I have signed up for a half-marathon in June. I am insane.
Training began Sunday - 3 mile walk with interval runs.
Wednesday - 2nd day of the C25K program - 30 minute run/walk
Thursday - weight training. Still hurts.
Friday - rest
So far, so good. My goal is to run 7 of the 13 miles. If I come in last, I don't care. This is a GOOD thing.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Monday, November 30, 2009
Why Twilight Sucks Ass
The entry below was taken from another post on Oh No They Didn't (if you haven't heard of it before, just Google that phrase. It's my favorite celebrity gossip website.
Anyway, the post exactly sums up one of my main problems with the Twilight series - that it could not possibly be a more lousy influence on teenage girls, and what they consider to be romance and love and finding that special someone. Enjoy.
If you've suspected that there's something unhealthy about the relationship between Bella and Edward in the phenomenally successful Twilight series, then it turns out that you're exactly right. In fact, there are fifteen examples of unhealthiness.
According to the National Domestic Violence hotline, these are some signs that you may be in an emotionally or physically abusive relationship.
Does your partner:
* Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
Check.
* Control what you do, who you see or talk to or where you go?
"Stay away from the werewolves. I love you."
* Make all of the decisions?
Check.
* Act like the abuse is no big deal, it's your fault, or even deny doing it?
"If I wasn't so attracted to you, I wouldn't have to break up with you."
* Threaten to commit suicide?
"I just can't live without you. In fact, I'll run to Italy and try suicide by vampire if anything happens to you."
* Threaten to kill you?
On their first date.
These are some more signs of an abusive relationship.
Has your partner...
* Tried to isolate you from family or friends.
Bella doesn't have time for anyone else!
* Damaged property when angry (thrown objects, punched walls, kicked doors, etc.).
Check.
* Pushed, slapped, bitten, kicked or choked you.
Does tossing her through a glass table count?
* Abandoned you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
"We're breaking up. And I'm leaving you in the forest.
* Scared you by driving recklessly.
Check.
* Forced you to leave your home.
She had to run away with him to flee from the other vampires in the first movie, and she had to drop everything and run to Italy in the second.
* Prevented you from calling police or seeking medical attention.
Check. Even in the hospital, nothing is a big deal.
* Views women as objects and believes in rigid gender roles.
Well, they are Mormon... (I know, I know, cheap shot.)
* Accuses you of cheating or is often jealous of your outside relationships.
Check, wolf-boy.
According to the NDVH, "If you answered ‘yes' to even one of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship." This list is fifteen.
Anyway, the post exactly sums up one of my main problems with the Twilight series - that it could not possibly be a more lousy influence on teenage girls, and what they consider to be romance and love and finding that special someone. Enjoy.
If you've suspected that there's something unhealthy about the relationship between Bella and Edward in the phenomenally successful Twilight series, then it turns out that you're exactly right. In fact, there are fifteen examples of unhealthiness.
According to the National Domestic Violence hotline, these are some signs that you may be in an emotionally or physically abusive relationship.
Does your partner:
* Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
Check.
* Control what you do, who you see or talk to or where you go?
"Stay away from the werewolves. I love you."
* Make all of the decisions?
Check.
* Act like the abuse is no big deal, it's your fault, or even deny doing it?
"If I wasn't so attracted to you, I wouldn't have to break up with you."
* Threaten to commit suicide?
"I just can't live without you. In fact, I'll run to Italy and try suicide by vampire if anything happens to you."
* Threaten to kill you?
On their first date.
These are some more signs of an abusive relationship.
Has your partner...
* Tried to isolate you from family or friends.
Bella doesn't have time for anyone else!
* Damaged property when angry (thrown objects, punched walls, kicked doors, etc.).
Check.
* Pushed, slapped, bitten, kicked or choked you.
Does tossing her through a glass table count?
* Abandoned you in a dangerous or unfamiliar place.
"We're breaking up. And I'm leaving you in the forest.
* Scared you by driving recklessly.
Check.
* Forced you to leave your home.
She had to run away with him to flee from the other vampires in the first movie, and she had to drop everything and run to Italy in the second.
* Prevented you from calling police or seeking medical attention.
Check. Even in the hospital, nothing is a big deal.
* Views women as objects and believes in rigid gender roles.
Well, they are Mormon... (I know, I know, cheap shot.)
* Accuses you of cheating or is often jealous of your outside relationships.
Check, wolf-boy.
According to the NDVH, "If you answered ‘yes' to even one of these questions, you may be in an abusive relationship." This list is fifteen.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Christmas
When I was a kid, this time of the year would be the worst for me. I was a Jewish kid, who didn't usually have a lot of Jewish friends, stuck in what seemed like Christian land x1000000 during the holidays. Everywhere you looked, there was Santa, and pine trees, and "O Holy Night" and shit. I was miserable.
And worse. My birthday is December 22nd, so it always got lumped in with the holidays. Winter meant my birthday ohandHannukahandnewyearsandkwanza and G-d knows what else. I couldn't even have my special time and it was being overshadowed by giant socks hung on mantels, and gross pink hams stuck all over with cloves, and eggnog, which has got to be the nastiest thing on the planet. No thanks.
Then when I got older, half of my friends had divorced parents, so the holidays meant they'd go running off somewhere ELSE and leave me alone for my birthday! Lissa, I'm looking at you!!!
It wasn't cool.
They had presents piled under a tree... we hardly ever got the religiously guaranteed 8. Now my parents very kindly still get me a gift certificate, which is lovely and I thank them. But it's no sipping-apple-cider and singing-carols-in-harmony.
Although, who am I kidding? My job and various bosses haven't been willing to consider giving me a holiday off since I was 22. So I'd be more bitter, missing that awesome stuff.
Then there's Thanksgiving. Oh, Thanksgiving. It was a quiet one this year... and I partially ruined it by getting a massive migraine just as we were preparing to sit down and eat. Within minutes, I couldn't think or function. And I worked 12 hours before that. You're probably saying "That's horrible! Sounds like one of the worst days ever!"
But I loved the crap out of it. People at work were in good moods, easygoing and laughing and having fun - the stories we put on air were a little softer, a little happier. Sure, there was the guts and gore that always comes with working in my field, and that's just how it goes, but things had a rosier tint. And they catered a full turkey dinner for lunch, so nobody went without tasting sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie and stuffing. It was lovely, and sweet, and I didn't mind being there one iota. It's weird to say, but it's true. I like what I do.
I may be bitter about not being in the religious majority in this country, and that will always be a teensy little issue, but I love what people become during the holidays. The warmth escapes just a little more... they look forward to seeing family, and welcoming new babies to the fold. They knit scarves and hats and bundle up to trudge through snow to grandma's house. I may live in a city where it never snows, but it gets chilly, and that's enough for me. I love walking outside at the end of the night and smelling fireplaces in the air. Roasted chesnuts... hot chocolate... mittens. They're all such wonderful things.
And people remember, at this time of year, to be grateful for all of it. It's a good thing to be grateful. I have learned to be more grateful - and not ridiculous over something I don't have, or something I'm not getting. Because really, I have all of it. I have love, and scarves, and hot cocoa. I have a roof over my head, and a fridge full of food, and a closet full of clothing. It would be absurd for me to wonder at something I lack. I lack nothing, and the holidays have all turned from bitterness to sweet.
And worse. My birthday is December 22nd, so it always got lumped in with the holidays. Winter meant my birthday ohandHannukahandnewyearsandkwanza and G-d knows what else. I couldn't even have my special time and it was being overshadowed by giant socks hung on mantels, and gross pink hams stuck all over with cloves, and eggnog, which has got to be the nastiest thing on the planet. No thanks.
Then when I got older, half of my friends had divorced parents, so the holidays meant they'd go running off somewhere ELSE and leave me alone for my birthday! Lissa, I'm looking at you!!!
It wasn't cool.
They had presents piled under a tree... we hardly ever got the religiously guaranteed 8. Now my parents very kindly still get me a gift certificate, which is lovely and I thank them. But it's no sipping-apple-cider and singing-carols-in-harmony.
Although, who am I kidding? My job and various bosses haven't been willing to consider giving me a holiday off since I was 22. So I'd be more bitter, missing that awesome stuff.
Then there's Thanksgiving. Oh, Thanksgiving. It was a quiet one this year... and I partially ruined it by getting a massive migraine just as we were preparing to sit down and eat. Within minutes, I couldn't think or function. And I worked 12 hours before that. You're probably saying "That's horrible! Sounds like one of the worst days ever!"
But I loved the crap out of it. People at work were in good moods, easygoing and laughing and having fun - the stories we put on air were a little softer, a little happier. Sure, there was the guts and gore that always comes with working in my field, and that's just how it goes, but things had a rosier tint. And they catered a full turkey dinner for lunch, so nobody went without tasting sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie and stuffing. It was lovely, and sweet, and I didn't mind being there one iota. It's weird to say, but it's true. I like what I do.
I may be bitter about not being in the religious majority in this country, and that will always be a teensy little issue, but I love what people become during the holidays. The warmth escapes just a little more... they look forward to seeing family, and welcoming new babies to the fold. They knit scarves and hats and bundle up to trudge through snow to grandma's house. I may live in a city where it never snows, but it gets chilly, and that's enough for me. I love walking outside at the end of the night and smelling fireplaces in the air. Roasted chesnuts... hot chocolate... mittens. They're all such wonderful things.
And people remember, at this time of year, to be grateful for all of it. It's a good thing to be grateful. I have learned to be more grateful - and not ridiculous over something I don't have, or something I'm not getting. Because really, I have all of it. I have love, and scarves, and hot cocoa. I have a roof over my head, and a fridge full of food, and a closet full of clothing. It would be absurd for me to wonder at something I lack. I lack nothing, and the holidays have all turned from bitterness to sweet.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
OSCAR TIME!
It's that time of year at the movies - when actors and actresses starve themselves, fatten up, crash diet, donut binge, spend hours in the makeup chair and don expensive prosthetics, play people with special needs, and do everything they fucking can to win a Golden Globe/Oscar/Spirit Award/Bafta/Palme d'freakin Or.
They work hard for that money, honey, and I LOVE IT. I love going to the movies, period, and these are the ones I'm most excited about in coming weeks:
"Precious" (I will weep, and I will love it)
"The Blind Side" (opened this weekend, Sandra Bullock's best box office yet)
"Alice in Wonderland" (Coming out after awards season, technically, but IDGAF)
"Cracks" (I'll watch anything with the incomparable Eva Green, and there's another cast member named Imogen Poots. Sold.)
"A Single Man (Julianne Moore. Colin mother-loving Firth. Matthew Goode. The scrumptious Lee Pace.)
And, finally, "Princess and the Frog." (Disney! Return to classic animation! Musical! Anika Noni Rose! New Orleans! Voodoo! Ack!!)
They work hard for that money, honey, and I LOVE IT. I love going to the movies, period, and these are the ones I'm most excited about in coming weeks:
"Precious" (I will weep, and I will love it)
"The Blind Side" (opened this weekend, Sandra Bullock's best box office yet)
"Alice in Wonderland" (Coming out after awards season, technically, but IDGAF)
"Cracks" (I'll watch anything with the incomparable Eva Green, and there's another cast member named Imogen Poots. Sold.)
"A Single Man (Julianne Moore. Colin mother-loving Firth. Matthew Goode. The scrumptious Lee Pace.)
And, finally, "Princess and the Frog." (Disney! Return to classic animation! Musical! Anika Noni Rose! New Orleans! Voodoo! Ack!!)
Make Your Own Adventure
Remember these books?
Yea. I HATED them.
I mean, I get the delight of it all, in theory. "What will happen next?! You decide!! Oh goody! I won't be bored for at least twice as long as it takes to read a regular book!"
But personally, even when I was a kid, these books always smacked of such LAZINESS. You want to tell more than one story? Write more than one book. Make it a series (although, they did that with these books too, basically just switching out the plot premise every time and including the same CRAAZZZYYY twists. ugh.)
Now, though? I'm all about getting to flip the page, and immediately change the path I'm taking. This feeling may or may not have been prompted by another mini-panic attack within the last couple days in which I questioned my entire existence. Am I doing the right thing? Making the correct choices? What if everything I've done, the degrees, the internships, the moves, all of it, led to the wrong choice.
Terrifying.
To some extent, wishing your life were a Make Your Own Adventure book is pretty useless. Damaging. Sure, there are people who drop everything, abandon responsibility and claim drastic improvement. Maybe. But I'm a methodical, cautious creature, just like most everyone else. It all suddenly starts to race through my brain. "But you have rent! A signed agreement! A cat! Expensive kitchen gadgets!" And suddenly my brain is flooding and the room is spinning and inanimate objects are laughing at me and omg I just have to sit down and *eat* a *sandwich* and take a minute.
And then I'm back to square one. Reminding myself that security, and settling, and contentment is just as important.
Yea. I HATED them.
I mean, I get the delight of it all, in theory. "What will happen next?! You decide!! Oh goody! I won't be bored for at least twice as long as it takes to read a regular book!"
But personally, even when I was a kid, these books always smacked of such LAZINESS. You want to tell more than one story? Write more than one book. Make it a series (although, they did that with these books too, basically just switching out the plot premise every time and including the same CRAAZZZYYY twists. ugh.)
Now, though? I'm all about getting to flip the page, and immediately change the path I'm taking. This feeling may or may not have been prompted by another mini-panic attack within the last couple days in which I questioned my entire existence. Am I doing the right thing? Making the correct choices? What if everything I've done, the degrees, the internships, the moves, all of it, led to the wrong choice.
Terrifying.
To some extent, wishing your life were a Make Your Own Adventure book is pretty useless. Damaging. Sure, there are people who drop everything, abandon responsibility and claim drastic improvement. Maybe. But I'm a methodical, cautious creature, just like most everyone else. It all suddenly starts to race through my brain. "But you have rent! A signed agreement! A cat! Expensive kitchen gadgets!" And suddenly my brain is flooding and the room is spinning and inanimate objects are laughing at me and omg I just have to sit down and *eat* a *sandwich* and take a minute.
And then I'm back to square one. Reminding myself that security, and settling, and contentment is just as important.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)