What's on your Tuesday Menu, RNYers?

Mornin'!

today I have my last reference desk shift - YAY! It's been a couple of weeks of "lasts" (last staff meeting, last 1:1 meeting with my supervisor, last weekend shift...). It's so hard to believe I won't have a job in a week. I'll miss working in a library and I'll miss the staff. I won't miss a lot of the responsibilities - but I may miss having structure. I'll have to spend the next couple of months creating my own - and if it's not working, I can can always find some part-time gig (at least that's what I keep telling myself). I really won't miss a lot about my current job, though, even though it's been a great run. I won't miss purchasing, or returning things that the IT staff decides they don't want after all (I do all the financial stuff for the computer lab because..well...basically, I'm the only one who doesn't mind doing that kind of stuff). I won't miss working at the reference desk - in fact, I'm hoping for a very quiet morning. I won't miss evening and weekend shifts. I've enjoyed teaching the classes that come over to learn how to use the library databases, but at the same time, I don't think I'll miss that, either. Doing reference work and doing library instruction are probably the two most important responsibilities of working in an academic library, and if it's not "doing it" for me anymore, then it's time to move on... And evening and weekend work commitments are part of working in a library - university or public. So, again, time to move on... (if you couldn't tell, I'm having mixed emotions about leaving!)

QOTD: I can't remember - I just know I was VERY committed to my plan that first year, so I almost never went off. I remember having two tablespoons of ice cream once in the fall (I had my surgery in June) - I think it might have been for my mother's 80th birthday. I was really afraid I'd dump (I didn't - and never have), and I felt really guilty about going off plan. I never even went off at Thanksgiving or Christmas. At Thanksgiving I just ate turkey breast and vegetables - and I brought some pumpkin yogurt for my dessert.

we're having a staff lunch today and then our end-of-the-(fiscal)-year annual staff celebration, so I have no idea what's for lunch. It's usually some catered buffet-type of thing, but I'll keep it protein-forward. I have dinner out tomorrow night and then my retirement party/lunch on Thursday, so I really have to watch it this week...

3 years out:

B: homemade Greek yogurt w/ 1/2 scoop protein powder, chia seeds, and strawberries

MS: coffee with half & half, Miralax/protein shake

L: ???

AS: hopefully nothing! I gave my office fridge to a co-worker yesterday, so I don't have my usual cheese sticks and L&F yogurt there - but hopefully I won't "need" anything after that lunch!

D: TJ chicken patty and corn on the cob

ex: yoga

Those mixed emotions are so normal! I felt a little like I lost someone right when I was leaving. I did find changing location to Florida right away for a while was a big plus in helping change my mind set. So far (7 months retired) I'm finding that having scheduled classes/activities spread somewhat evenly throughout the week (but not too close together) is the key to feeling relaxed but not too bored.

that's what I'm thinking, too. I recently joined an organization for the 50+ crowd that has classes, lectures, and day trips. Many former professors are members and teach the classes and the do the lectures. There are also lots and lots of programs at the public libraries, the university, and the senior centers. Other retired people around here have said there's a lot for retirees here - so I'll just need to seek it out and do it! Also, you can audit classes for free at the university (if there are empty seats) if you're 60+ and a Wisconsin resident. I'm not quite 60 yet, but it won't be long. I should be able to find a lot of things to do around here - I just need to do it and not be tempted to stay in my pajamas until noon and rarely leave my house! (although I could never stand being in my house for more than a couple of days - I need to get out, even if it's just to go somewhere for coffee - so I don't think that'll be a problem!)

Just don't put too much on you schedule - I added one at a time until it felt like the right amount.

that's good advice - so thanks! I don't want to be one of those who's so busy in retirement that they might as well have a full-time job. I think I'll go to the gym or the yoga studio every morning, and then out for coffee with my laptop and/or newspaper. That leaves the afternoons free - but maybe I'll find one or two afternoon events to go to a week. If that seems OK, I'll stick with that. If I want more, then I'll go up to 2-3 afternoon events per week. And so on...

Wow, auditing university classes for free if there's room sounds fantastic! I just checked here, and it looks like that's true in Washington, too! There are so many classes I'd love to take and so much I want to learn. This is great news!

Good Morning! JB, sounds like you guys had another amazing day. We didn't get much "house" stuff done last night as someone was supposed to come look at our kitchen table that we are selling but they didn't show up.

Accountability: I added a banana and some peanut snacks but I didn't eat any almonds. I thought about throwing away the open package of them but I want to "exercise" my willpower muscle...does that make sense to anyone else?

QOTD: After the 6 month mark I had some tortilla chips while we were at a Mexican restaurant. I seriously pulled out 5 of the best looking chips (they had the seasoning on them) and ate those.

Time since surgery: 3 years 10 months

B: SF latte, eggbeaters, ½ an orange and 2 turkey sausage links

L: Albacore lettuce wraps and baby carrots

S: Krave pork stic****d latte dessert bar and Carbmaster cottage cheese

D: Buddig ham pack, low carb pita, spinach salad (Bleu cheese, walnuts and Skinnygirl raspberry vinaigrette dressing) and 2 squares dark chocolate

ES: Homemade Greek yogurt with SF syrup and ¼ cup fiber cereal

E: 6 miles ran this morning and 40 mins of elliptical at lunch

V/W: On track

Totals: Cals:1232 Protein:112 Carbs:85 Fat:55

Have a great one!

I TOTALLY understand how you are dealing with the almonds. I have a package partially eaten now and didn't throw it away for precisely the reason you haven't!

I am glad I'm not alone!

My will power muscle is so bent out of shape when it comes to nuts. The first 6 months I tried to have just a handful but I can't. So nuts are banned from our house unless somebody is hiding them from me.