Sunday, June 21, 2009

Resoluquinox: the summer solstice update

Wow, has it been three months already?!

I've had mixed success with my resolutions:

A) CAREER

i) do everything I can to make sure I get to stay on in my job after my original two year contract expires in November.

I have a verbal "probably". The exact source of the funds is not decided yet, and the source will determine the job description, but I'm reasonably confident that I'll still be doing something very similar to my current job come December. I'm doing my best to keep on proving my usefulness, and hopefully I'll be considered indispensable by contract renewal time!

ii) stop procrastinating and develop my freelance writing

I did get the first royalties for the big group project I completed at the beginning of 2008. I thought I'd arranged a freebie gig for a local charity that funds biological research, but I seem to have fallen through the cracks due to maternity leave and workloads at the other end. They did like the sample research summary articles I sent them though, so maybe this will be resurrected. I hope so, their newsletter goes to tens of thousands of people and looks very professional!

I was supposed to be on a freelancing course yesterday and next Saturday, but it got cancelled due to under subscription. Boooo.

I do need to do better here. (And get my course refund too).

B) HEALTH

i) Exercise more

I'm doing pretty well, actually! A combination of the iPhone application and excellent advice from Mermaid has really helped with the running. I started about six weeks ago at 7 minutes 30 seconds total time, with 1:00+0:30 walk+run intervals, and today I did a total of 28 minutes with 1:00+6:00 walk + run intervals. Quite the improvement! I'm going running twice a week, and going swimming or doing circuits (occasionally both) once per week too. Plus of course cycling 12 km of hills most weekdays. I think this is the biggest success on the list. Not that I've seen any major improvements on my hips or on the scales... but I'm sure my cardiovascular system is thanking me!

ii) stretch more

A necessity when running, so I'm doing better here.

iii) improve my diet

FAIL! Running makes me hungry. Swimming makes me really, really hungry. My diet wasn't terrible to start with, but I do need to do better...

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As for the late additions:

"Play my guitar more"

More, yes, but from a very infrequent bass line baseline. Must Do Better.

"Don't neglect the garden as much as last year"

SUCCESS! It's looking quite respectable. I've had an email request for photos, I will oblige soon I promise...
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9 comments:

  1. ScienceGirlJune 21, 2009 at 9:14 p.m.

    I am keeping my fingers crossed for your job - and good luck on the freelancing! Also, woo-hoo on running! It makes me hungry too, but soon you will tone up more and your resting metabolism will go up, so eating a bit more won't be so bad.

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  2. MassimoJune 22, 2009 at 2:07 a.m.

    I'm doing pretty well, actually! A combination of the iPhone application...

    Oh yeah, we all know that that iPhone does wonders for exercise... *rolls his eyes*...

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  3. AlyssaJune 22, 2009 at 4:58 a.m.

    You're doing really well overall! Congrats!

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  4. challJune 22, 2009 at 5:40 a.m.

    woho, I'm impressed with the running, exercise and all else.

    Hm... I might need to do one of those promises again... running is ok, as long as it is not 30-45C outside though...

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  5. Cath@VWXYNot?June 22, 2009 at 6:36 a.m.

    Thanks, SG! Here's hoping on the resting metabolism... although my legs were already pretty toned and muscly from all the cycling. Maybe it's time to start running with weighted wrist bands!

    Massimo, it's a facilitator for sure!

    Mrs CH, thanks!

    Chall, you too! I could not run in that heat. Actually I couldn't even live in that heat!

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  6. LisbethJune 22, 2009 at 7:05 a.m.

    Argh.. where did those three months go?! From someone who never quite got around to verbalise her resolutions at the past Resoluquinox, I think you're doing very well!
    Must start preparing for the next Resoluquinox - or just choose - say July 1st - as my perfect arbitrary date since the next equinox might be too gloomy and dark to inspire changes in this neck of the woods...

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  7. EcoGeoFemmeJune 22, 2009 at 7:11 a.m.

    Good for you!

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  8. The bean-momJune 22, 2009 at 2:16 p.m.

    Sounds like you've made a lot of progress on your solstice goals in 3 short months! The freelancing sounds like it's really coming along... too bad that course got canceled! (and yeah, I'd also be interested in a business/marketing type class if I were to go that route!)

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  9. Cath@VWXYNot?June 22, 2009 at 3:37 p.m.

    Thanks all!

    Lisbeth, any old date will do really, except for slap bang in the middle of winter. Why New Year caught on as a good time is beyond my understanding.

    BM, it's not coming along as well as I'd like... as I said on your post, I'm really just too mentally tired after work to want to do any more thinking and writing about science! At least half of the ideas jotted down in my little book came to me while on vacation, and I don't think that's a coincidence!

    Ah well, I'll keep on trying, and keep referring to the book I bought... the course would have been better though :(

    ReplyDelete

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