you know, some people see this picture of my sweet annie lounging in her favorite christmas present remnant and think - "wow! a cat! in a box!"

i personally see the pictorial representation of my lifestyle here at OU.

i got by in my younger years by attending dance classes three or four times a week. in high school, i stayed in shape through our dance team and our swim team. during the summer, i swam laps across the pool as a lifeguard.

and then there's college.

it's mostly a location issue. i hate working out in norman. i hate running down the street so that attractive college boys in passing cars can watch me struggle along, gasping for air. i would consider joining one of our trendy little gyms, but i just can't get too excited about watching 50 other beyond gorgeous college girls gracefully finish their third hour on the stair stepper while i push for thirty minutes. the pool at OU is absolutely teeming with old folks at all hours of the day, and i've had too many near fatal encounters with the bikers on campus to even think of trying that.

then there's the time issue. in those rare moments that i'm not doing sometime for class, work, sorority, or madpony (see how i love you?), i'm generally sleeping or spending a bit of quality time with my friends. i have trouble getting inspired to spend these times jogging up and down the streets of norman so that sweet little fraternity boys can taunt me from their cars.

this has troubled me quite a bit lately, especially now that i am having to consider what my poor body might look like in a swimsuit for summer 2003.

then, i realized something. i am getting a perfectly good amount of exercise every day!

may i present to you, Kristin's Diet Coke Dilemma Workout.

i walked into dale hall tuesday evening, and started up the stairs to my history class.

(5 minutes of brisk walking across campus + 13 stairs)

halfway to the second floor of the building, i realized my three hour class would not be complete without a nice, cold diet coke. i wandered the building looking for the machines.

(13 stairs + 5 minutes of brisk wandering + 25 stairs)

finally, i found a knowledgeable person, who sent me towards the basement.

(40 stairs)

halfway between the first floor and the basement, i realized i had left my money back at the house. disheartened, i started back to class.

(28 stairs)

between the first two floors, i paused a second to dig through my bag, and found exactly enough change to score me a little slice of liquid heaven. back to the basement.

(45 stairs + more brisk wandering to the exact location of the machines)

finally at peace with the world, my diet coke and i headed back to class.

(43 stairs)

until i saw my friend jennie on the first floor of the building.

(10 stairs)

and then, after our chat, i finally made my way to lecture.

(25 stairs)

see! now tell me that isn't a workout. i feel *far* better about my physical health. and don't worry, you non-OU students, i'm sure you too have a nice tall building full of stairs in which you can attempt the Kristin's Diet Coke Dilemma Workout. there is hope for us all.

plus, of course, there is the diet coke itself. don't those things have, like, negative calories?

it's good to be healthy.

time for a nap.