11th Hour

never was much of a romantic, I could never take the intimacy. But I know it did damage cuz the look in your eyes it's killing me. I guess that gives you an advantage, because you can blame me on everything. - Kanye West .

so I had a very productive day! I sold
my car and was able to pay down some of my debt. It felt really good, like a huge weight being lifted off of my shoulders. I was stressing out so bad and it was showing on my face. My dad was really proud that I was able to unload the car. I was pretty emotional though, she was my first car! I'm welling as I write this! I had such amazing times inthat car! I realize that the front passenger window was broken and the heater stopped working just as the cold snap hit... But still *sniff*. She wad a good car.

Apart from the car drama I also ended up buying a new camera for my trip! It's amazing! Cannon S95... I think. Alls I know it that it takes amazing photos and I can't wait to try it out! There is an underwater case available so I would really like to find one in Thailand for a decent price.

Anyways, I don't know if anyone read my last post... I mentioned the fact that I was selected as an American Express Potentialist on Lainey Gossip and unfortunately, a person I mentioned in the article took offence to my words. I guess that's the problem with unfiltered publishing. I am free to write whatever I want about the experience and he had no say. I am also feeling a bit sensitive about the whole thing because today is the anniversary of our very messy break up. Now let me take the time to clarify, this person I may have mentioned is not a bad perosn or a bad guy. He's a really great guy but, to be truthful, there were some rough times during our relationship. Now I realize that there are 3 sides to every story,youses, mine and the facts. The article I wrote on Lainey Gossip was MY side of the story, and it was just that. A story, I feel a little miffed thy at the 11th hour I am still thinking about my ex... From a year ago (exactly!) co
e on Serena!!! There are better things to think about than skeletons in the closet. I guess that's the curse of being sensitive. I remember everything and attach meaning to the tiniest detail.

God this is the last thing I want to be thinking about 11 hours before my flight! Just get me
on the plane so I can get some geographical distance
between me and this person.

If you have ever loved somebody, put your hands up.

In the end I am still really excited to go off
and see what I can make of myself in Thailand. I've been planning this trip since March and the hard work is coming to fruition. I can't wait for my first warn water dive! I can't wait to teach my first warm
water dive!

I have to end this post now. I'm just so hopping mad that on this amazing day of new beginings and the closing of chapters, a character from the past decides to stand up and share his opinions.

Sit Down! It is my turn to speak, thank you for your input but you are going to have to leave now. There's the door. Namaste.

7 Days

People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them or that they'll be unable to acheive them - The Alchemist

Happy Monday friends!  I am writing this entry from my desk, at my non-diving-office job.  Today is the last Monday morning I will ever have to spend here!!!  Words cannot express the elation I feel over this fact.  Its not that I hate my job, hate is a strong word...  Round hole - square peg is a better description.  To be fair, I kind of mentally checked out of this place weeks ago and I'm sure my co-workers are just waiting for me to clear out my desk and get out of here.  I have basically passed off all of my duties under the guise of "training my successor" so I spend most of my day purusing Scuba Board and hawking my belongings on Craigslist.  So very productive.  I don't really feel bad about this fact because I have worked so much unpaid overtime for this company that these last few weeks of time theft kind of even everything out ;)

What I am also ridiculously excited about is teaching my first Open Water class tomorrow night!!!  I'm an Instructor!!!  Everybody say "OWSI"!!!  Its a referral so we won't be doing the Open Water (Ocean Dives) section of the course but I am still super duper stoked.   I can still hardly wrap my head around this fact. 

At the begining of the year I wrote out 5 things I would accomplish by the end of 2010:

1. Buy Scubapro Regs - Accomplished in July
2. Oxycheq Mach 5 Extreme Backplate and Wing - Still paying for it but its all mine ;)
3. Learn the Bikram's Advanced Series - Went to Vegas in June for Advanced Seminar with Bikram!
4. Become an Open Water Scuba Instructor - Nov,14th, 2010!
5. Complete the full expression of "Standing Head to Knee Pose" - Pending

Not bad if I do say so myself, 4 out of 5 with 1 month to go.  It really is miraculous considering where I was a year ago today!  If you are interested in reading my story, I was actually featured on LaineyGossip this morning as an American Express Potentialist!  Check me Out!

Despite having come so far... I'm still a little nervous about is my financial situation.  I don't like being reliant on other people and I don't have a whole lot of cash available for my trip.  The IDC took all my extra money and I miscalculated my last paycheck date...  ooops.  Which leaves me with about $1500.00 less than I want to travel with.  Like I mentioned in my first post, I also do not have a concrete work situation set up.

The worrier in me is fretting and the stress has taken its toll on my body in the form of a nasty head cold but there is a little part of my heart that knows that everything will work out fine.  I have never been without work when I needed it.  Something always comes up, right?

Well, fingers crossed.  If anyone out there knows of a diveshop in Thailand looking for a lovely young blond Open Water Scuba Instructor who is fluent in English and French then drop me a message!

Until then,

namaste

S.

Check me Out!

Welcome

There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...  Not going all the way, and not starting.  - The Buddha


Hello Friends,

This is my very first blog post so I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to all of you curious people.  I am an avid cold water diver and Bikram Yogi from Vancouver, BC Canada.  I got into scuba diving about a year and half ago when my ex-boyfriend took his PADI Open Water Diver course for his M.Sc program.  We started diving together right from the beginning but unfortunately, we parted ways a few months later and I was left sans-dive buddy.  Luckily, my Scuba instructor was kind enough to allow me to tag along with his Open Water and Advanced Open Water classes on weekends and I soon found myself with a wonderful new community and tons of great new friends!

Over the last year I have been certified as an Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver, PADI Divemaster, Drysuit Specialist, Deep Diver, Emergency Oxygen Provider, DSAT Tec Gas Blender, Emergency First Response Instructor and just recently (Last Weekend!!!) as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor!!! 

I am absolutely mad about diving and I love blowing bubbles here in the beautiful cold waters of British Columbia.  My favorite local dive is "The Cut" at Whytecliff Park and my favorite dive destination is the Sunshine Coast.  On weekends you can usually find me searching for Octos with my best dive buddies Steven and Paul or assisting with classes for The Edge Diving Centre in North Van.  I love wreck dives and I really want to try my hand at underwater photography and cavern diving!

In about two weeks I will be leaving the emerald waters of Howe Sound for the clear blue, warm waters of Koh Tao Thailand.  I have quit my job, packed up my BCD and regs and am counting down the days until take-off!!!

Now to be perfectly honest, my journey is a bit uncertain at this juncture...  I don't actually have a job lined up in Thailand and I am pretty sure I am not the only new PADI instructor with stars in her eyes hoping for a paid gig in the tropics.  I am also pretty shy around new people and I have ALWAYS had difficulties asking for what I want so walking in to a dive shop in a foreign country and asking for a job is going to be an exercise in polite self confidence for me.  I will be updating this blog as often as I can!  I'm planning on travelling around SE Asia as much as my budget will allow.  I also want to make it to India to fuel my other passion, Yoga.

Thanks for checking me out.  I will probably be posting a lot about Diving, a little bit about Yoga and maybe some other stuff thrown in for fun ;)

namaste

S.