I was trying to hit a certain level of money for the week on my Lyft application so I could lay that foundation and go from there. After my lunch break, I was ready to build off of what I had done that morning, and low and behold, the first ride I received was a semi-long ride taking me from Nutley, NJ, to Perth Amboy.
From there I bounced around the area, being brought a bit west to the Edison area. All of a sudden I got a ride taking me all the way to Yonkers. It was hailed by a mother and her daughter who were looking for apartments together down there while staying at a hotel in the north-of-the-city-New-York-town. With an arrival time of 4:30, it was about an hour fare, one that put me over by 15 dollars the financial threshold I was looking for. I was thrilled, but now the real work for the week was to begin.
So, I put the fastest possible rush hour Jersey navigation on. Within 5 seconds of pulling out of the hotel parking lot, I saw a Planet Fitness right next door. I can visit any location in the country because of the plan I have that they offer. It works out well in my line of work. I had planned on going at some point that evening wherever my rides took me anyway. So, to avoid the rush hour traffic, I took it as a sign and pulled into their respective parking lot, ready to get my reps in.
The routine I've recently settled into is as follows: loosen up my muscles with the hydromassage, 1 set each of pull ups, push ups and sit ups, hit the treadmill for 25 minutes, another round of muscle reps, bike for 15, last round of muscle reps then back to cooling down with another massage. I was prepared to do all of this but when I got to the cardio section of this Yonkers PF, all the treadmills were taken, except one that was out of order. Another sign. Multiple people had been telling me I was looking skinny, and in analyzing what my workout routine had recently been, I realized that I may have been going too hard on the treadmill in congruence with staying disciplined on my changed diet (I've cut out bread and cheese most meals.) I have also not been offsetting that with enough ever-increasing amounts of muscle reps. So, I decided that losing close to 300 calories on the treadmill was not for this session (as well as cutting out the bike set), plus it meant I would be able to get back to work quicker as well. So, I went back to my spot on the crowded floor where I would continue to attempt to add muscle to my frame.
In this region of New York, I can fully accept how many Yankees hats there are. Whether it be Westchester, The Bronx, North Jersey, Washington Heights or Yonkers, this is the most obvious Yankee territory there should be in the entirety of North America. There weren't an obscene amount of Yankee hats, but they did pop up in this specific gym. As I got my reps started, however, into the stretching area walks a man in a blue, red-rimmed Phillies hat. With the impending 2nd game in the early season 3-game series, I literally said to myself, "I hope that's not an omen."
After finishing up my gym session around 6, I navigated back through the lightened traffic to a place in Jersey I had honed in for dinner. I ate dinner, caught up on the phone with my girlfriend, which happened to take me past the start time of last night's Mets-Phillies match. Just before I got back to work, I naturally checked the score.
And there it was.
A big, ugly 8 next to the Phillies in the 1st inning.
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| Rich Schultz/Getty Images Photo via newyork.cbslocal.com |
We had all been rather optimistic about Steven Matz, taking his last start as a sign that he was finally on his way, after all these years, to consistency. If he could just avoid injury and stay out of his head, he'll come into form, much like Zack Wheeler finally did in 2018. Last night, however, was not a good sign. Apparently, some errors were made behind him as well, but those are obviously things every Major League pitcher has to shake off.
I had hoped the Phillies hat in my peripheral would not be an omen of ugly things to come later that evening, but alas, I had let negative thoughts creep in my way. Obviously, it isn't my fault, because no matter how superstitious us sports fans are, it most likely doesn't affect a single thing when there are millions of us who think if we sit a certain way, or wear the same socks, or eat fried chicken before every game, the team will win a championship. I had hopes after seeing the 8 spot (which morphed into a 10-run 1st inning) that it would just be one of those Citizens Bank Park games and the Mets would prevail 12-11. 'Twas not meant to be, and the Mets now have an afternoon rubber game to play following a 14-3 defeat at the hands of the Phillies.
I guess I just have to avoid that Yonkers Planet Fitness from now on. For the Mets sake.
Though omens follow you wherever you go.
HAPPY. THOUGHTS. NOW.
LET'S. GO. METS.
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