Hooray for the YMCA

I'm so excited! I read yesterday that after long battles and much debate, as of January 2009, the YMCA is dropping it's family membership conditions, to now include anyone living at the same address. There is, of course, a backlash against the move. Many people are saying that the YMCA is "trying to cash in on the gay community and young people living together." But the YMCA says simply that they have looked closely at their mission statement and philosophy and feel that this is the proper course of action, at this time. Saying the change is for college roommates, seniors living together and grandparents raising children and that it is about making it more affordable for non-traditional families.

Kudos to you, YMCA for thinking proactively and taking steps to make membership more affordable to everyone. Period. No more discrimination. Now that's what I'm talking about.

Stop, or I'll Stab You With My Fork

Most people who are in love are fortunate enough to have a partner or spouse who whispers sweet nothings in their ear. Tender, nurturing, sentimental words that make the knees go weak and the heart go pitter-patter. It's this sentimental, mushy-gushy chatter that endears us to our significant others, and raises the body temperature ever so slightly.

Last night as we snuggled together on the sofa, I eased my hand to a position, posterior to the Wifester, and commenced to caressing her sweet tush to which I was greated with the retort

" Stop, or I'll stab you with my fork!"

Ahhh...if that's not love...In all fairness to her, I suppose a tush-rub can be distracting when one is trying to eat dinner. ( I'd choose the tush rub, personally. But that's just me.)

In other news, I'm officially a sell out...I gave in and joined the YMCA. I'm tired of being fat. And I'm tired of fighting them for a family membership for the Wifester and I. It's a battle that I so don't have the time or energy for right now. Sometimes I wish I were still twenty-one. At twenty-one I had fight in me for any and every battle that came my way, and a few contrived ones as well. I fought for the sake of fighting back then and bucked authority with the disdain of a thousand angry protesters all rolled up into one Fortune Cookie. Today I am older, wiser, and quite frankly, tired. I can't make the YMCA allow gay's and lesbians to join with family memberships any more than I can make my parents believe that I'm not going to burn in hell for all of eternity for loving another person.
Sometimes we have to pick our battles. I still boycott Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel (unless I have a gift certificate) and I even wrestled with my Starbucks addiction, taming it to a manageable level, only having their burnt tasting lattes once every blue moon, or so. They are the true corporate whores, if you ask me. But on this one instance, I'm gonna have to sell out and conform just a bit. I need the use of their ellipticals and the treadmills on Mondays and Wednesdays. I'll let you know how it works out.( No pun intended)