A Little Help from the Movies

Some great quotes here. Given the time of year, they made me think of New Year's resolutions.

Do you still make resolutions? Me, I quit making New Year's resolutions a number of years ago. I figure, if something is worth doing, I'll just do it NOW.

Why wait for some mark on the calendar to do something I, in this moment, think is worth doing, or to make a change I think is worth making?

One thing I know about myself is that I've gotta strike while the iron and blood are hot. Admittedly, sometimes I 'ping' rather than really STRIKE and end up moving more stodgily into something, or procrastinate a little bit. But I like to think I'm getting better about that.

So whether you are currently writing up that list of resolutions, or already working on a bunch, I hope these quotes offer up a little charge of energy to you as we end an old year and begin the new.

Cheers!

“I think we can't go around measuring our goodness by what we don't do, by what we deny ourselves, what we resist, and who we exclude. I think we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create, and who we include.”

Chocolat (2000)
Pere Henri (Hugh O’Conor)

“I want to feel my life. I want to stop agreeing to things I don't really want.”

Living Out Loud (1998)
Judith Moore(Holly Hunter)

For Your Consideration . . .

Tragic News from Up North

Dear Santa: Beware the Cyclists

Spycam Visits the Liquor Store - Again

Spycam couldn't quite believe this latest find at the neighborhood liquor store.

I have this idea that most of the bottles sold are being given as anonymous gifts - left on doorsteps, sent in unmarked packages. Break-up gifts, perhaps?

Brought along by passive aggressive types when invited to dinner, "No really! I just heard the wine is simply yummy!" Uh huh.

Another version on a message in a bottle. Ouch. Well, here's hoping it tastes good, at least.

Cheers!

I Can Relate

You?

Crowning Glory

TGIF!!

One last wonderful offering from the British Television Advertising Awards. This is a Gold Award winner in the category of household appliances - 60 to 90 second commercial/European advertising. Arguably the best of the bunch.

Hope you enjoy it!

Dangerous Ground

Little things can be bigger obstacles than you'd expect.

That's what I've found in my indoor biking and running life over the last couple of days. It's also a fitting theme for today's winning advert, tho in a much more serious way, of course. We'll get to that in a minute.

The little thing that's been mucking my training about is a short in the ceiling fan/light which is over my bike and next to my dreadmill. At first I thought it was just a blown lightbulb, but it turns out to be nothing quite so simple. It's evidently a short in the light fixture, which is the only light source for the room. First the refrigerator, then the microwave, then my car, now - the ceiling fan. Argh.

The darkness makes doing interval training and watching my heartrate pretty tricky. Even when I hit the backlight on my watch, there's a whole lotta squinting going on. 6s look an awful lot like 8s, and vice versa. And it gets annoying pretty fast to have to keep hitting the backlight button, and keep from veering right off the dreadmill as I stare at the numbers.

I know it's a completely silly thing, but there you are. I find myself hitting that sucker over and over again as I (hopefully) near the end of harder efforts. This battery is gonna die more quickly than others, I'm bettin'!

My overriding thought in this goofiness is - thank goodness the fan still works!

All obstacles definitely are not created equal, as you'll see in this Brit TV Advertising Awards diploma winner for cinema charity commercials:

Wheee - That Was FUN!

Last night was my first time on XC skis this season. What a blast!

I wondered what it would feel like to get out skiing again and worried that I might have completely lost any know-how I had gained over last season. I'm happy to report that indeed - it IS like riding a bike! The body does not forget. It may need to be reminded of technique and learn/relearn fine points about the sport, but the motion is still there. Gotta love that muscle memory, baby!

The best news was that through all of the core training I have had to do over the last 8 months in an effort to repair my SI joint - I am starting out at a much stronger place than last season. I still have a ways to go on that front, but wow - I felt very strong with a solid base of strength to draw from.

My strong core made a BIG difference. Double-poling was a whole new ballgame, I'll tell ya. At one point near the end of class, we were going down a hill and I started double poling, easily passing one guy. As I whooshed by, he said "Wow, fast skis." I laughed aloud. Yeah, if you're being passed by a chick, must be her equipment. The joke is on him - my current skis are an ancient, waxless pair which were used by my mom at least a decade ago. They are super pokey slow and I dream of having the $$ to get a friskier, waxable pair.

Great fun! Can't wait to get out there again.

Anyway, here's a more light-hearted offering from the 2008 Brit TV Advertising Awards. It ties as my favorite with another you'll see in a day or two. Enjoy!!

Stop the Bullets, Kill the Gun

Today's award-winning ad went home from the 2008 British Television Advertising Awards with a bronze award for New Advertiser.

See what you think. It sure got a bit of reaction from the audience.

2008 British Television Advertising Awards!

Sophzilla and I made our annual trek to The Walker for the 2008 British Television Advertising Awards. And a trek it was! Darned bad weather but well worth the trip. 90 minutes of fantastic displays of artistry and imagination.

I've decided to post a favorite ad here at the blog each day. So if the tickets sold out before you got in the fun, ENJOY!

What You Didn't Know About Bubblewrap

You might want to think twice about enjoying a popping frenzy next time.

Silly Man

Bum!!!

No, Lance isn't the silly one. The hubby actually e-mailed me this photo of LANCE'S BUM! Cracked me up.

Okay, okay - along with a bunch of other photos. Still -

Lance's BUM!

Note to self: Must get a pair of the LiveStrong shorts. Fab.

It's Not Just a Ride

It's an "artist's date."

So when I decline to go on group rides, really, it's not that I'm antisocial. Well, okay, I am a little bit. A lot? Mostly, it's because I crave being able to stop on a dime whenever I see something that strikes me as beautiful, unusual, or just plain quirky, to take a closer look and/or a photo.

Here is a selection of shots taken with my phone's camera from last weekend's ride around the north suburbs on the Redline. However, if you care to see all of the shots, you can view them here.

Hope you are all enjoying the early winter!

Long Story Short












Storybook









Mixed Media













Iceanemones












Bikeman's Noose (aka Dead Tire in a Tree)











Art in Ice










Over Sea Under Sun









Found Soon Lost