What do you do when your most favorite occupation in the whole world is making you disintegrate?
What do you do when your doctor says to get off the computer and MOVE?
What do you do when you are constantly called back to the second love of your life – your blog (the first being “husband” in case he’s reading this)?
What do you do when you are constantly returning to your in-box to see what others are doing on their blogs?
Dear Friends in the Blogusfear,
Have you heard this before?
My doctor says I’m doing the wrong thing for my body and my well being. He says I should be in motion for more time than I am at the computer. When I told him I can put in four to six hours a day with this marvelous hobby called blogging, he kind of smirked. “Wrong! You are doing the wrong things for your health,” says he.
“I am a blogger!” I said. “You must understand this is my hobby. And I love it.”
“What exactly does all this time at the computer really mean to you?” he asked.
So, I went home and made up a list.
WHAT BLOGGING MEANS TO ME
- Blogging = Happy time thinking and looking and reading and never ever being bored.
- Blogging = Using my new-found talent for writing; an outlet for self expression.
- Blogging = Connecting with new and fascinating friends; people I love but have never met yet.
- Bloggng = Filling my time with creative, exciting, challenges; focusing on things that matter.
- Blogging = Discovering the beautiful, fun, funny things in life.
- Blogging = Feeling connected with a bigger world than the distance between my kitchen and the laundry room.
- Blogging is MY MOST FAVORITE HOBBY IN THE WHOLE WORLD!
When I returned to my doctor with this list, he once again smirked. “Here’s what constant blogging and not moving is REALLY doing for you,” he said.
- You are heading toward diabetes. You may already be there.
- A lifetime of medications if you don’t get up and move.
- Loss of circulation from sitting too long with the potential for heart problems.
- Elevated cholesterol from lack of exercise, leading to vascular problems.
- Weight gain.
- Deteriorating health.
“Bah! Humbug! It’s Christmas Doctor! Are you going to rob me of my most favorite thing to do in the whole world just before Christmas?”
“You need to be in motion my friend, moving more than sitting at the computer,” said he. And then he offered hope. “You can beat this. You can compromise. Time yourself. Just start moving instead of sitting.”
And so here I am creating another blog post. I know – I’m sitting! But I have a kitchen timer at my desk now and it’s set for one hour. When it brashly rings it reminds me to get up and go! Move!
I am determined to follow Doctor’s Orders now. I will spend an hour in the morning reading other blogs and trying to comment on the ones I love. Then I will spend another two hours in the evening when the kitchen no longer commands attention. I will make walking my daily priority. I will wear a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day.
These are my Pre-Christmas Resolutions dear Doctor, because I know you are dedicated to my own best interest. You are not advocating quitting the blog – no – only advocating sensible, practical behavior.
Blogging remains my most favorite thing to do in the whole world and I know I just have to stand up sometimes and move in other directions.
I’m following your orders Doc! And as the latest doggy commercial has the doggy saying, “I’ve been good. I’ve been good. I’ve been very very good.”
BAH HUMBUG!
Virginia Views 