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This Fabulous Married Life

A wonderful thing has happened. My wife has taken control of her personal life and health after too many years of being a victim of selfless momhood. She has chosen cycling as her primary form of exercise outside of the gym.

I have gone to gyms and have been a guy who "works out" off and on since before high school. I even tried to talk myself into being a runner in college. I've had many dry spells in which I have let myself slip into lethargy and poor health. So far I have managed to come out of it reasonably well. I am in a good phase of health currently, and I plan to keep it that way. I have been as much as thirty pounds heavier than I weigh now. And that wasn't thirty pounds of muscle. It's always on my mind when I exercise, this past self who laid down for about three years. I excused myself into every pound of it, too.

So my wife has really done it this time. I was expecting the usual ritual. We buy a piece of so-called exercise equipment only to have it languish in stasis until it eventually migrates to Goodwill. But this time is different. She has attached something new to the resolve- a promise to cycle for our daughter. Failures in the old cycle were limited in effect. Now failure is on par with letting your children down. What a simple and brilliant psychological maneuver. Since doing it for yourself has never been good enough, announce that you'll do it for others. And now with the success that surely breeds success, she is doing it for personal improvement and actual enjoyment. It feels good to exercise and eat well.

The biggest sign of truth for me? There is a case of Pepsi in the garage that has been there for weeks now, nearly full. Pepsi was like a little devil on my wife's shoulder. It was a crutch and a huge health roadblock. I won't make too much of it, but dropping the Pepsi as a regular beverage has affected a net caloric loss that would be hard to match through exercise alone. It's a victory that can be measured in numbers, but one that is also symbolic. It represents a personal weakness that has been conquered.

I'm looking into the kitchen and I see bright and colorful fresh fruits and vegetables. We are eating them, too. Very little gets thrown out. We are eating wonderful food and not missing a thing. The kids are better off for it, and are now less likely to have bad food habits to struggle with later in life. Anything can happen, I know, but habits do form in childhood. We are not denying our kids what they want. Why stock the house with bad options to begin with? They see us drinking water or other healthy choices. They follow our example. We don't have to trick or bribe them to eat good food. They ask for it.

What else has better family health brought? How about a happier family? Everyone has energy enough to get things done, and then energy still left over for fun. It's like the old joke says, "if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Mama is much happier now since exercise and better nutrition have become the norm.

I have always thought my wife is beautiful, but women are always more attractive when they feel good about themselves. The best is when the good feeling is intrinsic, rather than something fleeting that might come from a new outfit or hair style. With our twentieth high school reunion coming soon, my wife looks and feels better than she has for a long time. It's a change that I believe will become a lasting one.

I am loving the changes, and couldn't be more proud of the woman I married for becoming dedicated to health and all of its benefits. Life is beautiful.

Live well.

History on the Landscape, II

Since it came to my attention that there are no women represented in any of Indiana's national historical markers, I have been thinking the obvious thought- why not? In Indianapolis it would seem to be a natural choice to erect a marker for Madame C J Walker. We have the Walker Theater building, but why not enhance the historic perspective of the casual visitor with an informative marker?

The more I thought of this I became more upset at the omission. There are plenty of groups or individuals, I would think, who would be interested in seeing such a national marker created. I will not retell here the history of this remarkable woman, but her place in Indianapolis should certainly be fortified in the public domain with as much as possible, rather than with the oral tradition we seem to be reliant upon.

Live Well.

People Who Offend for a Living

Rush Limbaugh is a tool.

That's it.

Live Well.

Resolution Town Meeting

I just got home a short while ago from Cardinal Fitness. It's officially the new year. Resolution Season is apparently in full bloom (perhaps full burn). This is the time of year when the gym actually gets crowded. I see many more new faces than those of the regulars whom I recognize.

Some of the unfamiliar faces are there with partners, which is tremendously helpful most of the time. Some are independently slogging through their paces. I've seen this season of high resolve many times before. It won't be long before the collective force of all good intentions begins to falter under the relentless assault of bad weather, obligations, and non-stop images of high fat cooking on Food Network. Some who are heavy on determination, but ultra-light on experience will quit because of excessive pain brought on by overdoing it. Most will cheat their own desire for physical improvement simply due to the aversion we all have toward delayed gratification.

The work-to-reward ratio is extremely overloaded on the work end, at least when compared to nearly everything else we choose to do. Instant gratification has become the norm in many of our lives, so much so that even slight delays become intolerable, or at least annoying. Makers of diet and weight-loss products and services capitalize on this lack of tolerance and fleece us out of billions of dollars each year. Bottles of pills tell us how we don't have to exercise or even change our diet to lose weight, just swallow these. Fitness gurus sell themselves as in-home weight-loss coaches on your own TV. How many of their videos feature someone who looks like they need a half-crazed exercise coach for motivation? Richard Simmons has been made fun of for so long that he even parodies himself now in commercials. He put people with real weight problems in front of the camera, though, and has done much good.

I like watching The Biggest Loser sometimes because the format of the show allows everyone to see that hard work, careful diet, and discipline really does yield amazing results. But even the contestants do not get immediate results that take them to the "end" of their ideal journey. I included the before and after image of a former Biggest Loser, Eric. What an incredible transformation he made!

I dislike the show for several things they do that are very wrong. Too much emphasis is placed on the weigh-in they have each week. It seems that not enough education has been given the contestants regarding what really should be happening inside their bodies during this transformation. People are shedding desperate tears because they lost nine pounds in a week instead of twelve or sixteen. Madness! Why not measure changes in much more informative terms such as BMI, Body Mass Index? I suppose that adding complexity to the contest would turn off viewers. The show has used fairly shameless product endorsements embedded in the program, which I would rather not see.

I saw several people in the gym recently who are there to add years to their lives rather than to look cute at the beach this summer. That is a real inspiration. I'm continuing with my own fitness plans for a variety of personal reasons. Long life and good health are a very appealing combination. I know how I feel when I have been in fitness mode for many days. I also know how much worse I feel when I have stopped the exercise routine.

Along with the rest of the city, I will strive to outlast and foil my own efforts at self sabotage this year. My family deserves a father, husband, brother, etc. who feels good about himself. When that happens, I feel better about everything else in life. It's not a very hard deal to accept. Join me.

Live Well.

History on the Landscape

Lies Across America is a fantastic study into the truth behind the thousands of historic markers found nationally on and off the beaten path. Every time I think I might have a good understanding of a topic in history, an author like James Loewen presents himself to me as a challenge to keep learning. Thank goodness.

His is an intriguing thesis. Those who place the historic markers, usually local groups, or national ones like the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), seize control of a part of our history. They control this very visible portion of history that tourists read when we travel. We can ignore the markers, read and accept their texts as fact, or explore the true nature of what has been foisted into the landscape for our inspection. Much more than simply stating that there is more than one side to a story, the author proves that some of these markers are simply false. I don't mean wrong or bad interpretations of an event, but actual and deliberate fiction has been passed off as history.

More common are the markers that commit what some call lies of omission. And also the question is raised regarding all of the worthy people and events of history that go unrecognized; why do some earn markers and others do not?

History books are often scrutinized and authors are criticized for improper treatments of a topic in history, and this is only proper among people who claim to value free expression. But the bits of history given in these markers like pages in a pop-up book, if bound together and sold as a history of our country confuse, offend, shock, and outrage nearly everyone who bothered to read it. So why do we allow the makers of historic monuments to get away with publishing faulty history right under our collective noses?

I will not say too much because the author does a superior job of expressing his own ideas in the book. Read it for yourself. You will not likely put it down without thinking differently about how we choose to represent our history in public places.

Live Well.

Christmas Wishes

If a wish is a request for something that you just can't manage to get on your own, or for something that really is not possible to get, then I have a few to put on record.

1. A cure for Type-1 Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Many lives are lost or altered due to dozens or hundreds of illnesses or diseases that medical science cannot combat. I suppose I could wish for a universal cure, but these specific disorders have a personal impact on me and my family. It is my most selfish wish.

2. Wisdom within our nation's politicians and leaders: Students of history know how rare it is to see wise leaders in the world. They also know how powerful and dramatic social changes can come from the leadership of wise men and women. Corruption tempts all leaders. May our current world leaders find the strength to avoid corruption in all its forms.

3. Sincere adherence to religious teachings: Among all people who claim faithfulness to a religious tradition, please be mindful of the essence of those teachings in your daily lives. No legitimate leader or founder of any major world religious movement has ever advocated hatred or philosophies of destruction in order to achieve a divine purpose. Religious devotion is not a matter of convenience. Always practice your espoused faith. Through such practice, love will dominate life.

4. A daily recognition of our common humanity: No matter what we do, everything can be done and should be done with attention to humanity. To be humane means to consider the overall condition of those lives you have become involved with. Ask always if what you are about to do will add to the improvement of humanity, or reduce our collective greatness. This is at the heart of all religion, but outside of religion, it also has meaning. We all should have a personal interest in the collective well-being of everyone around us. While it is true that some among us profit from the depravity and misery of others, it is my wish that we each make every effort to elevate humanity and ease others' burdens. Do this and you will be happy in your work, and happier in life.

5. Share your knowledge, and happily learn from others: Talk about what you know, and listen to others when they do the same. Keep your mind open to new learning. Ideas inform dialogue, and dialogue shapes opinions. Opinions and ideas are behind any action. So be active in the dialogue around you. Use your education, and always add to it. Knowledge is one of the most reliable keys to power and influence. Everyone does the best he or she can do based on what they know. If you know more, you can do more.

6. Appreciate the life you have now: Even if you are striving to improve your situation, or that of others, don't forget to appreciate the happiness and beauty that exists around you in this moment.

There are more wishes, but these few make up the majority of the sentiment. I can do many things for myself, but I cannot control the actions of others. This is the intent, I think, of the wish. There's nothing original on my list, but that does not make them unimportant. What it does mean is that there is an urgency behind unrealized wishes.

Whoever can read this, please make your best effort to make one or more of these wishes a reality, if only in your own life.

Merry Christmas!

Live Well.