mailbox surprises

embracing flexibility
i may have slept in [sort of accidentally] this morning. and i may be planning to still go and work out, and then work from home until noon, when i have a conference to attend at duke, and THEN i will head into the lab.

it may mean hanging out in the lab a bit later this evening if i have things to finish up, but that works for me today.

so maybe i am starting to see the benefits of making my own schedule!

by the way: i had mentioned in an earlier post about how i was worried about balancing lab and clinical responsibilities — and self-conscious of being absent in the lab compared to others. i decided i would post my schedule, and in the end went with this:

this baby is LARGE, and sits right next to my desk where anyone can peruse it. at the beginning of each week i sketch out on it:

◼ blocks of time i am scheduled to be somewhere else [ie: clinic; conferences/meetings over at the clinic/hospital]

◼ experiments/work i plan to do in blocks of time i am in the lab — the layout makes it easy to see visually what i have time for and when

◼ other lab-specific to-do items [often little things to do in stray blocks of down time]

this serves two purposes: to keep my regular planner free of lab-specific minutia [i still track when i have to do certain big experiments], and to let others know where i am and what i am doing at any given time if they swing by my computer station/lab bench and find me absent.

now i just have to get to the point where i am actually efficient getting things done IN the lab. definitely still not there yet — the whole stop/start schedule really did not help with that. but now that i will be there consistently for a several-month stretch, i’m hoping to get there eventually . . .

mailbox surprises
such exciting surprises in my mailbox yesterday!

package #1 was from angeliki, who writes one of my favorite blogs, re-psych. it was so exciting to get this book shipped all the way from england!

and i’m equally excited to read it!
after i finish the two i am currently getting through first, of course.

package #2 was from activewear USA, a company kind enough to offer to send me some yoga gear to review. i made sure to thoroughly test out the product i received:

yep, quality seems acceptable
now i am going to be 100% honest [otherwise, how can i call it a ‘review’!??] — i would wear these pants, but i do prefer thatotherfamousyogabrand that i waxed ecstatic about previously.

the supplex fabric is similar to luon but has more of a sheen and isn’t quite as supportive; therefore the end result is not as flattering. however, they are comfortable and the asymmetrical waistband is a fun touch! finally, they are made in the USA, which i like. once i get them hemmed, they will definitely enter my rotation of yoga gear, particularly for the winter since they are longer.

want to win your own piece of yoga gear [or other activewear]? you may end up with your own fun mailbox surprises if you enter via these options:

a) just leave a comment on this post with which item you would choose if you won [the website: activewear usa]; anything $40 – $100 is up for grabs

b) if you’d like a second entry, like activewear usa on fb, and leave a second comment stating that you did

winner will be announced friday morning!

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7.11.11

workout: ~30 minute run + staci’s yoga class @ BP. stretchy and calming – loved it.

ravioli salad: heidi calls this recipe a ‘salad’ in the lunch section of her cookbook, but i served it hot [it was late + we were starving!]. nevertheless, it was another SNED success! see this npr piece for the recipe.

whole wheat and spinach ravioli [from WF – frozen] with basil/parsley pesto + pepitas + olives
i used basil/parsley for the pesto in lieu of cilantro because cilantro is disgusting. [to me, anyway]. served with a simple green salad with blackberries, it was a delicious and very easy summer meal, especially because i made the pesto ahead of time.