The Treadmill Debate

The treadmill debate rages on (in my own head). SMS has always been anti-treadmill. He doesn't understand why we would move across the country to a place where you can walk outside any day of the year and then buy a treadmill. But he knows he only has half a vote in this debate: he got his office, I get my treadmill. But I'm wavering. Our place is starting to come together, and it looks so nice without a piece of exercise equipment in the living room. Also, I've been really enjoying my walks in our neighborhood, and without a job, I have plenty of time for walking and watching TV. But I won't be unemployed forever (right? right?) and the convenience of the treadmill would certainly be helpful then. But there's another reason I'm wavering. It's my mom.

Everyday when I'm out on my walk I am reminded of my mom - it makes me feel closer to her and I know she would be proud of me. For those of you who know Susan P. you know that she is fit. She looks years younger than her age. She eats right and works out all the time. She is an inspiration.

When I was younger my family traveled a lot. And everywhere we went my mom would go walking in the morning. She would take her room key and a note that said "My name is Susan, in an emergency please call Cohen Sr. at INSERT Hotel Name & Phone Number." I am not making this up - I'm sure she got the idea from a Phil Donahue show on kidnapping or memory loss or something like that. (I know, this explains a lot about me!) Even though she was unfamiliar with an area and clearly worried about being out there alone, she wouldn't let that stop her. She would figure out a route and return to the hotel (before the rest of us even woke up!) with stories about cool houses, plants and animals she saw.

One of her favorite places to walk was a neighborhood in State College, PA. We would be there every August for my father's regional meetings and my mom would actually drive from the resort where we would stay to a residential neighborhood not far from the Penn State campus. Some days I would go with her, most days I would not. My mom always encouraged me to go walking with her, but I am my father's daughter. I would rather watch TV than just about anything else. I didn't get into a habit of regular exercise as a kid, but that was not for lack of encouragement on my mother's part.

But now I love my walks in our neighborhood and my mom would love them too. I can't wait to walk with her when she comes to visit in December. The reasons I love to walk here are the reasons she will, too:

1. No traffic lights and few cars. This allows for a constant pace, no starting and stopping which would require the bizarre practice of walking in circles or in place.
2. Nice people. I've noticed that the older people who walk in the neighborhood are eager to say hello and the people my age won't say first, but most say hi back. I learned to say hi to strangers walking with my mom. Not the best thing to teach a kid, and not something I did in New York, but certainly something that promotes community and make me feel connected to this new place.
3. The houses. The architecture is varied and interesting without houses looking out of place.
























































4. The flowers and trees.

The reasons she won't like walking here are the same reasons I don't -- and the same reasons I still may get a Treadmill (from Costco of course):

1. Only a few streets have sidewalks (what is that about?!)
2. There are no hills

So the debate rages on, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying the outdoors!