Six and the Storyteller

[Mr.Six]

"If you must blink, do it now.  Pay careful attention to everything you see and hear, no matter how unusual it may seem.  And please be warned, if you fidget, if you look away, if you forget any part of what I tell you, even for an instant, then our hero will surely perish."

 

Hello Assassins *bowing head*, I have been following you all and look forward to earning a place among your ranks.  Recent, catalytic events have created an impetus for me to focus on my health, fitness, and mindfulness.  And so, the journey has begun due to forces far beyond my control and I will rise up to meet them.

 

 

Growing Stronger (fitness):

I have a wonderful matrix I created to measure my str *pushes glasses up nose*, but I need to test myself to find out what my limits are.

Week 1: AMRAP- push-up/sit-up/pull-ups; 300m sprint for speed

Week 2: 2 mi speed trial

Week 3: 5 mi speed trial

Week 4: 500m swim for time *might drown*

 

Bonus side quests: yoga 2x per week; bodyweight workout 2x per week; run 1x per week.

 

Eat the Soup (diet):

I need to get better at meal planning to avoid defaulting to unhealthy staple meals and eat more veggies. So the general weekly goal will be to add one planned day per week so that by the end of the challenge I am meal planning for four days per week.

 

Defeat your Demon (boss #1):

I have an addiction that has held me back for years.  I'm throwing it on here for my own accountability but will spare the details unless someone is really curious and they can PM me.  Regardless, if I fail in all other areas of the challenge but succeed here, it will be a success. Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

Finish the Story:

So...my catalytic event.  My dad was just diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and I feel driven to capture his story before it fades into darkness.  He is already mid-stage and there is no telling what that timeline will look like.  The tragedy to me is that he has been a storyteller his whole life and my children may never hear about his experiences if they are not captured. 

 

The challenge will be to: 

Write or recount a story/memory from my Father's life every other day.

 

Cheers.

~Six

 

 

   

[Manarelle]

Nice challenge. Good overall focus, and I love the resolution to capture the stories. Sorry to hear about your dad, though. Best wishes that you've got plenty of time to create stories together. What are the pictures in your post from, if I may?

 

Welcome to the assassins, by the way. Looking forward to seeing you slay this challenge (Sorry, I couldn't resist  )

[Mr.Six]

9 minutes ago, Manarelle said:

Nice challenge. Good overall focus, and I love the resolution to capture the stories. Sorry to hear about your dad, though. Best wishes that you've got plenty of time to create stories together. What are the pictures in your post from, if I may?

 

 

Thank you--on all accounts.  The pictures are from Kubo and the Two Strings -- I wanted to do some fancy gif work but didn't quite have the time to throw some together.

[Lilmissbri]

Love your challenge!

 

Love the theme. 

 

Will be following along for encouragement and fancy gif work...

... That I didn't do.

 

But it still counts right?

[Manarelle]

Oooh, I saw the previews for that, but haven't been able to devote time to movies lately . How was it, other than obviously visually stunning?

[otterbyte]

Oh, this is one of my favorite movies. One I watch and say, "How is it possible for humans to create something so perfect and beautiful?" Following for the well-crafted challenge.

[Lilmissbri]

It's definitely worth a watch. It's very fantasy and adventurous. It's a kids movie, yet has some very mature themes. Though it doesn't make it high on my list (I'm very picky) I enjoyed it and is honestly worth it just for the visuals alone.

 

:o)

[Mr.Six]

On 1/4/2017 at 11:15 PM, Lilmissbri said:

 

It's definitely worth a watch. It's very fantasy and adventurous. It's a kids movie, yet has some very mature themes. Though it doesn't make it high on my list (I'm very picky) I enjoyed it and is honestly worth it just for the visuals alone.

 

 

 

 

I have to echo @Lilmissbri, Kubo has beautiful visuals and some really mature themes.  I wouldn't consider it a favorite, but it really spoke to me right now which is why I decided to use Kubo as my theme.  

[Mr.Six]

Week 0 Update:  Been really busy enjoying time with the kids between the holiday and a snow day.  Unfortunately, that means I haven't gotten much done thus far except for planning 3 of 5 meals this week and eating about 85% paleo.

 

 

[Manarelle]

2 hours ago, Mr.Six said:

Week 0 Update:  Been really busy enjoying time with the kids between the holiday and a snow day.  Unfortunately, that means I haven't gotten much done thus far except for planning 3 of 5 meals this week and eating about 85% paleo.

 

Week 0 is a good place to get your feet wet. Then you can rock out on week 1, knowing how it's gonna go. You got this.

[Mr.Six]

 

Alright -- week 1 update -- I stumbled across a magical productivity boost last night and was able to prep four meals, get the house clean, and simultaneously watch the first three episodes of Stranger Things.  A) Woot!   B ) Why hadn't I gotten around to this show yet?  The added benefit of finding this power-up was that I had additional time to workout this morning!  This level of organization is foreign to me and maybe too good to be true...

 

Also, in an effort to better quantify this challenge, I want to add collectibles >> sheets of origami paper for each completable challenge.  

• Each fitness test will be worth 5 sheets and bonus side-quest workouts are worth 2 sheets;
• Each meal planned will be worth 5 sheets;
• Each week of sobriety will be worth 10 sheets; and
• Completion of all 14 journal entries will be worth 30 sheets.

100% completion would result in a total of 100 sheets of origami paper, but I will consider 80% passing.  If I achieve more than 100 sheets of origami paper, I will reward myself with [TBD].

 

Growing Stronger (fitness):

Set my baseline AMRAP for push ups (35 in 2 min) and situps (41 in 2 min). This places me in the 'tutorial' difficulty of my goals, but it gives me a solid starting point.  Still need to complete the pull-up and 300m sprint test this week.

 

+ Bonus 2 sheets for yoga.

 

Eat the Soup (diet):

Purchased Practical Paleo, because there are amazing 30 day meal plans included with the book.  But we've done really well thus far.  Last week we planned three meals and we've been mostly running on leftovers this week.  I hope to plan out Wednesday through Saturday tonight.

 

Defeat your Demon (boss #1):

I've refrained from acting out since the 1st of the year, so that's 8 full days.  I didn't think that including this personal battle, that I am compelled to hide away, in the challenge would help, but it has more than I can say.

 

Finish the Story:

Two journal entries and I got some great audio recordings of my dad actually telling stories about his childhood himself.  

[Manarelle]

Leftovers are awesome: good food with little prep work. Grats on progress on all fronts, and kudos to finding the productivity booster!

[Mr.Six]

Thank you! 

[Mr.Six]

"...and at this altitude, I can run flat out for a half mile before my hands start shaking." 

 

So I got impatient with my testing requirements and decided to complete this week's requirements--like an agent.  So during lunch and in work clothes, I did a quarter mile sprint on the Boulder Creek Trail (97 sec); pull ups (5) and hanging knee raises (8).  While these may not be peak testing conditions, I believe firmly that adaptability requires that we push ourselves in sub-optimal conditions.

 

Has anyone else contemplated James Bond-esque business attire that would accommodate the occasional sprint to catch a bus, train, or plane?

 

[Lilmissbri]

9 hours ago, Mr.Six said:

So during lunch and in work clothes, I did a quarter mile sprint on the Boulder Creek Trail (97 sec); pull ups (5) and hanging knee raises (8).  

 

No way?! You ran in your work clothes? 

[Mr.Six]

9 hours ago, Lilmissbri said:

You ran in your work clothes?

Yeah, I probably looked like a madman sprinting in slacks, button down, and tie...but it's all good...

[Manarelle]

3 hours ago, Mr.Six said:

Yeah, I probably looked like a madman sprinting in slacks, button down, and tie...but it's all good...

 

You misspelled bad@ss...... Nice job, and so jealous that you can run on the Boulder Creek Trail. I used to work near there (on the east side of Boulder) and walked it every day. Go you!

[Mr.Six]

26 minutes ago, Manarelle said:

You misspelled bad@ss...

 

Thank you, I was afraid my bad@ssery may have been all in my head.  But you also probably have an idea how many Boulderites were out running in "real running clothes."    I work at Sixth and Canyon, and I am so grateful on a daily basis that I have such an awesome place to explore/exercise/meditate/etc.  As a close friend put it, "some days I feel like I am in Skyrim."  

 

I only have 8 months until I have to evolve from baby-shark into a real lawyer though and I am pretty bummed that I might have to leave Boulder behind.

 

[Manarelle]

1 hour ago, Mr.Six said:

I only have 8 months until I have to evolve from baby-shark into a real lawyer though and I am pretty bummed that I might have to leave Boulder behind.

 

Is there a phrase for the opposite of "don't count your chickens before they're hatched"? Things might work out perfectly for you to stay in Skyrim Boulder, and you can enjoy Pearl Street and the foothills forever.  

 

And no, a lawyer - even a baby-shark - sprinting in work clothes is definitely bad@ss. Own that!

[otterbyte]

46 minutes ago, Manarelle said:

Is there a phrase for the opposite of "don't count your chickens before they're hatched"?

 

I think it's "don't go borrowing trouble."

[Manarelle]

1 hour ago, otterbyte said:

 

I think it's "don't go borrowing trouble."

 

Well now I just feel dumb. I was going for things like "don't slaughter your cows before they're sick" and similar, and it just wasn't working out. 

[Mr.Six]

40 minutes ago, Manarelle said:

 

Well now I just feel dumb. I was going for things like "don't slaughter your cows before they're sick" and similar, and it just wasn't working out. 

 

 

Hahahaha, well thank you both because you've left me laughing at the end of my work day and thinking of the old bartender in Boondock Saints who mixes up idioms...Time to make like a tree, and get the f*** out of here.

[Mr.Six]

For the record.  I love colloquialisms, idioms, etc.  My comment was not meant with any disrespect although i feel it could be misread (as I re-read it)... 

[otterbyte]

47 minutes ago, Manarelle said:

 

Well now I just feel dumb. I was going for things like "don't slaughter your cows before they're sick" and similar, and it just wasn't working out. 

 

Oh oh my gosh, that's much better than mine! Can we make it a thing? 'Cause I want it to be a thing. 

[Manarelle]

2 hours ago, Mr.Six said:

For the record.  I love colloquialisms, idioms, etc.  My comment was not meant with any disrespect although i feel it could be misread (as I re-read it)... 

 

Heh, no worries. One downfall of speaking multiple languages is that you tend to mix up ideas from all of them, and it doesn't always come out intelligibly.  Glad I could help your day end on a positive note!

 

2 hours ago, otterbyte said:

Oh oh my gosh, that's much better than mine! Can we make it a thing? 'Cause I want it to be a thing. 

 

You go right ahead. No citation necessary. /highfive