Progress Report: Week 48

Trying to see if I can polish off any of these in a month!

1. Get passport & travel to Canada - No Progress

2. Take a dance class (not ballet) - COMPLETED

3.  Find a new doctor - No Progress

4.  Make a short film - PROGRESS
I had an idea for something very short and kinda weird.  I've made the video, just need to do the audio now.

Progress Report: Week 46

I can't believe there is basically only one month left!  There are definitely a few of these that I can knock off in that time if I put my mind to it!

1. Get passport & travel to Canada - No Progress

2. Take a dance class (not ballet) - COMPLETED

3.  Find a new doctor - No Progress

4.  Make a short film - No Progress
I have a really simple idea for this, but it just requires to me to get my hands on a camera, find some peace and quiet, and do it!

5.  Make an anthology of my Grandma's poems & writings - PROGRESS
I written up a compilation of all the poems that I've got and circulated it to a few other people for feedback regarding the order, and to check for typos, which turned out to be really important because there were many more mistakes than I expected!  Now I need to get back to their feedback to see what I think.

6.  Read 5 of these intellectual/feminist books: The Second Sex, Lean In, To the Lighthouse, The Beauty Myth, Reverence to Rape, Sister Outsider, How to Be a Woman, Americanah - TINY PROGRESS
I haven't made progress on To the Lighthouse, but I started listening to the Feminist Mystique on audiobook which I think should count towards this goal even though it's not one of the books.

7.  Learn to do a Tarot reading - PROGRESS
I still am very new to all of this, but I've started trying to do a few readings for myself.  I am still very unfamiliar with the means of the cards and have to use a reference book but it's progress.  I have started trying to incorporate the minor arcana, whereas previously I've only been using the major arcana.

Some light & quirky film reviews

A few weeks ago I went on a bit of a movie binge, and watched a bunch of light, enjoyable films.  I’ve got a huge list of movies (and shows) to watch but I haven’t had the energy/emotional-strength to watch the heavier ones.  I’m fast running out of films that are fun or relaxing, especially since I just plowed through these five.

God Help the Girl

After waiting for this movie to come out for years, and then forgetting to actually watch it when it became available, I FINALLY watch this movie.  I think I rented it on Amazon.  I greatly enjoyed it.  It is not anywhere near the most original story--- depressed British girl deals with her emotions through music, makes hipster friends, struggles with whether or not/how to pursue a career in music.  It was a very hipster movie, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it!  It is a musical which I really enjoyed; I liked the hipster pop music.  The lead actors were good.  The fashion and style of the film was fun.  Despite being about a girl with emotional/mental health problems, it was a film that had a great spirit of fun and taking joy in the simple things like quirky outfits, dancing to pop music etc.  It was infectious.  I bought the soundtrack and danced around the house.  I would definitely watch this again/host a sing-a-long.

The Holiday (Netflix btw)

This was a rom com I was always curious to watch (not sure why, because there are British people in it?) but never have.  I think I was avoiding it because I was dubious that this film could convince me that there was a world in which Kate Winslet and Jack Black were a couple . . . I wouldn’t say that it convinced me, but I was ok with it the effort it made.  And ok with the idea that it presented a relationship that maybe is or isn’t supposed to play out as true love after the credits roll.  I got a kick out of this film.  It had more to it than just ‘two beautiful women swap houses, hijinks ensue!’ I really enjoyed Iris’ story arc, and was pleasantly surprised by a lovely b-plot involving Eli Wallach.  The relationship between Wallach’s character and Iris was way more beautiful than either of the romantic storylines this film was trying to cook-up.  And also, why did I have a problem with Jack Black?  He was a pleasure to watch in this film; he and Winslet did a great job building a relationship between their characters--- I would just say their chemistry was one more of friendship than of romance.  Generally though, Diaz and Winslet’s acting was not their best in this film—Diaz because her acting was just not good (I do NOT buy this person as a successful trailer editor), Winslet because I think she was a little too good for this role; neither of their characters necessarily had that much depth but I was just hard to watch Winslet’s performance and believe that she could lack depth. Jude Law on the other had was alarmingly charming as hell in this movie.  This movie was 100% a rom com, but it left me feeling warm and fuzzy and like I had seen something with a bit of meaning to it, rather than a mindless formula.  I think I will make an effort to watch this at Christmastime from now on.  Also, fun bonus: Rufus Sewell is in this, playing Iris’s charming, egocentric, hilariously oblivious (or is he?) ex.

For the following three films, one thing I have learned is that there is some mysterious force that takes perfectly good, little films and gives them ridiculous, cheesy titles.

Progress Report: Week 42

I knew that the last month had gotten away from me a bit, but I hadn't realized for how long!  Life in April got crazy busy, and then went right into May continuing to be crazy busy!  When will it end? I have not been doing good about checking in with my goals, which is disappointing because this is the exact time I should be buckling down and trying to finish goals before August.  I don't have much time left.  I don't think I will be able to finish all my goals, but I would like to complete as many as I can!  In this report, I'm going to see which goals I should consider completed, and which I want to focus on trying to accomplish.

1. Get passport & travel to Canada - No Progress

2. Take a dance class (not ballet) - COMPLETE
This is complete as I took 2 semesters of a hiphop dance class.

3.  Find a new doctor - No Progress

4.  Make a short film - TINY PROGRESS
I was all set to actually make very simple short interview-style video, but life intervened and I ended up having to push it back . . . which led to me not doing it yet!  I also have another idea that would be even simpler!  I want to try doing this sometime in June, if not earlier!

5.  Make an anthology of my Grandma's poems & writings - No Progress
I haven't gotten back to this lately!

Progress Report: Week 35

Work and life have been a little stressful and too busy.  April is going to be a very full month.  I've been feeling a little bit disconnected from my goals during the last two weeks, doing things very haphazardly, although I know have been making progress on some things.  I've been trying to do things related to my goals when I have free time or downtime, rather than just vegging for hours.

1. Get passport & travel to Canada - No Progress

2. Take a dance class (not ballet) - PROGRESS
This upcoming week is my last hip hop class, so this goal will be complete soon!  I don't know if I'll keep taking this particular hip hop class because it is very late in the evening and I am often very tired.  However, I have been happy with how much my dancing has improved.  I am still very bad compared to all the other students in the class, but I have been able to follow and get the whole routine by the end of class, and also sometimes forget trying to do everything perfectly and to just enjoy myself!

3.  Find a new doctor - No Progress

4.  Make a short film - TINY PROGRESS
I have a zillion ideas for short films, but there are two I am working on that should be very simple.  I'm hoping to be able to take action on them this month and/or next month.

Progress Report: Week 33

While I'm still as busy as last month, I have found lately that I have been disappointed with my progress not from lack of time, but rather due to lack in initiative.  I feel like I have been slacking off lately.  I realize that I need to now account for 'free' time--- time to relax and watch TV, read a book or magazine, or similar . . . because I will do these things either way.  But I also need to be mindful of working on my goals throughout the week.  I've fallen into the habit of thinking I will catch up on all my goals on the weekend.  Of course when the weekend comes around there is never enough time to do everything!  Last week I made a point to try to accomplish some things earlier in the week!  This made me feel great!  I felt productive and it also alleviated some of the pressure on my free time on Friday night through Sunday!

1. Get passport & travel to Canada - No Progress