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Post by seltzer on Nov 8, 2023 18:59:43 GMT
E, I agree with all you wrote and should make more of an effort to think along those lines with respect to remembering it’s recreational, but will add that the benefits of exercising for me go beyond help with the life necessities you mentioned. Disregarding the vanity of one’s appearance, my ability to do what I consider relatively normal things that many I know won’t or can’t adds to the enrichment of my days. I don’t mean that in the sense of feeling superiority over someone, but that my options of doing most what I want are increased and to some degree that’s due to what most of our self selected group do regularly. One example is the walk I took this past weekend with wifey and dear dog. The beginning quarter mile is a rather steep uphill and while the three Seltzers did it with no issues, a few of our friends who we reached out to join us neglected because they didn’t believe they could handle said hill. The time in a serene setting with my wife and dog was beneficial to me on every level, but in reality did nothing to impact my efforts to obtain food, shelter, or procreation. DISCLAIMER: The walk possibly added to my odds of engaging in acts that could lead to procreation although another Seltzer child would not be a desired outcome. 😊 Seltzer grandchildren are welcome. Thanks for your thought provoking post.
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Post by phillydude on Nov 9, 2023 0:45:33 GMT
"Disregarding the vanity of one’s appearance, my ability to do what I consider relatively normal things that many I know won’t or can’t adds to the enrichment of my days. I don’t mean that in the sense of feeling superiority over someone, but that my options of doing most what I want are increased and to some degree that’s due to what most of our self selected group do regularly."
I agree with this, but I will admit that I do feel superior. I can post here about doing some "extreme" adventure, and no one blinks an eye. But if I tell someone in the "real world," they can't conceive of it. Hell, what I do on a random Tuesday is more than they could do in a week/month/year/lifetime.
Being "better than average" is easy when your audience is woefully inadequate. But the beauty of our "self-selected" group here is that we are ALL "better than average." Not only from a fitness perspective, but from an intellectual one as well. We think. We write. We share. We care. And as a result, we push each other to do incredible things.
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Post by seltzer on Nov 9, 2023 17:22:45 GMT
Okay, I’ll admit I do feel good about myself when I’m able to do what others can’t and there is a bit of vanity that creeps into my psyche. What mildly annoys me is when those folks who don't do much more than walk from the couch to the refrigerator tell me how lucky I am that I’m able to do such and such or that I'm lucky that I don’t have to keep buying larger size clothes. While I’m lucky that I don’t have any debilitating illnesses, luck has nothing to do with me (us) making the consistent effort to engage in activities that are beneficial to my (our) health. To be honest, most of the time I relish the exertion, but there are certainly days when that extra push is needed to get started. Before I get cemented on my soap box and grab a bullhorn, I’ll end by writing that a “lucky” comment has never come from anyone who does even a modicum of exercise; it’s always from someone who is sedentary to a fault.
Phil, you're right about our group being abnormal and I sometimes lose that perspective.
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Post by ecrivain on Nov 9, 2023 22:32:18 GMT
Being "better than average" is easy when your audience is woefully inadequate. But the beauty of our "self-selected" group here is that we are ALL "better than average." Not only from a fitness perspective, but from an intellectual one as well. We think. We write. We share. We care. And as a result, we push each other to do incredible things. Woah there, chief. "Intellectual" is a bit much there. I’ll end by writing that a “lucky” comment has never come from anyone who does even a modicum of exercise Been thinking about something similar from hanging out with my blacksmith friend at a festival where he was selling his knives. Anyone who's done any sort of forging immediately recognizes the quality of the work and the effort that went into it. Like, I heard people whispering "holy shit" in awe walking up to the table. Anybody else might just think it's a pretty shiny stabby, at best. The context makes the difference entirely. Same with running. Other long distance runners, even amateurs and couch25k-types, can appreciate the training that goes into any race. Most will even show reverent appreciation for marathon training. Anyone else? You tell them you're training for a marathon, you'll hear any number of responses, including "Oh yah, my cousin did a Turkey Trot 5k last year too. Cool shirts." And it could be soul-crushing to think that the literal blood sweat and tears I've left on the ground are worth less than nothing to someone else. But I have to remember that it's entirely for me. I did it for myself. How humbling! The sacrifices. The choices. Eating the right food. Putting in the miles. The burn of lactic acid. The torn muscles and twisted ankles. The glass of whiskey pushed away. The chicken and broccoli instead of pizza. Nobody else gives a single fuck. I barely remember it all, myself, years later. How could I expect anyone else to care? The victory too. The amazing feeling of sprinting the finish line! The satisfaction of the accomplishment. That's all mine too, ya know. So it's worth it. And it's not even selfish. Because the things I do for myself, I do for all. Self-sacrifice is sacrifice. Self-improvement is improvement. Even if nobody else notices, remembers, or cares.
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Post by macdiver on Nov 9, 2023 22:43:25 GMT
Continuing the thread hi-jack ...
I don't consider myself strong. An example are my lifts which are just approaching the "novice" level of strength standards but I guess I am relatively stronger than the average US citizen. We are in the middle of renovations at the office. Today someone was trying to move a small filing cabinet from one office to another. It is designed to fit under a desk or table and has 1 shallow drawer and one drawer for folders. He was moving it by spinning it on one leg. I first asked if he wanted a hand truck then asked if it was heavy. He said it was a little heavy. I decided to see for myself and was able to lift it from the top but didn't have a good grip. I then squated down, grabbed it from the bottom, stood up and carried it down the hallway to his office. He and another guy were both shocked. I think it may have weighed 30 pounds at most (it was empty). To me being able to lift and move something that weighs 30 pounds is just basic functional strength required for daily living not extraordinary "STRONG MAN" stuff. Bringing this back to the original topic, if you need to be able to provide food and shelter for yourself in primitive conditions lifting and carrying 30 pounds would be essential.
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Post by ecrivain on Nov 10, 2023 17:46:01 GMT
- Having "obesity" removed from my chart after my doctor's appointment this morning. The nurse taking my weight at check-in even triple-checked my name, because it was such a difference from my previous visit, which was such a difference from my first visit a couple of years ago.
- Getting a cardiologist referral. Because all the other health risks are getting under control, so it's time to deal with the poor genetics of my ticker.
- Getting a clean bill of health right before going on a week-long vacation at the beach. Cause you know it's ON now.
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Post by phillydude on Nov 10, 2023 21:20:56 GMT
I was cleared to fly post-surgery on a Friday... and on Monday I was on a plane to Daytona.
Enjoy your time at the beach. Hope the weather is warm enough for bikini watching.
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Post by ecrivain on Nov 11, 2023 19:53:45 GMT
I don't leave for the beach until Monday morning. In the meantime, I'm dog sitting this little blessing for my oldest nephew'n'niece while they're on a cruise with the rest of the family. (I'm getting a week at the beach by myself with pups and special guests. The rest of the family is doing a cruise then meeting me at the beach house for a day or two before everyone splits off and heads to their respective homes. My genius is astounding). So, yah, even with a week long vacation at the beach coming up, the blessings are still rolling in. - Jake (bottom) is River's (top) cousin. Pupper slumber party. I mean, c'mon. Nuff said.
- Grace (potential future niece-in-law I'm already claiming as my own) texted me that she's doing a minute of stand-up at a local comedy club. It's a contest. It's a big deal. She sent me her set list and some drafts of the jokes and they're great and I really wish I could be there. But, see above dogsitting. Jake's in rough health and I'm not sure I want to sneak out while he's getting used to a new place. Which Grace understands of course. But I could just burst that she invited me and trusted me with her work and I'm so proud of her and excited for her!!!
- I have a pretty cool life. And I know all these cool people doing cool things. And so when I get frustrated that I can't see them as often as I'd like, either because I'm doing my thing or they're doing their thing, I have to remember that it's the fact that they are fulfilled people doing cool things that makes them so rewarding to hang out with in the first place. And it is such a blessing when time and space align so that we can do cool stuff together.
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Post by ecrivain on Nov 22, 2023 1:58:52 GMT
- A week at the beach. Pretty solid blessing, from the start. Having a visit from deja was sprinkles on top. And my parents, sister, nieces and nephews visited while I was there too. How cool is that? The coolest.
- No, I don't think I'm emphasizing how amazing that blessing was. It gets two bullet points. It was so good, I didn't sleep the night I got home from the vacation because I was afraid I was going to wake up and none of it was real. (I've mentioned how crazy I am, right?)
- Watching my dog get beach zoomies. (He did not enjoy cold ocean water, however). See, that's three bullet points for this blessing.
- Staying humble. While I was walking home after returning my rental car, a dude started to hassle me for money. I just said, "I'm walking." He mumbled, "oh you're broke too" and left me alone.
- Returning home to an easy week. I was actually freaking out that I didn't have a pile of working waiting for me, until a coworker reassured me I just chose a good week to go on vacation, cause coming back it's a holiday week and nobody else wants to do anything either.
- Thanks-freaking-giving. It's the family's favorite holiday. The nieces and nephews have already stepped up to help meal prep. They're starting new traditions like casino night the Wednesday before. I love it all.
- High-functioning friends that believe in me. People I look up to, having faith in me. It's huge. It's really helped me level up my life. Big time game changer.
- Telling my mom about this journal. We were talking about life stuff today, and I mentioned how thankful I am for how my life is going. She said I better be thanking God. I got to tell her I already was, in my own way. And she was glad to hear it. Mom says hi.
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Post by seltzer on Nov 22, 2023 20:23:00 GMT
Hello E's Mom!
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Post by phillydude on Nov 22, 2023 20:40:35 GMT
Awesome sauce. Enjoy tomorrow with everyone you are thankful for, or at least as many as you can.
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Post by ecrivain on Nov 24, 2023 16:37:19 GMT
- I'm grateful that when people look at me, they don't think of a man crying over empty chairs. Because there are a lot of empty chairs at my holiday tables. Other people don't see them. They're celebrating. Counting their own blessings. Living their own lives. Seeing their own empty chairs. And it's a blessing that folks don't pity me, even though I feel like I'm wearing my sadness so publicly sometimes. Even though, when the cacophony of clinking glasses and laughter and warmth and hugs gets overwhelming and too noisy and I just want to scream "DON'T YOU KNOW THERE ARE EMPTY CHAIRS!?" I'm thankful that other people don't see them. But it also feels incredibly solitary at times, to be surrounded by loved ones, celebrations, gratitude... while mourning lost relationships, lost people, feeling like something's missing even though it's all exactly how it's supposed to be.
And quite frankly, I get a little pissed off about it at times. Because life is perfect. And that means life is perfect with empty chairs.
Some blessings are bittersweet. Even when they're wrapped in kindness.
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Post by seltzer on Nov 24, 2023 18:37:04 GMT
For those who are missing, remember the good memories. Those can never be taken away.
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Post by ecrivain on Nov 26, 2023 4:06:55 GMT
- Devil fed me. She's a friend from my earliest roller derby days. She and her husband are beautiful people and they just sent me home with a stack of food so good it feels undignified to call them leftovers. Aside from that, I'm blessed to reconnect with so many dear friends. I continue to be amazed by it. I don't know, maybe time moves differently in my head, but I feel like I've been away from some folks so long that they should've forgotten about me. Or I think that I couldn't have possibly been important enough to them to remember. Or, if I accept that they do remember me, and they act kind to me, my crazy brain tries to tell me they're just taking pity on me for some reason. But I have proof to the contrary. I have physical manifestations. I have been fed pure divine love. Kings don't eat this well.
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Post by ecrivain on Dec 2, 2023 16:46:38 GMT
- "Don't be a douchebag." This was taught to me as the first (unwritten) rule of Roller Derby. The idea being that nobody is getting rich or famous in the sport, and broken bones or worse are a real possibility, so try not to be an asshole on top of all that. High risk, low reward, like most of life. So the blessing is that, as I'm struggling with ripping apart my moral framework and rebuilding it from bare metal, I've remembered that this absolutely fits. Slipped into the number two spot for me, even. Bringing the sum total of my current guiding principles (in rough-draft form) to:
- Do
no as little harm as possible. - Don't be a douchebag.
- Have some fun.
- Try to do some good.contingent upon determining what "good" truly means
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