Little Talk:

***

Seven walks for seven brothers

On November 14, I started the Waterdog Challenge, though initially I was not aware of it (Waterdog is a nearby lake). The rules for the challenge, as they evolved:

1. Seven different routes for walks near Waterdog Lake, the shortest of which is worth 1 point, the longest of which is worth 4.5 points (1 point equals about 40 minutes of walking)

2. 1 point for every 3 km on the treadmill

3. 1 point for every 48 minutes on the elliptical

After a few days of walking, the goal I set for myself was 180 points, and so far I have not had a reason to cut it short, or stretch it out. I am currently at 144.5 points, perhaps an average of slightly less than 3 points a day.

I think I assumed that once I started trail walking, I would stop using the elliptical, or the treadmill. But somewhat to my surprise, I found I really liked the combination of television + elliptical. Televison + treadmill is also not bad, but I perhaps found it too easy to pick up blisters when trying to combine the two. Perhaps I will try to replace the treadmill with an exercise bike.

Another, not exactly surprise, but clarification, was the discovery of my ideal routine, in the context of the challenge:

1. Foot hits the trail: Half past nine-ish. The earliest I managed to hit the trail was seven. The latest, while still managing to actually hit the trail, was perhaps 12. Therefore the ideal, canonical time to hit the trail was perhaps half-past nine.

2. Foot quits the trail: Half past one-ish. Three hours walking + one hour mooching, malingering, moseying and meandering equals four hours on the trail. I rarely spent four hours on the trail. But sometimes I did.

3. Foot hits the machine: Half past three-ish. I very rarely managed to hit the machine by half-past three. But I generally started to think about hitting the machine around then. And, of course, machines, unlike trails, do not have a deadline for daylight.

4. Foot quits the machine: Five-ish. 98 minutes on the machine equals 2 points, and 2 episodes of a 50 minute TV show, or perhaps one World Cup football match, which is a satisfying amount of television to watch, in the context of exercising. I also remember a Peter O'Toole marathon, where I worked through a Lawrence of Arabia DVD over a few days, then a Becket DVD, over a few days more. Incidentally, Becket's attitude towards Brother John seems to me the correct attitude for complacent middle-age to have towards non-complacent youth.

I think I have wanted to do something like this challenge for at least the past five years. Possibly I have wanted to do something like this for as far back as 30 years ago. At least, in 1993, I have a memory, of waking up very early, going for, not a long walk, but a short jog, and then coming back home to watch the French Open on early morning TV. I think, back then, in 1993, I kept up that routine for two or three days.

***

How much web-surfing does a man require?

My current answer: Several peeks, two of them named, and two pokes.

Peek #1: Dawn

Peek #2: Dusk

Poke #1: Noon (Morning / Afternoon)

Poke #2: Night (Evening / Night)

*** 

I was unable to donate a Poirot DVD until I had first re-watched the scene where Poirot eats a hand-made chocolate. Perhaps because I know my dad liked that scene as well. When we watched it, my dad made the point that the way Poirot enjoyed the chocolate made the chocolate-maker feel good, and appreciated.

***

Next post: January 29, 2023