Workout Update: P90X Day 43

Day 43 enters the last week of Phase 2, which means the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps workout again. No big changes from last week's workout. I increased the amount of weight I used for a couple of exercises during the workout, but for the most part, they stayed the same as last week. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 42

On day 42, I got a lot of exercise. In the afternoon, I had to shovel my driveway after we got a nice dumping of spring snow. Then, in the evening, I did yoga (which I had substituted earlier in the week) and ab-ripper. Basically, I stopped once I got to the core exercises in the yoga workout and then did ab-ripper since I generally like those exercises more.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 41

I used day 41 as the off day this week. I had a party at my house, so, since I knew I was not going to be eating all that well, I just took the day off (but I did get in a session of ab-ripper in the evening.

Workout Update: P90X Day 40

Day 40 was the Legs and Back workout. The most progress I have made was on the Bulgarian Squats. My balance was better, and I could go a bit deeper on them. All of the rest of the exercises were pretty much the same. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 39

On day 39, I switched Yoga for the Kenpo workout. It went fine, really no better or worse than the last time I did it. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 38

Day 38 was the second round of the Back and Biceps workout. I again was able to increase the amount of weight I was using for a couple of the exercises. I had the same pull-up numbers from last week, probably because I was still not feeling great. I still cannot do corn-cob pull-ups for shit, but I can do a handful of the rest of them. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 37

Day 37 was plyo again. I was not feeling great and got a late start, so I ended the workout once I did the five main blocks and skipped the "sports bonus" portion. It was slow starting, but once I was warmed up, I made it through fine.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 36

Day 36 was the second round of Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. Overall, the workout went well. I was able to increase the number of reps on some of the push-up exercises and the amount of weight I used for a couple of the exercises.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 35

Day 35 was the rest day, so I just did ab-ripper (since I did not do it on Friday after the Legs and Back workout). I am still doing 15 reps of all of the exercises except Mason Twists. I will probably bump it up to 20 reps soon (maybe next week, maybe the week after).  

Workout Update: P90X Day 34

Day 34 was Kenpo X. I am getting better at it, both in terms of my cardio stamina and speed. I still skip that beginning stretching (which really should be the cool down) and use the twist and pivot and punching sequences as a warm up. That knocks about 11 minutes off the total time of the workout which makes it more palatable.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 33

Day 33 was Legs and Back. I did find that it was a bit harder after the off week than it was in the last week of Phase I (especially the pull-ups), but I was able to get through it.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 32

Day 32 was Yoga. As with the past few times I have done the yoga routine, I focused on improving the parts that I can do well or semi-well, and altering the parts that I currently struggle with. Basically, I want to get stronger and more flexible and then work in the things (like the end of the moving asanas) that give me trouble.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 31

Day 31 was the first back and biceps workout in Phase 2 of P90X. It is the second "new" workout after the first month. Like the Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps workout, this one incorporates many of the exercises from Phase 1's Chest and Back and Shoulders and Arms workouts. And, it adds a couple of new exercises into the mix. It has two blocks of work with a one-minute rest between them. You alternate two back exercises (one that is a version of a pull-up and one that uses weights) followed by two biceps exercises. The workout ends with a strip set of bicep curls, where you do 8 reps with the heaviest weight you can use, then drop the weight (5 lbs or more), do eight reps with the lighter weight, and repeat that two more times. So, it is a challenging workout and it does get tiring toward the end, especially once you get to the point where you can do more pull-ups at the beginning.

Workout Update: P90X Day 30

Day 30 was plyo. Interestingly, I felt that I had a bit less stamina since I had not done this one for a week. Core synergistics and kenpo are the only "up-tempo" workouts that you do during the recovery weeks, but neither of them is as effective cardio-wise as plyo. But, ultimately, I go through it.  

CD/Music Review: Ashanti: Chapter II

 

Chapter II is the 2003 sophomore album by Ashanti. It features 20 tracks total, but some are very short skits or interludes that run around a minute or less, give or take (similar to those on her first album). The album features three singles, the most successful of which is "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)," which peaked at number 2 on the US Top 100. Like her first album, this one mixes R&B, rap, funk, hip-hop, soul, and pop and includes more upbeat dance tracks and ballads. The CD liner unfolds into a poster of Ashanti on one side, and pictures, lyrics, production notes, and a thank-you message on the other. Ultimately, the album has a very similar style and sound to her debut album, which some may like and some may feel is too much of a carbon copy of her first album. Personally, I liked her first album a bit more than this one, but ultimately, if you enjoyed her debut album, you will probably like this one. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 29

Day 29 was the first workout of Phase 2 of P90X, which meant doing the first of two new workouts, Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps. Several of the exercises are carried over from the Chest and Back and Shoulders and Arms workouts in Phase 1, but this one also includes a few new ones.  It also includes new cast members, one of whom does modified versions of the exercises. Overall, it went well.

Workout Update: P90X Day 28

Day 28 was the last day of recovery week, which I just used as a rest day. I do feel refreshed going into Phase 2 and the two new lifting workouts. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 27

Day 27 was the sixth day of recovery week, which meant yoga again. I just did the "main" part of it (up to the ab exercises) and skipped the end, which I will probably do going forward. There was no big change from when I did it earlier in the week.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 26

Day 26 was the fifth day of the recovery week, which meant doing core synergistics again. It really went exactly the same as Tuesday. I could do the same amount of reps and had to modify or skip the same exercises I did then. 

Workout Update: P90X Day 25

Day 25 was the fourth day of recovery week, which was x-stretch. As much as I hate the yoga routine, I love this. It is the perfect length (just under an hour), and it does not have a ton of overly advanced moves. Had this been included in Power 90, it would have been perfect to get people ready for the P90X yoga routine. 

4K-UHD/Movie Review: Dogma

 

Dogma is the 1999 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It was the fourth film in what is known as the View Askewinverse, which is the series of comedies written and directed by Smith, which at the time, included the films Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy. It stars Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Alan Rickman, and Chris Rock, as well as Smith and Jason Mewes as the characters Jay and Silent Bob. George Carlin and Alanis Morissette also have what amounts to extended cameos. Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson (who were the leads in Clerks) made cameo appearances, and Janeane Garofalo and Bud Cort have small roles. In the film, Affleck and Damon play fallen angels named Bartleby and Loki, who attempt to exploit a loophole in their banishment to Earth and re-enter Heaven, which, if successful, will wipe out everything in existence. Fiorentino plays Bethany, a counselor at an abortion clinic who is undergoing a crisis of faith and is recruited by the angel Metatron (played by Rickman) to stop them. She is aided by Jay and Silent Bob, as well as Rock's character Rufus, and Hayek's character Serendipity, while Lee's character, the demon Azrael, tries to stop her. 

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray disc. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is very good. It is definitely an upgrade over the initial DVD release, and a good, but not outstanding upgrade over the blu-ray (which had been out of print for many years). The UHD disc includes the two original commentary tracks, one with Smith, Affleck, Lee, Mewes, producer Scott Moser, and Vincent Pereira, which focuses on the movie itself, and the second is a technical commentary track with Smith, Moser, and Pereira in which they discuss more of the details about filming and getting the movie made. New features include a short introduction by Smith for the 4k release that plays after the disc loads, a new making-of documentary that runs almost an hour and a half that features updated interviews, a portion of a Q&A session with Smith after a screening of the film, an interview with Smith that runs about 15 minutes, the original trailer and a 25th anniversary trailer, and a few shorter featurettes. 

The standard blu-ray contains the films and both commentary tracks (although the track with Smith and the cast includes video pop-ups that are not in the version on the UHD disc), the intro by Smith, and all the legacy content carried over from the original release. Those include about an hour and a half of deleted and extended scenes, a 40-minute documentary focusing on the very stupid controversy surrounding the film when it was made, some storyboard sequences, more trailers and TV spots, among other things. As with the original release, most references to Miramax and Harvey Weinstein are censored from the extras (with only a couple of exceptions).

The film is good, but it will definitely not appeal to everyone. First and foremost, it is a crude comedy with crude humor (as is the case with most of Smith's movies). It happens to involve religion, unlike what some think, it does not make fun of religion or faith in general. It is a comedy that is set around religious concepts, some controversial and some not. Smith, who was a practicing Catholic for years, wanted to make a comedy that explored the religious dogma he learned growing up. He does poke fun at the Catholic Church, but not the concept of faith in general. Ultimately, if you do not mind crude humor and swearing, it is a good movie that actually teaches some aspects of Christianity and Catholicism, which some people may not otherwise know. If you can accept that, the movie is absolutely worth watching. 

Book Review: Star Wars: Trials of the Jedi

 

Trials of the Jedi, published in 2025 and written by Charles Soule, is the conclusion to the High Republic era storyline involving the Jedi and the Republic's fight against the Nihil. Obviously, we know that Marchion Ro would have to be defeated for the Skywalker era to occur, but this details how he was taken down and finally reveals the full history of the Nameless creatures and how they are tied to the mysterious blight that has been devouring planets. It also (at least potentially) sets up how the Sith line that went through Palpatine may have started. Since the events in the book are set approximately 130 years before The Phantom Menace, there would have been time for a potential Sith reveal toward the end of the book to make sense. 

The hardcover version of the book is just over 420 pages long. It was a fairly quick read, but not as fast as some of the other High Republic novels, mainly because the storyline shifts between several different settings. Most of the story is set on the Namless' homeworld, Planet X, but parts of it are set on the planet Eridau, on Coruscant (both in the Jedi Temple and the Senate building), and on a world being consumed by the blight. Ultimately, it is a good conclusion to the bulk of the High Republic story (the Acolyte era is considered the end of the High Republic, and there have already been a couple of novels set during that time). The storyline in the novel starts out a bit slow, but picks up well in the last third of the book. If you have enjoyed the prior novels set during the High Republic era, this one is absolutely worth reading.

CD/Music Review: Ashanti: Self-Titled Debut Album

 

This is Ashanti's self-titled debut album, released in 2002. Ashanti had been writing for other artists, penning hooks for various rap and hip-hop artists. The album contains 17 tracks, some of which are very short "skits" or interludes that last around a minute or less. The tracks are mostly dance/hip-hop, fused with a bit of pop or ballads. The three hit singles from the album are "Foolish" (which spent several weeks at the top of the US charts), "Happy" (which reached the top 10), and "Baby" (which peaked at number 15). Some tracks are collaborations with Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, and one a remix of Foolish, titled "Unfoolish" features The Notorious B.I.G., using a sample of one of his tracks. The album's total run time is just over an hour.

The CD liner includes several pictures of Ashanti, a track listing with production notes, a separate track listing with lyrics for each track, and a thank-you note. Ultimately, if you are a fan of late '90s/early 2000s R&B and hip-hop, you will probably like this album. While there is some rap on it, it is mostly an R&B album that showcases Ashanti's wonderful vocal talent and singing. Some of the tracks, especially the skits, have swearing in them, so you probably want to avoid playing some of the tracks around young kids. It is absolutely worth listening to, with several tracks worthy of inclusion on one or more playlists.

Workout Update: P90X Day 24

Day 24 was the third day of recovery week, which meant doing Kenpo X. It went well. I noticed I could keep up with the cast more easily this time than in the prior few weeks. I skipped the useless stretching at the beginning and used the punching sequence as a dynamic warm-up. 

CD/Music Review: Anastacia: Freak of Nature

 

Freak of Nature, released in 2001, is the second studio album by Anastacia. Like her first album, this one blends sounds from different genres, blending funk, soul, pop, and R&B. The album consists of 13 tracks totaling just over 50 minutes. Most of the tracks are upbeat dance numbers, but on this album, she also includes more ballads. It was a good follow-up to her debut album, but it was not the same jump in quality that, for example, Adele had from her debut album, 19, to her second album, 21. 

The CD liner contains pictures, track listings (with production notes but no lyrics), and a thank-you message at the end. Ultimately, I would describe the album as good, but not great. I think part of the issue that Anastacia faced was that she came along at a time when the pop charts were dominated by people in their early 20s (Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera), and she (despite looking much younger than her age) was in her mid-30s so putting out songs trying to compete with the "pop princesses" just did not work. I think the album would have been a bigger success if she had stuck with material geared toward the age group beyond the clubbing scene. That said, it is still worth checking out if you liked her first album.