Yep, Forgot to Post a Header for This

I've periodically thought about monastic life although monasteries and convents are having a hard time financially. Some have managed to create popular products to generate income, like beer (Trappist), wine (New Clairvaux) or dogs (New Skete). I'm fairly certain that a simple life of chores and hard work, without much speaking, would be fine.

Some people, on the other hand, can't go more than a minute or two without uttering some sort of noise. Not even words, just sighs and moans, for no apparent reason. I suspect it's an unconscious demand for attention. Today, in the space of 4 minutes, I counted 5 loud sighs, grunts and moans from B when she walked into the locker room. This persisted until someone greeted her. I have no desire whatsoever to engage in conversation early in the morning. I have less desire to overhear conversations that leak through my earbuds.

Three old men are chattering loudly on the stationary bikes in front of the ellipticals. I choose the 4th machine, the one farthest from the noise. While this particular machine only clunks during low revolutions (slow pedaling) unlike the third machine, it also doesn't register a heart rate at all. Which is just as well considering that they all seem to be wonky.

The Intervals program is deceptive. Even though I slow down every two minutes out of four, I seem to have burned slightly more calories and achieved better mileage for the same amount of time compared to other programs. I'm drenched when I'm done. There's been a steady stream of people on the lone Step Mill since I do my Cage Stretch and then disappear into the Aerobic Room for my Core exercises.

I'm not sore anymore from the ab work, but I have to be careful not to rub a raw spot into my tailbone when doing Sideway Scissors or Bicycles. The seams to my sport pants can be really abrasive. Tags I can cut off although I keep forgetting to remove the tags inside my lifting gloves. Maybe I'll do that right after I finish posting this. When I leave the Aerobic Room, the Step Mill is vacant so I'm able to do my 20 minutes. I won't lie. It made me sweaty and tired but there was no way I was going to drape myself over the console like everyone else.

All throughout the day, my right index finger has been threatening to spasm at the last joint right before my fingertip. This has never occurred before so I'm a bit concerned. It's my right foot that has those recalcitrant hammertoes, with shortened tendons causing me problems. I do periodically stretch out my fingers and toes when I can.

In the locker room, I see a woman, a regular, with huge ugly blisters at the base of her neck. "What's happened to your neck?" I ask her. "I had melanoma and the surgery didn't get it all, so I have to apply this cream for 16 weeks, and that's the side effect." She covers it with a gauze pad and tapes that to the back of her neck. She explains that she used to love sunbathing and tanning beds but now she regrets it. She's fair-skinned and blondish with an Irish brogue. I don't know if the hair is natural or not because she's a hairdresser. "Well, at least it's not on my face!" Since it's winter, she can cover it with a scarf or her hair. I feel relatively blessed to only have an ugly, nailless big toe and no signs of cancer.


Another Cardio Thursday

30 min elliptical + 5cd
Program Intervals
Miles 2.93
Calories 330
HR n/a machine #4

Cage Stretch

Elbow Plank 60s
Crunches 60
Sideway Scissors 60
Crunches 60
Bicycles 60
Side Planks 2 x 60s
Bird Dogs 2 x 60s

20 Step Mill
Level 4
Calories 133
Total steps 885
Floors 55
HR 107

Mat Stretch