resolutions 2012 [part 1] + 24 weeks

thoughts about resolutions
i have been doing a lot of thinking about my typical january resolutions. i am completely guilty of the following december sins:

✔ making far too many resolutions at once. examples: 16 in 2006, 18 in 2008. i’ve gotten a bit better about this over the years, but i still think i’d be better off narrowing my focus.

✔ drafting the same resolutions every year without really changing my plan of attack. if it didn’t work in 2011, why would things magically change in 2012?

✔ resolving to do things that are really not under my control. this year, i’d love to resolve to get a job for when i finish fellowship, but in reality this depends more on the market/availability than anything else! instead, it would be more realistic to resolve to send out resumes early; be proactive about making phone contacts; etc.

✔ tracking accomplishments rather than efforts — and then getting discouraged.

don’t get me wrong – there are some instances where it is absolutely necessary to track accomplishments. when i’ve had a big intimidating project with a due date [big and pricey exam*, grant, paper draft], this is the way i tend to go — and it works.

but when it’s a just-for-me endeavor?

i find that tracking effort [spanish example below!] is much more satisfying.

it’s not perfect, but it’s definitely something!
and in contrast, here’s my sad little accomplishment-based list for after-work studying:

i swear i didn’t quit in october
looks pretty pathetic, doesn’t it? and while the truth is i’m sure i could have put in more effort, it actually hasn’t been such a wash. the chapters just took much longer than i anticipated, and i decided not to spend evenings on call hunkered down over a textbook [the pager stresses me out enough].

i hinted at this previously, but i think i am going to go with a one resolution per month format in 2012. good old leo would encourage me to quit altogether, but i continue to disagree wholeheartedly with his goal-free proselytizing. what do you think?

* congrats to anyone reading this received word about passing the pediatrics boards yesterday! such a wonderful feeling, right!?

24 weeks
i can’t believe that just over 6 weeks ago it was halloween and i looked like this:

~18 weeks
and now we’re headed into the holidays and i look like THIS:

~24 weeks
so far, i am having a very uneventful pregnancy — definitely the most important part. but lately, a few annoyances pregnancy side effects have begun cropping up as i creep towards the finish line of the 2nd tri.

mood swings: too many tears. seriously.

bladder pressure: oddly, i am able to go longer at night without getting up compared to the first trimester! but during the day, i tend to have to stop at the bathroom at least once an hour. and honestly, i’m not even drinking that much throughout the day — i should probably be going even more!

slowdown: my runs are definitely slowing down — i did 3.1 miles at 10:30/mi pace on tuesday. pretty soon, i am guessing i will be adding some walking intervals to my runs. i am still feeling good, though! and i can just still zip my favorite winter running top. luckily, when it ceases to fit i have a cheap solution: JOSH’S CLOSET. at this point, i really don’t feel like i need some fancy maternity techware for my 30 minute AM jaunts. however, this horrifying item may become a necessity at some point. we’ll just have to see . . .

cravings: are pretty much gone. as i mentioned before, i just need food these days — i’m not that picky. i ate the same fish chowder for dinner the last 3 nights in a row [never pictured because it was NOT pretty!]. i am loving the product below this week, but i’m sure i’d be a huge fan whether or not my uterus was inhabited.

a delicious way to get those few extra allotted pregnancy calories . . .
weight: uhhh, speaking of calories, right? i don’t have my official appointment until next week, but i think i’m up about 13 lbs. maybe 14. it definitely feels like a lot, but according to the dreaded calculator, this is normal and right on track.

missing: wine. holiday parties without a glass of red [. . . or 3?] — not the same.

wearing: what seems like the same things all the time — i guess this is why women get sick of maternity wear! and i have to admit i’m nervous as to how long my current outfits will last [ie, will i outgrow them in a few weeks?]. i’m hoping i can at least get to the end of january, when i will retreat back to the lab. i can then wear the same thing daily and probably no one will notice or care!

new baby acquisition: thanks to my wonderful west coast friend sara, i now have an itzbeen baby timer!

ahhh so exciting! i have no doubt that i will use this in the newborn period. [bonus: i could see this coming in handy for contractions as well 🙂 ].

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12.14.11

workout: 30 minutes on the elliptical

dinner: as i mentioned above — some more never-ending fish chowder. for the third night in a row. tonight, we’re just going to have to move on.

espanol: check. um, mi suéter es gris. [true statement.]

reading: 25 minutes on glycogen storage and fatty acid oxidation disorders. i’m so glad i’m not a metabolism expert — that stuff makes my head spin.