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ping pong theory
Mar. 17th, 2006 07:43 amThis has been my week for catching up on undone things. I drive this morning for an overdue check-up by my doctor. Twice before I've been unable to make it to appointments with my physician, due to work exigencies. On the third time, I carved out the time, despite competing priorities. I'm eager to ensure that I am doing the right things to preserve my health, because I've failed to take care of this previously.
I also will obtain from my doctor a "physician's note" about what my target weight should be in this Weight Watcher's program. The Weight Watcher's tables suggest that one should weigh ideally somewhere between the body frame of a walking stick and the body frame of a rather stretched Gumby. I'll be intrigued to see how far my own doctor suggests I should go in my sensible weight loss program.
I think I will be able to bear the news with fortitude whether the answer is twenty or fifty additional pounds to lose.
Last night I went to the Salvation Army for the free legal clinic the legal aid folks sponsor there. When I arrived, I saw masses of people and not so many lawyers. But soon the lawyers arrived, and the entire group of people got to see an attorney and get assistance within forty five minutes. I like that Dallas-area law folks have a "can do" attitude about legal aid. I also liked that each person I interviewed had a discrete, solvable issue. I remember once talking to my favorite vet and asking her what was her most satisfying procedure to perform on an animal. She said that it was when a dog had a ping pong ball lodged in its throat. As she explained, the problem is real and palpable, but the solution is easy and seems miraculous. It's a concrete time when one can point to something one did, and say "that helped".
Lately I have fantasies that it would be fun to earn an Master's of Public Health degree on-line, and try to make a difference in a different arena. I don't think this particular fantasy will materialize into concrete action, but it's interesting the way that thoughts play through one's head. In my own case, I'd like to be better and do more than I do. Yet I know the first step is to do well what I have committed to do, and then to take on things in which I can take the ping pong ball from the puppy's throat.
Perhaps the promised rain will not materialize this weekend, and I can hike among the early flowers and blooming trees.
I also will obtain from my doctor a "physician's note" about what my target weight should be in this Weight Watcher's program. The Weight Watcher's tables suggest that one should weigh ideally somewhere between the body frame of a walking stick and the body frame of a rather stretched Gumby. I'll be intrigued to see how far my own doctor suggests I should go in my sensible weight loss program.
I think I will be able to bear the news with fortitude whether the answer is twenty or fifty additional pounds to lose.
Last night I went to the Salvation Army for the free legal clinic the legal aid folks sponsor there. When I arrived, I saw masses of people and not so many lawyers. But soon the lawyers arrived, and the entire group of people got to see an attorney and get assistance within forty five minutes. I like that Dallas-area law folks have a "can do" attitude about legal aid. I also liked that each person I interviewed had a discrete, solvable issue. I remember once talking to my favorite vet and asking her what was her most satisfying procedure to perform on an animal. She said that it was when a dog had a ping pong ball lodged in its throat. As she explained, the problem is real and palpable, but the solution is easy and seems miraculous. It's a concrete time when one can point to something one did, and say "that helped".
Lately I have fantasies that it would be fun to earn an Master's of Public Health degree on-line, and try to make a difference in a different arena. I don't think this particular fantasy will materialize into concrete action, but it's interesting the way that thoughts play through one's head. In my own case, I'd like to be better and do more than I do. Yet I know the first step is to do well what I have committed to do, and then to take on things in which I can take the ping pong ball from the puppy's throat.
Perhaps the promised rain will not materialize this weekend, and I can hike among the early flowers and blooming trees.
