Such gorgeous photography! I think the mushroom pics were the objective winners but this one spoke to me:    

09/09: 160.2 09/16: 159.8 09/23: 159.2 09/30: 159.5 10/07: 159.1   Well at this point IDK that I will actually lose the planned 8 pounds in this challenge. 😕 Activity is high and I have lost a couple centimeters but I guess I need to actually address the nutrition aspect if I want the scale to budge.  But where to start?!   Breakfast I think. Less bagels and muffins, more eggs and oatmeal.

I sat down at the rowing machine for the first time in months -- nearly a year -- and could barely do five minutes.  I am impressed that you did ten. Also, you're inspiring me to add at least a few minutes of rowing back into the routine, even if it's not every gym visit.   I am really glad you did this. I have been watching the office-crisis and regular list take over your whole reality, and I'm glad you had an evening of enjoyable down time. More of this, more often.     #DruidApproved   I hope you enjoyed your weekend.     

Also, if you're going to start knitting, know that fixed circular needles are also great for flat knitting.

With the goal of this initial trek completed, both the spider hunting and the herb gathering group find themselves in a point where they have to resist the temptation to explore further at this point. Instead, it's time to return back to Rebel's Refuge, unpack their inventory and rest before setting off for new adventures. @Snarkyfishguts, @Artemis Prime, @Elastigirl, @Sea-to-sky, @athousandwords, @Radost and @Heidi, @titsworth, @DarK_RaideR, @Ranger Hal , your goal for this week is to go on an extra walk or run. This means we're not counting things like your scheduled runs or a regular walk to work, school, University, grocery store or otherwise, that would happen anyway, were you not participating in this challenge. Add something on top of those. As for @Jarric, there have been no updates, here or on your challenge thread, about you following the Week 4 goals, so they will carry on into this final week for you: 10 glute bridges a day, either pausing at the top to do them as a stretch, or add some weight to turn them into a strength training exercise.   Last but not least, with this being the final week of this challenge cycle, every participant is encouraged to come back here and post a brief recap of how they did, what was their greatest success and what they struggled with the most.

I wouldn't start with a hat because it's small circumference knitting in the round, which is a little tricky. But if you insist:   Go to ravelry patterns -> advanced search. You may need to make an account but it's worthy. Pick category hat and filter by "knitting" and "free" and the weight of yarn you want. Aran and worsted weight are fine for hats, though you could also go lighter (DK) or heavier (bulky). You want wool. Plant fibres don't have the elasticity needed for a hat.  With knitting it's nice to learn techniques one project at a time--so if you've never knit in the round then you don't need to add cables or brioche. You could start with a plain stockinette (only knit stitches) and let the yarn do the talking with a beautiful colour.    Look up videos of magic loop knitting, and double pointed needle knitting, and decide which you want to attempt for small circumference circular knitting. Buy the needle size recommended for the yarn or in the pattern, and perhaps one size above and below, unless you already have them. For small circumference projects like a hat, you need either a set of double pointed needles, or a circular needle with a longish cable (like 60cm I think). The coloured wood ones by knit pro are great. Don't get adjustable circulars, only fixed ones. I don't like plastic, bamboo or metal, personally.     Probably safest to size down slightly for a hat, because knitting stretches. For a snug hat you want the finished item to have a circumference that is slightly *smaller* than the circumference of your head--maybe an inch smaller.   Swatch a piece of knitting at least 10x10cm, and wash and dry your swatch the way you intend to wash and dry the hat. If you're not going to wash the hat, just measure the unwashed swatch--stitches per inch horizontally, rows per inch vertically. Flat and round knitting give a slightly different gauge but it should be close enough for the purpose of a hat. If you're close to the gauge recommended by the pattern, you're good to go. Use maths to adjust number of stitches to cast on. E.g. Pattern calls for 5 stitches per inch but you got 4 stitches per inch. Desired hat circumference is, um, 24 inches (I have no idea how big heads are in inches, sorry). Instead of casting on 24x5 stitches you cast on 24x4 stitches. You probably don't need to adjust for length because patterns give length instructions by inch/cm, not by row. Except for shaping. Then just follow the instructions. As long as your row gauge isn't WILDLY off you'll be okay.  Long tailed cast on is a splendid, stretchy, forgiving cast on and is not hard once learned. Videos all over the internet.  For bind off, purl two together, then place the new stitch back on the left hand needle. Repeat, reducing stitches one by one, then draw yarn through the final stitch to secure.  

Agree 100%. Also, please understand that by sharing space, you open yoursel up to having to live with any messes she creates, literal and figurative -- imaine if you come home and the dog has wrecked everything.  Agreed. Claims of being "fair and resonable" are the same as claims of "not liking change" -- she is very one-sided and opportunistic about what is comforting and helpful for her. I do think that you are fair and reasonable and loving and compassionate and so so many things, all of which are being used against you right now, and it makes me steamed.   I do believe in you. I'm also very protective of you and need to point out when you're being taken advantage of, especially when it's subtle and incidental like this. One of my sobriety friends put it this way "He's taking advnatage of your good nature." That's what I see going on here, and I don't love it.  Looking forawrd to hearing how this all played out.  

You knew this was where we were heading, right? Have to close out Act 1 with, well, the finale of Act 1. Anecdotally, I'd hazard a guess that this is the most popular song from the musical, though spoiler alert, it's not my top favorite. But it is absolutely incredible, so get Week 5 Monday off to a bangin' start by cranking this up:     Synopsis: Elphaba discovers that not only does the Wizard not have any magic of his own, he's also the one behind the discrimination that animals in Oz are facing. There is an ugly scene in the Wizard's chamber, but when given the chance to apologize and work with the Wizard, she refuses, instead enchanting a broom to fly. Glinda considers going with her, but in the end doesn't want to give up her status and position, the two of them sing this marvelous duet, and then Elphaba disappears into the sky to close out Act 1.   Applied Villainy: Spread Your Wings and Fly Elphaba has spent most of her life hiding her power, but now she embraces it, even though it makes her an outcast in society due to the petty machinations of the press secretary. She knows what the right path is, and she chooses to follow it because she has finally realized that she is powerful, and the reason the Wizard doesn't like it is because she is more powerful than him, and thus a threat to his position. So this week, think back on the people who have tried to place limits on you and ask yourself, do they really not think you can do it, or are they afraid that you can? This challenge has mostly been a gradual process of realizing that the people around us may not be who or what we thought they were. But this week, consider that you may not be what you thought you were either, but rather so much more. You are capable of achieving greatness, if you are ready to trust your instincts, close your eyes, and leap.   If I'm Flying Solo, at least I'm Flying Free Every time I listen to this, I'm silently screaming for Glinda to go with her. But she's not ready to take that leap. It's okay if other people in your life aren't at the same point that you are. Maybe they will urge you to go apologize to the Wizard out of pure motives, thinking they are looking out for your best interests. You don't have to fight with them, but you don't have to capitulate either. You can say "I hope you're happy with your choice, but it's not my choice." At some point, we have to stop letting people hold us back, even the people we love. It is much harder to set boundaries with people when we can't demonize them, but that's what makes us villains. We do what is right for us, even if those closest to us don't understand. Sometimes that means we fly solo, but above all, we fly free.

I fell into this "oops, now my post is meaningless" hole a few years ago, and had to lean into making updates that were "as of this writing." It was super effective, and also showed me a lot of where I could grow with my ideas of permanence and perspective, generally. But I digress.   Woohoo for so many things, but especially for the New Chapter. Many blessings on you both! ❤️ 

I remember my dad playing it and just saying that it was uneven in its gameplay and the difficulty level jumped too fast for him to really enjoy it and that he was stuck in grinding mode too long.  He was losing his vision at the time so he didn't want to waste time on that.