You Can't Take The...Gym...From Me

 When I worked in an office building there were times when I took advantage of the gyms located on the premises. I wasn't an everyday gym user, mostly because it involved changing clothes, working out, showering (when they had showers...), and all those things took time.

Amazing what a change of venue can do.

Our little gym is nowhere near as nice as the gyms in those office buildings. We have three machines, a mini-trampoline, and a yoga ball. We do, however, have a TV and a library of DVDs. I've been spending at least fifteen minutes in our gym every workday. I chose, for my workout entertainment, the 1994 miniseries, The Stand. I finished that last week. This week, it's Joss Whedon's, Firefly.

I'd forgotten how good it is.

I've watched the movie from the series, Serenity, several times. Great show, but I didn't watch the series when it was on years ago, and when I did watch the series after buying it, I liked it, but like most Firefly fans, I wanted more. Unfortunately, no more were made.

I know many people who work out to music--not a bad choice, something I can definitely get behind. But, when I watch part of a show, it helps me want to come back and keep watching. It's like the opposite of bing-watching. It's slow-watching.

There's multiple Firefly DVDs. If I continue to work out in our little gym (which I totally plan on doing...), I'll get through the entire series probably next month. Then, as I was the first time I watched the series, I'll be sad it's over.

Re-Watched "Notting Hill" Today...A Really Good Rom-Com

I listened to a podcast today from Malcolm Gladwell where he interviewed three country western songwriters. 

It was fascinating.

In the interview, one played a little song he wrote and I recognized it from the film, Notting Hill. The song, When You Say Nothing at All is a classic. I love that song--in fact, there's a lot of songs I like from that film. After listening to the podcast, I found and dusted off our DVD edition of the film and watched it.

I had forgotten just what a fantastic romantic comedy it is.

It's Christmastime which means, there will be a lot of Hallmark movies being watched on TV at our house. Other networks's Christmas movies (Lifetime, Up) are being watched, too. Now, these TV movies do not have the budget Notting Hill had, nor do they have the writers, cinematographers, directors. The TV movies are--for the most part--pretty good.

They can't hold a candle to Notting Hill. 

The talent is spectacular. The writing is crisp and wonderful. The situation is predictable, but the characters and even soundtrack add so much. It's a funny show as well (hence, the "romantic" portion of the rom-com...). And sure, there's one line in Julia Robert's plea near the movie's end that gets a lot of eye rolls, one bad line don't spoil the whole bunch of movie.

Notting Hill is a movie that's on cable all the time. It's a film I might stop and watch for even a few minutes when I'm channel surfing. It's just a really good rom-com.