Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Sleep.

Is all I want to do. I even went to bed before 10pm, which is very unlike me. My wish is to be at home sleeping for the next 100 years. Goodnight.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

OK. Here it is.

The blog post you have all been waiting for…wait, it’s not that exciting.

My attempt to catch you up in my life –
Work – football, basketball, and ice hockey are consuming my life as usual

John and I are doing great, approaching the 9 month mark

Bible study has been on a hiatus, but I learned to do the slides at the Gathering. It’s not too hard, but I was still nervous. I guess it’s still nerve wrecking when one isn’t familiar with something, even though I am used to running a videoboard and coordinating a game for an audience of 18,000 people at football, 3,500 at hockey, or 5,000 at basketball.

John and I took a short trip to Toledo for Malachi’s birthday party. I hadn’t seen my close friend’s kid since he was 5 months old. The party was at an indoor water park in Sandusky and was a lot of fun. It was really good to see everyone.

Thanksgiving ended up being good, even though it was surrounded by work. John had Jonathon during the day, so it gave me some time to make pumpkin pie and cranberry salad, do some laundry, and clean a little. Our Thanksgiving feast was ready by 9pm and we had a very nice dinner. The weekend was pretty relaxing with hockey in the evenings and I’ve now watched three episodes of the Band of Brothers.

This Saturday, I’ll be heading to Detroit for the MAC Championship football game at Ford Field as the Dance Team advisor.

I’ve now been on an antidepressant for about six weeks. I’m still waiting to notice a difference. I will try to keep you updated. Peace out.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Finally

I’m finally here, back in blogger land. I can’t promise it will be consistent though. Students are back. School has started. Work is busy. Very busy. I’m not ready for it all. I’m way behind on any sort of recap from San Francisco. It was a great trip. At some point, I will have to write about it and give you more details. For now, I’m just letting you know I’m still here. I would love to be in San Francisco right now actually, their climate is wonderful. None of this 100 degree stuff there. I recommend visiting the city if you ever have a chance. See you later!

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

One more day

I have to make it through one more day before SF. I'm pretty much ready to go. It will probably be another 12 hour day at the office though before I can leave town. Then I can hopefully relax!

Friday, July 13, 2007

Thoughts of Balance

It’s amazing how much wisdom my friends have. Sometimes I wish it would rub off on me. So, mdog had a very interesting post in late June. From my perspective, I want it both ways. I want to work and work is a big part of my life. I like it like that. I enjoy what I do for a living, aside from current at times. During the school year, I don’t mind the long hours and chaotic schedule of events; I actually kind of thrive on that. I do want my job to validate my life, even though it’s been tempting lately to think about getting a monotonous job that doesn’t require thinking from 8am-5pm. As I say that, I know that I would not be content with such a position, though it seems very tempting. I really just want to have a career where I enjoy my work and can also have a life outside the office. It’s always been very important to me to have a strong work ethic; to be passionate, dedicated, and loyal about all aspects of my life.

I wish I could say, as mdog did, that people are my life. I do not make enough time for people. There are friends in Cincinnati that I haven’t talked to in months and other friends that I used to visit a lot more frequently than I have in the recent past. Too often, I let my work life rule my entire life and don’t allow myself to be with other people.

Mdog’s questions are ones to think about:
“Do I have people I can call up at three in the morning? do I have people that will give me hugs if I need them? do I have people I can share my life with? do I have people that support me? encourage me? walk with me?”

I used to be able to answer yes to a lot of these questions, but not so much anymore. I find it hard to maintain relationships outside of my workplace and that is not healthy. There are some great people who are already in my life, distant, but in my life that I need to reconnect with. How do I find the energy to maintain these existing relationships after a long day at the office or an event? Sometimes to find the energy just to call an old friend is hard and the thought is exhausting. That’s when I feel like I need that alone time. This brings me back to my question about balance. How do I establish that work-life-balance? Maybe it will come with more work experience. I have not yet found my success.

Friday, July 06, 2007

Independence


It was a pretty good Fourth of July. The festivities began Tuesday evening with a very small gathering at our house. It was a total of four that grew to six by the end of the night. Four of us played Mexican Train Game, which we temporarily changed the name to Freedom Train Wreck (drinking may or may not have been involved). We ordered pizza and walked to Papa John’s and continued the game. I had a lot of fun. Tanqueray goes pretty well with Fresca and lemonade.

Wednesday, I paid my Macy’s bill in the morning and ran a few other errands. Wednesday evening, John and I went to Brookville Lake to hang out with some of his friends/relatives that have a boat. We cruised out near the dam where the fireworks go off from. There was still plenty of time, so we went back near the bridge and were on our way back when some storm clouds moved in. It didn’t look to be too bad. Then all of a sudden the rain started a long with some very very strong winds. We couldn’t see anything around us hardly and were getting soaked by the sideways rain. All the boats made their way back to the boat ramp, but by the time we got back to the ramp, it cleared up.

It was still almost an hour before ten, so we made our way via car to the other side of the dam and caught the fireworks show there. It was a pretty good show and made up for the lame fireworks I saw last year in Oxford. They started out with the Star Spangled Banner and went into some other good songs (Proud to be an American, which I remember singing at 6th grade graduation). After the fireworks, we went back to the state park and sat by the campfire for awhile to dry out a little before driving back home. It was nice to be outside and hang out with some new people. And, I always love a good fireworks show…it doesn’t seem like the 4th without them!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Three weeks from today …

… I will be on a plane, going to San Francisco. I’ve wanted to visit SF for a long time b/c I’ve heard that it’s a very cool city. Little did I know, that I’ve actually been there before. I was aware that my family took an extensive trip from Montana and Washington State and drove all the way down to southern California (this was when my parents almost lost me in the Pacific Ocean) to visit family, but I didn’t realize we had stopped in San Francisco. Obviously, I don’t remember much prior to the age of two years, so I think it’s time to go back. I’m excited to see Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and of course the Golden Gate Bridge, among other sites, while enjoying some great cuisine. I’m glad to have something to look forward to! The other thing is … I’m going to SF with John, who happens to be my ___friend. It’s still hard for me to say and even think about, but it’s true. That –friend word hangs me up b/c it’s so not normal to use it about myself. Yes, I know I’m a freak. But hey, I’m a freak and I accept it. It makes me unique (once in awhile I can be positive). Yea for a break from Ohio and a fabulous trip to San Francisco!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Alone

What a busy week. I didn’t realize how busy it had been until this morning though. Somehow, I got into a mood last night and wasn’t even sure what it came from. It wasn’t necessarily that I was mad or upset or anything. Just not feeling myself. I tried so hard to stay awake for Lifehouse, John was nice enough to record it in case I was asleep. This morning, I felt bad for being so crappy last night and I started thinking about what could have put me in that mood. I think I finally figured it out! This week, I’ve had something every night, dinner and bike ride with John, Cheesecake Factory with the interns, clean up night at work (where I involuntarily lost half my desk space and practically got demoted to intern), and then Thursday thing at our house all equal to me having only about one hour to myself for the whole week. I need more alone time than that! It’s been hard for me to try and force myself to fit in real activities that aren’t work related. Obviously, I still haven’t figured out how to squeeze in enough alone time with all the other stuff. Has anyone mastered this feat? It probably doesn’t help that I require a lot of alone time (I sometimes can’t even count working out as alone time). Apparently, if I don’t get that time, I get annoyed with everything around me.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Bulletin

Lifehouse is on Jay Leno tonight!!! That's approximately 11:35PM EST on NBC for those of you who don't already know. Their new album was released one week earlier than originally announced. It is in stores now ... I can't buy it yet b/c I haven't met a personal goal. :-( I want to hear and learn the new songs very badly, especially after the teaser at the last concert. I know there are several good tunes, I will inevitably end up liking them all! But only because Lifehouse is the best band ever. Check it out today.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

BULLETIN

I've posted on the well-being site.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Catch up post

Nothing too exciting is going on in my life. Some crises at work that are annoying. I was home last weekend and slept. A lot. I didn’t leave the house for two and a half days. I closed a bank account on Friday. I went out to lunch with the parents on Saturday and came home for a surprise baby shower. The baby shower ended up being a lot of fun. And I’m excited for the nameless baby boy! Six weeks to go!

In other news, I took Tally to the vet yesterday. She has bacteria in her urine and has to take antibiotics for three weeks. I get to shove a pill down her throat and make her swallow it. Actually, it wasn’t too bad last night. I hope that if she is feeling bad that it helps her, obviously. Also, I found out that contrary to popular belief (my mom and sister) Tally is actually underweight for her size; they call her “heifer” more often than necessary. And by more often than necessary, I mean ALL THE TIME, when she is a fit and trim kitty.

Monday, May 21, 2007

PostSecret change of plans

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the PostSecret Event in Athens. It was probably the best decision, considering it would have been a long trip for one day. Too bad we couldn't get our books signed though. Maybe Frank Warren will come through this way again sometime. Be sure to check the website this week, secrets are changed and updated every Sunday.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Passport Photo

I just got back from my Passport Application Appointment, scheduled at the Oxford Post Office. I turned in my check, application, original birth certificate, and 2 inch photos. In 10 weeks, I should be expecting my passport in the mail. How exciting! I have no trip planned currently, but it’s still exciting. On my list of things to do by the time I’m 30, I have to travel abroad, so I’m just getting my affairs in order to begin the planning.

Let me tell you about the passport photo. Having worked at a photo lab for an extended period of time, I’ve taken my share of passport photos. Let me tell you, there are some interesting people who came in to get theirs. Babies were always the hardest b/c they were crying and you have to get their head to fill a certain portion of the 2 inch square. And some babies can’t really hold their head up, so it looks read weird. Anyway, I went to the Walgreen’s in Stow, OH to get my photo. The girl working had no personality whatsoever. I pay and look at my photo. It was bad. I mean BAD. I get in the car and I look at it again. I look like my mother. I weigh at least 250 pounds and have at least 4 chins. It was BAD. I decided to pay to get another one. I mean, I’m going to have this damn passport for 10 years, right? So, I go to the print center on campus. The guy gave me time to put on my fake smile and guess what! I like the picture. It’s surprisingly better than the other one. When you compare the two, it’s disgusting. In a two week period, it appears as though I’ve lost 25 pounds, when in reality…I weigh the same (also disgusting).

What a long boring post to say that I enjoy my new photo and am excited about getting my passport. Now I can start my life (well, in 10 weeks I can)!

Monday, May 14, 2007

Happiness

"Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed."

- Storm Jameson

Light at the end of the tunnel?

Is it possible? Probably not.

There are a few of ways in which there is a small glimmer of light at the end of my tunnel.

1. Our last home event is officially this Saturday, May 19th with a 1PM Baseball game.
2. Students are gone for the summer (most of them anyway).
3. Wednesday I'm going to a follow up appointment with my Dr. to see if I am mono-free.

There are several ways in which there will probably never be a light at end of my tunnel.

1. Summer is time to plan for next year - hard core plan.
2. I still have to manage interns - no break from
3. I probably haven't rested enough and still have mono.
4. I just created a "Summer Timeline" for work and it makes me want to cry.
5. Reunion Weekend is June 15th-17th.
6. Freshman Orientation starts May 30th and goes through June 28th.
7. NACMA Convention is June 7th-10th - a weekend that would have otherwise been free.
8. Football season will be right around the corner.

I'm sure I could list more. Sigh. This is the life I have chosen.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

PostSecret

I wanted to post about this earlier, but I got Rachel and book for her birthday and didn’t want to give it away. Now I can post freely. A co-worker of mine brought in Frank Warren’s first PostSecret book and I was intrigued. PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a homemade postcard. I just learned that Frank’s wife committed suicide 8 years ago and that was the beginning of the hope hotline and postsecret. He wanted people to have a place to send their secrets. The books are very interesting to look at and fascinating to see which secrets you might relate to. Some are funny, some are sad, and some are disturbing. I think about how much thought would have to go into the placement of the secrets in the book, it would be important to have a funny secret next to a gloomy secret that breaks your heart. The artwork that people have come up with is amazingly creative. There is also a PostSecret website that is updated every Sunday. I have it linked on my sidebar. On Saturday, May 19th, Frank Warren is speaking on the campus of Ohio University. So far, I’m planning to attend. The thought I leave you with, what are your secrets?

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

SATC - Season 6 Part One

"After Miranda said the s-word twice, I wondered if should was another disease plaguing women. Did we want babies and perfect honeymoons? Or did we think we should have babies and perfect honeymoons? How do we separate what we could do from what we should do? And here’s an alarming thought, it’s not just peer pressure, it seems to be coming from within. Why are we should-ing all over ourselves?"

Thursday, April 26, 2007

The Devil Wears Prada

This statement is so true. A co-worker and I were discussing the subject this afternoon.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Mono

Apparently the dizziness and lightheaded-ness translates to mono. I saw my doctor last week and results of my blood test said mono. There is no antibiotic available to treat it, so I'm just supposed to rest. Easier said than done. I developed another soar throat over the weekend and am still pretty tired.

From Wikipedia:
Infectious mononucleosis, a disease seen most commonly in adolescents and young adults, characterized by fever, sore throat, muscle soreness, and fatigue. White patches on the tonsils or in the back of the throat may also be seen, (resembling strep throat). Mononucleosis is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which infects B cells (B-lymphocytes), producing a reactive lymphocytosis and atypical T cells (T-lymphocytes) known as Downey bodies.
The virus is typically transmitted from asymptomatic individuals through blood or saliva, or by sharing a drink, or sharing eating utensils. The disease is far less contagious than is commonly thought. In rare cases a person may have a high resistance to infection. The disease is so-named because the count of mononuclear leukocytes (white blood cells with a one-lobed nucleus) rises significantly. There are two main types of mononuclear leukocytes: monocytes and lymphocytes. They normally account for about 35% of all white blood cells. With infectious mononucleosis, this can rise to 50-70%. Also, the total white blood count may increase to 10000-20000 per cubic millimeter.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Dizziness

Why do I feel so dizzy and light headed lately? Does anyone know what might cause this? I'm pretty certain that it's not low blood sugar or dehydration. Hmm. I hope it goes away soon.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Lifehouse. Is. My. Favorite. Band. Ever.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about the upcoming Lifehouse concert. They are coming out with a new album in June and have a select three shows they are playing before then. Luckily, they are coming to Columbus at the end of this month. John was nice enough to purchase tickets. Rachel and I saw Lifehouse at Bogart’s about two years ago and it was AMAZING!!! Best concert ever, hands down … but then again I’m a little biased. Jason Wade is so talented, I can’t get over it. I still remember when I realized how incredible the album, No Name Face is. I was driving near Athens to visit MDog and the lyrics just hit me like a splash of water. And of course, I’ve loved every album since. I can’t wait to report on the concert. More updates on the new album to come.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

HotLanta




So, the trip to Atlanta was pretty good. I can’t tell you how much I love college basketball!

Friday night we stopped in Knoxville, TN at Dottie’s house, my mom’s best friend from high school. It was nice to hang out with her for a bit before heading down to Atlanta, Saturday morning. In Atlanta, we stayed with another of my mom’s high school friends. We stopped there before getting on the Marta to head towards downtown. It’s so neat to see all the fans in their gear and psyched up about their teams. Unfortunately, we didn’t really get to see any famous people this year. Patrick Ewing was there to see his son play for Georgetown, but that was it about it other than Clark Kellogg, Greg Gumble, Seth Davis, Billy Packer, and Jim Nance…the normal CBS crew. Sunday, we just kind of hung out. I later realized that there were some good bands performing at the free concerts in the Olympic Park, so I headed downtown in time for the last two. Sugarland and Maroon 5. I had no idea that the lead for Maroon 5, Adam Levine was so HOT!! Sugarland was excellent too, I was sad to miss their first and only song that I knew. She was cute too. I was looking for pictures, but can’t find any.

Monday, we checked out the Martin Luther King Jr. historic site, walked by his birthplace, the Ebenezer Baptist Church, and burial site. It was nice to take in a little site seeing before the big game. We got back on the Marta and walked through the Olympic Park and to Hoop City and then the Georgia Dome. The weather was beautiful and it was great watching all the fans pile into the stadium. There were 51,000+ of us there! I decided not to really cheer for anyone in an effort to not piss my mom off too much and then the Florida fans were so obnoxious. It was just a great feeling being there, knowing how many times I’ve watched this on television. My favorite part may have been see the CBS One Shining Moment video presentation live in the arena and the confetti falling from the ceiling were both amazing. Also, it was a great day because we did a lot of walking, 17,114 steps to be exact. Tuesday, we headed back up 75 north and once again stopped in Knoxville, TN. This time it for a brief visit with my former co-workers. We pulled into the Cincinnati area around 7:30PM and were dead tired. It was a great trip, makes me even more excited to try and fulfill my dream job … working for the NCAA and planning the tournament, specifically the Final Four.

Friday, March 30, 2007

The Road Stops Here


... in Atlanta. Once again, I have the wonderful opportunity to attend the Final Four. Even though the teams that I like have lost, I'm excited to be going. As you know, I love college basketball and March Madness. It's great to have surpassed the goals of my To Do By 30 List! Join me in cheering for Georgetown (and anyone who play against Ohio State) and UCLA.


Monday, March 19, 2007

Here's an interesting bit of information I found out today. I just thought I would share it with the rest of you. I had no idea!

Stress buster

It is a great stress reliever, it quiets the mind and has the effects of meditation. If your mind still races while you're kissing someone, you are simply kissing the wrong person. Kissing the right person makes the experience relaxing, warm, passionate and tender. Kissing demands staying in the moment and it ought to have your total attention. Additionally, it induces many of the same brain wave and chemistry changes that meditation does. It induces a sense of peace and calm.

Burns calories

Kissing burns calories, too. Professor Bryant Stamford, of the University of Louisville, postulates that a deep, passionate kiss may double your basic metabolic rate and burn as many as two calories a minute. Do the math. Kissing for 15 minutes burns approximately 30 calories. If one were to kiss passionately for 15 minutes that might lead to other calorie burning activities such as sex which may, of course, lead to more passionate kissing. More passionate kissing could lead to more torrid sex, thereby creating a passion loop. This could be a more exciting expenditure of energy than climbing stairs or taking a walk for the very same result. It's not exactly a cardiovascular workout, but it certainly has a delightful place in a healthy lifestyle.

Tones facial muscles

French kissing? Think about those tongue muscles! Kissing can give them quite a workout. How about the muscles in your lips, cheeks, face and neck, etc? The possibilities are endless. It will make you smile, too; and that definitely will make you look better, happier and healthier.

Boosts immune system

While kissing isn't a replacement for brushing your teeth, it does provide extra saliva that washes bacteria off your teeth. And, speaking of bacteria, kissing boosts your immune system. By exchanging bacteria through a kiss you are stimulating your internal defence mechanism. Increases pleasure Kissing can be an exciting journey into sensuality. The lips are a bundle of nerve endings and, therefore, are very sensitive. Not even genitals have as much sensitivity as lips. Many times kissing induces other types of touching. We are a touch-deprived nation and, therefore, hugs are extremely therapeutic as well. Kissing, hugging and touching increase feelings of security and wellbeing. When our wellbeing improves our self-esteem increases. We feel more secure and better about ourselves, and our outer persona reflects it. Others can't help but notice. Therefore, the possibilities of self-improvement through the beneficial effects of kissing and what follows are endless.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

We are Dancing!!!


Selection Sunday Update: We are dancing as a #14 seed in Spokane, WA. Can we make it back to St. Louis?!?!?!?











We are MAC Champions!!! I'm so excited and I LOVE MARCH MADNESS! The last time we made the tournament was in 1999 when we went to the Sweet 16. The Selection Show is at 5:30PM on CBS ... find out where we will play.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Believe it or not

I’m walkin’ on air
I never thought I could feel so free
Flying away on a wing and a prayer
Who could it be?
Believe it or not
It’s just me

I believe this song to be very uplifting. I feel good just about every time I hear it and sometimes listen to it intentionally so that it gives me a certain feel. On our last session of the Well-Being Way, we had to bring in something that made us refuel our feel (remember how we want to feel). I chose this song as well as a self portrait from one of my trips to California. The challenge is bringing how we feel during those special circumstances into our daily lives and learning to do things that help us to feel how we want to feel.

*song is the theme from The Greatest American Hero

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Mascot


Should I be Swoop on Saturday?

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

To me, Risk = Hurt = Scary

This is kind of a comment (and by comment, I mean question) related to Rachel’s blog, to satisfy Erin’s need for a new post, and the fact that I need some input.

For someone who doesn’t know how or feel right taking risks … How does one know if it’s the right guy?






P.S. It was risky enough for me to post this.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Fat Tuesday

Don't forget to get your paczki's today! Celebrate the Polish tradition and enjoy a tremendous pastry.

Monday, February 19, 2007

For crying out loud


OK. No one has ever bought me flowers. And by no one, I mean no boy has ever bought me flowers…sure I’ve been given flowers at birthdays and graduations and what not. Until this past weekend…when Roomie bought me one dozen, red, long stem roses. They were beautifully packaged in white tissue paper with green ivory and tied with twine-like ribbon into a bow. After he handed it to me, I continued to browse through Vogue. WHY WOULD HE DO THIS? I continued looking at the magazine until Sarah yelled at me to open them. I didn’t want to look up because if I didn’t, then it wouldn’t be real. Now, I don’t want to seem ungrateful. It’s fabulous to get flowers. It’s better when they aren’t from a freak. It’s best when they are from someone in which you have mutual interest. The roses are pretty to even someone who thinks roses are cliché. I’m more about hydrangeas, peonies, carnations, tulips, daisies, or sunflowers. I’m just being too picky. Either way, the roses are centered on the dining room table mixed with baby’s breath looking quite lovely. Roses from Chinatown…at least it provided some entertainment for the group.

Portage County and P-Sula

As you already know from reading Rachel’s blog that it was a good weekend. It was so much fun to hang out with the girls and to see Becky again.

Friday night, the margaritas were superb as well as the DJ. Nice timing on having it ready right when I opened the door! I prefer not to be soaked (and I do mean literally drenched) in cranberry and vodka. I also prefer that Miranda doesn’t ignore us.

The Randolph Library was as quaint as ever. I probably enjoyed thumbing through Modern Bride a little too much. The group, minus Rachel was overly excited for Sugar Cinnamon Balls from some little Italian carryout place that I can’t remember its name.

Rascal, Sarah’s kitten is extremely adorable.

I’m actually considering a purchase of western boots from Clippity Clop. I haven’t figured out why as of yet. I tried on about six pairs.

Roses – to be explained more specifically in the next post.

The formal dinner party turned out to be not-so-formal. We wouldn’t have been out of place in hoodies and jeans, but we felt glamorous regardless of our company. J&T Events could have lent a hand with the planning of the event and silent auction. I’m now the proud owner of a United States Air Force Paver.

I love the CD that Sarah made, although I don’t think I have ever listened to so much country music in my life. I listened to Red High Heels and Settlin’ about eight times each on the drive home. Does this mean I should buy the boots?

My roommate noticed this morning that my tire was completely flat, so she brought me to work. Maybe I was lucky to make it home! ;-(

Too bad that we don’t all live closer to each other!!! We seriously need to figure out what city we are moving to for the next chapter of our lives. Of course, it will dependent on jobs and what not. And Sarah, you really need to start a blog!

Monday, February 05, 2007

Things to do before I'm 40

Visit Hawaii
Visit Alaska (visit all 50 states by this time)
Attend an Olympic event
Go on an African Safari
Visit New Zealand
Live outside Ohio
Run a 10k
Own a house
Play the piano
Pay off education loans
Be a part of a community band

Might be getting ahead of myself, but these lists are fun!

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Things to do before I'm 30

Completed:
Run a 5k
Grad School
Attend a U2 or Elton John concert (saw Elton - was amazing!)
Have a job at Miami
Go to a Final Four game

To be completed:
Go on a cruise
Cross country road trip
Visit Las Vegas
See the Tonight Show live
Travel abroad
Learn to play guitar
Puruse photography
Pay off my car
See the Oprah show live
Meet my goal weight

I've got a lot of work to do ...

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Well Being

I’m starting another blog specifically for posting about logging my calories and activities. Here’s the link: joyswellbeing. That way, I won’t clog up this blog with a bunch of boring stuff just to attempt to keep myself accountable. It’s called joyswellbeing right now, but if you have a better name, let me know.

At the end of last semester, all faculty and staff received an e-mail inviting us to participate in The Well Being Way. Here’s a brief description:

What is the Well-Being Way?
Scientific studies show that well-being is the single most important factor influencing long-term health. People who optimize their well-being are more likely to engage in and stay with exercise, eat foods that energize them, sleep better, and do healthy things to continually fuel and refuel their well-being. The WBW engages the participants in a variety of group experiences that when combined with facilitator debriefing enhances well-being, which leads to transformation of one's mind, body, and spirit.

I decided, what the heck, I’ll try it and was picked at random for one of the trial Well Being Way groups. It’s not an exercise program or healthy eating program, it’s more about learning how you feel and how you want to feel to help adjust how you exercise, eat, sleep, and relate to others. This is an eight week program, so you’ll hear updates from time to time about the Well Being Way.

Monday, January 22, 2007

New Day

OK, I hope that this weekend was a wake up call. I realized that none of my clothes are fitting lately. Hmm. Maybe since I haven’t made time for exercise and don’t pay attention to what or how much I eat has something to do with that. Interesting concept. And I’m willing to bet that my inconsistent and wacky sleep habits contribute as well.

So the plan is to go back to counting my calories and logging my activities. This seems to be the only thing that has worked for me. The problem is actually keeping up with this process. I hope to make the effort to accomplish this. Anyone want to help hold me accountable?

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Contentment

So, about a month ago I was terribly afraid of my own thoughts. I said it out loud today for the first time and now I'm going to share here, with some reluctance. My thought was about being content. About a month ago, I astonishingly thought that I might actually be content with my life. You ask why this is so astonishing? Well, it's b/c I can't remember the last time that I thought I could be content. I didn't want to say it out loud b/c if I did, then it couldn't possibly be true, like a jinx or something. For once it seemed I was OK with work and with relationships and with how I was feeling about life in general.

I learned that contentment might not always be good. We aren't content when we are trying new things, b/c they are new. We are stretching our minds and our comfort zones and expanding our knowledge and that doesn't usually mean contentment, it sometimes mean stress. We are content when things are smooth sailing and are comfortable with what's happening in our lives. So maybe it's better for our minds and souls to not be content if it means we are learning and experiencing new things. Maybe things seemed good to me b/c we were winding down the semester at work and I was a little more comfortable talking and sharing with people in my life. I'm not exactly sure what my point is, but this is an interesting perspective on contentment that I learned today. It might take awhile to sink in, but if I'm growing and learning, it's OK to not be content with every aspect of life. Or maybe I should be content with the fact that there is growth in my life. If I do get that glimpse of contentment, does that mean I should change something? OK, I think I'm starting to ramble, so I will stop for now. Comments are greatly desired. ;-)

P.S. Just to clarify, my feeling of contentment was brief and it has passed. I'm trying my best to grow and learn with what life throws my way.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Beauty and the Geek

Now, that's a show I can relate to.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Move Along

“Speak to me, when all you got to keep is strong
Move along, move along like I know you do
And even when your hope is gone
Move along, move along just to make it through”

When did my life become so dramatic? Is this partially the result of therapy and figuring out more about myself and my life and how I react to things? I’m not saying that the drama is a bad thing. Maybe dramatic isn’t even the right word to explain. Increased life experiences…that’s more like it. In the past six months, my learning curve has been more than steep; it took a sharp turn upward. I know some of this may seem vague and unclear, but I guess I’m not quite ready to reveal everything to the world at this point.

Does drama add a certain spice to life rather than just make it more complicated?

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Chinese New Year

So anyone who didn’t come to the party at Rachel’s, you missed out. We had a grand old time with both Chinese and American friends. Much food, drink, and laughter were had by all. There were some classic Roomie moments. I’d like to share four of them with you.

Alcohol removed wine – Roomie was in charge of buying beer and wine for the party. Rachel and I were cracking up when we looked at the bottles (one red and one white)…they were alcohol removed! Who would want to drink that?

Watika – This is probably the funniest thing I’ve heard in awhile and it still makes me laugh. Unfortunately it won’t mean much to you through a blog…it just won’t have the same effect. Roomie’s pronunciation of vodka is WATIKA. You think it sounds like water or vodka, but it has more syllables…so it takes a bit to figure out what he is saying. LOL.

Crack – Sarah and I were making cheese ball and I explained to Roomie that you put it on crackers. He didn’t know what crackers were, then when I got them out, he said they were cookies. I said that cookies are sweet and crackers are salty. He said, “I wanted to see what crack was.” We told him repeatedly that it was crackers, not crack. Crack is a drug and we are not serving that at the party. CRACKERS. He kept saying crack.

Is your wife at home with the baby? – This wasn’t actually a Roomie moment, so much as it was a friend of Roomie moment. “Frankie” kept going in Roomie’s bedroom to take phone calls from his wife. Earlier, Rachel or someone had said that he had a kid and the wife was home with the kid. I asked him if his wife was home with the baby and had to repeat myself about 4-5 times and I don’t think Frankie or Roomie knew what I was saying at all. Someone said, “the question was too hard, you need to break it down!” So I said, “Do you have a baby?” Sarcasm is lost in translation I think.

Hope yours was Happy!!!