yesterday, i had one of those days where i wanted to have my own car, the yellowpages to find someone to repair my leaking cooking gas hose, and a taste of winter to cool me down from the tropical heat.
the key to getting over that hump of what i suppose could be described by some as culture shock, was to have a serious in-the-bed nap and go for a run once the heat of the day had passed.
part of my frustration comes from the fact that although i have a few small projects that i am working on (including writing up a research report that is taking me far too long, but i am enjoying), i am beginning to get slightly stir crazy and need to have something that is mine, that i can accomplish, and that will show that i did something during my time in liberia. it is a bit of a challenge in a city like monrovia, where you often have to do a little digging to figure out how to do more than go to the regular expat haunts and hang out by the pool or beach and the easiest way to go about this would be to find a short term consultancy so that i can have evidence of living in liberia on my cv (because we all know a person's value is based entirely on their cv in some circles...).
but then i am reminded that soon enough, i will have a job and i will too busy to sip my coffee into the morning hours while watching episodes of tv shows i usually don't have time for or reading book after book sitting poolside. ups and downs, pros and cons, are always there, their content just shifts with time and location.
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sunday, March 20, 2011
what a weekend
with weekends like the past two i have had in calgary, i could be convinced never to leave the city.
my weekend started a little early with a shopping trip that ended with new sweaters, a dress i can wear to a stampede festivity this july, tights that remind me eerily of my figure skating days, new fashionable belts, a few little things for my future niece, and a feather for my hair.
i got to try out the new kol3 in kensington for vietnamese crepes and iced coffees with a good friend i met through my current job. and we followed it up with a cold beer at molly malone's to continue our conversation about all things relationships, career directions, house shopping, women's rights, office gossip... not sure that we solved the world's problems, but we certainly had a great time catching up.
saturday morning was chillier than i had hoped, with spring shyly poking its head around the corner this past week, so after running back into my house to add a layer, i headed out for a lovely morning run. even though there was some pesky ice on the pathways, i had a great run paired with non-stop chatting with a dear friend facing some pretty daunting challenges at the moment. more listening than talking on my part, but that was just fine.
i headed out to my neighbourhood pub on saturday evening with a new chum from work to see a local band play. the band was pretty medium, but the company and laughs were pretty awesome. getting a taxi home at the end of the night when the snow started falling, not so awesome.
and today, a day of phone calls and catching up with friends far away and family nearby was followed by some comfort cooking. after stirring and stirring and adding and adding liquid, i created a most delicious risotto paired with homemade pesto that i whipped up in my food processor (without cutting my finger this time). i needed some time in the kitchen to relax and forget momentarily about the state of the world, which was weighing heavily on my shoulders after following the stories of cote d'ivoire, japan, libya, yemen, bahrain, and haiti on twitter and the news this past week. sometimes having a constant stream of information can work against your sanity and sense of contentment and if there is a silver lining in this cloud it is that i am getting better at recognising when that is happening to me so i can take a step back. and that is what i did tonight with fantastic results and a lot of leftovers!
the need for distance and perspective is at the heart of my intentions in giving up impatience for lent. it has been a good practice thus far and i have not only recognised when i begin to get antsy or worrisome about my future, but have reminded myself not to allow that anxiety to creep in and that if i really want to worry, i can do it in a few short weeks. reshaping my thinking around my future and how i can get so anxious about it has also helped me appreciate what i do have. the grass might be greener for me elsewhere, but it is pretty damn green where i am right now as well. and having a weekend full of pretty wonderful friends is part of that.
my weekend started a little early with a shopping trip that ended with new sweaters, a dress i can wear to a stampede festivity this july, tights that remind me eerily of my figure skating days, new fashionable belts, a few little things for my future niece, and a feather for my hair.
i got to try out the new kol3 in kensington for vietnamese crepes and iced coffees with a good friend i met through my current job. and we followed it up with a cold beer at molly malone's to continue our conversation about all things relationships, career directions, house shopping, women's rights, office gossip... not sure that we solved the world's problems, but we certainly had a great time catching up.
saturday morning was chillier than i had hoped, with spring shyly poking its head around the corner this past week, so after running back into my house to add a layer, i headed out for a lovely morning run. even though there was some pesky ice on the pathways, i had a great run paired with non-stop chatting with a dear friend facing some pretty daunting challenges at the moment. more listening than talking on my part, but that was just fine.
i headed out to my neighbourhood pub on saturday evening with a new chum from work to see a local band play. the band was pretty medium, but the company and laughs were pretty awesome. getting a taxi home at the end of the night when the snow started falling, not so awesome.
and today, a day of phone calls and catching up with friends far away and family nearby was followed by some comfort cooking. after stirring and stirring and adding and adding liquid, i created a most delicious risotto paired with homemade pesto that i whipped up in my food processor (without cutting my finger this time). i needed some time in the kitchen to relax and forget momentarily about the state of the world, which was weighing heavily on my shoulders after following the stories of cote d'ivoire, japan, libya, yemen, bahrain, and haiti on twitter and the news this past week. sometimes having a constant stream of information can work against your sanity and sense of contentment and if there is a silver lining in this cloud it is that i am getting better at recognising when that is happening to me so i can take a step back. and that is what i did tonight with fantastic results and a lot of leftovers!
the need for distance and perspective is at the heart of my intentions in giving up impatience for lent. it has been a good practice thus far and i have not only recognised when i begin to get antsy or worrisome about my future, but have reminded myself not to allow that anxiety to creep in and that if i really want to worry, i can do it in a few short weeks. reshaping my thinking around my future and how i can get so anxious about it has also helped me appreciate what i do have. the grass might be greener for me elsewhere, but it is pretty damn green where i am right now as well. and having a weekend full of pretty wonderful friends is part of that.
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
29 + 12 = 30!
i made it! survived 2010, a sometimes trying year, and my 29th year. i warmly welcomed my 3rd decade with a wonderful birthday with deliveries of flowers and cupcakes, hilarious ecards, wonderful presents, and well wishes from across canada and the united states, ireland, georgia, kenya, south africa, the philippines, australia, the uk, italy, thailand, mexico, bermuda, africa's newest country of south sudan, japan, france, and afghanistan!
and here is how my 9 for 29 goals shaped up (or, in a few cases, shipped out!):
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. this last month of 29 has left me feeling content and calm, not normally my modus operandi, and at peace with my future. part of that has come from knowing i get to go to new york next week for more un speak and potential career connections. i certainly have had some down days, but overall, i feel as though i am entering my 30s in a much more solid place in terms of anxiety and stronger than recent years in my 20s. exciting and reassuring. but as i have said all year, this battle might be won, but there will be a constant war against anxiety in my world.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special occasions. i can't really remember the motivation behind setting this goal, but i feel as though i managed ok. i am not sure that i improved much on previous years, but i maintained my thoughtfulness and tried to observe special events and occasions of those around me.
interestingly, i find this much more difficult now that there are so many ways to communicate with your friends, family, and acquaintances and more places to store information. i used to have 1 daytimer and a phone that received calls. now i carry a blackberry, an iphone, AND a daytimer and i need to streamline this whole system so that i know when people's birthdays are without having to rely on facebook to tell me.
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. this year, i got to visit a friend in vietnam, my dad on vancouver island twice, and many friends and near-family in south africa. i had intended on doing more travelling within north america, but the cost and timing didn't work out during 29. i STILL have washington dc and chicago on my travel list and am hoping to get to at least one of those in the coming year. i will get to see some old friends from my nairobi days while i am in new york next week and that should be lovely.
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. remember what i said last month? yes, that 2011 will be the Year of Direction! i hadn't done a lot of work to get to the bottom of this goal in the last year. i did a lot of thinking and a lot of worrying and even a little daydreaming over the past year, but not a lot of the work that i think will be necessary to help me to get to where i want to be. or figure out where i want to be. that might be a better place to start.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. the nest egg is there. but it is more like a robin's egg when i wish it was an ostrich egg. i think that as long as i stay in calgary, this will be moved higher on my list of priorities. as life planning goes, this is one of those elements that needs to be there so that i can do whatever it is that i want to do (once i figure that bit out...).
i am not bad with money per se, i am just still unsure of how much money i should be spending on my house, on entertainment, on food, on travelling, on savings, on investments...
but i have a new(ish) friend who is a financial planner and i might hit him up for some advice or business once i am back from new york.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. i don't know what has happened to me over the past few weeks, but i have been a human garbage can, eating cheeseburgers, chips, pizza, chocolate, and ever other bad thing within my reach. i am not normally a compulsive eater, but i can't seem to stop once i get started (typically in the evenings) and nothing satisfied me.
i hadn't been cooking, but i am back on that train and have brought out the slow cooker and my newest addition to my kitchen, a kichenaid food processor (that did nick my finger during its installation on my counter resulting in a lot of blood).
throughout the year, i fluctuated between eating really regular and healthy meals to forgetting to eat until 4pm or munching on crap late into the night. this will likely always be the case, but man does it feel gross if my eating habits are not in order (like now).
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. there were some weeks there in the fall that i could have slept for hours and hours and right through the morning, but lately i have been getting by on less sleep and that is probably a good thing. mostly because i have actually been getting out of bed when my alarm goes off and waking up relatively rested and ready for the day.
part of what makes it easier not to sleep and sleep and sleep is not being on any anti-anxiety medication, which makes me rather sleepy (although i do still miss the technicolour dreams) and being busy, which means that i don't have the option of hitting snooze (well, more than twice) and have to get my arse out of my bed.
one thing that i do notice is that if i haven't started the week with sufficient sleep, i play catch up all week and never feel as though i am well rested until friday night where i am useless and just want to put pyjamas on and sit beside the fireplace.
8 - maintain my priorities. perhaps one of the challenges of this goal was that i never officially stated my priorities, but i do think i made sure that when i was becoming overwhelmed with one job or the other, that i took a step back and did something for myself. one area that i feel as though i should've made a stronger effort to prioritise was physical fitness and running. after my half marathon training ended last spring, i ran a little bit here and a little bit there, but without any specific goals or program. i like the fact that after a few weeks without running, i can hammer out a 10km run without much difficulty, but i know i need to replace running (or something physical) back in my list of priorities moving forward.
9 - keep asking for what i want. i did a really good job of this during 29. when i wanted something, i asked for it. most often, i got what i asked for, and the times that i didn't didn't turn out so bad either. i am heading to new york next week because i asked for something and i have already asked a few people there to meet with me to explore opportunities and chat about life in new york.
i started my 30th year with a job offer in my inbox (but sadly, i do not speak the francaise, which i really should get back on one of these days...) an even though that wasn't a suitable post for me, i do feel as though that once i figure out what i want, i will certainly be asking for it!
***
i am not sure if i will draft goals for my 30th year. if i do, i want them to be more specific so that i can use them to stay on track rather than recap what i have been up to and see if it fits. i think goals are important, but i do thin that to make them effective and useful, i really should spend quality time unpacking what it is that i want and how that would translate into goals for the coming year.
work in progress, i tell ya!
and here is how my 9 for 29 goals shaped up (or, in a few cases, shipped out!):
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. this last month of 29 has left me feeling content and calm, not normally my modus operandi, and at peace with my future. part of that has come from knowing i get to go to new york next week for more un speak and potential career connections. i certainly have had some down days, but overall, i feel as though i am entering my 30s in a much more solid place in terms of anxiety and stronger than recent years in my 20s. exciting and reassuring. but as i have said all year, this battle might be won, but there will be a constant war against anxiety in my world.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special occasions. i can't really remember the motivation behind setting this goal, but i feel as though i managed ok. i am not sure that i improved much on previous years, but i maintained my thoughtfulness and tried to observe special events and occasions of those around me.
interestingly, i find this much more difficult now that there are so many ways to communicate with your friends, family, and acquaintances and more places to store information. i used to have 1 daytimer and a phone that received calls. now i carry a blackberry, an iphone, AND a daytimer and i need to streamline this whole system so that i know when people's birthdays are without having to rely on facebook to tell me.
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. this year, i got to visit a friend in vietnam, my dad on vancouver island twice, and many friends and near-family in south africa. i had intended on doing more travelling within north america, but the cost and timing didn't work out during 29. i STILL have washington dc and chicago on my travel list and am hoping to get to at least one of those in the coming year. i will get to see some old friends from my nairobi days while i am in new york next week and that should be lovely.
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. remember what i said last month? yes, that 2011 will be the Year of Direction! i hadn't done a lot of work to get to the bottom of this goal in the last year. i did a lot of thinking and a lot of worrying and even a little daydreaming over the past year, but not a lot of the work that i think will be necessary to help me to get to where i want to be. or figure out where i want to be. that might be a better place to start.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. the nest egg is there. but it is more like a robin's egg when i wish it was an ostrich egg. i think that as long as i stay in calgary, this will be moved higher on my list of priorities. as life planning goes, this is one of those elements that needs to be there so that i can do whatever it is that i want to do (once i figure that bit out...).
i am not bad with money per se, i am just still unsure of how much money i should be spending on my house, on entertainment, on food, on travelling, on savings, on investments...
but i have a new(ish) friend who is a financial planner and i might hit him up for some advice or business once i am back from new york.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. i don't know what has happened to me over the past few weeks, but i have been a human garbage can, eating cheeseburgers, chips, pizza, chocolate, and ever other bad thing within my reach. i am not normally a compulsive eater, but i can't seem to stop once i get started (typically in the evenings) and nothing satisfied me.
i hadn't been cooking, but i am back on that train and have brought out the slow cooker and my newest addition to my kitchen, a kichenaid food processor (that did nick my finger during its installation on my counter resulting in a lot of blood).
throughout the year, i fluctuated between eating really regular and healthy meals to forgetting to eat until 4pm or munching on crap late into the night. this will likely always be the case, but man does it feel gross if my eating habits are not in order (like now).
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. there were some weeks there in the fall that i could have slept for hours and hours and right through the morning, but lately i have been getting by on less sleep and that is probably a good thing. mostly because i have actually been getting out of bed when my alarm goes off and waking up relatively rested and ready for the day.
part of what makes it easier not to sleep and sleep and sleep is not being on any anti-anxiety medication, which makes me rather sleepy (although i do still miss the technicolour dreams) and being busy, which means that i don't have the option of hitting snooze (well, more than twice) and have to get my arse out of my bed.
one thing that i do notice is that if i haven't started the week with sufficient sleep, i play catch up all week and never feel as though i am well rested until friday night where i am useless and just want to put pyjamas on and sit beside the fireplace.
8 - maintain my priorities. perhaps one of the challenges of this goal was that i never officially stated my priorities, but i do think i made sure that when i was becoming overwhelmed with one job or the other, that i took a step back and did something for myself. one area that i feel as though i should've made a stronger effort to prioritise was physical fitness and running. after my half marathon training ended last spring, i ran a little bit here and a little bit there, but without any specific goals or program. i like the fact that after a few weeks without running, i can hammer out a 10km run without much difficulty, but i know i need to replace running (or something physical) back in my list of priorities moving forward.
9 - keep asking for what i want. i did a really good job of this during 29. when i wanted something, i asked for it. most often, i got what i asked for, and the times that i didn't didn't turn out so bad either. i am heading to new york next week because i asked for something and i have already asked a few people there to meet with me to explore opportunities and chat about life in new york.
i started my 30th year with a job offer in my inbox (but sadly, i do not speak the francaise, which i really should get back on one of these days...) an even though that wasn't a suitable post for me, i do feel as though that once i figure out what i want, i will certainly be asking for it!
***
i am not sure if i will draft goals for my 30th year. if i do, i want them to be more specific so that i can use them to stay on track rather than recap what i have been up to and see if it fits. i think goals are important, but i do thin that to make them effective and useful, i really should spend quality time unpacking what it is that i want and how that would translate into goals for the coming year.
work in progress, i tell ya!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
lonesome?
things i have done alone:
- eaten in a restaurant
- visited museums
- seen a movie
- sipped coffees in cafes
- travelled on trains, planes, buses, and in cars
- ran some runs
- moved to new cities
- rode my bike
- travelled to new cities and countries on vacation
things i have not done alone:
- hiked
- gone out dancing
- attended a live music show
Friday, August 06, 2010
cleaning house, literally and figuratively
it is time to get organised!
i have hired a housekeeper and have forgiven myself for not being able to stay on top of my housework and given myself permission to contract that part of my life to a professional. but (but!), i will now have to stay on top of keeping things tidy and do a deep clean before she arrives in a week's time. but this is much needed and overdue.
in other organisational news, i am still learning the ins and outs of my new mac book pro and how to best manage my photos and files and this thing is really is a wonder, but i am still learning and find myself wishing there was a right click button as well as page up and page down buttons.
although it is not entirely linked to organisation, i am right this very moment using my slow cooker to make beef stew for the first time. and i must say, cutting up the raw beef and browning it in a frying pan was completely manageable! and i am certain i will not poison anyone if they choose to sample my stew, which is sure to be delicious. but are you supposed to lift the lid on a slow cooker? i can't seem to find the willpower to just leave it and want to keep checking on it, but maybe this defeats the purpose of the slow cooker?
any hints on how to get the campfire smell out of clothes? i have already washed them on the highest setting on my washer and with extra soap, but they still stink and they are my running clothes so i don't very well want to be stinking up the pathways or smelling smoke as i run my buns up a hill.
and i have placed my amazon.ca order for the cape town lonely planet book and you know what that means - trip planning is about to begin! i love planning a trip and this should keep me busy for the next few weeks before departing to rsa in october.
and next up - a weekend of running errands and getting my life back in some semblance of order!
i have hired a housekeeper and have forgiven myself for not being able to stay on top of my housework and given myself permission to contract that part of my life to a professional. but (but!), i will now have to stay on top of keeping things tidy and do a deep clean before she arrives in a week's time. but this is much needed and overdue.
in other organisational news, i am still learning the ins and outs of my new mac book pro and how to best manage my photos and files and this thing is really is a wonder, but i am still learning and find myself wishing there was a right click button as well as page up and page down buttons.
although it is not entirely linked to organisation, i am right this very moment using my slow cooker to make beef stew for the first time. and i must say, cutting up the raw beef and browning it in a frying pan was completely manageable! and i am certain i will not poison anyone if they choose to sample my stew, which is sure to be delicious. but are you supposed to lift the lid on a slow cooker? i can't seem to find the willpower to just leave it and want to keep checking on it, but maybe this defeats the purpose of the slow cooker?
any hints on how to get the campfire smell out of clothes? i have already washed them on the highest setting on my washer and with extra soap, but they still stink and they are my running clothes so i don't very well want to be stinking up the pathways or smelling smoke as i run my buns up a hill.
and i have placed my amazon.ca order for the cape town lonely planet book and you know what that means - trip planning is about to begin! i love planning a trip and this should keep me busy for the next few weeks before departing to rsa in october.
and next up - a weekend of running errands and getting my life back in some semblance of order!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
inflamed, not fractured
i spent 4 hours in the urgent care clinic yesterday and, after a kind visit from a friend who works near the clinic and utilising the wireless in the waiting area to get some work done, i finally had my foot x rayed to see if i had a stress fracture. and the good news is that my bones are in one piece. the bad news is that they suspect i have plantar fasciitis.
and when i googled it, the phrase 'very painful condition' came up often, great... but it makes sense because i was hobbling around this past weekend and hadn't experienced pain that affected my mobility so drastically. call it a learning (and humbling) experience.
and even though i am not thrilled about having an inflamed plantar fascia, i was happy to hear that i did have something wrong with me because then i felt like i wasn't wasting the time of the doctors, nurses, and emergency room staff and i was impressed with how quickly i was able to get x rays taken and read and a diagnosis made. and it made me think that if this had gone down in the us there would be a substantial bill to pay and i might have opted against x rays because i do not have health insurance from my employer at the moment, which would mean i would have had to cancel my hike for fear of exacerbating a fracture. scary.
my next steps are to rest my foot this week, make an appointment to see a podiatrist, and wear my birkenstocks (thank god for birkenstocks!).
have you had this or know someone who has suffered from plantar fasciitis? any tips on what to do or not do to decrease the inflammation? or prevent it in the future? or how to complete a 4 day hike without pain next week??
ouch. and eek.
and when i googled it, the phrase 'very painful condition' came up often, great... but it makes sense because i was hobbling around this past weekend and hadn't experienced pain that affected my mobility so drastically. call it a learning (and humbling) experience.
and even though i am not thrilled about having an inflamed plantar fascia, i was happy to hear that i did have something wrong with me because then i felt like i wasn't wasting the time of the doctors, nurses, and emergency room staff and i was impressed with how quickly i was able to get x rays taken and read and a diagnosis made. and it made me think that if this had gone down in the us there would be a substantial bill to pay and i might have opted against x rays because i do not have health insurance from my employer at the moment, which would mean i would have had to cancel my hike for fear of exacerbating a fracture. scary.
my next steps are to rest my foot this week, make an appointment to see a podiatrist, and wear my birkenstocks (thank god for birkenstocks!).
have you had this or know someone who has suffered from plantar fasciitis? any tips on what to do or not do to decrease the inflammation? or prevent it in the future? or how to complete a 4 day hike without pain next week??
ouch. and eek.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
sunday evening
normally, i detest sunday evenings. call it a case of the sundays, but lately the thought of having to face another week while hanging out at home alone watching pvr'ed tv has made me cringe.
but this evening, i am feeling quite content with my weekend after a rather lame week. a solid 7km run followed by drinks with an old friend on friday night accompanied by encouragement to go to law school. breakfast and great chats on saturday morning and then my posse and i hauled ourselves to the nashville north tent at the stampede where i lasted until the wee hours and only left when my feet were too sore for anymore dancing. then a sunday morning hike with a lovely lady and an afternoon with tours of my mom's garden and a vietnamese sub (because i have no food in my house!).
my wobbly moment continues, however, and i had to give myself permission to opt out of a work stampede party last friday without any guilt or remorse because i just was not in the mood to make merry and pretend that i was happy to be at a bar. there is not one thing i wish i could change and if there was, i would be working my arse off to change it.
i have yet to hear back about my most perfect job and part of me just wants to the universe to show me where i need to be and what i should be doing.
but in the meantime, i continue to prepare for my hiking adventure and that means soaking my poor cowboy boot feet tonight and finding time to get my buns back up those stairs, hopefully this time without stopping. menu planning, airport pickups, and a little mountain equipment co-op shopping and i should be ready to go. it is nice to have something to look forward to!
but this evening, i am feeling quite content with my weekend after a rather lame week. a solid 7km run followed by drinks with an old friend on friday night accompanied by encouragement to go to law school. breakfast and great chats on saturday morning and then my posse and i hauled ourselves to the nashville north tent at the stampede where i lasted until the wee hours and only left when my feet were too sore for anymore dancing. then a sunday morning hike with a lovely lady and an afternoon with tours of my mom's garden and a vietnamese sub (because i have no food in my house!).
my wobbly moment continues, however, and i had to give myself permission to opt out of a work stampede party last friday without any guilt or remorse because i just was not in the mood to make merry and pretend that i was happy to be at a bar. there is not one thing i wish i could change and if there was, i would be working my arse off to change it.
i have yet to hear back about my most perfect job and part of me just wants to the universe to show me where i need to be and what i should be doing.
but in the meantime, i continue to prepare for my hiking adventure and that means soaking my poor cowboy boot feet tonight and finding time to get my buns back up those stairs, hopefully this time without stopping. menu planning, airport pickups, and a little mountain equipment co-op shopping and i should be ready to go. it is nice to have something to look forward to!
Monday, May 31, 2010
29 + 3 - what a month!
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. still kicking anxiety's arse. mostly through a lot of self talk, taming the crazy, and talking it out with good friends when i feel anxiety rearing its ugly head. and no more meds, yippee.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occasions. a found out a friend who was recently married was just broken into and they lost most of what they received at their wedding. i didn't know what to do, so i sent her some flowers. i realise this is as much about me as it was about her, but it made her day and it made me smile. i also sent a friend a book that i think he'd enjoy and to ease the sting of having to miss mama's day, i put a card in the post before i left. i'd say for one month, that was pretty good.
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. imagine me, sitting on a boat, alone, in the middle of halong bay in vietnam, sorting out my priorities and my 6 month plan. imagine me thinking to myself, 'no more international travel for 6 months because you must save money.' then imagine me getting home to an invitation to attend my friend's wedding in south africa in october!! i obviously had to say yes and then i had to follow that up with an affirmative answer when she asked me to be a bridesmaid! i am rather looking forward to it and although this is not exactly what i planned during my vietnamese goal setting session, it does allow me another chance to meet my goals for the year!
and i am heading to vancouver island this weekend for some sea kayaking, some wine drinking, and some family visiting, yay!
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. see #3 on the goal setting. part of why i wanted to stop travelling so much for the next 6 months is so that i could save my pennies in preparation to pursue international work in 2011. as i am keen to work on short term contracts on emergency response as a protection officer, i can't very well predict the next haiti or when darfur needs additional support in the protection department. i also don't know if anyone will want me (although they did want me in haiti last week... until they realised i don't speak french) so i need to built a nest egg to cover my regular expenses in case i do not find something as soon as i start looking.
my trip to south africa might change my timeline or i might just keep it the same and make a bigger crunch in my spending, we shall see.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. still failing. trips to vietnam and south africa are mostly getting in the way of this. and the fact that we are just coming out of tax season and corporate taxes are a pain in my behind and are denting my bank account.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. still not doing so well, but it is tough to stock your fridge with groceries when you are not in your nest for more than two weeks at a time! i am making healthier choices (except for that night last week where i had chocolate cake for dinner and that other night when i was still so hungover from the night before that i ordered pizza and was mildly ashamed that they now have my address on file).
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. napping is sort of my new hobby. it started with the jet lag, was prolonged with copious wine drinking, and is maintained with early, productive mornings. so it is not so bad and i am feeling rather rested when i am awake, it is just that my sleeping hours are a bit of a hot mess.
8 - maintain my priorities. as mentioned, my alone time in vietnam was great and so was the training i was on in thailand because it allowed me to step back from the life i am currently leading and evaluate a few things. namely, whether or not i am happy and content where i am, whether or not my jobs are fulfilling, and what i have to do now to set me up for success in my future endeavours.
the outcome of all this thinking was that i need to save money in the coming months and i need to continue plugging away in my current jobs to build a good foundation for future employment and my nest egg. i was also feeling as though i had lost my life/work balance in the weeks leading up to my trip to vietnam and it was a reminder that it is not the work itself that was creeping into my personal life, but the worries and frustrations. and these were mostly coming from my trafficking-related work. and volunteers. and managing the crazy people who want to start their own ngos. and the crazies who take the opportunity to yell at me during events. you can imagine that it became rather taxing on my patience.
i returned to calgary feeling refreshed and ready to jump into spring and summer with the intention of taking full advantage of my current location and spending time at the cabin, running, and getting out more. but the instant i turned on my work blackberry, i realised this would not be as easy as i imagined. and it hasn't been. i am largely back to juggling competing demands on my time and scheduling fun. it had better not all been for naught though and i will keep working to find that elusive balance between my friends, my family, my corporate job, my non-profit job, my health, my running, my neglected nest, etc.
9 - keep asking for what i want. there hasn't been anything i have asked for recently, perhaps i should change this!
unless, asking for help to do my trafficking job better by finding a dedicated volunteer to take on a portion of what i have been trying to stay on top of, but have let slip. doesn't sound like much, but it is for someone who isn't in the habit of asking for help in that type of stuff!
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occasions. a found out a friend who was recently married was just broken into and they lost most of what they received at their wedding. i didn't know what to do, so i sent her some flowers. i realise this is as much about me as it was about her, but it made her day and it made me smile. i also sent a friend a book that i think he'd enjoy and to ease the sting of having to miss mama's day, i put a card in the post before i left. i'd say for one month, that was pretty good.
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. imagine me, sitting on a boat, alone, in the middle of halong bay in vietnam, sorting out my priorities and my 6 month plan. imagine me thinking to myself, 'no more international travel for 6 months because you must save money.' then imagine me getting home to an invitation to attend my friend's wedding in south africa in october!! i obviously had to say yes and then i had to follow that up with an affirmative answer when she asked me to be a bridesmaid! i am rather looking forward to it and although this is not exactly what i planned during my vietnamese goal setting session, it does allow me another chance to meet my goals for the year!
and i am heading to vancouver island this weekend for some sea kayaking, some wine drinking, and some family visiting, yay!
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. see #3 on the goal setting. part of why i wanted to stop travelling so much for the next 6 months is so that i could save my pennies in preparation to pursue international work in 2011. as i am keen to work on short term contracts on emergency response as a protection officer, i can't very well predict the next haiti or when darfur needs additional support in the protection department. i also don't know if anyone will want me (although they did want me in haiti last week... until they realised i don't speak french) so i need to built a nest egg to cover my regular expenses in case i do not find something as soon as i start looking.
my trip to south africa might change my timeline or i might just keep it the same and make a bigger crunch in my spending, we shall see.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. still failing. trips to vietnam and south africa are mostly getting in the way of this. and the fact that we are just coming out of tax season and corporate taxes are a pain in my behind and are denting my bank account.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. still not doing so well, but it is tough to stock your fridge with groceries when you are not in your nest for more than two weeks at a time! i am making healthier choices (except for that night last week where i had chocolate cake for dinner and that other night when i was still so hungover from the night before that i ordered pizza and was mildly ashamed that they now have my address on file).
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. napping is sort of my new hobby. it started with the jet lag, was prolonged with copious wine drinking, and is maintained with early, productive mornings. so it is not so bad and i am feeling rather rested when i am awake, it is just that my sleeping hours are a bit of a hot mess.
8 - maintain my priorities. as mentioned, my alone time in vietnam was great and so was the training i was on in thailand because it allowed me to step back from the life i am currently leading and evaluate a few things. namely, whether or not i am happy and content where i am, whether or not my jobs are fulfilling, and what i have to do now to set me up for success in my future endeavours.
the outcome of all this thinking was that i need to save money in the coming months and i need to continue plugging away in my current jobs to build a good foundation for future employment and my nest egg. i was also feeling as though i had lost my life/work balance in the weeks leading up to my trip to vietnam and it was a reminder that it is not the work itself that was creeping into my personal life, but the worries and frustrations. and these were mostly coming from my trafficking-related work. and volunteers. and managing the crazy people who want to start their own ngos. and the crazies who take the opportunity to yell at me during events. you can imagine that it became rather taxing on my patience.
i returned to calgary feeling refreshed and ready to jump into spring and summer with the intention of taking full advantage of my current location and spending time at the cabin, running, and getting out more. but the instant i turned on my work blackberry, i realised this would not be as easy as i imagined. and it hasn't been. i am largely back to juggling competing demands on my time and scheduling fun. it had better not all been for naught though and i will keep working to find that elusive balance between my friends, my family, my corporate job, my non-profit job, my health, my running, my neglected nest, etc.
9 - keep asking for what i want. there hasn't been anything i have asked for recently, perhaps i should change this!
unless, asking for help to do my trafficking job better by finding a dedicated volunteer to take on a portion of what i have been trying to stay on top of, but have let slip. doesn't sound like much, but it is for someone who isn't in the habit of asking for help in that type of stuff!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
bullets kill in many ways, apparently
things i really like about the past week:
- sorting out my vietnamese visa (this might be a bit premature as i am hoping what i have tried will work)
- having 10 committed volunteers put on a flawless event to raise awareness about our organisation and human trafficking
- a 20km run
- time off last night to get a cheap and cheerful pedicure as i plan on wearing a lot of sandals very soon
- my herb garden sprouting 10 sprouts
- being interviewed by cbc radio
- the new plants & animals cd
- dinner and drinks with two girls that laugh at my jokes
- tim finally got voted off american idol. finally.
- ironing to destress
- a new white cardigan, which i call an INVESTMENT
- having a contact in pattaya AND the hotel i will be staying in in pattaya
- the verbal attack directed towards me by someone at the event who was clearly misinformed and out of turn (she later apologised and acknowledged we knew what we were doing)
- the 1 review of the event that personally attacked me (apparently i now have enemies) out of about 50
- meetings where people talked over one another
- other meetings that lacked leadership
- stubbing my toe really hard on my suitcase (which illicited fears that my 20km run was not going to happen due to a broken toe) and then whacking my elbow really hard on the corner of my wall (which just really hurt)
- arrogant people who affiliate themselves with international development causes and then act all high and mighty as if they know everything
- grenade attacks in bangkok that killed 3 people
- yesterday's work-related anxiety
- today's tax-related anxiety
- tomorrow's packing-related anxiety (ok, a bit premature here, but i know it is coming!)
Sunday, April 25, 2010
29 + 2
a few days early, but i wanted to reflect on the work to my goals for 2010 before i jet off again this weekend.
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. april has been a good month. a really busy month, but as far as anxiety is concerned, a good month. it probably helped that any anxiety felt was because i was utterly swamped with life and work and that type of stress can be overwhelming, but i have always had an easier time dealing with this type than anxiety coming from uncertainty, emotional turmoil, or the feelings i get when i feel stagnant.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occassions. i haven't done anything particularly effective in april towards this, but have plans to prepare thank you cards and give a good friend who just ran the boston marathon a card to congratulate her on that incredible accomplishment. this goal is most important and timely as i had 10 committed and hardworking volunteers who made the screening of call + response yesterday a success!
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. i am booked to visit my papa on vancouver island in june and in an unexpected twist of events, i will be meeting up with and appreciating the hospitality of a friend in vietnam. i had seriously considered a trip to chicago, but unfortunately, that will have to be put off for the time being as i don't know that i will still have a job if i don't show up for more than 2 consecutive weeks at a time!
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. nothing nailed down, but this course that i am going on in thailand will certainly open doors and help me solidify if i want to work in emergency situations again (i think i do) and i am really looking forward to meeting the other participants and the facilitators and learning from them and making more connections.
my day job is also gearing up lately and although it is not necessarily exactly what i would like to be doing in years to come, i continue to get more work and opportunities so i am happy to stick it out and have it pay the bills for a little while longer.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. failing. utterly failing. but should be meeting with my accountant to sort out my taxes before i leave the country again. but apparently, international travel is not cheap! but i promise to get on that nest egg as soon as i get back home. really, i mean it this time. this means no more shopping for dresses or eating out at delicious spots or pretty things for my nest. for awhile.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. i am getting better at this, especially because i have been cooking more often and then eating my leftovers (even for lunch a few times to save my pennies!) so i always have decent food at hand. i also have been more careful of what i eat the evening before big runs and immediately before a run. this past weekend i ran 20km and was absolutely starving by 16km though so i still have some more to learn about how to fuel my body properly.
and it pays to mention here that i loved the food in mexico, as i had expected after being away from the country for a few years. guacamole, pico de gallo, chilaquiles, machaca, oaxacan cheese!
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. it was great to sleep in mexico (although in a rather uncomfortable bed) and not have to get up to head to work or out for an early morning run. since i returned, however, i have been sleeping enough (well, barely), but not very restfully. i have been having dreams about what i have to do the next day and am having some anxiety in my sleep! not quite like dreaming in bollywood, is it?
8 - maintain my priorities. wow, this month gave me a run for my money in the priority department. sadly, i let my running go this past week as i gathered up all the stuff for the event yesterday and picked up deliveries from the bus station, and organised volunteers. in this same week, i had my car serviced, lost and found my wallet, attended the volunteer calgary awards (even though we did not win), baked my boss cookies for his birthday, went out for a lovely dinner at san remo (yum!), did an interview with the cbc, went for another dinner at una (yum!) and 3 bottles of wine with my girlfriends, and managed to tidy my nest and do a lot of laundry. it was a struggle, but i think i managed my time well and was careful not to make too many additional commitments over and above what i was capable of (apart from the cookies, that was excessive, but i need favours as i am taking time off again!)
i am hoping that i can have some more much needed downtime (i know, i know, i just got back from a week in mexico with my family...) in vietnam. oh, did i mention i am going to vietnam? well, i am! a little add-on vacation after my time in thailand, which i am very excited and a little nervous about.
9 - keep asking for what i want. i am going to thailand! to stay in a 5 star hotel! i was supposed to go to bangkok for the training that i mentioned last month, but they changed it to pattaya after the grenade attacks in bangkok last week. i was a little disappointed as i really like bangkok and was looking forward to doing some shopping in my favourite districts, but i will just have to explore a new city instead. one that just happens to be on the beach!
all of this came from applying to be included in this training, so i think that asking for what i want is paying off! i also had to ask for time off (although as i am a contractor, no one can really say no) and that wasn't much fun, but had to be done. next up, ask my volunteers to plan another kick ass event!
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. april has been a good month. a really busy month, but as far as anxiety is concerned, a good month. it probably helped that any anxiety felt was because i was utterly swamped with life and work and that type of stress can be overwhelming, but i have always had an easier time dealing with this type than anxiety coming from uncertainty, emotional turmoil, or the feelings i get when i feel stagnant.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occassions. i haven't done anything particularly effective in april towards this, but have plans to prepare thank you cards and give a good friend who just ran the boston marathon a card to congratulate her on that incredible accomplishment. this goal is most important and timely as i had 10 committed and hardworking volunteers who made the screening of call + response yesterday a success!
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. i am booked to visit my papa on vancouver island in june and in an unexpected twist of events, i will be meeting up with and appreciating the hospitality of a friend in vietnam. i had seriously considered a trip to chicago, but unfortunately, that will have to be put off for the time being as i don't know that i will still have a job if i don't show up for more than 2 consecutive weeks at a time!
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. nothing nailed down, but this course that i am going on in thailand will certainly open doors and help me solidify if i want to work in emergency situations again (i think i do) and i am really looking forward to meeting the other participants and the facilitators and learning from them and making more connections.
my day job is also gearing up lately and although it is not necessarily exactly what i would like to be doing in years to come, i continue to get more work and opportunities so i am happy to stick it out and have it pay the bills for a little while longer.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. failing. utterly failing. but should be meeting with my accountant to sort out my taxes before i leave the country again. but apparently, international travel is not cheap! but i promise to get on that nest egg as soon as i get back home. really, i mean it this time. this means no more shopping for dresses or eating out at delicious spots or pretty things for my nest. for awhile.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. i am getting better at this, especially because i have been cooking more often and then eating my leftovers (even for lunch a few times to save my pennies!) so i always have decent food at hand. i also have been more careful of what i eat the evening before big runs and immediately before a run. this past weekend i ran 20km and was absolutely starving by 16km though so i still have some more to learn about how to fuel my body properly.
and it pays to mention here that i loved the food in mexico, as i had expected after being away from the country for a few years. guacamole, pico de gallo, chilaquiles, machaca, oaxacan cheese!
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. it was great to sleep in mexico (although in a rather uncomfortable bed) and not have to get up to head to work or out for an early morning run. since i returned, however, i have been sleeping enough (well, barely), but not very restfully. i have been having dreams about what i have to do the next day and am having some anxiety in my sleep! not quite like dreaming in bollywood, is it?
8 - maintain my priorities. wow, this month gave me a run for my money in the priority department. sadly, i let my running go this past week as i gathered up all the stuff for the event yesterday and picked up deliveries from the bus station, and organised volunteers. in this same week, i had my car serviced, lost and found my wallet, attended the volunteer calgary awards (even though we did not win), baked my boss cookies for his birthday, went out for a lovely dinner at san remo (yum!), did an interview with the cbc, went for another dinner at una (yum!) and 3 bottles of wine with my girlfriends, and managed to tidy my nest and do a lot of laundry. it was a struggle, but i think i managed my time well and was careful not to make too many additional commitments over and above what i was capable of (apart from the cookies, that was excessive, but i need favours as i am taking time off again!)
i am hoping that i can have some more much needed downtime (i know, i know, i just got back from a week in mexico with my family...) in vietnam. oh, did i mention i am going to vietnam? well, i am! a little add-on vacation after my time in thailand, which i am very excited and a little nervous about.
9 - keep asking for what i want. i am going to thailand! to stay in a 5 star hotel! i was supposed to go to bangkok for the training that i mentioned last month, but they changed it to pattaya after the grenade attacks in bangkok last week. i was a little disappointed as i really like bangkok and was looking forward to doing some shopping in my favourite districts, but i will just have to explore a new city instead. one that just happens to be on the beach!
all of this came from applying to be included in this training, so i think that asking for what i want is paying off! i also had to ask for time off (although as i am a contractor, no one can really say no) and that wasn't much fun, but had to be done. next up, ask my volunteers to plan another kick ass event!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
what's my middle name?
how was mexico, you might ask?
it was fantastic! i have lots of great photos to post, which i will likely put on facebook, and a few hilarious stories to tell, but it seems that as soon as my plane touched down last saturday, i have been running at full tilt.
one of my pet peeves is when people talk about how busy they are. and i am as guilty of it as the next person. i also thought that my life would be able to slow down just a titch once i returned from mexico and this weekend's film screening is out of the way.
but no. oh, no, no, no.
then this training opportunity in thailand came up (which is still a big, old yay), i decided to go to vietnam after the training, and i have become some sort of 'right hand man' to my boss at my day job. i am not sure how any of this happened.
except the part where i thought, 'wait, i am going to be in thailand, which is ever-so-relatively-close to vietnam, where i have always wanted to go AND i have a friend living in northern vietnam right now. is that not sort of like a sign from the universe that i must go?' and i quickly answered my own rhetorical question by booking my return flight nearly 2 weeks after the conclusion of the training...
in the midst of finalising the details of this saturday's event, i am now up to my eyeballs in meetings with people from all over the company during the days, i am living in an absolutely pigsty because my house is a tip, and i have no idea a) how much i owe in taxes or b) how exactly to figure this out if my accountant doesn't return my phone calls.
but 2 of my herbs in my herb garden have sprouted! and even though the training location has had to be relocated outside of bangkok due to those protests, they assure me that the possible venues are 'very attractive' and i booked my first night's stay at bangkok airport in a hotel that has 24 hour massage facilities. and although i am sure they would hook me up with that kind of massage if i requested, i am sure i can get me a nice (and legitimate) rubdown in the middle of the night as i will be jetlagged and wide awake at 4am.
unfortunately, this trip will mean that i will miss the first of 2 half marathons that i am registered in and my fitness will certainly take a hit from not running for 2 weeks. but in exchange, i will receive an incredible networking opportunity, excellent training, a week in some swank hotel in a beach town, and then 10 days in vietnam. there will be other races.
it was fantastic! i have lots of great photos to post, which i will likely put on facebook, and a few hilarious stories to tell, but it seems that as soon as my plane touched down last saturday, i have been running at full tilt.
one of my pet peeves is when people talk about how busy they are. and i am as guilty of it as the next person. i also thought that my life would be able to slow down just a titch once i returned from mexico and this weekend's film screening is out of the way.
but no. oh, no, no, no.
then this training opportunity in thailand came up (which is still a big, old yay), i decided to go to vietnam after the training, and i have become some sort of 'right hand man' to my boss at my day job. i am not sure how any of this happened.
except the part where i thought, 'wait, i am going to be in thailand, which is ever-so-relatively-close to vietnam, where i have always wanted to go AND i have a friend living in northern vietnam right now. is that not sort of like a sign from the universe that i must go?' and i quickly answered my own rhetorical question by booking my return flight nearly 2 weeks after the conclusion of the training...
in the midst of finalising the details of this saturday's event, i am now up to my eyeballs in meetings with people from all over the company during the days, i am living in an absolutely pigsty because my house is a tip, and i have no idea a) how much i owe in taxes or b) how exactly to figure this out if my accountant doesn't return my phone calls.
but 2 of my herbs in my herb garden have sprouted! and even though the training location has had to be relocated outside of bangkok due to those protests, they assure me that the possible venues are 'very attractive' and i booked my first night's stay at bangkok airport in a hotel that has 24 hour massage facilities. and although i am sure they would hook me up with that kind of massage if i requested, i am sure i can get me a nice (and legitimate) rubdown in the middle of the night as i will be jetlagged and wide awake at 4am.
unfortunately, this trip will mean that i will miss the first of 2 half marathons that i am registered in and my fitness will certainly take a hit from not running for 2 weeks. but in exchange, i will receive an incredible networking opportunity, excellent training, a week in some swank hotel in a beach town, and then 10 days in vietnam. there will be other races.
Monday, March 29, 2010
29 + 2
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. after a challenging month in february, i managed to do quite well in march on the anxiety front. not much new to report apart from learning more about how to manage anxiety medicinally and risks involved in doing so. i also learned that my life will likely never slow down to a pace where there is not something i won't be even just slightly anxious about, and god help me if it did. i like being busy, i don't like being overwhelmed. ebbs and flows. such is life.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occassions. i wanted to find a most meaningful and thoughtful gift for the wedding that i went to last weekend, but i ended up with a gift card, which did not meet either of my criteria. but i have recently ordered a book online to give to a friend who i know will enjoy it and i have another little something waiting in my home office to be popped into the post. slow and steady will win this race.
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. my trip to visit my dad on vancouver island is all but booked and in that short hop over to bc i am also hoping to see a cousin. i am making headway into plans to visit dc this summer, but that will also depend on others' schedules. i have a standing invitation to visit israel that i could possibly take up, but for now, i am going to focus a little closer to home. or at least stick to my own continent.
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. as i mentioned here yesterday, i have been a networking machine lately and the nice thing about being so busy this past week (so much so that i didn't know my own middle name) was that i also didn't have to time to wonder, 'what next?' or 'what if?' or 'when?' and just got stuff done. my thoughts are that the stuff i have completed recently is enough to keep me content where i am.
i could use a little more motivation in my day job, but whenever i have meetings with my bosses they seem completely content and satisified with my work so instead of caring if i am performing up to my own standards, i should just stop worrying or caring and concentrate on making progress in other parts of my life that could lead to more focused jobs in the future. maybe.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. red light and parking tickets are really not helping my cause here. dieter and i need to be a little more careful on the road. i am going to mexico in two weeks' time with my family and i am thrilled that the price tag will be more than worth the fun and time we will have. but other than that, i am trying to save my pennies for tax season. then i will get myself properly sorted in the saving/investing/general finances zones.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. i was running around the city last week and in doing so, ate a lot of crap. delicious, but unhealthy food. i have next to nothing in my fridge or pantry at home so the first step to addressing this current situation will be to go grocery shopping tonight and plan a menu for the coming days.
i also need to stop eating the Sausage, Egg & Cheese on English Muffin from Starbucks and any of the Manuel Latruwe croissants served at Phil & Sebastian...
this is becoming increasingly important as i am preparing to run a half marathon in early may and am playing around with my pre and post running meals and snacks. so far, eating at least an hour before i run and eating something packed with energy seems to be getting me through with a few little pick-me-ups of some sort of processed gooey energy bites. i am still confused as to what i should eat after a run though, some people say something packed with protein, others say something packed with carbs. i generally just need to put something, anything in my mouth and then follow it with a latte.
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. i sleep when i need to. this sometimes includes napping. in my napping outfit (just take off your pants and voila! napping outfit). it also includes sleeping in when i have been out drinking tequila at weddings. or getting up early when i need to get into my office for an early morning meeting. still doing well. but still not regular at all.
8 - maintain my priorities. i was tested in this regard recently. and i came out on top. or so i think. i have had a lot of responsibilities lately and the only thing that i felt i really dropped in the process was my punctuality and organisation as i was late for something that i swore started later than it did.
through my recent scheduling madness, i kept up my running, i kept up my socialising with my friends, and i kept up the communication with my family. i took a step back from my day job with intention and judged where my time and energies were best spent before making any changes or decisions. like i said, i think i did ok with this over the past month and i am hopeful that i have set myself up for some success in the coming months because of it.
9 - keep asking for what i want. well, i haven't had to ask for things that i want lately. but that could possibly be that i am not sure what it is that i want. i am really good at asking when i do know that i want something (like a week long training provided by noraid in bangkok coming up in may that i am waiting to hear back on), but i am less inclined to give something to universe and ask for what i want that way. lack of confidence to hand over control, i suppose. but i have held on to my power without fail in 29 so there is something to be said for that.
wow, that was sort of a cryptic recap, sorry about that. hope it is interesting reading, even if you have to do it between the lines.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occassions. i wanted to find a most meaningful and thoughtful gift for the wedding that i went to last weekend, but i ended up with a gift card, which did not meet either of my criteria. but i have recently ordered a book online to give to a friend who i know will enjoy it and i have another little something waiting in my home office to be popped into the post. slow and steady will win this race.
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. my trip to visit my dad on vancouver island is all but booked and in that short hop over to bc i am also hoping to see a cousin. i am making headway into plans to visit dc this summer, but that will also depend on others' schedules. i have a standing invitation to visit israel that i could possibly take up, but for now, i am going to focus a little closer to home. or at least stick to my own continent.
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. as i mentioned here yesterday, i have been a networking machine lately and the nice thing about being so busy this past week (so much so that i didn't know my own middle name) was that i also didn't have to time to wonder, 'what next?' or 'what if?' or 'when?' and just got stuff done. my thoughts are that the stuff i have completed recently is enough to keep me content where i am.
i could use a little more motivation in my day job, but whenever i have meetings with my bosses they seem completely content and satisified with my work so instead of caring if i am performing up to my own standards, i should just stop worrying or caring and concentrate on making progress in other parts of my life that could lead to more focused jobs in the future. maybe.
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. red light and parking tickets are really not helping my cause here. dieter and i need to be a little more careful on the road. i am going to mexico in two weeks' time with my family and i am thrilled that the price tag will be more than worth the fun and time we will have. but other than that, i am trying to save my pennies for tax season. then i will get myself properly sorted in the saving/investing/general finances zones.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. i was running around the city last week and in doing so, ate a lot of crap. delicious, but unhealthy food. i have next to nothing in my fridge or pantry at home so the first step to addressing this current situation will be to go grocery shopping tonight and plan a menu for the coming days.
i also need to stop eating the Sausage, Egg & Cheese on English Muffin from Starbucks and any of the Manuel Latruwe croissants served at Phil & Sebastian...
this is becoming increasingly important as i am preparing to run a half marathon in early may and am playing around with my pre and post running meals and snacks. so far, eating at least an hour before i run and eating something packed with energy seems to be getting me through with a few little pick-me-ups of some sort of processed gooey energy bites. i am still confused as to what i should eat after a run though, some people say something packed with protein, others say something packed with carbs. i generally just need to put something, anything in my mouth and then follow it with a latte.
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. i sleep when i need to. this sometimes includes napping. in my napping outfit (just take off your pants and voila! napping outfit). it also includes sleeping in when i have been out drinking tequila at weddings. or getting up early when i need to get into my office for an early morning meeting. still doing well. but still not regular at all.
8 - maintain my priorities. i was tested in this regard recently. and i came out on top. or so i think. i have had a lot of responsibilities lately and the only thing that i felt i really dropped in the process was my punctuality and organisation as i was late for something that i swore started later than it did.
through my recent scheduling madness, i kept up my running, i kept up my socialising with my friends, and i kept up the communication with my family. i took a step back from my day job with intention and judged where my time and energies were best spent before making any changes or decisions. like i said, i think i did ok with this over the past month and i am hopeful that i have set myself up for some success in the coming months because of it.
9 - keep asking for what i want. well, i haven't had to ask for things that i want lately. but that could possibly be that i am not sure what it is that i want. i am really good at asking when i do know that i want something (like a week long training provided by noraid in bangkok coming up in may that i am waiting to hear back on), but i am less inclined to give something to universe and ask for what i want that way. lack of confidence to hand over control, i suppose. but i have held on to my power without fail in 29 so there is something to be said for that.
wow, that was sort of a cryptic recap, sorry about that. hope it is interesting reading, even if you have to do it between the lines.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
what a week!
monday - pretty average day, a decently productive smattering of work at my day job and a nice evening hanging out with a friend in town from overseas. who is sort of in love with me. but only just sort of. i think.
tuesday - chair a monthly meeting on trafficking. pick up a package at the post office of leg warmers and fingerless mitts from the lovely lady over at Yarn is My Metier, beautiful and so comfortable. every girl needs a pair of leg warmers. american idol watching with my neighbour/guy i dated a year ago. a failed hill run - 8 hills turned into 4 miserable hills.
wednesday - teaching high school for the morning, which is almost as exhausting as teaching junior high school, but not quite. the first screening of the film What Are We Doing Here? that went really well, including the panel discussion on aid to africa that i participated in. i was proud to have addressed people's questions with intelligent answers.
thursday - drafting of a project proposal for funding to do my own research in the province. the second screening of the documentary followed by another panel discussion, where i wasn't nearly as articulate as wednesday night's event. beer and nachos with my ever supportive friends afterwards.
friday - a half day workshop on temporary foreign workers in alberta and the challenges and successes of the programme. met the nephew of my nairobi chemist by chance in calgary. handed out tonnes of my cards, networking, networking, networking. running around the city getting wedding gifts and cards. a gorgeous wedding with great people that ended with me and the best man shooting tequila at the bar.
saturday - a touch of the hang over. catching up on adminstrative work for my evening/weekend job. watching ufc fights, which i swore i would never do and will never do again - boring and disgusting at the same time. an early night.
sunday - a good 12km run, but with frozen hands. a hot bath. some shopping. sushi. roast dinner with my parents and one bro (my other bro is in tanzania!). traffic fines paid.
tuesday - chair a monthly meeting on trafficking. pick up a package at the post office of leg warmers and fingerless mitts from the lovely lady over at Yarn is My Metier, beautiful and so comfortable. every girl needs a pair of leg warmers. american idol watching with my neighbour/guy i dated a year ago. a failed hill run - 8 hills turned into 4 miserable hills.
wednesday - teaching high school for the morning, which is almost as exhausting as teaching junior high school, but not quite. the first screening of the film What Are We Doing Here? that went really well, including the panel discussion on aid to africa that i participated in. i was proud to have addressed people's questions with intelligent answers.
thursday - drafting of a project proposal for funding to do my own research in the province. the second screening of the documentary followed by another panel discussion, where i wasn't nearly as articulate as wednesday night's event. beer and nachos with my ever supportive friends afterwards.
friday - a half day workshop on temporary foreign workers in alberta and the challenges and successes of the programme. met the nephew of my nairobi chemist by chance in calgary. handed out tonnes of my cards, networking, networking, networking. running around the city getting wedding gifts and cards. a gorgeous wedding with great people that ended with me and the best man shooting tequila at the bar.
saturday - a touch of the hang over. catching up on adminstrative work for my evening/weekend job. watching ufc fights, which i swore i would never do and will never do again - boring and disgusting at the same time. an early night.
sunday - a good 12km run, but with frozen hands. a hot bath. some shopping. sushi. roast dinner with my parents and one bro (my other bro is in tanzania!). traffic fines paid.
Friday, March 12, 2010
way up
things really are looking up and here is proof:
- the calgary parking authority sent me a cheque. i am not sure exactly why, but i'll take the $50!
- i gained a few new freckles on my morning run today.
- it is friday and i got to go for a morning run.
- freckles only come when there is sun!
- i used my free starbies drink coupon that they sent me for my birthday because i registered my starbucks card
- i searched through my drawers and found 4 totally wearable bikinis to take to mexico so no need to purchase a new one
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
things are looking up
here are some thoughts to prove that i am not just a big grumpy guts lately.
- i had an awesome run tonight at quite the clip, making me feel as though i am really improving and that my lungs are in great shape. during this time round training for a 1/2 marathon, my calves are not growing at an exponential rate and looking huge (as they did last time i increased my distances like this). i think i must have adjusted my gait in the past few years because i am not having the calf pain and subsequent cramps, which could have been behind those enormous calves (and ladies, enormous calves are not the easiest to dress...)
- sometimes i need to be forced to take a break and often, this comes in the form of a sickness that forces me to STOP. but not this time. this time i have planned a trip to mexico to stay at this lovely place with my most favourite people in the world, my fam. i know we are going to have a blast and the countdown is on for the best family vacation ever!
- as an aside, the guys on american idol are really kicking the girls arses this season. i love the kid with the mullet. any 16 year old that loves ray lamontagne as much as i do (and has a shameless mullet), gets my vote. if i lived in the u.s of a. and voted for american idol contestants.
- i am now trained to conduct audits (specifically on environmental management systems, but the principles translate to other areas that i have some knowledge) and i think that i would be a really good auditor. anal retentive? yes. keen attention to detail? yes. sort of nosy? yes. blunt and tells it like it is? yes. see? totally up my alley. i think there is a lot of overlap between auditing and monitoring and evaluation (in un speak) so here's hoping i will be able to apply what i have learned over the last 3 days during future career steps.
- going back to tv again for a momento, glee's new episodes will be starting soon, yippee.
- this weekend, i have plans to head to a movie with one of my girlfriends who i haven't seen in awhile and i have a date with another friend to go hiking or for a nice walk.
Monday, March 08, 2010
wah wah wah
i am in a funk. it is official.
and what is the cause of this funk, you might ask. (and if you didn't ask, you can stop reading here because i am going to go ahead and answer my own question).
i fear that i am loosing my 'edge.' i used to be the person in a meeting who would say their background was in international development, but now i have been back in canada and working in oil and gas for over a year and without a huge repertoir of work experience to my credit, i can't keep going on saying that i have a 'background' in much of anything if i have been doing what i now do (whatever that is...) half as long as i used to work in kenya.
and yet, the career path that i am heading down now doesn't excite me or inspire me to do my best. i will do a good job, but i don't really care about my work (at least not my day job). sure, working for the bureaucracy that is the un system and in a country that was seriously lacking in infrastructure that i now have the luxury of working with, was also a daily struggle and i wouldn't say that i cared about my job everyday, but at least i took ownership of my work and felt that there was a greater reason to do it than just a paycheque.
eesh. i just don't know what is to come next and i fear it will just be more of the same. and yet, i don't know what to do besides what i have been doing by keeping my network warm and sending out updated cv's to people in that industry. i was feeling really motivated and that i was sitting on the precipice of something interesting or exciting or just a change of some sort and now i fear that i am spinning my wheels and not getting anywhere apart from exactly where i already am.
blah, i am whining. and this is a funk. and i am not quite sure what to do to get out of it.
but, hey! i ran 14km last weekend and it felt great and not a huge stuggle and the 16km that i have scheduled for this coming weekend is not scaring the bajeezus out of me and that is good.
and what is the cause of this funk, you might ask. (and if you didn't ask, you can stop reading here because i am going to go ahead and answer my own question).
i fear that i am loosing my 'edge.' i used to be the person in a meeting who would say their background was in international development, but now i have been back in canada and working in oil and gas for over a year and without a huge repertoir of work experience to my credit, i can't keep going on saying that i have a 'background' in much of anything if i have been doing what i now do (whatever that is...) half as long as i used to work in kenya.
and yet, the career path that i am heading down now doesn't excite me or inspire me to do my best. i will do a good job, but i don't really care about my work (at least not my day job). sure, working for the bureaucracy that is the un system and in a country that was seriously lacking in infrastructure that i now have the luxury of working with, was also a daily struggle and i wouldn't say that i cared about my job everyday, but at least i took ownership of my work and felt that there was a greater reason to do it than just a paycheque.
eesh. i just don't know what is to come next and i fear it will just be more of the same. and yet, i don't know what to do besides what i have been doing by keeping my network warm and sending out updated cv's to people in that industry. i was feeling really motivated and that i was sitting on the precipice of something interesting or exciting or just a change of some sort and now i fear that i am spinning my wheels and not getting anywhere apart from exactly where i already am.
blah, i am whining. and this is a funk. and i am not quite sure what to do to get out of it.
but, hey! i ran 14km last weekend and it felt great and not a huge stuggle and the 16km that i have scheduled for this coming weekend is not scaring the bajeezus out of me and that is good.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
29 + 1
1 - conquer my anxiety, or at least win a few battles against it. this month has been more of a struggle than others and i think it comes down to being rather busy and spread thinly at times. and things not working they way they should. my phone relocking itself and having to buy a new one, not knowing how to hook up my wireless printer, sitting on hold with call centres. and deciding where to watch the men's gold medal hockey game! they all cause me to get anxious, frustrated, angry. and although i am better at recognising those feelings, i am not always great at knowing how to lessen the negative ones.
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occassions. i think i am doing ok with this. apart from forgetting to bring my valentines to the cabin and misplacing my sister and brother-in-law's anniversary card... otherwise, going good, cards have been mailed, notes have been sent, calls put in. but i really need to catch up with a few people who have recently had some milestones and i need details!
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. although i have made no concrete moves towards this, it is still a priority. i intend on going to visit my dad on may long weekend and just need to go and book some flights. it wasn't exactly like i had to travel to do it, but my fam and i spent the february long weekend out at the cabin. and we laughed, oh did we laugh! nothing like hearing your parent say 'shut the eff up' too many times to count. and doing puzzles! cursing and puzzles just sort of go together. it probably doesn't sound like it here, but it was hilarious.
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. i feel this is going well. i have done a lot of thinking, some reading, and had some insightful conversations towards nailing down goals. i think i have my next few months nailed down and i feel good about that.
for the first few months of this year, things felt up in the air and that something could come at any minute (an offer of a job in haiti, job interviews in jordan, work with international organisations...), which is exciting and great, but i feel a little calmer now and am plugging away at making significant progress professionally. towards what? well, that is still being determined!
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. after putting those receipts into an accordian folder, i met with my accountant (at 7:30pm on a saturday, as you do) and got the first part of paying my taxes sorted. doesn't sound like much, but it is a significant first step for me.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. in the last week, i made dinner twice! i also ordered pizza twice in the last month (and i cannot tell you the last time i have ordered pizza before these two times), so that is not ideal because a) pizza is expensive! and b) it is not very good. oh and another, c) it makes your house smell.
living alone, i find that if i go grocery shopping and prepare meals, it get rather expensive. i can get a sandwich at the little cafe near my office for $4 and it is delicious and full of fresh vegetables and nice bread. if i were to buy a loaf of bread, it will become stale (not mouldy as it seems bread doesn't mould in this country...) before i could finish it and if i bought all the vegetables they include in my sandwich, it would be expensive and i'd never be able to use a WHOLE avocado without it going brown first.
the moral of my story is that i am doing better with this. i still don't eat breakfast very often, but i am making better choices.
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. this past week was a struggle in the sleeping department due to my habit of late-night olympics on tv and early morning meetings, but i am sleeping better than i was before christmas, when i could've slept for 12 hours and still woken up tired. i think that kicking my running campaign up a few notches is helping me sleep better too.
i still manage to turn off my alarm in my sleep though...
8 - maintain my priorities. this is a tough one right now. probably the goal that i am letting slip the most out of the 9. i have a lot of priorities this month and will for march as well. but which come first?
i feel overwhelmed at times, but i am trying to balance volunteer commitments, planning an event for 300-400 people to raise awareness of human trafficking, my day job that is ramping up at the moment (and i don't always enjoy the work that i have to do), requests for information or meetings with me, and trying to balanace social engagements.
i know i need to get better at is saying no, especially when people want to get together with me to pick my brain about something. at the risk of sounding slightly arrogant, i don't have time for people who don't offer me something. or better put, i don't have time to get together to answer people's questions when it is taking away from my other commitments. part of the problem with having a public email address is that i get a lot of general inquiries and yet i realise how important it is for people to engage in issues they are concerned about or interested in (just don't challenge me on my views in the middle of an event planning meeting).
it is also tough to put in the unpaid, administrative work that i know will pay off in many ways in the long run, but zaps my time and energy.
one thing that i am managing well is my running schedule and i have made a point of fitting in all of my runs, which has typically been one of the first things to fall off when i become overwhelmed.
9 - keep asking for what i want (executive decision has been made to replace keep laughing). i figure that i will be able to keep laughing without much effort (for those of you who know me in 'real life' will know this is true).
i have done a damn good job of asking for what i want lately. ballet tickets, a job, support to attend training, more manpower to complete a project, answers to questions at conferences. and that is just in the first month of 29! but i know that when push comes to shove and i really do want something, it can be tough to form the words or type out the words, so i hope i can still ask when it really matters.
ps - go canada go!
2 - be more thoughtful of others, especially around special events, days, occassions. i think i am doing ok with this. apart from forgetting to bring my valentines to the cabin and misplacing my sister and brother-in-law's anniversary card... otherwise, going good, cards have been mailed, notes have been sent, calls put in. but i really need to catch up with a few people who have recently had some milestones and i need details!
3 - continue making visiting family and friends a priority. although i have made no concrete moves towards this, it is still a priority. i intend on going to visit my dad on may long weekend and just need to go and book some flights. it wasn't exactly like i had to travel to do it, but my fam and i spent the february long weekend out at the cabin. and we laughed, oh did we laugh! nothing like hearing your parent say 'shut the eff up' too many times to count. and doing puzzles! cursing and puzzles just sort of go together. it probably doesn't sound like it here, but it was hilarious.
4 - nail down some sort of short-term career goals. i feel this is going well. i have done a lot of thinking, some reading, and had some insightful conversations towards nailing down goals. i think i have my next few months nailed down and i feel good about that.
for the first few months of this year, things felt up in the air and that something could come at any minute (an offer of a job in haiti, job interviews in jordan, work with international organisations...), which is exciting and great, but i feel a little calmer now and am plugging away at making significant progress professionally. towards what? well, that is still being determined!
5 - lay a nest egg to accompany my nest. after putting those receipts into an accordian folder, i met with my accountant (at 7:30pm on a saturday, as you do) and got the first part of paying my taxes sorted. doesn't sound like much, but it is a significant first step for me.
6 - eat more balanced, regular meals. in the last week, i made dinner twice! i also ordered pizza twice in the last month (and i cannot tell you the last time i have ordered pizza before these two times), so that is not ideal because a) pizza is expensive! and b) it is not very good. oh and another, c) it makes your house smell.
living alone, i find that if i go grocery shopping and prepare meals, it get rather expensive. i can get a sandwich at the little cafe near my office for $4 and it is delicious and full of fresh vegetables and nice bread. if i were to buy a loaf of bread, it will become stale (not mouldy as it seems bread doesn't mould in this country...) before i could finish it and if i bought all the vegetables they include in my sandwich, it would be expensive and i'd never be able to use a WHOLE avocado without it going brown first.
the moral of my story is that i am doing better with this. i still don't eat breakfast very often, but i am making better choices.
7 - sleep an appropriate amount. this past week was a struggle in the sleeping department due to my habit of late-night olympics on tv and early morning meetings, but i am sleeping better than i was before christmas, when i could've slept for 12 hours and still woken up tired. i think that kicking my running campaign up a few notches is helping me sleep better too.
i still manage to turn off my alarm in my sleep though...
8 - maintain my priorities. this is a tough one right now. probably the goal that i am letting slip the most out of the 9. i have a lot of priorities this month and will for march as well. but which come first?
i feel overwhelmed at times, but i am trying to balance volunteer commitments, planning an event for 300-400 people to raise awareness of human trafficking, my day job that is ramping up at the moment (and i don't always enjoy the work that i have to do), requests for information or meetings with me, and trying to balanace social engagements.
i know i need to get better at is saying no, especially when people want to get together with me to pick my brain about something. at the risk of sounding slightly arrogant, i don't have time for people who don't offer me something. or better put, i don't have time to get together to answer people's questions when it is taking away from my other commitments. part of the problem with having a public email address is that i get a lot of general inquiries and yet i realise how important it is for people to engage in issues they are concerned about or interested in (just don't challenge me on my views in the middle of an event planning meeting).
it is also tough to put in the unpaid, administrative work that i know will pay off in many ways in the long run, but zaps my time and energy.
one thing that i am managing well is my running schedule and i have made a point of fitting in all of my runs, which has typically been one of the first things to fall off when i become overwhelmed.
9 - keep asking for what i want (executive decision has been made to replace keep laughing). i figure that i will be able to keep laughing without much effort (for those of you who know me in 'real life' will know this is true).
i have done a damn good job of asking for what i want lately. ballet tickets, a job, support to attend training, more manpower to complete a project, answers to questions at conferences. and that is just in the first month of 29! but i know that when push comes to shove and i really do want something, it can be tough to form the words or type out the words, so i hope i can still ask when it really matters.
ps - go canada go!
Monday, January 25, 2010
it's magical!
over the past month, i have been becoming accustomed to the iphone, a magical, magical device that replaces my old blackberry. my berry worked just fine, but i had mistakenly left my itouch on a plane while on my way back from toronto in december and i was able to get an iphone for the same price as a new itouch.
and let me tell you, this thing is magical. i know that it can do a plethora of things, but so far i have found the following characteristics of my iphone and its aps magical:
oh, the magical possibilities!
and let me tell you, this thing is magical. i know that it can do a plethora of things, but so far i have found the following characteristics of my iphone and its aps magical:
- listening to cbc radio live at my desk
- watching ted speeches, performances, and presentations
- reading updated texts from last night
- browsing the internet (which is much more user-friendly than my berry)
- notifications that i have received a facebook message or other facebook-related activity
- making reservations through open table
- looking recipes up on all recipes
- the ability to gps my location and then make a map to where i want to get to
- listening to any song in my itunes library, because the whole thing fits on my iphone
oh, the magical possibilities!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
sunday sense of accomplishment
i have had a full weekend and it was nice to have a weekend packed full of fun and rewarding things. here is a list of all that i managed to accomplish:
- a date with a tall, accented gentleman
- ice fishing with my brother-in-law, where i proved not to be the best fisherwoman as i caught nothing (but neither did anyone else)
- my first double cheeseburger. it was delicious. totally worth all that saturated fat. and, i'll admit it, maybe even better than a single cheeseburger.
- a lovely nap on my sister's couch
- an impromtu stir fry dinner for two
- a completed application to be called to work in emergencies, such as haiti
- an 8km run (even though i was only mentally prepared for a 7km run)
- shopping at mec for a new jacket (sale!), a new pair of mittens, a new pair of wool running socks, and a new running shirt (sale!). not sure why i felt the need to clarify that all those items were NEW...
- a trip to buy new runners only to find the shop was closed
- coffee with my best friend of over 10 years
- coffee with a new friend who will undoubtedly be a friend for a long time
- shopping for 2 skirts at the gap that cost me all of $16, bring on the lucky lady deals!
- shopping for 3 shirts at jacob that cost me nothing as i had a gift card
- a quick trip to the grocery store for soup ingredients
- leek and potato soup
- dishes done
- a viewing of The Hangover, which did not make me laugh out loud. not even once. even though everyone and their dog claims it is hilarious. verdict? not hilarious.
- reading research on 'sex buyers,' otherwise known as johns. for work. yes, i read this stuff for work. if you are interested, you can also read it online.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
tired
the past two weekends have been great, the first i had my girlfriends over for wine and cheese and i was furiously running around getting all my pictures hung, bringing a rather large bench up two flights of stairs, tidying, and preparing my nest to welcome its first official guests.
then this past weekend i threw a housewarming party and i think it went really well. again, i tidied, made my bed, hid my messes in closets, dusted, arranged my 'stuff,' and got the nest ready to welcome about 40 people on saturday night. things are still not entirely back to normal around here, but i finally got through the dishes last night. and man, do i miss my housekeeper in kenya! (we used to have her come over the day of a party to do all the tidying and then the next day to deal with the aftermath when we were still sleeping it off).
in addition to attempting to be a good host, i have also been overwhelmed with work lately. i was down in brooks, medicine hat, and lethbridge to facilitate workshops and although i love doing that type of work, the driving was rather tiresome (even though i listened to my first audiobook, Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan, which made me smile with memories of life in nairobi and although that story might not make others smile the same way, i still recommend the book as its short stories do a decent job to describe life in african cities without all the usual pity and condescension).
i am not leaving calgary anytime soon and am ecstatic about relaxing, enjoying all the nesting i have been doing, and just resting. once i catch up on sleep and feel a bit stronger, i need to get outside and back running because nobody likes an indicator pant!
then this past weekend i threw a housewarming party and i think it went really well. again, i tidied, made my bed, hid my messes in closets, dusted, arranged my 'stuff,' and got the nest ready to welcome about 40 people on saturday night. things are still not entirely back to normal around here, but i finally got through the dishes last night. and man, do i miss my housekeeper in kenya! (we used to have her come over the day of a party to do all the tidying and then the next day to deal with the aftermath when we were still sleeping it off).
in addition to attempting to be a good host, i have also been overwhelmed with work lately. i was down in brooks, medicine hat, and lethbridge to facilitate workshops and although i love doing that type of work, the driving was rather tiresome (even though i listened to my first audiobook, Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan, which made me smile with memories of life in nairobi and although that story might not make others smile the same way, i still recommend the book as its short stories do a decent job to describe life in african cities without all the usual pity and condescension).
i am not leaving calgary anytime soon and am ecstatic about relaxing, enjoying all the nesting i have been doing, and just resting. once i catch up on sleep and feel a bit stronger, i need to get outside and back running because nobody likes an indicator pant!
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