You may have noticed the plus sign that I have added to the title of this blog. When I started blogging, I used it as a way to relay thing that I either noticed about the gym. Some were funny; most were rants; some were observations. The common bond was that it related to my life working for a health club facility. Since I no longer am a full-time worker of the health club industry, I have missed out on a lot of things at the gym. I have on the other hand had some interesting experiences in my new career. I still spend a lot of time at the gym but every now and again, I may blog about things outside of the gym. Ergo, the plus sign. Onward...

How do you give someone a compliment at the gym without it sounding like a pick-up line. Is it possible to give a compliment to someone else without sounding like you are coming on to them? I have had this dilemma this past week...

When I started working out at the local gym in my neighborhood, I had noticed a young man who worked out on a regular basis as I did and at the same times too. He was about 5' 2" tall with a slightly thick build. He also had brown hair that was well-kept but not styled. He seemed to be the type of man who has been working out with some regularity but without any specific goals.

One day, he showed up at the gym with new spiky haircut and blond highlights. He looked great. The new haircut really updated his look. He also began working out more efficiently; paying attention to the exercises he did and in what order or succession he did them. His form has improved tremendously but could use a little more improvement. His body has become leaner and more defined. He is definitely stronger and his endurance has really showed significant improvement.

Besides an occasional acknowledgement, I barely even make eye-contact with this person. If you have never seen me work out in the weight room, I tend to ignore the crowd. My goal is to get my weight training over with so that I can get on with the rest of my day. I truly try to avoid speaking to anyone and make a point of not being chatty with anyone new so as to avoid wasting my day at the gym. I do speak with friends if they appear but after the cursory greeting, I move on. The aforementioned young man also happens to be a very attractive person. He does chat with others and, overall, is seems to be a very nice person.

I have been wanting to compliment him on his achievements with his exercise but how do I do that without sounding like I am trying to pick him up? I know I should not assume that he will think that I am coming on to him but is it really possible to pay someone a compliment without them thinking that you are trying to pick them up? Especially at the gym? Can one pay another a compliment ever without it sounding like a pick-up line if they are of the same sexual persuasion? It's one thing for me to compliment a student in my class but to compliment the cute gay man working out at the same time as me is a different story. When is a compliment just that? I have had the opportunity to just tell him how good he looks lately but because of this dilemma, I have not. Maybe I should focus less on the physical results themselves and compliment him on his hardwork because it shows through his physical results.

Maybe I will just do it one day and get it over with. Bottom line: we like to be acknowledged for the hard work we do, period. I know I do. Maybe he will too. Maybe if I just simply do it, he will just simply take it for what it is... a compliment. Later.  ¶ 11:50 PM