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Posts Tagged ‘reflections’

Well, hello there!

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 4, 2017| 6 Comments »

Hi there everyone, it is me, your long lost friend, or it certainly feels like it anyway. The last time I wrote something on this blog, there was snow on the ground- yikes! I guess I have been a little remiss in the writing department or maybe I can just apologize and say that I have been distracted by life. Let’s go with that.

It is September, I love this time of year. I always think of it as the official New Year’s. Maybe because I have always been involved in education in one way or another, but I always think of the new school year as a time to being again. To start fresh. An opportunity to put forth new goals, plan, get organized, get energized and move forward.  It is also the month in New York City where the weather turns into days of beautiful blue skies with crisp mornings and warm afternoons. Perfection.

I also love September because there is a schedule again. Even though I hate toooo much structure and you know that I can’t stand planning lunches and dinners, I do love getting up and moving and having purpose and a calendar filled with things to do. I promise not to complain too much when this starts to become overwhelming-ha! My girls can’t wait to go back to school, their days of lounging are making them a bit crazy at this point. I know I definitely need them to go back to school so our apartment can stop looking like a frat house!! Teenage girls are a hot mess, literally.

We have had a good few months, the girls, Memphis and I. Keeping busy with the everyday. We have had the opportunity to travel a bit, connect with family, explore and appreciate the little things.

The world in general is tough right now. Politics in the US, not okay at all. That is a much BIGGER issue and a fight that continues daily. It weighs heavily on us all.

We are lucky though, I am grateful that life, in general, is good. Am I where I thought I would be at this stage in my life? No, I am not. Some days this is exciting and awesome and other days it paralyzingly terrifying. Life is definitely messy and amazing at the same time. That is the beauty of it all. One of my goals for September is to let go of the fear of the unknown, embrace the chaos and concentrate on the things I can change. We will see how it goes. I also promise to keep writing. It really is good for the soul. Happy “New Year” my friends. Good luck to all the students, teachers, administrators, support staff and parents as your new year begins! xoxo

(Here are a few of my favorite pics from the last couple of months, hope you enjoy them)

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2016: “Look Around, How Lucky We Are To Be Alive Right Now”

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 30, 2016| 4 Comments »

The line from “Hamilton: An American Musical” keeps running through my mind right now as I sit here reflecting on the insanity of the year that was 2016. This year has been a whirlwind of ups and downs. And yes, there have been many downs but we are still here. We ARE lucky to be alive right now and to enter 2017, fierce and strong and ready to meet challenges like the badass people we have proven to be. Yep, I am talking about YOU! Go get it my friends!! =)

Sorry, I haven’t written in awhile, one of the resolutions I hope to keep is to get back to my writing. It really does soothe my soul and make me happy.

I have spent the last few days of 2016 with my girls and Memphis. I was lucky enough to get the week off of work and we spent Christmas in Bedford celebrating with good friends and meeting new people in a beautiful setting. We have also had some quality time chilling at home binge watching “Gilmore Girls”.

This time of year is still a bit tough, I find myself with a bit too much time to think and reflect. Not necessarily a bad thing unless I start being a little too hard on myself. I have to remind myself to take a deep breath. I am exactly where I am supposed to be. This year we said goodbye to Dopey dog but it also brought us Memphis. The girls and I have become closer, we are our own little family unit. I have a job that I enjoy, it is chaotic and crazy, it forces me out of my comfort zone. I don’t see my extended family and out of town friends as often as I would like but they are doing a-okay and that makes me smile. Here in the big city I am surrounded by my NYC family and these friends are the glue that hold all the pieces together. My heart is full. For that I am so very humbled and grateful.

I do feel a little uncertain as to what 2017 holds, but I do know this, together, we will be okay. Kindness is key. And love really is the answer. Be well my friends. Happy, Happy, Happy 2017!! -Sandra xo

(I leave you with a few pics from the last few days of this year- Enjoy!)

 

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2012: The Year The World Ends And I Turn Forty. Huh.

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 1, 2012| 2 Comments »

Well, hello 2012, looks like you arrived with a bang. It seems just like yesterday that we were ringing in the year 2000 and now look where we are. It has not escaped my notice that the year I turn forty is also the year that the Mayan’s predicted the world would end. Coincidence? Maybe. I am going to run with the theory that those of us born in 1972 are such “wild child” types that the world can’t handle all of us heading on in to middle age together. Yep, that is my theory. It makes me feel better, so there!

As I ponder Forty and a new year, a few thoughts come to mind. Does Forty make me feel old? The answer is yes and no. I definitely feel old when I see my former students on Facebook reach milestones such as 25th Birthdays, University Graduations, First Jobs, Marriages and Babies (!!). Yep, that definitely makes me realize that I am heading towards the rocking chair. But on the other hand, former students still talk to me, I know what Facebook and Twitter are, I have a Blog, can keep up with social media and pop culture references AND I went to the JayZ/Kanye concert. I can’t be THAT old, right… right????!!!!! *Sigh*

So, as I head as gracefully as I can to the age of Forty in this new year of 2012 I guess I can’t help but reflect just a little bit. I am not a big resolution maker, I think that resolutions are just a way to set yourself up for failure. “I resolve to cut chocolate out of my diet”. Sure, it sounds good in theory on the 1st of January but there is no way that it is still going to be happening by (if we are honest), January 2nd! So, instead I am going to reflect.

I am going to try really hard to not sweat the small stuff this year, knowing full well that I will. Because that is what I do, just ask Ron. I can’t help it. Someone has to and it is me. I like to worry. Cut me a little slack, I do live in NYC and there ARE a few things to worry about. “Seriously, where DO they take the garbage??” But I am going to try and worry a little less. Sometimes you need to just let some things go. It is what it is. I realize that. Woooosaaaa!

I am also going to keep up with this whole running thing. I am not going to resolve to get skinny this year. It is not going to happen. I have never been skinny, EVER. Even when I was in the best shape of my life I was not skinny. Not going to happen. Instead I am going to concentrate on being strong. Running with fabulous women and feeding off of their incredible energy and friendship is powerful. We are healthy and running and that is definitely something to be grateful for.

I am going to continue to do a few things that scare me. I just got into the NYC 1/2 Marathon. This is equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. I am in the middle of my training and this will be one of the most challenging yet rewarding fitness goals I will ever achieve. I still can’t decide if I might just be a wee bit insane 😉  This is the year I have to get back in the job market. Also a daunting and exciting task. Nothing moves slowly or comes to you in NYC, I had better step up my game!

Finally, I am going to remember that there is a lot of fun to be had and to keep the laughter alive. There are days when it is easy to take one’s self a little too seriously. We are all guilty of that. I am going to try and pause and find the joy in small moments, everyday. Because, if the world really is ending, I would really hate to have spent the last moments worrying about the last 5 pounds I wanted to lose instead of having that wonderful piece of dark chocolate 😉 Happy New Year family and friends!! I wish you all the best for a fabulous 2012. You are ALL invited to my Fortieth birthday party in June!!

Here are a few pics from our latest NYC adventure as we rang in the New Year by participating in the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in Central Park. It was an unbelievable experience. A few thousand people running in the park, fireworks and people cheering you on as you did a 4 Mile loop in the park. Awesome!!

Before the Run

Running with just a "few" other people!

Julie, Jessica and I

The confidence and crazy that comes with youth!

Post Race- we are still standing and smiling 😉

Sweet, sweet reward!! Happy New Year!!

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Some Random Thoughts on a Friday the 13th

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on May 13, 2011| 1 Comment »

Happy Friday the 13th

Well, here it is Friday the 13th. I am not really a superstitious person so I am really just going about my day as I would any other day. I will even walk under ladders, cross paths with a black cat and put shoes on a table. Hmm… maybe I am just tempting bad things to happen. One thing I will NEVER do is say “Macbeth” in a theatre, I am not crazy!! 😉

Anyhoo, I have a few thoughts that I wanted to share with you, my reflections on some things that happened this week. It is getting a wee bit busy, the school year is drawing to a close for the girls, the weather is nicer, vacations and camps are being planned. As for me, I need to start figuring out my own path as to how I am going to fit in, in this big city. I am getting the itch to get back to work, but the big question is what and where?? But before I delve into THAT discussion here are the things that have been part of my life this week:

  • I can be a big old badass mother bear with NYC attitude when provoked. I got into a confrontation outside of the girls school this week when two jerks decided to be nasty to the kids for just being kids. Nothing infuriates me more than people putting down children for behaving in a fun way especially when the jackasses had chosen to walk in front of the elementary school!! When mama bear ‘ain’t happy, ‘ain’t nobody happy- grrrr!!
  • On that note, I should NEVER watch daytime tv. I tuned in to “The View” yesterday to see my good friend Bobby C. perform a number from the Broadway show “Anything Goes” (which was awesome!) but unfortunately I also saw a segment about a woman who was giving her 8 year old daughter botox treatments. I was sickened and outraged. Really? How is this even allowed? Such a sad world we live in that 8 year old girls cannot just be left alone to be little kids without body image issues. Ugh. Daytime t.v. = Rage!
  • My own lovely daughter swallowed a chain necklace last night. Yes, yes she did. For the first time I thought I would be taking a trip to the local emergency department. However, there is a wonderful service at our pediatrician’s office where you can phone and leave a message with the service and the actual doctor with call you back. We did not have this in Ottawa. It is awesome. Within 15 minutes our doctor had called us back and reassured us that she would be fine and that the chain would eventually come to pass. We are now on poop watch. Fun times!!
  • The weather in NYC this week has been absolutely gorgeous. Temps in the 70’s and beautiful cloudless sunny blue skies. I have been loving it, my only complaint is allergies. Whoa. Who knew that NYC would be such an intense area for springtime allergies? The trees are everywhere and they are pouring pollen into the air. If you sit down on a park bench you can actually see the pollen attach itself to your clothes. My eyes have not been happy. Luckily, there are many different non-prescription drugs available. Although in NYC you have to show i.d. to purchase them. Who knew? Something about meth users… sad. I learn something new every day.
  • Ron gave me a t-shirt one time with the slogan “My playground is Big” it reminds me of how I felt this week. I was a bit bummed because this was the perfect weather for sitting outside in the backyard with a cup of tea and the newspaper or a good book. Only now, living in an apartment we don’t have any outdoor space of our own. So, I decided to grab a tea and head to the park. I found a bench in the sun where very few people were wandering by and enjoyed some wonderful solitude reading as the birds chirped and the occasional cab honking sounded in the background. I thought to myself “My backyard is big”. Sometimes it is tempting to hang out in your apartment but if you get up and out, there are many incredible spaces in NYC to enjoy the outdoors.
  • A lot of thoughts have been rattling around in my brain this week. Planning, stressing, planning some more, thinking or just plain over analyzing ;), the best cure for this is to get out and walk. The endless space to walk in this city really is a true treasure. Pounding the pavement is a great stress reliever.
  • But, I also have had to remind myself to slow down a bit. Chill out. Take the time to breathe, even if my nose is stuffed up! The days move fast and it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind. It is okay to step out of it sometimes and crawl at your own pace. I have been reading more this week. It helps me to centre and pause for a moment. Even if it is just for five minutes, it is is worth it.

Well, I am just happy it’s Friday, thanks for reading my end of week ramblings =), hope you have a spectacular weekend!

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A Little Friday Afternoon Reflection

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , on March 11, 2011| Leave a Comment »

When I first woke up this morning, I was feeling a little grumbly and grumpy. Sure, it was Friday but the weather was rainy, my head hurt and I really had nothing to look forward to except cleaning the bathrooms. And then I started reading the news updates on my phone and found out that overnight a devastating earthquake had hit Japan and more tragedy would follow due to the impending tsunamis. Bam! It threw everything else into perspective pretty darn quickly.

So, for the rest of the day I promised myself I would try a bit of a different approach and look at things positively and remember how truly fortunate I am. I went to a literacy meeting at the girls school and was reminded of what an amazing, caring and supportive learning environment it is. The teachers and staff are always moving forward to find new ways to help and encourage the students. The parent community is incredible. As I walked to the meeting and greeted many a smiling face I felt a sense of belonging. The girls are definitely in the right place.

Afterwards I had the time to go and have coffee with a group of intelligent, funny and supportive ladies. We laughed, talked, argued and debated about the many things going on in the world around us. One of the women, a talented Children’s author, read an excerpt from her latest book, the message making me vow to have a wee bit more patience with my children- thanks Jill 😉

As I exited the coffee shop the sun was peeking through the clouds and I made a quick stop at the grocery store before heading home. I paused for a moment and took in all the sights, sounds and smells around me. Which was all good, until the sewer smell hit me and forced me to move on- it IS NYC after all =) At home I prepped dinner and put it in the slow cooker. A small victory for me as I have an extremely hard time resisting the urge to order take-out on Fridays. I talked to an old friend on the phone and then I took the dogs for a walk. All the while, forcing myself not to get caught up in the panic of all the things that still had to get done. Reminding myself that the “to do” list will still be there tomorrow.

I guess I am just trying to slow down a bit today and take the time to really appreciated all of the important things and people around me. Taking the extra time to wish people “have a good weekend” or hold the door open. To not be soo caught up in my life that I forget what is going on around me. Life is precious. There are examples of this everyday, you only have to turn on the news to remind yourself of this message. Today I am going to hold my family and friends just a bit tighter and say an extra prayer for those that are suffering around the world. Today I am going take the time to pause and be thankful.

Just in case you needed a Friday laugh! (Thank you Chantal)

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