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Okay, so I watched these movies while computing. I don’t think I really like the divided attention aspect of it. I’d much prefer to snuggle up with a warm man than a warm laptop while watching these movies, but I digress.

I’m interleaving the AFI top 100 (and I’m starting at the top) with the rest of my netflix queue. So, I watched citizen kane. A child given up by his parents turns into a total playboy dilettante with too much power and no sense of self. Tragedy ensues. I expected something more upbeat, actually. It reminds me a bit of the movie election. There’s no one in the movie that one can really love. (Well, not with the degree of attention I was paying). But the lack of identity formed a theme with the second movie, which also contained unexpected content. It also reminds me a bit of Mad Men (I saw a few episodes with in SF. Citizen Kane was very well done. The main character seemed almost unbelievable in his faults, and the movie is clearly overdone in many regards, but I can still see why it made it on the top 100 list.

The second movie was The Namesake (not on the AFI top 100, to be clear). It’s about two generations of Indian immigrants. And it is a study in values contrasts. And in personal growth and change. I identified with the main character in his lack of sense of self, though not in some of how it comes out. I had much, much more trouble identifying with Mr. Kane. It’s not a movie that’s full of surprises, but it is full of very well done, touching moments and those moments of cultural insight. Like when the mother in the story explains why she picked the father. Her reasons are impersonal, one is simple and practical, and the other is whimsical, and nearly absurd. And then she says, basically, “were you expecting the American answer? That I loved you?” with a teasing, and slightly disdainful humor. While she may not have started off loving him, the character in the movie certainly grew to love him. It reminds me to re-examine the notion of finding “the perfect mate”. Especially in contrast to the equally plausible story offered by the son’s experience. The Namesake is decidedly more upbeat, though hardly unreservedly so. It’s hard to categorize as tragedy or comedy in the classic sense (definitely not comedy in the modern sense). It’s like life that way, and I think that says much in favor of the film.

Both good movies, both recommended. Neither light and fluffy fare. Both worth watching.

This fall, Southwest has discount flights to seattle, la, pittsburgh, columbus, and sf (and a few more).

I want to go to all these places.

I think I will hit LA in september. I’m already going to seattle (around my triathlon). I will probably hit SF in November. And maybe columbus in october. Now the big question is should I got to SF in both November and for folsom? I’m also planning on going to the green building conference in boston in november. What. Why are you looking at me like that? Just because I’m proposing to boost my carbon footprint to the size of a 30 mile daily commute in a hummer…

*sigh*.

Btw, my credit card debt is down. Not gone yet, but should be by christmas. =)

I had arranged to meet a net person for running this morning. I was 8 minutes late, left voicemail & text. Dawdled on lj until it was 30 minutes after and finally did the run alone.

Biked in to work again today, (the run was on the wayish, 2.5 miles into a 7 mile bike. Ran 4 miles (3:38, 1/2 mile, 8:09, 1 mile, 17:42, 2 miles, 26:41, 3 miles, 35:17, total).

Unfortunately, my bike rack is missing a screw. The worst possible screw to be missing. As a result, one end of the rack starts grating against the rear gears after every significant bump I go over. I will swap this with the screw on the other side when I get home. Or, if I can find out what the right size screw is I’ll purchase it at the hardware store near work.

I do <3 the way working out makes me feel.

No, not really.

But I did spend over 30 minutes searching for my lock this morning, so I could use the bike showers downtown after taking a long ride. Turns out it’s going to have to be just the 6 mile commute. Le sigh.

I’ve been bugging the phdified among my friends as well as those who have attempted it or are currently attempting it. (Mostly comp sci folks, which is not what I’m going after, but I figure some lessons apply regardless)

The basic questions have been the following: “What is your advice to someone considering applying for a phd program?” and “What do you recommend for getting the most out of a PhD program?”

Yesterday, strongly recommended that I spec out and prioritize the features I wanted out of my working life “like an engineer” (I think, , please step in if I misinterpreted/misremembered) and then construct alternatives that would help me get there and then see if a phd is the right alternative for me and my goal.

I smiled and nodded and thought I’d get around to it … someday. Well, today I had a meeting where I didn’t see much benefit to paying attention and instead of rewriting mmorpg character plans (my usual pastime under those circumstances) I started jotting down those specs.

my specs

I waste an astonishing amount of time on dating sites and their sluttier spiritual twins pursuing connections with a very low probability of desirable outcome. There’s got to be a better way.

So, in my performance review (gold star) my grand-supe said a) that she thinks she gets me (particularly with reference to Seattle) and b) that she thinks I’m bored.

Gold star for her.

The triathlon is in no small part about challenging myself. The spanish course I was taking (until thursday. I ought to sign up for the next installment, but they’re expensive and eat up one evening per week. They also don’t have the social element I was hoping for.) was about challenging myself. Volunteering in various capacities is about engaging myself more thoroughly in life. The worst times are when I’m doing nothing, but it’s still hard to motivate myself to do things I see as utterly pointless.

Maybe I should be responsible for creating more of my own challenges…

Yesterday we cleaned out & defrosted the fridge. I biked down to navy pier, swam for about 3/4 of a mile with the wetsuit. I think it’s a bit too big, I can feel a little air and/or water sloshing around my shoulders while swimming. Certainly usable, but I may want to cash it in for a size smaller at some point. Sadly, the ultra-cheap (comparatively) suit I found online came in M and L, with no L/M size. (I got the large, obviously). The sun had mostly set by the time I finished swimming

Afterwards, I decided “what the heck” and finished up with a bike down to the museum of science & industry in hyde park then back home. Including both legs of my bike trip, I more than covered the biking distance of the triathlon I’ll be doing (27 v 24.5 miles). I kinda wanted to try the run at that point, but the neighbors had a (jimmy buffet themed) party going, and my gregarious roommate really wanted me to head over. Met some interesting people. If the party thrower weren’t straight or already taken, I could probably develop quite a crush on him.

That kept me up until midnight. I have a few goals for today. Some union stuff, some work stuff, some grad school application stuff. Also, board games, woohoo. =)

I’ve had an amazing, and incredibly full trip out to SF.

Saturday was rafting with SF Gay Hikers & my first Seafarers game