I realize that in this brave new world, we all think in tweets and FB updates, don't we? I don't sit down to write long blog posts much anymore, because I don't sit thinking about them like I used to. A little bit sad. All those creative things I used to think up (and be able to reference later) are washed away in the Twitter flood. I know they're out there somewhere (thanks, Library of Congress!), but to find them? Almost impossible.
So I'd like to write here a bit more. Plus, I miss you. (I'm off Facebook now, except for my author page — I didn't unfriend you on my personal page, I swear; I just got rid of it.)
In no order, thoughts that are longer than 140 characters:
* We have such a nice surprise growing in the backyard. We had to pull out that huge acacia which fell over the winter, and we were horrified to find that instead of gazing at the trees swaying over our little backyard creek, we had a direct view onto a parking lot and portable classrooms instead. But that was winter, and we didn't notice the spindly little tree behind it wasn't dead. It was just dormant, and it's putting out leaves now that will shield us from the ugly.
See? You can hardly tell!
* The season of Cadbury Creme Eggs is almost over. I have three left, and I predict that by noon, those will be gone, too. Which leads directly to:
* The season of standing has begun! Everyone's been scared straight by that NYT article, but I have to say, it's kind of amazing to put into practice. They say anything more than sitting for six hours is bad for you, right? I work twelve-hour shifts. And my commute is about two hours. So in order to be on the right side of standing, I need to stand for 8 hours at my job (we have great ergo tables that raise and lower easily).
So this last week, I stood for at least 8 hours every day (I stand for the first six and then add more hours in the afternoon), and for 9 hours a couple of days.
I HAD SO MUCH ENERGY. I was so energized that instead of coming home Saturday night and collapsing, like I usually do, into a big whiny mess, I went to the store, came home and cooked chicken mole from scratch (YUM, but only good, not great, so I'm not linking the recipe) and stayed up to watch TV with Lala. This is unheard of, people. I was not a wreck (but oooh, my hip muscles! Could feel them again!).
* So today, as God is my witness, I will be smacking some order into this office o'mine. I made the mistake a few months back of adding a desk (and by adding a desk, I mean perching an old door on top of my low filing cabinet). It was great, for a minute. And then I put stuff on it, as we do, and now my office is about to gobble me up and no one will be able to find me.
I want to git rid of it and of a lot of books (I know!). And then I'll put together the $19 shelf I bought at Ikea that I *think* will work as a standing desk. I'll keep you posted.
* The rose my dad gave me last year is blooming! It finally has a place to live that it likes!
* It has been GORGEOUS 'round these parts lately. Yesterday my sister Bethany taught me that my new favorite place to walk the dogs is in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, which is ENORMOUS and has the best view in the world:
(Click for biggetyness.) The Oakland AND SF skyline! Perfection.
* And finally, one for the ladies. Digit is still a crankypants, but his thyroid meds are helping and he's put on about half a pound.
Welcome back! Twitter was too “jerky” (in the way that very old movies were jerky) and piecemeal for me, and I just hated Twitter on Facebook (so full of references to other conversations) that I missed hearing what was going on with you!
We have some young Azara trees we are getting rid of if you want to plant one or two in your yard, by the way….
Stefanie Sloane’s The Devil in Disguise has Long Sentences, which I enjoyed and found refreshing. Fern Michaels drives me nuts with her choppy prose, though she can have great plot lines. I read an ARC of TDiD and it was riddled with errors but decent to read. I’ll email you with the best error, which she says made it into the final(!).
One of my friends likes FB because with her form of autism 140 characters is about her maximum comfortable length. It’s been a wonderful experience for her to realize that she *can* express herself in words, and beautifully, in a brief format.
That rose is so joyful. Neat!
Thyroid sympathy for Digit. Kelp is my friend.
I get what you are saying. Using Twitter takes away from the creative energy that I once funneled into blogging. I still use it, though, because I have one-liners that run through my head all day long and that seems to be the best place to get them out. I don’t possess the skill to turn them into blog posts they way you do!
I read that NYT article when you linked it on Twitter. Although I’ve read similar articles about the dangers of inactivity, that one hit me harder. I found myself thinking about it several times a day and getting out of my chair. At home it is easier for me to find ways not to sit, but at work it would be a challenge. My desk is a beauty and brand-new, but it isn’t adjustable — no raising or lowering. The best I can do is tilt my monitor if I want to stand and read something. Still, I’m gonna give it a try because it is scary to know that exercise doesn’t really counteract all the sitting.
I enjoyed your post today. Luckily I teach people how to make costumes so I end up standing a lot which means more time to sit and knit.
What an awesome place to walk! I have always stood up quite a bit since I worked in a fabric store in the 70s; I’m just comfortable standing up. Now I see what a good thing that is. So nice to see that Digit is still his cranky self and still around after all he’s been through. It funny how I find myself having to go back and put in apostrophes and such after texting, etc., on my iPhone with its auto spell correction.
In direct response to your post, I put my laptop on an old paper box and am now standing up. Already, better, although I find myself shifting from leg to leg. May need to ease into this routine, but I think it’s good to be active while working a desk job (the glamorous life of an assistant professor).
So glad about Digit. Also glad you are back at length.
How NICE. Welcome back!
Oh that was wonderful! I full length post about life and love and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I so missed ‘hearing’ you tell a story of your day. I got the tweets and chirps and pops and such but I would much rather invest the time (on my tushy) and read all about what you have to say… and it was glorious.
Welcome back dear friend – you have most definitely been missed.
I love long posts, especially from you! I’m also intrigued by the standing desk concept, and once the semester is over, I’m going to see how I can implement it, at least in my home office!
I don’t twitter or Facebook, so glad to have you back in “full length” mode! Also, had to think of you today when I saw this link on knitty: http://shop.scarygoround.com/product/ukes-not-nukes-shirt
It’s for a Ukes not Nukes t-shirt!
I read the coolest article about an elementary school that has tall desks so students can either stand or sit on a stool. I sure wish I had a tall desk and I bet my (high school) students do too. So much easier to stay awake and get the wiggles out at counter height!
I bet chairs were a welcome relief in the days when work was 12-14 hour days in the fields or at the forge. Chairs for 20 hours a day, though…the human body was never meant for!
Even toilets (sorry to be uncouth) are designed poorly for the, ahem, activities they are supposed to facilitate. 🙂
I had a desk once, and I got rid of it because I never used it, because it was always covered with stuff. Now that I have a lot more desk-y stuff to do, I rue the day that I got rid of it.
I now have a towel stand that I use as a desk, for a chair, I have and igloo cooler.
If you are handy in the kitchen, there a couple homemade Cadbury creme egg recipes. Thought you would want to know!
Knitting standing up finally has it’s day! Welcome back! FB just not the same as careful time taken to converse. Glad to hear Digit is improving.
Yay for Digit and Yay for a new stand up desk!!
I work at a desk all day as well. Last year I had so much hip pain that I was going to the doctor for it. When I first started my son said “mom, you sit a desk all day-that’s your problem.” After two months of tests (MRI, x-rays, blood tests, cardiac work-up, etc) the doctor said ” your son was right.” I’m trying to stand a lot more and taking yoga to help stretch those hip flexor muscles back out. Standing, stretching and getting up from that desk really make a difference!
wow now i understand why i couldn’t let you know I’d gotten your Book! yippee!! am just trying to finishing something else so i don’t leave it on the side.. I’m really bad like that.. almost as bad as when I’m knitting too.. ha ha
hugs
Karola