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Monday, October 6, 2014

Extra Benefits



Back when I started what I call my new phase in life, post layoff from a long-term employer, I walked.  A lot.  Two or three, sometime four miles, five days a week.  I took my camera, often I listened to music, on occasion the only thing I listened to was my own brain.  Whatever.  For the longest time, I felt like I was seeing the world for the first time.  I stumbled on so many things I’d never experienced before, inspiring things.  Things that helped me to write.

But then, as is so often the case, life got in the way.  Bottom line, in the past year, I've barely walked at all.

Until two weeks ago.  My employer offered us an opportunity to take part in a twelve week heart healthy class for free, and I signed up.  During the first class, we were each given a pedometer, which we are to wear every day.  Now, here's the thing.  It may be called a pedometer but it's more like a conscience.  Knowing I have that thing strapped to me has forced me to be aware of how much (or little) activity I’ve been getting.  To that end, I’ve started walking after work. It eats into writing time, but I guess I call that a compromise.  I mean, you have to be alive to write, right?  The first week, my cumulative count was nineteen miles.  As I write this, for the second week, I'm approaching twenty-two.  That includes all the walking I do during day. But still.  From zero to twenty in under two weeks. That's what I call traction.

And so, during my afternoon perambulations, I’m back to taking pictures, albeit with my cell phone instead of the camera.  Not great quality, but the results offer up another reason why walking matters.  I get to see cool stuff. 





12 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Now you're back to seeing the world anew again. Keep at it - you'll feel better. Probably help you write better as well.

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

walking does matter

:O)

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Good for you! Not only will all the walking help your heart, but it will also help inspire you, keep your writing fresh, help you work out plot problems...hmm, maybe I should go for a walk, too....

Madeline @ The Shellshank Redemption

mshatch said...

I sometimes hate to leave my desk and what little writing time I've managed to scrounge, but it is good to get the blood flowing and my dog sure appreciates it and sometimes I even get some writing (the thinking part before the words get on the paper or screen) done :)

I should get one of those.

Connie said...

Good for you! I enjoyed your photos too. I used to do a lot of walking too. Since we moved a year ago, it's a lot harder to find a good place to walk, but I need to get back to it.

Joanne said...

walking, writing, photography - you've got the world. Good health to you!

Dianne K. Salerni said...

"It's really called a conscience." Heh, heh, heh.

Perhaps you can reflect on your writing while you walk. I took a long bike ride with my husband this morning, which cut into my writing time, but I also worked out a couple scenes in my mind. Win-win!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I've missed your pictures. I wore a pedometer a few times when I was teaching PE. I walked 5 to 7 miles every day teaching.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Love your pictures, as always. Walking does matter, and as you say, you notice things when you're walking. Hmmm, looks like a sunny day on tap....

Marty said...

I've recently heard that walking can be the greatest aid in preventing dementia. And what better way to keep our brains going so we can write? Of course, I write this as I sit on my backside, having not gone for my morning walk. Hard to choose between the two activities.
And thanks for the visit to my blog!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Good for you. Just about anything we do can turn into a habit if we keep at it, and walking is such a good thing to do for ourselves. I used to do a lot of it, and always wanted a pedometer, but never got one. Now my hips and knees aren't terrible cooperative, so I don't do nearly as much walking as I'd like to do.

LOVE your pictures.

Shannon Lawrence said...

Being healthy is vital for a writer, I think. We spend so much time sitting at computers. Love the photos!