Options
2005-04-07, 12:16 p.m.

Day 228 Options

Missed my workout this morning. Had my alarm set, but the volume on the radio was turned down. Rolled over and saw it was 5:58am � when I should be � way through my morning run on the treadmill. Too far behind schedule to hope to catch up. Decided to sleep in for another hour and get a workout in Friday am.

Took another look at the Al Anon meeting schedules. Found one at 5:30pm two townships west of where I work. Probably a 20 �25 minute drive during rush hour. On a road that will be ripped up this summer for a major widening project. Regardless � 5:30 on a Thursday. I can always �stay at work� a little late. I was at work till 6 last night, didn�t get home till almost 6:30. That is a pretty frequent occurrence with my job. As long as I can get home by 8:00 to catch Survivor, it might just work. No tivo at home, and I didn�t program the VCR either. That�s what I get for checking this stuff out at work. Beats getting caught checking it out at home though. Bottom line � if I have to give up one night of Survivor to get this rolling, so be it. Small price to pay to get your spouse on the trail to health.

Also found out that many regular AA meetings welcome spouses (spice??) & family members of the afflicted individuals � the �open� meeting. That could really increase the available options. For now, I�ll stick with the new 5:30 Thursday option. Sorry to have to disappoint all the folks at GLBT headquarters, but it�s nice to be able to keep my Tuesday step class.

Speaking of that step class � either the instructor is going soft on us or I�m starting to see some CV benefits to all this working out stuff. First time I took the class, when we did our heart rate (HR) check, I came in at 156bpm. That�s on the high end of acceptable for a 40 year old. It�s a wee bit too high for a 46 yr old (Shut up about that age crap. I hear you snickering). This past week, during our HR check, I measured 114 � only 65% max HR for a 46 yr old. This opens up some more options (sensing a theme here?).

I could:
1 - add some more of the arm movements to increase the workload.
2 - add the little hand weights with or without the arm movements. (even the options have options)
3 - increase the step size (from 6 to about 9 inches).
4 - move up to the regular step classes, now that I�m a big boy and know a lot of the moves.

Definitely considering #4. Might try #�s 2 or 3 during the basic step class. Makes sense that I would start finding this easier too. When I started step on 2/8, I weighed a dainty 258. Now, 8 weeks later, I�m a more svelte 241. That�s 17 less pounds to lug around. More than my bowling ball!! That kinda puts things in perspective. I was moving around with an extra bowling ball (or 2 or 3) strapped to my back all this time. No wonder I was getting tired so easily.

Events over the last week or so have made it readily apparent to even me that it is time to do something about C and the drinking. It�s starting to affect my work too. Getting too distracted to concentrate, spend time here chronicling events while some program is compiling stuff for me � then taking too long to get back to it, like now. (Compiler just finished. Got to go track down the warnings and correct some structures apparently) I think I�m also going to have to fess up to at least my immediate supervisor too. I think he�s starting to wonder what is going on with my work habits. He hasn�t come out directly and asked, but I�m sensing him sensing something not kosher. Men�s intuition is such a complicated thing to explain. (mostly because we don�t have a clue)

Any wonder I�m escaping to the gym? Once I get my arse back in shape, maybe I�ll run off with another woman, like C has suggested I do already. Think I�ll give her some attempts at trying to correct her behavior before I start to consider anything like that. After all, even I managed to quit smoking, you�d think she�d be able quit drinking. Just need to convince her that it really is in her best interests. But first, I need to get help for myself, so I can better help her.

228 days and no smokes. Clarkson Community Church � prepare for a new visitor. He needs help.

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