Fiddle Flutes

[fiddle-on]

Last challenge was my first since last fall, and was partly to help me get over the winter blues.  This challenge I’m building on that and adding in music.

 

Goals
Fitness-

Walk or take my bike to work every rain-free day. It's about a mile and a half, or 5-10 if I have extra time and take a long route for the fun of it. (+1 per day, +2 per longer ride)

Run 3 or 4 C210k workouts a week. Running isn't my favorite, but it's convenient and I like being able to run. I’m on week 7 now. Also, I’m signed up for a half marathon in November. (+2 per 30 minutes)

10+ minutes of strength training every day, not including warmup. This will usually be half or all of Simple and Sinister kettlebell routine.

Take the mountain bike onto trails at least twice a week. I'll also be looking for a group to ride with. (+2 per ride, +5 for finding a group)

 

Cleaning-
Last time, I gave myself the goal to set a timer for cleaning. It didn’t work very well, partly because I felt undirected. This time, I’m going to set myself an area and spend a minimum of 20 minutes a day until it’s acceptably clean. This is in addition to a required 10 or 15 minutes to maintain whatever I’ve already done. (+2 per area completed)

List of areas:  (To be taped to the front door.)

• Kitchen counters
• Kitchen cabinets
• Kitchen floor
• Living room shelves (by radiator)
• Living room shelves (by door)
• Living room furniture
• Living room floor
• Living room bike storage
• Living room workout area
• Bathroom cabinets
• Bathroom floor
• Bathroom shower/toilet/sink
• Hallway closet (high)
• Hallway closet (low)
• Bedroom shelves
• Bedroom floor
• Bedroom furniture
• Bedroom underbed
• Bedroom closet (high)
• Bedroom closet (low)
• Mending/alteration pile (30 pounds down = Badly fitting clothes!)

 

Diet-
Last challenge, I lost 1 pound. Could have been better, could have been worse. I'd like to lose 2 this challenge. 

Keep in the range of 1500-1700 calories a day, and track it in the LoseIt! app. (+1 per day)

If I burn more than about 500 calories in exercise, eat back the extra.

 Starting weight:  141 (+2 per pound lost).

 

Music-

I’m signed up for a folk music camp in June, but I haven’t really played much since attending last year.

As an extra challenge, I’m switching from my main instrument (fiddle) to flute (which was my main instrument 15 years ago) because my apartment’s walls are like paper and the flute is quieter. I’m less self-conscious about playing it, which means I actually practice it.

Goals:

1. Play at least 15 minutes a day. (+1 per day)

2. Do 1-3 lessons from the Flute Basics class at the Online Academy of Irish Music per week. Number depends on difficulty. (+2 per lesson)

3. Attend local Irish session. (+5 per session)

Keeping track-
I'll print out a calendar and note progress on it. (+1 per week)
Bonus stuff-

1. Bonus points for applying to jobs. +1 per application sent, +50 per job offer, +100 per good job offered and accepted.
2. Budgeting. I’ve never had any trouble saving money, but I decided last week that as long as I’m in the habit of tracking my food, I may as well track my spending as well. +1 per week of tracking all spending in an app. This ties in with my cleaning goal because I’ve got a budget item for storage furniture so that I can actually keep my apartment looking nice.
3. Sewing. It’s under cleaning as well, but I’ve got a big pile of clothes I’ve shrunk out of, but that I still like well enough that I don’t want to give them away. I need to start altering those so they fit.

[Elastigirl]

I like how you've broken the cleaning into sections. And very cool that you are now playing flute.

[Evicious]

[fiddle-on]

21 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

I like how you've broken the cleaning into sections. And very cool that you are now playing flute.

 

Thanks. I really just need to learn to clean effectively and consistently, so hopefully this will work better than just throwing time at the problem.

 

I love the sound of the flute way more than the sound of the violin, so I'm happy enough to be spending more time with it.

 

 

[fiddle-on]

I started out cleaning in the bedroom last night. I spent 20 minutes picking stuff up and putting it away. I could have spent 40 and not finished. This is a huge thing I want to change about myself. I want to be in the habit of keeping my apartment neat. I want to spend 20 minutes before guests arrive bringing my apartment from acceptable to neat, not 2 hours bringing it from disgusting to messy. I hate living in the mess, and it affects my overall mood.

It's the least fun of my goals, but I need to make it the most important.

I visited my parents last night, so I didn't do the C210k workout. But I did a 3 mile walk instead. I also spend 10 minutes doing Turkish Getups, 20 minutes cleaning, and around 30 practicing flute. So I'm off to a strong start. I think C210k is going to be the hardest fitness goal to keep up with because I like biking better.

[Evicious]

1 hour ago, fiddle-on said:

I started out cleaning in the bedroom last night. I spent 20 minutes picking stuff up and putting it away. I could have spent 40 and not finished. This is a huge thing I want to change about myself. I want to be in the habit of keeping my apartment neat. I want to spend 20 minutes before guests arrive bringing my apartment from acceptable to neat, not 2 hours bringing it from disgusting to messy. I hate living in the mess, and it affects my overall mood.

It's the least fun of my goals, but I need to make it the most important.

I visited my parents last night, so I didn't do the C210k workout. But I did a 3 mile walk instead. I also spend 10 minutes doing Turkish Getups, 20 minutes cleaning, and around 30 practicing flute. So I'm off to a strong start. I think C210k is going to be the hardest fitness goal to keep up with because I like biking better.

I live with a husband who believes everything has its place - and that place is wherever he happens to leave it.  I'm a neat-freak who puts everything in boxes (and those boxes go in boxes, which go in cupboards or drawers...): needless to say, neither of us can ever find what we're looking for! Which is why my goals for every challenge always include cleaning the house (and why I never reach 100% success at it). I envy you the ability to totally succeed at this goal. So whenever you're staring at a room and thinking, "Ugh, do I have to...?" just remember I'm on the other side of the computer screen willing you to accomplish it, for my sake, if nothing else.  

Good job on the walking and the Turkish Getups! Those are brutal.

[fiddle-on]

My weight just dipped below 140! 139.2 on the scale this morning. The last time I was this weight, I was shorter than I am now (by maybe quarter or half an inch, but still shorter!).

I didn't have time for everything I wanted to do last night, so I prioritized cleaning. At this point, the bedroom is halfway to acceptable and about 1/4 of the way as neat as I wish it was.

I've come up with a flute routine that works for now. Long tones first thing in the morning, which are very meditative and a good way start the day, then video lessons in the evening before bed.

I knew that I would be strapped for time in the evening, so instead of walking to the water cooler at work, I did lunges and desk pushups at my workstation. 60 lunges, 30 pushups over the day. I also took the long way home after work, for a 45 minute bike ride instead of 15, then another 5 minutes on alternating kettlebell swings and core exercises.

[Virago]

Ooh, I love Simple & Sinister! Have fun! 

 

I want to hear more about this folk music festival - sounds awesome! And I totally hear you - I was always too anxious to practice any instrument if I knew someone could hear me. Glad flute is working well for you so far!

[fiddle-on]

20 hours ago, Virago said:

Ooh, I love Simple & Sinister! Have fun! 

 

I want to hear more about this folk music festival - sounds awesome! And I totally hear you - I was always too anxious to practice any instrument if I knew someone could hear me. Glad flute is working well for you so far!

It's more of an adult band camp for folk musicians, with the focus being on workshops and classes. Though there are concerts every evening. The two I've gone to are Acadia Trad School (https://acadiatradschool.com/) and Northeast Heritage Music Camp( http://www.northeastheritagemusiccamp.com/ ). The first has better scenery, the second  has better food, and both have amazing musicians.

[fiddle-on]

I rand 2.5 miles in about 28 minutes last night.  That was including a slow, uphill first mile and a 1 minute walk break every 8 minutes. I could have kept going at that pace for another interval or two easily. I think I'm going to switch up my C25k and keep in walk breaks for a while. It's so much easier than running non-stop for 20+ minutes, plus it's a bit faster. Running non-stop hurts more by the end and that slows me down, plus knowing I'll hurt in the end keeps me from pushing earlier. I'll run again tonight if I have the time to do both S&S and a run.

 

I didn't do any strength training because I was tired and sore. So today will be the full S&S.

 

I noodled around a bit on the flute, but didn't do any focused practice. This is on the list of things to do tonight, but low priority.

 

I spent my cleaning time rearranging two bookshelves. I'll do the rest of that bookcase tonight. I'm also accumulating a pile of stuff that I don't know where to store, but I don't want to get rid of.

 

I plan to do another 20 mile bike ride on Saturday. And my brother is coming up for a visit with his family, including my baby niece, so that's exciting. We'll probably go to a museum and do dinner.

[fiddle-on]

I've biked 30 miles since Friday, run 6, and hiked about 3. Also done one and a half Simple and Sinister workouts. My longest nonstop bike ride is now 17 miles.

 

My living room is actually as clean as I want it to be, but the bedroom is much worse. I had to clean in a hurry for my brother's visit because initially, we were all going to visit at my parents, but last minute that got changed to my apartment. 2 hours, and all the stuff I couldn't really deal with is now in bedroom.  I've got a big pile of stuff that I'm not sure whether to keep or give away, plus 3 bags of stuff in the car that I'm looking to donate.

 

I ate a bit more than I should over the weekend, but not too badly. I anticipated overeating on Sunday, when I was celebrating, but then I ate too much on Friday and Monday too. Oh well.

[Nianne]

Wow, I love the idea of focusing on the meditative tones you can get out of your instrument early in the morning. That's just, gorgeous.

 

Sounds like you're doing an overall great job with the exercise. Keep it up!