My Dad showed me this article today and I thought it very interesting and apropos to my family and my personal life. I grew up in a cluttered home, which I never minded at all. The clutter shows that the home is lived in and is not merely a structure of a house. The clutter gives the place character, and makes it uniquely our own. I have inherited my cluttered traits from my parents (as have my two younger brothers). I now live in a cluttered apartment, with a cluttered bedroom, and a cluttered desk. Albert Einstein said “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk?” I think that is very true. I prefer to spend my free time doing more productive and fun things, rather than going through clutter. I also saw a refridgerator magnet (on my grandmother's fridge) that said "Dull people have immaculate homes". I guess that's true to an extent. I suppose some of those people don't have anything better to do, so they spend each day cleaning their house. I've know a number of parents (of friends, and friends of my brothers) who are like that. I've also know other parents (of friends and friends of my brothers) who are of the cluttered mindset. On average, the cluttered home and parents are the more fun to be at and around.
Other quotes from the article that I particularly enjoyed are:
"Studies are piling up that show that messy desks are the vivid signatures of people with creative, limber minds (who reap higher salaries than those with neat “office landscapes”) and that messy closet owners are probably better parents and nicer and cooler than their tidier counterparts. It’s a movement that confirms what you have known, deep down, all along: really neat people are not avatars of the good life; they are humorless and inflexible prigs, and have way too much time on their hands."
"Total organization is a futile attempt to deny and control the unpredictability of life."
"As a corollary, the book’s authors examine the high cost of neatness — measured in shame, mostly, and family fights, as well as wasted dollars — and generally have a fine time tipping over orthodoxies and poking fun at clutter busters and their ilk, and at the self-help tips they live or die by. They wonder: Why is it better to pack more activities into one day? By whose standards are procrastinators less effective than their well-scheduled peers? Why should children have to do chores to earn back their possessions if they leave them on the floor, as many professional organizers suggest?"
"Mess is robust and adaptable, like Mr. Schwarzenegger’s open calendar, as opposed to brittle, like a parent’s rigid schedule that doesn’t allow for a small child’s wool-gathering or balkiness. Mess is complete, in that it embraces all sorts of random elements. Mess tells a story: you can learn a lot about people from their detritus, whereas neat — well, neat is a closed book. Neat has no narrative and no personality (as any cover of Real Simple magazine will demonstrate). Mess is also natural, as Mr. Freedman and Mr. Abrahamson point out, and a real time-saver. “It takes extra effort to neaten up a system,” they write. “Things don’t generally neaten themselves.”"
"Indeed, the most valuable dividend of living with mess may be time."
"In the semiotics of mess, desks may be the richest texts. Messy-desk research borrows from cognitive ergonomics, a field of study dealing with how a work environment supports productivity. Consider that desks, our work landscapes, are stand-ins for our brains, and so the piles we array on them are “cognitive artifacts,” or data cues, of our thoughts as we work.
To a professional organizer brandishing colored files and stackable trays, cluttered horizontal surfaces are a horror; to cognitive psychologists like Jay Brand, who works in the Ideation Group of Haworth Inc., the huge office furniture company, their peaks and valleys glow with intellectual intent and showcase a mind whirring away: sorting, linking, producing. (By extension, a clean desk can be seen as a dormant area, an indication that no thought or work is being undertaken.). His studies and others, like a survey conducted last year by Ajilon Professional Staffing, in Saddle Brook, N.J., which linked messy desks to higher salaries (and neat ones to salaries under $35,000), answer Einstein’s oft-quoted remark, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk?”"
Anyway, here is the link to the article:
"Saying Yes to Mess" by Penelope Green
Appeared in the New York Times on December 21, 2006.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Christmas Week Events
Well, Christmas has now come and gone in a seemingly blink of an eye. I always enjoy the season leading up to Christmas so much - its kind of sad when its all over. But it will come around again next year of course.
Last Thursday, we saw the movie Eragon. It was pretty interesting, I thought (I haven't read the book though). But my brother, who has read the book, said the movie left out tons of important stuff.
Last saturday afternoon, my mom, grandmother, brother and I went and visited a 98-year old friend of the family on the other side of town. She is originally from Germany, and came over here from Holland during the Second World War. My grandfather and his sister and a couple of brothers drove all the way to Manhattan, New York City, to retrieve her and her husband (and their dog too). Must have been quite a drive back down South with all of those people in one car and all their luggage (pre-freeway days!).
Christmas Eve was spent, like most years, at my grandparents house (mom's parents) with all the extended family. There was a lot of pick up food - and as usual I was stuffed to the brim afterwards. It was nice getting to see everyone. Christmas Day my immediate family awoke around 10:00 am and exchanged presents. I received a number of book that I have been wanting to read (those will keep me busy for a while). We had lunch, and then went and visited my grandparents. (They usually go around and visit all their grandchildren on Christmas Day, but this year, since they are both still recovering from broken hips, we decided to go see them). It was a nice day of spending time with and visiting family.
Tuesday I stayed at home all day for a change and just relaxed. Wednesday went back to work with several new projects to start off with. It was also my youngest brother's birthday, so we had a cake for him over at my grandpartent's house (I went there straight from work). Then we all just sat around talking and visiting until around 11:00 pm. Thursday was another full day at work. That night a lot of cleaning was going on at home.
I took Friday (yesterday) off from work and slept late. It was a beautiful warm day outside, so I sat out by the pool in the early afternoon reading (I started another one of my new books - I had already finished another one that I started on Christmas Day). Later, my mom and I went to see a friend who is working at Radio Shack and changed up our family cell phone plan. We are now paying about half as much as we were on the previous plan. Friday evening, we all went to an All Academy Military Ball at a local country club. One of my cousin's is a senior (and a wrestler) at West Point (U.S. Military Academy) this year. My aunt and uncle are actively involved in the West Point Parent Club. It was a nice evening. The dinner was delicious and consisted of: salad with a unique but tasty dressing, steamed vegetables, creamed white rice, baked chicken breast with cream sauce on top stuffed with a raising type of sauce, and creme brule for dessert. The speaker is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. She is involved with nuclear engineering on aircraft carriers. She gave a general perspective of what its currently like to be serving in the U.S. Navy (and U.S. Military in general). She had a lot of advice for all the cadets and midshipmen present, and said the academies adequately prepare them for when they are actually out hitting the deck plates or on the ground in the real world.
Today was another day of sleeping late. My mom, brother and I, this afternoon, went over to my grandparents and helped them put away their Christmas decorations. We also went and fed dogs, cats, and other pets at one of my mom's brother's (and his family's) house. Some of them went to Orlando, FL, this week, and the other half of their family went to Seaside, FL, this week. They all really stay on the go a lot.
Well, tomorrow I think we're having lunch at my house, and my grandparents are coming over. They said they need to get out of the house. The main dish will be leftover Christmas ham with raisin sauce. I'll play in my church orchestra tomorrow morning as well. Don't know what all is going on for New Year's Eve tomorrow night. New Year's Day we'll eat the obligatory black eyed peas, cornbread, and turnip greens at my grandparents house.
Last Thursday, we saw the movie Eragon. It was pretty interesting, I thought (I haven't read the book though). But my brother, who has read the book, said the movie left out tons of important stuff.
Last saturday afternoon, my mom, grandmother, brother and I went and visited a 98-year old friend of the family on the other side of town. She is originally from Germany, and came over here from Holland during the Second World War. My grandfather and his sister and a couple of brothers drove all the way to Manhattan, New York City, to retrieve her and her husband (and their dog too). Must have been quite a drive back down South with all of those people in one car and all their luggage (pre-freeway days!).
Christmas Eve was spent, like most years, at my grandparents house (mom's parents) with all the extended family. There was a lot of pick up food - and as usual I was stuffed to the brim afterwards. It was nice getting to see everyone. Christmas Day my immediate family awoke around 10:00 am and exchanged presents. I received a number of book that I have been wanting to read (those will keep me busy for a while). We had lunch, and then went and visited my grandparents. (They usually go around and visit all their grandchildren on Christmas Day, but this year, since they are both still recovering from broken hips, we decided to go see them). It was a nice day of spending time with and visiting family.
Tuesday I stayed at home all day for a change and just relaxed. Wednesday went back to work with several new projects to start off with. It was also my youngest brother's birthday, so we had a cake for him over at my grandpartent's house (I went there straight from work). Then we all just sat around talking and visiting until around 11:00 pm. Thursday was another full day at work. That night a lot of cleaning was going on at home.
I took Friday (yesterday) off from work and slept late. It was a beautiful warm day outside, so I sat out by the pool in the early afternoon reading (I started another one of my new books - I had already finished another one that I started on Christmas Day). Later, my mom and I went to see a friend who is working at Radio Shack and changed up our family cell phone plan. We are now paying about half as much as we were on the previous plan. Friday evening, we all went to an All Academy Military Ball at a local country club. One of my cousin's is a senior (and a wrestler) at West Point (U.S. Military Academy) this year. My aunt and uncle are actively involved in the West Point Parent Club. It was a nice evening. The dinner was delicious and consisted of: salad with a unique but tasty dressing, steamed vegetables, creamed white rice, baked chicken breast with cream sauce on top stuffed with a raising type of sauce, and creme brule for dessert. The speaker is a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. She is involved with nuclear engineering on aircraft carriers. She gave a general perspective of what its currently like to be serving in the U.S. Navy (and U.S. Military in general). She had a lot of advice for all the cadets and midshipmen present, and said the academies adequately prepare them for when they are actually out hitting the deck plates or on the ground in the real world.
Today was another day of sleeping late. My mom, brother and I, this afternoon, went over to my grandparents and helped them put away their Christmas decorations. We also went and fed dogs, cats, and other pets at one of my mom's brother's (and his family's) house. Some of them went to Orlando, FL, this week, and the other half of their family went to Seaside, FL, this week. They all really stay on the go a lot.
Well, tomorrow I think we're having lunch at my house, and my grandparents are coming over. They said they need to get out of the house. The main dish will be leftover Christmas ham with raisin sauce. I'll play in my church orchestra tomorrow morning as well. Don't know what all is going on for New Year's Eve tomorrow night. New Year's Day we'll eat the obligatory black eyed peas, cornbread, and turnip greens at my grandparents house.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
People, For Heaven's Sake, Get Happy!
I read an article in U.S. News & World Report today 50 Ways to Improve Your Life. The very first sub-article was part of a health section. This sub-article is entitled "Get Happy, and You'll Live Longer". Here is an excerpt from the article by Deborah Kotz:
[begin excerpt] Ever envy those Pollyanna types who skip around with a smile on their faces? While some people may be born with sunny dispositions, happiness isn't necessarily based on genes or luck. Psychologists now believe it's a learned skill, almost like knitting. In fact, Harvard's how-to-be-happy course, with more than 850 enrollees, has become the university's most popular class. Its first lesson? Embrace your failures and frustrations. "When you give yourself permission to be human," says course instructor and psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar, "you are more likely to open yourself up to positive emotions."
And better health. Nearly a dozen studies show that happier people live longer. They're also less likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes, and pain from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Plus, Carnegie Mellon researchers last month found that people who express positive emotions come down with fewer colds and flus after being exposed to the viruses than those who express negative emotions like anger, sadness, or stress.
Set point. While moods can change day to day-even hour to hour-psychologists used to believe that life satisfaction levels remained stable over time, always returning to a "set point" after a traumatic or happy event. A recent study from the University of Illinois, though, suggests that this set point can shift over the years. What's more, there are ways to push the needle on the gauge toward happy. In fact, experts-who refer to themselves as positive psychologists-have found that such simple acts as being grateful for what you have can help improve your outlook. "We need to look for happiness in the right places," Ben-Shahar says.
Those places don't include Tiffany's or a BMW dealership. The joy in acquiring objects of desire dissipates quickly. "Like french vanilla ice cream, material things are great at the first taste, but then after a while they lose their flavor," says happiness researcher Martin Seligman, who started a positive psychology master's program at the University of Pennsylvania. Through his studies, he identified specific steps that can help increase happiness over the long haul.
Go for real goals. It's better to think of happiness in terms of leading a meaningful life. "It's about being in the flow, completely absorbed by your work, the pursuit of your goals, the people you love, and your leisure activities," says Seligman.
Make a gratitude visit. Deliver a thank-you note to someone who's been especially kind or helpful but never properly appreciated. When you feel thankful, you get pleasure from remembering a positive life event. Plus, you'll strengthen a relationship that may bring you future happiness.
Focus on the good things. You probably spend more time each day thinking about what went wrong rather than what went right. Jot down three things that went well each day and explain why. "This will help you feel more grateful for what you have and more hopeful about the future," says Seligman. [end excerpt]
I found the section on the relationship between happiness levels and healthiness levels quite interesting. When I think about it, most of the generally happy people I know tend to be very healthy people who hardly ever get sick, never take medicine, and only get a cold maybe once a year at the worst. The generally unhappy or negative people I can think of that I know tend to be sick or ill quite frequently, take pills and medicines for every little ache and pain, and are always complaining of some sort of ailment or another. hmmm....interesting.
Well, I've always been an overall happy, positive person. It takes a lot to get me down or to make me angry, and even then I bounce back to my happy state quickly. However, I often run in to people or get involved with persons who, in general, seem to be brimming with unhappiness, negativity, and pent-up anger and frustration. I know a person's background may play some role in that type of behaviour and way of thinking. But I also think a person chooses and makes an effort to be a certain way as well. If someone wants to be a happy person, they think that way, and make a conscious, positive effort to do so. This then overlaps into other areas of their life serving as a positive influence.
I've traveled a lot to many places in this world and have seen things that most people in the United States who have not traveled cannot even imagine. People in the US are incredibly blessed beyond imagination and most seem to take that for granted or have no conception of that concept. Many in the US also seem to have a mentality of "entitlement", which I also do not understand. They get mad, angry and frustrated over petty, insignificant little things that don't even matter. And these "glass half empty" people almost seem to want to spread their negativity to those who are naturally "glass half full" people. Well I for one refuse to let that happen to me. Maybe the negatrons are just jealous of us naturally positive folks. I suggest they make a conscious effort to become more happy and positive themselves.
[begin excerpt] Ever envy those Pollyanna types who skip around with a smile on their faces? While some people may be born with sunny dispositions, happiness isn't necessarily based on genes or luck. Psychologists now believe it's a learned skill, almost like knitting. In fact, Harvard's how-to-be-happy course, with more than 850 enrollees, has become the university's most popular class. Its first lesson? Embrace your failures and frustrations. "When you give yourself permission to be human," says course instructor and psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar, "you are more likely to open yourself up to positive emotions."
And better health. Nearly a dozen studies show that happier people live longer. They're also less likely to suffer heart attacks, strokes, and pain from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Plus, Carnegie Mellon researchers last month found that people who express positive emotions come down with fewer colds and flus after being exposed to the viruses than those who express negative emotions like anger, sadness, or stress.
Set point. While moods can change day to day-even hour to hour-psychologists used to believe that life satisfaction levels remained stable over time, always returning to a "set point" after a traumatic or happy event. A recent study from the University of Illinois, though, suggests that this set point can shift over the years. What's more, there are ways to push the needle on the gauge toward happy. In fact, experts-who refer to themselves as positive psychologists-have found that such simple acts as being grateful for what you have can help improve your outlook. "We need to look for happiness in the right places," Ben-Shahar says.
Those places don't include Tiffany's or a BMW dealership. The joy in acquiring objects of desire dissipates quickly. "Like french vanilla ice cream, material things are great at the first taste, but then after a while they lose their flavor," says happiness researcher Martin Seligman, who started a positive psychology master's program at the University of Pennsylvania. Through his studies, he identified specific steps that can help increase happiness over the long haul.
Go for real goals. It's better to think of happiness in terms of leading a meaningful life. "It's about being in the flow, completely absorbed by your work, the pursuit of your goals, the people you love, and your leisure activities," says Seligman.
Make a gratitude visit. Deliver a thank-you note to someone who's been especially kind or helpful but never properly appreciated. When you feel thankful, you get pleasure from remembering a positive life event. Plus, you'll strengthen a relationship that may bring you future happiness.
Focus on the good things. You probably spend more time each day thinking about what went wrong rather than what went right. Jot down three things that went well each day and explain why. "This will help you feel more grateful for what you have and more hopeful about the future," says Seligman. [end excerpt]
I found the section on the relationship between happiness levels and healthiness levels quite interesting. When I think about it, most of the generally happy people I know tend to be very healthy people who hardly ever get sick, never take medicine, and only get a cold maybe once a year at the worst. The generally unhappy or negative people I can think of that I know tend to be sick or ill quite frequently, take pills and medicines for every little ache and pain, and are always complaining of some sort of ailment or another. hmmm....interesting.
Well, I've always been an overall happy, positive person. It takes a lot to get me down or to make me angry, and even then I bounce back to my happy state quickly. However, I often run in to people or get involved with persons who, in general, seem to be brimming with unhappiness, negativity, and pent-up anger and frustration. I know a person's background may play some role in that type of behaviour and way of thinking. But I also think a person chooses and makes an effort to be a certain way as well. If someone wants to be a happy person, they think that way, and make a conscious, positive effort to do so. This then overlaps into other areas of their life serving as a positive influence.
I've traveled a lot to many places in this world and have seen things that most people in the United States who have not traveled cannot even imagine. People in the US are incredibly blessed beyond imagination and most seem to take that for granted or have no conception of that concept. Many in the US also seem to have a mentality of "entitlement", which I also do not understand. They get mad, angry and frustrated over petty, insignificant little things that don't even matter. And these "glass half empty" people almost seem to want to spread their negativity to those who are naturally "glass half full" people. Well I for one refuse to let that happen to me. Maybe the negatrons are just jealous of us naturally positive folks. I suggest they make a conscious effort to become more happy and positive themselves.
Routine
Well, I seem to have gotten into a routine with work and everything else lately. It seems that my weekday schedule generally unfolds in the following order:
7:30 - wake up, shower, shave, eat breakfast, get dressed.
8:30 - leave for work from the suburbs.
9:00 - arrive at work downtown.
sometime after 1:00 - take a 30 minute lunch break.
5:00 - leave work and spend at least one hour in rush hour traffic heading out of downtown back into suburbia.
Evening schedule:
6:00 or later - arrive home from work and decide what to do for dinner (or get ready for orchestra rehearsal on Wednesdays, which lasts 7:00 to 9:00 pm), then work on homework when school is in session or work on the book my brother and I are co-authoring until after midnight. I usually try to run/swim/workout for at least an hour sometime each evening as well. At any rate, all that is the most typical evening, but some evenings I visit my parents or grandparents, or go out to eat with friends.
It all makes for a full day.
I'm really excited about Christmas (as usual). Looks like a lot of fun times will be had with family, and lots of good food. Hopefully sometime this week my family and I can go see two movies: "Eragon" and "The Nativity". I'd like to see both of those. Well, officially the place where I work is only giving us Christmas Day off (the owner is Jewish so I guess we're lucky to even be getting that day), but I think I'm going to take Friday and Tuesday off as well. I especially do not want to have to go right back to work the very day after Christmas. Also, my youngest brother has a birthday two days after Christmas.
7:30 - wake up, shower, shave, eat breakfast, get dressed.
8:30 - leave for work from the suburbs.
9:00 - arrive at work downtown.
sometime after 1:00 - take a 30 minute lunch break.
5:00 - leave work and spend at least one hour in rush hour traffic heading out of downtown back into suburbia.
Evening schedule:
6:00 or later - arrive home from work and decide what to do for dinner (or get ready for orchestra rehearsal on Wednesdays, which lasts 7:00 to 9:00 pm), then work on homework when school is in session or work on the book my brother and I are co-authoring until after midnight. I usually try to run/swim/workout for at least an hour sometime each evening as well. At any rate, all that is the most typical evening, but some evenings I visit my parents or grandparents, or go out to eat with friends.
It all makes for a full day.
I'm really excited about Christmas (as usual). Looks like a lot of fun times will be had with family, and lots of good food. Hopefully sometime this week my family and I can go see two movies: "Eragon" and "The Nativity". I'd like to see both of those. Well, officially the place where I work is only giving us Christmas Day off (the owner is Jewish so I guess we're lucky to even be getting that day), but I think I'm going to take Friday and Tuesday off as well. I especially do not want to have to go right back to work the very day after Christmas. Also, my youngest brother has a birthday two days after Christmas.
Spent all day at work yesterday putting together a large L-shaped desk for a coworker. There was no electric screwdriver so the hundreds of screws were screwed in manually and I now have blisters on my palms and soreness in my wrists. We were informed that tomorrow we must assemble another desk of the same type for another coworker. I must be the best one around the office for manual labor. Oh, well - all in a day's work.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Graduation
Thursday evening (immediately after I got off work) my Mom, one of my brothers, and I drove five hours to the university where I have spent the past two years working on a master of science degree in geography. We spent the night in a Holiday Inn downtown. Friday morning we ate breakfast at the hotel, then went to the university bookstore for me to retrieve my hood for the ceremony, and then looked around the geography building. They got to meet my advisor as well as another professor on my committee. Then we drove over to the museum on campus and looked around there. They have many interesting exhibits: ancient Egypt, Native Americans, geology and fossils, decorative artifacts, and a temporary exhibit on three Cherokees who traveled to England in the 1700s. After that, I drove them around a bit, showed them the waterfront park, and then went to my old apartment to get some more of my stuff that had aparently surfaced. My old roommate had already gone home for Christmas, but his new roommate - from Iran - was there and helped us get some of the stuff into the car. Next, we drove back over to downtown and looked around Market Square. Finally, it was time to head to the arena to get ready for the Graduate Hooding Ceremony, which began at 6:00.
After unproprietously changing into my regalia in the parking lot, My mom and brother headed into the arena to find some seats, while I headed into the depths of the place to figure out where I was supposed to go. I met up with a couple of other geographers who were also graduating with their masters degrees, so we were able to sit together in the Arts and Sciences section. I also saw a couple of geographers who had volunteered to help with the event.
The whole thing last about an hour and a half. I marched across the stage fairly near to the beginning. The bulk of the ceremony was taken up by persons receiving their doctoral degrees. They actually had their major professors walk across the stage with them and hood them. Hopefully in about four or five more years I will be in their place receiving my Ph.D. in geography.
After the ceremony, we drove to a wonderful Italian restaurant that I had only been to once before. It's called Naples. My brother had spaghetti with marinara sauce, my mom had fetuccini alfredo, and I had pasta supremo which consisted of a lot of different ingredients such as noodles with herbs mixed in to the actual noodles themselves, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, sausage, meatballs, pepperoni, olives, pimientos, and more. It was delicious. The bread and garlic butter were also delicous. For dessert, my brother had a blackberry sorbet (fantastic!), and my mom and I shared spumoni (ice cream with three flavors - pistachio, black cherry, and chocolate).
After the wonderful meal, we hit the freeway out of town for our five hour drive home. We arrived home around 1:00 AM and I promptly headed to bed. It was a wonderful, albeit quick, trip, and I really enjoyed spending time with my brother and mom.
On the drive back my brother and I were able to further discuss our book that we're writing about our travels in South America. I think the ideas are really coming together and we should be able to pull it off in the not too distant future. I do hope it will come to fruition - it should be an exciting read at any rate!
Today, I slept late, then got up and ate some leftovers from the Italian restaurant. I sat out by the pool reading all afternoon in this high 60s/low 70s degree weather we're having in December. A week until Christmas, and it sure is warm outside. I almost felt like jumping in the pool! Anyway, I did finish a very interesting book I've been reading - The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the 21st Century by Thomas P.M. Barnett. His view of the world divided into Core and Gap, the need to advance the frontiers of globalization to shrink the gap and defeat disconnectedness, and optimistic view of the future are quite compelling. I can't wait to read the sequal, which I'll try to do real soon - The Pentagon's New Map Blueprint for Action.
After that I went to visit my grandparents. They fed me leftover bar-b-que, beans, coleslaw, bread, and apple pound cake. And later on the fed me some raisin egg bread. My mom and aunt were there too. Tomorrow afternoon, my aunt wants me to come over and then we'll walk across the street from her house to play Christmas music on the piano for two of her elderly neighbors.
This evening, we (my brothers, mom, a number of friends, and more) went over to some friends of the family's home where we made Christmas cookies, had pizza, and visited. It was nice. I'm now back at my apartment for the first time since Thursday morning and will hopefully go to bed soon after reading for a while. Church will come early in the morning - but I think we'll be playing a lot of Christmas music! Fun stuff!
After unproprietously changing into my regalia in the parking lot, My mom and brother headed into the arena to find some seats, while I headed into the depths of the place to figure out where I was supposed to go. I met up with a couple of other geographers who were also graduating with their masters degrees, so we were able to sit together in the Arts and Sciences section. I also saw a couple of geographers who had volunteered to help with the event.
The whole thing last about an hour and a half. I marched across the stage fairly near to the beginning. The bulk of the ceremony was taken up by persons receiving their doctoral degrees. They actually had their major professors walk across the stage with them and hood them. Hopefully in about four or five more years I will be in their place receiving my Ph.D. in geography.
After the ceremony, we drove to a wonderful Italian restaurant that I had only been to once before. It's called Naples. My brother had spaghetti with marinara sauce, my mom had fetuccini alfredo, and I had pasta supremo which consisted of a lot of different ingredients such as noodles with herbs mixed in to the actual noodles themselves, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, sausage, meatballs, pepperoni, olives, pimientos, and more. It was delicious. The bread and garlic butter were also delicous. For dessert, my brother had a blackberry sorbet (fantastic!), and my mom and I shared spumoni (ice cream with three flavors - pistachio, black cherry, and chocolate).
After the wonderful meal, we hit the freeway out of town for our five hour drive home. We arrived home around 1:00 AM and I promptly headed to bed. It was a wonderful, albeit quick, trip, and I really enjoyed spending time with my brother and mom.
On the drive back my brother and I were able to further discuss our book that we're writing about our travels in South America. I think the ideas are really coming together and we should be able to pull it off in the not too distant future. I do hope it will come to fruition - it should be an exciting read at any rate!
Today, I slept late, then got up and ate some leftovers from the Italian restaurant. I sat out by the pool reading all afternoon in this high 60s/low 70s degree weather we're having in December. A week until Christmas, and it sure is warm outside. I almost felt like jumping in the pool! Anyway, I did finish a very interesting book I've been reading - The Pentagon's New Map: War and Peace in the 21st Century by Thomas P.M. Barnett. His view of the world divided into Core and Gap, the need to advance the frontiers of globalization to shrink the gap and defeat disconnectedness, and optimistic view of the future are quite compelling. I can't wait to read the sequal, which I'll try to do real soon - The Pentagon's New Map Blueprint for Action.
After that I went to visit my grandparents. They fed me leftover bar-b-que, beans, coleslaw, bread, and apple pound cake. And later on the fed me some raisin egg bread. My mom and aunt were there too. Tomorrow afternoon, my aunt wants me to come over and then we'll walk across the street from her house to play Christmas music on the piano for two of her elderly neighbors.
This evening, we (my brothers, mom, a number of friends, and more) went over to some friends of the family's home where we made Christmas cookies, had pizza, and visited. It was nice. I'm now back at my apartment for the first time since Thursday morning and will hopefully go to bed soon after reading for a while. Church will come early in the morning - but I think we'll be playing a lot of Christmas music! Fun stuff!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
I wanted to post the following link to a poem by Maya Angelou. It is entitled "Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem". I found it to be very beautiful and moving - and I wanted to share it at this most special time of year.
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
by Dr. Maya Angelou
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem
by Dr. Maya Angelou
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Friday's Christmas Party and Today
Well, the Christmas party hosted by someone in one of my classes was a lot of fun Friday evening. There was tons of food there and I was absolutely stuffed! I would say about less than half the class showed up, but those who did all brought food and wine. Someone brought some sort of sparkling wine that was really good. The spread of food included: cheese ball, cheese sticks, and spinach dip with King's Hawaiian bread for appetizers; green bean casserole (I cooked that), hashbrown casserole, steamed vegetables, and rolls for side dishes; a marinated and grilled pork tenderloin as the main dish; and for dessert a stollen (German Christmas bread - I brought that), some fruit and cream white cake from a bakery, fudge, and some other little things. Someone also brought some fruit tea which they made by mixing sweet tea, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Everything was absolutely delicious! We were all very stuffed! The whole evening was quite pleasant.
After that, around 11:00 pm or so, I went by home to see one of my younger brothers who had just flown in from college for the Christmas break. Stayed there until about 1:00 am before heading back to my apartment. Several of his friends were there as well. It was nice to visit. I got to talking with my mom and some of the rest of them about some of the funny things that happened throughout the week at work and elsewhere.
Today I slept late, which was a welcome change, and then had rehearsal all afternoon at the old theater downtown where my church orchestra is having a Christmas concert Sunday evening. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoy playing with that group. The show tomorrow night should be quite spectacular, moving, and fun. I do believe it is a sellout too - I don't think there are any tickets left! It's being hosted by a local television weather personality. This will be the last Christmas concert I'll be playing in for this season - until next year! I do love being a part of these type of things.
I think my family and I are going to get to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in a couple of weeks. That should be a real blast!
This evening, my brother who just got home from college last night prepared us a vegan meal of vegetable soup and polenta with tabouli.
After that, around 11:00 pm or so, I went by home to see one of my younger brothers who had just flown in from college for the Christmas break. Stayed there until about 1:00 am before heading back to my apartment. Several of his friends were there as well. It was nice to visit. I got to talking with my mom and some of the rest of them about some of the funny things that happened throughout the week at work and elsewhere.
Today I slept late, which was a welcome change, and then had rehearsal all afternoon at the old theater downtown where my church orchestra is having a Christmas concert Sunday evening. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoy playing with that group. The show tomorrow night should be quite spectacular, moving, and fun. I do believe it is a sellout too - I don't think there are any tickets left! It's being hosted by a local television weather personality. This will be the last Christmas concert I'll be playing in for this season - until next year! I do love being a part of these type of things.
I think my family and I are going to get to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in a couple of weeks. That should be a real blast!
This evening, my brother who just got home from college last night prepared us a vegan meal of vegetable soup and polenta with tabouli.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Events of the Week So Far
I discovered Monday that I have several holds on my account at the university where I'm getting a second masters degree - I started there in August. After delivering my immunization forms to the registrar's office to remove that hold, they informed my that I have two other holds placed on my account by the graduate school. Apparently they never received my writing sample that I took in August, and they also haven't received the final transcripts from the other university where I received my M.S. in geography. After a series of emails, I discovered that the woman who administered the writing sample to me never logged me or my results into the system. What the hell? She said she was just clueless as to what could have happened. Well, cluelessness is no excuse for incompetence! I vividly remember that day because I had just arrived home the day before from a trip to South America. So, that morning in August, I went in and met with the lady, she gave me a handout of two writing sample essay questions. I went to the computer lab and wrote the essay, printed it out, returned to her office, and then physically turned the thing in to her. I guess it was promptly lost. It's a good thing I save a copy of it, which I sent to her Tuesday and she immediately had it graded. Hopefully that hold has now been removed. Now, I'll just have to have the other university send the transcripts in after they post my final degree when I graduate from there next week. However, that masters degree in geography is definitely not a requirment for admission to this program - so why in the world does it even matter that they have a final transcript in order for me to be able to register for classes next semester? Oh well - dealing with university administration logistical matters has always been tedious.
The environment of the office at work this week has been one of transition. We are expanding into another area of the floor in the building where we are located. All sorts of people have been coming and going this week - network people, wiring, electricians, security system installments (apparently someone has already tried to break in twice over the past week), etc. The place was supposed to be up and running on Monday. One of the co-owners - who currently lives in California - flew in to help out this week. She flies back early Friday morning. We'll all miss her because she is such a happy, positive, vivacious person, and is super nice! She doesn't hold back anything she thinks though; but I think its good to be forthright - and she does it in a humorous way. Anyway, they are supposed to be moving back here later in the spring or June. They're expecting a baby in January. I think she'll be back in February for another week; one of the co-workers is getting married the first weekend in March. I really like working with all these people - they're really nice and fun to work with. The office is real laid back and is a good work environment. The co-owner who is flying back to California told me that some girl in the office across the hall has been eyeing me. I ended up meeting her out in the hall today when I was helping move some stuff, talking with the co-owner, and she seems a bit older than I am. Oh well.
One of my classes is having a Christmas party Friday night at one of the student's and her husband's home. I think only about half the class has responded saying that they will be there. We're supposed to bring a beverage and a side item/or dessert. I think I'll bring a bottle of wine, and some side dish that I haven't decided on yet, and maybe some stollen (German dessert bread commonly eaten around Christmas - sometimes referred to as Weinachtstollen or Christollen) for dessert. I asked one girl in the class (she and another girl were doing a superb job of flirting with me while I was giving a presentation to the class Monday night) if she would like to ride together - I offered to drive - and I received a "maybe". What the hell? Yes or no please! I mean, you're definitely going to the party. Why not go with someone? However, it's been my experience that "maybe" usually ends up being "no". Dammit! Oh well, the party will be fun nonetheless. I'm sure there will be lots of good food there and nice people.
On the way home from work tonight I stopped by to visit with my grandparents for a while. They always like to have visitors sit and watch Jeopardy with them. They always offer food and absolutely expect people to eat it while there - regardless of whether they are hungry or not (comes from the German culture I guess). So, she fixed me two gigantic pieces of toasted cheese and butter toast, which was delicious, and sweet tea to drink. They had me go out to their mailbox three times while I was there to see if their mail had run yet - but it didn't come until after 7:00pm!
After I got home I started some laundry, and then worked on a geography PhD application. I actually got it submitted online as well. Now I just have to make sure all the other stuff gets sent in timely - GRE scores, transcripts, recommendations, etc. Hopefully I'll start the program next Fall 2007.
Thursday was also Pearl Harbor Day. So, don't forget that - December 7, 1941 - "A day which will live in infamy" as President Franklin D. Roosevelt described it on the radio the following day.
The environment of the office at work this week has been one of transition. We are expanding into another area of the floor in the building where we are located. All sorts of people have been coming and going this week - network people, wiring, electricians, security system installments (apparently someone has already tried to break in twice over the past week), etc. The place was supposed to be up and running on Monday. One of the co-owners - who currently lives in California - flew in to help out this week. She flies back early Friday morning. We'll all miss her because she is such a happy, positive, vivacious person, and is super nice! She doesn't hold back anything she thinks though; but I think its good to be forthright - and she does it in a humorous way. Anyway, they are supposed to be moving back here later in the spring or June. They're expecting a baby in January. I think she'll be back in February for another week; one of the co-workers is getting married the first weekend in March. I really like working with all these people - they're really nice and fun to work with. The office is real laid back and is a good work environment. The co-owner who is flying back to California told me that some girl in the office across the hall has been eyeing me. I ended up meeting her out in the hall today when I was helping move some stuff, talking with the co-owner, and she seems a bit older than I am. Oh well.
One of my classes is having a Christmas party Friday night at one of the student's and her husband's home. I think only about half the class has responded saying that they will be there. We're supposed to bring a beverage and a side item/or dessert. I think I'll bring a bottle of wine, and some side dish that I haven't decided on yet, and maybe some stollen (German dessert bread commonly eaten around Christmas - sometimes referred to as Weinachtstollen or Christollen) for dessert. I asked one girl in the class (she and another girl were doing a superb job of flirting with me while I was giving a presentation to the class Monday night) if she would like to ride together - I offered to drive - and I received a "maybe". What the hell? Yes or no please! I mean, you're definitely going to the party. Why not go with someone? However, it's been my experience that "maybe" usually ends up being "no". Dammit! Oh well, the party will be fun nonetheless. I'm sure there will be lots of good food there and nice people.
On the way home from work tonight I stopped by to visit with my grandparents for a while. They always like to have visitors sit and watch Jeopardy with them. They always offer food and absolutely expect people to eat it while there - regardless of whether they are hungry or not (comes from the German culture I guess). So, she fixed me two gigantic pieces of toasted cheese and butter toast, which was delicious, and sweet tea to drink. They had me go out to their mailbox three times while I was there to see if their mail had run yet - but it didn't come until after 7:00pm!
After I got home I started some laundry, and then worked on a geography PhD application. I actually got it submitted online as well. Now I just have to make sure all the other stuff gets sent in timely - GRE scores, transcripts, recommendations, etc. Hopefully I'll start the program next Fall 2007.
Thursday was also Pearl Harbor Day. So, don't forget that - December 7, 1941 - "A day which will live in infamy" as President Franklin D. Roosevelt described it on the radio the following day.
Monday, December 4, 2006
Christmas Spectacular and a Rant
Well, after weeks of rehearsals, our church Christmas concert has now come and gone. I play the French Horn in the orchestra. We gave two performances today at 2:00 and 6:00, both with packed audiences. It was all quite an extravaganza of a production. The music, lighting, and total effect was beautiful and moving. I really enjoy playing in things like that. Next Sunday, the orchestra I play in will be giving a Christmas performance at a historic theater downtown. I do believe all the tickets have already sold out. Should be great!
The guys in the show had to wear tuxedos - I've had mine since I was a senior in high school, and it still fits mostly. But I discovered that the pants have become a bit tight. I'll either have to start exercising more than I do already, which is quite a bit, or just buy a new pair of pants for the tux the next time I have to wear the thing.
My parents came to the 2:00 pm performance today and I was very glad to see them there. They're always so supportive of all of us and I really appreciate that. I wish my brothers could have come too, but the middle one is still in school up north (but flies home later this week - yea!), and the youngest one (in high school) just doesn't like to get out to go to those type of things I guess - although he always ends up having a great time once he's there. Perhaps I can coax him into going to the show next week (I think the rest are already planning to attend).
I invited a few friends to come to one of the performances today - they had said they would probably come to the 6:00 pm show. Did any of them show up? No. I'm continually learning that that is the way people are, friends or not. I certainly know that if the scenario were reversed, I would have gone to see one of my friends in something like that. And I would have gone because I actually would have wanted to go, not because I would have felt obligated to go. After the last performance I came home to my apartment that I share with two other college buddies to find one of them lounging on the couch watching some mindless crap on the television. I suppose that's what's been going on around the old apartment all day - TV watching. Oh well, at least I know I'm participating in something that I both enjoy and that I know serves to lift peoples' spirits.
Apparently one of my roommate's parents came in to the city today just to repair his car for him - took them all day to do it. Well, this evening after I got back from the performance at church, I went to workout, exercise, and run. Afterwards, when I got out of the shower and reached for my bath towel, I discovered that it was literally covered in black grease and motor oil. What kind of person would do such a thing? Is there such a thing as common courtesy? I would never do something like that to someone else's stuff.
I think I've about had it with people in general. I feel like I bend over backwards for people, going all over creation and to hell and back for them, doing things for them that they don't even seem to appreciate. Not asking anything in return. But then I always seem to get run over - or at least it feels that way - no matter how nice I am to people, and how happy, positive, and encouraging I act towards others. What is wrong with this picture? Deep-down do people not like to be around happy, positive, and encouraging persons? Is that why we get taken advantage of? Oh well, I won't stop being nice and kind to people, and I won't stop being happy and positive and encouraging towards others. It's simply not in my nature or personality to behave otherwise.
The guys in the show had to wear tuxedos - I've had mine since I was a senior in high school, and it still fits mostly. But I discovered that the pants have become a bit tight. I'll either have to start exercising more than I do already, which is quite a bit, or just buy a new pair of pants for the tux the next time I have to wear the thing.
My parents came to the 2:00 pm performance today and I was very glad to see them there. They're always so supportive of all of us and I really appreciate that. I wish my brothers could have come too, but the middle one is still in school up north (but flies home later this week - yea!), and the youngest one (in high school) just doesn't like to get out to go to those type of things I guess - although he always ends up having a great time once he's there. Perhaps I can coax him into going to the show next week (I think the rest are already planning to attend).
I invited a few friends to come to one of the performances today - they had said they would probably come to the 6:00 pm show. Did any of them show up? No. I'm continually learning that that is the way people are, friends or not. I certainly know that if the scenario were reversed, I would have gone to see one of my friends in something like that. And I would have gone because I actually would have wanted to go, not because I would have felt obligated to go. After the last performance I came home to my apartment that I share with two other college buddies to find one of them lounging on the couch watching some mindless crap on the television. I suppose that's what's been going on around the old apartment all day - TV watching. Oh well, at least I know I'm participating in something that I both enjoy and that I know serves to lift peoples' spirits.
Apparently one of my roommate's parents came in to the city today just to repair his car for him - took them all day to do it. Well, this evening after I got back from the performance at church, I went to workout, exercise, and run. Afterwards, when I got out of the shower and reached for my bath towel, I discovered that it was literally covered in black grease and motor oil. What kind of person would do such a thing? Is there such a thing as common courtesy? I would never do something like that to someone else's stuff.
I think I've about had it with people in general. I feel like I bend over backwards for people, going all over creation and to hell and back for them, doing things for them that they don't even seem to appreciate. Not asking anything in return. But then I always seem to get run over - or at least it feels that way - no matter how nice I am to people, and how happy, positive, and encouraging I act towards others. What is wrong with this picture? Deep-down do people not like to be around happy, positive, and encouraging persons? Is that why we get taken advantage of? Oh well, I won't stop being nice and kind to people, and I won't stop being happy and positive and encouraging towards others. It's simply not in my nature or personality to behave otherwise.
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Geography and Quotations
What Geography Is:
I hardly ever go anywhere that, upon hearing I'm a geographer, someone asks me what geography really is and what I really do - as if geography is simply my cover for clandestine activities. Most people seem to be under the impression that geography is merely memorizing the locations of place names. Although that is an important and useful skill for anyone, not just for a geographer, it has about as much relevance to geography as a vocabulary table has to literature. Geographic literacy is necessary for us to understand global events and cultures. Geography, as a spatial science, can be applied to the study of a vast array of subjects because everything has place. Historians look at the world chronologically or temporally, political scientists and economists look at the world structurally, geographers look at the world spatially. But geography also draws upon other fields, becoming interdisciplinary in nature - not narrowly focusing on one topic because in this world today things are very interrelated and affect other things and are affected by other things in a countless variety of ways.
Basically, there are five themes of geography:
Here is another interesting link. This is a geographic literacy survey commissioned by National Geographic of 18-24 year olds in 2002. The results are both surprising and disturbing:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geosurvey/
On to other things...
I was also just reminded of a quotation by Winston Churchill that I heard Dr. Henry Kissinger quote at a speech he gave that I attended a few months ago. I thought this quote by Winsotn Churchill is still quite applicaple today, which is probably why Dr. Kissinger chose to end his talk with it:
"What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone? How else can we put ourselves in harmonious relation with the great verities and consolations of the infinite and the eternal? And I avow my faith that we are marching towards better days. Humanity will not be cast down. We are going on swinging bravely forward along the grand high road and already behind the distant mountains is the promise of the sun."
Also, since I'm in a quotations mood, here are some more passages and quotes that I've admired for quite some time:
If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again
by Diane Loomans, from Full Esteem Ahead
“If I had my child to raise all over again, I’d finger paint more, and point the finger less.I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.I would care to know less, and know to care more.I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.I’d do more hugging, and less tugging.I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.I’d teach less about the love of power,And more about the power of love.”
The Art of Giving
By Kent Nerburn, from Letters to My Son
“Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say why some fields will blossom and others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices in life no more easily made. And give. Find in any way you can, of whatever you possess. To give is to love. To withhold is to wither. Care less for your harvest than how it is shared, and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.”
"To act and act wisely when the time for action comes,
To wait and wait patiently when it is time for repose,
Put mankind in accord with the rising and falling tides of affairs
So that with nature and law at his back, and truth and
Beneficence as his beacon light, he may accomplish wonders."
-- Helena Petrova Blavatsky
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
-- Mark Twain
I hardly ever go anywhere that, upon hearing I'm a geographer, someone asks me what geography really is and what I really do - as if geography is simply my cover for clandestine activities. Most people seem to be under the impression that geography is merely memorizing the locations of place names. Although that is an important and useful skill for anyone, not just for a geographer, it has about as much relevance to geography as a vocabulary table has to literature. Geographic literacy is necessary for us to understand global events and cultures. Geography, as a spatial science, can be applied to the study of a vast array of subjects because everything has place. Historians look at the world chronologically or temporally, political scientists and economists look at the world structurally, geographers look at the world spatially. But geography also draws upon other fields, becoming interdisciplinary in nature - not narrowly focusing on one topic because in this world today things are very interrelated and affect other things and are affected by other things in a countless variety of ways.
Basically, there are five themes of geography:
- Location - Relative Location and Absolute Location
- Place - Human Characteristics and Physical Characteristics
- Human-Environmental Interactions - Humans adapt to the environment, Humans modify the environment, Humans depend on the environment
- Movement - People, Goods, Ideas
- Regions - Formal, Functional, Vernacular (perceptual)
- The world in spatial terms - The structuring of geographic information, the ordering of knowledge into real and mental maps, and the spatial analysis of that information.
- Places and regions - The basic units of geography and how those units are organized differently by different people.
- Physical systems - Physical and environmental phenomena, such as land forms and climate, and their interaction through ecosystems, renewable resources, and the hydrologic cycle.
- Human systems - Human populations and their economic activities, migration patterns, settlement patterns, territorial arrangements, and political conflicts.
- Environment and society - Interaction between physical and human systems and identification of the central role of resources in environment-society links.
- The uses of geography - how to apply geography as a component and tool to understand the past, interpret the present, and plan for the future.
Here is another interesting link. This is a geographic literacy survey commissioned by National Geographic of 18-24 year olds in 2002. The results are both surprising and disturbing:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geosurvey/
On to other things...
I was also just reminded of a quotation by Winston Churchill that I heard Dr. Henry Kissinger quote at a speech he gave that I attended a few months ago. I thought this quote by Winsotn Churchill is still quite applicaple today, which is probably why Dr. Kissinger chose to end his talk with it:
"What is the use of living, if it be not to strive for noble causes and to make this muddled world a better place for those who will live in it after we are gone? How else can we put ourselves in harmonious relation with the great verities and consolations of the infinite and the eternal? And I avow my faith that we are marching towards better days. Humanity will not be cast down. We are going on swinging bravely forward along the grand high road and already behind the distant mountains is the promise of the sun."
Also, since I'm in a quotations mood, here are some more passages and quotes that I've admired for quite some time:
If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again
by Diane Loomans, from Full Esteem Ahead
“If I had my child to raise all over again, I’d finger paint more, and point the finger less.I’d do less correcting, and more connecting.I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.I would care to know less, and know to care more.I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.I’d do more hugging, and less tugging.I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.I’d teach less about the love of power,And more about the power of love.”
The Art of Giving
By Kent Nerburn, from Letters to My Son
“Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say why some fields will blossom and others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices in life no more easily made. And give. Find in any way you can, of whatever you possess. To give is to love. To withhold is to wither. Care less for your harvest than how it is shared, and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.”
"To act and act wisely when the time for action comes,
To wait and wait patiently when it is time for repose,
Put mankind in accord with the rising and falling tides of affairs
So that with nature and law at his back, and truth and
Beneficence as his beacon light, he may accomplish wonders."
-- Helena Petrova Blavatsky
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
-- Mark Twain
Friday, December 1, 2006
Two Films, One Evening
After work this evening a friend and I went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant (I had mole poblano). Then saw a double feature at the movie theater: "For Your Consideration" followed by "The Queen". I thoroughly enjoyed both. The first was quite funny, the second quite dramatic. Just the way I would suspect many actors/actresses behave over the whole academy awarde hype. In "The Queen", Helen Mirren did an excellent job portraying Queen Elizabeth II. I found it interesting to see the Royal Family from this most different perspective. In fact, I thought all the performances were great. The people cast in "The Queen" did a fantastic job of performing the roles of their real life counterparts - their looks, actions, behaviours, speech...I would definitely recommend both films if you haven't seen them already.
When we left the theater it was storming outside. There was a violent downpour of rain. It is still in the mid-70s, but I think the bitter cold will strike very early in the morning. Unfortunately, will head to work in freezing temperatures no doubt. Looking forward to the weekend though!
When we left the theater it was storming outside. There was a violent downpour of rain. It is still in the mid-70s, but I think the bitter cold will strike very early in the morning. Unfortunately, will head to work in freezing temperatures no doubt. Looking forward to the weekend though!
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