A writer in Carleton’s communications department is using a treadmill to not only stay active, but to help students, staff, and alumni with their writing skills.
Dan Rubinstein, who was a journalist for 25 years, is setting up office hours on the MacOdrum Library treadmills while walking and working at the same time.
Rubinstein said he previously wrote a book while using a treadmill in his basement, but it wasn’t the best environment for him. His office on campus also lacks a window.
“I’ll often take my laptop and find somewhere with natural light to work,” he said. “I figured I would start going to the library and start using the treadmills in the Discovery Centre. Then I thought, why not have some fun with it?”
The two treadmills in the library gave Rubinstein a way to invite others who might want to work alongside him and walk at the same time.
He said he expects anyone, from journalism students working on story pitches to “a custodian on campus looking to write his or her life story,” to schedule office hours with him.
“I’ve got two clients lined up for early February, which is great,” he said.
Rubinstein’s background includes sports and magazine writing, but he said he’s happy to help people working in another specific area, such as communications.
He added that walking is a great way to connect with people. When you’re stuck driving a car or sitting at a desk, you miss interacting with people in your community, according to Rubinstein.
“When I’m walking in my neighbourhood I see, talk to, and say hi to my neighbours and I get to know them,” he said.
Rubinstein’s new title is officially “treadmill writer-in-residence.”
“I like walking both as a form of transportation but also as a form of recreation,” he said. “It became a bit of an obsession of mine when I was working on my book—I spent two or three years pretty much doing nothing but walking, thinking about walking, reading about walking.”
Walking, he said, is also a “big part” of human life.
“As we’ve gotten away from walking . . . we’ve lost touch with a big part of who we are,” he said. “Returning to walking and incorporating it into our daily lives . . . can help us as individuals.”
Rubinstein noted walking isn’t a “magic” solution to the big problems in life, but he still encourages people to stay active.
“It’s a step in the right direction. Metaphorically, it shows us that you can address any challenge as long as you approach it one step at a time,” he said.
