The Redefining of Self That Comes With Moving

For those of you who have met me in person, you will know that I am not a hard body.  I was once in my life, but recent years have put my body more into the category of "a little extra" than "mmm, mmm, good".  When I lived in the suburbs, it was an event for me to go out walking and a chore for me to get to the gym.  But a funny thing has happened since I've moved to the city.  I'm walking everywhere.  Me, the person who is so time conscious that I'm constantly mentally streamlining my day, I'm going out of my way to take the subway (called the "T" here in Boston).  It takes an hour to get anywhere by T from my house.  I could drive there in 15-20 minutes.  But I'm loving the mile walk from my house.  And I'm loving the chance to get out and see people (even if only half of them return my friendly smiles).  I'm even loving handing out spare change to the homeless people I meet. 

I'm finding that I am no longer defining myself as a couch potato.  I'm defining myself differently.  Now I'm a city person.  This means that I walk places.  This means that I go to coffee houses in the evening just to hang out and see who's there.  This means that I stay out late and go to clubs and sing karaoke a couple times a month.  I am literally changing my definition of who I am as a function of having moved to the city. 

I even hired a personal trainer the other day.  Who knows?  Perhaps you'll be seeing a lot less of me soon.  I know I'll be seeing a lot more of the world.