A new year, a new adventure, a new plan

Winter Storm at Neck Point Park

It has been a long time since I post here and a lot has changed and developed since then! I've spent a lot of time reflecting on what the future will bring personally and professionally. I've considered how much time I will spend away each year and how much time I have left to make memories with my father. While a little reflection is good for the soul it can also be bloody depressing!! The end result? Well it's time to make some changes!

All someone needs to do is take a look at the photos that I've posted throughout my various blogs and you'll see that I've had a long battle with weight! Sometimes I feel like Oprah... just without all the money!!! That's the first thing that needs to change - I need to stop defining myself by the size of my waist and start focusing on the need to be healthy and happy with the person that I am. I bet you're wondering "how's that going"? Well it's a daily struggle to make better choices but I've recently learned that its more about 'being in control' and 'being organized' than anything else! I rejoined weight watchers because it is a program that helps me be in control and organized!

A little less of me!

Other changes? Well I'm moving again! For those who've known me for years this won't come as a surprise - I tend to move a lot! Since graduating from high school in 1992 (I know a long time ago!) I've lived in 15 different places (excluding moving for summer breaks from University)! Heck, in the 3 1/2 years that I lived in Edmonton I lived in 3 different places!! This time the move is for a different reason. Given that I'm intending to spend a couple of months a year in Ghana or elsewhere, and that when home in the summer months I'm either in Deep Bay, Toquart Bay (a.k.a Salmon Beach Recreational Village), or up at Lasqueti, it simply doesn't make sense to rent a two bedroom place in Nanaimo for 12 months a year when I really only there about 8 1/4 months a year!! The original plan was to put my stuff into storage and then find temporary accommodations each year (work year) but my mom had a better idea (I know! It happens!) - she wondered if I would consider moving back to their place!

I know what you're thinking - why would I want to move back in with my parents! That screams "single girl for life" and "40 year old virgin" (sorry dad but that boat sailed a while ago and I'm also not that close to 40 yet!). Well I'm thinking that right now it's a win - win! My parents have a great place right by the ocean so that's pretty cool (I can walk my kayak to the beach!), as my dad's illness progresses I'll be around to help out my mom, and best of all... I get to spend some serious time with my dad during the times that I'm not away! This may end up being a failed experiment in family dynamics but we're going to give it a go! Just remember my warning every time I move... write my address in pencil as I'm sure to move again soon!

At some point the head comes out of the sand!

Other changes? Well professionally I'm working at restarting a research program - something that's been stagnant (dead?) since I finished my PhD. I am slowing working towards the direction but think that I may have found it today! I'm currently working on two conference abstracts (both due next week of course) - the first is for a rural tourism conference in 108 Mile House, BC and the second is for the ATLAS Africa conference in Kampala, Uganda. While working on these and thinking about the 'outputs' (love academic terms) for my release this term it struck me that what I've become most passionate about is the role of women in community development - particularly women's roles in community-based tourism development and micro-businesses. I haven't fully formulated this new direction but I'm really starting to get excited - almost feel like a student again!

The other big happening in my professional world are the plans for this year's research and study tour to Ghana! I booked the tickets today and I have to say that my travel itinerary is outrageous!! Even weirder was using my own travel plans as a example to teach travel patterns and destination types to students from my Tourism Destinations class! Anyway here's the flight plan: May 1 leave Vancouver, Can for Accra, Ghana (via London, UK); June 3 leave Accra, Ghana for Entebbe, Uganda (via Nairobi, Kenya); June 10 leave Entebbe, Uganda for Nairobi, Kenya; June 16 leave Nairobi, Kenya for Arusha, Tanzania (via Kilimanjaro airport), July 6 start the long journey back to Canada - Arusha to Kilimanjaro airport to Nairobi to London to Vancouver! Oh yeah... around July 11 my dad and I are planning to head to Alaska!

Life is so much more fun with friends!

Well I think that's enough rambling for the night! I will endeavor to keep this blog much more up to day and will dazzle you all with the trials and tribulations of planning the study tour, jump-starting my research program, moving home (psychology experiment for sure), and general life!

End of Semester Adventures!

Winter Sunrise over the Straight

Classes are done for another semester and that means three things... 1) the marking marathon needs to begin, 2) more meetings will be booked, and 3) it's almost Christmas!! This term has been a good one - I've really enjoyed working with both our first year classes in Leadership but my fave class of the fall was the Market Research course with our second year rec students. I was so impressed with their learning and their ability to illustrate their knowledge of research - Great work guys!!

This year the marking marathon isn't nearly as bad has it has been in the past and with any luck I'll be done next weekend. I find that the hardest part is simply getting started. So in preparation for marking I've cleaned my house, made dozens of jars of jelly (and sauce which is really just jelly that didn't set), and over sixty photo cards... I even wrote a Christmas letter! After writing the letter I discovered that I did not have many mailing addresses!! It is amazing how technology has really changed the ways that we communicate!

The meetings haven't been too bad to date so that nice! I have a couple this week to set up next semester - I'm so exciting to be focusing on Ghana and setting up project work for the future! I'm only teaching two full face-to-face classes in January, the rest of my workload is Ghana (study tour and project work). I'm just waiting on a bit of feedback from my planning partners and then I'll post up all the details for May 2011!!

That leaves Christmas - this year it will be the second year that I've celebrated the holiday without Dad and the fourth year that Cam hasn't been home. That is a little tougher this year as it's any guess what dad's health will be like next year. That being said I'm really excited for dad as he will be spending the holidays up north with his own Mom and brother. My Grandmother's health hasn't been the greatest and she's pushing 90 so it is great that he is able to visit her... as she lives in the Northern BC (Taylor) mom and I are also content for Dad to make the trip without us!!

Winter Sunrise

Cam's spending Christmas again in Ontario - his first as a married man! I'm a little sad not to be sharing that with him and Dorrianna. He's got a great new family in the Simone's so it should be a great time... sounds like they will also have a white Christmas whereas we'll have a lovely green one!!

It won't be a lonely Christmas here on the Island as there are always Forbes' and Christies hangin' around! Next week mom, Patty, Gran, and I - along with our friend Phyllis - will take in our second holiday performance (first was the Bara McNeil's in Nov) when we head to Chemanius to watch A Christmas Carol. The on the 23rd I'm heading to Vancouver to brave the annual Christie family Christmas (expected to have small attendance - only 90 or so people). This should be a kick as there is nothing quite like having that many family members in the same place... pray for me! :)

Christmas Eve dinner is just Gran and I as mom will be at work. Our plan is to head out for prime rib!! We consider ourselves to be connoisseurs of prime rib so we'll have to figure out where we'll be heading for dinner!! With any luck mom's kids will all be out for the night and she may be able to join us! Christmas morning will be delayed as mom won't be home from work until at least 10 am - that should kill Gran as she's always the biggest kid in the morning!

Boxing day we'll have a bigger dinner as we're (us and the Biros) will be gathering up at Uncle Rob and Auntie Coral's for what is sure to be a ruckus and liquor filled family gathering! I'm looking forward to seeing what Kelly and Heather will be wearing as their personal style is always as unique as they are!

Well that is pretty much all that's been going on... except of course our amazing students and my wonderful colleagues who put themselves on the line for Movember! The ShaveTom.com campaign ended up raising over $3000! Not bad at all! I've include some pics of Tom loosing his hair below. As part of this event two other guys I work with (Rob Ferguson and Dan McDonald) had the legs waxed - silly men!!

I hope everyone who stumbles upon my ramblings has a wonderful holiday season! I'm sure that there will more to report after the marking is done, the meetings are over, and the Christmas baking is gone!

Yours in Holiday Spirit - Aggie

Leslie is having way too my fun with Dr. Tommy!

He looks like our former Uni Pres!!

A little checker board design

A whole new man!