Adventures at 24 Hour Fitness

Ok, so I know it's been a while since I last posted but for the last month I'm pretty sure all I have done is work and sleep.  Throw in a meal or two and that has been my life...no rest for the weary.  I guess that is what being an adult is all about.

Anyway, I have always been into sports and being active since I was a kid.  When I turned 18 I asked for a membership to the YMCA for my birthday.  Of course mom said "are you sure you are even going to use that" (because that is what mom's do), and I said of course.  Ever since then, I turned into a gym rat and never looked back! For the most part the gym was usually an uneventful 2 hours 4-6 times a week.  Well let me tell you, since I have moved to California and joined the 24 hour fitness, this is a completely different story.  The people that go to the gym here are so strange! It's not even one specific "weird" location, it is all of them! In college I went to the UAH fitness center for 2 years and never once felt the need to pull out my cell phone camera to capture someone doing something weird so I could share it with my friends, but here in Cali, it's like a daily occurrence. 

Before I was hired at my current job I was job searching for about 2 months.  This gave me time to go to the gym 6 days a week.  During this time, I saw so many people doing strange things that I was considering writing a coffee table memoir about all my strange encounters. It would include things I would say if I could actually walk up to the "unusual" person and comment on their behavior. Let me give you a few excerpts from my "book":

1. "Yeah I agree...you are much cooler when you practice your martial arts in front of the mirror while talking with your other "cool friend." 

I mean the kid would literally be mid-sentence with his friend, stop, look in the mirror and do some sort of round house kick or something similar and then continue his conversation

2. "Is sitting naked on a locker room bench really the ideal time for a phone conversation?"

I don't think this one requires any explanation

3. "ooo, flora unitard...nice choice!"
4. "Sir? I'm sorry to bother you but I just wanted to let you know that those spandex shorts you are exposing yourself in are meant to go UNDER another pair of more appropriately sized shorts.  Excuse me while I go burn my eyes now..."

The best part is the videos that I capture.  I am not always able to catch these unbelievable behaviors on camera (because I would be way to obvious) but when the opportunity presents itself for me to be a "stealth videographer," I absolutely will capitalize. 

My first video includes my friend who I affectionately call Phoebe, I see her all the time, I'm not sure if she sees me though.  If you have ever seen the episode of friends where Phoebe goes running with Rachel you will understand the reference.  She is going to take someone out with those arms...

All I have to say is Treadmill or Top Model?

And Finally, I'm just not even really sure what is going on here...

These people are just pure entertainment, and most importantly...motivation to keep going to the gym! I hope that my strange encounters have entertained you here as much as they entertain me in person.  And in closing, I will leave you with a photo of a man who will not sacrifice comfort for efficiency:

yes, the are Ugg boots.  Maybe he is trying to loose weight through foot sweat

A Good Man is Hard to Find

In honor of my husband’s birthday, I was inspired to write about how truly blessed I am in my marriage to Brett.  I had full intentions of writing this blog back on his actual birthday of Tuesday, but it’s still considered his birthday week so it’s ok, right?  In so many ways my husband ceases to amaze me, sometimes not in a good way ;) but mostly I am reminded how truly rare a man like Brett is, and I got to marry him! 

First, and foremost, he is a man of God.  The blessing of having a spiritual leader in our marriage makes the journey together so much easier.  Although this is the best and most important quality of Brett, it is mostly the little things that he does for me that remind me of how lucky I am.  As I told you in my last entry, he doesn’t really care about TV so he always lets me “control” the remote.  In fact, just last night, I was busy cleaning while he watched TV.  When I glanced at what he was watching I noticed he was watching some car auction show.  I find this to be odd, considering he is no auto connoisseur and they are boring.  So I asked him what he was watching and he told me he needed my help to pick a good show.  The poor guy can’t even pick quality TV without me.  But this, I love.  Next, whenever we eat sushi he always eats the ends of the rolls because he knows they are just too big for me to eat in just one bite, and they always have funky things sticking out of them like shrimp tails or sticks of cucumber.  I don’t know if this is because he just loves food and is trying to eat more than me or because he loves me, I like to think it’s because he loves me.   He always eats the ends of bread too, and leaves me the soft center.  Like the heels of our bread at home or the end of the bread they bring as an appetizer at a restaurant.  I know it sounds silly, but I think it’s thoughtful.  He also does most of the cooking, and he even does dishes! I think this is a characteristic he picked up from working as a fireman, but hey! works for me!  Now, I’m not a big time shopper, but I’m still a girl and I can do some damage once in a while.  Brett almost always tells me that it’s ok to go shopping, even though he is probably screaming on the inside for me to stay away.  He always says “honey, you can buy it if you need it,” and I usually assure him that I never NEED it, and he lets me to buy it anyway.  He will joke about how “women always spend the money” but he has always been so generous with his money, even before I contributed to the income.    All of these characteristics point to the fact that he is one of the most un-selfish persons I have ever met, and only make me realize how selfish I can be sometimes (he keeps me in check).    I also appreciate the fact that he has always been a good steward of his money, and keeps track of all our bills (in a timely manner).  It’s hard work to keep up with that financial stuff, and I appreciate him taking that responsibility.  He is also very handy around our house, always wanting to work on new projects and improve things.  This I think he gets from his dad, who is very talented at home improvements and electrical work. 

There are so many more great things about my husband, but I would sit here and type a whole book, and you would be bored.  In the end, I AM BLESSED. A good man is hard to find...but God found him for me! I love you Brett, and I look forward to many more years of discovering the great things about you.  Happy Birthday Babaloo!

Best Invention Ever!

             By reading the title of this post you are probably thinking one of a few items: Iphone, Ipad, the internet (thanks Al Gore, haha), the shake weight (just kidding, weird).  But no, it isn’t any of these things which I love and own, except the shake weight, again, weird.  It happens to be the DVR that records all my beloved television shows.  This particular blog is the first (and most likely not the last) subject that was inspired by a patient of mine.  I walk into my patient’s room the other night, he was kind of a strange guy, and he just all of a sudden says to me, “anyone who says they don’t like TV is lying.” I proceed to tell him that I personally love TV.  I am not a huge movie person.  Don’t get me wrong, I like to go to the movies, and I like to watch them at home.  But if I was forced to choose between television and movies, TV would win by a landslide. 

                It all started back around the 9^th grade.  My friend Angela was the first person I knew with “TiVo.” The first time she showed me how it worked I was amazed.  “What?!? You can set it to record all your favorite TV shows and you don’t even need a VHS tape?! This is crazy!” Soon after we got one for our own house, and I never looked back! Well, except for those few years in college and a few months when I first got married, and was dying without one.  Once you have a DVR it is kind of hard to live without one.  I hardly ever watch anything on “live” TV except sporting events.   Now, I wouldn’t say I watch an excessive amount of TV, it’s all about quality over quantity.  I also don’t watch TV every day.  I have several shows I record each week and catch up when I can.  You are probably wondering what shows I watch…well let me tell you:

Monday: Hawaii Five-O, Intervention

Tuesday: Biggest Loser,

Wednesday (crazy day): Survivor, Top Chef, The Middle, Off the Map, Mr. Sunshine, Criminal Minds  

Thursday: Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Perfect Couples

Friday: The Soup; The Defenders

Sunday: The Amazing Race

I also record The Ellen Show every day, and I like The Real Housewives of Orange County and Flipping Out when it is in season.  I know, this is crazy (and slightly embarrassing), but it would not be possible without the help of technology and my DVR.  I found out after I got married (bonus!) that another one of my husband’s  great personality traits is that he could care less about TV, and most of the time he lets me choose what we watch.  Luckily both of our favorite show is Survivor (and no I didn’t force him) so we enjoy watching that together, and another show that we just discovered is Perfect Couples, probably one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen.  Other then hockey, he likes The Office and Parks and Rec.  This leaves plenty of time for us to enjoy all my shows when we sit down to watch TV.  Thanks honey!

So there is my confession… I love TV! I promise I am not a slug, I just like watching stuff I like when I sit down to relax.  Hopefully this doesn’t make you look at me in a different light.  Stay classy San Diego…

In the Beginning

So it begins…

I have toyed with the idea about writing a blog for a while now, I guess I’ve finally caved.  I see this blog as one long status update that would look totally obnoxious on facebook.  First off, I want to recognize that a blog is vain.  I mean, here I am assuming that what I have to say is interesting enough for other people to read.  But then again, here you are reading it! Sometimes I think a blog would be useful to vent frustrations of the day or week (or whatever time period is going to occur between my updates), other times I think it’s a little place to share so many of the comical things that I come across in life.  But what really inspired me to actually start a blog is my bible study tonight.  I felt compelled to share the wonderful little nugget of truth that I read tonight in Acts 13.  No, not every time I write is going to be a sermon (not saying it’s a bad thing), but it’s a big part of my life so it would be sad if I never talked about it my “cyber diary.”  And oh, by the way, I do not intend on being grammatically correct or proof reading what I write too much.  This has been a fare warning!

EVERYONE SHOULD READ ACTS CHAPTER 13.  In 52 verses it sums up the entire bible.  So many times I find myself not reading His word daily because I don’t have “time.” I was too busy sleeping, working, watching TV, going to the gym.  It’s painful to say it out loud because it’s so selfish.  What would have happened if God said he didn’t have time to send his Son, or if Jesus said he didn’t have time to die on a cross?  I’ll tell you what…we would all be going to hell in a hand basket, literally! If we call ourselves Christians, we should be making time daily for God, and it should be our priority.  Now if you aren’t a Christian, I could see how you could think you wouldn’t have time to be one.  Look at the bible, who has time to read that book to figure out what it is all about.  I discovered something tonight, you don’t need to read the whole book first to figure it out.  It is all laid out in Acts chapter 13, starting in verse 13 (easy to remember).  He started with His chosen people the Israelites, and was patient for 450+ years while they complained and rejected, then he sent them the earthly king they asked for, some were good, some not so good.  Then he brought prophets to prepare them for his promised son Jesus.  Then he brought Jesus, they rejected and crucified Him, but as promised Jesus conquered death and was raised from the dead(that was promised too).    So while your TV is paused so you don’t have to watch commercials later in the show, make time to read Acts 13.  It’s a reminder of all God has done for us, and how little we do for him.

“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.  Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.”

Acts 13:38-39

So there it is, my first blog, hopefully not my last.  Stay classy San Diego…

Britt