18 June 2012

Undiscovered territory

My new toy is a pedometer. This is the sort of number of steps I'm aiming to reach at the end of each day, but it's all too easy to rack up 600 (or less) on a day spent mainly in kitchen and studio.

So I'm exploring the neighbourhood - walking to nearby charity shops. Currently the favourite route is to Muswell Hill, where there are several charity shops - and friends to meet for coffee.
7 minutes to drive, 45 minutes to walk
On the way back down the hill, I like to go through the mysterious leafiness of Queens Wood, and through the suburban back streets, collecting house-numbers-on-gates:

These walks have led to various mapping ideas, which could be part of the "everyday journeys" project, but I'm trying to resist that impulse; trying to keep focused on the "memory loss/language loss" everyday-journey of ageing.

Unfortunately one of the charity shops I pass had a box of old maps in the window - irresistible -
they make an excellent  accompaniment to breakfast
Curious to see the layout of the back streets I'd been following, I not only went online but opened the A-Z and traced a map of the area on which to record future wanderings -
the little tracing is "a walk around the block"
And while the white pen was handy ... how would it look with the type ...
inappropriate for the subject matter, but ...
This is how ideas and projects morph - and why much "research" falls by the wayside (or should). During the walk is a good time to think about what is worth developing - you think in a different way while you're on the move.

1 comment:

Jane Housham said...

Coincidence -- I too have just started with a pedometer. Mine's linked in to a competitive/'inspirational' thing at work which is bringing out the worst in me. I'm walking about while reading just to notch up steps. But I agree that one thinks differently whilst on the move and I've had one or two definite moments of (minor) 'revelation' which I enjoyed.