July 2, 2017. My last Running post.
The last time I ran outside? 258 days ago? Could it be that long ago? Really? Wow.
Updike: “How innocently life ate the days.” How obviously it didn’t eat my expanding waist line.
Read that we spend 87% of our time indoors, 6% in autos and … do the math on the balance, time spent outdoors. Ouch. My outdoor count is lower than average. And here I sit, lay actually, on the bed, indoors, yet another Sunday morning. Motivation to get out: 0%
Haven’t been able to shake last Sunday’s share: “Boycott. The Embargo. It was draconian and complete” and Hagerman going cold turkey on media, social media, politics et al. Look at him in the photo above — look at those night stands. There’s nothing there.
I take inventory from my current semi-horizontal position on the bed:
Lamp. Cable TV Remote. Smart TV Remote. Cable Box. Smart TV. Land-line phone. Apple HomePod. (Don’t buy it.) Cell Phones (2). Not a typo. Laptop. iPad. Apple Pencil. Plus backup. Over-the-Ear headphones. Earbuds. (New ritual. Fall asleep to daily podcasts.) Digital Clock. (2). Wireless Charger. Power strip with power cords. Octopi (…puses?) (Angry, tangled and snarling.) Hard cover books stacked on shelf in nightstand. (Gathering dust).
NY Times story on Hagerman was titled The Man Who Knew Too Little.
This story is titled:
“Man Who Knows Nothing And Is Tethered to his Gadgets Needing Detox, Intervention, or Something.”
Post Inspiration, Jonathan Franzen, Best American Essays 2016: “Kierkegaard, in Either/Or, makes fun of the “busy man” for whom busyness is a way of avoiding an honest self-reckoning. You might wake up in the night and realize that…you need to think about what your carbon footprint is doing to the planet, but the next day you have a million little things to do, and the day after that you have another million things. As long as there’s no end of little things, you never have to stop and confront the bigger questions.”
Live & Learn 
Love this! I too have thought a lot about the article you posted. After reading the full piece, I decided not to close the connection completely but definitely loosen the electronic noose. I am an outdoor enthusiast and proudly report a way higher percentage of time in nature. One side of our house is mostly glass with sliding doors that I keep open as often as possible. It helps to live in a warm climate.
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Ahhhh yes Elizabeth. You are blessed with warm climate and the discipline of shaking the addictive and toxic e-habits. Good for you.
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Welcome to middle age in the modern era (error?)
It is interesting that I read this shortly after publishing a similarly themed post, https://mitigatingchaos.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/parking-brake-on/
If John Lennon was alive, maybe he would re-write Imagine?
“Imagine there’s no smartphones, it’s easy if you try
No cell towers to ping us, above us only sky
Imagine all the children, playing in the yard”. . . or something like that.
I have started falling asleep (with my iPhone on the nightstand) listening to the WQXR app. They were smart to put a timer on it, so it goes off after a set period. Free, yet worth the price of a yearly donation during the fund drive.
Cheer up. Runnng shoes keep getting more expensive. At least you are saving more for retirement.
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Smiling as my eyes make there way down your sentences from Era = Error. And Lennon twist, to following asleep to iPHone app with Timer to saving for retirement. A lot of wisdom in your thoughts here Ray! 🙂
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Yea, every once in a while. 🤔
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Kinda like the new Imagine, although it’s a depressing thought….
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Agreed
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This is NOT a good Sunday post. First the shock of not only a deeply depressing article but also two EMPTY nightstands and then, to add more shock, your stuff on your bedside stand…. This adds to a triple shock as I probably won’t even get 8% outdoor time in winter….
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Laughing. You are so right Kiki.
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And what happened to your Walking.Cross.Town?
As to your electronics addiction and nonstop tethered state, it is my turn to say it to you, Susan is a Saint! Saint of all Saints.
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It’s all on the blocks. Down. As to a Saint, yes she is blessed to have one around.
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Nope. I vote for her. YOU are blessed!
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Sad. That you could be so far off.
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Laughing….
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I gave up my car 10 years ago when I moved here to Chicago. Thank God the urban experience allows me to live very well without a car. I ride buses and trains, walk and carry shit all over the place 24/7–it has made a huge difference in my life. At 69 I have more energy than I did at 59. With several apps, a personal trainer, the gym and my supplement arsenal I can track how I am doing. It has really helped my depression and anxiety. So I suggest that if you cannot give up your car, designate 2 days a week in which you DO NOT DRIVE but take buses or walk wherever you have to go. I carry 5-8 bags of groceries whenever i shop –altho occasionally at my age I need to call a Lyft–and this has also built my muscle mass. However, going to the gym and working out is essential as well. Keep yourself moving!
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Wow, you do keep busy Allison. Good for you. I try to find a way to get 10,000 steps in every day, one way or another. (Today, now, 3,734 steps. I need to giddyap. :))
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258 days? Mary Oliver would be sad Mr K 😔
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Mary Oliver? I’m Sad!
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I’d rather have your nightstand. Any recommendations on podcasts?
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Birds of a feather! Jim, my go to podcasts are:
1) The Daily (NY Times)
2) NPR up first
3) NPR Fresh Air
4) The Book Review (NY Times)
5) The New Yorker Poetry
and then a sprinkling of others….
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thanks for the info; I will check them out
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I’ve wondered about some people’s life’s after watching a commercial about riding a pealton? bike or a treadmill while engaging video training with others around the world or viewing landscape video of beautiful spots around the world…I think “NO”, people get outside, breath spring air, meet your friends one on one…///I was impressed that you ran five miles on the treadmill the other day and that you efficiently used your unexpected Philly visit to walk the concourse…you work so hard, sleep so little…start with baby steps, sit on your front porch steps or out in your backyard…than the next week- end join Susan on a walk along the water of the sound,..start taking a photo a day, outside with your phone (the hotel courtyard counts) /// Updike: “How innocently life ate the days.” <<<love that quote, those words, I understand how the everyday passes, too quickly…
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Thank you Christie. Interesting your share these thoughts. Susan asks and asks and asks me to join her on her morning walks. I find the pace excruciatingly slow. I need a wake up call here.
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Wow David, that must be one hell of a night stand!
But you have a good excuse on the running do you not? Cut yourself at least some slack!
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Hi Michael. I excel at slack cutting…
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What can I say. I used to enjoy reading your running posts. Sometimes even felt guilty of “only” jogging or walking. Then came your walking (across town) posts. Most enjoyable fresh air mix of reflections. But now I’m not sure about the emerging wave of horizontal posts written next to That Nightstand. Not sure.
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Smiling. Me too! Me too!
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ALL that shit on your nightstand? Dude… them there is lots of waves buzzing around you, no? My nightstand holds a lamp, my gratitude journal with a pen, the current book(s) I am reading, a candle a glass and handcream… Phone now gets pluggeg in across the room or in my ensuite so I don’t even hear the bzz bzz of “likes” 😉 OK… iPad is sometimes on the other half ot the bed (which remains empty, sigh.) with some sorta quiet music playing to bring it down a notch. Like you, I do not sleep enough and am trying to create a new pattern (fingers crossed).
As to the whole outside thing. Way not enough and Zeke is glaring at me. He has just won and convinced me it’s not too late. Catch ya later! Imma go freeze my butt outside because, you know, tomorrow is the first day of spring so it’s -9C (16F) today. Zeke doesn’t care. He thinks it’s ideal.
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I LAUGHED at the “don’t even hear the bzz bzz of likes” – THAT’s funny. And I need my Zeke. NOW….
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I am so very glad I made you laugh. And yes. Zeke is the push I need (and try to heed)… But I cannot lie. He sometimes gets dissed. You do need to convince your better half that it’s good for you to get outside for a walk with a dog… oh wait. She will think she’s not enough. Ummm… good luck with that.
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It a difficult journey, this convincing a woman thing…
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I feel for you and know that it is a most difficult journey indeed… being an occasionally difficult woman to convince…
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Shocking!
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Hmmm, as a family doctor, I tell parents the kids should have no screen tech in their rooms when sleeping (so no phone) and no screens during the day: no computer, television, etc. Something that plays music in the room is fine, but that should not be an excuse to have the phone in the bedroom and text all night.
All of the sleep specialists say the same for adults: the screens need to be off an hour before bed. Music in the bedroom is fine, but no television. If a person is having trouble sleeping, get up and read something. And don’t read an exciting murder mystery and no screens in the night: only books. To get back to sleep, I have a book that I find really spectacularly boring. No phones in the bedroom for parents either! Mine is in a room across the hall, where I will hear a clinic related phone call, but not a text.
…to get outside, maybe everyone could trade phones with a neighbor at night and walk over to get it at an agreed time…
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Thank you for sharing Doc. I need all of this NOW…
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take care…
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David, this is one scary scene. I thought the movie Brazil is scary, this one will give me a nightmare!
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Laughing. Thanks Perpetua. Sleep easy
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