Whassup

I haven't posted in a long time. I've been warned not to apologize for such things so I won't. My temptation is to say I've been so busy that I haven't had time to write but that would be an outright lie, unless you equate napping with being busy. No, I have not been particularly busy. I've been facing a bit of a creative block and a bit of apathy. And yes, I have been napping. I have not been standing still though. I have been reading a lot, purging my life of unnecessary material goods, procuring as well as preparing more of my own food, and thinking deep thoughts that would make Jack Handy crap his pants.

Most of my exercise is coming from walking these days, often to the supermarket to buy food. I've been trying to shop every couple of days so I can eat fresher food and food that I'm craving. I also take long walks in the woods of my lovely local park, about a mile from my house. Walking is just the speed that I feel like traveling these days.

I joined a CSA which, for those readers not immersed in a culture liberal do-goodery like we have here in Vermont, is Community Supported Agriculture. It allows me to know the farmers who grow my food on a personal level and contribute to the farm's viability. I give them a specific sum up front and each week of the harvest I go to the farm and pick up a box of just picked produce. It's very inspiring. I like that they hand me a selection of the freshest possible food and I then have to figure out creative ways to prepare it. It forces me to branch out. I had no idea that Brussels sprouts grew on a stalk. I had never seen kale before. I can't recommend CSA enough.

I am trying to rekindle my yoga practice. I went to a class last Tuesday and by Saturday I could walk without a limp again. Not that I was ever a really avid yoga practitioner, but I wish I was. It always makes me feel so good. Tuesday night I slept soundly through the night without waking once and I can't remember the last time I managed that. On a side note, I have mentioned before that when I was riding my bike to Michigan, cycling 65 miles a day and sleeping on the ground every night, my body felt fantastic. I think I figured out why. I wasn't sitting slouched in a chair or on a couch. I had very little access to furniture so my bad posture wasn't sabotaging my ability to be athletic. That's something to think about. I think we Westerners rely a little too heavily on furniture.

I am counting down the days until I go back to the ski shop. Carpentry takes on a whole new aspect this time of year. And by aspect I mean level of discomfort. Because Working in cold rain, standing in the sucking mud, going through five pairs of gloves a day in a futile attempt to preserve some kind of dexterity, all of these things discourage me. Does that make me a wuss? I know people who work outside all Winter, and I do like being outside in the winter, but I kind of like maintaining a level of physical activity that prevents frostbite on toes and fingers. I think it has to do with the kinds of tasks carpenters are charged with. Ever try picking up a stainless steel siding nail with ski gloves on? It's not gonna happen. Which means taking your left glove off and working feverishly to nail up a couple of boards before your hand goes numb, then quickly putting your glove back on and, hopefully, suffering through the burning sensation/nausea of thawing extremities. Believe me, I've had my share of frozen extremities and sometimes it's worth it, like when there's three feet of blower powder and it's ten below but you keep convincing yourself that one more run won't result in amputation, then when you finally get your ski boot off, you're not so sure anymore. That's worth the risk. But for putting siding, or worse yet, roof trim, on a house on the top of a mountain somewhere, well, unless it's your house, not so much worth it. Now, the well organized carpenter, and by well organized I mean lucky, will have planned it so he is working inside for the winter. Which presents it's own set of problems. Like alternately freezing and sweating bullets. No I proffer that it's better to hang up the tool belt for the winter and take a job, oh like, maybe, writing a daily ski report or something, for the Winter. Here's a tip: unless you want to pay 30% more for your construction project, don't have it done between November and April. Unless the work is almost entirely inside. Working outside in the winter around here is just plain inefficient. Do you really want to pay carpenters to spend half the day shoveling snow, chipping ice, and trying to nurse blood back into a frozen left hand?