Taking A Respite From Writing
What do you do to get away from your desk?
I’ve been writing on Medium for nearly a year. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m getting restless.
Not about writing. It’s about the sedentary lifestyle.
Some days I feel as if there are shackles attached from my ankles to my desk. At times I put off taking a leak or eating. Can you be too absorbed in doing something you love?
Writing is good for your mind, but I don’t think it’s great for your body unless you can pull a story out of your ass.
What was Michelle Obama’s platform? Move?
I wonder if you can be a writer and at the same time be super fit. But, of course, I’m not talking about the guys that write about fitness for a living. Just regular guys who write about random things like I do.
Since I sit so much, I’ve gained weight. Some of that is attributable to Abilify, my mood stabilizer. I also take Adderall, so I don’t eat that much.
I moved to the Southwest primarily for the abundant sunshine. But, I also moved here for the outdoor diversions. Unfortunately, I’m just not taking advantage of them. I need to start at least walking or something like that.
One thing that makes walking around the neighborhood fun is spotting roadrunners. I used to walk before I started writing, and I’d usually see at least one — a couple if I was lucky (they mate for life). They’re amusing birds with curious behaviors, and they make an unusual clicking sound.
Since I couldn’t take it anymore, I went on a road trip to the Valley of Fires Recreation Area yesterday. It is managed by the BLM (not Black Lives Matter). The campsites and facilities are on top of a kipuka, a sandstone hill that the lava flowed around.
Did you know that most of the words that describe lava are Hawaiian? Makes sense. Ropy looking lava is pahoehoe. Blocky, jagged lava is a’a.
I don’t think it’s the prettiest place to camp, but I’d do it if only to see the multitude of stars and the milky way at night. The campground is well maintained, with tent pads at each campsite. Best of all, there is a small building containing real flush toilets and showers! I’ve never seen such “luxury” anywhere I’ve camped.
There’s not a lot to do there. I wouldn’t advise walking through a lava bed unless you like the idea of walking on broken glass. The lava is that sharp, and it’s an open invitation for your first-aid kit. A trail was constructed over the lava flow, allowing you to see all the features and formations.
To love a lava flow is to love black, and have some interest in geology.
This lava flow, called the Malpais, is 44 miles long and is more than 160 feet thick at its center. It’s relatively young, flowing about 4,000 years ago. Can you imagine the earth hemorrhaging like that? This area is just a two-hour, fifteen-minute drive from Albuquerque. It would have taken me that long just to get past the suburbs and exurbs of Chicago!
Conclusion
In addition to clearing my mind, this helped alleviate my anxiety. I get anxious when I‘m at home and not writing. (Yes, there’s a pill for that too.) And if nothing else, it gave me the impetus to write this story. I’m fortunate to live where I do and to be able to do things like this on a whim.
If anyone else feels as if they’re in the same box, do some research. There are bound to be some points of interest that you didn’t know about.
So tell me, what do you guys do to keep from going stir crazy while writing in your home or apartment? Enquiring minds want to know!
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