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Holy crap, I feel like the last couple of weeks have been some crazy triathlon, between work needs, family needs, and trying to get any type of work out schedule in. The lead up for back to school means different things for different people, and might not mean anything to some, but for me it is pretty massive.
From about May until August I work with a team of people who plan, promote, and execute 7 days of orientation in the form of activities, events, speakers, meals, sponsorship, community outreach opportunities, along with our regular day to day services. Throw in a week plus of training session for student leaders prior to this week and you can get into a pretty big pressure cooker.
The crazy thing is, I love it.
There is an insane amount of stress, problem solving and adaptability that goes along with this each year, but it seeing these events go off, most of the time without an issue, carries with it a great amount of pride and satisfaction.
My role in this in making these things happen is minor, one voice among many, but it is something that i love about my job.
It does however have a draw back in terms of leading a healthy lifestyle. That goes pretty much in the crapper. I am trying really hard this year to fight against it, but last week, weakness and lack of planning resulted in a shortened work out week which equaled no #cigarSunday. It also led to some preety preety bad food choices.
The week went like dis:
Monday:off
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 2000m swim
Thursday: 2500m swim + 5.5km run
Friday: 2000m swim
Saturday: 7km run + 5mile bike
Sunday: off
I am also still not sleeping well. I usually go to bed about 930pm or 10pm and then am up for the day around 2am. Sometimes i can get back to sleep around 330am, but it almost makes it worse.
Def makes for long days.
I usually wake up in a panic about water balloons. That might not make sense to most of you, but i will post some pictures next week and it may become more clear.
In the last week we also got some pretty craptacular news. My wife's aunt, who has been putting up a pretty good fight with cancer, had a bad beat and a few days later passed away.
We have had a very crappy summer for loosing people close to us.
Lorraine was one of the first relatives I met from my mother-in-law's side of the family over 20 years ago. She was a great lady. One of the most friendly, kind and humble people you would ever be lucky enough to meet.
She didnt ask for much from anyone, but would give you anything she could to help out.
She was a true craftsperson with needles and yarn. The picture above is a sweater she made me at my request.
I am a big dude.
Trying to find an ugly Christmas sweater that fit me was next to impossible. I asked Lorraine in a passing conversation if should could make me the ugliest reindeer sweater she could think of. She thought I was mental, but laughed her great laugh.
She would double check a couple of times through the conversation, 'ugly, like strange?' - yeah, like ugly that would make people stop and wonder what the heck it was!
'Okay, okay i think i have an idea'
What you cannot see from this picture is the back of the sweater, it features a reindeer butt, with a sown on tail. It used to be velcro, but people kept stealing my tail so we sowed it on.
This sweater is now and forever a one of a kind, and that is just the way I like it.
I have worn this sweater to every christmas party, it is what i wear christmas morning, and it is what I will continue to wear for every christmas to come.
It is always hard to say goodbye, but those that loved her the most take comfort in the time and memories they have of her, knowing now that she is free of the pain that she was fighting in the last few months of her life, and the joy that she had playing and creating memories with her grandson.
My father-in-law said today, that it is now all of our jobs, as friends and family, that whenever we see this 'little man' to talk to him about his grandmother, to share the stories she is now not able to, and by doing that she will never truly be gone from his life.
I couldnt agree more, and I look forward to a time that he is older, and i can share the story about my christmas sweater, when he undoubtedly will ask me, where did you get that ugly christmas sweater.
Rest in peace Lorraine
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
From about May until August I work with a team of people who plan, promote, and execute 7 days of orientation in the form of activities, events, speakers, meals, sponsorship, community outreach opportunities, along with our regular day to day services. Throw in a week plus of training session for student leaders prior to this week and you can get into a pretty big pressure cooker.
The crazy thing is, I love it.
There is an insane amount of stress, problem solving and adaptability that goes along with this each year, but it seeing these events go off, most of the time without an issue, carries with it a great amount of pride and satisfaction.
My role in this in making these things happen is minor, one voice among many, but it is something that i love about my job.
It does however have a draw back in terms of leading a healthy lifestyle. That goes pretty much in the crapper. I am trying really hard this year to fight against it, but last week, weakness and lack of planning resulted in a shortened work out week which equaled no #cigarSunday. It also led to some preety preety bad food choices.
The week went like dis:
Monday:off
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: 2000m swim
Thursday: 2500m swim + 5.5km run
Friday: 2000m swim
Saturday: 7km run + 5mile bike
Sunday: off
I am also still not sleeping well. I usually go to bed about 930pm or 10pm and then am up for the day around 2am. Sometimes i can get back to sleep around 330am, but it almost makes it worse.
Def makes for long days.
I usually wake up in a panic about water balloons. That might not make sense to most of you, but i will post some pictures next week and it may become more clear.
In the last week we also got some pretty craptacular news. My wife's aunt, who has been putting up a pretty good fight with cancer, had a bad beat and a few days later passed away.
We have had a very crappy summer for loosing people close to us.
Lorraine was one of the first relatives I met from my mother-in-law's side of the family over 20 years ago. She was a great lady. One of the most friendly, kind and humble people you would ever be lucky enough to meet.
She didnt ask for much from anyone, but would give you anything she could to help out.
She was a true craftsperson with needles and yarn. The picture above is a sweater she made me at my request.
I am a big dude.
Trying to find an ugly Christmas sweater that fit me was next to impossible. I asked Lorraine in a passing conversation if should could make me the ugliest reindeer sweater she could think of. She thought I was mental, but laughed her great laugh.
She would double check a couple of times through the conversation, 'ugly, like strange?' - yeah, like ugly that would make people stop and wonder what the heck it was!
'Okay, okay i think i have an idea'
What you cannot see from this picture is the back of the sweater, it features a reindeer butt, with a sown on tail. It used to be velcro, but people kept stealing my tail so we sowed it on.
This sweater is now and forever a one of a kind, and that is just the way I like it.
I have worn this sweater to every christmas party, it is what i wear christmas morning, and it is what I will continue to wear for every christmas to come.
It is always hard to say goodbye, but those that loved her the most take comfort in the time and memories they have of her, knowing now that she is free of the pain that she was fighting in the last few months of her life, and the joy that she had playing and creating memories with her grandson.
My father-in-law said today, that it is now all of our jobs, as friends and family, that whenever we see this 'little man' to talk to him about his grandmother, to share the stories she is now not able to, and by doing that she will never truly be gone from his life.
I couldnt agree more, and I look forward to a time that he is older, and i can share the story about my christmas sweater, when he undoubtedly will ask me, where did you get that ugly christmas sweater.
Rest in peace Lorraine
Sean "BigBoyRunning" Ryan
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