Virtuous circle

To get a better deal on my healthcare deductables I clipped an odometer to my clothes and kept track of my steps taken each day for a couple of months. I found this so interesting, and, as it was supposed to be, a little motivating as well, that I got a fancier odometer and just kept going, tracking my steps each day.

Two things surprised me. With the daily goal of steps generally set at 10,000, I was dismayed to find that my well-paced hour and twenty minute walk across the city is only good for less than 9,000 steps. I really would have thought a three to four mile walk would take care of my daily quota of steps. But have no fear for my health, at least as it's measured in steps, because, also to my surprise, it turns out that I walk like mad at my library job. Just a regular, full day at work is also good for 8,000 or 9,000 steps. Ka-ching. The epicenter of all that work walking is my time spent working on the automated check in machine. Running back and forth and all around the big machine is good for thousands of steps, but our spread out library and my on-the-move nature really fills up my meter over the course of a long day as well.

Of course, all this healthful activity really works up an appetite in me. Out in the back room (and occasionally beyond) you will find me almost constantly eating something. On most days all of lunch and dinner takes place during my work hours. I try to have a jar of water to drink. I invariably have an afternoon cappuccino. There's an afternoon snack and an evening snack. And though I have official breaks and a full hour dinner break, I'm under a lot of pressure to try and reserve those times for blogging. It can be very hard to blog while eating, but drinking a cappuccino while shelving, or even at the front desk, or managing my supply ordering or the check in machine with one hand while carrying around a sandwich with the other is second nature to me. If I had to at this point I could probably do this job one handed now. Luckily I don't have to do this job one handed, because if I did, how would I eat?


This is where the virtuous circle comes into it. You may better know the virtuous circle's shadow, the vicious circle. The virtuous circle is where the positive thing leads to a positive thing which causes the positive thing ad infinitum. Here it turns out that my near constant long walks to the library break room kitchen give me a huge number of steps. These steps make me hungry! This causes me to go to the break room to get more food, which gives me even more steps.


This is why I have an odometer.