Lies and Working Out

Ha! This is an interesting article on why people hang up on the phone (well, cellphone, to be specific). "Being in a business meeting" was the most popular choice, ranking 50%, and followed by "I am busy (working)" in second place with 44%. Other answers include "Tending to a crying baby," "I'm driving right now," and "I can't hear you."

Gee, how many times have I or my wife said these things when we've made our (sometimes multiple) daily calls? She'd say that my big excuse is, "I have to go to the bathroom," not because I use it a lot, but she seems to remember when I say that. (Sometimes the food here makes the plumbing a little weird, too...but that's probably too much information.)

Anyhoo, I've got to think that many of those 'excuses' are more like reasons than anything else. They're just common occurrences...here everyone works a lot (especially after-hours) and Moms should tend to crying babies, you shouldn't talk (too much) while driving and sometimes reception (especially in elevators) can get pretty rough.

Now for my exciting working out story. Every few months my local gym (where I had a membership last Summer, but let it lapse, lazy guy that I am, has an 이밴트/event or sale where they give a free month with every 3 months signed up for. That was last month, but I signed up yesterday. Of course I fully expected to get the deal, right? Well, the event was over...so I did what any Korean would: I insisted they give it to me anyways. They resisted but then gave me a free locker rental (for my new shoes). Just goes to show that Korean businesses will usually give you something if you make enough noise about it.

So, here goes my health kick...seem to have got a little plumper over the week in Canada so hit the inline course yesterday at 5AM and 8PM (my bud Jung-Su called and we went out...otherwise I would have watched Cold Case on AFN). Then this morning got up at 5:30 and got to the gym at 6AM...pecs and triceps today...man, I am so dedicated. And by the way, I beat jetlag in record time. I'm going to have to do my little stay-up-as-long-as-humanly-possible next time too. (Of course my boss just came back from the U.S. today and in true Korean fashion he seems to have beat his jetlag overnight...what is with these people?)

So, wish me luck on keeping with my workout schedule...I'll need it--especially since my bud Minaz is coming here from Canada tonight for a 1 week then 2 week visit to Korea, with stints to the Philippines and Thailand in between.