Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Life Without Cable

It seems that I am doomed to live without cable television in Florida. Up until now, it's been a moot point, since our time has been so limited. We've made due with rabbit ears, watching fuzzy Simpsons reruns and whatever evening news and weather is watchable. Somehow, the "Appliance Direct!!" commercials always seem to come in clear, while the shows we want to watch feature fuzzy ghosts lost in a blizzard of static snow.

We've considered a dish, but we've always had cable to we've reverting to old habits. The only problem is that I am not used to having to pay for installation, having been spoiled by the plethora of specials that are offered in the Chicago area. Unfortunately, in Celebration, free (or even discounted) installation is nearly impossible to come by.

I did see one special last week: half price installation, and a free month of HBO to top it off like a tasty cherry on top of the cable television sundae. Unfortunately, it ended before we would be able to have it installed. The phone rep. told me that they should be running another special right afterwards, but so far there is nothing.

Actually, I am not much of a television addict. I am usually busy at night, booking Disney cruises or clients, working on school work, tinkering with one of my websites, catching up on email, or relaxing in the bathtub to wind down from all of the previous items. The only channel that I probably couldn't live without is Comedy Central, and if I don't have it for a while, their incessant reruns ensure that I can easily catch up with whatever I miss.

I should have plenty to keep me busy in Florida. Besides the usual work, I need to get back into my exercise routine. That means committing to daily walking, swimming, and/or biking. I am normally very good about exercise, but when my travel agency business picked up and I had to get serious about my dissertation (both of which are worked around a full-time job), the health club visits and at-home exercise sessions went out the window. I still do a daily 30 minute walk, but that's no match for my love of chocolate and other goodies.

In Celebration, there is no excuse for avoiding exercise. There is a pool in each village, and even when the weather is cold, the pool at Lakeside Park is heated. The trail beckon walkers, joggers, and bikers. And if you get bored with the scenery around town, it's only a short jaunt to Epcot, where you can get in your exercise by walking around the "world," or you can haul your bicycle to Fort Wilderness and hit the bike paths there. Or you can do one of many other jaunts, like the path between Epcot and Disney MGM Studio, the circle from Epcot to Boardwalk to the Yacht & Beach Club and back again, or hiking through the tropical environs of the Animal Kingdom.

Normally, I make my New Years resolutions along with the rest of the world, starting them when the clock strikes midnight. This year, due to all the turmoil of the move, I cut myself some slack. I'll start my weight loss resolution when we return from our Disney cruise on February 6.

Of course, while Disney World has many opportunities for exercise, there are also many dining temptations to avoid. So many wonderful restaurants, like Jiko, Artists Point, Ohana, and Cape May Buffet; so many delicious snack items like the godly vanilla/orange juice twist sold in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. My husband and I will have to develop wills of steel to ward off the pounds.

72 hours to the Cat Caravan!

My email address is celebration@mailblocks.com

My Celebration website it at www.celebrationinfo.com

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