Seabright's 2019 Battle Log of Awesomeness

[Seabright]

GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALS!

 

Starting a shiny new 2019 thread for all the shiny new 2019 achievements that I plan to achieve. I'm in achieving mode, so wanted to capture my goals for this year while I'm feeling all on-fire and achieving-y. 

 

Learned some stuff in 2018, and that's reflected here. One thing I know -- I need more fun in my life! Soooo...

 

For 2019, I've picked ONE goal, and articulated 3 ways to get there. Then, I've picked ONE power word to help me focus all year long.

 

 

GOAL FOR 2019:

Focus on Fun!

• Have fun, mind, body and soul, by eating paleo, getting exercise, taking daily time for myself.
• Focus on Fun tagline: If the answer isn't 'hell yeah!' then it's 'no'. 

 

1. Have fun by eating paleo

• I feel GREAT when I eat this way! Woo hoo!
• I'll have the very occasional special treat here and there, too. No need to obsess over it. But the treat has to be worth it, and associated with something awesome. If I have a treat, then I'll do 3 super-strict days to recover. 
• I'll keep an eye on my weight with monthly weigh-ins. The only weight goal here is to keep from going up. I'll use clothing fit as my guideline for success. Smaller sizes are cool, but so is staying steady.
• I'll track stuff here in my battle log.

 

2. Have fun by getting exercise

• Daily yoga practice, even if it's only 10-minutes worth of stretching.
• Bodyweight workouts with my coach.
• Try new fun stuff to get exercise -- a new hiking trail, get on my mountain bike, line dancing, archery, yoga classes, sing, learn more stuff on the mandolin. Backpacking? Kayaking? Rock climbing? Flying an airplane? Just go for it.
• I'll track stuff here in my battle log

 

3. Have fun by taking time for myself

• Find a few minutes every day: solitary walk, cup of tea in the early am in the backyard, journaling at lunchtime, stop at the beach on the way home to watch the waves, take the long way home -- these all count. This will make me a nicer person all around, and give me energy for other things.
• Quiet, intentional, thoughtful time will keep stress levels low, and let other stuff shine through the haze of daily pressures.

 

POWER WORD FOR 2019:

Bravery

 

I know, right? I've used this for the last 2 years. I feel like bravery is the thing that gets me through everything - bad days, figuring things out, trying new stuff...even taking time for myself. Stick with a winner. 

 

---------------------------------

 

Okie dokie! That's it! 

 

Other things may come along throughout the year, and I can have little sub-goals for those, but everything needs to speak to one of the three above. This will keep me focused and moving forward at all times.

 

Yeah! Let's crush 2019!!

 

[Seabright]

Sub-goals: stuff I'd like to do in 2019

 

The ability to do these is based on sticking to the main goals.

• Be able to get my dad out of bed and into his chair without calling for help. 
• Hike the Skyline to the Sea trail (Big Basin to Waddell Creek).
• Do one of those beginner backpacking weekends with REI.
• Take more time-off where we actually leave town.
• Hike the Shadow Creek trail.
• Learn to play the mandolin.

 

[Seabright]

Wed, Jan 2

 

Let the tracking fun-time begin!

 

Eating

• Breakfast - veggie omelet w/red bell peppers, onions, and spinach, 2 sausage patties, 2 strips of bacon. 
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Snacks - apples.
• Dinner - turkey with green beans.

Exercise

• 30 mins yoga in the am.
• 20 min walk at lunchtime.
• Found a line-dancing class that starts on Jan 10. Still working up the nerve to register.

Taking time

• Pleasant walk along the marsh road. 

Bravery

• Said yes to talking to one candidate, no to another. 
• My first decision!

Mando

• 15 mins. 
• Warmups.
• Whiskey Before Breakfast

[Jupiter]

I love your goals!

[Seabright]

Thur, Jan 3

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies, 2 turkey sausage patties. also, 1/3 of the spousal unit's eggs and veggies. also, a cliff bar when i got in to work. STARVING.
• Lunch - salad w/veggies and chicken.
• Dinner - turkey and green beans.

Exercise

• 30 mins yoga in the am.
• 25 minute walk by the marsh.

Taking time

• Drove down Main Street on the way home and window shopped.
• Noticed how pretty the sunset was as I came down out of the hills. 

Bravery

• Trying to get more comfortable taking the reins at work. Balancing that not-unnatural hope to be liked with the fact that I do need people to do certain things. I think I worry too much about how people will perceive me (oh, she thinks she's so great; our last manager never made us do anything like that), and I've got a couple people who tend toward the gossipy, and I'm letting this get in the way when I communicate with the team. 
• Did not have any coffee. I'm seeing that this is an ingrained habit, associated with restlessness at work almost entirely. I haven't felt any cravings like this in the last 2 weeks, but I've been on vacay. I don't need the boost, so it's all about habit. This one will be tough to break, but I'm up for the challenge!

Mando

• 15 minutes
• Warmed up, then:
• Whiskey Before Breakfast and Cherokee Shuffle. 

[Seabright]

Fri, Jan 4

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs and bacon.
• Lunch - turkey and green beans.
• Dinner - seasoned chicken breast and veggies.

Exercise

• BWW workout, with warm-up and cool-down.
• 30 min walk.

Taking time

• Took the long way home from Dad's, through the yacht harbor, and looked at the mast lights.

Bravery

• OMG! Girded my loins and signed up for a line dancing class!! It starts next week!
• Other bravery moments on deck today: tell family I won't be attending the reunion thingy; have my first candidate phone screening.
• Update: sent an email to the fam and let the chips fall where they may. Also, talked to that candidate. My first-ever phone screening in this role!

Mando

• 15 mins.

[Seabright]

Jan 5 & 6 - Weekend Recap

 

Hey hey hey!

 

One big 2019 goal met on Sunday. I arrived at my Dad's assisted living place, and he was just waking up from a nap. Annnnnd...I was able to help him get up out of bed and into his wheelchair ALL BY MYSELF! All by myself, I tell you, all by myself!! I've been doing my little bodyweight workouts, and I just had the confidence. This let the caregivers keep making dinner, it helped them focus on Fran and Fred, who also needs lots of help, and it made my little daddy feel a tiny bit more independent. Wins all around.

 

GOOOOOOOOOAL MET!!!!

 

Eating

• Mostly good.
• Small Berry Upbeat Jamba Juice on Sat.
• Ate lots of nuts and dried fruit. Not the best of snacks, but not the worst either.

Exercise

• Yoga on Sat morning.
• 15 min walk on Sun morning. We hustled out the door to try to get a good hike in before the rain hit, but no joy. Ended up walking in the mall. Jeez, I hate walking in the mall.

Taking time

• Read! Real books, too! Finished 'The Solace of Open Spaces' and started 'It's Your Ship.'

Bravery

• I thought it was brave to roust the spousal unit at 7am on Sunday to try to get that hike in. :-)

Mando

• Finally finally put new strings on my mandolin. Only stabbed myself twice. Wiped the blood off the pick guard and got 'er done. Will be better at it next time.

[Seabright]

Mon, Jan 7

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs with veggies and 2.5 turkey sausages
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - chicken breast and steamed veggies.
• Snacks - apples.

Exercise

• Yoga in the am - just the minimum.
• 20 min walk out to the marsh and back.

Taking time

• Paused to look at the ducks in the lake by the marsh.

Bravery

• Decided to let people on my team drive 2 projects, rather than hovering over them and trying to do stuff myself. 

Mando

• Thwarted! Had just picked it up when the maternal parental unit called. 

[Seabright]

Tues, Jan 8

 

Eating

• Breakfast - veggie omelet, 3 pieces bacon, 2 sausage patties. Hungry!
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - salmon w/veggies and a bit of teriyaki sauce.
• Snacks - snack failure. for some reason, WILD cravings mid-morning and mid-afternoon, slaked with whole wheat fig bars. i actually think the coffee gal gave me regular instead of decaf, because I was absolutely wired all day, too. am caffeine for me triggers snackage cravings. 

Exercise

• BWW workout, with warm-up and cool-down.
• 10 min walk around the building.
• 2-hour bass gig.

Taking time

• None.

Bravery

• The guitar player and fiddle player forgot about the gig. Doh! We played bass and dobro duets until they got there. 
• We did get some mercy tips, so there's that.

Mando

• Bass gig instead. 

[Seabright]

Wed, Jan 9

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies and 2 turkey sausages.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - chicken breast and steamed veggies.
• Snacks - apples, handful of almonds.

Exercise

• 15 mins of yoga - twists and flexes.
• Walked a bunch throughout the day, but no actual I-am-now-officially-going-for-a-walk time.

Taking time

• Girl's night! Just me and the little grey fluffy-kins. Some quality mommy-and-me time with our little wild kitty.

Bravery

• Bravely admitted I was utterly exhausted and just went to bed at 8:15pm. You know, instead of struggling to stay awake so I could watch another episode of 'The Closer'. 

Mando

• 15 mins. Freakin' FORCED myself. Set the timer.
• Warmups, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Salt Creek, Wheel Hoss. Tried chopping to a song, too. 

[Seabright]

Thur, Jan 10

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies and 2 turkey sausages.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - turkey w/green beans.
• Snacks - apples, handful of almonds.

Exercise

• Yoga for Energy - 25 mins.
• 25 min walk.
• Line dancing class (<- yes, you read that right)

Taking time

• Paused mid-walk to look at the birds. Saw coots, canada geese, mergansers, scaups, and a snowy egret. Very cool.

Bravery

• Line dancing! I took a line dancing class!!
• Showed up, did the thing. Yay for me!
• A surprising workout. Worked up a little sweat, and the muscles on the outside of my hips were telling me all about it. Had to take some advil when I got home. Whoa. 
• Bravely did not completely lose it when a few people couldn't get the most simple thing. Who am I to judge? 
• Going back! I signed up for 6  weeks!

Mando

• Nada.

[Seabright]

Fri - Sun (Jan 11 - 13) recap

 

Eating

• Breakfast - all good.
• Lunch - all good.
• Dinner - had fish tacos, rice, corn tortillas and chips on Fri, all good on Sat, and a handful of sweet potato fries on Sun.
• Snacks - apples, 1/2 a smoothie.

Exercise

• 60 min yoga session on Sat w/my new DVD. Holy smokes! Definitely challenging.
• 40 minute walk along West Cliff on Sat, minimum walk on Sunday.
• Skipped my Fri BWW because my shoulder was KILLING me. Advil necessary.

Taking time

• Spousal unit out of town on Fri, so just a girls' night with the little kitty-kins. She's still learning how to be a regular cat, but she's getting the hang of it. 
• Nice nap with Dolly on Sat, which started out by her INSISTING I stop reading my book. Encouraged by the regular-catness of  this act. Plus, she NEVER comes in during the day, so another win.
• Sunday morning garden time, quiet and cool after the rain.

Bravery

• Made myself go for a walk in a place other than the neighborhood. Gorgeous day and so glad I did.

Mando

• Nada. This is bad. 

[Seabright]

Update - Jan 14 to now

 

Lots of stuff happened. Let my new job completely subsumed all my me time - free time at work, thinking time in the car, hanging out time at home. Attended a great 2-day leadership workshop last week, and this was actually included as a separate module. Doh! 

 

Now feeling more in-control of my own time, and less guilty about needing my early mornings to update my very own little battle log. How can I continually be awesome if I don't give myself time to plan and document the aforementioned awesomeness? 

 

ENNNnnnnnnnyway. Back on track. You know, methinks.

[Seabright]

Mon Jan 28

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies and turkey sausage.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - grilled chicken and veggies.
• Snacks - plain bagel mid-morning, crunchy crispy sweet-tart apple mid-afternoon.

Exercise

• 30 mins, yoga basics.

Taking time

• Planned my when-I-arrive-at-home time on the drive over the hill.
• This worked out really well. When I hit town, I hit the grocery store, fed the little plumpster, and played my mandolin before I even looked at the mail.

Bravery

• Started ruthlessly prioritizing stuff at work.

Mando

• Warmed up with chopping and singing instead of scales. 
• Worked on Salt Creek, Big Sciota, Wheel Hoss, and a started re-learning Shucking the Corn.

[Seabright]

Tues Jan 29

 

I think I'm going to add something totally groovy and, you know, earthy-crunchy, to my daily log. Let's go with 'beauty'. 

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies and turkey sausage.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - chicken and steamed veggies.
• Snack - some sort of weird lemon/coconut protein ball thingies from the snack rack as I hustled out for a walk.

Exercise

• A few mins of early-am stretching.
• 30 min walk mid-day. The marsh was calling!
• Bodyweight workout in the PM. Working on keeping my elbows IN while doing pushups.

Taking time

• Doing my log, and have marked my walk on my calendar. Next up: Defend this against all comers!!
• Update: gorgeous walk in the after-rain fresh air out through the marsh at lunchtime. 

Bravery

• Bailed on that gig that I really don't want to do. If the answer isn't 'Hell, yeah!' then it's 'No.'
• Did not buy that sweater that's on sale that I don't really need but was looking at because it was on sale. Yay for me!

Mando

• 15 mins. Warmed up with chops and singing, because that's a LOT more fun than scales.
• Worked on Wheel Hoss, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Cherokee Shuffle, and kept poking away at Shuckin' The Corn.

 

Notice something beautiful

• Gorgeous sunrise!

[Mikey Fitpants]

I'm getting up to speed with some blogs on here and I've had a read through yours. First off, your diet sounds very healthy, well done. Second, playing the mandolin is quite unusual - what got you interested in that? Next, it sounds like you live somewhere beautiful and obviously coastal - are you in Australia or North America? I take it you have a cat (I have 5) and you obviously take your new job seriously.

 

Overall it seems like you are doing well. I look forward to following your journey.

[Seabright]

Mikeeeeeeeey! Thanks for popping in, Mr. Fitpants. I thought I felt someone's thoughtful gaze upon me.

 

I'm learning to play the mandolin--slowly and badly--because I hang out with a lot of bluegrass musicians and I've always wanted to learn a lead instrument (currently nailing it all to the ground on the upright bass and rhythm guitar). Plus, it's WAY fun! Someone once said to me, 'You don't have to be the best, or even very good. Just started happy and finish rejoicing, no matter the outcome.' I take that to heart, and embrace being a beginner and terrible in the most public way possible. ;-)

 

i live in Santa Cruz, CA, which is, like, you know, a totally groovy and, like, totally surfer-oriented. I just landed a new job after working towards it for most of last 2 years (see the above comment about being terrible at something in the most public way possible). 

 

Stay groovy, strong, and true, fellow Rebel!

 

 

[Seabright]

Wed Jan 30

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies and turkey sausage.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies.
• Dinner - veggie burger on a bun, no sauce.
• Snacks - apples.

Exercise

• 30 mins yoga for flexibility.
• 40 min walk at lunchtime.

Taking time

• Whoa. Staying focused on doing my log every early am as I've done in days gone by is going to be a challenge. Successfully did it again this morning. Turns out, I really need these few minutes to myself every day, and it's okay to fight off all comers. 

Bravery

• On deck: Taking my little daddy new pull-ups after work this evening. 
• Update: Done! And he was having a good day, too. I held his cool hand, and we talked about Big Sur and days gone by, when he and his grandfather lit the oil lamps at night, and kept the wicks neat. A moment from the past, pulled into the now.

Mando

• Visited Dad instead.

 

Notice something beautiful

• Hit the summit and looked back. Fog drifting softly between the folds of the hills, cool and quiet. Lovely.

 

Keep your lamps trimmed and burning, my little Rebels.

[Seabright]

Thur Jan 31

 

Holy moly, guacamole. Can I get 5 freakin' minutes to myself??

 

Eating

• Breakfast - bacon and eggs.
• Lunch - chicken teriyaki bowl with rice--and the egg roll. let myself run out of sensible meals, dang it.
• Dinner - turkey and green beans.
• Snacks - apples.

Exercise

• 20 mins yoga - twists and foot stretches.
• 22 min walk at lunchtime.
• Line dancing night! 

Taking time

• Pleasant late-afternoon stroll through the yard, thinking about where I'm going to build a garden office (one day), and all the plants and what-not I'd need to move (if one day becomes this day). Accompanied by the little gray fluff-ball, and the boy cat from across the street. 

Bravery

• Well now. When asked if I would skip my line dancing class if the spousal unit needed me to drive him to his gig after an eye appointment, I said, 'no' and suggested alternatives.
• No excuses, no whining, no complaints. Just, 'no.'
• And because I said, 'no,' turns out that ride wasn't really needed, after all. 
• That was brave. Yay for me.

Mando

• Fed the little graykins and then pulled it down off the wall.
• Didn't really feel like practicing, but set the timer and that helped.

 

Notice something beautiful

• The daffodils that I planted in the fall are starting to come up!

 

[Mikey Fitpants]

Santa Cruz - nice. You get so much lovely sunshine in CA. I drove up from LA to San Fransisco in a day while over there a few years ago, that's the closest I've been to Santa Cruz. It's the depths of winter here in the UK

[Seabright]

Fri, Feb 1

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies, 2.5 turkey sausage patties.
• Lunch - turkey and green beans.
• Dinner - went the brewery - spinach salad with grilled salmon, pistachios, tomatoes, cokes, and cranberries, and 1.5 pints of amber.
• Snacks - apples

Exercise

• 12 min walk, squeezed in before the rain starts a-comin' down.
• That's about it.

Taking time

• Played with the neighbor's big black cat through our cat door. Dangled a string for him to pounce on.
• Fun to see how little Dolly reacted. I think she has a crush on him. She smoothed out her whiskers, made sure her ears were on straight, and made a happy little chirping sound before approaching the door from her side. 

Bravery

• My first big personnel problem in my new job! 
• Did a bunch of research, read policies, tried to understand the common gotchas, and communicated.

Mando

• Went to visit Dad instead.

 

Notice something beautiful

• I just noticed that my neighbor across the street has a purple mailbox.

[Seabright]

Sat & Sun, Feb 2-3

 

Eating

• Breakfast - Sat - eggs w/veggies, 2 turkey sausage patties. This was originally 2 1/2 sausages, 1 to be split with the spousal unit, but I dropped it on the floor while plating. Doh! Sun - the most massive veggie omelet on the planet.
• Lunches - all good.
• Dinner - mostly good.
• Snacks - allowed special treat snacks while watching the game with Dad and the sibling-unit. Duets - 4. 

Exercise

•  Sat - Did the Bodyweight Workout from yesterday that I didn't do yesterday because I didn't do it. Felt good! Cooled down with 20 minutes of restorative yoga. Walked a bit in Salinas.
• Sun - Nada. Day of rest. 

Taking time

• Time spent day-dreaming in the backyard, between downpours.
• Very tricky to find alone time on the weekends. Will have to cogitate on this.

Bravery

• It's pouring outside, but today is the day I want to commit on that shed thing. If I want my own office, it has to be outside, and it has to be in the back corner--where there is currently a garden and seating area. That alone is a big roadblock, but surmountable. Figure if I put a stake in the ground on a date for the shed folks to come and build the thing, that will start the clock ticking on prepping the area. 
• All we need to do is get over there, put down a deposit, and get on their calendar. We're looking at a 10 x 10 shed, with an overhang in front and a little porch, a door with little windows, and, windows on 2 sides. It's fun to dream and plan, but it's more fun to actually make stuff happen.
• Update: I DID IT!! Picked it out, picked out a door, windows, vents, and a little porch style. Laid down the down payment. Skin in the game. Need to schedule!

Mando

• Nada. See above alone time comment.

 

Notice something beautiful

• A cold and rainy night and the little graykins curled against me. Such a huge win, when I look back on it. Does she remember the dark days? Starving to death, terrified of people, hiding in the wood pile, too weak to stand, sitting in a freezing puddle of water in the rain, too weak to move? Does she remember the days and weeks getting to know a human touch, the warmth of the kitchen, the sight of a ceiling over her head? She used to run out into the rain when it started, as if she couldn't believe that inside was right. But now, here she is. The rain and wind lashing at the window, here she is. Once too frightened to come near us, now curled against me, snuggly and warm, she purrs and purrs and purrs. 

[Seabright]

Mon, Feb 4

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs and veggies, 2 turkey sausages.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken and veggies, topped with walnuts and cranberries.
• Dinner - turkey burger with veggies.
• Snacks - plain bagel with nothing on it, an apple.

Exercise

• 30 mins yoga for energy.
• 12 minute walk around the building while the rain came down.

Taking time

• Was able to sneak in a couple songs before dinner.

Bravery

• Did the right thing with the personnel issue, even though I reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllly wanted to know what's going on. :-)

Mando

• 15 mins, chopping and tunes and a song.
• Wheel Hoss, Shuckin' the Corn, Big Sandy River.
• Note to self: next time, warm up hands and finger before playing.

 

Notice something beautiful

• RAIN!!! Yay!!!!

[Seabright]

Tues, Feb 5

 

Eating

• Breakfast - blueberry scone fail, followed by a Kind bar fail when I finally made it in to the office.
• Lunch - salad w/chicken, veggies, walnuts, and dried cranberries.
• Dinner - shredded chicken with a little bit of avocado on top, and a  beer. meetup dinner fail.
• Snack - apple, cookie, 5 bites of the spousal unit's apple pie when I finally made it home.

 

Lesson learned here: breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Missing mine made me vulnerable to random snacking, sugar cravings, and irritable outbursts. 

 

Exercise

• 12 min walk around the building. 
• Exercise fail, overall. Overslept and never got back on track.

Taking time

• Browsed garden office interior ideas at lunch.
• Note: Digital breaks don't really feel like taking time for myself. Next time, try something else.

Bravery

• On deck: 2 speaking-in-front-of-people moments today. Yikes. I have to say a few words in the Veep's big staff meeting, and then I have to look like I know what I'm talking about in front of a CROWD at this evening's meetup. Scared. 
• Update: I did it! Scared, but did it anyway. 

Mando

• Got home late and went straight to bed.

 

Notice something beautiful

• Holy smokes! Snow in Santa Cruz! Wait, what? Fact. Dusting of powdered sugar at the summit!

[Seabright]

Wed, Feb 6

 

Eating

• Breakfast - eggs w/veggies and 2.5 turkey sausage patties. back on track!
• Lunch - ack! off track! 1/2 an apple, a handful of mixed nuts.
• Dinner - back on track! chicken breast and veggies in a light teriyaki sauce.
• Snacks - see lunch.

 

Exercise

• Did my BWW when I got home.

Taking time

• This felt tough to find today. I let the day get away from me, and didn't prioritize time to think.

Bravery

• On deck: Argh. 1/1 meeting and command performance with one of the mighty titans, called on deck to explain why she can't just have what she wants right NOW. This one will be rough, and I've been girding my loins on this for the last 2 days. 
• Update: 2 minutes before our meeting, the mighty titan rescheduled the thing to Friday.
• Wow, that was an anti-climax. The good news is that I wrote out some talking points and got a little background from someone on the situation. Feeling less stressed out about this meeting now. Bring it on, Friday!

Mando

• Chopped and sang to warm up.
• Worked on smooth chord changes.
• Worked on Big Sandy, more Shuckin'.

 

Notice something beautiful

• Fog drifting between the fold of the hills, and steam rising up off the surface of the FULL reservoir. (Full, I tell you! Full!)