Guilt and Obligation

Well, it's probably not either one...guilt or obligation. Because I don't do either one well at all. Obligation drives me away, quickly. And guilt and I don't know one another. But because I've decided it's the right thing to do, I have decided to head back to the gym...pronto. We've belonged in the past. Had personal trainers that drove us to the brink of collapse and all of that. But here's the deal: I don't like to sweat. I don't like to be hot. I just plain old hate exercising. A pussy. A real wussy. But, boys and girls, this tired old body is in the throws of middle age....whatever that means. It has put on 12 pounds in the last 18 months or so and weighs more than it ever has. Not that much, but for what it is, it's too much. And it's much easier to shed 12 pounds or so than more (or at least distribute it more evenly so that no one knows...shh, don't tell anyone). And being the analytic that I am, I have been toying with this for about six months...should I do it, how can I make it work best, what will motivate me?, why should I do this at all? I absolutely would not do it if I were going to stop it in a month or two...that's not me at all. Unless I commit, I ain't gonna do it.

So, today I have come to peace with it....I'm signing up as soon as I get home. My peace has been had, sort of. My heart and head will be in balance with this soon. I know, I know...many of you go regularly....and I'm jealous every time I hear about it, see your pictures, or listen to you talk. So, in the spirit of committing myself to the deed -- and in the spirit of supporting the local economy -- I visited a friend's Athlete's Foot store today and purchased a great pair of Brooks running shoes along with a t-shirt and shorts for the gym. Overkill, I know. But I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it does the trick and keeps me on course. I just plain old know that it's the right thing to do....for the weight, to keep the aging muscles as taut and sinewy as is humanly possible at this age, to kick up the oxygen and blood flow, and maybe even shed a few tensions and stresses along the way. My good buddy Sean has been kicking his own ass into gear lately.....there is absolutely no excuse for me not to follow his fine example.












In addition to all of the above BS, there were a few lighter moments in today's journey:



I mean, the boy had to have a Halloween costume...right? More of Mason and his Halloween and Christmas outfits here. (In spite of the fact that it's a totally satanic holiday and that I'm offended by it.) And then just a few more for kicks. (He's gonna kill me, I swear it....)