by Jeff on August 25, 2010
I made a quick document entitled “101 Ways to Kill Stress”
(right-click on link to Save)
Hope this helps you as much in your time in need (all the time) as it does me.
Now, of course, having a list of “101 Ways to Kill Stress” can be easier than actually putting just 2 or 3 of them into practice. Let me try to help you with that, too…
How to Relieve Stress Under Pressure
Straight from the document: “22. Smile”
Sure, that’s simple, but how do you do it, while stressed?
Here’s how I do it: I just rattle off a favourite movie line. Yup, that’s it. And it works so well.
Here’s the scenario: It’s 7am, one kid is yelling, while another is crying and I haven’t managed to make coffee yet. Stressful.
But then I look one of them in the eye and say “>I’ve sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn’t want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.”
In case you don’t catch it, that quote is from Caddyshack, an all-time great movie. Note, also, that my quote is severely relevant to the issue at hand. Bonus points to you if you can do that. I can, but then again, I’m a movie quoting god. A lot of practice.
Sidenote: I don’t believe my example would cause permanent psychological damage, but it may raise more questions. 
Whoa – this is my second post today? Have I gone mad?
by Jeff on August 25, 2010
Life is still not normal, but it’s getting so close and I’m getting excited about that!
Today, I’m still living in rural village, 2 hours’ drive from wife’s work.
Still squatting in borrowed family home, across the street from in-laws.
My parents’ are now visiting here for a couple weeks.
My kids only seeing mom on weekends has me feeling like a single parent.
How We Feeling?
All this: the very close in-laws, borrowed home, visiting parents, single-parent lifestyle – all help to peg the needle on my stress meter. Am I handling it okay? Of course not. (It’s called stress for a reason, dammit!)
As a result, both kids and I are long for & miss our Prague friends and lifestyle in a huge way. Prague’s big parks & awesome playgrounds, daily meet-ups with friends, frequent communal programs & adventures to new places. I digress…
I can’t say I’m not trying here. Yesterday, I and the kids took my parents to a blueberry festival. I take my daughter to a storytelling hour at the library offered every 3rd week. We go swimming often. Still…replacing old normalcy with new normalcy takes time.
So, Why’s Today Special?
Today is a special day for the kids and me. Today, we drive down to Dartmouth, to see our new place. Mind you, our new home is nothing grand: a 3-bedroom apartment, converted former military housing. (love describing it that way to people – really sets their impression) But it will be Our Home.
Today will be my kids’ first time seeing their new place, their new bedroom — AND all their stuff from our former home in Prague. Talk about exciting for them!!!
So, Today is the end of our transition period from Prague to Dartmouth.
After my parents leave next week, we will actually move into our new place.
Why are we visiting it today? Tomorrow is when we can register my daughter at her new school. School start next week.
Wife’s work will be close by, so we’ll all live together. One kid in school. One kid will start a bit of daycare. Routine will a part of our vocabulary. Normalcy will begin. (whoa, did I just use “routine” as a positive thing?)
So, you see, the way I see it, normalcy isn’t here, but it’s right around the corner. I can taste it, smell it, almost touch it. Oh, I can’t wait!
Making New Expat Friends
**Total sideline here**
Last week, I met up with Andrew and Alison, a married expat couple living in Belgium. They happened to be visiting family in Pugwash (total small world).
Before last week, I only knew Andrew through his comments on this site like here & here & here. So, it was a cool experience to meet them face to face.
Great meeting you both!
Alison manages a cool website for expats in Belgium. By the way, Alison is obviously also a talented photographer. Check it out for yourself at ACM Photography page.
We shared lunch in a sweet corner cafe in the village downtown. Alison and Andrew also got to meet my wife, kids and my parents, which is pretty cool for me.
They are a super nice couple and obviously in a happy place in their lives. And for me, it was therapeutic to talk to fellow expats.
Again – really cool meeting you Andrew & Alison!
