If everyone in the world were provided a drinking device outfitted with a straw, obesity rates would diminish.
That is my null hypothesis. I have discovered, through careful and not very scientific methods, that more liquid is consumed through a straw than in the absence of one. Logically, if one had a water bottle with a straw, one would drink - perhaps double the liquid in one day. Doctors tell us we should have 8 glasses of water a day. I also know that if one's tummy is full on water, one isn't as hungry. Therefore, If everyone in the world were to be provided a drinking option with a straw, and that drinking option was used to consume water rather than bottled sugary beverages, the calorie consumption of the worlds population would decrease and so would obesity.
(just a random though I had as I drank my second full cup water today through a straw)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tomorrow is Climbing Comp Day
Tomorrow is Climbing Comp Day! I feel nervous, it's ridiculous! Why should I be nervous? I know I'm not out to win the thing, just see what I can accomplish and have a ton of fun....or perhaps that a tonne of fun. Trevor is doing it, and another of his coworkers. A different coworker is volunteering. We'll all spend the day together enjoying music, friendship, and climbing.
Tonight is organization night! We did move the bookshelf in the office from one side of my desk to the other. It does open up that space, like I thought it would. Right now we have a small file cabinet in that big space, but I think that might change. Uncertain. Tonight I have to put everything back on the bookshelf, and finish cleaning up the stuff on the floor and organizing it. Once that is done we can move some of the things in the upstairs to the downstairs, and while we're doing that we can do some laundry. I'll give the upstairs a good vacuum and dust and hopefully clean the bathrooms tonight too. After all, tomorrow is Climbing Comp Day, and I won't want to be bothered with cleaning when I return to the house, exhausted, at the end of the day.
Sunday I plan to do some more organizing, downstairs perhaps, and also some studying. Next week I'm taking a 40 hour review course for the certification exam (for Industrial Hygiene). I am eligible, I think, for the exam this fall. This test is to my field like the PE exam is for engineers. The test is very hard, and only about 35 to 40% of people pass on their first go-round. I intend to be one of those. So, from this weekend until November, I will be dedicating a good portion of my time to studying nights and weekends. It's going to feel like I'm back in school again. Anyone up for 'study dates'??!
Tonight is organization night! We did move the bookshelf in the office from one side of my desk to the other. It does open up that space, like I thought it would. Right now we have a small file cabinet in that big space, but I think that might change. Uncertain. Tonight I have to put everything back on the bookshelf, and finish cleaning up the stuff on the floor and organizing it. Once that is done we can move some of the things in the upstairs to the downstairs, and while we're doing that we can do some laundry. I'll give the upstairs a good vacuum and dust and hopefully clean the bathrooms tonight too. After all, tomorrow is Climbing Comp Day, and I won't want to be bothered with cleaning when I return to the house, exhausted, at the end of the day.
Sunday I plan to do some more organizing, downstairs perhaps, and also some studying. Next week I'm taking a 40 hour review course for the certification exam (for Industrial Hygiene). I am eligible, I think, for the exam this fall. This test is to my field like the PE exam is for engineers. The test is very hard, and only about 35 to 40% of people pass on their first go-round. I intend to be one of those. So, from this weekend until November, I will be dedicating a good portion of my time to studying nights and weekends. It's going to feel like I'm back in school again. Anyone up for 'study dates'??!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Strange Head Day
I'm headed to the climbing gym in a few minutes. Today will be my last day climbing before the comp. If it works anything like when I would have a practice right before a golf meet in HS, I will do terrible. Strangely, that's not all that much on my mind right now.
I'm having a strange head day. I can see things with less internal fog today, but I'm driving a lot faster. Allow me to explain. The fog: many times I can tell in what direction a project or task needs to go, but I can't see the road to get there. I can see steps say, 1-3, but 4-10 remain blurry. Today, I am seeing 1-5 or even 1-6. The problem - my brain is driving faster. Usually my brain drives along at 30 mph, giving me plenty of time (with or without fog) to see the upcoming obstacles, plot a path around them, and continue. It also gives me time to process what I'm thinking about. Today - the brain is driving about 70 mph. The map also seems to have been thrown out the window. "Ooh, this road looks fun", I'll take a right here, a left there.. I'm seeing though that fog, but I'm not processing what I'm seeing; I don't have time to digest. The random paths my brain is taking means I've solved about 150% more problems today than normal, but I'll likely not retain more than 75% of that. The obstacles - I'm swerving, but instead of going around an obstacle and continuing down the road towards a solution, I swerve onto another project or idea altogether. The question is...does 75% of 150% leave me where I'd normally be??? It's a strange head day, and I can't tell if it is going to help me, or hurt me, somewhere down the road.
I'm having a strange head day. I can see things with less internal fog today, but I'm driving a lot faster. Allow me to explain. The fog: many times I can tell in what direction a project or task needs to go, but I can't see the road to get there. I can see steps say, 1-3, but 4-10 remain blurry. Today, I am seeing 1-5 or even 1-6. The problem - my brain is driving faster. Usually my brain drives along at 30 mph, giving me plenty of time (with or without fog) to see the upcoming obstacles, plot a path around them, and continue. It also gives me time to process what I'm thinking about. Today - the brain is driving about 70 mph. The map also seems to have been thrown out the window. "Ooh, this road looks fun", I'll take a right here, a left there.. I'm seeing though that fog, but I'm not processing what I'm seeing; I don't have time to digest. The random paths my brain is taking means I've solved about 150% more problems today than normal, but I'll likely not retain more than 75% of that. The obstacles - I'm swerving, but instead of going around an obstacle and continuing down the road towards a solution, I swerve onto another project or idea altogether. The question is...does 75% of 150% leave me where I'd normally be??? It's a strange head day, and I can't tell if it is going to help me, or hurt me, somewhere down the road.
Monday, February 09, 2009
The mess in the office is ridiculous! The office is the one room of the house where things are just thrown. Most of the things belong in here, but the 10X12 space is not big enough to hold it without some form of organization. Just...Not going to happen! Today - that slow, onerous process began. Trevor and I promised each other 1/2 hour work in the office each day until we have a sustainable system for keeping it clean. This will not mean it won't require major pick ups in the future...but right now there isn't a PLACE for everything we keep in here. We need a better closet organizer. I think I need a new desk! Maybe...maybe we just need a new arrangement. Dare I move everything around? Trevor would kick my ...er...chair!
Ok, I measured everything, and with the current furniture has to stay put - with the exception of the bookcase. Guess who's moving a book case! Not just because I can, but because then I can put more file storage and a plant stand there. That will make me happy.
Once this room is tackled, I think we'll tackle the under stair storage. These two, and the purple room have to be done before outside is playable again, because I have so much I can do there. And once we get outside this spring it will be a while before we come back inside again.
Ok, I measured everything, and with the current furniture has to stay put - with the exception of the bookcase. Guess who's moving a book case! Not just because I can, but because then I can put more file storage and a plant stand there. That will make me happy.
Once this room is tackled, I think we'll tackle the under stair storage. These two, and the purple room have to be done before outside is playable again, because I have so much I can do there. And once we get outside this spring it will be a while before we come back inside again.
Good Weekend
This weekend I had much fun with the cooking of things I haven't made before. Friday night I made a quiche - which I have done before, but I made one of a new flavor; bacon, red pepper, mushroom, and cheese. This was dinner Friday night and lunch the next day. Saturday we used the remainder of the bacon to make BLTs. Sunday was the making of my very first pizza crust from scratch using my mixer w/ the dough hook. WHEE! I made the crust, and doctored up some pre-bought sauce. Trevor then was the pizza artist extraordinaire and made two pizzas. This was definitely an experiment that will have to happen multiple times, repeatability is key.
Exercise was also accomplished, with Cardio kick class on Friday night, and climbing on Saturday. I will also climb Tuesday, and then again for the comp on this coming Saturday - EEP. Sunday I had planned on going to the Y, but the major cleaning happened instead.
Socially I got to see peeps at climbing, after climbing, and for dinner and after dinner Sunday. I was able to sleep in a little, and recharge the batteries, although not quite enough.
Tonight I will go to the Y after work, and then go home and do my 1/2 hr assigned cleaning of the office space, and then study some for my CIH exam. Also, I will be IN BED with the Light Out! by 11.
Exercise was also accomplished, with Cardio kick class on Friday night, and climbing on Saturday. I will also climb Tuesday, and then again for the comp on this coming Saturday - EEP. Sunday I had planned on going to the Y, but the major cleaning happened instead.
Socially I got to see peeps at climbing, after climbing, and for dinner and after dinner Sunday. I was able to sleep in a little, and recharge the batteries, although not quite enough.
Tonight I will go to the Y after work, and then go home and do my 1/2 hr assigned cleaning of the office space, and then study some for my CIH exam. Also, I will be IN BED with the Light Out! by 11.
Friday, February 06, 2009
Week 5, cont.
I haven't done much running lately, to my program. I have run 2 times w/ week 5 workout 1, and 2 times w/ no program, just running. Reason? I discovered the Cardio/Kickboxing class. Friday nights and Saturday mornings I can take myself to the Y and really be worked hard.
The other reasons?
1. Broomball - that means Wednesday have been run on ice rather than run in circles
2. Passion for Flashin - A climbing competition I'm going to be competing in on Feb 14th. I have been climbing 2 days/wk to prep for this. No, I don't expect to win, or even be 'in the medals', but I'm going to have a wicked good time.
After next week, broomball is over, and I'll jump into week 6, I hope!
The other reasons?
1. Broomball - that means Wednesday have been run on ice rather than run in circles
2. Passion for Flashin - A climbing competition I'm going to be competing in on Feb 14th. I have been climbing 2 days/wk to prep for this. No, I don't expect to win, or even be 'in the medals', but I'm going to have a wicked good time.
After next week, broomball is over, and I'll jump into week 6, I hope!
