When I’m at the Gym

what happened on day 3?

Can somebody read it aloud for me?

Why must you think So Loud?

Sameena !
Your gym diary has me smiling :) by the way, i am gay and always ponder why all the men who look good at the gym are straight and not gay. (the classic case of the grass always being greener on the other side eh )
by the way, go with your heart and change your major. better than waking up 20 years down the line and wishing you had done so
cheers
vikram

Raw_Dust,

You`re right it wasn`t Hemmingway, it`s Falkner. I really enjoyed how random, confusing thought can be portrayed in writing. And about your question about what makes writing...writing, as opposed to random gibberish. I regard writing as very artistic, and in taht sense writing can be very abstract. So it`s hard to draw the line. However, there`s always something hidden, something more meaningful in the piece...do the use of these stylistic techniques do serve a purpose.

Personal journals can be very rich, depending on how they`re written. A lot of people that write memoirs, great memoirs tend to rely on them heavily...due to the detail of images and emotions perserved by them. And poetry as self serving?...hmmm...I think most poetry is probably self serving...lot`s of poets such as Akhmatova risked a lot by simply writing about the stuff they did. marquez is good, I haven`t read presidente, but I did read a chronicle of Death...i love the whole mirror idea behind that.

fresh/first of the boat...what`s the different?...it`s been established the subject is from the boat to begin with :)

I guess my focus was on the ``gym`` vs. what was going through the writer`s mind. I would agree with Raw Dust`s take. In addition to that, the writer has put way too much focus on a ``treadmill`` which was kind of annoying. She has mentioned treadmill 6 times throughout the article. I guess I glanced through this article in a different stride. Those who liked the humor and light heartedness are more than welcome to appreciate it. I did not take it in the same stride. Since the adventure was not in the writer`s ilog and was posted on the Front Page, therefore I expressed my take. No big deal. The month of March has special significance for women. Chowk`s Admin must be appreciated for their due diligence to keep everyone informed about the latest and greatest happenings in our women`s lives. Keep it up, guys!

as i lay dying is hemingway and not faulkner? and by the way... isnt FOB meaning fresh off the boat... ? Gill Sahib .. this americanFOB is putting you on.. beware ;)

Seriously,
that is one of the problems (that i had wondered in the past) in writing of what you said in #22....
what is it that makes a piece of writing, a work of fiction and actually take it beyond mere documentation of trivialities ala. personal journals/ilogs/crappy-self-serving poetry, you know stuff like that...

this method of creating a character by charting his stream of consciousness is done by many.. obligatory reference goes to joyce bhai.. whose ulysses` last chapter is legendary in this regard... but i guess.. that is the beauty of the masters.. their rendition of haphazard thoughts, broken dialogues, fragments of memories blah blah seem too random but i suspect this is done to serve the larger structure of a novel etc....
there is a marquez novel in which i believe he did this thing for a character who was your generic El Preidente....

cheers!

When I wrote this piece, I was slightly inspired by Hemmingway`s, As I Lay Dying. I liked the idea of thought on paper exactly as it enters the mind. Of course he idd a much better job at it. This piece wasn`t really about the gym itself but the mindset of a person relating to being in a crowd or alone. That I remember trying to establish by trying to work in the weak mirror image of the two days compared next to each other. So the take away message is this article isn`t about the gym, but the human thought proesses as they take place in the gym, as HP accurately mentioned (along with many others) that while exercising the mind does tend to wander. trust me, I could have made this piece much long but the owrd limit on chowk is very small. I also think that soe of it may have been ut out from the original version, which I deleted off of my computer a while ago.

Thanks for the comments, food factory sux...ravi kabob is awesome!

HP why bring food-factory in a gym article? I used to love that place..there was this pan-guy in the grocery store..very gay with much surma (kohl) in his eyes. If you ask him a zarda pan, he would comment, ``Zanab Mardana Shouk Framatein Hein?``.

one thing that most american univs seem to be doing is really upgrading their gyms. my fob experince was showering with dept. chairman..

Re: # 18
oh i forgot, u cant think too hard. it may hurt ur teeny little head

ignore the mistake and understand the message

There`s a lot more that goes through my head when I`m on the treadmill or cycle.

I can`t help but comment regarding ZahraJ`s response to the article. Agreed its content is disappointing because a lot could have been added, considering the amount of meaningless thoughts which my brain comes up with when I exercise. (That`s where I burn most of the calories I think.) Anyway, such wandering away and day dreaming while doing a work-out is natural to most people.

There`s no point in copy/pasting the physical and psychological advantages of the gym. This is just a piece of sarcastic humor, which needs improvement. I don`t think it insulted the gym at all. We do look around the place from time to time and end up joking about it - in our heads.

Don`t be discouraged Sameena.

[why dont you right something more exciting and elightening for all of us.]

...absolutely right....;)

You are at least lucky to be at a gym without being haunted out by men. Ever been to a gym in Lahore by any chance?

A nice little light hearted article. Thanks for sharing it.
To those who find it necessary to criticse, why dont you right something more exciting and elightening for all of us. I`m sure the admins at Chowk do a good job of posting only the best of articles.

Sameena:

Thanks for clarifying. I was a little concerned because `fob` also stands for `full of baloney.` Wishing you well,

Mohammad Gill

freethinker:

FOB means first off the boat. In northern VA, FOB is quite common term in the south asian community. It`s a general term for new immigrants trying to adapt to american culture. I don`t know what I was think when I selected this name.


HP:

Hookah bars aren`t actual bars. Everybody reers to them as that, very few people call it the sheesha place/bar, besides the arabs that work there. They`re actually restraunts that serve hookah. I went quite a while w/o nowing about their existence, and I used to pass by one every day. Usually they tend to be in ethnic grocery stores.

Malik,

I know route 7 very well. But I don’t recall Samadi Sweet house. I left the DC area in early ‘94 at that time I lived in Reston and had to use Rt 7 every day. That was frustrating.
I was at the Food Factory on the opening day in Arlington. Food Factory started with a grocery store and two tables for diners.

I am familiar with Sheesha but really had no idea that they serve that in Bars too. Again, I had no reason to hang out with Arabs then and now.

HP - I live near DC and indeed there are several hookah bars in Norther VA. Do you remember the famous Samadi Sweet House in Falls Church on route 7? Well, they used to have a hookah bar next door - until they sold that place to some Iranians. Its now a persian eatery with the name ``Mirage`` and they provide you hookah on demand. You can also choose from many flavors - rose, mint, apple etc.

Also, there is a place called Mount of Olives - you can taste or buy some really cool looking hookahs from there.

FYI - Hookah is a Pakistani term. The more popular term, especially among arabs, is Sheesha.

#8: I am glad that you had invested only 30 minutes on this write-up :)

Chowk is in the process of celebrating International Woman`s Month; therefore, the administration is actively trying to unearth any poetry, prose and/or ool jalool contributed by the women of today.

#8 by americanFOB

``In the northern Virginia/Washington DC area there are lots of hookah bars everywhere.``

That’s new for me too and I lived in NOVA/DC area for almost ten years. But the truth be told, I had no interest visiting Arab places except for one moroccon dinner and belly dancing place in NW DC.
Do they serve real Beer or some Arabian intoxicating surah!

Sameena:

Thanks for letting me know that I was correct, in the first place, about hookah bars. I had come across only one in Dearborn but I came to know that they `re quite common. HP`s explanation also interested me in as much as I was unaware of Bongs.

Again for my own enlightenment, may I ask what is FOB? It`s kind of personal (and I am embarrassed to ask) because it`s an extension of your `user name.` If you do not want to respond, I`ll understand. I think it`s same kind of my ignorance as regarding bong. Yes, I am glad that you`ve selected Physics as your minor. Wishing you well,

Mohammad Gill

I wrote this article a while ago in about half an hour or so, I was very surprised to find out it on the FP this morning. I`m not trying to disown it either by saying it`s old (Even though I probably should).

ZahraJ:

When I was writing this, I decided to split it up into two mirror images, day 1 and day 2. the first day kind of shows my comfort at the gym when I alone early in the morning...and that`s expressed in the less lame jargon that is used in day 1. Day 2 on the other hand is when the gym is packed with people, the atmosphere is much more hectic. I tried to express that with much more lamer jargon.

And yes these are the actual, literal thoughts that were going through my head last summer on a particular morning. Their just segmented between day 1 and day 2. BTW I enjoy the treadmill, for the feeling I get after I`m done, number 6 according to the article you posted. Why else would I continue the routine for so long?

Freethinker:

Thank you for the comments, you`ll be glad to know that I`ve decided to select a physics minor now along w/ my original Bio major. I decided to ditch spanish.

HP:

In the northern Virginia/Washington DC area there are lots of hookah bars everywhere. And they are traditional hookah bars, just like the kind one may find in Egypt. No weed, unless you stick some in yourself.

Freethinker:

Thank god you did not start with:

Bazeechae` At`faal Hae Dunyaa` Mae`rae Agae`
Hota Hae Shab`o`Roz Tamasha Mae`rae Agae`

I am glad you enjoyed Robin`s take. Personally, I would never trade a gym based workout with a home based workout. Lately, in some of my aerobic classes, I am finding some representation from the elderly but healthy crowd (both men and women) doing yoga and pilates. That`s what our elders(from the eastern hemisphere) should be doing vs. complaining about their godaes` (knees) and gittaes`(ankles??) health. A lot of them could have avoided the arthritus, gout, muscular aches, joint pains and etc. etc............... by conducting regular weight training exercises from early on. Also, using good shoes with a decent cushion is extremely important for your lower back`s health and your balance. Please do not listen to your friends. In fact, you should opt for qataa` kala`ami with all those who try to discourage your activity. Keep on making our gyms alive and kicking!

Correction: My previous post should read:
[It was a sheer insult to the institute of gym.]

ZahraJ:

Thanks for your post. I know a gym has a culture of its own. But I am kind of

Bazar sey guzra hoon kharidaar naheen hoon
Duniya mein hoon duniya ka talbgaar naheen hoon

person in as much as a gym is concerned. I go there, workout on the treadmill, clean up and walk out. I am `kharidaar` only to the extent of spending 20 minutes on the treadmill. But I know it can be a fun place.

Some of my friends have suggested to me to have a treadmill at home in the basement and do my workout there instead of going to a gym. I know it doesn`t work for me like that. At home, I procrastinate. I had a workout bicycle at home which I seldom used. It`s good to be among people even though they are strangers.

Anyhow, I enjoyed reading your post.

Mohammad Gill

Freethinker:

I wrote my response before heading out to the gym. I was so furious to read this buk buk that I could not do a better job in post #1. I glanced through this article because of the topic, but it was completely disappointing. I found nothing of substance except for the repeated mention of treadmill. It seems the writer just wanted to seem cool and let the reader know about the agony she has been going through while puhsing herself to lose those extra pounds or inches. It was a sheer insult to the institute of a gym. I strongly recommend reading something on Robin Sharma`s website on gym and what it teaches you. It was such a simple, sweet and pleasant read since I did not think of the exercise of going to the gym in the same stride the way Robin has mentioned.

Here`s something for your eyes` pleasure, your mind`s enlightenment and your spirit`s rejuvenation. Please send me a thank you note after you have read through this darling and cutoo write-up. By the way, you can read that under Robin`s website by clicking on the left-navigation heading ``Articles on Professional and Self Leadership``

http://www.robinsharma.com/
THE GYM TEACHES LEADERSHIP

By Robin Sharma

So it`s 6 am and I`m working out at the gym. While I exercise on a wonderful cross-training machine I`ve discovered called The Body Trec, I observe all the sights around me and come to a realization: the gym teaches leadership . Don`t be so surprised, as a leadership thinker and lifelong student of this craft, I`ve found that acts of leadership show up at the most unexpected of places. And this is definitely one of them. The more I reflected on it, the more I realized that the cultural landscape of the gym is a lot like the cultural landscape of the workplace and what works in the gym will also work in your professional life. Just read the 6 C`s of leadership that I observe this morning as I go through my fitness regimen.

1. Commitment. Those of you who have read The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari or attended one of my seminars know that I value the discipline of rising early. Benjamin Disraeli once said that `Life is too short to be little.`` So true. And life is too short to spend the best years of it under the bed covers when you could be out there growing, learning and creating value in the lives of the people around you. Here at this gym I`m at, the best machines get taken by those who get here first. Once again, the early riser gets rewarded.

2. Character. As I look around I see a room full of ordinary people acting in extraordinary ways. I see people who have made a conscious choice to move towards self-mastery through physical mastery. I see men and women who got up out of bed, made their way to the gym and are now `showing up at their best` - not because it`s the easy thing to do but because it`s the right thing to do. And that takes character. That takes personal courage. I look over at the man across from me. He`s got to be about 70 years old and here`s ripped, solid lean muscle. This man becomes my temporary hero.

3. Community. This environment reflects strong sense of community. It`s a place where people remember people`s names, have long conversations through the workouts and laugh a lot. Some deep human bonding is at play as the dumbbells clank and the treadmills whirl.

4. Culture. This place has a unique set of rules and standards. I watch as the people completing their cardio workouts spray their machines with cleaner and then wipe them down. I feel obliged to do the same given their example. The loud rock music shakes the speakers as I wonder whatever happened to the gentle concept of sweating to the oldies. Men in cycling pants and women in muscle shirts high five one another. Leaders of the best organizations in the world of business are `culture centric` in the sense that they spend an inordinate amount of time as culture builders - shaping, refining and defining theirs so that it is unique and special.

5. Compassion. People are polite in this gym. They have good manners. They encourage their gym mates, help out when another asks for help and generally seem to show that they care. As I wrote in my book ``Leadership Wisdom from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari``, the most effective leaders in the field of business are ``consistently compassionate``. I`ve found that people will not follow you unless they first trust you and the finest way to build this trust is to be decent and kind.

6. Celebration. The Body Trec machine I`m on is interesting: it measures the time left in my workout, not the time that has elapsed. This inspires and motivates me. There`s something powerful in celebrating and appreciating the achievements you have enjoyed as you move towards your goal rather than always focusing on the final result. Too many of us don`t do enough celebrating as we score those small wins along the way, small wins that fuel our inner joy and give us the wind behind our backs that keeps us inspired. Failing to savor the small victories that we achieve regularly eventually creates a feeling of emptiness within us. As I workout, I wonder ``what good is being successful if you don`t feel successful?`` Someone once described success as `the progressive realization of worthy ideal.`` The key word in that phrase, I realize, is progressive. We need to reward the small wins that we accumulate as we chase the the big dream. In doing so, we gain momentum, motivation and a boatload of great memories that fuel our happiness and success.

Enjoy!

HP:

Thanks for your enlightening comments. I didn`t know what a bong was. When I mentioned hookah smoking at a restaurant in Dearborn, the appliance was a traditional hookah; I don`t know what they may have stuffed it with. I`m a little bit outdated.

Regarding your comments about Shah Rukh Khan; they were enlightening too. So he is the Rock Hudson of Bollywood. Thanks again,

Mohammad Gill

#2 by freethinker
“I had never seen hookahs being smoked in public places outside”

By “Hookah bar” she meant a Bong session. Bong is used for smoking marijuana.

Bong: A water pipe that consists of a bottle or a vertical tube partially filled with liquid and a smaller tube ending in a bowl, used often in smoking narcotic substances.

Zahra has appropriately captured the essence of this article. I might add that sometimes the monotony of one type of exercise equipment leads to daydreaming and wandering. I will always take Treadmill over the elliptical.

``how do you determine the sexual orientation of people by just looking a them?``

One look at that Indian actor Shahrkh khan would tell you that he is gay. Believe me it is not difficult at all especially in gym environments. In New york city, it seems like every white boy in gym is gay!

Sameena Iqbal:

Come on ZahraJ, don`t be harsh on the author. I like your suggestion regarding the `elliptical` and other equipment. I`ve used elliptical only when a treadmill was not available. I think treadmill is for the older people and it does them good.

Although I also look around when I am on a `mill but for God`s sake, how do you determine the sexual orientation of people by just looking a them? Not that it really matters. The author seemed to be making too much of it. I liked reading about `hookah clubs` also. I saw people smoking hookahs in an Arab restaurant in Dearborn, Michigan. Hookahs were provided by the restaurants at a charge. I had never seen hookahs being smoked in public places outside Pakistan.

Sameena, if you really concentrate on calculus of multivariables, you`ll easily understand it; it`s not so difficult. For an aspiring physicist, it should be just elementary. May you become a physicist and a distinguished one. I`ve written many dry articles at Chowk; yours provided a little light-hearted diversion. Wishing you well,

Mohammad Gill

Probably you need to join a better gym where your mind concentrates on the facilities of the gym vs. going through jargon - no matter how uplifting it may be. I also recommend looking into elliptical or stairmaster than treadmill for cardio. Spinning is another great cardio. By the way, if your head is elsewhere then you cannot concentrate on your exercise move. A completely silly and disappointing read!