Friday, 3/31/2023

2023 Mileage: 1698.1

During my ride this afternoon, I watched the 2017 movie The Bookshop. Wikipedia says of it (quoting the critique in     Rotten Tomatoes), "A rare adaptation that sticks too closely to its source material, The Bookshop's meticulously crafted world building gets lost in its meandering pace." However, this "meandering pace" was one of the very things that I most liked about the movie, as it provided ample opportunity to reflect on the development of the characters, who were compelling.

This gave me a ride of 26.6 virtual miles in 1:47.

Trailer for The Bookshop

Thursday, 3/30/2023

2023 Mileage: 1671.5

On the sports talk radio station I listen to (Detroit's 97.1 The Ticket), some of the hosts have spoken often about the 2014 action movie John Wick. I had never seen it, so I watched it today during my ride. My reaction is "meh" -- lots of gunfire and car crashes, but that doesn't really interest me.

This gave me a ride of 24.5 virtual miles in 1:36.

Trailer for John Wick

Wednesday, 3/30/2023

2023 Mileage: 1647.0

During my ride this afternoon, I watered the 1990 movie Stanley and Iris, and found it really fascinating.

This gave me a ride of 30.0 virtual miles in 1:59.

Trailer for Stanley and Iris

Tuesday, 3/28/2023

2023 Mileage: 1617.0

During my ride this afternoon, I watered the 2009  movie Griffin and Phoenix. I made a list, years ago, of movies I wanted to watch, and somehow this made its way onto the list, although I don't remember how. But it was really excellent, and I'm so glad I saw it.

This gave me a ride of 25.0 virtual miles in 1:40.

Trailer for Griffin and Phoenix

Monday, 3/27/2023

2023 Mileage: 1592.0

During my ride this afternoon, I watered the 1978 movie The Turning Point. This was the movie that my first wife and I went to on our first date, at the Grand Theater in Northfield, Minnesota (no longer there) in the spring of 1978. I remembered small bits of it here and there, but for the most part, the intervening 45 years have wiped it from my memory banks. Its title sticks with me, though, because of its inescapable relevance to my life.

This is a picture of me from that same time (hiking the Kaibab Trail, down into the Grand Canyon). I pretty much look just the same today, only a bit wiser and more mature.

 

This gave me a ride of 30.0 virtual miles in 1:59.

Trailer for The Turning Point

Friday, 3/24/2023

2023 Mileage: 1534.8

This afternoon while I rode, I watched the first half of the 2017 Canadian comedy Love of My Life. Reviews on it are fairly negative, but my expectations must have been low, as I found it enjoyable.

This gave me a ride of 12.7 virtual miles in 0:50.

Thursday, 3/23/2023

2023 Mileage: 1522.1

I chose to take yesterday off, as I was experiencing severe lower back pain (and still am). I had wanted to ride outside, but was concerned that the mechanical issues that have so often best me during outdoor rides might present me with a situation that I couldn't handle, in light of the back pain.

This afternoon while I rode, I watched the 2014 romantic comedy Barefoot.

This gave me a ride of 21.7 virtual miles in 1:24.

Trailer for Barefoot

Tuesday, 3/21/2023

2023 Mileage: 1500.4

During my ride today, I watched the film The Final Wish. Somehow, a few years ago, this got onto my list of movies that I wanted to watch. I'm perplexed as to how this happened, though, as it's the first horror movie I've ever watched.

This gave me a ride of 22.7 virtual miles in 1:30.

Trailer for The Final Wish

Sunday, 3/19/2023

2023 Mileage: 1477.7

this afternoon, during my ride, I watched the 1993 Disney movie Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. This was an enjoyable movie about the reunion of 3 pets with their family, after they had been separated by a great distance. I had had it on my list to watch for a couple of years, so I was glad to get it done.

This gave me a ride of 20.1 virtual miles in 1:22.

Trailer for Homeward Bound

Saturday, 3/18/2023

2023 Mileage: 1457.6

On Wednesday, I watched the first half of La La Land during my ride. It left me thoroughly unimpressed.

Evidently, I took Thursday off, though I can't now remember why. And yesterday I took just as a gift to myself, as it was my 66th birthday.

It was hard, therefore, watching the end of the movie after a two-day layoff, to perceive it as an artistically unified creation. Insofar as I could, though, I liked it, and felt that the second half (today) helped me to understand the beginning better and to regard it more sympathetically. I hope, in fact, to see it again sometime, and to watch the whole movie at one sitting.

This gave me a ride of 15.0 virtual miles in 1:00.

Trailer for La La Land

Wednesday, 3/15/2023

2023 Mileage: 1442.6

When the 2016 movie La La Land was in theaters, I avoided it, having gotten the impression that it was all about California superficiality.

When I heard some of its music this past weekend on Interlochen Public Radio's "Music by Request," though, my interest was piqued, so I watched it during my ride today.

However, my first impression was correct. So I watched just the first half of it. I haven't decided yet whether I'll watch the remainder tomorrow. I suspect that I will, as I've already invested an hour of my life in it, and now I'm curious to see whether the second half can redeem what I've seen so far.

This gave me a ride of 14.9 virtual miles in 1:00.

Trailer for La La Land

Tuesday, 3'14'2023

2023 Mileage: 1427.7

During this afternoon's ride, I watched the second half of Yentl.

This gave me a ride of 14.6 virtual miles in 1:00.

Trailer for Yentl

Monday, 3/13/2023

2023 Mileage: 1413.1

Today, during my midday ride, I watched the 1983 Barbara Streisand film Yentl. I saw it in the theater when it was first out, but not since then. I remember the general outline of its story, but what sticks with me the most is the impressive musical score, with atypical songs having asymmetrical phrase lengths and unusual rhyme schemes. I decided part way through to let only the first half suffice, so I can complete it tomorrow.

This gave me a ride of 16.2 virtual miles in 1:07.

Trailer for Yentl

Sunday, 3/12;2023

2023 Mileage: 1396.9

Yesterday, a busy day meant that I couldn't ride. So I was eager to get back on it today.

All my life, I've been a big science fiction fan. As a boy, I belonged to the Science Fiction Book Club, in which I'd receive a new book through the mail every few weeks. I was interested to learn (just now) that the Club began in 1953 ... and it still continues today!

Sometime around 1966, I remember reading a book that piqued my interest tremendously—Fantastic Voyage, in which a team of largely doctors is miniaturized aboard as powerful submarine, and injected into the body of a leading scientist in order to travel to his brain and destroy a life-threatening blood clot, using a laser. However, I don't believe I ever saw the 1966 movie. During today's ride, I rectified that omission.

This gave me a ride of 25.6 virtual miles in 1:40.

Trailer for Fantastic Voyage

Friday, 3/10/2023

2023 Mileage: 1371.3

This afternoon I rode while watching an excellent 2005 hallmark movie: The Magic of Ordinary Days.

This gave me a ride of 24.4 virtual miles in 1:38.

Promo for The Magic of Ordinary Days

Thursday, 3/9/2023

2023 Mileage: 1346.9 

Today I rode while watching a movie called The Tomorrow Man. I was misled somewhat by the title, however ... I have always been interested in science fiction and futuristic themes ... this movie, while not falling into those categories, was definitely quirky and interesting.

This gave me a ride of 24.0 virtual miles in 1:33.

Trailer for The Tomorrow Man

Wednesday, 3/8/2023

2023 Mileage: 1322.9 

This afternoon during my ride, I watched the second half of the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire (starring Tom Cruise).

This gave me a ride of 16.7 virtual miles in 1:01.

Trailer for Jerry Maguire

Tuesday, 3/7/2023

2023 Mileage: 1306.2

This afternoon during my ride, I watched the first half of the 1996 movie Jerry Maguire (starring Tom Cruise).

This gave me a ride of 17.8 virtual miles in 1:10.

Trailer for Jerry Maguire

Monday, 3/6/2023

2023 Mileage: 1288.4

During my ride this afternoon, I watched the 1990 movie Ghost, which I had seen once before, with a friend over 30 years ago.

This gave me a ride of 30.0 virtual miles in 2:04.

Trailer for Ghost

Saturday, 3/4/2023

2023 Mileage: 1258.4

This morning, I watched the second half of The Bridges of Madison County during my ride.

I am SO GLAD to have the opportunity to ride inside on our stationary bike. Near the end of a winter that has featured a paucity of snow, we got over 8 inches dumped on us last night ... far and away the biggest snowfall we've had this winter.

 This gave me a ride of 19.7 virtual miles in 1:14.

Trailer for The Bridges of Madison County

Friday, 3/3/2023

2023 Mileage: 1238.7

At some point between the end of my marriage with Deb, and my wedding to Michelle, I read the wildly popular novel The Bridges of Madison County. Or perhaps I should say I devoured it, reading it avidly and intensely in a single sitting.

This afternoon I watched the first hour of the 1995 movie of it during my ride, a splendid adaptation starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood.

This gave me a ride of 15.9 virtual miles in 1:00.

Trailer for The Bridges of Madison County

Thursday, 3/2/2023

2023 Mileage: 1222.8

A few days ago, a friend posted high praise for the 1990 film Truly, Madly, Deeply. In doing some reading about it, I gathered that not only is very good, but also it has been rather popular at some times. I had never seen it (or even heard of it), so I watched it during my ride today.

This gave me a ride of 24.6 virtual miles in 1:41.

Trailer for Truly, Madly, Deeply