Adam Turtle, Freelance Web Design in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Since1986
Gyms (and earthquakes)
- 20th July, 2007
- filed under: San Francisco
- 1 comment
Something odd happened to me yesterday. Perhaps my transition into properly being a legal adult (mentally I’m still in transition) is beginning to affect my behavior but for reasons I can’t possibly remember, I went to the gym.
I was given a free pass to Crunch gym on Van Ness. I thought that being free I had nothing to lose. When I got there I discovered it was on the top floor of the AMC building. If you’ve seen the film Dodgeball, you’ll have seen the stereotype of the American gym. Believe it or not, this ’stereotype’ is almost 100% accurate. I felt so stupid entering a gym where the stairs leading up to it have signs that say “Every step is a step towards greatness!”. I kid you not, these people take motivation very seriously.
Of course, most of the gym’s members are buff, oiled up and entirely kitted out with the token middle aged guy getting shouted at by his personal trainer. I played it safe and went for a half hour jog on the treadmill before doing a few turns on other things.
The whole thing made me realise how much I hate the gym. Sure I felt pretty good at the end of it, but I really didn’t enjoy going. I told them I’d call them to discuss my membership. They can expect that call the day after…never! What’s more I wasted $20 on a pair of shorts. I went out for a steak straight afterwards at a 50’s style diner which made the whole workout pointless, but I ate it guilt-free, safe in the knowledge that I’d burned enough calories to enjoy it.
The other big thing was that there was an earthquake here last night. As you probably already know, earthquakes are happening all the time on the west coast, most of them don’t register very high on the Richter scale and go unnoticed. This one registered 4.1 which is small enough to not cause any notable damage, but large enough for it to be a proper earthquake. It apparently happened at 4.45 this morning. I say apparently because I slept right through it. Perhaps I’m a heavy sleeper but it’s weird that I didn’t notice a 15 second earth movement that happened only a few miles away in Oakland. It woke most people in my work up. Kinda gutted I missed it actually!
Also, I’m now 21. Happy birthday me!
Happy belated Birthday Adam!! Sorry couldn’t wish it to you sooner, only got to an internet connection today! Take care bro, Pete