Boogy woogy jam slam

Awhile I ago I was threatening to bore you all with my tales of training, and then I promptly shut up. Fear not faithful reader, I shall now fill that void!

My friend and I have a pact where in we are required to go to the gym/yoga/workout of choice a minimum of three times per week. For every workout we miss we are required to pay $5. At the end of the month all money gathered will go to a charity chosen by the person who had to pay the most.

So far we have no money and the motivation is paying off.

I started swimming I think my second week here, maybe third week, either way I’ve been at it for at least two months. In those two months I have gone from a workout that looks like this:

Warm up:
100m kick

Work out:
6 x 25m w/20 sec rest

Cool down:
100m kick

Total meters: 350

To this:

Warm up:
50m kick
100m breaststroke

Workout
12 x 25m w/10 seconds rest
4 x 25 meter sprint w/10 seconds rest

Cool down
100m breaststroke
50m kick

Total meters: 700

Not only is it a 100% increase in the number of meters, the intensity has gone up since I am completing the workout in almost the same amount of time. I’ve found that this week my workout is a bit longer than it has been and it could easily get longer but I simply don't have the time during lunch, I will have to start swimming after work instead. Allowing more time will give me the chance to add even more breaststroke. It’s my favourite. I love it. I want to add another 200m, at least. It’s just so much fun to do.

This week I’m going to try to start going to the pool 4 days a week.

Swimming is keeping me sane. Work is so busy and crazy but I go to the pool and everything just falls away. I get back to my desk and I feel like a noodle, an unstressed noodle. It’s great.

As for running and cycling, it’s just not happening right now. My hip and back were really bothering me for quite some time and running and cycling were simply out of the question. Swimming has helped exponentially. I’m now near the point where I can start thinking about getting on the bike. Running is still a long way off, but it will happen. It must.

She blinded me with science!

I've been accepted into a local college for the winter semester.

Now I have to decide: Biology or Chemistry? I can only take one this semester because between the labs, lectures and tutorials they over lap unless I want to take a Saturday course, which I don't. I also have to pay for my trip home and my trip to Vegas so paying for two courses plus textbooks is a bit far fetched for this semester.

I'm going to be a genius.

Lolercopter

Went out on the street today

Lately I've been thinking a lot about why I moved to Calgary. I never thought for a moment that Calgary would solve all my problems, make my life instantly better, or be easy. I was right, but I was also wrong.

Since moving here I've had a lot of time to reflect on the reasons why I left Vancouver, why I needed to get out of that city. I've gained a good deal of perspective. By getting the distance I needed, and gaining a good deal of perspective I've been able to solve a lot of issues I've been dealing with. I'm mentally and emotionally in a way better place than I have been in years. I have a really hard time remembering the last time I was as happy and as involved with life as I am now.

I have a long way to go, and a lot more work to do, but I'm on the right path.

I'm still overwhelmed with the idea of being social, and it's taking some getting used to, but I am having so much fun. I can't remember the last time I was able to go into a social situation and not feel like I was going to have a heart attack.

I've been meeting great people, and I have one friend in particular that is a good and bad influence on me, which is exactly what I need. She makes me spend way too much money on cosmetics, and we have a pact about working out at least three times a week. She introduced me to the salon where I go to look way too fabulous. She makes me go out and party on Saturday nights and talk to random people while drinking more beer than maybe I should. She laughs with me at my stupid dork moments and listens to me when I am so homesick it hurts. She's the friend that is showing me what it's like to live again. Does Hallmark make cards for that?

I'm going home for Christmas and I can't wait. I can't wait to sit and drink pitchers of Mojitos with my favourite North Van resident and catch up on all the news from home, and plan for when she comes to visit me. She was the one that put me on the path to having a life again. I just wish she was here for the ride.

I can't wait to see my parents and show them my new found cooking skills. Who knew I could cook? I'm pretty darn good for a beginner. I can't wait to listen to Big H go on and on and on about something taking about 20 minutes to get to the point, if he hasn't forgotten what the point was in the first place.

I can't wait to hug my mum.

There's a new baby I need to meet.

To take a left turn:

In Calgary they call overpasses flyovers. It took me a while before I could figure out what the hell they were talking about.

Skywalks are +15s. I don't know why they call a +15 a +15, but they do. Once I finally get an answer I will let you all know.

In Vancouver one might say "I'm going out to Toronto" here they say "I'm going down to Toronto" same with Vancouver, it's down. Makes sense I guess, since both are south of here, but I still find it weird.

The weather is no exaggeration. It's just weird. And it's a conversational topic, not just small talk, it's a serious subject.

They have malls downtown that are connected by +15s and unlike say Pacific Centre Mall that is just one big mall, they are separate malls, even though it seems like you are walking through one big mall, and the really weird thing, they aren't all open on Sundays.

People here are oddly friendly and open. It's kinda freaky. I've heard people say that Vancouverites are friendly, but Vancouverites are downright rude compared to the people in Calgary. And apparently the people in Calgary are getting less friendly than they used to be.

I love the CTrain.

Well, I just wanted to make sure I checked in. I didn't want all three of my readers to be left wondering if I had abandoned my blog.