December is always the most challenging month for fitness. It has the shortest days, the coldest weather, and when when a warm front moves in, it usually brings rain with it. I get the initial flush of excitement as I scan the daily highs in the 10 day forecast, and then I check the precipitation, and the excitement falls away. There are no days in the current ten day forecast that meet my pre-project ride day parameters. And, to cheer the long cool nights, so many people are eating their favorite high calorie foods. Maintaining an even keel takes perseverance. I’ve failed a bit and so my weight suffered a bit, as well as the blood pressure. There appears to be a line, and I’ve crossed back to the wrong side of it. I’m working on getting on the right side. The calorie/macro counting is underway.

December also has the solstice. With that longest night/shortest day behind us, each day grows a little longer and the time when most weeks have plenty of ridable hours moves closer and closer.

The big hike is over for Russ, but we continued walks up Kennesaw Mountain on colder days for the cardio and cross training. The views are so nice from the mountain in the winter when the ozone counts are lower and visibility is amazing.

Russ had a hike buddy share some Dr. advice for knees, walking backwards uphill. Today I did it on a hill that was steep enough that I think it may help sub for some of the strength training that I’m missing since letting the Y membership go.

Russ will be getting healthcare coverage next year, yea! His is quite expensive, but mine is 4 times the cost of his, so I won’t. I do not understand why the cost difference is so big. He’s younger, but I have no pre-existing conditions that should effect my rate, and the quotes I got didn’t take health information. It’s a mystery. It should be based on straight actuarial numbers, and I don’t know any reason my risk of needing catastrophic or long-term care should be so different from his.

Regardless, we’re thankful for the improvement in his situation, and I’ll be looking into formal employment, and deciding more urgently whether or not I need to give up on the video project to gain healthcare coverage for myself. The rubs are that the riding helps me to get along without healthcare better. It will be a challenge to find employment that comes with healthcare coverage and still allows me to keep up family obligations, and it’s hard to choose to work a job that pays little more than the cost of healthcare coverage, especially when pursuing other options makes me less likely to need said coverage. Choices, choices. They make all the difference.

I’m listening to The Ikigai Journey. I started it New Years Eve. I thought I had chosen another book about Forest Bathing, but my mistake was serendipity. The authors are talking about making impossible Shinkansen (stretch) goals, and then meeting them.

I already have one of the good kind, and it’s time for me to go there. Having purpose has never been a challenge for me, but narrowing my energy to a manageable number of purposes has, and having it pay for my life? I’m not as good at following a purpose that does that. It’s not a conscious choice, more a result of what it is that I find rewarding.

This will be my year to solve my healthcare and financial problems while maintaining purpose. I’m stating my first shinkansen goal now. I want to sell 8 million of the primary T-shirt that we are working on. The reason isn’t just personal or financial. Those goals are important, but I also want the message on our shirt to have it’s moment in the sun and make a difference to people and planet.

Here’s hoping you find your purpose and have a year filled with glorious days! Until net time, see you on the trails.