tough decisions at the gym

While my favorite goalie was at the rink for his game, I took the opportunity to head to the gym across the street. I've been super lazy lately about getting to the gym and one of my most recent excuses has been that we have one car while Rich's truck is in the shop for some minor repairs. Since the gym is literally a stone's throw from the rink and I knew I had a ride, it seemed I had no excuse not to get my ass out of the computer chair and onto the treadmill. I go to Gold's Gym and there are several around town. This particular location was new to me and I entered with trepidation, not sure where anything was and if the other fitness freaks would smell the fear on me and ridicule my speed or posture on the treadmill.

I chose a treadmill on the end of a row, thinking this would ensure more personal space. This, however, proved to be a poor choice because this treadmill was directly in front of the huge television broadcasting The Bachelor: Rome with closed captioning. I would have - should have - watched the Green Bay v. Seattle game (in the snow! I love football in the snow!) as the Packers are in the running for becoming my team and I should research what I might be getting into, but it was three screens over and every time I tried to turn my head to read the (much smaller and much more poorly transcribed) closed captioning or make out the plays amidst the blinding snow, I would nearly fall off the treadmill.

I should have moved, but I realized the error of my ways after I was 10 minutes into my program and I'm not sure how to stop the program and start up on a new machine. It took me forever to figure out how to get it to give me a bell curve of speed without starting out at 1.5 mph for FOREVER and suddenly jumping to a heart-bursting 7mph, so I was committed to staying on the original machine.

I walked/ran for longer than I originally intended but between Brett Favre and the snow and the two blondes vying for the Bachelor's millions of dollars heart, I was more than entertained. My treadmill program ended just before the end of the Bachelor show. I dawdled as long as I could with cleaning the machine after I was done. I slowly put away my iPod. And then I caught myself, leaning on a column in the gym in slack-jawed anticipation of who just who would he pick - Sadie or Jen!?

Slowly the reality of this dreadful reality show started to sink into my head. The whole premise is flawed. It's not one person's decision. It's a ridiculous show, these "girls" (as they kept calling them on the show) are superficial, the prince is self-important and bizarre, and little of the plot has to do with reality. I backed away from the television set with a purpose, wiped the sweat off my face from my extra long workout, and headed back over to the rink to watch the end of the Puddin's hockey game. It doesn't really matter if Sadie or Jen gets the engagement ring, because the whole show is insane. But I have learned that next time, I will park my ass in front of the football TV because it's much easier to follow overall.

P.S. Sadie was a complete bitch and he should pick Jen even if she's kind of flaky. And that personal foul call against Green Bay in the last 10 minutes was total bullshit.