I Am Too Ambitious

[gimmepie]

Gimme's Goals

Yo, so I'm the type of person who always has a lot of things they want to achieve but who will likely never achieve any of them. With that in mind I think I'm going to try and make some actual use of this section because having this all public and open creates a sort of accountability. I'm going to try and divide it into sections but there's probably going to be a bit of overlap.

Health and Fitness
Once upon a time (read a little over a year ago) I was actually extremely healthy and fit. I had a really healthy and controlled diet and I was extremely active because my main hobby and job both involve lots of movement (I'm a competitive dancer and a beginning instructor). Then I got sick and my intestines stopped functioning properly and a bunch of other miserable shit happened. So now I'm not fit at all, my health is still not in a great spot (although it is far better than it was) and I pretty much can't leave the house. These are probably my most important goals at the moment because they all relate to getting better physically and mentally.

Expand on Diet
Currently my diet consists of eggs, chicken noodle soup, various potato products, salad, wholemeal flat bread, chicken, rice and limited amounts of easy to digest minced red meat dishes. Regular bread is almost completely out of the question as is anything particularly heavy for the most part and most highly processed foods are out too. I want to expand my diet more whilst still focusing on healthy foods that are easy to digest. I also need to find a good way to make sure my diet remains balanced but also affordable.

Improve Physical Activity
I haven't been able to move around very much for over a year now so my body is basically falling apart. I need to find a good way to get myself up and about a little more often without pushing myself too far. Once I'm no longer falling apart I'll start making use of my exercise equipment etc, but baby steps.

Educational and Professional Goals
Thankfully, I more or less know exactly where I want to be in the future when it comes to my continued education and career. The ultimate goal is to open my own dance studio business and to supplement that with a combination of relief/substitute teaching and writing. If I can get everything lined up the way I want to, I should be able to live a comfortable and happy life.

Complete and Publish Articles
I'm in the process of working on getting some articles published on a comedy site. Right now I'm working on constructing good pitches rather than writing up the articles themselves though which also doubles as the planning stage. Mostly this one is a motivational thing I have to get off my ass and finish the little bit of research I need to do and then find the motivation and confidence to actually submit the pitches.

Enrol In and Complete a Certificate in Education Support
Something I'm trying to do right now since it's a study load I should be able to handle even with my fluctuating health. I should also be able to get Recognition of Prior Learning for a few units and the practical placement requirement (the latter of which I cannot do right now anyway) on account of overlap with the half of my Bachelor Degree in Education that I have completed so far. If I can get in it will also mean I'm entitled to a government payment which will greatly improve my financial situation. No pointers needed on this one, I just need to make some phone calls in a few days time and then keep myself ahead on the workload in case I hit a particularly bad patch with my health again.

Study for Next Coaching Certification
I've achieved my first certification to teach dance already but it's only a bare bones thing and it's required that I do the next level in at least one of the three styles. This will be a big step towards my goal of eventually having my own studio. The thing is though, I'm finding it excruciatingly hard to focus on the theory and motivate myself to study (even though the theory is my strong suit) without being able to actually get into the studio to practice and have lessons. I need a good method to get myself into gear here otherwise I'll be miles behind when I eventually get back.

Return to University and Finish Degree
I have had some really bad luck with uni. Even before getting sick I was actually booted out of my course based on a technicality that only applied to me because I'd been dealing with some really shitty lecturers/other staff. Then before I could re-enrol I got hit with this illness. This is obviously a really long term goal based on my health etc but I'm including it anyway. I'm not sure if I should go back to study with the same university though.

Publish Fiction
This is kind of a vague one, but I've been writing for years now as a hobby and now - even just as a supplementary thing or a personal achievement - I want to actually get some of my work out there properly in some fashion. I'm not entirely sure how since I just don't have the staying power to complete a proper novel on my own, but I'm thinking my best options will be to self publish short stories or to work on something like a webcomic. The latter sounds like a fun new experience but there's a lot of new skills I'll need to learn and I won't be able to do it alone. The former wouldn't be new and exciting, but it's something I won't need as much help with and already have all the skills to achieve myself if I put the work in.

Hobbies
I think it's important to have a lot of hobbies to keep yourself from going mad, especially when you're in a predicament like I am. So I tend to start a lot of various projects etc. These things won't have any big impacts on my life, but they're fun things I want to achieve for my own sanity.

Finish Gunpowder
No I'm not making actual gunpowder. Gunpowder is the name of my long-running RP here on PC. It's been going on since March, 2015 and we are slowly closing in on reaching that elusive conclusion. I really want this to be the first RP I actually see to the end and I'm hoping that we'll be able to reach the finish line in 2017.

Blog More
For a good while I blogged almost as frequently as Matt and I want to try and edge closer to that goal. It's been really hard to find things that I want to write about but I've found that I like writing reviews for movies, music, anime etc so I'm hoping that if I focus my efforts there I'll be able to pick my activity back up.

Contribute More to Fan Fiction & Writing
I'm a writer and a storyteller but I hardly have any involvement with this particular sub-community on PC. I want to fix that and get involved there a bit more sharing some of my own work (and actually finishing it), giving feedback and joining in discussion.

Improve Activity in Sections I Moderate
This one is pretty self-explanatory I guess. I love modding here on PC but there's always that bit more that could be done. None of my sections are exactly unhealthy with activity but there's always room for improvement and that's where I'd like to focus a lot of my efforts right now when it comes to modding.

Build a Gaming PC
I've had some help from a few people in narrowing down the parts that I want, now I just need to finalise the list after cutting it down a bit more and start gradually buying the parts so I can put it all together. It's going to take a while until I can get my financial situation sorted but I really want to have a more reliable/powerful computer so I can get into gaming a little bit more since it will give me more to talk about with people.

Return to Dancing
This was so hard to classify since it applies to all three sections lol. Basically, I miss dance more than you can imagine. It's been a huge part of my life since I was eleven years old, I've made a lot of friends through it and I still have a lot I want to achieve as a competitor and eventually as a professional. If this is the one goal I actually achieve this year I will be a very happy person. It's easier said than done though because I need to get both my health and my finances on track first and then I need to deal with all the mental side of it all too since being out and about makes me really anxious right now, I never know when I'll be hit hard by my illness again and I don't want to be away from home when that happens.​

 

[Klippy]

Really hope you're able to achieve all of this and more, buddy. :)

 

[gimmepie]

Really hope you're able to achieve all of this and more, buddy. :)

Me too but that's a dubious prospect really just going by the size of my list lol. Any advice for anything?

 

[Klippy]

Me too but that's a dubious prospect really just going by the size of my list lol. Any advice for anything?

I think a big thing will be motivating yourself (and in turn building your dedication back) to get things done. You've had a rough go of it lately and getting back into the entire process of things will take effort. Don't hurt yourself of course, but don't get complacent or allow yourself to slip. If you're able to achieve something (even something as little as getting back to the dance studio to watch and reacquaint yourself with peers and students), then don't let your mind trick you into thinking it can't be done.

 

[Somewhere_]

Have you prioritized any of this? Right now it looks like a crap ton of things without organization. It will be difficult to start new healthy habits, complete education, etc. without prioritization and organization.

Of these, what needs to be done first? What are most important? What can be done later? Are there things you can do at the same time or begin preparing for?

 

[gimmepie]

Have you prioritized any of this? Right now it looks like a crap ton of things without organization. It will be difficult to start new healthy habits, complete education, etc. without prioritization and organization.

Of these, what needs to be done first? What are most important? What can be done later? Are there things you can do at the same time or begin preparing for?

Well first and foremost I need to focus on my poor health. Ultimately I'm not going to be in any position to really focus on education, work or dance unless my condition improves. So that's definitely the major thing since it will make everything else easier, and with that at the forefront I'm sort of just simultaneously edging away at the goals that I can achieve regardless of my health like PC stuff or my articles. Although I'm also contacting someone about enrolling into the smaller course tomorrow.

 

[Somewhere_]

Well first and foremost I need to focus on my poor health. Ultimately I'm not going to be in any position to really focus on education, work or dance unless my condition improves. So that's definitely the major thing since it will make everything else easier, and with that at the forefront I'm sort of just simultaneously edging away at the goals that I can achieve regardless of my health like PC stuff or my articles. Although I'm also contacting someone about enrolling into the smaller course tomorrow.

If I may ask, what exactly are you ill with?

This might help... what do you do during the day? Sometimes getting some sun and being at least somewhat active or stimulating may help you at least feel better and confident.

Just dont go outside too much. You'll be eaten by a kangaroo or something like that

 

[El Héroe Oscuro]

For every blog entries you make, I will send you a question to finish your Meet the PC'ers interview.

(;

 

[gimmepie]

If I may ask, what exactly are you ill with?

This might help... what do you do during the day? Sometimes getting some sun and being at least somewhat active or stimulating may help you at least feel better and confident.

Just dont go outside too much. You'll be eaten by a kangaroo or something like that

What am I ill with? That's a very good question that nobody seems to actually have an answer to. All the doctors seem to be able to mostly agree on what is happening but not why.

I try to get a little bit of sun and to move around as much as I can. Sound advice!

For every blog entries you make, I will send you a question to finish your Meet the PC'ers intervuew.

(;

Sure lmao

 

[Somewhere_]

What am I ill with? That's a very good question that nobody seems to actually have an answer to. All the doctors seem to be able to mostly agree on what is happening but not why.

I try to get a little bit of sun and to move around as much as I can. Sound advice!

Not to dig too deep and I know this subject can be really touchy, so dont feel compelled to answer this. Have you had depression or anxiety in the past? Often these conditions can lead the body to do weird things. For example, when I suffered from them I felt really tired sometimes when I shouldn't have.

Another example: (warning: kinda gross)

Spoiler:

My dad had anal fissures that were the direct result of extreme stress from his workplace. His boss was - to say the least - verbally abusive to everyone under him.

These are just merely conjectures. Doctors would obviously be far more qualified for advice.

I guess if I had to bet on something, do you have a deficiency in any vitamin? Lacking vitamin D can make you have super low-energy, and other vitamin deficiencies have other effects.

 

[gimmepie]

Snip

Both anxiety and depression are on my list of "What makes Daniel broken" but it appears neither of these things is the cause. Also been thoroughly tested for pretty much every vitamin deficiency imaginable and I have none of those. I was confirmed diabetic for a week though (before the doctors changed their mind).

I'm not really looking for medical advice though, I'll leave that to the pros. Just generalised ways to improve one's health is great help.

 

[gimmepie]

Update

Today wasn't a great day for accomplishing goals since I've felt like crap all day and it was like 40C (it's still over 30C in my house and it's nearly midnight, come on nature!) but I've done a few things.

1. I called the place about my course, well I tried to. It seems like they're still closed so I have to push it back another few days.
2. Started working on a short story I intend to post in FF&W.
3. Posted in Gunpowder.
4. Did a little research into a new article pitch. That makes three I'm working on but I think I'll make this one my focus for now.

 

[gimmepie]

Update

I haven't made much progress in general but activity in the UG is creeping back up with a new basic game on the way and I've been getting a bit more involved in discussion in Fan Fiction & Writing. Also got around to doing another blog entry!

I did forget to make that important phone call and made no actual writing progress... but there's always tomorrow.

 

[Nina]

Improve Physical Activity

There's a lot going on, but for this I guess I know a bit since I've gone from 0 to slowly getting more active. Do you have exercises you're supposed to do already, or any kind of physical therapy?

 

[gimmepie]

Improve Physical Activity

There's a lot going on, but for this I guess I know a bit since I've gone from 0 to slowly getting more active. Do you have exercises you're supposed to do already, or any kind of physical therapy?

I don't although I've been digging around a bit to see if I can find my sister's old physio exercises. God knows where we have them stored though. I'm open for suggestions.

 

[Nina]

I don't although I've been digging around a bit to see if I can find my sister's old physio exercises. God knows where we have them stored though. I'm open for suggestions.

The first things they had be do was really low resistance ban training, specifically for my lower back/core. While it varies for everyone what hurts the most, that part kinda holds you whole body together and you need strength there to do some other exercises.

They sell actual bands, and these like sheets of material you can use as well. You attach them to either a sturdy table leg, or close it in a sturdy door.

What I have to do is attached it to one leg, and starting from 5 eventually ramped up to 30 is 4 positions for each leg. First is facing forward, pull your leg backward as far as comfortable. Second is turning right or left. If you're turning and the attached foot is to the left of your other leg, you're going to pull straight out. (this one hurts the most) If your attached foot is the right of your other leg, you're going to swing your foot around the other leg. Last, you're facing backwards, and pulling your foot away. Switch and do it to the other foot. After that, she wanted me to lay on a flat surface, put my hands beside me, and do hip thrusts into the air.

Sorry if that's hard to explain aha. But yeah, strengthening your back/core area where you hold yourself where you sit should be very good for keeping strength when you do other exercises, and these were given to me as someone who had a hard time standing up at all for a little while.

 

[Aquacorde]

.

hey piepie how've the last few weeks been?

 

[gimmepie]

hey piepie how've the last few weeks been?

Unproductive unfortunately. I had somewhat of a relapse and have had killer headaches on top of that for about a week. I've managed to make some progress on a few things here on PC but overall I'm really falling behind. I even abandoned attempts at getting in touch with the people running that course for a while until my health once again stabilises. I'm on the up again though so hopefully the next few weeks will go better!

 

[Aquacorde]

eugh that sounds nasty. im sorry bud. :( but yeah hopefully some clearer skies ahead! what are like, two things you want to focus on in the next week or so?