kadmium

Today for the first time in at least three (heck, maybe four) years I saw a number lower than 180 on the bathroom scale and I was able to put on my kilt for the first time in a few years.

This all started shortly before last Thanksgiving when three things happened:

1. I shaved off my beard, exposing some extra chin that didn’t look very good.
2. I weighed myself and actually peeked out over the edge of 200 for the second time in my life.
3. I decided to learn how to skate ski so that I could skijor with Bolleke

So I had to get in shape and I had to lose weight. Since a few days before Thanksgiving (when I started keeping track), I’ve lost about 18 pounds and I feel great. I’ve got at least four and a half pounds to get to my goal of 175, but I might just go ahead go all the way down to 170.

Either way, my celebratory purchase upon hitting 175 will be a Utilikilt.

One of the things I like about walking or riding my bike to work is that it makes my work day feel much shorter. When I drive to work, it takes me about ten minutes to get here, give or take a couple of minutes. Walking or riding, it takes me about 20 or 25 minutes. (I can make the ride in about 15 if I want to, but I have to ride on this really busy street. The 20 or 25 minute way takes me along the Coastal Trail that runs by the Knick Arm — much nicer.)

So how does that shorten my day? I recently noticed that when I drive, I’m already mentally at work about 5 minutes before I even leave the house, so that’s an extra 15 minutes (5 at home + 10 in the truck) on my work day. If I walk or ride, I’m not mentally at work until about 5 minutes after I get to the office, so that’s 25 to 30 minutes off my work day.

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that literal. I do have to leave the house earlier if I’m walking or riding, but even taking that into account, I don’t have that 15 minutes of home-and-truck-work-time. It’s worth it, even if it’s 1°F outside with a windchill of -10°F