A trip to the Temple of Man

I've started going to the gym again. It happens every year about this time. Namely, about the time my gym membership is set to expire. Which means I get real enthused, talk myself into buying another year's membership, then loose my motivation and don't go for 10 months of the year. Oh well. Being a gym member makes me feel like I'm a good person. And isn't that why we all belong to gyms?

The best part of going to the gym is not the exercise, it the exceptional people watching. People can be really odd when they work out. After all, where, outside of a PETA rally, and church, can you find so many people pretending to be something they are not? Yesterday I was riding my stationary bike next to Annoying Gym Guy (AGG), who was huffing and puffing unnecesarily loudly, and muttering encouragement to himself as he went. He had also lugged over one of the big fans and put it right behind him. It seems like he should put it in front of him, but maybe he feels like he can go faster with a tailwind. In front of me was the spinning class, where everybody brings their own bike from home, puts it on a little stand, and rides together there in the gym. I can see how it would be nice to "ride your bike" in the air conditioning, but I don't get why they wear their aerodynamic shirts and little bike caps. And they all watch Le Tour de France while they "ride." I think that's the best part.

What an odd bunch we all are at the gym. I don't think many places symbolize 21st century city life better than a gym. All trying to get in shape for some reason or other, all trying to look good doing it. But still all crammed in a big room full of machines that simulate activities which might be fun if you did them outside, or with a friend. Simulated nordic ski machine? I've yet to see anybody use that machine.

Comments

Melanie said…
Oh my - I remember AGG! He was at the gym everytime I was... which speaks to the amount of time HE spent there (not the amount of time I spent there!) And a-huffing and a-puffing he always was. Funny.
11:39 AM
Anonymous said…
Yo. H, J, and I went to the PSU pool for a couple hours this afternoon. Similar types of performances going on, different setting.

After swimming 3 widths of the pool I dragged myself over to my pool-side chair (where I spent most of the afternoon) and Hannah told me i needed a better poker face!

Aubrey--I finished up Till we have faces. I enjoyed it, although I was plagued with the constant anxiety that there was something deep and meaningful about all the reflections on faces and beauty that i was missing.
5:17 PM
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