It was just like any other Thursday walking into the gym yesterday morning; tired from early morning research, a bit groggy and in need of a little bit more sleep, and trying to build up the energy to get in a decent workout. The gym was also extra boisterous that morning. It wouldn’t be the first time encountering such an environment, it’s been discussed in previous columns, about people who seem obligated to speak towards one another in unnecessarily elevated volumes, most likely done in an effort to garner attention from those in the vicinity. In those cases, quickly pop in the earbuds and raise the volume to maximum – the longer at the gym, the more damage will likely be done to my ears.

Plopped down at the preacher curl machine, the one where the user is seated, leans over a cushion, and lifts a weighted bar up; whomever was there last, left the sanitizing spray and wipe next to the machine, in typical fashion, began wiping it down before using. Once completed went to return the spray bottle to its proper location in order for the next person to use it (unlike other patrons who carry it with them throughout their entire workout). Upon returning to the machine, which took about 10 seconds, another client ran over to the said machine and set up her phone to record herself exercising. The machine is an older model and requires weight plates to be added, she set up her phone exactly where the plates were supposed to be placed.

Approached the machine and stared at her phone, she immediately took it back and offered a dismissive “Sige! Sige!” (in this case, it translated to something along the lines of “Go ahead! Go ahead!”) – it was as if she were giving permission to use her personal tripod as a machine to work out biceps.

Considering there were belongings set next to the machine (a lanyard, water bottle, and towel), along with somebody just wiping down the machine, how did it not come into her mind that perhaps somebody was preparing to use the machine?

Maybe, after cleaning the machine, she assumed I was a janitor? While there is nothing wrong with being a janitor, the attire of the day did not resemble a janitor’s uniform very much and if that was, in fact, her perception, that says a lot about her judgement of other people. Maybe her vanity and desire to record herself was just too all-encompassing, it blinded every other sense and paralyzed her mind – a likely conclusion.

This wouldn’t be the first time witnessing people’s extreme narcissism at the gym. On a previous occasion, saw a guy ask gym patrons to stop their work out for a moment in order to take a picture of him working out. With a viewing perspective from an elliptical, I saw them get a shot of him on a treadmill, exercise bike, and just posing. Another person had a friend who didn’t work out at all and just sat in the lobby the entire time, but when she wanted her picture taken, the friend would be beckoned to snap a few shots.

Yesterday’s case went to the next level in that she needed to capture herself on video.

What is also interesting is that this was no young, flighty teenager obsessed with social media. As Wendy Williams puts it, she was “a woman of a particular age,” which comes with an expected decorum and maturity.

Sure sometimes somebody’s arm gets in the way while they take a selfie or somebody stops in their tracks to take pictures and obstruct others, but how deep does one’s egotism and self-importance go when they think such trivial and selfish actions (like recording themselves exercising) takes precedent over another person’s daily routine? Had I not stopped and stared, she would have proceeded with her self-indulgence; had I sat quietly aside and waited for her, not only would her entitlement have been fulfilled, but she would be validated in her expectation of others to bow to her whims.

The Philippines does not have a monarchy, which makes it unclear where her queenly standards seem to originate. If she were related to some influential political family, it would show the hubris and arrogance they espouse just by carrying a certain last name. If she were a celebrity, perhaps she has a “diva” attitude and just expects those nearby to stand around in awe. However, despite clearly carrying on with such uncouth behavior, highly doubt this person was royalty, politically significant, or famous.

Taking on the likely scenario that she is just an average citizen, like myself and almost every person, she is either incredibly conceited or ignorant; she either intentionally inconveniences others in order to serve herself or her self-importance is so cumbersome, she has no clue about anything going on around her./WDJ