Welcome to the first week, and how I feel about my results. When looking at the performance, the first figure is the weight in kilograms (times by 2.2 to get it in pounds), followed by the number of repetitions. Generally the idea was to do 2 sets, and either doing an extra set if I could get to twelve, or at least working to exhaustion.

Monday
Machine Squat - 60 x x12, 65 x 8
Leg Extension - 40 x 12, 40 x 15
Leg Curl - 30 x 11. 30 x 7
Back Extension - Bodyweight x 12, 2.75 x 12, 5 x 10
Calf Raise - 60 x 15, 65 x 14, 67.5 x 12

I wasn't entirely comfortable with the squat and pushed myself a bit less than last week, because it was putting pressure on my left shoulder. I don't think I can do regular barbell squats because holding the bar in that range of motion is likely to be worse for my shoulder. So I may have to change this over to dumbell squats, which I understand may be a bit more awkward but might provide me better results without causing undue stress. I also skipped the Leg Press for a couple of reasons; firstly it was in use, and secondly that exercise has caused my shoulder to flare up previously on a couple of occassions, and I didn't want to make it worse after the Squat. So I might also swap this out for lunges.

After the first set of Leg Extensions I thought I had reached my limit, but I decided to give it my all and keep going, so I can definitely increase the weight next time. Leg Curls gave me a good burn, so I will maintain the same weight next time.

I swapped around the Back Extension which I would normally leave until last, because someone was using the Calf Raise machine. This is is the first time I've tried Back Extensions while holding extra weight. I don't know if this is dangerous or not so I was taking it easy; I could have done more than 10 reps on the last set, but I was uncertain whether the pain I was feeling in my lower back was the natural burn of working out, or a more general pain. However it didn't take long to subside and my back is fine now, so it must have been the muscle burn. I will take this easy though. I love the feeling of burn when doing Calf Raises towards the end of the set.

Wednesday
Assisted Pull Up - 25kg x 12, 22.5kg x 10
Cable Rows - 40 x 12, 40 x 12
Dumbell Shrugs - 22.5 x 12, 25 x 13
Chest Press - 35 x 12, 40 x 12, 40 x 7
Assisted Dips - 25 x 9, 25 x 8
Dumbell Flye - 10 x 12, 12.5 x 3, 10 x 8

I still don't feel entirely great about the workout I do for my back and chest, I just don't get the burn I feel I should. Though I think it may be requiring more technique, and make sure I am focusing on contracting the back muscles. Improvements in weight over what I did for these exercises last week. The only difference is that I swapped out the Pec Dec for Dumbell Flyes. 10kg seemed easy... up to the next weight and I struggled to get out 3. So maybe I had pre-exhausted my chest on the previous exercises.

Wondering about my arms. A number of the exercises above work out the biceps, triceps and forearms as well as the back or chest, and sometimes I felt they were what was giving out first, not my back or chest. The current book I'm reading (New Rules of Lifting) indicates not to worry about them at all; they will be taken care of during a workout similar to the one I did today. Nevertheless, for now I will still do my arms on Friday. Will be interesting to see if they feel sore tomorrow (I usually don't feel the soreness on the same day).

Calves still burning from Monday, though obviously I didn't really work out my quads as they feel fine. Bit of burn in the hastrings today which wasn't there yesterday. I find that odd that it has taken 2 days to appear. I think in general I take a fair bit of time to recuperate from a proper workout, and usually I feel it the next day, and sometimes a bit worse on the second day.

Friday
Seated Shoulder Press - 7.5 x 12, 10 x 11
Side Raises - 2.5 x 12, 5 x 7
Seated Dumbell Curls - 7.5 x 12, 10 x 11
Preacher Curls - 15 x 6, 12.5 x 11
Triceps Kickback - 5 x 12, 7.5 x 12
Triceps Pushdown (Machine) - 20 x 12, 30 x 12, 40 x 12, 45 x 12, 50 x12

I was a bit anxious about today going into shoulder exercises, but I'd say my shoulder is feeling better than it usually does, so maybe I'm working out the kinks. Side raises always do me in though, I don't think I've ever tried to lift 5kg before so I was reasonably happy with this result. After the Dumbell Curls, the preacher curls surprised me with how low a weight I needed to use, though I suppose that is part of making them more isolated.

I obviously underestimated what I could on the Triceps pushdown while I stepped up the weight, and the first 3 sets were done almost without a break because they were so easy. The last set was tough though. Afterwards though, I felt my chest had gotten a workout, which brings me back to something I wrote on Wednesday, about not worrying about isolating arms. One of the routines in one of the books talks about Push/Pull splits, and I might change it up to do that. Whenever working out the back you are often working biceps in the same action, and when working the chest you are often using triceps in the same action. So perhaps I should drop from a Chest/Back day and an Arms day, and make it a Chest/Triceps day and a Back/Biceps day. It's legs on Monday anyway so I've got until Wednesday to decide if I want to change things up so soon, though it think it makes the most sense. Doing it all at once ensures they are really worked out.

General
I only did cardio once this week, and I can't say it was amazing in any fashion. I did 19 minutes on a bike, intending to follow a program of alternating intensity; 1 minute all-out, 2 minutes moderate and then repeat a few times (with warmup and cool down either side). But I just didn't feel like I had much in the tank. Most of this week I haven't had the greatest sleeps so this may have contributed. But the idea is to work up to it and increase the number of repetitions at high intensity. I haven't used the rowing machines before, so I might try one of those. That seems like it ought to be fun as well as challenging. I suppose now that shoulder seems to be in better condition, I can get my free personal training session and get them to show me the technique, as well as a couple of things I'm a bit unsure of (free weight squats and deadlifts which I'm a bit afraid of).

Recently I've joined a gym, and I thought it might be a good exercise to blog about my experience, like a diary of sorts. Mainly this is for myself, but if someone else gets something out of it, then all the better. So what better way to start than to relay my recent embarrassing fitness story.

Megan thought it might be a good idea for me to go to the local gym and try out a spin cIass (stationary bike). As 'luck' would have it, the day we decided to go was a special cIass which was for 60 minutes instead of the normal 45 minutes. What the hell, let's give it a shot. Now, my fitness has never been that great. In a spin cIass they do uphills, which I've never done before, and what a killer they were. On the third uphill, I was only able to stand for a handful of seconds before I had to get back on the seat. As we hit about the fifteen minute mark, I was starting to feel dizzy, slowed down and started to lay my head down on the bike (I discovered this is not a good position for your jatz crackers, but I was too lightheaded to care). Megan, who was sitting next to me, urged me to continue and at least keep my legs spinning a bit. So I tried for a brief period of time, then decided I needed to leave. So I got up, feeling like my legs weighed hundreds of kilos, and made it to the back of the room before I collapsed on the floor.

I didn't pass out, but I kept my eyes closed while I tried to get my bearings. Luckily, the staff there were great. They got me up and took me out to the foyer, and got me some Gatorade. Megan got me some jelly baies (despite my urging her to keep going with her workout) and it took me several minutes to recover. In hindsight, it seemed that maybe I had low blood sugar level as we went to the gym straight after we got up, and since then I've eaten before every workout. They gave us a free voucher so that we could come back for another free visit, and they even called a few days later to make sure I was ok. But it really was a clincher; I needed to do something about my fitness.

Now, this isn't the first time I've flirted with improving my fitness, but I haven't done anything that I've really stuck to for any period of time. I did some weights while my cousin lived with me, because he brought his home gym with him, but I didn't do it consistently enough. I ran with a housemate (with a fair bit of walking in the middle), but again never consistently enough to show any real results. And then I bought some weights for home a year or more ago, but once again never had the dedication to keep at it on a consistent basis.

So I took the plunge, and after taking my free visit, decided to join the gym. While I want to improve my fitness, I want to start by focussing on weight lifting. Perhaps a little more than fitness, I want what most guys want; to look buff, or at least better than I do now. So I began researching different training programs, techniques and so forth.

The problem is, there is so much information out there that it isn't funny. There were so many different interpretations, contradictions, recommendations and supposed myths that it became a little bit overwhelming to the point that you don't know where to start. Just a few of the resources I've looked at include Arnold Schwarzennegger's Body Building Encyclopedia, Static Contraction Technique, chatting with a Personal Trainer at a party, various websites, and most recently The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weight Training. The latter I found perhaps the most useful, and it made me think of the main thing I need to do; start somewhere.

I can always adjust my training regime later if I find that something isn't working, or I want to focus on something else. The main thing is to get started, and don't get discouraged. Not that I am expecting results overnight mind you. One hitch I have hit so far is that I seem to have a problem with my shoulder. My left shoulder and neck area has always been a bit tight, but I found a few times in the last month I've gone to start a training session, only to have a sharp pain shoot through my neck in the first set or two. A couple of times is when I've been doing leg press, so it seems to be the overall body tension rather than pressure on the shoulder itself. I've been to see a physio a couple of times, but should probably see a doctor. Regardless, since I've seen the physio it has seemed slightly aggravated somtimes while working out, but I'm not getting the sharp pain anymore.

The Training Schedule

Starting this week, I want to head to the gym 5 times a week, Monday to Friday, in the morning before I head to work, for 8 weeks. 3 days will be weight training, and 2 days will be cardio, and have the weekends off. This is going to take some commitment, but I've got Megan on my side, and I told her she needs to keep me motivated and on track. As mentioned before, there is so much variation in how many sets and how many reps you should do. The 'standard' seems to be 3 to 4 sets of between 8 and 12 reps. When talking to the Personal Trainer, he said that if you are going for strength (not size), then you may want to do 5 sets with 5 reps each. The Idiots Guide indicates that one set may be just as effective as 3 or 4, so long as you push yourself to failure.

So I've decided to go with 2 sets for each exercise, though if I can reach 12 reps, I will increase the weight and do a third set (especially in the early going when I am still getting used to what weight I can handle on any given exercise) or keep going to failure and increase the weight the following week. So long as I'm still pushing myself with each set, it should be a short enough session to not be overwhelming each day while giving me a decent workout.

Monday - Legs & Lower Back
Machine Squat (did these for the first time Wednesday, and what a burn! My legs were still sore until yesterday.)
Leg Press
Leg Raise
Leg Curl
Calf Raise
Back Extension

Wednesday - Back/Chest
Pull Up
Cable Rows
Dumbell Shrugs
Chest Press
Dips
Pec Deck

Friday - Arms
Dumbell Shoulder Press
Front Raises
Seated Dumbell Curls
Preacher Curls
Triceps Kickback
Triceps Pushdown Machine

I'm still not entirely sold on a few of the above exercises. I did Cable Rows yesterday and didn't really feel like it was working my back, and was working out my arms more. I'm considering going back to the Supported Row machine which felt like it was giving my back a better workout, or trying out the T-Bar Row Bench. I'm also not sold on the Pec Deck; despite a book indicating it is better than flyes, I don't seem to be able to perform the Pec Deck in proper form while getting the burn in the chest, so I think I may go back to regular flyes.

There are of course a great many different exercises I could do, but the key is to start somewhere. The above covers the major muscles, and after the first 8 weeks, I can change it up, or add more exercises if there is something I want to exercise a little more, or focus more on a particular muscle.

Megan measured me last night, so I can start tracking my progress. So here is where I start.
Chest 91.5cm
Bicep Hanging 29.5cm
Bicep Flexed 32.5cm
Stomach 88cm
Hips 95.8cm
Thigh 56.3cm
Calves 37.5cm
Neck 38cm
Weight 72kg

Forgot to take photos last night, but Megan took a few a couple of weeks ago. I don't know whether to really track this on a weekly basis, or wait until the 8 weeks is up. Perhaps I will just do it at 4 weeks to see where I am at as a halfway point. Of course, feel free to comment on the training regime, but remember, if you have your own it doesn't mean it is going to be the best one for me too. There doesn't really seem to a be a lot of wrong when it comes to weight training programs, so long as you start somewhere. So I'm just about done with research for the time being (I have just started reading New Rules of Lifting which a friend has just given me, but I think I need to stop before my head explodes), and just need to start getting down and sweaty.

In my last blog I touched on how to have a look at your situation and see if you do have a problem. Today I will further explain the credit card trap, and some solutions that you could apply to your own finances.

The credit card trap

Credit cards can be convenient; they make it easy to purchase things, and can also give you benefits like frequent flyer points. But they come with a cost. If you don't pay that amount off within the interest free period, you start paying extra. They allow you to spend money that you haven't earned yet. There is a mentality of 'I'll pay it back later' without thinking about how much later that will be, or how much it will cost in interest or fees. Unfortunately some people do just want to keep up with the Jones' and have all the best toys, and chuck everything on the credit card without thinking about those consequences.

Let's run through a quick exercise. Say you have been earning $30,000 a year, which you have been used to spending. But you decide that having a credit card would be convenient. By years end, you've managed to get that credit card up to its $10,000 limit. In effect, you have spent $40,000 even though you only earned $30,000. But now you have gotten used to living that lifestyIe On top of that, your repayments on that card might be $3,000 for the year.

So the following year you want to maintain that lifestyIe which costs you $40,000 a year. So you get another couple of credit cards. Because you are making $3,000 payments to your first credit card, you would need to get an extra $13,000 in credit card debt to maintain your life****

So the next year you have repayments of say $7,000 for the year. That's $7,000 of your $30,000 gobbled up in repayments, leaving you only $23,000 to live your $40,000 life**** That means you would need to rack up $17,000 more in credit card debt in your third year to maintain that life****

All of the above are not accurate figures, they are just there to provide the example. Eventually you won't have enough income to pay those credit card payments. As mentioned above, most people don't try to find a way out of this trap until late in the cycle, when the measures they need to take to correct it are far more serious.

The first thing to do is realise you have a problem. If you have credit cards, ask yourself this; how much is my current credit card debt, and how much was it 6 months ago, a year ago, 2 years ago? If it has increased, then it means you havebeen spending more than you have been earning. Once this has been identified, you can start working on a solution.

Solutions

The following are some suggestions we offer to our clients. They are generally in order of preference, but this all comes down to each persons individual situation and preferences.

1. Reduce general expenses. This sounds straight forward, and is usually enough to fix most problems. This can mean small life****change, such as cutting out some recreational expenses, reducing plans for phone bills, cancelling things like Pay TV, working on saving money on groceries etc.

2. More drastic change. Some changes need to be more drastic and are life changing, and can be a difficult decision. This can include things like taking kids out of private schools, having a boarder move in to help share the rent, or looking for more work.

3. Sell or return an asset. Sometimes people have assets that also have large loans attached to them, such as cars, or are renting appliances they can't really afford. If previous steps have not or will not solve the problem, then this can be another step.

4. Super Release*. In some cases, you may be able to release superannuation to pay your debts, though only in specific cases (mostly for mortgage arrears) so long as you can then maintain ongoing payments.

5. Refinance your house. In some cases a refinance is effective because it reduces your monthly outlay to your expense; for example, if you add a car loan and a couple of credit cards to your mortgage, the monthly payments may increase a little but should still be significantly less than the previous total. Keep in mind that you should only refinance debts that are bearing interest like credit cards or personal loans. Refinancing other debts that you might be behind on means you will be paying interest when you weren't before. If possible, you should just make arrangements to pay those debts off over time.

6. Sell your home. For some people refinancing is not an option as they may not have enough equity or capacity to pay the loan even after the refinance. In most cases there will still be equity to pay out some or all of your debts, and if you rent instead the payments may also be less than your mortgage.

7. Debt Agreement*. A Debt Agreement is an agreement to pay your creditors a portion of what you owe them over a period of time while freezing any interest and charges (we usually look at 70% of the debt value to be paid over 4 years). The main benefit of a Debt Agreement over bankruptcy is that it can allow you to keep your house, or other assets. There are other consequences to a Debt Agreement, such as affecting your future ability to get credit.

8. Declare bankruptcy*. If you can not afford the ongoing payments to your debts, are unable to sell assets or do not qualify for a Debt Agreement, you can declare bankruptcy. This provides a legal protection from your creditors; they are no longer able to chase you for that debt. There are also consequences for declaring bankruptcy, such as affecting your ability to get future credit. There often seems to be stigma related to bankruptcy, that you are a bad person, or that it is dishonourable or other negative views. However, bankruptcy exists for a reason; to provide a way out for those that are unable to afford their debts and whose situation is unlikely to change.

That is a pretty brief overview of some things that you can do to help get yourself back on track and heading in the right direction if you are finding yourself in a bit of financial difficulty. There is obviously not one fix all that works for everybody; have a look at your own situation, and see what suits you.

*Please note that this is general advice only. In relation to Super Release, Debt Agreements and Bankruptcy, my knowledge only extends to Australia, though similar options are likely available in most developed countries. If these are options that you are wanting to explore, I recommend seeking professional advice about these options.

Originally this was intended to be one blog, but after my first draft realised it should probably be broken down into multiple parts, and to clarify what I wanted to achieve by writing this blog.

The main goal of this blog is to assist in relieving financial stress in the community. This is the motto of the budgeting company I work for, and am very proud to be working towards this goal. To do this, I wanted to break it down into two different blogs

1. Analysing your financial situation and determining whether you have a problem.
2. The credit card trap, and what you can do to fix your situation.

In most cases it is obvious when you have financial difficulties; you can't pay your bills on time. Sometimes though, especially when there are credit cards involved, you could be spending more than you earn and are heading into a financial trap that is harder to get out of, the longer you are in it.

I have access to software that helps me analyse quickly and accurately, but it isn't difficult to get a handle on your own situation. You can do it reasonably quickly with Excel or any spreadsheet application and look at your financial situation on a monthly basis. The first thing you need to do is establish your income (if you share your finances with your partner, you can do a budget together). The next thing you need to do is figure out what you need to spend on a regular basis. Some bills are not monthly and may be quarterly or otherwise; schedule these in the month that they are due. Any amounts that are overdue should go in the current month.

Things to consider are;
Loans/Credit Cards – Any interest bearing debts that you have, figure out how much you need to pay each month. If you pay more than the minimum, it's best to start with just the minimum. Some examples of a loan might be - mortgages, credit card, car loans, pay day loans, and don't forget similar things like lay-bys.
Basic food items – Generally supermarket shopping, and cigarettes if you smoke (after you add that up yearly, you might think twice about the habit!)
Housing Expenses – List any of your ongoing utility or household bills; gas, electricity, rent if you are renting, appliance rentals, phone bills, council rates, strata fees etc.
Insurance – Add any insurance that you have. Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Building/Contents Insurance, Motor Insurance etc.

Leisure – As well as the 'essentials' people tend to spend money on themselves, whether that be going out for dinner or drinks with friends, gym memberships or regular fees to play sport, or other recreational purchases (like monthly games).
Medical Expenses – Some people have prescriptions, and others may have ongoing doctors visits, or other specialist visits. Make sure you budget for any of these that will be upcoming in the future.
Personal Expenses – Aside from recreational expenses, there are also personal expenses like haircuts, or how much you might spend on clothing on a regular basis.
Vehicle/Transport Expenses – Most people have vehicles, and related expenses. Petrol is obvious, but make sure you also account for registrations, and car repairs if this needs to be done on a regular basis. If you don't have a car, then think about how much you normally spend on public transport or taxis etc.
Other Expenses – Now it is time to include anything else. It's hard to have an all-encompassing list, but think about anything else you pay for on a regular basis. Some examples might be - School Fees, Donations, Pet Expenses, Day Care, Christmas, Birthdays and Child Support are some other regular items that people need to budget for.

Important : If any of the expenses above are usually paid for on a credit card, it needs to be budgeted for as a separate expense, as well as the minimum payment on your credit card.

The 4 budget types

Once you have plugged all those figures into your spreadsheet, you will have one of four basic patterns to your budget.

1. Heading in a positive direction

2. Late bills, but heading in a positive direction
3. Heading in a negative direction
4. Late bills, heading in a negative direction

1. You don't have any late bills, and your expenses are less than your income. You don't really have anything to worry about. You could always look into reducing your expenses to increase your savings, but it isn't necessary.

2. If you have late bills, but heading in a positive direction, you probably don't have to worry too much (depending on the circumstances). Your ongoing expenses are less than your income, and any surplus you have can go towards paying back your arrears. Reducing some expenses and making arrangements with your creditors to pay the arrears over a period of time usually solves this problem.

3. You can be heading in a negative direction even if you don't have bills that are overdue at the moment. This means you are spending more than you are earning. Many people in this position think they are in position number 1, because they are using credit cards to make their purchases.

4. This is like number 3, but you have reached a point where those ongoing expenses have caught up with you. Usually this is where people have been using credit cards to spend more than they earn and have reached the maximum limit on all the credit cards that they have, they can not get any more credit, and can not afford the ongoing payments as well as their lifestyIe.

On some occasions, position number one can instantly change into position number three due to some unfortunate situation; the loss of a job or reduced income, a housemate or boarder moving out leading to reduced income, or medical emergency that increases your ongoing expenses. These things can't necessarily be avoided. What can be avoided is building up 'bad' debt before that happens, even if you can afford it prior to that event.

It is unfortunate when people on high salaries also have high credit card debt (which they could afford on their high salary), then lose their job and have to take a more drastic measure like sell their house because they can no longer afford to make the minimum payments on their credit cards. What I consider 'bad debt' is anything you are borrowing to buy something that doesn't increase in value. Credit card debt is bad debt. Pay day loans are horrendous; usually you have to pay them back in a few weeks, and if you work out the annual interest you would be paying, it is usually in the 100's of percent. Loans obtained for cars are essentially bad debt too; cars go down in value, not up. This doesn't mean you shouldn't get a car loan; the asset itself fulfils an almost essential need for many of us. But if you can, you should save up for a car, or if you get a loan for one, pay it off as soon as you can. Appliance/furniture rentals also cost more in the long run. If you don't need it immediately (like a bigger TV), then save for it.

If you avoid these things, your potential for moving from category 1 into a 3 or 4 is reduced, or the impact less severe, if something does change in your life.

In the next blog I will explain further the credit card trap, and also explain ways you can correct any problems you have, particularly if you fall into the category 3 or 4 above.

If anyone has any thoughts about anything else they might like me to discuss, let me know.

No, not another Rock Band contender (though I suspect a game may already have that name anyway). It's my birthday coming up early next year, and I've decided I'm going to go with a rock theme, and for people to dress as a rock star or pop diva. I've had a few thoughts already. I'm thinking of printing some posters from the 80's and completely covering my hallway in them, like the the video hits of old days (I wonder if kids do this anymore?). I haven't planned how I might do it, but I'd like the lounge room to look like a stage, particularly as I want to have Rock Band competitions. And handing out wrist bands like they are coming to a gig. Maybe have a mock bouncer :) A banner over the back door saying 'backstage pass only' or somesuch.

As for my costume, I'm not sure yet. At first I was thinking I could paint myself brown and go as early Michael Jackson. I've also considered Rick Astley, so that I can jump in front of people and start singing and be a live rickroll. Maybe I could dress up like this...

While searching for that image, I found a red Michael Jackson Thriller suit for $20. Might be a goer, just need to get a wig, hat and glove as well.

Any other ideas?

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Beach Boys - Pet Sounds - 1966
Whenever I hear the first track, I find it really hard not to sing "Wouldn't it be nice if the world is Cadbury's". I don't know if that ad campaign was only in Australia, so maybe that will be lost on many of you. But after struggling to pay attention to the actual words, it sounds like it is about a young couple that want to get married but aren't yet of legal age. Ah, the ignorance of youth. Makes me wonder how old they were when they started singing these songs.

Still, the album is solid depsite some tired and repeated themes. It is hard to deny the power of the harmonies displayed, and some of them are layered with a fair bit of complexity. I'm curious as to why there is what sounds like a byicycle bell and a horn in the song I'm listening to at the moment.... There is some good pop here, though I'm not interested enough to keep me listening. Megan loves The Beach Boys, so the exposure to her playlists will probably fulfil any need I have to hear them again.

Fred Neil - Fred Neil - 1966
Haven't really had a crooner on the list for a while. I imagine back when this was released his voice sounded like sex to the ladies. But I suspect that over the years the appeal may have lessened, and it didn't take long for this album to fade into the background despite efforts to try and focus on it. For me this is better as background music than something I would want to listen to. Although I do enjoy the last track, which is an instrumental. The underlying backbeat keeps driving the song along, and gives the impression that this is some unstoppable force, while an ecclectic collection of different instruments punctuate it and add various layers that come along for the ride. It does change tune about halfway and slows down a bit, but still remains engaging throughout.

Once again, it's been a while. Been listening to some personal development CD's in the car, which precludes listening to the 1001 albums. I've got a few ideas for some blogs I've been wanting to do. I've already mostly written a series on budgeting, but I should probably do some graphs for them, and I'm not sure how I'm going to do that at this stage. I've also just joined a gym, and by god there is a lot of information out there about what is good and what isn't when it comes to training to build mass and strength. So I thought I could make a series about that, both my actual exercise and results, and everything that I've been reading. But I suppose I need to stick to one thing first before I can try something else.

On a games front, I've put down Fable 2 because it was getting a bit samey, and I was doing a bunch of wandering around. I'm sick of getting divorced because the 'sleep with' action never seems to work properly for me. I've managed it twice, but every other time my spouse just wanders around aimlessly. I also hate the map system. I want to know where each exit leads to, so I can plan, or even just know which exits I've never even been to. There are quests I can't quick-jump to because I've never been to the area... but I've no idea how to get to them either.

So I've been playing InFamous, which I'm enjoying. While the core action is still satisfying, it was also getting a little repetitive, though I've just unlocked the second island. I do have a minor gripe with the good/bad side of things though. It seems most games with these options force you to stick to one route if you want the best results, and this game is no different. I forget which ability I just unlocked, but if I want to get the maximum for that ability, I need to be all good. Now, I suppose I could do some bad, and I might unlock the 'bad' ability. But then I will have two mediocre abilities that aren't going to cross over, and miss out on the best abilities. If I could mix and match abilities to get some interesting combinations, there would be a reason to straddle neutral, but there isn't. What are your thoughts on games like this?

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Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited - 1965

I'd say that thus far this is my preferred Bob Dylan album, leaning away from folk and a bit more into rock and roll. There still seems to be some nonsensical lines, but that just seems to be his way. "The suns not yellow, it's chicken" took me a while to realise that yellow means scared in older times, but I still can't make sense of it. Nevertheless, most of the tracks are a bit more rockin, with some electric guitar thrown in. There are still harmonicas about, so there is still a folk influence. My favourites would be the two openers, Like a Rolling Stone and Tombstone Blues, but this doesn't mean the rest of the album falls away after that. It closes with Desolation Row, an 11 minute monster, though I feel it does drag a little.

The Beatles - Revolver - 1966
While I'm sure I've heard it before, Taxman seems like a minor song after listening to their previous albums, which all seemed to have a really well known and catchy number to open the album. Not that it is a bad song. Though I wonder if this song was more related to the time it was released. I don't have a problem paying taxes, and see them as essential. I quite like Eleanor Rigby (though I always thought this song would have been called Lonely People). In contrast to the punchy nature of Taxman, violins and the tone of voice give this song a sad and haunting quality. Once again there seems to an Oriental influence on occassion, most evident on Love You To.

Now I'm sure that Beatles fans can tell me a story behind Yellow Submarine. What an odd track. There isn't denying it is catchy, but at the same time it could be on a Peter Coombe album. Good Day Sunshine is bright and upbeat, accompanied by some jangly keys. For No One is another melancholy track, and I suppose that is what I like about this album compared to their previous works; it's a bit more varied. I still doubt whether I would buy a Beatles album... but this one would be the closest to a purchase so far I'd say.

2 albums in 3 weeks, that has to be an all time record for slackness. Went away for a bit of a holiday which meant I couldn't get on to this. Went jetski-ing, which I really need to do again, saw a couple of decent size stingrays on a sandbar a few feet away from me in about a foot of water, and generally had a great time. I was there for a wedding, and it was a really good casual ceremony without being too bogan. The Bombanieri were stubbie holders that said
'This stubby holder $7.00'
'Amount of alcohol you drink tonight - ****loads'
'You attending our wedding - priceless'
Might sound tacky but it was a pretty good time. Coming back from the resort, not such a good time. Flight into Melbourne delayed by over 3 hours to arrive at about 1:15 in the morning. Then go to the motel where they were supposed to leave a key under our room door mat because they didn't have night time reception. Rock up around 2am and they didn't leave the key under the door and there was no after hours number anywhere to be found. Great. So had to go to another motel that night. Was not terribly impressed, but we got home in the end.

Also of note is that the 1001 series hs recently released a video games version which I'm considering buying. But then I pondered if it would be really worth it because there are probably hundreds of them I can't even play because I won't own the platform. But it still could be a good history lesson. If anyone has had a look, let me know.

On with the music. No images this time because my internet is being slow and annoying.

The Byrds - Mr Tambourine Man - 1965
I find this album somewhat reminiscent of The Beatles albums I've listened to so far. Generally easy listening pop tunes with some nice harmonies. Upon the first listen I wasn't too thrilled with the title track, beacuse I think Bob Dylans rendition was performed with a bit more of a haunting vibe that worked well. Upon further listens this is simply a different rendition and not bad on its own merits. Here Without You is another track with a great melody, the harmonies are selectively done and highlight all the right moments. There is a bit of variety while maintaining a consistent sound, like the aforementioned heartfelt rendition of Here Without You, to the more upbeat and jangly It's No Use, and the hopeful We'll Meet Again. If you liked The Beatles then this will probably appeal to you. For me, it is a good album, but not a captivating one that demands I listen to it again.

The Who - My Generation - 1965
The Who are another band I've heard of a great many times without knowing who they actually were. Upon listening to this album there were a couple of tracks I recognised. The first track opens with some energy, but then changes direction when they cover 'I Don't Mind' which is from a James Brown album I've already covered in this series. After several listens the album is solid, and I found it easy to sing along to most of the songs. My Generation is the most well known track on the album, which is an interesting approach with a forced stutter throughout most of the song, giving it a bit of impact. I'm not sure but I think there must have been a recent cover of Kids Are Alright, because it sounds familiar. Legal Matter has a catchy opening riff, though the tone of the male vocals sound a little girly. Still the tune itself is also pretty catchy. Once again, I feel the same about this album as I do about The Byrds; it's a good album, but not one that I am likely to add to my collection.

Only a couple of entries this time; I figure it is better to focus on only a couple of albums during the week, and then if I have time I can add another one or two towards the end, instead of dragging out the time I post these. A few quick gaming tidbits while I am at it.

Still having an occassional jaunt with Plants vs. Zombies, finally played some vs which is confusing and I still haven't worked out a decent strategy yet; seems to be a bit luck of the draw. Made it up to Hard Night in Survivial mode, and got trounced after only a few waves. I think I might be done with this for a while now. Played the first 3 or 4 chapters of Mirrors Edge... it's all starting to feel a bit samey. Can anyone let me know if things really change? I'm not really feeling the combat either. I will admit the game does give a good sense of tension as you are escaping from pursuers. I also finished Shadow Complex, and then made an attempt to find everything. I'm a bit confused as to how to complete a couple of sections, and it also appears that I may have locked myself out of one of the upgrades; there is a section where you have to run as part of the base explodes, and I don't think I can get back in.

I've also been playing Klonoa. It's ok, but not fantastic. It just got suddenly hard in the last stage with precision jumps and timing, but I overcame the frustrations and looks like I have one more level to go. Maybe rent it if you are looking for a platformer on the Wii.

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The Beatles - Rubber Soul - 1965
The last two Beatles albums I've listened to have opened with a pretty catchy tune, and this one doesn't differ with 'Drive My Car'. On my first listen, I felt that the album was more varied than the last couple, but seemed to fall flat after the first track. On a few more listens, it has become more apparent that this is a decent album, and in fact I find it hard not to sing along to some of them. There seems to be a bit of Indian or Oriental influence here as well (I can't quite pick it) with some of the guitar sounds or accompanying instruments. The harmonies are layered well and contribute to The Beatles defining sound. So while my initial thoughts after the first listen that this might be the worst of the Beatles albums I've heard, it may in fact be the best. I still don't think I'm sold on actually buying any albums yet, but I might be whipping out Megans best of collection from time to time based on what I've listened to so far.

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Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch - 1965
At first I thought this was country, but it's more folksy. Guitar plays centre stage, and the playing styIe is a bit unusual, it comes across a little experimental but there is still plenty of structure. Most tracks also have vocals, and his delivery often comes across as gentle, which nicely sets up the times when he does elevate his voice or add moments of passionate delivery. Most of the album exudes a sombre mood, yet with a feeling of hope. I don't know how to explain it any more than that. Needle of Death is a sad song though, about a friend who died of a drug overdose. The final track Angie is an experimental guitar track, and it feels like the guitar is exploding, and I quite enjoy this track. Based on what I've heard so far, anyone who likes Bob Dylan might want to give this a go.

I thought it may have been 3 or even 4 weeks since I'd done this because I've been really busy over the weekends, but looks like it has only been a couple of weeks. Entries are short this week as I try and catch up. Went to a wedding interstate weekend just gone, and had a conference interstate the weekend before that so it has been a busy time. I've done very little travel, and this is the first time I've been to Melbourne. What surprised me was the quality of the Melbourne airport... compared to Adelaide, it was like walking into a warehouse that had been converted. There were even portable cabin dunnies. I suppose I was flying Tiger... Just seems like a different setup compared to Adelaide where every flight leaves from the same terminal.

Been reading State of Fear by Michael Crichton. I've never read any of his stuff before (though of course I have seen Jurassic Park). It's focused on environmental terrorist groups that are trying to influence media coverage on global warming, by creating events that seem to support that theory using hi-tech equipment. Interesting though, is evidence provided throughout the book that global warming may not be happening at all, and Crichton leaves references for all of his work. That said, it may be a bit like The Da Vinci Code; believable, but where does the science fact end, and the fiction begin? On a side note, Megan is a burns nurse, and one of the characters in the book receives burns from electrical charges. Another know-all character explains that the burns aren't thermal, and that putting ice on the burn prevents/limits the nerves from creating the response that causes blisters. This didn't sound right to me based on conversations with Megan, so I asked her. Firstly, all burns are thermal, whether they are from steam, flame, or chemicals. Secondly, ice is the worst thing you can put on a burn. When you are burnt, the heat is trying to escape. If you put ice on it, it prevents the heat from escaping in that direction, and it forces the burn to go even deeper. Running cool water over the burn helps to carry the heat away. Medical lesson over.

Anyways. So far the book is pretty good. Enough of the science fact to have you wondering about global warming and what it really means; how many of us think global warming exists without even considering any evidence apart from the general hypothesis and media claim that it is happening? But enough action and intrigue as well to keep you thinking about where everything is heading. On with the music!

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The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today! - 1965
Megan loves the Beach Boys. After this album, I'm not convinced of their greatness. Which isn't to say the album is bad either, and there are certainly songs here that I can sing along to. From a technical standpoint, it is impressive, with their harmonies laid over each other meticulously. It's easy to sing along to Do You Wanna Dance straight out of the gate. Help Me Ronda is likely to be the well known track from the album. The entry in the book indicates that this album has the worst track in the entire book, and on first listen I wasn't able to really establish what that might be. On further listens, I'm going to guess that it would be Don't Hurt My Little Sister. That song just sounds all kinds of weird. 'Why don't you love her, like her brother' sounds a bit wrong when it's aimed at a potential suitor/boyfriend.

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John Coltrane - A Love Supreme - 1965
Jazz is back! And I'm not really impressed. There are a few sections that I like, but at other times the album is cacophonous, as the experimental jazz just doesn't seem to work for me. I can feel structure trying to emerge but it never gets there. That may be part of the point of experimental, but it doesn't really work. I understand how dissonance and weird structures can work, but not here. There are only 4 tracks, but they all last over 7 minutes.

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BB King - Live At The Regal - 1965
Another live album in the mix. BB King is another name I've know for a great many years, but was never familiar with what the name meant. This album sounds to me like R&B and soul mixed with a little rock. There are some swinging tunes here, and BB King likes to entertain his audience, not just with his music but also some anectodes that are often tied into songs. His voice soars from time to time, and Sweet Little Angel would have to be a standout.

So it has been a few weeks since I did one of these, because Plants vs Zombies was sucking up my time. I finished the game and the majority of the mini games and puzzles, and I think I'm generally finished for now. There is still plenty I could do with the game, but it can wait. I will probably go back and finish another round of the main game some time in the future (I've already redone the first set of levels). So I just started playing Shadow Complex, and so far seems good. Animation for jumping seems a bit awkward, and health seems to deplete quickly if you don't notice enemies, but I've still yet to die so it isn't that bad.

This weeks entry might be a little boring; I just didn't really find a lot to write about these albums. Hopefully next week I will liven it up a bit.

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Buck Owens - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail - 1965
I'm not sure how a country singer can have a tiger by the tail. Hunting African wildlife doesn't seem to fit the profile, and I'm sure it would rip his face off before he gets to sing a song about it. Nevertheless, the opener track is a little bit catchy. In fact, while early listens weren't too exciting for me, some of them do seem catchy on further listens. Most of the numbers are upbeat, but there are a few that are a bit slower, like Let The Sad Times Roll on, where the tone matches the song title. Overall I can't find much to say about this album. Not bad, but nothing really stands out as something I want to listen to in future.

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Jerry Lee Lewis - Live At The Star Club, Hamburg - 1965
Live albums seem to feature with some prominence in the ealy portion of this book. I wonder if that will continue? My gut feeling says no. I've heard the name Jerry Lee Lewis before, but not really known who he was. He reminds me a bit of Elvis Presley in that he can certainly put some energy into his songs. Plenty of hits here, though without doing some deeper analysis I suspect these are standards and not his own work; Great Balls of Fire, Money, Good Golly Miss Molly and Hound Dog count among the performances here. If you are looking for some passionate belt-out old school rock then you will find it here... I suppose it must not be what I'm looking for though. I can appreciate it for what it is, but it just doesn't really do much for me. Maybe with a few drinks in me and if I knew some rock dance moves it might work for me!

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Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Home - 1965
I'm not sure what this first song is about. It is a whole bunch of randomness stringed together, though I think that is supposed to be the point. While I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed the previous Bob Dylan album, this album shows variety, and it all seems to work really well. From the aforementioned silly rock, to the more tender She Belongs to Me, to the defiance in Maggie's Farm, each song takes a different approach. And that's only the first three songs on the album. There is also the ballad-esque Mr Tambourine Man later on. With all these various changes there is potential for this album to have no identity, but all the songs stand up. While country might be the basic genre you would put Bob Dylan in, there is plenty of influence apparent across the different approaches, from rock to folk. I'm still not convinced of Bob Dylans greatness, but this album certainly stands up better than the previous effort in my ears, and I can't say I've heard anything quite like it.

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Otis Reading - Otis Blue : Otis Reading Sings Soul - 1965
Jazz maketh its return! I suppose this is less jazz and a bit more poppy, but there is still plenty of brass being brandished here. Once again I'm not thrilled to be listening to jazz, but the performance itself is good, with some that is quite powerful. I suppose it is easier for me to relate with songs that I've already heard, such as Respect, My Girl and Satisfaction. But quite often the other songs fell into the background as my interest waned. Sorry, not finding much to say about this one.