Things that aren’t about my job

I’m trying to challenge myself to blog about something not job-related and all I can come up with is how much I despise Anthony Lane, which is not only not that interesting but which I have already blogged about so many times.

All I can think about these days is:
– my job
– my career
– Anthony Lane
– Israel

I would not say it is enjoyable inside my mind right now but also maybe this is just a phase everyone has to go through. Being very focused on their job and on the state of Israel and its many sins. I know those who live in glass houses etc. etc. but GOOD LORD.

What else though?

The other night when I took snoop out to use his bathroom before bed a small bunny hippity-hopped across our backyard. Also we think a small bear or passel of raccoons got into our compost. What’s even in there that they would want? Rotten corn cobs? Surely the animals of the pioneer valley are not so strapped for nutrients? I hope not.

Autumn is about to pop off to the max. There are dramatic streaks of red on everything, like the whole natural world has been holding its breath as long as it can and is just about to let it all out in a huge gust of oranges and reds and yellows. There’s a chill in the air and local apples in the co-op.

Non job-related things I would like to try to do in the coming weeks:
– go apple picking
– find out if our landlord will let us use our fireplace
– find a le creuset dutch oven at Goodwill for $5
– go camping

I joined the YMCA. It is maybe the coolest thing I have ever done. It costs the same as a gym membership but it’s a lot better than my previous gym. First of all, it is a 2 minute walk from my house (which, to be fair, was true of my previous gym as well). Second, though, it has a whole separate locker room JUST FOR GROWNUPS. People with kids have to use a different one that’s all grubby and tiled; the grownup one is all nice brown wood and clean and quiet AND it has a SWIMSUIT DRYING MACHINE. Finally, it has a sauna and a steam room. I have been going swimming at the Y a couple times a week. I am not much of a swimmer. I flounder and flail and am always worried the lifeguard is going to be like “ma’am! are you ok” and shame me. I have this idea that swimming is a good exercise for my hip dysplasia because it’s no-impact, but my hips still hurt when I’m done, maybe because I don’t really know how to swim. I get in the beginner’s lane and lie on a kickboard and kick back and forth for awhile, then I sit on the kickboard and just pull myself back and forth with my arms. Then it’s been 20 minutes and I feel like barfing. It is pretty fun.

The first time I went, a young girl was treading water in the deep end of one of the lanes. I asked if I could share her lane and she said yes. She wasn’t even breathing hard. I swam for 20 minutes, gasping and flailing, and she just stayed down there, treading water. When I left she was still there. Then when I came back three days later she was STILL THERE!!! Ha ha ha but that’s what it seemed like. Same girl, same lane. What is going on with this kid. I could tread water for about 45 seconds.

The lifeguards at the Y are about 10 years old and they play gentle contemporary pop hits on speakers while everyone swims.

You can also take all manner of classes at the Y, from Pilates to “Active Older Adult Water Aerobics,” although so far none of them line up with my schedule.

Also, for $4 a month you get a towel every time you go in and then when you’re done you just throw it in a bin. Hello!

If I do not go to the public library and get a library card and check out colson whitehead’s zombie apocalypse novel today then I am a fool a dozen times over