October 16, 2002

Must Exercise (More)

With the recent changes in climate and stuff (cooler, darker earlier), I haven't been biking much AT ALL. And I know it's just gonna get worse as time goes on. I probably won't do any serious biking (other than afternoon rides on the weekend) until Spring. I'm starting to feel it. I'm sluggish. The scale is reading higher numbers.

The bottom line is that I need to get off my ass more. And regularly. I need something for every season. But I'm not sure what I should get into now. I've thought of using the exercise bikes in the gym at work. On the plus side: (1) I'm already at work, so it's easy. (2) It could happen in the early evening or late afternoon, which is when I always start to drag anyway. (3) I could read a book or something, since there's no steering necessary. Heck, maybe I'd even catch up on this big pile of books and magazines.

On the negative side: (1) It could get boring quickly. I suppose some headphone and good MP3s would help, though. (2) Being that it'd be less fun than "real" biking outside, it might be easier to slip out of the routine.

I'm not sure. I've never been much of a runner--not that I've ever tried. I've also never been one for (most) group sports. So you won't find me on the basketball court. Maybe volleyball, but the weather won't be right for that until Spring, too.

Any ideas? What do other guy geeks out there do?

Update: I forgot to mention that I used to go to the gym on a semi-regular basis during some of my semesters of college. It seemed to depend a lot on my schedule, the weather, and having someone to go with me. Hmm. What lessons should I have learned by now?

Posted by jzawodn at 09:30 PM

Naked Skydiving

Kasia just pointed me at Naked Skydiving.

It's gotta be chilly up there.

Posted by jzawodn at 09:09 PM

Wal-Mart Takes on NetFlix

Wal-Mart has opened an online DVD rental service at its Web site, confirming speculation that the market for online DVD rentals created by Netflix would attract a large, established company. Wal-Mart's offering is aimed directly at Netflix, offering similar services for $18.86 per month, versus Netflix's rate of $19.95. For each service, customers request DVDs online, and the company pays postage to ship the films. There are no due dates for either service, though subscribers are allowed only three movies at a time. Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, said he is not concerned about Wal-Mart's "unimaginative" and "slavish imitation of Netflix." He said his company knows "the area better" and can beat Wal-Mart. A spokeswoman for Wal-Mart said the company would modify the service in coming months based on feedback from subscribers. She said the number of subscribers will probably be limited until the full roll-out of the service next year.

Via San Jose Mercury News, 15 October 2002 and EduPage

Posted by jzawodn at 04:42 PM