Dagger's Progress as a Nomad

[Bookish Badger]

7 hours ago, Dagger said:

Obviously this voice in my head lies.

 

Brain weasels are dickheads. All of them. Or as @Guzzi says, wankstains. (I too love collecting idioms and that one is so disgustingly descriptive!)

 

7 hours ago, Dagger said:

You actually tackled a challenge. You didn't just say you would and then never started. You didn't just say you would, started and then gave up. You didn't just say you would, started and gave up when social recovery/sickness/really crappy days arrived. You said you would; you started; you adjusted for the obstacles when needed; you managed your dark moods so you didn't lose more time than necessary to deal with the feelings; you finished strong.

 

Yes, you did! You planned, and you followed through, and you listened to yourself and learned, and you course-corrected as needed. Brava!

 

7 hours ago, Dagger said:

This challenge felt a lot like just building habits and creating maintenance stuff ... I'm still upgrading my habits to just get to a basic I want.

 

This! THIS!! THIS!!!

This is exactly what we need to focus on! There is no "just" about creating those habits - consciously building habits takes hard work so don't sell yourself short because the brain weasels think it's not shiny "enough."

 

 @Severine's challenge thread has that part about the speed-dieter's podcast (I still have to listen to that) and several people expressed concern about how they'd maintain their weight loss when they reached their goal weight, because at that point what more can you do? It's a valid concern, and THIS IS HOW!

 

We don't crash-diet for Cousin Martha's wedding and then destroy the buffet at the reception because we met the goal. We're nerds. We're smarter than that (this time  )

 

Instead we build those good unglamorous habits like ample sleep, and eating real food, and getting enough exercise that's appropriate for us so that the destination becomes the journey and it never really "ends." We don't go back to the habits that made us overweight to begin with, because by then we've replaced them with healthy goals that fully support our "new normal," and if we should find we've wandered off our chosen path, well, so what? We'll have the tools to get back on track before the detour becomes a backslide. That's life.

 

All of those ideal-life habits look utterly realistic and doable to me. No, you won't wake up and be able to do all of that tomorrow, you'll need to work up to it a bit at a time. And you probably won't ever be able to do every single thing every single day (what are you, a wizard?). But they're still reasonable and realistic targets. And great fodder for future challenges.

 

It is so great that you've made so much progress in such a short time period! I can't wait to see what you turn your will to next! And good on you for taking the leap to go to NF Camp!

 

Go Dagger go! Go Dagger go!

[Dagger]

10 hours ago, Alicia said:

Days can be tough. I'm the same when a dark feeling gets me it can get me awhile. Good for fighting back good on you ☺!!!

Thanks!

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

8 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

Brain weasels are dickheads. All of them. Or as @Guzzi says, wankstains. (I too love collecting idioms and that one is so disgustingly descriptive!)

Total dickheads and wankstains (although I almost feel dirty just writing that, hehe).

 

8 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

Yes, you did! You planned, and you followed through, and you listened to yourself and learned, and you course-corrected as needed. Brava!

Thanks!

 

8 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

This! THIS!! THIS!!!

This is exactly what we need to focus on! There is no "just" about creating those habits - consciously building habits takes hard work so don't sell yourself short because the brain weasels think it's not shiny "enough."

You are right. There is no "just" about it. I let the brain weasels add that word.

 

8 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

@Severine's challenge thread has that part about the speed-dieter's podcast (I still have to listen to that) and several people expressed concern about how they'd maintain their weight loss when they reached their goal weight, because at that point what more can you do? It's a valid concern, and THIS IS HOW!

 

We don't crash-diet for Cousin Martha's wedding and then destroy the buffet at the reception because we met the goal. We're nerds. We're smarter than that (this time  )

 

Instead we build those good unglamorous habits like ample sleep, and eating real food, and getting enough exercise that's appropriate for us so that the destination becomes the journey and it never really "ends." We don't go back to the habits that made us overweight to begin with, because by then we've replaced them with healthy goals that fully support our "new normal," and if we should find we've wandered off our chosen path, well, so what? We'll have the tools to get back on track before the detour becomes a backslide. That's life.

You're right! That is what I am aiming for. I plan to start a food log in a few weeks, but at first I don't plan to figure out calories or anything, just logging what I eat and not focusing on amounts unless they are easy to figure out. I just want to see what I eat and hope just the logging will help me make better choices.

 

And then I have a plan for when I finish that, or rather I will figure out a plan when I see how it goes.

 

Certain habits I will build for just a while, and others will stay for a long time. And by the nature of thinking and focusing on long term, I'm not building a life I can't sustain forever. Instead I'm finding the ways I can keep doing the better habits forever and ever.

 

8 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

All of those ideal-life habits look utterly realistic and doable to me. No, you won't wake up and be able to do all of that tomorrow, you'll need to work up to it a bit at a time. And you probably won't ever be able to do every single thing every single day (what are you, a wizard?). But they're still reasonable and realistic targets. And great fodder for future challenges.

I'm totally a wizard! Totally! Who are you to doubt me?

 

Thanks for confirming that my ideal-life habits are realistic and doable. As I said I have no idea. And yes, I am using then to help me figure out my challenges.

 

8 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

Go Dagger go! Go Dagger go!

/dance

[Severine]

You're not the only one who switches between English and British slang, haha. I grew up in Canada, which has one foot in the UK and one foot in America, and then I studied in Scotland for a year during undergrad and married a Scottish guy (loooong story, but it only lasted 2 years) and then a few years later I fell in love with an American and we moved to Boston together. I've picked up some slang from friends in three different countries, so I'm a weird jumble of expressions that my American friends often find amusing. I think it's good when people have their own way of saying things, though, so don't try to fight it!

 

Your review post was fantastic. In my head I pictured a courtroom with a collection of brainweasels sitting in the defendant box, and you're dressed in a very impressive fancy outfit and you walk slowly back and forth in front of the jury as you deliver your argument. BAM good point, the jury seems to nod. BAM another brainweasel alibi destroyed. The weasels start glancing at each other nervously. Their lawyer pretends to be making notes, but you notice them sweating. BAM another logical flaw revealed. BAM the brainweasel case is demolished! Some of the brainweasels start to look really nervous as the jury scowls at them with disdain. Well argued, Dagger!

 

In all seriousness you're totally right about how easy it is to minimize our achievements, to put them in some kind of cruel perspective where even succeeding on something is a reason to criticize ourselves because we make fun of ourselves for having needed to work on it in the first place. Well, it's bullshit and it's self-destructive and it's so good to see you recognizing that and refusing to be defeated or distracted.

[Bookish Badger]

5 hours ago, Dagger said:

I'm totally a wizard! Totally!

 

I'll never doubt again! I promise! Please don't turn me into a newt!

[Dagger]

On 14 Jul 2016 at 2:09 PM, Severine said:

I think it's good when people have their own way of saying things, though, so don't try to fight it!

Oh, I don't. I like it too. Plus it makes my voice in my writing unique too. However, I try to notice when I direct translate Swedish idioms since sometimes they make no sense to non-Swedish people. Also, people always asks if I'm German or know German since when I want to swear with the word shit, I do it in German. This is because my older brothers took German as teenagers, so I picked it up from them. That is the only swear word I use when speaking English that isn't English, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised?

 

On 14 Jul 2016 at 2:09 PM, Severine said:

Your review post was fantastic. In my head I pictured a courtroom with a collection of brainweasels sitting in the defendant box, and you're dressed in a very impressive fancy outfit and you walk slowly back and forth in front of the jury as you deliver your argument. BAM good point, the jury seems to nod. BAM another brainweasel alibi destroyed. The weasels start glancing at each other nervously. Their lawyer pretends to be making notes, but you notice them sweating. BAM another logical flaw revealed. BAM the brainweasel case is demolished! Some of the brainweasels start to look really nervous as the jury scowls at them with disdain. Well argued, Dagger!

Thanks for this wonderful visual. I had to go back and read that part just to picture it like that in my mind.

 

On 14 Jul 2016 at 2:09 PM, Severine said:

In all seriousness you're totally right about how easy it is to minimize our achievements, to put them in some kind of cruel perspective where even succeeding on something is a reason to criticize ourselves because we make fun of ourselves for having needed to work on it in the first place. Well, it's bullshit and it's self-destructive and it's so good to see you recognizing that and refusing to be defeated or distracted.

Interestingly enough, one of my motivations for refusing to let it get to me is because I thought about all the times I've cheered on friends who did that self-defeating thing after an achievement and I didn't want to feel like a hypocrite. Also, I didn't want to minimize my achievement.

 

I think that is the first time I've ever tried to beat a behavior/emotion because I wanted to avoid hypocrisy. :3

 

21 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

I'll never doubt again! I promise! Please don't turn me into a newt!

Hah, turning you into a newt would be too kind. I'd turn you into a badass because who wants to be something that consists of the words bad and ass together, right?

[Bookish Badger]

2 hours ago, Dagger said:

badass because who wants to be something that consists of the words bad and ass together

 

You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

 

(In addition to collecting idioms, I also enjoy working as many different dialog trivia references into one conversation as possible.)

[Dagger]

1 hour ago, Bookish Badger said:

You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means.

If she weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood.

[Dagger]

July 14

The reason I try to update on the same day is because my brain is very efficient in flushing out yesterday. So what did I do yesterday? I have no freaking clue beside getting my steps in a long evening walk.

 

I think I tried for yoga and missed again. I messed with my own head by calling this a rest week. A rest day involves not having to struggle. And getting myself to work out is a struggle still.

 

I finally said yesterday that I will stop trying this week. I need to get cleaning done. That will have to be my workout.

 

I also booked things for camp!!!

 

July 15

Started the day waaaay early because the garden service was to come and cut the grass... Except they don't cut when it rains, so they didn't come in the morning, they came in the afternoon.

 

Today was mainly a day of guilt free resting. I moved around more during the day, so I didn't have to take quite as long a walk in evening. But I did anyway because I had a nice talk with my dad on the phone.

 

I also booked more things for camp!!! (flights and hotel yesterday, shuttles and trains today)

[Severine]

Guilt-free resting is really important!! And camp sounds exciting. I might have to think about going next year if possible.

[Dagger]

July 16

Wow! A day of productivity.

 

As soon as I woke up I went for a morning walk and I'm guessing that made the huge difference, plus the light weight on my shoulders after my lawn was cut yesterday by a garden service.

 

When I got back I raked grass from the front lawn, because the garden service didn't have time to rake my lawn at all; they did sweep the stone paths.

 

Then I did lunch and then I raked one side of the yard. I'm amazed I did that much. Very unhappy that I won't have time to get to it all before my friend comes on Monday, because I need to clean tomorrow. Of course, it rained tonight so maybe it would be too hard to rake it tomorrow? (Unless it is really sunny and it dried up fast.)

 

That said, I hope it rains a lot tomorrow, so my cleaning will get done with a guilt free heart. I know myself enough to know I can't do all the things. I also know that the lawn that is still covered by grass clippings will suffer until I get it away...

 

Beside raking in the afternoon, I chilled mostly and then after dinner I took the recycling to the nearest recycle place about 5 minutes away by foot. I walked there.

 

Man, I felt so good about today until I let myself think too much about the grass clippings. Now I feel like I need to do it tomorrow. But when will I clean then? >_<

 

Anyway, raking gave me a lot of steps because I was moving my arms a lot and I have my step counter on my arm (Fitbit Charge HR). So apparently I did over 10'000 steps today. :3 lol

 

22 hours ago, Severine said:

Guilt-free resting is really important!! And camp sounds exciting. I might have to think about going next year if possible.

I hope it'll be as fun as I imagine it. I'll suffer through the introvert recovery after, but I'm guessing it will be worth it.  Oh and if you come next year, I guess I'll have to think about going again!

[Bookish Badger]

It's ok, Dagger. Focus on getting ready for your friend to visit, then enjoy the visit. The grass clippings will still be there afterwards (unless it really rains a lot, then they'll just be compost  ). And your lawn can handle a little smothering until you can get to it. It might look a little patchy at first, but give it some water if nature doesn't and it'll green right back up.

[Dagger]

On 17 Jul 2016 at 2:31 AM, Bookish Badger said:

It's ok, Dagger. Focus on getting ready for your friend to visit, then enjoy the visit. The grass clippings will still be there afterwards (unless it really rains a lot, then they'll just be compost  ). And your lawn can handle a little smothering until you can get to it. It might look a little patchy at first, but give it some water if nature doesn't and it'll green right back up.

Thanks! I just saw this (doh). Unless it rains soon (should finish with the clippings today), I'll need to water the lawn. More or less no rain for over a week. It is too sunny all the time (and warm).

[Dagger]

Review of July, 2016

Better late than never, huh?

 

Of course, by now I barely remember what I did in July!!!

 

Exercise

• Steps went from 6500 (?) to 7000 steps without problems.
• I did yoga more most of the month, either once or twice. And even one week with three times.
• I went hiking a couple of times, both with a friend and by myself.

Nutrition

• I started using my slow cooker to much success.
• I had meal timing (fitting lunch and dinner for specific time frames) for part of the month until I realized it wasn't helping as I hoped.
• Towards the end of the month I made rules of no food after 22:00 and no sweets with/after dinner.
• I started food journaling.

Level Up My Life

• I struggled with writing through the month, but got some done.
• The simple version of the evening routine have become completely ingrained.
• My standing desk was put into place.
• More stuff here I don't remember.

Fun Events: A good friend came from the north to visit my new house; we had several fun filled days. My grandmother came to visit to see new house for a couple of hours. I visited my parents for an afternoon and evening.

 

July was a good month, but also one of struggle.

 

I don't remember that many dark moods, but I had a lot of social recovery after my friend's visit. I also had to skip the first week of the new four week challenge and later learned I think that threw me off my stride somewhat.

 

Towards the end of the month I started focusing on losing weight so I could do the rope course at NF camp. Basically I switched focus from fitness to nutrition. And it went easier than I expected.

 

I started thinking more and more I wanted to focus on my routines (morning routine in this case), because if I got more structure into my day the rest would fall more into place. I also really wanted to get a focus on the writing.

 

Next time I will try to do this update closer to the end of the month so I still have it in mind.

[Dagger]

Ode to 2016

 

You started off in a way that made people around the world sad.

People who'd created massive things moved on to another plane.

While the rest of us was left behind, not knowing what was in store.

 

The bad omen did not extend to everyone.

I was aimless.

Pathless.

 

Following a trajectory without solid boots on my feet.

Without a clear path, just vague clouds showing the way without showing what was ahead.

Or beneath.

 

To go into life without purpose doesn't mean unhappiness.

It doesn't mean life is bad or aimless.

It just means it is somewhat diffuse.

 

Spring came after winter in the Northern Hemisphere and a new seed was planted.

One book that fused nerd culture and fitness and self development.

Bringing daily questing out of WoW and into normal life.

 

Normal.

Like there is such a thing. We all feel unnormal.

Strange.

Stranger in a strange land.

 

I read a book.

I started on a quest.

I walked many miles.

 

...

 

Literally.

That was my first quest: Walking.

 

So walked I did.

Every day.

Neither rain, nor shine stopped me.

Winter later put a slight dint in it, but the damage was done by autumn.

 

The ground under my feet was changing.

No more foggy clouds.

Instead

Stepping stones

 

I was going somewhere. I could sense the direction.

No longer was it just a vague desire to create fiction and to have joy.

Something more was brewing.

 

And I was not the only thing brewing.

 

So was the world.

 

Unexpected changes, but not so unexpected to some.

No.

Not the Spanish Inquisition.

 

Changes in the world. More omens.

 

But all I saw where signs.

Signs on my path.

 

The initial book lead me to a website that lead me to another website that lead me to...

You guessed it.

Another book.

 

A book of travel.

Constant travel.

Not vacation.

Not one month.

A few months.

Half a year.

A year.

Or even... years.

 

A new option blossomed while so many other things happened.

Hiking became a thing. Views visited with my own feet.

Summer camp for nerd jocks... or maybe jocky nerds. Perhaps sporty nerds?

Who knows. It is an imperfect shorthand.

 

The break happened.

No.

Not in the world.

 

Inside me.

 

A physical misadventure. Or was it?

Was it perhaps exactly what an adventure should be?

A hard task. Impossible without help. A body who can't quite do it. A mind that breaks down during the task.

A rally with fellow adventurers.

A fighting cry.

 

Marco!

Volo!

 

An exhilarating end. Bonds forged. Hearts and minds mending.

 

A hero. No.

Several heroes emerged.

 

The rope course was conquered.

 

On time went. After adventure comes a time of healing.

Healing helped by a new mentor found during camp.

 

Piece by piece, I put myself back together.

Not as I'd been.

More like I wanted to be.

 

Not perfect.

Just different.

Not as normal.

But then...

 

Who is normal?

 

[Dagger]

Accomplishments in 2016

 

Main Accomplishment

I found a purpose. That sounds cheesy, I know. And it isn't like I found the ultimate purpose for my life or anything like that.

 

A path that was murky, now feels clear.

 

The purpose is to travel long term. To pull my roots from the ground and see where my feet can take me (not literally, I have plans to use planes, trains and automobiles). To shed possessions and live a lighter life. To explore and adventure. To test myself. To see how far I can go.

 

Life is so wonderfully focused with my purpose. I have something to shape my future with, to help motivate me to do all the things I want to do.

 

Writing & Publishing

• 61'806 fiction words (2015: ca 90'000 words)
• Unknown amount of non-fiction (craft exercises, workshop assignments, forum posts, reflection, etc.)
• 1 short story sold to pro market (anthology coming out in March this year (2017!!!))
• 1 publishing/networking in-person workshop
• 1 craft (Romance genre) in-person workshop
• 6 craft/publishing online workshops

Fitness

• Walked regularly May to middle September
• Did a lot of Walking in France (Oct/Nov)
• Got back to Walking regularish in December
• Did Zumba for a couple of months
• Did yoga for a couple of months
• Did 4 strength workouts (2015: 0)
• 10 day hiking trip
• Rope course
• More energy
• Almost lost 8 kg from my highest weight (started checking weight in June, and it was rising then until middle of July, plus some ups and downs the last couple of weeks)
• Lost 7 cm from my waist (I have them all, but I'm too lazy), last checked in Nov (so I don't have a year end one, nor do I have one from start of the year)

Travel

• Feb/Mar: USA for workshop, plus days in Seattle, Washington. Best thing: Spending time with friends
• Apr: USA for workshop, plus days in Portland, Oregon. Best thing: Japanese garden
• Aug/Sep: Austria for hiking. Best thing: Hiking!
• Sep: USA for Camp NF, plus a day in Atlanta, Georgia. Best thing: Aquarium
• Oct/Nov: France for retreat plus extra days in multiple places: Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Arles (with day trips to Avignon and Nîmes) and Marseille. Best thing: Retreat in Provence.
• Decision to go long term traveling, aka becoming a nomad, and started tasks to make it happen.

Misc

• Retreat in Provence
• Started (but didn't finish) 30-day meditation course
• Built up more energy for every day chores/tasks
• Three friends visited me (separately) for 3 days or more
• Created Christmas spirit
• Got heating system changed in my house (making arrangements, being present and paying)

Not sure that is all. If I think of something more, I'll add it. But that should be most of the important things I did this year, whether goals or just fun things.

[Dagger]

2017 — The Year of Strength

 

Strength

The focus of this year is to build up daily movement, aka fitness.

But if that had been the only focus, I would have continued to call 2017 The Year of Fitness.

I'm spending enough time on other areas of my life that also need strength that the focus of fitness isn't as strong as I thought it would be.

Instead I am also working on my mental health (mental, emotional, and spiritual).

I'll also be working on my creativity and growing those muscles.

Not mention general productivity and recovery skills.

Basically, I'm planing to grow my strength in most areas of my life.

 

Planned Trips/Outings/Stuff

• Online workshops/courses: 2 planned so far. Craft one in Jan. Self improvement in Jan/Feb. 
• Feb/Mar: USA for workshop
• May: Friend visits Sweden, show them around if possible
• May: Costa Rica for retreat, plus extra days in Costa Rica and visit to Boston
• Jun-Jul: Italy for fitness retreat
• Jul/Aug: Norway for Kickstarter adventure trip
• Aug/Sep: London
• Sep: Paris
• Oct: Barcelona

 

Tracking

Last Updated: 2017-09-12

 

79'331/100'000 words

2/12 short stories

5/12 submissions

2/4 WotF submissions

12/12 new-to-me fiction books

9/12 new-to-me movies or performances of some kind (gymnastics, music concerts, circus, ice skating, dance, play, etc.)

[Dagger]

Goals for Different Categories

The time frame will be focused on 6-12 months, so within 2017. But since there are multiple categories, it is entirely possible not everything will be done in each category. I'm making this post mostly so I can organize my thoughts about different focuses I have. And to have somewhere to go between challenge to figure out what to focus on next.

 

Physical

• Every day movement, a deliberate action
• Buy no sodas. Exceptions: trying a new type (sometimes), when it would be horribly rude to say no, when I have no alternative. Over 100 days of following this habit!!!
• Only buy one type of sweet when shopping. Over 100 days of following this habit!!!

Mental/Emotional/Spiritual

• Short morning ritual. Invocations are working good, might swap for a time
• Regularly stopping to take deep breathes throughout my day, especially when emotions choke me
• Regularly say my mantra and my intentions
• Once a week or so, do longer nourishing rituals
• Work meditation into my routine, daily or several times per week
• Think about and figure out how to add yoga as mental/emotional/spiritual practice
• Explore tarot: learning cards, symbolisms and readings

Financial

• Get Visa card from second bank
• Make a plan for each company I own stock in that doesn't pay out dividends and implement it. (2?)
• Watch new investments in funds and take stock every six-twelve months or so to figure out if I should keep or sell investment
• Open a new small stock portfolio were I can play—aka learn by doing—with a small enough sum I won't be upset if I lose it

Relationships

• Figure out how often I'd like to contact my friends. I might have to do separate plans per friend
• Start implementing the plan
• Figure out with friends how we will keep in contact when I travel

Becoming a Nomad: DONE

Spoiler

• Reduce belongings
• Thinking points from Decisive
• Rental queues (around Siljan, along the coast of Sweden)
• Sell the house
• Immunizations 2/2
• Insurance
• Packing: make ultimate list, get what is missing, and pack
• Tell family and make arrangements

 

 

Publishing
I'm not sure when I'll find space and energy to get back into publishing, but below is some steps to take.
 
If/when I have the space/energy to add in publishing goals, this the order and steps I need to take:

1. Find & transcribe notes on publishing file organization
2. Take/listen to organization lecture (and take notes and transcribe them)
3. Re-organize files
4. Take stock of what I have done, started and not started
5. After this it is great to move on to actually add publishing tasks to my schedule. But also start in on the following tasks
6. Do the Business and Sales Strength Workshops
7. Learn more about a specific tax status for writers in Sweden
8. Learn about book keeping and DBA taxes in Sweden
9. Start DBA for publishing
10. Start going through Kris' how to build a brand blog posts with homework

Then I figured out a schedule to ease publishing tasks into my schedule. It would make it so I fully published one title per month (or there about). I'll do one item on the list per week:

1. Sales copy and book covers (ebook and as far as possible on POD)
2. POD & ebook plus rest of POD cover
3. Publish (upload ebook, upload POD for proofs, update websites, post on website, send newsletter, post on social media, etc.)
4. When proof comes in, set aside the next week for checking and fixing it if needed. If fix was needed, start another round for proof, otherwise hit publish. (Will probably not take a whole week of publishing time.)

Digital Declutter

• Take care of the scanned files in the folder on the desktop of main login
• Slowly go through and clear all emails in non-fiction folder
• Get both inboxes to 0 or as close as possible, no unread ones
• Move my publishing emails to gmail
• Move all the documents from previous publishing computer to logins (mainly main log in left I think)
• Clear desktop of each log in
• Have files in order on publisher log in
• Look over file system in main log in
• Look over file system in writer log in
• Make sure all photos are in albums according to trip/place (after nomadic according to place)
• Organize all files on external hard drive
• Go through each trip/place album and delete blurry, redundent and dislikeable (photos that didn’t come out right or doesn’t speak to me) photos 
• Go through and clear out my book marks
• Reduce my safari windows to one (the rest can be book marks if I still need them)
• Go through and clean out facebook friends
• Move anything important from my junk email. Only use it for new newsletters and such that I’m not sure I want.
• Go through and change my password on all important sites: email, webhost, social media, pay sites, cloud service, local cloud, all publishing sites
• Clear cookies and history on safari
• Fix my amazon accounts: kdp to publisher email, buying account to main email, create author account with author email. Make sure I am allowed to have separate author account from buying account.
• Send the email for Good New Magazine to not needing to get the rest of my issues/digital subscription
• Send reminder to A about publisher logo

[Dagger]

Digital scale stats (I know they are pretty rubbish except that I can follow their trajectory to see how I'm doing, but the exact numbers are inexact to put it mildly), 2017-04-15:

Weight: 106.5 kg

Fat %: 50%

Muscle/fitness rate (I don't remember what the scale called it): 3

Visceral fat rate (basically size of stomach, lol): 12

Metabolic age (I think it called it that): 42 years old

[Dagger]

Future Challenge Ideas

Although I call the challenges "Month of...", they might be part of the normal NF challenge format or if I've gone to doing monthly challenges here on my battle log, then yes, they will be monthly challenges.

• Month of forgiveness. Forgive and let go of past incidents I still hold on to too tightly. Also forgive myself for past, for now, for future(?). Use Metta meditation (loving kindness) Ho'oponopono (Hawaiian practice of forgiveness).
• Month of no gaming. Try and see what it is like to spend no time on video games, board games and such are fine. So are role playing games (as in pen and paper).
• Month of gentle gaming. After the month of no gaming. Choose a game and play it for a session, then honestly ask if I had fun. If yes, keep the game. If no, get rid of the game. Try to do this with as many games as possible, but max one game per day, with max one session per day. Also, let the games you keep stay unplayed until all games have been gone through (mobile games, 3DS games, computer games, all of them count). This might take more than a month and it might not work.
• Month of no video. Stop using video as entertainment for a month and see how that feels. Exceptions are going to the cinema to a movie I really want to see and possibly watching with others. Educational video is still alright, video calls are still alright. That means if I'm doing an online workshop, those videos are okay. If I need to learn how to tie a knot (or something) watching a youtube video that shows how to do it is alright. Take note of videos I actually miss, aka the videos I still miss in week three and four. Other educational videos (outside workshops or self care or specific skill I need at that moment) are also not permitted. I use educational video as entertainment at times.
• Month of mindfulness. Take three breathes before starting to eat, and if eating alone try just focus on the eating with no distractions. First thing in the morning, get to the nearest window and watch the weather outside for at least three breathes. During a walk, stop somewhere and breathe five breathes either looking at something or staring at nothing or with closed eyes (if in a safe place). Once a week, do mindful movement (decide at the time what that means, but probably something I have some capability and skill in already and focus on breathing and the muscles only). Figure out if there are any other easy moments to add in some mindfulness by breathing and looking at things or observing thoughts.
• Month of eating. I have ideas for three changes here. Fast 1-2 times per week for 20-24 hours; I don't know if fasting will work for me, but I'd like to try it. Mindful snacking; snacking is only allowed if I'm not doing anything else while eating it, only exception being if I'm with other people but I will still try to be mindful about the snacking. One meal a day or say 5 a week should be mindful, aka no videos or reading, exception again is eating with other people however if I have a couple of meals per week that I am alone those should be the mindful ones.

[Severine]

Really like these ideas. Also in general like the idea of hoarding future challenge ideas

 

[Dagger]

53 minutes ago, Severine said:

Really like these ideas. Also in general like the idea of hoarding future challenge ideas

 

My brain said "write them down or I will bug you until the end of time...or until I forget. GO WRITE THEM DOWN."

 

My brain is awesome, lol.

[Dagger]

On 1/1/2017 at 3:31 PM, Dagger said:

5 7/12 new-to-me fiction books

Sonata for a Scoundrel by Anthea Lawson

A Hard Rain (Star Trek) by Dean Wesley Smith

 

Both recommended.

[aishah hope]

I love your "month of" ideas. Brilliant

[Dagger]

7 hours ago, aishah hope said:

I love your "month of" ideas. Brilliant

Thank you.

[Dagger]

Summer Challenge

 

So one of my writing mentors for a lark decided to open up a novel challenge this year, where he'd accept five writers max and he'd act as their beta reader (he calls them first readers but most people haven't heard that term) if they finished one novel each month of the summer (June, July, August). Actually just go ahead and read his blog post about it: A Novel Challenge.

 

I decided to be one of the five. So I signed up in early May and told almost no one.

 

This is my way to kick start my writing on my travels. This is also the reason I decided that after my plans for June and July (which have been planned since March), I'd be staying still in London so I'd have an easier time finishing the August novel. (Check out roam.co if you are interested in see the place I'm staying at in London.)

 

To give people who don't know word counts a lot some perspective of how long 30 000 words is...

A category romance (aka those romances you find in most supermarkets) is generally between 40k-50k words.

A typical novel (such as mystery, thriller, sci fi) is around 90k words.

A fantasy novel is somewhere between 90k (more urban fantasy) to 250k (epic fantasy) words.

 

So 30k words is fairly short by today's standards, but! But fairly normal before the '90s and maybe even the '80s. So if you don't know a lot about publishing history, 30k word long novels sounds super short by today's standards, but it really was very common for most of the 20th century. (And for this short paragraph I had to look up how you write the '90s and '80s, and I had to double check if 20th century meant 1901 to 1999 (or 2000 apparently...). Why not just call it by the number it actually has? *le sigh* (btw, I know the reason, I just think it is stupid ))

 

I have a jump off point if I don't think I can finish the first novel in time. At June 15th, I can decide to bow out if it isn't working. My goal is to be fairly sure I can get it done in June at that time.

 

And this will definitely be a challenge!

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Btw, this is the post where I will track whether I finish or not.

 

June novel: 33'200 words, finished on June 29, spell check and fact checking done on June 30, sent to Dean on June 30 with plenty of time to spare

 

July novel: 30'656 words, sent in on July 30

 

August novel: 11'086 words (didn't finish nor turn in)