Sunday, April 29, 2007

The best website mashup ever?

I listened to a podcast today describing a website called netvibes.com as the best website ever. According to the reviewer, it made his life so much easier because because because. So I checked it out tonight. Definitely cool, but I'm not sure it would help me as much as someone like say my man because I don't really spend that much time online except for shopping, ebaying, and email.
The one thing it did lead me to realize is that its probably high time to stop using my yahoo email account and switch entirely to my gmail. Problem is that I've had the yahoo account since I was 19 and all these people have that address and not my gmail address, so its something I'll have to spend some time thinking about.
In the meantime, my new favorite thing is iTrain. I downloaded a workout from this website last week and tried it out on Saturday. Awesome! Just like working out with a trainer but way cheaper (around $4.99 for a 40 minute workout). I don't think it would work as well for people new to working out who may not be familiar with equipment and proper form, but since I've worked out with a trainer in the past and am pretty well versed on how not to injure myself doing exercises I think its really going to help me out with my current problem of not really having a plan or focus when I go to the gym. The workout led me through cardio and weights, counted all my reps for me, told me when to ramp it up and when to bring it down again, and basically kept changing up what I was doing so that I avoided boredom. Just what I've been looking for!

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Long time no blog

I actually had time time to take a nap today which is allowing me to be up past my normal bedtime. Perfect time for blogging, as I've no patience for cleaning right now and that's what I really need to do.

I had a note in my calendar at the beginning of last month to check in with my NYR's. So far, I have not done a great job of keeping up with my friends, but I have done better about keeping in touch with my family. Except Mom called 4 or 5 times this last week because Dad had decided that he hadn't heard from me enough lately and so he was worried. I have been SO busy with work. Now, I don't mind working hard for my $$, but things feel just a little bit out of hand. I finally put my foot down about working unpaid overtime. Basically I'm not doing it anymore until they come up with some sort of additional compensation package for me. My employee housing allowance has made it through a second tier of approvals, but no word yet on when (or if) I'll be getting an apartment. Gosh, that would make things so much better. As I was thinking about this I realized that I haven't even been there 90 days yet. It feels like forever! My 90 day mark will be next Monday. That's not even 90 business days tough. Hmm, I wonder when that would be?? 6 weeks? I've made tons of progress. I can't help but think that the management company I work for might have lost this account if they hadn't found me. I now have almost all of the bills paid, most of the income straightened out, and am beginning to implement budget control measures. But each day I feel like I'm sprinting to finish all my work all day long, and I don't really like to think of keeping up that pace indefinitely. I think I'm going to try and start working one Sunday a month and taking off the Wednesday of that week. That will give me almost a full day with no interruptions to just focus on my paperwork.

The job has been an obstacle to my other goals: I am only able to make it to the gym once or twice per week, so I have not really lost any weight. I did go on Weight Watcher's with my mom (for support) and lost five pounds, but I found the system too tedious and the meetings awful so I quit. I gained back 3 of those pounds, but I'm pretty sure they're muscle, as I am now squeezing into a size 6 and fitting pretty comfortably into an 8. Last year at this time I was wearing a 12, so that's pretty good. My house has been okay clean except for right now when I think its the dirtiest its been in a month. Never being home helps with this. I'm hoping I'll get to move soon so I can skip the rest of the reno projects, but I don't have any extra cash to spend on house things right now anyway.

Which brings me to the one benefit the job has provided: I've been so busy I haven't had time to shop or go out to eat or go out with friends and therefore I've been socking away the dough. Not as much as I'd like or had calculated, but I'm getting closer and closer to liquidating my credit card debt, improving my credit and getting my PRIUS. I did have a bit of a setback last weekend as I had to go buy some hot weather work clothing. Its not going as quickly as I thought it would which is a little discouraging. I'm supposed to get a bonus this pay period for all the extra work I've been doing so that will help. I still have to buy a few more work clothes (boo!) but maybe my adding a weekend day will help with this.

Having off a weekday will be so great! Josh has Wednesday's off too so it will give us some extra time to spend together!
I've been in such a whir lately, my brain feels very rushed and unfocused. Its a result of all the stress I'm experiencing at work, but I guess that's why they call it work. Actually, I have managed to get myself into a not terribly desirable situation. But I am convinced that with some more extra effort now, on the front end, the pressure will slacken soon.
Tomorrow I am going to wear comfy shoes to work so that I can finally complete a reconnaissance mission I've been hoping to get to for weeks. It involves maps and parking spot/storage closet locations. And bags full of unmarked keys. Yay!