BLOG: A couple of catch-up posts.

I may make it to bed before midnight tonight!

Anyways, I had wanted to go see The Hangover at some point after work today but I was first just too tired (and napped on the couch some), then too focused on getting caught up on the blog, and I never made it back out of the house. I'll probably end up seeing it sometime this weekend with some friends.

Anywho, the two posts I made tonight are a big back, so I'm posting a couple links to them here, up front:

EVENT: Brevard 2-1-1's "An Evening of Mystery and Intrigue"
and
GAY DAYS 2009: Red Shirts - Honorable Mentions

I'm hoping to get an article about Saturday's WDW Passholders Events completed and submitted by tomorrow (we'll see) and also post my Top 10 Red Shirts by Friday.

Work's coming down to the wire, and I'm hoping for another load of energy and motivation.

Anyways, for this post's expanda-bonus, I was in for 3 of something during today's Woot-off. I actually bought it right after I finished my last post. To find out what it is, you'll have to follow the link to continue reading.
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RUN: Home<-ss->Gym (bike, trad elliptical/step)

Tonight, I went to the gym for the first time since Monday. I had lost my lanyard with my membership card and the keys to my lock, so I felt trapped outside a bit and have been gradually becoming exercise-edly pent-up. So when I found it stretched out on the arm of my computer chair, I quickly changed and headed out. I was there from 8:45pm-9:45pm, and there were a lot more people than I'd imagine... a mild mix of folks.

I did my 2 1/2 laps around the top before I did my ProStretch -- 4 sets on both feet (2 regs, 2 Achilles). Then I did 15 minutes on a more moderately reclined bike (that was equipped with a/c) -- I burned ~100 calories and went 5 1/4 miles. Next, I did 15 minutes on a traditional elliptical/step machine -- 115 calories and about 1 mile. I then ran 3 loops on the top before heading out. The easy jog home took 4 1/2 minutes.

Here's the kitchen pics:


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Today was TAD. It was E-Week at the Wickham Campus, and I helped out at the Toastmasters booth. I had been anticipating this for a while, and it's totally much easier not being on the planning side but still helping out -- I'm a really good helper, and I have moments where I'm a great/lucky planner, but planning is more stressful, and I tend to be over-zealous.

Our Giveaways:

Trouble CONNECTING with your audience?Does speaking in public BEND you out of shape?Does speaking in public BOGGLE your mind?The event was good. It's a bonding experience of sorts, and it's starting to feel like tradition. Seeing others putting in their time and effort is what keeps me motivated.

Some of us:

Elizabeth and DwightMichael H. and GeorgeNga, me, Elizabeth again, and MattMichael C., me again, Dan, and SylviaAnd here's me with my friend Mario:

I hope that we have many guests and that they decide to join us. It's always great to get some new blood -- new perspectives -- plus it'd help us in achieving President's Distinguished Club. I have two more project for my CC, and I shouldn't wait for the group project before I start putting together my next speech. I'm thinking about writing about second chances.

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Anyways, I haven't been the nicest person on the road lately, and I'd like to say that it's because I'm still stressed about having to catch up with this and that, at work and at home. And time always seems so scarce. What can I do? I know that I have to be more disciplined in my schedule and duties -- also knowing not to over-extend myself to a breaking point. I need positive thinking, trust in my instincts, and frequent sanity breaks.

That said, this weekend's going to be a tight one. I plan on heading out to Orlando after work tomorrow -- hitting a park before going over to my friend's for the night, then hitting parks again next morning before heading back home in the early afternoon. Then I have to find the time to mow my lawn and pack for a trip.

I've got letters to write and packages to put together (Cindy, your package is going to be delayed a week. I've got pictures ordered, but they won't be in until mid-next week.), magazines to read, and speeches to write.

Alright, enough words. Now I have to go do stuff before I go to bed.

G'night.

JOURNAL: Work Week

Wow, just thinking about my posts and all this week, and I get a more-than-usual sense that it was "work-oriented". Maybe it's because my at-home life has been in a suspended catch-up mode -- lots of thank you notes to write and pictures to process and send out -- and because most my needs to be social has been filled with Toastmasters activities (which I still consider "work").

It's not been bad because I have been getting a feeling of productivity and of "making a difference".

Still, I'd like for the weekend to be a "departure" of sorts. It doesn't seem very far away now, and I'll looking forward to the time-management challenge.

There's a lot looming (as always) so hopefully I'll be good to myself and insert some much needed nap intervals all-throughout.
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On a different note, the number of visitors to SONEEVDA has been incredible these past couple weeks. I don't know what happened this past Sunday and Monday (only 26 & 33 visitors, respectively) compared to the 80+ on Tuesday and Thursday, but it does make me happy to be providing helpful/interesting information to others -- particularly, the GChat Emoticons and the Atonement/"Elergy for Dunkirk" lyrics posts have been the biggest attractions. w00t!

[NOTE TO SELF: I should also beef up an entry for Toastmaster Table Topic ideas... that would also get a huge number of hits, I'm sure.]
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Anyways, it's been a good week so far (counting my blessings), and I'm hoping that it carries through into the weekend.

:)

WOOT: Power Sentry 5 Outlet PowerSquid

This was what was on sale at woot.com.

Power Sentry 5 Outlet PowerSquid
$7.99 + $5 shipping
Two for Tuesday!

And I love extension cords almost as much as I love sharpies and index cards, plus there's never not a need for an extension cord, so why not? I went in for 3!

Turns out, it was a hot hot hot deal, selling out in its first hour:


Good thing this impulse buying is...