Already Looking for the Exit

Having lunch with four coworkers on Friday, I learned that each of us has a resolution to lose weight this year. (Ironically, shared over Indian buffet, after most people had gone back for a second plate. I restrained myself*, although another samosa would have been really good.)
At the gym yesterday morning (my usual weekend routine) I had to wait 10 minutes for a machine. I could not have agreed more with an NPR story this weekend that began,

"All right, so it's January, right? That means you're very likely to be in one of two groups: new member at the gym or old member at the gym who can't get on one of the elliptical machines at the gym because some new member is on it. Dang new members. The online slang compendium UrbanDictionary.com has a name for this phenomenon: "January Joining." It defines a "January Joiner" as someone who "joins the gym in January as part of a New Year's resolution and by February is back to being a couch potato."

I can't wait for February. My new resolve to be at the gym more often is already threatened. I stare daggers at the people who blithely sweat their way into minute 41 (past the 30 minute cardio machine time limit,) when there's a line of four people waiting for machines. New members must not know the rules yet, and the four Bally's employees lounging at the front desk would never offer a helpful public service announcement over the PA. (I think these guys may be the most useless employees in America. The guy at Best Buy who greets you to make sure you don't steal stuff is more friendly and engaged.)

Today I may just test the idea that housework burns calories. No line at the vacuum here.

*I'm far from perfect though: to salvage our outing to go see a Frost-Nixon last night which ended up being sold out, Jason and I decided Dunkin Donuts might be a nice stop.