Today, in my bid for the healthy life, I did a bit of weight lifting, with some sit-ups and leg raises and squats and pull-ups thrown in. Impressed? Don’t be, I’m still the same old fat bastard that I always was.
But I have been trying – been running regularly, at least twice a week, doing a bit of yoga, and swinging those weights. What I don’t do is go to a gym. Can’t stand it. I hate the thought of people watching me whilst I exercise, or even, and god forbid, that someone might come over and talk to me while I’m puffing and panting on the rowing machine, or its like. I know this hardly ever happens, but I get paranoid just from the thought of it, so, if I go to a gym, I always catch myself staring at all the other people just to see whether they’re watching me or not. This does not make for a pleasant experience. On top of that, I’m basically just a geek who doesn’t like going outside anyway, and anything I can do at home is better than going out there… So it’s no gym for me, which didn’t stop me writing a poem about, which you can read here.
Actually, I only really put on weight after I gave up smoking, which just goes to show how insidious and deadly smoking really is – even if you give up it’ll get you via your compensatory addictions…
Coffee Percolator 
February 24, 2010 at 6:47 pm
“There’s class warfare, all right, Mr. (Warren) Buffett said, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”
Warren Buffet is a multi-billionaire who is either the richest or 2nd richest individual in the USA (depending on how the stock market is doing at the time).
I agree.
There is MUCH more poverty within the USA than what the media conveys.
The wealthy elite class skims BILLIONS upon BILLIONS of dollars from the labors of the working classes via many systems and sub-systems created by the elites and often backed by government laws and statutes.
Also hurting many USA workers are the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of illegal invaders crossing the southern border that competes directly with the USA’s working-poor class.
Competition for jobs, rental housing, social services and many other of life’s wants and needs.
Those further up the socio-economic pyramid do not have to compete with what are too-often invading barbarians whose culture is more akin to a clan-based society that can only create a country/government that is, at best, at a 3rd-world level and more akin to an oligarchy than a modern 1st-world country.
I expect an eventual revolution in the USA as a growing number of USA citizens are shoved into an economic quagmire and a life-style akin to that in an impoverished 3rd-world hell-hole.
Basically, the USA federal government represents HUGE corporations, wealthy/powerful special-interest groups and an elite class comprising around 4-5 percent of the USA population.
February 25, 2010 at 11:34 am
I must admit, I’m much more pessimistic about the idea of a revolution in anywhere like America (is there anywhere like America?). It would require a degree of politicization and solidarization among the working-poor classes unheard of in America.
Instead the poor have been either successfully criminalized, or simply divided e.g. poor Americans against poor Mexicans, that any class action can always be reduced to the attributes of either gang warfare or indeed any violence along the lines of race, creed and colour. Revolutionary force is thus dissipated before ever reaching the ruling elite. Racism is a fundamental part of that dissipation.
On top of that, it’s simply not right that immigration, legal or not, harms local economies. On the contrary, more people always mean more demand, means a widening of the economic base, means more money all round. That the reverse is propagated, – e.g. barbarians taking our jobs etc. is simply an elitist myth to keep workers divided and fighting amongst themselves.
If the working-poor class is to have any chance of instigating a revolution it has to concentrate on attacking the enemy – the elite, not its potential allies.
Cheers,
Andrew
January 26, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Your life sounds very strenuous! I must say that I enjoy going for a run, it’s a good time to meditate (whilst also gasping for air). Are you planning to enter any races???
CY
January 27, 2010 at 12:20 am
Good lord no – a race would mean my definitive, utter humiliation, and my sporting career has not quite reached that stage that I could bear it…
Cheers,
Andrew
January 19, 2010 at 7:38 pm
i enjoyed the poem. thanks for the share.
January 19, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Cheers, glad you liked it.
Andrew
January 18, 2010 at 3:22 am
Don’t blame smoking. It’s good that you gave it up, even if it means adding pounds. In the long run, you will be healthier (she said ever so smugly as one who has not exercised in over a year).
January 18, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Oh no, the only really viable alternative would be to blame my wonderful wife, and since this would only end in severe beatings for my good self, I’m not going to go down that road… Anyone for a jellybaby?