The joys of waterobics

For about a month or so, I've been joining Kelly at Evans Pool for waterobics. The class, which meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 8 to 9 p.m., involves such exercises as jogging, "cross-country skiing," and bicycle-kicking (not to mention resistance training with floating barbells) in the pool's deep end. Evans is a dream come true for those of us who dislike swimming in cold water because of all the time it takes to get acclimated. Its water temperature makes it seem like the biggest bathtub in the world.

We always work out to dance remixes; recent offerings included a sped-up version of Avril Lavigne's "Complicated" and, even more hilariously, a punchy reworking of the post-9/11 Springsteen tune "The Rising." As my friends and housemates may know, there aren't many types of exercise I enjoy doing more than once, but waterobics has won my heart. This might be because it, like pugs and many other things I love, counts ridiculousness among its virtues. A form of exercise that's healthy? Hardly impressive. Physical activity that's good for you and makes you feel like an 85-year-old at a Boca Raton retirement community? No wonder I'm hooked.