What Is This... "Positive"... Lifestyle?

I recently attended a health screening. Blood was drawn, I was weighed and measured, and I explained that my med tech might want to discuss things with my optometrist re: self-examining for testicular cancer.* The overall results are interesting in that I wasn't sure how they happened.

I lost over ten pounds, my blood sugar is down, and my good cholesterol's creeping up. Blood pressure and bad cholesterol are both pretty much the same in that they're both below average. Somehow, I'm healthier.

I'm pretty good at being a cynic, and can self-deprecate with the best of them (not that they'll acknowledge who they are, the overachievers), so it took me aback to see that my health improved despite a lack of training montages in my life. Naturally, I assumed either my Highlander gene was expressing itself or I had acquired Benjamin Button's disease, but when I was told these were unlikely. Note that the people screening me were of appreciable humor.

So I left the office delightfully confused as to how I was improving. It wasn't until several hours later over lunch that I realized what I was doing. More and more I've been leaving the office during lunch so I can just not be there - it's healthier for everyone if we separate. Me, not always willing to sit and read with foot traffic everywhere, I've been spending more time at the HRC (Butler's health club, pretty much) just walking around the track. It doesn't feel like much, but 30+ minutes of walking adds up fast.

Consider this testimony, internet: walking off some office tension (or whatever case may be) can make you healthier and more likely to outlive your enemies! Seriously, tiny lifestyle changes in a constructive direction DO benefit in many, unexpected ways. The more life you have, the more you can do with it.

In other news, Firefox has suddenly stopped loading half my page content on a lot of sites. Thus, this is the first blog post ever written via Google Chrome. I'm not used to it and it shows, but I could grow to like it.

Writing's been slow, lately. Not stopped, just slow. Part of it is thinking of new ways to throw work out there. I recognize that the promotion and distribution of creative product is a vital process, that it can strengthen one's own concept of their work and themselves. I just don't like doing it.

*No sexual harassment lawsuits were filed in the assembly of this post

Obligatory Super Bowl Post

I was born and raised in Indianapolis. I currently live in Indianapolis. There are circumstances in which I would be comfortable dying in Indianapolis, but none that will apply any time soon.

So, on the eve of Super Bowl Weekend in which my home city will host modern day gladiatorial fights in the shape of professional sport (Go Giants!!), I will be going to Chicago. Partly as a favor to my brother, partly as a vacation, and partly to reach minimum safe distance in the event the inferior team wins (Patriots SUCK!).

It's my hope against hope that I can get caught up on a lot of things that are good for my soul. A lot of words and local pizza will be involved. Catching up with a friend or two, making making new inroads, and playing with cats will likely happen. There may even be some gym activities. And, when time permits, a few MST3K episodes await my perusal.

There's been a lot of prep work going into this little venture. A small fraction of it was even planned. Repairs to my car were not, but then neither was the need to have it repaired. Still, that and a couple minor cuts aside, I'm ready as I'll ever be. Really looking forward to it!

I've also gotten some news from the medical community that, while nothing superhuman has come up, it's actually looking like I'm going to inhabit this mortal plane for quite a bit longer, so maybe I should arrange for extra positive experiences.

While one may need to suffer to write, if you suffer too long you lose the memory of happiness that you would compare the suffering to in order to make it stand out that much more. Drama = Happy + Sad, and Drama sells, kids.