Ritualistic planning!

The count down is on! 13 more days until we leave for Cuba. This will be our 5th time visiting this resort and we love it. Even better, every year that we go we can better plan based on what we know to expect there. This is our one week per year completely alone to enjoy ourselves.

For some reason this year I have been really concious of the planning and being very intentional around what I do to get ready. As soon as we booked the trip we agreed to each drop 10 pounds.  We also agreed to be thoughtful in what we bring as gifts this year and equipment we need to stay busy. So I started packing right away.

It has been about two weeks since we booked the trip and this morning I realized some things about myself. With my recent "diagnosis of lupus" I have to be more concious this year and I somehow just seem to intrisically use person centered thinking tools to help me plan.

What is Important to me about this trip:

• alone time with Mike, sunrises, walks, exploring, BEACH
• staying active and not getting bored as we have in the past
• getting lots of sun, coming home tanned and full of vitamin D
• having a few....... drinks each day
• wearing my two piece bathing suit; never having to wear a one piece
• feeling like I can wear a two piece
• that my kids are safe and well cared for while I am away
• RELAXATION
• giving to the people who serve us well
• a good game of tennis
• to talk with locals and build relationships
• to pretan in the tanning bed to get ready

What is Important For me on this trip:

• to take my medication
• to avoid sun light, any UV lights
• to avoid sulphites of all sorts (red wine especially)
• to eat well
• to stay active, find energy to keep up with Mike
• to keep anxiety to a minimum
• to smile and not look so grumpy so people are not discouraged from talking to me
• to not drink with my medications
• avoid the "blood sucker beggers"

Good luck with all of that combined...sooooo!

Here's my balance:

• An all inclusive resort - i refuse to give up my daily drinks; but there is great potential that I will get very sick drinking with my medications...so I am going to cut down to my morning dose only. We get up at 6 am, I can take it then and then have drinks later in the day and I should be just fine. I will have to deal with increased pain and neuropathy but I am willing to do that. It's my choice and it's only one week.
• A beach resort and I love my sun - i refuse to give up my sun and my pretan routine so I am pretanning and dealing with the sores and rashes I get, I will take a really good sunscreen recommended by other "lupies" but I will NOT cover up and, being my choice, I will deal with the consequences.
• We will plan our days (me conciously, Mike just goes along with me) around my needs; meds in the morning - go for a walk, head to beach about 10 am when my "zoned out, sleepy" time comes over me. Once we have drank all day and sit down to relax about 6 my "sunrash" should come over me and it will be time to head to the room to shower and get ready for dinner, by 7 my rash should be mild enough (and its dark enough) that I can go out in public again without embarrasing my husband.
• I am watching what I eat and exercising before I go so I look ok in a two piece suit....losing weight is not important to me....looking good in a two piece and avoiding feeling like I should cover up in a one piece is VERY important to me. (makes me feel younger)
• I am going to make more of an effort to meet people and commnicate this year
• I am bringing gifts for specific people this year and some extras instead of just randomly leaving hygiene products.....showing my appreciation to those who I have missed and who have served us well over the years is important, they deserve it. We have been able to identify some of the people who steal and beg and they get nothing from us.
• my kids are going to places that they are comfortable and safe with good people that I trust to take care of them as I would.

What about Mike? Well I know that:

• getting up early and seeing the sunrise is important to him
• being very physically active all day, tennis, walking, swimming, fishing, snorkelling, jogging is important to him
• not spending too much time sitting on the beach is important to him, walking is fine
• my health is important to him
• beer all day and wine at night is important to him
• getting dressed up nice for a nice meal is important to him

I am trying to plan to accomodate both of us purposefully this year. It seems weird, different but awesome. There is something about being concious of both of our needs that makes everything run smoother and makes me feel much more prepared.

The difference is immeasurable for me. Paying attention to the little things. Dreaming big and planning small. Small steps make the biggest difference.

It's about enjoying life. Knowing myself and what I am willing to balance to make things work well for me and those around me.

I'm going to have my trip and enjoy it too! Hola!

 

Political unrest around education of children?

**Disclaimer: I FULLY SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THEY GIVE OUR STUDENTS** and I realize that as parents we don't have all the information necessary to form a truly educated opinion.....but here is my opinion from what I have read and experienced!

Last week I noticed how the teacher/government negotiations or lack there of are affecting my children's education. Mostly my daughter who needs support in staying on track and encouragement to keep working hard. Due to the political situation the teachers are not posting marks on the student tracker so I cannot see her progress. This has been essential to her success for the 1.5 years she has been in high school. Also, she has weekly tutoring support to prepare for Grade 10 Math. Math is like a foreign language to her. Due to the political situation she has been prevented from doing her tutoring in the school after hours. These are MAJOR issues that can make or break her success in Grade 10.

I know the union wants me to blame the government and the government wants me to blame the teachers. Well honestly I think you are all missing something. There is always a way to negotiate and come to a compromise without leading to unrest like this. It is not fair to the students and the government and union are both to blame.

Last week my friend; who is also my son's teacher posted this to help educate parents http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/monitor/putting-students-first-doesnt-mean-putting-teachers-last#.UPNOQD4n8nQ.facebook . I really appreciated the information. It helped me understand the situation a bit better. Here are my thoughts:

1. Teachers should be hired because they are dedicated to the profession, not because it is a secure, good paying job. I love my job and senority is not something I even think about, I just do my job and appreciate how lucky I am. I respect that some would be concerned with senority.

2. If they really pay out of pocket for their sick time, it's theirs nobody has a right to take it away. They get to keep it. If it is sick time accrued monthly just for working......the employer gets to negotiate it. I get 10.5 hrs per month just for going to work, it's free and I don't abuse it, I am lucky to have it. If I were paying for it I might be more inclined to use it.

3. 3% for cost of living annually? Who gets that? I think my husband (a truck driver...essential service to our economy) has recieved 3% in the past 10 years of his employment with the same company. If he is sick, he doesn't get paid, if he takes time off he doesn't get paid....he is paid out vacation pay twice a year. This is a benefit that I believe teachers work hard for however they are very lucky to have it.

4. Teachers have one of the toughest jobs there is....they should be well compensated and appreciated. They also need awareness of the situation other Ontarians are living and appreciate the level of income and security they have. Maybe there is room for negotiation.

5. Putting children first is not happening on either end, both sides are cheating our kids and these kids are the future of this province. What are we teaching them? If we don't get what we want we just stop working/we impose rules that limit rights? We can treat our employers/employees poorly and ask for others to support us?

6. Saving two billion dollars? This one makes me laugh....like a full on belly laugh. Lastnight I read Macleans magazine....99 ways the government wasted our money in 2012.....they gave over $800,000...THATS EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND...to Cargill Meats to try to make a NON EXPLOSIVE SAUSAGE and said that this was essential to the future prosperity of our province. Seriously, give the money to the teachers, they are essential to our future prosperity.

I know that there are teachers out there that just want to work and are so tired of this process. They really want to just teach our kids in a way that supports the very best outcomes for them.

I pay my taxes, I want the best education for my kids. The government and the union owe us that. Both government and union are saying they are putting our kids first....they are both lying. They are putting their pocket books first. They need to visit schools and talk to kids about this issue, they need to live in our homes and see the struggles. Start walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

And that's my opinion.

Perspective

A new year, a new perspective.

Every year I bid adieu to the past year and welcome whatever the new year may bring; wondering what does this year have in store for me?

Not this year.

I did say goodbye and look back on last year, counted my blessings. This time instead of welcoming the new year with uncertainty, excitement and even concern for what the year may hold......I welcomed it with full anticipation of achieving everything I have in my plans for the year.

What a difference.

I know that it is more work because I have to commit to actually working toward my goals. I want them bad enough that I will work for them. I will work with passion and excitement and appreciate whatever the results. I plan to make my plans for this year happen, I will no longer wait for what is "planned for me".

Whatever happens, happens is an ok perspective when it comes to those things we don't have control over. I acknowlegde that this year will bring some things I didn't plan or won't have control over....heck the year has already done that in the first 7 days....it's ok I will deal with it all as it comes.

Whatever happens, happens is not a beneficial perspective when it comes to waiting for the life I want. It is not going to come to me, I have to go get it.

I will set my goals, record my actions, do the work, practice patience and trade expectation for appreciation. It will be hard work and each action may take me in a direction I would never have imagined. At the end of the year I may not be where my goals anticipate taking me but I will be wherever I end up. It will be a good place because I will have intentionally taken myself there instead of waiting for whatever may happen and wondering "what if".

This year the universe is saying "what does she have in store for her?" Well I can't tell you yet but I will share as  we go through the year.