On: New Year, New Goals, New Plans

Everyone seems to make resolutions at the beginning of each new year. I've never been good with resolutions.

I'm much better with the word goals. Goals seem to be something solid. Something you can make legitimate plans for.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm happiest when there is a plan of action in place.

Gone are the days when flying by the seat of my pants was the way to go. Anymore, the thought of that makes me a little queasy and ready to run for the hills.

I think I'm getting old.

Being pregnant doesn't help that either, especially when I have to hit the restroom every 45 minutes without fail. My bladder has shrunk to the size of a pea. Possibly a dehydrated baby pea.

Anyway, onto the Goals for the 2013 year.

• Blog at least once every week, on Fridays.
• Become more active in promoting my blog, and connecting with others through social media.
• Write one piece of Flash Fiction each month.
• Self-publish two more works. Either novels or short stories.
• Give birth to a happy and healthy baby.
• Return to my everyday yoga practice.
• Finish my yoga instructor training (the one that got postponed due to pregnancy)
• Keep positive reminders around me, so when I feel down or dark I can remember the good.
• Snuggle with my children as often as possible.
• Take time for myself.
• Make time for at least one date night a month (when the Marine is home).
• Be the best version of me I can be.

  Make 2013 your year. I know I will.

 What are your goals and plans for the New Year? I'd love to hear. 

R.S.

On 'Skinny-Fat'

The other day I heard the term 'Skinny-Fat', and my understanding of it from verbal and visual cues, was not flattering.

Now, take a second to read the Urban Dictionary's definitions here.

You're back?

Good.

In a society where we're so consumed with the battle of which is better, 'thick or thin', it is demoralizing to realize even being 'thin' isn't quite good enough for those people who think anorexia is a perfectly good fitness routine.

I've had a pretty strict workout routine for the last two years, that has involved P90x, kickboxing, Zumba, and most recently, yoga and running. Because of this, I've got well toned arms and legs, and to my happiness- a butt is finally forming. However, I'm thirty years old and have a child who was damn near two feet long when she was born. I've never been fat, and I'm nowhere near it now, but based off this I could be viewed as 'skinny-fat', because my stomach isn't as toned and flat as someone younger or more athletic, though it's better than it ever has been. It never will be as flat as Miranda Kerr's, and that is something I've accepted.

If this has affected me this way, I can imagine how it would affect other women. Especially one who isn't as self-confident as I usually am. Is there no end to the emotional depravity men and woman will foist on each other when it comes to fitness and size?

It makes me very, very happy I am not out in the dating game. With knowledge like this, I'd probably never leave my house. It was bad enough ten years ago--a time before social networking had such a huge impact on our everyday lives. Before Twitter was king, and youtube could make you famous. Now it's amazing anyone actually dates, because surely nobody can match up to the unusually high standards even the lowest pond scum, drunken twenty-one year old seems to have.

Knowing all this, I couldn't be more grateful the Marine never acted like this, and actually treated women with respect--even though it made life with his co-workers more difficult.

What are your thoughts?

R.S.

On Continual Improvement

Every day is a new day.

A day where I get to decide what's going to happen.

Some days I wake up, and the only thing I want to do is curl in a ball with a good book or two, and an endless supply of chocolate.

Granted, neither of those fit into my current plans.

I hop a plane to Maui in about 37 days, give or take a few hours on either side.

*Squee!*

Okay, I'm calm now, and I've got goals, people!

37 days may seem like a long time, or a short time depending on my current frame of mind. It's long because I haven't seen my best friend in far too long, but it's short because I've got a lot to do before I leave to bask (and quite probably burn) in the sand and sun of Hawaii.

Since the first day of 2012 I've had my eye focused on the prize.

What prize is that you ask?

No, no, it's not a lifetime supply of chocolate that my husband will feed me as I laze by the pool. Though, if you'd like you could send me a lifetime supply of the smooth, sweet goodness. Any chocolate shop owners out there?

*Sigh*

I don't even have a pool, but I've got a whole lot of sand if anyone is interested. If you squint just right it might even look like a beach.

Anyway, the prize is physical and mental fitness. I'm tired of the continual feeling of exhaustion that has plagued me for the last year and a half. I'm tired of not being the healthiest me I can be. Which actually means I haven't really been eating chocolate.

I know, I know, hard to believe, right?

I read everything I can get my hands onto about how to lose that last inch around my waist I want gone. I've done amazing things for my body in the last few years. I dropped over 30 pounds all before the calling in of 2012.

It wasn't enough.

So I gave myself a personal challenge to do 90 days of yoga. Which I mentioned here. I'm still doing amazing with that. Sometimes I even do yoga twice a day. Because of this new routine I feel happier than I have been in a long time, and my core is so much stronger than it's ever been. Plus I can finally do correct push ups.

How awesome is that?

This morning, however, at the beginning of the new day, when the sky was barely pink and the power was still shut off (grrr to the power people and their more and more frequent 'scheduled outages') I decided I needed to do something more to bring my body to the best place it can be, both mentally and physically.

I decided to start running.

*Eeeeek!*

I hate running.

In fact I'd rather do just about anything instead of running.

Oh, you need me to clean your septic tank using nothing more than a mop and bucket? I'm on it!

I'm going to love running.

I want to be able to do things without gasping for breath. I want to firm up my glutes and tighten up the last little bit of skin on my stomach.

I want to shock the running shoes off the Marine.

Today was the first day of my 'couch to 5k' running program.

Not that I'm actually planning to run a 5k, but I'd like to be able to run three miles with the Marine. I'd like to enjoy running like so many other people seem to.

I want to be the best me I can be.

I want to continually improve my mind and body.

Yes, I want a lot of things, I admit that.

The big thing is, I'm willing to work for them and not expect them to just happen.

Hard work never hurt anyone.

In fact, the harder I work for something the better I feel when it all comes together.

I've got about three months until the Marine returns to me again. I think 90 days is a decent amount of time, right?

Wish me luck.

And maybe if I run I can start eating chocolate again. :)

Do you have fitness goals, or any goals you'd like to share? Is there something you hated to do, but you forced yourself to do it? I'd love to hear from you.

R.S.

On A Quick Update

I realized the other day I'd fallen behind on my blogging, and in fact on my social networking altogether.

Someone should give me thirty lashes with a wet noodle.

Or something.

If you're familiar with NCIS (the show, not the actual federal agency), you're familiar with the 'Gibbs Smack'. Let's just say, reality has been known to do that to me a lot recently. Between the Marine's absence, the Munchkin's unhappiness at said absence, the 'day job', and school things have been one hectic day after another.

Did I mention I gave myself a personal 90 day yoga challenge that began on January 1?

I haven't missed a single day, and I'm feeling amazing. I'm not sure it's going to be enough to get me completely swim suit ready before my trip to Maui in April, but I've got hope. I'm already noticing a difference and don't see myself quitting even once my 90 days are up. It's become an integral part of my life.

Anyway, lots of things have been taking up my time, and I've slacked.

It wasn't intentional, I swear.

I'll be better. I will.

Writing is my outlet, it makes me happy and it's my dream future. I'm going to succeed, and in order to do that, I can't forget my networking.

Even when it feels hopeless.

Which it does feel like. A lot.

Especially when I'm never sure I'm reaching my audience. Or anyone at all for that matter. Then sometimes an amazing thing happens, and I get an email from a reader telling me how much they enjoy my blog. I got one of those yesterday. I smiled all day afterwards. Thanks to you, dear reader.

As for writing, I'm half way finished with the first edit of my short story that is still unnamed. On deck is the editing of my YA novel, and the completion of the novel I'm currently working on. Not to mention about a million short story ideas that are sitting in my magick notebook waiting for their chance to be told.

What are you guys up to recently? Anything exciting in your life?

I'd love to hear from you.

R.S.

On Between the Hours of 8:00 and Noon

If you've ever had to make an appointment for a delivery or a pick up, or some other 'meeting' that requires someone to come to your house (the exterminator for the bugs who have started wearing your clothes and shoes, the repairman for the dishwasher that sprung a 'small' leak that now looks like Niagra Falls, or in my case, today, the LoJack installation guy) you know they never give you a set time. 

It's always in a window. 

Usually between three and four hours. 

For me, it always seems to be between the hours of 8:00 and Noon. 

I obviously have nothing better to do with my time than wait for four hours for someone I'm paying to get around to me. 

Today, my LoJack needs its two year service (okay, it's needed it for several months). Which, in theory is a good thing since the light on the little doomahickey that hangs from my key ring has been flashing angrily at me for over a month. 

I think it's taken to taunting me. 

It's like a game.

I try to catch it blinking, but I miss it more often than not.

What can I say, I'm easily amused. 

So today during the hours of 8-noon, I'm hanging out at my house (the same place I hang out whenever I get a free moment), trying to get something useful done. 

Like work on the YA WIP, or sketch out the most recent short story ideas that have decided to plague me at night when I'm supposed to be falling into a peaceful, restful, rejuvenating sleep.

Instead, I've discussed with my best friend topics for articles I want to write regarding the Marine Corps. Though, I'm not sure in my present state of mind those would be a good thing. 

I've also decided to make brownies, because while I'm looking for things to keep me busy between 8 and noon, I was skeezing on Facebook and realized that today is National Brownie Day. How did I not know this day existed?

Pretty sure my waistline is not going to be happy with me for this. 

That's okay, I'll do some extra yoga. :)

What is the worst experience you've had when it came to a window of time and waiting for someone?

R.S.