Casual Thoughts

Receiving our first box from HelloFresh was a little rough, but once it arrived, it has been smooth sailing since.  I was expecting our box to arrive while I was writing my previous blog post, and doing some general maintenance on the website, but it never did arrive, even after the delivery cut off time came and went.  I reached out on Twitter to figure out what was happening, where was our food and why was it delayed, but I never really received any answers, just an apology, a refund, and a $35 credit for our next full-priced box.  We had shopped accordingly for the week, expecting most of our big meals to be taken care of, and made something small and insignificant for dinner when my wife came home that Thursday.   At this point, upon being immediately issued a refund, we weren't sure if the box was going to show up at all, and we wondered how long we should wait before going out and buying food for our dinners for the next week if it wasn't going to show....

Hey everyone!  I'd like to first start off by apologizing for taking nearly a whole year to post something.  It wasn't my intention to wait this long, as I had intended to post an update mid-quarantine last Spring, but I just couldn't bring myself to do anything creative.  I know there's a lot of individuals in the same boat, too scared and too anxious to do almost anything.  You're not alone, we're all living through one of the most challenging times in our history, and the world is changing all around us with little to no input of our own.  The COVID-19 pandemic is a very serious topic, that I could write about for paragraphs, but I think for now, I want this post to go in a different direction.  (P.S. wear your damn masks, people!) One of the things my wife and I have found challenging over the past year, is grocery shopping.  From having nightmares about forgetting my mask, to the shortage of many different items, it hasn't been the easiest time to...

3/3/2020 March Third already, huh? At the end of December I asked my parents to send me one of the books that I left behind on the far left bookshelf in the makeshift living room I constructed in their basement.  The book was in the section I determined is the "self-help & religion" section, under Harry Potter on the top shelf, and above shelves of various biographies, recipe books, and fitness guides.  The particular book that I asked them for is titled "Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder" by Norman E. Rosenthal, MD.  I had left the book behind as I was having a good time with life - having just went through the US K-1 Visa process, and planning a move to the US, I cut corners and left a few things behind that I hesitated over when packing.  My parents then sent me the book in a care package that contained many Canadian goodies, from Mars bars to Lays Ketchup Chips.  My wife and I get very excited whenever we...

As I'm sure many of you know I am not a U.S. citizen.  The United States has rules, and some pretty strict ones regarding immigration.  Becca and I have wanted to live together for over a year now, and finally, after months of research, paperwork, and waiting, we have a result. There's a few ways for a Canadian to enter the United States permanently, from specializing in a career and getting a job offer, to apply for a full-time University schedule down in the states and spending twice the amount for tuition because I am a "foreign student", to eloping abroad.  But, I think we chose the option that was best for us, which is applying for the K-1 Fiancé Visa. We applied on November 5th, 2018, were approved by the USCIS on March 7th, 2019.  Then, on May 21st I received contact from the Montreal Consulate regarding my application, prompting me to book a doctor's appointment on June 17th, and an immigration interview on July 17th.  At the time, Becca was visiting...

Two months.  That's not as long between posts as some of my previous blogs have been.  I'm not going to type up a promise that I will be making more blog posts here on out, because I know I'll likely break that promise. It's been hard recently to be as positive as I want to be, but I need to remember that life has valleys and hills and I'm just in a valley at this time, but I'll climb the hill soon enough.  As I write this, I know I am up too late (sorry Becca, I love you), but I need a little push to start my ascent. I thought perhaps a good start to improving my mood is to simply make a list of some things that bring me happiness or joy: Walking on a quiet path, by a lake or river, or in trees. The smell of books, old and new. Listening to music to relax & meditate. Camping, in the RV or tents - both are great.   The way a dog lovingly gazes at its parent/owner, with unconditional love and acceptance. Getting hugs and kisses from Becca. The nu...

I have the hardest time getting started on most projects.  I could have all the inspiration and planning in the world, but I'll still put off the start of something as long as I can.  This is one of those things I'm working on about myself, and why I'm writing this.  I've decided to start this blog as a way to keep myself working on something and improving upon myself. I've been doing a lot of meditating and self reflection as of late, and I do think that a lot of my procrastination habits comes from a fear of failing once I do start, so I just put off starting.  I need to change my mindset to starting and accepting the chance of failure rather than being afraid of it - and re-evaluating the way I judge my own work. To spur me into future posts, here are a few topics to cover in future blogs: Incubating chickens and the process Weightloss & Associated Personal Challenges Gardening & Garden Updates Cookbook creating process Bullet Journal Monthly U...