Adventurous Life Newsletter - Inviting You to Find Inspiration in Odd Corners (June 2003)

Running along wooded paths while my dog darts hither and yon exploring the underbrush, I'm struck by his constant delight, his exuberance as he bounds after squirrels and birds. His galloping, leaping, zigzagging stride expresses nothing short of joy. He loves to be outside. He loves to move his body.

How do you view exercise? Is it some dreaded duty you force yourself to perform each day because it's "good for you"? Do you have strict or unspoken requirements for yourself? Do you count calories, minutes, miles? More to the point, when was the last time you truly enjoyed exercising?

For years, I was the sort of person who was "good" about exercising...for a month or two. Then I would let Life get in the way -- obligations would interrupt my schedule, I would skip a workout once or twice, and suddenly weeks had gone by without any movement on my part. I would beat myself up a bit and "start" again.

My relationship to my body changed dramatically several years ago, during a five-month, cross-country solo bicycle ride. I trained on the road (having never quite managed to find time to do so before I left). And in the process, a profound transition took place. While moving myself from place to place each day with no obligations or agendas but to pedal, I discovered what I now observe in my dog: the sheer pleasure of moving my limbs through the world.

It was during that trip that I decided I would never "exercise" again. Instead, I would move my body, sweat, and play. If I wasn't enjoying myself, I would do something else.

This month, revitalize your relationship to yourself and your body. Find activities that make you grin (have you tried water aerobics? sea kayaking? ballroom dancing? rollerblading? hiking? playing Ultimate Frisbee? yoga?). Get sweaty, get muddy, get goofy -- and if you're not having fun, change lanes, but keep moving!

Travel Corner: Sure Cures for Walking Wallet Syndrome

This article is the second in a three-part Travel 101 series entitled "Tricks to Understanding (and Enjoying!) the Money Side of Travel." The first was "Quick Tips for Excelling at Currency Exchange."

What does it mean to walk into a culture that values an hour of labor -- and therefore the items it produces -- differently in relation to the local economy than you're accustomed to back home? For one, it means that tourists visiting bargaining countries that are (financially) poorer than their own spend a lot of time saying "That's so cheap! I'll take four!" when told the price of a souvenir.

Locals get used to this, and suddenly there's a whole separate economy for tourists. There's nothing travelers can do about this, so I wouldn't recommend wasting much time or energy resenting it, but there are some considerations that can help you understand your new economic reality and have more fun with it...

Read the complete article on my web site.

Reader Recommendation: Learn to Live with Less Impact

Solar Energy International offers a variety of workshops, from natural house building to alternative energy. Know any women who want to learn carpentry skills, or explore wind or solar power? SEI also offers workshops just for women, and if you live in the Focus on Energy territory, you are eligible for a $100 scholarship for the Women¹s Wind Power workshop. To find out if you live in Focus on Energy territory, visit www.focusonenergy.com and use the eligibility tool.

Have a recommendation you'd like to share with other Adventurous Life types? Drop me a line at adventure@judywolf.com and let me know!


	Welcome to this month's edition of Adventurous Life!
			In this issue: Move, Sweat, Play! Top 5 Ideas to Inspire You This Month Travel Corner: Sure Cures for Walking Wallet Syndrome This Month's New Year's Resolutions Reader Recommendation: Learn to Live with Less Impact
I welcome your thoughts, feedback & suggestions for stories. Please don't hesitate to contact me or swing by www.judywolf.com to see what's new. Pass this newsletter along to a friend!
Move, Sweat, Play! Running along wooded paths while my dog darts hither and yon exploring the underbrush, I'm struck by his constant delight, his exuberance as he bounds after squirrels and birds. His galloping, leaping, zigzagging stride expresses nothing short of joy. He loves to be outside. He loves to move his body. How do you view exercise? Is it some dreaded duty you force yourself to perform each day because it's "good for you"? Do you have strict or unspoken requirements for yourself? Do you count calories, minutes, miles? More to the point, when was the last time you truly enjoyed exercising? For years, I was the sort of person who was "good" about exercising...for a month or two. Then I would let Life get in the way -- obligations would interrupt my schedule, I would skip a workout once or twice, and suddenly weeks had gone by without any movement on my part. I would beat myself up a bit and "start" again. My relationship to my body changed dramatically several years ago, during a five-month, cross-country solo bicycle ride. I trained on the road (having never quite managed to find time to do so before I left). And in the process, a profound transition took place. While moving myself from place to place each day with no obligations or agendas but to pedal, I discovered what I now observe in my dog: the sheer pleasure of moving my limbs through the world. It was during that trip that I decided I would never "exercise" again. Instead, I would move my body, sweat, and play. If I wasn't enjoying myself, I would do something else. This month, revitalize your relationship to yourself and your body. Find activities that make you grin (have you tried water aerobics? sea kayaking? ballroom dancing? rollerblading? hiking? playing Ultimate Frisbee? yoga?). Get sweaty, get muddy, get goofy -- and if you're not having fun, change lanes, but keep moving! Travel Corner: Sure Cures for Walking Wallet Syndrome This article is the second in a three-part Travel 101 series entitled "Tricks to Understanding (and Enjoying!) the Money Side of Travel." The first was "Quick Tips for Excelling at Currency Exchange." What does it mean to walk into a culture that values an hour of labor -- and therefore the items it produces -- differently in relation to the local economy than you're accustomed to back home? For one, it means that tourists visiting bargaining countries that are (financially) poorer than their own spend a lot of time saying "That's so cheap! I'll take four!" when told the price of a souvenir. Locals get used to this, and suddenly there's a whole separate economy for tourists. There's nothing travelers can do about this, so I wouldn't recommend wasting much time or energy resenting it, but there are some considerations that can help you understand your new economic reality and have more fun with it... Read the complete article on my web site. Reader Recommendation: Learn to Live with Less Impact Solar Energy International offers a variety of workshops, from natural house building to alternative energy. Know any women who want to learn carpentry skills, or explore wind or solar power? SEI also offers workshops just for women, and if you live in the Focus on Energy territory, you are eligible for a $100 scholarship for the Women¹s Wind Power workshop. To find out if you live in Focus on Energy territory, visit www.focusonenergy.com and use the eligibility tool. Have a recommendation you'd like to share with other Adventurous Life types? Drop me a line at adventure@judywolf.com and let me know!				"It was a lesson I hoped to learn in the months ahead: how to stop rushing from place to place, always looking ahead to the next thing while the moment in front of me slipped away unnoticed." - Alice Steinbach "Without Reservations"
				Top 5 Ideas to Inspire You This Month Learn to flyfish Spend an hour lying in a hammock staring at treetops and wisps of passing cloud Make soup from scratch (it's easy, nutritious, and delicious!) Start a journal Fill your favorite room with bouquets of fresh flowers -- and give some to a friend
				"Where there is a heart, there is heartache. Open up your heartache." - Inez Baranay "The Saddest Pleasure"
				This Month's New Year's Resolutions This month's Resolutions were contributed by M.M. in western NY Spend two months exploring the upper reaches of Alaska and Canada (always been a dream vacation of mine, there are so many places to explore in our own backyard) Amend misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and undone deeds Start my own animal rescue and rehabilitation center Remember family, friends, and those beloved who passed before me by doing something they would have loved to do for someone else, the environment, or just because Win the lottery or strike it rich through more realistic means and give most of it away to family, friends, charities, and those in need Say "thank you" when someone gives me praise rather than reasons why the praise wasn't deserved Give praise, encouragement, and comfort to those around me whenever possible, and act upon my instincts when I think something is wrong with a person or an animal What 10 things do you want to do before you die? What makes your day? What do you want to feel, do, or experience in your life? Send me your list!
		About the author: Judy Wolf is a world traveler, freelance writer, speaker, and whitewater kayak instructor. She's taken numerous, extended solo journeys around the world, traveling by foot, bus, jeep, camel, truck, boat, train, plane, elephant, and bicycle to over 30 countries on five continents. She currently lives in upstate New York with her husband and border collie, where she's working on a book-length travel narrative about her most recent adventures…that is, when she's not plunging off waterfalls or entertaining the dog. Learn more at www.judywolf.com.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might find it of interest. If you cut and paste content, please make sure you include all attribution, copyright, and contact information. Thanks! To subscribe to or unsubscribe from Adventurous Life, go to www.judywolf.com/newsletter To contact Judy Wolf: http://www.judywolf.com or e-mail now (or snail mail to 3786 Dawes Ave, Clinton NY 13323). Copyright © 2003 Judy Wolf