pooled resources
I spent Wednesday night on fire. The apartment was hot no matter how many fans I employed, and no amount of water could extinguish my three alarm epidermal inferno. I wriggled about in uncontrollable pain, ready to wail at any time. I popped Tylenol, watched the early-morning news, and prayed for sleep.
When I finally awoke from whatever sleep I got, I had one thought in mind: I have got to get myself to a pool. Never mind that I was drowning in chores and errands. Forget the fact that I was running on little sleep and energy. I had to get myself to a pool, even if just for an hour. It would help solve all my problems, from overheating to insomnia. After looking for a community centre that was close to shopping, off I went.
When I was younger, my mom's friends had a house with an outdoor pool and an if-you're-in-the-neighbourhood policy. Fortunately, I lived in the neighbourhood. So whenever it got too hot or too boring, I'd take a short walk and a long swim. Sometimes, I'd even bring my little cousin if she was around. It was a fair trade, though: we got to cool down, and they got an aquarium act. They'd come out and throw objects into the pool, and we'd have to swim underwater--sometimes even to the drop off slant where shallow became deep--to retrieve them. But for the most part, they left us to our own devices. We were good kids and good swimmers, so there wasn't really anything to worry about. It was like a little piece of suburban living right in the city.
These days, I don't swim nearly as much. So the first swim of the season is always a shock to the system. At first immersion, the water seems too cold. Once adjusted, there's figuring out what's next--which is always a warm-up followed by the first swim, which tires me out. After clinging onto the side of the pool for a bit, I go back to swimming and push myself, if only to get my money's worth. By the time I'm out of the pool, though, I'm never tired or worn out. Instead, I'm nicely refreshed, relaxed and cool--a feeling that is always worth the money.
Still, I gotta start swimming regularly again. I may be able to walk up the Granville Station escalator like it's a race I'm determined to win, but I'm still terribly out of shape. And swimming is the one athletic activity that I do like. So I should get to the pool as often as I can.
But then, I always say that.
When I finally awoke from whatever sleep I got, I had one thought in mind: I have got to get myself to a pool. Never mind that I was drowning in chores and errands. Forget the fact that I was running on little sleep and energy. I had to get myself to a pool, even if just for an hour. It would help solve all my problems, from overheating to insomnia. After looking for a community centre that was close to shopping, off I went.
When I was younger, my mom's friends had a house with an outdoor pool and an if-you're-in-the-neighbourhood policy. Fortunately, I lived in the neighbourhood. So whenever it got too hot or too boring, I'd take a short walk and a long swim. Sometimes, I'd even bring my little cousin if she was around. It was a fair trade, though: we got to cool down, and they got an aquarium act. They'd come out and throw objects into the pool, and we'd have to swim underwater--sometimes even to the drop off slant where shallow became deep--to retrieve them. But for the most part, they left us to our own devices. We were good kids and good swimmers, so there wasn't really anything to worry about. It was like a little piece of suburban living right in the city.
These days, I don't swim nearly as much. So the first swim of the season is always a shock to the system. At first immersion, the water seems too cold. Once adjusted, there's figuring out what's next--which is always a warm-up followed by the first swim, which tires me out. After clinging onto the side of the pool for a bit, I go back to swimming and push myself, if only to get my money's worth. By the time I'm out of the pool, though, I'm never tired or worn out. Instead, I'm nicely refreshed, relaxed and cool--a feeling that is always worth the money.
Still, I gotta start swimming regularly again. I may be able to walk up the Granville Station escalator like it's a race I'm determined to win, but I'm still terribly out of shape. And swimming is the one athletic activity that I do like. So I should get to the pool as often as I can.
But then, I always say that.