Stress

[alarimer]

I hate it. Sunday nights are the worst because I dread going to work in the morning. Especially this week when tomorrow I will likely not be home until after 10 pm. But I won't know for sure until tomorrow. Plus I have an op-ed piece due for my Coastal Zone Management class thursday. It is on beach trash and I just can't write 800 on beach trash (and I am talking actual garbage, not human trash LOL). I have maybe 500 words so far. It may actually be enough.
Plus I am discouraged about my thesis proposal. 5 years in grad school and I have not yet submitted it. I turn in draft after draft and it is never good enough. I am beginning to wonder if I am cut out for this grad school business. 36 year old Part-time student with a fulltime job. I don't recommend it. I should have never dropped out of grad school the first time. But it was the same issue- I couldn't come up with a topic, so I left, all but thesis.
I got on the scale at the gym today and was up another pound (the whole purpose of going to the gym is to LOSE weight, not to gain it). Sigh. I suppose I shouldn't get too stressed out about my weight when I have so many other things to stress about but if I am to date at all I need to look better I guess. Although part of me doesn't really give a rat's ass. What happens usually is that if I meet someone online and send them my photo (or meet them in person) I typically never hear from them again. And these are guys who claim not to be shallow!! I don't go out much otherwise because I would rather stay home and watch movies than hang out in some club, hoping to meet someone. I am not exactly outgoing either so talking to other people I don't know is a trial.
Now I am going to sit on my porch and drink a beer or three!

[tjdee]

1. There is no reason to work five days a week.

That's total bull--if anything, it should be a work four/off three situation. And my job is a lot higher stress than it used to be (for other people, which trickles down to me)....I hate Sunday nights.

At least you didn't flunk out of grad school (by getting two whole Cs!) like I did, so there's that...I was working/in school too, plus I had a little kid. That sucked.

But when you get your degree it will have been worth it--I worked like a pig and have nothing to show. :nopity:

Anyway, I understand the stress. Go and have those beers!

[shesemsmom]

2. Don't stress over the weight. Muscle weighs more than fat. As long as

your clothes fit better that is all that truly matters

[BrklynLiberal]

3. First of all, stop getting on the scale..Muscle weighs more than fat..That

is the very first thing I was told when I started going to the gym. Go by how you feel and how your clothes fit. Aim to feel better, not necessarily to look better.
Coastal Trash. I live on the Atlantic Coast, NYC. What impresses me about Coastal Trash is how much more of it you see in the winter than in the summer. I have lived right on the ocean for almost 30 years and have never gone into the ocean. When I first moved here, I used to see starfish on the beach. I have not seen one in 25 years. They say that is because the water is so dirty.
I walk my dogs on the beach, so I see what is on the beach all winter when they don't clean it up. In the summer, they hire all these people to clean up the beach, so all the people can go swimming. YUK! I would not set foot in that water after having seen what washes up during the rest of the year.
I have heard that the water is getting cleaner. I know people who fish out there, and even eat what they catch, but I wouldn't do that on a bet.
The most interesting part of beach trash is when something from an old ship washes up. Most of what washes up, I don't even want to know how it got into the water.

[alarimer]

5. I learned that 80% of beach trash is from land

A lot of it washes down strom drains because people don't pick up after themselves. So my take on the op-ed is that we need to be more responsible: reduce, reuse, recycle. Some of it is trash dumped off ships or boats (which is supposed to be illegal- not that there is anyone to enforce it). I suspect that there is more in the winter because there tends to be more wave action or stronger currents.

As for the gym, I know I shouldn't step on the scale but I do anyway because I guess I am a masochist at heart. But still I have been working out for about 5 years and nothing has really changed. I am stronger, I do have more muscle but weight-wise nothing has changed at all. I did find out that my previous workout was inefficient so I changed it to where I life weights (upper and lower) three times a week, I am on the treadmill or elliptical 4-5 days a week. I am just a little discouraged right now. I suspect that my diet isn't the best. I eat when I am stressed. And beer does not help LOL But right now I don't care that much. So I will try to cut out junk food and beer and just try to eat more fruit/ vegetables. But no drastic changes- I wouldn't stick with it.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. I agree with everything you said about the beach trash.

As to the gym, while you may not be seeing many changes, I would bet that your heart health, body fat index, cholesterol, etc are better for the exercise.
I think extreme changes are not a good idea. And more fruits and vegetable are a good idea. As for the beer, I have a friend who calls it liquid bread and avoids it at all costs. Guess you could try a lite beer if you want...
Good luck..Stick with it. I think you are doing the right thing..both by going to school, and by going to the gym. Exercising your mind and your body are both excellent.

[alarimer]

8. I am trying- I was just having a bad day yesterday

Like many people I tend to overindulge in things that are not good for me (beer, chocolate- though not at the same time)when I am under stress. I don't know a solution for that really.

[marions ghost]

4. we are under more and more stress

I am convinced it's not a good thing. Has bearing on a lot of illnesses. It would be good if DU had a stress reduction group I suppose...or maybe that's the Lounge.

[graywarrior]

7. Talk about stress!!!

I work full time and go to school. My brother is missing, my sister is Born Again and dissing me, my job sucks and school is nothing but homework that I really need to concentrate on.

I have a doctor appointment next week due to stomach pain..probbly an ulcer. I've lost 10 pounds in the past 2 weeks due to stress.

On top of all that, my Maine Coon is terrorizing me. He kicks the shit out of paper towel rolls, attacks me from behind, and never shuts up.

I can't imagine being in grad school. I'd be living on valium frappes.

[SarahB]

9. Stress is my middle name.

Yet somehow I always seem to manage to take it and eat it for breakfast. I'm so tired of people asking me, "How are you going to do this?" and "How are you going to do that?" BECAUSE I AM, F*CKWIT!

As for guys online, they like my photo online, but reality is something else all together. Men never want to approach me unless they're sleaze-balls it seems. :(