it's a blessing to be so easily impressed

So I've survived my first week at the new job. I love it so far. My co-worker is fantastic, we get along great, and manage to get a lot of laughs in during the day. The project I'm working on is a bit of a logistic nightmare, and I think that's why I like it so much....everything is a problem that needs to be solved - lots of thinking, lots of decision-making. This is the stuff I need. So I've been feeling very fulfilled lately. To top it all off, I made some more progress on my thesis over the weekend, so although I'm still waaaaaaay stressed about it, at least I have momentum, which is the greatest motivator for me.

Shelley and I talk often about all the places I'm going to get to go to. I haven't been to any of these places, and although I'm sure they're completely boring, I'm still exciting to see them, and to run around and take funky pictures. I get to spend a bit of time up in northern BC, and when I asked Shelley what the heck I'm going to do there, her first response was "be very careful and watch out for bears". She would know, since these were her old stomping grounds and she has actually been attacked by a bear, believe it or not. (In the end, her and her buddy were rescued safely, but the bear was killed - apparently the ranger people thought the bear was a bit crazy and would likely kill again). I told her I would go walking with pots and pans to scare them away.

I've been getting up at 5:45 to go to the gym. Impressive, eh? I'm somewhat addicted to the gym at the moment...at least I have a healthy outlet for stress. I still hate mornings and am grumpy until I actually start exercising, then I realize it's all worth it. Maybe one day it will get a bit easier to wake up so darn early.

I've been getting little reminders lately about how much I love this world we live in and it's diversity of culture. I was walking home from work the other day and I caught a glimpse of an old brick apartment building. There were beautiful plants growing in someone's window, and a shiny thing hanging about them that was capturing the sunlight. It was just so beautiful. I had a flashback to various homes and buildings I have seen in my travels, and I was filled with a total sense of love for the world, and an intense desire to see more of it. I love these moments, ones where you are moved by what seems to be the ordinary. So I guess I should have no worries about Fort St John and the like...I'm sure to find something that will impress me.