Summer Movies 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.