Pure Bliss.doc

So after a a summer of traveling - a trip back to Canada and an exhilarating July - I've settled into a more mundane routine here in the Royal Spa. While the next month's posts won't include descriptions of wild adventures spent around the continent (as I try to complete the first draft of the dissertation) they'll still touch on the hits and highlights in this quaint little village.

To give you an idea, I'm treating writing like a job. Granted, there is no Michael Scott to make sure I arrive by nine and clock my hours, but I still try to put in a day's worth of work. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending how you look at it) it means I'm still able to sleep in until 10am - although I'm on my way to changing this - and but in 7 hours of reading, writing, and general attachment to my laptop until about 5 or 6pm. With this type of schedule, writing the dissertation isn't that hard. If you sit down for 35 hours a week in front of your computer, words will come. The proof is in the putting...of facebook on hold. It may not be exciting work but in a month I should have a draft which will put me way in front of where I thought I'd be. It's a strategic move really - two months of dedicated work (with obvious breaks and slips here or there) will pay off in the long run when I want to job search and soak up more of the sights if indeed I head back to Canada at Christmas.

The highlight of my routine here in Leamington has been finding the Pure Health Club and Spa. So picture 10am - 5pm spent at the dining room table looking out the picture window to the beautiful backyard tempting me outside. After slagging though a day tied to the laptop, I needed an outlet to clear my head. Bec recommended I check out the club and I took them up on the free day membership before immediately committing to the month of September. I've had my card for seventeen days and been to the gym thirteen of those days. I'll be honest, at 50 pounds a month (90 Canadian) it's an expensive purchase, but it's proving to be an invaluable investment.

So picture this club at Yonge and Bloor or on the Upper East Side - this would be where the Nate Archibalds and Chuck Basses sip their vitamin-enhanced smoothies. The genius behind the design is that you don't feel that you're at a gym to work out. There are expensive furnishings, crazy light fixtures, and all kinds of modern touches. My typical work out will feature 40 minutes with the free weights (depending on the day of the week), a 10 minute row, crunches, and then a 20 minute treadmill run. Not only do I get to work out, but I get to catch some TV which is broadcast on the treadmill. Since the club is a bit more pricey the clientele is older people and young professionals. This means I NEVER have to wait for a machine and everyone is really nice.

After the challenging stuff I make my way to the pool which looks more like a nightclub. This is where the membership really pays off. I usually spend 40 minutes going back and forth between the main pool, the jacuzzi, the steam room, and the sauna. After 7 hours of brain power, the 40 minutes spent relaxing restores me to a complete state of equilibrium. Also, the water pressure in the shower is double that at home, they have powerful hair driers, and plastic bags to pack up your swimsuit. This place takes care of every possible need. Upon leaving I feel refreshed and healthy. I've also started to hike up my protein intake with shakes and research the proper way to work out. I wouldn't trade the membership for anything, and it's proving to be a great second job to make the dissertation all the more manageable.

I've never really been a fan of working out (too much work and not enough enjoyment) but Pure is changing that. They also have yoga and all kinds of classes included in the membership, so I'm looking to make that part of the routine next week. I'll be giving you a taste of Nova Lodge in the next post.

Doc's Prescription of the Day: A bit of fitness never hurt anyone - routine is how to make it happen.