Movie Relief

I have been so sad about Blockbuster lately. I just didn't understand how I was supposed to see newer movies without going to the theater or paying iTunes. I have Netflix through the Wii, but they never have anything. I was getting so sad, and my movie folder was crammed with pages ripped from Entertainment Weekly about all these potentially great movies that I would never get to see. Why can't I watch them, Netflix? I whined. But Netflix answered back: You can. But how, Netflix? Remember, we ATE Blockbuster. Ah, yes. Now I remember. I turned off their mailed DVDs because I had Blockbuster. Now I need to rejoin their mailout plan! I immediately went to their website and added the plan, then started searching for the ten most wanted:

Enough Said
The Crash Reel
20 Feet from Stardom
Rififi
Blue Jasmine
The Wire
Don Jon ("...a bellowing Tony Danza," said the review. How can I miss that?!)
Tim's Vermeer
The Spectacular Now
Pulling John

I now have all those in my queue except for Tim's Vermeer, which I could only save, since it's not out yet. Here's the review that caught me:

http://brooklyn.ny1.com/content/lifestyles/at_the_movies/203610/ew-movie-review---tim-s-vermeer-

I started keeping the reviews so I can read them again after I've watched the movie. It was driving me crazy- watching some terrible movie and having no idea why I wanted to watch it. I'm doing this with books too. I just read my first Elmore Leonard, and I'm leaving the review in the book in case someone needs the same encouragement I did. I don't think that will be my last Elmore Leonard.

Anyway, I'm all excited because I just looked up a lot of movies, and was able to add approximately 95% of them. I'm much happier with that than the 5% I was finding on the streaming plan. I'm so relieved that there is still an affordable way for the technologically impaired and the financially challenged to keep up on recent movies!


So it's coming up on 10 and I'm yawning my head off for some reason. Perhaps I should listen and go to bed before the high winds knock the power out, as the National Weather Service expects.

Big Dummy

I was just trying to stop myself from sneering at someone else for being slow when I walked into the kitchen and found that I had set the timer without actually putting the chicken patty in the oven.

Now it's a hot mess.

Well, it's been an interesting week.

Things are starting to move a little; inspiration is striking. I've had some interesting conversations and on Monday, signs. I followed them and saw into windows of what's coming and how fast it can happen.

I'm feeling pretty calm- content with my plan and looking forward to whatever messes it up next. I've got my plans, my plans with friends, and my plans to make more friends. Speaking of which, my counselor was horrified by the idea of an introverts meetup group and forbid me to go again. She said SHE wanted to go so she could admonish them all. The funny thing is that they are the only group I have seen whose regular activity is to meet up somewhere just to talk to each other- no other activity. I finally went to one because they were having brunch, which meant there would be something to do, but it was still pretty awkward. Everyone was agreeing that eating was less awkward than doing nothing, and that they should do that more often.

I got invited to a friend's house for Valentine's Day to watch a movie and eat pizza. AND I can bring Riley, so I'm all kinds of happy about that.

I wanted to share this picture with you:

 

Looks a bit bare, doesn't it? This is from October 2012, when Dad came to visit, and it was about a week after I moved in.

And no, I don't look horribly amused. I suppose I couldn't help it. I remember thinking- as early along as November- that I was supposed to be further along in the process, and feeling like a wimp for being so hurt. I can't remember how I felt in October. Actually, I can't remember much about October, just feeling like I woke up somewhere in November, wondering what the hell just happened.

If I had been planning ahead, I would have a picture that shows you what my place looks like now, but Jennyway...

Not much time left at work today, thankfully. I just introduced myself to a vet by saying: "Call Center, this is Jenny, I'm non-medicated..." Well, let's hope so. It's unseasonably warm (Sorry, East Coasters. I wish we had your snow.), so I'm looking forward to a long walk with Riley when I get home. Maybe the universe will be sending more signs for us to follow.

Possibly my favorite puzzle ever

Frank Lloyd Wright, Saguaro Glass Design

Thanks, Mom!

Brave is not a feeling

This morning I got up earlier than I normally would on a weekend to drive up to Northstar for my first Meetup in a while. We went to go check out the results of the snow sculpture contest Carve Tahoe.

Northstar was very busy today, as probably all the resorts were, because we had snow this week. As I was walking from whatever parking lot I was in to the end of a very long line of skiers and snowboarders waiting for the shuttle, someone called my name.

How does anyone from the Meetup group know what I look like?

But it was Justin, the only Virginia transplant left out here besides me! He was a regular guest for dinner and holidays and even made into my portrait project for photography. We laughed at how weird it was to run into each other, but then realized that if I was going to run into him anywhere, it would be at Northstar, as his main objective in moving out here was to snowboard. So we caught up and when the bus arrived, he led the way to my Meetup's meetup spot. It was nice to see him!

The Meetup organizer was running late because everyone in Reno and the Bay Area came to ski this weekend, so I found two of the group members and we chatted and drank chocolatey dessert versions of coffee while waiting for the others. Kim and John are married and when I said I was from Virginia close to the D.C. area, John wanted to know if that meant D.C. or out west towards Leesburg. How does he know Leesburg? He and Kim were air traffic controllers.

"Hey, my dad was fired by Reagan!" I said.

"Hey, we got hired because those controllers got fired!" they replied.

Oh, and they moved up here recently from Lancaster, CA. They asked me if I knew where that was, and of course, I was stationed at Edwards! There were connections flying all over, so we had a lot to talk about while waiting for the group organizer. When she and her friend showed up, we all talked a while, then they split for the lifts and Kim, John, and I headed to the sculptures.

 

This one seemed the most appropriate to take a picture with.

 



 

 



 This one had a title (and an amusingly pretentious artist's statement), but we renamed it "Boobs." We also would have accepted "Boys," said with a head shake and an eyeroll. This team was from California, shockingly.

 

This one is called something like "The First Killer Whale," and is representing the legend about it being carved from wood, and when the dude from whatever island (Information just seeps out of me so fast.) carved a hole in its fin, it came alive. I think I'd come alive too, if someone put a hole in my fin.  Sorry you can't see any good detail, but as you can see, it was blinding outside. I can't remember where this team is from.

 



 

This team is from Germany, and their sculpture was called "Reflection." Apparently, each team is given a block of snow (How does that work, exactly?) 10' x 10' x 12', and they carve away from that, sometimes adding snow to the top of the sculpture.

 



 

Again, sorry about the blinding.  You should have seen the picture of this thing from the front. It was so bright that the whole thing was solid white, and all you could see what an outline. I think this was called something like Telescope Dreams (?) and the team was from Japan.

 



 

This team was from Mongolia, and I think life must be dark and depressing there. This sculpture was really neat except for the whole death thing, but the best picture I got was of the top. Seriously, Mongolia, lighten up.

 



 

This one was also titled "Reflection" and what's interesting is that I get a much better sense of that from the picture than I did in person. The center is a tree with drooping branches and each side has a different scene. I think this team was from Wisconsin? (I am such a helpful tour guide.)

 



 

This one was Kim's and my favorite. This was the local Tahoe team. You could vote for your favorite by putting money into a box in front of each sculpture. The money goes partially to travel expenses for the competitors, and partially to the Tahoe Humane Society. They give to a different charity each year.

 

 

 

So I was driving down Mt. Rose feeling a lot calmer than I did on the way up, and thinking about these Meetups. I felt very proud of myself for going. Furthermore, the group agreed that the reason the snowboard hasn't sold on Craigslist is because I am supposed to use it. The group leader said she'd go with me if I want to learn- she's been snowboarding for years. I'm tempted to try it, honestly.

 

Well, it feels a little melancholy after such outings. I feel relieved to be home in my quiet, but I also often wonder why I'm not returning with a gaggle of wild friends and a couple boy toys. All good boy toys in time, I suppose. But if fun people and new experiences are the objective, this is a good way to do it. And even if snowboarding is expensive and not something that can become a hobby, I can at least go give it a whirl and add it to my list of things I never imagined I'd do.

Verbal Vomit

I took a quiz today called What Food Are You?

I got You Are A Burrito, but that's beside the point.  One question asked what I was like in high school and the option that fit me best was messy.  I am still messy.  I came home from my trip to a lovely, clean apartment, but now that I've been back for a day, I've got half unpacked bags, dishes in the sink, and papers everywhere.  To be fair, I suppose that's what it's supposed to be like when you're settling back in, but it feels so much nicer to have things organized.  Earlier, when Petsmart called to tell me Riley was done with her bath, I was already halfway on my way to the laundry room across the complex, needing to switch the loads and I didn't bring my purse with me which meant I had to go back home first and in my rush I was dropping clean, wet laundry on the floor, I thought: I really should do one thing at a time.

But hey- I got two things done tonight and that leaves me free tomorrow to have a nice, relaxing evening at home.  And let's have a big round of applause for my little old goat, who did not poop or pee on the groomer.  She is clean, fluffy, unsmelly, had her ears cleaned, her nails clipped, and her anal glands expressed.  I asked about those, and the groomer said that it's usually just the dogs who get fed table scraps that need it done.  Cue guilty expression.

Now it's Wednesday.

EEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I just RSVPeed to a Meetup with the Introverts group next Saturday!  And unless there's a storm that prevents it, I will go to a different Meetup this Saturday!  omgomgomgomgomgomg

Uh-oh, I just found Dog Friendly Outdoor Adventures and Reno Wednesday Night Book Club.  Their February book is The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney.  I think we've read that, Ma and T.  Oh god, Reno Board Games & Beer!  I'm going to need a bigger calendar.

I wish I could remember what the hell I was thinking about on my drive over the mountains on Monday.  I know there was some vague sense of melancholy and motivation.  I am feeling like Incubus songs lately.

Work- granted, only for the past two days- has been much better.  One major thing changed that has given me some peace, and I am no longer irate by 9am.  I still need something else, and that is the major thing that I am displeased with these days.  My trip (good grief, my trip) made me realize that my poor old dog is old.  She was such a trooper, made lots of friends, and did I tell you?  One of Tracy's dancer friends was enamored with Riley and said she was the way a dog should be.  I was so proud, even if I attribute a majority of that to her being old and too tired to misbehave much.  Although, she did steal half of a Balance bar from my purse and destroy the bathroom trash.  She would have certainly gotten into more, had Tracy and I not been so familiar with her habits.  Earlier today, I was giggling at GIFs of cats deliberately knocking things off tables and destroying blinds.  Why is it so much funnier when it's someone else's animal?

Well, it's not going to be funny when Mini knocks her food bowl off the shelf, so I'd better go feed them and figure out what else absolutely has to be done tonight before I turn into an immobile blob on the couch.

Slowly Blogging Along

When I get back home and I get all the pictures, I'll give you a better overview of the trip. For now, two thoughts:

One, my little ladybug is such a trooper, but this trip has worn her out. Here she is, halfway brushed and already asleep. She has made a ton of friends here at this nice hotel, though.

Two, I cannot wait to see Tracy dance tonight!!!!!! I don't think I've seen her dance since Radford. This is going to be awesome.