As part of my fitness regimen, I’ve been swimming once each week. On Tuesday or Thursday — whichever day happens to follow my upper-body weight-lifting session — I drive an extra fifteen minutes to go the gym in Oregon City. It has a pool. (The gym in Milwaukie has a pool, too, but it’s worthless. …
As I have for each of the past three Saturdays, I rose early this morning to go running. I’m participating in group training runs, with the goal of finishing the Portland Marathon on October 5th. During the first two weeks, I ran with the slowest pace group and for the shortest distance. On the first …
I’ve been blogging full-time for six weeks now. It’s both good and bad. Obviously, I love the work. But as many people have warned, I’m going a little stir-crazy. In my former life as a box salesman, I got daily contact with my co-workers, including Jeff and Nick. This is a small universe, to be …
The muzak at the local Safeway is usually pretty innocuous: Neil Diamond, The Capenters, maybe a little Rod Stewart or Olivia Newton-John to spice things up. Tonight, though, it was like Dark Safeway. First they played Def Leppard. Then Heart’s “Barracuda”. Then “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. I’m no prude, but the latter song is …
If you’ve been following along at Get Fit Slowly, then you know I recently began a health and fitness program. Yes, I know I’ve started these many times in the past, but this time feels different. This time feels like 1997, the year I lost 40 pounds. My entire mindset seems to have changed. I’m …
It’s one o’clock on Sunday afternoon. I’m working on a long-delayed post for Get Rich Slowly about my fears over becoming a full-time blogger. This post has been weeks in coming, and I think I’m finally getting it. I’ve got my radio tuned to the dance music station to give me a constant beat in …
My brother Tony e-mailed last night. “I’m going to be in town tomorrow,” he said, “but only for a little bit. If you’re free at 8, I’ll buy you coffee.” Tony packed his family and moved to Bend nearly two years ago, so I don’t get to see him very often. I miss him. I …
It feels so good to finally break through a barrier. Or two. The last week has been awful. I haven’t been able to write. I sit and stare at the computer screen, but nothing comes. “I’ve lost it,” I think. “I’m doomed.” I try to find other things to occupy my time, but all I …
The birds are happy. After several months of the cold and rain, the weather has begun to turn. Yesterday the sun came out all day, and the temperature climbed to 14 degrees (that’s 57 for those of you in Oregon City). When Kris and I left to run errands, I was wearing long underwear, a …