Hiya

Hiya. How have you been? It's been awhile. I only have time for a quick note to let you know that I am still here. I have three draft posts just waiting for me to find some spare time to wrap them up. Not so much time as spare brain power. I am attempting to deploy my first (somewhat real) app for iOS, Android, and Windows mobile devices. I promise to be back soon.

For those in the states, Happy Thanksgiving! Two women from work celebrated with me last Sunday. A bit of a challenge for me to make my family's traditional Thanksgiving meal as I could not find some of the key ingredients here. Still, enjoyed a lovely dinner and good company. Hope you have a lovely holiday!

Energy

Dark red tones and burnt orange. Those colours fill me with good energy above all others. Is it the same for everyone? A few weekends ago, I took a trip to Loch Ossian. It was a feast of glorious colour. Reds, oranges, yellows, greens, and blues....

How did I do?

After 10 months, what possessions do I miss? I like to think I came pretty light (and I offer up the amount of my stuff that has taken over portions of my parents house as evidence). My deciding factors of what to bring...

• What would I use most here and be the most expensive to replace? Sleeping bag, base set of clothes, camera gear, etc.
• What has sentimental value and would make me feel at home? Photos, gifts, blanket crocheted by my mum, etc.
• What might be hard to find in a new country? Deodorant, favourite soap, etc. - turns out I should have added screwdriver but after zigzagging the city for two days, I managed to locate one.
• What would easily fit into my bag that has convenience value? Dish towels, kitchen utensils, bath mat, etc.

A Look to the West

How do you not get excited about walking into a cottage situated in a brilliant spot with great company? As the weekend approached, I found myself getting nervous. Not about the trip itself. About missing the trip. I am happy to say that I didn't miss the trip. And the experience was much greater than my high expectations.

Balance

For a dancer, you would think I have good balance. Wrong. I have to work at it. I often find myself way off centre; only to be remedied by re-focusing on my core. My core values, that is. Life balance. Sure enough, I have recently let myself get lost in work with no energy left over to maintain a life outside of work. Difference from my younger days is that now I know to keep close attention and take corrective action often. A few planks. Some crunches. Little adjustments to strengthen my core, regain my balance, and give me the energy to enjoy my life.