I know I use my blog to complain about a lot of things…some of them gereral complaints and some are more esoteric than others.  I’ve finally got something on my mind that I think bugs EVERYONE.

Have you ever noticed that there are some people out there that don’t know how to respect your personal space?  Seinfeld made fun of it in the “Close Talker” episode, where Judge Reinhold would get WAY to close and talk to them as if he was a normal distance away.  I, like most people, have a healthy respect for ‘personal space.’ 

There is this guy (a sweaty, stinky guy) that decides that even in an EMPTY gym he needs to get REALLY close to me and do his calf stretches.  I’m working on my cardio, minding my own business and 40 minutes into my hour and he decides to hang his heel off the side of the machine right next to me and lean back.  I felt this dude’s HEAT he was so close…WTF is that shyte?  The whole place is empty and this guy has to stand right on top of me?  He does this inside the locker room too…the entire room is empty and he’s got towel off in my space, which aggravates the bejeezies out me.

This happens quite often and today I said something to him about it.  “Hey bud, do you mind not crowding me?  This place is empty so why don’t you stretch over there.”

You would have thought I punched his mother.  He huffed and puffed and finally moved down.  Now don’t get me wrong…I don’t feel badly at all, in fact I’m glad I did it.  But apparently he didn’t realize that he was too close for comfort…which I find unbelievable.  Final word…I don’t know this guy and I’m not in the gym to make friends.  Maybe I tought him a lesson on personal boundaries, maybe I just pissed him off…I don’t care.

And what’s with the guy who comes into a crowded gym and grabs the circulating fan and puts it right on himself?  Ok, that’s another gripe for another day.

Happy 4th!