ONCE IS ENOUGH -- TWICE IS A TREAT

 

MY BUSKING AVATAR

For me, one of anything is usually enough, whereas two of anything can oftentimes be a treat. And when I state, one, I am commented on both time and content. In reference to time, one hour shall suffice for my length of engagement for anything (except for my work contract), whereas about content, one portion shall suffice for practically any product being indulged. For example, I’ve the morning habit of reading the international news from CNN, Al Jazeera, and Fox. (Hmmm. Fox may be more intergalactic than international, because its writers and followers are seemingly from another planet.) Saying this as a Canadian writer, American politics reeks with the stench of the filthiest Augean Stable, the one where members of the Republican Party are kept and fed. When compared to reading Canadian and Western European politics, reading American politics is like reading lollapalooza ugly.

UGLY 

During this morning ugly read, I sip one Nabob cappuccino (no refills necessary).

One hour, too, seems the perfect amount of time that I allot for traveling to and fro home and my two gyms, Downtown Fitness and Ascendant Martial Arts. Downtown Fitness is my gym for strength training, and just a five-minute walk from home, whereas Ascendant Martial Arts is my gym for Muay Thai training, and just a five-minute drive from home.

At Downtown Fitness, my workouts last just one hour, for five days each week. At Ascendant Martial Arts, my workout is one hour of punches, kicks, knee strikes, and elbow strikes. A one-hour regimen of Muay Thai just one day a week is enough!

WASCANA LAKE and WASCANA POOL and WASCANA RINK, all situated in WASCANA CENTRE, are just walking minutes from my home. And keeping in theme, one hour to and fro for each is suffice. To run the lake takes a half hour. To walk the lake takes 50 minutes. To ride my bike ‘round the lake takes but 20 minutes. Swimming laps in the pool, I schedule myself for just one hour.

Even watching television, I am only good for an hour, two hours and I am Zzzz. A series that I have just finished watching was “MAN ON THE INSIDE.” Though it was five-star fun, I never watched more than two episodes in one sitting. And the same goes for “BLACK DOVES,” another five-star series that I’m currently watching. More staring at the tube would be just squandering my time, for me, quality time powers a quality life.

I do have a load of activities where a two-hour timeslot is a treat. Except for hiking. No matter how long a hike takes, it is always a treat. Disc golf, at the very least, takes a couple of hours. And the better I get, the bigger the treat.

Guitar busking for more than one hour becomes a chore, whereas portrait busking for a couple of hours can be a treat.

A GRAND LADY AND HER DOG

MICHAEL PAYNE, THE MOST FAMOUS HYPNOTHERAPIST IN LIMERICK IRELAND

Writing this blog is always a treat and always takes about an hour (for the first draft), whereas writing each day for a couple hours on my next novel, the sequel to QUEST FOR BLACK BEACH, is a treat!

A CHILLY RIDE

Enough of my notions on time. ‘Tis time now to turn to product. (Pun intended!) I never eat breakfast and my lunches are always very light. Even so, just one helping at suppertime of my most favorite cuisine is usually enough. But it is the after-supper snacks that are my killers!

Factoid: Last evening I bought a 165 g bag of “Maynards LICORICE ALLSORTS,” and I gormandized the entire bagful within an hour. With NATURAL COLOURS & FLAVOURS it had to be healthy right?! Introspection causes my dander to rise and thinking about it gives me a stomach-ache! Assorted licorice is not a good pre-game, pre-busk, or pre-anything meal!

Practically every evening I tap TIMMY’S for a London Fog or a Chai tea or a Cappuccino or a Macchiato. (Timmy’s is a Canadian cultural icon, known elsewhere on the planet as TIM HORTONS.) But always just one. And when I partake of other diners, which is often because I live right downtown where the diners are many and diverse, I limit my alcohol consumption to just one drink.

Factoid:  Just one drink of alcohol for me, is one drink of alcohol too many. Alcohol does not enhance my life in any way, not even socially.

If there is any message in this blogpost it could be that line of caution from Democritus, the ancient Greek philosopher, who stated, “Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains.” This was followed up by another ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates, who stated, “All things in moderation, including moderation.”

But American actress and singer, Mae West, said it best:

“YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, BUT IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, ONCE IS ENOUGH.”

MAE WEST

I shall close this essay with A BIG WOOF to my dogophile pal, Robin, who created the avatars atop and below my words in this post.

WOOF!