So I love modern technology. A lot. It makes me so happy. I think we have some of the best things for entertainment and happiness. So in honor of my birthday week, I am listing some of my favorite things of technology, internet, and modern life.
1. Pandora. Seriously way better than radio.
2. Pinterest. It's like window shopping, cooking shows, and comedy routines all at once.
3. Facebook. Whatever to all the haters. I love being able to be in touch with so many people from different walks of life.
4. Youtube. I still remember in 2004 when one of my friends sent me the link to youtube and I was like "where have you been all my life?!"
5. Wikipedia. Yeah it's not academic and I will mark down any paper that uses it. But in the war to win useless trivia, Wikipedia is king.
6. Video streaming, such as netflix, hulu, amazon prime, and network websites. TV on my terms.
7. Dolby Atmos.
8. Movie Theatres with reclining chairs.
9. Online news outlets.
10. Text Messaging.
11. Amazon.
12. Google.
13. Blogs :).
14. Web MD. Nothing like self diagnosis gone wild!
15. Yelp! Know before you go!
16. The DVR.
17. Email.
18. E-Readers. Kindle, Ipad, Nook, whatever. Bringing one small device on a plane is so freaking happy.
19. Powerpoint and Key Note presentations. It's the nerd in me :).
20. Podcasts. See number 19.
I could go on, but I believe this is sufficient to say I am glad I was born in this era.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Self Discovery
I have spent most of my life trying to please others. Roommates, friends, my ex spouse, family, coworkers, you name it. I have always tried to do exactly what I thought others wanted or needed of me. Forget two masters, I served 20k masters. I really wanted to be liked and needed. And I had no idea who I was. I have a loud personality, so certain parts of me always seemed to spill through, but I would suppress things I thought I needed to suppress, and pretend to like things I thought I needed to like. So now I am trying to figure out what it is that makes me tick. What I like. What makes me happy. Here is my list so far.
1. Maren likes the musical. Maren loves bursting into song. However, Maren by far prefers the modern musical, not so much the Rogers and Hammerstein musical.
2. Maren loves balconies. Really. A lot. I adore them. Love them. Yep I do.
3. Maren likes bodies of water. Streams, rivers, puddles, fountains, swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans.
4. Maren likes movies. A lot of movies. Not so much cheesy romance, unless the cheesy romance is also witty. Maren likes movies that are witty. No matter the genre. Witty cartoons, witty drama, witty super heroes, witty witty witty.
5. Maren likes the Big Bang Theory. I know that one surprises you all.
6. Maren likes Spring and Fall. Maren hates winter. Even though that makes her Norwegian ancestors cringe. Whatever. You ancestors never had to drive in the snow!
7. Maren likes Gordmans.
8. Maren likes Jewelry.
9. Maren likes the Color Purple. The story, the musical, and the actual Color.
10. Maren also likes the colors green and red
11. Maren likes dark woods.
12. Maren does not like carpet.
13. Maren likes P!nk. And Kelly Clarkson. And Sara Bareilles. And Katy Perry (although that embarrasses me). And Christina Perri. Even if she did a song for twilight.
14. Maren does not like Twilight.
15. Maren likes Joss Whedon. And Neil Patrick Harris. But who doesn't?
16. Maren likes to laugh.
17. Maren really likes to teach. And learn. And study. And write. And read.
18. Maren likes to cook. And to eat. Mostly eat.
19. Maren likes to travel.
20. Maren likes to be busy.
It may seem trival to most, but it makes me immensely pleased to see myself understand myself well enough to make a list like that.
1. Maren likes the musical. Maren loves bursting into song. However, Maren by far prefers the modern musical, not so much the Rogers and Hammerstein musical.
2. Maren loves balconies. Really. A lot. I adore them. Love them. Yep I do.
3. Maren likes bodies of water. Streams, rivers, puddles, fountains, swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans.
4. Maren likes movies. A lot of movies. Not so much cheesy romance, unless the cheesy romance is also witty. Maren likes movies that are witty. No matter the genre. Witty cartoons, witty drama, witty super heroes, witty witty witty.
5. Maren likes the Big Bang Theory. I know that one surprises you all.
6. Maren likes Spring and Fall. Maren hates winter. Even though that makes her Norwegian ancestors cringe. Whatever. You ancestors never had to drive in the snow!
7. Maren likes Gordmans.
8. Maren likes Jewelry.
9. Maren likes the Color Purple. The story, the musical, and the actual Color.
10. Maren also likes the colors green and red
11. Maren likes dark woods.
12. Maren does not like carpet.
13. Maren likes P!nk. And Kelly Clarkson. And Sara Bareilles. And Katy Perry (although that embarrasses me). And Christina Perri. Even if she did a song for twilight.
14. Maren does not like Twilight.
15. Maren likes Joss Whedon. And Neil Patrick Harris. But who doesn't?
16. Maren likes to laugh.
17. Maren really likes to teach. And learn. And study. And write. And read.
18. Maren likes to cook. And to eat. Mostly eat.
19. Maren likes to travel.
20. Maren likes to be busy.
It may seem trival to most, but it makes me immensely pleased to see myself understand myself well enough to make a list like that.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Movies so far 2014
So far this year I have seen 4 movies in the theater. I love movies, so my critiques are usually more favorable than unfavorable because I enjoy entertainment for entertainment sake, and I do not got to movies that I have no interest in. If I am on the fence, I redbox it. Also, because I am a mom, I go to kids movies a lot, even if I do not necessarily want to or expect to like it. A lot of times with kids movies, my reaction is based more upon what their reaction is.
1. The Lego Movie: Seriously loved this movie. Partly because my three year old was excited enough to become invested in the main character that at one point she yelled out "Oh no! Save Emmett!" I also loved it because there were so many jokes and references to pop culture and other things that made this movie extremely funny for the adults in the room as well. Good times.
2. Divergent: I loved the book, and loved the movie, for different reasons. The movie and the book of course diverged (see what I did there?), as most adaptations do. I think this particular story was quite difficult to translate to the screen, because so much of the understanding of the story comes from the inner turmoil of the characters. However, as a mom of young girls, the girl was the tough one. The girl was the hero. In an important scene, the mother and daughter are the tough guys. That makes me happy.
3. Muppets most Wanted. Muppets singing and dancing. Tina Fey singing and dancing. Really nothing else needs to be said. I like singing and dancing. So do my kids. I also love the reclining chairs at AMC.
4. Captain America. AWESOME....Awesome. Did I say it was AWESOME? Twists and turns and unexpected details. Connecting to other movies and TV shows and everything else. Succeeding in being unpredictable. Giving Scarlett Johanssen and bigger, tougher, more complex role to play. Dolby Atmos. Yeah. I love Marvel. That's all.
Looking forward to more movies this year!
1. The Lego Movie: Seriously loved this movie. Partly because my three year old was excited enough to become invested in the main character that at one point she yelled out "Oh no! Save Emmett!" I also loved it because there were so many jokes and references to pop culture and other things that made this movie extremely funny for the adults in the room as well. Good times.
2. Divergent: I loved the book, and loved the movie, for different reasons. The movie and the book of course diverged (see what I did there?), as most adaptations do. I think this particular story was quite difficult to translate to the screen, because so much of the understanding of the story comes from the inner turmoil of the characters. However, as a mom of young girls, the girl was the tough one. The girl was the hero. In an important scene, the mother and daughter are the tough guys. That makes me happy.
3. Muppets most Wanted. Muppets singing and dancing. Tina Fey singing and dancing. Really nothing else needs to be said. I like singing and dancing. So do my kids. I also love the reclining chairs at AMC.
4. Captain America. AWESOME....Awesome. Did I say it was AWESOME? Twists and turns and unexpected details. Connecting to other movies and TV shows and everything else. Succeeding in being unpredictable. Giving Scarlett Johanssen and bigger, tougher, more complex role to play. Dolby Atmos. Yeah. I love Marvel. That's all.
Looking forward to more movies this year!
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