Beaten to the Punch.

Kimberly just posted a blog entry with pretty much everything that I was thinking of writing about our weekend (though my own prose would have downplayed the kitten situation, I think). Just read hers instead.

In personal news, here's how I'm doing on my several points of improvement:

Exercise and calories - Today! We've started journaling the calories as of our breakfast today, and we're heading to the Campus Rec Center this evening. I'm really glad that Kimberly is on board with me for those things. It's the only way to keep myself going. (Thanks, darling!)

Budget - We started yesterday. Very conveniently, we both get paid bi-weekly, and they are on the opposite weeks, so we get a deposit every single week. That has enabled me to figure out our weekly allowances for everything: $50 a week for eating out/fun and entertainment, $75 for groceries, $50 a week goes into a vacation fund, all the bill money is set aside weekly, a check to the church every Sunday, and the rest goes into a general savings/non-periodic expense fund.

Time with God/Practice - I haven't had much luck here yet (though I have practiced every day). I think I'm going to partner with Ben on these things so that we can keep each other accountable. Maybe later this week or next week I can get into a more regular habit.

One night a week with Kimberly - I figured that this would be the easiest. It helps that we like hanging out with each other anyway. We've gotten out and spent time with each other several times in the few days since I posted my list.

Accountability

Alright, it's been several weeks since I started my new job and even longer since I began my stressful job transition. Before that period started I was on a pretty healthy schedule as far as exercise and diet went. When things got rough at work some of that discipline went out the window. During my two weeks off I did develop a helpful habit of keeping up on the household chores when Kimberly wasn't around. Now this has faded. In the past couple of months I've been practicing my bass more than at any other point in my life, including when I was in college, but I've barely touched it this week. It's definitely time for me to hoist myself back up to par.

Here is the ambitious list of things that I want to develop or redevelop as regular disciplines in the next couple weeks:

1) Exercise/run 4-5 times a week.
2) Count and journal calories.
3) Keep a modest and accurate budget.
4) Spend at least a half an hour a day with God, in scripture, meditation, or prayer. (This would be a totally new discipline for me.)
5) Spend at least a half an hour a day playing my bass or another instrument.
6) Plan at least one night a week to be outside the house with the sole purpose of spending time with Kimberly (be it a 20 minute walk or a dinner date).

I mention these things here to have some semi-public accountability. I'll make sure to note my progress or failure here every week.

Wish me luck...

Checking in.

I had a great weekend. We went to IKEA for the first time ever and bought some cool new stuff (Kimberly wrote about our trip in her latest entry too). We took it home and I rearranged the living room and the office, which was such a breath of fresh air after living with the same configuration for an entire year.

We picked up Harry Potter Seven, but I am still in the process of re-reading #6 so that I can be as up to speed as possible while finally finishing the series. I'm understandably anxious to get this book over with so I can start the one that I've been waiting to read for so long. I just got back from a half hour of reading and eating my lunch in the car. I'm down to the last 100 pages.

Otherwise life is going very well. Our small group just entered new and exciting phase of its existence (a fresh approach to there, just like with the apartment), the new job continues to be an amazingly good fit for me, and tonight we're going to renew our memberships to the UMass Lowell Campus Rec Center and start working out again.

We're still without a working DSL connection, which is frustrating, but we'll survive until we get connected again, somehow. Google wants us all to be connected all of the time. Too bad they haven't accomplished their goals yet. If they had we wouldn't have to stick the laptop in the bedroom window to check our email at night.

Entry One

Today started with worship band practice. The orignal plan for today's service was to have two worship sets, one led by Rhesa with the full band, and one with Damon and no drums or electric guitar. Unfortunately, Rhesa was out with a sick child, so it was an impromptu practice of repatching the stage and hurrying through a few of our songs (with new Damon-friendly keys.) Despite this hectic start, I felt like things came together exceptionally well. I played in a very worshipful state, which is a blessing for someone who too often ends up focusing on the parts and not the purpose.

I just got back from a run. We're about a week into our new (old) healthy lifestyle of counting our calories to prevent overeating and exercising whenever possible. It is truly amazing how quickly one begins to feel better after returning to this sort of lifestyle. I lost a couple of pounds in one week (thanks to the loss of that great initial easy-to-burn and water-heavy glycogen reserve), which allowed me to wear some clothes that have been in the closet for a few months and gave me a ton of much needed extra energy.

On the agenda for the evening:

-Pick up groceries, etc.
-Cook dinner and bring it to Kimberly at her work.
-Do the taxes (woo).
-Do the budget.
-Prepare for small group.

Funny