Let's Get Caught Up Part I

Boot Camp

I have to submit my apologies for not being better at updating this thing. The most asked question I get from faithful blog readers is "How is boot camp going?" To which I say "ummm.....good."

I did sign up for a third boot camp that started the second week of January. With all the "resolutioners" signing up it was a pretty full class. I faithfully attended for two weeks before falling totally "off the wagon" or is it "on the wagon". Maybe Jerry Seinfeld will know the answer to that one.

So after skipping the last 7 weeks of the class Becky wasn't too pumped about the $100 I just flushed down the toilet. So to make it up to her I put on about 15 pounds. I've since signed up for Boot Camp #4 so that I can fit into my jeans again. I was very faithful the first three weeks, but had meetings in St. George so I missed a week. Then I missed another week of classes. I can see the $100 swirling the bowl as we speak.

I think I have finally come up with an eating plan that works for me. Monday-Thursday are the days where I concentrate on being good. I'll try to eat between 1500-2500 calories. I won't eat out (unless I have a lunch meeting) and I'll avoid all sugars.

Friday-Sunday will be more relaxed. I can eat out and will partake in sugar, but with caution. I think it is sustainable. I have found that the diet part is the most critical in losing weight especially for me. When I have a good workout and then reward myself with a Big Jakes Double Bacon Cheeseburger, large fry and super-size Dr. Pepper I'm realizing I'm not really doing myself much good.

So to sum it up. Boot Camp is still part of my life, but could be attended a little better. I still do stupid things like seeing how many hamburgers I can eat in an hour, but overall I would say that physically I have felt better the past 9 months than in a long time.

Braniac

I read Ken Jenning's book Braniac a couple of months ago and must say that I really enjoyed it. It kind of helps to know the person's sense of humor so as you read their book. I had a few "That is so Ken" moments.

Braniac has two parts. One is Ken sharing his experience on Jeopardy even down to the trip him and Earl took to California to try out. They worked out a deal that if one of them got on the show, but the other one didn't, then the person that got on the show had to pay for the trip. That was my first "That is so Ken (and Earl)" moment.

The more interesting part for me was the research Ken did about trivia's role in society and the many different types of people who participate in it. People who write trivia, people who join obscure trivia contests, people who participate in college bowl and people who play at the local bar on a Saturday night. I though Ken did a good job of helping us understand why people love trivia and why some people become obsessed with it. Some of the people he met seemed downright frightening, yet I could see part of myself in them.

As a person who likes trivia I at times will try to remember something just because I figured it would be a could trivia question someday. For instance:

Q: Who scored the first two-point conversion in NFL history?

The only reason I know this answer is because I remembered watching the highlights that day. Just for your information the NFL didn't institute the two-point conversion until the mid-nineties. College and high school football had had it for years. So it is history that happened in my lifetime. I can remember making a mental note that I need to remember this. And I do. It comes in handy all the time.

A: Tom Tupa of the Cleveland Browns

OK, while I'm on a roll. One other obscure trivia question.

Q: Who scored the first NBA basket of the 21st century?

A: John Amaechi of the Orlando Magic

You might have heard that name before just for the fact that Amaechi recently wrote a book about his homosexuality and being the first NBA player to come out of the closet. Hey, that's another trivia question.

Anyway, Ken's book was really good. Each chapter he adds about 10 trivia questions within the chapter. I thought it was quite clever. I'm sure you're thinking that I must be getting a portion of the royalties by the way I'm hyping the book, but I liked it. If anyone wants to read it I have a copy at the house.

Couple Quick Movie Reviews

The movie watching has gone right down the crapper. I used to take a lot in, but the kids are changing that. In fact I have two episodes of "24" and "Lost" still to watch from the last couple of weeks. But I took a flight to Washington D.C. a month ago and the in-flight movie was "Rocky Balboa".

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never seen the original Rocky in its entirety. I have seen the ending and I'm familiar with the story. I have seen Rocky II, III, and IV a couple of times each. I never saw Rocky V. But I heard that Rocky Balboa actually was pretty good so when you're stuck on a cross-country flight it's quite easy to have a captive audience.

I liked it. It met my expectations. It had some cool moments with the Rocky Theme and "Gonna fly now" in the background. The premise of the fight was a little shaky, but I was able to put that behind me and enjoy the fact that an aged fighter just wanted one more chance to prove to himself (and nobody else) that he could still fight. And for a real life ex-boxer Antonio Tarver did a pretty good job as Mason "The Line" Dixon. Most of the film was pretty understated and it probably brought it back to its Rocky roots as opposed to its Rocky III and IV roots.

So a thumbs up for me. It is PG and didn't really have anything objectionable. Which seemed refreshing to me. I must be getting old.

Another movie I watched recently was "Fiddler on the Roof". I've seen the movie numerous times but it just seems to me to be a classic movie. Let me give you my Fiddler history.

For some reason I can remember my parents talking about how good of a movie this was when I was a kid. I hadn't thought much about it until I came home from my mission and had heard the rave reviews of Spencer playing Tevye in the high school production of Fiddler. So I popped in the video tape of the play and watched Fiddler for the first time. Spence actually did a pretty good job with the accent and everything. He made John Bayles look like a wooden stick figure (sorry, but most of you won't get that joke).

So now that I knew the story line I was curious to watch the movie. I can't remember exactly when, but I rented the video and watched it. I have since seen it at Hale Center Theater and the Star Valley High School play (where o' where was Spencer in that production). But by far and away I like the movie better than any production I have seen of Fiddler.

****Spoilers****(Just in case you haven't ever seen the play or movie)

The main reason is Topol. Chaim Topol was the actor who played Tevye in the movie. He was nominated for Best Actor for his performance. During this movie Topol has a great mix of humor, singing talent, and acting talent. I noticed the last time I watched it that he says more with his eyes in this movie than he ever does with his mouth.

Leonard Frey who played Model Kamzoil did a great job as well. He really pulled off the part of the bumbling guy who is too afraid to stand up to Tevye. Frey was also nominated for an Academy Award, but as Best Supporting Actor.

I know most of you look at me and don't take me for the "he likes to watch muscials" type guy. Some musicals I don't mind. Some of you know that "Oliver!" ranks #2 on my list. Anyway some of the music in Fiddler is excellent. It really brings out the emotion of the scenes. "Sabbath Prayer" is my favorite song, but "Sunrise, Sunset" I think is the best scene in the movie. The ending of the movie is really set up with "Little Bird, Little Chava-la" song which isn't in the stage production. That leads into the "There is no other hand" which is the climax of the movie.

So not to get too philospophical about a fictional piece of work. But what does a father do when he has three daughters that take different paths in their lives? The first one bucks tradition, but only because her father wanted her to marry someone rich so she could be happy. She essentially arranges her own marriage, but still marries within the faith.

Then the second daughter doesn't seek permission to get married and marries a revolutionist with "new ideas". He's Jewish so even though he's not the ideal man he's still of the right religion.

Then the the third daughter marries outside of the faith and the father is torn because tradition says that he has to disown her. He even contemplates that he can look the other way, but decides that he can't turn his back on his own faith despite his daughter. Pretty powerful scene at this juncture of the movie.

So I put myself in Tevye's shoes and wonder about my own daughters and if they will follow tradition or seek their own way. How will I handle it when the time comes? I'm sure I will be supportive, but what if I know that some happiness is being left behind because of choices made. And it doesn't have to be picking a spouse. It could be many other aspects of their lives.

As a parent you try hard to teach them right, but "cutting the apron strings" has got to be tough. I was thinking the other day about dropping Aubree off at college when she's 18 and how she won't have me there to protect her. It really scared me. How can you ensure your kids will make good decisions? How do you instill into them that it just takes one bad choice to ruin their life or somebody elses? How can you protect them when someone takes advantage of them and you are hundreds of miles away?

I can only think of decisions I made at that age and remember that somehow I came out mostly unscathed. But I had my share of dumb moments that could have turned out a lot worse than what really happened. Is it just luck? Are we watched over to make sure that we have every opportunity to fulfill what we are sent on earth to do? Do the prayers of loved ones really help in this regard? I'm not sure of the answers, but I think the best I can do is teach them right from wrong and hope that they will use their agency wisely. I'm guessing my parents had the same anxieties that I do. Except I still have a long ways to go.

This wasn't meant to turn from a movie review to a session on raising kids, but you can see that Fiddler on the Roof actually speaks to me in a different way. I love the movie and it always makes me reflect on my relationship with my spouse and children. I think that's a good thing.

Part II coming soon

I have more to type, but time is short and I'll post this. I do have a couple of other topics to cover so look for Part II to come out in the next year or two.

And for a bonus I'll be blogging the American Idol finale this year. Believe me when I say that there is plenty of material to work with.