Counting up and down

[clevermanka]

In one week I leave for 221B Con!



I have so much to do before I leave, though.

The Friday after I return from Atlanta, I'm hosting a dance party for the graduate students. Before I leave for the trip, I'd like to at least have all the songs downloaded to my computer, even if I don't have the actual playlist arranged. Have I even started downloading songs? No.

The Sunday after I return, I'm taking my bloomers stock to a craft fair at the Replay. I want to have as much stock as possible because people buy more when there's a large selection. Do I have enough made? No.

This weekend is going to be quite relaxing.



But I'm taking Friday off so I have an extra day to get stuff done and find some time to relax. There's no way I'm going to Atlanta already fatigued.

Speaking of fatigue, the 300 Swings Challenge is wearing me out. Seriously wearing me out. If the end of the tunnel wasn't right there (five more days including today, and I'm 1/3 of the way done with today's swings), I'd think about quitting. When I undertook this, I thought it would be fine since I could spread the work throughout the day and not tax my body too much at any one time. Well, that was great in theory, but I didn't take into account the cumulative effect of all that work. My legs haven't felt not-tired for about two weeks. Going up even one flight of stairs makes them feel a bit weak even though I'm not winded at all. The swings are getting harder, not easier. I can no longer do thirty swings in a row (without exhausting myself) with the 36lb bell. To conserve energy, I'm doing all my swings with the 20lb bell (which I can swing fifty times in a row, at least) and haven't had a lifting session since March 20. I even canceled Sunday's session with Andrew (which I might have done anyway because of menstrual cramps). I haven't measured myself, but judging from the way my clothes (still) fit, I've not lost any belly fat. My thighs might be a teensy bit firmer, though, and my ass is definitely rounder so it's not all a loss. Still, I don't think I'll be doing any sort of 30 day challenge again for a while.

And before you ask, I'm not quitting because I've had to drop out of the other two 30 day challenges I've tried and god damn it I am finishing this one.

I am managing to eat more on most days, too--another positive to come out of this experience. Most days I eat three of my 12oz food containers at the office instead of just two. Here's hoping that the calorie boost will help build muscle faster once I'm lifting again (after I return from 221B Con).

Oh, and speaking of the con, I've decided that I am going to ship my medicines and stuff to the hotel. I had to buy a new bottle of the progesterone stuff so I figure I'll just pour out exactly how much I need for the five days I'm there. I'm also going to mail some of the heavier foods (like cans of sardines--sorry, roommates) so I don't have to lug those home from the grocery store.

I had a brilliant idea about how to handle the vegetable situation (since raw vegetables are generally a no-no for me). I'm going to bring a small container of coconut oil and pay the hotel restaurant to saute me up a big mess of vegetables using that instead of the usual soybean or corn oil that most restaurants use and I can just eat them cold out of the mini-fridge. I can get a burger salad if/when I decide to eat with people, but I'm only supposed to have one or two salads a week, so I can't rely on that.

All that stuff gets mailed on Saturday. Another thing for the Saturday to-do list.

And now it's time to tackle the to-do list for my job. I HATE RE-WRITING MEETING MINUTES FROM MY NOTES. Ugh. Taking minutes is bad enough, but then having to revise and reformat them so they're sensible? WE HATES IT. Ugggggggggggggggggh.

Comments

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Hooray for the con!! Boo for being fucking exhausted though :(

Burger salad - mmmmmm!

I'm glad that the challenge is almost over! Good on you for sticking with it!! *high five*

Also minute-writing is a horrible horrible thing! I always hated it so damn much! Ugh!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

minute-writing is a horrible horrible thing

It's probably my least favorite part of this job that is a consistent duty. I really, really hate it.

[1-rhiannon-1.livejournal.com]

Agreed! That's the thing I was most glad to get rid of when I switched jobs! I gave up 5 years worth of lunches, sometimes twice a month, to do those stupid minutes! Hate, hate, hate!

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. I hate how the organizational Doppler effect of tasks to be accomplished to be ready to do awesome things just piles up and makes me tired before I've had a chance to have fun. UGH. Hope all your amazing prep work (especially the dietary support for your Future Self) pays off in a great experience and a mellow transition back home. :)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I HOPE SO TOO.

[miischelle.livejournal.com]

You sound swamped. You sure you wanna hang on Saturday?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

YES. I haven't seen you in ages and might not be able to see you again until, like, JUNE. Also, I can totally download songs while we're hanging out.

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

that last gif made me laugh!! so q about the bell-swing-thing. you say it's getting harder. do you think if you pushed through the hard bit, you'd hit a mark and find them suddenly easier?

that's a good idea about the hotel restaurant sauteeing your veggies so you can stick 'em in the fridge.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

do you think if you pushed through the hard bit, you'd hit a mark and find them suddenly easier?

Unfortunately, no, I don't. I'm pretty good about honestly recognizing fatigue. With my adrenal and chronic fatigue problems, I've had to learn to tell the difference between "don't wanna" and "can't." This is starting to border on "can't."

The gif is from the TV show Community--have you seen it? The first couple seasons were REALLY GOOD. The following seasons are okay (still better than a lot of what's on the tube), but man those first few seasons were just comedy gold.

[siro-gravity.livejournal.com]

Nope, haven't seen it or even heard of it!! It is not available on Netflix yet. :(

Sorry about the "can't," but it's really good that you can recognize when it's fatigue.

[msmitti.livejournal.com]

excited about your 221B adventures! good job on the planning thing.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Looking forward to this!

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's a lot of work just to eat.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

It's why I haven't traveled farther than an hour away (not including visits to my parents) in the last three years.

[seascribe.livejournal.com]

Eee, I hope the con is awesome! (you will be very close to where I grew up!)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

OH GOD I HOPE IT IS, TOO.

[kazoogrrl.livejournal.com]

Can't wait for a full con report!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'll have my laptop with me, so might be posting little reports from ON SITE.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry about the kettleball things. You've done a fabulous job of it..
Hey, maybe it's a needed calories thing and with the more eating.. you'll get through the end. :fingers crossed:

I'm holding good thoughts for your trip.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Update on kettlebell stuff this morning.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Whatever you decide, you know I'm with you 100%.
(off to work now, so I won't be back til after 7:30ish)

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

I didn't even realize there was such a thing as a 221B Con. WHATISTHISIDON'TEVENYOUHAVECHANGEDMYWORLD.

Have fun, and I hope the hotel is cooperative with your dietary needs.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thanks! HOORAY FOR WORLD CHANGING!

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

Funny story. I go home all new-to-me-con-so-excited, mention it to Gareth, and it turns out that we know someone else who's going. Eddy Webb, who wrote a book called "Watson is Not an Idiot". My world, it is small. :)