Friday ramblings

I have been wondering if keeping a blog updated regularly borders on narcissism. I mean, I'm not saying that all bloggers are stuck on themselves. But, I kind of feel like this silent pressure to appease the readers of this blog to post regularly. A lot of times, I really don't feel like I have anything interesting to post. And, I really don't want this blog to become a log of my activities like Carrie did laundry today.
So I guess the readers of this blog (if there are people in the world that peruse my ramblings) will have to be patient with me. Maybe just check me once a month or do the trendy RSS feed thing to see when I added a new post.
I've realized recently how much time I spend in front of a screen. At work, it's either a computer or a microfilm reader. (Gold stars to you folks who can know what microfilm is). At home, it's my laptop or TV. And, as a librarian, I feel like I should spend even more because Web 2.0 is all the rage. So I have my Facebook account, 2nd blog, and the good intention of finishing 23 Things on a Stick so I can learn about more popular Internet tools.
As I'm writing this now, I'm starting to become tired. I mean how do people fit in so much screen time into their daily lives? I wonder if I'm the only one that experiences times when my head is so fuzzy from staring at a screen that I don't want to even think?
So I guess that's my rambling for the day.
P.S. Converse shoes celebrate their 100th anniversary this year. The Smurfs haven't been around that long, but they are celebrating 50 years. And, I completely spaced on celebrating the Gondor New Year (apparently March 25th), but I'll have to either watch the movies or read Tolkien's books soon.

thing 1

I was in such a hurry to register my blog for the February deadline that I neglected to see that I needed to label my posts. I also did not discuss my experience about setting up this blog.

Before 23 things on a stick, I had set up a blog with Xanga. The process for creating this blog was similar so I was able to do it quickly. But, I noticed that the templates I could choose for this blog were more asthetically pleasing than the choices I had on the Xanga site.

The task of adding an avatar baffled me a bit because it was a new term for me. But, I googled it and found one to post. It's only a tempory one until I can download my picture of my Converse shoes.

hello march

I am happy that February has come to an end. I know it's suppose to be the shortest month, but in Minnesota, at least, it seems like the longest. Because it's usually cold and snowy - big surprise. But, more than anything, February is usually when I come to my breaking point. I'm tired of scraping and brushing my car. The layers of scarves, sweaters, and long johns are getting old.
So I'm happy that march is here and hopefully, old man winter will be here no more. Maybe.

this blog

I decided I'd give this 23 things on a stick a try. Usually, I avoid things on a stick. When visiting the Minnesota State Fair, I go for the food items not on a stick because the lines are usually shorter.



But, who knows? This experience may have me lining up for key lime pie on a stick this summer.

So I went to my first caucus

Super Tuesday was kind of anti-climatic for me. Where I lived before, we always had primaries. And, since Minnesota is an open caucus state, I liked the idea of being able to choose which party caucus I wanted to attend.
So I went, I was a little disappointed because the official there directed me to the wrong precinct. I realized this after I had cast my Presidential preference ballot. Does my vote still count if I placed the ballot in the wrong precinct box?
Then I walked into the actual caucus meeting. They were choosing delegates and since I wasn't sure if I was in the right precinct, I left.
I have to admit, though, that the experience gave me a glimpse of something that I rarely see - people walking around in my neighborhood at night. And, although the wrong precinct thing was annoying, I now know my precinct for future elections and I have a better idea of who my neighbors are.

Pondering Jane Austen

Masterpiece Theater on PBS has gotten me reading Ms. Austen's novels. I hate to admit it, but Pride and Prejudice was the only one I had read previously. Now, I can change that number to two and a half (Persuasion and part of Northanger Abbey).
Besides increasing my exposure to her written word, I've developed more of an appreciation for Austen's Persuasion. I saw a 1995 movie version in college, and I could not abide the fact that Captain Wentworth would pay attention to Louisa Musgrove if his affections for Anne Elliot were true. Yes, eight years had passed since he rejected her proposal, but wouldn't the fact that she still remained single still give him hope?
But, then again, maybe is was the slow and subtle pace of the movie that didn't fall to my liking. I think my first impressions of Persuasion were influenced by Disney notions of love and romance. Last year's Enchanted was the perfect example of these ideas. Giselle imagines her Mr. Right and constructed a model of him out of common household items. Prince Edward (of course being the human form of her model) appears and saves her from the ogre attacking Giselle's house. Then, poof, she's in love. Better watch out, there may be another princesszilla (http://www.newsweek.com/id/70985) on the loose.
I recently turned 30 and maybe I can relate to Anne Elliot more since I'm still single myself. But, watching the 2007 version of Persuasion on Masterpiece Theater, I found myself feeling like I had become accquainted with a new friend - one that I had seen before, but never really taken the time to meet. When I read the book, I found that Austen's ideas of love and romance were more subtle than a 2 hour Disney movie. But, the quiet nature of Captain Wentworth's and Anne Elliot's relationship seemed more realistic. I could see Austen's plot occurring today.
One of my friends is convinced that her life is like a Jane Austen novel. I'm not sure if I feel the same. Maybe I'll have an opinion on the subject after another 30 years.

I'd like to thank the Academy

For giving Once a nod. It would have been nice to seen other nominations for this film besides best original song. Hopefully, "Falling Slowly" will give the three nominated songs from Enchanted a run for their money.
For the person who thought to show Shia LeBeouf's black Chuck Taylors when he got off his bike in Transformers. Until that moment, I really was kind only half-interested in the movie. (Granted, I saw it on DVD so that kind of lessened the cool factor of the special effects.) But until that point, I was kind of distracted by how the plot, minus the whole Autobots and Decepticons, was similar to Independence Day. US soldiers being attacked an unknown enemy. Unlikely hero trying to help save the world. The Cons, though, and Bumblebee won me over in the end.