Did pac man ever go to the gym?

Well hello there! I'm only realizing now that it has been 12 days since my last post. So that's why Jodie was bugging me :P! I honestly thought it had been 5 or so... hahaha. I guess the saying is true that "time flies when you're having fun"!

I'm now trying to recount the last 12 days to decide what's worthy of mentioning. Topics I hope to include in this and upcoming posts are as follows (in no particular order): a) burritos, b) word of mouth in relation to food, c) the gym, d) coffee, e) Syberia, f) cycling, g) posture, h) goals, i) friends, j) sunglasses, k) radiation safety l) pole dancing m) hot dogs (strictly unrelated to l), n) the importance of beans in relation to a), d) and i) and last but not least o) cheesecake. I guess I better start writing!

As you can see, many things have caught my attention this past week but I will start with some of the larger changes/events which have taken place. First of all, and at the top of my priority list, was finding a good gym in Cambridge and joining it. CHECK. I am now a happy member (for 3 months) of a lovely fitness facility located a mere 4km from my house. 4km???? you say. Yes, 4km. Why? Well for a number of reasons. a) It has a pool and I love swimming, I find it relaxing yet a fabulous work out at the same time for my entire body, b) it's very clean, c) it's spacious and I don't feel cramped even when it's busy, d) it has a large variety of classes for me to attend and e) it has a spa and a very nice cafe in the atrium. I realize a spa and a cafe really have nothing to do with working out but it's an added bonus.... and the coffee was good when I went to check it out so that may have swayed me (not the coffee from d) above). I joined on Wednesday, and I have been twice so far; Thursday and today (Saturday). My first personal trainer session is next Friday which a woman named Charlie. I'm a bit worried she might bite me (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he5fpsmH_2g), but am none-the-less looking forward to it. I somehow managed to get 4 1-hour sessions for only 25 pounds... might have been a mistake, but I didn't say anything.

I feel very good about having joined, and my first two times there have been great. I have been working hard, and it feels good to sweat again. For the first time in my life I actually feel and believe that this is going to make a difference. This is it, because this is who I am now. I'm not what I used to be. As of this moment I will pledge to all my "followers" and readers that the next time you see me, I will be a changed (physically) person. I am already a changed person. I am Dr. Mami Chula, and I go to the gym 6 times a week.

Some may think that the distance between my house and my gym is quite far, and perhaps might dissuade me from going on the days I feel tired, but I think will be fine because of f) - cycling. I have, as of Thursday, acquired a bike. So, 4km via bike is relatively little, especially for me because cycling is one of my favorite activities and it's relatively flat here. Furthermore, it's a good warm up so when I get in the gym I can jump right into whatever I'm planning on doing. That being said, I was 75% sure that my first time cycling to the gym would be my last because cycling in this city is comparable to putting pac man inside of an even smaller maze with 20, instead of 4, various colored guys trying to get him. Let me explain. First of all, the streets here are so small that in most cases there is only room for one way traffic, (although it is marked as two way), so cars in many cases cannot pass cyclists, and it feels as though you are being chased down the street. Also on that same street are 300 pedestrians and other cyclists all off in their own world, whom you have to avoid or ding your bell at to get them out of the way because there is no where else for you to go, and you cannot stop or the pink guy behind you will run you down because he's late for an overcooked roast and a pint (more on roasts and pints in another post). Second of all, there are virtually no visible street signs here (particularly at night), and street names change for no reason even though you're on the same street, and the streets are short meaning that many turns must be made to get anywhere, similar to the pac man maze. Now, because you're being chased by a green guy, you can't stop and think or look for a sign, you have to make a decision, NOW, and you can't change you mind. So, you better hope there isn't a red guy around the corner because that's where you started to go and there is no coming back. For this reason, I get lost a lot when I am on my bike here, and like pac man, end up having to back track through places I have already been to get me some fresh dots. So thus far, my trips to and from the gym, while being physically easy, have been mentally exhausting. This is also why I have decided not to cycle to work, because I enjoy thinking about my upcoming day, or reflecting on the day gone by during my walks to and from work, but on a bike in this city you can think of nothing else other than trying to not to get run over, or not running over someone else. 

All in all, it's been a productive week filled with change, new ideas, new goals, new friends and new experiences. I'm looking forward to telling you more about it!