I'm 30!

It hasn't hit me yet. I don't have time to be hit. I go to work, come home, find food, go to bed, get up and go back to work. The last two weekends Pete and I have been out of town.

On my birthday, Pete took me to a lovely restaurant called Michael's on the Thames, in London Ontario. The atmosphere was relaxed, unhurried and cozy, and I got serenaded with an accordion, no less! The food was spectacular. They make certain dishes right in front of you. Like Caesar salad, and peach flambe, complete with big flames and all. It was awesome...

Now to get myself organized again. Eating healthy is a huge challenge when working full time! I wonder why it is so hard to follow my own nutrition advice. If only my clients knew how much better than me they are eating... well some of them anyway.

I must be off to bed. I have never felt the beginnings of a sore throat whilst still recovering from a cold... winter is killing me. I need a break!

I think the older I get, the more of my own flaws I become aware of... These days I have been noticing a lot of them. The problem is I tend to dwell on things a little too much. I will find myself feeling bad about something I've long since stopped thinking about and it takes me a minute to remember why I'm feeling bad. Remarkable, huh? I have to remind myself that I've been forgiven by the only person who really matters. But it doesn't stop me from wanting to be a little more perfect.

I also find myself missing small town America, not to mention just plain old country side. There is a dearth of that around here. Lots of "semi-detatched" houses, meaning sandwich houses, stretching for miles and miles into the suburbs. Or should I say kilometres. I miss just taking a weekend to drive to Lawrenceville and have a rural experience, spending every waking minute with friends and family to sooth my nerves before heading back to the big city. I miss the friendliness of mid-westerners, the camaraderie of knowing people and being part of a community. At the same time, I want to feel at home here and I want to like it here. I just think that's going to take a little while.

My job has been great. I like the fact that I work hard and come home, not trailing a ton of work and stress behind me. I like my co-workers. They hail from all over the world. So do my patients. We get regulars from England, South Africa, Bermuda and the US.

I miss speaking in Spanish. I miss horchata, salsa fresca, Lake Shore Drive... I miss my old co-workers (not my old job, mind you!) I miss just hanging out with my girlfriends in the Chicago apartment or out at a restaurant. I am sounding very pathetic. Bear with me! I am just slowly realizing the changes that have happened in the last year. Things don't hit me right away.

Maybe I should dwell on what I don't miss: my old job, seeing Pete only once a blue moon, spending lots of time alone, living on a very loud street, annoying neighbors; can't really think of anything else though!

Well that's it in a melancholy nutshell. I am feeling a little blue.

My office and the views therefrom...

Notice the CN Tower peeking out?

Not much new here. Still like my job though! And I got a new office that's bigger, and has a view of the CN Tower peeking out from behind another building. Since we're on the 15th floor, it's pretty windy, so when it snows it looks like a regular blizzard out there. Kinda cool! The commute is getting long. I miss the Chicago trains that are mostly above ground until you get downtown. You get a good sense of the neighborhoods you are passing through. But it's probably less hassle for everyone else if the train is underground! Here the subway only peeks out twice briefly, before diving back underground. Probably a good thing cause it makes me read. People regularly eat and drink (coffee, usually) on the subway here.

AAhh who knew I would end up living in Canada? Sometimes I still find it hard to believe. Like every time I type "fiber" into my notes at work and the computer corrects me because it's really spelled "fibre". What?!?!?! And "centre" and "colour". Gah. I also really miss Reggaeton, the Puerto Rican music so popular in Chicago.

Home for New Year!

Me and my man. One of the few pictures in which he is not purposely making a weird face.
Frosty Fauna, somewhere in Michigan.
Crossing the Wabash River on the Wabash Cannonball Bridge, which used to be a train bridge. You have to pay a $.50 toll if you're going from Illinois into Indiana, but on the way back it's free. No this is not the only way to my parent's house, ;P but we think it's fun.
Our family picture. We were all freeeeezing, so instead of try for a better picture, we said good enough and ran inside!
Dave.
John, holding one of the hugest, fluffiest, friendliest cats I've ever known.
Paula and Adam.

I am looking for my camera. I have been wanting to post with some new pictures from Christmas and New Year but can't seem to get it together. I started my new job yesterday, and it's going pretty well. It's going to be a challenge with the long commute, but I like the job so far! I'm going to have an office with a window on the 15th floor downtown! Wow, I feel important.