In case anyone is wondering why I post from Flickr so much it is because, I get most of my writing done at work, however, blogger is blocked at work, so I can't post. I learned that I can post to my blog from flickr. There are no frills, but the info gets on. The pictures usually don't have much to do with the post, I just pick one at random from my stream.
Movies:
I did see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 this past weekend. We didn’t see it in 3D, and I hear I didn’t miss much because there was hardly any 3D to behold. I loved Part 2 more than Part 1, although I do understand that most of the juicy stuff happened toward the middle and end of the book, so the movie followed suit. It has been a few years since I finished reading it, and I had forgotten a lot. I am thrilled they did the epilogue. All and all I was very happy with the movie, it is a very fabulous end to a fantastic movie series. These will be watched for decades to come.
TV:
Design Star is back on HGTV (thanks Michelle for the heads up). Last night was the ‘white room’ challenge. Very few of the rooms impressed me, very few of the designers impressed me. I really am not a fan of Karen, her style or her attitude. Leslie is a little beauty queen to me, but at least her personality seems OK. Meg needs to get a spine and stop being afraid to ‘do stuff’. So far, none of the guys annoy me…let’s see in a few weeks.
Project Runway in 8 more days!!!!! Can’t wait.
True Blood has got my head spinning. This is the best season so far (I think). I like the introduction of the Wiccan’s. So let’s see we have Vampires, Shape-shifters, Fairies, Wiccans and regular folk…did I leave anyone out?
Books:
I’m still reading “Big Machine”, can you tell I’m not into it? It is only about 400 pages, I should be done by now. It is not that it isn’t good; I am just not seeing where it is going. Oprah usually suggests pretty good books, so I’ll keep at it. I’m only on page 100, I usually only give a book 50 pages to see if I like it or not, I’ll give it to page 200, if it doesn’t pick up, I might abandon, I hardly abandon books anymore.
I have heard good things about the book “The Hunger Games”. I think people are looking for a new YA adventure to get lost in.
And my son is currently reading “Game of Thrones Book 2”. He said it is fantastic. I think I’ll buy it on payday for my Nook.
Other:
SUNY hasn’t released their invoices yet, so I have no idea how much I am to pay for my son’s tuition. It could be anywhere from $0 to $1,500. And it has to be paid in a 4 month period. Bt the time I finish paying for fall, spring will be due. Thank goodness he got the RA position, this pays for his room & board. Not to mention his loans, scholarships and other assistance. This is the only way I’m affording this. Thank goodness for this Temp job too, or I’d be up a creek.
I have not posted in a few, only because there is really not much going on in my world. I’m reading some books and watching some movies. However, nothing really stellar has passed my way, so there is nothing to post. I am currently reading “Big Machine” by Victor LaValle. This book was on Oprah’s Summer Reading List. I am reading it from my Nook. It is OK, not sure if I’m liking it yet, but it isn’t awful. I usually have my next book lined up when I finish, but nothing is jumping out at me. However, I have so many books on my Nook and Kindle to get through, I’m sure I’ll find something. I’m thinking to slow it down some and do the War and Peace or the Crime and Punishment thing…there is some light reading for you! But I’ll probably end up reading some fluff, haven’t read good fluff in a while.
Clarissa and I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Saturday. We haven’t been in about 2 years. She wanted to see the Roman/Greek exhibit. I wanted to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit (Savage Beauty). That one will only be there for a few months. We waited on line for about 90 minutes. And we were not able to take photos of the exhibit. Let me tell you, some of his stuff is beautiful, but some of it is really wacky. I know designers at that level don’t design for the average person, but WOW, he mind was really working on a different plain. I liked about 85% of the work displayed. Some left a lot to be desired.
Movies:
Transformers was exciting. Typical and predictable, corny in some spots, but what I expected.
Bad Teacher was funny. I love Justin Timberlake as a comedic actor.
True Grit was OK. Saw this on DVD. I never saw the original, I could have missed.
Harry Potter will be out this week. I probably won’t see it because my son will not be home this weekend. We have seen every Harry Potter together since the first one. We’ve read the books, so I cannot go and see this without him. I’ll jus wait another week. We also will probably see this in 2D as 3D hurts his eyes. I can’t wait to see how they treat the ending. I hope it is not a disappointment.
TV:
True Blood is so interesting this season. I didn’t think they could add any more twists but they managed to add that and more.
America’s Got Talent is finally kicking off its show. The auditions ended and they narrowed it down. I can predict who will not hang around, but not too sure as to who will win yet. There is a lot of good talent this season.
Project Runway Season 9 is starting on June 28th. Who knew that show would last as long as it did. Lots of drama in that show, and of course, the mind of the designer is always an interesting topic.
In recent summers, my kids, my mother and I go on ‘outings’. Our usual day to do this is on Saturday. Last year, we didn’t do too much of that because I had guitar glass at 4PM. Now that my class is Monday nights, I have my Saturday’s free. My mother is uncomfortable going outside her comfort zone. She likes what she knows, Central Park, The New York Botanical Gardens, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the like.
When I was younger, my father took us all over. He was an artist so he liked museums. We went to them all; I was dragged to the Museum of Natural History more times than I care to remember. I like museums too, but haven’t been to as many as I like. This year I would like to visit some museums that I have never been to. This took a bit of research, but there are several museums in New York City to choose from.
And as far as outdoor events / parks, I’ve found some different places we can go to. I will practically have to drag my mother, as she is afraid of trying something new, no matter how simple it is. She thought we should go to Prospect Park (Brooklyn) one day instead of Central Park (Manhattan). I thought this was a good idea, but she felt that for our first summer outing, we should go to where we know. I don’t get the logic in this. Especially since Prospect Park is not hard to get to nor find. She was worried that we might not enjoy it as much as Central Park. A park is a park. Prospect Park is smaller, but it is on par with Central Park. What is to enjoy (or not to enjoy)? It is a big open park with grass, trees, water and lots of people.
So I’ve decided to take this matter into my own hands. I’m planning my summer, and she is welcome to come (the kids too). If no one wants to accompany me, I’m going solo.
This weekend we are going to Governor’s Island. I didn’t give my mother an option in this, I told her we are going and that’s that. Governor’s Island used to be a Military Island but has now been converted to a Park and outdoor visual experience. There is lots to see and do there.
http://www.govisland.com/html/home/home.shtml
The rest of my summer is stacking up like this:
7/9 – Valentine-Varian House/Museum of Bronx History
I’ve lived in the Bronx all of my life, and have never been here. It really is a tiny place from what I can tell, but why not. It is only a short train ride away, I can kill 2 hours or so on a Saturday, and I’m sure I’ll end up going alone.
7/16 – I plan to take my weaving workshop (again alone)
7/17 – The Metropolitan Museum of Art with my daughter.
She’s wanted to go back for a year now, so we’ll go while my mother is out of town.
7/23 – Queens Center Mall
Now I know what you’re thinking…A mall? Really? Apparently this is a famous mall, has lots of STUFF. And plus, Clarissa loves shopping!! This will be a mommy/daughter thing. No son.
7/30 – Prospect Park
This will be with my mother. She’ll go, she won’t have a choice.
8/6 – Coney Island
We went last year, but we went on re-opening weekend which was a mistake. It was 95 degrees and a can of sardines had more room. This is a long long long train ride. 2+ hours one way. I want to do this before my son leaves on 8/14.
8/20 – I have never been to the Transit Museum. I really am in to New York City history and I think I will enjoy this. I am not sure if Clarissa will, but I’ll drag her along anyway. We will see if mom comes.
8/27 – A Museum Day for me. I am not sure what museum(s) I want to visit. If I museum hop, I will have to go alone. I may be able to afford to pay for my daughter, depending on which ones I go to. I was thinking of going to the Tenement Museum, but that requires being in a tenement, which can tend to be crowded, hot and uncomfortable. It has lots of stairs as well. If I decide on that one, I’m going alone. If I decide on The Museum of the History of New York (which I’ve been to before) or the Museum of Design, I might take her. I plan to visit them both in the same day as they are not a far walk form each other. Although I know I can spend all day in the History of New York Museum.
9/3 – I have nothing yet planned for Labor Day weekend. Maybe by this time, I will want to recuperate. There are 11 weeks left to this summer. And only the weekend starting 8/13 (son leaves for school) and Labor Day weekend have no plans. I’m sure some people think this is anal, but the truth is, if I don’t plan, I don’t go. I get lazy, I don’t know the cost or the route and I get overwhelmed.
Since Memorial Day weekend, I’ve done only 3 outings with the family, one of which was new and which was my suggestion.
