It's been so long since I've written, I hardly know what to say!
Besides "time flies while you're having fun!" there are zillions of other quotes about time. We all seem to want more time. "There's no time like the present". There's a regular piece called "Tid Bits" in the local paper that asks "prominent" members of the community ice breaker type questions one of which is "I wish I had..." It seems to me that 9 times out of 10 the interviewee says "time"!
Why do we want more time? Is it for the same reason we all seem to want bigger houses and more stuff to put in them? Are we just greedy? I was thinking about this the other day and came to the conclusion that if I had more time, I'd just fill it with more of the stuff that I fill my time with now. I think we kid ourselves into thinking that if we had more time, we'd prioritize it and save it for the good things. I don't think so.
The answer is not more time. What we need it less to do. We'd have more time for the good stuff if we stopped filling our lives with junk!
We try to make more time by creating and adhering to a schedule. We block time off for work, practices, games, meetings, etc. and rarely write-in play time, bike rides, dinner with friends, time to sit and talk to our spouses or just time to sit.
When I look at my calendar, it is often very full. When I get to a blank day, I wonder what it will be like. Those days are often also full, not of scheduled errands and tasks, but of hanging out, sitting, playing, etc.
So I will strive to insert more blank days into my calendar because letting the blanks fill in themselves works better for me.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
thyroid
Another draft article for submission to yummy mommy club for their health & fitness edition in July.
My thyroid doesn't work properly. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) about 6 months after my daughter was born, but I'm pretty sure it was under-active for a while before that. I now take a tiny pill every day first thing in the morning to make up for my malfunctioning gland.
There are many signs and symptoms of thyroid disease and it affects an alarming number of Canadian women. I've heard statistics like 1-in-4 women in Canada are affected by thyroid disease and that thyroid cancer has reached an epidemic. However, I haven't been able to verify this information with my own research because there is no national campaign for public awareness. Plus, I haven't been able to find any evidence of research to find out why thyroid disease is on the rise or how it can be prevented.
Hypothyroidism is not life-threatening in the literal sense, but it is life altering. Hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid) can be more dangerous - including a risk of heart attack!
The thyroid gland is butterfly-shaped located in our throats. It functions to regulate all systems in our bodies. Symptoms of a malfunctioning thyroid include fatigue, weight gain, hair thinning, sensitivity to cold, insomnia, anxiety, depression, decreased sex-drive, a swollen gland or nodules, etc.
If you have hyperthyroidism, one of the treatments is radiation depending on the severity of the condition. The treatment for hypothyroid is a pill. Unfortunately, the pill is not an one-size-fits-all answer. It takes 8-12 weeks to see the results of the synthetic thyroid in a blood test and then the dosage has to be adjusted. Wait another 3 months for a test... it can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years to get the right dose meanwhile symptoms may subtlety improve during this time. There is also some controversy over alternative medications.
It's not easy to live with thyroid disease. Talk about an invisible illness! No one can see your malfunctioning gland and unless they have thyroid disease themselves or know someone who does, it is hard to understand how difficult day-to-day life can be and the adjustments that have to be made over time to accommodate the lack of energy and other symptoms.
I am fortunate because my mom and grandfather both have hypothyroidism. They are both supportive and informative about what to expect when even health professionals don't. My doctor seems sympathetic, but is reluctant to refer me to an endocrinologist or to try anything other than the traditional medication. Information online can be helpful, but is primarily from the USA. There are discussion groups where people post their experiences.
If you have tried everything to be healthy - regular exercise, change in diet, etc. - and still feel fat and exhausted, ask your doctor about a simple blood test to find out if your thyroid is functioning properly. If it isn't, be patient and find out as much as you can about your condition so that you can get back to feeling good again!
online resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid
http://thyroid.about.com/
http://thyroid.erfa.net/
My thyroid doesn't work properly. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) about 6 months after my daughter was born, but I'm pretty sure it was under-active for a while before that. I now take a tiny pill every day first thing in the morning to make up for my malfunctioning gland.
There are many signs and symptoms of thyroid disease and it affects an alarming number of Canadian women. I've heard statistics like 1-in-4 women in Canada are affected by thyroid disease and that thyroid cancer has reached an epidemic. However, I haven't been able to verify this information with my own research because there is no national campaign for public awareness. Plus, I haven't been able to find any evidence of research to find out why thyroid disease is on the rise or how it can be prevented.
Hypothyroidism is not life-threatening in the literal sense, but it is life altering. Hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid) can be more dangerous - including a risk of heart attack!
The thyroid gland is butterfly-shaped located in our throats. It functions to regulate all systems in our bodies. Symptoms of a malfunctioning thyroid include fatigue, weight gain, hair thinning, sensitivity to cold, insomnia, anxiety, depression, decreased sex-drive, a swollen gland or nodules, etc.
If you have hyperthyroidism, one of the treatments is radiation depending on the severity of the condition. The treatment for hypothyroid is a pill. Unfortunately, the pill is not an one-size-fits-all answer. It takes 8-12 weeks to see the results of the synthetic thyroid in a blood test and then the dosage has to be adjusted. Wait another 3 months for a test... it can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years to get the right dose meanwhile symptoms may subtlety improve during this time. There is also some controversy over alternative medications.
It's not easy to live with thyroid disease. Talk about an invisible illness! No one can see your malfunctioning gland and unless they have thyroid disease themselves or know someone who does, it is hard to understand how difficult day-to-day life can be and the adjustments that have to be made over time to accommodate the lack of energy and other symptoms.
I am fortunate because my mom and grandfather both have hypothyroidism. They are both supportive and informative about what to expect when even health professionals don't. My doctor seems sympathetic, but is reluctant to refer me to an endocrinologist or to try anything other than the traditional medication. Information online can be helpful, but is primarily from the USA. There are discussion groups where people post their experiences.
If you have tried everything to be healthy - regular exercise, change in diet, etc. - and still feel fat and exhausted, ask your doctor about a simple blood test to find out if your thyroid is functioning properly. If it isn't, be patient and find out as much as you can about your condition so that you can get back to feeling good again!
online resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid
http://thyroid.about.com/
http://thyroid.erfa.net/
Thursday, June 3, 2010
worship
Since moving to New Brunswick, I have become a regular church-goer. In fact, I have been employed by the church for over a month now as their part-time secretary. I like going to church. I really enjoy discussions about faith, the history of religion and think of myself as a spiritual being. However, I don't call myself a Christian. I find the label too restrictive.
I believe in God. Not so much as a father, but as the intangible force that unites us all. I believe in freedom of religion insofar as we should all have the right to practice our beliefs as we see fit - as long as we harm no one else.
Worship is one way to describe religious practice. It's a difficult word for me. I don't feel that I am worshiping at church. I can talk to God anywhere, anytime. I go to church to be with other people to join hands in faith. To recognize that we all need each other and are social as well as spiritual beings.
The word worship evokes the idea of idolatry to me. Like hero-worship. Celebrity worship, etc. Admiring, idolizing, seeing someone or something as worthy of worship.
That's why when people decide not to come to church saying "I worship on the green" when they golf on Sundays, it fits.
I believe in God. Not so much as a father, but as the intangible force that unites us all. I believe in freedom of religion insofar as we should all have the right to practice our beliefs as we see fit - as long as we harm no one else.
Worship is one way to describe religious practice. It's a difficult word for me. I don't feel that I am worshiping at church. I can talk to God anywhere, anytime. I go to church to be with other people to join hands in faith. To recognize that we all need each other and are social as well as spiritual beings.
The word worship evokes the idea of idolatry to me. Like hero-worship. Celebrity worship, etc. Admiring, idolizing, seeing someone or something as worthy of worship.
That's why when people decide not to come to church saying "I worship on the green" when they golf on Sundays, it fits.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
meat
I didn't expect it to be so easy to wean my family off meat. Of course, we've all been sick with the stomach "flu" this week so not really wanting to eat anyway.
We usually eat meat every day. I've been trying to exclude meat once per week opting for fish or just going vegetarian altogether. This applies only to supper for now although I've been trying to omit meat from my other meals too.
I'm not sure if it'll be easier or harder in the summer. We use the barbecue whenever possible, but being so busy through the week, it's usually on weekends. So I proposed to eat meat only on the weekends... and Frank went for it!
The reasons for going meatless are partly dietary and partly environmental and partly financial. When we do eat meat, we tend to eat too much of it. It's hard to maintain portion control with a juicy steak staring at you! We know that large commercial farms are bad for the environment in many ways (the earth, the air, the hormones, etc.) Plus it's way cheaper to buy beans and tofu!
My sister has been vegetarian for a long time so you'd think I would have plenty of meal ideas ready to go. Well, I'm sure the meat habit can be broken and eventually I will have plenty of vegetarian meals up my sleeve. So far I've substituted beans for meat with pasta, served fish once per week, made chickpea curry instead of chicken or beef, and made tofu stir-fry. It's all been good, but I don't want to be too repetitive. Soups would be easy except that my family doesn't like soup as a meal :(
Anyway, it's going well and I hope that when we're all better, we can stick to it! The trick may be that Frank and I are the only ones who know the plan...heeheehee
We usually eat meat every day. I've been trying to exclude meat once per week opting for fish or just going vegetarian altogether. This applies only to supper for now although I've been trying to omit meat from my other meals too.
I'm not sure if it'll be easier or harder in the summer. We use the barbecue whenever possible, but being so busy through the week, it's usually on weekends. So I proposed to eat meat only on the weekends... and Frank went for it!
The reasons for going meatless are partly dietary and partly environmental and partly financial. When we do eat meat, we tend to eat too much of it. It's hard to maintain portion control with a juicy steak staring at you! We know that large commercial farms are bad for the environment in many ways (the earth, the air, the hormones, etc.) Plus it's way cheaper to buy beans and tofu!
My sister has been vegetarian for a long time so you'd think I would have plenty of meal ideas ready to go. Well, I'm sure the meat habit can be broken and eventually I will have plenty of vegetarian meals up my sleeve. So far I've substituted beans for meat with pasta, served fish once per week, made chickpea curry instead of chicken or beef, and made tofu stir-fry. It's all been good, but I don't want to be too repetitive. Soups would be easy except that my family doesn't like soup as a meal :(
Anyway, it's going well and I hope that when we're all better, we can stick to it! The trick may be that Frank and I are the only ones who know the plan...heeheehee
work
I can't believe how easy it's been to go back to work! I've been dreading it for over a year now. Agonizing over what I would do and how I would find a job that doesn't take over my life. And then... a job fell into my lap. I wasn't even looking for it. In fact, I had been telling myself it would be ok to wait another 2 years until Lilly went to school to look for work.
Now I work part-time, set my own hours and it feels wonderful!
It's even more amazing that I was able to find a terrific babysitter right away! She's kind, very thoughtful and generous. She cares about my kids and has lots of patience. Plus she lives close to home!
I really didn't expect to be working yet or that it would be so easy. I am deeply thankful.
Now I work part-time, set my own hours and it feels wonderful!
It's even more amazing that I was able to find a terrific babysitter right away! She's kind, very thoughtful and generous. She cares about my kids and has lots of patience. Plus she lives close to home!
I really didn't expect to be working yet or that it would be so easy. I am deeply thankful.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
tights
My daughter has discovered the transformative qualities of a dress.
It started with the tights. After selecting and returning three other pairs of socks to the drawer, she chose some tights. I suggested that they wouldn't be comfortable over her pants so she took them off. I helped her pull the tights on, which incidentally have flowers on the legs and a butterfly on the bum, and convinced her to wear a dress with the tights. Once she pulled on the fuzzy dress with the plaid kitty on it, she declared: "I'm like a mommy! I'm bigger."
I know that feeling. Seems silly and somehow conflicts with my feminist sensibilities, but nevertheless, I understood what she was saying. It goes back to my preschool days when I only ever wanted to wear a dress. It felt good (except for when I had to put snow pants over it). I was dressing up.
I don't get the same feeling when I think of wearing tights these days, but there is a hint of it on the rare occasions when I'm getting ready to go out. Whether it's a date with my hubby or over to a friends for dinner, the process of selecting an outfit (hardly ever a dress), doing my hair and make-up generates a tiny spark of excitement. Internally I declare: "I'm like a woman!"
It started with the tights. After selecting and returning three other pairs of socks to the drawer, she chose some tights. I suggested that they wouldn't be comfortable over her pants so she took them off. I helped her pull the tights on, which incidentally have flowers on the legs and a butterfly on the bum, and convinced her to wear a dress with the tights. Once she pulled on the fuzzy dress with the plaid kitty on it, she declared: "I'm like a mommy! I'm bigger."
I know that feeling. Seems silly and somehow conflicts with my feminist sensibilities, but nevertheless, I understood what she was saying. It goes back to my preschool days when I only ever wanted to wear a dress. It felt good (except for when I had to put snow pants over it). I was dressing up.
I don't get the same feeling when I think of wearing tights these days, but there is a hint of it on the rare occasions when I'm getting ready to go out. Whether it's a date with my hubby or over to a friends for dinner, the process of selecting an outfit (hardly ever a dress), doing my hair and make-up generates a tiny spark of excitement. Internally I declare: "I'm like a woman!"
Thursday, April 22, 2010
scrap
I was going to post "scrap booking", but then thought "scrap" covered more and is one word.
So how does scrap affect my life? Well, there's scrap paper - created when my kids find the printer paper and draw on one side, scraps - fed to my dog from my kids' plates - and various scraps of things floating around the house after falling victim to my kids' hands. To be fair scraps are mostly Lillian's work.
My favourite quilts are made from scrap. I tried the quilting thing quite a while ago. It's the solitary work I don't like. If there was a regular gathering to quilt, I'd do it. Especially since I can't really figure out how to fix my sewing mistakes or the machine when I bugger it up.
I'm going to a scrap booking event next month. It's not my very first time trying it out, but I'm hoping to learn more about it. Seems silly to need a class to figure it out, but I really do need a class. I have literally hundreds of photos packed into mini albums, envelopes and boxes to deal with. These are all mostly from before 2005 when I got my digital camera. At least with digital photos, you can keep them on discs (and never look at them again). I wonder how shocked everyone would be if I brought the whole lot to the class...
My photos are precious to me. I need to do something with them to ensure they are not ruined. I've had this in mind for a while, but it became urgent this morning when I found an album and Morgan's baby book in ruins. Lillian had managed to get her destructive and curious little hands on them and ripped them apart! Needless-to-say, I am very upset about this, but more motivated than ever to sort through my photos and do something with them before they are turned into scrap!
So how does scrap affect my life? Well, there's scrap paper - created when my kids find the printer paper and draw on one side, scraps - fed to my dog from my kids' plates - and various scraps of things floating around the house after falling victim to my kids' hands. To be fair scraps are mostly Lillian's work.
My favourite quilts are made from scrap. I tried the quilting thing quite a while ago. It's the solitary work I don't like. If there was a regular gathering to quilt, I'd do it. Especially since I can't really figure out how to fix my sewing mistakes or the machine when I bugger it up.
I'm going to a scrap booking event next month. It's not my very first time trying it out, but I'm hoping to learn more about it. Seems silly to need a class to figure it out, but I really do need a class. I have literally hundreds of photos packed into mini albums, envelopes and boxes to deal with. These are all mostly from before 2005 when I got my digital camera. At least with digital photos, you can keep them on discs (and never look at them again). I wonder how shocked everyone would be if I brought the whole lot to the class...
My photos are precious to me. I need to do something with them to ensure they are not ruined. I've had this in mind for a while, but it became urgent this morning when I found an album and Morgan's baby book in ruins. Lillian had managed to get her destructive and curious little hands on them and ripped them apart! Needless-to-say, I am very upset about this, but more motivated than ever to sort through my photos and do something with them before they are turned into scrap!
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