Health

Greatest Hits: Friendship

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I shared greatest hits about my wife and kids. I even spoke of our pets. Equally as important is friendship.

Friends can help your social meter get a recharge. Gathering Friends is like catching Pokémon. Making Friends is a strange occurrence at any time.

There are friends you’ve known Forever and there are Work Friends. There’s old friends you Randomly Bump Into or you make the time to meet up with Old Friends after 15 years and it feels like the friendship never faltered.

There’s something special about the Kindness of Friends who help you out when needed. I can’t express enough Getting a Little Help From Friends can really boost your mental wellbeing. I’ll always Appreciate My Friends.

It was because of a friend over 8 years ago that started me on this journey of Sharing My Mistakes which really turned out to be something much more than that. So I’d like to hit on Writing as tomorrow’s Greatest Hit.

Greatest Hits: Childhood

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Whenever I write about raising children or growing old, my thoughts often turn back to the memories of my childhood.

Memories of toys like Transformers and Roger Rabbit and getting The Hot Toys at Christmas. Or watching Saturday Morning Cartoons. Followed by the bot as popular Sunday Morning Cartoons. A favorite being Astroboy. Jim Hensen influenced my life in so many ways. Being Guided By TV is how I grew up and learned about life. It also scared me with Aliens abducting people.

I’d even sit in my room listening to my record player while Alvin And The Chipmunks squeaked away. That lead to years of music collecting: Milk Crates with a love for movie soundtracks like Tron.

Or running around playing as Kids singing songs about Eating Worms and acting like Little Psychpaths, often Getting Injuries when I wasn’t spending it Indoor Summers.

Most of my blogs share memories of my youth while discussing parenting. It made it hard to choose which ones to share.

Childhood memories always came with the promise of friendship. The perfect segue into tomorrow’s Greatest Hit: Friendship

Greatest Hits: Growing Old

Posted on by Josef Havelka

On March 15th, I am turning another year older. Getting Old doesn’t always need to be Receding Hair, nose hairs or Deteriorating Eyesight. I mean at one point I used to wear Contacts to make my eyes unique in red or spiderwebs.

I have changed my look numerous times over the years. Including The Darkest Timeline during Covid. I learned from an elderly neighbor that I didn’t have to turn into a Get Off My Lawn kind of person.

Grown Up Me is who I always wanted to become. I mean honestly, what adult doesn’t get Excited Over New Appliances? But other days, life can be just sort of Ouch.

I’m still Version 1.0 Josef A. Havelka. Perhaps one day I’ll make it to version 2.0. But being Josef is what I know best. I’ve had a pretty good life. And it all started in my Childhood. Even with its ups and downs. That will be tomorrow’s Greatest Hit.

Greatest Hits: Mental Health

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Alright… this topic may not always come across as an easy one to discuss. Over the years I have done my best to promote positive mental health. Dealing With Negativity in a constructive way is difficult at times. Some days I feel like I am An Invisible Man with no one understanding me.

Having a Salt Lamp helps with positive environmental stimuli. Compliments boost confidence and happiness. Receiving Kindness from friends boosts endorphins.

Having my wife around Complements both of our mental states. If I feel bad, my wife shares my Emotional Feelings. As mentioned before, Physical and Mental Health do go hand-in-hand.

The sadness of mental health is when it doesn’t get better; I lost a friend years ago- Jeremy and it really sucked. He’s not the only male in my life that has succumbed to difficulties around struggling mental health. I’ve grown Facial Hair to support Movember in the past in order to do my part. I know it’s not easy to seek help, but we all need to try and be there for one another.

I’ve learned a lot over the years. Writing in my blog helped me through a lot of feelings and emotions. I feel as I get older, my understanding of how to deal with situations has gotten wiser. So tomorrow’s Greatest Hit is Growing Old.

Greatest Hits: Pets

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Much like family, pets are an important part of our lives. I stand behind my thoughts that Life Needs A Dog.

When I met my wife, she came with baggage. A Good Dog named Chuppy. To expand Chuppy’s existence a little longer, we adopted Lex In 2013. I still look back on him fondly since we lost him in Long Ago in 2021- the Loss of Lex really hurt us all. In 2020, we adopted Maki to bring some bounce back in Lex before his final days.

I am always Remembering our Family Dogs. But last summer we had a cat who passed away. Boba came with our house and became a great friend for Darwin. But Darwin still loves Maki and uses her as a Therapy Dog.

Perhaps I should have title today’s Greatest Hits: Dogs. I don’t have any blogs written about having a fish tank or guinea pigs. But something about having a dog really helps with our mental health. Which is going to be tomorrow’s Greatest Hit.

Greatest Hits: Food

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I’m going to start right at the top with the food category. A couple of times we hosted Epic Mealtime for my birthday. A large amount of Meatloaf served for everyone’s enjoyment. We’ve also made fun food for Halloween and the Walking Dead viewing parties: Festive Food.

Cake is another favorite food. We have made numerous Cakes. Cheesecake was at our wedding. But I do love Apple Pie. We even use cake mix for our Waffles with Fresh Fruit.

Baking Before Christmas occurs every year. And our favorite cookie recipe: Wookiee Cookies with Peanut Butter Cookies at a close second.

Our kids help make meals like Turkey Dinner, Homemade Pasta, Pizza, Tacos, or various Asian Influences and Baking. I do sometimes miss our Deep Fryer.

We love to Stockpile Cheese for the holidays. We love Cheese. Or Baked Brie. And especially Grilled Cheese.

And Bacon, especially on a Peanut Butter Bacon Burger. Peanut Butter is a major staple in our home, as we fight for Firsties when opening a new container.

These are a majority of the foods we have at home. Family meals have always been important for us. In fact, we love to do a lot of things that are “Family Centric”. I think that will be tomorrow’s Greatest Hit!

Greatest Hits: Alcohol

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Over the years I spent a lot of time writing about my experience with Alcohol. I’m most proud of the fact I have been now over One Year Sober approaching 18 months now. I did enjoy drinking over the years, but for my physical and mental health, I wanted to stop. I had done Sober September for three years in a row to get started.

Years were spent stopping in at various breweries, specialty enjoying Local Breweries such as Locality, Dead Frog and my personal favorite- Trading Post which can be found written about multiple times. Including Oktoberfest shenanigans.

And on road trips we were Touring Breweries collecting Growlers to share with friends later on. I even made a Growler Caddy to help move the beers.

Christmas was a time to set up the Booze Tree and perhaps indulge in Bailey’s. The hard stuff had us Expanding My Tastes. We toured Shelter Point Distillery and Root and Wings to sample some local craft vodka and whiskey. We have also gotten pretty drunk on a Wine Tour with friends. The same friends we traveled to Mexico and enjoyed an all-inclusive.

I always knew it would have to come to an end, looking back at 2016’s But I Like Beer. But I also did a few stunts as the Designated Driver- Dinner Train.

All of that aside, I look back fondly on most of the experiences with alcohol. Yet I know I needed to step back from indulging in excess. For now, I plan to continue in it drinking. Maybe one day that will change.

Drinking often goes hand in hand with food. So I want to share some of my Greatest Food Hits tomorrow!

Greatest Hits: Health

Posted on by Josef Havelka

After writing about Speed Skating yesterday, I wanted to touch on my own physical health.

Like most kids, I was Active Growing Up. I have always gone on Short Walks as well. I tired to exercise in order to strengthen my 1.5 Lungs. Using an Inhaler is just a way of life for me.

But there is always the Pain Pity Party I have mostly from Back Pain. I try and Stretch but then it’s Back Again with Back Pain. Sometimes, I Have No Idea How My Body Works.

But I have tried Physiotherapy and Acupuncture with Cupping to help subside the pain.

Besides scoliosis I also suffer from Eosinophilic Esophagitis. I take these Little Pink Pills that help. They were also really good at preventing hangovers. A couple of times, I have had to get my Heart Tested. I kind of like having a Heart that works.

Those last couple of things are partly due to alcohol. Tomorrow I want to share my greatest hits about the subject.

Greatest Hits: Speed Skating

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Since 2010 we had our kids involved in Speed Skating. It was hard to leave our first club- Leaving Langley Blades.

We have gotten tons of Swag over the years. Plus Olympic Oval Unboxing.

We have traveled to numerous places Grand Prairie , Fort St. John, Red Deer, Quebec, and numerous times to Calgary.

Theory achieved a big goal of competing in 2020 BC Winter Games and Darwin was there as a Mentor. The Opening Ceremonies were a hit. Darwin has also been Coaching for awhile now.

We’ve done our part volunteering- Stepping Up over the years. Or Marking The Ice prior to the season starting. Plus I was a Bucket Boy one time. Or the time we spent at Poco Volunteering. Loads of Parents Volunteer. We even got a friend of ours out to volunteer with First Aid at numerous meets as well.

Besides all the speed skating, I have done my best at keeping up with my own Health. That will be tomorrow’s Greatest Hit.

Greatest Hits: Travel

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Over the years, we have had a ton of fun adventures. Mostly with my family and various road trips and vacations. Here are some of our experiences.

More often than not, we end up at Disneyland. Our favorite time was at Halloween in Disneyland. We were sad that Covid had hampered our travel plans, but we still planned a trip Back in 2021 and got excited to finally get there in 2022.

Getting there involved a lot of road trips. 2022 Beginnings or using out Pathfinder for numerous trips.

Sometimes we stayed close by for Rest and Relaxation or a trip in the ferry to Victoria,BC or a couple ferry rides to Visit Family. We also did a few camping trips to 20 Mile Bay over the years.

Besides Disneyland in California, we enjoyed Tokyo DisneySea. But Tokyo had so much to offer our family. We were lucky to travel there during Cherry Blossom Blooming.

Now my wife and I are planning future vac and travel plans with just the two of us. We got the bug with our Trip to Mexico without kids.

Those are all of our fun trips. But we also traveled for Speed Skating. Which will be tomorrow’s Greatest Hit!

Greatest Hits: Lee-Anne

Posted on by Josef Havelka

My life would be very different if it wasn’t for Lee-Anne. We met back in the year 2000. Our lives have been insufferable inseparable every since. I’m always Celebrating Her.

We have been married for over 20 Years. I always look back fondly at the milestone Anniversary Dates. Not to mention All The Memorable Birthday Gifts I gave her As well as her Half A Century on this planet.

I Married A Wonderful Mother. Lee-Anne and I always wanted Children. We celebrate Lee-Anne as being a Fantastic Mother every chance we get. Especially Mother’s Day.

We have done a lot of things together. We have Matching Mugs and love to wear matching clothes. With plenty of Family Trips behind us, we hope to do more trips together. Like when we celebrated Her Birthday In Mexico

Tomorrow I want to go more in depth about some of our travels. Greatest Hits: Travel

Greatest Hits: Dom

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Our oldest child was born in 2002. We named her Random based on Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Over the past few years entering into adulthood, they have created their own unique identity. They are non-binary and go by the name Dom now.

I’ve always been a proud parent of Dom. And here are some of those moments. Dom Turns 20 or even when they Turned 21, it’s hard to believe they are an adult now.

Dom and I have had a few days of one on one time in the past. Like we did in 2017-Random Time. Or when they Turned 17 and had me there for a big piercing moment. More recently, they asked me to be a part of Building Their Computer.

I love them at they paved the way for their younger siblings. Like being the first to get a Learner’s License. Or just being there as an older sibling: July 15.

They are also very talented, hard working and intelligent. Saving their money to Buy their first computer 2018. Designing complex Calculus plotting. Entering into BCIT to work in film.

They are also creative. Making Zoomfest Shirt Films, or when they Interviewed Me for a school project.

I do miss having Dom living with us. But now that they are older and moved out, I know it’s for the best for them. They are on a great pathway towards the life they always wanted- working hard behind the scenes in the film industry.

I wouldn’t have these wonderful kids if it wasn’t for my partner. Tomorrow’s Greatest Hit is my supportive and loving wife, Lee-Anne!

Greatest Hits: Music

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have a love for music, like most folks do. Over the years, most of my blogs regarding music are about my love for the art. I still enjoy listening to music throughout my home: Music Is Life

Here is some of my favorite blogs about my kids and their music careers at school. Money for Music. Sometimes my kids also played for just the sheer pleasure of it: Music.

My friends have also made a name for themselves and I am always excited to share their Success in Music whenever I can.

At one point I mentioned music and my father: Playing 78’s. I also wrote a short piece about my favorite song: The Day The Music Died. I love musicals and over the years have enjoyed live performances and movies: Music of the Night.

I really do love listening to music. I play music in all sorts of formats as well. From vinyl to streaming and even phonograph.

Maybe one day I will create my own music. But until then, I’ll just enjoy listening to what everyone else creates. There is a lot to appreciate out there.

Besides music, tomorrow I shall share about Movies and the impact on my life.

Porch Dog

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I have always had a dog in my home since I can remember. Ever since meeting my wife, we have always had a dog in our lives as well. Sometimes even having two of them. Over the past twenty years there has always been one thing in common with them.

They love being outside on our deck.

In our current home, Maki loves to sit on our second story deck and stare out into the fields. She has done this for the past few years. I sometimes wonder what is going on in her mind as she sits there. A couple of time Maki has sat on a deck chair like a person to get an even better view.

In our previous two homes (and this one as well) it wasn’t just the deck or porch, but also any sunny spot they could find on the lawn. Our dogs would lay there soaking up the rays, then flail about shaking grass and dust everywhere.

The life of a dog can be pretty good. I like to think that we have given our dogs a good life as well. Especially allowing them to have no cares in the world- but to sit and ponder the universe whilst staring out into the horizon. Thinking about when and where their next nap will take place in our home. Or maybe that’s just me always thinking that.

Long Day of Naps

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I finished my set of night shifts Thursday morning, but had a bunch of errands to run during the day. That meant that I needed to grab a nap whenever possible.

My first nap was for an hour and a half as soon as I got home. Then I took our middle to an appointment in Vancouver. Twenty minutes later I had to drive for an hour to get them to Langley for their work. I took my next nap in the parking lot at their work instead of driving home and back. A couple hours after, we headed home.

There, I crashed on the couch for a couple more hours. After which, I headed out with the family to our son’s speed skating practice. Once there, I snuck in a thirty minute nap in the underground parking before heading out to Lafarge Lake for an evening stroll with my wife and middle child. I had promised this walk a few weeks back and am glad that we went on it.

At the end of the day, I finally got to sleep in my bed for a normal amount. A full recharge to get my days off in motion. Multiple naps were fine to just get me through my first day. But I don’t like to do that on a regular basis.

At least my naps didn’t cut into the quality time I spent with my family. Those awake times were important.

Work Memes

Posted on by Josef Havelka

For the past several months I have been sharing various work memes with friends and coworkers. We share on Facebook messenger and Instagram. It’s fun to share a mutual humorous understanding of workplace shenanigans and politics.

Sometimes it’s a silly video with some quote about coworkers. Other times it’s memes about an inept boss or corporation. But in the end, the reason these get shared is to blow off steam. A great way to share in the pain of work even though we all kind of like our jobs.

Whatever we decide to share, it’s all in good fun. A great way to get through the struggles and challenges we hit on a weekly basis. If you have any good work memes, send them my way. I’ll happily share them as well!

Walk Ewok

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The other day my wife and I went for a walk around our neighborhood. There are many paths to take as well as various side streets. We wandered around together enjoying the fresh air and talking about life.

Our discussions go up and down. It’s usually a chance for us to engage in what’s on our minds or potentially bothering us. We also discuss finances, futures, travel, children and purchases. Again, these conversations have ups and downs. But at least we talk. All while getting some exercise and fresh air.

I do like that the neighborhood we live in has so many different routes to wander. Sometimes we get distracted by owls, ducks, eagles, hawks herons, and other various birds. Other times we comment on people’s gardens or home decor. All of these things are little distractions and pause our meaningful conversations briefly so we can enjoy the world.

I’m glad that those distractions occur. They often help bring our talks to a close. At least until the next time. On this walk, we saw an Ewok. It was the only thing I photographed. So here it is since I used it in our title.

Next time I’ll try and share pictures of wildlife. But isn’t he cute?

Rough Week? Try And Remain Nice

Posted on by Josef Havelka

It was a challenging work week for us. We had a few issues trying to move trains. This is mainly due to weather caused delays. But it makes everyone a bit more anxious and frustrated.

It can be tough to keep emotions in check when things aren’t going as planned. Of course, the people who get the brunt of the frustration are the coworkers close at hand. Temperatures rise and even the littlest thing can set someone off. It’s good to remember that they are people too and may not see what is frustrating you. Calming down is imperative before something gets said that can’t be undone.

But now my work week is over and I’m glad. It’s now time to relax, sleep in, veg on the couch, and do a whole lot of nothing. A quick reset before the next set of work days. Hopefully the string of bad days are over and I can focus on success.

No picture today. Just a note to clear my thoughts and remind me not to be a jerk.

Crazy. 8 Years!

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Eight Years

I have been writing a daily blog every day for eight years now. Holy Sheet!

2922 Days In A Row

That seems like a long time. But as life happens- it’s but a drop in the bucket. About 1/6th of my lifespan. My daily routine of sharing thoughts and experiences has become a part of who I am. Followers, friends and family have seen a smidge of my life through these posts.

I like to write. Most of these posts are for me to clear my head and remind myself of the positive experiences in my life. Not everything is roses and rainbows; I do my best to learn from the negative aspects and create better outcomes for myself and my family.

I hope that some of what I write unlocks memories in my readers. Or I inspire others to try new things. Perhaps I have showcased an adventure or hobby that opens up the possibilities for others to get out of their comfort zone. Or maybe you just skip over my blogs unless I share a fun picture or misadventure.

Whatever the case may be, I’m glad that you have come along for the ride. Thank you for being a friend of Making It Up As I Go!

Commute Time

Posted on by Josef Havelka

The past few days my commute home has taken twice as long. Traffic has been unpleasantly busy.

I spent far too much time staring at taillights. This is not my idea of fun. Yet somehow I had to waste hours on the same stretch of road repeatedly this week.

Getting home later than usual meant my free time was cut into heavily. My work week is over, so no more long hours driving required. I plan on waking up early and having full days off.

I do a lot of thinking on my drive home. It gives me time to clear my thoughts before getting home. Long commutes make me appreciate the sanctity of my home and free time.

My Wife- Always Away?

Posted on by Josef Havelka

My wife was out of town last weekend with my son for a speed skating competition. For three days I was at home watching a lot of television. She came home late Sunday night and I was late getting home from work yesterday. It felt like we hardly saw each other.

That’s also because my wife left today for a work retreat to Whistler. She will be gone until Friday night. I still have to go to work tomorrow, so not seeing her for that time is fine.

But it’s the moments away from work that I miss her most. Calling her on my drive home, sitting at the table for dinner, hanging on the couch before bedtime, listening to her breathing down my neck while she sleeps. These are the sensations that make me miss her most of all.

It may only be a couple of hours so far, but I am looking forward to when she returns. Lee-Anne is my best friend. But I do hope she enjoys her time away.

I Like The Snow

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I like that it snowed recently. There’s something reassuring about having snow in winter- especially around here. It makes it feel as though we actually have four seasons. Not just sun and rain. I have always loved the views and vibrancy of snow on the ground. Even the grey skies make it bright outside.

In only a few short months, this view will be of sunshine, lounging in and around our swimming pool, and greenery. It’s just another reason for me to appreciate what the weather brings- it gives me more to look forward to later.

I know not everyone agrees with me. But snow makes you cherish getting away to sunny destinations. It makes you value the warmth of your home. All of that because of snow. So live through the frustration of shoveling or drudging through this as you walk. Because soon it will be spring and the flowers will bloom.

Outside Iced

Posted on by Josef Havelka

Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I went for a walk. It was nice and sunny with no breeze. Even though it was below freezing temperatures, it was a lovely walk.

We wandered down to the dyke that runs just west of our home. This is a walk we usually do in the summer because of all the mud that forms the rest of the year. However, with everything being frozen, there was no worries about getting muddy shoes during our walk. We paused to take some photos of the ice and frozen landscapes that we rarely ever encounter locally.

Coming home, we noticed that our neighbor’s pool had completely froze over. They still haven’t gotten it operational after almost two years of work. I do hope for their sake that it isn’t damaged due to the extreme temperature drop we are experiencing. I know a few people have had pipes burst and issues in the regard. Our pool seems to be okay and I have been checking on it regularly for my own peace of mind.

These crazy weather moments only last a few days, but can still be devastating to a person’s home and lifestyle. I hope that everyone prepared for the cold and ice ahead of time.

Don’t forget to dress warmly when venturing out. Layer up folks- when the sun hides, it is frigid out there. Remembers to keep those pets safe and warm inside as well! Stay safe:

Night Shift Day Sleep

Posted on by Josef Havelka

I should be really good at dealing with working night shifts. I have done them for years now. Yet somehow, I can never get a solid block of rest sleeping during the day.

This is the usual brightness as I sleep.

My bedroom doesn’t exactly get very dark with our shades drawn. The blinds help in the summer by keeping the sun from burning through my eyelids. I don’t really want to change out the blinds for blackout blinds. Nor do I want to install dark curtains in our bedroom. Perhaps an eye mask would help.

When I come home from work, I’m usually tired enough that I can fall asleep fairly quickly. I’m always thinking I’ll get a great sleep. But about four hours in and I’m awake again. Sometimes because I feel hungry. Sometimes the bathroom is calling my name. Other times it’s noise from outside the bedroom or house that wakes me. And it’s just enough to get me feeling alert that I kill a couple of hours before attempting another block of sleep.

I shouldn’t really complain. This is the lifestyle I chose to live. Working crazy hours helps to afford our home. I also get good chunks of time off in between my shifts to appreciate what I’m working towards. It’s just be nice to get 8 hours straight of sleep during the day is all.

First Snow 2024

Posted on by Josef Havelka

This morning we had a small amount of snow fall locally. In true Lower Mainland fashion- it was also mixed with rain. For the most part none of it was really sticking to the roads. Just a thin layer of slush to drive through. I was heading home opposing the morning rush hour, so I didn’t experience any traffic problems to end my night shift. I’m sure there was a few incidents heading the opposite way at some point.

At home, I enjoy the views and feeling of seeing the snow speckling the horizon. The bushes and dead grasses peak out with various shades of browns, reds and greens while the grey sky dulls the vibrancy of the snow. It reminds me of my youth in Edmonton when the first snow would appear in the farmer’s wheat fields behind our home.

Even stepping outside, you can feel the air is brisk with a cold, wet sensation filling your lungs as you breathe. The atmosphere against your exposed skin brings a quick chill and shiver, causing a strong desire to bundle up and get warm. Its a damp cold. Very different from a prairie winter cold.

So, I stayed indoors for the day and got nice and toasty while I slept preparing for my night shift. My eyes opened a couple of times, but I was back asleep fairly quickly with my memories of childhood and snow lulling me back into slumber.