Goal + Action = Reality

TopNotch TopNotch Logging since September 2022
TopNotch said:
Some writing done. Think of it as a job, TN, and not as a hobby! Very happy with what came out.
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Glad that works for you... I tried that, and I'd better not do it again unless I want my writing to be shelved like my drawing has been for the better part of eight years (and I'm still not interested in getting back to it, too much pressure to make it a certain way). 😬😬

Also, I'm not writing for other people anymore, but for my own enjoyment. And if anyone else reads that, well good on them. 😁

I'm more focused on trying to write SOMETHING every day. That helps me. Habit.

What's that quote? "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."

But I suppose it would be different if you expected to make a living out of it...
 
@Nevetharine I don't think it really matters if you write for others or not. What I think matters is your intentionality. If you do something when you feel in the mood, or when motivation/inspiration strikes, your progress will be slow and erratic. You'll lose the flow and the interest. (I am using the pronoun 'You' in its universal, generic form, not specifically to identify with the individual we all know and love as Nevetharine!).
Occasionally I have come back to something I've written and wondered what on earth I had intended with that comment. There'd been a time gap and now I had forgotten. I don't like being in that situation so I make sure it no longer happens. Sure, there's a break between drafts, but the work is in itself complete albeit perhaps not tight and tidy.
Even when writing for myself (and there are some children's stories written from the pov of my chickens that will never see the light of day though my little girls loved them!), if I think of it as a job and one that I actually enjoy, then I'm more likely to ensure that there is appropriate time and effort and consistency.
That's me, of course, and yeah, it seems to work pretty well. And when for whatever reason I can't write, I'm doing research or studying the craft. And that seems to be what you do too, by writing something every day. Just like going into the office (or wherever) every day. Some days you might slack off, but you rock up every day anyway. :)
And I don't think any boss would accept it if you phoned in and said, "sorry, I've got clerical assistant's/lawyer's/salesperson's block and can't come in today."!
 
Woke up this morning with the cat curled up on my arm and my head pillowed on her flank. We had been quite comfortably asleep. :LOL:

- First Thing Pushups - day 14
- Epic Arms - day 13
- Dead Hang - day 12
- Bike ride, 27min, 3.69km. Perhaps a little challenging for my third outing on my bike, and I must confess that there was a point on the track when I got off and walked. I mean, hiking it is fine. Running it can be a bit challenging. Cycling when there isn't even a horizontal surface the width of my wheels? I reckon mountain bikers are a breed apart - this track was bad enough! Fun, though. My girls went out a bit later and said I couldn't come; I'd already been on a bike ride anyway.

Every couple of hours today I checked to see if the snowball fight had started yet. It began at 7:30pm, my time. Was everyone else still asleep??
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 16 Oops. As this is 'first thing', I haven't fired up my tablet yet and have to rely on what I remember from yesterday - if I actually checked before I went to bed. I thought today was the 60 but that's actually tomorrow. Today should have been 30. I'll do that tomorrow.
- Epic Arms - day 14
- Dead Hang - day 13

Only 78 snowballs so far. Bit slow, but then we've just begun. :snowball:

Now that I have decided to Grade, I need to plan. Starting at the top with my goal and working my way downward to what I have to do to achieve that goal. Not sure exactly when I'll grade yet, probably when the other blokes are doing so and I think they were talking about the end of next year. That's a long time and so I really need to use it all effectively. The first thing, though, is to focus on the knees. The pattern I'll be grading on is very knee-centric. A lot of crane (single bent leg) stance while slowly moving upper body so first order of things is to make sure the knees are up to it. There will be many other things and I'm getting right into planning and that's always fun. :LOL:
It's actually very good to be planning what I'm going to be doing. This year has been a very unfocused year for me, what with joining a new club with a greater sparring focus and pretty much no poomsae, the road trip (which became a little extended and I totally loved it) ... and other things. It's been a bit difficult to concentrate on my training - and blowing a hamstring and spraining a foot in the last three months wasn't much help either! Still, I'm getting back on track, doing things that I've been wanting to do (like getting a bike, donating bodily fluids, and writing writing writing!), and importantly repairing a sabotaged relationship with my second-born. It's actually quite exciting - thinking about what I want to achieve in order to reach my top-level goal and exactly what I have to do to achieve those things. Where's my pencil?
 
OK, in France I wouldn't mind - there is no dangerous spider. In the northern US I didn't, either - I remember hearing there could be some nasty spiders traveling along fruits / movers (brown recluses, black widows) - but the kind that stays in darker places, so no worry. In Australia, with what I heard of your country animals? Uh oh.... :excuseme:
 
Just for you, @PetiteSheWolf
The spider moved into an inadvised spot overnight, so...
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Then it seemed to disappear. After a few minutes, the cats were all playing around my legs. Oh...
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Only a fairly small one, but I had jumping jacks to do, so now it's outside again. :LOL: And the cats are still sniffing around wondering where it went.
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 15
- Epic Arms - day 15
- Dead Hang - day 14
- Treadmill run. Decided to give the foot a bit of a trial today and without shoes so that meant the treadmill. Took it slowly and ran for about 20 minutes. It didn't hurt any more than when I walk, but then, it's not hurting any less either. Amputation isn't a viable option but sometimes...

I woke up to only about 30 snowballs, but more came in during the day. Count to date is only about 200.
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 17
- Epic Arms - day 16
- Dead Hang - day 15
- Walk. Two little walks of just over 1km each. I figure if I keep ignoring my foot, my brain will eventually stop telling me that it hurts, give me up as a lost cause, accept that I'm just not paying attention, and then everything will go back to normal. That's how it goes, right? Right? Okay, I guess this is certainly an instance of 'don't do as I do'. Actually, I'd also recommend you 'don't do as I say', either. In fact, when it comes to me, you're pretty much on your own. I'm a great believer in self-reliance! :LOL:

Only two books left to finish. My eldest thought it odd that I'd be reading more than one book at a time, but sometimes I'm simply not in the mood to read that sort of thing, or I am in the mood to read this sort of thing. I like action and adventure and thrillers, but I'll exercise my mind with psychology or philosophy or history. It's like not neglecting leg day! I finally finished one that had taken me absolutely ages because it was just so slow to get going, and when it did get going, well, I think I missed something. Described as "an unputdownable thriller" and as "breathtaking", but perhaps these critics had been reading a different book...
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 18
- Epic Arms - day 17
- Dead Hang - day 16
- Hike. 5.4km. First hike in about a month and it felt good. Apart from the flies. Really must remember the Aerogard.

So the snowball fight ended today. That was a bit of fun, as usual. I think I did just over 1200 jumping jacks all up. Sometimes that disturbed the cats - and they're disturbed enough already! :LOL:

I've started working out my training plan. I won't say it's for the next month or anything because I'll begin when I've finished formulated it. Given the current date, I certainly expect that to be after Christmas.

Finished all the books that I'd started this year and now I've begun one of the 53 fiction books I'd recently picked up second-hand. I told myself that for every 10 fiction books I read, I ought to read at least one non-fiction. But I'm not being prescriptive about that. Sometimes I want to read something and sometimes I don't. And I mean serious non-fiction, like:
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Yep, I'm an intellectual giant, right? :LOL: But my tastes vary.
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Very different books. Just depends on my mood. And, sometimes, what I can pick up second-hand! I think I want to find out about the zombie first...
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 20
- Epic Arms - day 19
- Dead Hang - day 18
- Walk. Garmin challenge was for a 5km walk between 22-24 so I did it today, and it had to be a walk not a hike, so I turned left and went through the park to the oval rather than right and up the Hill. Detour to the local shops to pick up some Aerogard which made the flies not quite so annoying.

Cucumber soup is made apart from the grated cucumber and cream which will be added just before serving tomorrow. I love cucumber soup but I only allow myself to have it at Christmas - it's my Christmas treat. But if I make a big pot of it, it can last for a few days. ;)

Reading - finished Die Trying, started Zero Option.
 
TopNotch said:
Cucumber soup is made apart from the grated cucumber and cream which will be added just before serving tomorrow. I love cucumber soup but I only allow myself to have it at Christmas - it's my Christmas treat. But if I make a big pot of it, it can last for a few days. ;)
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If it's the cucumber soup that I know, yuuummm! :loveit:Tasty and refreshing. At first, I thought that it's a strange choice for Christmas, but then I remembered that you're in the middle of summer :LOL:
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 21
- Epic Arms - day 20
- Dead Hang - day 19
- Benchmark run. Garmin said walk for 2 min, run for 5 min, walk for 2 min. So I did. Then I had to walk for another 10 min to get home.

The forecast for today was rain in the morning but we'd had some overnight and this morning, although there was cloud, there was also some blue every now and again and the cloud wasn't a smooth layer so I didn't think there'd be rain - at least not yet. Optimistically, perhaps, I smeared sunscreen on my neck and set off. Only the usual two suspects at the range when I got there so we had a good old natter and so I got started a little later than usual. Probably everyone else thought it would rain. More people arrived about an hour later but I was about done by then. It had stayed cool and cloudy but nicely windstill. Got myself a PR - 617/720 - and I thought that's how I'd end the year until someone reminded me that next Sunday is the end of the month. Well, I suppose I'd better see if I can still end the year with a PR!

Tonight, the cucumber soup was good but my eldest doesn't like it so didn't have any. The turkey breast roast was good but my second-born doesn't like it so didn't have any. The potato/egg/gherkin salad was good and everyone likes that so there were no leftovers. :LOL: My eldest two were Santa's elves tonight and they've stuck the presents under the tree. First time in about a decade that I haven't had to stay up until about 2am, wrapping and setting things out. Wow!
So to those who celebrate it, Happy Christmas.🎄 To those who don't, Happy Day.
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 22
- Epic Arms - day 21
- Dead Hang - day 20

Grey day today, supposed to have a lot of rain. Didn't matter to us - we hadn't planned any outdoor things. Presents in the morning with brownies and fudge made by second-born. After lunch, cheesecake made by same. Lots of thunder all day, but not so much visible lightning. Periods of rain but not heavy. There was one very loud and close thunderclap which shook the house and sent the cats scurrying under my bed. So brave... As a consequence, though, it was a very cool Christmas Day - and absolutely nothing wrong with that! So much better than bush-fires.
And right now, the Garmin says it's only 14 degrees. I mean, I know it's not far off midnight, but it's summer!

Pretty slack day but what can you expect?
Reading - finished Zero Option, started The Gray Man.
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 23
- Epic Arms - day 22
- Dead Hang - day 21

Thunder again through the wee hours. The day dawned grey. No, sunny. No, grey... Then there was thunder again. And dark grey. A bit of rain. Then sun. Honestly, the day couldn't make up its mind. While we were having dinner, we even had hail! And yet a couple of hours earlier, when I went out on nonagenarian duty (it's holiday time again, so I'm on and he's just celebrated his 98th Christmas), it was quite hot.

Spent the morning and early afternoon sorting out books, deciding that books I've had for over a decade that haven't been read (or re-read) can go. Then I had some shelf space for my new 50-odd books. Thought everything was going well until I noticed the pile of Simon Scarrow books I'd taken off a shelf and hadn't replaced yet. But now the space was occupied so... arrgh! Well, still more shelves to sort through. Most of the new books have been shelved. It's good, isn't it, to clear stuff out? I love it - getting rid of things and organising what's left. I have some cupboards to hit next!
Nervous Duck Dynasty GIF by DefyTV


Reading - finished The Gray Man.
 
Agreed, definitely nothing like getting rid of things that no longer serve!

Organize The Goldbergs GIF by ABC Network


I wish I could practice this more than I do/have, but it does feel great to have the room for your new things...

Plus with books I hope you are donating them so others can enjoy what you did!
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 24
- Epic Arms - day 23
- Dead Hang - day 22
- Bike ride. 19.5km, 1hr 24min. I've never gone along the shared paths (bike/walking) so this was a whole new adventure for me today. I have no bell so instead when I came up behind someone, I'd call out "On the right!" (because we ride on the left and pass on the right) and they'd shift over a little to the left, and as I'd pass, I'd call "Thank you" - can't do that with a bell. I thought I'd go along to the Dam
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and then turn back, but the paths are not signed and they were completely unfamiliar to me so I took the wrong one back and before I knew it, I was bouncing along a wooden bridge over the Western Basin
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and I really didn't want to ride around the Basin so after a bit, I turned around and headed back. Thing is, I simply can't resist a path, especially leading somewhere I've not gone before...
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Finally I was on the same path I'd been on before but then I missed the turn-off and had to stop and think of how to get where I wanted to go. I knew where I wanted to go but wasn't sure which path would take me there. Then I saw one labelled Hospital and everything was apples after that because I knew that path would go in the direction I wanted to go in. It was a lovely day for a ride - wind-still, warm but not hot. There were some puddles on the paths and I got mud-spatters up the back of my shirt. So that was the first long ride I've had on this bike. One time, I laboured up a hill (yep, still working out those gears), but on the way back, I just flew down it. Well, I did limit my speed to 35km because I'm not so confident yet with curves and such, but whoa! I know why cyclists have big smiles on their faces - it was so exhilarating!
 
Congrats on your long bike ride! Your route looks lovely!
TopNotch said:
I have no bell so instead when I came up behind someone, I'd call out "On the right!" (because we ride on the left and pass on the right) and they'd shift over a little to the left, and as I'd pass, I'd call "Thank you" - can't do that with a bell.
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I'm used to this too, from running. (Except here, of course, it's "On your left!") A bell is louder, so useful for cyclists going at speed to give slower trail users more warning, I should think. If I'm running hard it can take some work to get enough breath behind my call to be loud enough to alert people before I'm right on top of them. On a bike, you can use a bell to warn, but still verbally thank as you pass. The "thank you" is easier because you're closer so don't need to be as loud.
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 25
- Epic Arms - day 24
- Dead Hang - day 23
- leg extensions 3 x 12
- brief walk taking the Lad to his usual playdate.

Tired and cranky today because I didn't get a good sleep. Last night the Lad wanted to sleep with me but as I'm now in a single bed and I take up most of the room (or I would if the cats would ever let me!) I said no. But he came in anyway in the wee hours and so I woke to his kicking me and my being unable to roll over. And then when the cat thrust her whiskery face into mine at about 5 to ask if she could also creep in, it seemed the last straw. So didn't feel at all energised today and decided instead to clear away some more books and actually get those Scarrows shelved - which I did! Decided that Emil Zola could go but no way was the Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini getting tossed - that's a great book. Cellini was such a character. Way more interesting than Pepys who, if I remember correctly, was only interested in his clothes and his dinner. Still have a pile of about 17 books on my bedroom floor to shelve somewhere though...

Reading - finished Adrenaline. Started Operation Black Key.
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 26
- Epic Arms - day 25
- Dead Hang - day 24
- Bike ride. 3.4km, 16min. The Lad wanted to ride to his playdate today so I decided to take the long way back. Not too long though because I had to go shopping today. :(

Out at the shops today and you'll never guess what was on sale.
Hot cross buns.
I know. In December! Honestly. I mean, I love them, but I always wait until Good Friday. It's kind of like eating your birthday cake months before your actual birthday otherwise. But there they were, among the left-over Christmas stuff. But left-over Christmas stuff wasn't bad because I picked up a chocolate pudding - the sort that's like cake with chocolate sauce, not the mousse-type - and we polished that off for dessert tonight. Yum. I was both sad and glad that I'd only bought one!

Felt it was a bit of a drag today to do my nonagenarian. Don't know why. Yesterday I'd replaced the inks in his printer and unclogged his kitchen drains (because he couldn't get a plumber in), and after I'd left he broke a bottle of olive oil over the kitchen floor which he'd cleaned up but the floor was still a bit slippy to me today so I had to step carefully. And he repeatedly complained about something I had done - or possibly hadn't done. I don't know if he'd forgotten that he'd just nagged me about it or what, but today I had no patience for it, and I'm only half-way through the first of six weeks...

Reading - still on Operation Black Key.
 
It may not seem like it but your nonagenarian must appreciate your help--even if it seems like all he does is complain. As someone who cares for an elderly parent they do complain--a lot. Also they may not remember having told you something before (even a minute before!). It's helpful to smile and nod. Don't try to correct or argue. Sometimes our elders get a bit frightened because they may realize that they can't remember or do the things they used to (like change printer ink). The fact that you volunteer to help this man out is a wonderful and much needed thing. Kudos. :)
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 27
- Epic Arms - day 26
- Dead Hang - day 25

Not much today. Went out first thing because my eldest needed a new phone. Did, actually, need a new one as her 4-yo phone kept restarting when she was using it. Then I took a large load of books off to the charity shop - goodbye to half the current pile! Had to go out again after that, and then there was barely time for a pot of tea before I had to head off to the nonagenarian. The day simply rushed by today! Later this evening when I was trying to settle down for a bit of a read, the Lad insisted on coming next to me and reading his own Goosebumps book (which I had said he could do in bed). Finally he was in bed and I was settling down again when eldest came in with new phone and did her Duolingo. Discovered that now she could make her avatar so chatted about that, and commented that the Lad's eyes are brighter blue than hers and how come? I said not to blame me - mine are steely grey, though I used to want icy blue eyes. I think, though, that we come to like and even become protectively jealous of what we've been given. When she proposed a swap, I said no. :LOL:
End of the year tomorrow.
Leave you with this thought:
 
- First Thing Pushups - day 28
- Epic Arms - day 27
- Dead Hang - day 26
- Bike ride. 2 x 7km.

Cool and cloudy day for the last of the year. I decided that I'd cycle to archery today and I'd bought an equipment bag that's a backpack especially for this. Added about 6kg onto my back. I found that I could follow bike/walking paths pretty much all the way. I did have to cross roads at the lights but fortunately they were all with me so I never needed to stop. :) I estimated that it would take about half an hour and it actually took 28 minutes to get there, 32 minutes to get back but that was uphill. It's always uphill to get home, no matter which direction I come from. I must live on the top of a hill...
Anyway, I thought last week that I'd end the year on a PB, having shot 617, but then I found there was another Sunday yet to go in this year and I determined that this Sunday would also be a PB. Which it was! Not only bettered my previous, but absolutely crushed it with 641. And to top it all off, I shot three ends (but only photographed two - must have been so gobsmacked that I had actually done it twice in a row!) with all six arrows in the gold. That was another PB for me because previously I've only managed to do it once in a round. Still shooting a little low though...

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So, Happy New Year to you all. I'll just leave you with this question:
What would you do if you weren't afraid?
 
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