ME

Here we are at 11:39 Monday morning, and so far so good. Still getting up 30 minutes before dawn, this morning that was 5:17. But right now I am very hungry.

Interesting thing on Saturday along the Prairie Path. On the north side, all is wild prairie, lovely and unkempt, as nature tends to be. On the south side, McMansions with a place for every plant, and every plant in its place. Neat and tidy to the nth degree. Such a contrast. I wonder if the homeowners are even aware of it. I don't much care for that style of landscaping myself.

Sunday I got up early and did the exercise routine and stretching, and was rather surprised at my lack of flexibility now, especially in my back and the back of my thighs. Those exercises were damn hard! But I already know that in the long run, they're worth it.

And sometime before lunch I did dance around the basement to Beethoven's Ritterballet - and loved it. I have two versions, and it is so interesting to hear how different conductors interpret the same music. It is 12 minutes long, and I did both versions, with a break in between. I enjoyed that almost more than the walking at dawn. I remember my father telling me that if he had had the voice, which he didn't, he would have been an opera singer. I grew up with opera, and hearing him sing "Figaro" in the shower. If I had had the body, and the chance, I would have been a dancer.

I am surprised at how easily I gave up sugar in my coffee. I always had one tablespoon of the stuff in the 7 cups (marker on the pot, works out to 2 /12 12 ounce mugs) every morning and 1/2 tablespoon at lunch. With 2% milk. Now I just use skim with no sugar, and it isn't hard at all. I had thought it would be horrible.

And I have discovered strawberries dipped in no-fat chocolate pudding. Really nummy.

There are tips in the book that I am reading, a zillion, but I am going to read one each day. The first is to drink a glass of water before each meal. Not hard. In the evening I drink sparkling mineral water, some Polish brand. Maybe with lemon or lime in it. Second tip is to eat from dark-colored plates. I had bought some navy blue ones back in 2002 so I pulled those out. No wonder I was having trouble all these years. We use very brightly colored plates, which apparently stimulate your appetite. Tell that to my thin husband. Third tip - eat in rooms that are blue or gray. Well, I'd have to eat in the bedroom to do that. Every other room in the house is a warm color. The back porch, where we eat all our meals is yellow, a color to avoid. Great. So maybe I'll try the formal dining room. That at least is cream.

This morning, when I went for a bowl for my cereal and half a banana, I had two choices, a large one and a small one. Now in the past that would have been a no-brainer, and you can guess which one. Even today, I thought the small one couldn't possibly hold 3/4 cup of All-Bran, that banana, and some milk. But I did try it, and of course it was perfect. Now I know what size to use in the future, even if I don't always weigh the cereal.
This morning I trotted down the Prairie Path, east this time. Won't do that again, however. I run into the underpass for both 290 and the North-South tollway, and the booming noise and creaking is not enjoyable. I was hoping to go west one day and east another, just to keep boredom at bay, but now I guess not. Tons of joggers again. Even two women, one jogging and a taller one walking, keeping together.

I'm also going to switch tapes from the Sargeant to a classical walking tape at 3 mph. Perhaps I can keep up with that, although as I remember the beat is not as good. We'll see on Wednesday. Work back up to the marching ones, which I do prefer. I was 189 this morning.

This morning's Trib has a front page article on OCD. I read the whole thing, and now wonder if I have it at all. I am certainly never anxious about my behavior in any way. I do have, to some extent, a need for perfection, but I have certainly had to make allowances for that with the man I live with, now over 40 years. One of my favorite things to do in fact is to arrange and/or organize stuff. And I do feel the need to follow the diet plan exactly, but I haven't always done that, like having more than 1/2 cup of broccoli and red boiled potatoes. It doesn't bother me a whole lot. I do like exactness, but don't get in a knot if I can't find it. You should see my house and garden! So maybe I don't have OCD at all, or if so, a very mild version. My sons say they have never seen one that takes the form of an alpha-omega obsession. But I'm not sure if iti s an obsession now, or just an easy and fun way to make unimportant decisions. Not every aspect of my life is dictated by that.

2nd day down.

ME

Yesterday, I went and bought some more beauty products, including a new, expensive perfume, Lancome's Magnifique, at $65 for a 1.7 oz spray. Yes, I do own perfume, which I love to wear, but the two that I have are Joy and some bluebell body spray, both of which are rather sweet. Magnifique is more woodsy, not floral. I love it. So now I have some choices.

So far I've spent almost $200 on Products, but I figure I haven't done so for, truthfully, years. And I do think prices now might be at their lowest, hopefully. This stuff will last me for years too. And today, I intend to go out and try and get a few more, and then come home and internet shop the rest.
And after that, write down some sort of beauty routine, one I can stick to. All this by way of just making me feel better about myself, thus an incentive to stick to the diet and exercise.

Also, this morning, I made out a huge grocery list, to shop for on Friday, and start this whole thing on Saturday. Even plan to take my lunch to Arlington when we go next Wednesday. Think of the money I'll save that I can then end up losing at the track. I made copious notes in Rempe's book in 2002, and see where most of the recipes were delicious. That's good. Diets always cost me a fortune in the beginning, but then level off, as I build up a supply of the food I need. And wonder of wonders, Caputo's actually has a sale on what is normally very expensive beef tenderloin, So cheap I wonder if it's the real thing.
And I did think that, if I'm bored with the Rempe book after 40 days, and I WILL last that far, I can go on to another diet book. I have plenty. I don't believe the diet so much matters, as the sticking to it does.

So I'm getting there. Sorted my CDs that I want to use to dance with in the basement. Took the breast exercise book upstairs. And laid down the two nice bottles of red wine, that now I will save for Thanksgiving. Now I have to search for the weights. It's mostly upper body work and stretching, something a 67-year-old does need. And the 20-Minute-Exercise video.

Tomorrow I'm going out with some old friends to a small art show in Evanston and DiPescara's restaurant in Northbrook to get some real crab legs. I don't know if I've ever even had those before. And when I say old friends, I mean of 46 years duration. And those are the best. They know me inside out, backwards and forwards, from before I was married. They know my OCD, my quirks, my personality, as not even my husband does, I suspect. I am truly myself with them as with no others. All this by way of saying - if you've got some good friends, keep them. In later years, they will be a treasure like no other. And they know, too, all my diet woes. They even remember me when I was slim. Last year, when I lost almost twenty pounds, one of them asked (the skinny one) didn't I feel so much better? And I had to say no, I felt no different at all. Diet-wise, it's a curse to be so healthy.

ME

And another thing. The reason (I just thought of) that I am so reliant on a rigid diet is that I transfer my OCD from finishing things, to the diet, sticking to that exactly. And that does work, until I get bored. How to keep from doing that is the question? How to keep the motivation.
PS. My husband weighs 170 pounds. Lean and trim, every inch. It's disgusting. But he does move a lot, except when he doesn't. He can sit and read for hours, something I cannot do. Odd. And he sleeps much less than I. I think I sleep too much too, but again, so did my mother. How our genes determine us.

I might try here to post every night after the exercise video, we'll see.

ME

OK - this one is all about me, and my body. Once again, I have reached the point of disgust with myself, and so I thought that if I put it down here in print, for all the world to see, maybe, just maybe, I can get the determination, and endurance, and lord knows what, to lose weight.
I am 67 years old, am now 5' 2" tall, (I used to be 5' 2 3/4" tall) and weighed this morning before consuming anything, 191 pounds. This is ridiculous, I feel like a blob.
Admittedly I am a foodie, as are my sons, and I love to cook, and am good at it. One of the joys of my life is starting a new recipe. I actually love to grocery shop. I love to read recipes even. What chance have I?
And the thing is, my OCD is a big deterrence. Years ago, in fact the year before the big snow storm in Chicago on Valentine's Day I went on a liquid diet, starting at 177 and eventually getting down to 117 pounds. This was through Rush Hospital, and they had a weekly counseling session, run by a guy who was as skinny as we were all fat. At one session he pulled me out into the hall and said that he thought my weight problems stemmed not from any psychological issues but from OCD, and would I consider taking meds. I was stunned. I never even dreamt I had such a thing, even though I did realize I had some odd habits. I immediately came home and asked my husband if he knew I had OCD, and he said "Sure". Wow!
So. But being a definite non-pill person, I declined the meds. And like everybody else, I regained the weight. But I did quit exercising hard and I went back to my old eating habits. I have nobody to blame but myself.
I hate my body, hate it, but unfortunately for any weight loss efforts, it works. I am blessed with good genes, and my mother, who lived to be 98 1/2, was overweight after she had me at 44 (and had struggled to keep a decent weight for long before that, telling me that she used to eat only one meal a day). In fact, I have her body. Her sister was obese, and lived to be over 90. My father and his sisters were long-lived, most in their 80s and some well into the 90s. He was 90 when he died. My mother's only health issues were arthritis and incontinence. Period. No high blood pressure, no diabetes, no high cholesterol. When I took her, finally, to a nursing home at age 96, they refused to believe me when I told them she was on no pills at all.
So there is no health issue that can give me any incentive. Sure, I have arthritis in my knees, but it does not keep me from going up and down stairs a zillion times a day, or walking five miles.
I eat too much, and move too little. Period. I love food and wine. Too much.

What to do? What to do? In the past, I get bored with any diet after a while. Last year, 2008, at the beginning, I started taking that Alli (I was so desperate that, yes, I took pills). I followed the on-line diet religiously, and from 192, I dropped to 173 by June! But the diet was so much trouble, I began to be concerned about any long-term effects, and I was bored with it. So I quit. And quit exercising, which I was doing. And look what happened. Back to Go.
Another thing. I seem always to hover around the same weight. For decades now. I don't keep on gaining at least. And I console myself with that fact, not good.

I am gearing up to start another diet and exercise program. The diet from "1,001 Simple Ways to Lose Weight" by Gary L. Rempe, copyright 1997. I own a bunch of diet books, natch, and this was the first in alpha order. And I see I have gone on the diet before, in 2002. I started at 188, only 3 pounds from now. And it is a 40 day diet, which will give me a good start - I hope. I have done this so very many times now. And I ALWAYS at some point, quit. The thing is, I must, simply MUST, learn how to eat without a diet regimen. But first things first, I think.

Many others have weight loss blogs, I know, but this really isn't for you, it's for me. And how many are my age? I want to live forever, and begin to worry that I cannot do that at this weight. And I'm so sick of the way I look. Yesterday, I even went out and bought Product, something I haven't done for years, mascara, blush, foundation, etc.

So all this writing is by way of gearing myself up, of putting on the sword, and shield, and chain mail, and helmet, so to speak. (I love all things medieval.)

I haven't gone out and bought the food yet. Am still looking for Product. And I must somehow learn to go off the diet when I travel and go out to restaurants, but still make the right choices. And give up alcohol. Hard. And exercise. And yes, get back to the bus routes, maybe ease off gardening for a while. I also hate my house and garden and the way they both look. See, all that involves movement, cleaning and washing and weeding. Something I'm not very good at. This very blog is stationary.

And another thing. I am married to a 70-year-old man, who jogs five miles every other day, who is 6' tall, and can eat every and any thing he wants, and weighs what he did in high school, maybe less. I know that even if he didn't run, his body would still metabolize at a disgusting rate. His sister's does. People who watch him eat can't believe his weight. Or how much he can put down. And when I cook something, he has always persisted in splitting it right down the middle, giving me half. I could serve myself first, and should, and then let him put the leftovers away. But, while I know that my weight is not his problem, he knows that it is very hard, due to my OCD, for me to leave anything. This is what the guy at Rush picked up on, that I have to finish things. Or eat something that I can finish. Another thing I must get past, somehow.

My exercise plan is to get up every morning 30 minutes before dawn, throw on some clothes, and go off walking down the Illinois Prairie Path for an hour to a walking tape that a deceased friend recorded for me years ago. It thus has resonance. And I have done this before and actually enjoy it. The world is different then, particularly the light. It is magical. I sleep better, and feel better about myself. Why then do I always discontinue? Is there an inner Being I can connect to? I wish I believed that.

I would also do, every other day, some exercises from a book called "101 Essential Tips Breast Care" by Dr. Miriam Stoppard, also 1997, and a DK Publishing book, which puts out great stuff. I have done this set, which takes me about 40 minutes, off and on for years now also, and again, feel great when they finally kick in, about 4 to 6 weeks after I start. I tie them in to making my bed, which I do religiously every day. I hate getting in an unmade bed. And that works for me. Or has.

Then I would like to, before lunch, do a little dancing in the basement to my CDs. I love to dance, and I just freestyle my way around here. It's fun.

And after dinner, instead of parking in front of the TV for a DVD, which I usually do, to just do a little of the "20 Minute Workout" that I have taped from many years ago. Admittedly it's for 20-year-olds, but, hey, they do have great bods, and give me inspiration. It would probably take me a year just to work up to doing 20 minutes.

Too much? Maybe. But I have the metabolism of a slug. Which reminds me that I saw that word in the name of an English pub in Norwich, "The Lettuce and the Slug".

So here we are. And here we go.

Introduction , or Raison D'Etre + THE #1 BUS ROUTE

INTRODUCTION

OK, the whole idea for this thing came about when I was able to get free rides on all the RTA routes - all. So that tells you I am of a certain age.

And my OCD takes an odd path. I am not a compulsive hand-washer, nor do I have other recognisable tics. And although I am a neatnik, I have learned to live with someone who most definitely is not. Kind've of a "his space", "my space".

No, my OCD is an alpha thing. A to Z.
My life is somewhat organized around this concept. I have a large collection of books, and awhile ago I put them all on a spread sheet (including sheet music, CDs,, DVDs, video and audio tapes, etc. Anything that could be found in a library). And for years now I have been going through them in alphabetical order. I figure I will be at least 77 before I get through the As.

So I travel from a book called "Abbeys of Europe", and have done it in the exact order of that book, chronologically, not at all practical, and have duplicated all the pictures from this 1968 book. The times of my life. Almost done. I have many notes from these trips that I would like to turn into a book someday entitled "A 21st Century Pilgrimage". Then I bought a book called "The $24 Bargain", about Holland, so that will be my next few trips. If I can afford any more. The way the economy is tanking, who knows?

I am cooking (I love to cook) from a book called "1,001 Low-Fat Recipes", going through it by the index. Starting in 2002, I am now down to the ps. We had paella last night. There were 77 chicken recipes. I am also going through "The A List", The American Film Institute's book of the most essential films of all times. Not only seeing those flics, but also every one mentioned in the review.

It occurs to me here that you may wonder how I got from "Abbeys of Europe" to "The #24 Bargain". Well, until this year I was doing great in plowing through my books, with the very occasional departure if the book discussion group I belong to read something I thought might be worthy. This was rare, but I love the people so I faithfully attend. Anyway. I was doing well, getting down to "The Age of Uncertainty" by Galbraith, having read all the "Ages" books by Will Durant except one, and the complete "Abraham Lincoln" by Sandburg. Large tomes all.

But unfortunately, well-laid plans get jolted sometimes. My next door neighbor moved and offered me my choice of very many books, free. Who could refuse? Naturally, I only selected those that began with a number or A. These had to be entered in. Then a friend wanted to go to the Little City Book Fair in Skokie. Who could refuse? I did limit myself to the travel section, and only those books starting with a number. More than a few. And to cap it all off, I decided to attend the Newberry Library Book Sale. More books, here only children's, and although only starting with a number or A, I did pick and choose only ones that looked interesting. And every year, we take the fiction paperback throw-aways from a local book sale to give to charity. We have done this for years, same charity. This year they were moving their library and couldn't take them. Boxes of pbs in the garage. So natch, I went out there and culled all the numbers and A's. Which, when I read them, will be put back in the boxes to eventually go somewhere, as I do not keep paperbacks. But, see, now I have a whole ton more in front of "Ages". And in my spread sheet #24 comes before Abbeys. But because I already started that project, I will finish it before I move on to Holland. And 1,000 comes before 1000. Enough explanation for you?

To add insult to injury, I have lot of clothes, no more drawer or closet space; I never get rid of anything. So a few years ago, I decided to only wear those things that either had no label or whose label began with an A. It was a good thing I had clothes from Appleseed's and Avenue. Shoes, bags, all except jewelry. And believe me, I have a complete year-round wardrobe with those alone. As they wear out, I will move on to the bs. I have enough clothes to last the rest of my life, I'm sure. I also love to garden, and the first garden book was "100 Herbs", so now I am working on turning my yard into all herbs. Wonderful, so far. The hunt alone is great.

There is probably more, but this should suffice to tell you where I am coming from. I have never regretted this alpha stuff. It has led me to more good times and adventures than you would ever imagine. I look upon it as a gift. Naturally I drive an Acura, 1993, my most prized possession.

So when we picked up from Navy Pier last spring a map of all the CTA bus and rail routes, with a few PACE and Metra lines thrown in as far as Cook County is concerned, I thought "Why not do them all? See the sights for free! In numerical order of course."
This blog is intended to tell you all about my adventures and observations in this years long project. There are over 200 bus routes alone.

THE #1 BUS ROUTE INDIANA/HYDE PARK

And Tuesday, August 26th, 2008, I started.

The very first bus is the #1, called Indiana/Hyde Park. It goes from Union Station south to 51st and Drexel and back again. It is a rush hour bus only, and I am most definitely NOT a morning person. But I have relatives in Woodlawn and this did seem a perfect opportunity to visit them, so I planned to get the last bus to leave Union Station at 9:30am, and return on the last to leave 51st and Drexel, at 6 pm.

I guess I got there early, and as I waited I began to worry that I had got something wrong, so when I spotted what seemed to be a CTA answer person I went up to him and asked if the #1 bus was still running. He replied with a big wide grin, "Just for you?", so I say, grinning back, "Yeah." And he says "Sure.", relieving my fears. Five minutes later it came, although I had to flag it down, as it had actually stopped way back behind some other buses, and was pulling out around them on its way to Jackson, whereas I was right in front of the actual sign.

I left on the bus at 9:25 and arrived at the end of the line at 10am. It barely skirts the north tip of Hyde Park, and it was not until the return trip that I figured out the Indiana part of this route, It goes south on Michigan, but returns north on Indiana as far as 31st, where it turns left to come back up Michigan Avenue.

The route - The bus travels west on Jackson from Union Station on the Canal Street side. Immediately turns east on Jackson, going to Michigan, which it will traverse all the way south to 51st. There it turns east to Drexel Square, passing this Moorish Science Temple, and Washington Park. When I got off the bus, there in front of me was an absolutely spiffy fountain, with Mr. Drexel himself on top. What a find! Beautiful bronze sculptures surrounding the base.

When I first got on, I gave the driver some cherry tomatoes picked from the garden that morning. I was lugging a whole bagful to my relatives. At first he thought he heard me say "cherries" and didn't catch the "tomatoes". So naturally he said "These sure don't look like cherries". I'm sure he thought he had some kind of nut here. And maybe he had.

As the bus passed the Blackstone Hotel on Michigan, I noticed for the first time that this building has a National Register of Historic Places plaque. Loving all things architectural, I was glad to see that. Remember my abbeys trips? They are all architecturally significant. We also passed the new Spertus Museum building, of which Blair Kamin of the Trib has raved, rightly so. We passed many Columbia College buildings, including the Schools of Music and Dance, and all of IIT, designed by Mies Van der Rohe. Personally, I'm not a lover of his work. There were lots of great old brownstones and Indiana limestone mansions from another time, but for the most part still looking great. We passed Provident and Mercy Hospitals and the main Chicago Police Department. Plus Old St. Mary's Church. Whoever thought that new addition was a good design? I'm sorry; it is just plain nasty.

There were only a few passengers, and some only riding a few blocks. The driver was very nice, answering the many questions posed to him helpfully and patiently.

When I got off the bus at that fountain, I asked the driver where I would catch the return bus, and he pointed right across the street (we were on 51st which is Hyde Park Boulevard) to a bus stand. But when I got there coming home, the sign did not say #1, and I had to walk one block west, to just west of Cottage Grove. And on the way back we passed the National Association of Letter Carriers building. The picture you see here "Joyce Ford" was taken going north on Michigan. I have no idea what it means. The other picture is two new high-rises going up just south of the "Agora" torso sculptures. To get back to Union from Michigan, the driver turns west on Adams to Canal.

It was what I call " a San Diego Day". Perfectly blue skies, low humidity, soft breeze. I had a marvelous time.

First one down.