There are so many things I think about when I am out walking that I would love to share – then I get home and get busy.  <sigh>

Last Friday morning, I had a great morning walk – the first in weeks that really felt like I was almost back on track with them.  As the days get shorter, I, like many others, am directly affected and wish to spend much more time in bed than I probably should.  So sleeping in until the clocks finally changed was becoming a dangerous norm.  Now that I’ve got sunlight to awaken me again, my morning walks have a chance at resuming at their prescribed early hour, so that I can get the walk in before too much traffic hits the streets and makes it noisy and too unfun!

As I was on my walk last Friday morning, I felt so compelled to share my little journey through the ups and downs, the busy times and making time for me/ hubby/ and how my life gets a bit crazy if I neglect these important aspects.  There was flowery language, deep thoughts and all kinds of impact filled revelations that were going to be expressed. Then I came home and began sewing and just didn’t do it.

Friday evening rolled around and I was able to head out to a great gig and then a post gig visit with friends that was late, but very enjoyable.

That started a weekend of busy moments bookended by enjoyable social time.

Saturday evening took me to City Hall for a lovely event that went very well, until I realized during my finale performance, my static treatment was inadequate, my system of attachment was not functioning properly and I became a broken winged butterfly for the last half of my song.

Will link up to Eurika’s pics here when she uploads them!

I did my best to recover from it, but moments like that can be so disappointing and full of self recrimination – should haves and would haves that really only help in the “hindsight is 20/20” department.  At least I had great company and we continued on to support a friend at another social event that was a lot of fun.

Sunday took us to Montreal. Family visits with the in-laws are always an adventure, and being there to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday was great.  The live fish being cooked and served to us was a new concept for me, and one I really have to think about in the future { filed under: things that make me consider going vegetarian for real}.  The drive back was punctuated by a quick stop off the highway to deliver a client’s bag of goodies that made her life and mine much easier, and it gave me a quick break from the headlights in the rearview.

Then Fortune smiled and provided a parking space directly in front of our favourite Shawarma place on Dalhousie and @wtl was able to pop in to get us some much needed Lebanese food to round out the international fare of the day – we started with good ole Canadian food { Tim Horton’s}! And Scott Pilgrim Versus the World entertained us as we wound down after a fairly busy weekend.

Thus today = taking time off for me.  I needed my hair trimmed- done.  I wanted to simply write a bit of personal journey stuff – doing that now. I also wanted to do some retile therapy – about to head off to do that shortly as I go pick up some shirts for @wtl.

And I am glad to be able to take some time for me – I love my friends and family, but really do need that quiet time to recharge and take a break from it all.  And when I don’t, I suffer for it – which means those around me suffer for it.

So, a few more hours of me time, then off to teach classes tonight – choreographies are pretty much done, but I need to video tape them for the learning process and then we talk costumes.  Tomorrow night = classes and then a gig.  Next weekend = more gigs and a craft sale.  Each weekend has something booked or the potential of something to be booked.

Monday’s will once again be my time off methinks, making Monday a good day.

Amy, Felicia and ME!

Amy Okuda, Felica Day and Tracey at FanExpo, originally uploaded by WTL-Ottawa.

… Or why I love September….

So, this is one photo from our August holiday – if you click on it, you can see many more and check out our Algonquin photos as well in my hubby, WTL’s sets.

I am a very lucky person.  I have a great husband, I am self-employed doing jobs that i love, and while I still have things to work on [ don’t we all?], I really like where I am in my life and will stop gushing now!

This summer’s holiday adventures included a lot of nooks coming up to join us on our camping trip – and it was so cool.  Each person brought a different element of experience, learning, joy and smiles – and maybe a bit of eyeball exercise – as we all took some time to get to know each other a bit better in a new space and time.

So thanks to all of you for joining us and adding such great memories to our trip.  While @wtl did not post pics of you all, we do have them in our person collections and will treasure those moments!

the list: Mark, Gail, Ramanda and Justin [ on their own site], Kristina and Gabriel, Susi and Chris, Jocelyne, Gailene, Ginny, Glen, Matt and Warren[ on their own site], Alex, Julie and Richard, Megan and Dan – Hope I did not miss anyone!

Thanks to all who so kindly brought us little tokens – be it drinkies, goodies, snackies etc. – all of your generous contributions/ gifts were most appreciated!

We had a wonderful time on our own as well, as we both really needed that down time to relax, sleep, read, walk, canoe, relax, sleep etc.

Once we got back into Ottawa for a couple of days, we really only had time to sort through things, do some laundry and then pack for Fan Expo.  And another great weekend of adventure began with an early morning train ride with @suzemuse and @G_Reg to Toronto!  It was fun meeting the other group at the back of the train – those young pups who had some great knowledge and appreciation of the oldies as well as the new stuff in sci-fi, comics etc.  Claire, Krystin, James? and pink haired girl with the knitting were all great fun to chat with. and to share my baking with!  Recipes later for the vegan oatmeal cookies!

I had a great time meeting so many new people and running into Ottawa folks there – even if it was only for a few minutes in line at the hotel!  And next year we’ll bring more Ottawa folk out to have some fun!

While this post is pretty superficial, suffice it to say that I really appreciate and am grateful for the blessings of August – they always get me good and ready to start my own personal new year in September.

Going back to school is a perpetual part of my life – September always brings on the new round of work/classes[ since I teach now]/and begins a fresh start, especially as the weather starts to cool off – not today I know with this heat wave – but soon!

I am really looking forward to what this season will bring as I begin my new bellywood classes, ramp up my regular belly dance classes and then teach some sewing in October!  and the Dancer’s bazaar return in October as well, only weeks away so much to do for that as well!

I have lots of prep to do over the next few weeks and tonight’s demo will be my first actual sharing of the bellywood stuff, so I hope those who come out will be kind 😉

An hour from now, I’ll meet with my first appointment of the fall, and I still have info to put online and more promo/ marketing work to do for the many things coming up, so I’ll sign off and wish you all a happy First day of September!

T/H

@wtl, my DH, has often said something along the lines of when we take a break, it’s for resting, not doing.  And I think he even broke down the differences in his  own personal views of  the terms, “holiday” and “vacation” – but I couldn’t find it easily on his blog, so I’ll just ramble on with my own thoughts!  He can add his later in the comments 😉

ON my walk this morning – lovely August morning at 17 degrees Celsius with a fair breeze to keep me cool – I was in heaven! – I started to think about the words: holiday and vacation, and wished I could just create a blog post in my mind and send it out from there!  Maybe some day….

Defining things a bit:

Holiday: |ˈhäliˌdā|

• noun: a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done : December 25 is an official public holiday.
• [as adj. ] characteristic of a holiday; festive : a holiday atmosphere.• chiefly Brit. (often holidays) a vacation : I spent my summer holidays on a farm | Fred was on holiday in Spain.
• verb [ intrans. ] :chiefly Brit.spend a holiday in a specified place : he is holidaying in Italy.
• ORIGIN Old English hāligdæg [holy day.]

Vacation: |vāˈkā sh ən; və-|

• noun: an extended period of recreation, esp. one spent away from home or in traveling : he took a vacation in the south of France | people come here on vacation
• [as adj. ] a vacation home.• a fixed holiday period between terms in schools and law courts.2 the action of leaving something one previously occupied : his marriage was the reason for the vacation of his fellowship.
• verb [ intrans. ]take a vacation : I was vacationing in Europe with my family.
• ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, or from Latinvacatio(n-), from vacare ‘be unoccupied’ (see vacate ).

Pretty similar concepts.

I like the idea that vacation comes from Old French/ Latin – “to be unoccupied”.  Considering the time I spend in my brain, does that mean I actually will be vacating that cerebral space while on my break?  Probably not, but definitely exiting certain areas and visiting others in there for sure!

And holiday – a day where no work is done.  That’s where I am headed as well.

Hmmm… maybe based on the classic definitions, it’s merely whatever word you prefer to use, and then choosing your own definition of the break you are taking.

Ambiguous and Wishy-Washy that!

Well, my break will include much of nothing.  And the smatterings of doing will contrast with the extended periods of nothing.

Balance is what I am always seeking, in everything I do, and I think balance in my vacation/holiday will come pretty naturally.

I find an ever present spark of guilt gets me up and moving, and moments of self preservation offset it with a demanding whine that lets me stop and relax for at least a while!

And it takes a lot of work to take a break, whether it’s simply having friends over to visit, or actually taking time off and getting away from it all.

There are always preparations on so many levels and when camping is involved, you cannot let yourself slide into relaxation mode before the tents are set up and ready to house you for X days/weeks etc.

If you relax too quickly, and let things slide [ ie. don’t put the tarps up] that’s when the rain will hit and then everyone suffers.  But put em up right away and it’s all good!WTL used to try to interrupt the momentum that carries me through to the end of any given preparation, now he just does his own thing and keeps up, stepping aside when I am in full steam ahead mode so that he does not get run over!  As do our friends who have camped with us and are there for either set up or take down 🙂 and of course: 

I am actually writing this to help in keeping the momentum flowing …

We still have things to do to get ready for our trip, including trips to see both of our parental units and errands, and last minute tying up of loose ends!  And of course Sunday Brunch before our first real journey begins!

How do you define the breaks you take to recharge, reevaluate, and rejuvenate your spirit/body/mind?

Do you find it more important to go out a do things  – try new activities, explore new places, be out and active, when you take a break from your daily life?

Or do you seek peace and quiet, finding somewhere comfortable and relaxing, where you can simply be, with no pressure to be “doing” anything at all?

What began as a journey into defining what’s a holiday and what’s a vacation, evolved into some fun with Google Images – thanks to everyone out there who tags their photos so that silly folk like me can borrow them for their blogs!

Gonna go run some errands now!

T/H

Only a short while from now, it will seem that I have disappeared… for a while at least.

Occasional personal posts may appear, but for most of the month of August I’ll be avoiding anything that feels, looks, smells, or sounds like work.

And I love my work! But I love my play too, so I am looking forward to some:

Oh, yeah, there will be some seriously effortless Hammocktime!

There will also be some time with friends:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2np1ouK_4w4]

and the return of my inner FanGirl  – who came to life last year for the first time!

So, don’t call, don’t email, feel free to post some comments here, search through my recipes, watch some of my mini lesson video clips and remember me fondly while I’m away and generally take some time for me and @wtl to relax.!

I’ll see you in September!

Oh, and if you want to know about my many classes – check the Class info tab!

MWAH – Hugs to you all!

And check the Dancers’ News for other happenings here in the area and beyond coming up – as well as, please post any news you want to share in the comments area way down at the bottom of the page!

Hey Kids [” kids” is a positive term, reminding us to laugh and play – or act like a baby goat… your choice!]

So, I’ve been going for a morning walk every day – practically- since late January/early February and it’s been amazing.  Some mornings are tougher – cold mornings after a warm spell are killer – it just feels out of order!  I’ve also had a cold the past week so each morning has been a bit slower, but I am still getting out there.

I’ve had a lot going on lately, a lot of changes, a lot of decisions and stuff to process and think about.  The walks help me work out some of the stressful angry talk that should never be said out loud, but I can rant in my head and release it that way.

My walks last about an hour, and the first 10 minutes is often spent thinking, coffee,coffee,coffee… Then after I’ve left Bridgehead, I eat while I walk and start getting my pace set up by the time the last few dribbles of coffee are drained from my travel mug.  The next 20 minutes or so are the ranting time, organizing time, and general rehashing of whatever has been allowed to wreak havoc of my life that week/previous day or whenever!

After that, I usually hit the park nearby – either on my side of the river or the other side, depending on the route I have chosen for that morning.  When the sun shines, like today, it sparkles and dances on the surface of the river and brings me to that happy place.  And finally, I have a little while of really and truly living in the moment and seeing the beauty all around me.

I wanted to share this today as many of my friends are also dealing with a lot in their lives, and well, if this note helps you remember to find your happy place for at least 10 minutes in your busy day, then YAY…