Reboot
Happy new year, everyone!
Today, I celebrated by taking a four-mile hike along the Metacomet Trail in Suffield.
Um, what?
Yeah, that’s right. I “celebrated” by hiking in the woods. I consider it a celebration because I wanted to start the year off right. Over the past two years, I’ve become a right nasty slug, spending more time in front of my computer watching videos, getting irritated by political blogs, and playing MMOs. Resultingly, I’ve become slothier and slothier, and actually feel myself atrophying.
So I am attempting to turn over a new leaf in that area, and hit the woods more often. Hence, today’s romp on the Metacomet.
It was a good day for a hike, tempteratures in the mid 40’s F, little wind, no precipitation. The ground had about an inch or two of wet snow, but I have good waterproof boots so it wasn’t a problem. It was a fairly easy hike, although I am out of shape so I am pretty beat right now.
I think I’ll continue my New Year’s celebrations with … a nap. 🙂
America In Context 
I’m not big on the traditional holidays—well, really I just don’t like Christmas—and have adopted the tradition of hiking on those holidays. It’s a great way to start off a Thanksgiving Day or start the New Year.
So this is going to sound sappy, but …
Lots of folks practice their religions on these holidays. They go to church, or temple, or say prayers, or eat foods of special significance to their faith.
I don’t think I qualify as “atheist”, but I definitely don’t belong to a religion. Walking in the woods is my version of a religious practice on these holidays. 🙂