feeling ‘on’ lately
i have no idea what seems to have flipped my switch from slothful to sprightly, but i’ll take it. my work days are flowing better. my focus is sharper. i find myself getting stressed less. i actually want to do all of the things that i’m ‘supposed’ to do. i wish i could tell you what is fueling this renaissance, but i can only guess.
here are a few things that might be helping me lately.
◼ sleeping a lot — really, a LOT. i don’t think i’ve ever let myself sleep this much. however, because of the pregnancy, i feel less ridiculous climbing into bed at 9 pm. i usually read until my eyelids get heavy [last night this happened at 9:20] and then sleep at least 8 hours.
currently reading this in bed at josh’s suggestion – it is one of his favorites
i never choose science fiction on my own but so far i think this book is great!
◼ finally figuring out what helps me to survive the unstructured lab environment — of course, 2.5 weeks before i head back to the wards for 3 months [although i’m looking forward to this, too!]
a few things [because who doesn’t love a list within a list?]
— i NEED a weekly and daily schedule, and i need my goals for a given day to be crystal clear. otherwise, i will flounder and get nothing done. so, i spend each monday morning carefully mapping out the week’s plan of attack. it is definitely time well-spent.
— benchwork can involve a decent amount of time spent doing completely mindless things. yesterday, i spent 3 hours basically crushing stuff with a hammer [with liquid nitrogen and dry ice to make things more dramatic]. this would have been torture without my friend mr. ipod.
instead, it was great! i listened to 3 podcasts and the time flew by. i actually think that keeping my brain engaged helped me to NOT rush through things on the science and and i probably did a better job than usual.
— when i’m done with my work for the day, i leave. generally, this means i arrive at lab at 9ish and leave a little after 5. i have been studying after i get home [endo], and i have stopped feeling guilty about not working crazy hours.
— in planning my work week, i’ve done a better job at scheduling mindless tasks for less energetic hours [like the dreaded 2 – 4 pm for me].
— i have decided there is no reason to rush with ANYTHING in the lab. i have plenty of time to get the things i need to done, and i will still get done at a reasonable hour. for me, rushing in lab –> mistakes –> frustration –> hating my job. taking things slowly REALLY seems to help.
◼ having a few smaller goals rather than 18 resolutions. so far, i’m doing really well with my spanish + endo challenge! it probably would have been ideal to pick just one goal [rather than 2], but it’s still better than a new years’ style life-overhaul. oddly, i’ve found my initiative trickling into other things [cooking, workouts, etc] but i am not pressuring myself or focusing as much on those areas.
◼ the changing season. cool[ish] weather! longer nights! pumpkin everything!
do they have special powers? [source]
◼ hormones.
it’s an endocrine roller coaster! [source]
rising HCG = nausea and constant ‘hangover’ feeling, so it makes sense that falling HCG = feeling fantastic.
what helps flip your ‘on’ switch?
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10.12.11
workout: 31 minutes run [3.05 mi] around east campus in a light rain. apparently a small bump does not stop cheesy men in trucks from honking at you.
pizza . . . sort of
another CL meal! i chose this recipe for goat cheese, apple, and pecan pizza because a) fall flavors! and b) looked super easy.
b) turned out to be quite true [this meal came together in 15 minutes], but i actually didn’t love it. i think something was missing: salt? a more savory quality? i think a bit of gouda in lieu of goat cheese might have done wonders for this pie.
still, it was dinner!
and can pizza ever really be bad? [i say no.]
español: check – yet another round of review. but i’m about to move onto lesson 3 this morning – watch out!
endo: more neonatal thyroid stuff – almost done w/ the chapter, and i feel like my understanding of the physiology has definitely improved. i have no idea why i didn’t start this sooner.
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