Well hello everyone, it’s been awhile since I’ve last posted on this blog.

December was a busy month with work functions to attend, client parties to attend and even friend’s party to attend. December was also a month of reflection, where I’ve been, what I’ve accomplished and where I want to see myself headed towards. December also saw us frantically getting our place organized for my niece’s arrival in January (she’s here for a full year studying at Blanche MacDonald).

So I promise to get things going again here on this blog. I’ve already have a few ideas lined up on some posts and I always love getting ideas from PR firms that pitch me (though I have failed a few these past couple of months). So thanks for sticking around and seeing me through a “dry spell”.

It’s not often in our lives we reach great milestones. Today is one of those live milestones for me. 10 years ago on this day I packed up what little I had; a suitcase, 2 big boxes which housed my computer back then, and headed on a plane to new adventures in the West Coast.

This was to be an experiment. I was going to give it at least 3 months to see if I could make a life here. The only person I knew coming here was Russ and moving in together was scary as hell for the both of us. Now 10 years later I couldn’t think of my life any differently. Things just played well off each other and continued to blossom from there. We have a wonderful home in trendy Yaletown. We have 2 amazing pets – Junior and Syd (but we will never forget Chelsea).

I have amazing friends that have stuck with me through out this whole journey are still very important members of my inner circle. They have helped me in so many ways that I am so thankful for.

The only drawback to my move was moving so far away from my family. This past year has really showed me how important they are to me and how much I love them and miss them.

So Vancouver thank you for making my last 10 years here so wonderful. You have helped me grow up into a responsible adult. You have shown me amazing things. Your beauty is outstanding and no one can take that away from you.

It’s official, I’m no longer on holidays.

I know it’s sad to some of you out there that I’m no longer in warmer weather, that I’m no longer just taking it easy, and that I’m no longer not thinking about work. Yes I’m now slowly settling back into my routine.

I have to admit I had hoped to have have blogged more when I was away. I have a few more posts that I have to write up and share my experience of the many areas of Buenos Aires as well as including a write up of my day trip to Montevideo Uruguay. Those posts will come in the next week or so. I have some great memories to share about the trip and some new appreciation for where I’m from.

In the interim I have a few other items that I will be blogging about shortly. I have an interesting contest coming up, and I’m late in getting that one off the road as well, but it’s coming. I also am thinking of starting up an editorial style calendar so I can be more consistent on this blog. I’ve been seeing that as a trend this year for bloggers to keep them on track and making it easier to produce content.

My calendar has also started to fill up again this month and I have a few events already scheduled for this week, so hopefully you will see me out there again.

So hopefully you are all happy to see me back, I know Junior sure is and Cyd is coming home later today.

WOW, it’s hard to believe that 9 years ago today I packed up my bags in Toronto and boarded a plane to Vancouver to begin my new life. Boy 9 years can sneak up on a guy without warning and BAM there it is.

It’s been an amazing journey that I wouldn’t change for anything. I’ve created a great home here with Russ. We have 2 amazing pets, Syd and Junior. I have made so many great friends that have helped me grow both professionally in work and through my volunteering, personally by growing deeper into my photography, as well as my writing through my blog. I have truly grown up in the past 9 years!

What am I going to be doing on my 9th year anniversary? Not sure exactly, but what ever it is will be spent with great people who have meant so much to me.

Thank you all for these past 9 years!

Thanks everyone for making my 9 years in Vancouver so memorable.

Lately things have been stressful in both work life, volunteer life and home life. I’ve been working harder than I ever have these days that I sometimes forget what day it is or what I have to do in the coming days. Don’t get me wrong most of what I’m doing is actually enjoyable and I’m learning a ton, but I feel that I’m starting to neglect some aspects of my life that I think I’m going to need help in gaining control.

This is why I going to be starting with Jennifer Priest, a personal coach, to hopefully gain a better control of my life and get me focused and helping me concentrate on aspects that are important to me. I’ve met Jennifer through Third Tuesday events, and always enjoyed chatting and just connecting. I’ve also seen the great work she has done with some of my friends and their lives have changed and they are now flourishing.

I think I need that focus now, I need to determine what is best for my interest now.

I’m also looking at going to a Registered Dietitian, to help me out on the nutritional side. With Russ having to have a low sodium diet, I thought I would have benefited as well this past year, but I haven’t seen any improvement, if anything I’ve been feeling more sluggish. I think I’ve been putting talking to one for far to long now.

So even though I’m probably going to be working harder than I ever have, I think I need to start focusing more on me in the coming months. I think this will make sure that my life is more fulfilling and that I truly am keeping things simple.

During my recent trip to the doctors, I began to wonder how much I should be telling my doctor above and beyond why I’m there for initially. I mean, should I be telling him about the headache I had the night before, should I be telling him what I ate, should I be telling him about the pimple, when it’s say my finger I’m there for him to take a look at? How do we know if something we felt is actually a symptom or just something normal and unrelated.

As I was talking with my doctor these questions came to my mind. Some doctors are smart enough to ask you some particular questions that get you to state your symptoms. But others will just take down the notes from what you divulge.

How much do your reveal to your doctors right away? Do you wait for him to ask those questions to help guide you?

Today I’ve turned 41 and what an AWESOME birthday it has been!

Both of my sisters (Maria and Gladys) with my niece Amanda flew in from Toronto to spend this birthday weekend with me!  It has been 8 years since all of us siblings have been together for a birthday – 8 years! My sister Maria and my niece have never visited Vancouver before and this was their first real experience of the city. Vancouver you have not disappointed with your beauty and you have captivated them.

We started the day taking my sisters on a tour of Stanley Park, showing the city’s beauty, and then walking along Robson Street which they all heard about during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. As typical tourists we stopped by many of the landmarks made famous from the Games. Alas I didn’t have my camera with me, but did take some with my sister’s camera. I’ll have to upload them another day.

The evening was spent at one of my favourite restaurants in Vancouver – Poncho’s. As usual, they did not disappoint. They even through in a great dessert and sang to me as it was my birthday!

The only thing missing was having friends share this magical moment with me as well. I know everyone has been busy and other parties where planned, but I hope I’ll be able to see them in the next weeks to help celebrate.

I go to bed with great memories of a wonderful day!

Thanks everyone who sent me messages on Facebook and Twitter; they have meant a lot to me!

I’ve been sick since Tuesday morning, even after I have been using hand sanitizers as well as washing my hands frequently (either that 0.01% of the germs made it through or I’m terrible at hygiene).

For me all colds/flu usually start off the exact same way and I’ve broken them down for you below.

Day 1
I wake up with an scratch on my throat. Sometimes I wonder if it just from my snoring the night before, but I quickly learn it is not the case. I then begin to develop the aches and the fever shortly follows. The scratchy throat becomes irritated as the day progress and I don’t have an appetite and even though I know need to keep my fluids up, I usually fall short and try to rest and sleep it off.

Day 2
I usually wake up from bed soaking wet from my sweating all night long. I always think this is a good sign as my fever finally breaks and I’m on the road to recover. By mid afternoon I realize I was totally wrong and my fever has returned. My cough continues to annoy me but I know it’s only a matter of time before it will go away.

Day3
My sore throat is almost all gone, but I start to develop a stuffy nose. As usual I try to fight it off, but after a few hours of the sinus pain and the occasional runny nose, I must take a decongestant. Alas for some reason when I start taking a decongestant, I notice my voice begins to change. One would think it would have been due to the coughing, but I believe it has something to do with the sinus medication and my throat usually begins to get very dry. Now if I’m lucky enough I get a decongestant that doesn’t cause drowsiness, but I don’t I find I’m knocked out very quickly and need to rest.

Day 4
I usually wake up with a cold sweat from the night before. My voice is very limited, if not gone at all. Through out the day my sweats come and go and if I’m still on the decongestants I’m cursing that they are not working at all or I begin to over medicate myself and become very tired and irritable.

Day 5
My symptoms have lesson and I’m usually start to feel better, almost like Day 1, though I still get the occasional sweat outbreak. I begin to weed myself of the medication and suffer through any sinus pain I might have. My voice starts to return and feel I don’t have to yell as much as before.

Day 6
This day brings the first normal feeling day and I’m extremely excited that I’m officially over this damn cold/flu

Today I’m on Day 4. I’m longing for Day 6 to hurry up and get here, but I’m a trooper and sticking it out. Tomorrow is a big day for me and I need to be completely healthy for it.

How could I have forgotten, that 8 years ago yesterday, I stepped out of a plane in Vancouver with just my luggage and computer and set up roots here. I blame the fact that I have been fighting a flu/cold for a week.

At any rate time has flown by so quickly over the past 8 years. I really can’t believe it has been that long that I’ve called Vancouver my “home”. During those 8 years I’ve grown at work, purchased a condo (before the big boom luckily), created some great friendships, adopted Junior, grew professionally, and have began to really make a name for myself in the marketplace. The one constant I’ve had is Russ. Without him I don’t think any of this would have been possible. Russ has truly been my greatest supporter and still challenges me every step of the way.

So what that Vancouver gets a lot of rainy days in the winter (A LOT!!), who cares that Vancouver has been labelled a “no fun city”, I have grown to love Vancouver. I love being close to the water and enjoy the many places yet to be explored.

So what I am going to do to celebrate my 8 years? I’m not sure, but most likely just enjoy a great dinner out and then relax and nurse this flu/cold.

Thanks to all my friends over the past 8 years. You all have truly welcomed me and I look forward to many more years.

I don’t know what it is, but it seems that every time I’m about to go on holiday, or am on holiday I develop a cold. Two years ago to Puerto Vallarta; tonsillitis, last year vacation to Toronto; cold, January’s trip to Buenos Aires; cold.

I’ve been coughing and stuffed up since Saturday.  Could this be a way for my body to tell me to just rest? Could it be that my body wants stress so it “creates” this cold? I dunno what it is, but boy it’s no fun.

I’m trying not to let this cold get the best of me. I’m fighting it with everything I got. I’m not letting it stop me from getting outside and enjoying this vacation.I know the end is near for this cold, but it better be soon! You hear me cold – get lost, go find another body to infect.