Prison Break

I feel like I crawled out of a cave today. That's because, for the last two weeks, I've been obsessively watching Prison Break with every minute of my spare time.

It's one of those shows where almost every moment is riveting. You never know what's going to happen or who's going to die next. The plot twists and double crosses kept me guessing the whole time. There's a sense of peril that compels me to watch "just one more episode" because I can't stand the suspense!

I've spent the past two weeks in Michael, Lincoln, and Sara's world, watching them face everything that was thrown at them; seeing Michael maneuver through every dire situation. It's been really cool to watch a show where the main character is the one who's always one step ahead, trying to stay ahead of law enforcement (prison guards, cops, FBI) instead of the other way around.

The characters are what really make the show. I loved Michael. He's not just a genius with a plan to break out of prison- he's clever, charming, empathetic, stoic, and flexible at the same time. I loved Linc- the self-described "brute" who always had his brother's back. I loved Sucre, Michael's loyal buddy. I liked Sara and Mahone, even T-Bag and Gretchen for what they added to the story and how their characters evolved.

There were so many good things about the show, along with a lot that made me mad, but it was an exciting journey. Throughout all four seasons, the characters grew and changed, but for the most part remained true to themselves (I'm finding this to be rare in TV shows now- characters are so inconsistent and make dumb, irrational choices). I loved the brothers' relationship that remained strong and steadfast to the end, and all the other friendships that Michael made along the way.

The finale was both terrific and terrible. There was a definite conclusion that wrapped up most loose ends, but the ending was bittersweet and had me bawling my eyes out. It's been awhile since a show did that. And it wasn't just an emotional ploy. The ending made sense, with the characters coming full circle in a lot of ways. I was heartbroken because I believed it. It made sense with the storyline and the character's personality, but I still didn't want it to be true because I loved the character so much.

All I have to say is, I'm glad I got to spend the last few weeks watching this amazing show. Even though it's meant late nights, tired days, and an emotional roller coaster; it was well worth it all.

My First Crossfit Experience

I went to my first Crossfit class 3 days ago. We started out with a warm-up, did a few dynamic stretches, then went over the proper form for squats, push-ups, and pull-ups. The main workout was a half-Cindy: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats as many times as we could in 10 minutes. I managed to make it through 5 rounds, using a band for the pull-ups and I started coming down on my knees for the push-ups. For the last round, I needed 2 bands to do the pull-ups and I was practically falling on my face for the push-ups. I was pretty tired and sore by the end.

Three days later, I can not move my arms above my head. My triceps and lats were hurting so bad today I had to prop my arms on pillows on the couch and try not to move at all. My pecs and abs are somewhat sore (it kind of hurts to laugh or take a deep breath) but I'm used to how that feels since I've overworked those muscles before. The triceps/lats soreness has really knocked me out. It really sucks not to be able to lift my hand to my face without pain. I can't brush my teeth, or eat, or drive, or open a door without my muscles screaming at me. I couldn't fall asleep last night because it was hard to find a position where my muscles weren't in agony.

My initial thought after Crossfit was that it was fun and a good workout, but I was going to be sore. If I had known exactly HOW sore, I definitely would have taken it a lot easier. I've been known to push it to my limits, especially if I have a trainer/coach looking on and someone else to compete with (both were true at Crossfit). But since I rarely work out my arms, doing so many push-up and pull-ups was a VERY BAD idea. I wish I had started out with a little more basic strength before starting my month-long membership.

Overall, I still like the concept of Crossfit as a total body workout. The workout was short and fun and definitely worked my muscles. The problem is that so many of my muscles are sore, I haven't been able to do anything for the past 3 days. Even my job suffered. Day 3 has been the worst so far; I'm hoping I start to feel better after this. I'm looking forward to taking another class (and taking it easier) once I feel able to do it again. I just can't wait for this muscle pain to end, because honestly I don't ever remember being this sore in my entire life!! (that includes post-marathon!)