Mr. Hugo Chavez and the Art of Exercise

So, no matter how we want it to last forever, the summer will end. Not yet, but soon. Our busy schedules return to  full swing, and so does the pressure of being a fit, active member of a society idolizing the disciplined body.
Really- have you seen the gym floor on those first, cold fall days, when people start getting anxious and hating the effects of summer laissez-faire on their physique? It is a cattle fair. Last only a short while, before most people just give up, relax and stop panicking. At the end of the day, life is short. Don´t get me wrong- it is  good to do sports, but it should not be an obsession. And all you Tracy Anderson -wannabes, I hear you, but choose to ignore you. My prerogative, let´s put it this way.

So what to do, to get the inspiration for a jog or two? Let´s turn to the help of the rich and famous.
Surely, a nice fellow from the land of Venezuela can help, no? Meet the friendly dictator  leader Mr. Hugo Chavez, who just recently recovered from some health problems of his own. Now the new lifestyle is just oozing out of him. So much so, that he decided to share his fave moves with the rest of us mere mortals. After all, he is the Man, who claimed capitalism was the reason behind the end of life in Mars. A man to follow, certainly. So there we go. Don´t get all obsessed with the head tilt, though. I´m sure it is not good to do too many repetitions in a row.




Chavez stars in exercise video by reuters

Mr. Hugo Chavez and the Art of Exercise

Look! She really does not care!

It is amazing the stuff they can sell with women´s bodies. Even now. Here´s an ad from "The Saturday Evening Post" from the golden fifties. This was the age of rising consumerism, belief on a never ending supply of energy, resources and constant economic growth. Women were curvier, blonder and well, "domesticated". At least according to the image this commercial portrays. She seems to be having an orgasm from the simple pleasure of having her breasts being watered by a random strange man. (Seriously, how can that happen? Do you know how cold that hosed down water usually is?) Hmm, I have a feeling this whole picture could be just a metaphor for something quite else going on between a man and a woman. I might be wrong. But the illustrator must have/had some imagination going on in that head of his.


Her hair, makeup and the entire outfit look high maintenance. Yet she does not mind it all being ruined by a splash of water. Because she doesn´t care! Everyone wants to win the Miss wet t-shirt contest, orchestrated by a man in a lab coat -all in the name of science. The things we just have to do, or what, ladies?

And this ad was brought to you by the Continental Oil Company, defunct company since 2002.

Look! She really does not care!