( Farther up and further in, farther up and further in... )

Tags: accomplishment, fitness, trailwalker
Current Mood: tired

So at the Mongolian Barbecue dinner on Friday night, the lovely (and highly social-justice-and-activism-driven) zcat_abroad mentioned that when she and zcatcurious took all the money they'd raised for the cow buying picnic in to the nice folks at Oxfam, they'd been asked if they'd considered signing up for the Trailwalking fundraiser (see http://zcat-abroad.livejournal.com/38865.html?style=mine, second section for more info)

Now at the dinner thing, upon having the nature of this Trailwalker described to me, I proceeded to squee and enthuse wildly about how much I'd like to be involved. And I would. Walking 100km in 36 hours sounds like the sort of challenge I'd love to take on. It is, let's face it, just a *wee* bit more of a challenge than walking 8.4km in something a little over an hour would be. Plus, y'know, it means getting to walk it on real earth... not concrete and asphalt (although I suspect I'd still be aiming to do the Round the Bays - after all, why not)

The problem, of course, is that I have absolutely no idea whether the PF is going to be up to training for this kind of thing (let alone *doing* it). I have it at a point now where, six months after I first started noticing symptoms, I'm managing it - but it's a long way from gone altogether, and from all reports some people never get rid of it :-(

I do know if I did it I'd need to be *damn* careful with footwear... in fact, I probably need to get myself a second pair of orthotic supports and at least one extra pair of walking shoes before I even start training. I feel like I'm daft even thinking about it...

But I *want* to, damnit. I want to get involved in the training programme leading up to it. I want the self-discipline that comes with this kind of training leadup. I want the belongingness of being be part of a group that trains together to make this sort of thing happen. I want the feeling that comes from knowing I've been part of making this kind of fundraising contribution. And I sure as hell want the feeling of accomplishment that comes from setting a goal that's way outside of what I can do at the moment physically, and working away to make it happen (which is why, if I do it, I want to be walking it, and not just end up being part of the support crew on the day).

So yeah. Despite my worries about what it might do injury-wise, I very strongly suspect I'm going to put my name down for it anyway.

No, I'm not mad. I'm just being a bloody Starfire again :-S

Tags: accomplishment, challenges, fitness, goals
Current Mood: amused

... managed to get a reasonable amount done, despite feeling at the mercy of the hormone demons who've been viciously tormenting me.

Yes, indeed, I've been headachey, crampy, snarky, and indeed, misanthropically-homicidal at more than one point over the course of the day. I have, for the most part, managed to avoid actively biting anyone's head off (I believe my comment in my meditation writeup over at medibuddies was that "the past 24 hours really haven't been a shining testament to my compassion and tolerance as a priestess, even when I have been able to bite back snarky comments and keep my inner bitch in her kennel where she belongs... Uhuh. All hail the joys of being female :-S

Despite all this, however, I've managed to get 4 (count 'em, 4) CVs for our consultants written up today (yep, that's something I do copywriting for too... and I kind of enjoy those - they're short, and I often surprise people with just how good I can make them sound without saying a single untrue thing), plus sort out a couple of niggles with the existing website, a couple of other ones with the new one, and help a couple of people out with other things.

And in addition to that, I've resurrected the meditation LJ-comm I set up last year just before Litha. It was going reasonably strong for a couple of months... then it kind of tailed off, and the last time I posted to it myself was back in June. Yeah, there are all kinds of reasons for that... but they're not important. What *is* is that it feels like time to get it off the ground again - and if there's anyone on my flist now that wasn't there a year ago who's vaguely interested in meditation (either the concept of learning it, or getting back into it), feel free to check it out.

It's a locked community because people post reports of meditations they've done there (or that's the aim), and those can sometimes be a little personal. However, if you read about it here, chances are strong I already know you, so you'll be approved in as soon as I get a join request from you. I'm also planning to post meditation resources as well - reviews of podcasts, articles, the odd book or two; and links to websites or blog posts I've found useful myself.

And I've actually *done* my meditation for today and written it up over at said comm. So yeah. The day has been... productive. And now that the painkiller's kicked in (go you good ibuprofen-codeine cocktail - when meditation fails, try medication!), the right side of my face feels less as though some unkind soul decided to stick a war-axe through it. The wonderful, wonderful drugs have even managed to stick a nice, fuzzy, hazy barrier between me and the neckpain that clicking my neck the wrong way earlier on today managed to elicit.

Wheeee! I can haz productivitea plz?

Hugs and going-to-get-an-early-night blessings



Starfire

Tags: accomplishment, medibuddies, meditation, work
Current Mood: accomplished

I'VE FINISHED THE FIRST UNEDITED DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!!!!

w00t! Happiness! Joyfulness! ExUBERAtion!

OK, that's about the limit of my exhausted enthusiasm - the V I had around 4pm had just about worn off, and that little outburst just burned off the last of it.

Before we get too excited, they're expecting something that, from the wordcount, should be around 5-6 pages.

My first draft? With everything I think needs to be in there? 26 pages.

I kid you not. Partly, that's because I'm starting each mini-section (the assignment is being presented as the text to an intranet mini-site) on a separate page. But some mini-sections are around 2/3-3/4 of a page... so really... SERIOUS editing necessary. It does provide startling evidence of just how hard I've found it to get my head around what I'm supposed to be doing though, doesn't it?

I'm figuring I'm going to do one major round of edits tomorrow, and then send the whole thing to my tutor (who's sworn blind she doesn't mind us doing this), saying 'Help! I know this is RIDICULOUSLY over-length! What doesn't need to be in here that I can unmercifully cull? Help? Please?)

And then I'm going to do nothing 't all once I've sent it. Well, nothing academic anyway. Reading, sleeping and watching anything with His Ecclestonness in it are all seriously appealing alternatives.

The next module (along with any required changes to the the assignment-monster) can wait until Monday night.

And now? Dinner and perchance a little Gryphon time. Oh, and *sleep*! Did I mention sleep?

Hugs and dazed blessings



Starfire

Tags: accomplishment, study

Sarasvati, in particular.

I'm now about 2/3 of the way through the first draft of the assignment, but I feel like I've broken the back of it.

I need to do some serious editing tomorrow on the crap I've already written. And it *is* crap, but it's crap on paper, or in this case, on the screen, and therefore editable, which it wasn't while it was in my brain. To revert to my butterfly metaphor (sorry, Jax, simile ;-) ), I've now caught the 10 butterflies I need for my living sculpture, but they may not actually *be* the correct 10 butterflies.

That's OK though, because now I've caught them, I can paint each one individually to *look* as though it's the right one, and as far as the sculpture viewers are concerned, they'll never know the difference.

Also, I need to critically evaluate two documents as illustrators of all the principles I've written about in the first 2/3. That's cool. I can do this. I can manage this.

I may yet escape this weekend mentis intacta. I'm not counting on it, mind you, but the possibility seems to have improved from "approaching zero" to "minutely possible".

Stay tuned to this channel for more news (or, you know, don't if you don't actually give a flying frell - I swear I won't take offence as long as you're not rude about it)

And now? To bed.

It's 1am, and I have things to beat up in the morning before getting back to this again.

Tags: accomplishment, study
Current Mood: tired but fighting again

( Something's wrong here - I seem to be on top of things... )

Tags: accomplishment, study, w4it
Current Mood: pleased

Despite another fairly bad night's sleep (I can't remember my dreams, but I know they were restless), and waking up at about 4.30 unable to go back to sleep, this morning started fairly well.

I had a great boxing session first thing with pretty_instructor (who apparently *is* betimes possessed by the spirit of a drill instructor, if his insisting on me doing my pushups while he leaned at least part of his weight into my upper back was anything to go by) And why yes, it *did* make for a slightly more interesting workout - why do you ask?

Followed that up with a short (but hard) chest-triceps-legs weights session that left me happily blissed out on hypoglycaemic endorphins all the way home. And despite a banana and protein drink, the blissed-out-ness lasted pretty much till I got into work (and discovered that, yes, I'd managed to come first in my course again last semester)

So yeah. Squee :-). Starfire is a well and truly happy Starfire this morning.

Hugs and happy blessings



Starfire

Tags: accomplishment, boxing, gymwork, sleep
Current Mood: happy

I wanted to get a real workout in this morning before Gryphon, tzaddik_mossad and I head off to Dad's for the weekend.

And apparently, the not working out last night was a good thing (it was just on 6 before I got away last night, and to be honest, I didn't have the energy by the time I finished), because gods above and below, I had energy *in spades* this morning.

Two-and-a-half hours from door to door - a full back-biceps-and-shoulders routine, a short legs routine to supplement that, and then just over 45 min on the bike. Plus,of course, walking to and from the gym to warm up and cool down.

Total calorie burn? 1,050 cals - woohooo - I broke four figures in a single workout!

So. I've just had a protein drink a nice big, hot bowl of porridge to restore some of the nutrients I had to have burned through during that session. And now I'm about to throw myself through the shower and become vaguely human again.

So that makes 7 workouts this week, for a total caloric burn this week of 4,660.

My halo it truly shineth and right happy I am to experience its shining.

Hugs and gymvirtuous blessings.



Starfire

Tags: accomplishment, fitness, gymwork, health

Well, that title should be pretty self-explanatory. It's now finished, edited, referenced, and is sitting with Gryphon for proofing. 'Soon as he's done, I'll be submitting it.

So 72182, Writing for the Web is now over, and now I have nothing at all to study for until the next paper begins in mid-July (for which I still need to enrol, but it can probably wait until my next pay pack).

It's a weird feeling, this not having anything I'm supposed to be studying now. I've pretty much been on the go solid since last October when I started the Business Comms and Info Access papers. They rolled straight into Web Writing, with a week and a bit taken out for the solid intensity of eating, sleeping and breathing PRINCE2 training.

And now... nothing.

It's a nice feeling, mind you.

I have a feeling I won't be idle for long. I've just signed up for kiwinowrimo. And who knows... maybe this time I'll actually get the Fireflylander story finished?

Also, there's that whole catching up on sleep thing. And work. And reading, and farscaping, and meditating, and actually getting to *go* to Hoarde-do's, instead of having to wimp last moment (grrrrrr). So yeah. I can pretty much promise you I'm not going to be getting bored over the next six weeks. Then again, when do I ever? Life's way too short, and there's far too much I want to experience.

*Grin*

Time to go start experiencing again.

Hugs and happy blessings


Starfire

Tags: accomplishment, study

( Those who aren't interested in workout info will probably be just as happy not clicking - suffice it to say I had a good workout and am feeling pretty damn good now :-) )

And now I'm home, I need to rustle up some healthy breakfast. I tried creamed rice yesterday, after seeing the guys in the department (they of the constant marathons and triathlons) often having it as a 'healthy snack' - although how something that's predominantly white rice and sugar can be healthy, gods only know.

It's... *ok*... (kinda like sweet, lumpy dairyfood) but honestly? I like the sweet brown rice that I do better (take cooked brown rice, put a little skim milk over it as you would porridge, add a little honey, molasses, or sweet-thing of choice, cinnamon and/or mixed spice, dried fruit if you feel like it, mix it all up and then nuke for a minute or so). It's sort of a cross between rice-pudding and porridge, and while it would probably make experienced cooks grimace and mock (not thinking of anyone in particular there, of course), it works for me.

And now that's exactly what I'm feeling like. So I'll go put the rice on to cook, have a shower, and by the time I'm sorted, it should be ready.

Yay! Hungry Starfire!

And then there will be the final stretch of the essay while Gryphon is off down at Barbara's, and then, I believe, at his game. And words cannot express just how much I'm looking forward to having it done and ready to proof.

Hugs and industrious blessings


Starfire

Tags: accomplishment, food, gymwork, weights
Current Mood: cheerful