Dream On

“Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Critic as Artist

I constantly feel younger than I am. I turned 47 a little over a month ago. Forty-freaking-seven. I am the unhealthiest I have been in my life. The bariatric surgeon says she can’t help me. I felt lost.

Notice I said felt? I’ve have found my stride. I have found my group of ladies who want the same goals and are helping me stick to it. I’ve already lost some weight, but it’s not just the physical weight coming off, it’s the mental.

I’m a very introspective person. Maybe too much so, in that I see and acknowledge my faults, whilst forgetting to acknowledge my strengths. This season is always hard on me, however, I do believe that this winter has been very hard on most people.

The days are getting longer, though. I’m no longer getting home in darkness. The sunlight dappling through the curtains in my living room are proof of that. Even with the snow we’ve been getting, signs of the Spring to come are starting to show. I feel that change. I haven’t felt it in a long time. I can’t wait to be outside, doing yard work, planting, growing things – reveling in that sunlight.

I breath in deeply and can smell those days, I dream of them. Don’t get me wrong, I do like winter. I used to be very winter active – skiing, cross-country skiing, hiking, etc. The cold seeps into my joints now though, it makes me feel old with the creeks and aches that come with it.

As I age, my mind has been left young. I am forgetful, I do struggle with some things I didn’t before, but when I look in the mirror, that image is not who I picture in my mind. I’m working of bringing those two images together into the one I want to be, the one I should be.

Meanwhile, I will dream on about the spring and summer. I will dream about being fit and working on my goals. Most of all, I will dream of having inner peace and loving myself.

Aerosmith – Dream On

Doctor Jones

“Aside from criminology, I’d say archaeology has the highest body count.” Jarod Kintz, $3.33

“The geologist takes up the history of the earth at the point where the archaeologist leaves it, and carries it further back into remote antiquity.” Bal Gangadhar Tilak, The Arctic Home in the Vedas

Two for one quote day!

In a countryside a long, long time ago, in a world not that far away, lived a young woman who loved ancient history and Indiana Jones.

harrison-ford-as-indiana-jones-in-raiders-of-the-lost-ark
Seriously – how can you NOT want to be an archaeologist!


Can you FEEL that!

My maiden name is Jones.

I have a degree in Archaeology (and my first degree is Anthropology/Classical Studies) – my classmates and friends used to call me Gwendiana Jones. I’m not joking.

giphy-facebook_s
What?!

I know, Indy, Crazy!

When I hear of new discovers, I still get a rush of excitement to find out more details.

Then cue life – right out of left field. A controlling fiancé turned husband, children, divorce, a new marriage, responsibilities – you know, life.

For several years I have been fighting a fog of depression, anxiety, stress, and illness.

harrison-ford-as-indiana-jones
Whip that shit!

I started a new program with a WONDERFUL nutritionist at Sculpt Fredericton named Allison Hill. She is da bomb!

In the last week I have already gained more energy and joy than I have in the past several YEARS! I have had happy moments, don’t get me wrong, but this time I actually FEEL it inside of me instead of a deep, dark hole.

What does that have to do with Archaeology? Nothing really – except for the joy and excitement. My life isn’t over, not by a long shot. I have always said that I still have time.

You never know – maybe one day, I’ll hear someone call me Doctor after all, while I am digging in a remote location looking for my next big find.

I know it’s not as it is portrayed in film and on TV – oh trust me I know (I loved creating a topographic map of a site I dug on, very cool). But all the things people think of as tedious in the career – I LOVE. I LOVE cataloguing and holding items. I LOVE taking my time, clearing off objects – it’s my Zen.

indiana-jones-header
Thanks for the inspiration, Indy.

No matter where the series goes, Harrison Ford will always be Indiana to me.

Aqua – Doctor Jones

Posture

 “I have very bad posture.” ― Kurt Cobain

Me too, Kurt, me too.

I’ve noticed that I am slouching…a lot. Even now, just before I began to write this, the curve of my shoulders began to over take my keyboard. I very mindfully have to remind myself to sit up straight.

It’s funny what posture can do for you. I went from feeling very sluggish, to suddenly feeling very alert. It’s easy to wrap yourself in upon yourself – especially when you are down, Making the mindful effort to rise up (physically and metaphorically) is harder, but definitely more worthwhile.

It’s painful, this proper posture. I’m assuming though that the more I maintain it, the less painful it will become. Suck it in, pull them back, stick it out – suck in that gut, pull back those shoulders, stick out that chest. Good lord doing all that is a work out on it’s own! I used to be a natural at it  – I used to be a natural at a lot of things…

My goal for the next year – get healthy. It’s as easy as that. Well, ok, it’s not easy. Getting healthy to me involves improving my posture, getting back my flexibility and strength, and losing weight (and by extension, lessening the strain on my joints, ergo lessening pain).

Elton John – I’m Still Standing

Random

So I just watched the Animals video by Maroon 5. As someone who has experienced a mild form of stalking – wow…freaky. I was going to write about something completely different, until I watched it.

Maroon 5 – Animals

“There’s a fine line between support and stalking and let’s all stay on the right side of that.” Joss Whedon

Yes, Joss, there definitely is. When I was in university a friend of mine decided that leaving notes in my car was a great idea. I had NO idea who was doing it. They even talked about how they felt about me, and gave me hints. Problem is that this friend knew more about me than I did about him…the hints were lost to me. I went to university in one city, but worked in a town over at a nightclub. One night after work, there was another note. No one in sight.

I can honestly say I was scared. A mutual friend of this friend knew him better than I did. With her help we figured out who he was. The letters stopped thereafter. Moral of the story –  DON’T BE A DICK STALKER!

Seriously…that should not have to be said.

In case you haven’t guessed, yes I am in a far better mood today. No pity part. I am still in pain from my fall last week. But I have a better general outlook. Mental health. Don’t take it for granted. If you’ve never experienced mental health issues – count yourself very blessed. I count myself lucky…even with the issues I have.

Here’s the goals for the next month:

– do up the meal plans I have been talking about for months FINALLY – more vegetables, more fruit, more fish, less processed crap

– walk a minimum of 10 minutes every day

– walk the dogs a minimum of 3 times a week (I have two 80 lbs dogs {both SPCA specials; a husky shepherd mix and a Rottweiler shepherd mix – we think} and 1 10 lbs cat-dog {a Pomeranian poodle cross}).

– early to bed, early to rise! Get up 1/2 an hour earlier than normal to do YOGA!

I think those are decent goals for the month. Let’s see how I actually do…

Archaeology

I have two BAs. Yes, really two. The second one was supposed to be a BSc but my fiancé (at the time) convinced me to cut my degree short and do the second BA. It’s one of my biggest regrets

My first BA is in Anthropology and Classical Studies (one more year of the Russian language and I would have had a Russian Minor…grrrr). My second BA is in Archaeology – and therein lies my passion. Forever buried under a mound of forgotten facts, marriage, children, time. One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t follow my heart and my dreams.

The life goal before allowing myself to be convinced otherwise (because it was ultimately MY choice) was to get the BSc in Archaeology, then the MA in Roman Archaeology from the University of Cardiff in Wales (I have family nearby, cousins, it would have been awesome), and then I wanted to do a PhD in Roman Archaeology in Italy.

It never happened. Sometimes reading archaeological news is very bittersweet to me. I want to be in the field, I want to dig, survey, map, HOLD the artifacts. However, I’m learning to let go and enjoy what I see. I love history, I love archaeology – in that vein I may begin to post archaeological news stories that I find of interest here.

Here’s a great one out of Egypt from the Cairo Post:

http://www.thecairopost.com/news/146654/culture/ruins-of-egypts-most-ancient-capital-of-memphis-unearthed

Would you not LOVE to be there? I know I would.