Have you missed me? I think we both know the answer to that question. What’s new? Well, I usually send people in my life voice messages and for the first time, I think I would rather be able to just talk than type but me creating a podcast is not going to enhance anyone’s life so here we are. It’s almost been a year since I left Seoul and decided to make Canada my long-term home. I was a little worried that after being back a few months (or a few weeks) I would want to get back “out there”. My top priority since 2011 has been to keep exploring and moving and I was worried that life at home wouldn’t excite me enough to stay. Surprisingly, that has not been the case and my transition home has gone as well as could have reasonably been hoped for. I spent the first few weeks exploring the Pacific Northwest with my friends from Thailand. I then spent some time in Toronto with my family before ultimately moving to the nation’s capital. Is Ottawa the best? No. Does Ottawa currently have power? No. Was school cancelled Wednesday because of a massive storm that wreaked havoc on the city and surrounding area? Yes. Did I use that time efficiently? No.
The upside to living in Ottawa is that I have family and friends here. There is a lot of opportunity to spend time in nature, play sports, and enjoy the other amenities that go along with living in a city with about a million other people. Understanding everyone and not having a language barrier get in the way of living my life has been a real delight. I definitively eased into my time back in Canada. While I was laying down the foundation for my business, I wouldn’t say I was burning the midnight oil. It wasn’t until the end of January that I started supply teaching. I was recently given my own grade two class until the end of the school year so I am a full-time teacher in Ontario. Pretty crazy. Oh, and I started a small business that from my perspective, has been a success. Do I make a ton of money from it? Not yet but I do have 5 shows this weekend and get inquiries weekly about summer birthday parties. If you have been reading this for any length of time, you might have noticed that I definitely enjoy my free time, and the way my life is organized now, free time is not something I have a lot of. I went from no jobs to two pretty full-time jobs very quickly and it feels good to be productive but it's a lot. Do you know what kids love? Their birthday. And kids love bubbles. It’s a perfect fit.
What else is new? Lacrosse started on Thursday. It did not go as badly as I thought it would so that should be a fun way to spend one night a week this summer.
Not sure if you have tried sour beer but it’s definitely been a highlight since moving back here.
I just completed one year of no gambling. I didn’t have a gambling problem or anything like that but after doing one year of no drinking, it seemed like the next logical thing to give up. Will I gamble again soon? I’ll bet you I will.
How great is it to see my mom all of the time? Pretty great.
Three final things
I would have liked for someone to have warned me about speed cameras being littered throughout the city. They are very sneaky and if one ever gets ‘accidentally’ run over, it wasn’t me.
I enjoy a good back crack and since going to a chiropractor isn’t cheap, I bought a foam roller that has little spikes in it. It might be my favourite possession and definitely recommend getting one.
Can we stop saying, “How are you?” as a greeting. NOBODY IS TELLING YOU THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HATE THEIR LIFE/WIFE/HUSBAND/JOB/HOUSE/CAT/BOSS/KID. What is the upside in asking a question that nobody wants to hear and you don’t want to know the answer to? I get that we think it’s polite but is lying and saying, “Good” being polite? I frequently answer when asked this question, “Does anyone ever tell you the truth?” People usually say no and I try to gently suggest that this is a ridiculous way to greet people. So, if you are someone who consistently asks this question, I kindly ask that you cut it out. Just stop. Everyone has had enough. What else can you say? Now that’s a good question. Here are some alternatives.
-Don’t say anything because nobody cares.
-Have you learned anything new recently?
-Tell me something interesting
-What do you think is true even though you can’t prove it?
-What has been the best part of your day so far?
-What is something you are looking forward to?
-Give someone a compliment
-Just smile
-You can just say hi or good morning.
-Do you recommend any books, shows, or magazines for me to watch/consume?
-Free flights or free food?
-Any fun plans for the weekend? Any fun plans for the summer?
-Which child is your favourite?
-How much money do you have and can I have some?
I think those are the main topics I wanted to hit. To summarize this post, I’m happy to be home and I don’t have plans to go anywhere. I bid you adieu.
