Standing Desk

This Sunday in the New York Times, I read an article about how sitting is going to kill us all.  Well, kill us sooner.  The article said that studies had shown earlier mortality and increased risk of heart disease and other health problems among people who spend much of their days sitting down.  Even those who "balance it out" by exercising vigorously when they're not sitting are not safe from the deleterious effects of their bottom-bound hours.  Since I spend most of my days at work sitting and then come home and sit some more, and tend not to exercise vigorously, the article got me worried.  I had long felt that sitting down all day in front of a computer was no good for people.  I typically end the day feeling at least a little stiff and hunched-over, and sometimes have a headache from too much slouching and staring.  So I decided to be proactive.  I quickly rearranged my desk at work, moving the monitor higher and grabbing a few spare laptop stands to stack atop each other thus raising the height of my keyboard.  Then I stood up to work.  It's not perfect, but I noticed an immediate improvement in my awareness of things outside of my computer screen.  I also noticed more energy and confidence.  That was yesterday.  Today, day two of the standing desk experiment, I more noticed that my back, feet, and knees were tired, and that every chance I seized to sit down was a blessed relief from standing.  On the plus side, when lunch rolled around, my food tasted better than it had in a long time, I think because of my increased appetite.  And I ended the day with fewer stiff muscles and no headache, so it's still a net improvement over sitting.  Also, I got to startle and amuse my coworkers to no end, which is worth something.  I'm going to give it another go tomorrow, maybe with more comfortable shoes, and see how it goes!

Team Chili and the Frito Pie

In an earlier post I mentioned a chili-making scheme that my coworker and I hatched.  Today it came to glorious fruition.  The idea was that we needed to make Frito pies for an event and [here I feel it incumbent on me to explain the Frito pie: our boss who grew up in Texas told us of the snack, which she said was served at high school football games and the like--it consists of a small bag of Fritos corn chips slit open with chili poured inside, topped with diced onions and cheese] the typical way is to use canned chili.  Well, my coworker and I were dismayed by that idea, and we proposed to make the chili ourselves instead.  Dubbing ourselves Team Chili, we donned aprons this morning and chopped onions and browned ground beef on the stove.  We poured these items with chili spices into Crock Pots along with canned beans and tomatoes.  All day long, one end of the office was filled with the aroma of chili as the Crock Pots did their slow-cooking magic.  Then tonight we were able to share our creations (one pot of beef chili and one of vegetarian).  Having never tried a Frito pie before, I discovered they're quite tasty.  And the novelty of eating out of a tiny bag of chips using a spoon is quite satisfying.

Some of you may have noticed that my drawings have become less intricate of late.  It's partly because I've been tired out and trying to finish them quickly, but partly because I've been using a thicker pen.  It's not better or worse, but the thicker tip does have a noticeable effect on how I draw.  Sometimes it feels freeing not to need to add as much detail and other times it feels stifling not to be able to.  I would have liked more detail in this picture, for instance, but that's a key part of this blog--embracing imperfection and moving along.  Now to bed with fond memories of Frito pies still in my head . . .

Really Good Food

Good food is special.  Maybe there are places where all food is good food--nourishing and satisfying and prepared with care and attention--but I expect they're few and far between.  Here in the U.S. all too few of our meals fit into this category.  We're always on the go, always trying to save a few minutes here and there so we can cram more into our days.  But in so doing, we end up feeding ourselves poorly.  We consume processed foods that are quick to eat and that fill our stomachs, but that fail to deliver balanced nutrition or satisfy our senses.  We almost forget what a really good meal tastes like, what it feels like.  But when we do eat one, the difference is stark.  The flavors jump out with clarity and simple potency.  The multiple facets of our hunger, physical and mental, are satisfied, filled, relieved.  Our bodies feel energized rather than bloated, light rather than sluggish, alert rather than lethargic.  I had a really good meal tonight when the place where I work held a benefit dinner.  A barbeque pit master from South Carolina prepared a whole pig, cooking it all day long until the meat was extremely tender and juicy yet not greasy or heavy.  Local chefs prepared sides: pinto beans, cornbread, collard greens, pickled vegetables, and coleslaw, each traditional yet vibrant and with a fresh twist.  There was rich yet fluffy pound cake, the best banana pudding I have ever tasted, peanut bar cookies, and multiple kinds of wine and beer.  It was a really good meal not because of the selection of dishes, but because of the quality of the ingredients, the imagination with which they were combined, and the care with which they were prepared.  After eating I felt sated in all regards, not just full in stomach, but full of life.

Hoodies

As can be clearly discerned by studying the distinctions between figures one and two above, the hooded sweatshirt offers a range of stylistic and thermal options to suit varying conditions.  I am a big fan of hooded sweatshirts, especially the pullover kind with a kangaroo pocket.  True, the hood can sometimes be lumpy behind the neck while seated, driving, or wearing a backpack, but it also keeps the neck warm and provides a feeling of security, like a blanket that is socially accepted for everyday outdoor wear.  The hood can double as a makeshift pillow in a pinch, and is great for unexpected downpours or gusty weather.  I've got a few hoodies with logos on the front, but my favorites are still plain, solid colors like blue, green, or yellow.  Sometimes I wear a zippered hoodie to work over my dress shirt, which helps me feel relaxed and at ease while remaining (or so I imagine) more or less attired for business.  The hoodie may not be the perfect garment, but it comes darn close.

Leaving Work Early

I enjoy my job overall.  Nevertheless, the opportunity to leave early on occasion fills me with a giddy joy that is probably disproportionate to the free time I've gained.  I guess it feels like I'm getting away with something, walking out the door into the sunlight and fresh air while my coworkers are still hunched at their desks.  Getting out of work even a couple of hours early makes me supremely happy.  I always have big plans for the time I've gained, but invariably spend it doing things of little consequence.  No matter.  It's still a lovely bonus.  I don't know if I would enjoy leaving work early if it were the way things worked normally, but I think we as a country would be much happier if our work days ended around 3 p.m.