Spoiler Alert!

Tuesday
Girls -- I love the show "Girls", but I have not been keeping up with it in its current season.  So, last night I took advantage of my minimalist apartment and indulged in some television (on my iPad).  I re-watched (mea culpa) the final two episodes of season two and watched the first ep of season three.  I'll watch the second ep tonight, I hope... maybe more.  Normally I would just download all of the episodes, but I have no personal computer, so... we'll see what I can stream.  I liked the season premiere!  I was a bit sleepy during it, so I may have to re-watch (fight the urge!) before I move on to the next one.

Wednesday
*Edit - I ended up kinda re-watching the first ep of season three during my lunch break yesterday, but just skimmed through it to refresh my - apparently poor - memory.  Then I watched the second ep, but I haven't seen any more.  I need to find a good streaming site.

Opera -- On Monday night, I received a call from the Canadian Opera Company.  They often call their patrons after they know they've seen a show to chat with them, do a little cultivating (I work in the biz, I should know), and - in this case - try to get them to buy tickets to more shows.  Although I didn't want to buy tickets that night (I'm waiting until the $30 under 30 tickets go on sale), I did enjoy talking opera with the woman who called.  Normally I'd give short answers, but I figured it was a great opportunity to test out my growing knowledge of opera.  I spoke with the woman about the specific singers we saw in Cosi (I said I loved Tracy Dahl and when the woman I was speaking with acknowledged that she's Canadian, I said "I know, and she teaches at the University of Manitoba!"), I expressed my opinion on the show (I loved it! ... not the most sophisticated opinion, but it's true), and talked about what I was hoping to see next season (The Barber of Seville, Don Giovanni, and Madama Butterfly).  Anyway, pretty proud!

Laundry -- I had my first "laundry night" in my new building last night.  Great success!  That may sound lame, but going through the process of doing laundry in a new building is always an adventure.  I'm pleased to report that it was an easy and fun adventure instead of one filled with obstacles.  It was fun last night, and all my laundry is now done (yay!!!), but now that the first time is done, it won't be that fun moving forward... just laundry...

Body Pump -- I did my first Waterloo Body Pump class on Monday evening and it was great!  The thing I love about being a member of GoodLife is that it's been so easy for me to move to Waterloo and keep up my gym routine.  And the thing I love about Body Pump is that it's the same everywhere!  I've been doing Pump classes pretty regularly now, but I've never made a point of going on a weekly basis.  I think I'll try to go every Monday moving forward.  I hope I can stick with it!

Alright - that's all for now!  Two days' worth of posting rolled into one.  I love it!

New apartment!

In my first post of 2014, I said: "One of my resolutions is to update Sugar & Gravy more often."  As of today, the last day of January, I have posted twelve times on this blog.  I'm doing pretty well with my resolutions this year.  Yay!

At 4:15 pm EST today, I am picking up the keys to my new apartment!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited, as evidenced by the number of exclamation points (10).  Although my apartment won't be fully set up until late February, it's still a new place where I can hang my hat... or at least my clothes.  I can't wait to set things up... and have my first sleep-in there... and use my dishwasher (a dishwasher!!!)... and have my cat join me!!!  Eeeeeeeee!!!  I cannot wait!

Okay... time to try to relax and work!

Rush & Oscar-Worthiness

I've done it again!  Maybe the novelty will wear off soon and I'll stop posting about it every time I do it, but I can't make promises.

Do what, you ask?

Watch movies I've never seen!!!  There's nothing wrong with watching a movie on the couch with your girlfriend or friends every night, but the experience can be a truly engaging one if you indulge in something new.  So, as you know, that's what I'm doing.

Last night we watched "Rush".  I was pretty sure I wanted to see this movie from the moment I knew it was a Ron Howard-directed, human interest story, based on real events.  I mean, come on!!!  There was never a question that it would be up my alley.

And I thought it was amazing!!!  It's funny, because at this time of year you're hearing about and seeing a lot of Oscar-nominated films and "Rush" isn't one of them.  And honestly, while watching it, I could distinctly feel that.  Decent acting, but not great.  Good story, but not mind-blowing.  That being said, it was entertaining, and there's a lot to be said about that.

Catfish & Resolutions

I watched another new movie!  I'm so proud of myself for keeping my New Year's resolution as best  as I can. Tonight I watched "Catfish", a documentary I've passed by on Canadian Netflix a number of times and that I've always been curious about. My friends M. & D. that I'm staying with in Waterloo at the moment recommended I watch it with them tonight (they'd already seen it), and so we did.

It was captivating. You had this eerie feeling at the beginning but you just had no idea how things were going to turn out. It was surprising and disturbing and depressing and interesting and everything in between. It commented on small town USA, Facebook, art... the list goes on.

I highly recommend it.

Prisoners

AHHHHHH!!!  OK, so my resolution to re-watch as few movies and TV shows as I can is working.  Every time I go on Netflix, I second-guess my instinct to watch something I've seen before and try something new.  I'm also trying as often as possible to finish any TV show or movie that I start (another bad habit of mine).

Last night I watched something new - and horrifying!!!  "Prisoners" starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, and others!  Incredible acting, mostly great story, GREAT ending, some very disturbing moments, and overall an entertaining and captivating movie.  I watched it with my bestie's fiance, Doug, and thankfully he forced me through the parts that were really freaking me out.

Posts to come... My love for the 7 Up documentary series, Who/What/Where/Why/When & How I'm Moving to Waterloo, and more!

I came up with a legit resolution...

...and it is: to re-watch and re-read as little as possible!

Something you may or may not know about me is that I watch the same stuff over and over again, and that applies to a lesser degree to reading as well.  Rather than diving into new TV shows, which I find intimidating and overwhelming, I re-watch ones I've already seen.  Obviously this isn't all I do, but I do it a lot.  It's comfortable and relaxing to just let my mind focus very little on what's in front of me.

Comfortable and relaxing, maybe, but not extremely engaging, is it?  It's easy to just allow myself to do that, but it would really stretch my mind more if I made myself - and it will take a concerted effort - engage in new things.  I intend to do more than just watching new TV shows and movies, but this is one way to cultivate new interests and hobbies.

So, I intend to watch movies I've always meant to... like "Annie Hall", "Kramer vs. Kramer", and more!  Any time I sit down to watch a movie, I'll make an effort to try something new!

Brilliant.  Bring it on!

Gettin' Fit

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  I just can't believe that another year has come and gone... 2014!!!  I can't wait to see what the year will bring.  One of my resolutions is to update Sugar & Gravy more often.  This can be such a fun creative outlet, and I want to bring a little more of that back into my life.

You know what I'm not making a resolution this year?  Eating healthy / getting fit / losing weight.  Why is that?  Because I'm already doing it.  Unbeknownst to you (contrary to popular belief, I don't write everything about my life in this blog), I have been adopting a very healthy lifestyle over the past while.  In fact, today marks exactly six months since my girlfriend K. and I decided to eat healthier, join a gym, and generally become more health-conscious.  Since that fateful day in July 2013, I have lost approximately 35 lbs and made working out a genuine part of my routine.  I have gotten stronger, fitter, and gone down about two dress sizes.  Most importantly, I've gotten to the point where working out is almost as natural and necessary as brushing my teeth.  It feels incredible!

I've heard many times that exercise is THE way to keep you mentally healthy (in addition to all of the physical benefits).  And you know what?  I get it.  I have a lot going on right now in my life (all positive, and more on that another time soon), and so I've been wont to get overwhelmed.  Today I'm also feeling outrageously hormonal, and as a result I found myself totally lethargic, bummed out, and emotional this afternoon.  BUT K. and I had put a workout in our schedules this evening, so I fought my instinct to stretch out on the couch and watch "The O.C.", and instead walked through the snow to the gym.  Around 30 minutes later I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.  I was sweaty and panting, yet I felt like I could run to the top of a mountain and sing!  It probably sounds cheesy and over the top, but that's genuinely how I feel right now. 

It makes me wonder... why did I wait so long to make this part of my life?  Who cares?!  It is, and that's what's important.

Resolutions II

Last year was the first year that I actually wrote down and sealed in an envelope my new year's resolutions. I'm leaving my parents' house in Toronto for my small town apartment today, so it will be this afternoon that I get to open up the envelope and see how I managed this year in achieving my goals. I remember what a few of them were, but not all, so we'll see how I did!

I'd like to make some new resolutions for this year, too. Obviously there's RC-3, but what else...? I'll figure them out over the next few days and then seal them up for next year. Moving onward and upward...

Speaking of goals and resolutions -- I GOT MY G1!!! Hoorah! I told you I'd do it. Now I just have to keep up the momentum and drive (PUN!) and schedule some driving lessons. I don't need to do the full program, as I've done it before, but I need at least a few refresher courses. I'll definitely keep you posted on the progress.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!