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2002-07-10 | 9:40 a.m.

Okay, let's say, hypothetically of course, that I wanted to live a rich and full life. How would I approach that?

Exercise: Not just a little, but a lot. Start slowly, and work my way up to a level just shy of exercise bulimia. Exercise first thing in the morning and then in the afternoon, too. Make it a big, big part of my life.

Eating: Drastically change the way I eat. Eat mostly vegetables and fruits supplemented with lean meats and fish. Largely eliminate white sugar, trans-fats, man-made carbs, and caffeine. Avoid processed food and restaurants, especially fast-food restaurants. Drink water.

Mental Health: Get the house and my affairs in order and keep it that way. Try to keep a handle on the kids' lives and habits so we don't have so many emotional upsets, yet avoid over-control and strain. Lavish attention on them, involve them in the daily routine, plan outings, let days be given over to their enrichment. Get the whole family on a schedule that feels natural and not forced. Establish a work routine that is relatively constant and predictable and do not allow work to take precedence over everything else. Plant a garden and don't let it go. Turn off the TV. Keep a big art-paper journal and be artful inside it. Keep myself lightly scheduled and in check.

I want to try to be this way, yet even I would bet against myself.

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