Noooooovember

I've sustained the discipline of writing every month this year so I can't exactly pike in November, even though I kind of want to because I have nothing to say.  Thankfully, Twitter and Facebook and photos and my calendar exist to tell me what I did, and for consistency's sake I will tell you.

Work: I used to think that November was a quiet month for work because recruitment would be done and that was exhausting. But November's *not* a quiet month.  This month I did no less than the following things:

• Did three file management trainings and converted 10 years worth of U:PASS records to official university files (job is still continuing in December)
• Attended a coaching for performance workshop (really good)
• Attended the UTS teaching and learning forum (between 10-4pm only)
• Did senior leader interviews
• Helped with the conversion of UTS Blackboard to another provider (this project will take several years)
• Coached 2 leaders with their conference presentation and conference workshop
• Finalised 9 volunteers for the conference
• Helped get together equipment needed for the conference including 3 laptops, 3 clickers, a stand and set it all up at the conference
• Ran a conference and trouble shooted when the student photographer failed to show 
• Attended a first year experience forum on CLARA
• Hosted 3 universities for a half day seminar at my office on U:PASS the day after the conference
• Attended the UTS strategy launch UTS 2027
• Attended an ESOS workshop
• Finalised the summer session schedule (20 subjects) and promoted out to all subjects starting in November

In terms of my health, I really feel like November was a month when I got a hold of my fatigue much more. I saw the Fatigue Clinic near RPA twice more and it was really, really helpful.  REALLY.  They helped me to understand pacing and also track my exercise and movement. I have another appointment just before Christmas and my goal by then is to not have another crash, which after last week is looking pretty good (cos, if it was going to happen, last week was BUSY).  Although I have a couple of super stressful things in December - the VC's thank you and the CLARA workshop - I'm trying to be disciplined and not push. They talked about setting 80% of effort doing things. This is hard for me. I only have two speeds, like a ferret. ON and OFF. So I'm trying hard to rest. Which is an oxymoron, right? (Googles oxymoron...)

I have been swimming twice a week regularly since mid-September and mostly only doing 1km, particularly after the exercise physiologist said not to push as hard as I was.  But then in my last appointment he said I could increase to 30min, which at the moment is about 1.3km-1.4km, aiming for an average heart rate of about 130-140bpm.  And in November I hit 60km for the year.

Maybe I'll get to the gym when I'm on holidays from Christmas!! Maybe.  It would be a good time to try because I'll have time to recover if it wipes me out too much.  Will see what the physiologist says at the next appointment. 

Other than work and health, I've had a little bit of socialising this month, which is nice. The best one is that my friend Christine has invited me to have dinner with them each week - it's so fun and not too tiring because I only stay for about 1.5 hours.  And Christine is a great cook and a dear person!  We were watching the clouds this week! I also had a catch up with Annelies, Bronwyn, Nana and even went to the ladies dessert night for a short time. I even made it to the movies on Sunday last week for the first time this year with my neighbour (another) Bronwen to see Bohemian Rhapsody which I thought celebrated Queen without glorifying the seedy elements of Freddie's life. 

And of course, this month I said goodbye to my best friend. It's probably good that he's gone. I am not wondering when; it's happened now. But gee I miss him. He was such good company. And such a darling

. It's hardest at home. Of course, the scallywags (Fred and George) are very entertaining, but they're excitable and not particularly affectionate. Poppy is still resisting making friends with them, but hopefully that will change.  Some day. 

And that's November.