LECHTANSKI.NET

Recently, I have really started loving political thrillers from the 60s and 70s. I’m talking about those Redford, Hoffman and Beatty movies like the Parallax View, Marathon Man, Three Days of the Condor and, of course, All the President’s Men.

These are movies born from an era of an intense suspicion of the government. I’m a little young to remember it all (born in ’72), so I make a few suppositions: Vietnam, Nixon, the Kent State killings, MLK, JFK, RFK, Malcolm X, the Chicago Seven, theories that the US was behind a spat of coups around the world. The secrecy brought to light within the government, essentially confirmed people’s suspicions about other possible wrong doings by people in power. That in due time their other evil ways will be known.

The country was being run by this white male corporate/industrial/military power structure, and a class of younger white men made these great grainy movies. Everyone in the government is bad. The CIA, FBI, NSA, Congress, Wall Street… bad, bad, bad. The movies were mostly rated PG, but had a tiny bit of skin and swearing (there was no PG-13 rating, yet).

There’s a saying that historical movies aren’t about history, they’re about today. Conversely, these movies remind me of the ridiculous, secretive and bizarro-conservative administration we’re facing right now. They’re a sure reminder of the cyclical nature of government, culture and entertainment.

The modern equivalents would be Conspiracy Theory, Enemy of the State or, maybe, Michael Clayton. The government is an easy target. It’s hard to prove you aren’t hiding something.

My Favs:

• The Day of the Jackal
• Parallax View
• Marathon Man
• Three Days of the Condor
• All the President’s Men
• Chinatown (A little different than the others)
• The French Connection (Is the second one good?)
  
• Mean Streets
• The Conversation
• Capricorn One (A little late in the game, but still a good one)

I know Network is supposed to fit in here, but that one bugs me a little. Am I missing any others?

It’s been five weeks and I am in the thick of it. Running three times a week. Swimming an hour plus and spending more time than I care to think about on an exercise bike (three hours!).

The good: I am feeling it. Once or twice I struggled for some motivation, but I’m feeling it. The workouts are not getting easier. I’m making them longer and harder, and I’m looking forward to planning fun breaks from the routine. I met up with Gavin last week for a couple of laps around Green Lake. He and I will get together again in a bit, to see if he has any swimming pointers for me. And I’m going to do the Vancouver Half Marathon in May.

The bad: All this distance, time and sweating and I’m losing weight. I am down to 168 lbs from 178 a month ago. My goal is to be fit and 175 on race day. And I figure the way to keep the weight is to eat more and more. That’s what I’m trying. Four meals a day with snacks in between. I’m even throwing in a few protein smoothies along the way. What do you think of whey protein supplements? I’m thinking about picking up tub.

Regarding my workouts, I feel a little strange using the exercise bike at the gym, but I am just not in the mood to deal with the bike maintenance yet. My bike has been hanging in the garage since last fall, and it needs a little tuning up. Well, that and it’s been pretty crappy outside, and I am a fair weather cyclist. Rain is bad.

I think once April hits I’ll break down and get the bike out, but for March I’m going to stay with the gym. That way I can watch Family Guy reruns and CNN while I’m pedaling. And, also, when I’m at the gym pedaling, I’m literally pedaling the whole time. I’m not coasting down any hills, or taking corners. So it’s setting me up pretty well for my first real trip.

Check out my Escape from Alcatraz training plan to see how I’m keeping up. I’ve been doing pretty well.