Today I am certainly glad that I am not what I think—if I were I would register a negative number on the “richter” scale of life. First there was “writer’s block” which describes a situation of not being able to find enough thoughts to put on paper and currently in modern culture there is “blog-block” which is like writer’s block but blog related.

Every “blogger” gets it. And for the sake of argument I would postulate that all the reasons are different.

Blogging, like writing poetry is a sound-bite sort of thing. We get a flash of a thought or stream of an idea and then our mind takes the thought on a ride and where we end up is determined mostly (at times) by perseverance and/or a determination to make sense of all that is around us. Sometimes we make the three point shot and sometimes we crawl back to the bench and wait for the energy to build up enough to begin again.

As a writer, I have often been faced with the thought that I am not even unique enough to have an original idea worth repeating. But then I realize that everything is subjective and we all have something to add to the stew of life as we know it.

Yesterday I downloaded the Beatles “Let It Be Naked” onto my ipod. It was an album that was recorded during their tumultuous late 60’s sessions. Phil Spector took it in 1970 and made it into an orchestral type of thing when it was really a raw and back to the roots sort of project. When I had listened to it before I had skipped over the songs that I felt were not that good and only focused on what I liked and was familiar with—songs like “Get Back” and the title tune. When listening to it the other day I let it play through and really enjoyed all the songs.

I guess what I am getting at (a big leap) is the fact that we often get into ruts as we proceed down life’s highway. The ruts get so deep sometimes that even when we might have a real desire or calling to go left or right, our wheels are so deep into the ruts that only a big crane could pull us out and allow us to go in a different direction.

I am reminded of what Paul said in scripture—he found himself doing the very things he didn’t want to do—that there was a war going on inside of him. In Romans 7 he gives us the answer as to how to get out of that rut—of not always doing what it is we want to to—yet leaves me with the suspicion that it is not that easy in practice.

I like to swim laps and have a membership at the local “Wellness Center”. I am not much of a early-morning-before-work type of fellow and by the time work is over I don’t really relish going to the gym then either. I have been most successful working out or swimming at noon—yet this is a time when those I work with like to do lunch and fellowship. I am conflicted.

On Tuesday mornings it is my turn to take my daughter and a friend to school. I thought that as long as I was in town I might just head to the pool and do a few laps and then go into work a little later and stay a little longer at night to make up the time—it would be the best of both worlds—I get to workout and keep healthy and also get to eat lunch with my friends.

That first day was hard though. I seemed to get every red light on my way and by the time I got to the gym I thought I might just as well go into work and forget the whole thing. But I pushed through my doubts and had a great time swimming and really felt like a million bucks the rest of the day—muscle burn and all. I think I was more productive as well and the pool wasn’t even busy which made it even better. Now all I have to do is work in a couple more times a week and I will really be doing well.

Yes, it was hard to get out of that rut of not going to the Wellness Center even though I had a membership. During the summer and fall I could justify not going because I was riding my bike—but when the temperature drops the gym is the only way to go. But it is never really easy—Chinese food with friends or workout with its get undressed, dressed, swim, shower and get dressed scenario playing out in my mind.

Anyway, today is Thanksgiving and that I am. In the process of trying to do what I want rather than what I don’t want, I am going to take some time and organize my life and thoughts accordingly. It is a four day weekend before putting the push on at work to get all that needs to get done before the end of the year happens.

Let’s not let our bad habits rule our lives—rather practice doing what we know we should—the rest will take care of itself.

Enjoy your ride today and your turkey sandwich tomorrow.