Take A Hike

One mile or less from my house, there are about 20 eating establishments, 3 grocery stores, one craft store, several get cash quick stores, several liquor stores, a drug store, a phone store,and a clothing store. In addition, you can walk to Toyota and buy a new car, or to the vet to take care of your companion animal, or to the "doc in the box" to take care of yourself. If you are in a fevered state, you can walk or be dragged by your pals to the hospital. You can find a doctor to give you a face lift, or yell at you about your drinking, or put you on a diet. You can gas up your car, go workout, or volunteer at the soup kitchen. If you are in need of a good book, you can walk to the library. When you want the kids out of your hair, you can take them to the park. Good luck on convincing hubby on taking those salsa lessons, but they are available at the recreation center.

I am so glad I don't live in the suburbs where you have to DRIVE to all these places. It is great to live somewhere where every hike can get you to a different place, instead of the same ol', same ol'. As you may have guessed, I have been walking a lot lately. My new motto is "Why drive, when you can take a hike?" Today, I needed to return a movie, so I walked to the store to return it. Even three weeks ago, I never would have done that. Ok, it is spring, and maybe that has something to do with it, but I think I am more in the mood for walking places lately.

Some people like to get their walk on by figuring out their steps, and running around a track. I say BOOORRRRIIINNNG. So, what's so wrong with walking around your neighborhood? It works for me. You only need a good pair of walking shoes. I tried a hike in my usual phony birks but that didn't work for long, so I put on the socks and shoes.

I try to take a hike daily before going to work. Granted I don't go far, but I try to change it up and walk on different blocks. Usually, my cousin goes with me. I'm still trying to convince my husband to walk with me, to no success. After work, if I need milk or something I will walk to the store instead of drive, and bring my 99c store bags with me.

When I am in better shape, and want to walk more than a mile in any direction, I'll take the 3 mile hike to the beach and gaze out on the Pacific Ocean. Why would anyone want to live anywhere else? For now, hiking and gazing are two of my favorite things. Well, that and fatty fatty two by four dip.

For those serious about hiking, they should check out my brother Hal's blog http://hikeeveryday.blogspot.com/. He is working on a hike in the wilderness every day and is so far over 100 days. You go, Hal!

RUDE!

I had some pictures put up on my cell (ahem, cubicle) at work. A coworker came by and was perusing them. She spotted a picture taken of me and my husband and his family in Australia and she said "Is that you?"

"Well, yeah," says I.

"How long ago was that taken?" says coworker.

"About eight years ago" says I.

"My God, you sure have put on a lot of weight since then." says coworker

"Well, thank you very much, BITCH. If you can't says something nice just keep your damn piehole shut!" says I.

Ok, I lied, I didn't say the last sentence, just muttered some inane unmemorable comment. But, Ill be damned, I wish I did say it! Who does she think she is? I could have come up with many comments regarding her looks, her manner, her work ethics etc., but of course, I am a nice person and wouldn't do such a thing.

Oh! Oh! OH! Maybe I have it all wrong! Maybe, she meant it as a compliment! She didn't say, and here I am thinking the worst of her. I'm sure she meant it as a compliment, now that I am thinking about it. Yes, that's it. The next time someone says, "Wow, you sure have put on weight" or some other such remark, that I have previously assumed they said because they were stupid and RUDE and thoughtless ingrates, I will smile at them and say-

"Thank you, Thank you very much!

libhotmama

Well, I have finally decided to blog about my latest and greatest goal. Weight Loss! Ha Ha, now there's a shocker. Actually, I have been trying to lose weight since I was 17, when I was truly Libhotmama! What a fool I was to not have known how hot I looked. But, as is the case with most young women in America, we have bought the crap that we are not worthy, that we are ugly, that we need to skinny down, and put on more makeup, and look prettier or a MAN will never love us, or we won't get that dream job, or fill in the blank.

My intention is to not diet, and still lose a ton of weight. My intention is to try and figure out how to get back to that carefree kid who just loved green peppers, and pickles and cold water from the faucet and never cared about how I looked, or what I weighed. And I will do it.

This is a journey, a never ending one. Thank God, I have a husband who loves me for who I am, and not just how I look. (He is a man, so he kinda cares how I look). Thank God, I have friends and family who ditto- see above.

And Thank God to Thank God. The first step toward inner and outer beauty. Here's to my readers, stay beautiful and love yourself no matter how you think you "look".