A Wee Challenge Update

Earlier this month, I decided to take on the Push-Up Challenge issued by the Canadian Mental Health Association. The challenge – complete 2000 pushups between February 1st and February 23rd. Given my lack of upper body strength going into this, I really wasn’t sure what to expect. But here I am, 23 days later with 2145…

The Quantified Man

It should come as no surprise that I love spreadsheets. And numbers. And spreadsheets with numbers. I love playing with data, and personal data are no exception. So it should also come as no surprise that in my efforts to reach some of my goals (see here), I have created a fancy new spreadsheet and…

The Books Of 2023

Apparently, in the rush to celebrate the new year and to set up new goals and whatnot, I almost forgot to post the list of books I managed to read in 2023. In case you haven’t been following along or have forgotten, I had a goal to read 26 books in 2023 with the bulk…

The Recipes Of 2023

Last year was another great year for me in the kitchen. From testing out new-to-me recipes to returning to old standards, I managed to use my kitchen adventures to significantly reduce the amount of money I spent on food and beverages while I was on campus. And although I still spent too much money ordering…

The Year That Could Be

Alright 2024 – you’re here and I’ve got my eye on you. The last few years have been challenging for a lot of people, and I’m expecting that this year will continue in that vein. Given everything that’s going on in the world, I don’t think this is an unrealistic expectation. To help me maintain…

The Year That Was

So it’s time to reflect on the year that just ended. Normally I am much more organized and have my yearly reflection sorted in advance of the new year – mostly because I like to give myself ample time to consider what I was able to accomplish (or not) to develop realistic new goals for…

Healthier Days

Roughly two weeks ago, I wrote to say that I had to cancel a trip with colleagues to Cambridge Bay – something I was very much looking forward to – because of a series of back to back to back to back migraines. Instead, I stayed home and kept a promise to put my health…

The Year That Could Be

As is typical of this time of year, I usually begin January with a list of goals that is intended to help me shape what the next 12 months could be. I don’t identify these goals for the sake of determining the year’s worth when it inevitably winds down on December 31st – because these…

The Recipes Of 2022

After the culinary success of 2021, I decided that I would once again attempt 26 new-to-me recipes in 2022. And while I did manage to complete this task, I’m afraid that my lack of writing means that my list is incomplete or lacking detail.

The Year That Was

Helloooo 2023 and all that you could be. The last year was another tough one, but I can honestly say that I’m feeling more hopeful than I have in a long while. I credit that to a lot of work setting boundaries, improving life-work balance, and the incredible group of people in my life who…

Six Weeks Later

It’s been 6 full weeks since Frank and Beans made their way into my daily routine. In that time, they’ve been to the vet twice (for vaccinations and their first check-up), demonstrated their wrestling expertise, zoomied around the condo at an Olympic pace, and have helped establish my morning schedule. I also have a much…

The Year That Was

As I wrote yesterday, 2021 was a challenging year. I was absolutely crushed to say farewell to Elliott after having his constant companionship for over a decade. I also experienced significant challenges at work that negatively affected my ability to serve students at a time when they need more support than ever. At the same…

The Recipes Of 2020

If you had said that at the beginning of 2020 that I had become estranged from the culinary world, you would have been correct. But after spending over a year and more than a few dollars on main floor renovations, I decided that 2020 would be the year that I found my way back to…

The Year That Was

I don’t think anyone is going to be upset to see this year breathe its last breath. Yet, despite all of its challenges, I find myself looking back on the year with some sense of gratitude, a renewed sense of what is important, and wondering what the new year might bring. And as I do…

In Lieu Of Travel

For someone who normally travels a lot, it has been 290 days since last I saw the inside of an airplane. And while I have often joked that I visit Guelph more than I live in it, I believe that this time at home represents the longest run of consecutive days that I have actually…