Gym

We joined a gym this month. This is the first experience I have as a regular member of a gym. When I was a teenager I took a few trial memberships, but used them exclusively to play basketball with friends that were gym members. A few years back I played racquetball at a rec center but eventually gave it up.

I was initially nervous at how others would perceive me and all the social phobias I had not felt since the first day of high school. Now I realize, with a little nudging from Lisa, that everyone is there to get their workouts done and no one really cares one bit about what anyone else looks like. My first fears were unfortunately exacerbated by the perception that the majority of members needed to get out and eat a few more cheeseburgers - everyone seemed so fit. Now I realize that there is a wide spectrum and a lot of rather sloppy looking folks work out too. I think I am somewhere in between, though I really lost the need to evaluate myself on those terms.

The real boon for us is the childcare. Just to catch a break for so long is nice. To share some of that time together is terrific. Lisa and I have a preferred method of biking for a bit than using what I call are the string machines (the real name is less clever; HumanSport machines by StarTrac). The combination elevates the heart rate and strengthens muscles - I probably need a healthy dose of both.

This weekend they also had a book signing by Baltimore Orioles All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts (actually it was his father's book, but he was there signing too). I also appreciated the scale in the locker room that indicated I weighed in at 130 pounds. Very motivational. Speaking of entertainment, the spread of televisions all around helps occupy the mind while working out.