Day 23 - Nora Darling, Where Are You?

Tracy Camilla Johns in 'She's Gotta Have It"

It's the 25th year anniversary of the classic black cult film She's Gotta Have It, a directorial debut of Spike Lee.  The film starred Tracy Camilla Johns as Nola Darling, a woman in three relationships with three dissimilar personalities.

Nola Darling is an independent woman, sexually confident, and a bit cautious of developing a monogamous relationship with any of her three suitors.  Although attracted to the best in each man, she refuses to commit to any of them.

Sitting in my living room watching this classic film, I recall not being able to watch it until I was in college.  I was too young according to my mother and this predated streaming videos and DVDs.  If there was a VHS, I did not have the cash or credit card needed to rent the film behind my mother's back.

While in college, I enjoyed this and several other seminal films like New Jack City, Mo' Better Blues, Boyz N The Hood, School Daze, and Do the Right Thing. Spike Lee among other directors and writers went on to produce, star, and film a number of movies in the 1990s focusing on a variety of themes giving the general public a perspective on the lives of Black people.

I thought about these films at the start of my morning bike ride.  In the early morning air, a uncommonly humid February, I wanted to get a little more out of my workout.

Black cinema and exercise do not generally go together, but with at least an hour on my hands, almost anything can go through my mind given the opportunity.  This morning, the topic was Black cinema.

I definitely pushed myself this morning. My tight legs and heavy breathing when I arrived home were evidence of my hard work.  I covered a distance slightly longer than the day before in a shorter amount of time.

Surprisingly, there was about a mile near Airport Boulevard when passing a park.  There was a cool chill that came across me.  I peddled on through the chill.  Up the hill, I labored as each leg pressing up, breathing in the refreshing coolness as sweat saturated my back and arms.

Although I pushed myself the day prior, I knew the route better today,which allowed me to focus and plan ahead as I biked.  I found myself peddling throughout the bike ride to the end almost not noticing the houses, street signs, and other observations I eagerly witnessed the day before.

At the end of the evening, I sat on my couch with legs still a bit tight and fatigued.  Then, I turned on Netflix to watched She's Gotta Have It as I wrote this blog.

When I started off the day, I had no idea 25 years had passed when Spike Lee's first film came out.  It was kind of nostalgic to watch before going to bed.

I am reminded that Nola Darling was my film girlfriend and lovely crush.  It was good to see her face again and reflect on time long past.

Is it time to countdown?  Six more days until the end of February?  I've been back and forth about whether I  would return to eating sweets again.  As of the last few days, I've felt good about giving them up entirely. I do not feel the compulsion and find any cravings are dealt with a choice piece of fruit and a glass of water.

I'm more inclined to find another target to focus on.  Maybe cut out junk food all together or most simple carbohydrates like breads and pasta.  I'm not sure.  I'll get back to what by the end of this month.

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Day 10 - Movie with Denzel (Safe House)

Of note for the tenth day toward confectioner's freedom, I saw a relatively good movie at the theater.  For the first time in years, I went and saw a movie on opening night.

As usual, I was running late for the movie and walked in confronted with the age-old habit of buying the highly overpriced yet anticipated  old lady candy found in Twizzlers, an industrial size, behemoth popcorn, and the economy size Slush or Icee. As a precaution against overeating the bad stuff, I sometimes hold on the "butter" aka artificially flavored, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.  Oh, so deeeeelicious.

The desire the purchase and consume satan's rapture was automatic.  So, I ran or walked intently away from the confectioner's dungeon of delights and wonders straight to the movie.

Although the movie was good, I was quite tired from lack of sleep the previous night. Fatigue is another condition that has led to overeating and binge eating on sweets.

Plus, I noticed very late in the day that I had not stayed on top of my water consumption for the day.  I was way behind as evidenced by the golden colored water sitting at the bottom of the commode.  My urine was darker than the straw or light color urine I had become accustomed to over the last several days of staying hydrated with more water.

So, as I stayed away from the confectioner's tempting poisons, the lure was compounded by fatigue and dehydration, which usually is a deadly combination - the one, two knockout punch.

During the movie, I could feel my dry throat and taste buds exploding inside for damn near anything sweetly refined.  A great distraction was the movie, Safe House, with Denzel Washington to  the rescue. Save me Denzel!!!

Anyway, the movie had plenty of action, some slow points, but in the end, it made me forget about the junk food.

When I arrived home, big glasses of water welcomed me as I caught up on some sleep and made peace with the sleep angels. There is a good in the world.

And, go see Denzel.  Great fighting scenes, car chases, and a bit of a thriller.  Denzel acted everyone else under the table; unfortunately, the movie was beneath his skill level.  The other actors, particularly his co-star, Ryan Reynolds, is still working on getting his big boy pants on.  Reynolds tried really hard I imagine, but Denzel was clearly doing charity work and helping out Reynolds' career.