Urgan Shows Up, Does the Thing

[Jord]

This whole conversation about work party's is my nightmare this week. Today is my last day in the department and the holiday party is today. No untold numbers of people tried to get me to go. Sorry, not sorry, that spending two hours hearing "you'll be missed" or "what will you be doing next" isn't my idea of a party.  Not only that, it's on a FRIDAY in the EVENING. At least hold it during work hours! 

 

We also have an actually fun holiday party tomorrow with our SCA friends, which I am looking forward to, but bowed out of the gift exchange because it does in fact seem like a waste of money. 

[Urgan]

10 hours ago, Cataleya said:

Yeah, I mean I wouldn't make anyone go, but there were a number of people up in their offices, and I wouldn't have even said stay the whole time or bring food, but like, it's not gonna kill you to go down the elevator or stairs or whatever, pop your head in, and wish people luck on finals. I know it's a busy time but it just kind of sucks that people complain our club isn't as active as it could be but then the faculty show almost no interest, so why should the students? If it was a departmental party, I'd get it, but it just kind of sucks because our students genuinely want to get to know us better and I do not work at an R1 institute or anything, it's supposed to be a teaching-focused university. 

 

I mean, the party was three hours long, so like, I didn't stay the whole time, but I was there for a bit to say hi and introduce myself and talk to people, and then I left for work I had to do and came back at the end to pick up my crockpot. (To your food point, I got some Walmart brand broccoli and cheddar soup which is surprisingly okay despite the fact you heat it in a bag, but everyone was super excited about soup and less excited about the pizza that everyone brings to every student event like, ever. No leftover soup, but plenty of leftover pizza they had to send home with... someone. Not me though. Not enough protein. XD)

 

Yeah, a different beast than my situation. There is insufficient social pressure to do the thing vs one man trying to force it on the rest of us. If I wanted to be part of the event anymore, I would have no problem bringing SOMETHING. It's the shaming thing that makes me search around for some f's to give, if you know what I mean.

 

10 hours ago, Cataleya said:

But no white elephant parties are stupid. Schatz's family wants to do something like that next year and I'm like, I'm... just gonna grab something and keep it the whole time, if that's the case.

 

Make sure it is something you are 100% certain nobody will want. Or be like me and just watch lol.

[Urgan]

22 minutes ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

This whole conversation about work party's is my nightmare this week. Today is my last day in the department and the holiday party is today. No untold numbers of people tried to get me to go. Sorry, not sorry, that spending two hours hearing "you'll be missed" or "what will you be doing next" isn't my idea of a party.  Not only that, it's on a FRIDAY in the EVENING. At least hold it during work hours! 

 

ugh Ugh UGH after work parties with coworkers are just NO. Your job change situation is just next level.

 

22 minutes ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

We also have an actually fun holiday party tomorrow with our SCA friends, which I am looking forward to, but bowed out of the gift exchange because it does in fact seem like a waste of money. 

 

Friend parties are good. Coworker parties are......well, are they power-crazed carb-shamers?

[ixaera]

2 hours ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

This whole conversation about work party's is my nightmare this week. Today is my last day in the department and the holiday party is today. No untold numbers of people tried to get me to go. Sorry, not sorry, that spending two hours hearing "you'll be missed" or "what will you be doing next" isn't my idea of a party.  Not only that, it's on a FRIDAY in the EVENING. At least hold it during work hours! 

 

We also have an actually fun holiday party tomorrow with our SCA friends, which I am looking forward to, but bowed out of the gift exchange because it does in fact seem like a waste of money. 

 

The ONLY time I have ever enjoyed a work holiday party was working at the Federal Reserve. They hosted on a December Friday in the evening, but they also decked the place out like crazy, had live music and/or karaoke (or both, in different areas), free booze, free food (both snacky & dinner foods & desserts). It was a real Thing. 

[Urgan]

15 minutes ago, ixaera said:

 

The ONLY time I have ever enjoyed a work holiday party was working at the Federal Reserve. They hosted on a December Friday in the evening, but they also decked the place out like crazy, had live music and/or karaoke (or both, in different areas), free booze, free food (both snacky & dinner foods & desserts). It was a real Thing. 

 

Knocks the Publix chicken on offer here flat out of the water.

[ixaera]

Just now, Urgan said:

 

Knocks the Publix chicken on offer here flat out of the water.

 

yeah they had in-house catering and they brought out their nicest stuff for this event. Back then I was part of the events department and we could really put on a party. That stuff was DELICIOUS.

[Urgan]

4 minutes ago, ixaera said:

 

yeah they had in-house catering and they brought out their nicest stuff for this event. Back then I was part of the events department and we could really put on a party. That stuff was DELICIOUS.

 

I wish y'all could see the shenanigans we get up to, but then you might have a headache and that is no fun.

[Urgan]

12/13/2017 - 12/17/2017

11PM like me

Food

Calories: 2264 / 2052, 2143, 2084, 2535, 2512

Protein: 117 / 88, 109, 112, 133, 122

Fiber: 32 / 52, 33, 15, 20, 28

Well, I didn't have any sub-2000 calorie days and my protein and fiber averages were on point, so I guess I'll take it. The Snack Day nonsense came and went without more issue, which was a Godsend, really. 

 

Sleep

Curfew: 5/12

 

Aikido

Bokken time: 1/6

This is kind of a fail in that I sorta forgot to do it until Sunday.

 

Wednesday

Squat

45          10

100        5

115        3

135        3

150        1

166        3x2

 

Deadlift

135       5

155       5

175       2

193       3x2

 

Friday

Bench

45     5

55     5

65     3

75     3

80     1

100   1

90     3

 

Saturday

Squat

45          10

100        5

115        3

135        3

150        1

177.5     3x2

 

OHP

45     2x5

50     3

55     3

67     1

60     2x3

 

Deadlift

135       5

155       5

175       2

193       2x2

193       5---5RM PR+8!!

 

I slept in on Friday and split my upper body with Saturday. Didn't die, matched my 3RM on squat for doubles and somehow PR'd my deadlift on a whim. It was a high intensity kind of day. But Sunday.

 

Sunday. Was a Cat-asstrophe.

 

There are days you aren't sure how you got up in the morning, and this was one of them. Mostly my own fault, as it always is. I slept in and had coffee + fries by the time 2PM rolled around--not terribly abnormal for a Sunday, a little on the low side, because we were going to a party of sorts, so I figured there would be food there. Guys. Here was the food:

 

1. Cheese balls + nuts + crackers

2. Fruit on sticks

3. Peppermint bark

 

As a recap, I am straight out allergic to nuts and I am not keen on trying crackers lately.

 

So I'm sitting there watching my husband eat and trying to listen to such conversation as there was (I knew as many people as there were food items, so.....) and he basically decides to take me home because I must have looked like a corpse propped up in the chair. Immediately inhaled food when I got home, felt like a human. 

 

Flash forward to dinner. We got a fire going and made a kick-ass gumbo with the best roux I have ever produced--not without a minor panic attack that I'd ruined it along the way, which I'm pretty sure is an actual step in the roux-making process. It was glorious. We did our bedtime rituals and I went through some bokken stuff because WTF is commitment and one of our cats jumps on the bed. Leaves wet butt-prints on the bed. I turn her over and it was a crime scene attached to her rear end. O.M.G. 

 

Cue mad scrubbing for half and hour

Stripping and changing of the bed

Stripping and changing of me x2 because how do you clean a cat's butt without getting it on you again?

Chasing cat around trying to keep her off furniture while trying to do things to better the situation when I might as well have been trying to solve world hunger and cure cancer while shuffling a Rubix cube with my toes.

Giving up and just shaving cat behind

 

Extra laundry and badly needed relaxation time put me late getting in bed, so you can kiss curfew goodbye by an hour. 

 

 

GOOD MORNING Y'ALL.

[Urgan]

12/18/2017

....almost

Food

Calories: 2671 / 2671

Protein: 133 / 133

Fiber: 44 / 44

Homemade gumbo FTW. I will take it. 

 

Sleep

Curfew: 5/12

...nope. 

 

Aikido

Bokken time: 1/6

 

Bench

45     3

65     3

75     3

80     3

95     3x3--3RM PR +1!!

 

OHP

45     3

55     3

55     3

60     3

68     3--3RM PR +1!!

58     2x6

 

In spite of everything Sunday night threw at me and the overwhelming temptation to phone it in, I fell out of bed and hit some PRs. It's Shark Week, so that's a thing that made Monday slower and more difficult than it had any right to be. It was chiro night, so I did that instead of Aikido and Wednesday will be the last class of the year. 2017 flew by. It's been cold and snotty down here and is scheduled to be so for at least half the week. Can it be Friday yet??

[CourtnieMarie]

PRs and gumbo!

[Jord]

On 12/19/2017 at 9:52 AM, Urgan said:

 

 

In spite of everything Sunday night threw at me and the overwhelming temptation to phone it in, I fell out of bed and hit some PRs. 

 

Hell yeah! That is making things happen. <3 

[Urgan]

12/19/2017 - 12/20/2017

The Sound of Silence would be Deafening

Food

Calories: 2623 / 2942, 2256

Protein: 134 / 150, 119

Fiber: 44 / 25, 63

Hmmm, wonder when the gumbo ran out? 

 

Sleep

Curfew: 6/12

 

Aikido

Bokken time: 2/6

 

Squat

45       3

120     3

135     3

150     3

168     3

 

Deadlift

140     3

155     3

175     3

195     3

165     3x3

 

Tuesday's traffic was horrible and also for Christmas shopping. Got home late with takeout dinner, still cooked because tomorrow will come and I would otherwise starve, given work is near precious little that I can/want to eat. 

 

Work has upended the apple cart, shot the horses, and burned down the city. Why we have to make huge changes right smack in the middle of the most high pressure time of year is beyond my ken. But you know, some people need a reason to perpetuate and that reason is the suffering of everyone around him. 

 

I kinda sorta got to the gym a bit late and it's Shark Week, soooooo squat volume BYE. I know, I am not hardcore in the slightest. Don't care.

Did I think Tuesday's traffic was bad. Guys, it rained hard and created National Wreck Day. I didn't even want to see Christmas lights by the end of the day, because they looked too much like police, fire, and ambulance lights. It almost cost me the last Aikido class of the year, but I made it and I am glad I did, because we lost a Sensei to another hobby apparently and this was her last class. I have a sad now. Managed to not say anything retarded during goodbyes, + 1 CHA.

 

I review the list of techniques I need to know for my next test and I feel halfway familiar with all but one regular technique,  but I need to work on bokken stuff, that stuff is sketch. Giving myself a point for this because 

 

 

I am thinking about testing in February. Given the two week break starts Christmas Day, this is less mat time than it appears. I need to do my stuff at home. This rank advancement would represent the opportunity to be flexible with which class time I attend.

[Kishi]

Geez, sorry to hear that everything's gone so wrong at the end.  It's only a few more days. I'm fairly sure that you won't get the chance to coast, but with the holidays winding down, the pressure should release at least a little bit.

 

Also, I hear you on the struggle between getting sleep and cooking food. It's a tough nut to crack. Having not done it so well, I can respect how demoralizing it is to have to pick.

 

Still, at least you got to pick between a pair of good options as opposed to a bunch of bads.

 

May Shark Week be short and May The Gains Be With You!

[Urgan]

5 minutes ago, Kishi said:

Geez, sorry to hear that everything's gone so wrong at the end.  It's only a few more days. I'm fairly sure that you won't get the chance to coast, but with the holidays winding down, the pressure should release at least a little bit.

 

Sad thing is, our EOY is January! We're just getting this party started. The clowns are already here.

 

6 minutes ago, Kishi said:

Also, I hear you on the struggle between getting sleep and cooking food. It's a tough nut to crack. Having not done it so well, I can respect how demoralizing it is to have to pick.

 

If it does not affect anyone else, I am choosing sleep every time. Every single time.

[Urgan]

12/22/2017 - 12/27/2017

The true meaning of Christmas is easier to embrace when all the a-holes stay away

Food

Week 3 Roundup

Calories: 2451 / 2701, 2208, 2033

Protein: 124 / 140, 98, 109

Fiber: 31 / 46, 7, 14

Warning: no fiber ahead

 

Week 4

Calories: 2 328/ 2798, 2299, 2648

Protein: 107 / 115, 99, 115

Fiber: 19 / 28,  10, 25

This is a rough estimate for 12/27 given it is a guestimate.

 

This too is a guestimate, given I forgot to weigh myself a couple days and Christmas Day's morning weigh-in was done on another scale, so. That jump is probably not consistent. 

 

Sleep

Curfew: 7/12

 

Aikido

Bokken time: 4/6

I did some! Hoping this will get me better prepared. 

 

  

 

Friday was Payday for migraines. I managed to get through the week up to that point with Excedrin Migraine, but on Friday it was like, Nope I'mma Not Sit Down. Fortunately it was practically a ghost time, not much to do, and we left early. I did not make myself get up early to lift, but I fit it in after. Then we ate out, which helped bump the macros in the right direction. That's kind of what this season is for me, a break from panicking that I will not make calories. Yup. I know. 

 

Now Saturday had something special--a .5lb squat volume PR, both in terms of a 3RM and the fact that I squirreled out two sets of it. To the detriment of deadlifts, but oh well these things happen.

 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were fairly low key at my parents' place. A-hole family members stayed away thinking they were hurting us by withholding their presence at our table. HA.

 

HA.

 

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

 * clears throat *

Anyway. Nobody had anything they just had to have, so we had kind of a lower key gift-giving experience that worked rather well. We had brunch, slept, dinner, and then presents at night--the inverse of how we typically do it--with me re-reading The Strongest Shall Survive by Bill Starr in between, which I got last year. So a little hit of nostalgia. A big hit of sugar, which I happily took also. Because those delicious delicious calories.

 

 

Then I turned around and used that sugar to power a more bro-ish upper body session than on average. Lol. Relatively speaking. And then immediately doing lower body the next day. Not optimal, but it didn't feel too bad. I like slower, lazier, boring holiday schedules plzkthx. The magic ends tomorrow, hi ho hi ho it's back to work I go. Two day work week, mandatory due to me only having one free-wheeling PTO day and something that kinda sorta has to be tested by New Years. So. 

 

Oh yeah, and I got a new gym clothes bag because I tore my old one trying to cram one last thing into it. Both the old and new one are very, very high quality $.50 cloth grocery bags, the latter being 1.25 years old. LOL. This is as exciting as it gets.

[shaar]

13 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were fairly low key at my parents' place. A-hole family members stayed away thinking they were hurting us by withholding their presence at our table. HA.

 

HA.

 

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

 * clears throat *

 

 

Oh gosh this is delicious and again I am cackling.  Oh yeah, you SURE are showing EVERYONE you terrible humans....... 

 

13 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

Oh yeah, and I got a new gym clothes bag because I tore my old one trying to cram one last thing into it. Both the old and new one are very, very high quality $.50 cloth grocery bags, the latter being 1.25 years old. LOL. This is as exciting as it gets.

 

Something something, it's the little things?  I bought myself a new pillow yesterday and was real excited to sleep on it wow this is adult life huh????

[Urgan]

1 hour ago, shaar said:

Oh gosh this is delicious and again I am cackling.  Oh yeah, you SURE are showing EVERYONE you terrible humans....... 

 

When you are treated like a table lamp and ignored at a 3rd party place, you know you want more of that action at Christmas. 

 

1 hour ago, shaar said:

Something something, it's the little things?  I bought myself a new pillow yesterday and was real excited to sleep on it wow this is adult life huh????

 

Is it everything you'd dreamed??

[shaar]

5 minutes ago, Urgan said:

When you are treated like a table lamp and ignored at a 3rd party place, you know you want more of that action at Christmas. 

 

Wow, let me in on some of that F U N FUNTIMES hoo boy...........

 

5 minutes ago, Urgan said:

Is it everything you'd dreamed??

 

You know......... I........... uh.  I don't think my stupid neck is used to it yet 'cause I woke up pretty stiff - right before shoulder day, natch - so WE'LL SEE I think the eventual dream will happen???

[ixaera]

15 hours ago, Urgan said:

A-hole family members stayed away thinking they were hurting us by withholding their presence at our table. HA.

 

Merry Christmas to you, right??!

LOL

[Kishi]

It's the spirit of the holiday - spending time with people you don't actively hate.

[Urgan]

20 minutes ago, Kishi said:

It's the spirit of the holiday - spending time with people you don't actively hate.

 

It's more than just a holiday, it's a way of life.

[Urgan]

12/28/2017

The hits keep right on coming

Food

Calories: 2563/ 2507

Protein: 112 / 117

Fiber: 24 / 31

Somebody broke out the paddles on my fiber macro and it's COMING BACK, BABY.

 

Sleep

Curfew: 7/12

Oops, 30 minutes over.

 

Aikido

Bokken time: 4/6

 

It was a hard sad time to go back to work, but fortunately most everybody else was still gone. I did do some work, surprise surprise, but hit the expected roadblocks from all parties not being at the table. It's okay, there's always next week and the forecast chance of snow over the weekend has disappeared. And while waiting for my baconator to do his thing and cook some up for the Bacon Beer Cheese Soup + CHICKEN on the menu, I was watching a Stephen Georg vlog and he was dancing around after discovering he could massively upgrade his internet plan and not increase his bill by that much. So I checked and I can get a 30% bump on internet speed for a 15% price bump after the promotional period expires. So I decided to go for it. COULD NOT complete the transaction because my ISP's website is apparently a broken mess? Desktop website on Chrome, mobile site, app, AND Firefox were all no. So I used alternate means and got an appointment set up to upgrade the hardware. It looks like it takes advantage of the fiber lines that were installed a bit ago?  

 

Today I did not go to the gym due to realizing Tuesday and Wednesday were intense and Saturday and Sunday are scheduled to be gym days. The former is 5RM squat and my once-5RM on deadlift 'til I smoked it randomly with 193lbs; the latter is the first intensity session for upper body. So, figured making it tic-tac-toe three in a row might just end poorly.

[Kishi]

Now now. The trick to all that training is to sleep for a day and a half afterward. After all, that's when you get the growth hormone and solidify your Gainz.

[Urgan]

2 minutes ago, Kishi said:

Now now. The trick to all that training is to sleep for a day and a half afterward. After all, that's when you get the growth hormone and solidify your Gainz.

 

It's all fun and games until that part where I go to work on January 2nd and need food to eat for lunch.

[Urgan]

You may think you've had a bad day, but have you had a frosted flakes, michelob ultra, and 3 bottles of wine bad day?

 

 Somebody's grocery cart speaks volumes.