Resolution: Better Vision

Jan 4 2012 no comments Life Personal Resolutions

I posted a list of my resolutions the other day, and one of them is to get my eyes taken care of.  Within the next few days I’ll be getting myself an eye appointment at one of the free clinics around town, or try, and get myself some cheap eyeglasses from Zenni.  I seem to talk about them a lot, but this is the year I actually get around to actually purchasing frames and getting myself set up with some glasses.

In all honesty, I’ve always kind of had a want to have glasses– I think they’re a fashion statement, and a beautiful one at that, depending on the frames (and the price, mind you.  Too expensive and I’m not going to wear them all the time because they’re like a fragile investment. )  In the end, I want something I like, that is both beautiful and affordable, that I won’t mind if it ends up getting dinged up a bit, because it won’t cost me an arm and a leg to replace.

I want to look sophisticated and cute, and that’s a rarity for me because I usually just go for being as comfortable as possible, and to hell with the idea of fashion.  But, luckily Zenni has a lot of options as far as frames go, and I’m sure I’ll find something to fit my current mood of optimism and forward thinking, or something like that.

But first… gotta get that pesky prescription.

Loveage:

New Years Resolutions and Why.

Jan 3 2012 no comments Internet Life Lists Personal

All this is being typed from a very uncomfortable position on my back in bed, given that I can’t really move or sit upright because of the pain in my back.  It makes it a bit harder to be optimistic about the new year when you’ve spent the first few days of it in excruciating pain to the point of crying your eyes out at one point, but in the end, everyone has to move on and perhaps find themselves a little foothold to get through the day and otherwise, yes?

Everyone makes resolutions, whether for themselves as guidelines to a better them for the new year, or just because it seems expected at this point in our lives.  Take stock of what we did wrong and make better on it the next year.   It’s almost an open pass to let go the failures of the year before and make way for possible new ones, all with hope that doesn’t seem to spring eternal, and more that it only lasts until spring.

I’m going to endeavor to actually stay on board with my own resolutions this year for various reasons, but even I’m expecting a minute level of failure on my part, and I think that’s somewhat healthy.  It keeps my expectations surprisingly low when it comes to things I should do and when I go above and beyond, perhaps I’ll feel a bit better about myself and what I’ve done, which will spur more conquests.  Who knows?

• Take better care of my skin – this one kind of comes as a catch-all for dealing with my dry skin and certain marks that have been left behind by neglect.  I want to try to look better this year in ways that I haven’t bothered trying before.  It’s somewhat superficial, but in a way I’m just tired of having overly dry skin and feeling a bit off.
• Eat healthier and therein lose a bit of weight – it’s usually the biggest resolution of anyone and everyone, but honestly? I mean it this time.  Even if I don’t lose weight I want to eat healthier, because eating crap is doing nothing for me.  If decent food is not provided as an option, I will make brown rice and eat the hell out of that for the next year, who cares, it’s delicious.
• Find a way to fix my vision and teeth – Both have fallen by the wayside in the past few years, though the teeth have been going a lot longer than that.  A few lapses in the ability to have running water in my teens provided me with some bad habits regarding dental health, but I have since created a regime for myself that I have been religiously following for about two years now, I just want to improve it even more.  As far as my eyes go, the need for glasses is becoming more than apparent after the dry weather has ravaged my left eye.
• Call home more – Usually I’m just at a loss as to what to say, it’s nothing that I’m trying to avoid, I just end up avoiding it without trying, but I need to make an effort to call more, as they’re my family and I love them.
• Get my life in check – a vague and open ended resolution, for sure, but I need to make some kind of dent in what I’m doing with my life, regardless of what others are doing in theirs.

It’s not much, and they’re mostly stupid little things that I should have been doing anyway, but it seems useful to actually write them down, and maybe track my progress through all of them as a whole.  We’ll see how things go this year, I suppose.

Loveage:

2011 Questions

Jan 1 2012 3 comments Life Personal

Taken from the ever lovely Georgie.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
I didn’t dye my hair all year? Does that count? I’ve been dying my hair pretty consistently since I was about 12, so it seems appropriate.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made one of the same ones I always make and failed miserably, but one of my resolutions this year is to see things through as far as I can and not give up, so we’ll see how that goes.  I have a whole list of them that I’ll be posting at some point later.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No, but my boyfriend’s mother did get pregnant and is expecting around April.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
… Not that I’m aware of– now I’m going to feel terrible if I find out someone did.

5. What countries did you visit?
I’ve never left the country.  I want to some day, but it’s just not in the cards right now.

6. What would you like to have in the new year that you lacked in this?

Creativity and follow-through.  As much as I wish my creativity were as amazing as I’d hoped, it seems to always fall short and I’m left with a half-assed attempt at something amazing.  As for follow-through, I tend to find ways to give up on things and I shouldn’t.  I’ve kept up with Loremaster leveling a Warrior on WoW so far, and I almost gave up on that in the beginning, so it’s getting there.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory?
There aren’t many dates that are singled out, all around a dull year with a few exceptions, but no dates– weird, that.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Managing to have my eye not get all messed up all year.  It may sound weird, but keeping hydrated this year kept my eye from getting dried out and making me even more blind.  (if you aren’t aware, I’ve been struggling with that the last few years because of the dry temperatures of Arizona and the fact that I was born without a tear-duct in one eye so the ‘artificial’ one doesn’t work as well as it should.)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not managing to do anything with my life.  I’m still in the same boat I have been, and even though circumstances cause it to be this way, I can’t really help but feel a bit like a failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
My back has been out of sorts for the last few months, and today alone I’ve spent most of the day almost in tears every time I have to get up and move around, and using the ladies room is like some kind of sick torture they devise in horror movies– it’s really weird to say but it’s true.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My PSP, probably.  At least for myself.  The best thing I bought for others was a plethora of spices for my best friend to use in his cooking to make things extra tasty.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Everyone I know, because they keep on keeping on.  It’s tough out there for most of my friends, and my family, but I have to say I’m proud of them for going on.  My dad and mom are still trucking along even with all their pain and my mom’s issues with her body, and my brother lost a ridiculous amount of weight, lost his diabetes, and is trying to lose his social anxiety which is pretty much amazing as well.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Not so much depressed, but appalled, and a little bit annoyed at someone who shall remain nameless for now for the sake of feelings (even though she doesn’t read this) who spends most of her time complaining about how shitty her life is, how her friends aren’t really her friends, and just basically whinging as much as possible in hopes that someone will come trotting along to hug her and make her feel better even though she just basically called them all retarded and horrible friends– there’s also the pictures that end up posted en masse that are a cry for attention and for someone to tell her how cute she looks for whatever reason, and if no one does it, she tends to act butthurt the rest of the day, as well.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Random gifts for friends, renewing domains, gaming… so much gaming.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Every day I get to hang out with the people I care about, especially talking to my best friend and just generally being retarded.  Sometimes I wonder if anyone gets me as well as he does.

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2011?
It’s kind of random, but the album Glorious Collision by Evergrey kind of seeped into my head the last couple of months, and I keep relating it to situations, either real or RPly, and that kind of makes it stick out as an album of the year for me.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a. happier or sadder? somewhat happier.
b. thinner or fatter? fatter.  It’s a problem.
c. richer or poorer? same, likely.  I ended up able to get more things this year, but by the end of the year I was in the same boat as always.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Writing.  I think it helps me sometimes, but if the muse doesn’t hit, then the muse doesn’t hit and I’m left staring at diatribe that no one cares about.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastinating.   And complaining.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
At home with my boyfriend and his family.  I talked to my best friend a bit and watched my boyfriend play his new game (Assassin’s Creed: Revelations) so that was fun. :x  Otherwise we just had a small little gift giving thing and are going to have something called HoHoDay sometime soon where we’ll actually get each other nice things.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
My mother, funny enough.  I don’t really do the phone much anymore.  I used to talk to people all the time, but we don’t really have a land line and I’m not keen on using up people’s minutes or tying up someone’s cell phone and all that, so I kind of avoid it, unless I’m talking to family.

22. Did you fall in love this year?
I’ve been in love a lot.  It continued this year.

23. How many one night stands in this last year?
Uh.  Let’s see, let me count on my hands and toes an– none.  Nada.

24. What was your favourite TV programme?
I’m somewhat embarassed to admit that I was heavily into the Vampire Diaries the last few months, but it’s a guilty pleasure, but overall? Game of Thrones, hands down.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word, and I don’t often hate people.  I seethe at them and wish them bodily harm if they hurt someone I love, but in the end I get over it.  Hate’s too powerful in a mind and body, and to let anyone do that to me would be giving that person way more credit and control than they’re worth.

26. What was the best book(s) you read?
I finished The Hunger Games series, and have been reading through A Song of Ice and Fire series.  Both recommended highly.  I’ve also reread some books, and had a happy with the Seventh Tower series as well.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Jay Smith.  He won in 2010 on Swedish Idol.  Amazing voice, and quite cute too.

28. What did you want and get?
A PSP.  I’ve been wanting one for a while and finally got it, which was extremely nice. It was a bargain considering the thing looked barely touched.

29. What did you want and not get?
To go home for a bit.  But I should be able to get a trip home soon so there’s something. <3

30. What were your favourite films of this year?
Thor.  X-Men: First Class.  … a lot of super hero movies, apparently, I guess I’m a nerd.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28 and did not a whole lot.  My boyfriend and I hung out and I got a printer which I’ve yet to use because no one told me how to make the damn thing print from afar.  Jerks.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to go home and visit my parents and hug them.  Especially my dad.  I miss him like crazy and we never really get to talk (we did recently and I was over the moon), but beyond that, being able to see my best friend in person would have been awesome, but there weren’t even any opportunities for that one.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
Is this clean? I guess I’ll wear it.  I have no fashion sense, as far as the fashion world is concerned, but if I’m comfortable and think I look cute in something, then there you go.

34. What kept you sane?
Music.  My best friend.  My family.  The people I love.  Music again.  Gaming.  Etc.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I uh.  I don’t think I really had one.  That’s weird, huh? Wait no, I guess Christina Hendricks counts.  Mm, Christina.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Does SOPA count? Fuck SOPA.

37. Who did you miss?
My family.  Like crazy.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I uh… I don’t know that I met anyone new this year, really.  That’s also weird, right?

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year.
Winter is coming… …No, but in all honesty, that the more you compare your life to the expectations of others, the less likely you are to spread your own wings and find your place in the world.  I’m nowhere where I want to be as far as career and personal achievements go in life, but I’m happy and that’s more than most people can even begin to claim, so why compare myself to someone who’s graduating from University or something like that? Strive to your own goals and do your own thing, sooner or later you’ll end up where you’re supposed to be.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?
Moving on is a simple thing
What it leaves behind is hard
You know the sleeping feel no more pain
And the living all are scarred

A Tout le Monde by Megadeth

Judge all you want, that song is one of the most amazing things ever. :|

~Fin

Loveage:

• CarmelaJones
• Maureen
• Lori D. Watson

Target Coupons

Dec 28 2011 3 comments Uncategorized

Target has to be one of my favourite places to shop, even though I end up at other stores more often because they’re closer or cheaper, Target still remains one of my most loved places to go to get new clothes and just generally shop.  It somehow feels like a more upscale form of a mass marketer store, and nothing makes me happier than finding good Target coupons that can help me get a better deal with my every day shopping. Online sales and other deals, like free shipping on shoes makes it all the more appealing to shop at my favourite discount retail outlet!

Loveage:

• hickzsam
• Margoax
• JennyGreyson

Infographic: LBGT Demographics

Dec 28 2011 1 comment Infographic

I’m a strong supporter of being who you are because it’s comfortable to you, whether you were born in the right body or not, as well as being able to choose a partner based on what’s appealing to you, not what’s considered ‘ok’ by others.

Bigger Graphic Can Be Seen Here

Loveage:

• Jolene