A little hard work

We all remember the saying, "A little hard work never hurt anybody." I guess that depends on your definition of hurt. As I type this, the base of my right thumb feels like I've cracked the knuckle about fifty times in the last two minutes; my neck is stiff; my knees protest on the stairs; and my back won't allow me to tie my shoes without some uttered groaning. However, similar to last week after two days of black belt camp (kicks and punches and situps and countless push ups and a 6:30 am workout) I'm not complaining. Well, not about how it does a body good to get physical once in awhile. I've a been a little irregular recently. I mean as regards my routine workouts in the weight room. Last week, for example, eight hours sleep was a dream what with all the interruptions from neighbors and the landlord.

Anyway, once again, I thoroughly enjoyed the annual black belt camp and the sore muscles and the great ideas for class I received. This weekend was no different. While a friend sawed concrete, I played water boy keeping the blade and the saw cool. Then I hefted a jackhammer and made little pieces out of big pieces. Like a lot of things, you don't notice the effect of a jackhammer upon your body until after you've been at it awhile, stop, then do it again. By the end of eight hours of sawing and jacking and lifting and pounding, those machines were, for some reason, weighing a little heavier than at the beginning of the day. Then I was back at it Sunday morning for a few hours.

So what if the muscles are sore and I ache in several places; I could have told the guy to go take a flying leap. (Course he might have charged me extra for recent computer repair) Anyway, I had fun. I did something I've never done before. Jackhammering is actually kind of fun. Not that I'm apply to a construction crew first thing Monday morning-I didn't like it that much; it's sweaty work and the jouncing it does to your innards can't be healthy. But it was fun. All in all about twelve hours good work, although what we did doesn't seem like much.

The same could be said about writing. Is writing hard work? Stupid question to those who are serious writers. Of course it's hard work. Sure, your muscles don't suffer (although since I write long hand my left hand sometimes aches, but that's because I'm in the groove, baby) and a lot of times what you've written doesn't look like much in the bigger scheme of things. But as long as something is down on paper or saved in a file, and it's something that can be worked with later, then I think you can consider it a good session and you can enjoy what you've accomplished. Plus, the mental benefits are great.

...and with the cable on the fritz, what else is there to do.