Day Twenty Nine-

I have been finding it much easier to take one hour a day.  I have learned to prioritise and manage my time more effectively.  Tonight, after finishing my last lab of the semester, I went downstairs to see what my dad was up to.  I was pleasantly surprised to see he was watching the Leafs game.  It was only a few minutes into the first period so I decided to watch the game with him.  The Leafs were playing Philly and as stressful and disappointing as it is, my dad continues to be a diehard leafs fan.  I on the other hand (although I support my home team of the Toronto Maple Leafs) my favourite team is a REAL team, the Detroit Red Wings.  This is an ongoing debate and competition between my dad and I.  We recently re-did the basement into an all new ‘man-cave’ hideout for my dad.  When we were deciding on how to decorate it, my mom gave my dad full rein.  He of course, took advantage of this and decided to Hockafy the whole thing.  From the scoreboard lights, to the autographed posters, to the fully stocked beer fridge and jerseys hanging from the walls, it is a man’s paradise.  I was able to sway him enough to get a Red Wings banner, floor mat and jersey in the décor (it’s the best I could do!). 

This is the first time I have taken advantage of the new basement and I am really glad I did.  As I sat there watching the game and discussing hockey with my dad, I realized I hadn’t spent quality time with him in a LONG time.  I would consider my dad and I to be very close but he is a quiet man.  He is a man of little words but sometimes that works just fine for me.  When I was growing up and playing hockey, my dad was always the father who would stand at the end of the rink by himself, so he wouldn’t have to listen to the roudy parents.  I remember asking him why he did that, and he said he came to watch me play, and nothing else.  He didn’t want the distraction and he didn’t want to hear the negative or positive things everyone else was saying (he wanted to form his own opinion on the game).  In some ways we are the opposite (I get those from my mom) but in others we are so much alike.  Many of my interests and hobbies are straight from my dad’s influence.  I guess it’s safe to say that all my personality traits come from my mom but my love for hockey, 4 wheeling, trucks and all things fast come from my dad.  My dad was David’s and my biggest fan when we were growing up playing hockey but he was also our biggest critic.  One game I got kicked out of a game for unsportsmanlike conduct.  I dreaded the ride home because I knew he would be extremely disappointed in me (he is all about playing safe and fair).  The entire ride home from Cobourg my dad yelled at me for that stupid move.  It is safe to say I NEVER got kicked out of a game again after that. 

Deanerr!

Tonight was nice because I look up to my dad so much.  He has worked hard his whole life as a welder and has been an amazing father.  He has the same parenting attitude as my mom, always placing our needs in front of his own.  I know my brother and I gave up a lot to play competitive hockey but my parents made the true sacrifice.  Their time, money and relationships all suffered so we could have fun and stay out of trouble.  I will be forever grateful for that sacrifice.  He doesn’t say much but I know he enjoys spending time together just as much as I do.  He has a wealth of knowledge on so many topics I learn so much from him.  He is also the most handy person I have ever encountered.  There seems to be nothing he can’t fix, built or alter.  I don’t know what my mom and I would do without him. 

P.S- The Leafs lost (suprise, suprise)!

The Man Cave!

Day Twenty Eight-

When I was five years old my parents took me to my first girls’ hockey game.  I had watched my brother play hockey before and watched NHL hockey many times (my family has always been hockey crazy) but I had never seen GIRLS hockey before.  I didn’t even know girls had their own league until my parents took me to watch my older cousin Shanna play.  After watching the game I was hooked, and begged my parents to play.  My dad was more than happy (I think it was his plan all along) to support this idea.  After the game while talking to Shanna, she told us that she had decided to coach a young girls’ team and was hoping that I would play on it.  Unfortunately, it was mid-season and I was going to have to wait till the following fall to lace up the skates.  That summer I played road hockey with my brother as much as possible in order to prepare myself.  Luckily, my parents put me in skating lessons as soon as possible so I was already able to skate.  After that first year, I was hooked and my life has never been the same since.  Just two years later, I tried out for the Oshawa rep team and made it! From that point on, my nights were consumed with practice and my weekends were full of games.   From grade 4 till today I still play competitive hockey.  I sacrificed a lot of my time and friendships for the sport, yet I wouldn’t change anything about it. 

I have been neglecting my team these last few weeks and missing practices to work or complete homework.  This morning I was going to text my coach and tell him that I am yet again, unable to go to practice.  However, right before I did, I took a moment to think.  I wanted to go, I made an obligation to go and the only reason I wasn’t going to go was because of school work.  I decided this was not a good enough reason and I was going to take my hour to go to hockey.  When I arrived I was immediately glad that I decided to go.  Shanna (who now plays on the same team as me!) and all my friends on the team were there.  It is rare that we get a time when almost everyone can make it but today we had the numbers. 

I can’t really describe the feeling I get from hockey.  It is like nothing else I have ever experienced.  It allows me to be creative; team oriented and even a little aggressive (good way to get my aggression out).  Hockey is the only thing that allows me to escape from the outside world.  Regardless of what’s happening in my life, it is forgotten about the second I step on the ice.  That’s the weird thing about the sport for me, worrying about school, stressing about my family, and conflicts between my friends are irrelevant on the ice.  They are not going to make me a better or worse player and they certainly are not going to help the outcome of the game so they don’t even cross my mind.  It is a dream of mine to one day have a backyard rink (my parent’s backyard is too small) so I have the little escape only a few steps away. 

Day Twenty Six-

             Today was a busy but exciting day.  For my hour I decided to schedule a time with my brother so I could call him.  We haven’t talked in a long time, and needed some serious catching up and talking to him proved to be exactly what we needed.  After 7 long months, he found a full time engineering job—in Alberta. Growing up my brother and I have been close. Although we have different interests and personalities we are the only two children so we only had each other. This past summer my brother moved back from Lakehead University and for the first time in four years we were living under the same roof (for more than a few weeks at a time). We became much closer and I realized he’s not the same annoying brother I knew in high school.  When the call came I was happy for him because he has worked so hard for it but I couldn’t help but feel a little selfish when I heard the job was in Alberta. Only five days after the initial call he was packing up his truck to make the 4 day drive; with no definite answer on when he would be back to visit. It been a few months now and my house is much different: it’s quiet (he played electric guitar), clean, empty and there is always food in the fridge. My life has definitely changed since his big move because I have to get use to the idea of him not coming back (like when he was away at school). On the plus side, I have a place to stay if I plan a visit to Alberta which means I am going the Calgary stampede this summer!

Typical!

             It was awesome to talk to him, since I haven’t had a real conversation with him since he moved in January.  I didn’t realized how much time has passed and he has so much to tell me.  Him and his roommates also have a new edition to their little family! A new bull dog puppy named Spud! And I got to see him on Skype as well.  One thing that I realized from our conversation is that my brother is like an old friend.  It doesn’t matter how much time has passed, we always have something to talk about.  On the other hand, it also made me realize how much I miss my brother.  When I’m caught up in my own life, it is easy to forget he no longer lives at home.  Sitting here after our conversation, I really want to hang out with him and play some Mario Cart!  I can’t promise that I am going to do this more often but I am definitely going to appreciate our conversations more. 

Cool  Story  Bro!

Day Twenty Four-

             As the semester draws to an end and the stress accumulates, it is becoming more and more difficult to find just one hour.  Today was different, I realized that what I want to do and what I have to do can be the same.  I called on my three closest friends; Nikole, Jessie and Courtney, for a girl’s night hang out.  We have been busy lately and have seen less of each other.  I was disappointed when they regretfully declined because (on a Saturday night) they had too much homework to do.  This is very unlike us, we ALWAYS do fun things on the weekend.  They are literally the most fun, entertaining and funny people I have ever met.  To say I was disappointed is an understatement, after a tough week I thought some fun was needed, until…Just 20 minutes later I got a text from Nik asking if we wanted to have a homework-girls-night instead of our usual country dancing, Corral night.  This was the perfect idea! I could spend time with my best friends and be productive at the same time! Tonight I realized, no matter what we are doing, where we are, or what is going on we always have fun.  Halfway through the night we decided we needed study snacks! So we hopped into Penelope (my trusty Saturn) and drove to Metro, where we picked up Timmies, cookies, icing and salad (yes, a random and healthy combination…NOT!). 

     Although appreciate my friends, writing this post makes me realize just how lucky I am.  Our group of four (that we like to refer to as Starfish Pound) spends A LOT of time together.  When I say a lot, I mean like, every day.  I have never had a relationship with friends like I do them.  It seems we can’t get enough of each other and yet, we never get sick of each other.  This is especially true for Nikole and I who are in the same program and have ALL the same classes.  The four of us could not be more opposite, we have extremely different personalities yet, we all seem to have a role that makes our group a perfectly functioning family.  After four years we are yet to have a serious fight.  Sure, we get annoyed, irritated and upset on the rare occasion but we don’t let it affect our relationship.  Ultimately, we appreciate and respect each other enough to work through our problems.  I would rather have a small group of really close and meaningful friends, over a large group of buddies.  At the end of high school, I lost all of my friends over a silly and immature situation.  It was devastating to loose people who I thought were real and true friends.  These girls put my old friends to shame.  They are the epitome of true, from their honesty to their respect; they are the most genuine people I have ever met. I am glad I went through the pain in high school to ultimately find my bridesmaids.  I appreciate every eventful and uneventful day I spend with them.  I dread June, when we graduate and no longer live 5 minutes from each other.  In the end, I know we will always have the same bond because the best years of my life have been spent with them.  We have grown together, and they have made me the person I am today.  If nothing else, writing these blog posts allow me to sit down and really think about and appreciate the amazing people I have in my life (and each day it seems there are more and more). 

Hard At  Work !!!

Day Twenty-One-

                The last few days have been extremely difficult to say the least.  With only three weeks left in my final year of university, one of my favourite professors was unable to finish the year with us.  This news was devastating to say the least.  Not only was she an amazing educator and mentor but also a friend.  Her two classes account for 190% of my final grades and now someone else will be evaluating them.  To top it off, I just heard back from my #1 choice for post grad education and I did not get in (though I have been waitlisted).  My school life has been pretty rough the last week but I know it will get better, thanks to my mom.  My mother is the most optimistic woman I have ever met.  She would do anything for me (and my brother) and has proved it time and time again.  She has been there for me all week, empathising with the situation and encouraging me to stay focused.  I am extremely grateful to have such a caring and considerate woman in my life.  Even when I was in high school, she was the one I called at 3am when I didn’t have a way home and in elementary school, she was the one who came on ALL the field trips.  She is the kind of parent who takes the role seriously and ALWAYS puts her family before herself.  At times, it seems as if I don’t appreciate her, and I know I don’t say thank-you enough.  Instances like this remind me just how truly lucky I am.  Although I get annoyed with her constant concern and worried text messages, it’s better than the alternative.  I know no matter what I do, or how things turn out, she will always be there.  She is the epitome of unconditional love and my best friend.  I only wish I was able to tell her more about just how happy she makes me.  It is easy to get caught up in my own life (friends, school, hockey, work) I rarely ask her how her life is, yet she is constantly worried about mine.  If nothing else, this week has taught me that I need to be just as selfless to her as she is to us.  I can’t thank her enough for EVERYTHING she has done for me throughout the years. 

The Wonderful Lady

Day Fifteen-

Roxy and Eken

                The last few days have been pretty busy and I have neglected my happiness project a little.  I was surprised to realize that I miss it.  The lack of ‘me’ time made me crave some fun and after looking outside at the beautiful weather, I knew just what would make me happy.  I needed to recruit a friend for this plan, and I knew just the one…

For as long as I can remember, dogs have been my absolute favourite animal (my baby book even says so).  There is not a dog in the world that doesn’t make me melt.  There is something about their innocence, companionship, selflessness and loyalty that is truly admirable.  Unfortunately for me, my parents do not share the same passion and growing up my brother was very allergic AND we were constantly travelling for hockey.  Ultimately, these factors contributed to my sad, dogless childhoodL.  I knew today (with the beautiful weather) would be the perfect day to do something I have never done before: the dog park.  My friend Melissa is the proud owner of two, yes TWO, Great Danes (one being just 10 weeks old!).  She is well aware of my doggy love and is constantly suggesting we go for a play date.  Well, today was the day.  When I called her she was thrilled and decided to call a few more of our dog-owner friends.  By the time we got to the park, we recruited a German Sheppard, a Boxer, a Pug and the two Danes.  I was in doggy heaven! Not only was I playing with my friend’s dogs but I was surrounded by dozens of playful dogs that seemed just as happy as me! Eventually we had to leave so Melissa could go to work, but I was on a high for the rest of the day.  I have already made plans to go again next week and dream of the day when I can bring a dog of my own. 

11 week old Paikea

 The day however did bring some sadness, remembering an old friend.  It is difficult to describe the relationship to others but I will try my best.  My family is very close because we own a cottage and live on the same block as my mom’s sister.  When I was in grade 8 my cousin got a brand new golden retriever puppy and from the moment I saw Cujo, I loved him.  We use to joke that he was my adopted dog because we spent so much time together.  When spending summers at the cottage he wouldn’t leave my side and I was constantly at my aunt’s house so I could take him for walks. 

CUJO!

He was always excited to see me and my uncle always said he knew when I was walking up the driveway.  He truly was the goofiest, clumsiest dog I have ever seen.  He once at a light bulb and decided to turn it into a bloody game as I tried to get the remaining pieces from him.   I know it sounds silly, but I considered him family and he was one of my best friends (and he wasn’t even my dog!).  This past October he suddenly passed away and I never got a chance to say goodbye.  Dogs can be the best edition to a family but it seems that because of their big hearts and insurmountable love, they can only be with us for a short time.  Being at the dog park made me sad remembering Cujo but it also made me smile because I can only imagine the mischief he would be creating with the other dogs.  I hope he is in doggy heaven causing havoc among the other dogs.  Most of all, when I get a dog of my own, I can only hope he is half as amazing and half the companion as Cujo was growing up. 

Wishing you slobbery kisses

Hanging Out at the Cottage

Day Twelve-

                This Monday morning my day began at 5AM (felt like 4AM with the wonderful ‘spring forward’ effect of day light savings) when I received a call from work.  After a long weekend in Niagara Falls and the oh so tiring spin class, I was really hoping to sleep in.  Unfortunately this was not going to be possible with a start time of 6:30AM.  My main focuses on the drive to work included not falling asleep and driving fast enough to have enough time for Timmies.  Feeling a little bit of morning grumpiness, I was not friendly and not excited for the day ahead.  However, when I was given my job (in a group that I love) the day began to look up.  I was greeted by smiles, familiar faces and kind words (I haven’t been able to work for a few weeks and it was nice to know I was missed).  As the day continued, the moods and attitudes of my co-workers began to rub off and I realized just how lucky I am to have my job.  I work at the local GM car assembly plant as a TPT (temporary part-time student).  The days can be long and the jobs can be tedious yet, the people who work there are wonderful.  The plant is an intimidating place for a young student but I have worked there for almost a year now and am yet to encounter someone who is demeaning or unpleasant.  These people work harder than anyone I have met and they still arrive every morning at 6AM with a smile on their face.  If they can come in 7 days a week with that attitude, what gives me the right to be grumpy after just 2 days a week (plus, the pay is nothing to complain about for a student!). 

                Working on an assembly line means there is plenty of time to be lost in one’s own thoughts, 8 hours to be exact.  Today for me was different, today I thought of this class (I also brought my NVC readings for when the line shuts down, this may be why it was stuck in my head) and specifically this project.  I realized I should not complain about my job like I normally do to friends and family.  I should be thankful and ultimately happy that I am fortunate enough to have a good job with generous pay, great co-workers and flexibility with my school schedule.  As I continued to think I also realized how COOL my job is.  I work in the flex trim plant assembling the Chevrolet Camaro, Buick Regal and Cadillac XTS, how awesome is that? Especially since the Camaro is one of my favourite cars.  Wow, the more I think/type about it the better it sounds.  When I see one of those cars on the road, it is fun to imagine if I helped in the production!

This is what it looks like inside the plant

                Before working at GM, I had little care for the manufacturing of cars and the location of production.  After meeting the people who are directly affected by the relocation of plants and understanding the care and regulations involved in North American production, I am a strong believer in buying vehicles made in Canada (or at least North America).  Many people in the Oshawa plant were forced to pick up their families and move from Windsor and London in order to keep their jobs.  Many even moved away from their children and spouses only to return on weekends.  I am VERY fortunate to have my job, and if I gained nothing else from this project, I am glad I can go to work and be HAPPY knowing how lucky I am!

Wishing you pleasant work days!

Pretty Neat that I help make these!

Day Eleven-

                After having an AMAZING weekend with my teammates in Niagara Falls for a hockey tournament, I returned today defeated, down and stressed.  After battling hard and going undefeated in 3 games (my team NEVER wins) we lost this morning in the semi-finals.  The game was competitive and it felt as if we outplayed the other team but the bounces weren’t in our favour and we lost the game 5-3.  The drive home was boring, sad and stressful as I thought about the lack of homework I completed this weekend.  Content on remaining miserable and spending the evening in my room, I received an unexpected phone call.  Nikole called and asked me if I wanted to join her for part of her NVC project.  At first, I tried every excuse I could think of (tired, upset, lazy) but she persisted, claiming it would be the perfect edition to my happiness project (I was a little confused by what she meant).  She has been cycling a certain amount of kilometers each week and recording how this activity affects her relationships, self, body and mind.  Finally, after some coaxing, we were headed to the YMCA for a Sunday afternoon spin! Now I’m not going to pretend like the class was amazing or even enjoyable because it was BRUTAL.  Exhausting, sweaty and painful are just a few words to describe the 45 minutes of hell I endured today.  At the time, you couldn’t pay me to do it again but just 5 minutes after the class was done, while cooling down on the track with my best friend, I realized I didn’t care about hockey anymore.  It was done, we will beat them next time, we played hard and I had a great weekend with my friends.  How could that be? I was just miserable and mouthy to my parents only a few hours ago and I JUST endured on of the hardest hours of my life and now I am laughing and chatting with my friend?  I explained this to Nikole and she laughed knowing I would have this reaction all along (she has been doing it for a while now).  I am really grateful to have a friend like Nikole, one who always knows how to make a situation better and who always knows just what to do.  I think these cycle classes may become a common occurrence. 

Wising you perseverance

(Just a song they played in class today, one of my favourites!)

Day Seven-

Since I have been having difficulty finding time in my busy day, I decided to wake up early today.  This was amazing! I always get up at the last possible moment.  Luckily for me, I am a quick drive to the downtown campus, this means I tend to wake up 20mins before class.  Today was different. Today was nice. Today was relaxing, all because I started my day with a little bit of ‘me’ time.  I am surprised to discover I was not as tired as initially anticipated.  Of course, it was a struggle to get out of bed but once I was up and the tea kettle on, I was ready to start the day.  After making my cup of tea, I decided to pamper myself with a manicure.  I don’t normally paint my nails because I am a nail biter.  I mean the bite, chew, and pick at your nails until they bleed, kind of nail biter.  Regardless of this terrible habit, I have many nail polishes/colours in my collection.  Today I decided on my all-time favourite, green.  When I began to paint my nails I was surprised to see they were actually long! (Reasonably for someone who always bites them).  It was at that point that it hit me; this project is actually doing something! I bite my nails when I am stressed, bored or uncomfortable and this project seems to be helping me with these issues.  Painting my nails was much more exciting with this new discovery (a little filing was actually in order) and when I was finished I was actually satisfied with the final product (even though I CANNOT paint my right hand).  By the time I got to school, I realized I did not say one word all morning.  My parents were at work, I received no phone calls and I’m not one to talk to myself.  It’s interesting that it took me time to realize because it felt as if I was in conversation all morning.  Caught up in a world of colour, fumes and my own thoughts, I had a wonderful morning.  Oh, and did I mention I was happy for the entire day (especially when I looked down at my LONG fingernailsJ).  I think I could get use to this kind of early morning.

Wishing you colourful mornings

This sums up my painting ability

Hmmm...so many choices

Day Five-

It has become extremely clear to me that it is 100% impractical to blog every single day.  I am finding it difficult enough to give myself one hour each day.  I have decided that when I am able to do this, I will blog about my experience. 

This being said, today I gave myself two hours! What did I decide to do for these two hours you wonder? I Ran
I Chased
I Played
I Laughed
I Jumped
I Ate
I Got Sticky
I Tickled
I Kissed
I Hugged
I Hid
and I had the Best two hours!

I decided to call my cousin and baby-sit my Godson while she ran some errands.  Ayden is a 2 ½ year old with a stubborn attitude, contagious laugh and the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.  I cannot think of a better way to spend my morning.  Before he was born, I had little interaction with children because until him, I was the youngest in the family.  I never understood how people could grow so attached to someone who couldn’t talk and to be honest, I was intimidated by their dependency on those around them.  But, from the moment Ayden was born it all made sense.  They are so innocent and so cute you want to squish their delicate frame into a huge bear hug. 

When my cousin asked me to be Ayden’s Godmother I was honoured and take the responsibility seriously.  I want him to always feel comfortable with me and I want him to always know how much I care for him.  At two and a half (terrible twos and all) there is no one else I would like to spend my morning with.  Who else in the world can you chase, around the same coffee table, and get a laugh every single time.  Children have the ability to (even just for a moment) take away all the worries, fear and stress in your life.  I understand they are exhausting and difficult but that’s the beauty of being a Godmother, isn’t it? I get to leave after only a few hours!  I am perfectly happy, to play with him and get my fill of awesome for the day!

Wishing you sticky play-dates ahead

Day One

Day One-

So, It is the first day of March (the day I am to begin my own personal happiness project) and it is already proving to be much more difficult than anticipated.  Last week was reading week, and a group of friends and I packed our bags and headed to the Dominican Republic for a week of fun in the sun! Although it was a wonderful week, I am feeling stressed and behind because of the lack of school work I have completed over the past week.  To top it all off, I was too busy today to take an hour to myself.  I began the day with Capstone (which is an awesome class, but it’s always stressful thinking about that final project).  Then my best friend Nikole and I jumped in the car and headed to Oakville for an orientation at Sheridan College.  After the orientation, we met with a woman and looked through a potential basement apartment for September.  This whole day seemed to be stressful, nerve-racking and busy.  I have decided it would be best to take one more year of post-secondary to earn a Graduate Certificate in Public Relations/Corporate Communications.  Luckily for me, Nikole is interested in the same area of study and we have applied to some of the same schools.  At the moment I have been accepted to Niagara, Centennial and Sheridan (interview with Humber on Saturday).  This process has been very scary yet, as it comes to an end I am excited for the possibilities next year holds.  I wish I was able to make time today for myself, even if I just sat down and made a schedule for my schoolwork.  I am really feeling the pressure of these final two months and I am seriously concerned I will not get everything done.  Tomorrow I will try harder to think of this project at take time for my own happiness.  I have gotten into the habit of being busy, I think it will take time to slow down and think of myself. 

Wishing You Happiness