For lack of anything else to do, I am going “Marie Kondo” on my blog posts drafts folder.
If that sentence made no sense to you, it means I’m cleaning out half-started posts and notes reminding me to follow a story idea.
If the idea no longer brings me joy, I click the tiny rubbish bin and the words are whisked away into the trash folder. If the idea is a “yes”, I’ll pursue the story and make a cartoon to go along with it.
The stories that are “maybe” feel sticky and annoying. Just like people who get sticky if you let them hang around when you know it’s time for them to move on. Click the tiny rubbish bin and let them go!
The Great Pause
In my rummaging about, I found a story from 10 years ago describing what I was up to, in the prime of my physical fitness.
Compared to now, sitting at home, on lock down stay-at-home status, I’m not as fit.
I’m stress eating after panic buying. Getting bored with Netflix binges.
Exercise is missing and has been for awhile.
Midway through the last 10 years, I kneeled down to pick something up, rose up quickly and bumped my head on a metal object. I almost passed out. Yes, I got a concussion.
Unfortunately, it took three and half years to fully recover from something called post-concussion syndrome. I learned to be patient as I recovered since there was nothing to do, but sit still and let my brain heal.
After spending so much time feeling dizzy, I’ve hesitated to return to training the way I used to.
So, as a result of locating this short post, written by Don McGrath, tucked away in my drafts folder, I intend to find a way to structure my life to focus on exercise and stretching as an “essential” component of my daily routine.
When I can finally spend a week or two training at AKA Thailand, I want to be physically ready. Maybe in 2021, if they find a Coronavirus vaccine that’s safe and works well.
50 Athletes Over 50
Author: Don McGrath January 5, 2010
“The following is a brief profile of one of the athletes I interviewed for my upcoming book.
While writing my book, “50 Athletes Over 50”, I put together a slide show, showing pictures of the athletes I interviewed, each with the athlete’s name, age, and location, as well as a quote from the interview. The most common reaction when Cheryl Ragsdale’s slide emerged was, ‘She can’t be over 50.’ She most certainly is, and is a great example of the magic in leading an active life and having a sense of fun.
Cheryl Ragsdale is a youthful 51 year old boxer and martial artist who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. At age 46, Cheryl began working out, taking aerobics classes and lifting weights. She enjoyed working out, but her life was changed one day when she joined a new gym. Her future boxing trainer, Jimmy Farrell, told her that she had a long reach. Cheryl didn’t understand, so she asked him what he meant. He said, ‘Hold out your arm, look how long your arm is,’ and went on to explain that he operated a boxing gym in town. He invited her to visit and the first time she tried boxing, she lit up.
A little over a year ago, Cheryl took up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing. Someday, she would like to knit the skills from these disciplines together. She loves how martial arts allows her to bring out her girl warrior and how it has, unexpectedly, increased her gentleness.
2010: Happy New Decade! Yes, not just a new year, but a new decade.
What will your life be like when you hit 2020? I plan on being an athlete.“ Don McGrath
That’s the end of the short post from Don McGrath.
10 years from now, in 2030, what will you want to look back on as something positive that came out of this weird Covid-19 Pandemic experience?
I’m (hopefully) going to live long enough to get 10 years older and more wrinkled. To accomplish that with style, I want my six-pack back!
That’s me (image below) at 50-something, working on my cardio before martial arts class. I was focused and it shows. I need that same focus to get back into shape (not gonna share the photo of the “current” midriff bulge.)
This photo is going up on my fridge to interrupt my Covid-snacking. Clocking myself.
And maybe this one too. I need a challenge to pull me out of these Coronavirus doldrums.
Clocking myself should work to scare me away from snacks, etc.
While I am still able, I’m recording my thoughts about the time when the Pandemic interrupted everyone in the world.
What are you going to do? The last 10 years flew by.
The next 10 years are not guaranteed.
Your Doomsday clock is ticking!
Get on with it!
Inspiration! Marjorie Templeton, Black Belt, age 82
OK – actually, I can’t imagine someone my mother’s age doing martial arts, unless it’s Helio Gracie (October 1, 1913 – January 29, 2009), the founder of Gracie Jiu Jitsu.
“Three times a week, 82-year-old Marjorie Templeton hits the gym for more than an hour of weights, cardio and stretching. Those are her easy days.
Other days, she’s at the tae kwon do school she founded near Cincinnati, teaching and supervising four hours of martial arts classes.
On vacation, she scuba dives.”
Fitter Than You: Three 50-plus Athletes Who Can Kick Your Butt (plus one more, me.)
But if Marjorie can still train at age 82, the least I can do is get in shape and get back on the mats. Challenge accepted!
Source: anime image of Cheryl Ragsdale by an artist from fiverr.com called hamdiexile
The game I call Demon Spotting developed over time as I worked through emotional entanglements and confusing break-ups. My misery became code words. Code words became mat drills. Mat drills became winning combinations. And my confusion lifted. Consider this your invitation to play. Clarity is freedom.