Will You Be Remembered?

There is a certain conceit as a writer around hoping you’ll be remembered in the future.

But my reality is I’ll disappear after a single generation or perhaps two.

The transient nature of electronic media is unlike the black and white photographs of my parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents that survive multiple generations. And an ebook isn’t even close in staying power when compared to the century-old books on my shelves.

A faulty hard drive and disintegrating electrons consign my children’s, children’s memories to electronic chaff.

So while I have excellent black and white picture of my great grandparents, there will be none of me or mine to live in dusty boxes and framed hallways to back bedrooms.

My writing? Half a dozen print books live in national libraries. The other thirty-ish are electrons and when my heirs stop paying the storage,  these too will disappear. The electronic books will – I’m told – degrade even with good storage.

If nothing else, this thought reminds me of the fragility of life and memory and how important it is to live in this moment, on this day. 

To take the time – in the moment – to love.

Want updates when I post something new? Click here

I remember you Jimmy Wallace

I remember you, Jimmy Wallace

I was cleaning out boxes of “stuff” in my office a few weeks ago and came across an old grade four class picture. One of the students had a small but still visible x above his face. And I remembered – yet again – the story of my best buddy Jimmy.

Jimmy was killed by a car after he rode his bike down the Dunbarton Church driveway out onto Highway 2. The driver never stood a chance of stopping.

We were young and foolish as most 8-year-old boys are and one of the favourite sports of our friend-group was to ride our bikes down the steep driveway beside the Dunbarton United Church to get up a good head of speed. 

We’d barrel out the driveway onto the old Highway 2, make a perilous high speed, right-hand turn and continue down the highway sloping to the west, pedalling for all we were worth on our old single-speed bikes. It was the fastest any of us could get even compared to the hill on the old Liverpool Road on the eastern side of Toronto.

Jimmy ran out of luck.

A car appeared just as he reached the highway and there was no way for that car to stop. Jimmy was killed instantly.

But I remember you, Jimmy Wallace.

Jimmy lived in an old farmhouse just east of Liverpool Road on the outskirts of Toronto. The big old barn behind the house was a favourite place to play, and we’d walk on the beams and swing on a thick rope tied to a high beam to Tarzan into a pile of straw left on the floor.

The house is long gone and the surrounding fields are now subdivisions. Even the monstrous hill we used to toboggan down has been bulldozed down for housing.

But I remember you, Jimmy Wallace

I remember we climbed apple trees and feasted.

We built a tree house in a walnut tree just down from my house.

Drove our bikes down a hill in the walnut tree field to careen off a bump at the bottom to see if we could get some “air”.

We Even Had A Fight

We even had a fight on our front lawn, which meant the two of us wrestling around for a few minutes before my mom yelled at us and told us to stop. It took us a few days to sort it out, but we were friends again within a week. 

Jimmy’s older brother Beverly was an “older brother pain in the anatomy” as are all older brothers.

Jimmy’s mom was as welcoming as other mothers, but there was an air of sadness about her I didn’t understand. We never talked about his dad, who wasn’t there.

But this morning, I remember you, Jimmy Wallace.

p.s. None of us ever drove our bikes down the church driveway again. And my parents started driving me to cub scouts, so I didn’t ride my bike on that highway.

Click here for updates when I post something new

5.0 Exercise Update Jan 2022

It’s hard to know where to begin with an exercise update as it seems there have been a flood of “new” decisions and events in all our lives. (Thanks Covid!)

My objective is to exchange old behaviours for new, healthier ones.

So far:

The Weigh Scale Adventure

I’ve lost 10 pounds (I think). Our scale is on its last legs (Yes, we fed it new batteries) and it gives some wonky readings.  Our weighing system now is to stand on it, wake its tiny electronic mind – and get a reading.

  • We ignore Reading #1 and step off. 
  • Step on again and accept Reading #2.  

The difference between the two is roughly a bag of cement and we assume the second reading is a much closer measurement.

I’m now flirting with almost sub-200 pound measurements from mid 200-teens.

A new scale is on our someday list.

Meditations

I have reestablished a 20 minute meditation into my daily routine and am considering a second one.

Note: I subscribed to Apple + Fitness and am using their meditations and exercise routines.

Walking As Exercise

My walking habit is now active again and I’m doing a minimum of 2 miles a day (most days just over 2.5) 

Important Point

My main objective in this slow and steady adoption of new behaviours is to cement the behaviours into my daily routine.

I’m not looking for a wild burst of enthusiastic beginnings and burned out endings a short time later.

Diet

I had begun dieting with a low-carb diet but read this note comparing low carb to restricted calories.

I”m now tracking the food I eat using a subscription to the app Lose It. I’ll report back on how this is going in a while.

The Next Step In My Exercise Routine

My next step is to add some strength and cardio exercises into my day. (They’re scheduled for Wed, 23rd.

I’ll start with 5-minute sessions even though I understand cardio requires an 8-minute period for optimum benefit (that may be old data however.)  I’m adding one cardio and one strength session to begin.

Remember – my objective is to cement these behaviours into my daily schedule. The benefits will be low at the beginning but will – once I’m satisfied with the daily routine – be increased in repetitions and time.

  • Establish the habit. 
  • Then do the serious work.
  • Celebrate each step and disappeared pound

Want updates and stories as I publish them? Click here

error: Content is protected !!