Probably the last rattler of the season

This beauty and another one just like it were in the trail as I hiked back to my car on Wednesday. Blacktail rattlesnake. The other one kept advancing toward me (very unsettling and very un-rattlesnake-like behavior). I couldn't get around it and we did this little dance for 15 minutes before it finally retreated very unhurridly. Now it's cooling off so they're probably thinking about burrows.

How's the fitness challenge going?

Hi all,

We've completed 5 weeks of out 8 week challenge and I'm here to ask you how you are doing...
Have you been swimmingsteppingjogging(buttearly)pedaling? Fall is really nice here and making it a joy to get out and exercise. I hope fall is helping you get out and stay healthy! Let us know how you're doing!

Mossy Oak Cammo Day is Making My Day

. . . and its not until tomorrow!

So, its homecoming week at the place where I work. The theme this year is "The Year of The Greek Games", so today, "Luau Day," there are going to be chariot races in the tennis courts (No, I can't explain the connection, I do not get it at all). Tomorrow is "Mossy Oak Cammo Day". Where else could you show your school spirit by wearing a specific type of cammo for homecoming?

My list of joys also includes a new routine of the Mister's. While hiking with the Mister in the mountains this weekend, he started bopping me over the head (officially clubbing me) every time he sees a club moss. While it has the potential of great annoyance (like poking me every time we see a poke plant), it makes me so very very happy to have a goofy person to spend time with who notices things like the club moss. And there was lots and lots of club moss (locally "ground pine") which makes me happy even if I didn't have someone cool to share it with.

Is there a Mossy Oak Cammo Day where you are at?

Gratitude Box for Oct. 4

1. Anne, the woman I teach labs with, brought me chocolate chip cookies today. Yummmm.

2. Our lab room was full of students today, working independently (i.e. without me telling them what to do) on their group projects.

3. Student's carrying array of sunflowers down the hall. They are testing the effect of floral display on visitation rates. Even more gratifying, their first day's results meet with what we expected.

4. That Sparkling Squirrel has so many great ideas that facilitates our discussions on this blog.

Afternoon Gratitude Box

Having noticed several things recently:

1. I am not the only one who becomes fed up with her job/body/computer/life mid-afternoon many days.
2. Study after study are reporting that people who take time to think of the good things in their life, and write them down, are not only happier, healthier, more socially adjusted, etc., but also have more energy.
3. Energy is in short supply among many of us.
4. At least some of the studies referred to in #2 suggest that this is causal, not just correlative (Writing blessings makes people happier, not just that happy people are more likely to write blessing).
5. I check the blog most every afternoon as a post-class pre-grading escape.
6. Things that make my friends happy make me happy (somehow Irene in her purple gloves and Jennifer with her hole-punched paper just make me smile.

Having made these observations, I am going to make a gratitude box. Feel free to stop by any or every afternoon (or morning or evening) and write something that gives you joy. Even when you don't feel joyful.

My perhaps not-so-irrational fear is that I will NEVER be done with the manuscript of my dissertation. That, and that I will spend the rest of my life feeling guilty that I haven't yet returned my specimen loans. And that everytime I move to a new place I will be forced to carry thousands of bees that belong to someone else with me. That, and that I will NEVER have another publication again because I will be stuck making minute word changes that the editor wants on my manuscript, each of which seems to be taking an hour to change throughout the entire ms.

Ok, I'm done whining. (For today)

Weekly fitness update

Hello! I hope everyone is doing well.
How are your fitness goals coming? Did you make your goals for last week?

I'm behind with posting my own GBK fitness challenge updates, and will now post a full update in order to alleviate my guilt:
In general having a pedometer has helped me to realize how I am most active. On days that I teach it is easy to meet my step goals, but I now know just how sedentary I am on other days (sigh). On days I walk less I try to ride my bike more, but this week I had trouble meeting my daily goals early in the week due to rainy weather that kept me off my bike. I did some canoeing this weekend and so felt a bit better about the week after that. This coming week, inspired by SpSq, I'd like to add some daily crunches. I'd also like to find a way to compare the distance I travel on my bike to numbers of steps--does anyone have any suggestions?