I Heart Summer

I have been meaning to write this post for a while. So much has been going on in the last couple of months that I really haven't made time to blog. I do miss it. And more often than not, if I don't write an entry as soon as I've done something, I probably never will. Or I'll end up months later, on a Friday night, sitting at my computer typing up a post. Like, say, tonight. But hey, it's been a busy summer, so I'll take whatever down time I can get.

Squeezing a water-filled glove to help with the circulation

On May 17th, I was finally able to donate blood (my hemoglobin levels were 134 this time!). The procedure was easy and took about an hour from start to finish -- normally it's shorter, but as it was my first time, they kept me back a little longer for observation post-donation. The snacks were yummy, I had good company, and I walked away super happy that I finally got to donate blood. If you can, give it a try. It's in you to give. 

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” 
― Anne Frank, diary of Anne Frank

I've reached the 56-day mark so I'll make an appointment again soon when my weight goes up. Speaking of weight...

I started Insanity  on April 16th. It's supposed to be 4 weeks training 1 week of recovery (I did 2 wks), then 4 weeks Max training. So I basically did 5-6 days of workouts for 2.5 months. Let me tell you, before April, I. Did. Not. Work. Out. I have been blessed with an awesome metabolism thus far, but I wanted to do Insanity to build up some cardio before Spartan Race. I've never been the type to stick to a dedicated workout plan, but I was determined to see Insanity through until the end, even after my workout partner quit in the first month. The first 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks were the hardest; the first 2 because I was hurting majorly and I struggled with sticking to a daily workout schedule. The last 2 weeks were hard because I was so close to race day and the videos were becoming really tedious. I'd be lying if I said I didn't slack a bit in the last 2-3 weeks.

I am happy with the results, though. I'm sure I could have gotten better results if I actually watched what I ate, but I've never been one to stick to a diet or watch what I eat. I eat what I want to eat, when I want to. Even if that means eating instant noodles at 2 a.m. That being said, I did try to limit eating out, incorporate more veggies into my diet, cut out white rice almost entirely. Here are some before and after pictures. I don't know if I'm ready for P90X yet, but my plan is to do Insanity again, or work exclusively on abs..(I've had "get a 6-pack" on my new year's resolution list since I was in high school).

"Don't be upset with the results you didn't get from the work you didn't do."

Pre-race. Still clean.

Spartans! Aroo!

 I also did Spartan Race in Toronto this year! I don't think I'll do it again next year, as I found it was more running than obstacles (as was Warrior Dash last year), but it was still muddy and fun. Poorly disorganized though, and we spent more time lining up to get our bags back than we did running the race. Oh well. And next time, I'll remember to actually train myself to run...Insanity was soooo not enough, hahaha. Watch the epic Spartan Race Toronto promo here. 

On June 12, I met up with an old friend, W, and he surprised me by taking me to Xtreme Couture for a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. Now, BJJ was never on my bucket list, but I had chosen "Compete, play, destroy" as our activity for the evening and I must admit that W chose quite appropriately. I'll admit that I was a bit hesitant at first. It was definitely out of my comfort zone. While the open mat class didn't offer much instruction, especially for beginners like us, I still had a fun time pushing W around and pretending like I would actually have a chance in a one-on-one situation, haha. The next morning, I woke up sore, but totally pumped. For the next few days, I spent a considerable amout of time researching MMA gyms and muay thai classes. But alas, as time went on, my fears and insecurities crept up on me and I lost whatever confidence I had garnered from being thrown into an open BJJ class. Looking at my bucket list, I realize that most of the items, with the exception of one or two (i.e. joining a paintball team) aren't really out of my comfort zone. They are all things I would be willing to do on my own. But sometimes you need that extra little push to realize what you're missing out on, and what you're really capable of. Thanks, W -- if it weren't for you, I never would have even dreamed of jumping into a BJJ class. New addition to my bucket list: Take a BJJ/Sanshou/Muay Thai class.

Not-so-little sis and I

 And a small plug for KT Tape. It. Is. Amazing. A tad expensive, considering how much I go through it (I always take it off after a day of beach volleyball because it gets so sandy and dirty), but it is single-handedly the only reason I've been able to pick up a volleyball this summer at all. Nearly every weekend since Victoria Day, I've gone to Woodbine beach to play beach volleyball. I used to hate volleyball, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've played it in the last five years, if only because I couldn't bump the ball without my wrists ballooning, or have aches in my wrists from hitting/volleying/serving the ball (though my skills, or lack thereof are another story entirely). But ever since I've started using KT Tape on my wrists, I've had no pain. I do have to get neutral colours for when I'm at work though, as bright pink doesn't exactly look very professional in the courtroom =P But I'm hoping that with constant use, it will help ease my carpal tunnel symptoms. Shopper's Drug Mart should be selling them, but I haven't had any luck so far. If you can find it in Canada, let me know!

Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it.
Margaret Thatcher

Stepping Stones

After all those failed tests, I finally passed my 140wpm Q&A, 140 Lit and 160 Jury, which was enough for me to get my diploma in court reporting from my school. It's not enough to get a national certification, but it's enough for me to start work at the firm associated with my school. In the last two weeks, I've started working as a court reporter (albeit not realtime) in Toronto. Within a matter of days, of passing my test, I purchased my professional software, professional back-up recording devices, and my long-awaited professional stenograph machine. Though I've still got a long way to go to get to 225 words a minute, this is been a milestone that has been a long time coming. At least now I'm finally working and getting the experience I've been wanting so desperately. I haven't really celebrated yet, as I don't feel like I rightfully deserve to party until I reach 225, but I am proud of myself. So I've modified my bucket list entry a bit -- I've completed court reporting school. Next up: Realtime Court Reporter (225 wpm). Big dreams, baby steps!

I've been so busy lately -- producing transcripts is a lot harder than I thought! But it's nice to be busy again. It's nice to get a paycheque again. It's realllly nice to say "I'm finally working" hahaha. I'd be lying if I said that I have no doubts or that I don't get discouraged -- I do, absolutely. But I'm determined to see this through. I owe it to myself.

I'm hoping to pay off all my debt by the end of the year -- my parents are helping me with the capital I need to start as a freelancer. Between software and equipment, that's over 10 grand! *grimaces* So next year, I can start saving up for my own place...

Oh, and I've registered to try to donate blood again in two days. The last time I tried, my iron count was borderline low. Hopefully I can donate this time!

And as for my Project 365 ...I have been taking pictures every day (except for maybe missing 3 days since January)...I just haven't gotten around to uploading them. Sigh.

I also started doing Insanity! I'm in the middle of week 5 of 9. I'm due to finish just before Spartan Race in June! Six-pack, here I comeeee...or four-pack..or two. Although I distinctly remember that for as long as I can remember, "get a six-pack" was on my New Year's resolutions list, haha. I'll post before and after pictures when I'm done week 9 on June 17th.

Life has been good. I feel like everything is falling into place. I feel like I've sacrificed the last couple of months to get to where I am now. I have no regrets. Between the late nights studying, staying in because I quit work and have no money (ugh)...I finally feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

It's not hard to decide what you want your life to be about.  What's hard is figuring out what you're willing to give up in order to do the things you really care about.
-Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet

Big Things

May has been exciting and full of big steps.

I want to write all about it but I have deadlines to meet so the update post will have to wait.

Life is changing and evolving so rapidly. I'm so excited!  ..and terrified. But excited!

High Park Cherry Blossoms...success!

Despite the clouds and drizzling weather, I was finally able to make it out to see the High Park cherry blossoms this year! We took the TTC down to High Park and spent the afternoon wandering the park. There were a lot of people around the cherry blossoms, but if you went past that and continued through the park, the crowds gradually thinned out and we were able to have a nice picnic lunch. We also managed to feed some squirrels some peanuts that some visitors had left behind.

It was nice to discover a part of Toronto I had never been to before. Definitely serves as a reminder that you don't have to look very far to find extraordinary things.

“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.”
 -Alice M. Swaim 

Facing Failure

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.
- Colin Powell

When I wrote up my bucket list, one of my goals was to graduate from court reporting school. I wrote the list a little over a year ago. I was scheduled to graduate in December 2011. It is now April 2012. People are constantly asking me when I'll be done school. I'm 3 tests away from graduating with a diploma in court reporting, but it's not quite that simple. You see, I'm done all the academics, but I need to reach certain typing speeds (on my stenograph/court reporting machine) before I can fully graduate. At a minimum, I need to pass one test each in Testimony, Literary and Jury at 140 words per minute (wpm), and one test from any category at 160 wpm. My 3 remaining tests I need to pass: Testimony and Literary at 140, and Jury at 160.

I quit my job in January so that I could focus on speedbuilding. I'm allowed to write two tests a week: one on Wednesday, on on Sunday. "Failing a test" means I wasn't able to attain the required 95% mark to pass. There are no penalties for failing. That being said, I haven't passed a test since February. It's been so frustrating, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but not being able to reach it. I know I'm close but every time I fail a test, it's so damn disheartening.

I had a plan. I was to write (and pass!) my Literary today, my Jury on Sunday, and since it's a special testing week next week where I'm allowed to write up to four tests, I was going to write (and pass!) my most challenging category, Testimony. And that'd be it. I'd be done. But since I didn't pass my Literary today, I'll attempt to pass my 160 Jury this Sunday, but now my four tests next week will have to be split up between Testimony and Literary. Less room for error.

So, it's not over yet. I can still reach my personal goal of passing all three tests by the end of next week. I'm fully capable of writing in the 160s-180s. It's just that when I sit down and take a test, I tend to get anxious and panic which usually results in dropped words and sloppy writing. A fellow classmate told me it's just a mental game. I know it's true. I also know it's entirely possible for me to pass my tests in the upcoming week. I won't lie; if I'm unable to meet my goals by next week, I'll be disappointed. I've been pretty bummed lately because I feel like I'm in a rut. I'm in between jobs (so I have no source of income), I'm in major debt from college and university, and I haven't been able to graduate from my program. For me, these last 3 tests mean everything to me. After I pass, my new firm will hire me as a court reporter. I'll be making money again, I can continue to build speed, and I'll be able to pay off my debt. So much is riding on these tests. I need to get past this.

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
- Bill Cosby

We seem to gain wisdom more readily through our failures than through our successes. We always think of failure as the antithesis of success, but it isn't. Success often lies just the other side of failure.
- Leo F. Buscaglia 

You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.
- Johnny Cash

Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end.
- Denis Waitley

Cherry Blossoms, attempt 2

We've been lucky with unseasonably warm weather lately, and as a result, the cherry blossoms in High Park have begun to blossom early! (Last year, they were late, and conflicted with my trip to New York City, so I was unable to go.) I'm determined to tick this off my bucket list this time; it's been a while.... >.<"

They are at about 50-65% in certain sections, less in others, with many predicting next weekend to be peak bloom. So make a trip out -- try to take the TTC, as parking is sure to be terrible -- and enjoy our own local cherry blossoms.

Posted on the High Park Nature Centre's Facebook page today:

You could save a life

Janet Liang is 23. She's Chinese, and she needs a bone marrow transplant. She doesn't have much time left. 

Registration is quick and easy. I did it in a matter of minutes. Even if you can't help Janet, you might be a match for somebody else. After you register, within a week you should get a call confirming your interest. Then they'll send you a swab kit where you just swab the inside of your mouth. Easy peasy and it doesn't hurt! Send it back, and you'll be contacted if you are match for anybody in the network. 

Canadian Friends: Head on over to http://www.onematch.ca/ to join and become a donor

American Friends: Register online through Team Janet: http://join.bethematch.org/TeamJanet

Friends specifically in SoCal & NoCal: There are several drives taking place in the next few days, please take the time to find out your nearest location and head on over to register*:
http://www.asianmarrow.org/index.php/donor/list-of-drives (SoCal)
http://www.aadp.org/drive (NoCal)

*Registration is super quick and easy. Only requires a cheek swab + filling out a couple of forms.*

Janet's Website: http://www.helpingjanet.com/
Her blog: http://janetliang.wordpress.com/
Her FB page: https://www.facebook.com/helpingjanet


Update: In September 2012, Janet passed away after a three-year battle with leukemia. Her Facebook page posted the following:

Janet has served as an inspiration to all those who knew her. Her big heart and big smile was something that we all cherished. And although she never fulfilled her dream of being a teacher, she has taught us all one very important lesson: love. Despite battling leukemia for 3 years, she has always found it within her to make her situation more than about herself. Her campaign to raise awareness and advocate for bone marrow donors was for the love of her fellow human. She has certainly taught all of us to love one another, and live each day as if it were our last. After bravely fighting cancer for three years, she has finally found her peace.

Hello, 2012. I've been waiting for you.

It has been a few months since I've blogged. It's not for lack of time, but rather a lack of motivation.

But now, it's a new year, a chance for fresh starts. I have big plans for this year. I'm optimistic. I finished school, though I'm not certified yet because I have yet to meet the minimum speed requirements. My goal is to get the diploma within six months. It's on my bucket list after all. But at least I can say I'm done paying my college tuition! OSAP is next. On the professional front, I was recently offered the opportunity to work at the court reporting firm that I've been eyeing for the last two years! I'm starting to feel like my hard work is starting to pay off. Slowly, but surely. I know I have a looooong way to go. But it's nice to see some actual progress.

On the personal front, I've had to do a lot of soul searching lately. I'm not entirely convinced that I'm happy and I've been trying to figure out how to fill the void. I feel like life has gotten routine, almost boring. But then again, after a year of skydiving and outdoor adventures, anything else would seem boring =P I have a full season of snowboarding ahead of me, with dragon boat to look forward to in the spring. I'm trying to work out on a more regular basis, as I'm doing the Spartan Race this summer, and I'm determined to train for it, as opposed to my lackluster attempt last summer for the Warrior Dash. I'm hoping that these goals (I prefer to avoid the ever-so-popular "resolutions") can be achieved by taking baby steps and sharing the journey with others. Spartan Race, dragon boating, even snowboarding, they all involve other people. We push each other. My running mates will push me to train for the race, dragon boat is a team sport, and I'm constantly being encouraged by my friends to push myself harder when I board -- harder, faster, deeper, stronger (not just a dboat cheer!). I'm aiming for a grab with my board as early as this weekend.

I tried to cross "donating blood" off my bucket list last month, but after walking into a donor clinic without an appointment, I was turned away because they were fully booked. Lesson learned: book an appointment. So I did. I returned this week to give it another shot (no pun intended?) Unfortunately, this time, after some preliminary tests, I was told that my hemoglobin levels were too low to donate *sad face* With a level of 124, I was in the lower but still healthy range, but they needed at least 125 (I only missed by one!) to ensure that my body could afford to lose blood. That being said, I'm still determined to donate blood. I'm allowed to try again in 56 days, so I'll be eating lots of red meat and fibre and protein until then!

Another bucket list item I've been putting off until the new year: Project 365. Granted, I could have started at any time, but starting it at the beginning of a new year seemed appropriate. Follow it here: lisaproject365.tumblr.com

"...I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind."  --Neil Gaiman