Saturday, March 10, 2012

Killing Time

It's a beautiful sunny day in Southern California. I went out for my daily constitutional today. I'm walking about 2 miles per day now. I usually start at the Manhattan Beach pier and walk to the border of Hermosa Beach and then back. I'm hoping this will condition me for more strenuous exercise in the near future.

I mentioned in an earlier post that one of my time-filling strategies would be to lock into some TV series that I never connected with. I know I'll be killing some sacred cows here, but here is how it played out. I started by watching Breaking Bad. Everyone raves about it. I got through a season and a half and found it to be a bit too jolting for my delicate soul. I moved on to Arrested Development, two episodes convinced me that it was too silly for me to get deeply involved with (strange evaluation from someone who can watch Three Stooges episodes dozens of times and reveres Caddyshack as high art). Last few days, I locked into Mad Men and I'm liking that a lot. I like the story lines, the acting and am probably most drawn to the retro-nostalgia aspect of it. I'm admittedly very stuck in the '60s. Further evidence....I finished reading 11/22/63, Steven King's new book which involves a time traveler going back in time to stop the JFK assassination. I blew through 800 pages of this. Normally that would take me about a year and 1/2 reading two pages every night before I fall asleep. I've never read a Steven King book before, but found this one addictive.

Health wise...nothing much has changed. I still get periods of mild queasiness. I don't get fatigued much anymore, but then again I'm not doing much to tire me out. I'm still rather fussy about my food. My friend Bridgette has concluded that I'm pregnant.

Tomorrow, I'm thinking I might try riding an exercise bike to see how long I can manage that. I've been a bit reluctant to do this....mostly because I'm conditioned to be a germ-phobe and I consider gyms to be petrie dishes for fungus and other yucky stuff. But my plan is to wipe the bike off with OCD gusto before I start to ride. If it goes well, I may keep doing it for a few days and then see how I do riding a real bike on flat ground.

11 comments:

  1. I can loan you the first season of the BBC's Sherlock, Ed. It's AMAZING. Also, we love Downton Abby and The Good Wife. That pretty much sums up who we are!

    xxx,
    a

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    1. Susan is a Downton Abbey devotee and makes me watch it with her. ("Oh deah. The countess slipped on the soap and the heir to the throne spohntaneously aboahted.")

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  2. There's always the reality shows - LOL!!! You always loved the 3 stooges - never could understand the stupid slapstick...But then again,you were always a Jerry Lewis fan - go figure! So relieved that that you're feeling good. Now i can start praying for other things. Love you lots!

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    1. Yeah, I have a pretty sophisticated sense of humor. S.J. Perlman, W.S. Gilbert and Moe.

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  3. OK, you've started something. I'll second The Good Wife. And I'll add Smash. And, OK, no one should admit they liked Dallas (I was addicted), and similarly no one should admit they like a similar show, Revenge (I'm addicted). So there: any pretense that I have a brain in my head is now gone. So I feel free to add: Damages and White Collar.

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    1. The Good Wife was high on my consideration list, but it was not available on Netflix. Everyone has their guilty pleasures (Howard Stern, Barry Manilow).

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  4. Wow, you are doing great, I still don't walk 2 miles straight and it's been a while since my SCT. I'm up to 1.75.
    BUT, you are so lucky to live near the ocean, I am jealous. I think I would just keep walking too:)

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  5. Mad Men is among the best. Season 5 kicks off Sunday 3/25. I just re-watched Season 4 on Blu-Ray. Almost too much facial detail with HD (people are SO craggy and full of flaws), but I was able to see that Sally had a "SALLY" license plate on the back of her Sting Ray bike, and that was something! Glad you still have your Stooges sense of humor, I knew that you would never give them up. Your writing has gotten to the point that maybe YOU should author a book.
    Greg Sessler

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    1. Hey! What a good idea Greg! He was always the smart one! LOL!!!

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  6. Well if you ARE, I hope it's a boy. 'Curly' has a nice ring to it... gnuk gnuk!

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  7. Ed, just wanted to let you know I am finally breaking out of the hospital. Friday I get to go home, my Day +15. I was hoping for Day +11 like you, but numbers stayed at zero for 5 days. Thought they would never come back up! Finally feeling better, but taste buds are still off. I am jealous of your walks on the beach in the sunshine. But I do look forward to any kind of walk outside these 4 walls! Glad to hear you are doing so well.

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