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December 30, 2007
2007 – How’d I Do? (Post #500!)
Are you serious? It’s already the end of 2007? How lame. How unfair. How come? It probably has something to do with how many times the Earth revolves around the sun and on its own axis, or something. Which, by the way, is a bit odd since 2008 is a leap year – so the Earth just decides to go around the Sun once more. Deal with science, I don’t make up the rules.
To keep myself in check, it’s time to see how I did on my my New Year’s Resolutions.
- Set up a meeting with a financial planner.
I took this off the list, it was fairly obvious that I didn’t make this a priority and seemed to manage just fine without it. - Limit fried potato intake to once a month.
This started off as it said in the resolution: fried potato. But I thought that was a bit easy, so I changed this to one fried food item per two-week span. That didn’t work quite as well as I thought. I think while I had changed my habit from fries to other tasty side items, I had a harder time remembering that I was instead focusing on fried food in general. While I think I nearly accomplished my original goal, the secondary one floundered. - Visit Kansas City’s museums.
Ashlee even tried to help me finish this one, but life got in the way. Not a single Kansas City museum was visited. Look for an amended resolution to come out of this one. - Pay off other credit card.
DONE! Now all I have is this year’s Christmas debt to pay off and I’ll be set! - Walk to work at least twice a week.
My goal was to walk at least 104 days to work. My count on Thursday was 100 even. So if you take into account that I had three weeks off for vacation AND this entire week off for the holidays - I technically surpassed my goal. - Use all of my vacation days.
DONE! - Go through storage items and purge.
As I said before, this is why we have basements, right? - Boycott shopping at Wal-Mart.
Not even an issue. - Limit my soda intake to one a month.
Rarely crave high fructose corn syrup anymore.
So I failed some and passed with flying colors on others. How did everyone else do?
Posted by Seth at 09:00 AM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2007
1600 Mile Christmas and More
Nearly every holiday for the past seven years has been a load of driving for me. I live in Kansas City – and none of my family does. That automatically means that I'm driving somewhere for the holidays. For the past fiveish Thanksgivings and Christmases, I've split my holiday-break time amongst my different relatives' places. This year, while being no different, was actually a bit larger than before. Instead of the normal 1,000 mile trek from KC to central Arkansas, my Jetta racked up over 1,600 miles.
But, as I said on my Facebook profile, this year was an incredible Christmas. Here are some of the highlights:
- event: dinner with the fellas (technically before xmas break, but it still counts
- gift: smoking pipe (like old men smoke... it rules!)
- event: Ashlee's familiy's kids' night
- gift: Apple's aluminum keyboard
- event: Todd's birthday dinner at Logan's Roadhouse – yes, Logan's Roadhouse
- event: Christmas Eve at grandparent's house
- event: Christmas morning at grandparent's house
- gift: my first cashmere sweater
- event: Christmas with Ashlee
- gift: Apple iPhone!!!!
- event: date night – Buffalo Wild Wings and The Kite Runner
- upcoming event: F-town friends in for the weekend and NYE
Lots of driving, but lots of thoughtful and kick-ass gifts.
Oh, I almost forgot the other thing that I got over the break – a 24-hour stomach flu. Yes, right on Christmas Eve and into Christmas day. Santa sure didn't forget me this year and I was so very thankful for it, too.
I hope everyone's holiday was amazing and I'm looking forward to 2008. See you on the flip-side.
Posted by Seth at 09:23 AM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2007
Firebrand = Coolness
As I was flipping channels the other night before heading to bed, I came across what I thought was a new show on whatever channel I was on. It's called Firebrand and apparently all it does is show awesome commercials that you may not ever be exposed to. It's an ad-person's time-waster as I could easily sit there and watch spot after spot until I have no clue what's going on.
I've read that Firebrand is a new channel altogether on TV, but according to their web site, it's only a show (11pm ET/PT, 10pm CT, weeknights on ION Television, yeah, no clue).
If you can find it in your area, it's worth a looksie. OOOOOOR, you could just check it out online and see awesome commercials like this:
Posted by Seth at 08:14 AM | Comments (1)
December 11, 2007
Ever Think of This?
Levi loves to play with almost anything. Every time I put my belt on, she swings at it. If I throw trash across the room, she's alert and ready to pounce. When I tie my shoes, she stares intently at the laces. When that happens, I laugh becuase cats are probably wondering why we put toys on our feet.
Dumb cats. That's how our shoes stay on. I bet all animals wish they were as smart as we are.
Oh, and this gets my vote for BEST CNN HEADLINE EVAR:
Posted by Seth at 07:59 AM | Comments (3)
December 09, 2007
The Lord of the Golden Rider Named Eragon Potter from Narnia
Okay, I'm officially done with all of the by-the-numbers fantasy movies that are out there. Ever since Harry Potter burst onto the scene, there have been way too many stories written and/or adapted into movies for my taste. I want to say that I'm tired of the whole "chosen one" analogy that most follow – but I can't because that theme is prevalent nearly everywhere you look. No, I'm tired of the formula that exists in this recent trend in fantasy movies:
- Unknowing child is chosen one
- Said child sometimes has an object, or skill, that will help them on their quest (maybe both)
- Antagonist either can't find child, doesn't know how to defeat them, or needs them to fulfill their evil plans
- Chosen one can't do it on their own, needs help from unlikely sources
- Chosen one tries to go it on their own
- It is proclaimed that you can't trust anyone, so everyone is a suspect
- To defeat the enemy, chosen one must remember a subtle clue from the first of the story or wait for enemy to defeat themselves due to extreme greed and over-confidence
I know I've just broken down nearly every great sci-fi/fantasy movie out there, but I need a break from all of the crap that's out there right now (we saw The Golden Compass the other night... while fun, I wasn't too impressed).
Let's do a little bit of originality check and muck the formula sometimes, please.
Posted by Seth at 12:43 PM | Comments (7)
December 04, 2007
Getting Ready for Xmas
Two days ago, Ashlee and I decorated the loft (kinda) for Christmas. Included in the decorations were:
- A brand new, freshly-cut (by me) 6 foot tall Christmas Tree
- Blue LED lights
- Two $2 stockings decorated with gold glitter glue
- Two $2 kitty stockings decorated with gold glitter glue
- Un-centered wreath on the front door
It was a lot of fun and now we’re officially ready for Christmas (see five photos of decorations at Flickr).
Additionally, while making gift purchases online at Amazon.com last night, can anyone tell me why the web site would say, “In stock,” and then tell me the next day that it’ll be Jan. 22 before I receive any of the items?
Amazon is beginning to slip, if you ask me.
Posted by Seth at 07:52 AM | Comments (1)