Here’s Tooffies!

I was thinking about naming him Pukey…but, then I thought better of it.

Z

Leveling Up!

I’ve been seriously considering this idea of leveling up my life.

I first ran across it here: NerdFitness.com, “How to Level Up in the Game of Life.”

To be honest, my main faults tend to revolve around procrastination and lack of motivation.  I’ll use any little Jedi mind-trick I can get my hands on to make things work.

I’ve been thinking about what it would be like if ran my life like a game?  How would I view things?  How would I gain experience levels?

While I’ve played many computer games (not so many console games); my current game of choice is World of Warcraft.  Naturally, I’m going to think of things in terms of WoW.

The categories I’m going to use are:

Dailies, Class Quests/Goals, Hobby Quests, and Reputations.  These will probably be interrelated.

Dailies, 5% xp Gain

I think Daily Quests are things that I do, for particular reasons, on a daily basis.

I know, it’s rocket science!

I can have Daily Quests associated with my Class (think Vocation) Quests/Goals, Hobby Quests and definitely Reputation grinds.

So, for instance: One of my Daily Quests is to go Work Out.

I think this falls into a few categories.  This comes under my Class Quest, for sure. You see, I need to be at a particular level of fitness to gain admittance into the Air Force.  This Daily Quest (Working Out) directly relates to my overall Class Quest (Vocational Goal).

Part of my current position is regular Public Speaking/Relations.  Simply put, I need to constantly be working on the next speech.  This is updating research, finding proper illustrations, etc.  This is literal, “Study Time,” that has to be done almost every day.

Part of Public Relations is that you are in constant PR mode in everyone you meet.  Think of it this way, it is a Rep grind for the company!  Not only do I gain rep when I meet with a potential client/donor; but the company gains (or loses) rep as well.  So, not only do I need to schedule regular appointments with different people (Celestial Dailies?) through the week, but my interpersonal skill gets better with every meeting I engage in.  So, this would be related to Rep Grind and partially the overall Class Quest.  But, this is something I try to engage in every couple of days, if not on a daily basis.

Class Quest, 50-100% xp Gain

The Class Quest would be my overall Vocational Goal.

Granted, when I started playing WoW these tended to be mount quests for Warlocks and Paladins.  As a Hunter, I was horribly saddened that we didn’t get a cool mount quest.  But, we did get the Taming Quests, which I enjoyed immensely.

Using the USAF as an example; the first major hurdle is getting in.  After that, each major quest may be related to Promotions within the Ranks.  If I’m ever sent away on a remote duty tour; that would be a side quest; or maybe a bonus quest – leading towards that future promotion.  Since the average retirement rank for the position I’m seeking is a Colonel (06), I think it is ok to think of each promotion as either being worth 1/2 a level, or even a full level.

Lets face it, assuming I get in; each promotion might be 3-4 years coming.  Of course, I’m pulling that out of the air.  I could be wrong about the timeline.

Other things that would fall under this category would be advanced training, certifications and education.  Depending upon what I’m doing, I can break these down into dailies, intermittent, or even larger quests/goals.

 Hobby Quests – 5% xp Gain

When I think of Hobby Quests, I think of things that I find useful (and maybe even fun).  These could benefit me in multiple ways.  They can be Class related, or not.  They could be Rep related, or not.  They could be about expanding my…whatever!  In WoW, these are considered ”Professions,” and can include things like Leather Working, Black Smithing, First Aid, Cooking, Fishing etc.  While some things like Leather Working might have a direct benefit to the player; you don’t really have to have Fishing as a “needed” skill.

I still do it, because I enjoy it!  But, I’m weird that way.

A real life Hobby would be something like taking up guitar, karate, cooking classes, working out, etc.  These are all thing I may enjoy and gain some benefit from.

Notice, I put “working out” in this category as well.  Truth be told, I actually enjoy it.  While the USAF requires me to be physically fit, my current job does not.  I would still work out, but it would be considered more a hobby; and less of a “need” if not for my USAF aspirations.

Reputation Quests – 10-50% xp Gain

For me, the ultimate Rep grind was the original Wintersaber Mount quests.  It was just evil.

Now, why in the world would I have Rep quests equal to 10-50% of experience?

We all know that some req quests in WoW don’t give out squat!

I’m looking at you Golden Lotus Dailies!

But, I’m thinking of real life stuff right now.  There are some Reputations that I greatly value.

For instance, I greatly value my “Rep” with my family.  If anything, I could use the word Social Interaction, Relationship, or any number of identifiers in place of “Reputation” here.  But, I’m sticking with what I know.

I have a “Rep” with everyone in my family.  Things I do either help me gain rep, or might actually detract from what I have.

For instance, when I help my wife with family related chores; she is happier with me!  (+100 w/ the Wife Faction!)

What if I was stupid enough to commit adultery? (-100,000,000 w/ Wife Faction)

What if I show up to my kids events, teach them how to play ball, heck – just play with them at night! (+100 w/ Child Faction)

What if I’m stupid enough to demean and abuse my children? (-100,000,000 w/ Child Faction, -1000,000,000 w/ Wife Faction, ”Lock Up Immediately” w/ Law Enforcement Faction)

I’ve often said, “If I fail at being a Husband and a Father; then I fail at life.”

I truly mean that.  That highlights the importance of my Reputation Quests.  I need to do regular things (lets call them Relationship Maintenance) to keep my Reputation with my family maxed out.  These can take the forms of Dailies, or even larger intermittent Quests (Think Birthdays, Anniversaries, Milestones, etc.).

I already mentioned the idea of Reputation with (and on behalf of) my job.  I would probably put those around the “10% xp gain.”

Finally

There you have it.  My rough idea concerning Leveling Up my Life.

My next thing “to do,” is to make a list of my dailies.  That list should contain what the daily is, and which category it most impacts.  Then, I can determine if there needs to be a realignment of my dailies to accurately portray my priorities and values.

What about you? If you were to level up your life; what would it look like?

Z

Say Hello to Gellato!

Say hello to my little green friend!

Gellato!

Big, Green, Gelatinous!

 

Get them now, while the getting is good!

Z

If My Life Was a Game

What if my life was a game, and I was able to level up?

I’m just wondering.

More is to come.

Z

I’m Blessed…

I can’t begin to tell you how blessed I am.

I know that it may sound arrogant. I can sound like I’m bragging.  Perhaps I am.

I’m blessed by the people I know. The groups that allow me to wear the guild tags.

From <Phoenix Rising>, to the <Frostwolves>, to the <Claws of Nature>.  I am blessed by the people in my life.

Thank you for being there.

Friends that Give from their Creativity

I’ve already mentioned this once, but it bears mentioning again. You see, friends are what make this game great.  Friends that write you poems of appreciation.

Gifts that cost something

Friends that give you Battle Pets, to show their care and appreciation.

These were gifts from a wonderful friend in game.  Thank you so very much!

RNG

Finally, there has been some RNG love as well.  I can’t explain it. I know that people have been suffering. They’ve been camping these sort of pets for weeks, if not months. I’m not sure exactly how I wound up with 3 within 7 days.

In the end, this is my thought.

Be thankful.

Be thankful for the people that welcome you when you log in. Be thankful for those you raid with, talk on vent with, pursue those in-game goals with.

So tell me, who do you appreciate?

Z

Why Navimie Gets Nice Things…

I’m not sure if you heard or not, but Navi has been gifted with a Darkmoon Rabbit Battle Pet.

Big Nashing Teeth!

Go ahead, read her post.

Actually, go ahead and Google “Darkmoon Rabbit” and see what you get.  If you read enough of it, you’ll come away with an idea on how hard it is to get one, and the level of admiration/affection her friend has for her.

A while back, Matty and I came up with an idea to gift Navi with a collage of Notes of Appreciation.  In the midst of trying to contact all of the 60+ Blogs on her Blogroll, I was asked a question.

“Z, what’s with all the Navi-love?”

My response was:

“I’m not really sure. I guess she is the common thread between me and Matty.”

In her blog post, someone makes a statement on how “nice” a “friend” she has.

In which she responds, “I only HAVE nice friends “

While I don’t doubt the veracity of that statement, I think there may be more of a reason.

Why does Navimie “seem” to get so many meaningful gifts?

Here is my answer:

Navi makes you feel like a Rock Star.

My first piece of evidence is the Navispams.

There is only one reason that all of these people have been Navispammed.  Namely, that they are “worth” it.  Navimie has decided that these folks are worth getting to know. Worth researching, tracking down, stalking, blogged about, and shown for all the world to see at their very best.

Navimie gets nice things because she has gone out of her way, made it a mission, to show others as “being” special, worthy and wanted.

My second piece of evidence is her constant encouragement.

Not only does she read every boring USAF Update I write, but she constantly pours encouragement into it.

I’m not the only one she does this to.

My third piece of evidence is how she shows appreciation.

You see, thankfulness is systemic with her.  It is part and parcel with who she is as a WoW Player/Community Blogger.

Her blog is full of “Navispams, Thank Yous, and Gratz(!) Posts.”

And then, she even goes the extra mile with something like this:

You can also read where she did something similar for Erinys of Harpy’s Nest Blog.

This is why Navimie gets nice things:

It is an outpouring of appreciation for the gift(s) she’s already given us.

Now, who should we lavish some love upon next?  I’m taking nominations!  

Email me: zwinglisblog@gmail.com

Z

USAF Update 3

For those of you breathlessly following my journey into the USAF…

Here’s another update.

I’m afraid you may be underwhelmed!

I’ve not done very well on my overall workout regimen.  I start out the week strong, but usually derping it through by the end of the week.  The scale hasn’t moved very much, but it has moved a little.  Thankfully in the right direction (Down!).  I’ve gained a little bit of muscle mass, which I’m grateful for.

This is my Worried Face.

I am worried about something though.  My regimen is good for loosing weight and body transformation.  But, I’m not sure that it is good for gaining the strength I need to do my required sit-ups and push-ups.  One reason I love it is because it has a 20 minute, high intensity cardio workout.  This is also great for burning calories; but I really need endurance.  Specifically, I need running endurance.  Sure, I’ve been using the elliptical, but that isn’t exactly the same thing.  So, I’m considering modifying my workout to compensate for these perceived shortcomings.

I believe that my main problem has been self-motivation.  So, I’m doing a few things to help in that direction.

First of all, I made an appointment to be “officially” weighed by a trainer this coming Friday.  Not only will he weigh me, but will check my body fat% and my waist inches.  Remember, I need to be 195 lbs or less, and a 37 inch (or less) waist to get in.  There is nothing like a “Due Date” to kick things into gear.  I’ve noticed that this was the first time in the process when I didn’t have a “hard date” by which to get things done.  It was more along the lines of, “The Board meets sometime in Feb or March. You’ll have to be in shape by then.”

Again, no hard date to be done by.  So, I’m adding my own artificial dead lines.

Secondly, I’m putting up physical reminders of “why” I’m going through this process.  That mostly looks like Notes written to myself in places I’m sure to see them.  They articulate the individual, motivational reasons that I’m on this journey.  I also take time to reflect upon “why” I’m doing it.  Setting some time aside to intentionally remember, not just be intermittently reminded, as to the “why.”

These include:

• A sense of doing what I am created to do.
• Expanded life opportunities for my family.
• Better monetary compensation.
• Well defined Promotion/Advancement structure.
• Structure that my personality works well under.
• “The Want” – I have a deep seated desire to do it.

Determined Face

Ok, that’s about it.  Time to go work out.

Z