So, I was away from my jobs for the week of the winter break as my daughter was home from high school and I wanted to just hang out, clean the house and get life organized. The week itself was wildly successful: there was not one nook or cranny, one cabinet or drawer, that did not get gone through and neatened. (O.K., I did not wash the floor beneath the armoire. It did get vacuumed though.) Then, Monday, it was back to work. While I am really fortunate to have jobs that work around my life's needs, with odd schedules and all that, sometimes they clash. Having them clash upon my return from vacation has been a bit of a downer. It's almost worse than not having vacation time. However, I work for really great people, so we can make sure to plan differently in the future and thereby make it a lot easier on all of us next time.
Now that I'm half way through the week, though, things are working themselves out. Whew!
Today, I went on a seal watch with my home schooling son's oceanography class. I learned all kinds of things I had never known about harbor seals! I walked through Newport in the bright sun on a cold winter day and spent time on the water. It was terrific! Did you know that harbor seals are about 5' long/tall as female adults and 6' for adult males? Did you know that their mother's milk is 60% fat, and that seal pups stay with their mothers for only six weeks after birth? Seals eat jellyfish, squid and other small fish. They are solitary animals despite appearing to love basking together on rocks. Mostly, they tolerate one another as they are not "group" mammals. Plastic shopping bags are particularly hazardous to seals as when they are in the water, they appear to be jellyfish they way they "float." When the seal swallows the bag, their stomach fills. Marine rescue cannot do anything to save these animals, who beach themselves when they stop eating, lose strength and don't have the energy to function in the sea.
A great way to reduce this risk for seals, and other animals on land and in the sea, is to use paper or (better yet) fabric bags. If you have to use plastic for some reason, just tie the bag into knots so it is "safe" even if it makes its way into the ocean. Of course, the "not using" option is best!
Where am I with my 2011 goals now? Well, let's see: I obviously spent time with my son today. I started reading Susan Faludi's Backlash. I am astounded by what I'm reading so far. I've done yoga, strength training and run on my elliptical. So far, so good!
Have you set any goals? What are the plans you have that support them?
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