What Do You Do?

This past spring and summer I spent a good deal of time walking at the park. I fell off the walking wagon a couple of months ago, though. I can't say for sure why. I think in part it was because I had been walking several times a week for months and seen absolutely no change when I stepped on the scale. I'm not one to go strictly by weight, though, so with great enthusiasm I took all of my key measurements at the beginning of my foray into the postpartum exercise world. After six months, I hadn't lost an inch. NOT ONE SINGLE INCH. After what was probably hundreds of miles walked, I was in no better shape than before. Talk about disheartening.

But really, that wasn't the point of this post so much as a tangent that I veered off on to explain why I haven't been walking lately. I would like to get back into going more often, even if my behind isn't any smaller for my efforts. Which is why, despite less than ideal weather, Sophie and I were there today.

The park that I go to has a wide, paved, 3/4 mile path that goes around the circumference of the park. People walk and bike in both directions. I will generally walk 3 or 4 laps depending on Sophie's temper, the weather, etc. As I pass each person on my first lap, I smile, make eye contact and say hello. Even as I see people for the second time, I will still look them in the eyes and smile. But what are you supposed to do after that? I pass each person two times each lap, so that could be 8 times for any one person. Am I supposed to continue looking them in the eyes and smiling every time I see them? Although the scenery is pretty, there isn't much to truly distract me from looking straight ahead.

Every time I go, I think about this and I always feel weird. So what do you do when you're approaching someone down a long hallway or sidewalk?

Do you:

A) Look at the them the whole time, smiling. Perhaps a nod when you walk past.

B) Look around awkwardly until the last second and then look up and smile?

C) Never make eye contact or acknowledge their presence, pretending there is something terribly interesting off in the distance.

D) Pretend you just got a text message or phone call.

E) None of the above. You avoid walking down hallways and sidewalks at all costs.

On another note, after walking, we spent a couple of minutes at the playground. Sophie loves the slide and can now go down all by her big girl self. I recorded this video on my phone (which is why it's so grainy) and sent it to Neil, who has been walking around the house saying "Weeeee, Yaaaaay!" ever since. In my defense, it didn't sound goofy at the time, but the more times I see it, the goofier it sounds. Meh.