The cogitations of a girl

Simple Holidays

2009-12-09T13:12:00.001-05:00

Looks like the holidays are going to be pretty quiet for me this year. Bo and I both have to work, so we can't travel to see our families. We're staying at home, but we don't really have the extra money to spend on celebrating the holiday. I don't even think we are going to get each other presents this year. We will have some presents to open, since family will be shipping us gifts, but I'm not expecting a lot. It has been a tough year all around.

I'm not really that disappointed, though. I don't mind that our Christmas will be simple and quiet. Of course, I'll miss my family and having lots of presents is always fun, but that isn't what is most important. Bo and I will be together for the holiday and that is the most important thing.

I feel like I am in the minority when I say that. I see all these advertisements for stuff to buy and sales to buy it cheap. Today, there was a story on NPR about people begging online for gifts or money to buy gifts for their kids. Gifts, not food or other essentials. When did gifts become essential to making Christmas special? How did we get to the point that "kids deserve presents" during the holiday season, as one of the people interviewed for the story said. And just to be clear, these people who were begging wanted money to get good gifts for their kids. Apparently, simple or small gifts don't cut it. I've had a tough year. I've worked hard and cut back to make ends meet, but I don't feel like I deserve presents. I'm just happy that I can put food on the table and maybe make something extra special for Christmas dinner. Granted, there are probably people out there who are in a worse situation and maybe the people interviewed for the NPR story are genuinely struggling. If that is the case, why are they begging for gifts? Why not food, clothes or something else along those lines.

I miss simple holidays. Does that make me a Scrooge?

Tis the season

2009-11-13T11:41:00.001-05:00

So the holidays are starting to creep up on us once again. And, once again, I'm kinda annoyed at how quickly the "Christmas Season" has started. The day after Halloween, my local Publix shopping plaza was already decorated. My place of work has already decorated and they started playing Christmas music this week. *sigh*

What makes it all worse is that if I say anything about how I don't like this early, early start to the season, people automatically jump to the conclusion that I don't like Christmas. I went it to work yesterday and heard the Christmas music playing. I sigh and said, to no one in particular, "Chirstmas music already? Geez..." A co-worker overheard me, turned and replied in an offended tone, "What's wrong with it? Don't you like Christmas?" Before I could explain, he huffed and walked away.

I don't hate Christmas. In fact, I love it. But Christmas is special because it is brief and rare. I feel like having Christmas last for two months just dilutes it. Why make the time to celebrate the season when it is going to be going on for so long? Maybe that's just me...

Babysitting

2009-10-09T15:34:00.002-04:00

This morning, I took care of a 6 week old baby while her mom went to a job interview. The baby is such a sweet little girl and everything went really well, but her mom was very nervous. I didn't realize until after she got back...apparently, this is the first time Mom has let someone else take care of baby. I'm the little one's first babysitter! I thought that was kinda neat.

I've been enjoying visiting with the new mom and dad, but it really has driven home the fact that I am not ready to have kids anytime soon. Not that I don't like them. I adore this little girls. She is so sweet and I can handle all the messy details of caring for her. That's why I offered to babysit.

No, the real lesson I've taken away from all this is the level of commitment required to care for a baby. These parents have rearranged their lives for her and every waking moment, it seems, they are caring for her. (Of course, she is their first, so they might be going overboard just a little.) I'm not ready to turn my life upside down like that. Yes, I'm happily married and will probably have kids....eventually. I have too much to do and see before getting tied down like that.

My Husband is a Rock Star

2009-10-06T11:49:00.002-04:00

Sunday night was the first show for Bo's new band, Jump Radar. As with all first shows, there were some kinks that needed to be worked out, but on the whole, they did a fantastic job. The crowd was great and I heard lots and lots of people saying how much they liked it afterwards. A couple of people were surprised that it was their first show, since they were pretty tight throughout the set.

It was a lot of fun to see Bo up on stage in front of a band again. Watching him, I can see how much he loves it, how much fun he's having. Of course, I had lots of fun, too. I stood right next to the stage and jumped around, singing along to almost all their songs.

I can't wait until their next show.

Finally!

2009-09-30T10:44:00.001-04:00

Seems like the weather has finally decided to cool off a little here. It has been so hot lately that you would think we were still in the middle of summer, instead of October being right around the corner. I know I live in Florida and I know it is hot here, but I think I can safely say that it has been unseasonably hot for the past few weeks.

I was so happy this morning when I realized it was cool enough outside that I could open up the windows for awhile. It also made the cats very happy and they have spent the morning dashing from one window to the other to look out and feel the cool breeze on their faces.

In other news, there really isn't any news. Still putting out applications and keeping my fingers crossed. Bo's first show with his band is this weekend, so we are both getting excited about that! And that's all I really have this morning.

Streamlining

2009-09-24T12:29:00.001-04:00

So, I've added a gadget to my iGoogle page which allows me to post directly to this blog. Hopefully, that will help me make posts more often since I have my iGoogle page open almost anytime I am online. Part of my problem with making blog entries is that I just don't go to the Blogger main page. I don't think about it that often. If I am offline and think of something to say, I usually forget about it or get distracted by something else when I sign in. So, we'll see how this works.

One year later

2009-09-09T19:50:00.002-04:00

So, it has been almost a year since my last post....and what a year it has been. So much and so little has happened and it has been a very frustrating time for me. That's probably one of the reasons that I haven't posted anything. I haven't been very keen on reflecting on my life lately.

Just a quick update for now, with more to come later.

I finished my Master's degree and graduated in May. It was rather stressful towards the end, but everything turned out just fine. My defense went surprisingly well, though I got a last minute shock when my advisor requested that I re-write a couple sections and add some more info. He had been away on leave during most of my writing phase and he felt my thesis needed to go in a slightly different direction. So, with all that, I ended up delaying my graduation to finish my thesis.

Though I was finishing up the thesis, I started looking for work in December. No luck yet...though I've gotten close a few times. That's the main reason for my frustration. I had hoped to have a job by this point, but it seems the odds are stacked against me. Thankfully, I have landed a part-time job and that has been a big help paying the bills. I don't know how long it will last and I keep hoping that I'll find a permanent position in a museum soon.

I try to keep my hopes up, but sometimes there just isn't much to be hopeful about. Little things do keep me going, but they are coming few and far between. Wish me luck.

Another quiz...with a pretty picture!

2009-06-09T23:56:00.003-04:00

What type of Fae are you?

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:26:00.006-04:00

And now for your viewing pleasure....

Halloween LolCats!!

Fun with religion and politics

2008-10-30T15:16:00.001-04:00

Election day is creeping closer and closer and I guess some people are just getting really desperate to influence voters.

Today, there were 2 different evangelists on campus. And these guys were making it clear that they didn't plan this. It was, to quote one of them, "a divine sign that God really wanted preachers here to spread the word today." Although, I've never heard of anyone converting college students by yelling at them. Usually, they just yell right back. And today was no exception.

Of course, their true purpose today was to influence the powerful young vote represented by students on a college campus. Mixed-in with their typical speeches about the evils of abortion, gay marriage, drugs, etc., the preachers are encouraging people to "Vote for Life" or "Vote for God" by voting McCain/Palin.

I stopped and listened for awhile. I was saddened by how much fear and anger their were inserting into their rhetoric. They referred to "Barack Hussein Obama" and brandished a Koran, calling it "the book of evil and death." Its nothing new...I've been hearing this for the past few weeks in the news and such. It just disturbed me even more to see it in person. I'm very troubled by the lies that have been perpetuated throughout this election season, mostly from the religious right. Now, I'm not a practicing Christian, but I was raised with Christian ideals and this just seems so very wrong to me. Christianity is supposedly a religion of peace, forgiveness and understanding. How can these Christians spread such hatred and anger? They are doing the exact same thing they claim Islam does. Even if I wasn't an Obama supporter, I'd still be upset. I'm also worried about what is going to happen to this country the day after the election. There are going to be a lot of people out there who are disappointed and angry, no matter who wins. I just hope we can all retain our common sense.

Election

2008-10-25T12:44:00.001-04:00

The day is getting so close, and I can't help but be nervous. All these ridiculous stunts and accusations flying fast and furious are getting annoying. Yes, the RNC spent way to much money on Palin's wardrobe, Obama is visiting his ailing grandmother, and a mentally ill McCain volunteer faked a politically motivated attack. Why is it that people care about such fluff news where there are more serious issues out there?

I'm not saying that these news stories aren't important. People do have a right to know what is going on in this election and what kind of people the candidates are. These stories are providing information that the general population should know. My problem is that these stories are taking precedence over more important issues. Instead of learning more about the campaign's economic policies, foreign policity, plans for the future, potential cabinet members or other such important news, all I see in the daily headlines is more and more minor news.

Maybe we're just so close to the election that the general population has already heard all the talking points, so they aren't news any more. I disagree and would love to hear more, but I guess I'm in the minority. Regardless, I have made up my mind and I have already cast my vote thanks to the early voting laws in Florida. After considering the issues and doing research on my own, I'm proud to say that I voted for Barack Obama and Joe Biden yesterday. Now I just have to wait and hope.

Autumn

2008-10-22T21:30:00.001-04:00

Yay! Fall has finally come to Florida!!

I can actually turn off my air conditioner and open the windows. I can walk to the bus stop without being drenched in sweat by the time I get there. I realize that I live in Florida and the head is inevitable, but it stays hot for so long!! And all too soon it will be getting hot again. So, for now, I'm going to enjoy this reprieve!

Homepage

2008-10-13T21:25:00.002-04:00

I'm talking a class called Internet Communications this semester. I've really been enjoying it, especially because the professor really emphasizes actual web design. For the class, we have two projects that require us to create web pages.

For our first project, we had to design and write all the code for a personal website. Using HTML and CSS coding and doing my own image editing in Photoshop, I created a five page website. I would have preferred to feature other things besides "Hobbies" and "Travel" but those were required by my professor. Still, I'm proud of my site.

Check it out:
http://plaza.ufl.edu/ekeegstr/mmc3260/index.html

Stuck inside

2008-10-13T15:04:00.002-04:00

It looks like such a beautiful day, but I'm stuck inside at a job that I really, really don't like.

As I've mentioned before, I have a new job this semester for my graduate assistantship. I'm now working in the Visual Resource Center. It really isn't that bad of a job. I'm just frustrated with it because I don't want to be working here and I wasn't given a choice. The school told me I could not longer work at the museum and I now had to work here.

The problem is there isn't much for me to do. In fact, most of my time is spent doing my work for classes. I've done some work for the VRC while there, but not much. I just feel like I'm wasting my time and I could be doing something so much more productive and useful if I was still working at the museum.

Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do except make the best of it. Of course, writing all that above isn't really making the best of it. In fact, I didn't intend to write all that when I started out. Oops.

Well, I'm going to make the best of it. So, here I will sit, listening to some music, doing my reading for my 16th century lit class and looking out the window. *sigh* I wish I could be outside. It really does look nice. The sun is shining and there is a breeze which keeps tossing about the branches on the trees outside my window. Just two more hours and then I leave. Maybe I'll take a long walk after I get off, just so I can be outside. I really hate being stuck inside, especially when I have such big windows that show me how nice it is outside.

The drought is over

2008-09-24T16:36:00.002-04:00

After a long dry spell, I'm back. It wasn't my fault, really. I blame it on an evil, irregular, extremely busy summer schedule and my temporary lack of wireless internet.

That's all over now. As for the first reason, school has now started and my schedule is back into a normal pattern. Also, I no longer work at the museum (a whole other, long story), so my work hours stay within their normal bounds. The second reason was a simple re-installation of my wireless router software, which took me weeks to get around to because of the first reason. But now that all has been resolved.

I'm back in class now that the fall semester has started up. Thankfully, everything worked out just as I planned, so my life is a lot less stressful these days. I actually have freetime on the weekends now. That's a big deal for me. I haven't had weekend freetime in almost a year. Ok, that's exaggerating a little, but still, it has been awhile.

Just a brief status report: I'm in my final semester of my Museum Studies M.A. Due to my prior diligence in fulfilling my degree requirements, I'm taking two elective courses and a thesis course. My electives are a class in 16th century literature and a journalism class called "Internet Communication." I'm designing websites for class and reading interesting literature!! This is so cool. When I'm not doing that I'm writing, rewriting and rerewriting my thesis. More on that later.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

2008-09-19T15:13:00.003-04:00

In honor of this auspicious holiday, I have gone on a search to discovery my true Pirate identity. According to these wise sages, my piratical identity is:

Mad Bess Kidd

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even though you're not always the traditional swaggering gallant, your steadiness and planning make you a fine, reliable pirate. Arr!

More please!

2008-05-31T16:03:00.001-04:00

Last night Bo and I rented I Am Legend, starring Will Smith. I've heard good things about the movie and I know the book it is based off of is supposed to be quite good, but I found the movie to be a bit of disappointment. There were so many interesting ideas hinted at in the movie, but there was no follow through on these ideas. The basic idea behind the movie was only sparsely sketched out and much was left to speculation. Not that I mind speculating about what is going on in a movie, I just think too much was left out.

The movie felt like it was very short and over too quickly. When it was over, I understood that there was a virus, where the virus came from and that this virus killed almost everyone. But I was left wondering why specific people were immune and did all the people who survive have immunity or were some just lucky? Why was New York City considered "ground zero" of the infection? Why was finding a cure Neville's responsibility when another scientist was the one who invented the virus? At least, I think that opening bit indicated that the "cancer cure virus" was the one that caused all the problems.

I just think the film could have done a much better job of probing the depths of this story. It felt more like the series premier of a new TV show rather than a full-length movie! Despite that, I think Will Smith did a very good job in this movie and the sets for the abandoned New York City were very impressive.

Remembering college

2008-05-27T15:22:00.001-04:00

I graduated from a very liberal liberal arts college: Oberlin College in Ohio. Sometimes I forget how crazy it was going to Oberlin. Those memories blur into the fond recollections that everyone has about college: late nights of studying and partying, close friends, new ideas, uncomfortable dorm experiences, and various other typical college experiences. However, mixed in with all of that is something so uniquely Oberlin that sometimes I forget other people haven't had the same college experiences. Most people haven't eaten at a vegan co-op, haven't negotiated their way through complex discussions of racism, sexism and sustainable practices while just sitting around in the lounge after class, haven't forgotten to flip the shower sign to Women only and be joined by the guy that lives down the hall, haven't been paid to use the bathroom in a specific building that is a living machine. They certainly aren't familiar with the phrase "If its yellow, let it mellow" and they most definitely don't understand why Harkies dressed as pirates were terrorizing the campus.

I talk about these experiences with my friends and co-works when we are sitting around sharing funny stories from our past and many times I get incredulous stares and hesitant laughter. I never hear people say "Oh yea! I did something like that!" Instead I hear things like:

"You mean, you took a shower with 3 other people and some of them were guys?"

"Wait, you guys all lived together, cleaned your own dorm and cooked all your own food?"

"So, you not only had co-ed dorms and co-ed halls, but co-ed rooms?"

Yes, we did. And I loved it and I think I'm a better person because of it.

Then again, maybe I am just a little weird because in many ways Oberlin is a little weird. Of course, that's why I loved Oberlin and I wouldn't change a second of my time there.

This nostalgia was trigged by a New York Time article about sustainable practices implemented by students at Oberlin. What really made me think about all this was the fact that this article considers what these students are doing as new, unique and innovative. The fact is, Obies do this stuff everyday. And they don't think of it as new and different. They think of it as normal.

Books

2008-05-04T22:57:00.003-04:00

I have nothing to say for my long neglect of this blog except this: work + crap busy work for class + attempting to have a life with my husband = no time for writing.

So, I saw this meme in a friend's blog and I thought I'd post it as well, for fun. Usually I ignore this type of thing, but since I adore books and regularly eat several in a week, this seemed perfect for me!

These are the top 106 books most often marked as "unread" by LibraryThing's users.
Bold what you have read, italicize those you started but couldn't finish, and strike through what you couldn't stand.
Add an asterisk* to those you've read more than once.
Underline those on your to-read list.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Anna Karenina
Crime and Punishment
Catch-22
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Wuthering Heights
The Silmarillion
Life of Pi : a novel
The Name of the Rose
Don Quixote
Moby Dick
Ulysses
The Odyssey
Pride and Prejudice (I love Austen, really. Its just more fun to hear her writing aloud.)
Jane Eyre
A Tale of Two Cities
The Brothers Karamazov
Guns, Germs, and Steel: the fates of human societies
War and Peace
Vanity Fair
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Iliad
Emma
The Blind Assassin
The Kite Runner
Mrs. Dalloway
Great Expectations
American Gods*
Atlas Shrugged
Reading Lolita in Tehran : a memoir in books
Memoirs of a Geisha*
Middlesex
Quicksilver
Wicked : the life and times of the wicked witch of the West
The Canterbury Tales (in Old English, by the way!)
The Historian : a novel
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Love in the Time of Cholera
Brave New World
The Fountainhead
Foucault's Pendulum
Middlemarch
Frankenstein
The Count of Monte Cristo
Dracula
A Clockwork Orange
Anansi Boys
The Once and Future King
The Grapes of Wrath
The Poisonwood Bible : a novel
1984*
Angels and Demons*
The Inferno
The Satanic Verses
Sense and Sensibility
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Mansfield Park
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
To the Lighthouse
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Oliver Twist
Gulliver's Travels
Les Misérables
The Corrections
The Amazing adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Dune
The Prince
The Sound and the Fury
Angela's Ashes : A Memoir
The God of Small Things
A People's History of the United States : 1492-present
Cryptonomicon
Neverwhere
A Confederacy of Dunces
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Dubliners
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Beloved
Slaughterhouse-Five
~~The Scarlet Letter~~
Eats, Shoots & Leaves
The Mists of Avalon
Oryx and Crake : a novel
Collapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
Cloud Atlas
The Confusion
Lolita
Persuasion
Northanger Abbey
The Catcher in the Rye
On the Road
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Freakonomics : a Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance : an Inquiry into Values
The Aeneid
Watership Down
Gravity's Rainbow
The Hobbit
White Teeth
Treasure Island
David Copperfield
The Three Musketeers

I feel that I must point out that even though I have not read most of these books, I am intimately familiar with their content. For a lot of them, I've seen the extended, authoritative (supposedly) movie version. For others, they were constantly referred to and compared with other things that I read. Because I already know all about them, I don't plan to read many of them. I consider myself a well-read person. Does this meme say otherwise?

My Champion

2008-02-02T23:51:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Bo and I went to the local Renaissance Fair for the day. It really isn't the most historically correct of Ren fairs and while I know that there aren't any truly historically correct Ren fairs, this one is pretty far down the scale.

Anyway, it was fun. We ate fair food (not too tasty), watched some interesting performances, and browsed the marketplace (of ridiculous 'medieval' items). Our original intention was to go see our friend Chris perform in the living chessboard. He's a member of the Thieves Guilde and every year this group of volunteer performers stages live chess match-ups between Robin Hood and his merry men and the Sheriff of Nottingham and his cronies. Of course, each time a piece is taken, that character must valiantly fight for their lives, so it is very entertaining. Chris did a good job, both in the fighting and in the rabble rousing of the crowd, which is a major component of the performances.

However, the highlight of my day came while Bo and I preparing to watch a demonstration of medieval armed combat. While the competitors were standing on the sidelines preparing for battle, I overheard one of the fighters make a comment about is age and how he was getting too old to do this anymore. I called out to him and said he looked just fine. Then, he beckoned me to the side of the field where he asked if he might have the privilege of defending my honor as my champion. I consented and he presented me with a rose (fake, but pretty). After every battle he won, which was quite a few, he would turn and salute me with a flourish of his weapon and a short bow. At the end of the performance, he gave me a final salute and I went to the side of the field to congratulate him. He thanked Bo for being a kind and generous lord by allowing him to be his lady's champion and thanked me for my enthusiastic support. I bestowed a chaste kiss on his cheek and departed.

I had so much fun! I really enjoyed having a champion, having someone fight for my honor. I can see the appeal of this for medieval ladies and even for modern women, though we don't really have a similar social system of courtly love. Now, I kinda wish modern society did have some form of courtly love. Having a champion means a lady has someone to cheer for, someone to support and in return she gets someone that pays attention to her and makes her feel special and loved. She can flirt in a safe way with the approval of society. It was really a pleasure to be my knight's special lady.

Routine

2008-01-31T13:25:00.001-05:00

Sad as it is, I have come to the realization over the past year or so that I need a set routine in order to function. Well, I can function without a routine, but I do much better when I do have one. I just get more done when I have a schedule that tells me what I'm supposed to be doing.

Now, I'm not talking about an intense, minute-to-minute plan. I'm just talking about a general plan for how my week is supposed to go. Class at this time, work at this time, studying during these hours, meals, personal time, etc. If I got it planned out, then I work more effectively and I feel more in control of my life. Without this schedule, I tend to slack off, procrastinate and generally be a lazy bum. If things changes from week to week and don't follow my schedule, then I don't get all the things done that I need to get done. I suppose its good that I know this about myself, but it makes me feel a little sad. I'd like to think that I'm a more together person than that, but I have to face the facts. I need organization and routine in my life. This semester is proving difficult because I can't seem to find a steady routine that works. Things keep changing week to week and its really throwing my off my stride.

Bo says I'm just trying to do too much. He tells me I need to back off a little and take it easy, but I already feel like I'm being lazy when I spend every evening hanging out with him and not doing work that needs to get done. Besides, if I don't do all the things that I have planned, then I won't do well in my classes, I won't do well at work and I won't do all those little things that I want to do. I don't know who is right in this situation, but I do know that I am a creature of habit and there's not much I can do about it, even if I don't like it.

Illness

2008-01-13T19:01:00.001-05:00

So, I'm sick. Again. I seem to catch colds very easily and I don't know how or why. I guess it might be because I work with kids sometimes, but I came down with several colds last semester and I wasn't working at the museum then. I guess I'm just rather susceptible to the common cold. Grrrr.....not fair. Maybe I should start taking Airborne or something like that.

What's frustrating is that I wanted to nip this in the bud, but apparently the medicines that can do that only work if you take them before you actually have the cold. I went to a pharmacy to pick up some Zicam, but the pharmacist told me that I shouldn't bother because it won't make any difference. That makes no sense to me, but I didn't waste my money and I'll just suffer through. I just hope I don't suffer long. Thankfully, I didn't have work or school today, so I could rest all day. Even better, Bo had the day off, so he could take care of the errands I needed to do and keep me company. I'm crossing my fingers that I feel better tomorrow. I don't have a lot to do tomorrow, so I can take it a bit easy.....just not too easy. I just don't have the time to spend another day doing nothing. I can't afford to get behind this early in the semester! So, let's just hope tomorrow I can get some work done!

Movie Update

2008-01-10T14:41:00.001-05:00

Time for yet another movie update. I realize its close on the heels of the last one, but I saw this movie last night and enjoyed it so much that I just had to write it up as soon as possible!

So, last night I went to see Juno. This movie now ranks among my all time favorite movies. It is that good. It is fantastic! For once, I have absolutely no complaints about a movie. Everything was so well done. The writing, the casting, the acting, the music, the timing....everything was just wonderful. Now, I realize that not everyone will appreciate this movie in the same way I did. It does take a certain mindset and sense of humor to appreciate Juno. However, I think anyone can appreciate the tactful and positive way that the movie addresses complex issues like divorce, teen pregnancy and adoption. I mean, most movies or TV shows portray these things as inherently negative and damaging to anyone involved. At the end of the movie, everyone is in a good place and everyone has a happy ending despite getting pregnant or divorced. I really respect that.

Also, I have to say that hearing several Moldy Peaches songs, including one of my favorite songs by them, was great fun. Their music is just so quirky and upbeat. So much fun to listen to. Bo and I were singing along with the final song. I know I'm going to be getting Juno when it comes out on DVD and I will probably be getting the soundtrack as well, which is something that I rarely do.

The updated, still-to-be-viewed list:
August Rush
I Am Legend
Atonement
P.S. I Love You
Grace is Gone
The Water Horse

(I've dropped a few movies because they have already left theaters. I'll have to wait until they come out on DVD.)

Movie Update

2008-01-05T14:59:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned in my New Year's post, I went to see Sweeny Todd on New Year's day with some friend. It proved to be an interesting mix of people because some of us had seen the musical before and some hadn't. I have seen it before, during college, so I was prepared for all the death.

Anyway, Sweeny Todd is a rather violent film by its very nature. The plot requires lots of death and it wouldn't be Sweeny Todd without it. However, if you can look beyond the violence, the film itself its really amazing. Tim Burton captures the eerie, dark and depressing feel of the period while letting the whimsy of Sondheim's music and lyrics shine through. The movie did a great job of brining Sondheim's work to the big screen without many cuts or alterations. I was very please that Burton didn't pull any punches, though I think they went a little overboard on the blood. The staging of the songs was well doneI especially liked the "House by the Beach" song sung by Mrs.. Lovett. Johnny Depp and Helena Bohnam Carter are wonderful in the lead roles. Carter's vocal ability isn't as strong as I'd like, but her acting makes up for it. Depp really surprised me with his vocals, but then, he constantly surprises me with his versatility and talent. Alan Rickman also did a great job, but he was overshadowed by the rest of the cast. Overall, a great movie if you can stomach a little blood. If the blood scares you off then you'll probably enjoy the movie just fine on a smaller screen. While the big screen is always better, it isn't necessary to enjoy Sweeny Todd.

And the list is still quite long:
Martian Child
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
August Rush
Juno
I Am Legend
Atonement
P.S. I Love You
Grace is Gone
The Water Horse

Happy New Year!

2008-01-04T14:12:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Year's and I wish you all lots of laughter and love, joy and peace in 2008.

I realize its already January 4th, so I'm a little late with my New Year's wishes, but better late than never, right? I went back to work New Year's day. (The only member of my department to do so!) I then had the 2nd and the 3rd off, which was really nice. Bo had those two days off as well, so we got to have a 'weekend' together, even though it was on a Wednesday and a Thursday. We've also been spending time with Faith, Russell and Kipp over the past few days. We all went out to see Sweeny Todd (review coming soon) the night of the 1st, then Kipp left the next day. Wednesday, Bo played a show at a local restaurant called Satchel's. It was really, really short notice, so unfortunately we couldn't get a lot of people together to come, but the few that came had a good time. It was freezing cold and the venue was in an open shed area, so we all sat around in our coat and scarves shivering to the music. Bo played really well, but he struggled with the lack of preparation, audience support and cold weather. Could have been better, but it also could have been a lot worse! Yesterday we spend the afternoon and evening with Faith and Russell, which was really nice. They really are great friends and its hard not seeing them because they live all the way up in Wisconsin. However, when we do get to spend time together, its like we were never apart.

I'm back at work today and I'll be busy at work tomorrow as well. Tomorrow is the museum's Collector's Day and we are expecting lots of visitors. Collector's Day is very popular. The whole day is dedicated to amateur collectors and their collections. We give them space to display everything and then let them take it away! I haven't been before, but apparently we have a wide variety of personal collections on display, everything from classic cars to Barbie Dolls to sticks collected by a seeing-eye dog. I have to come to work early to help set-up, but I don't mind. Besides, I can spend my lunch break wandering the museum and checking out all the stuff! I'll probably be exhausted at the end of the day, but it'll be worth it! Maybe I'll snap some pictures of the more outlandish collections and share them with you.

The greatest story ever told?

2007-12-30T15:33:00.001-05:00

Found this great 6 Sentences post called "A Modern Fable." Being the liberal person I am, I really appreciated this fun retelling of the Bush Administration.

I highly recommend it for anyone dissatisfied with with the current regime.

Happy Christmas

2007-12-29T12:13:00.001-05:00

So, Christmas has come and gone. I think it went pretty well. I felt a little nervous because I hosted my family for the holiday, but things worked out well. Both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners were very tasty and I even threw in a few new recipes and got compliments on all of them! I enjoyed the holiday because we kept it casual. Dinners were served buffet-style and when we weren't eating or opening presents, we sat around and chatted, watched movies or played games. The day after Christmas we all piled in the car (Mom, Dad, Jaime, Bo and I) and heading south to Orlando. We spent the day at Universal Studios and had a good time. The park had Christmas decorations still up and Christmas carols still playing, so it was a nice way to extend the holiday. I especially liked it because I didn't get much of a chance to get into the Christmas spirit before the holiday.

Bo and I got some great presents, both useful and fun. Of course, my dad gave us the traditional useful gifts, but we also got some good giftcards and fun games. Some nice stuff too. I got some scrapbooking supplies and I'm looking forward to using them to create my own wedding album. (The professional pictures I ordered arrived on Thursday.) To make things even better, my parents gave us a new printer that I can use to print my own photos, so I'm all set up to start seriously scrapbooking.

Now, its almost New Year's. I can't believe how quickly the time has past. I guess having a job and working will do that. I'm looking forward to celebrating the New Year with Faith, Russell and Kipp who are all back in town. Plus, I've been invited to my first, somewhat ritzy, New Year's Eve party. That will be fun!

So, to all my loving readers..... Hope you've had a Happy Holiday and wishing you a fantastic New Year!

Movie Update

2007-12-21T11:24:00.001-05:00

Bo and I went to see The Golden Compass Wednesday night. Very pretty movie and incredibly well cast. I think they did a great job bringing Lyra's world to life. All the cast members played their roles very well and I have no complaints on that front. Well, almost no complaints. Roger was not a very good looking kid, kinda rat-faced. I don't know if this is because that was the only kid they could find to play the role or the deliberately chose to make Roger kinda ugly. Either way, not the best casting choice, though he did play his part fairly well.

As for the actual movie content, I'm impressed with how they fit the book plot into the movie. All the important scenes were there, albeit a little switched around. They very carefully avoided the religious aspects of the book, but I don't see how they plan to keep that up if they are going to complete the trilogy. I think some other aspects of the book were downplayed a little too much, like the relationship of daemons. For the most part, daemons in the movie seemed more like well-trained pets rather than the life's companion and soul-mate that they truly are. (The daemon animations were fantastic, though.) The thing that upset me the most - and I was very, very upset by this - was where the movie ended. It ended a full 2 or 3 chapters before the book ended!!! It left out the entire dramatic ending of the book!! It is not even possible to start the second book without that ending and I don't know how they plan to fit it in the beginning of the second movie. For those of you who know how it ends (and I won't give it away), you must agree that opening a movie with the ending of Golden Compass would be awful!!

Its not that I hated the movie. I didn't. I really enjoyed it, but I am very worried about how they plan to continue the series.

So, that's one down and plenty more to go:
Martian Child
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
August Rush
Juno
I Am Legend
Atonement
P.S. I Love You
Grace is Gone
Sweeney Todd
The Water Horse

Sigh. I don't know if I'm going to be able to see all these before they've left theaters. Which is a shame.

"I enjoy being a girl!"

2007-12-18T15:14:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, I wonder if I missed something growing up, some essential lessons on how to be female. I often feel like I'm not quite female enough. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm a boy in disguise. Oh, I guess I can act girly every now and then, but I don't really feel very girly and when I compare myself to other women I don't seem very girly at all. I'm not often interested in the things other women seem to be interested in and I don't often understand why these things are interesting.

I've only just started wearing make-up in the past few months and I only where it when I'm going to be around other women, either my classmates or my co-workers. I started wearing it because I felt like the odd woman out around them. Also, I never feel like I'm dressed right...I'm always too casual. When I do dress up, I don't seem to quite get it. All the other women I know have better outfits, better combinations, more style and poise. I have no idea what current fashion trends are and most of my clothes are years old. I keep wearing them because they fit, for the most part, so why would I need to buy more clothes?

Oh, and hair! I'm always lost when it comes to doing something with my hair. I only wear it up in a ponytail or down. Not much in between, but even then I think I'm missing something. I've bought a few hair accessories, but I can never get them to look right. I see other women wearing their hair in similar ways to what I do, but they always make it look better somehow. I can't even begin to describe the difference.

Why do I have to dress-up anyway? Why can't I just wear my favorite jeans (with a hole in the knee) and a comfy t-shirt? Do I have to wear make-up and pluck my eyebrows? Must I wash, blow dry and style my hair everyday?

In general, I just feel awkward around other women. I feel like they have some secret knowledge that no one every shared with me. If anyone has an extra copy, can you please send me the instruction book?

Pictures!

2007-12-15T18:29:00.001-05:00

Ever since I got a digital camera for a wedding present, I've been taking lots of pictures. The camera takes really great pictures. Since I'm a Google addict I've opened a Picasa account to post my pictures online. Mainly I've been sharing with friends and family, but I thought I'd also post a link here for everyone to look at. I don't have a lot of albums yet, but there are lots of pictures in each album!

Enjoy!

and check back often. I'm always adding new stuff!

LOLcats for my friends

2007-12-14T15:46:00.001-05:00

Ok, I admit it. I have fallen prey to the Internet sensation of LOLcats. I can't help myself. They are just too cute and absolutely hilarious. This afternoon I spent about 1/2 an hour looking through lots of these ridiculous pictures and I came across a few that reminded me of some of my friends. So, I thought I'd share.

This one just makes me think of many people in my group of friends. For some reason, this phrase pops up quite often among my friends.

Kipp, this one is for you. No explanation needed. In fact, this one may actually be you in cat form.

This cat makes me think of my friend Matt. He really liked a similar image about a pony, so I think he'd like this one, too.

For Joe.

This reminds me of Faith, who studies Russian and is the only person who has ever made Borscht, that I know of.

And finally, for my husband. He says this all the time. He has even threatened to record it and just hit play whenever he feels it would be appropriate.

For those of my friends who didn't get a LOLcat, I'm sorry. I'm sure there's one out there for you. I just haven't found it yet.

Working

2007-12-14T15:41:00.001-05:00

So, I'm back at the museum, working in the Discovery Room. This time, however, I'm getting paid. Which is awesome. I really like working here. Its so much fun hanging out in the Discovery Room. I get to play with kids or just watch kids play. Kids make up the best games and its so easy for them! Today, there was this group from an elementary school that came in. A bunch of them spontaneously started playing this game on our pond rug. I have no idea what the game was about or how it was played, but all of them understood the rules and were having a great time playing. One of the adults with them asked me if that was how they were supposed to play over there, if they were playing the right game in that area. I told him I had no idea what they were playing, but that it didn't matter. There wasn't a right game to play.

I think working in environments like this is what keeps me feeling so young. The kids I see everyday help me remember what it is like to be young and full of wonder. They are so creative and excited about everything they see. I especially like it when they try to act like their too old for the Discovery Room and then end up having so much fun that they forget about being too old and just enjoy themselves.

I hope working with kids will always keep me feeling young, full of wonder and excited about the world. I know that a lot of people working in my field often suffer from burnout because we work so very hard and get very little support and feedback (not to mention small paychecks), but I hope I can always turn to the kids and refresh myself with their enthusiasm.

Movie Update

2007-12-08T17:53:00.001-05:00

Bo and I went to see Enchanted on Thursday night, so that's another movie added to the "Seen it" list.

Enchanted is great. I highly recommend that everyone go see it because it really is fantastic. Of course, being a Disney movie means its based on your basic romantic, happy-ending plot with plenty of memorable songs thrown in. However, the movie is constantly making fun of the genre and the whole movie is literally a send-up of that basic plot. The actress that plays the female lead, Giselle, is wonderful. She plays her part perfectly and is just fun to watch throughout the movie. Also, the song are hilarious and you should listen to them carefully because there are some really funny throwaway lines. All in all an amazing movie that everyone should see!

So, that leaves my "haven't seen it yet" movie list looking like this:
Martian Child
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
August Rush
The Golden Compass
Juno
I Am Legend
Atonement
P.S. I Love You
Grace is Gone
Sweeney Todd
The Water Horse

In other news, my husband Bo has just started a blog. The link is in the sidebar and those of him who know him should be able to guess which link is to his blog. For everyone else, its the first link.

Finished! (briefly)

2007-12-06T13:18:00.001-05:00

So, yesterday I finished all my stuff for classes this semester. I think I did pretty well, though I probably could have put a little more work into my Educational Psychology final. Oh well....too late now and I refuse to have any regrets!

I have been looking forward to a few days of relaxation, but its amazing how quickly things can pop up! I still have about a week without work or classes, but I can't just chill out. I have stuff to take care of, forms to fill out and meetings to attend. Oh well....I'd probably get bored anyway.

Oh, and I have to start getting ready for Christmas!

Movies

2007-12-03T16:39:00.001-05:00

So, the holiday season is upon us and that means that its time for a ridiculous amount of new movie releases. There's a lot of movies that are coming out or are already out that I want to see. In light of this, I decided to start a list of what I want to see. As an extra bonus, I'll also keep track of movies I've already seen and add my two cents of reviews. I'm sure my readers have similar taste in movies, though I admit that some of these movies do lay bare my squishy, girly delight in feel-good movies and romances. Please forgive my weakness.

Feel free to comment on movies I haven't seen yet, but please don't ruin them for me!

Haven't seen yet:
Martian Child
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
August Rush
Enchanted
The Golden Compass
Juno
I Am Legend
Atonement
P.S. I Love You
Grace is Gone
Sweeney Todd
The Water Horse

Seen it:
Dan in Real Life - Somewhat disappointing and not what I expected. Steve Carrell and Dane Cook are amusing together, but the rest of the movie is rather trite and formulaic. One good bit was the 3 girls playing Carrell's daughters. They were a lot of fun.

Beowulf - Visually, a great movie to watch on the big screen. Those of you who are avid video gamers will feel somewhat like you are watching the extended cut scenes from a game, but its still really pretty! As for content, I wasn't very impressed. I feel like I was watching the movie Cliff's Notes version of Beowulf. I know that it is a long and complicated epic, but I think more could have been done to really dig in to the story and the characters instead of just providing quick overviews of everything.

A new link

2007-12-03T13:23:00.001-05:00

I added a link to a new blog a couple of days ago. I'm really enjoying this one, so I thought I'd share. Its called Six Sentences and I guess its like a writers collective/challenge. Each post is by a different submitter and the only restriction is that each one has to be 6 sentences long. No more, no less. It really is fun to read the posts and see how much can be said in such a limited space and each post is really different. There are short stories, descriptions of a scene, musings, jokes. A wide variety. Plus, the blog is very prolific. There's almost always something new to read.

I wonder how one becomes a part of this group. Of course, I'm not sure if I have the skills to join such a group, but I am curious.

My addiction

2007-11-26T10:58:00.001-05:00

Ok, so many of you know that I love my Mac and I am a big fan of the company. Not that I'm one of those rabid Mac fans that assaults PC users in Mac v. PC chats, but I have my loyalty.

And apparently, I'm also a little addicted.

58%

How addicted are you?
Find out here.

Getting into the spirit

2007-11-25T18:26:00.001-05:00

I was talking with my mother this afternoon, like I usually do, and we started discussing all the shopping that has taken place this weekend. Neither of us understand why anyone would want to get up at 4am to go shopping. Is it really worth it? Sure, there are great sales, but there are also all those crowds and the lack of sleep. I just avoid it all. I think its ridiculous.

And to add to this ridiculousness, Mom was telling me about an ad she saw in the paper. Not only was it advertising the insanely early opening hours of the store, but it was also encouraging shoppers to get into the "Christmas Buying Spirit."

Yes, you read that correctly. The "Christmas Buying Spirit."

That just goes beyond ridiculousness. That's just sad. Whatever happened to plain old Christmas spirit? Good will towards our fellow man? Asking those questions make me sound old, but I remember when Christmas felt more Christmasy and less commercial. At least, it felt that way to me. Maybe I was just less aware of all the commercialism or maybe my family was really good at ignoring all that and they sheltered me. Whatever the reason, I'm now feeling more of the Christmas Buying Spirit all around me.

This will be the first Christmas that I don't go home to either my parent's or Bo's parents house, so that's going to make it even harder. My parents are coming down for a few days and that will help, but I'm going to try to make this season more Christmas than commercial for Bo and I. Still don't know exactly how I'm going to do that, but I know it will involve some decorating and a Christmas Tree!

More test results

2007-11-23T22:21:00.000-05:00

Why is this so fun?

Which Sesame Street Character Are You?
	You are part Big Bird. You are something of an eccentric, and not everyone always gives you credit for your inventiveness and intelligence. You may not always know everything, but people turn to you for your sound, unique logic. Plus, you have a big heart. Really big.
	You are part Elmo. You are lovable and ticklish, and always inquisitive. Sometimes, though, your excitement about the world can make you seem childish, naive, and occasionally irritating to others.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?
	You are part Harry. You're a loyal and courageous friend. You'd do anything to protect the people you love, especially if it'll get you a break from class for a little while.
	You are part Hermione. You're a bookworm always in search of answers. When pressed, however, you can always be counted on to put away the books and help your friends.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which Female Action Hero Are You?
	You are Princess Leia. You are down-to-earth and stick to a rigid sense of ethics. Nerds may lust over you, but everyone looks to you for your grounded logic and intellect.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Well phooey!

2007-11-20T11:25:00.001-05:00

What do you do when something you thought was going to happen....something you were counting on, planning for and basically setting up your life around....just disappears?

I just realized that the job opportunity I thought I might have after I graduate doesn't actually exist. I really don't want to think about this right now, but I'm going to have to at some point. I'm going to have to figure out what I'm going to do and that just really sucks because I thought I had that all figured out already.

Back to the drawing board.

Thank goodness for a break

2007-11-15T12:46:00.001-05:00

So, I just finished this major assignment for my educational psychology course and turned it in yesterday morning. It was so hard!!! I got so stressed out doing it and it took me forever. Plus, I'm not a psychology student, so I'm sure it was much easier for everyone else in the class. I know I did my best, even though I dragged my feet and bitched about it the entire time, but in this case I'm not sure if my best is good enough. I mean, my work has to compare with other students who specialize in this area and I just don't think I'm good enough. I don't know anyway to make it better though. I just have to take the grade I get and live with it. I hope it doesn't mess up my final grade too much, though. So far, I have a perfect A average as a grad student and I'd really like to keep it that way.

Ok, enough whining. I'm just glad its over and now I can focus on other things. I didn't realize how stressed and preoccupied I was until after I turned it in yesterday. I felt so much better last night and I'm in a much better mood today. Sad how one assignment can throw me off my stride that much. I guess it shouldn't be such a surprise though. I know I'm a perfectionist when it comes to schoolwork.

These are amazing!

2007-11-10T20:33:00.001-05:00

Check out these pictures of hand paintings. They are so amazing detailed and realistic!

http://m3.bestpicever.com/piles/?s=handart

Not the results I thought I would get...

2007-11-09T16:20:00.001-05:00

I don't really consider myself a princess in any way, shape or form. However, I grew up with the Disney princesses, so I couldn't resist this quiz.

Which Disney Princess Are You?
	You are Jasmine. You are loyal and would visit the ends of the earth for what you believe. You would never let obstacles stand in the way of true love.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

I didn't think I would be this Disney princess, but then, I'm not sure which one I thought I would be. If that makes any sense. *shrug*

What City Should You Live In?
	You should live in New York City. America's largest city will ensure that you will blend into the crowd. You are the brooding type--introspective, creative, and eccentric--and NYC's cutting-edge, individualistic culture and ambience will appeal to you.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Again, I really don't see myself as a New Yorker. I think I'm too nice to live in New York. Then again, I'm not sure where else I should live. I'm pretty happy where I am now.

Procrastination

2007-11-05T12:54:00.001-05:00

Why do I procrastinate so much? I'm a good student. I get good grades. I should know better, but I do it anyway. And of course, I always find a good excuse; I don't feel well or I'll have plenty of time later. I've been doing that for the past week on a major assignment that is due next Wednesday, and I find myself doing it while realizing, at the same time, that I'm going to pay for it later. I know its going to stress me out later if I put it off now, but I do it anyway. I think that if I understood why I did this, then maybe I could overcome it. Unfortunately, I can't figure out the rhyme or reason behind it.....if there is any.

Even this is another form of procrastination......

Back reading

2007-11-03T12:37:00.001-04:00

For anyone who is interested, here's some links to my old blogs. I blogged on Easyjournal for quite awhile before switching over to the Google-powered Blogger, which works much better for me since I'm addicted to Google and use it to manage my life. Its nice to have my email, calendar, news, blog, etc all under one user name and password. Which is why I switched to this new Blogger account after my name changed.

Anyway, for your reading pleasure:

http://lizstar.easyjournal.com/

http://lizstarsapphire.blogspot.com/

A new start

2007-11-03T12:26:00.001-04:00

Things have been so busy since the wedding this summer. I've been meaning to start up a new blog since I switched all my accounts over to my new name, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Until now. I've gotten a nifty little Firefox extension that makes it easier for me to post whenever I feel like it, without having to come to the blog website and log in and such. Of course, that really doesn't take that long, but it feels like it. Hopefully having "one click" posting access will make me more inclined to make posts.

We shall see!

The cogitations of a girl

Simple Holidays

Tis the season

Babysitting

My Husband is a Rock Star

Finally!

Streamlining

One year later

Another quiz...with a pretty picture!

Happy Halloween!

Fun with religion and politics

Election

Autumn

Homepage

Stuck inside

The drought is over

International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

More please!

Remembering college

Books

My Champion

Routine

Illness

Movie Update

Movie Update

Happy New Year!

The greatest story ever told?

Happy Christmas

Movie Update

"I enjoy being a girl!"

Pictures!

LOLcats for my friends

Working

Movie Update

Finished! (briefly)

Movies

A new link

My addiction

Getting into the spirit

More test results

Which Sesame Street Character Are You?

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?

Which Female Action Hero Are You?

Well phooey!

Thank goodness for a break

These are amazing!

Not the results I thought I would get...

Which Disney Princess Are You?

What City Should You Live In?

Procrastination

Back reading

A new start