I still feel pretty weak and cowardly about yesterday's not-even-half-assed attempt at rollerblading. Part of it is that I spent money I shouldn't have on the darn things*, but the other part is being so afraid of getting hurt and/or looking foolish and unathletic in front of people. That shouldn't be that big a thing, since I've been unathletic since Reagan was in the White House, and pain is supposed to be a friend to the exerciser.
Apparently, there's a right way and a wrong way to fall whilst rollerblading. There are instruction videos on YouTube (one of which I started watching, then considered taking a bunch of sleeping pills instead), including just generic how-you-move-forward-on-skates tutorials.
I had to go to Walmart to get some cash today anyway (to buy Skeletor . . . yeah, I have a problem), so I checked in the bicycle helmet aisle, and there were three different options for elbow and knee pads. I bought the set that looked like I could most easily convince a neighbor it was for an S&M gimp cosplay, and made my purchase.
Sit-ups Today: 100
Sit-ups In February: 2840
I should have got it all together and driven somewhere to try out the rollerblading again, but I went to the library instead. Part of it is surely cowardice, but the other part is this stupid goal to write every day. A year ago, I was averaging well over a thousand words a day, and often two (I checked last year's blog post, and I had written the Sheriff Murtry and Deputy Anglesworth scene in "A Sidekick's Errand," and the scene where the two bros at the ski cabin talk about unwed mothers in "Winter Break." That seems like three months ago, despite 2020 being the longest year of the century for me too), and now, if I manage four hundred words I congratulate myself.
It's starting to snow outside, and the sky is the dull grey of a Cardassian supermodel.
Maybe I should've gone to the park instead. I have one more day to go on a hike to accomplish my monthly hike goal, and it's supposed to be sunny, but cold.
Push-ups Today: 20 (whoops. I paused when I typed this and went into the other room to do some more . . . and then I forgot what I was there for, turned out the lights, and went to bed. Sorry)
Push-ups In February: 2560
After the library, there was still a bit of light left, so I did go to the park and put on my kneepads, wristguards, and rollerblades (this took a good long time, but I hadn't realized they were held on with velcro, so I'd tried slipping the kneepads up over my feet and pantlegs and putting the wristguards on like gloves). I got out of my car, made my slow, painstaking way to the back, and tried to move forward.
It was like watching a middle-aged baby take its first steps, only not nearly as cute. I tried to keep my knees bent like the YouTube tutorial instructed, and moved at approximately one mile an hour forward, shakily turning, then rolling back to the car. Immediately, I proclaimed myself done and pulled myself (with my arm) back around to the driver's side.
But that was approximately how long it had taken me to get into the rollerblades and armor, so I forced myself to do it again, push away from the car, and move into the parking lot, try to roll around, and back to the car. Despite having run a hundred miles this year, it really hurt my leg muscles just to get moving forward, and to call my performance pathetic would undersell it.
I feel almost heartbreakingly sad right now, typing up this sorry report. But I did better on Day 2 than I did on Day 1, and if I could just make myself do it again and again, maybe I would overcome this timidity and get, if not good, at least less embarrassingly bad. And get my money's worth. So, one of my goals for March will be to practice on my rollerblades TEN times.
And I didn't fall down, despite having watched the tutorial on how to properly do so. Something to "look forward" to.
Words Today: 1208
Words in February: 19,640
*Every other time I've looked, like at a Target or Walmart or discount store, the rollerblades and skates I see for sale are for children, or if they're for adults, they're for adult women. It seemed that, with the sporting goods store that was in the building where I worked in community college closing, that I'd have to go online to find skates in my size . . . and that's no impulse buy. But actually seeing them in a store, right there in front of me, well, I couldn't resist.
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