Routine
I may be wrong but I have a feeling that most people lead lives which seem to to on autopilot. Doing the daily grind, or feeling like you are in a rut, even just doing the morning routine all lead me to believe that daily life isn't spontaneous but rather predictable. As for myself? Days tend to blend together. In the morning I walk the dog and eat breakfast. In the early evening I walk the dog and eat dinner. During the day its either work all day..or if I'm not working putter on hobbies. Evening? Watch movies with my wife. Saturday go hiking. Sunday go to church and spend time with the family.....and repeat....and repeat...and repeat
(Ever feel like you are on a road without options? Image is mine)
I would hazard a guess many people fall into the same rut. Not my rut of course but their own daily routine. Stuck on the same railway line continuing on day by day until their final destination. Of course there can be pivotal moments when things change (marriage, babies, health issues, etc) and people dream of how those pivot points change their path. However, the daily grind often seems as if done by routine.
Jumping tracks
This year for me has felt like I've been continually jumping tracks.
Philippines
In January and February I was in the Philippines. No wife. No dog. No kids. My goal was to finish a property that which has been 20 years in development. No set bedtime. No set wake time. No dog to walk and no familiar paths to walk. However, there was a house that needed lots of stuff and relatives to try to fit in with.
I developed a routine but it was incredibly different than the one I typically have in Canada. Hive? A big part of my daily routine in Canada but incredibly hard to get into the posting routine there. Weird.
Vacation
Move to March and I travelled around Asia with my wife. I went from tropical homestead mode to vacation mode. Morning breakfasts in a hotel. Wandering streets I've never seen before. Learning languages I've never heard of before. Trying to learn how to use mobility apps. Learning new maps and navigating airport terminals, VISA's, check in times and more. Main focus was making memories and lots of things to post for Actifit but finding time for the Hive Learners? Not so much.
(Me on vacation mode. I hated the shirt but my wife loved it..ugh)
Saskatchewan
Come home from Asia and visit my mom in Saskatchewan in April. Her health isn't very good so I went to see her and help her out for a little while. Again things changed. Now it was early to rise, and early to bed. Quiet roads which I could walk around but no desire. Everywhere else I just love walking and hiking but without a hill in sight? No motivation to walk. No motivation to shop. Just sit quietly with my mom, do a bit of cooking and baking, read books and listen to music.
Rosswood
Along comes May and I find myself in Rosswood. Gone are the prairies and flatlands and now I'm surrounded by trees, lakes, mountains and nature. 40km from the nearest town and I'm in fulltime homestead mode. It is so quiet that I can go for hours without hearing a single noise other than the birds outside. Cooking habits change, sleeping habits change, even going to the washroom in an outhouse changes my point of view. Hive Learner posts are now a reflective time after working on the grounds for a couple of hours. Escaping from mosquito's and looking out for wildlife like bears becomes a prime worry. What's happening with tariffs, money, economy, chores, errands and stuff all just fly away. A new routine forms and I feel like a different person yet again.
(Looking up at the trees in Rosswood)
Abbotsford
Then I return to my home and my work in June. My old routine comes roaring back. Priorities change. Lifestyle changes. I'm spending more time walking the dog again, I'm writing back on HIVE more regularly. My old forgotten routine is now my normal life.... again.
(Image is mine: Getting ready to walk the dog)
Homestay students
August comes and now I have homestay students. I don't have time for my morning stretches. I don't have time to play Clash Royale in the morning. I can't watch movies with my wife in the evening. Getting to the gym has to change time and duration. The afternoon is dominated by the pickup time for the kids. Weekends revolve around finding activities for the children. The worse part is food. When its just me...easy... when I'm trying to figure out food for two Korean teenagers. ugh
...and every one of those headings? I feel like a different person on a different track.
It isn't bad but it is weird. I feel like I've been a bunch of different people all in the span of 9 months!
and things are going to change all over again
.....or maybe not
Worksafe
In British Columbia workers are protected from workplace injury through an agency called Worksafe. Now, 5 years ago I developed a debilitating problem with my fingers. Quick version: All the skin fell off my fingertips. It was awful. Imagine a world where you can't use a cellphone (no touch), no keyboard, no mouse, no remote control and even using utensils to eat your food hurts. Now that I work fewer hours my fingers are much better. But why do I mention worksafe?
Well, I have a claim with them and talk to the Vocational Rehab guy on Thursday. Depending on how the discussion goes: I could mandate different work conditions, different work hours, or even training for a different job. Imagine how different my life would be if I had to go back to school at 56! In my case I'm flexible. The problem is I have no idea how life will change after my Thursday meeting. Will it be totally different or will it be more wait and see?
Makes for an uncertain future
What will I be doing for the rest of the year? What will I do doing for the "ember months" of 2025? No idea. Thursday is a pivot point in my life and where I pivot to? Well, that isn't entirely up to me. I do now I will be looking after some homestay students for sure but work wise and life wise? Things could be very different sooner than later.
Something to think about
While I'm this article for Hive Learners I'm remembering something that was taught to me while I was at University.
Every time you open the door to the Pharmacy you are committing to stay in the area and serve the people locally.
and then the professor went on to say.
.... but always remember you are making the choice to open that door and you could always just choose to go somewhere else.
People often think they are trapped in a rut. In a perfect world you are trapped in a rut you enjoy. Locked onto a train track to a destination you want to be. I've been jumping tracks recently trying to figure out how to keep my finger from hurting and how to enjoy the years I have left. However, I think everyone should remember that there is always the possibility of doing something different and get out of the same routine.
Then again.... If you like routine like I do? Well, make it the one you enjoy the most :)
Thanks for reading and I appreciate you getting this far. Care to send a comment well, I love getting feedback. Thanks.