Happy Hours

Happy hour is one of my favorite activities and not because of the drinking. I love the camaraderie that happy hour spurs. People from all walks of life drop into bars for cheap drinks and inexpensive appetizers as they're passing through from one destination to another. One large team looking to wrap up their day at the end of a tall drink.

A pair of gentlemen to my right were chatting about his impending engagement, discussing the different rings he looked at for his future (hopefully) wife. A group of girls in the corner were giggling about God knows what, but promptly left at 7 when happy hour ended. The older gentlemen to my right, a former FBI agent turned liaison for the Maryland State Police, chatted my coworker and I up for the better part of our happy hour(s). Unfortunately, my friend and I did most of the talking, and I know little about him. Get a few drinks in me and I'll talk myself silly.

As I was driving home, I reran the montage of people I've met (or observed) at happy hour over the course of my...happy hour escapades. There is always one or two individuals that look like they're trying to drown their sorrows from impending doom, another couple looking too friendly at a private corner table, and the one or two strays that are at the bar by themselves, looking to pass time before heading home, alone or otherwise.

My blue moon was flat tonight so I had to settle for an old school Coors Light in the bottle. Boy, have my beer tastes changed. But that's for another post I suppose.

Rainy Tuesday

As I sit my lazy ass on the couch, I have laundry that needs to be washed, floors that need to be vacuumed, toilets that need to be cleaned, and linens that need to be changed. And I'm doing none of that. I'm watching crappy television, surfing the web, and sitting in pajamas.

I should be at the gym working out, organizing the mass chaos in my spare room, or at the very least working on a Christmas gift I'm assembling. But I'm not.

I had an uber productive weekend, full of wedding planning and yard work at my Mom's, followed by a day of Christmas shopping and an evening in the rain watching a terrible football game. My productivity went as far as the tuna sandwich I made for dinner.

A far as Tuesday's go, this one's been pretty lousy.

Self Reflected

I just returned from a two day work conference. A conference that entailed team building exercises, personal challenges, and tons of reflecting. A particular segment targeted stress--mitigating factors to alleviate stress and stress producers. The speaker touched on our personal reactions to stress and specific exercises we can do that will reduce stress in the short term. To paraphrase this portion of the conference would be to say that I am the only one that can control my how much stress is in my life and my reaction to stress. What I allow to affect me and to what extent is solely in my control. A symbiotic relationship exists between my level of stress and my quality of life.

I can't reduce the stress in my life overnight, nor can I improve my quality of life overnight. So the presenter asked we set goals, baby steps if you will, that will enable a greater balance between the two. The number one attainable goal on my list is to go to the gym more often. I NEED to start going to the gym on a regular basis again. The gym is a huge boost for me-- both mentally and physically.

The runner up on my list was spending more quality time with the boy. We share so much space together, but a lot of our interactions have little to do with our relationship. Much of our relationship exists with me on one end of the couch with my computer and he on the other end with the remote or video controller. Very little talking exists after 5pm in my house. I'm going to institute dinners at the table again, sans my blackberry (or his).

I walked away with a handful of other personal challenges. I, of all people, know I have growing to do. In my personal relationships, work relationships, and relationship with myself. This conference gave me the motivation to start the ball rolling in trying to achieve a few personal goals that were on the back burner. I'm anxious to report back in a three months or so my progress. I hope to have chipped more than just two goals off my list, but then again I'm taking baby steps. So any achievement will be recognized as that and not chastised for the size of the accomplishment. I'm on the warpath, but it's a good one.