Nice Try.

I would like to give you an update on Rome. We previously established that it wasn’t built in a day, but there’s a bit more to it.

My own personal Rome tends to be a two steps forward, two steps back situation. There’s movement, then it swings the other way, like a pendulum.

The post-menopausal apple shape was on my mind a few weeks ago. I had decided that running might be the only way to get rid of my tum while still being able to eat solids. I went for exactly one run and then it started to rain.

Back when I was a runner a little rain never stopped me.

Yeah, well that was a decade ago.

Winter hit and the running seemed less urgent when I discovered that apple shapes can kill it in leggings, a cute hoodie, and Doc Martens.

Add in my boyish hairdo and – adorbs!

So esthetically, I’m good at the moment – and running is on HOLD.

I had been under the illusion that I’m a reasonably active person. I don’t sit for long hours because my job has me up and down and sometimes contorted into various shapes and positions to examine all those wiggly littles. Plus, I usually try and take the dogs out at lunch which is a good 30-60 minute walk up a hill with Tyrone on my back.

So I’ve felt pretty smug on the activity front until my son-in-law gifted me an apple watch.

I mentioned before that every time it tells me to get up or to breathe I get annoyed and make a big deal of hitting “dismiss”. I will not be bossed around by some watch! But I do like that it counts my steps. Or at least I liked it until I found out that even with my lunchtime hike, I average a mere 5500 steps per day.

I looked it up and under 5,000 steps a day is considered sedentary. I’m barely avoiding the category of complete and total sloth, according to my apple watch and the internet.

So now I’m back to really needing to run only I don’t wanna. I am willing to dance in between patients and maybe lift the weights that are staring at me in my office a few times here or there -and oh yeah I have my inversion stool and I can do that too. Maybe.

Meantime, I am doing Pimsleur in the car and I discovered a great way to practice my Spanish. What I do is I pretend mis perros no entienden inglés. There are many things (muchas cosas) I can hablo en español to the dogs. Qué quieres, Garth? I really don’t have to ask him because I know the answer: more treats. But it’s good practice..

I also have conquered a biggie. After a year or more of getting into bed right after work, I am now sitting in the living room until a reasonable bedtime of ten or eleven. That’s right, I am upright!

It’s pretty funny though because I’m basically doing the same things I would be doing if I were in bed and twice now I’ve passed out on the couch and Dylan has brought me a blanket.

But other than that I’m killing my return to being a mostly non-bedridden person.

Some of you might remember that my grandmother on my Dad’s side took to her bed in her seventies waiting for the good Lord Jesus Christ to take her. She remained in bed until her mid-nineties when she finally croaked. So the bed thing is in my genes and I have to watch out.

One inexplicable thing happened when I passed out on the couch fully clothed with my apple watch still on. At 3am, it vibrated and told me I should stand up. I actually did have to pee but I refused to get up on principle.

Part two of the bed thing was supposed to be not taking my laptop with me and not surfing my phone. Ha, ha.

Fail!!

I have though started to listen to podcasts when I think it’s time to turn in. I’m trying to limit the TikTok rabbit holes and all the Brad Mondo-ing. Not that it’s not good stuff, but I’ve spent too many nights doing the 1a.m. – what the hell am I doing ???? thing.

I’m a little frustrated because I’d like to have a drink or something but last night I downed a bottle of rosé so tonight I said nope, it’s water for you young lady.

And speaking of young lady, the guy at security check called me young lady which I assumed was just a joke but he actually gasped when I dropped my mask and he looked at my driver’s license.

He declared that I look half my age.

It’s the hoodie and the Doc Martens, but I’ll take it. Until I start running five miles a day and lose this apple shape, I’m all about the hacks.