My gym is my happy place on weekday mornings. Ok, I do shuffle my feet before leaving the house. But once I am in the car, and my usual “Before Breakfast” podcast by Laura Vanderkam is on on the Car Play, I am good to go. I am excited for the hard work ahead of me.

At the gym, I put my headphones on, and hit play on my current audiobook. Right now it’s “Written” by Bec Evans and Chris Smith, in case you’re curious. Then it’s time to push hard on the weights floor.

In between the sets, when I’m utterly exhausted from having lifted a hard and heavy few reps, it’s a great time to look around the gym and catch the action. 

There are friend groups of 2 or 3 people who work out together. They egg each other on, they spot each other. And it seems to work out really well for them.

The other kinds of people are the friends, who just come together for a catch-up for a while before going back to their workouts.

And then there are loners like me, who just keep going by themselves… 

I don’t mean to be unfriendly. I do talk to a few people, and nod familiar hellos to a lot of people. I mean, we see each other most days of the week. So it would be utterly rude to not be on friendly nod terms with them, right?

But, my problem is that I absolutely do not have the time to have a 10-20 minute chat with other folks who stand in a bunch, and have good laughs and discussions, or get stationary bikes in a row, and keep on chit-chatting for a long time.

I have limited gym time in my life. I like to get my workout in, and then leave for the rest of my life. So it’s almost a hustle for me. I love my gym time, but I also love my art-making life. 

I spend 1.5 hours working out. These friends are there all the time I am there, and more. I believe they don’t have to rush home to other things? Or get to work? I get it that it’s their social time too, and it’s doing them great. But these are young people- my age and younger? And it never stops amazing me how much time of their life is allotted for the gym. Good for them!

But for me, it’s get in, get stuff done, get out. 

To those folks, I am sure I am the unfriendly, reserved weirdo. But I have stuff to get to. 

So there: See you tomorrow, but no, I won’t be staying for a chat.