I think summer has officially started. Here are some sure signs:
1) The pool is open at my apartment. Or it will be by the end of this week. I'm so excited to be able to lay in the sun this summer; last year I worked all the time so I never got outside, and I was so sadly pale. Not this year!
2) West Lafayette's co-ed softball league is in full swing. Pun! In! Tended!!! Yes, we had our first game last night, and we won! When I initially signed up to play, I had fully expected to keep the bench warm, cheer everyone on, and look as cute as possible to make up for my extreme lack of athleticism. But last night I actually got to play, and I'm glad I did! I caught for a couple innings, and I even got to bat and I hit the ball! Barely. It seriously went about a foot from the plate, but it totally counted! And I didn't have any strikes! So I was super-excited about that.
3) It's Tony Time. The Tony Awards season always sneaks up on me. And I'm pretty sure I'm one of maybe like five people in Indiana who even care about the Tonys. But I love them. And I love trying to predict the winners! Today they are announcing the nominees, so I'll have to do my homework and find out about all the musicals I've never heard of so I know what the heck is going on on awards night. The great part is that CBS carries the Tonys, so I'll have access to video clips of the show and I can force a little Broadway culture into people's mornings!
On a related note, I picked up The Little Mermaid Broadway soundtrack, and it is fantastic. I always worry when they take a beloved Disney movie and turn it into a Broadway show because everyone loves those songs so much that if and when they get changed, it sometimes kind of ruins it. And the Little Mermaid carries a lot of weight--this was the film that pretty much saved Disney and especially its animation department back in the late 80s/early 90s. This was the first of the Alan Menken-Howard Ashman golden nuggets that my generation thinks of when we think "Disney." So I think there is a lot of importance riding on turning the Broadway version into something people would love instead of resent for "ruining" the movie. It's awesome. All the original songs are done with great integrity, and the new songs are so great and fit so well with the original score. And Sierra Boggess, who plays Ariel, is amazing! She definitely embodies the character we've all known, loved, and memorized for almost 20 years.
OK, I'm off that rant.
4) There are so many movies I want to see! What a great year for summer blockbusters! I personally am not into Iron Man or Speed Racer, but I can't wait to see Prince Caspian and Indiana Jones! I will probably also go see Sex in the City with my best girls, as we once spent an entire summer watching every season episode by episode. My co-workers will really give me a hard time about it, but whatever.
OK, gotta go! They are about to announce the Tony nominees on the Early Show! It's summer, and I'm so glad! It's my favorite time of year!
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
why am i still UP????
As I start writing this, it's ten after seven in the morning. This is what happens on Friday nights; I sleep my normal hours Friday after work, so then I wake up Friday evening still on my work schedule. If this were a work day, I'd have just finished my show and be writing cut-ins for the Early Show. But since it's Saturday, I'm laying in bed watching Arrested Development and seeing the sunlight increase through my bedroom window blinds.
I have a lot to accomplish today. At 10 this morning we have our station's first softball practice (although it may not be much of a practice; I guess there's a chance we won't even be able to get on the field). Still, I'm excited and yes, a little nervous, because I am not very athletic. And although I know no one is expecting anything out of me, I also know I'm going to have to play a lot since we have to have 4 girls play in every game and not very many girls are signed up. So I might try to find some sort of "Softball for Dummies" reference...I know, what kind of nerd does research on a sport she's about to play? Me, that's what kind.
Also, I have an audition coming up (Monday) for Civic Theater's summer season, and I am waaaay under-prepared. I need to find a monologue and a song. I've been looking through all my music here and I feel like I need to find something different. And I have absolutely NO monologues, so I'm going to go to the library today to find some. I think there is a good one from "Our Town" that I might try. It only has to be a minute long, so it shouldn't be too hard to work it up in the next couple of days.
Then the Glee Club's End of Season show is tonight. It should be fun; this will be my first time seeing the Glee Club without Brian Breed as the director, believe it or not, so I'm sure it will be interesting. Also, we just got the press release yesterday that PMO hired a new director, and apparently he'll be at the show, so it might be possible to meet him. I am sure a lot of Glee Club moms will be swarming him, so I doubt I'll actually get to speak with him, but it might be nice to meet his wife and kids, if the chance arises. Or not. To tell the truth, I'm just glad everything was still normal around there when I graduated, so I don't have to be as concerned with all the changes anymore.
And then tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I'm planning to go to my aunt's to have dinner with the rest of the family. Aunt Julie called and invited me, which made me feel really good (not that I wouldn't have been welcome, but it's just nice to get an invitation by phone...kind of makes me feel grown-up in a way, as silly as that may sound!) I would kind of like to do flowers for Mom, Jules, and Mamaw, but I need to figure out if I should do that today or what. I also want to find some really great cards...one of the bookshops near campus has greeting cards that make me wanna wet myself. So luckily, all of these errands are on the same side of town and hopefully I will accomplish them in decent time today! I just wish places were open earlier so I could get started now.
I wonder what time the library opens...
I have a lot to accomplish today. At 10 this morning we have our station's first softball practice (although it may not be much of a practice; I guess there's a chance we won't even be able to get on the field). Still, I'm excited and yes, a little nervous, because I am not very athletic. And although I know no one is expecting anything out of me, I also know I'm going to have to play a lot since we have to have 4 girls play in every game and not very many girls are signed up. So I might try to find some sort of "Softball for Dummies" reference...I know, what kind of nerd does research on a sport she's about to play? Me, that's what kind.
Also, I have an audition coming up (Monday) for Civic Theater's summer season, and I am waaaay under-prepared. I need to find a monologue and a song. I've been looking through all my music here and I feel like I need to find something different. And I have absolutely NO monologues, so I'm going to go to the library today to find some. I think there is a good one from "Our Town" that I might try. It only has to be a minute long, so it shouldn't be too hard to work it up in the next couple of days.
Then the Glee Club's End of Season show is tonight. It should be fun; this will be my first time seeing the Glee Club without Brian Breed as the director, believe it or not, so I'm sure it will be interesting. Also, we just got the press release yesterday that PMO hired a new director, and apparently he'll be at the show, so it might be possible to meet him. I am sure a lot of Glee Club moms will be swarming him, so I doubt I'll actually get to speak with him, but it might be nice to meet his wife and kids, if the chance arises. Or not. To tell the truth, I'm just glad everything was still normal around there when I graduated, so I don't have to be as concerned with all the changes anymore.
And then tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I'm planning to go to my aunt's to have dinner with the rest of the family. Aunt Julie called and invited me, which made me feel really good (not that I wouldn't have been welcome, but it's just nice to get an invitation by phone...kind of makes me feel grown-up in a way, as silly as that may sound!) I would kind of like to do flowers for Mom, Jules, and Mamaw, but I need to figure out if I should do that today or what. I also want to find some really great cards...one of the bookshops near campus has greeting cards that make me wanna wet myself. So luckily, all of these errands are on the same side of town and hopefully I will accomplish them in decent time today! I just wish places were open earlier so I could get started now.
I wonder what time the library opens...
Friday, May 2, 2008
filmy
I rented a couple of movies that I had wanted to see in the theaters when they came out, but never got to. And I just have to plug Redbox Rentals here...a buck for a 24-hour rental of a new release is a pretty good deal! Anyway, I haven't "reviewed" any media picks in a long time, so I thought I'd tell you what I thought of these two.
Nancy Drew
The Flick: Inspired by the iconic children's mystery book series, the movie follows girl-sleuth extraordinaire Nancy Drew as she leaves her small-town home of River Heights for a few months in California with her father, Carson Drew, who requests that Nancy give up sleuthing. She experiences a new school full of overly-trendy, materialistic teenagers who don't seem to get her old-fashioned, polite, and wholesome ways. She also goes against her father's wishes and undertakes the mystery of the old house where she and her father are living--a cold case involving the death of the movie star who had lived--and died--in that house.
The Cast: The movie stars Emma Roberts (niece of Julia) as Nancy Drew, and to me she was the most recognizable actor in the film (with the exception of Bruce Willis, who has a cameo). Rachel Leigh Cook, Chris Kattan, and Adam Goldberg also appear in the movie. Other than that, I didn't recognize any of the cast. This may be part of the reason why I felt like the acting was mediocre. Emma and the young actors supporting her are adorable and funny, but it's evident that most of them have little to no experience. Emma has a very TV-sitcom style of acting, which is probably because she has her own TV show. That cute, quick, and slightly bratty affectation that probably makes her so popular on TV is exactly what keeps her from being believable on film, especially as this classic character.
The Story: I feel like the writing for this movie was under-developed and disconnected. I think the writers had a lot of good ideas about what it would be like to put old-fashioned Nancy in a modern, West Coast high school setting. Those ideas are what caused the trailer to make this movie look so funny. Then there was the mystery aspect--a built-in guarantee for action, adventure, and some fun special effects. And there is even a storyline that follows Nancy and Carson's father-daughter relationship as well as the void left by Nancy's mother, who died when Nancy was young.
But somehow all of these ideas didn't ever get tied together for the hilarious, thrilling, and heartwarming story it should have been. Several of these little plot points were never really explained; you could see where the story meant to go, but the elements weren't there. A montage of scenes shows Nancy excelling and failing to fit in at her new school. This introduces Inga and Trish, two materialistic and rude girls who are equally weirded out and intrigued by Nancy. Of course, what we should see is these two girls starting to form a friendship with Nancy in spite of their teenage capacity for loathing. But what we see is a hippucy sequence of interaction between the girls that somehow ends ends in them being friends. We never have that moment where Nancy teaches the girls something and then the girls come through for Nancy in a big way. We just get the girls flopping onto Nancy's bed and showing her their new penny loafers, thus endorsing her vintage style. And now they're best friends?! All they take away from this experience is a new pair of shoes?! That doesn't do a lot for me.
And that storyline doesn't tie in to the mystery plotline at all. At random times, Nancy's friends are thrown in to helping her with her sleuthing, but they never really get invested in solving the case (with the exception of her hometown friend Ned Nickerson). Ned is actually my favorite character. Played by the adorable Max Thieriot, he seems to be the most developed and least overacted role in the film. He obviously is in love with Nancy, and seems to be the one person who gets Nancy and knows what makes her happy--sleuthing and her Roadster. But he's in that kind of high-school relationship where you've been friends for so long that now you don't know how to get the point across that you really like each other. And Max plays this card so well. But other than Ned, no one seems to take the case seriously, until all of a sudden Nancy is catapulted into one dangerous situation after another and now it's action/adventure time. Even the mystery is a little lame, and the people and clues are all sort of loosely connected.
I don't think I'm expecting too much from this movie; after all, I liked the High School Musical movies. I like movies that are meant for 12-year-old girls. But this one disappointed me. I think this movie had the potential to be fun for kids and yet charming for older audiences. But it turned out to be a Disney Channel Original-caliber fluff piece with a couple of nice moments.
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
The Flick: Mr. Magorium is a 243-year-old eccentric who owns a toy shop. Ready to depart from the world, he attempts to pass the store on to his 23-year-old store manager, Molly Mahoney. In doing this, he hires Henry the accountant to help set things in order for Mahoney. However, Mahoney doesn't want to accept the fact that Mr. Magorium must go sometime or the fact that she must take responsibility for a magical toy store.
The Cast: Dustin Hoffman stars as the magical, silly, and ultimately wise Mr. Magorium. He's one of my favorite actors, so it's hard for me not to like him. That being said, he is able to play this eccentric character with an incredible sense of integrity. Natalie Portman stars opposite Hoffman as Mahoney. I think the last thing I saw Portman in was "V for Vendetta," so it was fun to see her in a such a playful film and role. She balances her obviously ability for depth with a lovable capacity for cuteness, which combines to sell this character--a 23-year-old former child music prodigy who is trying to find a "sparkle" within herself to lead her from childhood to her next step in life. It may just be the short haircut, but she has this Julie Andrews quality that allows her to be the child in some situations and the grown-up in others; to be reassuring to people around her although she is ultimately confused and worried on the inside.
Jason Bateman and Zach Mills round out the cast as, respectively, the uptight accountant Henry and the 9-year-old, imaginative hat collecter Eric. Although at opposite ends of the personality spectrum, Henry and Eric both relate in their inability to relate to and make friends with other people. I love Bateman from "Arrested Development," and it was easy to see him as a workaholic with an intense need to experience a childhood that he probably left too early--similar to his role as Michael Bluth. Mills has this quirky, animated quality that really works for him, as he plays a kid that seems at many times to be as imaginative, brilliant, and wise as Mr. Magorium himself. Watching him bring out the child in Henry is so rewarding.
The Story: The film is written and directed by Zach Helms, who also wrote "Stranger Than Fiction." This guy is, I'm pretty sure, a genius. He has a writing style that is so literary; you would swear he had adapted his films from a book written by some great author. Nope; HE is the great author. And his vision for this story is so clearly threaded throughout the film. I don't understand why this movie got as poor reviews as it did. Anyone with a soul should be able to appreciate the highly imaginative and yet amazingly simple ideas in this story--the difficulty of moving from childhood to adulthood, the importance of believing in yourself, and the need for friendship. Mr. Magorium, wanting to help Mahoney with all of these aspects of her life, becomes the philosophic voice of the movie. And so many of his lines can stand alone as great quotes. When explaining to Mahoney that he must leave at some point, he has this great line about how the play "King Lear" ends...
"When King Lear dies in Act Five, do you know what William Shakespeare has written? He’s written, 'He Dies.' That's all, nothing more. No fan fare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words. The culmination of the most influential work of the dramatic literature is, 'He Dies.' It takes Shakespeare’s genius to come up with, he dies.
I know, right??! Another great example is when Magorium is explaining to Henry why he needs his affairs set in order: "I fell so completely in love with these shoes, I bought enough pairs to last my whole lifetime. This is my last pair."
I don't understand why this movie wasn't given more credit. Being released amid a flood of fantasy films, this one still manages to show great originality in story, setting, and overall delivery. I was in tears like 3/4 of the time I was watching. It was touching, moving, inspiring, and very charming.
I'll probably go buy my own copy.
Nancy Drew
The Flick: Inspired by the iconic children's mystery book series, the movie follows girl-sleuth extraordinaire Nancy Drew as she leaves her small-town home of River Heights for a few months in California with her father, Carson Drew, who requests that Nancy give up sleuthing. She experiences a new school full of overly-trendy, materialistic teenagers who don't seem to get her old-fashioned, polite, and wholesome ways. She also goes against her father's wishes and undertakes the mystery of the old house where she and her father are living--a cold case involving the death of the movie star who had lived--and died--in that house.
The Cast: The movie stars Emma Roberts (niece of Julia) as Nancy Drew, and to me she was the most recognizable actor in the film (with the exception of Bruce Willis, who has a cameo). Rachel Leigh Cook, Chris Kattan, and Adam Goldberg also appear in the movie. Other than that, I didn't recognize any of the cast. This may be part of the reason why I felt like the acting was mediocre. Emma and the young actors supporting her are adorable and funny, but it's evident that most of them have little to no experience. Emma has a very TV-sitcom style of acting, which is probably because she has her own TV show. That cute, quick, and slightly bratty affectation that probably makes her so popular on TV is exactly what keeps her from being believable on film, especially as this classic character.
The Story: I feel like the writing for this movie was under-developed and disconnected. I think the writers had a lot of good ideas about what it would be like to put old-fashioned Nancy in a modern, West Coast high school setting. Those ideas are what caused the trailer to make this movie look so funny. Then there was the mystery aspect--a built-in guarantee for action, adventure, and some fun special effects. And there is even a storyline that follows Nancy and Carson's father-daughter relationship as well as the void left by Nancy's mother, who died when Nancy was young.
But somehow all of these ideas didn't ever get tied together for the hilarious, thrilling, and heartwarming story it should have been. Several of these little plot points were never really explained; you could see where the story meant to go, but the elements weren't there. A montage of scenes shows Nancy excelling and failing to fit in at her new school. This introduces Inga and Trish, two materialistic and rude girls who are equally weirded out and intrigued by Nancy. Of course, what we should see is these two girls starting to form a friendship with Nancy in spite of their teenage capacity for loathing. But what we see is a hippucy sequence of interaction between the girls that somehow ends ends in them being friends. We never have that moment where Nancy teaches the girls something and then the girls come through for Nancy in a big way. We just get the girls flopping onto Nancy's bed and showing her their new penny loafers, thus endorsing her vintage style. And now they're best friends?! All they take away from this experience is a new pair of shoes?! That doesn't do a lot for me.
And that storyline doesn't tie in to the mystery plotline at all. At random times, Nancy's friends are thrown in to helping her with her sleuthing, but they never really get invested in solving the case (with the exception of her hometown friend Ned Nickerson). Ned is actually my favorite character. Played by the adorable Max Thieriot, he seems to be the most developed and least overacted role in the film. He obviously is in love with Nancy, and seems to be the one person who gets Nancy and knows what makes her happy--sleuthing and her Roadster. But he's in that kind of high-school relationship where you've been friends for so long that now you don't know how to get the point across that you really like each other. And Max plays this card so well. But other than Ned, no one seems to take the case seriously, until all of a sudden Nancy is catapulted into one dangerous situation after another and now it's action/adventure time. Even the mystery is a little lame, and the people and clues are all sort of loosely connected.
I don't think I'm expecting too much from this movie; after all, I liked the High School Musical movies. I like movies that are meant for 12-year-old girls. But this one disappointed me. I think this movie had the potential to be fun for kids and yet charming for older audiences. But it turned out to be a Disney Channel Original-caliber fluff piece with a couple of nice moments.
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
The Flick: Mr. Magorium is a 243-year-old eccentric who owns a toy shop. Ready to depart from the world, he attempts to pass the store on to his 23-year-old store manager, Molly Mahoney. In doing this, he hires Henry the accountant to help set things in order for Mahoney. However, Mahoney doesn't want to accept the fact that Mr. Magorium must go sometime or the fact that she must take responsibility for a magical toy store.
The Cast: Dustin Hoffman stars as the magical, silly, and ultimately wise Mr. Magorium. He's one of my favorite actors, so it's hard for me not to like him. That being said, he is able to play this eccentric character with an incredible sense of integrity. Natalie Portman stars opposite Hoffman as Mahoney. I think the last thing I saw Portman in was "V for Vendetta," so it was fun to see her in a such a playful film and role. She balances her obviously ability for depth with a lovable capacity for cuteness, which combines to sell this character--a 23-year-old former child music prodigy who is trying to find a "sparkle" within herself to lead her from childhood to her next step in life. It may just be the short haircut, but she has this Julie Andrews quality that allows her to be the child in some situations and the grown-up in others; to be reassuring to people around her although she is ultimately confused and worried on the inside.
Jason Bateman and Zach Mills round out the cast as, respectively, the uptight accountant Henry and the 9-year-old, imaginative hat collecter Eric. Although at opposite ends of the personality spectrum, Henry and Eric both relate in their inability to relate to and make friends with other people. I love Bateman from "Arrested Development," and it was easy to see him as a workaholic with an intense need to experience a childhood that he probably left too early--similar to his role as Michael Bluth. Mills has this quirky, animated quality that really works for him, as he plays a kid that seems at many times to be as imaginative, brilliant, and wise as Mr. Magorium himself. Watching him bring out the child in Henry is so rewarding.
The Story: The film is written and directed by Zach Helms, who also wrote "Stranger Than Fiction." This guy is, I'm pretty sure, a genius. He has a writing style that is so literary; you would swear he had adapted his films from a book written by some great author. Nope; HE is the great author. And his vision for this story is so clearly threaded throughout the film. I don't understand why this movie got as poor reviews as it did. Anyone with a soul should be able to appreciate the highly imaginative and yet amazingly simple ideas in this story--the difficulty of moving from childhood to adulthood, the importance of believing in yourself, and the need for friendship. Mr. Magorium, wanting to help Mahoney with all of these aspects of her life, becomes the philosophic voice of the movie. And so many of his lines can stand alone as great quotes. When explaining to Mahoney that he must leave at some point, he has this great line about how the play "King Lear" ends...
"When King Lear dies in Act Five, do you know what William Shakespeare has written? He’s written, 'He Dies.' That's all, nothing more. No fan fare, no metaphor, no brilliant final words. The culmination of the most influential work of the dramatic literature is, 'He Dies.' It takes Shakespeare’s genius to come up with, he dies.
I know, right??! Another great example is when Magorium is explaining to Henry why he needs his affairs set in order: "I fell so completely in love with these shoes, I bought enough pairs to last my whole lifetime. This is my last pair."
I don't understand why this movie wasn't given more credit. Being released amid a flood of fantasy films, this one still manages to show great originality in story, setting, and overall delivery. I was in tears like 3/4 of the time I was watching. It was touching, moving, inspiring, and very charming.
I'll probably go buy my own copy.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
thanks, shel...
Having to do a little heart-and-soul-searching has resulted in me realizing once again the significance of the story "The Missing Piece" by Shel Silverstein.
I love going back to this little story every once in awhile because it's such a simple allegory for the paradox of having relationships with other people, whether friendly, romantic, family, or otherwise: obviously it is not always a perfect fit, and even if it is, that means trading one thing for another.
From here on out, I'll let Shel speak for himself.
Until later,
Lis
I love going back to this little story every once in awhile because it's such a simple allegory for the paradox of having relationships with other people, whether friendly, romantic, family, or otherwise: obviously it is not always a perfect fit, and even if it is, that means trading one thing for another.
From here on out, I'll let Shel speak for himself.
Until later,
Lis
Thursday, April 10, 2008
BB Rant Time...
I know I haven't talked about Big Brother in a long time, but yes, I have been keeping up! I just don't usually get to watch the episodes as they air; I have to watch them online later, so it's hard to keep up on here on a weekly basis.
But we're to what is my favorite part of the game. It's down to the top 5, and this is where it really becomes a game about playing smart and playing strong. It's not so much about who likes you or doesn't like you, but how big of a competitive threat you are mentally and physically. It truly becomes a strategy game, and we viewers really get to see what people are made of and why they are still in the house.
And we also get to decide who we'd like to see in the final two and pick our favorite candidate for half a million dollars!
First off, James finally got evicted this week. It's too bad for him, but it had to happen. The guy played an incredible game; I haven't been keeping score, but it seems like he's won the most competitions, and he stayed in that house as long as he did by sheer willpower and determination. He proved early on to be a true player, therefore becoming the biggest target for eviction week after week, and he continually pulled himself off the chopping block by winning the Power of Veto. He really deserved to win the whole game just based on how strong of a competitor he was, but the cards (and houseguests) were definitely stacked against him for just that reason, and it was just a matter of time until he finally was strong-armed out of the game.
And now he's off to Sequester House, and then back to being a homeless bicycler.
Here are the final five players left in the house:
Sharon - I would love to see Sharon win, but it largely depends on her ability to win some true allies in the house. Luckily, this is something she's good at. I love Sharon because she is probably the one person who has played this game in a smart, strong, and sincere fashion. Sure, she's strategized, but she's played her cards so well and earned the name "Sharon the Saint" among her housemates. She honestly hasn't done a single thing bad to anyone in the house. She's sweet enough that no one feels good about voting against her, but smart enough that she doesn't buy anyone else's strategic bullcrap. And she is a very caring person, which people like to have around after three months without their families and loved ones. Sharon is a rare piece of work because she's actually made her "playing nice" strategy work for her. Usually in this game, playing nice gets you out of the house because you're too weak of a player. But Sharon has managed to stay in the house, despite being the ultimate pawn, surviving week after week on the chopping block. If she makes it to the final two, there is NO doubt she will be voted the winner by her competitors in the Jury House because she hasn't made a single true enemy during the whole game, and she'll definitely get the votes to win.
Sheila - There is always one player who somehow sneaks through week after week without winning any competitions or making any huge contributions to the house, until they end up in the top six, and then you're like, "How the heck is this person still here???" This season, that is Sheila. Sheila is definitely the weakest player in the house, but she has luckily aligned herself somehow with the strongest players, managing to be a part of the "winning" team without actually doing anything to deserve it. She also plays her strategy based solely on her emotions, rather than with logic. She loves you one minute for saying or doing something nice, then she hates you the next for doing something to better your own game. She turns on people because they hurt her feelings; she sides with people because they sweet-talk her. She gossips a LOT, but somehow she's managed to turn her gossip sessions into powerful game-altering maneuvers that turn the fate of the house on its ear. I think Sheila is borrowing time at this point in the house.
Natalie - Now that James is gone, Natalie is without a doubt the biggest threat in this house. She surprised everyone by showing her physical and mental tenacity as forces to be reckoned with, and the guys have kept her around because of this. The thing I don't like about her is her Bible-thumping way of talking up her alliance, which she dubbed, "Team Christ," and referencing the Bible to allude to all others outside of the alliance as "evildoers." Natalie is always having dreams and seeing signs that help her predict what will happen in the game, and I think it's truly a spiritual gift; however, I don't think she realizes how self-righteous and judgemental she sounds. Not to mention totally mental. She sees herself as "good" and others as "evil," which is not a realistic or helpful way to play the game.
Adam - As crazy as this guy is, he seems like a decent dude. He actually has been one of the most normal, truthful, and compassionate people in the house. He plays a pretty honest game. I would definitely like to see him in the top 3. I think he is the only person in the house who would have a ghost of a chance againt Sharon in the final two, although I still think Sharon would win. But he seems to have a gift of clearly dividing his relationships in the house between what is game play and what is friendship, and I think a lot of the other players will want to stay in touch with him once the game is over.
Ryan - I'd kind of like to see him in the top two as well. Ryan had a rocky start in the game; his partner, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's partner were some of the least savvy players in the house, and he suffered through several weeks of being associated with them through no fault of his own. Once they all got eliminated and Ryan finally got to play his own game, he instantly proved to be a smart player and I think he saw further ahead in the game than anyone else, strategically. He did get James evicted as HOH, only to have the house instantly vote James back in and then turn right back around and target James for eviction week after week. Ryan playes with an extremely cool head and is great at keeping relationships intact, while knowing when it's time to cut someone loose for his own good. His biggest challenge from this point on will be moving carefully and choosing the right allies. I also like that he plays a pretty straightfoward game. He doesn't lie to people, and he is pretty clear about what he wants to accomplish, and he easily gains the trust of others.
OK, after last night's episode, here's what I'm thinking...and this is the part of the game where you can really visualize how the next few weeks will play out just based on who ends up HOH...
A-number-1, Natalie has to go. The WORST case scenario for everyone this week is Natalie becoming HOH. And it's unfortunate that this week's HOH comp was an endurance one because 1) we don't get to see how it ends and 2) Natalie is an absolute beast at endurance. Now that James is gone, the game in the house can finally move forward; he's been the target for so long that nothing has really been accomplished in the house. I think everyone sees Natalie as the biggest threat right now (and she is), and if they don't get her out this week, she may never leave. If ANYONE but Natalie wins HOH, there is a really good chance she will be the next to go home. The second-worst thing that can happen is that she wins POV and takes herself off the block. Natalie has the ability to control everyone else in the house, and the only way she goes home is if she doesn't win HOH and everyone in the house unites against her this week.
If Sharon won HOH, that would be HUGE. That would be the house's best chance of getting rid of Natalie, because despite all the girl-talk between Sharon, Sheila, and Natalie and their "girls stick together" plan, everyone knows Natalie would be the last person to align herself with other girls. She loves being the center of attention and so she's surrounded herself with boys as allies, and so far that's been working for her, so I don't see her changing that at this point in the game. Plus, she knows she wouldn't win if it came down to herself and Sharon.
Adam can't be HOH because he was just it last week. He's going to have to be extremely careful about who he talks to and sides with this week, or there is a good chance Natalie will, by some means or other, send him home this week to get him out of the way. Because if Adam leaves, it's Natalie, Ryan, Sharon, and Sheila. Then Sheila is out because she's weak, and Sharon's out because she's nice and Natalie and Ryan will know they have to get rid of her because she's a sure winner if she makes it to the top two.
Speaking of which, Ryan will also have to be very careful this week. If he chooses to side with Sharon, Natalie will come after him and he probably will get sent home because he is a huge threat in the house as well. If he sides with Natalie, he may have a better chance of getting to the final 2, but I think he knows he can't trust her. He has a secret alliance with Sharon, but that will only last as long as it points him in the direction of the top two. It will be absolutely game-altering no matter who Ryan decides to allign himself with. If Natalie is HOH this week, he'll be her friend. If not, he'll probably join forces with the rest of the house to evict her. For Ryan, it's just going to depend on who is HOH every week and what is best for him.
Sheila needs to hang on this week, as overdue as her eviction may be, just to make sure Natalie leaves. If Sheila won HOH, that would really shake the house up, and could possibly mean the end for Natalie, Adam, or Ryan. The only person I just don't see her turning on is Sharon. Sheila loves Sharon, and Sharon's never done a thing to Sheila, so I believe Sharon would be safe if Sheila is HOH. But Sheila hasn't won any competitions yet, so...yah.
If Ryan is HOH, Natalie will probably try to get him to turn on Adam; he seems to be her target. Based on his performance in the endurance comp last night, though, I doubt he won. If Ryan is HOH, he will use the opportunity to eliminate whoever he thinks his biggest threat is. Hopefully that will be Natalie.
OK, I'm done. See why the game gets so good at this point? One difference can change the entire remainder of the game! At this point you have to try to look at the big picture and play it out week by week in order to make the right moves. It's not a popularity contest anymore, and it's not just trashy entertainment anymore. It's fun...yay!
And that's all I've got. We'll see what happens! Until then...
But we're to what is my favorite part of the game. It's down to the top 5, and this is where it really becomes a game about playing smart and playing strong. It's not so much about who likes you or doesn't like you, but how big of a competitive threat you are mentally and physically. It truly becomes a strategy game, and we viewers really get to see what people are made of and why they are still in the house.
And we also get to decide who we'd like to see in the final two and pick our favorite candidate for half a million dollars!
First off, James finally got evicted this week. It's too bad for him, but it had to happen. The guy played an incredible game; I haven't been keeping score, but it seems like he's won the most competitions, and he stayed in that house as long as he did by sheer willpower and determination. He proved early on to be a true player, therefore becoming the biggest target for eviction week after week, and he continually pulled himself off the chopping block by winning the Power of Veto. He really deserved to win the whole game just based on how strong of a competitor he was, but the cards (and houseguests) were definitely stacked against him for just that reason, and it was just a matter of time until he finally was strong-armed out of the game.
And now he's off to Sequester House, and then back to being a homeless bicycler.
Here are the final five players left in the house:
Sharon - I would love to see Sharon win, but it largely depends on her ability to win some true allies in the house. Luckily, this is something she's good at. I love Sharon because she is probably the one person who has played this game in a smart, strong, and sincere fashion. Sure, she's strategized, but she's played her cards so well and earned the name "Sharon the Saint" among her housemates. She honestly hasn't done a single thing bad to anyone in the house. She's sweet enough that no one feels good about voting against her, but smart enough that she doesn't buy anyone else's strategic bullcrap. And she is a very caring person, which people like to have around after three months without their families and loved ones. Sharon is a rare piece of work because she's actually made her "playing nice" strategy work for her. Usually in this game, playing nice gets you out of the house because you're too weak of a player. But Sharon has managed to stay in the house, despite being the ultimate pawn, surviving week after week on the chopping block. If she makes it to the final two, there is NO doubt she will be voted the winner by her competitors in the Jury House because she hasn't made a single true enemy during the whole game, and she'll definitely get the votes to win.
Sheila - There is always one player who somehow sneaks through week after week without winning any competitions or making any huge contributions to the house, until they end up in the top six, and then you're like, "How the heck is this person still here???" This season, that is Sheila. Sheila is definitely the weakest player in the house, but she has luckily aligned herself somehow with the strongest players, managing to be a part of the "winning" team without actually doing anything to deserve it. She also plays her strategy based solely on her emotions, rather than with logic. She loves you one minute for saying or doing something nice, then she hates you the next for doing something to better your own game. She turns on people because they hurt her feelings; she sides with people because they sweet-talk her. She gossips a LOT, but somehow she's managed to turn her gossip sessions into powerful game-altering maneuvers that turn the fate of the house on its ear. I think Sheila is borrowing time at this point in the house.
Natalie - Now that James is gone, Natalie is without a doubt the biggest threat in this house. She surprised everyone by showing her physical and mental tenacity as forces to be reckoned with, and the guys have kept her around because of this. The thing I don't like about her is her Bible-thumping way of talking up her alliance, which she dubbed, "Team Christ," and referencing the Bible to allude to all others outside of the alliance as "evildoers." Natalie is always having dreams and seeing signs that help her predict what will happen in the game, and I think it's truly a spiritual gift; however, I don't think she realizes how self-righteous and judgemental she sounds. Not to mention totally mental. She sees herself as "good" and others as "evil," which is not a realistic or helpful way to play the game.
Adam - As crazy as this guy is, he seems like a decent dude. He actually has been one of the most normal, truthful, and compassionate people in the house. He plays a pretty honest game. I would definitely like to see him in the top 3. I think he is the only person in the house who would have a ghost of a chance againt Sharon in the final two, although I still think Sharon would win. But he seems to have a gift of clearly dividing his relationships in the house between what is game play and what is friendship, and I think a lot of the other players will want to stay in touch with him once the game is over.
Ryan - I'd kind of like to see him in the top two as well. Ryan had a rocky start in the game; his partner, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's partner were some of the least savvy players in the house, and he suffered through several weeks of being associated with them through no fault of his own. Once they all got eliminated and Ryan finally got to play his own game, he instantly proved to be a smart player and I think he saw further ahead in the game than anyone else, strategically. He did get James evicted as HOH, only to have the house instantly vote James back in and then turn right back around and target James for eviction week after week. Ryan playes with an extremely cool head and is great at keeping relationships intact, while knowing when it's time to cut someone loose for his own good. His biggest challenge from this point on will be moving carefully and choosing the right allies. I also like that he plays a pretty straightfoward game. He doesn't lie to people, and he is pretty clear about what he wants to accomplish, and he easily gains the trust of others.
OK, after last night's episode, here's what I'm thinking...and this is the part of the game where you can really visualize how the next few weeks will play out just based on who ends up HOH...
A-number-1, Natalie has to go. The WORST case scenario for everyone this week is Natalie becoming HOH. And it's unfortunate that this week's HOH comp was an endurance one because 1) we don't get to see how it ends and 2) Natalie is an absolute beast at endurance. Now that James is gone, the game in the house can finally move forward; he's been the target for so long that nothing has really been accomplished in the house. I think everyone sees Natalie as the biggest threat right now (and she is), and if they don't get her out this week, she may never leave. If ANYONE but Natalie wins HOH, there is a really good chance she will be the next to go home. The second-worst thing that can happen is that she wins POV and takes herself off the block. Natalie has the ability to control everyone else in the house, and the only way she goes home is if she doesn't win HOH and everyone in the house unites against her this week.
If Sharon won HOH, that would be HUGE. That would be the house's best chance of getting rid of Natalie, because despite all the girl-talk between Sharon, Sheila, and Natalie and their "girls stick together" plan, everyone knows Natalie would be the last person to align herself with other girls. She loves being the center of attention and so she's surrounded herself with boys as allies, and so far that's been working for her, so I don't see her changing that at this point in the game. Plus, she knows she wouldn't win if it came down to herself and Sharon.
Adam can't be HOH because he was just it last week. He's going to have to be extremely careful about who he talks to and sides with this week, or there is a good chance Natalie will, by some means or other, send him home this week to get him out of the way. Because if Adam leaves, it's Natalie, Ryan, Sharon, and Sheila. Then Sheila is out because she's weak, and Sharon's out because she's nice and Natalie and Ryan will know they have to get rid of her because she's a sure winner if she makes it to the top two.
Speaking of which, Ryan will also have to be very careful this week. If he chooses to side with Sharon, Natalie will come after him and he probably will get sent home because he is a huge threat in the house as well. If he sides with Natalie, he may have a better chance of getting to the final 2, but I think he knows he can't trust her. He has a secret alliance with Sharon, but that will only last as long as it points him in the direction of the top two. It will be absolutely game-altering no matter who Ryan decides to allign himself with. If Natalie is HOH this week, he'll be her friend. If not, he'll probably join forces with the rest of the house to evict her. For Ryan, it's just going to depend on who is HOH every week and what is best for him.
Sheila needs to hang on this week, as overdue as her eviction may be, just to make sure Natalie leaves. If Sheila won HOH, that would really shake the house up, and could possibly mean the end for Natalie, Adam, or Ryan. The only person I just don't see her turning on is Sharon. Sheila loves Sharon, and Sharon's never done a thing to Sheila, so I believe Sharon would be safe if Sheila is HOH. But Sheila hasn't won any competitions yet, so...yah.
If Ryan is HOH, Natalie will probably try to get him to turn on Adam; he seems to be her target. Based on his performance in the endurance comp last night, though, I doubt he won. If Ryan is HOH, he will use the opportunity to eliminate whoever he thinks his biggest threat is. Hopefully that will be Natalie.
OK, I'm done. See why the game gets so good at this point? One difference can change the entire remainder of the game! At this point you have to try to look at the big picture and play it out week by week in order to make the right moves. It's not a popularity contest anymore, and it's not just trashy entertainment anymore. It's fun...yay!
And that's all I've got. We'll see what happens! Until then...
Saturday, April 5, 2008
pam
"Hey! I wanna say something. I've been trying to be more honest lately, and I just wanna say a few things. I did the coal walk! Just, I did it. Michael, you couldn't even do that. Maybe I should be your boss. Wow I feel really good right now."
~Pam Beesly, "Beach Games," The Office, Season 3.
This is the curse of the graveyard shift---if you follow your normal sleep pattern on a Friday, you end up still awake at 4:30 AM. Which is what I am doing right now. So I thought writing might help me wind down enough to get a few hours of sleep.
It's no secret that I love "The Office." And if you've watched the show enough to be familiar with the characters, you love Jim and Pam. I don't care who you are; you like them. I mean, everyone wants to be Jim and Pam, right? Jim is the cool, caring, cute, funny guy that everyone likes (except Dwight), and Pam is the nice, approachably pretty, creative girl that people take for granted. Wait, what? No one wants to be taken for granted! Who would want that? No one wants to be a doormat. No one wants that part of Pam's character.
Here's the thing about Pam that we girls want: Pam is taken for granted by everyone except...Jim. And he never takes her for granted. Yes, sometimes we've seen him get mad at her, or hurt her feelings, but whether he's trying to show it or not, it's always obvious that Jim cares about Pam. I love the episode in Season 2 when everyone in the office goes on a booze cruise, and the guys are talking about who they would save if the boat were sinking. And Jim tells the camera, "I would save the receptionist."
All of us girls want that; someone who sees us even when we seem invisible to everyone else around us. We all want a Jim.
But just because Jim was always there ready to save Pam didn't mean they got together, easy as that. Pam was in a failing relationship with Roy, a guy she had known for a long time and, I'm sure, really did have a good time with at some point. And you can tell that at one point, Roy really was sweet to Pam; we see that when Pam's mom comes to visit and Roy puts on a sweater and a cute personality for her. But after three years of being engaged and countless episodes in which Roy acts like a jerk, it's clear that Roy has taken Pam for granted. She's nice to him, she takes care of him, and she's loyal. To a fault. She's not going anywhere, so he's not in any rush to actually marry her.
I had a conversation with someone (who I'm sure will read this, so I'm sure you'll laugh when you do)... ;) ... while we were watching an episode of the Office, and I said something like, "Poor Pam!" And he said he didn't feel sorry for Pam, because she was the one choosing to stay with Roy. And of course, I started defending Pam (right, girls?) and saying that she's been committed to this guy for so long that she was just trying to make the best of it and convince herself she was happy because at this point it probably felt like it would be too hard to split up with him. And then I explained that later on in the show, she does break up with Roy and start becoming an independent person who tries things on her own and says what's on her mind, and all this finally leads to her and Jim getting together.
And as I'm sitting there defending Pam, I feel like I'm talking about myself.
I always felt like I could relate to Pam, but I'd never explained it to someone else before. Saying it out loud was kind of funny because although I've never been engaged or walked across hot coals, I feel like in a less dramatic way I've been through a lot of the things the writers put Pam through in the show. The past four months especially. I got out of this "comfortable" but unhealthy relationship, and spent a lot of time by myself. I found some new things to try, like my yoga class (Pam had art class), and started focusing on taking care of myself, rather than someone else. I cut my hair. I started eating better. I strengthened old, reliable friendships and developed new ones. It finally clicked that I had just as much of a right as anyone to voice my opinions and feelings, and I started doing it. I started sticking up for myself more, and it followed that I could stick up for others too. I grew up a little bit, and realized I'm not a kid anymore, so I shouldn't let people treat me like one.
In the show, Pam and Jim have a conversation after Jim has left Scranton and Pam has left Roy. It's the first time they've talked since Jim left, and Pam fills him in on her new apartment and what she's doing with her life. And Jim calls her "Fancy New Beesly." Well, as cheesy as it might sound, I feel like I've been going through a little bit of a "Fancy New Beesly" stage myself, and kind of figured out who I am now that I'm out on my own.
And that phase isn't always fun, but it's the most powerful thing...it really makes you trust yourself. And then you know you can go to the next place in your life, but this time taking with you all of that strength that you know you have, and not letting anyone take any of that away from you.
And then you're ready for Jim.
See, he couldn't just save Pam. She had to figure it out herself; that she was letting everyone take her for granted because she was taking herself for granted. She had to remind herself that people were not allowed to take her for granted; that she was worth the recognition and respect she commanded from everyone afer she walked across the hot coals on Beach Day. And even though everyone made fun of her afterwards, she kept her head up and did not apologize for anything she said. All of that had to happen first, before Season 4.
For anyone who's reading this and hasn't watched much of the show, I'm sorry...this probably doesn't make sense. But you should just watch the show because not only will you get what I'm talking about, but you'll probably come close to peeing your pants at some point. For anyone who has watched, please don't think I'm some kind of psycho who goes around saying, "I'm JUST like Pam...OMG!!!" I'm not like that. I just love analogies, and the character of Pam just fits well with my own experiences in the past few months.
I refuse to be taken for granted. I'm nice, but I'm not a doormat. And now that I know that, I can fully appreciate someone who doesn't, and wouldn't, take me for granted. And the fact that that "someone" is cool, caring, cute, funny, and likeable doesn't hurt. :)
Oh, also, my name was on the board in the lobby of the station under "Anniversaries." I've been working there for a year now! It's crazy to think it was a year ago when I started part-time in production, splitting time between the station and the restaurant. And I know I started writing this blog not long after starting my job, so I guess that means my blog's one-year birthday is coming up! OK, it's almost 5:30 now. I'm going to watch some Drop Dead Gorgeous and try to get a little sleep.
Thanks for listening. Until later...
lis
~Pam Beesly, "Beach Games," The Office, Season 3.
This is the curse of the graveyard shift---if you follow your normal sleep pattern on a Friday, you end up still awake at 4:30 AM. Which is what I am doing right now. So I thought writing might help me wind down enough to get a few hours of sleep.
It's no secret that I love "The Office." And if you've watched the show enough to be familiar with the characters, you love Jim and Pam. I don't care who you are; you like them. I mean, everyone wants to be Jim and Pam, right? Jim is the cool, caring, cute, funny guy that everyone likes (except Dwight), and Pam is the nice, approachably pretty, creative girl that people take for granted. Wait, what? No one wants to be taken for granted! Who would want that? No one wants to be a doormat. No one wants that part of Pam's character.
Here's the thing about Pam that we girls want: Pam is taken for granted by everyone except...Jim. And he never takes her for granted. Yes, sometimes we've seen him get mad at her, or hurt her feelings, but whether he's trying to show it or not, it's always obvious that Jim cares about Pam. I love the episode in Season 2 when everyone in the office goes on a booze cruise, and the guys are talking about who they would save if the boat were sinking. And Jim tells the camera, "I would save the receptionist."
All of us girls want that; someone who sees us even when we seem invisible to everyone else around us. We all want a Jim.
But just because Jim was always there ready to save Pam didn't mean they got together, easy as that. Pam was in a failing relationship with Roy, a guy she had known for a long time and, I'm sure, really did have a good time with at some point. And you can tell that at one point, Roy really was sweet to Pam; we see that when Pam's mom comes to visit and Roy puts on a sweater and a cute personality for her. But after three years of being engaged and countless episodes in which Roy acts like a jerk, it's clear that Roy has taken Pam for granted. She's nice to him, she takes care of him, and she's loyal. To a fault. She's not going anywhere, so he's not in any rush to actually marry her.
I had a conversation with someone (who I'm sure will read this, so I'm sure you'll laugh when you do)... ;) ... while we were watching an episode of the Office, and I said something like, "Poor Pam!" And he said he didn't feel sorry for Pam, because she was the one choosing to stay with Roy. And of course, I started defending Pam (right, girls?) and saying that she's been committed to this guy for so long that she was just trying to make the best of it and convince herself she was happy because at this point it probably felt like it would be too hard to split up with him. And then I explained that later on in the show, she does break up with Roy and start becoming an independent person who tries things on her own and says what's on her mind, and all this finally leads to her and Jim getting together.
And as I'm sitting there defending Pam, I feel like I'm talking about myself.
I always felt like I could relate to Pam, but I'd never explained it to someone else before. Saying it out loud was kind of funny because although I've never been engaged or walked across hot coals, I feel like in a less dramatic way I've been through a lot of the things the writers put Pam through in the show. The past four months especially. I got out of this "comfortable" but unhealthy relationship, and spent a lot of time by myself. I found some new things to try, like my yoga class (Pam had art class), and started focusing on taking care of myself, rather than someone else. I cut my hair. I started eating better. I strengthened old, reliable friendships and developed new ones. It finally clicked that I had just as much of a right as anyone to voice my opinions and feelings, and I started doing it. I started sticking up for myself more, and it followed that I could stick up for others too. I grew up a little bit, and realized I'm not a kid anymore, so I shouldn't let people treat me like one.
In the show, Pam and Jim have a conversation after Jim has left Scranton and Pam has left Roy. It's the first time they've talked since Jim left, and Pam fills him in on her new apartment and what she's doing with her life. And Jim calls her "Fancy New Beesly." Well, as cheesy as it might sound, I feel like I've been going through a little bit of a "Fancy New Beesly" stage myself, and kind of figured out who I am now that I'm out on my own.
And that phase isn't always fun, but it's the most powerful thing...it really makes you trust yourself. And then you know you can go to the next place in your life, but this time taking with you all of that strength that you know you have, and not letting anyone take any of that away from you.
And then you're ready for Jim.
See, he couldn't just save Pam. She had to figure it out herself; that she was letting everyone take her for granted because she was taking herself for granted. She had to remind herself that people were not allowed to take her for granted; that she was worth the recognition and respect she commanded from everyone afer she walked across the hot coals on Beach Day. And even though everyone made fun of her afterwards, she kept her head up and did not apologize for anything she said. All of that had to happen first, before Season 4.
For anyone who's reading this and hasn't watched much of the show, I'm sorry...this probably doesn't make sense. But you should just watch the show because not only will you get what I'm talking about, but you'll probably come close to peeing your pants at some point. For anyone who has watched, please don't think I'm some kind of psycho who goes around saying, "I'm JUST like Pam...OMG!!!" I'm not like that. I just love analogies, and the character of Pam just fits well with my own experiences in the past few months.
I refuse to be taken for granted. I'm nice, but I'm not a doormat. And now that I know that, I can fully appreciate someone who doesn't, and wouldn't, take me for granted. And the fact that that "someone" is cool, caring, cute, funny, and likeable doesn't hurt. :)
Oh, also, my name was on the board in the lobby of the station under "Anniversaries." I've been working there for a year now! It's crazy to think it was a year ago when I started part-time in production, splitting time between the station and the restaurant. And I know I started writing this blog not long after starting my job, so I guess that means my blog's one-year birthday is coming up! OK, it's almost 5:30 now. I'm going to watch some Drop Dead Gorgeous and try to get a little sleep.
Thanks for listening. Until later...
lis
Thursday, March 20, 2008
engaged
"Do you have the wing?"
~Impressive Clergyman, The Princess Bride
I just found out via Facebook this week that two more of my friends are engaged! This super-sweet guy I know from high school...and it's really awesome that he popped the question. I'm very happy for him. And a girl I knew from various campus activities in college. And she is one of the nicest people I know, so of course I'm happy for her.
But are you kidding me?!
Who ISN'T engaged, or married? Oh, that's right. Me! And the thing is, I'm not in a hurry for that to happen; I'm enjoying this whole experience of living on my own, focusing on getting my career started, making new friends, and trying to do some growing up in preparation for being ready for whomever I end up marrying someday. It's not like I go around all day looking at my left hand and feeling like something is missing there. It's just that every time I find out about another friend getting engaged, married, or having a baby, I get this little pang in my heart--"I want that!" It's like when you see someone with a dog. I want a dog. But I don't think about it 24-7. I do think about it when I see someone with a dog. And I know that's something I want eventually, not right at this very moment, but hopefully within a matter of years.
It's just kind of funny; I'm one of the oldest in my graduating class, so I was the first one to have everything happen to me. I was always sort of leading the way with those little landmarks of life. But now it seems like I'm the one watching it happen to everyone else. Like everyone else is driving around in new cars and I'm still waiting to get my driver's license. It's like playing a board game, and you keep having to skip a turn while everyone else is getting way ahead and winning.
Anyway, this isn't something I worry about a ton. It's just like a little alarm goes off each time I find out someone else is moving on to that next spot on the board. If only I could roll a 2 or a 5!!! No, just kidding, I don't even know of any games that make you skip a turn until you roll a 2 or a 5. But sometimes it does feel that way. I know I just need to keep doing what I'm doing, be patient, be wise, pray about it, and enjoy my present circumstances, because if I try to blast past this part of my life I know I will regret it later.
Things are better now than they've ever been. I don't want to come off as anxious or discontented with where I am in life right now. I know that the things I'm experiencing right now are not too big or too small, but "just right," and I'm so thankful for that. Actually, I feel like I have a sense of clarity and self-awareness that I haven't had in a long time. I feel more and more like I know who I am, and what I'm about. I know when I started this blog I felt kind of lost in several aspects of my life. But now it just seems like things are lining up...like, rather than me trying to force all the pieces to fit, I'm just being true to myself and they are fitting where they are supposed to. And that gives me great hope in the future. I think great things are ahead!
But I swear, if I have to hear about one more engagement...
Just kiddin'.
Until later!
lis
~Impressive Clergyman, The Princess Bride
I just found out via Facebook this week that two more of my friends are engaged! This super-sweet guy I know from high school...and it's really awesome that he popped the question. I'm very happy for him. And a girl I knew from various campus activities in college. And she is one of the nicest people I know, so of course I'm happy for her.
But are you kidding me?!
Who ISN'T engaged, or married? Oh, that's right. Me! And the thing is, I'm not in a hurry for that to happen; I'm enjoying this whole experience of living on my own, focusing on getting my career started, making new friends, and trying to do some growing up in preparation for being ready for whomever I end up marrying someday. It's not like I go around all day looking at my left hand and feeling like something is missing there. It's just that every time I find out about another friend getting engaged, married, or having a baby, I get this little pang in my heart--"I want that!" It's like when you see someone with a dog. I want a dog. But I don't think about it 24-7. I do think about it when I see someone with a dog. And I know that's something I want eventually, not right at this very moment, but hopefully within a matter of years.
It's just kind of funny; I'm one of the oldest in my graduating class, so I was the first one to have everything happen to me. I was always sort of leading the way with those little landmarks of life. But now it seems like I'm the one watching it happen to everyone else. Like everyone else is driving around in new cars and I'm still waiting to get my driver's license. It's like playing a board game, and you keep having to skip a turn while everyone else is getting way ahead and winning.
Anyway, this isn't something I worry about a ton. It's just like a little alarm goes off each time I find out someone else is moving on to that next spot on the board. If only I could roll a 2 or a 5!!! No, just kidding, I don't even know of any games that make you skip a turn until you roll a 2 or a 5. But sometimes it does feel that way. I know I just need to keep doing what I'm doing, be patient, be wise, pray about it, and enjoy my present circumstances, because if I try to blast past this part of my life I know I will regret it later.
Things are better now than they've ever been. I don't want to come off as anxious or discontented with where I am in life right now. I know that the things I'm experiencing right now are not too big or too small, but "just right," and I'm so thankful for that. Actually, I feel like I have a sense of clarity and self-awareness that I haven't had in a long time. I feel more and more like I know who I am, and what I'm about. I know when I started this blog I felt kind of lost in several aspects of my life. But now it just seems like things are lining up...like, rather than me trying to force all the pieces to fit, I'm just being true to myself and they are fitting where they are supposed to. And that gives me great hope in the future. I think great things are ahead!
But I swear, if I have to hear about one more engagement...
Just kiddin'.
Until later!
lis
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