I usually listen to music when I exercise. I'll listen to almost anything, but some songs give me extra joy when my iPod plays them. There are even songs I've intentionally bought through iTunes just so I'd have them for exercising. My tastes run towards inspirational lyrics and cheesy 80s-ness. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite songs to hear while working out.
"Africa" by Toto
(I am now trying not to let the horror of that video destroy my enjoyment of the song.)
"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor
"Rain King" by The Counting Crows
NB: This is NOT the real video for this song, but it was the best YouTube version I found. Don't let the images inform your understanding of the music.
"Jeopardy" by the Greg Kihn Band
This song just has a fantastic beat that I can't get over.
"Lose Yourself" by Eminem
"Success is my only motherfucking option, failure's not."
"I Wish" by Skee-Lo
"First We Take Manhattan" by Leonard Cohen
See the video here. Note that this should also be known as the only Leonard Cohen song that it is even possible to exercise to.
There are others, but this is a good chunk.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Dedicated Spaces
I am noticing a pattern - I really enjoy going somewhere specific to do something.
In the past week, I have visited my local library branch twice to work on my linear algebra homework, and both times, I was quite productive. The library just got remodeled, so it's pretty nice inside. (Unfortunately, the chairs are uncomfortable - as in, my feet don't reach the ground - but I was able to move one of the comfy sitting chairs to a table and use it instead.) There are computers there, but you have to reserve one if you want to surf the Internet, and there are no computers at the plain tables where I sit. There are virtually no distractions - just enough so that when I get bored, I can wander through the stacks for a few minutes to invigorate myself.
I am the same way about exercise. I have an annual pass to our local rec center, and going there to exercise is actually easier for me than exercising at home, or by walking around outside near my home. It's a dedicated place. It's a trip. I think I like going places to do things.
Last night, Ed and I went to Perkins (a 24-hour chain restaurant like Denny's or IHOP). We had dinner, and then pushed the plates and condiments to one side of the table while he joined me on the other. We spent the next hour or so hashing through some math that I didn't understand.
It was perfect. The flat, smooth plastic table was ideal. The restaurant was nearly empty, so I didn't feel we were stealing a table from our waitress. (I did overtip when we left.) Our drinks still got refilled. It was just much nicer than attempting the same thing at either of our homes.
I think my preferences in this respect may be the opposite of what most people want. It's not that I don't value being home. I just feel like I get more done, more easily, and with more fun, if I go to a dedicated space to work.
In the past week, I have visited my local library branch twice to work on my linear algebra homework, and both times, I was quite productive. The library just got remodeled, so it's pretty nice inside. (Unfortunately, the chairs are uncomfortable - as in, my feet don't reach the ground - but I was able to move one of the comfy sitting chairs to a table and use it instead.) There are computers there, but you have to reserve one if you want to surf the Internet, and there are no computers at the plain tables where I sit. There are virtually no distractions - just enough so that when I get bored, I can wander through the stacks for a few minutes to invigorate myself.
I am the same way about exercise. I have an annual pass to our local rec center, and going there to exercise is actually easier for me than exercising at home, or by walking around outside near my home. It's a dedicated place. It's a trip. I think I like going places to do things.
Last night, Ed and I went to Perkins (a 24-hour chain restaurant like Denny's or IHOP). We had dinner, and then pushed the plates and condiments to one side of the table while he joined me on the other. We spent the next hour or so hashing through some math that I didn't understand.
It was perfect. The flat, smooth plastic table was ideal. The restaurant was nearly empty, so I didn't feel we were stealing a table from our waitress. (I did overtip when we left.) Our drinks still got refilled. It was just much nicer than attempting the same thing at either of our homes.
I think my preferences in this respect may be the opposite of what most people want. It's not that I don't value being home. I just feel like I get more done, more easily, and with more fun, if I go to a dedicated space to work.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Movies Update
All right, I have added my fourth and (no doubt) final quote to #10, my one remaining unidentified movie. Now go solve the puzzle, please.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Not Tired
Well, OK, right now I am tired, but that's to be expected - after a three-day weekend, I had to get up at 6:15 this morning. The day should be fine, except that I also have class tonight until 9 PM. I might die.
But in general, the three-day weekend really let me catch up on rest, so that I got to a point of not being tired for the first time in about four weeks since school started. It was nice. Last night I even got bored, a sensation so unfamiliar that it took me a little while to identify it. I also did seven loads of laundry.
I spent much of the weekend with Ed - so much, in fact, that I think we kind of got sick of each other. I know I got irritable a lot, which is kind of the bane of my existence as a person. But mostly it was good. I even made food that he willingly ate.
Wednesday night, we had Valentine's Day. He was working furiously on his thesis (for which his defense is March 21 - exciting!), so we just ate dinner at a nearby place before going to my apartment for a while. I love that guy.
I had no linear algebra homework to fall behind on this weekend, but I did utterly fail to accomplish anything for sweprac, which is getting critical. Ouch.
But in general, the three-day weekend really let me catch up on rest, so that I got to a point of not being tired for the first time in about four weeks since school started. It was nice. Last night I even got bored, a sensation so unfamiliar that it took me a little while to identify it. I also did seven loads of laundry.
I spent much of the weekend with Ed - so much, in fact, that I think we kind of got sick of each other. I know I got irritable a lot, which is kind of the bane of my existence as a person. But mostly it was good. I even made food that he willingly ate.
Wednesday night, we had Valentine's Day. He was working furiously on his thesis (for which his defense is March 21 - exciting!), so we just ate dinner at a nearby place before going to my apartment for a while. I love that guy.
I had no linear algebra homework to fall behind on this weekend, but I did utterly fail to accomplish anything for sweprac, which is getting critical. Ouch.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Those New Grocery Bags
I'm not sure if they're everywhere yet, but here in Colorado, something new has shown up over the past few months: very cheap reusable grocery bags.
The bags are $1 each (or $5 or so for an insulated version, which might be useful if you shop far from home) and seem to be made of some kind of rigid, offensively synthetic cloth. They are shaped like brown paper bags, and have handles, so they are functionally equivalent to the paper bags at nice places like Whole Foods. The bottom has a plastic insert to help make it rigid.
As grocery bags, they kick the ass of canvas tote bags, are a substantial bit nicer than ordinary plastic grocery bags, and they are $1, folks. It's finally become easy, convenient, and cheap enough for me to start bringing my own bags to the store. (Considering I get a credit for bringing my own bags, they could conceivably even pay for themselves.)
Every store seems to have their own logo version.
I also have to admit, having cheap-ass, ugly $1 grocery bags emblazoned with the King Soopers logo (left) satisfies my tiny bit of anti-elitism: I like not looking like some yuppie who was willing to pay $12 for a damn grocery bag. When I carry them into Whole Foods, it will give me a funny little pleasure (although, to be fair, I am sure Whole Foods is also selling these).
The bags are $1 each (or $5 or so for an insulated version, which might be useful if you shop far from home) and seem to be made of some kind of rigid, offensively synthetic cloth. They are shaped like brown paper bags, and have handles, so they are functionally equivalent to the paper bags at nice places like Whole Foods. The bottom has a plastic insert to help make it rigid.
As grocery bags, they kick the ass of canvas tote bags, are a substantial bit nicer than ordinary plastic grocery bags, and they are $1, folks. It's finally become easy, convenient, and cheap enough for me to start bringing my own bags to the store. (Considering I get a credit for bringing my own bags, they could conceivably even pay for themselves.)
Every store seems to have their own logo version.
I also have to admit, having cheap-ass, ugly $1 grocery bags emblazoned with the King Soopers logo (left) satisfies my tiny bit of anti-elitism: I like not looking like some yuppie who was willing to pay $12 for a damn grocery bag. When I carry them into Whole Foods, it will give me a funny little pleasure (although, to be fair, I am sure Whole Foods is also selling these).
15 Movies Meme
(via Note of the Living Deb)
The rules:
1. Pick 15 movies you know/like/love.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions.
These are listed in the order I thought of them, which could help.
UPDATE: I have added additional quotes (not necessarily by the same character) to the unidentified entries.
1. In one way or another I've always suffered. I didn't know why exactly. But I do know that I'm not so scared of suffering now. I feel more than I've ever felt and I've found someone to feel with. To play with. To love in a way that feels right for me. I hope he knows that I can see that he suffers too. And that I want to love him.
One scoop of creamed potatoes. A slice of butter. Four peas. And as much ice cream as you'd like to eat. - Secretary, Mosch
2. Like I'd marry you! You'd be the meanest wife ever, okay? And I know that you weren't bored that day because there was a lot of stuff on TV, and then 'The Blair Witch Project' was coming on Starz and you were like 'I haven't seen this since it came out and if so we should watch it' and 'but oh, no, we should just make out instead la la la' - Juno, Cartaufalous
3. I just remembered something from a long time ago, I think it may help you. Once, when I was little, I dropped my shoe into a river. When I tried to get it back I fell in. I thought I'd drown but the water carried me to shore. It finally came back to me. The river's name was the Kahaku river. I think that was you, and your real name is Kahaku river. - Spirited Away, Ed
4. The lake goes around for miles. You, and your children, and your children's children, will dig for a hundred years, and you will never find it. - Holes, Debbie
5. You don't know how lucky you are being a monkey. Because consciousness is a terrible curse. I think. I feel. I suffer. And all I ask in return is the opportunity to do my work. And they won't allow it... because I raise issues.
Lots of things. That jewel thief movie, for example. He's very well respected. Anyway, the point is... this is a very odd thing. It's Supernatural, for lack of a better word. I mean, it raises all sorts of philosophical-type questions, you know... about the nature of self, about the existence of a soul. You know, am I me?
Have you ever had two people look at you, with complete lust and devotion, through the same pair of eyes? - Being John Malkovich, Robin
6. Ned, there is no such thing as adventure. There's no such thing as romance. There's only trouble and desire. - Simple Men, Cartaufalous
7. It's a philosophy. A poetics. A politics, if you will. A literature of protest. A novel of ideas. A pornographic magazine of truly comic book proportions. It is, in the end, whatever the hell I want it to be. And when I'm through with it it's going to blow a hole this wide straight through the world's own idea of itself. - Henry Fool, Cartaufalous
8. Don't mock me my friend. It's a condition of mental divergence. I find myself on the planet Ogo, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate the barbarian hordes on Pluto. But even though this is a totally convincing reality for me in every way, nevertheless Ogo is actually a construct of my psyche. I am mentally divergent, in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life here. When I stop going there, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend? - 12 Monkeys, Ed
9. I assure you, Mrs. Buttle, the Ministry is very scrupulous about following up and eradicating any error. If you have any complaints which you'd like to make, I'd be more than happy to send you the appropriate forms. - Brazil, rvman
10. Family entertainment? Bollocks. What they want is filth: people doing things to each other with chainsaws during tupperware parties, babysitters being stabbed with knitting needles by gay presidential candidates, vigilante groups strangling chickens, armed bands of theatre critics exterminating mutant goats. Where's the fun in pictures? Oh, well, there we are. Here's the theme music. Goodnight.
Shut up, you American. You Americans, all you do is talk, and talk, and say "let me tell you something" and "I just wanna say." Well, you're dead now, so shut up.
You see that house? That is where I was born. My mother said to me, "Garcon. The world is a beautiful place, and you must spread joy and contentment everywhere you go". And so I became a waiter... Well, I know it is not a great philosophy but...
Just remember that you're standing on a planet thats evolving
and revolving at nine-hundred miles an hour
it's orbiting at ninety miles a second
so it's reckoned
a sun that is the source of all our power
the sun and you and me
and all the stars that we can see
are moving at one million miles a day
in an outer spiral arm at forty-thousand miles an hour
of the galaxy we call the Milky Way
Our galaxy itself
contains a hundred billion stars
its a hundred thousand light years side to side
it bulges in the middle
sixteen-thousand light years thick
but out by us its just three-thousand light years wide
we're thirty-thousand light years from galatic central point
we go round every two-hundred-million years
and our galaxy is only one of millions of billions in this amazing and expanding universe - The Meaning of Life, Sally
11. How am I not myself?
I've thought about hacking you up with an axe Albert, and smashing your face in with a baseball bat. - I Heart Huckabees, Mosch
12. His destructive programming is taking effect. He will be irresistibly drawn to large cities, where he will back up sewers, reverse street signs, and steal everyone's left shoe. - Lilo & Stitch, Ed
13. Now, what is it that has four pairs of pants, lives in Philadelphia, and it never rains but it pours? - Duck Soup, Sally
14. Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'? - O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Sally
15. Nothing's more suspicious than frog's breath! - The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sally
Guess away!
The rules:
1. Pick 15 movies you know/like/love.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions.
These are listed in the order I thought of them, which could help.
UPDATE: I have added additional quotes (not necessarily by the same character) to the unidentified entries.
1. In one way or another I've always suffered. I didn't know why exactly. But I do know that I'm not so scared of suffering now. I feel more than I've ever felt and I've found someone to feel with. To play with. To love in a way that feels right for me. I hope he knows that I can see that he suffers too. And that I want to love him.
One scoop of creamed potatoes. A slice of butter. Four peas. And as much ice cream as you'd like to eat. - Secretary, Mosch
2. Like I'd marry you! You'd be the meanest wife ever, okay? And I know that you weren't bored that day because there was a lot of stuff on TV, and then 'The Blair Witch Project' was coming on Starz and you were like 'I haven't seen this since it came out and if so we should watch it' and 'but oh, no, we should just make out instead la la la' - Juno, Cartaufalous
3. I just remembered something from a long time ago, I think it may help you. Once, when I was little, I dropped my shoe into a river. When I tried to get it back I fell in. I thought I'd drown but the water carried me to shore. It finally came back to me. The river's name was the Kahaku river. I think that was you, and your real name is Kahaku river. - Spirited Away, Ed
4. The lake goes around for miles. You, and your children, and your children's children, will dig for a hundred years, and you will never find it. - Holes, Debbie
5. You don't know how lucky you are being a monkey. Because consciousness is a terrible curse. I think. I feel. I suffer. And all I ask in return is the opportunity to do my work. And they won't allow it... because I raise issues.
Lots of things. That jewel thief movie, for example. He's very well respected. Anyway, the point is... this is a very odd thing. It's Supernatural, for lack of a better word. I mean, it raises all sorts of philosophical-type questions, you know... about the nature of self, about the existence of a soul. You know, am I me?
Have you ever had two people look at you, with complete lust and devotion, through the same pair of eyes? - Being John Malkovich, Robin
6. Ned, there is no such thing as adventure. There's no such thing as romance. There's only trouble and desire. - Simple Men, Cartaufalous
7. It's a philosophy. A poetics. A politics, if you will. A literature of protest. A novel of ideas. A pornographic magazine of truly comic book proportions. It is, in the end, whatever the hell I want it to be. And when I'm through with it it's going to blow a hole this wide straight through the world's own idea of itself. - Henry Fool, Cartaufalous
8. Don't mock me my friend. It's a condition of mental divergence. I find myself on the planet Ogo, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate the barbarian hordes on Pluto. But even though this is a totally convincing reality for me in every way, nevertheless Ogo is actually a construct of my psyche. I am mentally divergent, in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life here. When I stop going there, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend? - 12 Monkeys, Ed
9. I assure you, Mrs. Buttle, the Ministry is very scrupulous about following up and eradicating any error. If you have any complaints which you'd like to make, I'd be more than happy to send you the appropriate forms. - Brazil, rvman
10. Family entertainment? Bollocks. What they want is filth: people doing things to each other with chainsaws during tupperware parties, babysitters being stabbed with knitting needles by gay presidential candidates, vigilante groups strangling chickens, armed bands of theatre critics exterminating mutant goats. Where's the fun in pictures? Oh, well, there we are. Here's the theme music. Goodnight.
Shut up, you American. You Americans, all you do is talk, and talk, and say "let me tell you something" and "I just wanna say." Well, you're dead now, so shut up.
You see that house? That is where I was born. My mother said to me, "Garcon. The world is a beautiful place, and you must spread joy and contentment everywhere you go". And so I became a waiter... Well, I know it is not a great philosophy but...
Just remember that you're standing on a planet thats evolving
and revolving at nine-hundred miles an hour
it's orbiting at ninety miles a second
so it's reckoned
a sun that is the source of all our power
the sun and you and me
and all the stars that we can see
are moving at one million miles a day
in an outer spiral arm at forty-thousand miles an hour
of the galaxy we call the Milky Way
Our galaxy itself
contains a hundred billion stars
its a hundred thousand light years side to side
it bulges in the middle
sixteen-thousand light years thick
but out by us its just three-thousand light years wide
we're thirty-thousand light years from galatic central point
we go round every two-hundred-million years
and our galaxy is only one of millions of billions in this amazing and expanding universe - The Meaning of Life, Sally
11. How am I not myself?
I've thought about hacking you up with an axe Albert, and smashing your face in with a baseball bat. - I Heart Huckabees, Mosch
12. His destructive programming is taking effect. He will be irresistibly drawn to large cities, where he will back up sewers, reverse street signs, and steal everyone's left shoe. - Lilo & Stitch, Ed
13. Now, what is it that has four pairs of pants, lives in Philadelphia, and it never rains but it pours? - Duck Soup, Sally
14. Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'? - O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Sally
15. Nothing's more suspicious than frog's breath! - The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sally
Guess away!
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