New Shenanigans

It's been just over a year, about 54 weeks, since I started this blog. I started the blog as a 'joke diary' - a way to keep track of all the funny things that happened to me and my friends as we became healthier during our journey through TriClub.

Well, our journey through TriClub lasted about 4 months and we were awesome at it. We did everything we could and had a great time. But work commitments became a little too much and then we didn't go back. Then summer happened, and we didn't go back.

Procrastination, "I'll do it later!" sets in.

My, how time flies; and 'later' never really gets here.

So, as Jenny put it, "We are fat and we are gonna die because we eat too many cheeseburgers and chicken wings and pizza."

I assume that is true and is still going to happen. My intake of the latter two items has been the same but I still don't eat cheeseburgers. I tried to have one today and they are just not my thing.

We did not only TriClub but we also tried the Ideal Protein diet. We didn't succeed at that; it wasn't the right choice for us. We didn't think we were fussy but apparently we are - if it doesn't taste like pizza and wings, we don't want it, I guess! Meanwhile, that food plan has worked wonders for many people!

So, we have success: in just over a year, we made great progress: we found what worked and what didn't work for us. There were a few other things we wanted to try but never really got around to them. Those plans are for another day / year.

I don't know what shenanigans we will get into this year. It's still early. There is no rush.

We are throwing ourselves wholeheartedly into our jobs hardcore and we are making serious progress, despite one student telling Jenny that she is 'softer than a bag of puppies.' My students tell me I make them write too much. God forbid you should have to write in English class!

Life is too short not to laugh, not to have fun, not to enjoy the day.

Misery breeds misery, doesn't it? In 54 weeks, we found that to be true. Get it out, and move on.

So... worry about the good stuff too much?

Nah, enjoy it all in moderation!

What to do, what to do...

It's nearly Spring.

The temperature is hovering around 0, and I am able to bring my 7 lb, flimsy, "I am not walking very far through all this snow and ice" dog out for longer than 3 minutes.

There is also a dude racing his dirt bike on the ice/snow on The Snye. I would take a picture but he is too fast for my iPhone.

There are huge trucks fixing the ice here, maybe getting ready for the annual Shootout on the Snye, or another community activity in winterPLAY.

It's a beautiful, beautiful day.

People are sitting in their vehicles with the windows down, eating lunches, drinking coffees, chatting, walking their dogs, and racing around on their sleds. Harley loves all the excitement.

This place, The Snye, reminds me of my NL home. In NL today, in my area at least, it's snowing heavily and if the wind gets stronger, it will be a storm. A cozy, stay-at-home day, to say the least.

Our northern Alberta, Fort McMurray winter has been wonderfully strange. There have been few cold snaps and it's been unseasonably warm. No complaints here!

A raven sits outside my vehicle, and it is slightly larger than Harley. They are watching each other, it seems, and Harley is trembling. I don't know if he is overcome with excitement or fear. The raven, no doubt, thinks the fluffy white breathing animal is a potential food source.

Soon, Spring will be here and it will turn to Summer. Fort McMurray will turn into a busier hive of activity. It will be hot and louder and there will be more people here. There will be even more to do, more walks to go on, more treats to have.

Ok, now there are 2 ravens... Better throw out some fries before Harley starts looking too tasty :)

It's Been Awhile...

I got wrapped up in a few things.

The Road to Home

Days of December

When I got back to Home #2, I decided: I'm going to be a better... everything.

The Snye in Fort McMurray

I didn't forget to write, I just wrote other things.

Keys to Life

I also cooked some things, made some things, baked some things, pinned some things on Pinterest, learned some things,

made this for my school site!

and took pictures of some things.

Tea, anyone?

I put some of those pictures on Instagram - this sweet little photosharing phone app. I like photoshopping stuff, and I just like looking at things in different ways, through different 'lenses' so to speak.

I like to make it new.

this is how I make it new, lol

You can see my photos on Followgram through my username, teresina7, and you can sign up for Instagram to do the same. It's fun.

Try it. You might like what you see. You might become a little photo-blogger...

Rainy Day Treasures

Phlogger? 

I dunno 'bout it.

AND....

"Everybody, everybody..." (just 'cause I like it new), "... kids, look at these crayons, I make ART!"

Be better at whatever it is you do.

Works in Progress

I had some great visits with some great kids this week. I wish everyone could see kids the way we teachers get to - we see the bad and the good; we see whole personalities wrapped up in ragtag, wild, confused packages.

Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog (C. D. Friedrich)

I've known some of the 'meanest' kids to stick up for others who were getting bullied and I've seen those same kids getting bullied themselves by kids & adults. Those same 'bad' kids also snuggle with small animals - they need love and show love where it is shown to them.

At the end of the day, they're just kids. They are society's greatest works of art: they are what we produce through our choices and words and actions. We make them what they are.

Blame them for their behaviour? Why? We taught them how to be who they are, didn't we? They are simply products of their society, just as we are.

They make choices based on what they know, and their experiences. Teach them better. Help them make better choices.

People will give back to you what you give to them. If you treat someone badly, you make it difficult for them to treat you well.

There are lots of 'broken' people in the world. You can't change other people but you can change how you approach them. Accept them and the situation, or not. Make things better, or worse. The choices available are pretty clear.

Teens don't think the same way adults think - their brains aren't fully developed yet. They need guidance, just as we once did. It's hard to remember that.

They are works in progress - you can appreciate the process or go crazy trying to understand it. Why bother?

Appreciate.
Teach.
Learn.
Do it better.
Produce quality work - it's worth the time and effort.

And no, I'm not a parent, but I was a kid, once upon a time. And I have a thing or two to do with kids, once in awhile.

Their repeated visits make it worth my time and effort.