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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Such a Jumble!


I haven’t posted much lately. Please accept my apologies. I truly hate to see friends drop by without finding something coherent to read. You deserve better than that.

Again, my apologies.

As it happens, my brain is jumbled. That’s not unusual (’specially when the moon is full). I’d prefer to offer you a cogent thought or two, but the brain pot is jumbled. There’s simply too much goin’ on.

I’ve been visiting/sampling health clubs in the vicinity (and not-so-near vicinity). I’ve got to find me a home where I can be a happy gym rat again. I had it made back at my old place. I truly did. I was a fitness instructor at my local community health/sports center. Those days are gone...never to be recaptured. Still, I’ve not lost hope in finding a respectable home and regaining a modicum of all that I’ve lost. So far, I’ve found two reasonable facsimiles. Decisions.Decisions.

It’s high time I reclaimed my health (as best I can). After all, I can’t traipse about the planet in the shape I’m in today. I’ve gotta put quite a bit more sweat equity into this ramshackle body of mine.

The journey has begun.

I’ve become politically active, again. It feels as if America is fighting for her very soul. It’s that age-old war between greed/power and simple human decency. Greed and power have held sway here in America for the last three decades. Personally, I’ve had my fill. I’ve had a craw-full. I’m outraged by the damage wrought. I believe it’s time to exhibit a bit o’ wrath.

Then, of course, there’s the Tour de France. I’ve been a devotee for three decades running. I find it THE most compelling, intriguing, complex and utterly breath-taking sporting event on the entire planet. I record each day’s exploits for subsequent viewing during the wee hours of night. I haven’t slept all that much these last two weeks.

The all-too frail human body, the indomitable human spirit, the sheer beauty, history and wonder of France has kept me agog for two weeks now. I’m bleary-eyed and excited each morning when I clamber atop my bicycle in abject homage. I’m immediately reminded that I’m no longer an athlete.

Sigh.

And then there are various and sundry thoughts about relationships. A whole lotta thoughts about relationships precipitated by correspondence, events, poetry, music and synchronicities galore. It’s a total mish-mash within this skull of mine. I DO have a working title, though: "Relationship Kabuki". Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that all too many (most?) relationships degenerate to theater, roles and role-playing. And...masks...impenetrable (unfortunately)...masks.


* * *

I began this entry by stating that I wished to post coherent thoughts.

Again, I’ve failed.

Forgive me

* * *

12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

All is forgive Jonas. Exercise sounds like a good idea. I've started running again, hoping my feet will hold up. I feel like a kid when I run, free. It's a nice feeling.

Sat Jul 18, 10:14:00 PM  
Blogger Cheesy said...

Sometimes the biggest truths are voiced in ramblings.
Kabuki is known for a lot of make-up and monotone words. Doesn't sound too appealing me thinks.

Please explain one thing to me about the Tour I don't quite fathom~ A team sport with one winner???

I too feel like I should still be able to compete and make my mark somehow in this athletic world- but - I can't seem to get my body to cooperate.

Wanna just take a walk?

Sun Jul 19, 01:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

relationship kabuki --- i totally get that. can't wait to see it in words...

Sun Jul 19, 04:42:00 AM  
Blogger Jay said...

I'm with you on the politics. But it's the same war we've been fighting for thousands of years. A war between the masters and the servants. It's just that we don't really consider ourselves serfs, even though thats what we have become.

And speaking of the de France. I saw Lance Armstrong a couple weeks ago. He was riding his bike in front of the Texas Capital building with a film crew driving in front of him. Must be a commerical or something.

Relationship Kabuki. Good title.

Sun Jul 19, 01:20:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Jay is right - that war has been waging (or raging) for thousands of years. Is it in the nature of power that once it is attained we completely lose sight of our humanity? I don't know.

I am on a fitness craze at the moment too. Out of necessity. I am told a healthy body equals a healthy mind. I hope it is true.

Oh, and you sounded perfectly coherent to me!

Sun Jul 19, 10:01:00 PM  
Anonymous Roads said...

Oh, the Tour de France. How I love it, too! And today's a rest day atop the mountains. I can do that bit.

Mon Jul 20, 08:34:00 AM  
Blogger secret agent woman said...

Not so much a jumble as wide-ranging. I'm not sure about relationships. DO they degenerate into masks/disguises/games or is it like that from the begininng and we are too infatuated to see it? It's so complicated. At any rate, I'm glad to hear you getting on the path of re-claiming your health and self.

Mon Jul 20, 12:53:00 PM  
Blogger Jonas said...

Yes, Deb, exercise IS a good idea. I (vaguely) remember how it feels to be truly fit. It's the best thing going. I also know how much effort it takes to achieve that state....darn it!

Ah, Ms. Cheese, I wish I could explain the essence of le Tour! Well, actually, I could, but it would take several pages. It's races within races within a race, scored both by time and "points", with categories/competions within each. It's about cheating the wind through group and individual effort. It's about the role of grunts (although the French, as per usual, have a much finer name: domestiques). It's about chivalry and treachery, tradition and innovation. It's an incredible human drama that tests each athlete in every way possible in the most compelling of settings...spread out over 21 days and 2200 miles. I've been following le Tour for three decades. I still can't wrap my mind around it completely.

You may have to wait a while, my Tempest. Relationship Kabuki is far more complicated than le Tour.

Yes, Jay, political issues are as old as the oldest civilization. America had explored a new path, the one that Alexis de Tocqueville had admired so much back in the day. I'm sure he'd be just as disappointed, today, as I am.

Ah, yes, sister Selma! I, too, seek to cure my mind by healing my body.

I'm pretty good at resting atop mountains, too, Roads! We're sympatico!

I'm not sure 'bout relationships either, Spy Queen. I suspect few people are.

I think I'll go for a stroll and pondercate...

Mon Jul 20, 01:48:00 PM  
Blogger eleanor said...

tee hee!

contador is killing me too.

and them schlecks.

come back when you're ready.

we're obviously all still here.

Tue Jul 21, 04:53:00 AM  
Blogger Jonas said...

Ms. Hell and Awe!!! I can't help but smile whenever you drop by! And to find that you're a "Tourie" too!?! Mon Dieu!!!

Maybe it's just me, but I keep thinking that those Schleck boys musta been a real handful for Momma Schleck.

And then there's Bradley Wiggins. Wait...What!?! A Brit in the top three in the GC!?! Bon sang!!!

Now we come to the final week. A week seemingly designed to grind mere mortals to dust. This year's Tour is absotively mind-blowing.

Tue Jul 21, 05:23:00 PM  
Blogger Scott from Oregon said...

It took me a full year to get back into shape but the effort was part of the fun.

I started by walking.

Then bicycling short distances.

Then bicycling and walking afterward.

I tried a bit of jogging.

Too soon.

I rode more, walk3d more, lost more weight....

Now I can ride hills for hours and go for an hours run afterwards and actually sprint the length of a football field again....

As I once wrote and printed on t shirts while in high school...

"Just Do It"

Sat Jul 25, 10:49:00 PM  
Blogger Jonas said...

I agree absolutely, Scott. I started training for my first marathon at age 50 (approximately 20 years later than I had originally planned). That first training cycle ended in injury, but I wasn't finished. I kept at it, adding aerobic cross-training and yoga to the mix. Long story short, I did it (and became a Spinning instructor in the process).

The human body is an amazing "machine". Although its efficiency declines with age, it's an amazingly resilient and adaptive miracle. I've squandered the gains I had made (BIG understatement!), but I'm on the road to regain much of what I've lost. I'm riding and walking (running is verboten). Next comes swimming, weights and yoga. I know what it takes and I know how it feels to be fit. It makes the whole effort worthwhile and...well...it's kinda fun to be fitter than one's peers.

I haven't given up on completing a half-Ironman (but doubts are creeping in).

Sun Jul 26, 12:31:00 AM  

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