yoga, books, movies, tv & too many crime procedurals – not necesarily in that order
And no, I do NOT mean the Winter Olympics.
Got a notice from Verizon last week that I was due for a phone upgrade. I LOVE my LG ENV2. Love it. This is the phone that, not even two weeks ago, survived three hours in the freezing slush of the work parking lot and possibly being run over by a coworker. LOVE that phone. So I wasn’t really inclined to change when I had a perfectly acceptable and functional phone, right up until a friend mentioned that she kept her really good phone as a backup and upgraded to a new gadgetier phone. That planted the seed. Then I made the trip to the local Verizon dealer to scope out the offerings. The only thing really catching my eye was Droid.
The store didn’t have either droid model in stock (Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Eris) so I went home and checked out gizmodo and cnet and the usual suspects about the two models. I know people love the iPhone and, no lie, it’s a sweet device, but AT&T provides absolute shit service up here – so much that the tourists CONSTANTLY bitch about it. Not only that but it’s not exactly CHEAP.
I got to mess with the display models at the store and while the Droid has some really nice bennies, the slide out keyboard frankly feels cheap. Like plasticky might-break-if-you-drop-the-phone cheap. The Eris doesn’t have the same battery life but it comes with an 8 gig micro card and is upgradeable. It’s also got Google with voice search and sweet market apps and frankly, the keyboard didn’t mean that much to me – especially because it felt like a crap feature. So. Droid Eris.
Dudes, I LOVE THIS PHONE. I spent a ridiculous amount of time finding and discarding apps, customizing the look, and setting up all my contacts with Google so that I can access my rss feed, my twitter account, my gmail, and pretty much everything I love on this phone. I’ve got Pandora, a great calendar (which is shareable) and this AMAZING app called Ringdroid. Ringdroid lets you take any audio file and customize a ringtone from it. It is THE BALLS. I now have a ringtone that says “I swear to god I’m going to PISTOLWHIP the next asshole who says SHENANIGANS!”
LOVE.
So pretty much all my free time has been sucked up with searching for neat shit on my phone and tweaking my apps. It’s sad. I know.
I’m also a good chunk of the way through Middlemarch, thanks to audible.com. I bought the audiobook because I couldn’t bear reading it and it’s turned out to be surprisingly good. I’m leaning toward the test of a good book being it’s ability to show interesting parallels between its time and now ( whenever “its time and now” happen to be). Also (unsurprisingly) it’s full of great social commentary. So there you are. Go classics!
Last night we had a homemade mini-pizza party with post-apocalyptic virus film chaser. It was kind of fantastic.
In TV news:
Mercy knocked it out of THE PARK this week. I’m always surprised by how much I enjoy this show and that they’re willing to be (sometimes) shockingly honest while at the same time (sometimes) screamingly funny. I laugh out loud during every episode and I also see something that makes me think. I love that. One of our friends who was a career nurse ALSO has great things to say about it and that seems to be a rare thing in med-drama circles.
I’ve been working early shifts which generally means going to bed early, but our DVR was otherwise occupied on Thursday and wouldn’t record The Mentalist. I wanted to go to sleep but it was all Cho, all the time and I just couldn’t pass it up. The writers do such a great job on that show – I knew whodunnit as soon as the culprit was introduced but I DIDN’T CARE because they did such awesome character stuff.
Chuck continues to be awesome. Kristin Kreuk is 1000% less annoying than when she was on Smallville and I’m digging the new team dynamic. Having Superman aboard isn’t hurting things one bit.
Castle is consistent and engaging. I found out during the Superbowl that it’s a local-friend fave as well.
I haven’t caught up on all my Thursday and Friday shows yet.
Work is good! It looks like I’ll continue on mornings/days full time. I’ve been enjoying my tasks and team work so I’ve got zero complaints. Life in general is pretty kick ass.
Today we drove down to Home Depot and picked up some blow-in insulation for our house. While the house is built solidly (no drafts, etc.) I don’t think the insulation had been updated since the house was built. We’d saved some money for the project, having been told that it would be our best bang-for-the-buck heating home improvement.
We got the insulation (the blower was free!) and started the process this afternoon and wrapped it up at about 8. Yeah.
For me this meant climbing around the rafters while spraying insulation, all the while trying to not step off of a 2×6 in the center of the roof. Husband was willing to do it but he doesn’t fit as well on a 2×6 and was going to have to kneel and crawl the whole time.
At the last house, a similar project meant climbing a floor and a half on a ladder and squeezing through a tiny opening. Unfortunately it was also 80 degrees that day and I ROASTED. Not only that, but I was the one who ended up kneeling and crouching so I was in rough shape the next day. I don’t think the bruises on my legs faded for 2 weeks.
This house thankfully required zero kneeling. Not only that but we pretty much doubled the amount of insulation that was in the roof with no major injuries. The job required a fair amount of crouching, leaning, dangling off rafters, and lots of unnatural curvature of the spine. There were a couple of near-miss craniotomies thanks to roof nails and that one time where I got a chunk of insulation the size of a fingernail in my eye, but other than that we got the whole project wrapped up and cleaned before the pizza arrived. I’m going to be wicked sore tomorrow and I’m EXHAUSTED now.
Also weighed the replacement laptop options and have made a decision, so hopefully by this time next week I’ve got my VERY OWN computer. Husband will be relieved to get his own back.
Sunday:
Dexter was great last night! The Trinity twists just keep coming. Also, WTF with his wife!? That cannot end well.
Californication. OMG. Rick Springfield. I can’t even COUNT the number of times I laughed out loud watching this episode. Not only that, I laughed JUST as hard tonight when Husband watched the recording. That’s a damn funny show. Not sure what the point is supposed to be but it’s damn funny.
Monday:
Castle continues to be an excellent blend of funny, mystery, crime procedural. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is key, and I frequently laugh out loud at some point during the show. Good clean fun. Two words tonight: DeNiro impression.
House was a little convoluted tonight, what with him jerry-rigging his staff. Cameron was always kind of preachy and they decided to re-emphasize that. Yay for appearances of the former team!
Lie to Me- I’ve been watching this hit and miss. Tonight’s ep was good but I don’t feel compelled to record it. It joins Cold Case in my ‘by the wayside’ list.
Tuesday:
NCIS is consistent! I’m always surprised to find out it’s the “number one show” on TV because it seems like I don’t know anyone who watches it. It’s been good and (of late) heavier on the procedural/lighter on the relationships. The Tim-centric ep last week was great. Unfortunately they’re planning an Abby crossover with a Steampunk bar in L.A. the week of Thanksgiving, so I guess I’ll have to watch at least one more NCIS:LA episode.
Sons of Anarchy! Last week, like WHOA. I actually got all teared up at the end of the episode and they SO win the TV prize for best use of a Patty Griffin song (Mary, if you care). That show is my biggest surprise this season, in terms of just HOW GOOD it is.
V. Jury’s still out.
Wednesday:
Mercy, Glee, Criminal Minds. All excellent, all the time. CM was especially creepy last week. *shudder*
Thursday:
Dear Networks,
Could you please not schedule EVERY GOOD SHOW on Thursday? What about Mondays! Or Tuesdays? ANYTHING?
Grey’s Anatomy, having been on my Bubble List since the premiere, took a turn for the good last week. If Izzy got hit by a bus, I wouldn’t be upset. Other than that, it was all good IntenseChristinaDoctorStuff. Moar, pleeze and IT’S ABOUT TIME.
Supernatural. I’m not even sure what TV show could make fun of their fan base this much and get MORE love because of it. So. Funny. The guys imitating Sam and Dean voice was HYSTERICAL. I’m not sure how they kept doing it with a straight face. It was a nice break-it-up on the intensity front, but also a really nice check-yourself moment for the boys at the end. P.S. I loved the outtakes w/end credits. Go Kripke!
The Mentalist was FANTASTIC. Love the way they finally brought the group together and HOW CUTE IS GRACE. I also love the creepy/demanding side of the normally joking and (carefully) carefree Jane. That duality is what keeps me watching.
FlashForward is interesting but I’m not sure if I miss an episode that I care. For example, missed an ep 2 weeks ago, watched last week, no marked difference in my interest level.
Bones. Okay, it’s NEVER going to happen but I want Booth/Brennan NOW. Booth was so awesome and I loved the return of his old shrink! This is one of those shows that does a great job of making the story equal parts crime procedural and relationships.
Friday:
White Collar has become my new fave crime procedural (behind Castle but tied with The Mentalist). It has the added bonus of holding Husband’s interest, unlike the two aforementioned shows. Great cast chemistry, fun ‘caper’ feel to every episode.
Medium had a seriously weird episode last week and, per usual, the actors who play the kids were incredible. The fact that everyone in the cast is so fantastic is why I keep watching this show. Incidentally, the guy who plays Joe is SO UNDERRATED. His performances are consistently believable and understated and pretty much prop up the rest of the show. Love him.
Right. So looking at this list, I spend almost as much time watching TV during the week as I do working my bar shifts. Clearly I need to start teaching yoga classes again STAT.
Tomorrow’s agenda also includes making my very first homemade cranberry sauce, which I’m pretty excited about.
Today in “things that make me happy on the internet”:
In “things that don’t make me happy at home” I thought I’d try to replace the towel bar in the bathroom. Alas, whoever installed it stripped the screws WORSE THAN I’VE EVER SEEN. I’ve tried all the tricks- even up to drilling it out, which didn’t work well because the metal keeps locking up the drill bit- and I think I’m going to have to use a freaking SAW to get it off the wall. So I guess I know what my project for the day is.
Back to things that make me happy on the internet, I guess I won a cookie party from Betty Crocker. They’re going to send me some cookie mixes and supplies and I’m just supposed to invite people. I’m pretty stoked about that. There’s a good likelihood of family members receiving baked goods for the holidays!
In TV news, I’m looking forward to the second episode of V tonight. Castle was also HILARIOUS again last night.
I’m not sure if I mentioned that during Boom Days, a customer said I reminded them of Billie Jean – as in Legend of Billie Jean. And then he looked surprised when I knew what he was talking about. I’ll admit to a quiet love of that film- pretty girl from the wrong side of the tracks done wrong and then refuses to take it, cuts off all her hair and becomes feminist icon. Your standard, fairly awesome, Girls Kick Ass kind of film. It’s got Helen Slater (Supergirl! I also loved that movie), what appears to be a 12 year old Christian Slater, and I just spotted a cameo by a much-younger member of the Dollhouse cast. Billy Idol is on the soundtrack and it’s the kind of story that when you’re 16 and pissed off about life not being fair is just great. Billie Jean isn’t written as a caricature- she’s smart and funny and trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it – just brace yourself for an 80s soundtrack and some SERIOUSLY 80s clothing/hair.
In books, just finished On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews. I pretty much loved every part of it review on Goodreads) and I’m looking forward to rereading it. Currently reading:Rosemary and Rue: An October Daye Novel
