Sun & exercise

My survival tips/goals for this semester have been (1) see sunshine and (2) don't give up on exercise. I let this slip all through September and I was starting to feel really not myself. I realized I needed to get more sunshine. Literally, get outside when it's not dark out - for a walk, errands, lunch, anything. I brought my bike to school and started leaving mid-day to ride outside, shower at the gym, and then return to school.

I also realized (admitted to myself?) that if I don't exercise first thing in the morning, it's less likely that I will exercise. Funny how will power works and how long it lasts. But, once I admitted to myself that I should plan to workout in the morning, I've had much better success staying on the exercise band-wagon. So strange that I am perfectly happy to get up early and just head to the gym on autopilot, waking up sometime in the middle of my workout, but that if I leave it to the end of they day, I can't pull myself together. Also, it seems like I am equally tired at 5 p.m. whether I have exercised in the morning or not... so I might as well exercise!

Anyway, if you're looking to get your life back in balance, I recommend sun and exercise.

Happy Friday!

My Sunday of nothing

The weather has really been slowing me down lately. It has been humid, hot and sunny. The sky is always hazy with humidity. I feel like the world around me is fine, while I disgustingly sweat away. I get cranky. I get tired. I get sleepy. I'm starting to feel like summer days are dragging on...

I had dinner tonight at a friend of a friend's just down the street. I didn't realize it would be a formal, long, sit-down meal at the outdoor table in a back alley way with ivy crawling up the brick wall I was truly given a treat (albeit, unexpected and with no paper-writing :( ). The deliciousness:

5 different cheeses with baguette for apps
potato salad
tabbouleh
salad (avocado, sugar peas, tomato, baby spinach) + dressing
marinated swordfish steak cooked on the grill
green and white asparagus cooked on the grill
wasabi mashed potatoes
homemade strawberry pie and vanilla hagen daz's ice cream
sparkling water, red wine, white wine

Oh my goodness, I am stuffed! I thought it was a big, casual BBQ where I would show up late and leave early...wow.

sunday, fun day

Ohhh, I had such high hopes for getting a lot of work done today. Nope.

Watched my friends kick butt in the Denver Marathon today - 2nd and 3rd (okay, chip time 4th by 1 second!) women overall in stellar times for an altitude marathon. Pretty fun zooming around the city on my bike. Another friend ran a smart race in the Half, so I am happy for her. There were all of thousands and thousands of people hanging around Civic Park and I just *happened* to walk by her as she was chilling after her race. Crazy. AND, back East three other friends ran well during a Nor'easter at the Bay State Marathon in Lowell. Congrats to all! Gulp. That means I'm next. :O

Wasted time for awhile and did easy homework I didn't have to do.

Then, I got dressed up and with to Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Student tickets are $5. I heard one of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos, the Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini and Isle of the Dead. And, then a little prelude or something as the encore. As Dad says after concerts where they play from the romantic era (Chopin, Rach., etc.), "Well, that was lush." What a treat.

Then it was necessary for me to roast pumpkin seeds and, of course, go for my easy recovery run around Wash Park.

A good day, but pathetic work-wise. Going to bed now so I can have solid work in the morning at school before it gets loud/crowded/busy. Wish me luck! Here's to a GREAT week ahead...