Ramon feels a quiet satisfaction in noticing that he is slowly drifting away from his old habits of heavy internet use—especially the endless loop of Facebook reels and videos. Many of them are amusing, even clever, but most offer little that truly nourishes him. He knows he is not completely free of them yet, but he senses a shift. He is becoming more deliberate about where his time goes and how his energy is spent.
The previous day unfolded in a familiar, grounding rhythm. He began with meditation, then headed out for his morning walk. This time, he chose the old JPP park and logged more than 9,000 steps—nearly five miles. By the time he finished, it was close to 11:30 a.m. He stopped at Publix for bread and eggs, then returned home to reheat leftover nilaga from the day before. As he sat down and began browsing online, Juan knocked on the door. The timing felt just right. It had been seven days since Ramon’s tooth extraction, and he finally felt well enough to welcome visitors without worry.
With the extraction behind him and recovery going smoothly, Ramon’s thoughts had turned back to dental health. Living with diabetes, he knows he carries a higher risk for gum disease and tooth decay. A bad experience with a dentist nine years earlier still lingered in his memory, as did the consequences of years of poor blood sugar control. Even so, he feels his motivation returning. For him, dental care is not optional—it is essential. The same is true for eye health, skin integrity, and nerve protection. Diabetes, when poorly managed, is relentless: it damages nerves and blood vessels, raises blood pressure, and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. For now, his focus is on his teeth. Over the past few days, he has immersed himself in research, comparing toothpaste and mouthwash options. Three products kept rising to the top: Crest Pro-Health Advanced, Colgate Total, and Sensodyne Pronamel.
At its core, Ramon knows this all comes down to discipline—maintaining good blood sugar control, eating mindfully, and committing to proper oral hygiene with the best tools available. Yesterday, that focus bordered on obsession, and he hopes to loosen his grip on it today.
Because of that fixation, he missed a few activities he had planned. He spent time reading a blog purely out of interest, yet afterward felt strangely incomplete. He did read, but not as many pages as he had intended. The hours he lost to researching toothpaste and mouthwash surprised him. Still, he reminds himself that progress does not have to be perfect. He walked in the park, and that counts. He also takes quiet satisfaction in how well his plants are doing.
Ramon is equally content with his decision to reduce Facebook posting to once every four days or so—just enough to reassure concerned family members that he is alive, active, and doing well. There is an unspoken pressure these days to maintain a constant digital presence, but for him, there is an important caveat. He is stepping back from social media so he can focus more seriously on writing and publishing on his anonymously authored fiction website. He wants readers to engage with his ideas, not his face. That desire has been simmering in him for a long time.
His interest lies in expressing thought through words, not in constant visibility or performance. That territory belongs to actors, influencers, and those who thrive on self-promotion—and he bears them no ill will. Everyone has the right to choose their medium. His concern is distraction, especially when it comes at the expense of personal growth and quiet accomplishment.
He is also relieved that some sources of distraction are slowly fading. He does not want an exaggerated online presence, particularly when engagement becomes an end in itself—or worse, when digital interaction replaces genuine human connection. While Ramon is not drawn to constant socializing, he is deeply curious about human behavior. He finds the richest observations in stories, spoken and written, which is why he feels an increasing pull toward books.
Since yesterday emphasized cardiovascular exercise, today is reserved for resistance training with a few leg stretches. Ramon follows standard health recommendations: at least 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity per week and strength training at least twice weekly. He sees this as one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce cardiovascular risk and slow age-related muscle loss. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing all count. For people who have been sedentary, are recovering from illness, or are managing chronic conditions, these guidelines provide a realistic and achievable baseline.
Those who are already active may easily exceed them. Fitness levels vary, and routines should progress accordingly. For Ramon, the message is straightforward: cardio alone is not enough. Strength training matters just as much.
Exercise settings, he believes, are deeply personal. He enjoys working outdoors, though he keeps a gym membership for days when weather makes that impractical. Some people thrive on the energy of shared spaces; others, like Ramon, prefer solitude and self-paced movement.
That is why his small yard feels like a gift. At dawn, he stepped outside and did his resistance band exercises beneath the dark canopy of bamboo and mango trees. Moonlight and stars offered just enough illumination. Everything was still—even the leaves seemed to pause. He often prefers exercising in darkness and quiet. Low light adds another layer of challenge, forcing him to rely on balance and proprioception as he moves across uneven ground, scattered rocks, and clumps of weeds. Navigating the terrain sharpens his reflexes and body awareness. He does not worry about how he looks, though he suspects the sight would amuse an observer.
He spent about forty-five minutes on the routine, including what he hesitates to call dancing—the polka. To Ramon, it feels more like a rhythmic jog set to a one-two-three count: one long step followed by two shorter ones. Depending on the tempo, it can be slow and controlled or fast enough to feel aerobic, almost like jogging. One of these days, he might even turn it into a short reel—on his own terms.