How about that!!

I now feel like a "real" dad. This past weekend I taught my daughter how to ride a bike!! May not be a big deal for some people, but I can't tell you how proud I was of my little girl!!

A little background to start. When she was about 3, she was riding her tricycle around the garage of the place we were living. The driveway was long and sloped down to the street. I turned my back for about 10 seconds and she was FLYING down the driveway. "Weeeeeeeee!!!", she was screaming. When I grabbed her off the trike, it kept going into and across the street immediately follow by a car. Needless to say I was scared to death, making her scared as well.

When she got a little older, we bought her a bike with training wheels. She had absolutely no interest. So this year for her 10th birthday, we asked her if she would like a bicycle. Suprisingly she said yes, so last Saturday we went and she picked out a bike and a lock(she wants to ride it to school).

When we got home we went over to the school, it has lots of space on the playground for easy manueverability. I couldn't believe my eyes....after about 20-25 minutes she was riding all by herself!!!! Now I want to tell you, I am extremely proud of my daughter already, but the effort she put into that day was amazing; focus, attention, listening(it helped that I didn't raise my voice at all!!).

I am so proud of her, she overcame her fears of riding a bicycle and now thats all she wants to do after school!! She has big plans for this summer: riding to the park, to the store, anywhere there's pavement, she wants to ride.

I guess the biggest thing is, I now feel like a real Dad. It may sound corny, but teaching a kid how to ride a bike has always seemed like "the" parental thing that you do. Imparting your knowledge and mastery of the 2 wheeled beast to your child. The best part is, she actual loves it. I knew she would, what kid doesn't love the freedom that a bike gives? A sense of responsibility and freedom from your parents, you can go anywhere(if your parents let you) you want to without a care in the world. Kinda makes you want to be a kid again doesn't it?

Why I hate the "club"

I'm a member of a local health club in town. Believe it or not I get up every morning and get to the gym anywhere between 5:30 and 5:45 in the a.m. In case you were wondering, yes it does suck, but I have to do it to continue doing the things I enjoy doing physically, i.e. playing and coaching volleyball. Plus its amazing how much more I get out of my workout since I quit smoking!

Anyways, I have one HUGE pet peeve about the gym: The old guys and regulars. If you belong to a gym, health club, or anything of the sort you know what I'm talking about.

Now I have been going to the club for about 5 years now at about the same time everyday. Of course I see the same 10-15 people there everytime I go.

The regulars act like assholes because they are the ones pumping the free weights and trying to get huge. I do mostly cardio vascular and light weights on machines to get/keep my muscle toned. I don't want to be huge. When they do use the weight machines, they're the ones who do a set, wait a minute or two, ON THE DAMN MACHINE, then do another set. When you ask to work in its like you've beaten their wife and kids to pulp. You get the stink eye, or "I'm almost done"(which actually means, you're not good enough to work in with me/I don't want to have to readjust the seat and/or weight/I can't believe you think I actually want to wait for your ass to get my workout done/etc). JACKASSES!!(see previous post).

Then you have the old men. These are the good old boys. Don't dare ask to work in with them. They've been coming to this club since Jeebus was a baby and they own the damn place. Don't get in their way while they're walking somewhere. Not only do they expect you to move out of their way, but they expect you to say "excuse me" without any sort of reply. Do you think they would say "excuse me"? I'm not sure the words are even in these old farts vocabulary.

Then there are the JACKASSES who don't have a friggin' clue. These are the people(men and women alike) who don't wipe down the machines when done, or if they're going to a machine and accidentally unplug yours, its your fault the plug was there. No apology, up yours, kiss my ass....nothing!! That's really annoying.

Then there's the locker room. I don't mind guys walking around without towels on. Doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me though is when they put their "junk" all over the counters where the sinks are. I know some of these bastards can't see and need to lean closer to the mirror so they don't butcher their faces, but come dudes, put a towel between you pecker and the counter!!! I don't care if you did just get out of the shower, I don't want your herpes-in-remission-wart-havin' genitals all over the damn sinks and counters!!! While we're at it, in case you can't read the sign on the steam room door, its says,"No personal grooming, i.e. shaving in the steam room. Quick shaving your hairy ass and face while in the friggin' steam room!!! When you're getting dressed with one of theses JACKASSES, after your shower. You'd better not have anything on the benches by the locker either. Those are spaces specifically reserved for the old men or regulars to spread out ALL of their shit so they can be comfortable while getting ready. You have to be able to use 1/2 inch of bench space to sit down a put your shoes on...geez I can't stand some of these bastards!!
You think any of them have ever said two words to me? No. Does it bother me? Yes and no.

Yes because you'd think after almost five years, someone would have introduced themselves, tried to start a conversation etc. There are a couple of guys who will talk to me in the locker room while watching the TV and getting dressed, and one did actually introduce himself to me about two years ago, but hasn't said shit to me since.

No it doesn't bother me because I'm a real asshole that early in the morning because I'm up that early and trying to improve my health(after work is just too crowded, besides I like to spend that time with my family). Not that I'm not outgoing enough to start a conversation with any of them, but their arrogance and belief they own the gym is enough to make me want to bury their faces in the shitter!

Well, I feel better now, don't you?