Final Thoughts

When I first discovered that I would have to quit my job and move back to Ontario, I was devastated. The first thought that entered my head was: "Well, that was a waste of a year". I immediately regretted that thought however, because it really wasn't a wasted year. Yes, the year was wasted in terms of getting my husband and I any closer to our long-term goals, including both of us finding employment in the same geographical area. In addition, living apart from your spouse for more than 12 months (with no end to the madness in sight) does put a great deal of stress on the relationship. But this past year was anything but a waste.

The Center for Aquaculture Technologies Canada Team

In terms of the value these last 14 months have added to my career, I have gained more experience working with CATC than during the last 5 years. I have had the opportunity to develop new skills, obtain training on new equipment, work on a variety of method development projects which have added significant depth to my skill set. Thankfully, I have also had the chance to work with excellent people. Not only are they excellent at what they do, but they are truly a great group of people with whom to share an office & lab space. 

I am also thankful to have had the opportunity to bring a little bit of UNB to PEI. We UNB grads have a tradition of engaging in meetings of the Behavioural Ecology and Evolution Research Society (B.E.E.R.S.) on Friday afternoons. In addition, I have had the wonderful opportunity to learn about and sample hand crafted micro-brews from a friend's private collection. I do hope that the tradition will live on! 

CrossFit PEI

My relatively short time spent living in PEI has also had other fantastic consequences. For example, I had the wonderful luck of finding a truly phenomenal group of people at CrossFit PEI in Charlottetown. I can think of no better way to get to know a group of people than through communal suffering through gruelling CrossFit workouts!

I have grown very fond of my new CrossFit family and value the friendships made, the coaching and programming. In all my years of CrossFit, I have seen more gains in the past 12 months than ever before which I credit to the team at CFPEI. In particular, I would like to thank you for convincing me to compete. The competition group training during the Sunday torture sessions will be missed.

Not only has this group helped me acclimatize to my new surroundings after a move, but they have also welcomed me into their community with open arms.  After seeing the battles that some of you have faced in the past year and the strength with which you have faced those challenges, I am confident that I will try to do the same and that this is only a road bump as I forge forward. 

Due to my fondness for the 90's, I will end my final blog post with some words inspired by Baz Luhrmann:

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it

The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists (Science, it works - bitches). Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis other than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now:

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind... You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.  In 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you (or at least I'm hoping that will be true!) 

Don't worry about the future. I'm trying to convince myself that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind. Like when you wake up to a frozen tree draped across the roof of your car on moving day.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.
The race is long and in the end, it's only with yourself. And we all know that I do not support running! 

Stretch, and definitely go to Corina's mobility class. She will teach you things that can change your life. Seriously.

Get plenty of calcium and fish oil. Be kind to your knees because as some of my friends have come to learn, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. You can't control the outcome of every situation, so just roll with it.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can, especially at CrossFit. Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it. What your body can do is the most important thing, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. You are better than that.

Understand that friends come and go. But there are a precious few, who you should hold on to. Those are the people who will open their doors and hearts to you after years of not seeing each other.  

Be careful whose advice you buy but be patient with those who supply it. Advice can be offered or requested but either way, life lessons are always there if you pay attention. 

But trust me on the sunscreen.

MC Signing off as I am no longer on Island from away!