When I was a freshmen at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, there was a small group of students who decided to dedicate themselves to virtue, or arete, in the ancient Greek. One of the things they did was a morning trail run, and I went with once. Just once because I wasn’t into getting up early and I was the slowest person by far on the run. The kind of person I was back then wasn’t the kind of person who could use discipline to get better at the running.

Now, I find myself getting up at 6 am on a Saturday to go for a fast walk. Down a hill and then back up again. Temps are in the teens according to the weather app, but it didn’t feel that cold. Especially not once I was walking back up that hill. I got sweaty. I tried not getting up at 6 last weekend and ended up lingering in bed until 10. That’s not good for me right now, so I’m doing arete walks.

After the walk, I got showered and ate some breakfast. Then I found myself motivated to do some cleaning in the kitchen. I wanted to get my Move U exercises done before the family zoom, but there didn’t end up being enough time since we met at 10 today. While I was on the zoom, I chopped up an onion. I cooked the onion a bit, and then added ground beef. I plan to use it as a protein base for a few meals. Should last me three or four days. I find it so much easier to do kitchen tasks while I’m talking with my family over zoom.

My dad had to leave the zoom right at 11 so he could go notarize something for a client/friend, but he made me cohost and I chatted with my brother a while longer since he’d arrived a bit late. I told them all about the hard day I had Thursday, and I found myself getting emotional even thinking about it. That’s good, because I don’t want to stay numb all the time. It’s good to cry and be seen.

I don’t recall having dreams on Thursday night, but they came back last night. I only remember snippets, but some friends from high school were in one scene, and some co-workers in another. There was a hotel that I think has featured in my dreams before. I wonder if it’s a place I’ll ever see.

My brother suggested that I listen to the Daily Stoic podcast as I walk, but I prefer not to listen to things when I’m walking or running outside. On a treadmill, hell yes, give me something, anything to occupy my attention. But, as I told him, when I’m walking outside, especially out here when I’m surrounded by nature and mostly walking on dirt, I try to connect my soul to the soul of the earth and feel how the earth’s energy can help me move along.

I signed off with him so I could get my exercises done before my neighbor came by for a trip to the transfer station. I had enough time, and I made use of it. I started the third and final week of the level 2 Hips & Glutes program, which brings in squats. The idea with these exercises is to go slowly and with impeccable form, and I was shocked at how much going slow got me sweating. I mean, it’s happened before with Move U, but I was really sweating, and even breathing heavy, all from taking it slow. I wonder if walking in the cold is increasing my internal body temperature as an adaptation…

After exercise, I made pb & j for lunch. I had a coconut water, too, because I started cramping on the last round of single leg bridges. Then my neighbor showed up and I got some major kisses, as per usual, from his dog, Anya. She’s a major kisser and slobberer, but very sweet. I let her lick my hand, but try to avoid a face lick because of how itchy it makes me. My neighbor and I had pleasant conversation on the round trip to the transfer station. We’re both shocked at how little snow there is – him more than me, since he’s lived here so long.

I’ve got a “date” with some other neighbors to go play cards this evening. I want to get another, longer walk in before that, so I’ve got to get a move on. I have no idea what it’s the cards for tomorrow other than an arete walk in the morning and some other exercise later. Maybe I’ll ride my trike down and say hello to some other neighbors. Or maybe I’ll go to the hot springs on my trike. Do some more house cleaning. Definitely going to do my exercises.

I’m in limbo as far as the legal stuff goes. I just need to wait and not panic. I got a good deal, and I’ll deal with going to Canada when I can. Time to get outside again. In the sunshine this time.

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