Journey 2012

Well, I am about to embark on a new journey for 2012.  I have committed to go booze-free for the year.  Along with the lack of booze, I plan to run more often and train to complete the PEI Marathon in October 2012 just a few months shy of my 40th birthday.  There are several reasons for this journey.  First, I want to prove to myself that I can do it.  Second, I want to be in great shape when I turn 40.  Third, although I have been running on and off for the past 3-4 years, I want to take it to the next level.  While I can run consistently from Monday to Friday, if I party with friends on the weekend, I end up starting from scratch on Monday morning.  Fourth, I want to set an example for my kids, both with respect to the booze, as well as my physical activity, sticking to a goal and living a healthy lifestyle.  Fifth, I want to save some money.  I plan to put a $100 bill up from each pay to represent the money that I saved by not drinking as further motivation to keep going.

As part of this new journey, I am cutting my hair and donating it to "Locks for Love" on January 2.  I am hoping that by cutting the hair, shaving my beard, giving up the booze, watching what I eat, and training for a Marathon will help me to physically and mentally transform my life (at least for a year).  I am hoping to document my journey here over the course of the year.

With 16 days to go until the journey starts, I am extremely excited.  At this point, I don't think giving up the booze will be that hard and I am actually looking forward to the year as a type of cleanse.  Maybe this is getting a little too esoteric, but while I am looking forward to the physical transformation that I hope occurs, I am really intrigued by what, if any, my mental transformation will be.  Will I view things differently?  Will my relationships with friends and family change?  Will I come to any realizations about my life? my habits? 

Frosh Week

Well, it appears I have neglected this site for a couple of months now.  It was a crazy busy summer. 

We hosted our annual Canada Day party again which was a huge success.  We set off lots of fireworks and released several Chinese lanterns into the sky, much to the delight of everyone.  We celebrated Dan's 14th Birthday, attended the U2 Concert in Moncton along with 90,000 other fans, celebrated Cheryl's birthday with a nice dinner at the Pearl Cafe in Rustico, Dan & Vicki each went to Camp Seggie for a week, Andrew went parasaling, paid off his first semester of UPEI in cash, and succeeded in obtaining a $1000 UPEI entrance bursary.  We managed to get to the beach at least a dozen times, as well as getting to Magic Mountain with the kids, as well as Ripley's Believe it or Not museum.  We also spent the last week of the summer with Mark & Cathy & family at Caribou Island enjoying one of the nicest weeks of what was a pretty cold and wet summer.  The icing on the cake for the summer came when Dan found out that he received 2nd place in the Island Literary Contest for youth.  We got the call the night before school started which is a great way to start the school year.

But, September is here again and with it comes routine and organization again.  Vicki started Junior high this year, Dan is now in grade 9 and Andrew just finished Frosh week at UPEI.  Just thinking about Frosh Week brings back a flood of memories for me.  I remember it as if it was yesterday, when, in fact, it was exactly 20 years ago.  Meeting new friends, having new experiences, the independence and the sheer sense of freedom associated with university was overwhelming.  I totally re-invented myself at university, not being constrained by pre-conceived ideas coming from a small town where "everybody knows everybody". 

I wish and hope that Andrew has this same type of experience, albeit in his own style.  I think that living at home for this first year will save him lots of money, but deep down I fear that he will miss out on some of the "non-academic" social activities.  Although, to be fair, he was very active during Frosh week.  I always said of my university experience that I learned more outside of class than inside. 

I am finding it difficult to let go of Andrew while he still lives at home.  There is something to be said for the "clean break" when a child leaves home for university.  It's tough, but it is a transition time.  I remember all the stupid things that I did during that time and thank god that my parents were not there to see it.  I am sure Andrew will make his mistakes, but it is difficult to watch quietly from the sidelines without commenting.  I want only the best for him, but understand that he needs to make his own decisions and "find himself".  I just hope that he gets through without too many scars and bruises. 

Andrew's graduation & a moment of quiet reflection

On June 21, 1991 I graduated from Three Oaks High School and on June 23, 2011 (20 years + 2 days later) Andrew graduated from Bluefield High School.  The world has changed significantly in those 20 years as I think back to my high school world.  My world didn't have computers, cellphones, Internet, facebook, twitter, youtube all of which are essential components in a teenagers life today.  

One thing that hasn't changed, however, is High School graduation.  It is a quintessential moment where one chapter ends and another begins and it is a singular moment in time that is shared by almost all of us.  It's a scary time as well as a time of extreme freedom. 

I look forward to seeing the decisions Andrew makes in the coming years and helping to guide him through the next chapter of his life.  His world is full of choices and decisions that didn't exist when I blazed my trail. 

On a side note, one of my favorite moments Andrew's graduation happened after all of the family celebration and the graduation itself was over.  Andrew went out with his friends to celebrate and Cheryl & I sat back and shared a bottle of wine while contemplating how we got to this point.  It seems like just yesterday we were living in the family wing of Blanchard Hall with a young child wondering how to make ends meet, and now here we are with three great kids including a High School graduate and we're all doing alright.

It gives me hope to think that if two young kids like us could make it, my 3 kids will do all right.

Congratulations, Andrew.  I am so proud of you!

Running with Vicki

Over the last couple of years I have been getting back into running again.  I typically run 5k most days and have run several 10k runs a 3 half-marathons so far.  All of these runs have helped me to see the value of eating relatively healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle.  On Saturday, I hit another milestone in my running journey.  Vicki and I ran at 5k together.  Although it wasn't my fastest time, I felt an amazing sense of pride crossing the finish line together.  I hope that there will be many runs like this one in the future.  As Vicki starts junior high in the fall, I realize that she is entering the next phase of her journey through life and that my role in it will likely diminish in the coming years.  That said, it's great to know that we have an activity that we can share to keep the lines of communication open. 

Family Meeting

A few years ago we were having some discipline issues with our kids.  It seemed as if the entire family was off-course and heading in a bad direction.  Having exhausted all of the options in our arsenol as parents, I snapped and said, "Enough of this.  I'm calling a family meeting."  Over the course of the next 90 minutes, everyone got a chance to vent their concerns and have their feelings heard.  It was as if a light went on for the entire family.  To this day, in our house, a family meeting can be called by anyone and everyone is given a chance to be heard.  I learned a valuable lesson that day about communication as parents.  It is not enough to simply to talk to your kids.  There are times when you need to really listen to what is being said.

Brunch

When my kids were younger, I couldn't wait for them to get older so that we could do things together as a family.  It turns out, as they get older they develop their own social lives, get jobs and have their own special activities.  While this is great, it turns out that it is now difficult to find "family time" where everyone is free.  The exception to this is Sunday morning brunch which has become a staple in our house.  It's one of the few times we can be virtually guaranteed to have everyone home and awake.  This time has become one of my favorites as no one is in a rush.  We are not rushing supper to get to an activity, or exhausted from a long day of work / school.  Everyone is typically at their best and relaxed and some of our best family discussions happen during this time.  Some days the brunch is simply bacon, eggs & toast, while other brunches can get fancy with smoked salmon, a a smorgasboard of meats and a variety of fruits & cheeses.  Some of my favorite family memories involve the sun shining through our dining room window with the cows, Llamas and dogs in the distance and the North River shimmering in the mid-morning sun and a family in no rush to go anywhere.