I had been driving for nearly 3 hours when my phone reminded me of the flight I had cancelled from Wellington to Hamilton. I mused at the fact that sometime in the next hour an Air New Zealand Q300 would fly unnoticed above me and deliver its passengers to my destination a full 2 hours before I hoped to arrive.

The sun had gone and darkness ensued, as cruise control limits my climb up to the Central Plateau. Then as I round a corner and head onto the Desert Road I see light. My increased altitude and wide-open spaces, allows me to catch the final stages of the setting sun, for the second time in a day.

I regret not having my real camera and wonder if it is even worth pulling over and taking a photo with my iPhone. Finally, the predisposition driven into me by taking photos everyday for a year, kicks in. I pull over (allowing a car that I had passed to get the better of me) and take this shot.

My drive home from Wellington on a Friday evening reminded me that:

I love driving. The 528 km drive home is still along way short of the 750km I used to drive everyday as a bank courier. I barely notice the 6 hours journey, but put me in a plane 3 hours and I go stir-crazy.

I love taking photos. And I miss the 365 project. I need to carry my real camera more often. This shot of the mountains would have been immeasurably better with my SLR.

I value time too much. At work I make a lot of decisions based on the value of my time. I literally, mentally value an hour at a dollar amount and plan travel based on that. Generally it is good for helping make decisions, but sometimes I need to get over it. Sometimes I value time the wrong way.

To conclude…

Sometimes I need to trade the value of my time for cruise control, wide-open spaces, photos with real cameras and second sun-sets.

Sometimes I need to choose the long journey … just because I can. 

 
I heard a podcast from Gallup the other day about exercise and how important it is to having energy and reducing stress. It reminded me in my relative state of sloth, what we all know, that exercise is good for us and is a vital part of our office bound lives.

So why do I run hot and cold on exercise?

Firstly, it’s because it doesn't make it to the top of my priority list. It's important but not that important. In my case it is not a lack of discipline, it is purely that I don't make it a priority.

Secondly, it’s because I don't really enjoy it. Lets be honest it is hard work. I have know desire to sit in a gym, get only mild enjoyment out of running, and can’t bike to work most days as I have NO desire to bike to meetings.

Finally, I like freedom. My calendar and commitments are such that no day is the same and so therefore exercising at the same time each day is impossible and a burden.

Yet! I know I need to exercise more.

So I am trying a new system. Not an original idea, but a system none the less. I have allocated points to various activities, based broadly on energy burn.

points per 10 mins

Biking 5

Walk 3

Jogging 7

Weights 3

I have set a goal of 50 points this week. So will have to do 1 hour 10 minutes running. or 2 hours 40 minutes walking. or 1 hour 40 minutes biking. or a combination of the three.

By setting a goal, hopefully I make it a priority. And by having flexibility hopefully I enjoy it and it fits my freedom mindset.

As always it is easier to write than do.