Benthic Pathetic

Even I didn’t think that I could have a more pathetic ride on my bike than last Saturday, but I was wrong. I did 3.5 miles of really terrible biking this evening. Just got back.

The journey of a million miles always starts with the first few miles. I decided to try out a route that I want to do for an early morning quick work out. It’s just around the block using the cover of a park trail as a small bit. I wanted to see how out of shape I was. And I really am. I don’t have any power in the legs and applying what little I got hurts. Plus it took all my will power to keep the gearing in a moderate setting lest I resort to the granny gear for the flats. If not for the downhill run, this would’ve been a twenty minute outing.

I suck. Yet, I can only get better.

Bad Teacher

I’ve seen terrible movies, and I’ve seen terrible movies so bad their good. And then there’s Bad Teacher. Don’t watch it.

Someone tell me why Cameron Diaz got to open a movie? Is she still a star? For a second there, I thought that they filmed this movie a few years ago when Diaz and Justin were an item. The studio at that time knew how terrible a movie this was. They dumped it here when it was time enough to recoup there investment. Considering it made some moola this weekend, they may just get the money back.

It is bad.

1 of 5 stars

Link of the Day [6.27.11]

Jim Emerson blogs about the warning affixed to a movie theatre's screening of Terence Malick's "The Tree of Life." It's not like the MPAA's warnings of violence and sex, but a warning that the film is arty. It may be too arty for some folks. I figure that if you are making the choice to watch "The Tree of Life" then you already know what you're getting into. It's Malick. You should know by now his M.O. His movies are what they are.That being said, I wish there was a warning for Bad Teacher. To wit: "Warning: Watching Bad Teacher has been known to cause cancer in lab rats."http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2011/06/detour_theres_an_arty_road_ahe.html

Green Lantern

Green Lantern isn’t as bad a movie as the critics make it out to be. I’ve seen clunkers (I’m looking at you Fantastic Four movies) made from comic book movies and this one doesn’t lower itself to those other’s terrible-ness. It beat my low expectations.

Green Lantern suffers the issues associated with every first movie of a comic franchise: how to make the origin story compelling. We don’t have to worry about it for Green Lantern, because, besides comic geeks, no knows the origins of Green Lantern. The interesting origin is built it although it is rather pedestrian. The interstingness comes from lack of familiarity. There was nothing to screw up (I’m looking at you Xmen origins). The newness of this comic book hero mad it interesting already. It just a straight up telling of Green Lantern origins.

You do know that Green Lantern is the 3rd most powerful DC character. I don’t really care for DC, so this movie is even better for making me care. Ryan Reynolds is Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern. As much as expected, I was wanting more Van Wilder.

Overall, I’ve seen worse. If you’re a DC fan, does this live up to expectations?

3 of 5 stars.

12 Miles of Pathetic

I haven’t really rode my bikes since 2009. Sure, I took a spin on it around the neighborhood twice last year, but I really haven’t spent time in the saddle.

This AM I took my Kona to the NCR trail trying to get motivated to ride. Was planning to go from Ashland to Monkton which is about 7 miles out and 7 miles back. I started out quick, but from Ashland it is downhill. Around 5 miles I was getting worried that I wouldn’t feel good enough to make it back. I was thinking that I bonked. What can I say, I didn’t make it to Monkton falling a stop short.

My legs felt as heavy as my body. There’s no strength in them.

I eased my way back to my car with my tail between my legs. What’s gonna happen when I really go out on a ride?

Quote of the Day [6.24.11]

When I was just a baby, my momma told me,
"Son, always be a good boy. Don't ever play with guns."
But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.
When I hear that whistle blowing,
I hang my head and cry"Folsom Prison Blues" Johnny Cash

Crabs

Weirdly, I want to have some crabs right now. Some freshly steamed crabs with Old Bay. Summertime!

Tortilla

Spanish Tortilla: Out of the oven

This week I started eating salad for lunch trying to lose some weight. I bought too much vegetables so that by the weekend I had left over onions and peppers. I needed to use them before they go old. Somehow I thought that I should make a Spanish tortilla, an omlet. I can cook scrambled eggs so how hard can it be?

First, I prepped the onions and peppers. Just fry them up like normal in a bit of oil. They recommend olive oil, but all I have is canola. Then comes the potatoes. I used white potatoes because of their size. Slice them up. If I was a better knife handler, they would all be the same thickness, but they weren’t. Cook these up as well. When done remove the excess oil from the pan. Lower the heat on it and get ready to put everything pack into the pan. I was worried that they would stick to the pan so I put a little bit of butter before arranging the potatoes on the bottom. Then I put the fried peppers, onions and tomatoes on top. Took four eggs and scrambled them then poured over the vegetables. I finished it off with some feta cheese. Let sit for about 1 minute before I slid the pan into a pre-heated the oven at 325F. Cooked for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes. With a spatula, free up the edges, put a plate over the pan and flip. Enjoy!

Spanish Tortilla: Turned out

Things to note, because I may forget.

Use less oil. I used too much for the pepper, onion, tomatoe mixture so that as the tortilla came out of the oven it was too oily. Use more salt. I’m watching my sodium, but more salt is needed to give the tortilla a kick. At least the feta cheese added to the saltiness. Slice potatoes better. Or even the peppers. I should’ve diced them. That pan handle is hot after it comes out of the oven. Yes I know, but not being in the kitchen very often.