This is how it starts, introverts.

I seem to be settling into my gym. I was quiet at first, mostly because I was watching. In the early stages of anything, I want to hear about technique and see who is doing real work and who says clichés that don’t actually fit the problem. I’m not real interested in talking about me, because I know about me, so that is boring. I watch the trainers holding pads for their clients to kick and punch, and I still haven’t told them I spent years doing that.

Three months into it, though, it seems like we’re getting to the friendly stage. It is nice. Of course, I need my trainer, Allyson, with a scary dependency that worries even me. I play it cool though; she probably can’t tell that I would lift anything she ever told me to if she would only praise me again. But the other trainers now have personalities too. Dave with the glasses and huge hops is the other dancer in between sets, so I look over to him when the music is thumpy. I don’t have to say anything to Camilo; he just looks at my bar and offers knuckles. Ajay makes sure to say hi and bye.

I chatted with the owner for the first time last night. He finished his workout and came over singing “I am the strongest. Nobody is as strong as me. You know it. The strongest.” Well. He’s perfectly friendly, but I’ve always hated the dynamic where everyone competes for the head instructor’s attention, so I’ve sortof avoided him. If I get good at this, he’ll come find me. But he was singing a silly braggy song, and trash is the language I speak in my dreams. So I sang silliness back to him, and said hi to Ajay and chatted with Dave until Allyson was ready for me and I really liked my gym.