Wow, wudda friggin good time last night! Even as the DD!
There was so much positive energy it was unreal, all of which was enhanced (slightly) by the alcohol.
The music was good, at both places and ya gotta love waitresses in kilts!!!
I had the most fun I've had in a while, and while it might not have been Barrington Street it'll do for now, right guys?
Bt no one lost a peanut shell in their cleavage, no wait... Well at least no one dumped beer in their own crotch, no wait...
Well at least nothing went "BOOM!" No wait....
Did we ever discuss CTRR?
29.4.06
25.4.06
The Fifteen-Minute Solution
As is the normal cycle of Lang-Life Kara and I have hit bottom again. Don’t worry it is nothing drastic; we’ve hit the bottom of the rut.
Every so often life tackles us about the knees when we weren’t looking, and we realize we have stopped controlling what’s going on and things build up and breakdown.
In particular, I am speaking to the state of clutter and chaos consuming the house, floor-by-floor, room-by-room. This domestic chaos (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) is inevitably tied to the financial lethargy our life has had since we met that at times rears it’s ugly head and becomes an all-pervasive feeling of dread and impending doom.
So with the posting message in hand and now an address for where we will live in Moncton Kara and I had a full out emotion session, with raised voices, tears etc. But the cool thing is we were not at each other’s throats as may have happened earlier in our relationship. We were, in essence, completely on the same page. Though we do have fundamentally different ways of looking at both the problem and the solution.
The solution that worked for us before in terms of decluttering and organizing was something Kara found at FlyLady.com. To summarize right now we are adopting what I call “the 15 minute solution”. A strategy of Crisis Cleaning that has you begin in the kitchen and clean, and clear surfaces for fifteen minutes (use a timer), then when the timer goes of you move to the living room and do the same, then to the kitchen again. At the end of the third segment you take a fifteen-minute break, where you relax and enjoy the accomplishment of the previous 45 minutes.
So we began last night and took a tremendous step towards the top of the rut. And gosh darnit it feels good.
As for the financial lethargy, ha, not such an easy fix. There is just never enough coming in for us to get ahead. At our best we are breaking even. We will be taking drastic measures to catch up this time. And that means no Fredericton Half marathon. A) we can’t buy Kara the sneakers she needs, and b) we can’t pay to enter. So after six months of training it is a really cocksucker of a kick in the balls.
Sacrifices we make eh?
But to end on a positive note the fifteen minute solution adds such a piece of mind to the upcoming move. And if we can start on the right foot in Moncton then that will be ¾ of the battle.
Til next time.
Every so often life tackles us about the knees when we weren’t looking, and we realize we have stopped controlling what’s going on and things build up and breakdown.
In particular, I am speaking to the state of clutter and chaos consuming the house, floor-by-floor, room-by-room. This domestic chaos (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) is inevitably tied to the financial lethargy our life has had since we met that at times rears it’s ugly head and becomes an all-pervasive feeling of dread and impending doom.
So with the posting message in hand and now an address for where we will live in Moncton Kara and I had a full out emotion session, with raised voices, tears etc. But the cool thing is we were not at each other’s throats as may have happened earlier in our relationship. We were, in essence, completely on the same page. Though we do have fundamentally different ways of looking at both the problem and the solution.
The solution that worked for us before in terms of decluttering and organizing was something Kara found at FlyLady.com. To summarize right now we are adopting what I call “the 15 minute solution”. A strategy of Crisis Cleaning that has you begin in the kitchen and clean, and clear surfaces for fifteen minutes (use a timer), then when the timer goes of you move to the living room and do the same, then to the kitchen again. At the end of the third segment you take a fifteen-minute break, where you relax and enjoy the accomplishment of the previous 45 minutes.
So we began last night and took a tremendous step towards the top of the rut. And gosh darnit it feels good.
As for the financial lethargy, ha, not such an easy fix. There is just never enough coming in for us to get ahead. At our best we are breaking even. We will be taking drastic measures to catch up this time. And that means no Fredericton Half marathon. A) we can’t buy Kara the sneakers she needs, and b) we can’t pay to enter. So after six months of training it is a really cocksucker of a kick in the balls.
Sacrifices we make eh?
But to end on a positive note the fifteen minute solution adds such a piece of mind to the upcoming move. And if we can start on the right foot in Moncton then that will be ¾ of the battle.
Til next time.
23.4.06
A note on where I've been.
Work, the simple answer.
This week was a very long, yet rewarding week at work. It was the confrimation week for a Vindicator UAV course that ran in my troop. The weather was horrid the first few days; wind, rain, hail, and the wind.
had a lot of high profile (read high ranking, or important) visitors, and i think it went well despite the added stress.
My running went for a dump, though I did get one great run in with james a and Jaime ( a fortuitous turn as it wasn't planned)
tomorrow, an LSD.
This week was a very long, yet rewarding week at work. It was the confrimation week for a Vindicator UAV course that ran in my troop. The weather was horrid the first few days; wind, rain, hail, and the wind.
had a lot of high profile (read high ranking, or important) visitors, and i think it went well despite the added stress.
My running went for a dump, though I did get one great run in with james a and Jaime ( a fortuitous turn as it wasn't planned)
tomorrow, an LSD.
A stolen journalling exercise
Having read a good friends blog I was so struck by one of her posts that I decided to explore the same question. Though my own version may lack the focus of the original intent it held for her I think it will be an excellent exercise. Here is the question:
Are you a night owl or a morning person or something in between? Do you know when this habit began in your life? Do you think people’s sleep patterns are really a part of who they are (like hair color) or can be changed with circumstances?
-The easy answer to this question is that I am a full-blown morning person. I do know when this habit began, and I believe though natural, they can be changed by circumstances.
My explanation. I have always gotten up early, always. I used to always be awake a half hour before the sun would rise. This was a habit reinforced by my requirement to always get up for school, or to get up to go to hockey practise. This ability and preference for me to start my day as early as possible was an advantage, especially when it came to sports as my mental readiness was often much more focused than my teammates during early practises.
This has proven so extremely advantageous for me considering my career choice. Being a soldier, and an officer often requires me to be up before the rest, even if I went down after all the rest. But I think I have a good ability to wake up, and wake up quickly and alert. This is coupled with my ability to shut myself off, an ability Kara hates, and that I will discuss in a couple paragraphs from now.
Even if I take the time to stay out, or stay up and be a night owl I will 95% of the time be awake first thing in the morning. This may leave me as a complete writeoff by 1400 but I was up. Kara and I have always been very different in this regard as I would classify her as a definitive night owl. She would be happy if her day started at 9 am with a two hour nap. But her fun isn't starting til 2230-2300.
This habit, as mentioned, mostly developed naturally for me as a result of forced school timings and hockey practise. But I began to acknowledge my like for it in High School, and I have a real fascination with the "dead"morning hours, the time of pure darkness, and often calmness usually at about 3:30 to 4:30 in the morning. I went through a period in Grade 12 and first year university where I stayed up all night to reach this point, then I smartened up and started going to bed earlier and getting up at this time.
It is my favorite time to drive long distances, it is my favorite time to pull sentry or CP duty.
I have really developed a skill that Kara hates, and that is my ability to turn off, and fall asleep almost immediately. No matter what is going on in my life. This has been ultra enhanced by my reaction to Basic training, when I realized, "You know what? screw it, tomorrow is going to get here, and it's probably going to suck, but I don't want it to suck and be dragging my ass!" This ability to detach was something mentioned and explored in a book I just finished "Tuesdays With Morrie" (review to follow in another Blog!) I pride myself on this ability, and though I do have those times whan I just can't do it, I pride myself on "letting go" and then reestablishing the connection (and the heartburn) the next morning.
I believe peoples sleeping habits are the perfect blend of nurture and nature. I think I am predisposed to an early rising, and events in my life made it habit. Working to detach myself from issues has been something I have nurtured, and have tried to make 'natural"'.
I think people can set conditions for their own success if they make it a) a priority and b) if the circumstances allow for it to happen. Causes of our stress we cannot control, reactions to that stress we can. Some things just can't be done from 2300-0500, so laying awake brooding/panicking is no help to anyone.
Those are my thoughts anyway, and almost worth a nickel...
What a great exercise...
Til next time.
Are you a night owl or a morning person or something in between? Do you know when this habit began in your life? Do you think people’s sleep patterns are really a part of who they are (like hair color) or can be changed with circumstances?
-The easy answer to this question is that I am a full-blown morning person. I do know when this habit began, and I believe though natural, they can be changed by circumstances.
My explanation. I have always gotten up early, always. I used to always be awake a half hour before the sun would rise. This was a habit reinforced by my requirement to always get up for school, or to get up to go to hockey practise. This ability and preference for me to start my day as early as possible was an advantage, especially when it came to sports as my mental readiness was often much more focused than my teammates during early practises.
This has proven so extremely advantageous for me considering my career choice. Being a soldier, and an officer often requires me to be up before the rest, even if I went down after all the rest. But I think I have a good ability to wake up, and wake up quickly and alert. This is coupled with my ability to shut myself off, an ability Kara hates, and that I will discuss in a couple paragraphs from now.
Even if I take the time to stay out, or stay up and be a night owl I will 95% of the time be awake first thing in the morning. This may leave me as a complete writeoff by 1400 but I was up. Kara and I have always been very different in this regard as I would classify her as a definitive night owl. She would be happy if her day started at 9 am with a two hour nap. But her fun isn't starting til 2230-2300.
This habit, as mentioned, mostly developed naturally for me as a result of forced school timings and hockey practise. But I began to acknowledge my like for it in High School, and I have a real fascination with the "dead"morning hours, the time of pure darkness, and often calmness usually at about 3:30 to 4:30 in the morning. I went through a period in Grade 12 and first year university where I stayed up all night to reach this point, then I smartened up and started going to bed earlier and getting up at this time.
It is my favorite time to drive long distances, it is my favorite time to pull sentry or CP duty.
I have really developed a skill that Kara hates, and that is my ability to turn off, and fall asleep almost immediately. No matter what is going on in my life. This has been ultra enhanced by my reaction to Basic training, when I realized, "You know what? screw it, tomorrow is going to get here, and it's probably going to suck, but I don't want it to suck and be dragging my ass!" This ability to detach was something mentioned and explored in a book I just finished "Tuesdays With Morrie" (review to follow in another Blog!) I pride myself on this ability, and though I do have those times whan I just can't do it, I pride myself on "letting go" and then reestablishing the connection (and the heartburn) the next morning.
I believe peoples sleeping habits are the perfect blend of nurture and nature. I think I am predisposed to an early rising, and events in my life made it habit. Working to detach myself from issues has been something I have nurtured, and have tried to make 'natural"'.
I think people can set conditions for their own success if they make it a) a priority and b) if the circumstances allow for it to happen. Causes of our stress we cannot control, reactions to that stress we can. Some things just can't be done from 2300-0500, so laying awake brooding/panicking is no help to anyone.
Those are my thoughts anyway, and almost worth a nickel...
What a great exercise...
Til next time.
18.4.06
A short note about Monday's shopping.
Kara and I followed EBay religiously for five days. The exact part required to make my bike almost road worthy was on for a decent price American.
It came down to the big day. Kara went with Trish for a 14km run...which is awesome in and of itself. So, I went upstairs to play some Age of Empires to pass the time. Then the phone started ringing, then the kids were hungry, then the family looking for bedframes that Kara posted on Fredericton Freecycle arrived. Funny, because I was unaware that they were coming, and the bed frames were in about twelve %$#%# ing locations around the house.
But once again things calm down, and I go back to Age of Empires, which again, funny, was not on pause while I was away and I was getting the shy-za trounced out of me. So I get it all sorted out and carry on.
Five minutes later Kara comes in the room, cheeks rosy pink and cute from her run and she says, "Did you win?"
I say "No I just..." Then I realize she is not talking about Age of Empires.
{{panic}}
-going to ebay-
Sold, done, ended, about seven minutes before...
Needless to say I did not win the part.
And Monday we also needed to buy a new mouse for the computer.
To facilitate putting the bike, piece by {ahem} piece on EBay...
*sigh*
It came down to the big day. Kara went with Trish for a 14km run...which is awesome in and of itself. So, I went upstairs to play some Age of Empires to pass the time. Then the phone started ringing, then the kids were hungry, then the family looking for bedframes that Kara posted on Fredericton Freecycle arrived. Funny, because I was unaware that they were coming, and the bed frames were in about twelve %$#%# ing locations around the house.
But once again things calm down, and I go back to Age of Empires, which again, funny, was not on pause while I was away and I was getting the shy-za trounced out of me. So I get it all sorted out and carry on.
Five minutes later Kara comes in the room, cheeks rosy pink and cute from her run and she says, "Did you win?"
I say "No I just..." Then I realize she is not talking about Age of Empires.
{{panic}}
-going to ebay-
Sold, done, ended, about seven minutes before...
Needless to say I did not win the part.
And Monday we also needed to buy a new mouse for the computer.
To facilitate putting the bike, piece by {ahem} piece on EBay...
*sigh*
Easter Weekend, Readers Digest Version
"Knock, Knock"
"Who’s there?"
“Cheese”
“Cheese who?”
“Knock Knock”
“Who’s there?”
“Glad Phia’s not here for cake!”
Nathaniel’s comments during cheesecake dessert Saturday night, Easter. Aaron was over for some vino and some eats, and the Lang Family premiere of Narnia.
Friday was a good day, had the day off and the sun was shining. Nathaniel and I built a soccer goal out of some scrap wood and played soccer for about 90 minutes. Then Kara and I went to Dave’s place and got to see the new Xbox 360.
Saturday was a good day too, got our Easter shopping done and as mentioned Aaron came over and spent a few hours. The movie Narnia was good, kept the kids interest and the parents’ interest and was a good adaptation of the book.
Sunday started off great with the kids following picture clues from hollow plastic eggs around the house. Upstairs then downstairs, to their chocolates, their soccer ball/ bike helmet, and their new jackets. The kids were so excited following their clues they left their little Easter eggs behind!!!
(The remainder of the day was a blend of sugar-induced rampage and cursing the rain! During which time Nathaniel had his soccer ball, and then lost all soccer ball privileges for a while, after hacking off hunks of Phia’s hair with scissors. To his credit he did admit to it/ brag about it immediately after…
Monday was another trip to the mall day, looking for gels for Kara’s running. The only place on the planet (well planet Fredericton) that had them was Walmart, not GNC, or any running store. Keep in mind we didn’t try the RR, which was across town.
Needless to say no run for me…I’ll have to rectify that this week…if I can in the field all week.
"Who’s there?"
“Cheese”
“Cheese who?”
“Knock Knock”
“Who’s there?”
“Glad Phia’s not here for cake!”
Nathaniel’s comments during cheesecake dessert Saturday night, Easter. Aaron was over for some vino and some eats, and the Lang Family premiere of Narnia.
Friday was a good day, had the day off and the sun was shining. Nathaniel and I built a soccer goal out of some scrap wood and played soccer for about 90 minutes. Then Kara and I went to Dave’s place and got to see the new Xbox 360.
Saturday was a good day too, got our Easter shopping done and as mentioned Aaron came over and spent a few hours. The movie Narnia was good, kept the kids interest and the parents’ interest and was a good adaptation of the book.
Sunday started off great with the kids following picture clues from hollow plastic eggs around the house. Upstairs then downstairs, to their chocolates, their soccer ball/ bike helmet, and their new jackets. The kids were so excited following their clues they left their little Easter eggs behind!!!
(The remainder of the day was a blend of sugar-induced rampage and cursing the rain! During which time Nathaniel had his soccer ball, and then lost all soccer ball privileges for a while, after hacking off hunks of Phia’s hair with scissors. To his credit he did admit to it/ brag about it immediately after…
Monday was another trip to the mall day, looking for gels for Kara’s running. The only place on the planet (well planet Fredericton) that had them was Walmart, not GNC, or any running store. Keep in mind we didn’t try the RR, which was across town.
Needless to say no run for me…I’ll have to rectify that this week…if I can in the field all week.
11.4.06
It wasn't an LSD, but...
...It was a run, a nice 7 km yesterday in about 40-45 minutes, I don't really keep track anymore. Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day perfect for a bit of running.
It started with me staying home to look after one nutso kid and one sick kid while Kara went to a job interview. Our childcare fell through because of Phia's illness of the weekend , which is completely understandable.
Got to work for the afternoon though, time to catch up.
One good thing about yesterday morning, afater a little digging on the ol' interweb I found the part I need for my motorcycle on ebay...right now there are 3 days left...it sits and $12 American...I won't lose it this time.
But that is a story for later..
Till next time...
It started with me staying home to look after one nutso kid and one sick kid while Kara went to a job interview. Our childcare fell through because of Phia's illness of the weekend , which is completely understandable.
Got to work for the afternoon though, time to catch up.
One good thing about yesterday morning, afater a little digging on the ol' interweb I found the part I need for my motorcycle on ebay...right now there are 3 days left...it sits and $12 American...I won't lose it this time.
But that is a story for later..
Till next time...
10.4.06
We interupt this weekend...
It is amazing how a child's illness can completely halt all plans and chnage priorities in a heartbeat.
Well, as you guess where I'm going here- this past weekend was a rough go. Saturday night while enjoying a BBQ at Jsquared the contents of Phia’s stomach decided it liked it better out than in, and the Exorcist Vomiting (copyright Jaimer) began. After watching her situation deteriorate hourly until about 1:30 that night we decided to take her to the ER in Fredericton.
/- Insert reader’s Digest version rant about that status of health care in NB
We arrived at about 2 am, duty nurse attempts to dissuade me from staying saying it will be a “long wait” I say no I’d rather be here with her, she says “a really, really long wait”
At any rate it was a long wait, 2.5 hrs just to get into a little room, while Phia slept, puked, pooped, cried, puked, napped.
But I felt worse for the people who were already there when I got there and were still there when we got called in.
Case in point a young university girl who had fallen and was pretty sure her arm was broken, sat there with a bag of ice that had been on her arm so long that she could have made lukewarm tea in it. She was sleeping in a chair when we left at 6:30.
The funny (and by funny I mean Not-Funny) thing is there were three nurses who sat at the desk and did nothing but drink coffee. They got up and walked back and forth a couple times, and apparently they were “full” but there was only one doctor on…and they aren’t allowed to do anything with out him…
WTF? Unbelievable, unacceptable
End rant -/
Long story short, Phia has a particularly violent case of the pukeys, which will turn to the runny poops. It was scary to see her dehydrated-listless- lifeless, but fortunately she is on the mend, and a spokesgirl for Gatorade!!
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Well, as you guess where I'm going here- this past weekend was a rough go. Saturday night while enjoying a BBQ at Jsquared the contents of Phia’s stomach decided it liked it better out than in, and the Exorcist Vomiting (copyright Jaimer) began. After watching her situation deteriorate hourly until about 1:30 that night we decided to take her to the ER in Fredericton.
/- Insert reader’s Digest version rant about that status of health care in NB
We arrived at about 2 am, duty nurse attempts to dissuade me from staying saying it will be a “long wait” I say no I’d rather be here with her, she says “a really, really long wait”
At any rate it was a long wait, 2.5 hrs just to get into a little room, while Phia slept, puked, pooped, cried, puked, napped.
But I felt worse for the people who were already there when I got there and were still there when we got called in.
Case in point a young university girl who had fallen and was pretty sure her arm was broken, sat there with a bag of ice that had been on her arm so long that she could have made lukewarm tea in it. She was sleeping in a chair when we left at 6:30.
The funny (and by funny I mean Not-Funny) thing is there were three nurses who sat at the desk and did nothing but drink coffee. They got up and walked back and forth a couple times, and apparently they were “full” but there was only one doctor on…and they aren’t allowed to do anything with out him…
WTF? Unbelievable, unacceptable
End rant -/
Long story short, Phia has a particularly violent case of the pukeys, which will turn to the runny poops. It was scary to see her dehydrated-listless- lifeless, but fortunately she is on the mend, and a spokesgirl for Gatorade!!
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
4.4.06
You say 18 I say 19.5.....
...Sunday marked a milestone in the ol’ training logbook. (James), Jaime and I braved the shrill wind, and cloudy grey (“where da sun go?”) and we did three laps of the alleged 6.5 km blue trail behind the gym here at Gagetown. James is in paratheses because he started the same time as us, but he scampered off into the sunset, like the white rabbit “I’m late, I’m late” and finished well ahead of us slowpokes. It was good to see James out running, as I know being on course has not been conducive to any kind of training or physical fitness.
Let me be a little indulgent and explain a couple things here: the distance completed ranges from 18km by Garmin, to the ‘book’ value of 19.5km. So we’ll call it 18.75 km :). Also this run was conducted as an LSD and took almost exactly 2:00:00. This I (and Jaime) have theorized is good because our respective half marathon goal times are 2:00:00. So we were 2km short and a bit slower than our pace. I could go ad nauseum into the suspected split times and paces but that’s not really the point of the blog, and I don’t wanna break a pencil trying to figure it out ;)
At any rate, I know this was the longest distance I have ever run, and it is the second time I have done this distance. The first time was conducted with Dani, on a whim, outside of any sort of personal training plan, and I felt like a bus had hit me, twice, by run end. As well, Jaime revealed to me that this was her longest training run ever, and far surpassed anything she did previous to the Fredericton Half last year.
Jaime braved the run in shorts, leaving her thighs an alarming red color by run end. Her 10km knee issue did not seem to be too big an issue. I felt very good after the run and it left me with a very comfortable mental feeling that I could complete a half marathon and will be able to uphold my end of the bargain at the CTRR.
So Thanks Andy, thanks Kara, thanks Jaime and James…It’s all working…*knock on wood*
Til next time…
Let me be a little indulgent and explain a couple things here: the distance completed ranges from 18km by Garmin, to the ‘book’ value of 19.5km. So we’ll call it 18.75 km :). Also this run was conducted as an LSD and took almost exactly 2:00:00. This I (and Jaime) have theorized is good because our respective half marathon goal times are 2:00:00. So we were 2km short and a bit slower than our pace. I could go ad nauseum into the suspected split times and paces but that’s not really the point of the blog, and I don’t wanna break a pencil trying to figure it out ;)
At any rate, I know this was the longest distance I have ever run, and it is the second time I have done this distance. The first time was conducted with Dani, on a whim, outside of any sort of personal training plan, and I felt like a bus had hit me, twice, by run end. As well, Jaime revealed to me that this was her longest training run ever, and far surpassed anything she did previous to the Fredericton Half last year.
Jaime braved the run in shorts, leaving her thighs an alarming red color by run end. Her 10km knee issue did not seem to be too big an issue. I felt very good after the run and it left me with a very comfortable mental feeling that I could complete a half marathon and will be able to uphold my end of the bargain at the CTRR.
So Thanks Andy, thanks Kara, thanks Jaime and James…It’s all working…*knock on wood*
Til next time…
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