You like that reference to Silver Linings?
Well, if it's me reading the signs, someone is trying to tell me something, and it's not looking pretty.
I almost got myself in a really bad wreck (thanks to icy roads) while driving to work Wednesday morning, I fell in the shower tonight and hurt myself pretty badly, and I'm losing a toenail.
So it looks like I'm an 80 year old in a 23-year-old's body. Seriously. It's not good.
Oh, and I can't sleep, either. Ever.
I'm just going to blame it on it being January. February is tomorrow, and that's even closer to summer, warm weather, and me getting my frail bones off the couch and exercising because it won't be -3 degrees outside.
On a completely different note, "Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins is such a good song - "She's seen her share of devils in this angel town." I think I would love it for that line alone. I'm also starting South of Broad by Pat Conroy but should probably hold off until the sun is shining or something. It's pretty dense and emotionally heavy for long winter nights.
I was pleasantly surprised by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, though. It's brilliant. When I saw it being compared to The Catcher in the Rye and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I was hesitant to read it. Both those books are so well-written, but they're depressing as hell. Thankfully, Curious Incident ended on a much better note and easily became one of my all-time favorites. It also got me out of my reading-sad-books rut. I wasn't doing it on purpose, but I'm glad that broke it up a little.
I also just bought "I Cry" by Flo Rida last weekend. What can I say? I'm an 80-year-old gangsta.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Movie Time!
The SAGs just ended, and if I compare my music award nominee picks against my movie award nominee picks, it seems I'd be much better off as a movie critic. I never pick the winners of the Grammys, American Music Awards or anything else, but I've done pretty darn well over the Golden Globes and the SAGs this year, I'd have to say.
Sean and I have 6 of 9 completed on our Oscar nominee list for this year, and we've also seen all 5 of the SAG's nominees for best cast.
Jennifer Lawrence was so incredibly real and showed so much range in Silver Linings Playbook. She was my pick, and so far she's 2 for 2 in Best Actress categories (or Best Female Actor, depending on how P.C. you wanna be, I guess). Not only is she an incredible actress, but she seems like such a cool, down-to-earth person. I'm genuinely glad to see her have so much success and hopefully a lot more in the future.
Daniel Day-Lewis blew my mind in Lincoln. If I ever imagined how Lincoln carried himself, Day-Lewis portrayed it damn near perfectly. And he won the Best Actor SAG and Golden Globe for it.
Finally, we saw two movies this weekend: Argo and Life of Pi.
Argo simply amazed me. I know I had low expectations going in because I saw one preview a while back, and it really just looked awful to me. It was probably one of the movies I was least excited about seeing, and on the walk out of the theater, it became my top pick (almost too close to call with Silver Linings and Les Mis, though).
It was such a perfect combination of history, suspense and dark humor, and it was so, so unique. Hours after seeing it, I was still gushing at how astonishingly good it was.
So, if you haven't seen it, it's definitely recommended!
Sean and I have 6 of 9 completed on our Oscar nominee list for this year, and we've also seen all 5 of the SAG's nominees for best cast.
Jennifer Lawrence was so incredibly real and showed so much range in Silver Linings Playbook. She was my pick, and so far she's 2 for 2 in Best Actress categories (or Best Female Actor, depending on how P.C. you wanna be, I guess). Not only is she an incredible actress, but she seems like such a cool, down-to-earth person. I'm genuinely glad to see her have so much success and hopefully a lot more in the future.
Daniel Day-Lewis blew my mind in Lincoln. If I ever imagined how Lincoln carried himself, Day-Lewis portrayed it damn near perfectly. And he won the Best Actor SAG and Golden Globe for it.
Finally, we saw two movies this weekend: Argo and Life of Pi.
Argo simply amazed me. I know I had low expectations going in because I saw one preview a while back, and it really just looked awful to me. It was probably one of the movies I was least excited about seeing, and on the walk out of the theater, it became my top pick (almost too close to call with Silver Linings and Les Mis, though).
It was such a perfect combination of history, suspense and dark humor, and it was so, so unique. Hours after seeing it, I was still gushing at how astonishingly good it was.
So, if you haven't seen it, it's definitely recommended!
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Stars
I've been searching so long for a song I can feel.
When I was in the process of growing my music collection (thanks to a lot of help from my friends), it was almost a daily occurrence. And those songs still mean so much to me, but just as with any collection, it's an indescribable feeling to find something new to add to the things you already love.
For me, this new piece of my collection is "Stars" by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.
I first heard it on the most recent season of The Voice when Amanda Brown ripped it apart. She was incredible, and I was singing the song for days. I was attached to her version, so when I originally listened to Grace Potter's version, I wasn't thrilled with it, and it slipped off my radar. Then, tonight, as I was sitting through the torture that is the audition rounds of American Idol, it popped up as a background song, and there I was belting out the chorus about 23 times in a row.
So, I gave Grace another chance, thank goodness. I wasn't disappointed.
It's a song that instantly finds a way to attach itself to your life and the ones that you've loved. It's such a beautiful expression of her loss, a piece of art for her departed that we're able to experience.
Here's the video, but I'd recommend just listening to the song first.
Who knew something so great would pop up on episodes of reality singing competitions?
Bonus: I'm also obsessed with "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. Give it a listen.
When I was in the process of growing my music collection (thanks to a lot of help from my friends), it was almost a daily occurrence. And those songs still mean so much to me, but just as with any collection, it's an indescribable feeling to find something new to add to the things you already love.
For me, this new piece of my collection is "Stars" by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.
I first heard it on the most recent season of The Voice when Amanda Brown ripped it apart. She was incredible, and I was singing the song for days. I was attached to her version, so when I originally listened to Grace Potter's version, I wasn't thrilled with it, and it slipped off my radar. Then, tonight, as I was sitting through the torture that is the audition rounds of American Idol, it popped up as a background song, and there I was belting out the chorus about 23 times in a row.
So, I gave Grace another chance, thank goodness. I wasn't disappointed.
It's a song that instantly finds a way to attach itself to your life and the ones that you've loved. It's such a beautiful expression of her loss, a piece of art for her departed that we're able to experience.
Here's the video, but I'd recommend just listening to the song first.
Who knew something so great would pop up on episodes of reality singing competitions?
Bonus: I'm also obsessed with "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. Give it a listen.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Goodbye, Christmas
So, I'm a little slow on moving Christmas back to the basement. There's just something about the soft glow of Christmas tree lights in the evenings that I find so comforting. I absolutely hate voluntarily taking it away. But seeing as it is January 23, I figured it was about time. We'd get pretty weird looks if we have visitors over any time soon.
I heard "A Long December" this morning and thought about the different incarnations it has taken throughout my life. It has morphed to the moment on more occasions than I can count, but it is still and has always been a beautiful piece of art.
Recently, I've just been bogged down by the winter. I'm groggy, cranky, lazy, tired, unmotivated and just generally not the self I like to be. In fact, I almost considered moving to Arizona (and if you know anything about me, that's damn near the last place I'd want to move, given any amount of choices). I miss sunshine, shorts and swimming pools. But mostly, I just miss taking long walks in the warm weather with no destination in particular, spending time enjoying the beautiful city in which I live.
When it gets dark outside at 5:30, I feel like I need to be in bed at 6. And that's just no fun.
Anyway, Sean and I are planning on crossing off two more from our Oscar nominee list this weekend - Argo and Life of Pi. And I'm going out with friends after work on Friday for tapas. Definitely a few things to look forward to!
I heard "A Long December" this morning and thought about the different incarnations it has taken throughout my life. It has morphed to the moment on more occasions than I can count, but it is still and has always been a beautiful piece of art.
Recently, I've just been bogged down by the winter. I'm groggy, cranky, lazy, tired, unmotivated and just generally not the self I like to be. In fact, I almost considered moving to Arizona (and if you know anything about me, that's damn near the last place I'd want to move, given any amount of choices). I miss sunshine, shorts and swimming pools. But mostly, I just miss taking long walks in the warm weather with no destination in particular, spending time enjoying the beautiful city in which I live.
When it gets dark outside at 5:30, I feel like I need to be in bed at 6. And that's just no fun.
Anyway, Sean and I are planning on crossing off two more from our Oscar nominee list this weekend - Argo and Life of Pi. And I'm going out with friends after work on Friday for tapas. Definitely a few things to look forward to!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Being Human
"Being human always points, and is directed, to something or someone, other than oneself -- be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself -- by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love -- the more human he is." -Viktor Frankl
I was reading this article and just found that quote so poetic and beautiful.
At the moment, I'd say I'm pretty happy. The happiest I've ever been for any extended period of time. But then I realize, when I wasn't happy, I was searching for meaning. I'm still searching for meaning, and that's the one piece that has still been causing me a bit of discontent.
The happiness and meaning in my life are melding into one, I think. In a selfish way, I've been able to get many of the things I need and want, and in an unselfish way, a large chunk of my life is spent serving - tying tennis shoe laces, helping to spell words, teaching reading and new vocabulary words, helping to make sense of math problems. All that takes you outside of yourself.
It's incredibly rewarding and incredibly difficult.
And I have to admit, I feel frustrated when people ask me if I want to pursue a teaching degree and I bumble through some ridiculous but truthful answer, always ending at the same point: I don't know.
Money is certainly an issue. The permanence of a teaching degree is scary. I love what I do, but I just don't know if I want to lock myself into it for the rest of my life.
Mainly, I think I'm spastic in my interests. They're wide and varied, and the thought of being stuck in one certain career or one certain place for the rest of my life makes me more than a little anxious. I know that there are many things I like to do and many places I'd like to go, and I don't want to voluntarily lock myself into something when there's always the possibility for something more...some new experience or challenge.
I don't want to stagnate.
So, in that thought process, that's basically where I am now. I still have so much more thinking to do.
On the lighter side, we've done an awesome job of catching some Oscar-nominated movies lately - 4 of 9 of the Best Picture category - Lincoln, Les Misérables, Zero Dark Thirty, and Silver Linings Playbook.
My take on them?
I'm always in the minority when I say that I really wasn't that crazy about Lincoln. Not that it wasn't a good movie because it was. But when I saw and heard the title Lincoln, I was expecting a movie that encompassed more of his life, not just his work on the 13th Amendment. So, I was a bit disappointed when that was the center of the whole movie.
On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised with Les Misérables. I had only seen the live musical once, and I couldn't follow it AT ALL. I was ready to leave at intermission. But I figured that if it was in movie form (and with such great actors!), there was a chance I'd be able to follow it better. I'll be honest. I was skeptical, still, and wasn't sure what I was in for. If it had been poorly done, there would be no way on earth I could sit through 2+ hours of everything being sung. But I found it fascinating, and I really was on the edge of my seat through most of it. Anne Hathaway? Incredible. Hugh Jackman? Mind blowing. The whole cast was just phenomenal, and I left feeling like I had definitely gotten my 7 bucks worth.
We saw two movies last Saturday, and luckily we watched Zero Dark Thirty at 11 a.m. I don't think I would want to end my day with that film being the last thing in my head. Overall, I'd say it was definitely a good film. The acting was great, and it was suspenseful mostly throughout, but I did find myself wondering (more than a couple times) when the end would come. During one of the torture scenes, I was less than a minute away from having to get up and leave. It made me feel physically ill. However, I think it was important that they included those scenes to be truthful to the story. It was just a little much for me. And I was disappointed with the ending (the following few sentences contain a spoiler alert!!). When we left the theater, I just found myself angry with the ending - the lead female actress crying. How stereotypical, that a female would cry at the end. I kept asking Sean, "Why couldn't she fist bump and crack open a beer with the guys? Why couldn't she be a hardass like the dudes?" And I understand why they had her cry, because the mission she spent 12+ years on was over. I get it. But if it were a lead male character, do you think they'd end the movie with him crying?
Lastly, and probably my overall favorite, Silver Linings Playbook. I have a MAJOR girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence, so I was already partial to it before even seeing it, but I was not disappointed. It just had a grittiness and truth about it that I loved. And even though I had a good idea of how it might end, it still kept me guessing until the ending finally came. It was such a funny, sweet, and at the same time somewhat dark movie, and that's my thing. So BAM! Silver Linings Playbook gets my vote, for what it's worth.
In other news, I've been reading like a fiend lately, but I haven't read anything that's become a new favorite. I've been through Gone with the Wind, Slaughterhouse Five, Henderson the Rain King, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and a re-read of The Great Gatsby. They're all sad. I need something that's going to make me feel a little bit better about life. I'm currently reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (which I've been wanting to read for years), and I love it so far, so we'll see how it turns out...
I was reading this article and just found that quote so poetic and beautiful.
At the moment, I'd say I'm pretty happy. The happiest I've ever been for any extended period of time. But then I realize, when I wasn't happy, I was searching for meaning. I'm still searching for meaning, and that's the one piece that has still been causing me a bit of discontent.
The happiness and meaning in my life are melding into one, I think. In a selfish way, I've been able to get many of the things I need and want, and in an unselfish way, a large chunk of my life is spent serving - tying tennis shoe laces, helping to spell words, teaching reading and new vocabulary words, helping to make sense of math problems. All that takes you outside of yourself.
It's incredibly rewarding and incredibly difficult.
And I have to admit, I feel frustrated when people ask me if I want to pursue a teaching degree and I bumble through some ridiculous but truthful answer, always ending at the same point: I don't know.
Money is certainly an issue. The permanence of a teaching degree is scary. I love what I do, but I just don't know if I want to lock myself into it for the rest of my life.
Mainly, I think I'm spastic in my interests. They're wide and varied, and the thought of being stuck in one certain career or one certain place for the rest of my life makes me more than a little anxious. I know that there are many things I like to do and many places I'd like to go, and I don't want to voluntarily lock myself into something when there's always the possibility for something more...some new experience or challenge.
I don't want to stagnate.
So, in that thought process, that's basically where I am now. I still have so much more thinking to do.
On the lighter side, we've done an awesome job of catching some Oscar-nominated movies lately - 4 of 9 of the Best Picture category - Lincoln, Les Misérables, Zero Dark Thirty, and Silver Linings Playbook.
My take on them?
I'm always in the minority when I say that I really wasn't that crazy about Lincoln. Not that it wasn't a good movie because it was. But when I saw and heard the title Lincoln, I was expecting a movie that encompassed more of his life, not just his work on the 13th Amendment. So, I was a bit disappointed when that was the center of the whole movie.
On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised with Les Misérables. I had only seen the live musical once, and I couldn't follow it AT ALL. I was ready to leave at intermission. But I figured that if it was in movie form (and with such great actors!), there was a chance I'd be able to follow it better. I'll be honest. I was skeptical, still, and wasn't sure what I was in for. If it had been poorly done, there would be no way on earth I could sit through 2+ hours of everything being sung. But I found it fascinating, and I really was on the edge of my seat through most of it. Anne Hathaway? Incredible. Hugh Jackman? Mind blowing. The whole cast was just phenomenal, and I left feeling like I had definitely gotten my 7 bucks worth.
We saw two movies last Saturday, and luckily we watched Zero Dark Thirty at 11 a.m. I don't think I would want to end my day with that film being the last thing in my head. Overall, I'd say it was definitely a good film. The acting was great, and it was suspenseful mostly throughout, but I did find myself wondering (more than a couple times) when the end would come. During one of the torture scenes, I was less than a minute away from having to get up and leave. It made me feel physically ill. However, I think it was important that they included those scenes to be truthful to the story. It was just a little much for me. And I was disappointed with the ending (the following few sentences contain a spoiler alert!!). When we left the theater, I just found myself angry with the ending - the lead female actress crying. How stereotypical, that a female would cry at the end. I kept asking Sean, "Why couldn't she fist bump and crack open a beer with the guys? Why couldn't she be a hardass like the dudes?" And I understand why they had her cry, because the mission she spent 12+ years on was over. I get it. But if it were a lead male character, do you think they'd end the movie with him crying?
Lastly, and probably my overall favorite, Silver Linings Playbook. I have a MAJOR girl crush on Jennifer Lawrence, so I was already partial to it before even seeing it, but I was not disappointed. It just had a grittiness and truth about it that I loved. And even though I had a good idea of how it might end, it still kept me guessing until the ending finally came. It was such a funny, sweet, and at the same time somewhat dark movie, and that's my thing. So BAM! Silver Linings Playbook gets my vote, for what it's worth.
In other news, I've been reading like a fiend lately, but I haven't read anything that's become a new favorite. I've been through Gone with the Wind, Slaughterhouse Five, Henderson the Rain King, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and a re-read of The Great Gatsby. They're all sad. I need something that's going to make me feel a little bit better about life. I'm currently reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (which I've been wanting to read for years), and I love it so far, so we'll see how it turns out...
Monday, January 14, 2013
It's time for me to get back to writing. Just like certain things I love in my life, my writing has taken a backseat when things get crazy. Hopefully, I can change that.
For tonight, just a quick thought:
I'm so thankful for the people that have come into my life just when I needed them. I've gotta give thanks to the Big Man Upstairs because I know it's more than just happy chance or coincidence. Some of the most important people in my life showed up just when I needed them or re-entered my life at the perfect moment.
Pretty cool, if you ask me.
For tonight, just a quick thought:
I'm so thankful for the people that have come into my life just when I needed them. I've gotta give thanks to the Big Man Upstairs because I know it's more than just happy chance or coincidence. Some of the most important people in my life showed up just when I needed them or re-entered my life at the perfect moment.
Pretty cool, if you ask me.