Mornings are all about rushing. But they didn’t used to be a fight-the-morning-rush-hour-traffic-at-65 mph-while-singing-children’s-songs rush. Of all things, the metro let me in on a secret that continues to ring true for me. No matter the weather, a good morning walk is the most elegant way to start a day. And if it’s sunny, well, that’s even better. But if it isn’t, as it is not today, don’t let that deter you. I used to walk a couple of blocks to the metro and a couple of blocks to my office twice a day. And I always felt better for it.
Now, while I can recommend Mr. Kelly’s taste in clothing (a Norfolk jacket!) I don’t advise getting soaked to the skin in your off-the-rack clothing. (Glue can do funny things when it gets wet and shoes, if not properly dried will be ruined.) But I do recommend getting outside and putting a little colour back into your cheeks. Do it with a song in your heart, whistle a tune, or just smile and breathe deeply. You’ll be amazed at what it does for your attitude. And easy elegance is all about having the right attitude.
I’m off to put on my stout shoes, hat and trench coat. Have a glorious day. (Insert whistling here….)
Walk every morning with the dog. We do a couple of blocks out and back. Then repeat after work, just to chill down from the day. Both are good thinking times, or quiet time to catch up with the news from NPR.
Of course walking is essential , it clears your head in a marvelous way, and if you’ve discovered a particularly charming route, all the better. Still, of late it began to bore me. That is, until being given an iPod. These days I am walking on air, and it’s all because of Ella, Frank, Nat, Jeri, Bobby, Mabel, Daryl, Carol~no room for surnames here. The transcendent power of music, or rather one’s own brand of it, never fails to astonish me.
The iPod is unique in that I never used my Walkman, but now I sound design my environment. A good invention. Although I’m still scared of being hit at a crosswalk.
Ah yes, environmental sound design makes all the difference.
Do you carry things to the sartorial level as I do? It must be a white
iPod headset in summer, and a black set in winter (blending invisibly upon
my black coat)
Now don’t you feel better about your OWN obsessions????
HA! Brilliant. And just the excuse I was looking for to buy a newer model.