May in Review

May has been like a magical elixir that has restored me to former self. The past few weeks have been a nice balance of work --I'm teaching a 5-week summer course, doing research, working on an assessment report, and have had some development workshops -- and play. I've been running, hiking, indulging in a couple of series on Netflix, and catching up on some yard work and other projects. I've managed to spend a bit of time lounging on my deck while reading novels and drinking some vino and cerveza, too. 

1. Run my third marathon and PR while doing it. My mileage total for May was 75.21 miles. Time on the trails this month included lots of good conversations with running buddies and moose, muskrat, and duckling sightings. I've been mixing in at least one yoga class and often two each week here lately for some good stretching and strengthening. With the Seattle Marathon now less than three weeks away, I'm feeling alternating stretches of confidence and anxiety about my ability to PR. On the one hand, I've put in the time on my feet and followed the training plan with consistency. On the other hand, I'm logging slower paces than I did during my last marathon training cycle in 2011. I'll be writing a post dedicated to my goals for the race and some thoughts about this training cycle soon. 

2. Make significant progress on other research projects. My book is going into production, which has meant I've been dealing with some odds and ends related to it this month. There will still be some things to deal with in the coming months, but most of my focus has shifted to other projects. This past month I met my transcription goal. I've set a goal of at least 5 hours of transcription and research each week for the last week of May and throughout the month of June. I joined a new write on site group with some colleagues in other disciplines so that should help to keep me accountable to this goal and get me some quality distraction-free time to devote to it as well in between now and the time I go on my research trip to the archives later in the summer. 

3. Establish a mindful practice of gratitude and optimism. I was better about using my food journal and my Gratitude app this month. I didn't hit the 25 day mark for either of them, but I was more mindful than the previous month or so I'll take a partial victory lap. Even more importantly, there have been many opportunities for me to feel joy, contentment, and thankfulness over the past few weeks. It hasn't quite been a panacea, but I feel really blessed to have had the cameraderie of my local chapter of TNT over the past four months. I feel grateful for friendships both old and new. My dog has made me snort with laughter a lot lately. Even though a certain Canadian claimed we don't need to have our housecleaner come as often while I'll be gone, I still think he's swell and can't imagine a better partner. 

4. Write some non-academic things. I've only written and completed a full draft of one non-academic thing this past month that is not a blog post. I'm both surprised and not surprised by how vulnerable writing in another mode and sharing work (even with someone that I wholeheartedly trust) made me feel after only writing in an academic mode (aside from blogging and very incomplete things) for so long. Forgive me for not saying more. I'm not being coy, but I'm not quite ready to share more yet. Perhaps that will be another place to get comfortable with feeling discomfort in the coming weeks and months.

Does summer bring a more relaxed pace to your life? If you set goals for this year, how do you feel about your progress now that we're almost half-way through 2016?