Mid-year check-in: Transitions

On New Years Day, I was having a text conversation with an old friend, and he asked me what 2013 was going to be about for me.  I replied with this statement: "2013 is the year that I hold lots of babies, travel a lot to connect with friends and family, make some changes professionally, and fall in love."

I saved that text, and I refer back to it once in a while to check in with myself- am I spending my time and energy to accomplish those things?

My one New Year's Resolution I make each year is one I will make every year - to hold more babies.  Why?  Because there is nothing quite as joyful as snuggling up with a baby.  It is peace and love and joy in a tiny, perfect person.  And thankfully, my siblings and friends have had the good sense to provide me with several new babies, so I never have to go long without working on my resolution. 

Me and Sylvie- June 12, 2013

Travel has been big on the agenda this year - So far, we've spent time in Colorado, New Jersey, New York City, and Alaska, and there are still some trips to come.  We've been fortunate to connect in-person with friends and family, and have made some very special memories.  (Watch out for my AK pics- I'll get them up this week, I hope.)

Views from the plane - Alaska is breathtaking from everywhere.

 

Falling in love - meh.  Still working on that.  Actually, that's not even true- I'm not working at all on that.   But I am working on caring enough about it to actually work on it.  So that's something.  (Let it be said that I am rather lazy about this part of my life- I'd much rather spend my energy on other things than worry about my love life.  When it's supposed to happen, it will happen.  That's how it's always gone for me, and I'm trusting that it will continue to go that way.)
 
Making some changes professionally is something that I put some serious some effort into.  I have worked for my current department for more than 10 years, and I started to realize that, for a lot of reasons, it was time for a change.  I began paying attention to job openings at the University, and almost immediately, a perfect-for-me position showed up in a department I have already worked with extensively, with people I already know and respect.  I submitted my CV,  interviewed a couple of days later, and was offered the position.  The whole process was rather seamless - it just flowed.  I start that new job this coming Monday.

It's bittersweet, leaving a place I've worked for so long.  This is where I learned to really enjoy the process of scientific research.  This is where I turned book knowledge into real-life, hands on experience. This is where I have met so many amazing people, many I now count as dear friends.  This is the home of colleagues that supported me through a lot of ups and downs.  This is a place where I have always felt at home, and knew I was good at what I was doing, even when everything else in my world seemed shaky and insecure.  It was a hard decision to move on, but ultimately, it is a move I need to make.  I'm excited to take on some new challenges, and for the opportunity for personal and professional growth my new job will bring.  If you are interested, my new job is the senior research manager at UPIQ. 

So there you have it - a mid-year check in on where I am with my goals for 2013.  Overall, I'd say things are moving along just swimmingly.

So far, 2013 has not just met and surpassed my expectations.

So far, it's been a kick-ass year!

*Random Tuesday Thoughts*

**I attended a conference today about a new research center focusing on women and child health. I love being a part of things like this. It's so cool to me when so much brainpower comes together to work on a topic everyone in the room is passionate about. You can almost feel the place hum with the collective intelligence. It reminds me how lucky I am to do what I do for a living.

**I think I've mentioned before that I got rid of all my clothes that I didn't really like, and the outcome of that is that I really only have a few outfits for work and a few for home. I need to get around to replacing some of them, but honestly, I don't really like what's out there right now, so I just haven't. What I am finding, however, is that I don't really care if I wear the same stuff over and over, because the idea of having stuff I don't want is worse to me than not having much at all. Progress, no?

**This is what I ate for dinner tonight:
Multigrain toast with scrambled eggs, avocado and tomato, and mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries). It was so yummy and so easy. If you have never topped off your scrambled eggs with avocados and tomatoes, give it a whirl. It's completely delicious. A satisfying, healthy, meatless, and produce-heavy dinner that only produces one pan to wash-doesn't get much better than that!

**I've really been stepping up my training, in anticipation of the upcoming biking and triathlon seasons. My first Century ride and first Tri are in May, about two weeks apart from each other, and I can already feel them looming. To get my strength work in, I'm doing the p90x series again and WOW! I can sure feel it today. Besides that, I've been increasing my running mileage since it seriously slipped when I tore my hip flexor this winter, and I'm trying to spend more time in the pool. I've kept up spin classes all winter, but I need to step up my time in the saddle, too, so I'm considering investing in an indoor trainer. Just haven't had time to research my options.

**Did I mention I am going to Hawaii? To see my lovely soul-sister Demelza? In about two months? Did I mention I am S.T.O.K.E.D?

**My kiddo is finally reliably and consistently sleeping all night. Considering she's three, I think it's about time, but she's been a terrible sleeper since day one. It's really nice going to bed and not expecting to be woken up within a few hours. High time, indeed.

**I need to hire someone to clean my house and do my laundry. For some reason, I can't quite ignore the voice in my head that says: "it's only a tiny condo" and "there are only two people" and "why don't you quit whining about it and just do it". But seriously, I just need to hire it out and be done with it.

Well, those are the random thoughts that are swimming in my brain today. What's your most random thought for today?

Wendesday Miscellany

**I've started working downtown one or two days a week, and it's been a really fun way to shake up my work life. My new office is a bit more "corporate" than my University office and the energy there reflects this distinction. I wasn't sure how I'd react to the difference in atmosphere, but I am finding that I really enjoy it. Everyone I have encountered there is very friendly and helpful, and the view...oh, the view! I can look right out over Temple Square and Capitol Hill. It makes me so happy to glance out the window and see the city going about it's business.

**I'm not a huge fan of the holidays (in fact, it's more accurate to say that I dread them) but Riley is so excited about them and I am trying to make them as fun as possible, without going overboard. We have already received so many invitations for different events and parties - it looks like we have something every night in December, and it's not even Thanksgiving yet! I'm going to slash and burn through that list - I can't handle being that obligated- and only commit to the ones I really want to attend. Bah humbug? Yeah, probably.

**My condo board voted to install new window through our whole building, and while I wasn't thrilled about a major expense and renovation right before the holidays, I do think it will be a nice upgrade. I've also decided to refinance my condo, so I've been buried in the legwork that goes with those two things. It's been pretty painless, as these things go, but it will be nice to have them both over with and out of the way.

**I'm making some plans to head out to the East Coast with my girl in May or June (probably June). We are going to see some friends who just moved to New Jersey recently and also this girl, who I love and adore and can't wait to spend more time with. I've never been to NYC (other than layovers which don't count) and I'm excited to explore the city with my little one. I think she needs to attend a Broadway Musical - right? Which one for an almost four year old?

**I've got some serious musical obsessions going on over here: Courtyard Hounds, Sarah Barielles, Christina Perri, Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee....some aren't so new, but wow...I can't get enough.

**I need some new reading material...what's on your list these days? I keep a list of books I want to read, but they all seem so heavy right now. I need light and easy, maybe fiction. Thoughts and suggestions are welcome.