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Mission: Live at 24 Hour Fitness

January 8, 2009

In the next month, I will be attempting to spend 24 hours at a 24 hour fitness. I will eat, sleep, and exercise at 24 hour fitness. It may seem a little crazy (maybe more than a little), but it was an idea that I came up with when talking with my friend. As a college student I paid $700 a month including furnishings and utilities for housing. I got my own room, my own bathroom, and shared a living space with 3 crazy other people. Compared to what other college students were paying at other colleges, I consider myself lucky. For example, my girlfriend paid $800 and shared a room. This didn’t include utilities or furnishings.

So the question that my friend and I talked about was how to live cheap. Now the word cheap may be associated with ‘poor quality,’ but to a college student it means ‘bargain’ and ‘good deal.’ The idea that I came up with was why not live at 24 Hour Fitness.

For $20 a month, you have 24 hour access to their facilities. Assuming that their are 30 days in a month that means you are paying an average of $.66 a month! That is a deal. I know what you are thinking by now, “Who in their right mind would do this?” The answer to that would be a college student. The perception that anything can happen in college is pretty accurate and an idea like this is right up a college students alley. Now, what I am proposing is not to actually live, study, and sleep at 24 hour fitness permanently, but to stay their for 24 hours for fun and jokes.

For 24 hours, my friend and I will be going to a yet to be determined 24 Hour Fitness Center and attempting to ‘live’ their for 24 hours straight. We will each be bringing a small gym backpack. In it will be a small container of rice (in case we starve), $10.00, gloves (for when we pump iron), and duct tape (I’ve heard you can use it for anything). Aside from the items listed, we will also be bringing a basketball, toothbrush and toothpaste, a sweater, and 1 paper cup each.

Also, I plan on video recording the whole 24 hours (or at least most of it) so I will be bringing additional disks to record as well as batteries.

The next question that you may be wondering is, “What will you eat? Where will you sleep? How will you shower..” The answer is simple. For every daily activity that we would normally do, we can do it at 24 Hour Fitness also.

Here are a couple questions that some of my friends already asked me:

1. Where will you sleep? –Yoga mats in the exercise rooms (gonna pretend we’re meditating…for a long time)

2. Shower? –Lucky for us, 24 Hour Fitness has showers for members to use. I will not be recording this for obvious reasons.

3. Food? –Simple. All the PowerBar’s we can eat for $10. Water is free (if not, we might die of dehydration.)

4. Boredom? –No way to solve this. It is bound to happen. Hopefully later than sooner.

5. Getting kicked out of 24 Hour Fitness? — As far as I know their is no rule against staying at the gym as long as you are a member and you aren’t breaking any of their rules.

6. Are you gonna bring your cellphone? — Nope. If I need to contact someone I’m gonna do it the old fashioned way: pay phone.

Hopefully at the end of this ‘adventure’ I will be able to look back on it and have a few laughs. Otherwise, I expect to never set foot in a gym for many months after it and have a greater appreciation for my bed.

Stay tuned for 24 hours at 24 Hour Fitness review.

News, Sports

The Shoe That Became A Lifestyle

June 20, 2008

As I signed on the dotted line, I signed away $143.24. In return, I was given the newest pair of Kobe’s to hit stores. While some may consider it a waste, some consider it hobby and to others a passion. Like car collectors, coin collectors or even stamp collectors, shoe collectors are plenty in numbers.

The shoe that started it all became the starting point of what would undoubtedly launch a new chapter in lifestyle and culture. The Air Jordan 1.

Launching in 1985, Michael Jordan’s Air Jordan’s, were first banned by the NBA for its violation of its color schemes. Still this did nothing but help the sales of the Air Jordan’s. Instead, the Air Jordan’s were advertised as being the reason that Michael was so good in the first place. They made him so good, the NBA wouldn’t allow him to use them. Of course, this made people want them more. Along with the new shoe came Michael Jordan himself. Michael Jordan became one of the most popular sports figure of his time. Through his flashy dunks and acrobatic moves, MJ won fans on and off the court.

The new Air Jordan’s created a whole now lifestyle and culture. From inner city kids who made them a must-have, to suburban kids who wanted to have a piece of “his greatness”, the shoe became a cultural lightning bolt. Selling at around three figures, Air Jordan’s made getting one a status symbol as well as lifestyle. Proof of which can be seen from gang violence in which individuals were killed for there Jordan’s.

While many would say that they are just ‘shoes’, let us dissect what exactly they mean by that. As a society we have certain ideas on what is appropriate attire. For example, wearing a suit and tie to a meeting is appropriate while wearing jeans is not. The Air Jordan has become a new symbol. Not only does it represent just a ‘shoe’, but it represents the whole lifestyle and culture of basketball. Athletes buy the shoes in hopes that they can have a shed of ‘Jordan’ in them, while others buy them just to be part of the culture. In some cases, Jordan’s have become part of ones wardrobe on a daily basis.

Whatever the case may be, when a boy or girl begins to tie the laces to there Jordan’s they are putting on a piece of history. They are putting on the shoe that Michael Jordan helped create. Michael Jordan wanted to create a shoe that was stylish and trend setting while comfortable and supportive to the athlete. Not only has he done this, but he has created something else.

The Lifestyle.

Sports

The Dream That Could Die

June 16, 2008

It started with a whistle and ended with a whistle. As the Los Angeles Laker’s took the floor for the last time in Los Angeles, thousands watched with anxious thoughts. Would the Laker’s walk out victorious? Or would the Laker’s walk out as only ‘second best.’ After day’s of watching the Laker’s second half breakdown in game 4, LA wondered which Laker team would show up for game 5. Would it be the energetic and confident Laker’s from the first half, or would it be the lethargic and fragile Laker squad from the second half. One thing was sure though, number 24 wouldn’t go out without a fight.

“There’s a million way to get respect…but there’s only one way to get the kind of respect thats undeniable.The kind that they can never take away from you. Win”

Win. Simple as that. While it is only 3 letters it means the world to some. For the Laker’s, the dreams of winning a championship meet them face to face.

One would expect the Laker’s to be worried and down after the greatest comeback win in NBA Finals history by the Celtics, but instead it was just the opposite. As if it is all part of a script, Kobe Bryant is unfazed. The kind of calm and collectiveness that Kobe shows at news conferences and at team meetings is one that we haven’t seen in ages. The last time we saw someone this collected and calm? Michael Jordan, 1989.

What many remember as “The Shot” over Craig Ehlo followed a game 6 loss to the Cavaliers which would have clinched the series. In a game that crushed the hearts of the Bulls, Michael Jordan remained calm and collective and stated three words to his team mates. “We will win.” These same words would be echoed by a young man with talents beyond our imagination. Fast Forward back to the present Game 5, and LA fans find themselves in the same predicament. Up by 15 at one point, the Laker’s have see there lead almost cut in half. As the game cuts to the final 3 minutes LA fans watch with fear on would shoulder, and hope on the other. With the game too close to call, each minute is precious, each dribble important, each shot contested.

As the whistle finally blows, the Laker’s live another day. In a game where passion played as much of a role as talent, Kobe Bryant remains calm and collective at post-game interviews. In a series where the odds are against them, the quote “Be history or make history” seems appropriate. While we can’t say with certainty that the Laker’s will make history, many would agree that this Laker team has all the tools, talents, and drive to do just that.

Make history.