Although I’ve already read the series below, I’m sharing them because they are really that good!
The Little Liar by Mitch Albom, a thought-provoking novel set during the Holocaust, chronicling the intertwined lives and stories of four individuals with Truth as the narrator.
The AJ Docker Series of 5 books by Gary Gerlacher. Imagine Harry Bosch meets medical nonfiction. Easy to read, intriguing, and can be read in any order. Thank me later.
Based on some workplace conversations, I researched (broadly) the history of the Gregorian calendar vs Hebrew calendar. I found this article easy to read and understand: Noah’s Flood and God’s Calendar. As I choose not to debate politics or religion, looking beyond the scope of either, is an open minded understanding of something I cannot quantify…the oft ignored feeling. I have nearly always felt the month of January did not fit into my knowledge of a new year. Instead, it felt more like the culmination of one. Just as Saturday and Sunday are inexplicably considered the end of the week. It is my “feeling” perhaps we have allowed society and the lovely but sometimes inaccurate common knowledge to overrule our senses.
Did you know Sunday and Saturday bookend the work week, as displayed on any modern calendar? These are considered the rest days; therefore, we end with one and we begin with one. However, my mental picture is one of 5 days of work, then 2 days of rest, as if the week begins on Monday. The more I rearrange the mental image into bookends, the more care I take to preserve each of the bookends as separate days of a new week. Rest at the end, rest to begin.
Translating this into the annual calendar, the Gregorian calendar – the Western calendar, or solar calendar, adopted into use in 1582 – is the standard (January – December). Unless you operate in the government or in finances, then the calendar used is the fiscal calendar (1 Oct – 30 Sep). Starting to sound like meters vs feet. But, once upon a time, there existed the Hebrew calendar, or Jewish calendar, a lunar calendar, i.e., based on moon patterns. Lunar cycles have been (incorrectly) identified as reasons for erratic behavior, “lunacy”, and other stigmas. However, research thus far has not been able to corroborate these anecdotes. Sure, it is fun to blame it on the moon, but definitive correlations are still too far out (no pun intended).
I realize while writing this I am a walking contradiction. Some of it makes sense, some of it does not. Alas, the feeling remains. To believe the Hebrew calendar fits my narrative better than others (the beginning of the year starts in Spring) and to believe a bookended week feels better is decidedly unable to be validated. It is just a feeling.
I originally wrote this post in early 2024 so I thought it fitting I publish it today, one week prior to the scheduled dissertation defense which has consumed my life for a long time.
PMS sucks. I find myself with a lowered patience threshold than usual. Just the little things. However, I often have some really creative ideas during this time. Like this – a reading corner! The plan is to restructure my writing desk and general PhD-making setup into a reading nook upon graduation. I’m not certain what the original thought was for this alcove of a room attached to the formal bedroom. It developed, for me, into a bookcase/writing desk/storage square. Obviously, at this time, it’s where student magic happens.
Sidenote: I do understand how some people can only write or work in their “designated space(s)”. It is a mental act to have all the right conditions when it comes to concentration. One would think I have trouble with being so close to the bedroom, literally within eyesight. However, I believe it was very strategic on my part because mini can wake up and SEE me working; therefore, I’m preventing a mad dash down the hallway and/or her getting up at the crack of dawn when I’m busy. So far, year 3, this is working.
Image credit: Amazon
Anyway, a reading corner complete with oversized comfy chair, foot rest, end tables, and probably a fake plant. Because…death.
Often it feels like this stage of my life is never-ending and I will literally be writing forever. However, I know it’s untrue. I think. Maybe? So planning small rewards – or refocuses, if you will – breaks up the monotony. Like when I forget to check what day my interlibrary loan book is due. Or when I forget mini’s age because I’ve just regurgitated from memory every family member’s phone number, email, blood type, address…you get the point. Forgive me when I can’t do it all! Mini has not let me forget this yet.
My point is I need a place to read and gather my thoughts before the day attempts to steal every remaining functioning brain cell. Can you blame me?
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I ask you –
What would your comfy corner include?
How much time does it take to get your thoughts together?
Fake plant vs real plant. Your preference?
(The post Comfy Corner first appeared here at Running on Fumes.)
I recognize I already made a post about preposterous things but I have a last minute addition: can you believe there’s published material not available as an e-book? Me neither! I was forced to dig for this book on the deep, dark webs just to find an affordable edition. Unfortunately, there’s no Ctrl+F option here.
some light reading required
Pleasant observation: 100 pages and counting! But who is? It seemed to be the first major hurdle: surpassing the 100 pg mark. As most dissertations are 300-400 pgs, I have many more pages to write before I sleep. Circa Robert Frost’ish. I’ve just recalled I’m expecting another textbook via mail because I had (read, was forced) to utilized interlibrary loan to obtain the book; it’s being shipped to me from my university’s library in Virginia. Oh yay, another book to peruse in my spare hours.
Relatedly: “Waiting is the answer we least want to receive because, in our hyper-rushed, instant gratification world, it doesn’t feel like a real answer.” Waiting isn’t really in my vocabulary. I don’t like to wait. I like to go! Alas, finding time to wait seems to be a struggle. Always the conundrum. On a recent leadership traits exercise with others supervisors, etc., we were instructed to choose the top trait (out of 20 options) we value in our own leaders, then choose our own strength and limitation. My top choice for my leaders was communication. My self-described strength was problem-solving; the trait I’m the worst at…patience. As I explained it, problem solving and patience are the light and dark of the world, nearly completely opposites. I’m a do’er, a fixer, a get-it-done-now; thus, I have very little patience for waiting.
I know I owe some weeks worth of trackers –
As I spent some time away, here’s the recap for activity vs pages written:
Wk 5: additional 12 pages
Wk 6: additional 5 pages
Wk 7: additional 20 pages
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I ask you –
Do you prefer hard copy or digital books?
Thoughts on leadership trait analysis?
Tell me if you have patience in spades. Teach me your ways, Oh Wise One.
I’ll probably eeeek my way into the 25% category by end of May but it will be hard fought. Every year, I have goals to run through the summer sans heat illness and last year I held on to those goals. Let’s see how it turns out this summer. 9% doesn’t look like much, especially because in my reality it’s maybe 2%. So here we go!
This is what a proper day off looks like! I took leave on Good Friday but somehow ended up teleworking with numerous staffing phone calls and 3 teams meetings. Not exactly the day off I had been hoping for, so I requested a re-do. Minus the purchase of cake and cupcakes prior to birthday party weekend…Nailed it.
Finally, my mini’s birthday came back around. To hear her tell it, it “took 100 years”. Oh, the drama. She celebrated with her friends, then we celebrated her. Parts nailed it with the axolotl decorations, shirt, and everything in between. And I was so impressed with mini’s friends (and parents) who are fabulous gift givers. Maybe it’s easy for some to know what to give a young girl but I struggle so kudos to them.
(This is the post I intended to publish on New Year’s Day, but we got home late and I overcommitted myself to doing all the things prior to sitting down to put the final touches on it. Hence, here we are today.)
Not being a fan of the traditional New Year’s “resolutions”, instead I like to focus on a “word of the year”. You know, something that resonates with me and that I can embody all year long. 2022 was grace, 2023 was strength, and 2024 is exhale. Simple enough, right? I write it in a few key places so I can be reminded regularly. What I do with the reminder, in the moment, is up to me but it’s nice to focus on one word. Below, the four words written above my word of the year are mantra-type words I want to remember. Although I have no idea how they factor into a year that has yet to be lived, I’m finding joy in believing they will be powerful.
2024 will bring about its own challenges, as each year does. Nearly a full year of writing my dissertation, mini will change school locations as she progresses, there’s that foot surgery business, dozens more blog posts, and anything else the world throws my way. Perhaps there will even be room for promotions. Nonetheless, focusing on my breathing and remembering to exhale through the little and big things is a nice part of living in this wild world.
Also, books. This was my first year as part of an actual (unofficial) book club! We read several books I would have never chosen myself but most were great! The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. For One More Day by Mitch Albom. And so many more…The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst was my favorite. Just what I needed at the time. Amidst the hustle and deadlines and stress of the holidays, it was a moment to settle my soul and feel what I needed to feel. And reprioritize. Definitely that.
Now, about the running portion of 2024. I keep a log of my annual miles – not too bad, if I do say so myself. Beyond the local (i.e., at work) 5k’s and one community run (Thanksgiving Day), I ran zero sanctioned races. And you know what? I feel no different than I did when I ran allll the races I could find. By my own calculations, I’ve been intentionally running for 7 years (2017-2023). Not too bad! Even though I’m unsure what 2024 will bring – foot issues, etc. – I know I will run again in 2024 and it won’t be pretty at first, but by the time I post the 2024 run mileage, I’ll still look back and think…wow. I did that.
Somehow I’ve completed the past 3 weeks’ assignments significantly early and been able to focus on upcoming papers, assignments, discussions, etc. Either a course on human resource management is easier than expected or I’m doing something wrong. The grades are good so I’ll just keep riding this wave. When there’s time to sit outside in the evenings and watch the hummingbirds – if the word balance truly exists, this is what I imagine it looks like.
In the spirit of healthy competition, I started a 10k training plan with no clear race or run in sight. Granted, it will conclude mid-June so there’s nooooooo way I’m racing anything then, but it’s fun having a scheduled training run to look forward to. If only the weather would cooperate. I’ve also been using the Garmin workout/training builder. Wow. Those workouts are no joke. Even the 15 min ones will have you questioning your life decisions. Perhaps I should have been using this tool much longer.
Even though I have textbooks a plenty, I went a little overboard with reading/desiring to read just-for-fun books. So now I have 3 sitting nearby that I can’t wait to complete and I might have ordered another. Whoopsies! Non-fiction has really drawn me in lately. Typically, (previously) I only read fiction but something about true or historically-based real life stories just hits me. And who can overlook an incredible woman’s journey to the Boston starting line.
Finally, I probably say this each year, I don’t know how my baby is celebrating another birthday. I swear she was a newborn yesterday. She’s bright, talented, loving, hilarious, and well-spoken. She outsmarts people so skillfully I don’t believe its normal. She argues like an accomplished law team. And, occasionally, she still calls me mommy instead of mom. Time flies.
____________
I ask you –
What books(s) are you reading right now?
Are you training for anything? Just survival.
Tell me if your birthday has passed yet or if it’s upcoming!
Running on Fumes 
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