Muro's Blog

Summer Movies 2009

2009-06-04T14:02:00.008-05:00

The following is a list of movies that I would like to see this summer, in order of appearance.

Star Trek (May 7)
Terminator: Salvation (May 21)
UP (May 29)
Drag Me To Hell (May 29)
The Hangover (June 5)
Dead Snow (June 19)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24)
Public Enemies (July 1)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15)
500 Days of Summer (July 17)
Funny People (July 31)
District 9 (August 14)
Inglourious Basterds (August 21)
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (September 25)

I will continue to update this post as I see movies and cross them off the list.

To the person that stole my car antenna

2009-04-29T17:42:00.002-05:00

I hope you really needed that Mazda3 antenna. I guess you couldn't wait any longer to listen to the radio. The last time I listened to the radio was several years ago, so it's not like I needed it. But, that's not to say it wasn't MINE.

I can certainly see the appeal of the antenna because it's not like your regular old style. Still, you couldn't buy your own?

Regardless of its usefulness to me, you still stole something that was mine and I want it back. I hope someone steals it from you!

Farewell Battlestar Galactica

2009-03-25T23:22:00.003-05:00

This will be a really short post. I just wanted to submit my tribute to one of the greatest shows I have ever watched. So long, BSG. You will be missed.

Comcast CableCARD, Finally Success

2009-01-01T09:54:00.003-06:00

A few days ago, I mentioned how Comcast wasn't able to install my CableCARDs the first time around. Two days and several hours with the Comcast guy later, I finally have working CableCARDs.

I was expecting Comcast to come back out on Tuesday to fix the problem, but ended up getting a call saying that they were having problems with all CableCARDs and not just mine. But, what was even weirder that shortly after my blog post, a Comcast rep posted a comment asking to help. That's just too Big Brother stalker-like.

Anyways, Comcast showed up on Wednesday and spent the better part of two hours trying to get it all working. First, I found out that the beginning of the serial numbers on the CableCARDs matched their digital boxes and that's why it wasn't working initially. Next came the configuration of the cards. This is what took forever. The cards have to be paired to my device (TiVo) and in order to do that, the billing department needs to know a few numbers on the cards. Ok, great. Do it.

To make a long story short, all of the channels didn't show up on one card but they did on the other. Once we get that working, they forgot to setup my HBO. This takes a while, too. I'm leaving a lot out because it was so mind numbingly boring. You'd think they'd be able to know what the deal was, but in reality the Comcast guy said they don't have much experience with CableCARDs. I guess it didn't help that the Comcast guy hated the cards to begin with.

Comcast CableCARD, First Try

2008-12-29T09:40:00.004-06:00

I am trying to get CableCARDs installed in my TiVo and Comcast has failed at the first attempt. A CableCARD allows me to receive digital cable without using a cable box. Frankly, I don't have room for another piece of equipment and using the TiVo with CableCARDs lets me free up that space otherwise occupied by a Comcast box.

Now, all I know about installing these CableCARDs is that the Comcast guy plugs them into my TiVo, reads some numbers over the phone to headquarters to activate the cards, and we're good to go. However, even this simple act proves too much.

They are coming back tomorrow to try again. Round 2. If I wasn't off work all week, I'd be pissed off. Let's see what happens tomorrow....

BSG Webisodes

2008-12-13T14:10:00.004-06:00

Battlestar Galactica has just released a third series of webisodes to tide over hungry fans, like me, till the last season launches. Your humble servant has embedded the video for your convenience.

Basically, what this proves is that BSG packs more interesting things into three minutes than most shows do in thirty. Man, I can't wait till the new season!

I hate you, ABC

2008-11-20T23:32:00.004-06:00

Apparently, you have decided that one of the most original shows on your network no longer deserves to be picked up for a full season. Why would you cancel this show?

Once again, the works of Bryan Fuller are under appreciated by the execs of Hollywood. Does no one remember Dead Like Me? I think that Pushing Daises was viewed in the same way: a dark comedy with a sweet and sincere chewy center.

So long, Pushing Daises....

Now, ABC, we have to talk: the only thing keeping me around on your crappy station is LOST. So help me, God, if you screw with me on this, I will burn your Dancing with the Stars studio down.

Be Nice to the Cashier

2008-10-21T18:19:00.003-05:00

So, I had to stop by the grocery store on the way home to get one or two things. As I was waiting in line to check out, there was a guy ahead of me giving the cashier a hard time over how to use the credit card swipe machine. He said "I'm going to ask you one more time, what do I do now?" The jerk was friends with the manager cause he was all buddy-buddy to him and as he walked away, after successfully handling the complex time machine, told the manager you have to "keep their heads on straight."

What I wanted to say to this asshole was to give the KID a break. He gets shit from customers all the time and doesn't need some guy giving him shit because he can't work a machine that's functioned the same for years. If you want to be a dick, go home to your wife.

I used to be a grocery store cashier in high school and was always getting treated the same way, so I know what it's like. All I'm trying to say is be nice to the cashier if they are nice to you.

Combined days

2008-10-14T08:59:00.003-05:00

Recently, I made some changes to my workout routine. For the past two weeks, I have combined the days that I workout and run intervals. This allows me to have a couple more "off" days, which I like. In fact, this is the way that the TT workouts are structured. Do your supersets and after a small rest move immediately into your intervals. On your "off" days, try to get some exercise in. I try to use this time to do a dedicated abs routine that takes me no more than 10-15 minutes. I haven't been as consistent as I want to be with that, but I'll do what I can.

Also, I have now set a new personal best on my bench press: 210 lbs. It's hard to gauge how accurate that is because I'm using the machine at my apartment's gym. But, I am lifting the entire rack of plates, so that's something right?

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 26

2008-06-27T08:04:00.003-05:00

This week was a good week for fat loss. I went from 176.2 last week to 173.4 this week. Strangely enough, my waist size pretty much stayed the same, so it must have come off in other places. That's fine with me, really. I have been pushing myself with the weight machine and I can already tell it's improving other areas. The one area I really want to lose in though, is my lower belly or waist. I can't seem to get that going just yet.

In other news, I'll be headed to the beach this weekend and won't be back till after the 4th of July. It'll be a good test to see how well I can eat while on vacation and what kind of workouts I can get in. There's not a gym where I'm going, so I'll be doing bodyweight exercises. Should be fun!

Weight: 173.4
Waist: 34.25"

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 25

2008-06-20T08:20:00.003-05:00

It looks like I have made up for last week's set back. Strangely enough, I'm at the same exact point I was two weeks ago. I was able to increase the speed of my intervals to 10 mph, so that was a personal best. I'm not sure how fast that treadmill goes, but I have to be approaching its upper limits.

As for my workouts, I decided to start using the weight machine at my apartment complex. I felt like I needed to be using more weight and some of the bodyweight exercises weren't cutting it anymore. I'll try it for the rest of the month to see how I like it, but I think it will be a good substitute.

Weight: 176.2
Waist: 34.25"

Console Curse

2008-06-19T21:43:00.004-05:00

In the course of one week, both of my video game consoles have died. My Wii was killed earlier this week and just now, my Xbox 360 flashed the Red Ring of Death. This is not the first time that I've seen the red rings and would make the third time a 360 has broken on me. I'm pretty bummed out.

UPDATE: So, I took my Wii over to a friend's house and used his power supply to see if it was the either the console itself or the power supply that died. Success! The Wii works!! Now I just need to find out if Nintendo will replace the power supply or not.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 24

2008-06-13T08:36:00.003-05:00

My diet has been pure shit this week. Too much eating out for old friends in town, birthdays, new job celebration dinners, and late night drinking. Not to mention that I haven't been able to do my intervals with any consistency. I'm pretty fucking disappointed in myself, honestly. Really, there's nothing more I can say about this week and I don't want to say anymore.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 23

2008-06-06T08:18:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I've been working on getting a new job and earlier this week it was offered to me! I'm the new Web Developer for the Office of Web Communications here on-campus. I can't wait to start--my first day is June 23rd. Today I'm going to their staff retreat to meet everyone in the department, which should be interesting since I'm technically not working there yet.

Anyways, onto the fat loss. I'm pretty proud of myself this week. Last weekend I went on a rafting trip and had to skip my Friday workout and Saturday HIIT. I did what I could while there, but it wasn't the same and I was kinda bummed about it. I still got a decent workout going down the river and trying to stay in the boat. Nonetheless, I continued the workout schedule on Monday and will just have to leave that last workout alone.

So far, I'd say Turbulence Training has been a success. I've lost a total of 4 lbs and nearly 1" off my waist since starting four weeks ago. I'm more impressed with the waist size because for about three weeks I hovered at the same waist size of 35.25".

Next month, I start a new TT regiment, so I hope to see more results.

Weight: 176.2
Waist: 34.25"

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 22

2008-05-30T08:19:00.002-05:00

Today's weigh-in brings me firmly into the sub-180 category. I cannot even remember the last time I was in this spot and while I would like to be happy about it, I'm a little reticent about it all. Maybe it's just because I'm having a stressful week, but I just don't feel good about the way my body looks right now. I still have more body fat than I want (about 17.8%) and it all collects in the one place hardest to target, the mid-section.

Still, I have to convince myself that this is only the 22nd week that I have been doing this. There are two more weeks until I will have reached the 6 month mark. Perhaps the tide will have turned by then.

Weight: 178.2
Waist: 34.875"

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 21

2008-05-23T14:07:00.003-05:00

Okay, body, you need to figure out what's going on here. First you're up, then you're down. Whatever was going on, I seem to be back down to where I was a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps attributable to my recent HIIT efforts. Either way, I'm getting closer to my goal because my waist is responding in turn. Not quite a huge drop, but enough to let me know that it is coming down.

I have reached the halfway mark with my introduction into Turbulence Training and the workouts are intense enough to where I can get a good workout but not so long that I don't get burned out.

Weight: 180 lbs
Waist: 34.875"

Intense Intervals

2008-05-22T19:35:00.003-05:00

This week I have pushed myself during my interval workouts, even more so than what I have been doing in the past. Even though it is really tough, it is satisfying to finish strong. Plus, I am doing 10 minutes less work than before.

My new interval workout is 20 minutes long with 60 second intervals. There is a 3 minute warm-up and a 4 minute cool-down. I pushed my hard intervals to 9.4 mph and my resting intervals stay the same at 3.5 mph. I have done the 20 minute session before at a slower speed (8.5 mph) and never felt completely worked at the end. Previously, I had to increase the time to 30 minutes to feel the same way after my interval training that I do now with 20 minutes.

I'm pretty excited about this because I think it'll take me one step closer towards burning more fat. Perhaps I've been stuck in a rut lately and this gets me out of it.

My Physical Results

2008-05-16T16:14:00.004-05:00

The University of Alabama has some awesome benefits and one new program they started is something called WellBama. It is basically for helping employees learn about their current health level, as well as steps to improve their health through small changes.

After having some blood work done, I went in for a physical (all of this was free, by the way). I went over everything with the doctor and I'm in great shape. I finally have my results here. The WellBama program grades you certain points per category and puts you into either the Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Crimson Club.

Here are the results:
Height - 6"
Weight - 181
Waist - 35.50"

BMI (Body Mass Index) - 24.5
Systolic Blood Pressure - 116
Diastolic Blood Pressure - 67
LDL Cholesterol - 75
Total Cholesterol - 122
Total HDL Cholesterol - 36
Triglycerides - 59
Glucose (blood sugar) - 82
Cardio Exercise days per week - 5+
Tobacco Use(w/in 12 months) - Never used or have quit for 12 mos.

All of my results put me into the Crimson Club! I was told that I am one out of ten people on-campus in that group. I'm in the Top 10!

We also made goals for ourselves and they would follow-up with us in a few years (or months, depending on how healthy you were). My main goal is to get down to a body fat percentage of 12 - 15% as well as losing 5% of my weight (172 lbs) over the next year. I'm not really sure if I can get down to 172, but I feel confident of reaching 12 - 15% of my body fat, especially since I signed up for Turbulence Training where so many have had fantastic results.

Update: Here is the grading scale for those curious what it takes to be in the Crimson Club.
BMI (Body Mass Index) - <= 24.9
Systolic Blood Pressure - < 120
Diastolic Blood Pressure - < 80
LDL Cholesterol - combined w/ total
Total Cholesterol - <= 160 mg
Total HDL Cholesterol - combined w/ total
Triglycerides - <= 149
Glucose (blood sugar) - <= 100
Cardio Exercise days per week - 5+
Tobacco Use(w/in 12 months) - Never used or have quit for 12 mos.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 20

2008-05-16T08:07:00.005-05:00

Okay, first the bad news. After 20 weeks of losing weight, I finally had my first gain. It all started last week and I've been dealing with it all week. Getting it down to 181.6 was a small victory this morning, because I was coming in around 182.4 all week. Part of me wants to attribute this new gain to muscle, and I really hope that's the case. If so, I don't have a problem with it.

Now, onto the good news. After three weeks of stalling out with the same waist size, I was able to drop it just a bit to 35". So, maybe that weight gain was muscle after all? Like I mentioned earlier this week, waist is going to better determine my success than weight.

Weight: 181.6
Waist: 35"

A Visual Goal in Mind

2008-05-13T08:54:00.006-05:00

I have read before that it is good to put up a poster or picture of what kind of body you are working towards. It gives you a visual reminder of where you need to go. Well, I give you my goal: Josh Holloway, otherwise known as Sawyer from LOST.

I have been holding onto this issue for two years and now I'm just getting started. My main reason for wanting my body to look like his is because it's just very natural. He looks like a regular guy who is in shape but not hugely cut. I guess that's how I want to be. This issue sits on my coffee table and I look at it every day, just to keep me grounded. Hopefully I'll keep chipping away at the fat to get down there one day.

Weight vs. Waist

2008-05-12T09:14:00.003-05:00

Recently, I went to the doctor to get my first physical in a long, long time. We got to talking about my weight loss and I asked him about losing too much weight. What he said here grabbed my attention. Basically, he said that he could really stop weighing people when they came into the doctor's office and just start measuring their waist.

In addition to tracking my weight in pounds, I measure my waist. However, now that I'm getting to that point where weight is going to level out, my waist could be a greater indication of positive results. Just hearing the doctor say this made me realize that I was on the right track.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 19

2008-05-09T09:08:00.003-05:00

This week shows that I'm getting to the point where losing those last few pounds and bit of fat is getting toughest of all. Although I lost a pound, my waist size stayed idle. I'm going to have to get really serious if I want that to drop any more.

In fact, just to show how serious I am, I signed up for Turbulence Training. This program is designed by Craig Ballantyne, the same person who is over the Men's Health Belly Off program. There are tons of workouts. I'll be starting on these next week. I guess that means that this is my last week for the Bodyweight exercises.

Weight: 180.2
Waist: 35 1/4"

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 18

2008-05-02T14:00:00.003-05:00

I've been pretty busy at work this week and today, so this will have to be a short report. I'm pretty close to breaking the 180 barrier and that just seems like an odd place to be. Some people I work have asked me if I'm still losing weight and all I can say is yes. I mean, I'm not under eating or anything drastic. I'm simply eating what I'm supposed to and exercising every day. I can't help it if pounds of fat keep falling off. As far as I'm concerned, as long as I keep working out, the weight that I'm losing is just fat and not muscle.

Weight: 181.4
Waist: 35 1/4"

How the 5k Went

2008-04-29T22:40:00.000-05:00

I ran in the UAB Dollars for Scholars 5k/10k this past Friday and the good news is that I finished. The official results are in and my final time was 31:34.8 with a pace of 10:11/mile. This is pretty much spot on with what I have been practicing with for the past couple of months.

If there are anymore races that come up, I'll be sure to give them a try because it was kinda fun to get out there in a competitive environment and see what I could do. My goal wasn't to win the race, but I'll go off of what someone said to me after I completed:

Finishing is winning.

Say Goodbye to Size 36

2008-04-28T15:42:00.004-05:00

I had to go pick up some new clothes this weekend because everything is falling off of me. The most shocking surprise was what size pants I needed to buy. I have been buying size 36 for a long time and going down to a 34 is just a huge shock. At least one pair of shorts was too big at 34, so I had to get a 33.

I know! I was so surprised, I couldn't believe it.

I plan on gathering all of the over sized clothes and selling them on Ebay. I figure this way I don't have any excuse for getting big again because I won't have the huge clothes to go back to.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 17

2008-04-25T08:28:00.002-05:00

Another week, another success. Now that I've reached my first weight loss goal, I'm not setting a deadline to get to my next goal. I figure it will come off as it has been these past 17 weeks.

I have my 5k run today. Truthfully, I'm kinda anxious about it. I'm most nervous about keeping a steady pace and not tiring myself out too early. But, I guess this is all for fun anyways so as long as I finish, what does it matter?

Weight: 183.0
Waist: 35 1/4"

AIM no more

2008-04-23T15:46:00.005-05:00

Ok, I'm done with AIM forever. I only really talk to one person on AIM anymore and it's not worth trying to find a stable program to do that anymore. I have gone the extra mile and I can't do it anymore. It's not that I don't want to talk, but I just can't take these crappy programs anymore.

I have tried multiple solutions and none of them are really the best solutions. Trillian is nice but you can't combine your AIM and Google Talk accounts into the program unless you pay for the premium version. I refuse to pay for a chat program. I tried using Digsby but the program is so buggy and full of memory leaks, it ends up self destructing. It's a shame, really, because it is a nice program that did exactly what I wanted it to do.

I still have Gmail's AIM interoperability, but that's just for home use. The Google Talk client is much better, especially when you have a lot of people on your buddy list. Anyways, if you want to chat with me, I suggest downloading Google Talk.

Bodyweight 200x2

2008-04-20T12:44:00.003-05:00

Ok, so last week I tried the Bodyweight 200 workout. This week, I pushed myself even further than what I thought I could do. I did the Bodyweight 200x2 which is similar to the Bodyweight 100x2, but more reps and more exercises.

I repeated the following workouts with a 5 minute rest between circuits:

30 Prisoner Squats
30 Pushups
10 Jumps
10 Stability Ball Leg Curls
10 Stability Ball Jackknifes
20 Step-Ups
5 Pullups
30 Forward Lunges
20 Close-Grip Pushups
15 Inverted Rows
15 Squats
5 Chinups

Now, I wasn't able to complete it 100% but I figure 90% is a great start. Needless to say, I am beat!

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 16

2008-04-18T08:07:00.003-05:00

I did it! The final week of my weight loss deadline has brought about the result I was looking for. I am exactly 185 lbs this morning. All I can say is that it has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get this far and I have no plans to stop.

Where do I go from here?
I am setting my next loss goal at 175 lbs. I believe these are gonna be some tough pounds to lose, but if I keep up with my nutrition and working out I know it'll come off.

My reward?
Pasta. I have managed to avoid one of my favorite foods this entire time and it's killing me inside. I really, really, want to have some Italian food and I think I'm going to have to convince my dad to make his homemade pasta sauce and meatballs. Or, my mom's chicken tetrazzini. Damn, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

Weight: 185.0
Waist: 35 1/2"

Inverted Rows

2008-04-15T19:42:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, I went out and bought a second pull-up bar. I already have one that is cantilevered, but this one screws into the door frame. I wanted to be able to do Inverted Rows at home without a Smith Machine (also known as a squat rack). Up until now I have been doing Elbow-Out Dumbbell Rows, but they aren't nearly as hard as the row.

I set the pull-up bar at hip height, lie underneath and pull myself up using my back muscles. You can make them easier by bending your knees, but I don't workout like that. I choose to do what I can and then work on improving each week.

Man, do I love, LOVE, these Inverted Rows. It's just an outstanding exercise using only your bodyweight and a killer upper back workout, a huge muscle group. I would love to work on lower back extensions on a swiss ball, but I don't have anything sturdy enough to hold my ankles. Until I do, it'll just have to be the Inverted Rows which I highly recommend.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 15

2008-04-11T08:08:00.004-05:00

Coming up on the final week of my deadline and I'm about 1.5 pounds away. It's a little hard to believe that I've been at this for a solid 15 weeks. I can't remember how long I ran that summer of 2004, but it feels like I'm right at that mark where I quit before. I have no plans to stop this time.

I still have a lot of body fat to get rid of but I keep saying to myself that I didn't get this way in 15 weeks and it's going to take more than 15 weeks to get where I want to be. And, where do I want to be? I don't want to have a belly anymore. A lofty goal at this point, but I'm focused on what I want to accomplish and maybe I'll get there sooner than I think.

Weight: 186.6
Waist: 35 7/8"

The strike didn't help

2008-04-10T22:44:00.002-05:00

My Name is Earl, The Office, and 30 Rock are some of the funniest shows on TV and they all come on back-to-back. Tonight held the first new, post-strike written episodes and I have to say...I was pretty disappointed. A few choice moments stood out, but they were barely noticeable.

The Office was perhaps the most solid of the three, storytelling-wise, but without it actually taking place in the office, it felt out of place for the first epi back.

30 Rock was too predictable, and that's saying a lot considering the show.

Earl is following the lines of The Soprano's season with Tony in a coma (perhaps the weakest season). Anytime you take the main character out of focus, regardless of "visions" while in the coma, the show suffers.

I seriously hope they have some better episodes coming up because the only stellar comebacks this year have been Lost and Battlestar Galactica.

Daily Diet

2008-04-10T08:43:00.005-05:00

I've been asked a few times what I typically eat throughout the day. I've gone over before about Clean Eating, but I guess it wasn't specific enough. Below I will outline a typical day.

Breakfast (7:30 am)
-1 scrambled egg
-1 whole wheat Eggo waffle or 1 slice whole wheat toast
or
-1 1/2 cups of Kashi Autumn Wheat shredded wheat cereal
-2 or 3 large tablespoons of sliced strawberries
-1 1/2 cups of 2% or fat free milk

Mid-morning snack (10:00 am)
-1 apple
or
-2 sticks of low-fat string cheese

Lunch (12:00 pm)
-Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread, hold the mayo, any kind of toppings you want
-Salad with fat free dressing or vinaigrette

Mid-afternoon snack (3:00 pm)
-1 apple

Dinner (6:30 pm)
-Grilled chicken breast (8 oz)
-1/2 package of frozen veggies or salad

Bodyweight 200

2008-04-06T10:11:00.002-05:00

Not to be confused with the Bodyweight 100x2, this week's challenge brought in new exercises as well as more reps. Here's what I did:

30 Prisoner Squats
30 Pushups
10 Jumps
10 Stability Ball Leg Curls
10 Stability Ball Jackknifes
20 Step-Ups
5 Pullups
30 Forward Lunges
20 Close-Grip Pushups
15 Inverted Rows
15 Squats
5 Chinups

The chinups and pullups are still a challenge, but you know what? I found out that the number of pullups an average guy can do is 1 pullup. The fact that my max is four at once is a good thing.

I may start trying to finish off this Belly Off program and move into something new. But, that would require me to complete the Bodyweight 500.... Intimidating, to say the least.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 14

2008-04-04T08:34:00.003-05:00

So, here it is. I'm two weeks away from my goal deadline and just 3 pounds away from my weight goal. This week also hit another milestone: this is the first time that I can remember in a long, long time that I've been under 190. Even when I was losing weight those many years ago, I never got below that mark (probably because I just decided to quit running).

I lost a little bit on my waist this week to come down to 36". I calculated my Body Fat Percentage and it was 21.04% which is Acceptable. I would love to be able to get to the Fitness level (14-17% of body fat) and perhaps after I reach my first weight loss goal, that will be my next challenge.

My First 5k

2008-03-31T11:10:00.005-05:00

Well, I've gone and done it now. I signed up to run my first marathon ever, The UAB Dollars for Scholars 5k/10k. The above picture is of the route. It may be hard to see, but the majority of it is along University Blvd. next to St. Vincent's Hospital. I decided to run the 5k because I don't think I would be able to survive a 10k.

I tested a certain pace out on the treadmill last week and after the first mile I wanted to stop, but kept going. It took me about 31 minutes to go a little over 3 miles. I'm not used to distance running, so this should be an interesting test. Hey, I'm not ashamed to walk either. I just want to finish. That, in an of itself, should be an accomplishment.

Speaking of running, Forrest Gump has some new running shoes. Just to give you some idea of how badly I needed some new ones, I took this photo to prove it.

I had been running on those ratty shoes for far too long. My feet never did hurt afterwards, but I knew the old ones had served their purpose. Perhaps one day I will give them a proper burial, but until then they serve as a memorial.

Bodyweight 100x2

2008-03-30T11:08:00.003-05:00

For my weekly bodyweight workout today I felt like I could move into more than what I have been doing, so I tried the Bodyweight 100x2. I decided to start the day a little bit different by adding more fuel to my breakfast. No doubt that it was burned off because my arms felt like Jell-O and my legs were on fire.

Here's what I did today:

20 Prisoner Squats
20 Push-ups
20 Jumps
5 Chin-ups
20 Forward Lunges
15 Close-Grip Pushups

You are supposed to repeat that twice with no rest between circuits and finish in 15 minutes or less. Not resting in between the circuits is brutal and really pushes your cardiovascular system to supply blood to your muscles. Again, I had trouble with the chin-ups, but after a lot of push-ups, who wouldn't?

I found the trick was the break them up into smaller chunks. I was reading in Men's Health that it was better to fire off a couple of reps, do another exercise, and then come back to the chin-ups to do some more reps. Keep repeating that until you have finished the set. It said that you would get more reps in than if you were doing them all at once. I didn't follow this exact method, but I did break them up, especially on the second time through the Bodyweight 100.

It felt really good to advance onto the next level and I hope to keep it up.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 13

2008-03-28T07:55:00.005-05:00

I'll just come right out and say it: I'm lucky to have a loss this week. Remember me saying that I had to survive the grandparents' good food again? Well, I barely did. I survived the day and, just barely, the week. I was sent home with a lot of leftovers. Most of it was food I only want to eat rarely such as mashed potatoes and gravy, ham, angel food cake (more like devil food cake), hash brown casserole, and you get the idea.

Someone at work said it best that it was like falling off the wagon. That's pretty much how it felt this week. I just need to get back on track.

And why do we fall, Bruce? So, we can learn to pick ourselves back up.

All of this has resulted in my worst loss yet. Even more telling is that I didn't lose anything from my waist. My goal of hitting 185 by week 16 is looking like less of a possibility now and I can't help but feel guilty and disappointed in myself for letting this happen.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 12

2008-03-24T08:25:00.001-05:00

Weight is 191.2.
Waist is 36.25"

The biggest jump for me this week is the waist size where I lost one inch. I can tell that it is getting harder to lose the weight because there is less fat, which means I just have to work that much more. With Easter at the grandparents coming up, it looks like I'll have to survive the good food again.

Yesterday I was finally able to complete one of the advanced exercises called the Stability Ball Jackknife with Rotation. Well, at least one full set. That and the Spiderman Push-up are the two hardest exercises that I have yet to fully complete both sets. But, after reviewing my previous results, I am slowly increasing the number of reps I do.

Maybe next week I'll finally get to 190.

The Spring is Broken

2008-03-19T12:27:00.005-05:00

I've been on Spring Break this week and it's really hard to get motivated to workout. I do it because I have to, but since my day is spent relaxing it feels weird to get started. Coming home from work, where I've been active all day, and then working out is an easy transition. I usually get home, immediately change into gym clothes and either head to the treadmill or begin my bodyweight regime. It's a routine that works.

Speaking of routine, I'm going to be breaking from my weekly weigh-in schedule this week because of other spring break activities coming up. I won't have access to my scale on Friday morning because I'll be on a little camping trip. So, I'm going to use Thursday morning as my "official" weigh-in day for this week. Also, I'll be saving the report until Monday morning when I'm back in the office and have access to the spreadsheet.

UPDATE: So much for the camping trip. Something came up with Jason and Emily so it had to be pushed back to Friday. Jason forgot that I was going to B'ham that day, so I'm out. Friday is still the official weigh-in day.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 11

2008-03-14T11:52:00.000-05:00

This week was such a weird week, I almost want to declare it a Mulligan. Not only did we have the time change where I stayed out way too late, but I ate my grandparents' good food, went to a concert (where I stayed out late again), and got drunk at the police academy. With all of that and me still trying to catch up on sleep, I was shocked when I weighed in this morning. If it goes up next week, I won't be surprised. It has been so hard working out this week because I've just been so tired.

Anyways, the results are there and I'm getting closer to my goal. Waist size this week is 37.25" down from 37.75" last week.

I would have been arrested

2008-03-14T10:01:00.004-05:00

Last night, I went through one of the coolest experiences I have ever been through. Jason and I went to the police academy to get drunk. That's right, the cops gave us alcohol.

It was all part of this sobriety test for the new recruits on how to identify intoxicated people. I played my part, for sure.

Here's how the night went. When we arrived, they tested our blood-alcohol percentage (which was 0.00%) and asked us what we wanted to drink. We had several options to choose from such as bourbon, rum, gin, and any kind of mixer we wanted. I ended up with rum and diet coke.

From this point on, we were free to drink as much or as little as we wanted to. I want to say that we started drinking around 6:30. They had the Alabama v. Florida game on a few TVs plus lots of cards to keep us busy. Other than the fact that we were in a police academy, it felt like just a normal night out with friends. After a few hours of eating snack mix and having the cops bartend for us, they cut us off. It was about 9:00 at this point. Everyone started to line up at the Breathalyzer to get our BAC tested. Jason and I were at the end of the line. After a couple of minutes, we were told that we were not drunk enough. I mean, how do you respond to that? If you're like us, then it's a challenge. Who better to take a dare from cops about getting more drunk.

Most of the volunteers decided to leave instead of continue further. If you drove yourself, you had to wait until you blew a 0.00% before they would let you leave. If you had a designated driver, then you had to wait until you blew a 0.08% before letting you leave. Otherwise, they could have arrested you for drunk and disorderly. Beforehand, we kept joking that if that happened we were going to show the cop our Breathalyzer print-out to prove it was for science!

So, we kept drinking for a couple more hours until we were good and ready. They tested our BAC but hid the results from us until after we had completed the sobriety tests. Waiting for us downstairs were about 30 recruits eager to test their knowledge on the freshly liquored up volunteers. Even though I was several drinks in, I took this part as seriously as I could have--like I was in trouble for real. Since a lot of people left earlier, we had to be tested four times by four different cops. They asked me to "follow the pen", "walk the line", and "balance on one foot."

I was so convinced that I had passed these tests with flying colors! In my mind, I performed perfectly. Unfortunately, most of the recruits didn't see the same perfection. We went back into the "bar" where they had each name on a white board with several columns of how much we had to drink, what our blood alcohol content was, each test they gave us, and whether or not they would have arrested us.

After drinking 13oz of rum and blowing a .09%, three out of the four cops would have arrested me. Jason had 14oz of bourbon and blew a .10% with all cops arresting him. It was really interesting to see the people who were under the legal limit and yet some of the cops would have arrested them. The recruits who marked the legal-limit drinkers as arrested were told to write down what they did and later they would go over how to correct their errors. Needless to say, we were ready to go home and finally made it out of there around midnight.

You can kinda see Jason and I in the video above. We are the ones walking in at the very end with me in the gray shirt, Jason in the green.

Blind Melon

2008-03-12T08:29:00.004-05:00

Last night I went to see Blind Melon with my brother and his girlfriend. I was unsure of how it was going to be, considering that the original lead singer has been dead for a long time. Forget all of that. The new guy is like the spiritual successor to Shannon. He sounds just like Shannon.

I've had Blind Melon's self-titled album since it came out and I have watched them live on pay-per-view at the 25th Woodstock Anniversary where Shannon was wearing a dress for some reason. None of this mattered last night because it was like the old band was back together. They must have looked a long time for this guy...the similarities are just uncanny.

The only thing I was disappointed about was that they didn't play one song I was looking to hear: I Wonder. The show was still great and high with energy thanks to the new front man.

Bodyweight 100: Redux

2008-03-09T09:45:00.003-05:00

So, a few weeks ago I posted about my progress with the Bodyweight 100 exercises. I'm still having trouble completing the chin-ups, but I'm nearly there. I have added negatives over the past two weeks to help improve my performance.

I consider today's workout a win since I stayed out waaaaaaay too late last night/this morning. No matter. I had my reasons...and it was worth it.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 10

2008-03-07T08:01:00.005-06:00

I have reached another milestone this week. To date, I have lost a total of 20 pounds. Although my weight has been fluctuating throughout the week (194.4, 193.6, etc), the scale finally settled on 195.0 for the "official" weigh-in day. I forgot to measure my waist this morning, so I'll post an update tomorrow.

In order to hit my goal of 185, I need to lose an average of 1.6 lbs per week for the next six weeks. If previous results have been any indication, that shouldn't be a problem, but you never know. I'm starting to get down to that point where I stalled out last time. If I can break the 190 mark, then I know I can get down to 185. From there, if it looks like I can afford to lose more weight, then I'll do it.

Anyways, this week produced excellent results and I can't wait to get over that 20 lb hump.

UPDATE: Waist size this week is 37.75" down from 38" last week.

LOST reaction

2008-03-03T15:09:00.000-06:00

I know I'm late on the update for this, but I wanted to post this quote from AICN's Moriarty that I sent to a few Losties last week.

Up until now, watching LOST has been like driving up a hill. And it's a great hill. It's really interesting, and some remarkable stuff happens while you're driving, but the entire time, you're aware that you're going up. Up. Up. And there's a tension building. And in a way... it's kind of unbearable. And tonight, watching LOST felt like cresting that hill. It felt like getting a glimpse of the bottom on the other side. And finally knowing it's there.

I don't think we've quite started back down the hill yet. I don't think we've picked up that momentum yet. I'm betting that's next season. But if this season is about reaching the top of the hill and finally seeing the way down... then consider me satisfied and pleased and feeling vindicated as a fan.

I couldn't agree more.

Clean Eating & Exercise Plan

2008-03-03T09:29:00.001-06:00

I have been asked what my "plan" is and as boring as it may sound, the best way to say it is that I just eat right and exercise. For those that need a little more direction, I have created a PDF of the general ideas to follow (download below).

I came across the Clean Eating information several years ago when I was losing weight and such. Even though I got away from it and gained my weight back, coming back to it these many years later makes me realize just how effective it is. The reason it is so effective is simple: it just makes sense. There are no complicated points system to follow (Weight Watchers), a giant list of things you can't eat (Atkins), or unreasonable requests to change your habits.

I kind of made this my own and cleaned it up a bit, but the core information is still there.

Download the Clean Eating & Exercise Plan.

Gaming the weight off with Wii Fit

2008-02-29T16:09:00.000-06:00

Last year, Nintendo announced an add-on for the Wii called Wii Fit. It has already been released in Japan and is making its way over here in May.

However, that hasn't stopped a couple of people to document their experiences with the device. The most complete follows 4cr's Vinnk in something called The Great Experiment: Wii Fit. The next is Kotaku's Brian Ashcraft giving his opinion on the device.

It seems the most intriguing part of Wii Fit are the yoga exercises, because after all, it is essentially a balance board. While I don't see this as a sure fire way to lose weight, it is interesting to see exercise turned into a game of sorts. Perhaps this is a way to get kids excited about staying active. You know, in case the kid's treadmill doesn't work out.

Weekly Weigh-In: Week 9

2008-02-29T09:29:00.000-06:00

This week I am down to 196.6 from 198.4 for a total of 1.8 lbs. I have only recently started measuring my waist, but this week is 38" which is down half an inch from last week.

All in all, I'm pleased with this week's results.

I am going to the beach this summer with my mom and brother, so I have more motivation: to look good on the beach. We are planning to leave on June 28th. As soon as I hit my weight goal I need to start working towards that date.

High Intensity Interval Training

2008-02-28T09:01:00.000-06:00

Like I have mentioned before, I have started High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). The best way to explain it is that I'm "working harder, working faster." Last night was the perfect time to try it out, too.

I went to the Alabama basketball game where we defeated Arkansas 59-56. However, I knew that I wouldn't have much time to exercise, shower, eat, and leave on time to meet everyone at the Coliseum. Having done the slower speed (30 minutes) HIIT before, I figured it was the perfect time to try out the short workout but at a quicker pace(13 minutes).

The following is from an Interval plan from the Bellyoff workouts, which I used yesterday.

The trick with HIIT is that no matter how fast you run in the "Hard" interval, you must slow down to a walk on the "Easy" interval. I'll let the creator of Turbulence Training and The Belly Off Program, Craig Ballantyne, explain it better.

Healthy Fast Food?

2008-02-26T13:08:00.000-06:00

There are some days where I just don't feel like making my lunch for the day. When that happens, I often struggle with finding something healthy and quick for lunch.

This is where Men's Health Eat This Not That comes into play.

A fantastic guide on fast food and restaurant chains, I have used this on a number of occasions, even today. I ate Chick-fil-A today and this is what I had:

Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8-pack) with Barbecue Sauce
Calories 305
Fat 13 g
Sat. Fat 2.5 g
Sodium 1,020 mg

Salad with Fat Free Honey Mustard
Calories 60
Fat 0g
Sat. Fat 0g
Sodium 200mg

The only downside I messed up on was that the dressing had HFCS, but that's because I rushed and didn't read it. One thing to keep in mind about the dressing is that they give you two servings when one will do. Other than that, a very filling lunch under 500 calories and $5.

Bodyweight 100

2008-02-24T11:05:00.000-06:00

Today was another Bodyweight exercise day. Since I have basically been doing nothing up until I started in January, it has been an effort to rebuild muscle. I don't mind because I can see improvements in my weekly workouts, but the end-of-the-week Bodyweight exercises are still challenging.

If you follow the Men's Health plan exactly, I should be on week 8. However, considering that I have to rebuild everything from scratch, I am still on week 1. In other words, still doing the Bodyweight 100 instead of the Bodyweight 500.

I have set a goal for myself in that I don't want to move on until I can complete the entire 100. Each week the chin-ups are proving to be the road block.

No matter. I will keep repeating the Bodyweight 100 until I can do every rep.

Weight loss milestone

2008-02-22T15:00:00.000-06:00

Since the beginning of the year, I have taken it upon myself to eat clean and exercise more. The goal: to get back down to 185 lbs. Friday is my "official" weigh-in date and today marked the day I came in under 200 lbs. I consider it a milestone because it has been at least 3-4 years since I have been here.

I am no stranger to eating clean and exercising because I performed similarly back in the summer of 2004 by running and dieting. When I was in college, I lifted weights. The only difference between then and now is that, in addition to cardio (running), I have incorporated bodyweight exercises to replace fat with muscle mass. The combination of the two should produce the best results.

This past week I decided to start HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on my cardio days. Let me tell you, this is some hardcore exercising! Best of all, it is most effective in burning fat, even after you finish exercising. The treadmill that I use has some pre-programmed runs that vary the inclines and such. Up until now, I have used the "Weight Loss" program, and even tried the HIIT on that program. What a mistake! Kicked my ass, for sure. Today I'll just set a certain incline and then try to complete the intervals.

Blogger's Update

2007-07-19T08:36:00.000-05:00

You can tell it has been a long time since logging into Blogger when they offer to upgrade from your "Classic" blog template. Is that officially old? Now, Blogger offers Labels, or in other words, categories. What this means for me is that I have to do away with the previous method I was using to separate posts and transfer my posts across sub-blogs. If it looks like there is an inundation with posts, don't worry. I had no choice and cannot edit the dates on said posts.

I will be updating the design back to what it was over the next few days(hopefully).

Top 5 Movies of 2006 That Nobody Watched

2007-07-19T08:34:00.004-05:00

Thank You for Smoking

In what can only be described as the best satire comedy in recent years, Thank You for Smoking's hard cynicism delivers with a poignant story of the limits a person is willing to take their morals. However, the movie is not really about the morals, but how the main character is able to spin any topic to go his, and ultimately the tobacco industry's, way. Perhaps the funniest parts of the movie involve the M.O.D Squad--Merchants of Death--which include like-minded spinsters from the alcohol and firearm industries.

Little Miss Sunshine

Out of all the movies this year, Little Miss Sunshine probably had the best cast ensemble. Their dysfunctional on-screen chemistry really makes this movie work and I loved every minute of it. A unique road trip brings out the best and worst of a family that is just trying to make it to a pageant for their little girl, Olive. I can't speak highly enough of this film--expect it to win Oscars.

Stranger Than Fiction

Oddly enough, Stranger Than Fiction plays out more like a novel than a movie. Perhaps this is the reason that it is so wonderful to watch. Will Ferrel pulls out a surprisingly tender performance as Harold Crick, a man trying to save his life from a narrator that he hears in his head. The film really turns around when he meets Maggie Gyllenhaal and Dustin Hoffman's characters. Although not out on video, I encourage you to seek this one out at the theaters.

Hard Candy

Hard Candy is a deviously disturbing, engrossing thriller than involves a cast of no more than 4 people. The basic premise is that Hayley, a young 14-year-old girl, is meeting Jeff, a 30-year-old photographer, after talking to him over the Internet. After she suggests going to his apartment, the vodka gets pulled out and she starts making drinks. Everything is going fine for Jeff until he passes out and is tied to a chair. Turns out that Hayley is there for a different reason...and she came prepared to do a certain procedure. Hayley is played by Ellen Page and she is playfully evil in this film, never letting us gain our balance. If you like horror films, this is the one to watch.

Superman Returns

I know many of you may be surprised by this, but let me explain. Superman Returns hit a core audience, but never failed to capture the mass market like Spider-Man. The movies greatest compliment and fault is that you have Brandon Routh, the unknown Reeves-look-a-like. Superman is back after 5 years, Lex Luther is up to it again, and Lois Lane is married. What more do you need to create a deep, sad, dramatically filled movie? Not to mention the likes of Kevin Spacey, who creates an awesome homage to Hackman's Luther, keeps the heavy-hearted scenes in check with wit and humor. Watch this movie, and you'll see why the world DOES need a Superman.

James Bond 007: Casino Royale

2007-07-19T08:34:00.003-05:00

Taking into account that I'm not the biggest Bond fan in the world, I was still skeptical to see a blond hair, blue-eyed 007 in the early trailers. Daniel Craig is a great actor, don't get me wrong. I loved him in Layer Cake. But...Bond?! Fast forward a few months; shoot, a few days ago, and I was still skeptical. However, after having read this quote from an AICN review, I immediately perked up.

"Many people are going to say that this film is a direct reaction to the success of THE BOURNE IDENTITY and the sequel, and that’s probably a part of it, but I think the film that is the more direct influence here is BATMAN BEGINS. Watching CASINO ROYALE, you don’t just see one movie unfold. You also suddenly see a real series ahead, a series that you’re eager to be part of."

I understood what it took to reinvent Batman with Batman Begins. Put into the proper context, I now understood what Casino Royale meant to the Bond franchise. This was a launching point, a reinvention, a fresh start. Believe me, after the last couple of Bond bombs, this is a sight for sore eyes.

The basic premise of Casino Royale is that James Bond is a new recruit for MI6 and after earning his double oh status, is sent off to the Bahamas on a mission. Bond is reckless, arrogant, and generally doesn't care what happens as long as he completes the mission. He is stripped of his gadgets and given the bare minimum to work with. This produces a dark and gritty Bond who gets beat up, tortured, and put through the paces all the while delivering action that is-in-your-face reality. There are no quick cuts during the fight scenes and we see every drop hit with a driving impact.

Daniel Craig makes all of this work with an intensity that drives the movie forward instead of being dragged along. Gone are the campy humor and ridiculous stunts. Here, everything feels real (even the humor). For instance, the opening chase sequence is all on foot and lasts for about 10 minutes. Never did I feel like I was pulled out of the film. I was engaged and didn't think "well, that would never happen." Basically, you're not going to see Bond driving through an ice castle or hooking up with a girl named Christmas.

Speaking of girls, I was glad to see they went with Eva Green, the blue-eyed beauty from Kingdom of Heaven. Let's just say that if you ever get bored with the story, then you'll have something to look at for two and a half hours. She doesn't feel overly pretentious or self-aware of her role as a leading lady for James Bond. Just as well, Judi Dench pulls in a masterful performance as our favorite ball buster.

If you want to see a reimagining of things to come in the Bond series, then go see this movie. You will not be disappointed. Casino Royale is the best Bond film that I have seen.

The Da Vinci Code

2007-07-19T08:34:00.001-05:00

Technically speaking, The Da Vinci Code isn't a very good book. By that, I mean that the writing is contrived and broken. However, the story is so compelling that you continue to wander through the adventure wondering where it will lead you next. Dan Brown's curious mix of fact and fiction created a watershed event. Some have gone so far as to compare it to the adult world's Harry Potter. But, at least the Harry Potter movies didn't leave me bored to tears.

This past month I spent every day playing the Google Da Vinci Code game in anticipation of the movie, which I had high hopes for. Perhaps if Google had made the movie, I might not have felt like I wasted my time.

The Da Vinci Code basically revolves around a plot of covering up what is the true Holy Grail and not what the Church would have you believe. If you can accept that this is just a fictional story and not something trampling on your beliefs, then you are one step ahead of those who would lead you to believe otherwise. My main complaint with the movie is that is treats the viewer like they are a moron and can't follow a simple plot. Everything is laid out for you like you haven't just been watching the same movie for the past two and a half hours. Every single point is laid out for you multiple times and this becomes tiring.

From what I can gather, Ron Howard was playing it safe---trying to appease the book fans too much while alienating the movie fans who have never read the book. All of the characters are just faces on the screen. The only one who has any bearing is Ian McKellen. He somehow manages to bring some life into his character in this dull script. I had high hopes for Audrey Tautou, seeing as this was her first major American blockbuster film. She was, on average...average. Tom Hanks, usually an actor who tries to bring everything to his roles feels like he is just reading cue cards. Even our self-flagellating bad guy, Silas, was only ho-hum.

As far as the cinematography is concerned, I expected something similar to A Beautiful Mind, and what I got was Sci-Fi Channel drivel. Scenes that could have simply been explained with words and an interesting scene involving our main characters were superimposed and merged with flashbacks. Again, this goes back to my original statement that the viewers are supposed morons.

The Da Vinci Code is mildly interesting considering it is mainly just a shell of its printed bretheren. Most would certainly be better off reading the book and having a better time.

[Sidenote: I found it extremely ironic that The Omen trailer played before this movie.]

Brokeback Mountain

2007-07-19T08:33:00.003-05:00

Well, I guess you could say I'm back with a bang. After the long hiatus without movie reviews, I'm sure you all have been wandering aimlessly through the dark and lonely theaters. Without further adieu, I bring you a controversial movie about gay cowboys.

Let me first begin by saying that I had no interest in seeing this movie. It is not something that I would normally go out to the theaters and pay $8 to watch. However, I was discussing with a friend how this movie will win Oscars simply because of the controversial themes presented and how Hollywood loves to play the weeping sympathetic. Basically, she called me out by saying that I can't judge a movie before I have seen it, so we both decided to see it to prove each other wrong.

If you aren't familar with the story behind Brokeback Mountain, it is essentially a film about two men who meet while working in Wyoming and unexpectedly fall in love with each other. But, since this is 1963, it isn't exactly the best idea to display these feelings to the world. These two men seem to lead normal lives by getting married and having kids, yet they cannot stop longing for each other and they meet several times a year for "fishing trips" to Brokeback Mountain, their only place to express how they feel.

Here's the good: the cinematography is excellent. Ang Lee certainly knows how to bring the best of his film experience to capturing the rustic landscape of Wyoming. Also, the musical score was great too. It was simple and effective but not overpowering.

Here's the bad: I never really cared. It was hard for me to become emotionally involved with this movie because, one, I found the "love" scenes to be harsh and aggressive. King Kong had more emotion and he was a giant ape. Secondly, there was never really any conflict through the movie. When there was conflict, it was short-lived and generally empty of meaning to the rest of the movie. Lastly, Heath Ledger's accent could use some serious work. I had trouble recognizing what he was saying because he mumbled throughout the entire movie.

Here's the ugly: it is slow, tedius, and boring. After some time had passed in the movie, I glanced at my watch and noticed we still had another hour to go. I felt like it was almost time to end the movie and we were really just getting started.

So after all of this, why is it getting so much critical acclaim? Maybe because it is the politically correct thing to do. But, that can't be enough to consider this an Oscar-worthy flick. I have seen other movies dealing with these themes and I can say that this is nowhere close to matching them. Check out "Kissing Jessica Stein" if you are curious. All-in-all, Brokeback Mountain took the boring story of a man and a woman and just replaced the woman.

Charlie & the Choclate Factory

2007-07-19T08:33:00.001-05:00

When I first heard that they were making Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, I was immediately turned off. After all, Gene Wilder's performance in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is dearly loved and revered by movie-goers the world over. So, how can one truly come to appreciate a different take on what is considered a childhood favorite? This is what director Tim Burton and screenwriter John August (better know for his excellent work in Big Fish) set out to tackle and I must say I was surprised by its sweet, yet dark flavor.

What is immediately apparent in Charlie is that this movie stands on its own. For lack of a better descrition, this is not a remake. August takes much of his inspiration directly from Dahl's books, interpreting what he calls a "timeless" story where the Golden Rule never ages. Meanwhile, Burton utilizes an almost entirely set-built production. Throughout the movie, bright colors, wide angles, and imagination takes center stage on what I consider the quintessential Tim Burton film. Everything from certain aspects of the town, to Wonka's factory is entirely built on one of London's largest sound stages. It truly adds a certain tangible element where fiction and reality are blurred, leaving the imagination to focus on the story and characters at hand.

Speaking of chracters, there are two that I would like to specifically touch on. First whom is Willy Wonka. I know many of you are doubtful that Johnny Depp could pull off what is needed for Wonka, so let me lay your fears to rest. Depp is not Gene Wilder, nor does he attempt to play or recreate that personality in any such way. Instead, he is much more eccentric, and well, downright goofy. I found myself laughing at nearly all scenes involving Wonka, silently applauding the superb acting pulled off by Depp. The next character I wanted to detail are the Oompa Loompas. So, how does Burton decide to handle these iconic characters? Why, give the job to one man. That's right, one man, Deep Roy, singlehandedly played every single Oompa Loompa you see onscreen. To top it off, the whole thing works. Its almost creepy at sometimes, but then I came to enjoy their appearence in the musical numbers. Also, the only musical outburts in this movie are those performed by the Oompa Loompas. No more cheesy songs from Granpda Joe or Charlie's mom. For the fans of the books, know that the composer Danny Elfman, was 95% faithful to the lyrics written by Dahl and each song has its own style.

As I was watching Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, I couldn't help but feel that the movie feels so familiar, yet is so much different that the departure is within the grasp for those willing to take a risk. Certainly, the backstory on Wonka is a big risk, but I believe it pays off in order to complete the chracter and story arcs lain before us. I'll just conclude that I haven't had this much fun watching a movie, nor laughed as much, in a good while.

War of the Worlds

2007-07-19T08:32:00.001-05:00

Directed by Steven Spielberg, War of the Worlds is a stunning remake of H.G. Wells's classic that pits the entire human race against an alien army hell bent on destroying us in place of themselves. Told through the eyes of one family, Spielberg shows us fear, determination, and outright panic in many situations where they are just trying to survive. War of the Worlds is a darker tale interwoven with outstanding talent on both sides of the camera.

We start out the movie with Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) who is a simple working man, divorced, and going to spend a weekend with his children (no, I'm not talking about Katie Holmes) whom he never sees. Soon, however, a huge lightning storm brings more than just bad weather, but an unexpected invasion. Throughout the entire movie, the devistation and destruction is action packed, only stopping to breathe towards the final act. The surround sound is some of the best sound I have ever heard in a movie--it had my seat shaking, it was so powerful. Now that is how you play a summer blockbuster. Also, lets not forget Dakota Fanning. She is perhaps one of the best child actors I have ever seen. Fanning never fails to amaze me in her seemingly mature talent, being only eleven years old. (If you doubt me, check out Taken, a mini-series now on DVD). Her performance sets the bar for panic and fear in the movie. Maybe some of this credit can be given to Spielberg, known for transforming Drew Barrymore in E.T. into a loveable little girl on-screen.

Speaking of Spielberg, I am continually amazed by his technical expertise in filmmaking. There is one shot in the movie that I didn't catch the first time--it took a second viewing to catch it because of its subtle, yet powerful nature. Cruise and his family are trying to escape the invasion, making their way through the crowded interstate in a van. If you see the film, pay attention to what the camera does: it pans, rotates, goes into and out of the van with such fluditiy, I wonder "how on Earth did he do that shot!"

However, there are a couple of details that mar the performance of this otherwise good movie. First, is the lack of an overall picture. Yes, the movie is very focused and straight-lined, but I wanted to get a sense of the invasion and its ultimate result, especially at the end of the movie, which brings me to my next problem. I felt that the film could have used 10 or 15 more minutes to resolve and wrap-up the story.

So, ignoring the rather flat ending, War of the Worlds is a great movie that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good summer movie.

Batman Begins

2007-07-19T08:31:00.000-05:00

I'll just go ahead and get this out on the table right now: Batman Begins is the best comic book movie out there. It is the best Batman movie out there (although, after Batman & Robin, anything would be better). If you thought that Marvel was the king of all comic book movies, then prepare for the king to be overthrown. In one fell swoop, DC Comics has claimed its stake with what will hopefully be an endearing series of movies.

Many of you may know that Chrisopher Nolan is the widely acclaimed director of Memento. Also, many of you may know that David S. Goyer is the outstanding screenwriter for Blade. Throw these two talented men together to come up with what is easily the darkest, grittiest, and most meaningful Batman movie to grace the silver screen. Nolan decided to skip the theatrics and get to the heart of what makes Bruce Wayne the Batman. The story mostly surrounds the situations on how he became Batman and his motivations for doing so. The previous iterations never really seemed to capture this, and Batman Begins pulls this off flawlessly. Nolan also chooses to focus on the fact that everything is not perfect when he starts---the bat cave is just a dingy old cave, his ride is a tank/car, and his suit needs work. Still, it never would have worked without Christian Bale.

Christian Bale is my Bruce Wayne now. It used to be Michael Keaton ("I'm Batman...I'm Batman"), but Bale surpassed my expectations and threw his character into such a demonic and angry conotation, that I knew why Bruce Wayne wanted justice. The supporting cast is equally as impressive. Gary Oldman plays Lt. Gordon, Michael Caine is an outstanding Alfred, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, and Cillian Murphy. All very important to the story and the screenwriters make sure that we never lose focus on the world that we are immersed in.

Without knowing it, this is the Batman that I have wanted to see since 1989. I find it ironic that the title for this movie sums up what should have happened years ago. Batman Begins truly gives us a fresh start and a good foundation to build on.

Cinderella Man

2007-07-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Like most of movie-goers out there, I knew nothing of Jim Braddock's story. Even after researching him and his fights, I still didn't know enough that made me think this movie was going to be nothing more than a canned Hollywood movie. In many ways, it is a canned experience, but I loved every moment of it. And, as you may come to find out, this could very well be Ron Howard's best piece since Apollo 13.

We follow Russell Crowe who plays Jim Braddock, a successful boxer before the Great Depression hits. Once that lands on the country, he is plunged into financial trouble and his struggle is to mainly keep his family afloat. Only when his former manager, Joe Gould, gives him a chance at a comeback can Braddock begin his journey to become the "Cinderella Man". In a time when the working man could get a leg up on the world, it gave hope to those who had none. That, at its core, is the moral message to Cinderella Man. Boxing is just the vehicle Braddock uses to, no pun intended, fight his way through the hard times.

The acting is some of the best you will see this year. My vote for Best Supporting Actor goes to Paul Giamatti for portraying the outgoing, no holds barred manager Joe Gould. Everytime he was on-screen yelling at Braddock from the corner or trying to convince the boxing big-wigs, it felt real. That's when you know you've hit the mark.

In the end, most people will want to compare this among the other boxing movies out there. I say, go ahead and let them. Cinderella Man may not be a Rocky type of boxing movie, but it has heart and, so far, it definitely ranks up there among my top movies of the year.

Blockbuster Online vs. Netflix

2007-07-19T08:29:00.000-05:00

I don't know why it has taken me so long to sign up for an Internet movie rental service, but my only guess could be that I was waiting for the right time. Right time for what, I have no idea. Following, I will detail the pros and cons of the two big online movie rental programs.

----Blockbuster Online----

To begin my adventure, I decided to start with Blockbuster Online to see how different they were from Netflix. After two attempts to sign up successfully, I was online and already filling up my queue. Undaunted by the fact I wasn't able to start immediately, I put that all behind me and began to enjoy finding movies that I have wanted to see but somehow passed me by. After adding two dozen movies to my list, I continue to use their website. All the while, I notice the website is a little cluttered. There is this huge section devoted to your queue. Why this needs to be on every page you look at is beyond me, but Blockbuster felt its important, so I move on.

The next day I recieve an email telling me that movies have shipped. I can't help but be excited as I browse the selections, ignoring my work, and still add movies. Now, some of you may be saying that all of this sounds great. However, I have yet to tell you why this was the honeymoon period which led to my downfall and disgust with Blockbuster.

The entire reason I initially chose Blockbuster over Netflix was because they have an extra feature: 2 Free In-Store Rentals each month. Wow, what a deal right? Wrong. You can only use the coupons if you do not have any online rentals at home. Basically they have to recieve your online movies before you can use your coupons. They also expire.

Blockbuster is VERY slow in processing and mailing. Those movies they said were shipped on Wednesday? I got them on Saturday. We'll get to how this is a bad thing when I describe Netflix. Not only were they slow, they seemed to change the status of my queued movies. A movie I had at the top of my queue was available "now" but in the span of eight hours moved to "short wait" and then to "long wait".

After my two week trial was close to over with, I said "Forget it! I'm done with this service." That's when I decided that anything would be better than this and I was right.

----Netflix----

The second half of my adventure for the quest of The One Ring...ahem...sorry, wrong review. After my letdown with Blockbuster, I knew there was only one choice and that was Netflix. Signing up was effortless and their website was well organized, clean, and quick. So much of a drastic change, I began to wonder how Blockbuster, a giant of a corporate chain, could not afford better web designers. Nevertheless, I was pleased.

So, in order to test the waters, I began transferring my useless Blockbuster queue over to my new golden ticket. Every single movie I added was available. Like a dog unwary of his new master, I started adding more movies to attain some idea of Netflix's availability status. So far, I have not had to wait for a movie.

The shipping! Oh, the glorious shipping! After filling my queue, I was told it would be a max of three days to recieve my movies. Two days later my mailbox was full. Let me tell you, there is a huge difference between two days and four days.

Even the recommendations are more accurate than Blockbusters. Plus the fact you can add a friend and look at their rated movies or queue. The only downside to Netflix is in the rating system: there are no half stars. If that's the only bad thing I can think of, it's pretty obvious which service is better.

----Final Verdict----

In the end, I have to choose Netflix because they provide a much smoother experience. The shipping speed, website ease-of-use, and overall satisfaction leads me to give my nod to it. Sorry, Blockbuster, you can't topple this movie pioneer.

Star Wars Episodde III: Revenge of the Sith

2007-07-19T08:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, people, this is the movie that so many have been waiting for. The culmination of George Lucas' vision and the entire reason we waded through the first two prequel movies. Honestly, I don't even know where to begin.

To say that Sith is the crowning achievement in Lucas' career is a huge understatement. In many respects, it seemed as if he wanted vindication to prove his worth as a filmmaker after the average showings of the first two prequels and I believe he has silenced many of those hardened critics. Now that we have that out of the way, lets get to the question on everyone's mind: Is it good?

Yes...very good. From the moment the movie begins, it is non-stop and relentless action. Rarely does it let up to give you time to rest before you are thrown into another situation which deepens the plot even more. Speaking of the plot, it covers all bases to set up Episodes IV, V, and VI. To be sure, it brings a greater appreciation and complexity to the past movies. Several times, I sat in awe wondering if this moment could be topped, only to be silenced yet again with a greater moment. I haven't felt this way since Empire. For you Star Wars fans, you know what that means.

All of the light saber battles are spectacular and truly trump anything done before. The movie is so rich with physicality you can't help but be sucked in by its gripping darkness. Also, the movie is an emotional ride that slowly slips you into hell along with Anakin. Lucas has finally made me care about the characters with gut wrenching effectiveness. Not to mention that Hayden Christensen's acting is much better than his previous efforts, though not perfect. Natalie Portman delivers one of the best lines in the movie. Ian McDiarmid stole the show. Yoda is still cool.

I am both happy and sad. Happy that the movie was what I had hoped it would be; Sad that the saga has ended. Only Star Wars could make me go to the midnight showing to stand in a line that wraps around the building. I can't wait to see this movie again.

Kingdom of Heaven

2007-07-19T08:27:00.000-05:00

Let's forget for a moment, that Hollywood intends to be historically accurate in anything it does. If I wanted to see an historical saga, the History Channel, not LaLa Land, would be my main avenue. With that said, Kingdom of Heaven is as epic as Gladiator without all the gory battles. Going into this movie, I didn't expect it to be as thought provoking as it turned out to be. Maybe I was expecting Gladiator for the Crusades.

KOH is set in 12th century Europe and Middle East with the main focus for the Muslim and Christian struggle for Jersualem (which, oddly enough, sends an echo to the present day). If you have been following this movie at all, you will know that this has been the source of much controversy surrounding the release. Is this objectification of our current struggle against Muslim terrorists? Is it too offense to raise tensions between our cultures?
Put your fears to rest, hate mongers. Kingdom does no such thing. I found myself wanting to quote Rodney King: "why can't we all just get along?" The script plays a perfect balance, almost effortlessly, with epic battles, dialog and romantic struggles. But it seems to drag and become confusing with its many characters.

Orlando Bloom plays a young blacksmith who is recruited by his father, Liam Neeson's character, who in turn knights him and various events play out from there. The first half of the movie tends to drag on seeing as there is so much to set up. Many factions on both sides want war, while the current King settles for peace. While we are talking about characters, I must say that I didn't find Bloom to carry a strong presence. That respect goes to Liam Neeson. While his role is short-lived, I found myself constantly wishing he would somehow appear to finish the film off.

Cinematically, Ridley Scott does not disappoint. The man knows how to direct a film, that's for sure. While the movie may be a little long without a foothold to keep your attention at every span, it does present a fantastic movie experience.

The Oscars and Hollywood pat themselves on the back

2007-02-25T20:38:00.000-06:00

I find it extremely hypocritical that the actors and directors of Hollywood are patting themselves on the back for their support of promoting a better environment. I wonder how much better the environment would be if those actors didn't own 8 cars and had their own private jets.

Quarter of a Century

2006-09-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

On August 25th, I passed the quarter century mark. It was, to my surprise, my "Golden Birthday" as a co-worker pointed out. Having never heard of that, it must mean that this year will be showered with riches(i.e. Green for the Money, Gold for the honeys). My birthday lasted all weekend and it kicked ass. So, what is my reward for turning 25? Cheaper insurance and passing that threshold of asking out teenagers. Damn you, college town.

My Mom is a Guitar Hero

2006-06-21T13:55:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in the last post, my mom came to visit over the weekend. Before we were getting ready to leave, she noticed the Guitar Hero guitar sitting next to my entertainment nest and asked what it was with thriving curiosity. I told her how you played a rock star and jammed out tunes with this toy guitar, living out fantasies that burrow in everyone's dreams. Now, my mom doesn't play video games; she never has. To see her excited about playing one was thrilling and I couldn't wait to get back home and endure the trials once again.

She managed "I Love Rock & Roll" (a beginner's requirement) with surprising depth and aptitude. I guess it is an attribute of a musician that you can even pick up a virtual tool and disseminate your abilities across the realm of 1s and 0s.

Forget something?

2006-06-20T08:32:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday, my mom decided to come and visit me before heading off to stay with my grandparents. We were just out running a couple of errands when mom realized she needed to stop by the ATM to get some cash. As we were pulling up, this guy in front of us drives away done with his transaction (or so we thought). At the ATM we see the "Would you like another transaction?" screen and realize this guy completely ran off without his card. We tried to get his attention, but what can you do in a situation like that?

We decided to take his card so no one else would get it. I called directory assistance, but they were no help.

What would you do in that situation? Daddy needs a new TV!

Boys of Summer

2006-06-04T10:54:00.000-05:00

Inspiration struck me yesterday in the need to actually clean my car. Since moving down to Tuscaloosa, I haven't been able to fully clean my car like I used to (partly due to the fact that I hate washing my car in the designated zone of clean automobiles where I live). Heading over to Jason's house, I decided to grab my polish and wax as well. As I was washing, polishing, and waxing my car, Jason decided to clean out his garage. Several hours later we were done with both.

Sitting around the kitchen, drinking victory beers, the topic of new games came up and I suggested Guitar Hero, ignoring the fact that I don't even own a PS2. After an interesting trip to Wal-Mart to buy food, we grab Guitar Hero. This game is great. Even though it throws everything I know about playing guitar out the window, we still could not stop playing this until sometime after 1:00 am.

Now we just have to get another guitar to rock the duel.

Pictures of You

2006-05-03T14:02:00.000-05:00

After a day and a half of trying to get this program to work, I have finally accomplished what seemed the impossible. To begin with, I had to setup a Flickr account. After that, I had to suck down every detail on their website in order to come to the conculsion that "support" was only a tiny breeze of a word thrown out there to be lost among the clutter. What's the point of going to a Wiki if no information is on there? I know it's in Beta, but come on guys!

The steps to get this working:

Set up Flickr account and add pictures

Get a Flicker API code

Download Flapi

Use Flickr's RSS feed to figure out your USER ID and whatever SET ID you want to show up first

Insert these into the config.xml file

Now, if you are hosting this on your own server, then you're cool. Just add the HTML object code for the Flash file and you're up and running. However, if you are, like me, hosted on Blogger, the story is a little trickier. You need to edit the FLA source file Action script to use an absolute reference to your XML file.

This is easy assuming you have Flash 8. I had MX 2004 and had to download the trial in order to fix this. If you want the MX 2004 version, I can send that on your way. You WILL need this action script to compile the movie.

Want to know why you have to use an absolute reference in the AS? Because a new security feature in Flash 7 disallows cross browser data access. There are other workarounds, but they are all under the assumption you have access to the necessary server (which we don't have under Blogspot).

Anyways, check out my initial offering.

Reviews are up

2006-04-21T15:05:00.000-05:00

After finally getting around to messing with the site again, I have finished uploading up my past movie reviews. When I get the time I have a couple more movies that I wanted to write reviews for, but haven't gathered the energy. Check them out using the navigation bar at the top of the page.

Arriving soon

2006-03-17T15:39:00.000-06:00

After finally arriving at a conclusive state on this site, I think I am finally ready to throw it out there. Blogger is not my first choice for this, but it is free and allows me at least some variations of control. When I feel that I have the time and energy to pursue a greater means and production value, I'll be expanding my horizons, so to speak.

At the moment, I have taken liberty to post most of my movie reviews on the site. I have more, but they aren't worth reading. Also, I'm trying to find the most viable option for posting my pictures, so that section is a hazard zone and you have been forewarned.