Lists

Sorry if I disappeared, but I have been busy reflecting, networking and researching, a time during which I did not feel too inspired to write.

Today, however, I am sharing two lists I prepared based on a little exercise given to me by Brendan. I have to admit, my discovery and job-hunting processes have not been very organized and this exercise will hopefully help me focus my activities and energy over the next few months.

10 things I want (in no particular order)

1. A job where I can make a difference, where my contribution matters.
2. To spend more time with my friends.
3. A better camera so I can develop my photography skills.
4. To feel energized and in shape.
5. To write a book (or many!).
6. To influence others on changing their habits and protecting the environment.
7. To learn how to meditate and calm my mind.
8. To feel more positive.
9. A dog.
10. To travel.

20 things I am grateful for (again, in no particular order)

1. My healthy and supportive family.
2. My boyfriend who makes me laugh and tries to understand me.
3. My beautiful home that feels inviting and warm.
4. The clean water I can drink from the tap.
5. The delicious food I can prepare or that is prepared for me.
6. Books that open my mind.
7. My close friends.
8. Affordable education (especially in Quebec).
9. My health.
10. The chalet and being able to be close to nature.
11. The Internet and being able to stay in touch with my friends from Vancouver.
12. My neighborhood.
13. Being able to afford taking a break from work to think.
14. Great co-workers in many of my past jobs.
15. Feeling safe in the city where I live.
16. Public transit taking me pretty much everywhere I need to go.
17. Being able to speak two languages.
18. Not being punished or diminished for being a woman.
19. Having learned how to manage money early in life.
20. Being Canadian.
21. Nutella! (LOL, Brendan said this one didn't count)

What is interesting about these lists is what I can do to address my wants, while always keeping in mind the things that I already have.

He was such a good boy

Finnigan died this morning. It was indeed the parvovirus.

Hang in there, Fin!

A short post as I am expecting my friend Sarah who is visiting from Vancouver, but I had to give you good and bad news. The good news (great news!!) is that Brendan and I have adopted a puppy from the SPCA. Finnigan is a one-year old Otterhound mix (possibly with an Airedale) who was a stray and was brought to the SPCA in late August. We saw him for the first time on Saturday and returned on Sunday to complete the paperwork. You can see a couple of pictures we took while on a walk with him here and here.

The bad news is that he is sick. Fin might have parvovirus, an infectious disease that affects puppies, causes vomiting and bloody diarrhea, and can be deadly. Fin was neutered on Monday (standard procedure when you adopt at the SPCA) and this morning, I got a call from the clinic to let me know that they were going to keep him under observation because he wasn't well. I was supposed to pick him up today, so this was a terribly sad news, but I was happy to hear that he was being monitored closely by a veterinarian.

Tonight, the clinic called me again to tell me that they suspected he might have parvo, and have started an aggressive treatment. They couldn't start it earlier because he was recovering from the surgery. If the test for the virus comes back positive, he will be fed intravenously and be treated with proper medication.

He is probably staying at the clinic until the weekend, possibly longer. I guess we'll know a bit more tomorrow.

Hang in there puppy.

I'm gonna make it to the Y-M-C-A!

My bum is sore. (Isn't that the best first sentence to a blog post?)

Yesterday, I reactivated my membership to the Y (it was on hold for the summer months) and had a session with a personal trainer who prepared me a program for the gym. The program is short, six exercises in all, but each one works out multiple muscles at once, making this workout very efficient. For example, instead of lying down on a bench and using dumbells to work out chest muscles, I am hovering above the ground, shoulders and neck resting on an exercise ball, legs and abs balancing my body and keeping my butt off the ground, while I use the dumbells to work out chest muscles. The exercises have incredibly long names that reflect their complexity like "one arm dumbell row box position isolated hip extension".

Today, I feel the impact of my new workout. Oy.

What I really like about having a membership at the Y is that I can visit any Y in Montreal for classes, gym access, pool access, etc. Actually, I believe my card gives me access to any Y in North America. The Y closest to home is the NDG Y, but I could also visit the Westmount Y that has a great pool, or visit the Parc Avenue Y to train with Lara. I like the downtown Y because it has a huge gym.