Michael Ende’s inspiration, i’m sure.

The Never Ending Story was my favorite movie as a kid.  And Kasper is one of my favorite dogs as an adult. 

 

Melinda, I think you should rename your dog.

Mii Fit?

I don’t like working out. I think it’s boring. For all the fancy things I’ve used over the years, I always find myself on the treadmill, listening to a podcast and wishing it was all over.

Things are about to change. I now have the Wii Fit and honestly, it’s changing my life. It starts with a Wii Fitness Age test which measures your weight and center of gravity, and also tells you your BMI by weighing you, and asking for your height. From that point on, you can set up a BMI goal and a schedule for how you’ll reach it. (My BMI is 22, and my Wii Fitness Age is also 22. And that’s my real life age, so not bad! ) Apparently though, your BMI isn’t an indicator of your overall health. If it were, my whole “not eating particularly well, occasionally exercising and having erratic sleep patterns but still being relatively thin” technique would totally take the nation by storm.

In addition to really fun exercises (hoola hoop, FTW!), you also choose a personal trainer, who guides you through yoga, strength training and balance games. It’s really fun. My original skepticism with the system was that you could cheat, however; the technology is kind of mind blowing. I was doing the push-up challenge and I had to stop because my watch was digging into my hand, and the trainer knew! She called me out and I was called a couch potato. Kind of ridiculous. She’s actually quite nice, and the game called me a couch potato. Not my trainer personally. She would never judge me like that.

Anyone else use the Wii Fit? What are your thoughts on it?

Or do you actually go to the gym like a normal person? And how’s that working out for you?

(CT friends - we should arrange a day of outdoor activities like badminton or volleyball!!)

In no particular order…

My 3 favorite things about home:

1. My little sister.

2. Brodie. 

3. Group naps.

Yale Art Gallery

I have every Tuesday off of work.  I know.  It’s rad.  I treat Tuesday like a second Sunday - but even lazier.  However, today I actually went out. 

Jenn, Holly and I went to the Yale Art Gallery  in New Haven.   It was funny being there with the two of them, because I know relatively little about art and my comments were limited to, “I like this one.” Meanwhile, Holly is giving me a rundown on Degas and Jenn is telling us all about the Warhol piece they have there.    Oh boy. 

It’s a really great gallery and I suggest everyone in the New Haven area check it out.  Even if aren’t into art, it’s so cool to see paintings that you studied in textbooks while you were in high school, only in real life.  Yale’s collection includes pieces from Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Piet Mondrian (which i knew something about!)  and alot more.  In fact, right now the gallery has Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  You know, one of the most famous paintings of all time.  Whatevz.  There are also sections for photography, ancient art, European art and more. 

Admission is free, it’s right downtown and it’s right across the street from The Yale Center for British Art.  Also free.  I’m probably going again next week because there’s a photography exhibit starting that Kara wanted to see. 

Wanna come?

(My experiments in agoraphobia failed miserably by the way - I’ll try again soon.) 

The Granny Smith by Apple

I work in web development - I spend hours and hours infront of a computer.  Yesterday, being Friday, I spent the hours from 9am to 5:30pm at my desk, computer-ing (verb? why not.)  I was looking at the computer and I thought, “I wonder why it’s called a ‘Mac.’  Where did that come from? Other computer names make sense.  Toshiba is obviously the name of a person, HP were people too I think.  Are people named Macintosh, or Apple?  Wait…yes they are.  Apple Martin - wow Gwenyth Paltrow.  What were you thinking.  You werent thinking.  Anyway, Macintosh.  Hmm…” 

Apple.  Mac.  Macintosh.  Oh my god - a Macintosh is a kind of Apple.  The Macintosh Computer, by Apple. 

It blew my mind.     

So much so in fact, I hit up Sean on g-talk to confirm that my excitement was warranted. 

—-

10:01AM

Mindy: i literally just realized that “macintosh” as in the apple computer, comes from the idea of a macintosh apple. As in the fruit.
  my world is forever changed. 
Sean: never even thought about it

—-

Not as impressed. 

I started thinking about the business meeting that took place during the naming of the “Apple Macintosh Computer” and the other possible names it could have potentially had.  I realized why they went with ‘Macintosh’ over the alternative.

The Granny Smith by Apple.  Drops January 24th, 1984. 

Taking the nation by storm!

 

Although I appreciate the suggestion…

Staying In is the new Going Out. Experiments in agoraphobia.

I spent all of Saturday afternoon and evening at a friends’ BBQ, complaining about how hot it was. Not the BBQ, but the outdoors. Today has been stifling hot as well.

“But Mindy, you’re Australian - isn’t it always supa hot down unda?” - Everyone

(Stop with that ridiculous accent, Everyone)

Yes, it’s very hot during the summer, but it’s a dry heat. I can handle that. That, and the bushfires and terrible droughts. We have Vegemite and Koala’s - fair trade.

—–

Woman: It’s so human out there!

Man: Yeah, if the heat doesn’t get you, the humanity will.

[via overheardinnewyork.com]

—–

Anyway, I’m being serious. The humanity / humidity makes me feel claustrophobic in my own skin -as a result, I spent my entire day today inside, save for a seven minute excursion to the bank.

Earlier this week, I went out for coffee with some friends and said, “I go out almost every night these days, but I lovestaying in. I should do it more often.” After the action packed excitement of a day spent hibernating, I couldn’t agree with myself more. I actually got alot done today within these four walls. (There are more four, I just never counted.) In addition to actual work-related productivity, I did some reading, watched some really terrible TV, tried (in vain) to fix the disk drive on my laptop (help me, Internet), and decided I need a haircut. The whole thing reminded me of a conversation I recently had with Holly:

Me: I’m going out w. Melinda tonight
but like out-out, downtown sort of situation. Kinda feel like hibernating though. It’s early yet, we’ll see
Holly: hibernation!?
you aren’t a bear
Me: hibernation.
in fact i wanted to write a blog post about hibernating
1:41 PM Holly: haha
Me: i have a theory about it
Holly: that’s its nice for bears?
Me: no.
that it’s nice for me.
and that I’ll be a better person if I hibernate
Holly: hah ok
1:42 PM but for how long?
Me: TBA
Holly: I don’t like the sound of this. can you hibernate while I’m in Paris?
1:43 PM Me: it won’t be an extended period of time.
Let me run my theory by you…
Holly: haha ok
Me: If I go out like, one MAYBE two nights a week - good things will happen.
because we already know i like staying in anyway - i just rarely do -let me explain:
1:44 PM 1. I’ll have more money because I won’t have to buy drinks, spend money on gas / train / subway things. Won’t eat out as often and so on.
2. With said saved money, i’ll be able to buy cool stuff - like books, music and movies which I’ll have time to read / listen to / watch. And cool clothes - all the time.
3. Considering the above, when I DO go out - I’ll have rad outfits, and have cool things to say because I’m super cultured from the books and movies, and people will be glad to see me, because they miss me.
the last part of that of course, assumes that my friends like me.
that’s my theory.
1:45 PM Holly: its a good theory, I like it.
Holly: but do your friends like you?
Me: you tell me.

———————

(I never noticed how often I use dashes in internetspeak before)

If you start seeing me less, it’s not because i’m too busy, too cool, or uninterested in hanging out with you. It’s most likely because i’m testing this theory of mine or feel claustrophobic in this North East weather.

Realistically, I highly doubt i’d be able to go more than three or four days without seeing my friends. Even if you / they just came here and hibernated with me - I need the interraction. But it’s still something I consider. Going out is expensive, and I usually have just as much fun staying in (either here, or at someone else’s place) and just enjoying eachothers’ company.

What do you think? Hibernate for the summer? How should I get my hair cut?

And, of equal or lesser importance: should I go to grad school?
p.s. Kara, feel better. I love/miss you. Let’s stay-in soon.)

Rilo Kiley at Terminal 5

I saw Rilo Kiley on Monday night with Holly, Jenn, Sara and Eric.  After some serious delays due to the fine structuring of public transportation, we got to the venue just in the nick of time* as they took the stage about 10 minutes after we arrived. 

They were most likely waiting for us. 

I saw them in Boston last summer and they they were rad.  This time around, at Terminal 5, they were good, but I wouldn’t say rad.  And here’s why:

I think the venue had more to do with the lesser rad-ness than anything else.  Terminal 5 is midtown and it’s a hassle getting there, and unless you get there early to sit on the balcony sections, you’re packed in like sardines.  In addition to the sardines, there are poles that hold up the balconies, and this obstructs the view from the stage unless you’re right in the middle.  We weren’t in the middle, and unfortunately there was a 6′3″, 300 pound sardine leaning on the pole infront of me.  He seemed to have a good time though, and honestly - if I were a 6′3″ 300 pound person/slash/sardine, I’d put myself next to a pole too - so I’ll save my hatin’ for another day.

The set list was great.  Similar to the Boston show, and lacking cow bell (which was executed flawlessly by Jenny Lewis during the performance of “Breakin’ Up” last year), but still a really great mix of songs spanning their four albums.  I can’t say there was ever a dull point during the set, and the band seemed to have a great time on stage, which is always so nice to see.

Here the set list for those playing at home:

Close Call
The Moneymaker
Dreamworld
Capturing Moods
Breakin’ Up (Sans cowbell)
Does He Love You?
Ripchord 
The Absence of God
With Arms Outstretched
Hail to Whatever You Found In The Sunlight That Surrounds You
It’s A Hit
15
Silver Lining
I Never

—

A Better Son/Daughter
Portions for Foxes
Spectacular Views

 

Then we went home.  Eventually. 

I’m so glad I got to see them perform a second time.  After the Boston show I thought I wouldn’t see them for years / ever again, and they’re one of my favorite bands.  Top ten, definitely.

———————————-

*Where does this expression come from?  This ties back into my money making scheme of almost a year ago - a searchable database of commonly used expressions: where they come from, what they mean, and examples of them used in every day conversation.   Feel free to steal said idea.  I don’t want profits, I just really need these questions answered.

Also, the new Weezer and Coldplay songs are fun.  Just saying.  I’m not really that into either band, but really.  I havn’t heard either album in their entirety, but I’m looking forward to it. 

That’s America to Me.

On May 1st, I watched a baseball game for the first time.

No seriously - prior to that, I had never seen a baseball game, on TV or live.  I’m an uncultured swine - I know.  I chalked it up to being Australian, and usually would quip, “Oh so you spend your weekends watching cricket matches do you?”  Anyway, feeling that the time had come that I assimilate to the culture entirely, Steph took me to a baseball game.  Yankee stadium is great - the smells, the sounds, the ambiance of the whole thing is really spectacular.  I ate a hot dog in the stands of Yankee stadium and proclaimed, “Now this is America.” 

This weekend, I’m going camping for the first time with Sean, Jennand Alex.  Sean and Alex were both boy-scouts, Jenn was a girl scout (although, it’s a poorly kept secret that she was only in it for the cookies) and I was neither.  I was Australian.  However, I expect to eat smores, hot dogs and most likely will drink some (not so) delicious domestic beer this weekend.

I feel so American.  So American in fact, that I’m thinking I should be awarded honorary American citizenship.  There are  lots of things I’m yet to do that I think would qualify me for this imaginary honor I’ve just created, but I’ve also already done quite a few.  I’ve made a list.  An asterisk (one of these*) indicates that I’ve been there / done that.

• Go to prom *
• Go to college * 
• Carve a pumpkin
• Go trick or treating (hard to pull off as a 5′8″ 22 year old.  We’ll see)
• See fireworks on the 4th of July *
• See a parade (I know, I know…)
• Make an apple pie*
• Eat a corn dog (I’m a little cautious)
• Go to a drive-in movie theater
• Make / Drink egg nog
• Go to an awkward, uproarious thanksgiving dinner
• Eat an NYC hot dog*
• Eat smores made by a campfire

That’s all I’ve got so far.  I know I’m forgetting some.  So really, suggest something. I hope to check them all off once I’ve finalized the list.  Again, offer your suggestions, and if you’d like to accompany / supervise my Americanization with your watchful American eyes, let me know. 

“Aren’t you cold?”

The web development department at work is all men.  All men and one woman. 

Me.

I love where I work.  I enjoy what I do, I love the boys, we have fun and we work very well together.  But they’re always warm, and I’m always cold. 

Nine times out of ten, I don’t say anything and just bring a sweater in with me.  There’s more of them than me.  It’s fine. “NBD” even.  This Friday however, maybe on account of the rain - I was freezing.  There were ceiling fans a-blowing, doors open and the boys were in their short sleeved shirts.  Meanwhile, I was wearing a long sleeved shirt, cordourys AND my jacket.  

Eventually, I asked my supervisor an emphatic, “Aren’t you cold?” and he took care of it for me.  But later, It got me wondering - why does this happen?  Why are women seemingly always colder than men? 

Cold feet, cold hands, blankets and sweatshirts and socks…that’s how we roll. 

Why? I have no idea.

So, I did some research. 

There seems to be some debate, but from what I can gather - these are the most widely accepted reasons:

-Women have less volume in relation to the surface area of their skin, and therefore shed heat quicker than men.   And, the amount of dense muscle an individual has helps the body regulate temperature more efficiently.   

- Men have more muscle mass, muscles have more blood vessels, more blood means more heat. 

-Women have a higher vasoconstriction threshold temperature. (huh?)

I don’t know why I do these things.  Remember when I got a paper cut at work and it become a good 20 minute research project?  What a nerd.  Anyway, so that’s why I’m cold at work.  Not that I’m complaining - really.  I kind of like bundling up anyway.  And if it’s between bundling up or bulking up 50 pounds to accumulate more dense muscle or whatever, I’ll stick with the sweater.