I walked to work this morning. At 5:30 AM – and I watch Criminal Minds. I probably looked like the priest in the Exorcist: a long black coat, a rosary dangling, my arms laden with heavy, black bags. As if I were going to knock on one of the doors of the big, dark houses and make someone’s head do a 360. Why do demonically possessed people all have that same, synthesized voice?
My plan was to just start running if anyone stepped out of the alley and told me to “get in the van” at gunpoint. Better to be a moving target than trussed up in some basement. Part of the reason I walked (a brisk 20 minutes of urban sidewalk), is because I saw a presentation on the characteristics of those who reach extreme old age with style. One of the things people in “blue zones” have in common is that they get natural exercise: they walk up steep hills to dinner, garden for fun, stir cake batter with a wooden spoon, etc..
One of the other characteristics spunky old timers have is moderation. They have a single glass of the local brew and “mechanisms in place” to prevent overeating. They never live near a Circle K store for example, or eat an entire sleeve of Thin Mints while binging on a season of Criminal Minds…). I am not good at moderation. I’m an all or nothing kind of gal, but I kind of do want to be one of those spry 100 year olds, who hand-polish the hubcaps and dig a trough before breakfast…
I am getting plenty of natural exercise living and working on the third floor of buildings without elevators. I don’t drink. But I think living long has to do with consistency too, and harkening back to simpler times. If you live in Nicoya, Costa Rica I can’t imagine the temptations are rampant to hit the craft beer circuit or head to the local gas station at midnight for a party bag of Skittles. I can’t imagine there’s a lot of stress.
Anyway, that’s why I walked to work. So I will live to be 100. But now I’m thinking I have to walk home from work.
Unless I can get someone to drive me home and stop at the Circle K for caramel corn on the way…
