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What do you like about your gym? This week, my gym has been doing a lot of surveys, asking us about its cleanliness, about its volunteer staff, and (most important to me) about want we want in the free weight room, and it started me thinking about what I like about my gym. I work out at the YMCA in downtown Toronto, and although I don't have much experience with commercial gyms, I quite like my Y, for a few reasons... I like that there's a mix of clients, young and old, in shape and not-so-in shape. Especially when I first started working out there (3 year ago this month, though only 2 years with any sort of regularity), it was somehow comforting to know that, no matter how out of shape I was, there were others in the same boat. But there are also quite a few really in-shape guys there for...er..."motivation". I like how the free weight room is at the top of four flights of stairs. When I started working out here, I used mainly the machines (don't do it! Machines may work, but free weights work so much better!), but last summer/fall, I wanted to try the free weights for a bit. I remember being grumpy about having all those stairs to climb, until I realized that those stairs were probably meant to keep people like me out of the free weight room, to leave it clear for the people who are a little more serious about fitness. Now that I know why the stairs are there, I love 'em. I'm not a "people like me" any more, and part of that change has been physical. Lastly, I like that the weight room is pretty well-equipped. I've heard horror stories about gyms that have no concept of how free weights should be used, who replace squat racks with leg-presses and have staff that roam the floor recommending people not do deadlifts or lift "too much" weight (one guy on another forum once said he had a trainer who forbade anyone to lift more than half their body weight, even during squats or Deadlifts). My gym could use another squat rack, and a clear space for people who want to do deadlifts or goodmornings and not be in anyone else's way, but other than that, the weight room has everything you'd need: ample benches, dumbells, lots of weight for barbells, a chin-up tower.... I'd be curious to know what other people like about where they work out, whether it's a commercial gym, a YMCA-type place, or even just a home gym in their basement... |
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space is important One thing I think is important which can get neglected when one only considers the type of equipment in a gym is layout of equipment to make the best use of space. There needs to be enough of a buffer zone between pieces of equipment, benches, people and personal space to make it possible to workout efficiently. Who needs a well equipped gym when you can't even use the equipment without bumping someone |
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My gym has a good mix of people like yours Magus. Personally I like the diversity - it keeps me sane and reminds me to appreciate people. Since I live in a suburb and I don't see that many strangers at my workplace, the gym is where I see the most people during any given day. It's kind of nice to unwind after a workday and see so many other strangers doing the same thing. So my gym has its share of beefy guys, high school brats (don't get me started about how they dress in the gym; I'm surprised the gym staff doesn't kick them out), women of all sizes, and just about every ethnicity represented (gotta love the Bay Area). Besides, if I were surrounded by 300 pound muscle beasts all the time, I'd probably feel very small. One thing I don't like about my gym is how close some machines are. I invariably walk too close to a leg extension machine and piss off some girl because she almost hits me as she lifts her weights. Yeah, smooth move, I know. |
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Yeah, space is an issue. I put a comment about that on the feedback survey, but I'm not holding my breath. They just massively remodeled the general fitness room (with all the machines, treadmills, cardio stuff), but the free weight room is probably always going to be tiny, dingy, and cramped. However, yesterday I had another reason to like my gym. I was doing deadlifts and one of the staff, who usually helps out people with form and offers constructive criticism, came up to me to say that he's noticed a lot of progress with me over the last few months. He seemed pretty genuine, and pretty much made my day. Compliments always help to make something seem better. |
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I've worked out in many types of gyms: 1) Tiny "hole-in-the wall", unairconditioned (in Florida!) gyms. 2) Yuppie chrome plated gym palaces where the hardest working going on is the decision on wheather to have a bannana or kiwi smoothie. 3) Executive snobbish boardroom gyms where the principle activity is describing latest business trip to Hong Kong, or the fate of the jerk he's defending in court and how much money he's getting for it anyway. 4) Beautiful well lighted real heavy gyms owned by pro bodybuilders with every possible piece of equipment for the big boys. 6) The absolute worst gyms are the hotels gyms. Broken, inadequate equipment, tiny spaces. Just not worth the extra price for the hotel. I'd rather find the local Golds and drive a few miles between business and the hotel. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- In the end I really liked the tiny unairconditioned gym in Florida best. You really knew you were working. Sweat poured off you, the fans felt great. It smelled like a gym. (I think I got hard just walking in the front door.) Yeah, you used a lot of towels and the equipment was close (not too close though). Yes, the equipment was sparse, but adequate. Yes, the weights were rusty but they weighed the same as chrome plated ones. Nobody complained if you made noises while working out. The showers were mouldy but you got clean even if you did have to bring your own soap. Great bunch of guys not overyly impressed with their jobs, no worry about staining an Armani suit, you could wear street shoes on the floor if you wanted to. It was small with few customers. women were nowhere to be seen, we knew each other and really helped each other. There was no fruitjuice bar, there was no supplement sales counter, and it didn't cost $50 a month for membership. My dream for sometime in the next 20 or 30 years (remember I'm 55) is to own a small gym of this type, live in a tiny apartment in the back, have the gym full of buff young guys serious about body building, leaning on my experience, and all calling me "pops". Last edited by LeatherGryphon; May 15th, 2004 at 08:28 AM. |
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Here's what I like about my gym... 1) It's open 24-Hours 2) I live next door to it :-D ~fleXodus |
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Back to the topic at hand: My gym is open 24 hours a day. That's about the end of my love for 24 Hour Fitness. __________________ God is in the rain. |
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Gym feedback I agree with you, Brent. My gym in Frisco (yes, that's in TX, and it's named for SF, lol) used to be a privately-owned gym; it was bought out by 24-Hr-Fitness on New Year's Eve. Next thing we know, our free towel service is gone (but of course, they still require you to have one) and every member that they've overbooked from their other clubs in the area is now coming here. People wonder why I work out so late (8-9 PM) and the answer is pretty simple.....any earlier and I'd have to wait for every single station. Fortunately, I have a prepaid membership, and 24-Hr had to accept us as-is, with full club access. That being said, 24-Hr Fitness has been smart enough not to mess with the legacy equipment they got, which is some really good stuff. Plus, there are two things that keep the clientele reasonably under control.....first, we have two excellent women-only gyms within six miles, which means the ones that show up at mine tend to be much more concerned with lifting and working out than they are with gabbing. Second, the REALLY rich and/or snotty ones, especially the families with kids, go to the "Disneyland"-type gym that's a few miles away, with the pool and the juice bar, and the other assorted crap. My gym concerns in order: 1) Space. Not so much that the place seems like a warehouse -- like LG said, there's something to be said for those little tiny gyms where you can "feel" the intensity better -- but enough so that you aren't falling all over each other AND so that you can do some powerlifting movements for variety, i.e. cleans and deadlifts. You would be amazed how many gyms I've seen that don't have room for a platform. 2) Enough weights. Don't laugh -- I've also seen gyms that evidently never planned to have any number of strong people working out in them. There is nothing more frustrating than running out of plates or not having the right weight. 3) Good machines. My gym, aside from having a bunch of free weights (somewhat of a rarity in the white-bread suburbs), uses plate-loaded (i.e. Hammer Strength) machines, which I think are vastly superior to the standard old Universal/Nautilus stuff. |
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Re: Gym feedback Quote:
__________________ God is in the rain. |
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My Gym's Okay... My gym's okay, not the biggest or best, but it has plenty of equipment as well as free weights. And there is a good mix of beginners and more experienced lifters. My problems are also simple--gets too crowded at certain times! I find that not working chest on Mondays keeps me a little happier (why is it everyone seems to want to work chest on Monday?). __________________ "You can never be too rich or too big!" |
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my gym likes 1st!above ground!so many gyms in NYC are basements(the weight room,anyway)if you do long workouts;flourescent lighting can get to you.also,i'm lucky that my gym has a friendly,positive staff.i used to manage a gym.there is always enormous pressure for more&newer equipment in a gym;but they sometimes forget that YOU NEED A PLACE TO STAND!i will go out of my way for a gym that i like.right now i'm at Crunch 38th St. |
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__________________ God is in the rain. |
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i know this thread is about what you like at your gym, but does anyone have the problem of the "pretty boys" who just sit on a machine, dont even think about using it, and talk on their cell phones? i cant stand them, i dont even want to use the machine they are on and i want them to get off and get out of there, its horrible, they never even break a sweat! anyways, i love my gym, its got great free weights ive just started to use, awesome cardio machines, nice weight machines, pool, wirlpool i use after every workout, i spend hours there and never get bored. the one thing that keeps me going is the fact you can bring headphones and listen to music or watch a TV when your on the cardio machines, it helps me get through it a bit faster. and i can catch up on the news or chill to some music! |
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About the earlier comment a few posts ago about flourescent lighting getting to you. Yes, the flicker gets under your skin somehow and make you feel jittery. Not to criticize all forms of artificial lighting but I worked out in a gym for a while that had big bright halogen lights like for a huge basketball court but only 15 feet above your head! Try laying on your back pressing a couple hundred pounds above your chest and looking into a light as bright as the sun. Why did they bolt the bench down right there?! Gaaaah... Bright white light is good but it's not critical unless you want to make sure your cosmetics match your outfit or that your shoes aren't scuffed too badly. :-) Last edited by LeatherGryphon; July 11th, 2004 at 06:05 PM. |
July 11th, 2004, 08:04 PM |
Notbigenuff |
This message has been deleted by Notbigenuff. |
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__________________ "You can never be too rich or too big!" |
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pretty boys ask the pretty boys politely but firmly to get off the machine so you can use it. also tell them not to talk on their phone while you're trying to concentrate. __________________ keep working out, stay focused and you will achieve your goals in the gym! |
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another possibility on the bench press f'rinstance.ask the pretty boy if you can work in.then say"oh no,don't get up!"then,LAY DOWN ON THE PRETTY BOY.works for me |
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If it really bugs you... If people on their phones really bugs you, I bet your gym has a no cell phone policy. There have been problems with the tiny, hi-rez cams in most modern cell phones today. Gyms have been sued over people being secretly filmed, so you may be able to complain that you don't know what they are recording. I don't think I'd go that far, but it is a possibility. Other than that, I like Glamm's suggestion. However, you have a bf, so maybe just ask if you can work in, and hope they get the hint. I usually ask if they are using it, and the people always move. __________________ God is in the rain. Last edited by brent; July 17th, 2004 at 11:12 AM. |
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the cell phones are not what bother me, what bothers me is the fact that they are just there so they can tell their dates later that night "yeah i workout at the gym for 3 hours a day" when in reality, yeah they were there, but working out? hardly |
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What I like about my gym To get the topic back to what we like about our gyms instead of what we don't like about our gyms (OK, I'm guilty too). I'm not in a gym right now but things that I've liked from various gyms have been: 1) a good rack for doing reverse situps to work the glutes and lower back. 2) LOTS of dumbbells. 3) mirrors, mirrors, mirrors 4) boxes & platforms for dips, deadlifts & misc. other uses. 5) lots of misc. bars, ropes, angle bars, handles for cable machines. 6) more than enough clamps for the olympic bars. 7) equipment you can trust to not fall apart. |
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OK, so I recently vented about a few issues I had with a newly remodeled gym in NW Portland. Now I thought it was time to say something good about it to balance things out, and end on a good note. So here it is: They have little water spigots on the side of the water fountains, so you can fill your bottle much quicker. __________________ God is in the rain. |
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Hmm.. good things about my gym. Well I only have one point of reference that I could compare my current gym to and that's my college gym at GA Tech and a local community college when I was in HS. In all fairness however, GA Tech has since remodeled their entire Rec Center (with my rec fees and they open it up the year after I graduate..grrr). But for the good stuff: It is well lit, clean and spacious. Their are plenty of ammenities that you expect in a Fitness Club (Sauna, pool, whirlpool, tanning beds ) though I never use any of them. They have provided a seperate workout area for women away from the Co-ed section. The employees are friendly and know your name and 99.9% of the time the water fountain works well. I wish though that I was surrounded by 300lb bodybuilders, but unfortunetly in this area, that kind of crowd doesn't exist. But for a gym I think that this is the best one I've been in (not saying much since I've only visited three in my lifetime and two of them were college gyms) Scott __________________ In a world of old memories... There's no room for visitors. - Nobuhiro Watsuki |
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Still waiting for LG to open HIS gym..... because I WILL be signing up (and would love to call him "Pops" now, lol) but, in the meantime, things I DO like about my gym: 1) Late hours. Since it's a 24-Hour, you would expect that, but I've been surprised how much I'm actually using it as of late. Before my gym was bought out, it closed at 10, which was sometimes difficult to fit into my schedule when I had late conference calls 2) Variety of stuff. While they may only have one or two of every item, they have one or two of every item -- not like some other gyms I've been in that have nothing more exotic than Nautilus machines. 3) Absence of people misusing spandex. That's pretty self-explanatory. |
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I love my gym because... 1. It's no-frills and semi-hardcore. No locker room or showers (yet). Just lots of weights and equipment and mirrors. 2. I have a set of keys to go 24 hours/day. The owner is giving out keys to certain members. 3. The owner is a hunk. No, I didn't have to do anything to him to get the keys, though I certainly wouldn't complain. 4. There is a mix of people, fat, skinny, buff, built, medium., young, older, men, women. Everyone is civil. The owner wouldn't have it any other way. It's really a good place. |
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Thanks for sharing!! Now I know what to look for! |
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Well, I do pay $40/mo. But I think it's worth it. Some day I'd like to get the garage to a point where I can have some basic equipment: a bench and power rack, some dumbells, plates and a bar. There are times that I just don't feel like driving to the gym or want to have other people around me. I'd like the option of a garage gym. Some day. |
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Well my new gym that I joined about 6 weeks ago is http://www.parisgym.com/which is the only advertised gay gym in London. It is actually less overtly gay than the previous Soho Gym one in the centre of town. That one got on my nerves as it had a real gay scene mafia feel about it - the latino staff all talked to their latino muscleboy friends and the rest of us had to wait for service. Also you got alot of people taking calls on their mobiles (cell phones to u) as alot of the members were "working" and taking calls from clients (and no they are not plumbers....) New Gym is much friendlier. Has taken a bit of adjusting to belonging to somewhere where they know you. I was at other gyms for years and never felt like they knew my name. Paris Gym is good as I can walk there from home, it has good free weights and is open later than other gyms. We still have no culture of 24hr anything here like you guys. How can it be worthwhile to open a gym 24 hrs? |
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As for things I like about my gym: ? There are 2 weight areas, one for the advanced people, one for beginners. ? A women's gym keeps a lot of women out of the main area. ? A separate "loafer's" pool for if you don't want to swim laps. ? Trainers walking around with tee-shirts that say, "Free instruction. Please ask." ? Tons of equipment (easily twice what any Gold's or 24 Hours I've ever seen.) ? $21/month fees (I pay $31/month with training sessions, and towels service) ? The fees are guaranteed to never go up. ? A phone in the pool area if you want a clean towel, or anything else. ? Really friendly staff ? ICS In Club Services, where they'll find about anything else you want/need ? A huge new club on the way (more than twice the size of my current club) ? Lots of convenient locations ? Paper towels (dry hands quickly, blow your nose, etc.) ? Metal lockers that aren't easy to break into like the ones at 24 Hours ? Everything is kept very clean ? Lots of mirrors (because what boy doesn't like looking at himself?) I'm sure there's a lot more, but I can't think of it right now. __________________ God is in the rain. |
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The only issue I would have in that situation... picking between the "advanced" and the "beginner" section of free weights. Do I presume to be "advanced" and embarrass myself and annoy the *truly* advanced guys with my silliness.... or do I presume to be "beginner" and risk intimmidating someone much smaller than me out of working hard and doing their thing. The more I think about it - the more that would concern the hell out of me... LOL... silly I know. But still - all that and only $21/month?! There's no reason NOT to work out with a gym like that around! |
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Those charges you mention of $21 a month sound incredibly cheap. Here gyms are typically no cheaper than ?35 a month (meaning $50 even at a more sensible exchange rate) for even the most ordinary. I am paying ?48 a month for my membership (that equates to about $85) and there are free towels to use for wipe down but not for showers. It just amazes me year in year out how you guys pay less for things on almost everything (the only thing I always notice is more expensive is wine and that is it) |
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__________________ God is in the rain. |
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Wow. I wish gyms in Fresno were that cheap. We're paying something $56/month for Bally's Total Fitness here, and Gold's Gym runs about the same. I'm considering switching, but to stay on-topic, I'll post what I like about each gym: What I like about Bally's Total Fitness: Open 24 hours a day during the week. This is handy when you need to fit in a 1.5-hour workout around your work schedule. I work out best in the morning, but need to be at work by 7am. A gym that opens at 6 won't work for me. Lots of equipment. Waiting for equipment is rare except during peak hours. A jacuzzi in the men's locker room, which can be nice after a heavy squats routine! Good bench press stations with the safety catch things; you can rest the bar there even if you can't lift it all the way. Gold's - Lighting that doesn't leave white spots on your vision after bench presses. Well-chosen equipment in excellent repair. Better music - I didn't need my iPod during my free week of workouts at Gold's. A neat cardio theater that has about 8 TV channels to choose from while you're burning calories on the treadmill. Both gyms have a mix of clients, which is mostly good. Every gym has the chatty social members, and that does piss me off sometimes. My spouse assures me the gym is social time for a lot of people. IMO, if you want to socialize, hang out at home, or a restaraunt! The gym is full of workout equipment for a reason! Sheesh! Jeepers, even! |
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I'm paying roughly $49 a month for my gym membership... and I'm okay with that price. It's monthly, not contract, so I can leave when I want. The gym area is very well-lit during the day (lots of windows) and has lots of mirrors. Plus, the lighting in some areas makes me look more muscular. LOL. I'm in front of the mirrors a lot. There are tons of machines to choose from, so if a person is monopolizing a machine, there's probably something like it someone isn't using. Lots of free weights (the dumbbells go up to 120 lbs), lots of benches -- plus they play classic rock music (the good stuff). The best part about my gym are the trainers. Helpful, approachable, informative, fun, encouraging -- they definitely give the gym a personality that makes me want to come back. |
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[quote=Rannen]I'm paying roughly $49 a month for my gym membership... and I'm okay with that price. I love my gym because its a hardcore dungeon of a gym with lots of weights, its very clean and we are all part owners of the gym. Its sort of a co-op and we all collectively rent a large warehouse basement. There are not a lot of members so its easy to get a good workout in. |
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Co-op Gym Now THAT sounds like Nirvana. No non-bodybuilders, non-powerlifters, nor fitness chicks. Just hardcore lifters and you get to screen the members! Do you guys even have a sign on the building? I was thinking of something like this and thought a sign would just bring more trouble than it was worth. So I was thinking of a non-descript warehouse type building without a sign. __________________ The Brain is a very powerful muscle - It can defeat you or it can be your best friend - the choice is YOURS! |
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i finally had my "break-through" years when i started going to this kind of rough around the edges gym in a converted warehouse building "on the wrong side of the tracks" so to speak. open 24 hrs. plenty of great equipment and heavy weight. when i started there i was very average, never got noticed. but after a year the comments started coming. why? what was it about this gym that pushed me ? i hope this doesnt sound shallow, but........... when i would go late at night there was almost always young, hard, ripped guys lifting shirtless or posing. they were not obscenely massive roid monsters (we did have one mega beefy guy but it wasnt attractive) but were built and quite pleasing to the eye. it was the absolute best motivation. i remember how my heart would beat and the adrenalin would flow as i approached the door to go in. i very rarely ever had a bad workout. the gains i made were astonishing. the shirtless muscle guy thing was ingrained in me at a very early age. its almost a shame how main stream gyms have become and how that is so taboo now. gyms are now social clubs and meet-markets. i miss the good old days of the hard core muscle jocks. |
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I had searched for a while, and I'd seen them all: flashy, new gyms with lots of women sweating to abandon their New Year's resolutions in a few weeks anyway, glorified hotel-gyms that were open to everybody who'd pay, a balcony of an indoor sports hall equipped with some weights and machines, and... the one I fell in love with instantly. Walking through the brown, steel door, there's a little, equally brown, bar area reminiscent of the 60s. Downstairs, behind two doors and a creaky stare case, past the little swimming pool in what once must have been an ordinary living room, there is the dressing room (no lockers, just benches, 2 sinks and a mirror) that I only ever use. Everybody else doesn't bother and comes in gym clothing already. And then, back upstairs, there's a long, cold, humid hallway of grey concrete blocks with a fire door. The floor is usually wet from the kids from the small swimming pool. In the very, very back, there's a weight room. Then, under the sounds of people practising judo upstairs, I train. Usually there are between zero and 3 other people. I don't think I've seen more than 10 different people there yet, and I always go at different times. It's got a few things to work every body part sufficiently (they have their own weightlifting team), and there's a generally friendly and helpful atmosphere. Though usually it's just the sound of people focussed on their training. Sometimes the radio's pumping electronica. At other times you just hear the rain ticking on the windows, groans and metal clanging. I'm gonna stay. It's a keeper. |
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I like that there are almost never any white guys there, so I have nobody to be attracted to/compare myself to. It makes it easier to focus and not feel so bad about myself. |
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Our gym just got a good supply of rubberized weights donated by one of the members, a lot of us are training for future powerlifting meets so its a great Christmas present. Everybody got together and recently painted the place and we just put in new floor mats so the place looks so nice I am having trouble getting used to it. |
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