Kate

How did Seashell know last night that I’d write some comments this morning about Batman: The Dark Knight?!

First off, the movie was the best Batman movie I’ve ever seen! Yes, it was better than any other, unless you compare it to Batman (1989) which is my favorite. Every time I see this old Batman movie, it reminds me of growing up, being a kid and having fun (I was 7 when it came out). Nobody beats Jack Nicholson as the Joker, nobody… but Heath Ledger sure as hell did an excellent job playing the character. It’s a shame he has passed and won’t be able to reprise the role, because he was really that good.
I am a big fan of the villain Joker, so this movie was the perfect story for me.  I don’t know much about any other villains aside from Penguin, the Riddler and well, I love Cat Woman. When Two-Face showed up in the movie, I wasn’t sure who he was until someone in the crowd mentioned his name… but I did understand his storyline and came to know a new character, to me.

My husband was shocked when I invited myself along with him, his brother and father to see the movie. Usually, when he mentions a superhero movie (he’s obsessed with Superman) I decline the invite. The only superhero I like is the Batman and really I only like him with the Joker or a familiar villain because those was my first experience with him in the movies. (I think it’s funny in the movie how everyone calls him “The Batman” and not just Batman like we do in normal conversation.)
The movie was not as funny, if they can be funny, as the first set of Batman movies I grew up with. This Batman didn’t have a huge sense of humor and didn’t joke much with the Joker. It was a darker time for Batman, as my husband has explained. The Joker though, was his usual self and really enjoying to watch. There were many twists and turns throughout the story. I didn’t find their use of computer graphics to be too much, but just right. Sometimes a movie can go overboard on the really fake stuff and become aggravating.

I don’t want to write too much, because I don’t want to give the story away. I did enjoy this movie though and would purchase it to have in my collection. I loved Batman (1989) and even liked Batman Returns (1992) and Batman Forever (1995), but the last one, Batman Begins (2005) with Katie Holmes… I barely remember nor did I enjoy the character Scarecrow (whoever that is). Maybe it’s my aversion to Katie Holmes since she married Tommy, but Maggie Gyllenhal was 100% better. She was beautiful to watch and in the position of replacing another person for the same role, did a fantastic job. Too bad she… opps… go see the movie!

I hate paying $10 to see a movie in a theater and usually don’t… Batman: The Dark Knight was worth every cent.

I’m so happy to have a Mac, thanks Aeon! She gave me her old mac, which is still pretty new and awesome! I’ve learned so much and I love it… This video makes me love it even more!

Free Rice = http://www.freerice.com/

I just watched the Ford IronMan Triathlon 2007 on TV and it brought me to tears. Well, I was tearing up at the end seeing all of these people achieving their dreams. It motivated me to get out there and achieve mine too! I enjoy watching things like this and I am looking forward to the Olympics this year! I think they should show more events like these on television. They are so inspiring to me and I am sure to many others.

I have printed out a bunch of race applications. While I don’t like to spend too much money on short races, I don’t think signing up for just the August 10-15 mile race (haven’t decided my distance yet) is going to be enough to get me going right now. So, I’ve looked for a few 5ks in May and then a few 5 miles in June/July. Then the big race in August and a few more 5ks or even a marathon for October. I’m pumped!

I’ve gained about 5-7lbs since last summer. I’m not thrilled about that, but that’s what happens when you don’t run and get married. My husband isn’t the best influence, he eats a LOT of sweets. So, it’s hard for me to say no when I see him enjoying them ALL the time! Drives me nuts, but I have to really get in gear. I want to look the way an ironman looks. I want to feel great and I also know those extra pounds don’t help the knee issue…

Speaking of my knee… it feels great! I have changed my stride a bit and after I run I pop one alleve for now. It helps a lot and I have little soreness the next day. I’m getting back to strengthening the knee and next week I’ll work in some weights to get it going. I’ve also got another yoga DVD by Rodney Yee from the library to try out something different.

I’ve gotten a little motivation to get myself moving. I want to achieve more and I am capable of doing so! Sometimes I start to get the thought of, “I’ll be pregnant in a year or two, so why work so hard now, when I’ll just gain weight later anyway?”

But… I must remember that if I work really hard now to get to my top shape, it will be easier to maintain and lose the weight after pregnancy. I don’t want to steadily gain for the next two years, then gain pregnancy weight to have a larger amount of weight to shed. So, I’ve got to keep up the hard work, or better yet - get back to doing more hard work… ‘Cuz I’ve been slackin’ y’all!

So, here goes… runningkate is returning with a vengeance!

~ PS ~ I’ve at least kept well to one of my resolutions (except 2 minor infractions) to have only one alcoholic drink per event/day. It’s really taken some will power, but I feel awesome when I can say ‘no’.

I was alerted to this video on a few other sites… it’s really a great take on how we see our bodies and how ridiculous we can be, when compared to animals. Wallace & Grommit created this from live interviews with people… take a look! 

Now I know why Celebrity Blog sites are so popular! For the past 2 months, I’ve been trying not to read celebrity sites and have tried to focus my attention elsewhere. I have read the daily news, books, tried to discuss current events, etc… I did well keeping with my 7 day a week celeb blog habit to 1 day a week. Now, I realize why I would rather read those sites, instead of the news.

The news is depressing! Over the past two months, I’ve had terrible odd-gi-da (sp?). My stomach in knots, my mind stressed out, my moral values under question, my security threatened… all from reading the daily news. I just can’t do it anymore. I am too depressed, stressed and upset by knowing all of the horrible things going on in the world. It makes dealing with conflict and difficult situations that much more aggrivating and problematic. I can’t think straight…

I am all for people taking a stand for what they believe in, but I’m just trying to survive here. I believe in myself! There are few stories that are happy or make me interested in life. Now, I know why I turn to celebrity blogs for entertainment and why my husband is so obsessed with sports news. The regular, daily news… can make you depressed, feel lost and like there is nothing you can do. What a downer!

So, I’m revoking my resolution. I need to read fun, light hearted entertainment news. It keeps me sane. I cannot read the daily news. I don’t mind occasionally reading it or watching evening news at night, but I can’t do this every day. I cannot and will not drive myself insane with the depressing material of the day. I would rather read technology news, celeb news, or even sports news. At least there is something there to take your mind off of the depressing issues in the world.

What can I do to change the world? I can change it by not reading the news and ascribing to their point of view. It’s not very objective anymore anyway. I can learn about world issues, without the press telling me what to think or how to feel or just smiling in my face as the red anger fills it up like a cartoon read to blow! Some things too, are just better left unknown. I used to pity the ignorant and wonder how you could live like that, but now I might just have to join them… it could mean a lot more happiness or less stress!

Granted, I won’t stop reading the news. While on my honeymoon, I was nuts because I didn’t know what was happening in the world. I just don’t want to read the local, depressing, taxing daily news. World news interests me, but I’m not going to read it to the extent I was, daily. Maybe once a week I’ll check in around the world. Otherwise, I’m just trying to do the best I can in a world that is crumbling around me, if you read the news. I’ve got at least another 50 years here, so this is going to suck if I spend most of it being depressed over things I cannot change.

Thanks for listening to my rant… off to check PEREZ!

Gary was gracious enough to start a forum about the book In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan. If you have read any of his books, or are in the process of reading them, join us! Even if you want to just know more of what it is all about… check it out!

I created a list of his talking points to put on my fridge. Feel free to cut/paste and make your own. Re-reading things like this as I go to grab some food is really helpful to get me on track while starting out. After some time, it’ll become old habit just like exercise. Oh, and I plan to get 100% back into exercise and running March 1st. I’ve chosen that day to give me a little more time to rest up, heal and strength train my knee without cardio. Also, it gives me time to mentally focus on my eating, to then bring back in the running. I can’t wait!

Eat Food.

• Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.
  • Don’t eat anything incapable of rotting.
• Avoid food products containing ingredients that are:
  • Unfamiliar
  • Unpronounceable
  • More than five in number
  • Or that include high fructose corn syrup
• Avoid food products that make health claims.
• Shop the peripheries of the Supermarket and stay out of the middle.
• Get out of the Supermarket whenever possible.
  • Shake the hand that feeds you.

Mostly Plants.

• Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.
• You are what you eat eats too.
• If you have the space, buy a freezer.
• Eat like an Omnivore.
• Eat well grown food from healthy soils.
• Eat wild foods when you can.
• Be kind to the person who takes supplements.
• Eat more like the French., or the Italians, or the Japanese, or the Indians or the Greeks.
• Regard non-traditional foods with skepticism.
• Don’t look for the magic bullet in the traditional diet.
• Have a glass of wine with dinner.

Not Too Much.

• Pay more, Eat less.
• Eat Meals.
• Do ALL your eating at the Table.
• Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does.
• Try not to eat alone.
• Consult your gut.
• Eat slowly.
• Cook and, if you can, plant a garden.