Resolutions

So if you haven't figured out by the few posts I have already done, I am a list maker. New Year's Resolutions could be considered my Super Bowl type effort. In years past it has been. I'd draft a list longer than is feasible, then feel like a failure for the rest of the year. While I still have projections via calendars with all the races I wish I had the time to do or commitment to train for, I have morphed into a daily resolutions girl.

Today I resolved to purge and sort things for shredding. I got some done, which is better than nothing. In the process I found my Runner's World Magazine subscription past due notice. So today I finally renewed my membership that expired in July. Don't get me wrong, I am a faithful reader, but at least now I am not spending $5 a magazine to buy it in store. I give myself extra points for both of these accomplishments today. I have one more resolution for myself for today, but think I'll put it off since it's late and I am too tired to shop online. Yup, too tired to stay up for an hour to ring in the new year. Oh, back to the one more resolution. I need more sports bras. I ran today in the worst sports bra I own. I should really throw it out, but then I would have one less than I currently have and my wardrobe cannot suffer the loss right now. Ah, there you go, another accomplishment, I ran today and I took my toddler in his jogging stroller. One more thing on my list of to-do's, scour Craigslist for a better jogging stroller. I hear winter is the best time to look, as all the summer time stroller purchases by ambitious parents make their way into virtual garage sale land.

See, who needs a one time a year master resolution list when I can torture myself daily. This blog, for however long it lasts, will embody my ever growing and evolving resolutions.

Good night and Happy New Year.

Effort-12/30/09

Not the best nights sleep, but I'm sure no one could tell. I was a ball of energy and explored my new office where I start work Monday. Drove the route from the office to the gym (1.8 miles) and actually went to the gym when my husband got off work. The stars were aligned as a movie I discussed with my gym partner magically made it's way into my DVD player tonight. Quite fortuitous. I made a yummy Carbonara and my husband prepared a delicious salad. I had a wonderful day and am hoping for a restful night.

Why does this sound too good to be my life? Because I have not told you the millions of thoughts that have gone through my head today. The to-do's if you will. I'll spare you the lot of them, but here are a few highlights: RUN, TRI, READ

RUN

I'm hoping to run a 5K on Sunday. Ok, so what I meant was complete the 5K, running is debatable. My husband thinks it might be a good jump start to the year and propel me into a more motivated state. I am looking for a partner. While running is considered a individual sport, I am so much better when I have a friendly face at the start and finish. That said I have already started searching for someone to run it with me.

TRI

I am also considering joining a triathlon club. The new year will bring this club into it's 3rd year. I went to the very first meeting of the first year and in perfect style, did not follow through with the application. At the time the $45 membership and a $60 jersey deterred me. Silly I know, but I needed an excuse to not be all that I could be. In retrospect, I was much more active and actually competing in triathlons leading up to the formation of the TRI club and yet still didn't sign up.

I am having a change of heart and will go to the first meeting of the 2010 TRI club season with my membership fee in hand. Whether or not I end up being an "ACTIVE" member is yet to be determined. I surely hope I am that cool TRI girl, but I am not sure I have ever been associated with the word cool so wish me luck.

READ

All these things take effort and I am adverse to effort. I ordered a book with a title that implies that less is more, but I am not sure that refers to the actual effort required to be successful. Just in case there is an easier way, the book has been ordered. We'll see if I can ACT on the suggestions in the book. I'll keep you posted.

I am a blamer

Why can't I do everything? Today started off well, then I got distracted by facebook & blogs. I completely let the movie Babe babysit my son from after a late breakfast to an afternoon nap time. Poor guy was cooped up in the house all day and by dinner time it sure showed. During nap time I did lots of cleaning, guess this blog thing is working to get me doing something. I had high hopes of meeting a friend at the gym this afternoon, but the hubby couldn't get off from work to watch the little ones so I could go. Instead I came home, made a successful Butternut Squash soup and had a nice dinner with the family. Sounds pretty domestic huh?! Even with all this accomplished, I felt like there was so much more I wanted to do, but I had too much mommy/wifey stuff that needed to be done.

I am a blamer, there I have said it. If there is someone to blame, I will find them. This is where I am so thankful for the blogging world. Today I read about a women with an active husband (until marathon training do we part-Nov 15, 2009). She talked about how they traded time watching the kids so each could get their workout in. She also commented on how in talking to people with a sedentary spouse it isn't any easier. Someday's I blame being fat and inactive on my husband who is largely sedentary (save for March-Oct when he plays slow pitch softball 2x a week). I think if he were active we could run together or go bike riding etc. I love hiking for the sake of hiking. He'll hike 20 miles as long as there is a fishing hole for a destination, but just hiking is not his thing. I digress. So on this blog I was reading, the author said it wasn't easy with an active spouse because both wanted to get their own workout in and it is not easy when the spouse is sedentary either because they have their own interests. In my case I am married to a fly fisherman. The moral of the story, respect eachothers time, communicate and take the time when you can get it.

Tonight, 10PM my opportunity arose. Both kids were asleep and my husband said GO. If I didn't go to the gym there would be no one to blame but me. Sure I was tired from a long night with my 9 week old baby girl last night, and I had no gym partner, but I had this blog and would've felt guilty if I didn't go. I should be celebrating the success of going, but instead I am a little stunned. While I knew I was outta shape, tonight took the cake. I am only 9 weeks post C-Section and am recovering from being completely run down in an alumni basketball game Sunday too. That said, I was not prepared for walking on the treadmill. No, not just warm up, but walking the entire 36 minutes. I had my iPod on and my go to energy running song came on. I kicked up the speed and ran. Yup, I ran for literally about a minute before I had to walk again. My hamstring hurt, my knee hurt and there I was, walking and feeling like a shadow of my former self.

I am signed up for the Cal 10 (10K option) on January 10th. While I have no expectation to run the whole thing, let's hope I don't walk the whole thing either.

Just One More Thing...

So I have a feeling this blog might turn out to be just one more thing I add to the list of things I do, have done, tried etc... I am hoping not, but I am not one who is great at follow through. Don't get me wrong, I am a reliable and responsible wife, mother, friend, employee and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, I do not give myself the same attention. I have a habit of setting myself up to fail by giving myself the impossible to-do-list.

So what am I doing blogging? Really I am just wasting time not doing the things on the list that is generated in my head daily. Sometimes the list makes an appearance on paper as an effort to show commitment to actually completing it. Unfortunately, I treat the fact that I even wrote the list down as it's own accomplishment and stop there. I am a girl who is at her best when held accountable. Accountable to myself just isn't enough, hence being an Ambitious Slacker. I am hoping this blogging thing will help me feel accountable to the people in cyberspace who might read this. Lord knows I care way more about what other people think than just doing things for myself. I am also hoping to change that issue via this blogging thing too. Wish me luck! View my Dream Life below:

Dream life:

• Wonderful Husband, check.
• Wonderful Children, check.
• Wonderful Home, check.
• Wonderful Job, check.
• I am the girl that wakes up at 4:00am for "me time" then gets the kids ready for school... don't kid yourself. I am so not a morning person, nor am I very domestic.
• I am the girl that is a great cook and is fun to be around... again don't kid yourself. I am shy of a disaster in the kitchen and while I like to hang out and have fun, I have such a lame sense of humor and am so self conscious/worried about what other people think it is hard to be "fun loving".

So life goals? Let loose, who cares what people think. It is not my fault my sense of humor stops at knock-knock jokes. I can learn to be a better cook. I can train myself to be a morning person. Ah, there are so many things I can do! Now it is just figuring out how to motivate myself to actually do them?