A Year Later...

I've made the decision to reopen this blog. (Not that it was ever closed, really. Just inactive.) I've also decided that I am not going to worry about whether I am posting things that people need or want to read about. I am going to post what I want. If it bores you, then don't read it. I am totally okay with that. I have another blog where my goal is to amuse and entertain, and where I post very infrequently, as I am not clever often enough. Try that one if this one isn't to your liking. (It's over here.)

I haven't posted in this blog in a year. Well, a little more than a year. My last post was from December of 2010. It is now January of 2012. It has been a long, long time. A lot of things have happened over that year. 2011 was a good and exciting time to be me.

A quick summary of the year:

We lived on King St in Kitchener for the beginning of the year, in a one-bedroom flat. In February, we bought a house. In April we adopted a dog, Daisy, who came with the name Hayley, who is a constant source of craziness in the house. In May we moved into the new house; a three bedroom backsplit on the edge of town, near a swamp but backing on to a storm water pond. Not too shabby. In December (on Christmas day, to be specific,) Bryan proposed to me, and we are now engaged. Life careens on at a startling pace, as usual.

We have started the actual planning stages for the wedding now, and let me just say, even though we opted to go with what seemed like the easy way, it is a daunting task. Cuba is the plan, ideally next winter. I should know more details before the month is out, but for now I field and endless torrent of "do you have a date yet?" with a resounding "...kind of?".

Fitness Boot Camp: Day One

I got in from my first hour long session of “fitness boot camp” a couple of hours ago. Rather, what would have been an hour long if I didn’t get nauseous and start losing my vision half way in to the class. Apparently that kind of thing happens when you try to go from zero exercise ever to crazy intense hour long workouts in one go. Live and learn. To summarize my first efforts: Embarrassing, but that is to be expected.

I made the decision to go with a friend, which did help in some aspects, but just heightened the embarrassment when I had to quit because I was going blind.

Anyway, I don’t yet wish I was dead. I’ve only been resting for a couple of hours, so my muscles are still in that noodle-like stage where they just stop functioning if I ask too much of them. (Down the stairs? Those leg muscles might just abruptly stop catching you when you hit that next step.) BUT; they are not yet sore. I am actually feeling like I may not have to force myself to go to the next one. It is good for me, after all. (My mantra during this ordeal is “this is good for me.” We’ll see if it sticks.) If you asked me right now how I feel about going to another 11 of these sessions, I would say pretty good. I have a sneaking suspicion that if you ask me the same question tomorrow, I will break down and weep unreservedly.

It's Been a Hell of a Year

Wow.

Thinking back on 2011, it’s been a crazy ride. Went to Cuba. Started and gave up on a small business. Adopted a dog. Learned to hang glide. Bought a house. Went camping. Got engaged.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been challenges also, but looking back on the whole year, I’d say they are vastly dwarfed by the awesome things that went on. It seems to me that we went all of a sudden from a couple of no-longer-students to a couple of adults starting a life together. As much as that is kind of sappy, I really feel that way.

January 2011, we were still living in a flat in sketchy downtown Kitchener, living like students and not really doing much of anything. All of a sudden, things started happening like crazy, and now we’re verging on being real life adults. We have a house and a mortgage and a yard and a cat and a dog and a spare bedroom and … you know, everything. And this happened all in one year. I’m sure you can appreciate how that may be a little overwhelming.

So now, on to the next adventure, I suppose. The next arbitrarily assigned number begins, as the last one draws to a close. I’m not one to make resolutions, as I know that I always aim high and then give up early on. I won’t promise to run a marathon or lose a hundred pounds or write a novel. My plan is to do what I did the last year, and hope it turns out as well. A day at a time, one foot in front of the other.

So, happy new years to everyone, and I hope your year is always better than the last one.