You've Got To Keep Moving

        I read once that sitting is bad for your health and sitting for long periods will absolutely kill you. Most often when I am at work (or on my computer) I am standing, squatting or squirreling around the shop like a man on a mission. I very seldom sit. I usually get about three hours of "sit time" in the evening while watching TV... however, I make a point of rising at least every fifteen minutes to do small errands around the house (get a new log for the fire, make a cup of tea, survey the property, let the dog out, let the dog in).
        I've been friends with a fellow named Jack for 30 years. He's a cyclist who migrated north to Chester in his 63rd year of life after a career as a body man (on cars) near Glendora, Ca. He made an impression on me that I'll never shake...he was mated to his roadbike like a pro-peloton cyclist and his motto was; "You've got to be smooth and you have got to keep moving." Jack is now 93 years young and when he steps into the bicycle shop where I work, he dances in...kind of sideways like he has a 40's Jazz tune playing in his head.
        I'm thinking that driving a motor vehicle is one of those things that will kill you...and unless you are a residential delivery milkman, you will always be sitting when you drive. I ride my bicycle to and from work nearly every day and as I said, I seldom sit at work, so, as you can see, I am planning to live into my nineties like Jack...one problem, I don't dance as well or as often as Jack but, I do like older Jazz.
       We have numerous gadgets that keep track of our steps, our blood pressure and count our beats per minute, generally trying to inspire us to keep moving. However, there are many more gadgets that discourage movement...presenting a screen that demands attention and distorts our awareness of the 'here and now'. In fact, these screens demand that we split our attention so that we even lose track of the task at hand (like driving, or cooking, or parenting).
       Generally, I'm saying that this 'digital age' discourages us from dancing, cycling and hiking through the days we have left. So, when you think about it, it's really no surprise that the lifespans of 'civilized' people has been shortening during this 21st century.