Merrin: Blinding Light

[Merrin]

Hey again nerds! I wouldn't be me if I weren't neatly squeaking in under the wire to start this challenge on time.

 

Our Cast of Characters:

 

Merrin: Me! 31 years old, foodie, recovering junk food addict, soda free for 1.5 years, lover of avocados and bacon, novice teacher, journeyman seamstress, bubbly introvert, depressive, baker of cookies. 

 

Rebecca: The name for my Depression; the Monster I frequently try to kiss on the nose.

 

Ifrit: Boyfriend! Main supportive force, disliker of avocados, expert bacon cook, incredibly weird, incredibly intelligent, introvert, archery master, stealer of snuggles.

 

Part-Time Spare Spoons Puppy: only the best and sweetest and smartest dog ever, tolerant of hugs, fetcher of rope, murderer of sticks, giver of snuggles.

 

 

Backstory: I went to camp in September (CAAAAAAMP) and continue to involve the lessons and challenges from there into every day life. That means being vulnerable when it's hardest, letting myself be abundant when I want to do anything but, stuffing healthy food into my face, drinking lots of tea, trying to move this wonderful instrument on a daily basis, lifting up and looking out for others, and finding what my best effort looks like as often as I can. It's the one-year anniversary of the divorce filing, and this time last year, I was researching legal documents and copying receipts and putting things into sad little folders. There are still unusual bursts of emotion around this, but I've been doing well for quite some time.

 

Part of this challenge will remain undefined/nebulous, due to Rising Heroes!

 

Rising Heroes, Week 1:

Daily Mile

Specialization

Bootcamp

 

Go the F*(% to Sleep +3 STA

 

The break-in left my sleep schedule rattled for the last month. I'm finally getting better and feeling way less tense in the mornings. Since I've been staying up til almost mid-day, my sleep feels way off for my work days. I've got to fix that, and give myself a set, limited schedule. This also includes no screens 1 hour before bedtime. I might try to work in more stitch time on this as well.

 

A Rating = in bed by 9.

B Rating = in bed by 10.

 

Mountains of Books! Cascades of Books! +3 WIS

 

I used to do the '50 Books a Year' goal and while I haven't met that in some time, it did keep me on track for reading something. I'm hoping to get in at least one hour per work night. If I don't/can't (ie sometimes our elevators break and will buzz every couple of minutes and I can't concentrate too well) I'll complete it the following afternoon.

 

A Rating = 2 books completed

B Rating = 1 book completed

 

Slaying the Sugar Dragon +3 CON

 

My snacking habits have gotten really terrible, and I've made myself sick too many times recently on too much sugar. I need to track any and all snacks, sweets, and liquid calories.

 

A Rating = <160g goal met 21/28 days.

B Rating = <160g goal met 14/28 days.

 

Mirror Mirror +3 CHA

 

My skin hates stress above all else. I can eat healthy, but stress will still cause break-outs. Alternating routines as needed, bonus materials on off days.

 

A Rating = Daily routine 21/28 days.

B Rating = Daily routine 14/28 days.

 

Bees? +3 DEX/STR

 

These seem to challenge my bendy abilities or my bodyweight limits the most. I'll use their points system and attribute the split allotment.

 

Bronze (15 pts) = .375 to stats. Silver (30 pts) = .75 to stats.

 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I found you! I'll be following along again.

[Rinna]

Hidy ho neighbor!  Here for moral support.

[Merrin]

Monday/Tuesday Summary:

 

Specialization Complete. Amazon order filed.

Daily Mile: Monday.

Bootcamp: Monday complete, thanks to the wind knocking a tree across the neighbor's driveway.

 

Sleep: non work days.

Books: 1 hour reading owed.

Sugar: F goals. Tracking not done because it would've just hammered the point home.

Mirror: nothing done either day.

Bees: nope.

 

What have we learned? Nothing new. I know my weekends are terrible. I'm on my phone all the time so tracking sugar/carbs should be easy.

 

Wednesday so far:

 

Debug the Base +3.

Bootcamp: more work done for moving and breaking down wood.

 

Mirror Mirror.

Sugar: tracking started with today's 'breakfast' at midnight to keep all numbers allotted into a single day.

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

How was the rest of week 1?

[Merrin]

Let me ask my BuJo and I'll get back to you!

[NeverThatBored]

Hey, how's the challenge going?

[Merrin]

The challenge here seems to be going okay. I'm doing the best on sleep and skin care. Rising Heroes has been throwing new stuff at me, and I've gotten more focused on those than on my challenge goals. It's not a bad thing, because we're doing stuff like batch cooking, doing a week of no fast food, starting new languages, and going on daily walks.

[NeverThatBored]

1 hour ago, Merrin said:

The challenge here seems to be going okay. I'm doing the best on sleep and skin care. Rising Heroes has been throwing new stuff at me, and I've gotten more focused on those than on my challenge goals. It's not a bad thing, because we're doing stuff like batch cooking, doing a week of no fast food, starting new languages, and going on daily walks.

 

Sounds like a good program! 

[Merrin]

8-14: I walked two extra miles this week than normal, decluttered a bit more than I have been, and learned some good desk stretches.

 

Bees 0/7

Sleep 1/7

Read 1.7

Carbs 1/7

Mirror 2/7

 

15-22: I cooked squash for the first time, I batch cooked flax waffles, I made my bed a bunch, I kept walking, and I started learning Italian. 

 

Bees 1/8

Sleep 3/8

Read 1/8

Carbs 0/8

Mirror 3/8

 

23-29: This week has balance work, and a social media blackout, along with continued Walkies, working on Italian, and avoiding fast food.

 

 

[NeverThatBored]

It sounds like you're doing a lot of great things. What made you want to learn Italian?

[Merrin]

On 1/29/2017 at 6:40 AM, NeverThatBored said:

It sounds like you're doing a lot of great things. What made you want to learn Italian?

 

Actually going to Italy six years back. I didn't want to be the flailing ugly American stuck with a guidebook, begging strangers to speak English. So, I took a semester at school. I learned enough to help me get around and ask for directions, read menus and museum pamphlets, and how to count for money and stuff. It was a good class, and I love languages of all sorts. The hardest part was not getting stuck in Spanish accents and modifiers because they are so similar, and I'd done 3 years of high school spanish.

 

I guess I'm learning it again because I like how it sounds, even if no one here speaks it.