How to be a Fred?

[Duck on Wheels]

Thanks -- I don't mind bucking the trends and blazing my own trail. I just prefer to know when I'm doing it.

You know how it goes -- you decide to wear jeans to a party even though you know most people will be biz-casual, is different than doing it unawares!

Exakkly. And since my dream is to be a Fredwina Athena, it's good to know how to do it. The Fredwina part is readily achievable, I think. Athena takes some work, since it means keeping up on the road in spite of the extra pounds. I passed a woman today who was having an Athena workout -- of goddess-like dimensions, AND hauling her 3-year-old in a trailer, AND spinning up hills into the wind. When I finally caught up with her, instead of calling out "on your left" I puffed and said "I'm having enough trouble pulling just myself into this wind." "Thanks!" she replied, "Now I don't feel so bad." Glad I could be of encouragement.