Everyone of a certain age will recognize the immortal words of Mr. Miyagi in the title of this blog entry. Why do I begin with that title today? Well, today was a day that "ended" (although it is only 8 PM so the evening is still young) with my doing an extra good cleaning of the counter top in the kitchen. Not really waxing, of course. But getting the chili liquid, which had simmered over the edge of the slow cooker for hours while the chili was made today, off the counter top. With the heat and the time to dry it was quite stuck on. So, I went around one way. Then back the other way. I loosened the material and eventually it came off.
But that got me to thinking about how some activities don't take much mental effort. They just take "doing". That is what I feel like when I run on the treadmill. Although even there with a little concentration a person can figure out things about their running style and take some corrective action.
While I ran on the treadmill a lot last year, I also still went with my "running family" more often for workouts. This year, I have run many, many miles alone. And many, many miles on the treadmill. That is not a healthy combination. Even as someone who doesn't mind the treadmill as much as other runners, it just does not make me happy.
But it does leave a lot of time for the mind to wander. And to think. And to contemplate.
So, what did I contemplate today?
Passing things on to my kids. I'm sure I'll also ponder in the near future how I pass things along to the kids I teach in Sunday school, thinking about some comments from a teacher/runner friend.
Anyway, my thre boys have learned that if they want to spend "quality time" with me (to use a cliché I don't care much for) with me it is probably going to be in the kitchen. (At least until any one of them takes up running.)
So, before I went to the Y today, I assembled the makings of chili in the slow cooker. When I got home and before work I asked my nine year old to bring me an onion, which I cut and added to the chili. Then, I told my nine year old that he could make cornbread to go with the chili for dinner if he desired--he was going to be home and then gone to hockey practice in the evening before I and his two older brothers arrived home.
So, since I have passed on cooking to him and his reading skills have improved immensely lately, he came home, found the recipe for corn bread with butter milk on the iPad, and made it. It was awesome.
What a gift!
Something that he can "just do".
And something in which he joins me in "wax on-wax off." Except his repetitive motion was not rubbing but mixing the batter. I wonder what he was thinking about.
And for the record, I ran 6.2 miles while at the Y, so I am 197.5 miles along the way still on PA 31 heading west. Not much more to say than that.
But that got me to thinking about how some activities don't take much mental effort. They just take "doing". That is what I feel like when I run on the treadmill. Although even there with a little concentration a person can figure out things about their running style and take some corrective action.
While I ran on the treadmill a lot last year, I also still went with my "running family" more often for workouts. This year, I have run many, many miles alone. And many, many miles on the treadmill. That is not a healthy combination. Even as someone who doesn't mind the treadmill as much as other runners, it just does not make me happy.
But it does leave a lot of time for the mind to wander. And to think. And to contemplate.
So, what did I contemplate today?
Passing things on to my kids. I'm sure I'll also ponder in the near future how I pass things along to the kids I teach in Sunday school, thinking about some comments from a teacher/runner friend.
Anyway, my thre boys have learned that if they want to spend "quality time" with me (to use a cliché I don't care much for) with me it is probably going to be in the kitchen. (At least until any one of them takes up running.)
So, before I went to the Y today, I assembled the makings of chili in the slow cooker. When I got home and before work I asked my nine year old to bring me an onion, which I cut and added to the chili. Then, I told my nine year old that he could make cornbread to go with the chili for dinner if he desired--he was going to be home and then gone to hockey practice in the evening before I and his two older brothers arrived home.
So, since I have passed on cooking to him and his reading skills have improved immensely lately, he came home, found the recipe for corn bread with butter milk on the iPad, and made it. It was awesome.
What a gift!
Something that he can "just do".
And something in which he joins me in "wax on-wax off." Except his repetitive motion was not rubbing but mixing the batter. I wonder what he was thinking about.
And for the record, I ran 6.2 miles while at the Y, so I am 197.5 miles along the way still on PA 31 heading west. Not much more to say than that.
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