Regular viewing
It has gotten to the point where I don’t even know what night the various TV shows air, nor when a new season starts. As has been true for many years, everything I watch is something I’ve recorded on TiVo… with some new exceptions. Added to the mix now are shows that I watch on demand. I feel like I’m having an increasingly difficult time keeping up with my shows.
Among the shows that I watch these days:
- The Good Wife
- Elementary
- Big Bang Theory
- Marvel’s Agents of Shield
- Grimm
- Person of Interest*
- The Flash
- Marvel’s Agent Carter*
- Galavant*
- Supergirl
- Into the Badlands
*Not currently airing/season hasn’t begun
I also record Dr. Who, but seriously, I’m so not interested in the characters.
I also (binge) watch, on Demand:
- Daredevil
- Jessica Jones
- Homeland
- House of Cards
- Sense8
Finally, I have some things on the TiVo that are waiting for me:
- World War II in HD
- How the States Got Their Shapes
- (um…. some other history shows that I can’t remember the name of)
Anything I should be watching that I’m not? I recently gave up on Blue Bloods and The Bastard Executioner. I long ago abandoned The Walking Dead. So don’t recommend those.
Catch up #1
Ok, so what have I been doing?
Well, as promised, I have been laid off. It was harder to contemplate when I first was told of it than when my last day came. Although there were some very sad moments towards the end, particularly on my last day. That last day was scheduled to be Thursday, but I had already decided that Wednesday was going to be the actual day. I took my inspiration from The Office. Michael Scott avoided the awkwardness of the farewell party by not coming in that day. There was a very moving and touching moment with Jim.
Another Monday home
Without the previous intention to do so, I called in to work and stayed home again today. As appealing as that may sound, I rather do not like it. I’d rather be at work. But I’m having a bit of trouble sleeping, perhaps due to anxiety, or maybe running after 9 PM is detrimental. Either way, when I woke up this morning, I was definitely feeling sleep deprived. I am determined to go to work tomorrow.
So instead, I played LOTRO, did laundry, watched tv, walked across the street for some groceries, and had a conversation with my apartment complex’s property manager. I asked about getting the nails of the landing outside my front door hammered down, and I explained my pending employment situation and asked if something could possibly be done to reduce my monthly rent, for example, by signing a new lease. She gave me reason to be hopeful, so I am. Stay tuned.
Thursday is the new Friday
Today seemed very long. It wasn’t busy at work, but it wasn’t as slow as it’s been other days this week either.
I’m a little OCD I think. Here’s one manifestation: whenever I eat M&Ms, skittles, or any bite size snack food, I have to eat them in pairs, one for each side of my mouth. Well, I don’t HAVE to. But I definitely make every effort to satisfy that need.
I watched again the episode of the Office where Michael leaves. What a tear jerker. Very good acting/directing/writing to pull at my emotions the way it did.
Went for a run after work. I think I pushed myself too hard. I wasn’t able to go as long as yesterday and my ankle started hurting a bit. Tomorrow is a rest day so I hope that I’ll be good to go on Saturday.
I attended a dialogue session at the church tonight on the topic of immigration. It’s a complex issue that I struggle with sometimes. The video we were shown felt so heavy-handed. I wish people wouldn’t do that. It’s really unneccessary.
Saturday in the sun
I spent all day out at Modesto Christian High School with the Knights cooking tri-tip, hotdogs, hamburgers. It was a sunny day with a high of about 80 degrees. In other words, I hated it. I did get a decent sunburn. Joy. And I managed to cut into my finger with the meat slicer. So I got that going for me.
Sales weren’t as brisk as I’d have hoped, but we still might make a bit of a profit by the end of the weekend.
Tonight I tried to burn through several episodes of recorded tv. I managed to watch a couple of hours of Smallville. I wish I had more time to get stuff done!
Back to life, back to reality
Goodness! I had already shut down the living room and was brushing my teeth when I realized I hadn’t posted yet today. I need to focus!
Today was my first day back at work. I’d love to say it sucked, but it didn’t. It was just a normal day at work. Yeah, it was hard at times, but that’s often true. I’m just happy that I got to deal with all the things that were awaiting my attention from the time I was gone. So now it’s back to the regular grind. I have several projects to keep my occupied. That’s a good thing.
I’m way behind on my Survivor. I watched a couple of hours tonight and I still have the finale to go. Perhaps tomorrow. Or Wednesday. Or Thursday.
All weekend in a post
Above all I wish to state that my suffering has begun. It is officially too warm for me. Rule of thumb: If you have to run the A/C to be comfortable, it’s too warm.
Here’s a recap of the past several days.
Thursday I went up to Stockton for the Chrism Mass. Music was ok, I got a couple of decent photos, and dinner was excellent!
Friday I got off work at noon then went for my walk/jog/run. When I finished that, I came home and fell asleep for a couple of hours. In the evening I went to the fish fry at the parish. I think it was even more successful than the one we did earlier this season.
Saturday I went out in the afternoon to the Modesto Earth Day celebration at Graceada Park. Sadly, it was pretty boring. Oh well. After that I went to Mass where I served as Commentator. This being Passion Sunday, the Gospel was quite long. I took the part of the narrator in the reader’s theatre style proclamation. Still later in the evening, I stayed up much too late watching TV. Merlin and Walking Dead.
Today, Sunday, I got up earlyish to go down to the church and open the gates to Central Catholic and post signs indicating that there was overflow parking available. I was quite proud of myself for getting it all done. But when I went back this evening to lock up, someone had already closed the main gate. So for all I know, people went looking for parking only to find a locked gate. Annoying.
After opening up, I went to MJC to do my walk/jog/run on the track. I actually felt quite good after this session! I can tell that the workout is getting a little easier. That’s encouraging! Another nap (geez I’m getting old) and this evening I went out to the Clarion for the belly dancing thing. I took a few photos but I haven’t processed them yet. We’ll see if they’re any good.
Ok. There you go. Now you’re up to date.
I love it when a plan comes together
I had intended to get up in time for the 8:00 Mass, but when my alarm went off at 7, I was not at all ready to get up. I ended up sleeping for an additional 90 minutes and decided to go to noon. This gave me time to make breakfast before heading out. Mass was barely tolerable. The music was really bad. They even managed to take a beautiful song that I love (You Are Mine) and make me wish it would stop! The piano was fine of course, and Danny on viola sounded good as usual. I’ll even grant that John sounded good singing. But everything was mic’d such that all the bad parts got equal volume. There was at least one if not more than one string instrument that was way off and the singing was so atonal. Even the guitar was doing some really funky stuff that just didn’t go. I should just look on this as part of my Lenten sacrifice. It was painful.
Afterwards, I went to get some fro-yo. I selected Alpine Vanilla and I added mango, strawberry, blackberry, pineapple, and granola. Twas yum!
I snuck in a nap. Not because I was especially tired, but because I was procrastinating going for my run/jog/walk. Ultimately, I did go out and do 3 miles alternating walking and jogging according to my 5K training plan. Toward the end of the jogging, I was getting pooped. It eased up just in time.
And good news! I found online that there is going to be a Modesto 5K run on May 28th. This is actually 9 days before the end of my training period, but close enough. So I’ll be signing up to run. w00t!
Dinner was a steak with rice and green beans. And I finished up the evening with a few hours of LOTRO (some festival stuff and book work with Aluatis, my captain), and some television (Survivor and Merlin).
Now to bed.
Friday feeling fine
I had some very restless sleep last night. And some strange dreams. What the heck?
At some point during my morning, I got a message that someone had started following my tweets. This person’s name was @firePalinNow and his profile proudly proclaimed that he hates Fox News. I asked him why he was so proud to identify himself as a hater. It just makes me sad that people seem so ready to hate that with which they disagree. Can we not be haters please?
I got off work at 2:00 today and then went to do my 5K training. I ended up walking and jogging a total of 3.5 miles. My quadriceps feel like jelly now. I’m in that place where the dull muscle pain is producing a kind of euphoria effect. Or maybe it’s got something to do with lactic acid. All I know is that a few minutes ago when I walked over to get my mail, I was struck with a kind of LTH Syndrome and I burst out laughing at nothing! Sheesh! Tomorrow I rest and Sunday I do it again. Hilarious.
Tonight I will be playing LOTRO and watching TV and I suspect, going to bed early. Maybe my fatigue will help me sleep more soundly.
A day of rest
I spent today doing mostly nothing. It was great! I went to Mass last night so I didn’t even need to leave home to go to church. Speaking of Mass, this is the second week in a row that I didn’t think the music sucked. Yeah, I’m as surprised as you! Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t great. Not even close. But it wasn’t terrible. Oh, and I’ve watched a few televised Masses over the past few weeks. The music is consistently dreadful with those.
Anyway, I spent part of today awash in nostalgia for the 70s. I watched a Time-Life infomercial for Singers & Songwriters and also several episodes of The Six Million Dollar Man. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I miss some of the fashion of the 60s and 70s. And of course, the 80s. I watched The Lost Boys again yesterday. Geez I really miss the 80s.
Other activities today: I cooked up 6 cups of rice along with a package of Freedom French cut green beans and 4 chicken breasts. Not only was it tonight’s dinner, but tomorrow’s and Tuesday’s too. I got the week’s laundry done. I did more festival stuff with Aluatis including getting the second Spring Steed. And I watched some other stuff on the TiVo; The Event, Walking Dead, No Ordinary Family, Modern Family.
I grow ever more eager for my Portland trip. Still a month to go. David is flying on Southwest from Texas. I hope his plane is crack free.
