Yo.

Ne-glect
verb (used with object)

1. to pay no attention or too little attention to; disregard or slight: The public neglected his genius for many years. 

2. to be remiss in the care or treatment of: to neglect one's family; to neglect one's appearance. 

3. to omit, through indifference or carelessness: to neglect to reply to an invitation. 

4. to fail to carry out or perform (orders, duties, etc.): to neglect the household chores. 

5. to fail to take or use: to neglect no precaution.
You get it. I've neglected this blog.

You see, I didn't have much spare time in the last 10 days. I went to Vancouver, had a lovely time visiting cousins, and aunts, and babies, and friends, and brothers and sisters. I ate good food, went to some parties, and most importantly, I started my new job.

And it was non-stop. Both Monday and Wednesday, I had night time work commitments. One was observing a technical class, and the other was a client dinner. Both enjoyable, but extending the days significantly. On Tuesday I met a former colleague for dinner and moved to my parents to set up shop for the next three weeks, while they are in Europe. On Thursday I drove to Nanaimo, had meetings with 6 clients, and got home at 7 pm.

And Friday, my former casual day, was just as busy, with me running around, trying to set up appointments for next week, trying to figure out why my work laptop won't connect to the VPN, and repairing a tail light that should have been repaired BEFORE I even picked up my car.

Phew.

Being on a real person's time schedule is exhausting. Those of you who go to an office every day from 8 - 5, I don't know how you do it.

Seriously. I don't. And, as busy as I am going to be, I'm grateful for the flexibility, the constantly changing scenery, and the changing nature of my job on a day to day basis. I enjoy the alone time in my car, listening to music, singing away, feeling fly like a white guy. I like, so far, the clients I have met.

I'm still figuring things out, but I hope by the end of the month, I'll be sorted and ready to rock this.

Getting away from the computer has felt great. Especially since the weather has been stellar! This week is supposed to rain, so we'll see how I feel about things then.

xh

Retirement Activities

It's my last week of retirement before heading back into the workforce. Retirement will only have lasted two weeks, but I have learned that I am REALLY good at not working. I keep busy. I don't just sit at home and watch TV all day (okay, that did happen once last week, but it was raining and I DID go to the gym, sooooo it doesn't count).

When it comes time to ACTUALLY retire, I hope I will be as good, if not better, at this whole not working thing.  I hope that when that 20 or 30 years down the line (hopefully closer to the former), I'll be able to find spare time just as amusing as I do now.

So, how have I been keeping myself busy? By trying not to be too busy.

Last week was chock block full of interviews and decisions. This week is all about me. Doing as much or as nothing as I want. I am being productive, obviously. Doing things that I know I won't have time to do next week.

Yesterday, I spent the morning relaxing at home. I went to the gym. Then, I went to the beach with my brother in law Geoff and my friend Bernadette. I made dinner, watched a few episodes of 30 Rock with James and called it a night at 10. Great day.

Today, I slept in a wee bit (8:45), then I dropped my company car at the dealership (bye bye Nissan Rogue!), rode my bike to yoga, then got my hair cut and highlighted at Shampoo, and saw my doctor. All in a days not-work, you  guys.

Tomorrow, I'm getting bloodwork done (retired person probz!), meeting Laila for lunch, and heading downtown to purchase some pants of some sort because, wouldn't you know it, I now have a job that requires me to wear real clothes. COOL clothes. Time to shop. And steer clear of Lulu Lemon, which was basically my former working from home uniform.

Thursday - Saturday, I'm heading to Vancouver to see my family and friends over yonder, and because I can! I'm excited to get off the rock for a few days, and catch up with the peoples of the mainland.

The weather is looking good, and I'm looking forward to the rest of my week. I'm a little nervous for Monday, because I am not sure exactly what this job is going to entail. I also just got recruited by a different company, and international beer company, that I think would have been REALLY fun. Bad timing? However, I don't drink beer, and I DO use hair products, so.....I hope I have made the right choice. It doesn't have to be forever, and I think it will be a nice change. Trying to amp myself up for it, but I have to admit to wishing I could just win the lottery and fly to Costa Rica with James.

xh

Employed

I didn't get the "dream" job, but I did get a really excellent  job. I'm sad to say that I am a wee bit disappointed that I won't get a shot at saving the children/changing the world just yet, but I WILL get a company car. So....that's a fair trade off, right? RIGHT?! It was between me and another woman, and in the end they went with the person who had more experience in that field. I was a bit disappointed, but hey, thems the breaks.

I'm happy to have it sorted, and I am excited for the new position, which will be more of a sales rep role than my previous account management role. I'm happy because I get to work with people again now, and my salary the same as before. Win win. There are great perks, and it seems like a fun place to work. After a few negotiations, I signed an offer I am pleased with!

I have another week off, and then I'm no longer a lady of leisure.

I'm relieved to have this sorted out sooner, rather than later, and SO thrilled that I can use the severance package money to our benefit, and not as salary while I "figure it out".

Oh, adulthood.

Waiting.

Ah, the waiting game.

I have just found out that my references for the "dream job" have not even been contacted yet. This doesn't bode well for me being the successful candidate. I supplied the references at their request on Friday afternoon, and I sort of feel like all day Monday and Tuesday would have been enough time to contact them....so.....not feeling super confident about this one. Sadly.

But, things are moving really quickly with the other job, and I expect to have an offer by the end of the week. My third interview was yesterday in Vancouver and it went great. I think it will be fun and exciting AND it comes with a car, so there is really no downside here, other than I was looking forward to trying something a little different, and moving away from performance culture.

My only concern is that this large global company asked me to fill out a medical questionnaire. And, as you know, I have Crohn's, and I have been hospitalized for this in the past, though that was 5 years ago. I have never been asked medical history when applying for a job before, so this worries me a little. However, if they don't want me because of my short bowels, THEN I DON'T WANT THEM.

So, again, I guess we'll just see what happens over the next few days!

I'm impatient.

I'm working on that.

Today's retirement activities will be include having lunch with a friend, enjoying the sun, and walking around downtown! Loving this. Could totally get used to this.

xh

Accomplishing Things is Important, Amiright?

Eeeeeek!

What I perceive to be my potential dream job has asked for my references! While this doesn't mean I have it in the bag, it's encouraging to know that I interviewed well and they liked me. I may not get this job, and while I have been trying to not get my hopes up, TOO LATE! They are up. I can already envision myself in that house they use for offices, doing good works, saving the children.

I am dying to know either way so I can either celebrate or cry and get over it.

I am also being flown out to Vancouver later today for my third interview for a global cosmetics and hair company. I am feeling fairly confident about this job, and am pretty certain it is mine if I want it. Which I do....if I don't get the other job.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens, I suppose. They both offer different things that are attractive to me, so either would honestly be really great. I'm happy to be hopefully moving forward either way. And, ideally, I could start in a few weeks, which would give me a little more time off to be retired....which.....is.......AWESOME.

Yesterday was my first real official day of retirement. I celebrated this by sleeping in until 9 am (and by sleeping, I mean looking at Buzzfeed on my phone). I made some oatmeal and drank a lovely cuppa tea in the sunshine. I went to the gym and rode a few kms on the bike before sweating my ass off at Zumba. I dropped off my GIANT printer and files at the company storage unit. I sat in the sunshine with my brother in law drinking coconut water (he was drinking Coronas), while we BBQ'd sausages. Then we went for a leisurely walk in the park, and ate dinner at the Beagle. Oh, and because it was Earth Day, I did 8 loads of laundry (fail on my part).

It was a relaxing day and yet I feel like I accomplished things. This is what retirement is all about, right? Relaxing AND having purpose? I think so. Perhaps there is a career in retirement consulting - how to stay active and purpose driven in your 60's. Eh? Would you hire me? I will be your companion for whatever it is you want to try in this new life stage, from golf to skydiving, to writing erotic novels. Whatever your post middle aged heart desires.

Contact me for details.

xh

This.

This picture is my favorite thing ever. That kid's face is....I have no words. I love it.

Cotton candy is pretty amazing.

Retirement, Day One.

Wellllllllll.......I'm RETIRED!!!!

Day one of my retirement was supposed to consist of my (former) manager flying out to collect my company items, but his plane got turned around due to some hissing noises in the exits. Um, yikes. Fair enough.

Instead, today so far has consisted of me not getting out of bed as early as I had planned. I laid in bed until 9:30 am. I talked to an HR representative from a company who is courting me. I sent a resume. I made eggs, tea, and a smoothie. I took the dog out. I showered and put on stretchy clothes (obvs).

And now? I'm sitting here writing on my blog and contemplating on what to do with day one of my retirement.

And I feel a little sadness mixed in with my relief and excitement. Sadness in knowing that even though my co-workers and I swear to keep in touch, it's unlikely that I will see them again unless fate aligns our work trips. I won't be heading to Calgary or Saskatoon any time in the near future unless work dictates. Dear God, thank you for giving us Mark Zuckerberg.

It will be hard to imagine whoever I work with next will be as awesome as who I am leaving behind, but this is life, and with every ending comes a new beginning. When one door closes, another one opens! (Insert more cliche statements here).

I've realized as well that my wardrobe is not really up to par. My work days up until now require me to sit at home like a hermit in LuLu Lemon pants and hoodies. This won't work for either of the positions that I am currently considering. You know what this means! SHOPPING!

And an excuse to do it!

I'll likely be hitting UpTown today (sorry small, local boutiques....I'm retired and on a budget). Joe Fresh, H&M, Plenty and Forever 21....I'm looking at YOU!

I might hit up the pub with my dad and his retired buddies this afternoon as well, because.....obviously.

I could get used to this retirement.....could there be a career in this? (I've spent some time considering this thought and it's clear to me that winning the lottery is what I want to do for a living).

xh


**update**

- Went shopping and found absolutely nothing I wanted to buy that looks like business time. I did, however, find a sweet shirt with a skull on it. I seriously spent like two hours in H&M and found nothing that would look good under my suit jacket. How hard is it to find a tank blouse that doesn't look like curtains from the 80's?

- Became an official member of the Ross Bay Retired Dads Club - the RBRDC. I had drinks with my dad and his fellow retired mates at the Ross Bay Pub. Drank two pints of Strongbow (which just about knocked me off my ass!), and took a phone call from my agent (my recruiter) about sending references along to something very cool I interviewed for yesterday. Trying not to get my hopes up but...too late.

Wind it Down, Only to Wind it Up.

Hello, friends.

It's been a crazy weird couple of weeks. I'm quite possibly still in a state of shock. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be feeling so....elated. Is this a stage of grief that I was not aware of?

I've never been laid off before, but if every lay off is like this, I'd do it every 6 years. My (soon to be former) company has treated me with an incredible amount of respect and good will. I have been treated fairly, and the send off has been....almost celebratory. My manager and co-workers, who I all consider friends, have been SO lovely. My head is feeling large. I'm feeling popular, even though they let me go......That's not normal, right? I'm sure the feelings I have put aside (super awesome at that, I think it's called denial?) will settle in a little more once it all becomes "real" on Friday. And then, I will officially be jobless.

One or two feelings have slipped through the cracks. I've experienced (in no particular order) extreme fear, sadness, confusion, excitement, more sadness, and more than a little excitement. Oh, and a healthy dose of trepidation. I would say trepidatious accurately sums up a large part of what I am occasionally feeling. Because all of a sudden I have to make a bunch of decisions.

I really like it when things are chill and easy, but....I'm actually at my best under pressure. I get shit DONE. It's extremely action oriented over here at headquarters (I've also started a cult, but we'll file that under: Other and Not To Worry, Mother).

Buuuuttt since there isn't really any pressure to work for a few months, I'm more than a little tempted to write a sassy novel about a gal about town facing a big life change, and I'd probably throw in a love triangle or two, because well, obviously every good novel has a love triangle. And it would probably be beneficial to write this book in France. For context.

But I won't. Yet. Because I am sensible and realize that there are less exciting goals that James and I have set for ourselves that include financial freedom. And THEN we can move to Costa Rica and write a surf book.

It is not yet time for this.

Right now, it is time for finishing what I started 6 years ago. Getting my affairs in order. Saying good byes.

Right now is also a time for new connections, and the possibilities of new opportunities, some of which I will be interviewing for this week. But the cool thing is, I am interviewing them as much as they are me. I don't know if I will get offers for neither, one, or both. I might be jobless for a few months...or several. I don't know, I'm not a fortune teller named Lion (see: blog entry on Lion, the hilarious fortune teller).

But it's time to get my big girl pants on (aka...the suit that's been collecting dust in the back of my closet since late 2011), and get my game face on. I don't know about you, but I'm excited about what the future holds! Change isn't always good, but this change will be good for me.

The last 6 years have equipped me with experiences that I never thought I would have. My resume, references, and talent have all been refined and so here we are! What's next, world?

xh

Alan Watts - I want to be inside you(r head)

Alan Watts. You smart sonofabitch. You are officially the answer to my interview question "If there was one person living or dead that you could have dinner with, who would it be?" This dude, without question is my go-to guy.

Too bad he is dead. His words are so profound and YET....so simple and true. Everything he says (that I have heard, one example is above), is so logical and yet when you hear it, sometimes you feel like your mind is being blown.

With my recent life events being as they are, the clip below speaks volumes to me. What IF money didn't matter? Listen to what Watts has to say on this subject below, and have your tiny mind blown by the simplicity of it all.

Maybe it's time to take the leap and actually be a freelance philosopher myself. If I follow in Alan Watt's footsteps, this means I would need to major in Zen, and briefly become an Episcopalian minister, before deciding my life's work was better focused on Asian studies....and of course, dabble in psychedelics (obviously).

He considered himself to be a "philosophical entertainer", which basically makes him my spirit animal.

Whoa.

Something major happened to me today.

I lost my job due to restructuring within my company as a direct reflection of restructuring taking place in the account we work on. Yes, my position was officially made redundant and will now simply roll into the Calgary office. Thinking I was safe and autonomous on my little island was erroneous.

At 7:45 am I opened my emails and received one from my boss asking me to meet him at the Marriott Hotel in Executive Boardroom B. This is the universal sign in my company that you are about to get laid off.

I read it. And read it again. My first thought was....this is a joke. A HILARIOUS JOKE. RIGHT? RIIIIIIGHT? And then I realized that would not be a hilarious joke. And there was no way this was a joke. And this was really happening. And then I started to freak out a little bit. I called my husband and my parents telling them that I was about to lose my job. And then I cried and cried and cried.

And then at 8:30 am I realized that I had to get my shit together because I had a meeting with my boss and the HR representative who had flown in FROM TORONTO to lay me off. I didn't want to cry in front of them, or look like I had been crying, so I put on some happy techno music, did my hair, put on some black clothes for my job funeral, and set off.

My boss, who I ADORE by the way, met me in the lobby. I said "I'm here for my funeral haha"(because, as usual, my humor is my shield), and he gave me a hug. I know this was hard for him, as we have a great working relationship and friendship. That's the worst part of this....I love my boss and the people I work with. I will miss them so much.

The whole process took less than 45 minutes. They explained what happened and why. It wasn't a performance issue, it was just a business decision and it made sense to fold my business. I get it. It's nothing personal, and it's certainly not going to be detrimental to my career, as I will get a glowing reference. I also got a wonderful severance package, like....REALLY wonderful, which gives me time to breathe and figure out my next move. They also provided a career counsellor, which was nice, and could be useful.

I came home and got changed into comfy pants and went to see my parents for a bit. We commiserated. Then I came home and picked up the phone and called my go-to recruiter Dan, to update him on my situation. And wouldn't you know it? An AMAZING opportunity has presented itself to me. It's totally different than what I am doing now, but it might be *just* the thing to set me free in so many ways. We'll see how that plays out. I probably won't get it, but it definitely made me excited. It spoke to MY SOUL, you guys.

I know I will find something soon. I have a fantastic resume, and great references. I'm a little shell shocked, but it will be fine. Some time off would be nice, and to be honest....some of the things I have been dealing with at my current job lately have left me feeling rather......forlorn. So this is a blessing in disguise, and if you're gonna go out, this is the way to go out. I had a great year, so my legacy will be proud, and I know I will be missed for my personality and the friendships I have built over the 6 years that I have been a part of my team.

I remember in the early days of this job, when it was SUCH a struggle, I wished for this. And now that it's happened, I'm sad. Because I am confident and comfortable in my role. But I need a new challenge to revive myself and this is my opportunity to do just that.

Onwards and upwards, yo.

Lady Blog Loving - Writing Honestly

Blogging is a little side hobby of mine, and has been for the last 8 years. It's always been a way for me to express myself, record memories, or just tell a story. There have been blog ups and downs over the years, and times when I felt like quitting it all together. But these little silly posts are my memories, and I cherish this, for me and me only.

There have been times when I have opened my words up to the prying eyes of strangers who give nothing back, and times when I have made this private, open only to the eyes of my friends. I struggle between those two points - there are still times when I want to make this blog private again, so I can get really personal without having to go back and draft these posts because all of a sudden I'm like "WHO ARE YOU WEIRDOS READING MY PRIVATE THOUGHTS?", and I get freaked out by all the nameless faceless people creeping here. *waves*

So, I try to find a balance - I want to write and be real, but also respecting the privacy of my life and those in my life. It's something I continue to work out within myself, because writing makes me feel free, but at the same time, what I put here is forever out there, in some way, whether my post gets copied and shared, or it's in the memory of someone who has no business being inside my mind (and yet, like a vampire, I invited them in).

It takes a lot of fearlessness to put yourself out there. Your words, your feelings, your heart. To share yourself with others is easier for some of us. I have always tried to keep this light and funny, but at times I have written with an honesty that initially makes me feel so free, and then, weirdly enough, later makes me feel like I'm trapped inside a cage with transparent walls and everyone is looking and pointing.

In honor of other women who blog and put themselves out there in varying degrees, I wanted to share with you what I am reading these days. These women's words have made me laugh and cry. The honesty is stark, scary, and inspiring.

First off, Michaela Evanow. She writes about her life as a doula, but also mostly about life since the birth of their beautiful daughter, and later on, the diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy in her three and a half month old. It's heart breaking and inspiring and beautiful. It's very rare that I can get through a post without tears. It's a beautiful dedication to her daughter's strength, and her own.

Secondly, Liz over at One Twenty Five. She is SO open with her struggles about weight loss. She has QUITE the following and while the comments from readers have always been mostly caring and supportive, she always has to deal with a few absolutely horrid comments from people who think they "know" her from her words. This is a real woman, with real struggles, and she puts all her fears out there.

I have been following Heather over at Kiss My Broccoli for a few years now too. Her blog is food based, and I love her sense of humor and her crazy recipes! She is obsessed with pancakes, and while I have yet to make any of those, she often posts other recipes that are to die for. She is totally someone I would be friends with in real life.

My friend Jolanta has been blogging about her year as a traveling pharmacy resident, over at Perfect Poverty. The catch is that she is attempting to live off of $1000 per month, which is daunting. Her blog is HILARIOUS. It's incredible how dedicated she is at sticking to her budget - even if that means biking to and from work 80 km a day, or staying in some reeaaaaally sketchy places.

Last but not least, I am obsessed with MODG - Martini's or Diaper Genies. Yeah, fine...I'm kind of into mom blogs these days, but I guess that's because most women in their 30's have babies. This one is super funny....I love her. Her sense of humor is ripped from the pages of my own. It's candid and funny and doesn't gloss over the joys and distress of motherhood. Check it out, even if you don't have kids, because chances are you know some kids, or some moms, and this one is inspirational in that it finds the humor.

Being a blogger, no matter how small, makes you part of this wonderful community of creative people, etching out a space on the interwebs for themselves. Unless you are part of it, it's hard to fully understand the draw. I would encourage each and every one of you to try it, and to share a little of yourselves with the universe. Get involved!

xh

Ghosts of Birthdays Past.

I'm turning 33 this week and I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about that. Is it just me that thinks about how fast time actually travels (is there an equation for this?), and does this equation factor in the variable that as you age, time actually goes faster?

Eh? Riddle me that!

I remember when I was a kid, and 2 months of summer vacation stretched out before me like infinity. Of course it was only 60 days give or take, and yet it felt like glorious eternity. As adults, we're not blessed with this scale of time, because I'm pretty sure it was Christmas yesterday.

I have had a lot of very fun birthdays in my years. Stand out ones include turning 10 - DOUBLE DIGITS! (which remains a big deal according to the newly minted 10 year old I know). At age 10 I was obsessed with the 50's, and I had a theme party, complete with poodle skirts. And, obviously it was a slumber party, and no slumber party is complete without The Goonies.

I also remember my 16th birthday....this was my last "innocent" birthday. My friends came over, we ordered pizza and watched Empire Records. My new boyfriend was SUPPOSED to come later on, but he totally bailed (go figure he didn't want to hang out with a bunch of 16 year old girls, but I didn't really "get" that then), and it was our first fight. But I still married him, so obviously not only did I forgive him, but he got his first lesson in "how not to treat your girlfriend like one of your dude friends". I spent my ACTUAL birthday in Disneyland with my best friend and it was obviously the best thing ever.

At age 19, I had a civilized dinner party with my friends from high school....some of who I am still quite good friends with, and some of whom I only know are still alive from their Facebook pages (and one outlier who doesn't have Facebook, so I can't say for sure if she is still alive). None of my friends actually became of legal age for another few months, so I ended up going out with James and his friends, and we went to what should have been my first nightclub, but was actually more like my fourth. If memory serves me, we went to The Planet (which is now Upstairs), and I wore a backless shirt. How risqué! And it was THRILLING to dance to Hit Me Baby One More Time and not worried about the bouncer finding out you are only 18.

When I was 23, one of my besties threw me a little party, and we got very drunk, and they gifted me a gay porn magazine (which I then cut up and mailed to them individually in pretty little packages, which was genius, obviously). We went to this new club called Upstairs, and danced to That 70's Band, which we thought would be awful, but was super fun. My friend Jon showed up after his shift and drove me home, via a small detour to plaster gay porn on our friend Chris' house, who had the misfortune of being away during this sacred event (mind you, we had no tape, so this hilarious attempt was in vain), and I threw up outside of his car at the stoplight at Fort and Blanshard. Classy lady alert!

Age 24 saw me trying to redeem myself with a very civil sushi and movie night with a small group of close friends. I don't even remember what movie we saw....probably because I didn't have a blog yet.

At age 25, I thought I could drink like the big boys. I was into rye and water because I mistakenly assumed I was as hardcore as the gangsta rap I liked to listen to in my Impala. I was basically an asshole for this entire year. A large group of us started at Ferris', moved on to Darcy's, and then to Upstairs (where I believe I lasted about 35 minutes before heading to the bathroom to worship the porcelain god). I also may have thrown up a little on my pants on my way home in my friend Chad's car. And the next morning when I woke up, I had no memory of how I had gotten there, how I had gotten into my nighty, and wait...WHO THE HELL IS NEXT TO ME? Oh thank God it's my best friend. And with a pounding head, I remembered her gingerly attempting to feed me gluten free waffles on my bathroom floor to try and sober me up. That's what friends are forrrrrrrr.

The next two birthdays were very tame because I had turned over a new leaf, you guys.

At age 28, I had Jessica Simpson hair extensions and I WORE THEM IN PUBLIC. Enough said.

At age 29, a large group of us went to the Play Place, which is for kids, but also for adults like us. One word: BALLADIUM. We rented the place out, and had a hilarious time. We ended the night at The Reef, which in March, feels like a tropical vacation.

At age 30, I had a Vice Party, which is the BEST THEME PARTY IDEA EVER. And I take full credit for this idea, but you can use it. Everyone (except some losers who are too cool for school), came dressed as a representation of their favourite vice. I went as Facebook. It was an epic house party and I had an incredible time. I spent my ACTUAL birthday in the Cayman Islands, swimming with sting rays. Hard to beat. Really.

At age 32, I decided that I would organize a little party at the Bard and Banker, and invited 50 of my friends. And then realized that when you have your birthday at a bar, people WILL buy you drinks. I had a really fun time, but no 32 year old needs to drink that much, so I started throwing shooters over my shoulder just like they do in the movies. It works. James and I ended our night eating nachos in bed at 3 am, so really, it was quite perfect.

And here we are....the double 3's. My birthday is on Thursday, and I think James and I will be going out for a nice quiet dinner, and hopefully a movie.....that's all I want to do on the actual day. I am having dinner with my parents and my brother tomorrow night, and I got some friends together this past weekend for a little celebration dinner, after a night on Pender. It was lovely. And very much in line with the speed of my life these days....which is far more quiet than years past. It's been a long time since I have puked from drinking too much, and I think I can safely say that I have learned my limits. It only took my 20's to figure that out....but isn't that what your 20's are for? (I can see my mom shaking her head and giving me disapproving side eyes from here).

With this obvious level of maturity, it's only natural that I asked for a heart monitor for my birthday. You know, for my Zumba. Because that's what 33 year old ladies like.

Bloody Interesting, That.

This is a post from September 2008. I be bringing it back because it's kind of cool. The disclaimer is that I was clearly not into posting my sources at that time - blame it on post surgery brain?

Blood Types and Personality

When I was in the hospital for surgery, I requested that they let me know what my blood type was (tested due to the fact that I might have needed a blood transfusion in an emergency...thank God I didn't...they creep me out). I have been interested in a while as to different theories as to what your blood type might mean for your personality and your diet.

‘What’s your blood type?’ Isn’t the light-hearted chit-chat you'd would expect to hear at a party. Yet, in Japan wanting to know someone's blood type is as normal as asking what their star sign is. The Japanese believe it can tell you lots about your personality, from the career you should go for to your behaviour in relationships - even cartoon characters are given a blood type.

I'm not sure I buy any of this, but it's interesting. I'm a B + for the record, and I definately have some of the personality traits attributed to that. However, when I read 'Eat right for your Blood type" it was pretty much the opposite of what I am able to digest. Interesting stuff though.


In 1931 Japanese psychologist Furukawa Takeji suggested there was a link between personality and blood type. At the time, the study of blood groups was a new phenomenon. The four main blood types had only been identified in 1901 by physician Karl Landsteiner, who showed that each blood group has its own chemical makeup. Takeji asked thousands of people to fill in questionnaires, and deduced from the answers that the different groups have varying personalities. The theory is that our blood groups show who our ancestors were, and we've inherited behavioural traits from them.



TYPE A


Basic personality: you are sensitive, serious, calm, sympathetic, polite, honest, loyal, perfectionist, creative, punctual, reliable, artistic, obsessive, private, introverted, cautious, nervous and responsible.

Your strengths: you are a gentle soul, a natural people person and a good team player. People warm to your quiet, understated manner. You're a bit on the shy side and, while you enjoy the company of others, you also need time on your own. You're the type that always appears calm in a crisis. You never raise your voice, or throw a tantrum. You are very loyal, reliable and conscientious.

Your weaknesses: you often give more of yourself than you get back, and you're not as confident as you appear. In fact, you often feel as if you're not good enough and beat yourself up mentally over imagined weaknesses and failings. Too much stress can leave you feeling worried. You're prone to obsessive-compulsive behaviour and you also tend to suppress your emotions.

Your ideal job: you would be good in any job that requires attention to detail: lawyer, accountant, administrator, graphic artist, web designer, picture restorer, novelist, economist, architect, doctor, nurse, psychologist.

How you love: you have a sensible, traditional approach to love and the idea of marriage and family appeals to you. That's not to say you're immune to passionate affairs, but flighty, unpredictable people (typical type B's) aren't good for your mental health. You want someone as committed as you, so your best match is with another type A or with a type AB who is sensitive like you, but more easy-going.

Potential problems: you can be too perfectionist and uptight. Your tendency to repress your emotions could lead to health worries in the long term - for example high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and problems with your digestion.

Exercise and wellbeing: you'll benefit from activities and therapies that help you unwind. Choose calming mind/body exercises like yoga, pilates, t'ai chi and qi gong. Also, anything that helps you loosen up generally - walking, golf, hiking and dancing would be great for you. Talk to friends when you feel anxious or worried. If you find it really hard to open up, a course of psychotherapy might help. Massage (aromatherapy and sports) will help to keep you supple.



TYPE B


Basic personality: individualist, strong, creative, active, unpredictable, disorganised, sociable, persuasive, cheerful, easy going, adventurous, egocentric, forgetful, flexible, curious, and enthusiastic.

Your strengths: you have an engaging, charming manner. Bright, cheerful and fun to be around, you’re an original thinker and highly individual. You don’t like rules, but when you want to achieve a goal you’re passionate, hard working and totally driven. Your curious nature means you love to try things and your flexibility means you find it easy to adapt to new situations.

Your weaknesses: you like to do things in your own time and don’t like being told what to do. This means that you may clash with bosses, partners and family. You can also be very disorganised and untidy.

Your ideal job: You excel at coming up with ideas and innovations, so possible careers include: advertising executive, public relations, designer, artist, photographer, advocate, journalist, cook, hairdresser, alternative health practitioner, landscape gardener, vet, running your own business or entertainer.

How you love: you are very independent and your desire for freedom isn’t always easy for partners to understand. Type B’s are the classic bad boys and girls, with a reputation for being exciting, wild, selfish and unreliable. Your best match is another B type or an AB, who’s outgoing but also sensitive and mysterious – personality traits that will intrigue you.

Potential problems: when you’re out of balance you have a tendency to get lethargic and depressed. You become more unreliable, messy and disorganised than usual. You also become more susceptible to infections (colds, flu, stomach bugs etc.).

Exercise and wellbeing: the best exercise routines for you are sociable, not too aerobically intense and involve some form of mental challenge like martial arts, t’ai chi, walking, tennis, cycling, golf or climbing. Have a routine, because an element of structure in your life can help you deal with stress.



TYPE O


Basic personality: you are passionate, dynamic, ambitious, energetic, athletic, confident, impulsive, independent, flexible, strong-willed, proud, self-centred, sociable and extroverted.

Your strengths: you're a natural leader - confident, strong-willed, dynamic and entrepreneurial. These qualities can reveal themselves in different ways, so while some O's can be outspoken go-getters, others may work towards their goals in quieter ways. You're fast-talking and you make friends easily. You're a real innovator and a good organiser, and like to be in control. When you speak you say exactly what's on your mind. You are not afraid of showing your emotions.

Your weaknesses: you can be a bit of an adrenaline junkie and have a tendency to be hyperactive. You get bored easily and can be impatient, volatile and prone to temper tantrums.

Your ideal job: you love to be in control and you hate taking orders, so good choices include: politician, CEO, investment banker, teacher, or minister. You like to be in charge, whether that means you're self-employed or the head of a company.

How you love: you're passionate and hot-blooded. You're also confident and attractive to the opposite sex. You have a tendency to fall in love quite easily, but you like a challenge and are intrigued by partners who are slightly hard to get. Once you're in a relationship, you're tactile and very demonstrative. You like a lot of attention and can be a bit overbearing at times. Your best match is another O or an AB, who keeps you guessing.

Potential problems: you can be self-destructive and may use alcohol, cigarettes or food as a crutch when you're feeling stressed.

Exercise and wellbeing: work off stress with vigorous, aerobic activity such as running, squash, aerobics classes or dancing. Swap stimulants such as caffeine, chocolate and sugar for calming chamomile tea and healthy food. Relaxation techniques are important, as you can find to hard it wind down.



TYPE AB


Basic personality: you are cool, controlled, tactful, fair, moody, sociable, artistic, outgoing, creative, considerate, sensitive, critical, indecisive and emotional.

Your strengths: you have a beguiling chameleon-like quality, with characteristics from both ends of the spectrum. On the one hand you are bold, outgoing, unpredictable and exciting and on the other, you are cool, calm, controlled, considerate and diplomatic – even a bit shy at times.

Your weaknesses: you can come across as moody and changeable. Some people find you’re enigmatic and while this can be very attractive, it can also drive others mad, because they never quite know what to expect. You often feel detached from others, with a sense that you just don’t fit in.

Your ideal job: make the most of your ability to adapt to different situations. Good choices for you include: lawyer, sales rep, critic, teacher, alternative health practitioner, artist, waiter, social worker, psychotherapist or reporter.

How you love: you can be puzzling and mysterious, but also lively, entertaining and fun. This makes you very attractive, so you’re never short of potential admirers. Partners don’t quite know where they stand with you and this seems to make them try harder. You can get along with any of the other blood types.

Potential problems: you can feel unbalanced and flighty at times and find it hard to make up your mind about things. You’re prone to dramatic mood swings.

Exercise and wellbeing: intersperse active, social times, with time on your own. Try to spend 15 minutes a day in silence. Ground yourself regularly spending time getting close to nature. Sometimes you worry too much about maintaining harmony and as a result you internalise your true feelings too much. If you find it difficult to open up, you could try some other forms of self-expression, such as dancing, writing and painting.


Hmmm. Interesting.

Comme-ce, Comme-ca.

I am in a state of somewhat heightened awareness these days. I'm paying really close attention to my body and mind. I've become used to doing this since age 18, upon being diagnosed with Crohn's, so I have always been relatively in tune with my body and state of mind.

Having added another element to my life recently, I find it's good to check in with myself once in a while.

I'm feeling, overall, good. Actually no, not good, more like fine. Comme-ce, comme-ca - so so. I am feeling incredibly tired as of late, despite more than adequate amounts of sleep, moderate daily exercise, a good diet, and little to no stress. The tiredness is a side effect, but it's manageable. More than once, however, I have wished that coffee didn't make me go "oops, I crapped my pants". I could use the caffeine injection.

A lady also has to learn how to deal with mood swings. We're all familiar with them, but there are times in every woman's life when mood swings become more like mood punches to the face. That's what I am bordering on right now. Cute little animal videos on YouTube are supposed to make you sigh with joy, not weep crocodile tears. Inexplicable anger or hurt over imagined slights seems to be normal these days too. That's neat.

Keeping your emotions in check is an interesting process. For me, I can usually break it down into a twenty minute segment; the first ten minutes in CRAZY TOWN where everything is a tragedy, and the next ten minutes are the return to the Village of Normal, though the return journey always seems a lot slower. I get there eventually, and always return to Rational City, population: 2.

I also feel like I'm reaaaaally boring right now. Having given up occasional social enhancers like martini's and...other herbal things, I'm not surprised to find that instead of going out, to be the only sober person, I'd rather stay home in my jammies, getting emotional over the latest episode of  Grey's Anatomy. And yet, I keep saying yes to social situations that are going to include the above things, and I am undoubtedly less fun when not partaking in these social lubricants. I've given myself a nickname, Fun Bobby, and if you don't get that, you're dead to me.

I know what you're going to say....what happened to the Heather in 1994 that said things like "I get high on LIFE!"?! Well I'll tell you what - life happened. Mortgage payments, bills, jobs, and excel spreadsheets.

And if you can enjoy every party sober, then you're either a recovering alcoholic, or a bigger person than I am.....or my mom. (Hi mom!). Sober me wants to be in bed at reasonable hours (like 10:30 pm), so I can go to the gym or my yoga class the next day. Sober me is annoyed by drunk people. Sober me is annoyed by people having fun. I've never been a big drinker, but now that it's mostly off the table, I want what I can't have. Ain't that always the way?!

So, that's where I'm at. Two parties this weekend to attend (sober), and then the Method Man concert on Wednesday (sober....what were we THINKING?). I look forward to the day when I can once again over indulge in martinis on a Wednesday night!

I gotta get my head in the game and start getting high on life again. Or maybe invest in one of those natural high light machines that annoying hippies are always trying to sell (Newflash bro, you're already high).

Peace out.

G.L.A.M.O.R.O.U.S

Rosewood Hotel Georgia - I'm pretty sure this hotel was built for me. I love every aspect, every attention to detail. Even in a "standard" room, it's clear you are in a 5 star hotel. I feel like royalty every time. In fact, royalty HAVE stayed here in the past - both British and American (Elvis).

I'm in love with the hotel's old Hollywood glamour. Around any corner, you could run into someone rich and famous. Granted, so far I've only seen Pamela Martin in my three stays here, but hey....local celebrities count, don't they? I feel like Brad and George could easily be catching up over cocktails in the lounge, aptly named for when the hotel was built, 1927.

{ *Update alert* - we saw Ronnie and Jodi from The Real Housewives of Vancouver in the lobby. They were here filming and attending a party that was being held in the ballroom. Much excitement over the plastic ladies sightings, despite not really being celebrities I'd even walk to talk to. Pretty sure Ronnie gave me a pretty serious once over.}

I flew in via Harbour Air on Wednesday, and got to be the co-pilot. This is lovely because you get the BEST views, and the leg room is nothing to shake a fist at.

Also awesome: Sweet headgear. 

Flying from Victoria to Vancouver on a float plane is THE way to travel to and from the mainland. It's so much faster than the ferry, and you don't have to deal with any of the hassle. It could not be easier.

{Although.....on the way home on Friday, it was a slightly different experience. I was able to sit up front again, this time with a rather studly pilot named Chris. He was super chatty, unlike the last guy. We talked and he pointed things out, and if I was a single gal, I would have thought this was an excellent opportunity to make myself look extremely datable. But then we hit turbulence and I got overheated, nauseated, and all but clammed up as I attempted not to vomit. Focus on the horizon line......don't look down........one word answers only.....*green*. Coincidentally, this was also the last flight of the day because it was too rough. Gravol, you failed me.}

I met up with four of my coworkers to do store tours on the first morning, which was fun. It was nice to get out, be in not only my account, but others. It was nice to show the easterners around our little corner of BC and show them what we've got in terms of differentiation in the grocery business.

On the afternoon of day 1, everyone else was in a meeting I didn't have to attend, so I was going to take a bath in the ridiculously amazing bathtub this hotel boasts, but I decided to be responsible and do some work. Which lead to this train of thought....WHY DON'T I LIVE IN THIS HOTEL?

Riddle me that. The bathrooms are half the size of my entire condo. I could have parties in the shower.
Even the meeting rooms are so well appointed, you could envision having your wedding in them.

Also, the food here is unreal. I had an amazing short rib sandwich on gluten free bread for lunch one day, with a delicious side salad...washed down by a divine martini. It's been a long time since I've done a liquid lunch, but hey, when someone else is footing the bill, it's hard to say no. And it was only one, mother. I promise.

1927, the bar at Rosewood. Try the 21st Century and the Hotel Georgia cocktails. 

Over the next couple of days, I had an incredible time reconnecting with my awesome coworkers, getting jazzed about innovation, and having some fun. Fun is something we excel at when we're all together.We rolled in a 300 k Bentley, had a couple of AMAZING meals out, enjoyed drinks at Hawksworth, The Diamond, and the lounge here in the hotel.....and did some crossfit (but that's a whole other post).

To celebrate 2012, we ate dinner at Chambar, where I had an incredible martini - The Blue Fig, which is made from oven roasted fig infused gin, with a side of Stilton cheese. I followed this up with an appetizer of Lapin cannelloni (mmmm rabbit), moules et frites, and chocolate pate (washed down with champagne). UNREAL.

At the end of each night, it was glorious to climb into the king sized bed, which was impossibly soft and yet not too soft. I never wanted to leave that bed. Literally, it was the hardest thing in the world to move my post crossfit sore muscles out of that bed. In fact, 45 hours post cross fit, I am still walking like an 87 year old arthritic woman.

I cannot say enough about the Rosewood Hotel. I am lucky enough to stay there on someone else's dollar, because glamour doesn't come cheap. Compared to the Rosewood, The Sutton Place looks like a Holiday Inn. *shudder*

Being glamorous is wonderful, but there is nothing like coming home and sleeping in your own bed. Despite finally succumbing to that cold that I have been trying to avoid since December, last night in my own bed was the best sleep I have had since Monday night. I missed my husband, my dog, and my flat shoes.

But I will continue to miss this bathroom.

Until next time, my friend. 

BEST IDEA EVER

 Kelly Higgins and her partner adopted a 10 year old boy. They realized they would never have newborn photos of him, so they set up this photo shoot, which is ridiculously cute, sweet, and funny. 

I am in love with this.

Things I Think About Whilst Catsitting.

Have you ever noticed how weird it is to type on some laptops? I'm using my dad's Acer laptop, and it feels like my fingers have two left feet. I work on a Dell, and I use a Mac as my personal computer, so I am familiar with both Mac and PC's, but this thing is demented. The shift key is not within my normal range, and I am finding this awkward. This sentence originally had about 72 spelling mistakes in it as well, thanks to this ridiculous keyboard. This also might explain why 92% of the things my parents write on Facebook are either all in upper case, all in lower case, or an unexpected combination of the aforementioned.

So maybe you will appreciate the EFFORT this takes in typing. You're welcome, nameless, faceless non-commenting strangers.

I've been staying at my parents house for a week now, catsitting and giving my husband the chance to bach it up for a couple weeks. Which so far, appears to mean a lot of naps, checking the "I Fucking Love Science" Facebook page, drinking beer with his friends, and consuming Popsicles whose wrappers and sticks never quite make it to the garbage (but the counter and floor is fine).  I made the mistake of going home to pick up something and stumbled across our normally tidy abode looking like something out of Animal House. James admitted that one day without me there, the place was getting messy. No fucking duh, lover. But I'm happy he noticed. SWEET SWEET VALIDATION!

I would love to say something like "I'm going on strike! You pick up after yourself, mister!", but I have approximately zero legs to stand on because I make him deal with the strata stuff. In fact, due to our small strata (4 units), James had to unwillingly become strata president because we have actually been in our building the longest now. I have PTSD from strata meetings past, and basically refused to go to another one after the "two middle aged ladies drunk on cheap wine yell at each other about de-mossing the roof" incident of 2010. AWKWARD.

So you see, marriage is about give and take. And taking small catsitting breaks to recognize that while you DO both love a bed to yourself for a week or two or not having to use an actual garbage can for your waste, you're a valued member of a two person love team and it takes both of you to make the relationship continue to move forward. Go team!

And I learned that he might even be right about his dislike for cats. In addition to the fact that cats are cold hearted killahs (though this catsitting kill count is zero....but it's nearly spring and shit's gonna get real for hummingbirds and rabbits son), they are also MORE irritating than my irritating small dog. Yes, my small dog barks sometimes, makes me chase her when trying to leash her up for a walk, and I have had to become an expert on spot cleaning, but but but but SHE DOESN'T WALK ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER CONSTANTLY. It's making me crazy. And also, make up your damn minds about being inside or outside! NON STOP in and out and in and out and in and out. And worst of all.....they don't cuddle. However, they'll definitely come pat you on the face if you don't wake up early enough.

I actually really like cats. James is not keen on them AT ALL and these cats, though awesome in so many ways, also give him constant ammunition for reasons as to why he dislikes cats. Cats are assholes, but so is my dog. I love my animals full of personality, stubborn and ill trained.

We always had cats growing up. In the backyard of this house I grew up in are the graves of many house cats my family had over the years. Many of them had the misfortune of being run over (or partially run over, which still traumatizes me because the cat went to the vet alive and came home in a shoebox), one ran away, and one we had to have euthanized. There is also the grave of Harley, the cantankerous Jack Russell, our one and only family dog. He was hilarious and so so mean. He had a back problem from a young age which made him weird and vicious. All of us had been bitten by Harley at some point. He was a crusty old thing but we loved him. I was devastated by his death at 16, but he had been sick and it was time for him to go. And a few months later, the cats moved in and here we are. With noticeably less shedding.

Being here on my own has been kind of awesome. I feel like I'm dating my husband again. A few times a year, I move in here for a couple weeks to catsit and it gives us the opportunity to spend quality time together, not just "living together" time. He picks me up, or he comes for dinner, we spend some time together....and then we get our own beds, which is dope. AND, it's clearly recognized how much work I do around the house because everything falls apart when I'm not there (and trust me, I was JUST there 5 minutes ago, and the state of the house is....embarrassing. For him.)

In conclusion, catsitting = cheap couples therapy.

Inspiration Nation

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

- Marianne Williamson.

Lazy Chicken Casserole (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)

I always find I lack the desire to cook after coming back from holidays. Add to that the fact that I am house sitting solo for my parents while they are in Arizona, I'm not exactly whipping up gourmet meals for one. James and I consider these occasional house/cat sitting duties good therapy for our marriage. As much as we love living together, it's quite a novelty to have a bed to yourself for a week.

No joke.

You get to cook and eat what you want, eat when you want, go to bed when you want, watch what you want with no one giving you judgey side eyes....it's exciting. I think James is probably lonely without me...where as I on the other hand, have two weird cats and a dog to stare at me all day long...follow me to the bathroom every.single.time....and sleep on my head. It's one happy furry family over here. Except when it's not happy and there's hissing (mostly by me).

Anyways, back to the recipe....

Last night I decided to make a casserole for one. I don't know if it's the rainy weather, or just my desire to eat something warming and healthy and most of all easy...but I was overwhelmed by my sudden desire to make an all-in-one dish that would feed me for days to come. I had a loose plan, some ingredients on hand, and a hope that it didn't turn out to be super disgusting. It wasn't. It was really tasty and healthy and not at all white trash like 97% of casseroles seem to be.

Lazy Chicken Casserole.

- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small organic zucchini
- 2 heads of organic broccoli
- 8 organic brown mushrooms
- 2 cups of Pacific Kitchen vegetable broth
- 1 cup of Daiya vegan cheese
- 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
- salt and pepper to season

- Chop up the chicken into cubes and saute/boil in 1 cup of vegetable broth. No need to add oil (BONUS!)
- Chop up the broccoli, zucchini, and mushrooms and saute in 1 cup of vegetable broth until al dente (just a preference of mine as I like crunch, but the mushrooms will be soft).
- Put cooked chicken and veggies into a large bowl with broth from both pans, and add 1/4 cup of Hellmanns mayonnaise (I know, it seems weird, but trust me).
- Stir it all together and add to a 9x9 baking dish of some sort.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle Daiya (or regular cheese) on top and cook at 350, covered, for about 30 minutes.

I ate it on it's own for a carb free dinner, but today at lunch at made some quinoa and added it to the leftovers to help it go further. I'm a genius. I'll be adding this to my repertoire of easy, lazy meals. James is not a fan of Daiya, but I can see goat cheese being awesome with this too.

Word.

xh

Love in the Time of Cholera

Remember from my last post when I said I was feeling like my faulty intestines were, for once, superior to others? It was because myself and James were among the few who did not get sick in Mexico. Go us (and thanks to Dukoral)! But now I feel like an asshole, because it turns out those sick people have cholera.

CHOLERA.

Who the hell gets cholera?

Well, I'll tell you who. A bride, her new groom and their 7 year old son. They took a different tour on the Thursday the rest of us went to Coba, and food/water they consumed on that tour is the likely culprit, or the only one that makes sense, since the rest of us are okay. It could have been the water in the cenote was contaminated with feces, or it could have been in the food they were given at lunch. Either way, the infected party either didn't wash their hands after going to the bathroom or they crapped in our friend's tamarind tea. Also either way, GROSS. It's like, so turn of the century.

A few of the other peoples got a case or two of the di di, and again, the three of us were unaffected. So, HEAR ME CLEARLY when I tell you to get Dukoral before you head to a developing country. It's the best money you will spend. Granted, that won't protect you from the likes of Cholera...that's just shitty luck....haha.....ha....ah......but you can do quite a lot to protect yourself before you leave, and during your trip.

I have Crohn's and yet I have traveled a lot. I've been to like 27 countries and I have never gotten sick because I take precautions. Dudes, when they say "Don't Drink The Water", they mean it. DON'T DRINK THE WATER. It doesn't matter if you see all the locals doing it....the locals have the necessary immunity built up to whatever shit is in their water. You do not. Fucking duh. For me, that means I even brush my teeth with bottled water, which might be overkill thanks to the glorious wonders of Dukoral, but hey, whatevs. Look who doesn't have cholera.

I also make it a point to only eat in restaurants that have a lot of clientele, and avoid any questionable looking street vendors because God knows how long that stuff has been sitting there in the sun. It was also probably smart of me to avoid that mayonnaise that had been sitting in the sun for hours. Common sense, people. You're not just protecting your belongings when you travel, you're protecting the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut.

I am feeling mega sorry for our friends who have suffered the past week with these horrible symptoms. Cholera, if left untreated for any length of time, can be fatal. I kind of expected to go to Mexico and get shot at, but definitely didn't see cholera coming.

Protect yourself before you wreck yourself.

xh

All Inclusive Resort Survival Guide - The Mexico Edition

We're back and we're alive! Actually, we've been back a few days now, but since our return trip was plagued with one issue after the next, I've been too tired to write about the trip. But now that the first few days of work are under my belt and my jet lag is under control, I feel like I can do this post a little justice.

If you have read my previous post, you will know that I had several misgivings about embarking on an all inclusive vacation. I believe the word 'trepidatious' was used at least once. I had a series of concerns about the nature of this vacation; firmly believing that we were probably going to be let down because we are not "All Inclusive" types, aaaaaaand because I obsessively read (and believed) every negative Trip Advisor review I could get my hands on. It didn't matter that the positive reviews outweighed the negative ones, it was the really nasty stuff that stuck out in my head and resulted in lowered expectations, which is probably why I ended up having a fantastic time. Lowered expectations = less chance of disappointment. This applies in almost every life situation, by the way. If you don't like the sound of lowered expectations, then refer to it as 'keeping an open mind'. Same same, really.

We flew to Cancun via Calgary, and our trip there was smooth as eggs. No delays, no hassles at the airport. When we pressed the dreaded customs button in Cancun, the three of us were allowed to pass without any further ado. We were immediately met by our shuttle which we had prearranged, and made it to the resort in less than 45 minutes. And, although it was too early for us to check into our rooms, we were given our wrist bands and allowed full access to the resort.

Is 8:30 am too early for a banana margarita? Didn't think so.

First impressions of the resort turned out to be a lasting impression. Yes, it's large. It's a rather grand entrance, with white marble everywhere. The staff are incredibly friendly, especially if you throw them a smile and an "ola!". The walk from the lobby to the beach is a pleasant 8 or so minutes, through perfectly manicured garden pathways, lined with Mayan sculptures. You can hear nothing but birds and frogs.....until you get to the party pool, where you will hear nothing but techno and drunk moms. But that's only one pool out of 13, and we quickly passed that by, making a mental note to avoid it.

The pools are gorgeous, and there is a one for every mood. We only hit up the pools twice, much preferring the beach and the warm ocean water. The beach was beautiful, though not the best I have been to. There are better areas than others for swimming and hanging out. Once you spend a few days there, you'll quickly figure out where the best swimming is, and you'll still get drink service to boot. Beach = awesome.

I think I was most concerned with the food. I am not super into buffets, and was definitely concerned it was going to be grossly inedible mass produced junk. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that unless you are the world's pickiest eater, you will be happy with what is provided. Which is...pretty much everything. At breakfast there was always eggs (scrambled, fried, frittata'd, or omelettes), cereal, granola, fruit, yogurt, salad, bacon, sausage, french toast, potatoes...whatever really. It was good. Not everything was amazing, but it was mostly good enough, some of it very delicious.

We tended to either not eat lunch at the resort due to large breakfasts, or being off the resort all together. On the weekends they do a beach BBQ, which had the dreaded hotdog/burger combo, but I was also pleased to find tacos and paella, both of which were good. Not the best, but good.

The dinner buffets were also nice - they usually had a theme night - Mexican, Seafood, Italian...whatever, and again, there was a lot of selection. I had very delicious tiger prawns and steaks, and salads, and desserts and am happy to report that my goal of eating Mexican food at every meal (if possible) was met. If I saw an empanada or a taco I ate it. And I put guacamole and pico de gallo on everything.

The a la carte restaurants we managed to book were also nice - we ate at the Mexican one, which had delicious tamales and sopes and empanadas. We ate at the Italian one, and I enjoyed my medium rare tuna steak immensely. We ate at the teppanyaki grill and enjoyed the show, as well as the food.

The drinks were all pretty amazing - fantastic mixed beach type drinks like the pina colada, or the bahama mama. I enjoyed the mojitos made with aged rum. We got involved in shots of tequila with sangrita chasers. I drank countless mimosas at breakfast, and countless glasses of champagne at night. You could request the top shelf liquor, and it was no problem, all included. The wine was god awful, but that's okay because I wasn't there for the wine. Thankfully, the champagne was delightful.

And, guess what? Nothing got stolen from our room. We used our safe every day for our money and iPhones and passports, and it was never tampered with. I left the maid a few bucks everyday on the pillow, and she was fantastic. I always made sure the patio doors were locked, and the room was secure, but I never ever felt like things were not safe.

Now that I've been to this resort myself, I cannot understand the negative reviews. Granted, my experience with all inclusives is limited to this and the one in the Bahamas, but people need to get real about the stuff they were complaining about. Because, when it comes down to it, your vacation is as good as YOU make it, especially at a beautiful 5 star resort in a developing country. People go with expectations that it will be just like home, in 'Murica, and are sorely disappointed when it's not. Those people need to stay home.

The purpose of our trip, the wedding of our friends, was beautifully done. They got married on the beach under the gazebo, and you couldn't ask for a more picturesque backdrop. We had drinks on the beach, and dinner at Miso, followed by a hilarious night out at Senor Frogs (which is super touristy and cheesy, but we had a blast).

All this being said, I would still rather rent an apartment. I don't need to eat or drink that much, and the resorts are so far out of town, that you don't really get to experience any real culture. We made the effort to leave the resort several times - we went into Playa and enjoyed a meal in a real authentically Mexican restaurant, where there were no tourists (or white people) in sight. Because we had taken Dukoral, we didn't need to worry about the ice in our batidos (smoothies), or the food we were eating (which was delicious). However, some members of our party did NOT take Dukoral, and as a result, Montezuma got his revenge and they ended up very very sick. So, if you're thinking of traveling to a developing country, just cough up the $$ for this treatment. It's worth it to not crap your pants on your flight home, amiright?

We went on a couple of excursions that we really enjoyed. And, as luck would have it, they happened to be on days that were overcast and perfect for doing things. We hit up the Mayan village of Pachen, for some zip lining, rappelling into a cenote, a shaman blessing, and the most amazing meal ever (I ate five empanadas). After our meal, we went to Coba, an ancient Mayan village, which once was home to 70,000 Mayan people. We got to climb Nuhoch Mul, and it was gorgeous. Bucket list for sure.

We also visited Tulum, home of Mayan royalty before the Spanish conquistadors came and ruined everything. It's beautiful there and you can see why they chose it as home. And after that, we snorkelled at Akumal, where we saw sea turtles and sting rays and all kinds of fish on the reef. A beautiful experience.

All in all, we had a fantastic time. My fears about this resort were unfounded. The staff, the grounds, the food....everything was great. It truly was relaxing, as you didn't need to worry about a thing. If I ever go back to Playa del Carmen, my hunch is that I will not go the all inclusive route again, but rather stay in town in a condo or something, but we really enjoyed our time in this beautiful all inclusive, and if it's your thing, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Grand Riviera Princess resort to you and your friends and family.

The only bad part of the trip was our return trip, which was horrible. We were delayed out of Cancun, which caused us to miss our connection (which was a HUGE snafu on the part of West Jet, as we actually could have been on that plane, no problem #FAIL), so we were put on a 10:30 pm flight, which flew ALL the way to Victoria, only to get turned around due to fog and head back to Calgary. So at 2 am, we found ourselves in a cab in our Mexico clothes, in -15, heading to a hotel for a couple of hours of sleep, and up again at 5 am to head back to the airport for to wait for another attempt at a flight home, which nearly didn't happen because of the damned fog. Thank God for that pilot's landing skills, as we were able to land on the second attempt. Ridiculous. We missed Monday at work because of this, and got $400 in West Jet flight credits, which at the time felt like not nearly enough (because I was super cranky at this point and REALLY mad we had gotten bumped from our original connecting flight for no reason), but I'm thankful for....because.....we just got invited to another wedding in Mexico in November!

And now....a photo montage!!!

Coatie. My spirit animal.

My legs and the ocean.

Delicious authentic restaurant in Playa Del Carmen.

Our Junior Suite. Very nice.

Beach at the resort.

Wedding time!

Zip lining at Pachen.

James and I at Coba, on top of Nohoch Mul.

Nohoch Mul.

Me at Tulum. 

The beautiful Tulum!

Arrrrriba!

In a couple of days, James and I are heading off to sunnier shores of Playa Del Carmen Mexico. We're leaving the rain and wind behind to join some friends on their wedding day, which is sure to be a fantastic time.

While I'm really looking forward to this vacation (our first out of country vacation since Costa Rica in 2011), I have some trepidation about the nature of the vacation. You see, it's at an all inclusive hotel.
And I am SO not an all inclusive girl, or at least that's my mindset before heading off. I'd MUCH rather be telling you that we've rented an apartment, but since the wedding is at the resort, we figure we should probably stay there...or they won't let us on the property. Also, this is where our friends will be, so regardless of all the things I am about to list that concern me, we will no doubt have a great time.

My one other experience at an all inclusive was in the Bahamas in 2006. It was part of my former company's bonus program, and I was so excited to visit my first tropical location. They flew both myself and James down there for 4 days and 3 nights fully paid, with the option of extending the trip on your own dime. We chose not to because we were getting married later that year and heading to Hawaii for our honeymoon, and I was SO glad we didn't in the end. Because that experience was not something I would have wanted to pay for.

What a whiner, hey? Well, listen. I work hard for my money and my vacation time is limited. There is a reason we've never gone back to an all inclusive, choosing to do more independent and "real" vacations. But maybe I'm just biased. Maybe I've got it ALL wrong!

Maybe.....but it seems pertinent and reporterly to refresh you on WHY I embark on this vacation with just the slightest amount of trepidation.

My main concerns with all inclusive's are the following:

1. The Food: I LOVE food. And while I am not particularly picky, food is a huge part of travel for me, and when I go on vacation, I want to eat the local cuisine. I DON'T want shitty hamburgers and hotdogs and french fries. I want tacos. I would happily eat tacos every meal, every day. But something tells me that getting an authentic taco on the resort is going to be mucho dificil. If it was anything like the garbage they served us in the Bahamas, I'll be likely to lose weight. Also, I don't want to stand in line to eat. I'd rather cook my own meals, and eat in local restaurants than be ushered through a mediocre buffet line up.

2. The Drink: I am not an all day long, every day drinker. But if I AM going to drink, I want it to be quality. And I fear that the quality is going to be lacking. And I also fear the lack of self control some members of our party may exhibit when it comes to the open bar aspect of our vacation. Nor do I enjoy the drunken, disrespectful antics of other vacationers who can't hold their drink and might puke in any one of the 47 pools on the resort.

3. The Other: Other people, that is. I'm not sure I want to share my precious vacation with a bunch of dickheads from North America, who think that everything should be as it is "at home". THESE people make me crazy. Why go on vacation if you want it to be like home? I cannot handle loudmouthed disrespectful douche bags who treat resort staff like their own personal punching bags, or have zero respect for the people around them.  My nemesis, if you will.

4. The Thieving: I've read that this resort has a theft problem. I don't know if that's common in Mexico, but it makes me a bit blue that I might not be able to leave my valuables IN THE SAFE without it being broken into. As a result, I'm leaving my nice camera at home, and that's a bit sad. I hope the few pesos that I am bringing for tips are safe.

5. The Danger: This resort had a huge explosion a few years ago. It was carnage. People died. I'm not a fan of dying on vacation. Also, Mexico seems to be getting sketchier and sketchier. I know that it's mostly border towns that have cartel problems, and that resort towns are generally safe, but I am totally just not cool with feeling skeeved out on my vacation.

I'm an avid reader of Trip Advisor, and this resort has had hundreds of amazing reviews and a few really terrible reviews and everything in between. I'll be back in a week or so to report on my own findings on each of the categories I listed above, and more.

All I know is that in a few days time, regardless of any of the above, I'll be floating around the Caribbean sea, drink in hand, hopefully getting a little sunshine on this white bod of mine. And we'll be having an amazing time, despite my hesitations about going this route!

Adios!

xh

Resolutions.

My resolutions are not of the eat better/exercise more kind. These are not things I choose to put off, or not do, these are things I HAVE to do and continue to do and like most humans, sometimes I succeed  and sometimes I fail. It's about finding the right balance between laziness and motivation, right? Right. I will continue to do yoga, rebounding, long walks, with some strength training thrown in for good measure. It's not a resolution so much as an acknowledgement and a promise to myself to continue to focus on me and my body's needs.

However, a new year always gives us a feeling of a new us, a new you. It's a good time to reflect and to start fresh. So, while I continue to eat better and exercise more (in phases), I will also be focusing on other important things.

Such as....

Spending time with my family. It hasn't gone unnoticed to me that my parents aren't exactly getting younger. I am close to them physically and emotionally, and I want to continue to grow this relationship in 2013. I never want to look back and think "I wish I had spent more time with my parents and less time on my computer".

This also means spending more time with my brother and his wife. They live across the pond, but that doesn't mean that I don't see them as much as possible. With a health scare under our belts in late 2012, it made me realize that nothing, and I mean NOTHING is as important as family. Fact.

I'll also be learning something new in 2013. In 2012, that something new was knitting. I'm close to finishing my second scarf, and I'm unsure of what my next project will be, but it will be something different. Maybe something a little harder...like a hat. I might even learn how to actually use my real camera. And not on "auto", but on all the fancy little settings I have just decided to ignore. It's time to dust off the SLR and get real with my little photography hobby.

I'm going to love as much as I can and be generous with my time. I'm going to open my heart and mind to new possibilities and not limit myself with old hang ups or fears. I will do things that scare me, or are outside of my comfort zone, but I will recognize my limits and be okay with who I am.

I am looking forward to this year, which holds so much hope and promise. I'll be entering my 33rd year on this planet, with my best friend and husband by my side, my family close by, good friends, a roof over my head, and so SO many blessings.

I've learned over the years that life isn't always fair, and you can't always get what you want, but that doesn't mean that life isn't filled with happy little surprises. Maybe life is just one long series of little surprises, some good, some bad, but that's life.

Ready to take 2013 by the horns!


xh