On Treadmill TV

Story #1
My gym has personal TVs on each treadmill that you plug your headphones into and it makes working out exponentially more enjoyable. I exercise during my lunch and apparently so does the rest of my company. I am ridiculously lucky because Keeping Up With the Kardashians just happens to play during my lunch time which makes running not only healthy but entertaining.

The other day I was watching my daily dose of the Kardashian sisters when my boss' boss' BOSS decided to come running on the treadmill next to mine. I decided I never like being near my boss' boss' BOSS unless I am getting a sweet raise or promoted or something. First thoughts that went through my head:
1. I am sweating and look gross
2. I am wearing a tank top and spandex shorts. Awkward.
3. I am watching my favorite trashy TV. DAMNIT.

I noticed him setting up on the treadmill next to mine and hoped he wouldn't notice it was me. I reluctantly looked over and he smiled and said "Hi Jenna." (Ugh, ok, he knows it's me. But SWEET that he knows my name, I didn't know that he knew my name. Wait, why does he know my name? Is that good or bad?) Paranoia that I am going to lose my job sets in.

I noticed that boss' boss' BOSS then scans through the channels and decides to watch CNN. Now I realize that there is some serious political unrest going on in Egypt right now. I follow world politics extremely closely actually. I read CNN religiously. In the morning, while at work, I watch Anderson Cooper at night, I get CNN Twitter updates, I have a CNN app on my Blackberry. I even have a crush on Anderson. I am definitely in tune with the world. BUT gym time = Keeping Up With the Kardashians time. NOT world politics time.

Ok, if I can see his TV then he can definitely see my TV. And he already said Hi to me which means he also saw the Kardashians and my spandex. I realize how much I hate the gym.

I keep running. And suddenly feel really embarrassed to be watching my show in front of my boss' boss' BOSS. Then I started feeling really embarrassed that I wasn't tuning into what is going on in Egypt today because he shouldn't know that I read CNN sometimes at work for a little break. I then made a decision which made me feel bad about myself later. I changed the channel to CNN. I sucked up to the boss' boss' BOSS. I kicked part of my routine that makes me really happy and I chose to appear "smarter." He better have noticed.

Story #2
I run on the treadmill every day at lunch and normally at lunch time the latest The Jersey Shore is playing. I am from the East Coast and grew up going to the Jersey Shore. I did not go to the exact town where the show is filmed. I would vacation at a town close by called Ocean City. I can't stop watching the Jersey Shore. I am with the rest of the country in the Jersey Shore craze. I get so happy that I can watch the alcohol and hormone influenced drama unfold on my personal TV while I burn some calories and compliment myself in my head for working out instead of GTL-ing.

The other day I was working on a proposal at work with a pretty high up manager. I hadn't seen him in awhile so when I saw him at our kick-off meeting (meeting that included about 6 other managers) I said "Hi there! I have not seen you in awhile!" to which he replied:

Manager: I see you at the gym a lot but you never see me wave because you're always watching The Jersey Shore. (Smile fades. Ummm, did you just announce to a room full of people that I routinely watch The Jersey Shore? Ok, all feeling of dignity is diminished. Thanks.)

Me: Ha ha (awkward) I don't watch that show that much! It must have been the only thing on.

Manager: I go every day at lunch and it seems like every time I see you you're watching that show. My daughter watches it too. I can't stand it.

Me: Haaa haaa. Umm yeah there isn't much else on at lunch time I guess. I hate that show.

The meeting then continued. A room full of managers now think that I am just another teeny booper who likes to watch the grenade whistle. I swear I am also perfectly capable of editing their technical based proposal.

Ok, by the way. Who takes note of what other people watch at the gym? I never pay attention to what other people work out to. When did this become a judging match?! What happened to working out for yourself and having personal time with yourself and your personal TV? I guess I have to resort to the news and the Discovery Channel for now on while I am working out or people may start getting the wrong idea about me.

Highlight the text after the star to reveal which story is true * The true story is story number one. Yes, I am sad to admit that I gave up my guilty pleasure of watching the Kardashians to look cool in front of the big guy. It won't happen again.