I climbed the 15 foot rope in the woodshed a few times as part of my workout this afternoon. It's not easy and it made me realize that these actors who hang off cliffs by their fingertips: in real life they'd all be dead. I was trying to picture myself in my 70's still climbing the rope. Hey, you never know. Funny that I'd think that after my first effort, but I've always been interested in life-long activities. I even thought in high school about how I'd run my whole life. Now, due to the pounding the joints take, I run infrequently. Yesterday Jake and I went for a 4 mile jaunt. We started off together, then he was a few feet ahead of me, then he was a dot in the distance, then I was all alone and he was waiting at the car. But I don't care about how slow I go--so long as I go.

Speaking of fitness, word is that my beloved father-in-law is the new new Jack Lalanne and my best-bud brother Max has commenced the Burpee Challenge. Tell us how it's going, fellas, the Birch Wisdomites need to know.