Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Actual NYE Plans!

For the first time in what feels like eons, I have plans for New Years Eve! No more sitting alone watching the ball drop while I sip champagne alone - awesome. I am seeing Ryan MontBleu here. Stage freaking One, people! The seating chart looks awesome. A bunch of my friends and I are crashing here. This plan only came together last week and I love that I can still pick up and go when I please. Also, I had never heard of Ryan Montbleu but when good people like music, it's usually good music!

Over the years, I have debated back and forth whether I am spontaneous or not. I have decided that I can be spontaneous if there's some kind of idea what I'm doing. Is that an oxymoron? You have to understand that I grew up in a family where I could never be spontaneous and usually got punished for trying to be more relaxed. I could not have friends over unless I got the okay from both parents beforehand. I would not be picked up unless I was already standing outside ready. I had to pick a time to complete my chores Sunday. So, planning and being very rigid = pain and misery in my experience. But that has trained me today in my life. Usually, I try to be 180 degrees opposite no matter how uncomfortable it makes me because God forbid that I allow my upbringing to turn me into a humorless shrew! I do sincerely love drop by visits and will pick anyone up anytime they roughly estimate that they're ready. I can go days without doing the dishes but I hit a day (usually Sunday) when I get so distracted by the dirty dishes that I set a time to clean them. I still do only call for pickups when I am ready and outside though... Baby steps, right?

Sunday, December 27, 2009

I'm Turning into One of Those People

I was at the local Stop and Shop today where I had a checkout clerk who looked like standing in front of the register was sheer torture. He basically did not do his job at all. So I felt compelled to say, "You are really lucky to have this job considering how many people out there are hurting." I also wished him a happy new year.

I'm sorry if your job is cramping your style and not what you want to do with your life but for Christ's sake, you are bringing in a paycheck unlike millions out there! If the job is so painful, just quit and let some honest hardworking person be employed - asshole...

Thursday, December 24, 2009

It's the End of the Year and I Love Lists

I don't know if it's because I'm a type A gal or that I have anxiety issues but there is something so soothing about making lists. And there is something incredibly satisfying about checking off stuff on lists. Since this is almost the end of the first decade of the 21st century, I feel obligated to make top 10 lists.

Top 10 Movies of the Decade
1) Donnie Darko - this hasn't budged from my top 10 ever since I first saw it. It's touching, creepy, funny, and depressing combined so it kicks ass.
2) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - the absolute best romance movie ever. Plus, Jim Carrey is phenomenal.
3) The Lord of the Rings - I'm cheating a bit for making 3 movies share one slot.
4) I Heart Huckabees - I know a lot of people thought this movie was pretentious and awful but it is very subversive and wicked. Therein lies the comedy.
5) Man on Wire - this documentary is totally amazing and inspiring. Also, it was really touching to see how much the WTC meant to one man and then it hurts to realize what all of us have lost.
6) The New World - if you could make a movie from a poem, Terence Malick would be the director. Simply gorgeous and amazing perfomances all around.
7) Gangs of New York - an awesome history lesson wrapped in a sweeping drama.
8) Slumdog Millionaire - I did not know the answer to the Three Musketeer question so I was dying from suspense. Every actor from the little kids to the adult leads were perfection.
9) The Dark Knight - If you ignore the guy in the bat suit and the explosions, this is still an awesome movie. That is why it makes the list - it's great as an action flick and a drama. Also, I was completely on edge/uneasy with every Joker scene. He personified chaos completely.
10) Walk the Line - it made me laugh and cry. It was better than Cats (with better music). Loved the music, Reese and Joaquin were perfect.

Top 10 Books of the Decade
These are the top books I read this decade - not published.

1) Assassination Vacation I lent this book to someone and haven't gotten it back. So friends, please check your libraries and return my book. Thanks!
2) The Fourth Turning I read this way back in 2002 so back then I understood the whole Gen X/ Y thing with helicopter parents. Thank you world for catching up!
3) Mother Tongue a very cool history of the English language
4) Harry Potter series I loved the magic and the anticipation. I'm sad that it's all over.
5) French Women Don't Get Fat Lots of great recipes and ideas on eating healthy
6)The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way in the New Century This book helped me kick ass in my economics course and I got to say I told you so a lot lately.
7) Death Dance Since I love New York City and am a history nerd who eats crime procedurals this book was an excellent entry point to an entire series. Seriously, you can only guess the murderer in the last 2 chapters!
8) Band of Brothers As a history major, I needed to throw in a book on WWII. This is one of the better ones since it's more stories than dry stats and facts.
9) The Crying of Lot 49 This book made me so paranoid that I loved it. The pacing, the lingo, and mystery are all superb.
10) Getting the Love You Want this is a tough book but it does help you look at your life and assess patterns. Also, whoever I lent this to, please give it back!

Top 10 Albums of the Decade
Music tastes need no explanation

1) Guero by Beck
2) Parachutes by Coldplay
3) Come Away with Me by Norah Jones
4) Hello Starling by Josh Ritter
5) Fame by Lady Gaga
6) I am Sasha Fierce by Beyonce
7) Fever Ray by Fever Ray
8) Oh, Inverted World by the Shins
9) Hail to the Thief by Radiohead
10) Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

Top 10 TV shows of the Decade
1) Lost I'm now on the bandwagon now that I see that they have an endgame.
2) Buffy the Vampire Slayer this show made Tuesday nights so much fun then made me laugh, cry, and gasp. Also, vampires didn't shimmer.
3) Six Feet Under Great acting combined with great writing and HBO. What more could you ask for?
4) Battlestar Galactica The series finale sucked but wow it was so much fun getting there. This show made me proud to be a sci-fi nerd.
5) Dexter a serial killer who kills bad guys and is hot and funny. Sign me up! Season 3 was the best yet and I can't wait for 4.
6) Arrested Development hysterically funny, quotable, and mean. If you'd like to see the comedy beginnings of Michael Cera and Will Arnett, check this out. Plus, Jason Bateman is yummy.
7) How I Met Your Mother All the characters are so identifiable and funny. I can see bits of myself in each of them. I love riding along for the laughs. Also, Neil Patrick Harris is a comedy God.
8) Glee I was a gleek in high school so there is nothing but love for this show. The political machinations behind the scenes are very true to life. I imagined myself to be a Rachel Berry in high school but I was more like a Mercedes/Tina.
9) Burn Notice has anyone compiled a book of Michael Weston's spy tips? If someone has, I will buy that book! Lots of action, suspense, laughs, and drama. Plus, supporting a local boy, Jeffrey Donovan
10) Leverage - I just love modern day Robin Hoods/vigilantes (see #5). I also love great ensemble casts. Additionally, Timothy Hutton is still hot.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Happy Hanukkah!


I'm all done with my Xmas shopping. How about you? I also picked up menorah candles at CVS that were a complete gyp. They last an hour until melting down to the nub which is kinda the exact opposite of why Hanukkah is celebrated. It's the $5.99 box of blue and white candles at CVS on their token Jew end-cap. Don't buy them!

Work has been going really well. We have a new hire who started last month so I'm not the new kid of the block anymore. Plus, since we have a newbie, I'm being assigned new projects/jobs! In general, I really like the people I work with. The only two speed bumps are my boss and one co-worker. This past week, I had an awesome realization - that if I don't get defensive and/or take my ego out of the situation, dealing with my boss is so much easier. Most of the time when I instinctively feel like she's talking down to me, she's just reasoning things out aloud for herself. And she messes up like normal humans too! Granted I felt like I had taken a crazy pill before I realized, "Wow, boss lady is SO WRONG!" The other co-worker is just a hurdle work-ethic wise. He's incredibly lazy, a slow learner, and is a bit clueless about office politics. One morning I was trying to update a database that someone had left open on their computer while they went to a meeting. Sir Clueless suggested that I just over to this other workers cubicle and pull the power cord on his computer. Scary, no?

Health-wise, I've lost over 5lbs since Thanksgiving just through watching what I eat and cutting out the crap. I also think the prenatal vitamins are finally having an effect on my hair. Woohoo! Additionally, I discovered spray nasal decongestant and it is phenomnenal.

Friday, December 04, 2009