Maybe if I check in on my resolutions more often, I'll actually do them! Here's an update for January.
1. Find and apply for publishing jobs.
Yep. I have a second phone interview Saturday with an editor. It's not the most exciting position, but it's a publishing job.
2. Work out 150-160 minutes a week.
Yep. No missed weeks so far. I'm also doing more strength and toning.
3. Be more decisive.
Sort of. I'm trying. The less important the decision, the better I am.
4. Be more positive about my body image.
Doing all right. It comes and goes. I am trying to think more positively.
5. Try new things.
I haven't really attempted anything new, but I haven't had the opportunity to try anything either.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Lost is back!
Yay Lost!!!!! To catch up before the premiere I watched the last three episodes of last season and the clip show. They helped, but I still didn't remember a lot of stuff. I really wish I had a chance to watch Man Behind the Curtain, Cabin Fever, and The Constant again before seeing that episode.
Overall, I thought the premiere was great. It was intricate without being really confusing. Perhaps I've read too many sci-fi novels, but I picked up on the time traveling concepts quickly and without too much thought. I like that it clearly has rules and isn't too hokey. I especially like that they can't change the past since that concept has been done way too many times already. It also had a nice mix of action and character-driven scenes.
General Thoughts
* Is there a required amount of shirtlessness for each episode? Sawyer certainly filled that quota!
* Ben looks very dapper in the future and I actually found him a little attractive (which is disturbing). Michael Emerson has the most intense and expressive eyes. I wonder if he has colored contacts sometimes. It's nice to see Ben acting less unhinged and more focused. I also like seeing the softer side of Ben, even if he is only doing it to manipulate people. He seems different after Alex's death. A little more human.
* Everyone is more tolerable when they aren't with Jack (except Kate). I liked Juliet so much more in this episode. I wouldn't even mind if she and Sawyer got together eventually.
* Thank heavens that Jack shaved off the scary beard!
* Jorge Garcia rocked this episode. Great acting. Great Hot Pocket throwing. Great shirt.
* Love the strong possibility that time shifting will make Locke not dead anymore or at least still present in almost all the episodes.
* Why include the "we have to lie" scene at the beginning? It wasn't a great scene and the point seemed to be Hurley vowing not to help Sayid when he needed it. Then he helped Sayid when Sayid needed it.
* I want more of the Others! I also want to see the Temple.
* Really enjoying Daniel as a character. More Daniel! More Desmond! Less Jack and Kate!
Questions
* Why is Charlotte the only one with a bloody nose? Is she just the first or do all the others have constants? Maybe I'm not remembering the bloody nose syndrome rules well enough.
* Is Mrs. Hawking the boss of the Others or of Ben? It seemed like it.
* Will we see that past incidents in previous seasons were caused by time traveling Losties from the current season? Example, jungle whispers, Locke's weird leg paralysis near the plane with Boone right where he was shot in this episode.
* What about Walt? Why doesn't he have to come back?
Overall, I thought the premiere was great. It was intricate without being really confusing. Perhaps I've read too many sci-fi novels, but I picked up on the time traveling concepts quickly and without too much thought. I like that it clearly has rules and isn't too hokey. I especially like that they can't change the past since that concept has been done way too many times already. It also had a nice mix of action and character-driven scenes.
General Thoughts
* Is there a required amount of shirtlessness for each episode? Sawyer certainly filled that quota!
* Ben looks very dapper in the future and I actually found him a little attractive (which is disturbing). Michael Emerson has the most intense and expressive eyes. I wonder if he has colored contacts sometimes. It's nice to see Ben acting less unhinged and more focused. I also like seeing the softer side of Ben, even if he is only doing it to manipulate people. He seems different after Alex's death. A little more human.
* Everyone is more tolerable when they aren't with Jack (except Kate). I liked Juliet so much more in this episode. I wouldn't even mind if she and Sawyer got together eventually.
* Thank heavens that Jack shaved off the scary beard!
* Jorge Garcia rocked this episode. Great acting. Great Hot Pocket throwing. Great shirt.
* Love the strong possibility that time shifting will make Locke not dead anymore or at least still present in almost all the episodes.
* Why include the "we have to lie" scene at the beginning? It wasn't a great scene and the point seemed to be Hurley vowing not to help Sayid when he needed it. Then he helped Sayid when Sayid needed it.
* I want more of the Others! I also want to see the Temple.
* Really enjoying Daniel as a character. More Daniel! More Desmond! Less Jack and Kate!
Questions
* Why is Charlotte the only one with a bloody nose? Is she just the first or do all the others have constants? Maybe I'm not remembering the bloody nose syndrome rules well enough.
* Is Mrs. Hawking the boss of the Others or of Ben? It seemed like it.
* Will we see that past incidents in previous seasons were caused by time traveling Losties from the current season? Example, jungle whispers, Locke's weird leg paralysis near the plane with Boone right where he was shot in this episode.
* What about Walt? Why doesn't he have to come back?
Inauguration is hard to spell
I got to take a break from work to watch the inauguration when it was on. I didn't see the whole thing, but I did catch the swearing in, Obama's speech, and the benediction. It was nice to watch it with a big crowd of people. It made me feel more Amercian somehow.
Although I liked the speech, I wasn't as impressed by it as I thought I was going to be. I expected there to be much more cheering throughout despite the solemn tone. Perhaps everyone was just too cold. He was overly idealistic about certain things (No more bickering between parties? Sadly, there is no way that will happen!). It also incorporated too many religious quotes and references for my taste although I did appreciate the acknowledgment that there are many types of religions in America and some of us are "nonbelievers".
I know it's nothing new, but I really wish a President would actually show the separation of church and state by refraining to add a lot of Christian and God references to every speech. When your speech emphasizes finding human connections, I think incorporating one specific religion only alienates other groups.
On the other hand, I thought he did a good job keeping the tone fairly solemn, but not letting it become depressing. He recognized that the challenges facing our country won't be overcome easily or quickly, but he also was resolute and encouraging. I liked the line about reaching out a hand to countries who rule with closed fists if the countries will open their fist. It won't happen, but it was a nice metaphor and I am glad that he seems more willing to try diplomacy than Bush.
I also liked the idea that rich countries have to take more responsibility for the world.
Overall, I'm just glad that Bush is gone!
Although I liked the speech, I wasn't as impressed by it as I thought I was going to be. I expected there to be much more cheering throughout despite the solemn tone. Perhaps everyone was just too cold. He was overly idealistic about certain things (No more bickering between parties? Sadly, there is no way that will happen!). It also incorporated too many religious quotes and references for my taste although I did appreciate the acknowledgment that there are many types of religions in America and some of us are "nonbelievers".
I know it's nothing new, but I really wish a President would actually show the separation of church and state by refraining to add a lot of Christian and God references to every speech. When your speech emphasizes finding human connections, I think incorporating one specific religion only alienates other groups.
On the other hand, I thought he did a good job keeping the tone fairly solemn, but not letting it become depressing. He recognized that the challenges facing our country won't be overcome easily or quickly, but he also was resolute and encouraging. I liked the line about reaching out a hand to countries who rule with closed fists if the countries will open their fist. It won't happen, but it was a nice metaphor and I am glad that he seems more willing to try diplomacy than Bush.
I also liked the idea that rich countries have to take more responsibility for the world.
Overall, I'm just glad that Bush is gone!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Resolutions
I really should make writing in my blog more a resolution, but I consider that more of a goal. Here are my resolutions. I limited it to five in order to concentrate more on each one. They are not in any particular order.
1. Find and apply for publishing jobs. There haven't been many openings posted lately because of the economy and maybe the time of year, but I need to check more often and be less picky about where I apply.
2. Work out 150-160 minutes a week. One of my resolutions last year was to work out at least 4 days a week and I did do 30 minute workouts 4 days a week almost every week. Now I'm going to try to get up to the recommended amount of time (150-160) which will require me to either workout for 40 minutes on 4 days or 30 minutes on 5 days. It's totally possible as long as I don't make excuses and make it a routine.
3. Be more decisive. I'm going to try to just stick with my decisions about small choices instead of agonizing over them. For example, if I'm picking something to order at a restaurant, I'll just choose the first thing that appeals to me and not change my mind three times like usual.
4. Be more positive about my body image. I read in a magazine that if you said half the things you say to yourself (like my hair is so ugly today, I have no abs etc etc) to a friend, the friend would probably not agree with you. The friend would say "But you've lost weight!" or "You're exaggerating, you look really good in that shirt." Basically, you're supposed to be your own friend and think about things you like or feel good about instead of insulting yourself all the time.
5. Try new things. Nothing nuts, but I want to go new places, try new types of food, and generally be more open to doing something different than normal.
1. Find and apply for publishing jobs. There haven't been many openings posted lately because of the economy and maybe the time of year, but I need to check more often and be less picky about where I apply.
2. Work out 150-160 minutes a week. One of my resolutions last year was to work out at least 4 days a week and I did do 30 minute workouts 4 days a week almost every week. Now I'm going to try to get up to the recommended amount of time (150-160) which will require me to either workout for 40 minutes on 4 days or 30 minutes on 5 days. It's totally possible as long as I don't make excuses and make it a routine.
3. Be more decisive. I'm going to try to just stick with my decisions about small choices instead of agonizing over them. For example, if I'm picking something to order at a restaurant, I'll just choose the first thing that appeals to me and not change my mind three times like usual.
4. Be more positive about my body image. I read in a magazine that if you said half the things you say to yourself (like my hair is so ugly today, I have no abs etc etc) to a friend, the friend would probably not agree with you. The friend would say "But you've lost weight!" or "You're exaggerating, you look really good in that shirt." Basically, you're supposed to be your own friend and think about things you like or feel good about instead of insulting yourself all the time.
5. Try new things. Nothing nuts, but I want to go new places, try new types of food, and generally be more open to doing something different than normal.
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