Skip to main content

State of the Union

Every so often the President gets up and tells the world about the state of the Union, in what is creatively called, the State of the Union. Admittedly, I never watch. I just can't. It's like chalkboard fingernail scratching and water torture combined - quick painful bursts and inexorable discomfort. Just one more reason I am glad I no longer have cable.

What all this has to do with the price of tea in China I don't know. But in a week from today I will be turning thirty and I thought it might be a good idea to take stock once again. For awhile there I was updating you all on the Sassy Pants Seven (or Eight depending): Diet, Discardia, Thesis, Work, Finances, Vacation, Fitness and Relationship. That seems to have fallen by the wayside but I intend to change that here. Hopefully, the state of my union will not be quite as painful as the real one.

Diet - There is a reason that the diet and fitness industries are bazillion dollar money makers. That reason being that I, like so many others, cannot seem to gather up the will power to stop feeding my freakin' FACE. Ahem...Since the time that I vowed to lose five pounds I have gained 4. Yeeha! I'm both an over and underachiever at the same time. Part of this is because I stopped running after the half marathon. My IT band was making my knee hurt so I rested. I haven't been a compete and utter slacker though. I still teach my abs class and take a couple classes at the gym (ok, one class, one. Pbltt!) but my tummy is paying the price. I did get on the treadmill again last night and ran a mile. Man does a person atrophe fast. It was tough. But I'll keep at it.

Discardia - For those new to Big Girl Underoos that is the practice of getting rid of one's stuff. For awhile I was getting rid of one thing a day. I made it to about 30 things and then stopped. However, I am contemplating getting a new, smaller, cheaper apartment closer to work if possible so I need to regroup and figure out what I need, want, don't even realize I have and purge once again. Realizing that I may be going from a 2 bedroom to a 1 bedroom or even studio apartment is certainly motivation.

Thesis - I have grand plans to work on my thesis this weekend. Before I got my new job I was telling some friends that I thought the new job would inspire me to work on it and it has. For one, I now work in the same building as my program's administration so I pass by the office anytime I enter or leave the building. For another, I'm busier and energized and I don't have to force myself with my own deadlines at work so I'm much more willing to deal with self-imposed deadlines at home. It was too hard pushing myself at work and at home. A girl's gotta rest. But I WILL finish transcribing my last interview this weekend. Maybe I'll even have an outline or put some ideas on paper.

Work - New job, new digs, new energy. I'm enjoying it so far. I appreciate having tasks that end and I can take off my to do list. And deadlines. And a team that knows what I'm doing. And being closer to the action. So far so good!

Finances - This is going well. I am transitioning between biweekly paychecks and monthly so I've had to do some planning and paying attention but I still actually have money in my account despite only having been paid for one week since July 1. I have had to resort to using my credit card but I'm fairly confident that I'll be able to pay it off again after I get paid on the first. Next, paying off my car and/or sending a chunk to Sallie May for my student loans - or at least the interest so I can get a tax deduction next year.

Vacation - I took one with Friendster Guy. And it was nice. I know I have another in November but after that, or in the interim, it's wide open.

Fitness - See above under Diet. Softball is now over so I will have time to go to the gym and run and such again. I like being outside but you don't really get a lot of exercise while sitting in the dugout or standing in the field. Quick bursts from base to base do not a workout make. Not for me anyway. For some players it would behoove us to stock an oxygen tank and give it to them if they make it to a base. God forbid if they get a double.

Relationships - I'm going to add familial relationships to this category. Friendster Guy and I seem to be getting along quite well. We know what some of our shortcomings are - me taking things too personally, him not verbalizing thoughts and feelings. But recognizing you have a problem is half the battle. Family-wise my siblings have been informed by my Mom that they had hurt my feelings by being so nice to my X and not being quite as nice to me. My brother apologized specifically and we've talked about it. My sister and I are taking the "I know you know that I know that you know, you know?" approach. I think it will be ok.

That's the state of my union. All in all not a bad place to be on the edge of 30. I'm looking forward to the next decade. My last was quite exciting and eventful. And I learned a lot about myself.

Here's to learning and growing (even if it is older and fatter).

Comments

Mrs. Harridan said…
Nice wrap-up! It sounds like you're in a really good place in your life in most aspects.

I really like your idea of getting rid of one thing per day. I have been getting rid of things in short bursts (while the switch is on, so to speak), but maybe the slow and steady approach will be more fruitful.
Sassy Pants said…
I often find that as soon as I pick one thing to purge I see several other things I can also get rid of. So psychologically, one thing a day is a great start - very approachable - and it often ends up being even more productive than you expect.

And yes, I think I am in a very good place. : )
Anonymous said…
Nice State of the Union... except I am not sure that the public polls supported your choice of tie this evening! :)
Anonymous said…
Here are some links that I believe will be interested
Anonymous said…
Very pretty site! Keep working. thnx!
»
Anonymous said…
I love your website. It has a lot of great pictures and is very informative.
»

Popular posts from this blog

Gone by the wayside

I have no idea if anyone is reading this anymore. If you have been loyally checking back now and again I applaud you. At one point this blog was a therapeutic outlet for me. I'm glad to have a chronicle of my experiences during this time of my life. Now, however, instead of a creative outlet it's more of a nagging reminder that I should be posting and this girl does not need one more thing on her "To Do" list. I'd love for you to explore the archives if you so chose. If you have already done so, here's a brief update: Friendster Guy and I are still together and co-habitating. We are in domestic, but still unwedded, bliss (that status could be a post or two in and of itself, but, as I've just said, I'm done with that.) We're so domesticated we're in the market for granite countertops. We also just returned from an Aussie/New Zealand vacation and if 8 days in a tiny RV won't solidify (or destroy) a relationship nothing will. We're stronge

Making Eye Babies

Colleges often have a lot of rules the students need to follow. After all, a bunch of 18-21 year olds can't really be expected to self-govern on their own, at least not 24/7, no matter how vehement they are that they can do just that. (I was 18-21 once myself so I know it's annoying to hear that. I don't mean all 18-21 year olds individually, I mean when they all get together in one place.) Then there are Christian Colleges which have more rules, often based on biblical teachings and moral dictates. Further down the spectrum is Bob Jones University* which considers the Christian colleges just too darn liberal so they piles on a bunch of morally based codes of behavior. Not to be outdone by the crazy liberal heathens at Bob Jones, Pensacola Christian College goes hog wild with the rules and moral imperatives and makes the Taliban look almost liberal. An article in the March 24th edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education explains some of the rules and regulations the stu

Everything old is new again...

It's been 10 years since last I posted here. Ten. Years. I guess it is true that things on the internet never disappear. I'm honestly shocked I was able to log in. A quick update: Friendster Guy and I split up, amicably, 2 years ago. Since then I've dated 3 gentlemen, the most recent of which lasted a year but once again, ended. Amicably. I'm excellent at breakups apparently. I have just reentered the world of on-line dating and was thinking how I used to chronicle my exploits here. A lot of things have changed in the interim - texting, Facebook being open to all, the ubiquity of camera phones, a new generation of dating sites/apps. But, a lot of things haven't. Men are still...men. The technology may have changed, but the people behind the scenes are still the same. The main difference is that I'm now 15 years older. Maybe, just maybe, I'm also wiser. And maybe, if I cross my fingers really hard, so are the gentlemen I end up meeting.