Sedentary

Progress Report

Mind:

• 12-day Headspace streak
• Challenge of picking up jQuery in a short amount of time after a long hiatus
• AIAA Houston dinner meeting on low latency telepresence

Body:

• Making sleep a somewhat priority
• Trying to catch up with Leslie Sansone's 6 week program

Soul:

• Starting a new mentorship with a junior that wants to focus on programming
• Playing "Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine" and "Columns"
• Taking a break and getting lunch with Gary at East Star

There was a freeze on the partial government shutdown, but it seemed to amplify the discomfort of uncertainty. As colleagues return to work, the number of tasks multiply. Folks are trying to make sure we are better prepared for the next round of furloughs if things don't resolve in 2 weeks. The environment is palpably frenzied.

This was the most sedentary week of the year so far. I will work to make sure this doesn't become my nominal mode of functioning in times of stress. Like that one type of goat, I freeze and keel over. I don't pause to reflect and take appropriate corrective action, but become paralyzed with anxiety. My self-confidence gets shot down way below the deepest circle of the Inferno. The gravity of my misstep to get things done messed up my rhythm to make self-care a habit.

What contributed to the planted seat was a slippery grasp of priorities. Nutrition and fitness were clearly not the top ones this week. I gorged on acceptable Chinese buffet offerings. Adrenaline coursed through my weakened will as I try to meet deadlines for commitments outside of work. I can't defer everything. I need to pause and address the highest time-critical priority first.

Resolution-er Syndrome

Progress Report

Mind:

• Revving up the Headspace streak - 4 days strong

Body:

• Leslie Sansone 6 Week Challenge

Soul:

• Future Cities presentation judging
• Drafting a training workflow at work

Like those resolution-ers, I am slipping in my healthy streaks and giving up towards the end of the month. I am jaded of the partial government shutdown. There is a reduction in custodial staff so we'll need to start cleaning up our own work areas. I am filled with ennui for the cold. May the warmth of hope for a resolution and sunnier climes reinvigorate my resolve to better my well-being.

Body and Mind Protest Being Chained Together

Progress Report

Mind:

• 39 days strong on Headspace

Body:

• Wobbled off schedule on Leslie Sansone's 6 Week Challenge for 1 day, but straightened the track

Soul:

• STEM Outreach: CCISD Science Fair judging and Future Cities essay judging (looking forward to the presentations/model judging in Saturday)

I certainly feel that listless stagnation in the body when my mind numbingly drags along. The mind is distracted from every digital squirrel of media hearsay related to happenings on ISS operations and the stalemate in DC. Tiring is an understatement. My body seems to crave more sleep. Diurnal inactivity of sitting at the desk, trying to maintain productivity at work in a lowered morale environment, leads to a sofa coma when I return home at dusk. I awkwardly laid my head on the sofa pillow one evening and now I am struggling with a weird knot in back muscles that support the neck. I gingerly turn my head left or right to verify peripheral sightings. Attempts to disrobe work clothing after a mind-numbing day lead to muffled chants of "why-oh-whys" and contorted masks of facial expressions.

Where is my natural high-energy state of mind? It feels fettered by my hibernating body. Temperatures will dip below 20 over the weekend. Some days are shrouded in overcast. I just want to curl up in this knock-off Snuggie (a.k.a. grandpa's XXXL Dickies jacket that I took for comfort and warmth in my UCSD days). Cue Wilson Phillips' "Release Me" in stereo.

The government (partial) shutdown is still ongoing and continues to summons feelings of unrest and uncertainty. Some civil servants protested for resolution at the front gates yesterday afternoon, but did it stir any action for our nation's leaders? I'm not sure. It stirred concern for loved ones. Got a call and text to see if I'm OK during the commotion. I guess am for now.

Energy Waning Already?

Progress Report

Mind:

• 32 days strong on Headspace
• Half way through the NASA STEP Program

Body:

• Leslie Sansone's 6 Week Program

Soul:

• Planning amusement trip with my best friend
• Keeping up with the daily sketches
• Planning lunch/dinner with friends

We are only half way through week 2 of the year and I'm already feeling exhausted?

The partial government shutdown is making a lot of colleagues antsy. I am fortunate to be getting a steady paycheck for a little while longer. I am fortunate that I do not see the need to take out a loan to sustain myself while the fine folks at Capitol Hill are sorting the budget out.

AIAA Houston and RNASA activity is ramping back up. I don't feel like I have the bandwidth or sustaining momentum to whittle down the tasklist. I was assertive enough to at least state my availability in addressing these actions.

Let's see how next week goes.

Happy Year of New

Some 2018 Progress Report Recovered from the Draft Trunk

Mind:

• Drawing prompts

Body:

• MyFitnessPal to reinforce "Hara Hachi Bu" - sometimes
• Indian dance classes at Premier Dance Academy

Soul:

• Duck, Death, and the Tulip
• Karafun with dear ones
• Keye Luke

Thich Nhat Hanh - Zen Buddhist monk that brought hugging meditation to consciousness - highlights, "Spirituality is a practice that brings relief, communication, and transformation." I want to fully embrace this grief and transform it into a reinvigorating energy to make life spirited and purposeful. With open arms, I want to communicate genuine warmth and energy for a better day.

P.S.: I don't know why I left this poor post alone in March 2018. In a couple of months, its first anniversary in Blogger draft limbo was going around the bend. I've set this thought free! Float, float on...

Energy

Progress Report

Mind:

• Embracing walking meditations
• Making progress on that Headspace 365 days streak (Currently at a 25 days streak)

Body:

• Leslie Sansone's 6 Week Challenge

Soul:

• Doodling

My, my. Coffee ice cream has kept me up for the last 4 hours. I am not a fan of this nervous energy. This caffeine sensitivity to a coffee extract is frustrating at the midnight hour. Anyways...

The Jessica Smith love is still going strong through the last however many years. Her January 2019 challenge is infectiously encouraging me to try, try anything and everything again.

My anchoring mantra for the year is "energy." Every day is an opportunity to get and spread more energy. My optimistic conscience is pushing for 365 days of positive energy! To this end, the new goal for the progress reports is to record the positive developments in mind, body, and soul with less nag and fuss, which usually deplete energy.

Comebacks for the n^th however many times feel remorseful and kill momentum. What derails me every time is the perfectionist tendency to want to write a long, meaningful entry, chock full links or images to reference in future scans of this blog. Energy is fluid and doesn't halt for imperfections or hesitation. Energy moves on until it dissipates and takes on another form. Let's form my tentative words into a steady current of weekly flowing blog posts.

This entry feels pretty rough, but my energy has taken me elsewhere. Somewhere closer to slumber, I hope. Go away, coffee jitters! I need restorative repose to maintain the energy.