Time and time again, I have learned this  one thing: If I stay consistent with some kind of exercise routine, I feel more positive, I accomplish more, I procrastinate less, my patience levels are higher...Overall, life goes better. There is a price though. It has to be non-negotiable. You have to let people in your life know that this is something you're going to take seriously.  You have to carve yourself out some time, draw a metaphorical line in the sand.  In my case, I have to get up a couple hours earlier...which means I have to go to bed earlier, drink a whole lot less alcohol so that I'm not hung over the next morning. Now, it's not necessarily ONLY about weight loss. First and foremost, it's to move the serotonin around so I can generally feel better about life. Granted, aches and pains won't allow me to run any more...but I can manage some walking and definitely do some push-ups and stomach exercises...I alternate the two. It's the closest thing you c...

Time to re-up for a new passport. (U.S.) I work for an airline as a flight attendant so it's pretty much mandatory. For some reason, I keep thinking that the cost of it is $60.00. It WAS back in 1990....but that price seems to have stuck in my head and all subsequent renewal prices have been wiped from memory. So...if you're planning to apply for/renew a passport this year, get ready to fork out $110-$180 depending on how fast you need it. News you can use. Was thinking about problem solving and how I've finally learned (or AM learning...no one ever stops learning, hopefully) that getting angry, flustered, frustrated, or frantic at an obstacle or a problem DOES ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD. It took a LONG time to learn but but slowing down your mind helps infinitely. If I learned or wish to impart anything it is that one piece of advice. Real world example....When filling out that renewal form for the passport, the field would NOT take my date....and I KNOW the date was correct. ...

My month-long vacation continues apace. Thanks to a profit-sharing check, I'm spending cash like a drunken sailor. Mostly on books. Bill and I took a browse through a local antique shop. I found myself two decent pipes, one of which was a curiosity. It has a stainless steel cap at the bottom where put the tobacco in and a screen at the top of the bowl where you're supposed to light it. A unique addition to the collection. My "homemade" workout regimen seems to be paying off dividends. If the weight isn't flying off, at least the serotonin is being pushed around my system, generally making me feel a bit more positive. That's the main point. I've been writing a lot of letters during this vacation. Letter-writing is similar to most other types of "creative" writing, I'm sure. Inspiration hits...and then you follow it through. Take for example: This morning, in the wee hours when I was waking up, I was listening to BBC WORLD SERVICE on National...

Just went over to the Great North Aleworks to fill my Growler Jug with some chocolate stout. Had a pint of Vanilla Porter while I waited. The place was hopping. An early start to the ST. PATRICK'S DAY festivities. They had a band and everything. Always happy to support a local brewery as I wreck my  liver....

Hmmm... Could this be the muse-method I need to get writing again? The kick in the pants? The cattle prod?