The Corner Booth

You might say I'm excited about exercise these days. That could very possibly be an understatement. Not in many years have I had an exercise routine like I am currently embracing, one that I'm actually keeping up with for the most part. Perhaps it's a symptom of the seasonal stars realigning for Spring, or maybe a guilty response to the realization that I'm so totally out of shape -- and how the mirror keeps reminding me of this. Whatever the reason, I am more of an exercise fanatic than I can recall since my teen years! Yes, this fitness inspiration is a relatively new phenomenon for me. But don't think I haven't thought a lot about it before. I've made those symbolic vows every New Year's, dating back a decade, to "do better" and stay more fit. Back in high school, I played sports and competitively swam -- so being lean and in shape was just the norm. As it happens, life rolled on and my college years and adult life trajectory led me away

You are a cashew and I'm a pecan, but despite our differences we are both nuts in this crazy world... When someone calls the cashew a pecan, you don't go about changing the name of the nut. That's just stupid. Let's just be reasonable, and not get all nutty about this ... On 2nd thought, maybe I am up for a name change. I'm going to start referring to my diabetes as " Cheese "... That way, maybe I'll come to like my chronic condition a little more. And, it will go better with wine. That's all I have to say about that. For now...

I’m standing on a beach. My eyes look to the path ahead, a blanket of sand stretching out endlessly on uneven sandy terrain. Moving forward is a must, but what I’m walking toward isn’t clear. A horizon filled with water and sky sparkles like a mirage on the canvas way far away, calling for me to walk toward it. Despite my knowing I’ll never reach that point. No clear distinction between them. Sky and water overlap, weave together like abstract art and colored with majestic hues of red, orange, yellow, blue, and pink. Where one ends, the other meets – but the eyes, the mind, can’t tell the difference. Those two worlds collide, even though they’re part of the same picturesque horizon scene. Maybe it's all in my mind, a mirage after all. Still, it seems like I should walk on. But just as uncertain is the path ahead. There’s a line in the sand, but it isn’t straight. My steps may zig and zag on the undetermined route forward, marked by high