[Griff]

Its hard to break out of those kinds of cycles. I was going in that direction when my girls were little and I was spending a lot of time cooped up, since my youngest has always been a fussy needy child who doesn't travel well. One of my friends is just the opposite a tri-athelete and just can't stop moving. I made a pledge to myself and him that I'd cycle with him twice a week. This prevented me from blowing off regular exercise by linking it to blowing off a buddy. It worked pretty well but required a little patience from him since I was so fat and couldn't keep up.

The other thing I did isn't for everyone. I decided that it made no sense for me to substitute teach with my kids in daycare. After considering all my options the seed of my house project sprouted. How could I not work for someone else but still add to my families economic stability? So now we're doing the no mortgage owner-builder thing. More folks are capable of doing this than know it but it is also a huge relationship test. Anyway, what I'm getting at is that you need something that is yours to work on no matter what your employment situation is. Objects in motion and all that. Maybe your music or something else you've been mulling over.

signed Dear Abby