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Since I’m ranting about the gym anyways, I’d like to add the fact that I have a hard time taking the workers at the gym seriously if they aren’t in shape. I’ll cut all the machine wipers and the card scanning greeters some slack since their job doesn’t involve fitness directly. And honestly, the trainers are always in good shape. But have you seen the sales people? Christ, I don’t know if they’ve ever stepped foot out of their office and onto a treadmill. I won’t buy anything from anyone who hasn’t tried their own product.

When I joined the gym two years ago Frank warned me that the gym becomes crowded right after the New Year. Whether it be the gluttony of the holidays or new resolutions, people tend to show up for about a month after January 1st.

This year I decided to pay particular attention to new members, to see if this prediction as true. Since Thanksgiving I have noticed a steady increasing stream of sign-ups. (If you are wondering how I know about new sign-ups, I work out at the prime time after work and hit the treadmill nearest to the sign-up desk.) Over the course of 45 minutes I noticed about 3-4 new sign ups each day.

I went to the gym for the first time in ‘06 last night and, as predicted, the place was booming. But I seemed to recognize that most were the same people who are always there. They were all just there at the same time.

I happened to notice that many were fidgeting with new gadgets. Whether it be a new iPod, a fancy new heart monitoring watch, or some new fitness outfit, many people seemed to have come to the gym to give their new dodads a trial run. People were walking into each other as they pushed, plugged, and turned on their gizmos.

It seems the gifts of gizmos has driven this years influx of gym rats. I’ll let you know if they’re still around in February.

I was working out on an olyptical machine up at my local gym when I smelled a faint waft of pizza in the air. I noticed a group of gym workers standing around looking very suspicious. As they danced around with giddy anticipation I stole a glance at their pride and joy. One of them was holding a Papa John’s pizza box. With very guilty looks on their faces they darted around attempting to conceal the possession. Two of the workers quickly shuffled off behind a desk where they proceeded to eat the pizza by ducking underneath the desk. We accidently locked eyes for a moment. They became deer caught in headlights. You could see the thought of jamming every last piece in their mouths before I ratted them out cross their minds. I laughed it off and tried to get the wonderful smell of pizza off my mind. I thought maybe blogging it would help. It hasn’t.

I had to get my suit altered tonight. I took it took the nearest Mens Wearhouse to get the waist taken in a bit. At one point the attendant asked if it was actually my suit. The suit was a bit larger than I am now. Actually, it was much bigger than me. They had to take the waist in by four inches.

About 8-9 months ago I started going to the gym with Frank over lunch. We go to the gym roughly 5 times a week. I’ve lost 15-18 pounds and I’m within 3 pounds of my goal weight. My diet has altered slightly and is no where near perfect. But I try to eat better than I was last year at this time.

People have been noticing. I’ve received random compliments from random people at work lately. If you ask me, I still have the same love-handles and the same beer belly. I feel more comfortable with myself now which makes me a more confident person. And it’s always nice to get a random compliment from unexpected places.

Have you ever seen 5 cubic yards of river rock? My dad had the best guess/estimate of what it might look like: an 8 foot diameter, waist-high pile. That’s just about what it was too when they dropped it off Friday morning.

I started this yard project in the early summer, rock in everything the dogs had managed to trample, pound, and kill. I laid some edging from the back part of the garage around the entire back of the house. After spending three days installing the edging it took me another 2 months to actually get the rock.

But once I did, I went gangbusters. There’s nothing more satisfying than throwing rock on top of a down trodden mud pit. I spent two days playing with my new rock, throwing it anywhere and everywhere I could. I still have a waist high pile of rock, but now it’s only 4 feet in diameter. I’m pretty sure my neighbors think I’m nuts. I know the dogs do.

So that was my weekend, installing a new rockbed in my yard. Feel free to stop by any time soon and fling some rock yourself. I’ll be installing more until I’m blue in the face.

Speaking of music, have you read the story about the Grey Album? It’s a DJ mix of Jay-Z’s latest Black Album and the Beatles White Album. Sounds spiffy, eh? Well, once EMI, the owners of the White Album caught wind of the unique project they put the kibosh on the Grey Album release. Supposedly it’s floating around the internet’s nooks and crannies. I feel a hunt is on.