Mondag her i Kobenhavn

Some people didn't get the joke so I won't make it...I am being censored on account of my failure to respect my freedom...the odd paradox of coerced liberty...rule of thumb...this blog is often not to be read as a news report from an outlet of the integrity of, say, the American politico-media...I really have few exciting activities and it is hard for me to come up with things to say. Ok, whew! Yesterday I had a fine blend of the mundane and the interesting. First of all, I stayed up all night trying to listen to the Steelers-Jets game. Ha! What a joke...well, I got up late after that comedy of errors and decided to go check out a local gym. I am going nuts here because running outside is terrible. Its not even the cold as much as the urban setting. I have to stop every minute to wait for a light to change or something...I have to find a good, large park.

So I went to the gym at the Frederiksberg Svommehal (swimming hall). I had planned on lap swimming but it was a Sunday and the pool was packed with recreational swimmers so I went upstairs to the weightroom. The big guy with the mullet at the desk was friendly enough to give me a free pass (maybe I look like I need to hit the weights or something!). So I went in and ran on the treadmill for 40 min. It was great, the best I have felt in a while. I think I may get a membership cause it looks like the bad weather is about to set in (of course the University of San Diego has not managed to give me my money yet so it will have to wait until that little hurdle is overcome).

I would like to talk briefly about one weightroom phenomenon, which all of us who have had the unfortunate experience of spending much time in weightrooms have had to deal with...the "meathead." The European meathead is not as physically imposing as the American meathead, but with the lower threshold for meatheadery it seems that everyone tries to pass themselves off as members of this woeful sector of humanity. For men in European gyms, less clothes is the rule. If there is a way to expose that bit of flesh you should find it. Attire is a pair of dark colored underwear that are supposed to pass as shorts and some tank-top, eviscerated to the point that it is less "top" and more "tank."

I steered clear of the herd by staying on the treadmill with the women and old folks. I long ago got over being emasculated by the gym experience...I run, a lot, swim sometimes and work on my abs. I think weightlifting is a waste of time unless it just pleases you or you are trying to improve your metabolism, overcome injury, or prevent injury.

I was once a member of this tribe though, Meatheadicus maximus I believe is the scientific name. They speak a very limited language of gestures and grunts with the occasional human word they have picked up in the course of running into human beings from day to day or making asinine attempts to hit on human girls in the gym. If you ever have an unpleasant encounter with a meathead I recommend distracting them by commenting on how big their arms are. Remember the myth of Narcissus, who died while staring at a beloved reflection of himself in a lake...he turns into the flower "narcissus" (see if you can get at the symbolism without me telling you!)...well, you can try tossing a mirror in the other direction and running. Finally, they can often be confused with a simple arithmetic problem...BUT, stay away from intervals of 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 35, or 45 as these correspond to the weight (in lbs) of free weights in the gym and they can perform functions using these numbers faster than a calculator.

After my gym experience I took a trip to Christianshavn. Christianshavn is a kommune (community) in Copenhagen known sometimes as "little Amsterdam" for its system of canals. It also contains some of the older and more magnificent churches in Copenhagen (and a castle I believe). I took a few pictures and I will post them tomorrow, but the most eventful aspect of the trip was the weather. It got sooooo cold right after I got there that I could not take pictures cause my hands hurt so bad. My cheeks got so cold and numb that I was slurring my speech...it was really out of this world. I never remember that happening in the cold before...does it happen often?

Finally, before leaving Christianshavn I visited a small part of Christianshavn called Christiania. Christiania is an old army barrack that some counter-culture folks took over in the early 70's and declared to be the "Free State of Christiania." I suppose over a thousand people have squatted on this land since then and the government has largely left them alone. They are not taxed and wholly self-sufficient. This commune is the 3rd largest tourist attraction in Copenhagen.

When you enter it is almost surreal. The buildings are all odd-looking with bright paintings everywhere like a funhouse. Everywhere there are street-vendors peddling their wares from bootleg music to rastafarian apparel. It is also famous for its open sale and use of marijuana that the state has largely tolerated (even moreso than California), and supposedly there are just carts on the street selling marijuana. I did not see any and I have heard the state has begun cracking down considerably.

Before leaving I stocked up on the health foods that I enjoy but have not been able to find at the supermarkets in Denmark. On the way out a sign says "You are now entering the European Union." My impression...a dirty rundown town full of closed-minded profiteering slackers...and the people were rather unfriendly. Those who know me well, and know of my enthusiasm for the development of the European Union, will rightly place my animosity with their antagonism toward the EU...I love reactionary progressives..."social justice for everyone (me) and free thinking (as long as it agrees with me), eradicate poverty (unless its somewhere else)"...get over yourselves.

Oh yeah...don't take offense at my indictment of narcissistic, banal, and vain weightroom types...I am just being playful...I once too was a weightroom guy...My name is Tim, and I am a recovering meathead...now I am a pretentious prick!