A lot of people were out this morning finally getting an opportunity to begin their New Year’s resolution of getting more exercise. Skies were clear for once with a break in the rain. My running shoes were still a bit damp from yesterday’s puddle dodging. The warm Florida temperatures were certainly tempting my imagination in thinking ahead to next year at this time. Instead, it was a stuck inside kind of day with two bowl game disappointments and the first of a Rocky marathon. I’ve enjoyed watching some of these old movies, starting the new year with the traditional Planes, Trains, & Automobiles and completing The Godfather trilogy. It’s hard to believe how little I remember from watching years ago. I’ve also got at least four more Rocky features to get through.

I flipped over the first page of the new 2021 word calendar to find definitions for “homage” and “oblivion,” so certainly not serving to expand my vocabulary so far. Today is Bears Sunday football that will certainly be frustrating. Scotch will hopefully take the edge off. In addition to the boxing movies, I’ll continue to proof my first draft of Tribulations and Trials for a friend to review next week. It’s only about 175 pages, 40,000 words at this point, with lots of tedious work ahead. The story is about my personal involvement in a 1971 drug bust. If I can’t even remember popular movies, I probably don’t have much accurate recollection of events that happened fifty years ago. 

I tried my best yesterday to cut back on the heavy food consumption casualties from celebrating the new year. I naturally like to do some January cleansing to help counter the extra weight gained over the holidays. I could certainly stand to lose ten pounds as we head to sunny Florida in a few weeks, hoping to avoid being mistaken for a beached whale. My extra layer of fat and pale white skin will not be an attractive sight, but a common look for the thousands of snowbirds that head to the Gulf every winter. By this time next year, I should once again have a decent native tan. Missing out on Bali, Hawaii, and St. Kitts this year certainly didn’t help my current lack of color. The upcoming week on South Beach  and The Keys will help get me started. Give Me Sunshine!