A good week

Well, despite the Ducks' sad loss on Monday and the really, really cold weather we've been experiencing, it's been a good week. The biggest factor in my good week was receiving my second consecutive negative hcg blood test result on Tuesday. This means that I can now move to monthly blood tests (my bruised inner arms would cheer if they could) and, more importantly, that my doctor is confident that my mole (tumor-like object) is gone and they just need to monitor me for a few months to make sure it doesn't come back-- the odds of which are extremely low now that I've registered negative for two weeks in a row. So that is a huge, enormous weight off my shoulders. I am just exceedingly grateful that everything cleared up so quickly and without the need for heavy duty drugs (chemo.) I have no idea if or when we'll have children, but this is a huge step in getting to the point where it's even a possibility.

It's also been a good week in terms of feeling diligent and disciplined in working towards some of my goals. I have some lofty professional and financial goals for the year, but have decided that instead of just making a bold New Year's resolution (which will inevitably fall by the wayside in a few short weeks), I am going to focus on a series of small mini-goals each month that lead towards my larger goal. I've always been motivated by the thrill of checking things off of a list, no matter how mundane, so I think this will help keep me accountable and engaged in pursuing my goals throughout the year. This particular week I didn't accomplish anything enormous, but I've been diligent about a few small things, such as menu planning and making dinner at home every night, and doing some work on developing a portfolio of my writing. Here's to small efforts that build momentum.

And, finally, it's Friday and I have absolutely nothing planned this weekend aside from making a slow-cooked pot roast, opening a bottle of wine, and getting some serious mileage out of my Netflix subscription. Can't wait!

How'd I do in September?

Well, we've been in Austin for just over two months, and I am finally starting to feel fairly settled and in a routine, which is good-- I am a creature of routine. The one routine I'm still struggling with is getting back into a regular fitness plan now that I'm working again. I was on a roll when we first moved here, working out 5 times a week most of the time, but, as to be expected, any time my daily routine changes, my workout routine changes-- and usually not for the better. This month, my gym attendance has been pretty poor. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to convince myself that I really can look and feel great without regular exercise, I know that's just not the case for me. (Some people seem to manage it, but I'm not one of them.) So, back to the drawing board on the gym front. I'm thinking of signing up for the Lance Armstrong Livestrong 5K at the end of October for a little motivation.

Anyhoo, let's reflect on my September goals:

• Workout 4 times a week. Nope. Resetting expectations and ramping up motivation for October. Cooling temps should make outdoor exercise more appealing.
• Really finish putting every thing away, hanging up pictures, etc. Yes! I know this is really not that impressive since we've been here two months, but I am a huge slacker. I could still use some drawer organizers in the kitchen and the pantry is looking a little rough these days, but overall we're in good shape.
• Get out and try or visit two new Austin activities or sites. Another score here. In addition to several UT football games, we've been to see live music on 6th Street (east of I-35) and wander around that neighborhood, which is totally eclectic and funky. We've also ridden pedicabs home twice from football games. The first time was out of necessity because my legs were absolute jello after 5+ hours of standing and walking at the tailgate and football game, and the second time was just because it's a fun way to see the city.
• Make one new and interesting recipe per week. Check. I can't remember them all, but I know I've made penne with cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives from this book (one of my favorites!), linguine with bolognese sauce from the same book, halibut poached in white wine, lemon, and herbs, and a salad nicoise with spicy sauteed shrimp (leftovers of that one tonight! mmm...)

Contemplating whether I am going to do goals for October or something more fun. In the meantime, I'm mentally motivating for my post-work run!

September Goals and Housewifery

Well, I wanted to post pictures of the wedding this weekend, but I can't find my camera cord, so September goals will have to do for now.

• Workout 4 times per week. Since I'm starting a new job, I am going to go a little easier on myself in this department. My new job will also be decidedly deskbound, so no counting work as fitness, a la August.


• Really finish putting everything away, hanging pictures, etc.


• Aside from Texas football (which I know is HUGE), get out and participate in or visit two new, unique Austin activities or sites.


• Make one new and interesting recipe per week.

This week I've been home enjoying my final few days of freedom before I start work and I have been living it up housewife-style. Aside from the strange quiet of being home alone in your house all day (except when I have episodes of What Not To Wear and A Baby Story running ad nauseum for company), I could really get used to this lifestyle. Yesterday I cleaned the house, worked out, made a menu plan for the rest of the week, and went grocery shopping. Then I came home, got cleaned up, and made a new Rachel Ray recipe for beanless (Texas-style) chili and a spicy chile cilantro vinaigrette for a garden salad. Off to a good start on the new recipe front!

Today I worked out again, tackled some of the few remaining random boxes in the corner of my bedroom, organized my closet, and then cooked my heart out for about two hours. The spoils included roasted salmon with a cucumber dill sauce, steamed green beans with herb butter, wild rice pilaf (OK, fine, Uncle Ben helped me out on that one), and the most delicious, crispety crunchety, salty-sweet toffee bars. Mmmmm.... Recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

2/3 cup chocolate-covered toffee bits (I just bought a bag of mini Heath bars and chopped them up)

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a foil sling and grease foil. Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and confectioners' sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until the dough becomes sandy with large pea-sized bits, about 30 seconds.

Reserve 1 cup of the dough for the topping. Sprinkle the remaining dough into the prepared pan and press into an even layer with the bottom of a measuring cup. Sprinkle the toffee bits and chocolate chips evenly over the dough and then sprinkle with the reserve topping. Bake the bars until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. (Mine were done at about 22 minutes.)

Let the bars cool completely in the pan, set on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil, cut into squares, and serve.

Enjoy!

Revisiting my August goals

Hey friends-- Back from the wedding, which was fabulous. Pictures to come tomorrow. But, in the spirit of accountability, I'm back to revisit my August goals. If you'll recall:

• Get a job by September 1st. (Dramatically wiping sweat off my brow.) Technically I got two jobs (waitressing and my "real" job, which commences next Tuesday), so this most important goal was a smashing success.
• Work out 5 times a week. I'm going to consider this one accomplished. Technically, I did not work out 5 times per week, but I did work out 17 times in the 31 days of August. Moreover, 2 of those workouts were death marches runs around Town Lake in 95 degree heat that took me 1 hour and 25 minutes and then 1 hour and 20 minutes respectively, so I feel like those should each count for two workouts. And, lest you think I am trying to fudge an "accomplished goal" here, I also waitressed on 8 of those days, which were all 5 hour shifts during which I sat down for approximately 22 minutes cumulatively. So while I didn't follow the rules to the letter, I feel pretty good about my physical activity in August.
• Read 2 novels. I sort of accomplished this one, but I am not going to lobby for it as hard as I did on the work outs above. I finished the second half of Rhett Butler's People, which I had started in July. It tells the story of Gone With the Wind through Rhett's eyes, and also delves into his (imagined) childhood. Two thumbs up. Then I read Chasing Harry Winston by the author of The Devil Wears Prada (yes, it's as vapid as it sounds, but also highly entertaining), and now I'm halfway through Memoirs of a Geisha, which is pretty fascinating, and I think I'll probably finish it in the next week.
• Try 3 new recipes. Check! I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, roasted salmon with herb butter, and basil shrimp risotto with spinach. I'll be honest and say the first two were not very challenging since they basically entailed adding oatmeal to my standard chocolate chip recipe and then mixing chopped up herbs into butter and putting it on top of salmon which was cooked the way I usually cook it anyway (roasting). The risotto was definitely new and tasty though, and I'm sure I can up the ante on my cooking skillz once the weather cools off a little.
• Get every room in our apartment fully unpacked, organized, and set up. Yeah, not even remotely close. I won't go into details, but let's just say that I still have like 3 boxes of clothes that I haven't even attempted to hang up sitting on the floor of my room. Maybe I'll get around to this once I've lived here for 2 months... ; )

Contemplating new goals for September, so stay tuned!

August goals

So here we are in the eight month of the year... the eighth! Is that crazy or what?! It's true what they say about time seeming to speed up each year. Well, now that I find myself semi-settled into my new apartment here in Austin and living a life of leisure (that's a glamorous way of saying that I'm unemployed and the hubster is now in school full-time, so I have some time on my hands...) I decided that I should create some goals for myself this month. Curiously, unemployment doesn't seem to have any effect on my type A-ness. Anyhoo, my goals for August are as follows:

• Get a job by September 1st... could be full-time, awesome position in my desired field or part-time gig to get me out of the house while I continue to look for a professional job.
• Work out 5 times a week. Yes, that may sound kind of excessive, but, again... no job + no friends = no excuse not to look smashing in a two-piece.
• Read 2 novels. Just because I've been on the wagon TV-wise for the past 3 weeks, and the cable guy just finished hooking us up so that I no longer have to resort to extreme cardio workouts in the gym in order to catch my favorite shows, does not mean I should let my brain go to mush.
• Try 3 new recipes. I'm a creature of habit and tend to rely on the same oldies but goodies.
• Get every room in our apartment fully unpacked, organized, and set up. This includes pictures on the walls. You would think this would be a cinch with 27 days left in the month, but you'd be surprised how lazy I can get when I'm down to just 2-3 boxes.

And I think that's about it! Starting off easy this month, and then maybe I'll ramp it up for September. ; )