Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Myself, assorted.

After a bunch of you mentioned on Monday that you only get two weeks of vacation per year, I thought I'd explain how I wound up with a job that gives me double that. I get four weeks of vacation because I work at a DC nonprofit. I got four weeks of vacation at the last one, too; my sister got five weeks of vacation in her previous job at a DC nonprofit and three weeks at her current job. It's the same reason that I also get occasional Fridays off; my company offers a "compressed workweek" wherein we work an extra hour for eight of the first nine days of the pay period, and then get the tenth day off.

The point here is that pretty much all DC nonprofits, or at least all of the ones that are well-established enough to have more than the bare minimum of employees, offer great vacation packages, flex time, and other good benefits in order to compete with the government for qualified employees. It's the same reason why I almost never have to work more than eight (or nine, if it's a compressed work week) hours in a day, and why I pay very little for my health insurance. DC nonprofits don't offer terribly high salaries, but they attempt to make up for it in benefits. The government is the same way.

Anyway, moving on: I have what is not exactly a resolution, but... well, I've made a decision. I'm going to start getting up early to go to the gym. I've been thinking for awhile that I should just bite the bullet and do it, and then I had to start on this new medication for hypothyroidism that has to be taken first thing in the morning, an hour before I can eat, so I've had to start getting up earlier anyway. So: I'm not going to spend a full hour in the gym, because I can't bring myself to sacrifice a full hour of sleep. But I'm going to start getting up at 7:00 instead of 7:45, and doing a half hour or so on the treadmill or the elliptical. I'm lucky that our apartment building has a gym so that I don't have to get up even earlier to allow for travel time. Because then I just wouldn't do it.

So! Tomorrow is the first day. Hold me to it, okay?

Lastly, both ttcmb and Pessimistic Redhead tagged me for the same meme. I'm supposed to share six unimportant things, habits, or quirks about myself. So, here I go:
  1. I never dreamed of my wedding in any way, shape, or form until I got engaged. It's been remarkably easy for us to plan our wedding so far, possibly because of the lack of specific expectations on both of our parts. Or possibly because of good luck that I have now jinxed.
  2. I used to be a lot more OCD until I met Torsten. For example, the dishwasher had to be loaded and unloaded in the exact same way. Every dish had its own place, both in the dishwasher and in the cabinets. Then Torsten moved in and the choice was do everything myself or relinquish some control over exactly where each dish goes. I chose the latter.
  3. I'm addicted to lip balm. My favourite is French Vanilla Softlips, but I also have some Aveeno stuff that I keep on my dresser and apply before bed. It's thicker and it lasts longer, so I don't wake up with dry lips in the middle of the night.
  4. I am extremely stubborn and will not let things go for convenience if I disagree with them on principle. This has cost me many, many hours on hold with various customer service departments, while I attempt to get refunds for trifling overcharges. But I am convinced that cable companies, among others, intentionally overcharge their customers by small amounts, knowing that most of them don't have the time or will to bother with the hassle of trying to get the mistake corrected.
  5. I absolutely love polka dots. I just cannot get enough of them. Combine purple and polka dots and I'm in heaven. That's why I'm madly in love with our purple polka dotted wedding china.
  6. My father has a hereditary heart condition that is minor because he has it under control. I just went to a cardiologist to be tested for the same condition. My heart is fine, but I was fascinated by the echo cardiogram. It's a sonogram of your heart, and you can see the heart beating and listen to the blood flowing. It was done in a quiet, dark room and it made me think about what it would be like to be having a sonogram because I was pregnant, with Torsten there. I look forward to that.

45 comments:

  1. It's a little more pricey, but if you love lip balm you should try the EO stuff they sell at Whole Foods. Love it.

    And yay for polka dots!

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  2. I once dated a guy who was so addicted to Chapstick that he kept some in the waistband of his boxers. True story.

    Good luck with the working out! You can do it!

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  3. oh i am interested in what this polka dot china looks like!

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  4. I've had a sonogram on my heart. It's so peaceful.

    And I totally just bought my sister in law a purple polka dotted bath robe for Christmas. :)

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  5. I work for a state hospital and get 4.5 weeks of vacation - it's incredible! We also get lots of holidays and have cheap insurance AND they match up to 10% on our 403b plan. Looks like I'll be working here forever!!

    I'm so impressed that you're going to start working out before work!

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  6. I work for a nonprofit too with a little bit more vacay time, plus sick time. I do love that.


    And PLEASE post a pic of your purple polka dot china!

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  7. i absolutley love polka dots and other crazy patterns. :)

    and i'm still jealous about all your vacation time!

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  8. I want to see the china too.

    For a few years now I've known that getting my workout in first thing is the only way I'll be able to do it without brushing it off for something more important/fun (yes, even though nothing is more important than your health!) but do you think I've actually done it yet? Nope!

    That is really awesome that you've got a gym in your buidling. Does Torsten wake up at the same time as you or can you get him to nudge you so you get up on time?

    Good luck with the new workout schedule! I hear it'll give you all this energy too, working out first thing.

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  9. I, too, LOVE polka dots. To the point that it's kind of ridiculous.

    And yay for getting up in the morning to work out! It's something that I have tried (and failed) many times. But that is mainly because I am so not a morning person.

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  10. Good for you setting some goals about going to the gym! I go in the mornings as well and your body just gradually adjusts to waking up earlier. Promise. Also, then you can get it out of the way so you can enjoy your evenings with your man! BONUS!

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  11. I am clearly doing something all wrong (not living in DC, apparently,) because I work for a well-known and respected non-profit and yet I only get 2 weeks of vacation and lousy benefits. Envy!

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  12. I like your non-resolution... maybe you'll like it so much you WILL give up a whole hour of sleep!

    I have similar perks with my job. I work in higher education, which is not the highest-paying environment, but the benefits include a day care discount, tuition discounts (got my Masters degree that way), lots of vacation and quite a few social/development programs.

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  13. ill keep on you about the gym if you do the same for me with eating junk? I LOVE CHAPSTICK TOO! Try palmers cocoa butter stick, SO GOOD!

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  14. I just tried to leave you a comment but Blogger ate it, and I'm too lazy/tired/sick to write it all out again. So.

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  15. 1. I, like everyone else, would love to see pics of your polka dot china. I never realized how much clothing I owned with polka dots until someone I worked with said someting about me loving polka dots because I wear them like twice a week.

    2. YOU ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A GYM IN YOUR BUILDING! That still stands in my way sometimes. I usually do my workout after work on the way home, since i drive past the y. but some days I do just that, I drive right past the Y and don't stop.

    3. What's your job like? I am graduating in may and thinking of looking at nonprofits.

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  16. For the warm months (about 9 months out of the year in NC), my husband and I get up early to run before work. While I am not a morning person, it's totally worth it to me because it frees up time in the evenings (you know, for TV watching). During the cold months we run at night because, well...because it's cold no matter what time you go, so we might as well sleep a little longer! Good luck and I hope you stick to it! ~LA

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  17. I love polka dots. Have you posted pictures of your plates anywhere? I would love to see them because the sound perfect :).

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  18. Kate Spade china perhaps? I know she does polka dots.

    I work for the government, and while I certainly don't get 4 weeks of vacation, I actually get to take what days I get. This is more than I can say for my husband, who works for a big crappy law firm.

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  19. I love polka dots... they are fabulous

    and yay for working out! I really should join you in this goal, but I don't think it's going to happen.

    oh... and i left you a present on my blog... ch-ch-check it out!

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  20. I, too, am addicited to lip balm, and even though there are approximately 3,846 tubes of it lying around my house, I can never find it when I need it. Also, I love polka dots. :)

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  21. Ah, I keep meaning to go to the gym in the morning too and it's so rough. I shoot for 7 AM, and I really have no excuse since the gym is in the building. Sigh. Tomorrow, FOR SURE.

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  22. Good luck working out. Let us know how the first day goes.

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  23. #4 - I am SO with you! I get annoyed when I'm overcharge 20 cents....although I won't usually call for 20 cents, but really, it's still wrong.
    #5 - Can you post a link? I want to see this purple polka dot china - it sounds cool!

    Also, good luck with getting up early. I've been slacking in the exercise department lately too....I need a gym in our house...and several hefty kicks in the pants.

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  24. I hope your resolve is strong! For me it is so hard to motivate myself to work out. The only times I've been successful with long-term exercising were when I went to a class AND had someone I knew attending with me for moral support!

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  25. oh man, good luck with the morning work outs! i've been saying that myself for about the past year, and have so far managed to do it exactly 0 times. so.. do it for me! :-)

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  26. Your meme answer #1 made me realize that I basically had my whole wedding planned out (in fairly fine detail) before getting engaged. Then when D and I got engaged, that all went down the drain and we're doing something completely opposite!

    And way to go making an effort to get up and working out...though I'm fairly faithful with my workouts, this was something I was never able to do.

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  27. Ditto with you on the wedding thing; I just don't think about it.

    And ditto on polka-dots. Love them!

    xox

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  28. I actually laugh when my alarm goes off at Gym Time (as opposed to You Must Get Out Of Bed Right Now If You Want to be Only 10 Minutes Late for Work Time). I'm so amused that I thought I would forego sleep to work. Then again, the gym is not in my house. Go, you!

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  29. I make goals for getting up early to exercise. If I get up every day I plan to in a week, I get to buy a magazine or some other small treat. It really helps motivate me!

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  30. I am with you on #4. I think a lot of companies overcharge, hoping you won't notice. And I usually don't have time to deal with overcharges. I am giving in to The Man!

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  31. Sorry, I stopped reading at the first line, the one where you said you get 4 weeks vacation, because now I have to walk away and fume for a good long while. Hhhmmmph.

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  32. I am the same way about the gym. I usually can't commit to an hour, so I do about 30-45 minutes. Otherwise I would never go because I would dread the hour of boring gym time.

    I never dreamed, or thought about my wedding either. But once I started I was completely hooked. I am now a certified wedding junkie.

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  33. Your wedding china sounds adorable! And totally like you.

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  34. I get four weeks, too. Isn't that the best? Well, better than two, but clearly no where near as great as summers off!

    I am just like you in #1-3, but that's where we diverge ... I have this great lip balm with shea butter in it. Once you go there, you'll never go back!

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  35. I love polka dots too! I have polka dotted sheets, notepads, pjs, the list goes on...

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  36. purple polka dotted wedding china...I want to see the snap.

    Oooh I'm a lip balm hoarder too...

    and all the best with you gym, I can't dream of waking up to work out. Not waking up is the best time of my day :)

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  37. Sigh, I wish I had a gym in my basement.....

    I get 4 weeks of vacation, 8 sick days, 2 personal days and any bank holidays, so no jealousy from me there, but my benefits cost an arm and a leg.

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  38. Softlips was my long-time favorite, too! It sort of stopped working for me a while ago, and now I'm hooked on Neutrogena's tinted lip balm instead. Softlips was totally my trademark forever, though. Have you tried the raspberry flavor yet? It smells just like the Strawberry Shortcake doll Raspberry Tart! :-)

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  39. I have just realised how incredibly lazy I must be. There's no way I'd get up a minute earlier than I have to, and definitely no way I'd get to a gym. Go you!

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  40. Higher education is (or can be) a pretty good deal in terms of benefits, too.

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  41. The elliptical trainer is so much better than the treadmill :) Or the rowing machine! Those two machines will work your whole body, so, in essence you can work out for twenty minutes and get the same work out you'd have gotten in an hour! Yes! The content producing has finally paid off and I can give someone advice! Yay! :)

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  42. Yeah I keep thinking that maybe I should start exercising again but I never get around to it.

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  43. I'm addicted to chapstick too! I also share your love of polka dots. Your china pattern is beautiful. And sorry I'm late on this comment, but I'm still catching up after being away!!

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