It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Blast! I am still feeling a bit green about the gills, a condition which is sapping my usual quantities of zest and verve. I realized today that I have hardly set foot outside or gotten any kind of exercise for nearly a week and a half.

Determined not to let a little peakedness get the better of me or to let another perfect Indian Summer day pass me by, I took myself out for a walk around my neighborhood right in the middle of the day. This is something that, as a self-employed person, I should be doing much more frequently.

B and I made a very wise choice when we bought our house. It’s located in a neighborhood that is midway between (and within walking distance of) two highly desirable neighborhoods. This means we get all the benefits of living in those neighborhoods without the outrageous tax bill. All of the following are a mere 15-minute or less walk away:

• a pint of my favorite IPA
  
• a tattoo
• a slice of the best pepperoni pizza in Oregon
• a bikini waxing
• a decaf iced Thai coffee
• an apple fritter
• a wreath made of dried-out moneywort (better than it sounds)
• a po’boy
• a Bikram yoga class
• a hamburger with slices of ham, cheese, and a fried egg on it
• a reconditioned balloon-tire bike
• an excellent bottle of pinot noir
• a plus-size pair of palazzo pants
• a haircut
• a brain taco
• a Murphy bed
• a spicy tuna maki
• a slice of vegan Mexican chocolate cake
• a hot-stone massage
• a tube of hemp lipbalm
• a handmade rocking chair

And so much more. OK. Some of the above are more desirable than others, but it’s nice to have options. Anyway, as I walked I was reminded of just how many people are not withering away in some drab windowless cubicle from 9 to 5. Yay for us! I saw people sitting outside eating pizza, although (tragically) many of them were talking on cell phones instead of soaking up the last juices of summer. Better-adjusted people were out preparing their gardens for winter or strolling with babies or dogs. And of course some people were shopping for brain tacos and/or palazzo pants.

It always does me a world of good to take a good, long walk and, in fact, I maintain the fiction that I take a walk every day, which is my justification for not belonging to a gym. But if I were to keep track of how many days I let work hork all my time and end up sacrificing the walk, I’d probably find I only get out on average two to three times a week (with a good long hike on the weekend). There’s really no excuse for not getting out every day since I set my own schedule. So buck up, Rozanne, and shift your lazy ass!