Torch Athena Rally was truly incredible. I laughed. Cried. And left feeling empowered and ready to push change, not only within my career but on the entire installation. What an opportunity!
A rare opportunity to walk/run the Riverwalk
Light the Path
Maybe I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. All I want is a voice at the table. Those were my words to my previous supervisor. He asked what I needed from him – I said “I just want a voice at the table.” Lately, I’ve been empowered to understand I’ve entered a new chapter in my life, most assuredly in my workplace. And, now, I’m the voice at the table. I no longer challenge someone else to speak for me. I speak for others under my purview.
I recall the first time I won an installation-level award and someone who knew me from my first week in the squadron stated “You’ve come a long way from the quiet person who would walk the halls during lunch”.
During my TDY to San Antonio, I found myself walking the halls during lunch. Maybe it’s where I’m most comfortable, maybe I just needed some exercise. But here’s an indicator you can always find me walking the halls.
probably not the quiet person though
But if I hadn’t been walking, I wouldn’t have found a local coffee shop inside the building!
Midweek, the whole group, all 12ish of us, went to dinner. At 6:30pm. Approximately 30 mins before my bedtime. Brutal. As I wanted around the hotel to leave for the restaurant, I really wanted to go to bed. In fact, I would have rather done nearly anything except go to dinner with a group of not-really-strangers. I don’t like eating in front of people. Weird. Yeah yeah yeah. In fact, eating with people ranks up there with pumping my own gas, going into convenience stores, and being near dumpsters. I just don’t like it.
Yes, I recognize these are so odd but it’s just my roots.
Gray, to be perfectly clear.
_________________
I ask you –
How often do you walk for exercise?
How late is too late for dinner?
What’s your natural hair color?
(The post Roots first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
Disclaimer: I’m fine being a homebody. It’s where I’m comfortable. It has my favorite coffee. My favorite people. It’s mine. On occasion, however, I’m forced (mostly willingly) to go out and do things.
Like these things –
Granted, they were fun people so it wasn’t a hardship. Loved making new friends, putting faces to names, and fighting the good fight.
Followed by really really really hot things –
There’s no words for how hot it was. Maybe even Hotter ‘n Hell. A week in San Antonio working on a handbook followed by a mad dash home to lead the yearly rest stop. Definitely missing my wingwoman. It was a whirlwind – and it’s not over yet! Back to San Antonio today!
_________________
I ask you –
Are you a homebody?
How far have you ever ridden a bike?
Tell me what you have going on this week!
(The post Hom(ies) first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
The sword is ours! As this was our first work day back from vacation, it was definitely as memorable as possible.
And then there was this silliness! I don’t know any other job that encourages you to dress up at Batman complete with mask and cape, then pose with your sword. I love my job! Subsequently, although I don’t yet have the photo to prove it, I won the installation quarterly award where I proudly hoisted the sword in victory.
Truly, the victory belongs to my fitness team. I couldn’t do any of this without them. Indeed, they make me look good because, on my own, I don’t hold a candle (or a sword) to them. They make my job worth it.
——————————–
I ask you –
How difficult is it for you when returning from vacation?
Can regular people be knighted?
Tell me about your most awesome award!
(The postWe Won! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
“We rise in the wait, not the arrival.” Waiting is not everyone’s (maybe anyone’s) strong suit. Never have I heard a eulogy or a bio or an introduction which said “So-and-so excels/excelled at waiting!”
According to mini, waiting is hard. An unnecessary endeavor, if you will. Absolutely pointless. In many ways, I understand. We live in an instant gratification society, where nearly every want or desire is available at our fingertips, literally and figuratively. As I say it, this is an instant potatoes world. But how often does waiting truly bring us valued joy? Let me count the ways. In other words, innumerable times. And we’re stronger because of it.
Side note. I’ve always considered cereal for dinner an exotic meal. Crazy, right? I think it’s because a) I don’t eat cereal and b) don’t drink milk. Therefore, it’s always been out of the realm of my ability to experience it.
27 July – 3 August
I know I already posted a July recap but what’s the rules on posting when a month runs into another? Run, run, get it get it. Posting for posterity, of course! That’s a lot of action for a vacation!
Wk 13: additional 45 pages
You know what I wasn’t waiting on this week? This manuscript to write itself. 45 pages! 45! Sure, I didn’t run as much as I’d have liked to but I did create tables, graphs, figures, and somehow overcame my limited knowledge of Excel to beautify a bunch of numbers into APA-worthy additions to the current 279 pages.
_________________
I ask you –
How much exercise do you get when away from home? More? Less? Depends.
I should have a second question here but I do not.
Rate your level of patience for waiting. On a good day, 1.
1. This shoulder pain/impingement crap is for the birds. I know I should have stopped doing all the things when it started but I didn’t. And now I pay the price. Ibuprofen, here I come!
2. There is not enough time to write everything I want (need) to write. My desk is often scattered with at least 2 dog-eared textbooks, a few highlighters, at least 1 coffee cup, and roughly 24 open browser tabs. Fairly certain the operating system is drowning in cookies. I like cookies!
Credit: unknown
3. After moving back to Texas from Virginia, it has taken nearly 5 years to make the same amount of money. I don’t have a point in sharing this, just saying it took 5 years. There’s probably some statistical significance to it but my brain is tired.
4. As a budding researcher, I have a lot of issues with articles like this which proceed to claim significance in research studies without giving the full picture or context. I am not suggesting mindfulness and meditation are overly positive or negative, I am saying people should do their homework. But no one makes money when people are well informed.
5. July running was pretty good! I haven’t dived into the full stats but this was impressive for me considering it’s been so hot.
_________________
I ask you –
Do you have chronic shoulder pain? Any suggestions?
How was running or walking for you in July?
Tell me your August goals!
(The post July Recap first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
Congratulations, loyal, kind readers! With your readership, emotional support, and massive grace, Running on Fumes is now 5 years old!
In true celebratory fashion, I’m choosing to celebrate as any 5 yr old might: by saying (writing) what I want to write!
First, in response to a prevalent post I’ve seen on multiple social media platforms but which I choose not to share here for obvious reasons, I have this to say: What’s more interesting is the fact these “startling stats” are only available from Jan 2023. Therefore, to be truly valuable to the disconcerting citizen, and even more so to the average citizen who won’t investigate these stats and chooses to take them out of context, a quick recap that pits one presidency against another is not the definition of unified, citizen, or, dare I say, Christian.
Second, I’ve been listening to The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast with increasing insight into society’s challenges and how to be an overcomer despite the issues. Might I recommend episode 467. Plagiarized by Harvard’s President. Not only was it enlightening but also provoked me to reconsider some of my own opinions.
Finally, I owe you a few weeks of exercise totals versus page count. Wk 11 includes about 12 hours of drive time to my favorite vacation spot. Somehow, I experienced no motion sickness and was able to write to my heart’s content.
Wk 11: additional 36 pages!
However, the drive back was less productive. I was sick fairly consistently so only added maybe 1 page. My goal was 60 min per day, but, again, I wasn’t as productive as I had planned. Instead, I ate gelato, cookies, and ran nearly daily! Good tradeoff.
Wk 12: additional 6 pages
The semester is winding down and I’m frantically finishing up last minute details to hopefully get approval to start the actual research portion of this dissertation in the fall. Whilst on vacation, our group was approached by a researcher from the local university. At first, I stated no thanks to completing her survey, then I had a change of heart. Alas, if I was doing survey research, arguably the most difficult type, then I would want kind people to help me. We spent maybe 10 minutes with her, patiently answering her questions (marketing-related), then went on our way. It provides a different perspective when you realize all the surveys and such actually might be influencing someone’s education.
Regardless, one more day of laundry and grocery shopping then it’s back to the work grind.
_________________
I ask you –
If you’re a fellow blogger, how many years have you been writing?
Do you have any podcast recommendations?
Share what you’ve been up to this past week!
(The post 5 Years with RoF! first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
2nd iteration of the necessary repost. Not to worry, loyal readers, I will return soon. Sunkissed, smiling, and (still) slightly frazzled. Enjoy! -Kel
Sometimes we need a reminder that many (most) of us are surrounded by people and the importance of being a leader is one not to be taken lightly. As it is appraisal season in the fairytale land of federal government employment, it’s time for me to administer them. While my own was a pleasant experience and nearly always has been, predecessors have royally convoluted the process and make it seem like a dirty word. It can be disheartening to build trust and camaraderie when employees are fearful, distrustful, and generally blah (which is definitely a scientific word). Often I find myself correcting others when I’m referred to as a manager. That’s not me. I strive to be a leader of people and a manager of programs. People are our mission; programs are our resource.
All this being said – work has posed some challenges lately. Seems this course on human resources and the legalities surrounding it have taken a toll on my decision-making skills. Not necessarily in a bad way; just that I’ve repeatedly questioned whether or not I’m doing the right thing. Turns out I think I have. But still.
So far, these are my (and by “my” I mean I didn’t do much…the team did) shining moments: hosted a staff meeting that included a rousing game of volleyball of which I am (ongoing) healing from; established 24/7 access to a gym that did not previously have this amenity, and completed a 3 week streak of consistent call-ins yet managed to recover. I can’t understand why my award-writing skills aren’t cutting it. Just another example of how supervising people and managing programs can be rewarding in itself.
this photo really helps the abused look
As for the volleyball part of this post, we’ve decided to develop a team complete with custom shirts, wildly inappropriate shorts, and substantially-lacking coach mentorship. At this point in the proverbial game, we have about 11 months to start practicing. Nothing can stand in our way!
I’m leaning toward these shorts
Until I receive the phone call asking if someone can bring in their inflatable gymnastics mat. Do what?
_____________________
I ask you –
Do you supervise anyone in your workplace?
Have you ever played volleyball?
Tell me your thoughts on leadership versus management.
“Keep Showing Up” is the phrase Des Linden, an American long distance runner, and previous winner of the Boston Marathon uses to share how persistence and literal grind kept her working toward her goals.
Case in point –
While most youth and young adults return to the school routine in the coming weeks, it is not lost on me that this will be my final August in school (committee granting). Although I’m a career-college student, I have future sights set on leadership development opportunities and other federal civil service broadening goals. The support of children and even adult children from their parents is also not lost on me. I remember the summer before I entered college for the first time – my spouse at the time attended a preliminary day of getting paperwork in order, participating in meet-and-greets, getting to know the campus, etc. It was weird how each time the students and parents/spouses/support system groups came back together, I never saw my spouse. After the third interaction, I began to get worried. He never called or tried to find me. 6+ hours later, when the day was finished, I walked out to the parking lot and found him inside the vehicle, casually sitting there. I asked what happened and was everything ok. He stated (paraphrasing) he didn’t want to be there around weirdos with goals in life and he was bored so he left. In my stunned silence, the feeling of being unsupported was overwhelming. I don’t think he ever understood what education and goals meant to me.
Fast forward some years, I enthusiastically helped someone enroll in college for the first time. Maybe I made it seem easy, maybe I talked it up too much, maybe I’m just the “weirdo” but their first semester seemed to go well. The next semester not so much. Toward the middle/end of the semester, I noticed they weren’t talking about their classes or having typical school-centered conversations yet we’d meet at the same places we always did, after our classes ended. Eventually, it was disclosed they hadn’t been attending any classes at all…driving to campus, parking, then never exiting the vehicle. No communication with their professors, or me. Just stopped showing up. Again, in my stunned silence, I was heartbroken. Why wasn’t I told? What would make someone I cared about feel as if they couldn’t tell me college just wasn’t for them? In my heart, I know it created a rift I’ve never been able to fill.
Team Fitness, who keeps showing up
To this day, I have no answers. And that’s ok. But when I see/hear/notice parents supporting those who value education, whether or not they have their own, I’m left feeling comforted. Because they keep showing up.
_________________
I ask you –
Is there a phrase you believe embodies your life philosophy? Mine is “Get it together!”
Do you have young or adult children getting ready to return to school?
Tell me your ideal role in facilitating education for someone in your life.
When the weeks are dragging on and you need a few interesting things to keep you wanting to get up, do stuff, adult. This is getting ridiculous.
to the water park!
Found this fascinating story regarding one of Sheppard AFB’s very own Airmen doing big things to benefit countless individuals: Air Force Tourniquet Belt.
I say “Call me if you need me!” a lot for someone who rarely, if ever, answers the phone when anyone calls. It’s a formality. Just text me like a normal person, ok?
Admittedly, I am the most ignorant person I’ve ever met. Ask me about the day I walked around with a huge vape thing in my hand because I picked it up outside thinking it was an old battery pack. It was pink. I probably should have known something was up.
Then, a staff member told me they had accepted a jewel in the lost and found and asked how to return it to its owner. Jewel. Upon further questioning, along the lines of who loses a jewel, it was carefully explained to me someone lost a brand of vape. How was I supposed to know?
Then, it took nearly 2 hours for McK and I to figure out how to put gas in the government vehicles. In our defense, the instructions were unclear, there were inoperable pumps with obscure signage (read: none), and we’ve never done this before! We lead from the front, for sure! However, I do appreciate the consistent vehicle drive-bys who didn’t ask if we needed help until the final task was completed. I’m not being sarcastic – I think we would have been affronted if some…man…had tried to help us. We are independent!
The requisite activity versus pages tracker:
Additional pages: 23!
We’re strongest in our struggles. Which is probably not how the saying goes but it feels as if everything leading up to vacation is a struggle.
_________________
I ask you –
Do you prefer calls or texts?
On a scale of 1 to who-let-you-out-of-your-cage, how ignorant are you?
Tell me your thoughts on independence!
(The post Pre-Vacation first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
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