2018 weekly - Week 2

Before I know it, the first half of 2018 will just vanish.

This week, I've been so busy with:

1) preparing for meetingS in a week

2) fulfilling my duty for the peer-review journals (I can't believe the quality of submissions these days. Any ill-conceived experiment (failed or not) seems to be an idea for submission? Not to mention the bad writing and me spending my evenings reading and responding)

3) restarting my French class (we had a good laugh revising l'alphabet francais)

4) up at 5am for a 7am meeting (my body really prefers vampires' hours)

5) sorting out my (small) savings. It's demoralizing to see my saving being bleeding away by inflation. Everyone who knows a little bit about investing says funds and stock market are the way. But I still feel uncomfortable putting much of my saving there. I hate dealing with money!!

2018 weekly - Week 1

01/01/2018

Today, I feel my body is mine again. After being sick for a week, the ability to breath, move, think freely and generously feels refreshingly new and welcome to me. With renewed energy and spirit levels, I am willing to go back to work and take on what comes my way.

My body reacted a bit by flaring up in one area today. By now I have learned to live with my sensitive skin. A layer of pure aloe vera so far does the trick. Talking about the stress! Ha.

04/01/2018

First day back to gym and not as painful as I thought. I have a lot to catch up but I like the feeling that when everything is back on track.

2017 New Year Eve dinner

Starter

Wild boar pate, sweet and sour red cabbage and coleslaw.

Main

Cotechino with lentils (Italians believe that lentils bring good luck for the coming year. Who am I to argue with Romans? On top of that, both are my favorite ingredients!)

Dessert

Chocolate mousse

2017 reflection

What an eventful year it has been, not just what's been happening across the globe but around me.

A year of loss

We lost our beloved M-T this year. It was sudden, quick and shock for everyone. M-T had been in decline. We all could see how time can do cruel things to human physical shells, but not to the minds. We still talk about M-T as she's still around. Now she lives in a separate corner of my heart. Never forgotten, always there.

A number of friends whom we came to know quite well this year also left to find a greener pasture somewhere else. It's unavoidable. Forward and upward, that's what people do. All the best wishes for I&A, D, Y and S.

A year of self-challenges

I decided to start a weekly diary (weekary?) on the outset of 2017 to commemorate my re-found friends dated decades(!) ago. I was truly moved by the number of people who came to meet me. What did I do to deserve all their kindness? That's how I decided to start my 2017 weekly to help me remember how my life goes a little bit better than before. 

And you know what? Not only did I finish the series, but also I will start my 2018 weekly! I got so much out of writing my weekary that I want to continue. For me, the effect is most therapeutic and it gives me a purpose and reason to write. It also makes me examine myself more honestly and deeply. It doesn't matter whether every entry is a well thought through philosophical piece. Sometimes just one liner is enough to capture the moment.

The two other challenges are fitness related. One is to complete 5000 meters under 41 minutes. Ticked. I did it twice during the last two trips to the gym. And the other is to continue lunch time classes as long as I could. Ticked. I love my Zumba and HIIT classes. My instructors are both doing wonder to me. Thank you, D and S.

The last one is to restart learning French. I had reached a pretty decent level perhaps 10 years ago with my French but then I stopped. And my French has predictably become very not usable again. Autumn 2017, I enrolled into a class with an aim to be certified in the future. I've been enjoying the learning and the language. I hope to keep the same energy for the 2018.

Another year working in Suburbicon

I hate to devote any more of my time and space to Suburbicon but keeping a weekary has helped me on this regard to see what's good in my life. And there are a lot to celebrate. Grateful.

A year of friendship

2017 is a special year to remember because we reconnected with many long lost friends. They are not really lost but just haven't seen each other since, say, the day we got married? M&T came to our wedding 14 years ago and we haven't seen each other since! But you know you are truly good friends with each other is the minute you see each other it's as if all the missing years has been compressed into 1 second. Because we are able to pick up where we left as if no time has lapsed. Sometimes life does not count in minutes.

Well, those were highlights of my 2017. I hope you at least enjoyed part of yours? If not, hey, 2018 is just a few hours away. Let's make it a memorable one, shall we?

2017 Weekly - Week 52

30/12/2017

My temperature has finally come down, after in bed for 5 days. I probably got a flu this time, with every cold symptoms multiplied by 10. Feel so good not to be heavy headed, nose congested, endless coughing and overall body fatigued. Good health is the best thing one can wish for anyone.

I wish you good health for the coming new year.

2017 Boxing day dinner

For her: Root vegetable soup with borlotti beans and fried egg

Garlic croutons

For him: Grilled rib eye steak

Crushed potatoes with green onions

For us: Pralines from Piedmont

ps. I think I am winning over the bugs. Came down with a fever and sore throat in an overly heated house at the end of Christmas eve but feeling much better now today.

2017 Christmas dinner

Home cured salmon with smoked tea leaves

Celeriac remoulade

Cream cheese

Cranberry and walnut bread

Roast beef

Braised red cabbage

Chestnuts

Mousse au chocolat