Discussing Travels

   It has been a fun week.  It kicked off Saturday morning with my mother and her fiance's wedding. A very pretty outdoor ceremony, short and simple.
   That night I watched some of the men's Olympics- I love Michael Phelps, he's considered an under dog this year- and realized it has been five years since I went to London. As we watched NBC and PBS specials on the city, I pointed to St. Paul's and the London Eye, Henry VIII's house and Big Ben fondly recalling "I've been there!" to my aunt. It made me realize that I regret not having vacationed or visited since 2007. Still, I can say I have been. But as I have one month before I move to Rhode Island, I believe I want to make a promise to myself, that I will go back. If aunt can afford to put away $20 each month for the next two years, it just might work. 
   Still, rent has to be paid, electricity has to be purchased, school paid off, etc. But the passport I got for the trip expires in 2016 and I intend to use it once more. Maybe this time through aunt will opt for that semester abroad?

What I'm Reading, or More Likely What I'm Not

I have become notorious this summer for multi-reading. I began with George RR Martin's Clash of Kings. At my library we received the audio book, so I dabbled with both. By the time I was nearing the 300s, I discovered I didn't enjoy the narrator for the series. Having begun with the HBO TV show, I had preconceived ideas of how certain characters, like Jon or Trio, were suppose to sound. Also, I discovered, I wad able to read quicker than when I was listening. For a fee weeks on drives to work, I was very focused and content. But on drives home, I did not care so much for half an hour storytime. So, I turned the 30 CD audio set back in, but then I discovered World War Z. Which then I started trying to read both.
   World War Z is very well crafted but, as it is a series of short stories, it is also very easy to put down. As I continued Clash of Kings, a co-worker handed me her interlibrary-loaned copy of Naked Heat, the Richard Castle second volume. I have been waiting to read this for some time now. I was then double fisting WWZ and Castle. As of now I am eighty pages from the end of Naked Heat.
   About a week into Naked Heat, the library received Shadow of Night, the sequel to Deborah Harkness' Discovery of Witches. It is patiently waiting in the wings.
   And that's it for my July book reads.

Tiks

   Do you ever get the feeling the universe is trying to tell you something? This thought pattern started last week. In order to afford my rent for my Rhode Island apartment this fall, I am working three jobs. One of which I love(the library), one of which I hate(Dunkin Donuts), and one of which I do just because(cleaning my aunt's house).  Anyways, last Monday I had just about had it with Dunkin. They don't communicate, my co-workers tell me how I perform instead of my boss, and I am stuck with once a week closing shifts. Then Monday comes around and many people are extra pleasant with me. But it was one guy that stood out that night, just your average Joe, and he said 'you are much more pleasant than the other workers here.' I thanked him, but it really threw me. Were my efforts to stay at Dunkin really paying off? While things are still iffy there and it won't be until August that I tell them I am moving on, there are other developments. Last Saturday, I met a kitten outside of a friend's apartment I was staying at. Maybe three months old, I pet it(not knowing at the time how to determine the gender) and it won me over. I found it strange for this kitten to be out, gorgeous and well groomed,wearing a flea collar but no tags. Then I tried to leave for my car, meeting my folks for breakfast, but the kitten wanted to come. I called Ahnna downstairs and asked her to hold it while I drove off. She thought it was strange for it to be outside too. Leaving that day to help het dad, she set the kitten where we found it, but when she returned that night it was still their! So, she took it inside, fed it and gave it water, and had an apartment mate for the night. This kitten is super smart, uses the litterbox and everything. Since Saturday we have made two discoveries. It is a she- I want to name her Nora- and she is deaf. No I'm not talking about you call her and she doesn't care, its more like an alarm goes off by her head or you clap and her ears don't flinch. With the urban traffic of Farmington, I am glad just to be her watcher-aunt. We are going to put up signs around town and have already made Facebook posts. I will be heartbroken when she leaves...
...the last note to this random blog post is about a dream I had the other night. I won't go into detail because it wad a sex dream, but it threw me off because it was about an ex that I havent seen or thought about in four years. The guy, JD*, and I didn't end things well- leaving me for another girl and having caught him in the act of cheating this time- needless to say the third time was not the charm. But JD was still my first boyfriend, and first of everything after the third time of dating.
   We first dated in my freshman year of high school. JD was charming and we had we lot in common, but a few months in he found someone else. Then two years later we started trying to be friends again, only to discover that wasn't us. Not only did his being around distract me from giving anyone new a chance, but he was only around for two months before he called it quits again. Then two more years passed, I had entered college, and my father left my mum and I- as well as a guy I had been dating for six months because my problems(ie the divorce) were too much for him. A peek later at Facebook I had discovered he was gay. I was very vulnerable at the end of it all, and ended up calling JD(*name has been changed) and he came up the next weekend. Like the past times, feelings came flooding back and I instantly wanted to be close to him and the person I thought he was before. Not that that is hoe I understood it at the time, all I got then was that he there. I also didn't understand that I was trying to connect myself to a time when things had been constant and normal.
   About a month in, things progressed. I didn't meet many new people ad I spent a chunk or the week driving the two hour trek to his place just so he could stay at my dorm for a few days. His mom didn't like me, I wasn't Christian and I was a threat to her son leaving the house.  About two months later he left again, like the first time- for another girl. And the day I drove away from his driveway was the last day I saw him. So you can imagine my confusion at my dream. While I won't call him- I deleted his number years ago- I realized that there are many things I am still reflecting on from my relationships. I could write a novel about it, but that has been done. I dated other guys in-between JD and two after. I am wondering if there are things about Rogue*, the guy I thought was going to propose to me this Spring, that I one day will recognize as bad or something I should have appreciated more.
   And so I leave today with these words of wisdom. Do what you want to do, do it today, and do them for you. Sometimes you have to be selfish.

Where's Waldo?

It's his birthday this summer and I am in Farmington with my friend, Ahanna, on a scavenger hunt for him. Sometimes my quirky little college town surprises me with its activities. Today we prowl 20 great stores for Waldo, collecting cards from their workers as we go. And its a family conscious town which means not only will Waldo not be in the wine but he also will not always be at a 5'5" eye level! It's actually quite fun!
   On my lunch break this morning I went to Reny's for lamp oil(Yay living Green!) Whilst checking out, I looked at a Maine display and discovered the three inch tall cardboard cut-out. That's when I remembered the article I had read on the local bookstore's webpage, announcing the July antics they had planned.
     The way its planned is that you scan a store for Waldo, sneakily(or not haha) tell the cashier, and they sign a card with the store's name on it. Eight cards gets the first 100 people a button and sixteen out of twenty earns you a spot in the July party raffle.
   Post-check out, I texted Ahanna and said
"I have something fun for us to do when I get out of work(3:30), walk and I can drive you home." With no other clues, my surprise was started. Either this would go awesome or I would look really dumb. She met me at 3:30 and I began to fill her in. She was enthused.
   We began our hunt at DDG, where we got the initial list of participating stores. From there we circled around Downtown and learned fun thing about those participating. Some were more aware of children than others(Twice Sold Tales) and others changed Waldo's location each day(Liquid Sunshine). Along the way, we found trinkets we wanted to go back for and ended up signed up for some other cool raffles, timed with the start of the July hunt.
   People thought we were a little silly but mostly fun. We played like reasonable adults, using our own sight to earn our own card -instead of 'four eyes are better than two.' And many store people can vouch for this.(While I wrote the initial start of this blog I was lounging in a Reny's beach display while Ahanna searched for the Waldo I had found at lunch. The Reny's people got a kick out of that.) At one point we were 'competing' with two maybe-twelve year olds and kept bouncing in front or behind one another. Those girl had adapted our 'each for their own' attitude, but also had adapted out 'patiently waiting' rule, staying cool and not gloating while the other still searched. It was a great Wednesday really.

Grown Up Teddy Bears

   The more I write, the more I am beginning to feel that I am blogging solely for movie reviews.  So, rather than discuss how and why I liked Seth McFalaine's Ted, I will instead discuss my decision and experience seeing it.
    Yesterday was Thursday.  The last two weeks at the library I have worked 9:30AM(quite the task for a preferably non-morning person.  The secret?  The perfect cup of coffee.) to 3:30PM, one hour shorter than before but, now that we have plenty of coverage, this is the new norm for me.  Knowing I was going to be out before the later matinee of Magic Mike (helllOOooooo Joe Manganiello)I was suppose to have a girls afternoon with my two previous roommates.  Unfortunately one of them had a headache- chronic ones nonetheless- and we had to reschedule.  So I was faced with two options, either I could get chinese, go home, watch the Netflix DVD I received that morning, and fall asleep, OR I could hang out at the community computer center, charge my laptop, play Sims Medieval, eat chinese, and take myself to a movie.  I chose the later of the two options.
    So I tinkered around in Algon, my newest fictional kingdom, and sent some sims to the stocks.  I ate a portion of pork fried rice, which was great.  It was from this cute little place called Jade Palace.  It's been my chinese house for years, I have no idea what I will do when I move to Kingston, RI.  Anyways, I digress.
    At some point during my gaming, I decided that going to the movies solo was a good plan.  Eventually I mowzied over to Narrow Gauge Cinemas, my local theatre of 22 years, and purchased a ticket for Ted.  I wasn't in the mood for popcorn- weird right?.  Lately, my large coral bag has been my suitcase, or luggage rather.  It has multiple pockets, of which are amazing.  Things I always carry in my Mary Poppins bag:  I always keep some form of sugary candy- right now that is Spree- and something salty- right now that's sunflower seeds- as well as my cellphone charger, trave-sized soap/shampoos, a book- currently World War Z-, my adgenda/daily planner(Harry Potter at the moment, but I'm buying a Han Solo one soon.), a mini flashlight, several pens, feminine things like lipgloss, and much more.  Sounds heavy right? haha, not exactly though.  You get used to it. 
    My bag took one seat and I took the one next to it.  It was weird being at a movie alone.  For the last four months I have always gone with friends, one or more, and before that(for two and a half years) I had my ex to go with me as well as the previously mentioned friends.  Being independent is something I have been use to, but functioning solo again is something that I am still working on learning.  As a prospective librarian, this seems suitable.  Books are my love...ha. 
     Ted is a movie that doesn't require anyone to go with you because you're too damn busy laughing at the screen with the person next to you.  I felt bonded in companionship with many people I didn't know, this was aided by the fact that I had a woman on either side of me that I had no clue who they were.  Laughing at a cursing teddy bear, watching Marky Mark and Mila Kunis strive for a grown up relationship, and watching (SPOILER ALERT) Flash Gordon run around at a party was just the solo outing that I needed.

Look Out, Here Comes The Spiderman

    Let me start this post by being openly honest- when I first heard they were re-making the Spiderman movies only five-eight years after the original trilogy, I thought the producers were being pushy and odd.  I liked the first Tobey Maguire film, however inaccurate it was, it was sweet, in a "d'aww" kind of way.  The other two, on the other hand, not so much.  Considering how much was thrown into the films, a little "too soon" was something that I was worried about.  

     With the Avengers dawning several months after the reboot was announced, I slowly became more open-minded.  I still had my moments, like when there was a /film article about the overly CGI Spidey suit, but, for the most-part, I was coming around.  I have to make this perfectly clear as well, that Spiderman is my absolute favourite superhero.  So when I say the first trilogy had things that were wrong and when I say I worried about the reboot, that's why.  When I read that Spiderman would not be in the Avengers movie, I was both concerned(he's the best!) and relieved(Tobey Maguire couldn't support that role next to Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr!).  I kept my eyes peeled for articles and updates.

    In between hearing of Andrew Garfields' acceptance of the smarta**, I had seen The Social Network, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and an episode of Doctor Who.  My initial response was that I liked the guy.  (He's really good looking, for one, and charming, for two.)  After seeing the midnight release of The Amazing Spiderman, I love the guy.

    Peter Parker is that awkward high schooler who is brainy, has a troubled past(not unlike Batman's), and is full of charming and witty one-liners.  I hate spiders- they freak me out- but I love his abilities and I love the fact that, yes, he did get bitten by a spider but, because he's a genius, he engineered his own web-shooter and put together that awesome costume.  There are a lot of things I could list about why I love Spiderman, but I'd rather just cut it short and say that the new film reboot covered them all. Once you watch the film, if you're strangled for time, just flip through Spiderman "The Best of" Volumes one and two and you can see why.

    So while I am a little tired today at the library(I'm on my lunch break) I am glad to say it was totally worth it.  I am pumped for Spiderman two, the rumours that Avengers 2 may contain Spiderman east eggs(Avengers almost had an OSCORP building but by the time Sony gave their blessing the footagein NY had already been shot), and the idea that Sony may actually help Disney/MARVEL create more awesome combo movies is wonderful news.  I do, however, wonder if Emma Stone knows about Gwen Stacey's fate...I loved her too. :D

    PS The Stan Lee cameo is great.