Working. A necessary evil, is it not? I'm lucky. I have a lot of autonomy at my job. I can basically come and go as I please, as long as my work gets done. Even better, my boss is 50 miles away from me in another office. I keep my little office door closed here and just putter along. I do my work, don't get me wrong. But ... I also read stuff online, web surf, listen to internet radio, shop ... just pass the time. I leave early, too. Yet strangely enough, people think I really work hard. No, I just work smart.
I got my first job at 15. I kidsat/housecleaned for a couple who had a 9-year old boy. I'd get there before he got home from school and do some minor kitchen cleanup. When he came home, I'd give him a snack and then just watch TV until his parents came home. I did this Mon-Thu, with Thursday being a long night, because the parents had "date night". I didn't really like the kid too much and I hated cleaning up, but hey, a job is a job. I watched a LOT of TV ... Wild Wild West, Star Trek, 3:00 movies, etc.
My first real job (you know, taxes taken out, etc.) was at a Jack-in-the-Box. Later on, as I developed my "fast food" skills, I also worked at a Carl's Jr. Man, fast food is akin to slave labor. You do a lot of work for not so much money. Back in the day, minimum wage was $2.65/hour. I remember when I got a raise to $2.90/hour. Woo hoo. I was rolling in the dough, then!
I've had various jobs over the years, depending on school load, etc. I worked for a small family-owned direct mail company, in the college bookstore and print shop, as a receptionist for an attorney. My first post-college job was as a receptionist for a software services company. From there, I went to become an executive secretary at a printing plant. At the printing plant, I moved into customer service (which morphed into "client services" and looks more today like program management work).
I currently work at a software company as a program manager. Basically, a good job for the anally retentive. I can be hyper-organized when I need to be and that comes out well at work.
So ... I guess I should get back to it. See, I even write blog posts while I'm at work. I'm truly a model employee.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
I'm gonna pump ... you up!
So this month I joined a gym and hired a personal trainer. WTF, right? If you know me, then you know that I'm definitely not the workout type nor a personal trainer person. But ... after much thinking and despairing about my recent weight gain AND the fact that I'm going on an awesome trip to Scotland in 2-1/2 months, I thought I'd better get on the ball and get a little bit more fit.
I've decided not to actually have "lose weight" as a goal, because that's just too easy to screw up and it's a bit ... um ... cliché. I decided instead to increase my endurance and stamina. Any weight loss along the way is icing on the cake. Of course, I also decided to re-join Weight Watchers, if only to help me focus my eating a bit more. I did WW for about a year+ about 2 years ago and lost 37 pounds. I've gained a portion of that back, so I'd like to be a bit more trim when I go on vacation.
Working out. Phew. It's not easy for someone like me, who hasn't used certain muscles in ... oh, let's just say forever. My workout starts with a 5-minute warm up on the elliptical machine. From there I move on to free weights, using a stability ball. My trainer checks my form and encourages me. After the weights, we do PNF stretching, which is a passive stretch. My trainer works my muscles and I provide a bit of resistance. The workout ends with me on the elliptical doing some cardio work. Ick Ick Ick. Since I'm just starting this regimen, my cardio is 10 minutes + a 5 minute cool-down. Next week I'll start on 15 minutes with a cool-down.
You know what's really gross about the workout? The sweating. I don't mind on my body as much as I mind all the sweat on my head. I don't recall sweating like that when I was younger. I honestly think I didn't sweat like this until I had pneumonia back in '95. After that, my head always sweats when it's get even the tiniest bit warm outside.
What I'm working on now is my attitude towards working out. I'm such a Negative Nelly and I need to improve my mindset. I'm working on that with my therapist. Good times. Good times.
I've decided not to actually have "lose weight" as a goal, because that's just too easy to screw up and it's a bit ... um ... cliché. I decided instead to increase my endurance and stamina. Any weight loss along the way is icing on the cake. Of course, I also decided to re-join Weight Watchers, if only to help me focus my eating a bit more. I did WW for about a year+ about 2 years ago and lost 37 pounds. I've gained a portion of that back, so I'd like to be a bit more trim when I go on vacation.
Working out. Phew. It's not easy for someone like me, who hasn't used certain muscles in ... oh, let's just say forever. My workout starts with a 5-minute warm up on the elliptical machine. From there I move on to free weights, using a stability ball. My trainer checks my form and encourages me. After the weights, we do PNF stretching, which is a passive stretch. My trainer works my muscles and I provide a bit of resistance. The workout ends with me on the elliptical doing some cardio work. Ick Ick Ick. Since I'm just starting this regimen, my cardio is 10 minutes + a 5 minute cool-down. Next week I'll start on 15 minutes with a cool-down.
You know what's really gross about the workout? The sweating. I don't mind on my body as much as I mind all the sweat on my head. I don't recall sweating like that when I was younger. I honestly think I didn't sweat like this until I had pneumonia back in '95. After that, my head always sweats when it's get even the tiniest bit warm outside.
What I'm working on now is my attitude towards working out. I'm such a Negative Nelly and I need to improve my mindset. I'm working on that with my therapist. Good times. Good times.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Sleep, oh marvelous sleep
The thing about insomnia is that you can't sleep through it. Even though you feel tired, you just can't curl up in a warm bed and just let yourself float away. Lately, this happens more and more. I go to bed, read a bit and feel that little prick behind the eyes, telling me it's time to turn out the light. I snuggle under the covers, not moving my feet too much because I want to start to concentrate the warmth around them, and slowly fall asleep. All is well.
And then ... it happens. Something wakes me. It can be our doggie finding a new position to sleep in, it can be C. coming to bed, it can be a forgotten dream ... doesn't matter what, it wakes me. Most times I just turn over and fall back to sleep, but other times, like tonight (or should I say this morning?), I'm just wide-eyed. Not bushy-tailed, though.
I remember as a kid being able to sleep anywhere. Ah, what a joy that was! On my first airplane trip to Holland, at 10 years old, I just passed out and didn't worry about a kink in my neck or my leg falling asleep. Kids are so resilient. In college, I would always come home late and wake early ... the horrors of early morning and late night classes. Every few weeks, I'd sleep the day away, catching up from days and days of short nights. But that's what college kids do. You work hard, you sleep hard.
As a working adult in my 20s and 30s, I don't really recall any problems sleeping. There were also times of work hard/sleep hard ... I remember staying up till 4AM working at home, but I don't give that kind of dedication to my job anymore. The return on that investment is slight at best.
As I slowly (although it seems quite rapid at times) near my half-century mark, I experience more instances of insomnia. Maybe I need to see a doctor about it. It's certainly not good for me. I get too sleepy in the afternoon and that's usually when I'm driving home from work. Grrr ... as my mom used to say "It ain't easy, McGee!". Where the hell a Dutch woman picked that up is beyond me.
And then ... it happens. Something wakes me. It can be our doggie finding a new position to sleep in, it can be C. coming to bed, it can be a forgotten dream ... doesn't matter what, it wakes me. Most times I just turn over and fall back to sleep, but other times, like tonight (or should I say this morning?), I'm just wide-eyed. Not bushy-tailed, though.
I remember as a kid being able to sleep anywhere. Ah, what a joy that was! On my first airplane trip to Holland, at 10 years old, I just passed out and didn't worry about a kink in my neck or my leg falling asleep. Kids are so resilient. In college, I would always come home late and wake early ... the horrors of early morning and late night classes. Every few weeks, I'd sleep the day away, catching up from days and days of short nights. But that's what college kids do. You work hard, you sleep hard.
As a working adult in my 20s and 30s, I don't really recall any problems sleeping. There were also times of work hard/sleep hard ... I remember staying up till 4AM working at home, but I don't give that kind of dedication to my job anymore. The return on that investment is slight at best.
As I slowly (although it seems quite rapid at times) near my half-century mark, I experience more instances of insomnia. Maybe I need to see a doctor about it. It's certainly not good for me. I get too sleepy in the afternoon and that's usually when I'm driving home from work. Grrr ... as my mom used to say "It ain't easy, McGee!". Where the hell a Dutch woman picked that up is beyond me.
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