2019: Memory Lane
In a continuation of the last few years, this has been another year of feeling like I just can’t keep up with life, including this blog. Despite my planning and preparation, I still haven’t finished some Christmas presents. I’ve been spending the last several days cleaning/organizing various aspects of my house – I just gave up and put things where they would fit at that time rather than where they go. So I’ve reorganized the gifting closet, the yarn storage (so much yarn!), my clothes, the chest freezer, the bbq cupboard, the to be read eventually books (not to be confused with the want to read soon books). There are still some areas to do, but I feel like I am actually getting something done.
What has not helped is being sick. I had migraines monthly for the first 7 months – to the point that every two months, I was guaranteed to take one to two days off from work. Then the massage appointments matched with migraine weeks and suddenly I could breathe again. And even though the massage appointments don’t match now, something has changed that has allowed me to be migraine free for a few months. But don’t think that means the last few months were completely awesome – I caught a cold in October on my holidays. The cold and cough lasted 2.5 weeks. Then I had two weeks of nothing at which point the cough came back. I don’t know why. It literally felt like I picked up where I had left the cold off – just a cough – no other symptoms. A friend introduced me to Helixia Prospan which I finally started using it after three weeks of hacking. Two weeks of that and the cough went away – truly amazing. That stuff doesn’t taste the best and it felt like it made things get worse first, but it worked. A few days later, D got sick, which led to me getting sick the following week with a head cold. Ugh!
Add in foot problems and an inability to exercise regularly due to sickness and migraines and this has not been a great health year. As much as my head is so gung ho to get healthier, it appears my body is a little behind (story of my life here). I was supposed to start a support group with a friend at work for being healthier – so we could be each other’s accountability partner – that did not take off.
Work-wise it has been interesting. Working for a smaller department has its pluses and minuses. I appreciate being somewhere where most people work hard. I do not like that some people seem to be able to charm their way through without doing the work. I like the engagement of the staff and my boss’s boss was more open to us working together. That being said, there are some areas where I think we need to be more proactive – more open in communication – such as the leaving of a few key people due to retirement or end of assignments. I raised that the rumor mill is racing and the response was there is nothing to stop that. Actually – it’s called communication – it’s myth busting, it’s sharing of the truth. Heck I would even appreciate acknowledgement they are aware of the situation, but don’t have answers yet. My boss is one of those leaving as well as one of the colleagues in my unit. Our unit will be halved. And those two worked in a couple of very specialized areas that the two of us left can take on. Rumor has it they are not replacing my boss. That’s 30 years of experience – gone. I’ve been trying to learn from him this year, but it’s been hard.
That being said, I can honestly say I really have appreciated my friends at work this year. I have had the opportunity and made the effort to get to know some of them better. I like that we have supported each other (even if we occasionally bicker like siblings). That’s been the best – even when we are frustrated with something, my friends and I still support each other. This year will bring changes, which I hope will not stop us supporting each other.
Oh – and we won first place for Christmas decorating this year. The whole area did fabulous and really worked hard together!
Home wise – again we took it a bit easy. We redid the back walkway, got rubber on our driveway and garage floor (so bouncy under the feet), and liquid insulation on the south facing windows. The garden did pretty good though there were some bumps along the way. The weather was so weird. I am still enjoying potatoes and the now frozen onions, tomatoes, beans, and corn. The goal really was to be prepared to pay off the mortgage in 2020. We are on track for that so I am very excited to meet that goal.
Hobbies – I have continued with crochet. I really am enjoying it – I did star wars characters, super Mario brothers, care bear knockoffs, scrubbies, a dragon with wings, etc. It’s going well – though I’ve take the last week off to let my hands recover. Doing several hours of crocheting each day to try to finish for Christmas took its toll. I’ve feeling better, so in a couple days I’ll pick up the hook again and get going on the last of the Christmas presents.
Reading has also been huge for me – I have read so many books – both fiction and non, graphic novels, and series enders. I’ve supported several Kickstarter events the last couple years and I have been enjoying the payoff in reading and enjoying other’s art.
I still miss my outside of work friends. I have only had a couple girls’ nites. My gaming night was spent mostly talking because that’s what I wanted more than anything. Our Christmas Eve party was small – which was okay. But I just wish I could hang with my girlfriends more. I did get to see S this year – my work sent me to Vancouver and allowed me to stay over the weekend to hang out with her. That was fabulous especially as she was doing something fun for her birthday. I still wish she would move to Edmonton though. N and M have moved to a small town and are thriving. I am so happy for them, but I still miss them. I really want to make more of an effort to get together with my friends. We talked about doing crochet nights, but that hasn’t happened after the first one. And I know that’s partly on me. I need to get more organized, less hermit-like.
Part of it is that I am so frustrated with feeling behind in the things that I’m just tired with no energy, no patience, no oomph. I need to get my sleep schedule back in order. I need to get more active. I don’t know – November really took a lot out of me – I did almost 50 hours of overtime in November alone and I know there is still so much to do on that task. And I saw how it could be so good while at the same time seeing it not supported by higher ups. The need is so there, but why can’t they support it?
Anyway, that really took it out of me – cut into self-care, Christmas preparation, house organizing, etc. I’m still catching up. I am truly appreciative of being able to take some time off at Christmas. This is only the second time that has happened since early years of University (last year I took a couple days as well). Hence my need to get the house organized so I can start the year off better. I tidied my desk at work – caught up on most emails, did the filing, wiped down the nooks and crannies. Just a few more sections at home to do – though the office is not looking over terrible right now, which is amazing in itself.
I’m, as ever, hopeful that the new year will be better for all. So to everyone I wish a life full of love, acceptance, and opportunity. To my friends, I also want to say I am ever grateful for your friendship and support. Here’s to a year of fun, laughter, wonder, cuddle piles, warm long hugs, deep connections, good health, adventure, love, and opportunities for what you desire.
What has not helped is being sick. I had migraines monthly for the first 7 months – to the point that every two months, I was guaranteed to take one to two days off from work. Then the massage appointments matched with migraine weeks and suddenly I could breathe again. And even though the massage appointments don’t match now, something has changed that has allowed me to be migraine free for a few months. But don’t think that means the last few months were completely awesome – I caught a cold in October on my holidays. The cold and cough lasted 2.5 weeks. Then I had two weeks of nothing at which point the cough came back. I don’t know why. It literally felt like I picked up where I had left the cold off – just a cough – no other symptoms. A friend introduced me to Helixia Prospan which I finally started using it after three weeks of hacking. Two weeks of that and the cough went away – truly amazing. That stuff doesn’t taste the best and it felt like it made things get worse first, but it worked. A few days later, D got sick, which led to me getting sick the following week with a head cold. Ugh!
Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball of Fur. Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, Purr Purr Purr. – The Big Bang Theory
Add in foot problems and an inability to exercise regularly due to sickness and migraines and this has not been a great health year. As much as my head is so gung ho to get healthier, it appears my body is a little behind (story of my life here). I was supposed to start a support group with a friend at work for being healthier – so we could be each other’s accountability partner – that did not take off.
Work-wise it has been interesting. Working for a smaller department has its pluses and minuses. I appreciate being somewhere where most people work hard. I do not like that some people seem to be able to charm their way through without doing the work. I like the engagement of the staff and my boss’s boss was more open to us working together. That being said, there are some areas where I think we need to be more proactive – more open in communication – such as the leaving of a few key people due to retirement or end of assignments. I raised that the rumor mill is racing and the response was there is nothing to stop that. Actually – it’s called communication – it’s myth busting, it’s sharing of the truth. Heck I would even appreciate acknowledgement they are aware of the situation, but don’t have answers yet. My boss is one of those leaving as well as one of the colleagues in my unit. Our unit will be halved. And those two worked in a couple of very specialized areas that the two of us left can take on. Rumor has it they are not replacing my boss. That’s 30 years of experience – gone. I’ve been trying to learn from him this year, but it’s been hard.
That being said, I can honestly say I really have appreciated my friends at work this year. I have had the opportunity and made the effort to get to know some of them better. I like that we have supported each other (even if we occasionally bicker like siblings). That’s been the best – even when we are frustrated with something, my friends and I still support each other. This year will bring changes, which I hope will not stop us supporting each other.
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.” – C.S. Lewis
Oh – and we won first place for Christmas decorating this year. The whole area did fabulous and really worked hard together!
Home wise – again we took it a bit easy. We redid the back walkway, got rubber on our driveway and garage floor (so bouncy under the feet), and liquid insulation on the south facing windows. The garden did pretty good though there were some bumps along the way. The weather was so weird. I am still enjoying potatoes and the now frozen onions, tomatoes, beans, and corn. The goal really was to be prepared to pay off the mortgage in 2020. We are on track for that so I am very excited to meet that goal.
“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.” Neil Gaiman
Hobbies – I have continued with crochet. I really am enjoying it – I did star wars characters, super Mario brothers, care bear knockoffs, scrubbies, a dragon with wings, etc. It’s going well – though I’ve take the last week off to let my hands recover. Doing several hours of crocheting each day to try to finish for Christmas took its toll. I’ve feeling better, so in a couple days I’ll pick up the hook again and get going on the last of the Christmas presents.
Reading has also been huge for me – I have read so many books – both fiction and non, graphic novels, and series enders. I’ve supported several Kickstarter events the last couple years and I have been enjoying the payoff in reading and enjoying other’s art.
I still miss my outside of work friends. I have only had a couple girls’ nites. My gaming night was spent mostly talking because that’s what I wanted more than anything. Our Christmas Eve party was small – which was okay. But I just wish I could hang with my girlfriends more. I did get to see S this year – my work sent me to Vancouver and allowed me to stay over the weekend to hang out with her. That was fabulous especially as she was doing something fun for her birthday. I still wish she would move to Edmonton though. N and M have moved to a small town and are thriving. I am so happy for them, but I still miss them. I really want to make more of an effort to get together with my friends. We talked about doing crochet nights, but that hasn’t happened after the first one. And I know that’s partly on me. I need to get more organized, less hermit-like.
Part of it is that I am so frustrated with feeling behind in the things that I’m just tired with no energy, no patience, no oomph. I need to get my sleep schedule back in order. I need to get more active. I don’t know – November really took a lot out of me – I did almost 50 hours of overtime in November alone and I know there is still so much to do on that task. And I saw how it could be so good while at the same time seeing it not supported by higher ups. The need is so there, but why can’t they support it?
Anyway, that really took it out of me – cut into self-care, Christmas preparation, house organizing, etc. I’m still catching up. I am truly appreciative of being able to take some time off at Christmas. This is only the second time that has happened since early years of University (last year I took a couple days as well). Hence my need to get the house organized so I can start the year off better. I tidied my desk at work – caught up on most emails, did the filing, wiped down the nooks and crannies. Just a few more sections at home to do – though the office is not looking over terrible right now, which is amazing in itself.
“So, what if, instead of thinking about solving your whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.” – Rainbow Rowell
I’m, as ever, hopeful that the new year will be better for all. So to everyone I wish a life full of love, acceptance, and opportunity. To my friends, I also want to say I am ever grateful for your friendship and support. Here’s to a year of fun, laughter, wonder, cuddle piles, warm long hugs, deep connections, good health, adventure, love, and opportunities for what you desire.
posted by Taryn at 4:53 pm
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