Listening to Sheryl Crowe's song, a change would do you good, I had an epiphany.Past two months have been an emotional and physical whirlwind. My room looks like a nuclear bunker, I'm literally living one day at a time, not knowing what's coming up next, and trying to take up as much sleeping time as possible and still being drowsy all the time. My neck hurts all the time, so does my left feet, and I'm always dizzy, cranky and confused. And I haven't lost a single pound in a month.
So, beginning of July, right around my finals, I decided that it was time for change. I set up a small month-long project. I called it Project Cold Turkey.
Project Cold Turkey, or PCT had four manifestos:
1. I will give up two things that are very important to me
2. I will do two new things that would normally embarass me
3. I will spend more time offline than online
4. I will take a few days of holiday and reduce my stress.
So, here's the report card on this.
Goal 1. Lose some baggage. I chose DVD movies and dinners out as the two things I will give up. The result was mixed. I haven't bought a single DVD this month, and only caught 20 minutes of Transformers at Wahid's place one afternoon. But my television consumption has gone up, particular mon-thu (Psych, Prison break and Ugly Betty, with sporadic combo of 30 rock and My name is Earl). First 15 days, I cut down dinners significantly, because it was finals. But I've been to our favorite japanese place thrice (all in same week), had korean food twice, and been out about 10 more days on cheaper options. I think, in retrospect, I was being too hard on myself, and am taking back the dinner. Moratorium on movies stays.
Goal 2. Do new things. I managed to do one explicit thing, went up to someone I got introduced to 5 minutes prior, and recommended someone for his team. It was opportunistic, but I am glad I did. And no, he didn't hire the person I recommended. The other thing is more cerebral, I wore my shoes without socks for one afternoon. Last time I did that, it was 1992. I don't think I will continue this.
Goal 3. Offline. vs. Online. Successful in one aspect, I kept my phone off (counts if off for more than six hours of waking period) about 12 days out of 30. Miserable failure on another aspect. Thanks to facebook, I'm now logging in at midnight to see if any of my friends updated their current situation, or added new friends, or wrote on my wall. Next month's goal will certainly address facebook. But I did email people less this month, thanks to the exams.
Goal 4. Holidays. I took 3 days off, 18th, 19th and 29th. On 18th (Sara's 1st b'day), I stayed home in front of the TV for half a day, listened to my mother going about her daily routine around the house, decided at 2pm that it was more stressful to be at home, and decided to go out. On 19th, I went to my friend's office during the day, and then came to my office at 5pm to take care of a small thing, and ended up at the office for 3 hours. And on 29th, I helped someone out all day, so it wasn't much of a vacation. I think next time, I'll have to leave town to get some rest.
So, some wasn't bad, some didn't work, and some needs more thinking. Kinda usual.
Now what should I aim for August?
