I think I'm taking a bit of a break from the blog.
Correction: I know I've been taking a break, I'm just not sure how much longer it will continue.
At first it was because I had nothing to say, then I had a lot to say and no time to say it and now I'm just not sure.
I could be back in a few days, or it might be a few weeks. I'm sure I'll be back though.
Well, pretty sure.
Until then...
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Still Walking the Walk
I didn't update on my walking challenge total last week, but that doesn't mean I was slacking on the steps.
For the week of June 17 to 23 I did 75,359 steps. This week thunderstorms and some motivation challenges made it a bit trickier to get to 10k a day, but I should end the week at around 60k steps, which I'm ok with. As long as it doesn't become a regular occurrence.
But, it shouldn't, because I have a new walking challenge going with a few of my coworkers! The office wide challenge ended and a few other people said they wanted to try and keep up with it so, I came up with a plan for the four of us.
We still report our steps each Monday, into a google doc I created. Then every four weeks the person with the least steps buys the person with the most steps Starbucks or Fro-Yo or lunch from a place near the office. That way you get a reward if you are in first place and still have incentive not to be in last.
It's going to be hard to keep this up, especially in the summer heat, but I figure it's certainly worth giving it a shot.
For the week of June 17 to 23 I did 75,359 steps. This week thunderstorms and some motivation challenges made it a bit trickier to get to 10k a day, but I should end the week at around 60k steps, which I'm ok with. As long as it doesn't become a regular occurrence.
But, it shouldn't, because I have a new walking challenge going with a few of my coworkers! The office wide challenge ended and a few other people said they wanted to try and keep up with it so, I came up with a plan for the four of us.
We still report our steps each Monday, into a google doc I created. Then every four weeks the person with the least steps buys the person with the most steps Starbucks or Fro-Yo or lunch from a place near the office. That way you get a reward if you are in first place and still have incentive not to be in last.
It's going to be hard to keep this up, especially in the summer heat, but I figure it's certainly worth giving it a shot.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Farm Fresh Marshmallows
I've been walking to my neighborhood farmer's market most Saturdays over the past few months. I realized today, after going fairly regularly since early May, the one consistent purchase I make is... Marshmallows.
What, aren't they your farmer's market staple as well?
These are homemade and come in all sorts of yummy flavors like pineapple coconut, chocolate chip cookie dough, salted caramel, and cinnamon toast.
Each time I go I end up wandering aimlessly for an inordinate amount of time for the tiny size of the market. We're talking about 15 vendors at most, half with fruits and veggies and the rest with things like empanadas, peanuts, pickles, baked goods and those yummy marshmallows. I check out all of the veggies and try to figure out what exactly I'd do with them.
I'll pretty much eat most* any veggie served to me, but when I look at a big bunch of kale or a head of cabbage I'm just like... huh. I can't imagine cooking and eating it on my own. That's why doing the CSA a few summers ago was (sorta) a good idea for me. It took the choice out of it and made me figure out what to do with the assorted veggies that magically appeared each Wednesday.
Left to my own devices I walk round and round in the tiny lot before settling on two onions, a bunch of broccoli and... two bags of marshmallows.
*mushrooms, eggplant, sweet potatoes and peppers excluded
Monday, June 24, 2013
Running on the Hamster Wheel
That's how I feel these days. Just going, going, going and not really getting anywhere.
Well, that's not true I guess. The going, going, going part is true, but it's not leading me in circles.
Last week I was crazy busy with a multi-day work event that was exhausting, exhilarating, stressful, successful and rewarding all wrapped into one.
Less than 24 hours after it wrapped up I went into an evening and then full day of volunteering for an annual event in my neighborhood. You know, the one I wrote about last year and said I didn't really want to be involved in anymore? Yeah. That one. I coordinated volunteers again, and spent 11 of 13 hours Saturday running around a field, carrying tables and chairs, putting up tents and delegating, delegating, delegating.
My feelings on it right now are exactly the same as they were a year ago. I want a break. I feel like I've done my part. June is generally a really busy month for me at work and the timing of the event is less than ideal. But, there are a few people that do so much in my neighborhood. And there aren't others stepping forward to help. But really, there's no time to think about that now because...
36 hours after that ended, I went into a huge meeting at work. The committee that governs my team's work came to town for their bi-annual two days with us. I had to present on a new project this afternoon and will present an update on an existing project first thing tomorrow morning. We had a dinner out tonight and I just got home at 9. The meeting went well. The feedback was helpful. The dinner was yummy. The company was good. But still... going, going, going....
Well, that's not true I guess. The going, going, going part is true, but it's not leading me in circles.
Last week I was crazy busy with a multi-day work event that was exhausting, exhilarating, stressful, successful and rewarding all wrapped into one.
Less than 24 hours after it wrapped up I went into an evening and then full day of volunteering for an annual event in my neighborhood. You know, the one I wrote about last year and said I didn't really want to be involved in anymore? Yeah. That one. I coordinated volunteers again, and spent 11 of 13 hours Saturday running around a field, carrying tables and chairs, putting up tents and delegating, delegating, delegating.
My feelings on it right now are exactly the same as they were a year ago. I want a break. I feel like I've done my part. June is generally a really busy month for me at work and the timing of the event is less than ideal. But, there are a few people that do so much in my neighborhood. And there aren't others stepping forward to help. But really, there's no time to think about that now because...
36 hours after that ended, I went into a huge meeting at work. The committee that governs my team's work came to town for their bi-annual two days with us. I had to present on a new project this afternoon and will present an update on an existing project first thing tomorrow morning. We had a dinner out tonight and I just got home at 9. The meeting went well. The feedback was helpful. The dinner was yummy. The company was good. But still... going, going, going....
Monday, June 17, 2013
Weekly Walking Wrap Up
I'm trying to stay accountable since my work walking challenge ended, so welcome to a new weekly walking wrap up.
Apparently the challenge ended too soon as this week was my best week yet at 82,763 steps, aka 29 miles. I'd like to thank DCA, DTW and MSN for helping up my steps as airports = lots o'walking.
A few of my coworkers have been talking about how they want to keep up the activity, despite the end of the challenge and I just proposed our own little walking challenge to three of them so I might have some competition back in my life soon.
But either way, I'm going to do my best to stick with it, despite the heat and humidity that I know is just around the corner!
Apparently the challenge ended too soon as this week was my best week yet at 82,763 steps, aka 29 miles. I'd like to thank DCA, DTW and MSN for helping up my steps as airports = lots o'walking.
A few of my coworkers have been talking about how they want to keep up the activity, despite the end of the challenge and I just proposed our own little walking challenge to three of them so I might have some competition back in my life soon.
But either way, I'm going to do my best to stick with it, despite the heat and humidity that I know is just around the corner!
Sunday, June 16, 2013
The Color Dilemma
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| Bubble Bath, the safe (and boring) favorite |
Enter the gel manicure. I'd heard of gel (aka shellac) manicures, and been intrigued, but for the longest time never tried them. For the uninitiated, a gel manicure is a different kind of polish, and a technique where your nails go under a UV light between coats, so it sets the polish immediately and there's no smudges or chipping. The manicure lasts 2-3 weeks.
The exciting part of this was I no longer had to be afraid of color! I could get something fun and not worry about looking stupid when one nail was messed up super fast.
Woo hoo!
But... the oh so very first world problem I've discovered since I've started getting gel manicures - I like the idea of color, more than I actually like color.
Seriously.
I'm on my fifth one and I've been unhappy with the color I've chosen each and every time. And then I'm stuck with it on my nails for at least 2 weeks.
UGH.
Today I went with a friend to get my nails done and we both looked at my color options. I almost went with a repeat - Papaya Princess, a color I got two mani's ago that I didn't love at first, but did grow to like over the 2+ weeks it spent on my nails.
But I decided to get something similar, or so it appeared on the little sample. It was a bit less melon, a bit more pink, and it was named Just So Lovely.
On my nails it is not lovely.
On my nails it is hot pink. Neon pink. Bright, screaming, look-at-me pink. I was going to include a photo here, but the photo looks like the color looked on the sample. A normal, yet slightly bright shade of pinky peach, or peachy pink if you will. What's on my hands, well, I haven't been in the dark with the manicure yet, but I'm pretty sure they are going to glow.
Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep paying for the more expensive manicure only to be frustrated with the longer lasting results?
I promised my friend I'd give it through tomorrow, to see if the pinkness grows on me. And I'm trying. But as I'm spending my afternoon catching up on work and getting some work done for a volunteer commitment I keep being distracted from the substance by flashes of color as I type.
I know neon is trendy again, but I'm not trendy. At all. So there is no use in looking like I'm even attempting it.
I don't know why I haven't learned my lesson that color is just not for me. I should have given up after 3 failed attempts, but no... I had to stick with it. Hopefully the fact that I'll likely end up spending money on a second manicure this week - to remove the shellac and replace it with my old favorite - will be enough to cure me of this stupid quest for color.
The exciting part of this was I no longer had to be afraid of color! I could get something fun and not worry about looking stupid when one nail was messed up super fast.
Woo hoo!
But... the oh so very first world problem I've discovered since I've started getting gel manicures - I like the idea of color, more than I actually like color.
Seriously.
I'm on my fifth one and I've been unhappy with the color I've chosen each and every time. And then I'm stuck with it on my nails for at least 2 weeks.
UGH.
Today I went with a friend to get my nails done and we both looked at my color options. I almost went with a repeat - Papaya Princess, a color I got two mani's ago that I didn't love at first, but did grow to like over the 2+ weeks it spent on my nails.
But I decided to get something similar, or so it appeared on the little sample. It was a bit less melon, a bit more pink, and it was named Just So Lovely.
On my nails it is not lovely.
On my nails it is hot pink. Neon pink. Bright, screaming, look-at-me pink. I was going to include a photo here, but the photo looks like the color looked on the sample. A normal, yet slightly bright shade of pinky peach, or peachy pink if you will. What's on my hands, well, I haven't been in the dark with the manicure yet, but I'm pretty sure they are going to glow.
Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep paying for the more expensive manicure only to be frustrated with the longer lasting results?
I promised my friend I'd give it through tomorrow, to see if the pinkness grows on me. And I'm trying. But as I'm spending my afternoon catching up on work and getting some work done for a volunteer commitment I keep being distracted from the substance by flashes of color as I type.
I know neon is trendy again, but I'm not trendy. At all. So there is no use in looking like I'm even attempting it.
I don't know why I haven't learned my lesson that color is just not for me. I should have given up after 3 failed attempts, but no... I had to stick with it. Hopefully the fact that I'll likely end up spending money on a second manicure this week - to remove the shellac and replace it with my old favorite - will be enough to cure me of this stupid quest for color.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Summer Colds Are the Worst
I've spent much of the past week battling a cold.
That's the short story. But blogs aren't meant for the short story, now are they? So, where was I?
I've spent much of the past week battling a cold. A stupid cold that has gone through various stages and symptoms and just continues to keep me guessing about what fun it will throw my way next.
First up, last Sunday, hours after I arrived in Wisconsin, came the immediate and utter exhaustion while I was out at dinner. I suddenly felt so tired that I was thissss close to asking the waitress to box up my yet to arrive order so I could take it to go.
I managed to buck up and eat my dinner, then headed back to the hotel where I went to sleep pretty much immediately.
Well, actually, I attempted to go to sleep pretty much immediately. I ended up tossing and turning for nearly 90 minutes before I stopped checking the time and then must have fallen asleep. Prior to that I had a major case of the chills. Teeth chattering like crazy chills. But I fell asleep. For about an hour. Then I woke up, burning up and realized I had a fever. Great. I went back to sleep, for another hour, woke up and realized fever had broken. Great!
Then I was wide awake for about 2 1/2 hours. Not great.
I finally enjoyed some actual, more than one hour at a time sleep, and woke up Monday morning feeling pretty ok. A touch of a sore throat, but otherwise good to go. That continued until Tuesday evening. When my voice started to go.
But Wednesday morning, it was long gone. And according to my colleagues (who are both RNs by background) I had a fever again. I disagreed, but was told their medically trained opinion trumped mine. Oh, and the cough was starting to kick in.
This was the travel day. Coming Home - yay! Running through an airport, trying to make close connections after dealing with hours upon hours of delays - boo! My ears definitely popped more than usual on the flights, but in general the cold wasn't too terrible to deal with. Maybe because by that point it was leaving my head, and moving down to settle into my chest.
Yup, by Thursday the throat was on fire and the coughing, oh the coughing kicked in. While the voice was a touch improved, it was still bad enough that everyone back at the office who was just experiencing it for the first time had to comment on how bad I sounded.
Yesterday morning I woke up fully intending to go to work, but once I realized I couldn't go more than 30 seconds without a coughing fit it seemed like staying home might be in my best interests. So I did, and I slept. And slept and slept. Seriously. I went back to sleep around 9 and didn't get up until 12:40. Then, went back to sleep from 3ish til 5. And 6 until close to 7.
This morning, well, I'm doing ok. I woke up still coughing, but turning my bathroom into a steam room for a bit seemed to get the worst of it out of my system and I actually do have a voice. I really really hope I'm turning a corner on this stupid bug and the worst is behind me.
My next two weeks are jam packed with lots to do and little time for this nonsense. And besides that, I've already gone through two packs of cough drops and I really, really don't want to go buy a third!
That's the short story. But blogs aren't meant for the short story, now are they? So, where was I?
I've spent much of the past week battling a cold. A stupid cold that has gone through various stages and symptoms and just continues to keep me guessing about what fun it will throw my way next.
First up, last Sunday, hours after I arrived in Wisconsin, came the immediate and utter exhaustion while I was out at dinner. I suddenly felt so tired that I was thissss close to asking the waitress to box up my yet to arrive order so I could take it to go.
I managed to buck up and eat my dinner, then headed back to the hotel where I went to sleep pretty much immediately.
Well, actually, I attempted to go to sleep pretty much immediately. I ended up tossing and turning for nearly 90 minutes before I stopped checking the time and then must have fallen asleep. Prior to that I had a major case of the chills. Teeth chattering like crazy chills. But I fell asleep. For about an hour. Then I woke up, burning up and realized I had a fever. Great. I went back to sleep, for another hour, woke up and realized fever had broken. Great!
Then I was wide awake for about 2 1/2 hours. Not great.
I finally enjoyed some actual, more than one hour at a time sleep, and woke up Monday morning feeling pretty ok. A touch of a sore throat, but otherwise good to go. That continued until Tuesday evening. When my voice started to go.
But Wednesday morning, it was long gone. And according to my colleagues (who are both RNs by background) I had a fever again. I disagreed, but was told their medically trained opinion trumped mine. Oh, and the cough was starting to kick in.
This was the travel day. Coming Home - yay! Running through an airport, trying to make close connections after dealing with hours upon hours of delays - boo! My ears definitely popped more than usual on the flights, but in general the cold wasn't too terrible to deal with. Maybe because by that point it was leaving my head, and moving down to settle into my chest.
Yup, by Thursday the throat was on fire and the coughing, oh the coughing kicked in. While the voice was a touch improved, it was still bad enough that everyone back at the office who was just experiencing it for the first time had to comment on how bad I sounded.
Yesterday morning I woke up fully intending to go to work, but once I realized I couldn't go more than 30 seconds without a coughing fit it seemed like staying home might be in my best interests. So I did, and I slept. And slept and slept. Seriously. I went back to sleep around 9 and didn't get up until 12:40. Then, went back to sleep from 3ish til 5. And 6 until close to 7.
This morning, well, I'm doing ok. I woke up still coughing, but turning my bathroom into a steam room for a bit seemed to get the worst of it out of my system and I actually do have a voice. I really really hope I'm turning a corner on this stupid bug and the worst is behind me.
My next two weeks are jam packed with lots to do and little time for this nonsense. And besides that, I've already gone through two packs of cough drops and I really, really don't want to go buy a third!
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