Fitness Training

Meanwhile back at the gym...

time: one hour
workout: legs, back, abs and squats.

Civility can be Worth the Effort

Recently there has been much chatter about the good manners and the respect one should share with both the opposition and the home team. My posts sometimes have a snarky (blogger dictionary does not recognize the word) quality despite the fact I genuinely wish to keep to an "accentuate the positive" and "eliminate the negative" frame of mind.

Some that criticize the public for becoming too snarky or angry do not recommend an antidote for the ailment. The same critics are also known for being snarky when they speak of the irascible behavior of public figures or the public at large. Others blame the Internet and blogs for creating a culture of disrespect. Posts in a flash deliver knife wielding, hurtful words with a quick click that is preceded by an accurate spell check, of course.

I don't have a solution either. An idea I do have. Positive actions and work is the ideal way to keep from being reduced to a rude blob by cable news and inhuman capitalists. A careful plan for action may include the following: be a careful listener, offer a thoughtful critique, act without rabid zeal if the other party chooses to dis you. Humor is also a good remedy and it does not have to be snarky to make a powerful point. Now, let's see if I can follow these suggestions and make things a bit more warm and fuzzy. Johnny Mercer also suggested "latch on to the affirmative."

I was not 100% certain of the definition of the words bellow. Enjoy recalling the days when one had to look up definitions in a big red bound book.

Merriam- Webster

Snarky / Pronunciation: \ˈsnär-kē\
Function: adjective
Etymology: dialect snark to annoy, perhaps alteration of nark to irritate
Date: 1906
1 : crotchety, snappish
2 : sarcastic, impertinent, or irreverent in tone or manner

Irascible / Pronunciation: \i-ˈra-sə-bəl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle French, from Late Latin irascibilis, from Latin irasci to become angry, be angry, from ira
Date: circa 1530
: marked by hot temper and easily provoked anger

Keeping My Fitness Routine Honest

Today, I decided that my best intention to keep a paper journal of my exercise and fitness progress had failed. The journal is in my gym bag and I simply do not use it to record the days I go to the gym or the activities that I do to maintain my fitness level. Lately I have realized that I have to increase my frequency of working out. I eat well but my weakness for sweats definitely requires an activity to counter any unsightly gains from the indulgence of baked goods and sugar. The format of these posts relating to my fitness goals may change or be incomprehensible to those not privy to the organized chaos swirling around in my own head. But I must start with something and let my pride or disappointment be on display to keep me focused on the goal of bodily maintenance and improvements. A public record may motivate me to do better than my current best.

We don't get a spare body but can develop a spare tire if not careful by remaining too sedentary.
Sometimes it is best to keep phrases such as the above out of sight by quickly banishing such talk from one's mind.

Today's Workout
BU Gym
Arms, shoulders, chest, abs, squats.
Activity time: one hour

Bye Bye Martha Stewart Blog

I have officially removed Martha's blog from the list of ones that I follow. Perhaps, soon I will recover my interest and visit her again. It is very obvious that her blog is increasingly used only as a tool to increase time on her site to generate advertising dollars. There is noting wrong with Martha trying to rake in the bucks but I have drawn a line in the sand. Originally, the blog featured thumbnail previews of the photos and one could look at them all at once as a gallery and enlarge the ones they choose. The blog, now, requires that you click through each photo without the option of a gallery view. Today's post featured 64 photos. I'm not making the time to click through 64 photos to see what her private helicopter ride was like over the lavender fields of France. Had I not skipped breakfast this morning I would have been asking for an air sickness bag just to survive the pretentiousness of a post like this.

PS: Forget about posting a comment that offers a suggestion or a slight critique of her exploits. The only ones that will post are the ones that unequivocally offer support and undying love. My post regarding the change in photo options did not make it past the moderator. But my post were I used the word "wonderful" five times to describe Martha did. Martha's blog is her castle and she appears to be the Queen of Hearts type. "Off with their posts." Indeed!

Urban Scarecrow Called Jack

I created this gourd-headed scarecrow a few years back in my urban Cambridge postage-stamp sized yard. The Scarecrow is based on a modified version featured a few years ago in MS Living as the Frightfully Fun Scarecrow. They suggested using a Funkin instead of a real pumpkin for the head. They look more realistic that faux pumpkins sold at Michael's craft stores and are easier to carve since they are made of a firm foam. The molds are taken directly from real pumpkins and are not perfectly round. Some years they are more realistically painted than other years. I bought one that was way to neon orange to be perceived as a real pumpkin. A. C. More, Jo-Ann Stores are a couple of chain stores you can find a selection of them available. Funkins are not indestructible but will last year after year when stored with care.

Jack wears a vintage L.L. Bean plaid shirt. Excessive rains caused the shirt to do the opposite of shrink. The weight of the wet hay caused him to "fill out" even more. I also choose a classic expression that would not be perceived as trendy. I wanted Jack to last as many spooky seasons as possible. His head and shirt were reused several times but hay was bought new each year.

Wal-Mart Moves to Crush Competition

Walmart\'s Latest Move to Crush the Competition

They smell bleeding prey on the retail Sahara and they are closing in for the kill once again. Article suggests they are going after K Mart, Toys R Us and Rite Aid. The company rapildly changed shopping in the 1980s and 1990s. Is it their turn again?

Summer Movie Season Ends

Up is number one summer movie on my list.

The noisy summer movie season had a good run this year. I ended up seeing nine of the big popcorn releases. After recalling what I viewed, I found I did not venture even close to an independent film release this summer. Of the films I rank, the first six I received the entertainment I was expecting or more. Seven through nine represent slight or major disappointments. Public Enemies and Angels & Demons should have been much better since both films were helmed by an excellent director and stared an excellent cast.

The movie musical lacked representation this summer in theaters. For the previous two summers (2008, 2007), the genre was represented by an energetic release from a major studio. Last year's Mama Mia and the previous year's Hair Spray provided ample tunes to fill a summer's worth of dance cards.

Obviously, I am not the targeted audience for either District 9 or Inglorious Bastards. The previews presented before the films rolled were full of relentless violence or grossness for grossness sake. Quick flashing, quick cutting and excessively loud trailers warn me to proceed with caution. Entertainment should be more than just mind numbing escapism. One should be able to escape and still have a thought left worth sharing.

Pixar proves again that some of the best writing being done in Hollywood now is for animated 3D characters and not traditional flesh and blood actors.

1. Up

2. District 9

3. Inglorious Bastards

4. Julie & Julia

5. Star Trek

6. The Proposal

7. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

8. Public Enemies

9. Angels & Demons