So, What Have I Been Up To?

I must admit that my dedication to my blog has wavered the last couple of months. I ended up being super busy this winter. So, what have I been up to since the end of October?

First off, I must say that there is a lot that has to be done in the weeks leaving a long time employer. You don’t realize how much your life gets entangled with the corporation until you have to untangle it. After being an employee for so long, it is strange to think of yourself as not being part of the company any more. It was a little disconcerting. I won’t lie. It took time for me to adjust to the schedule, or I should say, lack of, as well as the identity adjustment, in addition to following up with the logistics to sever the ties.

In November, I tore my calf muscle. I wish I could say it surprised me, but it did not. My body was feeling stressed. I didn’t realize how out of sorts I had gotten. I was always so attuned to my body and its needs that I didn’t realize how much I was pushing through things. I am completely convinced that the tear was my body’s way of telling me that it was time to stop. So, stop, I did, and I spent lots of time on the couch with M.

Musically, things started to get busy. I helped out Father Patrick Mercredi Catholic High School with their Remembrance Day service and their Christmas concert. I took over the organ duties at All Saints Anglican Church. I submitted, for the first time ever, a composition to a music competition. I was not selected as a finalist, but I am still proud of my submission.

For my sewing and design, I launched my Level Up Garment Construction program. That started in January. It has been fun to do. There are spots available for participants.

The other big thing I decided to do was to sign up for the Certificate in Adult Learning through the University of Calgary. This was something that I had thought sounded really interesting a few years ago. I took a course at the time to see if it was as interesting as I thought it might be. It was, but work took so much out of me that I just did not sign up for any more courses. Now, I had some extra time, so I thought now would be a great time to do this. And it was. It was exactly what I needed. I actually took four courses this winter and it meant that I ended up being very busy.

At the end of January, I added a fifth course to my commitments. But this one was not with the University of Calgary. This one was with the Royal Conservatory of Music. I signed up for the elementary piano teacher training course. I will confess that I have really enjoyed this course too. I am really glad that I did it. I am into the final assignments for that course, so this time next week, it will be all finished!!

In addition to all that, I have been doing physio for my calf so I can walk normally again. I did some purging of the house. And I continued to be busy musically. In February, I added practices for Holy Trinity Catholic High School’s production of “Legally Blonde”. I started working with the soprano, Akshaya Lakshmi, to support her for her recital at the beginning of March.

In the midst of all this, I started spending time really paying attention to how I feel about all the different pieces of my life. What things do I like? What things fit with me as a person? How do I want my life to look? And probably, even more importantly, how do I want my life to feel? I have learned so much this winter. It is all about clarity. I did so much for me this winter for me to realize that I still have so much to figure out and to decide, but there is now more clarity with regards to some future steps.

So, now I am into the second phase of my post-Syncrude life. This winter was about mental adjustments, while my calf healed. This next phase is about getting my body back in order. It is about spending time sorting out the needs for food and nutrition. I am older now and things no longer work the same as they did.

When I first came to Fort McMurray in 2013, my body felt so good compared to now (and it looked good!). I had a regular exercise routine. I had a plan for how I ate that I actually followed. My body had the movement that it craved and needed. It had the fuel for movement. Most importantly, I listened to its cues and paid attention to them. One of the toughest adjustments when I started working out at site was the early mornings, which meant less sleep and the reduction in movement. It was tough, and yet, I pushed through it like a trooper. I stopped paying attention to my body.

And now, the next few months are going to focus on movement and bringing my body back into sync with my spirit and my psyche. As my energy starts to increase, then I should be in a position to confirm some of the decisions that I have yet to act on or announce. I am pretty certain about the direction of my life, but some of the details have yet to be decided. That is where the magic word - clarity! - comes in. I do have a timeline that I am working against, so it will be truly awesome! 🙂

While I was not employed in the traditional sense in the last few months, I have been super busy. I have been happy and feeling more like myself again. I do not know what the future holds, but I am excited about doing something new.