Health and Et Cetera

I don't know much about bodies and health and exercise. Currently when I go to the gym (the community center) I lift some things, push some things, eavsedrop with my headphones in, and read Better Homes and Gardens on the elliptical. I'm pleased to notice that I'm way less obsessive about what I do there (in terms of frequency and difficulty) than I was this winter, and that has been really nice, because winter was a dark hole of sweat and frustration and heaven help you if you decided you were going to pick my favorite stationary bike to use. I threw around the stink eye like it was going out of style. Yes, you, 80-year-old in the "cancer survivor" t-shirt. What the fuck are you looking at? I also wasn't eating enough. I know that for sure. Being hungry made me feel angry and I liked feeling angry at work. Despite all my rage, etc.

Anyhow, the sun is back now and I'm happier in general and I'm just as content to equate taking a walk while eating a cookie with a trip to the gym as my daily exercise. They are both movement-based activities that make me feel good. Or yoga, or riding my bike, or doing a couple situps and then watching Curb your Enthusiasm for four hours. Blah blah blah, activities and health bullshit, you get the idea. Do what makes you feel good. I'm drinking more (a good thing?!?!?!?), eating more, moving at a more reasonable pace, and feeling a whole lot better. Plus my ass is looking a little less concave. Sexxxy.

So this guy: and I'm not going to begrudge him his intentions; I assume he's motivated to some degree by an investment in community wellness as most employees at the center are (I guess). And really he got off to a bad start by actually telling me about his day when I asked how he was doing ("I didn't ask for your life story, nosehair" -Karen Walker). BUT here's the story:

Short-ish, bald-ish, guy; probably younger than he looks but he still looks kind of old. Mid/late thirties maybe, skinny but "in good shape" or whatever the fuck. As I'm leaving, he asks "so how'd it go?" (how'd what go?? My "workout" I guess?)

"Oh, good, yeah."

"Yeah? So are you like, training for something?"

"Uhhhh nope. I mean I guess I'd like to do a 5k this summer or something but I don't know."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm a runner so if you want any help or tips come ask me! You know it's all about building on your strength and adding difficulty and challenging yourself."

"Yeah okay thanks."

Now that I've typed out the transcript it doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but here were my takeaways:

• When I exercise, I should have a goal in mind. Because otherwise what's the point
• I don't know what I'm doing when I exercise; I need assistance

Okay now I'm kind of thinking that I'm just way overreacting. He was annoying and I'll just leave it at that. Mostly I just don't like being talked to. And damnit Joelle had a gym experience that was a trillion times more entertaining than this. But I think if he tries to chat again I'll be sharp and shut him down with a good old-fashioned stink eye. And maybe rub some of my back sweat on him.

You know now that I think of it there's also that time the old guy asked if I want to UW because of the shorts I was wearing; I said no and then started to say something else but he cut me off and goes "OH NOT THAT I WAS STARING AT YOUR BUTT OR ANYTHING HAHAHAHAHAH" and walks away. That was magic.