Ben Robinson

All About Ben

 By Ben Robinson

The weather is crazy, but for all we know we are through with the rough days for this winter, so I need to start getting in shape.

Now I know that literally “round” is a shape, but it’s not one I am comfortable with. A few years ago I was down to just more than 230 pounds, which is comparatively low for me. I won’t mention where I am now, but let’s just leave it at “more than 230 pounds.”

I lost my job and went into some kind of depression. Looking back, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me — at least the best thing that would not involve Sandra Bullock. But still, I was depressed, and I turned to food for my comfort.

But now I am working with friends at the Courier. I haven’t climbed to the place I would like to be, but I’m excited to have the opportunity.

I should be able to go back to Kentucky on a mission trip this summer, so things are looking up. Who knows? I may have met the love of my life yesterday. But whatever the case, I need to get into shape.

I have my own built-in workout system at home in Dacusville. My driveway is more than a quarter mile long, and like most of Pickens County, it’s uphill. I used to train there a lot by walking up the driveway. Of course, my car was not quite so reliable then. Now I need to walk the driveway by choice, burning off some energy that apparently eventually becomes pounds.

Other activities I need to do include just simple basketball. I used to play for hours at a time. I can honestly say I was the best player on the court. Of course, I was the only player on the court, so that helped. But my basket attached to a tree has long been destroyed by one of those unexpected storms, so I either need to build a new court — which due to my height would be a challenge, or play on the public courts near the house.

Things have really changed in Dacusville, where when I was a kid I could only play recreation basketball at Dacusville School, where the coach started his 3-year-old son over me. Public courts were unheard of, but through the work of many people I don’t really know, there are a few public courts in Dacusville, and they’re vacant most of the time. I need to make use of them to honor the folks who made such sacrifices to make them happen.

So we’re looking for a big year in 2014. Let’s get ready to make things happen.