Book Review: Never Flinch

 

Never Flinch, published in 2025, is a novel by Stephen King, set in Ohio, featuring the character of Holly Gibney. This is one of King's crime dramas/thrillers, rather than one of the supernatural horror stories he is known for. There are two storylines in this novel that mostly remain parallel until the end, when they intersect. In the first, Holly Gibney, the private investigator first introduced in the book Mr. Mercedes, is assisting a detective who is investigating a killer who threatens to kill 14 people, 13 innocents and one guilty, after an innocent man who was tried and convicted for a murder he did not commit is killed in prison. In the second, Gibney is hired to act as a bodyguard for a celebrity women's rights activist who is being stalked during a speaking tour.

The hardcover version of the book is a little over 430 pages. It reads pretty quickly, much like King's more recent novels, Holly, Fairy Tale, and Billy Summers. While the two storylines are mostly separate, King does a great job alternating between the two of them, so it is easy to keep track of what is going on in each one. While King does insert his political and social opinions into the book, I did not find it all that preachy (although people who disagree with his viewpoints probably will). As with many of King's books, there are a couple of twists in each storyline that are revealed over the course of the book. Ultimately, it is an entertaining book that is absolutely worth reading, especially if you are a fan of King's more "reality-based" novels or crime thrillers in general.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 14

On day 14, I did the lower-body recovery routine from Lift More. I absolutely had some knots in my legs, so the foam rolling helped a lot. I also found that I had more flexibility and mobility this week than I did last week. So, my flexibility is getting better.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 13

Day 13 was a rest day for Lift More, so I did the stretching routine from Lift 4. I was not able to get to it until later in the day, so I did not do either of the longer Lift More recovery routines.  

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 12

Day 12 was the end of week 2. It was shoulders again, but this time it used the Lift/HIIT format. There are four blocks of lifting, alternating two exercises and then three rounds of HIIT alternating two exercises. Most of the weighted exercises are the same as last week, but you do swap out one of the exercises to do trap openers (the shoulder flys from Lift 4). And, of course, you finish with cardio and stretching. This is another challenging one. You get a bit more rest than in yesterday's workout, but that is not saying much since there was almost no rest in that one. So there is little to no rest in this one. But, it is a good way to end the week.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 11

Day 11 was the hamstrings and glutes workout. You do all the same exercises as in week 1, but the order of the exercises differs, and it follows the quad-set circuit format. Then there is a burnout block using power loops at the end (and of course the core and stretching cooldown to finish).  This is a very challenging workout, both because you do four exercises back-to-back and because there is no rest throughout the workout, and even the transitions between exercises (if you can call them that) are extremely short. Basically, there is no rest except for a short one between the two blocks of weighted exercises. Both core exercises are performed lying on the bench, so that is kind of a break, but that is it. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 10

Day 10 was the Back and Triceps workout, and is a Lift/HIIT combination. It includes a couple of new exercises not in the first week's version of the workout, but most are the same. It is set up with four blocks, each with three sets of 12 reps per exercise. Blocks one and three are the back blocks, and blocks two and four are the triceps blocks. The HIIT portion is tough, as you do plank and jumping-jack variations, then you get more planks in the core component.  So, it is not easy, but it feels good to get through it.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 9

Day 9 was the week 2 version of Quads and Calves. This one is a circuit workout, doing two blocks of quad sets and then a burnout round consisting of three sets of two exercises. This workout includes bench step-ups. The ceiling in my basement is too low to step onto my bench, but I do have one of those aerobic step platforms that I placed on a one-inch-thick mat, and that got the job done. In each block, you do two quad exercises followed by two calf exercises. In the burnout block, you need the resistance loops (the fabric kind used in the 645 program, for those who have done it). If you have the rubber resistance bands, you could use those as well. And, of course, you finish with core and stretching.

The workout was good. I was able to use the same weight for the quad exercises that I used last week, and bumped up the amount of weight I used for the calf exercises by  5 lbs. Doing quad sets is more difficult than supersets, but in this one, not having the HIIT portion is nice.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 8

Day 8 was the start of week 2, so it is chest and triceps again. However, the format is different (this is a Lift-HIIT workout) and the exercise switch up a bit. Some of the exercises are carried over from week 1, but others are swapped out. Even though you are doing super-sets with two moves in each block, they are difficult and you will almost certainly have to drop set in the second and third sets of blocks 2 and/or 3. Both cast members (and Joel) dropped weight in the later sets. The HIIT portion is hard, but not impossible, and then you finish with core and stretching. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 7

On day 7, I did the lower-body recovery routine. Like the upper-body routine, this one is a mix of stretching and foam rolling. Most of what you do in the routine will be familiar if you have done Lift 4 or 25-Minute Speed train. Some of the foam rolling exercises are a bit different than what was in the roll and recover routine in Lift 4, but they add to the foam rolling quite well.  

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 6

Day 6 was the first of two back-to-back rest days in Lift More. So, I tried the upper-body recovery routine, which is a mix of stretching and foam rolling. Even though it primarily stretches or foam rolls the muscles of your upper body, you do some hip stretching in this routine as well as your back, shoulders, and arms. It was a much-needed recovery routine.

DVD/TV Series Review: Frasier: Season 1

 

The 24-episode first season of Frasier aired during the 1993/1994 TV season. It stars Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce, John Mahoney, and Peri Gilpin. It is the second (and most successful) series directly spun off from the long-running sitcom, Cheers. The first series, the Tortellis, was a short-lived spin-off in 1987 set around the characters of Carla's ex-husband Nick and his new wife Loretta (both of whom made several recurring appearances on Cheers). That one bombed and was canceled after a handful of episodes. The series Wings, which was not a direct spin-off of Cheers, but existed in the same universe as several characters from Cheers, made guest appearances. 

Frasier, of course, is set around the character of Frasier Crane, who was originally a secondary recurring character on Cheers and eventually became a series regular, but was still one of the secondary characters. In the pilot, we learn that Frasier's attempted reconciliation with Lilith did not work out, so he moved back to his hometown of Seattle and began hosting a call-in radio show. Gilpin plays Roz, the producer of his show; Pierce plays his brother, Niles, who is an even more nerdy and stuck-up version of Frasier (and also a psychiatrist) and who is married to a woman named Maris, who we never actually see, but hear crazy stories about; Mahoney plays Frasier's dad, Martin, a retired police officer who  (along with his dog Eddie) has to move in with Fraiser after becoming disabled when he is shot in the hip; Leaves plays Daphnie Moon, Martin's live-in caregiver and the object of Niles' obsession. 

The DVD set is a four-disc set. The bonus features include a commentary track on the pilot episode by two of the series creators, Peter Casey and David Lee, a behind-the-scenes featurette featuring cast interviews (filmed near the end of the series' run), a tour of Frasier's apartment, and clips of some of the various celebrity voices who called the radio show. In season one, they included Linda Hamilton, Christopher Reeeve, Joe Mantegna, Jeff Daniels, Eddie Van Halen, Bruno Kirby, Carl Reiner, Jay Leno, Ben Stiller, Mel Brooks, Eric Stoltz, Rosemary Clooney, Henry Mancini, Elijah Wood, Malcolm McDowell, Reba McEntire, Christine Lahti, Tommy Hillfiger, Mary Tyler, Moore, and Piper Laurie.  

The show is set up as a procedural, story-of-the-week sitcom. It has a much different look and feel from Cheers, and the character of Frasier is a bit different than how he was portrayed on Cheers. The writers do a good job separating the show from the parent series, but they do call back to events that happened on Cheers. Bebe Neuwirth is the only character from Cheers to appear during season 1, in a hilarious episode in which she returns to try to get back together with Frasier. It is well-written and very well acted. The writers were not concerned with strict continuity with Cheers. On Cheers, Frasier was portrayed as an only child and stated that his father had passed away. And, Mahoney and Gilpin both appeared in the later seasons of Cheers as entirely different characters. Of course, this is nothing new for TV series (especially sitcoms), as the same actors are often cast in different roles. Grammer, as crazy as he has become in real life (especially when it comes to politics), is excellent as Frasier and picks the role back up with ease. Mahoney and Gilpin do a wonderful job with their respective characters, and Pierce and Leeves compete for stealing every scene they are in. Ultimately, while it is a much different series than Cheers, if you enjoyed Cheers, especially the later years, you will probably like Frasier.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 5

Day 5 of Lift More is a shoulder circuit workout consisting of two quad blocks of quad sets and three burnout sets. Some of the moves are familiar if you did Lift 4, and some are new. You will very likely have to use much lighter weights for most of the exercises than you are used to because you are doing quad sets, 12 reps in each set, and performing a lot of longer-lever exercises. I had to drop-set many of the exercises because by the second and third sets, I could not use the weight that I started out with. The burnout block is tough. There are only two exercises in the burnout block, but because you do both exercises for 45 seconds and only get 15 seconds between them, it is hard to get through. Then, of course, you finish with core and stretching. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 4

Day 4 was another leg workout, this time focused on glutes and hamstrings. It is a Lift and HIIT combo workout and follows the same format as the workout two days ago. There are four blocks of weighted exercises, with two exercises in each block. Then, there are three hit sets in which you alternate two exercises for 45 seconds with 15 seconds between them. Finally, you finish with core and a stretching cooldown. 

I really like having the second leg day in the program. Legs are a big muscle group, so you get a big calorie burn twice a week. Tomorrow is shoulders, so that will be intersting doing twelve reps of all the shoulder exercises.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 3

Day 3 of Lift More, instead of being an off day like in Lift 4, is another circuit workout. This time, working back and triceps. The format is the same as day 1. You do two blocks of work, each with three sets. In each block, you do two back exercises followed by two triceps exercises, performing 12 reps of each exercise. The rest time is again minimal. You get just enough time between exercises to transition from one to the other. Then, you get 15 seconds between sets and a minute between blocks. After the two blocks, you have a burnout block in which you do three sets of superman pulldowns followed by triceps dips. Then you finish with a brutal core component and stretching to cool down. So, it is another tough workout. 

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 2

Day 2 of Lift More is a leg workout. This one specifically works your quads and calves. It is also a HIIT workout, similar to the 50/50 workouts from Lift 4. In this one, you do four blocks of weighted exercises, followed by three rounds of HIIT. In blocks 1 and 3, you do quad-specific exercises, and in blocks 2 and 4, you do calf exercises. Then, in the HIIT portion, you alternate two exercises, performing each for 45 seconds. As with yesterday's workout, you get 15 seconds between exercises, 30 seconds between sets, and one minute between blocks. In the HIIT portion, you get 15 seconds between exercises and 30 seconds between sets. Then there is a core component alternating between two exercises, each for 45 seconds. Finally, you finish with stretching to cool down. It is a tough workout. It is also longer, coming in at 45 minutes. But it is effective.

Workout Update: Lift More: Day 1

Lift More is the follow-up program to Joel Freeman's program Lift 4. This one was filmed during the pandemic, so it is set up like some of the other workouts filmed at that time, with a small cast (just two people working out with Joel) and a video wall showing people working out at home.

This workout does require a sturdy weight bench and a selection of dumbbells. The day 1 workout is called Lift Chest and Biceps. It is much like the circuit-style workouts in Lift 4. It has two blocks of quad sets, each consisting of two chest exercises followed by two biceps exercises. The difference is that in this workout, you do three sets of 12 reps instead of three sets of 10 reps. Then you have a burnout block in which you alternate push-ups using the bench with biceps curls. The difference between this program and Lift 4 is that, instead of doing each burnout exercise for 30 seconds, you do them for 45 seconds. Then, you finish with core (alternating two exercises for 45 seconds) and a stretching cooldown. 

As in Lift 4, there is very little rest between sets or blocks. You basically get enough time to transition between exercises, and that's it. It is very challenging, but if you are used to doing Lift 4, it is not all that new, just a little different.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 56

Day 56 was the final day of Lift 4. It was another rest day, so I did the first flexibility and mobility routine from 25-Minute Speed Train. I feel like I made a bit more progress from when I did it last week. I finally got down under 200 lbs in this round of Lift 4. Hopefully, I can get down to about 190 during the 8 weeks of Lift More, which will be the perfect weight to start P90X again. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 55

Day 55 was a rest day, so I did Lift 4's stretching routine. There was nothing major to say about this one. It was about the same as when I did it on Wednesday.

Book Review: Dead Fall (Scot Harvath Series #22)

 

Dead Fall, published in 2023, is the 22nd book in the series of action-adventure/spy novels by Brad Thor set around the character of Scot Harvath. As in many of his prior novels in the series, Thor blends real-world and fictional elements into the storyline. The bulk of the story in this book is set in Ukraine and involves its ongoing war with Russia. In it, Harvath is sent to Ukraine to track down a group of mercenaries who have been ravaging the towns and villages, including killing American aid workers. He is tasked with saving a kidnapped aid worker and taking out the group of mercenaries with little to no help or backup.

The hardcover version of the book is just over 330 pages. It has a similar style and tone as the other novels in the series, so if you have read any of the others, it will read as fast or as slow as those. While the Ukraine storyline is the main one, Thor includes some ancillary storylines that may or may not extend into subsequent novels (including adding more political elements than he has in the past) and introduces some new characters. Ultimately, if you enjoy action-thrillers, spy novels, and/or the other books in the series, you will probably like or love this one. It has a good balance of action and suspense and is absolutely worth reading. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 54

Day 54 was the final regular workout of Lift 4, which was Full Body HIIT. It used the same format as last week; three blocks each with two exercises, one focused on the lower body and one focused on the upper body. In block 1, you do the exercises for 60 seconds; in block 2, for 45 seconds; and in block 3, for 30 seconds. In each block, the rest time between exercises reduces (from 20 seconds in the first block down to 10 seconds in the third block), and there is only 30 seconds of rest between blocks. So, for all intents and purposes, you are constantly moving the entire workout. Then, you have a burnout block doing all six exercises for 30 seconds with no rest between them. And, of course, you finish with core and stretching. This was another tough workout, but I got through it, and I modified less than I did last week. I am going to do the recovery routines for the next two days and then begin Lift More next week.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 53

Day 53 was the final weight workout of Lift 4: shoulders and arms circuit. It was tough, but I reduced the amount of weight I tried using last week by a couple of pounds for each exercise, and I was able to get through it without drop setting. And, on the final set of swimmers, I could actually go up a couple of pounds. So, it was a good workout.

Product Review: Amazon Basics Gel Odor Eliminator (Lavendar)

 

This is a very pleasant-smelling odor-eliminating gel. I have it in my kitchen, which is also open to my living room, and it keeps both rooms smelling nice without being overpowering. If you have it in a smaller space, such as in a locker or a closet, the smell will definitely be more potent. Ultimately, it is worth the price and lasts longer than many other air-freshening products.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 52

Day 52 was the mid-week off day, so I just did the roll-and-recover routine. I had a bunch of knots in my legs, so this one was really helpful. 

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 51

Day 51 was legs again, and it was brutal again. Not so much because of the lift portion, but the HIIT after the lift, even though all of the HIIT exercises were 30 seconds long, it was tough. Mainly because it included triple bear and catchers' jumps. I could do some unmodified, but was definitely modifying in sets two and three. 

Product Review: KURUI 60Pcs Double Headed Nails

 

This is a 60-piece set of double-headed nails for hanging small frames. They are perfect for hanging small wall art, such as something you would hang in a bathroom or going up a staircase. Basically, they are strong enough that two of them will safely support a frame that is around 8.5"x11" or smaller. They are not strong enough to hold a larger frame like 28x40, 30x40, or the like. They just leave a regular nail hole in the wall, which is perfect if you do not want to damage your walls or have to patch large holes. Ultimately, they are a good value and work well as long as you don't overload them.

Workout Update: Lift 4: Day 50

Day 50 was the start of week 8 (the final week) of Lift 4. It was again the chest and back circuit workout. This week, I dropped the weight I used for the exercises by a couple of pounds, and that helped a lot. It was still a struggle, but I did not have to drop-set any of the exercises (although I had to take a couple of mid-set breaks). The push-up bonus block was brutal, as I had little to nothing left by the time I got to that point. But, I persevered and got through it.