Friday, February 13, 2009

Detach from the Buffy...

Okay, so we mark week 1 of our new exercise program, and I survived-which doesn't really come as a surprise, but there you have it :-) Week two is going to be a little trickier. I'm looking forward to a day off-even if it is Valentine's Day. Here's next week's lineup:

Day 1: Walk 15 min., Run 1 min., Walk 2 min.
Day 2: Walk 5 min. Run 3 min. Repeat for 21 min.
Day 3: Walk 15 min., Run 1 min., Walk 2 min.
Day 4: Walk 5 min. Run 3 min. Repeat for 21 min.
Day 5: Walk 15 min., Run 1 min., Walk 2 min.

On the flip side, we're also taking acai berry for a test run. We'll so if it lives up to its hype. I was extremely lucky and got a great deal on a month's supply, so we'll be able to give it a quick run and see how it lives up to its press. If it doesn't, well, I'm out 30 bucks. If it does it might become a new addition to my permanent diet-like I don't pop enough pills in a day.

Anyway, I need to detack from the Buffy (which I've been watching way to much of for the past few days) and get back to work. I'm hoping to be able to take Valentine's Day off, but we'll see if it happens :-)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Still No House...

All right, so I crossed over the dark side and took the Wii fitness test tonight. Not only is my arm killing me from about six too many games of bowling (hey, I'm only about 245 points away from going pro!) but the Wii said I have a 65! A 60...5. I'm almost insulted...and I know what the first thing I'm going to be doing tomorrow is! I must avenge myself!

On a related note, I'm on day 3 of the walk run thing and my side isn't killing me. Granted, 15-20 min. of exercise a day is only a fraction of the exercise I get through the summer, but still. I'm sure it's too early to be excited, but I'm getting there. I might actually be able to run a 5K again before I die! Woohoo!

So, in a totally unrelated note, my Advance for Medical Laboratory Professionals magazine came today, and I had to completely geek out. I found a really cool article though. It was meant to be a motivator for Med Lab Techs telling the origins of the Iditarod (which, in case anyone is interested, is a dog sled race that covers over 1500 in 10 days) and how the teams were racing to get medicine and immunizations to diptheria patients. It was cool.

And it's Tuesday and still no House. I'm about to write Amazon and complain-the idea behind getting a T.V. pass was so that I WOULDN'T have to wait a week for Fox to post the epi, and they keep waiting longer and longer. I know, there's a big difference between 48 hours and 8 days (as I'm reminded of every time a new epi of "Bones" comes out), but I have no patience when it comes to House. With Stargate SG-1 off the air House is my latest obsession. *sigh*

Well, off to bed. I have to clean house tomorrow, so I'm hoping to be able to get up and knock work out before the baby goes to speech therapy (and I head to the gym). Good night all!

**Check this link out-this is a really cool idea! Our hospital does something like this in the ER for wanna-be nurses and techs**

http://laboratorian.advanceweb.com/Editorial/Content/Editorial.aspx?CC=193477

Monday, February 9, 2009

Just another manic Monday...

Okay, now that my posts aren't translating into Hindi I think I've finally gotten this figured out! So, after a psychotically busy weekend spent bopping back and forth to book club (Neuromancer, if anyone is interested) and Fairfax to visit Amy I'm back home and back to work. I'm trying to get back into a daily work schedule that won't leave me staying up until two in the morning-we'll see how that works out! So far this week is lined up to be pretty busy, between the book I'm editing and homework.

So, I'd like to offer some congratulations to my friend Courtney, the newly degreed Dr. Silverthorn. A PhD at the age of 27! We're all very proud of her. This is shaping up to be a major year-my friend Katie O'Brien will be graduating from Cornell University Law School this May, and my brother in law James will be graduating from VA Tech out in Blacksburg. Wow. I can't remember the last time we had this many graduations in a year.

And my little brother just got engaged! I was shocked to hear the news, although I can't say I'm surprised. (Does that make sense?) So now I have two brothers getting married soon. Yikes I feel old.

Tackled the second day of my walk/run program, and so far I'm feeling good. Granted, it's not like I'm working very hard, but that was the point. My side doesn't hurt. I think I finally figured out what the problem was though. My youngest son decided to go crowd surfing off the top of the kitchen table shortly after my last surgery, and I know I popped a few stitches. That's probably why I'm having such a hard time getting back in shape.

Anyway, it's House night, so I need to get back to work.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Like Running for Chocolate...

All right! Gearing up to go into this next week, I think I made a decision. It’s time to get serious about trying a walk to run program to see if that will help me get back in shape. For those of you who don’t know me, I used to run. A lot. I ran cross country in high school, and even after I wasn’t running I still ran at least a mile or two a day. I love to run.


Last year I had gallbladder surgery, and I don’t know what they did but now every time I try to exercise more vigorously than a leisurely walk I nearly double over. It stinks. I’ve been trying to stick to the same training regimen I used when I was healthy to get back in shape though, and I think that might be the problem. I’m overdoing it before my body has time to get used to it, which was fine when I was healthy but impossible for my post-surgical self.


So I decided tonight that I’m just going to suck it up and look into one of the walk/run programs designed for people who are obese. It means a nice, slow transition back into running, but should ultimately have the same effect. I’m going to post my schedule at the beginning of every week, not only to remind myself (me and my 5 min. memory) but also so that when I’m whining later in the week you know what I’m talking about!


Here’s what this week’s going to look like:


Sunday-Walk 15 min at a varied pace
Monday-Walk 5 min. Run 1. Repeat ad nauseum for a total of 17 minutes. Walk 5 minutes.
Tuesday-Walk 15 minutes at a varied pace.
Wednesday-Walk 5 minutes. Run 1. Repeat ad nauseum for 17 minutes, then spend 5 minutes walking to cool down.
Thursday-Walk 15 minutes at a varied pace.
Friday-Walk 5 minutes. Walk 1. Repeat. 17 minutes. 5 minute cool down.


Is it going to work? We’ll see. I’m hopeful. I may never compete again, but if I can manage to sneak in a 30 minute run every morning without keeling over in pain I know I’d be a lot happier.


In other news, chocolate is my friend. Trapped in the throes of a chocolate craving for which there is no explanation other than spending way too much time at Alum Springs with the Blosser family today, I felt it was my duty as a friend and as someone with some medical experience (albeit limited) to share with you the potential health benefits of (dark) chocolate that make me feel much less guilty about the number of calories I just consumed:


1) Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that slow the aging process (nearly 8 times the amount found in strawberries, or so they say).
2) Dark chocolate has flavinoids, which help relax your blood pressure.
3) Dark chocolate has been shown to balance out hormone levels in the body, making it the perfect choice for…well, you know.
4) Dark chocolate stimulates endorphins in the pleasure center of the brain, helping you de-stress.
5) Dark chocolate contains serotonin, a natural anti-depressant.

2008 in a Nutshell

I was browsing around the ‘net tonight and I stumbled onto a blog created by one Mr. Matt Silverthorn, who (although we’ve never met) happens to be married to one of my old friends from high school. This fun questionnaire seemed like a great way to kick this blog, and 2009, off right.


2008 in a Nutshell


1.What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Wrote a press release. If I had only known then what I know now…

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don’t like New Year’s resolutions, but I seem to remember at some point swearing I was never going to eat Indian cuisine again. So far, that one’s managed to stick!


3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Josh and Rebecca, and lots of other people who I never get to see but who I send best cyberwishes to as often as possible.


4. Did anyone close to you die? I don’t remember. Isn’t that sad? In my defense, I’ve lost all of my grandparents in the past couple of years, and the time surrounding that has blurred a little bit.


5. What countries did you visit? Stayed in the U.S., although my neighbors shared an authentic El Salvadorean experience as often as possible.


6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? Patience, fingernails and a four bedroom house. Am I going to get any of them? The verdict’s not in yet.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? April 10th. Fill your house with eighteen screaming preschoolers, a sandbox, a bubble machine and an authentic ball pit and you won’t have to ask why I remember it.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Finishing my med lab coursework and enrolling for my advanced BS degree in public relations.


9. What was your biggest failure? Hmmm. That’s a loaded question. I don’t know, to be honest. Probably gaining back a good bit of the weight I lost when I was sick last year b/c of too much overtime and an addiction to Mt. Dew. One or the other is fine, but the two together spell catastrophe with a capital C.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? A nasty bout of the flu that joined hands with strep and pneumonia to do the end zone dance. Otherwise, nothing new.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My corduroy overalls.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My children.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? The government. Seriously. It has to be pretty bad before I start talking politics when I’m not at work, but between Iraq and the slam to the economy I just can’t walk away.


14. Where did most of your money go? Rent, groceries, gas and kids. Yeah, that about covers it!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going back to school and the release of Patricia Brigg’s new book. Yes, I’m a geek.


16. What song will always remind you of 2008? Anything by Thalia or Jesus Adrian Romero.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


i. happier or sadder? Happier


ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter-but considering I’d just had gall bladder surgery I’m not sure that counts!


iii. richer or poorer? Richer.


18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Going swimming.


19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Stressing.


20. How will you be spending Christmas? Our Christmas tradition never changes. Christmas Eve dinner with my husband’s family, then Santa comes to visit and the kiddies stay up ‘til three in the morning. Christmas Day we go to my parents’ for their Christmas party, then roll home around midnight to sleep for at least twelve hours.


22. Did you fall in love in 2008? Every time I looked at my children.

23. How many one-night stands? I had a one night stand with Buffy the Vampire Slayer before I remembered I don’t really care for the show when there are other things on t.v. Does that count?

24. What was your favorite TV program? House and Bones-thanks Amy.


25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No, although there are a few people I’m more disappointed in.

26. What was the best book you read? The Mercy Thompson series, Grave Bones and everything I read and re-read by Nora Roberts.


27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Ohhh, let’s see. Probably Taylor Swift, Westlife and Jesus Adrian Romero.

28. What did you want and get? Fleeting moments of pure, unadulterated happiness.


30. What was your favorite film of this year? Kung Fu Panda.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Had Chinese take-out, cooed over the flowers my husband and daughter bought me and didn’t wash the dishes. 26.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Taking more time to smell the roses.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Was it comfy? Did it match? Did it not make me look like a kewpie doll? Sold.

34. What kept you sane? The Hispanic Ministry at my church.


35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? David Boreanaz.


36. What political issue stirred you the most? Abortion and cuts in children’s healthcare and Medicaid programs.

37. Who did you miss? Everyone I didn’t see….some of them twice.


38. Who were the best new people you met? We don’t have that much time. If I met you in 2008, let me just say that it’s been an honor.


39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. It doesn’t matter how hard you try to run from it, sooner or later you’re going to get hurt. Life’s too short for regrets. Don’t regret that you never lived.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. “Tengo razones pa vivir, tengo canciones pa escribir, tengo una voz y un corazón. Tengo un camino pa seguir, tengo un amor pa compartir…”

New Year's Resolutions

Have you ever wondered what it is, really, that makes us decide to make New Year's resolutions? Is it the need to believe that maybe this year we'll get a chance to fix the things that went wrong last year? Or is it the simple desire to have a driving reason to change?

Whatever the reason, unlike most years I've found myself caught in the whirl of post-New Year's resolutions. I usually avoid New Year's resolutions like the plague, because I know that I'm never going to be able to keep them. As the infamous Dr. Greg House says, "If you want to do something, you do it. You don't wait for a sound bite." I've always kind of figured New Year's was that sound bite, and a sound bite isn't enough reason to do anything.

This year, however, I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Want to guess what my New Year's resolution is going to be? (Yes, I know I'm a month or two late...life moves on, you know!) This year I'm going to learn to appreciate the moments in my life that take my breath away. I have a wonderful, loving husband and three beautiful children, a fantastic group of friends and a career that, although it drives me crazy some days, gives me a wonderful opportunity to expand my horizons while doing a job I love.

I've spent too much time in the past year dwelling on what might have been. The only thing that dwelling on what's not going to happen changes is me. I'm tired of it. It's time to let go. Those of you who know me know what I'm talking about. Those of you who don't, but are reading this blog anyway, let me share with you the most important thing I've learned this year.

Time doesn't stop just because things aren't the way you thought they'd be three, five or even ten years ago. Your life is what you make it, and each new day is the beginning of a brand new adventure. Whether you are friends, clients or simply people looking for something to laugh about today, I hope when you're done reading this that you'll shut down your computer, pick up the phone and call someone you haven't spoken to in a decade. Take your kids outside to play in the snow. Kiss your husband or wife like it's the first time, not the fiftieth. Do something silly, something you could never in a million years imagine yourself doing.

It doesn't matter what anyone says, we don't get any second chances. This one life, this one time around, is all we've got. Don't forget to take the time to look for the moments that take your breath away. I know I'm going to.