New features fopr my friends overseas

I will tweak the blog to get back some of the look of the
older blog, but I like the new features.

Check out the new design of the blog. On the right side of the blog are some new features which I am exited about. Google has a dynamic view which allows for translation and search features. As you put your mouse along the right side you can search the blog for topics I may have written about or you can translate the blog into one of fifty world languages or view past blogs by topic and time. The translation feature I hope can be used by more people who visit the blog. In any language we can walk for better health and round off the curve to live better longer.
Keep walking!

Hi from the Fat man and some deep thoughts

Greetings

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Today I was thinking of experiences that can overwhelm us. A father relates a story of his daughter having an accident that overwhelms the whole family for over a year while she recovers. We can have something go wrong in our body that takes all our energy to cope and at times overwhelms us. In Ecclesiastes 3 there are 24 human experiences which can over whelm us. Think of a time when the emotion of romantic love put you on top of the world, or a break up that sent you into a blue funk. With teens emotions can send them on a roller coaster ride almost daily. Experiences can can be difficult and at times out of control but most of these experiences we survive and looking back give us the stuff of who we are.

Our experiences can be out of control, but there is One we can turn to that is in control of all things. An experience of birth and an experience of death; an experience of love and an experience of hate; an experience of searching and an experience of moving on from a loss are examples we all have been over whelmed with. Think of the uncontrolled experience of war that can take so much life and a time of peace, but we can learn to live with eternity in our hearts and through our experiences learn to walk with God.

I think there is alot to think about when we think of experiences that overwhelm us and they do from time to time. It is unavoidable and we have to live through them. Some of them may not be understood or acceptable like abuse or evil. We have our limits. I have found ideas that lead to better health, but there are always new challenges and experiences that put us to the test.

Walking has built in benefits, it is something we can do in the midst of most experiences. I think we need faith as well. What do you think? Keep walking

Quiet walking, not bad

How to do you enjoy the quiet? My dad would enjoy it fishing

I was listening to Bill Pierce's Nightsounds, the topic was Quiet Zone. Bill's program is a thoughtful program that is really great to listen to at the end of the day. Lean back and listen and before you know it you will ready to sleep. Bill Pierce is with the Lord now, but his program and topics are timeless. You can experience Nightsounds on the web at http://www.nightsoundsradio.org/ Visit it and you may put his sites in your favorites like I have and visit Nightsounds any time you want or need to.
Enjoying the quiet in your walks, listening to the wind moving through the leaves, bird and animal sounds and taking it a step further and listen to the silence. On my walk trail their are people walking so you will hear them talking. Barb and I make it an effort to walk in quiet, but sometimes one or both just have to talk. But we have found times of quiet are good. In the car we do alot of our talking. We have walked in the mountains, along the oceans, lakes, trails where you have longer periods without seeing another person. We have taken two to four hour walks and at times have seen no one on the trail. For years we have walked the beaches of Western Florida and you fall in love with the wind and waves lapping close by. There are plenty of walkers with you but the waves insulate the noise.
I notice people with  their headphones listening to their music or speakers and in a way they miss the silence that comes on the trails or beaches. We are surrounded by all kinds of noise by choice or not, we may not enjoy quiet, but I would encourage you to learn to experience the quiet. Right now as I right it is quiet in my house. All I hear are my thoughts as I write this blog. I do have ringing in the ear, (tinnitus) but it is so much better than 5 years ago when my ears sounded like crickets. Aerobic walking opened the blood flow to my ears and the ringing improved. Aerobic walking and running is what the specialist recommended and it worked. It took  three months but improved it did.
My dad worked in a noisy factory and he loved to go fishing by himself to enjoy the silence. When he told me that it sort of stuck in my mind we enjoyed the same thing.
Couples walk and talk together and who am I to stop that from happening, but try it a couple of times where part of your walk is silent. Share later what each of you heard or liked about the quiet walk.
Have you noticed in your walks how green things are? Flowers are in bloom and the animal kingdom is very active. Later this summer walk by a cornfield and you can hear it grow. I am actually going to do that again just to see if it is so. Keep walking!

Super moon, Look out on your walks

Our moon last night, tides high, cool picture

I went our side at sunset and the sky was clouding up so I missed the view of the supermoon tonight. I did see it later under clearing skies. Tomorrow night I may have a better view. Apparently this is the closest the moon gets to the earth's orbit this year. When I was in high school Frank Porter was interested in astronomy and in a way got me hooked into finding out more of our night sky. So Frank this blog is for you.

What a view

Watching mysteries on PBS I came across the 5 minute program Stargazer with Jack Horkheimer which clued me in on things I could see with the naked eye in the night sky. Over the years I have found that kids actually like finding out things they can see and discover for themselves. Finding the planets and constellations, meteor showers, the northern lights, the Milky Way was fun to discover together. Every week at camp I would take about 40 kids and their cabin counselors for a night tenting and cooking supper over a campfire and later watching the night sky. The kids and their counselors would settle down in their tents and I would tend the fire until it was nearly burnt out. The kids like it that I was out there. For me I enjoyed the singing and questions and the night sky did the rest. Camp programing was always looking for the latest gimmick, but the simplicity of my tent outing was enjoyed by the kids.
When I get a chance today I still like telling urban kids the wonder of the night sky. It is always worth the five minutes. With light pollution our city kids miss out.

The opitical effect of our atmosphere

Jack Horkheimer always ended his program with keep looking up. Jack's program was always upbeat.  For me looking up also means finding the Creator's fingerprints. Psalm 19:1, "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." With Hubble and other tools we have learned alot about what we see, but to see a night sky with a few thousand stars, 8 planets and our wonderful moon is a great hobby to have.
When we walk it is better for our balance if we look out and around then down at our feet. As we get older we tend to look down but it is better to look out. So in away keep looking up may be a good way to walk. Don't take me literally and look straight up as you walk, but do look out. I think your pace with become easier and probable faster. Today I cut my grass for my walk workout.

reporting study to improve longevity

Photo from Elaine and Rick Lazney
Great photo

I read two news articles about the same report from Denmark that jogging 15 minutes a day could extend one's life by 6.2 years for males and and women 5.6 years. The study followed people from 20 to 93 for 35 years and found runners definitely lived longer than non runners. The running did not have to be fast but had to be hard enough to cause the runner to breathe more but not be breathless. Some other concerns may contribute to longevity  such as runners may not be as obese as non runners and runners may not smoke as much as not runners and runners may follow overall a better diet.
I know from other studies, when you start to run or aerobically walk also increases your longevity the younger you are when you start. For example in my life I played sports competitively to about 40. Mixed in there was times when I hiked, jogged, and walked. I also worked out with weights and hit a bag in boxing routines. In the spring thru fall I probably did these things 3 times a week. At 40 on weight training and walking I would do with times when I jogged. But I became more sedimentary increased more weight. At 50 I started a daily walk program and got back into the game of being more healthy. One thing I did change was my eating portion to one plate per meal with 5 - 9 servings of fruits and veggies. The last two years I had health concerns where I found my self rehabbing.

Heart, weight, diabetes, aging, flexibility, immune system
 all improve with walking

Saying all this where am I? I am still alive and I think my efforts have help me fight a sudden death from a heart attack. Sudden heart attacks run in my family. My younger brother died last year. Will I get 5 extra years? I have been working on the premise what happens if one changes life at 50. From what I have been able to read, there could be an average of two years added. Overall the quality of life improves. In life's uncertainty that is pretty cool. My mother was battling depression for the last 16 years of her life. By choosing to be treated last year I could experience brighter daily experience in my life. No matter how long I live that would be worth it.
So that fat man walks, with a insert brace my pinched nerve has been relieved and I am able not to walk daily and more aerobically. I have read studies were aerobic walks can give the same benefits and jogging. Walking for us who are older it is clear that we can improve the quality of our life. Adding some healthy years that is a bonus. Keep walking!
Tonight early evening large moon view

Thunderstorms to be respected and in awe, Like life

It is amazing that lightening puts nitrogen in the soil.

I am watching a thunderstorm as it passes by. The power of lightening is awesome. I suppose I was introduced to the speed of sound by counting the seconds from lightening spotted and when the sound of thunder hitting my ears. Being outside in a thunderstorm puts you face to face with forces way beyond puny little self. In my home, I feel safe but I am glad for battery power in my laptop. I remember walking once in a thunderstorm. What ever reason I thought to do so, wasn't a good one. That was over 25 years ago and I am still glad grace was given to someone who knew better. Another time on a hike bad weather hit and this time I squatted to make my self the lowest target possible. Respect and awe can be a good thing.
Taking time to walk and care for the life we were given has been my growing concern. Like walking in a city full of trees in that earlier thunderstorm, I have done foolish things. I am not sure you can live 60 years and not do stupid things to your health. Consider Ps. 139:14a, "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;" We should be awestruck at how we were created. "Fear" carries with it the idea of respect. Viewing a storm in the safety of a shelter can be beautiful. Seeing life now is beautiful to me. Oh I am past the time of life in my prime, when someone could photograph me or draw me because I looked good. But life itself is precious and worth each day. Today I made some good choices and it comes out of respect and awe. 
My thoughts spur not regrets but present action. Keep walking!

walking at work

Tom Sellack looks better in his shirt

Walking today to a local area where the store and food trucks are as authenic Mexican Food as it gets. Total walking at work will be 5 miles at work. It will be a good test for my insert. Embracing multicultures is easy for me. For the kids it is a little more difficult. Our African American kids and Mexican kids have the most difficulty.
Tonight weather permitting is cut the grass. That is two miles of walking.
I am wearing my Thomas Magnum shirt today as the temps move into tropical weather. Liam like the bottons this morning. The rain the past few days have really greened things up.
Finding ways to walk at work can make a difference. Parking a car further away, using stairs, take mini walk breaks around the office, walking at lunch.
We are already in May, longer days. Keep walking!