In other grocery news I discovered a very small British section at QFC. I bought a notorious Yorkie chocolate bar--It's not for girls! (So of course when we were in London all the girls had to buy one.) Anyway, I'm very excited about this discovery. Also, I am completely incapable of shopping on a budget, so send any budget tips you have my way.
When I was at SUU I had class every day, so I walked. a bit. This quarter I have class two days a week. Some days I don't even walk out of my front door--this is just a little bit sad. I should at least walk to campus which means hiking up a giant hill--Seattle is a city of hills; just like Rome--which would be good except I take the bus to campus because my classes are at 8:30 in the morning, plus--the hill. However, now that the days are warming up I should try walking around Ravenna Park and find the energy and time to make it to Green Lake Park somewhere during my four-day weekends to walk the 2.8 mile trail. So in my attempts to stop being a total lard ass, I am working on a playlist full or peppy, energetic music that's great for brisk walking (and, theoretically, working out). Here's what I have so far, in no particular order:
- "Nth Degree" by Morningwood. As Dain says, it's perfect butt-shaking music. You just can't help yourself. And it pushes you to go louder and harder: let's go!
- "Spark" by Tori Amos. I'm not sure why but I've always found this to be a great walking song, probably because of the music video.
- "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" by Ida Maria. The title pretty much says it all. A fun, bouncy song about getting naked.
- "21 Things I Want in a Lover" by Alanis Morissette. A strong beat to push you while letting you think about the traits you want in a lover.
- "Professional Widow" by Tori Amos. Sometimes you need a scathing song with raging harpsichords to get you going. But remember, we're trying to sweat out toxins, not create new ones.
- "Twin Cinema" by The New Pornographers. A fun, indie rock song.
- "Buenos Aires" from Evita. A musical number, you ask? Yes. "But you're flesh, you are meat / You shall have every breath in my body." All over a Latin beat.
- "Just A Girl" by No Doubt. Because everyone needs some No Doubt.
- "That Time" by Regina Spektor. Because it's peppy. So is "Dance Anthem of the 80's." Just watch the music video.
- "Out Tonight" from Rent. Remember, we're working out to go out. Tonight.
- "Big Wheel" by Tori Amos. A sassy number with honky-tonk vibes. "M-I-L-F / Don't you forget."
In other news, last week we had poetry group which is lovely. After banging my head working on effing JavaScript, I got to relax and discuss "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot. I like Eliot's poetry, but I much prefer The Waste Land. However, it was a more than a little depressing because of certain tragic similarities I have construed between Prufrock and myself. Anyway, I get to pick for next month, and I've pretty much all but decided on Sunstone (Piedra de sol) by Octavio Paz. I'm excited!
So I love English, and sometimes I wonder what I'm doing in library school. Megan suggested that my theory based program is trying to crush my spirit, and this quarter it's succeeding. Now that we're half-way through the quarter, I can tell you I don't want to be a cataloguer--I have no idea what we're even talking about anymore in my classification class. Research Methods is what it is. I rarely do the reading, and I hate research. Algorithmic Thinking and JavaScript--need I say more? My Info Policy class is actually interesting sometimes, though I think I would rather be in the other section. However, this is where I learned that Britain didn't read 1984 and is basically a police state with surveillance everywhere. Now I don't want to live in London anymore. Anyway, hopefully once I get into the electives I'll be more excited and actually learn how to be a librarian. Some have said it's like law school, you need the degree to get the job, and then you learn how to do whatever you're doing on the job. I really thought I wanted to be a librarian, I guess I should have just done more research to be certain. Oh, now I see the connection.
One last note. Yesterday I watched The Lion in Winter (the 1968 version) which is, just wow. It's not quite King Lear but then Shakespeare didn't write it (James Goldman did). But if you want a dysfunctional family and court intrigue look no further. It was so intense that last night I had dreams that Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn were manipulating my other dreams against each other. It was very surreal, but then that's the nature of dreams.
Hehe. I love catching up with your blog. As for grocery budgets, I've been toying with that myself. This is what I've come up with: buy on sale, bake and freeze. I even do it with ingredients (chicken, pasta, rice, purees) rather than whole meals so I don't have to eat the same thing over and over. The biggest savings, I'm pretty sure, though, comes from my less frequent trips to the grocery store and thus fewer impulse buys.
ReplyDeleteNext up, my exercise list (it hasn't been updated since before finals, I'm sad to admit).
Welcome to the World--Kevin Rudolph
Take me on the Floor--The Veronicas
See you again--Miley Cyrus
Piece of me--Britney Spears
Je Ne Parle Pas Francais--Girls Aloud
Viva la Vida--Coldplay
Hard out there for a Pimp--Hustle & Flow
Live your Life--TI w/Rhianna
Paper Planes--MIA
Iyaz--Replay
Bitch--Meredith Brooks
Me too! I lost all kinds of crazy weight in undergrad and have gained more weight than I'd like in grad school (all over the past three months, too). I'm hoping that nuttiness like bellydancing and ninjitsu will help out, but at the end of the day I am terribly lazy. Sit around studying, you know? I also eat unhealthily, so there you go. But I don't cook from scratch, either, so kudos to you.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Some of my get-going songs are:
Theme from the Chalets - The Chalets
10,000 Nights - Alphabeat
You're The Voice - John Farnham
Love Story - Punk Cover
In This City - Iglu & Hartly
World That Came Undone - Hidell
...also pretty much anything by Bill Haley & the Comets and Buddy Holly & the Crickets.
I still totally dig your taste in music. Ditto on your "Out Tonight" from RENT.
So, i've been toying with the idea of becoming a librarian as well... but you're kind of scaring me. :)
ReplyDeleteAs far as shopping on a budget, i'm not exactly a pro, which is unfortunate. But i have tried shopping with cash before and that works well. Take cash with you to the store, that way you can only spend what you have.
My favorite workout songs:
She is Beautiful - Andrew W.K. (don't laugh.)
Woke up in a Car - Something Corporate
A Call to Arms - Angels & Airwaves
Fireflies - Owl City
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
The Future Freaks me out - Motion City Soundtrack
Gives you Hell - All American Rejects
Blood Red Summer - Coheed and Cambria
Yankee in a Chiop Shop - The Matches
Jai Ho - Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack
Lately Gold's Gym has been my only salvation, but that's mainly because get free daycare with my memebership, and that in itself makes it completely worth it.
Dearest, you know I am a foodie. The best thing you can do is truly make a list. You'll find that you have many of the staples of good cooking already. STICK to the LIST. Deviation is typically not good in any form. Unless you have a bottle of Flowers Pinot. Or Fritz. And good music. Maybe a few friends. Er, the list. Just stick with your list.
ReplyDeleteUse half-n-half instead of heavy cream and cook only enough for two servings. Eat half. I love tasty things and have to frequently tell myself, "Rae, this is not the last time you'll have crème brûlée. Eat half. You'll respect yourself and your ass if you do." I have to follow this mantra in many things to do with appetite.
I LOVE making workout mixes. I usually try to step to the beat, so it has to move fast but all the songs can't sound the same or I get VERY bored (this is a theme in my life). I love Seattle and it's hills. So, I'm thinking of music to move you and complement the beauty of the city. I suggest:
Goldfrapp "#1"
Passion Pit "I've Got Your Number"
T.A.T.U "Not Gonna Get Us"
Anjulie "Boom"
Emiliana Torrini "Big Jumps"
Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling"
Kelly Clarkson "My Life Would Suck Without You"
No Doubt "Hella Good"
See? Electronic, indie, and pop. A tasty mix to move you.
SEE YOU SOON!
Thanks everyone for the music suggestions--I will get on that even though my iPod is pretty much full--as well as the budget tips. Rae, will you be my zen master? I think I should start using coupons and stop trying to cook like Giada.
ReplyDeleteMary, toy with the idea longer, but it's not for people who like books as it is for people who like information. I'll let you know what I think once I graduate, but I probably won't recommend UW.
Rae, I can't wait! (Well, I can because I have so much work I have to do before then, but still!)
I'd love to help a brotha out.
ReplyDeletePS "Everyone Feels Good in a Room" by The Cure. That's also a great one.