Plan Your Next Adventure!

Take a look at your Quest Log: chances are good you’ve got something BIG on the horizon. And we’re not just talking ogre-big, here. We’re talking a task, quest, or maybe even an odyssey, that makes your stomach cramp a little bit just thinking about the sheer bigness of it all. How will you ever get it done? Have you bit off more than you can chew?

Ahem. OF COURSE NOT.

You are a bold adventurer! You will not be undone by a simple quest—nor by a not-so-simple quest! You have all the tools you need to succeed! In truth, the trick to overcoming the big stuff is twofold: a) courage, and b) forethought. That’s why this time, Raz challenges you to put on your +3 Thinking Cap and sharpen your Pencil of Planning. It’s time to plan your next big adventure!

• First, figure out exactly what it is you’re planning. If it’s a project with a well-defined goal (eg. “Scan all of Mom’s old photos!”) then this part is easy. If it’s something more abstract (eg. “Learn to speak Elvish!”), you may want to set a more specific goal (“Learn to speak enough Elvish to flirt with the awesome librarian!!”).
• Research! Consider all the possible elements of your project. Are there resources that will make your quest easier? Have other adventurers gone before you, and recorded their path?
• Break the process of accomplishing your goal down into individual tasks, rather than lumping the whole thing into a single task. (Side note: if you’re not making use of quests and odysseys, this is a great time to start!)
• Gather the tools you’ll need, and make sure they’re in good repair. Remember, a “tool” can be almost anything—a flashcard app for your phone, an updated resume, a pneumonic device to help you remember a calculus formula. The more tools you have in your inventory, the better equipped you’ll be to accomplish your goal!
• If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t focus on your end goal. Instead, focus on the next task necessary to get you there. If you need to, break THAT task down into steps, too. You can’t do EVERYTHING all at once, but you can do one thing!

Banish a cursed item from your inventory!

Do you have any cursed items in your inventory? Are you sure? Cursed items emanate negative and destructive energy. And while it would be nice if all cursed items had names like The Amulet of Darkness or the Sword of Sorrows, it’s not usually that simple.

The trouble is, cursed items can be literally anything. A gift given to you by an ex that you never use, but can’t bring yourself to toss. A photograph on the wall that always reminds you of a bad experience. Clothes that you don’t fit into any more, but are still in your closet, and bum you out when you see them. Cursed items might even be things you use everyday, and find useful—but when that usefulness comes at a cost to your Constitution score, is it really worth it?

This week, Raz challenges you to banish with AT LEAST one cursed item from your inventory. Here are a few suggestions as to how.

• Attempt a curse-breaking ritual. Place the item in the center of a circle of stones (or a close approximation thereof), glare at it sternly, and tell it that it has no power over you any more. Repeat as often as necessary to diminish the curse’s power to nothing!
• Get rid of it. Throw it away, put it in the recycling bin, burn it therapeutically (uh, maybe only do this one if the object in question is paper or wood, and you have Designated Burning Place!)—just get it out of your inventory and out of your life. The curse will be lifted immediately.
• If destruction isn’t in your nature, consider giving the item to somebody else. A new owner won’t have the same negative attachments to it, so the curse won’t work on them. Plus you’ll get a bump to your Goodly Deeds score.
• If you absolutely cannot bring yourself to part with the cursed object, create a Box of Protection. Get a box, decorate it with protective runes (we like stars and smiley faces, and swear words), and put the cursed object inside. Put the Box of Protection somewhere out of sight: the back of a closet, a basement or an attic will all do nicely. This way, if you have need of the cursed item, it will be there, but it won’t be hanging around bringing down your CON scores anymore.

What’s your strategy for getting rid of cursed items?

Discover Your Battle Cry!

What are the words of power that inspire you as your ride out to face a challenge? What word or phrase best solidifies your own inner strength? What can you say to remind yourself that you have what it takes to face whatever monsters your quest might throw at you?

Basically, what is your BATTLE CRY? This week, Raz challenges you to find out.

A good battle cry is:

• Short. Ideally one sentence, or even just one word.
• Memorable.
• Personally meaningful.
• Easy to imbue with righteous determination and productive fury!

Now, your battle cry is a deeply personal thing. One adventurer’s “TONIGHT WE DINE IN HELL” is another adventurer’s “FLUFFY PUPPIES AND KITTENS!” Only you can decide what phrase best buoys you up and reminds you of your own strength and capability! Here are a few suggestions to help you find your own words of power:

• “{Positive affirmation of your own ability}!”
  • Example: “YEAH GIRL, YOU GOT THIS!”
  • Example: “I AM STRONG AND CAPABLE AND AWESOME!”
• "{Definitive statement}!”
  • Example: “I’M GONNA DO THE THING!”
  • Example: “IT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN.”
• “{Inspiring phrase from an ancient or foreign language}!”
  • Example: “AD ASTRAAAAAAAA!”
  • Example: “ALLEZ CUISINEEEEEEEEE!”
• “{Phrase drawn from fiction that activates your own strength}!”
  • Example: “IN THE NAME OF THE MOON!”
  • Example: “KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAAAA”
• “For {somebody or something that reminds you why you fight}!”
  • Example: “FOR FRODO!”
  • Example: “FOR MY FAMILY!”
• “{Made-up word conveying conviction and strength}!”
  • Example: “SLKJ;ADSFJAKSDLF;ASD!!!” (Okay, we’re not sure how you’d pronounce this one, but again, your battle cry is a deeply personal thing!)

What's YOUR battle cry?

Prepare for adventure!

Any adventurer worth her salt knows that proper preparation is the key to a successful quest. Did Alethea the Blue set out to defeat the Villainous Slurge without a plan, or a carefully packed adventurer’s kit? NO SHE DID NOT. Because Alethea understood the importance of preparation.

That’s why this week, Raz challenges you to BE PREPARED FOR ADVENTURE! Of course, since adventure can take all kinds of forms, preparing for an adventure can ALSO take all kinds of forms. Here are some suggestions.

• Stretch! Your sword-arm won’t thank you for neglecting basic warm-up stretches when you’re charging into battle! Getting your body ready to MOVE can be a great way to get your blood flowing and get you into adventure-mode. Find a set of stretches that work for your body, and try to work them into your pre-adventure routine.
• If your battle is a non-physical one, you can still stretch your brain! For example, if your task is to slay a calculus test, you’ll probably want to stretch your math-muscles by studying and doing practice problems. If your task is to make a scary phone call, “warm up” by making less-scary phone calls to build your confidence. For the purposes of this challenge, “stretching” is whatever will get you prepared to face your task!
• Hydrate! No, seriously. Drink water. It’s good for you.
• Stock your adventurer’s kit! Take some time to think about what this adventure is going to require of you. Will you be out in the wilderness? Will you be braving the urban jungle? Will you be facing down the terrifying gauntlet of a university campus during finals week? Equip yourself accordingly! Some possible suggestions include:
  
  • Energizing snacks. (KEY.)
  • Spare pencils and pens.
  • Directions.
  • Tissues.
  • Enough change for bus fare.
  • Painkillers.
  • A good book.
  • A mini sewing kit. (This item has saved D#2’s bacon more times than she would care to admit.)
• Pick appropriate theme music. Many an adventure has been lost or won on the strength of the playlist accompanying it. D#2 frequently rocks this Songza playlist and also the Bastion soundtrack.
• Make a plan! Visualize the task ahead of you, and the steps you’ll need to take to complete that task. How will you get there? What will you need? Who else will be there? What skills or attributes will you use? Be thorough: doing this will help you figure out if there are any other resources you might be able to call on to help you in your quest.

What do YOU do to prepare for an adventure?

Do the Scary Thing!

Chances are pretty good that right at this VERY MOMENT, are avoiding doing a task—big or small—because you think it’s going to be difficult and scary.

Maybe it will be—some tasks are. But you need to do it. The longer you put it off, the MORE difficult and scary it’s going to seem. But in reality, the hobgoblin is generally the same size as it was to begin with, which you’ll realize once you venture forth to do battle against it.

This week, Raz challenges you to screw your courage to the sticking place and do the scary thing.

• When in doubt, break the scary thing down into smaller steps. A lot of the time, you don’t have to do everything at once: set out to accomplish just one step today.

• Get help from your party. You don’t have to do the scary thing alone: your friends are with you, and often times they can lend their assistance, even if it’s just cheering you on!

• Remember; the harder the task, the more EXP you earn by completing it! No matter the SIZE of the task itself, you get to decide how difficult it was for you. Even the smallest thing can sometimes be a boss battle.