Saturday, January 29, 2005

Cubicle side-effects

I'm sure that by now most of you have heard about the study out the Mayo clinic that shows that fidgetiness has a correlation with how much excess weight people have stored up in their bodies. If not check out this article here.

I'm sure most everyone has their own opinions about what this means for themselves and others around them. What this news made me think of was the first time I was able to sit in a car for more than 4 hours without needing to get out and run around for a little while. I remember it pretty well. I started my first ever "office job" in November 1997. About 3-4 months later I took a road trip that was about a 4-5 hour drive. I remember being quite surprised when I made it to my destination (driving by myself) without stopping the entire trip. The gas tank was just about empty and my bladder was full but I didn't have the feeling that I "must move now or my body is going to explode" that I'd always experienced prior to this day when stuck in one seated position for more than 2 hours. Since that day in March 1998 I've had many more road trips and plane rides. Each time the experience is a bit different. Sometimes I get the need to move much stronger than others. The only explanation I've every been able to come up with is that sitting for hours on end in my cube has trained my body to ignore the screaming need for movement. Although convenient at times, this is not something that puts a smile on my face. If anything it makes me start to feel like I'm putting one foot in the grave.

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