Since I am a bonafide Geezer,
having been dubbed this by an irate man some time ago, I feel that I am qualified to make some remarks on the art of Geezer walking.
You can be a Geezer regardless of your age. One requirement is that you not take yourself too seriously. So most anyone can do the Geezer walk.
Some guidelines (no rules; Geezers do not care for rules nor abide by them) are:
· Choose asphalt over concrete, dirt over asphalt. (It’s easier to let flowers bloom in your footsteps with dirt, though concrete may need it more.)
· Choose neighborhood streets over traffic stream streets. With traffic stream streets, it is too easy to get irritated at the constant engine roar and tire-whir noise and/or fall into pity and depression for all those poor folk locked away in their mobile cubicles. Of course, if you are a Zen Marine, you will welcome this opportunity to practice deep meditation.
· Choose back alleys over neighborhood streets. Man! The sights you see!
· Take a new route, rather than an old route. The reasons are obvious.
· Always return a different way. Walk the unexpected, unpredictable.
· Take shortcuts, even though they are longer.
· Stay open to change. Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters are everywhere. Pick them up, put them in your walking savings jar.
· Notice side paths (human game trails) and follow them. Most of them are short cuts. All lead to interesting places.
· Keep a soft-eyed open gaze. You see more; are perceived as less a threat or challenge; get in less trouble.
· Keep your head up and look around. No head bouncing. When your head bounces, your visual world bounces. Keep an even keel.
· No marching. Amble. Amble fast or amble slow, but amble. Since you are amble-atory, you are less likely to need an amble-ance.
· Stop, look, and listen. At any time. For as long as you care to.
· If you have a watch, leave it at home. You will get there when you get there. And you will never get there since you are always here.
· Carry a teeny notebook to record your teeny thoughts. That’s how this guideline you are reading was formed.
You can be a Geezer regardless of your age. One requirement is that you not take yourself too seriously. So most anyone can do the Geezer walk.
Some guidelines (no rules; Geezers do not care for rules nor abide by them) are:
· Choose asphalt over concrete, dirt over asphalt. (It’s easier to let flowers bloom in your footsteps with dirt, though concrete may need it more.)
· Choose neighborhood streets over traffic stream streets. With traffic stream streets, it is too easy to get irritated at the constant engine roar and tire-whir noise and/or fall into pity and depression for all those poor folk locked away in their mobile cubicles. Of course, if you are a Zen Marine, you will welcome this opportunity to practice deep meditation.
· Choose back alleys over neighborhood streets. Man! The sights you see!
· Take a new route, rather than an old route. The reasons are obvious.
· Always return a different way. Walk the unexpected, unpredictable.
· Take shortcuts, even though they are longer.
· Stay open to change. Pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters are everywhere. Pick them up, put them in your walking savings jar.
· Notice side paths (human game trails) and follow them. Most of them are short cuts. All lead to interesting places.
· Keep a soft-eyed open gaze. You see more; are perceived as less a threat or challenge; get in less trouble.
· Keep your head up and look around. No head bouncing. When your head bounces, your visual world bounces. Keep an even keel.
· No marching. Amble. Amble fast or amble slow, but amble. Since you are amble-atory, you are less likely to need an amble-ance.
· Stop, look, and listen. At any time. For as long as you care to.
· If you have a watch, leave it at home. You will get there when you get there. And you will never get there since you are always here.
· Carry a teeny notebook to record your teeny thoughts. That’s how this guideline you are reading was formed.
Well, that’s way too many guidelines.
Just go out there and walk around.
Excellent advice from a man of knowledge and experience with ambling about. Now practice, practice, practice!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I occasionally stop at stare at the sky; there's some really cool stuff up there.
Troutbum
Careful! Your shoes might freeze to the ground while ambling in Flagstaff in the winter :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat guidelines--not just for geezers!
ReplyDeleteExemplary advise on the art of geez-ing.
ReplyDelete