Differences

When I'm in the locker room at the gym, I often over hear conversations between women about the weather, a class they enjoyed or not, how they are frustrated about gaining a pound or two, or how it is harder to stay in shape as you age. But the conversation I over heard yesterday made me think about what people value in their lives and how everyone is truly different. Two ladies were discussing how important going tanning is to them. And how their credit card bills are sky high, but they can't look pale. And how they go to the beach all summer long to try and lay out both Saturday and Sunday, and if they don't get to, they are disappointed. Oh, and how they get upset if they are invited to family events because it interrupts their beach time. Also, they were talking about how upset they are because they only go to the gym 3-4 times a week instead of 7! This struck me as really strange and VERY superficial. I was disgusted by this and thought they live very bland lives if their main concerns are their tans. I guess this really struck me as strange because of their ages. They look like they are both in their late 30s/early 40s. I would expect to hear conversations like this from teenage girls, not grown women.

Here is a background of what kind or gym I belong to, or rather, the people that utilize it: The gym I belong to is located in Princeton, NJ, in a business complex off of a main highway. The complex contains a handful of corporate businesses and a few upscale stores including a fitness/spa facility. The complex was designed to look and feel like a ritzy village. The gym I belong to is located in the complex and is by far the nicest fitness facility I've ever belonged to or seen for that matter. When I joined, I recieved the corporate discount and I thought it would be nice to go workout while waiting for the traffice to die down. So, it isn't hard to imagine that the female members are of middle to upper class status. Some are stay-at-home mothers who bring their children with them to the gym. They drop them off at the children's center and then go workout in their color coordinated sweat/gym suits. Some of the mothers even make play dates out of it, eating lunch outside on the patio afterwards while their kids are occupied running around or flirt with the temptation of getting wet by the fountain. If I eat my lunch outside, I usally observe this little social group and make mental notes about their behavior as if I was conducting a sociological study. Other than the mom gym members, there are female members who work and high school girls who come in with friends, and older ladies who love to use the gym around lunch time. So, by this description, you can tell that the members are privelged in some ways and that they all value one thing - good health or trying to stay in shape. I over hear a lot of conversations in the locker room, which usually helps me formulate a picture of what people are like, or what they value, or how they regard themselves in life.