Too Lame to Drive

Urban ranger is an inspirational metaphor to get you walking. Warning: there is poetry involved. Discuss it here.
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NoelFigart
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Too Lame to Drive

Post by NoelFigart » Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:57 pm

Since I am still working on compliance with Vanilla No S for the month of Sept as my monthly resolution and the month is almost over, I was casting my mind around for another goal for Oct.

I was going to an exercise class today and was considering taking the car when I thought, "The class is half a mile away from my house. Is there really anything lamer than driving to an exercise class within perfectly decent walking distance when your knee isn't in a brace or anything?"

So, for October, if the event/appointment/store is less than a mile away, I'll go there on foot rather than drive. I live in a little New England town that has the gym, a moderately adequate grocery store, and a few restaurants all reachable by foot. Sure, I will have to drive for a few things, but not many. Hopefully that'll help with the habit of being active. I don't intend to give my my swims or my class, but think that the habit of walking as much as possible is just one of those things that has a wide general benefit.

'Cause if you're healthy, less than a mile is too lame to drive!
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My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

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marleah
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Post by marleah » Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:08 pm

I agree! I have two jobs that are about 8 blocks from each other. On two days during the week, I work at one of them from 8-2 and the other from 3-9. I've started parking my car at Job#2, walking to Job#1, then walking to Job#2 again, where my car is waiting for me at 9 pm. That way I'm always walking in the daylight (as it is becoming fall and getting dark earlier). It's still early and the weather has been pretty nice (although I have had to walk with an umbrella once so far), and I'm hoping I can keep it up during the winter, but we'll have to see how bad the weather gets - I don't care to walk on too much ice or in 2 ft of snow either. :)

Plus the walking gives me a chance to catch up on podcasts that I've fallen behind on listening!
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chiangmaiboss
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Post by chiangmaiboss » Sun Sep 27, 2009 3:18 am

Hello. I understand what you are saying. I have seriously painful back injury and it is difficult to walk but also walking is only thing makes back feel better. Mostly I use walking stick. I have motorbike but driving it is very dangerous here and if I fall off cannot get back up. Also it is very painful to get in and out of car so better to walk. I just buy new house but not built yet and about 5 miles from here but tomorrow plan to walk there. Farthest I ever tried to walk since I got hurt so I will see how this goes.
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frugaltexan
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Post by frugaltexan » Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:10 pm

The place I moved to last week is within walking distance of my (new) church, a grocery store, the library, several gas stations and a shopping center. (Some are a bit more than a mile, but not too much further.) My plan is to also walk to these places as often as possible - as long as the weather isn't too bad. :)
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Started July 23, 2009 -- 246.6
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July 18, 2010 -- 235 .... - 11.6 lb loss in ~1 yr.
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NoelFigart
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Post by NoelFigart » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:30 pm

Well, I needed something I'd forgotten for dinner tonight and remembered that if I can walk a half a mile to get it, that's Just Too Lame To Drive It.

Thing is, I seem to be out of shape, as walking a mile is enough to get me a bit sweaty. LeSigh.

Still, the real answer is still to walk everywhere I can and throw in a few swims. That's how I'll get in better shape. I'm still rather enamored of the idea that getting in physical activity should be useful, too.

Isn't it funny all the labor saving devices we've created for ourselves and it turns out that they were overused to the point of cutting into some other genuine needs?

There was a time when I really did get in those 10,000 steps that were considered the right amount of walking and thought it was absurd that people didn't. Thing is, I took the bus to work, and walked to a gym to do my swims and I was a secretary on a college campus. Of course I walked a lot.

And no wonder I've gained weight in the two years since I started working from home. I may strap on that pedometer again to see where I am, walking wise.
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My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

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sporkfancier
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Post by sporkfancier » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:01 pm

One of the ideas I've had lately is that there has to be a way to make working behind a desk more physically engaging. I believe that the reason desk workers are so wiped after a day of sitting in a cubicle is precisely because they are SITTING in a cubicle.

Thus, on my list of monthly resolutions for the future, I've determined I will try using a mini-stepper for 10 minutes/hour while working at my computer. This is easier for me because I use a laptop, but I wonder how effective it will be. I got the idea after seeing a treadmill rigged to hold a laptop (the idea being to walk while working). A mini-stepper is just much cheaper than a treadmill :)

If this isn't feasible due to one's work environs, the alternative may simply be to elect to do a shorter amount of time (say 5 minutes per hour) on short "breaks". I suspect that no reasonable boss would object to "getting the blood flowing" as the old adage goes to increase productivity.

This is a bit free-form I now realize, but I remain convinced that they IS a way to make working at a computer a healthful activity.
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