I'm already about to hit my second month on the new job and I'm still putting most of my attention and focus on figuring it all out. Considering that about 75% of it is completely different than what I've done before, that two of the other three people in the office started the same day as me, and that it's our busiest time of year , I'd say it's going pretty well so far... I think...
While I love the challenge I'm being handed, the real tough part about learning that 75% is that it's taken my attention away from some of the other things I had going on (i.e. taking pictures and writing) resulting in far fewer pics and posts to share than I was hoping for when I started this project. I guess this is the problem when you start big projects when you're not getting many hours of work... then get a job that you have to be at for 40 hours a week and actually have to do stuff ALL DAY LONG. What A-Hole thought THAT up!!??? The good news is that I've been able to keep my focus a bit on PROJECT: Briles 200 - at least in spirit, if not in writing. Not that I'm losing a ton of weight really quickly or anything (which is what PB200 is all about... slow and steady), but I'm definitely making a lot of better choices than I normally would and have been keeping up with my weekly taining with my Fitness Sensai Ann Marie at Cutting Edge.... Which has me feeling pretty damn good!
All those choices have been small ones, but sometimes when you're faced with those same situations over and over again, it gets difficult to keep making those small good choices. Even more difficult is when you're faced with no good choices and you have to try and make the choice of NOT making a choice... Did that make sense? Let's discuss corporate training....
Most new jobs come with a lot of new training. I've attended quite a few different traing classes in the past two months, some single day sessions, some multi-day sessions. Usually, I'd complain about the content of these classes. We've all experienced it... some ridiculously vanilla or overly double rainbow and kittens instructor yammering on about boreaphyll bringing the material to death... However, in this case, I was pretty impressed that MOST of these sessions were somewhat interesting, even ENJOYABLE even... (To clarify, when I say "MOST", I mean there were still one or two classes where I have no idea what was really said because I had thoughts of jamming my pen into my table neighbor's jugular to put them out of their misery, then shoving same said pen into my ear because it would feel better than having to listen to more of whatever godforsaken babble came bubbling out of the instructor like a BP oil job. This is where I check with everyone that you've all thought this AT LEAST once in your life, right?? RIGHT?... Fine I'MMMM the WEIRDO!!....)
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| Oooooh, Evangeline.... |
To be fair, I had some good instructors who made sitting through most of what they had to teach us the easy part. The REAL training was more about how to keep myself from scarfing down any and all of the junk food they put in front of us! It was so hard to concentrate! I mean, my brain is already a mess. I think I've mentioned before that I might be a little A.D.D... I was already trying to focus by pushing out a thousand different distracting thoughts... (Did I shut the A/C off?... Look at the Blue Jay out the window! Can't believe the Sox lost another player to injury!.. I really gotta make my buddy, Scott, watch 'Lost'!.. MAN, did I really love that finale, but what the F was The Island???!!!... If I lost enough weight, could I get Evangeline Lilly to make out with me as a prize???!!). So just when I was ready to sit down and be learned, I had to deal with a box of Dunkin Donuts Munchkins sitting in front of me! I've already eaten a hearty, healthy breakfast, but since I lack whatever it is that normal people have telling them that they're full and don't need to eat anything else, especially free junk food, I have to use so much energy to fend off the 9.2% of the 10% of my brain that I supposedly use that is telling me to take out those sweet, doughy balls of awesomeness via consumption! So now you're telling me that I have to learn whatever these people are teaching me about my job AND train myself to be more disciplined with bait right in front of me!!?? That's the mental equivalent of Ann Marie making me do a wall sit with 50lbs on my lap! I didn't sign up for this!!! (For time purposes, I'll spare you a detailed history my entertainment marketing job in L.A. where I had access to and some control of a warehouse of free Frito-Lay, Pepsi, Nabisco, Hershey, Miller Brewing, and other products to much on any minute of the day and to take home. Two words: Beautiful DISASTER!!).
I actually did pretty good those first few mornings.... I kept myself to 4-5 Munchkins throughout the day annnnnd maybe a 6th and a 7th when no one was looking, but considering what I could/normally would have done to that box, I considered those successful days of training.
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| Ohhhh, Mini Twix... |
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| A sampling |
Beyond the junk food being my own distraction, I get that it's not a problem for everyone and that, as adults, we all need to make the right... or at least better... choices on our own. I also understand that these guys want to keep us amped up, happy, and hyper for their sessions, but how is it helping them as trainers to feed us a steady supply of unhealthy sugars that are going to put people into lethargic sugar comas shortly after they eat them to a group that is probably already struggling to pay attention and stay awake? If you're going to throw that much dough at providing snacks to keep everyone going, shouldn't there be some REAL healthy choices being thrown in there as well? Fruits, veggies, maybe some nuts... I'm pretty sure those thoughts of mercy killing and self-mutilation that I mentioned prior had arrived shortly after I had a moment of weakness/boredom and quickly plunked down a few Butterfinger minis... annnd some Twix minis... okay and maybe a small pack of Pringles. I'm pretty sure that's not the desired effect they wanted from those snacks...
The hotel I worked at prior to my current position provided us free lunch and dinner in their employee cafeteria. A great sentiment by management to be sure, but it seemed like we were getting the cheapest, most unhealthy food that wasn't even that tasty every damn day. The entrees and sides they served had poor/older cuts of meats, maaaaybe fresh vegetables steeped in grease and butter, and a no-satisfaction guarantee. They provided a meek salad bar and equally weak sandwich bar which both got really old really fast. If you were lucky enough, you could time your lunch break right so that you'd be there when the kitchen lady brought up a decent sized container of fruit salad, but you had better get there before the housekeeping crew takes their break!
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| The housekeepers are coming! The housekeepers are coming! |
You have never seen the raping of a fruit salad like the ones I witnessed when the housekeeping team showed up in that cafeteria before anyone else had a shot at the fruit. Seven or eight Asian women engaged in battle with giant spoons, fighting to the death for some canteloup! While it could be highly entertaining, having to enter those fracases to try and get something healthy could be as dangerous for you as some of the entrees, so even though those entrees weren't great, they were still my and many others' choices more often than not. Eating that muck, I always wondered what would happen to the hotel workers' health and productivity if they were being offered and eating better, healthier fare every day. At least put out enough fruit so EVERYONE can have some!! All signs point to healthier diets equalling less sickness, time off, etc. Having made some changes to my diet and noting the way I feel, I have to think that management would see a change for the better.
My job. My body. My discipline. (...and my photography and writing when I get the chance). I'm in a MAJOR training daze right now! It's all hard work and some of it is tough to get through, but I'm already seeing the benefits in all areas. I'll be extremely happy when all the benefits add up to me making PROJECT: Briles 200 a success, but I'd be even happier if all the benefits add up to Evangeline Lilly making out with me... Any of you kids out there able to help make this happen???
P.S. I keep forgetting to put pictures up for progress tracking. Since I got a lot of comments it, I'll tack this one of my friend, Erica, and I on here. It's from a week and a half ago or so while Erica was visiting from out of town. My head is looking a little bigger, so I think that means my body's getting a little smaller... that's good news, right?
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| Is it just the pose? |
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