It's no secret that I love my media angsty and dark. And don't take this post the wrong way, because I am on a mission with my Halloween list (my grandmother gave me her boxed set of Alfred Hitchcock Classics tonight, so I have even more to add). I finally watched The Shining.
But dammmmn, that can bring you down.
I just finished re-reading Gone Girl. I've been doing tv recaps for Stalker and The Vampire Diaries (Julie Plec has Joss Whedon syndrome, apparently. This fan manipulation is getting old.) and American Horror Story started this week. I'm behind, but I've been watching Gotham.
My reading list doesn't look much more cheerful. Lolita and In Cold Blood are supposed to be next, once I finish Cuckoo's Calling.
Last year, Kayse and I had a semester of Noir Films and Fiction and Addiction novels, so at some point we just started calling for superhero days where we would unwind and watch something happy.
So, I need to find another one of those. Gossip Girl isn't really light and fun (actually, it's just as depressing but in a lot of other ways), and I can't watch HIMYM anymore because the finale just made the last few seasons of character development irrelevant. More Liz Lemon maybe? Some Leslie Knope? More importantly, are Tina and Amy always the answer?
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Yesterday's Workout
I woke up this morning feeling like I was hit by a truck, and then went on a run to loosen up (which worked while I was running, but once I came home my legs stopped working again).
I usually collect workouts from pinterest and then use onenote to make a notebook of pages with plans for each day of the week. But when they come as a full set, like these ones, I get to be a lazy planner.
I usually collect workouts from pinterest and then use onenote to make a notebook of pages with plans for each day of the week. But when they come as a full set, like these ones, I get to be a lazy planner.
So I'll keep doing these until I can do them without feeling like my legs fell off. I thought the legs one would be easy, but I was overconfident. Woof.
In the meantime, Dad is home sick (boo for him, but hurray for father-daughter bonding). We're going to eat Leonardo's pizza and watch The Shining. I love the fall!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Halloween Classics To Watch:
Maybe I won't get through all of these before Halloween, but it's good to have a goal and a theme for the month, right? Plus, since we don't have cable, it isn't as though I can enjoy the 30 nights of Halloween on ABCfamily.
My Main Priorities:
1. The Shining (1980, Kubrick) I read it, I need to find out what was different, so now is the time.
2. Repulsion (1965, Polanski) We learned about Polanski in my noir class, I need to see more of his movies.
3. Psycho (1960, Hitchcock) You would not believe how hard it is to find this version.
4. The Cabin in the Woods (2012, Whedon) I've worked hard to not have this spoiled for me, AND it's on Netflix!
5. Carrie (2012, Pierce) Nothing against the original, but let's see some female directors on this list.
6. The Exorcist (1973, Friedkin) Because it's embarrassing I haven't seen it yet
7. Misery (1990, Reiner) I've seen the important scenes, but never the whole thing
8. Poltergeist (1982, Hooper) My family didn't watch scary movies, so I'm behind. I know.
9. Se7en (1995, Fincher) I'm considering just having a David Fincher month, actually.
My dad suggested:
Scanners (1981, Cronenberg)
To Catch a Thief (1955, Hitchcock)
and Kayse reminded me that I can't ignore: (although I don't have to watch the 5 thousand others)
Friday the 13th (1980, Cunningham)
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, Craven)
If I had to pick my favorite thriller/horror/scary movies, I would definitely go with American Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and The Strangers. I'm way more of a psychological thriller kind of person rather than horror, so I will always choose Black Swan over Saw, but I know some of these are classics. I inexplicably love The Uninvited (the 2009 version with Emily Browning) but even though it's labeled a horror I think it's closer to a psychological thriller- basically you can freak me out all you want with your suspense, just don't show me any organs.
Except zombie movies. 28 days later, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland (ok, I know the last two are more funny than anything)-- I love them.
What are some classics that I'm missing? I've seen Halloween and The Birds, but what else? Do you have traditional favorites?
My Main Priorities:
1. The Shining (1980, Kubrick) I read it, I need to find out what was different, so now is the time.
2. Repulsion (1965, Polanski) We learned about Polanski in my noir class, I need to see more of his movies.
3. Psycho (1960, Hitchcock) You would not believe how hard it is to find this version.
4. The Cabin in the Woods (2012, Whedon) I've worked hard to not have this spoiled for me, AND it's on Netflix!
5. Carrie (2012, Pierce) Nothing against the original, but let's see some female directors on this list.
6. The Exorcist (1973, Friedkin) Because it's embarrassing I haven't seen it yet
7. Misery (1990, Reiner) I've seen the important scenes, but never the whole thing
8. Poltergeist (1982, Hooper) My family didn't watch scary movies, so I'm behind. I know.
9. Se7en (1995, Fincher) I'm considering just having a David Fincher month, actually.
My dad suggested:
Scanners (1981, Cronenberg)
To Catch a Thief (1955, Hitchcock)
and Kayse reminded me that I can't ignore: (although I don't have to watch the 5 thousand others)
Friday the 13th (1980, Cunningham)
Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, Craven)
If I had to pick my favorite thriller/horror/scary movies, I would definitely go with American Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and The Strangers. I'm way more of a psychological thriller kind of person rather than horror, so I will always choose Black Swan over Saw, but I know some of these are classics. I inexplicably love The Uninvited (the 2009 version with Emily Browning) but even though it's labeled a horror I think it's closer to a psychological thriller- basically you can freak me out all you want with your suspense, just don't show me any organs.
Except zombie movies. 28 days later, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland (ok, I know the last two are more funny than anything)-- I love them.
What are some classics that I'm missing? I've seen Halloween and The Birds, but what else? Do you have traditional favorites?
Monday, October 6, 2014
Top Favorite Things of Applefest!
1. Running Lights for Chicago
This may actually be my top favorite thing since I came home. Having a purpose, and a project, and collaborating with people for those things-- I cannot stress how much I needed that to feel like me again. Beyond it halting some of my existential-crisis, it was also just a really great show. Even after seeing it 11 times, the jokes still made me laugh and the music still got me pumped.
2. Having Visitors
My college roommate Becca came to see Chicago and spent the night so we could do some Applefestering, and The English Majors came on Sunday. In all of undergrad, I only ever managed to drag one person to Applefest, but now that we're all spread out from each other, it makes a great excuse to get together. Usually people think of Applefest as the homecoming for other Frankliners, but it worked just as well for getting the college friends together.
3. Seeing Gone Girl
The book is ranked somewhere in my top 10 favorite books I read this year (someone remind me to make that a blog post) and the author also wrote the screenplay, so we had high hopes. As a book adaptation, it was awesome. As a movie, I don't think it will be as timeless as Fight Club or some of David Fincher's other movies. Part of what I loved about the book was getting multiple unreliable narrators, and that just doesn't translate on screen quite as well.
4. Gourmet Apples
Seriously, who doesn't love these? Snickers gourmet apples are the first thing I buy at applefest, and normally I keep a stock to last through October. I forgot how much easier it is to eat them when you aren't in a dorm room with a janky knife and a tiny cuttingboard balanced on one of you textbooks, so I'm already out. Which leads to my next favorite thing...
5. Realizing I Can Make What I Like at Applefest
The best part of Applefest is seeing how proud artisans are of what they've made, and while they definitely are there to sell them, they also want to share with you. I love that. People are so genuinely excited about knitting gloves with owls on them that they'll share their pattern with you so you can make them too. I think the real test of enthusiasm a person has for their hobby is how much they want everyone else to love it too.
This may actually be my top favorite thing since I came home. Having a purpose, and a project, and collaborating with people for those things-- I cannot stress how much I needed that to feel like me again. Beyond it halting some of my existential-crisis, it was also just a really great show. Even after seeing it 11 times, the jokes still made me laugh and the music still got me pumped.
2. Having Visitors
My college roommate Becca came to see Chicago and spent the night so we could do some Applefestering, and The English Majors came on Sunday. In all of undergrad, I only ever managed to drag one person to Applefest, but now that we're all spread out from each other, it makes a great excuse to get together. Usually people think of Applefest as the homecoming for other Frankliners, but it worked just as well for getting the college friends together.
3. Seeing Gone Girl
The book is ranked somewhere in my top 10 favorite books I read this year (someone remind me to make that a blog post) and the author also wrote the screenplay, so we had high hopes. As a book adaptation, it was awesome. As a movie, I don't think it will be as timeless as Fight Club or some of David Fincher's other movies. Part of what I loved about the book was getting multiple unreliable narrators, and that just doesn't translate on screen quite as well.
 |
| "My longtime response, the need to remind people I wasn't a dick, I was a nice guy despite the affectless stare, the haughty, douchebag face. So there it came, out of nowhere, as Rand begged for his daughter's return: a killer smile." |
Seriously, who doesn't love these? Snickers gourmet apples are the first thing I buy at applefest, and normally I keep a stock to last through October. I forgot how much easier it is to eat them when you aren't in a dorm room with a janky knife and a tiny cuttingboard balanced on one of you textbooks, so I'm already out. Which leads to my next favorite thing...
5. Realizing I Can Make What I Like at Applefest
The best part of Applefest is seeing how proud artisans are of what they've made, and while they definitely are there to sell them, they also want to share with you. I love that. People are so genuinely excited about knitting gloves with owls on them that they'll share their pattern with you so you can make them too. I think the real test of enthusiasm a person has for their hobby is how much they want everyone else to love it too.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Treat of the Week!
I've been working hard at getting control of my health/weight since I came home, and on top of some weight training and running/walking I've also been eating better than I probably ever have. I still see myself as the size I was for Barbara's wedding, but it is crazy for me to think of all the friends I've made since I gained all this weight (specifically, two bid classes of zeta sisters and Ryan. Even Kayse and Mitch and I weren't all that close, but I like to think they remember me as I was the first week we had classes together instead of 30 pounds later).
Anyway, I've cut way back on carbs (really hard when you're also starting a running routine) and most snacking. I eat almonds now! I can do a plank for over a minute! I drink green tea!
So today, I decided to indulge in my sweet tooth, and made some sugar-free meringue cookies. I know there's some controversy over how "natural" stevia and truvia are, but they don't have the nasty chemicals in splenda and other sweetners, and you don't need nearly as much of it compared to if you used sugar.
The Recipe:
3 egg whites (whip them before adding the rest of the ingredients)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp truvia
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
bake at 215 degrees for 55 minutes, then leave them in the oven for another 20 minutes (but turn the heat off)
Then you get these:
They're a little too dry, and actually I think they could use less truvia and more vanilla. Making them bigger probably would have helped with that. Next time I probably would put some fun food coloring in them too, but for the first time I wanted to follow the recipe exactly. I have two pans of this, and eating the whole batch is less than 100 calories, so it's something to munch on that is almost nothing in my calorie defecit.
Anyway, I've cut way back on carbs (really hard when you're also starting a running routine) and most snacking. I eat almonds now! I can do a plank for over a minute! I drink green tea!
So today, I decided to indulge in my sweet tooth, and made some sugar-free meringue cookies. I know there's some controversy over how "natural" stevia and truvia are, but they don't have the nasty chemicals in splenda and other sweetners, and you don't need nearly as much of it compared to if you used sugar.
The Recipe:
3 egg whites (whip them before adding the rest of the ingredients)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp truvia
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
bake at 215 degrees for 55 minutes, then leave them in the oven for another 20 minutes (but turn the heat off)
Then you get these:
They're a little too dry, and actually I think they could use less truvia and more vanilla. Making them bigger probably would have helped with that. Next time I probably would put some fun food coloring in them too, but for the first time I wanted to follow the recipe exactly. I have two pans of this, and eating the whole batch is less than 100 calories, so it's something to munch on that is almost nothing in my calorie defecit.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
In Pursuit of Adulthood
I just finished Mindy Kaling's autobiography, and in it she made a list of things that, to her, make the difference between a boy and a man. I kind of loved it. Some of it was superficial, sure, and I don't agree with all of it, but I get where she's coming from. So I decided to make a list of some of the things I'd like to accomplish, that would maybe make me feel like more of an adult.
1. Own a car. Or, live in a city where I don't need one. Either way, be committed to a form of transportation that doesn't include borrowing from my parents.
2. Spend the extra cash on quality clothes. Stores of my youth, I'm sorry, but I've out grown you. Goodbye Forever 21, hello New York and Co. Tagged onto this, it's time to be more intentional in my style choices. I've finally learned how to use statement necklaces, and it is life-changing.
3. Learn what kind of wine goes with what kind of food. And what type of wine is which (red? white? dry? I just know I like chardonnay). What's the difference between good champagne and bad champagne?
4. Figure out how to find new doctors, work out the insurance, and make an appointment. This should be easy in theory, but it continues to stump me in practice.
5. Create more, consume less. Instead of spending 5 hours a week on pinterest looking at crafts, I need to spend that time actually making the crafts. This week I learned how to make hair bows, and they are awesome.
6. Buy a nice coat. Something that will be timeless and age well, but isn't the same LL Bean coat my mom always picks out.
7. Get a better understanding of nutrition. Really, I fail at this. Not only am I a picky eater, but I really don't have any grasp of biology. Almonds are good, except they have fat, but it's good fat, but there's salt... you need carbs for energy but they also make you fat... fruit. fruit is safe, right? I'll just always eat fruit.
8. Find a signature scent, and wear it appropriately. That means no more Walmart brand knock-offs (I think part of this is just my desire to have a job where I can afford this small luxury).
9. Stay committed enough to consumption of new media that I'm always able to recommend a new book, movie, or tv show. And then be able to articulate why I recommend it. This means I can't just rewatch episodes of HIMYM when I don't know what else to try.
10. Learn to make 3 different fancy meals, and 2 great side dishes to bring to potlucks. I've been working on my Salmon game, but as someone that doesn't really eat side dishes... I struggle. One website suggested I should be able to feed myself for a week with no help, and that is definitely a goal to work on.
1. Own a car. Or, live in a city where I don't need one. Either way, be committed to a form of transportation that doesn't include borrowing from my parents.
2. Spend the extra cash on quality clothes. Stores of my youth, I'm sorry, but I've out grown you. Goodbye Forever 21, hello New York and Co. Tagged onto this, it's time to be more intentional in my style choices. I've finally learned how to use statement necklaces, and it is life-changing.
3. Learn what kind of wine goes with what kind of food. And what type of wine is which (red? white? dry? I just know I like chardonnay). What's the difference between good champagne and bad champagne?
4. Figure out how to find new doctors, work out the insurance, and make an appointment. This should be easy in theory, but it continues to stump me in practice.
5. Create more, consume less. Instead of spending 5 hours a week on pinterest looking at crafts, I need to spend that time actually making the crafts. This week I learned how to make hair bows, and they are awesome.
6. Buy a nice coat. Something that will be timeless and age well, but isn't the same LL Bean coat my mom always picks out.
7. Get a better understanding of nutrition. Really, I fail at this. Not only am I a picky eater, but I really don't have any grasp of biology. Almonds are good, except they have fat, but it's good fat, but there's salt... you need carbs for energy but they also make you fat... fruit. fruit is safe, right? I'll just always eat fruit.
8. Find a signature scent, and wear it appropriately. That means no more Walmart brand knock-offs (I think part of this is just my desire to have a job where I can afford this small luxury).
9. Stay committed enough to consumption of new media that I'm always able to recommend a new book, movie, or tv show. And then be able to articulate why I recommend it. This means I can't just rewatch episodes of HIMYM when I don't know what else to try.
10. Learn to make 3 different fancy meals, and 2 great side dishes to bring to potlucks. I've been working on my Salmon game, but as someone that doesn't really eat side dishes... I struggle. One website suggested I should be able to feed myself for a week with no help, and that is definitely a goal to work on.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Happy Birthday, William Faulkner!
“In a strange room you must empty yourself for sleep. And before you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are emptied for sleep, what are you. And when you are emptied for sleep you are not. And when you are filled with sleep, you never were. I don't know what I am. I don't know if I am or not.” (As I Lay Dying)
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