Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
The Activist's Guide to Health & Fitness
That’s good sense and good humor, Mickey. I’d add wear shoes that don’t need laces and pants that stay on without a belt on those days when your prep work looks likely to get tested. Bring a sweater or sweatshirt, too, even if it’s hot. If nothing else, they make decent cushions and pillows for hard benches or concrete floors. They can also be used to keep people who are slipping into shock a little warmer. The clothes should be the kind you wouldn’t be upset to throw away. Toxic detention centers can be hard on them.
Posted by Harry on from 04/05 at 05:26 AMThanks, Harry...this was one of those articles where I never fully decided if I was going for laughs or playing it straight. Nothing wrong with a little of both.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from 04/05 at 11:05 AMThat was great Mickey. I’m constantly dealing with trying to get my fellow activists to get involved with a health routine - diet and exercise.
To your list, you should add sleep and water.
Also, following a dedicated routine with regards to your health helps breed dedication toward your activism. If I can put one hour a day toward exercising, then I feel like I find more than an extra hour in the day for all sorts of other things.
Posted by Troy on from Ottawa, ON 04/05 at 11:07 AMAs a fitness nut who also combines Vipassana, or mindfulness meditation, with his aerobic and resistance training regiment, you’d be amazed at the calm that you can achieve when in the middle of chaos. The simple practice of placing your attention on your inhalations and exhalations, without judgement or comment, can be a very centering experience… when everything around you is in chaos. And when you can remain unfettered as authoritarian figures try to push your buttons, it gives you the edge.
Nice article too.
Posted by Nader Rider on from 04/05 at 04:54 PMLOVE your sense of humour, Mickey! And re ‘dressing in black’, here’s what the English comedian Dawn French said at the sight of a dozen people clad in black: “How come everyone is wearing black? Has anyone died?” (in one of her sketches)
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 04/05 at 10:12 PMNice article Mickey. Thanks for all the tips. I am not anyone’s model for physical fitness or anything else for that matter, though I prefer brown to black and tattos I can proudly say are perhaps the one stupid thing I have never done to my body. Anyhow, I can use all the help I can get on matters of staying alive a few hours or minutes longer, but I don’t think I can lift that barbell unless someone removes the bells, then it is just a bar. Right?
Posted by Glen Thrasher on from Atlanta, GA 04/06 at 03:57 AMAs Helga implies, my tongue was firmly in cheek here...but that does not take away the importance of keeping oneself healthy. Thanks, one and all, for the comments.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from 04/06 at 04:30 AMMickey, that tongue in cheek technique always sounds painful to me. Sometimes I’ll give it a try though.
Posted by Glen Thrasher on from Atlanta, GA 04/06 at 04:36 AMIt hurts so good…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from 04/06 at 04:40 AMI liked the first article, it suddenly made me laugh madly.
Posted by Mcgill on from USA 08/30 at 06:16 AMThanks, Mcgill. Where did you see the article?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 08/30 at 10:01 AM
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