Science Fiction Double Feature.

I guess it's not good that my last post was kind of a downer.

In all honesty, I've been in kind of a funk lately, due partially to not having any shifts at work and having gained a whole lot of weight and getting really out of shape. My anxiety has been particularly bad and I haven't seen friends very often lately.

I have, however, started watching Twin Peaks with my boyfriend. I think the Psych homage episode ("Dual Spires", haha) was what tipped the scales and made me finally check out this show that's such a classic and has influenced a lot of pop culture. We finished season one yesterday. It's kind of unfortunate that I've already spoiled myself for a lot of the series (like with Lost, I just assumed I'd never get around to watching it), but I'm still enjoying it.

To deal with my weird mental state (and to try to lose weight), I've been going to the gym and trying to walk more. Hot weather makes me not want to do anything, so I've kind of got to deal with my dislike of the heat and just do things anyway.





It helps that there are some beautiful walking areas nearby!

Listening to Lady Gaga's leaked new album and not sure what to think. A few of the songs are super catchy, but then there are songs like "Hair" that are simultaneously catchy and have the worst lyrics. I don't know what's going on. I might buy the album at some point, but it's no Fame Monster.

So, Doctor Who was UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME this week.
( Spoilers! )

Also, there was last week's double feature of Parks and Recreation.
( spoilers omg )

Community has also been awesome. I also caught up on How I Met Your Mother and, while it had a lot of problems, season six has been much better than the past couple of seasons.

This has been an update about TV and music, basically. I don't have much else to talk about right now.

I'm going to end on this note:



(also, seriously, you should follow me on Tumblr if you have one. and Twitter.)

BALLS TO MY ANXIETY.

It's 2011 and I'm going to update I'M GOING TO DO IT.

This semester is going to be busy as all get-out (is that an expression) because I have nine classes and the bare remnants of a social life that I am trying to piece together. As sad as that sounds, I'm pretty sure it's my fault for being so anti-social for a while. I'm still okay, though. I've got a rad dude and I'm going to school for something that might get me a job one day. I try to go to sushi every week, and that's just the best thing anyone can do, really.

I finished Lost. I have so many thoughts and I'm going to gather them soon.

In the meantime, you should definitely go read my boyfriend's thoughts about Lost because he worked really hard on his post and he deserves more readers. Here! Go read, and comment, if you're interested. His favourite character is Daniel Faraday. Does that help?

The new Decemberists album is beautiful and lovely, and not at all like "Hazards of Love", but more like Tarkio or "Castaways & Cutouts" and I'm okay with that. I'm going to see them in two weeks and I cannot wait, despite how frustratingly far away the venue is from everything.

I might as well not even talk about how bad I am at LiveJournal. It would just be redundant at this point.

I signed up for NaNoWriMo and I've only written about 1700 words so far because of a few things. For one, I didn't count on how busy I am. I work two or three times a week, I spend a couple of days in Guelph, and I'm in school full time, and I know these shouldn't be excuses because other people are busier than me and manage to do it. What's really keeping me from making progress is that I don't have a story idea. I've started something, but I don't think I'm excited about it and I don't know where I want it to go. I've never done NaNoWriMo either, so I'm not really sure how to combat this kind of writer's block.

Oh well. If I get some stuff done, then it'll be awesome, but if not, I'm not going to be too bothered.

I'm slowly getting through Lost (I just watched 4x10, with Jack and his Jears and his appendectomy) and I kind of wish I'd been in the fandom while it was airing. For such a dramatic show, the jokes that can be made at its expense are in abundance.

It's my birthday in less than a week! Ahh! Also, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One: SO MANY TEARS.

And I haven't watched Conan yet. I was all excited about watching it live last night, but it's on at midnight and 1am here in Canada and I fell asleep while waiting for it to air. When I get home or in between classes today, I'm going to watch it and probably flip out from excitement. I love that man. Did I mention I saw him live this year during his tour? Because I saw him live and I side-hugged La Bamba and it was amazing.

This journal is (mostly) Friends Only.

Comment if you'd like to be added. :)

You know what my biggest problem with college is? Most of the kids are straight out of high school. I never really liked high school and after four years of university, it makes me feel like I'm going backwards. I know the ultimate reason for going to college is to get the hands-on experience and forming the connections I'll need to get a career, but man, I wish I didn't have to slog through questions like, "Does everyone know who Pierre Trudeau is?" and simplistic grammar assignments that should not be administered in secondary school.

There are some cool aspects of college, though. I'm learning how to put together news reports! I get to use professional cameras! Not yet, but soon!

I've been thinking more and more about my creative output (or lack thereof) and I feel like I want to do something about it. A lot of my favourite web comic artists have produced Hourlies (aka. making mini comics for each hour of the day) and I like that idea. I did them once, but never really posted them anywhere. Would anyone want to see them? I might even do some more.

Other creative stuff: thanks to my journalism program and spending SO MUCH MONEY on school supplies, I'm going to have a brand new copy of Adobe Photoshop as soon as the bookstore gets it in. I might start posting more photographs or making icons, or something, just to feel like I'm making the most of my creative abilities.

I'm going to my first wedding ever this week. There will be an open bar (OH NO) and my boyfriend is a groomsman (the groom is one of his best friends from high school). I hope it's exciting.

Uhh, what else? I'm all caught up on Psych and, despite four seasons of not being convinced of their chemistry, I might be starting to reluctantly ship Shawn and Juliet. The summer finale was SO DANG CUTE. Also, the guest actors this season! Richard Alpert from Lost (STILL HAVEN'T FINISHED SEASON 3 YOU GUYS no spoilers), Chi McBride (oh Emerson Cod), Freddie Prinze Jr. (lol grade 6 crush), Santos and Bobby from Ugly Betty (which I still haven't finished), Wayne Jarvis (guy's a pro), and CARL WEATHERS (BABY YOU GOT A STEW GOING).

I have had 4 bananas so far today. It's my fault for going grocery shopping, buying bananas, and not realizing we had a bunch of bananas at home already. Gonna eat so many bananas during the next few days

Here is the thing about me posting on LJ: I say I'll do it, and then I get caught up in a flurry of anxiety and think that I have nothing worthwhile to post about. I know that this is ridiculous because my posts have never been very exciting, and yet, I have friends! People seem to read! So, why do I worry? The answer is - I am ridiculous.

School's about to start, my stupid job is stupidly busy, I bought my Macbook with a cool bank loan and IT IS BEAUTIFUL but intimidating, and I am behind on all TV ever. Well, most TV that I watch. Also, commenting and other things.

Here is a summary about TV that people might find interesting:

I've started watching Lost with my boyfriend. This is pretty unusual, considering I swore I'd never have the patience to watch it while it was airing, but when it ended and everyone was a mess, I became curious. Nick was just as curious (although, unlike him, I have been kind of spoiled for a lot of things BUT NOT EVERYTHING), so we've been watching episodes sort of simultaneously. We're about halfway through season three. I just watch Sayid's super-depressing mid-season episode. As lovely-looking as Sayid is, his episodes always make me want to cry. Meanwhile, Hurley's most recent episode ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead") was THE MOST UPLIFTING THING EVER.

Series five of Doctor Who ended and, while I had issues with some aspects of the finale, I loved it to bits. It's my favourite season of the new series. I adore the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, and the episode with Vincent Van Gogh.

I'm behind on Pysch, The Office, 30 Rock, Leverage (I've only seen the first half of the first season, really), Ugly Betty, and ... maybe other things.

I still need to watch Sherlock and judge it with my critical/still-kind-of-a-newbie "I LOVE THE BOOKS" attitude. I hear it's amazing, though, and I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

Other stuff: FanExpo 2010 was awful. Polaris 2010 was wonderful. CONVENTIONS! NERDS! I DON'T KNOWWW

I wanted to post something because I feel awful about not posting (some people I've considered to be semi-friends/friends/cool people have defriended me and I got upset about it), but in retrospect, I should not post when I'm tired from a 9 hour work shift and tipsy off of three-quarters of a bottle of wine.

This post is so ridiculous.

I'm way overdue for an update, especially considering I've been thinking up LJ posts for weeks and simply forgetting/being "too busy" (or too anxious) to post.

Rest assured, not a lot of exciting things have been happening. I've been accepted into college (for journalism), I got another bank loan and paid my tuition with it, I'm angsting about how the hell I'm going to afford the necessary Macbook for my program, and I've been working like a beaver at Staples.

Tonight, my boyfriend and I went to stargaze to see if we could see any meteors during the Perseid meteor shower. He saw three and I saw two. We might see more in a bit, if I don't fall asleep.

More later. Really. I owe you guys.

Can I just take a moment to talk about how much I love this series of Doctor Who?

Because, seriously - I am loving the story line and the little clues that are inserted throughout the episodes. I love reading theories. I don't want to read actual spoilers, but I love the discussion and the excitement that has flared up as a result of the fresh writing and fresh faces. I love going back and seeing things I didn't notice before. I adore the Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory, and all of the side characters that are popping up in each episode. The only two episodes that I didn't feel were particularly strong (Victory of the Daleks and Vampires of Venice) were still enjoyable in their own way.

I don't want to be taken for a Tenth Doctor naysayer because anyone who was reading my journal during his tenure as the Doctor knows that I adored him. I even liked RTD some of the time. But I ceased to be truly excited about Doctor Who during the year of mediocre specials, and it's thrilling to be watching my favourite show again and to actually be able to say that it's my favourite show.

Overall, I love being positive about Doctor Who. There is way too much negativity in the fandom already, what with decades of episodes for people to disagree about. And I know some people aren't thrilled with this series, but I've gotta say my bit because I love sharing the excitement with you guys too!

/hurp durp

In other news, did I mention that I was accepted to college for the journalism program at Mohawk? Yesss! It is a thing that happened! Now I need to find funding, which may be accomplished through loans or scholarships. Whatever money I can get, seeing as how I am desperately in debt. Also, I need to buy a dang Macbook for my program. I am just revelling in how much debt I will have incurred throughout 6 or 7 years of post-secondary education. Hey, as long as it helps me in the long run, right?

Also also also Nick and I are going to Halifax in less than a week! I know I just complained about not having much money, but if I didn't do something like this for my own enjoyment, I would have gone mad. I cannot stand living at home anymore, but as long as I have no financial stability, I'm stuck there.

GUESS WHO NEEDS TO UPDATE MORE? IT'S ME

I said I was going to try to update more in 2010. More than three weeks into January, I'm only just posting now. I have to try harder!

I hope everyone is having a decent year so far, though from what I've gathered, it's been pretty rough for most people. The horrible earthquake in Haiti is perhaps the most significant event on the world stage right now. Our family donated to the Red Cross, but I'm still plagued by the guilt that suggests I haven't done enough. I feel helpless and anxious when it comes to situations like this. I can send money and clothes, but what else? This world is a mess. I can't think about it too much or I'll freak out.

What is reassuring, however, is seeing just how many people are trying to help. I want to believe that people are, for the most part, pretty decent, and in times of crisis, you can see the goodness of people in action.

In other (lighter, but still disappointing) news, Conan O'Brien's last episode of the Tonight Show aired last night and my allegiance is probably no secret to anyone. ( ohhh Coco )

Moving on,

Doctor Who! Oh man oh man ( Spoilers for the End of Time. This is not a glowing review, but it's not a hatefest, either. It's a ':\ welp that was okay but here are some things I disliked' sort of review. )

What's going on in my life? Aside from the usual, I am thinking about going to college for journalism in September. I was hemming and hawing about the cost of getting another dang ol' degree, but my parents told me that there is a lot of financial aid I can get as a mature student with no real income. Plus, scholarships! I graduated university with honours, so I don't see why I couldn't get some money for that. The college is also a mere bus ride from my house, so I wouldn't have to move out right away (as much as I would love to).

I'm going to be more confident this year. I'm going to bring out the lady in me that I've always wanted to be. Or, you know, the dinosaur-fighting lady. Whatever works.



GONNA DO IT