A Day in the Life ...

Psssstttt....

2016-11-12T08:23:00.001-05:00

I'm over HERE now.

You can walk, no need to run, over there. I wouldn't want you to trip like I might.

See you there.

The next chapter

2016-08-15T09:25:00.000-04:00

As many a blogger out there, I'm a little conflicted. I go back and forth about shutting this down, and then rebreathing life into it again. I've tried to do this before. I feel like the Who announcing a final farewell tour. I just won't go away.

When I started this blog I was taking a break from a career and trying to embrace stay-at-home-ness with my two adorable kids, who provided wonderful blog fodder. That was over a decade ago. You can tell by the header. Yeah, really that long ago.

While I was in the thick of it, not only did I manage to capture snapshots of a period in time that was beyond precious, I also explored the inner me. Not just events and photos but also my feelings and thoughts of daily life as it was for me. And there were quite a few major life events. The icing on the cake was the human interaction and connections made along the way. Social media was just blossoming, and communication via blogging was beyond just a few characters. I shared a lot, considering my introverted tendencies. The internets and my online friends helped me through the painful time of my father's passing, and gave me tremendous strength and confidence to go back into the outside working world again. Didn't quite anticipate where I might go -it was supposed to be baby steps.

After I got back on the career track I would only pop in here occasionally and I'll admit it, I missed it. As my job got more busy, kids got older and more active, this blog gathered dust. I still posted the odd time to share travel, and to brag a bit about my work travel through pictures (I admmit it-bragger!). But with Facebook as a quicker outlet, I abandoned this place.

Things are mammothly different today. We have Twitter (can't believe I had an account set up so long ago!), Instagram which I was introduced to by my then 10 year old, and Snapchat -where I know hundreds of shots of me doing things awkwardly have been shared out to the world by my kids. Karma bites. They are rockin' the social media stuff very well on their own these days.

And so there's me. The inner me. I'm again on a career break after going at things crazily for the last almost 7 years, the last 3 more often than not juggling time zones while hubs did the same, and dealing with high stress, leadership and people commitments, yadda, yadda and taking it out in spades on home life. Work-life balance crashed.

I'm taking this life back. Not retired just yet (although my daughter asked me that when I told her I decided to stay home for a bit -hah!). But focus to get the home life back on track, and to be honest, appreciate my life partner more for the great guy he is.

As I support my kids through their stages of tween and teenage-ness, I am reluctant to admit that at 50, I'm still not too sure of what I want to be when I grow up. So I intend to explore and try to figure it out -and what better way to do that than via a blog?

I'm working on something. Will let you all know when ready for a reveal. Don't expect fancy -but I hope you'll look for me.

Catch you later.

Got 'er done -NABLOPOMO -OUT

2015-11-30T23:14:00.000-05:00

Well this is it-the last post of November 2015. I dropped the ball only once!

Hard to believe it will be December tomorrow. A month of celebration with both the Hubster and The Girlie having December birthdays. Oh and I guess there's something called Christmas happening this month too.

Let the games begin!

You CAN teach an old ...

2015-11-29T11:42:00.001-05:00

One of the wonderful things about my monthly book club with the neighbourhood ladies is that once we finish up talking about the book ( which can last about 30 seconds if we couldn't get into it) conversations will always drift to something else, topics ranging from relationships with our kids, spouses, to household tips (who knew the power of Oxy to tackle red wine spills on white dining chairs or tabouli encrusted Berber rug-witnessed live, I kid you not).

My latest learning was the 50 second microwave poached egg in a cup.

I put it to to the test this morning for a fairly healthy breakfast -look, avocado, good fat!

So easy I can't believe I did not know this.

What do you do?

Put 1/2 cup of cold water in a microwaveable bowl or mug. Needs to be cold water.

Gently crack an egg into the water, ensuring the egg is submerged.

Put in microwave and cover with saucer.

Turn microwave on at high for 50 seconds. This gives a slightly runny egg, you can adjust the time depending on how runny you would like.

Take egg out with slotted spoon (see below).

Enjoy! Like I did. Happy rest of weekend and cyber Monday-ing...

And the celebrations continue...

2015-11-29T00:31:00.000-05:00

My sister is took me for a spa treatment tonight - hammam and gammage at the spa at the Shangri-la hotel.

Steam and exfoliation followed by 30 minute massage. I wasn't sure of my ability to stay in the steam that long but with the eucalyptus and whatever the heck else scents infused into the room it was more than doable.

As I lay on the marble slabs for gammage, the esthetician asked "when was the last time you exfoliated" and my response ... "Never". I suspected I was in for a treat.

Sort of funny but then she made the special effort to show us the results of all the scrubbing. Ewwwww-but the resulting baby soft skin-sorta nice.

Total decadence. Something that I could definitely get used to.

The final stretch ... Fashion Friday

2015-11-27T22:52:00.002-05:00

Here we are almost at the end of NaBloPoMo-ing, and thank goodness! I compare these posts with all the longer-winded entries from the early days, when I would write about good stuff- or at least better about mundane stuff. It is after all mostly mundane.

This past week I was happy to be able to go to my usual warehouse sale (that I attend every year, twice a year- the agency represents Free People-and Autumn Cashmere as examples. I thought I would rock the sale in honour of my 50th. I won't get into my actual purchases but what got me was that I received compliments from two of the sales staff admiring my boots and my bag. What??

Boots from Clark's in the UK (yes, they are so much nicer in Europe versus Clark's Canada where they are pretty much fugly orthopedic shoes). ...and the bag, why it's fringe-y Michael Kors which apparently is very Marc Jacobs.

So maybe I've still got a modicum of 'it'. Whew.

Meal planning

2015-11-27T00:23:00.001-05:00

So this is a thing for me now. Ugh.

If you came here looking for tips-gotcha! We're not there quite yet. Getting through one week a a time, sometime one day at a time it feels like-is good enough for now.

I admit, having a nanny/housekeeper full time was mostly for me. So the transition to part time is also mostly about me.

And I'm coping somewhat-but mostly not, being tired and stressed most days. I hear the violins ... I know I have been fortunate, but it has been key to getting us through the last few years, with work, work travel schedules, and dealing with mild anxiety with the girlie.

One nice thing is that the kids seem to prefer my cooking, which I will take -at least there is appreciation, as our nanny is an amazing cook.

Wait a minute -I miss that part too!

Fit -ish

2015-11-25T22:53:00.000-05:00

I've come to the realization that those last 5 pounds will likely just remain.

Gone are the days when I could work out like crazy in advance of a work trip ( which would involve eating, coffee breaks that include more eating and drinking and more drinking). And not just coffee...so back to what I used to be able to do. Yes I travel with no exercise, then come back and work out like crazy and get back to where I was before, weight wise. Having a gallbladder issue (or lack of one) helped keep the more fatty foods at bay.

But no matter, that pattern doesn't serve me well nowadays. Turning 50, wonky knees and all -those pounds do not melt away any longer.

Nevertheless, I persevere with my workout obsessions. The sweat, the exhilaration through the thumping music...weight loss or not, it's worth it. How much more on trend can I be #ufcwannabe #hollyholm.

This Life

2015-11-24T22:48:00.000-05:00

I don't know what it is lately but whoa I am managing to catch a lot of screen time, little screen, big screen ... So my latest discovery is rather ironic. The irony? I'm sitting as a couch potato watching a show about living life.

I got home after my combat workout and took advantage of the fact that the girlie was in the family room and willing to share some time with me -not with minecraft, not with her friend on Skype but with her mom. We settled on watching good old government sponsored CBC Canadian content and stumbled upon This Life, a drama-dy/comic drama, slightly reminiscent of Parenthood but with a little more edge/grit/reality-or maybe it's just the Canadian production values. Set inMontreal, Canada, the plot focuses on a 45 year old single mother of three teens, who has been diagnosed with end stage cancer, and how she and her family deal with it. Heavy stuff, hard to call uplifting -however I found the episode so compelling, and am now compelled to watch all previous 6 episodes ( the full series is 10 parts). The acting is so superb, the themes universal, and the way they deal with things as family-so real.

Teens, school, infidelity, alcoholism, abortion, infertility, relationships (3somes!) siblings, life issues that surround the main theme of death and living your life to the fullest or at least to the 'real'est. Yup watched with the G and makes for lots of Q&A throughout the program. But why not, she is almost 11, and questions are good. Better to talk it out while she wants to-not a guarantee that will happen at 12.

Teenage mall angst and a semi

2015-11-23T20:26:00.001-05:00

High school semi approaches; not surprisingly a new outfit is needed, and also not surprisingly, my nearly 16 year old son has particular tastes. Good taste, but particular -and who is to blame but yours truly.

Remember the days of yore of this very blog--those Fashion Friday posts, contemplating several outfits for certain occasions. Remember how I would ask my readers, friends , what outfit they preferred? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Thank goodness for Zara, and for the variety of options at affordable prices, for totally on trend looks. The boy went from a full suit ( blue!) and white shirt, red tie....to hee-ing and hawing about how a suit might not be needed, maybe he should just wear black jeans and a blue shirt--oh wait, let's see if the guys (his best buddies) will let me break with the agreed upon team outfit... And by the way, new shoes are needed, then while we're at it, the ear buds need replacing...i was exhausted following all lanky 6 feet of him around. I know that these items won't fit in 3 months.

The mall air and atmosphere didn't help, Starbucks revived me somewhat in time for the drive home. So this is what my husband used to feel like as he trailed me during mall expeditions.

But we've narrowed it down and should be set for Thursday. They are going as a group-no dates. Although girls are definitely in the picture -not girlfriends, but girls are definitely interested. It's the age after all.

I look back at the grade parties we had in high school. There was no way I would have thought to go to the semi formal in grade 10-that was for seniors. Certainly not at a reception hall. My boy is not such a geek though. His number one strength from the Strengthfinders analysis is "social". That was not me at 15. At all.

So I wish him a lot of fun on Thursday. I'm sure he's gonna get his dance on -his whip and nae nae ( which for all my bodyjam addiction I can never remember the moves...). And because I am nosy, I won't mind dropping the kids off.

Anxious

2015-11-21T07:58:00.000-05:00

Oops missed a day. Well considering I was on a plane 4 times and way from home most of this week for work I can feel ok cutting myself some slack.

And honestly given all that is going on in the world, when I turn the "daily grind and things to do" thoughts off for a moment, the pause makes me think that all is frivolous. And I feel it. Anxious. A pit in my stomach about the unknown because that unknown seems a lot scarier these days because for the most part ( and stats aside, I'm not considering data here) it is.

It's not debilitating, it's worry. And as my kids are exposed to bits and pieces (chunks in the case of the teen) I also wonder if they are dealing -I know the G has her issues and I'm pretty sure they aren't linked. But maybe there is a thin underlining. And my boy-he's focussed on shopping for the Semi coming up. And that's fine-but he's totally internetted up, all the time. He updates me on world events frequently and they talk in class. And still -the worry for me.

Throwback Thursday-they got each other

2015-11-19T22:38:00.001-05:00

The G has been off school sick with a low grade fever since Monday.

Last year was a tough year for her-with Grade 5 came drama, coupled with finally taking the plunge and having a long overdue tonsillectomy - anxiety became the norm. As did absences in the form of extra -long, long weekends when Mondays came around. She missed about 30 days of school last year-oof.

It took some patience, the school administration were actually quite good about it and assigned a counsellor. Her case had been put on hold as she adjusted better at the end of the school year.

So we started the new school year we were encouraged as her attendance had been good. At least in September.

But once there was an inkling of a cough ... Well let's just say she has missed 7 days already, including this week. She was actually physically ok to go to school but she annoyingly wouldn't budge.

What do you do when you have to work? Well you cajole, you try to reason, then -you get pissed off and you ground her from play dates, both virtual and IRL when she decides she won't move. There are consequences after all.

During this exchange, surprisingly, the teenager steps up and says he will make sure he's home early to be here for her. And he's also chiming in about how it's not so great to miss so much school and get behind in the learning. He tells his sister he knows this firsthand. He is stepping it up big time as her big brother. He assures us she indeed promises to go to school tomorrow.

He's got the magic sibling touch, you see. I hope it never changes.

Is it too early?

2015-11-18T20:07:00.001-05:00

Naaaaah.....

Inspiration and girl power

2015-11-17T22:19:00.000-05:00

I'm at an industry conference this week and a couple things that struck me

1/ there are still so many men in the CEO positions (women seem almost just token panelists )

2/ there is a lot of grey in the room -I know I would be among them if I weren't fortunate to have the benefit of hair colour. Am I old in thinking that we need more young blood, more millenials to drive innovation?

I'm always on the lookout for a good read for book club. The usual books we read are chicklit -but since I have limited time, even if a mindless read is often welcome. However of late I am seeking more inspiration, maybe self help, perhaps seeking role models from successful career women

I heard that the new book by Kirstine Stewart ( not Twilight, but Twitter) might be that book. Looking forward to checking it out-anyone read it yet?

Eat, sleep, fly, repeat

2015-11-16T19:33:00.001-05:00

Or more like eat, try to sleep, fly , repeat. At least it's local this week although do two short haul return flights equal one long haul? Not quite, certainly not if you look at the travel points you get for the troubles.

I honestly can't complain, but work travel is not as exotic as it's all cracked up to be most times. You are in a hotel, then hotel meeting rooms, you're "on" the whole time as the job is to network, build relationships -which for me isn't exactly second nature. After all I'm one of those extroverted introverts-to do the small talk networking thing takes a lot of prep and and angst ... A little liquid courage doesn't hurt but it isn't as readily available in the day.

Sigh.

So they just changed my gate.

With the short haul there isn't quite enough time to squeeze a movie in. Maybe a couple of episodes of a sitcom I've never heard of.

We'll catch you later for more inspiration you'll need to wait...

Mindfulness, meditation or something else ...

2015-11-15T21:33:00.000-05:00

As one gets older one hopes to get wiser. Or at least not be so impatient about things-I mean who has the energy to get so wound up when you're in your second half century?

Well apparently I still do get wound up-which is why I NEED to get my Body jam and/or Body Combat on at least 4 times a week. My husband can always tell if I haven't been to the gym in while -grrrrr!

But while my mind would love to keep up physically, my hips, back and joints have not been so cooperative in the last few months. I would love to be able to workout to that level of intensity (to the point where I thought I might get Jam certified over a weekend last month -but I realized a couple of things...

1) I love my workouts but they are not my job. I already have a fulltime job that requires 20% travel, plus a husband who travels and 2 kids and a crazy dog ...

2) if it becomes a job how fun would it be? And when could I teach? D'oh!!

3) the certification process required a two day training that apparently physically exhausts the best of them-I feel the pain after one hour -I would have been seriously crippled after 2days

4) it was my birthday celebration with my family -I don't turn 50 everyday so it was an easy decision. Hip hop workout the whole weekend with young, eager jam instructors or enjoy an evening of great iTalian food with my family, with wine, drink and being very merry. Hmmm that was a tough one.

I guess I'll train next time the process comes around, as a retirement strategy option.

Back to this post -what is a more appropriate softer gentler approach that I can incorporate into my mindfulness agenda?

Why colouring of course! It's the latest trend in meditative therapy right?

I guess we'll see. At least I have something to do with all those pencil crayon sets that I purchase year after year as the kids never seem to be able to find last year's "complete" set.

Concert postponed

2015-11-14T23:57:00.002-05:00

Perfectly understandable that bands like U2, COLDPLAY and. FOO FIGHTERS have cancelled their concerts or tours. A shame but logical.

We attended postponed concert tonight-not of that same magnitude, but of a huge Canadian talent just the same. Jim Cuddy, with a voice as his greatest instrument (still-although not shabby on keyboard or guitar...).

He's great with or without a Blue Rodeo. Here he is a few years ago...

His acoustic set was the ultimate. What a treat.

No words

2015-11-13T23:21:00.002-05:00

#prayforparis

What are you watching?

2015-11-12T22:24:00.003-05:00

Since I first started this blog oh so many years ago, options for viewing videos, programming , TV series etc... Have exploded. Pay for view, on demand, PVRing-it's all old school now. And the screens are shrinking. Screens are everywhere, for everything, and what does 'in moderation ' even mean anymore?

I guess a benefit is that rather than investing in more televisions ( I confess, we still bought a massive 73 inch man-cave version for our renovated basement this year-but hey, we can still watch Apple TV or. Netflix or youtube... Ok you get it)... We each have an ipad or iphone now, so my husband and I have got our TV back.

And we are kicking it major old school by watching networked TV and documentary shows. First of all, have you caught "The grinder" yet, with Rob Lowe, Fred Savage, William Devane ? Yes those names are total blasts from the past -call us old though, hubs and I are all over it! It's ridiculous but in the funniest way. Rob Lowe is killing it, and it's a bonus that he still looks amazing ( better than he did as a pretty boy truth be told). And Fred has grown up from the sympathetic kid (i always wanted to pinch those sweet cheeks of Kevin on the Wonder years and tell him all would be fine) ...to the neurotic Everyman who has spent his whole life under the shadow of a larger and gorgeous-er-than life big brother. It's been a long time since I guffawed ( yup guffawed) over network television.

Our other major addiction this season is This is Life with Lisa Ling. What a talented journalist she is, in my humble opinion, as she presents a balanced, observant non-judgey look at various aspects of life that a suburbanite like me would never be exposed to.

Don't get me wrong, Netflix is still the place to be to binge ( House of cards season 3, kimmy Schmidt, Frankie and Grace, Sherlock, and I really need to catch up on Downton Abby before it's really gone...). It is nice to enjoy a 30 minute sitcom again for a change.

The grinder

Remembrance

2015-11-10T22:59:00.001-05:00

Thoughts today are with soldiers who have served in the past (including my father in law), those lost in the line of duty, those peacekeepers and those still at war today. Thank you.

To keurig, nespresso or not to ...

2015-11-10T22:27:00.001-05:00

I love my coffee. But I am torn.

I know we don't have the best coffee in Canada-although I love my Tim hortons and will splurge for the occasional Starbucks cafe misto ( don't expect to read ANY commentary about those damn cups for the holidays, thank you very much) nowadays we've moved to a very personalized approach.

Now -Lo and behold we can have a single cup of coffee, with whatever strength , with whatever flavor.

Most of my friends now have one of these machines at home.

But something about it ( well namely that none of the packets are recyclable) pains me to think that we would dump each pod after each coffee served. I'm not über green by any means but I'm so used to recycling as much of anything as possible. I think I heard that the inventor of those pods, if he had known what was possible now waste-wise...regrets the invention for that reason alone.

Right now the non-recycling piece is a non-starter. But if they ever develop a more Eco- friendly product-I'm all in.

Twinsters

2015-11-09T23:02:00.003-05:00

There's nothing quite like a movie that makes you laugh and cry, provides inspiration and is predominantly a happy experience.

Twinsters, the documentary filmed and produced by Samantha Futerman, a Korean born actress adopted by American parents as a baby, about her experience finding out that she has a twin sister Anais Bordier, adopted around the same age but to a couple in France. They discovered each other through Youtube and Facebook. The film covered how they met, bonded instantly, and made a discovery trip together to Korea, tracing their brief lives as babies in foster care, before being adopted outside of their land of birth.

Adorable but bittersweet at times ( the girls' birth mother is resistant to acknowledging and meeting them -no judging, it's the way it is) it was a nice way to spend a weekday evening within being a slave to my work computer.

Check it out on iTunes or Netflix.

Blog renaissance

2015-11-08T18:58:00.000-05:00

What's goin' on?

When I decided to sign up for NaBloPoMo this month, I thought it would be an interesting challenge to see if I could keep up. Of course, probably the worst time to do it personally as our nanny ( who has been key to my survival the last 4 years of the past 6 since I went back to work full time) found another part time position and will only work a couple days a week for us from now on. WHAT???!!!

I panicked ( of course as I was given notice while I was in Europe on business) ... But I think I'm good. Quite frankly I'd been thinking about transition anyway now that the kids are older. After all I don't want them to be useless human beings who are being picked up after consistently ...more on my transition later, when I do a round-up of my life in the last few years.

So back to blogging- so many are kicking it old school again! I would love to get more comments, more than I ever get on facebook microblogging; I don't know what it is, whether people are searching again for more depth of interaction that you only get through comments and more narrative than possible on facebook or twitter.

Whatever the reason, I've been having a good time checking up on old blogging friends, some are still out there writing pretty consistently-and life continues to happen. If you happen to stumble on this here space after my long absence --hello again and welcome back.

And if you're new here-welcome and please excuse the mess. It will take a while to clear the cobwebs and grease the engine again.

Started from the bottom

2015-11-07T21:15:00.002-05:00

"Started from the bottom now we're here ...
Started from the bottom we're still here ...
Started from the bottom and we'll always be here ... "

This version of the Drake song has been re-purposed by little G and her friends. Apparently they have all been in the bottom row of the classroom photo -every single year since kindergarten. So they updated the song to reflect this.

How cool is that, for 10 and 11year old girls. Wait we're talking Drake. Should I be worried instead?

Talk talk

2015-11-06T21:25:00.001-05:00

I was afraid of a lot of things as a kid. Not sure where I got that from but I was extremely shy as child, didn't like to speak up in class and heaven forbid if I was ever called upon to answer a question; it took me the longest time to do so without breaking out in tears ( at least in the early grades).

So if you recall, my mother encouraged, pushed or maybe out and out bullied me to step up and conquer fears --by making me sign up to run for class president when I was 11years old when in grade 7. And representing at speech competitions in school around the same time. You notice a common thread there? Public speaking, speaking in front of public, people, several at a time ... Yes I was deathly afraid of it, and to be honest, it still shakes me somewhat.

Today when I disclose how introverted I am, most people are pretty surprised. When I took a communications class during business school I would speak but reluctantly -and after presentations I would breathe huge sighs of relief. My friends never saw the turmoil of nerves below the surface.

Nowadays my job requires that I speak in front of people on a pretty regular basis. Whether it be in front of my department, in front of the whole company, on stage at a conference (gulp) or in front of royalty (another story) ...it can still feel like I'm jumping off a cliff , whoever the audience. Or other times I can just wing it, coming up with content 2 minutes before going on. Unbelievable to me, but possible.

It just takes a good deep breath, visualization, putting on my big girl pants and taking a few seconds to stand in my Wonderwoman pose.

And then just try to shut me up!