1/30: Structure

[emeraldsedai]

The one-year mark in the don't-work-no-more phase of my career has come and gone, and I find that I want some structure back in my life. I feel ready to emerge from my cave a little and reconnect, too

Comments

Have you thought

[cattraine]

about volunteering at a animal shelter to pet kittys or something for a day or two a week? That could give you a bike commute...

Re: Have you thought

[emeraldsedai]

I have, actually, and while I don't rule it out entirely, I'm afraid I'm too...what's the right word? "Tenderhearted"?..too something, anyway, to be with the shelter cats for any length of time. It would probably do me a world of good, though.

Hm...an item to keep on the potential list.

[helenajust]

It's good to see a post from you again! The only time I get any real exercise is when I look after someone else's dogs, and have to take them out for walks. I suspect that, like me, you're more of a cat person, but maybe the right dog might tempt you? Whippets are very cat-like in some ways (they sleep a lot), and make excellent pets, as well as requiring one long or two shorter walks (or runs) a day to force you put of the house. Maybe you can look after a friend's dog for a bit to see how you might get on with having one?

I look forward to seeing more posts from you.

[emeraldsedai]

I know a number of people whose health-and-fitness level improved with dog ownership. I'm finding that as I adjust to my unstructured life, I do get out for walks (sans dog) more often than I used to, and there's really nothing like a simple walk--even a fairly short one--for refreshing the brain and getting the blood going.

I don't see myself becoming a dog owner, probably ever, though Graydie sometimes goes for walks with me--in which case I have to go round and round the block so that she doesn't try to follow me across a busy street!

[twasadark]

Hi you! Great to hear from you! I feel ya about needing structure and the weight thing. I like to go hiking or walking with folks I meet over on MeetUp.com. That might be an option? Maybe a cycling group?

I went ahead and committed to walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain in April ... around 400 miles. I'm training now with my backpack and my feet sure are tired! I guess they'll probably be hurting for the next few months, lol. Maybe I'll lose a few pounds, too. That's one way to do it. :-)

[emeraldsedai]

FOUR HUNDRED MILES? Wow! That sounds both splendid and very, very long. My longest walking tour was something like 80 miles, over a week, and that felt like a lot. (My Pilgrim Feet icon is a picture I took while walking to Holy Island in the northeast of England.) How long will you be gone? How exciting!

What made you decide on the pilgrimage route? I mean, apart from it being a classic, with loads of history and spiritual significance in a beautiful part of the world?

[twasadark]

LOL, the route I'm taking is actually around 500 miles but I'll probably only do 400 or so. Only being relative, I suppose. I decided on this route partly from a midlife crisis, I think, actually! I'm writing about it on my blog. My first post is a partial explanation: https://xuwriter.wordpress.com/2015/01/26/listening-to-the-call-of-the-wild-when-youre-stuck-in-the-suburbs/ I'll be gone from April 1 - May 11. I was able to get a phenomenal airfare (through Norwegian Air, which has crazy low prices to Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm) and the refugios that serve as accommodation are quite low cost. Still it does add up after being gone so long. Part of it was cost though

[emeraldsedai]

That sounds fantastic. I left you a note on your blog--beautiful post!

Iceland is well worth a visit in itself. I like wild northern places.