Jen's Joy

Happy Halloween! https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4843 #Halloween #Pusheen #Costume

Greeting Halloweenies! I thought I’d give you some pics of my Halloween costume this year. For those of you who haven’t become totally obsessed, I’m Pusheen the cat! She stars in her own web comic at http://www.pusheen.com. She is so cute and cuddly, I couldn’t resist wearing my Pusheen hoodie, (also available on Pusheen’s website.) I hope your day is more treat than trick. Happy Halloween!

Setback https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4824 #Recovery

So those of you who have been following the blog for the past few weeks already know that I cut my leg on my screen door and got six stitches. After ten days of resting patiently, I got my stitches out. Afterwards, my leg felt… mushy. It wasn’t really supporting my weight very well and I was limping more by the end of each day. Then I started to get these sharp pains in my ankle. The cut puffed…

A different perspective https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4810 #DailyJoy #Mindfulness

In my last post I wrote about how I cut my leg on my screen door and had to get six stitches. I was pretty upset both because I was in pain and because the doctor OK’d me to walk and do light stretches, but nothing else. Plus for the first 48 hours I was to keep it elevated as much as possible. I was not looking forward to being bored on the couch at home. When I called my vice principal to tell…

Just when you think you have it figured out... https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4795 #ouch

*Trigger warning: I talk about a cut in my leg and stitches in this post. I don’t give a lot of details or show photos, but if you’re squeamish, you may want to skip this one.* So I completed On Ramp for West London Crossfit and I was all ready to go back to regular classes. I was excited to start training again and feeling confident about being able to increase my strength. I was also back to…

My last day of On Ramp https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4788 #dowhatworks #DailyJoy #CorssFit

I recently completed the On Ramp course at West London CrossFit. After a half-year break from CrossFit, I needed a way to ease back into training and I’m very glad I chose this way! I really feel ready to get back to regular classes. My skills are back up to par and I even corrected some mistakes I’d been making previously without even knowing it. Everyone graduates from On Ramp by running the…

Bonus Art Assignment: Art Trip Tijuana Part 2 https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4741 #theartassignment #DailyJoy

3. Try to see if you can name those people before you meet them: Women in their 40s walking their dogs – the Carols. Kids under 15 riding their bikes – The Zachs. Retired men walking for exercise – the Carls. New parents pushing strollers – the Jones. 4. Meet them and find out the connection between your image and who they really…

Bonus Art Assignment: Art Trip Tijuana Part 1 https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4733 #theartassignment #DailyJoy

This is a big art assignment so I’m going to have to divide it into parts. Luckily I live in a neighborhood full of walkers so it’s easy to people-watch as I walk. Put away your devices and walk around the block. Done and done.   Make a list of 4 kinds of people who live around your neighborhood. Women in their 40s walking their…

Thanks @cbcolympics for bringing the games to me. Why I love the Olympics https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4747 #cbcolympics #Rio2016

I’m addicted to watching the Olympics. I used the CBC app to stream from the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies. I cheered, laughed and cried. As the Summer Olympics wraps up for another four years, I’ve been thinking about why I love watching the Olympics so much. Reason 1 – Unapologetic nationalism. Other than Canada Day, there are not always a lot of opportunities for me to don my…

Using @duolingo this summer to brush up on my #French #DailyJoy https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4697

Are you bilingual? Multilingual? I can speak enough French to ask directions and order food but that’s about it. I used to be quite fluent in high school so I’d like to hone my French skills again. A colleague recommended I try an app called Duolingo. It’s a free app that allows users to learn or practice a language. I’ve been using it over the summer to brush up on my French. The app lets users…

On Ramp https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4689 #dowhatworks #DailyJoy #findwhatfeelsgood #CrossFit

I’ve been a member of West London Cross Fit since it opened several years ago. However, I stopped going last December. I had a bad bout of anxiety and I needed the time off to work on that before I could worry about building muscle. Now that I’m feeling more stable, I’ve decided to go back. Today I attended my first On Ramp class. On Ramp is a program that West London Cross Fit runs to get people…

Things I've learned meditating at home https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4673 #findwhatfeelsgood #DailyJoy

There is no right or wrong way to meditate. I’ve meditated sitting, lying down, standing and even walking. I don’t have a set time or place for meditating either. It’s easier for me to meditate when and where I want. I find or make a spot when I need it, rather than needing to move to a specific location before I can meditate. You can move and open your eyes. I know I’ve been in meditations where…

Art Assignment 49: Conjure a Studio https://yearbydesign.wordpress.com/?p=4660 #theartassignment #DailyJoy

This Art Assignment reminded me of being a teenager, living in my parents’ house and feeling like I had the smallest bits of privacy. I used journals and sketchbooks as my studio. I decorated them with bright collages laminated with packing tape and they were where I wrote and sketched and drew. My parents always respected these…