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Movie Monday - Ryan Gosling edition

2011-10-24T16:10:00.002-04:00

In somewhat recent months, I have seen 3 movies in the theater. All 3 have starred Ryan Gosling. In fact, Colin's mom recently asked what movies we had seen recently, and Colin's response was "We only watch Ryan Gosling movies."

Crazy Stupid Love
Romantic comedy starring Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Analeigh from Top Model. I have to admit I was pretty excited about Analeigh because I always liked her and I am so happy to see she is doing well. She actually had a really big part in this movie and seems to be a good actress. So yay for her! Anyway, I thought this movie was really funny. It had some amazing laugh-out-loud moments and was also pretty sweet. Ryan Gosling is good but Steve Carell and Emma Stone were the high points for me.

Drive
Action/Drama in which Ryan Gosling drives. I was actually a little disappointed that there wasn't MORE driving, although I am not planning to sue anyone over it like this woman. I am now about halfway through the novella that this movie is based on, so I have a criticism that I would not have had otherwise: Carey Mulligan's character, Irene, is actually supposed to be a Latina named Irina. So I'm disappointed that the makers of the movie felt the need to whitewash her character. But, other than that, it's a good movie. There are some good action scenes, some violence that actually turned my stomach (and I am VERY desensitized), and some very, very tacky clothes and music (which I love). There's also a lot of people just staring at each other and relatively little dialog, which could be good or bad depending on your preference. I was OK with it. There is a fantastic supporting cast. I really liked how Gosling's character's prowess as a driver came from a really intellectual place.

Ides of March
This third piece of the Ryan Gosling 2011 trifecta is the one I was most excited about. George Clooney, who I have always loved, and will love forever, directed and was a supporting actor. And they filmed parts of it at Miami and a lot of it in Cincinnati! It was just really cool to see a movie that took place in the Midwest with genuine locations that I recognized. I'm sick of everything always being about New York and LA - there is a lot more to America than that. The movie itself was not the greatest thing I've ever seen. I mean, it was good, but I was not blown away. The locations sold me, though. If you're a Miami grad or a Cincinnatian, you have to see this. Oh, I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Miami was in the movie as Miami - I was expecting it to be portrayed as "generic Midwestern university." But, the extras are wearing Miami shirts, there is a Miami Police car, etc. My one complaint is that an announcer at a debate says something like "Thank you for attending this debate at Miami University of Ohio." No one from Miami or affiliated with the university in any way would EVER refer to the school as Miami University of Ohio, because we existed before Florida, that is not part of the university's official name, and it generally pisses us off when people refer to it that way.

Way to go, Ryan. You've done 3 good movies in a row and I'm impressed!

Grad School... Again

2011-10-18T12:48:00.004-04:00

I've decided to give grad school another go, this time in Health Informatics. I have just completed my first 7-week class, and I got an A. I start my next class next week. If everything goes as planned, I should graduate with an M.S. at the end of the fall semester 2013.
I'm really liking it so far! It has been the right level of challenging while also being interesting. My classes are all online, so I can work from home without having to drive. Also, an advantage to online classes that I had not considered before is that if I miss something in a lecture, or my mind starts to wander, I can go back, and I can pause the lecture to take a note. In a live class I would just be out of luck.
So, hopefully this will lead to more fulfilling and higher-paying employment in the next few years. I think my impending 30th birthday has snapped me out of the coasting that I've been doing for the past 4 years and made me more ambitious. Which I think is a good thing. The huge amounts of student loan debt I'm adding to my already considerable balance, though... We'll have to wait and see if it ends up being worth it. The first master degree was definitely NOT worth it from a monetary standpoint, because I make about the same or possibly less now than I did at my pre-grad school job. But, I do like this job much more, so there's that.

Hair

2011-10-15T13:07:00.003-04:00

I chopped all my hair off last week. I got 8 to 10 inches cut off (8 for shorter layers, 10 for the longest). I donated it to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, which works with the American Cancer Society to make wigs for women undergoing cancer treatment who can't afford them.
My hair had just gotten completely unmanageable - it took HOURS and HOURS to dry, and the shedding was just insane. It was like, it was ok one day, and then within a week, I just could not take it anymore and had to get rid of it.
So, I'm back to a chin-length bob, which I would say has probably been my signature look throughout my life. I only wish straight irons had been as prevalent when I was in high school and college, because my hair just does not lay in a flattering way unless it is longer. Knowing how to straighten my hair would have saved a lot of heartache, and I could have avoided the Snape look I had going on a lot of the time.
I think my next move will be to go blonde. I've always wanted to try it, and it will be a lot easier with short hair.

YMCA

2011-09-29T11:17:00.002-04:00

I quit Nutrisystem and joined the Y. Nutrisystem works, I was just having a really hard time sticking to it lately, so it was starting to feel like a waste of money. I'm basically thinking of this as, Nutrisystem helped me get started, get the first 40 lbs off, and now I'm to the point where I can feel more energetic and comfortable so that I can exercise.
Also, the shower in my house is basically on the same level as filling up a bucket at the well and dumping it on my head (OK it's not actually quite that bad, but it's not good) so sadly, the showers at the YMCA are a nice break from home.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-08-10T08:06:00.002-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Week 11: Lost 3.0
Week 12: Lost 1.2
Week 13: Lost 3.0
Week 14: Gained 1.0
Week 15: Lost 2.6
Week 16: ?
Week 17: ?
Week 18: Lost 4.0
Week 19: ?
Week 20: ?
Week 21: ?
Week 22: Gained .2
Total Lost: 43.4 pounds

So obviously I've had kind of a bad month. Things have been very busy, I've been travelling, going to a wedding, staying up all night for Relay for Life, etc. I'm sure I gained a lot of weight for a couple weeks and then lost most of it again in the last week and a half when I've been mostly on program.
I definitely need to get back on program, keep track of my food online, and exercise more. High hopes for this week!

Africa is a Continent

2011-08-09T21:10:00.002-04:00

Lupe Fiasco: The Show Goes On
"Africa to New York, Haiti, then I detour
Oakland out to Auckland, Gaza Strip to Detroit"

Jennifer Lopez: On the Floor
"Brazil, Morocco, London to Ibiza
Straight to LA, New York, Vegas to Africa"

These are the two examples that are coming to me at the moment. I feel as though there may be another current song that does this but I can't think of it right now.

Africa is a continent. It's not a country, and it's certainly not a city. Most of the places named in these songs are cities (New York, Oakland, Auckland, Detroit, London, LA, and Vegas), a few are countries (Haiti, Brazil, Morocco), and a couple do not quite fit into either category (Gaza Strip, Ibiza). For the love of God - Morocco is IN Africa. Would anyone ever write a song with the lyric "Argentina, Canada, Rome to Sicily, Straight to Dallas, Newark, San Francisco to North America?" No, they wouldn't, mostly because it would sound horrible, but also because it is ridiculous to include a component of something as well as that something itself on the same list.

And yes, I know about Pan-Africanism. But somehow, I have a feeling that the people who wrote these songs don't, and were just too lazy to actually look up the name of an African city (or to realize that they had already mentioned an African country!). There are plenty of huge, bustling cities in various countries in Africa. They deserve some attention!

Population stats from Wikipedia for agglomeration-
Cairo, Egypt: 15.2 million (Between the sizes of LA and NYC)
Lagos, Nigeria: 11.8 million (1 million fewer people than LA)
Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of the Congo: 8.9 million (1/2 million fewer people than Chicago)
Johannesburg-Ekurhuleni, South Africa: 7.55 million (Bigger than Dallas-Fort Worth! And most Americans have probably even heard of Johannesburg!)

Come on you pop song writers! Get creative! Pick up a laptop or an Atlas! Don't just say "Africa"! Give me a little more detail next time!

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-07-13T07:38:00.002-04:00

Update

2011-07-06T08:10:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I should give an update.
I did not weigh myself today or last Wednesday. I had a really bad couple of weeks as far as eating, with a lot of travel, parties, etc. I am afraid that if I weigh myself I'll get really discouraged.
But. I have been back on track for Monday and Tuesday this week. I'm really going to do my best to be 100% this whole week and weigh myself next Wednesday and get a good number.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-06-22T09:29:00.002-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Week 11: Lost 3.0
Week 12: Lost 1.2
Week 13: Lost 3.0
Week 14: Gained 1.0
Week 15: Lost 2.6
Total Lost: 39.6 pounds!

Still haven't lost 40! Ridiculous. I exercised every day and only ate bad for 2 meals, but I have definitely been slacking in my attitude. I haven't been good about keeping track of my food online. I need to get back into that. My routine has also been crazy with lots of extra stuff going on.
That said, I'm definitely glad to be back on the losing side of things!

Update

2011-06-17T13:56:00.002-04:00

I weighed myself this morning and I lost 2 more pounds (for a total of 39). It's not official because it's not Wednesday, but still.

I had my doctor appointment today. All my blood work came back normal! My cholesterol, triglycerides, and liver function tests were all good! So, my healthy eating, increased exercise, and weight loss are working. Awesome!

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-06-15T07:59:00.001-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Week 11: Lost 3.0
Week 12: Lost 1.2
Week 13: Lost 3.0
Week 14: Gained 1.0
Total Lost: 37.0 pounds!

Oops. I had a bad week and gained back a pound. While I did well with exercising, I did not do well with eating. I had some scheduling issues for which I did not plan ahead well, and ended up eating out the last 3 nights in a row. So, that's got to stop.
I don't have anything out of the ordinary going on this week, so my goal is to exercise every day and stick to the program 100%.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-06-08T07:46:00.002-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Week 11: Lost 3.0
Week 12: Lost 1.2
Week 13: Lost 3.0
Total Lost: 38.0 pounds!

Yay! I went out to eat once and also ate some pizza this week, so I'm a little surprised, but I will take it! Now I need to lose at least 2 lbs this week to make my goal of losing 40 by my dr. appointment.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-06-01T07:26:00.002-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Week 11: Lost 3.0
Week 12: Lost 1.2
Total Lost: 35.0 pounds!

I'm a little disappointed with my loss this week. I didn't exercise enough, and I probably ate too many bad things. I'm probably also not drinking enough water for how hot it is, so I may be retaining some. I need to do better this week! I would really like to lose 5 more pounds in the next 2 weeks.

This Happens Several Times a Day

2011-05-25T16:20:00.002-04:00

I write out an internet guest pass for a patron, and explain:
Me- "The top part here is your Patron ID. You need to type in the whole thing, including the dashes. This a 0, and these are 1s, not Os and Is. The bottom part is your password."
He tries to type it in.
Him- "Excuse me, this isn't working."
Me- "Are you typing in the dashes?"
Him- "Oh, I have to type in the dashes? OK."
I will pause here to point out that it is also printed on the slip of paper I gave him, "Type all letters and numbers with dashes."
5 minutes go by.
Him- "This still isn't working."
I go over and type it in for him. It works fine.
Him- "Oh, that's a 1? I was typing in an I."

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-05-25T08:02:00.003-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Week 11: Lost 3.0
Total Lost: 33.8 pounds!

This week I had Mexican food for dinner Friday and carnival food for lunch on Saturday, but I did good with eating the rest of the week and did a LOT of yard work and dog walking. It was kind of a breakthrough for me to eat unhealthily for lunch but then pull it together for the rest of the day and stick to my plan. I tend to be all-or-nothing, and use that as an excuse to overeat for a whole day after I slip up. Very happy to be back on track and losing weight!

Television Tuesday - The Voice

2011-05-24T17:17:00.003-04:00

I don't like American Idol. I watched it for one season when I didn't have much going on in my life (Carrie Underwood), and it was just way too time-consuming.
I have started watching The Voice, and I think it is SO much better, for the following reasons:
1. It's much more positive. Now I know it's funny when they have the crazy people who can't sing on AI. But if you really think about it, it's not THAT funny. Some producer has told that person that they really have a chance, for the sole purpose of humiliating them on national TV. It's kind of sad. The Voice auditions only included people who were actually good at singing.
2. Appearance doesn't matter (as much). Of course the whole gimmick of the show is that the coaches couldn't see the people auditioning. Now, appearance may factor in more as the season goes on, but so far, things seem to be genuinely based on talent alone. (Christina Aguilera's team currently features 2 women with shaved heads). Some not-so-conventionally-attractive people might get pretty far on AI, but I believe there is always some kind of weight loss/makeover/dental work done.
3. The judges/coaches are all coherent. They are all pretty funny and have good chemistry with each other. They give actual constructive criticism and advice instead of being mean or ridiculous or crazy.
4. Carson Daly is infinitely more bearable than Ryan Seacrest. I don't think I need to explain this further.
So. That's why I'm watching The Voice. We'll have to see how the season progresses, but so far, I think it's pretty good.

Movie Monday - It's Kind of a Funny Story

2011-05-23T17:27:00.002-04:00

I guess this falls into the mental hospital genre, which also includes Girl, Interrupted and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Thankfully, this is not nearly as depressing as those.
It's Kind of a Funny Story is about a teenager who is kinda/sorta suicidal, and decides to check himself into a mental hospital. He doesn't realize what he's getting himself into, and life lessons, humor, and friendships occur.
Having spent time in mental hospitals/on mental wards for work, I actually know what they're like, to a certain extent. This movie, just like every other one I've seen, does not quite capture what it's really like, but it does a better job than some.
It's good for a few laughs, a few genuine emotional moments, and has a main character who I personally found very relatable.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-05-18T08:06:00.003-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Week 10: Lost 0.0
Total Lost: 30.8 pounds!

I did not make any progress this week. I was afraid I was going to gain, because I had a really bad weekend. I went to a bridal shower with good food and cake, and was just feeling kinda depressed for the rest of the weekend and wanted to eat a lot. And unfortunately, I did.
So, even though I'm disappointed, I just have to not give up, move on, and get back with the program. I was back on track Monday and Tuesday, so I feel confident.

Television Tuesday - So Long, Michael Scott

2011-05-17T17:18:00.002-04:00

I used to really, really, really love the Office. For maybe the first 3 seasons? Then I got pretty annoyed with it (Scott's Tots was over the line to me), and thought it was just too over-the-top, and even stopped watching for a bit last season. This season, though, I think has been back on point, and had some of the funniest episodes ever.
Obviously, I was a little nervous when it was confirmed that Steve Carell was leaving, as I was afraid the show could not survive without him. I have been pleasantly surprised with the 2 episodes that have aired since his departure.
I was extremely thrilled that they decided to give Michael a happy departure. Sometimes you love him, sometimes you hate him, but I think that he is overall an endearing character. They could have taken it in a lot of directions, but I'm so glad he got to grow as a person and be with Holly. I have always loved them together, because they are both just so weird that it works.
My favorite part of the episode was Pam telling the camera what Michael said to her as he was leaving - "He was just real excited to get home to Holly." It slightly melted my shriveled little heart!
Steve Carell is possibly the funniest and most awesome person ever. I will definitely miss him, but I'm hoping they can keep up the quality of the last 2 episodes without him.

Movie Monday - Thor

2011-05-16T13:35:00.003-04:00

I went to see Thor last night. At first, I was not planning to see this movie at all. I am not of the opinion that every single comic book ever needs to be made into a movie, and think the recent trend has gone way overboard. Then I found out it was directed by Kenneth Branagh, and I figured I'd get it from the library when it comes out on dvd. But I really needed to get out of the house last night, it was either Thor or Bridesmaids, and Thor had the earlier start time. So Thor it was.
I ended up really liking it! It has a good story, good effects, good actors. I was intrigued to see what Branagh would do with this type of movie, and I was definitely impressed with the result.
Fun fact: Kenneth Branagh stars as a police detective in a series of BBC tv movies called Wallander, which are based on a book series that I enjoy. One of the other detectives, who has curly blonde-ish hair, played Loki, Thor's brother, who has slicked-back black hair. I don't know why that makes me so happy. I guess just because Branagh took a chance on a friend who doesn't have tons of acting experience and gave him a huge part in a huge blockbuster.
Another fun fact: Idris Elba, aka Stringer Bell from The Wire, or Charles from The Office, who is black, is in this movie as one of the characters from Norse mythology. I personally love him and love this casting choice, and love that his response when the haters hated that it was "unrealistic" to have a black guy in Norse mythology, was something along the lines of "It's a story about a guy with a magical hammer, and they think having a black guy in it is what makes it unrealistic?"
Thor himself was also just really charming and has a fantastic smile and fantastic little smile lines around his eyes. So yes, good casting all around.
I still don't have any interest in the Green Hornet, the Green Lantern, Iron Man, or any of those, but yeah, Thor was cool.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-05-11T11:10:00.003-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Week 9: Lost 2.8
Total Lost: 30.8 pounds!

I stuck to the program this week so I'm a little surprised that I lost less than last week. As long as I'm losing, though, I'm happy.

I'm really feeling good about getting a sense of structure back in my life. I think that being more structured about my eating has helped me get on track in other ways. I'm also going grocery shopping every week, doing laundry on a set day, getting up earlier (on weekends too), and remembering to take my medications/supplements daily. That may not seem like much but for me it's a big difference from where I was 10 weeks ago. There's a definite connection for me between eating, exercise, mood, and how chaotic my life is. This is probably the first time since we bought our house that things are getting less chaotic. I'm going to keep working on having more structure and more of a schedule.

Movie Monday - Let Me In

2011-05-09T11:14:00.002-04:00

Last night I watched Let Me In. Let Me In is based on a Swedish movie from just a couple of years ago called Let the Right One In, which is based on a Swedish book that has been published in America under both titles.
I'm not really sure why it was necessary to make an American version of this movie. The Swedish version was really good, and this version didn't change much. Plus, the movie was not really promoted well or released in many theaters here, so it didn't make much money. But, it is also really good, so I'm not complaining.
The story is about a 12-year-old boy who is bullied at school. He meets a new girl in his apartment complex, and it turns out that she's a vampire.
Yes, yes, it's another vampire story. BUT. This is definitely the most unique take on the vampire that I have ever read or seen. Plus, the heart of the story is not really about the vampire, but about the bullied boy, the line between good and evil, and what can make you cross that line.
While the movie is fairly gory, what really made me sick while watching this was the bullying. Maybe because I know (or at least feel relatively certain) that there are not actually vampires murdering people in quite grisly ways, and I also know that there ARE children all over the world going through the horror that this boy is confronting every day.
The main difference between the Swedish and American version is better special effects in the American one. Plus, the lack of the infamous Swedish cat scene that was awesome and yet so ridiculous it kind of took me out of the story. (See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfa8JwwY-y4). I will say that the two lead Swedish actors were maybe a little better - more charming, I guess. The American leads are Kodi Smit-McPhee (little boy from The Road) and Chloe Moretz (Hit Girl from Kick-Ass).
Anyway. You probably don't need to see both of these, and the original Swedish version is probably a little better, but if you hate subtitles, the American version is a good option. By the way, both of these movies have gotten really good reviews, so if you like quality horror, you need to watch some version of this story!
By the way again, the book is also really good, though exceptionally gory.
Final thought - does it really ever snow that much in New Mexico?

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-05-04T12:13:00.003-04:00

I will try to come up with something else so that this isn't the only thing I'm posting every week!

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Week 8: Lost 3.0
Total Lost: 28.0 pounds!

I really was not expecting to lose that much this week because I had kind of a bad week. I didn't exercise as much as I should have (rain and laziness), and I ate a lot last Thursday (conference, proximity to Jimmy John's [hadn't been there in probably 6 months because there isn't one near me], and book club).
Oh well, I will take it! I will have a good week for #9.

Weigh-In Wednesday

2011-04-27T11:22:00.002-04:00

Week 1: Lost 7.0
Week 2: Lost 2.4
Week 3: Lost 3.2
Week 4: Lost 4.2
Week 5: Lost 2.2
Week 6: Lost 3.4
Week 7: Lost 2.6
Total Lost: 25.0 pounds!

I really did not think that I would lose anything this week, since I went home for Easter and did some fatty eating. I didn't eat as much as I would have before, and I did try to compensate for some of what I ate with exercise - so I guess that helped!
While this is a big milestone and I'm happy about my progress thus far, I have such a long way to go. And I know that the more I lose, the slower my pace of losing will get.

A note on the cost of Nutrisystem: I think it varies depending on what kind of deal they are offering at the time you sign up. I'm paying $240 a month for 28 days worth of food. I do still have to buy vegetables, fruit, and dairy on top of that. However: I was eating out so much before (every single day for lunch and a lot of days for dinner) that I'm finding I actually have more money left now at the end of a paycheck than I did before. Which is surprising, but good!

Trip

2011-04-20T12:30:00.002-04:00

So I'm going to Toledo this weekend for Easter, and taking Rufus with me. Should be interesting, as my parents are not really dog people! But, they do have a fenced-in yard, which will allow for some nice games of fetch and running around. I'm thinking we'll probably keep him on the screened-in porch most of the time. They probably don't want his slobber in their house! Hopefully it won't be too cold.