Multi-tasking, Vision, TAG

Multi-tasking - juggling many things at one time and doing none of them well

I have always prided myself on being able to multi-task. Over the summer, I read the Four Hour Work Week, and it talks a lot about why multi-tasking is bad. I completely agree, and I keep teaching myself that lesson over and over and over. He talks a lot about deciding what your two highest priorities of the day are and doing them and only them until they are finished. I started doing this over the summer, and it worked very well. I also was only answering email twice a day. I seriously need to go back to that strategy. I am always trying to do too many tasks at once, and I feel like I am never devoting enough time to each one.

I got my eyes checked, and apparently I should never be able to do anything without some kind of corrective lens. I talked to him about my troubles with glasses and contacts. After much discussion, we decided that contacts are the best because they prescription is closest to the eye and doesn't cause as many side affects. I tried one pair of contacts, and I couldn't see because it felt like it was moving all over my eye. As he looked in my eye, he could see them moving around. So, we tried a different kind. It is thicker, but it was 1. Easier to put in and 2. Feels more comfortable. I hope these will make a big difference. :)

I got up and ran the week 3 Couch to 5K this morning. I actually ran an additional minute at the end. Amazing. I am still not sure about week 4 and the 5 minute sections, but I hope I will be able to do it. I am going to get new running shoes this week from a real running store. :) More people at Bond are joining in the fun, so it should be interesting. The 5k event information can be found here for Feb 9th. On the 10th, they are also having relay marathons. The first leg is 7 miles, the second leg is 7 miles, the third leg is 8.2 miles, and the fouth leg is 4 miles. I think that would be a lot of fun, but I don't think I will be ready for that this year. Maybe next year, I can do it. :)

Since I was "tagged" by my beloved friend Courtney, here are the rules of the "Tag."

Link to the person who tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs
Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment in their blog

Random and/or weird facts about yourself
1. I have lived in nine cities in 6 states - all in the southeast unless you consider Missouri as a Yankee state. (My brothers tormented me about this as a kid until my dad told me that Missouri was technically a "Border" state.
2. I am divorced and remarried, and I have one daughter, one step-daughter, and two step sons (and 3 cats and a fish in the house). My husband is a definite improvement over the first model.
3. I am a nurse who works with medical software instead of patients (smart decision).
4. I have survived a plane crash (and walked across the tarmac with a huge Tennessee Volunteers flag - Go Vols!).
5. My family is an all SEC family. My Dad went to Mississippi State. My mom got her Master's at South Carolina. My oldest brother went to Auburn. My middle brother went to Georgia. I wet to Tennessee. We all unite against the evil Gators, raunchy Tide, and pitiful Rebels. Football season is fun in my house. I love my family. They are the best family you could ever have.
6. I used to smoke and never thought I would really quit for good. I finally quit for good on June 2, 2007. This was the single hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
7. I have chronic kidney stones, and I have passed a few, had a few zapped by lithotripsy, and had several removed. I hate stents with a passion and try to avoid them at all costs.

Now, I will tag Morgan, Mike, Krishan, Lee, Kim, Sarathy, and Cruft (who I don't know but I enjoy the blog).

Remember, this is all Courtney's fault! :) Tag, your're it!

Fun Day

Today was a fun day. I had a really good time at work today, and then I got to go to step aerobics AND to do my week 1 day 2 couch to 5 k program. We are crazy busy at work trying to get many clients live,to get the release wrapped up by Nov 15, and to get ready for the AAP show this weekend in San Francisco. We are excited about showing off Clinician in the Pediatric Office of the Future. If you are going to the show, stop by on Saturday to watch us do the Pediatric Challenge. Hopefully, we wlll do as well this time as the last. :) We missed our project cut off, but hopefully all of the projects will make it tomorrow except for one. That one is the known troublemaker in this release, so I will cut it some slack. Our implementation team is ROCKING! I can't believe how many clients we have going live in November. We seem to have hit our groove there.

Step class was fun, but I like the Saturday and Thursday classes better. Not sure why exactly, but I just do. It was still fun though. According to my Polar F4, I burned 444 calories in the class (I was late and missed the first 10 min). It says I burned 339 calories in the Couch 2 5k program. I used the podcast found here today. It tells you when to run and walk, so it makes it a little easier to follow. I wasn't sure I would like the electric music sound in it, but I actually did and bopped right along. I was surprised how fast it went (wonder if I will be saying that in a few weeks!). Anyway, I feel so good. I am SO glad that I decided to start Weight Watchers and to start exercising. So far today, I have used 19 points. I just might have some popcorn in a few minutes (only 2 points!). I found the Orville Redenbacher Natural Buttery salt and black pepper variety. It is very different, but it is very good.

Beating Heart and Gambling

Morgan had cheer practice from 9 - 11, so I took her to the gym and was headed to step class. My friend Liz told me on Friday about her Polar F4 watch. I have been fascinated by the Body Bugg that can measure how many calories you burn for a couple of weeks now, but the $400+ price was a good deterrent. However, Liz says there is a watch called the Polar F4 that will do the same thing and is around $75!!! I get so excited by the little things. So, on the way to aerobics, I stop at Target for my early Birthday present. :) It is Bond Blue (ok, maybe not exactly but it is a light blue), and you program it with your age, weight, height, and heart rate goals. You wear a little black strap on your chest, and it transmits it to the watch. HOT. So, I didn't have a lot of time to play with it before class, but I did get my info entered. Then, I went to step. Uncle Mark came with me to step (He said he hadn't been since a girl drug him back in High School or College). I quickly decided it was the perfect place for Mark as it was all girls. :) I excitedly look at the Polar to see what it said and it told me that I exercised for 51 minutes and burned 578 calories! They always say step is about 600 calories, so I guess I know that is about right now. It showed my average heart rate (159) and my highest heart rate (178). How cool is that. I spent the rest of the day doing tests. How much does my heart rate increase if I walk around the downstairs 4 times? If I do 10 jumping jacks? If I run up the stairs? It was way too much fun. Then, Mike wanted to join Morgan and I in the Couch to 5K program, so we all set out for the Week 1 Day 1 activity. We walked "briskly" for 5 minutes. Then, we jogged for 60 seconds, walked for 90, jogged for 60, walked for 90 for 20 minutes. We finished with a 5 minute walk. Awesome. Mike and I thought it was perfect, but Morgan was "bored" the whole time. Since she works out 5 days a week and does PE/recess, she was more advanced that we were. We will see how she keeps up. :)

My Vols suck. There is no other way to put it. In some ways, I am happy as I think Fulmer will be gone after this year. As I have said before, I have nothing against Fulmer. I have always enjoyed having him as our coach. I just think we need a new one - fresh blood. I was a little nervous after the Georgia game that he might have earned another year. However, I think the BEATING inflicted by Alabama will seal his fate.

Saturday night was Casino night for the Florida Wildcats as a fundraiser. It was SO much fun. It started at 7 and ended at midnight. The gambling began at 7:30 (although, one of the "dealers" told us that they have to use the smaller tables or the state considers it gambling. I thought that was hysterical. It isn't gambling as long as it is a smaller table!). We all got $15,000 in play money to gamble with. The tickets were $25 a piece, bu they included this play money and dinner. We knew there was a cash bar, but as we get there, they are collecting money for a drink bracelet. It turned out that it was $10 for all you can drink (alcohol as well!). What a pleasant surprise. So, we started out by getting some dinner. The food was really good, but it was a little hard to figure out how many points I was using. I had saved my weekly "extra" Flex points for this night, so I figured it would be hard to mess up. We played Roulette first. Mike did really well there, but I didn't. I see that my friend Rachel is playing craps, and the table seems to be the rowdiest. So, of course, I have to join that table. :) We have a blast playing craps, laughing, and drinking. Rachel is looking hot. We used to live across the street from her, but I never got to know her that well. Mark said that she is just like me when we drink. Scary, I know. Of course, I loved it and had so much fun. Mike said that with kids in football, baseball, softball, and cheer, it is definitely the cheer parents who know how to party! I would agree. From monthly happy hour gatherings to Casino night, this gym is definitely social!

Afterward, we went to Primetime. We went there to help Jason (one of Morgan's coaches) celebrate his birthday. Somehow, we didn't see Mark and some other people from the gym. Oops. Mike said I snored the whole way home. I say it is a payback for every night he is here (which despite what he says is only around 8 - 10 nights a month. He will try to sell you on this only gone 10 nights a month stuff but just know I am right).

By the way, if anyone wants to sponsor Morgan, please email me!!!