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Wins this Month

There have been a lot of frustrating things that have happened this month, so let's just focus on the positive.

  • Career:
    • I've been offered a project coordination role with UW-Madison. Finally, someone who actually sees my potential in project management
    • Regardless of if I take the position, I was able to negotiate my first salary and successfully. It was really hairy there for a moment, but they came back and offered me $5,000 over their original offer, which I was not expecting. The fact that they were offering me a starting at $55K in the first place really threw me off, but compromising with me at $60K knocked me on the floor. Seriously. I've never negotiated before, so this was a double win. AND the salary range started at $42,000, according to what Briony saw online. Holy crap.
    • I made another great connection in the experience design industry - my coworker's brother
  • Retirement:
    • I saw my last pay stub today and didn't even realize that apparently I have added almost $4,000 to my WRS fund since I started this job. That's $4,000 in 7.5 months! I've only had that measly $2,000 in it from when I worked at UWM, and I've been worried that I'd never get enough to meet that $5,000 minimum to collect my money from it. But heyo! I'm set now!
  • Health:
    • I met my (very high) deductible for the year, so I can get cheap or free doctor's appointments for the next 2 months
    • I got a cortisone shot, which seems to have helped quit a bit in my left shoulder. I'm hoping it will do the trick so I don't need to pursue more serious avenues
    • Generally, I've been getting better in both shoulders, thought still not perfect. Compared to where I was at, though, I'm leaps and bounds better
    • Pole:
      • I went to my first pole class since I injured myself almost 3 months ago. It's the first upper body exercise I've done since then. I was really afraid of how awful I'd become, but surprisingly, I was okay! 
      • In some ways, I had lost a LOOOT of strength. I couldn't sit up from a layback anymore for some reason, for example. I was so high off the ground, I legitimately started panicking because I didn't know how I was going to get down. I ended up in a brass monkey, which I didn't even realize I could do, so that was a win. But my shoulder mounts have suffered the worst, which is extra sad because they were my favorite. :(
      • In other ways, I seemed to have gotten better...? I got into my true grip Ayesha and was able to hold it there for... forever, probably. I went into a pencil and just stayed there. I ended up coming down simply because I was bored. I seriously couldn't believe it! I guess adding extra reps to my PT really made a difference! I was also able to get the furthest I've ever gotten in my sideways deadlift handspring. I was actually able to turn and start lifting. Wow wow wow!

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