"Beauty confronts us with the requirement that we place ourselves among...the redeemers, the leaders in the protection of life. Once you have seen the bush on fire, you are not going to get out of the assignment unless you close your eyes to the beauty.... [You] either have to close your eyes or go back to Egypt and set the people free." - Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, "Rising to the Challenge of Our Times"

Monday, September 26, 2005

The good, the bad, & the cheesy

I had my first ever cholesterol test on Saturday. My dad and I were walking around in Fort Bragg, and they were offering the tests at Long's so we decided it would be a fun father-daughter activity. Consensus from both the person administering the tests, and from my uncle the M.D. who was also visiting at our house up there is that my total of 204 is a little high for someone of my age and activity level, but my HDL (the good fat) is also high at 53, so I am not currently at risk of heart disease. I think HDL must be like tiny wild salmon steaks that swim up and down through my blood stream eating up the tiny tater tots and french fries and quesadillas attempting to lodge therein. I'd better keep the salmon coming. (Note: this theory has not been scientifically verified.)

I have noticed that regardless of any perceived differences in political or religious belief or personal taste, my immediate and extended family is united in our love of cheese. I know of at least one cousin who is seriously allergic to milk, but no doubt he would really like cheese too if he had a choice. If any other relative reading this wants to speak up and assert that they are ambivalent about cheese, now is the time to do it; otherwise I think it's safe to say we all really like cheese. Maybe we don't all like the very same kinds of cheese, and maybe we like it in different quantities, but we all like it. Not sure what it means but it must mean something.

Didn't do any ocean swimming over the weekend but I rode my bike from Westport (at the 77.0 mile marker) to the 84.46 marker and back. This was farther up the hill than my previous attempt, though I'm not sure how far since I didn't write it down last time. 83-something I think it was. I felt slightly sick when I stopped at the turn-around point, but a little bonk now and then lets you know you've tested your limits. It didn't last more than a minute or two. That will be my last major bike ride before the event next Sunday.

Planning to do a trial run swim at the pool tomorrow morning (30 minutes continuously at an easy pace) just for the mental reassurance.

No comments: