Yesterday, Steve started school.
It's a big deal. The last time he was in school was 1990, and frankly, he wasn't a fan of it back then. Since we've been together, whenever we discussed what he'd do after the Air Force, he was adamant about not going back to school for any reason. So, when he announced a few weeks ago that he had looked into attending a local college, I was floored. Then he told me that he was going to get a license as an Accounting technician! There was me, back on the floor.
It's a really good program, allowing him to go at his own pace, so he can take longer on classes that are more difficult or that are totally new subject matter and speed through the easy, general classes. And, he can test out of classes. In fact, he already tested out of Math and waived Interpersonal Relations due to military trainings he had taken and had certifications for. That's two classes finished before the first week is even over! He's also planning on testing out of a computer class on Friday. He's such a smartie!
He has classes Monday through Friday, from 8am to 3pm with an hour lunch. The classes are set up so someone can start any time and do the work at their own pace. An instructor is in the room during the class to answer questions and provide guidance. I'm still not 100% sure how the learning takes place - if it's all textbook-oriented or if there are video lectures that the students watch or if each class has its own format. Steve's first day consisted mostly of testing to see where he stood and getting his feet wet in the classes, so he couldn't really explain the class set-up to me yet.
The plan is for him to go full-time and be finished in 9 months or sooner. The school says it should take 9 months if he goes full-time, but that is with taking all of the classes for a certain time interval. He'll test out of a few classes and be able to finish others faster, so 9 months is the longest it should take him. The school has an excellent job placement program with 100% placement with this certificate. He'll also get help with resumes, interview skills, and other things to help him find a job when he's done with school.
If he really, really likes being an Accounting tech, after awhile he may go back to school again and get his Bachelor's in Accounting, but that's a ways off. Heck, he may like being an Accounting tech so much that he stays at it until the next time he retires! It doesn't matter to me, I just want him to like what he does. I just think it's funny that we'll both be in Accounting!
It's been almost 4 months since Steve retired from the Air Force (unofficially, that is). He deserved a good long break after 22 years of military service. I could tell, though, that he was starting to get ants in his pants. You can only do so much housework and puttering around the house before you're bored to death, and he was close to it. That said, I loved having him home all the time and got quite spoiled. He cleaned the house, did the dishes, went grocery shopping, cooked many of our meals, walked the dog, and even painted our living room wall! He ran errands and was always available when something needed to be done. It was wonderful! Sigh. I console myself with the thought that he's going to be more satisfied now that he's doing something away from the house, something for his future and our future as a family.
I'm proud of him.
Showing posts with label plans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plans. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Did You Know...
Did you know...
...that I cut 4 inches off my hair last weekend on a whim? It's now to my chin in the front and shorter in the back.
...that Steve and I are making homemade pizza tonight and I'm so excited to eat so many sauteed mushrooms that about 1/3 of them will actually make it on my side of the pizza?
...the Colorado Avalanche is my favorite professional hockey team?
...Vancouver Canuck's are my least favorite team? Technically, the Avalanche's hated rivals, the Detroit Red Wings should be, but I can't help it.
...I got a cheap-o bubble gum dispense as a white elephant gift at my office Christmas party? It's on my desk and I put salted peanuts in it.
...I also have 2 mugs of candy on my desk? One is Miss Chatterbox and contains Kisses, the other is Miss Sunshine and holds Skittles. Steve gave me the mugs.
...I'm going to school for a Masters of Taxation? It's the only such program in the state of Utah.
...I recently went to San Antonio with Steve? You should if you read the blog regularly. :)
...we're planning a trip in May and may go to Disney World? I've never been to Florida - it's the big selling point as I'm not really big on amusement parks.
...I'm slowly losing the weight I put on at Christmas? I'm down 4 lbs!
...yellow is my current favorite color? It's so friendly and sunny and hopeful.
...I miss my mom? Luckily, she's coming for a visit in February!!!
...I'm currently suffering from seasonal depression? No sunshine for weeks on end does that to me. (And possibly lingering effects from a miscarriage???)
...I have a greyhound named Sadie? She's a crazy, wonderful, silly dog who always makes me feel loved when I get home from work. She is at the door even before Steve to welcome me home.
...I love mushrooms sauteed in butter? Mmmm. I can't wait for dinner tonight!
...I'm a Ute, a Thunderbird, and a Wildcat? Someday, I'll probably add to that list.
...I want to be a professor when I grow up? Most likely an Accounting professor, but maybe Economics.
...that we're planning on going to a Denver Broncos game this fall? They used to be my least favorite team, until they signed Peyton Manning, my football crush. Now I cheer for them because I want him to do well. Yes, Steve knows and doesn't care. He's a good man.
...I used to like the 49ers until the coach was a big, fat jerk to Alex Smith (a fellow Ute alumnus). That said, I can't cheer for Ray Lewis and the Ravens, so I guess I hope the 49ers win the Super Bowl this Sunday. Lesser of two evils, I guess.
...my husband is cheering for the Cowboys this weekend? He doesn't believe in cheering for any other football team. That's loyalty, people.
...I've never owned a pair of cowboy boots? Are they comfortable? They don't look comfy, but I wouldn't know since I've never even worn a pair. Maybe someday...if we move to Texas?
...that as I saute sliced mushrooms I'll also be dipping raw mushrooms in ranch and popping them in my mouth? Mmmmm. Good thing it's time to go home, so I can eat me some mushrooms!!
Have a good evening, everyone!!
...that I cut 4 inches off my hair last weekend on a whim? It's now to my chin in the front and shorter in the back.
...that Steve and I are making homemade pizza tonight and I'm so excited to eat so many sauteed mushrooms that about 1/3 of them will actually make it on my side of the pizza?
...the Colorado Avalanche is my favorite professional hockey team?
...Vancouver Canuck's are my least favorite team? Technically, the Avalanche's hated rivals, the Detroit Red Wings should be, but I can't help it.
...I got a cheap-o bubble gum dispense as a white elephant gift at my office Christmas party? It's on my desk and I put salted peanuts in it.
...I also have 2 mugs of candy on my desk? One is Miss Chatterbox and contains Kisses, the other is Miss Sunshine and holds Skittles. Steve gave me the mugs.
...I'm going to school for a Masters of Taxation? It's the only such program in the state of Utah.
...I recently went to San Antonio with Steve? You should if you read the blog regularly. :)
...we're planning a trip in May and may go to Disney World? I've never been to Florida - it's the big selling point as I'm not really big on amusement parks.
...I'm slowly losing the weight I put on at Christmas? I'm down 4 lbs!
...yellow is my current favorite color? It's so friendly and sunny and hopeful.
...I miss my mom? Luckily, she's coming for a visit in February!!!
...I'm currently suffering from seasonal depression? No sunshine for weeks on end does that to me. (And possibly lingering effects from a miscarriage???)
...I have a greyhound named Sadie? She's a crazy, wonderful, silly dog who always makes me feel loved when I get home from work. She is at the door even before Steve to welcome me home.
...I love mushrooms sauteed in butter? Mmmm. I can't wait for dinner tonight!
...I'm a Ute, a Thunderbird, and a Wildcat? Someday, I'll probably add to that list.
...I want to be a professor when I grow up? Most likely an Accounting professor, but maybe Economics.
...that we're planning on going to a Denver Broncos game this fall? They used to be my least favorite team, until they signed Peyton Manning, my football crush. Now I cheer for them because I want him to do well. Yes, Steve knows and doesn't care. He's a good man.
...I used to like the 49ers until the coach was a big, fat jerk to Alex Smith (a fellow Ute alumnus). That said, I can't cheer for Ray Lewis and the Ravens, so I guess I hope the 49ers win the Super Bowl this Sunday. Lesser of two evils, I guess.
...my husband is cheering for the Cowboys this weekend? He doesn't believe in cheering for any other football team. That's loyalty, people.
...I've never owned a pair of cowboy boots? Are they comfortable? They don't look comfy, but I wouldn't know since I've never even worn a pair. Maybe someday...if we move to Texas?
...that as I saute sliced mushrooms I'll also be dipping raw mushrooms in ranch and popping them in my mouth? Mmmmm. Good thing it's time to go home, so I can eat me some mushrooms!!
Have a good evening, everyone!!
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
October Update
I realized yesterday that I forgot to do a September update. I've been busy. And I forgot. It's amazing what you can forget when you're not paying attention. I decided to write my October Update since it's close enough to the end of the month and because I'm at work with nothing to do but study for my upcoming International Accounting test. (yuck)
So, here we go.
Surgery. I'm pretty much fully recovered from my June tummy tuck. It amazes me that it took so long to feel so close to 100% better. I'm not 100% better. I will consider myself 100% better when I no longer have any tightness around my stomach. It's almost gone and a lot of the time I forget it's there, which is a good indication that it's not as bad as it was OR that humans really do get accustumed to just about anything. I'm going with the former. Another good sign of improvement is my increased stomach muscle strength. I'm able to do sit-ups by myself as long as my feet are tucked under something, usually my sofa. I'm gradually increasing the number of sit-ups I do every night and find I'm able to go faster than when I started. The area around my belly button is still numb but that area is decreasing in size slowly.
I'm still loving the effects of the surgery. I've never enjoyed wearing pants so much! I'm really glad I did it; however, I think I'm done with plastic surgery. My breasts, upper arms, and thighs still have a lot of excess skin, but I can live with them. My body isn't perfect, but I don't need it to be. I'm okay with how I look...at least most of the time. :)
Work. When I interviewed for this job, I asked about the workload. I was told that it was enough to keep me pretty busy all the time but not so much that I'd feel a lot of stress to get things done. I was very happy since I like to be busy and productive. Three months into the job, I've pretty much figured out all the things I'm supposed to do and do them all too efficiently. The things that are supposed to take me all month to do, I finish earlier. It's a good thing, except that it leaves me with a lot of time on my hands. I'm hoping to pick up duties to supplement my current work load.
On the whole, I really enjoy my job. The people with whom I work are pretty terrific, especially those in the same building as my office. There are a couple people that annoy me but luckily I don't have to deal with them on a daily basis. And, in fact, I like them as people, but their silly office politics drive me batty. One of them is always forgetting that she doesn't have to do my job any more...she took over for a long time before they hired me and found she really likes it and doesn't want to give it up. Ah well. It's a good job and I'm glad to have it...most of the time.
School. I will be so happy when this semester ends! I know that one shouldn't wish away time, but it will really be good to get this semester finished. My classes this semester, International Accounting and Advanced Financial Reporting, had such potential to be really good, but the professors aren't teaching the material. It's kind of frustrating. After talking to several other Masters students last week, I decided to change from the Masters of Accounting program to the Masters of Tax program. It's not a very significant change except that the professors who teach the tax classes are better professors. I've had one before and loved his teaching style. The other is the favorite professor in the Accounting department because he is such a good teacher. So, I'll get better instruction and will still get a degree that will get me where I want to go - a PhD program. I'm struggling to balance full-time work with two Masters classes and a husband, but I'm making it work. I like my job, I like being in school, and I love my husband, but all three together stresses me out (although Steve is such a help, as I'll write below). I'm constantly fighting off the urge to quit school or work, reminding myself that it will be worth it if I perservere. Someday, I'll be doing what I want (teaching Accounting at a university), but in the meantime, I try to be grateful to be where I am instead of where I've been in the past (that job I hated in Salt Lake!).
Journaling. Still isn't happening. It's sad. My journal is now by my bed but I still neglect it. I really would like to record the events of my life more frequently. I need to figure out how I'm going to get back into the habit.
Exercising. Weber State has a Wellness Pays program that pays employees for doing healthy things. One of the things is a twelve-week exercise program. All I have to do is record when I exercise and after 12 weeks turn in the record and receive $20 on my next paycheck. I exercise any way, so I'm getting paid to do what I already do! I'm almost done with my 12 weeks and have only missed three days of exercising the whole time. Yay! Two of those days I was sick and the other day was a day I had class at night and didn't make it to the gym during the day. Mondays and Wednesdays are the nights I have class and so can't go walking with Steve and Sadie in the evening. Weber State allows employees 3 hours of paid "wellness time" every week, so I use that time to walk around the indoor track at the gym on the days I have class. I used to also walk Sadie every morning, but our family life has changed in such a way that I don't do that any more. I don't record the mileage any more, just the amount of time, so next year I'm going to make a goal that reflects that.
Steve. We found out the 16th of this month that Steve will be retired from the Air Force as of December 1, 2012! He had applied for early retirement for various reasons but we didn't think we'd find out as soon as we did or that it would be so soon. When he first decided to retire early, I was a little stressed, but not any more. It helps that I have a full-time job now. Even though it doesn't pay a lot, combined with his retirement, we'll be okay. In fact, we'll be making about what we're used to having to spend, since we are used to putting a healthy chunk of our income in savings. We won't be able to save as much until Steve gets another job, but at least we'll be able to pay all our bills and pretty much live like we're accustomed. Overall, it's a really good thing Steve is retiring. He's put in 22 years and has really earned this retirement. Whatever he ends up doing, I just hope it's something he enjoys.
Like I said, we found out on the 16th and the 18th was his last day of work since he has so much leave accrued. He has had to go on base a few times to do out-processing stuff, but mostly he's been at home. I'm constantly reminded of what a great man I married. Now that I'm working full-time, going to class, and having tons of homework, Steve has really stepped up to help around the house. He had stepped up before he retired, but since staying home all day, he's been even more helpful. Every weekend, while I'm in the Study doing homework, he's downstairs cleaning the house. Now he's even started taking over the cooking duties! Thank heavens for Pinterest and simple but delicious recipes! He gets a little bored, but mostly he's happy to be retired. He knows of some jobs on base that will be opening soon and has tons of contacts on base that will help him get a civilian job, so I'm pretty confident he'll get a job sooner or later. Until then, I'm just glad he's happy.
Other. We've been pretty busy lately. Lots of fun things happening. We've gone to a couple WSU football and volleyball games and a play called Charm. As a staff member, I get two tickets to lots of activities for free. It makes date nights easy to plan and very inexpensive. One night this month, my department at work had a dinner and bowling activity for all of us who had volunteered for the Tech Expo we hosted on campus. Steve and I decided to go to support my work and ended up having a blast. They had really tasty bbq brisket and chicken with corn bread, beans, and peach cobbler! After dinner, we played a few games of bowling and I actually did better than usual. Then we played billiards...I'm horrible at billiards. We played twice and I won once because he hit the 8 ball in when he shouldn't. It was a lot of fun. This next month, we'll be going to more games on campus, especially since basketball is starting. And, there's another play! We're active Wildcats.
Last Friday, we went with my cousin Cassie to Laughing Stock, a comedy improv group that we used to go to every cousins weekend. Before Laughing Stock, we ate dinner at a Lebanese restaurant then had cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory...so overpriced but so yummy! Steve was such a good sport, listening to us babble incessantly. It was fun seeing Cassie and great to get back to Laughing Stock.
Sunday, Steve and I went to my nephew's Primary program in Sandy. It was the first time Steve has ever been to church with me (he's only ever been to family baptisms and a funeral with me), so I explained what to expect in Sacrament Meeting as we drove the hour to my brother's church house. My nephew, who is 4, was a hoot to watch during the program. He sings with such gusto and earnestness and is such a ham at times. Afterward, we had lunch at their house and played for a little bit. I'm glad to have family close by and will be sad if they end up moving away like they're hoping to.
October was a good month. I loved that it stayed warm most of the month and the fall colors were beautiful, as always. Last week, when the snow storm blew in and dropped a couple inches of snow, I realized that I'm so not ready for winter and the cold! I keep trying to convince Steve that we should move to a tropical island/country now that he's retired. There are places we could live like kings on his retirement alone! So far, I haven't convinced him, so I guess we'll stay put...for now.
Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you have a safe, fun holiday! I'll be dressing up as a bee again and may post a picture if I manage to take one.
So, here we go.
Surgery. I'm pretty much fully recovered from my June tummy tuck. It amazes me that it took so long to feel so close to 100% better. I'm not 100% better. I will consider myself 100% better when I no longer have any tightness around my stomach. It's almost gone and a lot of the time I forget it's there, which is a good indication that it's not as bad as it was OR that humans really do get accustumed to just about anything. I'm going with the former. Another good sign of improvement is my increased stomach muscle strength. I'm able to do sit-ups by myself as long as my feet are tucked under something, usually my sofa. I'm gradually increasing the number of sit-ups I do every night and find I'm able to go faster than when I started. The area around my belly button is still numb but that area is decreasing in size slowly.
I'm still loving the effects of the surgery. I've never enjoyed wearing pants so much! I'm really glad I did it; however, I think I'm done with plastic surgery. My breasts, upper arms, and thighs still have a lot of excess skin, but I can live with them. My body isn't perfect, but I don't need it to be. I'm okay with how I look...at least most of the time. :)
Work. When I interviewed for this job, I asked about the workload. I was told that it was enough to keep me pretty busy all the time but not so much that I'd feel a lot of stress to get things done. I was very happy since I like to be busy and productive. Three months into the job, I've pretty much figured out all the things I'm supposed to do and do them all too efficiently. The things that are supposed to take me all month to do, I finish earlier. It's a good thing, except that it leaves me with a lot of time on my hands. I'm hoping to pick up duties to supplement my current work load.
On the whole, I really enjoy my job. The people with whom I work are pretty terrific, especially those in the same building as my office. There are a couple people that annoy me but luckily I don't have to deal with them on a daily basis. And, in fact, I like them as people, but their silly office politics drive me batty. One of them is always forgetting that she doesn't have to do my job any more...she took over for a long time before they hired me and found she really likes it and doesn't want to give it up. Ah well. It's a good job and I'm glad to have it...most of the time.
School. I will be so happy when this semester ends! I know that one shouldn't wish away time, but it will really be good to get this semester finished. My classes this semester, International Accounting and Advanced Financial Reporting, had such potential to be really good, but the professors aren't teaching the material. It's kind of frustrating. After talking to several other Masters students last week, I decided to change from the Masters of Accounting program to the Masters of Tax program. It's not a very significant change except that the professors who teach the tax classes are better professors. I've had one before and loved his teaching style. The other is the favorite professor in the Accounting department because he is such a good teacher. So, I'll get better instruction and will still get a degree that will get me where I want to go - a PhD program. I'm struggling to balance full-time work with two Masters classes and a husband, but I'm making it work. I like my job, I like being in school, and I love my husband, but all three together stresses me out (although Steve is such a help, as I'll write below). I'm constantly fighting off the urge to quit school or work, reminding myself that it will be worth it if I perservere. Someday, I'll be doing what I want (teaching Accounting at a university), but in the meantime, I try to be grateful to be where I am instead of where I've been in the past (that job I hated in Salt Lake!).
Journaling. Still isn't happening. It's sad. My journal is now by my bed but I still neglect it. I really would like to record the events of my life more frequently. I need to figure out how I'm going to get back into the habit.
Exercising. Weber State has a Wellness Pays program that pays employees for doing healthy things. One of the things is a twelve-week exercise program. All I have to do is record when I exercise and after 12 weeks turn in the record and receive $20 on my next paycheck. I exercise any way, so I'm getting paid to do what I already do! I'm almost done with my 12 weeks and have only missed three days of exercising the whole time. Yay! Two of those days I was sick and the other day was a day I had class at night and didn't make it to the gym during the day. Mondays and Wednesdays are the nights I have class and so can't go walking with Steve and Sadie in the evening. Weber State allows employees 3 hours of paid "wellness time" every week, so I use that time to walk around the indoor track at the gym on the days I have class. I used to also walk Sadie every morning, but our family life has changed in such a way that I don't do that any more. I don't record the mileage any more, just the amount of time, so next year I'm going to make a goal that reflects that.
Steve. We found out the 16th of this month that Steve will be retired from the Air Force as of December 1, 2012! He had applied for early retirement for various reasons but we didn't think we'd find out as soon as we did or that it would be so soon. When he first decided to retire early, I was a little stressed, but not any more. It helps that I have a full-time job now. Even though it doesn't pay a lot, combined with his retirement, we'll be okay. In fact, we'll be making about what we're used to having to spend, since we are used to putting a healthy chunk of our income in savings. We won't be able to save as much until Steve gets another job, but at least we'll be able to pay all our bills and pretty much live like we're accustomed. Overall, it's a really good thing Steve is retiring. He's put in 22 years and has really earned this retirement. Whatever he ends up doing, I just hope it's something he enjoys.
Like I said, we found out on the 16th and the 18th was his last day of work since he has so much leave accrued. He has had to go on base a few times to do out-processing stuff, but mostly he's been at home. I'm constantly reminded of what a great man I married. Now that I'm working full-time, going to class, and having tons of homework, Steve has really stepped up to help around the house. He had stepped up before he retired, but since staying home all day, he's been even more helpful. Every weekend, while I'm in the Study doing homework, he's downstairs cleaning the house. Now he's even started taking over the cooking duties! Thank heavens for Pinterest and simple but delicious recipes! He gets a little bored, but mostly he's happy to be retired. He knows of some jobs on base that will be opening soon and has tons of contacts on base that will help him get a civilian job, so I'm pretty confident he'll get a job sooner or later. Until then, I'm just glad he's happy.
Other. We've been pretty busy lately. Lots of fun things happening. We've gone to a couple WSU football and volleyball games and a play called Charm. As a staff member, I get two tickets to lots of activities for free. It makes date nights easy to plan and very inexpensive. One night this month, my department at work had a dinner and bowling activity for all of us who had volunteered for the Tech Expo we hosted on campus. Steve and I decided to go to support my work and ended up having a blast. They had really tasty bbq brisket and chicken with corn bread, beans, and peach cobbler! After dinner, we played a few games of bowling and I actually did better than usual. Then we played billiards...I'm horrible at billiards. We played twice and I won once because he hit the 8 ball in when he shouldn't. It was a lot of fun. This next month, we'll be going to more games on campus, especially since basketball is starting. And, there's another play! We're active Wildcats.
Last Friday, we went with my cousin Cassie to Laughing Stock, a comedy improv group that we used to go to every cousins weekend. Before Laughing Stock, we ate dinner at a Lebanese restaurant then had cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory...so overpriced but so yummy! Steve was such a good sport, listening to us babble incessantly. It was fun seeing Cassie and great to get back to Laughing Stock.
Sunday, Steve and I went to my nephew's Primary program in Sandy. It was the first time Steve has ever been to church with me (he's only ever been to family baptisms and a funeral with me), so I explained what to expect in Sacrament Meeting as we drove the hour to my brother's church house. My nephew, who is 4, was a hoot to watch during the program. He sings with such gusto and earnestness and is such a ham at times. Afterward, we had lunch at their house and played for a little bit. I'm glad to have family close by and will be sad if they end up moving away like they're hoping to.
October was a good month. I loved that it stayed warm most of the month and the fall colors were beautiful, as always. Last week, when the snow storm blew in and dropped a couple inches of snow, I realized that I'm so not ready for winter and the cold! I keep trying to convince Steve that we should move to a tropical island/country now that he's retired. There are places we could live like kings on his retirement alone! So far, I haven't convinced him, so I guess we'll stay put...for now.
Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you have a safe, fun holiday! I'll be dressing up as a bee again and may post a picture if I manage to take one.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
April Updates
I had a good April. It's always such a lovely month. I enjoy watching the flowers pop through the earth and for color to be re-introduced into my world. I love the cessation (hopefully) of snow and enjoy the rain as long as there are a few days of sunshine in between storms. Even if it does snow, at least I know that it won't last long and the snow will melt quickly, if it sticks at all.
I didn't have the best of months as far as goals went, quite frankly, but I'm still pleased with how my month turned out. Here's the rundown:
School. Is over! My last day of classes was Thursday, April 12, since I only had Tuesday/Thursday classes. The final for my Auditing class was actually the weekend before that, so after class on the 12th I was done with that class. I took my remaining two finals on Friday the 13th (scary?!) so was completely done with school by 10:30 that morning. It felt great! It feels even better now that I know that I earned straight As for the semester. Woohoo! I worked 4 hours a day the following week with Friday the 20th being my last official day until Fall semester. I have agreed to work a few days here and there up until June to cover my coworker's vacation days, which will be nice. I'll get a little extra income, will get out of the house, and can read for 6 hours because I imagine it's going to be pretty slow. In other school news, I received a letter on April 30th announcing that I have been accepted into the Masters of Accounting program! I'm not overly surprised because I get good grades and had a good test score, but it's still nice to get the confirmation and can now move forward with registering for classes. Yay!
Summer Trip. We accomplished the two big things I wanted to get done with regards to our trip. We booked our shore excursions and we applied for passports. My passport didn't actually expire until next year, but with getting married, I needed to get it updated. Steve has never needed a passport, so he had to get a brand new one. We finally were able to get into the post office (by appointment only) and get everything turned in. I'm actually quite pleased with my passport picture. I figure that anything now would be tons better than my old one! I'm also really pleased about the shore excursions we have picked out. I really didn't want to sit in a tour bus/truck/train for hours on end to look at pretty scenery. That's all okay for a bit but gets old quickly. We're going to go on a zip line over a forest, go to a salmon bake, tour a salmon hatchery, river raft, and a couple other things I can't recall at the moment. It's a good mix of active and not-so-active. I'm really excited.
Journaling. Fell apart this month. I'm totally out of the habit. It's sad because there were a lot of things that I would have liked to record, silly things that don't mean a lot but that I'd like to remember. Like the time I was so tired and jokingly asked Steve to carry me into the bedroom. He picked me up and carried me all over the downstairs turning off lights, shutting blinds, locking doors before finally depositing me on the bed. It was so silly and fun and I was laughing the entire time. It's moments like this that I want to capture and that don't get captured if I don't write daily or close to it. So, I'm recommitting to this goal. Now that I'm not in school and not working, I may try switching the time I write to the mornings instead of at night. We'll see what works.
Exercise. I'm bummed that I didn't meet my goal of exercising 100 miles in April; however, I know I still exercised every day, sometimes twice a day or more, so it's not as bad as it could be. Seriously, having a dog and not having a yard is good for my health! That's why my mileage is down - I walked most of the month and only rode my bike a couple times. It was either too chilly to ride my outside bike or I ended up going for the evening stroll with Steve and Sadie instead of riding my inside bike. No matter, I know I got in a lot of exercise, so I'm okay. This month, I'm going to get back into a routine of riding my bike every morning. The past two weeks have been crazy (plumber, painting, etc) but starting tomorrow I'm going to ride my bike every week day. That should really help out my mileage numbers. AND I really enjoy it.
April exercise totals: 1775 minutes (29.5 hours), 82.5 miles - mostly walking
Second dog. Isn't going to happen. In a way, I'm disappointed because I was really excited about getting another greyhound. However, I'm very proud of myself for recognizing that I couldn't do it and accepting it instead of feeling guilty and doing it anyway. And being miserable. It was hard for me to admit that I wasn't happy with a second dog (it totally wasn't the dog, it was me), but now we know that two big dogs isn't a good idea for us. Other people do it easily, not me. And you know what? I'm okay with that. I'm really enjoying having Sadie and that's good enough.
Summer To-Do List. Since I'm not in school and not working, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish this summer. In April, I accomplished three things - I planted a garden (with Steve), put together a puzzle, and painted the sitting room. Technically, I didn't finish painting until today, but I started on April 30th, so I'm counting it for both months. :) Some of the items are really easy, quick things and others may take more time, but all of them are things I've wanted to do for a long time so am happy to have some time to work on them.
Other. We took a trip to Cedar City for Easter and had a great time seeing my family. Wish Jason would have been able to be there, though. I finally managed to hook up with my cousin, Cassie, and heard all about her trip to Peru. It's always fun to hang out with her. And, I heard wonderful news about one of my best friends getting engaged! I'm so excited for her!
The highlight of the month was my one-year anniversary of being married to my wonderful husband, Steve. In a way, I can't believe we've been married for a whole year. In a way, I can't believe that I haven't been married to him all my life. He's my best friend.
Yep. It was a good month. I love this time of year.
Hope everyone has a wonderful May!!
I didn't have the best of months as far as goals went, quite frankly, but I'm still pleased with how my month turned out. Here's the rundown:
School. Is over! My last day of classes was Thursday, April 12, since I only had Tuesday/Thursday classes. The final for my Auditing class was actually the weekend before that, so after class on the 12th I was done with that class. I took my remaining two finals on Friday the 13th (scary?!) so was completely done with school by 10:30 that morning. It felt great! It feels even better now that I know that I earned straight As for the semester. Woohoo! I worked 4 hours a day the following week with Friday the 20th being my last official day until Fall semester. I have agreed to work a few days here and there up until June to cover my coworker's vacation days, which will be nice. I'll get a little extra income, will get out of the house, and can read for 6 hours because I imagine it's going to be pretty slow. In other school news, I received a letter on April 30th announcing that I have been accepted into the Masters of Accounting program! I'm not overly surprised because I get good grades and had a good test score, but it's still nice to get the confirmation and can now move forward with registering for classes. Yay!
Summer Trip. We accomplished the two big things I wanted to get done with regards to our trip. We booked our shore excursions and we applied for passports. My passport didn't actually expire until next year, but with getting married, I needed to get it updated. Steve has never needed a passport, so he had to get a brand new one. We finally were able to get into the post office (by appointment only) and get everything turned in. I'm actually quite pleased with my passport picture. I figure that anything now would be tons better than my old one! I'm also really pleased about the shore excursions we have picked out. I really didn't want to sit in a tour bus/truck/train for hours on end to look at pretty scenery. That's all okay for a bit but gets old quickly. We're going to go on a zip line over a forest, go to a salmon bake, tour a salmon hatchery, river raft, and a couple other things I can't recall at the moment. It's a good mix of active and not-so-active. I'm really excited.
Journaling. Fell apart this month. I'm totally out of the habit. It's sad because there were a lot of things that I would have liked to record, silly things that don't mean a lot but that I'd like to remember. Like the time I was so tired and jokingly asked Steve to carry me into the bedroom. He picked me up and carried me all over the downstairs turning off lights, shutting blinds, locking doors before finally depositing me on the bed. It was so silly and fun and I was laughing the entire time. It's moments like this that I want to capture and that don't get captured if I don't write daily or close to it. So, I'm recommitting to this goal. Now that I'm not in school and not working, I may try switching the time I write to the mornings instead of at night. We'll see what works.
Exercise. I'm bummed that I didn't meet my goal of exercising 100 miles in April; however, I know I still exercised every day, sometimes twice a day or more, so it's not as bad as it could be. Seriously, having a dog and not having a yard is good for my health! That's why my mileage is down - I walked most of the month and only rode my bike a couple times. It was either too chilly to ride my outside bike or I ended up going for the evening stroll with Steve and Sadie instead of riding my inside bike. No matter, I know I got in a lot of exercise, so I'm okay. This month, I'm going to get back into a routine of riding my bike every morning. The past two weeks have been crazy (plumber, painting, etc) but starting tomorrow I'm going to ride my bike every week day. That should really help out my mileage numbers. AND I really enjoy it.
April exercise totals: 1775 minutes (29.5 hours), 82.5 miles - mostly walking
Second dog. Isn't going to happen. In a way, I'm disappointed because I was really excited about getting another greyhound. However, I'm very proud of myself for recognizing that I couldn't do it and accepting it instead of feeling guilty and doing it anyway. And being miserable. It was hard for me to admit that I wasn't happy with a second dog (it totally wasn't the dog, it was me), but now we know that two big dogs isn't a good idea for us. Other people do it easily, not me. And you know what? I'm okay with that. I'm really enjoying having Sadie and that's good enough.
Summer To-Do List. Since I'm not in school and not working, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish this summer. In April, I accomplished three things - I planted a garden (with Steve), put together a puzzle, and painted the sitting room. Technically, I didn't finish painting until today, but I started on April 30th, so I'm counting it for both months. :) Some of the items are really easy, quick things and others may take more time, but all of them are things I've wanted to do for a long time so am happy to have some time to work on them.
Other. We took a trip to Cedar City for Easter and had a great time seeing my family. Wish Jason would have been able to be there, though. I finally managed to hook up with my cousin, Cassie, and heard all about her trip to Peru. It's always fun to hang out with her. And, I heard wonderful news about one of my best friends getting engaged! I'm so excited for her!
The highlight of the month was my one-year anniversary of being married to my wonderful husband, Steve. In a way, I can't believe we've been married for a whole year. In a way, I can't believe that I haven't been married to him all my life. He's my best friend.
Yep. It was a good month. I love this time of year.
Hope everyone has a wonderful May!!
Monday, April 02, 2012
March Updates
Another month has passed along. Was it just me or did March fly by? The days sometimes seemed to drag into eternity (especially during some classes) but the weeks sped by at lightspeed. Now it's April and March is such a blur that I can't really remember what happened a few weeks ago. If I remember correctly, I had a pretty good month, all in all.
School. School was crazy this month. Both of my in-class professors (Jim and Sandy) are retiring at the end of this semester and Jim is trunky to the extreme. It didn't help that Sandy (Jim's wife) is having health conditions that seem to be impairing her mental abilities and ended up being replaced for my class. They've both missed so many classes that we're behind terribly and schedules for both classes have been so messed up that it's been hard to know what needs to be done and by when. For me, this is the ultimate frustration, and I was feeling pretty stressed. Fortunately, last Thursday, both Jim and Sandy's replacement spelled out the last two weeks of classes, so I can plan my school work and get things done in a timely manner. My online class is all but over, thankfully. I'm weeks ahead of schedule and just need to turn in the assignments and take the final test. To top everything off, I spent the month studying for the GMAT, the entrance test for the Masters of Accounting program, and took it at the end of the month. I did okay and am relieved to have it behind me. This month, I'll focus on finishing the last two weeks of the semester and applying for the Master's program.
Summer Trip. We got a healthy tax return this year and have decided to apply it to our Alaskan cruise. So, we have it all paid off and now just need to prepare for the trip. This week, if I can remember, Steve and I are going to get passports. Mine doesn't expire until next year but I need to get it renewed now because of my name change. Steve doesn't have one. I'm not really sure we'll need passports but we are docking in Canada at least once, so it wouldn't hurt to have them. Plus, they're good for 10 years and we hope to travel quite a bit, especially once I finish school. We also want to look at the port activities and choose one of two for each port and hopefully pre-purchase them (I didn't know we could do this but Steve says he saw it online). I'm really excited for the trip, it's our unofficial honeymoon.
Journaling. Took a big nose dive this month. I still wrote in my journal but nowhere near daily - more like once every few days. The problem has been reading vs. journaling. Reading won more times than not. It's not like they're mutually exclusive events; I could journal the day quickly then read for a little bit. Nope, when I reach for something to do before turning off my bedside lamp, lately it's been my Kindle. I plan on making a more concerted effort to journal daily again in April. Fingers crossed.
Exercise. The highlight of the month, for sure! March blessed me with several days warm enough for bike riding and I took full advantage of each opportunity. I've concluded that I'm not a runner. I don't mind jogging for a bit, but I'll never be a distance runner. By distance, I mean anything over a mile. Bike riding gives me all the pleasures I get from running (bodily exertion, wind in my fair, faster travel) and is more enjoyable to me. Between walking the dog and riding my bike whenever possible, I managed to accomplish my 100+ miles of exercise for the month and shed the pounds I gained from the holidays and having my band too loose. Yay! Once I'm finished with school, I plan on walking Sadie a little longer in the mornings and still going on a bike ride (or even two) every day. The afternoon walks will actually be shortened a bit because the dog doesn't do well in warm weather. She drags like Julie being taken away from the chocolate store.
March exercise totals: 1656 minutes (27.6 hours), 117.6 miles of walking and biking (both indoors and out)
Other. I spent some good times with family and friends this month. We took a nice trip to Cedar at the beginning of my Spring Break and I managed to have lunch with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. And then, last weekend I got to see another good friend and her boyfriend. Plus, we have friends who host dinner at their house every Monday for all their friends and we were able to attend a couple times. We're blessed with good people in our lives.
I chose to end the month, and get a jump on April Fool's Day, by spending too much time sitting in the sun sans sunblock Saturday, the 31st, and ended up getting a nasty sunburn on my arms, knees, and neck. I loved feeling the warmth of the sun's ray's on my almost-always-cold body so much that I totally forgot about the ill-effects of doing so unprotected. Turns out, we don't own any sunblock, so it's going on the top of my shopping list! Despite the sunburn, I had a marvelous last day of March; lots of time with Steve, baseball, shopping, and good food. If only every month could end so nicely.
Here's hoping for a wonderful April!
P.S. Did anyone do anything for April Fools Day? I didn't, sadly. I think I'm hanging up my hat on this one for awhile. Ran out of ideas. Maybe next year.
School. School was crazy this month. Both of my in-class professors (Jim and Sandy) are retiring at the end of this semester and Jim is trunky to the extreme. It didn't help that Sandy (Jim's wife) is having health conditions that seem to be impairing her mental abilities and ended up being replaced for my class. They've both missed so many classes that we're behind terribly and schedules for both classes have been so messed up that it's been hard to know what needs to be done and by when. For me, this is the ultimate frustration, and I was feeling pretty stressed. Fortunately, last Thursday, both Jim and Sandy's replacement spelled out the last two weeks of classes, so I can plan my school work and get things done in a timely manner. My online class is all but over, thankfully. I'm weeks ahead of schedule and just need to turn in the assignments and take the final test. To top everything off, I spent the month studying for the GMAT, the entrance test for the Masters of Accounting program, and took it at the end of the month. I did okay and am relieved to have it behind me. This month, I'll focus on finishing the last two weeks of the semester and applying for the Master's program.
Summer Trip. We got a healthy tax return this year and have decided to apply it to our Alaskan cruise. So, we have it all paid off and now just need to prepare for the trip. This week, if I can remember, Steve and I are going to get passports. Mine doesn't expire until next year but I need to get it renewed now because of my name change. Steve doesn't have one. I'm not really sure we'll need passports but we are docking in Canada at least once, so it wouldn't hurt to have them. Plus, they're good for 10 years and we hope to travel quite a bit, especially once I finish school. We also want to look at the port activities and choose one of two for each port and hopefully pre-purchase them (I didn't know we could do this but Steve says he saw it online). I'm really excited for the trip, it's our unofficial honeymoon.
Journaling. Took a big nose dive this month. I still wrote in my journal but nowhere near daily - more like once every few days. The problem has been reading vs. journaling. Reading won more times than not. It's not like they're mutually exclusive events; I could journal the day quickly then read for a little bit. Nope, when I reach for something to do before turning off my bedside lamp, lately it's been my Kindle. I plan on making a more concerted effort to journal daily again in April. Fingers crossed.
Exercise. The highlight of the month, for sure! March blessed me with several days warm enough for bike riding and I took full advantage of each opportunity. I've concluded that I'm not a runner. I don't mind jogging for a bit, but I'll never be a distance runner. By distance, I mean anything over a mile. Bike riding gives me all the pleasures I get from running (bodily exertion, wind in my fair, faster travel) and is more enjoyable to me. Between walking the dog and riding my bike whenever possible, I managed to accomplish my 100+ miles of exercise for the month and shed the pounds I gained from the holidays and having my band too loose. Yay! Once I'm finished with school, I plan on walking Sadie a little longer in the mornings and still going on a bike ride (or even two) every day. The afternoon walks will actually be shortened a bit because the dog doesn't do well in warm weather. She drags like Julie being taken away from the chocolate store.
March exercise totals: 1656 minutes (27.6 hours), 117.6 miles of walking and biking (both indoors and out)
Other. I spent some good times with family and friends this month. We took a nice trip to Cedar at the beginning of my Spring Break and I managed to have lunch with a few friends I hadn't seen in awhile. And then, last weekend I got to see another good friend and her boyfriend. Plus, we have friends who host dinner at their house every Monday for all their friends and we were able to attend a couple times. We're blessed with good people in our lives.
I chose to end the month, and get a jump on April Fool's Day, by spending too much time sitting in the sun sans sunblock Saturday, the 31st, and ended up getting a nasty sunburn on my arms, knees, and neck. I loved feeling the warmth of the sun's ray's on my almost-always-cold body so much that I totally forgot about the ill-effects of doing so unprotected. Turns out, we don't own any sunblock, so it's going on the top of my shopping list! Despite the sunburn, I had a marvelous last day of March; lots of time with Steve, baseball, shopping, and good food. If only every month could end so nicely.
Here's hoping for a wonderful April!
P.S. Did anyone do anything for April Fools Day? I didn't, sadly. I think I'm hanging up my hat on this one for awhile. Ran out of ideas. Maybe next year.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
A Body of Perfection?
Yesterday, I went to see a plastic surgeon.
After losing about 180 lbs, I'm left with a lot of loose, excess skin. What troubles me the most is the skin around my stomach. Even though I've lost so much weight and can fit into a size 12 pair of jeans (and even accidentally squeezed into a size 10!), I sometimes still feel like I'm 300+ because of my huge stomach. And, it can be difficult when trying on clothes - shirts and dresses that fit over my tummy are loose everywhere else. Mostly, though, it would be nice to be a little more comfortable in my own skin...with less skin. :)
A couple weeks ago, Steve and I were talking about finances and our summer trip and at one point he suggested that I think about getting a tummy tuck. I guess I've mentioned my tummy issues more than I realized and, sweet guy that he is, he said that although he loves how I look, he wants me to be the happiest I can be. If that means getting rid of my excess skin, he was all for it. And, as he pointed out, this summer I'm not taking classes or working and would have plenty of time to recover.
So, yesterday I met with a plastic surgeon. I really liked the doctor and really, really liked that he is in Ogden as opposed to Salt Lake City. It would be so much easier to have the procedure closer to home. With a nurse in the room, I bared my body (with the important bits covered) to the doctor for him to inspect. He was surprised when I told him how much weight I have lost because he's treated a lot of weight loss patients but none that have lost that much. As he inspected my stomach, I mentioned other areas that I dislike (inner thighs, breasts, and upper arms) and he then proceeded to point out other areas that he could tighten up in time (bottom, back, sides, upper abdomen, armpits). I wouldn't have excess skin anywhere, no little pockets of fat, just a few scars that would eventually fade and would be worth acquiring for everything else I'd be losing. Other than the scars, my body would be "perfect" - my thoughts, not his words.
I left the doctor's office with a folder of information; brochures on all the procedures we'd discussed and their prices. I hopped in my car and drove 40 minutes to the Salt Lake airport to pick up my husband (yay!). As I drove, I thought about my body. What would it be like to have a body that was contoured exactly the way it would have been if I had never gained so much weight, if I had always been fit? Amazing!
At some point, I woke up from the fantasy. Do I really need a perfect body? After weighing 350 lbs and then losing 180lbs, will having some excess skin under my armpits really destroy my ability to be happy with my body? I hope not. I look a million times better than I used to (and feel great!) and refuse to let myself be satisfied only with some perception of perfection. Because where will it end if perfection becomes the goal? When I've been cut, stretched, resewn, and made all taut and fat-free, will I find something else about my body to not like? And then what? A nose job? A face lift? Butt implants (because I have the flattest behind known to woman-kind)?
So, I'm going to have the tummy tuck. As mentioned above, it's the area that gives me the most heartache. It's not like I have a tiny little pooch, my bariatric surgeon told me he thinks I have 5-10 lbs of excess skin in that section alone - that's a lot of skin! Afterward, I'll see how I feel, and in time I might have a breast lift or another procedure or two, but I'll definitely still have excess skin in places. My body will never be perfect.
And you know what? That's okay.
After losing about 180 lbs, I'm left with a lot of loose, excess skin. What troubles me the most is the skin around my stomach. Even though I've lost so much weight and can fit into a size 12 pair of jeans (and even accidentally squeezed into a size 10!), I sometimes still feel like I'm 300+ because of my huge stomach. And, it can be difficult when trying on clothes - shirts and dresses that fit over my tummy are loose everywhere else. Mostly, though, it would be nice to be a little more comfortable in my own skin...with less skin. :)
A couple weeks ago, Steve and I were talking about finances and our summer trip and at one point he suggested that I think about getting a tummy tuck. I guess I've mentioned my tummy issues more than I realized and, sweet guy that he is, he said that although he loves how I look, he wants me to be the happiest I can be. If that means getting rid of my excess skin, he was all for it. And, as he pointed out, this summer I'm not taking classes or working and would have plenty of time to recover.
So, yesterday I met with a plastic surgeon. I really liked the doctor and really, really liked that he is in Ogden as opposed to Salt Lake City. It would be so much easier to have the procedure closer to home. With a nurse in the room, I bared my body (with the important bits covered) to the doctor for him to inspect. He was surprised when I told him how much weight I have lost because he's treated a lot of weight loss patients but none that have lost that much. As he inspected my stomach, I mentioned other areas that I dislike (inner thighs, breasts, and upper arms) and he then proceeded to point out other areas that he could tighten up in time (bottom, back, sides, upper abdomen, armpits). I wouldn't have excess skin anywhere, no little pockets of fat, just a few scars that would eventually fade and would be worth acquiring for everything else I'd be losing. Other than the scars, my body would be "perfect" - my thoughts, not his words.
I left the doctor's office with a folder of information; brochures on all the procedures we'd discussed and their prices. I hopped in my car and drove 40 minutes to the Salt Lake airport to pick up my husband (yay!). As I drove, I thought about my body. What would it be like to have a body that was contoured exactly the way it would have been if I had never gained so much weight, if I had always been fit? Amazing!
At some point, I woke up from the fantasy. Do I really need a perfect body? After weighing 350 lbs and then losing 180lbs, will having some excess skin under my armpits really destroy my ability to be happy with my body? I hope not. I look a million times better than I used to (and feel great!) and refuse to let myself be satisfied only with some perception of perfection. Because where will it end if perfection becomes the goal? When I've been cut, stretched, resewn, and made all taut and fat-free, will I find something else about my body to not like? And then what? A nose job? A face lift? Butt implants (because I have the flattest behind known to woman-kind)?
So, I'm going to have the tummy tuck. As mentioned above, it's the area that gives me the most heartache. It's not like I have a tiny little pooch, my bariatric surgeon told me he thinks I have 5-10 lbs of excess skin in that section alone - that's a lot of skin! Afterward, I'll see how I feel, and in time I might have a breast lift or another procedure or two, but I'll definitely still have excess skin in places. My body will never be perfect.
And you know what? That's okay.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
On My Own Again
My husband left me this morning.
He grew tired of the cold in Utah...I can't blame him. I'm tired of it, too. He's now on his way to Florida where the average temperature is supposed to be 80 degrees. I'm so jealous I can barely stand it. Will I ever be warm again??
Unfortunately for him, he's not going to Florida for pleasure. He gets to spend his time there working 8- to 12-hour days helping a base there get ready for a big inspection that Hill AFB had last year (and that Steve participated in a lot). If he gets a few hours of downtime, and can snag the car, he's going to try to go to the race track at which Sadie used to race. I think that would be cool to see, so hopefully he takes pictures if he goes.
Anyhoo, for the next 7 days I'm on my own again, not counting the dog. I miss him terribly already (it's been 6 hours since I dropped him off at the airport), so I'm making a list of all the things that will make this week enjoyable, things that may or may not happen if he were here.
Plans for My Week Alone:
1. Homework. I'd love to leave it off this list, but I have too much to do and will spend a majority of my time on it.
2. Reorganizing the house. Starting with the kitchen, I want to redo the living arrangements of the pots/pans/towels/tupperware. After a year of living in our home, I'm able to better see where I'd like to have things. If I still feel like reorganizing after the kitchen is finished, I'll tackle my closet and the closets in the upstairs rooms.
3. Go to see a chic flick. My next door neighbor invited me to go to a movie with her Saturday night. I'm pretty sure we'll go see The Vow but we've left it open to anything else that strikes our fancy. The only stipulation (set by her and heartily agreed upon by me) is that it be a movie Steve wouldn't want to see.
4. Go to church.
5. Make and eat cream tuna. Steve hates it and I love it. It's the only meal I could think of that I don't make because he's around.
6. Sleep. The man wakes up Monday through Friday at 4:15 AM. No matter how hard he tries to be quiet, I wake up and really struggle to get back to sleep after his alarm goes off. Even tomorrow and Tuesday, when I wake up at 5:15, will feel like sleeping in and waking up at 6:30 the rest of the time will be heavenly!
7. Walk the dog. I already walk her a lot, but now I'll be doing it every time. It will be good for me to get the extra exercise in every day.
8. Read. I usually read 15-20 minutes every night before going to sleep and that's about it. So, I'm hoping to read a lot on Sunday (it's my day off from homework) before and after church. I'm already looking forward to cuddling up with a blanket, a cookie, a mug of hot chocolate, and my book and not stopping reading until it's time for Sadie's next walk. Aaaahhhh.
9. Watch my tv shows. I DVR "Once Upon A Time" and haven't watched it in 3 weeks because I never have time to watch it without him (he doesn't like it). He says he'll watch it with me, but I hate watching shows with people who don't like it - they usually can't keep their comments to themselves and I get mad, ruining the viewing for me.
Steve flies back to Utah next Tuesday afternoon. I'm going to miss him terribly this week (already do!) but I'm glad for the many years of being single that taught me to be comfortable with being on my own. It will make this next week a lot more enjoyable than it would be otherwise.
He grew tired of the cold in Utah...I can't blame him. I'm tired of it, too. He's now on his way to Florida where the average temperature is supposed to be 80 degrees. I'm so jealous I can barely stand it. Will I ever be warm again??
Unfortunately for him, he's not going to Florida for pleasure. He gets to spend his time there working 8- to 12-hour days helping a base there get ready for a big inspection that Hill AFB had last year (and that Steve participated in a lot). If he gets a few hours of downtime, and can snag the car, he's going to try to go to the race track at which Sadie used to race. I think that would be cool to see, so hopefully he takes pictures if he goes.
Anyhoo, for the next 7 days I'm on my own again, not counting the dog. I miss him terribly already (it's been 6 hours since I dropped him off at the airport), so I'm making a list of all the things that will make this week enjoyable, things that may or may not happen if he were here.
Plans for My Week Alone:
1. Homework. I'd love to leave it off this list, but I have too much to do and will spend a majority of my time on it.
2. Reorganizing the house. Starting with the kitchen, I want to redo the living arrangements of the pots/pans/towels/tupperware. After a year of living in our home, I'm able to better see where I'd like to have things. If I still feel like reorganizing after the kitchen is finished, I'll tackle my closet and the closets in the upstairs rooms.
3. Go to see a chic flick. My next door neighbor invited me to go to a movie with her Saturday night. I'm pretty sure we'll go see The Vow but we've left it open to anything else that strikes our fancy. The only stipulation (set by her and heartily agreed upon by me) is that it be a movie Steve wouldn't want to see.
4. Go to church.
5. Make and eat cream tuna. Steve hates it and I love it. It's the only meal I could think of that I don't make because he's around.
6. Sleep. The man wakes up Monday through Friday at 4:15 AM. No matter how hard he tries to be quiet, I wake up and really struggle to get back to sleep after his alarm goes off. Even tomorrow and Tuesday, when I wake up at 5:15, will feel like sleeping in and waking up at 6:30 the rest of the time will be heavenly!
7. Walk the dog. I already walk her a lot, but now I'll be doing it every time. It will be good for me to get the extra exercise in every day.
8. Read. I usually read 15-20 minutes every night before going to sleep and that's about it. So, I'm hoping to read a lot on Sunday (it's my day off from homework) before and after church. I'm already looking forward to cuddling up with a blanket, a cookie, a mug of hot chocolate, and my book and not stopping reading until it's time for Sadie's next walk. Aaaahhhh.
9. Watch my tv shows. I DVR "Once Upon A Time" and haven't watched it in 3 weeks because I never have time to watch it without him (he doesn't like it). He says he'll watch it with me, but I hate watching shows with people who don't like it - they usually can't keep their comments to themselves and I get mad, ruining the viewing for me.
Steve flies back to Utah next Tuesday afternoon. I'm going to miss him terribly this week (already do!) but I'm glad for the many years of being single that taught me to be comfortable with being on my own. It will make this next week a lot more enjoyable than it would be otherwise.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
January Updates
The first month of 2012 is finished, caput, hasta la pasta, outta here! I have nothing against January per se, but I'm always relieved when it is over. The holiday season is completely out of sight, out of mind and Spring is one month closer to being here. Yippee!
All in all, January was a pretty good month. Steve went back to working days, so we actually get to spend time together during the week, even if that's just hanging out in the study at the same time while I do homework. Honestly, the thing I like most about him being home in the evenings is eating dinner together. To me, family is all about sharing meals. Oh, and I like that I go to bed earlier when he's on days; the mornings are infinitely easier when I go to bed earlier.
I'm getting off track, which is totally unlike me. Really, this post is meant to be an update on how my goals/plans for the year are shaping up. So far, not too shabby. Read on...
School: is going well. I am really loving my online class. I like that I can do it at my own pace, which results in me being weeks ahead of schedule. My other two classes are going well, despite the professors missing multiple classes. They are married to each other and are retiring after this semester so I think they're pretty "trunky". My auditing class is probably giving me the most grief but mostly because I feel like I know the material until he asks questions in class and his answers are different than mine. Oh well. I'm learning lots, which is the whole point. If I already knew everything, I wouldn't need to be in school.
England: isn't going to happen. We're still going on a trip but something closer to home and less expensive. We can totally afford an expensive trip, but we're too practical. When I'm done with school and have a good-paying job (knock on wood), we'll have two incomes and will probably feel better about spending more on a vacation. As of right now, we have two destinations we're excited about: an Alaskan cruise or a week tour of Montreal/Quebec City. It would be my 4th cruise if we went to Alaska, which is okay, and I hear that Alaska is pretty marvelous. I'd love to return to Montreal and would especially enjoy finally getting to see Quebec City, as I never managed to get up there when I was on my mission. We're trying to come up with more possible destinations and hope to have a place chosen and booked by the end of the month.
Journaling: is going great! I miss a day here and there but most of the time I write at night before going to bed. I love my self-imposed limit of only writing one page because it makes journaling a little less daunting and definitely less time-consuming. Sometimes I choose the silliest things to write about, things that aren't important at all, sometimes I just write about how I felt during the day, and once I wrote a single sentance. It is extremely liberating for someone like me who typically writes like she talks...too much.
Running: isn't happening. With Steve's work schedule change, I had to sacrifice going to the gym in order to walk the dog before leaving in the morning (because he wakes up too early to do so) and as soon as I get off work in the afternoon so the poor thing doesn't have to hold it for too long. I know I could still go to the gym in the evening, but that is reserved for spending time with my family, making dinner, and doing homework. However, I am going to start trying to ride my indoor bike for 15-20 minutes each night while Steve's walking the dog. That will give me three exercise times during the day!
I didn't quite make my goal of exercising 100 miles during the month, but I got close. I feel confident that I'll be able to meet it in February. And, despite not running (too cold on my lungs to do so outside right now), I'm still planning on that 5k on May 19th.
January exercise total: 1750 minutes (just over 29 hours) and 85 miles, mostly walking.
Good-bye, January! See you again next year!
All in all, January was a pretty good month. Steve went back to working days, so we actually get to spend time together during the week, even if that's just hanging out in the study at the same time while I do homework. Honestly, the thing I like most about him being home in the evenings is eating dinner together. To me, family is all about sharing meals. Oh, and I like that I go to bed earlier when he's on days; the mornings are infinitely easier when I go to bed earlier.
I'm getting off track, which is totally unlike me. Really, this post is meant to be an update on how my goals/plans for the year are shaping up. So far, not too shabby. Read on...
School: is going well. I am really loving my online class. I like that I can do it at my own pace, which results in me being weeks ahead of schedule. My other two classes are going well, despite the professors missing multiple classes. They are married to each other and are retiring after this semester so I think they're pretty "trunky". My auditing class is probably giving me the most grief but mostly because I feel like I know the material until he asks questions in class and his answers are different than mine. Oh well. I'm learning lots, which is the whole point. If I already knew everything, I wouldn't need to be in school.
England: isn't going to happen. We're still going on a trip but something closer to home and less expensive. We can totally afford an expensive trip, but we're too practical. When I'm done with school and have a good-paying job (knock on wood), we'll have two incomes and will probably feel better about spending more on a vacation. As of right now, we have two destinations we're excited about: an Alaskan cruise or a week tour of Montreal/Quebec City. It would be my 4th cruise if we went to Alaska, which is okay, and I hear that Alaska is pretty marvelous. I'd love to return to Montreal and would especially enjoy finally getting to see Quebec City, as I never managed to get up there when I was on my mission. We're trying to come up with more possible destinations and hope to have a place chosen and booked by the end of the month.
Journaling: is going great! I miss a day here and there but most of the time I write at night before going to bed. I love my self-imposed limit of only writing one page because it makes journaling a little less daunting and definitely less time-consuming. Sometimes I choose the silliest things to write about, things that aren't important at all, sometimes I just write about how I felt during the day, and once I wrote a single sentance. It is extremely liberating for someone like me who typically writes like she talks...too much.
Running: isn't happening. With Steve's work schedule change, I had to sacrifice going to the gym in order to walk the dog before leaving in the morning (because he wakes up too early to do so) and as soon as I get off work in the afternoon so the poor thing doesn't have to hold it for too long. I know I could still go to the gym in the evening, but that is reserved for spending time with my family, making dinner, and doing homework. However, I am going to start trying to ride my indoor bike for 15-20 minutes each night while Steve's walking the dog. That will give me three exercise times during the day!
I didn't quite make my goal of exercising 100 miles during the month, but I got close. I feel confident that I'll be able to meet it in February. And, despite not running (too cold on my lungs to do so outside right now), I'm still planning on that 5k on May 19th.
January exercise total: 1750 minutes (just over 29 hours) and 85 miles, mostly walking.
Good-bye, January! See you again next year!
Friday, January 13, 2012
2012 - The Year of...
...School. It takes up pretty much all my time, and I feel like I live on campus. I go to class. I work on campus - the Student Health Center. I exercise at the university gym. I do homework practically all evening every evening, except for Saturdays and Sundays. I manage to get enough done during the week so I can have a break on the weekend. This semester, I have three classes, all Accounting classes. I really enjoy my professors and am learning a lot. I'll take the summer off and then will have one undergrad class left to take in the fall. I'm also hoping the department will let me take one or two Masters classes to help speed things up a bit.
...England. Steve and I are talking about going somewhere this summer and are leaning toward England. We live in such a way, and are blessed with a good enough income, that we're able to put a good chunk of money into savings every month. We're going to assign a healthy portion of those savings toward a fun trip. I've always wanted to go to England and am so excited to start making plans and figuring out where to go and what to see. If anyone has suggestions, please email me, leave a comment, text, call, whatever. I don't Twitter.
...Journaling. One of my resolutions is to write in my journal every day. I realized that one of the reasons I haven't kept up with my journal like I used to was that I'd go so long in between writing that it would take forever to catch up. I'm also too detail-oriented when I write it would take a long time to write, so as part of my resolution, I'm only writing a page each day. I have to decide what I really want to record; whether it's a funny thing that happened in class, how I felt about my hair, or what Steve and I did for date night. I'm really enjoying writing in my journal again.
...Running. A couple years ago, I had a resolution to run in a 5k. I kind of accomplished it. My friend Kyle and I walked a 5k that February, and then I ran the last little bit in order to finish before him. (teehee). This year, there's a 5k on May 19th that I want to participate in. I may not run the whole darn thing, since I haven't run in over a year, but I'd like to run as much of it as I can. To that end, each week I'm working on running a bit more than I did the week before. And, I'm back to recording my exercise. My goal is to exercise 100 miles a month, every month.
...A New Car, 2nd Dog (maybe), Camping, and Lots of Fun. We bought a new car on December 30th, 2011. I swore I'd never buy a brand new car, too much money and too much immediate depreciation, but we found a good deal on a car we really like and that we plan to have for many, many years so depreciation isn't as important as it could be if we were planning on selling it sooner than later. It's a 2012 Subaru Outback, red. I love it. It has seat warmers. *big smiley face*
We got it so our greyhound Sadie would have more room and so that we could have passengers in our car at the same time as our dog. And because we're thinking of getting a second dog. We're looking at dogs online, no puppies and nothing for hundreds of dollars (really, people?! $2000 for a puppy that will pee all over my carpets??). We may get another greyhound since Sadie is so awesome. We definitely want a male this time.
With the new car, we also have more room and capability to do more of the things we like to do that we didn't do last year (partially due to lack of time last year). More fishing, more camping, more hiking, more exploring. My brother gave us his old tent and a really cool camping table that we're excited to finally use. I'd also like to give snowshoeing a try this year. Lots and lots of possibilities and I look forward to making the most of all of them!
I hope everyone has a very wonderful 2012!
...England. Steve and I are talking about going somewhere this summer and are leaning toward England. We live in such a way, and are blessed with a good enough income, that we're able to put a good chunk of money into savings every month. We're going to assign a healthy portion of those savings toward a fun trip. I've always wanted to go to England and am so excited to start making plans and figuring out where to go and what to see. If anyone has suggestions, please email me, leave a comment, text, call, whatever. I don't Twitter.
...Journaling. One of my resolutions is to write in my journal every day. I realized that one of the reasons I haven't kept up with my journal like I used to was that I'd go so long in between writing that it would take forever to catch up. I'm also too detail-oriented when I write it would take a long time to write, so as part of my resolution, I'm only writing a page each day. I have to decide what I really want to record; whether it's a funny thing that happened in class, how I felt about my hair, or what Steve and I did for date night. I'm really enjoying writing in my journal again.
...Running. A couple years ago, I had a resolution to run in a 5k. I kind of accomplished it. My friend Kyle and I walked a 5k that February, and then I ran the last little bit in order to finish before him. (teehee). This year, there's a 5k on May 19th that I want to participate in. I may not run the whole darn thing, since I haven't run in over a year, but I'd like to run as much of it as I can. To that end, each week I'm working on running a bit more than I did the week before. And, I'm back to recording my exercise. My goal is to exercise 100 miles a month, every month.
...A New Car, 2nd Dog (maybe), Camping, and Lots of Fun. We bought a new car on December 30th, 2011. I swore I'd never buy a brand new car, too much money and too much immediate depreciation, but we found a good deal on a car we really like and that we plan to have for many, many years so depreciation isn't as important as it could be if we were planning on selling it sooner than later. It's a 2012 Subaru Outback, red. I love it. It has seat warmers. *big smiley face*
We got it so our greyhound Sadie would have more room and so that we could have passengers in our car at the same time as our dog. And because we're thinking of getting a second dog. We're looking at dogs online, no puppies and nothing for hundreds of dollars (really, people?! $2000 for a puppy that will pee all over my carpets??). We may get another greyhound since Sadie is so awesome. We definitely want a male this time.
With the new car, we also have more room and capability to do more of the things we like to do that we didn't do last year (partially due to lack of time last year). More fishing, more camping, more hiking, more exploring. My brother gave us his old tent and a really cool camping table that we're excited to finally use. I'd also like to give snowshoeing a try this year. Lots and lots of possibilities and I look forward to making the most of all of them!
I hope everyone has a very wonderful 2012!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Finding Passion
I am a romantic. I always have been, though I do my best to temper it with a healthy dose of pragmatism whenever possible. All my life I daydreamed about finding my true love, the man I'd love with all my heart and spend the rest of my life with. I didn't neglect my life waiting for Prince Charming, but I was always on the lookout for him - even those years when I was totally against ever getting married.
It's amazing how much mind space and time has been opened up now that I have found the love of my life. Some of the time I spent daydreaming about finding Prince Charming has now been channeled into thinking about Steve and our future together, but there's still quite a healthy chunk of time leftover. I find myself spending more time thinking about the other aspects of my life that, though never neglected, certainly weren't in the foreground of my thoughts. Things like my career and what to do with my time when not at work.
I'm realizing more fully that my life lacks passion...not in the romance department, but in every other one. I'm grateful to have a job, don't get me wrong, but I'm not enamored with it. It's a dead end job with no potential for advancement and it's not really what I want to do with my life - it lacks challenge and definitely is beneath my potential. So, I'm wracking my brains trying to decide what I'd like to do for a career. It's not very easy. I never had an idea of "what I want to be when I grow up". I definitely learning what aspects of a job appeal to me and what don't. Ideally, I'd like something that could eventually enable me to be my own boss.
Anyway, that's a subject for a complete and substantial blog post. I'm also realizing how little passion I have for any hobby or extracurricular activities. I enjoy doing several things; cooking, hiking, walking, reading, tennis, but I don't necessarily feel PASSIONATE about any of them - even cooking, though that's definitely the closest one. I talked it over with Steve a few nights ago and he suggested trying some new hobbies. I may not be cut out for passion in my hobbies, I may just be too lazy to care that much about anything, but I figure it's worth a try. If nothing else, I'll have a little fun.
The first thing I'm going to try is gardening. I'm actually pretty excited about trying it. Steve and I don't have a yard, but we have front and back patios that would be ideal for potted gardens. I anticipate having a good time planning what to plant, spending time with Steve picking out pots and soil and then spending the spring, summer, and fall maintaining our garden...oh and enjoying the fruit of our labor! I'm not known for my growing skills, but I plan on researching how to care for the plants we choose and really spending time nurturing them.
I'd also like to start biking. We're going to buy bikes when the weather turns warmer and we have a great biking/walking path really close to our home. In fact, I'd also like to try rollerblading again! I have art supplies I bought with the help of my friend, Doug, but have always been too busy (and scared) to sit down and paint. I'd like to try my hand at painting. I may be horrible, but there's the chance of finding something I'm passionate about. You never know! We're also getting a dog in a couple months, so that will be fun and interesting. Steve thinks maybe I'll be good at dog training. We'll see. And maybe this winter, when the weather turns bad again, I'll take up sewing. My mom once hinted that she may give me her old sewing machine and if she does, it may be fun to start sewing fun projects like curtains, pillowcases, and maybe even skirts...if I get decent enough.
At any rate, I feel good about what life has to offer. I am blessed to be in love with the most wonderful man in the universe. I have a decent paying job. And, I have the means and opportunity to explore the offerings of life. Life. I guess that is something I'm passionate about. I love living. I love my life.
I'll do my best to record my attempts at these hobbies, successes and failures. Hopefully there's more successes than otherwise. And, hopefully you have passion in your life. If you do, I'd love to hear about your passions!
It's amazing how much mind space and time has been opened up now that I have found the love of my life. Some of the time I spent daydreaming about finding Prince Charming has now been channeled into thinking about Steve and our future together, but there's still quite a healthy chunk of time leftover. I find myself spending more time thinking about the other aspects of my life that, though never neglected, certainly weren't in the foreground of my thoughts. Things like my career and what to do with my time when not at work.
I'm realizing more fully that my life lacks passion...not in the romance department, but in every other one. I'm grateful to have a job, don't get me wrong, but I'm not enamored with it. It's a dead end job with no potential for advancement and it's not really what I want to do with my life - it lacks challenge and definitely is beneath my potential. So, I'm wracking my brains trying to decide what I'd like to do for a career. It's not very easy. I never had an idea of "what I want to be when I grow up". I definitely learning what aspects of a job appeal to me and what don't. Ideally, I'd like something that could eventually enable me to be my own boss.
Anyway, that's a subject for a complete and substantial blog post. I'm also realizing how little passion I have for any hobby or extracurricular activities. I enjoy doing several things; cooking, hiking, walking, reading, tennis, but I don't necessarily feel PASSIONATE about any of them - even cooking, though that's definitely the closest one. I talked it over with Steve a few nights ago and he suggested trying some new hobbies. I may not be cut out for passion in my hobbies, I may just be too lazy to care that much about anything, but I figure it's worth a try. If nothing else, I'll have a little fun.
The first thing I'm going to try is gardening. I'm actually pretty excited about trying it. Steve and I don't have a yard, but we have front and back patios that would be ideal for potted gardens. I anticipate having a good time planning what to plant, spending time with Steve picking out pots and soil and then spending the spring, summer, and fall maintaining our garden...oh and enjoying the fruit of our labor! I'm not known for my growing skills, but I plan on researching how to care for the plants we choose and really spending time nurturing them.
I'd also like to start biking. We're going to buy bikes when the weather turns warmer and we have a great biking/walking path really close to our home. In fact, I'd also like to try rollerblading again! I have art supplies I bought with the help of my friend, Doug, but have always been too busy (and scared) to sit down and paint. I'd like to try my hand at painting. I may be horrible, but there's the chance of finding something I'm passionate about. You never know! We're also getting a dog in a couple months, so that will be fun and interesting. Steve thinks maybe I'll be good at dog training. We'll see. And maybe this winter, when the weather turns bad again, I'll take up sewing. My mom once hinted that she may give me her old sewing machine and if she does, it may be fun to start sewing fun projects like curtains, pillowcases, and maybe even skirts...if I get decent enough.
At any rate, I feel good about what life has to offer. I am blessed to be in love with the most wonderful man in the universe. I have a decent paying job. And, I have the means and opportunity to explore the offerings of life. Life. I guess that is something I'm passionate about. I love living. I love my life.
I'll do my best to record my attempts at these hobbies, successes and failures. Hopefully there's more successes than otherwise. And, hopefully you have passion in your life. If you do, I'd love to hear about your passions!
Saturday, January 08, 2011
New Year's Resolutions
With so much happening lately, I'm kind of behind on my New Year's Resolutions. I haven't really even thought much about them until today. I had set a little mini goal to have this post accomplished by the end of the week...which I consider to be tonight, so I have spent a bit of time contemplating the things I would like to change/improve in 2011. I really appreciated Lori's focus on progress as opposed to perfection for her New Year's resolutions and am going to follow her lead.
2011 New Year's Resolutions
1. Exercise 4x a week. This is less than what I used to do, before I moved and my life turned upside down. However, it's also more than what I'm currently doing. It's going to take dedication but is definitely achievable. And, it takes into consideration my new life and responsibilities.
2. Pay off car and credit card. I'm really close to having my car paid off and should be able to finish it off quickly with my new job's nice salary. My credit card is another story, unfortunately. It's not horrible right now, and I only have a balance on it because of last year's financial difficulties. However, in the next few months, I'm going to have to put a big thing on it, hiking up the balance significantly. That said, I'm positive that with a bit of discipline and tracking of my spending, I'll be able to get both bills paid off by the end of the year...barring unseen circumstances.
3. Go somewhere new in the USA. This should be fairly easy to accomplish since both Steve and I love traveling and going to new places. Also, with a honeymoon in the future, it may be the perfect time to explore a new part of the country. Or maybe we'll go somewhere new for July 4th or Christmas. Lots of opportunities!
4. Pick up a new hobby. My mom said she might give me her old sewing machine, so I may pick up sewing. Or painting...a long time ago I bought some painting supplies but have never broken them out. Maybe gardening. We have 2 nice patios that could use a little sprucing up and planters full of plants and flowers would look great. I'm okay with multiple hobbies, but I definitely want to do new things.
5. Spiritual basics. I need to go back to the basics and strengthen my foundation. There are several ways I could work on this, but this year I'm going to focus on church attendance.
That's it. I don't believe in having too many goals...don't want to spread myself too thin. Okay, I wouldn't mind being thinner (teehee) but seriously, I'm hoping that working on these few items will help me accomplish the progress I know I'd like to make this year.
Wish me luck!
And, good luck to you on accomplishing your goals...if you made some. *smile*
2011 New Year's Resolutions
1. Exercise 4x a week. This is less than what I used to do, before I moved and my life turned upside down. However, it's also more than what I'm currently doing. It's going to take dedication but is definitely achievable. And, it takes into consideration my new life and responsibilities.
2. Pay off car and credit card. I'm really close to having my car paid off and should be able to finish it off quickly with my new job's nice salary. My credit card is another story, unfortunately. It's not horrible right now, and I only have a balance on it because of last year's financial difficulties. However, in the next few months, I'm going to have to put a big thing on it, hiking up the balance significantly. That said, I'm positive that with a bit of discipline and tracking of my spending, I'll be able to get both bills paid off by the end of the year...barring unseen circumstances.
3. Go somewhere new in the USA. This should be fairly easy to accomplish since both Steve and I love traveling and going to new places. Also, with a honeymoon in the future, it may be the perfect time to explore a new part of the country. Or maybe we'll go somewhere new for July 4th or Christmas. Lots of opportunities!
4. Pick up a new hobby. My mom said she might give me her old sewing machine, so I may pick up sewing. Or painting...a long time ago I bought some painting supplies but have never broken them out. Maybe gardening. We have 2 nice patios that could use a little sprucing up and planters full of plants and flowers would look great. I'm okay with multiple hobbies, but I definitely want to do new things.
5. Spiritual basics. I need to go back to the basics and strengthen my foundation. There are several ways I could work on this, but this year I'm going to focus on church attendance.
That's it. I don't believe in having too many goals...don't want to spread myself too thin. Okay, I wouldn't mind being thinner (teehee) but seriously, I'm hoping that working on these few items will help me accomplish the progress I know I'd like to make this year.
Wish me luck!
And, good luck to you on accomplishing your goals...if you made some. *smile*
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Living without TV
Today, I'm not going to watch tv at all. In fact, I have a new plan involving television in my life.
Last month, I watched more television than I had in the past year. Not having a job, I'd wake up, turn on the tv, grab something to eat for breakfast, then pull out my laptop. I'd apply for multiple jobs online while watching Food Network shows by the half dozens. Then I'd go for a walk (sometimes, not often enough), shower and get ready, then watch tv while eating lunch. It would take me awhile to pull myself off the couch, but eventually I'd go out and apply at establishments in person. I'd get home about an hour before Steve got off work, so I'd watch more tv. Ofttimes, Steve and I would watch a show or two at night, too. In short, I watched a lot of tv!
Now that I have a job, I know my tv viewing will decrease substantially, but I also have two days off during the week. I can totally see myself sinking into the television abyss and not doing anything productive on those days until Steve gets off work. I don't want this to happen, so I'm experimenting with not watching tv on my 2 week days off (Tuesdays and Thursdays).
What are my plans? Here's a list of some things to do instead of watching tv:
1. Exercise. This past month, I've kind of gotten out of my exercise habit. Since I credit exercise with most of my weight loss, this isn't a good situation. So, I am rededicating myself to exercising every day and am going to start keeping track of my exercise again since that really helps me.
2. Write. I am not terribly ambitious about my writing. I will blog a little more and work on a novel I'd like to write. It would be awesome if something came of it, but really, at this point, I'd just like to say I finished a novel. I have the title and the basic story outline, so we'll see how it goes.
3. Clean. The apartment isn't exactly a mess, but I'd like to clean something every day I have off. That way, the apartment stays clean and I get back in the habit of cleaning. It's funny how many habits I've lost over the past year - too busy having a social life. *smile*
4. Explore. There is a lot of this area that I don't know and this is a great time of year to explore it. The leaves are beginning to change colors and everything is beautiful. I'd like to drive around, go on some hikes I've heard about, try different restaurants, and see all there is to see.
5. Read. Let's be honest...this is what I'm really looking forward to doing the most. I love reading. I have a long list of books people have recommended to me and am excited to finally have time to start reading them. However, reading can be even more addicting than television, so if I start spending all my time reading, I'll have to start limiting my reading time. So, I'll be judicious...as much as I can be. *grin*
6. Wii. Though using the tv, this isn't the same as watching tv, since I'll be up and moving around. Steve and I love to play tennis and bowling on the Wii and I always beat him. Always. However, he started practicing and is getting a lot better. He's almost better at tennis than me (he kicks my butt in real life) and he finally is figuring out his throw in bowling, so I have got to step up my game. This will probably be the least-chosen activity, but it's definitely something to turn to when I need a little something different.
I'll still watch TV in the evenings with Steve, if that's what we decide to do, but we have so much fun doing other things, that I'm not worried about us spending all our time together in front of the tube.
Mostly, I want to live life, not watch fake people on tv live theirs. So that's what I'm going to do!
Last month, I watched more television than I had in the past year. Not having a job, I'd wake up, turn on the tv, grab something to eat for breakfast, then pull out my laptop. I'd apply for multiple jobs online while watching Food Network shows by the half dozens. Then I'd go for a walk (sometimes, not often enough), shower and get ready, then watch tv while eating lunch. It would take me awhile to pull myself off the couch, but eventually I'd go out and apply at establishments in person. I'd get home about an hour before Steve got off work, so I'd watch more tv. Ofttimes, Steve and I would watch a show or two at night, too. In short, I watched a lot of tv!
Now that I have a job, I know my tv viewing will decrease substantially, but I also have two days off during the week. I can totally see myself sinking into the television abyss and not doing anything productive on those days until Steve gets off work. I don't want this to happen, so I'm experimenting with not watching tv on my 2 week days off (Tuesdays and Thursdays).
What are my plans? Here's a list of some things to do instead of watching tv:
1. Exercise. This past month, I've kind of gotten out of my exercise habit. Since I credit exercise with most of my weight loss, this isn't a good situation. So, I am rededicating myself to exercising every day and am going to start keeping track of my exercise again since that really helps me.
2. Write. I am not terribly ambitious about my writing. I will blog a little more and work on a novel I'd like to write. It would be awesome if something came of it, but really, at this point, I'd just like to say I finished a novel. I have the title and the basic story outline, so we'll see how it goes.
3. Clean. The apartment isn't exactly a mess, but I'd like to clean something every day I have off. That way, the apartment stays clean and I get back in the habit of cleaning. It's funny how many habits I've lost over the past year - too busy having a social life. *smile*
4. Explore. There is a lot of this area that I don't know and this is a great time of year to explore it. The leaves are beginning to change colors and everything is beautiful. I'd like to drive around, go on some hikes I've heard about, try different restaurants, and see all there is to see.
5. Read. Let's be honest...this is what I'm really looking forward to doing the most. I love reading. I have a long list of books people have recommended to me and am excited to finally have time to start reading them. However, reading can be even more addicting than television, so if I start spending all my time reading, I'll have to start limiting my reading time. So, I'll be judicious...as much as I can be. *grin*
6. Wii. Though using the tv, this isn't the same as watching tv, since I'll be up and moving around. Steve and I love to play tennis and bowling on the Wii and I always beat him. Always. However, he started practicing and is getting a lot better. He's almost better at tennis than me (he kicks my butt in real life) and he finally is figuring out his throw in bowling, so I have got to step up my game. This will probably be the least-chosen activity, but it's definitely something to turn to when I need a little something different.
I'll still watch TV in the evenings with Steve, if that's what we decide to do, but we have so much fun doing other things, that I'm not worried about us spending all our time together in front of the tube.
Mostly, I want to live life, not watch fake people on tv live theirs. So that's what I'm going to do!
Monday, April 05, 2010
Bucket List
Last summer, I had a dream that I was dying. I had an incurable disease that would give me about 6 months of truly live-able time. I quit my job, sold my home, and planned what to do in those 6 months. Spending time with my friends and family topped the list but the one thing I really had to do before I died was go to Paris. I felt I could be proud of what I had accomplished if I managed to check this one life-long dream off my list. I awoke from the dream realizing just how important it was for me to make it to Paris. I didn't know when or how I'd make it over there, but I knew it had to be done. I started to think about other things that I've always wanted to do and hence created my Bucket List.
Having a bucket list really appeals to my nature. Creating goals for my life and then getting to check them off? What's not to love about that?
My Bucket List: (in no particular order after the first one)
* Go to Paris - December 2009 WOOHOO!!!
* Shoot a gun - December 2009
* Go skydiving (hopefully this May/June)
* Rock climbing
* See a Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas
* Paint a picture (that actually looks like something other than a blob of colors)
* Hike Angel's Landing in Zion National Park
* Run a 5k
* Go hang gliding
* Write a novel
* Earn a graduate degree
* See the Northern Lights
* Love one man with all my heart and soul
The idea is that as I accomplish one item on the List, I'll add a new goal to the bottom of the list. I don't ever want to be DONE. I want to live a life of progress and learning and adventure. Hopefully, by the time I kick the Bucket, I'll have a big long list of things I've done that I always wanted to do and an equally long list of things I would've love to do had I had the time.
What is on your Bucket List?
And, if I like what's on your List, do you mind if I add it to mine? *huge grin*
Having a bucket list really appeals to my nature. Creating goals for my life and then getting to check them off? What's not to love about that?
My Bucket List: (in no particular order after the first one)
* Go to Paris - December 2009 WOOHOO!!!
* Shoot a gun - December 2009
* Go skydiving (hopefully this May/June)
* Rock climbing
* See a Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas
* Paint a picture (that actually looks like something other than a blob of colors)
* Hike Angel's Landing in Zion National Park
* Run a 5k
* Go hang gliding
* Write a novel
* Earn a graduate degree
* See the Northern Lights
* Love one man with all my heart and soul
The idea is that as I accomplish one item on the List, I'll add a new goal to the bottom of the list. I don't ever want to be DONE. I want to live a life of progress and learning and adventure. Hopefully, by the time I kick the Bucket, I'll have a big long list of things I've done that I always wanted to do and an equally long list of things I would've love to do had I had the time.
What is on your Bucket List?
And, if I like what's on your List, do you mind if I add it to mine? *huge grin*
Monday, December 21, 2009
Bestest Weekend Ever???
If not the bestest ever, this weekend definitely makes the list of really great ones. Here's a quick run-down of why I had such a great weekend.
* Thursday night: Sam told me I'm beautiful. He had seen a picture of me so thought he was prepared for what I looked like, but when I opened the door Wednesday night (our 1st date), he said he couldn't believe how beautiful I am. *blush* Woohoo!
*Friday: it's Friday (which is almost always a good thing) and only one week before I fly to Paris!
* Friday morning: received an email from a guy telling me I'm beautiful. Can't ever get enough of that!
* Friday morning: received a phone call setting up an interview for a new job! I know it doesn't mean I'll get it, but I'm just glad to have a chance to meet the interviewers face-to-face.
* Friday afternoon: a female patient that tends to irritate me asked if I had changed my hair color and style. I said yes, she asked if I'd lost a lot of weight. I said that I had and she said she hadn't been sure if I was the same person, I look so different. She said that she always thought I was a pretty gal but now..."You're absolutely beautiful!" Again, who could tire of that??
* Friday evening: cousin Alyson comes for a visit! We eat at Ninja then play games at my Mom's.
* Friday night: Mom offers to teach the Primary lesson...even though it's my turn!
* Saturday morning: sleep in, ride exercise bike, check email and have one from the guy who called me beautiful the day before and two from new guys - one of them saying my picture is "very cute".
* Saturday afternoon: head south with Alyson, eat at Cracker Barrel, shop, and talk/laugh a lot.
* Saturday evening: 2nd date with Sam. He treats me so well - very respectful, considerate, and attentive. The way my dad taught me to expect to be treated. Oh, and he kissed me. Kissed me very well. *big smile*
* Sunday morning: slept in a bit but still made it to church on time!
* Sunday afternoon: the neighbor guys finally took me out shooting after church! And you know what? I wasn't too bad. Hit my target (Pepsi bottles) the first 4 shots I took with the 22 rifle. And, I took second place (there were 5 of us) in the shooting competition! (Jon won.) I also shot a 45 pistol - talk about power! It was an adrenalin rush and a lot of fun! Here are some pictures.
Me shooting the 22 rifle.
Me shooting the 45 pistol. That's Jon behind me.
* Sunday afternoon: annual candy making with my sister-in-law. This year we kept it to a couple batches each of divinity and peanut brittle, and one batch each of peanut butter cups and fudge. Easiest and quickest session we've ever had!
It was busy - filled to overflowing, in fact - but it was a great weekend! Now, if I can make it through the next few days (which are continuing the filled-to-overflowing-with-good-things theme), it'll be Christmas, then I'll be in Paris before you can say "Enfin!" Woohoo!
* Thursday night: Sam told me I'm beautiful. He had seen a picture of me so thought he was prepared for what I looked like, but when I opened the door Wednesday night (our 1st date), he said he couldn't believe how beautiful I am. *blush* Woohoo!
*Friday: it's Friday (which is almost always a good thing) and only one week before I fly to Paris!
* Friday morning: received an email from a guy telling me I'm beautiful. Can't ever get enough of that!
* Friday morning: received a phone call setting up an interview for a new job! I know it doesn't mean I'll get it, but I'm just glad to have a chance to meet the interviewers face-to-face.
* Friday afternoon: a female patient that tends to irritate me asked if I had changed my hair color and style. I said yes, she asked if I'd lost a lot of weight. I said that I had and she said she hadn't been sure if I was the same person, I look so different. She said that she always thought I was a pretty gal but now..."You're absolutely beautiful!" Again, who could tire of that??
* Friday evening: cousin Alyson comes for a visit! We eat at Ninja then play games at my Mom's.
* Friday night: Mom offers to teach the Primary lesson...even though it's my turn!
* Saturday morning: sleep in, ride exercise bike, check email and have one from the guy who called me beautiful the day before and two from new guys - one of them saying my picture is "very cute".
* Saturday afternoon: head south with Alyson, eat at Cracker Barrel, shop, and talk/laugh a lot.
* Saturday evening: 2nd date with Sam. He treats me so well - very respectful, considerate, and attentive. The way my dad taught me to expect to be treated. Oh, and he kissed me. Kissed me very well. *big smile*
* Sunday morning: slept in a bit but still made it to church on time!
* Sunday afternoon: the neighbor guys finally took me out shooting after church! And you know what? I wasn't too bad. Hit my target (Pepsi bottles) the first 4 shots I took with the 22 rifle. And, I took second place (there were 5 of us) in the shooting competition! (Jon won.) I also shot a 45 pistol - talk about power! It was an adrenalin rush and a lot of fun! Here are some pictures.
Me shooting the 22 rifle.
Me shooting the 45 pistol. That's Jon behind me.* Sunday afternoon: annual candy making with my sister-in-law. This year we kept it to a couple batches each of divinity and peanut brittle, and one batch each of peanut butter cups and fudge. Easiest and quickest session we've ever had!
It was busy - filled to overflowing, in fact - but it was a great weekend! Now, if I can make it through the next few days (which are continuing the filled-to-overflowing-with-good-things theme), it'll be Christmas, then I'll be in Paris before you can say "Enfin!" Woohoo!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
A Day of Nothing-To-Do
Today, I had nothing to do.
My house was clean, no family functions, and no plans with friends. I was totally free to do whatever I wanted and what I wanted to do was NOTHING.*
One thing I've always enjoyed about a lazy day is the lack of a deadline. It's not a true lazy day if you know in the back of your mind that you have to be showered and ready to go at 5pm to meet up with someone. Kind of kills the lazy buzz, if you catch my drift.
I had no such deadline today. I reclined on my sofa content in the knowledge that I could stay there as long as I liked.
My phone rang at 4pm, Mom's ring tone. I sighed. I knew she'd want to do something together. I had a choice; I could agree to her plans and kill my lazy day or I could politely decline her invitation and continue in my day of nothingness. I chose the second option.
For about 2 minutes. I called her back and said I'd be over as soon as I put on a bra, changed my clothes, and put my hair in a ponytail. Oh, and I warned her that I hadn't showered, had no makeup on, and looked disgraceful. She didn't care. I spent a lovely few hours with her and my beloved Grandma; helping to hang the new window valances, playing cards, and chatting. They left for the play and I came back home, glad I'd chosen to spend time with them after all.
So, why did I chose to go over in the first place? Easy, I was bored. It had been so long since I'd had a day to do nothing - I thought I'd rejoice in it, but I didn't. The inactivity bothered me. Even as I watched tv, I had to be doing something else, even if it was just eating (which is bad on several levels).
I'm a little disgruntled to learn I'm becoming one of those people that can't be lazy or that doesn't enjoy being lazy every so often. Does the ability to be lazy need to be practiced in order to be kept? Kind of like the ability to stay up too late? I haven't totally lost these abilities, I can do both if needed, but I'm losing the enjoyment of them. I'd rather go to bed at a sensible hour (11pm or even 10:30pm), wake up early to exercise (6:30 or 7am), and continue to be active and productive throughout the rest of the day, at least intermittently. You know, an hour of tv followed with a couple hours of cleaning/playing/work/etc. Repeat pattern.
I think I'll live with this new shift, though. In fact, I can see myself becoming quite happy with how things are turning out. There's such a sense of accomplishment when one looks back on the day and knows that fun was had, people were enjoyed, and tasks were removed from the To Do list.
Sigh. I must be growing up...or something. *smile*
* I did make one exception - I had to water my garden plants!
My house was clean, no family functions, and no plans with friends. I was totally free to do whatever I wanted and what I wanted to do was NOTHING.*
One thing I've always enjoyed about a lazy day is the lack of a deadline. It's not a true lazy day if you know in the back of your mind that you have to be showered and ready to go at 5pm to meet up with someone. Kind of kills the lazy buzz, if you catch my drift.
I had no such deadline today. I reclined on my sofa content in the knowledge that I could stay there as long as I liked.
My phone rang at 4pm, Mom's ring tone. I sighed. I knew she'd want to do something together. I had a choice; I could agree to her plans and kill my lazy day or I could politely decline her invitation and continue in my day of nothingness. I chose the second option.
For about 2 minutes. I called her back and said I'd be over as soon as I put on a bra, changed my clothes, and put my hair in a ponytail. Oh, and I warned her that I hadn't showered, had no makeup on, and looked disgraceful. She didn't care. I spent a lovely few hours with her and my beloved Grandma; helping to hang the new window valances, playing cards, and chatting. They left for the play and I came back home, glad I'd chosen to spend time with them after all.
So, why did I chose to go over in the first place? Easy, I was bored. It had been so long since I'd had a day to do nothing - I thought I'd rejoice in it, but I didn't. The inactivity bothered me. Even as I watched tv, I had to be doing something else, even if it was just eating (which is bad on several levels).
I'm a little disgruntled to learn I'm becoming one of those people that can't be lazy or that doesn't enjoy being lazy every so often. Does the ability to be lazy need to be practiced in order to be kept? Kind of like the ability to stay up too late? I haven't totally lost these abilities, I can do both if needed, but I'm losing the enjoyment of them. I'd rather go to bed at a sensible hour (11pm or even 10:30pm), wake up early to exercise (6:30 or 7am), and continue to be active and productive throughout the rest of the day, at least intermittently. You know, an hour of tv followed with a couple hours of cleaning/playing/work/etc. Repeat pattern.
I think I'll live with this new shift, though. In fact, I can see myself becoming quite happy with how things are turning out. There's such a sense of accomplishment when one looks back on the day and knows that fun was had, people were enjoyed, and tasks were removed from the To Do list.
Sigh. I must be growing up...or something. *smile*
* I did make one exception - I had to water my garden plants!
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