Workout Update: P90X Day 85

Day 85 was another yoga session. Again, I cut this one short, mainly because of timing during the day when I could do the workout. Thankfully, I only have one more yoga session this round of P90x.  I am going to try to get through more of the workout more consistently when I do the next round, probably after I am done with Chalean Extreme. 

Product Review: Atlantic Oskar Media Cabinet

 

This is basically a particle board shelf that can hold quite a few CDs or DVDs, so in that way, it is good for those of us who still have a pretty extensive physical media collection. But, it is definitely a "get what you pay for" item. It is not very sturdy (although once you have it full of CDs or DVDs it won't tip over without some effort). One plus is that you can stagger the height of the shelves if you need to in order to accommodate taller items. But, I will not really hold any oversized box sets, so if you have a lot of those, that is something to be aware of.

Workout Update: P90X Day 84

Day 84 was another truncated version of yoga-x. This is really the only workout that I have consistently slacked off on during this round of P90x. As I have said before, it is my least favorite of the P90x workouts, not because I hate yoga, but because it is just too damn long. If it was cut down to an hour, it would be a great workout. But, the hour and a half length is too much most of the time, especially if you consistently do the x-stretch.  

Workout Update: P90X Day 83

Day 83 was x-stretch. Really, the only thing notable from the workout was that I was able to stay in the low-squat position the entire 45 seconds (or however long it is) without having to raise up at all. It took me until the last week, but I did get there. I still cannot get close to doing the shoulder stand into plow though, so I just do a butterfly stretch to work my inner thighs. 

Book Review: Red Sparrow

 

Red Sparrow is a spy thriller set in Eastern Europe. It is centered around a former ballerina named Dominika who, after an injury is forced out of ballet, and thanks to the connections of her uncle who is a top member of the Russian SVR, ends up going to "Sparrow School." The intention is for her to use her sexuality to seduce and/or blackmail targets of the SVR. She ends up becoming a much more accomplished agent and becomes entwined in a plot that involves moles for both the United States and Russia and essentially a game of chess between the CIA and the SVR.

The book, as most know, was adapted into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence. While I do not think the movie was horrible, too much of the book had to be cut out, and things like the inner monologues of characters that really advanced the plot of the book, could not translate easily to film, and hence were removed. So, the motivations of the characters that we learn in the book are missing from the movie. I think finding a way to get much of that into the movie would have helped it. Thus, as is almost always the case, the book ends up being better than the movie.

Overall, the book is well-written and easy to read with a plot that flows well. The author is an ex-CIA agent who was stationed in that part of the world and draws on his experience, which gives a lot of authenticity to the story even though it is fictional. Each chapter ends with a recipe for some food item that was mentioned in that chapter. They are not key to the story in any way but are a unique addition to the book. It is a mix of action thriller, espionage, with a bit of sex thrown in. It is definitely worth reading, especially if you have seen the movie.