Liam's Battle Logs

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Ok, Dr. Strange was pretty dang good and Kidzilla, and PostEmoGirl, loved it.  Other than that it was kind of a quiet weekend.  Friday night nobody felt like cooking, so we just grabbed some grocery store fried chicken and called it good.  SquirrelKing made a scrambled egg skillet meal (scrambled eggs, with ham chunks, bacon crumbles, mushrooms, and sweet peppers) for dinner Saturday, and then Sunday I made a slow cooker Autumn pork stew with apples, and carrots.

 

I had only gotten about 5 hours of sleep Thurs into Fri, about 12 hours Fri into Sat, 8ish hours Sat into Sun, and then just over 5 hours last night.  SWMBO, SquirrelKing, and I have all been debating if we're coming down with some illness or just have been feeling out of sorts for other reasons.  All of us have been having headaches, body aches, fatigue, sinus irritations, queasy stomachs, and just general bleh feelings.  If I am coming down with something, let me just get flipping sick and get it the hell over with, rather than this I might be, I might not be BS.

 

Spoiler

The political climate in this country and on my social media feeds is getting ridiculous. The Southern Poverty Law Center has verified 200 + hate crimes against groups, that Trump's campaign rhetoric targeted.  Meanwhile, the other end of the political spectrum is trying to get Black Lives Matter, and similar left-wing, and anti-fascist group to be officially declared terrorist organizations.  It would be a lie to say that I, personally, could not not be connected to such movements in some ways.  Anyway, SWMBO and I have convinced the entire family to do the #safetypin bit, as a response to everything going on.  We've also been having long talks with the kids about they best ways to intervene with harassment. I honestly don't know what else to do.

 

In more positive news, I'm starting to solidify plans to restart the HEMA club.  Focus will be limited to 19th century material, and I'm getting my sources lined up.  (it's mostly the same stuff I was using before).  I'm still going to need to establish a better training schedule than I did before, though.

 

I'm now down under 190lbs, and almost to my goal weight.  The trick is just going to be getting the weight to shift away from my midsection and to the rest of my body.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Okay, I've been slacking quite a bit the past two weeks or so.  As I said There's been a lot of not feeling well, just plain ass tired, and some serious brain weasel / black dog issues since about the US elections.  Anyway, I'm slowly making my way back to the forums and off the couch.  I signed up with a place call Achievemint which is supposed to pay me for fitness related activities.  We'll see how it works out but it's a positive reward system, and I didn't really have anything setup for that.  It may help.

 

I'm pretty much going to kill off my last challenge, and then to a major reset after the holidays.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

So after disappearing from NF for awhile I have come back.  Ostensibly this is to try and get myself in shape to run a martial arts club.  However, I need to be honest with myself.  While I have some martial arts background, I don't have an extensive martial arts background, and I'm not qualified to instruct a gerbil much less another human being.

 

Spoiler

 

Trying to arrange practice times for the club, puts a damper on time with my family since they do not share my love of all things sharp and pointy.  Every time I make something that could be considered weaponish (I've been making paracord self defense keychains and bracelets), my wife vents her frustration with me, that I'm not making things that exude peace and love.  While I'm attempting to pursue the things that I enjoy, she does not necessarily get the same opportunity to pursue her dreams and enjoyments like ghost hunting and middle eastern dance.

 

I'm a 40+ year old out of shape office jockey with no ****ing car for my family to use (this is a huge problem in the US and we only have mass transit in a few cities).  I barely make enough money to keep my family housed and fed and I make well above median salary for this area. So I have no transportation and no funding to do anything with for anyone.  SWMBO has been a stay at home mom since she was pregnant with our son back in 2005.  I know this gets to her, and is against the workaholic nature she used to have before that time.  However, circumstances have been such that we do not have the resources to renew her CNA license so she can go back to work.  The lack of transportation is also a factor.  Not to mention we both owe on student loans (mine just got pulled out of default), and while she can get hers deferred while she does not work, the moment she takes a job we have to start paying.  We may have to do that anyway, but the payments will still be much lower if she is not working than if she were to start working.

 

 

With my job, I'm generally gone from 7:00 AM ish until 7:30 PM ish, my job is from 9:00 AM - 6:00 pm but it takes about an hour and a half to get back and forth to work each way regardless of if I walk or take the city bus (2 miles from my apt to the bus stop, or 5 miles each way from my apt to my job).  I also have a bad habit of falling asleep on the couch in the evenings, basically, as soon as I get comfortable I'm out cold and snoring, which ruins everyone else's chance to enjoy anything in the evening. 

 

This is not something I can really control, and as time goes on it keeps getting worse.

 

Spoiler

Because of this SWMBO sees any time I try to plan to do something not centered around her or the family as taking away from her and the family.  She doesn't really get to enjoy anything she wants in the evenings because of my tendency to fall asleep and snore and this has gotten her to take the attitude that she cannot enjoy anything be it an activity, a tv show, or a movie and it's gotten to the point that even if the adults in the family (myself, SWMBO, and SquirrelKing) even suggest trying to do something or watch something, she refuses to give an opinion, because of the assumption that I am going to fall asleep, snore and ruin it.  This has lead to several recent arguments, and pretty much the entire house is completely miserable at this point.

 

[Heidi]

@Draegon (Liam P Boyle), do you want advice or are you using this space as a place to lay it all out?

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Mostly to get things off my chest, but I'm open to advice.

[Heidi]

2 hours ago, Draegon (Liam P Boyle) said:

Mostly to get things off my chest, but I'm open to advice.

 

Then let me start by pleading with you to get a car, for your family's sake. I have been where you are, and I have been where your wife is (please unpack the acronym for me if you don't mind). Those three hours are killing you personally and killing your wife and your relationship with her spiritually. Save up $500 for a clunker and replace it as soon as you can. Also, how old are the children?

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

We're working on the car, it just seems like every time we have some money saved up for a clunker, something happens and we have to spend it.

 

SWMBO (she who must be obeyed) -> a somewhat joking way of referring to my wife, who I really do care about deeply.

 

KidZilla (my son) is 11 going on 12, PostEmoGirl (SquirrelKing's daughter) is 16 going on 17.

[Heidi]

 

I hear you about the "something coming up." Seriously. I live in the mountains of Virginia, and it's not a hotbed of transit options here, either. We have one car right now and it limits our ability to make money. I have been in the position where I had an infant and a toddler and no car, and I thought I would lose my mind.

 

I'm not kidding about the impact that the time suck is having on your relationship. It also sounds as though she is starting to develop some (perfectly reasonable) resentments, which are the death-knell for a relationship. I don't know if there is a way to set an extra $20/week aside until you have a car, but if so, it's got to be top priority.

 

That, and renewing her license. There isn't a need to be a stay-at-home mom with the kids being older, and being able to work while they are in school would probably do wonders for her emotional state even more than the immediate relief the income would bring.

 

I see that you already know where the friction points are, because you brought them right out into the open. I'm cheering you on.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

17 hours ago, Heidi ☯ said:

That, and renewing her license.

Unfortunately, in order to renew my wife's CNA license at this point, she would have to retake all of the schooling, as if she had never worked in the field at all.

 

As SquirrelKing

Spoiler

Husband #2

and I were getting read the riot act again last night some of the more immediate causes of stress started coming out.  PostEmoGirl's boyfriend's mother is breathing done the poor girl's neck about prom in May, which is regularly putting her into tears, causing her to run to my wife for emotional support.

 

PostEmoGirl's birthday is coming up in April, SquirrelKing's in May, and at the end of May my family is visiting from out of state.  All of which she primarily has to deal with, because I'm gone for roughly 12 hours a day at work, as is SquirrelKing. (At least I have a set schedule, whereas his fluctuates).  Not to mention, my wife is fairly strongly empathic, so if anyone, even a neighbor, is stressed out, angry, etc she picks up on it and it affects her moods.

[Heidi]

Well, once you guys have a car, she can get a receptionist job, or some other clerical thing. That would certainly help with the money and doesn't take any time to apply for, unlike waiting to go back to school.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/22

 

6 hours 26 minutes of sleep

 

227 minutes of activity - 22123 steps 17.03 km of walking

 

Diet:  Breakfast - redbull (they were giving out free cans at work) and coffee, black

Lunch - leftover chicken & broccoli alfredo

Dinner - Cube steak, Grean beans, &  roasted potatoes

 

MFP ended up yelling at me for not eating enough.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/23

 

6 hour 55 minutes of sleep

 

214 minutes of activity - 16470 steps, 13.03km

 

Diet (Bad diet day):

 

Breakfast - Bacon, Egg, & Cheese sandwich

Lunch - Slimfast protein shake

Dinner - (We ate out at a local Mexican Restaurant)

Burrito dinner plate

Spanish Rice

Refried Beans

24 oz Dos Equis Beer

 

Snacks -

Apple danish

2 16oz Becks beers

 

It was my son's living history event at his school, so I ended up having to leave work early to get him ready for that, plus there were several other stressful events happening.  I ended up calling the day a bit of a wash.

 

Stress Event 1:

Spoiler

While I'm at work I start getting some group messages from my mother, that are being sent to my wife and I about my folk's pending visit from out of state that is supposed to happen in May.  In the course of talking about prepaying for a hotel room for a trip down to Mammoth Cave, my mother mistakes my wife's saying that we can send the PAYMENT for the hotel the second week in April, to mean that we want the visit to happen the second week in April.  Given the April/May time frame contains two birthdays, a prom, the family, visit, Easter (secular version), Beltane (family religious holiday), and THE GODDAMN KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL AND RACE - we're on a bit of a tight schedule.  I have to jump into the conversation to back up my wife against my mother, about not changing the visit dates, while I'm supposed to be working at a job with a "no phones during work hours" policy.

 

Stress Event 2:

Spoiler

My son's living history event is TODAY!!!! My wife and I had the event down for Thursday 3/30 by mistake.  My wife texts me about this right after I start my lunch break from work.  We need to find a way to transform my son into a young Thomas Edison.  I end up having to call my boss, who is also on his lunch break, to inform him I need to leave work early.  It took trips to three different stores to find the following objects:  a boy's bowtie, a driving hat in the late 19th / early 20th century style, a boy's L white button down dress shirt. 

 

These are not odd clothing items, and have been in continuous fashion since the late 19th century (men's clothes really don't change that much over time).

 

Anyway, the wife and I are able to pull things together in time for the kiddo to make his event.

 

Stress Event 3:

Spoiler

Okay, as the entire family is walking home from dinner, a neighbor in a black mustang whips around a corner in the parking lot of our apartment complex almost hitting my wife, SquirrelKing, and my son.  I'm lagging a bit behind everyone, because, well, I was sore as heck from all the running around I had had to do earlier.  My wife yells a the driver to "slow the **** down" and keeps walking.  This guy stops his car and gets out shouting insults that imply my wife and SquirrelKing has an incestuous relationship as siblings, as he proceeds to start storming over towards my wife, stopping only when SquirrelKing (who is actually a fairly large man) turns around.

 

By this time I've reached the shaven headed, soul patch wearing, dip****.  As he is continuing to spew insults at my wife, SquirrelKing, and the kids - I confront him about needing to slow down in the complex parking lot, and the vitriol his somewhat drunk self is spewing at my family.  Note:  I was active duty military in an all male infantry unit for five years and am a combat veteran, "sailors blush" may be somewhat of an understatement when I get going with colorful language. 

 

He proceeds to call me a paraplegic who has relations with my own mother and refuses to back down swearing he was only driving 5 miles per hour (Bull****).  By this point my cane is already in an Irish stick fighting grip and I'm just waiting for the alpha hotel to try and take a swing at me.  Finally another car pulls up and the jerk has to go back to his car and leave because he's blocking the road.

 

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/24

 

Sleep:   6 hours 53 minutes, overslept the alarm by almost an hour again.

 

177 Active minutes - 15984 steps 11.98 km

 

Diet:  1,950 goal calories - 2,106 food + 734 Exercise = 578 calories to spare

 

3/25

 

Sleep:  7 hours 47 minutes, Sat no alarm to oversleep

 

70 active minutes - 5923 steps 4.49 km

 

Diet:  1,950 goal calories - 1,877 food + 268 exercise  = 341 calories to spare

 

3/26

 

Sleep:  8 hours 48 minutes, Sunday no alarm

 

83 active minutes - 7285 steps 5.52 km

 

Diet:  1950 goal calories - 2,404 food + 249 exercise = -205 calories, I went over by about 1 and 1/3 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers

 

On a positive not it looks like I did lose a pound.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/27

Sleep:  6 hours, 31 minutes, overslept by about 45 minutes

Active minutes 134 minutes - 12529 steps 9.66 km

Diet 1,720 goal calories - 1643 food + 559 exercise = 636 calories to spare.

 

I really don't know why I continually oversleep my alarm, or fall asleep on the couch in the evenings (much to the frustration of my wife) but these are things that seem to grow steadily worse as I get older.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/28

Sleep:  7 hours even, overslept by 33ish minutes

Active minutes:  135 minutes - 12453 steps, 9.51 km

Diet:  1,720 goal calories - 1,786 food + 555 calories exercise = 489 to spare 

 

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/29

Sleep:  5 hours 47 min overslept by about 25 minutes

Active minutes:  156 minutes - 14054 steps 11.09 km

 

Diet:  1,720 goal cals - 2,176 food + 635 exercise = 179 calories to spare.

 

Looks like I've dropped to about 192 lbs.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

3/30

Sleep:  6 hr 30 minutes, missed alarm by 52 minutes

Activity: 181 minutes, 16269 steps - 12.74 km

Diet:  1720 goal cals - 2187 food + 762 exercise = 295 cals to spare

 

3/31

Sleep:  6hr 3 minutes, missed alarm by 30 minutes

Activity:  155 minutes, 13922 steps - 10.82 km

Diet:  1720 goal cals - 2063 food + 617 exercise = 274 cals to spare

 

4/1

Sleep: 10 hr 6 min, Sat no alarm

Activity:  68 minutes, 6036 steps - 4.56 km

Diet: not recorded

 

4/2

Sleep: Negligible

Activity:  74 minutes, 6683 steps - 4.86 km

Diet:  not recorded

 

This morning's weigh in - 182-184 ish lbs (I use an old dial scale, it isn't the most accurate)

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

4/3

 

Sleep:  7 hours 19 minutes, overslept the alarm by 1 hour 4 minutes.

Activity:  120 minutes, 10819 steps - 8.26 km

Diet:  1720 goal calories - 1115 food + 669 exercise = 1274 calories to spare

According to MFP I didn't eat enough again.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

4/4:

Sleep: 5 hours 1 minute, overslept by 5 minutes

Activity: 157 minutes - 16350 steps, 12.67 km

Diet: 1720 calories goal - 2077 food + 1359 exercise = 1002 to spare.

 

Sent from the dragon's lair

 

 

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

 

This morning's weigh in.

 

Sent from the dragon's lair

 

 

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

4/5

the tracking for sleep and activity went kaput on my Galaxy gear, so I don't have accurate numbers

I laid down around 11:00 pm and overslept by around 3 hours, making myself late for work, so I spent most of the day in "Oh S**T mode."

Diet: 1720 goal calories - 1128 food + app 666 cals from exercise = 1258 calories to spare, and a yelling at from my MFP app on not eating enough

 

4/6

Sleep:  7 hours 7 minutes @ 94% efficiency 6 hours 45 minutes actual sleep

Activity:  184 minutes, 17427 steps, 13.97 km

Diet: 1720 goal calories - 3280 food + 1182 exercise = 378 calories over budget.  Yesterday was a charity pizza lunch at work, so I think I escaped pretty well

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Ok, after another bout of disappearing act, I have returned.  While I'm still having major issues waking up early enough to workout in the morning, I have now taking to bicycle commuting to work. It's app 5.4 miles (8.7 km) from my place to work, so I'm cycling this twice a day.  My weight is finally down to 180 lbs (81.6 kg) and seem to be maintaining. Between that, the new doggie, and that fact my apartment complex finally opened the swimming pool after it being closed for the last two years, I'm definitely getting plenty of activity.

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Log for 10 July 2017

 

Sleep:  6 hr 54 min


Active time: 161 minutes


Steps: 16222 steps - 7.7 mi


Water:  12 glasses
Coffee: 2 mugs
Alcohol:  none

 

Calories (via MFP): 1,500 goal - 1,648 food + 1,308 exercise = 1,160 deficit

Ride MAPS:

 

 

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Log for 11 July 2017


Sleep:  6 hr 29 min


Active time:  179 minutes


Steps:  16544 steps - 8.0 mi


Water:  15 glasses
Coffee:  2 mugs
Alcohol:  2 beers

 

Calorie balance via MFP:  1500 goal - 3224 food + 1285 exercise = -439 (okay I ate too much )

Ride Maps

 

 

 

 

 

[Draegon (Liam P Boyle)]

Log for 12 July 2017


Sleep:  8 hr 28 min - overslept alarm


Active time:  226 minutes


Steps:  21908 steps - 10.86 mi


Water:  12 glasses
Coffee:  2 mugs
Alcohol:  4 beers + a shot of fireball

Calorie balance:  1500 goal - 2833 food + 2394 exercise = 1061 deficit

Ride Maps