How can you tell it's the end of a decade with a flood of "best of" lists and videos being posted? We've decided that we're going to be ushering in the New Year with our friend's wife, whose birthday is on the 31st. It's the big FOUR-OH for her.
I've never really made a list of resolutions, habits or goals for the upcoming year; I keep them to myself for the most part unless I include the period in my life when Jan. 1 meant one day of indulging on junk food before I'd begin my diet for a bodybuilding contest. That usually lasted anywhere from 12 to 20 weeks during which I'd subsist on oatmeal, rice, baked potatoes, boiled chicken, egg whites and a little bit of fruit and salad.
My wife and I have been indulging throughout the Christmas season mostly because it gives us the motivation to tighten up our eating once next year rolls around. I figure there's no sin in enjoying some of the food that people have taken the time to prepare or purchase.
Finding motivation to maintain a fitness regimen should be a little easier because next Tuesday is the premiere show of this season's The Biggest Loser of which, I've actually come to enjoy--kind of :)
Anyways, I need to go. I have a hungry-looking pug that needs to be fed and is staring me down and licking her chops.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Cancel Christmas this year? No way, humbuggers!
Some people simply do not get into the Christmas (or choose one of the following: festive, holiday, seasonal) spirit. My wife is NOT one of those people. She loves Christmas and the lead-in to Dec. 25. We were late in decorating our tree this year because she was away on business. It wasn't finished until the first weekend of December. She'd been suggesting that I rustle our tree and decs from storage in early November.
She has been saying that for her, this year lacks the same energy and the pre-Christmas buildup we enjoyed last year when we went to a Christmas lite up, toured some of the homes in the city while sipping peppermint tea and eating flavoured popcorn and threw a Christmas party of our own.
Like my wife, I have always enjoyed the celebratories of the holiday season although some of the mystique and magic dissipates once you find out the truth about Santa. Still, and more than anything, I like the social aspect of Christmas; getting together with friends and family for food, drinks and conversation.
A moment of sentiment: This will be the first Christmas without mom. I remember when I was growing up how she went all out in wrapping presents and doing Christmas baking. With her faltering health, the past few Christmases were very low key for her and dad. Merry Christmas, mom :)
It won't be a white Christmas this year but I'm excited about going to my in-laws for a Christmas hiatus and meeting up with our friends. I can't WAIT to see the reaction when my wife opens up "the unexpected present."
She has been saying that for her, this year lacks the same energy and the pre-Christmas buildup we enjoyed last year when we went to a Christmas lite up, toured some of the homes in the city while sipping peppermint tea and eating flavoured popcorn and threw a Christmas party of our own.
Like my wife, I have always enjoyed the celebratories of the holiday season although some of the mystique and magic dissipates once you find out the truth about Santa. Still, and more than anything, I like the social aspect of Christmas; getting together with friends and family for food, drinks and conversation.
A moment of sentiment: This will be the first Christmas without mom. I remember when I was growing up how she went all out in wrapping presents and doing Christmas baking. With her faltering health, the past few Christmases were very low key for her and dad. Merry Christmas, mom :)
It won't be a white Christmas this year but I'm excited about going to my in-laws for a Christmas hiatus and meeting up with our friends. I can't WAIT to see the reaction when my wife opens up "the unexpected present."
Thursday, December 17, 2009
In a good marriage, you never have disagreements, er, fights?
Just remember when you are reading this hun, I love you...
This is not a revelation to the married masses out there, nor is it a caveat for those single and eyeing up marriage in a society where, unfortunately, more than half end in d-i-v-o-r-c-e.
My wife and I sometimes disagree and in some instances it escalates into a fight, as tension ratchets up, voices are raised and we either stand firm, arguing our position or offer a half-hearted apology for words that came out in a manner that "wasn't what I meant."
What follows is minutes, or even hours of sullen silence, broken only by the sounds crackling from the TV or one of us talking to our pug, Stella, who, by the way, can do no wrong. Even when she does, well, my wife's reasoning is that she doesn't know better because "she's just a baby."
C'est la vie.
How does one reconcile himself to the reality that fights are inevitable - and perhaps even healthy, cleansing if done correctly - and not something to feel bad about?
I love my wife, and she loves me. This much I know. Neither is perfect and even though I may try and justify my words and/or actions in the midst of an argument, I try to keep sights on what is most important: that life is short, I am lucky to be married to someone who makes me laugh, shares my thoughts on many things, is a great cook, an independent woman with a great sense of humour has a great fashion sense and in the midst of a South Okangan winter, looks terrific in hats, boots and scarves.
This is not a revelation to the married masses out there, nor is it a caveat for those single and eyeing up marriage in a society where, unfortunately, more than half end in d-i-v-o-r-c-e.
My wife and I sometimes disagree and in some instances it escalates into a fight, as tension ratchets up, voices are raised and we either stand firm, arguing our position or offer a half-hearted apology for words that came out in a manner that "wasn't what I meant."
What follows is minutes, or even hours of sullen silence, broken only by the sounds crackling from the TV or one of us talking to our pug, Stella, who, by the way, can do no wrong. Even when she does, well, my wife's reasoning is that she doesn't know better because "she's just a baby."
C'est la vie.
How does one reconcile himself to the reality that fights are inevitable - and perhaps even healthy, cleansing if done correctly - and not something to feel bad about?
I love my wife, and she loves me. This much I know. Neither is perfect and even though I may try and justify my words and/or actions in the midst of an argument, I try to keep sights on what is most important: that life is short, I am lucky to be married to someone who makes me laugh, shares my thoughts on many things, is a great cook, an independent woman with a great sense of humour has a great fashion sense and in the midst of a South Okangan winter, looks terrific in hats, boots and scarves.
Friday, December 11, 2009
It must be close to Christmas, cuz I'm fighting off a subborn cold
BRRRR! It's cold outside but if we manage to get a little bit of snow cover, it'll start to fell like Christmas. We've talked about spending the holidays out of town, in some sunny, balmy place. Not sure how I'll take to that.
So, we've got a good handle on our shopping done, with only my daughter and dad to buy for, plus a couple of stocking stuffers for each other ...
One of my favourite rituals at this time of year and once the tree is up, is to luminate the Christmas tree in the wee hours of the morning--there's a warm, fuzzy, nostaligic feeling I associate with it, kind of like those Christmases when I was a child.
I'll end up sounding like a broken record on this topic, BUT, I'm loving the new TV, esp. the HD programming. After my wife has trundled off to bed, I've been staying up watching HBO's Six Feet Under. I can see why people find it to be so captivating, and it's ultimately about a subject that everyone will experience in living.
I'm going to cut this short, because our little pug is starting to scratch at her pillow. Translation: I want to go for a walk.
So, we've got a good handle on our shopping done, with only my daughter and dad to buy for, plus a couple of stocking stuffers for each other ...
One of my favourite rituals at this time of year and once the tree is up, is to luminate the Christmas tree in the wee hours of the morning--there's a warm, fuzzy, nostaligic feeling I associate with it, kind of like those Christmases when I was a child.
I'll end up sounding like a broken record on this topic, BUT, I'm loving the new TV, esp. the HD programming. After my wife has trundled off to bed, I've been staying up watching HBO's Six Feet Under. I can see why people find it to be so captivating, and it's ultimately about a subject that everyone will experience in living.
I'm going to cut this short, because our little pug is starting to scratch at her pillow. Translation: I want to go for a walk.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Coach you say? Pity
My wife returned from TO where she was on a business trip - nice to have her back :)
She told me about her experiences travelling first class to Vancouver on the way home where she got to travel "in my own pod" and "I didn't sit beside anyone because we all had our own pods" and "my seat reclined, and I pushed a button for the little back massager on my chair--that's how I took off."
Lavished with fresh food, cool drinks, movies and TV shows, I understand why she'd prefer to travel that way all the time. Yeh, cannot see that happening.
As kind of a welcome home meal, my wife and our friend, Heather, cooked up a tasty pasta dish, topped off with a couple of glasses of wine and some fine chocolate.
She also got her first glanced at the new HD picture on the new TV which we picked up last week. I know that the novelty will eventually wear off but right now, I'm liking it a bunch and I am finding it tres difficile to dislodge the remote from my cold, cold hands and go catch some ZZZZs.
Our dog, Stella is elated that Sarah is home because she's back to being her hyper, chewing-on eveything, barking at anything that moves self after three days of moping around looking sad and depressed more than she normally does.
She told me about her experiences travelling first class to Vancouver on the way home where she got to travel "in my own pod" and "I didn't sit beside anyone because we all had our own pods" and "my seat reclined, and I pushed a button for the little back massager on my chair--that's how I took off."
Lavished with fresh food, cool drinks, movies and TV shows, I understand why she'd prefer to travel that way all the time. Yeh, cannot see that happening.
As kind of a welcome home meal, my wife and our friend, Heather, cooked up a tasty pasta dish, topped off with a couple of glasses of wine and some fine chocolate.
She also got her first glanced at the new HD picture on the new TV which we picked up last week. I know that the novelty will eventually wear off but right now, I'm liking it a bunch and I am finding it tres difficile to dislodge the remote from my cold, cold hands and go catch some ZZZZs.
Our dog, Stella is elated that Sarah is home because she's back to being her hyper, chewing-on eveything, barking at anything that moves self after three days of moping around looking sad and depressed more than she normally does.
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