ShanHale.com

I got a doctor’s note and convinced my employer to let me have a stand-up desk. I’ve had low back pain for as long as I can remember, and I’ve read a lot about the benefits of standing while working, so I wanted to give it a try. One doctor’s note later, and I got myself a stand up desk to coincide with my department’s move to a new floor.

So, it’s been about a week, and my back feels great. My feet, on the other hand, want to shrivel up and die. They’re killing me. I got gel insoles. I got a note from my doctor to wear ‘special shoes.’ The special shoes were intended to be my Vibram Five Finger Classics, which I was already busted for wearing at work (dress code violation, apparently). HR vetoed my Doctor’s note for special shoes, saying I can’t just wear whatever shoes I want; but that’s a whole other matter that I won’t get into here. They also want me to have a note to get a stool that’s the appropriate height for the stand-up desk. I would assume a chair would come with a desk, but I guess not. It’s bordering on harassment if you ask me, but like I said, that’s a whole other story.

I am getting an anti-fatigue mat, and it should be here today. I hope that helps my feet. I really do.

Another side effect of standing up all day: I feel hungrier. I feel much hungrier when I get home, and lunch doesn’t seem to sustain me for as long as it used to.

Eventually, I’d like to work up to using a resistance band to do a little strength training while I stand all day. We’ll see how things go.

My department is moving to a different part of the building.  Coinciding with the move, I am getting a stand-up desk. I’ve had low back pain for a long time, and I’ve often thought that I’d rather be able to stand for most of the day than to sit all day long. So, we’ll see how it goes. I’m concerned that the first few weeks are going to be tough.

I wonder if I’ll need an anti-fatigue floor mat or something. I was toying with the idea of getting a wobble board to help build some core strength and balance while I’m working. I’ve seen those stand-up desks attached to a treadmill and I really like that idea.  I wish I could get one of those.

I’m also going from two windows to none, and from a unique nook-like area to a traditional cubicle-like area, although I did get them to expand my cubicle to 11 feet x 7 feet, so that’s not too bad.

I have a new website. It’s Shanhale.com. It’s going to be more geared towards personal branding/freelance/professional stuff. I’m keeping this website around, and I’ll post more personal stuff here. I might also start selling things through this site if I can find the time and/or ambition to actually do that.  I want to, really I do.

Here’s a picture of my yard (courtesy of Google Street View).

As you can see I have a treacherous slope in the front yard. It’s actually more dangerous in person. We finally got around to our first attempt at lawn mowing yesterday. We pulled the lawnmower out of the shed and, of course, it wouldn’t start. Our neighbor (who’s lawn is immaculate) came over, offered us a spark plug and even offered to let us borrow his push mower. I think he’s a little anxious for us to get on the ball with the lawn care.

Personally, I don’t have the time, ambition or know-how for fixing a loud, smelly, gas engine powered lawnmower. So, I had John drive me out to Home Depot where I could buy an old fashioned reel mower:

So, I think I like it. John did the majority of the mowing, I did the hill. It’s definitely safer and lighter on the hill than the cuts-off-your-leg-if-you’re-not-careful gas mower. We let the grass get a little too long, though, and that’s a problem. It won’t really cut anything over 5 inches tall. Also, the smallest little stick gets stuck in it and stops it completely. John thinks we should get the gas mower serviced so we can use it everywhere except on the hill. I think that’s a good idea, but I just don’t feel like I have the time or the ambition.

What I’d really like to do is turn the hill into some sort of super-low maintenance garden that doesn’t require mowing, doesn’t look like crap, and won’t cost an arm and a leg. Anyone have any ideas? Did I mention that it’s almost impossible to dig on the hill because of the huge trees? Yeah, it is.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my landscaping woes.