Workout Update: Dig In: Day 31

 Day 31 was the second-to-last workout in the program, Legs and Glutes 3. I increased the weights for all of the weighted exercises by anywhere from 2 to 5 lbs. I was a bit tired during the Insanity/Core blocks and had to pause a little bit, so this is the first day this week in which I did not feel that I did better in those blocks than I did last week.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 30

Day 30 was Back 3. It was not as hard as it was last week, but it was still very challenging. I bumped the weights up when I could, but kept the ones I had to the same as last week. I again felt that the Insanity/core blocks were a bit easier than they were the first time I did the workout. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 29

Day 29 was Arms and Legs 3 for the second time. I was again able to bump up the amount of weight I used for the weighted exercises a little, and I felt that the cardio and core exercises were slightly easier than they were the first time. Of course, I adjusted the schedule so I will be doing 33 days, but I think taking the weekend off was helpful.

Workout Update: Dig In: Days 27 and 28

I used days 27 and 28 as rest days; however, I still walked outside a couple of times each day to get some steps in, foam-rolled on Saturday evening, and did X Stretch from P90X on Sunday evening. Having those two days off definitely helped, as I dropped more weight on the scale both days and didn't feel like I was overtraining. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Ghostbusters / Ghostbusters II

 

This is the limited-edition 4k steelbook release of Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2, released in 2023. It was released right around the time Afterlife was coming out, and included a bunch of new bonus content (which the big appeal for many physical media collectors).  The set contains both the original 1981 film and the 1989 follow-up. Ivan Reitman directed both films, and Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, and Ernie Hudson star. Peter MacNicol was the big addition to the cast in the second film, and the supporting cast members between the two films included William Atherton, Reginald VelJohnson, David Margulies, and Harris Yulin. Most people are aware of the plots of both films.  The original was a huge hit, and the second was more widely panned when it was released, but it has gained a larger following over the years. I have reviewed them separately and will not repeat what I have already said.

This release is a 5-disc set, containing two UHD discs (one for each film) and three standard blu-ray discs (one for each film and one with just bonus content). The A/V quality of each of the UHD discs is outstanding, especially for Ghostbusters 2, which never received a standard blu-ray release before being released on 4k. So, this is a huge upgrade from the DVD. The original film looks and sounds great in UHD as well, and both films received a great transfer. The only bonus content on the UHD discs are some cast and crew bios. There is bonus content on each of the standard blu-ray discs for each film (including commentary tracks on each film, and interviews with the cast and Reitman), and the bonus disc has additional content, which appears to be mostly archived material carried over from prior physical media releases, such as deleted scenes, a bunch of making-of and behind-the-scenes material, the trailers, etc. So, if you like going through the bonus material, there is a lot (several hours' worth) to go through.

Overall, this is a great release. The movies are both good. Yes, the second one is a bit cheesy, but it is not as bad as some critics made it out to be. Ultimately, if you collect physical media, especially if you like watching bonus content, this is a must-add to your collection.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 26

Day 26 was Chest 3 again. I found that the workout was a bit easier than it was on Monday, but not much. I was able to increase the weight I used from Monday's workout a little (anywhere from 2.5 to 5lbs, depending on the exercise), but I still had to drop to my knees during the windshield wiper push-ups and use the bench for the decline push-ups.  The Insanity blocks were definitely a little easier.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 25

Day 25 was Legs and Glutes 3. This was another tough one. Like all the other Phase 3 workouts, except the chest workout, this one has a burnout round after you finish the final Insanity block, and during a couple of the weighted exercises, Shaun adds extra reps and/or pulses. And there is very little rest between exercises, so you pretty much have to choose a weight and stick with it, since there is not much opportunity to change weights.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 24

Day 24 is Back 3. This is probably the hardest workout in the program so far, because you are lifting heavy (almost every weighted exercise is a variation of a row), there is almost no time between sets (so if you are drop-setting, have all your weights by your bench at the start), and one of the Insanity blocks has plank walks. The overall format follows the same as the first two workouts in the Phase: doing three sets of a single exercise, then doing the Insanity block (which includes a core exercise), then repeating the process until you do all 12 rounds of Insanity. Then, there is a burnout block, just to really tire you out. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 23

Day 23 was the  Arms and Legs 3 workout from Dig In. The format is very similar to Chest 3: you do six lifting blocks, with one exercise in each block for 3 sets. In the first set, you do 8 reps; in the second, 10 reps; and in the third, 12. Then, you do the Insanity block (which includes the core exercise). Then you go to the next weighted exercise, do the three sets, and repeat the process until you do all 12 Insanity rounds. And at the end, you do some extra exercises as a burnout block. So, it is a tough workout, but if you have done any of Shaun T's other workouts like Insanity, Max 30, T25, and Dig Deeper, you will recognize all of the exercises.

Magazine Review: GQ: September 2002

 

The September 2002 issue of GQ magazine was its 45th Anniversary issue. It was a very large issue, coming in at just under 500 pages. Now, a lot (I dare say most) of that space was taken up by ads or pseudo-ads (i.e., short paragraphs telling you how much the item(s) the models were wearing cost), mostly for clothing. However, it also features several good articles. Some of them detailed events from US history during the magazine's 45-year run up to that point, including discussions of the Presidents during that time frame, and some covered more current events, such as how life had changed since the 9/11 attacks, which had occurred a year earlier. The two most interesting articles were one about what, at the time, were allegations against R. Kelly, and one about Eduard Pernkopf, an Austrian anatomy professor who aligned himself with the Germans during World War II, and the ethical debate over his Atlas of Human Anatomy and its use in education. 

The magazine's main pictorial features Hedi Klum (who is also on the cover) in which she recreates looks of famous stars such as Bardot and Farah Fawcett, or movie scenes such as the pool scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the interview scene from Basic Instinct, and the flower petal scene from American Beauty.

Overall, the issue has a lot of good content mixed with a lot of stuff that you can easily just flip by. It did not really need to be as large as it was, but given that print magazines are largely going extinct, and those that still exist only put out a few issues a year, with limited content, even with the fluff, this has more substance than a lot of what is being put out today. Ultimately, it will give you a decent look at what things were like (and popular) in the early 2000s and is worth checking out.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 22

Day 22 was Chest 3, which was the start of Phase 3. This one is a bit different in that you do six chest exercises, each for three sets, but you do them as drop sets. So, in the first set you do 8 reps, in the second you do 10, and in the third you do 12. The idea is that you decrease the amount of weight you use in each set (unless your original weight is too light; then you can increase the weight or keep it the same). Like "The Dig" workout, after the third set of each chest exercise, you do one of the two Insanity blocks (you do block 1 after each of the first three chest exercises and block 2 after each of the last three exercises). The two core exercises are the third exercise in each Insanity block. You do get a bit more time between exercises than you did in Phase 2 to switch weights. That said, it is not a lot more time, and the workout still moves fast. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Days 20 and 21

Day 20 was the scheduled off day. Day 21 was supposed to be the start of Phase 3, but I took an extra day because I think the 9-day on, 1-day off schedule is kind of dumb, and after doing it in Phases 1 and 2, I am going to do 5 days on, 2 days off for Phase 3, which will allow me to transition right into Lift 4. 

Book Review: Wuthering Heights

 

Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë that was first published in 1847 under the pen name Ellis Bell. It was her only novel and mixes Gothic fiction, romance, and tragedy. Set in the English countryside, it tells the story of Heathcliff, an orphan taken in by the Earnshaw family, and his relationship with Catherine Earnshaw. Catherine eventually marries Edgar Linton, whose family lives on a neighboring estate, but her attachment to Heathcliff continues to affect both families. The story follows their conflicts and the effects those conflicts have on the next generation. Much of it is told through a housekeeper, Nelly Dean, who recounts the families' history to a new tenant named Lockwood.

The version I have is the leather-bound Easton Press edition, which is included in their 100 Greatest Books Ever Written series and comes in at 331 pages. I thought the novel was okay, but the story was hard to follow, and it was sometimes difficult to figure out what was going on. It starts in the story's present, flashes back to events from years earlier, and then returns to the present, but those transitions are not always clear. None of the characters are written to be all that likable, so there is really no protagonist to rally around. Even though there is a bit of a love story mixed in, it mostly feels like a book about a bunch of upper-class English people who cannot stand each other, feuding over land and years-old grudges. Ultimately, while it is a well-known classic, it is not the easiest novel to read. I had a hard time getting into the story or caring about the characters, and I would not say it is a must-read.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2

 

The 23-episode second season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine aired during the 2014/2015 TV season. All of the series regulars returned for the second season, and the show had another good slate of guest and recurring cast members, including Kyra Sedgwick, Nick Cannon, Eva Longoria, Stephen Root, Sandra Bernhard, Jenny Slate, Ed Helms, Craig Robinson, Nick Kroll, Garret Dillahunt, and Bradley Whitford. The series continues the format of a story-of-the-week procedural and a serial with storylines that build on each other (and get referred back to) throughout the season. The bigger serial arcs involve Jake and Amy's feelings for each other, a long-running feud between Captain Holt and the new Deputy Commissioner, and a romance between Gina and Boyle's parents. There is also another good Halloween episode in which Jake and Holt make yet another bet. 

As of this writing, the individual seasons are only available on DVD as a three-disc set. The blu-rays are only available in a complete series box set, in which season two is on two discs in its own keep case. The A/V quality of the blu-rays are very good, and the show looks and sounds great in HD. The only extras are deleted scenes for select episodes, and the episodes can be played with English captions.

The show remains a strong comedy. Because of the show's format, you can watch any particular episode and be able to follow most of what is going on during the episode, but because they often refer back to events in prior episodes, you may not follow everything if you do not watch the show in order. So, while you do not need to watch season 1 before season 2, it definitely helps. The acting and writing continue to be top-notch, and the writers do a good job giving all of the actors good material to work with and balancing the storylines for the various characters. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first season, this one is absolutely worth watching.  

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 19

Day 19 was the final workout in Phase 2 of Dig In, which meant doing The Dig again. I found it to be a bit easier to get through the second time, and I was able to increase the weight I used for the weighted exercises by anywhere from 3 to 5 lbs, depending on the exercise.  It is definitely easier to handle the pace of the workout and the transitions the second time through.

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 18

Day 18 was Legs and Glutes 2 again. As with the other workouts, I was able to increase the weight I used from last week on all the weighted exercises, and my stamina on the core exercises and the Insanity blocks continues to improve.  I am definitely not at the point where I could do Insanity Max 30 or even T25 (much less the original Insanity) unmodified for the entire time, but I could do some of the exercises unmodified and hang with the modifiers the entire time when doing the modified versions. It will be interesting to see how different doing Lift 4 will be now that I am somewhere around 30 lbs lighter than the last time I did it. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 17

Day 17 was Back 2 in Dig In. It is the third-to-last workout in Phase 2. I was able to increase the weights I used for each exercise a little. This is probably the toughest workout in the Phase because the opening move is back rows, but with a twist: you row with your right arm, then your left, then you row with both arms twice, and all that counts as a single rep. So, even with light weight (I used 17.5 lbs), it starts burning very quickly. After that, everything else in the workout is easier, but you are so worn out becuase of the first exercise, it is all strenuous.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Fugitive

 

The Fugitive is the 1993 action-thriller/suspense-drama film adaptation of the popular 1960 television show. It was adapted from a screenplay by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy and directed by Andrew Davis. It stars Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones in the main roles and features a great supporting cast, including Sela Ward, Julianne Moore, Joe Pantoliano, Andreas Katsulas, Jeroen Krabbe, Jane Lynch, and Richard Riehle. In it, Ford plays a prominent surgeon named Richard Kimble, who is arrested and convicted for the murder of his wife (played by Sela Ward). He maintains his innocence, insisting that a one-armed man broke into his house and killed his wife. He escapes custody during a bus accident while being transported to prison and is determined to prove his innocence. Tommy Lee Jones plays Deputy US Marshal Sam Gerard, who leads a group of Marshals to track down Kimble. 

The 4k version is a single-disc release. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is very good. The audio quality is at or near reference quality with a great Dolby Atmos track that sounds wonderful on a surround system. The video quality is not as good as the audio, and shows some imperfections in spots, but it is still very good. All of the bonus material is carried over from the original physical media release, including an introduction by Harrison Ford, Andrew Davis, and Tommy Lee Jones (via phone). Davis and Jones's portion is also included on the audio commentary track, which mostly features Davis with Jones interjecting from time-to-time. There is also a few making-of and behind-the-scenes featurettes (that total just around an hour, give or take) and the theatrical trailer. 

Overall, the movie is very good. It absolutely deserved all of the award nominations. While Ford did much of the heavy lifting and was in most of the scenes in the film, Jones dominated nearly every scene he was in and absolutely deserved the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. There is some violence and swearing, but the movie does not push the boundary of the PG-13 rating. The film is extremely well-written and acted and even though it runs a little over two hours, the plot flows well and never seems like it is plodding along. Ultimately, if you are a fan of Ford and/or Jones, or you just like movies that blend action, suspense, and drama, this is absolutely worth checking out. 

Workout Update: Dig In: Day 16

Day 16 was the second go around for Arms and Legs 2. I was able to again increase the weight I used from last week on the weighted exercises for most of the sets on all exercises but the thrusters. I used the same weight as last week for those and I did have to drop set for the third set in the squat to biceps curl combination, since that is the set with the ultra slow reps. My stamina during the core exercises and during the Insanity block was better as well.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Friday the 13th Part 2

 

Friday the 13th Part 2 is the 1981 follow-up to the original 1980 hit film. It stars Amy Steel, John Furey, Kristen Baker, Lauren-Marie Taylor, and Stu Charno. Adrienne King and Besty Palmer also reprise their roles, although Palmer had more of a cameo appearance. 

The original intent was to do what John Carpenter had tried to do with Halloween III, and not make it a continuous story, but an anthology series with different movies tied to the Friday the 13th superstition. However, when the ending to the original movie was as well received as it was, they decided to continue the story centered around Jason. The story picks up two months after the events of the original film, with Alice trying to recover from her experience. Later, the film time-jumps five years to a new group of prospective camp counselors attending a school for camp counselors at a different camp near Crystal Lake, which has been shut down. From there, it becomes the typical slasher film that the series has become famous for. 

There are a few different versions of the blu-ray disc out there. I have the Shout! Factory version, which is a single-disc release that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete collection box set. The A/V quality is very good. The audio includes a 2.0 channel track that may not work on some sound systems. It does, however, also include a 5.1 lossless audio track that should work with a surround system, but you may have to change the audio setting once the film starts playing to hear it, even if you select it from the disc's main menu. The extras may vary depending on which edition you get, but most will include an interview with the author of the book "Inside Crystal Lake Memories", the second chapter of the Lost Tales from Camp Blood short, and a featurette on one of the horror conventions. Mine also includes a podcast interview with Amy Steel, the theatrical trailer, radio spots, and a couple of different stills galleries.  

The movie is very much a carbon copy of the first film. Most of the action happens in the second half, and the third act has the most going on. You pretty much know what you get with these films: the acting and writing will be okay, but not stellar; there will be some gratuitous nudity and a lot of violence. This version of Jason is definitely not who we get in later films when he is basically unstoppable and wears the hockey mask. Ultimately, if you like horror movies and you enjoyed the first film, you will probably like this one (even though there is not much new about this one other than who the killer is). It does, however, set up what will come in the later films, so it is worth watching.