Irrational fears can make you swim faster.
Here is a sketch I made this week for “instaswimusa” on Instagram. It was in reply to one of their posts showing a shark in an indoor pool. (Insert cartoon panel: “Aaauuuggh”) Seriously, no worries; I’m pretty sure it was photoshopped.
Another day this week, one of the lap swimmers handed me a quarter upon exiting the water and said, “Thanks for watching the pool.” It’s not every day a lifeguard gets tipped like a valet. (Hey everyone, the quarter that used to be on the bottom of the pool is in my pocket now!)
The following day, I replaced some of my old gear for swim practice. In addition to purchasing new fins and goggles, I also found my jammers buried in a dresser drawer, but decided to order some new ones based on the fact that eventually all swim fabric either fades, blows-out, relaxes or splits at the seams. If you are wondering what jammers are, they are like biking shorts. (No padding in the seat though, as that would only be comical in the water.) If you are wondering what I was wearing before, the answer is ordinary swim trunks. Now the Coach doesn’t say, “What? You’re swimming in trunks again?”
Then this weekend, I completed my lifeguard recertification. Lots of overwhelming material to cover, but I managed to stay sane. It was great to see my lifeguard instructor along with other guards I haven’t seen in quite a while. Always important to reconnect with co-workers and refresh skills.
Between being tipped by a patron, reuniting with my jammers for the first time since high school, getting recertified as a lifeguard and making new friends on Instagram, things are looking pretty good for the New Year!
Another day this week, one of the lap swimmers handed me a quarter upon exiting the water and said, “Thanks for watching the pool.” It’s not every day a lifeguard gets tipped like a valet. (Hey everyone, the quarter that used to be on the bottom of the pool is in my pocket now!)
The following day, I replaced some of my old gear for swim practice. In addition to purchasing new fins and goggles, I also found my jammers buried in a dresser drawer, but decided to order some new ones based on the fact that eventually all swim fabric either fades, blows-out, relaxes or splits at the seams. If you are wondering what jammers are, they are like biking shorts. (No padding in the seat though, as that would only be comical in the water.) If you are wondering what I was wearing before, the answer is ordinary swim trunks. Now the Coach doesn’t say, “What? You’re swimming in trunks again?”
Then this weekend, I completed my lifeguard recertification. Lots of overwhelming material to cover, but I managed to stay sane. It was great to see my lifeguard instructor along with other guards I haven’t seen in quite a while. Always important to reconnect with co-workers and refresh skills.
Between being tipped by a patron, reuniting with my jammers for the first time since high school, getting recertified as a lifeguard and making new friends on Instagram, things are looking pretty good for the New Year!
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