12/3/06 The sun shone on snow yesterday, and blotches of ice stuck to sidewalks. I slipped cleats onto my shoes and set out for the Shorewood Community Fitness Center. Though wary of walking, I was warier still of biking. I slogged through snow wherever possible, snow's safer than ice, walked in the street at times, headed for the west side of Oakland, which is usually clear. And it was, until I arrived at Shorewood High School. That sidewalk is usually treacherous; maybe the village should give itself a citation. Well, there's no story here, I didn't fall! But I certainly didn't feel like a fit lynx slinking sure-footed through civilization.
Why was my mind playing with that image as I shuffled and slogged? Fitlinxx is the Fitness Center's version of Big Brother. Each machine has its screen, and if you agree to it, select a password, and input all the necessary information, computers will keep track of your workouts for you. No more pencil and paper and tired fingers. Just relax and lift your weights and stare at the screen! It'll tell you where to set the seat, how much weight to lift, what you did last time. It'll track your range of motion, congratulate you when you're in target range, even warn you if you're lifting too little, too much, or too fast. Actually it's fun. And it motivates. Anyway, life's about linking, but the definition of linking has changed.
