Just wanted to say that today I had a doctor's appointment and my blood pressure was so fantastic that now I only have to take one kind of blood pressure medicine! And it's the really cheap one! Also, I've lost two more pounds so that brings it to 13 since November. I gained a few over the holidays but dropped it again, so I'm really aiming for losing ten pounds this month. I can totally do it.
I got to meet K for lunch at Subway, yay for us both eating a healthy meal and yay for it being together!
Work was alright. But I brought my workout clothes inside with me and changed before I left and drove to the gym. I spent 35 minutes on the elliptical trainer and then left. I want to do weights, but there were more people by the weights and I don't really know what I'm doing yet so baby steps.
K was still up so I grabbed us some food (salad for me, yay!) and drove to his house and we chatted and watched some Travel channel and now I'm home.
And you know what is at home? A clean kitchen! And a clean bathroom! I will take care of the mountain of clean clothes in the laundry nook tomorrow. :)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
movie review monday: cloverfield
I kind of want to summarize this one myself instead of looking for a summary to cut and paste into here. First of all you should just know that you will either love this movie or hate it. There is no inbetween and that's exactly what it felt like in the theater as I watched it.
Cloverfield is portrayed as a video tape that is part of a secret government file that was found in what was formerly known as Central Park. The tape was in a video camera that belonged to a 20 somethingish guy who was leaving for a new job opportunity in Japan the next day and his friends decided to throw him a surprise going away party and tape the whole thing for him as a going away present. During the party there is what they think is an earthquake but when everyone runs up to the roof of the building, they see a lot of strange things happening. As the movie unfolds, you discover some sort of giant monster is attacking Manhattan. Everyone is trying to get out of the city and to someplace safe. Because it is such an insane night, they decide to keep videotaping to be able to try to make sense of it all later.
So first of all, the picture is jumpy and shaky and unpredictable because it's filmed from a hand held video camera and the person doing the filming doesn't even own that particular camera. There's a lot of running and screaming and whatnot which sometimes in the best of movie circumstances is annoying and at time in this flim almost intolerable. I have to say that this kind of stuff usually really gets to me and I didn't have any problems during Cloverfield.
Second of all, this movie is a glimpse into the lives of a few people during a crazy event. There is a small amount of set up for some of the characters that explains a little of who they are, but it's not like a typical story that spends a lot of time at the beginning laying out why you should care about each character. The whole movie is just a section of events. There's no explanation for the monster or even what it really is even though you do get to see it a few times. The ending is unsatisfying as far as plot lines go. There are some parts that are a little unbelievable even in the middle of the whole supposition of events anyway, but I'm willing to forgive them because with adrenaline I guess they are techincally possible.
In any case though, I loved it. It was scary because it was tense. I kind of knew what was going to happen at the end from the beginning and I don't even think it's a plot spoiler to say that at all. To me it was pretty common sense. At first I was disappointed that we got to see the monster because I thought it might have been scarier if you didn't really know what was going on, but then I realized just because I saw the monster didn't mean I had any clearer understanding of what was happening than the characters did. There were a lot of twists and turns as they worked on getting out of Manhattan and I was on the edge of my seat pretty much for the whole movie. There was a little gore, but it wasn't overpowering and it was definitely appropriate to the plot. I can appreciate that kind of gore.
With all the buzz leading up to it, with the mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers, and the amount of money this movie has made, it will be interesting to see if we get a chance to see that monster again. It's hard to say. I'm a big fan of just leaving well enough alone, but then again, there's a lot of angles they could choose to explore that could be kind of cool. I'm hestitant to get too excited about the possibility of a sequel or what have you because I was super stoked about there being more Matrix movies and we all know how well that turned out.
I'd love for more people I know to go see it and tell me what they think. K and I loved it, but we were definitely part of a small group in the packed theater that felt that way. Thank you J.J. Abrams for not catering to the lowest common denominator. Again.
Cloverfield is portrayed as a video tape that is part of a secret government file that was found in what was formerly known as Central Park. The tape was in a video camera that belonged to a 20 somethingish guy who was leaving for a new job opportunity in Japan the next day and his friends decided to throw him a surprise going away party and tape the whole thing for him as a going away present. During the party there is what they think is an earthquake but when everyone runs up to the roof of the building, they see a lot of strange things happening. As the movie unfolds, you discover some sort of giant monster is attacking Manhattan. Everyone is trying to get out of the city and to someplace safe. Because it is such an insane night, they decide to keep videotaping to be able to try to make sense of it all later.
So first of all, the picture is jumpy and shaky and unpredictable because it's filmed from a hand held video camera and the person doing the filming doesn't even own that particular camera. There's a lot of running and screaming and whatnot which sometimes in the best of movie circumstances is annoying and at time in this flim almost intolerable. I have to say that this kind of stuff usually really gets to me and I didn't have any problems during Cloverfield.
Second of all, this movie is a glimpse into the lives of a few people during a crazy event. There is a small amount of set up for some of the characters that explains a little of who they are, but it's not like a typical story that spends a lot of time at the beginning laying out why you should care about each character. The whole movie is just a section of events. There's no explanation for the monster or even what it really is even though you do get to see it a few times. The ending is unsatisfying as far as plot lines go. There are some parts that are a little unbelievable even in the middle of the whole supposition of events anyway, but I'm willing to forgive them because with adrenaline I guess they are techincally possible.
In any case though, I loved it. It was scary because it was tense. I kind of knew what was going to happen at the end from the beginning and I don't even think it's a plot spoiler to say that at all. To me it was pretty common sense. At first I was disappointed that we got to see the monster because I thought it might have been scarier if you didn't really know what was going on, but then I realized just because I saw the monster didn't mean I had any clearer understanding of what was happening than the characters did. There were a lot of twists and turns as they worked on getting out of Manhattan and I was on the edge of my seat pretty much for the whole movie. There was a little gore, but it wasn't overpowering and it was definitely appropriate to the plot. I can appreciate that kind of gore.
With all the buzz leading up to it, with the mixed reviews from critics and moviegoers, and the amount of money this movie has made, it will be interesting to see if we get a chance to see that monster again. It's hard to say. I'm a big fan of just leaving well enough alone, but then again, there's a lot of angles they could choose to explore that could be kind of cool. I'm hestitant to get too excited about the possibility of a sequel or what have you because I was super stoked about there being more Matrix movies and we all know how well that turned out.
I'd love for more people I know to go see it and tell me what they think. K and I loved it, but we were definitely part of a small group in the packed theater that felt that way. Thank you J.J. Abrams for not catering to the lowest common denominator. Again.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
just thinking about january almost being over
I didn't make a specific list of new year's resolutions at the beginning of the year because I made a list of goals for the year on my birthday that I basically haven't even touched. I decided to be a little more general and just say I need to take better care of myself.
As I've gone through this month (or as it's basically flown by at a rather scary and rapid rate) I've decided to work on some specific stuff in February.
-I need to spend less money on food at work and also eat more healthy items. This can be accomplished fairly easily. I think what I need to do is go to the grocery store every couple of days. A few times lately I have gotten all inspired and bought ingredients for recipes and then never acutally made the dishes and thrown everything away and just eaten at McDonald's while at work. I still have some frozen dinners right now so tonight I went to the store and got some snack kind of things to have at work. I'm off to a good start!
-I need to work on better stress management. I think something that might work is to go to the gym after work. Doing 30-45 minutes of cardio and then lifting some light weights at least three times a week is going to be my initial goal. Then I'll shower when I get home and this might help me to not get sick so often. The working out AND the showering at night and washing off all the work germs might be double duty for that aspect.
-I need to keep my apartment cleaner and homier. I don't really know what happened here. But as I've been thinking about what I want to look for in a new (cheaper) apartment, I've realized the biggest thing I want is a place that I feel comfortable inviting people over at whim. The only thing keeping me from doing that now is the fact that I am just lazy about cleaning these days. There's no reason to leave dishes in the sink for a few days or wash clothes and leave all the clean clothes in laundry baskets for a week. I'm busy, but not THAT busy. And if I find that my apartment is clean and comfortable and homey and I still don't have anyone over but K, well, that can be another goal. :)
So that's where I'm at. How are you doing on your goals and whatnot?
As I've gone through this month (or as it's basically flown by at a rather scary and rapid rate) I've decided to work on some specific stuff in February.
-I need to spend less money on food at work and also eat more healthy items. This can be accomplished fairly easily. I think what I need to do is go to the grocery store every couple of days. A few times lately I have gotten all inspired and bought ingredients for recipes and then never acutally made the dishes and thrown everything away and just eaten at McDonald's while at work. I still have some frozen dinners right now so tonight I went to the store and got some snack kind of things to have at work. I'm off to a good start!
-I need to work on better stress management. I think something that might work is to go to the gym after work. Doing 30-45 minutes of cardio and then lifting some light weights at least three times a week is going to be my initial goal. Then I'll shower when I get home and this might help me to not get sick so often. The working out AND the showering at night and washing off all the work germs might be double duty for that aspect.
-I need to keep my apartment cleaner and homier. I don't really know what happened here. But as I've been thinking about what I want to look for in a new (cheaper) apartment, I've realized the biggest thing I want is a place that I feel comfortable inviting people over at whim. The only thing keeping me from doing that now is the fact that I am just lazy about cleaning these days. There's no reason to leave dishes in the sink for a few days or wash clothes and leave all the clean clothes in laundry baskets for a week. I'm busy, but not THAT busy. And if I find that my apartment is clean and comfortable and homey and I still don't have anyone over but K, well, that can be another goal. :)
So that's where I'm at. How are you doing on your goals and whatnot?
this is disgusting but i feel compelled to share
Well on Friday I was digustingly sick. It was pretty much a 24 hour bug with some small remnants hanging on that I expect to be done with by the end of today.
I was supposed to work another double which is exciting because I need some cash and that is a kickass way to get it. I work in my own unit where I know everyone and the dynamic and it's only four hours earlier than I used to go in every Friday after class. Last week I took a lunch break during the first half of the shift and again in the second half of the shift and the only difficult part was the last hour and a half because everything was so calm. So when I woke up on Friday and my stomach felt all weird I chalked it up to not really getting enough sleep but figuring it'd be fine after a little bit and maybe some breakfast and went to work.
The first thing that I noticed was I was sweating. Who sweats inside after being outside where it was 38 degrees and nothing is going on and it's 6:30 in the morning? I got some iced water and eventually snagged the little fan and aimed it right at my head. And then I made my first trip to the bathroom. After I came back, the charge nurse asked me to go find some more history forms for the patients because we were running low. She had no idea where it was I could find them so I kind of took advantage of that and wandered around a bit honestly trying to find some in various departments but also using several different bathrooms in several different areas of the hospital. I couldn't find any of those forms anywhere anyway (it might just be because we're the only department that uses them, but I don't know) and went back to my computer. Then made another trip to the bathroom.
I was splashing some water on my face and drying it off and realized I looked AWFUL. Pale with sunken eyes because of the ridiculous black circles under my eyes. I was shakey and clammy and STILL SWEATING. So I took a deep breath and walked back to my unit and said "I really need to go home. Right now. I'm sorry." If it had been any other charge nurse, that probably would have been enough. But since I needed to explain myself I succinctly and unapologetically said "I'm shooting out of both ends. I'm shaky, I haven't stopped sweating since I got here, and I'm not going to make it. I may be able to go home and sleep and come back for my normal shift." And then I went home and proceeded to get worse. Hard to imagine, right?
There are some fantastic advantages to working in a hospital. I get free medical advice from the nurses all the time. Free blood pressure checks, great medicine resources I can use at work, and I think one of my last doctor appointments was free because he knows where I work and appreciates my unit so much. There are some disadvantages too though. When I get sick, I get SICK. And then when I'm at home and miserable, I smell like the patients that come in and it makes me feel even worse. It's not that I think I'm better than the patients that come in to the hospital, it's that I don't want to be sick like the patients that come to the hospital. Working there makes me a little paranoid too when I'm sick, wondering at what point it's the flu and what point it's internal bleeding or some other chronic issue.
But after awhile, K brought me some 7up, Vitamin Water, and Kaeopectate. I felt better, at least enough for everything to calm down and let me actually get a little sleep. And when I woke up on Saturday, I felt a gazillion times better. I took it easy yesterday and just ate some soup and crackers with some more 7up. I love Vitamin Water but I have to say my secret weapon when I'm sick with stomach issues is 7up over ice with a bendy straw, saltines, and eventually chicken and stars soup.
I collect stars because I love them. I love astronomy (the looking at stuff part, not the math and physics part) and stars just make me happy. Once I was sick at my parent's house and my mom got me chicken and stars soup because she thought it might make me feel better. I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes when she said that but then later on I made it and sat down with a bowl of chicken and stars soup. I stuck my spoon in the bowl and all these stars were floating around and I smiled and realized my mom was right. It DID make me feel better.
I'm mostly taking it easy today as well. I'm thinking I'll go to church later on because although two Sundays in a row is an accomplishment, three almost makes it a streak.
I was supposed to work another double which is exciting because I need some cash and that is a kickass way to get it. I work in my own unit where I know everyone and the dynamic and it's only four hours earlier than I used to go in every Friday after class. Last week I took a lunch break during the first half of the shift and again in the second half of the shift and the only difficult part was the last hour and a half because everything was so calm. So when I woke up on Friday and my stomach felt all weird I chalked it up to not really getting enough sleep but figuring it'd be fine after a little bit and maybe some breakfast and went to work.
The first thing that I noticed was I was sweating. Who sweats inside after being outside where it was 38 degrees and nothing is going on and it's 6:30 in the morning? I got some iced water and eventually snagged the little fan and aimed it right at my head. And then I made my first trip to the bathroom. After I came back, the charge nurse asked me to go find some more history forms for the patients because we were running low. She had no idea where it was I could find them so I kind of took advantage of that and wandered around a bit honestly trying to find some in various departments but also using several different bathrooms in several different areas of the hospital. I couldn't find any of those forms anywhere anyway (it might just be because we're the only department that uses them, but I don't know) and went back to my computer. Then made another trip to the bathroom.
I was splashing some water on my face and drying it off and realized I looked AWFUL. Pale with sunken eyes because of the ridiculous black circles under my eyes. I was shakey and clammy and STILL SWEATING. So I took a deep breath and walked back to my unit and said "I really need to go home. Right now. I'm sorry." If it had been any other charge nurse, that probably would have been enough. But since I needed to explain myself I succinctly and unapologetically said "I'm shooting out of both ends. I'm shaky, I haven't stopped sweating since I got here, and I'm not going to make it. I may be able to go home and sleep and come back for my normal shift." And then I went home and proceeded to get worse. Hard to imagine, right?
There are some fantastic advantages to working in a hospital. I get free medical advice from the nurses all the time. Free blood pressure checks, great medicine resources I can use at work, and I think one of my last doctor appointments was free because he knows where I work and appreciates my unit so much. There are some disadvantages too though. When I get sick, I get SICK. And then when I'm at home and miserable, I smell like the patients that come in and it makes me feel even worse. It's not that I think I'm better than the patients that come in to the hospital, it's that I don't want to be sick like the patients that come to the hospital. Working there makes me a little paranoid too when I'm sick, wondering at what point it's the flu and what point it's internal bleeding or some other chronic issue.
But after awhile, K brought me some 7up, Vitamin Water, and Kaeopectate. I felt better, at least enough for everything to calm down and let me actually get a little sleep. And when I woke up on Saturday, I felt a gazillion times better. I took it easy yesterday and just ate some soup and crackers with some more 7up. I love Vitamin Water but I have to say my secret weapon when I'm sick with stomach issues is 7up over ice with a bendy straw, saltines, and eventually chicken and stars soup.
I collect stars because I love them. I love astronomy (the looking at stuff part, not the math and physics part) and stars just make me happy. Once I was sick at my parent's house and my mom got me chicken and stars soup because she thought it might make me feel better. I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes when she said that but then later on I made it and sat down with a bowl of chicken and stars soup. I stuck my spoon in the bowl and all these stars were floating around and I smiled and realized my mom was right. It DID make me feel better.
I'm mostly taking it easy today as well. I'm thinking I'll go to church later on because although two Sundays in a row is an accomplishment, three almost makes it a streak.
Friday, January 25, 2008
wednesday wonders: the friday edition
This week has flown by (although strangely each shift I've worked has taken AGES to pass) and I just realized I didn't post anything. So here's a list of happy things!
...being amused by the realization that lately I seem to only be able to make friends who's names start with K or are Heather. My boyfriend is Kiris, my best friends are Kristi and Kate, I talk to Kara a lot, I started hanging out with a girl named Kristen, there's a Heather at work who's rad and then Kate's friend Heather who is awesome too! There's still fantastic people like Tina, Julie, and DeAnna of course but lately on the phone and in person, it's been K or Heather people.
...a good heartfelt conversation where K cried and I cried too. We have to figure some things out, but the love we have for each other is unlike anything else I've experienced. It's worth struggling through a few things here and there.
...having gone to church two Sundays in a row, thank you very much.
...Kara buying me dinner last night.
...renting the first two discs of season 1 of Brothers and Sisters. I really like it! My mom asked me not to watch it when it first was showing because she loved it and I'm a show killer. The guy at Blockbuster thought that was hilarious.
...getting a very nice paycheck, especially after the last one was so awful. Yay overtime!
...having a full calendar.
...school going well for me so far this term.
...good conversations about politics with my parents.
...my dad took me out to lunch last Friday which was really sweet of him and I had a great time chatting with him.
...Cloverfield. You either love it or hate it and I loved it.
...emails from my friend Splenda where she is honest and to the point but still not a bitch. It's an art form and I appreciate her thoughts so much.
...nachos. The gross processed cheese and chips kind. Yum.
...hot showers at night that mean curly hair in the morning.
...blogs.
...relevantmagazine.com -- I check out the slices at least once a day.
...finding so many apartments that are bigger AND cheaper AND closer to work on a precursory search.
...having friends I can ask TMI questions of.
...paying bills and feeling good about credit card balances
...magazines. Even though most of the content is online these days, I still love 'em. Thanks to Tina again for the surprise subscription to Glamour. :)
...sleep. Mmm, sleep.
...being amused by the realization that lately I seem to only be able to make friends who's names start with K or are Heather. My boyfriend is Kiris, my best friends are Kristi and Kate, I talk to Kara a lot, I started hanging out with a girl named Kristen, there's a Heather at work who's rad and then Kate's friend Heather who is awesome too! There's still fantastic people like Tina, Julie, and DeAnna of course but lately on the phone and in person, it's been K or Heather people.
...a good heartfelt conversation where K cried and I cried too. We have to figure some things out, but the love we have for each other is unlike anything else I've experienced. It's worth struggling through a few things here and there.
...having gone to church two Sundays in a row, thank you very much.
...Kara buying me dinner last night.
...renting the first two discs of season 1 of Brothers and Sisters. I really like it! My mom asked me not to watch it when it first was showing because she loved it and I'm a show killer. The guy at Blockbuster thought that was hilarious.
...getting a very nice paycheck, especially after the last one was so awful. Yay overtime!
...having a full calendar.
...school going well for me so far this term.
...good conversations about politics with my parents.
...my dad took me out to lunch last Friday which was really sweet of him and I had a great time chatting with him.
...Cloverfield. You either love it or hate it and I loved it.
...emails from my friend Splenda where she is honest and to the point but still not a bitch. It's an art form and I appreciate her thoughts so much.
...nachos. The gross processed cheese and chips kind. Yum.
...hot showers at night that mean curly hair in the morning.
...blogs.
...relevantmagazine.com -- I check out the slices at least once a day.
...finding so many apartments that are bigger AND cheaper AND closer to work on a precursory search.
...having friends I can ask TMI questions of.
...paying bills and feeling good about credit card balances
...magazines. Even though most of the content is online these days, I still love 'em. Thanks to Tina again for the surprise subscription to Glamour. :)
...sleep. Mmm, sleep.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
thank you, anonymous
I was exhausted when K left for work even though I got a decent amount of sleep. I was at work for 17 hours on Friday and didn't go straight to bed when I got home so I think that's pretty much the culprit. I do think I could work a double and then go in the next day at my regular time and be okay, but I don't think I could do two doubles in a row. Hopefully my paycheck is as sweet as I think it will be.
I showered and everything and went to Starbucks to see if K wanted me to pick him up some food. I drove through McDonald's and used my debit card to get us both lunch and then went back to Starbucks to drop off his selection. Then I drove down to the movie theater to buy tickets for us to see Cloverfield later that night. We were thinking it would sell out and we didn't want to go super late to see it but we wanted to see it yesterday for sure. It was a good strategy that worked out very nicely, just for the record. When I was standing in line, I opened up my wallet to get out my debit card and movie rewards card and realized my debit card wasn't in my wallet. I just paid with cash and went back to my truck. The debit card was nowhere to be found.
I mean nowhere to be found. I took things out of my truck, I emptied all my pockets, I went through my wallet, I checked the McDonald's bag, everything. I thought maybe it was in the parking lot at Starbucks so I drove back up there and searched the parking lot to find nothing. K came out and helped me look in my truck again. I went to McDonald's and asked inside and then looked by the drive thru windows. Nothing. I finally just gave up and drove to my parent's house about half an hour later than I had told them I would be at their place.
My parents said it wasn't that big of a deal and I just needed to call and cancel the card, and the sooner the better. I don't have much in my account and overdraft fees add up so quickly that I had awful visions of not only my money being gone but owning more just because I'm an idiot. I called and gave them my account number so they could look it up. The woman on the phone asked if I was certain no one else had used it and I said I used it at McDonald's and then lost it so that was the last transaction of mine. She said she saw that and then that fairly soon after that, someone had already called in to report the card lost. She set it up to send me a new card and said it should take about a week. And that was that!
I can't believe someone called it in lost. If I found a card, I wouldn't try to use it, but I never would have thought to call the number on the back and report it as lost. That is fantastic! I actually feel a little bad about all the cards I found at my various retail jobs that someone accidently left behind that all I did was stick it in the safe.
Everything is going to be okay.
I showered and everything and went to Starbucks to see if K wanted me to pick him up some food. I drove through McDonald's and used my debit card to get us both lunch and then went back to Starbucks to drop off his selection. Then I drove down to the movie theater to buy tickets for us to see Cloverfield later that night. We were thinking it would sell out and we didn't want to go super late to see it but we wanted to see it yesterday for sure. It was a good strategy that worked out very nicely, just for the record. When I was standing in line, I opened up my wallet to get out my debit card and movie rewards card and realized my debit card wasn't in my wallet. I just paid with cash and went back to my truck. The debit card was nowhere to be found.
I mean nowhere to be found. I took things out of my truck, I emptied all my pockets, I went through my wallet, I checked the McDonald's bag, everything. I thought maybe it was in the parking lot at Starbucks so I drove back up there and searched the parking lot to find nothing. K came out and helped me look in my truck again. I went to McDonald's and asked inside and then looked by the drive thru windows. Nothing. I finally just gave up and drove to my parent's house about half an hour later than I had told them I would be at their place.
My parents said it wasn't that big of a deal and I just needed to call and cancel the card, and the sooner the better. I don't have much in my account and overdraft fees add up so quickly that I had awful visions of not only my money being gone but owning more just because I'm an idiot. I called and gave them my account number so they could look it up. The woman on the phone asked if I was certain no one else had used it and I said I used it at McDonald's and then lost it so that was the last transaction of mine. She said she saw that and then that fairly soon after that, someone had already called in to report the card lost. She set it up to send me a new card and said it should take about a week. And that was that!
I can't believe someone called it in lost. If I found a card, I wouldn't try to use it, but I never would have thought to call the number on the back and report it as lost. That is fantastic! I actually feel a little bad about all the cards I found at my various retail jobs that someone accidently left behind that all I did was stick it in the safe.
Everything is going to be okay.
Friday, January 18, 2008
another reason why being a girl is hard sometimes
Sometimes I think I need a good cry. It's not necessarily because something really awful happened that day but because it's been building up for awhile and it just needs to finally overflow. But everytime I need that good cry, it threatens to come at really inopportune times. Like when I'm talking about the Middle East with my dad. Or when a coworker is ripping into me about something so stupid I should be livid but am secretly envisioning running to the bathroom and sobbing until I can't anymore. Or when I'm talking to my boyfriend on the phone and I'm trying to say that my day wasn't really all that bad because it actually wasn't but I still need a good cry. But when I'm in the shower or just home by myself, no tears. So tonight the plan is to have some leftover garlic bread accompanied by a beer and then go to sleep until I wake up to work a double tomorrow.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
wednesday wonders!
...trying various Sam Adams beers with my boyfriend. It's fun to try out new things and I love that we're sampling different beers these days. The cherry wheat one is FANTASTIC, but only as a one beer kind of deal. The Sam Adams Light tastes really good too and I could have a few of those in one sitting. I'm not getting too fancy though, don't worry. I have a nice cold bottle of Miller Genuine Draft Light sitting next to me right now.
...the writers strike making Conan a show I thoroughly enjoy watching. He gets more time with guests and has had more of his personality come out than the past several years in the past few shows. It will be interesting to see what happens when he has writers again.
...the fact that the Golden Globes was (were?) actually cancelled because of the strike. I don't see how the writers won't get what they are asking for when they are literally costing the industry millions of dollars at this point. But please bring me back my Office! I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JIM AND PAM!
...a fantastic time at my new friend Heather's house last Friday night. I'm totally hosting a party like that after I move into my new place that hopefully has a little more room for people to gather in.
...super fresh chicken nuggets from McDonald's with bbq sauce on a crappy day.
...good friends that I can be real with and they don't treat me like I'm just being a crazy needy girl.
...taking an iced venti cup from Starbucks to work and refilling it all night with ice from the ER and water from our cooler. Extra bonus is when I got the cup and a kiss from K before going into work.
...the Spurs.
...Eva Longoria explaining that she's not pregnant she just has a little gut because she ate too much before that picture was taken. Awesome. Bonus points is my friend Kate's whole "whatababy" phenomenon that she once explained to me but now probably doesn't happen much anymore now that she's a skinny mini.
...sitting down at the end of a crappy day and thinking about things that make me happy so I can write a blog.
...OxyClean. Even the generic is awesome (even if it didn't work right away the way i had wanted to).
...the movie Grandma's Boy
...being able to drive all the way home from K's house even though my fuel light was totally on and I didn't have my debit card with me because sometimes I'm kind of retarded.
...school going pretty well.
...my niece loving the birthday present I got her. She apparently carries her little purse and hands out tickets to everyone (with the little notepad and pens I put in the purse). My sister suggested she calm down on the tickets and she said "Auntie got them for me and she said I could use them however I wanted!"
...a new post on "that grey area"! Kickass!
...the web site www.passiveaggressivenotes.com Makes me giggle almost every day because these notes are often similar to things I think in my head but don't say out loud.
...the Progressive commercial where she says "WOW! I say it louder." Makes me laugh almost every time. I'm so easily amused.
...deciding to keep the ornament Kate gave me for Christmas out on my bookshelf instead of putting it away with the rest of the tree ornaments. It's too cute and perfect to not look at on a regular basis!
...cold weather again. Maybe there'll be more rain!
...a really loving boyfriend.
...the writers strike making Conan a show I thoroughly enjoy watching. He gets more time with guests and has had more of his personality come out than the past several years in the past few shows. It will be interesting to see what happens when he has writers again.
...the fact that the Golden Globes was (were?) actually cancelled because of the strike. I don't see how the writers won't get what they are asking for when they are literally costing the industry millions of dollars at this point. But please bring me back my Office! I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JIM AND PAM!
...a fantastic time at my new friend Heather's house last Friday night. I'm totally hosting a party like that after I move into my new place that hopefully has a little more room for people to gather in.
...super fresh chicken nuggets from McDonald's with bbq sauce on a crappy day.
...good friends that I can be real with and they don't treat me like I'm just being a crazy needy girl.
...taking an iced venti cup from Starbucks to work and refilling it all night with ice from the ER and water from our cooler. Extra bonus is when I got the cup and a kiss from K before going into work.
...the Spurs.
...Eva Longoria explaining that she's not pregnant she just has a little gut because she ate too much before that picture was taken. Awesome. Bonus points is my friend Kate's whole "whatababy" phenomenon that she once explained to me but now probably doesn't happen much anymore now that she's a skinny mini.
...sitting down at the end of a crappy day and thinking about things that make me happy so I can write a blog.
...OxyClean. Even the generic is awesome (even if it didn't work right away the way i had wanted to).
...the movie Grandma's Boy
...being able to drive all the way home from K's house even though my fuel light was totally on and I didn't have my debit card with me because sometimes I'm kind of retarded.
...school going pretty well.
...my niece loving the birthday present I got her. She apparently carries her little purse and hands out tickets to everyone (with the little notepad and pens I put in the purse). My sister suggested she calm down on the tickets and she said "Auntie got them for me and she said I could use them however I wanted!"
...a new post on "that grey area"! Kickass!
...the web site www.passiveaggressivenotes.com Makes me giggle almost every day because these notes are often similar to things I think in my head but don't say out loud.
...the Progressive commercial where she says "WOW! I say it louder." Makes me laugh almost every time. I'm so easily amused.
...deciding to keep the ornament Kate gave me for Christmas out on my bookshelf instead of putting it away with the rest of the tree ornaments. It's too cute and perfect to not look at on a regular basis!
...cold weather again. Maybe there'll be more rain!
...a really loving boyfriend.
Monday, January 14, 2008
movie review monday: alien vs. predator: requiem
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
Visual effects specialists Greg and Colin Strause both make their feature directorial debut with this no-holds-barred monster mash that attempts to set itself apart from the 2004 Paul W.S. Anderson original by serving as a straight-up sci-fi horror scare-fest. The Aliens (and a Predator) have landed on planet Earth, and small town America is about to become the scene of an epic interstellar showdown. As these two breeds of cosmic killers clash in the small-town streets Gunnison, Colorado, the locals are sent running for their lives. From the murky sewers to the rain-soaked streets, Gunnison has become a total bloodbath. Nowhere is safe, especially from the unstoppable new hybrid known as the "Predalien." Now, as the once-quiet community of Gunnison is overrun by Aliens, the only hope for mankind is a fierce hunter from the deepest reaches of space. But this Predator is far from a benevolent savior of the human race, because he'll kill any man, woman, or child who gets in the way of his mission to destroy every last Alien under these stormy Colorado skies. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
It was K's turn to pick. I have seen Alien and Aliens but none of the Predator movies. This movie was okay though. Gory and a little supenseful but really dark. The power went out in the whole town so it got a little hard to see where the aliens were and where the predators were. It was also a little hard because I was having trouble keeping them straight anyway. Heh.
It was better than 30 Days of Night, but I think we should go see a nice chick flick next. :)
Oh, and I have to say that anytime you see a group of animals run past you, you should immediately turn around and run as fast as you can in the same direction as the animals. It always happens in the movies, but it happens in real life too. The animals ran up the beach right before that tsunami and dogs usually start barking right before an earthquake. So trust the animals.
Rating: 2 of 5 stars.
Visual effects specialists Greg and Colin Strause both make their feature directorial debut with this no-holds-barred monster mash that attempts to set itself apart from the 2004 Paul W.S. Anderson original by serving as a straight-up sci-fi horror scare-fest. The Aliens (and a Predator) have landed on planet Earth, and small town America is about to become the scene of an epic interstellar showdown. As these two breeds of cosmic killers clash in the small-town streets Gunnison, Colorado, the locals are sent running for their lives. From the murky sewers to the rain-soaked streets, Gunnison has become a total bloodbath. Nowhere is safe, especially from the unstoppable new hybrid known as the "Predalien." Now, as the once-quiet community of Gunnison is overrun by Aliens, the only hope for mankind is a fierce hunter from the deepest reaches of space. But this Predator is far from a benevolent savior of the human race, because he'll kill any man, woman, or child who gets in the way of his mission to destroy every last Alien under these stormy Colorado skies. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
It was K's turn to pick. I have seen Alien and Aliens but none of the Predator movies. This movie was okay though. Gory and a little supenseful but really dark. The power went out in the whole town so it got a little hard to see where the aliens were and where the predators were. It was also a little hard because I was having trouble keeping them straight anyway. Heh.
It was better than 30 Days of Night, but I think we should go see a nice chick flick next. :)
Oh, and I have to say that anytime you see a group of animals run past you, you should immediately turn around and run as fast as you can in the same direction as the animals. It always happens in the movies, but it happens in real life too. The animals ran up the beach right before that tsunami and dogs usually start barking right before an earthquake. So trust the animals.
Rating: 2 of 5 stars.
Friday, January 11, 2008
five reasons why the west wing makes me happy
Friday Five!
1. It's very well written with appropriate plot thickening and turns and twists.
2. It takes place in Washington DC which just makes me drool.
3. Jed Bartlett is a fantastic president. You watch him and figure if he can do it, why can't the real President?
4. Some pretty decent eye candy is included in that show.
5. It's a group of people that are passionate and determined and are changing the world. Every episode I watch makes me want to jump up and go DO something.
1. It's very well written with appropriate plot thickening and turns and twists.
2. It takes place in Washington DC which just makes me drool.
3. Jed Bartlett is a fantastic president. You watch him and figure if he can do it, why can't the real President?
4. Some pretty decent eye candy is included in that show.
5. It's a group of people that are passionate and determined and are changing the world. Every episode I watch makes me want to jump up and go DO something.
work work work
It's been a pretty good week. I worked a little extra and am hoping to get some serious extra hours next week. The paycheck I got today was really small because I was on call for four days and took two more days off during that pay period. I only had 6 hours of vacation time which definitely didn't cover it all. At least I knew it was coming so I didn't throw up when I opened up my check. Rent is paid, the cell phone bill is paid, and there's enough for car insurance which is the next big debit. I just need some more hours so I can save up to move to a new place (application fees, deposit, first month's rent overlapping with my last month's rent in my current place) and pay off some bills. I'll try not to be too quiet on here though while I work as much as I can.
Something clicked for me at work this week and I feel like I'm actually really good at what I do and I kinda like it. Something I'm trying to do this year is enjoy where I'm at. So much of the time I am running at super speed and trying to do a few things at a time and it seems like I'm missing out on a lot by living that way. Instead of being at work and thinking that in a few years I might have a really kickass job that I love waking up to go do and get paid way more money than I do now, I'm deciding to like what I do right now. I like everyone I work with except one person and that is certainly a good environment to be in. My boss is fantastic and my job is kind of important. So it was nice to be at work this week.
Something clicked for me at work this week and I feel like I'm actually really good at what I do and I kinda like it. Something I'm trying to do this year is enjoy where I'm at. So much of the time I am running at super speed and trying to do a few things at a time and it seems like I'm missing out on a lot by living that way. Instead of being at work and thinking that in a few years I might have a really kickass job that I love waking up to go do and get paid way more money than I do now, I'm deciding to like what I do right now. I like everyone I work with except one person and that is certainly a good environment to be in. My boss is fantastic and my job is kind of important. So it was nice to be at work this week.
a tip from me to you
There's a big difference between a patient being arrested and a patient who arrested. It is important to understand the difference or at least listen carefully if you are going to try to tell someone about it later. It saves you from looking super dumb.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
wednesday wonders!
Sorry for being MIA!
...two people have very recently told me that K seems very happy these days and they are sure it has something to do with me. It's a fantastic compliment to recieve since I'm so deleriously happy with him.
...nachos.
...birth control pills!
...text messages and emails while at work.
...the movie Juno.
...talking to my niece and nephew on the phone. I can't understand very much but it still warms my heart.
...good quality time with my grandmother last week.
...good quality time with Kate last week.
...walking down the Valentine's Day aisle at the grocery store and realizing I need to come back to seriously look for something for my man.
...the primaries being so splendidly unpredictable. I like my elections like my basketball games: when you have to pay attention until the very end to see who wins.
...watching the Spurs.
...feeling like a super secretary at work.
...Blockbuster online.
...watching The West Wing.
...sitting in not many clothes in the middle of a clean living room.
...making plans with various people that allow me cool outings and more time one-on-one with women I've mildly connected with so far.
...amazing quality time with K.
...Jack in the Box Asian salads with crispy chicken.
...having a gym membership.
...two people have very recently told me that K seems very happy these days and they are sure it has something to do with me. It's a fantastic compliment to recieve since I'm so deleriously happy with him.
...nachos.
...birth control pills!
...text messages and emails while at work.
...the movie Juno.
...talking to my niece and nephew on the phone. I can't understand very much but it still warms my heart.
...good quality time with my grandmother last week.
...good quality time with Kate last week.
...walking down the Valentine's Day aisle at the grocery store and realizing I need to come back to seriously look for something for my man.
...the primaries being so splendidly unpredictable. I like my elections like my basketball games: when you have to pay attention until the very end to see who wins.
...watching the Spurs.
...feeling like a super secretary at work.
...Blockbuster online.
...watching The West Wing.
...sitting in not many clothes in the middle of a clean living room.
...making plans with various people that allow me cool outings and more time one-on-one with women I've mildly connected with so far.
...amazing quality time with K.
...Jack in the Box Asian salads with crispy chicken.
...having a gym membership.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
new years resolutions
My dear friend Splenda, aka Kate, was making a list of resolutions when K and I stopped by Starbucks the other night. She asked me about my birthday ones and the fact of the matter is I haven't done anything about them. It's been about five months since my birthday so I guess I should really get crackin'!
I started thinking about it a little bit more and decided I'll revisit that list, but at the moment I feel as though I just need to focus on one big thing that covers a bunch of little areas. I need to take better care of myself. I need to get in shape, get better sleep, eat healthier, and take better care of my living space and truck.
That's about it!
I started thinking about it a little bit more and decided I'll revisit that list, but at the moment I feel as though I just need to focus on one big thing that covers a bunch of little areas. I need to take better care of myself. I need to get in shape, get better sleep, eat healthier, and take better care of my living space and truck.
That's about it!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
2007
what did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
-- Stayed at a bed and breakfast. Made about a gazillion doctor appointments. Went to see a cardiologist. Had two Thanksgivings on the same day.
did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
--I didn't really make any new years ones but I made birthday ones and really haven't done much of any of them. I should really get crackin on those, it's been almost six months! The thing I want to focus on the most is taking better care of myself. I need to drop some pounds and sleep more and write more. I also want to shape up things on the financial front as well.
anyone close to you give birth?
-- Nope. Next year though they sure will! So far I know of two pregnancies.
did anyone close to you die?
-- Nope.
what countries did you visit?
-- None.
what would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
-- A clean apartment that lends itself to visitors on a moment's notice.
what date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
--No real specific date last year will remain etched upon my memory. Just a lot of events with nonspecific dates.
what was your biggest achievement of the year?
--Starting a job I genuinely enjoy (for the most part). Also, going back to school.
what was your biggest failure?
-- Walking out on a job. I have never done that before. But it was my second job and I had given notice already and left a shift and didn't go to the one the next day about a week before my official notice. I just couldn't take it anymore. Those of you who work two jobs or work 60 hours a week have my utmost respect. I could only handle it for five months and I don't think I even really handled it all that well.
did you suffer illness or injury?
-- I have high blood pressure and that has been a little bit crazy. I also had a sinus infection, ear infection, and chest congestion all at the same time. I have never in my life gone to the doctor because I was sick and gotten shots right then and there to help combat the issue.
what was the best thing you bought?
-- I got this new mattress pad and it is really lovely. I arranged for Kiris to have a cell phone and that was a pretty sound accomplishment.
whose behavior merited celebration?
-- K got promoted!
whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
-- There is a person who continues to confound me. I get frustrated, sad, and angry because of them and need to figure out how to just not care but I'm not there yet.
where did most of your money go?
-- Rent, bills, the usual boring things that suck it all up.
what did you get really, really, really excited about?
-- Going to Fredricksburg with K in July.
what song will always remind you of 2006?
-- Rehab by Amy Winehouse and Both Hands by Ani DiFranco
compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder? -- happier
ii. thinner or fatter? -- about the same i guess
iii. richer or poorer? -- about the same
what do you wish you'd done more of?
-- Taken time to just sit and breathe.
what do you wish you'd done less of?
--Procrastination
how will you be spending Christmas?
-- Christmas Eve, Kiris and I went to my parent's house and spent the evening with them and my sister and her family. Christmas Day we went to K's sister's house. Both times were definitely good times.
did you fall in love in 2007?
-- No, but I fell more in love with the same person.
how many one-night stands?
-- None. Not my style, plus I'm very happily attached.
what was your favorite TV program?
-- The Office. Life. Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
-- Nope
what was the best book you read?
-- The last Harry Potter book was pretty great.
what was your greatest musical discovery?
-- The Fray
what did you want and get?
-- A job that doesn't make me cry.
what was your favorite film of this year?
-- The Namesake, Juno,
what did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
-- First I had some Coldstone, then I had my first day of class. Later K took me out for Indian food and when we came back to my place, we drank a bottle of Asti Spumante (my favorite). It was really lovely! I turned 27.
what one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
--More confidence in my decisions.
how would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
--I wore a lot of scrubs.
what kept you sane?
-- Sleeping. Letting my boyfriend take care of me. I finally figured out how to open myself up to him and let him take care of me the way he's wanted to this whole time.
which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
-- Oh, I don't know. I'm not big on celebrity crushes.
what political issue stirred you the most?
-- I've been following the presedential race. I'm still interested in environmental issues. And it's been interesting to watch to see how the big fence being built at the border of Mexico and Texas is going. That's a tricky one there, that is.
who did you miss?
--Kristi.
who was the best new person you met?
-- Kate as far as females go and Kiris as far as males go.
tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
-- Just go to the doctor. If you're concerned about anything, if you haven't been in awhile, just go. Preventive medicine is much better than trying to fix things later.
quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
-- Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs
Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around
And when the dark clouds arrive
I will stay by your side
I know we'll be alright
I will stay with you --Stay With You by John Legend.
-- Stayed at a bed and breakfast. Made about a gazillion doctor appointments. Went to see a cardiologist. Had two Thanksgivings on the same day.
did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
--I didn't really make any new years ones but I made birthday ones and really haven't done much of any of them. I should really get crackin on those, it's been almost six months! The thing I want to focus on the most is taking better care of myself. I need to drop some pounds and sleep more and write more. I also want to shape up things on the financial front as well.
anyone close to you give birth?
-- Nope. Next year though they sure will! So far I know of two pregnancies.
did anyone close to you die?
-- Nope.
what countries did you visit?
-- None.
what would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
-- A clean apartment that lends itself to visitors on a moment's notice.
what date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
--No real specific date last year will remain etched upon my memory. Just a lot of events with nonspecific dates.
what was your biggest achievement of the year?
--Starting a job I genuinely enjoy (for the most part). Also, going back to school.
what was your biggest failure?
-- Walking out on a job. I have never done that before. But it was my second job and I had given notice already and left a shift and didn't go to the one the next day about a week before my official notice. I just couldn't take it anymore. Those of you who work two jobs or work 60 hours a week have my utmost respect. I could only handle it for five months and I don't think I even really handled it all that well.
did you suffer illness or injury?
-- I have high blood pressure and that has been a little bit crazy. I also had a sinus infection, ear infection, and chest congestion all at the same time. I have never in my life gone to the doctor because I was sick and gotten shots right then and there to help combat the issue.
what was the best thing you bought?
-- I got this new mattress pad and it is really lovely. I arranged for Kiris to have a cell phone and that was a pretty sound accomplishment.
whose behavior merited celebration?
-- K got promoted!
whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
-- There is a person who continues to confound me. I get frustrated, sad, and angry because of them and need to figure out how to just not care but I'm not there yet.
where did most of your money go?
-- Rent, bills, the usual boring things that suck it all up.
what did you get really, really, really excited about?
-- Going to Fredricksburg with K in July.
what song will always remind you of 2006?
-- Rehab by Amy Winehouse and Both Hands by Ani DiFranco
compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder? -- happier
ii. thinner or fatter? -- about the same i guess
iii. richer or poorer? -- about the same
what do you wish you'd done more of?
-- Taken time to just sit and breathe.
what do you wish you'd done less of?
--Procrastination
how will you be spending Christmas?
-- Christmas Eve, Kiris and I went to my parent's house and spent the evening with them and my sister and her family. Christmas Day we went to K's sister's house. Both times were definitely good times.
did you fall in love in 2007?
-- No, but I fell more in love with the same person.
how many one-night stands?
-- None. Not my style, plus I'm very happily attached.
what was your favorite TV program?
-- The Office. Life. Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
-- Nope
what was the best book you read?
-- The last Harry Potter book was pretty great.
what was your greatest musical discovery?
-- The Fray
what did you want and get?
-- A job that doesn't make me cry.
what was your favorite film of this year?
-- The Namesake, Juno,
what did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
-- First I had some Coldstone, then I had my first day of class. Later K took me out for Indian food and when we came back to my place, we drank a bottle of Asti Spumante (my favorite). It was really lovely! I turned 27.
what one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
--More confidence in my decisions.
how would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
--I wore a lot of scrubs.
what kept you sane?
-- Sleeping. Letting my boyfriend take care of me. I finally figured out how to open myself up to him and let him take care of me the way he's wanted to this whole time.
which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
-- Oh, I don't know. I'm not big on celebrity crushes.
what political issue stirred you the most?
-- I've been following the presedential race. I'm still interested in environmental issues. And it's been interesting to watch to see how the big fence being built at the border of Mexico and Texas is going. That's a tricky one there, that is.
who did you miss?
--Kristi.
who was the best new person you met?
-- Kate as far as females go and Kiris as far as males go.
tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
-- Just go to the doctor. If you're concerned about anything, if you haven't been in awhile, just go. Preventive medicine is much better than trying to fix things later.
quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
-- Oh I'll stay with you through the ups and the downs
Oh I'll stay with you when no one else is around
And when the dark clouds arrive
I will stay by your side
I know we'll be alright
I will stay with you --Stay With You by John Legend.
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