outside: a log: resolution 2k24 edition

I’ve been cooped up for most of January due to gloomy days + early dusk + extreme cold snap + ice and snow. I still go outside every day, but it’s become increasingly perfunctory (e.g., taking out trash after dark). So my resolution for February is: more outdoors! more daylight! And I’m going to log it here.

• note 1: I wrote this up on January 21. The next day it warmed up and I was like, hey, maybe I’ll start the log today. Turned out there was freezing rain and I almost slipped twice walking from the front door to the back door of the condo. “That looked fun,” said a neighbor who saw me coming up the sidewalk. ugggh hopefully February will have better weather
• note 1.1: but I AM gonna cherrypick by starting the log a day early for an even 30 days
• note 2: oh right I was gonna log all the times R went outside in 2023 and forgot…he didn’t go outside until like April anyways

Approximate time spent walking outdoors is indicated in brackets.

1. Jan 31: Commute: Home > train station [10m]
2. Jan 31: Commute: Train station > Starbucks > work [15m]
3. Jan 31: Lunch walk: Nachos [20m]
4. Jan 31: Dentist visit + afternoon donut break [35m]
5. Jan 31: Commute: Work > Arby’s > train station (dusk) [15m]
6. Jan 31: Commute: Train station > home (after dark) [10m]
7. Feb 1: Daily walk to train station (55 degrees and sunny out?? great day to have a “go outside” resolution. ty obama) [25m]
8. Feb 2: Picking up groceries [minimal]
9. Feb 2: Daily walk to train station [20m]
10. Feb 3: Daily walk to train station [25m]
11. Feb 4: Daily walk to train station & Pokemon Go Community Day (Chansey) (shiny haul: 2. both were caught in the first ten minutes, and then the well dried up, but I’ll take it) [45m]
12. Feb 5: Taking out trash + walk around condo grounds (oop projectfail… at least I hauled myself out there before dusk) [10m]
13. Feb 6: Daily walk to duck pond (the ducks are back!) [20m]
14. Feb 7: Commute: Home > train station [10m]
15. Feb 7: Commute: Train station > Starbucks > work [15m]
16. Feb 7: Lunch walk: Walgreens (chocolate) > food court (nooo the Thai place closed) > Vietnamese restaurant [30m]
17. Feb 7: Afternoon donut break [15m]
18. Feb 7: Commute: Work > nacho stand > train station [15m]
19. Feb 7: Commute: Train station > home (after dark) [10m]
20. Feb 8: Taking out trash + walk around condo grounds (this was not supposed to be THE walk of the day, but then it stormed in the afternoon. glad I at least got a bit of morning sun) [5m]
21. Feb 9: Daily walk to train station [25m]
22. Feb 10: Daily walk to duck pond (heard a giant racket and looked up, expecting to see a huge flock of geese. instead it was just two geese, making the noise of twenty as they alighted on the pond. HONK HONK HONK) [15m]
23. Feb 11: Picking up groceries [minimal]
24. Feb 11: Daily walk [10m]
25. Feb 12: Daily walk to train station [25m]
26. Feb 13: Taking out trash + walk around condo grounds (dusk) [10m]
27. Feb 14: Taking out trash + walk around condo grounds (after dark) [10m] [1054 steps]
28. Feb 15: Daily walk around condo grounds (after dark) [10m]
29. Feb 16: Daily walk around construction site + condo grounds [20m]
30. Feb 17: Daily walk to train station (dusk) [20m]
31. Feb 18: Daily walk to duck pond (dusk) (honk HONK honk HONK honk HONK) [15m]
32. Feb 19: Daily walk to duck pond (dusk) [10m]
33. Feb 20: Taking out trash + picking up groceries [minimal]
34. Feb 21: Daily walk to train station (saw Jack out riding his bike. “hi neighbor!” he said as he zoomed by) [30m]
35. Feb 22: Daily walk around condo grounds (after dark) [10m]
36. Feb 23: Taking out trash + walk around condo grounds (after dark) [10m]
37. Feb 23: Taking out trash (after dark) [minimal]
38. Feb 24: Daily walk to train station [20m]
39. Feb 24: Dinner with parents at Chinese restaurant [minimal]
40. Feb 25: Daily walk to train station, catching pokemon [30m]
41. Feb 26: Daily walk around condo grounds [10m]
42. Feb 27: Daily walk to train station [30m]
43. Feb 28: Daily walk around condo grounds, taking out trash (technically two trips because I went outside, realized I forgot the trash, did my walk anyway, and then came back in for it) [10m]
44. Feb 29: Daily walk to duck pond [15m]

Average times going outside per day: 1.5 

Conclusion: It was a better month than January, but mostly due to better weather + longer daylight hours, not any improvement in motivation or time management. Also, not that interesting. In the old days, it would have been a lot more populated, but probably not any more interesting…just an endless chronicle of daily commutes and lunch walks.