Tonight, Saturday 30th Aug 2008, I walked out along my usual route at about 8.30 p.m.

I said ‘Good Evening’ to a lady with a large golden labrador just up the road from my house. She seemed nervous at this time of night but the dog came over at once wagging its tail.

“She likes men”, the lady said. The labrador sat down in front of me blocking my path effectively. She was overweight and probably felt like a rest. I sympathized entirely.

Eventually, the lady pulled the labrador away and they continued their evening walk. The incident reminded me of the importance of exercise for lazy labradors and lazy humans.

We all need to move around more. Moving around more gets the blood flowing and expends more calories so that we can lose unnecessary weight.

Just standing burns more calories than sitting down like the labrador! Instead of sittting down and saving calories we only need to stand up more often. The football crowds who prefer to stand to watch football have the right idea!

We should, then, stand rather than sit and walk whenever there is a chance to walk. Even stretching when you are at your desk can burn calories. Chewing gum can burn extra calories.

Thank goodness there is at least one benefit from chewing gum.
Even bending over to pick it off your shoe might help you gain flexibility!

Of course, sitting probably uses more calories than lying down. Some dogs unlike the labrador hit the pavement as soon as their owners stop for a chat!

You can also split your workouts into small sections throughout the day. Instead of 15 mins do 5 minutes in the morning and at noon and in the evening.

You might find an acronym helpful as a way to remember some of the key ways of burning calories. I can’t think of a good one yet, but try remembering the 4 S’s.

Stand often
Seize chances to walk
Stretch
Split your workouts

Today, Saturday August 23rd, 2008, I walked round the neighbourhood twice.

The second time was after dark and I noticed one burglar alarm that had a flashing light. Another one had a flashing light with a minor explosion of light every few seconds!

I expect that the competitive spirit will lead to more burglar alarms with flashing lights in the near future. Competition can push the human race from one astonishing achievement to another!

The Jamaicans are so competitive that over fifty thousand people will attend a high school sports day looking to discover yet another great runner like Usain Bolt.

Usain has just won three gold medals and broken three world records in the Beijing games. In fact the Jamaicans have dominated the track events.

Usain believes strongly in the power of hard work: “Tell the world that with hard work anything is possible.”

He also believes in avoiding worry in the spirit of ‘Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile boys that’s the style’.

An interviewer asked Usain: “You always seem so relaxed, laid back and enjoying the moment.” Usain gave a clear explanation for his attitude and for the antics which the crowd love:

“That’s what you should do. You have to enjoy yourself. When you start thinking too much, that is when you get problems You think about the race too much then you get nervous: ‘Oh God! I’ve got to get a good start. I got to remember to run up my drive (lane?).’

“Then you start to over think. You lose focus on what you should do or you keep telling yourself you are going to make a mistake. So I do all kinds of stuff to keep my mind off worrying about the race.

“When the starter says: ‘On your marks!’ then I say: ‘Alright! Lets go!’ I get on my marks and I have no time to think about anything. You just do what you were trained to do. You trained for months for this moment and you just execute.”

Maybe we need to worry less and free up our minds to take action. Working hard and walking a lot will also help to remove worry from our minds and allow us to do almost anything we want to do.

This morning, Tues 19th August 2008, I walked down Berens Way when a Ford Mondeo with ladders on top drew into the side of the road just ahead of me.

I immediately assumed this was Steve, my window cleaner, whose car looks exactly the same. He often stops for a chat in Berens Way or Clarendon Way. I leaned down to speak to him but was surprised to come face to face with a smoking skinhead. He said:

“Bravo!”

I looked at him and then at the driver. Neither was Steve!

“Sorry, I thought you were someone else – a friend!”

As I walked on, I thought I heard the skinhead saying:

“You poor fool!”

I could have gone back to check on what exactly he had said. But that would not have been a wise move. Any unnecessary confrontation, born of pride, is usually a mistake.

It is especially a mistake in your own local area. Even if you win any confrontation, your opponent knows at least roughly where you live and can return with reinforcements at a later time. You would have to spend far too much time looking over your shoulder.

On reflection, the skinhead was partially right. I have done many foolish things in my life. I once actually mistook another car that had stopped for the car of a fellow teacher. I thought the driver had stopped to give me a lift to the school.

Without bothering to check that I was right, I opened the car door and leapt into the front passenger seat. The driver took this very calmly!

“What now?” he said. Possibly, he thought he was being hijacked!

I apologized profusely and exited left!

Many of us do foolish things but, hopefully, that does not make us poor fools. I would much rather be a great genius!