sure. wait. what?

September was a month of trying out new things.

In September, I invited friends over to the condo and hosted an art night. My friends and I had hotpot and grilled meat for dinner. After filling ourselves up with greasy goodies, we cleared the dining table to make space for acrylic paint and canvas paper. Turned out, my friends were all talented at painting. But what stuck with me the most was a piece of advice from one of them: using cheap materials is the best way to loosen up and just dive in.

That struck a nerve because I’ve collected so many art supplies over the years, but barely touched them. I always hesitate, afraid I’ll mess up the canvas and create something ugly. After that art night with friends, I decided to give painting another shot — just me this time. I ended up pretty pleased with how the second piece turned out, basing it on a photo I found on Pinterest.

In September, my friends and I also signed up for ClassPass, a subscription-based app that gets you access to a variety of fitness gyms and studios in your city. The first month was free, so it was a no-risk, all-gain transaction. In just one month, we were able to dabble in boxing, spin, barre, Pvolve, and Pilates — most of which I had never tried before.

Boxing and spin were solid. I liked the low-light vibe, and the darkness made me feel more comfortable giving my 100% despite my horrible form. PVolve, on the other hand, was brutal. The other women in my class had matching tops and leggings, which fit snuggly against their perfectly toned butts. And by toned I mean toned — butts that were a product of both good genes and hard work. Meanwhile, my skinny-thick frame could barely follow the movements. My thighs were burning during class, and my glutes were sore the next three days. Still, it was a great first try.

Also, for the the first time ever, I travelled for work in September. I was up in north BC for a week. It was a good experience and I learned lots about the field — the literal field where things get dirty versus the corporate office where things are relatively, uh, cleaner? Anyway, I still prefer office work by a mile, but the occasional field visits are a welcome disruption to the monotony of corporate life.

Another first time in September: I went to a fancy spa and had the best massage experience of my life. The spa was inside the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, right on the edge of the Canadian Rockies, surrounded by mountains and towering trees. No phones were allowed in the pool or massage areas, making it the perfect spot to completely disconnect. They had everything — hot and cold pools, steam rooms, saunas, an exfoliation room, and even a bistro for grabbing a bite between rounds of hydrotherapy.

The massage room itself was the most serene massage room I had ever been in. The massage therapist guided me to a plush, heated massage bed, and the luxurious white fabric felt like a velvety cocoon of comfort. The warmth seeped into my muscles even before the massage began. It wasn’t cheap though, but it was so worth it.

And of course there’s the Avril concert in September, which I already wrote about.

And then there was that one time when my friends and I worked from E’s place and E made us chicken tzatziki, which was one of the best chicken dishes I’d ever had. E also did tarot reading for us that night, which I personally couldn’t take seriously, but even E said that she considered it more like a fun creative writing exercise than an actual spiritual assessment and forecasting of one’s life.

September was one hell of a month. Day after day, it felt like a celebratory toast to summer’s energy. And now, with September ending, I feel primed and ready to transition into the quieter, cozier pace of autumn.