Oh, hi, you Tuesday you. Sure I've been gone forever from these pages and you're most likely expecting something contemplative, exuberant, and renewed for this 2012. Yea, I've got some of that, but today I just want to tell you a story.
I'll get to that, don't worry your sexy little bedheads. But for now I need to share a little tale that was so particularly New York in brand, and it all happened yesterday.
As I woke up in Brooklyn yesterday am in the dawn of a new year, I neither felt inspired or excited. I simply needed coffee. Badly.
So off I went to Bien Cuit, the insanely delicious French bakery in my neighborhood. David and I sat and drank coffee, and I sat and stared at his chocolate almond croissant. I am on a ridiculous diet that inhibits me from enjoying food of this nature. I sat and sipped my nonfat latte, which felt decadent enough as I've recently tried to quit coffee, and especially coffee with (gasp the horror) milk. Yes, there's something kind of chic about black coffee- it's no nonsense and a somewhat old school approach to caffeine, but it doesn't really taste good, does it? I'm more of a light and sweet type, myself.
Anyway, yesterday was a bit of a nippy morning and as I sat in my coat and drank my coffee and stared at that temptress of a croissant while inhaling the delicious smells of baked goods, I spotted a rather rotund gentleman, with an assortment of bad tattoos, in nothing more than an ill fitting tank top and jeans, ordering his breakfast. It struck me because it was beyond cold outside, and because there's a certain smugness in this neighborhood that would merit some raised eyebrows for this bold act of a) dressing inappropriately for the weather and b) dressing inappropriately for one's body type. I then watched him eat a chocolate croissant and a croque monsieur, alone at a table with both sweet and savory and felt a certain snobby satisfaction that I resisted the urge to eat buttery foods, though inside I was jealous of his ribald act, tank top and all. This is what happens when you diet, PS. You enter a sort of depravity and inability to reason- you judge yourself and everyone around you. It's fucked. Willpower is highly overrated because it leads to both inferiority and superiority complexes. And there was really nothing weird about this tank top wearing gentleman with the bad carnival tats, it's just that his indulgence seemed over the top to a girl who has been eating nothing but greens and protein for a few weeks now.
So then the day continued- nothing remarkable, really. A bit of a nap, some housecleaning, some Fresh Direct grocery ordering. I decided to do an evening spin class so I got my (hungry) ass off the sofa and went to the gym. I'm lucky enough to have a gym on my corner, but unlucky enough to hate it there. I admit it- it's a dank den of low energy and I just don't like it. It's fine for the winter when the three blocks to walk to Equinox seems way too long, so for now, I'll accept it, even though it feels like a subterranean pit for Brooklyn gym zombies. But I digress.
As I did some weights and searched on Spotify for something to inspire me, I looked inside the body conditioning class and guess who I saw? It was the man from the coffee shop, still in the same tank, now with shorts, teaching the bloody body conditioning class, flailing about and generally looking exceedingly awkward as a confused group of gym bunnies exchanged worried glances. I did a double take, and then I couldn't turn away. How in the world was this guy a gym instructor? Usually they tend to be in great shape, don't they? Could my sweet and savory loving friend really be a trainer? I couldn't believe my eyes.
Then it was time for spin, so in I went. And guess who came in to teach the class. Uh huh. Tank top tattoo guy. But here's where it gets good- he taught the body conditioning class because the teacher never showed up, and since it was the same instructor for spin, he was volunteering to lead the class. (Hey New York Sports Club, a word: not having an instructor a day after New Year's is beyond unacceptable. Epic fail). He told us he could not sit on the platform and actually "teach", but he would sit in the front row and lead us, and we could follow him if we wanted or not. PS, he was still panting and sweating from his previous teaching stint, profusely I might add.
As the class was full, I completely expected a mass exodus. What happened next was pure genius- we all stayed, every single one of us, and let him do his thing. And you know what, he did amazingly well considering his body fat index, his lack of endurance, and his general struggle to speak as he was cycling. His music happened to be great, even though Pandora kept interrupting the class. The dude taught for about 35 minutes, until his body kind of gave out, though we all applauded his efforts. And there's where the uniquely New York thing comes in- you really do gain respect from people for taking risks, pitching in, and leading in the face of tragedy (this tragedy being no spin class the day after the end of complete decadent holiday behavior). I love that this guy tried his best to deliver a good class, and that all of us stayed to cheer him on. It just goes to show you that even though you may be a square peg in this town, if you're willing to try, people will give you a chance. And perhaps he was able to get through it because he had a belly full of delicious baked goods. Regardless of whether carbs contributed to the success of his class or it was sheer resolve, we all got off our bikes at the end and applauded- what an effort. I still hate that gym but at least there's people there I can admire, who are pushing themselves beyond their limits and volunteering, even in the most cynical of crowds- the next time I see my homeboy in Bien Cuit, I'm going to buy him a pastry, or two. He deserves it for putting himself out like that...
That's what I've got for today. Appreciate the square peg in yourself today on your way to work, at the gym, or when someone needs you to do something you may not be sure you can do- because if you have to, you can. It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood, and that's what's up this bravely, well baked kind of Tuesday in this here 2012. Go kill it today, even it if it hurts a little. You'll at least get points for trying. All the love...XO