these feet are made for walking?

I've been putting off a stop at Wal-Mart (the DeathStar) to fill a prescription. Instead, I've joyfully had my rump expanding in an office chair as I rack up the overtime. I decided that last night would be the night—I'd walk there.

I walk a lot, but lately, a run around my office in an effort to keep awake is about all I want to squeeze into my day. The Wal-Mart is a pretty good distance, maybe 3 miles round trip? Really, that isn't much, but when you've been sedentary for a few weeks, taking the pillows off the bed is exercise.

So, I took a deep breath, grabbed my iPod and boldly headed out into my neighborhood. Let's discuss what I learned.

1. Walking is a grounding experience. It reminded me that I am connected to a really large ball of mud and stuff and that even adults can be too attached to the computer.

2. A fantastic little coffee shop with books just opened a block away…OMG. It's called the Stone Spiral and you should support your local coffee house! Story about the Stone Spiral

3. My neighborhood has some really unassumingly awesome architecture. However, one building I thought was an office building turned out to be a perfectly shameful apartment building.

4. I'm painfully close to the Kingdom of Slushies—7-11!

5. The apartment complex that I lived in twenty years ago has very pristine landscaping, but still has that more-than-slightly sleazy feel. Walking past caused the Twilight Zone music to kick on in my head.

6. Men on mopeds need to be noticed by women walking down the street. They will not be denied and will pass, slow down, pass, slow down until you nod.

7. iPods are made for walking, especially when you can play the Juno soundtrack and visualize yourself walking through a cartoon-illustrated neighborhood.

8. Pedestrians are growing in number and friendly as heck. I was anything but alone… and some folks were down right chatty!

9. Wal-Mart is by far the most incredibly awful place for the eyes and ears. However, the people watching cannot be beat.

10. When you carry what you buy, you buy less.