Man, I'm not even going to pretend like I've been paying attention to eating well. I skipped a few cooking classes, I ate waaaay to much fried food and I had to kick a vampire in the balls on the way home from work on Monday. It's definitely been a weird couple of weeks. I know there are hard times ahead, though, so it's time to stop wallowing in my own chocolate-covered misery (mmmm, chocolate) and get back to the mission at hand. There's serious fighting to be done next week and I'll be damned if we're not fueled up for it. Let's all have a little extra something in preparation, shall we?
Baked Eggplants
adapted from “Mmmm… Casseroles: delicious recipes you’ll be unable to resist”
3 Tbs. Olive Oil, plus extra for oiling
4 Eggplants
10 ½ g Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. chopped Fresh Basil
2 Tbs. Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Tomato Sauce
4 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
14oz canned Chopped Tomatoes
1 lb fresh Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 Tbs chopped fresh Parsley
2 ½ cups hot vegetable stock
1 Tbs. Sugar
2 Tbs. Lemon Juice
2/3 cup Dry White Wine
Salt and Pepper
White Sauce
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs. All-Purpose Flour
1 ¼ cups Milk
Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large, ovenproof dish.
2. To make the tomato sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, and fry until just beginning to soften. Add the canned and fresh tomatoes, parsley, stock, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the wine and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Thinly slice the eggplants lengthwise. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook the eggplant slices for fifteen minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Pour half the tomato sauce into the prepared dish with half the eggplants and drizzle with the oil. Cover with half the mozzarella and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers.
5. To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the flour. Stir until smooth and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Slowly beat in the milk. Simmer gently for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, then season to taste with a little nutmeg, salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the white sauce over the eggplant-and-tomato mixture, then sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the topping is golden. Serve immediately.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Mission: Story Time!
Allies:
We have all struggled in our lives with something evil. Something that tore at our bodies or our souls. Or we have watched loved ones be destroyed. I challenge you to document what you have seen and experienced. If we can collect these stories we can help future generations combat and destroy the evils that lurk in the shadows and the light of day!
((my own to come later today))
Monday, March 28, 2011
Two new missions for allies
Mission One: Writing on the Wall
Heya Allies! I'd love your feedback on the One Month Review - your input will help make this game better as we move forward. Please leave a comment with your thoughts before April 8, 2011!
Reward: 50XP and my undying gratitude
Mission Two: Standing Guard
I'm scheduled for surgery April 4, and I'm asking for your help. This surgery will be the most extensive, invasive one yet, and I'm a little nervous about it. I'd like to test out a new system of having one person as Mission Manager and one person as Achievement Herald, with a back-up for each, for one week periods. Your mission is to pick which position and which week you'd like to do these. Just edit this post and put your name on the list! I think each person will need to volunteer twice in order to cover the back-up positions as well.
Mission Manager: Give missions to Jessica (and other Allies as appropriate), track and report on successes
Achievement Herald: Monitor mission successes and other daily activities and bestow achievements as desired
Week 1: April 4-10
Mission Manager: Erin/Madd
Back-up: Courtney
Achievement Herald: Jamie
Back-up:
Week 2: April 11-17
Mission Manager: Courtney
Back-up:
Achievement Herald: Erin/Madd
Back-up:
Week 3: April 18-24
Mission Manager: Carrie
Back-up:
Achievement Herald: Courtney
Back-up:
Week 4: April 25-May 1
Mission Manager: Jamie
Back-up:
Achievement Herald:
Back-up: Courtney
Reward: 25 XP for each position
Heya Allies! I'd love your feedback on the One Month Review - your input will help make this game better as we move forward. Please leave a comment with your thoughts before April 8, 2011!
Reward: 50XP and my undying gratitude
Mission Two: Standing Guard
I'm scheduled for surgery April 4, and I'm asking for your help. This surgery will be the most extensive, invasive one yet, and I'm a little nervous about it. I'd like to test out a new system of having one person as Mission Manager and one person as Achievement Herald, with a back-up for each, for one week periods. Your mission is to pick which position and which week you'd like to do these. Just edit this post and put your name on the list! I think each person will need to volunteer twice in order to cover the back-up positions as well.
Mission Manager: Give missions to Jessica (and other Allies as appropriate), track and report on successes
Achievement Herald: Monitor mission successes and other daily activities and bestow achievements as desired
Week 1: April 4-10
Mission Manager: Erin/Madd
Back-up: Courtney
Achievement Herald: Jamie
Back-up:
Week 2: April 11-17
Mission Manager: Courtney
Back-up:
Achievement Herald: Erin/Madd
Back-up:
Week 3: April 18-24
Mission Manager: Carrie
Back-up:
Achievement Herald: Courtney
Back-up:
Week 4: April 25-May 1
Mission Manager: Jamie
Back-up:
Achievement Herald:
Back-up: Courtney
Reward: 25 XP for each position
Daily activities, March 28-April 3, 2011
3/28
Went back to work! Whoo hoo!!
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
1 hr doctor's appointment - 10 XP
3 hrs work - 15 XP
Playing courier for doctors picking up MRI results 1 hr - 5 XP
Picked up dog from daycare - 2 XP
Evening stretching - 5 XP
(I have somehow pulled my IT band in my left leg, so walking is out for now, but I'm doing lots of yoga and stretching!)
Total: 47 XP
3/29
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
More playing courier for doctors - 3 XP
Defended SuperBetter on Slate - 2 XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
Evening stretching - 5 XP
Blog post - 2XP
Responded to comments - 2XP
Total: 46 XP
3/30
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Took a nap - 5 XP
Cello lesson - 10 XP
Evening stretching - 5 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Total: 48 XP
3/31
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Doctor's appointment - 10 XP
Took a nap - 5 XP
Watched Dr Who (power up) - 5 XP
Total: 47 XP
4/1
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Took a nap - 5 XP
Gamed with friends (power up!) - 20 XP
Total: 52 XP
4/2
1 hour hike with Matt and Bella - 10 XP
Sushi (power up! haha) - 5 XP
Bought new pajamas to wear to hospital - 5 XP
Generally had a really great day - 25 XP
Total: 45 XP
4/3
Cleaned house for an hour - 10 XP
Social time with friends (power up!) - 10 XP
Got dressed up for pictures (Superhero To Do list item) - 25 XP
Total: 45 XP
Weekly total: 330 XP
Overall total: 1313 XP
Total minus subtractions for rewards: 1288 XP
Went back to work! Whoo hoo!!
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
1 hr doctor's appointment - 10 XP
3 hrs work - 15 XP
Playing courier for doctors picking up MRI results 1 hr - 5 XP
Picked up dog from daycare - 2 XP
Evening stretching - 5 XP
(I have somehow pulled my IT band in my left leg, so walking is out for now, but I'm doing lots of yoga and stretching!)
Total: 47 XP
Level Up! Reached 1000 XP
3/29
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
More playing courier for doctors - 3 XP
Defended SuperBetter on Slate - 2 XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
Evening stretching - 5 XP
Blog post - 2XP
Responded to comments - 2XP
Total: 46 XP
3/30
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Took a nap - 5 XP
Cello lesson - 10 XP
Evening stretching - 5 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Total: 48 XP
3/31
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Doctor's appointment - 10 XP
Took a nap - 5 XP
Watched Dr Who (power up) - 5 XP
Total: 47 XP
4/1
30 min yoga and stretching - 5 XP
4 hours work - 20 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Took a nap - 5 XP
Gamed with friends (power up!) - 20 XP
Total: 52 XP
4/2
1 hour hike with Matt and Bella - 10 XP
Sushi (power up! haha) - 5 XP
Bought new pajamas to wear to hospital - 5 XP
Generally had a really great day - 25 XP
Total: 45 XP
4/3
Cleaned house for an hour - 10 XP
Social time with friends (power up!) - 10 XP
Got dressed up for pictures (Superhero To Do list item) - 25 XP
Total: 45 XP
Weekly total: 330 XP
Overall total: 1313 XP
Total minus subtractions for rewards: 1288 XP
Friday, March 25, 2011
One Month(ish) Review
We started this game just over a month ago. I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the progress and lessons learned, and where I would like to go from here.
Successes: This game has definitely helped me to not feel so isolated and powerless. This is especially helpful when Matt is out of town, and I'm here alone. It's made it easier for me to reach out and ask for help, and I think - correct me if I'm wrong, Allies - it's given people a way to do something for me. I also think a perhaps unintended side effect is that Allies are not just helping me, but they're helping each other. The game has taken a disparate group of people, from seven different states ranging from Massachusetts to Colorado, some of whom have never met before (either in real life or online), and joined them together in common purpose. Has all of this helped my healing? It's hard to say. Has all of this helped my mindset? Absolutely. I may be still sick, but I'm not suffering nearly as much as I was before we started SuperBetter. Now when I encounter something painful or difficult, I think, "How can I create a gameful way of dealing with this?" instead of feeling overwhelmed, crushed, and desperate. I have gained unexpected allies, such as my boss, the owner of our doggy daycare, and my cello teacher, who may not be formally playing the game but they are definitely contributing to my recovery. Even the blog itself has been therapeutic, and things like posting my daily activities helps me to see just what I am doing to participate in my recovery - and in my own life - rather than just sitting around waiting to get better.
Challenges: I need to come up with some more power ups, and I need to be better about using them when I have a bad day instead of sitting around moping. I also need to be better about developing missions and achievements. We started off strong with that, but it kind of waned, which is to be expected. Also, I need to more clearly communicate that the game, and the blog, are supposed to be fun for Allies too - several Allies privately brought up to me that they felt like they weren't doing enough, because they hadn't posted recently or hadn't done something else. I want to state for the record that that doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is that you're here, you volunteered to help me through an incredibly difficult time in my life, and you have done so much, all of you, to get me through this. Any time you feel like you're not doing enough, just come read this post. I also think we need to develop a little more structure in the game, to create back-ups for people, and to give people clearer ideas of what's going on.
Moving Forward: I'd like to work with you all to create a monthly structure to give out missions and achievements. The reason I bring this up is that I know you all have your own lives, and more than anything I DO NOT want this game to become a burden or just "something else you have to do." If we have back-ups in place, it takes some pressure off and allows the game to keep moving without causing undue stress on anyone. I'd love to hear your comments on how to work this. I was thinking that at the start of each month, we assign one person and one back-up for each week to manage missions and achievements. I'd also like your help in brainstorming what I need in terms of missions and power ups - I kind of really suck at evaluating what I need, and whenever I consciously try to think of power ups, my brain fails. It would be really awesome to have some of these flushed out before I head into surgery (which is looking to be the week of April 4.) Also, I'd love to develop some little character insights or fiction pieces or something so we can use these wonderful characters that you've all worked so hard to develop. Additionally, I'm thinking of trying to actively blog more, not just about the game, but about chronic illness in general (this would be a great thing to structure as a mission and/or achievement.)
Be proud! I just wanted to let all of you know that there are people out there who found this blog, and it inspired and helped them to create their own SuperBetter games. So you're not just helping me, you're helping strangers fight their own Evils as well. You all are the best group of Allies a huntress could ever ask for, and I deeply, truly appreciate everything you have done. We will conquer this, one Evil at a time!
I would love to hear your feedback on what you think are successes, challenges, and suggestions for moving forward!
Successes: This game has definitely helped me to not feel so isolated and powerless. This is especially helpful when Matt is out of town, and I'm here alone. It's made it easier for me to reach out and ask for help, and I think - correct me if I'm wrong, Allies - it's given people a way to do something for me. I also think a perhaps unintended side effect is that Allies are not just helping me, but they're helping each other. The game has taken a disparate group of people, from seven different states ranging from Massachusetts to Colorado, some of whom have never met before (either in real life or online), and joined them together in common purpose. Has all of this helped my healing? It's hard to say. Has all of this helped my mindset? Absolutely. I may be still sick, but I'm not suffering nearly as much as I was before we started SuperBetter. Now when I encounter something painful or difficult, I think, "How can I create a gameful way of dealing with this?" instead of feeling overwhelmed, crushed, and desperate. I have gained unexpected allies, such as my boss, the owner of our doggy daycare, and my cello teacher, who may not be formally playing the game but they are definitely contributing to my recovery. Even the blog itself has been therapeutic, and things like posting my daily activities helps me to see just what I am doing to participate in my recovery - and in my own life - rather than just sitting around waiting to get better.
Challenges: I need to come up with some more power ups, and I need to be better about using them when I have a bad day instead of sitting around moping. I also need to be better about developing missions and achievements. We started off strong with that, but it kind of waned, which is to be expected. Also, I need to more clearly communicate that the game, and the blog, are supposed to be fun for Allies too - several Allies privately brought up to me that they felt like they weren't doing enough, because they hadn't posted recently or hadn't done something else. I want to state for the record that that doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is that you're here, you volunteered to help me through an incredibly difficult time in my life, and you have done so much, all of you, to get me through this. Any time you feel like you're not doing enough, just come read this post. I also think we need to develop a little more structure in the game, to create back-ups for people, and to give people clearer ideas of what's going on.
Moving Forward: I'd like to work with you all to create a monthly structure to give out missions and achievements. The reason I bring this up is that I know you all have your own lives, and more than anything I DO NOT want this game to become a burden or just "something else you have to do." If we have back-ups in place, it takes some pressure off and allows the game to keep moving without causing undue stress on anyone. I'd love to hear your comments on how to work this. I was thinking that at the start of each month, we assign one person and one back-up for each week to manage missions and achievements. I'd also like your help in brainstorming what I need in terms of missions and power ups - I kind of really suck at evaluating what I need, and whenever I consciously try to think of power ups, my brain fails. It would be really awesome to have some of these flushed out before I head into surgery (which is looking to be the week of April 4.) Also, I'd love to develop some little character insights or fiction pieces or something so we can use these wonderful characters that you've all worked so hard to develop. Additionally, I'm thinking of trying to actively blog more, not just about the game, but about chronic illness in general (this would be a great thing to structure as a mission and/or achievement.)
Be proud! I just wanted to let all of you know that there are people out there who found this blog, and it inspired and helped them to create their own SuperBetter games. So you're not just helping me, you're helping strangers fight their own Evils as well. You all are the best group of Allies a huntress could ever ask for, and I deeply, truly appreciate everything you have done. We will conquer this, one Evil at a time!
I would love to hear your feedback on what you think are successes, challenges, and suggestions for moving forward!
Calm before the storm (health update)
Things have been quiet here. Too quiet. Something is brewing, I can feel it. Early last week, I caught a vamp. I thought I had him, but then the bastard took me by surprise. The fight was brutal, and it took a lot of work by the clerics, my allies, and potions to get me back on my feet. My Wolf nearly got loose one day, that's how bad the damage was. This week there has been....nothing. It makes me uneasy. Today, I am meeting with yet another cleric, who has yet another idea on things that will help me fight the Evils. We'll see. I try to enjoy the break in fighting, but all I can think is that this feels like that eerie, prickling calm before a storm. Well, when it comes, I'll be ready. I'm done being caught off guard.
So I had the biopsy last week, and considering I've had three surgeries on my jaw, I didn't think the biopsy would be any big deal. Oh,I was wrong. The incision was much bigger, and much more painful because he had to cut a section out of my bone in three places. Using a drill. My face was crazy swollen, bruised, and painful. It's been a lot better this week. On Wednesday, I went back to the surgeon to get the biopsy results. Good news: I don't have bone cancer! Bad news: The bacteria grown by the culture in my lower mandible, while still the same bug shown by the last two cultures, is now showing a resistance to the antibiotic I'm on. I'm allergic to penicillin, so it's back to the infectious disease doc on Monday to see what we can do. The culture from the upper part of my mandible didn't grow any cultures at the time of my appointment, although the surgeon said that the lab was still working on a few specimens. He said it's possible the hole in my jaw as seen on the CT scan is a genetic anomaly, which I would believe except it's painful to touch. So he's sending me for an MRI this afternoon to get better images of the mandible and see if it's really something to worry about or just the way my bone is formed. Erin helped me feel better about all this by telling me that it's possible to determine new damage from anomalous growth on the MRI. Hopefully, we will have a definitive answer soon.
At any rate, I definitely need a massive surgical debridement of the lower mandible. The surgeon said it's like excising a tumor - he'll cut until he finds healthy bone, and then cut a little bit more to ensure he's removing all of the infected area. He'll actually be removing a section of my bone, and he'll have to move my nerve out of the way during the operation, so I will have some post-surgical facial numbness. He said that the numbness should go away, so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for that. Facial paralysis and numbness scare me more than anything else about this whole thing. The MRI will help him determine how extensive the surgery has to be, and right now we're looking at doing the operation the week of April 4. And of course, a friend from Pennsylvania is coming to visit April 8. Murphy's Law, in effect!
I feel okay about this treatment plan. At least I feel like we're moving forward with something more aggressive. The surgeon called the procedure a "definitive operation", so let's hope he's right. I'm not kidding when I say that I just can't keep dealing with this. I need it to be over, or at least on the path to being over. Surgery after surgery after surgery with no effect isn't cutting it anymore. I'll say that I'm "cautiously optimistic" and go from there.
---------------------------------------------------
So I had the biopsy last week, and considering I've had three surgeries on my jaw, I didn't think the biopsy would be any big deal. Oh,I was wrong. The incision was much bigger, and much more painful because he had to cut a section out of my bone in three places. Using a drill. My face was crazy swollen, bruised, and painful. It's been a lot better this week. On Wednesday, I went back to the surgeon to get the biopsy results. Good news: I don't have bone cancer! Bad news: The bacteria grown by the culture in my lower mandible, while still the same bug shown by the last two cultures, is now showing a resistance to the antibiotic I'm on. I'm allergic to penicillin, so it's back to the infectious disease doc on Monday to see what we can do. The culture from the upper part of my mandible didn't grow any cultures at the time of my appointment, although the surgeon said that the lab was still working on a few specimens. He said it's possible the hole in my jaw as seen on the CT scan is a genetic anomaly, which I would believe except it's painful to touch. So he's sending me for an MRI this afternoon to get better images of the mandible and see if it's really something to worry about or just the way my bone is formed. Erin helped me feel better about all this by telling me that it's possible to determine new damage from anomalous growth on the MRI. Hopefully, we will have a definitive answer soon.
At any rate, I definitely need a massive surgical debridement of the lower mandible. The surgeon said it's like excising a tumor - he'll cut until he finds healthy bone, and then cut a little bit more to ensure he's removing all of the infected area. He'll actually be removing a section of my bone, and he'll have to move my nerve out of the way during the operation, so I will have some post-surgical facial numbness. He said that the numbness should go away, so I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for that. Facial paralysis and numbness scare me more than anything else about this whole thing. The MRI will help him determine how extensive the surgery has to be, and right now we're looking at doing the operation the week of April 4. And of course, a friend from Pennsylvania is coming to visit April 8. Murphy's Law, in effect!
I feel okay about this treatment plan. At least I feel like we're moving forward with something more aggressive. The surgeon called the procedure a "definitive operation", so let's hope he's right. I'm not kidding when I say that I just can't keep dealing with this. I need it to be over, or at least on the path to being over. Surgery after surgery after surgery with no effect isn't cutting it anymore. I'll say that I'm "cautiously optimistic" and go from there.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Daily activities, March 21-27, 2011
Okay, here goes that newfangled thing where I create one post and update it throughout the week.
I really need to post these when I'm not so tired so I can try to post in character. You all are doing such a great job of that, I need to step up my game! (Literally!)
3/21
30 min walk with dog - 5 XP
paid medical bills - 10 XP (I gave this the same as a 1 hr doctor's appointment, as I had to call them and it was super stressful u_u)
30 min cello - 5 XP
30 min meditation - 5 XP
15 min energy routine - 3 XP
Worked on game char - 2 XP
Chatted with friends via skype 1 hr - 5 XP
Wow 30 min - 5 XP
Total: 40 XP
3/22
Today was not a good day. Anxious, achy, emotional, and exhausted. I didn't do much of anything.
Took dog to daycare - 2XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
15 min energy routine - 3 XP
Chatted with friends on gchat - 3 XP
WoW 1 hr - 10 XP
Total: 23 XP
3/23
1.5 hours doctors' appointments - 15 XP
30 minute walk with dog - 5 XP
Called my dad (power up!) - 10 XP
WoW 30 min - 5 XP
Total: 35 XP
3/24
30 min doctor's appointment - 5 XP
Cleaned house for 2 hours - 10 XP
Friend came over (yay social power up!) - 10 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
No major health complaints today - felt pretty good! 10 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Total: 44 XP
3/25
3 hours at hospital for MRI - 30 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Finished game character - 2 XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
Completed 5 Daily Challenges from MeYou Health - 10 XP
3 blog posts - 6 XP
Total XP: 55 XP
3/26
30 minute walk with dog - 5 XP
WoW 1 hr - 10 XP
Picked up house - 2 XP
Went grocery shopping - 2 XP
Gaming with friends (power up!) - 20 XP
Total XP: 39 XP
3/27
WoW 2 hrs - 20 XP
Listened to body & rested - 10 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Total XP: 32 XP
Weekly total: 268 XP
Cumulative total: 983
Total including subtractions for rewards: 958
I really need to post these when I'm not so tired so I can try to post in character. You all are doing such a great job of that, I need to step up my game! (Literally!)
3/21
30 min walk with dog - 5 XP
paid medical bills - 10 XP (I gave this the same as a 1 hr doctor's appointment, as I had to call them and it was super stressful u_u)
30 min cello - 5 XP
30 min meditation - 5 XP
15 min energy routine - 3 XP
Worked on game char - 2 XP
Chatted with friends via skype 1 hr - 5 XP
Wow 30 min - 5 XP
Total: 40 XP
3/22
Today was not a good day. Anxious, achy, emotional, and exhausted. I didn't do much of anything.
Took dog to daycare - 2XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
15 min energy routine - 3 XP
Chatted with friends on gchat - 3 XP
WoW 1 hr - 10 XP
Total: 23 XP
3/23
1.5 hours doctors' appointments - 15 XP
30 minute walk with dog - 5 XP
Called my dad (power up!) - 10 XP
WoW 30 min - 5 XP
Total: 35 XP
3/24
30 min doctor's appointment - 5 XP
Cleaned house for 2 hours - 10 XP
Friend came over (yay social power up!) - 10 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
No major health complaints today - felt pretty good! 10 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Total: 44 XP
3/25
3 hours at hospital for MRI - 30 XP
Took dog to daycare - 2 XP
Finished game character - 2 XP
30 min cello - 5 XP
Completed 5 Daily Challenges from MeYou Health - 10 XP
3 blog posts - 6 XP
Total XP: 55 XP
3/26
30 minute walk with dog - 5 XP
WoW 1 hr - 10 XP
Picked up house - 2 XP
Went grocery shopping - 2 XP
Gaming with friends (power up!) - 20 XP
Total XP: 39 XP
3/27
WoW 2 hrs - 20 XP
Listened to body & rested - 10 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Total XP: 32 XP
Weekly total: 268 XP
Cumulative total: 983
Total including subtractions for rewards: 958
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Catchup on points and activities
I'm still trying to figure out the best way to catalog daily activities. I feel like daily posts might be overwhelming and/or annoying, but if I DON'T record it every day, I'm likely to let a long time elapse (like now) and forget. Plus the point of this was to track progress and to recognize the things I'm doing to be an active participant in my health - and for you guys to help me recognize that through achievements. Kind of hard to do that when I don't tell you what I'm doing.
So I think from now on, I'm going to follow the model that we set up with weekly missions - I'll make one post on Sunday, and update it throughout the week. If that doesn't work, we'll just try something else!
(I posted all the boring day-by-day stuff at the bottom.)
Sunday, March 5 total: 297 (through 3/4)
Sunday, March 20 total: 715 (through 3/20)
Cashed in 25XP to buy Tetris Party for DS
Final total: 690
Also, I was able torun across the parp go to scifi book club on Monday, which made me really happy. (The "parp" is a reference to this Hyperbole and a Half comic, which Jamie and Matt were using to tease me about my insistence that I could go to the book club meeting after having the biopsy that afternoon.)
I don't remember a lot of this week either. There was a lot of sleeping, and I've been on Vicodin since last week, so that doesn't help with the whole memory thing. As I mentioned, I was off work this whole week, and I'm actually ordered off work until I get the biopsy results on Wednesday. I'll just have to find a way to make up the extra 20 XP per day that I got from work... ;)
I don't feel like I should get XP for sleeping, but I evidently need it. I slept for 15 hours Friday night, and 11 hours Saturday night, plus naps during the day. I'm mildly alarmed by this, but Matt keeps saying I must need it, because I don't typically sleep that late. I've been awful about playing cello this week, but I was awful about doing a lot of things because of the biopsy. Hopefully next week will be better.
I want to give like a million XP to Jamie for coming down here and staying with me. She really helped Matt and I both out by driving me around and helping around the house. Also, she brought me a bunch of awesome CDs - classical music and meditation stuff. So instead of a million, how about like 175? 25 per day that she was here, plus 50 for the CDs - seriously, she brought me a bunch. I need to update Courtney on other people that deserve XP and compile all our awesome music into a playlist - or maybe someone could help me out with that last one? Allies, please be sure you post comments on Courtney's weekly recap posts letting her know what you did for me - I want to make sure you're recognized for how awesome you are, and sometimes I suck and don't remember to tell her. :)
Also, 50 XP to Carrie for beating her own Tech Evil and setting up Skype so we can have Skype dates. Yay!
And 50 XP to Courtney for managing the weekly mission posts. That really helps me out!
And 10 XP to everyone else just for sticking with me in this game and being awesome. :)
I'm going to update the pages of the WoH this week to get everything current. If I miss anything, please let me know!
Daily Minutia Crap
3/5
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
30 minute walk - 5 XP
went shopping - 2 XP
Felt pretty good today - 10 XP
3/6
Was social for 3 hours and played pool - 6 XP (I gave myself 2 XP/hr)
Unloaded and loaded dishwasher - 2 XP
3/7
2 hrs doctor's appointments - 20 XP
Laundry 3 loads - 6 XP
Hit Level 80 - 10 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
3/8
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
Work for 4 hours - 20 XP
Sorted out biopsy business - 10 XP (this required many hours of calling many doctors)
Blog post - 2XP
Laundry 2 loads - 4 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
3/9
Worked for 4 hours - 20 XP
Cello lesson - 10 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
(I don't remember what else I did that day -- see, this is the problem with not posting!)
3/10
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
Worked for 4 hours - 20 XP
Dishes - 4XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
3/11
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
Worked for 4 hours - 20 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
I slept a lot that week, I remember that. Matt was out of town and my face was swollen and hurting, and I would come home from work and just pass out on the couch for a few hours.
3/12
Impromptu gathering at my house of friends, yay social! - 25 XP
(I don't remember much else...)
3/13
I have no recollection - Jamie, help?
3/14
Biopsy - 25 XP (This isn't really an achievement, but I feel like I should earn XP for surviving medical procedures. And Jamie said I wasn't even crabby!)
Ran across the parp Went to scifi book club, more socialness yay! - 25 XP
(The "parp" is a reference to this Hyperbole and a Half comic, which Jamie and Matt were using to tease me about my insistence that I could go to the book club meeting after having the biopsy that afternoon.)
3/15
Ran errands (or, more precisely, sat in the passenger seat in a narcotic haze while Jamie drove) - 4 XP
Took dog to dog park for about 1 hour - 5 XP
Did a whole lot of nothing as my face looked like I had a golfball in my cheek
3/16
Hour long walk with Jamie - 10 XP
Drove up to Ft Collins - 5 XP
3/17
Follow up with surgeon because I was alarmed by the swelling - 10 XP
3/18
INR check with doctor - 10 XP
Bought groceries - 2 XP
Conference call with boss - 5 XP
3/19
Went to Home Depot and Safeway with Matt - 10 XP
Meditation for 1 hour - 10 XP
Played WoW for 1 hour - 10 XP
3/20
Picked up prescriptions - 2 XP
Dishes - 2 XP
Participated in #hcsm Twitter chat - 25 XP (this is career related)
Wrote a career-related blog post draft - 10 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
So I think from now on, I'm going to follow the model that we set up with weekly missions - I'll make one post on Sunday, and update it throughout the week. If that doesn't work, we'll just try something else!
(I posted all the boring day-by-day stuff at the bottom.)
Sunday, March 5 total: 297 (through 3/4)
Sunday, March 20 total: 715 (through 3/20)
Cashed in 25XP to buy Tetris Party for DS
Final total: 690
Also, I was able to
I don't remember a lot of this week either. There was a lot of sleeping, and I've been on Vicodin since last week, so that doesn't help with the whole memory thing. As I mentioned, I was off work this whole week, and I'm actually ordered off work until I get the biopsy results on Wednesday. I'll just have to find a way to make up the extra 20 XP per day that I got from work... ;)
I don't feel like I should get XP for sleeping, but I evidently need it. I slept for 15 hours Friday night, and 11 hours Saturday night, plus naps during the day. I'm mildly alarmed by this, but Matt keeps saying I must need it, because I don't typically sleep that late. I've been awful about playing cello this week, but I was awful about doing a lot of things because of the biopsy. Hopefully next week will be better.
I want to give like a million XP to Jamie for coming down here and staying with me. She really helped Matt and I both out by driving me around and helping around the house. Also, she brought me a bunch of awesome CDs - classical music and meditation stuff. So instead of a million, how about like 175? 25 per day that she was here, plus 50 for the CDs - seriously, she brought me a bunch. I need to update Courtney on other people that deserve XP and compile all our awesome music into a playlist - or maybe someone could help me out with that last one? Allies, please be sure you post comments on Courtney's weekly recap posts letting her know what you did for me - I want to make sure you're recognized for how awesome you are, and sometimes I suck and don't remember to tell her. :)
Also, 50 XP to Carrie for beating her own Tech Evil and setting up Skype so we can have Skype dates. Yay!
And 50 XP to Courtney for managing the weekly mission posts. That really helps me out!
And 10 XP to everyone else just for sticking with me in this game and being awesome. :)
I'm going to update the pages of the WoH this week to get everything current. If I miss anything, please let me know!
Daily Minutia Crap
3/5
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
30 minute walk - 5 XP
went shopping - 2 XP
Felt pretty good today - 10 XP
3/6
Was social for 3 hours and played pool - 6 XP (I gave myself 2 XP/hr)
Unloaded and loaded dishwasher - 2 XP
3/7
2 hrs doctor's appointments - 20 XP
Laundry 3 loads - 6 XP
Hit Level 80 - 10 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
3/8
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
Work for 4 hours - 20 XP
Sorted out biopsy business - 10 XP (this required many hours of calling many doctors)
Blog post - 2XP
Laundry 2 loads - 4 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
3/9
Worked for 4 hours - 20 XP
Cello lesson - 10 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
(I don't remember what else I did that day -- see, this is the problem with not posting!)
3/10
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
Worked for 4 hours - 20 XP
Dishes - 4XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
3/11
Yoga and energy routine - 10 XP
Worked for 4 hours - 20 XP
took dog to daycare - 2 XP
I slept a lot that week, I remember that. Matt was out of town and my face was swollen and hurting, and I would come home from work and just pass out on the couch for a few hours.
3/12
Impromptu gathering at my house of friends, yay social! - 25 XP
(I don't remember much else...)
3/13
I have no recollection - Jamie, help?
3/14
Biopsy - 25 XP (This isn't really an achievement, but I feel like I should earn XP for surviving medical procedures. And Jamie said I wasn't even crabby!)
(The "parp" is a reference to this Hyperbole and a Half comic, which Jamie and Matt were using to tease me about my insistence that I could go to the book club meeting after having the biopsy that afternoon.)
3/15
Ran errands (or, more precisely, sat in the passenger seat in a narcotic haze while Jamie drove) - 4 XP
Took dog to dog park for about 1 hour - 5 XP
Did a whole lot of nothing as my face looked like I had a golfball in my cheek
3/16
Hour long walk with Jamie - 10 XP
Drove up to Ft Collins - 5 XP
3/17
Follow up with surgeon because I was alarmed by the swelling - 10 XP
3/18
INR check with doctor - 10 XP
Bought groceries - 2 XP
Conference call with boss - 5 XP
3/19
Went to Home Depot and Safeway with Matt - 10 XP
Meditation for 1 hour - 10 XP
Played WoW for 1 hour - 10 XP
3/20
Picked up prescriptions - 2 XP
Dishes - 2 XP
Participated in #hcsm Twitter chat - 25 XP (this is career related)
Wrote a career-related blog post draft - 10 XP
Blog post - 2 XP
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Not actually dead!
Hello, allies. I apologize for being out of touch for a while - and let me tell you, you all were AWESOME with checking in on me. Even if I didn't respond, please know that your texts, Facebook messages, gchat messages, visits, and phone calls meant a lot to me.
The last two weeks have been very challenging. I feel like I'm back like I was last March - my face is swollen, I can barely eat because the swelling prevents me from opening my mouth very much, I hurt, I'm exhausted and generally don't feel well. Last week I felt very isolated, as Matt was out of town, which you all helped with beyond measure. This week, it's just been the illness and exhaustion. Monday I had a biopsy done on my right mandible. Today I went back to the surgeon as my face still looks like I have a golf ball stuck in my cheek and it's incredibly painful to touch - even putting the ice packs on it hurts. He said that this was to be expected, as the biopsy was pretty invasive, and no cultures were back yet. I meet with him next week to discuss further surgery, and meanwhile, I'm on a lot of Vicodin.
I have not gone into work at all this week, and will not likely go in tomorrow. This is a big struggle for me: To accept that it is alright for me to take time to heal. The logical part of my brain knows that my workplace wants me to get better, and to do what is necessary to achieve that. That my job is protected, even beyond the legal requirements of FMLA. But there's a part of me - we'll call it the ridiculous masochistic crackheaded part - that doesn't feel I'm ever sick enough to stay home. I argue with myself constantly over this, because I always feel like I should just suck it up and go in, that I'm not dying, that I'm not even as sick as other people I know. I have illogical fears that my boss is mad at me, that my coworkers think I'm taking advantage of FMLA or being lazy. I have fears that I actually AM lazy, and that a better person would just go in to work. I feel like I'm exaggerating my illness and injuries because I'm not actually on death's doorstep. I truly cannot explain how hard this is for me to accept, and the guilt and anxiety I battle with when I do stay home.
This is a monster that I have struggled with long before I ever became ill, and one of the hardest for me to battle. I can handle the pain, the vomiting, the exhaustion, the swelling, the anxiety, the pain, the pain, the pain, but for some reason I cannot handle allowing myself to rest.
I ask for reassurance on this ad nauseam, probably to the irritation of Matt and other friends, but it's because it is incredibly difficult for me to give myself permission to stay home. For this reason, I truly appreciate all the times you all have reassured me, even if you wanted to smack me at the same time.
I'm giving myself a mission of updating this blog in the next few days: getting my daily activities for the last couple weeks compiled, acknowledging ally achievements, updating the achievements and missions logs under Game Basics, things like that. I'm also giving myself a mission to reply to all of you who contacted me. You held up your end, now it's time for me to hold up mine.
I do have a few proud moments to share though. I've been sleeping for 2-3 hours after coming home from work, then getting up for a couple hours before going back to sleep for 10-12 hours a night. I apparently need the sleep to heal, and I have not felt like doing much. Last week, though, I managed to do a short yoga routine and the energy workings taught to me by John (The Medium), as well as take the dog for a 30-minute walk. On Wednesday, despite my swelling and pain, I walked for over an hour with Jamie (The Armorer)! I was really proud of myself, as this was a huge accomplishment for me in light of my current state of exhaustion. Also, I think it was spurred on by the fact that Jamie and I would walk to New Mexico if you let us - once we get to walking and talking, we just don't stop, haha.
I wanted to get a bunch more stuff up here tonight, but I'm going to take satisfaction in what I DID achieve, give myself permission to rest, and work on getting the other postings and responses up over the next few days. I just wanted to acknowledge you all, because truly, this game is helping me to keep going, to not feel so alone, to draw strength when I thought I had none left. Please know that all your efforts are deeply appreciated, even when I don't respond. :)
The last two weeks have been very challenging. I feel like I'm back like I was last March - my face is swollen, I can barely eat because the swelling prevents me from opening my mouth very much, I hurt, I'm exhausted and generally don't feel well. Last week I felt very isolated, as Matt was out of town, which you all helped with beyond measure. This week, it's just been the illness and exhaustion. Monday I had a biopsy done on my right mandible. Today I went back to the surgeon as my face still looks like I have a golf ball stuck in my cheek and it's incredibly painful to touch - even putting the ice packs on it hurts. He said that this was to be expected, as the biopsy was pretty invasive, and no cultures were back yet. I meet with him next week to discuss further surgery, and meanwhile, I'm on a lot of Vicodin.
I have not gone into work at all this week, and will not likely go in tomorrow. This is a big struggle for me: To accept that it is alright for me to take time to heal. The logical part of my brain knows that my workplace wants me to get better, and to do what is necessary to achieve that. That my job is protected, even beyond the legal requirements of FMLA. But there's a part of me - we'll call it the ridiculous masochistic crackheaded part - that doesn't feel I'm ever sick enough to stay home. I argue with myself constantly over this, because I always feel like I should just suck it up and go in, that I'm not dying, that I'm not even as sick as other people I know. I have illogical fears that my boss is mad at me, that my coworkers think I'm taking advantage of FMLA or being lazy. I have fears that I actually AM lazy, and that a better person would just go in to work. I feel like I'm exaggerating my illness and injuries because I'm not actually on death's doorstep. I truly cannot explain how hard this is for me to accept, and the guilt and anxiety I battle with when I do stay home.
This is a monster that I have struggled with long before I ever became ill, and one of the hardest for me to battle. I can handle the pain, the vomiting, the exhaustion, the swelling, the anxiety, the pain, the pain, the pain, but for some reason I cannot handle allowing myself to rest.
I ask for reassurance on this ad nauseam, probably to the irritation of Matt and other friends, but it's because it is incredibly difficult for me to give myself permission to stay home. For this reason, I truly appreciate all the times you all have reassured me, even if you wanted to smack me at the same time.
I'm giving myself a mission of updating this blog in the next few days: getting my daily activities for the last couple weeks compiled, acknowledging ally achievements, updating the achievements and missions logs under Game Basics, things like that. I'm also giving myself a mission to reply to all of you who contacted me. You held up your end, now it's time for me to hold up mine.
I do have a few proud moments to share though. I've been sleeping for 2-3 hours after coming home from work, then getting up for a couple hours before going back to sleep for 10-12 hours a night. I apparently need the sleep to heal, and I have not felt like doing much. Last week, though, I managed to do a short yoga routine and the energy workings taught to me by John (The Medium), as well as take the dog for a 30-minute walk. On Wednesday, despite my swelling and pain, I walked for over an hour with Jamie (The Armorer)! I was really proud of myself, as this was a huge accomplishment for me in light of my current state of exhaustion. Also, I think it was spurred on by the fact that Jamie and I would walk to New Mexico if you let us - once we get to walking and talking, we just don't stop, haha.
I wanted to get a bunch more stuff up here tonight, but I'm going to take satisfaction in what I DID achieve, give myself permission to rest, and work on getting the other postings and responses up over the next few days. I just wanted to acknowledge you all, because truly, this game is helping me to keep going, to not feel so alone, to draw strength when I thought I had none left. Please know that all your efforts are deeply appreciated, even when I don't respond. :)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Adiemus
It finally feels like Spring! That calls for a song. This song always lifts me up and makes me feel better. Today it reminds me of Spring and makes me think about the wonderful growing life that's everywhere right now. I'm hope the Huntress listens to this and knows that I'm thinking about her and wanting her to be strong.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Training and Missions Week 3
Greetings again, Huntress and Allies against the Evils,
The Huntress has made the request to treat this post as a place to comment for all mission activities for the week. So if you do medical research, please post it here, so the Huntress can find it. If you find energy/guided meditations for the Huntress, please put it here. etc. This should keep things nicely organized and structured for the Huntress. Also this shows continually, none of us are ever alone in the fight against the dark evils that so desperately want us to believe so. Thank you.
Continued Missions:
Songs of Power Mission: Please keep adding to the songs for the Huntress and all of us to draw strength from. Please put them in the comments. When we get them all, we can make a post or soundtrack with them on it.
Contact Mission: Our Huntress is having a stressful and painful time. The Beasts and Vampires are being relentless and the demon's are waiting, just waiting for their turn. Please let our huntress feel your presence in a palpable way. Email her, Comment to her here, post here, talk to her of fb, call her, visit her. Let her know that her allies are always at her back ready to fight the fight with her as best we can.
Training Mission: Three times this week for a half hour minimum plan on doing some sort of physical activity. The activity is your choice. Just as you do each 30 minute session, comment here to this post, so we, especially the huntress, can all see, share and draw strength from it.
Meditation/Energy Mission: Three times this week, those of us who would, meditate. You can seek zen, enlightenment, nothingness, or simply on centering or on our huntress's fight. Do this in whichever way you do best. Using an element, energy manipulation, guided meditation, music meditation, etc. Again just update with comments here in this post. I am hoping once power marks have been chosen, that we can each have one with which to help the focused meditation and connect the group.
Our huntress is not able to do the physical exercise yet, but she will soon, and us doing it with her will only help and encourage her.
Huntress, these are for you too, and many you can already do, even before the cleric give you the okay to do formal training. These are other goals that, if you reach and would like to share for support, I would ask you to share to this post. These would include such things as:
Kept within calorie goal
Maintained desired weight
Felt good about the way I looked today
Felt Centered/Connected today
lost 10 lbs
lost 1 clothing size
ran a mile straight
lost 20 lbs
ran a 5k on own
ran a 5k official race
reached clothing size goal
lost 30 lbs
reached weight goal
None of this is mandatory, except for our huntress and I when the cleric say she is ready to begin. (Though, Ms. Huntress, the meditation is still required now.)
Happy Training and Missions to all.
*salute*
Please do put up if you did anything starting Sunday. I humbly apologize for the tardiness of these posts.
The Huntress has made the request to treat this post as a place to comment for all mission activities for the week. So if you do medical research, please post it here, so the Huntress can find it. If you find energy/guided meditations for the Huntress, please put it here. etc. This should keep things nicely organized and structured for the Huntress. Also this shows continually, none of us are ever alone in the fight against the dark evils that so desperately want us to believe so. Thank you.
Continued Missions:
Songs of Power Mission: Please keep adding to the songs for the Huntress and all of us to draw strength from. Please put them in the comments. When we get them all, we can make a post or soundtrack with them on it.
Contact Mission: Our Huntress is having a stressful and painful time. The Beasts and Vampires are being relentless and the demon's are waiting, just waiting for their turn. Please let our huntress feel your presence in a palpable way. Email her, Comment to her here, post here, talk to her of fb, call her, visit her. Let her know that her allies are always at her back ready to fight the fight with her as best we can.
Training Mission: Three times this week for a half hour minimum plan on doing some sort of physical activity. The activity is your choice. Just as you do each 30 minute session, comment here to this post, so we, especially the huntress, can all see, share and draw strength from it.
Meditation/Energy Mission: Three times this week, those of us who would, meditate. You can seek zen, enlightenment, nothingness, or simply on centering or on our huntress's fight. Do this in whichever way you do best. Using an element, energy manipulation, guided meditation, music meditation, etc. Again just update with comments here in this post. I am hoping once power marks have been chosen, that we can each have one with which to help the focused meditation and connect the group.
Our huntress is not able to do the physical exercise yet, but she will soon, and us doing it with her will only help and encourage her.
Huntress, these are for you too, and many you can already do, even before the cleric give you the okay to do formal training. These are other goals that, if you reach and would like to share for support, I would ask you to share to this post. These would include such things as:
Kept within calorie goal
Maintained desired weight
Felt good about the way I looked today
Felt Centered/Connected today
lost 10 lbs
lost 1 clothing size
ran a mile straight
lost 20 lbs
ran a 5k on own
ran a 5k official race
reached clothing size goal
lost 30 lbs
reached weight goal
None of this is mandatory, except for our huntress and I when the cleric say she is ready to begin. (Though, Ms. Huntress, the meditation is still required now.)
Happy Training and Missions to all.
*salute*
Please do put up if you did anything starting Sunday. I humbly apologize for the tardiness of these posts.
Awards
Good Morning Huntress and Allies,
I have been battling the First Evils for the last few days. These tyrrants are relentless and I still do not know if I have won or not. It has been time consuming, but that is no excuse for me to be last on last weeks awards.
To start with, I think our huntress is still compiling all that she has done. When I have a complete list, I will post it up for everyone to see.
Now, allies, I have not forgotten you. You have created and provided so much for our huntress, and you deserve more recognition than I can give for this. But as one old soldier to another, all I can give you in the salute of honor for your achievements in our shared work and battles. Remember, the more we provide to the huntress the larger base she has to grow from. I can only go by what I see and hear, so if I miss something, let me know at it will be added.
Matt:
Song of Power: 25 XP
Being with and love: 50XP
Contact mission: 25XP
Total: 75XP
Madadh-alluidh:
Songs of Power: 55XP
Blog Post: 10XP
Contact mission: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 95XP
Carrie:
Recipes: 25XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Song of Power: 25XP
Total: 45XP
Terra:
Training: 25XP
Song of Power: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Charater write up: 5XP
Blog Post: 10XP
Total: 70XP
Jamie:
Training: 25XP
Song of Power: 25XP
Contact Mission: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 80XP
JP:
Music Missions: 35XP
Content Missions: 25XP
Training: 25XP
Contact Mission: 25XP
GM Mission: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5X
Total: 140XP
Congratulations to all of the allies for your many contributions and achievements for the huntress all week. You provide her strength at her weakest times and are a light to her in the darkness. Remember that at all times.
Together we are fighting and together we are winning.
*salute*
I have been battling the First Evils for the last few days. These tyrrants are relentless and I still do not know if I have won or not. It has been time consuming, but that is no excuse for me to be last on last weeks awards.
To start with, I think our huntress is still compiling all that she has done. When I have a complete list, I will post it up for everyone to see.
Now, allies, I have not forgotten you. You have created and provided so much for our huntress, and you deserve more recognition than I can give for this. But as one old soldier to another, all I can give you in the salute of honor for your achievements in our shared work and battles. Remember, the more we provide to the huntress the larger base she has to grow from. I can only go by what I see and hear, so if I miss something, let me know at it will be added.
Matt:
Song of Power: 25 XP
Being with and love: 50XP
Contact mission: 25XP
Total: 75XP
Madadh-alluidh:
Songs of Power: 55XP
Blog Post: 10XP
Contact mission: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 95XP
Carrie:
Recipes: 25XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Song of Power: 25XP
Total: 45XP
Terra:
Training: 25XP
Song of Power: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Charater write up: 5XP
Blog Post: 10XP
Total: 70XP
Jamie:
Training: 25XP
Song of Power: 25XP
Contact Mission: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 80XP
JP:
Music Missions: 35XP
Content Missions: 25XP
Training: 25XP
Contact Mission: 25XP
GM Mission: 25XP
General Weekly Support: 5X
Total: 140XP
Congratulations to all of the allies for your many contributions and achievements for the huntress all week. You provide her strength at her weakest times and are a light to her in the darkness. Remember that at all times.
Together we are fighting and together we are winning.
*salute*
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Poking the Huntress
Huntress, where are you? Have been worried. Please post and let us know how things are going.
*salute*
*salute*
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Mad Mad Music
Since I'm not able to post to the original mission request I am going to add my musical suggestions here.
One of my favorite songs period:
Annie Lennox - Into the West ... Journeys End by soapte
The Lament of the Highborne (sung by Sylvanas)
The Orgimmar theme music, veyr much sounds like the drums of war, getting ready to battle thing:
One of my favorite songs period:
Annie Lennox - Into the West ... Journeys End by soapte
The Lament of the Highborne (sung by Sylvanas)
The Orgimmar theme music, veyr much sounds like the drums of war, getting ready to battle thing:
Best version I could find:
Mahler:
Go to about minute 36:
Edited to add: COWBOYS FROM HELL!!!
Loot for the Hell of It: Slow-Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup
Ugh. I can't even blame this crud on the vamps (and I want to, I really want to), this week has been all about the allergies. To make myself and others happy, this loot's on me:
Slow-Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup
from “The Everything Easy Gourmet Cookbook: Distinctive recipes from around the world to please your family and friends”
12 Tomatoes, cut into wedges (peel them first, if needed)
6 cloves Garlic
1 large Onion, chopped
3 sprigs Thyme
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
½ cup Olive Oil
4 cups strong Vegetable Stock
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together all the ingredients except the vegetable stock and place in a roasting tray. Slow-roast for approximately 30 minutes in the oven until slightly browned. Remove from the oven and place in a pot with the vegetable stock. Simmer on medium heat for 35 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste, and puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Serve with chopped fresh basil, if desired.
Slow-Roasted Balsamic Tomato Soup
from “The Everything Easy Gourmet Cookbook: Distinctive recipes from around the world to please your family and friends”
12 Tomatoes, cut into wedges (peel them first, if needed)
6 cloves Garlic
1 large Onion, chopped
3 sprigs Thyme
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
½ cup Olive Oil
4 cups strong Vegetable Stock
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together all the ingredients except the vegetable stock and place in a roasting tray. Slow-roast for approximately 30 minutes in the oven until slightly browned. Remove from the oven and place in a pot with the vegetable stock. Simmer on medium heat for 35 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste, and puree the mixture in a food processor or blender. Serve with chopped fresh basil, if desired.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Two new missions for allies
This week is turning out to be pretty hard on me. I think a significant portion of it is that I feel like I'm just waiting, putting my life on hold, while doctors figure out what they want to do with me. It's hard living like that. I feel like I can't make any plans, and that my life is out of my control, which is an enormous source of anxiety for me. It doesn't help that Matt is out of town, so I'm kind of sitting here stewing in isolation. Hence, the source of these next two challenges:
Mission One: All Along the Watchtower
Check in on me at least once before March 14 - either in person, by phone, email, text, Facebook message, gchat, or other means.
Reward: 25XP, plus 5 additional XP per subsequent check-in
Mission Two: Reality is Broken - The Musical
I've long said that a major problem with reality is its substantial lack of background music. Post a link to a song to add to the epic soundtrack of World of Healthcraft - and give me encouragement when fighting my Evils. Remember: it must be EPIC!
Allies with posting access: Please append your link with your name to the bottom of this post, as comments don't apparently allow for HTML embedding.
Allies without posting access: Please post the link in the comments and we'll add it with your name to this post.
Reward: 25XP, plus 5 additional XP per subsequent song, and we'll make a killer playlist.
I would love for anyone who reads this blog to participate in this - sharing music is wonderful!
Here's my contribution:
Matt: Dreamtheater, In the Presence of Enemies
Mission One: All Along the Watchtower
Check in on me at least once before March 14 - either in person, by phone, email, text, Facebook message, gchat, or other means.
Reward: 25XP, plus 5 additional XP per subsequent check-in
Mission Two: Reality is Broken - The Musical
I've long said that a major problem with reality is its substantial lack of background music. Post a link to a song to add to the epic soundtrack of World of Healthcraft - and give me encouragement when fighting my Evils. Remember: it must be EPIC!
Allies with posting access: Please append your link with your name to the bottom of this post, as comments don't apparently allow for HTML embedding.
Allies without posting access: Please post the link in the comments and we'll add it with your name to this post.
Reward: 25XP, plus 5 additional XP per subsequent song, and we'll make a killer playlist.
I would love for anyone who reads this blog to participate in this - sharing music is wonderful!
Here's my contribution:
Jessica: ES Posthumus, Unstoppable
Matt: Dreamtheater, In the Presence of Enemies
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Training in Week 2
Now that we have all had a chance to get our feet wet, time to kick this in gear. There have been requests from both our huntress and allies to have a shared training that any can join. This will give support to the Huntress, so she is not doing this alone, but also it will allow us to grow in ourselves in order to be the best we can as we stand with the Night Huntress against the foes of the dark and the Abiding Evils.
Many of us have faced the Beasts, Vampires and other Evil and know that a join front in the best health is the best way to succeed.
So here is the training mission:
Three times this week for a half hour minimum plan on doing some sort of physical activity. The activity is your choice. I run. Maybe you like elliptical or swimming or walking or yoga or insert other activity here. Just as you do each 30 minute session, comment here to this post, so we can all see, share and draw strength from it.
In addition to that, three times this week I would like those of us who would, to meditate. You can seek zen, enlightenment, nothingness, or simply on centering or on our huntress's fight. Do this in whichever way you do best. Using an element, energy manipulation, guided meditation, music meditation, etc. Again just update with comments here in this post. I am hoping once power marks have been chosen, that we can each have one with which to help the focused meditation and connect the group.
Our huntress is not able to do the physical exercise yet, but she will soon, and us doing it with her will only help and encourage her.
Also there are other goals that, if you reach and would like to share for support, I would ask you to share to this post. These would include such things as:
Kept within calorie goal
Maintained desired weight
Felt good about the way I looked today
Felt Centered/Connected today
lost 10 lbs
lost 1 clothing size
ran a mile straight
lost 20 lbs
ran a 5k on own
ran a 5k official race
reached clothing size goal
lost 30 lbs
reached weight goal
None of this is mandatory, except for our huntress and I when the cleric say she is ready to begin. (Though, Ms. Huntress, the meditation is still required now.)
This will count as a mission for weekly XP.
Happy Training all.
*salute*
EDIT: The Huntress has made one more request and has asked me to add it here. Please treat this post as a place to comment for all mission activities for the week. So if you do medical research, please post it here so the Huntress can find it. If you find energy/guided meditations for the Huntress, please put it here. etc. This should keep things nicely organized and structured for the Huntress. Also this shows continually, none of us are ever alone in the fight against the dark evils that so desperately want us to believe so. Thank you.
Many of us have faced the Beasts, Vampires and other Evil and know that a join front in the best health is the best way to succeed.
So here is the training mission:
Three times this week for a half hour minimum plan on doing some sort of physical activity. The activity is your choice. I run. Maybe you like elliptical or swimming or walking or yoga or insert other activity here. Just as you do each 30 minute session, comment here to this post, so we can all see, share and draw strength from it.
In addition to that, three times this week I would like those of us who would, to meditate. You can seek zen, enlightenment, nothingness, or simply on centering or on our huntress's fight. Do this in whichever way you do best. Using an element, energy manipulation, guided meditation, music meditation, etc. Again just update with comments here in this post. I am hoping once power marks have been chosen, that we can each have one with which to help the focused meditation and connect the group.
Our huntress is not able to do the physical exercise yet, but she will soon, and us doing it with her will only help and encourage her.
Also there are other goals that, if you reach and would like to share for support, I would ask you to share to this post. These would include such things as:
Kept within calorie goal
Maintained desired weight
Felt good about the way I looked today
Felt Centered/Connected today
lost 10 lbs
lost 1 clothing size
ran a mile straight
lost 20 lbs
ran a 5k on own
ran a 5k official race
reached clothing size goal
lost 30 lbs
reached weight goal
None of this is mandatory, except for our huntress and I when the cleric say she is ready to begin. (Though, Ms. Huntress, the meditation is still required now.)
This will count as a mission for weekly XP.
Happy Training all.
*salute*
EDIT: The Huntress has made one more request and has asked me to add it here. Please treat this post as a place to comment for all mission activities for the week. So if you do medical research, please post it here so the Huntress can find it. If you find energy/guided meditations for the Huntress, please put it here. etc. This should keep things nicely organized and structured for the Huntress. Also this shows continually, none of us are ever alone in the fight against the dark evils that so desperately want us to believe so. Thank you.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Character: Terra
“Ok… I can work with this!” was the first thing I told Jessica. Maybe not the first thing, the first thing was, “Hi”, I think. Maybe “Sorry, was that your foot?” I don’t remember exactly, but NEVERMIND! By the time she wiped the blood off of the side of my Corolla hatchback, I realized she was serious, and I don’t mean like “Oh my god, that cop totally clocked me doing seventy in a fifty-five” serious. I mean, “Vampires slowly trying to kill people ” serious!
And then there were the werewolves.
She told me not to worry, except, I needed to duck because Holy Crap, there’s a werewolf! But yeah. I could work with this. All I needed was to get my head around it, which didn’t take long. It never takes that long… you just have to get motivated and organized. So I did that. She was fighting a war against supernatural forces that were so supernatural that no one even thinks of them as supernatural anymore, and I just needed to adjust my thinking.
And did I adjust!
I’m seeing things in a completely different way. My friends always used to get sick, but I never actual SAW the venom coursing through their veins before. Now, I can. My friends used to go off on each other all the time without warning, like, timebombs from Hell, and I always figured it was just hormones or astrology or something. Now, they’re hairy demons with milkbone breath, and I can work with this.
I just needed to adjust.
So Jessica asked for my help. At first, I didn’t know what a person like me could possibly do to help a person like her, but as soon as she showed me her organizer, I realized she needed more than two-sided axe heads, sharpened stakes, garlic, silver crosses, and a crap-ton of Red Bull. She needed someone to keep her between the navigational beacons.
I’m good at that. I like plans. I make plans. I stick to them. And if anyone lets me, I’ll freaking make sure they will too!
Jessica is letting me… it’s her fault.
So, there’s nightmares inside every corner of the real world now. I’m not even worried. I’ve got a plan for them too!
Between her personal trainers and her spiritual guides, and that guy in the kilt (I think something’s wrong with his brain, for the record), we’re going to keep her hacking and slashing.
And winning.
My name is Terra. I do a lot of stuff, but it’s Jessica’s stuff I’m here to keep square. I’m here for all of those points between A and Z. Here’s a hint… they don’t lie in a straight line.
She told me not to worry, except, I needed to duck because Holy Crap, there’s a werewolf! But yeah. I could work with this. All I needed was to get my head around it, which didn’t take long. It never takes that long… you just have to get motivated and organized. So I did that. She was fighting a war against supernatural forces that were so supernatural that no one even thinks of them as supernatural anymore, and I just needed to adjust my thinking.
And did I adjust!
I’m seeing things in a completely different way. My friends always used to get sick, but I never actual SAW the venom coursing through their veins before. Now, I can. My friends used to go off on each other all the time without warning, like, timebombs from Hell, and I always figured it was just hormones or astrology or something. Now, they’re hairy demons with milkbone breath, and I can work with this.
I just needed to adjust.
So Jessica asked for my help. At first, I didn’t know what a person like me could possibly do to help a person like her, but as soon as she showed me her organizer, I realized she needed more than two-sided axe heads, sharpened stakes, garlic, silver crosses, and a crap-ton of Red Bull. She needed someone to keep her between the navigational beacons.
I’m good at that. I like plans. I make plans. I stick to them. And if anyone lets me, I’ll freaking make sure they will too!
Jessica is letting me… it’s her fault.
So, there’s nightmares inside every corner of the real world now. I’m not even worried. I’ve got a plan for them too!
Between her personal trainers and her spiritual guides, and that guy in the kilt (I think something’s wrong with his brain, for the record), we’re going to keep her hacking and slashing.
And winning.
My name is Terra. I do a lot of stuff, but it’s Jessica’s stuff I’m here to keep square. I’m here for all of those points between A and Z. Here’s a hint… they don’t lie in a straight line.
Mission: Time to Train
Yes, everyone, it is me again. Now that I have gotten all gushy on all of you, it is time to get down to some real work. I really thought of the last words I left you with.
"You provide her strength at her weakest times and are a light to her in the darkness. Remember that at all times. Together we are fighting and together we are winning."
The lack of this is what takes out more night hunters and huntresses. Trust me, I have seen it first hand. What many of you may not know, is that once I lost Jeremy, the Beast that took him over, stalked and hunted me for 7 years. He and his pack found me no matter where I hid, and nearly killed me over and over again. Only to let me be, heal and then start the hunt again. It was the darkest time in my life, and I was alone. Even in a crowded room. I know the feeling of wanting to scream from the tallest building for help, and having to smile at those who have no idea that darkness is just under the surface, smiling at them, salivating over them. There is nothing I wouldn't have done for an ally in the dark.
So, I never want any of you to ever belittle the task you perform here as an ally of the huntress.
And as such, all of us must be as strong as we can to aid in this fight. As the huntress has put forth, this could be physically as well as mentally. To make sure we are providing the most complete support possible, I am starting a new mission for everyone starting tomorrow.
Our huntress is looking forward and pining for the day the clerics give her the okay to begin her physical training, to add to her mental training. It is always easier to train, when there are others doing it, counting on you.
Starting tomorrow I will put up a training post for people to update over the week as they do different parts of the training. In this way, we can all see and share in the training and meditating, for those that can.
To start: I simply as that you do each 3 times over the week.
Three times a week of a half hour minimum of physical activity. The activity is your choice. I run. Maybe you like elliptical or swimming or walking or yoga or insert other activity here. Just as you do each 30 minute session, comment on the weekly post I put up, so we can all see, share and draw strength from it.
Next, Three times a week I would like those of us who would, to meditate. You can seek zen, enlightenment, nothingness, or simply on centering or on our huntress's fight. Do this in whichever way you do best. Using an element, energy manipulation, guided meditation, music meditation, etc. Again just update with comments the post.
Our huntress is not able to do the physical exercise yet, but she will soon, and us doing it with her will only help and encourage her.
Also I will set up a chart of similar goals for those also on the path to better physical health, similar to the one requested by our huntress. This will include such goals as:
lose 10 lbs
lose 1 clothing size
run a mile straight
lose 20 lbs
run a 5k on own
run a 5k official race
reach clothing size goal
lose 30 lbs
reach weight goal
I will be putting this all tomorrow. If anyone has any goals that they think should be added to this list, please comment, and I will incorporate them. Again, I will officially put this up and start this tomorrow.
I just wanted all of the allies to be able to this. So, really think about this.
I thank you for your time.
*salute*
"You provide her strength at her weakest times and are a light to her in the darkness. Remember that at all times. Together we are fighting and together we are winning."
The lack of this is what takes out more night hunters and huntresses. Trust me, I have seen it first hand. What many of you may not know, is that once I lost Jeremy, the Beast that took him over, stalked and hunted me for 7 years. He and his pack found me no matter where I hid, and nearly killed me over and over again. Only to let me be, heal and then start the hunt again. It was the darkest time in my life, and I was alone. Even in a crowded room. I know the feeling of wanting to scream from the tallest building for help, and having to smile at those who have no idea that darkness is just under the surface, smiling at them, salivating over them. There is nothing I wouldn't have done for an ally in the dark.
So, I never want any of you to ever belittle the task you perform here as an ally of the huntress.
And as such, all of us must be as strong as we can to aid in this fight. As the huntress has put forth, this could be physically as well as mentally. To make sure we are providing the most complete support possible, I am starting a new mission for everyone starting tomorrow.
Our huntress is looking forward and pining for the day the clerics give her the okay to begin her physical training, to add to her mental training. It is always easier to train, when there are others doing it, counting on you.
Starting tomorrow I will put up a training post for people to update over the week as they do different parts of the training. In this way, we can all see and share in the training and meditating, for those that can.
To start: I simply as that you do each 3 times over the week.
Three times a week of a half hour minimum of physical activity. The activity is your choice. I run. Maybe you like elliptical or swimming or walking or yoga or insert other activity here. Just as you do each 30 minute session, comment on the weekly post I put up, so we can all see, share and draw strength from it.
Next, Three times a week I would like those of us who would, to meditate. You can seek zen, enlightenment, nothingness, or simply on centering or on our huntress's fight. Do this in whichever way you do best. Using an element, energy manipulation, guided meditation, music meditation, etc. Again just update with comments the post.
Our huntress is not able to do the physical exercise yet, but she will soon, and us doing it with her will only help and encourage her.
Also I will set up a chart of similar goals for those also on the path to better physical health, similar to the one requested by our huntress. This will include such goals as:
lose 10 lbs
lose 1 clothing size
run a mile straight
lose 20 lbs
run a 5k on own
run a 5k official race
reach clothing size goal
lose 30 lbs
reach weight goal
I will be putting this all tomorrow. If anyone has any goals that they think should be added to this list, please comment, and I will incorporate them. Again, I will officially put this up and start this tomorrow.
I just wanted all of the allies to be able to this. So, really think about this.
I thank you for your time.
*salute*
Awards and Training
Good Morning Huntress and Allies,
I spent all night staring into the flame, thinking. And I will admit, for once, smiling. This was a great starting week. Jessica's fight has become minutely easier due to everyone's efforts, and this was in a week that would have knocked most lesser warriors to their knees. But she has come through it with remaining energy and even some smiles. This is beyond any trainers wildest dreams. As such, I want to give credit where credit is due.
To start with, I think our huntress should recap all her deeds this week:
Doctors' appointments - 10XP
Leveling up in WoW - 10 XP (getting my main to 85 is on my Superhero To-Do List)
Dishes - 4XP
Walking the dog - 2XP
Blog post - 2XP
Achievement (from John) - 25XP
Power-up (baking): 5XP
Achievement (yesterday, from Courtney) - 25XP
Work - 2 hours (10 XP)
Doctors appointments - 2.5 hours, plus another 1.5 hours driving all over town to get to them (25XP for appointments, and I gave myself 8XP for the driving)
Blog post (2 XP)
Sunday: 35 XP
Monday: 44 XP (work, PICC line out, picking up prescriptions, doctor's appointment, cello practice)
Tuesday: 55 XP (work, site I've been working on for months at work launched [FIERO!], doctor's appointment)
Wednesday: 35 XP (work, doctor's appointment, cello lesson)
This week's total for our huntress: 297
297, that is amazing in one week. And this is just the start. Congratulations, huntress.
Now, allies, I have not forgotten you. You have created and provided so much for our huntress, and you deserve more recognition than I can give for this. But as one old soldier to another, all I can give you in the salute of honor for your achievements in our shared work and battles. Remember, the more we provide to the huntress the larger base she has to grow from.
The Medium, Gigawood
Energy session: 25XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
Achievement award: 5XP
Mission assignment: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Character writeup: 5XP
Total: 60XP
Madadh-alluidh:
Medical research: 25XP
Character writeup: 5XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 35XP
Lindsey:
Blog Posts: 10XP
Ally Mission assignment: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Character writeup: 5XP
Total: 30XP
Carrie:
Recipes: Multiple: 25XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Character writeup: 5XP
Total: 45XP
Tara:
Ally Mission contribution: 5XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 10XP
Jamie:
Character write up: 5XP
Blog Post: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 20XP
JP:
Music Missions: 25XP
Video Missions: 10XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
Character write up: 5XP
General Weekly Support: 5X
Researched and wrote up Evil: 10XP
Total: 65XP
Congratulations to all of the allies for your many contributions and achievements for the huntress all week. You provide her strength at her weakest times and are a light to her in the darkness. Remember that at all times.
Together we are fighting and together we are winning.
*salute*
***
OOC, If I missed anything, I apologize. I have to go off what I see, read here, and am told by Jess. Please don't take offense if I missed something you did this week. I will, from Jess's request, start doing this weekly. Great job everyone. I think this is really working well. <3
I spent all night staring into the flame, thinking. And I will admit, for once, smiling. This was a great starting week. Jessica's fight has become minutely easier due to everyone's efforts, and this was in a week that would have knocked most lesser warriors to their knees. But she has come through it with remaining energy and even some smiles. This is beyond any trainers wildest dreams. As such, I want to give credit where credit is due.
To start with, I think our huntress should recap all her deeds this week:
Doctors' appointments - 10XP
Leveling up in WoW - 10 XP (getting my main to 85 is on my Superhero To-Do List)
Dishes - 4XP
Walking the dog - 2XP
Blog post - 2XP
Achievement (from John) - 25XP
Power-up (baking): 5XP
Achievement (yesterday, from Courtney) - 25XP
Work - 2 hours (10 XP)
Doctors appointments - 2.5 hours, plus another 1.5 hours driving all over town to get to them (25XP for appointments, and I gave myself 8XP for the driving)
Blog post (2 XP)
Sunday: 35 XP
Monday: 44 XP (work, PICC line out, picking up prescriptions, doctor's appointment, cello practice)
Tuesday: 55 XP (work, site I've been working on for months at work launched [FIERO!], doctor's appointment)
Wednesday: 35 XP (work, doctor's appointment, cello lesson)
This week's total for our huntress: 297
297, that is amazing in one week. And this is just the start. Congratulations, huntress.
Now, allies, I have not forgotten you. You have created and provided so much for our huntress, and you deserve more recognition than I can give for this. But as one old soldier to another, all I can give you in the salute of honor for your achievements in our shared work and battles. Remember, the more we provide to the huntress the larger base she has to grow from.
The Medium, Gigawood
Energy session: 25XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
Achievement award: 5XP
Mission assignment: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Character writeup: 5XP
Total: 60XP
Madadh-alluidh:
Medical research: 25XP
Character writeup: 5XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 35XP
Lindsey:
Blog Posts: 10XP
Ally Mission assignment: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Character writeup: 5XP
Total: 30XP
Carrie:
Recipes: Multiple: 25XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Character writeup: 5XP
Total: 45XP
Tara:
Ally Mission contribution: 5XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 10XP
Jamie:
Character write up: 5XP
Blog Post: 10XP
General Weekly Support: 5XP
Total: 20XP
JP:
Music Missions: 25XP
Video Missions: 10XP
Blog Posts: 10XP
Character write up: 5XP
General Weekly Support: 5X
Researched and wrote up Evil: 10XP
Total: 65XP
Congratulations to all of the allies for your many contributions and achievements for the huntress all week. You provide her strength at her weakest times and are a light to her in the darkness. Remember that at all times.
Together we are fighting and together we are winning.
*salute*
***
OOC, If I missed anything, I apologize. I have to go off what I see, read here, and am told by Jess. Please don't take offense if I missed something you did this week. I will, from Jess's request, start doing this weekly. Great job everyone. I think this is really working well. <3
Friday, March 4, 2011
Invictus
This poem has become like a battle hymn for me. Nelson Mandela quoted it often while imprisoned on Robben Island, and spoke of its empowering nature, but the author, William Earnest Henley, wrote it from a hospital bed. He'd had his foot amputated due to a severe case of tuberculosis of the bone - he was 25. It resonates with me, as you can imagine, because of the connection to illness and adversity.
Invictus (Unconquerable)
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
-William Earnest Henley, 1875
Evil-slaying activities for Friday, March 4
Forgive me for this being out of character - I'm a little too tired to feel creative. :)
Today started out with more doctors' appointments - a surgical consult with a new surgeon and another visit with my immunologist. Because my INR rate is so high, surgery has been tabled until it's safe to perform it, and the new surgeon wants to do a biopsy first anyway. My appointments were in the morning, so I did not go to work. I'm having some pain in my face, which apparently I just have to deal with until they sort out the biopsy/surgery/INR mess. I was feeling tired and crappy most of the day, until I had a energy workings session with John (aka Gigawood.) I've long been a believer in complementary medicine, and this time was no exception - afterword I was still sleepy, but I felt energized. I wanted to get up and do something. So I took our dog Bella for a walk and a short drive in the car while I indulged a craving for french fries (okay, this was not so successful, but I'd fought this craving for 2 days - opting for Jamba Juice and water instead - and I decided to give in.) Then I came home and played WoW (and leveled up! One step closer to getting my main to 85.)
After that, I undertook one of my power-ups: I baked a cake. I can't play cello right now because of the finger sticks they do for the INR testing. They stick the pads of my fingers and because I have no clotting factor, my fingers end up bruised and swollen, which makes pressing the strings painful. So since I can't play, I made a lemon cake instead.
THEN, my friends, I unloaded the dishwasher and loaded it, clearing out the sink of dirty dishes.
I feel like these daily updates might get a little mundane (I'm really critical of the navel-gazing sort of blogging that daily activities usually reflects - the Intertubes does not care what you had for lunch, I promise) but in the context of SuperBetter, I think it's important to document this. Prior to this game, it was all I could do to make it to work. I would come home, Matt would make dinner, I'd eat, stare at the television for a couple hours, and go to bed. I felt like a zombie.
So the fact that I was able to go for a drive, take the dog for a short walk, bake a cake, and do the dishes? That's a HUGE improvement for me, even if it's what normal, healthy people do every day without thinking about it. For that reason, I hope you'll bear with the navel gazing - maybe just skip to the XP part to see the summary. :)
Doctors' appointments - 10XP
Leveling up in WoW - 10 XP (getting my main to 85 is on my Superhero To-Do List)
Dishes - 4XP
Walking the dog - 2XP
Blog post - 2XP
Achievement (from John) - 25XP
Power-up (baking): 5XP
Achievement (yesterday, from Courtney) - 25XP
Total: 83XP
Whoo hoo!! I'd say today was a raging success!
Today started out with more doctors' appointments - a surgical consult with a new surgeon and another visit with my immunologist. Because my INR rate is so high, surgery has been tabled until it's safe to perform it, and the new surgeon wants to do a biopsy first anyway. My appointments were in the morning, so I did not go to work. I'm having some pain in my face, which apparently I just have to deal with until they sort out the biopsy/surgery/INR mess. I was feeling tired and crappy most of the day, until I had a energy workings session with John (aka Gigawood.) I've long been a believer in complementary medicine, and this time was no exception - afterword I was still sleepy, but I felt energized. I wanted to get up and do something. So I took our dog Bella for a walk and a short drive in the car while I indulged a craving for french fries (okay, this was not so successful, but I'd fought this craving for 2 days - opting for Jamba Juice and water instead - and I decided to give in.) Then I came home and played WoW (and leveled up! One step closer to getting my main to 85.)
After that, I undertook one of my power-ups: I baked a cake. I can't play cello right now because of the finger sticks they do for the INR testing. They stick the pads of my fingers and because I have no clotting factor, my fingers end up bruised and swollen, which makes pressing the strings painful. So since I can't play, I made a lemon cake instead.
THEN, my friends, I unloaded the dishwasher and loaded it, clearing out the sink of dirty dishes.
I feel like these daily updates might get a little mundane (I'm really critical of the navel-gazing sort of blogging that daily activities usually reflects - the Intertubes does not care what you had for lunch, I promise) but in the context of SuperBetter, I think it's important to document this. Prior to this game, it was all I could do to make it to work. I would come home, Matt would make dinner, I'd eat, stare at the television for a couple hours, and go to bed. I felt like a zombie.
So the fact that I was able to go for a drive, take the dog for a short walk, bake a cake, and do the dishes? That's a HUGE improvement for me, even if it's what normal, healthy people do every day without thinking about it. For that reason, I hope you'll bear with the navel gazing - maybe just skip to the XP part to see the summary. :)
Doctors' appointments - 10XP
Leveling up in WoW - 10 XP (getting my main to 85 is on my Superhero To-Do List)
Dishes - 4XP
Walking the dog - 2XP
Blog post - 2XP
Achievement (from John) - 25XP
Power-up (baking): 5XP
Achievement (yesterday, from Courtney) - 25XP
Total: 83XP
Whoo hoo!! I'd say today was a raging success!
NEW SKILL ACQUIRED
The Medium
"Ungh!" Clutching my side and steadying myself, I nearly doubled over in pain. The pain was getting more and more frequent, and nothing I did was helping. Was it me? A few quick tests seemed to show I was fine...
It was Jessi. Judging from her messages and my experience, she wasn't doing so well. "Meet me online," I wrote in a message. "ASAP."
While waiting, I pored over my texts, and analyzed every symptom, every potion, every feeling she was experiencing, and her upcoming trials. I leaned back in my chair looking between my notes, her emails, and my texts, and took a deep breath. Most of what I considered showing her risked making some other ailment worse.
One technique to dispel the vampire's venom might intensify the rage of the beast - and calming the beast might strengthen the potions' effects to the point of becoming toxic. Did I get in over my head? At that moment, Jessi logged on and initiated contact.
I took another deep breath. Focus. One step at a time. There must be something. Something basic...
Of course!
"Jessi, I have something I learned from basic training, and they drilled it into us to become part of our foundation. It will keep the fire of humanity glowing within you, to help you resist the beast and the vampire. You can do this by yourself any time you feel vulnerable. This is from the introductory texts of the Enduring Blaze. I will be referring to them often as I try to help you. Find a copy. Later on, I can show you more tricks to detect and gauge the evils' presence/severity in your body when you have another ally present."
New Skill Acquired: The Spark of Humanity. +25 XP
New Mission: Acquire Enduring Blaze texts
Loot: http://tinyurl.com/5rchxqt
New Mission: Teach local allies detection techniques
New Mission: Perform the Spark of Humanity daily (Power Up, +5 XP/day)
(OOC)
Perhaps I should have included a little background after my intro post, but I'll do it now...as much of the fiction I wrote in for my character mirrors what I'm doing IRL.
I'm learning Eden Energy Medicine...I took the five day basic course back in August, which they're phasing out in favor of a 2-year certification program (I start in May). The book I linked is essentially the textbook - and the 5 day course used to be the only training you received before you were considered ready to practice (I fictionalized all of this). Donna Eden's teaching includes learning about the meridians, chakras, and neurolymphatics, among many other things. Her start was in Touch for Health. Also, I got my Reiki 1 certification a week ago.
I actually WAS a little overwhelmed by the obscene list of considerations. A LOT of things I could have shown Jessica were contraindicated by other things...specifically relating to the blood thinners (spleen meridian) and the jaw infection (infection, triple warmer; location, stomach meridian). Also, Donna Eden's website, innersource.net, has nothing about Chron's disease yet. >.< However, most auto-immune diseases revolve around an over-active triple warmer. I'm assuming Chron's is no different, and later on I'll look further into this.
With all the blood thinners, it would have been a big mistake to actually thump or massage those points Donna Eden mentioned...BUT, you can go through the gestures without actually striking/massaging the skin and still get an effect. I also told Jessi to put her arms under her armpits - which would send energy directly into the spleen and liver. Also showed to trace the lung meridian.
I mentioned triple warmer briefly, as it's at the root of a LOT of auto-immune diseases. Donna Eden has said over and over that an imbalance between spleen and triple warmer is *also* at the root of a lot of problems Americans have. Triple warmer governs the body's defense systems and will fight to keep a person alive; it plays a big role in stress as well.
Usually it's called for to strengthen spleen and calm triple warmer, but between the jaw infection, blood thinners, and not being able to energy test (need a partner) to verify anything I wasn't going to take a risk.
I settled on the 5-minute routine (linked above - any of you can do it for an effect. There's virtually no risk involved - though if you feel worse after doing it for a few days, talk to me - I'd need to show you a few more things), tracing the lung meridian (from the chest, over the shoulder and off the thumbnail), and tracing the stomach meridian - at least the part on the face (start at each cheekbone, drop down to the mandible, trace it up the side and around the outside of the face, drop straight down between the eyebrows to the collarbone).
Lung will help keep the lungs functioning, and tracing that part of the stomach meridian *might* help move some of the energy of that jaw infection. Spleen deals with the blood and metabolism - which is why I suggested the 'hands in armpits' pose. It's a way to add energy to spleen without moving/taking it from somewhere else.
"Ungh!" Clutching my side and steadying myself, I nearly doubled over in pain. The pain was getting more and more frequent, and nothing I did was helping. Was it me? A few quick tests seemed to show I was fine...
It was Jessi. Judging from her messages and my experience, she wasn't doing so well. "Meet me online," I wrote in a message. "ASAP."
While waiting, I pored over my texts, and analyzed every symptom, every potion, every feeling she was experiencing, and her upcoming trials. I leaned back in my chair looking between my notes, her emails, and my texts, and took a deep breath. Most of what I considered showing her risked making some other ailment worse.
One technique to dispel the vampire's venom might intensify the rage of the beast - and calming the beast might strengthen the potions' effects to the point of becoming toxic. Did I get in over my head? At that moment, Jessi logged on and initiated contact.
I took another deep breath. Focus. One step at a time. There must be something. Something basic...
Of course!
"Jessi, I have something I learned from basic training, and they drilled it into us to become part of our foundation. It will keep the fire of humanity glowing within you, to help you resist the beast and the vampire. You can do this by yourself any time you feel vulnerable. This is from the introductory texts of the Enduring Blaze. I will be referring to them often as I try to help you. Find a copy. Later on, I can show you more tricks to detect and gauge the evils' presence/severity in your body when you have another ally present."
New Skill Acquired: The Spark of Humanity. +25 XP
New Mission: Acquire Enduring Blaze texts
Loot: http://tinyurl.com/5rchxqt
New Mission: Teach local allies detection techniques
New Mission: Perform the Spark of Humanity daily (Power Up, +5 XP/day)
(OOC)
Perhaps I should have included a little background after my intro post, but I'll do it now...as much of the fiction I wrote in for my character mirrors what I'm doing IRL.
I'm learning Eden Energy Medicine...I took the five day basic course back in August, which they're phasing out in favor of a 2-year certification program (I start in May). The book I linked is essentially the textbook - and the 5 day course used to be the only training you received before you were considered ready to practice (I fictionalized all of this). Donna Eden's teaching includes learning about the meridians, chakras, and neurolymphatics, among many other things. Her start was in Touch for Health. Also, I got my Reiki 1 certification a week ago.
I actually WAS a little overwhelmed by the obscene list of considerations. A LOT of things I could have shown Jessica were contraindicated by other things...specifically relating to the blood thinners (spleen meridian) and the jaw infection (infection, triple warmer; location, stomach meridian). Also, Donna Eden's website, innersource.net, has nothing about Chron's disease yet. >.< However, most auto-immune diseases revolve around an over-active triple warmer. I'm assuming Chron's is no different, and later on I'll look further into this.
With all the blood thinners, it would have been a big mistake to actually thump or massage those points Donna Eden mentioned...BUT, you can go through the gestures without actually striking/massaging the skin and still get an effect. I also told Jessi to put her arms under her armpits - which would send energy directly into the spleen and liver. Also showed to trace the lung meridian.
I mentioned triple warmer briefly, as it's at the root of a LOT of auto-immune diseases. Donna Eden has said over and over that an imbalance between spleen and triple warmer is *also* at the root of a lot of problems Americans have. Triple warmer governs the body's defense systems and will fight to keep a person alive; it plays a big role in stress as well.
Usually it's called for to strengthen spleen and calm triple warmer, but between the jaw infection, blood thinners, and not being able to energy test (need a partner) to verify anything I wasn't going to take a risk.
I settled on the 5-minute routine (linked above - any of you can do it for an effect. There's virtually no risk involved - though if you feel worse after doing it for a few days, talk to me - I'd need to show you a few more things), tracing the lung meridian (from the chest, over the shoulder and off the thumbnail), and tracing the stomach meridian - at least the part on the face (start at each cheekbone, drop down to the mandible, trace it up the side and around the outside of the face, drop straight down between the eyebrows to the collarbone).
Lung will help keep the lungs functioning, and tracing that part of the stomach meridian *might* help move some of the energy of that jaw infection. Spleen deals with the blood and metabolism - which is why I suggested the 'hands in armpits' pose. It's a way to add energy to spleen without moving/taking it from somewhere else.
LOOT: Cuban Black Bean Soup
LOOT: For surviving the medics without falling into despair, you receive loot!
Cuban Black Bean Soup
from Sunset's "Vegetarian Cooking: Nutritious Recipes with Flavor & Imagination"
Marinated Rice (directions follow)
4 Tbs Olive Oil or Salad Oil
2 medium Onions, finely chopped
2 medium-size Green Peppers, seeded and finely chopped (I’d use Serranos)
5 large Cloves Garlic, minced
About 3 cups Vegetable Stock
1 ½ tsp ground Cumin
1 ½ tsp dried Oregano
2 Tbs Vinegar
About 6 cups cooked Black Beans (not canned!)
Prepare Marinated Rice. Set aside for 1 hour or until next day; heat before serving.
Heat oil in a 5-quart pan over medium heat. Add onions, green peppers and garlic; cook, stirring, until limp. Add stock, cumin, oregano, vinegar and beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, adding more stock if desired for thinner consistency. Add salt to taste.
Serve in bowls, adding generous spoonfuls of the Marinated Rice to each bowl of hot soup.
Marinated Rice: Thinly slice 3 Green Onions (including tops). Combine with 2 cups cooked White Rice (but Brown Rice is more nutritious), 1 tomato finely chopped, 3 Tbs. Olive Oil and 3Tbs. White Wine Vinegar. Cover and chill.
Cuban Black Bean Soup
from Sunset's "Vegetarian Cooking: Nutritious Recipes with Flavor & Imagination"
Marinated Rice (directions follow)
4 Tbs Olive Oil or Salad Oil
2 medium Onions, finely chopped
2 medium-size Green Peppers, seeded and finely chopped (I’d use Serranos)
5 large Cloves Garlic, minced
About 3 cups Vegetable Stock
1 ½ tsp ground Cumin
1 ½ tsp dried Oregano
2 Tbs Vinegar
About 6 cups cooked Black Beans (not canned!)
Prepare Marinated Rice. Set aside for 1 hour or until next day; heat before serving.
Heat oil in a 5-quart pan over medium heat. Add onions, green peppers and garlic; cook, stirring, until limp. Add stock, cumin, oregano, vinegar and beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, adding more stock if desired for thinner consistency. Add salt to taste.
Serve in bowls, adding generous spoonfuls of the Marinated Rice to each bowl of hot soup.
Marinated Rice: Thinly slice 3 Green Onions (including tops). Combine with 2 cups cooked White Rice (but Brown Rice is more nutritious), 1 tomato finely chopped, 3 Tbs. Olive Oil and 3Tbs. White Wine Vinegar. Cover and chill.
Achievement
In Reward For
Getting through the onslaught of Clerics of the Beast
Achievement Unlocked:
Survival of the Leach Mongers
+ to Fortitude of the Huntress
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Another health update
As mentioned, I saw the surgeon today. He took X-rays and concluded that the antibiotics just hadn't cleared the infection, and that I need more aggressive treatment. What that means is a major surgery where they will remove any area of bone that looks infected. He said they will try to save as much of the bone as possible, as well as preserving my facial nerves, but there is some risk of facial numbness.
So will you guys still hang out with me if I have a big scar on my face/neck and possibly have droopy facial features?
As I was leaving the surgeon's office, I got a frantic call from my immunologist. They had run an immunology panel on me on Wednesday (hence the seven vials of blood), and along with that, I requested they run my INR, which I have to have tested weekly to manage the blood thinners I'm on (which are themselves a result of the deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism I had last month.) The lab reported back that my INR was 9.7 -- it's supposed to between 2 and 3, and anything greater than 5 is considered dangerous. Another measure, called a PT, was 109. Normal is like 25-30.
What this means is that I'm at extremely high risk of bleeding, and that the surgery, which was supposed to happen on Monday or Tuesday, as to be delayed until my INR level is back within normal range. I'm frustrated by this because I feel like my life is on hold until this stupid surgery is done. My face hurts, I can't make plans at work or with friends or anything, because I don't know when I'll be going in. Also, I had keyed myself up for the surgery, and now it's that sort of anticlimactic let-down that happens when you're expecting something that does not actually manifest. It's a state of anxiety that I'm not entirely thrilled to be experiencing.
My allies have come through marvelously to help me deal with this, even those that aren't actively playing the game. People have sent me music, funny stuff, messaged me to tell me they're thinking about me, and -- as evidenced by Lindsay's post before this one -- come up with game-related ways to respond to this giant cluster of a situation. I deeply appreciate this, and I definitely think that if I weren't operating in the SuperBetter paradigm, I'd be a lot more upset and freaked out right now. I even managed to NOT cry at the surgeon's office! Whoo hoo!
So, quick request for allies: Something I forgot to ask was for someone to step up once every day/every couple of days to give me achievements based upon my activities. I'd kind of forgotten about this part of the game, but I reached the SuperBetter section of Jane's book last night and it reminded me of this. As she describes it, these achievements are important because they create that feeling of fiero, of positivity and success, that helps us heal. And it means more if someone else gives them to me than if I give them to myself. So I'll continue to post my daily activities, and if you guys can bestow upon me anything that you guys think is an achievement, that would be awesome. :)
Today's activities:
Work - 2 hours (10 XP)
Doctors appointments - 2.5 hours, plus another 1.5 hours driving all over town to get to them (25XP for appointments, and I gave myself 8XP for the driving, because, seriously, it was like 70 miles just around town)
Blog post (2 XP)
Total: 45 XP
Then I came home and played WoW and watched The Hunt for Red October, wheee.
So will you guys still hang out with me if I have a big scar on my face/neck and possibly have droopy facial features?
As I was leaving the surgeon's office, I got a frantic call from my immunologist. They had run an immunology panel on me on Wednesday (hence the seven vials of blood), and along with that, I requested they run my INR, which I have to have tested weekly to manage the blood thinners I'm on (which are themselves a result of the deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism I had last month.) The lab reported back that my INR was 9.7 -- it's supposed to between 2 and 3, and anything greater than 5 is considered dangerous. Another measure, called a PT, was 109. Normal is like 25-30.
What this means is that I'm at extremely high risk of bleeding, and that the surgery, which was supposed to happen on Monday or Tuesday, as to be delayed until my INR level is back within normal range. I'm frustrated by this because I feel like my life is on hold until this stupid surgery is done. My face hurts, I can't make plans at work or with friends or anything, because I don't know when I'll be going in. Also, I had keyed myself up for the surgery, and now it's that sort of anticlimactic let-down that happens when you're expecting something that does not actually manifest. It's a state of anxiety that I'm not entirely thrilled to be experiencing.
My allies have come through marvelously to help me deal with this, even those that aren't actively playing the game. People have sent me music, funny stuff, messaged me to tell me they're thinking about me, and -- as evidenced by Lindsay's post before this one -- come up with game-related ways to respond to this giant cluster of a situation. I deeply appreciate this, and I definitely think that if I weren't operating in the SuperBetter paradigm, I'd be a lot more upset and freaked out right now. I even managed to NOT cry at the surgeon's office! Whoo hoo!
So, quick request for allies: Something I forgot to ask was for someone to step up once every day/every couple of days to give me achievements based upon my activities. I'd kind of forgotten about this part of the game, but I reached the SuperBetter section of Jane's book last night and it reminded me of this. As she describes it, these achievements are important because they create that feeling of fiero, of positivity and success, that helps us heal. And it means more if someone else gives them to me than if I give them to myself. So I'll continue to post my daily activities, and if you guys can bestow upon me anything that you guys think is an achievement, that would be awesome. :)
Today's activities:
Work - 2 hours (10 XP)
Doctors appointments - 2.5 hours, plus another 1.5 hours driving all over town to get to them (25XP for appointments, and I gave myself 8XP for the driving, because, seriously, it was like 70 miles just around town)
Blog post (2 XP)
Total: 45 XP
Then I came home and played WoW and watched The Hunt for Red October, wheee.
Ally activity, tasks, and XP
This is a game mechanics question, so I'm posing it out of character ;)
I've been thinking the last few days about how we, Jess' allies, can more effectively assist her, both in a gaming sense and in the real life sense.
I recently joined SparkPeople, a very popular (and very free) health and weight loss website. Since I joined, I have learned a lot of things about my own behavior, but I think the most important thing I've learned is this: small steps, big goals, great success. That is, it's great to have big goals--in fact, we should have big goals--but the best way to get there is through setting smaller, more immediate goals to get you there. For example, I want to lose 75-80 lbs in the long run. One of my first goals on SparkPeople? To track the foods I'm eating for one week. That one week of tracking made me hyper aware of what I was eating, and I began to develop more healthy eating habits. In two weeks, I've already lost 6 lbs.
How does this relate to WoH? Back in one of the first posts on this blog, Jess listed assignments we can take her on. I'm not sure if those assignments have been officially divvied out yet, and/or if people have decided whichthey will take on. If not, we should definitely decide that. Then I suggest the following:
Each ally gets a task for the week. One small thing--or two, or three, depending on how active you are able to be--that will help and support Jess. If one of your assignments is to help Jess manage stress, maybe your task this week is to spend 30 minutes mediating with her (note: by "with her" I mean either physically or virtually, since I know many of us are not local). Or something like that.
At the end of the week, there will be a post we can all reply to sharing how our tasks went. If we completed them, we get XP!
...which leads me to another thought! If allies earn XP, I'm thinking we could use that XP to support Jess. My boyfriend Dave and I recently found this original roleplaying system that is...totally awesome, and I can share it with you if you like, but the relevant aspect of that system is dice pool. Each character has 7 dice per session that they can add to rolls they make... OR, they can throw in to rolls other characters make, to support their teammates. For example, if one character is piloting a plane and is about to make a piloting role, another character who is in the cockpit with him, rubbing his shoulders let's say, can throw in dice from her pool because she is positively affecting the pilot's morale.
I'm wondering if there is a way we can adapt this system for WoH, with XP? Like if I have 10 XP, and Jess is 10 XP shy of reaching some reward, I can give her my XP... and then I am directly helping her to reach goals and obtain rewards. It may be a great morale booster, and make Jess feel even more supported :)
What do you all think?
I've been thinking the last few days about how we, Jess' allies, can more effectively assist her, both in a gaming sense and in the real life sense.
I recently joined SparkPeople, a very popular (and very free) health and weight loss website. Since I joined, I have learned a lot of things about my own behavior, but I think the most important thing I've learned is this: small steps, big goals, great success. That is, it's great to have big goals--in fact, we should have big goals--but the best way to get there is through setting smaller, more immediate goals to get you there. For example, I want to lose 75-80 lbs in the long run. One of my first goals on SparkPeople? To track the foods I'm eating for one week. That one week of tracking made me hyper aware of what I was eating, and I began to develop more healthy eating habits. In two weeks, I've already lost 6 lbs.
How does this relate to WoH? Back in one of the first posts on this blog, Jess listed assignments we can take her on. I'm not sure if those assignments have been officially divvied out yet, and/or if people have decided whichthey will take on. If not, we should definitely decide that. Then I suggest the following:
Each ally gets a task for the week. One small thing--or two, or three, depending on how active you are able to be--that will help and support Jess. If one of your assignments is to help Jess manage stress, maybe your task this week is to spend 30 minutes mediating with her (note: by "with her" I mean either physically or virtually, since I know many of us are not local). Or something like that.
At the end of the week, there will be a post we can all reply to sharing how our tasks went. If we completed them, we get XP!
...which leads me to another thought! If allies earn XP, I'm thinking we could use that XP to support Jess. My boyfriend Dave and I recently found this original roleplaying system that is...totally awesome, and I can share it with you if you like, but the relevant aspect of that system is dice pool. Each character has 7 dice per session that they can add to rolls they make... OR, they can throw in to rolls other characters make, to support their teammates. For example, if one character is piloting a plane and is about to make a piloting role, another character who is in the cockpit with him, rubbing his shoulders let's say, can throw in dice from her pool because she is positively affecting the pilot's morale.
I'm wondering if there is a way we can adapt this system for WoH, with XP? Like if I have 10 XP, and Jess is 10 XP shy of reaching some reward, I can give her my XP... and then I am directly helping her to reach goals and obtain rewards. It may be a great morale booster, and make Jess feel even more supported :)
What do you all think?
Reward Recipe
Here is the recipe I spoke of. There is a lot of stirring to it, but I find making it very zen. I also change this recipe with new ideas of what to put in it every week. So it is very healthy and very versatile. Also some don't like zucchini and it is easy to do the below with out it.
Risotto With Spring Vegetables
Serves 4
Calories per serving: 489
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 medium zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise, sliced 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick
4 1/2–5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound medium asparagus, ends trimmed
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups short-grain rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped mint, for garnish (optional)
1. Combine the oil and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the zucchini; turn the heat to medium-low, and cook until softened and lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the 5 cups stock to a simmer in a saucepan wide enough to hold the asparagus. Add the asparagus and simmer until barely tender, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs. Cut off the tips in nice-sized pieces (about 1 1/2 inches), and cut the stalks into smaller, bite-sized pieces; transfer to a bowl. Add the peas, 1/4 cup of the cheese and 1 tablespoon of the basil; set aside. Put a lid over the stock, and reduce the heat to very low so that the stock barely simmers.
3. When the zucchini is cooked, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the basil. Add the butter and the rice, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup simmering stock and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, and cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy and has the texture of loose porridge, 17 to 20 minutes. The rice mixture should bubble away at a good clip. (You may not use all of the stock.) Stir in the reserved contents of the bowl and season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Call for allies, points update
I saw Doc again on Monday. He gave me some new serums to try -- the previous ones, while effective, were burning up my system. He wants me to try these new ones to defend against the vampire's infection, and to keep my Wolf in check. I was doing pretty well - until today. Today pain flared up in old wounds, and I'm losing my hard-won balance. Today, I need help to fight the enemies that surround me.
My infectious disease doc took me off the IV antibiotics and pulled my PICC line on Monday (is this an achievement?) He said after 8 weeks, the drug just starts doing more harm than good, so he switched me to oral antibiotics and is waiting to hear what the surgeon says. I was doing pretty well, and even people at work were commenting on how I looked better and seemed in better spirits, but today my face swelled up and has been getting increasingly painful. I plan to call the surgeon tomorrow, but I just feel really discouraged and worried again, and that's why I'm calling on you, my allies, to help me.
I don't really know how - make me laugh, give me little missions to take my mind off of it, or just call/txt/message me to BS. I know you'll come through - you always do, and that's the beauty of this game. We can put the pain, the worry, the fear in a different context. I just need a little help doing that.
For an update of points, here's where I'm at:
Sunday: 35 XP
Monday: 44 XP (work, PICC line out, picking up prescriptions, doctor's appointment, cello practice)
Tuesday: 55 XP (work, site I've been working on for months at work launched [FIERO!], doctor's appointment)
Wednesday: 35 XP (work, doctor's appointment, cello lesson)
I've had a doctor's appointment every day this week, and as a result, I've not been doing much in the evenings besides resting and playing cello and WoW. I'm not sure if resting earns me points, haha.
They had to draw 7 vials of blood today, and without the PICC, that was a long and somewhat painful endeavor. This was for an immunology panel to try to see why I have no immune response to anything.
The points scale can be found in the comments in the previous post.
Oh, and as a random update - I changed the settings so all the contributors should be notified when there are new comments as well as new posts. Let me know if you find this really annoying.
Calling all allies - Battle underway!
---------------------------------------------------
My infectious disease doc took me off the IV antibiotics and pulled my PICC line on Monday (is this an achievement?) He said after 8 weeks, the drug just starts doing more harm than good, so he switched me to oral antibiotics and is waiting to hear what the surgeon says. I was doing pretty well, and even people at work were commenting on how I looked better and seemed in better spirits, but today my face swelled up and has been getting increasingly painful. I plan to call the surgeon tomorrow, but I just feel really discouraged and worried again, and that's why I'm calling on you, my allies, to help me.
I don't really know how - make me laugh, give me little missions to take my mind off of it, or just call/txt/message me to BS. I know you'll come through - you always do, and that's the beauty of this game. We can put the pain, the worry, the fear in a different context. I just need a little help doing that.
For an update of points, here's where I'm at:
Sunday: 35 XP
Monday: 44 XP (work, PICC line out, picking up prescriptions, doctor's appointment, cello practice)
Tuesday: 55 XP (work, site I've been working on for months at work launched [FIERO!], doctor's appointment)
Wednesday: 35 XP (work, doctor's appointment, cello lesson)
I've had a doctor's appointment every day this week, and as a result, I've not been doing much in the evenings besides resting and playing cello and WoW. I'm not sure if resting earns me points, haha.
They had to draw 7 vials of blood today, and without the PICC, that was a long and somewhat painful endeavor. This was for an immunology panel to try to see why I have no immune response to anything.
The points scale can be found in the comments in the previous post.
Oh, and as a random update - I changed the settings so all the contributors should be notified when there are new comments as well as new posts. Let me know if you find this really annoying.
Character: Lydia Englewood
Sorry for coming late to the character-party! And also, sorry for the length... It's super long. Sorry!
Character: Lydia Englewood
So, here's the thing: I've been followed by the darkness my entire life.
I met him when I was 13: charming, smart, attractive... did I mention charming? He oozed charm. It came out of his pores. He was 16 and he liked me, gods know why. He held my hand under tables. He had these very soft, girlish hands. Like velvet. I loved them. The first time we kissed... I know this is like the dumbest thing to say ever, but fireworks went off. They really did. In my head, anyway.
One day, we were sitting on his bed, talking about...I don't know, something silly probably (we never talked about anything important), and he said to me, I wanna try something. I agreed. He took my arm, gently, lowered his mouth to my wrist and... Well. You can figure out the rest.
I think I cried out, but I couldn't hear myself over the sudden sound of beating blood. One two, one two, one two, pounding in my head like drums, like African tribal drums pounding in my head. My arm seized up; when I tried to move, I couldn't, so...I looked at him, panicked, and he looked at me, and...suddenly, I just didn't want to move anymore. And gradually, that African drum in my head became two African drums, and I realized I could hear his heart. I could hear it, feel it beating, our bodies pulsing a syncopated duet.
I was hooked.
At first, it was innocent...you know, once a week or so. He'd finger my wrist with that wry little smile, and I couldn't refuse.
Then it became more frequent. Probably because I...started asking for it. I'd nibble on his ear, brush my wrist against his lips--something subtle. He'd catch the hint immediately, probably because it was on his mind too (obviously. duh.), and he'd...you know.
Eventually we got creative. He started feeding on other parts of my body: my neck, my thigh, my breasts... I began to crave the throb of his blood coursing together with mine, the sharp slice of his teeth into my skin. He consumed me, ran circles in my brain. Like a drug. Like air. I would beg him, plead with him, please please please take my blood! And he did. How could he not?
I'm not proud of it. I'm really, really not proud of it. I lost a lot of weight. I was often sick, missed a lot of school... I almost didn't graduate. I looked in the mirror one day and thought, I don't know who I am anymore.
It was Jessica who saved me.
She was the sister I never had. When I cried, she was there. When I obsessed, she was there. She reminded me who I was. And with her support, I found the strength to leave him. I didn't know why he let me go then. I still don't. Maybe he really did love me, I don't know. But I'll tell you this: if I ever see him again, I'm putting a stake in his heart.
Jess didn't know what he was. I didn't tell her. I couldn't. I didn't want to taint her with the knowledge I now had: that shadows lie beneath. I didn't wish that on her. I didn't wish that on anybody.
When it happened...her change...I was devastated. The shadows had fallen again, this time on my best friend, and this time there was no escape. The Wolf was in her now; she was the Wolf. There was no running away, and no simple stake-in-the-heart solution.
Over the years, I've battled many creatures of darkness. They kind of follow me. My dad says it's because I'm so sweet. Heh. I have this theory it's because I knew about them now. They could smell it, that knowledge. I've struggled for a long time against the darkness. It's been a difficult road. And I've grown stronger.
When Jess was...changed...I made a vow: I would support her as she had supported me. I would help her through the darkness. And help her kick the ass of any vampire that comes her way. You know, I get behind him, you stake that sonofabitch!
We don't always keep in touch, but I am always there. I think she knows that. I hope she knows that. I am there in a pinch. When needed, I drop everything I'm doing and show up strong. I am there with support and aid. I am the Sidekick.
Our lives are totally badass.
---------------------------------------------
Character: Lydia Englewood
So, here's the thing: I've been followed by the darkness my entire life.
I met him when I was 13: charming, smart, attractive... did I mention charming? He oozed charm. It came out of his pores. He was 16 and he liked me, gods know why. He held my hand under tables. He had these very soft, girlish hands. Like velvet. I loved them. The first time we kissed... I know this is like the dumbest thing to say ever, but fireworks went off. They really did. In my head, anyway.
One day, we were sitting on his bed, talking about...I don't know, something silly probably (we never talked about anything important), and he said to me, I wanna try something. I agreed. He took my arm, gently, lowered his mouth to my wrist and... Well. You can figure out the rest.
I think I cried out, but I couldn't hear myself over the sudden sound of beating blood. One two, one two, one two, pounding in my head like drums, like African tribal drums pounding in my head. My arm seized up; when I tried to move, I couldn't, so...I looked at him, panicked, and he looked at me, and...suddenly, I just didn't want to move anymore. And gradually, that African drum in my head became two African drums, and I realized I could hear his heart. I could hear it, feel it beating, our bodies pulsing a syncopated duet.
I was hooked.
At first, it was innocent...you know, once a week or so. He'd finger my wrist with that wry little smile, and I couldn't refuse.
Then it became more frequent. Probably because I...started asking for it. I'd nibble on his ear, brush my wrist against his lips--something subtle. He'd catch the hint immediately, probably because it was on his mind too (obviously. duh.), and he'd...you know.
Eventually we got creative. He started feeding on other parts of my body: my neck, my thigh, my breasts... I began to crave the throb of his blood coursing together with mine, the sharp slice of his teeth into my skin. He consumed me, ran circles in my brain. Like a drug. Like air. I would beg him, plead with him, please please please take my blood! And he did. How could he not?
I'm not proud of it. I'm really, really not proud of it. I lost a lot of weight. I was often sick, missed a lot of school... I almost didn't graduate. I looked in the mirror one day and thought, I don't know who I am anymore.
It was Jessica who saved me.
She was the sister I never had. When I cried, she was there. When I obsessed, she was there. She reminded me who I was. And with her support, I found the strength to leave him. I didn't know why he let me go then. I still don't. Maybe he really did love me, I don't know. But I'll tell you this: if I ever see him again, I'm putting a stake in his heart.
Jess didn't know what he was. I didn't tell her. I couldn't. I didn't want to taint her with the knowledge I now had: that shadows lie beneath. I didn't wish that on her. I didn't wish that on anybody.
When it happened...her change...I was devastated. The shadows had fallen again, this time on my best friend, and this time there was no escape. The Wolf was in her now; she was the Wolf. There was no running away, and no simple stake-in-the-heart solution.
Over the years, I've battled many creatures of darkness. They kind of follow me. My dad says it's because I'm so sweet. Heh. I have this theory it's because I knew about them now. They could smell it, that knowledge. I've struggled for a long time against the darkness. It's been a difficult road. And I've grown stronger.
When Jess was...changed...I made a vow: I would support her as she had supported me. I would help her through the darkness. And help her kick the ass of any vampire that comes her way. You know, I get behind him, you stake that sonofabitch!
We don't always keep in touch, but I am always there. I think she knows that. I hope she knows that. I am there in a pinch. When needed, I drop everything I'm doing and show up strong. I am there with support and aid. I am the Sidekick.
Our lives are totally badass.
Character: Madadh-alluidh
I met Jessi during my third year in college. The year I transferred to a new school. A new state. A new beginning. We met at a club full of different people. People who were searching for meaning in their lives and ways to express themselves. Many of the people in this group were scarred for various reasons. Jessi was full of love and light. Like a shining beacon in the darkness. I knew we would become friends. I knew she would understand.
I had been struck by Abiding Evils early in my life. Each time a little worse than the next. I had a darkness in me that I had no idea how to control. Or if I even wanted to control it. It felt so good to let the animal loose. To let myself go. To lose the human inside of me and let the animal have free reign.
Jessi was one of the few people that accepted both the animal and the human sides of me without question. She supported me during all my dark times. After my second year there we became roommates. Her and her now-husband but then boyfriend were part of my pack. I felt safe. I was always afraid that my darkness might be infectious I never dreamed of what would really come to pass.
I woke in the middle of the night to screams of agony. I recognized that sound. The air was still and pregnant with the Abiding Evils. I knew she had been claimed but not by my Wolf. By a far more sinister Wolf instead. We took her to the hospital, not knowing if there was anything they could do for her. Eventually her physical wounds began to heal. But I know as well as any other beast that the physical wounds are only the start. It is the emotional wounds—the wounds to the soul itself—that are the deepest and most difficult to heal. She had stayed by my side when few others would and so I would do for her. The Abiding Evils continue to strike out at her—trying to tear out her soul. But we won’t let that happen.
Together with our other allies we work to control our own dual-natures as well as to find and help others. Remember you are not alone. There are many others just like you and me. Every day I learn new ways to reconcile my two natures and prove that good CAN come from the animal within and that the Abiding Evils can be slain.
I am Madadh-alluidh a Night Huntress. You can call me Mad.
I had been struck by Abiding Evils early in my life. Each time a little worse than the next. I had a darkness in me that I had no idea how to control. Or if I even wanted to control it. It felt so good to let the animal loose. To let myself go. To lose the human inside of me and let the animal have free reign.
Jessi was one of the few people that accepted both the animal and the human sides of me without question. She supported me during all my dark times. After my second year there we became roommates. Her and her now-husband but then boyfriend were part of my pack. I felt safe. I was always afraid that my darkness might be infectious I never dreamed of what would really come to pass.
I woke in the middle of the night to screams of agony. I recognized that sound. The air was still and pregnant with the Abiding Evils. I knew she had been claimed but not by my Wolf. By a far more sinister Wolf instead. We took her to the hospital, not knowing if there was anything they could do for her. Eventually her physical wounds began to heal. But I know as well as any other beast that the physical wounds are only the start. It is the emotional wounds—the wounds to the soul itself—that are the deepest and most difficult to heal. She had stayed by my side when few others would and so I would do for her. The Abiding Evils continue to strike out at her—trying to tear out her soul. But we won’t let that happen.
Together with our other allies we work to control our own dual-natures as well as to find and help others. Remember you are not alone. There are many others just like you and me. Every day I learn new ways to reconcile my two natures and prove that good CAN come from the animal within and that the Abiding Evils can be slain.
I am Madadh-alluidh a Night Huntress. You can call me Mad.
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