I thought that given today is Hallowe'en day that there is no better topic for my blog then that of fear. So what scares you? What are you afraid of? Is it spiders, the dark, being alone, snakes, birds - love you Cate! What makes the hair on your neck stand up and your stomach move into your throat?
Monday, October 31, 2011
So what are you afraid of?
I thought that given today is Hallowe'en day that there is no better topic for my blog then that of fear. So what scares you? What are you afraid of? Is it spiders, the dark, being alone, snakes, birds - love you Cate! What makes the hair on your neck stand up and your stomach move into your throat?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
They Make Mischief & Mayhem
Thing 1 & Thing 2
Friday, October 28, 2011
A Heavenly Experience, to be continued....
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Back to School, Back to School...
Sunday, October 16, 2011
I got high in Amsterdam
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail
I got a notice today about my Dutch lessons which are scheduled to begin next month. I signed up for the lessons at the city when I first arrived and have been anxiously waiting to hear back from them. I got a letter to invite me to a meeting to ask questions and to make sure I qualify for the sponsored classes. Did I mention how competitive it is to get into these courses? At the meeting they told me it is the law that immigrants make an effort to integrate and that I was doing the right thing by choosing to take lessons. It was intense...I thought this was for fun when I signed up, only to find out I would be breaking the law if I hadn't. Nick is in trouble! Bad boy, bad boy, what you gonna do, what you gonna do when they come for you? The more exciting message was that I qualified and I could start as soon as there was an opening at one of the schools. The city is going to pay the majority of the cost of the course and I am responsible for 200 euros. These courses are usually over 2000. Lucky me! I waited again and finally another notice came this week that said that I am required to come in to write a Dutch proficiency test in order to place me in the appropriate class. I tell you, they sure do make you jump through hoops around here! I don't know why it is necessary for me to take an hour out of my day and waste the time of an exam proctor to tell them I know absolutely nothing. I filled that out on the application form. I understand that if you had some background this would be helpful in getting you started in the right class but if you have never heard or spoken the language before I think it's pretty clear where you start, THE ABSOLUTE BEGINNING.
Monday, October 10, 2011
You’re Gonna Miss This, You’re Gonna Want this Back…
Do you believe I’ve been here for almost 3-months? On one hand the time seems to be flying by and on the other I feel myself counting down days waiting for this and planning for that. Do you ever catch yourself counting down the minutes, the hours, the days? Do you find yourself looking at your watch and saying only one more hour of work or only two days until the weekend? I find myself counting down more then usual lately; 9-months until I move home to Canada, 74-days until Christmas, a week until my half marathon, 4-more reps, 20-minutes more sleep before the alarm goes off…..but what would happen if we just lived in the moment? Just grabbed a hold of every second and lived it. I’ve just finished a book called “Zen, the art of being still” and the author raises a very important point. Isn’t all this time between events still life? As opposed to counting it down and wishing it away shouldn’t we be embracing it and appreciating every single moment for what it is, life.
Last night I was looking through our cd of wedding photos. Every time I look at them I can’t help but smile. Our wedding day was so filled with love it was bursting at the seams. I think it may be my most favorite day ever! I am planning to have a few of our favorite photos printed and framed to hang when we have our forever house, “some day”. Often, I catch myself thinking and talking about “some day” and whenever I ask Nick about “some day” he always says “Sunday??” which bugs the heck out of me. I’m not sure if he is doing it to be silly or if he really is trying to take me back to living in the moment or maybe, just maybe, he doesn’t know the answers to my “some day” questions.
I’ve come to realize that there are some things that are within our control and many things that are not. One of the things that are not is “some day”. You never really get to the “some day”. I’ve been talking about “some day” my whole life and have yet to get there. There will always be a new “some day”. It’s hopes, it’s dreams and it’s possibility. I don’t really want Nick to have the answers because that’s the excitement of the “some day”. What’s important is to not to be consumed by it but to live all the moments between your “some days”. Recognize that there is beauty in the small things; family, GELATO, hugs, double rainbows…… and that you don’t really need to sweat the small stuff; Nick not folding his towel after he uses it, Maggie snoring and keeping me up, missing the master beat in my fitness class (I will get you elusive master beat!)……. So the message is grab a hold of the ones you love and “Enjoy when you can and Endure when you must.” (Burd, NA)
In the title of my blog I reference a country song by Trace Adkins. The lyrics poetically express how you can quickly “some day” your life away. You should definitely embrace a moment and listen to it some time J
Saturday, October 8, 2011
What does thanksgiving mean to you?
What does Thanksgiving mean to you? Is it getting together with family and friends? Feasting until you are so full you can't move? Is it pilgrims and pumpkin pie? Is it football and fall?
Friday, October 7, 2011
Hooting with the Owls
So an Irish girl, a Greek girl and two Canadian girls walk in to a bar......
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
If you're in it for the money, you're in it for the wrong reason
Today I have spent the majority of my day trying to memorize choreography for a class I am teaching tonight. Being a good fitness instructor is so much more challenging then I ever thought. I am teaching 10-classes a week at this point and working really hard at it. Instructors are paid for the hour that they teach and if they are lucky a few extra hours for prep time. Today alone I put 6-hours into preparing for a pre-choreographed class. Memorizing someone else's class :( I like to teach my own stuff but this is a good learning experience. Right away, it's very clear, you can see that teaching isn't about the money. Personally, I am trying to develop myself as an instructor in order to be able to better equip my staff of instructors in Canada as well as to generate new ideas for classes that we aren't currently offering. I'm also interested to see how these businesses are set up for my long term goals of having my own therapeutic fitness and wellness centre. But what motivates other instructors to put in the long hours? As an instructor, after class, you usually have one or two people come up to say thank you or to let you know that they enjoyed the class. Is it the praise that we are after? There are so many other things that we can receive praise for. This can't be it. My supervisor at UM sport was a dancer and singer in her youth and loves the stage. She said that is how she came to be an instructor. So is it a craving for the lime light? But it's such a small stage. This can't be it either. Is it to make sure they get in their own workout? Lots of instructors teach to get that scheduled hour for their own fitness but all the effort to prepare doesn't end up saving you time. Personally, I think it has to be a combination of many things to get you started and keep you going. A passion for sharing a love of health and fitness is a big first priority. Secondly, a love of math. What you say??? Yes! fitness instructing is math because it is choreographed to music which is broken down into 8 counts and 32 count combinations. The best fitness instructors have musicality, rhythm and a brain for equations. I have never been great at math so one of my goals this year is to improve this in myself. Making sure my combinations are well planned and mathematically correct. Timing is everything "they" say and in a fitness class "they" are so right. You have to count your participants in on the last 8-count in order to move your group seamlessly into their next move. So this is my second goal, to improve my timing. I think the foundation has been laid and it's time to take my instructing to the next level. I'm working on my math and my timing! I'm definitely not in it for the money :) Did I mention how lucky I am to have the financial support, well support period, of my amazing husband. He's my biggest fan!