James Piper, Author

Friday, May 8, 2009 The Duchess. Feature film. (2008, 110 mins) IMDB ... another English period piece based on real events ... I came into to this film knowing nothing--my usual starting point. I clicked on its IMDB listing and saw it had won one Oscar and knew immediately what it was--costume design. I wasn't wrong. Another period piece from England complete with horses, candles, wigs, country estates and elaborate costumes. Lest we not forget people actually wore them, but then again people thought it was okay to enslave people. It's 1774 in England. We get a glimpse into the lives of some of the top people of the country--the duke and duchess of Devonshire. We see nothing about the king or queen. Learn nothing about the servants or the everyday people except that they bow in the presence of the duke or duchess. The film is about this couple and a few people in their lives. If I recall correctly, none of the servants in their home says anything mor...

Friday, May 8, 2009 ... full weights workout ... E ven though I got to the gym late on this Friday, I put in a full workout--a long one. It's what I needed. Bench Press: 11kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Inclined Bench Press: 11kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 30 reps x 6 sets with 2KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls: 7kg x 25 reps x 6 sets Tricep Presses on bench: 14kg x 25 reps x 3 sets. I forgot I was doing them on the Swiss ball going forward. Leg Lunges: 10 reps x 6 sets - Left/Right Squats: 10 reps x 6 sets. Have to get regular leg lunges and squats in to my routine, even if it's just one set. They are a must. Posted 2009/05/08 at 20h41ET in Exercise.

Thursday, May 7, 2009 ... Cardio with some extras ... A solid 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. Felt all right. I wanted to do more afterwards and did. Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 30 reps x 6 sets with 2KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls: 7kg x 25 reps x 6 sets Posted 2009/05/07 at 20h11ET in Exercise.

Thursday, May 7, 2009 Dead Fish. Feature film. (2004, 98 mins) IMDB ... hard to believe they can get it so wrong ... A beautiful Spanish woman stands in a railway station in London. She argues with her deadbeat boyfriend. She's pregnant and wants him to grow up. She takes his cell phone to call her mother. A few seconds into the call, another deadbeat snatches her phone and runs away. She gives chase. He runs faster until he's knocked flat to the ground by our hit man. The phone is returned to the lovely lady and the hit man is smitten with her. He's in London to do another hit. He's waiting for the call from his boss with instructions. The call but it goes to the deadbeat boyfriend because there was a mix-up in the phones. I totally expected it to happen and it was completely stupid and unbelievable. The deadbeat goes to the train station. Finds the locker with the instructions on the hit, cash and a pistol and goes to the Mr. Fish's...

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 ... a weights day ... B ench Press: 11kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Inclined Bench Press: 11kg x 25 reps x 3 sets Stomach Crunches on Swiss Ball: 30 reps x 6 sets with 2KG medicine ball. Bicep Curls: 7kg x 25 reps x 6 sets No Leg Lunges. No Squats. Posted 2009/05/06 at 19h28ET in Exercise.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 Vital Signs. Feature film. (1990, 103 mins) IMDB ... what a terrible, boring film ... T errible, terrible, terrible. The film starts out with medical students at their residency at a teaching hospital. They are learning whatever it is they are supposed to be learning. From there it's all about these student doctors as they study and practice and whatever it is they're doing. There's a large cast. There is no focus on one character instead it switches between the various performers. I wanted to stop it but instead I'm writing this and updating my movie db. I know why I don't like this film. I don't care about the characters. I don't care if they become doctors or what they have to go through to get there. It just isn't interesting to me. So what. A bunch of students learn to be doctors. This is one boring film. Had they tried to make a comedy out of it, it might have been good, but instead it...

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 ... cardio only ... I t was one of those days where I felt rushed for time and did just 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. It was a hard workout. My t-shirt was completely soaked when I was done. That's four days in a row without doing any weights. Not sure how I'll get three weights workouts in this week. During the workout it felt hard as if I was out of shape. Not sure what the problem is? Am I getting out of shape? Getting older? Not hydrated enough? All of those things? I'm just not sure. One thing I am sure about is I will continue my workouts. Want to. Posted 2009/05/05 at 19h26ET in Exercise.