Week Off Reflections

I haven't been working this week. And I don't mean just on Vacation, but I am talking the perfect no working storm. I quit my previous job last week, but I have a new one that I start in another week and a half. There is literally no work for me to do.

But that doesn't mean that I have been doing anything, nor does it mean that I haven't felt like I've accomplished anything. On the contrary, I feel like this has been one of the most productive weeks of the year. After 2.5 years of near constant travel, it has been great to actually spend some time in Chicago, and just one place in general.

What have I been doing. I've been working out. It has been since Thanksgiving 2007 that I have been on a daily workout program, and it shows. On Monday of this week I weighed 208. Very heavy for me. I worked out monday and every day since. Today when I weighed myself I weighed 202. Now I know that's not all burning fat, but I don't feel 208 any more, I feel 202, and those 6lbs must be the equivalent of a million bucks.

I've been focused on eating well. I'm not slamming frozen pizzas, I'm not eating pasta carbonera off www.seamlessweb.com (I will miss seamless very much by the way) I'm not eating dinner at the office and retreating back to hotel bar to pretend that it's not lonely being on the road.

I went honest-to-God grocery shopping on monday, bought soup, bought stuff for salads, stuff like that. It felt and feels good to not be eating crap.

I've been reading, a lot. On the Kindle that I reviewed on the other blog (www.studentnerds.com/blog) I've been reading a good chunk of the times every day, I've been reading "See No Evil" the book that the movie Syriana is based off of. I've been reading online too. Catching up on my RSS feeds. Everyday I've logged o nan I am more and more convinced that the internet is the greatest thing to ever happen to public discourse. The smartest people in the world (or at least people lightyears smarter than me) are writing on the web, and these publications are timely, accessible and concise in ways that many publications aren't.

I've been twittering and reading twitters more than usual too. There is great stuff on there, and it is great fun.

I've ben writing, on this blog and the blog over at student nerds. That has felt good too.

I've also been doing a whole lot of nothing, I've been watching CNBC and movies, I've been walking around the neighborhood with a cup of coffee (not today since there is 2ft of snow on the ground) and I've been just relaxing. Not worrying about the work that isn't getting done, not worrying about all the shit I have to do, not worrying about anything.

This has been a great week. I am happier, I think healthier and I feel better than I have in a long long time. I wish everyone could have a week like this from time to time. I think it's a luxury for sure, but it has been worth it for me. I wish this kind of happiness, relaxation and rest on everyone...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry