Gym Workouts

I think I'm an "after-work but before-I-get-home" type of gym-person. At my current gym this isn't really possible because Jen and I try to workout together and making it to the gym before we get home isn't convenient.

I'm thinking of joining a gym near work so I can experiment with working out before making the trip to home. This would be more expensive than my current gym, but I'm beginning to understand you get what you pay for. If the gym only charges $10 or $15 per month than lots of people will fill it up and they will provide lousy Life Fitness equipment. On the other hand, if a gym charges $30 to $45 per month then it tends (for me at least) to be less busy and have better Cybex equipment. This provides a better experience for me, and I'm thinking it may be worth it.

Actually, I take back that "get what you pay for" comment because when I had a job at a company with our own gym I only had to pay $8 or $10 per month and it was glorious. It was a small gym, but it was seldom busy.

Anyway, one of the gyms near my work has some squash courts and I do miss being able to play that game. The same gym has a pool. While I'm not the type of person who enjoys swimming laps in the pool, I think it's nice to have a gym that gives my that opportunity. Thus, I think my 15 month relationship with my current gym is coming to an end this month. I still have about 9 months left on my membership (I knew signing up for a 2-year plan was a mistake) but since I haven't hardly been going for the last 6 months it's hard to justify continueing to think of it as a worthwhile investment.

I'd rather spend $100 per month for a gym membership that I use regularly than $10 per month for a gym I never go to.

The only hangup with this plan to get a "near work" gym is that I'd need to take the 6:45am bus so that I can get to work at 7:45am and then work until 4:15pm so I can have time for the gym to catch the 6:00pm bus. Would that work? I think that would work. Logistically it would create a long day, but it would be worth it.

House Requirements

On March 10, 2009 I published a post called Living Spaces which described a set of requirements that I had for buying a 'living space'. Except for a third bedroom and a foosball table, my current condo basically matches that list. Time has gone by and it may be worthwhile to update that list with new criteria that would be good for my first house (which is going to be several years away).

* All of my current ammenities.
* Backyard with privacy.
* Proximity to a ballfield and basketball court.
* Gas stove and extra burners.
* Kitchen twice as big as my current one.
* Kitchen island with sink.
* Room with a Jacuzzi.
* Guest parking for 8 cars.
* Foyer with entryway coat closet.
* Integrated speakers in ceiling
* Programmable mood music for aforementioned speakers.
* Sitting room with NO television.
* Play area for the children.
* Room for entertaining 42 guests.
* In an area with excellent education possibilities.
* Dedicated formal Dining Room.
* Dedicated Computer Room / Office Space.
* 6,000 square feet of living space.
* Four bedrooms and three full baths.
* Patio with propane grill.
* Accessible to public transportation.
* Foosball table and table for chess set.
* Wine cellar / refridgerator.
* Place to brew beer or wine.
* 200 square foot garden.
* Basement with wet bar.
* Fireplace (for cold winter nights).

As with my previous wishlist, not all these are hard-and-fast requirements but it would be nice to get as many as possible once I am ready to bite the bullet and purchase a house.

Guilt Merchants

Let me make one thing clear. I don't like when poor people ask me for money on the street. It bothers me. I honestly feel bad for them. I wish I could help, but deep down inside I know that nothing I can do would truly benefit these people.

That gets me to point number two. I hate how the Salvation Army descends on shopping plazas during the holiday season to sell guilt for the low-low price of free to an otherwise joyful public. We know there are people in need of the services the Salvation Army provides, but would it kill them to find some other way of reaching out to donors?

And the Salvation Army apparently has terrible customer service. In the last three days with minimal efforts of my own I have read allegations that they (a) discriminate against homosexuals, (b) don't offer refunds/exchanges for purchases of defective goods at their stores, and (c) have very little organization about sending a truck when somebody wants to donate a whole bunch of stuff.

But those points are minor for me compared to the guilt-merchant bellringers who invade consumer society every December. Like the homeless-wretches, I wish they would go find a different way of getting the help they need. For homeless people, this means appealing to the government for help. For the Salvation Army, this means less intrusive ways of fund-raising.

I think it should be our right to walk the streets without being inundated by money solicitations by random strangers. Isn't panhandling a crime?