4 Aug 2018
Joining a challenge thread to establish a new good habit.
I’m pulled toward a quarterly cycle based on the sun (Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Fall Equinox). These days resonate with me symbolically (and usually physically), and I always mark them. But I don’t want to wait until the Fall Equinox to start. Why wait? I’ll just jump in and establish a new good habit.
Upcoming astronomical events this year:
September 22, 2018 -Autumnal Equinox
December 21, 2018 - Winter Solstice
The Summer Solstice was on June 21st. Today is the 45th day of Summer; Autumn begins in 50 days.
Why I Doing This?
To improve my health. Lately, I’ve been plagued with edema in my lower legs, mostly around the ankles. Only for about a week, but it’s pissing me off. The last time I had this problem I was at my highest weight. It didn’t occur for years after that. So: improve daily habits - a good idea in any case. I’m spending too much time sitting, not enough time moving.
Make the Most of Summer; Get Ready for Fall
SUMMER IS HALF OVER, BABY. ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN.
My new good habit:
Be active for 20 minutes (or more) every day.
For purposes of my challenge, “Activity” includes purposeful athletics such as: sports; sports conditioning; arts that could be argued are also sports (dancing!); activities which are not sports, but require physical effort (e.g. yoga, gardening, housecleaning, walking, a leisurely ride on a bicycle).
Potential results of this new habit MAY include:
Soaking up some Vitamin D;
Improved circulation;
Improved mood and appetite;
Improved muscle tone;
More energy;
Disappearance of edema;
and
Getting much of the pruning done in the garden before I have to call in the pros to prune the trees and tall shrubs. (There is MUCH to be done);
Purging materials from the basement, closets, and other areas;
Moving and unpacking boxes which are now cluttering up my life so I can move them into the magically cleared new space.
Then I can exercise in front of the TV in the beautiful emptiness that is now my den. There’s even a mirror in there. On I can exercise in another room upstairs that is pretty empty now. I just have to make sure that I don’t shift crap from other areas into that room. I need to PURGE. I need to PUT ORDER INTO CHAOS, and maintain areas which are good. But mostly, I need to purge.
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21 June through 3 August: sloth
4 Aug - walk, 20 minutes
I love walking early in the morning, when it’s cool, but walking at dusk is nice too. I enjoy seeing the efforts my neighbors use to light the landscape, the exterior of their homes, and any room seen from the street. The avenues are a bit dark because of tree canopy, but there’s still plenty of light at eight o’clock. The earth is fecund, you can smell it. The air is sweet and a little humid. Most lawns are dry and brown, but a few neighbors proudly show off their emerald green grass. Roses are still blooming. Urban gardens are producing vegetables. The Little Free Libraries which I’ve passed have nothing of interest, but I enjoy seeing them all the same.
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