I had my annual review* this week and decided to choose time off instead of a monetary bonus for my individual performance award (the monetary bonus = what you’d get paid for the time off).

I thought about this decision for a while, compared to my usual “go with your gut” decision making process. I just booked our Europe trip and it was $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, and the holidays are coming up and I’ll be spending money on gifts. And in December I start to get 4 more hours of leave a month (which equates to 5.33~ more days off a year).

BUT! I saved for that Europe trip and have the money to pay it off. I can charge holiday gifts and pay them off before the charge is due. And even though I will start getting more leave this month, I have LOTS of ideas in my head for travel next year, and want the cushion to be able to take a day off to relax when we get back if I want. And I want to take random days and chunks of time of here and there. Right now I get 17.33 days off a year + federal holidays + every other Friday (+ separate sick leave that always rolls over). Next year I should have 23.11 days + 4.88 days + federal holidays + every other Friday = about 10.66 extra days.

Woo hoo!

Really I’m just coming here to say I am getting PUMPED about 2024. And I hope talking about it now doesn’t jinx it! Eek! Here’s my tentative travel list:

January: nada
February: Atlanta Olympic Marathon Trials?, [location unplanned] Trip with Tiff & Val
March: NC (to see Caitlin & Joe)
April: Europe – the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium (the only trip that is planned and paid for)
May: Denver, CO (see Val/run Marathon)
June: Vail, CO (see Val & Steve)
July: Guttenberg, Iowa River & RAGBRAI (hopefully with Tiff and Val and their fams!), 40th Birthday Trip #2
August: Guttenberg, Iowa Abel Island Fly-In (Steven will have his certificate and we can actually rent a plane and fly in!!!)
September: nada
October: Girls’ Trip with Christina & Ella
November: nada
December: nada

Christina and Ella and I did not repeat our girls’ trip this year (in 2022 we went to LA). We intended to go to a new location, then life got too busy for all of us (especially Ella), so we talked about making it biennial. We just picked a weekend for next year, yay!

*I’m always surprised when I score high in the Leadership category and my supervisor calls me a natural proactive leader *insert face holding back tears emoji* I’m NEVER surprised when I score “successful” (and not higher) in the analysis category. I HATE analyzing things. But, uh, I better get better at it since it’s part of my job. 


Pretty much unrelated (also, TW: body size and weight), I was getting ready to delete all of the October 2022 photos off my computer (I keep photos on my computer for a year then remove them – they’re all backed up in two locations) and I opened up one and saw this photo of me, Ella, and Christina on October 30th last year.

First of all, Ella you are two cute with that silly face. Second, my snis looks gorg, and third, just wow. My face. I look so much bigger than I do now:

That’s the three of us on October 16th this year.

It’s odd. When I’m overweight like I am in the first photo I never feel upset with myself. I try to buy clothes that fit and do the best I can. Sure, I knew I was overweight and not taking care of myself at all, but… it didn’t bug me every day. I didn’t hate on myself. I accepted me. I wasn’t upset when I saw photos of myself. I thought that was a cute photo of us three at the time.

But now? Now I look at it and don’t even see the same person! Which feels odd to me, like… why didn’t you notice the difference then, Kim? I suppose because I wasn’t looking at photos of myself at a smaller size, because that would make me feel crappy.

Ha! That reminds me of someone who used to often send me photos of myself at a much smaller size and it did always make me feel like sh*t.

So I guess I was avoiding seeing it.

In the same vein that I don’t notice it as much on myself unless I compare photos, I don’t really notice weight loss/gain on other people either (unless it’s drastic, I guess?).

People notice it on me though. I get lots of comments on my public Instagram account on it when I post my weekly hiding reels, which feature my body each day of the year. The comments are all very nice and no one has gotten weird, which I appreciate. Everyone is encouraging and cheering me on. And I have said a few times over there that I am focusing on my health this year, so it’s not a secret.

I suppose I am just surprised people notice since I don’t tend to notice on others.

Oh! Then there was one person who said “Stop losing weight! You’re going to disappear. Seriously, I am getting nervous 💙 “. Ha. My snis left the best comment, which I screenshot for prosperity (and am glad I did because they deleted their comment):

Anyone who knows Kim knows that she does things the correct way. Nothing about her health journey should be alarming you, and she is very proud of the progress she’s worked so hard for, as are those who support and love her. This comment is not helpful, and discounts all her efforts. 👎

You probably won’t see this, but I love you snis!

Gosh, this post went down a long rambly path. Thanks for coming along for the ride!