Isn't this what the global warming debate is actually all about?

The cartoon is by Joel Pett and appeared in USA today. Source: http://www.cartoons.nytimages.com/portal/wieck_preview_page_208831

Flying home

At airport on the way back to Canada for Christmas. The people beside me have never flown before and were shocked to find out it is a 7 hr flight and to learn about the time change. I guess I take for granted I know about those things and how they work. But still, I was a bit shocked.

Tried to get upgraded but no luck. Had the most amazing luck being upgraded with Tim on our flight to Osaka in October for our friends wedding. Business class! Massage chairs! Champagne! Tons of leg room and they served us ice cream at midnight! I was so happy. Now I ask every time.

Excited to go home but also know it will be a trip of mixed emotions. Great to see friends but will also be attending a memorial service for a friend who I'm used to spending a lot of time with over the holidays. And i'm going to miss Tim who will be in Liverpool for Christmas. But overall I'm very happy and excited to see everyone. Especially since last year I wasn't able to go home.

Now comes the flight. On the exciting side: MOVIES!!! In the not so exciting side: being stuck in a small space with lots of grumpy people. Here's hoping for a smooth flight.
- Posted from my iPhone

Phone call Saturday afternoon

I was in the queue at Argos with Tim when I got a call from a friend at home informing me that my dear friend Brent has passed away. I spoke to him on the phone and asked him all the right questions but wasn't sad or upset. My head was just spinning. When I was off the phone and Tim came up to me to ask me what was wrong after he paid for the item I burst into tears and told him. Then we walked home.

I'm very sad. For Brent, for his family and friends, for me, for everything.

It was complications from H1N1. He was 30 and the loveliest friend. Really. I'm so thankful that I'll be home for one of the memorials.

Loneliness of a Short Distance Runner

No desire to run. Shivering inside the house, why would I want to go outside in my running gear and freeze even more? But I want to want to run. And I know how good it feels after. Once I'm inside again, warm, feeling like I've accomplished something, feeling less guilty about a bit of sugary snack after lunch. Feeling like I've earned the right to get out of the house and just wander around, get a coffee, read a book. I'm not sure if it's good or bad that I've turned running into a daily (mon-fri) mandatory punishment. I have no desire to run but the sooner I go, the sooner I can have lunch. Now there's motivation.

...

Am back. Today was one of those running-through-water runs. But feeling better now. For a while I was doing 5 runs a week (anywhere from 15 - 45 minute per run) but am now down to 4 a week and trying to go slightly longer - 25 - 45 minutes per run. Doesn't seem like that much of a difference but in the past towards the end of the week I would lose my motivation and only run for 15 minutes. If I up my minimum by 10 minutes then I get an extra mile or two in and up my endurance. Well, hopefully.

Fun application on my iPhone has made the runs a lot more tolerable. It's called iMapMyRun and by turning on the phone's GPS it tracks where you run, tells you how far and how fast you are going. Very cool. My one complaint is that the voice feedback feature which was included on the free download initially is now only available in the paid version. I should never have downloaded the upgrade on the free version!! Oh well, the paid application is much better than the free one. And good on them for sorting out a way to monetise the application even more. I'm sure more iPhone applications will be doing the same soon.

Right, now where's my lunch!?

Early resolutions

- start blogging again
- re-join Flickr and start uploading my photos again
- get back in touch with lost friends
- get back into yoga
- take more photos

It has been a long, dark 2009. Most of it was spent unemployed, underemployed, nearly broke, broke, applying for endless jobs with a seemingly endless amount of rejections, being far away from family and friends. But it was also a great year. Living in an amazing flat in London. Having a great boyfriend to live there with. Attending my graduation from Cambridge in May. Going to Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Japan and to Canada for 3 visits. Cooking a lot of great food. Hosting a lot of fun parties. Running my first 10km race. Slowly building some new friendships.

To be honest, the past year I've been avoiding writing because things have been so grim and I hated to face it. But I think it's time to start writing again if not for anything other than just to get writing again. Let's see.