Bragging Rights

Not many people know me as a photographer, but it's a skill I've developed out of necessity at work.

Unfortunately, it's not something I pursue at home: Cobbler's children going barefoot and all that.

But I do have some great shots I've taken here at work. For the first time ever, I'm showing them to the world!

<>

From that day on, every where I went ...

I love my couch. We have an understanding, my couch and I. Around 4:30 p.m. every day, I come home, open the back door for the dog, and plop myself down for a good hour-long session of, "Ahhhh." I watch TV, I knit, I eat horrible things like peanut butter and Nutella.

This system works really well, except for two things:

1. The awful, sad looks my dog gives me because I'm neglecting him, and
2. The fact that being stationary and eating peanut butter and Nutella will make you fat. Quickly.

So Monday morning, I decided that if I wanted to eat peanut butter and Nutella and enjoy the loving arms of my couch, I'd better hit the gym.

Tuesday morning, the snooze alarm won. I went to my Weight Watchers meeting after work, then visited my good buddy the couch. Of course I brought along our BFFs, peanut butter and Nutella. But then the most amazing thing happened.

I added up the number of points I'd consumed during 45-minutes of eating and watching "Pillars of the Earth." And changed into my workout clothes. And clipped Koa's leash to his collar. AND headed up a big hill.

Once I got to the top of the hill, I started running. Right out of nowhere! And I didn't stop for three miles. And three big hills.

Then, yesterday being Wednesday, I decided it was my Day Off from Exercise. But when I got home, I once again added up the points of the giant cupcake and ham/butter/cheese sandwich I had for lunch. Once again, I strapped on my running shoes. And once again, Koa and I headed out for adventure.

This time I decided to walk, mostly because the temperatures were topping off in the 90s. And I kept walking ... until we hit our old favorite trail, all shaded and cool, with a stream running alongside it. Then we started running. And didn't stop for a mile. The only reason we did stop is because I forgot about the half-mile almost-vertical climb at the end of this particular trail.

That makes three days in a row of voluntary, not-for-any-good-reason running. I'm sort of creeped out because ...

It was fun.

Today is really my day off, though. I don't want to jinx anything. Or disrupt the space-time continuum with too much of this exercise-is-fun nonsense.