YiR & A Preview of Resolutions

I'm obviously late to the game this year but I have valid excuses :D

The first half of my return to undergrad adventure is complete and so is another calendar year. Marks were returned and *hooray* I'm still in the running to be able to apply! I continue to commute to Waterloo but this time, in the winter--which has a bunch of its own challenges.

For serious, I'm driving through the SW Ontario snow-belt

But, if there is anything I learned getting through last semester, I learned that I can do it, if I just put my mind to and that there is nothing that is impossible to accommodate as long as I can manage my time and limits appropriately. To keep myself on track, I am creating a visual inspiration board and doing my annual review and goal setting for the coming year.

Oh Dilbert. You always have an interesting perspective on life

Let's start with an analysis of last year...

• Personal/School/Career: I can confidently say that I have successfully met all these goals from last year!
• Household/Buckingham & Stanley C. Panther: the only one I did not meet my expectations is the cooking aspect. I have been taking advantage of my mom's cooking daily, and often going out to eat in place of making my own meals. Otherwise, all other tasks have been addressed! Not bad :)
• Horsey/Riding: this one took a major stall this summer and I think it actually needed to; I wouldn't have been able to achieve what I did last semester without this one being put on hold. I still find my mind wandering though, and I try not to think about this absence because I just get really sad. I found myself really enjoying the hugs I gave Ariel and Bons when we visited over the holidays. But the honest truth? I don't know if I could have brought myself to stop lessons if it wasn't for my Summer of George.
• Family: I have literally amazed myself on this front. Still lots of room for improvement but I did really well in this quadrant of goals, too!
• Social/Volunteering: I passively moved off one of my volunteering gigs; this was not the right way to go about it but I haven't been able to say "no" and not feel bad about it, yet. I also plain ol' stopped volunteering for the cat rescue and I honestly wish I stopped volunteering for my reluctant gig and moved to do something with the cat rescue instead. I did donate some pet food near the end of the year.
  In terms of the social aspect... I did only a degree of it. But, I don't feel too bad about it and think I just need to readjust my expectations and plans a wee bit and I should be good.
• Reading: does reading a lot of dry textbooks and science articles count?

I am impressed with myself, overall. I didn't think I could do as much, and I was really just focusing on the monumental task at hand. I'd say I didn't do too shabby this time around and I'll be upping the ante, so to speak, for 2017 because I think I can do it.

Truth!

How did your respective 2016 resolutions and year go?

No Rest for the Wicked

My parents instilled in me, at a young age, that participation in school or work was critically tied to being successful in that class or career. I hence became that guy that attended every class and even accepted (for a time) the unspoken "norm" of going into work while sick, at my previous place of employment. It was never outright stated that it was expected of us, but simply by example (which usually just got the rest of us sick like dogs) and the response intonations when we called/emailed in sick.

Boss cat makes it funny but it wasn't funny :(

I have since changed that perspective and no longer put someone else's expectations over my own needs--especially if they were not in my best interest. After all, nobody's gonna care about you more, than you. Not because they're bad people, but because they don't see it from your perspective and they're thinking from a economic standpoint.

Semesters are actually quite short; you get 4 months to fit in an exam schedule, 3 weeks of exams and midterms, assignments, papers, labs and the lectures themselves. Trust me, this is an awful way to learn but it's the only way available at the moment. That said, I was determined not to fall ill for any reason and got the flu short--something I have never done because I'm not a firm believer in the flu shot (not because vaccines don't work--they do work. It's just this thing about strains... a conversation for another time). Getting sick was something I was working at avoiding... like the plague (har har! see what I did there?).

The semester is coming to a close and I'm still behind on some lectures because I just haven't found the time to get to it. But, I was getting progressively sicker and sicker last week and I surrendered by Wednesday afternoon and booked an appointment with my physician to see her on Thursday. I didn't actually think it was going to be all that involved... a quick in and out appointment, deal with the infection and I"d be back on my way to classes on Friday. I was wrong.

Strong like bull... until I get sick

I underestimated the severity and ended up at home lying around trying to not aggravate the infection and what a colossal waste of time that was! I intended to catch up on lectures and notes and start my exam studying but none of that happened because I just couldn't physically manage it. So now, I'm scrambling to catch up, understand the new stuff while I still don't understand the old stuff, sort myself out enough to pose questions in class (#stillwaiting) and find time to see the profs during office hours.

But, that's the thing about adulting life, isn't it? You spend all your time trying to stay afloat and work like an ox to get yourself some chill time only to be knocked out by a virus/bacterial infection when you least expect (or need) it but you can submit to the poopiness or you can suck it up princess and get 'er done. 

Public Announcement

I had to... because this is literally me lately:

Good news, I didn't actually take an online quiz about what flavour potato chip I am but I did pull together the Pinterest account I associated with this account. Still building it but got a strong start! And, with exams peeking over the horizon, I expect I'll be spending more time blogging or pinning or taking online quizzes.

First Leg Finish on the Horizon!

Now seemed as good a time as any to check-in by a blog post after being entrenched in school work for 2 months. That, and I needed to do something constructive after hearing about the US electoral results which I will NOT get into detail further other then this one reference because, although I don't live in the US (thank heavens), as a Canadian, I can't stop hearing everyone's opinion about it. And, I might have a new house-guest for the next 4 years with an option for an additional 4 year stay. HA HA HA. Okay, not funny, at all.

Going on, I have been busy keeping up with my studies and finding myself even more motivated, curious and engaged then I have ever been. Seriously. When I first started my undergrad, I just knew I liked biology and science in general and was curious about it. But, at the time, I didn't really know what I was doing or why I was doing it. I was also closed to getting into certain subjects just because I didn't think they were worthwhile.

This semester, I have gotten myself into Human Metabolism, Animal Physiology, Moral Issues, Embryology and Developmental Biology and Advanced First Year Chinese (Mandarin). The two courses that I was prepared to struggle with for 3 months and cry a small river (daily) learning about was metabolism and embryology. Then I thought that I'd be bored to tears about philosophy and Mandarin. Quite the contrary, the course I find most engaging is moral issues! I have never enjoyed philosophy more.

Unfortunately, with the broken leg and the packed schedule, I haven't had much time to consider returning to riding and while I am sad, I don't really have much time to actually be sad. I have though, been getting occasional doses of equine related activities like volunteering for the Ontario University Equestrian Association (OUEA) show hosted by UW the last weekend of October. The format of this type of showing is very different than I'm used to seeing where a rider works with their mount for months or years perfecting the relationship. Instead of riding your own horse, you ride a random horse drawn for you on the day you're showing. They do flat and jumping/hunter classes for a range of rider levels. I admit, not really my cup of tea but an interesting experience to see what that is all about. Unfortunately, due to my mid-term schedule, I had to miss the opportunity to learn to drive miniature horses (I know. CUUUUUUTE!!!). Another time.

I did get to get out to The Royal to support one of Gosling Stables riders show pony jumper in the A's with her rescue pony. She totally deserved it considering the amount of work she's put in. I also had the opportunity to chat with a Hereford rancher about his love of the job and how he's already "retired" four times but can't seem to keep himself idle long enough! Such inspiration.

Reversing a bit, the leg is completely healed and I'm on my own to make it better completely. I still limp if I have to rush somewhere as the quadricep muscles just aren't what they used to be. You probably couldn't tell there's anything wrong until you challenge me to race you to the end of the block: #nothappening. I am glad that I don't need the crutches but I just wish things would go back to normal, faster.

Finally, my brother has taken on a side project and transformed his love of coffee into a viable business in the Distillery District of Toronto and let me tell you, if you are in the area, you have to make it a point to go, not just because I said so, but because you will not be disappointed. It's currently one of my happy places not only because it's a break from studying, but because I get fuelled with the best coffee I've experience. So much love, experience and care goes into each cup that it makes me warm and fuzzy both figuratively and literally!

In the meantime, when I have time, I will make a point to getting around to other blogs, some more reading and another post. Until then, I hope y'all are enjoying yourselves doing whatever it is that you're occupied with :)

Challenge

Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.--Unknown

I've rarely given much thought about being able. You know, not having my abilities hindered either physically or mentally. That is, until my Summer of George, which has given me a lot to think about with respect to a reduction of mobility in general. I've always acknowledged the risks involved with riding and have fallen multiple times; as well, seen others do it and break their own bones. I've never thought twice about getting back on. Maybe I reconsidered at the time b/c I was shaken up and probably feeling a little tenderized but never post lesson/riding.

After I fell off, I wanted to get back on but the pain was telling me otherwise. Enough, that I relented to the suggestion by a "barn mom" to get to the hospital to get x-rays; you know, just in case. When the news was broken (ha, see what I did there!) to me, about the wrist and the knee/leg, I was devastated, embarrassed and annoyed. The physician informed me that I had a wrist fracture and would be casted for the usual 6 weeks (pending healing abilities) but the leg/knee break would require surgery *sob*. After the emotions subsided a bit, my immediate thoughts were: when would I be able to ride again and what I needed to tell my bosses.

My priorities were short-sighted. I neglected to consider all the things I take for granted: getting from bed to the bathroom, personal hygiene, eating... the list goes on. It wasn't until I was brought home that reality smacked me in the face, and then some. I had to collect my pride, independent nature and anxiety, then replace it with patience, humility, a positive sense of perspective, and some heavy pain medication.

The last three months have challenged me, and been the source of some of my most important lessons.

The most obvious lesson I've acquired in the last three months is the reality of a physical/mobility related limitation. But I failed initially to understand how it affected others around me; I understood it affect the obvious things like being able to ride that horse, or get from place to place, but a single limited individual depends on the support of others around them, to get things done. I would never have been able to get to my doctor appointments, have proper meals or even keep the house (the yard is a whole other story thanks to this summer) in a somewhat respectable manner without the help of others like my family and +ADW. Depending on others was difficult for me to accept because of my independent nature.

Another lesson I took from the accident itself, and apply both to my riding and to other areas of my life: make the best of what's been thrown your way, adapt and persevere. If I've made a commitment to do something, I just have to follow through. The reiteration of this concept is particularly important at this time because I will be starting a journey that won't end in a one hour lesson... I am returning to school to upgrade my marks in order to apply for vet college, and IF I get in, I'll be focusing on the schooling to get me to that end goal. Mental endurance and keeping that eye on the prize will be my focus.

An unexpected lesson arose as I was getting better and more mobile. My first trip out of the house (other than doctor visits) was to the mall by wheelchair. Once I got a taste of some of what I was missing, I wanted to go out all the time. Alas, that was not my fate and I have been trying not to fixate on the time passing to see when ADW would return and we could do something like go out or watch TV. The simple fact was I was surprised at just how bored I could become with a whole day of doing nothing but sitting on my butt writing, reading or watching. It's clear that I will need to incorporate an activity into my day too.

The experience as a whole has been eye opening and though not exactly wanted or planned, worthwhile to look through different perspectives to gain a better understanding of myself and others around me. I just hope that this never happens again b/c the last lesson outlined above was probably the most difficult to gain!