Life @ 1.4mph

The college that I work for ran a brief blurb in the weekly newsletter. This is the accompanying picture, which I love because you can see the movement in my legs and fingers (blurry), but my head, face, and upper body look perfectly still. Life @ 1.4mph = pure bliss and total productivity.

stress fightin' machine

A week ago I attended my first giant staff meeting for my new branch of the college. As an ice breaker, we answered a serious of questions - How will your co-workers know if you are stressed? How will you combat stress? How will you work toward life balance? As I stared at the questions on the page, I realized that the treadmill desk has fundamentally changed my work persona. While the answer to the first was pretty easy - I will be frustrated about mundane things - it was difficult to craft answers to the other two which didn't include treadmill desk in the answer. How will I combat stress? - walk a few minutes on the tread. How will I strike balance in my life? - walk a few minutes on the tread. I realized that not only has my body responded physically to the demands of walking an average of 4.8 miles per day at work, but my psyche has also responded positively. Being able to put myself in a work zone is great - the increased productivity and focus washes away any stress that might otherwise build up. It can also be a johnny-on-the-spot remedy. As we finish up the second week of classes, I wonder if I will feel the same way once mid-semesters (and their associated d-slips) roll around.

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.

Steadiness of purpose

Thanks to my dear friend S and my sweet brother R, I am reminded to begin to think and engage in that age old tradition of making a resolution or two for the coming year.  Real Simple magazine (January 2009) suggests that rather than committing to do something (eat better, exercise more, stress less, etc.) that we should commit to NOT doing something (being consumed by things we cannot control, worry, obsess over our bodies, etc.)  So in that vein, I am working both sides of the resolution coin so to speak.  I looked up the etymology of the word resolution (I've resolved to let my inner geekdom shine forth in 2009) and settled on the following from which to guide my thinking: "Determination; firmness or steadiness of purpose; confidence; conviction, certainty, positive knowledge" (source: OED ).  I resolve to continue my sabbatical habits of moving while I work, which will allow me to be a positive force at work and at home.  I am resolving NOT to concern myself with the water that has already passed under the bridge.  I am also resolving to embrace my new job, responsibilities, surrounds, and co-workers.  I am also resolving NOT to forget where I've been and where I am going - this journey is only just beginning.

Virtual workplace acclimatization

So probably the most daunting part about transitioning to my new job is carving out a space that I can feel at home in and do my best work. I am anxious to get my move on so to speak, but due to the holiday - I kind of need to wait. In the meantime I have played around with some free floor planning software, which has a 3d tool so I can design what seems like a good plan and try to acclimatize myself through the virtual medium. I am pleased to discover based on the dimensions and my configuring that I can probably set up my office in such a way as to include both the gargantuous L shaped desk (that I think is probably stuck in the office for life) and my treadmill desk without it feeling too cramped. I am thinking of ways to insulate the undercarriage of my treadmill so that the person whose office is directly below mine and the one whose office is adjacent to mine won't be completely irritated and bothered by my quirky idiosyncrasies. I hope to have three distinct work spaces -- sit down desk, tread desk, and side table for working one-on-one with students. I am hoping that my arrival will model the myriad of environments that one can seamlessly work between.

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.