Book Review: Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi

 

This is the third of the "From a Certain Point of View" books, set around the events of the original trilogy. This book, published in 2023 for the 40th Anniversary of "Return of the Jedi" has 40 short stories set around the events of that movie. As has been the case with the books set around the events of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, most of the stories in this book are from the perspective of an ancillary character or a minor character who was often in the background of the events shown in the movie. Sometimes, a story will involve one of the more visible ancillary characters (such as Wedge) or characters from other novels (such as Norra Wexley, a main character in the Aftermath series of novels set after Return of the Jedi). Toward the end of the book, there are stories from the perspective of main characters like Obi-Wan, Palpatine, and Anakin.

The hardcover version of the book is just over 560 pages. Even though the overall length of the book is on the longer side of most Star Wars novels, each of the stories is relatively short, so there are a lot of natural stopping points if you are a person who reads for an hour or two before bed. And, it reads fairly quickly. The book's timeline basically follows the movie's events, starting out at Jabba's palace and ending on Endor. There are also some easter eggs such as referring to Revenge of the Jedi, which was the movie's original title before it was changed. I think the book is worth reading for any Star Wars fans, but for those of us who grew up with the original trilogy movies and are more than just casual Star Wars fans, this is a must-read. 

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 9

 Day 9 was corrective hips from the 645 corrective routines and Back and Biceps in Lift 4.

The back and biceps workout was one of the interval workouts. That means you just do resistance exercises with no HIIT component. The lifting consisted of two quad blocks of four exercises, alternating a back exercise with a biceps-focused exercise. You do each block for three sets and again have very little time between exercises or sets. After you do the quad blocks you have a final block of just two exercises that you do for three sets, back extensions for 30 seconds and bicep curls for 30 seconds. Then, you do the core component which consists of alternating bicycle crunches and low planks, doing each for 30 seconds for three sets.

The Lift 4 workout was tough, especially since my chest and arms were already sore from yesterday's workout. I had to lower the biceps curl weight that I intended to use (down to 12 from 15 lbs) because I knew there was no way I was going to keep good form. 

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 8

Day 8 was the first day of the "regular" Lift 4 workouts, doing Week 1, Day 1, Chest and Triceps 50/50. This is one of the workouts in the program that is half lifting and half HIIT cardio. For the lifting portion, we do three blocks, alternating one chest-focused exercise and one triceps-focused exercise (each for 10 reps), for three sets. In the first block, you do bench presses and dumbbell skull crushers. In the second block, you do chest flys and tricep presses, and in the third block, you do rotating chest presses and triceps push-ups. In the cardio portion, you do three sets of three moves. The first move, soccer runs, you do for 60 seconds, the second move, mountain climbers is done for 45 seconds, and the third move, catchers, is done for 30 seconds. Basically, the harder the moves get, the less time you have to do them. Then, after you do the three sets of cardio, you finish with the core component, which is alternating rope climbers and bent-knee windshield wipers. 

This workout was tough. I started using the same weight I ended the program on the last time I did it, and I could barely finish the 10 reps on any of the lifting exercises in sets 2 and 3 (and could not finish the 10 push-ups). My arms were like limp noodles by the end of the lifting portion. Cardio was tough too, as I had to modify the mountain climbers and the catchers (and stop a couple of times to catch my breath). Because you get so little time between moves or sets, the entire workout will get your heart rate up, so you have some cardio effect before you even get to the HIIT portion. 

For the corrective routine from 645, I did the shoulders corrective routine again. I definitely felt like it loosened up my shoulders and my chest.

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 7

On Day 7 I again did the two recovery workouts from Lift 4. I did feel like I had fewer knots, especially in my quads, as I was doing the lower-body foam rolling. My calves, however, were still extremely tight. Tomorrow will be the start of the regular Lift 4 workouts, starting with the Chest and Triceps week 1 workout. 

Book Review: Enough

 

Enough is a memoir written by Cassidy Hutchinson published in 2023. Hutchinson was a staffer in the White House during the most turbulent part of the 2017-2021 administration, as the assistant to the final chief of staff, or as she was called, "the chief of staff to the chief of staff". 

The book starts by telling her story of growing up in Pennington, NJ, in a low-income, blue-collar family, and her complicated relationship with her father (who, to put it lightly seems like a piece of work who idolized the orange genital wart even before it became president). She then goes into how she became interested in politics and worked her way from an unpaid congressional intern in college to being right next to the levers of power and the shitshow that was the final part of that administration.

Hutchinson is an interesting contradiction. She is one of those people who backs Republicans (and she makes it clear that she still considers herself a Republican) despite being in a group that Republican policies never benefit. Despite that, she has voted against her own interests (as many Republicans do) since she could vote (although I doubt she sees it that way). That said, she seems to be an informed elector as she claims to have researched the party positions before aligning herself with the Republicans. At one point she loved t***p, despite all of the cruelty, stupidity, and recklessness that she saw firsthand. She often thought he was getting a raw deal, and because he never allowed people outside his inner circle to see a human side that she swears he has, he was portrayed unfairly. Which, if true, is his own damn fault. And, she actually thought that t***p had moderate positions, which he did not. I would argue he really did not have any actual policy positions beyond what would benefit him. And that to the extent he had any actual political beliefs, they were tied to what he thought would keep him in power, and so he latched onto the extreme right-wing agenda.

So even though I think Hutchinson was a bit naive when it came to what the Republican party had already become and who t***p was, when nearly everyone else in the administration was circling the wagons and lying, obstructing, and/or obfuscating, about the 2020 election being stolen, she was becoming more and more disgusted by what she saw and heard leading up to and on January 6th. When it became clear that she was going to be called as a witness before the January 6th committee, she tried to find a lawyer who would work pro bono or take her on as a client on a payment plan. When she could not, she begrudgingly agreed to take a "t***p world" lawyer, who basically told her to say "I can't recall" as much as she could during her testimony. She also details how job opportunities were dangled in front of her but were clearly contingent on how she testified when she was subpoenaed by the committee. 

After she initially testified to the committee, she called a Republican member of Congress whom she just refers to as "Sam", who was neither Liz Cheney nor Adam Kinzinger, to talk about her testimony. Sam (who does not seem to be profile in courage if he or she is still in Congress) asked her if she could look herself in the mirror and like the person who was looking back. She decided that she could not, and found a way to get a new lawyer and correct her testimony which led to the live hearing that was witnessed by millions.

While I likely disagree with many of her political views and positions, I absolutely believe that she was the only person in that administration who had any courage (including Mike Pence). Even before her testimony at the hearing, she was butting heads with people in the administration and with some of the dipshits in Congress (like Matt Gaetz) despite being in her early to mid-twenties and not being a Washington power broker. She also makes it clear that, despite what is claimed now, she was in a position to see and hear damn near everything that was going on in the White House, and that everyone, including agent orange, praised her work ethic, intelligence, and loyalty (which was of utmost importance). She is clearly disgusted by what the Republican party has become but hopes that it can be saved and return to the Regan-era party (which was definitely not great for those who were poor and/or marginalized). She describes herself as a moderate Republican and I do get that sense from reading this book. I actually hope that she runs for Congress one day because I think she would be willing to work with the other side, she is not crazy, and she does have integrity. 

The hardcover version of the book is just over 350 pages. Unlike many political memoirs, it is not dry at all and it provides a lot of insight into who Hutchinson is as a person. While it is amazing to think that a 25-year-old would have lived enough of a life to write an actual memoir, as opposed to a book that just conveyed "Here is what I saw in the lead up to and after January 6th", Hutchinson absolutely has a compelling life story. The book is very emotional in parts and Hutchinson lays nearly everything out about herself, warts and all. The book clearly reveals her struggle with wanting to be loyal to the administration and to be the proverbial "good soldier" and doing the right thing, especially knowing that it would cost her job opportunities and friends. It is a great book and is absolutely worth reading.

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 6

For Day 6, I just did the two recovery workouts from Lift 4. Again, I did the foam rolling routine first and then followed it up with the stretch routine. The foam rolling was much easier than it was early in the week, most likely because of all the 645 foam rolling routines that I did. I definitely felt knots in all of the muscles that we rolled, but fewer of them, and the ones that were there loosened up very quickly. It is a good routine, but could be a little longer, say 15 minutes instead of 9.

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 5

Day 5 was a full-body HIIT workout in Before Lift-4 and the lower-body foam rolling routine from the 645 corrective workouts.

The HIIT workout was short (just 20 minutes), but tough. You do two blocks, each with two exercises that you do for three sets with basically no rest between the moves or the sets. In the first block you do sumo jumps (or sumo squats with heel lifts) and then cross mountain climbers, which are like regular mountain climbers/plank runs but you bring your knees toward the opposite elbow as you run. Then, in the second block, you do squat jacks and then triple bear (which is the hardest move in the program). Triple bear is basically holding a beast position (on your hands and knees and then lifting your knees off the ground two inches) and then either hopping or stepping to the side, back to the middle, and the other side, all while trying to keep your knees just two inches off the ground. Then you finish with the core component which is rope climbers into bicycles for three sets. It i again very much like the regular HIIT workouts in the program, just shorter.

The foam rolling routine was another good one. This one is 20 minutes and works your entire lower body starting with your quads and ending with the arches of your feet. Some of the moves you roll (or hold) for one minute, and others for thirty seconds. 

Book Review: The Lions of Lucerne (Scot Harvath Series #1)

 

The Lions of Lucerne, published in 2002, was the start of what has become a prolific series of novels in the spy novel/political thriller genre set around the character Scot Harvath, written by author Brad Thor. It is similar to the Mitch Rapp series in that Harvath is not a spy, but rather he is an ex-navy seal who is now on the presidential Secret Service detail. 

The plot of the novel involves the kidnapping of the fictional President, Rutledge while he is on a ski vacation with his daughter. Harvath is injured in the kidnapping and then sets off to find the President, while on the run from the law when he gets too close to the truth, and the planners and organizers of the kidnapping start going after him.

The hardcover version of the book is just over 400 pages, but the pace of the story is good and does not drag out. It does have what seems to be the requisite twists and turns in the story that most novels in the genre do. Some of them are a bit silly, but for the most part, they work and do not detract from the overall story. There are a lot of action sequences in the book with some character setup and development in between them. Overall, the book is very good, but not perfect. The imperfections do not lessen the quality of the overall story for me, but for some, however, they might.  If you are a fan of the genre, it is definitely worth the time to read. 

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 4

Day 4 was a shoulders and arms intervals workout in before Lift-4 and then I did upper body foam rolling in the 645 corrective routines.

The shoulders and arms workout was quick and hard. There are three blocks and then core work. In each block, you do a lifting exercise (shoulder presses in the first, bicep curls in the second, and tricep kickbacks in the third) immediately followed by a HIIT exercise (catchers--low squats jumping into a plank and then back into a low squat in the first, jump squats in the second, and wide plank runs in the third). You do each combination for three sets, with only about 15 seconds between sets. Then, you finish the workout with two core exercises, prayer squats followed by bent-knee windshield wipers). So again, the workout is a pared-down version (about 10 minutes less) than what the regular workouts are like.

The upper body foam rolling routine is an 11-minute routine that focuses on the lats, pecs, upper and mid back, and traps. There is very little rolling in the workout. You pretty much just find a knot in the particular area you are working on and then sit on it (sometimes moving around a little) until the tissue loosens up. But, It helps loosen up pretty much all of your upper body muscles very well. 

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 3

Day 3 was the mid-week rest day in Lift-4, so I did the two recovery workouts (foam rolling and stretching) and did the ankles corrective routine in 645.

The 645 routine was about 23 minutes long and worked not only the ankles but worked the calves and hips (basically most of the lower body). There are a couple of alternate moves that Amoila shows that may be easier if you do not have a partner with you to keep you stable or hold the band for you if you cannot cross your legs with the band on. I have also found that using a latex band works better for that particular exercise than a fabric band. Again, he does a good job explaining how each of the moves in the routine will correct imbalances and advises working it into your workout routine often. He suggests every day, but realistically, if you are doing a regular 45-minute workout every day, you may not have time to also do 1-3 20-minute long corrective routines on top of that. But, if you can fit that in, it is a good routine.

Then, I did the two recovery workouts for Lift-4 in the evening. I first did the 10-minute foam rolling routine, which is a full-body routine, but like in the few corrective 645 routines, you are not rolling any one body part very long (about 45 seconds, give or take per body part). Then, I did the 9-minute stretch routine, in which you stretch your legs, hips, back, and chest. I do think that the corrective 645 routines and the recovery workouts in Lift-4 complement each other very well. 

Book Review: Dune: The Machine Crusade (Dune #2)

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers from the prior novel, The Butlerian Jihad+++

The Machine Crusade is the second book in the Dune series (if you read the books in chronological order). It is the second book in the Legends of Dune series, which was written by Brian Herbert, who is the son of the author of the original Dune novel and its follow-up novels, Frank Herbert, and Kevin Anderson, and published in 2003 that chronicles the war between humans and machines that is alluded to in the original novel. 

The events in this book start out about 25 years after the events of the first book, The Butlerian Jihad, in which the war between the machines and humans started when the "thinking machine", Erasmus, killed Serena Butler's young son, Manion. We find out that Serena has become almost a recluse and basically a figurehead for the Jihad which is really being spearheaded by Iblis Ginjo. Xavier and Vorian are Primeros (basically generals) in the war, sacrificing a normal life to fight the machines. The war is essentially at a stalemate, with both sides scoring victories but neither able to strike a winning blow. Like the first book, this one alternates between multiple stories, characters, and different worlds. We find out that there is infighting between the machines and between the humans. One of the big storylines in this book is the work being done by the characters Aurelius Venport and Norma Cenva to "fold" space and make interstellar travel instant. We also learn the origin of the Fighters of Finaz, who are "led" by Jool Noret, who has been training against a re-programmed machine to learn how to efficiently kill the machines and fights with reckless abandon anytime he can.

The hardcover version of the book is about 700 pages long, and that is with the use of a relatively small font. The book is not what I would call a quick read as there are a lot of characters and the book is constantly shifting from one part of the story to another. I am a fast reader (I can normally read about 150-200 pages in 2-3 hours) and it took me about ten days to get through this one (mostly reading for an hour or two before bed). I am reading the books in chronological order so I have not read the original Dune trilogy that was written by Frank Herbert, and don't know how this compares to those books, but if you a fan of Sci-Fi and liked the first book, then you will probably like this one. 

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 2

For day 2 it was the Legs 50-50 workout from the "Before Lift-4" workouts and the corrective hips routine in 645.

The Lift 4 workout was, as the title suggests, one that is half lifting and half cardio. The lifting portion of the workout consists of two blocks of work in which you do two leg exercises, back to back. In the first block, you alternate between front-loaded squats and deadlifts. In the second block, you do goblet squats (sumo squats holding one weight in front of you) and calf raises. For the cardio portion, you do three sets of two moves, soccer runs and low squats in which you stay in a squat position then hop to face one side, back to the front, and then to the other side. Then you finish off the workout with three sets of a core-focused move, specifically side planks, holding it for 30 seconds on each side. Again, the workout goes very quickly and you are working cardio the entire time because there is very little rest between sets. This is more similar to what the "regular" Lift 4 workouts are like than yesterday's workout, just a bit shorter.

The corrective hips routine was actually a routine that included work (foam rolling) the hips and the lats, as well as doing some squats with the foam roller between the wall and your back. Amoila does a good job breaking down what every move in the routine helps with or helps to correct, and he stresses that you can foam roll longer than the 30 seconds per move that they are doing.

Workout Update: Lift-4/645 Corrective and Foam Rolling Day 1

Today is the start of my "new" workout program. I decided to go back to Lift-4 for my "main" workout and then do the various corrective workouts and foam rolling workouts from 645 that I did not do when I did the original program. For the Lift-4 workouts, I decided to do the Before Lift-4 workouts, which are basically shorter versions of the type of workouts that you will do throughout the program. So, today was the traditional Chest and Back workout in Lift-4 and the Corrective Shoulders routine in 645.

The chest and back workout in Lift-4 consisted of two blocks of two exercises, one chest exercise, and one back exercise that was done for three sets of 10 reps. In the first block, the chest exercise was a bench press and the back exercise was bent over back flys. In the second block, the chest exercise was a chest fly, and the back exercise was bent over rows. Between the sets, you only got 20 seconds of rest for a transition. Then, you did three sets of push-ups, as many as you could do in 30 seconds, without stopping. Then, you finish the workout with two core exercises (sit-ups or crunches and then prone side bends) that you do for 30 seconds each for three sets. There is no HIIT component in this workout, so it is a bit shorter than the regular workouts (just 20 minutes), but because you have almost no rest between the exercises, you do get a cardio workout.

The corrective shoulder routine in 645 requires a foam roller. If you do not have one they are pretty inexpensive these days and not hard to find. During the 15-minute routine, you foam roll your lats and pecs, then you roll your mid back (basically laying across the foam roller and moving your back but not rolling down too high or low, and then there is a move in which you almost do a crunch on the roller. Between the time you are actually using the roller to work out knots, you do a couple of stretches that will help your shoulders. Those involve setting the roller on end, putting your hand on top, and then lowering your chest toward the ground. All in all, it is a very good routine and definitely helps with shoulder mobility.

Product Review: Fabric Resistance Bands

 

This is a set of three fabric resistance loops. I purchased them for use with the 645 Beachbody workout, but they can be used for any workout in which you are doing squats, leg lifts, or the like. The light gray band will provide the lightest resistance, the dark gray band will provide medium resistance, and the black band will provide heavy resistance. Most people, even those who are in relatively good shape will probably start out using the light band for most exercises and then work their way up to the heavier bands.

One big advantage to these over the rubber/latex loops/bands is that they hold their shape a lot better and will not roll or pinch your legs as you move, which can hurt, a lot, especially if you have hairy legs. They are not a total replacement for the rubber loops as there are still some things that those kinds of loops work better (for example, some lateral bound moves such as speed skaters with a band around your ankles), but for many types of exercises, these loops are a much better option.

Workout Program Review: 645

 

645 is one of the newer Beachbody/BODi workout programs, created by Amoila Cesar. It was filmed in 2021 and was one of the first workout programs to be filmed with a cast as the pandemic was easing. There are 8 cast members who rotate in and out of various workouts during the program. This is a 13-week program split into essentially 4 phases. Three of the phases last for four weeks, three "regular" weeks, and one "de-load" week in which you do fewer reps overall, but still use heavy weight. The final week is a performance week in which you do a lot of reps (20) of each move, and go as hard as you can with very little rest between moves. The workouts are a bit longer than what Beachbody has been releasing recently, with each workout lasting 45 minutes. You work out for six days a week (hence the name 645), with four days (M, T, Th, and F) being lifting/resistance days, one day (W) being a recovery workout in which you work on flexibility and mobility, and one day (Sat) doing cardio. Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:

1. The workouts are very structured. In each workout, you do seven exercises doing 2-4 sets of each exercise, depending on whether you are in a de-load week or not. The exercises are split up into blocks. Sometimes the exercises are split 3 in block 1, 1 in block 2, and 3 in block 3. Other times you get 1 in block 1, 2 in block 2, and 4 in block 3. A couple days a week you will have an EMOM block during the workout, which stands for every minute on the minute. In that block you do the same exercise for four sets, doing 10, 15, or 20 reps (depending on what phase and/or week you are in). When you finish the set, you get to rest until the next minute starts. So, if it took 10 seconds to get through the reps, you get a 50-second break. If it takes 45 seconds to do the reps you get a 15-second break. Otherwise, between each move in the regular blocks you get at least a 14-second transition (sometimes more if Amoila is talking a lot) and between each block, you get a longer break (usually 45 or 50 seconds).

2.    This is something that could be a pro or a con, depending on your preference. However, this workout program focuses on functional moves as opposed to "show" muscles. Amoila really hammers the concept of movement and how having strong and stable hips, shoulders, and back will help in all aspects of your life, especially as you age. So, most of the exercises are focused on those muscles. That is not to say that you do not work your biceps, triceps, and abs, because you do, but the focus of the workouts is not on those muscles.

3.    The cast includes people of varying fitness levels. Of the 8 person cast, there are two modifiers who look like normal people, and then there are also people who are clearly in the fitness industry and/or are models in great shape. The cast definitely seems to have fun with each other and there is a lot of banter (which some people may not like). Even people who are in great shape struggle with some of the moves at times, so it is a challenging workout no matter what your fitness level is. Fun fact, one of the cast members is an actress who was a supporting character in the movie Stick It, which starred Jeff Bridges and FBI's Missy Peregrym. 

4. Closely tied to point 3, it is good for people of all fitness levels and experience. You can do this workout as a beginner someone who is out of shape or someone who is in very good shape. It is a good program to use to work your way up to Amoila's harder programs like 4 weeks of the prep and 6 weeks of the work (in which all of the exercises are similar to the week 13 exercises in this program).

5. It is a real-time workout, meaning that every workout is at least a little bit different and you are doing a new workout each day, as opposed to doing the same workout multiple times. Of course, some of the workouts do use the same moves, (e.g. week 1 and week 3 have the same exercises in each workout as do weeks 2 and 4), but it is not like doing the same P90X legs and back each week for 9 weeks. 

CONS:

There are really no big cons or negatives to the program. But, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. You have to have a BODi streaming membership. Gone are the days of getting the workouts on DVDs so you have to pay the $120 a year membership. But, you also get access to all of the other Beachbody programs as well, so your money goes a long way. Much farther than paying $120 for a single program. It also makes real-time workouts possible.

2.    You do need a good selection of free weights. This is not a bodyweight-only program and you cannot really substitute the resistance moves for bands. It is also better if you have a workout area with tall ceilings because there are some clean and jerk moves that will have you explosively bringing weight over your head and if you have low ceilings you will hit it (unless you are very short).

3.    As I said above, the workouts are longer. As many Beachbody programs have transitioned to 30-minute or shorter programs, this one does require a larger time commitment. 

4.    It does not have as much traditional cardio as other programs. This just has the single cardio-focused workout each week, but there are definitely times in which you are still getting a cardio workout because the transitions are going fast (this is mostly in Phase 3 and the performance week).

Overall, it is a good program and can be done by nearly everyone. You do have to have a baseline fitness level (if you cannot do a push-up on your knees then you would have to go with a less intense program and work your way up to this), but you do not have to be in great shape to do this program. Amoila breaks down every move before you do it, and you can always see what the modifier is doing and follow along with that person if you need to.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 90

Day 90 was cardio in 645, which was the last day of the program. It was another emotional workout, starting off with Amoila bringing his dad on set, and it also got a bit silly at times. It was much harder than any of the other cardio workouts, with more intense (and faster) moves. Even though you got a 15-second transition between moves, it did not help all that much.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 89

Day 89 was lower body flexibility again in XB and was Total Body Tempo in 645. This was the last lifting/resistance workout of 645, and the last day for half of the cast members, so it got a bit emotional and silly on set. The workout was definitely hard and was again very fast-paced. I was definitely gassed toward the end of it, but I made it through.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 88

Day 88 was lower back in XB stretch and Upper Body Strength in 645.

The 645 workout again had a shorter warmup, which lasted about 9 minutes, and then the three blocks. The first block has three exercises that you do for four sets. The second block is an EMOM block, and the third block has there exercises that you do for three sets. Then, after you finish the third set, you do a set of all 7 exercises, back to back, without stopping. However, in the last set, you just do ten reps of each exercise instead of twenty. So, it is a very fast-paced and challenging workout. 

I decided for the next program I am going to go back to Lift 4 for the main workout, but I am going to do the 645 corrective and foam rolling routines for my morning flexibility workout. Those each run anywhere from 11 to 23 minutes, and are focused on correcting imbalances in various body parts like the shoulders, hips, and ankles. Then I will probably go back to 645 with the goal of working my way up to Six Weeks of The Work, which is Amoila's original program in which all of the workouts are like the performance week workouts in 645.

Product Review: Deluxe Single Blu-Ray Replacement 11mm Thickness with Silver Embossed Logo (10 Pack)

 

This is a pack of ten 11 mm thick blu-ray cases. As most physical media collectors come to find out, when you order discs the cases can be damaged during production and/or shipping, but sometimes the discs themselves are fine. This is a way to swap out the case without the hassle of sending everything back and getting a replacement. They were packed very securely and arrived with no broken cases.

These cases are a standard size (or slightly thinner) than most one-disc blu-ray cases. But, the artwork from a regular blu-ray release will fit just fine (as opposed to the very thin cases that are 6 mm in which most artwork will bend if you try to to put it in the outer sleeve). So, if you are one of those people who still prefer buying physical discs to streaming, I absolutely recommend picking up a pack of these to replace any broken cases.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 87

Day 87 was lower body flexibility again in XB and mobility and stability in 645.

I was able to get a little bit deeper into the hamstring stretch on each leg in the XB routine. Although, I am still nowhere near being able to do a split (or even a half-split) at this point.

The 645 routine was very good. Almost every move in the routine was a different variation of something that we had done before, either in the regular workouts or in the other mobility and stability workouts. I actually found myself breaking a little bit of a sweat during the routine, so I know that I was working more than in the prior weeks. And, some of the moves that had been very challenging for me earlier in the program were a bit easier.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 86

Day 86 was the lower back routine in XB and the performance week version of total body power in 645. 

The total body power workout was very challenging. It had a couple of new moves, including some plyometric moves that we had not done in the program before. As was the case yesterday, the warmup was much shorter because we were doing 20 reps of each move. Again, some of the exercises were split into 10 reps on each side. There were no biceps or triceps-focused exercises in the workout, but because we are doing swings and snatches, you are using your biceps and triceps a lot throughout the workout.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 85

Day 85 was lower body flexibility in XB, and the start of week 13 in 645, which is the performance week version of lower body strength.

The structure of the workout is the same, with an EMOM block and then two blocks of three exercises you do for three sets. But, the warm-up is very short, under 10 minutes, and then you jump right into the workout without any idle chit-chat or much coaching. You move from exercise to exercise very quickly, but you do get 1 minute of rest between sets except before the last set in the last round (which drops down to 45 seconds because of time). Amoila does the entire workout with the group this time. All of the exercises are done for 20 reps (although some get split with 10 on one side and 10 on the other). My instinct was to go down in weight, but there were a couple of exercises for which I ended up increasing the weight after the first set because I was stronger than I thought I would be. And, I found that I needed to modify fewer moves than I had even last week. So, it was a hard workout, but very rewarding.

Workout Update: 645 and XB Stretch Hybrid - Day 84

Day 84 was the last rest day in 645 and in XB I did the Restore routine.

It had been a while since I did Restore, and I could definitely tell I did not have the same amount of mobility as the last time I did the routine. This is weird because I have been working on my lower back and hamstrings every other day (although just the short 6-minute routines).

DVD/TV Series Review: Baywatch: Season 7

 

The seventh season of Baywatch aired during the 1996-1997 TV Season. This season would see yet more cast turnover with Donna D'Errico joining the cast (coming over from the series Baywatch Nights) and Traci Bingham, Jake Salano, and Nancy Valen all joining the cast as well.  Jasson Simmons and Alexandra Paul left as series regulars, although both would make several appearances during the season. And, Michael Newman, the only real lifeguard on the show would be promoted to a series regular. 

The show again was mostly a story-of-the-week procedural that occasionally referred back to prior storylines or episodes. There were some special episodes, including an MTV-themed episode in which MTV personalities, including Jenny McCarthy made an appearance, as well as an episode at Seaworld. The slate of guest stars was less prolific than the show had in the past, but Connie Stevens, Erik Estrada, Barbara Mandrell, Jay Leno, Denise Crosby, and wrestler Shawn Michaels, all guest-starred this season.

The acting and writing on the show this season were pretty much on par with what it had been. Most of the time, both were pretty bad, but occasionally, the writers would put out a decent script that gave the actors something to work with. The writers did try to do some character development, even with some of the established characters, to give them a bit more depth. Hasselhoff was still splitting time between the main show and Baywatch Nights, so while he did appear in every episode, there were some in which he was barely in. As has been the case in each of the prior seasons, not every cast member appears in every episode, not even Pamela Anderson who was still getting second billing behind Hasselhoff. 

Ultimately, if you do not expect the series to be more than it is, a kind of tongue-in-cheek primetime soap opera, it is enjoyable, even when it is dumb. I would not call it a show that is hard to stop watching, and while you can binge it, it is something that can easily be on in the background while you are doing other things and you will not miss much. 

Book Series Review: Mitch Rapp Series - The Kyle Mills Novels

 

The Mitch Rapp series was left in limbo in 2013 after the death of its creator, Vince Flynn. At that point, it consisted of 13 novels and one partially written novel, and it seemed like the series may have died with Flynn. Mills was hired to finish Flynn's last book, The Survivor, which was finally published in 2015, a couple of years after Flynn's death. Mills would stay on to write 8 more books in the series, deciding to step away after 2023's, Code Red.

Mills was definitely in an unenviable position, picking up the wildly popular series after the death of its creator. On The Survivor, Mills has said during interviews that his intent was to be a carbon copy of Flynn so that you could not tell where the material Flynn wrote ended and where Mills' work started. Mills has said that Flynn wrote three pages of The Survivor, and I have read reports that Flynn finished three chapters, but however much Flynn wrote, I, personally, could not tell what Flynn wrote versus what Mills wrote. After the first book, it seemed like Mills was in a feeling-out process, trying to figure out how to put his own stamp on the series. Mills' second book in the series, Order to Kill, felt a bit off to me, but after that novel, it seemed like Mills found the balance between honoring what Flynn did with the characters and also not being beholden to the direction that Flynn may have gone. For the most part, however, I do think that had Flynn decided to take the storylines in the direction Mills did, the end result would have been something like what Mills produced.

I think that Mills' best contribution to the series is probably the novel Oath of Loyalty, which is the 21st book in the series, but his last entry, Code Red, was very good as well. Mills finished Code Red in a way that the next author, who will be Don Bently (who has continued the Jack Ryan novels after Tom Clancy's death) can take the series in whatever direction he wants. While there are certainly some who will not accept any Rapp stories told by anyone other than Flynn, I think Mills did a great job keeping the characters going and honoring what Flynn created.