Thanks all. I appreciate the advice and the morale boosts.

I had a look at the junonia website. Too expensive for me. I did order two suits from another website. I hope they're reasonably attractive. There's still time to return them and try again if they're not.

I checked the parks and rec catalog again and realized I'd signed up for an intermediate level class. It met for 4 Saturdays which was good for me. Had to switch to a beginners class which meets on 8 weekday evenings over 4 weeks - which isn't as good. More classes and the hassle of getting to an evening class after work. Ah, well.

There's a pool at the university where I work which is available for use by employees over the noon hour. I'm hoping eventually to make use of that nearly daily. I don't know how many people swim there, but I imagine not too many. I hope. And given that they'll be my coworkers, they're unlikely to openly jeer at me.

You're right about the fat ladies I've seen at the pool. They may not be as comfortable and at ease as I imagine. I suppose the fact that they're willing to get out there in a swimsuit at all makes me believe they're comfortable.

I've been to the community center to use the treadmill twice recently. Not nearly the threat that the pool is but still hard. I just want to condition my cardiovascular system, but I imagine everyone thinks I'm there "burning calories." I used to go quite regularly, and I actually had people talk to me about that several times - exercise for weight loss. I saw one man there regularly who seemed to be some kind of coach or something to a younger man who was killing himself on the treadmill. I mean that kid looked miserable, he was driving himself so hard. One day the older man approached me and explained that he was helping the kid lose weight. He told how much the kid used to weigh and how much he'd lost. I had the feeling he wanted me to hire him as a personal trainer. It irritated the hell out of me. It I want to try and starve myself while simultaneously forcing myself to exercise too hard, I don't need some old fool to tell me how. I've tried that approach - several times. Doesn't work and it makes me hate exercise because my body isn't properly fueled for the effort. This time I want to enjoy it.