Dedication, Inspiration and Perspiration

One of the most difficult things in life- according to MY life- is being able to maintain my overall health and fitness. Most of my friends would laugh at that statement. Why? They seem to have scheduled their workout into their daily routine. Nothing wrong with that.

Prior to coming to Tacoma, I worked-out almost 5-6 days a week. It took me a awhile to get to that routine. Several factors contributed to that schedule. Having type II diabetes, exercise and a proper diet is very important.

Another factor was my overall not getting any younger syndrome. We approach certain crossroads in life and have to take a hard look at which road to take? There are many self-help books out there. Plenty written by guys my age that have gone from smoking, drinking, working 24-7 and then crashing. I am not one of them. However, it's a known fact living a healthy lifestyle can do a body good.

Daily life in New York was stressful. The more I went to the gym, the more I felt better- both physically and mentally. I ate better, cut back on the junk food and was not as stressed-out on the job or in general.

The most difficult part was sustaining that "gotta go to the gym" mentality. Don't get me wrong- I would (and still) mark an "X" on my calendar when I go to the gym. It's the typical excuse- I went to the gym yesterday and can skip today. We all know what can happen next!

That one-day can become another and another, etc. Before you know it- you haven't gone for few days and feel terrible. At least I did. I felt that all my time and effort went out the window and that my body fell apart in just those 3 days of not going. I had to start my routine all over again. Sounds crazy...I know.

I would workout for about an hour or so and then depending on the time of day- eat a healthy meal- vitamins, shakes and all. It felt great.

Leaving NY, I knew that I would need to join a gym as soon as I arrived in Tacoma. On the road, I did not workout- nor did I eat healthy. After months of eating healthy, I spent the week I drove across country catching up with all the junk food I would have eaten.

Getting settled took longer than I expected. It took me longer to get my feet in the ground. Enough so that I felt at home. I knew that I had the gym thing nagging me. Even my diet was shot- not good for a diabetic.

I did start feeling like I had gained a few pounds over the past month and I wasn't eating properly. Maybe too many pizzas at the ROCK! After going to the doctor for a check-up, my fear was confirmed I had gained about 8 lbs. I was floored! I just couldn't believe it.

As a result, I went on a mission to join a gym and cut-out the junk food- AGAIN! Trust me it hasn't been easy. Why? Excuses!

It's been a slow slow process. I went in search of a fitness club and finally joined LA FITNESS. Even though it's not as close as the local YMCA, La Fitness is clean, offers a great deal of equipment, a pool, classes, etc. Plus, they are building a new club in the area.

Have I been going? Yes. During my first week, I went about 5 times. Have I kept up the momentum? It's been difficult. Know one is to blame but myself. My calendar does have "X" marks. I am still trying to find a routine workout schedule. I work various hours during the week and I am not a morning workout person. I know an EXCUSE!

Getting back into the routine has been slow- but it's happening. I have slowly steered away from going to the ROCK for pizza. I am working on my diet.

Of course, the best part of all this can be explained this way... while I was writing this post to my blog, my phone rang and it was the personal trainer calling from LA Fitness to schedule my training session. Sounds like fate to me!

Collected Shorts

Writing About Death...

The death of Norman Mailer this past weekend prompted me to think about those who write the obituary columns for newspapers. His death was covered in every media shape and form. Speaking with a colleague at the library about his death, I remarked how I was somewhat amused at the NY TIMES obituary on Mailer. Amused- how so?

The four page obit was a condensed biography of the writer. At times, the "essay" was amusing-

"At different points in his life Mr. Mailer was a prodigious drinker and drug taker, a womanizer, a devoted family man, a would-be politician who ran for mayor of New York, a hipster existentialist, an antiwar protester, an opponent of women’s liberation and an all-purpose feuder and short-fused brawler, who with the slightest provocation would happily engage in head-butting, arm-wrestling and random punch-throwing. Boxing obsessed him and inspired some of his best writing. Any time he met a critic or a reviewer, even a friendly one, he would put up his fists and drop into a crouch".

Hipster existentialist? Reading the obituary, I thought about all the famous folks out there who are still alive. I wondered if the NY Times wrote the Mailer obituary sometime ago and filed it away in the drawer- or computer? How many amongst the living have their obits pre-written so that in the event of their death- the paper has it ready for press?

I might be wrong on this assumption? There is nothing wrong with this process and it would probably make things much easier to have it all ready...just in case!


About the night...

Life out here in the Northwest has been at a different pace. I am often being asked these days if I miss New York. It has been just a little over 2 months since I left Brooklyn. I have started to adapt to the early closings of the bars and restaurants here.

It has been a challenge sometimes to find a place to have a late night dinner in the Tacoma area. Most restaurants stop serving food around 9pm weeknights and 11pm on weekends. Yes yes- there are a few exceptions to this rule.

I am not alone in my quest. I often find others who post to the Exit133 forum asking the same questions (i.e. where can I get a cup of coffee at 11pm?). Does this mean I cook at home more often? I would probably have to answer yes to that question.


About Teens...

The new teen space at the library is completed! It was a great learning experience creating the new space. I tried to focus on creating a "teen lounge" that was part modernist, hipster (existentialist??), cool, da bomb, etc. etc. The 2 large flat screen TVs mixed in with that hi-tech industrial look, gives the teens a cool hang-out environment.

The bookcases and front entryway were designed with acrylic panels that are back lit. The walls are a deep purple and the accessories are metallic, chrome and black and white. The computers (not in pics) are black with chrome accents. Wireless headsets compliment the TVs which have cable.

This was a great project to work on. Teens are liking the space and programming is in the works to utilize the area for gaming, etc. etc. Yeah- how cool is that!

What's Wrong with this Picture?

It is no surprise that I would take a picture of a plane at the airport. The particular one above is from my flight back to NY from Tacoma on JetBlue.

While snapping the picture, I noticed something odd and amusing to say the least. No, it is not the name of that particular aircraft, "Blues Brothers". Can you figure out what is most unusual or even potentially dangerous in this picture? I will let you decide...

Reading the Future

Yesterday, after 6 years, I resigned from my job at Brooklyn Public Library. It was a very unusual morning. I was a little tense since I wanted to get it over with and was waiting for my boss to get into work. Ironically, he was late arriving which only prolonged my anxiety. My intention was to give him my resignation letter prior to a staff meeting. However, it did not work out that way and I was forced to sit in the meeting a listen to him delegate 6 months of new work to me. This only made my situation more difficult. After the meeting, I quickly followed him into his office and sat-down and placed my resignation letter on his desk. His reaction was "uh-oh"! It was a surprise to say the least.

I took a deep breath and thanked him for all the support he has given me over the past few years. The PULSE program was not only a success for the library, but also for the profession. Plus, it also put yours truly on the map. Kudos to me!

What now? I will be entering a new chapter in my life as I move forward and take a job as the Head of Reference and Information Services at the main library of Tacoma Public Library in the State of Washington. This position will put me on a slightly different career track and allow me to pursue my interests in public services and library administration. A colleague asked if I am interested in becoming a Director of a library someday? I am not sure if this is my intended career path, however, I will not rule it out someday.

Moving clearly across the country to Tacoma with Milo is exciting but also a big move. Tacoma is approximately 30 miles south of Seattle. Much of the city is experiencing a downtown gentrification. The Tacoma Arts Museum and Museum of Glass are anchors in downtown Tacoma. The arts and culture scene is bustling with activity.

So much to see and so much to do! It will be a learning curve both professionally and personally. I will be in Tacoma next week to meet the staff of the library and get my first look at the city- plus, I will be searching for a place for Milo and I to call home. Wish me luck!