Friday, June 28, 2013

Observations from Walk to Work Week #1

Some background: I live 2.3 miles from my office. Head a couple blocks west and then it's a straight shot south until I literally run into my office building. I've talked for a while about walking to work and now that we're back from vacation and my extracurricular activities (not including partying) have stopped for the summer this seemed like the perfect week to start walking to work. I'm not a super fast walker; it takes me about 50 minutes to commute by foot. Here are some of my random thoughts during the past week, along with lots of sky pictures.






Monday: It's a gorgeous day and very pleasant. In the morning, anyway. After work it's humid and hot. Damn, I forgot a bottle of water. Huge mistake. Please don't sit at the desk for too long. Also, I should make sure to take an umbrella since it's the time of year of pop-up storms. I got lucky Monday with no rain. Probably not a good idea to wear a dress that potentially flies up in a breeze. And word to the wise, use the restroom before leaving the office.







Tuesday: Today I actually need to drive because I have a 5:00 appointment. Probably a good thing because I'm kind of sore and I could see myself bailing on the whole walking thing. But Tuesday provides a good break and by Gwensday I'm ready to go.


Gwensday: OK, today I'm taking a bigger backpack so I can take a change of shoes and my lunch and deodorant. You're welcome, coworkers. This morning's sky isn't quite as nice but it's still not a bad walk.


Walking home, however, the sky looks ominous.

Will I make it home before the deluge?
Nope.




















I did have my trusty umbrella, but I was wearing a maxi skirt so
here's me creating puddles in the hallway at home.

Time to change clothes, go to new next-door neighbors for a happy hour and then to opening night of a new bar that is pretty much a block from our house. Fun, fun, FUN.

Thursday: After last night's good time, I overslept, so I took advantage of what measly public transportation we have and rode the bus most of the way to work. I walked home, and it was damn hot. I took a shower before going to Yahtzee. Home around 12:30. Oof.

Morning sky.

I think of this like I think of Braille at drive-up ATMs. Weird.

I hit a groove in which I crossed seven streets in a row with the walk signal without having to stop. Maybe I should play the lottery.


After work sky

Friday: I managed to get up a little earlier than yesterday. There's possible rain in the forecast for later today and our porch is being painted, so fingers crossed that the weather holds. Took a slight detour this morning to walk by Goodale Park and see the setup of Comfest, which starts today and goes all weekend.



Got to work and changed shoes and freshened up and "did my hair," which consists of letting it down and shaking it out.

Sorry, no makeup today. And holy shit, my hair has lightened a ton. Might need to go with a lighter color for summer.

Of course, I listen to music while walking to and from work. This particular song is one I didn't know until I heard it on SYTYCD last week and now I'm obsessed. If I need to increase my pace, this is one of the songs I bump up on the playlist.


Wings by Little Mix on Grooveshark





9 comments:

  1. Yay you! I love the pics, especially the sign. lulz.

    I've wrestled with not wearing makeup to work. Thanks for helping me make that decision.

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  2. Gena, did I help you decide that "God, I must wear makeup to work because otherwise I look like shit?" Today I didn't mostly because I was lazy.

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  3. You go, Gwen Coco!!!

    Honestly, did you think I was going to write anything else?!?!?! But seriously, what a great way to get in some exercise, save $$ on gas and be a little kinder to the environment! Good for you!!!

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  4. Good for you! 2.3 miles is a decent walk! If it wasn't so hilly here, I might attempt it too, but some of these hills are a work out! Haha! Our audible crosswalks are automatic. I agree, it's weird that a blind person would have to find the button first! Pretty pictures and I love that all you have to do is shake out your hair and it's done. Lucky!

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  5. Good for you! I think that the best kind of exercise is the kind you can incorporate into your day and enjoy the activity for its own sake.

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  6. I love finding new music via SYTYCD! Good on ya for walking; I should go run up and down the stairs ten times.

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  7. Get it, get it! That's a long walk haha! Jared and I always underestimate how far away things are and I about die from walking too much. Shows how much I exercise!! ;)

    And you look flawless, even without makeup!! My blog would SHUT DOWN if I posted a pic w/o makeup!

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  8. Love that song, I'm totally going to add that to my "exercise" playlist. Also, that's awesome that you're close enough to walk to work. I think 7 miles would be too much :) Hope you had an awesome weekend.

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