Mind Over Migraine

Today, I have an appointment with a new neurologist at Dartmouth. Since my longtime provider at the Headache Clinic moved away, it’s been a bit of a revolving door—they’ve had a hard time finding someone permanent to fill her role. This will be the fourth provider I’ve seen since she left, and while I’m keeping an open mind, it’s hard not to feel a little weary of having to start over again with someone new. That said, there’s a bit of reassurance going in: my primary doctor actually knows this new neurologist personally. They’ve worked together in the past within the same hospital network, and he told me he thinks I’ll like him. I’m holding onto that hope.

This visit is especially important because my migraines have been getting worse over the past few weeks. The Botox injections I receive every few months have worn off, and I can feel the familiar pressure building again. I’m heading back to Dartmouth on Wednesday for my next round of injections, and I’m hoping they bring some relief before things get even more intense.

On a brighter note, I found out that my trainer will still be working with me for two more weeks! He’s transitioning into his new position as assistant manager, but because of some onboarding delays, I get a little more time with him. I’m really glad—our sessions have been such a steady and motivating part of my week, and I’m not quite ready to give them up.

So, here’s to new beginnings (again), to holding out hope for a bit of relief, and to small silver linings where we can find them.

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Wishing you all a good week—full of strength, support, and maybe a little less pain.

One Last Rep

Today marks a bittersweet milestone: my last one-on-one workout with my trainer. Over the past weeks, he's been a fantastic motivator, guide, and friend as I've navigated this fitness journey. He's taught me so much—not just about exercise routines and proper form but also about determination, consistency, and pushing past my own limits.

When he told me on Monday that this week would be emotional, I understood exactly what he meant. It's clear how much he loves training and helping people achieve their goals. Sadly, Planet Fitness doesn't compensate their trainers enough, prompting him to seek a promotion into management. I fully support his decision—he deserves recognition and reward for his hard work—but I'll genuinely miss our regular sessions.

Fortunately, this isn't a total farewell. He'll still be around as an assistant manager, offering advice, answering questions, and checking in on my progress. He's even promised to write up a personalized plan summarizing what we've done so far and outlining how I should continue. It's comforting to know I'll have that guidance moving forward. I'm genuinely motivated to continue my workouts and keep improving my health and fitness.

And let's be honest, I'll definitely enjoy seeing him around the gym still—his cute little butt and the perfect way he fills out those sweatpants are perks I won't easily forget!

Here's wishing everyone a wonderful weekend filled with smiles and relaxation. Keep moving forward, and remember: every step counts!

Monday Again

Here we are again—Monday. Somehow it always manages to arrive faster than we expect, doesn’t it?

This morning began the usual way: me standing in front of my closet, staring blankly at the hanging shirts like they might whisper the answer to “What should I wear today?” I finally settled on something practical—comfort matters when you’re spending most of the day alone in the office. Yes, alone. The joy of summer at a university museum means most folks are off on vacation, faculty are scattered to the winds, and students are few and far between. It’s quiet, still, and honestly… kind of blissful. There’s something peaceful about being the only one here. No meetings. No interruptions. Just me and the hum of the air conditioning.

Of course, with summer also comes the slow trickle of tasks. There’s not much to prep, no classes and not many programs to plan, and the daily to-do list is shorter than usual. I can’t say I’m complaining, but it does leave a lot of room for reflection—and daydreaming.

One of those daydreams involves my fitness routine. Today marks the next-to-last session with my trainer, and I’m already thinking about what comes next. Do I keep going in the afternoons, even though I know I’ll be tired from work? (Let’s be honest—not having much to do can sometimes be more exhausting than being busy.) It’s easy to talk myself out of going when I’m dragging by the end of the day. That said, I’ve genuinely enjoyed working out, even if it’s just a 20–30 minute walk on the treadmill. I haven’t quite worked up the courage to use the machines on my own yet, but that’ll need to change next week. Or maybe… maybe I try becoming one of those people who works out before work. I used to do that—twenty years ago—when I had college classes later in the day instead of a full-time job. I’ve always admired folks with the discipline to exercise before the sun’s fully up. Could that be me? We’ll see. I’ve got one more session to decide if I’m ready to trade evenings for early mornings.

Wherever you are this Monday—whether you’re easing into the week or sprinting out of the gate—I hope your weekend brought you some rest, some joy, or at least a good story to tell. Here’s hoping this week treats you kindly, and that you find a few quiet moments of your own, even if you’re not alone in an office.

Stay cool and take care.

Disappointed

When I went for my workout yesterday, I found out that my trainer, who I was really enjoying working with (and not just because he was cute), got a promotion and will be the assistant manager and no longer be able to train. He said he'd always be there to answer questions, but he couldn't do the actually training anymore. Friday will likely be my last day training with him. I don't know if they will get another trainer anytime soon, but I hope if they do, he's just as good. I am happy for his promotion, I just hate that he can't train me anymore.

I'm also a bit disappointed because I have to go to work today. I still have Friday off to use up the last of my vacation, but I have to go in today. I'll be the only one there, so it won't be bad. This time of year, we are lucky if one person comes into the museum. Usually if someone comes in, they are either taking a shortcut to the library or on an admissions tour.

Anyway, here is your Isabella pic of the week. The first was taken from outside, the other obviously from inside. She becomes obsessed this time of year with the robins. She doesn't care anything about any other birds or wildlife, just the robins, which is what she was looking at through the window.

Not Hating This Monday Morning

Monday mornings usually have a reputation, and let’s be honest—they’ve earned it. The alarm goes off too early, my morning cup of tea never seems strong enough, and I’m just not feeling any motivation. But this Monday? This Monday, I’m not hating at all.

For once, I don’t have to go into work today. I had to switch my off day from Wednesday to Monday this week because I’ve got an event at the museum in the middle of the week. So today, while most of the world is fighting off the Monday blues and rushing off to jobs, meetings, and traffic jams, I’m enjoying the rare pleasure of a quiet morning, guilt-free.

I slept in a bit—not too late, just enough to feel indulgent, but late enough to piss off Isabella. The weather outside is behaving, it’s supposed to be a beautiful sunny day with a high of 71 degrees. My tea tastes like it actually wants to be helpful, and I’ve got absolutely nothing on my to-do list until my appointment with my trainer at 3 pm. That’s right, I’ll be spending my afternoon getting stronger, one rep at a time (with a little side motivation—Neo is easy on the eyes).

There’s something surprisingly luxurious about having a day off when the rest of the world doesn’t. It feels like I’ve been let in on a secret, or like I’m skipping school with permission. It’s not a vacation exactly—but it is a breath. And maybe that’s what I needed more than anything today: a pause, a stretch, a reset.

So, for now, I’m going to enjoy this Monday for the anomaly it is—quiet, slow, and entirely mine. I hope wherever you are, you can find a little space for that too.

TGIF

I have been trying to figure out something to write about today, but all I can come up with is that I am so glad it's Friday. I have a four day weekend (I had to switch my vacation day from Wednesday to Monday, which I prefer anyway). I have no plans this weekend. It's supposed to be very rainy here today and tomorrow; however, I do have to get out and run some errands this morning. I have an appointment to get my yearly Covid vaccination, and I have an appointment with Neo to begin my workout routine today.

Have a great Weekend Everyone!

Training Incentives

My recent health scare—especially the concern about potential liver damage—has given me the push I needed to commit to exercising more regularly. I feel like I have to take action now, especially since the earliest appointment I could get with a gastroenterologist isn’t until November. With that in mind, I joined my local Planet Fitness. Yesterday was my first visit, and I met with a trainer (we’ll call him Neo—not his real name, of course).

Beyond improving my health, I’ll admit I now have an extra bit of motivation to work out: Neo himself. He’s not the guy in the photo above, but the body type is remarkably similar. He’s cute, sweet, and seems genuinely interested in helping me get into shape (which, of course, is his job—but still). I’d been nervous that working with a trainer might feel intimidating, but Neo immediately put me at ease. During our first meeting, we talked about my health, my prior experience working out, and my fitness goals. We didn’t dive into a workout just yet, though I did spend some time on the treadmill. Our first real training session is scheduled for Friday, when we’ll begin developing my personalized fitness program.

Originally, I’d planned to work out before work, three to four times a week—around 6 a.m. However, now that I’ll be training with Neo, that plan needs adjusting. He doesn’t start until 10 a.m., and while I know I could go alone before work, the truth is I'm not sure I'd stick to it. I know myself well enough to recognize that after-work sessions, at least for now, will be more realistic—especially if I have a scheduled appointment. Once I commit to someone else, the thought of canceling (or worse, skipping entirely) would eat me alive with guilt.

Once I get comfortable with my workout routine, I can transition to morning workouts on my own and keep occasional training sessions with Neo either during the day or after work to stay motivated and ensure I’m making progress.

And I can't forget the Isabella pic of the week. This is her, "You need to go to bed" face (similar to her "You need to get up and feed me" face):

I opened my eyes this morning to see her face a few inches from mine staring at me. It's a little disconcerting when you wake up and open your eyes to be met with total blackness.

Hiking

I went for a hike yesterday. There are hiking trails in a nearby town forest that I enjoy going to. Rarely is anyone around, and it’s nice to just be alone in nature. I hiked up to a small waterfall and just sat on a rock and listened to the water running over the rocks and the birds singing around me. It was peaceful, and I needed peaceful, if only for a little while.

I’m back at work today. I’m not really looking forward to it. I have a school group coming, and I hope they’ll enjoy what I have planned for them. I haven’t been at work much lately taking some much needed vacation time, so I may not be as prepared as I usually would be. However, this isn’t the type of thing that takes a lot of preparation.

Exercise

I’m trying to get back into the routine of exercising again. I joined Planet Fitness and have been going with a coworker of mine. It’s so much more helpful/motivational when you have someone to go with you. So far we have just been doing the elliptical and treadmill. I’m not in very good shape and my workout partner had a foot injury and has not been able to exercise much in the last few months, so we are starting out slowly. Each time we are working out more and more. I need to start eating better and working out more. I’ve got to get my weight down to something more manageable.

The Picture Says It All

My new gym doesn't have locker rooms, but I wish it did.

Treadmill

I went to the gym Friday. It wasn't too crowded, and I look forward to going back. No one was to be found to ask about a trainer, but I will get to that. I just walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes and worked up a good sweat. I went back yesterday and did the same thing although there weren't very many people there on a Sunday afternoon. I'm really enjoying this and plan to go back after work today.

Gym

I've needed to get in better shape for a while now. In the last few months I've gained weight, enough that my clothes don't fit as well anymore. So I decided to do something about it. I joined a gym. Joining was step one. Step two is actually going. Because my membership card has not come yet, I can only get in between 10 am and 6 pm, which means I can't go tonight after work because I have to work late. My boss and I are taking a sort of field trip to check out two other museums in the state. We likely won't get back before 6 pm. Therefore, my plan is to go after I get off work Friday.