I RESOLVE TO . . .

Daily Exercise - Day 212

As I predicted a crazy busy week! But I took time out late this afternoon to do 20-minutes of laps, with the hope of getting back into the pool tonight, but it's not going to happen.  Still have too much to do.  Going to be a late night as it is.  So, tomorrow, will definitely do at least 40-minutes of laps, maybe in the early evening when it cools down a bit (ha! wishful thinking you say, and you're right, probably won't cool down, but the water will be great).  Until then . . .

A Painter . . .

"A painter told me that nobody could draw a tree without in some way becoming a tree; or draw a child by studying the outlines of its form merely . . . but by watching for a time his motions and plays, the painter enters into his nature and can then draw him at every attitude."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Daily Exercise - Day 211

A work day, which is just fine, since the heatwave continues! I did make time for 30-minutes of laps, which felt great.  The water is great this time of the year, like bath water most days.  Heading into another really busy week, but I hope to make time for laps most days, and maybe some long walks this weekend.  Until then . . .

Life . . .

"Life is trying thing to see if they work."

Ray Bradbury

Daily Exercise - Day 210

Marathon gardening session today!  Heat or no heat, I put in six hours in my yard and garden bed.  If that doesn't help me to get in/stay in shape, nothing will!  Actually, I'm doing pretty well.  I haven't been able to work out everyday the way I'd like to, but I'm working out four to six days each week, which is pretty good.  Swimming a lot of laps, which is really helping with my muscle definition and toning.  Would still like to drop a few pounds, but I've been satisfied with turning fat to muscle and toning this summer.  As important, the exercise makes me feel great.  So things are good on the work out front.  Tonight I'm pooped, time to chill on the couch with newspapers and a movie.  Tomorrow, laps!  Until then . . .

Chaos . . .

"You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star."

Nietzsche

Daily Exercise - Day 209

TGIF - Yep, that wonderful day of the week!  Have been so looking forward to the weekend, and my vacation next week.  Still crashing on projects to clear the decks for some R&R.  Soon, very soon.  In the meantime, I'm making progress on work and creative projects.  And, most importantly for purposes here, I got in the pool tonight for 40-minutes of laps. Felt great, and more to come tomorrow - I plan to get in the pool in the A.M., followed by yard work in the afternoon.  Yeeaaa!  Until then.

Human Salvation . . .

"Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Daily Exercise - Day 208

Long, long, but productive day!  Got a lot done, and made it to a going away party for a colleague at the end of the day, so it was a great day overall.  Really looking forward to the weekend, to catch up with a lot of things in my life - including exercise, since I missed a few days this weekend, and I'm too pooped for laps tonight.  Definitely back in the pool tomorrow!  Something to look forward to.  Until then . . .

Right To Say It . . .

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Voltaire

Daily Exercise - Day 207

How many more days left in this month??  Have been crashing like crazy so that I can have a calmer August (and July is busy regardles, getting ready for fall events), so I'm really looking foward to the end of the month next Monday.  Still have an awful lot to do, but the 'To Do' list is getting a little more manageable, thank goodness.

That said, since I didn't do my yardwork last Saturday, I really have my work cut out for me this weekend - I'm sure it's going to be a marathon gardening day (great work out).  For now, tonight, tomorrow and Friday - it's going to be laps!  As soon as I finish the project I'm working on, I'm going to hit the pool, another hour or so.  Until then . . .

Thorns . . .

"Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them.  The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us."

Voltaire

Daily Exercise - Day 206

Yep, another hot summer day, but I'm not complaining!  Love the hot weather. Had a full day of appointments and errands in DC, including photography (running around shooting more images for my TourPath project).  Definitely walked at least two miles, so I put in my exercise time.  Tomorrow, back to my laps, definitely somethign to look forward to!  Think it's time I review my work out progress this summer - something to add to my list of 'Things To Do' (next week).  Until then . . .

How To Play The Cards

"Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her:  but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game."

Voltaire

Daily Exercise - Day 205

Sunny, mild summer day - what more can you ask for?!  Busy, busy day - but I made time for an hour of laps since I missed my work out yesterday (crashing on a creative project).  Felt so much better to get a work out in!  Tomrrow is going to be another crazy day in DC, so I think I'll have to punt, and try for some long walks, instead of swimming!  Until then . . .

Courage . . .

"Courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair."

Rollo May

Daily Exercise - Day 204

Happy Sunday all! The sun has been in and out all day - and we're expecting more rain (actually poured last night, which gave my hard and garden a good drink).  With that in mind, gardening and mowing will have to wait until mid-week, so not going to get that kind of a work out until then.  But today, I will make good on my pledge to do 30/45-minutes of laps, and a work out on my Total Gym.  But before I get in the pool, I have a lot of work to finish this afternoon - lots to do on my TourPath project.  But it will all get done, and I'll make time for laps this evening.  Until then . . . :)

No Vision . . .

"The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision."

Hellen Keller - American Author & Educator who was blind and deaf (1880-1968)

Daily Exercise - Day 203

Great work out day!  I kicked back a little during the afternoon - needed a break after crashing on work for so many weeks - but I did make good on my resolution to work out:  60-minutes of laps, and I finally got back on my Total Gym, so I had a good weight lifting work out.   It felt great.  Not sure what I would do if I didn't exercise, it definitely adds so much to your physical and mental well being.  Chalk today up as a successful resolution day!  Tomorrow should be the same:  pool and Total Gym.  Until then . . .

Faith . . .

"Vision looks inward and becomes duty.  Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration.  Vision looks upward and becomes faith."

Stephen S. Wise

Daily Exercise - Day 202

The heatwave continues!  But we did have a little reprieve tonight, as a thunderstorm rolled in and gave all the plants and animals a good drink.  I was so busy today (and as it turned out, yesterday) I didn't make it into the pool for my laps, and I feel like I'm in withdrawl.  Think I need to do that first thing tomorrow, and maybe hop on my Total Gym for good measure.  It's not like I'm not getting enough exercise - I'm certainly doing my share in the yard and pool - but I'd like to make it consistent, 30-to-60 minutes each day.  Need to keep working on that, and tomorrow is a new day.  Until then . . . :)

Vision . . .

"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others."

Johathan Swift - Irish Author and Satirist of prose (1667-1745)

Daily Exercise - Day 201

The heat of summer wears on - and I'm ready for it!  The weekend is just ahead and that means swimming Friday, Saturday and Sunday - and maybe my Total Gym.  I've really been bad of late about working out with weights, but have beeing doing daily swimming - I can really tell that my muscle strength and definition is growing, so that's the good news!  Didn't have time to do my swim this morning before I left the house, maybe a moonlight swim later tonight - if nothing else, 20-minutes or so.  Until then . . .

A Dreamer . . .

"A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

Oscar Wilde - Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist & Critic (1854-1900)

Resolutions - Day 200

Just 166 days to New Year's Day 2007 folks!  Been working on those resolutions, goals and dreams?  Fallen off the wagon?  Given up?  Gotten inspired, and 'revved up'?  Yep, there are so many emotions, ups and downs, ins and outs, when you're working toward a goal, resolution or dream.  It's not easy to make a promise to yourself that you will follow through, pursue your dream - then do it! It's not easy to create a plan that will take you to the finish line - then pursue it to the end!  It's not easy to make time each day to work toward achieving your resolution, keep that enthusiasim high, and fight off the urge to 'procrastinate'.  No, never easy.

What in life, that's worth having, is easy?!?  So get over all that. Make a firm decision - resolve - to take one small step each day toward achieveing your resolution, then do it.  The pay off will be huge - such a wonderful sense of fulfillment when you achieve your resolution, your goal.  So Keep in mind:  One resolution, one day at a time for one year.  Let's 'go for it' in 2006! 

165 Days Left In 2006 - Make Each One Count!

Daily Exercise - Day 200

The heatwave continues, but I didn't let it stop me from getting my exercise today!  I took a break around dinner time to do 45-minutes of laps - yes the the pool water felt like warm bath, which in a sense was nice and relaxng.  Usually my swims are very invigorating - so this is a little different (good aeorbic exercise with indescribeable relaxation).  Usually swimming is great exercise with meditiation thrown in - right now it's exercise, meditation, and massage :) . . . you get the picture, it's nice, despite the heat.

Still crashing on my work projects - and as always not clearing as much off my plate as I would like, but I have a great 'To Do List' and a schedule that will get me there.  The 'there' in this case is a realxing August.  Something to look forward to!  For now, headed in the direction of 'sheet time' and my newspapers.  Better 'get to it'!

Believe . . .

"Keep your dreams alive.  Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication.  Remember all things are possible for those who believe."

                        Gail Devers

Daily Exercise - Day 199

Yes, today was one of those unfortunate days when work took precedence over all else - even the heat!  I didn't have time to do much else, but look at the computer screen - thankfully I got a lot done, but my 'To Do List' is still a mile long - long way to go before I have a relaxing August!  That said, no work out today. The few times I got outside for a few minutes, I was thinkful to head right back indoors.  The water in my pool felt like bathwater - work aside, didn't feel much like getting into the pool, so I guess I had plenty to keep me busy!  Tomorrow, will do my laps, heat or not.  Until then . . .

If . . .

"If you could say it in words there would be no reason to paint."

Edward Hopper - American Painter who strongly influenced the Pop Art and New Realist Painters of the 1960's and 1970's (1882-1967)

Daily Exercise - Day 198

Continuing Heatwave!!  Today is definitely one of those days I don't mind being inside in meetings and in front of the computer.  All in all a very successful day, got a lot done.  Heading to a dinner tonight in D.C. with some old friends.  Guess by the time I get home tonight it will be too late to work in some laps (I'm sure I'll be better off hitting the sheets at a decent hour).  Tomorrow I'll definitely make time for 45-minutes of laps in the evening, just before darkness falls - one of my favorite times to swim, and apparently one of the best times of the day for the 'bats' to come out of my woods to 'bug-hunt'.  They seem to love the fireflies, and I seen them swooping low over the pool as I swim.  Living in the country, never a dull moment.  More laps, and bats I'm sure, tomorrow.  Until then . . . :)

Do The Best You Can . . .

"Find something that you're really interested in doing in your life.  Pursue it, set goals, and commit yourself to excellence.  Do the best you can."

Chris Evert - American Professional Tennis Player (born 1954, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)

Daily Exercise - Day 197

Yep, another scorcher today, but I opted for work inside instead of manual labor in my yard!  I did make time to hit the pool for 45-minutes tonight.  It's like bathwater, which is typical for July and August.  Had a great swim.  More to come this week.  Shooting for around 45-minutes each day.  Tomorrow, with back to back meetings and a dinner in the evening may make it tough, so my exercise for Monday might go on hold - but will back at it Tuesday!  Until then :) . . .

Achievement . . .

"If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters.  Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude."

Colin Powell - Chaimrman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former U.S. Secretary of State (1937)

Daily Exercise - Day 196

Hot, Hot Hot Day!!  Didn't stop me from heading out to do my yard work and gardening.  The thought of falling behind on an acre of mowing, trimming, weeding, and general clean up was enough to propel me out the door this afternoon.  I drank a lot of water, took breaks and got a lot done in what turned out to be a marathon session, seven hours.  Once I get out there, and get going, I have a hard time quitting.  Usually darkness is what finally forces me indoors.  Bottom line, I was really pooped, but I felt great - my yard looks great, and I'm hoping the exercise will continue to help me to achieve my goals of toning up, losing a couple pounds, and generally improving my fitness and endurance.  That said, I think I'll hit the pool tomorrow instead of working my butt off in the yard!  :)  Until then . . .

Excellence . . .

"Excellence is in the details.  Give attention to the details and excellence will come."

Perry Paxton

Daily Exercise - Day 195

Yep!  It's that most wonderful day of the week - Friday!!  Ran out of time today and didn't make it into the pool again (second day in a row) for laps - but tomorrow I will have plenty of time to do my laps and yard work.  I am soooo looking forward to the freedom of just putzing around the house and yard! I always feel such achievement when I'm done!  Makes my day when I can look around at my nicely trimmed yard and garden beds, pretty, pretty, pretty ....  (it's going to take a lot of work tomorrow to get them back into shape after the recent rain, based on what I saw today, but I'm so looking forward to it!).  Until then . . .

Life . . .

"Life's like a play; it's not the length but the excellence of that acting that matters."

Seneca - Roman Philospher, mid-1st Century AD

Daily Exercise - Day 194

Certainly did a lot of running around today - lots of work - but 'alas' not a work out day.  Pooped tonight, so I didn't make it into my pool after my trek around the DC metro area and Chevy Chase.  But the weekend is coming so I'll have time to hit the pool, do my laps, and some work in the yard/garden.  Looiking forward to the weekend!  Until then . . .

Modesty . . .

"A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions."

Confucius

Daily Exercise - Day 193

Hot, Hot, Hot!! Of course today was a day that I had to run all over DC in nice work clothes, but did get a lot done despite the heat (tried not to be too crabby, but it was tough!).  With that in mind, despite the fact that I was hot and tired tonight, I made a point to get in the pool for 40-minutes of laps - and yes, of course, felt much better when I was done.  The wonderful rejuvenating power of exercise!  Have to love it!  Back in the pool tomorrow.  Until then . . .