health

*(actually the first in a series, but there will be more.)

I expected to go to Clarion West and whip my writing into shape. I also expected that my body would surely suffer from lack of sleep, the endless hours of slaving away at an overheating laptop, my body sustained by poor choices of sustenance such as Fritos, moon pies and ice cream.**

As it turns out, I lost about 8lbs at Clarion West, and it wasn’t due to stress, either. I didn’t have a car in Seattle, so most of the time I walked wherever it was I needed to go:  the coffee shops to write, to fantastic Korean hot-pot shops to slurp noodles, to the zoo (with a little help from the bus)…

I probably walked 2-3 miles a day and sometimes more. It made a big difference to my mood, my stamina, and general well-being. I’ve found that since I’ve gotten back to L.A. (“Nobody walks in L.A!”) that I’ve been restless without those daily walks.  I’m going to the gym 3-4 times a week, but it just isn’t quite the same.  Pushing for more active weekends helps.

My diet has changed a bit, too. I’m eating a lot less meat now–something I’ve been trying to do for awhile. Some of my fellow Clarionites were definitely an influence — when you share meals you learn to enjoy what other folks love.

When I posted a couple of weeks ago that Clarion West changed my life, I wasn’t just talking about the writing and the great new friends. This is the best I’ve felt in a long time, and I’m going to do everything I can to keep feeling this way.


**many gallons of ice cream were consumed at Clarion West. You have been warned, future workshop attendees.