2,000,000 steps and counting

Yesterday someplace between advising a student and adverting a graduation crisis, between my tenth cup of coffee and spilling my lunch on the floor, between a staff meeting and a budget meeting - I stepped my 2,000,000th step since my journey began.  It occurred without ceremony or fanfare, without balloons or fireworks, without sweat or tears.  As I knocked out another 45 push-ups on my quest to 15,000 by years' end, I recognized that I have learned to feed my body, brain and heart in a way that will continue to fuel it for strength, success, and peace.

As mundane, expected, or drab as any other office furniture

It really didn't strike me until today, that not once during the 3.5 hours of academic advising on Friday did one of my advisees make mention of the fact that I had a treadmill in my office.  In their defense I was not aboard the tread when they arrived.  This coupled by perhaps the anxiety, excitement, or both of registering for their first term at our college, it is understandable that they had other things on their minds. The oddity of their lack of response versus the students who I have encountered since then has reinforced my decision to bring the tread to work in the first place.  I was greeted with big smiles, a few whatthe*%#&, and one wave (from the outside sidewalk below).  One of my bosses dropped in and told me to keep walking as though this would be commonplace -- me walking while we discussed registration, orientation, communication, or one of the other -tions.  I chose not to keep walking, but in the future, I just might.  It will be interesting, as the student interactions are increasing with their return to school,  to see the continued response (or lack of response).  Regardless, I think it is fair to say that the tread is here to stay - to brighten someone's day, make someone stop and take a second look, or just consider how they might think differently.

Oh happy day...

So today was my first day on my treadmill desk, in my new position, in my new office, with new co-workers in a new building and all went well. I was able to cover 2.35 miles today (which was just short of half my milesage for all of last week), so I am so happy to be back on the tread so to speak. I am also happy to report that based on a quick survey of office mates, office neighbors, and the colleague directly below me -- no one seemed bothered by either the novelty of having a treadmill desk in one's office nor the noise that such a desk might produce. It seems quite hysterical to me that for the first time since starting this blog I am sitting in a chair to type in my entry, rather than walking on the tread. But the tread calls and lucky for me, I have two of them. So while the kids and B take in KungFu Panda courtesy of NetFlix, I am going to head upstairs to the home office to feed my brain some brain candy as I delve into my new read: The Middle Place.

5:30am wake up call

So when the kids said they were getting up REALLY EARLY they weren't kidding.  Lucky for me - I didn't hear them at all and once B heard them he told them to go downstairs and fall back asleep.  When I woke around 7ish, B was asleep and to my surprise both boys were crashed on the couches near the fireplace.  They slept for another good half hour.  By 8:30 they had discovered their big gifts by accident -- we didn't hide them very well and they were upstairs playing pool together (with their new pool cues that they had opened on Christmas Eve) when they noticed their big gifts.  We had: 1) not accounted for new pool cues from G'pa the night before, 2) that they would be anywhere besides right next to the gift laden tree, and 3) that you could see the big gifts if you were patiently sitting on a stool waiting for your turn in pool.  As it turns out is was a blessing in disguise.  While we waited for G'pa to come over after church, B and G'ma watched a movie, and I got the sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes started.  The big gifts kept the boys occupied until we were all assembled and ready to do the stockings and the tree. It was a quiet day that is now being put to rest with a few miles on the treadmill desk, listening to some new Christmas songs, and watching the boys ACTIVELY play Mario Smash Brothers for the Wii.  I'm going to head in to my new office tomorrow to take it all in and start playing around with a good layout.  With two windows in the opposite corner from the door, I have to figure out a way to capitalize on an office with natural light (the first time in 16 1/2 years) and views, while facing the door.  I hate having my back to the door and with a ginormous L shaped desk, I am somewhat limited in where the desk can go so my creativity is going to have to kick it in to high gear.  I am so excited to start my new job with awesome co-workers who have similar passions and energy for student learning.

The list of things I can do while walking...

and working on my treadmill desk continues to grow.  Last week I hand sewed tiny little leaf shaped buttons on to a curtain I was making for my mother-in-law's new place.  Sixty little buttons in all.  Sure, it would probably have taken less time sitting in a chair and I had to be really careful not to mess the curtain up in the tread, but in the end it was a rewarding walk.  On the day after Christmas, I walked quietly and thought through all the decorations I had stashed under the stairs to come up with what I think is a fairly good display for our debut on the Christmas Homes tour.  Today I updated the address list for our annual Christmas, affixed all the labels, and then stuffed the cards. As I look forward to my return to work in January, I know that the greatest challenge will likely come in grading exams.  I have yet to be able to write a hand written note that doesn't look like it was forged by my eight year-old.  But like anything I have undertaken thus far aboard the tread, I suppose it might only be a matter of time before I might master such a skill.   I am hoping by the time Christmas rolls around I will be able to write legibly enough to practice while writing my thank you cards.  In looking back to the "Clean out the turkey" post (11/6), I am quite thrilled with how on-task I am (now if I could just figure out how to run the recycling to the recycling center from the sanctity of my treadmill desk life would be great.)  My youngest son has even pulled up one of the high stools to work on homework at the desk.  The picture above (of our mantle) clearly illustrates the sense of calm I have with less than 50 days until my sabbatical returns - filled with peace and joy.

2 down, 2 to go

Of the holidays during the holiday stretch (Halloween to Valentine's Day), I think Thanksgiving is the hardest to survive successfully.  Not only is the house often filled with fun-loving relatives (who might or might not want to join in your exercise routine), but the day is also food-centric.  The combination (family, friends, and fun instead of exercise + ridiculously huge meals) can easily derail even the best laid plans.  As a result I decided to let the chips fall where they may and didn't track my weight as closely as I have.  Last night B and I enjoyed an amazing dinner with his family at the chef's table, which was actually in the kitchen, at the local swanky hotel.  It was a seven course meal (complete with 7 glasses of wine) and I was sure that scallops, lobster, duck, Kobe steak, sorbet, lamb, and dessert would serve as next week's motivation to reaffirm my exercise intentions.  It was fantastic and what was absolutely amazing was that while I was pleasantly satiated, I was not nasty full.  The portions were perfect.  So when I emerged this morning from a week long buffet and a much reduced exercise routine, I was pleased to discover that I had pretty much stayed the course on all fronts.  I think my new regime has also reigned in my eating-out-of-boredom in a positive way.  Since beginning this experiment, I have noticed that I eat only when I am hungry and often I am not crazy hungry -- I think walking has replaced the boredom that brought on eating -- particularly over weekends or long holidays.  I am excited to launch in to week nine tomorrow morning!

Treadmill Desk 3.0

So here is my Treadmill Desk 3.0 - the model I will take to work and with which I will make all my co-workers jealous. It was easier than 1.0 or 2.0 (see earlier posts 9/29 & 10/13) due to the parallel-to-the-ground handlebars. I was able to easily bungee the white shelf board in place. I used an old over-the-sink shelf (clamped in place) and a piece of plexiglass to create a second floating shelf for my laptop. It is a smaller and much quieter unit than the 595le, so will fit better in to my expected use of it at work. In the interim (between now and when I return to work), I will use the ProForm 420.  Hopefully my excitement about my new tread won't overshadow the great progress I continue to make - losing 10.5 lbs. and 8.5".  I have updated my progress report in the right column and will add additional pictures tomorrow.

Wowsie! Early Birthday Present

So since about the first full week, I have begun worrying or wondering or wrangling with the idea of how to recreate my treadmill desk at work once I return from my sabbatical on Jan. 20.  I had thought about getting a Tread Desk; but with the economy as it is, I didn't think that this would be a good use of our family resources.  It also seemed quite unlikely that my employer would be willing to splurge for one for similar reasons.  I began to check Craigslist in hopes of finding a used tread that I could jury rig for use at work. While the kids were out and about with a friend today, B and I ran a few errands - including a trip to Sears.  And even though we weren't thinking about making any big purchases -- the huge sale, plus the 10% off Sears' cardholders (6-9pm Sunday night), plus 5% for the floor model, which was already on clearance had us driving home with a ProForm 420 in the back of our truck for under $175.  "Happy birthday," B said.  I thanked him and rode home with a smile ear to ear - overjoyed that one outstanding task could be crossed off my prepare-to-return-from-sabbatical list.  The set up was quite easy.  I will post pictures tomorrow of my newest setup.  If you are in the market for a treadmill, I would strongly encourage you to cruise by your local Sears store tomorrow and see if they have any ProForms on clearance.  I previously had the 595le, which will be my home office desk.  The 420 is tons quieter and will go back to work with me in January.  Yeah!
(post note: I think the sale at Sears continues today)