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About a month ago I decided that this spring I would go rollerblading by the canal (about 5 minutes from my house by car) each day
- in which the temperature was 10 degrees or higher
- which was not raining (or threatening rain).
It was clear that my motivation wasn't high enough at that point in time because there have been a couple of days that fit that criteria so far in 2006. So my new criteria is this: I will go rollerblading each day
- in which the temperature was 10 degrees or higher
- which was not raining (or threatening rain) and
- which comes after March 27, 2006.
That should do it!
I have a feeling that date would have kept being pushed forward until the part of the year that is too hot for rollerblading and I'd be forced to make up a new goal. Fortunately my landlords were showing my apartment to potential tenants today between 5 and 6 so I had all the motivation I needed to get out of the house.
Once I got to the recreational path, I learned that 10 degrees isn't as hot as one might think. I'm not complaining about the weather, don't get me wrong, but I was sure glad that I still have my winter layers in my back seat because I soon realized that I hadn't really dressed appropriately. Besides the 3 sweaters I was wearing, I also needed a toque and gloves, which aren't so easy to wear with wrist guards. Good thing my arms are so small!
I must say that it was nice to get out and be active for a change. I couldn't go very far, and I'll probably feel it in those muscles reserved only for rollerblading, but it was great! I came home will all kinds of motivation which lasted until I turned on the computer. I guess the next decision I make should be to related to avoiding things I know will make me sedentary, lazy, tired, and mind-numbed.
Stupid zuma!
I'm a little ridiculous sometimes. Ok, I'm quite ridiculous a lot of the time. The specific reason that I'm referring to now is in relation to placing onself under intentional stress.
Yesterday when Darren asked me what I did with my afternoon the answer included some lesson planning with a colleague and Zuma, to which he replied, "I can't play Zuma; it's too stressful."
He's right. It's a very stressful game. The balls keep coming and a simple mistake screws everything up. There's definitely no relaxing involved in this game, but somehow I love it!
It's strange because I don't particularly like high-stress environments. Some people thrive in stressful situations. I remember back in high school Alicia saying that she intentionally would put off writing and essay because she wrote better under pressure.
I think there's an element of truth in that for all people. When there is a time limit or deadline, we lose the ability (not necessarily the desire) to procrastinate because we're forced to focus. Focus doesn't necessarily equal quality, but it does make production easier.
While it is true that I'm more motivated to get stuff done when I'm nearing "time's up," I can't say that I like it. Ideally I'd like to work at my own pace, enjoying the process of whatever it is. This often backfires, though. In the morning, for example, no matter what time I get up or how much time I leave myself to get ready for the day, I'm always rushing at the end.
Anyway, like it or not, I am intentionally putting myself in a position of great stress when playing Zuma. It's funny...I don't even understand the game, really. I don't know what the deal is with the frog or why the balls keep coming. In terms of rules and points, I have only been inferring (that sounds better than guessing) the way to score big and finish the level. As for strategy, well that's even more hit-and-miss.
Perhaps I enjoy the feeling of triumphing over the pressure-filled level. Or maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment. Who knows?
It's amazing what a nice foot bath will do for one's entire state of mind.
Usually when I come home from my morning ventures I'm generally cold all over but not incapacitatingly so in any one area. Today, however, I honestly couldn't feel my toes.
I think I may have been wearing a faulty pair of foot warmers because after the first hour I took them out and rubbed them together in hopes that they would get reactivated. But it didn't work and by the beginning of hour 3, there was no feeling left.
So I hobbled in the house, took off my boots, socks and top layer of pants and got the foot bath ready. A five-minute soak not only took the edge off, but it also gave me the motivation to begin the day's tasks. Well, it at least removed the dread. That's a big deal.
Thanks to my cousins for their thoughtfulness!
Tax time is a wonderful time of year for many people, or at least for me.
Each year around this time I get a warm feeling in my heart toward the government - whichever party is in power at the time. You see, it seems as though each March the government gets generous and sends me a small chunk of free money.
I usually have a good idea what to do with that money. Last year, for example, it was my champaign-birthday-eye-surgery fund. this year it has more to do with wedding/honeymoon expenses.
I don't think I'm alone in this thought process. On my way to work this morning I saw a sign outside an electronics store that read TAX REFUND = PLASMA TV. Isn't it nice that our national leaders buy us high definition televisions?
I do understand that the money I receive is actually the government returning the excess money that I paid them earlier in the year. But somehow it seems like a generous act to me each year.
I don't know why elections aren't held in the spring, right after tax overpayments have been returned. I think it might create greater sympathy toward the current party...at least from those who got refunds.
I think I've blogged before about how I enjoy it when my cupboards are getting slightly void. I know it sounds strange, but as much as I get excited about food preparation right after finishing a grocery shopping trip, I think I might get just as excited when another trip to No Frills is in order.
There are a number of reasons for this (or at least theories as to why I think this might be):
- I am a terrible artist. I can't paint, draw, sculpt...visual arts and I simply do not get along. Or maybe I should say, the world prefers it if the visual arts and I stay away from each other. However, I am a creative person. In fact, I am an inventor (or an aspiring one). You see, I love inventing songs to help me remember things, I enjoy inventing fun new activities to help someone learn or practice something, and I get much pleasure out of inventing new foods. Ok, they're not really new foods, but new variations on foods. I think that's why soup is my absolute favourite thing to make - it's all about mixing stuff together and playing with the proportions until you come up with something that tastes good.
- I hate making decisions. I am one of the worst decision makers that I know. I think there are a number of factors that come into play here: I want to make everyone happy, I don't want to be associated with failure, I can see the benefits in most options and I hate to miss out on anything. When there is less food to choose from, there are less options that answer the question, "What should I have for dinner?" That helps me greatly.
- I am a poor judge of distance. What I mean is that my sense of distance changes according to my state of motivation. There are times when I'll suffer with light shining in my eyes because the light switch is just too far away. Or I'll curl up in a little ball because the blanket is on the other side of the room. Or I'll "hold it" because going to the washroom would mean walking across the entire apartment. In terms of food, the grocery store that on a nice, sunny day is only a 5-minute walk from my apartment suddenly moves to another city when I'd rather stay indoors. That's simply too far.
Whatever the reason, I'm getting a kick out of meal times this week! Hopefully they don't taste too bad, either. Darren's coming over tonight...we'll see how he likes the bare cupboard special.
Oh yeah, once I start getting paychecks again, I have a sneaky suspicion that Food Basics will return to its rightful location.
I have a new respect for all those who work outside. Mailmen, construction workers, meter readers...they're all amazing!
With the extended amount of time that I'm spending outside these days, I've become very interested in the weather. To be more specific, I've become very interested in how to dress appropriately for the weather.
I have no idea how I spent 3 winters in Saskatchewan without a warm coat. Ok, let's be reasonable - it's not like I endure the winter months in a sweater. I have outerwear that keeps me warm from car to building or building to building, but nothing to spend extended periods of time outdoors in. No ski jacket or pants, no good winter play boots. It baffles me.
Neither do I have rain gear. I know once upon a time I did have a pastel green/blue rain coat, but I suspect that sometime in the late 90s it was donated to the Salvation Army.
Anyway, I am surrounded by kind folks who have taken pity on me. It's understandable; I would feel compassionate toward a stick-girl huddling under her umbrella in pouring rain with water running from the bottom edge of her wool coat, or that same girl walking on her heels on a frigid day because her toes have frozen. Anyway, thanks to the generosity of my fine compatriots, I have been sporting the following of late:
- borrowed hot paws mitts, men's large size
- borrowed yellow plastic rain pants, securely duct taped in the crotch
- a borrowed white down-filled jacket with purple fabric with cartoon Inuit characters on the inside, including the hood
- hand and foot warmers, purchased regularly at Canadian Tire to help my once-fashionable (circa 1995) Thinsulate boots protect my feet
- all of this is covering the 3 shirts, 2 pairs of pants and knee-socks, and complimented by an unmatching hat/scarf ensemble
I'm quite a sight!
It's amazing what a difference being properly dressed makes on one's morale...and also physical wellbeing. Once I have money coming in again, I'm going to seriously consider investing in a good pair of snow pants and a winter coat - you know, the kind that keeps one warm.
The week that spanned the end of February and the beginning of March was Spring Break at the college where I work. So I decided to take advantage of that time and get a few wedding things accomplished.
The first major task was to make and send the invitations, which we did assembly-line style over a period of 3 days. By "we" I mean my mother, her friend, my sister and I...each helping out when she could.
The second task was to finish the scrapbook that my sisters had started for me. For my birthday, Alicia and Alaina (with Leona's help) took the pictures of Darren and I that had been blown up for the engagement and scrapbooked them. It was a wonderful idea and a wonderful gift, but the problem was: it was incomplete. I am not a scrapbooker but I was determined to finish the project, which we did...in only 2 days.
Now, I didn't have to travel so far to complete these projects; I could have found some people around here who don't mind cutting and 'ribboning,' but the real reason for the trip to Forest was the shower that Leona threw me. She and her friend Stacey invited over 60 ladies from the church - and my favourite cousins from London - and then (with my mom's help) hosted them all in their house. They took out pretty much all the furniture that wasn't appropriate for sitting on in both the living and dining rooms and then brought in another 25 chairs for the evening.
It was amazing to me how many ladies showed up, and how many gifts I received. I am now the owner of enough bakeware to make anything I ever wanted, enough towels to have guests over and even some items to make our new little apartment look like a home.
When I showed Darren the treasures, he was as blown away as I was. I still can't believe that people who don't even know Darren or me would bless us in such a huge way.
Of course, this generosity sparked a third project for the week: the making of thank-you cards. That task, although it did take 2 days to complete, was one that I was very happy to do, remembering the way that these people had given Darren and I a nice start on our new journey.
(On a related note: I have updated the wedding blog again. I make mention of this here because it's so rare an occurence that one may stop checking.)
Things have been crazy lately. Here's a very fast update:
- I spent all of last week in Forest.
- Darren collected all the documentation for his MA application in 2 days.
- My Internet is not working.
- There are still straggler invitations being dealt with.
- We've pretty much finalized everything with the hall.
- My TO DO list is intimidating.
That's it...that's enough.
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