[Radost]

 

Race time race time race time

Race time race time

 

Trail race is coming up June 1! The race is about a 3-hour drive from home so I am hoping to go up the night before. Guess I need to book someplace to stay, haha. This is my second favourite course on the island…sadly the local race series nixed my favourite this year so I am making do with #2 and 3. Maybe one of these years I’ll just go run in my fave park on my own? But I would 100% end up running double what I planned because I missed a turn or something looked like a connecting trail on AllTrails but turned out to loop back or whatever, haha. I neeeed that pink flagging tape. 😅

 

Three concerts this challenge, too! Balkan Babes are headlining at the local folk club on Sunday and doing a shorter set at an outdoor folk festival at the beginning of June - I’ll be performing Canadian folk songs with my family there too. My chamber choir is performing the Brahms requiem on Mother’s Day, and we have an out-of-town choir joining us so it’s rehearsals allllll weekend. That’s our last concert for the season, what will I do with all my extra time??? I’m super nervous, actually. This choir auditions every year and while I’m pretty confident in my skills I know at least two excellent altos who are coming back/looking to join and I don’t know if I’ll make the cut. But I really, really want to. Music is an area where I love to be challenged and it’s been great singing with this group that really tests my capabilities. Plus there’s no membership fee! 

 

Goals this challenge:

 

🌟 Run every week

🌟 Other movement (yoga, skipping, strength, strenuous walk or bike ride) every week

🌟 Meditate 10 mins every week

🌟 Nature Appreciation every week

🌟 Unloved Hobbies (gardening, painting, sewing - all of which I love but have been taking a Way Back Seat to music this year) 1 hour per week 

 

Bonus

 

🌟 Any weekly goal more than once

🌟 Adventure runs (including the race)

🌟 Post more than weekly and in other threads (HYPE! HYPE!)

🌟 Photos (two stars if I manage to get a share-worthy pic on race day…looking back through the years I’ve only got post-race sweatyface shots, no delightful forest photos or elegant views or even the “I can’t believe I’m only halfway” selfie)

 

Assessment

 

35 stars: A! EXCELLENT! You get a PRIZE!
Prize will be using my PTO to book a massage instead of booking it after work 

25 stars: B! GOOD JOB!

No prize but I get the satisfaction of knowing I “passed” my challenge!

 

 

Actually, thinking about it I might open up Unloved Hobbies to include household projects too. I have some art I’d like to hang, for example, and we need to do a dump run sometime soon. Would love to sew some curtains that actually look nice in my blue bedroom (the ones I have are gold and burgundy from my old living room, which was yellow, and they look pretty bad, haha). 

[Sovalis]

Here for this!! 

 

Which Canadian folk songs? So curious! 

[Radost]

1 hour ago, Sovalis said:

Here for this!! 

 

Which Canadian folk songs? So curious! 

Hi!!! 👋 

 

In previous years, we’ve designed a set that spans the country with a loose theme like “work” or “travel.” We sing a fair bit in French and added Ukrainian the last couple years. Probably my favourite thing we sing is The Kettle Valley Line, and the best known (so far) is A La Claire Fontaine (we actually once did an entire set of four different tunes to the same words for that one, haha). 
 

This year we are planning to do a Wade Hemsworth set. You might know this giant of Canadian folk music for The Log Driver’s Waltz and The Blackfly Song, both of which were made into delightful NFB short films. We’ll probably do the waltz, it will be a crowd pleaser, but I’m stoked to maybe bring some of his lesser-known songs onstage, or maybe some of the songs he collected/popularized as well as his original compositions. 
 

 

We sing a cappella, no instruments, so the vibe is a bit different, but I think we put on a good show. Maybe this year we’ll get some good video of ourselves, haha. Not that open-air festivals are the best place for a live recording…

[Sovalis]

Log-Driver's Waltz is a core part of my childhood. ❤️

[Radost]

21 hours ago, Sovalis said:

Log-Driver's Waltz is a core part of my childhood. ❤️

Maple leaf high five!

[Mad Hatter]

HYPE!

 

When's the audition?

[Radost]

18 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

HYPE!

 

When's the audition?

Sometime after May 12 (last concert), otherwise unknown, haha.  Last year they publicized auditions at the end of May and were scheduling through mid-June, so hopefully I’ll get a date soon, especially if priority is given to current members. 

[Laghail]

ooooh, hella following

[Radost]

It’s Wednesday already? It’s Wednesday already!

 

 

Belated Zero Week Roundup

 

Hahahaha NOPE

 

Run 

Other movement 🌟

Meditate 🌟 

Nature Appreciation 

Unloved Hobbies

 

Bonus

 

Adventure runs 

Posting/hype

Photos 

 

Running total: 2 🌟

 

That’s right, folks, off to a superb start! I don’t know, maybe I deserve a star for the Intensive Prep Session for Family D&D that ate any time I had not devoted to music. A lot of stuff that I’m usually very consistent with fell through this week. No run (slept late, barely made it to 10:30 rehearsal because I wanted to at least fit in my meditation, so there’s one win, then rehearsal ran FOUR HOURS, so by the time I got home I had just 2 hours to eat lunch and get dressed for a friend’s fancy 40th dinner). No nature appreciation or photos. My poor cat is mad, the weather has been pretty nice and I’m hardening off some plants to hopefully plant out soon and her piteous mews when I go out to bring in the seedlings and leave her INSIDE like a MONSTER…it’s heart-rending!

 

This week is off to a better start. Took a small group of kids swimming today, so that counts for Additional Movement. No ensemble practice this weekend so my Saturday morning run should be okay. I will make time for some nature appreciation tomorrow, it’s my short workday and the weather is supposed to be lovely. 

 

[Radost]

Week 1 Roundup

 

 

Run 🌟

Other movement 🌟

Meditate 🌟

Nature Appreciation 🌟🌟

Unloved Hobbies 🌟

 

Bonus

 

Adventure runs 

Posting/hype 🌟

Photos 🌟

 

Running total: 10 🌟

 

That’s more like it! Cut my run very short because my foot is still hurting, so it was just 4.5km (and even that might have been a mistake, given how much pain I was in by the end of the night). But hey, if doing a short run now means I don’t have to skip my June race, that’s okay!

 

Nature appreciation was a theme this week. Got in some good time in the garden during the week, including a bit of just sitting and enjoying my ferns. I even collected a bit of home-grown salad greens! Like half a single serving of salad, haha. 

 

Then! I got a hot tip that the northern lights might be visible here…sadly, Mr. Radost and I turned in too early to catch them, but we spent a lovely half hour on the hilltop park a couple blocks away stargazing. The moon was absolutely amazing and it was nice to just take some time to watch the night sky. 

I might try again tonight, but it’s an even worse night to stay up late. Today, I had rehearsal 1:30-8:30 (with a 1.5h break) and I needed to be up some time this morning so I could do some house stuff and get my run in before it was too hot. Tomorrow is the dress (10) and concert (2), and we’re cramming in a Mother’s Day brunch at a place across the street from the theatre, so I need to be styled and made up with performance clothes ready by like 9, blech. 
 

And! Chilled in greenspace during the break in rehearsal this evening enjoying the delicate new maple leaves and the daylight crescent moon. To the soundtrack of The Toad Alchemy! 

 

Meditation happened in the garden too. It was not quite as delightful as I hoped, with neighbours doing lawn care and whatnot, but it’s the practice that counts. 

 

pics under the cut!

Spoiler

 

Camas from my run

 

 

Miner’s Lettuce, I think, another native woodland plant from my run. I think it’s under appreciated with its delightful round leaves. 
 

 

Two and a half hours down, two to go. Have I oversung? Will I lose my voice? Have I put enough treasure in the dungeon I’m writing up? Only the Horned Moon knows. 

 

ETFix formatting fail

[Mad Hatter]

Ooh I love the round leaves, super cute! So’s the last pic ☺️

[Sovalis]

I hope it went great! 🤞 Thanks for the pics!

[sarakingdom]

On 5/12/2024 at 12:23 AM, Radost said:

Miner’s Lettuce, I think, another native woodland plant from my run. I think it’s under appreciated with its delightful round leaves. 

 

That's what it looks like to me. Very edible, is my understanding. I think it's super cute, one day I want to plant a lot of it.

[Laghail]

Lovely pic and I second your affirmation that sitting to meditate is the point. Well done all around.

[Radost]

Whoof, I am emotionally wrung out! Thanks for the good wishes - the concert was great for the audience! I felt a bit robbed, though - it was a very tight fit on the stage and I was stuck between two people who were standing square to the conductor rather than turning a little diagonally, so I was turned almost fully sideways, was too squished to breathe well, and was super distracted by trying to manage my body. Pressed on all sides, stressing about whether or not my hand was in position to turn the page…it was not the same kind of concentration and connection with the choir, the conductor, and the music that I was hoping for. Maybe this is kinda tmi  but 

Spoiler

some years ago I sang for the first time under a conductor that I found attractive…and suddenly became aware of the, um, kink-adjacent quality of accepting musical direction. TOP ME BEAUTIFULLY, MAESTRO/A. That dynamic is not really part of my sex life at this time, so the letdown was pretty intense, haha. 😅

It was an amazing weekend overall though. I hope I’ll get a chance to sing with this conductor again. He’s not my absolute favourite, but he cracks the top three. 

 

Work has been rough so far this week. I’m sick of being the WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD. Today after I asked one of my students to return to the classroom and continue working on “your personal project” (i.e. drawing or solving a Rubik’s cube) while the class continued their discussion of Rainbow Week Diversity, he drew and labelled a picture of me being shot to death. “There’s my personal project.” 

 

I do okay not taking it personally most of the time, but it does wear me down. I’m getting it full bore from both students I support right now and I’m. Just. Tired. 

 

Trying to stay positive by noticing the imminent joys of the garden. This week it’s poppies about to bloom and native raspberries promising sweetness soon to come. 
 

Spoiler

 

 

[sarakingdom]

10 minutes ago, Radost said:

Today after I asked one of my students to return to the classroom and continue working on “your personal project” (i.e. drawing or solving a Rubik’s cube) while the class continued their discussion of Rainbow Week Diversity, he drew and labelled a picture of me being shot to death. “There’s my personal project.” 

 

This seems like a slam-dunk disciplinary and/or school psychologist referral. That is 100% "needs a paper trail and parent meeting" territory, whatever the age of the child.

 

 

Spoiler

13 minutes ago, Radost said:

some years ago I sang for the first time under a conductor that I found attractive…and suddenly became aware of the, um, kink-adjacent quality of accepting musical direction. TOP ME BEAUTIFULLY, MAESTRO/A. That dynamic is not really part of my sex life at this time, so the letdown was pretty intense, haha. 😅

 

I mean... yes.

 

There's basically a Victorian "Fifty Staves of Gray":

 

 

I'm sorry your current musical top did not meet your needs.

 

[Laghail]

A. I'm sorry for the shitty de*th threat. 

B. Is that a baby poppy pod???

Spoiler

C, As a fan of the Phantom of the Opera, I'm delighted for you to uncover new facets of yourself. 

 

[Radost]

17 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

 

This seems like a slam-dunk disciplinary and/or school psychologist referral. That is 100% "needs a paper trail and parent meeting" territory, whatever the age of the child.

 

Thanks for the validation. This kid is very much on everybody’s radar already, I’m in the classroom specifically to do behavioural support for him and one other. It’s hard, in part because it took me six months of fighting to get a second support EA in the classroom at all and a lot of problems have cropped up from me having these two deeply struggling kids as a package deal.  I get a lot of anger directed at me because I’m the front line and the boundary holder. In some cases I’m a much “safer” target than the actual person they’re mad at, which might be a parent, friend, or themself. It has been a rough year, that’s part of why I’m leaning hard into meditation, mindfulness, and art. But today is going a little better. 
 

 

14 hours ago, Laghail said:

A. I'm sorry for the shitty de*th threat. 

B. Is that a baby poppy pod???

  Hide contents

C, As a fan of the Phantom of the Opera, I'm delighted for you to uncover new facets of yourself. 

 

A. Thanks ❤️
B. Yes! It’s a gorgeous pink poppy in my front garden and my mini field of corn poppies out back are almost ready too

C. You know, I never actually read/watched/listened to that one, even though it’s 100% right up my alley, haha. Summer plans!

[Radost]

Week 2 Roundup

 

Run 

Other movement 🌟

Meditate 🌟🌟

Nature Appreciation 🌟

Unloved Hobbies 🌟🌟

 

Bonus

 

Adventure  

Posting/hype 🌟

Photos 🌟

 

Running total: 18 🌟

 

No run again this week. Trying to rest my foot well over the long weekend and see where I’m at by the end of next week. I’ll need to decide by that weekend whether I’m going to race or not, so Mr. Radost can plan around not having the car for work on that Saturday. I changed “Adventure runs” to just “Adventure,” because adventure hikes or bike rides are star-worthy too. Actually, I had a really nice chat with my massage therapist as he was brutalizing my feet, about how much I love to run/hike at the far lake, which it turns out he knows well enough to comment on various routes. It was cool because I feel like it’s the least well-known of my favourite trails - lots of people know the lake, but just as a swimming spot. 

 

I meditated a few times this week, I’m pretty happy. I thought about taking a star for each time, but that feels like it opens the door to viewing it a cheap way to pad my score rather than something to reach for to clear my mind. So I’ll assign stars thus:

1 x 10-15 mins🌟

2-4x (or 1-2x 30 mins, although that’s fairly unlikely) 🌟🌟

5+x 🌟🌟🌟

 

Spent lots of time in nature, with beautiful weather, although I didn’t find too much to photograph. We had a professional development day on Friday and I signed up for virtual sessions so I could listen while puttering around in the garden. Slightly less wonderful than listening to music, but also good. Plus I got paid!

I spent probably 4 hours in the garden Thursday and Friday, it was great. Finally got some much-needed weeding done in the front! It all looks pretty bad still, we’re in between spring bulbs and summer flowers and it seems like my spring native flowers are just not going this year. But I’m excited about the summer pretties developing (so many lilies coming up!!!), and my unhappy Nootka Rose is finally filling out a bit this spring so maybe it will eventually bloom!

 

Spoiler

A tree on the middle schooler’s walk home (my 3x/week side hustle) was absolutely captivating. Maybe it’s a hawthorn?

 

 

Soapwort in my attempt at a tiny cottage garden patch. It’s the only thing that’s bloomed. 😅

 

 

 

Look at the red furze on this corn poppy! I feel like they’re ready to open at any moment but I bet there’s almost two weeks left. 
 

 

I majorly splurged on this ghost kitty fabric to make a skirt with. Originally planned for Halloween, I think this could actually work any time! I’ll probably start prepping to sew this week and maybe I can have it sewn sometime next month!

 

It’s not a happy plant, but it’s got leaves. Nootka Rose, planted about 2 years ago, cameo from my fancy poppy which has THREE buds!

 

 

And this weedy little thing is the only blossom in my native plant mini-meadow. A real disappointment after last year's sea blush and farewell-to-spring  

 

 

I downloaded Le Fantôme de l’Opera from Project Gutenberg (also Carmilla, which I’ve long meant to read). So far it’s no more difficult to read than the contemporary French novel I’ve had on the go for a few months now, which I thought was going to be a SEAMY THRILLER but the first third has been straight up YA romance. Seriously, the blurb is something like

Spoiler

So many nightmares and the accident still haunts Elizabeth's thoughts. Over the past nine years, guilt has dictated her behavior. She is madly in love with Martin, a love forbidden by her conscience. Winner of a week's vacation in a mansion, she decides to invite her closest friends and Martin. The time has come to confess her feelings and why she pushed him away. But the owner of Manoir Beaujolais likes to play, and he has specific plans for his guests. Does Elizabeth really know Martin or her friends? Everyone has secrets... Passion, intrigue and confusion await you in this mansion, where the secrets could well be yours!

 

 

Anyway, I will finish it, but I’m not exactly jazzed about the smouldering eyes of the handsome and passionate Martin now that the Mansion full of Secrets is looking more like a PG version of Saw where a maniacal weirdo gets off on trapping people in his “game” than the “EVERYONE has SECRETS” books I like, like The Woman in the Dark or The Nanny. A good turn-of-the-century thriller is also much more up my alley, so I’m digging Le Fantôme. But I have ONE MILLION amazing ebooks out of the library so it’s hard to prioritize, haha. Currently deep in Our Share of Night and when it goes back I’m ready to start Iron Widow and see what the fuss is about. Sibling B liked it a lot so I have high hopes.
 

We just booked tickets and a hotel for a music/artisan festival in a neighbouring community.  Years ago, XH and I used to get up there once or twice a year to visit his cousins and I came to love the town. I miss it! But it’s harder to get out there when there isn’t a guest room waiting, haha. Anyway, I really wanted to go to the festival this year because we have THREE friends’ musical groups performing, so Mr. Radost booked us a hotel room - and we decided to splurge on the fancy suite with jacuzzi tub. Comes with a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates! Hurry up, August!