Newbies

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions. I do spend a little time reflecting, maybe more than on some given days, but I’d like to think I keep current with self-reflection and evaluation and set goals when I recognize I need to. Take my decision to join the gym when I had to step away from the pool and into some real clothes and go back to work in them. I knew it was time; I had put it off long enough. And now, as I start the New Year I am happy to have 3 months under my belt.

But it appears that most people in my vicinity wait until the New Year to begin fitness as overnight it appears that the MEMBERSHIP AT MY GYM HAS DOUBLED. And all the new members have looked at the traffic pattern handout, which I got too, and decided to beat the rush, as I like to do, so now the rush begins earlier. So now I can’t beat the rush. Speaking of that, don’t most people work 9-5? So why the hell are they there at 3? We can't all be teachers.

On New Year’s Day I was one of 5 people in the gym that morning. Yesterday, after school, every single treadmill was taken in the cardiovascular room. Thank God one was taken by me. Because if I couldn’t get on a machine, I might have gone postal.

So, I’m wondering—since I don’t make resolutions—how long it takes before people break them? Now that I mean to wish failure upon people, but I kind of liked going to the gym and not being one of millions. (Okay, maybe not millions, but it’s definitely a full house.) I have even gotten used to seeing students on occasion. I will not, however, get used to not having a machine in front of Ellen and/or Oprah when I go after school.

So what do you think? Will people give up when they supersize their nachos on Superbowl Sunday and rediscover their love of pizza? Do I have to wait for the Valentine's Day chocolate binge for people to fall off the fitness wagon? When does the do-gooder, legal crack come out? Maybe they will they just sort of start dropping like flies?...I'll keep you posted.