Not any kind of shape

Welcome to the blog and introductions to me. I'm 38, PhD (all dressed up and nowhere to go), father of two boys (the Painter, 4;2 and The Inventor, 1;6). You'd think they keep me active, and they do, just not enough and not necessarily enough of the right ways (but oh, I've got a strong left arm!).

I had a Fulbright grant to Central Europe a couple years ago (before The Inventor was born) and lost about 20 lbs. and 2 inches in the waist from all the walking (we lived in a third-floor walk up, and my office was a fourth-floor walk up). Then I got home, tended my father and watched him die, slowly, from prostate cancer, and sat around, reading, selecting, and writing my dissertation. I've sat so much over the past couple years, that I needed physical therapy a few months ago, for my knees.

I'm slowly on the mend. I've never been big. Well, actually, that's an understatement. My middle brother always called me short stuff. I'm 5'4-1/2" (don't forget the 1/2) or as I've put it before "5'6" in heels". Currently I weigh somewhere just north of 150 lbs. My top was 167 lbs. At that point, I actually weighed more than Middle Brother, which was nothing to be proud of, given that he was always stocky and quite the jock in his younger days. The shock brought me back down (that and my time overseas).

In any case, weight has never really been my issue, other than that aberration. But I am my father's son, and he topped 300 at his high point (we're talking a man about 5'7" in stature). I've not been active enough. Simply not in shape. I just don't want my today's not in shape to become my tomorrow's oh what a shape. And on that note, a conversation with The Painter:

Painter: Daddy I want to go on a real ride again, not just in the garage.
Me: Sure, I know. Just give me a couple weeks okay. That's why I'm trying to get into shape.
Painter: No, daddy, I don't want to you get into any kind of a shape, because, if you're a shape, then you won't be able to ride the bike anymore.

Enjoy!