Things might be settling down. Maybe.
Our last newly-hired staff member started this Monday, which means I again have a full complement of folks for my department, including someone to open in the mornings (so I won't have to) and two people to close at night (so our student supervisor can come back to a daytime shift). Of course the two new people need to be trained, but it's already an improvement.
I'm closing in on having the bulk of what I need to do for both the workshop my professional committee is putting on in February, and the SEVEN sessions we are sponsoring for the annual conference in April, done (at least for the moment). Still have the meetings etc. to work on those but I'm feeling a bit less overwhelmed by all that (or will once I get the program submissions edited).
My Halloween costume - for the first time in a decade, I will not be a Hobbit - is finished. An 18th-c. gown and mobcap, in dark blue sprigged calico with white lace on sleeves, neckline, and flounce. I'm pretty happy with it, and it requires no special hairdo/wig, makeup, or even shoes since the gown is floor-length. Also, it is comfortable, which is good since I will be wearing it all that day at work. (I have to say I like working somewhere that I can do this without anyone really batting an eye. Several of the staff are planning to wear costumes also.)
jelazakazone shared the idea of passing out things like neon-glow bracelets instead of candy; I might do that next year as I have already bought the candy for this one!
We will be going out of town this weekend for a workshop, and then a week from Sunday we're having a family photo taken with Juno and Tain (for which I have made grooming appointments for them for Saturday). Oh, and I have book club that Sunday too. But after that there is nothing particular scheduled for us as a family/household until my mother visits in December. SO seems to have an extra lot to do this semester for some reason, so that will be good. He's even talking about not really celebrating Thanksgiving and not having our annual holiday party, which I would regret as we didn't have the summer fiesta either. So we need to discuss that. Granted the dates this year are tricky as I think we'd have it on the weekend that's the end of his finals week (when he'd be a mad grading fiend) or the weekend before (on the early side). So we'll see.
Right now I'm still feeling somewhat stressed but hoping that after this weekend, or maybe next, that will relax. *ponders* I read a fun book recently called Candyfreak, by Steve Almond, which I can highly recommend. I need to take the book for my next book club with me on our little trip so that I can start it; we are having dinner with an old grad school friend/roommate and her kids but I figure I will want something to have downtime with Friday evening after that. Too bad I can't read in the car (I get carsick if I do).
Am still managing to keep my weight pretty much where I want it; was 135.8 this morning. The goal is 135 but I'm happy within a couple of pounds of that. Wore a belt last weekend that I hadn't worn in I don't know how many years. It is not easy by a long shot though, I have to say. We don't keep any chips or ice cream in the house any more, but there are certainly things one can nibble on (nuts always, and other foods), plus I always have a basket of candy on my desk at work for staff to take one if they want, so exercising the willpower is an ongoing battle. Right now I'm in a group doing an exercise challenge at work, walking/step-counting, so that gives some incentive (although unfortunately for various reasons I'm having to drive almost every day this week, which loses about 3000 steps I would normally take on the walk to and from).
My hair has stopped being curly. It's weird. I think that it may be a hormonal thing, because my hair was mostly straight with tweaky bits as a kid, then in my teens it became wavy/curly, and now it is mostly straight and tweaky again (although a little more wave maybe - but then, I don't blow it dry now so that makes a difference). So yeah. I think hormones, and I further think that I am probably in perimenopause although it's hard to tell since I am still taking the pill. Well, my next ob-gyn appointment is in January so I will talk to my doctor then. Likewise I am having some vision issues and I suspect that I will have to get bifocals at my next eye checkup (again, January).
Tain stole and ate a half-pound of butter from the counter last Sunday. It took two days for that to work its way through her digestive tract - she woke me up 3 times Monday night to go outside, and the last time was about 20 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off - I asked if she couldn't wait, but she couldn't; there was a small smelly liquid explosion, so then I HAD to get up, and clean it up. I suppose on the plus side, she did NOT steal and eat the 150 cookies I had made for the United Way bake sale, right? Juno is hanging in there, still not happy about Tain's presence but coping.
That's probably enough for now - back to work!
I'm closing in on having the bulk of what I need to do for both the workshop my professional committee is putting on in February, and the SEVEN sessions we are sponsoring for the annual conference in April, done (at least for the moment). Still have the meetings etc. to work on those but I'm feeling a bit less overwhelmed by all that (or will once I get the program submissions edited).
My Halloween costume - for the first time in a decade, I will not be a Hobbit - is finished. An 18th-c. gown and mobcap, in dark blue sprigged calico with white lace on sleeves, neckline, and flounce. I'm pretty happy with it, and it requires no special hairdo/wig, makeup, or even shoes since the gown is floor-length. Also, it is comfortable, which is good since I will be wearing it all that day at work. (I have to say I like working somewhere that I can do this without anyone really batting an eye. Several of the staff are planning to wear costumes also.)
jelazakazone shared the idea of passing out things like neon-glow bracelets instead of candy; I might do that next year as I have already bought the candy for this one!
We will be going out of town this weekend for a workshop, and then a week from Sunday we're having a family photo taken with Juno and Tain (for which I have made grooming appointments for them for Saturday). Oh, and I have book club that Sunday too. But after that there is nothing particular scheduled for us as a family/household until my mother visits in December. SO seems to have an extra lot to do this semester for some reason, so that will be good. He's even talking about not really celebrating Thanksgiving and not having our annual holiday party, which I would regret as we didn't have the summer fiesta either. So we need to discuss that. Granted the dates this year are tricky as I think we'd have it on the weekend that's the end of his finals week (when he'd be a mad grading fiend) or the weekend before (on the early side). So we'll see.
Right now I'm still feeling somewhat stressed but hoping that after this weekend, or maybe next, that will relax. *ponders* I read a fun book recently called Candyfreak, by Steve Almond, which I can highly recommend. I need to take the book for my next book club with me on our little trip so that I can start it; we are having dinner with an old grad school friend/roommate and her kids but I figure I will want something to have downtime with Friday evening after that. Too bad I can't read in the car (I get carsick if I do).
Am still managing to keep my weight pretty much where I want it; was 135.8 this morning. The goal is 135 but I'm happy within a couple of pounds of that. Wore a belt last weekend that I hadn't worn in I don't know how many years. It is not easy by a long shot though, I have to say. We don't keep any chips or ice cream in the house any more, but there are certainly things one can nibble on (nuts always, and other foods), plus I always have a basket of candy on my desk at work for staff to take one if they want, so exercising the willpower is an ongoing battle. Right now I'm in a group doing an exercise challenge at work, walking/step-counting, so that gives some incentive (although unfortunately for various reasons I'm having to drive almost every day this week, which loses about 3000 steps I would normally take on the walk to and from).
My hair has stopped being curly. It's weird. I think that it may be a hormonal thing, because my hair was mostly straight with tweaky bits as a kid, then in my teens it became wavy/curly, and now it is mostly straight and tweaky again (although a little more wave maybe - but then, I don't blow it dry now so that makes a difference). So yeah. I think hormones, and I further think that I am probably in perimenopause although it's hard to tell since I am still taking the pill. Well, my next ob-gyn appointment is in January so I will talk to my doctor then. Likewise I am having some vision issues and I suspect that I will have to get bifocals at my next eye checkup (again, January).
Tain stole and ate a half-pound of butter from the counter last Sunday. It took two days for that to work its way through her digestive tract - she woke me up 3 times Monday night to go outside, and the last time was about 20 minutes before my alarm was supposed to go off - I asked if she couldn't wait, but she couldn't; there was a small smelly liquid explosion, so then I HAD to get up, and clean it up. I suppose on the plus side, she did NOT steal and eat the 150 cookies I had made for the United Way bake sale, right? Juno is hanging in there, still not happy about Tain's presence but coping.
That's probably enough for now - back to work!