More Resolutions

My first resolution for 2006 - watch more of The Cosby Show. Ok, so maybe that's not a serious resolution, but with all the repeats on TV this past week - I've ended up watching the Cosby Show more and more. You don't find good comedy like that on television anymore. If you haven't seen an episode of the show in a while, I recommend flipping over to Nick at Nite and catching one.

On a serious note though, a resolution that's is a frequenter on many people's list will grace mine (yet again) in 2006. It's exercising. I just got an e-mail reminding me to register for the Monument Avenue 10k. Those that know me are used to me running. I wouldn't call myself good, nor dedicated. What I know is that when I'm in a training routine leading up to a race, I usually feel so much better. I sleep better at night, tend to eat better (see resolution below), and have higher self esteem. Getting into an exercise routine gives me a sense of accomplishment that I don't find in school work or work. Last year I did relatively well - I even ran a 5k in Chicago when it was 20 degrees outside - but that ended around July/August when it got super hot outside.

My other resolution is nutrition. Anyone who knows me knows that I eat horribly. It's probably the worst part of my lifestyle. I'm fortunate to not have to watch what I eat in order to maintain my weight. Unfortunately, this induces a very lax attitude when it comes to eating. Because I don't "need" to eat right, I'm less inclined to do so. What I'm now realizing is that I do need to eat right - not for weight control, but in order to prevent myself from dying of a heart attack when I'm 30. We have a wellness program at work - and on my profile, nutrition came in with very low scores. Now the thing told me that I am healthy - my "effective" age is 23/24 - right on target. It said however, if I fixed a couple of things, especially in regards to my diet - I'd have the effective age of a 16 year old. I'm not sure I'd ever want to be 16 again, but I think anytime you age in the reverse direction, its gotta be better than going in the forward direction.

I think it's important to lead healthy lifestyles. It's important because it makes us feel good about ourselves and I think it shows some sense of responsibility. We need to be responsible for what we do to our bodies. We're given them by God and we should be thoughtful and purposeful for how we treat them. I confess that I also have an alternate reason - I work in and advocate for the healthcare industry. I want people to lead healthy lives - moreso, I want to help my community, the city I live in, be healthy. In order to do that, I need to get on the right path first - be "taking the plank out of my own eye" - before I start trying to change the people of Richmond.

Anyway - these are two more of my resolutions. Be sure to ask me how they are going come May (well, knowing me, you'd better ask January 15th!)

Merry Christmas (belated that is)

Well, Christmas has officially come and gone. We're now in the post-holiday shopping craze once again. I happily contributed to the retail madness by staying in my apartment almost all day and watching movies.

I have today and tomorrow off, and combined with last week and the weekend, that's 5 1/2 days that I've been completely off from work and school. That may not seem like a lot, but its been a very long time since I've taken this much time to just rest. I've found that I really do need these breaks even though I don't take advantage of them like I should. I'm trying to really use my breaks to the fullest though. For instance, over the Christmas break, I've pledged to turn off my pager (it's ok, I'm not on call) and I'm not checking my work e-mail or voicemail. Maybe some of you don't struggle with this "over-working" problem, but it's something that's really tough for me most of the time.

It's important for us all to get rest. Without rest, we tend to get lost in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of this world. We forget about family, friends, and the things in our lives that really matter. Without rest, I think we tend to get bitter, depressed, and disconnected. I often wonder why there aren't 26 or 30 hours in a day - I am always thinking that I could use a few extra hours in the day. But then I realized that if days were 30 hours long, I'd just take the extra 6 hours to do work, and not to rest. I think most of us would do that.

Throughout college, I worked hard at the concept of sabbath. Taking one day a week to not work and just to rest and reflect. It was one of the hardest things I did in my 4 years at Tech. I was lucky to have a couple of good friends who pushed me on it (and happened to be in positions to help me stay true to my sabbath when I otherwise would be needed). I need people like that now - we all need people like that. It's hard to do these things on our own strength.

So, 2006 is on its way. Looks like I've got a good start on resolutions. I'll be posting some more on my 2006 resolutions the rest of this week. Maybe if they are out in public online, I'll have some luck in keeping them.

What's in a Christmas Present

I found myself searching for the appropriate gifts to give my coworkers last night. I went through the normal ideas: candy, candles, gift cards, etc. I ended up in Barnes and Noble thinking I could find some humorous Dilbert books or something that might bring a few chuckles to the office. I scoured the humor section and the Management sections, but I couldn't find anything that stood out to me. I figured my gift searching would take me all night.

As I turned a corner, I stumbled upon the Christian Inspiration section. This is a section that I used to frequent, but haven't paid much attention to these books in quite some time. Since starting grad school, most of my reading has been focused around management (Good to Great, the Leadership Challenge, etc) and healthcare (Complications). I haven't found much time to read books from some of these great Christian authors. As I started looking through the section, I found book after book that would work great as gifts. Some were focused on healthcare, some on leadership, some were books of prayers.

Anyway, I ended up getting almost everyone in my office one of these books, and they were a big hit. The gifts were great because I also got a gift - I rediscovered many books and authors that I'd forgotten about. Plus, I'm learning how to incorporate my faith and values in the organizations I'll work in - and for me, that's one of the best gifts I can get right now. I've always felt called to be in the workforce, healthcare in particular, but I never understood exactly how I could make a difference. Learning to bring in these values and these practices is something that I think will really set me apart and equip me to make the differences that are needed.

PS: If you're still looking to get me something (or something for a person in any leadership role), this would be nice.

Alive again

If I have any dedicated readers (which I doubt) who may have wondered where I've been the past few months, well I'm happy to report nothing bad has happened to me. This semester has been pretty tough and balancing time between work and the enormous amount of school work, even more challenging.

However, the semester is over and things are falling into place. I'm exactly halfway through my Masters Degree, so it's all downhill from here. I've been fortunate enough to be placed at a great hospital for my residency, working with two great healthcare executives in Richmond.

Christmas time is upon us now, but I don't have my typical holiday cheer for some reason. I've thought alot about why that may be - yet, I don't find many answers. Doubt comes to mind. Doubting my abilities, my gifts, my friends, my career choice, my faith - that's all happened this year. Lonliness? I miss my time and my friends from my VT years. The future? I've been anxious many times this past semester about my future.

I'm not sure that it is any one thing, probably a combination of many things. What I struggle with the most though, is recognizing all the good in my life right now. I've got a great job that I love. I've got a great residency location at that hospital which is going to be great and open up many career opportunities for me. I'm almost done with my Masters. I get to see my family quite a bit. I helped start a church revitalization and have seen it grow 600% in 6 months. I'm truly financially independant for the first time in my life. All of these things are great aspects of my life - but I still find myself not being content.

I think its really just uncertainty. My time back in Richmond has really not gone the way I "planned" it would. It hasn't gone drastically bad, but just different. God's thrown some curveballs my way when I was expecting a simple fastball. I think the important part though, is recognizing the game is changing in the first place. Articulating what I feel is not what I would call one of my strengths. In Blacksburg, I had a number of people who would just draw them out of me. Here in Richmond, I can hide them all I want - and that's not healthy or helpful.

So, for now - I'm gonna smile and try to get back into the Christmas spirit. You might not see me singing "The Twelve Days of Christmas" anytime soon, but I think I'll be happy remembering what the season really is all about.

O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices
O night divine, the night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine
O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!