that you like in Spanish and I can recommend some Spanish speaking movies to check out. It helps to not get burned out on grammar rules. Anyway good luck and I'm sub'd

 Hola mi amigo!!

The blog is called More Than Survival and it is linked in my signature. I will definitely hit you up some time to practice and see if I can actually hold a conversation or if I just know random words right now. Any suggestions for the music? It is generally too fast for me to pick out any one phrase and the last time I tried watching a movie in Spanish, it was the Bourne Ultimatum, which was probably a bad idea. I barely understood that movie in English.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Soy aprendiendo espanol tambien. Buena suerte y voy a seugir lo.

[Kilo]

Awesome stuff Kilo! I'll be following this time as Eminem is also an inspiration to me as well. I can still go back and listen to his old shit and laugh my ass off and enjoy myself immensely

Good stuff man- and chemical engineering- intense brotha!

Wolf & Deadpool

"Daddy needs to express some Rage."

 

Thanks Wolfie! I definitely like going back and listening to his old stuff.

It is pretty intense, but I kinda like it so it's not so bad.

Also, loving the Deadpool theme you got going throughout the threads!

[Volki]

I am going to try a few different ones. On T/TR, I have classes all freaking day, but on MW I only have one, so there is a little inconsistency with hours of the day available. I will start by not using any of my fun sites on line until I have completed the hours required. I may try others but I think that will work best for me.

Gracias mi amigo.​

Hola mi amigo!!

The blog is called More Than Survival and it is linked in my signature. I will definitely hit you up some time to practice and see if I can actually hold a conversation or if I just know random words right now. Any suggestions for the music? It is generally too fast for me to pick out any one phrase and the last time I tried watching a movie in Spanish, it was the Bourne Ultimatum, which was probably a bad idea. I barely understood that movie in English.

Lmao I know Bourne would be deficult. Umm what kind of music do you like? Maná is good and has been around a while, "Technicolor fabrics" signs pretty slow and is real mellow, i likr Aspencat even though it is in Castellano. As far as movies "The motorcycle Diaries" is a cladsic and a newer one that is a comedy is "Wild Tales" I rewatch those 2 movies quite a bit. Also check out fluentin3months.Com

For some good language learning tips. I still have alot of learning to do myself with Spanish.

[Kilo]

Soy aprendiendo espanol tambien. Buena suerte y voy a seugir lo.

 

I think that is the best practice I have had. I'm just sitting here going, "What the hell is aprendiendo? Does that mean comprehend? No. Shit. To the Google!"

You definitely seem to have a much better grasp on the language (How long have you been studying?), so I may come bug you for practice at some point.

 

 

 

Lmao I know Bourne would be deficult. Umm what kind of music do you like? Maná is good and has been around a while, "Technicolor fabrics" signs pretty slow and is real mellow, i likr Aspencat even though it is in Castellano. As far as movies "The motorcycle Diaries" is a cladsic and a newer one that is a comedy is "Wild Tales" I rewatch those 2 movies quite a bit. Also check out fluentin3months.Com

For some good language learning tips. I still have alot of learning to do myself with Spanish.

I am pretty easy going in terms of music. I like most of it. I will have to check these bands out. We will also see about the movies and the website.

How long have you been learning Spanish?

[Volki]

I think that is the best practice I have had. I'm just sitting here going, "What the hell is aprendiendo? Does that mean comprehend? No. Shit. To the Google!"

You definitely seem to have a much better grasp on the language (How long have you been studying?), so I may come bug you for practice at some point.

 

 

 

I am pretty easy going in terms of music. I like most of it. I will have to check these bands out. We will also see about the movies and the website.

How long have you been learning Spanish?

It's complicated lol I have been actively studying for a few months on and off. But I have always worked around Spanish speaking people (worked in the oilfield and I was pretty much the only one who didn't know Spanish) lol so I picked some up from them and my wife speaks Spanish and English but we most speak English at home around the kids.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I think that is the best practice I have had. I'm just sitting here going, "What the hell is aprendiendo? Does that mean comprehend? No. Shit. To the Google!"

You definitely seem to have a much better grasp on the language (How long have you been studying?), so I may come bug you for practice at some point.

 

 

 

I am pretty easy going in terms of music. I like most of it. I will have to check these bands out. We will also see about the movies and the website.

How long have you been learning Spanish?

Like Volki, it's complicated, and like Volki, it involves growing up in Texas. I'm from San Antonio, so I've been around it all my life. I took some classes in High School. My ex wife is first generation US, her mother is from Mexico, so I picked up some good Spanish from them. I also use it every day at work, and I've been on duolingo for the last couple of weeks.

[Nymeria]

I'm eager to hear about the parkour training group and the skills you're learning with them.    

 

It's complicated lol I have been actively studying for a few months on and off. But I have always worked around Spanish speaking people (worked in the oilfield and I was pretty much the only one who didn't know Spanish) lol so I picked some up from them and my wife speaks Spanish and English but we most speak English at home around the kids.

 

Wait a minute...  Do your kids speak Spanish?  If not, that's a perfect reason to become fluent in the Spanish and have a secret parent language.  

[Volki]

They understand Spanish but not as much as I would like. But they definitely need to learn more, we just got too used to speaking English at home so I need to change that. Especially down here when so many people speak Spanish.

[Kilo]

It's complicated lol I have been actively studying for a few months on and off. But I have always worked around Spanish speaking people (worked in the oilfield and I was pretty much the only one who didn't know Spanish) lol so I picked some up from them and my wife speaks Spanish and English but we most speak English at home around the kids.

Gotcha, so you have learned a lot purely by partial submersion. I have always wanted to try that, but never had the guts to just start living somewhere where I know so little.

 

 

 

Like Volki, it's complicated, and like Volki, it involves growing up in Texas. I'm from San Antonio, so I've been around it all my life. I took some classes in High School. My ex wife is first generation US, her mother is from Mexico, so I picked up some good Spanish from them. I also use it every day at work, and I've been on duolingo for the last couple of weeks.

 

Being from south Texas was the reason I took the high school classes as well. Has Duolingo helped in understanding it better at work?

 

 

 

I'm eager to hear about the parkour training group and the skills you're learning with them.  

 

 

Wait a minute...  Do your kids speak Spanish?  If not, that's a perfect reason to become fluent in the Spanish and have a secret parent language.  

 

I am excited to see how it plays out. They seem like an interesting bunch, and the environment is super casual. I have already started learning kongs, safety vaults, wall runs, and handstands. I also gave cash vaults a run but was never able to stick one.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Gotcha, so you have learned a lot purely by partial submersion. I have always wanted to try that, but never had the guts to just start living somewhere where I know so little.

 

 

 

 

Being from south Texas was the reason I took the high school classes as well. Has Duolingo helped in understanding it better at work?

 

 

 

 

I am excited to see how it plays out. They seem like an interesting bunch, and the environment is super casual. I have already started learning kongs, safety vaults, wall runs, and handstands. I also gave cash vaults a run but was never able to stick one.

Yes, Duolingo is way superior to High School Spanish Classes. I recommend you start yesterday.

 

Holy Crap, Another Texas Ranger! Wild Wolf, Volki and I were the only 3 I knew of till you mentioned you are one of us.

[Kilo]

Yes, Duolingo is way superior to High School Spanish Classes. I recommend you start yesterday.

 

Holy Crap, Another Texas Ranger! Wild Wolf, Volki and I were the only 3 I knew of till you mentioned you are one of us.

 

Yep, born and raised in Houston, now moving around the state throughout the semesters.

[Kilo]

Guess it is time to get this show on the road!

I seriously considered writing a story, but since I am already writing blog posts ( and struggling with that) I think I will not. Hope you still enjoy the thread anyway.

 

Blogging: I ended up going rock climbing with a bunch of people in New Mexico this past weekend, which resulted in me missing my unofficial blog deadline for last week. So that needs to get done tonight. Also, I am going bungee jumping this next weekend, so I need to get this next weeks written and sent off before I leave Friday night.

 

Parkour: No news in this regards. Practice is on Fridays, and I have scheduled everything so I can be there for an hour and a half to two.

 

Learn the Jargon: I have completed todays Duolingo and am set up for another run this week. I know I will miss Saturday and Sunday, but that is why I don't penalize for two missed days.

 

Study More: Today has been an incredibly productive day. I just finished up my Molecular Biochemistry homework and am feeling quite accomplished. I definitely got my five hours in today.

 

Workout: Did the first workout of the Stronglifts 5x5 And that went well. That break down is:

     Bench: 105 lbs.

     Squat: 115 lbs.

     Barbell Rows: 95 lbs.

I intend to stay at these weights for the next week and a half before I start adding any weight on. Since it has been a while since I lifted, I just want to make sure my base is strong.

 

I would say that it was a successful first day! I am going to go write my blog post, edit it, and send it to my editor buddy.

Hope everyone had a good day!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Great day 1.

[Sea Level]

Nicely done.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[peelout]

Just found your post.

I really like Eminem's music which most people who know me would never guess.  At 55, I just started getting into rap (if you want to call his music rap, when I was young rap was quite a bit different) about 3 yrs ago.  Even have some NWA on my ipod.  

 

Kudo's on being a chemical engineer, the elite of the engineers and my worst engineering course.  I'm a lowly mechanical engineer so I bow down to anyone who takes on chemical engineering.  Now to give you a "kick in the azz".  I went in to engr right out of HS.  Grades were moderate even though I tried, then began dropping, then I stopped attending.  Did a lot of shit between age 20 and 30, then decided I needed to decide what I wanted to do when I grew up and went back to school.  Already had a wife and wanted to start a family and knew I needed to get a career going.  When I went back, I attacked it.  I was already 30 and knew I would be at a disadvantage in getting hired to much younger people so I needed something to make me stand out.  So every grade, every assignment, every class became the most critical thing for me.  For me, a grade of B was total failure.  I graduated Summa Cum Laude.  What changed?  ATTITUDE.  So get your shit in gear and get the mind set that your entire future depends on every assignment, quiz, lab, and test.  It's pretty stressful, but when you go looking for jobs, a lot of companies set lower GPA limits for who is even allowed to interview.  Then, someday  you may become the chem engr who creates what up to now is the most important discovery ever:  that sticky shit on the back of postits that doesn't come off the paper but sticks to everything else.

 

I'll be following, and bitching when I see anything less than max focus.

[Wild Wolf]

Awesome first day dude! Rock climbing is a good excuse to be behind on the blog- and I'm excited for your parkour update on Friday!

Texas Rangers FTW!! We'll have to get a big Texas Meerup going this summer. Maybe we can all go practice some parkour or something at the Meet-up?

I can also bring my LARP weapons and training weapons if anyone wanted to fuck around and spar??

Though.. I'm missing another Katana to complete my DP get-up...

If you did write a story, what would it be about? I'm writing a few of my own, one such being the focus of my challenge this go round.

Wolfpool

"Daddy needs to express some Rage."

[Kilo]

Just found your post.

I really like Eminem's music which most people who know me would never guess.  At 55, I just started getting into rap (if you want to call his music rap, when I was young rap was quite a bit different) about 3 yrs ago.  Even have some NWA on my ipod.  

 

Kudo's on being a chemical engineer, the elite of the engineers and my worst engineering course.  I'm a lowly mechanical engineer so I bow down to anyone who takes on chemical engineering.  Now to give you a "kick in the azz".  I went in to engr right out of HS.  Grades were moderate even though I tried, then began dropping, then I stopped attending.  Did a lot of shit between age 20 and 30, then decided I needed to decide what I wanted to do when I grew up and went back to school.  Already had a wife and wanted to start a family and knew I needed to get a career going.  When I went back, I attacked it.  I was already 30 and knew I would be at a disadvantage in getting hired to much younger people so I needed something to make me stand out.  So every grade, every assignment, every class became the most critical thing for me.  For me, a grade of B was total failure.  I graduated Summa Cum Laude.  What changed?  ATTITUDE.  So get your shit in gear and get the mind set that your entire future depends on every assignment, quiz, lab, and test.  It's pretty stressful, but when you go looking for jobs, a lot of companies set lower GPA limits for who is even allowed to interview.  Then, someday  you may become the chem engr who creates what up to now is the most important discovery ever:  that sticky shit on the back of postits that doesn't come off the paper but sticks to everything else.

 

I'll be following, and bitching when I see anything less than max focus.

 

Thanks for the follow! I seriously considered going ME instead, since I don't actually like Chemistry that much, but eventually decided to challenge myself. I know I have been slacking recently and have just been trying to stay above average instead of actually excelling. On the other had, I always tell myself not to let my studies get in the way of my education. I learn a lot outside of the classroom, and I enjoy it.

 

My goal is to graduate with a minimum of 3.2 GPA and so far I am good to go.

 

 

 

Awesome first day dude! Rock climbing is a good excuse to be behind on the blog- and I'm excited for your parkour update on Friday!

Texas Rangers FTW!! We'll have to get a big Texas Meerup going this summer. Maybe we can all go practice some parkour or something at the Meet-up?

I can also bring my LARP weapons and training weapons if anyone wanted to fuck around and spar??

Though.. I'm missing another Katana to complete my DP get-up...

If you did write a story, what would it be about? I'm writing a few of my own, one such being the focus of my challenge this go round.

Wolfpool

"Daddy needs to express some Rage."

 

​Yeah! I told myself at the begininning of my challenges that I wouldn't let them get in the way of me doing cooler things.

Hell yeah I am down for a meet-up. I have never sparred before but willing to try.

I am not sure honestly. I always have great starts to stories, but poor middle and ends. Probably something centered around a startup colony on a terraformed planet. I always like the sci-fi stories.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Then at least keep starting stories. Eventually you'll start one you want to continue.

[Volki]

Hey Kilo, I just wanted to say that I checked out your blog and I really like where you are going with it. I was in a similar situation when I was 

a teenager as well. Also I shared your blog on my facebook so that way you can get some more traffic and feedback hopefully. Anyway keep it up

man.

[Kilo]

Then at least keep starting stories. Eventually you'll start one you want to continue.

 

I might try it next challenge. We shall see.

 

 

 

Hey Kilo, I just wanted to say that I checked out your blog and I really like where you are going with it. I was in a similar situation when I was 

a teenager as well. Also I shared your blog on my facebook so that way you can get some more traffic and feedback hopefully. Anyway keep it up

man.

Thanks so much! I am not actually sure if it is actually going to pick up and be a normal thing I do, but I challenged myself to six weeks so we will see.

I really appreciate the feed back and the sharing it. I have yet to tell any of my family about it just because I am nervous they will hate it. I know they will probably support me, but its still daunting to let them see that side.

Thanks again for reading it! The third post will be put up in the next two days hopefully once my editor buddy has checked it and the fourth will hopefully be posted Saturday or Sunday!