The Daily EO: January 23rd, 2013

My husband is fighting a bird battle.

Our balcony – which I am a bit afraid of – has become the hang out spot of a couple of birds.  I am not sure if they are the same pigeons or just lookalikes.  But as far as Emile is concerned, it is the same damn birds pooping on his deck.

He came home from work tonight and spied his feathered nemeses out the window.  He ran over, quietly and carefully opened the balcony door, then grabbed the pre-staged water squirt bottle and soaked those birds.

They didn’t like it much, but Emile?   He was triumphant.

January 23rd, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  The Bird Battle for the Balcony

The Daily EO: January 22nd, 2013

Tuesday night I ambled 1 block north of my place to get my haircut.  I like this system.  I previously drove 175 kms to get my haircut and that was a little annoying and time consuming.  But really, finding a good salon is hard – and I passed through Toronto enough to co-ordinate it usually with something else.

But now, it is a 1 block away.  And now, it isn’t just one block away, it is also an Aveda Teaching Salon, so I can get my hair cut for half price.  It takes longer and you can’t always be guaranteed of what who you’re going to get.  But everyone is supervised by an Aveda Instructor, and well, hair grows back.  And if you don’t agree, well, I probably will not find you sitting in a chair across from there.

So, I have had all good experiences there except one that was only okay.  Firstly, the girl – we’ll call her Sara – should have been a Swedish masseuse.  Her head massage hurt, her combing hurt and her cutting hurt.  And I wasn’t too too crazy about the haircut.  (she cut it bluntly by sight across my ears).  So, every time I made an appointment subsequently, I ask who it will be with and have been able to not get Sara by just selecting another person when I’ve had the choice.  I didn’t really want to complain about her and the haircut wasn’t terrible.

So, when I showed up and they said “Hi Susan, you have a hair cut with Sara at 6:30, I see”, I was taken aback.  I then had to actually say it was with someone else.  And then I drop to a whisper to explain that I didn’t want Sara tearing at my head again.

January 22nd, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:   Rescheduled hair appointment for Friday night without Sara – and no charge.

The Daily EO: January 21st, 2013

I have a tendency to draw squares with my mouse pointer when I am bored or thinking or unable to do what I need to do.

And that is what I was doing on Monday evening while trying to write the Daily EO.  I was exhausted, I was just wanting to not write it.

It was just then – 9:00 pm – that my husband came in the room, closed my laptop, said “Enough.  You need sleep.”  and turned off the light.   I laid there in the dark trying to get the gumption up to get my flashlight and laptop under the covers.  But before I could, I fell asleep.

January 21st, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  I like someone who knows best taking care of me – and I am so glad I have Emile to do that.

 

The Daily EO: January 19th & 20th, 2013

Being unemployed, my weekends lost their value.  What difference did it make if I didn’t have to work? – I never had to work.   So being back to work is different – suddenly these two days take on new importance.   These are the days that everything else needs to get done – and the days that you get to relax.

On Friday night, I purchased yet again another piece of IKEA furniture – a bookcase.  This allowed me to be able to place all the books in boxes and a number of pictures and other items in “something”.  Before Emile even got out of bed on Saturday morning, it was all completed and looking great.  Most of the boxes are unpacked and we have storage for everything now.  Pictures are on the walls and it feels more and more like home.

I made soup from some wilty broccoli and some wrinkly orange and red peppers. romaine lettuce hearts (why not?) and the non-moldy onions. (not that I was saving the moldy onions for anything)   It tastes pretty good, but is a weird bright orangey green.  I guess that is what happens with soup – you get what you get.    With that I was able to clean out the fridge to make room for better and fresher produce in the drawer.

I went grocery shopping to the biggest and busiest grocery store I have ever entered on Grandview Highway.  It had ever piece of produce I could imagine – and some things I couldn’t.  Since when do carts cost $1?  I know I get it back, but it irritates me – is the quarter so low in value now that people won’t return the carts?

For the first time since November – and even longer since outside – I ran.  I ran through Chinatown, up Main Street, along the sea wall underneath the conference centre and back again.  I managed 5.26 km and felt so accomplished, strong and better than I have in a while.   I use “run” loosely because honestly, there was some walking involved, but that is okay – I am back out there.   I ran by where my car was broken in to – said “ha ha!  I am not scared of you neighbourhood!”

I finally figured out how to make folders on the iPhone, and spent several happy minutes organizing my ap’s.  And downloading some new fitness things for the hell of it.  Did you know you can use “Squat Pro” ap which counts your squats while you hold it out in front of you?  Do I need such a counter?  Is it difficult to count to 10 or 15?   But cool, I guess and I’ve done 40 more squats this weekend than any other weekend.  (that also means that I cannot walk or sit down on the toilet well).

Laundry was completed – though after my run which means I have to do another load.   Afterall, it was cold out there and I am still getting over a cold – so yes, my sleeves are a little dirty.  Yeah, eeew.

January 19 & 20 Extra-Ordinary:  A productive weekend makes it easier to face the week ahead.

The Daily EO: January 18th, 2013

Friday’s Schedule:

  • 8:30 – 9:00:  Production Status
  • 9:00 – 9:30:  Review of Skid Flow into Production
  • 9:30 – 10:00:  Establishment of perimeter cleaning schedule
  • 10:00 – 11:30:  Operations Team Meeting
  • 11:30 – 12:00:  Review of coverage for vacationing team member
  • 12:00 – 12:30:  Webinar to review Annual Physical Inventory Process
  • 1:00 – 3:00:  Software Training Session on Scheduling Module
  • 3:30 – 4:30:  Handheld scanner training and process establishment

January 18th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  Internet problems caused the Software Training Session to be cancelled.  It was the most freeing thing that happened all week.  2 hours of unscheduled time – I didn’t know what to do with myself.

 

The Daily EO: January 16th, 2013

I remember as a kid that we held our favorite colour as a banner helping define ourselves.  It was something that adults thought of very little, but children used a probing question to get to the fundamentals.

I used to have my favorite colour as pink, and then closely followed by my favorite second favorite colour purple.  Then somewhere I switched to blue.  And settled on red for a while.  It’s not something that I think about much now.  I consider colour when I am buying clothes, or when painting walls.

But I do still have a favorite colour, it’s just a little bit more detailed now.  My favorite colour occurs in very late evening or very early dawn.  A clear sky, very little light, and a blue that is as rich and deep as darkness.  The silhouettes of trees or buildings in black in front.

January 16th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:

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An early morning moving & shaking view of my favorite colour.

The Daily EO: January 14th, 2013

I am not a great skier, but I never fall.

I was a successful brownie and a guide that eventually dropped out due to my refusal to conform.

If you combine two statements about me, it all but completely sums up my personality.    Sheer willpower keeps me on my feet, but I never quite got good at skiing.  I am nervous of ice, steep hills, stray junk on the hills, and well. .  mostly falling and anything that could cause falling.  And hurting myself badly.  But also, I am afraid of looking foolish or unable to cope with what is in front of me.

In guides and brownies, you had an opportunity to earn badges which you then sewed on your sash.  If you didn’t wear your sash, you earned demerits.  Therefore, you HAD to wear your badges outs in front of everyone that showed all of the badges you’ve earned.  It wasn’t bragging, it was mandatory display of facts.  I could show the world how awesome I was and be protected from being a braggart.   And if this didn’t motivate young Susan!   My mother had to implement a rule that I could only work on 5 badges at a time.  I was so fettered as a child.  Sigh.

But I parted ways with guides when it became obvious to me that they wanted people to conform and I didn’t want to.  I *had* to wear a uniform (not pants instead of the skirt), I *had* to show up all the time and I *had* to follow the rules.  Conforming – especially when it is something I don’t really want to do – is not in my make-up.  I thrive on being different, being contrary and being individual.  And so the badges – and really,  how many more could I earn – didn’t outweight the conformity aspect.  And when my mother told me I had to either follow the rules or quit, I quit.

So, when faced with spin class tonight – which happens to be taught by my current boss at work (yes, that is weird a little isn’t it?) – I certainly was not going to fail in front of her, another co-worker that takes the class regularly or in front of other toned up peeps there.   She started the class out by letting people know there were 7 tracks and that if this was your first class, stopping after 3 or 4 would be a great accomplishment.

Whatever.  Like I am going to stop after 4 tracks.  That could be 1 or more of 3 things that I don’t do:

  1. Looking foolish and being unable to cope with what is in front of me
  2. Missing an opportunity to prove to myself that I am awesome (and letting others know a little too)
  3. Conforming to the persona of being out of spin shape (despite 18+ months hiatus of taking any challenging spin class)

So, there was a guy that left after 3 tracks.  He looked a cliche January-er, but he made it to class and maybe next time he’ll get further.  And that is my honest reaction – I didn’t think he looked foolish, or that he wasn’t awesome or that he was conforming.    I thought, good for you buddy, this is tough.  But then I went back to focusing on me and the *must* of completing the task well.

And I see that all the time in my life.  I like it a lot when my team members are awesome, but I know they can be awesome and make mistakes.  I know that they need to be able to raise their hands and ask for help – and when they do, I don’t think they can’t cope or they are foolish.

So why the double standard?   I don’t know, but I really think we should wear badge sashes at work – I would accomplish so much.

January 14th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  You bet I did the class – the whole damn thing and took no easier options (other than tension adjustments sometimes).  I’m awesome, I can cope and I didn’t look foolish (mostly).   I need to lay down now.

The Daily EO: January 13th, 2013

I am looking for a run to motivate my return to healthy exercise and well. . .  running.  I am considering the Vancouver Sun Fun Run, because it is so traditional and so huge and so Vancouver.  And there’s the Grouse Grind, but that is more than I can handle right now, I think.  But maybe that is the point.

But I found this on the internet today:  http://www.colormerad.com/races/vancouver.html

What?  Really?  Who thinks up these things?  Like I am going to do that!

But, hmmm.  Could be interesting.

January 13th, 2013 Extra-Ordinary:  To be rad or fun?  Or both?