A Little Exercise in .....?

To those of us who are newly retired, there is one greeting we can predict with almost 100% accuracy - "So, how do you like retirement?" or some close variation. Friends, former collegues, and near strangers - they all ask "how's your retirement going?". Not to complain - because any attention is better than no attention - but sometimes I think I know how Neil Armstrong feels. "So, what was it like to walk on the moon Neil?" The next question is usually something like..... "so what are you keeping yourself busy at?"

Well, yesterday I actually did try something new. As a retirement gift, Eric (yes, the same guy that has his name on our Bailey NHL trophy three times) gave me a one month membership to our new Lloydminster Multiplex. It does have an awesome exercise area, and since I've been looking at the certificate since February, decided to give it a go before the credit expires.

In we go. What a place! There are machines for exercising the biceps, triceps, gluts, quads, and about fifty other places I didn't know I had. There are treadmills, a running track, a couple of dozen stations just for weight lifting, yoga balls and mats. The music is loud. Some of this stuff will start automatically, or you can program your own regimen. It will tell you how fast you are going, how far you have gone, and when you should expect to arrive, and probably what you'll look like when you get there. It records your heart rate and I think, even your breathing rate (mine was "Whoa, slow down there old fella!") There are machines whose function totally eludes me except that it looks like it might hurt. There is even a "hip abductor" machine, whatever the hell that is! Some people have electronic gadgets attached to their wrists or waists that they periodically refer to - no doubt some type of progress record. Or maybe that was just their iPod. Some people look like they may even have purchased dedicated exercise clothing.

Now, I did recently notice that my two brothers both had some type of exercise equipment in their own basements, so no doubt this is old news to them. I expect both spend so much time on their equipment that their older brother's shock and awe over all this stuff is a source of great amusement. Well, go ahead and laugh. I'm OK with that. I tried out a few of those exercise machines and even though I'm pretty sure I was sitting backwards on a couple, it actually felt kind of good.

If I still feel OK tomorrow, I might just risk a return. Two things that I know for sure though, is that I don't like to sweat, and nobody abducted my hips.

Hey, this thing might even work!

How about that! I start this "blog" (still haven't got used to that word yet) one day and I get 5 responses before 24 hours is out! I'll bet that never happens again!

So, I'm waiting at the hair shop to get my hair cut today and am reading some jokes to pass the time till I get to sit in the big chair. By the way, does anyone else ever wonder if you should ask for a different hairstyle this time? I mean, these people are supposed to know what will make me look better/younger/thinner/tougher/sexier/ aren't they? But no, I reply " just like the last time please, just a bit shorter". Maybe some day I'll get the courage to say "I want to look like my nephews, except with better judgement. They are all Stamps fans, you see".

So, this guy is lost in the forest. Lost for 2 days. Hungry and desperate. So, he manages to whack a bald eagle on the head with a rock and sets about eating him. Just then the Park Ranger finds and rescues him, but is also forced to charge him with killing an endangered species.

The judge asks him what he has to say for himself. He says "your honour, I was lost for two days in the forest with nothing to eat! I was starving! I had to eat something to survive!"

The judge sympathizes with him and says "well, I guess you really had no choice, so I am going to dismiss the charges. But, I'm curious. What did the eagle taste like"

"Well," the man says " kind of like a cross between a whooping crane and a spotted owl".

There's a first time for Everything

You may have heard of that new book "So, We Sold the House and Ran Away to the South Pacific". I think it is written by a Calgary couple. It conjours up visions of chucking it all and trying something new.

Well, for me to have my own "blog" is something like that. I didn't even really know what a blog was until Laurel patiently explained to me. So, here goes. I've always found that if you want to educate yourself on something, the best way is to immerse yourself and learn as you go.

Actually, that is not the best way to educate yourself. I once decided that I needed to know more about mortgage mutual funds, so I eagerly rushed right out into a rising interest market and bought some. Within a few short weeks, I learned that a rising market is NOT the best time to buy that stuff. I did, however, learn lots.

So, hopefully this thing will work out. I certainly have enjoyed reading about "snowflake" and her buddies, and must credit her example as an inspiration.

Now I just have to figure out how to let people know about this blog.....