... funny things are everywhere

addictions, past and present...

So the boys came home yesterday... and James stepped onto the tennis court for the first time in almost two weeks... and I spent the day at work in an office setting where 60% of my coworkers are on holidays this week.

Jamesie's take on his return to tennis? It was good to be back, but he said his timing was off, and he shanked a LOT of balls during his first twenty minutes of hitting. After that, he did settle in and started hitting better. More importantly, though, his shoulder felt good... a great relief to him, his coach... and to his dad and me.

Speaking of tennis, the US Open started today. :)

Mike and I dropped by on Steph and Hoa in their new house yesterday. I made a card. First bit of crafting in months. Every time I haul out my paper trimmer and tape runner, I realize how much I miss it.

The card I made (see first photo below) looks pretty much like the cards I made all the time back then... I am so out of touch with current trends. I used to be bugged by stuff like that. Not so much any more.

Meanwhile, I find myself now twenty years into my running addiction. I remember getting hooked on running during my lunch hours when I was a grad student, working at a lab not too far from my current office. Today, I went out and braved the humid summer heat for a fast-paced 5k... I managed to avoid being run over by an inattentive driver... and, while I was out, I snapped the second photo down by the river, all while lamenting the end of summer just around the corner.

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sick of being sick

So I've been sick with a low grade something or another for more than two weeks now. No matter what I do (sleep, eat well, drink fluids, rest, exercise, eat less, teach spin, don't teach spin...), I cannot seem to shake this stupid thing. Viral infection, you suck!

In the meantime, I've been feeling foggy-brained, and my productivity at work has hit a new low. (How many times do I have to reread the instructions for submission of papers to that online journal? Or are there no specific instructions for the type of paper we are trying to write?) Seriously, procrastination and ADHD have nothing on this lingering head cold.

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I wouldn't normally obsess about being sick, except I'm starting to worry that I'll never feel well again. I wake up at night feeling thirsty (dry throat from being sick? maybe...), and I'm worried that my excessive thirst is a symptom of Type 2 diabetes (well, I have been eating a bit too much in the way of chocolate, cookies and other processed carbs lately)... I am overtired and irrational because it's 3:00 am, so I read some info on the Canadian Diabetes Association website, and I click through to a self-assessment questionnaire on the Public Health Agency of Canada's website. After making up some scary high numbers for my weight and waist measurement (things I have not, in fact, measured lately), I find myself at low risk for being pre-diabetic or diabetic, but I resolve to take better care of myself as a drift back to sleep.

......

There are days when I'm certain I'm going crazy. I wonder what I'd be like if I ever did get really sick. I'm sure my family would be tempted to disown me out of sheer exasperation.

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So I've decided to start running again. I'm tired of waiting for my Achilles' tendon to heal. It's almost there, and the pain is manageable during and after my runs, so I'm just going to go with it. The plan is to take it easy, limit the distance and maybe even train for a race. I'm thinking a sub-27-minute 5-km is a challenging yet obtainable goal for me.

So here I go. New shoes. New running season.

back at it...

The boys went back to school a few weeks ago, and now... after a summer of uncertainty, I'm going starting a new job next month. Yay!

In the meantime, I worked hard today to break the streak I had going. Consecutive days not exercising and just generally being a lazy bum. Not a good scene, but now it's done. I got back to it today.

Walked the dog for 40 minutes before the sun came up. Ran at lunchtime for 25 minutes. Then did a one-hour spin class with Chris while James was on court.

Phew!

And now that it's almost bedtime, I can barely walk. That's no such a bad thing...

staying cool... (I mean "sane")

I'm no longer what I would consider a runner. It hurts to run on consecutive days. I don't want to sign up for a race because I know it will trigger the desire to train (a) more than my body will be able to tolerate, given the low-grade but chronic injuries I am nursing, and (b) more hours than I can dedicate at this point in my life.

So, instead I spin. Or more accurately, I ride while simultaneously barking at other riders in the room to add resistance and/or push harder. Because I like to be bossy? Or maybe it's like I'm actually trying to push myself harder?

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I have to say that I do miss running.

Ever since my grad school days, running alone along the Ottawa River has brought me an inner peace that I haven't been able to tap into anywhere else. It makes me feel as though I can overcome anything. I makes me feel as though that last shred of sanity I have left will be enough to get me through.

This was the view from my sanity-saving run on Tuesday. I'm thinking I might need to carve more time for this in the coming days.

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5x5 Friday (March edition)

Hey, I'm back. :)

Last night, I found a credit card statement with the Typepad annual fee on it, and I had a bit of a "use it or lose it" panic attack. I know I haven't been blogging enough to warrant paying the annual fee, but the thought of shutting this blog down didn't sit well either. My years of writing here have helped me sort through lots of stuff, connected me to some new friends and, most importantly, made me realize what a wonderful (albeit extrememly busy) life I lead.

So with that in mind, I'll think up five lists of five things that I think I might want to revisit at some point in the future. (Because blogging for the memory-keeping is where it's at for me...)

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Five things that made me happy this week
1. A friend of mine started taking tennis lessons, and she LOVES it. I hope she'll want to hit with me on the outdoor courts this summer.
2. Watching the dog run around with other dogs in the field behind Thomas' school made me realize how much I love having a dog... and how lucky we are to live in a great neighbourhood where there's lots of space and an abundance of friendly, responsible dog owners with friendly, playful dogs for mine to socialize with.
3. Finding new songs iTunes makes me happy - it's great to have new music to listen to on the bus and to mix into my spin playlists.
4. We've broken the daily high temperature records for almost an entire week running. It was warm over the weekend, and then it got crazy HOT on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Mid-20s is unheard of in Ottawa in mid-March! The average daytime high is 4 degrees Celcius in mid-March.
5. I ran outside for the first time this season. It was a nice, easy run along the Ottawa River at lunchtime. That 4 km felt really, really easy - I guess all that spinning has helped keep my cardiovascular fitness at a decent level over the winter.

Five things I'm looking forward to
1. ComicCon is coming to Ottawa, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is going to be there. Jamesie will be sooooooo excited. Me too! :)
2. Thomas will finally be tall enough for a new bike this summer. I'm looking forward to longer rides with him on a bike that's big enough to go at a decent speed. I think he'll enjoy it too.
3. Lemon turns one year old this weekend. I'm going to look up a doggy cupcake recipe and stage some birthday portraits. I wonder if she'll sit with a party hat on... hmmmm...
4. It looked like they were going to put the nets up on the outdoor courts at the club this week, but it didn't happen. Two nets are up but they haven't been cranked tight yet. Such a teaser! I'm really looking forward to hitting outside in a month or so.
5. It's Friday, so the weekend's nearly here. Yay! I'm looking foward to relaxing and getting some sleep this weekend. :)

Five things we're reading at our place these days
1. Graphic novels (Bone) and comic books (Archie, Calvin and Hobbes, etc.)
2. Study manual for the YMCA's indoor cycling instructor certification *sigh*
3. Tennis magazine - the latest issue, and the boys reread back-issues too.
4. Whatever offerings the Scholastic Book Club had in last month's order forms.
5. Stuff on my iPhone and Mike's iPad (news, blogs, etc.)

Five fun things that don't involve screens
1. Jamesie and I have been playing Star Trek: The Next Generation Monopoly.
2. Thomas played in a squash tournament a few weekends ago, and Jamesie and I went to watch. That goofy photo above was taken between matches.
3. James and I were doing some cross-training (boot-camp style!) just before March Break. I wish he were a little more serious about it. I think he could use a little extra muscle on his tiny frame, and it'd probably improve his tennis game.
4. I've spent time on court with both the boys lately, and I've done a few drop-in clinics too. Tennis rules!
5. Running. I'd forgotten how much I love running outside. I want to sign up for a race with the boys. Must check into that soon so we can start training together.

Five things I've eaten today (some of which I shouldn't have)
1. President's Choice Decadent chocolate chip cookie (only one...)
2. Homemade fruit smoothie spiked with vanilla latte powder mix
3. Breakfast cereal
4. Two cups of coffee
5. Babybel cheese (yum!)

simple + memorabilia =

Yessirree, I am scrappin' again. Nothing fancy, mind you. But I scrapped, which is HUGE for me these days. I mixed some Jillibean Soup, BasicGrey and Lily Bee Designs papers together using clean and simple lines, and I got this...

* Note the Parent Tag from the bottom of his race bib... I needed this to "claim" him from the finish line of the race. Seriously. That's what it is.

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So I haven't been scrapping or blogging much these days. I've been running, playing tennis and pursuing more active pastimes as of late. I have to say that I miss the reflective part of my day, but I'm loving how my summertime wardrobe fits even more.

Anyway... I've gotta run. See ya on the tennis courts! :)

the end of an era

My mom and dad have been in the restaurant business since we very first moved to Canada. I was four at the time. Don't bother to do the math... let's just say it was a long, long time ago. ;)

Yesterday, they cooked their last sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli and chicken chow mien dishes. The House of Wong served its last meals under the ownership of my father and his business partner, a man whose father started the business many decades ago.

Here are Jamesie and Mike in front of the restaurant the last time we ate there...

And here's my dad yesterday, just after they closed for the last time. (A special thanks to my sentimental sister for taking photos yesterday!)

To mark the end of the House of Wong and the beginning of my mom and dad's retirement (which will officially begin on April 1st when they hand over the keys to the new owner), I created this layout:

* Click to see a larger version of this image.

As I said in the journalling on my layout, it's really rather bittersweet. I'll miss having the restaurant there, but I couldn't be happier that my mom and dad will finally be retired and have more time to spend travelling to visit friends and family.

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We've had a few warm days here (and a fair bit of rain, too), so the snow is melting, and spring is in the air. I can see the blue surface of the outdoor courts at the OAC, and I know it won't be long before we're hitting outside again. YAY!

Yes, spring arrived today, and I couldn't be happier that winter is officially over.

(Did I mention that this fair-weather runner actually ran outside last week? I had to navigate around massive puddles on the sidewalk, but it felt amazing to feel the wind in my hair, the sun on my face and the ground beneath my feet.)

Happy Spring!

10 on Tuesday

It's 6:00 am - and it's very, very dark outside. Everyone's still sleeping so I have a few quiet moments before the mad rush begins. I've got a long To Do list before I even leave the house today, so I'll make this fast.

Here are 10 things I want to share today:

1. Last Thursday, I surprised my old friend, Dan, by showing up at his 7:00 am spin class. I finally tried out the cycling shoes I bought a while back, and let me just say, WOW! I wish I'd bought proper shoes with clips ages ago. It makes a huge difference, being clipped in properly. I'm not sure I'll be able to go to those 7:00 am classes on days when I have to go to work though - I was wiped at the end of the 60 minutes of spinning.
2. I got my tennis racket restrung. Apparently it's a decent frame, but the strings were... well, less than ideal. I'm hoping I'll get a little more control over the crazy shots I was hitting off the factory-strung strings. We'll see.
3. I'm running again. Not often, but we've had such beautiful autumn weather that I cannot resist going out on the days when I have nothing else planned. I go at lunch and run along the river. I figure that's a good sign. There have been times when all I want to do is sit at my desk in my cubicle and just mope. It's a feedback loop... I'll run if I feel good, and I feel better after running. This is a good thing, heading into the dark days of winter.
4. We held our annual book fair at the boys' school last week. I say "we" because I actually helped coordinate it this time around. The boys loved browsing through all the books (and reading a few while they were waiting for Mike and I to finish parent-teacher interviews!), and they spent all their allowance they'd been saving up.
5. I sew on my paper crafts, but apparently, I don't like sewing fabric. I have three pairs of pants that need to be hemmed. They're in a bag in the trunk of my car. I really, really need to get them hemmed so I can stop wearing the same four pairs of dress pants over and over again. I really must get to a tailor this week.
6. Thomas continues to surprise me by eating new foods. Yay! Not that all his new food choices are in line with my own personal tastes - the latest addition to his Okay to Eat list is salami sandwiches. lol
7. I mentioned earlier that the weather has been beautiful. It really has, but I didn't want to tempt fate (especially after the snow we had on October 30th), so I went out and bought winter boots for the boys, and I took the car to have the snow tires put on.
8. I cut Thomas' hair on Sunday, and I realized that neither Thomas nor James has had a hair cut since school started. Yikes! Thomas' short hair looks awesome, but James says he wants to grow his hair a little longer. I keep teasing him, saying he should grow his hair like Justin Bieber... but no, he says he just wants long, shoulder-length hair all over. We'll see...
9. I went shopping at my LSS - The Scrapbox - on the weekend. I shopped, not because I needed stuff, but because it was my birthday and I got an extra 25% off my entire purchase. My favourite purchase was the Sew Easy stitch piercer. It's fun and so easy to use - perfect for this hand-stitching addict.
10. Speaking of scrapping, I'm halfway done the 8x8 gift album I'm making. For some reason, it seems to be coming together quickly this year.

shorter days

The days are getting shorter and shorter. That means my energy levels are waning, and I'm eating more and more. Bad combination, to say the least.

After going for a 25-minute "my head might explode if I don't exercise" stress-relieving run the other day, I made a page. I'd say the journalling on this 6x6 layout pretty well sums up my love-hate relationship with my treadmill. :)

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It's the middle of the week already. I'd best get going and start checking things off on my very long To Do list. Happy Wednesday! 

I am not old...

I am not old... I am not old.

If I repeat that refrain often enough, I might actually start believing it.

Whenever I mutter anything about feeling old, my sweet Jamesie pipes up with a very firm, "No, you're NOT!" And then I go on with something about feeling old, with my nagging sports injuries and my very pronounced need for caffeine to get me started in the morning.

Yes, there are days when I do feel old. But yesterday was not one of those days.

 

 

Yesterday, I ran a 5 km race in the middle of my workday. And it was a good 5 km race. My best one yet. :)

I was talked into it by a long-time acquaintance who just happened to be one of the event organizers this year. I'd heard of the event before (a fundraiser for the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign, aka the United Way), but I'd never participated. He told me of the new course and the professional race director and the timing company they'd brought in... so I said, "What the heck?!" and signed up the very next day.

After taking the entire summer off from running in hopes of allowing my achilles tendonitis to heal, I started running again this fall. My runs were few and far between, and they were not fast runs. My training schedule was light, not by design, but rather of necessity. Since early September, I have been teaching aerobics twice a week... playing tennis two or three times a week... and last weekend, I took an indoor cycling instructor course. So yes, I've been active, but I haven't really been running much. It was a really pleasant surprise it was to be able to run a PB 5K yesterday... my time was 26:10!

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So today, I do not feel old. Not in the least.

I do, however, feel a bit sore. I did a light workout (taught a lunchtime class) and did lots of stretching at the end.

Today, I will not complain of getting old. Instead, I will harness energy from yesterday's small personal victory, and I will tackle my laundry, grocery shopping, paperwork, decluttering, photo editing and every other task on my To Do list with a new mantra running through my head.

"I know I can do this."