Lurker stepping out of the shadows.

[Shereads]

I've been lurking for about a week figuring this place out and seeing if this would work out for me.This appeals to me somewhat. I have no gamer status but am married to a gamer extraordinaire for the last 15 years. I suffered a TBI back in 2000 and the flashing screen from games triggers migraines from hell and vision loss. Anyplace with flashing lights is not fun. Card games are fun but some people take it too seriously. It's just a game not life or death. I have gone through several fits and starts of getting fit having an injury and taking what seems forever to get back out there. My biggest hurdle is myself. At 37 years young and a full time parent to four kids I need to be in good shape for many reasons. My family eats a good diet I just need to get plenty of physical activity. That is the plan.

One of my loves in life is reading. I follow several web comics but have little artistic ability beyond sewing clothing and making the occasional quilt. I also crochet on occasion. This means books on how to do it.But artistic talent is something I envy. I read for fun. Many genres from the fluffy romance novel to some horror. I try to avoid reading material that I would not want my kids to find. I do have some standards. Things on my shelf are the Tolkien series. No one has gotten advanced enough to read them yet.(le sigh) Almost Anything by Orsen Scott card since he writes for everybody. Peirs Anthony's Xanith series has opened up a can of worms here. My oldest who did not read for fun has found them to be a thoroughly enjoyable find. I can't seem to get any of them to read Harry Potter series at all. It was a good read. I love Anne Mcaffery. I just have not read all of her books. I cut my teeth on old Sci-Fi paperbacks my mother would carefully tape together, Several of my favorite rereads I read as a young teen and my point of view changed when I read them again now are hard to find books. The forgotten beasts of Eld and the Inner life are two I have to make sure my mother does not scurry away with. Most of my sedentary ways are reading articles and being online of course reading. Bad mommy.

As for my battle plan. I have already been implementing a strategy for getting more physical activity. I started going to zumba just to get in shape and get some cardio in. Then my new health issue began acting up. No not an excuse but a hurdle to overcome. I came down with bronchitis in the spring and it has followed me with respiratory problems ever since. Nothing more fun than to be in the middle of a workout and suddenly need to run grab an inhaler. I know joining a club is kind of verboten here but I hooked up with Curves so that when winter comes I can have someplace inside to workout. This is a necessity for me. I need to get outside of my comfortable house to get motivated. I hate to waste money so this insures I get my moneys worth. I am pretty out of shape right now so I'm baby stepping to being able to do more. I have no grand expectations of being able to run a 5-K next week but perhaps in six months I could be in good enough shape to run one. I've had this goal for five freaking years and still have not yet met it. So that's my novel. I think you can figure out my nerd function. I'm still fumbling my way as a beginner/adventurer of sorts. I try a lot of things and If I can't do it, no big deal I'll try something else.

[Jetikus]

This is a big leap for you... and I thoroughly enjoyed your mini-novel here. The trick to anything fitness is finding something you can and will stick with. Your health problems are just that... problems. And the problem with a problem is not the problem, your outlook on the problem tends to be the problem. But, just between you, me, and any random Joe/Jane who decides to peek in on our conversation, I'm proud of you my fellow Nerd. You have looked at your problem not as a problem, but as a sign that you've just leveled up and it's time to start grinding the XP.

 

I'm personally jealous of your talent to produce clothing, btw. Fortunately, I can draw, so I do have some talent that you can be mutually jealous of. If you're serious about learning to draw, however, there are some nifty articles I can link that taught me how to produce such images.

 

http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Tutorial-How-to-draw-a-face-130108140

http://browse.deviantart.com/art/How-To-Draw-Shoes-o-O-93163582

http://browse.deviantart.com/art/How-To-Draw-Arms-And-Legs-32122215

http://browse.deviantart.com/art/Tutorial-Pose-and-Body-52081569

 

 

For more tutorials, browse Deviantart.com under "How to draw <insert what you want to learn to draw here>"

 

I wish you the best of luck with your goals. =D

[Shereads]

Thanks Jetikus for the welcome and the tutorials links. As to sewing. I do simple works. Nothing frilly and a lot of straight lines. Since I had mainly boys for the longest time I made many sets of lounge pants, shorts and matching t-shirts. That is a lot of straight lines and easy sewing. I guess I do have some artistic talent then but not paper translatable. I think my biggest hurdle is that my hands like to shake at inconvenient times when I try to concentrate on drawing. Lots of eraser lines and smudges on my works of art. I content myself with enjoying others brilliance.

Leveling up in life for me has come with a lot of XP and it is hard won.  I don't expect for things to come easy or overnight. Although I am very impatient. I want things done yesterday. Too bad I can't back to the future my life.

[sumdawgtwigg]

Welcome to the rebellion! Books smell great and are pretty fun to read as well. lol

[Jetikus]

Ohhhhh Drawing technique a problem, eh? I got a drill that can help with that. Take a sheet of paper and focus on drawing a straight line over and over again. Don't rest your arm and don't tense up, as this will lead to your lines becoming "wobbly". It'll take a while, but given time and practice you'll be a lot more proficient at making lines straight.

 

Or you could do the sketches, where you do nice light strokes to get the basic shape and then pen over slowly after it's complete.