Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde - see the musical (1/30)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I think most of us are at least familiar with the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. There are movies, TV shows and even a Broadway musical based on the story. In fact, it was the musical that made me want to read the original source material (it's good!). I went to my local Barnes and Noble and got it for about $8 (I love the B&N Classics Series). Excitedly I sat down to read, looking forward to the suspense, mystery. Murder! Mistaken Identities! Good vs. Evil! A real page turner, right? Hm...not so much. It's not a full novel but rather a short novella...about 60 or so pages. I got to the very end where Dr. Jekyll explains what he did and I didn't even want to read it. I wasn't attached to the characters, I didn't care what happened to them or what Jekyll's reasons/motivations where. I just did.not.care. If you're looking for an exciting story with a little mystery, don't bother. However, if you're looking for a story that kind of sort of looks at Victorian morals, this may be the story but probably not.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Dating Tirade

So I'm seriously breaking the "no late night blogging" rule but for whatever reason, I'm still up and on the computer. Feel free to stop reading now.

In the past several days I have had multiple conversations with several different people from completely different areas of my life about being single. It's not just LDS women either. And we all seem to have the same issues. Lots (in some cases) of first dates but no second dates or really, really, really...really bad first dates and then the guy thinks you're going to go meet his parent's in Washington for Christmas. Or no dates at all. Or relationships that have no potential to go anywhere. Or insanely creepy stalker boys. Or emotionally and mentally unstable basket cases that belong in a straitjacket...you get the point. MY point is...well, maybe I don't really have a point other than seriously...seriously?????

I know so many beautiful, wonderful, smart, talented, successful women that beat themselves up because they a. can't get past date #1 b. get past date #1 only to realize the poor schmuck isn't worth it c. aren't in a relationship heading towards the white picket fence, a dog and 2.5 children. Why do we do this? Why do we associate our sense of self with what don't have instead of what who we are and what we have to contribute. It makes me sad/mad when I see girls that have everything in the world to offer a guy and they get treated like crap by guys that have no business even asking these women out! Why do we put up with this?!

I may be closer to 30 than I am to 20 (and apparently in UT that means I am past my expiration date) but I deserve better than I've been getting dag-nabit and so do you (that is, of course, assuming that you too are single).


ps. I'm not really as bitter as I sound and this was in the context of several conversations and general bombardment of lack of coupledom.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Look, there goes another lemming...

I wasn't going to do a New Year's post and I wasn't going to list my "New Years Resolutions". Mostly because I think New Years Resolutions are kind of cheesy and silly. If you're going to work on something and set goals, then why do you have to wait until January 1st to start? If it's important enough, you should start working on it right away, no matter what the date, right? Well, in theory yes that's true. But the truth is people (myself included) need a little kick in the pants. It can be difficult to actually get started on your goals and if a certain date helps you to get started then who am I to judge, right? I guess I don't like "Resolutions" because it's almost expected that you're going to fail and you'll do really well for the first couple of weeks but then you give up. But, I digress...that's a tirade for another post.

Instead of listing 'resolutions' I am going to list things that I want to do/accomplish in 2010. Isn't that the same thing, you ask? No. It's not...simply because I say so.

Just go with it...

1. Physically fit - cliche, a little but I don't really care. I'm not saying 'lose weight' because that involves a whole steamer trunk of baggage associated with dieting and all that. But I do want to be healthy. So I don't really have a target weight or a dress size in mind. I'm also not doing this for the boys...because honestly, I don't think that will change all that much.

2. Financial Responsibility - It's just me. I have no one else that is dependent upon me to be financially responsible. So if I spend a little too much on a new outfit or maybe an adorable pair of shoes (ahem) I'm the only one that has to deal with the fallout. I think that's part of why I haven't been better about my spending habits. I'm not saying that I run up a balance on the credit card or I'm constantly shopping and spending money. I just don't really think about it that much and that leads to trouble. I'm closer the 30 than 20...isn't it time that I start being smarter with my money? Save more, spend less.

3. Do fun stuff around town. Including but not limited to...
3a. Three Musketeers at Hale (Draper)
3b The Scarlet Pimpernel at Hale (Orem)
3c Michael Buble Concert
3d UMFA

4. Music. This is kind of a blanket goal. I'm still taking voice lessons and I want to take it a little more seriously, meaning actually practice between lessons. Contrary to what I've thought my entire life, I'm not an alto and according to my teacher, I'm not even a Mezzo...I'm a soprano. Who knew?

5. Go Skiing at least 3 or 4 times.

6. Fold and put laundry away instead of letting it sit on the floor of my room all week

7. Read a European History Textbook cover to cover. anyone know where I can get one??

8. Cook more - this will help with both 1 & 2.

9. Learn, memorize & perform Italian aria without making a fool of myself

10. Grad school...please...for the love!!!

11. Learn to knit something other than a scarf

12. pay off piano (so close!)

13. pay off medical bills

14. purge and organize closet - including shoes sniff, sniff

15. Take spontaneous road trip -the spontaneity may debatable seeing as how it's on the list but go with it..

16. Tuacahn - that happens every year anyway, I might as well add it to the list

17. Read 30 books and post reviews

18. Go to a bonfire

19. Host a dinner party

20. Go through photos and order prints, frame said prints and give to subjects of photos and hang on walls.

21. Journal more frequently

22. Read all the books that I have purchased but have yet to actually read

23. Compile family photos/stories into nice little book...this should be an ongoing project

24. fix desk drawer(s) so they actually close & buy screw to put on handle of second drawer

25. replace and/or refurbish night stand


I'm sure I'll come up with more stuff as the year progresses or the need to tweak these listed, but I figure this is a pretty good starting point.