Starstuff Wars: Episode IV

[Starstuff]

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

 

 

 

Episode IV

 

BALANCE

 

Stronger, yet exhausted from their battle with the Sith, Starstuff and the other Jedi Initiates return to the Jedi temple on CORUSCANT to continue their training. Starstuff has learned much, but the call of the Dark Side - old habits, cutting corners, and a tendency to try to do too much at once - can be hard to resist...

 

Main Quest: Prepare for the Initiate Trials

 

 

I have passed one of the Trials: a full push-up! Four more to go. You can see the goals I'm working toward on my Epic Quests list under The Initiate Trials. I've got a half marathon coming up on 5/7, and I'm hoping to have that Trial knocked off by the time the next challenge starts, but I want to make sure I'm keeping on top of my other goals, too.

 

Goal 1: A mind and body at peace

 

 

My sleeping habits are kind of terrible. "Kind of" in the sense that Jabba the Hutt is "kind of" awful. I usually get a full 7-8 hours in any given 24 hour period, but usually only through sleeping in and taking afternoon naps. My mornings are generally pretty tired and cranky, which isn't good for me physically or mentally. So, I'm setting myself a sleep goal for this challenge: in bed by midnight every night, with lights out by 12:30.

 

Goal 2: Harmony in movement

 

 

It's important for a Jedi to keep in good physical condition, because you never know when you're going to find yourself running from blaster fire or needing to pull yourself up from hanging off a ledge. My goal here is to keep up with the last few weeks of my half marathon training and keep working on my strength training, which means running five times a week and strength training two times a week.

 

Goal 3: Find balance in the Force

 

 

More handstand practice! For this goal, I'm going to work on inversion and hand-balancing three times a week, with five minutes one day a week spent on each of the following: freestanding headstands, wall handstands, and crow pose progression.

 

Life Goal: Roughing it, NaNoWriMo-style

 

 

Camp NaNoWriMo runs throughout the month of April, and I've set myself a goal of 15 hours of editing my novel during that time. Things have been pretty crazy on the personal front the last few days, so I'm starting this challenge with a grand total of zero minutes editing so far, so that means I need to do 15 hours of editing before the end of the challenge.

[lucky fire dragon]

In for your glorious awesome You are already so strong in body and spirit, it'll be amazing to see you take it even further

 

Good call on the sleep goal to keep replenishing your batteries

[Waldgeist]

Following you through your trials!

[Starstuff]

Day 1

I spent all day helping move my Grandpa into an assisted living facility. I got home just before 1 a.m. and got absolutely nothing challenge-related done.

[Starstuff]

Day 2

• Goal 1: Met my in bed and lights out goals. Unfortunately, I seem to have drunk too much water close to bedtime, so I spent the next couple hours almost falling asleep and then having to get up to use the bathroom. Guess I need to watch my nighttime water intake a little closer!
• Goal 2: Ran 3.12 miles using the Zombies, Run! zombie chases feature. I got four chases over the course of my run and escaped all of them.
• Goal 3: Nothing here today.
• Life Goal: Got in 15 minutes of editing.

[Starstuff]

Day 3

• Goal 1: I was exhausted, so I was actually in bed with lights out a couple hours earlier than my goal, but then I couldn't fall asleep, so I'm groggy and exhausted today. Blech.
• Goal 2: Ran 3.75 miles.
• Goal 3: Five minutes of freestanding tripod headstand practice. I held one for a full 60 seconds! I think next week I'm going to try yoga headstands for headstand day, since those have a smaller base and are a bit harder.
• Life Goal: Nada.

[Starstuff]

Day 4

• Goal 1: Met my in bed and light out goals, but I had trouble falling asleep again.
• Goal 2: Ran 5 miles with zombie chases. I got six chases, and I escaped five. The one I missed involved a steep hill, so I'm okay with that. I also did my strength training today.
• Goal 3: Five minutes of foot-supported crow pose. Man, this is difficult.
• Life Goal: Got in 30 minutes of editing.

[Starstuff]

Day 5

• Goal 1: Made my in bed and lights out goals, but once again I was in bed for several hours before I fell asleep. This goal is not working out how I'd hoped. I think I'm actually getting less sleep than I was when I was going to bed at 1 or 2.
• Goal 2: Planned day off.
• Goal 3: Planned day off.
• Life Goal: Did 30 minutes of editing and finished rewriting a scene that's been bugging me.

[Starstuff]

Day 6

• Goal 1: Made it to bed by midnight and light out by 12:30.
• Goal 2: Totally flaked on my run and strength training.
• Goal 3: Also flaked on my handstand practice.
• Life Goal: Did 45 minutes of editing.

Day 7

• Goal 1: Bedtime and lights out goals met.
• Goal 2: Ran 11.8 miles.
• Goal 3: Planned day off.
• Life Goal: Did 30 minutes of editing.

[petefeet]

Finally found you!

 

I was in need of your Star Wars challenge to keep me entertained!

[petefeet]

 

Day 1

I spent all day helping move my Grandpa into an assisted living facility. I got home just before 1 a.m. and got absolutely nothing challenge-related done.

 

Family ALWAYS comes first in my opinion.

[Starstuff]

 

 

Family ALWAYS comes first in my opinion.

 

Absolutely. This whole thing has been pretty exhausting and is interfering with my goals more than I'd like, but being there for my grandpa is definitely my top priority right now, so if other things need to take backseat while he gets settled in his new place, that's okay.

[Starstuff]

Day 8

• Goal 1: Bedtime and lights out goals met, but I once again had trouble falling asleep and then had stress dreams after I did fall asleep. Having a set bedtime during a time where I've got a lot of stress has really opened my eyes to how much stress negatively impacts my sleep.
• Goal 2: Planned day off.
• Goal 3: Planned day off.
• Life Goal: Edited for 30 minutes. I nearly missed my bedtime because I got caught up in writing a new scene. Thank goodness for my trusty alarm reminding me to go to bed!

[Starstuff]

Day 9

• Goal 1: I met my in bed and lights out goals, but I had a terrible time falling asleep, and then my mom (who is currently in Amsterdam, halfway around the world) decided to text me at 4 a.m and 5 a.m., waking me up both times. I'm completely exhausted today.
• Goal 2: Ran 3.12 miles with zombie chases.
• Goal 3: Did 5 minutes of yoga headstand practice. I'm finding these much more challenging than tripod headstands.
• Life Goal: No editing today.

[Starstuff]

Day 10

• Goal 1: Met my bedtime and lights out goals and actually fell asleep at a reasonable time! And then I slept for almost ten hours.
• Goal 2: Ran 3.75 miles. Had some great weather, too.
• Goal 3: Planned day off.
• Life Goal: 30 minutes of editing.

[peelout]

 

I'm here because I like bulleted lists and it looks like you "get shit done".

[Starstuff]

I think that's the first time anyone has ever told me I get shit done. I must be getting better at it!

I'm also quite fond of bulleted lists. Ordered lists, too, but only if they're used correctly.

[peelout]

How long have you been running? Big goal to run to Ireland.

 

Looks like you live in a beautiful area.  Near Napa valley, several bays, and the ocean.  Are there mountains in that area as well?

[RogueLibrarian]

I'm here to:

• cosign the endorsement of bulleted lists
• tell you it definitely sounds like you're getting shit done under difficult circumstances
• commend you on your zombie runs, which are of higher quality than mine

[Starstuff]

 

How long have you been running? Big goal to run to Ireland.

 

Looks like you live in a beautiful area.  Near Napa valley, several bays, and the ocean.  Are there mountains in that area as well?

 

I've been running for about four years. My journey to Ireland includes all the steps I take throughout the day, so it's not just running, but I expect it to take a while. My goal is to complete it before Star Wars: Episode VIII comes out.

 

There are several mountains around here, and a ton of hills. Really, the only flat parts of this area are right down by the water.

 

 

I'm here to:

• cosign the endorsement of bulleted lists
• tell you it definitely sounds like you're getting shit done under difficult circumstances
• commend you on your zombie runs, which are of higher quality than mine

 

Thank you! All zombie runs in which you don't get eaten are high quality zombie runs, imo.

[Starstuff]

Day 11

• Goal 1: Bedtime and lights out: check. Falling asleep at a reasonable time: still a work in progress.
• Goal 2: Ran 5.6 miles and did my strength training routine. The weather was just perfect, and I had a really great run.
• Goal 3: Did five minutes of foot-supported crow pose practice. I think I bruised my arms doing it, though. I definitely pinched the skin on my arms uncomfortably with my knees. Gotta work on that.
• Goal 4: 30 minutes of editing, and I made it to page 20 of my manuscript! Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

[lucky fire dragon]

You're getting a LOT done 

And so consistently, wow! You just make it sound like no big deal (when it actually is a big deal) so maybe for you it's just normal?

 

Not getting enough sleep is so tough! Could you maybe do some gentle yoga sleep boosters before bed time? A little physical unwinding often goes a long way to unwind the mind along with it

 

Woweee on the full minute tripod headstand!! It's so odd, I can kick up into a yoga wall headstand no problem and then hold it free for about 10 seconds, sometimes more, but for some reason I can't lift my legs in tripod headstand at all at the moment. Feels like they're glued to my arms Reading about your success on it makes me want to try it more again, thanks

 

How's your grandpa settling in?

[Starstuff]

Day 12

• Goal 1: I decided to stay up late to spend some extra time with my sweetie, who left to go out of town for a week on Saturday morning, so no meeting my bedtime goals for me.
• Goal 2: Planned day off.
• Goal 3: Planned day off.
• Life Goal: No editing.

Day 13

• Goal 1: Met my bedtime and lights out goals.
• Goal 2: Ran 3.1 miles with my parents' puppy and did my strength training.
• Goal 3: Did 5 minutes of wall handstands.
• Life Goal: No editing.

Day 14

• Goal 1: Met my bedtime and lights out goals.
• Goal 2: Ran the Final Innaugural Dolores Umbridge 13k (or until it sinks in) virtual race, which works out to about 8.08 miles.
• Goal 3: Planned day off.
• Life Goal: No editing.

[Starstuff]

 

How's your grandpa settling in?

 

It's touch and go. He often wakes up confused and unsure of where he is, but he's usually pretty happy with his new place later in the day. He's made some friends, but he really misses my dad, who has been out of the country for work for the past three weeks, and often forgets that Dad is out of town and instead thinks he's choosing not to visit. His female cat is still peeing on his couch. My parents get back into town tonight,so I'm hoping that having them around regularly will help Grandpa feel better in the new place.

[lucky fire dragon]

I'm sure having his son back will help a lot. It can't be easy settling into a new place at that age and I remember how confused my granny often was when I visited her in her home where she got cared for.

It's so great of you to go see him regularly, it does brighten up their days more than we can imagine, even if they don't always know how to show it.