bad blogger.

So very, very bad.

It's looking like my blog is approaching a hiatus.

Work is going well, but I have A LOT to do. I'm grateful to be useful and employed, though, so I can't complain. The thing is, when I get home, I'm not exactly pining for my laptop... so, for now, the blog is going on the back burner. I might drop in now and again for a shout out, but the frequency of my posts (as you've already seen) is going to be greatly diminished. I'm still reading all of you guys, and will try to be a better commenter (I've even been letting that slide -- for shame!!).

But let me leave you (for now) on a high note: I've been going to the gym every day after work and I feel fan-freaking-tastic. I'm tracking my calories, fighting the work-out induced hunger, and reminding myself to hydrate throughout the day.

I'm finding my groove -- here's hoping I return to blogland with a victory to report!

Alive.

Busy. Bleary-eyed. Vacillating stress levels. Coffee. Gym orientation this morning. Severely out of shape. Desperate to feng shui my cube. Need to find post-work satisfaction. Sewing classes? Maybe.

prep.

I spent some time this weekend setting myself up for success.

Last week's eating was completely unplanned, no necessarily totally out of control (only a little), but with no real forethought and no journaling or counting going on.

This cannot continue.

So on Saturday I took some time and portioned out dry oatmeal, ground flaxseed, and raisins into individual baggies, and threw them all in the freezer (to keep the flax fresh). I've realized that I don't get really hungry until I get to work, so a cup of coffee and maybe an apple in the car is all I need. Every morning I'll just grab a baggie and make my oatmeal once I get to work. I'm generally the first to arrive, so it could be a nice relaxing ritual to begin the work day.

This afternoon I made a spinach, basil, and mozzarella frittata and portioned that out for a couple lunches and a dinner. I also cooked up some barilla plus pasta, and steamed some zucchini. Toss in an ounce of goat cheese, mix it all up and, I have the rest of my lunches for the week.

I logged onto sparkpeople for the first time in a long time (so long that my browser history forgot it existed... ahem...not good) and entered in my planned meals for the week. I might not stick to the plan exactly, you know, switch some things in or out, but it's good to know that I have everything I need in the fridge and pantry to have a week of healthy eating.

I go in for the second half of my physical tomorrow afternoon, and then I'll be able to schedule my gym orientation.

Things are rolling along!

the transition continues.

I'm getting to the end of my first week of work, and today I finally began to feel like my head was starting to break the surface of the water.

Day 1 was fine -- orientation and a slightly overwhelming session with the boss in which my new responsibilities were laid out. Day 2 was very stressful. Day three was, too. And today, I felt like I was beginning -- just beginning -- to feel like I might actually be able to do this job, maybe even well.

The whole "get there slightly before the boss, and stay slightly after she leaves" works gangbusters. She patted me on the shoulder today and told me to go home. When I showed her the color-coded system I was implementing for myself (I didn't inherit any filing system -- I'm inventing it for myself, which is kind of freaking awesome, and kind of overwhelming) she looked at me and said "OK, now you're kind of scaring me." Now THAT is what I need to hear to hop out of bed in the morning whistling a happy tune.

As for eating, this week can best be described as "panic eating." I toss back lunch as quickly as humanly possible, forget to eat for hours and hours, drive home and try to find something edible in my bare kitchen. This will all smooth out with time, of this I am sure.

I had blood tests and an EKG at the on-site health center this morning so that I'll be allowed to use the company fitness center, so that was one good healthy step I took this week. Loved, loved LOVED the technician who did all the tests -- would it be weird for me to just hang out with her in the health center? Yeah, probably.

I'll be completing the physical next week, and then I'll be all set for the gym. I may hold off on joining until it's cold and yucky outside, because for the time being I'm much happier to throw on some sneakers and explore the hiking trails around the campus... yes, they have hiking trails.

I've died and gone to Corporate Nirvana. Too bad about the "Corporate" part.