Labor Day Cogitations

UPDATE ON EXERCISE:
When you are determined to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, it is challenging as well as interesting to find ways to vary your fitness routine. I find that if I don't deviate from just working out with an exercise DVD or just walking the neighborhood, I'll definitely get bored and begin to find excuses not to exerise at all.
Thus far, I've managed to remain "on track" in my determination to add some form of exercise to my daily schedule; however, this becomes difficult during times of travel. On a recent trip to Albany, New York, I took one look at the treadmill in the hotel's small workout room, and knew that I just couldn't stand there, trudging along, looking at a blank, white wall. I remembered a beautiful park, The Crossings, that is located in close proximity to this particular hotel. I grabbed my sneakers and a bottle of water, drove to this lovely park, which offers a variety of paved, peaceful walking trails, and thoroughly enjoyed several long walks during my stay in the Albany area. There is something to be said for the benefit of fresh air during exercise, as opposed to being couped up in a small room that is dense with the odor of sweaty, well worn sneakers. Bad enough if they are your own, but sometimes in the gym setting, your nostrils are filled with the combinatorial malodorous atmosphere of multiple pairs of sneakers that should have been replaced long ago.

The point is that wherever you are, you can locate a pleasant place to work out. If the weather isn't cooperative, you can even choose a free TV exercise channel that is available at many hotels. This channel allows you to pick a workout that fits into even the tightest of schedules, choose one that enables you to concentrate on a particular problem area, and all in the privacy of your own hotel room. I definitely took advantage of this during my recent trip.

I'm considering going out for a neighborhood walk right now, but I keep hearing the sound of rifles firing in the distance. I understand that today is opening day of alligator season in South Carolina, and Fred and I are assuming that what we are hearing would be those permit-carrying alligator hunters out there shooting like people practicing at a firing range. Hopefully, none of those shells will find a spot in the local neighborhoods, but perhaps a beach walk might be in order today! I think it's safer there.

I've been joyously entrenched in working on writing the life story of a fine octogenarian gentleman, who would like to share his memoir with family and friends. It's a fascinating process, and his memory is remarkable. I'm having such a great time with this project, and every time I work with individuals or groups in life writing, I am so blessed to hear and learn about their unique experiences and aspects of living to which I might never have been exposed. I LOVE what I do!!

In working on my current novel-in-progress, I'm looking for a resource who is a plastic surgeon. A character in the book is in medical need of the services of one, and I need to ask him/her a few pertinent questions in order to insure the authenticity of this particular situation. I put the word out to a friend, who will work on this for me during this upcoming week. Hopefully, her friend, the plastic surgeon, will be cooperative. I feel it's so important to fully research areas with which I'm unfamiliar because although it is fiction and I can make up anything I want, it has to be realistic!

I think that's about all I have to say today, this alligator hunting Labor Day, 2009, except for one thing! If you've never heard of the Four Spiritual Laws, visit www.4laws.com/laws/english/flash/. It could change your life.

See y'all very soon!!