Triathlon is 2 days away!

Finally… finally I’ll be racing in my first triathlon of the year. It’s just 2 days away so I’m at the point where I’m feeling the nerves. Honestly, it’s a short race– just a 400 yard swim, 10 mile bike, and a 5K run. Last year I was a few minutes over an hour, completing my attempt of finishing top 25 overall. Barely. I was #25! This time around my goals are basically the same. Close to an hour, maybe top 20? I can match the swim from last year as long as they mark it roughly the same distance. The bike is where I can improve the most so maybe I can knock a few minutes off. I’m also heavily considering going without a wetsuit although the swim is in a spring. The water is going to be so cold! But if I swim without it, I’d reduce my transition time by at least a minute.

For the run, I’d like to just keep a steady pace and finish under 22 minutes. There is a hill in both directions so if I can rock it through that part, I should be good to go. I’m nervous. I’m excited. I’ll have updates next week with the results. Ultimately, it’s a privilege to even have the ability and the chance to do any race at all, so I’m grateful. The best way to keep up to date is to sign up for emails every time I post something new, which is daily at 1pm central. Sign up below and thanks for checking out my blog today!

-Out of the Wilderness

A New Race called Escape from Alligator Alcatraz!

There’s a triathlon in California called Escape from Alcatraz. I’ve never done it and probably never will… but I thought of a new race. It’s called Escape from Alligator Alcatraz! Not a triathlon. Kind of a swim. Maybe a run if there’s any dry land? It’s more like a Spartan race and the movie Gladiator and the Nature Channel all in one. Whoever survives wins.

Alligators are nothing to underestimate in the everglades, obviously. But how about the pythons, rattle snakes, and moccasins? I think I’d be happy to see an alligator because if I see it, I have a chance. If you see a snake, you’re already dead.

-Out of the Wilderness

The Accountant 2… Not That Good But Not That Bad

After watching The Accountant, a movie I was thoroughly uninterested in for the longest time, I had high anticipation for the sequel. The first one turned out to be really good. I liked it because the plot wasn’t too complicated, characters had enough depth to know whether we’re supposed to like them or not, and there was a little bit of everything: humor, action, romance, thrills. And here I thought it was just going to be about Excel and taxes and pocket protectors.

Obviously I was wrong.

Welp, I was wrong about the second one, too. I thought it would be good. And to be honest, it wasn’t bad, I guess. I mean, have you seen Another Simple Favor? That’s a bad movie. It was a mess. But The Accountant 2 was a little hard to follow, the plot was weak, and Anna Kendrick wasn’t in it at all (she was a key part of the first movie). Jon Bernthal– who played Ben Affleck’s brother– was great, and the acting in general was fine. There were more unbelievable parts; for instance how can the bad guys miss shooting a target from 10 yards away many, many times, but the good guys get a kill shot from 50 yards out while they’re doing a tuck and roll? It’s a cliché in many action films and I can’t figure out why… except that we know the good guys can’t die, it’ kind of ruins the plot. The scene with Jon Bernthal sitting with the blonde woman and asking if she’s afraid of him was one of the better scenes in any movie I’ve seen lately. A really nice reveal at the end of that scene.

Brax, Christian Wolff’s brother, also used a Samsung Flip 4 phone, so I appreciated that. I wondered why it wasn’t a Flip 5 or Flip 6, but then remembered at the time of filming, the Flip 4 was probably the latest model. Don’t even get me started on Samsung dropping the ball on the whole “close your phone so you can be more present in the moment” then proceeds to make a giant screen on the outside for the Flip 5 and 6. Sheesh, guys. That is the #1 reason I didn’t trade my 4 in for a 6 a few weeks ago.

Overall, the movie is worth watching on a rainy day. But don’t expect to enjoy it as much as the first one.

-Out of the Wilderness

Sabrina Carpenter and Dunkin’ Donuts – A Collaboration For Adults Only

Sabrina Carpenter stars as a “1-900” style hotline phone answerer in a new commercial from Dunkin’ Donuts. What is a 900 number? If you don’t know, you’re too young to be watching this commercial… and ask your parents. The caller is hot (and who isn’t this summer?) and I’d say the “Hot Now” sign is on but that would be a conflict of interest, huh? Of course, we’re led to believe the person is hot in other ways before Sabrina offers a non-naughty suggestion to cool off. Check out the ad then scroll down for more…

I wonder if this is a sign that Benson Boone’s Moonbeam Ice Cream might actually become a flavor? Celebrities have been known to do this sort of thing, having flavors with their name on it for limited time availability. Sabrina has a new album out soon (August) called “Man’s Best Friend” but something tells me it’s not going to be about a dog. That would be too tame for an artist trying to establish herself as the sex symbol of her generation. Hard to believe she started out not too long ago on “Girl Meets World.” As for the drink, I don’t know if it’s good or not. Have you tried it? Comment below with your reviews.

This is Sabrina’s second collaboration with Dunkin’ and it’s not quite as suggestive as the first which was called “Shake That Ess.” Dunkin’ is going all in on the idea that sex sells, aren’t they?

The older I get, the more glad I am to not be young in 2025. Can you imagine all the temptations out there at every turn? When I was growing up, all we had was dirty magazines in the woods behind our friends’ houses! Oh, and the 900 numbers. And Madonna.

-Out of the Wilderness

Democrats are Mad!

I must be watching too many political videos because all of the liberals I see on TV or whatever screen’s in front of me are lunatics. They’re mad in temperament and mad in mental state. It’s madness, I tell ya. There’s relief, though and it’s this: Democrats in real life. People we know are a waaaaaaay better example of what most liberals are really like. Of course, there are some who have a few kangaroos loose in the top paddock, if you know what I mean. Two fries short of a Happy Meal. Lost their marbles. Lights are on but nobody’s home. But most of the Democrats I know personally are civil, kind, and good people. I need to cling to that when I hear about Bernie Sanders, Jasmine Crockett, or Zohran Mamdani.

The most recent thing I’m aware of that set Democrats off was Operation Midnight Hammer. So they DO want Iran to have nuclear weapons? Got it. The truth is they don’t want Iran to have these weapons, but they just hate Donald Trump. Kind of like my liberal woman friend who got very upset when I posted the ludicrous idea some people have about Michelle Obama being a man. My friend and I agree. And yet she got so caught up in her feelings she must not have realized how bizarre it is that she was mad about something we agree on.

But my friend is still a good person. I like her. I’ll admit I don’t understand her but she has an idea of what is good and that’s what she’s pursuing. Nothing wrong with that! There are people like that in politics but I fear they’re becoming more rare. Mostly what we hear about are politicians (on both sides) with an agenda. We have to be perceptive to weed out the ones who are in it for greed and those who want to serve the country’s best interests.

Also, Michelle Obama is a woman.

-Out of the Wilderness