For you Warner Bros. cartoon fans---
I feel like I'm opening the box on myself in front of an audience and zilch.
And, of course, I would rather feel as inspired as our man in the top hat.
'Hello, my honey! Hello, my baby! Hello, my ragtime gaaaal!'
I mentioned previously that I had had a wee tiff with another pool-goer a few weeks back. If anyone needs a refresher it's here.
So there was another doozy of a pool interaction today that did not include me, fortunately. I arrived at the pool just after start time and found the lanes marked 'slow' peopled by folk from the water aerobics class. One lane had a gal who was just sort of floating back and forth down half the length of the lane. And, if you'll read the post linked above, then you'll know why I did not attempt to get into that lane. The other 'slow' lane had a man doing some sort of back stroke that called for his arms to be mostly perpendicular to his torso. As the man both had long arms and was scooting down the middle of the lane not noticing anyone or anything else, I decided to join another swimmer in the 'medium' lap lane even though I myself swim rather slowly.
A woman showed up to join the back stroke swimmer's lane. He neither acknowledged her nor really moved over to accommodate her in the space. She was doing a stroke that kept her head above water. I watched as she dodged his flailing arm each time they passed one another. If it weren't so lame, it would have been comical.
Later, I heard him complain to her that she was 'too fast' to be in his lane. For the record, she wasn't. Eventually, the man left the lap lane and moved back into the aerobics class. The woman continued her slow swim down one side of the lap lane for a good 15 minutes longer. Good on her for sticking it out. I know I could not have.
I love Michigan J. Frog! That cartoon had my sister and I in stitches every time we saw it on TV when we were kids.
ReplyDeleteOooooo, swim lane drama! The lifeguards ought to be policing those lanes better.
Yes, this cartoon was one of the best. The lifeguards seem to only be making sure that no one sinks like a stone.
DeleteFrog's are just plan comical. Something about those skinny legs I think, lol. Sorry the pool situation hasn't improved. Sounds like several of you ought to write letters to the owners/managers so something could be done. I've never been able to swim well enough to do the laps, sadly cause it really is great exercise. But, even as a non swimmer I know people shouldn't expect to hog the whole lane by themselves. Hang in there. Thanks for the visit, always appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space
The pool is mostly fine. Sharing the more off-piste pool behaviors makes for better copy, if you will.
DeleteSwimmers seem much more irritable than ice-skaters, who are always laughing it seems to me. All skating rinks have one unavoidable design fault. The middle of the rinks are for people who are reasonably proficient and the really good skaters want to go as fast and as wide as possible by taking the outer edge. The trouble is that absolute beginners take the outer edge as well because they want to be within grabbing distance of the wall when they fall over.
ReplyDeleteLaughing in the pool could lead to a mouthful of water, so there is that. Ice-skaters do seem to be enjoying themselves quite a bit. I'd be one of the beginners at the edge, if I were out on a rink.
DeleteI recently watched 'The King and I'.
ReplyDeleteSo all I can say to your swimming dilemma is "It's a puzzlement."
I have been in the slow lane ... because I have been without internet connection for what it seems weeks. Probably 3-5 days. One loses time without the internet.
Maybe I will make up a song new song:
Hello my bloggers
Internet hoggers
Hello my fellow friends
Well, maybe I won't!
Ha!
DeleteIn our pool the lane speed is relative that of swimmers: sometimes I'm in fast, sometimes medium, sometimes slow. But more often we go to a session without lanes where all the regulars still swim lengths. In fact yesterday, for 10 wonderful minutes, my wife and I were the only ones in the pool and we didn't complain about each other even once. I'm amused by your description of Mr Perpendicular Arms - I can just see him. We have a man with a similar sort-of-backstroke who wears very small speedo trunks. My wife tells me what they say about him in the female changing rooms and it's not complimentary.
ReplyDeleteOh, my!
DeleteThere's nothing like irritating swimmers spilling out of the General Bewilderment lane to get you to lift your game and move up a lane!
ReplyDeletePretty much, yes!
DeleteOne of my sister's biggest complaints is the "big guy", treading water in the middle of the lane. She's asked me many times to join her, and I simply cannot. Her stories are enough for me.
ReplyDeleteSharing a lane with a buddy or a sibling would be ideal. I'll come and join your sis. We'll leave the 'big guys' and middling floaters to themselves! ;)
DeleteSome people act as if they're the only ones in the world...
ReplyDeleteI sometimes forget what I want to blog about, too. So, I try to keep a list somewhere to jot things down on when I'm not in front of the computer. Of course, remembering to jot that thing down is also hit or miss.
Yes, remembering to remember what to write about is key!
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