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the year in review
Dec. 31st, 2005 12:49 pmAt the beginning of 2005, I made these resolutions:
1. to Live Well
2. to learn humility
3. to accept criticism cheerfully and gratefully
4. to accept my body as an integral, valued part of myself rather than as a burden or weakness
5. not to abandon Jenny Craig
6. not to drink sugared drinks
7. not to go to McDonalds
When I just read the record of the list, I was surprised because I forgot about most of the abstract resolutions. I really haven't worked on the first 4. I was more successful with the other 3. I didn't technically abandon Jenny Craig, but I haven't been committed to it either. I've been just going through the motions. I only drank sugared drinks when I was sick, when there was absolutely nothing else, or by accident. So I've pretty much kept that. I've absolutely kept the last, and I haven't missed it except one day when they were more convenient for breakfast than anywhere else and in the summer when I wanted their "ice cream" cones.
What have I accomplished this year, and where am I in relation to last year?
1. I weigh 10 pounds more than I did at this time last year. I guess that isn't as bad as I thought it was. Well, I do weigh 30 pounds more than I did in April. That's been hard. I did really well for a while, then I let the end of semester stress compunded by interview stress become an excuse to eat what I please. Now my candy cravings are out of control, so one of new resolutions needs to address that. Something about being committed to weight loss. J and I are talking about resolving to go to the gym every day when in town except the day before or after traveling. Of course this is impossible to keep, but it sets up the assumption that I'm going to the gym today, vs I'm going this week. I need to be going 5 or 6 days a week, based on what I'm eating.
2. This year I taught 1 new class, British women Writers. I taught 7 other classes I had taught before. I've developed proposals for at least the two new classes I'm teaching next term, plus some others to prepare for the job search. I completely re-wrote my application letter. I worked on revising my dissertation. I had an article accepted and I made the required revisions. I attended some curriculum and lecturer meetings. Am I further toward my job goals? The article and the revisions to the book put me a little closer, but not nearly as much as I had hoped to be. I completed some research in London.
3. I moved into a new house with J, and adjusted to living with another person and 2 cats. I've socialized some with ktron and other Tech folk, and a little bit with my officemates. I started a new hobby and I've met a couple of people through it. I went out west with my grad school roommate. I've kept in touch with 2 other grad school folk. I caught up on a lot of news at the MLA. I did not meet new people at the MLA or make new contacts.
4. I travelled to New Mexico and Texas and Nashville and Georgia and Washington and London.
Hopes for next year: To get in much better shape. My feet were dying in Washington. I'm worried I have a bone spur or something else wrong with my right foot. Even when it was okay, I was moving slowly. Regular exercise would help a ton with that. It would also help with my sugar cravings and with my clothing size. I want to start cooking a little more, and to go back to Weight Watchers. I want to give a paper at a conference and get another article accepted and make some major progress on my book. I want to start a new job and move to a permanent home. I want to meet more people. I want to learn to identify more birds. I want to keep the house cleaner. I want to entertain at our house more often. I want to spend less time grading papers. I want to spend less time on teaching and more on research.
I've learned I need to have more concrete goals, that I need support to accomplish these goals, and that I need to revisit them periodically. So, some possible resolutions, to be decided for sure later today:
1. To write a progress report at the end of every month, with what I've accomplished with my teaching, my research, my health, and my spirit.
2. To go to the gym 6 days a week, except for travel weeks. I'm excused the day before and the day after traveling.
3. To re-commit to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle, and to seek the support I need for that, even if it means both JC and WW.
4. To limit myself to a maximum of 2 sweet treats per day, a treat being one small piece of cake or candy bar, or 3 little candies, or equivalent.
5. To ask J to leave the house one afternoon a week so I can get some cleaning done.
6. To re-negotiate these resolutions rather than giving up on them.
I think that's good. I feel pretty good about them.
1. to Live Well
2. to learn humility
3. to accept criticism cheerfully and gratefully
4. to accept my body as an integral, valued part of myself rather than as a burden or weakness
5. not to abandon Jenny Craig
6. not to drink sugared drinks
7. not to go to McDonalds
When I just read the record of the list, I was surprised because I forgot about most of the abstract resolutions. I really haven't worked on the first 4. I was more successful with the other 3. I didn't technically abandon Jenny Craig, but I haven't been committed to it either. I've been just going through the motions. I only drank sugared drinks when I was sick, when there was absolutely nothing else, or by accident. So I've pretty much kept that. I've absolutely kept the last, and I haven't missed it except one day when they were more convenient for breakfast than anywhere else and in the summer when I wanted their "ice cream" cones.
What have I accomplished this year, and where am I in relation to last year?
1. I weigh 10 pounds more than I did at this time last year. I guess that isn't as bad as I thought it was. Well, I do weigh 30 pounds more than I did in April. That's been hard. I did really well for a while, then I let the end of semester stress compunded by interview stress become an excuse to eat what I please. Now my candy cravings are out of control, so one of new resolutions needs to address that. Something about being committed to weight loss. J and I are talking about resolving to go to the gym every day when in town except the day before or after traveling. Of course this is impossible to keep, but it sets up the assumption that I'm going to the gym today, vs I'm going this week. I need to be going 5 or 6 days a week, based on what I'm eating.
2. This year I taught 1 new class, British women Writers. I taught 7 other classes I had taught before. I've developed proposals for at least the two new classes I'm teaching next term, plus some others to prepare for the job search. I completely re-wrote my application letter. I worked on revising my dissertation. I had an article accepted and I made the required revisions. I attended some curriculum and lecturer meetings. Am I further toward my job goals? The article and the revisions to the book put me a little closer, but not nearly as much as I had hoped to be. I completed some research in London.
3. I moved into a new house with J, and adjusted to living with another person and 2 cats. I've socialized some with ktron and other Tech folk, and a little bit with my officemates. I started a new hobby and I've met a couple of people through it. I went out west with my grad school roommate. I've kept in touch with 2 other grad school folk. I caught up on a lot of news at the MLA. I did not meet new people at the MLA or make new contacts.
4. I travelled to New Mexico and Texas and Nashville and Georgia and Washington and London.
Hopes for next year: To get in much better shape. My feet were dying in Washington. I'm worried I have a bone spur or something else wrong with my right foot. Even when it was okay, I was moving slowly. Regular exercise would help a ton with that. It would also help with my sugar cravings and with my clothing size. I want to start cooking a little more, and to go back to Weight Watchers. I want to give a paper at a conference and get another article accepted and make some major progress on my book. I want to start a new job and move to a permanent home. I want to meet more people. I want to learn to identify more birds. I want to keep the house cleaner. I want to entertain at our house more often. I want to spend less time grading papers. I want to spend less time on teaching and more on research.
I've learned I need to have more concrete goals, that I need support to accomplish these goals, and that I need to revisit them periodically. So, some possible resolutions, to be decided for sure later today:
1. To write a progress report at the end of every month, with what I've accomplished with my teaching, my research, my health, and my spirit.
2. To go to the gym 6 days a week, except for travel weeks. I'm excused the day before and the day after traveling.
3. To re-commit to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle, and to seek the support I need for that, even if it means both JC and WW.
4. To limit myself to a maximum of 2 sweet treats per day, a treat being one small piece of cake or candy bar, or 3 little candies, or equivalent.
5. To ask J to leave the house one afternoon a week so I can get some cleaning done.
6. To re-negotiate these resolutions rather than giving up on them.
I think that's good. I feel pretty good about them.
