Random Thoughts Showing 12,651-12,700 of 17,689

[Bobby]

I ride my bike to a facility where I play racquetball almost every day. Enjoy quick action of the sport....similar to squash.

[Andy]

Its all about doing what you can & keeping the body going, which has always been my mantra, even a little walking is good.... but 40 Miles Happy! thats some going, I used to walk a lot too approx 30miles a week plus sport specific training on top, when i was 30 summit though :)

[Lisa]

That's seriously committed walking Happy!! And I should definitely do more of it for my diabetes. There is something quite meditative about walking. I get lost in my own head, just like in books. Back to Lucyland, Chris calls it. Margaret you would probably do something similar, because you walk lots!

[Gretchen]

The twins and I would walk around the lake every morning while their big sister was at soccer. My stroller broke so my walking has turned into extra time on my elliptical.

[Laureen]

40 miles a week? That's, like, 6 miles a day! Amazing. I truly admire your dedication but how do you fit it into a busy lifestyle? And get involved in Goodreads And do the reading. I need an exercise regime but it would need to a 30min thing.

[Andy]

Thats only 2hours walking a day at a leisurely 3mph, easy enough to fit in.

Mine used to involve to & from work, none of this driving everywhere for me

[Simona]

Lisa wrote: "...that's about it for me. Or the physical exertion of chasing the last bit of chocolate in the house...."

At least, a sport where I feel up to compete!

[Jane]

Me, it's coffee ice cream!

[happy]

Laureen wrote: "40 miles a week? That's, like, 6 miles a day! Amazing. I truly admire your dedication but how do you fit it into a busy lifestyle? And get involved in Goodreads And do the reading. I need an ex..."

It takes me about 80 min to go 6 miles and once a week I'll take a "long" walk of about 8 or 9 miles

It keeps me off of meds :)

[Andy]

Simona wrote: "Lisa wrote: "...that's about it for me. Or the physical exertion of chasing the last bit of chocolate in the house...."

At least, a sport where I feel up to compete!"

Gold medalist potential I heard.....

[Andy]

happy wrote: "Laureen wrote: "40 miles a week? That's, like, 6 miles a day! Amazing. I truly admire your dedication but how do you fit it into a busy lifestyle? And get involved in Goodreads And do the readin..."

Anything to keep off meds, I hear yer :)

[Laureen]

Those who can walk such long lengths in a day amaze me. Working in our own small business 364 days a year prevents me from thinking about it besides the fact Asthma leaves me puffed after going around the block. My little downtime of an evening goes to Goodreads and reading.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Lisa wrote: "That's seriously committed walking Happy!! And I should definitely do more of it for my diabetes. There is something quite meditative about walking. I get lost in my own head, just like in books. B..."

Oh yes. I call my walks Ambulatory Meditations. :)

[Allison]

Congrats to all of you. Most of the time I don't even want to walk out to my mailbox. "its too hot/cold out, I have to put jeans on, I don't wanna" are all viable excuses :D

[Laureen]

Margaret wrote: "Lisa wrote: "That's seriously committed walking Happy!! And I should definitely do more of it for my diabetes. There is something quite meditative about walking. I get lost in my own head, just lik..."

My husband has aquatic meditation. Swims after work like 40 pool lengths however slowly and he says it's his way of meditating. Mind you, he doesn't believe in meditation as we know it.

[Laureen]

Allie wrote: "Congrats to all of you. Most of the time I don't even want to walk out to my mailbox. "its too hot/cold out, I have to put jeans on, I don't wanna" are all viable excuses :D"

I'm with you Allie - especially as my mail box is at the bottom of a sloping driveway. Oh! The energetic required. Is to there any easy way of getting fit? Ha Ha. No, of course - Damn!

[Lisa]

Oh I don't do anywhere near enough exercise. And my new job has me sitting at my desk for eight hours, with very little action there. Unless I'm going to raid the chocolate box. That's a blood sport when I'm around. I take my hat off to those that do. And I really hate the meds too Andy, so I need to pull my finger out. Laureen, I think if you get lost in something you enjoy, like that, it is definitely meditation. Just don't tell him, haha.

[Laureen]

Lisa wrote: "Oh I don't do anywhere near enough exercise. And my new job has me sitting at my desk for eight hours, with very little action there. Unless I'm going to raid the chocolate box. That's a blood spor..."

I know - I do admire him for it. I am just jealous I can't enjoy getting fit like others can. Yeah, I know, it requires discipline. I don't seem to have that gene.

[Lisa]

Not alone there Laureen. Though I believe there is great medicinal meditational qualities to all things chocolate! :))

[Laureen]

Yeah, chocolate I can do!

[Jane]

Allie wrote: "Congrats to all of you. Most of the time I don't even want to walk out to my mailbox. "its too hot/cold out, I have to put jeans on, I don't wanna" are all viable excuses :D"

Same with me. Except I wear salwar around the house. Who cares if people see me? I SHOULD walk every day AT LEAST to the end of the street.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I go insane if I am stuck inside without a walk. Thankfully my job includes walking to and from the post office in the morning, so I get outside for at least 20 minutes each working day.

[happy]

Part of my motivation for walking is seeing my grandfather die in pieces from diabetes. He had three sets of amputations in 2 yrs and was waiting another round when he passed. Mind you, it wasn't motivation UNTIL I was diagnosed 20 yrs later - since then I've lost 135 lbs (I found 50 of them and am trying to lose them again :)) and my fasting blood sugar went from 3 1/2 times normal to the high normal range.

Also I found that walking does clear the mind - I wish I'd started much earlier in life

Plus Otisthedog is a very good walking partner. When I come home from work, he's at the door waiting and looking at me seeming to say "How come you aren't changed yet - lets go NOW!"

[Ace]

We started hiking last year, my tolerance is quite low. Now my husband is making me work around the block each night to "practice my walking". A little condescending, but I know his heart is in the right place LOL

[Lisa]

That's great motivation Happy. And good work on the weight loss. Huge effort. There are many ugly side effects from diabetes, and I seriously need to start pulling my finger out NOW!

Ace, sometimes we need that person to drive us, though. Chris gets up early hours to take photos, and sometimes I just can't be bothered. But he comes home with the most amazing sunrise shots. The other morning the sunrise was a bit flat, he turned around and the full moon was in the most amazing mauve coloured sky. I kick myself when that happens, because I should have been there to see it.

[Simona]

Andy wrote: "Gold medalist potential I heard..."

Yep. A champion, that's me.

[Andy]

Lisa wrote: "That's great motivation Happy. And good work on the weight loss. Huge effort. There are many ugly side effects from diabetes, and I seriously need to start pulling my finger out NOW!

Ace, sometime..."

small steps to start with & then build from there - if yer try doing the 1/2 marathon (should that be snickers...) first up yer never get motivated & jus roll back over n snore yer head off for another hour or so! You know yer want to! Up Girl & lets be having yer!

[Andy]

happy wrote: "Part of my motivation for walking is seeing my grandfather die in pieces from diabetes. He had three sets of amputations in 2 yrs and was waiting another round when he passed. Mind you, it wasn't ..."

Top effort that, mind nowt like a shot across the bows to get anyone to focus on whats important, good health means everything I can tell yer. :)

[Jane]

Andy wrote: "happy wrote: "Part of my motivation for walking is seeing my grandfather die in pieces from diabetes. He had three sets of amputations in 2 yrs and was waiting another round when he passed. Mind y..."

Amen!! A person can live to be 90, but without good health, it's not worth it!

[Mark]

As most of youknow I was diagnosed couple of years ago as type 2 diabetic, but at the moment due to my medication I am taking its well under control, but it dosent mean I go out and stuff my self with all the sugary goodness(badness) whichnis out there.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Did somebody recently diagnosed with diabetes? Lisa?

Sorry to hear.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hi all,
More explanation later, but I have turned the group Private.

Maybe it is temporary, maybe not. For the moment though, I have turned it Private. Am chatting with Dawn about a few changes.


p.s thanks for all the well wishes last week. My parents are now home safe and sound. Traumatised, but safe and sound. :)

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Have we been hit by nasty little Trolls, Terri?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Nah, it is something Dawn and I have discussed recently in an effort to somehow protect us Moderators, and members, from these SP/Indie authors who act so insane when they realise they can't do whatever they want in groups. The ones who react to being moderated with completely irrational instability.

I know not all SP/Indie authors act that way, we have SP/Indie authors in this group who are here as readers and mean no harm, but the ones who aren't here as readers can be very damaging when provoked by simple things.

It was that Lavender Ironside/L.M Ironside woman who harassed me and abused me with such vitriol in a PM and on her Goodreads Blog a few months back, that makes me not want to come back to Goodreads when I have stress going on in my personal life.

I used to come to GR to escape personal trials and tribulations. Nowadays I stay away from Goodreads because I find the negativity I have received here this year has outweighed the positives I used to get out of the site.

So Dawn and I are hatching a plan to make A&M survive as a book group if I am not around as much anymore. I am such an active moderator that it puts me in the firing line more often than I would like.
Want to balance being a casual user of A&M, as most people have the luxury of being here, while still keeping the group alive.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

Makes sense to me.

[Jane]

Well, this woman has cooked her goose as far as I'm concerned. I am not interested in the LEAST in reading any of her books! I'll bet 10 to 1 lots of other folks feel that way!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

It was the most ridiculous behaviour from her. The straw that broke my donkeys back however was when some guy, a stranger to me, sent me an aggressive message soon after that Ironside incident. Nothing to do with the incident, just some stranger who'd gotten the group read poll message and then decided to give me a dressing down because he had to keep leaving the group as I, apparently, kept adding him to the group. Told me to stop adding him to the group or he would report me to Goodreads. As we all know, you can't add people to groups. That's Facebook not Goodreads.

This is only one of many Private Messages I've gotten over the years, telling me off or putting me in my place. But the most toxic ones come from SP or Indie authors because they don't like not being able to promote whenever they want, or don't like that I don't add self pub books to our polls, or don't like that I won't let them promote their fantasy or romance book in the group etc etc..
I've had to Flag quite a few toxic and vicious messages from Authors over the years.
It gets wearing.

So, the Ironside incident had turned me off GR, but I tried to put it aside and carry on. Then I got that message and I thought "to hell with it" this isn't what I come to GR for.
I come to the site to escape the stress, not add to it.

[Gretchen]

I have noticed an increase in what I am guessing are SP/indie authors sending me friend requests, especially if I have just marked a book as to-read. It hasn't been a huge problem but I have had to unfriendly or block a few that continue to pester me about whether or not I have read their book. I have three small children at home, if I want to be pestered I will ask them.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

I have to admit I've not had much of that. But then, unless we share at least 4 friends in common, I won't add anyone as a friend.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

So many don't seem to even think about what they are doing. They are on a one man/woman mission to sell books and that's all they care about.

[Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila]

If a book is good, to a certain extent, it will sell itself. Aggressive selling will turn people off.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

You'd think so. Some people go for it though. nI have no idea why.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I have changed the wording in the group description. Not by much. Took a few words out and tidied it up so I could squeeze in a piece about Authors only welcome as Readers.

Authors are constantly ignoring the message in the pop up box when they first join that says 'Authors please read Author Posting Guidelines before posting'. And then they get defensive when they get moderated.

Since we are now a Private group, they cannot miss (surely they cannot) the purpose of this group as a group for readers.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Another change we are making.

There will only be one book group read a month instead of two.

It was set at two originally because some members early on preferred medieval and some ancient. I don't think this is common anymore.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hope these changes are okay by our active members. Hope you aren't too disappointed. We've got to do what we've got to do to keep the group alive with me not as active anymore.

[V.W.]

As an author myself, I am often annoyed by the behaviour of other authors who seem unable to resist promoting their works practically with every message they post. This is really silly behaviour. I have found that getting to know readers as people, finding similar tastes and interest, and just chatting about books we like is often the best way to get them to become curious about your own books. I suppose it is the impatience that modern society promotes. Results *now*.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Thanks for posting that V.W.
Yes, the sense of urgency is really more like desperation. Not sure what of, desperation for money or maybe desperation for fame? I guess maybe desperation to have their baby appreciated.
But in the end, if that is why someone is publishing their book, or getting their book published, then they are doing it with the wrong mindset.

[Jane]

Terri wrote: "Another change we are making.

There will only be one book group read a month instead of two.

It was set at two originally because some members early on preferred medieval and some ancient. I don..."

In other words, you will be alternating periods?

[Ace]

Just want to chip in my 2 cents worth here..

I would much prefer if this group was Private permanently. I am more comfortable and would be more active in a private forum than the public ones. I see it as a good move.

I am sorry however to know that you guys are being harassed, reading should be fun, not competitive and sales focused and I certainly don't want to be marketed to/at ... and I don't want to worry about what an author thinks of my ratings, they are mine to do with what I please!

You have my support either way!

[Bobby]

On the peripheral but always here. I'm along for the ride and hope that the small changes made will solve the harassment problems. Your devotion to this site is appreciated in my small corner of the world.