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Thursday, February 21, 2008

Ranked

In my own selfish way, I've been happy to see the number of new members at the gym slowly diminish as the days are going by.

I feel quite guilty that I harbor such feelings, being a healthcare provider and all, but there's nothing more frustrating than having to either delay a workout, cut a workout short, or skip a workout because the gym is too full. Walking into the gym to see swarms of people gives me the same feeling as watching the old lady ahead of me at the grocery store pull out a checkbook. I couldn't feel any more let down if I found out I had to spend an afternoon at the DMV.

Anyway, other than the few new members, the landscape of the gym is now back to looking like what it used to before that brief influx of January Resolutionists.

On my way to the locker room, I walked by the magazine rack. I mostly ignore what they have, since they're usually girly magazines like Shape, Glamour, or Good Housekeeping with information that either I already know (What your man is thinking!; What guys want in bed) or have no interest in learning (Sexy hairdo's for 2008!; New purse styles!; Cheap chic dresses!).

But one caught my eye: US News and World Report's list of 100 Best High Schools.

A quick look through the list confirmed what I already knew: my high school I attended in Kansas is NOT a great school. Well, no surprise there. Really. If my high school was awesome, I'd probably be a rich tycoon by now. Gone will be the days of juggling payments and trying to balance the checkbook so that it won't bounce every month. No more heartache watching Nathalie look wistfully at a designer dress or a purse through a store window.

But wait, aren't doctors rich?

Ha! We are the only fools that work day and night to eliminate the very need for our own existence. Not only that, the government and insurance companies pay us less and less every year. How crazy is that? What fool stays at a job where his salary decreases? Doctors. We're idiots.

Nathalie and I watched Fiddler on the Roof recently. The main character Tevye is a poor peasant, but blessed with a great family and a supportive community. But that doesn't stop him from wishing he could have a little more money.

Perchik: [trying to convince Tevye that money isn't everything] Money is the world's curse.

Tevye: Well, then may the Lord smite me with it! And may I never recover!

Amen to that.