Greetings:
I am currently participating in a "catch-up" session of Netflix viewing. We've had a couple DVDs laying around for weeks so I watched "Beaches" earlier and am currently watching "Dead Poets Society". Years ago I saw most of "Beaches" on cable and realized it was one of the lead chick-flicks of our era. And after watching it in its entirety I can confirm it is quite the chick-flick. But it was a decent chick-flick. Too early to comment on "Dead Poets Society" but apparently I'm an oddball for never have seen the movie.
I've been able to read on a regular basis at night so I did complete Little Women and I had forgotten much of the story. It was pretty decent even though it's "old school" and sometimes difficult to read due to the vocabulary. I finished reading Madame Bovary a couple nights ago. I read this book in my advanced English course in high school and got extra credit for an exam. I did not remember the story line at all so it felt like a new read. The main character makes the story difficult to read because her decision making is stupid and it's impossible for me to feel sympathetic. Her suicide at the end doesn't even make me feel bad for her. Ironically one of the discussion questions at the end of the book asks "Do you feel empathy for Madame Bovary throughout her struggle with marriage and monogamy?"
The Health Fair my health studies students provided went very well last week. I had one group of students go way over and beyond with their preparation. They spent hours making 380 "mind jars" for students. (Small water bottles, syrup, and glitter that creates a snow globe effect so a student can relax and calm him or herself with a visual.) The school was very pleased with the event and do to the set-up of the district, we may go back to the district in the fall and present the next Health Fair at the other elementary school. I worry too much about the health fair event each semester because I'm worried the lack of work ethic I'm seeing in most classes will weasel its way into that major outreach project.
The financial class I'm taking is going very well and I spent part of day restocking my cash envelopes for the month of April. Gavin and I made a major shopping trip to Target too and he was surprisingly patient as he helped me organize my coupons. Kohl's had a nice sale on running shoes and athletic shorts so he's set for clothes too. I'm grateful we didn't need to run down to Des Moines.
I'm halfway excited and halfway dreading my trip to St. Louis next week. Due to a change to the PE program catalog (helps students plan out their four years), quite a few students dropped my aquatics course. They didn't drop it because they should....they dropped it because they could and it was convenient. Sigh. Anyway, I wish I would have known about this because I could have extended my trip to St. Louis. I could have left on Wednesday and attended an extra day of the conference. Sigh...again. I feel silly for only attending the conference for one day but some professional development is better than no professional development. I'm also not thrilled about sharing a hotel room with a colleague and like usual, I'm not thrilled about flying.
Time to write Grandma a letter!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Good-Bye Spring Break
Sadly the week of freedom is almost over. I got most of my goals accomplished for the week. I didn't spend as much time at work as I had planned but I'm justifying that because it's Spring Break for Pete's sake. ***pause***
I took a "small" break so we could run and get Gavin from his class and it ended up being a break that lasted hours. The good news is that I got quite a bit of work done and I watched ISU win their game against the North Carolina Tarheels. I didn't get all of my grading done yet but I made a good dent in it over break. My health class (both sections) are providing a Health Fair to a local school on Wednesday. I get incredibly nervous because I'm relying on these students to do a great job. A couple groups are already presenting issues with their choice of content to share with elementary students. Other groups were planning to give candy out to kids...at 8am....at a Health Fair. Sigh.
I am sure everything will go well on Wednesday but I'm a worrywort about these things.
On a sad note, Jon's grandmother passed away on March 19. She was almost 97 and had been dealing with health issues for years. Her death was expected this week and we've tried to be a help to Jon's mom and dad. The visitation and funeral service were simplistic but fitting. Jon's dad is now pretty sick with an upper respiratory infection so he'll need extra care this week so Jon's mom is busy...which I think is helping her feel "normal" even with her mother gone.
I used a lot of time this week to do some personal tasks since it's becoming more and more difficult to fit things in with my work schedule. Thanks to a nice federal tax refund, I was able to put new tires on my car. A couple of trips during winter weather in past months made it obvious that I had more traction. I was also able to order two pairs of glasses and hope to have those in a couple weeks. My prescription hasn't changed ever but I like having a few choices when it comes to wearing glasses. My "sturdy" pair is scratched and not appropriate to wear to work. Now I'll have a few choices and I may actually keep a pair at work in case I lose a contact lense in the pool. I also put a nice chunk in my emergency fund.
I am giving a supplement a try with my weight loss. Alli is a product that's been on the market for awhile and is the only FDA-approved supplement associated with weight loss. I've wanted to try it for awhile but the price has scared me a bit. I received some coupons for the product and had a conversation with my doctor about it. Since I'm no longer taking meds for my gallbladder issue, it's safe for me to take the daily pills. Essentially, the supplement is taken three times a day with each meal but only if the meal includes fat. The pill prevents about half of the fat from a meal to be absorbed in the intestinal tract. The supplement + better food choices + physical activity is supposed to boost weight loss in a safe way. It's not supposed to be used for the long term. I'll give it a go for a month and see what I think. The only negative side effect happens if you eat a meal that has a ton of fat. You'll be in the bathroom a lot apparently.
I guess that's it for now.
I took a "small" break so we could run and get Gavin from his class and it ended up being a break that lasted hours. The good news is that I got quite a bit of work done and I watched ISU win their game against the North Carolina Tarheels. I didn't get all of my grading done yet but I made a good dent in it over break. My health class (both sections) are providing a Health Fair to a local school on Wednesday. I get incredibly nervous because I'm relying on these students to do a great job. A couple groups are already presenting issues with their choice of content to share with elementary students. Other groups were planning to give candy out to kids...at 8am....at a Health Fair. Sigh.
I am sure everything will go well on Wednesday but I'm a worrywort about these things.
On a sad note, Jon's grandmother passed away on March 19. She was almost 97 and had been dealing with health issues for years. Her death was expected this week and we've tried to be a help to Jon's mom and dad. The visitation and funeral service were simplistic but fitting. Jon's dad is now pretty sick with an upper respiratory infection so he'll need extra care this week so Jon's mom is busy...which I think is helping her feel "normal" even with her mother gone.
I used a lot of time this week to do some personal tasks since it's becoming more and more difficult to fit things in with my work schedule. Thanks to a nice federal tax refund, I was able to put new tires on my car. A couple of trips during winter weather in past months made it obvious that I had more traction. I was also able to order two pairs of glasses and hope to have those in a couple weeks. My prescription hasn't changed ever but I like having a few choices when it comes to wearing glasses. My "sturdy" pair is scratched and not appropriate to wear to work. Now I'll have a few choices and I may actually keep a pair at work in case I lose a contact lense in the pool. I also put a nice chunk in my emergency fund.
I am giving a supplement a try with my weight loss. Alli is a product that's been on the market for awhile and is the only FDA-approved supplement associated with weight loss. I've wanted to try it for awhile but the price has scared me a bit. I received some coupons for the product and had a conversation with my doctor about it. Since I'm no longer taking meds for my gallbladder issue, it's safe for me to take the daily pills. Essentially, the supplement is taken three times a day with each meal but only if the meal includes fat. The pill prevents about half of the fat from a meal to be absorbed in the intestinal tract. The supplement + better food choices + physical activity is supposed to boost weight loss in a safe way. It's not supposed to be used for the long term. I'll give it a go for a month and see what I think. The only negative side effect happens if you eat a meal that has a ton of fat. You'll be in the bathroom a lot apparently.
I guess that's it for now.
Friday, February 28, 2014
The Last Weeks Have Been Numbing....Literally
Well I'll explain the title first. Since Monday, February 17 I've had a weird loss of sensation and numbness in my left index finger. Everything else on my hand is fine...just the finger is acting up. I woke up and noticed it felt funny. I thought I slept on it wrong. Nope. I bit the bullet on Wednesday and went to the walk-in clinic to get a professional perspective. The doctor was stumped but we are trying a two week Aleve regimen to see if there is some inflammation that is making a nerve unhappy. I thought I had some improvement yesterday but it was just the fact my hands felt frozen and cold. The numbness was back when I warmed up at home.
I forgot to mention a really cool financial program Jon and I are participating in through our church. It's called Financial Peace University and it's coordinated by Dave Ramsey. I've known a few people/couples in past years that have used an envelope system for managing finances. The program calls to the fact that you do have to use automatic withdrawal, online payments, and checks to pay for some bills. For other areas, you are to use envelopes to manage cash. I will be using an envelope for my personal spending money, groceries, and eating out. I've also created envelopes that allow me to save month-by-month for my car insurance, Gavin's needs, etc. The program's premise is that it's helpful to feel actual money and see it change hands. It's very easy to swipe a debit card or credit card and not truly understand the debt it may be creating. March will be our first month trying the envelope system. I'm excited to get rid of more of my debt and be more efficient about the process.
I see other perks developing from our involvement in the financial class. It is going to cause us to shop using a grocery list. If I only have so much cash to use on groceries and eating out, it will help prevent impulse purchases. I'm even trying to be more mindful about left-overs and meal planning as the amount of food we waste is crazy. If we have a better handle on shopping and food preparation, it will affect our health and weight loss too.
One of my stressors is a professional development opportunity that I should be attending in April. It is the national convention for the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. It is in St. Louis. My main concern is the funding I have through ISU. I thought I had more funds available for professional development but as of now I have $315.00 and I don't know how far that will go. I'm a slacker though and haven't scrutinized airfare options yet. On the plus side, I can share a hotel room with a colleague and she's paying for that with her professional development funds. I'll probably just make up the difference and use some of my tax refund to support the trip. I want do more professional development on a regular basis so I'm teaching my classes well and it's a significant portion of my annual evaluation each year.
Thanks to Mr. Taxman, I'm paying into the state this year. Fortunately, I am getting my typical federal refund. It's going to help me set up a money market savings account (for the financial class), buy new tires soon, pay for some of that St. Louis trip, save up for Gavin's driver's education fee, and pay off more debt. I will probably stash some away for vacation in August. We plan to go to House on the Rock and bop around that part of Wisconsin and NE Iowa for part of a week in August.
I'm in a mental slump right now because I have to stay in Ames until 10pm tonight because I"m teaching a portion of the DMACC coaching authorization seminar. I shouldn't gripe though because it's good money. I only teach it once in awhile but it gets old. Teaching for 5 straight hours is never easy but depending on the class dynamic, things progress quickly. I hope I didn't just jinx that. I'm also the "hodge-podge" instructor as I have to cover topics that are mandatory but don't fit on other days very well. I teach about moral development, cognitive development, social-emotional development, some legal information (liability/negligence), and physical development. Oh yes, and I have to cover hazing. Considering that it is supposed to snow this afternoon and/or evening, I am hoping I can easily drive home afterwards. I am thrilled to sleep in tomorrow and we really don't have much planned at all for the weekend.
Time to go teach!
I forgot to mention a really cool financial program Jon and I are participating in through our church. It's called Financial Peace University and it's coordinated by Dave Ramsey. I've known a few people/couples in past years that have used an envelope system for managing finances. The program calls to the fact that you do have to use automatic withdrawal, online payments, and checks to pay for some bills. For other areas, you are to use envelopes to manage cash. I will be using an envelope for my personal spending money, groceries, and eating out. I've also created envelopes that allow me to save month-by-month for my car insurance, Gavin's needs, etc. The program's premise is that it's helpful to feel actual money and see it change hands. It's very easy to swipe a debit card or credit card and not truly understand the debt it may be creating. March will be our first month trying the envelope system. I'm excited to get rid of more of my debt and be more efficient about the process.
I see other perks developing from our involvement in the financial class. It is going to cause us to shop using a grocery list. If I only have so much cash to use on groceries and eating out, it will help prevent impulse purchases. I'm even trying to be more mindful about left-overs and meal planning as the amount of food we waste is crazy. If we have a better handle on shopping and food preparation, it will affect our health and weight loss too.
One of my stressors is a professional development opportunity that I should be attending in April. It is the national convention for the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. It is in St. Louis. My main concern is the funding I have through ISU. I thought I had more funds available for professional development but as of now I have $315.00 and I don't know how far that will go. I'm a slacker though and haven't scrutinized airfare options yet. On the plus side, I can share a hotel room with a colleague and she's paying for that with her professional development funds. I'll probably just make up the difference and use some of my tax refund to support the trip. I want do more professional development on a regular basis so I'm teaching my classes well and it's a significant portion of my annual evaluation each year.
Thanks to Mr. Taxman, I'm paying into the state this year. Fortunately, I am getting my typical federal refund. It's going to help me set up a money market savings account (for the financial class), buy new tires soon, pay for some of that St. Louis trip, save up for Gavin's driver's education fee, and pay off more debt. I will probably stash some away for vacation in August. We plan to go to House on the Rock and bop around that part of Wisconsin and NE Iowa for part of a week in August.
I'm in a mental slump right now because I have to stay in Ames until 10pm tonight because I"m teaching a portion of the DMACC coaching authorization seminar. I shouldn't gripe though because it's good money. I only teach it once in awhile but it gets old. Teaching for 5 straight hours is never easy but depending on the class dynamic, things progress quickly. I hope I didn't just jinx that. I'm also the "hodge-podge" instructor as I have to cover topics that are mandatory but don't fit on other days very well. I teach about moral development, cognitive development, social-emotional development, some legal information (liability/negligence), and physical development. Oh yes, and I have to cover hazing. Considering that it is supposed to snow this afternoon and/or evening, I am hoping I can easily drive home afterwards. I am thrilled to sleep in tomorrow and we really don't have much planned at all for the weekend.
Time to go teach!
Thursday, February 20, 2014
*insert a well-thought out title*
Greetings:
Sadly I had hoped I the blog entry would be written hours ago but I successfully distracted myself with other tasks around the house. I was advised to leave work early today due to the thundersnow and crazy precipitation. It really wasn't THAT horrible but it was nice to get home early as Gavin was dismissed two hours early. I don't think he'd want to walk home in the slushy mess. The half-day allowed me to catch up with some laundry and prepare a wholesome dinner in the crockpot. We had chicken taco chili for supper. I made some pistachio pudding too but I'm waiting to ensure it sets. I've never had it before...let's hope it's wonderful.
Jon and I are trying to be more regimented with Weight Watchers but with that being said, we didn't go yesterday to weigh-in. I am seriously contemplating using the online program alone. I really don't care for the meetings. The leader is just too much. I really don't see another time of the week to attend that works with my schedule either. Sigh. Either way something needs to kick for my motivation because it is L-A-C-K-I-N-G. I've undone my weight loss from last year. Some clothes are fitting more tightly. I really need to dive head first into some changes.
On a different note, I may be attending a conference in April in St. Louis. I'm still contemplating. I need to find someone to cover Swim & Gym for me. Most of me really wants to go because I really want to do more professional development on a regular basis. I'm also attending a conference in March too but it's located in Ames. The St. Louis conference is for AAHPERD (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance). The conference in March is called the Risky Business Conference. Experts speak about the latest health concerns for youth. I just need to organize some information so I can make an official decision for the St. Louis venture.
I have been reading more (thanks to the Kindle). I read The Help since we recently watched the movie on the dish. Like usual, the book is better than the movie. I am currently reading Little Women because I remembered enjoying so much in my teen years. I also want to read Why Teach? In Defense of Real Education but I don't want to buy it on my Kindle. I need to walk my butt into the Ames Public Library and borrow it soon. I've read a sample of it though and it should be interesting. It hits on the consumerism aspect of post-secondary education and how the business of college is changing the educational process.
With Gavin now being 14, we need to figure out when to get him to a DOT station so he can try to take his exam for his driver's permit. I want him to have that first because I sign him up for driver's education this summer. Then again I may wait even longer before I sign him up for that. We'll see. When the weather isn't so cruddy, I am going to take him to some parking lots that are close to Saylorville Lake. The parking lots are huge and usually vacant so it will be a nice place for him to practice. I'm sure I'll find some logical blacktops and gravel roads too.
OK, that's enough for now. Hopefully I can boast some health-related success next time.
Sadly I had hoped I the blog entry would be written hours ago but I successfully distracted myself with other tasks around the house. I was advised to leave work early today due to the thundersnow and crazy precipitation. It really wasn't THAT horrible but it was nice to get home early as Gavin was dismissed two hours early. I don't think he'd want to walk home in the slushy mess. The half-day allowed me to catch up with some laundry and prepare a wholesome dinner in the crockpot. We had chicken taco chili for supper. I made some pistachio pudding too but I'm waiting to ensure it sets. I've never had it before...let's hope it's wonderful.
Jon and I are trying to be more regimented with Weight Watchers but with that being said, we didn't go yesterday to weigh-in. I am seriously contemplating using the online program alone. I really don't care for the meetings. The leader is just too much. I really don't see another time of the week to attend that works with my schedule either. Sigh. Either way something needs to kick for my motivation because it is L-A-C-K-I-N-G. I've undone my weight loss from last year. Some clothes are fitting more tightly. I really need to dive head first into some changes.
On a different note, I may be attending a conference in April in St. Louis. I'm still contemplating. I need to find someone to cover Swim & Gym for me. Most of me really wants to go because I really want to do more professional development on a regular basis. I'm also attending a conference in March too but it's located in Ames. The St. Louis conference is for AAHPERD (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance). The conference in March is called the Risky Business Conference. Experts speak about the latest health concerns for youth. I just need to organize some information so I can make an official decision for the St. Louis venture.
I have been reading more (thanks to the Kindle). I read The Help since we recently watched the movie on the dish. Like usual, the book is better than the movie. I am currently reading Little Women because I remembered enjoying so much in my teen years. I also want to read Why Teach? In Defense of Real Education but I don't want to buy it on my Kindle. I need to walk my butt into the Ames Public Library and borrow it soon. I've read a sample of it though and it should be interesting. It hits on the consumerism aspect of post-secondary education and how the business of college is changing the educational process.
With Gavin now being 14, we need to figure out when to get him to a DOT station so he can try to take his exam for his driver's permit. I want him to have that first because I sign him up for driver's education this summer. Then again I may wait even longer before I sign him up for that. We'll see. When the weather isn't so cruddy, I am going to take him to some parking lots that are close to Saylorville Lake. The parking lots are huge and usually vacant so it will be a nice place for him to practice. I'm sure I'll find some logical blacktops and gravel roads too.
OK, that's enough for now. Hopefully I can boast some health-related success next time.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Off to a Good Start....Professionally
As the title states, the new year has started off on the right foot in regards to semesters starting up for both ISU and DMACC. No major complaints with work despite my schedule being very busy most days. I am teaching three classes for ISU, two for DMACC, running Swim & Gym, supervising three student teachers, supervising the grad students that teach, and some other miscellaneous stuff.
Health-wise I am not off to a good start. Both Jon and I aren't pleased with eating habits and activity levels. Lots of work to do....need to officially dive in.
Thanks to receiving my Kindle for my birthday, I've been reading more for pleasure. I read A Prayer for Owen Meany: A Novel and really enjoyed it. It's the book that was used to create the movie "Simon Birch". The book is much different but they did a good job making the movie. The boy (Simon Birch/Owen Meany) lives into adulthood in the book which is quite different than the movie.
I also read the short story related to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". I was surprised it was a short story and so basic. It's quite different than the movie so for once I can say the movie is better than the book.
Last night I finished Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, which yes was also developed into a movie. The book is very similar to the movie. The main difference relates to the daughter (Sandra Bullock in the movie) and the fact she isn't kidnapped by the Ya-Yas but is alone in a cabin reflecting on her childhood and her upcoming wedding.
I am working on two Stephen King books. The Talisman has been a tough read so far. I started The Wind Through the Keyhole which is a new addition to the "Dark Tower" series. It's been awhile since I've read the series so I'm hoping I can make sense of the book. It's not attached to the end of the series but would be between books 4 and 5 chronologically.
I have some Beth Moore books waiting too. She writes religous books and almost all her books were free one day through Amazon so I bought 6 of them.
Gavin started up with basketball. He's on B team and has played two games. He's still a little rusty but there is still another month of practice and games. When Swim & Gym starts, I'm not sure how many games I'll be able to attend. Games are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Mondays. Blah.
Ok....back to watching reruns of Roseanne!
Health-wise I am not off to a good start. Both Jon and I aren't pleased with eating habits and activity levels. Lots of work to do....need to officially dive in.
Thanks to receiving my Kindle for my birthday, I've been reading more for pleasure. I read A Prayer for Owen Meany: A Novel and really enjoyed it. It's the book that was used to create the movie "Simon Birch". The book is much different but they did a good job making the movie. The boy (Simon Birch/Owen Meany) lives into adulthood in the book which is quite different than the movie.
I also read the short story related to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". I was surprised it was a short story and so basic. It's quite different than the movie so for once I can say the movie is better than the book.
Last night I finished Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, which yes was also developed into a movie. The book is very similar to the movie. The main difference relates to the daughter (Sandra Bullock in the movie) and the fact she isn't kidnapped by the Ya-Yas but is alone in a cabin reflecting on her childhood and her upcoming wedding.
I am working on two Stephen King books. The Talisman has been a tough read so far. I started The Wind Through the Keyhole which is a new addition to the "Dark Tower" series. It's been awhile since I've read the series so I'm hoping I can make sense of the book. It's not attached to the end of the series but would be between books 4 and 5 chronologically.
I have some Beth Moore books waiting too. She writes religous books and almost all her books were free one day through Amazon so I bought 6 of them.
Gavin started up with basketball. He's on B team and has played two games. He's still a little rusty but there is still another month of practice and games. When Swim & Gym starts, I'm not sure how many games I'll be able to attend. Games are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Mondays. Blah.
Ok....back to watching reruns of Roseanne!
Monday, January 6, 2014
Bring on another semester...
I am wrapping things up for the day before I head out into the frigid cold. I'm curious to hear what the Fusion sounds like when I try to start it in a little bit. My game plan was to update and change my syllabi for the semester for both institutions. I was successful. I even worked on my online courses a bit too and worked ahead for the semester. My class sizes for DMACC are rather large so I'm curious to see how many people drop in the first week.
I am becoming more motivated to spruce up my office at ISU and make it more personal. I've never asked to paint it and I'm not about to do that yet. I want to try and do something collage-wise with pictures of Gavin so I can be more boastful of my offspring when people are in my office. I have so many extra pictures of him at home. I need to figure out a cute way to present the pictures though. (Yes I've been scanning Pinterest for ideas). I never had a lot of creativity or craftiness working for me so I doubt I'll be blessed with any this week.
I am truly pleased that my stressed demeanor just melts away over the holiday break. I am truly enthused and excited to start the spring semester. I have great ideas for all my classes. (especially the class associated with educating future health teachers)
I'm also excited for my millionth pursuit of changing my lifestyle. Right now at this moment I'm thinking "eating better and exercising more? piece of cake. I'll start tonight." What sucks is that I'll get home and laziness or indifference will kick in and my line of thinking will switch to "mmmm breaded cheese balls and sitting on the couch.....I'll work out tomorrow."
I should probably go to Weight Watchers and see what I weigh. It will depress me but I need to know where I'm starting from. History repeats itself!!
Anywho...time to pack up and head back to Ankeny. Yippee.
I am becoming more motivated to spruce up my office at ISU and make it more personal. I've never asked to paint it and I'm not about to do that yet. I want to try and do something collage-wise with pictures of Gavin so I can be more boastful of my offspring when people are in my office. I have so many extra pictures of him at home. I need to figure out a cute way to present the pictures though. (Yes I've been scanning Pinterest for ideas). I never had a lot of creativity or craftiness working for me so I doubt I'll be blessed with any this week.
I am truly pleased that my stressed demeanor just melts away over the holiday break. I am truly enthused and excited to start the spring semester. I have great ideas for all my classes. (especially the class associated with educating future health teachers)
I'm also excited for my millionth pursuit of changing my lifestyle. Right now at this moment I'm thinking "eating better and exercising more? piece of cake. I'll start tonight." What sucks is that I'll get home and laziness or indifference will kick in and my line of thinking will switch to "mmmm breaded cheese balls and sitting on the couch.....I'll work out tomorrow."
I should probably go to Weight Watchers and see what I weigh. It will depress me but I need to know where I'm starting from. History repeats itself!!
Anywho...time to pack up and head back to Ankeny. Yippee.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Happy Holidays
Greetings:
I am on my last full day in Waukon and for the most part, it's a lazy morning. Most people are still laying down or sleeping. It's been a good trip with movies, games, and the usual Christmas activities. I think I've eaten more popcorn balls than usual this year...usually one or two does the trick but I've been craving them more than usual.
I still have time off from work which is glorious! The stress from the last weeks is already washing away and I barely remember the long hours of grading and my whining students. Even though I don't have to physically be at work for awhile, I will mostly likely work on my syllabi for the spring semester. I need to create a syllabus for an experimental course that will become a permanent course in the near future. I'm excited to make some changes to my health studies course at ISU as I've had some ideas pop in the last year and it's time to make a change.
Gavin started the holidays with some sort of stomach bug. Luckily it was short lived and only delayed us coming to NE Iowa for a day. (His mother should have pushed the flu shot harder but who knows if that would have helped any.)
OK onto to topics for the new, approaching year. I am going to sound like a broken record because like usual, my health status is a major focus for change in 2014. I didn't only fall off the wagon this past fall, the wagon broke down, and a wheel rolled off. Eating well got put on a back burner and being active was inconvenient many days. My report from my sleep study was favorable but the doctor gave me the reminder of weight loss to prevent any future issues. I believe if I keep up with keeping work and home separate, establishing healthy habits will become easier. I did a fairly good job keeping work at work in 2013. I did have to bring home some grading periodically but it was nothing like it had been in previous years. In addition to weight loss, healthier eating, and more physical activity, I am going to try and carve out more "me time" so I can do things I enjoy like reading or hobbies. It would be nice if I fell in love with exercise and could term that as a hobby. As of today I am skeptical of that but it would be really fun to be more outdoorsy and truly camp on a regular basis in the spring, summer, and fall. Jon got me a Kindle and I want that to promote the amount I'm reading for pleasure. I used to read at a rate of a book a week. I'm lucky now if I read a book every 3-4 months.
I also need to become more brave with my culinary actions at home. I make a few things well but even I get sick of eating that stuff on a regular basis. I need to open up my recipe books, use the buttload of meat in our deep freeze, and make eating out a treat again. Right now it's the norm and it's also expensive.
I'm sure I'll be voicing more goals and plans in the next weeks as January officially begins. I'm still registered at Weight Watchers but I'm going to whine about it for awhile as the enrollment will skyrocket in January and February. I hate when it's busy and when a million people attend a meeting.
By Valentine's Day I want to be down 15 pounds. Being that weight loss comes off early in the beginning, I'm hoping that's not a challenge.
I hope to do be down 25 pounds by St. Patrick's Day.
I'll leave it at that.
I am on my last full day in Waukon and for the most part, it's a lazy morning. Most people are still laying down or sleeping. It's been a good trip with movies, games, and the usual Christmas activities. I think I've eaten more popcorn balls than usual this year...usually one or two does the trick but I've been craving them more than usual.
I still have time off from work which is glorious! The stress from the last weeks is already washing away and I barely remember the long hours of grading and my whining students. Even though I don't have to physically be at work for awhile, I will mostly likely work on my syllabi for the spring semester. I need to create a syllabus for an experimental course that will become a permanent course in the near future. I'm excited to make some changes to my health studies course at ISU as I've had some ideas pop in the last year and it's time to make a change.
Gavin started the holidays with some sort of stomach bug. Luckily it was short lived and only delayed us coming to NE Iowa for a day. (His mother should have pushed the flu shot harder but who knows if that would have helped any.)
OK onto to topics for the new, approaching year. I am going to sound like a broken record because like usual, my health status is a major focus for change in 2014. I didn't only fall off the wagon this past fall, the wagon broke down, and a wheel rolled off. Eating well got put on a back burner and being active was inconvenient many days. My report from my sleep study was favorable but the doctor gave me the reminder of weight loss to prevent any future issues. I believe if I keep up with keeping work and home separate, establishing healthy habits will become easier. I did a fairly good job keeping work at work in 2013. I did have to bring home some grading periodically but it was nothing like it had been in previous years. In addition to weight loss, healthier eating, and more physical activity, I am going to try and carve out more "me time" so I can do things I enjoy like reading or hobbies. It would be nice if I fell in love with exercise and could term that as a hobby. As of today I am skeptical of that but it would be really fun to be more outdoorsy and truly camp on a regular basis in the spring, summer, and fall. Jon got me a Kindle and I want that to promote the amount I'm reading for pleasure. I used to read at a rate of a book a week. I'm lucky now if I read a book every 3-4 months.
I also need to become more brave with my culinary actions at home. I make a few things well but even I get sick of eating that stuff on a regular basis. I need to open up my recipe books, use the buttload of meat in our deep freeze, and make eating out a treat again. Right now it's the norm and it's also expensive.
I'm sure I'll be voicing more goals and plans in the next weeks as January officially begins. I'm still registered at Weight Watchers but I'm going to whine about it for awhile as the enrollment will skyrocket in January and February. I hate when it's busy and when a million people attend a meeting.
By Valentine's Day I want to be down 15 pounds. Being that weight loss comes off early in the beginning, I'm hoping that's not a challenge.
I hope to do be down 25 pounds by St. Patrick's Day.
I'll leave it at that.
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