Consuming art in my downtime

Well...its that weird lull between Christmas and the new year. Kids are out of school and there's not as much work, if any. I have the drive to be super productive and at the same time know I should take advantage of this time to rest before the opportunity passes. I've been managing a little of both here and there, I guess, but this post will lean toward the resting side. Let's dive in!

I've been watching a movie called Equals on Netflix, on and off in the night, for a couple weeks now. I finally finished it tonight and WOW!! It hit me in ALL the right spots inside, will stick with me, and had an amazing soundtrack! Here's a trailer. Feel something for forbidden love? Relate to only showing true emotions in private? Love when movies say a lot with few words? Looking for some suspense? Then check this one out! 5/5 stars!


Also watched a movie today called Idiocracy. You can see the trailer below. This stars a lot of big names in comedy and made me laugh out loud a few times. I felt like I was "stupider" just from watching it! :) If you won't get offended by comedy that makes fun of humans and want to laugh a bit then check this one out!


Tomorrow, I will see the Bollywood movie, Simmba, at the theater and I'm REEEEEEALLLLLYYYYYYY EXXCITTEEDDDD!!! I love movies so much and rarely go to see them in the theater so to change that, this year I used some of the Christmas money I received to purchase enough in gift cards to see one movie a month for all of 2019. I've been scouting the releases lately for January but was kind of "blah" about most of them. I was browsing again today and saw that Ranveer Singh had a new one out. RANVEER SINGH!!!!! Ahem...enough said. I'm yet to see a Ranveer movie that I didn't like. Anyway, here's the trailer for this one. You can turn on the subtitles for the preview. Looks like he's got one crazy mustache going on in this one! lol Nice!!


Hmm, what else... I'm casually listening to the classic, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley during commutes. What better time than the holidays, right?! Haha. I'm digging it so far and I'm not even to any gruesome parts yet.

Other than that, I tried my hand at making crepes for the first time today and have tried some new foods as well. All fun and good things that have now been added to who I am and are a part of my life. Have I mentioned in this blog that I love experiencing new things? ;) I do!
I've also wrapped up the main story-line in Assassin's Creed Odyssey which I've been playing since October, I think. What transpired was the worst available ending to the game, of any game I've played, in my opinion. Lol As mad, sad, hurt, and sick as I got over it just goes to show how great the game is. I became very attached to the characters and story over the last few months. Well done, Ubisoft! Definitely check this one out!

So...what movies, books, or games have you consumed lately?

Alrighty. I'm headed to bed but I'll leave you with a song from the soundtrack to Equals that I've been killing lately. It took me about an hour to find because they only play a certain part in the movie. Anyway, it's definitely a recent favorite for driving at night, falling asleep, or certain times in the gym. Basically, whenever I want to feel that same feeling I had watching that scene in the film. I always turn it up loud, skip to around 2:20, and listen to the end. Ah, it felt good...


I'm out!

Wrapping things up...

Not really in the mood for writing here today. However, some things have come to an end, new things will begin, and I'll want to look back later. So here we go!

First up is the bathroom remodel, six years in the making!! Haha. Here are some before/after pics for remembering.

Before pic

Before pic

Then I lived with this for a few weeks

Demo Day

Coming back together

Coming back together

After pic (minus a few things lol)

After pic (minus a few things lol)

Those were the last pics I took so deal with it. Maybe I'll post another sometime later. Anyway, bathroom is completely done and wonderful. Hoping for another remodel project in 2019!

Remember when I talked about seeing a pelvic floor specialist for peeing during heavy (for me) deadlifts? Well, I've now been there, done that, learned tons, became a case study for my specialist, and successfully hit a deadlift PR without peeing a drop. Hooray!! I "graduated", but this will be something I continue to work on; though I probably won't talk about it here again.

As for books, I finished Gabby Union's book about a week ago. It was good; came out with a bang, hit a lull in the middle, but then finished strong. There is a lot of discussion and experiences of race and racism in the book, more than I expected and even more so than the experiences of being a woman, so if that's not your cup of tea than don't pick this one up. I'm currently hunting down my next audio book victim. Muahahaha.

I can't remember if I spoke about it here but I've been missing Bollywood movies!! They have a whole different vibe to them and I needed one in my life, dammit. Lol. I did some searching and found one that looked promising called Sultan. Here's the preview. No subtitles but you don't need them to know what's going on in the trailer. 

I checked it out from the library and it was so good! Awww!!! (Bonus points that I got to watch it on the new, bigger TV! Yay!) Its underdog/great sports comeback/love story all in one big story. It was slightly corny and ridiculous in spots (which I secretly love and makes me giggle) but that story was there and it was solid! Plus, I love these two main actors. I feel like I learned life lessons, I laughed, I cried, and in the end I couldn't help but feel so happy for everyone involved. Bollywood fix--satisfied!! 

There was a male and female version of a song in the movie that had me ALL up in my feelings!  Lol I loved them both and will be killing them for the next few days so I'll leave them here to remember how I felt when I watched for the first time. Ah, a beautiful thing. :) 

I found subtitles for the male one but not the female one, unfortunately. Chorus sounds the same though.

Other than that, Christmas is almost ready to go, crazy money stuff is set to go for the new year, and there will be a lot of hanging out, working out, gaming, and resting until 2018 wraps. 

Have a good one!!

P.S. I Love You

"This is my one and only life. And it's a great and terrible and short and endless thing, and none of us come out of it alive."
-Holly Kennedy



I watched P.S. I Love You tonight and my heart is torn wide open. I want to remember these two things. Goodnight.

Working on those gains!

This week has been a great opportunity to test and challenge my patience and positive thinking muscles. I could make an entire post about my feelings of frustration and discouragement, my fears, feeling powerless and ashamed, and wanting things to just...SLOW DOWN!!

But I won't...

Instead, I'm going to vent a little and then try to turn that shit around. Watch me work!

I had to buy a dress and things to attend a semi-formal event this week. I adamantly insisted that I did not wish to attend and that with Christmas coming up so soon it would be horrible timing to have to take time and spend money on something that wasn't for the kids, friends, or family. Nevertheless, it is happening anyway and a lot of time and money went into it. Time and money that I planned to use elsewhere. I'm stressed, angry, discouraged, and resentful and having a hard time overcoming it....

At the same time I'll be wearing a beautiful dress and both my kids and I will experience something new. Someone will cook and serve me dinner instead of the other way around. Somebody's doing my makeup for me which I've never experienced before...and for free! I'll be able to make at least some of my money back by either returning or reselling the things I bought and may still be able to swing the purchase I would have rather been making instead. I'll be helping out and making my spouse happy which always makes for a more pleasant home environment. No one will die and life will continue on, no matter what, after its all said and done. See there? Positive muscles are getting pumped!

I've created some aggressive financial goals for 2019. Goals which require me to eliminate, cold turkey, somewhere between a quarter and a third of our annual income and devote it to hidden savings accounts and other things. Things are going to feel tight those first couple months and well...I'm worried and a little scared. My family looks to me to make sure their needs are met and I will be the one to take the blame when groceries and meal times aren't as fun and free as before or when some things will need to be sacrificed or purchases maybe held off on for a bit. After all, even though I've briefed everyone on "my plans", it was my decision to squeeze the accounts. They're not the only ones either. I won't lie, its nicer to live comfortably and not have to worry as much.

Nicer, yes, but also more wasteful. I've done the calculations and there is plenty of money to still live comfortably. This will (hopefully) force everyone to be more cognizant about spending. The kids will learn the value of a dollar and work better in an environment where everything isn't available, all the time. Less trips and going out means more time spent in...RESTING! Yes, please! Life will hopefully move at a slower pace where things like movie, show, and gaming marathons take place. Puzzles get built and board games get played. There will be less to interfere with the important things and people in my life. Instead, I can focus on my career, kicking ass in the gym, and spending time with/giving my time to my special people. There will be even more home-cooked meals, work done on little house projects, and time spent laying around reading books. And the whole time, those financial goals will be getting reached! No one will die, it will all be okay, and they won't fault me in the end! Feel those muscles burn! :)

Today got so hectic that I didn't even have time to take a shower after I left the gym. I grabbed a protein shake and ran out to run the 749 errands before making it back home for the kids. I was exhausted and still had dinner to get on the table and some cleaning to do. All the while, the kids were giggling, talking to me, rough housing, dragging things out while I was putting things away, and in general constantly moving and making loud noises. I was grumpy, stressed, and tired and they pointed it out to me. I was fussing at them, being short, and either being sarcastic or not talking or responding at all.
They were right so I sat my butt down and hung out with them for a bit and guess what? I got to get off my feet and they made me laugh! I still got that dinner on the table and finished my stuff. I got to hear about their little lives and listen to them giggle. That was one of the most important bits of my day and I know they liked it too! I love those little boogers. Plus, even though the day got hectic from the gym onward, my morning was spent working on little things around the house...alone...in total silence. It was marvelous.

What else went right today? I got my workout in, zoned out with music and shot hoops for a bit which is extremely relaxing, did everything I set out to do on my list and more, fit in a Southpark episode which made me laugh, spent time with my bestie, and put up the Christmas tree. The day was so damn positive I'm exhausted! ;)

Christmas tree 2018!

Ooookay, I'm tired and feeling a bit better so I'll leave you with a book and be on my way.
I mentioned Gabrielle Union in my last post because I'm now halfway through her audiobook, We're Going to Need More Wine and its great so far! I love listening to people's stories, especially women's stories. There's almost always something I walk away from them with that helps me in my own thoughts or feelings about life. I think they give me hope in a way.

Screw that. I'm leaving you with three songs I listened to in the gym today! :)


What a sweet, oldie but goodie.


Love to sing along with this one and had a hard time holding it in!


Always loved this one.

What's one positive thing about your day today?

randomness and life ramblings

Today, I learned that I can watch 30 full episodes of South Park for free on Comedy Central's website (just finished the HUMANCENTiPAD episode--good stuff lol), that there is such a thing as a Christmas pickle which has been around much longer than Elf on the Shelf (here's a Wikipedia article for it if you're as curious as I was), and that Gabrielle Union (which I've always liked) was raped at gunpoint in her younger years. How is that for randomness!

Life is strange. All of us, and all living things for that matter, are each having our own days, day in and day out...and TONS of little random things can and usually do happen every single day. Learning new things, witnessing something, riding the waves of emotion, being reminded of things from our past, making new connections, facing our fears, meeting new people, stumbling into new ideas. Those are just the little things! In some ways, its amazing we can stay connected with each other at all. In other ways, of course we would! We may all be on our own journey but we're all still having the human experience. Still, its easy for people to slip away from each other slowly as the days pass. Too easy, and sometimes its in our control and sometimes its not. I accept that, fear it at the same time, and have experienced both as I'm sure everyone has at one point or another. For our own parts, I guess it boils down to this:
Who would you work hard for and fight for and who would you willingly let go and slip away? *Warning: Answers may get complicated!*

I'm too tired to write anymore. Goodbye

Popping in for a quickie

Long time, no see. This won't be long because I've been waiting around two weeks, I think, to play AC Odyssey again and I'm beyond ready to get to it!

The family trip back home has been completed and was another goal marked off the list for 2018. Saw both parents in the same year this time around! That almost never happens! I hadn't been home for four or five years and I was able to do, and watch my kids do, lots of things I used to do when I lived there. I'm fortunate to be able to get my city boys out of the city sometimes. They thrive out there and my oldest did a lot of thinking and talking about it. That kid may end up in the country someday. Anyway, saw lots of family, ate yummy food that I didn't have to cook or buy, and made it back in one piece.

Yummy homemade food everywhere!

Treasures found like some of the corrective shoes I was made to wear as a kid

Perhaps my very first pair of Adidas shell tops?! Not quite but close ;)

On the flip side, the stress and anxiety were insane, I feel like I lost a year off my life, and I was sick the entire time with a cold... Ah, that's life though. There will always be some good and some bad to everything. Right? Right! Moving on!!

Things coming down the pipeline:

• I have my new 2019 planner in which will be written new goals for 2019. Hmm, what will I aim to crush this next year? ;)
• I'm currently searching for a new book. Finished the zombie one and it was hilarious all the way to the end. Will let you know what I end up in.
• Christmas tree and decorations will more than likely be going up this weekend.
• Master bath renovation is coming to an end very soon and I'm excited to be able to mark this off the list of goals as well.
• Still saving for a new TV but with Christmas around the corner and the way sales go, I think it might be best to buy after Christmas. Sitting on the money for now and adding little by little to my stash :)

I've, of course, run across some quotes I liked while gone and you're going to hear them!! ;)

"You will always be too much of something for someone: too big, too loud, too soft, too edgy. If you round out your edges, you lose your edge."

-Danielle LaPorte

"When it hurts--observe. Life is trying to teach you something."

-Anita Krizzan

Finally, three things I'm grateful for:

1. The strength I've gained from working out for I'm able to climb trees again!
2. Having enough money to live comfortably. I've come a long way from mustard sandwiches, $10/week grocery budgeting, and counting quarters to be able to get enough gas to get to work that day.
3. My best friend who is truly a jack-of-all-trades, one of a kind, and my MVP.

What are you grateful for today?

Game time!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

The basics!

Whale helloooo there! I'm sitting here listening to the sound of various tools ripping apart all parts of my bathroom. It's the beautiful sound of renovation, don't get me wrong, but I can do nothing even remotely productive while that's going on. Video games? Tried but can't hear or concentrate. Cooking? Tried but just kept standing in the kitchen and forgetting what I was doing. Painting? Too much dust in the air and I'll be in the way. I was resigned to just sit on the couch with my dog and stare but then I remembered you! So I'll try this. :)

Let's see, what's happened. I suppose it comes down to my basics: cooking, reading, music, projects, and randomness.

Cooking:
I finally got the birthday cake I requested this year! It was about a week'ish late but it came. Its called a blackout cake. Basically, it consists of a chocolate layer cake with chocolate pudding in between the layers, chocolate frosting, and more chocolate cake crumbles covering the entire thing. Don't let me stop you from Googling it. ;) What can I say? I like chocolate and wanted something I'd never had before. It was a toss up between this and a Tres Leche cake. You can Google that, too. Maybe I'll do that one next year. Anyway, I was surprised with this when I got home from work one day. They'd tried their hands at homemade pudding and frosting and added Oreo wafers to the crumbles on the top. The cake was dripping everywhere and maybe wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing thing to look at but it tasted good! Cracked me up.

Blackout cake

My blackout cake

I broke out the grilled cheese cookbook the other night for another edition of "Crazy Grilled Cheeses" and found one that fit the bill. It was supposed to be pimento cheese mixed with celery on buttered egg bread. However, I made the mistake of sending my spouse to the store for the bread and he "just picked one" so ours became pimento cheese mixed with celery on buttered rye bread. I HATE rye bread! Gross. Luckily, the crazy that was happening inside the sandwich completely overpowered any rye taste from the bread and it was edible. The kids wouldn't go near it, I ate only half of one, and the hubs chowed down. Go figure.

Things coming down the kitchen pipeline? I've been very in the mood to make borscht again AND I came home with a pho cookbook the other day, which I'd like to try my hand at, AND I've been craving homemade radish kimchi. I need some quiet mornings to get lost in the kitchen but it might be a couple weeks before any of this happens.

Reading:
Hmmm, reading has been a little sporadic but I've managed a couple audiobook adventures. First, I listened to a thirty minute lecture (lecture #39 of 48) on the welfare state that's part of a sub-series called Economic History of the World Since 1400, which is part of a larger series known as The Great Courses. Look it up here if you like and don't ask me how my brain got there. Lol The lecture was called  The Welfare State: From Bismarck to Obama, I learned lots, and then went out in search of more info. Perfect outcome!

Currently, I'm listening to a ridiculous book that's been making me laugh out loud in my car...alone. This guy, James Breakwell, wrote a survival book for the zombie apocalypse called Only Dead on the Inside but the twist is that its for parents. He has the sickest sense of humor about kids and parenting  and its hilarious! At only about four hours its short, funny, and fun.

Projects:
So I tried to build something; the first in a very long line of things I want to try to build. ;) I got all these boards and have been trying to construct a butcher-block style tabletop for a computer desk.
I'm having a blast, learning a lot, and some things are going great and others, mmm, not so much. Good stuff! Here's a "before" pic. We'll come back to this another day.

Randomness:

I've been going to a pelvic floor specialist for a few weeks and Kegel's have become my life. Pelvic floor PT is a crazy ride! 

I watched the most beautiful rain storm the other evening at work. The sun was setting so the sunlight was hitting all the rain drops falling and it had that sound. You know the one. That calm rain sound. It was amazing and I had to stop working just to watch and listen for a bit. I'll show you but it won't do it justice. Still, I'd like to remember it so I'm putting it here.

• Oh! I ran into this cool, huge leaf bug (?) and was almost late to work because, of course, I had to take pictures of it and ask it questions. Why am I so weird?! But I'm sorry, it wasn't scared of me and I got REALLY close. I mean, am I not going to talk to it?!!?!? Your face is a point and you look like a leaf...can I pleeeeeeease see what you feel like?? ;)

Music:
I'll leave you with some music. These two have been in heavy rotation the last few days and I've been killing those car concerts! Really digging Jidenna so far.



Yes, its a brag song, of which there are too many, but I like it! First few bars once he gets going are my favorite and I love the video! Killing it!

"Cockroaches and the rat shit
Hand me downs with the patches
Mama put a little money in the mattress
Taught me how to make a silver spoon out of plastic
You can either sink, swim or be the captain
Get the last word I'mma get the last laugh in
Now they say "Jidenna why you dressing so classic?"
I don’t want my best dressed day in a casket
You can either lead, follow or get out the way
Make a fuckin' move it would make my fuckin' day
Got a 100 year plan you jus' think about the today
Always been about time more than been about pay
Can't rump with me
Usain couldn’t run with me
Chief come to find you
You don’t come for me
At best you can run a lil company
N**** at worst, I could run the whole country"



This is the live version of this song but I like the energy better. I get goosebumps every time I hear him yell, "True friends stab you in the front!" Could be taken in different ways. Nice!

GoodBYEEEE!!!