2010 wrap up

I hope that everyone had a really fun, happy and safe new year’s eve.  I went back to work today and was obviously not quite “with it”; I woke up at 20 past nine and rolled in nearly an hour late for work!  I’ve spent the last couple of days enjoying the final moments of my holidays, reading, drinking leisurely cups of coffee, listening to music, planning art projects and slowly tidying up the apartment. It’s left me in a somewhat pensive state.  My true wish for the new year is to continue living my life the way I want it to be lived, with passion, sincerity, gentleness and gratitude.  I want to continue making my own happiness, joy and adventure key aspects of my life since they have been off my agenda for too long.  I want to nurture relationships, pursue beauty, make my own art, expand my own scientific inquiry, become stronger and look after my overall wellness.  My father called me last night and congratulated me on thinking for myself and living my own life. During the times when I have doubted myself and compared my decisions to those of others, truly, living my own life has been the greatest gift in an uncertain period.  And so, amidst the annual consumeristic blitz of the holidays and then boxing day bedlam, I hope you each spend a few minutes reflecting on what is truly important in your lives and not dwelling on what you think you should have, don’t have, can’t afford.

As a side note, a small rant, the entire boxing day shopping scene is so appalling. Not to say that I haven’t engaged in it before, but after the holidays, more shopping is really the last thing I want to do.  I see people going in and out of my apartment building carrying massive TV boxes and all kinds of crap and I can’t help but wonder, is increasing your size of your television really going to improve your life? On boxing day, I took a long walk with my dad in an empty forest, and have been avoiding going anywhere near the malls.  Not surprisingly, it’s actually the practical, frugal person in me that tells me I should go shopping (the little voice goes, “it’s a good time to get cheap deals on clothing for next fall and winter”) but I simply don’t want to venture into that mess, and my desire for simplicity and for more time with friends or with good books, wins over the more practical voice.

Instead, I’ve been reflecting more and more of what I would like to see happen in this year and also taking time to appreciate everything grand that happened last year, especially since my attitude was so blase.

A few favourite highlights from last year include:

- My job  (many highlights, including speaking at two different conferences, developing my first social marketing campaign, receiving some great feedback from service users, and best of all feeling a deep connection and passion for the cause, the theory behind the work, the people involved, the mission behind the work we do, and feeling at home in my career and excited about the future.)

- Holding my friends’ new born baby, cherishing the way he looked at me with brand new eyes

- Going tubing at the winter tube park with my sister

- Starting rock climbing for the first time

- Winning two flights to Hawaii (and many other prizes!)

- Going on a day-long hike on the Bruce Peninsula on a rainy day with my dad for his birthday

- Moving… to my *own* place, that is comfortable, financially affordable and just mine

- Attending Stephen Hawking’s good bye party at Perimeter Institute

- Attending the potluck in High Park park with Gail Vaz-Oxlade, which I organized for the second year in a row

- Discovering the arboretum. This discovery resulted in many special visits, the best being one in which I sat for about an hour and watched goldfinches and two different species of hummingbirds feed at the flowers, a mere few feet away from me. It was surreal.

- Taking a long canoe ride around Guelph Lake with a friend I hadn’t seen in about 3 years

- Gliding down waterslides with two wonderful friends at a giant waterpark for my birthday

- Enjoying a very special visit with my sister during the summer

- Laughing nonstop during a three day weekend in Southampton with my sister and my two best friends from highschool

- Making some amazing friends (too varied to mention here, but no doubt they have contributed to the highlights – see “a message of thanks“!)

- Finally coming to terms with the past, and feeling the ability to move forward into a bright new future.