First posted 05:21am (Mla time) Oct 23, 2004
By KC Concepcion
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page D1 of the October 23, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
IT IS madly liberating to be getting into the habit of substituting Metro with Bus, reducing the number of times of having to see the underground sights of Paris, which include graffiti, homeless individuals who should really be on their toes instead of on the ground, and, rather thankful that they still get paid a certain amount by the government as unemployed citizens, and the wide variety of commuting characters whose quirks, fashion sense, unique 'scents' and musically deranging tones of voice, one can still manage to draw inspiration from. And although it is starting to get chilly again, the city's charm has undeniable grown so much more lovable with each day that came and went. It might be a result of the dominantly peaceful and 'holy' nature of Ramadan (I have made some awesome Arabic friends here), but the four seasons have now become a really interesting reminder that although things change, some things just stay the same. Like my love for the tropical heat, and all the sun, skin, and rock and roll... Or the fact that when a freeze breeze hits (winter HAS officially started), you just have to think of the pleasure in having a huge, gigantic air-con in the middle of Edsa traffic... Or even the fact that I keep losing weight and gaining it all back!
So yeah... the cold does have a way of bringing in a lack of enthusiasm with the outdoors, jogging past stoplights and running around gardens to break into a good ol' sweat. These days, sweat isn't coming easy, which may explain what seems to be a 15 percent inclination rate of depression among certain warm-blooded locals, like me, whose bodies have decided to have a healthy tendency of storing unwanted fat to satisfy our natural demand for insulation. At times like these, you need... exercise! And since this is my column, I have the freedom to ask the question "Am I getting any [exercise]?" Well... today was a day of revelation. I looked in the mirror, walked away, munched on a bag of chips and realized this! (Pay close attention to routine.)
Exercise I got in the past 2 weeks:
Monday
Upper body workout
Rock music, live at le Nouveau Casino (props to Biffy Clyro for making me shiver with goosebumps non-stop)
Tuesday
Lower body muscle training
Elevator is stuck in front of my face on fifth floor
Wednesday
Biceps/Triceps
Urgent grocery shopping, 12 bottles of water and toilet disinfecting products prove to be heavy
Thursday
Breathing exercises
While visiting the Sewer Exposition appropriately located beneath the streets of Paris where they exist
Friday
Finger exercises
Piano class demands basic Bach
Saturday
Aerobics
Belly dancing all night long at club/restaurant to hot Arabic beats
Sunday
Rapid Eye Movement
God said "Let there be rest." In other words, "Colored dreams."
Monday
Upper body workout
Assembled new dining table, no manual (flew out the window)Kids, don't try this at home.
Tuesday
Lower body muscle training
Rushing to class. Rollerblading in the winter rain, avoiding cobblestones (highly strenuous, as virtually impossible.)
Wednesday
Biceps/Triceps
Carrying my boss' huge stack of signed contracts (which could actually be useful for the "Triangle of Life" idea, if, for any reason, that earthquake creeps up on France)
Thursday
Breathing exercises
Taking in the sight of modern gym-goers as they seduce poles and strip for aero class
Friday
Finger exercises
Type-delete-type-delete as French keyboard amuses me, though drives me nuts (this is where Q is A and ; is M)
Saturday
Rapid Eye Movement
Doing Nothing, Really.
Sunday
Full body workout
Don't be surprised about the household chores. I am nothing but a second rate, trying hard Cinderella copycat!
Monday
That's it.
I decided to go to the gym.
I may be a late bloomer, but I am maturing into a woman who is not afraid to come to terms with the fact that she has been in absolute denial of living just 50 steps away from an actual, functioning gym. My new friend, Club Med, with 17 branches all over the city, can get this butt back in shape and save me a whole season of running from stoplight to stoplight, which shouldn't be top priority on the workout list for three reasons:
1. Running the risk of getting madly wounded by a slick, little Vespa scooter.
2. Maps ruin momentum. I-get-lost.
3. Each year, more than 600 people are admitted to the hospital after slipping on dog poo in the streets of Paris. Thousands more have minor catastrophes.
Now, other options of getting rid of this winter fat are the following:
a. S.O.S. elimination of all image-distorting mirrors in apartment
b. S.O.S. elimination of all food items currently hibernating in refrigerator
c. S.O.S. elimination of the government's expenditures of E1.5 million annually on cleaning up after dogs (they have actually created crap-cleaning moto-crottes), which is clearly virtually impossible if you want things to happen in the next few days.
If you agree that a gym membership is the best way to go, throw your hands in the air, wave 'em like ya just don't care and say HEYOOO! Life is like a bowl of pancit. Ya never know watcha gon' get, but ya gotta take big bites anyway!
Copyright 2006 Inquirer News Service. All rights reserved.
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