Crochet in Ukraine

I managed to successfully navigate the craft store today. I count the day a win even though the saleswomen there thought I was Polish. This is what I bought:

The color is way off for some reason for the yarn on the right; it is much more purple than pink.  I wanted to buy just two skeins of that one, but they were out. Then I found the other, so I ended up with three total.  Not quite sure what I'm going to make though I was looking up patterns today for a hooded scarf.  I think I found one that is manageable. I'll let you know if I end up finishing anything.

I know, as if I need more things to do other than getting my research done.

Proof of Life

I'm around, just haven't been posting, but here are some of the things I have been up to (not in chronological order):

• Saw Obama speak, well sort of, I guess I heard him over speakers with about a block in between us. So I didn't get to see his sparkly charismatic eyes (sorry the latter being a random inside joke).

• Finished a presentation that I was conned into giving.  I think it will be good, or at least sort of entertaining, since a large part of it is me forcing people to listen to Ukrainian folk music.  And also it will be good if I can get all the tech stuff right.  I am honestly hopeless. 

• Gave up Facebook.  Sort of.  I broke my ban to post about my crazy neighbors who may have actually been ghosts that live in the terrifying closet inside of my closet (long story).

• Mustered up the energy to at least look at my grant proposal.  How the hell does one go from a 6 page bibliography to a 2 pg one?  For one second being deadly serious - if anyone has advice on this point I am all ears.

• Checked out ten gazillion books from the library, and started them all.  This is actually linked to the above point.  I have serious school avoidance issues right now probably linked to anxiety.

• Watched Paranormal Activity.  I wasn't impressed.  Well, I was sort of, but lets be honest, I am a sucker for hauntings.  All such movies even bad ones scare me.  I recognize this, still watch them, and yet I think am still aware enough of the ridiculousness of my reaction to be able to say that P.A wasn't a particularly good movie.  (Does that last sentence even make sense?)

• learned a new word, which I really want to find a way to use in random conversation: contumely: insolent or insulting language or treatment; rudeness or contempt arising from arrogance

That is my life recently in a nutshell.  There is a longer list of things I haven't managed to accomplish, but  hey I am trying optimism (sort of) today.  So, what have all the rest of you been up to?

Blade Runner

I watched this movie last night when I was supposed to be doing work for school - as usual. And yeah I managed to watch the movie (while reading The Reindeer People), and read Pandemonium. But no, I haven't finished reading for my "Imperial Russia" class. Which is what I should be doing RIGHT NOW. Priorities.

I just wanted to write quickly that I had never seen Blade Runner, but became a bit more interested in watching it after I learned all sorts of fun things about Phillip K. Dick (see previous post). Anyway, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix. I liked it. I hear people complain b/c it is very different from the original story (which I haven't read, but cannot be worse than the adaptation of Queen of the Damned), and that it was slow. Neither of those issues bothered me, but what drove me bloody crazy was the voice-over narration. That sucked. Apparently the director's cut leaves this out, but then people say you miss a lot of what is going on. This is probably true, I might have been really confused without the narration, but it sucked. This is one movie actually that I would love to see remade. Actually, I want whoever directed The 5th Element to redo Blade Runner. They might not be able to get Gaultier for the costumes again, but there are lots of new edgy designers who would be perfect.

Ok, going to read A Woman's Kingdom: Noblewomen and the Control of Property.

R.I.P Challenge III

Through a convoluted series of clicking I happened to see this blog, and was intrigued. Basically its another book challenge and while I am doing at least 2 (possibly three) over at LT, I think this one will be easier for me to finish.

For Peril the First (there are some different choices offered on the website), I will be reading four books in the horror/suspense/mystery category. All the books I have chosen were already scattered about my apt. waiting to be read (some started then abandoned b/c I have developed ADD).

So here is my pool of books for the challenge:
The God of the Razor by Joe R. Lansdale
The Club Dumas by Arturo Perez-Reverte
City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff Vandermeer
Cabal by Clive Barker

Might reread some Poppy Z. Brite in honor of the previous post, or maybe Tanith Lee...but at least for sure the four mentioned above.

Cloverfield and ANTM

Even though class has started and I have been super overwhelmed today thinking about how I will manage all of these insanely work-intensive courses, plus apply for grants, in addition to eating and sleeping every once in a while.... I spent the afternoon watching the movie Cloverfield, and the second half of the 2-hour premier of America's Next Top Model.

Cloverfield was ok. Not my favorite movie ever, but definitely not the worst. Wasn't super scary, and I guess it was lacking a certain "completeness." I'm sure people will justify it by saying, oh but the premise of the movie takes care of that b/c supposedly it was filmed by some guy and his friends as they were running for their lives. Well, maybe, but it needed something more to tie it all together. And the ending, I mean I guess I know what happened, and I harass my mom all the time b/c she wants every single tiny possible conceivable storyline/question answered, but again there could have been something more at the ending, than the way they did it. But really I give it like a B.

On the other hand ANTM. I don't know why I am so addicted to this show. I think it is Mr. Jay, definitely not Ms. Jay, he is annoying. Its definitely not Tyra she is annoying too. But its seriously addictive, in the way that facebook is addictive (conspiracy? are they working together?...). This season features a transgender model. My friend, when I tell her this "oh did you hear..." replies with "They have been talking about that for months" Ok, so I don't read "People" magazine or follow the gossip columns. I'm not that obsessed. Should be an interesting season, but honestly I think its always interesting - yes every single episode - even when nothing really happens.

Now, I really am going to go read some articles, for a class that I might potentially drop, but just in case....

Updated to add: serious rambling going on in the post, not sure if any of these are actual grammatical sentences...ah well, these things happen...