I haven't really felt like writing anything recently. I guess I've been in a bit of a rut these days, what with watching all of the season finales of my favorite programming. How about that finale of Lost, eh? Anyone?
I've decided that TV needs more shows that are cinematic in many ways. Primarily in what Tv Tropes, a delightful website where I while away hours during my workdays, calls "Crowning Moments of Awesome." If you've seen such cinematic masterpieces such as Lord of the Rings, Sin City, 300, and Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, you've already been saturated in them. Sometimes nauseatingly so, to the detriment of any actual plotline. They are moments when something happens when the audience goes "Wha? Did he just? NO WAY!" Or something like that. Some key lines from Crowning Moments of Awesome are "THIS IS SPARTA," "Dodge This," and "Not my daughter, you bitch." The last was a literary example, of course. They aren't subtle, but man are they fun. The pure existence of CMOA is to make a person instantly feel that the character is capable of being such a badass that we have to like him, even if we're supposed to hate him. They also get a casual viewer's adrenaline going, which is fun. One of my personal favorites is Boromir's from LoTR, when he keeps getting shot with arrows when he's protecting the hobbits, and keeps getting up and fighting. Like four times. It was mad cool.
Lost does this occasionally, and certain characters (e.g. John Locke, Mr. Eko, Benjamin Linus) are perceived as cool, because of their physical and mental perseverance, and in some cases, preternatural ability to manipulate people into doing exactly what they want. This is often the case with badass villains as Chessmasters, as opposed to heroes, who mainly concentrate on persevering when all odds are against them.
Almost all good action movies have this sort of trope, but somehow they never seem as good in TV shows. They would obviously occur more frequently in dramas, but the payoff is never quite the same. As I said before, Lost does have its share of "what the hell" moments (As seen in the most recent episode. Wow.), and I'm sure other dramas are that intense. I guess I just want to see more epic moments. Lucky for me that Joss Whedon's coming out with a new TV show.
They don't even have to be in action-based programs. I'm sure Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy can have their own set of them. Perhaps they do, and I just don't know because I refuse to watch those shows. A Mean Girl's moment when the villain(ess) manages to outwit all the heroes with careful manipulation of all of the major characters would count. That is even as dramatic as snarky witticisms during dramatic sword fights. Tv Tropes calls it a Xanatos Gambit. (You would be amazed to learn that I actually work harder than many of the other people at my workplace. By the way.)
Sigh. Why are my demands for entertainment never fully satisfied? All I want is subtle-dialogued, witty plots with suitably adrenaline pumping scenes at appropriately spaced intervals. Anyone?
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
God, Just Do it Already, and Stop Whining About It
Is what my brain keeps yelling at me. Constantly. And I think I'm starting to agree with you, Frontal Lobe. I will just do it. I'm being very mysterious, aren't I? But you probably don't care that much about my intrigues, so I think I'll keep it built up as a bit of Hitchcockian suspense. Whatever you do, don't climb the stairs! By the way, did y'all know that Hitchcock was afraid of eggs, specifically egg yolks. Found them absolutely revolting. Strange, but true. But I digress.
But yes, this is in regard to my recent crisis of identity. It's so easy to keep your mind focused on one future, when you're in school and distracted by all sorts of readily available fascinating facts. Once you get out into the "real world" and are faced with the blinding horror of a typical entry-level job, the forgotten options start swimming in front of you. Showing off their many interesting characteristics and high salaries. It's maddening. For much of the year I've swayed between two incompatible (yet, both equally unreasonable) choices. Just when I thought I made the more sensible choice of the two, the other had to rear its extremely attractive and well-coiffed head to tempt me once more. And the bastard thing is--I don't know if I could make it in either of these two fields. Both are incredibly specialized, and both have high rates of failure. One admittedly more so.
One seems more doable, practical, and reasonable, and I've been more actively pursuing this field recently. It would involve my going to law school (and probably hating it) to get a JD, which would only serve the purpose of helping to get me into this career. Read: I don't actually want to be a lawyer. So it's probably very silly to spend that much money on getting a degree for a career that I hate. But it would be a great way to spend three years to get my act together and get a somewhat useful degree out of the process. And I know the JD would help my chances of getting that more reasonable career.
But that other one lurking in the shadows represents a whole other side of me, one that I'd forgotten existed until I was completely deprived of the ability to use my mind on a daily basis. It is the long-lost creative side that complements the practicality of the "sensible" choice. This is representative of the epic battle of my left brain vs. my right brain. The failure rate for people going into this field is astronomically high, yet I'm still very attracted to it. I've even spent some time looking up programs of study around the country for it. But the foolish thing really is, I've never done anything like it before. Yeah, I like and admire the talented professionals who pull it off well, but who's to say if I'd be any good at it. And I'm reluctant to apply to a professional school to learn the tools of the trade, because if it's a failure, I simply can't apply this knowledge to any other field. The sensible option would have been left behind long ago, irretrievable due to my zeal for the more attractive option.
But curiousity has finally killed my cat. Pending availability/costs/time constraints I think I'm going to find a basic class in Chicago for this type of study and finally, you know, learn about it. I'll test the waters (and probably take the LSAT as well, just in case) and find out what exactly I am good at. The worst thing that can happen is finding out I do like it, and am good at it, which will probably result in more hemming and hawing and freaking out over foolish life choices/eventual poverty and disgrace.
I really and truly am ridiculous. I am SO going to be famous.
But yes, this is in regard to my recent crisis of identity. It's so easy to keep your mind focused on one future, when you're in school and distracted by all sorts of readily available fascinating facts. Once you get out into the "real world" and are faced with the blinding horror of a typical entry-level job, the forgotten options start swimming in front of you. Showing off their many interesting characteristics and high salaries. It's maddening. For much of the year I've swayed between two incompatible (yet, both equally unreasonable) choices. Just when I thought I made the more sensible choice of the two, the other had to rear its extremely attractive and well-coiffed head to tempt me once more. And the bastard thing is--I don't know if I could make it in either of these two fields. Both are incredibly specialized, and both have high rates of failure. One admittedly more so.
One seems more doable, practical, and reasonable, and I've been more actively pursuing this field recently. It would involve my going to law school (and probably hating it) to get a JD, which would only serve the purpose of helping to get me into this career. Read: I don't actually want to be a lawyer. So it's probably very silly to spend that much money on getting a degree for a career that I hate. But it would be a great way to spend three years to get my act together and get a somewhat useful degree out of the process. And I know the JD would help my chances of getting that more reasonable career.
But that other one lurking in the shadows represents a whole other side of me, one that I'd forgotten existed until I was completely deprived of the ability to use my mind on a daily basis. It is the long-lost creative side that complements the practicality of the "sensible" choice. This is representative of the epic battle of my left brain vs. my right brain. The failure rate for people going into this field is astronomically high, yet I'm still very attracted to it. I've even spent some time looking up programs of study around the country for it. But the foolish thing really is, I've never done anything like it before. Yeah, I like and admire the talented professionals who pull it off well, but who's to say if I'd be any good at it. And I'm reluctant to apply to a professional school to learn the tools of the trade, because if it's a failure, I simply can't apply this knowledge to any other field. The sensible option would have been left behind long ago, irretrievable due to my zeal for the more attractive option.
But curiousity has finally killed my cat. Pending availability/costs/time constraints I think I'm going to find a basic class in Chicago for this type of study and finally, you know, learn about it. I'll test the waters (and probably take the LSAT as well, just in case) and find out what exactly I am good at. The worst thing that can happen is finding out I do like it, and am good at it, which will probably result in more hemming and hawing and freaking out over foolish life choices/eventual poverty and disgrace.
I really and truly am ridiculous. I am SO going to be famous.
Monday, May 19, 2008
I Always Did Like that Little Mouse
So, I saw Prince Caspian on Friday. It was pretty good, I must say. Which is surprising, because I have been waiting for these movies to be made far longer than any other movies of the same genre. Unlike Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, which I read as an adult (or in the case of Lord of the Rings, gave up on halfway through the last book), I actually grew up with these books and loved them dearly. In retrospect, compared to some of the other grand epics in magical worlds, C.S. Lewis kind of skimped on character development and took the easy way out with the characters and plots, using Aslan as a literal deus ex machina quite a bit. The movies are actually developing the characters far better than the books did. Having said that, one thing that Narnia has that Harry Potter is lacking is an incredible sense of majesty and wonder. The world almost seems more magical than the world of Harry Potter because of that. In Harry Potter, they're just kids who get incredibly lucky/unlucky. In Narnia, those kids are kings and queens, and earn it on the battlefield. I mean, half of the movie was devoted to Peter looking kingly while swinging a sword and shouting orders to, like, centaurs. It's an awesome thing for a child--to think that you could find a magical land in a piece of furniture and then help defeat an evil witch, and afterwards rule over the kingdom. Honestly, how cool is that?
While I was watching the movie, I felt like I was in a time warp. I remembered so much detail that I really surprised myself, since I haven't read the books in years. When the swashbuckling mouse first appeared I thought "YES! REEPICHEEP!" I was mildly surprised that I not only remembered his name, but that I was getting so excited about it. I really hope the movie does well, so they continue going with the Chronicles. I am slightly concerned how they will handle the change of casts from movie to movie, however. Part of the appeal of the first two books (especially in the most well-known first one) is the relationship between the four Pevensies, and the later books were not as popular partly due to the constant changes of main characters. I know they are making The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with Lucy and Edmund, but I don't know if they will be able to go beyond that after all the Pevensie kids have been banned from Narnia. Even I've grown fond of those four characters, and will miss the older kids in the next movie.
Which brings me to Susan. SPOILER ALERT for those who have not read the books. I've been thinking/re-reading about the plots of the books since seeing the movie on Friday, and have been remembering quite a bit of plot details. It's all a Christian allegory. I get that, and don't really have a problem with it. The books are entertaining enough that you don't feel like you're being preached to, even though it can be very obvious sometimes. Whatever, it's fine. I still love them, no matter how homicidal Philip Pullman seems to be about them. There are a few things, however, that I can't get around. The treatment of Susan, for one. The last book is basically Revelations with the destruction of Narnia and the Antichrist and stuff. Except for kids! Anyway, basically all of the human protagonists from the earlier stories are brought back to Narnia (Because they were all at a train station where a train derailed, and it killed them all. So it was a fun read!) to lead the people/creatures to a new Narnia that isn't all falling apart. The one exception is Susan, who moved to America, got into clothes and lipstick and boys. This means that she no longer believes in Narnia and Aslan and doesn't get to come back. By the way, the kids are now IN THEIR EARLY TWENTIES. I remember being offended by this as a small child. Even more so now. I mean I get it in Christian terms, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. I actually really liked Susan--she was the sensible one. And now, first, her whole family dies in a horrible train accident, then she doesn't get to go back to Narnia because she moved to America (that godless land) and likes boys. That just sucks. I hope that if they continue making the movies, they fix that plot line. Also, C.S. Lewis was a bit sexist and passively racist, and some of the other races in the magical world where Narnia was were a little stereotypical, and kinda offensive. The Calormenes (mainly in The Horse and His Boy) were bad stereotypes of Arabs. That could be a problem these days. (Also, how "Evil Spaniard" were those Telmarines?)
All in all, though, the books were great in my six-year old eyes. These are relatively minor nitpicks that an update to the series via the movies could easily fix. I think the message is the same, and the characters could even be strengthened because of the movies. I still really like the Narnia series and am now looking forward to The Voyages of the Dawn Treader. REEPICHEEP will be featured, of course.
While I was watching the movie, I felt like I was in a time warp. I remembered so much detail that I really surprised myself, since I haven't read the books in years. When the swashbuckling mouse first appeared I thought "YES! REEPICHEEP!" I was mildly surprised that I not only remembered his name, but that I was getting so excited about it. I really hope the movie does well, so they continue going with the Chronicles. I am slightly concerned how they will handle the change of casts from movie to movie, however. Part of the appeal of the first two books (especially in the most well-known first one) is the relationship between the four Pevensies, and the later books were not as popular partly due to the constant changes of main characters. I know they are making The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with Lucy and Edmund, but I don't know if they will be able to go beyond that after all the Pevensie kids have been banned from Narnia. Even I've grown fond of those four characters, and will miss the older kids in the next movie.
Which brings me to Susan. SPOILER ALERT for those who have not read the books. I've been thinking/re-reading about the plots of the books since seeing the movie on Friday, and have been remembering quite a bit of plot details. It's all a Christian allegory. I get that, and don't really have a problem with it. The books are entertaining enough that you don't feel like you're being preached to, even though it can be very obvious sometimes. Whatever, it's fine. I still love them, no matter how homicidal Philip Pullman seems to be about them. There are a few things, however, that I can't get around. The treatment of Susan, for one. The last book is basically Revelations with the destruction of Narnia and the Antichrist and stuff. Except for kids! Anyway, basically all of the human protagonists from the earlier stories are brought back to Narnia (Because they were all at a train station where a train derailed, and it killed them all. So it was a fun read!) to lead the people/creatures to a new Narnia that isn't all falling apart. The one exception is Susan, who moved to America, got into clothes and lipstick and boys. This means that she no longer believes in Narnia and Aslan and doesn't get to come back. By the way, the kids are now IN THEIR EARLY TWENTIES. I remember being offended by this as a small child. Even more so now. I mean I get it in Christian terms, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. I actually really liked Susan--she was the sensible one. And now, first, her whole family dies in a horrible train accident, then she doesn't get to go back to Narnia because she moved to America (that godless land) and likes boys. That just sucks. I hope that if they continue making the movies, they fix that plot line. Also, C.S. Lewis was a bit sexist and passively racist, and some of the other races in the magical world where Narnia was were a little stereotypical, and kinda offensive. The Calormenes (mainly in The Horse and His Boy) were bad stereotypes of Arabs. That could be a problem these days. (Also, how "Evil Spaniard" were those Telmarines?)
All in all, though, the books were great in my six-year old eyes. These are relatively minor nitpicks that an update to the series via the movies could easily fix. I think the message is the same, and the characters could even be strengthened because of the movies. I still really like the Narnia series and am now looking forward to The Voyages of the Dawn Treader. REEPICHEEP will be featured, of course.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
I'm Tweaking
On ENERGY. Not just caffeine. I can handle my coffee normally, even though it has been likened to crack. I usually drink a few cups a day and have built up a nice tolerance, but today I'm a bit more twitchy and paranoid than usual. Then I realized it--I've just started taking new vitamins for people with active lifestyles (read: gym goers who want to feel even better about themselves), and because I'm a sucker, GNC totally ripped me off by getting me to buy the Vitapacks. (Part of the money crisis!) So I'm taking like 7 pills (vitamins and supplements) a day now, instead of just one. How does this relate to my current state of nervousness? The supplement package includes a natural energy enhancement! I totally forgot! It recommends that we don't drink coffee while taking these vitamins. I scoff at their health rules!
I am not giving up my coffee just because some stupid energy pills might make my heart explode. If anything, today is becoming a very productive, albeit paranoid, day. Oh and before anyone says anything, these aren't diet pills. I CHECKED FIRST, OKAY. So nobody can say that I've escalated from regular caffeine to speed. They're totally natural energy enhancers, I swear.
I had a TV post I wanted to write, but I had to abandon it due to the flightiness of my thoughts and excessive hand-twitching. Top Chef should be thoroughly examined with a steady mind.
I think I've found the one habit-forming drug that the FBI won't get all freaked out about. In fact, they probably will encourage this caffeine addiction. So there's my self-justification.
I am not giving up my coffee just because some stupid energy pills might make my heart explode. If anything, today is becoming a very productive, albeit paranoid, day. Oh and before anyone says anything, these aren't diet pills. I CHECKED FIRST, OKAY. So nobody can say that I've escalated from regular caffeine to speed. They're totally natural energy enhancers, I swear.
I had a TV post I wanted to write, but I had to abandon it due to the flightiness of my thoughts and excessive hand-twitching. Top Chef should be thoroughly examined with a steady mind.
I think I've found the one habit-forming drug that the FBI won't get all freaked out about. In fact, they probably will encourage this caffeine addiction. So there's my self-justification.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Grab Bag of Manic Glee
I've been getting progressively more serious these past few weeks, huh? I should stop that. This is supposed to be a repository for trivial observations about society. Or mostly thoughts on TV and movies. Nothing serious. Here are some frivolous thoughts. TAKE THEM.
1. I'm moving floors in my company. Instead of only being surrounded by a few people, who could care less what I do or don't do with my time, I will be surrounded by lots of nosy people and my boss. She's pretty cool, but since everyone will be able to see everyone else's computers, I feel like I'm going to have to cut down on the internet time. Which really sucks, because I don't have enough real work to fill a normal day. Even a normal half-day. This will surely be what madness feels like.
2. This is creepy-sad: I can now tell the difference between the two writers of Go Fug Yourself. Heather and Jessica have very different styles of writing, and I'm starting to play a game with myself to see if I can tell which one wrote the post. FYI, Heather tends to write more flowery prose and uses longer references to soap operas and makes up elaborate plots to movies to describe the clothes; Jessica writes more like I do, i.e. more rambling with good/interesting diction coupled with occasional exasperated shouting in the form of RANDOM CAPITALIZATIONS. I officially need to find some other way to fill my time.
3. Oh, but I've been rereading the Harry Potters. This is good fun for the bus rides in the morning, since no blind people are raping each other. Not even in the last one, when Rowling could've really gone for it. I'm finishing Prisoner of Azkaban right now. Did y'all hear that the first trailer for The Half-Blood Prince will be attached to Prince Caspian? Anyone want to go?
4. Speaking of summer movies, is anyone else really excited? There are so many blockbusters/long-awaited sequels that I don't even know where to focus my attention anymore. First, shamefully, I'm really excited about Indiana Jones. I know he's like 400 years old now, and he won't even be fighting the Nazis in this, but I still want to see it. Karen Allen is coming back as Marion Ravenwood! I admit, I've been watching the old ones on TV recently, and that has been stirring up the excitement. Finally, I can see an Indiana Jones movie in the theaters! Also, coming up, X-Files: I Want to Believe in July. Awesome. I already mentioned Prince Caspian, for the Harry Potter trailer, but I'd like to see the actual movie as well. I'd still like to see Iron Man, but I'm not really feeling Speed Racer. Honestly, I think that movie will give at least one person a seizure. I can't even watch the trailer, which is why I didn't link to it. Sex and the City, eh, okay. Not exactly my thing, but I'd go see it out of curiosity, since I frequently watch the reruns before bed. Hancock also seems like it will be fun. So many movies, so few dollars. This is the real reason I need a boyfriend--to have someone to take me to movies. Yes, that is the main reason these days.
5. Oh, thank you everyone for your support of me during these dark times. A coworker just told me that she was proud of me for my first overdrawn account. I suppose it is quite the milestone. I'm like 2 seconds away from calling the IRS and demanding my government money, since I haven't gotten it yet. Is that pushy of me? At least I'm in the black again. Yikes.
6. Also, for those of you not in the know about my kitty, here's the dealio. Nubs, the cute chirpy gimp, got an infection in her, well, nub a few weeks ago. She was running a fever, couldn't walk well, and her stump hurt like hell. I took her to the emergency room, feeling like quite the negligent mother, and was informed about the state of her leg, while the vet seemed shocked that they didn't amputate the rest of the gimpy leg, since her trying to use it and its rubbing against surfaces caused the infection. I gave her the antibiotics for a week, and she felt much better. Now, she's doing fine, and her leg isn't giving her any more problems, but I have to look to the future. After consulting with Aimee, the original foster mother (who somehow feels responsible for Nubs' malady), it seems there are a few options. Amputation is the most extreme, and probably not even necessary. Nubs could have a prosthetic (bionic kitty!) or a skin graft to simulate a paw and be just fine. I think I'm just going to wait, and be mindful of the nub, because I can't afford any unnecessary expenses right about now. If she can still get on my bed, she's golden. Gus is fine for now (if a bit needy), and has not shown evidence of any sympathy pains.
7. There is no seven. I just wanted to end on a lucky number. Like those horcruxes, huh?
1. I'm moving floors in my company. Instead of only being surrounded by a few people, who could care less what I do or don't do with my time, I will be surrounded by lots of nosy people and my boss. She's pretty cool, but since everyone will be able to see everyone else's computers, I feel like I'm going to have to cut down on the internet time. Which really sucks, because I don't have enough real work to fill a normal day. Even a normal half-day. This will surely be what madness feels like.
2. This is creepy-sad: I can now tell the difference between the two writers of Go Fug Yourself. Heather and Jessica have very different styles of writing, and I'm starting to play a game with myself to see if I can tell which one wrote the post. FYI, Heather tends to write more flowery prose and uses longer references to soap operas and makes up elaborate plots to movies to describe the clothes; Jessica writes more like I do, i.e. more rambling with good/interesting diction coupled with occasional exasperated shouting in the form of RANDOM CAPITALIZATIONS. I officially need to find some other way to fill my time.
3. Oh, but I've been rereading the Harry Potters. This is good fun for the bus rides in the morning, since no blind people are raping each other. Not even in the last one, when Rowling could've really gone for it. I'm finishing Prisoner of Azkaban right now. Did y'all hear that the first trailer for The Half-Blood Prince will be attached to Prince Caspian? Anyone want to go?
4. Speaking of summer movies, is anyone else really excited? There are so many blockbusters/long-awaited sequels that I don't even know where to focus my attention anymore. First, shamefully, I'm really excited about Indiana Jones. I know he's like 400 years old now, and he won't even be fighting the Nazis in this, but I still want to see it. Karen Allen is coming back as Marion Ravenwood! I admit, I've been watching the old ones on TV recently, and that has been stirring up the excitement. Finally, I can see an Indiana Jones movie in the theaters! Also, coming up, X-Files: I Want to Believe in July. Awesome. I already mentioned Prince Caspian, for the Harry Potter trailer, but I'd like to see the actual movie as well. I'd still like to see Iron Man, but I'm not really feeling Speed Racer. Honestly, I think that movie will give at least one person a seizure. I can't even watch the trailer, which is why I didn't link to it. Sex and the City, eh, okay. Not exactly my thing, but I'd go see it out of curiosity, since I frequently watch the reruns before bed. Hancock also seems like it will be fun. So many movies, so few dollars. This is the real reason I need a boyfriend--to have someone to take me to movies. Yes, that is the main reason these days.
5. Oh, thank you everyone for your support of me during these dark times. A coworker just told me that she was proud of me for my first overdrawn account. I suppose it is quite the milestone. I'm like 2 seconds away from calling the IRS and demanding my government money, since I haven't gotten it yet. Is that pushy of me? At least I'm in the black again. Yikes.
6. Also, for those of you not in the know about my kitty, here's the dealio. Nubs, the cute chirpy gimp, got an infection in her, well, nub a few weeks ago. She was running a fever, couldn't walk well, and her stump hurt like hell. I took her to the emergency room, feeling like quite the negligent mother, and was informed about the state of her leg, while the vet seemed shocked that they didn't amputate the rest of the gimpy leg, since her trying to use it and its rubbing against surfaces caused the infection. I gave her the antibiotics for a week, and she felt much better. Now, she's doing fine, and her leg isn't giving her any more problems, but I have to look to the future. After consulting with Aimee, the original foster mother (who somehow feels responsible for Nubs' malady), it seems there are a few options. Amputation is the most extreme, and probably not even necessary. Nubs could have a prosthetic (bionic kitty!) or a skin graft to simulate a paw and be just fine. I think I'm just going to wait, and be mindful of the nub, because I can't afford any unnecessary expenses right about now. If she can still get on my bed, she's golden. Gus is fine for now (if a bit needy), and has not shown evidence of any sympathy pains.
7. There is no seven. I just wanted to end on a lucky number. Like those horcruxes, huh?
Thursday, May 8, 2008
So This is What it Feels Like
It finally happened. Turns out I should've been checking my Citibank account more diligently over the past couple of weeks. Cause I totally hit Defcon 1, like a week ago. All of the checks that I sent in were cashed at the exact same time, and the money that I had in my checking account has completely vanished. ALL OF IT.
I OVERDREW MY ACCOUNT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE YESTERDAY. I CURRENTLY HAVE NEGATIVE DOLLARS.
This is slightly terrifying. In my many years of mild poverty, I never let this happen before. There was always a cushion of money to protect me. I made sure of that. These past two weeks have been a little rough on my checkbook, what with Nubs and Bin 36 and a new computer cord, and a few other surprise purchases, which were crazy expensive. I'm afraid to look at my Mastercard, for fear of his terrible wrath. I am getting paid tomorrow, and the bulk of my bills have already been paid by now, but just barely. So I should be okay again soon. And that stimulus package should be coming very soon as well. Possibly tomorrow, if that Social Security Number schedule is right.
Still, this is very scary. This cannot happen again! I will be living more reasonably from now on, you can be sure of that. I'm actually going to cook for myself and take my own lunches in to work. I'm going to get that raise soon! So for now, I'll have to say no to Bin 36 and weekend frivolity. No more Icewine (sigh) and fancy coffees (SIGH).
Hold on, Nubs, for a little while longer! Please don't rest your stump on any surfaces that could inflame it. In fact, it may be better if you don't move at all. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR, KITTY?
Anyway, hopefully this will be better by tomorrow. Or else I may start selling my super-healthy, drug and smoke-free organs on the Black Market. What's the going rate for kidneys these days? Anybody have any mafia connections? I'm not really picky.
I OVERDREW MY ACCOUNT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE YESTERDAY. I CURRENTLY HAVE NEGATIVE DOLLARS.
This is slightly terrifying. In my many years of mild poverty, I never let this happen before. There was always a cushion of money to protect me. I made sure of that. These past two weeks have been a little rough on my checkbook, what with Nubs and Bin 36 and a new computer cord, and a few other surprise purchases, which were crazy expensive. I'm afraid to look at my Mastercard, for fear of his terrible wrath. I am getting paid tomorrow, and the bulk of my bills have already been paid by now, but just barely. So I should be okay again soon. And that stimulus package should be coming very soon as well. Possibly tomorrow, if that Social Security Number schedule is right.
Still, this is very scary. This cannot happen again! I will be living more reasonably from now on, you can be sure of that. I'm actually going to cook for myself and take my own lunches in to work. I'm going to get that raise soon! So for now, I'll have to say no to Bin 36 and weekend frivolity. No more Icewine (sigh) and fancy coffees (SIGH).
Hold on, Nubs, for a little while longer! Please don't rest your stump on any surfaces that could inflame it. In fact, it may be better if you don't move at all. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR, KITTY?
Anyway, hopefully this will be better by tomorrow. Or else I may start selling my super-healthy, drug and smoke-free organs on the Black Market. What's the going rate for kidneys these days? Anybody have any mafia connections? I'm not really picky.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Most Hipster Morning EVER
Apparently my cats don't want me to sleep in on Saturdays. Even more so than during the week. At 7 AM sharp, Gus decided it was time to play with my feet, which were incidentally not currently covered by my blanket. Ouch. Nubs was by my head, purring loudly and demanding attention. I know that she feels better now, because she's gotten back to running around and attacking Gus. Loudly.
When I finally dragged myself from the cozy wonderland that is my bed on a Saturday morning, I decided to go to Borders to buy Juno. I'm watching it right now--we're at the point where Mark and Juno get a little creepy. After that I went to Intelligentsia for a latte (best coffee ever!). By the way, other than the quality of coffee served, this is why Intelligentsia is a much better coffee shop than Starbucks.
In other news, my computer seems to be getting slower and slower and crotchetingly old-mannish. I should look into getting a new computer, but with all of my expenses recently, it'll be hard. I guess that's what my good ole government check will help with. Because seriously, it sucks.
Also, last night I was so excited because I wanted to watch Dexter on my computer, due to the awesomeness of Netflix. It turns out that my account has a mysterious hold on it, for no explicable reason. This is why they won't send me my movies, and apparently won't let me watch things online. I had to call, and got the most unhelpful lady ever, who had no idea why my account was on hold, and couldn't explain why nobody notified me until I tried to watch a show. Oh, and it should be fixed sometime next week. What's the point of having a 24 hour help line, if you can't fix problems until a week later? GOD. All I wanted to do was watch some entertaining TV show about a sympathetic serial killer played by Michael C Hall. Why are you screwing with me, universe? Juno's great and all, but I've seen it before.
Sorry if this wasn't entertaining; I just wanted to bitch. I'll try to think of a more interesting post for next time.
When I finally dragged myself from the cozy wonderland that is my bed on a Saturday morning, I decided to go to Borders to buy Juno. I'm watching it right now--we're at the point where Mark and Juno get a little creepy. After that I went to Intelligentsia for a latte (best coffee ever!). By the way, other than the quality of coffee served, this is why Intelligentsia is a much better coffee shop than Starbucks.
In other news, my computer seems to be getting slower and slower and crotchetingly old-mannish. I should look into getting a new computer, but with all of my expenses recently, it'll be hard. I guess that's what my good ole government check will help with. Because seriously, it sucks.
Also, last night I was so excited because I wanted to watch Dexter on my computer, due to the awesomeness of Netflix. It turns out that my account has a mysterious hold on it, for no explicable reason. This is why they won't send me my movies, and apparently won't let me watch things online. I had to call, and got the most unhelpful lady ever, who had no idea why my account was on hold, and couldn't explain why nobody notified me until I tried to watch a show. Oh, and it should be fixed sometime next week. What's the point of having a 24 hour help line, if you can't fix problems until a week later? GOD. All I wanted to do was watch some entertaining TV show about a sympathetic serial killer played by Michael C Hall. Why are you screwing with me, universe? Juno's great and all, but I've seen it before.
Sorry if this wasn't entertaining; I just wanted to bitch. I'll try to think of a more interesting post for next time.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Holy Crap, It's May? When Did That Happen?
Aah. Wow. Not cool. I can't believe I've been out of school for that long. I can't believe I've been working here that long. I need to quit. Like immediately. And tour the country in a broken down VW (remember that?) with my cats as my constant, unwavering companions. They won't judge the scraps we'll have to live on. Damn, that cat needs surgery! Maybe I'll kidnap a vet.
Okay, I've now slapped myself silly, and am now thinking logically. Really logically. LSAT logically. I'M GOING TO LAW SCHOOL AFTER ALL! I've decided--so it shall be. I should probably register for that test, eh? But it's nice to have my head on my shoulders again, and even if I decide not to become a lawyer, a law degree is an awful nice thing to have, plus it's a way to avoid the real world for another 3 years! MY QUARTER LIFE CRISIS HAS OFFICIALLY COME TO AN END! Well, for now. Don't you rain on my parade, brain!
I've also apparently developed some sort of psychosis. I blame the lack of coffee, since I haven't had a cup yet this morning. Can you believe that? I certainly can't.
In other news, how about that Top Chef? Even I have to admit that this season is much less exciting than previous seasons. I was much more into it last year. And, Stephanie, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER. I AM ROOTING FOR YOU. Please don't break my heart like Tre did. At least then I had Casey to fall back on. This season, I'm at a loss for what I'd do. Is it weird that I'm starting to like Dale, though? I guess I sympathize with his obvious Napoleon Complex and other height issues. Antonia seems okay too, I guess.
SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T WATCH TOP CHEF ON WEDNESDAYS ANYMORE. I DON'T BLAME YOU--THERE'S LITTLE POINT.
I guess last night's judging is proof that previous wins do matter. It was obvious that the judges were disgusted with Stephanie's dish. What did Padma call it? Repulsive? Some other word to that effect. Not that Padma's the most reliable judge on the panel, though. Lisa also won once before, for that controversial bacon. Mark was the only one who hadn't proved himself at that point. Goodbye, Kiwi. It was fun while it lasted. But I'm glad that Stephanie's still around. She just needs to pull it together, because she won't get too many more free passes. It was kind of fun seeing the chefs with kids. I was surprised that so many of them dealt with the kids well, and let them help quite a bit. I guess that's kind of cool. Can you imagine Hung having to deal with a child sous chef? Now, that would've been worth watching. Also, I just realized that the three on the top for the Quickfire were also on the top for the Elimination (With Antonia winning both), and the three on the bottom were on the bottom again for Elimination (With Mark going home). I don't think that's ever happened before. Cool.
Does anyone want to go to any of these Chicago restaurants that are mentioned in Top Chef? I wanted to go to Avec and Blackbird before, but now even more so. Also, Table 52? Could be fun.
Eh, what else? Oh, Nubs is better, for those of you that know her condition. It looks like it's healing, and she seems fine, if not a little uncomfortable. I need to call Aimee to discuss my options, which could be just as good as amputation.
Also, I finally broke down and got Netflix. Why do I think anyone other than me cares about this? WELL YOU SHOULD. I'm getting Dexter and I'm so excited about it. I've been wanting to watch it for quite some time, and the edited CBS version doesn't seem quite right. How can you edit a show about a serial killer, and make it CBS friendly, while retaining the core beliefs of the show? Honestly. CBS is the grandma network. Reminds me of the old MadTV spoof of the Sopranos being shown on PAX. Such a great sketch. Ooh, here it is: Sopranos on Pax. Remember PAX?
Anyway, gotta go, we have a priority or something. I'm trying to care, I swear.
Okay, I've now slapped myself silly, and am now thinking logically. Really logically. LSAT logically. I'M GOING TO LAW SCHOOL AFTER ALL! I've decided--so it shall be. I should probably register for that test, eh? But it's nice to have my head on my shoulders again, and even if I decide not to become a lawyer, a law degree is an awful nice thing to have, plus it's a way to avoid the real world for another 3 years! MY QUARTER LIFE CRISIS HAS OFFICIALLY COME TO AN END! Well, for now. Don't you rain on my parade, brain!
I've also apparently developed some sort of psychosis. I blame the lack of coffee, since I haven't had a cup yet this morning. Can you believe that? I certainly can't.
In other news, how about that Top Chef? Even I have to admit that this season is much less exciting than previous seasons. I was much more into it last year. And, Stephanie, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER. I AM ROOTING FOR YOU. Please don't break my heart like Tre did. At least then I had Casey to fall back on. This season, I'm at a loss for what I'd do. Is it weird that I'm starting to like Dale, though? I guess I sympathize with his obvious Napoleon Complex and other height issues. Antonia seems okay too, I guess.
SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T WATCH TOP CHEF ON WEDNESDAYS ANYMORE. I DON'T BLAME YOU--THERE'S LITTLE POINT.
I guess last night's judging is proof that previous wins do matter. It was obvious that the judges were disgusted with Stephanie's dish. What did Padma call it? Repulsive? Some other word to that effect. Not that Padma's the most reliable judge on the panel, though. Lisa also won once before, for that controversial bacon. Mark was the only one who hadn't proved himself at that point. Goodbye, Kiwi. It was fun while it lasted. But I'm glad that Stephanie's still around. She just needs to pull it together, because she won't get too many more free passes. It was kind of fun seeing the chefs with kids. I was surprised that so many of them dealt with the kids well, and let them help quite a bit. I guess that's kind of cool. Can you imagine Hung having to deal with a child sous chef? Now, that would've been worth watching. Also, I just realized that the three on the top for the Quickfire were also on the top for the Elimination (With Antonia winning both), and the three on the bottom were on the bottom again for Elimination (With Mark going home). I don't think that's ever happened before. Cool.
Does anyone want to go to any of these Chicago restaurants that are mentioned in Top Chef? I wanted to go to Avec and Blackbird before, but now even more so. Also, Table 52? Could be fun.
Eh, what else? Oh, Nubs is better, for those of you that know her condition. It looks like it's healing, and she seems fine, if not a little uncomfortable. I need to call Aimee to discuss my options, which could be just as good as amputation.
Also, I finally broke down and got Netflix. Why do I think anyone other than me cares about this? WELL YOU SHOULD. I'm getting Dexter and I'm so excited about it. I've been wanting to watch it for quite some time, and the edited CBS version doesn't seem quite right. How can you edit a show about a serial killer, and make it CBS friendly, while retaining the core beliefs of the show? Honestly. CBS is the grandma network. Reminds me of the old MadTV spoof of the Sopranos being shown on PAX. Such a great sketch. Ooh, here it is: Sopranos on Pax. Remember PAX?
Anyway, gotta go, we have a priority or something. I'm trying to care, I swear.
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