an old-fashioned alarm clock

[sergebroom]

I woke up a bit after 3am. I'm used to it - usually it's my own body saying "Hey, lazy bum, you've had enough sleep!", or one of our canines saying so. Still, this time, it was a work-related dream that did it, in which a project went wrong because of repeated failures to communicate on my part, with people openly mad at me. I know, that's just an amplified version of the one tiny cricicism that was leveled - amidst all the praise - at my handling of the weekend's Project. All this to say I felt quite bleh for the first 10 minutes after I got up and thought an old-fashioned alarm clock would have made for a better wakeup call.

I might as well go to the gym now. After I'm back home, I'll just hop onto the bus and nod off on my way to the office.

Comments

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

It sounds as if you've let that criticism get to you. You really shouldn't.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I know. What got me is that the actual communication lapse had been committed by someone else, but my manager implied that I, being the one in charge, should have noticed the thing amiss. I have learned my lesson. Next time, I will remind myself that, even if someone normally is above me in the pecking orde, that person is under me for the duration of the exercise. Not that I intend to adopt a martinet personality as a temp manager, mind you.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Serge the drill sergeant? I hope not!

I let criticisms get to me much too easily, and lose sleep over them (Gail tells me I have a guilty conscience, but I see it as a hyperactive superego -- if you'd known my father you'd understand that!). Right now, I'm having to deal with the colleague from hell who made my life miserable last spring (I had to act as my department's pooper scooper when she completely messed up a required course) who is currently ignoring requests for her CV.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I remember what you said about your father elsewhere so I understand. In my case, the fault is mine. Mostly. As for being a drill sergeant.. Nah. I'd see my style as closer to that of Captain Picard.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Does that include singing 'Heart of Oak'?

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I hope not. Or I could adopt the managerial style of Groucho Marx. Thus, at the beginning of each meeting to get ready for the exercise, I'd sing his song from Horsefeathers;

I don't know what they have to say,
it makes no difference anyway -
whatever it is, I'm against it!
No matter what it is or who commenced it,
I'm against it!

Your proposition may be good,
but let's have one thing understood -
whatever it is, I'm against it!
And even when you've changed it or condensed it,
I'm against it!

I'm opposed to it.
On general principles I'm opposed to it.

[sajia.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I think I should follow your example from now on and go to the gym at 5:30 if I wake up that early. Just a bit scary, because it being so dark at this time.
Remember, Serge is the Man! ;)

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

...and a no-brainer, remember.

There are advantages to going to the gym when they open at 4:30am. For one thing, once it's done, it's off the day's to-do list. Also, it gets a bit crowded just before suppertime.

In your case though... I take it that your neightborhood isn't very safe. Then again, no neighborhood ever is truly safe for a woman when it's dark. I was reminded of that after the Making Light gathering that was held in Oakland during the Holidays, in a very safe neighborhood. Lisa Goldstein, who is a tiny woman, left when we did so that she wouldn't walk alone to the spot where her car was parked.

[sajia.livejournal.com]

Technically speaking, it's a middle-class area, not that that's any guarantee of safety.
You're right, I feel good now I've come back from the gym. I should continue doing this, although of course in good light and weather it's tempting to run around the neighborhood instead - lots of lovely trees. But then I don't get my dance practice done. Of course, when it's raining I just want to sleep in.
I really need to learn how to ride a bike and to swim. I'm planning to take my bike for some minor repairs tomorrow, unless it rains. And I have a personal training session for free weights tomorrow.
It's funny, for the last week I've sworn not to feel guilty about my eating habits and eat as often as I feel like it. I weighed myself today, and I weigh only 141 pounds, which is just above my low-end weight during my cycle. So clearly guilting myself wasn't slimming me. Although I should definitely cut back on soda, and eat out much much less to salvage my budget.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

One would think that going to the gym so early would make you tired for the rest of the day, but it really works the other way. (I eventually do get tired, but that comes from having to deal with my manager.)

As for dieting... I couldn't suggest any good way to do it because my weight has never really been an issue. Mind you, now that I'm over 50, I do try not to scarf up that bucket of ice cream in one sitting.

[sajia.livejournal.com]

I suppose what's kept me from being really fat, as opposed to having a bit of weight around my face (less so now) and waist, is that as an adult I didn't really eat a lot of cookies, candies, chips or even ice cream. I do love McDonald's quarter pounders, although I try to avoid them because of the environmental and labor issues. Not much luck, though...
My biggest issue is eating meat, which I feel terribly guilty about because of the environmental and ethical issues. I'll go through vegan phases and then not eat enough; in fact, recently I couldn't do my schoolwork because the vegan food I'd cooked wasn't appealing enough.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I couldn't do my schoolwork because the vegan food I'd cooked wasn't appealing enough

Was it affecting your schoolwork because you weren't getting all the nutrients you needed and it weakened you? Or did you simply not eat enough to keep from being constantly hungry and that distracted you?

I don't really eat that much meat myself. I have baloney sandwiches for dinner - been doing that since high-school. Maybe a can of chili con carne once in a while. Some chicken when my wife makes supper.

I usually stay away from cheese. I don't hate cheese. I love it too much, and that's the problem. When I get started, it's hard to stop.

[sajia.livejournal.com]

Mostly the latter.
I was under the impression that Sue was a vegetarian, because of Lord of Beasts. (haven't finished it because of school, did like the first half.)
I'm kind of like that with cheese too. I'll buy 6$ worth of cheese and finish it in ten minutes. Because of that I dare not go near the fancy-schmancy cheeses in the deli section.
Like everyone else, I love cooking and hate cleaning up. I once joked that I would gladly do all the other housework in exchange for not doing any dishes.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Sue's not a vegetarian, but she feels guilty about it. She stays away from ham, if nothing else. As for vegetables, alas, she gets as much pleasure out of eating them as she would out of cardboard - if she were tempted to eat cardboard.

The deal we have is that she makes the mess... I mean... she prepares the meals and I clean up. Yes, I even do some of the dishes. (The rest go in the washer, thank goodness.)

[sajia.livejournal.com]

You've probably heard this a hundred times, but has Sue tried some of the non-Western cuisines? They usually excel at making vegetable-centric dishes. Try Ethiopean, if you haven't yet.
I actually love chana daal for breakfast and would have it half the week with tortilla bread if I wasn't out of it right now. I go through it like crazy. God, the thought of it makes me want to go out and buy some right now. You do have to add asafoetida to avoid gas.
I should probably compromise and cook vegan once a week.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll mention it to her. And vegan cooking sounds like a reasonable compromise.