A Certain Kind of Newness

Well it is officially 2018.  It has been an interesting start to the year.  This was the first new years in a very long time that I was bed ridden sick.  Perhaps the first time ever.  On top of having a common cold, I had a massive reaction to my meds and starting pooing water.  It lasted for almost a week.  I stopped being able to eat, but not for lack of being hungry or trying.  But I was scared to eat, because the end result was so unpleasant.  I also stopped taking my meds and had to go for a check-up to get some new slow-releasing meds.  They are brand name so they never prescribe them first.  But I have a feeling they are going to have a hugely positive impact on my overall health.  I like the idea of meds slowly releasing into my blood throughout the day,  It will probably, hopefully, result in an overall lower blood sugar average.

So I'm all better now, almost all better.  A bit of mucus is kicking around but that always happens.  I ended up losing about 12 lbs of water weight, and when I started eating again I gained 15 pounds almost overnight.  I'm taking this as motivation to focus on my health and fitness.  As soon as I was able I got back to the gym, and I went back again today.  Someone had "reserved" my machine, so I had to branch out.  I hopped on a regular elliptical and it totally kicked my butt. And it also reset back to zero every time you stopped even for a millisecond.  I found that to be very annoying.  I like to stop and catch my breath if my heart is beating too quickly, but losing my spot on the machine is the worst.

I picked up an agenda today so I can keep a hand written food & exercise journal.  Fingers crossed it works out and I can keep it up.  I say keep it up but I haven't even started yet.  I have a consultation with a nutritionist next month and I want to get my food in order.  More planned meals, less food waste, and plenty of delicious new recipes are in my near future.

I have been thinking these past two weeks what my resolutions will be.  I've decided to stick with my current gym.  And work on getting my butt downstairs to our condo gym a bit more as well.  But having a place I can go that is fair sized with a good assortment of equipment is going to be key to my overall health recovery.  For the first new years of my life I'm already a gym member that attends on a semi-regular basis.  I only need to focus on making improvements.  Anyway, there are some usual suspects and a few unusual ones but here it goes:

1. Gym twice a week, and exercise in any other format another 2 days per week.
2. Eat more salad, and raw vegetables.
3. Try more new recipes.  And also better food management.  I would like to adopt a JIT style pantry.  Just-in-time.
4. Learn how to juggle.....this one came to me earlier today.  I think I would like to pick up a few bean bags or juggling balls and take a learning through repetition approach.  This is something I have quietly always wanted.
5. Get back into reading.  One book a month, MINIMUM.  What is wrong with me, one book a month is pathetic but I haven't read a book in over a year.
6. Try to be more creative.  Blog, knit, maybe try drawing a bit more.  Definitely more guitar.
7. Start good habits and keep with them.

That's about it I'd say.  I'm off to try a second Canadian Tire to see if they stock Anchor replacement lids for some glass containers.  The one at Mavis and Dundas said 18 pieces and the shelf was empty.  I actually gasped when I saw there were none left.  What a poor inventory system they have.    They have one more shot.

Oh, and last weekend I ate a diaper.  It went a little something like this:

"What is Lily eating? It looks like bread."

*picks it up*

"It's bread."

*tears it apart*

"It's bread."

*smells it*

"It's bread."

*touches it to my tongue*

"IT'S NOT BREAD"

We finally figured out it was Lily's diaper had burst.  The good news, Sim told me, was that only an unused diaper would maintain the consistency of bread.  She tried to console me with this "good news" but given that I had just had diaper in my mouth I was relatively inconsolable.

2018, I hope you have better things in store for me.