Nooner

For the past two days, I've been cramming in a nooner.

A noon walk, that is.

And why not? The weather has been perfect, my schedule has been accommodating and my snoozy-sleep-in-lazy-morning-ass has been ignoring the alarm. Plus, a new city ordinance required my company, and those in the neighborhood, to install sidewalks along our street, so there's no excuse to not take advantage.

I take 45 minutes, go about 3 miles and it feels good. My hair doesn't look so good when I'm done, but, meh. I don't sweat enough to require a shower and a total make-up redo, so life goes on.

As I was out there today, I was reminded of a woman I met a long time ago. Her name was Lisa and she was the marketing department for one of our suppliers. We had taken a trip to visit her company's headquarters in Nashville and I think I remember only three things about it. 1. The manufacturing floor was clearly not up to OSHA standards, or so it appeared to my young eyes. 2. I had to share a hotel room with a woman I didn't know from a different department. And, 3. Lisa had a treadmill IN HER OFFICE and held meetings outside, while walking.

At the time, I thought it was extremely odd. And completely vain. I mean, come on ... who "demands" that the company replace an in-office conference table with a personal treadmill and who is so self-centered that they spend work time exercising?

Now, I need you to picture Lisa. In my mind's eye, she's 5'4", 115 lbs., brown curly hair that's sort of unruly in its chin-length bob. She's got a smattering of freckles and looks like the girl in high school that ran cross country, was best pals with the star quarterback and had older brothers, so she knew how to throw a ball like a boy. You knew she was a runner by looking at her.

I remember her saying that as a mom of young kids and a very busy executive, she didn't have time to go to the gym because there just wasn't enough hours in the day. So she decided to combine some of those activities. There was a benefit, too. Meetings that required people to walk with her through the parking lot on a warm summer day had a tendency to finish ahead of schedule.

She insisted she could read reports while hoofing it on the treadmill and that she was able to concentrate more and/or think more clearly while her feet were moving.

At the time, I thought she was odd. And I really thought the act about caring so much about yourself was incredibly narcissistic.

My opinion has changed. I thought about it today, walking up and down the street in front of my building. She had her priorities right ... she was finding a way to take care of herself so she could be a great mom and a great boss.

I'm not sure why it took 23 years for a walk at noon to occur to me. But I'm glad it did.

Join me?