GO FARTHER FURTHER
Saturday, May 21, 2011
today’s Musing written and published from Cranston in south- east Calgary, near the Bow River valley
On Saturday and Sunday mornings I find that I have time, and perhaps my readers do too, to listen to some music. I choose pieces I like that connect, in some way, to my mood at the time … hope you like them: James Taylor Fire and Rain , Etta James I’d Rather Go Blind and Out Of The Rain , Rossini’s William Tell Overture , Bach Brandenburg Concertos No.3
Morning walk: 9C/48F, sunny, calm; we walked soccer fields and park – attracting bug swarms at every step, so we quickened our pace. Gusta, her shaggy shedding back-end shaking, we did a light jog and, except for bathroom stops (hers), our outing went well, farther than usual. She needs the exercise. So do I.
Should we pursue lofty goals to further life’s work, set short term bite-sized goals, or go day-to-day with none at all?
I don’t understand some things, many actually – but one I am focused on right now is why I find determination to do some things (like writing this column every day for instance) relentlessly, while I let myself off the hook, let myself off easy on so many things I think merit effort and sweat.
I have been struggling to find the answer. I don’t have it yet, but I think – this week – I’ve found a serious clue . . . perhaps new inspiration, perhaps renewed committment.
Problem: focus – getting and staying focused challenges me endlessly, not because I don’t want to focus but because I have too many things competing for that focus. This is, in part, caused by a brain that bounces from idea to idea , aim to aim, target to target, a little too quickly sometimes, but more so from another cause – trying too much, too hard, too often to do too much and, in the end, accomplishing not enough, not fast enough, not well enough. I know, intellectually, that isn’t true, but that inadequacy feeling runs through me each time I see what remains not-done in front of me and look back on what I’ve done in the past week and see too few concrete results.
Solution: focus on fewer things.
The problem, is simply to define the problem. Isn’t that the Einstein credo in some form? To spend more time precisely defining the problem, and then a simple and elegant solution will emerge – like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon where a worn-out caterpillar was recently deposited.
If only.
Flip-flopping in my own resolve has become a problem; not just in my professional life, but in simple (supposedly) things like domestic chores, diet and exercise. Choices carefully made to reduce certain foods, increase exercise, curtail certain social activities, sleep more rationally – each deliberately made, often last as long as a politician’s promise.
The best example for me is the exercise/diet one; if I can lick that, I know I can lick anything.
I was observing myself yesterday – second day in a row, having a rigorous workout (not just 10 minutes followed by a 20 minute steam). As I did more repetitions than usual, as I spent a few more minutes on the treadmill than usual – I wondered how much of a factor was that one bit of inspiration provided by my daughter Carla. She has done so much in terms of fitness and running in recent years. The other day she posted on her blog, a new goal – to qualify to run the Boston Marathon at some point in the next five years.
My first thought was to be there to watch her come across the finish line as I have for some of her earlier running milestones. As I was pushing myself a little harder at the gym yesterday I was thinking about running it with her. Bold. Insane. Impossible. Or, maybe not.
I remember those ads on TV in the 60s and 70s; Participaction – encouraging exercise comparing Canadian youth being in poorer shape than the average 60 year old Swede. This year I will be the 60 yr old Canadian.
My smug disregard back then, believing fitness I enjoyed as a young athlete (competitive tennis play, hockey, skiing) would not morph to fatness in middle-age, has come back to haunt me.
I’ve been un-fit and over-weighted for too lazy-long a time. Golf and mini-workouts at the gym do not tax the body much and my eating habits haven’t helped.
I may not succeed. I may never become a marathon runner, I may never visit the Boston Marathon even as a spectator – but, just in case, maybe I should get training for it . . .
After Gusta’s walk this morning, I headed out again for a little run.
I’m embarrassed to admit how short a distance/time it was until I was winded and had to stop.
Next time, soon, I’ll go further . . . by going farther.
Mark Kolke
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May 19 - ANTI-CAMP - Comments Received
Mark, you are a professional writer who puts so much time and energy into it - (insert primal scream here) - "drive safely" for goodness' sake! What did the useful "ly" ever do to become so under used? Have a safe and real"ly" good weekend as well, CS, Calgary, AB
We camp occasionally, mostly to spend time with our friends - and we've had some great times. We also come away with some great stories...like the time Chad and I were camping in Jasper, and an Elk tried to eat our tent...while we were in it... :) , CK, Beaumont, AB
Ain't no mountain high enough... …to convince me these days that ‘sleeping rough’ keeps me safe from bears and chills and other unpleasant circumstances. I too was once a rough it and leave no trace in the back-country kinda gal. Now, I like my creature comforts. I’ve earned them! Have a great long weekend Mark. Thanks for the smile this morning, LG, Calgary, AB
