I know I haven't been updating much on here about what we're learning in my Digital 101 class, though I have posted some pictures I've taken while being in the class. I'll get more into all of that later, but this week's assignment (as in, due today) was to get some of our photographs printed off (I liked the results I got from MyPhotoPipe.com so I'll give them a shout-out!). It was to help us get acquainted with that part of the whole photography process, as well as help us determine what pictures turn out best on what types of paper (glossy vs matte, etc). We also took a few pictures that were supposed to follow any one of the "rules" of composition... rule of thirds, patterns, leading lines, etc, for fellow photographers out there.
Well, both my assignments this week got a really good reception! I was very pleased/proud! Ryan said that I made good paper choices for the prints I ordered, and both he and my fellow classmates had good things to say about a lot of my photographs. To top it all off, at the end of class I was asking Ryan something about what methods he uses to select between several photos of the same subject (read: so I don't have to repeat my last post for every photo shoot I ever do!!) And the part of the evening that really made my day (which I'm probably waaaaay over-analyzing and reading into because, come on, I'm a girl and we just do that about everything, but still made me happy) is that he prefaced his answer with "Well, you seem more serious about this, so......" and proceeded to give me what, I guess, was a more thorough answer, or perhaps suggested tools (such as portfolio review/tutorial sessions) that he wouldn't bother giving someone that was less "serious".
It was just a compliment that he probably didn't even realize he was paying me by recognizing that I AM, or at least am trying to be, more serious about this. I'm not sure if it was my manner in class, the attention I seemed to pay to the lessons, my level of familiarity with some of the concepts already, or any amount of success that is already coming through in my shots (some combination of all of these things would I guess be ideal). But something tipped him off to the fact that I really am interested in this stuff for more than just weekend outings' sake. And whatever that may be, it made my day that it IS coming across!
So yay!!! :D
In other notes (and in an attempt to go ahead and get some other items out of the way on my to-blog list) the rest of my evening turned out pretty good too. My day started out kind of crappy. I showed up to work only to find that the power and phones were both out, my boss was elsewhere, and the only instruction or direction she would give us was that we weren't to leave and she would call after her meeting (which was supposed to go until sometime between 10am and noon.) I tried calling her after she had spoken with a coworker to see if she could give us any sort of timeline. Any idea of "If the power's not on by ___ o'clock, you can go work from home." But no- she cut me off before I could get the thought out, responded "I know the power's out. I want you to stay there. I'll call after my meeting." And that was that. So I started off my day very upset (I called John after that almost in tears out of anger) that my manager was showing very poor leadership skills by appearing to be "too busy" to acknowledge or deal with the fact that her employees did not have the resources they needed to do their job. The power did end up coming back on mid-day, just a little before she got back. I really wished it had stayed off. Not simply because the idea of being able to go home was enticing, but because the situation allowed her to show up and say "Oh, good. The power's back on. Looks like my plan worked. I was right to just have yall stay here." When in fact, NO, that is NOT good managing, and despite the fact that this situation turned out for the best, that kind of leadership should really NOT be encouraged. UGGG!
Anyways, like I said... my evening DID turn out fine. I promise! First, class went well. Then I came home and, it not being too late, decided to get in some exercise, so I hopped on my gazelle (the exercise machine, not the African animal, for anyone new to my blog), and finished Little Black Book. (I started it earlier this week while also on my gazelle.) I ended up doing 35 minutes, working up a little bit of a sweat- enough to feel like I was doing myself some good- and enjoy a good movie! Because, yes, this is a VERY good movie. Not if you're a guy probably, but it's a great girl-power movie. Not in the sense of shoot-em-up, killer (literal) heels, poison lipstick, etc, like you'd find in Sucker Punch or any Angelina Jolie flick. But more along the lines of *possible spoiler alert* I can have my happy ending with or without a guy *end of spoiler* kind of way. And, while there is technically no random breakout musical number like most of my other favorite movies include, music does play a large role, and the last scene leaves a smile big enough and tears bright enough on your face to make you think it ended with the musical number of the decade! So if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. :)
So that was what made my day so good. :) Now I'm all showered, and done with my post, so I'm going to head to bed and read a little of my latest Anne of... book. :)
Sweet dreams!
PS- Ryan DID say that asking other people for their opinion when you just can't decide between youe last few good photos is actually a good method, so I can't promise that I won't have ANY repeats of my last post, but I'll try to keep them to a minimum! :P
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Weekend Wrap-up
Hello again happy people- both to those of you still on a happy high after a weekend of love and hearts and candy, and those of you happy it's all over ;P
I would definitely fall into the first category. So anyone that's avoiding Valentine's tales feel free to move on now (though, I promise not to get too gushy. I'm expecting this post will be mostly pictures.)
But yes, I had a wonderful weekend with John. I managed to leave work early on Friday. The plan was for John to leave even earlier and get to the yurts early to check in and get his truck unpacked and everything set up by the time I got there. The traffic god had other plans though, and John didn't get there til about an hour after me. So I checked us in, unloaded my car, got the interior all cozy (turns out everything John was bringing was mostly outdoorsy grilling type stuff anyways) and once John got there we hit up the grocery store and settled in the for night!
It was a weekend of hot dogs and burgers for dinner, scrambled eggs and maple flavored bacon (mmmmmMMMMM) for breakfast. Not too shabby :) Over the course of dinner Friday and Saturday night we watched How to Train Your Dragon. Very cute movie. The main dragon reminded us both very much of our cat Coco. If you've ever met this cat, go watch the movie. It's a bit redic. But anyways, Saturday we took a long walk with our cameras to see what we could see. Then came back for an afternoon nap, followed up with another sunset walk to grab a few more shots. Sunday after packing up we went and played a round (my first ever) of disc golf. I sucked. But by the end I had gotten a little better at throwing my disc underhanded and hoping it rolled farther than if I threw it frisbee style :) (My right upper arm was pretty sore all day Monday as a result. I'm so weak.) After all that we called it quits and headed back to John's place. His sis is spending a week down in Tampa with his parents so he's watching her dog for her. So sweet. So he was there when we got home. Took it easy for the evening- John and I played his game and caught up on our DVR'd shows, respectively, and had one more hamburger each for dinner.
Monday morning I had to get up for work. Blah blah blah. But I got to come back to John's place afterwards, which was nice! I don't think I've left for work in the morning from there and come back after work to his place both on the same day in a loooooooooong time, if ever. I almost felt like I lived there too! I stopped by Publix on my way and grabbed everything I needed for a carpet picnic spread. I must say, I think it turned out pretty well. Even if we had way more food than was necessary for 2 people, it was a nice spread and gave both of us left overs for lunch today. We had Publix chicken fingers (yum!!!!), pinwheel sandwiches, fruit, crackers with cheese and deli meat, shrimp cocktail (that was just for John. I don't like shrimp), and a few hard boiled eggs. For dessert: chocolate covered strawberries and bananas and some banana pudding. And I'm even more excited about the fact that I've stumbled across a dynamite spread for next time I throw a party! It was all served cold and had minimal prep- all I did was make the pinwheel sandwiches, dip the fruit in the chocolate, and set everything else out on plates. But once I laid out a blanket on the floor and let a bunch of candles, I think it turned out pretty nice :) After dinner and conversation, we played a few rounds of Rummy and called it a night. Overall, a pretty good Valentine's Day, if I say so myself. :)
So that's it. That was my weekend. Today after work I went and visited my Aunt Elaine, who had a stroke last weekend while watching the Super Bowl. Thank God (literally- there were a LOT of people praying for her) she is fine now and does not seem to have suffered any permanent damage. She's just taking it easy. So that was nice. They live so close to my new place but that's the first time I've stopped by to see them since I moved in, so I must get better about that. They really are wonderful, good Christian people that anyone would be lucky to have in their lives as mentors and have praying for them.
Now, an easy evening and early to bed perhaps. Until next time, here are some of my fave shots from this weekend :) Enjoy!!!
I would definitely fall into the first category. So anyone that's avoiding Valentine's tales feel free to move on now (though, I promise not to get too gushy. I'm expecting this post will be mostly pictures.)
But yes, I had a wonderful weekend with John. I managed to leave work early on Friday. The plan was for John to leave even earlier and get to the yurts early to check in and get his truck unpacked and everything set up by the time I got there. The traffic god had other plans though, and John didn't get there til about an hour after me. So I checked us in, unloaded my car, got the interior all cozy (turns out everything John was bringing was mostly outdoorsy grilling type stuff anyways) and once John got there we hit up the grocery store and settled in the for night!
It was a weekend of hot dogs and burgers for dinner, scrambled eggs and maple flavored bacon (mmmmmMMMMM) for breakfast. Not too shabby :) Over the course of dinner Friday and Saturday night we watched How to Train Your Dragon. Very cute movie. The main dragon reminded us both very much of our cat Coco. If you've ever met this cat, go watch the movie. It's a bit redic. But anyways, Saturday we took a long walk with our cameras to see what we could see. Then came back for an afternoon nap, followed up with another sunset walk to grab a few more shots. Sunday after packing up we went and played a round (my first ever) of disc golf. I sucked. But by the end I had gotten a little better at throwing my disc underhanded and hoping it rolled farther than if I threw it frisbee style :) (My right upper arm was pretty sore all day Monday as a result. I'm so weak.) After all that we called it quits and headed back to John's place. His sis is spending a week down in Tampa with his parents so he's watching her dog for her. So sweet. So he was there when we got home. Took it easy for the evening- John and I played his game and caught up on our DVR'd shows, respectively, and had one more hamburger each for dinner.
Monday morning I had to get up for work. Blah blah blah. But I got to come back to John's place afterwards, which was nice! I don't think I've left for work in the morning from there and come back after work to his place both on the same day in a loooooooooong time, if ever. I almost felt like I lived there too! I stopped by Publix on my way and grabbed everything I needed for a carpet picnic spread. I must say, I think it turned out pretty well. Even if we had way more food than was necessary for 2 people, it was a nice spread and gave both of us left overs for lunch today. We had Publix chicken fingers (yum!!!!), pinwheel sandwiches, fruit, crackers with cheese and deli meat, shrimp cocktail (that was just for John. I don't like shrimp), and a few hard boiled eggs. For dessert: chocolate covered strawberries and bananas and some banana pudding. And I'm even more excited about the fact that I've stumbled across a dynamite spread for next time I throw a party! It was all served cold and had minimal prep- all I did was make the pinwheel sandwiches, dip the fruit in the chocolate, and set everything else out on plates. But once I laid out a blanket on the floor and let a bunch of candles, I think it turned out pretty nice :) After dinner and conversation, we played a few rounds of Rummy and called it a night. Overall, a pretty good Valentine's Day, if I say so myself. :)
So that's it. That was my weekend. Today after work I went and visited my Aunt Elaine, who had a stroke last weekend while watching the Super Bowl. Thank God (literally- there were a LOT of people praying for her) she is fine now and does not seem to have suffered any permanent damage. She's just taking it easy. So that was nice. They live so close to my new place but that's the first time I've stopped by to see them since I moved in, so I must get better about that. They really are wonderful, good Christian people that anyone would be lucky to have in their lives as mentors and have praying for them.
Now, an easy evening and early to bed perhaps. Until next time, here are some of my fave shots from this weekend :) Enjoy!!!
And lastly, last night's carpet picnic:
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Stories and Swimming
Well today's been pretty uneventful at work so far. I've been seriously considering starting some laser hair removal treatments through American Laser Centers (I got a really good deal through some event I went to with a friend and it's something I've been really wanting to do for a while), so I've been spending some time trying to look through the reviews. Only the office I was going to go to doesn't seem to have many good reviews online. So now I'm not so sure again. If I end up going through with it, I'll let yall know how it goes.
Watched last night's episode of No Ordinary Family on my lunch break today. It's one of several shows that I'm following now. lol. During the off weeks for my normal shows, when I don't have anything else to catch up on over lunch I start just looking around online at what else looks interesting, then I always end up watching from the beginning, getting all caught up, and next thing you know by the time the seasons are starting back up, I've found myself another show that I'm "following". Here's my current list:
Desperate Housewives
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice
One Tree Hill
No Ordinary Family
Vampire Diaries
Hellcats
V
The Event
America's Next Top Model (when it's in season)
*I also watched the whole of Ugly Betty
*I have now started watching Cougar Town online, though I'm not quite up to speed yet
I think that's everything. Sad, huh? Assuming I waste an hour on each of those shows (among other one-offs) each week, look how many hours a week I could be doing something productive? Checking off one of those many items you've all seen several times on my "do this more" lists.
I guess we all have our vices though. One of mine is stories. It's why when I'm not watching tv, most of the time I'm reading. Once I start, I just can't stop. I have to know what happens. It sucks when I start a book or a movie and realize very quickly that I don't like the story, cuz even then I can't put it down. I have to see it through to the end! It's why, no offense to whoever I'm hanging out with, if we're watching a movie or a show, if you start talking I'm going to pause and/or rewind when you're done. It's why I refuse to use the bathroom during movies. I hate the idea of missing some part of the story! (That makes me sound really lame when I put it out there like that. Oh well, if I can't be myself here....)
But anyways, yes, that is time that could be well spent doing other things. Baking, painting, taking a walk, taking pictures. I am going to make one baby step though, and thanks to my friend who already got one and loves it, I'm going to get a Gazelle I think. And no, I'm not talking some animal you see while on safari in Africa. I'm talking about that cheesy exercise machine you saw all the infomercials for back in the 90s or whenever it was. I figure if I can keep that down in the basement and whenever I'm watching a movie or tv, rather than sitting on my butt, I can do this instead and at least do a little bit of exercising.
Speaking of which, this is another I'm guilty of being an all or nothing perfectionist in the past. So instead I'm currently following/putting together a bit of a mishmash routine. lol. Besides the Gazelle I hope to get with my next pay check, I've been working out with one of my roommates ocassionally. She wanted to start P90X together. Our schedules don't match up very often though, so so far I've really only worked out with her a handful of times. But as she's doing at my house (as opposed to when I was doing it with my other friend last year and had to drive over to her place and back everyday for it) it'll be fairly simple for me to join her when I'm able to- some mornings, some afternoons.
And lastly, I think I'm going to join a gym. I've been hesitant to do so, as it would be another monthly expense. Especially when I thought I'd be doing P90X every day again. But since that's turning out not to be everyday.... my other roommate had a free pass for a friend to go with her to LA Fitness the other day, so I went swimming with her, and o...m...g! So much fun! It was so relaxing to get in the water and just do my own thing for 40 minutes. And it's go so many other advantages! First off, swimming is just great exercise in general. It's also high resistance due to the water, but at the same time less of an impact when it comes to things like shin splints and stuff. It also has the added benefit that I don't get all hot and sweaty and yucky. Do I shower afterwards, yes- but to get rid of the chlorine. Not because I feel gross. And I'm not wanting to quit after a few minutes cuz I'm just so dang hot and uncomfortable! So just that alone was enough to convince me join. But besides access to an indoor lap pool, I'll also be able to take classes (I've been thinking about a bike/spinning class) AND John is a member of LA Fitness, so we can have work out dates! How dorky but fun does that sound? I think that all of that warrants enough reasons to justify the $30 or so a month, right? (Plus, I think Emory employees get a discount.)
So that's my hodge-podge workout regimen. It's better than nothing.
Tonight I'm off to hang out with Sunny after work. I've decided to take her out to dinner on Wednesdays when I watch her to make it seem more like real sister hang out time as opposed to babysitting. I thought maybe she'd feel kind of cool if instead of sitting at home at the kitchen table reviewing her homework over a plate of Hamburger Helper, we got dinner out then headed over to Starbucks for some hot chocolate and studied there instead.
PS- Davey- if you happen to read this, don't forget to wish Dad a happy birthday today!!!! :)
Watched last night's episode of No Ordinary Family on my lunch break today. It's one of several shows that I'm following now. lol. During the off weeks for my normal shows, when I don't have anything else to catch up on over lunch I start just looking around online at what else looks interesting, then I always end up watching from the beginning, getting all caught up, and next thing you know by the time the seasons are starting back up, I've found myself another show that I'm "following". Here's my current list:
Desperate Housewives
Grey's Anatomy
Private Practice
One Tree Hill
No Ordinary Family
Vampire Diaries
Hellcats
V
The Event
America's Next Top Model (when it's in season)
*I also watched the whole of Ugly Betty
*I have now started watching Cougar Town online, though I'm not quite up to speed yet
I think that's everything. Sad, huh? Assuming I waste an hour on each of those shows (among other one-offs) each week, look how many hours a week I could be doing something productive? Checking off one of those many items you've all seen several times on my "do this more" lists.
I guess we all have our vices though. One of mine is stories. It's why when I'm not watching tv, most of the time I'm reading. Once I start, I just can't stop. I have to know what happens. It sucks when I start a book or a movie and realize very quickly that I don't like the story, cuz even then I can't put it down. I have to see it through to the end! It's why, no offense to whoever I'm hanging out with, if we're watching a movie or a show, if you start talking I'm going to pause and/or rewind when you're done. It's why I refuse to use the bathroom during movies. I hate the idea of missing some part of the story! (That makes me sound really lame when I put it out there like that. Oh well, if I can't be myself here....)
But anyways, yes, that is time that could be well spent doing other things. Baking, painting, taking a walk, taking pictures. I am going to make one baby step though, and thanks to my friend who already got one and loves it, I'm going to get a Gazelle I think. And no, I'm not talking some animal you see while on safari in Africa. I'm talking about that cheesy exercise machine you saw all the infomercials for back in the 90s or whenever it was. I figure if I can keep that down in the basement and whenever I'm watching a movie or tv, rather than sitting on my butt, I can do this instead and at least do a little bit of exercising.
Speaking of which, this is another I'm guilty of being an all or nothing perfectionist in the past. So instead I'm currently following/putting together a bit of a mishmash routine. lol. Besides the Gazelle I hope to get with my next pay check, I've been working out with one of my roommates ocassionally. She wanted to start P90X together. Our schedules don't match up very often though, so so far I've really only worked out with her a handful of times. But as she's doing at my house (as opposed to when I was doing it with my other friend last year and had to drive over to her place and back everyday for it) it'll be fairly simple for me to join her when I'm able to- some mornings, some afternoons.
And lastly, I think I'm going to join a gym. I've been hesitant to do so, as it would be another monthly expense. Especially when I thought I'd be doing P90X every day again. But since that's turning out not to be everyday.... my other roommate had a free pass for a friend to go with her to LA Fitness the other day, so I went swimming with her, and o...m...g! So much fun! It was so relaxing to get in the water and just do my own thing for 40 minutes. And it's go so many other advantages! First off, swimming is just great exercise in general. It's also high resistance due to the water, but at the same time less of an impact when it comes to things like shin splints and stuff. It also has the added benefit that I don't get all hot and sweaty and yucky. Do I shower afterwards, yes- but to get rid of the chlorine. Not because I feel gross. And I'm not wanting to quit after a few minutes cuz I'm just so dang hot and uncomfortable! So just that alone was enough to convince me join. But besides access to an indoor lap pool, I'll also be able to take classes (I've been thinking about a bike/spinning class) AND John is a member of LA Fitness, so we can have work out dates! How dorky but fun does that sound? I think that all of that warrants enough reasons to justify the $30 or so a month, right? (Plus, I think Emory employees get a discount.)
So that's my hodge-podge workout regimen. It's better than nothing.
Tonight I'm off to hang out with Sunny after work. I've decided to take her out to dinner on Wednesdays when I watch her to make it seem more like real sister hang out time as opposed to babysitting. I thought maybe she'd feel kind of cool if instead of sitting at home at the kitchen table reviewing her homework over a plate of Hamburger Helper, we got dinner out then headed over to Starbucks for some hot chocolate and studied there instead.
PS- Davey- if you happen to read this, don't forget to wish Dad a happy birthday today!!!! :)
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Seriously?!?
Seriously.
http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-movies/star-wars-films-to-645467.html?cxntlid=sldr_hm
See my rant on this topic here.
http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-movies/star-wars-films-to-645467.html?cxntlid=sldr_hm
See my rant on this topic here.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Weekend Review
Soundtrack: Sarah McLachlan Mirrorball
Hello wonderful people!
I was busy (busy relaxing at times) all weekend and didn't have a chance to update yall while it was all going on. So let's see:
Friday night I went to the Atlanta Falcons season opener hoping to catch John's debut on the drumline. My good friend Danielle and her husband, Jay, came along.
So a big THANK YOU to those 2 wonderful friends!!! Otherwise I would have had to go by myself, and sitting by myself in a stadium surrounded by thousands of people is not my scene. I'm not outgoing enough to make friends with all my neighboring sports fans by the end of the 1st quarter like some people. lol. But anyways, we got some cheap tickets through RazorGator. We were up high, but had a great time for $7/ticket! Of course, the food made up all the saved $$, but it was worth it! Can't beat a good ol' stadium hotdog, and we threw in a pulled pork sandwich for good measure. Jay and I actually ended up splitting everything, passing back and forth over Danielle cuz she wasn't feeling the stadium food. You know why? CUZ SHE'S PREGNANT!!!!! Hehe. She wanted to wait til closer to the end of the 1st trimester before announcing it to the world so as not to jinx things. Which I can understand. I'm soooo excited though!!! I'm gonna be Auntie Hayhay! Yayayay!
We didn't actually get to see the drumline perform too much this game. Not out on the field anyway. But what they did play sounded great! :) And our seats were perfect for being able to see where they hang out! Whenever I go with my friends that have season tickets, my view of the drumline area won't be so good, so I'm glad I got a chance to sit where I did once. Of course, from where I was sitting, I was also able to see that during a majority of the game the cheerleaders were standing RIGHT in front of the drumline. Danielle did a good job drawing my attention to this. lol. What are best friends for if not to point out the mass of skinny blond cheerleaders dancing mere feet in front of your boyfriend? lol.
I also joined Taco Mac's beer club, Brewniversity. Sarah has had 219 different beers there so far, and is almost to her Master's, at which point she'll get her name on a plaque on the wall at her local TM. She has already achieved her Bachelor's, after which you get to enjoy 20oz of ice cold brew for the price of a 16oz pint glass (hence the awesome mug in the above shots.) Not sure I'll ever catch up to her with that head start, plus I'm not actually a beer fan. But I figure it's a fun, free club that gives me incentive to try new things!
Hello wonderful people!
I was busy (busy relaxing at times) all weekend and didn't have a chance to update yall while it was all going on. So let's see:
Friday night I went to the Atlanta Falcons season opener hoping to catch John's debut on the drumline. My good friend Danielle and her husband, Jay, came along.
So a big THANK YOU to those 2 wonderful friends!!! Otherwise I would have had to go by myself, and sitting by myself in a stadium surrounded by thousands of people is not my scene. I'm not outgoing enough to make friends with all my neighboring sports fans by the end of the 1st quarter like some people. lol. But anyways, we got some cheap tickets through RazorGator. We were up high, but had a great time for $7/ticket! Of course, the food made up all the saved $$, but it was worth it! Can't beat a good ol' stadium hotdog, and we threw in a pulled pork sandwich for good measure. Jay and I actually ended up splitting everything, passing back and forth over Danielle cuz she wasn't feeling the stadium food. You know why? CUZ SHE'S PREGNANT!!!!! Hehe. She wanted to wait til closer to the end of the 1st trimester before announcing it to the world so as not to jinx things. Which I can understand. I'm soooo excited though!!! I'm gonna be Auntie Hayhay! Yayayay!
We didn't actually get to see the drumline perform too much this game. Not out on the field anyway. But what they did play sounded great! :) And our seats were perfect for being able to see where they hang out! Whenever I go with my friends that have season tickets, my view of the drumline area won't be so good, so I'm glad I got a chance to sit where I did once. Of course, from where I was sitting, I was also able to see that during a majority of the game the cheerleaders were standing RIGHT in front of the drumline. Danielle did a good job drawing my attention to this. lol. What are best friends for if not to point out the mass of skinny blond cheerleaders dancing mere feet in front of your boyfriend? lol.
(It's ok Dan- I forgive you :P)
Saturday was wonderful. I did end up getting to spend all day with John as I had hoped. Slept in til around 11. It was so overcast that I couldn't tell what time it was at all when I woke up. But once we got up and got moving we went to see Inception, which was AWESOME, just like everyone said it would be! Definitely one I'll have to go back and watch a few more times before I'm able to keep track of everything. Then we went to try a new Chinese restaurant that's supposed to be the best near what is soon-to-be my new apartment complex. It's called Lucky China and I totally love it! I'm not normally a fan of Chinese food. I don't hate it, and I can always find SOMEthing to order on the menu, but it's never my first choice. But John loves it, so I thought he might like to know what our options will be at the new place. Anyways, this place was soooo cool! Not the traditional decor you expect at a smaller Chinese restaurant. The majority of their seating consisted of a series of tables that had a booth against the wall across from chic red ottomans on the other side of the table. The soy sauce is kept in little teapots on the tables instead of the container it comes in. And the food was all presented so nicely. I ordered some crab sushi and it came out on a smoking plate! (Thanks to some dry ice that the waiter made sure to tell me not to drink!)
The picture doesn't do it justice cuz I was a little rushed. But the presentation was gorgeous!
After coming home and taking a short nap (I loooooooooove naps! Totally don't get to take advantage enough!) we headed over to a party at a friend's place to finish off the evening.
Sunday I slept in again. Talk about relaaaaaaaaaaxing :) Around 2 I got together with my friends Sarah and Stephanie. Sarah has started a beer blog, Catholic Drinkie, and it is BLOWING UP already! So you should totally go check it out. Sarah is a devout Catholic, and KNOWS her beer, and has already been interviewed several times by some big name Catholic radio programs about this new blog of hers! You can check out a pod cast of her interview with GRN Alive in San Antonio here. And she asked me to take some pictures for her blog. So we spent the afternoon at Taco Mac (a favorite drinking hole of both of ours) having drinks and queso, taking pictures, and catching up.
I also joined Taco Mac's beer club, Brewniversity. Sarah has had 219 different beers there so far, and is almost to her Master's, at which point she'll get her name on a plaque on the wall at her local TM. She has already achieved her Bachelor's, after which you get to enjoy 20oz of ice cold brew for the price of a 16oz pint glass (hence the awesome mug in the above shots.) Not sure I'll ever catch up to her with that head start, plus I'm not actually a beer fan. But I figure it's a fun, free club that gives me incentive to try new things!
After finishing up at TM we headed over to Park Tavern at Piedmont Park for Unplugged in the Park, courtesy of 99X. Bands playing this weekend were Branded with Fear, The Kicks and Civil Twilight. It was fun. We got stuck a bit close to the stage so I we couldn't really talk, and once the floor filled up I was getting knocked in the head every time someone walked by, lol. But it was a good time. I'll definitely have to get The Kicks' album, cuz I really enjoyed their set. Of course, that's the one group I didn't get a picture of. Oh well.
That pretty much sums up my weekend. It sounds busy. But I got plenty of sleep, and I got to see lots of friends! So over all, I'd call it a success! And I'll leave you now with a few more cool shots from the weekend :)
Update: It was just brought to my attention that The Kicks have their new single as well as a full album available for free download on their site. Enjoy!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Ramona and Beezus
I spent some time earlier today complaining about movies I don't like, and I guess the universe thought it only fair that I spend some time on a movie I loved!
So let me just come right out and say that Ramona and Beezus is absolutely one of the best movies I've seen in a long time :)
It's not an epic love story, or a wild adventure, or a brilliant mystery. It is, simply put, a very very good, feel-good family movie. Perhaps it's just exactly what I needed right now. It was a casual, but heartfelt reminder of all the joy that can come from leading a simple life doing the things you enjoy, surrounding yourself with people you love, and having a little imagination.
Wanting the house and family portrayed in the movies has always been a bit of a cliche, but normally it refers to a big expensive house with perfect landscaping and a lived-in but still somehow perfectly coordinated and tidy interior. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't dreamed of the same thing many times over. But, tonight at least, I can honestly say that if I end up with the kind of home portrayed in this movie, with a cluttered basement and a creaky attic, crayon drawings tacked up on the wall, a quirky family I love more than anything in the world and nosy neighbors that are really just extended family, I would consider myself blessed beyond my wildest dreams.
I give this movie 6 stars. If you like laughing, crying, or simply remembering all the good things in life, you need to go see this movie as soon as you can.
So let me just come right out and say that Ramona and Beezus is absolutely one of the best movies I've seen in a long time :)
It's not an epic love story, or a wild adventure, or a brilliant mystery. It is, simply put, a very very good, feel-good family movie. Perhaps it's just exactly what I needed right now. It was a casual, but heartfelt reminder of all the joy that can come from leading a simple life doing the things you enjoy, surrounding yourself with people you love, and having a little imagination.
Wanting the house and family portrayed in the movies has always been a bit of a cliche, but normally it refers to a big expensive house with perfect landscaping and a lived-in but still somehow perfectly coordinated and tidy interior. And I'd be lying if I said I haven't dreamed of the same thing many times over. But, tonight at least, I can honestly say that if I end up with the kind of home portrayed in this movie, with a cluttered basement and a creaky attic, crayon drawings tacked up on the wall, a quirky family I love more than anything in the world and nosy neighbors that are really just extended family, I would consider myself blessed beyond my wildest dreams.
I give this movie 6 stars. If you like laughing, crying, or simply remembering all the good things in life, you need to go see this movie as soon as you can.
3D or Not to Be: A Challenge to Hollywood and Optometrists
I just want to rant for a minute about the epidemic of 3D movies going around currently. I, like most other people out there, appreciate the novelty of the occasional movie that is released in 3D in order to enhance certain aspects of production or give it that "edge" it needs to succeed in the box office.
However, it seems like today every other movie I hear about is coming out in 3D. It is no longer limited to animated films, and in some cases I have to wonder if it's even appropriate. I mean, really? How many people need to see the blood and gore of the Saw franchise in 3D? And sometimes it's hard to even find a theater that has an option to NOT see certain titles in 3D! Based on memory and a quick search online, here is a (non-comprehensive) list of the major movies from 2010 that have been, or are yet to be, released in 3D (the label "major" being subjective here). In no particular order:
~How to Train Your Dragon
~Clash of the Titans
~Shrek Forever After
~Toy Story 3
~Despicable Me
~Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore
~Step Up 3D
~Saw VII aka Saw 3D
~Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
~Tron Legacy
~Alice in Wonderland
~The Last Airbender
~The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader
~Avatar (I realize this was released in 2009 but it was in theaters for so long I thought it appropriate to include it)
I realize these were not all released solely in 3D, and I again want to point out that I enjoy the occasional 3D movie. But if this trend continues, I'm afraid that I'm going to be forced to pay an extra $2+ and wear those uncomfortable 3D glasses through every movie I have any desire to see in theaters in coming years. Based on this site, there were 165 movies from 1953 to 2009 released in 3D. That's over a span of 56 years. There are (again, according to that same site) currently 94 movies that have been released or scheduled for release in 3D from 2010 to 2012.
And with the invention of 3D DVDs and TVs (which, from what I can tell, you still have to wear those glasses in order to benefit from) I don't see a stop to this trend anytime soon.
I love the movies. I am a classic movie lover. Ask any of my friends, and they will tell you that I am probably the exact target audience that most movie producers are trying to cater to. I laugh, I cry, I scream- a LOT. I've been told more than once that going to see a movie with me actually enhances the experience for others because of how much of a kick they get out of seeing my responses. I don't say this with any personal agenda in mind, but simply to further express how much I truly love movies. Schedule and bank account allowing, I am pretty much always willing to spend the extra $$ on the stadium seating, popcorn, coke and candy that "going to the movies" involves. And I want it to stay that way!
But between the headache I always come away from a 3D movie with- either due to the way the glasses sit on my nose, or from trying to watch without the glasses to give my nose a break- and the spike in ticket costs for 3D showings, I'm not sure I'll feel the same if things continue in this direction.
So I am officially lodging a complaint and making a plea to Hollywood and/or eye doctors everywhere: Let's either cut back on the 3D production, or start developing some truly comfortable, uniquely fitted 3D glasses available for permanent, PERSONAL purchase. If theaters don't have to provide glasses for everyone coming to see 3D films, perhaps the cost will drop back to that of a normal movie ticket, and we can all go back to simply enjoying a night out at the movies!
However, it seems like today every other movie I hear about is coming out in 3D. It is no longer limited to animated films, and in some cases I have to wonder if it's even appropriate. I mean, really? How many people need to see the blood and gore of the Saw franchise in 3D? And sometimes it's hard to even find a theater that has an option to NOT see certain titles in 3D! Based on memory and a quick search online, here is a (non-comprehensive) list of the major movies from 2010 that have been, or are yet to be, released in 3D (the label "major" being subjective here). In no particular order:
~How to Train Your Dragon
~Clash of the Titans
~Shrek Forever After
~Toy Story 3
~Despicable Me
~Cats & Dogs: the Revenge of Kitty Galore
~Step Up 3D
~Saw VII aka Saw 3D
~Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
~Tron Legacy
~Alice in Wonderland
~The Last Airbender
~The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader
~Avatar (I realize this was released in 2009 but it was in theaters for so long I thought it appropriate to include it)
I realize these were not all released solely in 3D, and I again want to point out that I enjoy the occasional 3D movie. But if this trend continues, I'm afraid that I'm going to be forced to pay an extra $2+ and wear those uncomfortable 3D glasses through every movie I have any desire to see in theaters in coming years. Based on this site, there were 165 movies from 1953 to 2009 released in 3D. That's over a span of 56 years. There are (again, according to that same site) currently 94 movies that have been released or scheduled for release in 3D from 2010 to 2012.
And with the invention of 3D DVDs and TVs (which, from what I can tell, you still have to wear those glasses in order to benefit from) I don't see a stop to this trend anytime soon.
I love the movies. I am a classic movie lover. Ask any of my friends, and they will tell you that I am probably the exact target audience that most movie producers are trying to cater to. I laugh, I cry, I scream- a LOT. I've been told more than once that going to see a movie with me actually enhances the experience for others because of how much of a kick they get out of seeing my responses. I don't say this with any personal agenda in mind, but simply to further express how much I truly love movies. Schedule and bank account allowing, I am pretty much always willing to spend the extra $$ on the stadium seating, popcorn, coke and candy that "going to the movies" involves. And I want it to stay that way!
But between the headache I always come away from a 3D movie with- either due to the way the glasses sit on my nose, or from trying to watch without the glasses to give my nose a break- and the spike in ticket costs for 3D showings, I'm not sure I'll feel the same if things continue in this direction.
So I am officially lodging a complaint and making a plea to Hollywood and/or eye doctors everywhere: Let's either cut back on the 3D production, or start developing some truly comfortable, uniquely fitted 3D glasses available for permanent, PERSONAL purchase. If theaters don't have to provide glasses for everyone coming to see 3D films, perhaps the cost will drop back to that of a normal movie ticket, and we can all go back to simply enjoying a night out at the movies!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Another attempt
So here I am again. Umm..... about 3 months after my last blog? Anyways, this will consist of whatever brief update I have time for in the 10 minutes before dinner is ready. Prepare for a random list, but hopefully I'll expand on several items in later posts.
~I finished P90X- kind of wimped out at the end, but then I did a month-long boot camp: an hour workout at 5:45am 5 days a week. It kicked my butt in a good way. I'm currently on an exercise hiatus, lol. Hoping to start running either during lunch (I found a shower at work I can use) or after work sometime soon.
~John and I got all dressed up and went to the fabulous Fox theater to see the Phantom of the Opera's farewell tour. One of my favorites!!! It was wonderful. I cried at the end like always!
~I've signed the non-renewal form at my current apartment complex and am looking forward to moving into a new place- I've figured out the complex, I just have to decide on the unit, but I think after today I'm much closer to a decision.
~I have actually baked ONE item since going on and on about how excited I was to get into that! It wasn't anything out of any of my new cookbooks, however. It was a German Chocolate Cake for John's birthday :) We celebrated with his family one weekend during a family reunion at Brosnan Forest in SC, and then the next weekend he and I celebrated with a trip to the Stone Mountain Laser show, a behinds the scene tour at the Ga Aquarium, lunch at the Sundial restaurant down town, and then with a surprise party at my place! I think it all went over very well :)
Mom- I still owe you a banana cake. Don't worry- you'll get it soon!
~I have also started a couple paintings. There's not much there yet, but there are 2 fewer blank canvases sitting in my apartment at this moment, so that's a start!
~I recently co-founded a book club with some of my friends. Our first meeting is scheduled for middle of next month. For our first meeting we'll be reading The Wildwater Walking Club. I've also started reading a book my friend lent me, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. So far I'm loving it!
~I'm currently trying to figure out whether I want to continue down the path I had laid out for myself school/career wise, or if I want to try a different yellow-brick-road. I'm leaning toward the latter, I just have to figure out the details. Definitely more on that to come later.
~John's family unfortunately saw each other again not too long after that same family reunion mentioned above. His grandfather passed away unexpectedly and I went with him and his siblings down to the funeral in Savannah. The ceremony was a beautiful celebration of Ryan Garner's life. I'm sad I didn't get a chance to know him better or play that game of one-on-one Scrabble, but I can testify that he was a man that believed in hard work and loved his wife and his family and the Lord above all else. He will be missed but remembered fondly for a very long time.
~I'm still enjoying my church small group. I also recently attended a 4 week leadership program through the church. We heard different speakers on what it means to be a spiritual leader, got to find out what kind of leader we are and were given the opportunity to sign up for various leadership roles within the volunteer community at the church. I haven't signed up for anything yet, but I'm doing a little soul searching and am looking forward to picking a role. I have been to church the last 3 weeks in a row- very proud of myself for that. Missed today as I was home with family all weekend, but perhaps I can watch today's message online and get back on track next week.
~My brother left today for a year long placement teaching English in South Korea to elementary- to middle-school aged children. My fam saw him off at the airport and I cried. I'll miss him a ton, but I'm so proud of him for doing this. He's really an inspiration to me sometimes. As you might expect, I spent this whole weekend with my family hanging out and saying goodbye to my brother. We were unsure when he was leaving at first, so we spent last weekend having a goodbye party for him and spending a day/night at Calloway Gardens. When we found out his flight was today, we got to spend another weekend together. The siblings (plus John) headed to the Andretti Karting facility in Alpharetta for a day of fun, followed by Davey's last Mexican meal for quite a while.
This morning he got his last Waffle House breakfast before we saw him off.
And for now, I'm going to finish watching Inkheart with my dad and sister before heading back to my place for the night. Hopefully you'll hear more from me before 3 months next time :)
PS- Davey, wherever you are over the Pacific right now, I hope you're loving it!!!
~I finished P90X- kind of wimped out at the end, but then I did a month-long boot camp: an hour workout at 5:45am 5 days a week. It kicked my butt in a good way. I'm currently on an exercise hiatus, lol. Hoping to start running either during lunch (I found a shower at work I can use) or after work sometime soon.
~John and I got all dressed up and went to the fabulous Fox theater to see the Phantom of the Opera's farewell tour. One of my favorites!!! It was wonderful. I cried at the end like always!
~I've signed the non-renewal form at my current apartment complex and am looking forward to moving into a new place- I've figured out the complex, I just have to decide on the unit, but I think after today I'm much closer to a decision.
~I have actually baked ONE item since going on and on about how excited I was to get into that! It wasn't anything out of any of my new cookbooks, however. It was a German Chocolate Cake for John's birthday :) We celebrated with his family one weekend during a family reunion at Brosnan Forest in SC, and then the next weekend he and I celebrated with a trip to the Stone Mountain Laser show, a behinds the scene tour at the Ga Aquarium, lunch at the Sundial restaurant down town, and then with a surprise party at my place! I think it all went over very well :)
Mom- I still owe you a banana cake. Don't worry- you'll get it soon!
~I have also started a couple paintings. There's not much there yet, but there are 2 fewer blank canvases sitting in my apartment at this moment, so that's a start!
~I recently co-founded a book club with some of my friends. Our first meeting is scheduled for middle of next month. For our first meeting we'll be reading The Wildwater Walking Club. I've also started reading a book my friend lent me, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. So far I'm loving it!
~I'm currently trying to figure out whether I want to continue down the path I had laid out for myself school/career wise, or if I want to try a different yellow-brick-road. I'm leaning toward the latter, I just have to figure out the details. Definitely more on that to come later.
~John's family unfortunately saw each other again not too long after that same family reunion mentioned above. His grandfather passed away unexpectedly and I went with him and his siblings down to the funeral in Savannah. The ceremony was a beautiful celebration of Ryan Garner's life. I'm sad I didn't get a chance to know him better or play that game of one-on-one Scrabble, but I can testify that he was a man that believed in hard work and loved his wife and his family and the Lord above all else. He will be missed but remembered fondly for a very long time.
~I'm still enjoying my church small group. I also recently attended a 4 week leadership program through the church. We heard different speakers on what it means to be a spiritual leader, got to find out what kind of leader we are and were given the opportunity to sign up for various leadership roles within the volunteer community at the church. I haven't signed up for anything yet, but I'm doing a little soul searching and am looking forward to picking a role. I have been to church the last 3 weeks in a row- very proud of myself for that. Missed today as I was home with family all weekend, but perhaps I can watch today's message online and get back on track next week.
~My brother left today for a year long placement teaching English in South Korea to elementary- to middle-school aged children. My fam saw him off at the airport and I cried. I'll miss him a ton, but I'm so proud of him for doing this. He's really an inspiration to me sometimes. As you might expect, I spent this whole weekend with my family hanging out and saying goodbye to my brother. We were unsure when he was leaving at first, so we spent last weekend having a goodbye party for him and spending a day/night at Calloway Gardens. When we found out his flight was today, we got to spend another weekend together. The siblings (plus John) headed to the Andretti Karting facility in Alpharetta for a day of fun, followed by Davey's last Mexican meal for quite a while.
This morning he got his last Waffle House breakfast before we saw him off.
And for now, I'm going to finish watching Inkheart with my dad and sister before heading back to my place for the night. Hopefully you'll hear more from me before 3 months next time :)
PS- Davey, wherever you are over the Pacific right now, I hope you're loving it!!!
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