31 for 31 2-month check

So....yeah. I've been around. Working my ass off. Well, I wish I really were working my ass off, then I wouldn't have to lose a couple of pounds to get back to where I was pre-injury! That's right. I still can't run. I tried working out (HHA) on Monday, and Tuesday was a bit sore...and it's just progressed this week. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wish I could go back in time and not run after tweaking that muscle. I had no idea it was going to be like this. Maybe I should see someone about it. H keeps telling me to do that, but you know how people are with doctors...

I thought I would go through my 31 for 31 and see how I'm doing. I know some things are going well and some aren't (like the whole running three 5K's and a 10K), so let's do a check up, shall we?

1. Stop being a lazy cook and get in the kitchen, even when I'm tired. I usually enjoy what I cook more than what I would get out.

Well, this has gone okay. I'm trying to be better about this. I cooked a lot when we were snowed in, that's for sure!

2. Make H clean the kitchen more with me after dinner.

Doing all right here, as well. He hasn't complained and I'm not complaining when it doesn't get cleaned. I figure I could put my energy to better use than nagging.

3. Be a more engaged and engaging piano instructor.

Hahaha I've had so few lessons due to kids being sick, me being sick, and the weather, I can't even say yet.

4. Stop being afraid to hurt certain peoples' feelings and tell them what I really think when they ask. No one spares my feelings.

I have failed at this. I'm pretty passive-aggressive. There was a whole thing going on for the last two weeks and I should have said something more direct, and I didn't. I chose, instead, to be diplomatic and professional. However, that person has burned a bridge with both myself AND my students.

5. Read more books. Fiction, non-fiction, educational, whatever. I don't read nearly enough.

Hahaha again. When was I planning on doing this? Hmm.

6. Go to some concerts at the local universities. There are all these great performances and I hardly ever go. I have a DVR for a reason.

There haven't really been any performances at times when I could go.

7. Finish C25K and do speedwork, then move to Bridge to 10K.

8. Sign up for and race at least 3 5K's this year.

9. Sign up for and race at least 1 10K this year. (Either 8 or 9 can be in a relay)

Nope.

10. Continue my journey to enjoying the smaller things in life that bring joy, i.e. sunrises/sunsets, caring for flowers, little things like that. I have noticed that I feel pure joy when taking in these very subtle but amazing things.

I am always working on this. I've seen some beautiful moonrises recently, and the bulbs I planted are actually growing. Yesterday I was driving to the music store, and I saw daffodils blooming along the roadside. I felt at peace.

11. Learn a new instrument.

I still need to take in my clarinet and get it checked out. My sax is in good working condition, so maybe I'll focus on that.


12. Quit being such a nag.

This is a constant battle for me. Since so much of what I do at work is deadline-focused, I'm always having to get on someone's case about getting something done.

13. Continue to foster my new friendships at work. 

Doing very well with this! I've invited them to come out to a girl's night soon, with a group of ladies that I meet with for dinner. Dancing? I think so.

14. Be more supportive of my husband's efforts to continue to improve his alma mater fraternity. 

Well, this coming Saturday I'm going to his annual formal...that's supportive. I also have not complained about him being gone for things all the time.

15. Become a more savvy shopper.

I've been very good about this. I have acquired some cute pieces from Ross, and splurged a little on a dress from Boden. The dress fits perfectly, and it was worth the extra. But, I haven't gone overboard and have kept my finances in check.

16. Save up and buy another lens for my camera (perhaps a more snazzy general zoom lens? I think so.).

I might put this money toward a vacation first.

17. Stop breaking my wedding ring.

FAIL. It's currently broken. Again.

18. Prove once and for all that my school building is haunted (okay, okay, I know I can't do this but dammit, I believe!)

Haven't had any weird occurrences lately.

19. Receive a glowing review when the assistant principal reviews my journalism class. (I got a glowing review on my band rehearsal first semester so I'd like to continue that pattern).

I emailed my principal to see when he wanted to do this and I haven't heard back yet.

20. Continue trying a new recipe every month.

I've tried lots of new things! Some things were recipes, some things were made up in my head.

21. Be more open to trying new cuisines. I will not, however, force myself to eat organ meats or sushi. Other than that, I should try it.

I'm currently drooling over this local restaurant that serves food straight from the farm, and serves things like quail, rabbit, bison, and organic everything. I'm so ready to try it.


22. Continue working to be a more stable person, and to keep a hold of my struggle with depression. 

The above mentioned bridge-burner commented on how calm I am about everything. Though I am done with that person, I'll take that comment as a compliment. 

23. Continue to delight in the triumphs and successes of my students.

This is an easy one! The other day, after hearing back their rehearsal on the recorder, I had to hold back a tear or two because my band kids have come so, so far. My newspaper staff for next year has all these plans of greatness, my yearbook staff has put together an amazing book. My web design kids put together these videos for the talent show that I never even thought they could do. I like #23.

24. Do more to take care of myself. Get more massages, or haircuts, or take care of my feet more than I normally do. I'm terrible about all of this.

FAIL. I am getting a haircut on Friday, though.

25. Take a vacation, even if it is just a small weekend trip to Dallas. No vacation in 2010 at all sucked!!!

Currently in the works. I want to go to San Antonio! I am saving as much as I can for this.

26. Re-invest myself in strength training. I don't know why I quit, really. I was enjoying seeing the strength gains I had made.

FAIL.

27. Actively save money. We don't save nearly enough.

Saving for vacation. I make so little money.

28. Keep a cleaner house, especially my office, which is a mess at the moment.

Successes and failures here. 

29. Be less hypercritical of others. I know I said in #4 that I was going to stop coddling people, but sometimes I find that I am overly critical of others, especially my husband. I am also overly critical of myself.

Sometimes you have to be hypercritical. I keep my criticism as positive as possible, so as not to beat my students down. H can take the criticism. So can I (when I criticize myself, at least).

30. Finish the little projects around the house--curtains, hanging things, photos in frames, etc.

Success! We finally hung my office curtain. The cat room now has pictures on the wall and table, and so does my office. Next we need to hang my jewelry box somewhere, and my bulbs are growing furiously. 

31. Continue to enjoy my new found outlook on life. 

For the most part, success here. I have a lot to be thankful for, though February has been a drag with the weather the way it was, and the work event that pulled me down into some pretty dark places. I'm hoping that March will bring me happier days.

I think I'm doing better than last year. I think the work friendships and the delighting in my students' achievements are my favorite two goals at this point, because they are so fun!

Snocation = Nocation

Yeah, I see any vacation days I have between the end of school and the start of summer classes drifting away with the snow.

Yes, the snow is pretty. Yes, I enjoyed my time off. No, I do not want to give up the "good" days in May when the weather would cooperate more and allow me to go and do things, like take a vacation. I realize my motives for not wanting snow are completely selfish, but I think that people who want more on top of the blizzard are also selfish.

After all the shoveling, my hip is hurting pretty bad. I went up to the school yesterday to help them dig out and I was pretty useless. I did have a snow fight with a couple of students. They were chasing me with shovels full of snow! I picked up a big ol' chunk of ice and we stood at a standoff for about 30 seconds before we both said truce.

When I turned to leave, one snowball whizzed by my head! One hit my car, too. I'll be getting that child back somehow. Revenge is a dish best served cold, though. Heh.

I didn't really do much during my snocation except drink, watch Netflix, and sleep. I kind of needed it. Last Monday was a nightmare...basketball game, impending blizzard, and yearbook deadline. I didn't need all that at once. I kept trying to keep myself calm, but when a few kids invaded my classroom where my yearbook staffers were working so they could practice their STUPID talent show dance, I lost it on them. Those three are on my list, and I will be having a conversation with the person in charge of the talent show. She should make it clear to the students that they can't practice just anywhere, and that includes my auditorium AND my classroom. Not unattended. Jerks.

Monday helped (even further) solidify my feelings that I am overextended at work. I will be having a conversation with my principal, as well, about losing a responsibility or two. I'm losing my joy for my job. I haven't even missed it this past week, and we're in the middle of contest season. I fear that I will want to become a stay at home wife and do nothing but clean all day. That's fine for some, but I'm not sure that I could do that and stay sane. But, at the rate I'm going, I'm not going to be able to continue my job this way and stay sane, either!

So, other than a lot of thinking, not much happened around here. We saw No Strings Attached yesterday and had a good laugh. I watched both Food Inc. and Supersize Me this week, too. Very enlightening. My Oklahoma Food Co-op membership is in my purse, with the check, ready to mail if I can just get my hands on a stamp!

So, that's the update. Going back to work tomorrow as far as I can tell. It's amazing how fast the snow has melted.