New Year's Resolutions 2011

I picked up a Whole Living magazine while on Break because I saw one at my dentist's office and it had a detox.  I like detoxes, however, it is really hard to be faithful in the diet portion of one while being a busy student at Palmer.  Also, I find many recommend some juicing (not the steroidal drug type, but the Juiceman Juicer type), and I don't have a juicer (yet).  :)

I liked the idea they suggest for the New Year:  to reflect back on the past year for a while and then to write down your new goals for the coming months.  Here are mine:

1. Do the things I least want to do first (In other words:  do the thing I would usually put off until the last possible minute.  This addresses my problem with procrastination.).
2. Raise GPA to 2.50 or higher (Very do-able).
3. Exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 20 minutes per day.
4. Learn to knit (My friend Nicole is going to help me learn; she is a natural teacher).
5. Improve dental care (Floss every night!  This is hard because I really am tired at day's end and just want to brush and hurry to bed.).

I wanted to keep it relatively simple.  I also found that writing down how my day went and what I accomplished helped me to sleep better because I felt a sense of satisfaction for what I had completed.  Sometimes I have laid in bed and wondered exactly what did I get done in a day.  That can be really annoying, especially when you feel as though, perhaps, you may have wasted a day of your life.

I did well the first week of the detox, mainly because we weren't back to school yet.  School has made it hard to keep up with my goals/detox/tasks.  School is a major task!  That Tox project was due last Monday and I worked the previous Saturday and Sunday, most of both days, getting the case studies added to the report AND creating the slide show to go with our presentation.  Got majority of it turned in by deadline.  I was under the impression that was the deadline for the rough, but the professor informed me that it was to be the final, so he gave us until noon the next day to finish it.  I missed class that next morning to work on it and had a doctor's appointment that took up almost two hours of my morning.  I tried to e-mail it from my laptop on campus, but couldn't get onto the internet.  Went to Info Svcs and they reset my password.  Tried again to log on and was informed that the internet was down!  Drove home and sent it, 40 minutes late.  Wow.

Today was the actual presentation and I felt pretty good about it.  Hoping we get all the possible points for it because we did work hard on it and we provided exactly the information the prof outlined as what he wanted in it.  I was nervous when presenting.  Had to come home and re-apply my deodorant afterward because I was perspiring so much!

I feel like I've been putting all my time into studying for upcoming tests in Phys Di (quiz & practical this week), Cervicals (practical next week), & PNS (Exam 2 next Tuesday).  I exercised everyday last week except Friday and Saturday, & didn't exercise yesterday or today, so I am really ready for some exercise.  Maybe tomorrow I can fit some in between the morning and afternoon classes.

Lani vomited at daycare today.  They called me and I went and picked her up after I stopped back by Palmer to drop off my Boards application (yeah, I've been spending lots of time working on that, too, because I have to request special accommodations, so there is extra paperwork to complete for the request).  She went for a walk with Grandma yesterday and it was quite cold out.  They went to Middle Park and Lani didn't want to leave after playing for an hour.  My mom finally got her to leave, but she said it was work (Lani can be rather stubborn and will throw herself about to stop from being taken somewhere she doesn't want to go).  This morning, Lani didn't get up on her own, which is very unusual in itself, and when we went in to wake her, she pulled the blankets back over her and said, "I wanna sleep.  Go 'way!"  We let her snuggle in her bed for a few more minutes, then she had to get ready.  She was reluctant.  Now we know why.

I had some really wonderful news a few days ago:  one of my friends is pregnant and I'm so excited for her and her husband!  She asked that no one post it to Facebook, so I'll not mention her name until she gives the go ahead on that.  Very exciting news, indeed!

Last week, on Monday, before we had to head back to Palmer, we rented a truck from Home Depot and took the aluminum siding, the awning that had hung over our front door, and the railings in to the recycling center in Moline (Illinois) for cash.  I was so happy to get it out of the backyard because it has been there since October and we've had people knocking on the door nearly everyday, offering to remove it for us.  Because of this economy and the unemployment rate, I think many people are turning to "scrapping" to help get by financially. 

Cervicals tutorial was really helpful tonight.  In class, we run through it so fast that I feel like I've not properly grasped it, so I like the slower repetition of tutorial.  It is good to practice and get feedback so you can correct your stance, contact point, etc.

I'm wiped.  Currently on a course of antibiotics for an infection confirmed last week at doctor's office.  This particular antibiotic has some rather unpleasant side effects; the one that I'm finding most bothersome is the metallic taste in my mouth.  I feel like I can't get my teeth clean and that nothing tastes good.  This is a bummer for someone like me who loves food.

Part of the detox is to get to bed earlier...for better sleep hygiene.  So I'm headed to bed.

Break!

I was reluctant to get out of bed this morning.  Yesterday my ribs were aching so much that I had to breathe shallowly.  I slept OK, but really just wanted to snuggle back down under the down comforter for some more zzz's instead of going to PNS.  I'm very glad that I did not snuggle back into my bed because we ended up getting a 2 point quiz in PNS today!  That is really unusual.  Dr. Schmiedel's past pattern is to give the quiz in the week before the upcoming exam.  We just had our exam the first Friday of December and won't have the next until the second Tuesday after break.  So we were very surprised and over half the class wasn't there.  Two of my friends missed the quiz, sadly, because they are re-taking the class, too, and could have used the points.

I stopped by the Clinic after class to get adjusted.  It took several attempts and methods, but my thoracics, which had subluxated anteriorly, finally cooperated.  I am feeling better now, but am still craving a little more sleep...

I went to Wallace's Garden Center afterward and picked up a few of their Christmas items that were marked down to 20-40% off.  I love going in there and just browsing for when I have time (which is not often).  They have such creative people on their staff who put together beautiful displays.  After blogging, I'm going out to the garage to pick up the things I'll be using to put together the gifts we'll be giving this year and I'll get that set up on the dining room table before I leave to head back to Palmer to judge the Admissions contest.

The prizes for the contest are great!  One is a day off work, others are an overnight stay at the Radisson, half days off work.  I wouldn't mind winning any of those and I'm sure that everyone who decorated her/his (more ladies than gentlemen in the department) cubicle will be delighted to win.  It will be fun to be part of it!

Once the judging is over, I'm headed out with my friends Trine, Sheila, and Jen to celebrate Christmas, Jen's Birthday, the Break and some time off school.  We are very much looking forward to hanging out together and having some girl-chat over Mexican food - yum!

When I get home, I'll get to work on the Christmas present project & I might go ahead and wrap the things I picked up at a garage sale for Lani this Fall.  I remember that one of the items was a Melissa and Doug wooden "paper" doll set.  The dolls & their clothes are magnetic and they have multiple outfits.  I know she will have fun with that.  And I also found some more train cars and figures to go with her Thomas the Tank Engine train set she has.  She loves getting it out and setting it up and driving the train on the track.  I can't remember what else was in the bag;  I hid it about 3 months ago.

I have to get the laundry done today, too, because we'll be headed to Peoria sometime tomorrow morning for our Christmas with Jon's dad and stepmom.  Will be nice to see everyone and visit.  Looking forward to going.  Jon hasn't decided if we'll stay the night or not.  It doesn't matter to me either way, but it would be nice to get to go to our church on Sunday morning.  If we don't, we can always go to the wonderful church that Jeff and Mariola attend.  We really like it, too.

Headed out to the garage...brrrr!