Sitting is hard for me. First, there’s the fear that I’m colonizing clots in my legs. That fear should recede when I know my IHR (a clotting measure) is between 2 and 3. Last tested it was 1, which is normal. Not good enough. Second, my chest still hurts, along with my lower back (which is an unrelated pre-existing issue, and still annoying). Standing up works. So do walking and bike riding.
Exercise is kind of orthoganal to blogging, but so what. Moving around keeps me alive, which is a prerequisite for everything else. So I’m following an active course for now, interrupted by brief visits to the laptop. Most of those are devoted to Real Work rather than to blogging. Needless to say (though I’ll say it anyway) I’m backlogged on a lot of work.
In the next few days I’ll have a stand-up desk, along with a much more body-friendly chair than I’m using now. Meanwhile, I’m jiggering the above and other lifestyle changes. Many good new practices and attitudes have been recommended by friends and readers, and believe me, I’m following more than a few of them.
Hope I won’t get too boring as I report on those rather than the usual here.
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As a fellow desk potato, I’m actually very interested to know about the stand up desk.
Also, have you looked into any Brad Feld style computer / workout machines:
http://www.feld.com/blog/archives/2006/03/the_treadputer.html
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how painful learning our lessons can become from time to time.
I’m happy to see that it works. Changes. Damned changes!Have you tried something like Taiji Chuan or QiGong in addition?
They add some more consciousness to the move of your entire body (including lower back, shoulders, neck, …).I live in France and I am so pleased by the results of a teacher here, Song Arun, who works in the US as well.
http://taiji-song-arun.com/en/wishing you well
Marcus SOMMER
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I wish you a thorough recovery, the faster the better, but the main thing is to recover completely.
Speed is a nice addition.As for getting boring, I doubt it. Maybe you will get a few new readers with the “stand up blogging” tips. I guess there are a few people who could use those.
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[…] Best wishes to Doc – get better dude. We’re all rooting for you. […]
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Try sitting on a 85cm diameter exercise ball Doc – they are cheap and fantastic to use. Nothing like sitting on regular chairs and not as tiring as standing.
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More good suggestions. Thanks.
As for Brad Feld’s treadputer, if somebody comes up with one that runs Linux, that would be most cool.
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Thinking of getting a standing desk myself Doc – a very brief survey lead me here to this manufacturer in VA – The StandUp Desk Company
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which desk?
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fwiw, the wake-up call is always buzzing, “What kind of life do you want to live? … Live it while ya got it.”
Moderate, go with the flow, Doc. Make yourself happy.
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Hey, Doc, sure hope your condition improves and you get back to feeling yourself soon. We 60 year olds gotta root for one another! Best. Tom
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At the hospital I tried using the bed’s food rolling table, which has a widely adjustable height, as a test desk, and it worked pretty well. Standing for me is much more comfortable than sitting on anything but the most comfortable chair.
But sitting on a good chair, with the screen and the keyboard both at the right height, is what has worked best for a long time. I have that at home in Santa Barbara, where we designed my office around a work surface that was the ideal height, where I have a nice big screen, and where I have a new Herman-Miller Ergon chair (which I prefer to the company’s more modern Aeron chairs).
Here in Massachusetts I have the laptop at the right height, and a bluetooth keyboard and USB mouse down at the correct angle just above my legs; but the chair is a garage sale special with a cushion that’s flattened with age. I’m hunting for a new or used Ergon right now, in addition to the stand-up desk, which I’m getting used from a friend, who is bringing his old one over.
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Get well soon, Doc! I am yet another of your thousand (or more) fans. I stumbled upon this blog just a few weeks ago and since then I try and read your posts whenever possible for me (my hectic schedule at work leaves me little time to read blogs, but I try!). It’s been a great discovery, coming across this blog.
I earnestly hope you are better soon. Like all the others here, I too am rooting for you!
Cheers,
-TJ
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