Recap, reassess, plan ahead.

Recap of August:
1)  Quitting smoking has been going well.  I'm just about done with step 2 patches.  I had one minor slip up.  I'm starting to feel healthy and I'm happy that I've quit.  The other day I noticed that it had been some time since I'd thought about smoking.  It was odd.  I'm not about to let down my guard and say that I'll never smoke again, but I will say, right now, I don't want to ever go back.

4)  Running has been sporadic.  I was making some progress before my back went out.  I can't wait to be able to get back out there but the weather and my body have been working against me. 

5)  I've seen quite a few apartments but I'm still looking.  I should have an appointment later this week that I'm looking forward to.  It's in a building that I like but it's not the apartment that I'd hoped for.

Reassess:

4)  In addition to running, I've decided that I'm going to hit my 30's in the best shape of my life.  I've never been anything near toned, but I want to be.  Before my back went out, I had been doing crunches on a pretty much daily basis, mostly while I watched TV.  I was going to be watching TV anyway, so I might as well use the time wisely, right?  So this weekend, I bought a stability ball and 3lb dumbbells.  I figured that the ball would be good for my back.  Instead of sitting on my bed and leaning against the wall while I watching TV (yes, I watch a lot of TV), I'd sit on the ball, strengthen my core and help avoid future back problems while I watch TV.  I got the dumbbells because I've always had flabby arms and I have developed a terrible fear of aging and having super flabby wobbly saggy arms.  Plus, I could to bicep curls and tricep thingies while I watched TV*.

 8)  I've been thinking about my posture again and I think I'm going to put it back on the list.  I think as I get in better shape, it will inprove on it's own.  It's back on the list

22)  Yoga.  I've found a few places, not too far from my house that I'm going to check out.  I think taking yoga will help me avoid future back problems and help me get into better shape.  Back on the list.

Plan ahead:

16)  Take care of my skin:  I use sunscreen every day in the summer but now that summer is over, I'm going to try to continue to take better care of my skin.  Thanks to smoking, I already have more wrinkles than my older sisters but I don't think it's too late to undo  some damage or salvage what's still good.

In September, I plan to at least check out one Yoga place (#22), possibly try eHarmony again (24? 29?) and continue what I started in August.

In October, I plan to start driving lessons.

So, that's how it stands for now.

* Just to clarify, it's not that I like TV so much.  I'd actually prefer to hang out with friends, read, go online, walk my dog, etc.  It's that I always wind up watching TV because no one is around, I have nothing to read, I've already walked Brady, etc. etc.  It's easier for me to incorporate new things into my existing lifestyle and routine, than to alter my lifestyle and routine.  Like walking to and from the train station to get to and from work has stuck because I'd be commuting anyway, while deciding to motivate myself to talk and hour walk every day has not.