You might recall (all 3 of you) that I have been posting pieces of my "Life List" (tm Mighty Girl) for the past few months. This post will be another list, but a much more short-sighted and immediate list: Things To Do In 2010.
This is not a list of resolutions, because I don't really like making resolutions for the same reason I don't like giving things up at Lent: I tend to forget promises I've made to myself, then I do things/don't do things I promised to I wouldn't/would do, then I remember how I forgot, then I feel bad.
I have a really good feeling about 2010. 2009 felt like a strange, twisted, hard, uncomfortable year -- a 365-day struggle to stay afloat. I'm happy to leave that all behind and look forward to what's up ahead. Perhaps the optimism has to do with the feeling of a new decade starting (I know, I know, it's actually the end of the last decade, no year 0, etc, but whatever: there's a zero on the end of it, it FEELS like a fresh start), or perhaps I'm actually redirecting my "I just turned 30" anxiety. Regardless, I'm excited.
Things To Do In 2010
- run 2 1/2 marathons
- ride my bike to work one day
- see my brother get married
- go on a road trip with my family
- get my finances in order (I'm looking at you, small-but-annoyingly-hard-to-kill credit card debt)
- focus on creating amazing events for Women in Children's Media
- focus on saving money wherever and whenever possible
Not exactly the most ambitious list, but who says everything has to be a list of goals? Can't we make a list of stuff we are really looking forward to, rather than a list of crap that we need to fix about ourselves?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Valentine's Day, the movie
The first time I heard about this movie, I thought: "lame." When I read the synopsis on IMBD, I continued to think: "lame." When I saw the cast list, however, I wanted to give the trailer a try. I mean, Julia Roberts? Anne Hathaway? Bradley Cooper? Topher Grace? Jennifer Garner? (Of course, when I saw Joe Jonas on the list, I kind of recoiled.)
The trailer had me right up until the last 15 seconds, where Jessica Biel manages to ruin it. (Though, to be fair, it's not her acting so much as the line she was given.)
Really? We're still making "cell phone as vibrator" jokes? Just because the phones are now iPhones are Blackberries doesn't change the fact that this is a really tired joke.
...I'm still going to see it, though.
The trailer had me right up until the last 15 seconds, where Jessica Biel manages to ruin it. (Though, to be fair, it's not her acting so much as the line she was given.)
Really? We're still making "cell phone as vibrator" jokes? Just because the phones are now iPhones are Blackberries doesn't change the fact that this is a really tired joke.
...I'm still going to see it, though.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Currently reading and listening to...
A Widow for One Year by John Irving.
I like Irving, but he's kind of predictable. Sure enough, I got about 5 pages in and there was some weird sex thing. His predictability, however, also means that I have a good read to look forward to.
The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Mika.
Can't get enough of him.
I like Irving, but he's kind of predictable. Sure enough, I got about 5 pages in and there was some weird sex thing. His predictability, however, also means that I have a good read to look forward to.
The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Mika.
Can't get enough of him.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Life List, part 4
This month is NaNoWriMo, in which people dedicate themselves to writing 50k words in 30 days. Anyone who has ever written anything knows that that is kind of crazy, that it takes incredible discipline to write over 1k words a day (working all 30 days) or over 2k words a day if you take the weekends off. I don't really have that type of discipline, but watching others commit to it reminded me that I've also slacked off on this blog...which does not require nearly as much writing, and therefore is even more pathetic when I can't manage to do it.
So, I'm going back to working on the Life List (I actually checked it in hopes that, in the time since I had last looked at it, I had accidentally accomplished something on it. I had not.), and here are the next 10:
31. Win an award for a book I worked on
- This could mean editing or writing...or copyediting...or fact checking...basically I just want some kind of award.
32. Create a lasting legacy at work
- Meaning, create something on my own that people will continue to use after I am gone.
33. Have a window seat with a cushion on it
- There was a show on when I was younger that had a family in it named the Torklesons (anyone remember this show?). One of the daughters was roughly my age and she had a window seat that she sat on every night when she talked to the moon. I was totally enchanted by it.
34. Have a backyard with a deck and a grill
- Mmmmmm hambuuuuuuurgers...
35. Live within walking distance of a town
- Preferably one with a dessert shop that I can walk to. Just to balance out the walking, you know?
36. Parasail
- Floating along above the water in a seat with a giant parachute on it sounds awesome. I suspect I will be terrified most of the time.
37. Organize an event for over 500 people
- I think this one actually has the potential to happen soon, which is exciting and also anxiety-inducing.
38. Meet more authors
- Authors are awesome.
39. Hire someone
- I should probably add "and manage" after "hire" since I mean at my job and not a contractor or plumber.
40. Read every book on the EW New Classics List
- Out of 100, I've read 25. That's sad.
So, I'm going back to working on the Life List (I actually checked it in hopes that, in the time since I had last looked at it, I had accidentally accomplished something on it. I had not.), and here are the next 10:
31. Win an award for a book I worked on
- This could mean editing or writing...or copyediting...or fact checking...basically I just want some kind of award.
32. Create a lasting legacy at work
- Meaning, create something on my own that people will continue to use after I am gone.
33. Have a window seat with a cushion on it
- There was a show on when I was younger that had a family in it named the Torklesons (anyone remember this show?). One of the daughters was roughly my age and she had a window seat that she sat on every night when she talked to the moon. I was totally enchanted by it.
34. Have a backyard with a deck and a grill
- Mmmmmm hambuuuuuuurgers...
35. Live within walking distance of a town
- Preferably one with a dessert shop that I can walk to. Just to balance out the walking, you know?
36. Parasail
- Floating along above the water in a seat with a giant parachute on it sounds awesome. I suspect I will be terrified most of the time.
37. Organize an event for over 500 people
- I think this one actually has the potential to happen soon, which is exciting and also anxiety-inducing.
38. Meet more authors
- Authors are awesome.
39. Hire someone
- I should probably add "and manage" after "hire" since I mean at my job and not a contractor or plumber.
40. Read every book on the EW New Classics List
- Out of 100, I've read 25. That's sad.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Go to Egypt? Check!
I always felt a little smug about living in New York City. It's big, it's exciting, it's filled with people and motion and excitement.
Then I went to Cairo, a teeming city jam-packed with 18 million people, all of whom drive like maniacs and want to know where you are from and if they can interest you in something. Their 24-hour stores aren't limited to bodegas, and people walk the streets at all hours. Suddenly, New York City looks much more like Omaha than it used to.
***
Part of our trip included a cruise down the Nile, during which we were divided into groups by language. Our English group (dubbed "Ramses" by the tour guide, Hamoud) included J, me, a couple from Boston, a couple from Buffalo, and a 16-member Indian family from outside of Mumbai: 4 sets of parents, 7 children, and a grandfather.
One of the temples we visited is situated on an island, and requires a boat ride in what looks like a sail boat with a motor slapped on as an afterthought. Ours was captained by a kid who could not have been older than 14. During the trip, I sat next to the grandfather, who had been quiet for most of the tours. We were all chatting about Egyptian culture vs Indian culture when he turned to me and asked a strange question.
"Are you an anthropology student?"
I am about 7 years past getting my Communications degree, but most people in Egypt assumed J and I were much younger than our 29 years. Still, anthropology? Nonplussed, I told him no.
"Is your friend an anthropology student?"
I again said no, and then asked why he thought that.
"You both ask so many questions and pay such close attention to the guide."
Ah, I understood. Unlike the Indian children, who (like most kids) only paid attention for the first 5 minutes of anything before wandering off, J and I had planned this trip for awhile, saved up for almost 2 years, and paid for it ourselves. We both find Egypt fascinating, read the guide books and wanted to know everything we could, get as much out of the trip as we could. He was right, we did hang on Hamoud's every word, stood directly in front of him when he spoke, ran to catch up when he charged ahead, and asked many questions about what things meant.
In short, we are giant Egypt Nerds. I'm not sure if that would translate, so instead I just said, "Oh, we're just really interested in Egypt."
He didn't talk to me anymore after that, but I spent the rest of the trip thinking about the short exchange. It reminded me how lucky I am that I could go to Egypt, and how it made much more sense to do it now than when I was much younger and more interested in looking cool than appreciating where I was. Now I don't care if someone notices how much of a nerd I am. I've earned it.
Then I went to Cairo, a teeming city jam-packed with 18 million people, all of whom drive like maniacs and want to know where you are from and if they can interest you in something. Their 24-hour stores aren't limited to bodegas, and people walk the streets at all hours. Suddenly, New York City looks much more like Omaha than it used to.
***
Part of our trip included a cruise down the Nile, during which we were divided into groups by language. Our English group (dubbed "Ramses" by the tour guide, Hamoud) included J, me, a couple from Boston, a couple from Buffalo, and a 16-member Indian family from outside of Mumbai: 4 sets of parents, 7 children, and a grandfather.
One of the temples we visited is situated on an island, and requires a boat ride in what looks like a sail boat with a motor slapped on as an afterthought. Ours was captained by a kid who could not have been older than 14. During the trip, I sat next to the grandfather, who had been quiet for most of the tours. We were all chatting about Egyptian culture vs Indian culture when he turned to me and asked a strange question.
"Are you an anthropology student?"
I am about 7 years past getting my Communications degree, but most people in Egypt assumed J and I were much younger than our 29 years. Still, anthropology? Nonplussed, I told him no.
"Is your friend an anthropology student?"
I again said no, and then asked why he thought that.
"You both ask so many questions and pay such close attention to the guide."
Ah, I understood. Unlike the Indian children, who (like most kids) only paid attention for the first 5 minutes of anything before wandering off, J and I had planned this trip for awhile, saved up for almost 2 years, and paid for it ourselves. We both find Egypt fascinating, read the guide books and wanted to know everything we could, get as much out of the trip as we could. He was right, we did hang on Hamoud's every word, stood directly in front of him when he spoke, ran to catch up when he charged ahead, and asked many questions about what things meant.
In short, we are giant Egypt Nerds. I'm not sure if that would translate, so instead I just said, "Oh, we're just really interested in Egypt."
He didn't talk to me anymore after that, but I spent the rest of the trip thinking about the short exchange. It reminded me how lucky I am that I could go to Egypt, and how it made much more sense to do it now than when I was much younger and more interested in looking cool than appreciating where I was. Now I don't care if someone notices how much of a nerd I am. I've earned it.
Monday, October 12, 2009
#1 On My Life List: Run a 1/2 Marathon
CHECK
I ran the Westchester Medical Center 1/2 Marathon on Sunday, October 11th. Initially, I was planning to run a 1/2 up by Albany that had a mostly flat or downhill course. It closed before I could register, leaving me to either find another run or not do one at all. After training for so long, the latter wasn't really a choice at all. This course was quite a bit harder, what with all those hills and gravity working against me, but I'm so glad I signed up.
First and foremost, I have to thank my running partner Sara for being game to run this with me. And also for being willing to pace me and therefore not make me feel slow at all. It was an awesome experience, and one that would not have felt the same had I been by myself. Also, it would have been much less funny, though breathing might have been easier with out all the laughing.
Secondly, I used the SmartCoach personalized training program available at Runner's World to get my body ready. There were a few moments at the very end on some hills where I really had to push myself, but for the most part my pace was smooth and even, and I felt really good. I owe that to my training schedule (and to sticking to said schedule no matter how much I wanted to just sleep).
My thighs still ache and I've got some wicked chafing issues to deal with, but I'm so happy to have accomplished this. It turns out I actually like running long distances (so long as I can run them in my own time) and I think this will be the first of a few 1/2 marathons for me.
Anyone up for the Brooklyn half in the spring? I'll take that resounding silence as a "yes."
I ran the Westchester Medical Center 1/2 Marathon on Sunday, October 11th. Initially, I was planning to run a 1/2 up by Albany that had a mostly flat or downhill course. It closed before I could register, leaving me to either find another run or not do one at all. After training for so long, the latter wasn't really a choice at all. This course was quite a bit harder, what with all those hills and gravity working against me, but I'm so glad I signed up.
First and foremost, I have to thank my running partner Sara for being game to run this with me. And also for being willing to pace me and therefore not make me feel slow at all. It was an awesome experience, and one that would not have felt the same had I been by myself. Also, it would have been much less funny, though breathing might have been easier with out all the laughing.
Secondly, I used the SmartCoach personalized training program available at Runner's World to get my body ready. There were a few moments at the very end on some hills where I really had to push myself, but for the most part my pace was smooth and even, and I felt really good. I owe that to my training schedule (and to sticking to said schedule no matter how much I wanted to just sleep).
My thighs still ache and I've got some wicked chafing issues to deal with, but I'm so happy to have accomplished this. It turns out I actually like running long distances (so long as I can run them in my own time) and I think this will be the first of a few 1/2 marathons for me.
Anyone up for the Brooklyn half in the spring? I'll take that resounding silence as a "yes."
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