Spring Break -- Daylight Savings

Tuesday: Because Daylight Savings started this week, there was sunlight as I took the Tuesday walk through Royse City. This time, I avoided downtown and walked through residential areas toward the city park. I began to hurt pretty early, and all I could think was how I was never going to lose this weight if I couldn't even walk a little bit without intense pain and shortness of breath. At the park, I stopped to rest.

Discourged. Only
a few feet into the walk
the back and legs rebel.
I have no defense,
no energy to surrender.
Just keep moving, I hear
myself say. But the scraping
of my feet on the pavement
sounds too much like a shovel
digging my grave.

Then I headed for the church where the boy was enjoying a party with his friends in scouts. I noticed the houses, so many well kept. Some houses were new, some were shotgun shacks made beautiful by good maintanence, some rennovated. Many had flowers or less natural designs to make them unique and attractive. Even those near crumbling seemed wonderful to me.

And as I neared my destination, I realized that I did not envy these people their money or their objects of beauty. I envied the time they had to partner with their hearts' desires, and maybe their Creator, to make their living spaces what they are.

Wednesday: I decided to take advantage of the time to walk in the shopping area near where my wife was being interviewed for a job in Rockwall. I first made my way to the Best Buy to browse the computer stuff, but I spent most of my time there looking through their sorry selection of music. Did hear a Toby Keith song about Wayman Tisdale and an unreleased Jackson Five tune.

Then I made my way back and to the Dollar Tree. By the time I got there, I was hurting pretty bad. Saw some interesting things, but couldn't concentrate because my back,hip and leg hurt so much, I felt like I was spending all my energy holding myself up.

It is sometimes is like two bones rubbing together, and I worry that I have something serious going on with my back, though most of the pain seems to be where there is muscle and tendon, not bone. But what the heck do I know? I am fairly certain that if something doesn't change soon, I'll be back at the doctor's office. I can't lose any weight getting two sorry walks each week. And I can't lose stress, if all I can think about during these walks is that I made a mistake setting on this or any journey.

Reading:

Listening:

also a concert recording of the Mike Drake Quartet

How does steel grow?

Tuesday: Walked through downtown Royse City again, glad to have it just cool enough for a sweatshirt, wishing, though I was very sore, that I had more time and energy to do this.

    How does steel grow?
    place a ball of it above
    my age abused hip,
    conceal the dark mass with fat.
    I'll walk it in large thin shoes.

Friday: No walking, but I did play some soccer with my son, one of his teammates, and another father when the boys' practice didn't happen as planned. Fun and sweaty on a cool evening.

Reading:

Listening:

Blame it on the meds

Sunday: Walked around the Eastfield building looking for an opening so I could do some work. Normally I wouldn't count this, but I hurt like mad when I found someone from campus security to let me in, so there it is.

Tuesday: Walked from FUMC-Royse City to downtown. Was going to vote, but I had arrived too late (having misinformed myself that the polls would be open until 8). Walked some more through downtown and back trying to not let it bother me that this deaf old lady kept telling me, almost shouting, that the polls were closed, though I clearly heard her the first time.

I don't have much in the way of excuses for not walking more or for getting more out of the walks I've had. Pain and anxiety play a role. So does the fact that the dogs' leashes both got broken. I'm also concerned about my meds. Had them all refilled, and between that and being very behind in my work, my sleep has been significantly jacked up. I look forward to Spring Break.

Reading:

Listening:

Behind

Saturday: Walked a good hour with my wife, she taking Loki, and I with Cleo. Very tired, fairly sore, extremely sweaty. Good stuff.

Monday: Angry I could not find my jacket, I walked from FUMC-Dallas to El Centro. About halfway there, found myself, for some strange reason, musing on why Shaquille O'Neal is the most overrated basketball player in history and why he is a lousy role model.

Tuesday: A little evening walk in downtown Royse City. Gotta figure out what is wrong with my back or I won't make more than a mile a day.

Thursday: Weighed myself while at wife's doctor's appointment. Didn't like the result. Didn't expect miracles, but damn!

Friday: Okay, no real walk, but I did give two library tours that exhausted me. Still a long way to go.

Reading:

Listening:

Monday: I have figured that it takes roughly the same amount of time for me to walk from FUMC-Dallas to El Centro as it does to drive from there to Eastfield. The plus of going into my own office, other than it being my own office, is that I am in a comfortable place with a computer I am familiar with (and from which I can listen to my own music). However, I decided today to save the gas and gain the exercise.

    Diesel perfume hits me
    as I trudge through the West Transit Center.
    It is the sweet smell of movement.
    But quickly, I take note of the cigarettes
    from tired women and young toughs,
    and I must remind myself
    I'll be safe soon enough.

Wednesday: I suppose I got some exercise, but it was not, in my mind, a successful walk. I was distracted the whole time either by the dogs' lack of cooperation or the theme song from Craig Ferguson's show bouncing in my head.

Thursday: No walk, but I did participate in son's basketball practice by being part of the defense as they ran plays. Ouch. But fun.

Friday: Dogs were better behaved today, probably because they walked once in the morning with Tonya and once in the afternoon/evening with Alex. We took an extra ten minutes.

Reading:

Listening: