The weather appears to have turned for the long term.
I hope nobody claims I have jinxed or cursed or doomed the city of Estevan to six more weeks of winter by saying that. I think the above freezing temperatures are here to stay. That means there are so many more things to do outdoors, or at least many more things that one can enjoyably participate in outdoors.
When done work for the day and the NHL playoffs are between series, it's great to finally spend some quality time outside. When it's cold the outdoors are a means to an end; nowadays the sunny fresh air is the be all and end all.
The tranquil moments as the sun goes down and the stars come up are some of my favourite to head out for a quiet walk. On empty sidewalks, with my iPod tuned to something particularly chill like Bon Iver or Elliott Smith, it's just a perfect time to relax and let whatever stress the day may have caused to melt away into the surrounding darkness.
That's what 小蓝视频 outside is for me: relieving any tensions that may have worked their way into my system.
Going for a run is great, particularly after the sun goes down, and it's a little cooler. A good run always silences the mind. Exercise really is a great stress reliever and I find it much more rewarding to head throughout the city streets than to be cooped up on a treadmill.
The latest Active Healthy Kids Report Card gave an F to Canada for physical activity levels. The country however, received a spectacular A- for proximity and availability of resources in the community. That tells me there is ample opportunity, but little will.
The report found that, while activity levels in youngsters is very low, there is a dramatic drop off when Canadians enter their teen years.
I don't expect a child would go for a run the way I would. Children don't really need to exercise in a structured way, they can just play. Once people stop just playing, when they enter teenage years, there needs to be more done to improve people's tendency to exercise in a structured way.
It's the days like we've been having recently that really beckon us to be outside and more active. It feels great to answer that call. That is a feeling everyone should have. We should want to go outside whenever we get the opportunity. With all the hormones boiling inside teenagers, somebody should tell them that a little exercise goes a long way in dealing with the everyday stresses of life.
Bike rides. Rollerblading. Walking the dog. There is an activity for everybody. Whatever you do, it's great to finally get back outside.
