Monday, June 30, 2008

Sunny Monday

Yesterday I ran my secret trails loop in town in about 1:15. That's a pretty usual time. But I did double back once to explore an area I've wanted to explore to see if there was a connector trail that I could use. I didn't find one...but it still may be there. I'll have to try it from the other side as there is a little offshoot trail in the canyon and I'm not sure where it goes, but I think it leads out to the street somewhere.

It was pleasantly warm and the air was much better. I could still see some haze from the fires but when I looked straight up at the sky it was blue. So yes, the air quality was much improved. I'm crossing my fingers that all of the fires will be out soon! Although I'm wary about the 4th and illegal (and some legal in places) fireworks. You've just got to know that some dingbats will fire them off and they will start grassfires.

Not sure if I'll run today. I probably won't. I feel a little tired from yesterday's run, plus it's one of my weight training days. For the next two weeks I'll be continuing to follow a three-day, full-body lifting schedule. Then I'll switch to a four-day split. I'm also tweaking my diet to a higher protein, low-fat, moderate carb diet. The drop in carbs is making me more tired I think, although I normally totally crave proteins so this diet is not a pain in the butt for me at all. Where lots of people just loooove bread and can totally chow down on it, I usually ignore it in restaurants. I'm just not a bread/starch lover. I've always been this way. Even as a little kid I used to drive my parents batty by leaving my breakfast toast on the plate and wolfing down my eggs and bacon instead.

I'm also doing the 6 little meals rather than the three bigger ones. That is working out well too as it keeps your blood sugar stable and you're never hungry. I'd love to drop 10 lbs, but I'm not sure really how my body will reorganize itself. Maybe I'll stay the same weight, but be much more lean and muscular...that would fine too!

I'm not sure if it's the fires or not but the whole family is suffering from some kind of nasty allergies. I've been totally congested for the past few days so I'm back on the Zyrtec. Ugh.

Anyway, off to my second "breakfast" and the weight room! I'll do pictures of some kind tomorrow. Probably will hit a trail for some runnin'.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Totally Mellow

I'm slowly adjusting to my early partial retirement. Last week I woke up on Friday morning dreading going in to work and trying to figure out sick day excuses...then I remembered that I don't work there anymore! It was a great feeling and only confirmed to me more that it's the best thing in the world for me to be outta there.

We've had home cooked meals every day since I've been retired. My hubby loves the savings and the fact that they are undoubtedly healthier. I like cooking and I so like the slower pace of things.

I got my study materials for my CPT course too. I've read a little bit but I haven't really dug in deep yet. I'm still getting settled into the new arrangement. I feel so peaceful and so calm - I really didn't know how stressed I was until the stress was removed.

I really feel free now to explore and find my true path. This time for me is such a gift. My advice to anyone who is questioning their career path/decisions is to first - listen to your instincts and heed them! If something is telling you, no screaming at you to NOT take a job, follow your hunch (I didn't, but I sure learned). If you feel like there is something else that you should be doing, explore that feeling! Take some time out of your busy days and write in a journal, meditate about it, whatever brings you clarity. Even if you don't know right now what it is that you are destined to do, if you take some time to figure it out it will be well worth it. Spirit will send you signs and steer you on the right path. Think if the things that you love to do and wish you could do all day long...is there some way you can work that into a career?

Any little step in the right direction is progress! You'll feel much better for it, trust me.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

I haven't felt this peaceful in a very long time! Even though I just got fired...I feel totally at ease. I'm sure it's because I'm now headed in the right direction. I will not let myself be sidetracked by an easy job offer or other distraction that I might bite on if I let fear get the best of me. No, no, no - not again! I'm going to follow my intuition, my heart, my gut feelings that let me know what is right and wrong for me. I didn't follow them when I took this last job because of the money offered and the fear of not having a permanent job. And look where it got me? It's not a total loss and I'm not sorry for taking that job because ultimately it taught me a hugely useful lesson about following my gut instincts.

So now I've been spending a little more time with my kiddos. Today is my baby girl's 3rd birthday! She's at preschool where we'll have a little party for her today with cupcakes for all of her little friends. I have to wrap a few last presents for her and of course one for her older sister too because you have to include the other one too or they'll get jealous. I've been much more patient and at ease with them since getting free from the Nasty Gray Cubicle Farm.

So now I'll recuperate from my ordeal. I'll gussy up the house a bit and work out...lots. I'm waiting for materials for the personal training course that I've signed up for (yay!). I'm waffling on going out for my run today because of all of the fires that are out there right now. The air is terrible. I've had asthma attacks on days with bad air like this, so I'm not sure if I should go run or not. Maybe the air isn't that bad and won't affect me? Or is running today not a good idea and I'd be better to wait 'till tomorrow. Hmmm. I'll see how I feel and how the air is in a few hours.

Anyway...here's to everyone following their bliss, living their passions and thriving!

Friday, June 20, 2008

And Now for Something Completely Different...


WOW! I just got bitchslapped by fate.

I've really been wanting to quit my job. I hated it. The company I worked for, well, let's just say that they had the worst culture I've ever encountered. It was so bad it was funny, almost laughable. I knew I wouldn't last six months the first few days I was there. I was only hanging on for some valuable experience, health insurance and a nice paycheck that I could bank for my time when I'm off.

I had been planning on quitting in September. But I got fired on Wednesday! Oh well, more vacation for me. There's great weather...perfect for time off.

They fired me because they decided that they didn't need/want someone in my field...they wanted another analyst/statistician (entirely unrelated to my field in creative). This closely follows on the heels of my manager asking me if I knew why so many people were quitting. I didn't want to tell him "Because this place has the worst work environment in the business," but I eventually got strongarmed into divulging that people were leaving not only for a better environment, but just a normal one. It's not like they didn't know, I know what my reports and other people had filled out in their exit interview forms. But I'm sure they were shooting the messenger in this case. And I don't care, I'm relieved actually.

I'm going to get my certificate in personal training and chart a new course for my life. No more gray cubicles for 8 or more hours a day. Flexibility, and something I'm passionate and interested in...what a concept! I want job that I'll love getting up for in the morning, that I can be proud of and that I know makes a positive difference in the world.

Turning the page...

Monday, June 09, 2008

Sunshine Sunday

Finally, some warm weather! Sunny California has been cold and windy for weeks now. On Saturday I was pleasantly surprised by beautiful warm weather when I stepped out on to my back deck. I don't think that this nice weather was forecasted ahead of time. I didn't run on Saturday, I didn't really have time to as the Hubby had to work all day. Everyone was too exhausted to do any working out by the end of the day, so he didn't do anything either.

I spent the day with the two little monsters. We all went to Home Depot together to get some gardening supplies and most importantly paint for the inside of the house! We've been living with beige wallpapered walls for way too long. My house definitely doesn't reflect me. There's a dissonance there that I find grating to my soul, you know what I mean? So I've had enough of it and I'm going to redo the house. I'll take before and after pictures. One thing I'm definitely going to have to do is get the toys out of the living room. More often than not it looks like a preschool exploded there. Not very zen.

So, Sunday dawned beautifully, another gorgeous sunny day! I went for a run at Edgewood Open Space. I only did 40 minutes, so that it didn't eat up too much of the day. It was the perfect little break I needed, refreshing and rejuvenating. I didn't feel run down or beat up afterwards. And I also didn't feel guilty about leaving the kids for too long on the weekend, a real problem that I've been having mentally with myself. It's a little more of a balanced schedule - i just can't leave for hours at a time by myself. The Hubby put our weight set back together too so that I can do some weight training again. It's all about keeping it balanced. I know that I should be doing strength training, but I had been avoiding it because I was spending all of my time running. Not balanced, right? Well, I'm changing that and in the process I'll be staying closer to home more too since the weights are right nearby in the garage. And hopefully I'll look better in the process too!