so what do i do now…steal third?

i think i have discovered the secret to why society might be crumbling…

…and it’s not something i LIKE to blame – the iPod.

i have two. love ’em. hell, if my notebook wasn’t so damn small (and i hadn’t gotten a car adapter for it) i would still listen to them in the car and just use my cd changer to screen cds and figure out what i need to pull of said cds and into my iTUnes. but alas, i just tote the notebook – there is one place, however, that it’s not allowed…

…the gym.

i work out alone. lots of people do, but when you’re college age you tend to work out with your buddies. back when i was in college (as was JAB) we used to work out together a lot. you chat about things. you bond. it makes for stronger friendships and you stay close. look at me and JAB – still like brothers for over twenty years. okay, so maybe that’s just ’cause i owe him money, but i’m sure once that’s zeroed out (if it ever is) he’ll still be around. i’m sure of it.

but, i digress…

…nowadays that bonding is reduced to hand signals that look like a combination of a s.w.a.t. team trying to silently enter a hostage situation and a coach signaling some dominican immigrant of questionable citizenship and unquestionable baseball talent to steal third. no chatting. no bonding. just a variation of sign language.

that ain’t right. and why does it go down like this? they’re both wearing iPods, and as a result can’t hear each other. or for that matter, some third party person who has to figure out the hand gesture that says “can i work in with you guys since there’s only one tricep machine?”.

where’s the “english” to “nickelback-blaring-jerk-off” dictionary in border’s? i couldn’t find it in the reference section.

i never wear mine ’cause i like the clink of the weights (believe it or not) and the headphone cord gets on my nerves, which is a shame ’cause i have REALLY sweet bose earbuds, that since i don’t do them at the gym and don’t fly just gather dust. but i recently figured out i can use them to screen mp3’s when i go to the library, and there you’re not SUPPOSED to talk, so no hand signs are needed.

so, in conclusion (i hate having a generic wrap-up like that, but since this IS posting late in the day…) if you’re younger, leave the shuffle at home and TALK to your buddies in the gym. it helps you bond. it helps you grow. and it helps you talk them into loaning you cash when you’re broke.