Calling Out the lies! Health insurance is available for those with pre-existing conditions

News Flash! If you have a pre-existing condition that precludes you from getting insurance from a private insurer, you are eligible to become part of the Texas Health Insurance Pool. The pool provides affordable health insurance to those who are denied coverage. And it's not some fly by night insurance outfit, it's with BlueCross and BlueShield.

How is it that this little program has been kept a secret from POTUS and his cadre of Dems who keep claiming that it's impossible to get insurance with a pre-existing condition? The state of Texas has been providing this safety net since 1998!

What? you don't live in Texas? Well, just come visit, after 30 days you can have insurance. Seriously, check it out.

How on earth did I discover this? It certainly is not widely known and there is no advertising in any media that I have ever seen. I learned about the pool through a friend who was diagnosed with cancer. He didn't have insurance because he would rather spend his money on a $300,000 house and a boat, a deer lease and a new Ford 4x4, etc ad nauseum. Consequently, he thought he had no choice, but to pay for ala cart cancer treatments which BTW are at a substantial discount when paid for with cash. Because of his limited available funds, he had to make choices as to which treatments were the most cost effective. Eventually, after several treatments, his doctor mentioned that he could be eligible and should apply for the health insurance pool. My friend survived the cancer and the pool has saved him a fortune, plus he kept all his toys.

So, it begs the question, why even buy health insurance when such a pool exists? Why not save your money or spend it on 4x4 trucks, and just wait until you actually might need insurance then apply for the health pool safety net? Think of all the neat stuff you could have with the cash saved from not paying insurance premiums!

Sure, that would be abusing the system, and it is predictable that the corrupting forces of socialism will continue to be a deleterious drag on human character, even in the overly proud state of Texas.

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Novel device provides feedback to stop slouching

Now, here’s a gadget that I would really like to try out: the iPosture.

“The iPosture is an intuitive electronic device designed to improve posture. Just over one inch in diameter, the iPosture automatically senses when the body slouches, and it alerts the user with brief vibrations to correct it.“

I have no doubt that it’s just as tough as this reviewer says it is.  He actually had sore muscles from just a few hours of use.  Of course, as with any new habit, good or bad, it typically takes 3-4 weeks for good posture to become natural.

Like most people, I would like to improve my posture.  I remind myself several times during the day, particularly when at my computer keyboard, to straighten up, throw my shoulders back, etc.   So, I have decent posture for a few minutes and then before I know it, I find myself drawn in closer to the PC and scrunched over the keyboard once again. 

Even though, it may be distracting at first, I think the continuous feedback from an active monitor like the iPosture just might get me over the hump, so to speak.

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Beatin’ the heat and saving money

Strangely enough, in the midst of this long dry stretch of hot weather, I have increased my thermostat setting for reasons of comfort not economics. It really is hot with each day exceeding 100 degrees and only “cooling off” in the evenings to the 80’s. How is it possible to reduce the A/C in times like this? Well, today while mowing my yard in sunny 103 degree weather, I wondered the same thing. How is that I have become so acclimated to these hot temperatures that it doesn’t bother me to spend 1 ½ hours mowing in the heat of the afternoon?

After some reflection over what is different now than in the past, I attribute this higher tolerance to walking my dog. Every day, no matter what the weather, I walk with my dog for at least 40 minutes and sometimes up to an hour. I occasionally miss a day or two in a row, so I am not fanatical about this, but even so the miles really do add up quickly. Would you believe that by the middle of this month I expect to complete two million steps for the year? That’s 1000 miles on foot.

How does this relate to personal finance. Well, first of all, I have increased my home thermostat by one degree. It was just too cool in the house – I would sometimes feel a chill! I don’t have the evidence to back this up, yet, but I have read that setting a thermostat one degree warmer in the summer will save 5% on the utility bill.

When discussing my walking routine with people, one of the comments or excuses that I hear most as to why they don’t walk is - weather. “It’s too hot, too windy, too cold, etc”. I always respond that that is one of the reasons I enjoy walking so much. I want to experience the outdoors, the breeze, the weather, the stars, the full moon and everything else about it. Its not like I am camping out there, its only for a short time and if the weather is bad, when you return you will have a new appreciation for your comfortable home environment.

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The Bicycle: A Liberating Vehicle

Here’s an article on the surprising freedoms brought about by the bicycle that had me laughing out loud as well as stunned by the attitudes prevalent less than 100 years ago. I ride for a variety of reasons, health, fitness, to clear my mind, but the primary motivator is the way it makes me feel. There is nothing like natural endorphin!

This past week I logged 105 miles on my bike without much thought to how fortunate I am to be able to ride – not just physically able but also from a socially acceptable standpoint. According to the article, in the late 1880’s, “Female cyclists were often accosted verbally and physically as they rode. Emma Eades, one of the first women to ride a bike in London, was attacked with bricks and stones. Men and women alike demanded that she go home where she belonged and behave properly.”

Now, I have had rocks, ice and beer cans thrown at me while riding but not for being a woman on a bike. I was simply an irresistible target to simple minded children riding in the back of a truck. Fortunately, the laws have changed and very seldom do I see kids in the bed of a moving truck, anymore.

It’s interesting that the bicycle is also partially responsible for changing the way women dress. To ride a bike, one had to wear a more rational outfit such as bloomers and not the customary long dress. I don’t know if my grandmother ever rode a bicycle, but she did mention that she played basketball in the early 1920’s in bloomers!

I owe so much to those that went before and fought to open up so many opportunities for me and others. What they went through seems unimaginable to me now days. I will never take another bicycle ride for granted!

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Torn tendon Takes a Toll

While completing another one of my home projects, re-building a work bench area, I injured my right knee. I don’t know exactly when it happened. There was no sudden pop or moment of sharp pain. Rather, at the end of the day, I noticed my knee felt like it had been twisted. There was just a slight twinge of pain and then over the next few hours it started to stiffen up. By morning, it was too painful to walk! I hobbled around some, iced it and tried to keep it in the one position (straight out) that was pain free.

I did some research on line and verified that it was indeed my quadriceps tendon, one of the biggest tendons in the body, that I had aggravated. Based on the pain location, I have torn only the lateral or exterior side of the tendon. And every time I move and feel that sharp pain, I imagine that I am tearing the tendon even more. Yikes. So, my weekend plans changed abruptly. No bike riding or roller blading or even walking the dog with this bad wheel.

As if immobility isn’t depressing enough, I am frustrated and a little distressed at how I got the injury. I have a 4 step wooden ladder. Most of the time, I don’t use all of the steps – meaning that I step down from the second or third step all the way to the ground. I have always done this, but usually I am working on dirt or the lawn whereas this time I was on concrete. Taking a bigger step places more stress on the knee of the leg that first touches down on the concrete. The distressing part is that getting older is most likely a key factor in this injury. Time is taking a toll on my durability.

I have torn other tendons before, usually playing sports: elbow, shoulder, and Achilles – they all hurt like a red hot poker every time they are moved. And the only way to recover is rest……Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. It forces me to slow down and spend some time doing other more sedentary things. It’s events like this that help re-new my appreciation of good health.

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You Decide: Frugal, cheap or innovative challenge?

About a month ago, my left click button on my optical mouse started to misfire. I tried adjusting the speed settings, but still nearly every time I single clicked - the mouse gave me a double click or something in between. The mouse is 4 to 5 years old and was inexpensive – maybe $10 bucks. I could replace it, but instead I switched the left and right click buttons using the control panel. I have a number of reasons to hang on to this mouse:

• I don’t want to spend money on a new one,
• I don’t want to spend time shopping,
• I dislike throwing things out that still have some functionality,

and the best rationale of all,

• I figured it would be a good exercise for my brain.

Every time I get ready to click I must think about which button to hit. After a few times, it becomes natural. But then I go to work and use another computer which has the opposite click setup and I get to exercise a little more. From what I have gathered, this type of thing is a great stimulus for the brain. Introducing new and different skills or motor movements helps keep the mind fresh and sharp. Some other suggestions that I have tried include switching hands while brushing teeth, or using a fork with the opposite hand or even walking backwards.

It’s one of those exercises that brings you back to the present. You must think about what it is you are doing right now. I can almost feel the cogs turning in my head. LOL

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Do cell phones make drivers more considerate?

I have not come across any scientific evidence to back this up, but from my own personal experience, it seems something has changed driver behavior.

Years ago on country roads or even busy streets, some motorists acted like they could get away with all kinds of nasty behavior towards cyclists. As of late, for some reason, I have had a lot fewer incidents with motor vehicles. Gee, no one has tried to run me off the road in a couple of years!

I am not sure what to attribute this change in behavior. Maybe it’s just luck. I have actually increased my riding mileage, but I have not changed my riding style and my routes are the same. Even though more cars are on those routes, it seems I have had less trouble. One thing that is different is the fact that I carry a cell phone with me and so does nearly everyone else. Since cell phones are ubiquitous these days, I think most people/drivers assume that everyone has one. Even bicyclists. And that means the police are just a phone call away. Does this make people more accountable for their actions?

I take my cell phone on every ride. Not that I have ever needed to call anybody for help. I have been riding for 20+ years and have been able to fix every flat, broken crank arm, and bent spoke, etc. Or at least fix it well enough to limp home. ;)

But, you never know when you might fall, break something, or have an accident with another vehicle. The phone provides just a little added security, which is the primary reason that I have a cell phone. And just maybe it also makes drivers a little more responsible.

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High Risks and High Costs

It was a couple of weeks ago when I first received the news that a long time friend of mine had been diagnosed with cancer. He is in his mid forties - just a few years older than me. There seems to never be any rhyme or reason to such things. He has always been a healthy individual, strong, outdoorsy and with a positive attitude.

When I spoke with him about his condition, I was reassured by his matter of fact approach. He stated lots of statistics and mentioned both the downfalls and the bright side to the whole situation. I refrained from questioning him, but it is only natural to want to ask how and why these things happen to people. I know that whenever I am confronted with some illness or injury, I want to know the root cause. Sure, I want to treat the symptoms and reduce the pain, but even more so I want to address the source. What went wrong? What can I do to prevent this in the future?

Obviously cancer is more complicated than a torn ligament or a recessed gum line and no one has those kinds of answers. From what is currently known about cancer, it appears that several factors interplay and that genetics have a huge role in the disease along with one’s environment and lifestyle.

News of the diagnoses was distressing, but to add even more anxiety to the situation – he told me that he is without health insurance. He is self-employed and for nearly thirty years he and his wife received health insurance through her employer. In all of those years, they were rarely ill, had no children and consequently almost never used the policy. As fate would have it, four months ago she left her job to take over the “books” for his small business. They never got around to signing up for health insurance! Again, I refrained from asking too many questions. I know that money was not the issue, so how could anyone in this day and age allow this to happen? Haven’t we all heard the horror stories about people with and without insurance?

So what does one do when faced with expensive treatment costs? One negotiates; one makes deals with the doctors! His doctors have a special plan for people without insurance. It’s called the cash discount! If a treatment is expected to cost $1200, the doc will offer it for 50% off or $600 when paid in cash.

Such dealings seem absurd, but it’s at times like these that we are reminded health care is just another business; a business that deals in life and death.

In addition, drug companies occasionally offer free samples or donations to prescription-assistance programs for people without insurance. Even with these cost breaks and freebies, his bill over the last few weeks has exceeded $12,000. His future includes several radiation treatments and a couple of surgeries, so this bill will continue to climb, astronomically. Every treatment that is recommended by the doctor must be weighed for cost effectiveness.

Who needs another variable like that in decisions about your health? For additional reading, I found this MSNBC article to be very informative about the rising cost of treatments and the new guidelines to help doctors discuss the affordability of treatment options with patients.

Meanwhile, my friend is researching the possibility of getting into a high risk state-assisted insurance pool at $1600/month. If at all possible, this is probably the way to go since other health complications may arise during his treatments.

This experience has categorically brought home for me the importance of health and health insurance. Things can and do change suddenly in life. For many years, I have planned for early retirement, which would mean the cessation of my current health insurance. With that in mind, I have always intended on purchasing a high deductible plan to continue my coverage. Now, I am certain beyond any doubt, that I will have coverage before leaving my current employer.

To read the latest and greatest blogposts on Personal Finance, check out this week's Carnival of Personal Finance.

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How many sodas do you drink a day?

“A man’s true wealth is his health.” - The Buddha.

I definitely agree with the Buddha on this one. I appreciate the wisdom, but this is one of those lessons in life that you must learn for yourself – since it seems no one gives it much thought until they have a brush with disaster or just plain get old. Most of us take our health for granted.

Fortunately, I’ve always had a keen interest in health and exercise and tend to read a lot of health and fitness information, magazines, etc. So, I consider myself fairly informed about health issues. Yet, I have been astounded by some of the factoids that I have come across while reading You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty (You) by Roizen and Oz.

One of the most interesting and alarming tips concerns the consumption of fizzy, syrupy drinks. Evidently, drinking these types of beverages increases your chances of pancreatic cancer substantially! I could hardly believe it; so I Googled it and found all kinds of sources that backed up the claim. For instance, this MSNBC article references a Swedish study that makes the statement:

The group of people who said they drank fizzy or syrup-based drinks twice a day or more ran a 90 percent higher risk of getting cancer of the pancreas than those who never drank them.

Twice a day? That’s two cokes a day. Now, there is the caveat that this type of cancer is very rare, so increasing your chances by 90% is still a smallish number. But, just knowing that there is a coke to cancer correlation is rather disturbing. I realize just about anything in excess can cause health problems, but two sodas a day? Basically, your doubling your odds by drinking a couple of silly cokes.

Nowadays, I will only occasionally have a soda, but there was a time in my early twenties that I drank two diet cokes a day, like clockwork. I didn’t think much of it, because everybody that I knew drank sodas with some drinking 5-6 Dr Peppers a day!

Why isn’t this information more available to the public? Isn’t that one of the roles of the Surgeon General? To educate the public on possible health issues? A lot of this information is fairly simple and straightforward and it just seems like it ought to be brought to the attention of the citizens. Of course, there may be some who would rather not have this information available to anyone.....

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Lifting light weights can lead to Remarkable Results

I first started this daily routine over 15 years ago after hearing a pro tennis player talk about the benefits of lifting light weights. He said it was truly amazing how lifting small amounts on a daily basis added muscle tone, strength and resiliency. He got into the program to gradually develop strength in his arm after having experienced several injuries, tendonitis and strains from playing tennis. He indicated that it didn’t just help him recover from his injuries, but it also helped prevent future injuries.

Most weight-lifting programs are so involved that it’s easy to say I don’t have time or I am too busy today to do my workout. But with light weights, that excuse is gone. It doesn’t take a tremendous amount of reps or heavy weights to get results. No sweating is involved. For $10 dollars you can significantly improve your muscle tone. One set of barbells can be used for numerous exercises. Get a 5 lb set to start. You may work your way up to 8, then 10 lbs. Do 10-15 reps of one exercise then immediately move on to the next.

It takes 5 minutes a day. I know from my own experience that it does improve strength and muscle tone. It will tighten up those flabby arms and thighs. Whenever I find myself wavering about doing my 5 minute routine, I remind myself of a few things:

It’s only 5 minutes
It makes all of the difference in the world
You can do just about anything for 5 minutes

The key is to make it a daily routine. I lift only on days that I work, so 5 days a week with weekends off. I have been able to stick with this little program for over 15 years, because it is not overly demanding of my time, its feels good to be doing something and it gets results.

To start, choose some simple, easy exercises that you like – bicep curls, arm extensions, bench press, shoulder press, crunches. Do not use a lot of weight. Start light, something that you can easily do 10-15 reps without fatiguing the muscle. Going for a slight burn will provide results even faster. Some will say your are not lifting enough. Don’t pay attention. It is better to lift light weights than none at all. Rotate or alter your routines. Don’t do the same exact thing every day. Choreograph a couple of routines that flow from one exercise to the next. I have several canned routines that I can quickly work through.

Here’s an example routine with 8 lb barbells:

10 squats that extend the barbell over head
10 shoulder presses
10 bicep curls
10 side arm extensions, alternate arms for each rep
10 forward arm extensions, alternate arms for reach rep
10 squats

Another routine using a bench/leg press. This one is great for cyclists. The leg extensions work the front quadriceps to help power up hills. I really noticed this having a positive effect on my riding capabilities. It’s great to be strong!

15 arm bench press
30 crunches
15 arm lateral curls/flys
15 leg extensions
10 pull down laterals
15 leg extensions
10 pull down laterals

If these routines sound simple and easy, that’s because they are. Give it a try for one week - you will begin to notice some improvements. In the past, anytime I started a weight lifting program, it didn’t take long to become disillusioned. Even with the best of intentions, it is difficult to maintain a schedule of lifting for an hour. Its time consuming to drive to the gym, get dressed, decide on which weights to lift, wait for the machine or station, then shower and drive home. All of that takes hours. These routines take minutes and it’s a great way to begin the day – and it’s pretty cool to think that you are ahead of almost everybody else from the start of the day.

For more fitness and health stories, please visit the Carnival of Total Mind and Body Fitness. My article “Exercise and Alcohol TOGETHER provide the most heart benefits" was included.

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Cycling’s silent but potentially ominous threat to your skeleton

Whoever said “everything in moderation” really hit the key to a long, healthy life right on the head. I recently read an article citing medical evidence indicating that if cycling is the only athletic activity in your life, you might be depleting the foundation of your body - your skeleton.

A study published in the August 2003 issue of Osteoporosis International reports severe bone loss in 27 male racers ages 40 to 60 who'd trained an average of 12.2 hours a week for 20 years. At an average age of 51.2 (when a typical man has no bone loss at all) the cyclists' average hip and bone densities were 10 percent lower than those of a control group of moderately active, non-cycling men of similar age.

Whoa. Slow down there. The riders averaged 12 hours per week??? That doesn’t seem too excessive, less than a couple of hours each day. But what’s even more unusual is that low bone density is typically a woman’s disease (4 out of 5 are women) yet these men are well on their way to osteoporosis. In fact the article expounds on other cases where young, fit cyclists have lower bone density than sedate couch potatoes! What is causing this dramatic effect?

The article goes on to say that because cycling is a low impact activity and unique in that you can ride hard for hours, your calcium stores can get hammered. An average man engaged in intense training loses 200 milligrams of calcium in sweat per hour. The recommended daily adult calcium intake (1,200 mg) has enough padding to handle one hour of exercise. A seven-hour century might sweat out 1,400 mg of calcium. That’s more than a day's recommended intake.

Even more disturbing is that when the cyclists added supplements, they slowed done the rate, but continued to lose bone density. That’s enough evidence to take action, even for recreational riders, and especially for female cyclists.

Below are several ways to maintain a strong skeleton.

• ADD SUPPLEMENTS to get at least 1,200 mg of calcium per day.
• ADD YOGURT, MILK and other high-calcium products to your regular diet and post-ride refueling
• CUT BACK ON SMOKING, ALCOHOL AND SODA, all known bone thinners
• LIFT WEIGHTS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK, year-round
• DO BACK EXERCISES TWICE A WEEK to strengthen the lower vertebrae
• RUN, HIKE, SKIP ROPE OR JUMP AROUND for 20-30 minutes, two to three times a week
• GET A BONE SCAN. If your Insurance company won't pay for the DXA bone-density scan then inquire about a heel scan.

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Exercise and Alcohol TOGETHER provide the most Heart Benefits

Many times while finishing off a bicycle ride in the Texas heat, I think about how refreshing a post-ride beer would taste. Based on this recent report out of Denmark, I can now indulge, guilt-free. A Danish study has found that drinking alcohol in moderation has benefits similar to exercise. And combining exercise and alcohol consumption provides even greater benefits.

If this sounds too good to be true, consider that the research was conducted on 12,000 people over a 20-year period. The study, which was published in the European Heart Journal, was the first to look at the combined influence of exercise and weekly alcohol consumption on the risk of heart disease.

It’s well known that the heart benefits from exercise, but this study has shown that it also benefits from moderate alcohol use. The healthy improvements include an increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and a reduction of fatty deposits that are created by bad cholesterol (LDL) in blood vessels.

The Danish researchers found that . . .

• people who never drink and don't exercise had the highest risk of heart disease
• people who never drink but do exercise had a 30% lower risk
• people who drink moderately but never exercise had a 30% lower risk
• people who drink moderately and exercise had a 50% lower risk

Of course there are conditions to the rule:

The study imposed a limit of one drink a day for women and two for men. However, it did not distinguish among beer, wine and liquor.

The benefits of alcohol don't kick in until you're at the age of 45 to 50 where heart disease becomes an appreciable risk. Holy Mackerel! This is one of the first benefits of getting older that I have ever heard about! I can just imagine doctors advising their patients that once they hit 45, they need to start drinking one a day – for their heart. Cheers!

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For all the Money in the World

As much as I enjoy PF and building wealth, I have always placed health and fitness at a higher level. I would rather have my health than money. We have all heard that money is worthless, without your health. Those words are more than a cliché and it's not just talk, I live that statement. From time to time, I plan to write posts about health and fitness and how it can add riches to your life.

A key element to my fitness routine is my bicycle. No bike ride is ever the same, it seems every ride has its memorable events. You just can’t pedal 20 miles and not see something or have something notable happen.

Yesterday as I was riding, a motorist that was behind me slowed to allow a car to pass before he/she passed me on my bike. It only took a moment, but it made the situation much safer for all. As he/she passed, I waved and thanked them. I thanked them for treating me like the human being that they would want to be treated like in the same situation.

Before I say anymore, I know a lot of you get upset when bicycle riders take up the whole lane or ride in large groups and give no consideration to motorists trying to pass them. I don’t like that behavior, either. But, that is no reason to take it out on all riders – some of us are responsible and just want to share the road.

I typically track the outside white line whenever possible, but sometimes I am forced over into the lane. There are lots of reasons to have to take that added risk - potholes, dogs, abandoned vehicles (this is Texas, after all), joggers/walkers, road debris, and trash all pose road hazards to a cyclist. The take away is that no matter what someone else has done to you today, choose the high road and act like the person that you have always wanted to be.

Later in my ride, I was so thrilled with the boost in creativity and energy from exercising outdoors, that I did not even mind when a dog took chase. I noticed he was an Australian shepherd mix and so probably smarter than the average canine. I decided to use a different tactic – instead of shouting for him to back off to show dominance, or squirting him with water, I would use kind words…... As he raced along side me in the grass, barking and occasionally lunging at me, I told him he was a good boy, a good dog. He quickly changed course and shot off straight for a point ahead of us – uh oh. Perhaps he plans to cut me off? And then like most dogs he screeched to an abrupt halt at the boundary edge of his home turf. He barked at me a couple more times for good measure then sent me on my way.

Nothing like a good dog chase to bring you right back in the moment. All of your other problems and worries vanish. Some dogs are relentless, others are just eager to play. I have been fortunate in over 30 years of riding on the road - No dog related crashes, just a scratchy throat from shouting and a racing heart from trying to outrun the chasers. All in all it was another great day on a bicycle!

For more on personal finance check out the Carnival of debt reduction. My article: How I paid off my Home with a HELOC was included this week.

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Neat Gadget is a Great Motivator

After carrying this gadget everywhere for the last 13 days, I am pretty surprised by the results. I recently splurged an Amazon Christmas gift certificate to purchase an Omron HJ-720ITC Pocket Pedometer with Advanced Omron Health Management Software
I walk everyday with my dog and thought it might be interesting to log those miles as well as get an idea of how far I walk in a normal day.

I have an office job and am sitting at a desk for the majority of a nine hour work day. Occasionally, my work takes me to a laboratory where I get to move around some, but for the most part I have a sedentary job. Consequently, it seems that at least once a day I get that closed-in and/or itchy feet feeling and just have to get up and walk around.

I used to always think and say that this place (work) was “extracting the life out of me”. And then I learned to use walking as a motivator. On those days when I found it difficult to get started on a work project, I would jump up, take a brisk walk around the building, get some fresh air and always come back ready to start the task. It sounds simplistic, but it does work.

Anyway, back to the pedometer. The gadget has some cool features like keeping track of aerobic steps as well as total steps. Aerobic steps require a minimum of 10 minutes walking without stopping for more than a minute. The device also has a USB port to download the data to a PC and some nice software that is very easy to use. The software has several different graphs to display the data and allows you to set up goals. It was surprising how quickly all those miles and steps added up. Wow! I walked almost 50 miles in thirteen days – that’s over 100,000 steps!


The pedometer has been a great motivator. Once I committed to a number of steps, I found myself wanting to meet the goal everyday. I would try to find ways to add short walks or to lengthen a walk. Which is pretty much the opposite thought process for most folks. Most people want to find the shortest route, the closest parking spot, etc. all to save time and steps, right? Well maybe its time to re-think that. I certainly have, especially after I realized it was possible for me to walk less than two miles on a given work day. That’s pathetic.

It’s also part of the culture in Texas – this state was built on cheap gas and abundant concrete. Texans do not walk. Almost everyone has a car, not necessarily a nice car, but they are on the road. When I first moved here, I was really surprised to see “no pedestrian signs”. It’s a sign with a person walking crossed out with a red X. I couldn’t believe it. People go to great lengths to avoid walking and Texans take it to another level. I even heard of a company in the Dallas area that issued pedometers to employees to keep track of their time away from their desks. If the pedometer reading was too high they were reprimanded!

It may take a lot more than a pedometer to get a Texan to take a walk, but if you already like to walk, it will make it that much more fun to log your miles and progress.

Can you get Creativity and Motivation out of a Bottle?

No, but you can get a heavy dose of inspiration out of a bicycle. Today was an unusually warm (76F), sunny but windy day in Texas. I pumped up the tires on my Trek and hit the road. After spending the last few weeks riding an indoor trainer, this was exhilarating. To my surprise, with every mile, ideas were bubbling up to the surface of my mind. I had brainstorms for three new blog posts by the time I hit mile seven. The words and concepts came very easily while I was riding. I then spent the next twelve miles wondering if I would remember it long enough to get it transferred to bits and bytes on my computer!

And that gave me another idea - I think I need to get a voice recorder. So when I come up with these epiphanies while riding, rollerblading or walking I can capture them at the moment.

This phenomenon that I call “exercise induced motivation” is nothing new for me, but every time it happens it feels astounding. I recognized the power of exercise many years ago while a freshmen in college. After classes, I would attend practice for the volleyball team. Lots of running, jumping and hitting the ball really got the endorphins and blood pumping. Following practice, I would return to my dorm room and immediately sit down to crank out my homework – engineers are assigned several problems or exercises for most classes. The engineering problems seemed to be a breeze and go much faster after a good workout.

In addition to cycling, I like to walk every day with my dog, but for me it doesn’t heighten my creativity the way cycling does. I think to get maximum inspiration you must work up a good a sweat. Walking is a good way to clear the mind and cycling is the best way for me to jumpstart my motivational motor.

Make this Frugal activity part of your Life

Need a New Year's resolution that you can keep? How about walking? Walking is one of the most frugal activities you will ever find. It's free and the benefits to your health are priceless. No special clothes or gear are required. It's convenient and can be done just about anywhere. Best of all walking can be done at your own pace.

I walk everyday. I don’t consider it a work out, just a walk. It feels right. The human body was designed for walking. The natural locomotion puts me at ease, slows down the world and releases stress. Walking is a great time to put your problems at the back of your mind and let it churn on them for awhile, subconsciously. Many times, while walking, I have thought of new ways to tackle a problem.

When walking, you can’t help but become more aware of your surroundings: fresh air, scenery, neighbor interaction, the changing sky, the weather, the wind in the trees. I prefer to walk with my dog and he appreciates these things even more than I. It's rewarding just to see him have the time of his life, raising his nose to catch a scent, investigating a clump of grass and taking note of everything in his path. It’s like a kid in a candy store and really amazing how much energy he generates just walking. It’s his lifeblood.

I usually walk in the evening after work. I use that time to reflect on the day and try to think of a few things that happened during day that were good or that I can be thankful for. It’s easy to take our lives for granted. We are very fortunate compared to most people on this planet and its important to recognize these things on a regular basis. By doing this little exercise, you will quickly realize how many good things that you have in your life.

Some days I am thankful for the nice cup of coffee that I had that morning, or a conversation that I shared with someone, or the enthusiastic greeting that my dog delivered when I arrived home. These are small things that I have learned to appreciate and many times that’s all it takes to make a day better.