workout room etiquette

Before the interesting story is a picture of the flower guy down the block. He is nice and I've bought flowers from him twice now. Okay deals, nothing great, but pretty flowers. I tried to get him to smile, but this is all I got.

Today was interesting in that after taking Will to work I decided to be good and change to go down to our work out room. I get my gear and head down there. There are two other woman in the room - one of them is on my favorite tread mill, but hey, there are 3 others (although one is at a permanent incline). My second choice is the one right next to one of the women who is walking. I smile and start up and put my head phones on, turn on the tunes and get into my workout. After a few minutes I hear - "EXCUSE me - excuse me - but your treadmill is too loud and it is bothering my workout - I can't concentrate. Can you please use the other one." I take a deep breath and tell her I would prefer to use the one she is on, and the far one is broken in a permanent incline. She and the other women pipe up that "well you can call the management, they fixed this the other day - (her bike machine she is on) - Like I'm supposed to stop my workout to go deal with the management company - I don't think so. I said they are in here daily looking at stuff and they have never fixed the permanent incline. However, I do not want to seem like the rude American (and no, these women were Chinese, not French). So I go to the other treadmill - which I think sounds equally as loud - unfortunately, the stupid thing is calibrated wrong and I'm huffing and puffing with my heart rate in the 180s until I figured it out.

After about 10 minutes I stop (I DON"T CARE IF IT IS LOUD) I proceed to go test the other treadmill and then test mine again - nope the other one works better. So I say screw it I"m using that treadmill - thank goodness the stupid lady is almost done. She leaves, shortly thereafter the other woman leaves. Has this ever happened to anyone before? I have been running while someone else is on the "loud" treadmill and I don't say anything - I don't notice, but I still wouldn't say anything. I was so pissed. My heart rate was high as I'm sure was my blood pressure. Thank goodness for small miracles to ease the tension to laughter, because as I'm jogging away I'm looking around enjoying the scenary and all of a sudden I see this Chinese man appear in his apartment across the way on the 5th floor taking his clothes off!!! Interesting scenery, eh? Eeeewwww!!! What is he thinking taking off his clothes at 830am in front of his window!!! It is like right in front of me. I chuckle, because what the hell what happened to the baggy underwear. I was starting to be able to deal with that. He's ironing his pants naked - so at least the ironing board is in the way. Where is my camera for this choice shot?