Warning (especially for new
readers): this blog occasionally contains foul language. Some readers may be
obscenely offended. Others won’t care at all. Only you can judge into which
camp you fall.
Grief is a strange thing. One moment, you can be totally fine. The
next, you’re crying in a pub over a beer and plate of fries.
This is a true story.
So I’m spending time with my husband enjoying some small talk over a
beer and we’re having a quick review of 2016 - specifically, how so many of our
friends have had babies this year, which is nice. And while many might feel this year was full
of miserable things e.g. Brexit, Trump being elected as the first Idiot of the
United States (conversely, Hillary to not have been elected as the country’s
first female president despite, arguably, being one of the most qualified and
experienced persons to have ever been in the running), Aleppo, and all those deaths
of notable and beloved artists and personalities from around the world, these
friends who find themselves new parents or parents again might be hard pressed
to think that this entire year was all bad.
That said, my experience of 2016 went something like this: the first
half was spent feeling distressed over my father’s failing health, then he died
in July, and then I spent the second half of 2016 filling my time with
busy-ness so that I could avoid feeling guilty about being so relieved that all
of the worry and anguish over the inevitability of his death was finished.
It was just a shame that my husband and I had our little “year in
review” in a public place where, one second, we’re talking about babies and the
next all I could think about and nothing else was my dad and death and relief
and guilt and my eyes are leaking and they won’t stop and the next table over
is wondering, “Uh oh. What is her problem?”
All this to say, in my humble opinion, that this past year was totally
and utterly shit. In conclusion, 2016: you can go fuck yourself. Good riddance.
Training and Fundraising (thank you!) Update
On a happier note, I’d like to extend my gratitude to all of you who
have donated to my fundraising campaign for Team Diabetes. I’m just over a third
of the way to my fundraising goal of $3,500 and it’s all due to you, so thanks
for that.
For those who would like to donate but are a little strapped given the
expenses of the season, no worries! You have until May so please make note of the
campaign and give when you can.
As for training, between
#snowmageddon (alternatively, #snowmageddon2016) in Vancouver and being out of
a town a few days, I came down with a cold so instead of forcing myself to keep
running through the sore throats and runny noses, I figured I’d give myself a
break - particularly as it’s so far been a strong base building effort - and
take a few days off. I shall resume running as soon as I’m able to kick this
cold to the curb. Hopefully the snow will also be gone by then, although not
likely by the looks of things.
