Retail therapy works wonders

My week hasn't been the ideal week, with my main two obstacles being nothing but obstacles...

1. Winter

I'll try not to turn this into I-hate-winter blog, but let me tell you, snow in a big city sucks. For those who have only seen snow in the mountains, who have snowboarded through heavenly powder snow, created snow angels, witness pretty crystals on your gloves... for a big city after a snow storm, it's like that for one day. It is gorgeous, especially if the sun is shining after the storm. I don't manage the shoveling in our household though, and I don't drive here, so I can't give my experiences for the first day of a snow dump.

The day after the snow storm, the simple walk down the road ends up being a hike. Car tires carve these wonderful big hurdle-like ridges that you have to clamber over.

The third day... the third day is pretty depressing. My walk to the gym doubled in time, because the the big-hurdle-like ridges are now great lakes. The Chinese have a saying that says "Stomping in a puddle even when you see it", excuse my Chinese, but it means something like... "jumping into trouble even when you see it" But if we were to take the literal translation, that was me!!!. I see a big puddle , I see the lights change, and I have to grit my teeth and stomp through the puddle just to cross the road. We're not talking about glacier snow here, this is dirty snow on the side of the road that has created a pulp with leftover autumn leaves, and absorbed all the mud and grime from car tires (the stuff that hasn't already landed on me). Crossing the street elsewhere is out of the question, the snow banks are so high you would risk climbing over only to slip on the road in front of a car.

My mesh sneakers was no help, 10 steps down the road and already my socks and feet are soaked. I refuse to wear my lovely winter boots out because they come back with salt from the roads (used to melt the ice) that eat into the leather. My poor shoes.

2. Work (or lack of)

If I haven't explained it before, I haven't been pro actively looking for work in the last month because I need to apply for a work visa at the beginning of January and be legally able to work before I can apply for jobs. Fortunately I had some contacts who kindly referred me to a couple of firms in Toronto that were happy to interview me. This week being the week of bad news, I didn't get either job! One was finance related which I don't have the skills for, nor does it interest me. The second role was HR related - not my core skill, but I did have a little experience that I can expand on, I was really interested in it, and it would have been a welcome departure from IT. But once IT, to a stranger, you will always be IT. I guess now, I really will have to dig out the job sites and start hunting - in the new year anyway. I'm not in desperate times, and I still want to be picky, so fingers crossed I have something lined up before the end of February.

And for those who don't know - I've decided to stay in Toronto. It's a lot easier for me to set myself up, I have friends here, a place to live. I resent comments (although far and few between) that I am giving up and opting for ease and laziness. To be entirely honest, I think I loved telling people that I was moving to the glitzy glamorous city of New York rather than loving the city itself. Five years ago, I would have loved it there, but my last two visits had me wishing that it was a shorter trip. I don't sport the attitude nor the energy to make the most of the place. A great city that I plan to visit often to see my wonderful friends, eat and shop up, but not one that I can call home. Maybe if Toronto doesn't work out, it might be option number 2, we'll see.

So being a long arduous week, finding out that my unemployment status has not changed, I hit downtown - a nice long lunch, and shopping spree. Now I am a proud owner of boots that I can stomp around puddles in, and a nice thick winter jacket that I can snowboard with, but doesn't have an overly sporty edge so I can wear normally. And mission accomplished on Christmas Shopping!!! Retail therapy is great a band-aid to slight depression, well only until the Amex bill comes in.

The calm after the storm

This is what stands between me and food, coffee and bus stop the day after the snow storm =( It might not be obvious, but some piles of snow are almost the same height as me! At least the sun was out and it actually looked quite pretty.

"I'll check with 'rarara' and let you know..."

Replace 'rarara' being your girlfriend, boyfriend, dog or cat.

I used to get that response a lot when I ask friends whether they are free to meet up on a certain day. It used to annoy me to no end when I regularly get the same response from the same people. I figure it's fine to decline an invitation if you have plans already, but if you don't, you're a free man / woman to do as you please, and doing as you please does not need permission from your partner. If they wanted the date, they should have put dibs on it first.

I'm not that harsh on everyone, just close friends who should know better than palming you off instead of telling you the truth - that they have no interest in the event, you're boring, you smell.

However, now that I actually live in the same city as my partner... I find it quite convenient to pull this line out when I want to decline an invite with no valid reason. It's terrible. It's hypocrisy I know - but this is only reserved for desperate times (when invited to see a chick-flick, RnB clubbing...).

Well at least I know now that it wasn't because I smell (I think).

... and another year wiser

It always takes a little trigger for someone to snap out of it and realise that self pity is pointless and there is nothing like planning, purpose and action to get out of a rut. But that's being dramatic.

I'm far from being in a rut, and my birthday was hardly a life changing event. Whether it was just good timing, or it really was a pivot to get over my boredom, I've decided to get off my butt and do something constructive with my time.

So this week is the start of my new gym membership, and I'm proud to say that I spent two hours at the gym yesterday (never mind that half the time was spent in the change room and sauna - love the sauna!). I'm also yet to start the make-over upstairs at Gord's house. It's recently been vacated, and we're using the opportunity to do a few quick-wins with a lick of new paint, change of colour schemes, and bright new lighting.

My other resolution was to get up earlier in the morning - because for someone who complains of being bored, I actually don't have enough hours in the day to the basic stuff I plan to do. And I haven't even started the job hunt yet. So with new additions to my agenda, I'm aiming to get up at 10am - hardly early, but goals need to be achievable, and I'm being realistic. Unfortunately, I'm yet to reach my goal - not sure why, but my eye-lids are so heavy in the morning and my ETA (estimated time for alertness) still hovers around the midday mark.

It's a start, and it'll keep me busy for the next few weeks until I can apply for a work visa in January, and then start looking for work Toronto. The you'll hear a different type of complaining!

'tis the season to be jolly...

I'm not a romantic. I'm a realist. So when I think snow, I don't think soft flurries floating down to squeals of children (god forbid) playing in the yard making frosty the snowman.

I'm thinking... fumbling of gloves, scarves for practicality and not fashion, and how to safely get across the pavement without falling flat on my face (or shoulder popping out of socket) in front of a line-up of cars... because I know what all the bored drivers at the lights will be doing - checking out the pedestrians who are fighting against the wind and clambering over small but lethal piles of snow to get to the side-walk.

I haven't quite worked out what the best approach is... to test with the toes before lowering the rest of the foot when crossing glossy pavements, or to land the whole foot at once for stability. I miss my Merrel outdoor shoes, although they haven't been at all trustworthy in the past, it would do more good here than collecting dust under my bed.

Before the snowstorm hit

Overnight transformation to this

Gord put to work whilst I cheer him on from inside