Losing it[1]

Despite the lack of a usable exercise bike, I’m keeping on with the rest of the exercise plan. Did much the same as yesterday, once again working through the “that’s enough” barrier. Most odd. I don’t really feel more motivated, but somehow I’m managing to do it all.

Well, I took today off so I could wait for my new exercise bike[4] to be delivered. Of course, if I’d just told the boss that I’d start late, and come in as soon as I could, it wouldn’t have arrived until 5pm, but as I’d taken the day off, it came just after 10am.[2]

Got it unpacked, assembled it according to the instructions. Hmmm. Problem. When the computer screen thingy bit was connected, it was supposed to calibrate the magnetic wossnames and make some noise while doing it. Did it? Did it heck as like![3]

Tested it. Sure enough, the magnetic wossnames were most definitely not calibrated. More to the point, it refused to change the resistance level from the setting it had defaulted to, namely “ouch, you git, move dammit”, or “high” as the manual would have it.

Double checked everything. Plugs connected. No bits left over. Emailed Reebok’s UK support address, and got a nice response. Bascially, they’re going to send out an engineer to fix it. While it will probably be a week or so before this can be arranged (time off work, etc), it’s still less hassle than having to send it back and get it replaced, so I’m not too disappointed. Will be nice when it works. It will be better to have a bike I can use for more than two minutes without my legs giving up in disgust.

On the other hand, the fact that I could make the damn thing move at all at that resistance without my knees screaming at me is a good sign.

[1] Nearly
[2] Murphy’s law of deliveries
[3] Note to furriners: this is a traditional northern English expression meaning “no, it did not quite perform as expected”
[4] Ignore the list price, by the way - see those nice Powerhouse people for rather more competitive pricing

Well, looks like last night’s exercise paid off, or something. Slightly down today at 200.8 pounds (14 stone 4.8 pounds, 91.1kg).

It’s a funny thing, this “working out” business. Sometimes I just blast through it all, my heart rate hardly rises and I barely reaise a sweat. Other times it’s seriously hard work, my heart’s trying to do an impression of the Alien thingy popping out of John Hurt and I’m steaming up windows three streets away.

Then there are the times when it’s just too hard to do and I stop. I thought I was having one of those tonight. The first couple of minutes on the rower were really hard, and for a moment I thought I was going to give up. But for reasons that are not altogether clear, I pressed on. Twenty minutes rowing: done. Then the now usual thirty of each exercise on the abominable abdominal exerciser. Then the Bullworker set. As I was doing that, I was telling myself that would be quite enough for tonight, thanks, and that I’d skip the dumbbell stuff.[1]. But once again for reasons that are obscure, I did the weights stuff anyway.

All most odd. I think some bits of my brain have better ideas about how to do this stuff than the bits I think that I’m thinking with. I think.

And my new exercise bike should be delivered tomorrow, so I should have some fun with that……

[1] That’s “skip” as in “omit” rather than any funny stuff with ropes, you understand

Saltwell Park, which is quite close to the Losing it[1] HQ, is a fine Victorian Park. It’s coming to the end of a major restoration programme, which has taken several years. One of the most important parts of the programme was the restoration of the derelict Saltwell Towers to provide a cafe and visitor centre. The building opened to the public last week, which prompted me to take a walk in the park with my camera. Here are the results:

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

Well, I had a bit of a lazy day yesterday, ate a bit more than usual, no real exercise, bottle of wine, etc. So it’s not altogether surprising to see that my weight is up a pound at 201.6 pounds (14 stone 5.6 pounds, 91.4kg) today.

A further small rise to 200.6 pounds (14 stone 4.6 pounds, 91.0kg) today.

Well, here we are with another Doctor Who DVD release. The latest is The Leisure Hive, first shown in 1980 and starring Tom Baker[1] as the Doctor and Lalla Ward as Romana.

This is a fairly significant story. It was the first one under John Nathan-Turner as producer, and featured a new version of the theme tune and a new title sequence, which I’m sure was quite surprising at the time[2]. It has a more serious tone than had been the case previously[3], but there are still some nice moments of silliness from the Doctor:

“How did you get out?”
“Through the hole in the back”
“But there isn’t a hole in the back!”
(waving sonic scredriver) “There is now!”

“His scarf killed Stimpson”
“Arrest the scarf then!”

And a delightfully silly mixed metaphor

“Don’t cross your bridges before they’re hatched”

Apart from the story itself, which can be played with a newly mixed Dolby 5.1 soundtrack, there are the usual array of extras, including:

• A new beginning: 30 minute documentary on the changes made by John Nathan-Turner
• A look at the writing of the story
• How the new theme and title sequence were created
• Some details on the costumes
• The usual production text subtitles, which are always a Good Thing on the Doctor Who DVDs

As ever, an essential purchase for anyone who likes Doctor Who, and something to watch while waiting for the new series to start next year!

[1] My favourite Doctor
[2] Though my addled old brain can’t quite recall how I reacted on first seeing it
[3] Especially when the wonderful Douglas Adams was script editor
[4] You have to know the story to understand that one

Oh no! Shock! Horror! Sensation!![1] Today’s weight is up a pound at 200.4 pounds (14 stone 4.4 pounds, 90.9kg). Just another fluctuation thingy, I guess.

[1] I thought this site was a bit lacking in drama

Nothing to be alarmed about, but slightly up at 199.4 pounds (14 stone 3.4 pounds, 90.4kg) this morning.