Of course, the best news about the Patriots‘ loss last night and the end of their season is that it means, at least in one way, that Winter is coming to an end. Soon all the sports news will be about the Red Sox again (not that they’ve really been absent from the sports pages lately), pitchers and catchers will be reporting for spring training, birds will be chirping, the sun will be shining, temperatures will be warmer, and Spring will be here. Woo hoo!
I liked a few things about The Matador, among them: Hope Davis, who isn’t in the movie nearly enough; the style, particularly the big, colorful type that announces each new location; and the soundtrack, despite the rather obvious inclusion of The Killers‘ “All These Things That I’ve Done.” In addition, Greg Kinnear and Pierce Brosnan make a good team, and I liked that both of their characters end the movie with honor, despite the fact that one of them is an assassin. So why am I only giving the movie a B? I’m not sure. I mean, I wish there was more of the guys in Denver and less of them in Mexico City (maybe a switch of 10 minutes on either side), and as I said, more of Hope Davis. So I guess it’s because the movie just wasn’t in the same league as, say, Munich. But this is far from a bad movie, and I’d recommend it.
The last time I belonged to a gym was about 6 years ago, when I joined simply out of boredom. I was living in Allston, around the corner from a Boston Sports Club, and it was March — the time of the TV season after February sweeps when everything was in reruns. Because I was coming home night after night and not doing much more than channel surfing, I figured I might as well do something better with my time. So I got on a mild fitness kick, started to eat a little better, and actually worked out three days a week.
That lasted maybe a couple of months, until the middle of May, when the weather got nicer and my life became busier again. Then I just stopped going to the gym altogether. Every month the fee would be taken out of my bank account automatically, but I didn’t seem to notice. It was like that episode of Friends where Chandler had a hard time quitting the gym. I put my membership on hold, but that was only for two months. It wasn’t until sometime in September or October that I actually quit the gym for good. And I haven’t really thought seriously about re-joining a gym ever since.
Until now.
My company’s offices recently moved right near a FitCorp (it’s practically next door). As if I needed more reasons to join a gym, what with my sister’s wedding coming up and my general wanting to get in better shape, we’re getting all kinds of incentives to join FitCorp (free initiation fee, one free month, discounted monthly fee, etc.). We just had an info session, and I realized that I could ask all the questions I wanted to — When do we get billed? Can I use any location in the FitCorp network? Is there parking? — but it didn’t change the fact that I already sort of know I’m going to join eventually, and sooner rather than later so I don’t miss out on the deals.
Of course, you may be wondering why I didn’t just join right then and there, like some of my coworkers did. Well, I still need to make that mental shift to being a guy who goes to the gym, as opposed to someone who eats poorly, doesn’t exercise, and wishes he went to the gym. I also need to be more of a person who just does things, and doesn’t write on his blog about “mental shifts” and that kind of B.S.
I suppose one reason I never really enjoyed going to BSC was because I didn’t have anyone to work out with, and now I can go with friends. And the Allston facility of BSC was not the nicest of places, so these gyms will be more encouraging to walk into. And I can also go right from the office or to the location closer to home in the medical area.
As I said, I really don’t need to convince myself why I should join the gym. I just need to do it. And then I need to keep on doing it. The Great Reinvention of Martin Lieberman continues …
I’m happy to report that “The Great Clean-up of 2006” continued this weekend.
It was a big day of purging yesterday — and of realizing just how much of a packrat I am, and of rediscovering some stuff I haven’t seen in years and was truly baffled that I’ve hung onto for so long.
For example: Continue reading
I see a lot of movies (my current total for 2005 releases is 59), so I take going to the movies quite seriously.
But maybe I take it too seriously. Someone tell me if I am wrong here: Continue reading
Alternate headline: Advantage Woody
Alternate headline: Don’t Call It a Comeback
With a track record over the past half-decade that includes Hollywood Ending and Anything Else, it seemed as if Woody Allen was off his game. But with Match Point, it’s clear that something has gotten through to Woody, because his latest is a real and welcome change from his lackluster product of late.
Yes, Match Point appears at first to be classic Woody, what with its opening title sequence being the same minimalist style as most every other one of his films. But we’re not in Kansas here, folks, or New York, for that matter. Continue reading
I never did get to see The Constant Gardener when it was in theaters, so tonight I watched the screener DVD that’s been sitting in my apartment for about a month and a half. Despite watching it on my couch — never my preference, compared to in a theater — the movie still had my attention. Rachel Weisz is excellent; the film is full of exotic, African locales; and the story is a well-told political thriller, similar to Syriana but a heck of a lot less complicated. In brief, I really liked The Constant Gardener and would recommend the film for anyone looking for a good rental (it’ll be out on Tuesday). I’m giving it an A.
The Squid and the Whale is one painful movie.
And from that pain it generates some laughs, but it’s not pretty. Right from the get-go you’re embroiled in the thick of a marriage on the decline and you watch as things get worse, the parents separate, and the kids take sides.
Jeff Daniels gives a fantastic performance as the messed-up father whose superiority complex and comments about uncultured Philistines makes you feel like if you don’t like this movie, then you’re one too. Continue reading
There’s nothing like a list to get people talking, and New York magazine’s recent list of the 123 Things to Love About New York definitely has me buzzing.
As a rebuttal, I thought I’d share some of the reasons why I love Boston. Here goes: Continue reading
An old friend of mine from my summer camp days, Doug Gordon, who I’ve mentioned a couple of times on this site, has written a book called The Engaged Groom. Many of my friends are already married (some with child or children), but perhaps there are some out there reading my site who are newly engaged or close to being engaged. If so, check out Doug’s book. If you’re already married, be a pal and click on the link for Doug’s book anyway. And if you’re not even close to being engaged, please still click on the link for Doug’s book. (It’s a contest. If I refer enough people to the web site for his book, Doug will send me an autographed copy.) And if you’re interested, Doug did a chat yesterday on Boston.com. Here’s a link to the transcript.
Martin's Musings 