In early March I put forth a battle plan to improve myself. Right around that time I also acquired a lovely ticket for allegedly running a red light in a snow storm or possibly sliding through a yellow while deftly maneuvering out of the intersection to avoid obstructing the flow of traffic. This being a second minor traffic offense within one year meant I could not mail in the waiver. This also carried the possibility of a maximum of 30 days in jail.
No one goes to jail on these stupid tickets, I realize this. All I wanted was a chance to plead my case and stand down the accusation. The judge, who is notoriously a hard nose against traffic tickets, was in NO mood to hear anyone who wasn't an attorney for my pretrial two weeks ago. I begrudgingly, yet respectfully, asked for a continuance to seek legal counsel.; my reluctance stemming from the fact that a public defender in that particular session invoked nothing but rage from the bench. My cortisol levels have been elevated lately to say the least.
My phone went off a couple days ago- a fitness friend I made along the way sent a text message and said that "the pool ain't the same without you". We used to schedule early morning workouts and I always did my best to make them. This in turn helped hold him accountable for showing up. He's been battling restart issues, a pilonidal cyst that required emergency surgery, and his old nutritional habits lately but seems to have his head back in the game. Since I parted ways with the old gym I haven't seen him but we still touch base from time to time. I felt humbled by our conversation when he asked if I would join him at the gym again.
I told him that I could barely afford the $125 membership I had and that there was no way to do both. My plan involved 3-4 WODs per week and I really wanted to stick to plan. He asked if I would return to the gym and extended the offer to pick up my membership saying it would be worth the motivation to him to have me around. I was floored but to proud to accept the offer.
After being reassured by wise counsel that the "30 day threat" was usually just that, I calmed a bit. When I was told that I could get the max of $250 in addition to $160 in court costs that are automatically assessed for non-waiverable offenses I almost had a stroke! To top it off I earned two parking violations during my courthouse visits because I didn't have the cash to pay the inflated parking costs over the cheaper meters. This was an additional $65 in funds I don't have! This was getting too expensive to fight so I have to swallow my pride and plead hopefully to a lesser charge in spite of knowing it's a bunch of MALARKEY. I am a criminal who steals time and space! No parking spots are safe while I roam the streets!
All this comes right near the first of the month. Rent, bills, fines for crimes against time and space, and CrossFit membership all come due along with the rest of this highway robbery. Part of my battle plan centered around WODs. What I love about CrossFit is the fact that you get to play hard. Dropping weights during cleans, snatches, etc. is frowned upon in many gyms including the one I used to belong to. At the box Oly lifts, ball slams, and wall balls are more common than the lines of cardio reading stations that bore us all to tears.
Even though I have some bumper plates and live on the first floor of my building it's not feasible to attempt Oly style lifts in my cramped apartment. With all of this extra debt I have to forego CrossFit for at least a month to recoup the loss to the city. To say I'm pissed is an understatement. I wish this were an April Fools joke but it's not.
Fitness can be achieved nearly anywhere and you don't need a gym membership to do this. The big reason I maintain one is because it holds me accountable because there is an applied monetary value I don't want to waste. I still have plenty I can do but I now would have fewer tools to use. Wah, wah, excuses, excuses. But wait! There was a possible solution right at my fingertips?
I sent a text back explaining the circumstances and asked if the offer still stood. Thankfully, it did. Later today I'm meeting my buddy for lunch and he's signing me back in for April. This means I have to venture away from my newly found CrossFit home for a bit and that sucks. In their honor I will take the insight and intensity gained doing CrossFit with me into the the "outside" gym. I can't use the term "Globogym" because it's not a chain and is also a rehabilitation health facility.
I'll do my best to not drop any barbells but I ain't making that a promise. It'll be nice to see my old fitness family members while getting after it harder than ever!
The friends I'm making on this new path never cease to amaze me. Positive attitudes can spread just as fast as negativity if you let them. Sometimes when the Universe throws you a curve you have to adjust your grip and change your swing a bit. This could have easily been an excuse to cease training but thanks to my buddy, Pedro, it isn't. Among friends in this fight we live to fight another day. Plus I still have a bunch of gift certificates that I won at the old gym that can be cashed in for swim lessons. There is that fitness bucket list and one of those goals requires swimming! Maybe one day I'll enjoying a beach without people trying to save me by pushing me back into the ocean...And onward we march, back into the pool, ever forward one step beyond!
JW
No comments:
Post a Comment