The Challenge of Noontide Sun!  (Flexible Habits - Regular Mode)   Rejuvenate (Sleep Hygiene) ✅✅❌✅✅✅✅ Fortify (5x5 Accessory Sets) ✅✅✅✅ Learn (3d Modeling) ✅✅✅✅✅   Tasks! Duolingo Sprint - 25/40 Relocate craft studio ✅ Life Updates Deadlift day with a belt and no twinges or discs being talkative! Woot! Previously I only had to belt for deadlift work north of 80% 1RM, but meh, changed centers of gravity, so we're belting at +65% for deadlift now. Fingers crossed.  My Liam is the sweetest: I was volunteering at an event at work all day Thursday and when I got home, he'd made-up my entire storage/workshop area. Like he moved everything to the sunny side of the basement, installed organization cubbies, hung strands of Eddison bulbs, set me up a marble-topped work counter - fucking hell. I def wasn't misty eyed, nope, it was probably you who were being emotional. Back at drum circle for the first time in 2024. Trips to the Mayo Clinic and homebuying both conspired to cock-block me from attending, but it was worth the wait. Just a few hours of drumming, meditating, and community with silly crunchy people that mean well. Debating bringing the banjo to drum circle next month - sorta messing around with cord progressions on a 3-3-2 picking pattern. Still playing with it, the solos at the circle happen on 18' Tar's and they're heckin' pretty, but they're missing the punch of a djembe, and it might be fun to compensate with some accompaniment.   

Game nights were a lot of fun. Planning on going back to the Monday one tomorrow. Unfortunately, the Wednesday one was Monthly rather than weekly.  There is a weekly one on Tuesdays that I might check out instead. Don't think I want to do two in a row, but as much as I liked the Monday one, later this year I'll have bell choir practice on Mondays, so it might be better to establish with thd Tuesday group...

2024 - Year of Progression Word of the Year: Consistency  Sleep: 13 Hrs Water: 3/4 Weight: 245.0 lbs   Meals:  11:30am - Yogurt, tortilla, coffee 1:30pm - Coffee 2:30pm - Sandwich, diet soda 3:30pm - Coffee 6:30pm - pork bun, wontons   Fitness: Conditioning Day .5 Mile Treadmill 500 Jump Rope 700 Double End Bag Conditioning Circuit 1 2.5 Miles Treadmill   Language: 0 Portuguese Lesson 0 Spanish Lesson 0 Japanese Lesson   Reading: 0 min   Meditation: 5 Min   Notes: Second round of chemo down for Mrs.ReturnOfTheDad. Hopefully the recovery from this dose won’t be as grueling as the last one.   I have renewed focus on health to stay in the best place holistically to support Mrs.ReturnOfTheDad in her cancer battle.   Increasing my training to two hours per day, 6 days a week. Will walk if I have to but I have to commit to more activity. My health has been declining too much and I have to have the energy to balance her care, the family, and work. Simply put, my previous methods of junk food and self pity weren’t cutting it.   Have a newfound focus and will work forward maintaining it.   Training Notes: 2 Positives -  - Lasted the full 2 hour workout  - Kept good energy on first half 1 Negative -  - Need to work on my endurance for the second half

One of the things about sitting on the floor is that you do notice yourself getting tired and so you switch positions, which makes your body work in different ways. I have used a yoga block to sit on, which makes it easier. Or, if I'm super tired and want to lean on something, I   still figure sitting on the floor leaning on something is better than in a chair

Thanks, guys for all the ideas on spurring on creativity. I'm just sort of pondering them now. and them may try some ideas to see what motivates me   Week wrap up: Goal #1 Track calories: Right now I'm in maintenance mode. I may switch to deficit before challenge end, I'm still deciding. But, I will decide, and keep to that goal. Exceptions: Saturday was my birthday, and there is still some cake, if I go over calories  (somewhat, not crazy)the next few days, that's fine, it's birthday magic, but I will track the calories. Also, we are going to church family camp 4th of July weekend and I won't track calories then.    Also: I will keep practicing the skills that help me;  delay before seconds and unplanned snacks walking working out noticing when full being thankful for my food, and eating with joy eating slowly   Tracked Monday - Friday,  Saturday tracked breakfast and lunch, today nada- Went to church and then the ball game, and now I'm tired. Friday at date night I sorta stayed on target.  I had tacos, but then my husband offered me a fried plantain, and that seemed too good to turn down.  Being in maintenance mode can be hard. I'm not really sure how strict I want to be. I guess, my goal would be to eat about 100 under maintenance several days of the week, that gives me a bit more wiggle room. I will try and do that for the beginning of the week.The middle of the week is Independence day and then family camp, so no tracking food then.     Goal #2 Drink water, at least 50 oz I tracked last challenge, and did fairly well. I wasn't going to track this challenge, but the weeks I didn't track, I didn't drink water as much. I've lowered the goal from last challenge. Sometimes, I felt like I was drinking beyond what was necessary, and I didn't see any real tangible beniifts.  Obviously, it its' hot and I need more, I will drink more.   I think this was pretty poor. I do still have a habit of drinking 10 oz in the am. And I drank some other times. I couldn't find my  clear water bottle. I used my stainless steel one instead. But, I can't see the water level and I forget about it. And I'm doing something, and think, "I'm thirsty" but don't want to take the time to drink.  So, for  the beginning of the week, I am tracking. Probably won't at camp. Then for the rest of the challenge, at least some of the days I will track.   Goal #3 Delay before picking up my phone I have the habit of picking up my phone whenever I have a moment of down time. I'm going to delay by 2 minutes. Just enough time for me to actually stop and make a conscious decision about it. Same tactic that I used to  cut down on the snacking   I think this is going well. I 'm not tracking, but some of the times I delayed. It probably would be better to track, but I rebel if I feel like I have to track all the things, so for now, I'll just try and be mindful.   Goal #4 Spend time being Creative This is the thing where I looked into the mirror , and really didn't see much improvement. Though, I may be being a bit tough on myself. There has been some improvement, but nothing consistent. I've struggled, because any time I make a goal on creativity,  the fun project I was working on becomes a chore, but without a goal,I just choose screen time over being creative.  Honestly, I'm not sure how to improve this. Right now, I think I will think about it, and try a few ideas and see what works. One thing is, I would like this to be a several challenges goal. I think part of the issue is that I make a goal. work on it for 4 weeks and then drop it. But, in order for it to be a consistent habit, I need to keep at it. Made raspberry cobbler. Not the first time I've made it, but it's been a LONG time, so I count it. No projects were worked on though.    

I couldn't bring myself to even startle them off, much less eat them.  I'm such a pushover 😅       This one is especially complex, since the rust and peeling paint add a lot of texture to an otherwise smooth surface.  It has been an interesting challenge.  I'm not quite half done, but not sure how much I will get done this week.

Poke. 

Woo for game nights! 

Haaayyyyyyy good to see you!

Woo hoo, there you are.   With your current pace, you’ll catch up with me (eventually), and we can have that pint at the Green Dragon.