Life has been good, even with sporadic internet over the last month or so. I realized not having a regular connection means less blogging, but maybe more of a focus for writing. My last blog entry of over a week ago I stated how I finished a short story, the first completed fiction work by me in years. One week, every night I simply wrote it out by hand. In the following weeks I typed it up, shared it with family, and revised it some. Next week it will be work-shopped with a good group of people in my writing class at Gotham Writers. I feel invigorated by taking writing seriously and studying the craft. Now that my internet is fixed and seems to working regularly, I will pick up the blogging. But I want to keep up the fiction flow, so I’m not sure yet how frequently I’ll blog. Twice a week proved a difficult pace. And I found when I write out the story, that working on it everyday helped me get through the first draft.
I feel invigorated from writing more, and physically I feel better. With the gym after trial and error, I came up with the goal of going 3 times a week. For the aerobic part, it will always be running on the treadmill. At first I was trying to go as fast as I could for 20 minutes. In a conversation with my mother, she suggested to take it easy if I feel too exhausted from it. Before I would steadily increase the pace until I was around an 8 minute per mile pace. I remember from my running days that this was a nice and steady pace. But in contemporary times in my mid thirties it is a challenge to run at that pace. I’d have shortness of breadth, and be sweating a lot. Worse, on my skate days I felt I was too sore and uncomfortable while skating. So my mom told me to take it easy and work up the speed later. So I’m starting at like a 12 minute pace and only working up only to a 9:30 mile pace. I always finish, I feel it’s effective, but I don’t feel exhausted. For weights I’m using a similar philosophy, just to get the workout in. I think exercise is a lifetime pursuit, and consistency is more beneficial than going all out in spurts. I’m starting to make it a routine, part of my life, but keeping the focus on skating at this point. When the ice and winter comes, and I can’t skate as much, then I can step it up at the gym.
Skating has been great. After a summer that was too hot, I am comfortable skating for long periods on my days off. I’ve been going to Flushing Meadows with a few friends, and I’m really starting to like that park. My short story takes place at this skate park. The skate park is world class, and if it’s too crowded you can go wondering to other parts of very large Flushing Meadows Park. Near the unisphere, my friend and I found a little bank to ledge to goof around on, then a empty square fountain the size of a football field. Once the water is turned off for the season, the Unisphere, is a world famous spot that no one minds if you skate in. I enjoy skating at the skate park and then to cruise around this park. There are a lot of families playing soccer, and having their day in the park. Overall it gives off a positive vibe that represents the borough of Queens. This park where the Mets play and the U.S. Open for tennis is played every year, is a unique park that anyone could a make a day out of. It also is a paradise for skateboarding. As far as I’m concerned the skate season lasts until January or when winter definitely sets in. I’m only able to skate on weekends, but I’m thankful for that. I think I appreciate it more and look forward to it all week.
Overall I’m doing well. And I think I’m actually working toward several improvements. Instead of thinking up lofty and questionable goals, I’m actually making progess!
Mallisonwhat's Blog 