Friday, December 26, 2008

Connections

I have absolutely no Internet connection here in Seattle. Well not one that is very reasonable so forgive me for not posting anything at all in weeks. This is a rare occasion and not an entirely appropriate one to be using the Internet, but I'll take what I can get.

Finished The Reader and it was amazing! I read it in a day, less than 24 hours for sure. It was very good and for you non-readers out there it was a very simple read so please attempt this one! It is translated from German so it's fairly simple language but it is such a beautiful story and one my favorite books now. I loved, loved, loved it.

It snowed in Seattle this year and was cute at first but I think is driving everyone crazy now (including me). I have developed a severe case of cabin fever and all I really do is walk to and from my temporary job and my house (it's only a few blocks, not a great journey).

I had a really good morning today having breakfast and hanging out in a book store for 2 hours hiding from the rain and killing time before work. I've missed that time. Random mention and very vague, but it was truly a great day. Books I SHOULD have bought due to their genius topics:

- Canadian Cuisine and Travel Guide
- Fashion Knit Sweaters (pictures from the 80's. Fantastic style all around)
- Toob of Animals (not a book, but who doesn't need a tube filled with plastic animals? Yes tube was spelled "toob")



Books I did buy:

- Prep
- Three Bags Full

Current Music Listenings:

- She & Him album, Volume One. I got it for Christmas and I really like it, though I had heard it before. Currently a fan and glad to have some new music.

- Tegan and Sara ablum, The Con. An oldie but a goodie. Not that it is that old of an album, but I've heard it a thousand times and still really like it and currently it's fitting my mood.





I have no idea when I will be able to post again...

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Book Talk

It's been a while since I updated due to all the finals, ending of semester, packing, and traveling. I am not currently re-located on the west coast for the winter holiday season and beyond (since I will be here until the end of January which is after most holidays). I finished Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates and absolutely loved it. It was over all rather depressing story, but I love to read depressing stories it seems so naturally I loved it. I particularly enjoyed Yates' writing style because it just unfolded the story so well and told things in a such a very direct manor which I thought really added to the overall portrayal of the characters and telling of the story. I finished the book in time to see the movie which comes out on Christmas Day I believe. The film stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio and looks like it's beautifully filmed. I liked the book a great deal so I think I'll enjoy the film and most certainly want to see it. Sure to be beautifully heartbreaking.



Now that I'm finished with Revolutionary Road I intend on moving on to The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. This book is also being made into a film that stars Kate Winslet as well. Funny. I want to see that film too, but first must finish the book. Hopefully I'll read this one at a faster pace since I'm on break now and have more time to read.

Just been hanging out with friends and family and working a little on the side. It has been a very pleasant break so far. I was reunited with my little pug too so what could be better than that?



Went over to my friends last night to help decorate her family's Christmas Tree and some how we ended up sitting there watching Oprah. Her mom, me, and her were just suddenly transfixed by it and it struck me how funny it is that the show is made in such a way to draw in females and connect them. I've seen Oprah a few times through out the years, but suddenly I was so into the show! It was about staging these awful events and having hidden cameras around to see if people just ignored it or stopped and said something. One of them were two actors hired to look like a couple fighting and the guy is verbally and physically abusing his wife in a park and people aren't doing anything and then this woman stops and steps in and tells the husband off and insists on staying to protect the wife. I was amazed! Of course it was pretty much always women that stopped and did anything. Again connecting to the female viewer, but seriously it doesn't even matter what Oprah is about I swear it's just like somehow it connects to some part of the female mind and you find yourself sympathizing with whatever is going on...Very strange. Maybe it's just me but honestly I don't think any of us intended on watching Oprah until 10:00 pm at night (it was re-run), it just happened. Oprah just happens! Plus I think both of the a fore mentioned books are in Oprah's book club.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Makes Me Happy

A friend showed me this and oh it just makes me so happy.

Finishing Things Up

Started finals today at school and I don't think I did very well on it. I mean seriously it was madness. Everyone was freaking out because he didn't teach us a lot of it and it was in the book, but it was never emphasized so I didn't think the whole exam would be on Freudian Theory and cognitive dissonance! This was my final for my Consumer Motivation class and I have two more finals today as well. It wasn't just me that thought that final was insane though, as people came out of the class we were all freaking out. One girl actually raised her hand and asked what chapters this was emphasizing because she didn't know any of it. I am not sure I would have admitted that to the class, but I did feel that way. Doing a presentation in my internship class and handing in my huge paper along with my final evaluation from my internship (I got a very good review so that's a good reference to have) and then my product development final is tonight. Lots of studying to do still, but hopefully it will go well. I am slightly worried though because I have the same professor for both my consumer motivation class and my product development class so I am worried this final might be left field too. There is going to be a lot of math on the exam I think and that's not exactly my strength...We'll see how it goes.



Made cookies with Siara today in between classes as we discussed our take on the consumer motivation exam. So far every question we could remember and discussed we didn't put the same answer...not a good sign.

After this week I go back to Seattle! I can't believe this semester went by so fast! It was over all a very good semester though because I think I finally figured things out on how to be productive and take time for myself occasionally. Isn't that the kind of life lessons I am supposed to be learning in college? Learning how to paint my nails with out getting the polish everywhere hasn't happened yet, but I'll continue to to work on that. That was my abstract goal for college, learn to paint my nails properly. Still hasn't happened. I love New York, but I am excited to go back to Seattle for break and see friends and family and my puppy! I miss my little pug so much! My break is forever and a half though so I am sure I will get fidgety and want to come back to New York after a few weeks. Especially once I stop working because when I don't work I get so restless. Taking time off is not something I do well.



Mika wearing American Apparel....Hahaha. She was not thrilled at all that I wanted to take this picture. My little puggy. I'll be seeing her soon!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

For Vanity Purposes

I went and saw the Twilight movie again last night. Yes, again. I throughly enjoyed it both times and though its has it's fair share of cheesy moments (there are some very corny scenes that could have been cut and if they had a bit of a higher budget maybe some other small corrections could be made), but overall I enjoy the film. It's not the greatest film ever made or anything but it is a purely enjoyable teen romance film. The books were sappy (and I love them, so get over it to anyone who declares themselves more intelligent for not reading them. Your probably just scared to read them because you know you'll like them) so it's not a big surprise the movie was too. I'm not writing to review it or anything because I don't really care to. I enjoyed the film clearly enough to see it twice.



To round off my "non review" I would just like to add that Rob Pattinson is gorgeous (he plays Edward in the film) and I would go see him in any movie! Yup, I'm basically even with the thirteen year old shrieking girls, but isn't that what Twilight turns us all into? The above picture of Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart (she plays Bella) is an outtake from a Vanity Fair article and currently my desktop pattern. Enjoy feeling like a thirteen year old girl.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Shimmying Into A Velvet Dress

I was flipping channels on TV the other day and stumbled upon this work of genius. I didn't actually watch the whole movie but this opening scene was pure gold. It s clip from the movie Adventures in Babysitting which was made sometime in the 80's it seems. I don't really know anything about this movie except that it stars Elizabeth Shue and it looks very entertaining. Here's the opening sequence I saw it's hilarious:



Could anything be hotter than that dress? Velvet top with long sleeves and shoulder pads...YES! If that's not sexy I don't know what is.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

In the Middle of Nowhere



I have always remained fairly private about my personal life and relations, even when it comes to talking about it with my friends and family. My personal life is just that, personal and I don't think it's anyone's business unless I feel the need to share or confide in them. There are certain people though that I have always been able to confide in and these selected few people have always been completely honest with me whether they agree with my decisions or not and I fully appreciate them for it and in turn they have gained my complete trust.

When it comes to moments where I am confused or not sure if I am making the right decision it's then that I count on these people the most and I appreciate their support or telling me they think I am making a terrible decision. If your friends can't tell you who can? Honesty and a straight forward answer is what I appreciate most, I don't want to hear the sugar coated truth because I can tell myself that, I rather hear what they really think and count on them to be straight with me.

Currently I find myself in a position once again where I find myself unsure of my decisions and where to go. I can see both sides of my dilemma and I'm the first to admit that I am entering an equation that won't have a positive ending for me and I might ultimately feel very hurt after everything is said and done. I am fully aware of this, yet don't feel hesitation in my decision. I've played this equation out before and I ended up feeling hurt. So why would I go through this again when I know the result? Especially when I was warned by my friends and I went along with it anyway just to end up falling flat, just like they tried to tell me I would. It's also unfair of me to demand everyone understand and support my decisions and then when I get let down (which they tried to protect me against) I expect them to help me pick up the pieces.

How can you ask someone to stand by you when they see it's a wrong decision and even you see it, but in the end there is nothing that can be done to change your mind or decision. I might be making the wrong choice, yet again but every time I fell down or get let down I can't say I ever regretted it. Yes, I was hurt and yes I was upset, but the good always ends up outweighing the negative in the end. Even if if the good is briefer than the bad. I'm not saying I am making a right decision or a wrong decision. All the same thank you to those that care enough to say I'm making the wrong decision and standing by me all the same. I appreciate everything that's been said and all the opinions shared because their opinions are what matter most to me or I would never have shared my own self questioning. Right or wrong, I'm learning and thank you for standing by me while I do.

This is all very vague I realized and I don't care to clarify. For those that know or understand I am sure you already know where I am coming from. For those that have no idea what I am talking about, I hope you can relate on some level with this message all the same. It may be a rant or venting, but either way it is what it is.