Silence Equals Excercise
Posted November 15th, 2007 by Howard TaylerI keep meaning to update this blog, and then keep not doing it because the time I usually spend doing it I’ve been spending walking a few blocks in order to shed some particularly ugly pounds.
The good news is that five of those pounds have come off. The bad news is that all of the good ideas I usually have for blogging have been displaced by thoughts of putting one foot in front of the other. And then the Voices In My Head start yammering, and when I come back home I’m writing scripts for the strip instead of insightful, wry-and-dry commentary for this page.
I like it when the bad news is actually just another flavor of good news.
Explore posts in the same categories: Health, Site News
November 15th, 2007 at 9:59 am
A healthy Howard is a good thing. The blog isn’t a core part of Schlock – I was reading avidly before the blog, and I’ll continue reading avidly (and buying, nowadays) even if the blog goes away.
But not if the armed faeces goes away.
November 15th, 2007 at 11:25 am
The lovely thing about habits is that they are not all bad. It’ll get to the point where you have to go on a walk. I’m the same way about the gym….thanks U.S. army…. still can’t walk on the grass…
November 15th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
I’ve always found that putting one foot in front of the other is rather integral to any successful walk.
The blog is nice. But it’s not what makes Schlock Schlock (notice the noun-verb construction).
November 15th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
I agree. More power to you for getting healthier. Besides, if it’s that critical, you can always take a handheld tape recorder with you and do auditory blogs in case you think of something.
November 15th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Or, when they come to mind, say them out loud, that may help you remember them. Of course, you’ll be talking to yourself, could get you some strange looks. Of course, yet again, you may be use to that, that talking and the looks. :-)
November 15th, 2007 at 11:36 pm
Is that bad news, Howard, or rather less-news because you’re taking better care of yourself? :-D
November 16th, 2007 at 12:20 am
To avoid the strange looks, just plug an earphone in at least one ear and people will think you are on the cell phone.
Good for you, Howard, the exercise. I have recently done the same, started running after a 22 year hiatus, starting out with very little actual running and then increasing every other day. My goal: Crossing the World’s second largest bridge on May 31, a half marathon. No time goal, just finish without injuries.
It feels good to get some blood pumping again, and so far I have only come across minor aches and pains. The key is to start slowly to avoid those injuries.
November 16th, 2007 at 12:33 am
Which bridge is it?
November 16th, 2007 at 6:45 am
It is the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark.
Longest span is just over a mile.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Belt_Bridge
November 16th, 2007 at 7:21 am
Howard, I have found that I must have music or the voices in MY head get much to loud.
Must silence the voices…
November 16th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Now this is where the fun comes in. Music is fine when walking, but me … I like spoken word bits as well. Old Firesign Theater , or 1940’s radio drama. Which lead me to thinking ….
What about a radio drama version of Schlock?
*dusts off microphone and sound fx library *
November 16th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Good job!
I’ve been walking four frelling miles a day for the last few weeks, and no poundage lost. And very sore feet. So I’m jealous, and stuff.
November 16th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Now that explains why I am struggling to get everything done! I must admit I had not realised that walking for two hours a day means two hours when I can’t do things! Ah well, I’ll have to revise my expectations.
Keep up the good work, Howard.
November 16th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
I found my fitness improved dramatically by taking the stairs to my office each day. I had already been walking across town twice a day between the train station and my office, but taking the lift* for the last bit. Then the lifts started acting up and I nearly got stuck in one, and I didn’t trust them so I took the stairs. Five floors. At first, I’d get really tired after three floors, but well before the lifts were replaced I found five floors** quite bearable. I knew I’d gotten fitter when I realised I’d climbed more than halfway on autopilot before even noticing the added effort.
*“Elevator” to Yanks. Stop pretending you speak English.
**Or six and a half on weekends because the after-hours access was downhill from the entrance I normally used. Well, actually the whole ground floor is, but the entrance I used is on a bridge. Hey, it’s Brisbane—where “ground level” is an oxymoron.
Then we moved to another building, and my office is only one floor above the entrance. My supervisor’s office is two floors above mine, but I only go there a coupla times a week. I think my fitness declined a bit, but it’s picked up since I got my new laptop. Now I have it in my backpack as I walk to and from my office and the train station. (CAUTION: Be sure your back is strong enough. I really should get a backpack with a hip strap. I swear I’m a centimetre or two shorter with the backpack on. Ugh, as I sit here I’m noticing that my back’s a bit sore. Right, I’ve just added “Get better backpack” to my To Do list in iCal. I’ll probably get it on Tuesday.)
Also, if I have a good idea I can get the computer out, sit down somewhere and start typing. I used to write notes on paper, but this way it’s already in my computer so I don’t need to type it up later. And I can type *waaaaay* faster than I can write longhand, and I’ve never found the time to practise Quickscript to the point where I could read it nearly as fast as normal writing. And I’ve got *all* my notes on my computer, most of which aren’t on paper anywhere.
Or you can carry a recording device and speak into it while you run. With one arm holding it near your mouth, you’ll burn more energy maintaining your balance on the run, and no-one will think it’s odd that you’re talking.
November 18th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Everyone knows fat cells produce the most creative thoughts..
November 18th, 2007 at 10:06 am
NoWhereMan: Yes, but they do this as they die.
November 18th, 2007 at 11:00 am
oooh.. so I am hoarding my ideas and not releasing them? darn it! :)
November 18th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
Well, the brain is mostly made of fat.
When you lose weight, you’re not killing your fat cells, you’re shrinking them. I think.
But what gets hoarded in fat (apart from fat itself) is things that dissolve in fat. That includes a lot of toxins, so it’s important not to lose weight too fast. In Australia three years ago we had a prominent politician who had two bouts of pancreatitis in one year, and both times were while he was losing weight. He needed to lose it, but not that fast.