Every year, my company does biometric and blood testing for the employees. It helps them determine how much each person pays for their health insurance, and you can earn extra money for doing activities such as tracking your steps or participating in a weight loss challenge.
It's gotten pretty intense. First, there was a tropical vacation awarded to the people who lost the most weight. And now there are iPad giveaways. You see people walking around getting their mileage on the pedometer and heading to the new (free) gym they installed. They've even put in a couple of treadmills with laptop docking stations.
Seriously, I'm here to work. Not walk around.
Until I had my recent biometric visit, and they let me know: Your body mass index (BMI) is considered borderline.
Well, there you go. Time to get my butt in gear.
I was fiddling around with Couch to 5K, thinking I'd ease back in. But borderline high BMI doesn't let you ease back into anything. So I have straight up run 2 miles three different times this week. I signed up for a 5k in April. So next week I kick it up to 2.5 miles. By April, 3 miles will be laughable.
Here's to better health.
March 9, 2012
February 16, 2012
My Funny Valentine: Translated
My favorite 3 year old gave me this valentine card. Pay special attention to how he wrote his name and how it was transcribed:
February 2, 2012
Home Happiness Projects: Wine and Coffee Bar
I've been on this weird kick where I've disliked our home the past few months. I went as far to start looking for new homes and had convinced myself that we didn't need to live on a lake to be happy.
But then we refinanced at a ridiculously low rate, and I'm getting closer to nursing school. So reality set in, and I redirected my energy on things that I could do to the existing home to make it more likeable.
Complaint: I don't have enough freaking storage space in our kitchen
Resolution: Move the table out of the kitchen and create a wine and coffee bar that will provide extra storage and free up the cluttered counter.
We moved the table back in December but I've been slow to pick what exactly I wanted to do with the space. For a while, the kitchen looked like this (that's a random end table that I haven't found a home for with all the other rearranging):
It took some time to figure out the best approach (buy v build.) but ultimately we spent Sunday afternoon with three trips to Home Depot and around $200 to create this beauty:
I moved all the coffee accessories (seriously, we look like the freaking Starbucks with our K-cup maker, espresso maker, coffee maker, coffee grinder, coffee cups....) AND relocated several bottles of wine and wine accessories (electric opener, chiller....).
The cabinet started as an unfinished oak cabinet without a counter. We created that counter and tiled it with these lovely glasses tiles (using grout and everything).
I love it.
The existing kitchen counter is less cluttered. I don't have to dig to get to my coffee maker or spices. And I have a can say I have a "wine and coffee bar" in my house :)
Next up: the guest bathroom project.
But then we refinanced at a ridiculously low rate, and I'm getting closer to nursing school. So reality set in, and I redirected my energy on things that I could do to the existing home to make it more likeable.
Complaint: I don't have enough freaking storage space in our kitchen
Resolution: Move the table out of the kitchen and create a wine and coffee bar that will provide extra storage and free up the cluttered counter.
We moved the table back in December but I've been slow to pick what exactly I wanted to do with the space. For a while, the kitchen looked like this (that's a random end table that I haven't found a home for with all the other rearranging):
It took some time to figure out the best approach (buy v build.) but ultimately we spent Sunday afternoon with three trips to Home Depot and around $200 to create this beauty:
I moved all the coffee accessories (seriously, we look like the freaking Starbucks with our K-cup maker, espresso maker, coffee maker, coffee grinder, coffee cups....) AND relocated several bottles of wine and wine accessories (electric opener, chiller....).
The cabinet started as an unfinished oak cabinet without a counter. We created that counter and tiled it with these lovely glasses tiles (using grout and everything).
I love it.
The existing kitchen counter is less cluttered. I don't have to dig to get to my coffee maker or spices. And I have a can say I have a "wine and coffee bar" in my house :)
Next up: the guest bathroom project.
February 1, 2012
Back to It
I go through running spurts, and this year is no exception. I decided last night that since it's been 10 months since I ran my first 10k and I've barely gone a mile since then, it's time to get back on the horse.
Actually, it was my friend A. Jill telling me last weekend while we drank an entire boot of beer, "I run because I like to eat pizza" that made me do it. Her common sense approach to life and health makes too much sense.
I kicked off my running the Couch to 5K podcast that started it all three years ago. I started at Week 1, which is only 60 seconds of running at any given time. I was genuinely shocked that this wasn't hard for me. And I even did 10 minutes on the elliptical after my run. Maybe running is like riding a bike. Once you train your body, you don't really forget?
I've downloaded Version 3 of the podcast. The music is getting better, so that's an added bonus: http://chubbyjones.libsyn.com/
Tonight, on to Week 2.
Actually, it was my friend A. Jill telling me last weekend while we drank an entire boot of beer, "I run because I like to eat pizza" that made me do it. Her common sense approach to life and health makes too much sense.
I kicked off my running the Couch to 5K podcast that started it all three years ago. I started at Week 1, which is only 60 seconds of running at any given time. I was genuinely shocked that this wasn't hard for me. And I even did 10 minutes on the elliptical after my run. Maybe running is like riding a bike. Once you train your body, you don't really forget?
I've downloaded Version 3 of the podcast. The music is getting better, so that's an added bonus: http://chubbyjones.libsyn.com/
Tonight, on to Week 2.
January 23, 2012
Things That Are Hard But I'm Going To Try To Do Them More Anyways
1. Dinner alone: When I travel for work, I find myself being a creature of habit (or the Marriott). I literally hole up in my hotel room and eat only Subway or whatever weirdness they are serving in the lounge. Tonight, I was in a new town, had a restaurant recommendation from a coworker who loves this area, and went out to dinner alone. And I was served the very best fried okra ever. So when I travel for work, I'm going to try to see more and do more. Less turkey sandwiches, more fried okra.
2. Prioritize work over life: I had to forgo this semester in school because travel was just too much. The clients were asking for me, and I couldn't let them down. Financially, we are trying very hard to get everything paid off so I can go to school full time and cut my family's income in half. So putting work first was something that had to be done. I am still hopeful I can start a nursing program in the fall of 2013 despite the setback.
3. Be a patient friend: We are trying to plan our annual girls trip. Everyone has a lot of different opinions...and some don't respond at all. The weekend is still 4 months out so I am just going to sit back and see how this all plays out.
4. Be a patient wife: TG bought a new truck and has spent an unreasonable amount of time enhancing it, taking it for "check ups" and talking about truck projects. It actually got to the point where I had to tell him I was tired of talking about the truck. He's just excited so I need to be a better wife and let him be happy...even if that means spending an unreasonable amount of my day discussing window tinting and trailer hitches.
5. Step away from the computer: There are some weeks that pass when I don't check my work email at least once a day. I either have my computer connected or my phone with me. It's a bad habit and makes it hard to separate work and life. But it's also unhealthy. This weekend, I vow to go at least one day without looking at email.
2. Prioritize work over life: I had to forgo this semester in school because travel was just too much. The clients were asking for me, and I couldn't let them down. Financially, we are trying very hard to get everything paid off so I can go to school full time and cut my family's income in half. So putting work first was something that had to be done. I am still hopeful I can start a nursing program in the fall of 2013 despite the setback.
3. Be a patient friend: We are trying to plan our annual girls trip. Everyone has a lot of different opinions...and some don't respond at all. The weekend is still 4 months out so I am just going to sit back and see how this all plays out.
4. Be a patient wife: TG bought a new truck and has spent an unreasonable amount of time enhancing it, taking it for "check ups" and talking about truck projects. It actually got to the point where I had to tell him I was tired of talking about the truck. He's just excited so I need to be a better wife and let him be happy...even if that means spending an unreasonable amount of my day discussing window tinting and trailer hitches.
5. Step away from the computer: There are some weeks that pass when I don't check my work email at least once a day. I either have my computer connected or my phone with me. It's a bad habit and makes it hard to separate work and life. But it's also unhealthy. This weekend, I vow to go at least one day without looking at email.
January 20, 2012
Let's make a deal
Dear 2011
Remember when I bid you farewell? Well, the first 20 days in 2012 have been subpar so I wanted to give you another shot.
One grandpa, one grandma, one miscarriage, and one divorce later I am not convinced we are in agreement.
Let's try to get off on a better foot. cool?
SG
Remember when I bid you farewell? Well, the first 20 days in 2012 have been subpar so I wanted to give you another shot.
One grandpa, one grandma, one miscarriage, and one divorce later I am not convinced we are in agreement.
Let's try to get off on a better foot. cool?
SG
January 8, 2012
Stuff American People Like
One of my favorite blogs is Stuff White People Like. The past few days in Doha has felt like a blog worthy of being called Stuff American People Like.
1. Michael Jackson – The first morning I was taken by a private driver to the office. This is basically a person hired by the hotel to take you in a nice Audi to your destination (instead of a metered taxi). When I got in the car, the driver asked if I’d like to hear music so I said “Sure, why not?” He then asked what kind of music. I wasn’t sure how to respond with “country and western or gangster rap” so he asked “Sentimental?” I indicated I had no preference so he went to the navigation screen and found a playlist titled English and browsed to a song called Speechless. When the song first came on, I had no idea who was singing but it became very apparent it was MJ. Sentimental Americans enjoy Michael Jackson. Of course.
2. Camels – Doha is a fairly large city with massive sky scrapers. Sure, there’s an ocean (I think technically it’s a gulf), and there’s areas of the city that are barren and desolate like the desert, but I haven’t seen a single sand dune and most of the desolate areas just look like foliage cannot grow due to rain. It doesn’t look like the kind of place you’ve seen in Arabian Nights and those other old black and white movies. And it certainly doesn’t look like the recent portrayals of the Middle East on CNN with army tanks and warfare. So I was fairly amused to go into the mall this weekend and see that the souvenirs included camels. There were plush camels. There were camel snow globes (there’s some irony in that one). There were camels made of porcelain. But I’m not actually sure you could see a live camel in the entire city (or maybe even the country). I sure didn’t…and if I could have, I’m pissed no one invited me to do that.
3. Arabic sterotypes – In addition to the camels, some of my other favorite tokens you could purchase in the shops were miniature lamps….like the kind on Aladdin that the genie comes out of. I’m not sure what those things are actually used for, but I can tell you there isn’t one in the hotel, nor have I seen this used in the office where I work. Just sayin’.
4. Bad Chain Restaurants – I’m not sure if this one of Stuff American People Like or Stuff American People Like That Has Unfortunately Spread To Other Countries but there are a lot of chain fast food places (McDonalds, Papa Johns, Starbucks, Burger King, Pizza Hut). But the sad thing is to see places like Chilis and Applebees have found a place in the Middle East. I was told that the locals love eating at places like this, which is both amusing and disgusting. I really prefer to avoid those places when I’m in the States so I certainly want to avoid them when I’m traveling abroad. Unless I get a hankerin’ for chicken nuggets. Then I’m grateful to have McDonalds worldwide.
5. Artificial Sweetener – The coffee here is intense. It’s dark and bitter and requires an insane amount of milk or cream to make it even drinkable. And I admit that I’m also a huge fan of artificial sweeteners (sorry, Jackie). My chemical of choice is Splenda but I’ll use the pink stuff or the blue stuff if it’s all that’s available. What’s interesting here, is brown and white sugar is more common and in hotels and restaurants you will only see one or two packets of Sweet and Low available. It’s pretty much the opposite of the States where you usually see all of the variety of artificial sweeteners with one or two regular sugars. Yum.
It’s been a fairly uneventful week in Doha. I’m not even that upset if I have to come back. While I’m not looking forward to the flights home, I am looking forward to being back with my friends and family (and on my body’s regulated sleeping schedule). And bring on the Mexican food. If there’s one thing American people like that hasn’t been figured out here, it’s Mexican food.
Bean tostadas and America, here I come.
1. Michael Jackson – The first morning I was taken by a private driver to the office. This is basically a person hired by the hotel to take you in a nice Audi to your destination (instead of a metered taxi). When I got in the car, the driver asked if I’d like to hear music so I said “Sure, why not?” He then asked what kind of music. I wasn’t sure how to respond with “country and western or gangster rap” so he asked “Sentimental?” I indicated I had no preference so he went to the navigation screen and found a playlist titled English and browsed to a song called Speechless. When the song first came on, I had no idea who was singing but it became very apparent it was MJ. Sentimental Americans enjoy Michael Jackson. Of course.
2. Camels – Doha is a fairly large city with massive sky scrapers. Sure, there’s an ocean (I think technically it’s a gulf), and there’s areas of the city that are barren and desolate like the desert, but I haven’t seen a single sand dune and most of the desolate areas just look like foliage cannot grow due to rain. It doesn’t look like the kind of place you’ve seen in Arabian Nights and those other old black and white movies. And it certainly doesn’t look like the recent portrayals of the Middle East on CNN with army tanks and warfare. So I was fairly amused to go into the mall this weekend and see that the souvenirs included camels. There were plush camels. There were camel snow globes (there’s some irony in that one). There were camels made of porcelain. But I’m not actually sure you could see a live camel in the entire city (or maybe even the country). I sure didn’t…and if I could have, I’m pissed no one invited me to do that.
3. Arabic sterotypes – In addition to the camels, some of my other favorite tokens you could purchase in the shops were miniature lamps….like the kind on Aladdin that the genie comes out of. I’m not sure what those things are actually used for, but I can tell you there isn’t one in the hotel, nor have I seen this used in the office where I work. Just sayin’.
4. Bad Chain Restaurants – I’m not sure if this one of Stuff American People Like or Stuff American People Like That Has Unfortunately Spread To Other Countries but there are a lot of chain fast food places (McDonalds, Papa Johns, Starbucks, Burger King, Pizza Hut). But the sad thing is to see places like Chilis and Applebees have found a place in the Middle East. I was told that the locals love eating at places like this, which is both amusing and disgusting. I really prefer to avoid those places when I’m in the States so I certainly want to avoid them when I’m traveling abroad. Unless I get a hankerin’ for chicken nuggets. Then I’m grateful to have McDonalds worldwide.
5. Artificial Sweetener – The coffee here is intense. It’s dark and bitter and requires an insane amount of milk or cream to make it even drinkable. And I admit that I’m also a huge fan of artificial sweeteners (sorry, Jackie). My chemical of choice is Splenda but I’ll use the pink stuff or the blue stuff if it’s all that’s available. What’s interesting here, is brown and white sugar is more common and in hotels and restaurants you will only see one or two packets of Sweet and Low available. It’s pretty much the opposite of the States where you usually see all of the variety of artificial sweeteners with one or two regular sugars. Yum.
It’s been a fairly uneventful week in Doha. I’m not even that upset if I have to come back. While I’m not looking forward to the flights home, I am looking forward to being back with my friends and family (and on my body’s regulated sleeping schedule). And bring on the Mexican food. If there’s one thing American people like that hasn’t been figured out here, it’s Mexican food.
Bean tostadas and America, here I come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)