Running behind again . . . I keep telling myself that I need to maintain a buffer of at least three posts and here I am again down to just one scheduled post.
Frankly, I have no idea what I do with my time. I mean, yes; between getting ready, travel time, and time at the gym, about three hours are wasted making sure I can pick up, push, lift, and otherwise move about various amounts of weights ranging from twenty pounds and all the way to one-hundred(plus) pounds (depending on the machine or free weight). Oh, and pull some rope for about fifteen minutes right before I row for thirty minutes and finally cool down by walking on an inclined treadmill for fifteen minutes.
And, sure, I spend a good amount of time eating and a bit of time cleaning the condo and washing dishes. Plus, I have scheduled stuff that needs doing. Yesterday, I was on the phone for a number of hours taking care of a number of issues dealing with insurance, and utilities, and incidental stuff that crops up because we live in an era when multiple companies have their hooks into you just because you want a comfortable and safe place to live and a comfortable and safe car to drive.
And yes, I spend time with Melisa. Plus there’s e-mail and reading and snapping photos and then downloading photos.
But, even with all that, by around eight in the evening, I’m done with everything and I have about four hours to do almost anything I want. Well, I do have to read the blogs I subscribe to. Plus, often YouTube has interesting clips to watch. I’m also forever looking for nice music to play. And I read a fair amount. And I process previously mentioned photos.
Hmm . . . perhaps I need to manage my time better and be more disciplined.
. . . or, I could sleep even less . . . yeah! That sounds like a great idea!
And now, the photo:
Continuing with my Ti leaves series, I explore a darker and neon-y look. Again, using Topaz Studio with a couple of the plugins I own (Impression and Glow).
Unlike Willy, I’ve yet to do all I can with them leaves.
I’ve been playing a fair amount with Paper Artist and there are a few settings I really like. For instance, the one that I used to create today’s doodle. To be clear, the doodle was already drawn and this is just the processing I applied to the previously-drawn doodle.
I call it . . . Have Paint Brush Will Travel You Pay For Paint and Malasadas.
You Pay For Paint and Malasadas
And . . . that’s it
Some of these posts will likely be longer as the mood hits me, but most will be thus; short, uninteresting, bland, and relentless.
You can read about Project 313 HERE.
That’s it. This post has ended . . . except for the stuff below.
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Disperser Tracks 
Time management is the first casualty of retirement.
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They should put that on a t-shirt and sell it. Or, you could . . . if you could find the time.
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Many retired people have told me they don’t know how they ever found time for work as they are busier than ever before! I don’t need to pay a gym to do weight lifting – I spend all day lifting and carrying around a wriggling, currently 22 pound but ever increasing weight (Tommy). So if you ever want a cheap alternative to the gym, try babysitting.
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Been there, done that. Why we don’t have kids. The gym I can skip when I feel like it.
And yes, I used to have a business that took up 60 and sometimes 70 hours a week and I played racquetball another 20 a week and did yard work and bills and house maintenance and had time for leisure activities . . . Of course, I only averaged 3 to 4 hours of sleep . . . On a good day.
I think I’m not as focused right now . . . And that’s ok as I’m on my way out. I’ve only got another 25 or 30 years, if I’m extremely lucky. Hardly seems worth it to start anything as I might not be able to finish it.
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Has it ever occurred to you how much money you could earn for the amount of physical effort you put into gym equipment? Then, to add insult to injury, you have to pay to do it!
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I’m not sure you’ve done the math . . . consider time a commodity.
Early on — and more often than reasonable — we consider time as something we have lots of. Because of it, we’re often willing to trade it for money (is that where the saying comes from?). Money, however, has a finite value and as time gets scarce the amount of money I want for my time increases.
If you’re implying that I could swap the time at a gym for manual labor, we get into the economics of it. Even ignoring the freedom I have at the gym (to go or not go, the lack of supervision, the complete control of what I do and how much I strain) I’d be competing with people much more willing than me to trade their time for money. (side note: the gym cost is literally nothing as it’s included in my health plan whether I use it or not).
Meaning, my manual labor would not earn me all that much. Now, sure, were I a recognized sculptor or artist producing pieces that require a lot of manual labor, I might be able to earn a lot of money for the equivalent effort. But, that’s not the case. Also, comparing manual labor to going to the gym, one has more of an opportunity for injury. I think you’ve experienced a bit of that recently.
Besides, if money was the issue, I’d get a job doing something that pays a bit more (probably, a desk job) . . . and then, I’d still have to go to the gym to keep in shape.
Finally, there are intangibles . . . while I often find manual labor (around the house, when we had one) somewhat rewarding, it’s not something I particularly enjoy. Given the choice, I’d rather have a maintenance-free home and yard. On the other hand, the exercises I do to keep reasonably healthy are of the type that allow me to indulge in things I enjoy . . . like listening to podcasts about history, literature, or discussions about current affairs and human affairs in general.
I’ll even go as far as saying that I wouldn’t be listening to those podcasts were I not going to the gym. It’s precisely because I can row for 30 minutes without actively engaging my brain that I can ponder some fairly deep subjects and explore my and other people’s thinking on same.
Anything else I might be doing (from manual labor to desk work) requires my attention to a level that precludes active engagement and consideration of complex philosophical/social, issues.
So, I’ve done the math . . . then threw away the calculations. I’m not actually interested in working as much as I am going to the gym.
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Persuasive arguments, but I still have an antipathy towards gym-type exercise simply for the sake of it. I would infinitely prefer to spend the same amount of effort on having direct fun, like riding a bike (not to race or break records but to look at the sights) or rowing an actual boat for the same reasons. Riding a horse, hiking, climbing, exploring caves — that is my preferred exercise! For more domestic stuff, gardening is good.
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I agree with you (a bit) and if the opportunity arises I’d sooner opt for a nice hike rather than hitting the gym. On the other hand, the advantage of a gym is that I don’t have to travel. Plus, on a hike, I’d have my camera and would make frequent stops.
Riding a bike was, for me, more of a utilitarian activity (as in I had to get someplace). I don’t see the point of riding bicycles for exercise (kind of boring).
My preference for exercise would be playing racquetball for 3-4 hours. Alas, that’s no longer an option. Gardening is nice, but also not something I’m enamored with.
The point is, I’m lazy. The gym offers me the opportunity for regular exercise with minimum impact on the stuff I really want to do . . . sit around, drink coffee, and munch on stuff while writing and looking at photographs.
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Discipline. Sleep.
Both overrated. Ha. 😉
PHOTO: Bright neony colors against a dark background…so cool!
CARTOON: What cracks me up most…when Willy talks, Ethel always looks at us…the readers. I definitely commiserate with her.
DOODLE: Soothing combo of colors! Paintbrush effect is soothing, too!
HUGS!!! 🙂
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Thanks, Carolyn.
The breaking of the fourth wall in drawing the cartoon is a clever trick that works surprisingly well as it brings us, the readers, into the scene.
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