Goal + Action = Reality

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
As with a lot of cells in your body, your tasting buds change completely in 7 years. So you can try every now and again something you remember disliking a lot at some point and find it's okay. Or find out your favourite childhood dish isn't your favourite anymore (and it's not always something to do with the fact that your parent did it better ;))
And yet, I still can't stand endive (witlof)...
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 12
:v: Daily Push-ups Day 27
:v: Walk and Run Day 27
:v: Lower Abs Day 27
:v: Epic Core Day 12
:v: Destress Day 27

:v: Hand gripper.
:v: Personal Challenge 5.3
:v: Writing. Day 12 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

Tonight I had to make a bolognese sauce for my nonagenarian. He provided a recipe which I looked at, then said, sure, I know how to make a bolognese sauce. When I served it up, he said it was different from his (How? I pretty much followed that recipe. Except perhaps for the amount of oregano. And possibly the onion...) but it was actually better than his. So I just smiled and said that I'd told him I knew how to make a bolognese sauce! Only four more nights of this, and then his usual person comes back from holiday. I don't resent doing it (despite the fact that I really hate cooking) but I feel it contracts my day. If I have anything that has to happen at a certain time, it seems to screw with my whole day, even though I may have hours before whatever-it-is happens. For example, I only have to leave around 4:20 to make his dinner, but my mind feels that I don't really have time to go out for a hike. I think this is because I'd be worried that something would happen that might prevent my getting where I have to be by the time I have to be there. It's most frustrating, but it's a Me thing, I guess. Still, next week I can resume my hikes. :) I have the first one planned out already.
I've been feeling a bit sluggish lately - partly from the above, partly from spending so much time sitting and writing (though I am so enjoying that!). Need to get out more. Have finally selected a programme but I'll probably wait until next week before starting it.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 13
:v: Daily Push-ups Day 28
:v: Walk and Run Day 28
:v: Lower Abs Day 28
:x: Epic Core Day 13 - I have decided to abandon this challenge. I have had an on-again-off-again affair with sitting twists, and again just today another message landed in my inbox saying how they compressed the spine. I already have issues with my spine and don't need to do anything that could aggravate matters. There are other core exercises I can do so from hereforth I forego all sitting twists! It's kind of a shame because I find them really easy, but perhaps that in itself is telling me something - they don't do much for me.
:v: Destress Day 28

:v: Personal Challenge 6.1
:v: Writing. Day 13 of Camp NaNo. This is my third go-around with this story. I had to do a fair bit changing of the first few chapters but I'm still excited by it all, and I'm really happy with the way it's going.
:v: Reading.

Every time I read @DorothyMH's thread and her workouts on an elliptical, it makes me wonder how those things go. So I actually tried one today. My hat off to you, @DorothyMH! Those things are hard work! :tired: Fun, though...
I made a kind of chicken parmigiana for my nonagenarian tonight while my girls made us pizza. :pizza:
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 14
:v: Daily Push-ups Day 29
:v: Walk and Run Day 29
:v: Lower Abs Day 29
:v: Destress Day 29

:v: Personal Challenge 6.2
:v: Writing. Day 14 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

I thought I'd actually get to bed early (for me) tonight, but suddenly it was midnight and then I remembered I hadn't done my thread, so now it's quarter past and there's still stuff to do before I can hit the sack. Bed usual time I guess. :LOL:
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 15
:v: Daily Push-ups Day 30
:v: Walk and Run Day 30
:v: Lower Abs Day 30
:v: Destress Day 30

:v: Personal Challenge 6.3
:v: Writing. Day 15 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

A disjointed sort of day. Started with having to take second-born to a catch-up piano lesson. Then she wanted to go to the local shopping centre to catch up with friends, but that was in 40 minutes' time so we went home for about half an hour then first-born decided she wanted to go to the shops too, so we all popped off and I left them there. I got home, did the dishes and made some tea. Was just sitting down to my second cup when first-born asked to be picked up, so poured the tea back in the pot to keep warm. Just over an hour after that, second-born asked to be picked up even though she said she'd be out until 4 - 4:30 and would make her own way back home. So I went out again. And about an hour after returning home, I had to go out for the last time today to deal with my nonagenarian. With the view that it's never too late to learn something, I told him that St Valentine was the patron saint of epilepsy sufferers (found that out last night while working on my story). Then I added another tidbit that I'd learnt while working on another story centuries ago. In that story, I had a taxi driver who had a medallion of a saint hanging from his rear-view mirror, and then I was stuck for which saint. Turns out that St Fiacre is the patron saint of taxi drivers. And for those of you who might need to know, also syphilis sufferers...
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
@Tileenah @Mamatigerj @CODawn @Fremen @BetaCorvi
Thank U Reaction GIF by BROCKHAMPTON


Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 16
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 1
:v: Warrior Arms Day 1
:v: Power Grip Day 1
:v: Abs Day 1
Time was when I wouldn't bother re-doing a challenge, but I'm quite happy to now (I guess I've grown a bit!) if I enjoyed the challenge and/or it currently fits in with what I want to be doing.

:v: Personal Challenge 7.1
:v: Writing. Day 16 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

Tonight was the last night I had to care for the nonagenarian. He was always very polite and grateful. It was a pleasure to help him, rather than an imposition, and I got to talk about all sorts of things. I can't even remember all the things I jabbered about tonight. Maths, I recall, and my numismatics course at uni. And he mentioned how he had been responsible for organising the launch of one of the first European space rockets back in the 50's.
Tomorrow I take my second-born back to school. The other two recommence on Tuesday.
My poor little Footprints is unwell. Vomited and then lay lethargically on the heating vent. When the heating turned off, I went looking for her. Found her crouched on my bedside table, waiting for me to come to bed so she could crawl under the doona and snuggle against me. I popped in, fully dressed for a bit, and then I've left her there. I suppose I'd better have an early night!
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 17 - isn't it annoying when you forget to start your FitBit recording!
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 2
:v: Warrior Arms Day 2
:v: Power Grip Day 2
:v: Abs Day 2

:v: Personal Challenge 7.2
:v: Writing. Day 17 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

Wow! Thanks for all those healing vibes. They worked so fast that Footprints woke me at 4:15 this morning to tell me she was well again! She stuck her whiskery face in mine, demanded pats, then snuggled under the doona again with her front paws on my upper arm (as she usually does), and purred really loudly. And she was so hungry this morning she raided the chicken's bowl before I could take it out to the chook. So she's all well again, thanks to you all.
I received a text this afternoon, telling me that, due to traffic hold-ups, I'd have to cook again for the nonagenarian. He was surprised to see me but I'd told him last night that there was a possibility I'd be back. But this was definitely it. His usual person is back now.
That over, and with school starting tomorrow for the other two children, looks like things should be getting back to normal for me too. :welcome:
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 1

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 18
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 3
:v: Warrior Arms Day 3
:v: Power Grip Day 3
:v: Abs Day 3

:v: Taekwondo. As usual on the first day of term, the coach said he'd take it easy on us. I wonder why coaches say that? The warm-up was a series of 30-second exercises - jumping jacks, plank, jump-ins, sit ups and suchlike. Then we did the shoulder touching drill where you partner up and, standing with blade of feet touching, you try to tap your partner's shoulder while stopping them touching yours, all with just the front hand. My first partner was a 7-year old girl. I swear none of mine were that little at 7! I thought she was about 5. I had to be in a deep squat so that she could reach my shoulder. The boy who came next wasn't much taller, and the one after that had maybe a couple of centimetres on them. Lined back up and did punching and some kicking drills, including jumping front kick. Finally, we were back with our first partners (in my case, the 7-year-old girl) to work self-defences. I was on my knees and I was still taller than she was! Made things interesting. I did the first self-defence on her to show her how it felt and got her to do it to me a few times. The second one I couldn't really do on my knees as it required stepping around, but I was fairly confident I knew that one anyway so just worked it with her. It was quite funny - being beaten up by a tiny little girl. More good news as one of our teens has been selected for the National team to go sparring in Bosnia. But the best thing happened at the end of class - chocolate cake with cream! Yes, it was the club's 2nd anniversary and there was cake. :LOL:

:v: Personal Challenge 7.3
:v: Writing. Day 18 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 2 - bicep curls instead of back fists

Challenges:
:x: From Walking to Running Day 19
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 4
:v: Warrior Arms Day 4
:v: Power Grip Day 4
:v: Abs Day 4

:v: School walk - 2.6k x 2 Forgot on Tuesday that the Lad would want me to walk him to school, promised I'd start tomorrow - which was today. Rather icy still but then, it's mid-July so what can I expect? He'd forgotten I'd be picking him up on shanks' pony and he waited by the car line for a moment before he remembered, must have turned around and seen me standing there.

:v: Personal Challenge 8.1
:v: Writing. Day 19 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 3

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 19
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 5
:v: Warrior Arms Day 5
:v: Power Grip Day 5
:v: Abs Day 5

:v: School walk - 2.6k x 1 because I had to pick him up in the car this afternoon. Cold this morning, though. The actual temp was -3.7 but it felt -7.5. Yep, I'd agree it felt pretty cold! At least I was able to point out to the Lad the houses that had good roof insulation - they still had frost on the tiles.

:v: Taekwondo. Another 'easy' training. We got to choose our partners tonight, fortunately, selecting someone around the same height, but that was only for the warm-up. Some stepping drills with blocks. This time, instead of a lower block, the red and black belts stepped forward in long stance with a double lower block followed by double outer block. I enjoyed that. Must have been in the zone tonight. A bit later, the blue belts and up went on one side of the room, the other belts on the other side, then they had to come and get a partner. Fortunately this time my partner was a white belt who was not much shorter than me. We worked side kick on paddles, first off the front foot (which has been a new thing for me this year as it's a very 'sparring' sort of move and not a 'technical' move. Certainly not poomsae!), then off the back foot ensuring full rotation of supporting foot. As a white belt, my partner was probably more capable than I was as a white belt but she didn't have her foot at the correct angle and kept hitting the paddle with her toes rather than her heel. She managed to rotate her supporting foot pretty well, more hits than misses. Then we did side kick from the front foot, then a step forward with the back foot to the front foot and a second front foot side kick. Not surprisingly, she wasn't very good at that but my co-ordination was still good and I was happy with mine. As a finisher on the paddles, we did a front foot front kick (but not a ball kick) to the paddle then a side kick from the back leg. I was pleased with how I did that. Dropped the paddles and then we did a drill where one partner does a front foot side kick while the other does a slide back, just out of range. The coach was calling out A to kick, and then B (I was a B) and sometimes he'd try to trick us by calling out A - B - A - B - A - B - A - A and seeing who fell for it, but I know if he starts to get you in a rhythm, that's when you have to watch out. My partner wasn't very good at judging distance yet - that takes time - and I kept being able to kick her (I only gently touched her). A quick break, then I had to get a new partner - no, I hadn't broken my old one! She was taken off to work on something else. So I got a new white belt and we worked the two self-defences we had done on Tuesday but this time I didn't have to do it with someone half my size! I was quite pleased that I was able to work him through these moves - must mean that those ones have finally sunk into my thick skull!

:v: Personal Challenge 8.2
:v: Writing. Day 20 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 4

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 20
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 6
:v: Warrior Arms Day 6
:v: Power Grip Day 6
:v: Abs Day 6

:v: School walk - 2.6k x 2. It was quite a change from yesterday, being about 7° this morning when we set off. I was actually a little too warm walking back, wearing both hoodie and coat!

:v: Personal Challenge 8.3
:v: Writing. Day 21 of Camp NaNo. I actually reached my goal about 4 days ago but I'm still doing some writing every day.
:v: Reading.

The Lad made damper at school today. He couldn't remember what it was called but as soon as he showed me, I could tell him. We enjoyed it for supper with butter and cheese.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 5

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 21
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 7
:v: Warrior Arms Day 7
:v: Power Grip Day 7
:v: Abs Day 7

:v: Marcy Chest press 3 x 5
:v: Personal Challenge 8.4
:v: Writing. Day 22 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading. Such an exciting read today - I could hardly stop! I had to, though, when I finished the book. Land of Fire by Chris Ryan. Highly recommended if you want a spot of high-adrenaline SAS action.
 
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TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 6

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 22
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 8
:v: Warrior Arms Day 8
:v: Power Grip Day 8
:v: Abs Day 8

:v: Marcy Chest press 3 x 5, 1 x 10 (lighter weight) Now, I love my Marcy machine, but the problem with having weight plates is that you have to go up and down a set weight, with no possibility of going up or down just a little bit more. I'm doing the 5 reps at 87% of my 1RM, whereas 1 plate down is 75% of my 1RM. And, hey, one plate up, is just over my 1RM! Dammit! Still, that 1RM isn't important right now, so long as by the time I find those 5 reps easy, I can do 3 with the higher weight. Something to work towards.
:v: Personal Challenge 9.1
:v: Writing. Day 23 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

And speaking of something to work towards, I really need to get my stuff sorted. I think it's being winter that makes me less inclined to do much. Don't get me wrong though - I love winter; it's more that I don't really want to peel off my nice warm clothes to slip into cold exercise gear, work out until I'm sweaty and get cold immediately I stop. I waste too much time warming up in the shower! But I need to sort things out, work out what I want/need to do, ready to start when spring springs. I'll carry on pretty much as I'm doing for now - winter's half over - but I want to have something in place for when I'm not quite so chilly. I think I ought to get back into the garden now. That was quite nice and there's a lot of work still to be done.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 8

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 24
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 10
:v: Warrior Arms Day 10
:v: Power Grip Day 10
:v: Abs Day 10

:v: Taekwondo. Usual joint warm-up, then drills going up the line. I quite like this sort of thing. Started easy - alternate leg turning kick to mid-section. Slowly, it got more interesting, culminating in alternate leg low - mid - high. Looking not only for technique but also speed. Then a small group was peeled off and the rest of us did more drills. Long stance forward and backward with hands, beginning simply with lower block, then red and black belt were doing double face punch followed by double lower-section punch. Then we kicked again. :LOL: Instep (or ball for high belts). First just one kick, then two kicks same leg, mid and high, then three kicks, low - mid - high. then alternate legs, mid - high. To end the session, we were again split off and the higher belts did one-step sparring (aka self defence). Number 1 and 2. I'm pretty confident those are in my memory now. Pretty confident. Maybe fairly confident...

:v: Writing. Day 25 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 9

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 25
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 11
:v: Warrior Arms Day 11
:v: Power Grip Day 11
:v: Abs Day 11

:v: Marcy chest presses 2 x 5 - but it could have been 3 x 5 - I can't remember. I tend to do a set whenever I feel like it throughout the day.
:v: Personal challenge 1.2
:v: Writing. Day 26 of Camp NaNo. Very pleased with today's effort. Stopped the timer every time I stood up or moved away from my work even for a minute. By the time I had to stop to take the Lad to his swimming lesson, I'd clocked almost 5 hours solid work. Amazingly, my brain isn't exhausted. I feel as though I could do another 5 hours, only it's bed time now.
:v: Reading.
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 10

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 26
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 12
:v: Warrior Arms Day 12
:v: Power Grip Day 12
:v: Abs Day 12

:v: Writing. Day 27 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

Dropped off stuff at the charity shop, including a number of blankets which I hope get put to good use in this cold weather. Even finally got myself down to the tip and delivered a couple of defunct computers to the e-waste bins and my little empty gas canister to the empty-gas-canister area. Also popped into the recycle shop there, looking for books. Picked up 14 at $2 each, and a few of them were nice clean, new-looking hardcovers (which I don't really like because they take up so much room on the shelf), so I'm happy. :)
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,972
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
Programme:
:v: 30 Days of Gravity Day 12

Challenges:
:v: From Walking to Running Day 28
:v: 50 Push-ups a Day Day 14
:v: Warrior Arms Day 14
:v: Power Grip Day 14
:v: Abs Day 14

:v: Writing. Day 29 of Camp NaNo.
:v: Reading.

Got more work done in the garden this morning. Not so cold and, as happens, the jackett came off. A magpie sat right behind me and called to its friends. A magpie's call is really loud! I told it to bugger off but it just gave me that look.

The month's nearly over. Really time to get my stuff sorted. Got to work out what I'm going to be doing for at least the next month. Got to focus on that patellar tracking problem. Hey, perhaps I could do the exercises the physio gave me when I saw him back in March... :puurke:
 
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