Summer Plans Fall Into Place

Since the end of exams, I've been somewhat bored and unproductive. There are only so many days that one can sit around in one's bathrobe watching daytime television before it starts to wear thin, so I started looking for something to do. And I asked myself, "What was it that I did with myself all day when I was in graduate school and not taking any classes and not teaching? Oh, right. That. Never mind." Looking for a summer project with a higher likelihood of actual results, I've decided to join a gym.

Yesterday I had the baseline fitness test. Most of the results were pretty appalling (I will blame my car accidents). Of note: I have gained almost 20 pounds in the past five years. However: My VO₂ max tested at 44.5 (I am 32), much to everyone's surprise. I, myself, find "machine glitch" to be the most probable source of this result. Other leading explanations include genetics: My grandfather, who turns 91 next month, is doing all of the spring time gardening and outdoor clean up at my mom's house. (While it may be summer here, it is still spring in Niskayuna.) Also possible: residual effect of living in Ithaca without a car and having to walk up the Buffalo Street hill just about every damn day for several months to get to Mallott.

It's about 90 days until school starts again. Perhaps when I return to the classroom I'll have arms more like profgrrrrl's.