Badge of honor

Well my YMCA membership is paying off in more ways than one.

Sure, it’s hard to beat the health benefits that come from working out, but the photo ID and lanyard have also come in handy.

I guess I should explain. The other day I was headed to the Y to work out and I looked like a complete slob--you know the routine, track pants, sweat shirt, no shower, minimal make-up--when I got a call from my eye doctor’s office saying I could pick up a trial pair of contacts. It was a bit of a dilemma at the time, since I didn’t really want the people at the office to see me in such a state, but I was desperate for the contacts, so I decided I’d make the trip. I tried to think of a way to work the fact that I was heading to the gym into the conversation, but at the last minute I decided that displaying my YMCA photo ID badge might do the trick for me.

So pure genius on my part, that’s what I did! The lady at the office may or may not have noticed, and truthfully, probably didn’t care one way or the other. But for me, the experience was liberating! In my mind at least, the badge transformed me from someone who couldn’t be bothered to put on a proper pair of pants to a recent, or better yet a “potential,” athlete!

I’ve used this trick more times than I should probably admit, but I have to tell you, I feel healthier already...