Carly's Ramblings Blog - Style

The Places I've Been, Tackling Stress and Inspiring Teachers

Today's blogs...

Blog City – Day 71 – May 14

Did you have a teacher who inspired you?

Mr. Key for grade 7 and 8 - just a cool teacher, that everyone I went to school with liked - hee knew when to have fun and when to get to work and he never made anyone feel awkward - and in grade 7 and 8 that says a lot.

In high school my favourite teacher was Mrs. K - she was my music teacher and reminded me a lot of my favourite aunt - in her style and approach. Just a really wonderful woman who put her students and her love of music first - even over the strike. We did choir rehearsals sponsored by her church until the strike was over - that way we could still be part of the Andrew Lloyd Weber's Canadian Premier of his Requiem at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto. Now that was amazing. 11 choirs from all over Ontario performing.

My aunt also inspired me - though she was not my teacher - she taught Special Education. It was her that encouraged me to go on to Teacher's College and become a teacher as well.

Welcome To My Reality – Week Twenty-One

2. How many cities, towns, or provinces/states have you lived in? What was the reason for your moves or for not moving?

I have only lived in Ontario. I was born in New Liskeard. I lived there until a month before my 12th birthday. Then my mother and I moved to Guelph where my favourite Aunt and Uncle lived. My mom took a transfer at work. My father stayed in New Liskeard, but because of his cancer, he was in Toronto often. My mother visited him every weekend. He died two months later. I lived in Guelph until I finished university. Then I moved to Kitchener where my mother had moved with her second husband. Why did I move? The rent was cheaper and my mother was helping me look for a new place. I still continued to work in Guelph (which is only 30 minutes down the road). I also met my husband in Kitchener and have been here ever since.

Though I now live in southern Ontario, I am still a northern Ontario girl at heart.

3. What do you to take care of yourself? Me time is so very important when we are constantly on the go and meeting the demands of employers, family, friends etc. Knowing how to look after ourselves, decrease our stress levels and take time out to just be is something more of us need to learn to do.

I am currently in a low point on this. My activity level has dwindled off with this crazy, cold winter and I need to refocus and get back to my regular walks through the neighbourhood and along nature trails. I prefer walking outdoors, but I have been known to walk the mall if the weather is miserable.

I used to do 20 minutes of yoga a day - it really helped with the stress, my balance, flexibility, strength, and my posture - but house renovations have cramped my style and until my husband can get half the living room back to order I feel unmotivated to workout in my home. When the weather improves I may take myself out on the back deck.

I have found great sollis here at writing.com. Each month has provided some kind of activity to get me writing and sharing bits of myself on a creative level and that has been very rewarding. The only thing is - I find myself sitting a lot and need to get up and move more.

Sometimes just listening to music and singing along will life my spirits.

I also plug in to Christian programming on Sundays as well as Oprah's Super Soul Sunday - both of those activities enrich my soul and inspire me with new topics to write about and experience. I always come away feeling blessed and recharged.