It almost makes me long for Sweaty McSweaterson

I said "almost."

Okay - I've said before - I'm so glad that the clubhouse/fitness center is right next door to our apartment. I can walk there in about 20 seconds, and I can use it any time of day. It's free (with the price of rentership, of course).

But, lately, I've been a little frustrated with the other Dunes members who also use the facility.

Today, I worked out in the middle of the afternoon instead of the evening, so the sun was shining through the windows. It was reflecting off of the dark green paint on the wall in front of the treadmill. (Caution: I'm about to talk about something totally disgusting. Read at your own risk.)

On the aforementioned wall, there are about 50 spit stains. Like, 50 different times, whoever was running on the treadmill thought it'd be socially acceptable to hock a giant spitwad and shoot it at the wall.

GAG ME WITH A SPOON.

And, seriously, folks - after the first time you're compelled to spit something up, might you remember to bring a towel with you from then on? So that, when you're working out, and you feel the need to do that, you can be at least a little hygienic about it?

I mean, I know I said I don't pay to work out there, but that doesn't mean it has to be the equivalent of the Trailer Park Branch of your local Y.

Besides, I'm pretty sure the people who are using the free workout facility are not of the "elite" athlete class, so I THINK they can jump off the treadmill for 20 seconds and go do their business in the restroom?

Thankfully, the TV distracts me enough that I have something else to stare at while I'm running. Usually, I'm in there by myself. Today, after I was there for 40 minutes, another girl came in. Then, a little bit later, a couple came in.

Let me explain something about the TV situation - it's no Genesis Cardio Theater. Yes, there are decent TVs, but you can't plug headphones in and watch them. You have to turn the volume up pretty loudly. Hence, when I go workout, and someone else is already in there, I just turn to the same station they are watching, or I tune to a different channel but mute my TV. Pretty darn polite and thoughtful of myself, I think.

Well, I suppose it goes without saying that people who would actually spit on a wall would not be the most polite in the bunch. Girl came in, turned on her TV across the room from me, and turned it up super loud. Couple came in, turned on another TV, to a snowy channel, and turned it up super loud. It sounded like what I imagine an elementary school classroom on indoor recess mixed with the way someone's hard-of-hearing grandparent watches TV would sound. Thank God I was almost done.

I did NOT turn down my TV or change to their channel. I thought maybe they'd be polite like me.

No such luck.