Weirdo magnet part 2 and some other stuff

So, remember how I wrote a post not long ago about being a weirdo magnet? It keeps happening. I've received two more friend requests from men, and of course both profiles are a little sketchy. One is a "soldier for hire" and claims to work for a paramilitary organization in Afghanistan. But lives in Jamaica. He was clever enough to have a couple of pictures of him with a kid, and says he a widower. The one I got last night is from a handsome (who'd you steal that picture from?) man from Barcelona, but living in Maryland. He speaks English and "spainish". Of course he does. Because a native Spanish speaker would undoubtedly spell it that way. I've come to the conclusion that my profile pic must make me look really naive/desperate, and that the friends of my friends are making some poor choices of who they are friending on Facebook. And apparently "married" means nothing. I've also come to the conclusion that Manchester and Maryland are common choices for scammers to say they live. If they told me they live in Anchorage I might believe they are real people. Not really. I'm still a little concerned that somewhere in fbland my profile is linked to a porn site or something. Or a middle-aged ladies looking for younger handsome men dating site. Either way, if you find out I am, let me know!

In other news, I'm learning to overcome my deep seated distrust and disdain for mainstream medical doctors. I have found a good one. I'm getting better care than I have in 20 years, with the exception of the fantastic care I always get from my naturopath. He actually wants to find the root cause of the symptoms I have and takes me seriously. The look on his face when he asks questions about my history and finds out I've been asking the same questions since I became an adult is priceless. He will never say it, but it's evident he doesn't think I've gotten very good care in the past. Which is unfortunate, but I'm grateful that I'm getting it now. Not much wonder he's so busy and is always running behind with his appointments. I hope he never leaves my community!

I'm ever grateful for long weekends, and the chance to get caught up-- with sleep, housework and projects for my course (which is almost over, hallelujah!). A little gardening is in order, date night with my love and time just vegging out and getting ready to face the next few very busy weeks at school. I might even do some yoga. And of course the exercises I've been given for my knee.

Whatever you're doing this long weekend, enjoy. Garage sales, gardening, opening cottages and trailers, it's all good.

Much love.

10 Things

My blog friend Eco Yogini wrote an awesome blog post yesterday. You can read it here

http://ecoyogini.blogspot.ca/2013/05/10-things-you-need-to-tell-yourself-big.html

and in it she challenges us to write 10 things you love about your self---your non-physical self. She also asks us to tell 3 friends something you love about them. Let me just start by saying that she is an inspiring woman, her passion for the environment, her Acadian heritage and her work as a speech pathologist are a pleasure to read about. And I love when she writes about yoga too.

So......here goes. 10 things I love about me:

1. My ability to form relationships with children, as an educator. My office isn't where you go when you're in trouble, it's a safe place to talk to a caring adult.

2. My passion for all things education, especially improving student achievement.

3. My cognitive ability. Like the way my brain works.

4. The way I've never met a dog that didn't love me. Or cat for that matter.

5. My off-beat sense of humour. It's been a little hidden lately, but I love laughing. And making people laugh.

6. My practical, get things done nature. I am the antithesis of a procrastinator. Works for me.

7. My creativity. I have an artsy side, I enjoy creating.

8. My passion for equity. Especially for children. It's amazing where we can find silent inequities in daily life when we're aware.

9. Speaking both English and French. Sometimes I forget that it's not something everyone can do.

10. My uncanny ability to remember names, phone numbers and birthdays. I may lose my purse, but I can remember all of my elementary school friends parents' phone numbers and their birthdays. Without the help of Facebook. And word for word conversations. It drives my husband nuts.


After a crappy week, Eco Yogini's post made me smile.....and helped to put things in perspective. Yes, I'm very distracted lately, my brain circuits are overloaded, hence losing my purse, but that doesn't make me stupid. Which is how I felt when I realized in my distracted state, having left my purse at a store, and recovering the purse minus my iPod and brand new iPhone and some money. Stupid. And an expensive mistake. But it was a mistake, we all make them. And in the end, it's just stuff. Possessions. I got back the purse I love, that my hubs bought for me for Mother's Day last year. That's more important to me than the other stuff. I can replace them (because I am fortunate enough to have a great job and the financial means, that in itself is a huge thing I should be grateful for).

I am much more than my possessions, my physical body and the mistakes that I make.

And I am passing the challenge along. Either comment or write a blog post telling 10 things you like about yourself, and tell 3 friends something you love about them. No physical attributes allowed! It's harder than you think.

I realize how much my professional life defines me as a person. It's time to get a hobby!

IT band woes

I went for an assessment and therapy on my very sore knees today.  Which hurt like crazy, I might add.  Yes, it's my IT bands.  No I'm not allowed to run.  Or even take long walks.  Or really do anything but the exercises HE gave me.  And frustratingly, I'm told it's more significant than I thought.  If I ever want to run--or take long walks again, I need to fix it.  No, new stability shoes aren't the answer.  I need to "exercise it better."  It's a good thing HE is very attractive, and kind of funny.  Although I didn't find today funny at all.  More painful and disappointing than anything.  Like the kind of pain you breath through with your best deep yoga breathing and still have tears and have to restrain yourself from punching him.  Even though he's being gentle-ish.  And tells you to let him know if it's too much....after you mutter the "f" word sort of under your breath.  Or maybe sort of stage-whisper-ish.  Whatever.  He did tell me I didn't need to apologize after he hit a particularly painful spot and I nearly jumped (involuntarily) off the table.  He also told me that he's had the same work and it does suck.  I noticed.  

Not going to lie.  Forties kind of suck.  At least physically.  Difficult to remain chipper about your middle aged body when it's being traitorous and not working well.  It does make me question what the heck those in the forties who don't take care of themselves feel like.  I take quite good care and I'm still a train wreck!  Well, maybe just a derailment.  I'm working on it.

The good news in what was a gloomy weather and feeling kind of day is that it's not like it's a serious illness or anything.  It's not fatal. It will get better.  I just need to be patient....and anyone who knows me, knows that's NOT my strong point.

So here's my goal...by August, I will be running 5k 3 times a week.  Seems reasonable, doesn't it?  Now I have something to work towards :)

Murphy's Law

I was a little distracted yesterday. Drove hubs car (which used to be mine), and apparently left the lights on when I got to school. Crazy, crazy day, I didn't eat lunch until 3:00. Did a bunch of stuff to get ready for two days at a Ministry of Ed planning session, popped in and out of my friend's Arbonne party in the staff room and then was rushing to get away to pick my kiddo at school after his rugby practice. Only to find that the really cool feature that turns the lights off for you no longer works. And it doesn't even have a beep to tell you they're on! So dead battery. Get one of the hostesses of the party to come boost me, crossed the jumper cables because I didn't see the +symbol and was going by colour, which zapped the stereo (I think, what do I know, I crossed the damned cables!). But I got home. Luckily my older son has a car and could get his brother. I interrupted a date to get him to do it, but his girlfriend likes us. Luckily.

Went to change into yoga pants and my favourite Fighting Irish hoodie to take the dog for a long walk and think about the stuff that's crowding my brain and making me distracted. Pulled sweatshirt over my head and decided it smelled like cat urine. And was damp. My geriatric incontinent cat had peed on my fav comfy hoodie. Which I had on. Eeewwwwwww! Let that be a lesson to always put stuff away properly!

It was at that point I ditched the walk, and poured a big glass of Sauv Blanc. In my Lakehead hoodie. Go Thundercats. They're no Irish, but they'll do. Did I mention daughter is aThundercat and is moving home from school today? I miss her.

Anyway, it's a good thing that there. was only one glass of wine left in the bottle, or I might have had a slight hangover today. And red wine isn't doing it for me lately. The smarter thing would have been to go for the walk and had a gentle yoga practice, but with Murphy in full force, I was afraid I'd get hit by a car. Or attacked by one of the many loose dogs Chase and I see on our walks. My house was definitely safer. And had corn chips, olive hummus and spicy salsa. It's a meal, right? It was last night.

My mind is still crowded, I'm still distracted, and my sweatshirt didn't get washed yet. But I did wash the kiddo's rugby clothes. Although, my Eco friendly high efficiency, low water machine doesn't always get all of the mud out. And I haven't packed for my overnight trip to the conference. But I think I've booted Murphy. At least I hope I have.

Btw, I fully realize my Murphy's Law day is nothing compared to what others endure on a daily basis. Just believe me when I say that I understand that. My blog helps me to put things in perspective, but there are things I don't share. Things that would be considered TMI and would betray the confidence of others. I'm distracted, and just blaming it on Murphy.

Ok, time to get my stuff together for the next couple of days. I feel better having blurted all that out. Happy Wednesday my people.

No running :(

The bad news is that I've resolved my hip issue, but now have a very sore knee. But I think I have the answer. I think that when my hip was bad (like the past year and a half) the change in my gait not only started a bunion, but inflamed my IT band. So while it's painful, it is very easily treatable. Dr A will be driving a new tricked out Jeep by the time I've resolved all of these issues! I guess lots of foam roller action (it frickin' hurts!) and therapy and I'll be good as new. Or least any other middle aged woman :)

It's a bummer, but I'm relieved that it isn't something more serious. And it means that eventually I will be running again. For now walking and strength training with some yoga thrown in for good measure. Around the craziness of life. No problem.

Speaking of craziness, the end is in sight! My huge project that I've been working on for over a year about improving math instruction is almost wrapped up. I spent a huge chunk of the weekend working on it--and when I added up the hours actually working on it (not counting the countless hours I've spent thinking and obsessing about it), I've logged almost 140. And I'm not done! But I've realized that I'll never really be done, just done for now. When it's finished, it kills 2 proverbial birds with one stone, because I am using it to satisfy my principals practicum as well. Which means the current course (and associated workload) is the end of the coursework/research for a while. Until I complete my Masters. But I can use the work I've done up until now for credit, and my math project is an excellent starting point for my thesis. Interesting topic for someone who always hated math in school and worked very hard to get decent math grades, no?

Perhaps when I'm done this project and the course I'll actually have time to clean my house from top to bottom, instead of the lick and a promise it's been getting all school year. Or maybe I should hire someone to do it for me while I go to the beach......no, that doesn't sit well. I'll do it and then recover at the beach.

Happy Earth Day by the way! I hope everyone gets the chance to spend some time in nature enjoying it. I'm planning to!

Weirdo magnet

I've come to the conclusion that I am a total weirdo magnet. Three friend requests on Facebook from men I don't know in the past month. One was a military romance scammer (I guess the fact that I'm married isn't a deterrent), one from a guy in England but of Danish nationality (I am beautier than the queen of England), and one from a guy who spells Dave "Dve". Creepy. Very creepy. I am disturbed by this. Totally. And I wonder, what is it in my profile picture that makes me appear to be inviting this kind of attention? My profile says I'm married, for heavens sake! So what are the options? I've reported them on Facebook, and adjusted my privacy settings, and blocked them. Here's the thing though, with social media if you tighten the privacy settings too much, then people you may not be friend switch, but actually know can't request you, or send you a message. And there are people with whom is like to reconnect if the opportunity arose. Anyone else ever have this problem?

I always was a weirdo magnet, all through school, in the grocery store, on elevators, at the mall. I guess Facebook is just the newest way that I attract bizarre people. I know it sounds totally judgmental, but it is seriously creepy. I think I know why hubs wants me to get a big scary dog when the boys have moved out. A frothing at the mouth snarling Rottweiler would be a wonderful deterrent in reality. I think I'm going to go post some rotti pictures on my profile. Maybe it will work in virtual reality too.

Happy Easter!

I wish everyone a very Happy Easter! I just got the blogger app, which I found out about purely by accident and I thought I'd try it out.

This is how Chase and I spend our weekend mornings. Even when it's Easter.