So the last few weeks I have had a ton of energy. The last few days, not so much. At the end of this past weekend I was supposed to already have my Hallowe'en costume, completed week 3 of my training schedule for my 5K, have a clean house, and lots of groceries. Those were my goals.
Reality.
My house is a mess, luckily the last time I shopped for groceries I bought enough to carry me over in case I couldn't make it out, and I still do not have the Hallowe'en costume. At least I did manage to clean and reinstall my furnace filter and get the furnace turned on.
Sunday I was supposed to shop for my Hallowe'en costume. I got as far as looking up locations of Value Villages and Goodwill stores, called Paul, and told him I was on my way into town to go costume shopping. I got to Paul's house, and was waiting for him to get ready.
A strange thing happens when I wait for Paul to get ready. I go through the TV Guide to find shows that I would not be interested in, but then wind up getting interested in them. So I spent the afternoon watching trash TV about celebrity breakups, ultimately ending in watching a 1 hour documentary on the relationship between Britney Spears and K-Fed. I seem to recall Paul walking by the TV, looking at me and saying "Why are you watching this stupid s--t?!?!" Or maybe I said that to myself. Or we both said it to me at different times.
I am still running. But I am at the crossroads of developing the running habit where I could turn back and loaf on my couch instead of running. Most of my runs start out with me arguing inside my head. The scary thing is the argument in my head is taking place with YEM. Every excuse I had tonight was countered by YEM's voice saying "It's 20 freakin minutes!!!". Basically, the only way YEM is going to let me off easy is if there is a freak lightening storm in October, or if I break a bone anywhere below my pelvis.
While I was busy arguing with myself, I didn't seem to notice that I was putting on running gear instead of my jammies. At the end of it all I looked down at myself and thought "well I guess I will go then."
I got outside the door and thought about the fact that I still am counting steps and carrying my watch with the dead battery in my purse. Then I came to the realisation that since I am counting the steps, the faster I run, the faster I get through the steps, and the faster I get back home and into my jammies with a cup of tea.
I am quite proud of myself that I was able to push myself a little harder tonight, AND I managed make myself run without the real aid of YEM. (having YEM's voice in my head is another matter that will be dealt with either by therapy or prescription drugs at a later date. But for now I am leaving it there because I kind of need it.)
In the end, I know that running faster to get through my steps is pretty much cheating. But since I am still on a bit of a runner's high, I am going to stay positive and just think to myself "Something is better than nothing" even if I wasn't running for 20 freakin minutes. I'm just not sure what the real YEM is going to say about all of this.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Verdict
For the most part, tonight was a repeat of last night. I was feeling kind of bummed after work and didn't feel like running. Plus it was cold outside. I really wanted to stay in where it was warm and wallow in self pity.
In an effort to try to convince myself to go out for a run, I thought to myself "What would Taunya do if she were in this situation?" then I realized if she were in this exact situation she would be kicking my butt out the door to go for the run.
So as I changed out of my work clothes, I put on my running gear and headed out the door. I whined to myself about the cold for the first few minutes. I got across the street, started to run, and something magical happened. I warmed up. Plus I managed to complete the run. On top of that, because I still haven't got a working watch I had to count my steps again. I was concentrating on that so much that I stopped wallowing in self pity and felt much better at the end of the run.
The moral of the story: find a good YEM (Your Evil Motivator). And there's nothing like exercise to help you clear your head.
But January 1 still is going to be really freakin cold.
In an effort to try to convince myself to go out for a run, I thought to myself "What would Taunya do if she were in this situation?" then I realized if she were in this exact situation she would be kicking my butt out the door to go for the run.
So as I changed out of my work clothes, I put on my running gear and headed out the door. I whined to myself about the cold for the first few minutes. I got across the street, started to run, and something magical happened. I warmed up. Plus I managed to complete the run. On top of that, because I still haven't got a working watch I had to count my steps again. I was concentrating on that so much that I stopped wallowing in self pity and felt much better at the end of the run.
The moral of the story: find a good YEM (Your Evil Motivator). And there's nothing like exercise to help you clear your head.
But January 1 still is going to be really freakin cold.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
I Was Not Built For This Climate
I look like my Mom, who looks like her Dad, whose father was from somewhere in France. Mom never cared to ask where in France her ancestors were from. Based on my intolerance for cold weather, I am guessing that it was somewhere in the deep south of France like Cannes or Marseille where the temperature rarely goes below freezing.
So it is around this time of year when the weather turns crappy, rainy, and cold that I avoid going outside at all costs. Unfortunately the building where I work is not connected to the underground downtown so I do have to go outside once in a while. Tonight I had to endure the bitter autumn damp chill while walking the 2 requisite blocks to the underground entrance. Those 2 blocks felt more like 2 million miles. As I was walking down the street, I was thinking that I should run tonight but it is cold outside. Then I came to a sudden realization:
I agreed to run in a 5K road race on January 1. If I think today is going to be cold, THAT day is going to be a KILLER! Am I CRAZY?
But alas, try as I might to convince myself to go out and run, it was easier to stay inside with a cup of tea and my triple weave blankie wrapped around my shoulders for warmth. I thought to myself "Oh, tomorrow should be warmer. Meh, who's going to notice anyway."
To ensure I was not spotted by The Evil Motivator, I purposely stayed off of MSN Messenger. My evil plan would have worked had it not been for those stupid kids... er... that stupid Facebook application. As I was casually checking up on what my friends have done over the last couple days, a chat window appeared:
Taunya (AKA The Evil Motivator): How was your run?
DAMMIT! BUSTED! Ok, lie to her or tell the truth. Oh. Yeah. She knows my aversion to cold, so she already knows that I did not go out running. She also knows I am the worst liar in the world. Plus I am not hurting her by not running or by lying to her about not running... I am only hurting myself.
Me: I'm a big chicken. It was cold. My train was late. I know, there is no excuse. But I AM trying
Taunya: wah wah wah. It's 20 freakin' minutes.
Me: I know, I know. But it was kinda rainy too
Taunya: Then you're running at lunch tomorrow?
Me: Not in a suit but after work I will
Taunya: Take alternate clothes. (remember, I broke my leg Feb 28th. Was verrrrry cold.)
Me: lunch is very difficult. what the heck do people wear in the cold to run anyway?
Taunya: Essentially, just more clothes, gloves, and ear protection.
Me: ok. Must remember to get those. On a happy note, I have put my watch in my purse to buy a battery for it
Taunya: I wear tights under wind pants, a wind breaker over a sweat shirt, those mini-gloves and ear muffs.
Me: mini gloves?
Taunya: you know those 99 cent ones that stretch out?
Me: ooooooh. Ok. dollar store gloves.
Taunya: ya
Me: I could buy a pair of those and a watch at the same time if I wanted. I mean, yes of course I am buying both
Taunya: lmao! exactly!
Me: hey, shouldn't you be catching up on your clinical paperwork now that you are done your patho? or are you using me as your procrastination tool?
Taunya: smartie pants. Shouldn't you be running now that it's quit raining?
Me: I just ate. I would get a cramp in a puddle so I have to wait at least half an hour before going into the water. You are correct, I should have run tonight otherwise Jan 1 will really really hurt and it will be much colder that day than it is today so I know I have to train for it.
Taunya: good girl!
Me: tomorrow for sure I will run. I did run on Sunday and all last week.
Taunya: Good girl! uh oh. My uncle just caught me on facebook ... NOT catching up on clinical ... I best log off
At that I was recued from The Evil Motivator by HER OWN Evil Motivator! I just hope that tomorrow is warmer and drier, as I am pretty much committed to having to go for a run now.
So it is around this time of year when the weather turns crappy, rainy, and cold that I avoid going outside at all costs. Unfortunately the building where I work is not connected to the underground downtown so I do have to go outside once in a while. Tonight I had to endure the bitter autumn damp chill while walking the 2 requisite blocks to the underground entrance. Those 2 blocks felt more like 2 million miles. As I was walking down the street, I was thinking that I should run tonight but it is cold outside. Then I came to a sudden realization:
I agreed to run in a 5K road race on January 1. If I think today is going to be cold, THAT day is going to be a KILLER! Am I CRAZY?
But alas, try as I might to convince myself to go out and run, it was easier to stay inside with a cup of tea and my triple weave blankie wrapped around my shoulders for warmth. I thought to myself "Oh, tomorrow should be warmer. Meh, who's going to notice anyway."
To ensure I was not spotted by The Evil Motivator, I purposely stayed off of MSN Messenger. My evil plan would have worked had it not been for those stupid kids... er... that stupid Facebook application. As I was casually checking up on what my friends have done over the last couple days, a chat window appeared:
Taunya (AKA The Evil Motivator): How was your run?
DAMMIT! BUSTED! Ok, lie to her or tell the truth. Oh. Yeah. She knows my aversion to cold, so she already knows that I did not go out running. She also knows I am the worst liar in the world. Plus I am not hurting her by not running or by lying to her about not running... I am only hurting myself.
Me: I'm a big chicken. It was cold. My train was late. I know, there is no excuse. But I AM trying
Taunya: wah wah wah. It's 20 freakin' minutes.
Me: I know, I know. But it was kinda rainy too
Taunya: Then you're running at lunch tomorrow?
Me: Not in a suit but after work I will
Taunya: Take alternate clothes. (remember, I broke my leg Feb 28th. Was verrrrry cold.)
Me: lunch is very difficult. what the heck do people wear in the cold to run anyway?
Taunya: Essentially, just more clothes, gloves, and ear protection.
Me: ok. Must remember to get those. On a happy note, I have put my watch in my purse to buy a battery for it
Taunya: I wear tights under wind pants, a wind breaker over a sweat shirt, those mini-gloves and ear muffs.
Me: mini gloves?
Taunya: you know those 99 cent ones that stretch out?
Me: ooooooh. Ok. dollar store gloves.
Taunya: ya
Me: I could buy a pair of those and a watch at the same time if I wanted. I mean, yes of course I am buying both
Taunya: lmao! exactly!
Me: hey, shouldn't you be catching up on your clinical paperwork now that you are done your patho? or are you using me as your procrastination tool?
Taunya: smartie pants. Shouldn't you be running now that it's quit raining?
Me: I just ate. I would get a cramp in a puddle so I have to wait at least half an hour before going into the water. You are correct, I should have run tonight otherwise Jan 1 will really really hurt and it will be much colder that day than it is today so I know I have to train for it.
Taunya: good girl!
Me: tomorrow for sure I will run. I did run on Sunday and all last week.
Taunya: Good girl! uh oh. My uncle just caught me on facebook ... NOT catching up on clinical ... I best log off
At that I was recued from The Evil Motivator by HER OWN Evil Motivator! I just hope that tomorrow is warmer and drier, as I am pretty much committed to having to go for a run now.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
This Week's Update
The remainder of my week was been fairly uneventful, and I haven't had a whole lot to talk about.
Paul, Peter, and I resumed the Friday night tradition of going to Peter's house for a good night of chatting and a very delicious meal. Saturday morning I got out of bed early to head downtown to get my hair done.
My stylist is amazing. I walked in without any idea of what I wanted done, except I wanted to go shorter and keep the same colour. So in the end I told him to take 6 inches off. Rather than wait for me to wiffle waffle and change my mind, he just grabbed a pair of scissors and took off a big wad of hair. He noticed me staring at the hair on the floor and said "There's no turning back now, is there!" It was magical. I can't explain why.
When all was said and done, I left the shop and wasn't completely happy with the cut - I thought it made me look like a suburban housewife. So I wandered off to Kokyo Sushi for some comfort food. There is nothing like a Bento Box A to help cheer a girl up! Now that I have had a chance to style my hair myself, I feel much better.
Despite the beautiful weather today, I had to come out of denial and face the fact that the cold weather is coming. My house temperature is slowly dropping and soon I will have to turn on the furnace, so today's big highlight was cleaning the filter. That's just the kind of day it was.
I did manage to get out for a run earlier in the morning. I like the weekend runs the best because it is light out and I get to run through the park. Although I did find it a little annoying that in the midst of my busy run some dude hit on me. I would have been more flattered except that he was pushing a child in a carriage, and I really wasn't in the mood to be hit on. Of course, it is suddenly dawning on me why I am not in a serious relationship.
I am a little worried in that the running and cooking are starting to feel like work, now, and that my inherent laziness will set back in. I think I am getting bored with my food choices, so I bought some haddock and some chicken thighs, and am going to try my hand at making seafood chowder and chicken soup.
My big upcoming project is renovating my upstairs bathroom. Last weekend Bank of Mom loaned me some cash to fix up the bathroom. One of my first jobs is to finish refinishing a cabinet that I started last winter but got sidetracked once the warm weather came.
My other project right now is to choose a Hallowe'en costume and figure out how to put it together very cheaply. I still haven't picked which one I am going for - my original idea of going as Julia from Hellbound Hellraiser 2 just was not practical. Plus, whenever I would tell people they would look at me like "Who?" and confess they haven't seen the movie. Ultimately my decision to not be Julia came down to the fact that if you haven't seen the movie, you would not understand the costume, and it would just look stupid.
After much research and deliberation, I have narrowed down my costume to 3 choices:
1. A court jester.
2. A nun.
3. Morticia from the Addam's Family
Here are some of my thoughts on each costume choice:
1. Court Jester: also called "The Fool" - I don't think I need to go into any more detail there. Plus wandering around with a hat that has bells on it all day would just drive me crazy - not to mention everyone else around me.
2. A nun: I am scared of spontaneously combusting as soon as I put the outfit on. It would be God's punishment for me pretending to be pure and holy. We all know THAT isn't true!
3. Morticia: Gotta find a full length black dress. Sounds like an easy task, and it is for people who are short. Not so easy for a 6' tall girl like me.
You'll find out which one I choose after Hallowe'en.
Paul, Peter, and I resumed the Friday night tradition of going to Peter's house for a good night of chatting and a very delicious meal. Saturday morning I got out of bed early to head downtown to get my hair done.
My stylist is amazing. I walked in without any idea of what I wanted done, except I wanted to go shorter and keep the same colour. So in the end I told him to take 6 inches off. Rather than wait for me to wiffle waffle and change my mind, he just grabbed a pair of scissors and took off a big wad of hair. He noticed me staring at the hair on the floor and said "There's no turning back now, is there!" It was magical. I can't explain why.
When all was said and done, I left the shop and wasn't completely happy with the cut - I thought it made me look like a suburban housewife. So I wandered off to Kokyo Sushi for some comfort food. There is nothing like a Bento Box A to help cheer a girl up! Now that I have had a chance to style my hair myself, I feel much better.
Despite the beautiful weather today, I had to come out of denial and face the fact that the cold weather is coming. My house temperature is slowly dropping and soon I will have to turn on the furnace, so today's big highlight was cleaning the filter. That's just the kind of day it was.
I did manage to get out for a run earlier in the morning. I like the weekend runs the best because it is light out and I get to run through the park. Although I did find it a little annoying that in the midst of my busy run some dude hit on me. I would have been more flattered except that he was pushing a child in a carriage, and I really wasn't in the mood to be hit on. Of course, it is suddenly dawning on me why I am not in a serious relationship.
I am a little worried in that the running and cooking are starting to feel like work, now, and that my inherent laziness will set back in. I think I am getting bored with my food choices, so I bought some haddock and some chicken thighs, and am going to try my hand at making seafood chowder and chicken soup.
My big upcoming project is renovating my upstairs bathroom. Last weekend Bank of Mom loaned me some cash to fix up the bathroom. One of my first jobs is to finish refinishing a cabinet that I started last winter but got sidetracked once the warm weather came.
My other project right now is to choose a Hallowe'en costume and figure out how to put it together very cheaply. I still haven't picked which one I am going for - my original idea of going as Julia from Hellbound Hellraiser 2 just was not practical. Plus, whenever I would tell people they would look at me like "Who?" and confess they haven't seen the movie. Ultimately my decision to not be Julia came down to the fact that if you haven't seen the movie, you would not understand the costume, and it would just look stupid.
After much research and deliberation, I have narrowed down my costume to 3 choices:
1. A court jester.
2. A nun.
3. Morticia from the Addam's Family
Here are some of my thoughts on each costume choice:
1. Court Jester: also called "The Fool" - I don't think I need to go into any more detail there. Plus wandering around with a hat that has bells on it all day would just drive me crazy - not to mention everyone else around me.
2. A nun: I am scared of spontaneously combusting as soon as I put the outfit on. It would be God's punishment for me pretending to be pure and holy. We all know THAT isn't true!
3. Morticia: Gotta find a full length black dress. Sounds like an easy task, and it is for people who are short. Not so easy for a 6' tall girl like me.
You'll find out which one I choose after Hallowe'en.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Thanksgiving Recap
Well I headed off to the country for a few days of rest and relaxation as part of my Thanksgiving weekend. Saturday I went for a run and pretty much lazed around. Played some dominoes with my nephews Johnathan and Daniel, followed by a cut-throat game of Yahtzee with Mom. The rest of the evening was spent dozing on the couch.
Sunday I wound up in a little town called Brigden to see my niece Kayla show the sheep that she raised at the Brigden Fair. The sheep's name is Cindy. Cindy has a mind of her own, and is quite the little diva sheep. Cindy escaped from Kayla a few times during the competition, but Kayla did a great job of getting her back under control. I was very impressed.
After the whirlwind tour to see Kayla and Cindy, I made it back to my brother's place for some turkey and fixens. Unfortunately, there was no jell-o salad. Mom was sick and could not make it, and she did not have the patience to tell me how to do it. Better luck to me at Christmas. But there was trifle, and lots of other things to eat.
I noticed that school charity fundraising coincides directly with Thanksgiving weekend. I wound up ordering a box of teriyaki chicken breasts and a box of popcorn from two of my nephews. It felt good to support their fundraising efforts, though, and I am sure I can put the popcorn and chicken to good use.
Made it back to the big dirty smelly city early yesterday morning. Loafed around the couch all day, got ready and went for my first run of training week number 2, and then loafed around on the couch again.
Today I engaged in the ultimate social responsibility in a democratic society. I did my part and voted in the election. To be quite honest with you, I did not know who to vote for. I really only voted so that I have the right to complain until the next election. It saddened me that I was voting for the person I hated the least.
Well that's pretty much it for what I have been up to the last few days. I am looking forward to tomorrow since I get my first annual review at my current job, plus I get to go for a run tomorrow evening again. I am pleasantly surprised that I actually like the nights I run better than the nights I rest. Hopefully it stays this way, and if it does, I should fare very well at the 5K on New Year's Day. Only 78 days, 3 hours, and 11 minutes left to train!
Sunday I wound up in a little town called Brigden to see my niece Kayla show the sheep that she raised at the Brigden Fair. The sheep's name is Cindy. Cindy has a mind of her own, and is quite the little diva sheep. Cindy escaped from Kayla a few times during the competition, but Kayla did a great job of getting her back under control. I was very impressed.
After the whirlwind tour to see Kayla and Cindy, I made it back to my brother's place for some turkey and fixens. Unfortunately, there was no jell-o salad. Mom was sick and could not make it, and she did not have the patience to tell me how to do it. Better luck to me at Christmas. But there was trifle, and lots of other things to eat.
I noticed that school charity fundraising coincides directly with Thanksgiving weekend. I wound up ordering a box of teriyaki chicken breasts and a box of popcorn from two of my nephews. It felt good to support their fundraising efforts, though, and I am sure I can put the popcorn and chicken to good use.
Made it back to the big dirty smelly city early yesterday morning. Loafed around the couch all day, got ready and went for my first run of training week number 2, and then loafed around on the couch again.
Today I engaged in the ultimate social responsibility in a democratic society. I did my part and voted in the election. To be quite honest with you, I did not know who to vote for. I really only voted so that I have the right to complain until the next election. It saddened me that I was voting for the person I hated the least.
Well that's pretty much it for what I have been up to the last few days. I am looking forward to tomorrow since I get my first annual review at my current job, plus I get to go for a run tomorrow evening again. I am pleasantly surprised that I actually like the nights I run better than the nights I rest. Hopefully it stays this way, and if it does, I should fare very well at the 5K on New Year's Day. Only 78 days, 3 hours, and 11 minutes left to train!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Turkey and all the Fixens
Not much has been happening over the last couple of days, so I really haven't had a whole lot to say. Tuesday night I slept a lot, beings that I was so tired from running, and Wednesday I had to work late.
Tonight I managed to get out for a SECOND run. I managed to go out and do it without complaining, trying to get out of it, or even having to have been threatened by The Evil Motivator!
Its a good thing I am running, since it's that time of year that we stop and give thanks then stuff ourselves silly like gluttenous pigs. I certainly cannot complain though - I'm always game for a good gluttenous stuffing! Plus I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving:
- a roof over my head
- food in my stomach
- lots of people around me who love me
- a great job
- numerous fantastic experiences this year including the trip to Beijing, hanging out at Paul's, hanging out at Peter's, summertime patio fun, summer festivals, Caribana and all the pre-Caribana parties, and my last birthday in my 30's
Hopefully you will take a moment to take stock of all the good things you have. Feel free to put down one, two or your whole list in the comments section!
I'm off to visit my Mom and my brothers this weekend and will be partaking in a fabulous dinner with turkey and all the fixens. I am hoping Mom makes her famous Jell-O salad! It just would not be Thanksgiving with out it, and there is Always Room for Jell-O!
Tonight I managed to get out for a SECOND run. I managed to go out and do it without complaining, trying to get out of it, or even having to have been threatened by The Evil Motivator!
Its a good thing I am running, since it's that time of year that we stop and give thanks then stuff ourselves silly like gluttenous pigs. I certainly cannot complain though - I'm always game for a good gluttenous stuffing! Plus I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving:
- a roof over my head
- food in my stomach
- lots of people around me who love me
- a great job
- numerous fantastic experiences this year including the trip to Beijing, hanging out at Paul's, hanging out at Peter's, summertime patio fun, summer festivals, Caribana and all the pre-Caribana parties, and my last birthday in my 30's
Hopefully you will take a moment to take stock of all the good things you have. Feel free to put down one, two or your whole list in the comments section!
I'm off to visit my Mom and my brothers this weekend and will be partaking in a fabulous dinner with turkey and all the fixens. I am hoping Mom makes her famous Jell-O salad! It just would not be Thanksgiving with out it, and there is Always Room for Jell-O!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
I gotta get me one of these!
Today I happened upon this article:
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/39643/113/
This is the ultimate toy, yet practicle too!
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/39643/113/
This is the ultimate toy, yet practicle too!
Monday, October 6, 2008
I did it!
I managed to go out for my first run despite a feeble attempt at getting out of it. I managed to buy the shoes, so that wasn't my excuse. My excuse was even better (in my mind) than that. This week I am supposed to run one minute and walk two minutes, alternate that 7 times, and call it a day. Simple. Except that I don't own a watch and could not time myself.
I was proud of my excuse, and the following text chat ensued while I was on the GO Train:
me: not making it out tonight. I don't have a watch that works. I do have new shoes though. I hate them, they are ugly, but apparently they will help me pronate or something.
Taunya: You can run for 100 steps and walk for 200 steps. Repeat 7 times.
me: Ok. But what if I lose count?
Taunya: (Sigh) then start at 1 if you are running or 199 if you are walking.
me: I was only kidding.
Taunya: I know. I just wasn't going to give you any way out.
Taunya and I have been friends since we worked together at an office back in 1994. She and I had many adventures which will be talked about some other day. Taunya learned very quickly how to manipulate me to get me to do things. It was her work avoidance technique. She would say something, I would do all the work, and she would sit at the desk with her feet up singing Garth Brooks songs all day. Ok, well, it didn't QUITE happen like that.
She is, however, an excellent motivator. I believe that one of my text messages that occurred a bit later in the conversation resulted me in nicknaming her "The Evil Motivator". But she got me to go out. And I also realise that there will be very few excuses for me to back out of The Resolution Run, so it is in my best interests to keep this up.
So I got home, changed my clothes, and went out for my first run. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be (ok, I DID use my fingers to count, but I was concentrating on breathing and running, and dodging pets) and I didn't experience any lung burn afterwords. Tomorrow I get to rest. Although I will cherish days like tomorrow, I actually am looking forward to going out again on Wednesday.
I was proud of my excuse, and the following text chat ensued while I was on the GO Train:
me: not making it out tonight. I don't have a watch that works. I do have new shoes though. I hate them, they are ugly, but apparently they will help me pronate or something.
Taunya: You can run for 100 steps and walk for 200 steps. Repeat 7 times.
me: Ok. But what if I lose count?
Taunya: (Sigh) then start at 1 if you are running or 199 if you are walking.
me: I was only kidding.
Taunya: I know. I just wasn't going to give you any way out.
Taunya and I have been friends since we worked together at an office back in 1994. She and I had many adventures which will be talked about some other day. Taunya learned very quickly how to manipulate me to get me to do things. It was her work avoidance technique. She would say something, I would do all the work, and she would sit at the desk with her feet up singing Garth Brooks songs all day. Ok, well, it didn't QUITE happen like that.
She is, however, an excellent motivator. I believe that one of my text messages that occurred a bit later in the conversation resulted me in nicknaming her "The Evil Motivator". But she got me to go out. And I also realise that there will be very few excuses for me to back out of The Resolution Run, so it is in my best interests to keep this up.
So I got home, changed my clothes, and went out for my first run. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be (ok, I DID use my fingers to count, but I was concentrating on breathing and running, and dodging pets) and I didn't experience any lung burn afterwords. Tomorrow I get to rest. Although I will cherish days like tomorrow, I actually am looking forward to going out again on Wednesday.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
What Have I Gone and Gotten Myself Into Now?
Tonight I did the unthinkable. I agreed to go in a 5K run with my friend Taunya on New Year's Day. Doesn't sound so bad, until you realize that I don't run. Yet.
The run I am entering is called the Resolution Run and is offered through the Running Room. When you go to the site, they have a counter that is counting down the days to the race. I have 87 days, 1 hour, 53 minutes and 40 seconds to learn how to run. Tomorrow night will be my first day of training, provided I get shoes. What an adventure this is going to be!
The run I am entering is called the Resolution Run and is offered through the Running Room. When you go to the site, they have a counter that is counting down the days to the race. I have 87 days, 1 hour, 53 minutes and 40 seconds to learn how to run. Tomorrow night will be my first day of training, provided I get shoes. What an adventure this is going to be!
A Sleepless Night of Art in the City
I managed to pick the art I wanted to see for Nuit Blanche yesterday, headed out, and met up with Chunling downtown. We spent the entire time in Zone A and saw 12 different things in this order:
1. Project Blinkenlights
2. Urbanity Humanity
3. Cocoon Garden
4. Euronight 08
5. Concurrence - Emerging Canadian Artists
6. Waterfall
7. Time Piece
8. Dream Home
9. Sitting Ducks
10. House of Leaves
11. 15 Seconds
12. Stock Extravaganza
The night started off with us going to Nathan Phillips Square and observing the world's largest Pong game being played on City Hall. We spent about 3 hours walking around finding the various exhibits and concluded at the corner of Bay and Dundas.
What I enjoyed most about Nuit Blanche was that the evening was beautiful - it was the perfect night to go for a walk around downtown Toronto. My only regret was that I did not have the energy to take in more exhibits. I will be attending next year's Nuit Blanche for sure. I will just make sure I have a really big nap before I go out.
Along the way we saw a historic moment - the Sam the Record Man sign was lit up for the last time on Yonge Street. It will now be moved from its home to somewhere else on the Ryerson campus. I hope whatever Ryerson does with the sign, they will do it justice. That sign is a landmark, an icon, and a fixture in the city. It is almost as famous as the CN Tower. Maybe even more. It was a bitter sweet moment, as I will miss seeing the sign in all its cheesy glory.
If I had to pick a favourite exhibit, it would have been Urbanity Humanity. I understood the art much better there than anywhere else. I also felt that out of the displays I saw, they put the most effort into their display. Although I have no doubt that all artists took pride in their work, I really felt it the most at Urbanity Humanity. Hopefully these artists and the Beaver Hall Artists' Co-Op will have a display there next year. If they do, it will be at the top of my list to see.
Stock Extravaganza was the most bizzaare. I'm not sure if I liked it, or I didn't like it, but it does make for a good story. Chunling and I got to the corner of Dundas and Bay where the exhibit was supposed to be. We saw the Nuit Blanche flag, but could not see any art. We thought it might be inside the Atrium, but no one was going in there. We could hear music playing towards Bay street, and a little crowd was gathered, but all we could see was a garbage can.
Chunling: "People are looking inside the garbage can!"
Me: "Oh yeah, I remember why I picked this now. It is because the exhibit is inside the garbage can."
Chunling gave me a slightly perplexed look. She hasn't known me quite long enough to understand why I chose it. Or she's one of the remaining optimists that keeps hoping my penchant for that which is truly bizzaare will go away.
Chunling: "You want to see this?"
Me: "Yes, but there is a line."
Chunling: "Maybe they will let me just peak inside to see if I want to stand in the line."
Me: "I don't think people will let you do that. We should probably just go to the line or skip the exhibit."
Chunling: "It is getting kind of late. Perhaps I should go home."
Me: "No worries, I'm not sure if I want to stand in line to look inside a garbage can either."
After parting ways, curiosity had the better of me and I just HAD to see what was in the garbage can. Plus, I really wanted bragging rights to say that I stood in line to look inside a garbage can.
So I went back and stood in line. The line moved very fast, I peaked inside, I thought about what I saw for a bit, and then wandered off to see the world's largest pong game displayed on City Hall again. After that, I grabbed a tea, caught my train, and headed home to go to bed.
1. Project Blinkenlights
2. Urbanity Humanity
3. Cocoon Garden
4. Euronight 08
5. Concurrence - Emerging Canadian Artists
6. Waterfall
7. Time Piece
8. Dream Home
9. Sitting Ducks
10. House of Leaves
11. 15 Seconds
12. Stock Extravaganza
The night started off with us going to Nathan Phillips Square and observing the world's largest Pong game being played on City Hall. We spent about 3 hours walking around finding the various exhibits and concluded at the corner of Bay and Dundas.
What I enjoyed most about Nuit Blanche was that the evening was beautiful - it was the perfect night to go for a walk around downtown Toronto. My only regret was that I did not have the energy to take in more exhibits. I will be attending next year's Nuit Blanche for sure. I will just make sure I have a really big nap before I go out.
Along the way we saw a historic moment - the Sam the Record Man sign was lit up for the last time on Yonge Street. It will now be moved from its home to somewhere else on the Ryerson campus. I hope whatever Ryerson does with the sign, they will do it justice. That sign is a landmark, an icon, and a fixture in the city. It is almost as famous as the CN Tower. Maybe even more. It was a bitter sweet moment, as I will miss seeing the sign in all its cheesy glory.
If I had to pick a favourite exhibit, it would have been Urbanity Humanity. I understood the art much better there than anywhere else. I also felt that out of the displays I saw, they put the most effort into their display. Although I have no doubt that all artists took pride in their work, I really felt it the most at Urbanity Humanity. Hopefully these artists and the Beaver Hall Artists' Co-Op will have a display there next year. If they do, it will be at the top of my list to see.
Stock Extravaganza was the most bizzaare. I'm not sure if I liked it, or I didn't like it, but it does make for a good story. Chunling and I got to the corner of Dundas and Bay where the exhibit was supposed to be. We saw the Nuit Blanche flag, but could not see any art. We thought it might be inside the Atrium, but no one was going in there. We could hear music playing towards Bay street, and a little crowd was gathered, but all we could see was a garbage can.
Chunling: "People are looking inside the garbage can!"
Me: "Oh yeah, I remember why I picked this now. It is because the exhibit is inside the garbage can."
Chunling gave me a slightly perplexed look. She hasn't known me quite long enough to understand why I chose it. Or she's one of the remaining optimists that keeps hoping my penchant for that which is truly bizzaare will go away.
Chunling: "You want to see this?"
Me: "Yes, but there is a line."
Chunling: "Maybe they will let me just peak inside to see if I want to stand in the line."
Me: "I don't think people will let you do that. We should probably just go to the line or skip the exhibit."
Chunling: "It is getting kind of late. Perhaps I should go home."
Me: "No worries, I'm not sure if I want to stand in line to look inside a garbage can either."
After parting ways, curiosity had the better of me and I just HAD to see what was in the garbage can. Plus, I really wanted bragging rights to say that I stood in line to look inside a garbage can.
So I went back and stood in line. The line moved very fast, I peaked inside, I thought about what I saw for a bit, and then wandered off to see the world's largest pong game displayed on City Hall again. After that, I grabbed a tea, caught my train, and headed home to go to bed.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Sleepless Night
Tonight I will be meeting Chunling, Paul, and Peter to take in some of Nuit Blanche and to enjoy a fun filled night of art in the city. I am really looking forward to it! There are four different zones, and tonnes of things to do in each zone. I have been put in charge of picking what we are going to see, since I was the one who suggested we all hook up in the first place.
The site says that it is impossible to see everything in just 12 short hours. I'm not even going for the full 12 hours, as I plan on getting some sleep tonight and going ice skating tomorrow afternoon. So I best be cutting my entry short for now and get on with picking what art I want everyone to see.
I hope I choose wisely. And I hope I have enough battery power in my camera to last the evening!
The site says that it is impossible to see everything in just 12 short hours. I'm not even going for the full 12 hours, as I plan on getting some sleep tonight and going ice skating tomorrow afternoon. So I best be cutting my entry short for now and get on with picking what art I want everyone to see.
I hope I choose wisely. And I hope I have enough battery power in my camera to last the evening!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
"Pink M&Ms"
July 2, 1981: I was sleeping in the bedroom with my cousins Chris, Debbie, and Eric at their house near Chatham. The sound of a car engine woke me up. I looked around, and the others heard it, too. We blinked, stared at each other for a bit, then went back to sleep. We were all tired from staying up late the night before to watch the Canada Day fireworks displays that were off in the distance. A little later Chris got up, left the room, then came back in. The rest of us were awake, he sat on the bed. He looked at us and said "Mom and Aunt Barb left for town early this morning. Grandma died last night."
Every weekend for a couple of months before that day Mom and I made the journey from our home just outside of London to my Aunt Joan's house just outside of Chatham. I visited Grandma once or twice in the hospital. She never let on that she was scared or in pain.
I knew Grandma was sick, although my Mom never told me from what. Her hair had fallen out, and she was very weak. No matter what, whenever I walked in the room she still always had energy to flash me a big smile and spend time talking with me. I had no idea those conversations with her would be my last.
It wasn't until months after the funeral I was looking for something on Mom's dresser and found Grandma's obituary. She had died of breast cancer. She had found some lumps, went to her doctor, and he dismissed her concerns by telling her they had always been there. He went on vacation. By the time he came back more lumps had grown, and his vacation had become her death sentence. And my loss.
It wasn't until years later that my cousin Debbie opened up about what went on during the weekdays when I wasn't there. How she would watch Grandma go for chemotherapy, and then would watch her throw up for the next couple of days.
I was 12 years old when she passed away. I grew up more that summer than I ever had in the past. I missed her Irish lilt when she spoke, her laugh, her smile, her warmth, and her love. I can't miss her spirit because it is still alive in those who knew her.
October is breast cancer awareness month. Tonight I had to stop off at the pharmacy to buy some things, and saw the Pink M&M's on the shelf. I bought a bag of them and have been eating them while writing this post. With each M&M I eat I hope that I help someone else's granddaughter to never have to experience what I did.
But more importantly, each M&M I eat is dedicated to you, Grandma. I still miss you and I will always love you.
Every weekend for a couple of months before that day Mom and I made the journey from our home just outside of London to my Aunt Joan's house just outside of Chatham. I visited Grandma once or twice in the hospital. She never let on that she was scared or in pain.
I knew Grandma was sick, although my Mom never told me from what. Her hair had fallen out, and she was very weak. No matter what, whenever I walked in the room she still always had energy to flash me a big smile and spend time talking with me. I had no idea those conversations with her would be my last.
It wasn't until months after the funeral I was looking for something on Mom's dresser and found Grandma's obituary. She had died of breast cancer. She had found some lumps, went to her doctor, and he dismissed her concerns by telling her they had always been there. He went on vacation. By the time he came back more lumps had grown, and his vacation had become her death sentence. And my loss.
It wasn't until years later that my cousin Debbie opened up about what went on during the weekdays when I wasn't there. How she would watch Grandma go for chemotherapy, and then would watch her throw up for the next couple of days.
I was 12 years old when she passed away. I grew up more that summer than I ever had in the past. I missed her Irish lilt when she spoke, her laugh, her smile, her warmth, and her love. I can't miss her spirit because it is still alive in those who knew her.
October is breast cancer awareness month. Tonight I had to stop off at the pharmacy to buy some things, and saw the Pink M&M's on the shelf. I bought a bag of them and have been eating them while writing this post. With each M&M I eat I hope that I help someone else's granddaughter to never have to experience what I did.
But more importantly, each M&M I eat is dedicated to you, Grandma. I still miss you and I will always love you.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Worst Lunch Break Ever
This past Friday morning I spent the morning learning particulars about batch processes on one of the systems I work with, followed by trying to fix some data on it. After a hefty morning of training me, Balram suggested that we grab some curried chicken and roti. I rummaged through my wallet and realised that I had to stop at the bank machine on the way. I popped the card in, punched in some numbers and waited for my cash to appear. I wasn't really paying that much attention to the screen since it usually says "Please take your cash". Friday, however, was different. I looked, thought "no that cannot be right", then I read the message again:
The security on your card has been violated. Your limit has been reduced. blahblahblahblah.......
Ok, we all know the bank machine really did not say blahblahblahblah. Its just that I saw "security...violated....limit....reduced" and stopped reading after that. It could have said "but that's okay cause Ed McMahon is standing behind you ready to give you a big fat cheque" and I really wouldn't have noticed. All I could think of was:
1. All my money has been stolen.
2. My identity is about to be stolen.
3. I have no lunch money. Of course, at that point I also had no appetite, so I wasn't too concerned about lunch.
I turned around, looked at Balram, told him my dilemma and said "I can't make lunch, I have to sort all this out now." He wandered off to the curried chicken place without me and I ran up the escalator to see what I was up against.
A very kind lady behind the desk helped me out. My money was all intact, hopefully my identity is too, and while I was there I asked her to give me some lunch money out of my account. I was sorely disappointed that I was not able to go get the curried chicken, so I had to find somewhere else to go for lunch.
I decided to go to a deli located in the food court of the building that I was in. This particular deli advertises a special where you can get a half a corned beef sandwich and a small salad for a very nice price. So I happily ordered this. The man made my sandwich, and I went to the cash register. This is the conversation that ensued:
deli dude: "What are you having"
me: "I am having the half corned beef and salad special"
deli dude: "what kind of salad"
me: "the Mediterranean salad"
dd: that's not part of the deal. (he starts to ring it in separately)
me: "what do you mean its not part of the deal? I was not informed of this."
dd with a huge attitude: "If you HAVE a problem with this, YOU can call head office."
me: "I do not wish to have the salad anymore."
dd yelling: "Hey, she's not getting the salad anymore. Don't bother with it."
me: "Just for future reference, when the customer places the order for the sandwich and salad deal, then orders the salad, you should tell them at the outset that this particular salad is not part of the deal so that the customer can choose either another salad or choose not to partake in the deal."
dd with an even huger attitude: "I SAID, if YOU HAVE a PROBLEM with this, YOU can call HEAD OFFICE"
me: "No, I would like to speak with your manager."
dd: "I'll get you the phone number to head office."
me: "No, I wish to speak with your manager now."
At this point he walks off in a huff, beats on the door at the back of the deli and then says to me "Wait over there."
So after waiting a couple minutes the manager comes out and the conversation with her went something like this:
manager: "What do you want?"
me: "I ordered the half corned beef sandwich with a small salad. At the time of ordering I was not told that the Mediterranean Salad was not eligible for the offer. I suggested to your cashier that when people first start to place their order, they should explicitly be told which salads are available for selection. When I made the suggestion I got a severe amount of attitude back from your cashier."
manager: "Well, look at the picture. It has lettuce in it, not peppers."
me: "I'm sorry, I am not an expert in hieroglyphics. Just so you know, you have lost me as a customer and I will be telling all my friends about my experience here. You have lost them as customers too."
manager with shocked look on her face: "Would you like the salad?"
me: "no. I just want to go to a place with good service."
I put my sandwich in my purse, made my way back to my desk, and proceeded to eat the sandwich. It tasted like crap and gave me heartburn to boot. I really must start bringing my lunch to work now. I think that will be my next goal to conquer.
The security on your card has been violated. Your limit has been reduced. blahblahblahblah.......
Ok, we all know the bank machine really did not say blahblahblahblah. Its just that I saw "security...violated....limit....reduced" and stopped reading after that. It could have said "but that's okay cause Ed McMahon is standing behind you ready to give you a big fat cheque" and I really wouldn't have noticed. All I could think of was:
1. All my money has been stolen.
2. My identity is about to be stolen.
3. I have no lunch money. Of course, at that point I also had no appetite, so I wasn't too concerned about lunch.
I turned around, looked at Balram, told him my dilemma and said "I can't make lunch, I have to sort all this out now." He wandered off to the curried chicken place without me and I ran up the escalator to see what I was up against.
A very kind lady behind the desk helped me out. My money was all intact, hopefully my identity is too, and while I was there I asked her to give me some lunch money out of my account. I was sorely disappointed that I was not able to go get the curried chicken, so I had to find somewhere else to go for lunch.
I decided to go to a deli located in the food court of the building that I was in. This particular deli advertises a special where you can get a half a corned beef sandwich and a small salad for a very nice price. So I happily ordered this. The man made my sandwich, and I went to the cash register. This is the conversation that ensued:
deli dude: "What are you having"
me: "I am having the half corned beef and salad special"
deli dude: "what kind of salad"
me: "the Mediterranean salad"
dd: that's not part of the deal. (he starts to ring it in separately)
me: "what do you mean its not part of the deal? I was not informed of this."
dd with a huge attitude: "If you HAVE a problem with this, YOU can call head office."
me: "I do not wish to have the salad anymore."
dd yelling: "Hey, she's not getting the salad anymore. Don't bother with it."
me: "Just for future reference, when the customer places the order for the sandwich and salad deal, then orders the salad, you should tell them at the outset that this particular salad is not part of the deal so that the customer can choose either another salad or choose not to partake in the deal."
dd with an even huger attitude: "I SAID, if YOU HAVE a PROBLEM with this, YOU can call HEAD OFFICE"
me: "No, I would like to speak with your manager."
dd: "I'll get you the phone number to head office."
me: "No, I wish to speak with your manager now."
At this point he walks off in a huff, beats on the door at the back of the deli and then says to me "Wait over there."
So after waiting a couple minutes the manager comes out and the conversation with her went something like this:
manager: "What do you want?"
me: "I ordered the half corned beef sandwich with a small salad. At the time of ordering I was not told that the Mediterranean Salad was not eligible for the offer. I suggested to your cashier that when people first start to place their order, they should explicitly be told which salads are available for selection. When I made the suggestion I got a severe amount of attitude back from your cashier."
manager: "Well, look at the picture. It has lettuce in it, not peppers."
me: "I'm sorry, I am not an expert in hieroglyphics. Just so you know, you have lost me as a customer and I will be telling all my friends about my experience here. You have lost them as customers too."
manager with shocked look on her face: "Would you like the salad?"
me: "no. I just want to go to a place with good service."
I put my sandwich in my purse, made my way back to my desk, and proceeded to eat the sandwich. It tasted like crap and gave me heartburn to boot. I really must start bringing my lunch to work now. I think that will be my next goal to conquer.
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