At the back of the locker room, across from the showers and nestled into a small corner near the pool, my favorite room in the gym waits for me. A single light, mounted near the ceiling in one corner, casts an amber glow across the walls while a low hum from the furnace lulls me into a light sleep as I lean lazily against the wall. The smell of the cedar benches puts me at ease and carries me off to some distant location in my imagination. I don’t know where it is exactly… but it is relaxing, and it is why I love the sauna.
Yesterday, like most days, I decided to start my time at the gym by slipping off into the sauna for about 15 minutes before hitting the cardio equipment. I sit in there just long enough to warm my muscles and focus on the task before me. Usually, I’m in there by myself, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But yesterday was different. Yesterday was awkward.
As soon as I opened the sauna door, I knew something was wrong. Although there was no one in the room, a velour tracksuit had been precariously hung from the thermostat. I raised an eyebrow in disapproval. Also, a towel had been draped over the railing around the furnace. An offensive odor – something akin to wet dog – sat heavy in the air. Hmm. I disliked this cavalier use of the sauna. Still, I shrugged and sat in my favorite spot (furthest from the door but closest to the furnace). Usually, I put in my headphones and listen to some John Mayer, but for some unknown, regrettable reason, I opted not to on this particular occasion. Suddenly, the door opened and a bug-eyed, slightly hunched over woman in her late 50′s wearing a Speedo bathing suit lumbered into the sauna. With two entire rows of bench available to her, she sat down on the bench adjacent to me, way too close for comfort…
I grabbed my iPhone and my tangled headphones. I started tearing at the knotted wires, trying desperately to pull them apart and jam them into the phone so I could play music. The stupid rubber coating on the wires made it impossible for me to make quick work of detangling them. I could hear the woman letting out purposeful sighs… the kind you let out right before you launch into a story. Panicked, I made the mistake of looking up. My eyes darted away quickly, but it was too late. We had made eye contact. I couldn’t escape know.
“Are those your clothes?” she asked. Her voice was low and accusatory.
“N-no,” I stuttered. I shoved one headphone into my ear and gestured towards the other as if to say “And that’s really all the information I can give you, I’ve got to listen to this very important music now.” I started to put the other headphone in.
“Weeeeeeell,” she said, it MUS T belong to that other girl. You know the one I’m talking about.”
Actually, I had no idea who she was talking about. But what I did know was that given the opportunity, this woman would tell me her entire life story. I knew it because she had already told it to me once before. About a month ago, this very same woman trapped me in the sauna and told me everything about her upbringing, failed marriage, cancer survival, weight-loss plan, retirement plan, her boss’s retirement plan, her boss’s wife’s retirement plan, her house, her car, her hair (which stuck out all over her head like an overgrown Chia plant that stuck it’s finger in a light socket) and her warts, of which there were several. Once she got going, she’d never quit, and I was pretty sure she’d make me look at her bunions again.
As I frantically bit my lower lip and tried to think of something, anything that I could say or do to stop her from continuing, she spread her legs and leaned forward, putting each elbow on top of her knees and clasping her hands together. I tried desperately to focus on her eyes instead of her spread eagle stance. “Well,” she said, as though she were revealing top-secret information to me, “I tell you what… I think she’s homeless.”
“Uhhh…. oh. That’s, uh, not good.” Again I lifted the headphone to my ear.
“Yeah,” she said, nodding vigorously, her mop of hair flopping around. “I know. I think she’s homeless and she’s using the showers here and drying her clothes in the sauna and probly sleeping in her car instead of paying rent someplace.” She took a deep breath through her nose and nodded her head very solemnly as though she were agreeing with herself. “Yup, pretty sure that’s what’s goin’ on here, and I just think we oughtta tell the management.”
I looked at her incredulously. She interpreted my expression to be one of absolute agreement.
“I know!” she said. “It’s just crazy.”
Lamely, I dropped my headphone in defeat and pulled the other one out. “Eeeeerrrr, yeah, I guess it’s weird,” I said. “Doesn’t really seem like thermostats were designed to hang your clothes from, but whatev.”
“Oh it’s ridiculous!” Spread Eagle threw her hands in the air. “I mean, that woman — if she’s who I think she is — does this all the time! She just hangs all her stuff in here like she’s entitled to turn the whole place into her closet.”
In an effort to be agreeable, I tried to look incensed. Clearly, Spread Eagle was deeply unsettled by this woman’s audacity. I figured maybe if I acted like I was feeling just as put-out over the whole thing as she was, I might be able to find an opportunity to throw my own arms in the air and declare that I simply couldn’t enjoy the sauna in these conditions. I would storm out of the room in a blind rage. “Yes,” I thought to myself, “good strategy.”
Just then, the door opened again and a tall, soggy woman that I can only describe as “Lady Sasquatch” entered the sauna. She was drenched from head to toe, and she had clearly come straight from the pool without drying off. She smiled broadly and sloshed over to the bench. Spread Eagle looked at me and nodded her head emphatically while gesturing towards Lady Sasquatch with her thumb. “THAT’S HER!” she mouthed.
I winced. Lady Sasquatch wasn’t blind, but she did appear to be pretty oblivious. She slung her wet hair around spraying me and Spread Eagle. Horrified, I noticed that her legs were covered in long, dark, thick hair. Two dark masses of hair also peeked out of her armpits. HAIR, which I believe should be shaved, waxed, plucked or sand-papered off, was all over this woman’s body in quantities like I have never seen.
The moisture Lady Sasquatch had brought into the room with her suddenly created a cloud of humidity that caused my sweat glands to open like a thousand miniature faucets. Sweat was flowing out of me like Niagara Falls, and Spread Eagle had launched headlong into a story about winter in El Paso in a year when I wasn’t even alive.
“Ok,” I thought. “Get it together Elle, you need a new plan and you need it fast.” As I formed a new exit strategy, I couldn’t help but notice Lady Sasquatch gnawing on her thumbnail. “WHAT IN THE HAY-BALES OF WEST TEXAS IS SHE DOING???” I wondered.
She bit it off, held it in her teeth for a moment, and then let it fall from her mouth to the floor. “Holy mother of Myrtle. That did NOT just happen.”
And. There. IT. SAT.
Like a giant, impassable roadblock, Lady Sasquatch’s thumbnail lay glowing on the sauna floor, and I could not make myself look away. Without warning, Lady Sasquatch stood up, faced me and Spread Eagle, and started doing leg lefts. In a room the size of a bathroom stall, I was trapped with a Speedo-wearing woman (now talking about her favorite pet turtle) and the hairiest Amazonian female I had ever seen in my entire life, doing leg lifts in a directly-facing-me-and-nearly-kicking-me-in-the-face position. I was trapped in a yellow, wooden Hell and there was no way out. “Act normal, Elle. Just act normal. Don’t think about that giant thumbnail. Don’t think about Lady Sasquatch doing step-arobics three inches from your face and DEFINITELY DO NOT THINK about Spread Eagle’s bunions… wait a minute, it’s been a while since you checked in with Spread Eagle…” I looked at Spread Eagle. She was looking at me. I realized she was waiting for me to say something. I half-smiled and said something generic like “er, neat.” It was enough for Spread Eagle. She carried on.
Lady Sasquatch seemed to be winding down from her impromptu workout session. By this time, my tank top was completely soaked. So were the tops of my socks and the waistband of my pants. My grip on reality was waning. I had to leave, but the dimensions of the room were such that if I tried to leave at that very moment, I was either going to touch Lady Sasquatch, Spread Eagle, or the thumbnail. There could be no happy ending. I pictured myself losing consciousness as Spread Eagle prattled on about the invention of microwaves, never noticing that I had passed out. She would eventually leave, and I wouldn’t be found until three days later, completely dehydrated and shriveled up into nothing but a piece of beef jerky. Overcome with dread, an involuntary moan escaped my lips.
“Gesundheit!” offered Spread Eagle.
“I wasn’t snee..” FINALLY! Lady Sasquatch sat down! I sprang off the bench and grabbed my phone. My hands were so slippery I dropped it. No matter! I bent down to pick it up, carefully avoiding eye contact with the thumbnail. “Great talking, gotta go!” Leaving the golden glow of the sauna behind me, I barreled through the door like a cannon ball and carried the momentum all the way through the locker room and into the gym.
I let out a huge sigh of relief and grabbed about six feet of paper towels. I mopped myself off and tried to soak up some of the dampness in my hair. I looked at the clock and realized I had been in the sauna for nearly 40 minutes. I’m quite sure I dropped a kindergartner’s worth of water weight.
And maybe one day, in the very distant future and after meeting with a licensed therapist, I will once again return to the sanctum of the sauna. But seriously not until they get rid of that thumbnail.
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Doing my usual 5 am morning reading and for some unknown reason, decided to catch up on the blog. What is supposed to be a quiet time of meditation has become a laugh-out loud, tears rolling down my cheeks, this girl needs to be published even if I am am her mother moment! YOU CRACK ME UP! Thanks for a great star to my day!
You really know how to paint a picture! HAHAHA! Thanks for the laughs,
While I very much appreciate the awkwardness of the situation, I would hope that someone who is working so hard to change her appearance would be less judgemental of others who were not blessed with good looks. They could be annoying and scary without hairy legs or bunions.
I agree. The awkwardness everyone could relate to, but I was really put off by the descriptions of the ladies. No need for that.
I agree as well; I must say, I was rather disappointed in the commentary. By mother and daughter.
I loved the whole story and figure if you don’t like readin what she has to write then don’t read it. The End.
The descriptions could be considered offending, BUT… it’s her honest assessment of them. It’s not like we all think the nicest things about people.
We have all seen women like said hairy amazon woman and we all judge ourselves. It would have been really boring had she just stated a woman walked in and started rambling or some tall woman came in and started biting her nail and doing leg lifts.
I’m really getting tired of what seems like every other post from you having a laugh at the expense of others.
I have to agree with the comment above regarding being judgmental. Please bag it and stick to positive motivation.
Allow me to gently advise you that providing description in my stories is not the same as judging people or being mean-spirited. I would venture to guess that if you were less than three feet from someone who yanked off a fingernail and spit it at your feet, you’d be hard pressed not to see a little humor in the situation. That said, I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the story.
Allow me to gently remind you that you can have description without having it be at the expense of others.
I’ll echo what Valerie said – again – in terms of being judgmental because it’s not about not knowing how you feel, I think we can all relate to the awkwardness of the situation. It’s the fact that you then turn around, and verbally point and laugh and hope that those who read your blog will point and laugh, too.
I think your impression of my original comment is that I’m ok with the nail biting episode when in fact 1. I’m not and 2. you’ve missed the actual point behind my, Valerie’s and Sarah’s comments: you can be funny, motivating, and describe awkward situations WITHOUT doing it at the expense of others.
I think you’re being a little harsh on Elle. More often than not, the laugh is on her, not others. Lay off. It’s just a story. A funny one. I don’t think there was malice involved. It’s her perception of the world that we all love to read and sometimes its not all roses and lollipops. She’s being honest. I’ll take authenticity anyday over forced motivational diatribes.
I guess the problem I see here is the pot calling the kettle black….
Although, to be fair, perhaps I was a little harsh. It was late when I wrote it though, and I was pretty traumatized.
This. Is. Hysterical!
wow. Did NOT realize how many stick-in-the-muds actually existed in the world…but Elle, do NOT feel bad about your description of this story. We all encounter strange people from time to time, and I think we all know on here that you are not a judgmental person–in fact, far from it–and this was simply your sharing an awkward and very hilarious story. No doubt everyone else on here would have felt the same strangeness, and even be annoyed if the same thing happened to them.
I did not get a “judgmental” vibe from this story at all. I was laughing out loud the whole time. I’m sure those ladies in the sauna are nice people, but definitely something is lacking in appropriate social behavior–and personal hygiene, too.
Made for a great story.:)
This is what got me:
” Alex:I’m really getting tired of what seems like every other post from you having a laugh at the expense of others.”
If you are “tired of it” stop reading. Simple really. I appreciate Elle’s honesty and that she isn’t fake. People do and say things that are weird to us. I don’t think she was being judgmental, just honest. If that bugs you, move on.
Ha ha hilarious!!!! Loved it!!!
So… totally off topic (from the other comments, I mean): There is a sauna at my gym and I have never gone in, though it sounds wonderfully tranquil. You know why? Because I have no idea what proper sauna etiquette is! Do you wear your workout clothes? Are you supposed to shower before or after? On TV and movies, it seems like saunas are filled with ladies sitting around with their hair and bodies wrapped in towels, but it sounds like you went in fully dressed. Is there even a right answer to this?
It depends entirely on how comfortable you are with your body. Saunas (pronounced “sow-na”) in gyms don’t get very hot, so it’s alright to wear clothing. The electric stoves are designed to only go up to a certain temperature for safety reasons. Real wood stove saunas can reach temperatures in excess of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. In those saunas, people generally either wear a bathing suit or nothing at all…though they’re usually privately owned. When I’ve gone in gym saunas, I usually wear my bathing suit, because I know it would bother other people if I wore nothing. Saunas are for sweating and relaxing. I personally like to jump into a lake or snow straight from the sauna to get the blood pumping
Here’s some information from the Wikipedia page on saunas:
“To avoid liability, many saunas operate at only moderate temperatures and do not allow pouring water on the rocks. A wider range of sauna etiquette is usually acceptable in the United States compared to other countries, with the exception that most mixed-sex saunas usually require some clothing such as a bathing suit to be worn. These are uncommon, however, as most saunas are either small private rooms or in the changing rooms of health clubs or gyms. There are few restrictions and their use is casual; bathers may enter and exit the sauna as they please, be it nude, with a towel, dripping wet in swimsuits or even in workout clothes (the latter being very unusual).”
I hope this helps! I’ve enjoyed saunas for as long as I can remember and it’s only recently that I’ve worn anything when going in a sauna.
Very interesting! Thank you for the info.
Elle, I have known you for a long time (high school and college), and I have never known you to say anything judgmental about anyone. That being said, I took no offense to your post at ALL and I thought it was absolutely hilarious! I would have reacted the same way — I am incredibly phobic about toenails, fingernails, and hair…including my own, which is weird. Once it’s off the body, I will freak out. I thought your account was merely descriptive and not hateful in any way. I say if someone is sick of reading what you write in your posts, then they should simply stop reading them. Not everyone will always agree with you or the way you phrase things, but the most important thing is to be true to yourself and be truthful in the way you write. I think you do a great job!
Elle, I didn’t find this post to be judgmental at all. Just hilarious. And extremely vivid. I felt like I was there with you!
I am now terrified to use any sauna.
Your posts are consistently my favorite to read!
This was funny. Come on people, a woman with very hairy legs and armpits is not the norm and if you’re getting sick of reading Elle’s posts – stop reading!! No one is forcing you to read!!
I agree with all of the other commenters (with the exception of the three disappointed commenters) that this post was hilarious, not judgmental in any way, and perfectly descriptive! I LOVE reading your blog, and agree with your Mom that you should be published! I think writing is your forte
Elle,
Keep on keeping on, girl! This is the best post of any blogger that I’ve read in months! No need to compromise, rethink, or apologize in any way for what you wrote. This is YOUR blog and if others are “offended” —> they should MOVE ON! There are plenty of other weight-loss blogs out there that just scratch the surface. Maybe they can find one interspersed with the descriptions of the chirping birds, rainbows, and butterflies that they are looking for…
Elle, I thought this was pretty funny too! I have never been in the sauna at my gym but I know my boyfriend uses it. I, like the previous poster am not sure what the etiquette is. What is “sauna attire?”
LOL. You poor thing!
Hilarious!! I don’t think your being judgmental at all. Thanks for the great laugh and for you wonderful writing!!
I almost didn’t comment again, because what’s the point? However, this needs to be said.
This post could have been funny without bashing other people or their lifestyles. Lines that I took offense to include:
“Suddenly, the door opened and a bug-eyed, slightly hunched over woman in her late 50′s wearing a Speedo bathing suit lumbered into the sauna.”
“…her hair (which stuck out all over her head like an overgrown Chia plant that stuck it’s finger in a light socket) and her warts, of which there were several.”
‘“Lady Sasquatch” entered the sauna.”
It is not anyone’s fault if they are “bug-eyed” or “hunch-backed.” Nor is it their fault if they have warts. So they haven’t learned too tame their hair. Who cares?
Sure, I may be taken aback by someone who doesn’t shave, but it is something that is practiced around the world. We’re actually some of the few who do shave. And I certainly would not resort to name-calling simply because someone doesn’t shave.
So the ladies may have been socially inept, but that could have been described in a much nicer manner. People who insult other people like that are merely insecure and immature.
In case you’re having trouble relating to these women, let me put it this way. How would YOU feel if one of those women had walked into the sauna and then thought, “I wanted some alone time, but there she was, the moving earthquake…” It wouldn’t be very nice, and I hope no one has ever thought that.
However, seeing as much as you comment on how you look and how others perceive you, I would hope that you would be a bit more generous to the people around you. Honestly, I often feel pity for you. You waste a lot of energy worrying about what others think instead of what simply makes you happy. This then leads you to pick on other people (whether you or your friends view it that way, that’s what you’re doing), and how happy does that really make you?
I’m not trying to insult you or any of the other commenters here. I just want you and everyone else to understand why I am so upset. Things you think, things you say, and even things you write in your journal can have a negative impact on all around you. Try to be a little more positive next time.
I’ll leave you with this thought: Are the women truly socially inept, or is it because they’ve been treated differently for their looks and have learned no other way to behave? OR, could it be that you were less tolerant of them because of how they look?
Valerie, i read your blog today. I think you have totally misjudged Elle. I don’t know her at all, but just from her posts, I believe her to be a writer. She is not using all the descriptive words to be judgmental or cruel to the people she’s writing about, but to paint a picture. I really think she’s a gifted writer. You are focusing on the words she uses because you identify with the ladies being described. You need to lighten up! And, stop reading this blog if it bothers you so much.
Well put. I think this sums up a lot of the feelings I was thinking reading this. I see both sides of the argument and still am leaning towards these words seeming to harsh towards the women especially because I’ve been mocked out loud like that before– it’s not cute. It shows so much distaste and annoyance when I know she can use her literary skills to make the point without the rudeness. I will continue reading. Seeing comments whether good or bad help me to find other people who write blogs.
Val,
Nothing “needs” to be said. You don’t know Elle personally, so you’re under no obligation to set her straight or push the fact that you were offended any further.
And if someone thought, “… but there she was, the moving earthquake” about me, all I can see is, “let them think it!” As long as they don’t say it to my face, my feelings can’t be hurt. Like I said in an earlier comment… if only we were all saints and didn’t think mean things about people.
I can see how you can have taken offence, and that’s fine. BUT, Elle’s descriptions were only a small portion of her post.
Also, I don’t think ANYONE would be less tolerant of someone who was hairless, had long flowing hair and talked a mile a minute about nothing important to a stranger, spit a fingernail on the floor of a small room… yeah, I don’t think any of that is acceptable for ANY person.
Anyway, it doesn’t sound like “Spread Eagle” was any less offensive about “Sasquatch” than Elle was about either of them.
wow. lighten up Francis. you must be reeeal fun at parties.
Valerie,
Allow me to disarm you…
I’m sure you are a very kind person who feels compassion for those around her and who stands up for what she believes in. I admire that, and I understand why it would cause you to voice the opinions that you have in this forum.
I assure you that this story is just exactly that – a story. When I tell a story, I include details that help readers create a picture in their minds of what is happening. You may have missed it, but I did mention in the story that the first time I encountered this woman, I listened to her story in its entirety. In fact, we talked so long that the gym closed before I could get my work out in. My physical description of her does not have anything to do with what kind of person she is. I could have told you she had a beautiful mermaid-like structure with golden hair… but that would be a lie.
And, I can also assure you that you need not pity me. I’ve worked incredibly hard to make my life something I can be proud of, and I’m finally seeing it pay off. To your point actually, I have overheard people in the past describe me as “that bigger girl..” But you know what? They don’t say that anymore. And that’s really what this blog is about. Me, the changes I’ve made, and the laughs I’ve had along the way.
Thank you for being brave enough to share your thoughts. I know it’s intimidating, and I truly believe that YOU believe YOU are doing the right thing.
Sincerely,
Elle
Elle-Just wanted to second everyone’s encouraging comments. This post was hilarious and totally captured the awkwardness of being in a sauna with someone else. I guess some just haven’t heard of the saying, “If you can’t say something nice…” Keep posting!
Kallan… I have loved looking at your blog! I can’t wait to meet Clark, she is probably the cutest baby ever. And maybe I’m biased, but that’s ok.
Elle, you had me laughing out loud this morning!!! Love it!!!
Elle-
I really enjoyed your post. I think your descriptive writing style is awesome and almost novel like!
As many have already commented..if you are easily offended, and don’t like how Elle writes you should avoid reading. Do you read books or listen to music that you find offensive and then write to their authors telling them how dissapointed you are in them for saying such terrible things ?
I read your blog but don’t normally comment. But this time I had to!
That was hilarious! You are a great writer and were able to paint a very clear picture of the event! We all notice things about others and while saying something like that to those ladies would be wrong, after the 40 minute ordeal you went through telling your story was quite therapeutic for you I’m sure.
Funny post!
I already commented that I thought this post was hysterical. At the time I posted, I was unaware of the people criticizing the post. Now that I’m reading all the comments, I have 3 words for all the haters: Freedom of Speech.
The end. You don’t like it, don’t read it. It’s not a difficult concept.
Thanks for brightening my day with this post, Elle!
loved your story …almost lost my phone this morning when my chem class started because I was not quite finished reading and still had it out lol
dont let others opinion change your writing its hilarious…your descriptions are just that descriptions and well you know what they say about opinions …everyone has one
Thats the great thing about where we live we are allowed to have our OWN!
Valerie – I’m confused…
In your rebuttal post above, you told Elle, “You waste a lot of energy worrying about what others think instead of what simply makes you happy.”
But yet, in your own blog on Thursday, (10 Feb), you wrote, “There are so many things I’d love to talk about on the blog, but I don’t. Either I’m worried what y’all in blogland might think, or there are too many people I know personally who would read it.”
So… which way do you want to go with this?
OHHHH! Burn!
I thought the story was awesome. Some people need to lighten up a little.
Wow. To everyone who laughed with me today and shared your support: Thank You! I so enjoy writing and sharing my journey with you, and I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun I have reading through your comments and seeing what you have to say. Weight loss is hard, but having a community that surrounds you, supports you, defends you, and shares your humor is simply invaluable.
You have added so much to my life and to my experience here on PFG, and I look forward to the adventures that are still to come.
entertaining and too funny! i needed a chuckle this evening, and you provided it!
Elle, i love reading your posts and your stories, including this one, are wonderful. They keep me interested and you definitely have a flair for telling a story. Your descriptive writing is so good that i can just picture in my head everything that was going on in the sauna. Keep ‘em coming! You’re awesome!
Oh poor Elle!
I personally found the story to be hilarious and frightening. Note to self, don’t EVER go into a sauna.
I love your writing, and am proud of how far you have come! I was always the heavy, single girl too – the friend to all the guys who wanted to date your cute friends. Your thoughts echo my life 10 years ago.
My happy ending came to be when I was reunited with an old friend and the sparks flew. Thankfully, he loved me as I was. We have been married 6 years and have 2 beautiful children. But…I’m still heavy.
I want you to know that you are beautiful inside and out – your Prince Charming is out there…and he WILL be worth the wait!
You give me hope and encouragment that I too can do this! Thanks!
Keep up the hilarious work!
Double dip funny! Post was hysterical and Valerie and couple other responses a riot! Gimme a break!
Agreed! Double the fun!
I came back and read thru comments. You’re a descriptive writer, and you do an excellent job painting a picture. I read this, this morning without commenting and then came back just now and read through them all.
I get what was said, all around. In my mind you painted a picture of exactly what you saw, this was not judgemental, this was just the way it played out.
You find humor in life, you look to laugh, and you share what you find. Often times it’s yourself that you turn the humor on and tell us about you and this makes me laugh, not at you but with you. Because if you can’t laugh at yourself then life is one dreary journey, again my opinion.
I’m a new follower, I’ve yet to get through all the back posts. Keep writing, keep it real, and know that you write for yourself, to share where you’ve been, where you’re going and what happens along the way.
Normally I do not comment, but I just wanted to throw an idea out there: So I thought the post was very hilarious, high quality descriptive writing AND at the same time I was a little put off by the description of “Lady Sasquatch.” My very personal and uneducated (as I don’t know Elle personally) view was that it felt a little mean spirited. This is not to say that Elle seems mean as a person. A) I don’t know her and B) From what I read, she seems just fine to me. We should all be allowed to like and dislike certain actions without it meaning that we dislike the entire person. Conflicting ideas and concepts can exist together. In fact, in the mature world view, they MUST. I can enjoy someone’s writing AND also not be crazy about an aspect of the writing. I think that it is interesting that, even as adults, we often feel forced to “pick” one side or another. Now obviously, if you have a strong opinion, by all means, go with it. But I found myself feeling like I had to take sides, and then decided that the BEST part about the blogoshpere is that we can share adult and respectful feedback, and allow ourselves and each other to have conflicting thoughts, and just all around have a healthy discussion about word choice, the ethics of being an author/artist, the questions of how we consume media, and the power of the written word. What turned me off more than anything else about ANYONE’S writing are absolutest and childish comments that drag people through the mud and make general statements about an entire person based one on isolated choice that person made. This goes for drawing conclusions about Elle OR ragging on the people who shared an opinion you disagree with. If an author/artist does not want feedback, they ought not publish or share their work. Likewise, if a consumer does not like something, they are free to decide to stop consuming it. I think Elle handled the situation just fine, but some of her “defenders” actually made it look worse than it was. This very much had the tone of a discussion between my middle school students, not between adults, and THAT is what I find disappointing. However, anyone is welcome to disregard these thoughts, as that is THE WHOLE POINT!
There’s a woman at my gym who dries her clothing in the sauna. She also walks around naked, which is fine I suppose, but tends to do her personal business (shaving, particularly) out where people can see. It’s so awkward, but at this point I’ve grown to expect her in the locker room every day around 5 pm. Just know you’re not the only one out there who wants to enjoy the sauna and not have it be someone’s personal sweaty clothing steamer! Gross.
elle you are great .i was laughing out loud.i am sure we all have a few weird stories like that.dont listen to these nasty people.
Count me among those who thought it was an entertaining read. It was very well-written. I didn’t find it offensive at all – you were simply painting a picture, describing the women as they were.
I think a few people (a very vocal minority) are wound a little too tightly for their own good, and need to either lighten up or move on and find themselves a more milquetoast blog.
You know… everybody really needs to get real and lighten up. You can throw around the moral policing all you want, but YOU ALL KNOW that if you were sitting in the sauna and a woman came in with hairy hippy armpits, you’d ALL BE THINKING the same thing — Elle just has the balls to actually say it.
Gym locker rooms are a horrifying place for a billion different reasons – the stories she shared are probably the LEAST judgmental of what could be said.
Frankly, the thing that struck me the most about this post was that you go in the sauna pre-workout, fully dressed. REALLY? I can’t imagine. That sounds so HOT…
I’m a “wrapped in a towel, post workout, pre shower” type of gal.
Keep being real.
~J
late to the party here, but just catching up on blogs for the week.
Anyhow…this was, hands down, hilariously written and illustrated with panache! I wouldn’t worry at all…At. All…about offending people with your post. Seriously, if something is offensive to someone, it’s their prerogative (and responsibility) to limit their exposure to it…really, they should just stop reading, rather than trying to enforce their value system and interpretation on the rest of the world (which, incidentally, sounds suspiciously an awful lot like what they were haranguing you for…hmmmm.)
So yeah, I don’t often comment b/c I’m usually so far behind it’s laughable, but wanted to say, keep it up!
Hilarious post, entertaining descriptions. The few people who are offended need to lighten up (and seriously, those who are offended are clearly in the minority!) I’m so sick of everyone expecting they can go through life without being offended. Give me a break, get over it and move on. Elle you’re hilarious, don’t change a thing!
I sooooo love this post…..I think the haters should not linger if they hate your writing then they shouldn’t read it. I think you are an amazingly creative writer and I enjoy reading your posts. I always love the PFG site, but I find myself coming and reading just to see what new things you have come up with to write about. Thank you for being descriptive in your writing as it paints a picture and makes it feel like we as readers are in your stories feeling he same pain over a thumbnail just as you did. I find myself recommending the reading to others because I enjoy it so much. Don’t change just because of a few people who disagree with the way you write.
I think what I found funnier then the descriptions of the women was how she reacted. I have been on hiatus from blog land I think you might have brought me back well at least for yours!
Your posts are really interesting.
I will visit your blog often. Keep up the awesome content!!
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