24: Ask San Anything Vol. 10

photo credit: @happpyal via Unsplash

I am answering more random questions from my readers today, because it’s fun. (If you have more random questions, hit the link in the sidebar! —> )

From Stephany:
Have you considered getting a non-government job due to all the upheaval this year?

If I am perfectly honest; not really. I feel like I’ve made a decision to stick it out early on and I am still trying to do that, for various reasons. 

This question honestly begs for its own blog post. There is so much to unpack here. I have done a lot of thinking over the last 10+ months (but haven’t really arrived at an answer other than to stay put for now, to be honest). There are a lot of things now that are really annoying (more so than before). I also feel that I’ve been “overlooked” for promotions and/or taken for granted (or both), which has been very frustrating. 

But, I am also a creature of habit. I like my actual job. Am I happy with all aspects of it? No. But I also don’t know where else to go. I’ve been here my whole career and have some niche skills (although I also have tons of skills that could be applied elsewhere and I am not afraid to learn something new). However, I really don’t want to start over with health insurance, annual leave, sick leave, etc. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am right now and for the perks/benefits that I have as a federal employee. 

What is your idea of a perfect day?

I am waffling between sleeping in and getting an early morning run in (I’d like to do both!). No, but I think I am going to go with an early morning run with a beautiful sunrise. It’s really a great start to any day. When I return, I’d like to reward myself with a big cup of coffee and a hot shower. Then Jon hopefully is up for going to brunch a little later. 

There is no work (obviously, although I do enjoy my job) and, because we’re talking hypotheticals here, I would want to spend the rest of the day with family and or friends (most of them live to far away for it to be a realistic option most days), but quality time with people that I love is HIGH on my list for a perfect day. Maybe we’d go for a nice hike together, or we just hang out in the backyard and have a BBQ. I’d probably end the day with a good book.

Who is your favorite character of Friends?

Oh, very hard question. I am assuming you mean of the six main characters? I honestly like them all for the individual quirks, and they just jive so well together. They all make me laugh for different reasons. If I had to pick one, I would probably go with Rachel. I just love Jennifer Aniston (in general) and think she’s just so hilariously self-deprecating in Friends.

This question reminds me: I have to finish my “The Friends Apartments” LEGO Set :)

From Anthea:
How do you keep your fitness motivation levels constant all year round?

(I apologize, Anthea, for not answering this sooner. That was one of the stragglers I found in my spreadsheet that had fallen through the proverbial cracks. I hope you’re still interested in the answer.)

To be completely honest, my motivation level fluctuates, just like for everyone else, lest you get the idea that I have unlocked a secret that nobody else knows about. I know that if you look at my weekly workout recaps, it might look like I never fall off the bandwagon… but believe me when I say that I can easily tell when I was motivated and when I was just winging it. 

I think the difference might be that I am generally a pretty disciplined person and discipline takes over when motivation soars and wanes. I just don’t give myself an exit route. I commit to do at least one thing every day (it can be as little as 10 minutes of meditation or as much as a weekend of PeloFondo, where I bike for hours!) and I find that often times it’s about getting started. Once I started doing something for 10 minutes, I often add more time later.

The challenges and trackers that I sign up for also help. I am a little type A, so I really strive for little rewards (like checking classes off a list) and I also like to be part of a team (like the Power Zone Challenges or Team Wilpers Run Challenges), where I know that I am “expected” to fulfill my workout schedule every week. I plan the workouts ahead and then just simply stick to my plan. I rarely make exceptions.

Who’s your favorite Friends character? Do you have a problem staying motivated?

I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2025 Happy writing!