Inside the Mind of Suz

I’d been putting it off for a while, but I had an excuse: I couldn’t find the folder where I kept all my running podcasts!

When I was forced to get a new computer, after my old one crapped out, I needed Spotmau Powersuite 2009 to recover my files. But then I couldn’t remember where I moved them to! Figures, right? I finally located them this weekend and gave the podcasts page a much needed update!

First of all, I finally fixed the Week 3 podcast, since it had one too many interval in it, much like Week 4′s before I fixed it earlier this fall. I updated the playlist for Week 4 as well. Then, I added the Michael Jackson Week 4 podcast to the page. It hadn’t been there yet, but it is now!

If there’s anything else, please let me know and I’ll try to get to it. I am still planning on longer podcasts. Please feel free to give your feedback to my most recent post on the matter.

If you are one of the thousands of peeps who have downloaded my podcasts, this post is for you. Specifically if you are in the group that has requested more podcasts of the longer distance variety. I stopped at 5k, but there are training plans for 8k and 10k and quite a few of you are fiending for podcasts to help in your training. I have said before that I would have no problem creating a new set, and looked for feedback, and never really got any.

So, if you are one of the visitors that is interested in this, I really need you read this entire post and comment below, so I can figure out how to do this for y’all.

About a year ago, I wrote about how after I got to Week 9, I just kept repeating it week after week. That meant I was just doing 30 minute runs, not increasing my workload, and thus, not challenging myself further. I actually did get some feedback in that post and was directed to Gateway to 8k and other similar training programs. So, that’s not the problem.

Thing is, I don’t know where to jump into any of those sets. Also, I don’t monitor BPM. All I deal with is run/walk intervals.

So take the Gateway to 8k program [LINK]. Week 1 looks like this:

5-min. warmup @ 132-137 BPM
7 min. @ 145 BPM
1 min. @ 137 BPM
7 min. @ 145 BPM
1 min. @ 137 BPM
7 min. @ 145 BPM
1 min. @ 137 BPM
7 min. @ 145 BPM
1 min. @ 137 BPM
5-min. cooldown @ 137-132 BPM

The whole BPM thing throws me a little. Is the lower number, 137, supposed to be a walking interval or just a little slower paced run? Also, doesn’t it seem that, after doing a full 30 minute run (Week 9 of c25k), that this run would be taking a step backwards? Should I start a little further into the program instead? These are the questions I ran into last year when I was asked to consider making more podcasts. I figured that since more people are commenting on the site, that now would be a great time to bring this up again.

(Likewise, the Freeway to 10k outline can be found here.)

If someone could chime in and “break it down” for me, that’d go a long way towards me figuring out how to hook everyone up! I know I’ve already said I would create a new set of podcasts, to train for the longer races, and I will. I just need a little direction! Please?

One of the big knocks on Apple was that they knew their 3G iPhone was capable of capturing video, but has refused to approve any apps that used this capability…until now!

It used to be that, in order to record video on an iPhone 3G, one would have to jailbreak their phone and use iPhone Video Recorder or Cycorder. I think that was the driving force behind my initial jailbreak. Shortly thereafter, though, I found many other bonuses to having a jailbroken phone.

Having said that, I’ve been having a great time with video capture since February. 3G users not willing to join the jailbreak nation have essentially been deprived until Apple finally approved the Ustream.tv Broadcaster app earlier this week. They’re late to the party, but can at least play now!

Broadcast live to your Ustream Show from your iPhone, Nokia or Android phone with the Ustream Broadcaster Application. Easily stream live moments from your phone and share with your friends, family, fans, followers and others — and have the recording of your video afterward! Interact with your viewers during your broadcast using chat or Ustream’s Social Stream, which integrates a live feed of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and AIM messages and send status updates to Twitter and Ustream.

I’ve been checking out the Broadcaster app and, for the most part, it does what it says. Best part is that it’s free. Taking that into account, the video quality is ok. As others have noted, it does lag a little.

I like the option to save and share later, but I’m having a little trouble with that. I want to enable the option to upload to YouTube, but the app tells me to do so on the website and then restart the app. I haven’t been able to find where to do that on the Ustream site, so this review will be “To be continued…” until I can get that sorted out. (Directions would be greatly appreciated ) Nevermind, found it!

Here’s a video I recorded with the Broadcaster app:

Judging from the quality of the uploaded YouTube video, I might have to stick with Cycorder and/or iPhone Video Recorder as their vids look much better. Although I love the interface of the Ustream app, and the ease with which one can share/upload video, I’ll sacrifice all that for a better quality video.

I went to see The Blind Side over the weekend (loved it!) and actually got there early enough to see the previews. Most of them were forgettable, but one stuck out immediately as a “must-see” flick. It’s called Grown Ups.

Let me tell you who the headliners of this movie are: Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Rob Schneider, & David Spade. That’s just for starters! Then I went to the movie’s IMDB page and saw the additional casting of Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph, Tim Meadow, and Norm MacDonald and got even more excited. Those SNL alums really look out for each other, don’t they?

I was so excited about the cast that I didn’t even remember what the movie was about after I got home. I just knew that I had to see it. Then I looked it up, watched the trailer, and reaffirmed that impulse decision.

See for yourself:

My movie genre of choice are the dumb/stupid comedies. In particular, I love me some Kevin James. He can do no wrong in my eyes. I religiously watched “King of Queens” for damn near 10 years because of him. I love his physical comedy.

And anyone who knows me knows I stan for Chris Rock. I quote his comedy specials on a daily basis (“I’m not saying he should have killed her, but I understand”) and I’ll never stop being pissed at the CW for canceling “Everybody Hates Chris”.

Adam Sandler is cool with me, except for his movie Click. I’ll never forgive him for tricking me into going to see that movie, and then making me spend the last 30 minutes crying. *shakes fist*. It’s nice to see Adam continue to give his buddy Rob Schneider work. He’s had quite a few duds as the big name of a movie. You know, like the Deuce Bigalow franchise. I think he’s in his element when he plays a supporting/sidekick role. “YOU CAN DOOOOO IT!” Ya know?

David Spade needs to be on TV more. Period. I know he’s on “Rules of Engagement”, but “The Showbiz Show” on Comedy Central was my crack. Naturally they canceled it early on. Spade is the king of snark and I love him for that. Also, if you haven’t seen PCU, you’re missing out.

Anyway, I think I’ve rambled enough about why I love the lead actors. Expect to see me catch Grown Ups in its opening weekend of release, June 25.

I’ve been none too pleased that one of my favorite shows, Ugly Betty, has been banished to Fridays this fall. We all know that Friday is where TV shows go to die. There are rumors that this could be UB’s final season and being on Friday wasn’t exactly the vote of confidence fans of the show would like.

While the show could still end in the spring, ABC is apparently about to rescue Ugly Betty from its 9PM Friday slot. When new episodes start up again in January, the show will air on Wednesdays after two of my fave new sitcoms Modern Family and Cougar Town!

This is also good news because this season has been really good. Hopefully the comedy lead-ins will lead to an increase in viewership/ratings for UB. My Wednesday TV viewing is already complicated as I try to catch South Park, Glee and Law & Order: SVU, but thank goodness for the internet!

In closing, I must say: “Hallelujah! Thanks, ABC!”