Chlorinated comrades

Last night I took Swimsation out to celebrate a belated birthday dinner. We had one of the most extraordinary meals I've had in a long time. Squid and pork belly with egg salad! Mixed greens with persimmon and prosciutto! Medjool figs stuffed with gorgonzola! Braised veal cheeks with broccolini! Lamb parts with chickpea fritters! No dessert! (We were way too full...)

Swimsation is one of the fastest swimmers I've ever met in my life. She and I moved to DC around the same time and joined a very fun masters team. In fact, we both lament how we've been unable to find a team that compares in terms of fun, genuinely kind people and talent. The team struck just the right balance of competitiveness and revelry that makes swimming fun.

It's always fun to catch up with Swimsation and I wish we had the chance to hang out more often, or to train together again. She's one of the most caring, funny, intelligent people I know and it remains one of the universe's greater mysteries why a wonderful man hasn't yet snatched her up! I'm sure her prince charming is right around the corner...

In any case, it never ceases to amaze me how my friends from swimming remain some of my most steadfast friends for years on end. There's something about that shared experience of pain, hyper-chlorination and competition that creates strong bonds, I guess.

(And yes, Panda!!!! is one of the swimmers in that photo.)

Panda couture, part six

Is this one a panda doggie?

Not ashamed of marmalade

Without warning and usually without reason, this song gets stuck in my head from time to time. I don't really know why.

Panda couture, part cinq

Albino panda meets Marge Simpson? Vanilla soft-serve atop a panda head?

I want to forgive you. And I want to forget you!

Last night's blow-out fight between our fair heroine Lauren and her former BFF Heidi on The Hills did not disappoint. Even though the show is mightily contrived and the two gals can't really act, I remained riveted to the television screen. The only boring parts of the episode concerned Audrina, dirty Justin Bobby and the largest 17-year-old in the world, Sean Kingston.

I spent several of the commercial breaks on the phone with Roommate J, but he had hit the sauce. During our last conversation, Roommate J was speaking in partial sentences, slurring and not making any sense. He was trying to analyze the arguments being portrayed on the tee-vee, but his thoughts kept trailing off. I giggled.

Panda couture, part quatre

It's as if an albino panda-lady was attacked by tribbles from Star Trek. Tribbles dipped in rainbows!

Naked practice

The other day I decided to do some laps in the pool at the fancy gym. Since it was Saturday, I figured the pool wouldn't be too crowded and I could get a decent workout in.

Well, it wasn't terribly crowded, but I did have to share the lane with a fellow gym member. A speedo-clad, husky fellow who moved through the water rather slowly.

Part-way through my little water workout, I was approaching the wall, where my lane-mate was resting. As I swam toward him, I noticed that he reached into his swimsuit and pulled it down, revealing his shriveled penis!

I was sort of caught off-guard, and I didn't know if he was intentionally flashing me or if he was just adjusting, but Panda!!!! kept swimming, did a flip-turn and swam away.

The incident reminded me of my college days when our swim team would hold naked practice. Of course, being a demure (and boring) panda, I remained be-suited. No one needs to see Panda!!!!'s junk.