I’ve been having so much fun dancing to ABBA, drinking pina coladas and nomming on cupcakes and jalapeno poppers and pizza that I almost forgot to write my mid-week ROW80 check-in post! So here I am, reporting in on the progress I’ve made on my goals so far. Feel free to munch on some cake while you read on.
Oh, and have a mimosa, too. Fresh berries have been added in for garnish. 😀
Mimosas, anyone?
I wanted to thank everyone for all the awesome comments on my first post, though I had to laugh at all the comments about how organized I am! I have to admit, trying to become an organized person has been the quest of my life. I was always the kid who forgot her homework in her desk, or at home, or lost it in her backpack. And I was always the kid who was chronically late to class (though this was more my mom’s fault that mine), who managed to lose pens and pencils and shoes and toys…
So the whole “let’s get organized” quest (can we make that a song and sing it to the beat of “Let’s Get Physical” by Olivia Newton-John?) is a little scary for me, and something I’ve been trying to attempt for a long, long time.
Thus far, my attempt at following a schedule has been fairly successful. My classes are all in the morning, and after a few months of staying up till roughly 3 or 4 am, and not getting up till 11 am, adjusting has proven a bit difficult (but not impossible).
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that when my alarm goes off each morning, I need to launch myself out of bed and not look back. I tried this Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday mornings, and ended up jazzed, energized, and super energetic for the rest of the day. Tuesday I decided to just lay in bed for a couple of hours and blogsurf, and yiiiiikes… I dragged the entire day.
Anyway, here are the concrete accomplishments this week:
Thesis-izing: Progressing a bit slowly here. I got in roughly 30 minutes yesterday, but ended up taking a nap because I was so low on energy. I’ve actually been feeling a little down about my work and its importance, but after seeing Prof. Melissa Harris-Perry speak at my campus last night, I had a sudden resurgence of excitement about my work and the direction it might take for the dissertation. For the record, MHP is an amazing public intellectual, an inspirational black feminist, and a dynamic speaker, and I got her autograph and a picture with her. Seriously, I’m still giddy over this.
Work on WIPs: I’ve been doing a little outlining and brainstorming for NaNo, which is proving interesting. I think the project I’ll be tackling is actually going to end up being written in the 1st person, so I’m trying to get into that mode by reading some of my favorite 1st person novels (Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander and Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart series). I’ve also been trying to write this new story that hit me the other day, but words are proving difficult to come by. I’m hoping that wears off over the next few days.
Social Media: I’m a little behind on visiting everyone’s blogs, but hopefully I’ll catch up by the weekend. I have to say, though, that I have been having way too much connecting with all my ROW80 peeps today. 😀
Exercise: I worked out Sunday and Monday mornings, and I’m hoping to get some time in on my glider tonight, so I’m on schedule to meet my goal of working out 4-5 days this week.
And there we have it! I’m hoping that all my energy and excitement for tackling goals and responsibilities and whatnot continues throughout the end of the week. In the meantime, I offer a few more party pics…
Cupcakes for all!
And we can’t forget the mixed drinks. What’s a party without something cold and tasty in a martini glass?
Finally, I will be rocking my giant 80s hair for all of you as I prance around in my favorite sparkle shoes and froufy dress and dance to the party playlist. Be sure to swing by the other ROW80 partiers and wish them well!
October 5, 2011 at 3:03 pm
Lena, you’ve outdone yourself! I really think that 80’s hair qualifies you for bonus points! I always forget how darn CUTE your are. Too bad Santa Barbara is such a small dating pool…you’d be cleaning up down here in my neck of the woods. 🙂
I too dream of being an organized person…it’s part of my goals too!
October 8, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Jenny, you are too sweet! I can’t wait till I get the heck back to a major metropolitan area, where the dating pool is a bit larger, but I suppose the downtime right now is good for me. More energy for focusing on all my work. 😀
Had a blast with you at the twitter party!
October 5, 2011 at 4:33 pm
In those first two pictures, you look beautiful and sophisticated, but when I saw the third one I knew that was the girl I wanted to go party with – the expression on your face is awesome 🙂
October 7, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Awww, thank you, Sarah! I have to say, I don’t let loose too often, but when I do, the results are always spectacular. 😉
October 5, 2011 at 6:41 pm
I love mimosas and you are welcome at my case anytime for dance party!
October 7, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Thanks, Claudia!
October 5, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Awesome update! I love all the pictures, especially all the food ones! I want to rub my face all over that cake!! ^_^
October 7, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Aaaack, isn’t the cake amazing? It’s actually a picture of the one that my friends surprised me with for my 20th birthday. Needless to say, we devoured it pretty darn quickly. 😀
October 5, 2011 at 7:50 pm
Rockin the 80’s hair…so cute! Clinking glasses and cheers to a great round and best of luck with your thesis.
October 7, 2011 at 9:47 pm
Thanks so much, Robin! Sometimes I think I came of age in the wrong era. Big froufy curls just aren’t “in” the same way they used to be. I could’ve had a world of fun back in the 80s. 😉
October 5, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Love the pictures! Is so nice to see photos of people who you feel you know so well but would I recognise you if I saw you in the street?! This from a girl who has NO photos on her own blog….
Glad you are getting in to the swing of school and the early mornings….they are a killer after our summer breaks. Hope the rest of your week goes well and even though it is 7.41am here I so want a nap after reading about yours the other day…..have a great rest of your week!
October 7, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Seriously, I think the worst thing about coming back after summer break is transitioning into the grind of early mornings. I got into such a bad routine of staying up till all hours, but I think I’ve finally adjusted. I am becoming a disgustingly perky morning person, which is more than a little disturbing. :p
Have a wonderful weekend, my dear!
October 6, 2011 at 12:26 am
Fun pictures! I’m still catching up on five tons of email from the vacation and I somehow missed the fact that it was party time yesterday. 🙁 Oh well, maybe next time.
Good luck on the goals and have a great rest of the week!
October 7, 2011 at 9:38 pm
Thank you, Ruth, and I’m so sad we missed you at the Twitter party! Hopefully we’ll have another sometime soon, because there were others who weren’t able to make it.
October 6, 2011 at 6:10 am
You go, girl! I love the pictures! But a picture with Melissa Perry-Harris? I am SO jealous! I love her work; I saw her on CSPAN (yes, I know that makes me a total nerd!) and she was so great and funny and smart and … well, you know what I mean.
Ah organization! I’ve had to be organized to keep from falling apart, but it is soooo not a natural way of being for me. Clean but cluttered artist is more my style!
It’s sounds like you are making your way to whipping these goals in shape, so keep on!
October 7, 2011 at 9:37 pm
So glad I’m not the only one watching CSPAN in my spare time! Yup, MHP is seriously epic, and I feel really lucky that I was able to see her.
“Clean but cluttered artist” is probably the best I’m going to be able to achieve, I think. I’m trying to streamline my apartment, but I think there will perpetually be stacks of books and papers everywhere. 😛
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
October 6, 2011 at 11:01 am
Oh man, you and I have the same conflicts with organization…sounds like you’re doing a terrific job of getting there, though! (Me, on the other hand…) Love that you’re kicking butt at your goals and those party pics are the loveliest!
October 6, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Thanks, Annalise! I think organizing is just going to be one of those daily battles that I have to contend with, but I’m hoping it gets a little easier. 😀
October 6, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Great check-in and progress so far Lena! And I love the pics! I’m having flashbacks about that chocolate cake. I recall running toward it at the Twitter party and getting frosting all on my hands and face. It was quite tasty though. 🙂
October 7, 2011 at 9:30 pm
Thanks so much, Barbara! Wasn’t the cake epic? There were real truffles on top, too — super tasty!
October 9, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Totally on board with the life-long battle to organize, the cake and the mixed drinks (having gone to the trouble of getting certified to mix them myself)… Makes me wonder if that shoot out of bed trick might work for me too… But how do you shoot out? When I first wake up about all I can move is my neck, and I have yet to figure out how the rest ever gets moving.