249 days to go

Well, I'm in the midst of a couple days that are really busy and not sure when I'll be able to get back out, even though the weather has been great. I scheduled myself to work the past 2 days, today, and tomorrow to get as many hours as possible before I leave on vacation tomorrow. So as soon as I get home after my flight today, I have to get Zoe's things together to drop her off at her sitter, finish packing my bags and my car. Obviously no map to post today, but I thought I'd write about them briefly. I've been using my Android phone and an app called MyTracks to record distance, speed, and ground track. I love that I can just hit a button and have a map exported to my google account, I'm not sure exactly how accurate it is. The tracks on the maps obviously weave back and forth as my phone tries to get a good signal, etc. Also, it's kind of a pain to carry a phone in your hip pocket. It really only works when it's cold enough to justify a jacket (with an inside pocket), and even then, it's not he most comfortable. That's why I've been looking into getting a Garmin ForeRunner 110 watch. I don't necessarily need one with a heart monitor, but the reviews seems to indicate a high level of accuracy, and I can still export the data to a course map on the Garmin Connect site. I'm keeping an eye on eBay for one, but either way it'll have to wait until I get back from Florida, where at least it will be warm enough to break in the running shoes.

251 days to go

Extremely lazy day
0.9 walking Zoe
My lower back was a little tight, and I underestimated the temperature so my hands got cold pretty quick.

View 1/7/12 4:42 PM in a larger map

252 days to go

3.2 Jog/Walk

View 1/6/12 10:40 AM in a larger map

Caché

Last year I started using swapadvd.com when I couldn't sell a DVD for a price I wanted, and had already bought the Blu-ray version. I picked up the French thriller Caché through one of the trades because it stars Juliette Binoche, but as the cover also shows, it received some strong accolades. After a rather brilliant opening sequence that successfully disorients the viewer, Caché is a pretty straightforward mystery that forces the lead character Georges to revisit some disturbing occurrences from his childhood. Someone is filming Georges' house and family for hours at a time and leaving the videocassettes on their doorstep.

The movie is less "thriller" than creepy, and ultimately a little frustrating. The cover compares this film to Hitchcock, but at the end of his films, Hitchcock ultimately explained the questions that he set up. If this was an American film, we'd see the face of the person as they turned off the video camera in the last seconds before the credits. If it was Japanese, someone would spend 10 minutes explaining what happened the rest of the movie. Since it's French, they simply can't be bothered to reveal the mystery that drives every action throughout the film, which is a little frustrating. I understand the director's point that it's more "real" in that some mysteries in life go unsolved. I would argue, though, that most people watch films to escape from the Real, and the videotapes weren't just a MacGuffin, but the central story of the film.

Caché means "Hidden", which clearly applies to the resolution of the film. If you can stand the frustration having more questions at the end of the movie than at the beginning, it's probably worth a viewing, but not necessarily one worth keeping on the shelf.

253 days to go

Legs are a little sore from pushing myself yesterday, so I just walked Zoe 3.2 miles. Warmer today. Almost felt like too many layers of clothes.

View 1/5/12 2:32 PM in a larger map

254 days to go

Before I started running I'd been sucked in the by the marketing of the Reebok Realflex. When I won a $100 gift certificate for The Greene shopping center I didn't know what to spend it on since it's mostly clothes or restaurants, and not my type of clothes. I wanted to buy movie tickets, but the Rave doesn't take Green gift cards. However, I learned that E.O. Burger sells movie passes when you get a meal, so for $35 off the card, I got two IMAX tickets plus two dinners. Also swung by Finish Line and picked up this color of Realflex, which are incredibly light, and this color also happened to be on sale. Now I need to find something for $4.85 to wipe out the gift card.

Today: 2.75 Jog / Walk (but not in the Reeboks. They don't keep out much cold air.)

View 1/4/12 4:17 PM in a larger map

Run Forrest, Run!

Well, this is going to be interesting. No turning back. In 258 days I'm committed to running the Air Force 10K. That's 6.2 miles, and I have no idea if I'll be able to do it. Keep in mind I've never run more than 2.5 miles at a stretch in my life, so registering to do this makes me very nervous. But at the same time, I HAD to register to be motivated to force myself to get in shape. I probably wouldn't be doing this, though, without my friend Evren. Only once in a very long time does someone come along that so effectively inspires one to try to be a better person, but that's exactly she does.