Tale of the Donkey's Tail

Started out today with a trip to the gym. Since I had to work later, I decided to keep things simple this time and do 25 minutes on the stationary bike. This time, I upped the resistance all the way to 8! Much better. Even with that, I still didn't get quite as much of a workout. It was easier on my still-somewhat-callused feet, though. I also did leg and rear stretches today. I think I'll alternate the elliptical machine as well as the weight equipment. The next time I go in, we'll do the arms.

Since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped at the Acme to pick up my paycheck and do a little grocery shopping. I really didn't need much this week. I mostly restocked my fruit. Picked up grapefruit, pears, and bananas. Decided to try blood oranges, which are oranges with a swirly red-orange peel and red pulp inside. They're only in season during January and February, and they were on a pretty decent sale. Restocked sugar, canned pineapple, honey, and peanut butter. They were having a sale on the mousse mixes I like, so I bought French Vanilla and Strawberry. Found a cute card for my stepfather's birthday on Thursday, too.

When I got home, I put everything away, had tuna salad for lunch, and watched Winnie the Pooh. This is the newest in Disney's long line of Pooh-based cartoons...but unlike their direct-to-home-video forays into the Hundred Acre Woods, this was based entirely around five stories from the original books not used in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Eeyore loses his tail, and the rest of the citizens of the Hundred Acre Woods try to find him a replacement. As always, they turn to Christopher Robin for help...but he's gone missing. They believe him to have been taken by the fearsome "Backson" monster. While the others set a trap for the monster, Tigger tries to teach Eeyore to be more Tigger-ish, and Pooh just wants honey...now, preferably.

That's pretty much it. This is a less bittersweet replay of Pooh's Grand Adventure, and as such, it'll probably hold no interest to older kids and teens. Adults will get a kick out of the creative wordplay...quite literally, as the words in the "storybook" the narrator (John Cleese) is reading from are used for everything from ladders to nets. And by all means, stick around for the credits. They're the best part. The first half uses Christopher Robin's toys to recreate key moments in the movie; the second has the Pooh crew literally playing on and around the words in the credits.

My favorite line, though? "No stuffed animals were harmed in the making of this film." ;)

I like the movie so much, I went online and bought it from Amazon.com after it was over. I also picked up the second Woody Woodpecker and Friends Walter Lantz cartoon set. I'm trying to finish out my "classic" shorts. Next, I'll look for the original Scooby Doo sets, the Chuck Jones Tom & Jerry, and Popeye.

Work was pretty busy when I was shopping earlier, but by 4PM, it wasn't that bad. It was silent when  I arrived, but picked up during rush hour and was off-and-on the rest of the night.

I have mixed feelings about my schedule. I'm not thrilled with having to work until 9:30 two days next week, and I only have one day off...but once again, a lot of the college kids who would normally take those hours are deep into their classes now. I think some of them may be graduating this semester or the next one. I suspect there may not be too many other people who can take those hours.