This is not going to be an organized post. It’s going to be a rambly get it all off my chest post. I’m paralyzed by the number of things i want to say, so i’m just going to say it all at once. It would be more interesting, more readable, wittier, etc if i divided it into a dozen different posts. But this one rambly post is all i can manage.
First of all, i don’t know how those of you who are parents do it. I have only myself to worry about, and i still don’t get everything done. How do you do it? How do you do it and not go crazy? I spent some time with my cousins over Thanksgiving, and they are sweet, stimulating, surprising and very good kids. They are also loud, wildly diverse, needy and loud. How do you meet their needs, satisfy their interests, AND also feed yourself and your family, find time to workout, find time to read books, blog about everything, and do the other things that i don’t even know about? Mucho kudos to the parents.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, i’ll go ahead and interject that mine was great, and i hope yours was. Grandma completely ignored the situation with the letters. This is fine with me. In fact, if everyone just ignores it, it will be EXACTLY the same situation as it was before i came out as an atheist. Only now i can be fairly sure that i won’t be asked to be the one to say grace before meals. Works for me.
Back to me. In the past two weeks, i’ve been trying to get my life “on track”. Sort of getting a jump start on New Year’s resolutions, by starting in December.
- I’ve been trying to cook meals at home in a general attempt to eat healthier. If i’m following any diet plan, it’s Dr Phil’s. But it’s really just “eat less, eat healthier, exercise more.” My strategy so far is to cook several dishes on Sundays and then divide it into single serving tupperware containers so they are ready to heat and eat throughout the week. We also eat a lot of salads. This has been working really well. Though i have to admit, the prep work is pretty time-consuming.
- I’ve been trying to exercise more. Aerobics classes at lunchtime. Long walks on weekends. This will be fairly easy to keep up with if i just make a priority out of it. And i’m hoping i can continue to do that in the new year as i’ll have a new position (more on this below) that has less of an on-call nature.
- I haven’t consumed any soda in the past two weeks. I actually didn’t intend to stop drinking soda, i just consciously tried to drink more water. Turns out, when you’re trying to drink the recommended 8 glasses of water per day, there isn’t a lot of room for other liquids. So, this has been an interesting side effect. I find i really like water now, and i don’t even want soda. Sometimes i vary it up with Crystal Light or Gatorade. I haven’t noticed any caffeine withdrawal or anything, but i do still drink a cup of coffee every morning. And i DO get headaches if i skip the morning coffee. But everyone says caffeine is bad for you. Maybe i’ll eventually try to stop drinking coffee too. Next year – right now i have enough to worry about. And too much change at once is a recipe for failure.
- We recently tried soy milk for the first time. It wasn’t bad. I’ve heard conflicting things about how cow’s milk is bad for us. Anyway, it can’t hurt to experiment and perhaps substitute soy sometimes.
So, lots of changes. I’m hoping i can sustain all this for another week. Then the holidays hit and it’s back to Asheville for a few more days, which will disrupt my schedule. But that’s OK – i think i’ll just relax and enjoy the holiday food. I’ll try not to stuff myself, but i’m not going to worry too much about what i’m eating. Then, when we get back home, i’m hoping that the new year’s resolution momentum will help me last a few more weeks at least. They say it takes four weeks to form a habit, and that’s what i hope this will become.
I mentioned a new position. Yes, i was offered and accepted a new position at work. My office will be moved to a new building the first Wednesday after the break, and i officially start Jan 15. I’m excited and nervous. Oddly, i’m not nervous about the job itself. I trust myself to learn what i need to know and get the job done. I am somewhat nervous that i am making a mistake, that i won’t love it. I tell myself now that it is just the fear of the unknown. Only time will tell.
I have been reading a fair amount. I don’t know if i’ll get around to writing book reviews for all of them. Suffice it to say that the Merlin trilogy by Mary Stewart continues to be satisfying. New Moon, the second book in the Twilight series, annoyed me so much i don’t know if i will read the rest of the series. Oh, i probably will. I just hope the 3rd book is better.
I’m still playing a fair amount of bridge, though it’s less of a priority for me right now. In 2009 i want to go to two of the three national tournaments, so i think it will become a bigger part of my life again. For now, i’m trying to write a bridge column now and again
I’m nearly done with my christmas shopping. I still need a gift for the six-year-old who has everything, and i need to send some packages off in the mail. My brother in Chicago and his gentler half will not be making it home at all this year, sadly. But i’m already scheming a visit to see them soon.
I’m getting my hair done this week. I’m not sure yet, but i think it will be a moderately drastic change. Combine that with the 9-10 pounds i will have lost since Thanksgiving (i’m about 7 lbs lighter right now), and i’ll seem like a different person altogether to my folks. Yay.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading. Happy Holidays!