Plan D

I was thinking while driving in bad traffic on the way to gym this morning. Why do I do this? Going this far from home (20 minutes drive in normal traffic), waiting for the 3-in-1 traffic regulation that chopped my day, being in all day macet route,.. all just to go to same gym I went since about ten years.

I chose the gym because of the location that was near my office, then later also near my post-grad campus,.. I have been thru three managements, seen three different nameboards, experienced two major renovations,.. And I’m still their patron!

But now? There are at least two nice gyms in my neighborhood, six minutes drive and no traffic,.. What happen with my system? I keep all the same because of the gym feels like home to me? Ya! Management changed but trainers and equipments are all the same! Also the other patrons.. I met same Bapak exercising in same equipment, same guys in same weight-lifting department, same fat sweaty boy with trainer,… I know their time as they know my time.. We hardly greeted each other but we silently observed each other. We were nice when we met in hotel lobby. Same people share an activity for so long! That is home!

I thought more about my boring same ritual for years. Treadmilling using same machine for 30 minutes (to hit exactly 3 kilometers), pushing 4 kgs metal with both legs (then 2 kgs with each leg), stretching backbone with 7 kgs metal to exercise its strength, and finally pushing shoulders with 5 kgs metal to expand my lungs (at least that’s what I felt). Cooling down is lying down on the wooden floor on my own towel, barefooted with two 2 kgs dumbbells. Stretching, doing acrobat, a bit yoga,… all torturing poses possible. Gym done. All the same. No surprises.

SIM told me the other day that PEN liked to plan everything way ahead – which I very agreed with him – and she could be upset if things didn’t go as she planned. She could text me four days before D-day whether she needed to send her driver to pick me up – which I was grateful with her attention. But planning such details, four days before, is a bit out of radar to me. Too far, no signal.

I was like her when I was younger. Held tickets for year-end holiday three months before, paid concert tickets at least two weeks before the show, and many. I stop doing it. Too many disappointment if thing pops unplanned.

SIM said it’s fun to allow some space for life surprises. I don’t allow some, now I allow ALL my space for life surprises. So many things in life go unplanned. Why don’t we give all space for surprise then?

I have trick to cushion my disappointment hit tho. Like everyone else, I also have Plan B. But I would rather call it Plan D(isappointment).


Photo: Slow traffic today gave me life surprise. It showed me street art under bridge where I passed.. I loved my surprise!

Starwifes Coffee:
Nothing as good as coffee prepared by wife!