I attained the rank of Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do... 8 years ago. Damn, that doesn't sound good.

8 years.

I am still relatively in shape. Abdominal definition is still there. I don't have excess body fat seemingly anywhere. However, I definitely do not feel like I used to. Getting back into martial arts does not seem feasible anymore because I am quite busy with a lot of other things in my life. Getting back into shape is going to be hard enough.

But everyone starts somewhere

My friend has decided to take on the One Hundred Pushups challenge. I agreed to go through with the program as well.

Tonight I will take the initial test and update this post.

I am expecting to be humbled.

*Update* 10:30pm EST

I managed to do 41 pushups, not quite up to snuff with what I was expecting, but not as bad as I was prepared for either. That puts me squarely in "Rank 4". With this result, I hope to reach the goal of 100 before the 6 week period is over. That may just be wishful thinking though.

The Humble Pie is not as bitter as I thought it would be. :-)

So last night I decided to whip out some beers that I have picked up recently. The Canis Major series by Flying Dog are their signature, extreme beers. These beers push the boundaries of flavor, ingredients, and alcohol level.


First up last night was Horn Dog, Flying Dogs' Barleywine. The alcohol level on this is quite apparent right from the first sip, but its fruity complexity allows for good drinkability. I would place this ahead of Devil's Milk (from DuClaw) and behind Below Decks (from Clipper City).


Next was Double Dog, a double pale ale. This one has hops to spare, tastes like an IPA, and kicks like a mule. Drinkability is quite low, despite its amazing aroma. This is definitely better than most IPAs I have had, but if I wanted to have more than one, I would go with 60 or 90 minute IPA (from Dogfish Head).

Second to last in last nights path of destruction was Kerberos Tripel. This is where it starts to get fuzzy. I remember it being very good, but not much else. I guess I will have to get another one.


Last was Gonzo, the Imperial Porter. For some reason my memory comes back for this one, which I remember being very good. Dark, malty, smokey, this is one hell of a porter. What I don't remember was if I finished it (I found the glass empty this morning, so I'll assume I did).

Normally drinking 4 beers would not be a problem for me. The problem was I didn't pay attention to the alcohol content of these 4. Which, when you take into account that they are all at least 9% ABV, turned quickly into 8-10 beers drank in quick sucession in one night.

This is a recipe for disaster people.

It took me all day to get over the hangover I had. Thankfully, I didn't end up praying to the porclain goddess, but I sure as hell would have done so willingly if it would have taken away my headache.

Live and learn.

Don't do what I did people. Pay attention to what you are drinking.

Speechless...

Let's get this out of the way, it is undeniably amazing. More specifically, it destroys the barriers of a super-hero movie and sets the bar higher than any other movie of its kind could hope to accomplish.

DISCLAIMER: If you have somehow stumbled upon my blog, you must have already seen it so I don't care about spoilers.

As everyone expected, Heath Ledger steals the show, and rightfully so. The Joker is played so masterfully, at times you wonder if he is even acting. It seems instead he just allowing his id out to play. Every line he has is memorable; "Why so serious?", "I hated my father", and "I'm a man of my word" will give you chills days after the show has ended.

Christian Bale lays the role of Batman on thick. His super-snarl is quite hammy at times (he sounds like an 80 year old emphysema patient), but aways comes of as a believable. The role of Bruce Wayne is of course designed to be quite extravagant and Bale has no trouble filling the shoes of the uber rich playboy. His wit is razor sharp, and his suprise spending never fails to entertain.

The supporting roles of Commissioner Gordon, Lucious Fox and Alfred Pennyworth ( played by Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine) add more than enough to the movie to merit comment. Gary Oldman is always good, but plays the part of the the lone cowboy in the police force with undeniable ability. Lucious Fox is a much smaller role, but Morgan Freeman owns it as well as every scene hie is a part of. Alfred's anedotes just get better with age, especially his diagnosis of The Joker which, at least to me, is the best piece of writing in the movie.

After letting my initial excitement settle, I still have to say that this is the movie event of the year, by far, and it will have a serious chance of picking up several Oscars. Heath acquiring the Best Supporting Actor nod would not suprise me in the least.

Bottom Line: See it. It is so much more than a super-hero movie.