I love breaks. I think everyone can agree with me on that. I love the two hour drive back to New York City, pulling into my driveway and seeing my family. I also love running into people that I haven’t seen in a while. Some are doing well and others are doing not so well. But there is always that one person who has to make most obnoxious comment ever. For example:

I was working out at the YMCA (yeah, I know … I laughed when I typed that). I was at 21 minutes on the elliptical, sweat was pouring all over the place, and I had my Zoolander look on. Then, this middle-aged women comes over to me and says, “Hey, you’re Walter right?” and I responded, breathing heavily, “Yes.” Then I gave her the standard “and you are?” look. She caught on and said, I’m Mike’s mom.

At this point, I’m thinking “Great, do you know how many Mike’s there are.” But, she interrupted my nostalgic thought process with, “You went to middle school with him.” That’s when it all came back to me. Mike was on the swim team with me back in middle school. His mom was annoying then and she is now. Then we went through the typical formalities that you usually have with someone you haven’t seen in years and you could careless if you ever run into them again.

But, Mike’s mom said something less, well, formal. She said, “Wow, you put on weight.”

Thanks, Mike’s mom. Like I didn’t notice. I really needed you to reiterate what my jeans were telling me and what my grandmother made very clear on Thanksgiving break during Freshman year. Was that really necessary? Did she actually have to make that comment? No, not at all. Most people know exactly what I’m talking about. The freshmen 15, that, like I learned, can turn into a drastically higher number if you don’t control it.

I blame Residence Life for assigning me to a room within 100 feet of Campus Corner and Wingers and, of course, my lack of self-control.

Now, most people realize that they can’t fit in their pants anymore and something needs to be done – reason number one why I was at the YMCA.

So, I really didn’t need the commentary from the peanut gallery. What better way to crush someone’s will power than to comment on the obvious. Thanks for the buzz kill Mike’s mom.

General thoughts on the gym

1. Stop grunting! It doesn’t impress anyone.

2. Must you drop the weights?

Seriously. Those are brand new and I’m sure Mr. Davis doesn’t appreciate that.

3. Cut the water cooler chatter and get on the

treadmill!