Getting Good At Stuff

I figured out one of my problems that has been plaguing me since I became unemployed and since I've been having issues with this blog.

I don't have a thing.

The blogs I love and the people that inspire me all usually have a thing.

Nat is an amazing writer and mother of the cutest kid on the planet.

Apollina has her amazing cakes.

Andrea  has her letterpress.

Cotton & Curls refabs old clothes with her awesome sewing skills.

And there are tons more amazing blogger girls out there with varying things.

(That sounds dirty)

But I don't have a thing.

In blogging or in life.

I'm funny.

I'm short.

I can sing okay.

I can write okay.

I can do the Elaine dance like nobody's business.

But none of those things are really a thing.

You know?

So while I'm unemployed and home alone all day.

Instead of continuing to be a whiner.

I decided to try my hand at stuff.

Any stuff.

Random stuff.

So my new project is Getting Good At Stuff.

My first Getting Good At Stuff post will be tomorrow.

Anyone that wants to join, put a link to your blog posts about Getting Good At Stuff in the comments sections of my posts.

And anyone with suggestions of what I should get good at, let me know!

(I'm already really good at eating cheese, so don't suggest that one)

The Tom Nichol's

Feeling inspired by the Faux Fancy ladies' post on the perfect bar, I wanted to share with everyone my new favorite cocktail recipe.

The Tom Nichol's.

It's DELISH.

Enjoy!

1 ¼ oz.  gin

¼ oz. fresh grapefruit juice

¼ oz. fresh orange juice

¼ oz. fresh lime juice

¼ oz. fresh lemon juice

(Mike bought all this fruit and squeezed his own juice which we keep in bottles in the fridge)

½ oz. chamomile simple syrup (see below)

Ice cubes

Tools: shaker, strainer

Glass: cocktail

Add all ingredients into an ice-filled shaker, shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass.

For the chamomile syrup: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of fresh chamomile or 1 bag of chamomile tea. Allow the tea to steep for about 3 minutes and turn off the heat and remove the bag (or strain out the chamomile). Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the hot tea and stir to dissolve the sugar. Allow to cool and then transfer the syrup to a bottle and refrigerate.

{recipe via Imbibe}

Today

Today

My unemployment claim appeal was approved (huzzah!)

I went to the gym despite my bad mood

I wondered how women ride those bikes while wearing thongs

Then I wondered if I'm the only girl who wears a thong to the gym

My corgi actually pooped without it taking an hour of wandering around

I made cookies

I enjoyed some tomato soup and a grilled cheese...one of my all time fave meals

I got a rejection letter from a job I really wanted

I applied for 7 new jobs

Some of which I don't want

But, what's an unemployed girl to do

I felt much better about blogging after yesterday's post, blogging friends' responses, and an e-mail from a blogging ideal of mine (blidol??)

Currently

My husband is making waffles

And there's a giant pear in the fridge calling my name

Today wasn't so bad I guess.

(See, I'm not always whiny...)

On Blogging

I'm currently having a blogistential crisis.

I love blogging. I love letting out my thoughts, being creative, documenting my life, getting inspired, and connecting with random new friends. But sometimes I get bogged down with the crap of it all. The constant need for everyone to have as many followers as possible. The follow me and I'll follow you. The consumerism of it all. The not feeling as good as so many others. The pressure to make your blog into something; that you're not really a blogger if you don't have sponsors and affiliate links and go to blogger conferences and get free shit from companies. It makes blogging less fun. It makes it another way for you to feel bad about yourself. And competitive.

And I've decided I don't like that.

I don't want to feel bad when I look at other blogs, blogs I don't even really like, and realize they have thousands more followers then me.

I don't want to do posts that aren't me just because I think it will get me more followers.

I'm not sure what that means for this blog.

But for now, I'm going to just step away from trying and instead gain inspiration from bloggers who don't give an eff and blog just to blog.

And really, this blogging business isn't that serious.

We're not curing cancer here.

And I have a feeling if I stop caring so much, it will be a whole lot more fun.

/rant

I know you would Ryan, I know you would.

{via}

Top 100 Movies

Since we moved here, we haven't been really using our cable at all.

It's included in our rent so we didn't get a choice of provider or channels or anything which is weird.

(I'm a control freak)

And we never called to add a dvr.

(I'm a lazy control freak)

So instead of watching cable, we've been re-watching our favorite tv shows like How I Met Your Mother and Fringe (WORST LAST SEASON EVER).

Since we finished both of those, we decided it would be fun to watch the list of AFI's Top 100 Movies.

We started last night (we're starting at 100 and working our way up to 1) and actually really enjoyed Yankee Doodle Dandy.

In case you ever want to do the same, I'll put the list below.

(And yes, I'm insane and went through the whole list and put whether or not we have to rent it, watch it on instant watch or can watch it for free on Amazon.  I like lists okay?)

1 CITIZEN KANE 1941 (renting from Netflix)
2 CASABLANCA 1942 (renting from Netflix)
3 THE GODFATHER 1972 (renting from Netflix)
4 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939 (renting from Netflix)
5 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962 (renting from Netflix)
6 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939 (renting from Netflix)
7 THE GRADUATE 1967 (free with Amazon Prime)
8 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954 (renting from Netflix)
9 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993 (renting from Netflix)
10 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN 1952 (renting from Netflix)
11 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946 (renting from Netflix)
12 SUNSET BLVD. 1950 (renting from Netflix)
13 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 1957 (renting from Netflix)
14 SOME LIKE IT HOT 1959 (renting from Netflix)
15 STAR WARS 1977 (Mike owns)
16 ALL ABOUT EVE 1950 (renting from Netflix)
17 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951 (Netflix instant queue)
18 PSYCHO 1960 (renting from Netflix)
19 CHINATOWN 1974 (Netflix instant queue)
20 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975 (renting from Netflix)
21 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940 (Netflix instant queue)
22 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968 (renting from Netflix)
23 THE MALTESE FALCON 1941 (renting from Netflix)
24 RAGING BULL 1980 (renting from Netflix)
25 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982 (renting from Netflix)
26 DR. STRANGELOVE 1964 (renting from Netflix)
27 BONNIE AND CLYDE 1967 (free with Amazon Prime)
28 APOCALYPSE NOW 1979 (free with Amazon Prime)
29 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939 (renting from Netflix)
30 THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE 1948 (renting from Netflix)
31 ANNIE HALL 1977 (renting from Netflix)
32 THE GODFATHER PART II 1974 (renting from Netflix)
33 HIGH NOON 1952 (renting from Netflix)
34 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962 (saved on Netflix, not available right now)
35 IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 1934 (renting from Netflix)
36 MIDNIGHT COWBOY 1969 (free with Amazon Prime)
37 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946 (renting from Netflix)
38 DOUBLE INDEMNITY 1944 (Netflix instant queue)
39 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO 1965 (renting from Netflix)
40 NORTH BY NORTHWEST 1959 (renting from Netflix)
41 WEST SIDE STORY 1961 (renting from Netflix)
42 REAR WINDOW 1954 (renting from Netflix)
43 KING KONG 1933 (renting from Netflix)
44 THE BIRTH OF A NATION 1915 (Netflix instant queue)
45 A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE 1951 (renting from Netflix)
46 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE 1971 (renting from Netflix)
47 TAXI DRIVER 1976 (renting from Netflix)
48 JAWS 1975 (renting from Netflix)
49 SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS 1937 (renting from Netflix)
50 BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID 1969 (free with Amazon Prime)
51 THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 1940 (renting from Netflix)
52 FROM HERE TO ETERNITY 1953(renting from Netflix)
53 AMADEUS 1984 (renting from Netflix)
54 ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 1930 (renting from Netflix)
55 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965 (renting from Netflix)
56 M*A*S*H 1970 (renting from Netflix)
57 THE THIRD MAN 1949 (renting from Netflix)
58 FANTASIA 1940 (renting from Netflix)
59 REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE 1955 (renting from Netflix)
60 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK 1981 (Mike owns)
61 VERTIGO 1958 (renting from Netflix)
62 TOOTSIE 1982 (renting from Netflix)
63 STAGECOACH 1939 (renting from Netflix)
64 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977 (renting from Netflix)
65 THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS 1991 (renting from Netflix)
66 NETWORK 1976 (renting from Netflix)
67 THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE 1962 (renting from Netflix)
68 AN AMERICAN IN PARIS 1951 (free with Amazon Prime)
69 SHANE 1953 (Netflix instant queue)
70 THE FRENCH CONNECTION 1971 (renting from Netflix)
71 FORREST GUMP 1994 (renting from Netflix)
72 BEN-HUR 1959 (renting from Netflix)
73 WUTHERING HEIGHTS 1939  (saved on Netflix b/c not available now)
74 THE GOLD RUSH 1925 (Netflix instant queue)
75 DANCES WITH WOLVES 1990 (Mike owns)
76 CITY LIGHTS 1931 (renting from Netflix)
77 AMERICAN GRAFFITI 1973 (renting from Netflix)
78 ROCKY 1976 (renting from Netflix)
79 THE DEER HUNTER 1978 (renting from Netflix)
80 THE WILD BUNCH 1969 (renting from Netflix)
81 MODERN TIMES 1936 (renting from Netflix)
82 GIANT 1956(renting from Netflix)
83 PLATOON 1986 (free with Amazon Prime)
84 FARGO 1996 (renting from Netflix)
85 DUCK SOUP 1933 (Netflix instant queue)
86 MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY 1935 (renting from Netflix)
87 FRANKENSTEIN 1931 (renting from Netflix)
88 EASY RIDER 1969 (renting from Netflix)
89 PATTON 1970 (renting from Netflix)
90 THE JAZZ SINGER 1927 (renting from Netflix)
91 MY FAIR LADY 1964(renting from Netflix)
92 A PLACE IN THE SUN 1951(free with Amazon Prime)
93 THE APARTMENT 1960 (renting from Netflix)
94 GOODFELLAS 1990 (renting from Netflix)
95 PULP FICTION 1994 (renting from Netflix)
96 THE SEARCHERS 1956 (free with Amazon Prime)
97 BRINGING UP BABY 1938 (free with Amazon Prime)
98 UNFORGIVEN 1992 (renting from Netflix)
99 GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER 1967 (free with Amazon Prime)
100 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942 (renting from Netflix)

Lists!

I stole this post idea from Alissa.

It's an easy blog post.

It involves lists.

I'm in!

10 Favorite TV Shows:

1.  West Wing

2.  30 Rock

3.  Seinfeld

4.  The Office

5.  Lost

6.  X-Files

7.  Sex In The City

8.  Sherlock

9.  Gilmore Girls (I know I know)

10.  Dexter

9 Favorite Movies:

1.  White Christmas

2.  Closer

3.  Every Harry Potter movie

4.  The original 3 Star Wars

5.  When Harry Met Sally

6.  Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

7.  Dirty Dancing

8.  Pirates of Penzance

9.  Bridesmaids

8 Favorite Musicians:

1.  The Beatles

2.  AWOLNATION

3.  Any cast of any Broadway musical any time

4.  Band of Horses

5.  Florence + The Machine

6.  Gotye

7.  Old 97's

8.  Yeah Yeah Yeahs

7 Things I'm Loving:

1.  These boots.

2.  This site.

3.  This blog.

4.  This project.

5.  This article.

6.  This book.

7.  This restaurant.

6 Places I Want To Visit:

1.  Greece

2.  Amsterdam

3.  Italy

4.  Paris

5.  Hawaii

6.  Australia

5 Things I'm Not Loving:

1.  Being unemployed.

2.  Winter weight.

3.  Not having a car.

4.  The series finale of Fringe (so bad).

5.  Unemployment claim shenanigans.

4 Things I'd Rather Never See Again:

1.  Ex-boyfriends...they should all disappear after the breakup right?

2.  A gynecologist.  I mean, I will but I'd rather not.

3.  Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter...so so so so bad.

4.  A negative bank account.

3 Things I'd Like To Do This Year:

1.  Get a job.

2.  Get a car.

3.  Go to Harry Potter World (haha NERD).

2 Facts About Me:

1.  I love lists.

2.  I hate wearing pants.

1 Meaning Behind My Blog Name:

This blog served as a major distraction from the awfulness that was grad school.

Valentine's Day Wish List

Instead of job searching or cleaning the house or doing any number of responsible things, I spent this morning making a Valentines Day Wish List on Beso.

Check it out.

(And buy me stuff, yes?)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) 

What are you guys wishing for this Valentine's Day?