Random Updates

A few random updates:

• Dog walks have been going amazingly well since the switch turned with Eddie on August 16th. I now walk both dogs on their nylon collars and haven't touched the pinch collars during a walk in weeks. I still put the pinch collars on, but they're hooked up to their nylon collars. Eddie still has a reaction to the noise, but not as strong and, thankfully, not as submissive. The best part is that he hasn't gone after a bike, truck, bee, or other moving object since the 16th. The 2-3 times he has postured as if he was about to do this, I have just made a quick "sh" noise (not the shock noise) and he snaps out of it. It's like he's a different dog. I did make D go on a walk with me on Sunday and both dogs got very excited and were somewhat difficult to handle with the change, but that is OK. I'll take it. That I've gotten them to the point where they are easy and enjoyable to walk on a daily basis is something I never thought would happen, so I'm very happy with things.
  
• After waking up at 10 AM today, I had a very productive day: worked out (400 kcal), walked the dogs (150 kcal), did both upper and lower body weights (75 kcal). I then showered, vacuumed the house (20 kcal), and cooked dinner.
  
• D is doing v. well at getting up and working out 3-4 times per work week. It's gotten easier for me to get up with him, though I'm not sure I could face the idea of getting up at 6:15 if I weren't looking forward to my cup of tea loaded with sugar. I'm not even trying to give that one up anymore - I love it too much.
  
• I'm bummed because there are no good movies opening this weekend. I am hoping that Half Nelson will come to PDX, but I can't find a release schedule of cities for it. It was very highly recommended by Kevin Smith and Richard Roeper (Smith was sitting in for Ebert).
  
• Bad TV: I tried to watch Celebrity Duets the other night. It was a 2-hour show and I watched, at most, 10 total minutes. I couldn't watch for more than 1 minute at a stretch without fast forwarding. As I do with many of those types of shows, I just fast forwarded past all judge feedback. In any case, that one quickly got deleted from the Season Pass list, never to return. Another show we watched was the premiere of Justice... also terrible and promptly removed. Our standard protocol is to set up all new shows with a SP and then delete the pass it if it's crap. I hope this is not a sign of this coming TV season.
  
• Finally, for those who like TV, click here for a useful list of all fall TV premiere dates (new and returning shows). Edit: here's another list that seems to be slightly more comprehensive.