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!