Gonzai Gallery

So I've been watching a bunch of TV shows and movies lately...a LOT of them...and I've concluded that there are three things I really, really can't deal with seeing on film.

1. Cruelty/violence to animals
2. Heights and the view therefrom
3. Decapitation.

Which begs the question - why in the HELL do I watch Game of Thrones? 'tis a mystery.

(And dang it, Daredevil hit 2 of the 3)

One thing I've definitely not kept up on: posting here. Yikes.

1 Not a damn thing. No exercise and eating terribly.  I'm eating lunch every day but that's the only improvement that's stuck.

2 No cleaning projects done, but nothing badly regressing. Meanwhile, I've collected plenty of organizing, financial and similar such apps for the Kindle, and as a result I've got life-type things organized to a goodly extent.

3 Kept up with the TV shows, and while I've only seen a few movies on the list, I've watched a lot of movies I've wanted to see. Still not where I want to be on music but I've listened to a lot of samples & previews. Slowed down a bit on books, just half of 'Feast of Crows', but caught up on a few magazines.

4 Survived the month of presents and conventions and things with my bank account in reasonable shape. I have got to get the car tuned up (one of the organizing apps is dutifully nagging me about this) and it's hard to schedule with constant medical appointments for both me and Mom. But, for a rare occasion, money is not an immediate concern.

5 Still working but the boss is getting testy again. A junior attorney clicked on a questionable e-mail and got the whole office infected with a whopper of a virus, and the boss is ticked at me instead of him. And the lack of work for me. Yippee. But Mom means another job is tricky.

This weekend, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performed along with the Charlie Chaplin film 'Modern Times' in Baltimore & Silver Spring. I gave thought to taking Mom on Mother's Day until I saw the ticket prices - $63 a pop. An awful lot for a movie that's already on my DVR. So I took a pass on the BSO version and I'm watching the recording right now, almost over. It is a hoot and a half. I am way too amused at Chaplin getting conked by his own doorway every time he walks into his house. I recommend it.

So let's see...

1. Going nowhere, literally. The occasional walk and that's it. Falling off the eating wagon as well, but so far no weight change.

2. Maintenance mode. Nothing new in the cleaning but nothing already done is backsliding.

3. Keeping up with TV OK, and proceeding steadily with the movies. Finished A Storm of Swords and Under the Dome, and just started on back issues of the Atlantic. Getting better with the music, listening a couple hours a week to various music samplers. Also, Freebo is a good musical artist if you are a dog person, and the Lone Bellow are awesome.

4. Financially spending too much, but that happens with multiple birthdays, holidays, conventions and car insurance in the space of six weeks. The car's tuneup and new glasses will have to wait for a while, but I should be able to cover this.

5. Look at that. Still at the same job. Which is not to say I don't have a dozen job postings saved and some really strong leads for vet work if shit happens. The boss hasn't been too bad this month, although the supervisor isn't around much (gone again this week on short notice) and the junior attorneys are being a pain. Hanging on, anyway.

Knocked out a few more films on the list since the television schedule is kicking it up a notch. Might be a while before I can get back to working on the list. But in the meantime, saw three more films from the list and liked all three. 'Mutiny On The Bounty' - the 1935 version - was pretty decent if somewhat ahistorical. 'High Noon' was not what I expected in a western. A whole lotta talk and almost no action and that bleepin' song. But it was a risky play by the filmmakers and I think they got away with it and presented a first rate morality play in the process. The third one...technically I'm still watching it. There's 10 minutes left or so. 'Singin' In The Rain'. Bearing in mind I saw 'An American in Paris' last year and hated it - overlong acid trip, anyone? - this movie isn't dragging on as long or quite as psychedelic as 'American' and thus much preferable. The first few numbers wore me out, they were so energetic. And it's funny. Might be a little too long yet,. but very entertaining.

Reviewing them with myself won't work unless I actually do it, right?

1 Gym - Really screwed this pooch. I actually cancelled my gym membership today. Haven't been there since December, which amounts to throwing $200 in a hole, so I cancelled. Trying to walk CJ a few times a week for now.

2 Cleaning - Got the computer room completely cleaned up; this weekend, it's sort and put away all the papers and DVDs sitting around. Assuming I actually do it, plus one for me.

3 Media - Caught up on TV (finally finished the last season of Sarah Jane Adventures) and the movie thing is progressing in a timely manner. Still having trouble with music (headphones broke, but I wasn't being good before that happened) and behind on reading, although 'Storm of Swords' is coming along. I may finish it before GoT comes back.

4 Money - The car is paid off and I have the title from the bank. It needs to be re-titled to just me (which apparently isn't cheap) but otherwise all good. Tax refunds are in the bank. CJ goes to the vet next week, hoping to get myself to the dentist the week after, then glasses and fixing up the car.

5 2013 - Not so hot. Mom continues to decline and I have now fully taken over all paperwork and bills from her, my health isn't improving to include a new assortment of GI issues (already saw the doctor, tests being run this month), and I'm amazed I'm still employed. I'm bored stiff at work and my hands are killing me, but still there. I have lost a few pounds, surprisingly, and I'm eating a bit more healthy, but that's about it.

So, walking the dog, continue gradual cleanup, stay on top of TV and movies, do something with the music, keep getting things done for myself and Mom until caught up. Mission assigned.

Managed to knock out 3 movies from my movie list, including the two longest ones - 'The Best Years Of Our Lives' and 'Ben-Hur'. The third was 'The Maltese Falcon'. None bad, none that knocked my socks off. Actually, 'Ben-Hur' would have been quite good if they had ended it after the chariot race. The last hour was dragging after it stopped being the story of Ben-Hur and turned into the story of Jesus. 'Best Years' was a bit too perfect - everyone is perfectly understanding and patient - but not bad. 'Falcon' - if these people were smart, the movie would have been 10 minutes long.

In any event, I hope I can knock out a dozen films this month.

I didn't really( make resolutions this year, ) ore like self guidelines. And it would probably work better if I checked in on them monthly instead of waiting for December. That said...

1. The gym. I haven't been there. Not once. I have walked at every opportunity, but that's it. Renewing this plan, because I have absolutely got to.

2. Cleaning. Kinda haven't done much of that, either. Did clean up a section of my bedroom, and this weekend the computer room is getting cleaned, period. Guests for Superbowl and Mom's bridge upcoming, it's got to be cleaned.

3. Media. Kept up with the TV, but didn't make much headway on the backlog. Kept up with the movies and saw A Clockwork Orange, Raging Bull, M, Midnight Cowboy, Forrest Gump, plus downloaded the films that are public domain. TCM will get me a long way on the plan in February, or would if I wasn't going to be home most weekends in February. The goal for music was one recording per work day, did more like half that. Note to self, maybe a variety of artists instead of a dozen by one artists would help on that. Books - DIdn't expect to get through more than one a month, considering I'm on the A Song of Ice & Fire series. Almost finished A Clash of Kings, a week early. So, acceptable but could be better.

4. Wow. Things are looking up. 1.5 car payments left now. When Mom & I were at the bank last week, the banker kept pestering me to get a credit card, which she assured was fee-free. I finally said yes, and she gave me a card - with a $10K limit. !!! The one I have is, uh, a lot less than that. Then she sent me a copy of my credit score, which I haven't seen in years. It's...about 200 points higher than I expected. Add the new card and the paid off card and yikes, I'll have a credit score to brag about. Never thought that would happen. Meanwhile, I've already done my taxes, and I'm getting a fair amount back. I thought I'd owe the State, but I'm getting some back there, too. In the mail tomorrow. So optimistic in this area.

5. So far, the year has not been particularly good or bad. My health sucks, but Mom's health seems to have levelled off. The money situation is better, but work is dicey still, with very little for me to do and money problems there. Not great, but not disastrous.

Back at the end of February...

I know, it's shocking. And then didn't see the movie I went to see. 

Mom wanted to see Les Miz; the paper said there was a 2:45 show. We tried to run a couple errands first, but both took longer than we expected, and then there was traffic, and we wound up at the theatre a couple minutes after 2:45. And the sign there said Les Miz started at 2:30. The paper had the wrong time. Arrrgh. It was already started, and with a line for buying tickets, plus refreshments & bathroom, there was no point. However, Lincoln was still in previews, so we saw that instead. Very well done, surprisingly funny (loved the Ethan Allen story) and remarkably timely in that the process of passing the 13th Amendment is not at all unlike what's been going on in Congress the last few years and now in particular. I recommend it.

Yup. Just about got Mom's done too. A few stocking stuffers here and there, and that's it. Phew. Yucky freezer picked up and disposed of professionally, car packed for craft show tomorrow, got CJ a new 'cone of shame', watched a bunch of movies. 'Diabolique' was probably something else when it came out, not too bad now. 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' - verryy slow and atmospheric, but a bit of a drag. 'Safe House' - isn't quite over yet. But quite a rollercoaster ride.