the continued reclaimation of a fleeting youth
I have been thinking about "getting older" a lot more than usual recently ( it's a tiring process, that usually requires a nap ).
I don't know if it is a result of introspection, the fact that my teen son is now driving, or that my oldest son is an expectant father, but the thoughts seem to constantly fog my mind.
I'm not THAT old, but the idea that I'm a grandfather in waiting tends to give the grey in my beard more legitimacy. ( I can't shave it off or I'll sport a double chin )
I'm fighting off aging gracefully tho, I have convinced myself that for the whole summer I'm going to be a Director at a Boy Scout Camp. Yes, the Dynosoar will sleep in a tent for 12 weeks, supervising the Climbing and COPE ( COPE stands for Crippled Old People Exempt hehehe) activities. I've got a 35ft climbing tower, a 75ft zip line tower, and 1 acre of high and low rope courses to
torture ( oops, I mean train ) energetic teenage scouts.
If I can survive the heat and misquittos it should be fun, if I can get into a little bit better shape, that is.
Back to feeling old. I dusted off the "Y" card this morning, went for a workout and a swim. The pool was reserved for the Senior
Cardio group, I was welcome to join, but the sight of 10 REALLY old guys in bathing trunks sent me running ( well, walking briskly ) for the gym where I climbed on a Cycle to warm up. I did 15 minutes on rolling hills, worked up a little sweat, and moved to the Nautilus equipment.
I was surprised to find that no one else was working with the equipment, just a few muscle heads clanging away with free weights, so I settled into station 1, and worked through to 25. 10 reps, rest, 10 reps, next station.....I was feeling great. Then I walked over to the water fountain.....My knees buckled, my arms burned, and my back began to spasm...damn, it's not like it was the first time I'd been in a gym, I mean I was there just a couple of years ago...............
Well, a good steam would bring out that pain, so I limped to the sauna, only to find all of the swimming old guys lounging within.
Nix on the steam, so I pack up and head home, as I light a celebratory cigarrette in the parking lot I decide to return tommorrow,
'cause I ain't that old..( and there's muscle relaxers and pain meds at home ).............
Right, no pain no gain, my butt............