I'm not there [yet]*

Before I go any further – heck, before I even begin! – I'd like to encourage you to go read Erin's post from yesterday, if you haven't already. I guess if you have, you could read it again.

While I don't ever think I've wanted to dive into a plate of cheese fries – no offense if you love cheese fries, that's just not my thing – I have, occasionally, entertained the strange and enticing idea of living as if I was already where I wanted to be.

I think that's the same as accepting myself just the way I am.

In my past brushes with therapy and psychology and stuff, I've run into the theory that until one accepts what is, one cannot move on to what is to be.

Is that the same as what Yoda said? 'Do or do not. There is no try.'

Smart little guy, that Yoda.

I must admit that while in theory I believe that weight-training will maintain my bone density and running is good for my cardiovascular system, I still huff and puff and lift and grunt because I want to lose weight. I have a long way to go before self-acceptance kicks in.

But … I've been there before. I remember feeling perfectly okay with an imperfect body for at least one other extended period of my life, and at the same time enjoying exercise simply for the sake of moving and breathing and pushing myself.

I'd rather not think of all this as something else to 'work on.' I'd like to just do.

Don't forget to enter the contest for Gary Taubes' book – details at the end of this post. Don't be shy! Everyone wants to win something at least once in their life, right? This is your big chance; I don't think your odds could possibly be any better. Heh.

*This title also is a reference to the title of Todd Haynes' recently released film about Bob Dylan and which is coming soon to a theatre sort of near me! I'm kinda busy this weekend, but hope to get away next Saturday to see it.

Thinking outside the box

You know how "they" say you should incorporate more activity into your daily routine? Jonathan and M@rla stand up to work on their computers, for instance. Many of you chase toddlers, and we all park at the far end of the lot or take the stairs rather than the elevator. Right?

I don't get out much, since my job is taking care of two dogs, a husband and a house [and since 'getting out' means driving for at least an hour for just about every trip]. So the parking lot/stairway strategies aren't too helpful for me. I've been thinking about how to incorporate a vertical workstation into my office, though. Still thinking at this point.

I ran yesterday morning [a 5K in an easy 40 minutes], showered and then went out to get my hair cut [only a half-hour drive]. And since I can't seem to leave the house for just one errand, I drove another half-hour to Wally World [we don't have any other big-box options; don't hate me for spending my money there] to pick up a few things.

As I was driving, I started thinking about the whole 'more-movement' movement, and came up with what I thought was a pretty unique idea. At least I've never seen it anywhere else. After you read about it, you may think I'm ready for the loony bin.

How many times have you been advised to organize your grocery list by department – group all the produce, canned goods, frozen items, dairy – so you can get in and out of the store quickly? Well, I decided to rearrange my rather short list alphabetically.

Oh, yes, I did.

Because, really, I'm never in a hurry when I go shopping and hey … why not? Here was my list.

1. Alphabet beads
2. Apricots
3. Bananas
4. Birdseed
5. Bread
6. Coffee
7. Dog Treats
8. Lettuce
9. Mozzarella
10. Tissues
11. Trash Bags
12. Water

It sort of worked. Old habits die hard. I didn't want to pass by the lettuce in the produce section after I picked up the bananas, but I forced myself to keep moving. I got sidetracked a couple of times by Things Not on My List, but didn't feel compulsive enough to add them in the correct order. Needless to say, I did a lot of criss-crossing.

If I'd been in a hurry, I would have been in and out in 20 minutes, tops. I was actually surprised at the checkout counter to find I'd been there for an hour!

In the end, it was kind of like a scavenger hunt, only not as fun as Shauna's. Call me crazy, but I might even do it again.

It's probably a good thing that Mr. Shrinking Knitter is a psychiatrist.

Don't be shy about entering the contest to win your own copy of Good Calories, Bad Calories. I'm again sorry and completely embarrassed about giving you the wrong e-mail address. Try again if your message bounced the first time: shrinkingknitter AT citynet DOT net and put GCBC in the subject line.

How many of you ...

are old enough to remember a teen magazine called Ingenue? They had a monthly column called "Boy, Was My Face Red" that both fascinated and repelled me.

So anyway, it's my turn. Apparently I don't know my own e-mail address. I'll correct it in the previous post. If you've tried to enter the drawing for the book and my e-mail bounced back to you, it's because it's a DOT net, not a DOT com.

shrinkingknitter AT citynet DOT net

Thanks to Laura for the heads-up.

So sorry ... and, um, BOY, is my face red! Heh.

I'll take Potpourri for $200, Alex

I'm totally stealing that title idea from our favorite readhead, by the way. This post is just full of random stuff.

No knitting yesterday. Not one stitch. Perhaps it had something to do with the weather, which is absolutely balmy. If you'll remember, I started getting my knitting mojo back about the time the first snowflake fell.

I wrapped and shipped Christmas presents all day yesterday [only a few more little things to finish up – whew!], left the house at 6 p.m. for the drawing class at the prison and came home exhausted. I had every intention of knitting and watching MNF, but the game wasn't that interesting and sleep came first.

Yesterday was a scheduled rest-from-exercise day. Amazingly, I also rested-from-food. It wasn't until I was at the prison talking about upside-down-drawing that I realized I'd forgotten to eat dinner! I think I can count on one hand the number of times that happens around here.

Today is the first day of a 20-week training program for CMM. If the first four weeks don't go well – and they may not, considering it's the holiday season and all – I have a 16-week backup plan ready and waiting. What I don't like about this plan is that workouts are measured in minutes instead of miles – today, for instance, I'm supposed to run easy for 40 minutes. I think I'll wear shorts, by the way. I kind of enjoyed racking up the mileage last time I was in training. [Don't I sound like an athlete? Heh.] That's not to say I won't keep track of my miles, of course. I most definitely will.

Among the mail I picked up yesterday was yet another box from amazon.com. In it were two copies of a book I'd ordered recently. JuJu inspired me to order it; she talked about it last month, but I've always been a day late and a dollar short, so I'm just now receiving it. Er, them. I'll blame the extra copy on pilot error.

Rather than return it, I thought I might donate Copy Number Two to our local library. And then I thought, "Hmmm. Why don't I donate it to one of your libraries?" So, if you're at all interested in winning a brand-new, unread, pristine copy of Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories, shoot me an e-mail: shrinkingknitter AT citynet DOT net and put GCBC in the subject line. You do know how to translate that to a real e-mail addy, don't you?

Deadline is December 18 at noon, a week from today. I'll use a random number generator to determine the winner, which I'll announce first thing Wednesday, December 19. The book is a rather scientific read; you might not even want it. If no one enters the contest, I'll still donate it to my local library.

Denise, if you had a blog I would totally send everyone over with get-well wishes. So sorry about your fall!

Finally – I bet you thought I was never going to shut up – yesterday's Supreme Court decision to restore federal judges' control in sentencing was the best news I heard all day. I'm hoping for more today.