I set my goals a month ago. How have I done so far?
1. Lose 20 pounds by the summer
So far, so good. I've lost 5 pounds over the last 5 weeks.
2. Play my guitar for 30 minutes each week.
I still haven't picked it up. I've been busy with other things, but I hope to get to it within the next few months.
3. Read at least 4 books each month.
I've done okay. I've started more than 4, but I've only completed 3.
4. Complete the self-study program by April 11.
I'm still working on it. I've completed one more book toward that goal. Now I have to write my summary. And turn in all my other summaries to my advisor. I think I only have 5 or 6 books left to read.
5. Host a game night with friends.
As much as I'd like to do it now, it's going to have to wait a few more months. At least we can have game nights when our families are here next month.
6. Scrapbook at least once a month.
Nope. I've wanted to, but I've been busy with other things.
7. Promote to Future Director.
I still don't have a recruit. I may be getting closer, though...
8. Promote to Director by December 31.
Well, I can't do that until I promote to future director. My director wants me to promote by October 1.
9. Book a minimum of 3 shows each month.
I booked 5 for January, but only 2 have come to completion. One cancelled and I'm waiting to hear back on two other catalog shows. For February, I only have one definite show booked. I'm working to get two more, but I'm having a hard time with it. It's a great host special - any 2 products from the catalog at 60% off! Who can pass that up?!?
Okay, so I have a lot of work to do in several areas. The year is young, and I have 11 more months to get the other things started. I'm not going to give up on them just because January wasn't a banner month for everything. I'll just try harder to get to things in February.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
I'm Brown
I took a What's Your True Color? quiz and it said I'm brown.
So, is this me?
"You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy." (Not so much melancholy.)
"Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart." (I agree.)
"With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver." (Of all the subjects I've taught, I prefer math.)
"And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision." (In most cases...)
"Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music." (I can add reading various types of books, making jewelry, writing, playing Sudoku, etc.)
"Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart."
Actually, I like the color brown. I like to wear chocolate brown in the winter. My favorite coat is a long, dark brown leather one that I've had for 11 or 12 years. I also like to eat chocolate. (I prefer dark.) My hair is reddish-brown. Tan and beige are nice. I also wear a lot of khaki in the spring and summer.
I'm happy with being brown. What color are you?
ht: Cindy
So, is this me?
"You're brown, a credible, stable color that's reminiscent of fine wood, rich leather, and wistful melancholy." (Not so much melancholy.)
"Most likely, you're a logical, practical person ruled more by your head than your heart." (I agree.)
"With your inquisitive mind and insatiable curiosity, you're probably a great problem solver." (Of all the subjects I've taught, I prefer math.)
"And you always gather all of the facts before coming to a timely, informed decision." (In most cases...)
"Easily intrigued, you're constantly finding new ways to challenge your mind, whether it's by reading the newspaper, playing a trivia game, or composing a piece of music." (I can add reading various types of books, making jewelry, writing, playing Sudoku, etc.)
"Brown is an impartial, neutral color, which means you tend to see the difference between fact and opinion easily and are open to many points of view. Trustworthy and steady, you really are a brown at heart."
Actually, I like the color brown. I like to wear chocolate brown in the winter. My favorite coat is a long, dark brown leather one that I've had for 11 or 12 years. I also like to eat chocolate. (I prefer dark.) My hair is reddish-brown. Tan and beige are nice. I also wear a lot of khaki in the spring and summer.
I'm happy with being brown. What color are you?
ht: Cindy
Weigh-In Wednesday #2
Last week, I decided to go "public" with my weight loss progress with a new weekly post called "Weigh-In Wednesday". In it, I'll detail my workout strategies, my eating plan, and my struggles with them.
I didn't struggle too much with eating last week. I think a big part of that is seeing the numbers come down each week when I stand on the scales. That gives me the motivation to keep on with what I'm doing. I did really well with not eating a lot of sweets, and when the boys had snacks each morning and afternoon, I made choices like a low-fat granola bar, some chips and salsa, or a bowl of Cheerios. I had a few Hershey kisses, but I limited myself to just 2, and I sucked on them to make them last longer. :o)
For lunch today at Wendy's, I had a side salad with honey mustard dressing and a mandarin orange cup. I skipped the chicken nuggets, but I did munch on a few of Caleb's fries. (I have a hard time turning down French fries!) Next time I might try the salad with the nuggets and a low-calorie dressing. I need the protein after working out.
Today's workout went really well. My iPod worked this time, and my "Walk" playlist helped me walk at a really brisk pace. I completed a mile in just under 17 minutes! I went through my upper body weights circuit and added a new exercise: the fly. For my between-circuit laps, I walked 3 laps (.3 miles) in 5 minutes. After going through the circuit once more - and not quite getting all my repetitions in because of muscle exhaustion! - I walked another 4 laps and finished in a little under 7 minutes. All total: 1.7 miles in 29 minutes or less!
These are the tunes on my "Walk" playlist. (Some of them have a little faster beat than I can walk to, but I'm hoping to work up to it. There may be a problem, though, because I'm not that tall (only 5'4") and my stride isn't very long. If I took shorter steps I'd look funny, and I'm not up for jogging just yet.)
I Go to Extremes, Billy Joel
You May Be Right, Billy Joel
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, Billy Joel
My Life, Billy Joel
We Didn't Start the Fire, Billy Joel (I thought of you, Taran.)
What I Want, Daughtry
Redemption, Switchfoot
Reached Down, Todd Agnew
Lay it Down, Todd Agnew
Romans 12:1, Todd Agnew
Where Were You?, Todd Agnew
Uptown Girl, Billy Joel
Tell Her About It, Billy Joel
All Fired Up, Petra
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, Reliant K
More than Fine, Switchfoot
Saved, Third Day
Took My Place, Third Day
I Can Feel It, Third Day
Keep On Shinin',Third Day
The Wonder of It All, Todd Agnew
This week/weekend, I want to focus on developing a workout plan for the days I don't go to the gym, which I'd like to start next week. I've decided to focus on my upper and lower body on MWF and my core on TTS. I'm reading Strength Training for Women (click the link on my "Reading List" sidebar for more info), and it's got some really good information in it. There are also a wide variety of exercise plans for a big range of fitness levels. I'm actually considering buying this book!
I know that if I do more focused exercise than what I get once a week, I should see a slight increase in weight loss, as well as a reshaping of my problem areas. Which brings me to today's weight report: 159.9! I lost another pound!
I didn't struggle too much with eating last week. I think a big part of that is seeing the numbers come down each week when I stand on the scales. That gives me the motivation to keep on with what I'm doing. I did really well with not eating a lot of sweets, and when the boys had snacks each morning and afternoon, I made choices like a low-fat granola bar, some chips and salsa, or a bowl of Cheerios. I had a few Hershey kisses, but I limited myself to just 2, and I sucked on them to make them last longer. :o)
For lunch today at Wendy's, I had a side salad with honey mustard dressing and a mandarin orange cup. I skipped the chicken nuggets, but I did munch on a few of Caleb's fries. (I have a hard time turning down French fries!) Next time I might try the salad with the nuggets and a low-calorie dressing. I need the protein after working out.
Today's workout went really well. My iPod worked this time, and my "Walk" playlist helped me walk at a really brisk pace. I completed a mile in just under 17 minutes! I went through my upper body weights circuit and added a new exercise: the fly. For my between-circuit laps, I walked 3 laps (.3 miles) in 5 minutes. After going through the circuit once more - and not quite getting all my repetitions in because of muscle exhaustion! - I walked another 4 laps and finished in a little under 7 minutes. All total: 1.7 miles in 29 minutes or less!
These are the tunes on my "Walk" playlist. (Some of them have a little faster beat than I can walk to, but I'm hoping to work up to it. There may be a problem, though, because I'm not that tall (only 5'4") and my stride isn't very long. If I took shorter steps I'd look funny, and I'm not up for jogging just yet.)
I Go to Extremes, Billy Joel
You May Be Right, Billy Joel
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me, Billy Joel
My Life, Billy Joel
We Didn't Start the Fire, Billy Joel (I thought of you, Taran.)
What I Want, Daughtry
Redemption, Switchfoot
Reached Down, Todd Agnew
Lay it Down, Todd Agnew
Romans 12:1, Todd Agnew
Where Were You?, Todd Agnew
Uptown Girl, Billy Joel
Tell Her About It, Billy Joel
All Fired Up, Petra
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, Reliant K
More than Fine, Switchfoot
Saved, Third Day
Took My Place, Third Day
I Can Feel It, Third Day
Keep On Shinin',Third Day
The Wonder of It All, Todd Agnew
This week/weekend, I want to focus on developing a workout plan for the days I don't go to the gym, which I'd like to start next week. I've decided to focus on my upper and lower body on MWF and my core on TTS. I'm reading Strength Training for Women (click the link on my "Reading List" sidebar for more info), and it's got some really good information in it. There are also a wide variety of exercise plans for a big range of fitness levels. I'm actually considering buying this book!
I know that if I do more focused exercise than what I get once a week, I should see a slight increase in weight loss, as well as a reshaping of my problem areas. Which brings me to today's weight report: 159.9! I lost another pound!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Menu Plan Monday #15
Last week was crazy, menu-wise. Hopefully this week will be more settled. I don't foresee any disruptions, as I've checked and double-checked my calendar. :o)
Monday: tacos
Tuesday: blackened tilapia, garlic butter rice, and steamed broccoli
Wednesday: corn and black bean soup, tortilla chips
Thursday: leftovers
Lost premieres and I don't want any distractions!
Friday: chicken enchiladas, salad
Saturday: homemade pizza, salad
This time I'm going with our standard mushroom, black olive, and onion pizza.
Super Bowl Sunday: super-stuffed baked potatoes, brownies
To see more menu plans, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Feast 177
It's been quite a while since I participated in Friday's Feast. This week's questions look interesting.
Appetizer
How many times per day do you usually laugh?
How can you even answer this? It depends on my mood and what's going on. Sometimes it's just once or twice, but it's usually more like 3 or 4. Just kidding. I honestly have no idea!
Soup
What do your sunglasses look like?
They're magnetic clip-ons, so they basically look just like my glasses, only darker. I think the lenses are amber/brown.
Salad
You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?
The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It's been probably 12 years since I was there. I miss it!
Main Course
Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city.
I don't know specifically about my city, but the Metroplex in general has lots to do: zoos, aquariums, farms, museums, professional sports teams, a rodeo, and tons of places to shop and eat.
Dessert
If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?
Orange, like a sunset.
Appetizer
How many times per day do you usually laugh?
How can you even answer this? It depends on my mood and what's going on. Sometimes it's just once or twice, but it's usually more like 3 or 4. Just kidding. I honestly have no idea!
Soup
What do your sunglasses look like?
They're magnetic clip-ons, so they basically look just like my glasses, only darker. I think the lenses are amber/brown.
Salad
You win a free trip to anywhere on your continent, but you have to travel by train. Where do you go?
The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It's been probably 12 years since I was there. I miss it!
Main Course
Name one thing you consider a great quality about living in your town/city.
I don't know specifically about my city, but the Metroplex in general has lots to do: zoos, aquariums, farms, museums, professional sports teams, a rodeo, and tons of places to shop and eat.
Dessert
If the sky could be another color, what color do you think would look best?
Orange, like a sunset.
The Machine
We haven't been there in well over a year. We'll go back this spring! Admission has increased, but I think there are more things to do there now, including a hay ride. The boys will love that! I think we'll see if Allison wants to meet us there with Grant...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)