Claire brilliantly made this icon and wrote an accompanying blog! I highly recommend reading about the issue that's close to my heart!(she also wrote a brilliant one on college graduation wisdom from select movies that I also recommend highly)
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Recommended Reading
Claire brilliantly made this icon and wrote an accompanying blog! I highly recommend reading about the issue that's close to my heart!
Friday, July 31, 2009
License and More
First of all, license obtained.
The test wasn't hard at all but I think the funny part is that I took the test exactly 2 weeks and 1 day after I put the key in the ignition for the first time... and I haven't driven since. Nor is it likely that I'll drive again for a while. BUUUT I'm not THAT concerned about it because now that I get the gist, I don't feel like it's something I'll really lose. But who knows...
I went to PA for a few days... actually I stayed for two nights so it was more like a full day and a bit on either end. It was pretty regular but I did manage to take Harry Potter 2 and 3 (1 is lost, although I put a valiant effort into searching for it) and I have the rest in storage. I also took back the book Running with Scissors, one of my Ellen Degeneres books, Ella Enchanted (shut up!) my Bill Maher New Rules CD, which I may choose not to put in my itunes, my Michael Jackson music video dvd, which I know is kind of useless due to youtube but I don't care, and my rosary. I'm not sure why I brought the rosary back with me, but... did it.
Although my thing now is that I am almost 75% sure I'm going to not use netflix for this month... financial reasons. I have to decide before they charge me which will be around August 8th. I should probably make my official decision tonight or tomorrow... maybe I'll bring it down to 1 dvd so I can still have the watch instantly feature. We'll see. I may have to call to see if I need to type up my queue... if that'll be erased. Decisions decisions.
I'm glad to be back in Boston, although my stomach is SUPER not glad at all. Because I'm SUPER poor and STILL a terrible cook. Although for some reason I want pork REALLY badly right now! Bah!
The only movie I watched recently was Ice Age 3. I didn't watch the second one and I didn't like the first one buuuut... my grandma wanted to take me and I wouldn't say no to a free movie, especially in 3d. It was shmena but I told my grandma that I liked it because I didn't really like Cheri, The Proposal, or Harry Potter and I didn't want her to think I was being a ball buster for not liking any movies she took me to.
But MOSTLY I got my license. The doors have opened up...
... for more decisions.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Driving, Irish Music, Movie Disappointment
Driving test on Wednesday morning. And we're coming down to PA right afterwards. I feel pretty good about it, but I think I'll still have a proper amount of anxiety because I REALLY can't afford to fail. Although I'm beginning to enjoy myself... pretty much INFINITELY more and I kind of hope that I get to drive at least part of the way down to PA. Although they might not want me to because it'll be a bigger vehicle that I'm not used to. We'll see.
Also I wonder, due to the speed of my learning, if driving will be one of those things that I forget that I know. Like someone will be talking about driving and in my head I'll be like "I don't know how to drive... oh wait. Yes I do." I still do that with my age. I don't make errors out loud but in my head I'm like "I'm 17... oh wait no. I'm 21."
Today we went to the Utica Irish festival (not the official name). It was GREEAAT!! Irish music is glorious! Although I was confused because there were a LOT of people in kilts, which I thought was only a Scottish thing. Then I saw (and heard) about a jillion bagpipes and concluded that the Scottish have decided this is as close as they're going to get to their own festival. I'm not complaining at ALL! We might go back later tonight.
Side note: Young men playing their heritage instruments enthusiastically... oh yes! Oh YES!
MOVIE SECTION:
The Proposal-- I don't WAAANT to be a ballbuster about romantic comedies. I honestly can't decide a lot of the time whether the movie is actually really bad or if I'm kind of unable to suspend myself for that genre... assuming that the romantic comedies that I continue to love I only like for nostalgic purposes. That being said, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen. And also I think some romantic comedies need to be seen on HBO out of boredom like 3 times before you start to really like it. Still, Ryan Reynolds is hot and endearing but I never really care about him and I don't know why. Also, I don't like my movies to have INCREDIBLY broad humor unless that's the point. Unless it's Superstar or Wayne's World or a Will Ferrell/Adam Sandler/Judd Apatow/Ben Stiller movie-- and even for those types of movies it can be too much. I just don't want to see people dancing weirdly or strange strippers or people falling down. I don't think it's funny. Although I know that not everyone feels this way (and of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes a fall is genius... but usually it's not). I'm just saying, does Julia Roberts fall down a flight of stairs? Ever? No. I don't know that they should copy Julia Roberts movies, I'm just saying there's a reason.
Sorry that I'm double paragraphing on this, but I've decided that I just need my couples to go through more in romantic comedies. I'm not saying that this will create a golden movie, but I think it's a necessary start. I need either a LOT of time between the two people or a LOOOOT of together-ness in a short period of time... and trials. Otherwise I just don't believe it. Otherwise I just can't care because I KNOW it's not going to work out... it can't be a happily ever after because I don't believe that it'll last more than a few weeks to months. And it makes it seem stupid when they treat their relationship as a breakthrough after like 2 days of nothing.
Ahhh triple paragraph! But I mentioned this to my grandpa, particularly how I'm not sure I'm very capable of enjoying new romantic comedies and he said that in the paper they said that The Ugly Truth was the nail in the romantic comedy coffin. It said that they've all been so bad lately that they should just wrap it up with that genre. Agree-sies. At least about how the recent ones have been sooo poor. Enchanted was the last good one that jumps to my mind... and I'm not sure that's even totally within the genre. Buuuuut I think this is a golden opportunity to flush out all of these shitty leads that they keep using. Let's keep Amy Adams and Rachel McAdams and I can do without Katherine Heigl (sorry... I don't hate her but...), girl from The Breakup Kid and Maid of Honor, and the girl from Watchmen, The Breakup Kid, 27 Dresses, and she was even in The Proposal... and not to be a bitch but.. I freakin' ... don't like her at all!! And I'm sorry to say that her neck/jaw might be the cause. I don't want to be that person, but I can't help how I feel about it. I will like to bring in some new talent. I want the next Julia Roberts please. Oh... and I'll keep Anne Hathaway around just in case. But... I think Kate Hudson's time is up... not to discredit her previous masterpieces. The same goes for Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, probably Sandra Bullock... you know.. etc etc (only romantic comedies... they can keep trying other genres but I just need some new talent-- I may change my mind about this but... right now I feel quite strongly).
And on a completely side subject, Leonardo DiCaprio is doing a movie, looks like horror, with Martin Scorsese called Shutter Island. I'll see it because of my faith in Leonardo DiCaprio. BUUUUT MARK RUFFALO IS IN IT! DAMN THAT GUY! I know not everyone despises him the way I do, but now every movie he's in incenses me more! ARrrg!!
I also saw Harry Potter 6 which pissed me off. I couldn't help it. I HONESTLY tried to be as open-minded as possible, but the people are REALLY not doing justice to the film. I think one of the main problems is the all-British cast. Not because they're British at all, but because it's a much smaller pool of actors. The older actors are FAIR to good, but the kids... they are really quite poor. QUIIITE poor. Plus I don't feel like the screenplay even TRIED to do justice to the books. They plodded along emphasizing just... the absolute wrong parts. I bet they dedicated an hour of the film to the relationships between the students when that could have been done with a few well placed looks (although not by these actors. Honestly, again I don't want to be a ballbuster, but Harry is supposed to be clearly lusting over Ginny but he doesn't even LOOK at her when she talks. And it's kind of hilarious because Hermione will be like "I see the way you look at her" and I'm like "I DON'T!") I just don't need a full set up when nothing even happens between any of the characters in this book.
INSTEAD they put these huge holes in the plot so that 1. my grandma was VERY rightfully confused about what's going on and 2. I don't know how they're going to jump into the next movie because they left parts out that are KEEEEY for the next one. Also, the end of that book, in my opinion, was UNBELIEVABLY dramatic and made me want to kill myself. It was just the epitome of hopelessness and fear and like... the shit went DOWN! And everything they had done seemed so futile! And I thought they should have REAAAAALLLY put the energy and extraordinary budget towards making the ending as epic and climactic as it was in the book. THAT'S the important part. THAT'S the part you remember from the book. But they cut out things, huge action pieces, which OF COURSE should be in the movies. Why the hell are we even watching the movies if not to put a picture to the incredible action!?! I thought it was COMPLETELY inexcusable and I DON'T think I'm being harsh. They have more budget and expectation than... almost all other movies. And they have a INCREDIBLE story to do justice to.
I think what sums up it's ridiculousness to me was the last line in the movie. "I never realized how great this place is." Something along those lines. I'm just saying that at the end of the book I thought MY world was over. I was in unbelievable distress! UnbeLIEVable! Because they are ALONE and their lives will NEVER be the same!!!!!!! And in this movie they didn't even look that pissed or utterly TERRIFIED the way that it really should be. Ugh. Terrible.
... Visually stunning though...
That is all.
Also I wonder, due to the speed of my learning, if driving will be one of those things that I forget that I know. Like someone will be talking about driving and in my head I'll be like "I don't know how to drive... oh wait. Yes I do." I still do that with my age. I don't make errors out loud but in my head I'm like "I'm 17... oh wait no. I'm 21."
Today we went to the Utica Irish festival (not the official name). It was GREEAAT!! Irish music is glorious! Although I was confused because there were a LOT of people in kilts, which I thought was only a Scottish thing. Then I saw (and heard) about a jillion bagpipes and concluded that the Scottish have decided this is as close as they're going to get to their own festival. I'm not complaining at ALL! We might go back later tonight.
Side note: Young men playing their heritage instruments enthusiastically... oh yes! Oh YES!
MOVIE SECTION:
The Proposal-- I don't WAAANT to be a ballbuster about romantic comedies. I honestly can't decide a lot of the time whether the movie is actually really bad or if I'm kind of unable to suspend myself for that genre... assuming that the romantic comedies that I continue to love I only like for nostalgic purposes. That being said, it wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen. And also I think some romantic comedies need to be seen on HBO out of boredom like 3 times before you start to really like it. Still, Ryan Reynolds is hot and endearing but I never really care about him and I don't know why. Also, I don't like my movies to have INCREDIBLY broad humor unless that's the point. Unless it's Superstar or Wayne's World or a Will Ferrell/Adam Sandler/Judd Apatow/Ben Stiller movie-- and even for those types of movies it can be too much. I just don't want to see people dancing weirdly or strange strippers or people falling down. I don't think it's funny. Although I know that not everyone feels this way (and of course, there are exceptions. Sometimes a fall is genius... but usually it's not). I'm just saying, does Julia Roberts fall down a flight of stairs? Ever? No. I don't know that they should copy Julia Roberts movies, I'm just saying there's a reason.
Sorry that I'm double paragraphing on this, but I've decided that I just need my couples to go through more in romantic comedies. I'm not saying that this will create a golden movie, but I think it's a necessary start. I need either a LOT of time between the two people or a LOOOOT of together-ness in a short period of time... and trials. Otherwise I just don't believe it. Otherwise I just can't care because I KNOW it's not going to work out... it can't be a happily ever after because I don't believe that it'll last more than a few weeks to months. And it makes it seem stupid when they treat their relationship as a breakthrough after like 2 days of nothing.
Ahhh triple paragraph! But I mentioned this to my grandpa, particularly how I'm not sure I'm very capable of enjoying new romantic comedies and he said that in the paper they said that The Ugly Truth was the nail in the romantic comedy coffin. It said that they've all been so bad lately that they should just wrap it up with that genre. Agree-sies. At least about how the recent ones have been sooo poor. Enchanted was the last good one that jumps to my mind... and I'm not sure that's even totally within the genre. Buuuuut I think this is a golden opportunity to flush out all of these shitty leads that they keep using. Let's keep Amy Adams and Rachel McAdams and I can do without Katherine Heigl (sorry... I don't hate her but...), girl from The Breakup Kid and Maid of Honor, and the girl from Watchmen, The Breakup Kid, 27 Dresses, and she was even in The Proposal... and not to be a bitch but.. I freakin' ... don't like her at all!! And I'm sorry to say that her neck/jaw might be the cause. I don't want to be that person, but I can't help how I feel about it. I will like to bring in some new talent. I want the next Julia Roberts please. Oh... and I'll keep Anne Hathaway around just in case. But... I think Kate Hudson's time is up... not to discredit her previous masterpieces. The same goes for Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, probably Sandra Bullock... you know.. etc etc (only romantic comedies... they can keep trying other genres but I just need some new talent-- I may change my mind about this but... right now I feel quite strongly).
And on a completely side subject, Leonardo DiCaprio is doing a movie, looks like horror, with Martin Scorsese called Shutter Island. I'll see it because of my faith in Leonardo DiCaprio. BUUUUT MARK RUFFALO IS IN IT! DAMN THAT GUY! I know not everyone despises him the way I do, but now every movie he's in incenses me more! ARrrg!!
I also saw Harry Potter 6 which pissed me off. I couldn't help it. I HONESTLY tried to be as open-minded as possible, but the people are REALLY not doing justice to the film. I think one of the main problems is the all-British cast. Not because they're British at all, but because it's a much smaller pool of actors. The older actors are FAIR to good, but the kids... they are really quite poor. QUIIITE poor. Plus I don't feel like the screenplay even TRIED to do justice to the books. They plodded along emphasizing just... the absolute wrong parts. I bet they dedicated an hour of the film to the relationships between the students when that could have been done with a few well placed looks (although not by these actors. Honestly, again I don't want to be a ballbuster, but Harry is supposed to be clearly lusting over Ginny but he doesn't even LOOK at her when she talks. And it's kind of hilarious because Hermione will be like "I see the way you look at her" and I'm like "I DON'T!") I just don't need a full set up when nothing even happens between any of the characters in this book.
INSTEAD they put these huge holes in the plot so that 1. my grandma was VERY rightfully confused about what's going on and 2. I don't know how they're going to jump into the next movie because they left parts out that are KEEEEY for the next one. Also, the end of that book, in my opinion, was UNBELIEVABLY dramatic and made me want to kill myself. It was just the epitome of hopelessness and fear and like... the shit went DOWN! And everything they had done seemed so futile! And I thought they should have REAAAAALLLY put the energy and extraordinary budget towards making the ending as epic and climactic as it was in the book. THAT'S the important part. THAT'S the part you remember from the book. But they cut out things, huge action pieces, which OF COURSE should be in the movies. Why the hell are we even watching the movies if not to put a picture to the incredible action!?! I thought it was COMPLETELY inexcusable and I DON'T think I'm being harsh. They have more budget and expectation than... almost all other movies. And they have a INCREDIBLE story to do justice to.
I think what sums up it's ridiculousness to me was the last line in the movie. "I never realized how great this place is." Something along those lines. I'm just saying that at the end of the book I thought MY world was over. I was in unbelievable distress! UnbeLIEVable! Because they are ALONE and their lives will NEVER be the same!!!!!!! And in this movie they didn't even look that pissed or utterly TERRIFIED the way that it really should be. Ugh. Terrible.
... Visually stunning though...
That is all.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Parallel Parking, Book Dilemma, and Weeds
Today and yesterday I did some parallel parking. And three-point turns which aren't really that scary. Actually neither is parallel parking... although we've been doing ONLY parallel parking for a while and it gets kind of... boring. But that's probably good... not that I'm a champion at it or anything. But no huge failures.
I finished Barrel Fever surprisingly fast. Two essays/stories I had already read in Holidays on Ice but... it was SUPER hilarious!
But now I have to choose from Pride and Prejudice which I've started twice in the past, both times before I'd seen the movies. The thing is, I don't particularly like the Jane Austen writing. This isn't the specific issue probably, but I know that sometimes when I try to go through her books I think to myself "if you say 'amiable' one more fucking time...!!!" Same goes with "agreeable."
So it's that, The Da Vinci Code, or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which is my favorite book but I've read it like... 5 times. Or I could read one of my grandma's books. Tricky tricky.
Yesterday I watched Weeds at it's actual broadcast time. Right afterwards I was INSTANTLY pissed that I didn't try to wait as long as I could. But it really seemed like I WAS waiting as long as I could. The night before last, I had a dream that I saw the episode of Weeds (the one I just saw)... and it was SUPER steamy!! And then I dreamt that my mom, my grandma JoAnne, and I were having lunch outside of some building, like a mall or something, and there was a TV on the ground next to our table, and instead of talking to my mom and grandma, I kept trying to rewatch the episode of Weeds that I had just seen. AND I was even uncomfortable because I wasn't sure how much I wanted to see such a steamy episode with the two of them... but I STILL tried to watch the episode. I woke up thinking I had really already seen it. But nay... And it goes without saying that the actual episode wasn't the same as it was in my dream. And like I said, afterwards I was SOOOO UPSET that I have to wait a whole other week to watch the next one!!! I think what's even MORE tortuous is that even when I get my TV back from storage, I STILL won't be able to watch the show when it comes on because we don't get Showtime. Otherwise I might have had a brief but glorious period of time when Weeds is still on and The Office returns. Oh good heavens! How current tprogramming consumes me.
I finished Barrel Fever surprisingly fast. Two essays/stories I had already read in Holidays on Ice but... it was SUPER hilarious!
But now I have to choose from Pride and Prejudice which I've started twice in the past, both times before I'd seen the movies. The thing is, I don't particularly like the Jane Austen writing. This isn't the specific issue probably, but I know that sometimes when I try to go through her books I think to myself "if you say 'amiable' one more fucking time...!!!" Same goes with "agreeable."
So it's that, The Da Vinci Code, or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which is my favorite book but I've read it like... 5 times. Or I could read one of my grandma's books. Tricky tricky.
Yesterday I watched Weeds at it's actual broadcast time. Right afterwards I was INSTANTLY pissed that I didn't try to wait as long as I could. But it really seemed like I WAS waiting as long as I could. The night before last, I had a dream that I saw the episode of Weeds (the one I just saw)... and it was SUPER steamy!! And then I dreamt that my mom, my grandma JoAnne, and I were having lunch outside of some building, like a mall or something, and there was a TV on the ground next to our table, and instead of talking to my mom and grandma, I kept trying to rewatch the episode of Weeds that I had just seen. AND I was even uncomfortable because I wasn't sure how much I wanted to see such a steamy episode with the two of them... but I STILL tried to watch the episode. I woke up thinking I had really already seen it. But nay... And it goes without saying that the actual episode wasn't the same as it was in my dream. And like I said, afterwards I was SOOOO UPSET that I have to wait a whole other week to watch the next one!!! I think what's even MORE tortuous is that even when I get my TV back from storage, I STILL won't be able to watch the show when it comes on because we don't get Showtime. Otherwise I might have had a brief but glorious period of time when Weeds is still on and The Office returns. Oh good heavens! How current tprogramming consumes me.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Some Dates
Here is the official but semi-tentative update:
My road test is Wed. July 29 (thank GOD!) at 8:45am.
We are LIKELY going to PA right after my test until Friday or Saturday-- unsure.
They are LIKELY returning me to Boston Monday Aug. 3.
My road test is Wed. July 29 (thank GOD!) at 8:45am.
We are LIKELY going to PA right after my test until Friday or Saturday-- unsure.
They are LIKELY returning me to Boston Monday Aug. 3.
Highway Time
Today I went on the highway for the first time. Of course it was Sunday morning so there was hardly any traffic. I'll probably have to go back on the highway later today. Also yesterday I took the state required 5-hour class (which was actually 4 hours). Mostly we had to watch videos of various car accidents, both real and reinacted. Made me want to kill myself a bit. AND it made me VERY wary of going on the highway today. But whatever. I don't want to stress it too much because I don't want to give myself a stigma about it, but I don't really love driving. I guess I don't hate it so much when I'm on the road, but I definitely go to bed at night sad knowing that I have to drive the next day. AAAND we usually go out several times a day, which, even though I'm very grateful, is a special kind of torture because there is no relief when I'm done.
BUUUUT we now might be able to get my license before I leave, which would be GREAT. Hopefully we'll get it before August 7th, which is the VERY last day I want to be here (arbitrary date). Honestly that seems like a while from now. I just keep thinking about how no one is using the apartment... all the things I should have done before I left to make sure that I don't come back to something terrible. I'm not going to name the things I think about because I'm afraid of any judgement. I AM worried about my ivy though. I don't know if it'll survive.
Also, the other day I went for a walk, which was very relieving. I really don't leave the house except to drive. I left at like.. 7:30pm and walked various ways. I tried to remember a few streets around my grandparents house and assumed I would be able to make it back. I found a little store and got a coke and some Now and Laters, which was WONDERFUL (more wonderful than I thought it would be). Then I started to head back and after about 20 minutes of walking around in what I hoped was the direction of home, I realized I was lost. This is stupid for the following reasons:
1. I have been driving around the area, me behind the wheel, about twice a day for a week and probably SHOULD have some idea about where I am (although in my defense, we did turn every which way... not much opportunity to memorize the way to get back).
2. I KNOOOOW I'm terrible with directions. Why would I think that I could just look at a few street names and be fine in a foreign neighborhood?!
Well it started to get dark and there are no street lights and not every street has sidewalks. And I'm more nervous around cars now-- walking on the street seems like much more of a risk now that I've been driving. But I was really embarrassed to call my grandpa for directions so I kept going for... maybe 45 minutes before I finally had to concede and call my grandpa. He laughed, told me that I was close and told me where to go-- 5 minute walk ... which kind of bummed me out because I could have avoided calling if I'd only gone a few more blocks.
Well I follow the directions and when I get there I see that I'm not home. So I walk back to where I came from to see if I could have started out wrong. It starts to rain a bit. I get to the original place and there was no other way I could have gone. So I start to go BACK to to where my grandpa's directions were, thinking maybe I didn't see something when I got there. At this point I KNOW I've been gone longer than they expected and assumed they were either going to call or come and get me; they did the latter. Grandpa in the car, grandma on foot. How embarrassing! Turns out I wasn't where my grandpa thought I was (which I kind of figured). I apologized for being an idiot but he just thought it was funny. Now they make jokes about directions. Directing me to my room etc etc.
Here is the movie section:
Whale Rider-- It was OK. I enjoyed watching it, but it was too straightforward. From the beginning you know exactly what's going to happen. But I really liked the girl in it.
Half Nelson-- Ryan Gosling was GREAT and SUPER attractive! The main girl was really great too. It was a nice character movie, but... the plot kind of plodded. It was more like a double vignette. I usually don't like knowing much about plot before I watch a movie, but I remember being told that this movie was about a drug-addict teacher and his student and how they help each other. But they didn't so much help each other as vaguely TRY to help each other. In fact, they were both really introverted and vaguely understood and liked each other. It was interesting being between a male teacher and a female 13-year-old student. I kept getting uncomfortable when they were together, even though it didn't really seem like anything bad would happen.
Candy-- Heath Ledger movie about a junkie couple in Australia. I REALLY liked it. I would say it corresponds a little with Trainspotting, although the plots are quite different and this one doesn't give the techno fast-paced feeling that Trainspotting does. But it is a unique and epic drug film. I REEEAAALLY enjoyed it. REEEALLY.
I also watched a one hour special on J.K. Rowling, which was pretty good. And I watched about half of an interview of Gene Wilder in which Alec Baldwin was the interviewer. I mention it because Alec Baldwin, in my opinion, did an exceptional interview-- really did his research and asked VERY thoughtful questions. Plus you never really see an actor interview another actor, except in Moviephone.com's Unscripted (which I LOVE), but that is between the actors that are in a movie coming out. And it's only 10 minutes long. This was an hour. I really like Alec Baldwin, although I'd be too afraid to meet him. He seems aggressive, someone who demands perfection.
Also, I finished reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. It's a non-fiction book about social epidemics. I don't know how to sell it so I'll give you the description on the back:
"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed best-seller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas."
Anyway, I thought it was GREAT! The description makes it sound a little more consumer-centric than I thought it was. It really made me feel incredibly optimistic about the world. More than anything I've read or even heard in a long time.
I also finished Naked Pictures of Famous People by Jon Stewart (1998). It was shmena. But I appreciated it because Jon Stewart wrote it. And I bought it for like $.99 on Amazon.com.
I gave up on Holiday's on Ice by David Sedaris, even though it's a super short book and I LOVE David Sedaris. I partially believe I stopped reading it because I wrote that I was reading it on goodreads.com (which is really irrelevant because only Devon could possibly see what I was up to on that), and I didn't want to have to follow my own rules about what I'm reading. Or maybe I was just bored. Impossible to say. LIKELY I will next be reading Barrel Fever by David Sedaris, which will be the last of his books that I haven't read... except, of course, Holiday's on Ice.
Lastly, I know I shouldn't even mention it, but I have a kind of constant light cramp on my left side like... right at the love handle area. I've had it for about 2 or 3 days but I don't know if a) it's imaginary or b) it's something I should address. On the one hand, I don't want to be the person who complains about every feeling my body gets, but I also don't want to get an ulcer and then tell people I've had the cramps for days and then be scolded... or die. I'm really not sure what happens when you have an ulcer.
BUUUUT we now might be able to get my license before I leave, which would be GREAT. Hopefully we'll get it before August 7th, which is the VERY last day I want to be here (arbitrary date). Honestly that seems like a while from now. I just keep thinking about how no one is using the apartment... all the things I should have done before I left to make sure that I don't come back to something terrible. I'm not going to name the things I think about because I'm afraid of any judgement. I AM worried about my ivy though. I don't know if it'll survive.
Also, the other day I went for a walk, which was very relieving. I really don't leave the house except to drive. I left at like.. 7:30pm and walked various ways. I tried to remember a few streets around my grandparents house and assumed I would be able to make it back. I found a little store and got a coke and some Now and Laters, which was WONDERFUL (more wonderful than I thought it would be). Then I started to head back and after about 20 minutes of walking around in what I hoped was the direction of home, I realized I was lost. This is stupid for the following reasons:
1. I have been driving around the area, me behind the wheel, about twice a day for a week and probably SHOULD have some idea about where I am (although in my defense, we did turn every which way... not much opportunity to memorize the way to get back).
2. I KNOOOOW I'm terrible with directions. Why would I think that I could just look at a few street names and be fine in a foreign neighborhood?!
Well it started to get dark and there are no street lights and not every street has sidewalks. And I'm more nervous around cars now-- walking on the street seems like much more of a risk now that I've been driving. But I was really embarrassed to call my grandpa for directions so I kept going for... maybe 45 minutes before I finally had to concede and call my grandpa. He laughed, told me that I was close and told me where to go-- 5 minute walk ... which kind of bummed me out because I could have avoided calling if I'd only gone a few more blocks.
Well I follow the directions and when I get there I see that I'm not home. So I walk back to where I came from to see if I could have started out wrong. It starts to rain a bit. I get to the original place and there was no other way I could have gone. So I start to go BACK to to where my grandpa's directions were, thinking maybe I didn't see something when I got there. At this point I KNOW I've been gone longer than they expected and assumed they were either going to call or come and get me; they did the latter. Grandpa in the car, grandma on foot. How embarrassing! Turns out I wasn't where my grandpa thought I was (which I kind of figured). I apologized for being an idiot but he just thought it was funny. Now they make jokes about directions. Directing me to my room etc etc.
Here is the movie section:
Whale Rider-- It was OK. I enjoyed watching it, but it was too straightforward. From the beginning you know exactly what's going to happen. But I really liked the girl in it.
Half Nelson-- Ryan Gosling was GREAT and SUPER attractive! The main girl was really great too. It was a nice character movie, but... the plot kind of plodded. It was more like a double vignette. I usually don't like knowing much about plot before I watch a movie, but I remember being told that this movie was about a drug-addict teacher and his student and how they help each other. But they didn't so much help each other as vaguely TRY to help each other. In fact, they were both really introverted and vaguely understood and liked each other. It was interesting being between a male teacher and a female 13-year-old student. I kept getting uncomfortable when they were together, even though it didn't really seem like anything bad would happen.
Candy-- Heath Ledger movie about a junkie couple in Australia. I REALLY liked it. I would say it corresponds a little with Trainspotting, although the plots are quite different and this one doesn't give the techno fast-paced feeling that Trainspotting does. But it is a unique and epic drug film. I REEEAAALLY enjoyed it. REEEALLY.
I also watched a one hour special on J.K. Rowling, which was pretty good. And I watched about half of an interview of Gene Wilder in which Alec Baldwin was the interviewer. I mention it because Alec Baldwin, in my opinion, did an exceptional interview-- really did his research and asked VERY thoughtful questions. Plus you never really see an actor interview another actor, except in Moviephone.com's Unscripted (which I LOVE), but that is between the actors that are in a movie coming out. And it's only 10 minutes long. This was an hour. I really like Alec Baldwin, although I'd be too afraid to meet him. He seems aggressive, someone who demands perfection.
Also, I finished reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. It's a non-fiction book about social epidemics. I don't know how to sell it so I'll give you the description on the back:
"The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed best-seller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas."
Anyway, I thought it was GREAT! The description makes it sound a little more consumer-centric than I thought it was. It really made me feel incredibly optimistic about the world. More than anything I've read or even heard in a long time.
I also finished Naked Pictures of Famous People by Jon Stewart (1998). It was shmena. But I appreciated it because Jon Stewart wrote it. And I bought it for like $.99 on Amazon.com.
I gave up on Holiday's on Ice by David Sedaris, even though it's a super short book and I LOVE David Sedaris. I partially believe I stopped reading it because I wrote that I was reading it on goodreads.com (which is really irrelevant because only Devon could possibly see what I was up to on that), and I didn't want to have to follow my own rules about what I'm reading. Or maybe I was just bored. Impossible to say. LIKELY I will next be reading Barrel Fever by David Sedaris, which will be the last of his books that I haven't read... except, of course, Holiday's on Ice.
Lastly, I know I shouldn't even mention it, but I have a kind of constant light cramp on my left side like... right at the love handle area. I've had it for about 2 or 3 days but I don't know if a) it's imaginary or b) it's something I should address. On the one hand, I don't want to be the person who complains about every feeling my body gets, but I also don't want to get an ulcer and then tell people I've had the cramps for days and then be scolded... or die. I'm really not sure what happens when you have an ulcer.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Blog 2 from NY (July 15)
Driving was MUCH better today. We left at 7:15am and went around the cemetery. Tomorrow I'm going to warm up in the cemetery and then we're going to drive on actual streets. Crazy.
Mostly my grandpa had a doctors appointment and then went golfing with a friend. I hung out in my room all day, which didn't bother me (obvs... I quite enjoyed myself), but I couldn't decide if it bothered my grandma. I got back from driving at 8:30am. Around 11am she came into the room thinking I had fallen asleep, but I hadn't. She came back in around 2 or 3pm and I WAS asleep and she reminded me that I don't HAVE to stay in my room. At 5pm she reminded me that I could use the internet whenever I wanted. At 6:30pm we ate and I helped her move a piece of furniture. Then my grandpa came home and I went back to my room and haven't emerged yet. It's 11:17pm now. The issue is that I can't decide where I'm less of a burden. Is it causing her more anxiety for me to be in a room all day or would it be worse if I were sitting downstairs trying to make conversation. I have to assume the latter is worse.
I also watched She's Got the Look... TERRIBLE show. It's Top Model with a much lower budget and with my least favorite demographic-- women between 35 and 72 (mostly in the 40s). PLUUUUS it's mean. All the judges want to be Simon Cowell. And the competition I saw involved taking each individual's worst fear and making them take a picture while experiencing it. To me that's just mean. It's one thing if eveyrone has to work with snakes and one person is afraid. Well that's the shoot and you have to do it or you don't want it enough. But in what magazine are they going to be like "what is the model's LEAST favorite thing? Yeah? Let's DO IT!" Mean. ESPECIALLY to a 72 year old lady, who is obviously my fave. although I don't plan on watching the show again.
Mostly my grandpa had a doctors appointment and then went golfing with a friend. I hung out in my room all day, which didn't bother me (obvs... I quite enjoyed myself), but I couldn't decide if it bothered my grandma. I got back from driving at 8:30am. Around 11am she came into the room thinking I had fallen asleep, but I hadn't. She came back in around 2 or 3pm and I WAS asleep and she reminded me that I don't HAVE to stay in my room. At 5pm she reminded me that I could use the internet whenever I wanted. At 6:30pm we ate and I helped her move a piece of furniture. Then my grandpa came home and I went back to my room and haven't emerged yet. It's 11:17pm now. The issue is that I can't decide where I'm less of a burden. Is it causing her more anxiety for me to be in a room all day or would it be worse if I were sitting downstairs trying to make conversation. I have to assume the latter is worse.
I also watched She's Got the Look... TERRIBLE show. It's Top Model with a much lower budget and with my least favorite demographic-- women between 35 and 72 (mostly in the 40s). PLUUUUS it's mean. All the judges want to be Simon Cowell. And the competition I saw involved taking each individual's worst fear and making them take a picture while experiencing it. To me that's just mean. It's one thing if eveyrone has to work with snakes and one person is afraid. Well that's the shoot and you have to do it or you don't want it enough. But in what magazine are they going to be like "what is the model's LEAST favorite thing? Yeah? Let's DO IT!" Mean. ESPECIALLY to a 72 year old lady, who is obviously my fave. although I don't plan on watching the show again.
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