A Winter Hike, A Winter Treat

Winter has finally arrived. The canal is freezing, the cars are wheezing and people walking on the streets have suddenly become bundles of Gore-Tex and fleece.

Not one to let the cold stop her from having a good time, a friend of mine sent out an invite for an evening hike to one of Gatineau Park's cabins. Given my dislike of the cold, my fear of being in the woods in the dark and the fact that I'm not in shape, my instinct was to say no. Am I ever glad I said yes.

Armed with SmartWool socks, fleece-lined pants and a little something to warm up the insides once at the cabin, I head out with six other people on what seemed to be one of Gatineau's steepest trails. After three minutes of trudging uphill in the snow I thought I was going to be sick or fall sideways and not get up. Thankfully, with a little encouragement I stuck it out.

The cabin, the view and the experience were well worth it. There's nothing like eating chicken wraps heated up to a crisp on a woodstove, sipping hot chocolate with a nip of Bailey's, and playing Family Guy UNO by candlelight with friends to warm up a cold January night. Add to that a brisk walk back through the woods with nothing to illuminate the way but the whiteness of the snow, and you have the perfect end to a great evening - the perfect winter treat.

Happy Blogging Anniversary to Me!

It's already been a year since my first post. I guess time flies when you're having fun.

When I started my Urban Living Experiment blog, I had no idea how it would develop. I just trusted in the process and used it as a tool to a) keep me writing regularly and b) take notice of my experiences as a first-time urbanite. For that, it's been successful.

I've enjoyed my urban living experiment so much I decided to stay in the city at least another year. This time I start the cycle again knowing what to expect. I feel sad at losing that first-time exhilaration that comes with discovering the unknown, but on the other hand I know what I can look forward to.

And the blog? I'm not sure which direction it'll take this year. No doubt I'll follow last year's trend and continue writing about my experiences here in the city, but I'm also mulling over the possibility of focusing on specific aspects of urban living, or branching out into something else. I guess I'll just have to keep writing and trust in the process.

Either way, Happy Blogging Anniversary to me. :)

Connectivity Woes

I haven't had Internet access at home since Friday afternoon. Oh woe is me. For the first few hours I felt lost without the Web. Then I started taking advantage of its absence to work on other things I'd been neglecting. I ...

• vacuumed the apartment
• drew a mandala
• drafted five emails related to my job search - they're still in my Drafts folder waiting to be sent
• worked on identifying my dream career by finally doing the exercises in What Color is Your Parachute?
• spent two hours learning how to upload and manipulate pictures on my iBook
• watched a movie
• put together a to-do list for the week

Although I'm enjoying this variety of non Web-related activities, I'm getting annoyed. Monday I spent two hours waiting for an ISP tech support rep to answer my call only to be told the problem would be fixed that night. It wasn't. Last night I spent over two and half hours on hold for the same tech support only to have my cordless phone die on me two minutes after I reached a rep.

Ugh. Connectivity woes indeed.

At Odds: Funk and Productivity

During the past few weeks, I've been in and out of a funk and the inspiration to blog has been sporadic at best. I think I'm dealing with some post-holiday blahs. Apparently I felt this way last year too.

Surprisingly, despite the funk, I've been plugging away at my quest for meaningful, well-paying work, sharing good meals and good conversations with friends and family, and working on creative projects. Bit by bit, carefully balancing out rest and work, I'm tackling some of the items on the lists and bubble charts I so eagerly produced before I got sick. It feels good to feel productive.

I feel as if my body, mind and soul have been fluctuating from one opposite to another - perky and full of energy one moment, tired and drained the next. It's a little weird. I guess I'll just have to ride it out. In the meantime, maybe I'll follow last year's lead and make my way to Bridgehead for coffee and a good read. Perky or tired, that's just good for the soul. :)

One Year And Counting

A year ago today - or technically yesterday, on the Tuesday - I moved from a suburban bungalow to my apartment in the city. I remember the day well. It was bittersweet.

I also remember waking up on Wednesday, my first morning here, and panicking at the thought of not having any coffee to get me going on my first day of unpacking. Then it dawned on me: I lived downtown now; there were at least five coffee shops within walking distance. Armed with my travel mug, I walked outside and within ten minutes was back with a fresh coffee in hand. So began my love affair with proximity and my first glimpse into the convenience of city living.

I still miss the country sometimes; someday I might go back. But for now, I'm happy I decided to embark on my little urban living experiment. So happy I think I'll stay awhile.

A Not So Normal Week

I spoke too soon. Last Sunday when I wrote my post, I was pumped and ready to go, bubble charts, to-do lists and weekly goals in hand. My body had other plans; Tuesday, I got sick.

I spent the past five days doing nothing but blow my nose, watch movies and play cards. Thankfully I was in good company, and thankfully Rogers cable was offering a few good movie channels for free this month. I was well taken care of. (Side note: If you're a movie buff, check out the Turner Classic Movies and American Movie Classics channels. Be careful though, they're addictive!)

Now I'm back home faced with the realities of a messy apartment, taxes and dirty dishes. I'm not completely out of the woods yet, but after having given myself five days of rest, I feel I have a little more energy to tackle what needs to be done - one baby step at a time. Maybe now, slowly but surely, I can start getting back to normal. We'll see what my body says.

Back to Normal

Since I've started my sabbatical my concept of normal has become a bit fuzzy, but I still feel an urge to get back to it after the holidays.

I've been neatening up, catching up on my finances and buying healthy food. I've been brainstorming on the upcoming year's desired focus, goals and targets, drawing bubble charts and making lists to put them down on paper and release them to the Universe. Like many others, after the chaos of the holidays, I seem to crave the comfort of a routine or normalcy - of my own definition - back into my life. It feels good.

Odds & Ends IV

My life has been pretty full in the past few weeks. It's time for another Odds & Ends post. Enjoy ...

Good to Be Home
After spending the holidays in NB and Gananoque, I'm happy to be back in town. Although I enjoyed staying with friends and family and always felt welcome in their homes, there's nothing like being back in my apartment. As soon as I walked in the door I felt my shoulders drop by about an inch. Aaaah. There's no place like home.

Ottawa Public Library Freebies
Did you know that the Ottawa Public Library has an array of educational and creative activities available for children, youths and adults? Adult programs range from book clubs to writers' groups to seminars about container gardening. After a quick scan, a lot of them seem to be free; costs are indicated when applicable. See the full list here.

Pay-What-You-Can at the NAC
There's a pay-what-you-can showing of Frida K. at the National Arts Centre this Tuesday. It's a play about artist Frida Kahlo. I've had a soft spot for her since I saw her portrayed by Salma Hayek in Frida, the movie. I think I'll go see the play. A friend of mine mentioned that the NAC has pay-what-you-can nights regularly. I'll let you know if any other good shows come up.

Mild Temps & January Hikes
I enjoyed a one & a half hour hike in the Shirley's Bay area this past Thursday with two good friends and a golden retriever. Today, I walked 5K along the Canal. I must admit, at this time of year I imagined I'd be skating on the Canal or trying out snowshoeing for the first time, but given the unusually mild temperature hikes were more fitting - and realistic. I strive to keep exercise fun. Enjoying a gorgeous sunny day is just that.

Voilà! I hope you enjoyed this edition of Odds & Ends. 'Til the next one ...

Happy Happy New Year

Happy New Year folks!

2006 was one heck of a year for me - I learned a lot, cried a lot, laughed a lot. I moved to the city. I made new friends. I tried many new things for the first time and re-discovered familiar comforts. I'm scared and excited at the prospect of a new year, anticipating some happenings, wondering what others will crop up. I guess I'll just have to wait & see.

More reflections and thoughts to come later. In the meantime, happy 2007!