Boy, do I have some Tales to Tell...
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thanks to my friend U., I am trying out a new gym. Since I am no longer an employee of a gym, I no longer have a complimentary membership. Before I left my employment, I asked if there was any special for ex-employees who were loyal for 15 years. The answer was a resounding NO.
So, partly out of spite and partly out of curiosity, I decided to try out a couple of new gyms for the next few weeks. Currently, I am at a place where I supposedly won't be judged. So, since they supposedly won't, I will. For, if there is one thing I am good at, it's wearing a robe and wielding a gavel. Truth is, it meets it's requirements. Is it what I look for? Not really. It's a bit too dark. But the basic stuff is there. The towels are fluffy. The people are okay. There's enough eye candy as long as you stay away from the Upper West Side.
Here's the thing: I am sure this happens in other places but... if you hire a trainer, shouldn't they be paying attention to your workout rather than fiddling with their phones? Out of six trainers I spotted on the floor, five of them were on their communication devices while their clients were working out. The one that was not did end up checking his texts when the client went to get a drink of water. Seriously, if I were the client, I would so drop the weight and demand my money back. I mean.. really? Am I missing something?
Is this a phenomenon of the current training personnel out there? Am I too old school? Have I become a fuddy duddy? Personally, I don't think so. It's akin to my massage therapist taking a call while in the midst of my massage. It's inappropriate. Right? Later.
So, partly out of spite and partly out of curiosity, I decided to try out a couple of new gyms for the next few weeks. Currently, I am at a place where I supposedly won't be judged. So, since they supposedly won't, I will. For, if there is one thing I am good at, it's wearing a robe and wielding a gavel. Truth is, it meets it's requirements. Is it what I look for? Not really. It's a bit too dark. But the basic stuff is there. The towels are fluffy. The people are okay. There's enough eye candy as long as you stay away from the Upper West Side.
Here's the thing: I am sure this happens in other places but... if you hire a trainer, shouldn't they be paying attention to your workout rather than fiddling with their phones? Out of six trainers I spotted on the floor, five of them were on their communication devices while their clients were working out. The one that was not did end up checking his texts when the client went to get a drink of water. Seriously, if I were the client, I would so drop the weight and demand my money back. I mean.. really? Am I missing something?
Is this a phenomenon of the current training personnel out there? Am I too old school? Have I become a fuddy duddy? Personally, I don't think so. It's akin to my massage therapist taking a call while in the midst of my massage. It's inappropriate. Right? Later.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Where does inspiration come from? I wish I knew. There's been little to inspire me lately. Don't get me wrong. I love my life. I could not ask for a better partner. I could not ask for a better family. Friends are wonderful. But there is a serious lack of inspiration. Work certainly does not offer it. I've been feeling like it's been the cause of the drain. I was hoping some changes would help. But changes will just happen. I am not sure how inspiring they will be. Maybe some new blood will affect things. Maybe.
Then, maybe, what I need to do is shift my point of view. Maybe work isn't where I should look for inspiration. I do believe that companies don't want innovators. They want people to just churn out the same shit. The customer base just wants the same crap. Over and over again. Why try to do something new when they just push you down? And how does one who is supposed to inspire get inspired? I don't know.
Maybe it's by looking outside for those little things that make you feel good. Like my weekly vegetable delivery, the upcoming show Glee, or Idina Menzel. Or maybe, it's the power walks through Central Park, the sparkle in Mike's eye when he sings I Want To Be In America, or coloratura soprano Sumi Jo. Maybe that's what I need to look at. Maybe I need to remember that work is just work. That inspiration does not come from work. But from everything else. Everything else that really matters. Because, when you think of it, work doesn't really matter. It's what you do after that does. Later.
Then, maybe, what I need to do is shift my point of view. Maybe work isn't where I should look for inspiration. I do believe that companies don't want innovators. They want people to just churn out the same shit. The customer base just wants the same crap. Over and over again. Why try to do something new when they just push you down? And how does one who is supposed to inspire get inspired? I don't know.
Maybe it's by looking outside for those little things that make you feel good. Like my weekly vegetable delivery, the upcoming show Glee, or Idina Menzel. Or maybe, it's the power walks through Central Park, the sparkle in Mike's eye when he sings I Want To Be In America, or coloratura soprano Sumi Jo. Maybe that's what I need to look at. Maybe I need to remember that work is just work. That inspiration does not come from work. But from everything else. Everything else that really matters. Because, when you think of it, work doesn't really matter. It's what you do after that does. Later.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
This summer, I bought a share in a local farm. Every Thursday, I pick up my share of vegetables, which they deliver to Manhattan. This past Thursday, I got my first delivery. I could barely contain myself all day. The people involved could not have been friendlier. And the person in charge was just wonderful.
Included in this delivery were a salad mix, some red leaf lettuce, braising greens, turnips, radishes, broccoli rabe, scallions, arugula, sorrel, parsley, and cilantro. Check it out above.
On Thursday night, I sauteed the turnip and radish greens with some leeks and vegan sausage. It was delish!!! Especially on top of some Israeli cous cous. I've also made some fresh salsa (with some cilantro & some scallion), a dairy-less potato and arugula salad, a turnip & cilantro salad, and a mung bean stew that included some radishes, the sorrel & parsley. Needless to say, I am excited.
I can't wait to saute the broccoli rabe and toss it with some whole wheat pasta and pecorino romano (one of the few instances I will have dairy). The lettuces are so deliciously sweet that we are just having them with a squeeze of lemon and some good olive oil. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the braising greens. I'm sure I will figure something out.
I can't wait for my next delivery. This may just be the inspiration I've been looking for. Later.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day. Little timmy wants to play.
I've had it with the rain. I would like a week's stretch of just sun. Not heat. Not humidity. Just sun. So that I can go for power walks in the park. I need those walks. They make me feel better. But the combination of the rain and no walking has made me feel down. I've had some fun lately but I would like a moment of just sun.
Besides the sun thing, I have a bit of a dilemma. My employment at the gym is about the terminate. Which means that my free membership is also about to terminate. I could just go ahead and join. But there is something in me that feels things need a bit of a shaking.
Here's what I am thinking: let the free membership run out, finagle some free weeks at a couple of gyms so that I can try them out, then make my decision. But, it just seems like so much work. But there is that tiny voice in me saying, "Make it so." It would be nice to see what other places have to offer. And since I have to pay for a membership, I might as well do some shopping at other places.
I'm sure I'll be able to make a decision before July. When I get back from my last vacation for the year. Because I will have to. But there is still that piece of me that dreads having to go through all of this. Any thoughts?
Right now, my only thought is that I need some sun to go for a power walk. Later.
I've had it with the rain. I would like a week's stretch of just sun. Not heat. Not humidity. Just sun. So that I can go for power walks in the park. I need those walks. They make me feel better. But the combination of the rain and no walking has made me feel down. I've had some fun lately but I would like a moment of just sun.
Besides the sun thing, I have a bit of a dilemma. My employment at the gym is about the terminate. Which means that my free membership is also about to terminate. I could just go ahead and join. But there is something in me that feels things need a bit of a shaking.
Here's what I am thinking: let the free membership run out, finagle some free weeks at a couple of gyms so that I can try them out, then make my decision. But, it just seems like so much work. But there is that tiny voice in me saying, "Make it so." It would be nice to see what other places have to offer. And since I have to pay for a membership, I might as well do some shopping at other places.
I'm sure I'll be able to make a decision before July. When I get back from my last vacation for the year. Because I will have to. But there is still that piece of me that dreads having to go through all of this. Any thoughts?
Right now, my only thought is that I need some sun to go for a power walk. Later.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
I've been hesitant to type about it but the time has come. This early in the morning. This Saturday. There is some irony to all of this.
On May 30, 2009, I officially taught my last fitness class. It had to happen sometime. So, I am bowing out gracefully. While I still look like I belong in front of a fitness class.
I had been wrestling with quitting for a while. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was told that I needed to renew my certifications. And if I didn't, I would not be allowed to teach starting in June. Unless I did.
I thought hard about my next decision. And it came down to this: why am I holding on to something that I am ready to give up? So I did. I gave it up. It was surprisingly easy. My "boss" was not exactly pleased. But she understood. I had hired her when she first started teaching. Ironic.
After I sent the letter of resignation, I thought about all the things I could do now. Things like stay out late Friday night. Ironically, I was home by 11:30pm last night and in bed asleep. Things like not have to wake up early to prepare for class. Ironically, I woke up at 5:30am and could not fall asleep. Things like sit leisurely on my couch, sipping some coffee, and reading until about noon. Ironically, I have to be at Penn Station at 9:00am.
But, despite all that, I am satisfying calm. It's been 15 years of good, bad, fun, and not-so-fun times. It's afforded me many things. It's made me many friends. It's gotten me a wonderful partner. And it's gotten me this. This blog. This way of just writing down my feelings. This way of letting it all out. This way of catharsis yet stimulus. I started this blog to jot down my "stories from the gym". Ironically, I became the story from the gym.
It happens. We evolve. At least, if we choose to. So, I am choosing to. I am choosing to let go of some of the old to allow something new to happen. I once saw a t-shirt that said, "Those who hang on... get dragged." Ironically, there is nothing ironic about that. Later.
On May 30, 2009, I officially taught my last fitness class. It had to happen sometime. So, I am bowing out gracefully. While I still look like I belong in front of a fitness class.
I had been wrestling with quitting for a while. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I was told that I needed to renew my certifications. And if I didn't, I would not be allowed to teach starting in June. Unless I did.
I thought hard about my next decision. And it came down to this: why am I holding on to something that I am ready to give up? So I did. I gave it up. It was surprisingly easy. My "boss" was not exactly pleased. But she understood. I had hired her when she first started teaching. Ironic.
After I sent the letter of resignation, I thought about all the things I could do now. Things like stay out late Friday night. Ironically, I was home by 11:30pm last night and in bed asleep. Things like not have to wake up early to prepare for class. Ironically, I woke up at 5:30am and could not fall asleep. Things like sit leisurely on my couch, sipping some coffee, and reading until about noon. Ironically, I have to be at Penn Station at 9:00am.
But, despite all that, I am satisfying calm. It's been 15 years of good, bad, fun, and not-so-fun times. It's afforded me many things. It's made me many friends. It's gotten me a wonderful partner. And it's gotten me this. This blog. This way of just writing down my feelings. This way of letting it all out. This way of catharsis yet stimulus. I started this blog to jot down my "stories from the gym". Ironically, I became the story from the gym.
It happens. We evolve. At least, if we choose to. So, I am choosing to. I am choosing to let go of some of the old to allow something new to happen. I once saw a t-shirt that said, "Those who hang on... get dragged." Ironically, there is nothing ironic about that. Later.
