Lazy people (me)

Lawrence Toppman

Lazy people, whose standard-bearer I will be until the end of my days, look for reasons not to exercise. When the power went out at my house Tuesday night -- and stayed out for 21 hours -- I considered the negative and positive results.

Negative: Bedroom temperature would soon reach the 80s. No light, except for small portable power sources. No way to cook. Food spoiling in refrigerator. (Or is that a plus, if you're losing weight?) Extreme boredom, with no way to read, play music or watch TV.

Positive: The treadmill wouldn't work, and the weather was too bad to walk outside.

To a lazy guy, that works out about even.

Alas, the top third of the box elder in my back yard ended up on the ground, as if some celestial chef had sheared the florets from an enormous broccoli. So I will be spending three afternoons over Independence Day weekend breaking up the branches with a manual saw -- not a chainsaw, as I am not supposed to use appliances that might result in the loss of an appendage.

Fate works in mysterious ways when it wants you to burn calories.