Yesterday I joined Trying to Catch Up in her Will Exercise for Comments activity campaign and thanks to some excellent bloggers I did 70 minutes of walking on my treadmill. Tonight, it looks like I’ll be putting in at least another half hour if the commenting keeps up.

I’ve joined her blogroll. Please take a moment to visit some of the other bloggers who are attempting to increase their activity – and comments – through this unique and creative exercise campaign.

Thanks to everyone who has been helping out – and please keep commenting!

Technorati Tags: exercise, blog, comments

My Thursday Thirteen list included a reference to needing to visit my dentist. I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps someone from their office doesn’t read my blog since this morning I received a phone call to remind me that I need to make an appointment for my bi-annual check-up and cleaning. Very nice of them to remind me of my upcoming need to visit my favourite torturer. Granted, the timing of the call was excellent and I now have an appointment scheduled for Jan 18th.

Note: My current dentist is actually a really nice guy and does his best to put me at ease. I had a horrific childhood dentist who scarred me for life and every one who’s come after has had to work hard to gain my trust.

Technorati Tags: dentist, teeth

As I get older, I find I’m getting rounder and rounder. Sure, oblong or round are shapes, but not the ones humans are supposed to be in, I’m sure. Keeping track of my walking with my pedometer has been fun, but I still haven’t managed to crack the 10,000 steps a day barrier. Since I’m terribly lazy by nature, I am joining Trying to Catch Up on her will exercise for comments blog pledge.

Blogger Pledge
I will exercise for comments.

Time Period: January 11 – January 31
Type of exercise: Walking
Pledge: 1 minute on the treadmill per comment

It’s easy. Every day I will check my blog for the number of comments received on blog posts that day. If there are 10 comments, I will do 10 minutes on my treadmill. Of course, 10 minutes isn’t very long, so I’m hoping I’ll receive lots of comments each day.

Update 16:30: As of 4:30pm I have 50 comments listed with today’s date (including the ones from me) so I’m just starting my first trip to the treadmill this afternoon. Maybe I should have waited until after Thursday Thirteen was over to start this new exercise regime? Nah! Keep adding comments and I’ll return to the treadmill again later this evening. Thanks so much for your efforts so far today.

Technorati Tags: blogging, comments, exercise, pledge

Welcome to the 13th edition of the screaming pages Thursday Thirteen.

I know I’ve briefly mentioned this over the past few weeks, but it’s official – I’m heading to India from Jan 24th (landing Jan 25th) through Feb 22nd. I’ll then fly off to Manila from Feb 22nd through March 8th. Now the fun begins as I madly dash through all the preparations for the trip. Tickets have been purchased, travel visa’s have been applied for and the days before departure are flying by.

This week’s Thursday Thirteen outlines things I need to do before I can step foot on a plane.

Technorati Tags: thursday thirteen, t13, meme, travel, India, Philippines

I learned to drive in Winnipeg and both my husband and I often maintain that some of the countries worst drivers frequent the roads there. My best friend Gin sent the following in the mail recently and I just had to repost it here.

*Manitoba Driver’s New 2007 Handbook*

1. Turn signals will give away your next move. A confident Manitoba driver avoids using them.
2. Under no circumstance should you maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front of you, because the space will be filled in by somebody else, putting you in an even more dangerous situation.
3. The faster you drive through a red light, the less of a chance you have of getting hit.
4. Warning! Never come to a complete stop at a stop sign. No one expects it and it will result in your being rear-ended.
5. Never get in the way of an older car that needs extensive bodywork, especially with B.C. or Sask, plates. With no fault insurance, the other operator has nothing to lose.
6. Braking is to be done as hard and late as possible to ensure that your ABS kicks in, giving a vigorous, foot massage as the brake pedal violently pulsates. For those of you without ABS, it’s a chance to strengthen your leg muscles.
7. Never pass on the left when you can pass on the right. It’s a good way to prepare other drivers entering the highway.
8. Speed limits are arbitrary figures; given only as a suggestion and are not enforceable in Manitoba during rush hour, especially in Winnipeg.
9. Just because you’re in the left lane and have no room to speed up or move over doesn’t mean that a Manitoban driver flashing his high beams behind you doesn’t think he can go faster in your spot.
10. Always brake and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire. This is seen as a sign of respect for the victim.
11. Learn to swerve abruptly without signalling. Manitoba is the home of high-speed slalom-driving; thanks to the Department of Public Works, which puts pot-holes in key locations to test drivers’ reflexes and keep them alert.
12. It is tradition in Manitoba to honk your horn at cars in front of you that do not move three milliseconds after the light turns green.
13. To avoid injury in the event of a collision or rollover, it is important to exit your vehicle thru the windshield right away. Wearing your seatbelt will only impede your hi-velocity escape from danger.
14. Remember that the goal of every Manitoban driver is to get ahead of the pack by whatever means necessary.
15. In Manitoba, ‘flipping the bird’ is considered a polite salute. This gesture should always be returned.

Happy driving!

Technorati Tags: Manitoba, Winnipeg, driving