1-17-2009

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Good afternoon! It's been a week since my last post, and I'm still in good standing with my New Year's resolution. I got myself a little notebook and have been jotting down my thoughts throughout the week. I've even decided that I will call these little random thoughts 'Matters.' (Get it? I heart wordplay.) So without further ado, here we go!

I watched one of my favorite films, Garden State, this week and decided that my favorite quote from the film is, "I'm okay with being unimpressive. I sleep better." I feel like it speaks to the running debate I have with myself about what I'm supposed to be doing with life. Sometimes I feel like I lead too simplistic and sheltered of a life - I hear about exotic travel or getting involved in other areas of passion in their lives, and I think to myself, "I don't really have anything like that." Other times I look at my life and am proud of what I've gone through in the last year or so - I've got my first real apartment and have outfitted it, am cooking more and eating better than I used to, am exercising more, have no student loans and have developed good friendships. I feel like there's a planning battle between immediate gratitude and future needs (and saving for them). Anyhow, I've got my whole life ahead of me to experience anything that comes along. So yeah, I'm okay with being unimpressive. And I do sleep better!

On another Garden State note, I tend to notice new things about movies each time I watch them, and this time my ears picked up a song playing in the background of one scene that isn't on the film's phenomenal soundtrack. I listened hard and managed to pick up one line of lyrics; I looked it up online and it turned out to be a song by an artist named Alexi Murdoch. Apparently the track wasn't on the soundtrack because it was already owned by the TV show OC soundtrack. But for those of you who enjoy the Garden State soundtrack - look him up, because he definitely fits the vibe well.

I also heard an awesome classical rendition of David Bowie's Man Who Sold the World by a group called The Section Quartet. They do classical versions of a lot of popular music, including Such Great Heights by Postal Service. If you're looking up Alexi Murdoch on iTunes, you might as well look up these guys too.

Now, on to a random event from the week. I got a call from a number I didn't recognize on my phone and a subsequent voicemail. It was a woman from CT who left a message for someone else asking about insurance policies. My first thought was, 'Should I call this woman back and let her know she got it wrong? What if it's serious?' Then I thought, 'It takes ignorance to listen to someone's outgoing message, not realize you've dialed the wrong number and proceed to leave a message.' So despite feeling a little guilty about it, I did not call back. Considering I didn't get another call, she must've realized her mistake.

After picking up my little Matters notebook, I ran smack dab into a Trader Joe's in Brooklyn!! (Yes, two exclamation points because it is THAT exciting.) I told myself I would just look around to see what it was like and promptly left with $25 in groceries. It's a beautiful thing - much quieter than the stressful experience of visiting the TJ's in Union Square. Among other things, I picked up some pre-marinated carne asada steak to make in the new Foreman grill; I highly, highly recommend it. It made for two delicious meals this week when paired with some mixed veggies, rice and dinner rolls.

I hate it when two subway trains pass in the opposite direction before a single one arrives in the direction I want to go. That feeling is the opposite of the glee of ripping off a paper towel one-handed.

There's a show on NBC Mondays called Superstars of Dance that features the best dancers of 8 countries squaring off and it's very entertaining and educational to watch. It introduced me to a street dancing group from LA called the Groovaloos who are exhilarating to watch - I suggest you tune in on Monday to see them compete head to head with the Shaolin Monks of China.

Pat Sajak must secretly want to do physical harm to these contestants screaming out letters on Wheel of Fortune. I mean, come on people, he's 5 feet away and you're wearing a microphone.

Verizon Fios is ripping off of Mac's advertising style. You know the Mac Guy vs. PC Guy commercials? Well now Fios has the Verizon vs. Other Cable guy commercials. Although still mildly entertaining, they lose points for unoriginality.

Watching Bush's farewell speech this week, I had mixed feelings. Here's a guy I voted for leaving office with an approval rate under 30%. On the one hand, I'm very happy we haven't had another attack since 9/11. When that plane landed in the Hudson this week, for a few seconds I had a pit of fear in my stomach. Keeping the US safe has got to be a monumental task, but at the same, it has come at such a hefty cost to the health of our nation.

And last but not least, it my dream home, I shall have a.) a planetarium and b.) a chamber orchestra.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta work out and head to Trader Joe's!