They say that inspiration comes from the strangest of places. Now, where this inspiration came from is far less important than the fact that it abruptly arrived today. Let's just say an old friend, from another time, has once again shown me the way.
While walking through my company's murky car garage today, it dawned upon me that nothing in life is fair. Absolutely nothing. Why should it be? Why should one person be guaranteed the same thing as another? Why shouldn't one's lineage guarantee them a lifetime of cushy jobs and a permanent bedroom? People should be less concerned about whether or not the cards they were dealt were fair, and should be more thankful for the fact that perhaps two times out of ten they actually get an excuse or an explanation. Lack of fairness should not be considered a valid argument, and as soon as my hypothetical children reach the age of screaming "IT'S NOT FAIR!" at the top of their lungs, I am going to employ the snarky response, "Why should it be?" Because honestly, there are so many unanswered questions in this world that the fact that people are still searching for fairness is sadly, deliriously, sickeningly selfish. Get over yourself.
Recently, I've also discovered an intrinsic want, nay, need, to become a better communicator. At a NYE party I made a resolution to eat out less and to cook several nights a week. While I've done a decent (yet hardly commendable) job, I feel as though I was disappointingly easy on myself. Eating out less should be a given; as a twenty-four-year-old planning a wedding and getting paid once a month, it should be an unavoidable life style choice instead of a goal. Instead, I wish I had resolved to communicate with others on a more human level, discussing art, music, literature, politics, and current events instead of facebooking and texting friends about youtube videos, American Idol, and the most recent, bitchy interaction that I've encountered. I want to stop talking so much about television shows and fart scenes in movies, and I want to completely eradicate all gossip and personal stories about others from my life. Clearly this is easier said than done, and if you know me at all I'm sure you're rolling your eyes and asking yourself what else I could possibly talk about. At first glance, I'd say that this is a sad attempt to cleanse my karmic energy by refusing to pass judgment on others. Who knows, perhaps it is. Perhaps I'm getting worried that all the smack I dish out is rolling fast down a hill and snowballing until it's big enough to knock me clear into next Tuesday. Yet, I'd like to think that this is less about karma and more about soul. I don't want to be the kind of person who gets off on the misfortune of others. I truly, truly don't. And while I could literally pee my pants laughing while watching old people fall down hills on America's Funniest Home Videos, it's time to mind my business, purse my lips, and stop concerning myself with the decisions of others. It's time to start reading the news every morning for my conversation starters instead of scrolling through my facebook news feed for juicy over-night developments. It's time to grow up and be a considerate human being.
So here's to new leaves. Turning them over, flipping them about, and placing them back nice and neatly the way I found them.
3.28.2011
9.30.2010
"He flipped his lid when she tried to contain him."
This has been a great week in TV Land. I'm almost ashamed to admit that since my last post, I've watched far more television than the average human being ever should.
Tuesday 9/21: Glee. The season opener was pretty hilarious, especially the introduction of new football coach, Coach Beiste (it's French). The opening "Empire State of Mind" number was outstanding, it was the kind of moment that really makes me kick myself for not having DVR. We also met some New Directions hopefuls, including 18 year old prodigy Charice who blew the roof off of McKinley High's auditorium with her rendition of "Listen".
Wednesday 9/22: Modern Family. Season premier of this Emmy winning show did not disappoint. The Dunphy's prepared to sell their old station wagon, while Mitch and Cam worked to build Lily a princess castle. My favorite line of the night was said by Phil in reference to a parade at a college football game that he and Clair attended: "Angela Lansbury was the grand marshal. Good times she wrote."
Thursday 9/23: Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock and The Office. Firstly, Big Bang Theory included Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler's first date (with Penny as the third wheel) and Wolowitz getting his member caught in the grasp of a robot arm that he created for NASA. I don't think I need to say anything more on that matter. The highlight of 30 Rock was the 2 quick shots of Pete and his wife...in the act. It was so hilariously wrong that it needed to be showed twice. As for The Office, the cold opening was amazing as the entire office danced and sang to Nobody But Me by Human Beinz. This episode was the jumping off point for Steve Carell's last season and I didn't think it disappointed at all. Pam giggling at Jim's key prank on Dwight and her spending the entire episode making it up to him and getting Dwight locked in the elevator? Good stuff.
Sunday 9/26: The Amazing Race. I've watched episodes in the past, but I've never watched an entire season. AR is definitely one of my favorite reality shows, I love watching couples self destruct while trying to do outlandish challenges and still trying to make their 10 pm flight. This season started off from Gloucester and had the contestants fly to London. There are some hilarious couples, including the couple that came in last (we called them the BFF/Lovers?) and a tattoo-ed motorcycle couple who had never heard of Stonehenge and thought that they were in the country of London.
Monday 9/27: How I Met Your Mother. Last week's premiere gave the audience a little taste of a wedding that could possibly be Barney and Robin's. All we know is that Ted is the best man and we saw Lily, Marshall and Ted all dressed up and ready to get their wedding party on. Also, we learned that Rachel Bilson's character (aka the mom's roommate) turns out to be a lesbian! This week, we got a little more insight into Barney's past as the crew helped clean out Barney's childhood home. We got to hang out with Barney's brother from another father, James, and saw some amazing flash backs of Barney's lie-driven childhood. We also got to meet James' real father (and indulged in a little sing-a-long where Barney displayed the best use of auto-tune other than The Bed Intruder song). I also watched 3/4 of Dancing with the Stars, although I really don't want to admit it. I'm rooting for a showdown between Mrs. Brady and the Situation.
Tuesday 9/28: Glee. THE MUCH ANTICIPATED BRITNEY SPEARS EPISODE. I personally thought it was hilarious (Britney Spears/Brittany S. Pears) and loved the way they incorporated Uncle Jesse, I mean Carl the dentist. The hallucinations at the dentist are what fueled the episode, so while people are scrutinizing it for copying Britney videos instead of incorporating original ideas, I think that it makes total sense. The fantasies of Rachel, Brittany and Santana are based on what they saw and admired as children, so why wouldn't they want to be in the exact videos that they grew up with? Anyway, spot on performances by Sue Silvester (the entire post-Toxic riot was outrageous), and we finally got to see a human side of the Beiste when she let Finn AND Arty onto the football team.
Wednesday 9/29: Survivor and Modern Family. I don't normally watch Survivor, I've never seen an entire season and actually don't like it very much (they spend WAY too much time sitting there talking about each other and Jeff Probst is such a freaking instigator), but there's a Gloucestonian on this season so I figured I'd watch. The one thing that I do like about it is that the vote is instant, there isn't two nights of shows like American Idol and DWTS where you have to wait to find out who gets the boot. Modern Family was amazing, as always, as they dealt head on with the issue of the Mitch/Cam will they/wont they kiss. I like how they turned it around and made it more about Mitch and Jay and how he doesn't like PDA because he really didn't get much affection as a kid (his dad hadn't kissed him since he was 12). The Alex story line was great, I'm happy she finally got some screen time where she wasn't being a bossy know it all. The shot to her tevas after her sister called her a lesbian was legen(wait for it)dary. My two favorite lines of the night were again from Phil, the first being the title of this entry: "He flipped his lid when she tried to contain him" (in reference to tupperware), and second the continuation of his technology songs from last season: "The computer and the printer must talk, talk, talk/ Command P makes the picture walk, walk, walk."
Tonight will be spent with the boys of Big Bang, the crew of TGS, and the employees over at Dunder Mifflin.
Switching gears, I found this on a friend's blog. Type these words into your iTunes library and name the first song that appears:
Happy: Happy Hour Hero by moe.
Sad: Sadie by Joanna Newsom
Love: Won't Want For Love (Margaret In The Taiga) by The Decemberists
Hate: Hate On Me by the cast of Glee
Light: Slave To The Traffic Light by Phish
Dark: I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
Good: Good Riddance by Green Day
Bad: No News Is Bad News by Dashboard Confessional
Smile: Smile by Tony Bennett
Cry: Cry Me A River by Michael Buble
Girl: Girlfriend Is Better by Talking Heads
Boy: Boy With A Coin by Iron & Wine
I've also had a busy week book-wise.
Book 48: Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (3.5) This book reminded me a lot of book 17, The Song is You by Arthur Phillips. It is a social commentary on the mania of fan-dom; the crazy things that people do, say, think, write, and assume in reference to their favorite celebrities. Juliet, Naked tells the story of the very un-couple like couple, Duncan and Annie. Duncan is a self proclaimed Crowologist, specializing in the life and career of musician Tucker Crowe. In the 80's Tucker was in the height of his fame, touring after the release of his masterpiece Juliet (a CD chronicling his brief love affair with a famous model), when he goes to the bathroom during a gig and then disappears, never to be heard from again. Duncan believes that he knows more about Crowe's work than anyone, including Crowe himself. When Annie and Duncan separate after 15 years of living more as roommates than lovers, Annie finds herself in contact with Crowe after she writes a review of his newly released acoustic CD of Juliet (Juliet, Naked). The book was entertaining and fun, although the mystery of Crowe's demise was more pathetic than dramatic. The reader wants to empathize with Annie, but she makes it incredibly difficult. The entire novel she is defending herself as being a fan simply because Duncan dragged her into it, while in reality she's just as hopelessly devoted to Crowology as the next blogger fanatic. I wanted to love it, but Annie was crazy creepy, Crowe disappointingly defeated, and Duncan agonizingly aggravating.
Book 49: Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger (4) This was a great, fast-paced thriller that I bought on my Kindle for $2.99. It features Ridley Jones, a freelance writer whose life seems to crumble after she saves a young boy and receives a wave of media attention. She gets an envelope in the mail with a picture of a man, woman and child and a letter asking "Are you my daughter?". After confronting her father, a pediatrician, and mother, she still is not convinced that the letter and picture are mere coincidence. Due to her inquisitive nature and some coaxing from her dangerously handsome new neighbor, she embarks on a journey to find the truth about her family and her past. The plot was actually really well crafted, and as terrifying as the idea of kidnapping children and selling them is, Unger did a great job of making it realistic and believable.
Book 50: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (4) Yay! Everyone loves a good chick lit novel now and again, and I have been a devoted Becky Bloomwood fan for several years now. The newest novel by Kinsella was released the other day, and I devoured it in no time. I've been by Becky's side through so much: credit card catastrophes, traveling to New York, arranging 2 weddings, finding her long lost half sister, pregnancy, and now raising her daughter Minnie during a devastating down-turn in the economy. While at times Mini Shopaholic was a little much, I don't know why I ever doubted it. Becky may be a ridiculously compulsive liar and actually physically and mentally addicted to shopping, but she has the biggest heart and watching her overcome her more selfish tendencies really is a triumph. The ending is so heartwarming and sincere, it instantly made me want to do something selfless for someone that I love.
Book 51: Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion (3.5) This was another bargain Kindle book that turned out to be rather enjoyable. The book begins by introducing us to Lola Watson, a 29-year-old magazine editor who has recently been left her great aunt's house. Lola is pretty much a loner, and aside from her high school friends Piper and Hubert, and her sister Mindy (the names in this book are really ridiculous), she really doesn't have anyone in her life. She is constantly annoyed by the homemade pies and pickles that seem to trickle in daily from her neighbors, and avoids small talk with them by putting out the trash at midnight. When Mindy announces that she's getting married on Lola's 30th birthday (just another item on a lifelong list of evil plots to steal the spotlight), Piper comes up with a plan for Lola to gain revenge. She suggests that Lola use Mindy's wedding to announce her own (fake) engagement, and after meeting a handsome, successful man at her husband's financial office, she sets Lola up with Mike, a hottie with a Jaguar who just happens to live directly across the street from her. Meanwhile, Lola's friend Hubert moves in after his outrageously messy breakup with his girlfriend. A fake fiance, a vile sister, and a more than friends new roommate are just the tip of the iceberg for poor Lola. It is a great story of finding friends, family and enemies where you least expect them.
I am currently on book 52: Favorite by Karen McQuestion
We are on week 39/52. Not only does this mean that I am 13 books ahead of schedule, but it also means that once I finish my current book that I've completed my new year's resolution! I am so ecstatic that I've been able to stick to my promise and refrain from re-reading books. Ever since I was a kid, I tried to do a book report on Charlotte's Web at least once a year. I've always been a home-body, especially when it comes to books. I consider characters to be personal friends, and settings to be second homes.
I've been so bummed that I won't be able to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before the first part of the movie is released in November, but it will be interesting to see how I react to the film without having re-read the book immediately before the premier. I've always re-devoured the entire series before watching a new movie, and I've always felt a bit disappointed by the artistic liberties that the director and screen writer take with the plot. Entire characters forgotten, chapters and chapters of important plot left piled in a trash can somewhere. Maybe not re-reading HP7 will allow me to appreciate the movie as a separate entity and wont leave me wanting (at least that's what I'm telling myself so I don't throw 9 months of self control down the drain in a fit of Harry Potter fueled passion).
I guess that's all I've got for today, but I suppose the above mix of television, music, and books should be adequate. Auf Wiedersehen!
Tuesday 9/21: Glee. The season opener was pretty hilarious, especially the introduction of new football coach, Coach Beiste (it's French). The opening "Empire State of Mind" number was outstanding, it was the kind of moment that really makes me kick myself for not having DVR. We also met some New Directions hopefuls, including 18 year old prodigy Charice who blew the roof off of McKinley High's auditorium with her rendition of "Listen".
Wednesday 9/22: Modern Family. Season premier of this Emmy winning show did not disappoint. The Dunphy's prepared to sell their old station wagon, while Mitch and Cam worked to build Lily a princess castle. My favorite line of the night was said by Phil in reference to a parade at a college football game that he and Clair attended: "Angela Lansbury was the grand marshal. Good times she wrote."
Thursday 9/23: Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock and The Office. Firstly, Big Bang Theory included Sheldon and Amy Farrah Fowler's first date (with Penny as the third wheel) and Wolowitz getting his member caught in the grasp of a robot arm that he created for NASA. I don't think I need to say anything more on that matter. The highlight of 30 Rock was the 2 quick shots of Pete and his wife...in the act. It was so hilariously wrong that it needed to be showed twice. As for The Office, the cold opening was amazing as the entire office danced and sang to Nobody But Me by Human Beinz. This episode was the jumping off point for Steve Carell's last season and I didn't think it disappointed at all. Pam giggling at Jim's key prank on Dwight and her spending the entire episode making it up to him and getting Dwight locked in the elevator? Good stuff.
Sunday 9/26: The Amazing Race. I've watched episodes in the past, but I've never watched an entire season. AR is definitely one of my favorite reality shows, I love watching couples self destruct while trying to do outlandish challenges and still trying to make their 10 pm flight. This season started off from Gloucester and had the contestants fly to London. There are some hilarious couples, including the couple that came in last (we called them the BFF/Lovers?) and a tattoo-ed motorcycle couple who had never heard of Stonehenge and thought that they were in the country of London.
Monday 9/27: How I Met Your Mother. Last week's premiere gave the audience a little taste of a wedding that could possibly be Barney and Robin's. All we know is that Ted is the best man and we saw Lily, Marshall and Ted all dressed up and ready to get their wedding party on. Also, we learned that Rachel Bilson's character (aka the mom's roommate) turns out to be a lesbian! This week, we got a little more insight into Barney's past as the crew helped clean out Barney's childhood home. We got to hang out with Barney's brother from another father, James, and saw some amazing flash backs of Barney's lie-driven childhood. We also got to meet James' real father (and indulged in a little sing-a-long where Barney displayed the best use of auto-tune other than The Bed Intruder song). I also watched 3/4 of Dancing with the Stars, although I really don't want to admit it. I'm rooting for a showdown between Mrs. Brady and the Situation.
Tuesday 9/28: Glee. THE MUCH ANTICIPATED BRITNEY SPEARS EPISODE. I personally thought it was hilarious (Britney Spears/Brittany S. Pears) and loved the way they incorporated Uncle Jesse, I mean Carl the dentist. The hallucinations at the dentist are what fueled the episode, so while people are scrutinizing it for copying Britney videos instead of incorporating original ideas, I think that it makes total sense. The fantasies of Rachel, Brittany and Santana are based on what they saw and admired as children, so why wouldn't they want to be in the exact videos that they grew up with? Anyway, spot on performances by Sue Silvester (the entire post-Toxic riot was outrageous), and we finally got to see a human side of the Beiste when she let Finn AND Arty onto the football team.
Wednesday 9/29: Survivor and Modern Family. I don't normally watch Survivor, I've never seen an entire season and actually don't like it very much (they spend WAY too much time sitting there talking about each other and Jeff Probst is such a freaking instigator), but there's a Gloucestonian on this season so I figured I'd watch. The one thing that I do like about it is that the vote is instant, there isn't two nights of shows like American Idol and DWTS where you have to wait to find out who gets the boot. Modern Family was amazing, as always, as they dealt head on with the issue of the Mitch/Cam will they/wont they kiss. I like how they turned it around and made it more about Mitch and Jay and how he doesn't like PDA because he really didn't get much affection as a kid (his dad hadn't kissed him since he was 12). The Alex story line was great, I'm happy she finally got some screen time where she wasn't being a bossy know it all. The shot to her tevas after her sister called her a lesbian was legen(wait for it)dary. My two favorite lines of the night were again from Phil, the first being the title of this entry: "He flipped his lid when she tried to contain him" (in reference to tupperware), and second the continuation of his technology songs from last season: "The computer and the printer must talk, talk, talk/ Command P makes the picture walk, walk, walk."
Tonight will be spent with the boys of Big Bang, the crew of TGS, and the employees over at Dunder Mifflin.
Switching gears, I found this on a friend's blog. Type these words into your iTunes library and name the first song that appears:
Happy: Happy Hour Hero by moe.
Sad: Sadie by Joanna Newsom
Love: Won't Want For Love (Margaret In The Taiga) by The Decemberists
Hate: Hate On Me by the cast of Glee
Light: Slave To The Traffic Light by Phish
Dark: I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie
Good: Good Riddance by Green Day
Bad: No News Is Bad News by Dashboard Confessional
Smile: Smile by Tony Bennett
Cry: Cry Me A River by Michael Buble
Girl: Girlfriend Is Better by Talking Heads
Boy: Boy With A Coin by Iron & Wine
I've also had a busy week book-wise.
Book 48: Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (3.5) This book reminded me a lot of book 17, The Song is You by Arthur Phillips. It is a social commentary on the mania of fan-dom; the crazy things that people do, say, think, write, and assume in reference to their favorite celebrities. Juliet, Naked tells the story of the very un-couple like couple, Duncan and Annie. Duncan is a self proclaimed Crowologist, specializing in the life and career of musician Tucker Crowe. In the 80's Tucker was in the height of his fame, touring after the release of his masterpiece Juliet (a CD chronicling his brief love affair with a famous model), when he goes to the bathroom during a gig and then disappears, never to be heard from again. Duncan believes that he knows more about Crowe's work than anyone, including Crowe himself. When Annie and Duncan separate after 15 years of living more as roommates than lovers, Annie finds herself in contact with Crowe after she writes a review of his newly released acoustic CD of Juliet (Juliet, Naked). The book was entertaining and fun, although the mystery of Crowe's demise was more pathetic than dramatic. The reader wants to empathize with Annie, but she makes it incredibly difficult. The entire novel she is defending herself as being a fan simply because Duncan dragged her into it, while in reality she's just as hopelessly devoted to Crowology as the next blogger fanatic. I wanted to love it, but Annie was crazy creepy, Crowe disappointingly defeated, and Duncan agonizingly aggravating.
Book 49: Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger (4) This was a great, fast-paced thriller that I bought on my Kindle for $2.99. It features Ridley Jones, a freelance writer whose life seems to crumble after she saves a young boy and receives a wave of media attention. She gets an envelope in the mail with a picture of a man, woman and child and a letter asking "Are you my daughter?". After confronting her father, a pediatrician, and mother, she still is not convinced that the letter and picture are mere coincidence. Due to her inquisitive nature and some coaxing from her dangerously handsome new neighbor, she embarks on a journey to find the truth about her family and her past. The plot was actually really well crafted, and as terrifying as the idea of kidnapping children and selling them is, Unger did a great job of making it realistic and believable.
Book 50: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (4) Yay! Everyone loves a good chick lit novel now and again, and I have been a devoted Becky Bloomwood fan for several years now. The newest novel by Kinsella was released the other day, and I devoured it in no time. I've been by Becky's side through so much: credit card catastrophes, traveling to New York, arranging 2 weddings, finding her long lost half sister, pregnancy, and now raising her daughter Minnie during a devastating down-turn in the economy. While at times Mini Shopaholic was a little much, I don't know why I ever doubted it. Becky may be a ridiculously compulsive liar and actually physically and mentally addicted to shopping, but she has the biggest heart and watching her overcome her more selfish tendencies really is a triumph. The ending is so heartwarming and sincere, it instantly made me want to do something selfless for someone that I love.
Book 51: Easily Amused by Karen McQuestion (3.5) This was another bargain Kindle book that turned out to be rather enjoyable. The book begins by introducing us to Lola Watson, a 29-year-old magazine editor who has recently been left her great aunt's house. Lola is pretty much a loner, and aside from her high school friends Piper and Hubert, and her sister Mindy (the names in this book are really ridiculous), she really doesn't have anyone in her life. She is constantly annoyed by the homemade pies and pickles that seem to trickle in daily from her neighbors, and avoids small talk with them by putting out the trash at midnight. When Mindy announces that she's getting married on Lola's 30th birthday (just another item on a lifelong list of evil plots to steal the spotlight), Piper comes up with a plan for Lola to gain revenge. She suggests that Lola use Mindy's wedding to announce her own (fake) engagement, and after meeting a handsome, successful man at her husband's financial office, she sets Lola up with Mike, a hottie with a Jaguar who just happens to live directly across the street from her. Meanwhile, Lola's friend Hubert moves in after his outrageously messy breakup with his girlfriend. A fake fiance, a vile sister, and a more than friends new roommate are just the tip of the iceberg for poor Lola. It is a great story of finding friends, family and enemies where you least expect them.
I am currently on book 52: Favorite by Karen McQuestion
We are on week 39/52. Not only does this mean that I am 13 books ahead of schedule, but it also means that once I finish my current book that I've completed my new year's resolution! I am so ecstatic that I've been able to stick to my promise and refrain from re-reading books. Ever since I was a kid, I tried to do a book report on Charlotte's Web at least once a year. I've always been a home-body, especially when it comes to books. I consider characters to be personal friends, and settings to be second homes.
I've been so bummed that I won't be able to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows before the first part of the movie is released in November, but it will be interesting to see how I react to the film without having re-read the book immediately before the premier. I've always re-devoured the entire series before watching a new movie, and I've always felt a bit disappointed by the artistic liberties that the director and screen writer take with the plot. Entire characters forgotten, chapters and chapters of important plot left piled in a trash can somewhere. Maybe not re-reading HP7 will allow me to appreciate the movie as a separate entity and wont leave me wanting (at least that's what I'm telling myself so I don't throw 9 months of self control down the drain in a fit of Harry Potter fueled passion).
I guess that's all I've got for today, but I suppose the above mix of television, music, and books should be adequate. Auf Wiedersehen!
9.21.2010
Freaking out about fall
I love fall. Pumpkins. Everything to do with apples and apple picking and apple cider and candy apples and APPLE ORCHARDS. The crisp air. The earthy smells. The crunchy leaves. Back to school shopping. THE FALL TELEVISION SCHEDULE.
Every year around this time I erupt with giddiness; the excitement that consumes me can simply not be contained. Every night of the week is filled with brand new television shows that I've been waiting ALL SUMMER to watch. Although chatting with Molly about spoilers, ripping apart Ausiello clues and speculating about cliffhangers all summer is fun, it certainly gets old around the middle of July. We spent this past summer wondering when we're going to meet the mother of Ted's children, worrying about whether or not Chuck Bass survived Paris, and itching like an addict every time a new Glee song was released.
Autumn is also the time of year that I miss UMass the most. The anticipation of moving into a new dorm or apartment, meeting new people, opening up the Snack Bar, and starting new classes with my notebooks and pens that I bought in bulk from BJ's. The feeling of freedom and independence after spending the summer abiding by curfews and partying at friend's parent's houses. I miss tailgating at UMass football games, laughing at lost freshmen on campus, and the first few weeks of classes before the work piles up and we could legitimize staying up until 2 am every night playing Jetman and searching for bumper stickers to send each other on facebook. I miss Thursday nights at Charlie's, afternoons in the Grad Lounge, and late nights/early mornings eating mozzarella sticks and hash browns at the Route 9 diner. I'm so disgustingly jealous of everyone hanging out in the CSB right now, and all of those heading to parties in Puffton this Friday night.
Although I still love fall, and mostly everything about it, it's not as fun and exciting as it used to be. Yeah, I still get to go to the apple orchard, bake pies, and peruse iParty with Molly for scary Halloween masks, but as an adult fall just merely means another summer is over and summer hours are a thing of the past. 5 day work weeks are such a major drag without the looming promise of a 3 day weekend. I suppose this fall is a little special since we have two new roommates (Andrew and Jo), but it still doesn't make up for the fact that I could be skipping class right now and heading to the Yankee Candle Factory to buy 17 pounds of McIntosh votive candles.
I've been spending my work days reading blogs about television shows and wishing I was home snuggling with Lukah. Evenings are spent making dinner and watching How I Met Your Mother on DVD. Weekends are spent trying to balance my time between friends, family, and sweatpants. I've also been decoupaging my brains out in anticipation of Theresa Jean's 25th birthday. My train rides have been very busy, as you can tell from previous posts. I've been trying to plow through as many new books as possible before the end of the year (while simultaneously trying to avoid my train stalker). Since last we spoke I've read:
Book 46: My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (4) I really enjoyed MHL more than AYTVIMC. I thought it was hilarious, and really altered my impression of Chelsea Handler. She can be a little intense and abrasive on her show, but this book makes her so real. I'd love to work in the cube next to her because I'd spend my entire weekend waiting for Monday morning where I would relish in her tales of one night stands with midgets and spend my entire morning asking her about the scars all over her knees and face.
Book 47: A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion (3.75) I bought this book because it was on super sale through amazon, and it turned out to be very good. The three women in the novel were so shockingly different, but desperately needed each other to survive. The ending was really surprising, I never in a million years would have guess that Roxy's life would turn so unexpectedly. I actually was anticipating Audrey being a super creep and somehow end up murdering Skyla. It was definitely worth the $2.75 I paid for it and would recommend it to anyone who envies other people's families in contrast to their own. The grass is always greener friends.
Book 47.5: And Thereby Hangs a Tale: Stuck On You By Jeffrey Archer (this was just a free short story I got on my kindle. It was good, but doesn't qualify as a whole book and was really too short to grade)
Currently on Book 48: Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (I'm about 69% done)
Well, I suppose it is back to fantasizing about autumns past. We have a wedding to go to in a couple weeks, but I'm planning on updating before then. Until next time...
Every year around this time I erupt with giddiness; the excitement that consumes me can simply not be contained. Every night of the week is filled with brand new television shows that I've been waiting ALL SUMMER to watch. Although chatting with Molly about spoilers, ripping apart Ausiello clues and speculating about cliffhangers all summer is fun, it certainly gets old around the middle of July. We spent this past summer wondering when we're going to meet the mother of Ted's children, worrying about whether or not Chuck Bass survived Paris, and itching like an addict every time a new Glee song was released.
Autumn is also the time of year that I miss UMass the most. The anticipation of moving into a new dorm or apartment, meeting new people, opening up the Snack Bar, and starting new classes with my notebooks and pens that I bought in bulk from BJ's. The feeling of freedom and independence after spending the summer abiding by curfews and partying at friend's parent's houses. I miss tailgating at UMass football games, laughing at lost freshmen on campus, and the first few weeks of classes before the work piles up and we could legitimize staying up until 2 am every night playing Jetman and searching for bumper stickers to send each other on facebook. I miss Thursday nights at Charlie's, afternoons in the Grad Lounge, and late nights/early mornings eating mozzarella sticks and hash browns at the Route 9 diner. I'm so disgustingly jealous of everyone hanging out in the CSB right now, and all of those heading to parties in Puffton this Friday night.
Although I still love fall, and mostly everything about it, it's not as fun and exciting as it used to be. Yeah, I still get to go to the apple orchard, bake pies, and peruse iParty with Molly for scary Halloween masks, but as an adult fall just merely means another summer is over and summer hours are a thing of the past. 5 day work weeks are such a major drag without the looming promise of a 3 day weekend. I suppose this fall is a little special since we have two new roommates (Andrew and Jo), but it still doesn't make up for the fact that I could be skipping class right now and heading to the Yankee Candle Factory to buy 17 pounds of McIntosh votive candles.
I've been spending my work days reading blogs about television shows and wishing I was home snuggling with Lukah. Evenings are spent making dinner and watching How I Met Your Mother on DVD. Weekends are spent trying to balance my time between friends, family, and sweatpants. I've also been decoupaging my brains out in anticipation of Theresa Jean's 25th birthday. My train rides have been very busy, as you can tell from previous posts. I've been trying to plow through as many new books as possible before the end of the year (while simultaneously trying to avoid my train stalker). Since last we spoke I've read:
Book 46: My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (4) I really enjoyed MHL more than AYTVIMC. I thought it was hilarious, and really altered my impression of Chelsea Handler. She can be a little intense and abrasive on her show, but this book makes her so real. I'd love to work in the cube next to her because I'd spend my entire weekend waiting for Monday morning where I would relish in her tales of one night stands with midgets and spend my entire morning asking her about the scars all over her knees and face.
Book 47: A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion (3.75) I bought this book because it was on super sale through amazon, and it turned out to be very good. The three women in the novel were so shockingly different, but desperately needed each other to survive. The ending was really surprising, I never in a million years would have guess that Roxy's life would turn so unexpectedly. I actually was anticipating Audrey being a super creep and somehow end up murdering Skyla. It was definitely worth the $2.75 I paid for it and would recommend it to anyone who envies other people's families in contrast to their own. The grass is always greener friends.
Book 47.5: And Thereby Hangs a Tale: Stuck On You By Jeffrey Archer (this was just a free short story I got on my kindle. It was good, but doesn't qualify as a whole book and was really too short to grade)
Currently on Book 48: Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (I'm about 69% done)
Well, I suppose it is back to fantasizing about autumns past. We have a wedding to go to in a couple weeks, but I'm planning on updating before then. Until next time...
9.15.2010
Vacation makes your brain turn to slop.
After about 12 days on vacation, coming back to work is a drag. It just feels like I've been away forever, and it's a little overwhelming to be honest. Our vacation on the lake was nice and relaxing, but since we're accustomed to going earlier in the summer, the fall weather was a little depressing. I started to get cabin fever by Friday and the fact that Andrew, Jo, Ter, Ryan and Jen were coming was the only thing that kept me from begging James to go home early. We went to Tim and Molly's wedding on Sunday and it was SO MUCH FUN. A wedding at Camp Spindrift is definitely a genius idea...
So while on vacation, I finished a couple books:
Book 41: Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern (2.5)
Book 42: Greyhound by Steffan Piper (3.5)
Book 43: Skippy Dies: A Novel by Paul Murray (3)
Book 44: A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron (4)
Book 45 Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea By Chelsea Handler (3.5)
Currently reading book 46: My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
We are on week 37 of the year, so I am currently 9 books ahead of schedule. Woot Wooooot!
So while on vacation, I finished a couple books:
Book 41: Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern (2.5)
Book 42: Greyhound by Steffan Piper (3.5)
Book 43: Skippy Dies: A Novel by Paul Murray (3)
Book 44: A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron (4)
Book 45 Are You There Vodka, It's Me, Chelsea By Chelsea Handler (3.5)
Currently reading book 46: My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
We are on week 37 of the year, so I am currently 9 books ahead of schedule. Woot Wooooot!
8.23.2010
MishMoshMonday
I feel like every time I go away for the weekend, I come back to the worst Monday ever at work. This morning my train's engine died and it took me a little over two hours to get in. When I finally arrived I had over 200 emails, and a voicemail from my boss saying that his car was broken into and all of his things were stolen. Mondays need to be eliminated.
I've finished a couple books this week:
Book 38: Everything Is Going To Be Great: An Underfunded and Overexposed European Grand Tour by Rachel Shukert (4)
Book 39: Fragile: A Novel by Lisa Unger (3.75)
Currently on Book 40: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This weekend James, Terry, Johanna, Andrew, Patrick and I went camping in Montreal. It was the most amazing time ever and I'm so bummed that it flew by so quickly.
Back to things that I need for my kitchen:
I've finished a couple books this week:
Book 38: Everything Is Going To Be Great: An Underfunded and Overexposed European Grand Tour by Rachel Shukert (4)
Book 39: Fragile: A Novel by Lisa Unger (3.75)
Currently on Book 40: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This weekend James, Terry, Johanna, Andrew, Patrick and I went camping in Montreal. It was the most amazing time ever and I'm so bummed that it flew by so quickly.
Back to things that I need for my kitchen:
8.12.2010
Thursday?
I went through this entire morning thinking that it was Wednesday. It wasn't even until I was waiting for the elevator in my building that the thought that it could be Thursday even occurred to me. I had to check my cell phone to confirm. Isn't it strange how days can just go missing from your life without it even impacting you?
So, I've had some book luck this week (thank goodness).
Book 36: Await Your Reply by Dan Choan (4)
Book 37: The Romantics by Galt Niederhoffer (4)
Currently reading Book 38: Everything Is Going To Be Great: An Underfunded and Overexposed European Grand Tour by Rachel Shukert
We are on week 32 of the year, which means that I am 6 books ahead of schedule. I'm actually pretty surprised that I'm still so far ahead considering how long it took me to get through some books (definitely over a week and a half-2 weeks for some). I guess reading some fluff, and devoting weekend and nightly hours to reading in addition to train time, has allowed me to pick up the slack that those terribly horrendous books had created.
So, I've had some book luck this week (thank goodness).
Book 36: Await Your Reply by Dan Choan (4)
Book 37: The Romantics by Galt Niederhoffer (4)
Currently reading Book 38: Everything Is Going To Be Great: An Underfunded and Overexposed European Grand Tour by Rachel Shukert
We are on week 32 of the year, which means that I am 6 books ahead of schedule. I'm actually pretty surprised that I'm still so far ahead considering how long it took me to get through some books (definitely over a week and a half-2 weeks for some). I guess reading some fluff, and devoting weekend and nightly hours to reading in addition to train time, has allowed me to pick up the slack that those terribly horrendous books had created.
8.02.2010
I Hate Mondays
Heyoooo. I can't believe it's Monday. UGH.
Anyway. I finished The Magicians by Lev Grossman (34). I can't decide between 2 and 2.5 stars. I really didn't love it, and for the most part I didn't really like it. I thought the writing was clunky, the character development was shallow, and the story itself was infuriating, but I can appreciate what Grossman was trying to accomplish. Merging together two classic series of fantasy and attempting to make it modern and widely universal is no easy feat. Some of his ideas were original (ziplock of mutton fat, semester as a goose..?), however the main characters were just SO unlikeable that it made it impossible to enjoy their journey. Grossman also failed greatly on coming up with original, yet convincing, names for the fantastical subjects of his story. Plain and simple, he has absolutely nothing on Rowling or Lewis. He should be embarrassed to even be mentioned in the same review as them.
I also finished Three Delays by Charlie Smith (35). I'm easily awarding this book a 1.5. I couldn't stand it; it took me FOREVER to read because I just couldn't force Smith's delirious stream of consciousness down my throat. It's true that the main characters Billy and Alice were on drugs for pretty much the entire novel, but I felt like Smith had to have been just as high in order to produce such dizzying slop.
I've evidently been striking out completely with books lately. I've been doing some fun cooking though. Yesterday I made my first quiche (cheddar, broccoli, zucchini and onion), my first fresh squeezed lemonade (strawberry basil) and my first cheesecake (lemon, lime, orange zest). Thanks foodgawker.com!
Also, I've started to consider some things that I want/need for the kitchen. I figured I should start keeping a list because every Christmas I'm like, oh crap! what's that thing I wanted six months ago?
Anyway. I finished The Magicians by Lev Grossman (34). I can't decide between 2 and 2.5 stars. I really didn't love it, and for the most part I didn't really like it. I thought the writing was clunky, the character development was shallow, and the story itself was infuriating, but I can appreciate what Grossman was trying to accomplish. Merging together two classic series of fantasy and attempting to make it modern and widely universal is no easy feat. Some of his ideas were original (ziplock of mutton fat, semester as a goose..?), however the main characters were just SO unlikeable that it made it impossible to enjoy their journey. Grossman also failed greatly on coming up with original, yet convincing, names for the fantastical subjects of his story. Plain and simple, he has absolutely nothing on Rowling or Lewis. He should be embarrassed to even be mentioned in the same review as them.
I also finished Three Delays by Charlie Smith (35). I'm easily awarding this book a 1.5. I couldn't stand it; it took me FOREVER to read because I just couldn't force Smith's delirious stream of consciousness down my throat. It's true that the main characters Billy and Alice were on drugs for pretty much the entire novel, but I felt like Smith had to have been just as high in order to produce such dizzying slop.
I've evidently been striking out completely with books lately. I've been doing some fun cooking though. Yesterday I made my first quiche (cheddar, broccoli, zucchini and onion), my first fresh squeezed lemonade (strawberry basil) and my first cheesecake (lemon, lime, orange zest). Thanks foodgawker.com!
Also, I've started to consider some things that I want/need for the kitchen. I figured I should start keeping a list because every Christmas I'm like, oh crap! what's that thing I wanted six months ago?
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