Pass it along if you know anybody that wants a parts car, or just a piece of junk to drive every once in a while to save on some gas.  Thanks!

heather and I got some pretty awesome cruiser bikes a few weeks ago, as birthday presents.  it’s something we’ve been wanting for quite some time.  we’ve been wanting ride around our section of town, do bike tours of uptown, and just get more exercise in general.  oh, and not spend so freakin’ much on gas.

for a couple of years now, we have been talking about getting fit, being healthy, working out, blah, blah, blah.  we got memberships to the YMCA, and went maybe 3 times.  we have a fitness center in our apartment complex, a mere couple of minutes from our apartment, and the only time we have set foot in it was on the tour of the apartment complex.  we go running maybe once every 6 months.  that has been the cycle of our fitness efforts.  why is this?  because we don’t enjoy exercise for what it is.  and i would contend that most people don’t.  normal people anyway.  we feel obligated to do it because we know we should.  and so we go at it half-heartedly.

bicycling has been different.  because we love the ride.

our ultimate goal is to ride anywhere that is less than five miles.  i’m guessing it will save us about $10 a week for starters, which comes to about $40 a month.  not too shabby.  It’s also getting us about an hour of great cardio a day, giving us time together that is not spent in front of the TV, and a step towards being more “green.”

All these benefits come from doing one thing that we simply love to do.  we don’t do it because we feel obligated to be healthy, be green, or save gas.  we do it because we love it.  we have a passion for it.

this revelation of doing things out of love rather than obligation has us looking at the rest of our existence, and asking ourselves why we are doing things.  why do we work where we work?  why do we lead a small group?  why do i play music?  why do we NOT do other things, when clearly we love them? 

in some ways, it leads to a simpler life.  sometimes it complicates things a little further, but mostly in the “how do we get there” kind of way.  it’s caused me to give up doing some things, while enabling me to focus on the areas i’m passionate about.   it’s given me renewal to not give up on my dreams just because they don’t seem feasible or practical. 

you only live one life.  why not spend it doing things out of love rather than obligation?  it’ll make it more enjoyable for you.  i promise.

the other night, heather and i were playing volleyball with some friends of ours, and i got a little too intense and hyperextended my lower back going for a spike.  ouch.  the pain didn’t really hit until after we got home.  i was crawling around the apartment on my hands and knees, because the pain was too intense for walking.  monday was a little better, and i was up and walking by the afternoon, but still taking it easy.

this morning at work, the pain shot through me all of sudden when i bent over to pick something up.  i couldn’t take it anymore.  i had to go to the doctor.

now keep in mind that i haven’t been to a doctor in probably 6 or 7 years.  for anything.  i just don’t go.  heather knew i had to be in a lot of pain for me to schedule an appointment without her even suggesting that i do so.

basically, he tells me i am not young enough to do this stuff anymore, and need to stretch and exercise my back before doing anything.  gave me a pamphlet on stuff to do.  gave me a note and said not to go to work for a couple days.  then gave me the best thing of all:

vicodin.

amazing stuff!  i don’t know that i have ever had it before.  it knocks me out.  and it makes the pain go away.  i can see why people get addicted to the stuff.

so here i am, just took another a dose, and it is starting to kick in.  it’s hard to focus.  hard to type.  not sure if i’m coherent or not.  and feeling old.  i guess i should take care of my body if i still want to be able to walk by the time i turn 30.  i would really enjoy being able to do that.