Hands-on chemistry

Once upon a time, Jessica was nearly engulfed by noxious fumes.

Another upon a time, she sat at her computer recalling this incident and listening to ZZ Top and Boston at the SAME TIME!!!

Well, swim practice was today, and it went well UNTIL we were doing some 50’s alternating back and breast. I felt some sort of tingling in my throat, like I had inhaled helium or something (Not that I do it on a regular basis). However, I didn’t really take it to mind. I just thought that I was winded, and wherefore drank more water.

But THEN we were doing a 500 free and that’s when the same helium-intake-type feeling came back into my throat. But this time it was much stronger, and it was causing me to cough every time I tried to hold my breath. I kept swimming, hoping that it would pass, but it only got worse every time I breathed. I was about to stop and drink some (more) water when I saw that Kara was also slowing down in front of me. She was coughing too! We both decided to stop for a moment to catch our breath(s?) before continuing. Behind me, Jared was coughing a little but continued on. I concluded that there was some strange killer disease spreading or that some toxic gas was floating around.

After a slight recovery, Kara and I swam another (slow) 100 and had to stop again. Coach came over and asked what the matter was, and we explained our identical symptoms. It turned out Kara’s throat had started feeling helium-ey around the breast/back set, too. Coach looked concerned and told us to only swim the rest if and when we felt like it, and then he went to go investigate the situation.

Well, 150 yards and a whole lot of coughing later (exhibited by everyone but Nathan, who now claims he’s immune to everything), Coach told every one to go ahead and get out; the chlorine level in the pool was too high. Not dangerously high, but high enough to make everyone start coughing after a little over an hour. Coach tested it and said it was a “5.0”, which would be fine, if it were an outdoor pool. But a safe level would have been “2.0” for an indoor pool. He contacted the main people who rent the pool and informed them. The President-guy said that the team that swims in the morning could only swim an hour because of the fumes (I think they usually swim two and a half hours or something).

Anyway, Coach didn’t say the chlorine level would be all the way down by tomorrow, but I sure hope it’s at least relatively so.

In other news, the hot water heater at the pool has died, resulting in -41 degrees Fahrenheit showers of which no one partook because they all went home in fear of hypothermia.

I’ve got to go now, but I’ll write later!

~Jessica

Working for the MCA--Majorly Cool Association

Buenos nachos! Anyhooness, guess what?!?!?!

(*looks up to blank faces, an awkward silence and crickets chirping in the background*)

Well, no. Actually, I applied for a job. And this time it was NOT just for the money!

You see, there’s this new family-oriented gym that (for legal reasons) I will not name. Anyway, it’s a great place. My mom, dad and I went to Pizza Hut Wednesday night and then afterwards went to check out the place. It turned out they were having an open house, and this cool personal trainer named Anna gave us a tour. She was a lot like Jessica in 10 years, and gave the now-Jessica lots of advice and information on Personal Trainer-ing. It was…EMOSEWA, should I say? (It’s my friend Jeffrey who really says all his interjections backwards…I can’t take the credit, unfortunately).

So I asked for an application. She handed one to me and I, after looking it over, inquired as to what job positions were opened to little old me. That is, 16-year-old me. Anna wasn’t quite sure, so she went to find one of the guys in charge. His name was Rick, if I can remember right (nametags help, but I’m still horrible with names). Let’s just say he is a guy version of Jessica in 20 years. He said that I could work with the childcare or I could be a receptionist. He also said that they weren’t going to get a full staff for at least another 90 days, when the facility is complete. “If we don’t call for a while, that’s why.”

So after talking, he wrote us all passes to come back the next day for a free workout. “At least drop off your application,” he said. I really wanted to join that night, but neither my family nor I have sufficient funds at this point. If it were just me, I could probably afford it in January, but then…oh, I don’t know. Maybe I’ll join for myself and then get my mom some free passes. If all goes well, maybe he’ll hire me.

So the next day after swim practice, mom and I stopped by again for a free workout. I did half a mile on the elliptical, then worked out with various pieces of arm and abdominal equipment. That was pretty cool. But I’m weird like that.

However, Rick didn’t seem to think that. He and Anna are very likeable people. They consider my obsession with working out NORMAL. Imagine that! Anyway, just as I was finishing up, Rick came over and started talking to me. So I asked him some questions about where the best places are to get certified. He gave me some very useful information, as well as talked about the kind of people he liked to hire.

I find the environment very friendly and I really am considering joining in January. Although if I do, then I think I might rethink my schedule. Well, I kind of need to do that anyway for next year. Hey, if I do join, that means that, instead of getting up and exercising, I can get up and do my school work. I work a lot better in the mornings (after coffee, that is) and I think that I could be more time-efficient that way.

Well, we’re out of time for today folks. But remember, God made you special and he loves you very much. Bye!

~Jessica