Pentagenarians & Beyond: W/B 1/17

fox2star

fox2star

Cathlete
Good morning,

No qualifying scores yesterday, but I was happy with Kylee's performance and we had fun.

Valerie, actually, I went to the dealer and they had the same exact car that John had, the new one has the auto-dimming mirror with the direction light built in...I have that, his other one did not. I put a deposit down on it. As soon as we get the check from the insurance company, he will pick it up. I am not sure how I personally feel about the exact same car, ( a little hinky feeling to me), but that is what he wants. We both have the back-up camera, which is ok...once you get used to it. I asked about the side warning system...(called Eye Sight) The salesmen said that some people don't like the lights or sounds that come with Eye Sight. I would definitely test drive one with that option first.

A workout and HouseMax for me today. With the weather that is predicted, I am happy to not leave the house at all.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Take care,
 
Good morning all!

Yesterday I did CLB plus a portion of her Ice Live Metabolic. I skipped the cool down of CLB and warm up of the Live and did about 20 minutes then went to the cool down. I also used 2lb hand weights for all cardio in CLB except for the snow angels - that would be asking for shoulder trouble! Loved using the hand weights. Really added some intensity.

Deb...we had some snow yesterday and may get some more today. It was so wet and heavy shoveling. This alone was a workout. Glad DH found the same car. Amazing all the technology new cars have. It will be a few years before my DH and I need new cars and I can't even imagine what will be in them...a microwave? Lol!! Great DR's visit!

The backsplash is actually PVC. We went to look at the metal and the sales person showed us this and we loved it. Easier to install and keep clean. Sold! I painted the top wall of cabinets yesterday but painting burgundy always takes a million coats to get the shade you want. My opinion anyways. So will be doing a couple more coats today. Never got to fixing and painting window molding.

Must have been the "old dog syndrome" because he is actually fine and his crazy self the past couple of days.

Valerie...rest days are good! How is your DH feeling? My lower body is feeling yesterday's workout. I may do a live boxing workout today. Something that concentrates on upper. My DH and I plan to see either the Hateful Eight or Revenant today.

Have a great day!
 
Deb, I understand feeling a little 'hinky'. It would remind me of the wreck every time I looked at it. smart to look closely at new options. cousin has the camera and it's nice for getting out of tight spots, shows areas you can't easily see, but parallel parking was tedious. must have gone back /forth 2 dozen times inches at a time. BIL uses the rear camera to hook up his boat /trailer by himself, and it works great. he fishes by himself and can get his boat on/off the trailer.
My car ( '04 Forester) is small. backing out from between 2 much bigger vehicles is dicey. you can't see cars approaching, or even pedestrians unless RIGHT behind. I was hoping side warning systems would help. I assumed it was a system you could turn on and off? Whatever... we probably won't be car shopping for a few years.
I am forgetting if I checked in with yesterdays workout. 30 on elliptical, another 30 min therapy exercises, plus a few Cathe inspired moves.

we wanted to walk today for a mild workout but it's wet, windy and unpleasant out there. so will decide after 10. DH is feeling much better and getting cabin fever! the football game starts at 10 our time so all will be quiet then. amazing how many fans stay home to watch.

Lori all your home improvements got me thinking . after we finished the master bath we wanted to replace carpeting. we were agonizing over what kind of flooring to put where, how to transition, details details. thought it might be loud if we put hard surfaces upstairs. so we didn't do anything. suddenly it struck me that we could do easier and cheaper if we re-carpeted the carpeted areas in neutral beige. I dove into 'dusty rose" when the color was popular and so window coverings need to change too. furniture should be OK. we need to keep carpeting on the stairs, 2 flights, and it was getting too complicated.

ETA I forgot to report that my "all clear" mammogram letter came Saturday. always nervous until I get it.
 
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Hi everyone--

This morning I did CLB with core 2 (61:43). I love this one and I did better on those side planks (or at least I didn't flop when I lifted my leg).

Lori, your kitchen is beautiful. I wish I were good at DIY. DH is but he's so busy with his animals he really doesn't have the time. What he DOES do for me is fix the poorly installed stuff by the professional organizer (e.g., make things plumb and attach shelving to the walls so it doesn't fall over.) I am still waiting on one piece for my office after sending 3 pieces back. Did you see my pm?

Deb, I am 3 episodes into A Place to Call Home. Very soap opera but I like it anyway. Great that you were pleased with Kylee's performance.

Valerie, yesterday was the Pats, so I definitely know what you mean by people staying in to watch the game. DH prefers to record and ff through commercials and all the pauses. Good that your DH is feeling better. Is he still on soft food?

Hi to Judy and Josie!
 
Short post here... I did TTM and CUB. the sound track on CUB is annoyingly loud, I stopped and turned music off not long after the warm up. TTM is fine. also a few of the therapy exercises in there, but not all.

DH is sometimes feeling better and other times not. he is still having a lot of pain and discomfort as the stitches are rubbing and causing sores. He is on soft food for another several days, at least until thurs when he revisits to get stitches out.
 
Good morning & Happy Monday,

Yesterday I did a Timesaver premix from ICE Chiseled Lower Body Blast. It's 13 degrees out and lots of snow...we had to snow plow last evening, and now it looks like we never did it. Ugh...driving will not be fun. I have to drive John to work this morning, then pick him up later.

Lori, Glad Chester is back to his old crazy self. :). Great workouts, I have to keep those hand weights in mind for some of them. Don't laugh about a car with a microwave. Did you ever think there would be DVD players in them? Wouldn't that have been great when we were kids on long trips?

Valerie, great that you got good mammo results. I guess turning off that Eye Sight system would defeat the purpose? I sort of use the back up camera, but still don't know if I trust it. It sure makes it look like you have a lot more room than I would think. Neutral is good for carpeting.

Lynda, I guess those side planks would get easier, I have a hard time even holding myself upright on the side, never mind the dipping down part! I do the leg part; kind of like knee -ins/elbow to knee with my top arm when I can't lift up. At least I am getting some core work. A Place to Call Home will have to continue, there are a lot of unresolved things, it's almost like they created them in the last episode. I started watching a series of murder mysteries called Midsomer Murders on Acorn. It's the same pair of detectives, but they seem to be stand-alone so no need to watch in any order.

Hi to Josie & Judy,

Stay warm!
 
Since I don't know how eyesight works, I'm not sure. I hate backing out of parking spaces at Costco because people drive fast thru the parking lot. I've witnessed several crashes when someone started to back out. Things that "flash and make noise" are useful, until they do when not wanted. I keep thinking about seat belt chimes driving us crazy in our driveway. It sounds like something you would leave "on" all the time, unless it needed to be off for a specific reason.

Side planks don't work for me. I can't balance. I hold the position OK, raise my hips up and down but topple immediately when I try to lift my leg. I can't block my feet together. it helps a little to push against a wall but not much. it's very unbalanced for me so I work around them. neither side works. I'm hoping if I keep doing TTM with the side leg raises ...maybe I'll get better at them.

Deb, sometimes DH and I get all tied up in details, and end up not getting anything done. we were casually looking at carpet at Lowes, and I was hit with a blinding glimpse of the obvious..... we should just re-carpet the area and be done with it.

We watched the debate last night. more energetic than the previous ones. DH is still sore. going in this morning for dentist to take a quick look. I looked but didn't see anything looking infected or swollen, but I have no idea why he's still so sore. hopefully will reassure that all is OK. would like to go for a walk or something today.
 
Hi Ladies,

I rode 80 miles this weekend. On Saturday we did 36 hilly miles and yesterday we rode 46 with a few easier hills. My legs feel fine but my upper body is a little tight. I'm really happy with the workouts that I have been doing and what Karina has been doing for us. I'm taking a day off today so that I can go grocery shopping, my fridge is empty :).

Lori, thank your for sending me the zumba DVD's. I will let you know when I use them. Glad that Chester is back to normal, my dog Astro started showing his age and would have bad days here and there and then be back to normal. They are just like us. You kitchen is looking great!

Garance, Im with you on the movies that are out there right now. I have no desire to watch any of them. My DH is one of those that stays home on Sunday to watch all the games. He did take time to take me to a late lunch yesterday after my long ride.

Valerie, glad that your mammogram came back normal. Hope that your DH finds some relief.

Deb, glad that your DH will be able to get a new car. I'm with him on getting the same thing, he feel safe since it did save his life. My car has all the bells and whistles, but I still look back and do not rely on them 100%.

Hi to Judy!

Josie
 
Hi everyone--

This morning I did both Sweat workouts (approx 46 min.)

It's cold here too Deb and made much worse by the wind. I still have 4 episodes to go on A Place to Call Home. Lots of complications to work through. I read ahead, and I can't believe George is going to marry Regina. Terrible that they have spoilers in the episode descriptions. Thanks for the suggestion on another Acorn series. I'm looking forward to watching War and Peace tonight on the A&E network. It has received great reviews and I loved the novel--read it when I was a college freshman and again as a T.A. when I was in grad school. I probably should read it again because there is a new translation that is supposed to be very good.

Josie, that's a lot of mileage! Good for you. My DH told me I should watch all of the Oscar movies as I usually do, so I probably will relent and go to see The Revenant. No Hateful Eight for me, though, and it wasn't nominated anyway. Carol might be good--a 1950s melodrama like the series I am watching on Acorn--and The Danish Girl which I suppose is timely, given all the recent interest in transgender issues. I can recommend both Trumbo and Spotlight and most definitely, The Martian, all good. I want to see The Big Short too.

Valerie, that's good news on your mammo and I hope your DH is better soon. I watched a bit of the debate, but for heaven's sake, why have it on a Sunday night when most people are watching DA??? I recorded the GW and watched the second hour of the debate and yes, it was certainly more fiery and a lot less weird than the Repub debate where they actually called our African-American President a boy and a child. Hard to believe they are the party of Lincoln.

Lori, we are all cheering for a long and crazy life for Chester. Hope the cold weather isn't too hard on little Nilla. So what is your next DIY project?

Hi to Judy!
 
Good evening ladies!

This morning was Ice Live Bootcamp and a lower body barre at lunch. We had snow last night so had to shovel a bit before I left the house. My Son's GF's Dad bought a plow and comes and does our driveway. Love that man!!

Speaking of my DS and his GF ...they have made the commitment to move in together. My son actually lives with his Dad since he has been going to school. His dad has a cute little inlaw house on his property separate from the main house. DS has been living there free of charge since he started school. He goes to College in CT and his Dad is not far. My x had no problem with the GF moving in so I am very happy for them. Yesterday I bought them a 50 inch TV and her parents bought them some furniture. They are both extremely great kids so it makes it easy to do this for them.

Thanks for all your kind words about Chester. We love him and hate to see him getting old like he is. Larger dogs get old so quick. Nilla is going to be 16 in June and she is so spry! Deaf but spry!

Deb...when I was younger my mom packed all 5 kids in a station wagon and drove from MA to FL. I bet she would have loved a DVD player in the car!!! How did we ever survive without the technology we have now? Crazy isn't it? When do you pick up the new car? Any word from Ins. Company?

Valerie...glad to hear the mamo came back good. Mine came back this year as saying my breasts are dense. Never had this before so thought it was odd. I have an appt and plan to discuss with my doctor. Does the stitches desolve on their own in DH's mouth or do they need to be removed. I love new carpeting! We mostly have wood floor but carpet in the bedrooms. Could use new carpeting in the master bedroom. This I will not do myself.

Lynda...yes, I did get your PM. So sorry as I meant to reply. As far as DIY I have a few more weekends to go before the kitchen is finished. I have a built in china closet that is the old green so I need to redo that after I paint the kitchen. Once I am done with the kitchen I am going to relax and not take on any projects for a while. Nilla is not liking the cold at all.

Josie...great rides! Enjoy the dvd's although you may have had them already as they are when Zumba first hit the scene.

We saw The Hateful Eight yesterday. Not sure what to say about this movie other than it was very long and gruesome. I cringed several times. Pretty much your typical Taratino movie. I didn't hate it but have no need to see it a second time. My DH loved it.

Hi to Judy!!!
 
Hi Everyone,

It was very cold here this weekend, and the forecast calls for wind chills below zero at least through tomorrow. We didn't get much snow but it was so cold we ended up not really going anywhere or doing anything this weekend. Friday I did a short Spinerval, Saturday we went to the gym and I did a back & tricep workout, yesterday I did Body Blast Timesaver Legs and today I did RS with Icy Core 1 and Muscle Meltdown Shoulders. I also finished up my first vet assistant class and started the second one.

Lori-I'm glad that Chester is better. I also got the note about having dense breasts after my mammogram. I'm going to talk to my doctor about it too. I wonder if it means we should have an ultrasound instead of a mammogram?

Josie-That is awesome mileage for the weekend! You are inspiring me to get some longer indoor rides in again.

Deb-DH has the backup camera on his Escape. It took some getting used to but we both like it now. I haven't seen the side warning system yet.
I am so ready for winter to be over with. It's 13 degrees here with snow coming later tonight.

Valerie-I hate backing out of Costco and other parking lots here too. They get so congested and people drive through them way to fast.
I hope your DH's dental appt went ok today and that he is feeling much better soon. That's great that your mammogram results were good!

Lynda-great workout! Next time I will do both of the Sweat workouts together too. I read about The Revenant, and it does sound good. War and Peace would be good to watch. I also read it when I was in school. Interesting that there is a new translation. I will have to look at that.
 
I also have "dense" breasts. maybe this is common? Last year I had to have a f/up mamm and then an u/s. it was pretty unpleasant. results were negative, which I am thankful for, but the process was not pleasant although it turned out OK. this year the mamm technology was different, trivalent something. I was expecting to have to go back but didn't. My right side has raised issues intermittently for at least 20 years so I am assuming there is a density that must look suspicious but after this long, probably not significant. ( she says hopefully) every time the technology changes I expect they will want a second look.

Josie I agree... fantastic mileage!. I'm missing road biking, we may be able to go tomorrow. depends on whether we catch a good weather window. it's 50-ish so not too cold but showery.
Dentist took out DH's stitches this morning and he thinks it's better already. might have been sutures causing irritation and sores. eliminated the need for an appt later this week. He's really getting cabin fever with being cooped up this long.

I did a mix up..therapy exercises, floor work from LBB, core 1, and 20 on the elliptical. a good 90 minutes.

the area in need of replacing is two stair cases, 3 upstairs bedrooms& and hall. I thought I wanted hard surfaces but we never agreed exactly. I'm thinking anything is better than old dusty rose carpet, and new carpeting is fine. less fuss and no transitions to worry about.

Judy ...strong work on going ahead with the classes. I hope you enjoy the work..... it seems like a good field with good opportunities.

Lori good review on Hateful... I'm personally done with Tarantino movies and so maybe I should be less sure about Revenant. It really sounds gruesome. the more I read, the less sure I am about seeing it. I've read books describing what happened, but seeing it on a giant screen up close in living color..... not sure right now.
 
Good morning,

Very cold here...11 degrees right now. At least it didn't snow any more.

Valerie, you would of course get a demo of anything as big as the Eye Sight option before you decided. I just know that the salesman said that if John didn't like the lit up direction on the mirror, he would definitely not like the Eye Sight option. At least you can raise your hips up and down in the side plank...I can't even do that much. Sometimes it takes stepping back and not doing anything for a bit, to come to the right decision, like the carpet. :). I don't think I would want to see that movie either.

Josie, great rides! The big ride is in June?

Lynda, As for A Place to Call Home, it really is like a soap opera, but I like the setting, the era and the characters. yes, I can hardly wait for Regina to get her comeuppance! Didn't you think that Rose was really Georgie's mother? That threw me.

Lori, how nice of the GF's Dad to do the plowing for you. That's is great news that your DS and his GF are taking the next step! So glad Chester is back to normal. Our hope is to pick up the car on Thursday, John's day off. With the holiday yesterday, I'm sure the insurance check was held up. The company sends a Total Loss package to our local agent, where John has to go to turn in the old car's title, give them the keys and I assume sign a bunch of papers. Then we will pick up the new car. I also had dense breasts mentioned after a Mammo, and my OBGYN said that in the past, they advised women to have no caffeine at least 7 days prior to a mammo. That was for a couple of reasons, one of them being that it supposed hurt less. They got away from advising that, but he feels it had an impact the increase in the number of results that mentioned dense breast tissue. I did give up all caffeine for 7+ days before my next mammo,and they did not say that afterwards. Maybe it hurt less because the tissue was not as dense when caffeine was eliminated? I thought that was interesting. I will be doing it each time I go now.

Judy, nice workouts and congratulations on finishing your first Vet Assistant class! How long are the sessions again?

Taking John to work, then a workout, later a visit at the assisted living place with Kylee. This is the one where my uncle lives, which is nice.

Take care,
 
Deb, I'm not an early adopter of new technology. I would certainly look at it, along with the camera, but not necessarily buy it..

Ha! give up caffeine for 7 days? Not on your life. I settle with one cup of espresso and some days a mostly decaf one later in the morning. I've never found mamms that uncomfortable. I don't like them, unpleasant, but I don't think they hurt.

I don't look like Cathe in the side plank ( or in anything else for that matter) but I can go up and down a bit. the issue is my feet unable to anchor me. another one I can't do well is the V sit . I can't balance with my feet up. I can raise legs alternately but can't balance. DH can do it easily and many people in yoga could. my core is fairly strong, seems more balance related. I can't find a spot to settle on.

Lori that is so kind for someone to plow for you. all I remember is manual shoveling! a snowblower was a big extravagance back then, sort of like a power mower. no wonder people were thinner in the 1950's. we don't get snow often here, but when we do, it's a monumental job to shovel our driveway. uphill. long. plus a turnaround where we back out of the garage. Ugh. major major job.

laying carpet is only for someone with special tools. we may do the tear out ourselves because we want to paint all the rooms. a guy who did our kitchen floor is coming Thursday and can give us an estimate. we will talk to him about carpet vs hard surfaces too.

Judy, I appreciate that Costco makes their parking lots generously spaced with wide lanes and big spaces, but makes too many people over confidant about how fast is okay. I think the risk is higher there than in smaller, tighter spaced parking. plus the usual distracted driver factor.
 
Hi everyone--

This morning I did CUB with core 1 (52:46).

Deb, yes, I thought Rose was Georgie's mom too. So many family secrets and complications. I still have 3 more episodes to go. I have never heard about caffeine affecting breast tissue density. I would get a massive headache if I had to give up my morning caffeine fix. Not sure I could do it for one day, much less a whole week.

Lori, that sounds great for your son and his girlfriend. Is she in college as well? Your reaction to The Hateful Eight accords well with the reviews I have read--where everything builds to a massive, cathartic finale of blood. I also read a review that said things plod along endlessly with a lot of stew-eating, which cracked me up. We need to replace the carpeting in the master bedroom as well. It's a Berber and I would like something plushier.

Judy, it's freezing here as well. How are you liking the training to be a vet assistant? Do you actually do some hands-on work with animals? War and Peace was great last night and I think there will be two more episodes. The battle scenes are really excellent. I am going to see The Revenant this afternoon and if it's too much for me, I will leave.

Valerie, glad to hear your DH is on the mend. Sutures inside the mouth sound awful.

Hi to Josie!
 
Good evening ladies! This morning was both low impact sweat and this afternoon was another SB lower body target. Legs are really tired this evening. :)

Judy...sounds like dense breast are common. I read up a little today. I think you would like both low impacts together. They make a great workout. Of course I up the ante a bit by using firewalkers when doing the lateral moves in low impact 1 plus I use hand weights through out both. I love how you can increase or decrease the intensity with these workouts. Good for you taking those classes.

Deb...so four of us in this group with dense breast. Perhaps we should rename our group. Sorry!! Could not resist! Hope all goes well and you get the car soon. I am with Valerie...could never give up my coffee in the morning!

Valerie...I never felt having a mamo was uncomfortable either. Not pleasant but not painful. Speaking of this topic my good friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. We are all very optimistic as it was caught early so prognosis is good. Last year with all the snow I am thrilled he is plowing for us! I agree with how years ago we were thinner. Did not have all these modern conveniences.

Lynda...so cold here the past few days. Everyone has been talking about the blizzard coming this weekend. I am glad it is over the weekend (even though it kills the restaurant business) so I do not have to worry about driving. The GF was in college but is taking time out to save a little money. Sounds to me she is planning to go back soon. Curious to hear your review on The Revenant. I hear this one is gruesome too. You are right about the stew eating! Side planks are hard for me too. Especially on my left shoulder. I can only do so many.

Since talking about mamos and cancer thought I'd give you an update on Madeline. All and all she is doing quite well. She did just have pnemonia and fortunately it was discover early. She had another minor issue and needed to go to the hospital for a bit and it was discovered. They wanted to keep her overnight but she wanted to come home. Her Bday is coming up and I have booked a flight to visit with her. :)

Hi to Josie!
 
Once the sutures were out, things got better. not perfect but the sutures were causing irritation. Hopefully things will go smoothly.

what a difficult week for music lovers. I loved most Eagles songs.

I went to PT this morning . some things are getting better.... squats. others are not...lunges. then we went on a road ride. no bouncing and not that strenuous, 15 miles, 1 hr 20 min. not our favorite section of the trail, but need to not overdo on the first one and rain was moving in. .

Lynda... I am so looking forward to your thoughts about Revenant . some bloody scenes are necessary to be realistic, but even reading about the events were pretty over whelming. I don't want Walt Disney, but I don't like " overload "gratuitous violence" Tarantino- style. from what I've read, this might be trending that way.
Our carpet guy is coming Thursday morning. He was very nice and easy to work with.
 
Good morning & Happy Hump Day!

We are going to the insurance office today to turn in the keys and title of the other car and getting the check from them. Then tomorrow we will pick up the replacement. I will be so glad when this is behind us.

Valerie, I have a tough time with the caffeine elimination as well. I start 2 weeks before, with cutting down the first week dramatically, before I go completely off of it the actual 7 days before the mammo. It worked the last time and they did not mention dense tissue etc. I feel it is worth it. It didn't make any difference in the degree of comfort/pain etc. Great that your DH is better and able to get back to hikes, rides etc.

Lynda, will you be keeping Acorn after you are finished with A Place to Call Home? If you watch the first episode of Midsomer Murders, see if there is someone you recognize in there! :)

Lori, LOL on our new name....that would sure draw attention in the forum thread listing. Sorry to hear about your friend, but good that they found it early. So glad to hear Madeline is doing well. That's great that you are going to see her!

Hi to Josie, & Judy,

Stay warm!
 
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Hi Everyone,

Yesterday I did an 80 minute Spinerval. Tonight we are going to upgrade DH's iPhone. He is getting a 6S. He uses his phone for work and the 4S can't keep up with the email and other applications that he needs it for. First he was going to switch to my old 5S but I convinced him that he should get the best one available, since he is using it for work. I'm still happy with the 6 plus, but may look at the 7 when it comes out. I don't remember if I posted about it or not but I decided to wait on the iPad Pro. It's so expensive and I'm not sure I really need all those features in an iPad. I think there is an iPad 3 coming out soon so I'm waiting to see what that one offers.

Deb-The vet assistant classes are 6 weeks long and there is one more in addition to the one I am taking now. There is a text book that goes along with all 3 classes. I was able to get it from Amazon.
I think I will try to use your approach to go off of caffeine before my next mammo. It will be hard, but the past couple of years I've lowered my caffeine intake to 1 small cup of regular coffee in the morning and then another midday. I would guess my intake to be around 200 mg per day, which is much lower than it was when I was younger.

Valerie-I agree about the morning coffee, giving that up will be a challenge. If I could just eliminate my caffeine later in the day I would be happy. I don't find the mammo uncomfortable either. I remember that I was expecting to be in a lot of pain when I went for my first one, but it didn't hurt at all.

Lynda-I love the classes so far. There isn't any hands on training, but after these classes I may look into more training or certification. That will depend on whether or not I can easily find a position. I should probably talk with some of the vet clinics around here and see what they look for when hiring assistants.
I also read some of the reviews on The Revenant and will be curious to see how you liked it.

Lori-LOL on the new name. I also love how you can make the ICE workouts what you want them to be. I think this is one of the most flexible series that Cathe has done. The only things I would add to make it perfect would be a Muscle Meltdown for legs and a spinning workout.
I'm sorry about your friend but it's good that it was found early. Good to hear that Madeline is doing well and that you will get to see her on her birthday.

Hi to Josie!
 
Hi everyone--

This morning I did RS with 1 lb. gloves (47:53).

Deb, I haven't made up my mind yet about keeping Acorn. That's great news about the car and I'm sure it will feel good to have this episode behind you. I really am impressed with your ability to eliminate caffeine. I would definitely get severe headaches.

Lori, that is good news about Madeline and so wonderful that you can see her. Not as cold today, and certainly not as windy. I hope that Nor'easter stays south and leaves us alone this weekend.

I had a lot of conflicting perceptions of The Revenant. First of all, there is no exposition at the beginning and you are thrown into a situation which is very confusing, in part because the dialogue is hard to make out--a lot of talking over one another and arguing with simultaneous editing of Glass with his son Hawk hunting alone. Only gradually do you come to understand that Glass is a guide for a group of trappers who are also connected to a military fort, and his role as guide is because he lived with the Pawnee and had a Pawnee wife (now dead as the result of an attack by soldiers on their village), so he knows the area. Aside--I could not tell from the uniforms in the later flashbacks if the soldiers that killed his wife and burned her village were American, French, Canadian? The later flashbacks might also be hallucinations by Glass when he is barely alive. The horrific violence is pretty concentrated at the beginning, with an attack by the Pawnee on the trappers, pretty much killing most of them, followed not too far along by the famous bear mauling of Glass. He is left with a trapper named Fitzgerald who promises to give him a decent burial when he dies and is accompanied by Hawk, Glass's half-Indian son, and another younger trapper. Fitzgerald kills Hawk and convinces the other younger trapper that they need to leave Glass because he has seen other Indians gathering for an attack and he doesn't tell him about Hawk. They leave and that's when the ordeal really begins for Glass. I don't know if I would call crawling and grunting acting, but that's basically what di Caprio does for the next couple hours against a magnificent wild landscape. The cinematography is spectacular. He is helped immensely by a Pawnee (later hanged by French trappers who also have kidnapped a Pawnee woman being searched for by her father; she is helped by Glass and gets her own revenge) who has lost his family to burning and pillaging by the Sioux. He tells Glass that his sorrow is great, but revenge is for the creator. I guess this is supposed to be the big lesson Glass should learn, even though it's pretty clear that his desire for revenge is what keeps him going until the end of the film, where there is some kind of epiphany--I am not convinced. Innaritu's attitude toward native Americans is really unclear. Sometimes he seems to be saying that their supposed savagery is entirely of the white man's making, but at others, he depicts them as being equally brutal and bloodthirsty. There is this tedious repeat of some saying about the strength of trees in face of wind not being calculable by looking at the branches, but instead looking at the trunk that Glass's wife told him. Another hallucination of a ruined church which seems to be comparing Glass to a painting of Christ on the cross, with a surreal bell ringing in a broken bell tower ("Ask not for whom the bell tolls"--who knows what this is all about). Definitely a film worth seeing, and I see some borrowings from Kurosawa and Herzog. Enough--a B plus over an A minus.

Hope that helps you Valerie. You probably would have a head start on the lack of exposition because you have done some reading about Glass.

Judy, I agree with you totally on these new workouts. I feel like I have not even begun to explore their premixes.

Hi to Josie!

Off to get some highlights today.
 
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