I did it.

I fit in Pilates today. You may now congratulate me.

** applause **

It has been a few weeks since I've done Pilates, which should really happen every single day. Not to mention that I haven't been to the gym in more than a week. Bad. I'm going tomorrow - promise. Exercising helps with my stress management, and I really should see it as essential, just as essential as eating and sleeping.

My (admittedly ambitious) plan is to do Pilates every evening when I come home, to go to the gym for cardio every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and to do the total body at-home workout I found on Pinterest in the mornings. Maybe you saw that? It's the one that includes doing 50 jumping jacks, sets of pushups, crunches, squats, planks, etc.

And why am I being so ambitious? Well, 1. I know I'll need to boost my endorphins because of the stress I'm facing in this situation 2. It's cold in this house because I don't like to pay for the exorbitantly expensive electric heat 3. Exercise helps me stay energized and motivated 4. I sleep better 5. It helps me to release stress without negativity 6. I need to lose the 5-8 pounds I've gained since I started this bc pill (amazingly, hubby thinks I still look great. I am very thankful for this - he is a blessing to me).

So support me in this? I'm gonna try my best. It will be hard to choose the time to do exercise over the work that must be done for school, the housework that needs to be done, trotting all over blog land, creating Christmas presents, and the other, four-legged and furry distractions.

Trying.
Hoping.
Praying.
Success?

1st day of school: done.

my entrance exams are done, and I feel that I may have done alright. my graduate assistantship duties are many and diverse. I am no longer very sick. I love choir and feel privileged to be there. I look like a professional... a professional student.

my first day of class was a unique one, in that I was the only person in my first class. It could make for an interesting semester. Our first performance also went reasonably well, for only having one hour's rehearsal for both movement and music.

I've jumped in with both feet in starting my graduate assistant duties, which involve the minutiae of choir management. I'm beginning to think that I need an assistant, myself, once I get back to the teaching world. Students, prepare to accept responsibility.

Tonight presents the opportunity to attend a recital by a colleague and friend. I am hoping to have most things done so that I can be there. We'll see.

And then, there's this organizational issue of finding time to exercise often and well. I hope to fit in some Pilates this afternoon, but running in 90 degree heat is out of the question.

Here I go.