Running Behind...

Well the title of this week's entry is so fitting.  I am a day and a half delayed in my normal blog entry timing.  I took Sunday to add color to the home office walls and celebrate Father's day with my incredible dad.  So I guess the good news based off of that information is accomplished some of my personal goals for the week.  Here is what I set for myeslf:


Goal 1:  Get back to writing down what I eat
Goal 2:  Cook a great dinner meal at home one night
Goal 3:  Workout at least 30 minutes 4 days of the week
Goal 4:  Get to writing that manuscript
Goal 5:  Work on getting more of the spackling done

I am going to comment on these in somewhat random order.  Obviously if I was working on adding color to the walls of the home office, that means I got not just "more of the spackling done", but got it all done.  I think my total spent on spackle was around $150.  That's just crazy.  I think it looks pretty decent considering what I had to start with.  Once I get the room complete then I will add pictures to my blog to share the process.  So, I am very proud of the amount of progress that I made on that silly room during this past week.

I also got my workouts in during the week.  I have started my "race walking" training this week.  I got in a class of step aerobics, miles on the treadmill, miles on the river, and some aquajogging this week.  I also got in some miles on the bike on Sunday (which technically would count towards this week had I gotten my blog entry done on Sunday as I usually do).

I have been more consistently tracking what I eat this week, but it has not been 100%.  I am not sure what my deal is with that.  I have maintained my no sugar, no fried food lifestyle.  I really don't crave sugar that much any more.  The only thing that gets me from time to time is ice cream.  It's getting to be the hot days of summer and I really want the occasional ice cream cone.  The fried food is not challenging EXCEPT for going out to eat Mexican food.  I really love fajitas and there is nothing in fajitas that is fried, but it's the chips and salsa that sit on the table prior to eating the yummy food that is so tempting to me.  I think when June is over, I need to really evaluate why it is I want the chips and salsa so much.  I have felt very empowered to have the determination and will power to say no and not have a single chip.  I wish I could report that the number on the scale has been dropping like a ton of bricks but it really has not been.  That is so frustrating to me.

I have officially started my outline for my next manuscript. I have started working on the concrete information in documenting the methodology and organizing articles that support the concept behind the research.  I really have to get on the ball with this goal as time is just ticking by.  These articles aren't going to write and publish themselves.  And if I don't get after it, I will be up for review at my job and be up a creek without a paddle, not having enough peer-reviewed publications to maintain my job.  It is true what they say in tenure positions: publish or perish.

As far as cooking a great dinner meal at home one night, well I made chicken sausage and sweet potato fries (baked in the oven of course).  It was quite delicious.  Not so sure if it counts as a great meal or not, but I thought it was good and it was filling.

I find it so hard to believe that there are only 12 short days left in June.  I have really enjoyed taking a true break from going into the office.  I had to go into work today to meet with some students about their research projects.  I think having the break from the office made me prouder of them for pushing through and finding their way.  It opened my eyes that maybe in some small way I am an enabler. I try to help too much to make students successful.  In reality, if I would just lay low a little these students will step up to the plate and do a great job.  I have to keep the faith that I am a good teacher, and that I have valuable things to add to the profession and not push so hard.  It will happen if it is meant to be.

So this will be a shorter week for me, so going to limit the number of goals I have:

1) get all the trim up in the home office (with my dad's help)
2) start my training for the Chicago marathon and get the 9-mile speed walk in on Sunday
3) begin actual writing of the manuscript
4) write down a compliment to myself each day (that is not about Boca)

Hoping everyone has a wonderful rest of the week.