Sleeping on the Couch

Now that my apartment is fitted out with furniture I am taking full advantage of every piece. Although I borrowed my friend Leah's air mattress, for Marlene and Mandeep's visit, I am sleeping on the couch. Now this may sound like I've been pushed out of my own bed, but no, it is rather that I've generously given it up to the mother-to-be.

The unexpected benefit of sleeping on my non-pull-out-super-long-couch, is that I am actually sleeping better than in my own bed. How can this be? Over the past year I have developed a shoulder injury and the physical therapist and I have deducted that it may be how I sleep on my side. The couch doesn't allow me to sleep on the injured shoulder and the result is that I'm not tossing and turning all night. Now, how to replicate this healthier sleeping style when I get my bed back?

Daily Roses

Hisun shared with me a wonderful tradition that the Obama family practices each night at the dinner table. They each share a Rose and a Thorn - something that went well in their day and something that was challenging. Hisun and I have narrowed this down to just Roses.

Sometimes we share these over dinner and other times by phone before bed. Now I've made it a habit to do this for myself as the last thoughts before going to sleep, after turning out the lights. It is such a nice way to go back over the day and look at all the moments that worked really well. Sometimes these are challenges that I have overcome and often they are meaningful interactions with friends, family, clients and even strangers. This is such a positive way to float into slumber.

Here are some Roses from today - in order of occurrence:

• Sharing email correspondence about photography inspirations with my friend Irfan
  
• Emailing my doctors and thanking them for their good care over the year and letting them know that, regretfully, I will no longer be in their care as I switch insurance carriers (thankfully, for better insurance.)
• Receiving good wish emails back from my doctors.
• Meeting with my friend Margo do discuss strategic planning goals for her organization in the coming year - and knowing that I helped ease her mind, clear some of the chaos and be a good friend a colleague who her values her good work.
• Riding my bike to and from the meeting with Margo
• Saying goodbye to my neighbor who is moving to a new job in LA
  
• Speaking with my best peep Simone in Cambridge by Skype
  
• Receiving a lovely email from Hisun about our friendship and talking by phone about our NYE plans - feeling complete in ourselves
• Sharing deep secrets and dreams with my sister Marlene by phone
  
• Finishing the book Lost in Translation
• Staying calm in financial crises
• Speaking with my friend Bob in Houston about my career goals - he's offered to be my coach
  
• Feeling comfortable having phone conversations - something that has been difficult for me
• Enjoying my new electric blanket, maybe a bit too much
• Making a pot of decaf chai in my coffee making and drinking it all up.

Wow, that's a lot of roses!

Starting School Tomorrow

Tomorrow's the big day, starting school again! I keep wondering if everyone is going to have a laptop to take notes. Will I be old school with pen and paper. Will I need a laptop for my Data Analysis for Managers class since the textbook has Excel in the title?

More important - I look forward to unlocking the possibilities of Excel and using it in my work.

How am I ever going to sleep tonight? So exciting! Do you think my classmates will be concerned if I take photos of the class and post them on the blog? I am a blogging fanatic.