Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: The Fall: Complete Collection

 

The Fall was a series that ran for three seasons, from 2013 to 2016, starring Gillian Anderson (best known for her role in The X-Files) and Jamie Dornan (probably best known for the Fifty Shades movies). Dornan plays Paul Spector, a bereavement counselor who is married with two young kids, and who is also a serial killer known as the "Belfast Strangler" (which is not a fact that the show tries to hide). Anderson plays police superintendent Stella Gibson who is brought to Belfast to take over the investigation of a murder that has been unsolved for over a month. She figures out that the murder is the work of a serial killer and leads the investigation to take him down. Each of the seasons is short. The first season has just five episodes, and the second and third seasons have six episodes. Season one focuses on establishing the characters and the investigation into the killings. Season two focuses on finding proof of Spector's guilt and taking him down, and season three focuses on the fallout. 

This collection is just a repackaging of the individual season releases. As far as I can tell, the discs are exactly the same as what you would get if you purchased the seasons individually (each season has two discs), and all of the extras carry over. The show looks and sounds great in HD. Of course, there is no CGI or a lot of special effects, but the location shots look great, especially if you have a large screen tv. The extras are fairly sparse, but for each season you get some trailers, and a making-of featurette focused on that season, and the second and third seasons have some deleted scenes. Not a ton of bonus features, but what is included is good.

The series is very good. It is not overly gory like, for example, Dexter. It focuses more on the psychological aspect, especially the cat-and-mouse game between Spector and Gibson. The writing and acting are both great, and the series gets in and out of the story for each season well. So, if you are a fan of crime dramas, this is a very good one to check out.

Book Review: Transfer of Power (Mitch Rapp Series Book 3 Chronological Order; Book 1 Publication Order)

 

Transfer of Power is the first novel in the series of spy novels centered on the character of Mitch Rapp, written by Vince Flynn in 1999. It was actually his second book, a quasi-follow-up to the novel Term Limits, which features some of the characters that would appear throughout the Mitch Rapp series, but not Rapp himself. In chronological order, this is the third book in the series, following American Assassin and Kill Shot, which were prequel novels that Flynn wrote after having written several novels involving the older, more experienced Rapp. In this book, Rapp is 31 years old and a seasoned terrorist hunter, so the events in this book are probably set around 6-7 years, give or take, after the events of the novel Kill Shot.

The book starts out with a team of CIA agents led by Mitch Rapp capturing a terrorist in Iran, only to discover a potential terrorist attack on Washington D.C. The attack involves a terrorist named Rafique Aziz and a team of terrorists capturing the White House, with the intention of taking the President (a fictional President named Hayes) hostage. Rapp has to infiltrate the White House which is under terrorist control and attempt to save the President and several other people being held hostage, all while having to deal with the political machinery with politicians, the military, and law enforcement all trying to figure out how to resolve the crisis.

For those who read American Assassin and Kill Shot first, this novel does not resolve things that were left open at the end of Kill Shot. Of course, at that time Flynn had not come up with those stories (just Rapp's backstory) and there is no mention of Stan Hurley and some of the other characters that appear in the first two novels. Although Irene Kennedy and Thomas Stansfield are prominently featured in this book. And we know that Rapp has been single for several years, so something happened to end his relationship with Greta. I have not read the novels that were written after Kill Shot (that resumed the story with an older Rapp), so I am not sure if there are tiebacks to either American Assassin or Kill Shot to fill in a bit of that time jump, but if you are reading the novels in publication order, it is not really an issue.

The book is a moderate length, just under 400 pages, but like American Assassin and Kill Shot, it reads fairly easily and quickly. It has a good blend of action and suspense and even a new love interest (new if you have read American Assassin and Kill Shot) for Rapp. It does seem that Flynn was still developing his writing style (which makes sense since this was the second novel he had ever written), but it is similar in style and tone to the later books.

And for those who may be curious, while Flynn was a fairly prominent conservative, his political leanings (beyond his general dislike for politicians as a whole) do not really come through in the book. In real-life Flynn was friends with Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, two of the most worthless pieces of shit ever in my opinion, but having heard Flynn interviewed on a local radio station here in the Twin Cities on a show that he appeared on regularly with a guy who was not a right-wing nut job, Flynn came off as a reasonable, more moderate conservative than the whack jobs that have taken over the Republican party. But, like I said, the book is more of an action and suspense thriller than it is a political novel (although there is some political intrigue and backbiting in the book). Unfortunately, since the American Assassin movie flopped, this story will probably never make it to the big screen, but a version of the storyline was adapted in the seventh season of 24. Even though Flynn was no longer a consultant on 24 at that point, it is clear that this novel served as inspiration for that storyline, as the character of Mitch Rapp did for the character of Jack Bauer, overall. So, if you are a fan of spy novels, this is a good one and is even a bit prophetic given things that happened in the lead-up to, and including the 9/11 attacks.

Product Review: Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook - Dot-Grid Eco-Friendly Notebook with 1 Pilot Frixion Pen & 1 Microfiber Cloth Included

 

This is a reusable, paperless notebook. The idea behind it is good, but I do think that with the advent of E-Ink tablets, in a few years, this will end up going the way of the mini-disc which gave the best of cassette tapes and CDs, but was ultimately rendered irrelevant when electronic recorders, mp3 players, and ultimately smartphones were invented. The idea behind Rocketbook is to provide a notebook that can be written on with special pens or markers (basically the Pilot Frixion line of pens and markers, or things similar to those) that can be washed off the pages. At the bottom of each page is an icon that corresponds to a delivery method so you take your notes, and then put an x over the icon that corresponds to how you want the notes to be delivered. The options are to save them to the Rocketbook app, send them to Dropbox, send them via email, etc. When you take a picture of the pages in the Rocketbook App, the notes are sent as a PDF file to whatever delivery method you choose. Then you can take a damp cloth and wipe the pages clean.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, the pages are made from a specially coated material, and while it is similar to the feel of writing on paper, it is not exactly the same. Second, you can only write on the pages with erasable ink pens/markers, which run out of ink very quickly. If you accidentally write on it with a regular pen, then the ink will not come off and the page (or the part you write on) is essentially ruined. And because the pens run out of ink much faster than regular pens, if you are using this for something like taking school notes, then you are going to be spending a lot of money on refills for the pens. Finally, even when you do use the correct pens, the coating on the pages does degrade over time, so the ink does not erase as well after you have used it. Also, the pages have grid dots as opposed to lines, so it is kind of hard to write in a straight line like most people try to when taking notes.

This is the first generation of the notebook so some of those issues may have been resolved in subsequent upgrades, but if you get this one, keep that in mind. Ultimately, I would look into getting a digital E-ink writer that has templates and allows you to do everything this can do, plus a lot more. But, if you are looking for a less expensive way to go paperless, at least for the short term, this does work. 

Product Review: PILOT FriXion Clicker Erasable, Refillable & Retractable Gel Ink Pens

 

These are good, with one big caveat. Yes, they work and the ink is erasable. But, they run out of ink much faster than regular ballpoint or gel pens. That may not be a big issue if you are using them just to jot down something on a sticky note or something like that. But, if you are using them consistently for something like class notes or you have to take a lot of handwritten notes for work, then it could become an issue. You can buy ink refills, but those run out quickly too. So, depending on how you are looking to use them, they may or may not work for you. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 19

Day 19 was the Hips, Buns, and Thighs workout for Pilates and legs in Lift-4. The Pilates workout was a little easier than last week's, but not by much. The Lift-4 workout was another 50/50 workout doing three rounds of three different supersets, then doing three rounds of three cardio moves, then two core moves for three rounds. The HIIT cardio portion was definitely harder than the resistance portion, especially by the third round of the cardio. It was another workout that was hard even for the people in the video to get through, so I do not feel bad for having to pause and catch my breath a couple of times.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 18

Day 18 was Burn 2 for Pilates and Shoulder Intervals for Lift-4. The Pilates workout was again a little easier than when I did it earlier in the week, but not much. The shoulder workout mostly repeats the moves from the first two weeks, just adding one different move. There are again three blocks that you do for three rounds. There are two resistance moves back-to-back with no rest and then a HITT cardio move that you do for 30 seconds. After you get through the three blocks you do the core block which again alternates two core-focused moves, each of which you do for 30 seconds, and repeats for three rounds. This is, again, a very tough, but overall good workout. I bumped up all my weights a little from last week, and the cardio is getting a bit easier. 

Product Review: SainSmart IIC/I2C/TWI Serial 2004 20x4 LCD Module Shield For Arduino UNO

 

The meager instructions that came with this (at least when I purchased it back in 2017) are pretty useless and incorrect. If you dig around online or look at the Amazon reviews you can find the correct instructions to get it to work. Basically, you have to check the l2C address (which is wrong in the instructions), check that you are using the correct l2C address, if your Arduino has more than one, and make sure you are giving it 5V of power.  Once you get it working, it works as it should. I used it for a build for an independent study project, and once I got everything set up correctly, it worked as expected to display a message based on the amount of vibration detected from a piezoelectric sensor. 

CD/Music Review: Katy Perry: Witness

 

Witness was an album by Katy Perry that was released in 2017. Perry is firmly in the pop music genre that mostly appeals to younger listeners, but does release songs that have wider appeal. This album has a mix of both types of songs. There are some songs that are very heavily produced and others in which her voice is the main focus of the song. Perry has a good enough voice that she could do nothing but ballads without all the over-produced stuff that probably makes her a hit with "the kids". 

Perry has definitely proven that she has musical talent and is not popular just because she is hot and has big tits. That said, I do think she tends to lean more heavily on the over-produced dance numbers than she really needs to. I do not think any of the songs on this album are on par with her big, mega-hits, but even so, the album does have some good tracks. The best tracks, in my opinion, are the less popular songs such as Into Me You See, Pendulum, Save as Draft, and Miss You more. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 17

Day 17 was Burn 1 in Pilates and the recovery day for Lift-4. Burn 1 was a bit easier this time than it was on Sunday, but there are a few parts that are still very challenging. Some, because I am just not that flexible, and others because it does actually give you a good burn, especially in your abs. I am still a little bit sore from the first two Lift-4 workouts of the week, so the recovery day was definitely welcome.  

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 16

Day 16 was Burn 2 in Pilates and Back and Biceps in Lift-4. Burn 2 is a little shorter than Burn 1, at just 30 minutes, but it is also a little bit harder. Still doable, but again some of the moves border on Intermediate to Advanced as opposed to beginner to intermediate.

The Lift 4 workout, it is another circuit workout so there is no HITT cardio. You do two quad blocks, doing four exercises, alternating back, biceps, back, and biceps. You do three rounds of each block. Then there are three rounds of burnout circuit in which you do back extensions (like the Superman from P90x, but keeping your feet on the floor) for 30 seconds and biceps curls for 30 seconds back-to-back with no rest between them.  Then, as is the case in all the workouts, you finish with three rounds of alternating core exercises and stretching. So, it is another workout that, even without cardio, gets your heart rate up, and has you struggling at the end. Even the people in the video, all of whom are in very good shape, are gassed by the end of it. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 15

Day 15 was my rest day from Pilates since I did Burn 1 yesterday because of my work schedule today. So, the only workout was Lift-4's week 3 chest and triceps workout. This was another 50/50 workout doing lifting first and then HIIT cardio second. In the lifting portion, the first block is two sets of chest exercises (presses and flys) back-to-back for three rounds. Then in the next block, you do a chest move (rotating presses) and a triceps move (kickbacks) for three rounds. In the last block, you do two triceps exercises (skull crushers and triceps push-ups).  Once you do all that you do three rounds of cardio, each with three moves that you do for 1 minute (180-degree squats), 45 seconds (soccer juggle), and 30 seconds (jumping lunges), respectively. Then you finish with three rounds of alternated core exercises (weighted crunches and side crunches). The workout is tough because you should be upping the amount of weight you are using from the first two weeks, and doing triceps push-ups at the end when your chest and triceps are totally worn out, his hard as hell. 

DVD/TV Series Review: American Gothic: Season 1

 

American Gothic is a TV series that aired on CBS during the summer of 2016. The series starred Virginia Madsen, Antony Starr (from the series Banshee), Justin Chatwin (from Shameless), Juliet Rylance, Megan Ketch, and Elliot Knight. The basic plot is that a body is found in a tunnel collapse in Boston, and the victim shows signs of being killed by a serial killer called "The Silver Bells Killer" (SBK) whose killing streak mysteriously ended fifteen years prior. The concrete for the tunnel was poured by Hawthorne Concrete, run by the affluent Hawthorne family, led by Madeline Hawthorne (Madsen) and Mitch Hawthorne (played by Jamey Sheridan). After the discovery, suspicion surrounds the family whose eldest daughter Allison (played by Rylance) is running for the mayor of Boston, and whose youngest member Tessa (played by Ketch) is married to a police officer who ends up in the middle of the investigation. Starr plays the family's estranged son Garrett, and Chatwin plays Cam, a cartoonist and recovering drug addict who has traded his dysfunctional family for a dysfunctional marriage. The series is a murder mystery that plays out over the course of 13 episodes, with a bunch of misdirection and twists thrown in. Some of the twists are fairly predictable, and others are more of a surprise.

For those who get the DVD set, the extras include deleted and extended scenes, a first look featurette, a portion of the Comic-Com panel, and a gag reel. Not an extensive amount of extras, but more than you get with a lot of DVD sets these days.

The show is kind of hit-and-miss. Some of the twists that get thrown into the story definitely work better than others. The big reveal at the end is a bit dumb, but overall, the acting is very good throughout, especially from Madsen and Starr. It does have some violence and a little bit of sexual content, but nothing over-the-top given that it aired on CBS. Even though it is called season one, the show was canceled after the first season. And honestly, it should have always been pitched as a mini-series/limited event series because I do not think that a second season would have worked for the show. So, if you like crime dramas, I think this is a good one to check out and does not require a lot of time investment. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: mother!

 

mother! is a very eclectic (to put it mildly) movie that was written and directed by Darren Aronofsky (who also directed films like Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain), and stars Jennifer Lawrence as mother, who is the wife of and muse for a famous poet named Him (played by Javier Bardem) who has writer's block. It is hard to review the plot of the movie, first, because it is all over the place, and second because it is hard to do so without giving too much away. The best way to describe it is that it is a psychological thriller that is an allegory for biblical destruction with characters that clearly represent Adam and Eve, Cain and Able, etc. If you are not a fan of Aronofsky's movies, especially the more offbeat ones that have almost supernatural elements to them, then you will absolutely not like this movie. The movie kind of takes the craziest kind of stuff from Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream and combines that with the supernatural elements of The Fountain. 

The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding. The movie looks and sounds great in the format, and the visuals really tie into the general weirdness of the movie. The UHD disc just has the movie itself, and then all of the other extras are on a second, regular, blu-ray disc. The extras include a 30-minute making-of featurette and a 7-minute featurette on the visual effects. There are also a handful of trailers that play as the disc loads.

The movie is good overall, but very strange. It is definitely not going to appeal to everyone, even people who generally like psychological thrillers. Lawrence and Bardem are very good in roles that are pretty different from what either of them has done (especially Lawrence). It also has a strong supporting cast including Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall and Brian Gleeson, and Kristen Wiig. I would not say it is family-friendly because it can be a bit gory and does have some nudity and swearing. 

4k-UHD/Movie Review: The Dark Tower

 

This is apparently a very loose and condensed adaptation of Stephen King's Dark Tower series of novels. The story is set partly in the real world (specifically, modern-day New York City) and partly in a world called Mid-World, an old-west-style parallel universe in which a gunslinger named Roland Deschain (played by Idris Elba) is trying to protect the titular Dark Tower from The Man in Black, Walter Padick (played by Matthew McConaughey). In the real world, a young boy named Jake Chambers (played by Tom Taylor) has visions of Roland and The Man in Black in Mid-World and finds a portal to Mid-World. The Man in Black wants to capture Jake in order to take his psychic power (called Shine) to destroy The Dark Tower. Then, a kind of cliched good versus evil story plays out both in New York and Mid-World.

For those who get the 4k set, as is usually the case, the UHD disc just has the movie and then the rest of the bonus features are on a second, regular, blu-ray disc. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding. Pretty much what I would describe as reference quality video with visuals that really pop. There are a handful of extras on the regular blu-ray disc including a gag reel, deleted scenes, a couple of featurettes about adapting the books to the movie, character profiles on Roland and The Man in Black, and trailers for other Sony movies. All totaled, the bonus features run about an hour, give or take.

The movie is good, but not great. I think it is probably better if you have not read the books because from what I have read, the movie is a very watered-down version of the story from the books. I have not read the books, but it seems like the main complaints are that the movie removes a lot of violence, which was done to get a PG-13 rating, and that the movie tells a pretty basic, non-nuanced story. Elba does a good job playing the character of Roland as a reluctant hero (not quite an anti-hero) and McConaughey does a good job as the bad guy of the movie. It is what I would classify as a decent action movie, but the story really should have been a series (even just a limited event series with 10, hour-long episodes) so that the entire story could be told and should have been done without being watered down. I think most people who are huge fans of the books will probably not like the movie adaptation. I think most people who are a fan of action movies, but who have not read the books, will probably like it more.

CD/Music Review: Taylor Swift: Reputation

 

This was, in my opinion, at least as of the time it was released in 2017, Taylor Swift's best album. She had already pretty much ditched her country music roots (to the extent that she was ever really country) for pop music, but this album has a lot more adult, more mature songs on it than her prior albums did. Although she does still have some of the breakup songs and songs about beefing with other artists that she is known for on this album.  For me, the best songs are Ready For It, End Game, I Did Something Bad, Look What You Made Me Do, and This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things. But really, I would not say that there are any songs that I would skip on this album. This is much more of an adult-pop album than it is a teen-pop album, and I think that she made that transition well. 

Product Review: TOPS Engineering Computation Pad, 8-1/2" x 11"

 

It looks like standard engineering paper and does, ultimately, get the job done. But, it is very flimsy, and tears (where you do not want it to) very easily. It is much lighter weight than some other engineering papers out there which can definitely cause issues if you have to erase a lot. So, if you are a student and are required to turn your homework in on engineering paper if you get this I suggest working out the problems on regular paper and then transferring over your final answer to this so you can turn in a clean copy. 

Textbook Review: Vibration Spectrum Analysis

 

I used this book for an independent study class in my electrical engineering program. I was building a vibration detection device and used this to get some background on the theory to be included in the final paper. It is well-written and concise. It is not likely a book that someone is just going to pull off a shelf and read for pleasure and you need to have the math and science background needed to get into an engineering program to really understand it. But, if you need something that lays out the concepts without having to do a bunch of searches online, this is a good resource.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 14

For Day 14, the schedule was a rest day for Pilates and a recovery day for Lift-4. However, tomorrow morning I have work commitments that are very close in time to when I would be finishing the Pilates workout, so I did Burn 1 today so I do not have to rush tomorrow, especially since it is a 40-minute workout. This basically keeps building on moves from the flow and fundamentals workouts, with a couple of the moves being what I would describe as intermediate or advanced intermediate. Basically, the kind of things you would get in a regular class. For the most part, Lisa does break down the moves before you actually do them, but there are a couple of moves for which she uses the demo move as the first rep in the set of 8 or 10 reps so if you are watching her you may start out a rep behind her. The workout is challenging, and I definitely had to pause a couple of times, but it is not impossible. 

For Lift-4 I just did the flexibility workout and skipped the foam rolling. So, I ultimately did the same number of workouts as I normally would have today, just modified things a bit. I will be back on the regular schedule on Tuesday. 

DVD/TV Series Review: Bones: Season 3

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers from the prior season, but no major season three spoilers+++

The third season of Bones aired in the 2007-2008 television season and was shortened (to just 15 episodes) as a result of the writer's strike and a bit rearranged due to the Virginia Tech mass shooting because one of the episodes dealt with a murder on a college campus and was set to air in season two just after the VT incident was repackaged and aired in season three. The season also included what was, for me anyway, the show's most controversial storyline, that of a cannibalistic serial killer called Gormagon. It is really the only longer story arc the show had that I was underwhelmed about how it was resolved. All of the main cast members from season two returned for season three, and there was also a new addition to the cast, a new FBI psychologist named Lance Sweets, played by John Francis Daley (from Freaks & Geeks). 

Again the show was a blend of procedural case-of-the-week stories and the longer Gormagon serial killer arc, that had a few twists and turns as it played out. The show also continues the story of Brennan's father, Max (played again by Ryan O'Neal) who allowed himself to be arrested by Booth at the end of the prior season. The season also continues Hodgens' and Angela's unlikely relationship. This season also sees Brennan looking for new interns (since Zack graduated last season) and introduces the character of Clark Edison (played by Eugene Bryd) and expands the recurring role of prosecutor Caroline Julian (played by Patricia Belcher). 

The DVD includes the 15 that were broadcast during season three and the first four episodes that were produced at the same time as the season three episodes but broadcast during season four, as bonus episodes. The other extras include extended versions of select episodes, a gag reel, and a handful of behind-the-scenes featurettes. 

This is the season in which I think the writers figured out the characters, and as a result, the actors had really great chemistry. Both Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz got to show off their comedic chops more this season, which was aided by the addition of the character of Sweets who actually fit into their dynamic very well. Really the only bad thing for me about this season was the way that the Gormagon story played out. Aside from that, the show continued to be great and it is definitely worth watching. 

DVD/TV Series Review: House of Cards: Season 5

 

+++Warning, this contains spoilers from the prior seasons, but no major season five giveaways+++

The fifth season of House of Cards starts out during the campaign with Frank running for re-election with Claire running to be his Vice President. Their opponent is Will Conway, the republican governor of New York, played by Joel Kinnaman (best known for the series The Killing and the Suicide Squad movies). The season has a mix of storylines that mimic some real-world events and things that would ultimately become prophetic given t***p's attempt to steal the 2020 election a few years later. Thankfully, the dipshits who tried to steal the real election were not as competent as the characters in the show. The plot lines include a war against the show's fictional terrorist group ICO, as well as a storyline that involved Russia and their Putin-Like President, Victor Petrov, played by Lars Mikkelsen. Boris McGiver, who plays Tom Hammerschmidt, the editor of the Washington Herald starts looking into Zoe Barnes' death, which starts bringing heat back on Frank. The season ends setting up what was clearly supposed to be the original season six storyline of Frank versus Claire, but when Kevin Spacey was fired from the show, that ended up being totally abandoned, so the cliffhanger-ish ending to the season never really gets played out.

For those who get the blu-ray set, the 13 episodes are spread across four discs. The A/V quality is very good, with some really nice scenic shots from DC and the surrounding area. The big con for the physical disc set is that there are no extras, and the discs are again in those very tight pockets that make them extremely hard to remove without risking scratching the discs and/or ripping the pocket. 

Overall, the series is still very good. While some of the backbiting, political maneuvering, and crimes that are portrayed in the show are dramatized for the show, I think that, unfortunately, what is depicted in the show is not always that far off from reality. The show continues to be very well-written and acted, with a strong supporting cast including Michael Kelly, Neve Campbell, Campbell Scott, Paul Sparks, and Jayne Atkinson, to name a few. 

For some, what has been revealed about Spacey's alleged behavior over the years, including while he was working on the show, may taint their perceptions of and enjoyment of the show. While Spacey is clearly the series lead, it is not just his portrayal of Frank that makes the show great, and I look at it as supporting the entire cast and crew and not just him. So, if you can separate that, and have liked the prior seasons of the show, then you will probably like this one.

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 13

Day 13 was the Abs and Core workout for Pilates and a recovery day (meaning flexibility and foam rolling) for Lift-4. I decided to do all the workouts back-to-back since they are all very short. So, I started with Lift-4's flexibility workout, then did the foam roller workout, and then did Pilates Abs and Core. I think that actually helped me because I was able to loosen up before doing the Pilates workout. While I would still not classify myself as flexible, I had a bit more range of motion. 

And, today I hit 210 lbs (95.2 kg), which I have not been in a long time. If you have read some of my older posts you know I tend to take scale weight with a bit of a grain of salt, as it can change a lot due to factors that have little or nothing to do with body fat percentage. But, since my body fat percentage is still high, I know I also have a lot of scale weight left to lose. So, hitting that milestone is a very good thing. I want to get myself back down to 190 lbs (58.5 kg) to see where my body fat and overall body composition are at that point.

CD/Music Review: Phi Collins: The Singles

 

If you were alive in the 1980s and 1990s and were a fan of pop and/or adult-contemporary music you heard Phil Collins a lot. Either because of his time as the lead singer of the group Genesis or his prolific solo career. This is a two-disc set (if you get the physical CD) that has all of the songs that Phil Collins put out as singles during his solo career. It is basically a greatest hits album and the songs on it cover his solo career from the early 1980s up through the mid-1990s. All of the songs have been remastered and pretty much all of his solo hits, including songs like Both Sides of the Story, Another Day in Paradise, You'll Be in my Heart, Against All Odds, and Take Me Home are included, along with some of his lesser-known non-smash hit songs. I definitely recommend this one to any fan of Phil Collins.

Book Review: Star Wars: Victory's Price: An Alphabet Squadron Novel

 

+++Warning, this contains a spoiler from the prior novel in the series, but no major giveaways from this book.+++

Victory's price is the third in the trilogy of "Alphabet Squadron" novels, telling the story of an elite fighter squadron that is tracking and trying to take out an Imperial unit called "Shadow Wing". The book is set one year after the Battle of Endor, and as the New Republic is gearing up for a "final battle" against the remnants of the Empire (in what would become the Battle of Jakku). Some in the New Republic think the war is over and underestimate the threat that the remains of the Empire pose and others know that it is not. The members of Alphabet Squadron are reeling from what they believe is the death of their leader, Yirica Quell. Of course, the readers know that she actually defected to Shadow Wing, although there is a bit more to that part of the story that plays out throughout the book. At the end of the book, we get yet another perspective on the events of the Battle of Jakku, which has been included in a few different novels. 

The big thing that the book (and the trilogy as a whole) lacks for me is any inclusion of the legacy characters. The book does include appearances by Mon Mothma and Admiral Ackbar, but Luke, Leia, and Han are nowhere to be seen (although some are mentioned), and it seems unlikely that they would never cross paths with some of these characters, even if for just a very short time. The book does expand the role of Hera Syndulla, but unless you watched the Rebels series (which most people who are likely to read this book probably have), she is not someone that readers are going to recognize as a major character. I think fans are still really looking forward to a novel set after Return of the Jedi that really shows what the legacy characters were up to, which, at the time the Alphabet Squadron trilogy was written, had not happened. To be fair, there are some novels that have come after this, such as Princess and the Scoundrel which have started to tell those stories, but I think a lot of fans, especially those who really grew up with the original trilogy and the characters of Han, Luke, Leia, Chewie, etc., may find this trilogy of novels a bit hard to get into. The book does have a lot of action, and it does a good job wrapping up the arcs of the main characters, so if you have been a big fan of the prior books in the trilogy this will probably provide a satisfying conclusion to their story.

Ultimately, I think this is a good, but not great novel in the new canon material. But, it is not one that I would classify as a must-read if you are one of those who read some, but not all, of the novels. 

Workout Update: Lift 4/Beginner Pilates Doubles Day 12

For day 12, the Beginner Pilates workout was the hips, buns, and thighs workout, and Lift-4 was a legs-focused HIIT workout. The Pilates workout went a bit better than it did last week, but there were still a couple of points where I had to pause and skip a rep or two. The Lift-4 workout was tough. It was all cardio, no weights. It had three rounds of four exercises, high-knee jog for a minute, the triple hops with your knees 2 inches off the ground for 45 seconds, catchers (squat-to-planks) with a jump for 30 seconds, and jumping lunges for 15 seconds. You get 15 seconds between exercises to rest and 30 seconds between rounds. After you do three rounds of that, you do two additional rounds in which you do each exercise for thirty seconds with no rest between them. Then you alternate between two core moves for thirty seconds each move for three rounds. As with the other workouts, there is a person doing modified moves (toward the end everyone in the video was doing modified moves), but even modified it was hard. I started out doing as much unmodified as I could do, then switched to modified. During the last couple of rounds, I definitely had to stop a couple of times. It was a good, but tough workout.

Book Review: Arduino For Dummies 1st Edition

 

The Arduino is a microcontroller that can be used to do anything from something as simple as causing an LED to illuminate to controlling a robot. However, if you are not all that adept at programming and/or building circuits, it can be somewhat daunting to use. I used one to build a vibration-sensing device for a class in my electrical engineering curriculum, and since I only knew the basics of programming, I got this to help figure out how to program the device. The book has a lot of good information in it and presents the information in an easily understandable way. If you have some experience and programming and know the basics of circuit design the book is easy to understand and use.  The material may go over the head of a total novice, but you can definitely have beginner to intermediate skills/knowledge and easily follow along with the material.