Good Morning Ladies & Gentlemen,
Well, not much has happened since yesterday really...but I did spend my morning checking out a prestigious fitness center that's actually next door to my apartment building called Forza (Italian for "Strength") and I'm really considering joining it, though the prices are a little...more than I'm used to. Now, as the website'll tell you, the facility is three stories and has everything - full basketball court, track, rock wall of varying difficulties, 25 meter swimming pool, hot tub, steam rooms, locker rooms, yoga & pilates & spinning studios, trainers, free classes, cardio machines, dozens of different weight machines, free weights, and impeccable atmosphere and appearance...and on top of all that, it's next door to where I live, so the convenience factor makes it so that I don't have an excuse. I really want to get back into shape. I mentioned that to the lady giving me the tour and she was like "Well, you're really not OUT of shape" (and let's face it, I'm hot) but I really FEEL out of shape sometimes...because I know for a few years now, the only time I really get a good workout is helping somebody move...and that's hard on my back and patience. I'm thinking that my routine will start just after work with some stretching and maybe play a pick up game to get my cardio going, then head over to the weights to get the guns loaded, cool down with a few laps at the pool, take a few minutes in the hot tub, then hop back over to my apartment just in time to meet up with a ladyfriend who enjoys my marvelous pecs and stamina. If I get a little bored, then maybe switch it up with a yoga class...or the rock wall...you know, keep me entertained...like when I happened to walk into a cardio class with girls jumping side to side and doing jumping jacks. That was hard to focus on the tour guide at that point...but I did pretty well. Nothing keeps me "motivated" like athletic girls jumping around. Anyway, what do you think? I'm thinking I'll try it out for a month of two (since it'll be winter and I'll have nothing better to do really) and see how it grows on me.
Other than that, I watched a few movies over the past few days that I haven't really commented on. First was...well, the other day I mentioned that Samuel L. Jackson was going to narrate QT's new movie "Inglorious Bastards" when/if it comes out...and that the only other movie I heard him narrate was "Farce of the Penguins" and I completely forgot about "The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Movies" so I decided to watch that the other night (it's in my collection). It's a bit of a documentary about how Kung Fu / Martial Arts / Wuxia movies really started with the Peking Opera and Shaolin Monks...then progressed into film...and how it's basically one of the greatest movie genres of all time because it's so encompassing of different themes and cultures. It really is. There are a lot of interviews with the stars, directors, producers, historians, and other important figures of these movies...and it's quite interesting. Now, I've seen a LOT of them (and own a lot too) and they're some of the more entertaining movies ever made. If you haven't seen movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" or "Enter the Dragon" or know who Sonny Chiba or Wong Fei-Hung or Gordon Lui or the Shaw Brothers are...then I really suggest that you check some of these movies out...or at least this documentary. I'd be happy to loan them to you...or gladly watch them with you. Knowing the culture and backstory will really help you to appreciate the movies and stars that you already know...like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tony Jaa, Chuck Norris, even Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. Honestly though, I have yet to see more than a few episodes of the legendary TV series "Kung Fu" with David Carradine...and I really think that I need to check those out now. So anyway, just my little spit about this movie. I suggest that you go check it out.
On a completely separate note, I also watched "88 Minutes" with Al Pacino last night. If you don't know the story, it's about a top-rate forensic psychologist Dr. Jack Gramm (Pacino) who's also a professor at a college in Seattle. Well, he testified against a serial killer (Neal McDonough) who says that he's innocent and the day that he's set to be executed, Dr. Gramm gets a call saying that he has 88 minutes to live...and then it goes into this whole twisted tale where skeletons comes out of the closet and everybody's a suspect and there's actually a pretty good supporting cast including William Forsythe, Amy Brenneman, Deborah Unger, Leelee Sobieski, Benjamin McKenzie (kid from "The OC"), and Alicia Witt...and directed by Jon Avnet ("Risky Business" and "The Mighty Ducks" to "The Red Corner" and "Righteous Kill" so a pretty versatile storyteller). Anyway, it was a pretty good movie...though predictable at times...but when you've seen a LOT of these kind of movies, it happens. I'd say check it out if the premise seems interesting to you...but otherwise, watch "Heat" instead.
Well, that'll have to be it for me today. I'm doing some overtime at work today (while I still can in these shaky times) and there's college football to be seen with a few great games tonight. Also, I may be hanging with some ladies from work in the evening...so I just thought that I'd keep my NaBloPoMo streak alive through Day 8. Have a great weekend everybody!!! Have some fun...but be safe.
Well, not much has happened since yesterday really...but I did spend my morning checking out a prestigious fitness center that's actually next door to my apartment building called Forza (Italian for "Strength") and I'm really considering joining it, though the prices are a little...more than I'm used to. Now, as the website'll tell you, the facility is three stories and has everything - full basketball court, track, rock wall of varying difficulties, 25 meter swimming pool, hot tub, steam rooms, locker rooms, yoga & pilates & spinning studios, trainers, free classes, cardio machines, dozens of different weight machines, free weights, and impeccable atmosphere and appearance...and on top of all that, it's next door to where I live, so the convenience factor makes it so that I don't have an excuse. I really want to get back into shape. I mentioned that to the lady giving me the tour and she was like "Well, you're really not OUT of shape" (and let's face it, I'm hot) but I really FEEL out of shape sometimes...because I know for a few years now, the only time I really get a good workout is helping somebody move...and that's hard on my back and patience. I'm thinking that my routine will start just after work with some stretching and maybe play a pick up game to get my cardio going, then head over to the weights to get the guns loaded, cool down with a few laps at the pool, take a few minutes in the hot tub, then hop back over to my apartment just in time to meet up with a ladyfriend who enjoys my marvelous pecs and stamina. If I get a little bored, then maybe switch it up with a yoga class...or the rock wall...you know, keep me entertained...like when I happened to walk into a cardio class with girls jumping side to side and doing jumping jacks. That was hard to focus on the tour guide at that point...but I did pretty well. Nothing keeps me "motivated" like athletic girls jumping around. Anyway, what do you think? I'm thinking I'll try it out for a month of two (since it'll be winter and I'll have nothing better to do really) and see how it grows on me.
Other than that, I watched a few movies over the past few days that I haven't really commented on. First was...well, the other day I mentioned that Samuel L. Jackson was going to narrate QT's new movie "Inglorious Bastards" when/if it comes out...and that the only other movie I heard him narrate was "Farce of the Penguins" and I completely forgot about "The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Movies" so I decided to watch that the other night (it's in my collection). It's a bit of a documentary about how Kung Fu / Martial Arts / Wuxia movies really started with the Peking Opera and Shaolin Monks...then progressed into film...and how it's basically one of the greatest movie genres of all time because it's so encompassing of different themes and cultures. It really is. There are a lot of interviews with the stars, directors, producers, historians, and other important figures of these movies...and it's quite interesting. Now, I've seen a LOT of them (and own a lot too) and they're some of the more entertaining movies ever made. If you haven't seen movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" or "Enter the Dragon" or know who Sonny Chiba or Wong Fei-Hung or Gordon Lui or the Shaw Brothers are...then I really suggest that you check some of these movies out...or at least this documentary. I'd be happy to loan them to you...or gladly watch them with you. Knowing the culture and backstory will really help you to appreciate the movies and stars that you already know...like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Tony Jaa, Chuck Norris, even Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. Honestly though, I have yet to see more than a few episodes of the legendary TV series "Kung Fu" with David Carradine...and I really think that I need to check those out now. So anyway, just my little spit about this movie. I suggest that you go check it out.
On a completely separate note, I also watched "88 Minutes" with Al Pacino last night. If you don't know the story, it's about a top-rate forensic psychologist Dr. Jack Gramm (Pacino) who's also a professor at a college in Seattle. Well, he testified against a serial killer (Neal McDonough) who says that he's innocent and the day that he's set to be executed, Dr. Gramm gets a call saying that he has 88 minutes to live...and then it goes into this whole twisted tale where skeletons comes out of the closet and everybody's a suspect and there's actually a pretty good supporting cast including William Forsythe, Amy Brenneman, Deborah Unger, Leelee Sobieski, Benjamin McKenzie (kid from "The OC"), and Alicia Witt...and directed by Jon Avnet ("Risky Business" and "The Mighty Ducks" to "The Red Corner" and "Righteous Kill" so a pretty versatile storyteller). Anyway, it was a pretty good movie...though predictable at times...but when you've seen a LOT of these kind of movies, it happens. I'd say check it out if the premise seems interesting to you...but otherwise, watch "Heat" instead.Well, that'll have to be it for me today. I'm doing some overtime at work today (while I still can in these shaky times) and there's college football to be seen with a few great games tonight. Also, I may be hanging with some ladies from work in the evening...so I just thought that I'd keep my NaBloPoMo streak alive through Day 8. Have a great weekend everybody!!! Have some fun...but be safe.
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