One fat geek's SUCCESSFUL attempt to regenerate into a not-so-fat geek by watching the entirety of Doctor Who while walking on a treadmill

All Posts Blog: The Time Treadmill

Once Again, Yellowface Rears Its Ugly Head

Oct 18 2017
Once Again, Yellowface Rears Its Ugly Head

I am so conflicted about the new story I started today. On the one hand, it is a historical story (set in Victorian London) and I love historicals. On top of that, it is one of the most beloved stories of the Fourth Doctor era. On the other hand, it features a primary Chinese villain who is played by a Caucasian English actor wearing yellowface and speaking in a full-on Fu Manchu accent. He's good, but that's not really the point. Of course I know it was standard accepted casting for the era (not that current casting choices are always ideal by any stretch of the imagination), but still... This is definitely a case of something I love also being problematic.

Even My Neck is Getting Skinnier

Oct 17 2017
Even My Neck is Getting Skinnier

I learned something weird and random yesterday: Not only have I lost fifty pounds in weight and six inches from my waistline, but it turns out I have also lost a half inch in collar size. I'm a jeans & t-shirt kind of guy and don't often wear dress shirts, so I probably never would have noticed if not for my new acting gig. You see, several months ago I auditioned for a show, and as a part of that the costume designer tool all my measurements. That was back in early May, about twenty five pounds ago. I wound up getting the job (my first professional musical theatre job, yay!), and last night was the first rehearsal. I suggested to the costume designer that he probably wanted to take fresh measurements since I had lost a significant amount of weight. Most of the changes I had expected, but the drop in collar size really caught me off guard. I had no idea that my neck was getting smaller, but there you go. I have dropped three pants sizes, gone down a shirt size in the chest, and gone down a collar size to boot. How cool is that? And I have Doctor Who to thank for all of that.

Speaking of which, let's talk about MurderBots.

Ten Little Indians

Oct 16 2017
Ten Little Indians

it's been a day of ups and (huge) downs, with still more to come, but I want to get this post out of the way now so I don't end up writing it at midnight. This morning my adult autistic son had a blood draw, which can be a battle. He's almost as strong as me, and if he wants to fight something then he isn't easy to physically control. That being said, he surprised us all by not even flinching when the needle went in. He never even complained. How awesome is that? Unfortunately, that happy start was dampened a few hours later when we had to put down our dog Chuy. He had been barely eating, and kept having seizures. Upon taking him to the vet it turned out that he had cancerous masses in his stomach and there was literally nothing that could be done to heal him. Rather than let him suffer any further, we chose to let him rest. It was a very difficult decision, and we are heartbroken. And now, swinging back completely in the other direction, I am about to go to my first rehearsal for my first professional musical theatre production, for which I am very excited. So like I say, it's all ups and downs today.

But mixed in with all that, I started a new Doctor Who story on the treadmill today. So let's talk about that.

My Other Birthday Episode

Oct 15 2017
My Other Birthday Episode

During my lifetime there have been precisely two episodes of Doctor Who that have aired on my birthday. There was also one other that aired on my birth date, but two years before I was born (Episode 10 of The Daleks' Master Plan), but that doesn't count since I wasn't alive. My first birthday episode came on January 15th, 1972 when I turned four -- Episode 3 of Day of the Daleks (again with the Daleks, and also: meh). Today's viewing gave me my only other birthday episode on January 15th, 1977 when I turned nine - Part 3 of The Face of Evil. It is hands down the best of the lot (and not just because it doesn't involve any damn Daleks).

Let's talk about that.

They Say the Evil One Eats Babies

Oct 14 2017
They Say the Evil One Eats Babies

Yesterday I put off using the treadmill pretty much all day, until after 9pm. I felt fat and bloated, and weighed in a full six pounds heavier than the morning before. Today I bounced out of bed and hit the treadmill early in the day, and weighed in back in range with recent history. The moral of the story is, don't put off my workout. It doesn't work out. Better yet, today my wife bought me some new shorts with a 40" waist. When I started this project I was wearing a 46. I can't remember the last time I wore 40's. I do remember that in high school (back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth) I wore a 38. The new shorts? They fit perfectly. How cool is that?

I also started a new Doctor Who story today, and it's a good one. Let's talk about that.

On His Own For the First Time

Oct 12 2017
On His Own For the First Time

I really gotta start writing these things earlier in the day. It's after 11pm, I have an early day tomorrow, and I still need to talk about Doctor Who. Good thing I am weirdly obsessive about getting this done. So let's talk about this monumental and singularly unique story so that I can get some sleep.

Farewell, Sarah Jane Smith

Farewell, Sarah Jane Smith

Ah, what a bittersweet day of viewing Doctor Who. At this point I have lost track of how many companions I have seen come and go. Some left huge impressions, like the original trio of Ian, Barbara, and Susan. Some came and went easily enough, like Dodo Chaplet. The most difficult to leave behind up until now was Jamie, but his departure was swept up all in one package with the Doctor regenerating and the format of the show changing to color. This one, though, hurts. At the end of today's viewing the Doctor dropped Sarah Jane back home before leaving to face Gallifrey alone, and I have to admit I teared up a bit. Maybe it was just sweat dripping in my eyes after fifty minutes on the treadmill.

Careful. That's not as 'armless as it looks.

Careful. That's not as 'armless as it looks.

For nine out of the last ten days I have weighed in at under 260 pounds, and I expect that tomorrow will finally be the day when the five-day moving average finally shows me at more than fifty pounds lost since I started this project. This makes me very happy. On the other hand, tomorrow will also be the last day that Elisabeth Sladen appears in the classic series as Sarah Jane Smith, and that makes me very sad. True, I have Louise Jameson's Leela to look forward to this weekend, but that's a whole different thing. The good news is, Sarah Jane goes out on a strong story.

So let's talk about that.

Weird Coincidences

Weird Coincidences

As I have worked through this project, I have encountered any number of odd coincidences (due, certainly, to the human mind's propensity to see patterns even where none exist). Today I noticed that today is Columbus Day (I know, I know, Indigenous Peoples Day), and I just finished watching a story set in the same year that Columbus set sail. This evening I also saw that news that a full restoration of Shada, the great unfinished story from the Fourth Doctor era, will be released next month. I counted out the days, and it will become available for digital download two days before I hit that point in my viewing. If I hadn't missed three days due to my Texas trip the week before last, I would have had to watch it slightly out of order. Instead, it will drop into place perfectly. How wild is that?

Anyway, let's talk about today's viewing.

Progress

Currently Watching:

( Story )


 of episodes viewed
%
 
 
 

of stories viewed
%
 
 
 

Total Steps Taken:

Total Distance Walked:
miles

Weight Progress:
 
Blue Line: 5-Day Moving Avg
Yellow Line: Daily Weight

Archives

Latest Posts

Once Again, Yellowface Rears Its Ugly Head
10/18/2017 2:40 PM
Even My Neck is Getting Skinnier
10/17/2017 5:28 PM
Ten Little Indians
10/16/2017 2:33 PM
My Other Birthday Episode
10/15/2017 3:23 PM
They Say the Evil One Eats Babies
10/14/2017 7:08 PM
Black Holes Are Dangerous
10/13/2017 7:45 PM
On His Own For the First Time
10/12/2017 7:58 PM
Farewell, Sarah Jane Smith
10/11/2017 5:24 PM
Careful. That's not as 'armless as it looks.
10/10/2017 7:10 PM
Weird Coincidences
10/9/2017 6:45 PM

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