So May has come and gone rather quickly and really there is not much change from April.
1) Volunteer: This remains on the back burner again - yes one day I will volunteer for something.
2) Pay down debt: This is pretty much the same as last month. It continues to go down without accruing any more debt.
3) Read four books a month: Once again I made it through three books. I'm slowly working my way up to four - so maybe by the end of the year. The first book, The City and the City by China Mieville, was recommended by a friend. This was highly original, highly interesting story about a city that is effectively two countries somewhere in Eastern Europe, where citizens of one city ignore citizens from the other country or are basically removed from whatever country they inhabit. The story is basically a detective novel but has such an interesting back story makes it highly readable. The second book, Murder City, was highly depressing account of the violence in Juarez, Mexico. The author Charles Bowden makes a fairly good point that this is not a war against drugs but a war for drugs and that as long as those people dying are just the poor there will be little sympathy for them from the US. I find it interesting that the AP did a recent piece on this, stating that the Mexican Army is basically backing one of the major cartels. The third book was the fourth novel in the Sookie Stackhouse vampire series, Dead to the World. I have no idea why I subject myself to these novels, they are basically trashy romance novels with a supernatural twist, yet they are somehow addictive. I also finished reading the first Harry Potter book to the kids. Basically, I've been trying to do this for years but now the boys seem old enough to listen, although X is pretty sure Snape is behind all the bad things.
4) Publish:The status for this is pretty much the same as last month. The Mennonite mtDNA article can be early viewed for free at the Human Biology website. The AJPA article is in the in press cycle. I'm still waiting to hear about two other articles that have been submitted. I plan on spending the next month writing three more articles. Right now I'm in the process of submitting abstracts for conferences in the fall.
5) Clean the Garage: Once again the egg cartons seem to multiply like rats in our garage. There also seem to be an undetermined amount of shoes and toys that have migrated out of the mini van.
6) Get Maintenance done on the cars: The XL-7 got its tags and passed its inspection, son to the next thing.
7) Catch up on a boatload of TV shows, mostly beginning with B: This month we watched seasons 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 of Battlestar Galacta. This is a pretty good series, although I don't always like the plot line. The acting is phenomenal and they do a really good job with the special effects.
8) Do a 365 walk project: This is intermentinent and based on whether or not I get up early enough, although has the heat has risen so have my children earlier and earlier, plus they are staying up late. This doesn't bother me for S, but for X, C, and L if they don't nap they are cranky and whiny the next day.
9) Learn to meditate:I need to get back to this, I've basically forgone my morning coffee in lieu of green tea (which helps the digestion more than relaxation). However, in a house with four kids, sometimes it is hard to find extended moments of solitude, unless it is either early in the morning or late at night.
10) No computer after 6 pm: the policy for this is just don't ask.
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TV. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
2010 Resolution Roundup - April
Is it just me or did April seem to take for ever this year. For a short month it seems that it was worth about two. We had our second SA visitor, g-ma, who came to visit and help out supermom while I was away in New Mexico at a conference. I gave two poster presentation, one of which was well received and another that was somewhat ignored. Probably, because I spent six years in grad school prattling on about it. Anyway, here is the list.
1) Volunteer: I donated blood so it does count as some form of volunteering. I have a rare blood type so it is always good to know they have a supply on hand in case I need it.
2) Pay down debt: This continues to go down and hopefully one day, it will be finished. At least we are not taking on additional debt, which is good.
3) Read four books a month: This month I made it through three, all by the same author, Philip Kerr. He is more well known for writing childrens books but he also writes a series of detective noir novel about a German P.I. both before and after WWII. In these books the main character is generally thrown into encounters with famous individuals. The book The One from the Other, Bernie Gunter gets caught up in a case about a missing Nazi SS officer wanted for war crimes, later gets framed for it, then has to flee to Argentina. The second book The Quiet Flame, focuses on Peron's Argentina and a number of prominent Nazis, who escaped to the country after WWII. The third book, If the Dead Rise Not has Bernie, in Cuba meeting an old nemesis from his pre-war life. All in all, good quick reads, there are a few surprises hear and there.
4) Publish: So the status of this is: two are pretty much out, one with revisions has been resubmitted, another has been submitted, one is almost ready to submit and three to four more in prep. This month I hope to get a couple of these written and out to co-authors. Check out my website for updates and links to the published papers.
5) Clean the Garage: Our garage seem to be miraculous in its ability to attract crap. I clean it and new stuff shows up.
6) Get Maintenance done on the cars: Routine maintenance on the minivan and then get the new tags for the XL-7 are what is in order this month.
7) Catch up on a boatload of TV shows, mostly beginning with B: We made it through three seasons of shows this month. Buffy seasons six and seven plus Battelstar Galacta seaon 1. Buffy was worth watching but how vampires become proficient martial art experts still eludes me. BSG is really good much better than the campy show from the 70s, although the lack of the robot dog still upsets my seven year inner self.
8) Do a 365 walk project: I'm seem to fallen off the wagon here as travel interrupted the plan. This is off an on, since I got sick. The goal is to wake up walk, then have tea and meditate, then read for 30 minutes then head off to work by 8:00 or earlier. I hope to have this plan instituted starting this month. BTW my cholesterol is up to 214 so this may become imperative.
9) Learn to meditate:You would think sitting still and breathing wouldn't be so frickin hard. Maybe it is because of my type A personality.
10) No computer after 6 pm: We've adopted a don't ask, don't tell policy about this one.
1) Volunteer: I donated blood so it does count as some form of volunteering. I have a rare blood type so it is always good to know they have a supply on hand in case I need it.
2) Pay down debt: This continues to go down and hopefully one day, it will be finished. At least we are not taking on additional debt, which is good.
3) Read four books a month: This month I made it through three, all by the same author, Philip Kerr. He is more well known for writing childrens books but he also writes a series of detective noir novel about a German P.I. both before and after WWII. In these books the main character is generally thrown into encounters with famous individuals. The book The One from the Other, Bernie Gunter gets caught up in a case about a missing Nazi SS officer wanted for war crimes, later gets framed for it, then has to flee to Argentina. The second book The Quiet Flame, focuses on Peron's Argentina and a number of prominent Nazis, who escaped to the country after WWII. The third book, If the Dead Rise Not has Bernie, in Cuba meeting an old nemesis from his pre-war life. All in all, good quick reads, there are a few surprises hear and there.
4) Publish: So the status of this is: two are pretty much out, one with revisions has been resubmitted, another has been submitted, one is almost ready to submit and three to four more in prep. This month I hope to get a couple of these written and out to co-authors. Check out my website for updates and links to the published papers.
5) Clean the Garage: Our garage seem to be miraculous in its ability to attract crap. I clean it and new stuff shows up.
6) Get Maintenance done on the cars: Routine maintenance on the minivan and then get the new tags for the XL-7 are what is in order this month.
7) Catch up on a boatload of TV shows, mostly beginning with B: We made it through three seasons of shows this month. Buffy seasons six and seven plus Battelstar Galacta seaon 1. Buffy was worth watching but how vampires become proficient martial art experts still eludes me. BSG is really good much better than the campy show from the 70s, although the lack of the robot dog still upsets my seven year inner self.
8) Do a 365 walk project: I'm seem to fallen off the wagon here as travel interrupted the plan. This is off an on, since I got sick. The goal is to wake up walk, then have tea and meditate, then read for 30 minutes then head off to work by 8:00 or earlier. I hope to have this plan instituted starting this month. BTW my cholesterol is up to 214 so this may become imperative.
9) Learn to meditate:You would think sitting still and breathing wouldn't be so frickin hard. Maybe it is because of my type A personality.
10) No computer after 6 pm: We've adopted a don't ask, don't tell policy about this one.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Day 185: Sons of Anarchy (9/24/2008)
Jennifer really likes the new HBO show True Blood, while I'm more fond of this FX series Sons of Anarchy. I have no idea why it appeals to me, probably because of its escapist nature.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Project 365 Day 21: The Wire
So HBO allows subscribers with digital cable to access new episodes a week early On-Demand. I actually really enjoy this feature. I get up every Monday at 6:00 AM (yes I'm addicted) to watch the next episode. So far this year I'm somewhat ambivalent about but by episode 4 really blew me away. David Simon and the writing staff have this way of get you comfortable with a character and then they do something that takes your breath away.
This year there has been a lot of talk about the Dickensian aspects of the Wire and how it focuses on the downtrodden and the poverty-stricken in an urban core. This and how power corrupts even the most well meaning individuals have always been important aspects of the show. However, it also one of the reasons most people turn there heads away when confronted with it. The fact is the show is very real, whether people want to acknowledge it or not. There maybe good in a gun-toting homosexual who robs drug dealers for a living or that a police commissioner who has clawed his way to the top may be corrupt. It messes with stereotypes and makes things complex. If you watched Katrina with horror, then you should watch the wire and realize that what happened there could happen in any major US City, all it takes is Mother Nature to come and wash the thin veneer of civility and expose the dirt underneath.
This year there has been a lot of talk about the Dickensian aspects of the Wire and how it focuses on the downtrodden and the poverty-stricken in an urban core. This and how power corrupts even the most well meaning individuals have always been important aspects of the show. However, it also one of the reasons most people turn there heads away when confronted with it. The fact is the show is very real, whether people want to acknowledge it or not. There maybe good in a gun-toting homosexual who robs drug dealers for a living or that a police commissioner who has clawed his way to the top may be corrupt. It messes with stereotypes and makes things complex. If you watched Katrina with horror, then you should watch the wire and realize that what happened there could happen in any major US City, all it takes is Mother Nature to come and wash the thin veneer of civility and expose the dirt underneath.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
P365 D77: Jakers, the adventures of Pigglywinks
While I was gone my kids started watching the Good Night Show on Sprout before bed. The one show they like and has a catchy theme song is this one, Jakers the adventures of Pigglywinks. Basically involves a pig talking to his grandkids about back in the day, it is OK as far as kids go. At least I can understand it somewhat so its not like Barney, the Teletubbies, or Poohbah where I wonder the whole time what is going during those shows.
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