This is interesting. I'm wondering how to publish a photo directly to a post rather than linking. This is a test. Wow, a successful test! The photo is of me crossing the finish line at the Cooper River Bridge 10K in Charleston, SC. I think this was 2002 - The last year we ran over the old bridge, anyway. The friend I'm with was running it for the first time.


Hey, this was fun!

What, me worry?

Journalists and Bloggers who know what they're doing, who have a purpose, are tremendously interesting. They state their objectives and follow through: exercising writing skills, putting outlines around their lives, or putting events or ideas into words to gain perspective. I've found that at least in this medium I'm not sure what I really do want to accomplish. Paper journals can be hidden or locked away. A diary in this medium, even with passwords and other "protection," is vulnerable to exposure. I'm terrified of putting too much personal detail in. On the other hand, why should I worry? Most of the people I know have full lives and spend their days umbically connected to a computer. Therefore they rarely spend time on the home PC that isn't of practical use.

I suppose I'll go with the Alfred E. Neuman approach.

Run Faster, Jump Higher.

I tell friends that if I could maintain a normal weight and pretty good health without exercise and a proper diet, I would lie on the couch and eat chips, drink beer and watch TV most of the time. I don’t really mean it, though that option would be nice to have at times. Over the years, physical activity of the sweat-making variety and preparing and eating healthy foods have become essential to my emotional well-being.

When we were kids, though, it was all about being able to run faster, jump higher. The exercise motivation was the action, and the dietary motivation was mom: if she makes it you eat it, if she says no to snacks, then no snacks! Now? It's all about fitting into stylish clothes, being seen as "normal" if not "attractive" and keeping old age and health problems at bay. But maybe it's fun too? And is getting better and better at something you enjoy fun too?

Part of what I’d like to learn through this (what is it really?) writing is about physical activity – motivation, feelings, successes, failures, etc. For now, most of the motivation is looks, followed by that great feeling afterward – like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer? It feels so good when you stop?

Another thing to explore is cooking/meals/dieting. Why is food such a big deal? And is preparing and eating healthy stuff as much fun as oh, say, a full-fat, full-calorie red velvet cake?

Off I go to ponder. And, I hope, to learn.