Crap. It's been over 2 months since I posted!
I thought Janey Canuck had been over-exaggerating with all of the #youshouldblog tweets... #mybad
Forgive me if I repeat myself about anything, I haven't taken the time to read through my last few posts - I can't remember what they were about!
There have been some completions on my list - Thing #33 Make a wish at 11:11 on 11/11/11. This, in reality, should have been probably the most simple thing on my list. Unfortunately, I was in charge of our Remembrance Day ceremony at the school, which required a lot of overseeing right around that time. Did I make a wish right on 11:11. I'm gonna go with yes! LOL - When we had our moment of silence, I made my wish. It may have been a minute or two late, but I tried! For good measure, I also made a wish at 11:11pm, which counts as well I think ;)
I am ONE BOOK away from finishing my 50 Book Pledge - Thing 58. Since I have 4 books waiting to be read right now, this *should* be easily accomplished in the next month. It's funny how I thought I could double that amount back in the Spring. Who knew life would "get in the way"?
Speaking of, as many of you know there is a new man in my life. I can honestly say that I doubted ever finding someone who would put up with me, treat me well and actually want to spend time with me. Sadly, that is the trend that resulted from my dating history, and I became quite cynical. It may be early days yet, but this new man is more than I could have hoped for. Is it Thing 100? That's for me to know/figure out, and you to just wait and see!
Thing 6 has gotten away from me. The past few months have been crazy busy. I knew that working full-time would be a lot of work, but I really wasn't prepared for how exhausted I would feel all the time. I really need to go back to the gym, but I'm not sure when to do that! Finances are still an ongoing struggle that I am hoping to get a handle on soon, but for now I have been working extra at work, which has limited my time to go. Working almost 10 hours every day doesn't leave much free time, and when it does, I have been spending my time with JR. The honeymoon stage only lasts so long, right?!
I'm hoping to be able to work a little less when the new year comes, so that I can squeeze in the gym at least a few times a week, but it pretty much means I won't reach my goal by the time I turn 30. That is frustrating, but I should have seen it coming with the lack of gym time. Also, the Dukan Diet was WAY too much work for me - and after 3 weeks I hadn't dropped a thing. Why sacrifice enjoying your food? I do know that I have to cut back on the carbs and sugar again. Maintenance is going to be an issue when I lose my weight, because I know I have put a few pounds back on, just by eating normally. I don't eat to excess, and I don't eat nearly as many snacks and treats as I did before, so it has been really frustrating. I'd like to get to the point where I just don't care about my weight - maybe that is the secret?!
Random Thought 1: I've been thinking about getting into freelance writing. Not sure how to get started, but I am sure Google can help me out with that. I need some sort of part-time job/income to help me out, but I want it to be on my terms. Hopefully that's not wishful thinking.
OK, it's getting super late, and I really should sleep. I've been asleep by 10:30 most nights lately, and one of the reasons I am up so late is because JR isn't around to make me go to sleep! Another reason is that I have parent-teacher interviews the next two days, and I get really anxious and stressed out about them. Last year I really screwed a few of them up and made my life more stressful than it needed to be. This year I plan to say as little as possible. Hopefully my verbal diarrhoea takes a break for a few days!
But wait, I almost forgot my "philosophical" thought for my blog post. I usually have some thought I want to share with others, that is too long for twitter. Anyways, I have been thinking a lot lately about what "home" is. There are several reasons why, one of which is that my landlord's are selling the house I am renting in, and I'm pissed. Everyday there are more strangers traipsing through my apartment, and it makes me really uncomfortable. Will I have to move? Will the new landlord raise the rent? It's just stressful thoughts I don't really need. It has also made me feel rather disconnected to my apartment, which I thought I really loved. I also have been spending a lot of time at JR's, which has been great, but also stressful because his Dad lives with him and it's caused some tension with me being there so much.
Anyways, I was thinking about how much my last apartment meant to me. How it was home, and I made it that way, because I needed that. To get over the shit in my past, I needed to make a home here where I felt I belonged. I needed a physical home to help me emotionally heal. Over the past 6 months though, there's been a bit of a shift. I have been finding home in my relationships with other people. Friends, family & JR have all allowed me to find a connection that is "home" with them. I'm not sure how to explain it any further than this, and maybe I'll look back and read this and think that I explained it all wrong, but I need to start getting it out somehow!
Random Thought 2: I do not like my laptop's keyboard. This may be why I don't blog very often. I HATE it. You would think after 3 months I would be used to it!! I get finger cramps when I type longer than 10 minutes. Grrr!!
I used to be able to express myself so well when writing. Whether or not you can sense the struggle when you read, I'm not so sure. I'd be interested to know!
Until next time
~
Katy
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Thing 26 - Buy a pair of Stiletto Heels and Wear Them
So - I am ashamed to say that I let a very important aspect of femininity escape my grasp over the last 7 or 8 years. Wearing heels. Considering I am about 5"2, this is slightly strange to most people. I tend to fall or trip a lot though, and clumsy is my middle name, so wearing heels just seemed to be asking for trouble!
I'm not even sure why I picked this Thing, because I didn't really have a burning desire to wear heels when I started my list. Over the summer though, I got a lot of hassle about my lack of heeled shoes from Laura. And I may have started to realize just how well a good pair of shoes can make your outfit. I also might have become a little jealous about all the shoes that everyone else was wearing as I wandered around in my little flip-flops. So, last month I went shopping with my Aunt T, and invested in some fabulous heels. I'm proud to say that I now own 6 pairs of heeled shoes, and have even worn heels to work 4 of the last 5 work days! Without falling!!
Only one of the pairs of heels are stilettos. They are absolutely fabulous, and I fell in love with them when I saw them!
I haven't worn the stilettos yet, but I am going to be working them in over the next few months, and plan to ring in my 30th bday wearing them.
Check these babies out:
I'm not even sure why I picked this Thing, because I didn't really have a burning desire to wear heels when I started my list. Over the summer though, I got a lot of hassle about my lack of heeled shoes from Laura. And I may have started to realize just how well a good pair of shoes can make your outfit. I also might have become a little jealous about all the shoes that everyone else was wearing as I wandered around in my little flip-flops. So, last month I went shopping with my Aunt T, and invested in some fabulous heels. I'm proud to say that I now own 6 pairs of heeled shoes, and have even worn heels to work 4 of the last 5 work days! Without falling!!
Only one of the pairs of heels are stilettos. They are absolutely fabulous, and I fell in love with them when I saw them!
I haven't worn the stilettos yet, but I am going to be working them in over the next few months, and plan to ring in my 30th bday wearing them.
Check these babies out:
Thing 6 - Reach Goal Weight
This Thing is probably the most important me to right now. I gained a lot of extra weight over the last 6 years, and have been pretty unhappy about it for a long time. Taking the bull by the horns in April, I really started to put this Thing into focus, working out at the gym more, watching what I eat, eliminating most carbs, and starting the Dukan Diet last week.
In April I weighed about 170lbs. Today I am happy to say I weigh around 149lbs. The change in my body has been dramatic, the change in my own well-being, even more so. I'm not sure if there is anything that can give a person such a great sense of confidence, than taking control of your own body image.
I have dropped 2 pant sizes, and am able to wear clothes that I haven't fit into for at least 3 years. I get compliments almost daily from co-workers and acquaintances about how good I am looking. It is such a confidence boost, and it is really motivating!
My goal is to reach the mid-120's by my 30th birthday in January. I have been so busy with the school year over the last few weeks that I haven't been able to make it to the gym, so I have upped my dieting plans. I started the Dukan Diet this week, and have so far been happy with it. I like that it incorporates maintenance into the program, so that you are able to add everything back into your diet at the end of the program. It is similar to what I was doing on my own, except that I am not supposed to eat fruit while I am on it. This has been the biggest challenge for me, and I'm not sure I will stick to it for the next 2 months, but we shall see. I also have adjusted the diet for myself a bit. I put chia seeds into my oat bran pancakes, because I need the extra fibre in my diet. I also have been eating chickpeas and other beans for the same reason.
You can see my initial start with Thing 6 here: http://seekatydo101thingsin1001days.blogspot.com/p/thing-6.html
I haven't really updated it because I have been doing well without the accountability so far. If that changes you will see me utilize that page again.
In April I weighed about 170lbs. Today I am happy to say I weigh around 149lbs. The change in my body has been dramatic, the change in my own well-being, even more so. I'm not sure if there is anything that can give a person such a great sense of confidence, than taking control of your own body image.
I have dropped 2 pant sizes, and am able to wear clothes that I haven't fit into for at least 3 years. I get compliments almost daily from co-workers and acquaintances about how good I am looking. It is such a confidence boost, and it is really motivating!
My goal is to reach the mid-120's by my 30th birthday in January. I have been so busy with the school year over the last few weeks that I haven't been able to make it to the gym, so I have upped my dieting plans. I started the Dukan Diet this week, and have so far been happy with it. I like that it incorporates maintenance into the program, so that you are able to add everything back into your diet at the end of the program. It is similar to what I was doing on my own, except that I am not supposed to eat fruit while I am on it. This has been the biggest challenge for me, and I'm not sure I will stick to it for the next 2 months, but we shall see. I also have adjusted the diet for myself a bit. I put chia seeds into my oat bran pancakes, because I need the extra fibre in my diet. I also have been eating chickpeas and other beans for the same reason.
You can see my initial start with Thing 6 here: http://seekatydo101thingsin1001days.blogspot.com/p/thing-6.html
I haven't really updated it because I have been doing well without the accountability so far. If that changes you will see me utilize that page again.
Thing 58 - Complete my 50 Book Pledge
This Thing is something I started before the blog. Influenced by one of my favourite muses, Janey Canuck (the inspiration behind this very blog), I have been documenting the books I have read in 2011 with an Excel Spreadsheet. So far I have read 46 books, and am working on Book 47 for this month's book club. I did very well in the first 5 months of the year, reading about 36 books, but slowed down considerably over the summer. I have been trying to branch out a bit this year with what books I am reading, and think I have been fairly successful. I am sitting at 15, 399 pages read so far this year, which I think it pretty amazing!!
Feel free to ask for any recommendations, I would be more than happy to share some with you!
You can view my spreadsheet from a link here: http://seekatydo101thingsin1001days.blogspot.com/p/thing-58-complete-my-50-book-pledge.html
This Thing will be completed when I reach my goal of 50 books read. I anticipate reaching the goal by the end of November.
Feel free to ask for any recommendations, I would be more than happy to share some with you!
You can view my spreadsheet from a link here: http://seekatydo101thingsin1001days.blogspot.com/p/thing-58-complete-my-50-book-pledge.html
This Thing will be completed when I reach my goal of 50 books read. I anticipate reaching the goal by the end of November.
Putting it all into Focus
Well, Blogger, I gotta say - I'm not a fan at this particular moment in time! Trying to type a blog post when the screen is so unbelievably tiny and hard to use is very frustrating! I must power through though, as my blog fan club is getting slight antsy about the lack of posts. While over the summer I put the blame on the lack of a regular internet connection, I'm actually starting to realize that my own list is sabotaging me!
That's right - one of my completed things, Thing 80 - Upgrade to a Smart phone, is actually trying to bring down my list. The thing is, I hardly ever even go on my laptop right now, unless I am working at the school or listening to music on iTunes. Oops!! I am also having a love-hate relationship with my new laptop. I love everything about it, but I HATE the keyboard. With a passion. The key set up is different and I hit the wrong keys all of the time, and it just works differently for some reason. I might need to get the Mavis Beacon going again, so I get more accustomed to it soon.
What's interesting about my 101 Things List is that I actually feel like some of the things on it aren't really things I want to do anymore. I did a lot of growing this summer, and changing, in some ways anyways, and I really feel like I don't connect with some of the things on my list anymore. You might see some updating as this year progresses, and I try to adapt and fill in some of the blanks. I am giving myself until Dec. 31, 2011 to make any changes to it that I feel I need to, and then I will try my hardest to stay committed to the list until the end of the 1001 Days from that point.
I also am going to start on those long promised posts that actually describe my things in detail. I have been thinking about them alot, and feel like they will help my blog be a little more organized. I have been given some pointers about doing all of the linking with posts, and how to connect them. I have forgotten it all and hope to get Janey Canuck to help me a bit after she is back from her world travelling adventures soon!!
Thank you to everyone who posted on my last blog post about wanting a dog. I haven't taken it off the table at this point, but it was definitely the reality check that I needed before I jumped into it hook, line and sinker! I sometimes leap before I look, and the choice to have a dog requires slightly more planning and consideration than that!
I think over the next few months you will see this blog become a bit of a hybrid - hopefully you like the personal posts that I have been making, and you will see more of the 101 things list-specific posts as well. I like having the outlet of a blog to write about what is bothering me, or what I'm worrying about at any particular time. I also like to share what is happening with me, with my friends who I don't get to talk to day-to-day anymore. I haven't forgotten the purpose of this blog though, and I am still committed to finishing my list in the best way possible!
Until next time~
Katy
That's right - one of my completed things, Thing 80 - Upgrade to a Smart phone, is actually trying to bring down my list. The thing is, I hardly ever even go on my laptop right now, unless I am working at the school or listening to music on iTunes. Oops!! I am also having a love-hate relationship with my new laptop. I love everything about it, but I HATE the keyboard. With a passion. The key set up is different and I hit the wrong keys all of the time, and it just works differently for some reason. I might need to get the Mavis Beacon going again, so I get more accustomed to it soon.
What's interesting about my 101 Things List is that I actually feel like some of the things on it aren't really things I want to do anymore. I did a lot of growing this summer, and changing, in some ways anyways, and I really feel like I don't connect with some of the things on my list anymore. You might see some updating as this year progresses, and I try to adapt and fill in some of the blanks. I am giving myself until Dec. 31, 2011 to make any changes to it that I feel I need to, and then I will try my hardest to stay committed to the list until the end of the 1001 Days from that point.
I also am going to start on those long promised posts that actually describe my things in detail. I have been thinking about them alot, and feel like they will help my blog be a little more organized. I have been given some pointers about doing all of the linking with posts, and how to connect them. I have forgotten it all and hope to get Janey Canuck to help me a bit after she is back from her world travelling adventures soon!!
Thank you to everyone who posted on my last blog post about wanting a dog. I haven't taken it off the table at this point, but it was definitely the reality check that I needed before I jumped into it hook, line and sinker! I sometimes leap before I look, and the choice to have a dog requires slightly more planning and consideration than that!
I think over the next few months you will see this blog become a bit of a hybrid - hopefully you like the personal posts that I have been making, and you will see more of the 101 things list-specific posts as well. I like having the outlet of a blog to write about what is bothering me, or what I'm worrying about at any particular time. I also like to share what is happening with me, with my friends who I don't get to talk to day-to-day anymore. I haven't forgotten the purpose of this blog though, and I am still committed to finishing my list in the best way possible!
Until next time~
Katy
Monday, September 05, 2011
Unconditional Love
I can't believe that the new school year starts in less than 12 hours! The last week and a half has been a flurry of planning, moving, organizing and trying to get a few last summer fun events in. I'm exhausted!
I am writing this post from my very own internet connection, which is highly exciting - I can't believe it took over a month for my internet and cable to get set up here! Count on more regular blog posts from this point forward.
I haven't had a chance to assess my 101 Things list for a while, so a true update is still going to have to take place at a later date, but I can tell you that my goals of live music every month, and sitting on a patio every week for the months of June, July & August were easily reached. :)
I did not walk the Bayfront path as many times as I wanted to this year, nor did I see enough waterfalls to satisfy that Thing, but I still have a month or two (hopefully) until the snow falls, so there is still a chance that I can get caught up.
I am starting full-time at the school tomorrow, and I am both nervous and excited! I have a lot of great ideas that I hope I get to put into action this year, and I am looking forward to helping my students gain more independence in their academic endeavours.
I had been planning to attempt my Thing of Lights out by 10:30pm for a week this week, but I might try for next week instead. That IS a full week after all...
Something I realized over the last few weeks of the summer is that I am really in need of giving and receiving some unconditional love and companionship. I have been lucky enough to make some amazing friendships this summer and over the years, but almost all of my friends have their own families or spouses to love to. I'm not saying that I'm going out to start pursuing a husband hunt or anything, but I do feel like I need someone/something else to love.
I'm thinking about getting a dog.
Stop laughing.
I know I spent many years terrified of dogs, and I'm not really an animal person at all, but seriously, wouldn't having a dog be great? Am I losing my mind?
It's not like I'm going out to get one any time soon, but I am thinking about the possibility. Cats aren't cuddly or nice enough. Goldfish die. Hamsters scare me. Birds creep me out.
How about a dog?
Yup, I'm losing my mind.
On that note, think it's time to hit the hay.
Somebody talk some sense into me, OK?
~Until next time...
I am writing this post from my very own internet connection, which is highly exciting - I can't believe it took over a month for my internet and cable to get set up here! Count on more regular blog posts from this point forward.
I haven't had a chance to assess my 101 Things list for a while, so a true update is still going to have to take place at a later date, but I can tell you that my goals of live music every month, and sitting on a patio every week for the months of June, July & August were easily reached. :)
I did not walk the Bayfront path as many times as I wanted to this year, nor did I see enough waterfalls to satisfy that Thing, but I still have a month or two (hopefully) until the snow falls, so there is still a chance that I can get caught up.
I am starting full-time at the school tomorrow, and I am both nervous and excited! I have a lot of great ideas that I hope I get to put into action this year, and I am looking forward to helping my students gain more independence in their academic endeavours.
I had been planning to attempt my Thing of Lights out by 10:30pm for a week this week, but I might try for next week instead. That IS a full week after all...
Something I realized over the last few weeks of the summer is that I am really in need of giving and receiving some unconditional love and companionship. I have been lucky enough to make some amazing friendships this summer and over the years, but almost all of my friends have their own families or spouses to love to. I'm not saying that I'm going out to start pursuing a husband hunt or anything, but I do feel like I need someone/something else to love.
I'm thinking about getting a dog.
Stop laughing.
I know I spent many years terrified of dogs, and I'm not really an animal person at all, but seriously, wouldn't having a dog be great? Am I losing my mind?
It's not like I'm going out to get one any time soon, but I am thinking about the possibility. Cats aren't cuddly or nice enough. Goldfish die. Hamsters scare me. Birds creep me out.
How about a dog?
Yup, I'm losing my mind.
On that note, think it's time to hit the hay.
Somebody talk some sense into me, OK?
~Until next time...
Monday, August 15, 2011
Don't You (Forget About Me)
I promise that I haven't forgotten about you!!
I have been living without internet, aside from my blackberry for over a month now. Last week my laptop gave up the ghost, and I haven't felt inspired enough to go and seek out alternate means of blogging.
As of right now, I am blogging from my brand new laptop. I am attempting to get used to the keyboard. It feels very strange!!
I don't have any photos on this laptop yet, so this post isn't going to be very exciting in terms of updates. Actually, it isn't even really going to be focused on my 101 Things list, as seems to be the theme of my more recent posts. I am still working on the challenge, and have been doing as many things as I can, but it hasn't been at the top of my priorities, without the ability to check in on here easily.
One thing I have learned over this summer is that I work best, and accomplish more, when I have a set routine. Living day to day with no real routine has left me feeling rather aimless and unproductive.
Mentally, I think I really needed the first few weeks of that. After my first full year of teaching, and with the personal struggles I went through, I really needed that no-brainer time to mentally detox. The last week or so though, I have been feeling depression setting in again. I think it's mostly hormonal, and I am concerned enough that I am going to get checked out this week.
I've also been living this summer without any real form of payment, my EI claim was just accepted and I am waiting to receive that money. It's not nearly enough to play catch up with though, and I am looking forward to my regular paycheques resuming at the end of the month. I plan to make a concerted effort to set aside enough money so that I hopefully can avoid this situation next summer.
Today I was hit with a $500 legal bill from my home ownership situation that I thought had been dealt with. I am feeling very stressed out about it, and quite surprised. I was under the impression that everything was being taken care of, since I left that house without any claim to anything in it. How many more times do I need to learn from my past mistakes? How often do I need reminders about the idiocy I put myself through?
Whatever funk I am in now, I am anxiously awaiting for it to pass. It feels very reminiscent of how I spent the last several years feeling, and I am in no way interested in heading back down that path. I think that I am in a better position now because I can feel that I shouldn't feel this way, and I know I don't deserve to. I haven't been as diligent in avoiding carbs either, which hasn't helped my moods. I don't overload on them like I did in the past, but I have been cheating more often. Last week I had pasta twice, (which hasn't happened since April!) because I was feeling so down in the dumps. It took some strength, but I passed it by at the grocery store on Friday, and I am going to try to start this week on the right foot.
I'm hoping to have internet hooked up at my new apartment soon, maybe even this week, so that I can get back to using this blog in a more positive and interesting way, rather than my personal drama soap stand that it has become.
Hopefully I haven't caused too many readers to walk away in frustration. I promise that there are many more fun and interesting updates on the way!!
Until next time...
I have been living without internet, aside from my blackberry for over a month now. Last week my laptop gave up the ghost, and I haven't felt inspired enough to go and seek out alternate means of blogging.
As of right now, I am blogging from my brand new laptop. I am attempting to get used to the keyboard. It feels very strange!!
I don't have any photos on this laptop yet, so this post isn't going to be very exciting in terms of updates. Actually, it isn't even really going to be focused on my 101 Things list, as seems to be the theme of my more recent posts. I am still working on the challenge, and have been doing as many things as I can, but it hasn't been at the top of my priorities, without the ability to check in on here easily.
One thing I have learned over this summer is that I work best, and accomplish more, when I have a set routine. Living day to day with no real routine has left me feeling rather aimless and unproductive.
Mentally, I think I really needed the first few weeks of that. After my first full year of teaching, and with the personal struggles I went through, I really needed that no-brainer time to mentally detox. The last week or so though, I have been feeling depression setting in again. I think it's mostly hormonal, and I am concerned enough that I am going to get checked out this week.
I've also been living this summer without any real form of payment, my EI claim was just accepted and I am waiting to receive that money. It's not nearly enough to play catch up with though, and I am looking forward to my regular paycheques resuming at the end of the month. I plan to make a concerted effort to set aside enough money so that I hopefully can avoid this situation next summer.
Today I was hit with a $500 legal bill from my home ownership situation that I thought had been dealt with. I am feeling very stressed out about it, and quite surprised. I was under the impression that everything was being taken care of, since I left that house without any claim to anything in it. How many more times do I need to learn from my past mistakes? How often do I need reminders about the idiocy I put myself through?
Whatever funk I am in now, I am anxiously awaiting for it to pass. It feels very reminiscent of how I spent the last several years feeling, and I am in no way interested in heading back down that path. I think that I am in a better position now because I can feel that I shouldn't feel this way, and I know I don't deserve to. I haven't been as diligent in avoiding carbs either, which hasn't helped my moods. I don't overload on them like I did in the past, but I have been cheating more often. Last week I had pasta twice, (which hasn't happened since April!) because I was feeling so down in the dumps. It took some strength, but I passed it by at the grocery store on Friday, and I am going to try to start this week on the right foot.
I'm hoping to have internet hooked up at my new apartment soon, maybe even this week, so that I can get back to using this blog in a more positive and interesting way, rather than my personal drama soap stand that it has become.
Hopefully I haven't caused too many readers to walk away in frustration. I promise that there are many more fun and interesting updates on the way!!
Until next time...
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