Krazy Krystal's Laboratory

Exercise bikes, politics, neighbours and snack food

I've joined the sports centre here at the university. I won't call it a gym, that might be over-representing the facilities, it has cardio equipment and weights machines, but the bare concrete furnishings are not exactly aesthetic. Reminds me a lot of the old melbourne university sports centre before they opened the nice new complex.

The gym is a great place to burn off stress as well as calories, and a chance to process the myriad thoughts running around in my brain. Also, as a reward, I have taken out international subscriptions to a couple of my favourite Australian magazines that are mentally marked "FOR READING IN THE GYM ONLY". I'm getting "Cosmos" which is a really great science magazine, and "The Monthly" which is a collection of essay pieces on Australian current affairs and society. I would highly recommend either of these publications, in fact I have already inspired several friends and family to take out subscriptions. I should get a commission !! They're also great gifts ideas, really great to read on teh train or tram and, ok, now I really should get a commission.

However, it is not always possible to take in articles about the existence of Higgs bosun, or the conservative takeover of the ABC board, whilst thumping away on a treadmill up-hill at 10.0 speed. For this there are tv screens in the gym, playing video hits. But they don't show the current top forty, but a really weird mix of different kinds of musical countdowns. Today I arrived just in time to see the top ten "Boy bands of the 80s vs Boy bands of the 90s" which mad me so violent I almost broke the rowing machine. It was shortly followed by the top 20 "Kylie versus Australian superstars" and so I was treated to the PopDiva herself interspersed with Delta, Craig and Jason. This was to be expected, however when the Rouge Traders came in at number 12 I was quite surprised. Not that I have a deep and meaningful opinion of the greatest hits in the Aussie Pop realm, but that Natalie Bassingwaithe, the lead singer went to the same school that I did. Of course, her official biography doesn't mention Oak Flats High School in it, as she did transfer and graduate from the more appropriate Wollongong School of the Performing Arts for senior school. Then again, I don't really blame her, OFHS doesn't rate a mention on my cv either! *giggle* However it is a bit strange to be breaking into a sweat while someone you know sings pop music at you.

Of course all that great work at the gym has just been off set by the consumption of a packet of Twisties, but they were almost past their used by date and it'd be a shame to waste them :)

posted by Dr Krystal @ 8:37 pm