I had my annual physical today, and guess what? In every measurable way I am the healthiest I have been in decades. My cholesterol levels, both LDL and HDL, are fantastic and have significantly improved since my last physical. All my other numbers are excellent as well. My stated goal at the start of this project was "...to feel good about myself physically and mentally", and I have fully achieved that goal already. Which only makes me that much more energized about how I might feel after another six months of this journey. I am not even halfway through the episodes yet, and just barely a quarter of the way through the stories, so I know I will be at this until at least next spring.

I mean, assuming that Hurricane Irma (which is currently targeted like a laser on my house three days from now) doesn't destroy me. I'm a little bit worried about that.

But, hey, let's be escapist for the moment and talk about Doctor Who.

The Monster of Peladon - Parts 3 & 4

(TARDIS Data Core recap)

I made two predictions about the story yesterday, and both came true. Faced with the real Aggedor in the pit, the Doctor immediately tamed him by using a spinning mirror and singing a Venusian Lullaby to him. Secondly, it was indeed Ice Warriors hiding inside the refinery. The Galactic Federation security forces has arrived, and they are comprised entirely of Ice Warriors.

Parts three and four continue to be not particularly surprising. More political maneuvering, more court intrigue, more women's lib messages, and more power-to-the-people themes. Like I said yesterday, it's not bad. It's just not particularly good. There are suspicions that the Ice Warriors are acting with a hidden motive, just like in the previous Peladon story. The queen is largely feckless and ineffective against the high priest, just like her father the King was int he previous Peladon story. Where the previous story had a tentative romantic plot between the King and the Doctor's companion, this story has a growing friendship and mentoring between the Queen and the Doctor's companion. I had just hoped for so much more. 

There was one very nice scene between the Queen and Sarah Jane that is an archetypal Sarah Jane Smith moment, where the Queen laments that she can't really do anything because "...I'm only a girl", two which Sarah forcefully replies that there is no only about being a girl, and that it is time for the Queen to stand up for herself and be the ruler she wants to be. Score one for women's liberation.

The cliffhanger at the end of part four has the Doctor obviously killed by the explosion of a piece of mining equipment, So clearly that's the end of the series, right?

I'll be back tomorrow for the thrilling end to the story. I really hope the next one is better.

STATS:

Doctor(s): Third
Companion(s): Sarah Jane Smith
Episode(s): The Monster of Peladon - Parts 3 & 4
Steps Walked: 6,694 today, 1,281,435 total
Distance Walked: 3.47 miles today, 633.52 miles total
Weight: 261.06 lbs (five day moving average), net change -46.24 lbs