insomnia

Weekly Therapy: “There’s a huge difference between losing and being a loser”

- Mel

the week:
It’s time to make the introductory rounds of new doctors in Iowa – I had my dentist appointment this week, and I get to meet my new PCP on Monday (morning. At 7am. WTF was I thinking?!). From that appointment, I need to get referrals for a new gyno, a new dermatologist for my annual skin cancer screening, and a trip to the Ortho (hopefully continuing my luck of having hot sports medicine doctors).

I also apparently got poison ivy while I was on an urban vacation… SERIOUSLY. So I had to cancel my pedicure this week. And there’s a possibility that I might have some kind of stress reaction in my foot. At least there was good news with no new cavities!

tl;dr – I’m falling apart. Bring wine.

weekend:
I got an amazing care package from ToGoSpa this week (their Ice Water EYES product is wonderful!); so in my earlier promise of self care, I will be relaxing with some face masks and bubble baths. I’ll also probably go outside a LOT because it’s 73 degrees and BEAUTIFUL right now.

seven things, seven days:
1. There are 33.814 fl oz in a 1000ml water bottle. #tmyk
2. After a pretty shit week at work, I was SUPER excited to receive an invitation to National Root Beer Float Day (yes, free root beer floats for employees in my department). BEST DAY EVER!
3. We went to an AMAZING Penfolds wine tasting at the country club. And brought home more than a few bottles.
4. Started AND finished “Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?” this week. Probably one of my favorite books of the year. I really loved Timothy Caulfield’s writing style and humor, and his compiling of research really had an impact in how I think about the health and beauty industries (especially the myth of “anti-aging”). 30-something approved!
5. “There is no such thing as perfect”: Female athletes fight expectations for perfection online {via Reebok}
6. Since I’m a creature of habit — and now mostly settled here in Iowa — I’ve been really looking at some of my routines, and if they’re really “working” for me. Here are some signs that your routine might be getting in your way. {via The Muse}
7. James Clear with another wonderful essay: Motivation is Overvalued

Sunday Lately for this 30-Something:: Week 80

- Mel 3 Comments

Blogger Tribe_Sunday Lately Happy Sunday! Sunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy) where everyone is welcome to pop a tent and share some S’mores. Catch up and read all of my Sunday Lately posts and camp out with the Tribe on Facebook!

The prompts for July 10 (Week 80) :: Completing, Visiting, Repeating, Writing, Scheduling

kansas city giant shuttlecock art museum blogger
My favorite part of road trips: Finding random giant objects!

COMPLETING:: my last day of vacation. Bummer, man. Nine days off seemed like so many when I started…

VISITING:: Taking a road trip to a few of our nearby cities was a really fun way to see different parts of our state (and cross another state off the map). We’ll definitely be making future visits to Kansas City and Omaha — and I’d like to go back and check out Council Bluffs, since we skipped that part of our adventure on the way home.

REPEATING:: Going through the motions of another Sunday, preparing for my work-week with meal planning and scheduling my workouts and putting together outfits for the week. I have a little variety planned, so it won’t feel like I’m being too repetitive and inflexible with my habits (and just returning to work as I left it). That’s probably the worst thing for returning from vacation — to just drop back into your old routine without giving a little pause to reflect on what’s working, what’s not, and how to manage your time even better.

WRITING:: So, I’m writing out a plan of action for my work week to include what days I need to pack items/bring things with me to work — and actually SETTING THOSE ITEMS ASIDE and/or putting bags in my car. I really have a tendency to make big plans and get progressively overwhelmed by the novelty or preparation as the week builds, so taking some time to plan in advance to help prevent the potential burnout from making too many decisions during the week. Sunday is really a great day for me to GYST (aka: Get Your Shit Together).

SCHEDULING:: Sleep! I’m nowhere near “fixed” on my sleeping schedule that started falling apart before vacation. If last night’s awful cycle is any indication, this is going to be a ROUGH week. Not to mention that I also have an appointment with a new dentist. :-/

Weekly Therapy: Blogging for Happy Hour

- Mel 1 Comment

the week:
WHEW. We made it, guys! Who’s ready for some wine? *raises hand*

I think I’ve finally found my new work-personal time groove this week, which means that I can start fitting in other things like socializing and working out with regularity. AHEM.

weekend:
I still need to wash my car… SERIOUSLY. And if the license bureau is open, I need to do that, too. We have a date night dinner scheduled with a few other couples (connections through boyfriend’s work), but my To Do List is seriously stressing me out. I have a lot of items labeled “return.”

seven things, seven days:
1. Special delivery from Bake Me Happy GF in Columbus. My lunch breaks just got more nom-tastic.
2. Even though I went on a little bit of a shopping binge after moving, I still have a nice extra padding in my accounts. I don’t know about you, but that always makes me feel so relieved to be on top of things financially.
3. HOLY HOT YOGA. I joined Life Time Fitness, and there’s a hot vinyasa flow class on Wednesday nights. The instructor is amazing, and my arms and shoulders are crapped TFO.
4. Have you tried out the new Goals app in the Google Calendar? I was really excited about it, until I realized that it was scheduling all my workouts when I was scheduled to be at work (and my work schedule is inputted as “busy” on my calendar). Hopefully, that will get fixed and/or it will learn my habits.
5. Instagram is ruining your vacation. Mmm-hmm. {via Backchannel)
6. It hurts because it’s true: Being tired isn’t a badge of honor — and it kinda makes you act like a dick {via Signal v. Noise}
7. 14 hikes for anyone in Iowa — I can’t wait to get out there and start exploring!

Weekly Therapy: April’s Fools and a Legacy of Friendship

- Mel 3 Comments

the week:
An incredibly sad start to the week, with news that a friend whom I’ve known since I was 19, died of cancer on Easter morning. She just turned 40 in December and was diagnosed at Christmas with a rare internal melanoma that was already at advanced stages. It’s heartbreaking, especially because we hadn’t seen one another in a while, and also because we had something of a mutual falling out last year. I’m certainly still in shock about it all, and I had planned to go back to visit with her after I got settled. Well, her 2-8 week prognosis just as I moved to Iowa was actually just that two short weeks. And my heart just hurts immensely for her family, while I break because of all the guilt for not getting to her in time. I’m glad for the opportunity I had to reach out and message her before she passed, however. Though we had some unresolved conflict, there was still a lot of love there and expressed. She certainly taught me a lot on how to be a better friend, which is a pretty great legacy to leave behind.

weekend:
I *think* I’ve finally found my groove with workouts this week. I walked two miles around my neighborhood, took advantage of a free day pass at Life Time Fitness (and took a yoga class), and have scheduled runs for Thursday, Friday and Sunday. I’ve connected with someone from the roller derby team here, too, so that I can join in with the group when they do trail skating or maybe scrimmages (I haven’t ultimately decided whether I’ll join derby; I still want to get settled into my new home and job and a new routine first).

The boyfriend and I are *finally* going to explore downtown a bit on Saturday, now that the garage is somewhat organized and clear, and all the boxes are unpacked and stored.

seven things, seven days:
1. No joke, I painted my toenails for the first time in, like, six months. o_O
2. Also not funny: one of my cats has been waking me up every.single.morning around 3:45 a.m. And since I’m working from home, he is one annoying sonuvabitch until at least 2 p.m. WHY IS HE NOT SLEEPING?!
3. I won a $25 gift card from another Iowa blogger to my local Orange Leaf fro-yo place — a magical place that is rumored to also deliver in my area.
4. I think that I was meant to find this article this week: Dying, With Nothing to Say {via NYT}
5. I joke a lot about my insomnia, but the truth is, I am just on a different schedule. And I cannot find any humor in someone snarking on my sleeping habits. So, here’s an article about some good old fashioned Night Owl discrimination (and understanding chronobiology). {via Vox}
6. “It would be boring if it was easy.” Yes, yes, YES! Repeat after me: FAILURE IS INEVITABLE. The hidden psychology of failure {via BBC}
7. Why in God’s name are hangovers so much worse in your 30s?! Here’s some info on that. {via Yahoo Health}

Sunday Lately for this 30-Something: Week 64

- Mel 2 Comments

Blogger Tribe_Sunday LatelySunday Lately is a weekly linkup hosted by the Blogger Tribe (lead by Angelica, Meghan, Nicole, and Katy).

Every Sunday morning, the Tribe shares a small glimpse into what’s happening — and I’m sharing along as part of my “group therapy.” All are welcome, so if you’re a blogger looking for his or her online community, click through and join us in the Blogger Tribe Facebook group, and every week we share our combined thoughts on a rotating theme of prompts.

30something therapy SUNDAY LATELY Week 64

This week’s prompts are: Updating, Remembering, Needing, Wearing, Being.

Updating: I need to get on updating to a new bank account ASAP, else I’ll be without a way to deposit my contracting checks. I think this upcoming week is the time that I need to make a lot of other updates: drivers license, car plates, vet and doctor appointments… Taking advantage of non-traditional work hours right now is imperative before I let procrastination rule my life again.

Remembering: I’m making an effort to remember my surroundings as I’m driving to/from my neighborhood. Thankfully, my phone’s Maps recognizes my house location (my car’s GPS does not). But I’m trying to pay attention and remember which direction takes me where. Admittedly, it’s been a little difficult, since immediately after pulling out of our housing development, we’re surrounded by acres of farmland!

Needing: A good night of sleep. I know there’s an adjustment period upon moving to a new house — getting used to all the different sounds and temperature adaptations and other outside-of-the-bedroom unknowns. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night, after only a few hours of sleep. I’m also adjusting to a new bed, too, so yeah… I need some more sleep and less anxiety (and probably a less-empty house!).

Wearing: Until our moving truck arrives (which they’ve already said would happen on Monday morning!) and I have more of a social schedule, I’m hanging out in my pajamas and leggings a lot. I’m not mad. 😉

Being: Calm. At least, enjoying the calm before the storm. I am incredibly lucky to already have a friend here, who will be joining me for the movers madness on Monday. I’m done being bored, and once all of our stuff gets here, I will have *plenty* to do.

Weekly Therapy: Arrrrrrgh you ready?

- Mel

the week:
Just trying to stay mentally and physically strong for these races this weekend. I’m doing it all for the bling and the fun – and happy that I’ll have a group of SCRR runners there with me to celebrate.

I plan to post next week all about my recovery, in my recovery week!

weekend:
Without further ado… it’s GASPARILLA WEEKEND! I’m leaving for Florida on Friday morning and the Ultra Challenge races take place on both Saturday and Sunday (early wake up call, like woah, on Sunday morning). I’m nervous about the weather forecast because it’s perfect for being in Florida, but awful for running 30 miles.

seven things, seven days:
1. So, Meb and Shalane are in Tampa this weekend, too, and I can’t spend the $100 to have dinner with them. Harumph. Hoping to catch a glimpse of them at least at the Expo.
2. I seriously *just* got access to the multiple accounts feature in Instagram. IT’S ABOUT TIME! (You feel me, social media marketing peeps?)
3. Are you guys all caught up on The Bachelor yet? Do you have any Top 3 favorites?
4. Those Grammys though. *eye roll*
5. I took my niece and sister to the Aviary to see the baby sloth… but we didn’t see him. 🙁
6. I like the idea of creating/having a “shutdown ritual” but just laying there in the dark for HOURS doing nothing is enough to drive anyone (ahem, me) to madness. I do like this list though: The 7 Step Evening Ritual {via Barking Up the Wrong Tree}
7. Is the triathlon only for the rich? Interesting story about amateur Ironmen paying for elite training. {via NYT}

February 30: a lesson in getting out of bed

- Mel

I am NOT a morning person.

I am also an insomniac. In an attempt to regulate my sleeping schedule and embrace the creativity that comes with early-morning writing and generally be super cranky for 30 days, this month’s Wake Up Every Morning Before 8am had disappointing results. Meaning: I actually slept less and not more. I’d be worn out from a long day, and still be up until 1am or later (even when retiring to bed by 11pm) and still have to wake up by 8am. Not to mention, this last week we had painters come EVERY morning by 7am. SEVEN. I was exhausted and cranky and unmotivated and uncreative and felt lethargic for most of February. I know how important sleep is, and I’ve tried every trick in the book (there’s no TV in our bedroom; I read before bedtime; I drink tea) and I’ve tried several different drugs. (let me tell you about the time I took 2 Simply Sleep pills before an international flight from Germany and was WIDE AWAKE the entire trip. FML.) On top of all that, I have TWO separate sleeping problems (well, three if you count the asshole cat that wakes me up at 3:30): going to sleep and staying asleep. It’s one, the other or both on most nights… that I usually make up for by way of afternoon naps on my days off and a night or two a month of dead sleep for 10-12 hours (from pure exhaustion, I’m sure).

The only time I felt rested this month was in California — which, shocker, is closer to my regular sleep patterns considering Pacific Time (I was asleep by 11pm every night and up by 8am — and OUT THE DOOR with really shitty hotel coffee, doing things, by 9am). And if you’re thinking “it’s vacation, of course you slept better.” Not so fast… I had derby responsibilities nearly EVERY day on our trip, so it’s not like it was a no-schedule-free-for-all. Plus, there was a lot of drive time and no sleep in the car (since I was mostly an anxious passenger).

I have to accept that I just might not be on the same schedule as the “average” 30-something. Those two extra hours of sleep are imperative to my well-being. So this 30-day challenge* was a lesson in listening to MY body; not what society thinks is the “right time to be up-and-at-’em.” Also: ear plugs are a MUST. This is a new discovery, thanks to an awesome care package I received.

Do you have your own sleep challenges? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

*I used two days from the end of January to make up for the short month. And to be completely transparent, I missed two days — one, the day after vacation, I woke up at 10am; two, the morning after a couple margaritas, I woke up at 9am. I gave it the ol’ college try!

Next up: NO SUGAR FOR 30 DAYS IN MARCH. *gulp*

Read more:
My year of 30-day challenges.
January Success: No Alcohol for 30 days!