Friday, May 3, 2013

Going Up


(source)

Hello, readers. I’ve been in a strange mood this week to be honest. Lacking energy, I suppose. I think it still has to do with the residual cold and/or allergies I’ve been suffering from.

On the positive side, I have felt well enough to get moving and work out every day this week so far! Monday I ran 4 miles and went the climbing gym, Tuesday I did weights and cardio in the regular gym. Wednesday: climbing gym again. Yesterday, yoga with lots of ab work. Today I think I’ll do another, short, at-home practice (for reasons I’ll get to in a moment), and I’m also about to head to the climbing gym as well.

Lots of climbing, right? I’ve conquered my first gym 5.11 route on top rope. Which, in climbing geek language means I’m progressing and getting stronger. We’re heading out to Smith Rock for the second time tomorrow morning. I’m excited to see how my progress in the gym will relate to the real rocks! I’m also hoping it’ll be a good reset for this strange mood.

Some of it has to do with how much we’ve been in the gym as well, because it’s left less time at home to do other things. I’m a pretty classic introvert. I feel a bit frazzled if I don’t have time to myself to unwind, and I think that feeling caught up to me on Wednesday when I had an after-work obligation. It turned me frustrated and winey.

I also realized something very troubling to me yesterday. I’m online a lot (maybe not that much?) more than I was in college. And I’m spending all that time reading things, and generally being entertained by things. But…it’s not as intelligent.

My international travel in college had me obsessed with international news. I read Der Spiegel, The Guardian and the New York Times international section religiously….

I don’t do that anymore. That sucks. I also fly through books that sometimes I pick out haphazardly.

I’m setting a goal to read more thoughtfully: to read more of these news outlets that I’ve missed and/or forgot about. To think about the books I read more critically.

As always, I’d like to take more time to unplug from the internet. I’d like to write more, which I told myself I’d do after the wedding. I haven’t yet, but that’s something I will do as well.

I know I don’t talk about writing much, but it’s one of the most important things in my life. I’m getting paid to do it again from 9-5, which is nice, but I want to be a published author more than anything. I have one literary agency mildly interested in the first book I’ve edited and queried….and very, very soon, I will finally dive in to a new project.

I know I’m making progress in a lot of areas. I know I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. I knew this season of my life would be filled with a ton of oddities and weird transitions. If I can continue to find the beauty in all of that, I think I’ll really start to feel better.

I used the term "spring cleaning" on Twitter today without much thought, but really, that's what I'm doing. I have a new name and lots of new goals. If you're my friend, I urge you to hold me accountable...in the name of self-improvement.

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