Another activity that is good for my health

I have been fairly busy lately. My ethics proposal has been approved and I am working with my community partner to get my interviews started. I am also busily procrastinating on a directed readings course (I plan on tomorrow catching up! ...no really I will!). There has been major changes in my household not only furniture, but people as well! And I have to say I am liking it so far!
Lately I have begun to feel like I belong, like I have family, like I have home. So part of that feeling has encouraged me to take in more of the community I live in, so with my volunteer work I have added on local hiking with my friend Rob! We take off for five hours or so and find a trail and hike...it's great!
So here are some pictures!

We began with a hike to Paul's Tomb, and this is the view of the bridge (old and new) as well as some wood in the water *hehehe*



I am always impressed with how resilient the natural environment is! This tree is deciduous and growing out of a cliff face! LOVE IT!



Of course Rob and I have to mug it up for the camera!



and I gotta mug it up too!! I am having LOTS of fun with the new camera (new to me!) and I am feeling artistic! In fact I have gotten some pictures that I may have blown up and mounted! MORE ART FOR ME!



Another hike (more of a walk) was in Mission Creek Greenway...so happens that the salmon are beginning to spawn. We intend on going back quickly to see them before our next hike. Right now there is only a few of them. Spawn fish, spawn! *smile*



Of course we have to mug it up again! Woot for beautiful mugs like ours!



And here is my artistic attempt that I think I may have blown up and hung on one of my walls! I like overhanging trees and curving paths! Seems metaphorical to me! Hmm, too many drugs in my younger days? Nah!

It has been awhile, I continue to remain

I have been working really hard lately. Getting my head on straight, gathering up my life and finding out what is important to me. I have found my strengthes and the places where I need to become stronger. I also have returned to my friends and to my heart.

I have been on a great ride. I feel that turning 30 is the best life progression ever! I will give into the reality that turning 30 and being incredibly happy about it couldn't have been done if I didn't take charge of my life. I know that some could argue that I have been in charge of my life since conception, how otherwise could I have made it this far? However, I haven't been. I have been waiting on others, waiting for approval, following footsteps that weren't carved by me and as much as I abhor guilt, I allowed it to rule me, even in my twenties! I have had been privileged to learn some incredibly valuable lessons in my life and more recently I have learned how important I am...something I didn't quite understand until now.
So what have I done with all of this? I have mended me, and one of the ways of mending is getting healthy. I have been eating differently (vastly differently). I have chosen meals that I know I can maintain for the rest of my life and even enhance as more choices open up! I am lucky that there is a great farmers market in Kelowna and that Quality Greens has great variety in fresh produce!
I have also added regular exercise to my daily routine, with the goal to make long distance bike rides in the valley...a goal I have reached and I may be able to maintain!
So where has this gotten me? I have lost a total of 31 pounds and plan to lose approximately another 20. I feel that will bring my overall health to a place where I will be comfortable and also affirmed that finally acknowledging that I am putting myself and my health first!
With that said, here are some pictures from my most recent biking adventure. There are more, but these are the ones that I found to be the most 'eye-appeasing'. Great memories and great goals to inspire myself with!

Oh Africa, your beautiful children who we don't hear cry!

I have finished watching a documentary called "Invisible Children". I find myself once again in that place where I know I live luxuriously in a country and on a continent that shields me from such violence, heartbreak and knowledge.
I have had the opportunity early in my academic career to be exposed to Apartheid history and literature. I swiftly became entranced by what I was learning and disenchanted with my own country. I often have mixed feelings about being North American, about being Canadian. The definitions that are widely accepted, adopted and celebrated don't seem to fit with me, or I should say they don't sit easily with me. Especially when I am confronted daily with domestic scenes of violence, discrimination and exclusion. In addition, I am now exposed to another body of violence, discrimination and exclusion in another country, and my country's leaders know about this, my country's media knows about this and yet the civilians are largely oblivious! I also know that my government has in several different ways condoned and participated in South Africa's Apartheid, and I can from there make the leap to believing that the whole of Africa has in some way been victimized by my country, even if it is with our silence.
I recently checked out job postings and volunteer efforts for Africa. I don't know if I have a strong enough character to go, but I feel I want to. What do I do though when I am there? I truly hope that eventually in my life I will see Africa, and I hope that however I arrive there I will make use of my time and my body to be of some kind of assistance.
For now, I continue to live in Canada, enjoy the freedom of learning, living and expression.
If anyone is interested here is the link to the documentary I just watched http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=3166797753930210643&q=invisible+children&total=998&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
The show is just under an hour long, it is inspiring and heartbreaking.
I also know there is a place to legitimately donate and also by passing along the message and the documentary we all are in some way bringing attention to a very quiet atrocity!

I am thirty and thrilled!

Finally! I had reached a point in my life where I am happy to celebrate a birthday, and how wonderful that it is was my thirtieth!?!? And everyone was amazing and I had the best time of my life...so here is the evidence of my bliss!
The speech:
"Welcome to my 30th birthday celebration and thank you for coming and sharing this evening with me!
Some of you have known me for years and some have only known me for months. I have never enjoyed birthday gatherings. As some of you know birthdays for me have been a struggle. However this celebration is different. This birthday is a milestone that marks more than an age for me. All of you present know that this last year of my twenties has been momentous because I committed to furthering my academic pursuits and I have also struggled with personal problems.
I have been able to rise to the top and discover a strong community, which is strongly represented here tonight. Everyone who has been invited has had a part in helping me grow, achieve and overcome my past struggles. For the first time in my life I want to celebrate, and as much as it is about turning 30 it is more about you, my friends, who are sharing this day with me.
I am keenly aware of the strength of community. In fact it is my lament that the sense of community is often overtaken by the popular mantra of individualism. In my life I have been raised by community, nurtured by community, taught by community and come to learn the meaning of family through community. And because of community I have more than hope, I have knowledge that my thirties and my life will be rich and purposeful!
Every single one of you here tonight, is a facet of me and thank you very much for being in my life and being my community!"

One goal, NEXT!!

I had made biking to Vernon by the end of summer my goal. That was two months ago, and finally I actualized my goal...well within ten kilometres. I made it to the Kal look out just before the Okanagan Kal Campus.

I thought I had the best plan. Wake up at 4:30am, make salad, pack nuts, fill all water carrying containers, have a glass of soy milk. And really, it wasn't a bad plan, I even added stopping at Winfield to buy Gatorade (just for you Belva) and some protein bars and three extra waters. I was rocking up the free world! (okay, 'free' is used rather loosely here, since there is no such thing)

I was nervous about the stretch between Winfield and Oyama, the shoulder is narrow and as I found out at 6am the semi's really ZOOM by all willy nilly! I wish someone could have taken a picture everytime one flew by me on that stretch, my face went wide and I let out a *whoop* of exhilaration and excitement that the driver saw me and didn't hit me!!
Note to anyone who wants to do this, early morning is great because it is much cooler and there are fewer cars on the highway...however what is out in abudance is little fricking gnats (may be some other kind of bug, but I am not a bug person) SWARMS of them and you do not see them until they are splatting on your face and one bugger got in my throat! While I appreciated the protien boost, I did not appreciate the next five kilometres of choking!! And there was nowhere to stop cause the buggers were EVERYWHERE!!

On the way to Vernon I reached Klub Kalmalka, a campground, and I felt then I had gone too far and needed to turn back, but I could see the hill that meant Vernon was just on the other side and I kept pushing! I barely made it to the lookout, but it certainly was worth it, sadly I was too dazed to really appreciate the view. A serving of salad and a energy bar and two bottles of water later and the life was back into my brain and my body! I turned back and went to Kelowna! Six hours later, three stops, and five butt breaks (the butt needed them, trust me!) and I returned safely home and slightly sunburned, but nothing too serious! The picture of me below does NOT show how red faced I am, or how wobbly my legs are...but I am beaming and ready for whatever else this day wants to bring me!