Ever have a day where you could easily break into heaving sobs or slug someone in the face? I had a day like that yesterday.
These things happen. I'm not much for crying and punching people is frowned upon. So I have to come up with a different solution for blowing off steam.
I have been getting up in the wee hours of the morning to hit the treadmill and do a little cardio, combined with light strength training. That helps. But last night, it was not enough.
My mood was so foul that really only thing could snap me out of my funk - a little jalapeno pizza and blowing up stuff. Deeps suggested we pick up a pizza on the way home and then spend some quality time playing
Lego Star Wars for the Wii.
I'm not a super huge Star Wars fan. I've seen the original three films - but I somehow skipped most of the newest three. So some parts of the game are confusing and unfamiliar. But I wield a light saber with the best of them.
Okay, sometimes I accidentally kill Deeps. But he's a good sport about it.
That's really important in a husband: the ability to forgive video game fouls, to know when your wife needs pizza for dinner, and to know that sometimes when she mutters to herself while flying around and killing stuff - well, that's best left without further comment.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, January 29, 2008 at Tuesday, January 29, 2008 | | 
This week I break down some punctuation in the Sarah Connor Chronicles. We talk about the least secret agency in the world -
Torchwood. We kick Derek out of the podcast - temporarily - to get very spoilery about the series finale of Life on Mars. And then we discuss our fifth entry in the Big Red Film Fest, the 1942 Val Lewton production of
Cat People.
Listen to this week's episode.Subscribe to the podcast with
iTunes or your favorite
podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
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Labels: 2008, podcast, television
By: Alyssa | Sunday, January 27, 2008 at Sunday, January 27, 2008 | |
I'm in Florida on business again this January. It rained a lot again, but isn't as cold as last year. So there's that.
The trip has been very productive - but like all travel away from home it has a few downsides. This one is very specific. Toiletries.
Since the TSA cracks down on the volume of toiletries you can take on a plane, I have stopped carrying the remnants of shampoo, soap and what have you.
The hotel has been generous enough to provide shampoo, conditioner and a bar of soap. Tonight, after a tough day where I got rained on a few times I opted for a nice hot shower. I dumped a handful of shampoo in my hair and a worked it into a lather. Suddenly a familiar smell hit me.
I looked at the bottle which described the shampoo as featuring special spruce and cedar oils. Now I smell like Pine-Sol.
That's not the way I wanted to smell. But I guess it could be worse. I just remind people to clean their floors.
Labels: 2008, travel, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Thursday, January 24, 2008 at Thursday, January 24, 2008 | |
This week Derek, Deeps and I talk about the MIT Mystery Hunt and the stench of failure. We take a look at two new series -
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on Fox (check out the creepy Web site) and
Breaking Bad on AMC. Plus we offer a few thoughts on
Cloverfield and then dive into the latest entry in the Big Red Film Festival,
Chinatown.
Our fifth entry in the Big Red Film Festival - for next week's podcast - is going to be the 1942
Jacques Tourneur movie
Cat People.
Listen to this week's episode.Subscribe to the podcast with
iTunes or your favorite
podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
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Labels: 2008, nerds, podcast
By: Alyssa | Monday, January 21, 2008 at Monday, January 21, 2008 | |
I rolled in to see the nerds very briefly on Friday night. After a long day at the office, I was kind of beat. So I didn't stay long, but I offered up a few helpful identifiers for puzzles.
Apparently I'm your source for photos of young celebrities who are now old, once prominent German tennis players, founding fathers, and ex-presidents. It's a gift, really.
Deeps came home after the first "night" sometime around 4:30 in the morning. Like all people coming home late at night, trying not to wake their spouses he is at his loudest. Luckily, he just smelled of Mountain Dew and Doritos.
After an exciting brunch at a local diner, he headed back to the grind. I ran a bunch of errands. And last night, I dreamed in German. I made jokes, I was witty, and I chatted with German tourists visiting Boston.
To the best of my knowledge, I don't speak German. At least when I'm awake.
Labels: 2008, marriage, nerds, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Sunday, January 20, 2008 at Sunday, January 20, 2008 | |
And so it begins. And so it shall be.
The
MIT Mystery Hunt is here again and I am left a Nerd Widow. And, come to think of it, I'm a
podcast widow too.
Here they stand, friends from college (which was a long time ago fellas), ready to sit inside a dank room on the MIT campus for a couple of days and solve puzzles. They look forward to it all year.
What do I do while all this puzzling is happening? I show up for a bit, sometimes I help out - but my brain isn't built for puzzles. I stare at something for a few minutes and become frustrated. I'm an intellectual blunt instrument, Deeps' brain is a precision tool.
Usually I hang out at home, catch up on E! and go to the movies. This year I'm planning a double or triple-feature of films to be determined. I call friends for dinner. I might get a pedicure. And I suppose I should clean the bathroom.
Whatever happens, you'll hear about it on the
podcast. (Yes, even the bathroom cleaning parts - I have tips!) It's a glamorous life I lead - nerd or no nerd.
Labels: 2008, nerds
By: Alyssa | Friday, January 18, 2008 at Friday, January 18, 2008 | |
A few years ago Deeps gave me a little single-cup coffee maker. We call it "the fancy coffee maker" although, it isn't especially fancy given that you can find it on your average Target end cap display. But whatever. It is fancy to me!
Deeps doesn't drink coffee and I usually only have time for a cup in the AM so this little coffee maker - it uses single serve pods - works pretty well for me. Except the coffee in the pods is hideous.
It's weak, it's dull, and it's a little too expensive for something so crappy. I've tolerated this for a few years but a couple of weeks ago I started trying to hack the Senseo.
First, I tried making my own pods with tea filters. I'd read that other people had done it successfully - but clearly they are better with their arts and crafts skills than I am. I just made a big, watery mess with coffee everywhere except in the cup.
I kind of gave up for a while, but then I spotted something on Amazon that would allow me to use my own coffee without filters. I debated ordering it, but finally took the plunge and could not be more pleased.
Now I have the extremely delicious and dark French Roast in the morning. No weak, lame coffee for me. And that's important because I am down to one cup of caffeinated coffee a day. It makes me so happy in the morning, I don't even mind hauling out of bed at an ungodly hour for work.
Deeps noted that I wasn't so grumpy in the morning. French Roast saves marriages! I don't have to waste money buying supplemental coffee at work. French Roast is fiscally sound!
I heart you, delicious coffee.
Labels: 2008, marriage, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at Wednesday, January 16, 2008 | |
This week Derek, Deeps and I discuss the wonders of Dexter on network television - can season 1 be made better by deleting LaGuerta? I share my quiet rage about the return of A Daily Show and the Colbert Report (those are hard Ts people), then we talk at length about the grim storytelling of Medium and we explore existential horrors in
Cemetery Man.
Plus we talk about
American Gladiators and
Cashmere Mafia because Derek isn't afraid to watch bad stuff. Oh and I threaten to end the podcast if forced to watch a ratings juggernaut.
Listen to this week's episode.Subscribe to the podcast with
iTunes or your favorite
podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
Subscribe to Big Red Podcast by Email
Labels: 2008, podcast
By: Alyssa | Sunday, January 13, 2008 at Sunday, January 13, 2008 | |
A few months ago I was chatting with a friend over a hearty brunch. We were discussing vocations and work and jobs. She was debating the switch from full-time office worker to full-time artisan. She makes pottery and other mixed-medium art pieces.
To help her to become a better potter, she attended a weeks-long workshop. Like camp for artists.
She told us all about how gorgeous the place was, how much she learned and how she got to see how other artists work in different mediums.
Apparently the glassblowers are a breed unto themselves.
Me: So what does that mean?
Potter: They just work in a different way. What they do is more dangerous.
Me: Ah. So they're daredevils.
Potter: Yes. But we have a name for them.
Me: Yeah?
Potter: (whispering) Glassholes.
I laughed for minutes. And now, months later - I still find that pretty hilarious.
Labels: 2008, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Friday, January 11, 2008 at Friday, January 11, 2008 | |
Josh Glenn of the Boston Globe has pulled together an incredibly comprehensive list of what's happened with women and pregnancy in popular culture since ye olden times. Now in three parts! (
Part 1,
Part 2,
Part 3 - for reals, you'll need some time to read through it.)
Deeps suggested the list is worth reading for lots of context with respect to our discussion/review of
Juno on the latest episode of the
Big Red Podcast. From a storytelling perspective, Juno has to go through the birthing process and put the kid up for adoption.
But the story kind of ignores the whole question of abortion - in that it doesn't really explain why she chooses not to have one. Is it a religious reason? Is it a moral reason? Is she afraid? Is she feeling guilty? We have no idea.
Apparently bad lighting and paneling lead you to decide to give birth. It's not a big deal, but it is kind of a moment where you're thinking - what kind of girl is Juno? She's so articulate about a host of other issues that her silence on this issue is noticeable.
Anyway, the list is huge and makes for an interesting read about the evolution of the social and political attitudes about abortion and how they are reflected back to us in the mirror of popular culture.
Labels: 2008, movies, podcast
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, January 08, 2008 at Tuesday, January 08, 2008 | |
Tomorrow is the presidential
primary in New Hampshire. People will vote, a front-runner might emerge, and the race will continue.
Today I watched an endeavoring anchorman interview some "undecided" voters. They said they were undecided but their biggest issue was health care.
Every question the anchor asked the people to help them narrow their choices, was met by "I don't know." After several moments the anchor said rather exasperated "So is this just something that is going to happen in the ballot box?" to which he got a resounding "Yes."
At this point I don't know if people are just that casual about politics in New Hampshire or if they're just that savvy. Some of the candidates have been campaigning in New Hampshire for over a year.
They've probably been to the house of every inhabitant of the Granite State. In fact,
my friend's modest requests could probably be met by a few of them. She is looking for a babysitter and diaper helper. I suggest that she also ask for a little snow shoveling.
Anyway, my point is - after all this time you're still "undecided?" Sometimes I can't figure out what I want for dinner. Not to get up on my civic duty soap box but, come on people. We're picking a leader - not apples. Take a few moments, read something, and think.
Then tell me what you're having for dinner.
Labels: 2008, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Monday, January 07, 2008 at Monday, January 07, 2008 | |
This week we mark the triumphant return of the
Big Red Podcast from a two-week holiday hiatus.
First we discuss the very kind
Jon Armstrong and his very cool interview (he is cool - I am not) with me to discuss why I podcast on
If You're Just Joining Us.
Then we give a shout-out to our friends at
Cinema Diabolica (a show for adults only) - check out
Episode 3 where they talk about the film we're covering for our third installment in the Big Red Film festival:
Cemetary Man. (FYI - week four's installment will be the classic film
Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.)
And finally, we talk about stuff we've seen, played and read including Derek's pick for game of the year, the scariest movie I saw in 2007 (
No Country For Old Men) and the darling of best of movie lists,
Juno. Plus Deeps tells you to watch
The Wire, if you can handle it.
Listen to this week's episode.Subscribe to the podcast with
iTunes or your favorite
podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
Subscribe to Big Red Podcast by Email
Labels: 2008, podcast
By: Alyssa | Sunday, January 06, 2008 at Sunday, January 06, 2008 | |
I walked to work yesterday - taking a winding path from the T to the office. It's about a mile, according to my pedometer.
Now, I do this walk every day but yesterday was the first incredibly cold day. I'd say it was about 6 or 7 degrees F when I exited the train and started the journey. A few minutes into my walk I noticed that my eyelashes were freezing. Little ice crystals clung to them as I made my way down the street.
The sun would catch the crystals and sparkle. I was nearly blinded.
So sorry to the people I may have bumped into on Charles Street. A poet might have paused to take in the wonders, but I kept moving. I may not be a poet but I'm also not a popsicle.
Labels: 2008, weather
By: Alyssa | Friday, January 04, 2008 at Friday, January 04, 2008 | |
So I live in Massachusetts. Just an hour to our north is New Hampshire. Yesterday someone mentioned that on the news there was a lot of coverage about the snow in NH.
"Apparently cold weather in winter is news," the person snarked.
"I think it has more to do with the fact that it has been snowing a lot and people are worried it might depress the turnout for the primary next week," I said.
"Is that finally happening?" the person replied. "They've been campaigning forever."
Since some Boston-area television stations air in New Hampshire we are also blessed with a load of campaign commercials. They're clearly aimed at New Hampshireites - but we Massachusetts folks are part of the "acceptable casualties."
I guess I should be thankful that all those pleas for votes have knocked those creepy Enzyte ads off the air. I assume that all ends after next week.
Labels: 2008, weather
By: Alyssa | Thursday, January 03, 2008 at Thursday, January 03, 2008 | |
Deeps and I went to a party on New Year's eve; we chatted with some guests and the topic of resolutions came up.
Someone asked what my resolution was this year. I suggested that I'd be more diligent about recycling and wanted to increase the amount of trash I recycle.
Friend: I thought you'd have something really grand and elaborate.
Me: I think recycling is a good resolution.
Friend: But it is so specific. Usually resolutions are vague and something you don't actually plan on doing.
Me: Just when you think I'm going to zig - I zag.
Labels: 2008, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, January 02, 2008 at Wednesday, January 02, 2008 | |
