I just set up a home mini gym in my Critter Corral (living room) so I can exercise when the weather is too cold or crummy.

 

I have a free membership with the YMCA but with COVID morphing and hanging around, except to swim there on occasion (very early when few other people are in the pool and I can stay a lane away from the closest swimmer), I want to continue to steer clear of people-y places as much as possible.

 

So this morning I took my three exercise items and put them in the same room. I can quickly and easily remove them at Christmastime when Lisa and I have Christmas dinner  with a couple of vaccinated and boosted friends but for now that’s where they’ll stay. I just put them this close together to show you them in a single shot.

 

I bought the Stealth Core Trainer (yellow item in the middle) last year for just over $100; the elliptical was free on the side of the road during one of my walks earlier this year, so I snagged that up. And today (for $85) I got and assembled the rower in no time flat.  I had to forego using the Stealth Core Trainer for months and months following panniculectomy surgery this summer, but I can use it again now without risk, so I’m going to incorporate it back into my routine.

 

 

I will bring my new CDs into the room when I exercise (Beverly Glenn Copeland, Enya and Clannad).

 

I will even “upcycle” the long box the rower came in for the rats. They will love it.

 

Here’s a photo of my stash of boxes to make rat mazes out of. The long box in front is the one the rower came in. It’s about 5′ long,  I will put it on its side and put two or three of the Imperfect Foods boxes under it to elevate it, and then put smaller boxes in the IF boxes to give the rats “stairsteps” and a maze of sorts to help them get from the ground floor (atop the terrarium and ferret cage that I set up for them) up toward the ceiling.  One of the rats always goes up as high as she can, so I have named her Miss Hightower. I think she’s a matriarch and likes being away from the kidlets (who are now no longer kidlets) so she can enjoy her retirement without shenanigans going on all around her.

 

 

In Other News…

 

As mentioned yesterday, I am going to start a podcast. I got a lot of positive buy in from my friends on Facebook, and the fellow who is going to coach me has confirmed that he’s ready to roll as soon as I am, so we’re going to talk about what that looks like tomorrow. It’s very exciting, and a wee bit nerve-wracking, too, but I’m determined to get over that and start showing up for myself and others visually, not just via blog posts.

 

Roger D Noriega (a dear friend and my mentor for this task) and I will be connecting on Thursday evening to walk me through the process at Streamyard. We will do some dry runs in the weeks before I go live and DRUM ROLL, PLEASE, the DEBUT WILL BE SATURDAY January 15th at 10:30 or 11. The podcasts will be saved and available eternally afterward all over tarnation: itunes, spotify, youtube, ndb media, you name it.

 

He loves both of the two names I’m trying to decide on for the podcast.  Whether it’s EVER NEW or LIVING OUT LOUD, the full title will include “With Kris M Smith.”

 

So, now it’s decision time. Which of these two show titles do you like best?  Let me know!