A quick update.

So, the redoubled effort is not exactly doubled. Perhaps I should call it more of a mild push against further backsliding.

I'm still trying to get in more fruits and veggies, and even succeeding some days (today, for example, I definitely made my five servings quota). This is one of the things that I think has been a more positive change since I started about a month ago. Although I'm certainly not eating all the veggies all the time, I'm getting better. And I'm managing to contact my parents more often and definitely have been taking better care of my skin---especially in making sure I put sunscreen on in the morning.

One very exciting thing that happened is that I got to visit my great aunt this last week. My aunt is about 90, still living on her own with relatively minimal help---she can't do her own shopping, as she can no longer drive, but she still takes care of her house and her yard (two of her great joys). She lives far from the rest of the family, and so we don't get to see her very often. She now has a terminal illness, which we suspect will take her from us in the next year or so. It was therefore immensely good to see her; in many ways, I am much closer to her than I was to any of my grandparents. My mother and uncle also visited. A very beautiful few days to spend with family. I cross my fingers that I get to see her again. I only regret that I haven't put aside the time and money to be with her more often.

I often wonder if people ever regret spending time and money to be with loved ones---or only not having done so. I love the idea of a career (and I usually love my work), but at the same time... what we give up.