I read an article today that says "it is entirely possible to meet current physical activity guidelines while still being incredibly sedentary." It goes on to say that people like me who sit in front of computers all day are doomed to an early death (ok, I'm exaggerating a little here). But the real takeaway for me was the idea that running 10 miles on Sunday or 30 miles per week may not make up for the fact that I sit in an office chair all day, 5 days a week.

I have found that there are some software tools which might help combat the sedentary work environment. Originally developed to reduce Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI), Workrave software can be used to remind us to get off our butts. Stand up every so often, walk to the water cooler, do some light stretching, walk the stairs, do jumping jacks, push-ups, or whatever your office environment permits.

A standing treadmill workstation may not be an option for all of us, but integrating some non-sitting activity during the workday is probably possible for many people. Workrave or other similar software (there are many alternatives) can help with this.

Workrave is currently available for Windows and Linux. It's even in the Ubuntu Linux repositories.

Although I really like the glass windows in my office, they do seem to make things chilly when it is cold outside.

The temperature when I walked into my office this morning was 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Space heaters to the rescue! This is a bit ironic considering I am located in a LEED certified building. I guess one way to stay green and minimize your energy costs is to eliminate the requirement to make the office habitable by humans.

Here is a pic of some of my tools for surviving in a wintery office environment:



Details about pictured items:

In 2010, I read 44 works of fiction, which is about half as many as I read the previous year. My interest continued to be mostly in the Speculative / Science Fiction genre.  Many of these books were my lucky finds at the Alachua County Friends of the Library book sale or one of the local Gainesville book stores, Book Gallery West and Books, Inc.

My two favorite books from my 2010 reading list were Dragons in the Stars and Dragon Rigger, both by Jeffrey A. Carver and take place in Carver's Star Rigger universe.

I enjoyed Birth of Fire by Jerry Pournelle more than Heinlein's Starship Troopers or Haldeman's Forever War.

Scott Westerfeld is one of my new favorite authors.  After reading The Risen Empire and The Killing of Worlds, I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the Succession series.

Potentially offensive to some readers, Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming by Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley is notable for its entertainment value, poking fun at heaven and hell, demons, and angels, good and evil.

Cuckoo's Egg by C. J. Cherryh is an excellent "master with student in training" kind of story.

Here is the complete list of books that I read during 2010:

Jason Robillard writes that "no shoe has come closer to minimalist perfection" than the Merrell Trail Glove in his review posted at Barefoot Running University.

The full review: http://barefootrunninguniversity.com/2011/01/04/merrell-trail-glove-review/

A shoe like the Vibram FiveFingers without the toe pockets sounds really great to me.

[image source: merrell.com]

Ryan Hall, Josh Cox and Terrence Mahon demonstrate some plyometric exercises that they use to build speed and power:

Artwork by a 6-year-old: