Reading in Store

It's been awhile...I think that's my most common thought on the blog the past few months. Life has been plugging away. Before my own college classes began again, I had to prep for the senior classes I teach at the high school. They are part of a college in high school program. We will work from a college level syllabus I wrote and textbooks the local college requires and at the end of the semester, my students will have a college class credit to transfer wherever they may go when they graduate.

In other news, my own college classes are back in session. I have two literature classes - African-American Lit and The Anthropocene. I'm sure you're questioning that last one. Anthropocene is out current epoch. Scientists (and whoever else is in charge of this naming of time periods) haven't decided where the starting point of the Anthropocene is, but it "dates from when human activities started to have a significant global impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems." Anyway, we are reading a good stretch of books (mostly 20th century, which I like) and tracing the picture they paint (although some unwittingly) of Anthropocenic events. Something different and The Great Gatsby made the reading list, so you know I'm in!

In all, my work this semester consists of reading two books per week, adding up to approximately 30 books by May; thirteen short analysis papers; one five page book analysis; and two 20 page papers. We are heading into week three and after this weekend I should have three of my thirteen short papers done. Keeping on top of it is the key and my plan is to write my short papers now and save the end of the semester to sweat out the two larger papers.

I spent the entire last weekend at B&N, working 6-8 hours a day reading, note-taking, and writing. It truly worked so much better than trying to work at home. I'm so distracted by house and family things when I work from home, so I plan on spending the next 15 weekends at B&N as well. When all is said and done, B&N should start paying me for my advertising of their premises here and on social media! (Not to mention my dual meaning post title - something they can offer that Amazon can't!)

My outlook is much better this semester, which I credit to knowing what to expect. That makes SO much difference. Last semester really broke me in and God gave me some direction that completely helped calm me for all I have ahead. I'm excited and already enjoying it, although already facing the challenge of balancing life, work, and study with time constraints. Part of that balance includes things to add to the schedule. I've done a lot of taking things out, but there are important pieces missing too, like time to work out. I've mostly maintained my weight loss from this time last year, but last semester has started to challenge my gains. I'm more interested in endurance and toning/strengthening now, so I've fit a workout hour in three days a week based on times when I'm already out and about and can stop at the gym. I also saw a trainer for a customized plan, so my time and effort isn't wasted. Working smarter, not harder. Well, in this case working smarter and harder, lol. And maybe picking up with some fitness update posts again.

Hope all is well for you readers. I will hopefully remember to put some of my analysis papers here on the blog...kinda a throw back to book reviewing. Til next time...

March Fitness Update

Here we are, the end of March, time for another fitness update. About mid-month I noticed that I had to keep pulling up my pants (the ones that were really tight when I started in January) and that my Fitbit strapped onto my wrist easily beyond the usual hole I used. I weigh myself once weekly, but have just now noticed the loss besides the scale reading. Between January and mid-March I've lost 12 pounds. 

In January a workout friend had said that within a couple months the difference would be noticeable to me and a few months past that, it would be noticeable to others. Figuring my pants and Fitbit were making it obvious to me at least, I took a picture to compare to my January picture. You don't necessarily see the changes in something when you look at it every day, so I was pretty impressed with what I saw reflected between the two pictures (January and March respectively).

Then life struck and I missed half a month of workouts. We are finishing off the process of closing on our new house renovation loan and I've spent evenings gathering paperwork and running it to the needed destinations or meeting contractors and consultants at the house for inspections. Which means it had to work around usual activities, some things were pushed to other nights/days, plus the kids' activities...and the workouts ended up sacrificed.

It sucks, but it showed me something worth realizing. Over Easter weekend, within two weeks of missing workouts, I found myself highly uncomfortable and in some pain...definitely in need of my chiropractor. Since I started in January, I've barely had to see my chiropractor and when I did, it wasn't because I was highly uncomfortable or in a whole lot of pain. The workouts were keeping my chiropractic needs in check.

Also, I discovered that because I wasn't working out, I struggled more with eating healthy. Knowing I sacrificed and sweated to workout kept me eating healthy because I didn't want it to all be a waste of time. Without the workouts I didn't feel I had as much of a reason to stick to the better eating choices. As of now, I gained back the two pounds I'd lost since the beginning of March.

Needless to say, my part of the legwork for the new house is done and the workouts are coming back full force. I'm ready to feel good again!