It HURTS to be American

For a couple of weeks now, I've been participating in a diet challenge with my Florida friends. And although I no longer have TSE as a goal, the gym is the ONLY place I get to watch TV. For the past 2 weeks (or to practice speaking British, sorry, English), for the past fortnight, I've spent many, many, many hours in the gym watching Americans compete in the Olympics. I watched swimming, diving, gymnastics, and more beach volleyball than I thought I'd ever watch in my whole life. The key though, as I watched, I walked and jogged on the treadmill, did whatever you want to call it on the elliptical machine, lifted weights, stretched, and even rode two types of stationary bikes.

And while some of my friends are suffering from post-Olympic blues I have found TV salvation in the form of the Democratic National Convention. Again, since the ONLY place I get to watch TV is in the gym, I found myself working out for long stretches of time while Michelle Obama spoke on Monday, Hillary Clinton spoke on Tuesday, Former President Bill Clinton spoke on Wednesday, and finally while the Democratic Presidential Nominee himself, Barack Obama spoke this evening.

The most painful part of it all was how off I was on my timing of the speeches! I was finishing up a half-hour on the elliptical when Hillary took the stage, and I ended up on a stair climber as she expatiated on about no way, no how, no McCain. By the end my legs were BURNING!! Then again tonight, I was almost done with my half-hour on the elliptical when Obama took the stage. I ended up on that elliptical machine for 87 minutes! I burnt over 800 calories on that machine tonight alone. We'll see how able I am to walk up and down those steep hills of downtown Seattle tomorrow morning!

This week of speeches inspired me. I'm a Democrat through and through (and hate admitting when I do harbor some conservative tendencies), but I'm inspired to watch next week's Republican National Convention. I was moved by some of the things Obama pledged and riveted by some of the shots he took at McCain's offensive attacks. I'm curious to see how those are going to be answered. If nothing else, it's another week of TV to get me back to the gym, and perhaps the RNC can bring something worthwhile to my life, a few extra burnt calories? I highly doubt I'm going to be so interested that I'll stay on a stair climber for 50 floors, but we'll see.

But sadly, when it's all over, it'll be a very long 3 weeks before the Fall season starts up and returns gym motivation to me in the form of The Office, 30 Rock and Dirty Sexy Money. That is when my blues will set in, but really, I'm so TV deprived right now, I'm open to the idea of watching just about anything.