My True Identity.

Since Phil's "I Am Spiderman" nonsense, I have been on a grand search for my own true identity. I'm not exactly sure why I feel like I need one, but I think my search is inspired by the way Phil "signs off" on emails during the work day: Love, SPIDERMAN. Catchy, isn't it? His cool wrap-up has made me jealous and I suppose I crave an alter-ego that I can pull out at the end of a message, too.

Well, I think I've found it and I used it for the first time the other day...in an email to Phil:

"Hi Hunny,

I hope your day is going well. I can't wait to go home and have tea with you!

Love,

CINDY LOU WHO"



My claim is just as easy to support as his - with my Kuwait Christmas Tree in the living room, a cup of hot chocolate by my side, and a stack of Christmas Cards on the coffee table in front of me. My blood isn't the rarest, but I betcha it sings and beams with WHO-VILLE CHEER!

Have a GREAT Monday, Sweet Readers,

Love,
CINDY LOU WHO

(yep....that felt good.)

A Salute to Edison Pena.

He trained underground. What excuse could I possibly have?

Today I am rooting for "The Runner".

Just Another Manic SUNDAY!

Lindsay: (rushes into bedroom to make sure Phil is getting ready) HUN!!! Where are you? We have to leave in 15 minutes!

Phil: (with little time to react to my imminent entrance) Um............

Lindsay: (finds Phil in bed, under covers) PHIL!!!!

Phil: Hun, I'm sorry. I heard you coming, but I didn't know whether to get up quickly or just hide from you. (Starts to laugh when he sees my rage). I guess I should have got up quickly.....right???

Lindsay: You're darn right you should have! Now, MOVE IT! We have to go!

Run Q8!

This morning Phil and I woke up early and headed down to the Scientific Center for Kuwait's first-ever 10 km run! The event was a joint initiative between an eye care program in Kuwait and WHO's "Vision 2020" Campaign, and worked to raise awareness on eye health in the country. We were amazed at how well organized the run was (being in the Middle East, we didn't expect much!) and there were countless volunteers available to help you at any moment! Water and energy drinks were given out every couple of kilometers, medics were on standby, police lined the street to keep the route safe, and a pre-race warm up was led by a qualified fitness instructor. Not only that, but we also received quite the loot at the finish line - two free t-shirts, a reusable water bottle, a finisher's medal, pens, keychains, a journal and reading material! To top it off, the weather was pleasant (borderline COLD) and the route was a good introduction to Kuwait's "Corniche". We hope to go back for some early morning runs during the next few months!

When we arrived home from the race, Phil said to me, "Hun, I know I am a grouch about doing things, but I am happy you encourage me to do them! They are always so fun in the end." Haha, well GOOD! Because I picked up brochures for Kuwait's first half marathon....

Here It Is:

Our Kuwait Christmas Tree! Of course it varies from the traditional type, but it is enough to make us feel at home for the holidays!

Our mall outing was a great one today. We started with Starbucks - skinny lattes in CHRISTMAS CUPS - then went on to admire the shops (decorated with red and green, snowflakes and Santa's, garland and tinsel, etc). Oh - it was lovely!

We are home now, waiting for a movie to begin on Showtime. The lights are dim, with only the tree lights switched on. Chocolate chunk brownies are baking in the oven and tea is in the works. What more could one ask for?

Well....maybe that gingerbread house kit from True Value......but at this point I know I really shouldn't 'push it' with Phillip.

The Holiday Season is HERE!

Haha - for us, at least. I held up to my end of the deal, now Phil has to hold up to his. He pinky-sweared that we could begin celebrating Christmas after Halloween has passed. Well, it has! Goodbye Halloween and Hello CHRISTMAS!!!

Here are my list of reasons to begin celebrating my favourite day of the year TODAY:

1) I repeat....it is my FAVOURITE DAY OF THE YEAR!

2) We won't be in Kuwait for the real deal and we sure aren't going to pack a Christmas tree for Sri Lanka. The two weeks of sitting around the tree have to be made up for sometime, don't they?

3) Ontario has had snow.

4) The more the merrier. I'm certain this applies to "number of days", too!

5) IKEA is ready for Christmas. Our satellite provider is ready for Christmas. I'm ready for Christmas. What's the hold up?

6) It will be a great way to celebrate the end of a long week at school. Report cards are finished, parent teacher conferences are over, it's THURSDAY, and there's only one more week until Eid holiday!

Ah - so bring on the hot chocolate, the carols, the baking, and the decor! The Parkinson's (or at least half of the Parkinson's) are ready to show off (and share!) our holiday spirit!!!

Pre-Cleaning.

Rushing around to tidy up before the maid arrived....

Phil: We're those people, aren't we? The type of people that clean before their maid comes over?

Lindsay: We have to be! We don't want her to think we're total slobs, yet at the same time, we have to show her that we need her!

CONGRATULATIONS, GIANTS!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if we brought them good luck on our honeymoon....

Team "D" Tuesday, Week #11

YO, YO, P.C. READERS! This month, make like Eiffel 65 and GO BLUE for Diabetes Awareness!!!

"Yo listen up here's a story
About a little guy that lives in a blue world
And all day and all night and everything he sees
Is just blue like him inside and outside
Blue his house with a blue little window
And a blue corvette
And everything is blue for him and hisself
And everybody around
Cos he ain't got nobody to listen to

I'm blue da ba dee da ba die...

I have a blue house with a blue window.
Blue is the colour of all that I wear.
Blue are the streets and all the trees are too.
I have a girlfriend and she is so blue.
Blue are the people here that walk around,
Blue like my corvette, it's standing outside.
Blue are the words I say and what I think.
Blue are the feelings that live inside me.

I'm blue da ba dee da ba die..."

NOVEMBER is DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH.

Today I was sitting in my classroom on break, browsing "diabetes.ca" to find ideas for my first Diabetes Awareness Month post. I really wanted to find something catchy and insightful...something that would lure you into the month of November...something that would make a compelling argument for your monetary support. I wanted to find something that would hit home and stick with you. Something that you would want to share with your friends and family, your colleagues, and people beside you on the bus.

Well, I think I did.

Here is an excerpt from "The Harsh Reality: Diabetes is a Global Pandemic" (diabetes.ca):

The serious complications

Diabetes can lead to serious complications and premature death:

•80% of Canadians with diabetes die from a heart attack or a stroke;
•42% of new kidney dialysis patients in 2004 had diabetes.
•Diabetes is the single leading cause of blindness in Canada;
•7 of 10 non-traumatic limb amputations are the result of diabetes complications;
•25% of people with diabetes suffer from depression;
•The life expectancy for people with type 1 diabetes may be shortened by as much as 15 years; and
•The life expectancy for people with type 2 diabetes may be shortened by 5 to 10 years.

Harsh is right. It is words like these that make me wish for special online sensorship. Perhaps there could be a button that says, "If someone close to you is affected by diabetes, CLICK HERE". I mean, really....couldn't they have left out a few of those statistics......just for me? Couldn't they have let me keep my "my sister is, and will always be, the happiest person alive" perspective? Who are these intrudors...these looming threats and realities? Why does my sister have to deal with the consequences of something that was not her choice? All these thoughts filled my mind, and at the same time my eyes filled with tears. I grabbed for the tissue box on my desk. We know the significance of ONE YEAR, I thought to myself. How can one begin to argue the significance of FIFTEEN? I sat and cried.

The problem is this: all of these things I have learned before. I have heard them in a biology lecture, taught them to a science class, or read about them in the waiting room. From an academic perspective, I know it all. None of this is new or shocking. None of it is difficult to understand. These are cold, hard facts. And I know them. But it wasn't until TODAY (November 1st, 2010) that I actually made the connection to my sister's future. Why? I have no idea. Perhaps it's because "diabetes" doesn't exist when I'm around her. She doesn't bring it up. She never whines or complains. She simply smiles and lives in the moment. And perhaps when I'm with her, I do too.

Here's the thing about awareness...it MOTIVATES YOU. It makes you want to set goals. It makes you want to achieve. It makes you want to help others. It makes you WHOLE.

In terms of my commitment to Team Diabetes, I don't know if I can work any harder than I am, but I will aim to. I don't know if I can run any faster than I do, but I will try to. I don't know if Phil and I can raise $12,200, but this is our goal. I do know that I can show more passion than I ever have.

This November is Diabetes Awareness Month. In Canada alone, there are 9 million people are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Please LISTEN UP! Please LEARN! And please ACT to make this world a healthier place.

The global family is waiting.