hollow man....

There was a break from the normal routine today: instead of having a day off exercise and heading to the pub quiz (where we're defending champions, naturally), I took myself off to the gym to run through my swimming drills in advance of my next lesson on Friday.

The swimming was fine.   I don't usually go to the gym during the week, and although the car park was busier than I'm used to, the pool itself was reasonably quiet.  I was able to chug up and down following the set of drills that my instructor has given me to help me work on my stroke.  It's pretty hard work, but it's very gratifying to have something to focus on in the water apart from the relentless counting of lengths.

I don't know whether a different crowd frequents the gym during the week, but my goodness the changing rooms were full of people admiring themselves in front of the floor length mirrors.  For sure, you always get a certain number of people preening themselves and carefully teasing their hair into a state of artful dishevelment, but on a Wednesday night the place just seemed to be full of them.  There were people of all shapes and sizes nakedly - and, indeed, nakedly - checking themselves out and stroking their musculature approvingly.  Honestly, if they had another pair of lips, they'd be kissing themselves.  Everyone has a certain amount of vanity, but to stand in front of a mirror in a public place blowing kisses at your own reflection?  Surely not.

We're men; manly men; we're hunter gatherers; we roam around the forest looking for fights.

What happened to us?  How did we become so lost?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I must just go and moisturise before the chlorine dries out my face completely.  They have moisturiser at the gym, but it's just so coarse that I prefer to use my own....

...oh.