Tai Chi: An Effective Alternative Exercise

The new issue Diabetes Health magazine has an article on the benefits of practicing taiji. A 2005 study has shown that blood glucose levels decreased in 58% of participants after seven days of practice. Another study in 1996 found that Type 2 patients were able to control their diabetes with less medication.

I haven't been taking care of my diabetes. In fact since I lost my job at McAfee, and insurance, last August I have been very bad. I wasn't really in control before being fired. I took my pills and went to see the endocrinologist every month. But I didn't exercise or avoid sweets like I should. My failure is starting to take its toll as I think I've started to develop neuropathy in my left foot.

I know I've had plans to take better care of myself before and none of them have been completed. There have been some minor successes. I eat more fresh vegetables and seem to have lost 20 pounds somewhere. So each attempt I make gets me closer to the goal and I'm going to cling to that fact, or delusion, and keep trying again. The Enso Center in Redmond has monthly classes that fit in my schedule. So I'm going to sign up and take them. Go me!

publius_ovidius posted about a paper by Alistair Cockburn in his use.perl.org journal. He boils the paper down to "People not doing the work come up with Ways Things Should be Done. People actually doing the work ignore the Ways but get their work done anyway," and I agree with that summary.

When I first read publius_ovidius' post I read his summary as "People who aren't doing the work complain about how Things Should Be Done while those who just Get Things Done are doing the work." That thought rolled around my head and I started to see how I have spent more time trying to do things The One True Way instead of just doing them. I hadn't written letters because I didn't have the right pen or paper. I didn't practice taiji because I hadn't found the right teacher. I haven't been active on the radio because I don't have the perfect setup. The list goes on and on. Now when I notice a thought like, "I can't write a letter because I don't have the right paper," I stop myself and say, "Who cares about the paper. Don't you feel special when you receive a note from a friend?"

I just wrote and mailed three letters even though all I had was a ball-point pen and some notebook paper. I wrote this post even though I didn't have the perfect subject or amazing turn of phrase to make my point. If it's been lost in my rambling my point is that the perfect moment may never come. Get it done now. It doesn't have to be perfect to improve your life.