Sweaty Guy at the gym

I woke up today hating, out of nowhere, the Sweaty Guy at the fitness center.

He is a skeleton, with skin stretched over the bony framework. He exercises in just one manner - the forward bending bicycle. Every single time. For a long long time. Till he starts sweating. Copiously. His clothes are drenched, the bicycle is drenched, the floor underneath the bicycle is drenched. He does not carry a towel and he wears thin gym clothes. The fitness center is small and the bicycle is located right in the center. You cannot avoid looking at that repulsive sight. True to Murphy's law, he is there whenever I go to the center, be it 6 pm or 10.

I do admire the focus, stamina and single mindedness of the person.

But that does not help in getting rid of the nauseating disgust. Some people look heroic, inspirational even attractive (especially girls and women) when they sweat. Not this guy. He makes me not want to go to the gym.

I am just thankful he wipes the bicycle after he is done. I have never used that bicycle.

I must find a different time to exercise.

Rant

The shuttle ride has its annoying moments. One of the most irritating ones is when someone really talkative sits near you. It's worse if it is two talkative people, especially females. But guys can be equally annoying. Their conversations are full of inane subjects and one can easily see the fake interest they show in each other, their narcissistic bent, pointless narrations and unsolicited opinions. Vacuous. Loud.

Something similar happens when someone talks on the phone throughout the bus ride. Girls do this far more often than guys.

Is it not etiquette that unless there is an emergency, phone conversations should be postponed until one gets off the bus?

Money and happiness

Money can't buy happiness is partially true..but only partially. If a family member is ill, it is money that will enable you to get the best treatment possible. Seeing them well will make you happy (and they'll be happy too). Wealth isn't necessarily going to make you miserable.

Perhaps money can be seen as something that helps us have freedom. Epicurus said that after  the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter are taken care of, humans need three things to be happy - friends, freedom and thought. Having adequate, or more than adequate, money can help us be free to say no to people and events and work that restrict our freedom. It can also leave us with the time and leisure to examine our life.