I have changed my email to mcdonaldstu@hotmail.com. My aol account will be cancelled soon. Please respond to my hotmail account if you want me to add you to my address book. Also a reminder that my stories are still being posted on www.stu.cds.com if you haven't been receiving them via email. Help yourself.
I'm watching the Syracuse vs Notre Dame basketball game on ESPN2 reminiscing my college days at SU when I didn't go to any games, follow the team's progress, and in fact avoided campus on game days because it was such a zoo. I didn't care much for NCAA hoops and still don't, but I can't pass up the opportunity to watch a game when I can.
I went to a yoga class last week. It kicked my ass. I have the flexibility of a two-by-four, but the denial of the stereotypical AA member so as a result I attempted moves and positions that nearly landed me in bed for three days. I was sore from a beginner's yoga class, half of which concentrated on relaxation positions. Pretty sad.
So today I went cross-country skiing. The mountains were spectacular. Tall, rocky, snow covered. Majestic. The weather delightful. Bright sun, blue sky, no wind, warm temperatures. The snow was pristine and white, but a little icy. Some of the most stunning outdoor scenery I've seen. The results were much the same as yoga. I'm sore because I haven't stretched in a while, namely since the Reagan administration. But the increased aerobic exercise is encouraging.
Speaking of lifestyle changes I've adopted a new philosophy on food. It's a lifetime nutritional approach which will lead to weight loss followed by weight maintenance. It will lower my blood cholesterol levels and lead to a healthier me. Specifically it's the Atkin's approach. I've committed to a lifetime of this and plan to discover exactly how much energy my body needs to maintain a healthy weight. I've completed week one today and already see and feel a difference. I'll weigh myself tomorrow to be sure. I'm keeping a journal and recording the food I eat. Week one went okay. Ups and downs, but overall I feel good about it.
And finally, I went to a lecture at AUB this week. Gandhi was the speaker. Not the famous one, he was assassinated in 1948, as I found out the hard way. It was his grandson, who I am sure is a nice man, but has the speaking charisma of an aloe plant. He is a devout pacifist and a very successful one as I was lulled into a peaceful sleep within ten minutes. I swear, he could solve a lot of the conflict in the world just by talking. Hostile armies, destructive terrorists and oppressive world leaders could be calmed and coma stricken, thus unable to wreak their havoc. There were some interesting comments, but because of my dream-like trance I can't remember any of them.
I'll leave you with this image. Walking on the Palm tree-lined Corniche, watching a colorful sunset, wearing long sleeves, but no coat, looking up to the snow capped mountains. What a beautiful landscape. One of the few places in the world where you can ski and swim on the same day.